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24-7-testing · 2 years

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The end of the year gets tough for a lot of people, especially the last few years. Because of this, I am once again excited to announce the return of…

The Portal Holiday Spirit Initiative!

To try and lift people’s spirits up this year, I will be making and sending out FREE Portal-Themed Holiday Cards to anyone who asks for one! The cards are customized to match any December Holiday of your choice and mailed to you physically or emailed digitally!

This will be the fourth consecutive year I have run PHSI, and features the return of the nifty Postcards from last year! But don't worry: All physical cards will be mailed in themed envelopes this year, so your postcards should arrive in much better condition! :)

These postcards are are also special and unique, because they feature new artwork made by eight different artists from the fandom, specifically for this event! The design of the postcard you receive will be based on what you select in your Card Request. I can’t express the amount of thanks these artists deserve for volunteering their time and talents to make PHSI 2022 special!

If you would like to receive a Portal-Themed Holiday Card:

Visit bit.ly/portal-holiday-spirit-initiative …

Answer the questions on the form…

Wait for your card to be made and sent!

It’s that simple! Card Requests are now open, and close on December 20th in order to give me enough time to make and send all the cards before the end of the year. Please submit sooner rather than later so I have time to finish them all!

Also, please don’t be afraid to request a physical card if you don’t live in the US! It might take a bit longer for you to receive your card depending on what country you live in, but they do get mailed to whatever address you provide, whether domestic or foreign. Last year I mailed/emailed a total of 141 cards to Italy, Australia, Canada, Colombia, The Czech Republic, Germany, England, Finland, France, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Russia, The US, The United Kingdom, and Vietnam!

I’m glad to be a part of the Portal Fandom and hope to bring a smile to others in the Fandom this year! While not a requirement to receive a card, please visit ko-fi.com/247testing and click the Donate button if you’d like to give $2 to cover the cost/postage of your card and someone else’s too. Thanks!

Answers for common questions and concerns under the cut:

Worried about providing a mailing address, for whatever reason?

PHSI has an eCard option! All you need to provide is a name for me to call you by and an email address to receive your card!

Worried about requesting a card because you don’t live in the US?

PHSI mails to any address provided, whether domestic or foreign! However, please wait patiently for your card, due to the current global rate of shipping.

Worried that you can’t give $2 to cover the cost of your card and someone else’s?

Requesting a card from PHSI has been and will always be FREE! However, giving $2 to the initiative helps me buy card supplies and postage to mail physical cards (visit ko-fi.com/247testing if you’d like to contribute). I gratefully appreciate any contributions received, even if it’s just a comment saying thanks!

Worried because you don’t know how to support the artist of the card you received?

Each artist's social media are listed on the back of every card featuring their artwork. Look them up, commission them, reblog their art, and support them however you can!

Worried because you haven’t received your card yet?

Double check your email inbox and junk folders. I send everyone an email that either confirms your Holiday Card has shipped or includes your eCard! If your physical card fails to show up after the first of January, please reach out to me and I’ll send you a replacement eCard!

Worried because you received your card and don’t know what to do now?

Make a post about it! Include pictures, videos, or anything you’d like, and tag me in the post (@24-7-testing) so I can reblog it! If you don’t want to show your card off, that’s ok too!

#PHSI 2022 #portal holiday spirit initiative 2022 #4th year of PHSI!#psa #please boost #portal fandom #still alive #aperture science #aperture laboratories #portal #portal 2 #fandom tradition

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whenitsdarkweilluminate · 4 years

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Munich 1983

Host: Germany Participants: 20 Voting method: 12-point system (juries only)

Winner: Corinne Hermès - Si la vie est cadeau Country: Luxembourg Points: 142 (62.3% of highest score possible) Language: French

General Overview:

This year's presenter is Marlene Charell, who is a major part of the show. She gives excessively long song introductions, she communicates everything in 3 languages (German, English and French) and she performs as the lead dancer in the ballet interval. She also opens the program by announcing the 20 countries, as the respective artists walk onto the stage. Which is a prototype for the flag parade seen today; albeit 3 decades too early.

There are no postcards this year. Instead, we stare at the country name for a while as we hear '80s music. Then Marlene introduces every songwriter, conductor and artist, while standing beside a different floral arrangement that resembles the respective flag colours. Later, during the voting, she repeats every vote in 3 languages, fumbling over the translations several times. This vote reveal is glacially slow (I usually switch to 1.5 speed to get through it). Indeed the 1983 contest is as dragged out as Jerusalem 1979. It finishes around the 3-hour mark; whereas the past few contests were closer to 2.5 hours. The top 4 was very close though, like '81.

1983 also employs one of my least favourite stage designs. The platform is a narrow strip, featuring a set of flashing lights built around some scaffolding. It just looks like an industrial warehouse and I dislike the lighting.

Italy and Greece return; as does France under a different broadcaster. Meanwhile Ireland withdraws due to a workers' strike. The only other contest Ireland has missed since debuting was their 2002 relegation.

I'll say 1983 is a strong year. Well... actually, my top 10 is very strong. There's still quite a few weak and messy entries. But at least the bad entries are memorable.

France: Guy Bonnet - Vivre The 1970 balladeer returns. I love this sombre, solemn, haunting atmosphere. It's different from France's usual ballads. That reappearing piano riff is bone-chilling. The backing singers enhance the mood whenever they appear. The verses hold tension until the “Loin, loin, si loin...” part shrinks back. The violin break and the quicker bridge offer a temporary escape. And there's a dramatic ending. The “viiiiivre”s are also a good hook. The lyrics advise living and loving again, despite all the pain that happens after two lovers depart forever.

Norway: Jahn Teigen - Do Re Mi Jahn's third and final entry is about the music scale, which just makes me think of The Sound of Music. It's a silly and basic concept, but the cutesy backing singers provide a strong pre-chorus. Anita kisses Jahn at one point too. The song opens with the pianist playing that scale. Then it becomes a calm sunny acoustic guitar thing. And the last chorus increases the tempo. However, the chorus is weird, where Jahn is out of sync with the “do re mi...”s from the backing.

United Kingdom: Sweet Dreams - I'm Never Giving Up The UK sends another joyful song with group choreo, just like '81 and '82. The trio dances around some barstools, which fall over during the last chorus transition. They also release flower petals. The instrumental is very hectic and dominant, and it kinda drowns things out. It throws in some panicked piano, drum stutters, and twinkle bells. The pre-chorus escalation is great though (including the horns) and the chorus pushes through nicely. The lyrics are straightforward – they refuse to give up on this relationship.

Sweden: Carola Häggkvist - Främling The first of Carola's three entries in three different decades! I love that ominous guitar that starts each verse and how her joyful shouting escalates the pre-chorus. There's a big note in the chorus too. Her vocals are impressive. The song has good energy. And her dancing is camp. But the chorus melody is a little underwhelming. Still, Carola's charisma makes me love the song anyways. In the lyrics, she begs this person to open up because they're like a stranger keeping secrets. Also, was that a mic fail at the start?

Italy: Riccardo Fogli - Per Lucia The chorus is impactful, with the ominous church bells, Riccardo's intense passion (he sounds like he's on his knees), and how his voice raises halfway through it. The song's atmosphere is like carrying a heavy burden during a dark night. The lyrics list the extreme things Riccardo will do for this Lucia girl, because she means that much to him. Almost like he isn't doing enough. The accordion adds a Mediterranean feeling and the flute transitions are nice.

Turkey: Çetin Alp & the Short Waves - Opera This is a confusing mess. After that “ahhh” + drum build-up intro, the song goes from classical to jazzy to...the most random switch-up ever. It becomes 1920s Vaudeville with an excessive amount of “opera!”s and “lay lay lay”s that are beyond annoying. It's such a sudden energy change. Then it returns to classical as if nothing happened. Meanwhile, the backing dancers wear a bunch of historical costumes. The lyrics list various famous works, composers, and opera terms. I guess this guy loves opera.

Spain: Remedios Amaya - ¿Quién maneja mi barca? This is an iconic mess. The blue curtain dress. The random camera angles of her feet. Her wobbly vocals that sound like she's summoning demons. The wonky beat, with the drum slaps and funky guitar. The lyrics repeating the same demands over and over again. There's also a heavy heartbeat + cymbal crash intro, some tense orchestra moments, and chorus clacks. This is definitely a 'love it or hate it' entry, and I struggle to listen to it multiple times. Flamenco rarely does well in Eurovision.

Switzerland: Mariella Farré - Io così non ci sto I often forget about this song. It's nothing special. The acoustic guitar verses are fine, and I like when the backing intensifies the second verse, but the chorus is kinda annoying. Mariella provides some emphatic vocals and stage presence though. There's also some string transitions and chorus stops. The lyrics are about how she doesn't like being “the other woman”. It's just casual sex – he'll return to his wife later.

Finland: Ami Aspelund - Fantasiaa Finland is back on track! It's a haunting yet playful song. There's a dangerous intro, then the orchestra stops, and the piano is extremely restless in the verses, as the backing turn their heads. The chorus becomes this super cluttered and overwhelming thing, but in a very epic way. Especially when it heightens halfway through. And I LOVE that false start into the second chorus, followed by Ami's sideways hip walk lol. In the lyrics, she's curious about this mysterious guy who brings his dog to the park. She wonders if it's a fantasy.

Greece: Christie Stasinopoulou - Mou les Yawns. The verses are like a dreamy fairytale, but Christie's voice makes me sleepy. And the chorus just sounds messy and 'off'. Then the bridge randomly switches to jazz for some reason. In the lyrics, her lover is nostalgic for ships and trains, so she'll close the ports and stations to make him stay. That sounds controlling.

Netherlands: Bernadette - Sing Me a Song Cute and catchy, but also repetitive and basic. Bernadette wants everyone to “sing her a song” so she can better understand the world. Every genre and race is invited. The contrast between the verses and chorus is interesting. The former are more childlike and delicate, with the bells and falsetto vocals. While the latter inserts a driving beat and lowers the vocals. The backing also heighten the chorus midway through.

Yugoslavia: Daniel - Džuli Yugoslavia matches their best placement. It's also their first top 10 since 1972. “Džuli” is a fun, feelgood, retro, rockabilly-type song. The instrumental is consistently energetic. The jumping piano, the bass, and the accordion are highlights. As is the chorus, with the tongue-clicking beat, Daniel's scratchy stretched-out “Juuuuulie”s, the horn responses, and the camera cuts to the smiling clapping dancers. He looks confident on stage too. I also love when the violins enact the key change. In the lyrics, he misses his summer romance with Julie.

Cyprus: Stavros & Constantina - I agapi akoma zi The verse melody is quite strong, and the way it intensifies midway is pretty powerful. But this entry is way too wholesome. Like when the backing singers smile and sing to each other. Or when the instrumental drops out for that overly sweet refrain. Or how the lyrics wish for the world to sing along to “love is still alive”. The orchestra also sounds like a family sitcom theme; the intro in particular. It is uplifting though. And the intense ending is okay.

Germany: Hoffmann & Hoffmann - Rücksicht Germany's host entry extends their top 5 steak. The brothers give a genuine and heartfelt performance, and the song is such a vibe. It has a cathartic finality feeling of finding closure. The lyrics are reflective, where the narrator tries to figure out why his relationship ended, throwing out various suggestions. Ultimately they were selfish and lacked consideration. The song is mainly soft rock. Each verse begins with a blues guitars. While the chorus pauses and the '80s synth responses stick with me.

Denmark: Gry Johansen - Kloden drejer I'm usually a sucker for '80s instrumentals, but this chorus is so flat and the dancing is so... amateur? The drums and the guitar just drag the chorus down. The verses are better, where the melody is more active, and there's some horns and tense strings. But there's just... not much happening here. The lyrics imply there's always a new tomorrow. I believe she's trying to help this person that sent an S.O.S.

Israel: Ofra Haza - Hi Israel performing in Munich was significant because of WWII and the 1972 Olympics massacre. Appropriately, “Hi” celebrates still being alive. It's a similar entry to “Hora”, by having a slick choreo routine with big smiles. It starts with the backing members wandering in the background. Then they turn around and go “ahhhh”. But it's the chorus movements that are so hypnotic, where all 6 walk in a circle, hop like puppets, and step left and right. That chorus is catchy AF too, with the “HI HI HI” party chants and the “...SABA” emphasis that follows. There's also the big horn intro, the bouncy verse beat, the backing ad libs in verse 2, Ofra's big vocals in the pre-chorus, the bridge breakdowns, and the dramatic ending. Yeah, this is my favourite Israeli entry ever.

Portugal: Armando Gama - Esta balada que te dou Armando gives an honest and heartfelt performance to accompany his comforting piano ballad. It's a fairly simple arrangement. The melody is nice, the title phrase sticks out, and the electric guitar solo is unexpected in a good way. I also like when the drums enter. It's one of those songs I often forget about, but when I hear it again, I really like it. Armando wrote this song to cherish his relationship that faded away.

Austria: Westend - Hurricane Austria brings a modern '80s production, with lots of walking across the stage, a random ballet dancer, and some ugly gym outfits. But I just zone out during this song. It's so empty and the chorus goes nowhere with those repetitive “hurricane, hurricane, hurricane”s. The “DUN DUN”s in the verses are alright though. The lyrics describe the narrator's loneliness as he seeks the hurricane feeling of love.

Belgium: Pas de Deux - Rendez-vous Now this is some '80s synthpop indulgence I can get into! Even if the song is extremely monotonous. It repeats the same two phrases, while the instrumental is very constant. The drum slaps and knocks drive things, but the brass and flute moments break the monotony at least. And the duo wildly swinging their arms is hilarious. I also like when they pull one another at start and when they walk across the stage crouched over. They pull out some flutes at one point too.

Luxembourg: Corinne Hermès - Si la vie est cadeau (winner review below)

The Winner:

Despite 1983 having all these creative songs, the winner ends up being a French ballad that could've won in the '70s. Almost as if there was a push back after Bucks Fizz. Which means Luxembourg achieves their 5th (and final) win, tying France's record at the time. Not an overwhelming victory, but they held a comfortable lead through the vote reveal. The juries were all over the place though. The previous 4 winners were considerable hits across Europe, but “Si la vie est cadeau” only peaked high in the Francophone countries. I think Yugoslavia actually had the biggest chart hit from this year (and Sweden in the Nordic countries).

Corinne sings the hell out of this. She out-intensifies Anne-Marie David from 1973. Yes it's a passionate performance, but it's so overdone and relentless. The song is basically 70% intense screaming. It starts subtle though. The first verse grows as the piano enters; followed by the drums, and finally the screaming. I like when her voice softens during the song title and the last chorus line. The song is such a gut punch too.

The lyrics are about how Corinne's ex made an unnecessary promise to have a baby together, and then he didn't follow through on it. Now Corinne is devastated. He's gone and happiness was too short. She surmises that life (and love) are a gift that's given, returned or stolen.

When I first heard this song, I thought it was a very powerful ballad, but now the drama and the intensity are too much. It's my least favourite '80s winner. And it's probably Luxembourg's least relevant winner as well.

Verdict: "D" tier.

My points go to.... 01. Israel: Ofra Haza - Hi 02. Finland: Ami Aspelund - Fantasiaa 03. Yugoslavia: Daniel - Džuli 04. France: Guy Bonnet - Vivre 05. Sweden: Carola Häggkvist - Främling 06. Germany: Hoffmann & Hoffmann - Rücksicht 07. Portugal: Armando Gama - Esta balada que te dou 08. Italy: Riccardo Fogli - Per Lucia 09. United Kingdom: Sweet Dreams - I'm Never Giving Up 10. Belgium: Pas de Deux - Rendez-vous

11. Cyprus: Stavros & Constantina - I agapi akoma zi 12. Netherlands: Bernadette - Sing Me a Song 13. Luxembourg: Corinne Hermès - Si la vie est cadeau 14. Norway: Jahn Teigen - Do Re Mi 15. Denmark: Gry Johansen - Kloden drejer 16. Switzerland: Mariella Farré - Io così non ci sto 17. Spain: Remedios Amaya - ¿Quién maneja mi barca? 18. Austria: Westend - Hurricane 19. Greece: Christie Stasinopoulou - Mou les 20. Turkey: Çetin Alp & the Short Waves - Opera

#eurovision #eurovision song contest #eurovision review #eurovision 1983

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akehoshimystar · 3 months

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Chapter 3

Shinobu: One Oracle?

Kiho: It's a simple form of fortune-telling where you draw a card and decipher the answer.

Tarot and oracle are technically different things, but let's leave out that complicated stuff.

Shinobu: Wow, seems like it would be easy to join.…. Crap! I forgot I had to call Mika-nee about a customer.

I'm off for a bit, you two enjoy yourselves~

With that, Aizawa-kun left for the staff room, and the store fell silent for a moment. After a long, not short, but just the right amount of time, Kiho-san spoke again. As always, there's not a single moment of awkwardness or stagnation in the conversation he leads.

Kiho: It says in the document that we need to discuss how to incorporate flowers into this fortune-telling.

Ito: About that... I was thinking of making bookmarks with flowers with positive meanings to hand them out at the end of the fortune-telling.

I think I can ask Ichikawa-kun to do the illustrations and design, and I've already found a few candidates for the printing store.

Kiho: Ah, that might be good. If you prepare several types, I can convey the fortune-telling results in a more connecting way.

Would you mind if I choose the flowers for the motif myself?

Ito: Eh? Not that I mind, rather, I'd be very grateful... but I don't intend to make it that much of a hassle for you.

Kiho: Don't worry, it's not a hassle at all.

Due to my previous job, I am quite familiar with flower language.

Ito: (His previous job made him knowledgeable about flower language? .....A florist, perhaps?)

Kiho: If you don’t mind, allow me to take over the work related to the bookmarks, including cooperating with Ichikawa-kun. I'm sure there is a mountain of other things you have to do, Ito.

Ito: (...I feel a bit reluctant to increase the work of someone, especially Kiho-san, who is almost like my boss.)

(Flower language is an important part of this project. It's definitely better to have someone who knows one or two things about it take on this task than for me to look for it with my superficial knowledge.)

In that case, let me take you up on your offer. Thank you so much.

Kiho: That settles it. But why bookmarks?

Ito: I initially thought about postcards, but I also didn't think there was much use for them.

Of all the practical things, paper bookmarks were the cheapest to make.

Kiho: I see.

Ito, do you dislike things that are not practical?

Ito: Eh? I wouldn’t say that..... Let’s see.....

It's fine if I receive it myself, but when I think about giving it to someone else, I tend to remove it from the options.

Kiho: Why would that be?

Ito: ……Uhhh...

(Is he trying to read my mind right now?)

Kiho: Sorry, you don't need to think too hard about it. I was just wondering. So, is there any particular reason?

Ito: I can only think of obvious reasons like there being a certain number of people who would find it annoying to receive one...

Probably nothing in particular.

Kiho: Oh yeah?

Kiho-san gave a somewhat vague response before gently closing the conversation. But he still seemed to be asking, “Really?” with a smile. Maybe Kiho-san was wondering how I would answer that question. But in the end, he didn't check the answer.

The reserved seats for the event were all booked shortly after it was announced.

The day before the event, just when I thought preparations were going smoothly and I would be able to greet the day without any problems…

The “unexpected event” happened.

Ito: Good morning.....Ah.

(He’s on the phone.)

Yuzuru: ………Yeah, I can take your place for lunch today. I should be able to start without any problems, I will head there right away.

Then, I'll talk about the details later tonight.… No, not at all. I'm sorry, but I can’t say that I’m not grateful. Sorry for bothering you even on your day off.

Any time is fine, so please get some rest for now. Thank you for your cooperation.

Yuzuru: Phew... Good morning. Sorry for causing a ruckus early in the morning.

Ito: Is it an urgent job?

Yuzuru: The ST Dept. has suddenly been tasked with an agent job. I was discussing that matter just now.

This is an ongoing personal guarding job that strictly requires Yu’s presence, and is also an irregular request.

He wanted me to take his place until tomorrow night.

Ito: ….! Don’t tell me Nina-san can't attend tomorrow's event?

Yuzuru: As you may have guessed.

That being the case, the only kitchen staff left will be Yashiro-san.

I'll have to think about it a bit.

Ito: ...I see what happened now.

Yuzuru: I wish I could have taken your place. But that is proving to be difficult.

Ito: That's true...

If Kise-san is going to take Nina-san’s place in the kitchen, someone else will need to take his place. At Aporia, which operates with a small but elite team, each person's role is already heavy. Kise-san’s position and work, which covers the whole team, are rather special. Not something that can be easily replaced.

Ito: (But the kitchen shifts are always shared between Kise-san and Nina-san. Is there any other staff who can do the cooking...?)

Yuzuru: If I manage to adjust other matters, I think I can ask Ai-san to help out around the dining area.

And maybe I can secure some time to help out in the kitchen.

Either way, we'll need a full-time person. And that’s why I asked Tomose.

Ito: Eh?

(.…..Did I mishear something? Just now, I think I just heard a name that didn't cross my mind even once.)

Yuzuru: As for the menu, I have some time tonight, so I think I can teach it to him.

Ito: …..Currently, Nina-san is responsible for most of the cooking work.

It may not be much, but I'd like to help out a little more.

If you don't mind, please let me join in too. As long as you don’t find me a bother.

Yuzuru: No way! Not at all. That would be great. But it looks like we'll be meeting a little late today.

We'll have to come early tomorrow, so please don't push yourself.

Ito: You don’t have to worry about that. I'm actually grateful to be able to review what we sell.

By the way, excuse me for asking this. Just to confirm...

The one who is in charge of the kitchen...

Yuzuru: .....? You heard it. It’s Tomose.

Onda Tomose from ST. Dept.

Ito: …..! (So my ears weren’t playing a trick on me!)

Chapter 4>>

#break my case #buremai #joseimuke #Aizawa Shinobu #Kise Yuzuru #Arima Kiho

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ringling-volunteerism · 2 years

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Tomorrow we will be out on Scotts Plaza for Wonderful Wednesday AND Open House Volunteer meeting from 11:30 am - 12:15 pm🍕 🫧 We are collecting donations of family friendly fan art to be auctioned off and all proceeds will go to an epilepsy-focused non-profit that will be announced at a later date. 🫧 We are also asking everyone to create welcome postcards that will be matched $5 by the Bezos Family Foundation through @studentsrebuild 🫧 The second Monday of February is International Epilepsy Day. This year, the date is February 13th and to celebrate, we have a free lunch info session all about epilepsy in Goldstein Library, 113 11:30 am - 12:15 pm. 🫧 All of our events can always be found on Ringlink/Corq! 🫧 #volunteer #getinvolved #ringlingcollege #rcadvolunteerism #getinvolved #askmehow #dogoodthings #helpeachother (at Ringling College of Art and Design) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoYQfyQL--2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#volunteer #getinvolved #ringlingcollege #rcadvolunteerism #askmehow #dogoodthings #helpeachother

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aartstroke · 2 years

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kyotakumrau · 3 years

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DIR EN GREY eng ohp 2022.03.17

Preorders for NEW ALBUM『PHALARIS』(2022.6.15 RELEASE) to start on March 18th & Early Preorder Bonus Gift announced!

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DIR EN GREY 11th ALBUM 『PHALARIS』

2022.6.15 RELEASE

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Special Package Edition

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2 Discs(CD＋Bonus CD) SFCD-0271～272 ￥3,740 (tax in)

【Regular Version】

(CD Only) SFCD-0273 ￥3,300 (tax in)

━━━━━━━━━━

Early Preorder / Record Shops Preorder

Bonus Gift Information

━━━━━━━━━━

■Early Preorder Bonus Gift

＜Eligible Customers＞

Customers who purchase one or more of the following products within Apr. 18th (Mon.), 2022:

【First Press Limited Version】(SFCD-0265～267 / SFCD-0268～270)、

【Limited Deluxe Version】(SFCD-0271～272)

Original keychain×1

※1 randomly picked out of 5 different designs.

※You will get 1 keychain on each copy purchased.

※Picked out randomly. You may not choose the design.

※Please note that the 【Regular Version】 is not eligible for early preorder gift.

■Record Shops Preorder Bonus Gift

Eligible Customers - Customers who purchase one or more of the following products:

【First Press Limited Version】(SFCD-0265～267 / SFCD-0268～270)、

【Limited Deluxe Version】(SFCD-0271～272)、

【Regular Version】(SFCD-0273)

Item list

・TOWER RECORDS (May not be available at all the shops): Sticker A

・HMV (May not be available at all the shops):　Sticker B

・Amazon JP: MEGA JACKET (24×24cm)

・Rakuten Books: Clear Pouch

・7net: Mini smartphone stand key chain

・Other Records Shops: Postcard

Cd Japan

※Available in limited numbers. While stock last only.

※Please contact the stores directly for inquiries regarding the availability of the bonus items.

※On Amazon there are two product pages for each version of the single: one coming with the preorder bonus gift, one for the product only. Please make sure to choose the right product when making your order.

※Desings to be unveiled at later date.

※The list may be updated with new items.

#dir en grey #phalaris

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ffamranxii · 3 years

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HAIKYUU!! COUPLES HEADCANONS

DAISUGA

-Daichi goes to the gym to work out. Suga goes to the gym to ogle Daichi

-Suga has a massive sweet tooth

-Daichi cooks, Suga cleans

-Suga is a little shit who is not above seducing Daichi in public. He can say the most lewd things without batting an eye while Daichi blushes furiously

-Daichi and Kuroo once hooked up at training camp. They do not talk about it

-Daichi is good friends with Michimiya and Kiyoko. Suga is closer to Asahi

-Daisuga rarely fight and are often asked for relationship advice. Daichi tries to discourage this because “guys I didn’t realize Yui had a crush on me or that Suga was in love with me for three years.”

-Daichi can’t dance, won’t dance, and refuses to acknowledge the time he got trashed and twerked

-Suga dislikes his given name unless it’s said by Daichi, who is the only person allowed to call him Koushi

-Suga is extremely flexible. Daichi is not.

-Daichi or Suga getting hit on makes Daichi uncomfortable. Getting hit on amuses Suga, and Daichi getting hit on makes him horny

-It took all of high school for Daisuga to get together, because Daichi is oblivious and Suga assumed Daichi wasn’t into him. Daichi’s dumbness and their mutual pining becomes a fond, shared joke several years later

-Daichi has no gag reflex.

-Daisuga have a very fat, very orange cat named Ninja. He’s surprisingly fast and agile despite looking like a furry basketball. (Daichi is a dog person and did not even want Ninja at first. He suspects Kuroo had something to do with this. Suga sometimes playfully gets upset because “Ninja likes you better than me, Dai!”)

-Everyone expects Suga to be the dominant one but Suga is more than willing to be submissive for Daichi and has on several occasions

ASANOYA

-Noya gets up before sunrise to run. Asahi would rather die than leave his bed before 8am

-Noya turns the coffee pot on and cooks breakfast to lure Asahi out of bed

-Noya is surprisingly patient, gentle, quiet, and kind when it comes to Asahi and his insecurities

-Noya is the type to bottle his insecurities and fears until they explode. The only one who can calm him back down is Asahi

-Asahi makes bratty faces when he thinks Noya isn’t looking

-Noya and Tanaka spend a lot of time with Daisuga because of the Daichi&Suga&Asahi&Kiyoko friendship. Asahi and Ennoshita become good friends

-Asahi doesn’t understand the distance between Noya and his sisters because Asahi is very close to his

-It is impossible to embarrass Noya

-Asahi gets a lot of inspiration for his fashion designs from traveling with Noya

-Noya knows how to braid hair and likes to play with Asahi’s

-Asahi enjoys physical affection but dislikes overt PDA. Noya would happily climb Asahi like a tree in public if Asahi would let him

-Only Asahi calls Noya by his given name

-Noya knows he likes Asahi early on but Asahi’s panic (“omg someone LIKES me?? NOYA likes me?? My crush??”) at his confession prevent them getting together until after the Date Tech match (after Asahi rejoins the team).

-Noya is affected by wanderlust and that’s why he travels. Sometimes Asahi joins him. They get married in Canada during one of these trips. (I once read a fantastic asanoya fic where a significant event happened in Canada so Canada is my asanoya place now)

-Noya sends Asahi a postcard from every place he’s ever visited. Sometimes he’ll spend over half an hour trying to find the *best* one, only to buy them all and send them as a sort of big long letter. Asahi saves them all in a photo album that lives on the coffee table. (Some people have a coffee table book, Asahi has a photo album.)

-Noya prefers to top. The one thing he’s really uncomfortable with is being on the bottom (physically laying beneath someone and also sex).

KUROKEN

-Kuroken have a black cat and a calico and enjoy naps on the couch with the kitties. Kuroo has SO MANY pictures in his phone of Kenma curled around the kitties.

-Kuroo: “Love you.” Kenma: “Hate you.”

-Kenma CAN cook, but likes that Kuroo likes taking care of him

-Every game Kuroo has ever owned is multiplayer because he only games with Kenma

-Kenma’s favorite games involve critical thinking and puzzles. Kuroo enjoys watching him play

-Kuroo is an introvert masquerading as an extrovert. Kenma is an introvert. They enjoy quiet nights in.

-Kuroo has anxiety. Kenma always knows when Kuroo is anxious and how to fix it

-People make Kenma anxious. Kuroo makes himself anxious.

-Kenma’s nicknames for Kuroo are Kuro and Koroemon. Kuroo calls Kenma Kyanma and kitten

-Kuroo has been in love with Kenma for as long as he can remember, since they were kids. Kenma knows this, but doesn’t understand he feels the same way until Kuroo goes off to college

-Kuroo is the one who discovered Daichi’s lack of gag reflex. He’s delighted to learn that Kenma lacks one as well

-Kenma moves more slowly than Kuroo. He’s not as comfortable with physical affection and sex as Kuroo is. Their relationship progresses slowly, and Kuroo lets Kenma lead.

-After Kenma’s confession, how he feels about Kuroo is one of the very few things Kuroo does not doubt or make himself anxious over.

-Kuroo can, will, and has go(ne) on and on and ON about Kenma until someone shuts him up. It drives Yaku up the fucking wall in high school.

-Kenma does a retro game stream once or twice a month made up of games he and Kuroo used to play as kids. Kuroo actually games with him on those days and Kenma’s followers are quick to notice and speculate because Kenma has literally never gamed with another person in the same room before. Sometimes Kenma can only post the actual gameplay because Kuroo ruined the footage of them by being excessively sappy. (Kuroo is NOT above flirting and dirty talk to get an edge and Kenma doesn’t really think his fans need to know that.)

-Kuroken do not talk about Kuroo’s mom or sister

-The Kozumes love “Tetsu-chan” and Kuroo’s grandparents adore Kenma. Kuroken get along with each other’s families better than they do their own.

-Kuroo is tactile. He’s that ass-slapping friend. Kenma thinks he’s ridiculous

-Kuroo used to be dislike Hinata, because Kenma and Hinata are extremely good friends and Kuroo was afraid Hinata would take Kenma away from him. Kenma has assured him he doesn’t like Hinata like that but Kuroo doesn’t warm up until Hinata starts dating Kageyama

BOKUAKA

-Akaashi is 100% in charge of the house and the financials and his word is law. Not because he’s an asshole but because Bokuto is whipped

-Akaashi is a screamer. Bokuto has a big dick.

-Bokuto is the calmest between him and his sisters. His sisters have formed an Akaashi fanclub

-Bokuaka kiss a lot during sex

-Bokuto fucking loves owls

-Akaashi used to be embarrassed over being a manga editor but Bokuto thinks it’s the coolest job ever, “even better than mine!” When his authors need references, Akaashi sends them pictures of Bokuto. Bokuto takes this responsibility very seriously

-Bokuaka exclusively refer to each other by first name but Akaashi can’t break the habit of using -san

-Akaashi and Kenma are very good friends. Bokuto thinks they might even be better bros than him and Kuroo. (Kenma is one of the few people Akaashi calls by first name, and one of the only people who calls Akaashi by his.)

-Akaashi overthinks as a result of anxiety, but he doesn’t think he has anxiety. He prefers to call it “seeing the issue from all sides”

-Akaashi and Bokuto do yoga together. Bokuto behaves himself surprisingly well around Akaashi in yoga pants

-Akaashi decided to attend Fukurodani after watching Bokuto play and literally for no other reason

-Bokuaka are the embodiment of love at first sight and their relationship has an unreal, almost storybook quality to it because they are literally perfect for each other. Because of this, Bokuto doesn’t understand why other people struggle so much to start and maintain a relationship, no matter how many times Kuroo tells him “just because your relationship is straight out of a movie doesn’t mean the rest of the world works like that”

-Bokuaka have a koi pond in their backyard and have named all the fish. Bokuto always asks about them when he’s away for games

IWAOI

-Iwaizumi cooks and cleans because he’s always been the one taking care of Oikawa, but he refuses to fold the laundry because “I’m not doing everything for you, you fucking freeloader”

-Iwaizumi cooks healthy “old man food.” Oikawa’s sweet tooth suffers

-Oikawa is that guy who puts more cream and sugar and other additives in his coffee than actual coffee. He’s tried all of Starbucks’ seasonal drinks and never gets the same thing twice

-Iwaoi have very heated arguments about if Godzilla can kick King Kong’s ass or not. Iwaizumi of course sides with Godzilla

-Iwaoi once fought about the original purpose of Stonehenge and now no one can mention England without it coming back up

-Oikawa only became comfortable with his glasses because Iwaizumi likes them

-Iwaoi have been friends since they were in diapers. The whole volleyball team took bets on when they’d announce their relationship

-Both the Oikawas and the Iwaizumis respond when either boy calls for mom or dad. Oikawa calls his sister Nee-chan while Iwaizumi says Oneesan

-Iwaizumi’s favorite of Oikawa’s features is his legs. Oikawa is in love with Iwa’s arms

-Neither of them can remember when they started liking each other or how their relationship started

-Iwaoi are shockingly codependent and do NOT do separation (during university in Argentina/California or for away games) well

-Deep down Oikawa is extremely insecure and worries he isn’t enough - in volleyball, in school, in his family, in his relationship. Iwaizumi always knows when he’s putting on a front and how to cheer him back up

-Iwaizumi is secretly so soft and weak for Oikawa

-After the Olympics Iwaizumi moves to Argentina to be with Oikawa and they get married. They move back to Japan after Oikawa retires from volleyball and after gay marriage becomes legal there

-Oikawa keeps various plants around the house and the patio and is extremely proud of them. He paints all their pots and even names some of them (which Iwaizumi thinks is disgustingly cute). His most prized plant is a lucky bamboo he bought on a whim when iwaoi first moved in together.

-Oikawa can’t deepthroat. It makes him so jealous that Iwaizumi can

-Iwaizumi blushes whenever Oikawa gives him a genuine compliment

-Iwaizumi has a praise kink. Oikawa has a “whatever comes out of Iwa’s mouth” kink

-Iwaizumi has dom tendencies.

#haikyuu #headcanons #daisuga #asanoya #kuroken #bokuaka #iwaoi #updated it #sawamura daichi #sugawara koushi #azumane asahi #nishinoya yuu #kozume kenma #kuroo tetsurou #bokuto koutaru #akaashi keiji #iwaizumi hajime #oikawa tooru

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brokehorrorfan · 2 years

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Child's Play, Child's Play 2, and Child's Play 3 will be released on 4K Ultra HD (with Blu-ray) on August 16 via Scream Factory. Justin Osbourn designed the cover art for Child’s Play.

Shout Factory has an exclusive set with all three films, a Charred Chucky figure from NECA (limited to 4,000), two exclusive slipcovers for Child’s Play 2 and 3 by Devon Whitehead, five 18x24 posters (the original theatrical art for each film plus Whitehead’s art for the sequels), three postcards, and five enamel pins designed by Matthew Skiff (limited to 1,000). It’s $210.93. The Charred Chucky toy is also available separately for $39.99.

1988’s Child's Play is a slasher directed by Tom Holland (Fright Night) from a script he co-wrote with Don Mancini and John Lafia. Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent, Dinah Manoff, Tommy Swerdlow, Jack Colvin, and Brad Dourif star.

1990's Child’s Play 2 is directed by John Lafia and written by Don Mancini. Alex Vincent, Christine Elise, Jenny Agutter, Gerrit Graham, Grace Zabriskie, Beth Grant, and Brad Dourif star.

1991's Child's Play 3 is directed by Jack Bender (Lost) and written by Don Mancini. Justin Whalin, Perrey Reeves, Jeremy Sylvers, Travis Fine, Dean Jacobson, Dakin Matthews, Andrew Robinson, and Brad Dourif star.

Extras are in progress and will be announced at a later date.

Child’s Play:

Only six-year-old Andy realizes that Chucky, an innocent-looking doll inhabited by the soul of a serial killer who refused to die, is responsible for a spate of gruesome murders. But the real terror takes hold when the deranged doll becomes determined to transfer his evil spirit to a living human being... Andy!

Pre-order Child’s Play.

Child’s Play 2:

The notorious killer doll with the satanic smile comes back to life in this new chapter depicting the terrifying struggle between young Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) and the demonic doll attempting to possess his soul. Despite being roasted to a crisp in his last escapade, Chucky rises from the ashes after being reconstructed by a toy factory to dispel the negative publicity surrounding the doll. Back in one piece, Chucky tracks his prey to a foster home where the chase begins again in this fiendishly clever sequel to the enormously popular original.

Pre-order Child’s Play 2.

Child’s Play 3:

Eight years after seemingly destroying the killer doll, Andy Barclay (Justin Whalin), turns 16 and is placed in a military school. Meanwhile, the greedy president of Play Pals Toy Company decides to resurrect the popular Good Guys doll line, confident that the bad publicity is forgotten. As the assembly line recreates the first doll from a mass of melted plastic, the spirit of Chucky returns to renew his quest and seek revenge on Andy. Once again, it's up to Andy to stop the unrelenting killer in this fast-paced and frightening thriller.

Pre-order Child’s Play 3.

#child's play #child's play 2 #child's play 3 #chucky #horror #brad dourif #scream factory #dvd #gift #justin osbourn #devon whitehead #matthew skiff #childs play #childs play 2 #childs play 3

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heartlandians · 3 years

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Christmas Postcards, part 2/5

The Fleming-Bartletts get small reminders of love during Christmas from the people they care about. Rating: PG A/N: This is my sixth consecutive year of writing a little Christmas fanfiction. I hope you enjoy! The story is set after the season 15 finale.

* * * *

The screen door slammed shut after Lisa Stillman as she entered the Heartland ranch house that afternoon. She put down her designer purse on the mudroom bench and placed the bundle of mail next to it while she was taking off her coat and scarf. Her husband, Jack Bartlett, was usually the one to get the mail as the first thing in the morning, but this morning after the storm was like no other.

When Lisa had come back from her stables to Heartland, and noticed that the tiny red flag on the mailbox was up, she had decided to get the mail while passing the gates to the ranch.

There had been a newspaper, just like expected, but also couple of postcards - one for her, too.

“I’m home”, Lisa said when she was about to enter the kitchen. She grabbed the mail with her. “And so is the mail”, she announced.

Jack was in the kitchen, going through a list of things they would need to get done before Christmas - one being clearing the fallen trees from behind the house. That was something he was thinking of doing today with Tim.

He glanced toward his wife over his glasses that were resting on the edge of his nose, noticing the pile of cards she came with when walking in.

“How was Fairfield?” he asked, putting down his pen and placing his glasses on the table.

“Oh, great. Chuck has everything under control. He said “don’t worry about it, go and have yourself a merry Christmas””, Lisa summed it up. She flipped through the mail next to the kitchen counter.

Jack nodded.

“Here’s a card for you. And a letter”, Lisa said, waving them next to her head. She had noticed them especially because of the French stamp and par avion sticker.

“I’m afraid I was just about to go out. Tim and I are going to go through the trees behind the house before we lose the light. We were lucky that none of them fell over us”, Jack said, getting up from the kitchen chair. “I’ll check the mail later, leave it on the side table.”

“Okay”, Lisa said as Jack passed her by. “Oh. I got a card from Aunt Evelyn”, she shared when Jack walked into the mudroom to put on his boots.

“Oh yeah? Where is she, anyway?” he asked, hoping that wherever that was, it would be far enough from Hudson...

Lisa read the back of the card and summed it up for Jack while he was getting dressed to go outside.

“She’s in Italy”, Lisa let him know. “She tells me Italian Christmases are celebrated with a wine-drinking witch.”

Jack chuckled. “That sure is fitting... No wonder she’s there.”

“Ha-ha...” Lisa shook her head. “Very funny.”

She knew Jack and her aunt didn’t exactly get along, but Jack tolerated Evelyn for her sake. That didn’t stop him from making these teasing remarks whenever she wasn’t around, though.

“Evelyn writes, “twelve days after Santa’s visit, on the eve of the Epiphany, families across Italy leave a glass of vino and a plate of sausages for “La Befana” who pops down the chimney on her broomstick””, Lisa summarized. “So this isn’t happening before...” she counted, “January 5, then. Oh, and she is inviting us over.”

Jack got up after putting on his boots, glancing at Lisa. “Are you gonna go?”

“I don’t know. And don’t you mean are we going to go?” she corrected him.

“To Italy...?” Jack asked, wondering if Lisa was hearing herself.

“Well, why not?” Lisa shrugged.

“That’s a flight overseas. And I just don’t know if now’s the time for that...”

Lisa’s shoulders fell and she sighed. “Earlier this year, we talked about travelling and I said we could do it later. Doesn’t mean much later, just that... after everything has settled down a bit.”

She knew that realistically their window of action was smaller than for most friend couples she had, but she wouldn’t state that out loud, of course. This was a topic that often created some tension between her and Jack, and right now she didn’t want to get into that argument.

Lisa knew that deep down Jack knew it too, even though he had gotten this sudden outburst of energy this past year to do all sorts of crazy things instead of slowing down. But the reality was, they weren’t getting any younger. If they wanted to travel, it was best to do it when they still could.

“Has it...?” Jack wondered. “Has... everything settled?”

“Well, a little bit, I guess”, Lisa said. “I mean, when is it ever going to be peaceful when it comes to this family? Besides, you have a lot of people willing to help here, it isn’t always up to you to run this ranch. Amy has more time for horses with Lyndy in the kindergarten and Katie babysitting - and then there’s Tim. And Lou, of course, helps with whatever she can, whenever she can.”

Jack still seemed resistant.

“If you don’t remember, the last time I left Tim in charge of Heartland, I came back to him trying to take my place. And-- the sheep! THE SHEEP!” Jack said, pulling on his jacket. It was clear he was still upset about those animals ever even being on his property. “I won’t be doing that mistake again...”

“Okay, so we are not just going to travel then?” Lisa said, hoping Jack would realize that some sacrifices had to be made for them to able to do that. “I mean, isn’t January a perfect time, anyway? It’s before foaling season for me and before things pick up again with the cattle for you. I think we both deserve a little off-time.”

“Wouldn’t exactly call it an off-time if it’s with your aunt...” Jack muttered while pressing hit hat on. His other eye squinted suspiciously when he looked at Lisa. After seeing how tired she was about this conversation, Jack decided maybe it was time to cut the jokes. “Okay, okay. I’ll... think about it.”

Lisa sighed with relief. “Thank you, that’s all I ask.”

Jack nodded, walking in to give Lisa a kiss on the cheek. He placed his thumb under her chin to lift it up ever so slightly. “I’ll see you at dinner time. Love you.”

“Love you too”, Lisa said.

When the screen door slammed shut again, Lisa looked at the card and sighed. She really missed travelling and she was hoping she would be able to do that again sometime soon. It just felt like if she wanted to have Jack with her, he would have to find more motivation than just spending time with her - which to be fair, he could do it at home, too.

#heartland #fanfiction #christmas postcards

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24-7-testing · 3 years

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The end of the year gets tough for a lot of people, especially the last few years. Because of this, I am once again excited to announce the return of...

The Portal Holiday Spirit Initiative!

To try and lift people's spirits up this year, I will be making and sending out FREE Portal-Themed Holiday Cards to anyone who asks for one! The cards are customized to match any December Holiday of your choice and mailed to you physically or emailed digitally!

This will be the third consecutive year I have run PHSI, and will be a little different than the previous two. I'm changing things up because I'm in my last year of college and things are busier than normal and will be sending out postcards this year instead of traditional greeting cards!

These postcards are special and unique, however, because this year they feature art made by eight different artists from the fandom, specifically for this event! The design of the postcard you receive will be based on what you select in your Card Request. I can't express the amount of thanks these artists deserve for volunteering their time and talents to make PHSI 2021 unique!

If you would like to receive a Portal-Themed Holiday Card:

Visit bit.ly/portal-holiday-spirit-initiative (Tumblr is still weird with links, so please copy/paste or type this in manually)...

Answer the questions on the form…

Wait for your card to be made and sent!

Also, please don’t be afraid to request a physical card if you don’t live in the US! It might take a bit longer for you to receive your card depending on what country you live in, but they do get mailed to whatever address you provide, whether domestic or foreign. Last year I mailed/emailed a total of 114 cards to the US, Canada, the UK, England, Scotland, Argentina, The Netherlands, Australia, Poland, Brazil, Mexico, Finland, Italy, and Germany!

Answers for common questions and concerns under the cut:

Worried about providing a mailing address, for whatever reason?

PHSI has an eCard option! All you need to provide is a name for me to call you by and an email address to receive your card!

Worried about requesting a card because you don’t live in the US?

PHSI mails to any address provided, whether domestic or foreign! However, please wait patiently for your card, due to the current global rate of shipping.

Worried that you can’t give $2 to cover the cost of your card and someone else’s?

Worried because you don't know how to support the artist of the card you received?

The places where you can find each artist are listed on the back of each card. Look them up, commission them, reblog their art, and support them however you can!

Worried because you haven’t received your card yet?

Worried because you received your card and don’t know what to do now?

Make a post about it! Include pictures, videos, or anything you’d like, and tag me in the post (@24-7-testing) so I can reblog it! If you don’t want to show your card off, that’s ok too!

#3rd year of PHSI!#portal holiday spirit initiative 2021 #PHSI 2021 #aperture science #aperture laboratories #portal #portal 2 #portal fandom #still alive

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salad4sgo · 3 years

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[CLOSED] Erha Vol 2, Simplified Chinese

Basic gifts that includes in ANY sets: CWN poster (matching with the Vol1 poster), Meatbun’s message in QR code, 6 characters postcards, 3 character quotes ( 3 of 12 random)

Different bookstores offer different gifts set. You can select Gifts-ONLY to save on shipping cost

Set A: TJX and MR standees (matching to CWN standee from Vol 1), badge, 2 shikishi, 2 postcards, cardboard art box

Set B: chibi standee, 14x20cm shikishi, mouse pad, cardboard art box

Set C: Two15cm standees, omamori, postcards, double-sided shikishi badges, cardboard art box

Set D: 2x standee (I am placing the order early to get the pictured standees, any later order will be switch to chibi standee by the bookstore), transparent postcards, badges, cardboard art box (random 1 of 2 designs)

Set E: chibi standee, transparent postcard, double-sided shikishi, postcards, badge, plain cardboard box

Set F: Double-sided fan OR chibi small standee (random), postcards, file folder, 10x15cm standee, badges, cardboard art box

Set G: 15cm 2x standees, chibi badges, 14x20cm shikishi

Set H: shikishi, character art playing cards deck, PVC postcards, cardboard art box

Vol 1 is also available to order - Giftset includes: basic papergoods (poster, character artcards, etc.) 12cm CWN standee, 3 postcards, cardboard art box

FLAT RATE: $8/set (includes all fees and partial shipping cost)

🚀Order Form: https://forms.gle/FLpbiaaT6tanjc7HA

This group order is mainly for US residents.

Exclusive gift for Vol 2 is still in the making (will announce later). But I still have exclusive Vol 1 gift available. I am hosting this GO early for a reason (attempting the impossible here, if I can make it, will share with you guys, any guess to what it is?)

Please read through my GO Details if you are joining for the first time

EDIT: more detailed in giftsets 8/7

#erha #2ha #dumb husky and his white cat shizun #ranwan

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archinform · 4 years

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Lost Chicago Building 5 - The Pullman Building

Life Span: 1884-1958 Location: 79 E. Adams – Southwest corner of Michigan & Adams Architect: Solon S. Beman

Illustrations, unless otherwise noted, are from the Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archive, Art Institute of Chicago. Accessed at: http://www.artic.edu/research/archival-collections

May 6, 1883 – The Chicago Daily Tribune reports that the excavation for the nine-story headquarters of the Pullman Palace-Car Company on the southwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Adams Street has begun. As the Home Insurance Building on La Salle Street is nearing completion – arguably the first metal-framed commercial skyscraper in history – the Pullman building will be “perfectly fireproof from cellar to garret – fireproof tile and iron beams being used throughout.” [Chicago Daily Tribune, May 6, 1883] The structure will have a dual purpose. The Pullman headquarters will have an entrance on Adams Street while a number of apartments in the building will be entered through the Michigan Avenue entrance. Company offices will occupy the first four floors of the building, and speculation is that the fifth floor will be given to the offices of General Phillip Sheridan. The five upper floors will be devoted to apartments of from seven to ten rooms and a number of bachelors’ suites from two to four rooms. The ninth floor will have a restaurant overlooking the lake with “a large covered promenade … making it a delightful resort in warm weather.” The half-million-dollar building will have its boilers located in a separate structure, given “the prejudice against living in a building with large steam boilers in the basement.” The Tribune assessment of the building concludes, “One of the objects sought by Mr. Pullman … was the furnishing to those employés of the company who desired them living apartments of superior character more convenient to their business than those in which many of them now abide … Mr. Pullman has expressed a wish that such a structure might be erected for their benefit.” [1]

Solon Spencer Beman, Architect (1853-1914)

“Chicago Pullman building. Design Preliminary sketch;” inscribed “BLC: J.K.P. del.;BRC: S S Beman / Architect .”

https://drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2020/04/pullman-building-at-michigan-and-adams-tip-top-inn-and-black-cat-inn-restaurants-chicago.html

Sanborn Map (detail), c. 1890; location of Pullman Building shaded purple.

“Michigan Avenue South from Grant Park Promenade,” postcard. Pullman Building is in the center of the view.

George Pullman (1831-1897), whose company by 1879 was the largest manufacturer of railway sleeping cars, with his Pullman Palace Cars being used by many railroads all throughout the country, wanted to construct a new factory town to bring together all the company’s manufacturing operations. The new “company town” would also house all of his workers. In 1879 Pullman brought New York landscape architect Nathan F. Barrett to Chicago to develop the concept. Barrett had introduced Pullman to Solon Spenser Beman, a twenty-six year old architect, also from New York, who had apprenticed with Richard Upjohn before starting his own firm in 1877. Pullman placed Beman in charge of the entire architectural design and construction of the buildings for new town. [2]

Nathan F. Barrett and Solon Spenser Beman, Town of Pullman, 1879 (Zukowsky, Growth of a Metropolis) Reproduced in Larson, Gerald R., “ 7.8. George Pullman Brings S.S. Beman to Chicago,” The Architecture Professor. https://thearchitectureprofessor.com/2020/09/23/7-8-george-pullman-brings-s-s-beman-to-chicago/

George Mortimer Pullman (1831-1897). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Pullman

The former Pullman headquarters building in downtown Chicago at the northeast corner of Michigan and Randolph had been destroyed in the Great Fire of 1871, and the sleeping-car magnate obtained a permit to build a new 9-story building at the southeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Adams Street. Beman would design the building. The new Art Institute of Chicago building (1893) would later be directly across Michigan Avenue.

The Pullman Building viewed from the Art Institute, c. 1890s.

Beman’s design for the Pullman Building was influenced by the Romanesque style of architect Henry Hobson Richardson, which was sweeping the country in the late 1880s. Constructed of red granite, brick, and terra cotta at the corner of Adams and Michigan, the Pullman Building was a “massive and imposing” structure of 10 stories with corner turrets and a light well. The Chicago Tribune described its design as modification of the Norman round arched gothic, “the main object being to give it an expression of dignified elegance in its simple massiveness.” In common with other buildings built after the Great Fire of 1871, the Pullman Building was advertised as absolutely fireproof.

Excavation for the building foundations began in May 1883. Similar to other buildings of the Chicago School of architecture, iron beams and joists were used throughout the building. Stairways were also of iron; the building had four passenger elevators and a freight elevator, and was lit by both gas and electric light.

Construction was delayed by a strike by the Bricklayers’ Union, who decided that the fifty or so tile-layers working on the tile floors and other interior work should demand $4.00 per day rather than the $3.50 they were receiving. Non-union workers were brought in, and construction continued.

The Pullman Building was designed for multiple use: the first floor for stores dealing in light merchandise, the second and third floors for Pullman offices, the fourth and fifth floors for Army Headquarters of the Division of the Missouri and for telephone company offices; Chicago Telephone Company and Central Union Telephone Company are noted in the floor plans. The sixth floor was for general office space. Solon S. Beman’s architectural offices were located on the fifth floor.

The seventh through ninth floors were reserved for residence suites of various sizes, with private bathroom and hot and cold water for each. These suites are intended for those who wished to avoid the trouble of housekeeping. No cooking was allowed, however, provisions were made, however, for a restaurant on the ninth floor, with the kitchen and servants quarters on the tenth floor.[3]

Michigan Avenue residential entrance

side views on Michigan Avenue

Separate entrances for the offices and residences of the building announced its dual purpose: offices could be entered from Adams Street and residential apartments from Michigan Avenue. A light well in the building’s north side was open above a glass roof at the third story, giving the building a U shape.

Pullman executives occupied the lower floors. Other well-known building tenants included utilities magnate Samuel Insull, Allen B. and Irving K. Pond, brothers in architectural practice (Irving K. Pond worked in S. S. Beman’s offices), S. C. Pirie, of the Carson, Pirie, Scott & Company department store in Chicago; H.E. Hooper, US publisher of the Encyclopedia Britannica; and Florenz Ziegfeld, later renowned for the Ziegfeld Follies.

Adams Street entrance

Pullman Building, detail of arcade, north side, by photographer J.W. Taylor. Courtesy of the Faculty of Architecture, University of Melbourne. The Pullman History Site https://pullman-museum.org/theCompany/pullmanBuilding.html

The building’s business entrance on its north (Adams Street) side was through an imposing masonry arch springing from squat columns with stylized Corinthian capitals. A divided staircase of stone rose one story to the second floor, offering entry at its base to the first story and, through the central of three arches at the second story, to the business office area. This striking entry occupied the central light court in the U of the building, and was surmounted by a glass canopy at the third story. Rather heavy-handed and muscular in its effect, this sheltered entrance was more “public” than the building’s residential entrance, flush with the wall on the Michigan Avenue side.

Above this entrance, in the center upper stories of the building, were a vertical arrangement of semicircular windows framed in rather bizarre, interlocking horseshoe or keyhole arches. The composition’s sense of vertical movement contrasted with the horizontal bands of window openings in the rest of the building.

Pullman Entrance; J.W. Taylor photograph, 1893. Chicagology. https://chicagology.com/goldenage/goldenage067/

Arch and covered entry stairs

The Pullman History Site https://pullman-museum.org/theCompany/pullmanBuilding.html

Pullman Building, interior detail of 2nd floor entrance and open wells looking toward Office of the President (see 2d floor floorplan) by photographer J.W. Taylor. Courtesy of the Faculty of Architecture, University of Melbourne. The Pullman History Site https://pullman-museum.org/theCompany/pullmanBuilding.html

Pullman Building, President’s Office, Secretary by fireplace,1956. Chuckman Chicago Nostalgia. https://chuckmanchicagonostalgia.wordpress.com/2011/11/page/2/

Selected floors plans, from The Pullman History Site at https://pullman-museum.org/theCompany/pullmanBuilding.html

First (entrance) Story

Second Story: vestibule from Adams stairs; President’s Office (see photos above)

Seventh & Eighth Stories; Apartments

Ninth Story: Apartments and Restaurant

The Tip Top Inn was on the ninth floor of the Pullman Building.

For the first few years the Pullman company ran its own restaurant, The Albion, on the 9th floor. It was considered advanced at the time to locate restaurants on top floors so that cooking odors would not drift throughout the building. In addition, diners at The Albion, and later the Tip Top Inn, had excellent views of Lake Michigan. [4]

The Pullman Company, after the death of George Pullman in 1897, remained in the Pullman Building until 1948, after which its offices were moved to Chicago’s Merchandise Mart. By that time, all the architectural features of the upper story-- the turrets, towers, and chimneys-- were gone.

In “A Proud Old Lady Admits Her Age,” a 1956 newspaper article noted that

The Pullman Building, Chicago’s oldest “skyscraper,” is facing the wrecker with the same cumbersome dignity which characterized its 72 year history. With its carpets, curtains, and other makeup gone it looks a little shabby, but is still in essentially the same form bestowed on it by architect S.S. Beman back in 1884. It has yielded little to the blandishment of technology and fashion.[5]

The Pullman Building itself was demolished during a razing craze during the tenure of Mayor Richard J. Daley, along with dozens more buildings in Chicago’s Loop and thousands in Chicago neighborhoods with hardly a peep of protest. The Pullman Building was replaced in 1958 with the Borg-Warner Building, an ugly anomaly among the Michigan Avenue cliffs in the Michigan Avenue Landmark District. [6]

In later years, the turrets and top portion of the building were removed.

Architectural fragment, Pullman Building, Art Institute of Chicago.

Pullman Building, Andreas’ History of Chicago. Image: https://chicagology.com/goldenage/goldenage067/

Many of the images used here are also available on the Illinois Digital Archives website at http://www.idaillinois.org/digital/search/searchterm/Pullman%20Building

NOTES:

[1] Connecting the Windy City. Accessed at: http://www.connectingthewindycity.com/search/label/Congress%20Street

[2] Larson, Gerald R., “George Pullman Brings S.S. Beman to Chicago,” The Chicago School of Architecture. Accessed at: https://thearchitectureprofessor.com/2020/09/23/7-8-george-pullman-brings-s-s-beman-to-chicago/

[3] Chicagology. https://chicagology.com/goldenage/goldenage067/

[4] “Famous in its Day: Tip Top Inn,” Restaurant-ing Through History. Accessed at: https://restaurant-ingthroughhistory.com/2014/03/30/famous-in-its-day-tip-top-inn/

See also Digital Research Library of Illinois History Journal at https://drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2020/04/pullman-building-at-michigan-and-adams-tip-top-inn-and-black-cat-inn-restaurants-chicago.html

[5] “A Proud Old Lady Admits Her Age,” Copy from two undated, unidentified newspaper articles about the 1884 Pullman Building in downtown Chicago. View the article at http://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/pshs/id/15324

[6] “The Pullman Building,” The Pullman History Site. Accessed at: https://pullman-museum.org/theCompany/pullmanBuilding.html

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virtual-lara · 4 years

Photo

A round up of the events within the Tomb Raider universe that happened in 2020.

2020 was a quiet year for Tomb Raider when it came to games, however it was a good year for those who love to collect Tomb Raider goodies. Fans also helped to fill the gap between games, doing some very exciting things!

With 2021 being the 25th anniversary of the franchise, there were expectations of upcoming plans to be teased. The Tomb Raider Twitter began dropping some news, showing a preview of Weta Workshop's 'Anniversary' statue on July 25th. Weta then released a piece of concept art of the statue on October 25th. In addition to merchandise, Square Enix released a teaser trailer for an upcoming free-to-play mobile game called 'Tomb Raider Reloaded' on 23rd November, showcasing a more classical Lara and familiar themes from Tomb Raider 1. The trademark 'T.R.U.E' (Tomb Raider Ultimate Experience) frequently caused a frenzy throughout the year, hinting to possible remakes or remasters of past games but as of yet, nothing has come from it.

There were many a crossover as well. On February 16th, it was announced that Ubisoft’s ‘Rainbow Six Siege’ would receive a Lara Croft Tomb Raider elite skin for the character of Ash. Later in the month, the 26th of February, a Tomb Raider / Brawlhalla crossover was announced, where players could choose from either classic or reboot Lara and play on a Tomb Raider related map called 'Temple Ruins'. On May 12th, Tomb Raider outfits were released for the game 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons'. These were the 'Classic Lara Croft', 'Angel of Darkness' and 'Tomb Raider (2013)'. Also included was a piece of Lara Croft wall art.

Also on May 12th, a new Community Manager & Social Media Manager for the Tomb Raider brand was announced: @Rinoaaa, who helped in the creation of the Animal Crossing goodies. Sadly, the franchise lost Neal Boyd on 7th March. He was a level designer on Tomb Raider and the sequel Tomb Raider II. The community also lost Badassgamez's amazing Tomb Raider walkthroughs in December when he decided to step away from all forms of social media, removing his content from the Internet. Video gamer Steve of Warr presented fans with an interview he did with Core Design executive producer Adrian Smith. From this, he was given a disk that contained a 2000 E3 demo build of Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness. These files were later put up for download on fansite Core-Design.

Various pieces of merchandise were released: ’Tomb Raider Omnibus Volume 2’ was available on the 1st of January. Royal Mail heavily featured Lara Croft in a selection of stamps and postcards that celebrated classic video games. The third Gaming Heads statue based on Lara Croft in ‘The Temple of Osiris’ released in the second quarter of the year whilst a fourth Gaming Heads statue was announced, featuring Lara as seen in 'Rise of the Tomb Raider'. The OST of 'Shadow of the Tomb Raider' was released on vinyl by Laced Records in February.

The Tomb Raider Suite is nearing its end, with the final items of KickStarter goodies - the deluxe tin CDs - finally shipping to fans in January. In November, Nathan McCree announced that the documentary was almost complete and almost ready for publishing, however, on the downside, the Coronavirus had forced Nathan to postpone the Paris concert at Le Grand Rex, originally scheduled for October 24th, and the 2 concerts in Australia.

The Coronavirus didn't halt the shipping of the ‘Tomb Raider: The Dark Angel Symphony' goodies, as 'Janice' worked hard throughout the year to make sure that everyone received their items. On February 14th, the Symphony was available to download on all major streaming and digital platforms. Two new clothing designs were released September 22nd on the Dark Angel store.

Core Design developers have mingled more with the community this year, whilst explaining details of Tomb Raider game development. Ash (from tomb-of-ash.com) hosted various livestreams that featured Peter Connelly, Andy Sandham, Tom Scutt, Jamie Morton and Murti Schofield, where the audience could ask questions and share stories whilst AJ of SurvivorReborn played Tomb Raider III, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation and Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness. Jonell Elliott joined Instagram in September and has been communicating with fans, even sitting down with Chris at Raidercast to provide the first interview concerning her role as Lara Croft and Tomb Raider.

Talking of Core Design, early in the year, Ash was given access to files relating to Core Design's ‘Tomb Raider 10th Anniversary Edition’. As well as publishing imagery of locations, characters and enemies, he asked the Tomb Raider community for help by creating a petition on 4th August for the permission of the legal release of Core Design’s ‘Tomb Raider Anniversary Edition’ assets. After hearing no response from Square Enix or Crystal Dynamics on the matter, he released the files via Archive.org on December 31st, where the community dived straight in to fix and explore the contents.

Fans have also been busy throughout the year. AOD modder Nakamichi had to step away from modding in August but he gave out the source code to his tools for others to continue his work. This enabled many others to come forward and port various characters into the game as Lara. 2020 also saw the breakthrough for modding in 'Tomb Raider' (2013) and 'Rise of the Tomb Raider', allowing players to change and customise Lara's model. Other fan projects that were ongoing throughout the year were: Giovanni Lucca's Tomb Raider III HD Remaster, Nicobass' Tomb Raider II remake and freakraider's TRAoD 1.5. Now of course these are just a few projects; fans have also produced artwork, 3D renders, cosplay imagery, music, videos, fiction and websites. 2020 has also been the year of Tomb Raider speedrunners and challenge players, where the aim of the game is to abide by certain conditions, be it using pistols only or playing the whole game in one sitting without using a medipack. The Tomb Raider Level Editor finally gained its own category on Twitch in January, separating its gameplay from Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation. Once again, the TRLE community at Lara's Level Base put together an Advent Calendar for builders and TRLE level players to enjoy throughout December.

One final note... Tomb Raider fans rallied together once again for another year of Extra Life, led by Stellalune, playing games on Twitch (not just Tomb Raider) to raise money for charity. They managed to raise $8,583, more than any previous year! And Tomb Raider Marathon VII managed to raise almost $5,000 within one year. Plus there have been some kind-hearted, generous fans out there, such as Nicolas Croft, that have ran giveaways, offering various Tomb Raider merchandise.

#VL Articles #VL Posts

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reading-writing-revolution · 4 years

Text

Heather Cox Richardson:

August 14, 2020 (Friday)

Today’s big story was the administration’s assault on the United States Postal Service. Yesterday, the president said outright that he opposed relief funding for the cash-strapped institution because he wanted to stop mail-in voting, even though he and his wife Melania have both applied for mail-in ballots. Slowing down or stopping the mail will create chaos around the election, and will likely mean ballots will not be counted. It will also funnel voters back to polling places, although the pandemic means there are far fewer of them than usual.

Once at polling places, many voters will cast their ballots on voting machines that are vulnerable to hacking. New machines, rolled out after 2016 and designed to keep cyberhackers at bay, proved “extremely unsafe, especially in close elections,” according to Alex Halderman, a computer scientist from the University of Michigan who, along with six colleagues, studied them. At least 18% of the country’s districts will vote on the new machines, including districts in Pennsylvania, which Trump needs to win but where Biden is up by double digits.

“There are strong security reasons to prefer hand-marked paper ballots,” Halderman told Joseph Marks of the Washington Post.

A bipartisan organization of state secretaries of state—the people in charge of elections—wrote to Trump’s new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on August 7 to ask for a meeting to discuss his recent changes to the USPS and to explore how those changes would affect the election. In a delay that observers say is “unusual,” he has declined to answer. The USPS recently sent letters to 46 states and Washington, D.C. to say that it cannot guarantee that it will be able to deliver mail-in ballots on time. The letters were prepared before DeJoy took office, suggesting that he knew the USPS should be ramping up its capacity, not decreasing it.

News broke today that DeJoy was named to the finance team of the Republican National Committee in 2017 (along with Elliott Broidy, Michael Cohen, and Gordon Sondland, if anyone can remember back to the days of impeachment), suggesting his partisanship makes him a poor fit for what is supposed to be a nonpartisan office.

In June, USPS officials told union officials that management was getting rid of 671 sorting machines, about 10% of the machines in the country. The sorters were the kind that handled letters and postcards, not magazines and large envelopes. The argument for getting rid of them is that people write fewer letters these days, but of course we are all expecting a huge influx of mail-in ballots that those machines would handle. Many of the removed sorters were in states that are political battlegrounds: Ohio lost 24 sorters, Detroit lost 11, Florida lost 11, Wisconsin lost 9, Philadelphia lost 8 and Arizona lost 5.

Similarly, the USPS removed letter boxes today in what it said were routine reassignments. The outcry was great enough that it has announced it will not remove any more until after the election. The removal of the boxes may indeed be routine, but David Becker, executive director of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation & Research told Washington Post reporter Jacob Bogage, “Given the other things that are going on, it’s okay to ask questions…. The high-speed sorters that are getting deactivated, the loss of overtime, the delays in mail we’re seeing right now, all of this should cause some concern and warrants questions.”

Today, Inspector General for the USPS Tammy L. Whitcomb announced that, at the request of Democrats, she is opening an investigation into “all recent staffing and policy changes put in place” by DeJoy. She will also be looking into DeJoy’s compliance with ethics rules, related to his huge financial stake in private competitors to the USPS.

The other big story is that the Government Accountability Office, the main audit institution in the federal government, concluded today that the two top officials at the Department of Homeland Security are not legally in their positions.

The acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, and his top deputy, Ken Cuccinelli, were never confirmed for their positions, although those positions require Senate confirmation. Instead, they were moved into their jobs through the lines of succession in the department, but those lines were altered by the previous DHS secretary, Kevin McAleenen, who himself was placed into position improperly. According to the GAO, McAleenen did not have authority to move Wolf, who had Senate confirmation for a different position, into the directorship. Cuccinelli, who currently holds the title “Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Secretary,” has never been confirmed for anything.

Democrats called for Wolf and Cuccinelli to step down, but DHS spokesman Nathaniel Madden said “We wholeheartedly disagree with the GAO’s baseless report and plan to issue a formal response to this shortly.”

Trump’s handling of DHS is problematic. DHS is a new agency, established after 9-11, and it is staffed with political appointees who report to the president. Trump has increasingly refused to go through normal nominations processes, aware that at least some of his appointees could not make it through even this Republican Senate. Moreover, leaving his appointees in limbo gives Trump more control over them. “I like ‘acting,’” he told reporters last year. “It gives you great, great flexibility.”

Trump has made little effort to fill positions at DHS with qualified people. Within DHS are the agencies that oversee immigration: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). None of them has a leader that has been confirmed by the Senate. Trump’s sway over DHS means the agency is currently operating, as DHS’s first secretary Tom Ridge said, like “the president’s personal militia.” It was Wolf, of course, who oversaw the recent deployment of federal officers to Portland, Oregon.

In legal news, in a case stemming from U.S. Attorney John Durham’s investigation of the FBI investigation of ties between the Trump campaign and Russia in 2016, a former FBI lawyer intends to plead guilty to falsifying a document. Kevin Clinesmith was the root of the most serious mishandling of the wiretapping of former Trump advisor Carter Page. When it was time for the FBI to apply for a renewal of the request to surveil Page, Clinesmith was asked to find out if Page had ever been an informant for the CIA. When asked, a CIA colleague appears to have identified Page’s role with the agency as something other than a “source,” but wrote an email about it that simply sent Clinesmith to documents to check. Clinesmith altered his CIA colleague's email with the words “not a ‘source.’” The FBI relied on his representation to write the application renewal to wiretap Page.

Clinesmith resigned over the issue last year. He maintains that he changed the wording to reflect what he understood to be true, and other evidence suggested he never tried to hide the original email from his colleagues. Still, he altered a document, and Page’s relationship with the CIA was not accurately represented to the judges who approved the wiretapping. The Justice Department’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz, called out this issue in his report on the FBI handling of the Russia investigation, although he concluded that the FBI opened the investigation properly and without political bias.

In another case stemming from 2016 that got a lot of traction when it was announced, a federal appeals court today ruled that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton does not have to give another deposition about her emails. Judicial Watch, a rightwing organization founded in 1994 that has frequently targeted the Clintons with lawsuits which are usually thrown out of court, wanted to depose Clinton on the subject. She argued they were harassing her. The court noted that the email issue had already been thoroughly investigated by Congress, the FBI, the State Department Inspector General, and another lawsuit and concluded she did not have to testify again. Last year, the State Department concluded that “there was no persuasive evidence of systemic, deliberate mishandling of classified information.”

Finally, in all the political craziness, the devastating storm that hit the middle of the country on Monday has gotten less attention than it should have. The storm was a “derecho,” and brought wind over 100 miles an hour. Iowa appears to have lost 43% of its corn and soybean crops; 15 tornadoes in Illinois left 800,000 people without power. In Iowa, four days later, 250,000 are still without power, and roads remained blocked.

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