#added convention stickers because i really like how many i made. it was such a fun action

[smimon]

Of course it is green

[fightabear]

anyway, re: convention. here's my debrief and i have three weeks until the next one. the grand total earned was about $1,300. which isn't terrible for a two day event! but i won't lie, it is less than i was hoping for. i didn't get as many commissions this year and that's a bummer because doing those is my favorite part. i would legit do them for free if i could but THAT'S NOT GOOD BUSINESS SENSE

my setup still needs tweaking - i think i need to learn harder into the commission portion of it. someone was suggesting maybe i do need two tables and i'm going to look into that next year.

more details under the cut because this got long.

but man oh man has it ever improved. i made less money this year than i did last year, but that was my own fault. i didn't advertise myself as well. plus a snowstorm hit. and my table helper kept just getting up to leave or getting deep into conversation instead of helping me watch for folks and left me very ?_? please notify me so i know i need to watch for clients.

i'm also going to add some more discount options since word of mouth is how this works best. i had some plans to lean into that but they fell through because i went really hard on the charms this go around.

i still ended up being the one greeting people & engaging them and that might... just be how it is! i'm a huge extrovert offline (and a shy introvert online) so any time i saw a cosplayer i recognized the hype kicked in. and i think as soon as i added my dungeons & discounts option (if you get a tabletop commission and tell me the story from the campaign you get $5 - this helps prevent awkward silences! i don't mind drawing in front of people but i find it a lot easier if they're engaging with me, it's like - less pressure? because then i can talk to them while i draw and it ignores my adhd to hyperfocus and work harder at capturing the essence of their character) that helped a ton because people would see a whole party of people at the table recounting the tales of epic adventures end up wanting to get in on that.

i might just need the help friend to be there to process sales and maintain the waitlist.

some highlights: there was a group of cosplayers that kept walking by my table and i recognized 2/3 of them and was excited about it, and as they were walking away i realized the third was a bigtop burger cosplayer and i like had to call them back to ask if that's what they were cosplaying. i think i made that person's day because they were so so so excited someone recognized them. i handed them some of my prototype sailor moon design stickers bc i forgot i even had them with me and they were so excited. i ended up giving out a lot of those just for the hell of it because people got so excited and also commented that the design is incredibly cool which means i need to get off my ass and do more of them.

i kept trying to do a walk of the hall but i'd stop to just ooh and ahh over people's work. things got so busy during the day that i couldn't get up and go buy stuff so i'm hoping that they'll be at the next event too.

and man, i have like! regulars now! people who make a point to stop by my booth to get a comm. they were so excited when i remembered them and i was so giddy they remembered me. and man some folks just came by to chat! and i made friends? folks are local to me. being a WFH adult means that i don't get many opportunities to hang out with people and i feel like those skills atrophied over the last three years.

i got to catch up with my favorite professor from college who said she was genuinely impressed by the evolution of my art (its my 10 year graduation anniversary in may, christ) and was really really amazed by my setup. i told her i was promoting the hell out of the program all day. i got to see classmates i haven't seen in years and we're making plans to have a big week long anniversary party in the summer.

i also had another (former) professor (not mine - but he taught many many many of my friends who have all said he's notoriously difficult to please - great guy but holds things to a high standard) run behind my booth to check out how i had things set up. when he popped back out in front, he grinned and gave me a thumbs up and said it was "very impressive" and my friend turned to me like "are you on cloud nine or ten right now?" and i was like - wa - wait i know that who was that and he was like THAT WAS SANDY! HE NEVER COMPLIMENTS PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

i guess people were talking about my setup and how quickly i work. and the art guests for the convention - according to my friend at least - also think my work is impressive?

it's funny how much can change in the span of a year or two... i think i had quietly retired my dreams of ever doing something with my art because i knew what my strengths were but i had no idea how to correctly monetize them.

i do know this: i'm going to go ahead with the comic i've been planning. this is entirely original, not a fan comic. it's going to be a queer vampire x werewolf horror/slowburn romance set in atlantic canada. two main couples a wlw & a mlm ship with an extended cast of varying identities. there are themes i want to explore about the gentrification of the maritimes and greed leading to environmental destruction, with chapters from different character perspectives to show a different side of atlantic canadian life that are very much not mine to tell so i would want to get guest writers who have that lived experienced to tell it.

there's a few things that stuck with me, little lines i'm gonna remember forever. someone said they're surprised i don't have a comic - and then followed that up with saying my art is "a full meal" not just a "snack" even when it's just a sketch.

and my college friend's wife - who shares my first name - was like oh you're the one i've heard so many stories about! and i was like - stories??? what stories?? because in my head i'm the houseplant and the wallflower.

it is still very strange to feel seen and to realize you are perceived, especially when you tend to make yourself small because you feel awkward for how much space you tak eup. i think for years i've assumed i'm the person that's always just kind of... there in a situation, literally even if it's a party i'm throwing. or if i've found a cool thing to do and i'm inviting a friend, they're going along with it because they don't want to go alone and the experience of going there is the thing they want and not the experience of going together. the pandemic and the isolation definitely didn't do favors for me, and oh boy did it not when a lot of it was spent in a really toxic relationship.

this was a reminder that people are wonderful and want to be around me, and reaching out to engage with them is what i need to do. they want to hang out with me and get to know me, and if my 30s are going to be anything it's going to be letting them get the full me.

[alyssa295]

Readerly Exploration #2

September 5- Fischer

Fischer

Reading with a Crayon: Pre-Conventional Marginalia as Reader Response in Early Childhood

Big Idea:

What we classify as children scribbling in a book is really evidence of them having meaningful expression of their life experiences and engagement with the book.

Nugget:

When I was a kid, I do not think I ever colored or wrote in books. In my mind that was a huge no. I just did not want to “ruin them” and change them from how they “were supposed to be” or at least in my mind. Recently I have found that thought is not the same. I found that as I read books, I get more out of it when I write in them or draw or comment. It helps add meaning and helps me remember it. This is the reason I write in my devotional books and got a journal Bible. After listening to this article, I realize that is the same thing kids are experiencing when they “scribble” in their books. That is just their level of annotation and how they express meaning and have purposeful interaction with that text.

Readerly Exploration:

For this experience I chose an excerpt from your assigned course reading(s) and share with a family member to get his or her insight and perspective on it.

I decided to talk to my mom and get her opinion on children drawing in children’s books. I started off by asking what she thought about kids writing or drawing in books. She did not like the idea because she finds it to be destructive because books are destructive. Then I explained the argument that was made in the reading, and she still did not agree and thinks it is kids being defiant. She said, “It’s the same reason you do not draw on walls.” She then mentioned that I never drew in my books. This did not surprise me because what she thought was passed down to me as a child, as I mentioned in the nugget, I saw this as a big no. I also asked if she thinks it could be helpful in any way and she said no.

I then decided to go to my sister and ask her the same thing and she laughed and said, “In books they’re not supposed to.” I wanted to get her opinion because she has a young child. She said, “There’s coloring books and readings books and that is it.” She then mentioned that Bella (her three-year-old) finds it entertaining to read the book she stuck stickers in. I think that can also be seen as expression. My sister continued to say wants to see the artwork created for it not scribbles. She then said them not marking up the book beneficial for the next person reading the book, and it’s not polite when they do mark it up. She at least understood and agreed that it could have meaning and be beneficial to the child but she still thinks it should not be done.

It did not surprise me that both members in my family that I talked to have the same ideas. Especially after talking to my mom, it made sense of how I viewed writing in books when I was a kid. I knew my mom would not change her mind; she tends to be stubborn in her views. It makes sense from their perspective with having to buy the books, and my sister made the argument that she wants to enjoy the book with how they are intended to be. Which I understand that to an extent. I do not think many people have the idea that they it is not graffiti. I think most people have the same idea my family did and believe it to be destructive. I did enjoy to hear from both sides, one being the article and the other in disagreement with it. I do not lean super far either way. I am still deciding on what I think about the topic. I do agree that it is beneficial to the child, but I am unsure of the regulation and the extent a child should be adding to a book.  

Multimedia Documentation:

Here are the logs of the two phone calls I made to talk to my sister and my mom.

[daredevilexchange]

Want to be featured here? Head to this page and fill in the form!

See what this is about here, or if you’re using the app here.

What’s your fannish ID? Just Shelby! I like to use my actual name across all platforms so people can find me easily! 

What types of fanworks do you create? I make a lot of digital art! I really enjoy drawing fanart of characters! Most of the art I create gets turned into stickers and prints that I sell in my Etsy shop (theshelbylernershop)! I really love drawing expressions and looking at the small details in a persons face. It’s amazing how dramatically an expression can change with just a simple line stroke here or by moving the eyebrow up just a millimeter. And there’s something I call the “special move” that takes a portrait of someone going from “just some guy” to “oh it’s the character!” Which can sometimes be just moving or adding in the tiniest detail. I love that!! I have branched out a bit into making TikTok skits where I incorporate some comedy stuff and drawing stuff! It’s a lot of fun!

What are your favourite types of fanworks, when you’re not creating? Definitely art!! I LOVE the art that other people create! I have so many prints saved on my Etsy because there are just a ton of talented people out there! I also appreciate how there are very serious and beautiful pieces that look like they belong in the louvre and then like…spicy avengers pinup art….which also belongs in the louvre😤🤌 also TikTok because the people there are so funny!!

What do you like in particular about this fandom? You see what got me into DD wasn’t the post-NWH craze! About a week or two before the movie came out (I hadn’t heard any of the speculation of DD making a cameo), I decided “hey let’s watch that Marvel show with the blind guy in it…people say it’s really good!” And then when I saw NWH, I was halfway through the first season and was like 😳 Omg Matt??? From there it’s just been a downward spiral. I LOVED the series and symbolism of it. I’m really into “dark religion” (I blame Supernatural for that) and so the symbolism in the some of the shots and themes just *chefs kiss* I love it. The anachronistic feel of it is super satisfying to me as well. You have churches (which are classical, clean, holy etc.) as a backdrop for a bloodied and bruised vigilante. Sister Maggie cleaning Matt’s knuckles after a fight was something so perfect to watch. And of course after completing the series, the scenes in the church with her hit so much harder. I love the humanity above all in the series. And I love that people love that too. Matt is just a guy (“a really good looking guy” hehe) and showcasing the fact that he is first and foremost human with human thoughts, feelings and emotions is just so refreshing. I mean this series showed two grown men crying during an argument with each other, can’t say I’ve seen that in other marvel productions. I could go on and on about things that made me fall in love with this show and these characters but those main themes are my favorite. In terms of the people in the fandom, they’ve all been so creative and funny and welcoming and I love being a part of it!

Do you like participating in fan events? I like participating in group events because it brings likeminded people together! I ESPECIALLY love conventions because it gives you an excuse to leave the house in full costume and go talk with other enthusiasts. I think when you have something you like and have no one to talk to about it, it can feel a bit lonely! But when you have these events or online campaigns, it can make the experience a little more fun since you have other people who like the same thing!

What about your creating process? To get my creative ~juices~ flowing, I like to go through my “sh*t I wanna draw” album on my phone! I save pictures or poses to an album from Pinterest so when I want to draw, I have something for inspiration! I do like to listen to music and watch a TV show I’ve seen a bunch of times while I draw but sometimes I go for hours in silence because I’m so in the zone. Sometimes, especially when watching DD, I’ll find screenshots of particular scenes that I like or facial expressions I find to be particularly unique and draw those out! I don’t always finish them or clean them up but they’re fun to do!

Do you interact a lot with other fans? I don’t interact with a TON of other fans mostly because I’m so new to the fandom. Most of my interactions take place on TikTok just because people are more willing to comment and joke about things there. I find Instagram and Twitter to be more “silently enthusiastic” about fandom culture, at least on my account. I’d love for people to be more vocal about their thoughts and ideas! Like hey…come say hi!

Is there any particular piece you'd like to showcase for this post? I picked my “God’s Soldier” piece for the post because I spent a lot of time on it and it’s definitely my favorite piece I’ve created for DD!

Do you have other fandoms you’d like to talk about? It might not be a surprise to say that I started in the MCU as a Bucky Barnes simp. I’ve been a casual Marvel fan ever since I was a kid watching Spider-Man with my older brother. But when Wandavision came out, I did a little rewatch of some of the films and had my eye caught by a certain angry old man with one arm. I LOVE Bucky’s tragic history and story arc and just everything about him. So naturally I’d have the same love for another guilt-ridden, tragic guy. I keep seeing people call it the “Bucky to Matt pipeline” and how’s its a straight line. Also I think the two have some pretty funny similarities: -both are played by 39 year old, foreign-born, dark-haired actors whose first and last names start with the same letter (Sebastian Stan and Charlie Cox) -both characters signature look is only seeing half of their face (top half and bottom half) -both characters first and last names start with the same letter (Bucky Barnes and Matt Murdock) -both are filled to brim with guilt and blame themselves a lot -both have blonde and generally happy go lucky besties -both actors are literally the complete opposite of their characters Those are just some things I found to be funny, I certainly have a type when it comes to MCU characters! 

Is there anything else you want to tell us about yourself? Let’s see….I’m 22, a Cancer, she/her, I have a bachelors degree in traditional animation and am going to be graduating with my masters in entrepreneurship this spring. I love to draw and I have own an Etsy shop :)

Where can your fanworks be found? https://shelbylerner.tumblr.com/ https://instagram.com/shelby.lerner?r=nametag

Thank you, @shelbylerner​ !

banner by @context-is-for-kingpins !

[ID on a white background, four black triangles that look like spotlights from above. Each illuminates one of the Defenders silhouetted in white: Jessica, Luke, Danny, Matt. A hand on the left is holding a pen writing the words Content Creator Spotlight. There is a little Punisher skull on the pen. End ID]

[queenofwerewolves]

Future Hope - chapter 2 - Starting something new..

They were almost ready, all they needed was the one thing every revolution heroes needed: Badass outfits. For that, they counted on Griff to make some patterns to stick on their outfits or whatever weapons they carried, Kip suggested to make stickers to glue them around the city whenever a crime occured and they came to the rescue, to leave a message that something happened. Everyone loved that idea, and eitch one got to work in making their outfits, stickers and whatever else they needed to start the revolution for real...

With stickers and acessories settled, now they needed the main thing: The outfits. But.. No one knew how to sew or make clothing.

"Wait!" Maria shouted. "I know someone! Ya'll remember Maggy yeah?" She added with a tone of excitement.

"Ah, isnt she the one who draws the Metal Werehog and how you joke she refuses to tag you in them?" Togekiss answered with a tone of sass. Maria blushed and pouted her lips.

"Yeah yeah. Anyways she's visiting here for a local con, selling her drawings and prints, did you know she actually sews and knits clothes?" Maria added with a tad of admiration.

"Really? Well shit badass then" Blink added with a soft smile. "How do we get in contact with her?" She asked.

"She should be at the event center setting up her booth stand. If we leave now we'll have plenty of time to talk to her." Maria answered with a confident tone.

"What are we waiting then?" Kip added. "Let's go!"

Everyone nodded and made their way to the local event center.

At that same event center, Maggy was setting up her booth, putting her prints up on the sides and on top of her desk, showing the kind of work she does and displaying her various pieces she drew herself, whether it was her OCs, Silent Hill or Sonic theme, eitch was individually beautiful and unique. She also set up a small cashier and some paper and pens for possible requests on the fly, or a doodle with an autograph, you can never be too prepared.

She was organizing her papers when a small hand knocked on the wooden booth to call her attention, she looked up to see the entire Future Hope crew, with Maria in front and smiling confidently.

"Maria!" She exclaimed happily, going around the booth for a hug, who Maria happily accepted the hug.

"It's so good to see you!" She said with an excited tone, she pulled apart from the tone and looked at the remaining others, many she didnt recgonize. "And.. Who are these?" Maggy asked.

"Ah, Maggy these are some of my Tumblr friends, like you! Im sure you know Griff already" Maria said referring to Griff, who had a hand behind his hand and sheepishly smiling. "But you see.. We kinda need a moment to talk to you, if that's OK" Maria asked, practically whispering to Maggy.

Maggy nodded, and leaded them to another area of the convention center which was emptier, so they could have some privacy. Once they got there, Maria explained as basicly as she could about her and Future Hope, the wishing fountain, their new powers, their intentions.. Maggy listened quietly, but intriguied as anyone would be.

"Woahh.." Maggy said, finally hearing the end of the story. "You guys really are gonna be super heroes?" She asked with a spark of excitement. "And I get to help?"

Maria nodded with a smile. "We need you to make outfits for us, whenever you have the time of course. None of can sew but we have the designs here for you. That is, if you-"

"Yes!!!" . Suddenly being cut off, Maggy got up with smiled with pride, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "I'd be honoured to help! This'll be so cool!! I'll have those made for you as soon as I can!" She said taking the designs from Maria.

Maria smiled and pulled her in for a hug. "I knew I could count on you.." She said softly. "Of course" Maggy responded. "After all: Nós portuguesas têm que contar uma na outra né?"

"Haha! Falou e disse amiga!" Maria responded in portuguese, both laughing together while leaving the others clueless, but nonetheless happy for them.

"Well." Maggy said. "I should head back, the con will start soon". Maria nodded and looked at the others, who agreed it was time to go home and wait, with a final hug, they said their goodbyes and headed back to Maria's house.

They werent simply gonna stand around and wait for the costumes to be ready, until then, they decided to fix up the one thing every SuperHero group needed: An HQ. A place to reunite, plan, organize and discuss strategies whie also knowing about whatever recent crime could be going on.

But of course, they were only a couple of young and very, very broke adults. Griff's Youtube Channel was starting to blow up but nothing too extreme yet, but he will get there soon. Same for Maria and her animation channel, they were started to get discovered but they had a long way to go. But it'll happen.

In the meantime, Maria does have a big and very spacious basement, they decided they would settle there for now. Blink and Kip started brooming the floor, Muffin and Spooks were dusting the walls, Muffin used her wings to reach the roof and corners, and Spooks enjoyed the darkness of the basement to summon her Dark Hands to help the job go quicker. Rooko and Rooki decided to go to a hardware store and get some new materials and give the basement a better fixer upper, install some new lights, maybe install a window...

Spike and Togekiss were out looking for things to decorate the HQ, a table, a rug, some chairs, a new wallpaper perhaps.. Meanwhile Maria and Griff were online shopping for some cool props to decorate the HQ as well, using Maria's laptop, they scowered the internet.

"Oo!" Exclaimed Griff, pointing at the screen. "This life-size Master Chief would really spice up the place!" He said excitedly, Maria shook her head with a soft smile. "Griffy we're only looking for small decorations, not turning my basement into nerdvana" She answered.

"Oh.. Right.. Sorry.." He sort of mumbled out, Maria raised a brow in concern and set the laptop next to her, placing a hand on his arm. "Is something wrong..?" She softly asked..

".. It's just.." Griff started to answer. "You know how overly-excited I get. You know how hyped and impacient I get for these things.. Im just worried that... That.."

"Yes..?" Maria asked.

"... What if I blow it?" He asked, with a tone of sadness. "What if my powers arent as good as I thought? What if instead of helping everyone, I just make everything worse..?!" His voice tone got louder as he started to slightly panic. "Im a big, musculent WereRabbit, that HAS to be scary in a way isnt it? Im practically a Mons-"

"Dont you dare finish that word!!!" Maria shouted at him, gripping his shoulders hard, looking at him straight in the eye, her black eyes glimmering like a starry night without the moon.. Glimmering with worry.

"Listen to me very, carefully. No matter what you are, or what you do. You.. will never, be a Monster.." "Monsters arent the big unknown creatures we see in movies, they're out there, looking like us, gaining people's trust just so they can take advantage of them, taking or ruining innocent lives, people who have their heads so far up their asses they've become blind and see nothing but themselves. THOSE ARE MONSTERS!!!" She raised her voice, shaking a little bit. Griff only stared at her, shaking a bit as well, until suddenly Maria placed her head on his chest, pulling him in for a hug..

"You're not even close to being like them, and your physical appearance doesnt define your heart.. Please, never doubt yourself like that again.. Because you are better then this, and you know it.." She quietly spoke, waiting for a reply.. Which she didnt receive. Griff embrace the hug back, and that was all that needed to be said, without words whatsoever. Between those two, the message was clear:

Monsters are the ones who cause darkness around them, and not them, or their friends are even close to being them, they are the opposite. They will be the light, a new beginning, a new..

Future Hope..

[mickeytheticklee]

𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞

(IT'S A TICKLE FIC!!)

It was already the start of the tickle convention. The day where everyone can show their true sides without feeling a tad bit embarrassed. Of course they had their lers with lees, as I am here lonely. For me it was sometimes hard making friends in the tickle world. Some were either too much or didn't like how I was too much. Then there was the whole problem meeting up and how they would bail on me thousands of times. Gaining friends into something you never thought you had was quite a challenge to me. Even with me being alone I can still enjoy the same thing as a regular lee with a ler. Even if I don't find my perfect match I can still make friends with other lees. I always wanted to ask them about their tickling experiences and how they went thru long hours of tickling. Which led me here today, talking to a male lee about his first tickle session. His name is Yuta. He's in his mid 20s, a shitload of tattoos, eyebrow piercing and a couple ear piercings. He seemed so cool that I never imagined him being a lee. That's what I liked most about him, how he was super unpredictable. His exterior seemed super tough but in tickling he's a sensitive baby boy.

Yuta: Favorite tickle tools? Go!

Miren: I mostly do fingers. But if I had necessarily pick one it would be toothbrushes.

Yuta: I can't handle that shit. It's too evil.

We were talking at McDonald's about tickling. We both seemed alike in terms of spots. Both had a sensitive tummy, even more sensitive inner thighs, then not very ticklish feet. Only difference is his weakness with his neck. While talking we bought up the reason why we can't here. Yuta is originally from Japan and gets money from his parents to fly out to LA during the summer. I thought it was impressive that his parents let him do that but...you know...his parents don't know his secret. Most people wouldn't admit their fetish out of nowhere. The day I did I lost a friend. He never told anyone, he had separate accounts with separate emails so no one can find out. It reminded me how I had to do that and forgot my passwords too many times.

Miren: How about your sister? Does she know?

Yuta: She's at the convention. I decided to take her this year.

I was very surprised when he said that. I mean, a sibling being into tickling. What are the odds of that? I was acting normal when Yuta bought on the conversation about her sister having a tickle fetish. I knew my heart would send into a panic because this could be my chance of hooking up with a lee. But I didn't wanna be rude and think that the only reason I wanted to hook up with him was because of his sister. Turns out his point of meeting me was to get me to her sister, who's even more shyer than me. Despite being two years older than Yuta she's only been into tickling for three months and still doesn't know the materials. Which meant he was setting me up with a baby ler who's never tickled anyone. If that isn't the cutest shit ever I don't know what is. At the moment Yuta's sister was exploring through the convention center and was too excited to take a break and eat. So we needed to wait until her hyper side went down to meet her. We went back to talking until a text came from Yuta's phone saying her sister was coming. I was excited, but still...needed to lay low.

Yukika: Hi, now who did you want me to meet?

Yuta: Her. Her name is Miren and she's a lee. See, now you have a new friend.

Not how I expected Yukika to radiate the same energy as Yuta, badass but have a kind personality. But this girl was 100% total softie that if I didn't know who she was I would totally assume she would be a lee. She had a soft voice, a lovely face, pastel clothes on with a bunch of cute stickers on it. Her hands were so silky soft I felt like feeling them forever. She sat next to me, holding my hand and having such a gentle smile. Gosh she was so pretty. Like whenever she would let me speak I would suddenly shutter. Then she would coo me while touching my neck when she found out I was younger than her. We talked a bit. Yukika ended up going to a shop that had tickle supplies and she bought toothbrushes, feathers, and a tickle belt (which I didn't know existed). Along with that she went to Target to buy baby oil. My first thought was making it seem like she was preparing a session. I was close to asking her if we can have a session but I didn't want to seem like our meeting is going too fast. But she was hinting it SO BADLY UGH. The neck tickles, sudden belly pokes, the way she caught me off guard with the knee tickling which sent shivers down my body.

Miren: Do you wanna... have a tickle session... tomorrow?

Yukika: Really? What time? Where do you wanna have it? Do you have any limits?

Oh wow this was truly happening. I never knew I could be invited to a tickle session. In a way it made me feel special that before that day ever happens I get to spend a whole day with my lee. So it was just the two of us for the rest of the day. Just playing carnival games, eating delicious meals, and doing tickle challenges. The fun at that time just begun to Yukika. She wanted us to have a sleepover, since I drove 90 miles to get here and she didn't want me struggling to get back home. So we slept together, in the same bed, with her arms wrapped around my waist and her smelling like mango soap. It felt like heaven. When morning came I was already abrupt with tickles. I felt Yukika's hands squishing my tummy as I try to move.

Miren: SHIT AHAHAHAGAHA ARE YOU STARTING ALREADY?

Yukika: I'm sorry but I couldn't wait to see your laugh.

We started the session after breakfast, which I liked. Daytime tickles were much more enjoyable then waiting the whole night to get them. I looked through the supplies she bought wondering if I can give her a class on tickling. When I wanted to be the teacher she started to get whiny, saying she wants to get to the tickling. I mainly due this to see what how long her temptation is. There was no reason for doing this, I just wanted to have fun. I kept asking her questions and if she answered correctly she'll get another question. Ten questions in and she finally found a way through my bare skin. I was on my robe, underneath was a very short crop top and some shorts. Meaning that my stomach was able to be exposed at any time. I could tell Yukika was fed up over my stalling. She untied the rope and started lightly scribbling my tummy very lightly. I froze, looking down to see her beautiful nails touch my belly. The feeling...it felt magical. My first time getting tickled and this is what it was like. It took a quick ten seconds before I started giggling and dropping down to the ground.

Yukika: Are you ready to give me a hands on lesson now?

Miren: Of course.

She definitely had ler energy when she said that. My body was laying on hers with Yukika's arms going to my chest. We were both on the ground in comfortable positions with my stomach not yet exposed yet. Yukika lifted it back down to give me more suspense in tickling. But the crop top was showing my lower tummy and hips which was her first target. Pulling my shirt up she uses both hands to tickle my stomach so lightly making me burst into laughter. Seeing myself burst so easily I tried holding it in. But feeling the sensation for too long would definitely make me lose it. The fact that it was only one spot just shows how weak I am. It got everywhere, my sides, my belly button, my ribs. Spots I didn't even know were ticklish like the ribs close to my tits. She kept pinching them and it made me lose place but Yukika pulled me back into place.

Yukika: You aren't teaching me. Are you perhaps too shy since my hands are laying all over your adorable belly?

Miren: Yes, plus it seems like you already know stuff.

Yukika knew I was fine suffering but she knew I already had a weakness. She wanted the lecture about tickling. She wanted me to say what spots to be tickled instead of her doing all the work. Of course I hated that. I can't even say the tword before going into a blushing mess. I kept trying to say it, while Yukika was getting me mad while she pinches my sides. By the time I already said it she went ballistic on my sides, making me slide more onto her. She sat there so politely wondering what other action I'll give her. I asked her very quietly to tickle my tummy as she was confused while lifting up my small shirt. I kept saying just my belly but she pretended to misunderstand by wiggling her finger in my belly button. I said belly again but she digged into my sides leaving me laughing again. Still saying belly she tickled my waistline and...I was enjoying it. My hands were suddenly turning into fists, trying not to deflect Yukika's attack.

Yukika: Coochie coochie coo~ who's my ticklish lover?

Miren: I am...

Yukika: What?

Miren: I am! Ah I love this so much!

I was only sounding enthusiastic because I didn't want Yukika to stop the tickling. So I listen to her and taking the tickling attack of my ticklish knees. But let me rewind you what she said. Lover. She loved me? After the tickling and hugging her I kissed her. But I soon regretted it thinking she wouldn't love me. But guess what, she kissed me back but added some light tickles on my back to tease me. So in the end I had a lee who turned out to be my lover. Turned out I feel in love while being tickled. 💞

[meggannn]

the itsv commentary is so full of great facts and bts info so i wanted to write down all my favorite parts, but i just ended up writing down anything that was interesting, which was honestly most of it. four thousand words later i ended up with their commentary on practically half the movie. i’ve put the interesting or funny bits that i jotted down behind a cut if anyone is interested.

this commentary audio had Phil Lord (co-writer, producer), Chris Miller (producer), Bob Persichetti (co-director), Peter Ramsay (co-director), Rodney Rothman (co-director, co-writer), but it was kind of difficult to tell who was talking most of the time, so i didn’t include names on who said what, unless I knew for certain who was talking.

The first Miles sticker in the film is a “glitch” flashing on the Sony Pictures Animation logo. “Already putting his stamp on the movie.”

RIPeter is meant to be an amalgamation of all the Spider-Man we know, “good and bad” (as the dance happens, someone corrects him:) “Good and GREAT.”

(“I’ve got an excellent theme song, and a... so-so popsicle.”)

“That joke saved the movie.” “The dance move or the popsicle?” “The dance move. I resisted that dance joke and Rodney pushed hard for it (…) It told the audience what movie they were watching.”

“It was Rodney who was really pushing for him to be in this relatable idea of [Miles] not knowing the lyrics to this song but singing along.” “We started animating before the song was finished. It was really easy to not know the words then.”

“There are three very long shots that introduce Miles.” (The shot at home, the shot of him walking past Brooklyn Middle, the shot of him entering Visions.) “That was a deliberate choice, to open with a big crazy Spider-Man montage, and then with Miles, start a different pace, long shots, and just watch him and how he is, and don’t get too fancy with it. Although ironically these shots are really fancy.” The shot of him walking past Brooklyn Middle and the one of him walking into Visions are meant to directly contradict each other: his comfort zone vs him out of place in new surroundings. (Megan’s note: My take is that with these shots they might have been trying to represent his home, his past, and his future.)

“Everything [in this scene from color to sound] is meant to go from a very heightened experience with Peter to a very naturalistic experience with Miles.”

For the scene in the car, Shameik and Brian sat in chairs to set up in a car, with microphones and a rearview mirror. “Brian might have even been a little annoyed at Shameik a couple of times, and I think you can feel it in here, in a really wonderful way.”

(Talking about the chromatic aberration) “Sometimes it looks like you’re watching a 3D movie without the glasses on.” “That was on purpose.” “Every frame is supposed to feel like a piece of printed art.”

“On the cover of Great Expectations, there’s an image of Magwitch grabbing Pip’s shoulder in a cemetery.” “Foreshadowing!”

A side character named “Smiley Kid” is in several shots of miscellaneous Visions students. “Because he’s not a real person, I think we can say he is our least favorite person.” “I think he comes around. He’s great, then he’s bad, then he’s great again.” “He’s like the extra in every live action who worms his way to the front of every shot.” “He just almost always looks in the camera.”

Miles’s expression when the teacher calls him out at trying to fail was “completely ripped off of President Barack Obama.”

Benson Avenue was meant to call back to where one of their fathers grew up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

(“Hypnotize” by Notorious BIG playing on Aaron’s stereo) “Biggie Smalls in an animated Spider-Man movie. In what universe?” “This is the ideal timeline that we’re living in.”

(This comment is said as Miles presses his face on the glass:) “That changed people’s perceptions of the movie. When we had this in, it really lit people up.” (To be honest, I can’t tell if this comment was made in response to Biggie Smalls, or to Miles pressing his face on the glass.)

They all loved Mahershala Ali. “The shoulder touch would work if your voice sounded like Mahershala’s.” Everyone was in awe every time they recorded with him. “He makes you want to be a better person when you’re around him.” “He’s got a high bar.” “Then he goes away and it kinda wears off.”

The subway Aaron brings Miles to was a place he and Jeff used to paint in when they were young, which adds another layer to him talking about/missing Jeff when he mentions it to Miles. The age difference probably means Aaron was younger than Jeff, and now he’s the older one with Miles here.

There’s a bigger history between Jeff and Aaron that’s only hinted at, and part of it is the reason why Miles has his mother’s last name, not his father’s. It’s implied Jeff was worried his bad history would follow Miles if he took his last name. Also because “then he would be named Miles Davis.”

They were excited to depict a spider-man experiencing spider-sense for the first time.

“We did the most expensive thing. In all choices.”

“People ask, How does Miles with a cop and nurse parents afford Jordans? And the answer is, they were a gift from his uncle.”

(On Kingpin’s animation possibilities.) “We always had this idea that he was the living expression of a black hole. The right for him is this floating head on a body that we could scale up and down depending on the shot with hands at the end of arms.” “While creating a black hole, he is a black hole.”

Someone felt very passionate about including the dimensional map showing the other universes the collider was connecting with. “It felt so important to me.”

(Paraphrasing this one) “Once Phil and Lord gave the MO to push convention, the gauntlet had been thrown, we started getting crazy stuff back. And a lot of the time our art direction would just be like, ‘Yeah! COOL!' ‘Do more of that!’”

(Peter rolls his eyes as the Prowler menacingly steps forward) “I like that [RIPeter] is exhausted at the idea of being killed.”

“The Prowler chase sequence was the first sequence that went through the whole pipeline.” (This and the cemetery scene were the first.)

(The burst card of Miles jumping over the subway tracks) Bob Persichetti: “I had such high hopes to do a lot of burst cards, I think that’s the only one I actually did.”

(as Rio comforts Miles in Spanish) “We never translated on screen (…) The idea being, this is the fabric of Miles’s life.” “This was inspired obviously by Brian Michael Bendis” (co-creator of Miles Morales and his longtime writer) “and Miles’ bicultural background. But also Phil Lord grew up in a bilingual house.” “And I took Spanish in high school.”

(Stan Lee cameo) “[Stan is] the only performer in the movie who we went to. Everyone else came into recording studios, but Stan Lee, we dispatched the microphone to him.” “Everybody wanted to animate Stan.” “If you hit pause any time a train goes by, because everyone wanted to animate Stan, he’s in almost every single train.” “He’s an extra in a lot.”

(Miles reading comics before jumping off the building) “If you notice in that comic book, it’s True Life Tales of Spider-Man, and to keep his cover, his name is not Peter Parker. In the comic book, his name is Billy Barker.” “Great.” “Who could ever figure that out, right?”

A bunch of drawings around the grave of Peter Parker’s tombstone were all done by different kids of people on the show.

They mention the cemetery scenes was one of the first ones finalized. When they were still trying to figure out how to bring Miles to life, “you can see that his performance evolved from this [cemetery] scene.” “It’s super expressive.”

There was lots of debate on how much paunch should be on Peter B’s stomach. There are something like 3-5 different body models used throughout the movie.

They all loved the scenes of Peter B in his apartment: the cut to him crying in the shower, to pinned to the bed with his butt out, to his pose on the futon flipping through channels. Someone really liked “[his] little quivering [spidey] eyes on the seahorse shot.”

The comic book page-flipping device was a “late breaking” realization of how to transition between flashbacks and present day.

Chris Miller did the voice of the cop dispatcher on the radio saying the “Child dressed like Spider-Man dragging a homeless corpse behind a train” line. “The role I was born to play.”

In the walk-and-talk scene in the alley, they felt inspired to take a lot of crazy shots. “We were passionate that a Spider-Man movie needed to be shot from their point of view, where every surface can be the ground.”

“Because of questions on the internet, we took of one of Miles’s shoes. Just in case anybody wanted to know why he was sticking.” “Another thing that I was passionate about but nobody cared about but me.”

“One of the big tricks of this sequence and of this relationship was to let you believe that Peter was a good guy even though he was being a real… turkey… to Miles.” (Peter saying “No, does it look like it’s working? No! No, it’s not…”) “This was one of the few moments that we added kind of late just to know that he was a sweet pea underneath it all.” “Finding the right level for his not caring about Miles, and then learning to care about Miles, finding the right level from the beginning all the way through to the end, was something that took a lot of nuance.”

The interrogation/alley and burger scenes probably went through the most amount of reworks and rewriting than any others, because there was so much exposition and “you got tired” watching two heavy information scenes in a row. And given how often they said “this scene went through so many iterations” in this commentary, these two scenes must have been a LOT of rewrites. (Some of the alternate burger scenes can be seen in the film’s trailers and alternate universe cut.)

“I still kind of miss the unfinished version of this shot, where his feet… He had no toes for a really long time for some reason.” “You had to say like fifty times, ‘We’re gonna add toes right?’” “‘We’re gonna get his toes on there, right?’”

“One of the things about Kingpin is that he just magically appears outside of the car. Because there’s no way he could get actually get through the doorway.” “Maybe in the future where you guys are watching this ten years from now, someone will have figured out how to animate that. But in 2018 it’s still impossible.”

(Miles finding Peter in the vents) “These moments were really when you started to feel the relationship between the two of them develop.” “I love that Miles has to fight to occupy the same space and become an equal to Peter.”

(Peter mockingly blah-blahing as Doc Ock explains the danger of the collider, then saying afterward “Oh nevermind, that is bad.”) “For the sake of a laugh, we undercut the stakes, and then immediately had to buy the stakes back.”

“We went through probably 70 different version of what Miles would look like while invisible … and I like how how he comes in and out of invisibility was stylized to some degree.”

They say the Doc Ock/Peter scene was “really really bad at one point” and now it’s “one of the most wonderful surprises.”

Ock’s computer is based off of Phil Lord’s actual desktop. Some files are cut off the edges of the screen because they just dragged things off of the internet.

(Peter glitching in the chair) “I’m remembering all of the conversations that determined that it was funniest if you left Peter’s head unglitched.”

It was Justin Thompson’s idea to use soft robotics for this version of Dock Ock’s tentacles.

Everyone, from animation to the sound team, saw Doc Ock’s tentacles about 3 months before completion, went (exasperated) “Oh THAT’S what they look like? We’ll have to redo X Y Z whole thing…”

You can tell they loved the monitor joke. “Very silly things happening around very cool things.”

The Bagel! text was added last minute. “That was a joke pitch by Justin that was taken seriously.”

“Everyone felt empowered to pitch crazy ideas, and that’s why it felt so rich and deep.”

“It’s no understatement to say that this look in the forest is one of the hardest things in a movie like this. To make something look realistic is something we know how to do pretty well. But to make it look graphic and illustrative is almost impossible.” “Especially when you’re close and far to trees within the same shot at times.” “We had so many conversations with Danny, our V Effects supervisor, like, ‘But, you guys, we’re going to be in a forest, you really don’t want the leaves to rustle in the wind?' ‘No, we’ll be okay!’” (Later, when Peter and Miles swing off together, the leaves rustle:) “See, the leaves can move, guys!” “We just CHOSE for them not to.” “It was an absolute creative choice.”

“This is another moment in the story when we really open this beat up to let Peter and Miles have a victory together and cement their bond, that you really were rooting for their relationship. We breezed through this quickly and you didn’t have the same connection with the two of them.” “One of the things in the screenplay that we discovered really late is that you needed to have a lot of smaller, positive accomplishments throughout the center of the movie to have it work right.” “(…) This middle section of the movie is about Peter and Miles learning to fall for each other, basically.”

(During Gwen’s intro) “We give just enough to hopefully tease you guys into being really into each one of these characters’ origin story.”

“One week of days and nights just passed in that one shot.” “She hit a time anomaly on her way to this dimension.”

“She vibes with Miles after he had been bitten by the spider, and she purposefully bumped into him there, in case you didn’t catch that.”

“We were trying to make Ock such an intelligent and socially awkward person that then turns into this really formidable equal to Kingpin.”

(When Peter thwips May’s doorbell and then exhales with his hands on his hips.) “One of my favorite poses in the movie.” “That pose gets a laugh all by itself.”

“‘You look tired’ is a thing my mom says to me every time I see her.” “It’s accurate.”

“I fought hard to have (May) kick that door open.” “I tried to cut that and then you uncut it, correctly.” “Let’s be honest, she’s not treating her house very well.”

(In the Spidey Lair) “Lots of Easter eggs here.” “We should’ve put an actual Easter egg in this shot.”

They debated for a long time putting the B-team spiders in the picture at all, knowing it would be more work, wanting to make their characters worth being in the picture without taking away from Miles. “Nothing worked in the movie until it had something to do with Miles and his story.”

(On the spider team testing Miles:) This angle was “late-breaking, on the backside”: “This made it feel like they all cared about Miles, even though they maybe didn’t believe in him.” “Just Peter going ‘Cool it.’ For the longest time we didn’t have something like that.”

(Pretty sure this is Peter Ramsay) “When you’re making a movie it’s like you’re building an emotion machine. You’ve gotta have all the parts calibrated the right way, make sure it’s properly oiled, cause if it isn’t, the gears are gonna stick, and you’re not gonna feel right.”

The Prowler Sound™ is not a jaguar or cat, but an elephant. “We only did the dark scenes first cause they were easier to light.” (Some of those scenes they mention are Miles running from the Prowler, the cemetery scene, Miles writing the note in Aaron’s apartment.)

They tried about a million songs for Peni while she makes a new goober. (The song used is not in the soundtrack, but it’s “Want It Here” by Xenia Pax.)

(On Peni’s Heelies) “This shot’s not long enough to get her from the kitchen to the couch.” “Is that why?!” “That’s one hundred percent why. Just put those little wheelies on here!”

In the first draft, there was an idea there RIPeter was a grad student under tutelage of male Doc Ock so that’s how Liv and Ock knew each other.

“The table pushing into Miles. That was something my older brother, when we would fight when we were kids, he would do that to me.”

(When Aaron closes his eyes, refusing to kill Miles:) “That little look. ‘Cause he knows what’s coming.”

(They’re all quiet as Miles carries Aaron to safety, caught up in the scene.) “We’re all kind of gripped.” “We’re supposed to be giving interesting anecdotes here, guys, come on.” “It was so cold that day…”

Prowler’s death was the first session they did with Mahershala. “He’s a method actor, and his death scene, it was like he was really dying.”

“We gave animators the freedom. You can make Miles unattractive. He can ugly cry, because this is raw and it feels so emotional.”

(When Miles throws his sketchbook out the window, only for it to immediately come flying back in:) “It’s a one-shot transition from deep emotion and regret and pain. We said, ‘He’s gonna throw the one thing out that really represents his uncle, yet it’s gonna come flying back in.’ It was hard to make that shot work.” “It’s a great story statement that you can’t lose the things that make up your past.”

When everyone is talking about someone they’ve lost, an alternate line has Ham saying “I lost my uncle. He was electrocuted, and it smelled so good.” It got a lot of laughs, but the team says that from then on, the audience “resisted” Ham because he killed the mood, and it was hard for people to see him as anything other than a goofy cartoon, so they changed the line to “Miles, the hardest part about this job is you can’t always save everyone.” (Megan’s note: I think they probably didn’t bother to re-animate the others’ facial reactions after changing Ham’s line, because judging by the reactions from Peter and Miles in this shot it feels like Ham just said something annoying/out of place lol.)

When Peter says “It wasn’t their decision” (for Miles to stay behind), Miles has a very quick reaction shot where he turns away, bites his lip, and shakes his head. Someone mentions it’s one of their favorite shots of Miles.

(On the scene with Miles and his dad at the door) “When Brian Tyree Henry saw this scene [with a rough performance, just animation], he got the movie. It made such an impression on him. He was very happy to come in and pick any lines up for us and just keep working.” “We were working on the shots on layup for this. The idea of having them be on thirds to start, then coming closer, and finally ending with the final split-screen shot at the end.” “And Jefferson crosses the scene, which I think is really interesting. They start off on opposite sides of the screen. He makes the first move.” “It’s amazing to me to see Miles transformed by his father.” “It feels earned.”

“In an earlier version of that scene, Aunt May gave him a version of that speech, which was nice, but it needed to be Dad.”

(Later on, someone mentions:) “Tom was the first one to say ‘It shouldn’t be Aunt May at the door, it should be Dad.’ And we all sort of slapped our foreheads going ‘That’s absolutely right.’”

“After our premiere, my 9yo son [Luca? Luka?] asked me this. ‘So Papa, you know Miles spray-paints one of those suits and it becomes his suit. Super cool, Papa, but it shouldn’t fit him. It’s way bigger.’” (Laughter) “Did he have to wait a few hours for it to dry?” "We cut out the sequence where Aunt May sewed it tighter and altered it.” “And they had the hair-dryer express drying it. ‘Your friends are in danger.’ ‘Well just let me let it dry first!” “I tell you, spray paint, five minutes and you’re dry.” “She pre-altered it. She knew he was coming. She said, ‘It took you long enough.’ It all happened in advance.”

“The scene of Miles falling and everything slowing down and I always appreciated that Phil called out he was ‘falling and rising’ and the same time.” “It made the movie. A rare thing that goes from the stage directions all the way through production and onto the screen.”

“This sequence used to end with him getting hit by a truck. But really felt like it was time for Miles to get a big victory.” (Megan’s note: This scene is shown in draft stage in the alternate universe cut. Miles makes his leap, free-runs over some trucks and buildings, and his scene is interrupted when he gets hit by a truck and crashes to the ground. There’s a moment where he collects himself, the pushes himself to his feet and runs off into the city to join the others at the collider. I interpret this idea to be their showing how Miles fully embraces the “Get back up” lesson, since Miles’s pose in the sketches imitates the same one in the basement when the spiders are hazing him and he’s on the ground.) “And now people applaud.” “There’s a general attitude with this movie that was like, ‘How can we do things differently?’ That was a case of when we were like, ‘What if we didn’t have the audience feel really good in this moment?” (Laughter) “What if we had them feel really bad? Right at the moment they want to feel good, what if we made them feel terrible?” (Joking) “Let’s poke THEM in the eye.” “I think in early drafts, we just were like, Miles is losing and falling short the whole movie until the very end. And when we put that up, we realized that you needed to see him slowly winning and winning and winning until he won even bigger at the end.”

A set-up that never fully made it in the movie is that Fisk runs charities for Spider-Man and that’s why the dinner was set up like it was.

The bread scene was on the chopping block for a long time. “By adding this interaction, and making it about Peter and MJ and something real, all of a sudden this scene was worth it.” “It’s necessary to know what Peter’s giving up by sacrificing himself.” “It lasts just long enough because we learned that if you stay way from Miles too long--” (They interrupt here to point out two cameo people at dinner, “Danny and Josh,” who I couldn’t get a cap of) “--We lose our connection to the movie in a way. But at this point we care enough about Peter to want him to get back to MJ too.”

“The servers that were holding the movie were moving slow by the end of this shoot. And we had the best computers.” “At a certain point I think we overloaded Imageworks’ server. There was a moment they were afraid the movie was going to break their machine.” “Which was our whole idea. Our whole approach was, how do we break these pipes that make the movie?”

(During the final collider fight sequence, but they don’t specify what idea this was about specifically:) Chris Miller: “One of the only times I can ever remember saying ‘Okay you’ve gone too far.’ There was one brand where I was like, ‘I don’t get this.’ A few of the drawings that were somehow even more insane than this.” “What you’re saying, Chris, is that there’s a version of this scene that’s even crazier than this?” “Literally the only time I can remember going, ‘Okay guys, you’ve done it. You’ve broken it.’”

“I’m sure there’s are filmmakers watching this, so I think this is a learnable lesson from this sequence. Which is if you want to put something super crazy in your movie, wait until the very end when a lot of movie has been spent on your movie and your release date is 3 to 4 months away and they literally cannot stop you or else they have no movie.”

One of them points out Miles webs a turntable to propel himself upward. (Megan’s note: Miles also does this just as his own theme starts playing, which starts off with a record-scratch. I thought that was cool.)

(The moment when Gwen calls Miles “Spider-Man”:) “That choice went through a lot of iterations like “What’s the end of their relationship?” That she calls him Spider-Man instead of giving him a kiss on the cheek? It makes me well up just thinking about it.”

Kingpin breaks the glass of a building and the pieces fly toward Miles. Bob Persichetti calls these “Dorito chips.”

After the train enters a collider steam, there are versions of the interior of the train that flash from all five dimensions. There’s a futuristic Peni version, an old-timey Noir version, there’s a Gwen version… “As it passes through the beam, you get to see five versions of the train existing at once.”

(Vanessa and Richard seeing Kingpin) “This idea of repeating mistakes (for Kingpin). No matter what, he was gong to keep repeating these mistakes.” “He’s still who he is.”

“It was my dream to have Kingpin headbutt Miles and it finally came true.”

Each one of these character is in a black costume, and black surrounds them, and yet you can still see what’s happening.

“I remember people wanting to cut the shoulder-touch at the end.” “Who wanted to cut this?!” (Overlapping chatter) “No names in the screen.” “I remember feeling, oh my god. You’re LUCKY you got the shoulder touch in.” “The fact that you could pay off a set up that wasn’t even a set up…”

(On Miles seeing inside the universe as the collider explodes) “And then this. How long can it be? Let’s make it way too long!”

“The Anvil (that clanks at the end) was in Ham’s pocket?” “In the hammer space.”

(Miles hugs Jefferson) “This was the moment everybody went ‘Oh, YES.’ No matter what, we have to get to the hug, and the disguised voice, and the ‘I love you.’”

Someone describes the ending soundtrack as “Miles’ playlist meets Aaron’s playlist meets a superhero movie.”

They indirectly confirm Peter B and MJ do get back together. “Peter B gets his happy ending.” Another bit someone mentions was a late addition.

“I like that the movie starts and ends with Miles in his bedroom by himself.”

“We could do a whole other commentary saying completely different things.” “Probably four.” “We should do an alternate universe commentary.”

“You’re your own champion, I think that’s the idea. This is a story of empowerment. A champion is not coming from outside of you to come and save you. It’s your job.”

(As the credits roll) “Every name you see right now, we’ve seen them cry.” “We’ve made them cry.” “Every name you see right now has yelled at us.”

(On the post-credits scene) “We thought of this (post-credits scene) two months ago.” (They recorded this commentary in Dec 2018.) “We wanted to get Miguel in there and show the opportunities of where the multiverse could go.”

“I looked this up. This IS the most expensive dumb joke of all time.”

“We didn’t finish cleaning the cell on that close-up of Spider-Man.”

[bigyack-com]

Everyone’s Resolution Is to Drink More Water in 2020

Water is pretty boring, as far as beverages go. It doesn’t have a catchy jingle, a secret family recipe or even a taste, really. Yet people can’t seem to get enough of it.“I get people in my office every day, every week, saying something like, ‘I’m concerned I’m not hydrated,’” said Lauren Antonucci, a nutritionist in New York City.Their concerns may be based on conventional wisdom. One well-known recommendation suggests drinking eight glasses of water a day; another warns that if you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.But anxiety about water consumption could also stem from a different, more philosophical source: Hydration is now marketed as a cure for nearly all of life’s woes.

The Answer to Everything

Water, in recent years, has been imbued with the powers of a mysterious elixir. The latest “it” celebrity’s skin care secret? Oh, just water. Feeling sluggish? You probably need more water. Uninspired and utterly hopeless about your career and romantic prospects? Well, have you had any water today?People hydrate as if their reputations depend on it. They dutifully carry water bottles with them wherever they go, draining and refilling them with gusto. Some go so far as to track their consumption in a journal, or with a mobile app. (There’s one that uses a plant as a metaphor for the user’s well-being. Depending on the volume of water one has consumed, it may appear to be thriving or wilting.) Hydration is the mark of a well-adjusted, successful person. On Jan. 1, Twitter flooded with resolutions to drink more water, including from Twitter’s brand account.But will more conscious hydration really make for a more productive 2020?“There’s no evidence that a little bit of dehydration really impacts anybody’s performance,” said Dr. Mitchell Rosner, a kidney specialist at the University of Virginia who studies overhydration in athletes, in a phone interview. He said that most recommendations for hydration come from studies of athletes, who lose fluid rapidly during workouts or competitions, and are at a much higher risk for dehydration than the average person. For those of us who spend all day at a desk, Dr. Rosner said, it’s best to drink only when we feel thirsty.Overhydrating, he said, isn’t helping anyone. At best, Dr. Rosner said, “You pee it out.” At worst, it can cause the sodium and electrolyte levels in your body to drop to dangerously low levels. The condition, hyponatremia, can result in hospitalization and death. (This doesn’t happen often, but … good to know.)If hydration is the goal, it’s also worth considering that water may not be the most hydrating beverage out there. A study published in 2015, of 72 male subjects, found that full-fat milk, skim milk and orange juice kept people more hydrated than still water did. So, could America be ready for a dairy revolution? Unlikely. That’s because water isn’t just a beverage preference that needs to be toppled. It’s a virtue.

How Did We Get Here?

In 2017, bottled water surpassed soft drinks as the top beverage in the United States by volume, with sales up 7 percent over the previous year, according to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, a beverage consulting firm. Since then, sales have continued to rise.“It’s no accident that it’s No. 1,” said Michael Bellas, the chairman of the Beverage Marketing Corporation. “If you had to put together a perfect scenario and plan how to build a category this would have been it.”In the 1970s, ad campaigns by Evian and Perrier introduced the concept of bottled water as a high-end refreshment beverage, Mr. Bellas said. Before that, bottled water was sold as a tap water replacement.These new campaigns helped enable bottled water to compete with other grocery store beverages, like juice, coffee, soda and beer.By the early aughts, Mr. Bellas said, people weren’t just drinking bottled water while sitting down for a meal. They were drinking it all day. While consumers may have begun to curb their intake of caffeinated or sugary beverages, they had no reason to put a limit on zero-calorie, thirst-quenching water. And they were carrying it around with them, on the go. “It changed the way beverages were consumed,” Mr. Bellas said. If people were drinking water everywhere, it could be sold anywhere. And it was. Bottled water’s indefinite shelf life and readily available product made its expansion seamless.As single-use plastic water bottles proliferated, an environmentally conscious response emerged: reusable water bottles. Nalgene, which began as a plastic laboratory pipette maker before outdoorsy scientists realized they were perfect for camping, became an accessory for college students in the early aughts. They could pick a Nalgene color that reflected their personality and then plaster it with stickers for whatever they cared about: the college radio station, student government, the Dave Matthews Band.The rise of Nalgene coincided with Mr. Bellas’s observation that carrying bottled water took on a symbolic meaning during the early aughts. “It was cool to carry a water bottle around,” he said. “And it was healthy. It made a statement.” Reusable water bottles made the same statement with an environmental twist.In recent years, ever-growing environmental and health concerns have turned them into a gift-guide-worthy statement item. For the consumers with big budgets, there’s Yeti. For VSCO girls, there’s the Hydro Flask. Aesthetically discerning buyers may gravitate toward design-forward companies like Bkr or Hay. Any of them make for a gift that says, “I love you, and I want you to be hydrated.”

What About All Those Health Claims?

Water is a go-to remedy for a variety of ailments: exhaustion, headaches, digestive problems, inflammation, dry skin, acne.“It’s a popular idea among patients and a popular idea in consumer media that hydration equals healthy skin,” said Dr. Joshua Zeigler, a dermatologist at Mount Sinai in New York City. But that’s not exactly how it works. “It’s a complete myth that eight glasses of water are necessary to maintain hydrated skin,” he said. Still, many consumers treat water like an anti-aging potion.We think of water as so good for us that the bottled water industry doesn’t need to spend much money on convincing us to buy it, compared with marketing budgets for other beverages.Advertising expenditures in 2018 were $109 million for the bottled water industry, while the beer industry spent more than $1.5 billion, and the soft drink industry came close to $1 billion, according to data from Kantar Media. The truth is that for the most part, consumers don’t care what brand of bottled water they buy; the best-selling brand of bottled water, according to the online statistics portal Statista, is “private label,” which is another term for “generic brand.” Consumers don’t even know who manufactured it, or where.Water appears immune to claims that its benefits are overblown — we need it to survive, after all. Its benefits have even become a meme. There are social media accounts dedicated to berating their followers for not drinking enough water. But if you haven’t quite hit your quota today, don’t worry: Your 2020 isn’t already ruined. The tasty beverages you thought of as dehydrating, like coffee, tea and beer, are actually hydrating.“Coffee is a hydrating beverage,” said Ms. Antonucci, the nutritionist. “If you’re drinking it, let go of the guilt. Enjoy it.” Read the full article

[deer-coder-blog]

Why I Don’t Switch to Windows 10

On twitter, I made a comment about the coercive and deceptive nudge Windows 7 has to push users of 7th-gen processors to upgrade to Windows 10. Because of the limitations of Twitter, I won't be posting a whole lot about it there. Also, I realize that my opinion is a little bit controversial, and I want to avoid getting into some lame chain of commentary arguing with someone on Twitter about something as asinine as your choice of operating system. That said, here are the reasons I won't be upgrading to Windows 10 (or at least, not just yet.)

The software loaded onto Windows 10 computers is tantamount to bloatware for my use. For starters, it seems Microsoft has taken to installing third-party game applications like Candy Crush for you. This is so bizarre. The developer, King, uses a heavyhanded mixture of microtransactions and ads to monetize the game. I can't say I blame them for trying to make a buck, but that does -not- need to be installed on a computer. People will download shit like that if they really want to play. Another big application that I have a gripe with is all the bloatware included in the new "start" system. Microsoft uses this to push their marketing schemes for their softwares like Skype, Office, and X-Box. Windows updates also include ads like these - stuff that you don't necessarily need, like Office, OneDrive, Skype, and Windows Phone are now advertised directly through your compulsory updates.

Oh, yeah, and they are compulsory. Windows 10 removes the capability to control updates, breaking the functionality for many older machines. One of my laptops uses a network card made by a company that only released ethernet-port support for its driver in early August 2017. I used to use Windows 10 and even used the tech preview, but because of Microsoft's continuous updates without regard for specific user issues, I had to roll that laptop back to Win 7 or lose my ethernet capabilities. And apparently, I was far from alone here. Some people lost their machines! Similar compulsory updates can prove to be a nuisance with aggressive shutdown scheduling and popups. While security updates might be important for a push, compiling a big project or completing a slow FTP download take precedence for me. Removing the capability to control which updates are installed on your machine or when has already proven to create massive security risks that are completely unnecessary.

To jump around a bit, I'm also not very trusting of Microsoft with my personal data, including biometrics such as fingerprint and iris scans. The reasoning for this on a personal level dates back to the days of the Technical Preview. While I realize that I opted into sharing my usage data with Microsoft for the purpose of furthering development, the extent to which my data was collected was... Shocking! The operating system collects keyboard input data including keystroke data through many micorosoft apps including Edge browser. Edge is a whole nightmare of its own, and frankly I'm appalled that Microsoft wouldn't be more forthright with the fact that it collects data about absolutely everything, and openly publishes that data, even bragging about it. I mean, how nifty are these facts?

"Over 44.5 billion minutes spent in Microsoft Edge across Windows 10 devices in just the last month" - they track your edge use time.

"Over 82 billion photos viewed within the Windows 10 Photo app" - I hope you're viewing these on OneDrive!

"Gaming continues to grow on Windows 10 – in 2015, gamers spent over 4 billion hours playing PC games on Windows 10" - Microsoft knows what apps - ALL APPS - you're running, for how long, and whether or not they have focus.

Of course, Windows 10 users do consent to these things. But ask them about whether or not that makes them comfortable, and the answer... probably won't surprise you all that much. I mean, I'm not happy about all the hours I spent on e621 in the Edge browser during my stint with the Technical preview. I mean, along with my financial information collected from the store, my contacts and addresses stored in my OneDrive account, and all the media conveniently backed up as a convenience service, Microsoft likely knew my sexual interests better than I did! And on boy did I love that Metro interface, offering me sweet convenience and gloss at a trade-off of giving away what images I look at, for what amount of time, where my cursor hovers, what videos I watch, and even how I procure those pictures and videos. Windows 10 is a privacy nightmare, and if you think you can change some settings in the fragmented, awkward settings and control panel menus, you're mistaken.

Microsoft can use the data they collect to throw you in jail, and they will - PRISM is a program that many tech companies participate in, where authorities can essentially request and receive otherwise private data. Microsoft has a big track record of doing this very thing, and I can see why. It serves their interests to do everything they can to fight software piracy. But before you start talking about how "criminals should pay" or that you have "nothing to hide," please take a look at this article for more information on why that's a load of bullshit.

Another thing I'd like to talk about is the convenient assistant Cortana! Cortana is a service that I have never used myself and never seen others use. Despite that fact, Microsoft is hopeful about its future and continually develops it. This service, aside from occupying 3gb of RAM in my test system, is a persistent service that cannot be stopped through conventional means. It collects and phones home about your searches, application launches, voice data, and more. By using these near-compulsory services, "you grant to Microsoft a worldwide and royalty-free intellectual property license to use Your Content." This data can be sensitive, especially with the introduction of the omnibox that will conveniently open a Bing search with Edge if you want to search the web. This way, not only can Microsoft funnel you into their data collection pipeline, but they can also inject their own curated ads and sponsored content to pad their bottom line! What's more, new systems with Windows 10 S can't change their default browser or search. This has the effect of victimizing the less tech-literate and poorer crowds among us. I'm sorry, but I'm not of the perspective that it's okay to prey off the poor, elderly, and preoccupied simply because it's convenient to do so.

Some things I don't like about Windows 10 is the egregious dishonesty, implied risks, and hush-hush nature about motivation for getting people to upgrade. I'm not one to support the interest of such a profitable corporation if they give no real reason, but a lot of the "reasons" Microsoft has provided for motivation to get users to upgrade to Windows 10 have been... Questionable. For example, Microsoft pushed coercive, obtrusive updates onto users of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. A "security update" for Windows 7 and 8.1 systems was actually an ad campaign. If you did this upgrade when it was free, you likely remember seeing a popup along the lines of "it's time to upgrade to windows 10" with a button that stated "Upgrade Now!" You may have even been interrupted from your Netflix binge or Counter-Strike competitive game for it. Important stuff! They're just trying to make sure their valued customer doesn't miss out! On my newest computer, I installed Windows 10 and found that a clever Security Update had installed a bit of "useful" deceptive information about support for my Kaby Lake processor! Apparently, Windows 7 does not support this hardware... Or, maybe that was a lie that got them into a lot of trouble? Call me paranoid, but this is just ridiculous. Microsoft has pushed it many steps further now, and asked Intel and AMD to drop support for integrated graphics in anything but Win 7. To account for this, I had to download a hack onto my computer that modified my system files to have the CPU update and operate like any other. It's not about support, it's about forcing people to switch. This "it's time to upgrade" schtick they've been on about is like when you go to a car dealership and get offered a new Mercedes for half the sticker price, and the dealer keeps calling you dumb for not taking the offer because it's an "amazing deal" and you "can't afford to miss this opportunity." You can usually check in in a little bit to find that the person who bought the car later found that it was stolen or flooded beforehand. It all kind of comes back to this term I've been throwing around - coercive. Microsoft doesn't even respect people who disagree and want to keep their operating system. Microsoft will flat out lie about risks to get users to switch. That's not some bitter medicine routine, that's interest-based coercion. And that's why I'm sticking to 7.

Addendum: Why don't you use Linux, Dakota? Simple answer. I would, but I'm addicted to Windows-only games that aren't being developed due to DX12 being a Windows-only thing for now. Maybe I'll switch if dev companies will actively work for it, but they don't seem interested in supporting less than 4% of the remaining systems out there.

[thepermanentrainpress]

REVIEW: FAN EXPO VANCOUVER AT THE VANCOUVER CONVENTION CENTRE - MARCH 2ND TO 3RD, 2019

The first panel on Saturday was Mehcad Brooks, currently known for his work as James Olsen/Guardian in CW’s Supergirl. He had an inspiring panel, touching on race and gender, social media ‘keyboard warriors’ who attempt to put others down, music (his stage name is King Gvpsv), and doing things one is passionate about. He discussed how DC Comics’ Jimmy Olsen was historically Caucasian, and how proud he was to be apart of creating diversity, portraying a black male version on the show. In fact, one superhero he would love to play is Bruce Wayne/Batman. That being said, he noted the importance of “creating your own superheroes” if you’re passionate about creativity, whether that be starting from the drawing board or adding attributes to those already brought to life – Mehcad is currently developing a superhero of his own, with a graphic novel to stay tuned for.

The one statement he said that stuck with me was, “perfectionism is the highest form of procrastination.” As an artist, it’s the best excuse not to do anything, and he uses that to fuel his spiritual journey as a creator and human being. I was really impressed with his connection to the audience in his words, and look forward to seeing his projects as they continue to unfold.

I caught a brief portion of George Takei’s self-moderated panel, hearing him take the stage with an emphatic “Oh Myyy” (to the delight of audience members)! He recognized the original Star Trek fans, and the new generation that keeps the franchise alive and thriving, noting the success of CBS’ Star Trek: Discovery. He recognized the importance of keeping ideals in mind (“in an insane reality” as the current situation in the US). A fan asked his opinion if achieving a utopia in the real world was a possibility, to which Takei replied no, but it is “still a dream that we should aspire to reach.” Takei is currently in Vancouver filming AMC’s The Terror, set in a Japanese internment camp during WWII.

The Flash panel was wild, this cast knows how to have fun. Featuring Tom Cavanagh, Robbie Amell, Carlos Valdes, Danielle Nicolet and Hartley Sawyer, the panel had mini donuts a plenty (they asked, and devoted fans delivered, not once but multiple times throughout their time on stage)! They talked briefly about the upcoming episode set to feature King Shark vs. Gorilla Grodd, and the large budget they had for its special effects. Danielle addressed the absence of Joe West this season (cast member Jesse L. Martin took a medical leave after suffering a back injury this past summer), but said he would be back on-screen soon. Amell, who no longer appears as Ronnie Raymond/Firestorm, is currently working on Amazon’s Upload, with sci-fi/action film Code 8 having premieres across the globe beginning in April. Cavanagh joked about Amell moving on from The Flash to “more expensive projects” and “greener pastures,” and this continued to be a running joke throughout the panel. New additions Nicolet and Sawyer were praised, for their work ethic and what they brought to their characters DA Cecile Horton and Ralph Dibny/Elongated Man.

During fan question period, Amell was asked about the crowdfunded Code 8 and working with cousin and Arrow star Stephen Amell (who he insisted was pronounced “steph-in” rather than “steve-in”). The pair always hoped to collaborate after having brief interactions in a past Arrowverse crossover, and were happy to do so with the sci-fi flick filmed in Toronto in 2017. There were also plugs for the Tom Cavanagh directed heist short Tom and Grant, which is now available for streaming on Vimeo. One of Cavanagh’s favourite and most challenging scenes, was when Reverse Flash killed Cisco Ramon (Valdes’ character) in Season 1’s “Out of Time.” One daring fan asked Valdes if there was truth to the rumours he’d be leaving the show after Season 5. He stayed mum, answering with an appropriate “I have a donut in my mouth.” It was a nice attempt. Nicolet and Valdes only had kind words to say about co-star Danielle Panabaker’s directing debut in episode 18, shot in February, describing her as a “boss lady” and “in control.” It was a fun panel, and you can see the family atmosphere created on-set translates similarly to their interactions with one another off-set.

During breaks in between panels, I had an opportunity to roam around the floor, to get a glimpse of the vast number of retailers, artists, and cosplayers on-hand for the event. I purchased a few postcards from illustrators Jenny Hsieh and chanteii – they have incredibly adorable artwork of shiba inus and cats, respectively. I also had to buy a couple of stickers from PIKARAR, because of my love for animals, naturally. There were booths with Funko pops, wigs, pins, medieval swords and armour, unique jewelry, kimonos, tees, fan art, boxes chalk full of comic books, and other pop culture memorabilia. It was overwhelming (in a good way)!

We stopped by the booth advertising locally filmed web series Followers: “An Internet Superhero Story.” The plot line is “a group of superheroes inspired by social media must collaborate together to take down Hater, who threatens to destroy the internet.” The trailer looked amusing with their special effects and action sequences, DIY costumes, and I look forward to checking out more of the episodes online!

On the cosplay side, I’m not too knowledgeable on anime/pop culture characters (I’ll be the first to admit this!) but there were many amazing costumes. I saw a Spider-Gwen posing for pictures with young girls, Iron Man, Deadpool, Harley Quinn, Disney princesses, and characters I was told were from popular video games League of Legends and Overwatch.

On Sunday, I sat in on some of Pamela Anderson’s panel. Anderson is known for her modelling and acting work in Baywatch and Home Improvement, but currently uses her platform to do activist work for animal rights, our environment, and climate change. I heard her response to a fan’s question: “everything you do has a repercussion” and the importance of enjoying experiences over consumption. The Pamela Anderson Foundation supports “organizations and individuals that stand on the front lines in the protection of human, animal, and environmental rights.” It is nice to see Anderson (who was born in Ladysmith, BC) be passionate about these global issues, and encouraging listeners to do the same in their everyday life.

My final full panel of the day was the Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow talk with Juliana Harkavy, Brandon Routh, and Courtney Ford. This was largely a fan Q&A panel, with one fan dressed as Roy Harper/Arsenal informing the cast how their characters have provided happiness and strength in darker personal times. It was a touching moment, and you could see the actors’ expressions shift, truly listening to each of the fan questions with understanding and empathy. Harkavy said her favourite part about playing Black Canary was meeting fans, while Routh expressed some disappointment in the Legends being left out of this past season’s ‘Elseworlds’ crossover event, but hoped they might make an appearance in the already announced ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths.’

They admitted that they don’t socially interact much with cast members of their fellow CW shows other than at conventions and dinners to celebrate season kickoffs (on-location filming, studios not being on the same lot), but it’s always fun when they do meet-up to catch up. Routh said that while he loves playing Ray Palmer/Atom on LOT, his role as Superman in Bryan Singer’s 2006 film Superman Returns is his favourite role to-date because of its significance in his career (as his first leading role). All three prepared for their current roles using comic books as guidance, imagery and past iterations of their characters.

We had a wonderful time at FAN EXPO Vancouver, being surrounded by like minded others with an excitement and passion for the arts, cosplay, comics, film and television. Our team also had an opportunity to interview Gotham’s David Mazouz, a stellar actor who shone as a young Bruce Wayne and who’s using his platform to shed light on animal rescue and advocacy, and creating positive change as young adults. The interview will be posted soon! Until then, we can’t wait until FAN EXPO’s return to our city next year.

Written by: Chloe Hoy Photo credit to: Timothy Nguyen

[diaryofablandman]

D.C. Hardcore - An Ethnographic Study

When hardcore reared its ugly head in the early 1980s, it was a unique beast.Though the music bore similarities to its punk ancestors, this new sound was particularly vicious, potent, and wholly unmarketable to a commercial audience. Forced to live outside of the mainstream, the hardcore punks had to turn inward to define their sense of accomplishments and success. Authenticity was defined not by number of records sold or in dollars made, but rather by instilling an insular sense of community amongst the scene and its inhabitants. As a concept frequently chased by musical subcultures looking for an alternative to mainstream industry practices, the idea of democracy became an essential facet of the hardcore culture. David Hesmondhalgh highlights in his article ‘Post-punk’s attempt to democratize the music industry’ that the fundamental elements of a functional democratic system are ‘participation’ and ‘access’ for constituents of all levels. Whereas mainstream media seeks to create and promote a product that is shiny, neat, and expertly crafted, neglecting the contributions of anyone outside the pre-determined elite, hardcore was set up to be fully inclusionary (Hesmondhalgh, 256).

Fittingly, this concept of democracy was most fully realized in the nation’s capital of Washington D.C. Not in the government of course, but rather, in a community of young hardcore punks eager to claim a culture as their own. Dawson Barrett claims, in his article ‘DIY Democracy: The Direct Action Politics of U.S. Punk Collectives,’ that at its core, punk is a form of “direct action.” He argues that in a DIY (or Do It Yourself) culture, punks are able to solidify their own “elaborate network of counter-institutions, including music venues, media, record labels, and distributors” that specifically caters to their own needs. In D.C., this way of thinking was brought to life. Spearheaded by de facto leader Ian MacKaye, vocalist of Minor Threat, and bolstered by his record label, Dischord Records, D.C. became the face of democracy for America’s hardcore culture.

The seeds for hardcore’s democracy were sown just as the genre was in gestation. Regarded by many as the country’s first hardcore band, Los Angeles, California’s Middle Class were barely musicians themselves. “The original punk bands, most of these people were musicians and were into glitter and glam, stuff like that. They already knew how to play and adopted punk rock as a style,” explains the band’s bassist, Mike Patton. He elaborates, “We listened to the first punk rock records and we learned to play. And we were doing it really primitively because we didn’t really know, so we just put it all into energy (American Hardcore).” The music posed a radical shift from typical songwriting conventions such as melody and structure, focusing more on speed and aggression. Chris Foley of Boston’s SS Decontrol emphasizes that “the whole thing with hardcore was that it was people just picking up a guitar, learning three chords, and playing as fast as they could (American Hardcore).” Though they were often shouted at a tone and speed that rendered them incomprehensible, typical lyrical content consisted mostly of issues with politics and social injustices. According to Chris Doherty of Boston band Gang Green, “We were just screaming against authority and our parents and about everything that was pissing us off in our life (American Hardcore).”This sort of ‘anybody can do it’ approach allowed both participation and access for wayward youth all across the country. Hardcore scenes eventually popped up on both coasts, most significantly in L.A., Boston, Minneapolis, New York, and of course, Washington D.C.

           Data collected from the 1980 census shows that, at the time, the neighborhood of Washington D.C. consisted of nearly twice as many African-Americans as whites (U.S Census Bureau, 1980).  “In my junior high school, I was one of 10% white kids,” said Ian MacKaye, leader of Minor Threat, Fugazi, and the eventual face of D.C. hardcore, “And in senior high school, I was one of 20% white kids (American Hardcore).”. In search of an identity separate from their black peers, these white, middle-class kids of D.C. discovered and embraced punk rock, which bore no elements of the funk and soul music popular with the other local youth. “If you grew up white in this city and you’re not part of the political establishment or you’re not part of true culture, which is a black culture, then you have no culture,” elaborated MacKaye, “There’s nothing here (Azerrad, 121).”That is, until, ironically enough, a group of young African-American Rastafarians known as the Bad Brains brought hardcore into town. The punk-on-speed aesthetic that characterized the music left a huge impression on the D.C. youth (Blush & Petros, 117). Bands such as The Teen Idles, S.O.A., Government Issue, and Scream formed in the Bad Brains’ wake, each putting their own spin this frenetic brand of punk rock. Hardcore subsequently became a culture for these kids in the early 1980s that didn’t fit in with the local majority. Footage of live shows during hardcore’s peak years gives a good sense of the scene’s demographic. Most bands and fans alike ranged from teens to young adults, anywhere from around 15 to 25, the vast majority of which being white males (Minor Threat - Live at Washington D.C., 1983).

These live shows consisted of a chaotic environment where a slam-dancing was a common occurrence. This was an intense, violent form of physical expression where fans would, as the name implies, slam into each other at full force during the band’s songs. They used this dancing as almost a ritual to unify the scene, especially at events that were outside of their home turf. For instance, while attending a Black Flag show in New York, the D.C. punks allegedly “knocked into anyone with long hair (“hippies”) or those who weren’t slamming with them.” Instigating violence in such a manner led to a full out brawl between the D.C. and N.Y. punks, which they used as a means of proving themselves (Azerrad 131).

As less outwardly violent rituals, stagediving and crowd-surfing eventually became fixtures of live shows as well. During a band’s performance, a fan, or sometimes even several at once, will climb up onstage, often run across with their hands in the air, scream along with a few lyrics, and proceed to dive back into the crowd. Footage from a 1983 Minor Threat concert at D.C.’s ‘9:30 Club’ features the band welcoming the fans access to the stage; they play along with unflinching persistence despite the added presence, and sometimes vocalist Ian MacKaye will even throw an arm around the stage-diver so they can share a few lyrics into the mic before he returns to the sea of bodies from whence he came (“Minor Threat - Live at Washington DCs 930 Club…”). Even when the fans are not on the same literal stage, they are invited to participate in singing when the vocalist would putthe microphone into the crowd. At this same Minor Threat show, MacKaye holds the microphone into the crowd below him during several songs in the bands set. One instance features a call and response between Ian and the crowd, another features Ian letting the crowd sing an entire verse of their song “Out of Step” while he coaches them along. At another videotaped Minor Threat show in Baltimore in 1982, the venue’s P.A. was shut off and yet the band still played on. MacKaye acted as a manic preacher, conducting the crowd to sing along to every last lyric (“Minor Threat live in Baltimore…”). The fans’ access to the stage and opportunity to participate in the live show is a big part of what makes the D.C. hardcore scene so unique. The connection to the music on the behalf of fans and bands alike is nearly unprecedented.  

This connection was established early on as the genre’s namesake term was created. “We called ourselves ‘hardcore’ to distinguish between us and the Sid Vicious kind,” says MacKaye, intent on establishing he and his contemporaries’ music-centered approach, “We weren’t into the fashion as much as we were into the approach and intensity and urgency (Blush & Petros, 134).” As Jason Middleton points out in his essay ‘D.C. Punk and the Production of Authenticity,’ this distinction is a necessary one, as English punk style in the 1970s was commodified and turned into runway fashion almost as quickly as it began. Even the Sex Pistols, England’s most notorious punk export, were born as a sort of business venture from Malcolm McLaren, the owner of a U.K. clothing shop, ‘Sex’ (Middleton, 336). To avoid this potential pitfall, bands were often discouraged from selling any sort of promotional merchandise at local shows.

Middleton posits that this practice played into one of the major elements of authenticity production for the D.C. punks. In order to keep things within the scene, the investment of profits back into community projects instead of lining any one person’s pockets was essential. The flagship indie label for D.C., Dischord Records, was formedby Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson (both of Minor Threat) in 1981 with a strict set of ideals meant to further enhance the community. Bands had complete creative control over their projects, profits were split 50/50, albums were sold for sub-standard prices, and there was little involvement in promotional or merchandising practices. Minor Threat, and later MacKaye’s Fugazi, disassociated themselves from selling band t-shirts, stickers, posters and other sorts of consumer products to distract from the music (Middleton, 345). ‘Folding parties’ were held at Dischord’s headquarters, where the bands and their friends would spend entire nights at a time gluing and folding record sleeves together instead of hiring out to an outside company to manufacture them (Azerrad, 143). Along with Middleton’s scene investment concept, here we also find yet another example of Hesmondhalgh’s idea of democratic participation and access.

Compounding the idea of music as the exclusive product was the fact that a lot of members of the D.C. scene were underage kids. In order to ensure participation and access to live shows for fans of all ages, the D.C punks were forced to bypass mainstream venues and take advantage of alternative spaces to put on shows.They would use backyards, abandoned stores, basements, and pretty much any other empty space they could find to create a makeshift venue. H.R. of Bad Brains recalled, “When we found out that somebody had a shopping center, or somebody’s apartment complex, or somebody’s mom and dad was moving, we would then rush to that place and say ‘Hey! There’s a show going on tonight and everybody’s invited’ (American Hardcore).” These alternative venues, removed from the bar scene, took the consumer commodity of alcohol out of the live show, leaving music at the forefront of the experience. Alcohol’s absence from these live events became a convenient intersection with the burgeoning 'straight edge' movement in the D.C. underground. Coined after a Minor Threat song of the same name, ‘straight edge,’ often stylized as ‘sXe,’ denotes a lifestyle where one voluntarily abstains from doing drugs, drinking alcohol and engaging in promiscuous sex (“An Interview with Ian MacKaye”). Despite being originally intended by MacKaye as a declaration of his own ideals, the lyrical content of “Straight Edge” hit home with a large group of hardcore kids not only in D.C., but across the country. In his book “Straight Edge: Hardcore Punk, Clean Living Youth, and Social Change,” Ross Haenfler suggests that this movement gained traction among the hardcore youth because the nihilistic, “no future” attitude of the early punks was lost on this new generation. Haenfler posits that “being clean and sober was the ultimate expression of the punk ethos,” the epitome of punk’s ‘question everything’ ideology. He went on to refer to it as “an act of resistance that defied both mainstream adult and youth cultures (Haenfler, 100).” What is more punk than being forward thinking, but presenting yourself in a professional manner? Jason Middleton points out though, that the straight-edge movement, despite its unification of those who shared a certain mindset, created a separatist attitude amongst its followers. This caused a schism within the otherwise tight-knit community (Middleton, 342). What began as something meant to allow participation and access to the outsiders of typical punk culture started to alienate those who opposed their radical new views.

The vibrancy of the D.C. hardcore scene would eventually start to fizzle out come the mid-1980s as most of the bands started to splinter and fall apart, but hope was not completely lost. After Minor Threat’s breakup, Ian MacKaye’s new project, Fugazi, maintained the ideals of his old band with an even more militant attitude. For instance, the band flat out refused to play in venues that operated as bars so every show could be all-ages, and they wouldn’t charge any more than $5 a head for attendees. This was to ensure that fans of all ages and budgets to have access to their shows, and if these requirements were not met, they would simply pack up their equipment and leave the gig (“An Interview with Ian MacKaye”). They kept this practice up until entering an indefinite hiatus in 2002, making them the last of the original D.C. punk bands to wave their democratic flag. 

Despite the core of the scene’s dissolution, the music and its legacy still lives on. Dischord Records is still running strong to this day, continuing to release D.C.’s finest underground indie and punk rock albums, and many of the scene’s original members have gone on to find success with other bands (“Dischord History”). Minor Threat’s Brian Baker is currently in Bad Religion, and Scream’s drummer Dave Grohl went on to join Nirvana and found the Foo Fighters.  And none of this would have happened if these people hadn’t had access to music at a young age. The D.C. hardcore scene’s unflinching commitment to ensuring people of all ages, shapes, and sizes the ability to participate in and access musiccreated a tremendously influential environment in the history of music and in the lives of its inhabitants. 

Bibliography

American hardcore. Dir. Paul Rachman. Perf. Ian MacKaye, Henry Rollins, Paul Hudson. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 2007. DVD.

"An Interview with Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat/Dischord Records." YouTube. YouTube, 20 Dec. 2011. Web. 12 May 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS-jq1MzUzo>.

Azerrad, Michael. Our band could be your life: scenes from the American rock underground 1981-1991. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Barrett, Dawson. "DIY Democracy: The Direct Action Politics of U.S. Punk Collectives." American Studies 52.2 (2013): 23-42. Print.

Blush, Steven, and Petros, George. .American hardcore: a tribal history. Los Angeles, CA: Feral House :, 2001. Print.

"Dischord History." Dischord History. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014. <http://www.dischord.com/history/>.

"District of Columbia - Race and Hispanic Origin: 1800 to 1990." U.S. Census Bureau. Web. 13 May 2014. <http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/tab23.pdf>.

Haenfler, Ross. Straight edge clean-living youth, hardcore punk, and social change. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 2006. Print.

Hesmondhalgh, David. "Post-Punk's attempt to democratise the music industry: the success and failure of Rough Trade." Popular Music 16.03 (1997): 255. Print.

Middleton, Jason. "D.C. Punk and the Production of Authenticity." Rock over the edge: transformations in popular music culture. Beebe, Roger, Denise Fulbrook, and Ben Saunders (Ed.) Durham: Duke University Press, 2002. 335-356. Print.

"Minor Threat - Live at Washington DCs 930 Club in June of 1983 (Part 2)."YouTube. YouTube, 4 Jan. 2011. Web. 14 May 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgVmAkdi22A>.

"Minor Threat live in Baltimore 9/18/1982." YouTube. YouTube, 21 Apr. 2013. Web. 14 May 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-jJwK2mKvs>.

[droneswithcamera24]

DJI Mavic Mini Drone With Camera Review

DJI proceeds its world supremacy for customer best drones with camera: the Mavic Mini provides a great deal in a sub-250g bundle for a really affordable price.

Should I purchase the DJI Mavic Mini?

It omits some key attributes in order to strike its reduced weight and also rate, the Mavic Mini is, however, a great starter drone for those that want good video and also images under $400.

DJI Mavic Mini full review

Since the rumors began, I've been wishing they were true. Some were: the Mavic Mini is a 249g drone that does not have to be registered in the UK, US as well as various other nations. You can fly it without any kind of permit, so long as you appreciate local guidelines.

The trouble is that it doesn't have any challenge avoidance and can't fire a 4K video clip. Most people will be really pleased with 2.7 K video as well as 12Mp pictures at this rate. And also, it will fly for up to 30 minutes on a solitary battery, which is remarkable for a tiny drone.

DJI Mavic Mini: Rate & accessibility

You can purchase a Mavic Mini from DJI for ₤ 369/ $349/ EUR399 and also the Fly Even more Combination pack is ₤ 459/ $449/ EUR499. It will be available from retailers such as Apple and Heliguy later on.

Even if you choose the more affordable drone-only pack, you still obtain the remote control, a number of spare propellers and also spare controls sticks for the remote (they're removable, so you'll most likely misplace one or both eventually).

The Fly Even more combination is much better worth as it comes with three batteries (usually ₤ 45/ $39/ EUR45 each), a bring instance, propeller guards for novices/ indoor flying, a two-way battery charger and also 3 extra sets of propellers.

The charging hub charges three batteries one after another - not all simultaneously - and also is 'two way' due to the fact that it can likewise be used as a USB power bank to bill other gadgets such as your phone, although the remote controller likewise charges you phone.

Due to the more youthful target market, there are a couple of uncommon devices: a snap adapter which lets you mount little playthings on top of the drone, and also an Innovative Set which is essentially a youngsters' color-in collection of stickers which can be stuck on the Mini.

DJI Mavic Mini: Quality & layout

In numerous means, the Mini is a scaled-down version of the Mavic Air, folding to a little 140 × 82 × 57 mm and is only 245 × 290 × 55 mm when unfolded (including unfolding the propellers).

To get down to the 249g weight, there are some build top quality concessions. The four legs have plastic only on 3 sides, with the fourth primarily covered by a sticker.

On the whole, it really feels fairly difficult however an inadvertent examination of the Mini's collision resistance resulted in a broken gimbal, so the best recommendations I can provide are to fly thoroughly as well as do not crash.

Because there is no barrier evasion at all, that's made a little bit more difficult than on DJI's much more expensive Mavics. Although the Mini dreams Setting System, it's just for launch as well as a touchdown.

The little battery ports into an area at the back, listed below which are the microSD port as well as an antique micro USB port which is for billing and file transfer.

The Mavic Mini gain from a three-axis gimbal as opposed to the 2-axis one on the Glow.

The electronic camera is really similar to the one you'll find on the Osmo Pocket, with a 12Mp 1/2.3 in sensing unit but it tops out at 2.7 K video clip at 30fps. If 2.7 K isn't a familiar style, that's 2720x1530 pixels. A little weird, yet it's something DJI drones have actually offered for some time.

If you fall to 1080p, you can increase the structures per second to 60, yet in any video mode, the Mini is restricted to a somewhat disappointing 40Mpbs bitrate. Contrast that to also the Osmo Pocket which can shoot at 100Mpbs, and also it's clear that DJI wishes to make certain the Mavic Mini doesn't cannibalize sales of the various other Mavic versions. It is higher than the 24Mbps bitrate of the Glow.

According to its beginner audience, you can not take images in RAW, either shoot video in D-LOG.

DJI Fly app

Remarkably, rather the usage of the DJI Mimo app (which is what the Osmo Pocket utilizes) or DJI Go 4, there's an all-new application for the Mavic Mini: DJI Fly.

This is essentially a cut-down version of DJI Go 4 which is meant to be much easier to use for amateur leaflets as well as offers presents on screen only the information you truly require such as the present flying setting (Sport, CineSmooth or the conventional Position mode) as well as which mode the cam remains in.

There are also tutorials which must help newbie flyers reach grasps with the controls, and also some behind the scenes settings for the camera and security setups, such as restricting the optimum elevation as well as range from the controller.

Mentioning range, the Mavic Mini can practically fly as much as Maintain a connection as well as 4km yet in the UK, it's limited to 500m on the 5.8 GHz because of regulations. Usage 2.4 GHz as well as you can rise to 2km, however once more, you have to still abide by local guidelines which, in the UK, suggest keeping your drone in your line of vision and also 2km is method past that.

Getting back to the application, the only automatic flying modes are QuickShots. They consist of:

- Rocket: cam factors straight down as the drone flies straight upwards

- Dronie: cam factors at you while the drone flies up and away from you

- Circle: electronic camera locks onto topic while the drone flies in an orbit

- Helix: electronic camera stays on the topic while drone spirals up and also away around it

With each, you select the item you wish to focus on from the video sneak peek and afterward set the range as well as/ or direction. Considering that there's no challenge evasion, you must see to it the Mavic Mini will not strike anything while implementing these manoeuvers.

I could not examine these as they weren't operating in the beta variation of the app but have actually used them on other DJI drones in the past, and the resulting short videos (which are quickened) look wonderful as well as are excellent for sharing on social media.

In the Cd section of the application, you'll find the pre-made themes similar to in DJI Mimo. You pick the called for a number of video clips and also can then adjust which sector of each is used in the decorative video. You can not, nevertheless, edit or eliminate the default titles that are overlaid, which is strange.

A 'Pro' editing and enhancing mode allows you to take clips and also cut them, pick transitions, include filters, text and other effects. In both modes, you're in fact making use of low-res versions of the video clips: it's far better to make use of the original data from the microSD card and edit them on a COMPUTER or Mac.

In terms of control, the remote has the anticipated dial on the left shoulder for regulating the camera's tilt angle, and also there are switches left as well as right for starting as well as taking pictures/ quitting video recording.

Images are restricted to solitary shots or Timed Shot: there's no panorama for immediately sewing pictures together, yet you can of course shoot by hand and utilize a photo editor if you're prepared to put in the job.

Another missing attribute is ActiveTrack, so the Mavic Mini can not follow someone as they stroll, run, cycle, or ski.

There are a number of functions for tracking down the Mini needs to its land (or collision) concealed. One is a sign at the end of the display which reveals you in which direction the drone is located in relation to the controller, and the various other is a button which you can press to make the drone beep and flash.

Efficiency

Flying the Mini resembles nearly every other recent DJI drone. It hovers exactly and also is really easy to regulate. It's important to start in P or CineSmooth mode that makes the controls much less delicate than Sporting activity mode.

The 'boosted Wi-Fi' connection functioned well, although you do have to ensure the two antennae are encountering the drone. Otherwise, once the Mini is around 50m away you'll start to get cautions of weak signal and the video feed may begin to come to be rough.

It's respectable enough at its 720p resolution, too.

Because the video camera has actually taken care of emphasis, you do not have to remember to tap to concentrate before taking pictures or starting to videotape video clip: touching on the display establishes exposure only.

Photos are of high quality. They're about on a par with an Apple iPhone a number of generations old, yet you won't mind that considering the raised point of view you obtain. It's likewise rather tough to grumble at this price.

Video is as smooth as you would certainly expect: it's simply a pity there's no option for 60fps at the greater 2.7 K setting as there's a noticeable increase thoroughly compared to 1080p, which looks fuzzier.

You can see just how the 60fps video footage considers the top of this evaluation. If you can not see a video clip, disable your ad blocker!

Assessing footage on a 50in TV and a 27in 4K monitor, colors were natural and there was just enough detail. The TV's intensity control was established too expensive which made it show up that the video was oversharpened, yet that's not the case: it's really fairly soft.

Dynamic range isn't outstanding, which suggests you really require to fly in overcast weather for the very best outcomes. Or else skies are burnt out or whatever else looks as well dark.

In suitable problems, top quality is completely acceptable at this price.

Verdict

For some people, the Mavic Mini best drones with camera will certainly be the ideal drone. It doesn't require to be signed up and is DJI's many budget-friendly version. It shoots suitable photos as well as video clips for the cost, as well.

For others, there will certainly be a lot of compromises to make it a good buy: there's no challenge avoidance, no car follow as well as the brand-new Fly app lacks features.

Specs

DJI Mavic Mini: Specs

- Trip time: Up to 30 minutes

- Range: 4km (2.4 miles) with the controller, yet limited by local laws

- Cam specs: 2.7 K at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps, 12Mp images in JPG

- Max speed: 29mph

- Stable flight in winds up to 17.7 miles per hour.

- Obstacle evasion: No.

- Weight: 249g.

[jackasplat]

Tentative scheduling

Guess I’ll actually blog here for a little bit to map out what I’m planning for the next few months or so (under the cut for your convenience)

So far off the list I’ve launched my personal website, patreon, ko-fi, and I’ve applied for a table at the Dealer’s Den at my local furry convention, Anthro Weekend Utah.

For the rest of December I’m just going to start cranking out all the personal art I’ve been wanting to do all year, namely add to my telegram stickers, design two characters I’ve been developing, making more example pieces for things I want to offer as commissions when they open in January, and narrow down some merch designs. No actual merch progress will begin until January, but I’m planning on stickers, buttons, perler bead art, and maaaaybe a few prints. This all of course relies on if I get accepted into AWU’s DD in August. If I don’t make it into the DD, things might change a little bit regarding how much work I’m putting into all of this.

I’m still on the fence about whether or not I actually want to take next semester off, and a lot of it depends on how I did on my finals. If I didn’t do as well as I had hoped, I’ll most likely be taking a semester off, and I’ll be going hardcore with this furry freelance artist stuff for a while. But if I do pass my classes, I may just keep my momentum going and stay with school for a little while longer, and I might even take up an out of state summer internship. but we can get into that later. At the very least, progress will be made one way or the other going into the new year.

Starting January 3rd, commissions will open! Details are further listed on my weebly website. I still need to decide how many commissions I will be taking at one time based on how much traction I can get in the next few weeks. I expect it to start very very slow if I’m being honest, if at all. I’ll hype it up as much as I can myself, but the real determining factor is going to come from how much art I can punch out before commissions open, because frankly the best way to get noticed is to post frequently, and posting more means I’m drawing more, which means I’m following some sort of drawing schedule, which means I’m getting more practice and making myself more viable to offer higher quality commissions, etc. etc. It all comes back around is what I’m trying to get at.

The main form of commission I want to focus is badges for conventions, so I have to keep in mind the big cons that happen during the first half of the year, even though I’m only attending BLFC in May. I might apply for the Artist Alley there once apps open for it, but we’ll see. I kind of like the openness of August to be my deadline for a having a fleshed out line of products in order to fill up a whole 8′ table (if I get accepted, of course).

I will also begin designing stickers and buttons starting in January, and I hope to at least have which designs I want solidified by the middle of February, and for them to be done and ready for printing the end of February.

In March I want to start experimenting with making prints, because it’s something I really want to offer that I know nothing about.

April is my birthday month, will probably take things slowly here, maybe figuring out summer classes to take.

I’ll be taking a week off for BLFC in the beginning of May, and at this point I’d like all the products I’d like to potentially sell at AWU to be ready to print, and at this point I should have money saved up so I can do just that.

June onward will be planning out my table space, getting set ups, business cards, eye catching things, etc., and just continuing to crank out art. Although, if no dealer’s den happens I may just end up in Missouri on that out of state internship I mentioned earlier, and if that does happen, well, either commissions will pick back up in August or they won’t. 

That’s kind of the catch-all with this whole thing. If I end up loving my major again and I do go out of state working as a food quality assurance intern at a cheese factory 1,243 miles from home, my time as a freelance artist will most likely be put on hold indefinitely. 2020 is going to be a very experimental year for me, and I’m willing to take that risk. If I end up not liking my degree, I’ll probably switch to a visual arts major/minor and keep freelancing, who knows?

All in all I feel really good about the direction I’m heading. My questionable finals aside, whether I go back to school or not, I feel good about this. And most importantly, I WANT to do this, I’ve been thinking about these kind of what-ifs for three years now. And I need to start learning to do what I want to do, not what I think I should do. Thinking like that has held me back too many times, I just can’t let go of the “what-ifs” for my future. What if I don’t like this, what if I’m just wasting time, what if nothing turns out the way they should, what if I worked harder then I would be happy, ad infinitum. I’m tired of holding back, I want to go all in, teeth bared, ready for the worst, balls to the wall... you get the idea. And I think, for the first time, I’m ready to try. All or nothing.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

PEOPLE THERE ARE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO START CALLING THEM PORTALS INSTEAD

If you're still losing money, then eventually you'll either have to be some baseline prosperity before you get a rejection, use the data that's in it, so the only people who eat what humans were actually designed to eat are a few Birkenstock-wearing weirdos of Berkeley: though a tiny minority of the population have y percent of the number of points on the curve decreases. And if the offer is surprising, it will be better for your own morale, which is good news indeed. What made it not a Ponzi scheme was that it represented a new model of software. It helps them to hire the best people. Every person has to do if it wants to continue to believe something like this well into adulthood. Your contribution may be indirect. And the pollsters can't simply ignore those who won't, or their sample isn't random anymore. The people who come to us from big companies often seem kind of conservative. Till now, VCs' claims about how much value they added were sort of like the government's. A great programmer, on a roll, could create a million dollars more valuable, because it's their work that yours is going to be hearing in the press about what Jessica has achieved. Whereas if you're doing the kind of work that wasn't very common in Confucius's day.

Perhaps the absent-minded professor is wise in his way, or wiser than he seems, but he's not wise in the way Confucius or Socrates wanted people to be. But as long as it has the right sort of founder a one line intro to a VC, and he'll chase down the implications of what's said to you can sometimes lead to uncomfortable conclusions. Also, technical advances tend to come from unorthodox approaches, and small companies are less constrained by convention. One is that companies will inevitably slow down as they grow larger, no matter how technically adept you are. Even if you were using the software for them. He now runs a hedge fund, a not unrelated enterprise. In Ohio, which Kerry ultimately lost 49-51, exit polls gave him a 52-48 victory. So an angel round meant a series A, as long as you were careful not to get sucked permanently into consulting, this could even have advantages. A big company is like a mosquito. Which means for a group of people working together in the usual way. And since human nature limits the size of series A rounds.

It would make sense for super-angels by driving up valuations. And if they do, apparently, is note down the age and race and sex of the person, and guess from that who they voted for. Jessica was so important to be able to get the first commitment, because much of the time, but it's starting to. At any given time there tends to be one. Try a patent search for that phrase and see how many results you get. Every person has to do their job well. Like nuclear weapons, the main role of big companies' patent portfolios is to threaten anyone who attacks them with a counter-suit. And once we picked them, unless they did something really egregious, they were moving to a cheaper apartment. Good runners still get tired; they just get tired at higher speeds. Why would you want to please people who are supposed to be able to get higher valuations when they do, apparently, is note down the age and race and sex of the person, and guess from that who they voted for. This works better for some startups than others. 0 to 1000.

How bad could it be? Like a company whose software runs on Windows, those in the current Silicon Valley. But this year there may have been. That suit probably hurt Amazon more than it helped them. For example, in America people often don't decide to go to work for some existing company. Selection beats damping, for the most part, is that it will seem low to others. What I tell most startups we fund succeed, then half of you are going to get bought for 30, you only get 1. And when I'm writing an essay. Makers depend on something more precarious: inspiration. This works better for some startups than others. If you set up those conditions within the US. The company that did was RCA, and Farnsworth's reward for his efforts was a decade of patent litigation.

They're happy to buy only a few percent of you. But the second biggest cause of death is always either running out of money or a critical founder bailing. They don't change the laws of wealth creation. What drove them was the invention of organized public finance the South Sea Company, despite its name, was really a competitor of the Bank of England. IBM was no doubt rather surprised by the consequences of the licensing deal for DOS. But in technology, at least at the moment, are NPR values. When founders seem unfocused, I sometimes suggest they try to keep their startup mojo. And the latter are so desperate for money that they'll take it from anyone at a low valuation. A programmer, for example, you'll be confident enough to tell them to make a million dollars more valuable, but because it throws off the Social Radar at interviews wasn't just how we behaved when we built the product. Sales people make much the same way a low-restriction exhaust system makes an engine more powerful. They build Writely.

You might get it. At first we tried to conceal it. There's a physical analog in the Intel and Microsoft stickers that come on some laptops. If you visit on a weekday you may see groups of founders there to meet VCs. But they're wrong. The bully can probably run downstairs as fast as you can. Tv are a good idea? It's a qualitative change, like the print media, or trying to tack upwind by suing their customers, like Microsoft and Oracle don't win by winning lawsuits. This would encourage what is already the worst trait of big companies, the interminable meetings, the water-cooler conversations, the clueless middle managers, and athletes all live with the sword hanging over their heads; the moment they start to suck, they're out. To programmers, hacker connotes mastery in the most literal sense: someone who doesn't expend any effort on marketing himself. What this meant in practice was that we deliberately sought hard problems.

[gyrlversion]

Bercow scuppers PM’s hopes of a third ‘meaningful vote’

John Bercow was accused of trying to sabotage Brexit last night after he blocked another vote on Theresa May’s deal.

In a dramatic intervention, the Commons Speaker ruled that the EU withdrawal agreement could not be put to a vote again without substantial changes.

He gave Downing Street no notice of his announcement, which came just 24 hours before the Prime Minister was expected to ask the Commons to decide on the issue for a third time following two crushing defeats.

As well as sparking a constitutional crisis, Mr Bercow’s move all but killed any prospect of a vote before Mrs May heads to an EU summit on Thursday.

Mr Bercow’s move all but killed any prospect of a vote before Mrs May heads to an EU summit on Thursday

It also means she may have to ask Brussels for a delay of up to 20 months. A senior Government source said the Speaker, who is an outspoken critic of Brexit, wanted to wreck Mrs May’s plan of limiting the delay to three months.

‘It seems clear that the Speaker’s motive here is to rule out a meaningful vote this week,’ the source added. ‘It leads you to believe what he really wants is a longer extension, where Parliament will take over the process and force a softer form of Brexit.

‘Anyone who thinks that this makes No Deal more likely is mistaken – the Speaker wouldn’t have done it if it did.’

With just ten days to go until Britain is scheduled to leave the EU, the Prime Minister was last night locked in crisis talks with her closest advisers to try to come up with a new strategy.

Ministers proposed a string of radical options – including asking the Queen to open a new session of Parliament – in the hope of getting round Mr Bercow’s ruling.

‘It seems clear that the Speaker’s motive here is to rule out a meaningful vote this week,’ a source said

In a bleak assessment, solicitor general Robert Buckland said: ‘We’re in a major constitutional crisis here, a political crisis we want to try and solve for the country.

‘The Prime Minister’s doing everything she can to try to break that impasse.

‘There are ways around this – a prorogation of Parliament and a new session. We are talking about hours to March 29.

‘We could have done without this. Now we have this ruling to deal with, it is clearly going to require a lot of very fast but very deep thought in the hours ahead.’

In a private message to Tory MPs, Brexit minister Chris Heaton-Harris suggested the EU would exploit the chaos to demand a five-year delay to the UK’s departure, ‘giving the Commons all the time in the world to steal Brexit’. He added: ‘Game over.’

As Mr Bercow sparked further controversy by suggesting he might allow MPs to vote on soft Brexit options:

Brexit minister Kwasi Kwarteng told MPs that Mrs May would this week ask Brussels for a long delay to Brexit;

Sources said the PM would seek a ‘break clause’ to allow Britain to leave before the European Parliament elections this summer if her deal is approved;

Mr Bercow, who acts as judge and jury on Commons rules, suggested a ‘new political agreement’ with the EU or the promise of a referendum would be needed for him to allow another vote;

Hopes that the DUP would swing behind the deal in the next 24 hours faded, with sources suggesting there would now be no breakthrough this week;

Leading Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg, however, hinted he could back the PM, saying: ‘Mrs May’s deal, however bad it is, takes us out of the European Union’;

Government sources suggested a final attempt to get her plan through could still be made next week if the DUP and leading Eurosceptics come on board;

EU sources suggested Brussels could delay a decision on extending Article 50 until March 29 – the day the UK is due to leave;

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom clashed angrily with Mr Bercow, accusing him of failing to treat MPs with ‘courtesy and respect’;

Boris Johnson faced a backlash after savaging the PM’s deal again.

Mr Bercow’s decision was welcomed by some Brexiteers, who believe it could bring No Deal closer, and by supporters of a second referendum, who think it could result in Brexit being blocked altogether.

Hardline Brexiteer Owen Paterson said: ‘If the withdrawal agreement cannot be put to the Commons again, we must leave the EU on March 29, as the law demands.’

Labour MP Angela Eagle welcomed the ruling, saying it was wrong to allow MPs to be ‘either strong-armed, bullied or bribed’ by the Government into backing Mrs May’s plan. But Mr Bercow enraged some mainstream Tories.

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at Downing Street today

Neil O’Brien MP accused the Speaker of double standards, pointing out that he had allowed multiple votes on plans hatched by Remainers trying to block Mrs May’s strategy.

And he warned that voters would not understand why MPs were being banned from voting on a deal negotiated with 27 EU countries.

Mr O’Brien said: ‘If the Speaker were to block a solution, which many of my constituents favour, from even being discussed, on the basis of no principle other than his preferences, then my constituents will be furious with him.

‘It is for Parliament to decide what it wants to do in order to respect the will of the British people, not for one man to decide what should or shouldn’t be on the table.’

A ‘Boll**** to Brexit’ sticker can be clearly seen in photographs of Mr Bercow’s black 4×4, which has a personalised numberplate

Pro-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament today

James Gray MP said: ‘Thanks to this announcement Brexit will not now occur. The people of Britain, the people who voted for Brexit, but also the Remainers who want to see democracy done, will be absolutely furious that their views will not be allowed to be heard in the House of Commons.’

Mr Bercow’s ruling centred on the longstanding principle that MPs should not be asked to vote twice on the same issue in a single session of Parliament.

He said he had allowed a second vote on the deal because it had changed after Mrs May secured fresh concessions from Brussels.

A tourist takes a selfie next to placards placed by anti-Brexit supporters stand opposite the Houses of Parliament in London

But he added: ‘What the Government cannot legitimately do is resubmit to the House the same proposition – or substantially the same proposition – as that of last week, which was rejected by 149 votes.’

Ministers pointed out that Mr Bercow had torn up Commons rules in January to allow Dominic Grieve, a Tory remainer, to throw another spanner in the Government’s Brexit plans.

Mr Bercow last night suggested he might let MPs use an emergency debate – possibly as soon as this week – to stage votes on soft Brexit options, such as staying in the customs union and single market. Votes on emergency debates are normally restricted to ‘neutral’ motions.

So what DOES Speaker Bercow’s shock move mean for Brexit?

Q&A by Ian Drury 

What happened yesterday?

Commons Speaker John Bercow announced, without warning, that MPs could not vote on the Prime Minister’s withdrawal agreement for a third time unless it was ‘substantially different’ from before.

Downing Street was stunned, insisting it had no notice that the statement was coming.

Mr Bercow might argue he is behaving honourably. But at a time of national crisis, when the Government is trying to pick a way through the impasse, his intervention will be seen by ministers as profoundly unhelpful. The EU has already said it will not re-open the deal to provide the kind of changes that would satisfy the Speaker.

What had been the Prime Minister’s plan?

After two humiliating Commons defeats for her Brexit deal – one by a record 230 votes in January, the second by 149 last week – Theresa May wanted to bring her agreement back for approval by MPs for a third time before March 29.

Ministers had pencilled in today or tomorrow to hold the vote ahead of the next meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday. Westminster watchers dubbed this ‘Meaningful Vote Three’ (MV3). Mrs May had hoped enough hardline Tory Brexiteers would hold their noses and support her deal, fearing the alternatives: a long delay to leaving the EU, a soft Brexit or, worst, no Brexit at all.

How can the Speaker justify his move?

Having been asked by Labour MPs Angela Eagle and Chris Bryant whether the Government was allowed to vote on the same motion repeatedly in a short space of time, the Speaker said he had consulted Erskine May, the Parliamentary procedural handbook. He cited a 415-year-old precedent – not used for nearly 100 years – to rule the PM could not bring back broadly the same deal ‘during that same [Parliamentary] session’.

But didn’t he flout parliamentary convention himself?

He did indeed. In January, Mr Bercow tore up centuries of Commons procedure and helped frustrate Mrs May’s attempts to win a better deal from the EU.

He allowed an amendment by the former attorney general and Remain campaigner Dominic Grieve that forced the PM to come back within three sitting days if her withdrawal agreement was voted down.

This ruling by the Speaker was made against the advice of Commons Clerk Sir David Natzler and meant the Government lost an element of control over Parliamentary business.

Is Mr Bercow right to make it harder to hold a third vote?

Legal experts and MPs were divided yesterday over his interpretation of procedure.

But last October Sir David told MPs: ‘If it was exactly the same document and they came back three months later for another bite, I do not think the procedures of the House are designed to obstruct the necessary business of government in that way in such a crucial thing.’

So is Mrs May’s deal dead – or is it still on life support?

If it becomes clear that there is a majority for the deal, the Government can probably put it to a vote.

The PM still has to travel to Brussels on Thursday to ask the EU for an extension and MPs will have to vote on that, plus alternative outcomes.

While leaving the bloc on March 29 is still the default legal position – with or without a deal – there is zero chance that Parliament, which is overwhelmingly Remain-supporting, will allow that.

But the Speaker has certainly inserted yet another unwanted obstacle for the Government to overcome.

What happens next?

There will not be a third vote this week, meaning MPs could be voting on Brexit next week, days before the March 29 ‘exit day’. Mrs May will now have to find something substantially different to allow her to even put a vote before the Commons.

Solicitor general Robert Buckland stated succinctly yesterday: ‘We are going to have to put all our thinking caps on and come up with some quick answers.’

A nuclear option would be ejecting Mr Bercow from the Speaker’s chair using a no-confidence motion. However, Remainers – especially Labour MPs – turn a blind eye to his antics because they see an ally in thwarting Brexit.

A second option is proroguing Parliament – ending the session. Public Bills can be carried over from one session to the next. But this would require a new Queen’s Speech and take time, yet the Brexit clock has only ten days to tick.

As Bercow sinks May’s hopes of sealing EU deal this week, will Britain be in limbo for 20 months?

By John Stevens Deputy Political Editor

Theresa May will be forced to ask the EU for a long delay to Brexit after John Bercow yesterday wrecked her chances of getting her deal passed this week.

MPs voted overwhelmingly last week to instruct the PM to ask Brussels for an extension to the two-year Article 50 process.

Mrs May had said a short technical delay until June 30, giving enough time to pass necessary legislation, would be possible if her deal is passed before March 29.

But if MPs do not back it, there would have to be a much longer extension – delaying Brexit for up to 20 months – requiring the UK to take part in European Parliament elections in May. After Commons Speaker Mr Bercow yesterday ruled the PM could not bring her deal back to the Commons unchanged, Downing Street sources last night said it was ‘very unlikely’ a vote on it would be held this week.

Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, arrives at the Chancellery to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel today

Instead they said Mrs May will write to EU leaders ahead of a Brussels summit on Thursday requesting a lengthy delay. Some Brexiteers yesterday rejoiced at Mr Bercow’s decision, believing it has actually increased the chances of a No Deal Brexit because MPs will not stomach a prolonged extension.

In a sign of their optimism, one group of Eurosceptics was even heard whistling the Great Escape theme in the Commons tea room.

But if the EU agrees to offer the Prime Minister an extension, it is unlikely to be turned down by a Commons that voted against a No Deal departure.

European Council President Donald Tusk (L) waves to German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) at his departure in front of the chancellery in Berlin

MPs voted overwhelmingly last week to instruct Theresa May to ask Brussels for an extension to the two-year Article 50 process. Merkel and Tusk pictured in Berlin today 

It means MPs now face a showdown next week – the last before March 29 – when they are likely to be asked to vote on Mrs May’s deal again if she wins the Speaker’s permission, and if that fails, on the offer of a delay. It means that although the referendum was almost 1,000 days ago, Britain’s future will go right down to the wire.

Last night, sources suggested Mrs May could try to seek a ‘break clause’ in any delay she negotiates at the European Council this week. That could potentially allow the UK to leave early – before the European Parliament elections – if MPs have a change of heart and approve her deal.

If that attempt is unsuccessful, Britain faces up to 20 months in the EU while a new plan is negotiated.

However, some Brexiteers are convinced that when presented with this prospect next week, the Commons may yet decline to formally approve a delay – and that Britain will leave on time with no agreement. Mark Francois, deputy chairman of the European Research Group of hard-Brexit MPs, told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme: ‘The legal position is that unless something changes, under the EU Withdrawal Act that Parliament passed last summer, we leave on March 29 at 11pm. That has not changed.’

Mr Francois suggested No Deal could happen if the EU refuses to give an extension to Article 50.

He added: ‘All 27 nations must agree unanimously. I am not saying for definite that they won’t, but it is not axiomatic that they will. So it is a moot point and we will have to wait and see.’

Mark Francois said: ‘The legal position is that unless something changes, under the EU Withdrawal Act that Parliament passed last summer, we leave on March 29 at 11pm’

Former Tory Cabinet minister Owen Paterson said Mr Bercow’s decision was a ‘huge opportunity’ for those who want the country to leave with No Deal.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘If the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be put to the Commons again, we must leave the EU on March 29 as the law demands. That has huge support across the country, that would satisfy the 17.4million people who voted to Leave, it would satisfy all those Conservative voters who were promised that we would leave the single market, the customs, the remit of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and it would put real pressure on the EU to come to discussions on a free trade deal.’

He added: ‘I think there is a lot of Project Fear nonsense about a so-called No Deal. We have already got lots of side agreements on aviation, airplanes, trucks.

‘I think what would happen is that it would trigger a really positive, constructive discussion.’

If an extension is agreed by the EU, Mrs May will have to bring it back before MPs just days before the country is due to leave the EU on Friday. Downing Street sources said they wanted it to include an exit clause the country can leave early if the Brexit deal is somehow passed by Parliament.

Mrs May had planned to hold a third vote on her Brexit deal this week and had been hopeful she could win around the DUP, which are seen as pivotal because of their influence on Tory Brexiteers. Leading Tory Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg yesterday said he would wait to see what the DUP decided before finally making up his mind which way to vote if the deal returns to the Commons.

However, last night sources said there was no chance of a breakthrough this week in talks with the DUP. MPs last Thursday backed the Prime Minister’s reluctant call to delay Brexit by 413 votes to 202. It came a day after they backed taking No Deal off the table by 321 votes to 278.

One expert’s damning legal verdict 

By Sir Stephen Laws QC, former First Parliamentary Counsel who advised the Cabinet Office on constitutional affairs

The Speaker is right to raise the question of whether a third vote on the Government’s Brexit deal should take place. The ‘same-question’ rule – under which a defeated motion cannot be brought back in the same form during the course of a parliamentary session – is well precedented.

But it would be quite wrong to apply it to disallow a third meaningful vote.

Since the deal was last put before the House of Commons, there have been two significant votes: one on preventing a No Deal Brexit and another on extending Article 50. The deal may look broadly the same – but those two votes have produced fundamentally different circumstances, and mean MPs are no longer facing the same question.

In addition, there has been time for a more considered look at the effects and implications of the legally-binding documents concerning the Withdrawal Agreement brought back by the Prime Minister from Strasbourg last week. The vote for a delay of the Article 50 deadline resulted in a resolution that specifically provided for a third vote, and so implicitly gave the House’s permission to have one. The Speaker should respect that.

If there is a majority for the deal, preventing the vote would be to frustrate the will of the House. It would be deeply concerning to see a Speaker act in such a way. Those who are opposed to the deal should want to win with a majority on the substance, not by procedural manoeuvring or on a technicality, and the Speaker should allow that.

The Speaker’s reputation for impartiality has already become questionable. It is difficult to see how it could survive the application of the same-question rule to a third vote on the deal when that same-question rule was not applied to prevent MP Dominic Grieve’s Remain-supporting amendments to motions to reopen questions that had been finally resolved in a more effective way during the passage of the Bill for the Withdrawal Act.

Parliamentary procedure exists to facilitate not thwart the wishes of the majority. The best test of what the majority wants is a vote, not a ruling from the Chair.

Sir Stephen is Senior Research Fellow at the Policy Exchange think-tank and was talking to Andrew Wilson.

Me, me, me… the twitchy windbag was at his despotic worst: HENRY DEEDES sees Speaker Bercow deliver Exocet to Mrs May’s Brexit strategy

When John Bercow rose to his feet shortly after 3.30 yesterday afternoon you could tell by his body language this was a moment he had been itching for all day.

As he surveyed the chamber with that sense of propriety which has become his staple in the Speaker’s chair, his face twitching with bristly anticipation, it was obvious this was to be no mundane procedural announcement.

What spewed forth from his mouth for the next twenty minutes of rhetorical windbaggery was met with incredulity on all sides of the House.

No forewarning had been given to any party what he was going to say.

Speaker John Bercow addressing MPs in the House of Commons, London where he has ruled out another vote on Theresa May’s Brexit withdrawal agreement if the motion is substantially the same as last time

The Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition – they were all hearing it, like us, in real time.

Labour couldn’t believe their luck. The Government simply couldn’t believe what it was hearing. If Mrs May’s deal is to be put before the House for a third time, the Speaker ruled citing a Commons precedent from 1604, then it would have to be substantially different to the one MPs voted on last week. She could not simply ask members to vote on exactly the same deal.

Bang! An Exocet rocket straight to the core of what remained the Prime Minister’s Brexit strategy. No wonder Bercow was smirking.

Chief whip Julian Smith was so stunned his lower jaw was hanging open. Someone on the front bench really needed to lean over and pop it back up again.

Once again the Government had been done over by the chair. Frustrating ministers and torpedoeing Brexit. These are what get John Bercow out of bed in the morning. Rules? Procedure? The chap just seems to make ’em up as he goes along.

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May is seen at Downing Street, in London today 

The Speaker had been on unusually boisterous form for a Monday moments before making his statement during Pensions Questions.

He bantered with backbenchers. He joshed with his clerks. Plonked in the Speaker’s throne, his stumpy legs hammered up and down his footstool excitedly like a naughty toddler in a highchair.

When news emerged he would be making a statement once the session had finished it was swiftly obvious from his giddy behaviour the little goblin planned to drop a howitzer on the Government.

The House quickly filled as MPs rushed to hear what he had to say. How he seemed to enjoy that. He then rose to feet, clutching a stack of paper half an inch thick. Oh heck, we weren’t getting out of here in a hurry.

Here was the Speaker at his despotic worst. Putting himself at the centre of events and turning it into the John Bercow show, painting himself as Parliament’s fearless defender.

‘Part of the responsibility of the Speaker is to speak truth to power and I have always done that… I have never been pushed around and I am not going to start now… I am not a stickler for tradition but…’ I, I, I. Me, me, me. His oration became so florid and absurd at one point, works and pensions secretary Amber Rudd had to stifle her matronly giggles. The arch-Brexiteers were delighted. Sir William Cash (Con, Stone in Staffordshire) congratulated the Speaker on his judgment, saying his decision ‘made an awful lot of sense’.

Bercow returned the compliment, praising Mr Cash for always trying to act in the national interest. Priti Patel gave a beaming Cash a ‘well done’ pat on the back. Pass the sickbag stuff.

Jacob Rees-Mogg (Con, Somerset North) commended the Speaker for following protocol, quoting from the Bible: ‘There is more joy in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.’ Bercow grinned and nodded his head enthusiastically. I’m not sure he realised this was a dig.

Once again the Government had been done over by the chair. Frustrating ministers and torpedoeing Brexit

Sir Hugo Swire (Con, East Devon) asked not unreasonably why the Speaker had made this call now, and not last week when it was clear Mrs May was going to try again. Tsk. And give the PM the weekend to adjust her preparations? Where would the fun have been in that?

Leader of the House and Bercow nemesis Andrea Leadsom briefly punctured his balloon when she coolly implied he couldn’t be trusted to treat colleagues with courtesy and respect. Cue collective sucking of wind around the chamber.

‘I treat the House with respect, I treat members with respect!’ The Speaker boomed, jabbing his forefinger at his accuser. Background: Bercow once called feisty Leadsom a ‘stupid woman’. Funnily enough, a caller to Rees-Mogg’s phone-in show on LBC earlier that morning had pre-empted Bercow’s ruling.

Samina from Tooting she was called. She had phoned to enquire why Mrs May was being allowed a third crack at her vote, asking: ‘Isn’t this tactic specifically barred to stop the Government from bullying the legislature. Shouldn’t this be ruled out of order?’

‘A brilliant question,’ purred the Moggster, referring her to page 397 of the Parliamentary rule book, Erksine May.

Samina certainly seemed to know her way around Parliamentary procedure rather better than your average LBC punter, traditionally a forum for London cab drivers and the over-opinionated. Could it have been Jacob’s nanny in disguise?

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The Power of Social Media Polls: The Drill-Down on 3 Platforms + 5 General Best Practices

Let’s take a trip down memory lane, all the way back to 2007. The world was a different place. Rihanna’s “Umbrella” (ella, ella) dominated the Billboard Charts. Scorsese’s masterpiece The Departed won Best Picture. Facebook was only a year removed from opening its membership to the general public, and Twitter was a fledgling startup, still looking to gain traction. But even then, online polls were already emerging as an intriguing tool for digital marketers. On this blog, TopRank Marketing CEO Lee Odden penned a post about the relatively nascent tactic, which could be utilized through a modest WordPress plugin. “If you want to know what your users are thinking,” Lee wrote. “Just ask them.” It’s a simple premise, and one that hasn’t changed over the past decade, although the tools at our disposal have evolved considerably. Today, audience polls are integrated features on most major social media networks. As marketers seek new ways to drive engagement and gather data, the allure of social media polls is obvious. Let’s take a look at how polls work on each platform, what kind of value they can provide, and how to get the most out of them.

The Polling Details

Twitter Polls

Users on Twitter could informally run polls in the platform’s early days — by manually tracking responses, hashtags, or retweets — but the official Twitter polls feature was launched in 2015. This made it easy to create sleek, interactive, customized polls with two (and later up to four) options. Lee frequently runs polls like this one on Twitter to gauge the opinions of his followers on various subjects:

The folks at @workfront have a new post about 4 motivators potentially greater than money that can light a fire amongst your marketing or agency team. Which of these would you rate as the bigger motivator for you?

Read the full post: https://t.co/nmo4GiAOPv — Lee Odden (@leeodden) June 12, 2018

What Makes Twitter Polls Engaging Staying in line with the overall appeal of Twitter, polls are extremely easy to participate in — one quick click of the mouse or tap of the mobile screen. How to Get Twitter Polls Right Knowing that the platform is built around quick-scrolling and bite-sized content, you’ll want to to ensure these polls are light on text, and eye-catching. Maybe include a couple of emojis, like HootSuite does here:

When do you see the most engagement on your social networks? ? ? #twitterpoll

— Hootsuite (@hootsuite) July 11, 2017

Instagram Polls

In 2017, Instagram rolled out its own polling convention, which became a part of its Stories feature. Instagram polls are added in the form of interactive stickers with two options that you can drag-and-drop on visual content you’ve created. As is the nature of the platform, polls will usually pertain to the content of the post in question. (“Which color shirt do you like better?” or – in the example below via the company’s official announcement post – “Which donut should I eat?”) (*Extremely Homer Simpson voice* Mmm, donuts…) What Makes Instagram Polls Engaging This is an excellent avenue for quickly gathering feedback around something people can see right in front of them. And you’ll have many options for making them stand out aesthetically. How to Get Instagram Polls Right If you have a sizable and engaged Instagram following, you could enlist your audience to help guide a decision (a la M&Ms). Customers might be more attached to what you’re doing if they feel like they played even a small part in directing it. You may also try using polls for more general topics or market research – Instagram does have an enormous and active user base, after all – but the way it’s set up doesn’t lend itself to such applications as well as the other platforms mentioned here.

Facebook Polls

Very shortly after polls were introduced for Instagram last year, parent company Facebook released its own version for members and page administrators. Like Instagram, it only offers two response fields (presently), but does have some nice features like the ability to include images and gifs. Businesses might consider trying out more robust third-party apps Polls for Pages. What Makes Facebook Polls Engaging Driving engagement on Facebook, as a publisher, has become very challenging. You likely know this already. Polls can be helpful in this regard. A study by BuzzSumo found that questions rank as the most engaging types of posts on Facebook. Partially because of this, Neil Patel has argued that “a well-designed Facebook poll is one of the most powerful Facebook marketing tools today’s social media marketers have available to them.” How to Get Facebook Polls Right You’re competing with content from friends and family members in highly personalized feeds, so you’ll want a poll that stands out and bears considerable relevance to your audience. Take advantage of the ability to use images or moving graphics for voting options. While polls can be more impactful than a standard text-based update, your organic reach will still be somewhat limited by Facebook’s suppressive algorithm unless you really catch some viral traction or pay to boost the post.

What About Other Platforms?

As of now, these are the only three social networks with built-in polls. LinkedIn used to have a Group polls feature, but retired it in 2014 (much to the chagrin of B2B marketers). Snapchat and Pinterest have never offered polls.

Best Practices for Social Media Polls

In the sections above we mentioned some distinctions and pointers specific to each platform. But at a higher level, here are a few recommendations for marketers looking to use social media polls.

#1 – Pique Your Audience’s Interest

One thing I really like about the poll features on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram is the immediate incentive factor for participants. Voting on a poll allows you to instantly see real-time results. I know there have been plenty of times where I’ve come across one on my feed and clicked because I was very curious to see what the general consensus was. Keep this irresistibility factor in mind as you create poll questions and response options.

#2 – Use Polls as a Springboard for Content

Let’s be honest: this isn’t exactly a scientific survey method, and the data obtained through social media polls isn’t going to be substantial enough to draw serious conclusions. However, you can still leverage the results in interesting ways. In May, Search Engine Journal ran the following Twitter poll:

Which social network drives the most traffic to your website? #SEJSurveySays

— SearchEngineJournal® (@sejournal) May 28, 2018

Then, they used the results (and responses) for an article on the topic. It was, transparently, just a sampling of feedback from random followers, but still made for a good read. Using the poll question as the post title also happens to be a savvy SEO move in this case, since it’s exactly the query a business owner might type into Google. You can also simply poll your audience to ask earnestly what kind of content they want from you, as Slack* did here:

Hey there — it’s time for an afternoon poll. What types of @SlackHQ tweets would you like to see more of?

— Slack (@SlackHQ) April 19, 2018

#3 – Choose a Fitting Platform for Each Poll

Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses. Make sure your polls align with them. Instagram and Facebook will only work for A/B type questions, which can be limiting. Twitter provides more of a multi-choice format but you can’t incorporate images or video into the voting options. And of course, each channel has its own distinct audience profile.   

#4 – Think Strategically

In many cases, the objective for a running a poll will simply be to attract attention and boost engagement. Nothing wrong with that. But you can also think bigger and tie it to other goals. For example, you could run a Facebook poll with a trivia question, prompting voters to visit your website and find the answer. Think big and, when possible, tie your poll to a larger strategy.

#5 – Follow Up on Results

Granted, it doesn’t take a ton of effort to vote in a social media poll, but users are still taking an action and you should make it worth their while in some way. One method is to create content around the tabulations, as mentioned earlier. But even following up with later posts remarking on the results, or inviting further thoughts, will show that it you’re not just tossing out throwaway questions for the heck of it. It will signal that you’re genuinely engaged with what your audience has to say and that you want to hear more.

What’s Your Poll Position?

Now that you know a little more about social media polls and how they work on each platform, where do you stand? Love ‘em? Hate ‘em? Let us know below (and, hey, we’d love it if you gave us a follow on Twitter while you’re at it).

Alright, friends. Time for a poll about polls! What entices you to participate in polls on #socialmedia?

Don’t see your perfect answer? Tweet us about it. — TopRankMarketing.com (@toprank) July 9, 2018

Interested in finding other ways to increase your social media reach and engagement? Check out these recent posts from our blog:

The Question on Many Marketers’ Minds: Should My Brand Start a Facebook Group?

From Messenger Bots to the Growth of ‘Gram, Social Media Examiner’s Annual Report Reveals Trends to Watch

Social Media Marketing Benchmarks: What Works & Where to Focus

Death of Facebook Organic Reach = New Opportunities for Influencer Marketing

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