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#but powers that enhance rather than add??? it’s like there’s parts of your identity that don’t belong to you
4ce-of-2pades · 5 months
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(Leo speaking to Hephaestus:)
Leo: I used to think I was creative. I used to think I was smart. I used to take pride in the things I invented. But it’s just you, isn’t it? Everything I’m good at, everything I like about myself, it’s just your powers I inherited. If I wasn’t your son, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this. I wouldn’t be good at anything.
Leo: I thought that I had earned this. That I had learned when my mom taught me about machines, that I had built my abilities myself. But it’s all just shortcuts and fakery. It’s just god magic. It’s not real. It’s not mine.
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gender0bender · 2 years
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Itchio is having a creator day sale until Monday and aren’t taking their cut of sales, so if you would like to buy one of my zines knowing that I will get more money than I usually do that would be awesome! My zines deal with trans and disabled identity and you can find them all on my page here https://gender0bender.itch.io/ Most of them are available for free but I’m trying to save money to move out, so some are behind a paywall currently.
Image descriptions:
A zine cover page that depicts a cutting from a magazine showing a PC poking out of a hollowed out red telephone handset mouth-piece, there is a keyboard attached to the monitor. There are words written around the image made with various cuttings from magazines, these letters spell out Discourse Queen Magazine, there is regular text at the bottom that reads by Gender0bender.
The second image is a white page with the words “three of swords” written on it. The first letter of each word is an ornate red letter, and the rest are black. There are three swords arranged on the page around the title like a box.
 The third image is a white zine page with two detailed drawings of a doctor holding a  patient’s head in their hands. The top image has the inside anatomy of  the mouth and throat labelled. The title and author of the zine are in  the top left, reading “Doctor Kink by Gender0Bender”, and the rest of the text is a poem reading “it is a strange experience to have a doctor  be the first person that explores your body the eyes moving away from your face going down and down as you move from being a person to being your flesh and a list of malfunctions rather than delights but still   flesh still tactile still touched”.
The fourth image is a collage front cover with Man is the machine I am written vertically on the left hand side. In the centre is the figure of a man cobbled together from varioud robot parts taken from magazines and an anatomical diagram of a human. On the right is a text bubble reading interview, and below it is a picture of red scissors cutting a piece of computer hardware in half. Underneath this is a short poem made out of magazine clippings that reads “Joystick. The robot is not exactly well endowed with this creature but with software surgery enhanced greatly speech synthesiser the fully featured hard dic 13512 now UPGRADED easier to use more powerful the essential add-on.”
 The fifth image is picture of a zine title page that reads “Jophiel” in Russian. The name “Gender Bender” is written at the bottom. The picture on the cover shows two yellow glowing, faceless angels holding hands and facing each other. Their faces are close, and their round yellow halos are joined. They have large purple wings. The background is blue.
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devoqdesign · 3 months
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The Art of Storytelling in UI/UX Design
In the realm of user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design, storytelling has emerged as a powerful tool to create engaging, memorable, and effective digital experiences. By weaving narratives into the fabric of our designs, we can captivate users, guide them through complex processes, and foster emotional connections with products and brands. This blog explores the intersection of storytelling and UI/UX design, delving into why it matters and how designers can harness its power.
Why Storytelling Matters in UI/UX Design
Human beings are hardwired for stories. From ancient cave paintings to modern-day Netflix binges, narratives have always been central to how we communicate, learn, and make sense of the world. In the digital realm, storytelling serves several crucial functions:
Emotional engagement: Stories evoke emotions, making users more invested in their interactions with a product or service.
Memorability: Information presented in a narrative format is often easier to remember than dry facts or instructions.
Contextual understanding: Stories provide context, helping users understand the "why" behind features and processes.
User guidance: Narratives can naturally lead users through a journey, making complex tasks feel more intuitive and less daunting.
Brand identity: Consistent storytelling across touchpoints helps build a cohesive brand identity and personality.
Principles of Storytelling in UI/UX Design
To effectively incorporate storytelling into UI/UX design, consider these key principles:
Know your audience: Understand your users' needs, motivations, and pain points to craft stories that resonate with them.
Define a clear narrative arc: Structure your user journey with a beginning, middle, and end, complete with challenges and resolutions.
Use visual hierarchy: Guide users' attention through your story using layout, typography, color, and imagery.
Maintain consistency: Ensure that your storytelling elements align with your overall brand voice and visual identity.
Show, don't tell: Leverage visuals, interactions, and microcopy to convey your story, rather than relying solely on text.
Implementing Storytelling in UI/UX Design
Now, let's explore practical ways to incorporate storytelling into various aspects of UI/UX design:
1. Onboarding Experiences
The onboarding process is a prime opportunity to introduce users to your product's story. Instead of a dry tutorial, consider:
- Creating a character-driven narrative that guides users through key features
- Using progressive disclosure to reveal information at the right moments
- Incorporating interactive elements that allow users to "unlock" parts of the story
2. User Flows and Navigation
Think of user flows as chapters in your product's story. To enhance the narrative:
- Use descriptive labels and microcopy that advance the plot
- Design transitions between screens that feel like turning pages in a book
- Implement a "breadcrumb" navigation that shows users where they are in the story
3. Content Strategy
Your content is the backbone of your product's story. To make it more compelling:
- Craft headlines and subheadings that create intrigue and propel the narrative forward
- Use storytelling techniques like foreshadowing and callbacks in your microcopy
- Incorporate user-generated content to make users part of the ongoing story
4. Visual Design
Visual elements play a crucial role in storytelling. Consider:
- Using color psychology to evoke specific emotions at different stages of the user journey
- Implementing illustrations or animations that support and enhance the narrative
- Designing custom icons that align with your product's story and theme
5. Microinteractions
Small, delightful interactions can add depth to your product's story:
- Design loading animations that tell a mini-story
- Create hover effects that reveal additional narrative elements
- Implement success messages that celebrate the user's progress in the story
6. Personalization
Tailor the story to individual users for a more engaging experience:
- Use data to customize content and recommendations
- Allow users to choose their own adventure with branching narratives
- Implement adaptive interfaces that evolve based on user behavior
Challenges and Considerations
While storytelling can greatly enhance UI/UX design, it's important to be mindful of potential pitfalls:
Balancing story and usability: Ensure that your narrative elements don't overshadow or impede core functionality.
Avoiding cognitive overload: Don't overwhelm users with too much information or complex storylines.
Maintaining accessibility: Ensure that your storytelling techniques don't exclude users with disabilities.
Respecting user time and attention: Not every interaction needs an elaborate story; know when to keep things simple and straightforward.
Cultural sensitivity: Be aware of cultural differences in storytelling traditions and tailor your approach accordingly for global audiences.
Measuring the Impact of Storytelling in UI/UX
To gauge the effectiveness of your storytelling efforts, consider these metrics:
- User engagement: Measure time spent on site, pages per session, and interaction rates.
- Emotional response: Use surveys or sentiment analysis tools to assess user feelings.
- Task completion: Track how storytelling elements affect conversion rates and goal achievement.
- Brand recall: Conduct studies to measure how well users remember your product and its features.
- User feedback: Gather qualitative data through reviews, comments, and user interviews.
Conclusion
The art of storytelling in UI/UX design is about more than just making interfaces look pretty or function smoothly. It's about creating experiences that resonate on a deeper level, fostering connections between users and digital products. By thoughtfully incorporating narrative elements into our designs, we can guide users through complex journeys, evoke emotions, and create memorable experiences that keep them coming back for more.
As technology continues to evolve, the importance of storytelling in UI/UX design is likely to grow. From virtual and augmented reality to voice interfaces and beyond, new mediums will present exciting opportunities for innovative narrative techniques. By mastering the art of storytelling, designers can create not just usable interfaces, but truly unforgettable digital experiences that stand the test of time.
Devoq Design stands out as a premier UI/UX design agency with a robust presence in both Indiana and Iowa. As a leading UI/UX design agency in Indiana, Devoq Design is dedicated to creating seamless and visually captivating user experiences that cater to the unique needs of the local businesses. Similarly, as a top UI/UX design agency in Iowa, Devoq Design focuses on delivering innovative design solutions that enhance user interaction and satisfaction. Their team of expert designers and commitment to excellence ensure that every project is tailored to the specific requirements of their diverse clientele, driving growth and success in both states.
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bling4ambition · 8 months
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How Earrings Necklace And Bracelet Enhance Your Overall Personality?
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With regards to utilizing fashion to show one's character, accessories are fundamental. Earrings necklace and bracelet are classic and versatile accessories that can essentially improve your mood. These pieces are crucial instruments for self-expression because they give a rich touch as well as capability as principal parts in introducing your particular personality and sense of style.
5 Ways These Accessories Make You Look More Like Yourself!
In this article, you will explore how these accessories help you project confidence and leave a lasting impression on people.
1) Earrings- A Window Into Your Personality
Earrings are more than simply a basic accessory; they're a statement of your personal style. Your choice of paparazzi sequin earrings, hoops, or dangly can say a lot about your own style. While large hoops might indicate a more adventurous and outspoken attitude, delicate studs might represent elegance and simplicity. You may easily add a touch of charm to your entire look by selecting earrings that go with your style.
2) Necklaces- A Way To Define Yourself
A thoughtfully selected necklace may highlight your best features and frame your face. Beyond being beautiful, necklaces frequently have sentimental significance, such as a pendant with a unique meaning or a treasured gift. Adding a personal touch gives your outfit depth and lets the world see a little bit of who you are. A necklace may draw attention and make a statement, whether a bold item or a delicate chain.
3) Bracelets- A Unique Way To Express Yourself
Bracelets serve as a blank canvas on which to paint your own personality. These accessories, which range from simple beaded bracelets to elaborate cuffs, can express your interests, pastimes, or even your life's journey. You can express your imagination by mixing and matching bracelets to fit various settings and events. In addition to adding a subtle melody to your movements, the jingling sound of bracelets can harmonize well with your personality.
4) Coordinating For A Finished Look
Although every accessory has a distinct effect of its own, the skill is in arranging them so that they look well-put together. A harmonious balance can be achieved and your overall style elevated with matching necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. When choosing accessories, it's important to keep the occasion and your attire in mind so they enhance rather than reduce from your appearance.
5) Enhancing Self-Belief
Your confidence can be greatly increased by wearing the appropriate mix of bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. A confident and upbeat attitude comes easily when you feel good about the way you appear. Accessory pieces give your look the last touch and give off an air of sophistication. Thus, without spending any time, visit the earrings jewelry store in your area and purchase jewelry to improve the way you seem.
Earrings, Necklaces, Bracelets- Your Style Symphony! More than just adornments, earrings necklace and bracelet are powerful ways of communicating your own style and lift your self-assurance. You can leave a lasting impression on new people you meet by choosing accessories from Bling 4 Ambition that visually represent your identity. So, the next time you search for them, remember the impact your favorite pieces can have on your entire identity.
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mariaislam123 · 9 months
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Transform Your Brand Image with Innovative Business Card Design Services
In today's highly competitive business landscape, establishing a unique brand identity is crucial for standing out among the crowd. While digital marketing strategies have gained immense popularity, traditional methods like business cards remain an essential tool for networking and leaving a lasting impression. However, in an era where creativity and innovation reign supreme, standard business cards may no longer suffice. This is where innovative business card design services step in, revolutionizing the concept of networking and brand representation.
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Understanding the Power of Innovative Business Card Design:
In a competitive market, innovative business card design is a silent yet impactful marketing tool. Beyond its tangible form, a creatively crafted card embodies a brand's essence, leaving a lasting impression. Visual storytelling through unique shapes, textures, and finishes captures attention and reflects a company's identity. Employing minimalism, vibrant colors, or unconventional materials adds depth to networking encounters, fostering memorable connections. Moreover, integrating technology like QR codes or NFC chips enhances functionality, directing recipients to digital content, bridging the physical-digital gap. These innovative designs not only signify professionalism but also showcase a brand's forward-thinking approach, cementing its position in an ever-evolving business landscape.
Elements of Innovative Business Card Design:
Unconventional Shapes and Materials: Break away from traditional rectangular cards by utilizing unique shapes or materials (such as wood, metal, or textured paper) to make your business card stand out and leave a lasting impression.
Interactive or Functional Features: Incorporate interactive elements like QR codes linking to portfolios or websites, or functional aspects like writable surfaces for notes, turning the card into a useful tool rather than just contact information.
Minimalist and Impactful Design: Embrace simplicity by using clean layouts, bold typography, and strategic use of color to ensure key information stands out while maintaining a visually striking and memorable design.
Personalization and Customization: Tailor cards to reflect your brand's personality through personalized touches like unique illustrations, handcrafted details, or individualized messages that resonate with recipients.
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Practices: Embrace sustainability by using recycled materials, soy-based inks, or eco-friendly printing techniques to showcase a commitment to environmental responsibility, leaving a positive impression on eco-conscious individuals.
Personalization and Brand Storytelling:
Personalization in brand storytelling crafts a unique narrative tailored to resonate with individual experiences. It's the art of weaving a compelling tale that speaks directly to each consumer, fostering a profound connection. By understanding and incorporating their preferences, challenges, and aspirations, brands create an immersive journey. Through personalized storytelling, brands not only communicate their values but also demonstrate a genuine understanding of their audience's needs. It's a powerful tool that humanizes the brand, fostering loyalty and leaving a lasting impression in the hearts and minds of consumers.
Impacts on Brand Perception and Networking:
Trust and Credibility: Positive networking cultivates trust, enhancing a brand's credibility. When associated with reputable individuals or organizations, a brand inherits some of that trust, bolstering its perception among consumers and peers.
Visibility and Reach: Networking expands a brand's visibility within relevant circles, allowing for increased reach. Being part of a network exposes the brand to diverse audiences, fostering recognition and amplifying its presence in the industry or community.
Perception of Expertise: Active networking positions a brand as an authority within its field. Engaging with knowledgeable peers and sharing insights reinforces the perception of expertise, influencing how the brand is perceived as a thought leader.
Partnerships and Collaborations: Networking opens doors for collaborations and partnerships. These alliances not only expand a brand's offerings but also enhance its reputation by association with respected collaborators.
Customer Relationships: Effective networking builds stronger connections with existing and potential customers. These relationships foster loyalty, positive word-of-mouth, and a deeper understanding of consumer needs, all of which positively impact brand perception.
The Role of Technology in Business Card Design Services:
Technology revolutionizes business card design services by offering innovative tools for customization. Digital platforms provide templates, allowing seamless incorporation of logos, graphics, and personalized information. Advanced software enables intricate designs, diverse font selections, and QR code integration for enhanced connectivity. Online platforms facilitate global accessibility and quick distribution, minimizing production time and costs. Moreover, emerging technologies like augmented reality introduce interactive elements, elevating traditional cards to immersive experiences. The fusion of technology in design services empowers businesses to create unique, impactful cards that reflect brand identity while embracing modern trends, fostering networking opportunities in an increasingly digital landscape.
Choosing the Right Design Service Provider:
Experience and Portfolio: Look for a provider with a diverse portfolio showcasing various design styles and successful projects relevant to your needs. Their experience demonstrates their expertise and ability to handle different design challenges.
Client Reviews and Testimonials: Check reviews and client testimonials to gauge satisfaction levels and the provider's reliability. Positive feedback and a strong reputation are indicative of quality service and professionalism.
Communication and Collaboration: Ensure the provider communicates effectively and is open to collaboration. A good rapport and clear communication are vital for translating your vision into the design effectively.
Understanding of Your Needs: The right provider should comprehend your brand identity, target audience, and design requirements. They should ask relevant questions and show genuine interest in understanding your specific needs.
Cost and Deliverables: Assess the pricing structure, timelines, and deliverables offered by the provider. A transparent breakdown of costs and a clear outline of what they'll deliver within the specified timeframe is crucial for a successful partnership.
Case Studies and Success Stories:
Case Studies and Success Stories showcase real-world applications and victories within industries. These narratives detail challenges faced, strategies implemented, and ultimately, the successful outcomes achieved. They provide valuable insights, demonstrating how businesses or individuals overcame hurdles, innovated, and achieved significant milestones. These stories serve as inspiration and learning tools, offering practical lessons and ideas for problem-solving. Through detailed analyses, they highlight best practices, innovative solutions, and the impact of perseverance, often becoming valuable resources for others striving for success in similar endeavors.
Measuring the ROI of Innovative Business Card Design:
Increased Engagement: Measure the ROI by tracking the uptick in engagement metrics such as website visits, social media interactions, or inquiries generated directly from the innovative business card.
Conversion Rates: Assess the impact on conversion rates by comparing the number of leads or conversions garnered through the unique design against traditional business cards.
Brand Impressions: Gauge the ROI by conducting surveys or analyzing feedback to quantify the enhanced brand recall or positive impressions resulting from the innovative design.
Cost Efficiency: Calculate the production cost versus the returns generated, factoring in any savings from reduced printing or increased effectiveness in networking or sales.
Longevity and Retention: Evaluate the extended lifespan of these cards and their ability to leave a lasting impression, potentially leading to continued engagement or partnerships over time, indicating a positive return on investment.
Conclusion
innovative business card design services have evolved beyond the conventional to become an integral part of modern branding strategies. These creative designs serve as powerful marketing tools, leaving a lasting impression, fostering connections, and enhancing brand perception. By investing in innovative business card designs, businesses can effectively differentiate themselves in a competitive market, leaving a mark that goes beyond the confines of a small piece of cardstock.
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leiajoydesign · 1 year
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Concepts of Visual Language - Interview Responses
Wednesday 26th April 2023 - In-Person Interview Responses
Lee Smith - 53 (concert-goer)
Do you think graphics on screens and visuals, such as lasers or confetti, enhance or detract your experience of a concert?
I find that they tend to enhance the concert by helping to make the event more of a show experience
Do you think graphics and visuals are important to a show?
Visuals help a lot in making it clear to the audience what some songs are about and show lyrics in a different light
Do you think the lack of graphics and visuals would affect your experience of a show?
Yes, in a big venue but not so much in a small up close gig
Julie Smith - 50 (concert-goer)
Do you think graphics on screens and visuals, such as lasers or confetti, enhance or detract your experience of a concert?
Visuals in a show has always enhanced my experience, I really enjoy lighting, the buzz of colours and being able to see and feel the graphics alongside a show is a real winner for me!
Do you think graphics and visuals are important to a show?
Yes, graphics and visuals are important to a show, because no matter where you are… standing or sitting you can always see a screen and that makes you feel part of the show.
Do you think the lack of graphics and visuals would affect your experience of a show?
Yes, the would have a definite affect on my personal experience of a show, with no graphics and visuals I would leave the show feeling really flat!! Graphics and visuals are what gives us our safe highs 😊 and leave us with that real buzzed up feeling.
James Walsh - 21 (concert-goer & designer)
Do you think graphics on screens and visuals, such as lasers or confetti, enhance or detract your experience of a concert?
They enhance the experience because it’s visually memorable
Do you think graphics and visuals are important to a show?
Absolutely, it’s the identity of the show
Do you think the lack of graphics and visuals would affect your experience of a show?
Yes, doesn’t stop enjoyment but it destroys where you are and what the event/show is.
In summary, it’s like having all food packaging having nothing on them. Sometimes you remember products visually rather than what it is.
Hannah Powers - 20 (concert-goer & artist)
Do you think graphics on screens and visuals, such as lasers or confetti, enhance or detract your experience of a concert?
Enhance: add to the ambience and make the atmosphere more lively. example: Eric Prydz Holo graphics
Detract: Makes it distracting for example with lasers they can hurt your eyes and distract you from the act
Do you think graphics and visuals are important to a show?
They aren’t essential but I think they add to the act especially when used in the finale as it wraps the show up
Do you think the lack of graphics and visuals would affect your experience of a show?
Yes, as they make it more of an all sensory experience rather than just seeing one person/act on a massive stage
Olivia Broome - 20 (concert-goer & artist)
Do you think graphics on screens and visuals, such as lasers or confetti, enhance or detract your experience of a concert?
I think they enhance the experience because it makes the performance more interactive and engaging.
Do you think graphics and visuals are important to a show?
Yes
Do you think the lack of graphics and visuals would affect your experience of a show?
Yes, as it wouldn't be as exciting and engaging
Chloe Pincombe - 23 (concert-goer)
Do you think graphics on screens and visuals, such as lasers or confetti, enhance or detract your experience of a concert?
Personally I think lasers and confetti in a show is great and adds to the atmosphere and excitement but it all depends on timing and the general ‘feel’ of the show. Dosn’t work for every concert but when used correctly can enhance
Do you think graphics and visuals are important to a show?
I do think visuals are so important and when they are kept moving/changing it definitely keeps you engaged more as long as they match the theme/aesthetic of the show. And talking from my work side of things people who have learning disabilities and less vision than us it is extremely engaging and sensory to have the visuals at a concert plus the use of colour to convey mood.
Do you think the lack of graphics and visuals would affect your experience of a show?
Yes
Alisha Giles - 23 (concert-goer)
Do you think graphics on screens and visuals, such as lasers or confetti, enhance or detract your experience of a concert?
Confetti/lasers/other visuals definitely have a positive impact on a concert for me. I think it keeps you engaged on the concert even if you’re there just to see the act
Do you think graphics and visuals are important to a show?
Yes, as it keeps you engaged and creates a whole different atmosphere for a show
Do you think the lack of graphics and visuals would affect your experience of a show?
Yes
Emma-Louise Thorton-Hick - 23 (concert-goer)
Do you think graphics on screens and visuals, such as lasers or confetti, enhance or detract your experience of a concert?
Yes, I think the visuals on the screen definitely can bring a certain atmosphere to the concert/gig, during the song Someone You Loved by Lewis capaldi, there is slow earthy visuals on the screen behind him which add more of a dramatic effect, and an element of sadness to the song. I personally haven’t been to an event with lasers, however I’m sure it provides a wonderful atmosphere. Confetti at concerts is amazing, it’s a highlight of a show for me, it creates a physical piece of the concert for you to take home
Do you think graphics and visuals are important to a show?
I would say that they are important to a show, but not entirely necessary? I think it’s like an extra add on to the show, but am aware that not every artist is going to have confetti shooting out at every show, and have images/ effects of the screen for every song
Do you think the lack of graphics and visuals would affect your experience of a show?
In my opinion, I think that the visuals and the graphics make the show, however it’s when they’re used correctly. I have been to some shows where there are effects on the screen during every song and it’s a little hard to see the screen at times and it takes away from the experience, but I think if moderately used and used on the correct songs/intervals/appropriate moments, then yes it definitely enhances a show, and my enjoyment of the show.
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laughriot · 3 years
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How I Envision The Pillowman Act 1, Scene 1
Lighting
When researching interrogation rooms and the interior of police stations (both in media and in real life), many of the images I found show them lit by very cool toned (often blue) light. In media particularly, the main light of the room is often dim, which makes the atmosphere more uncomfortable for the suspect. For example;
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Additionally, during interrogation scenes throughout media, it’s very common for the person being questioned to have a light/lamp of some sort pointed directly at them. For example;
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These lights are used to make those detained uncomfortable and thus more likely to spill the information they know in order to get the bright light out of their eyes.
This technique seemed like something Detectives Ariel and Tupolski would likely use. They have no issues with physically assaulting/torturing prisoners to get what they want out of them so I believe these lower level discomforts wouldn't be uncommon in their interrogation techniques.
I think the best ways to include this in a production would be by putting a lamp on stage , or by having a white/cool toned spotlight on Katurian's face.
Set
Interrogation rooms are often very bare, usually having no more than a table and chairs inside. I think this is partly for convenience and practicality, but also to make the person being questions uncomfortable in their surroundings as the rooms are very sterile and contain nothing that could have comfortable connotations for the detained. even the furniture which is used in these rooms is very bland and often made of plain wood or steel. this creates tension as there is nothing (such a pillows, warm lamps etc)that can be used to ground or comfort the person being questioned.
I have also noticed that these rooms are often painted cool toned colours such as blue and grey. I believe this is because warm colours have connotations of cosiness, warmth, and comfort - which is the opposite of what detective are often aiming to communicate.
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There’s also often viewing windows looking into the rooms (as seen in the picture above). However, I do not think that there would be any of these in the station which Ariel and Tupolski work in. This is because in this play, the police are often extremely violent and treat detainees inhumanly. Thus, they would not want there to be witnesses of this happening because that could cause problems. As long as no one catches them doing it, they are guaranteed to get away with it. (That being said, The Pillowman is set in a fascist totalitarian state so i'm not sure someone seeing it would ake a difference)
With this in mind, i sketched a rough outline of what i believe would be a good set for this scene.
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Costume, Hair and Makeup
(imagined for an all female cast)
Ariel
Ariel is very passionate about their job. This often leads to or is expressed through violence and brutality. They are treated as less than Tupolski, as if they exists solely to do the dirty work. Despite having the title of "detective" Tuplski regularly calls them a policeman, and compares them to a police dog. Their main focus is to make sure people who commit crimes suffer for it and guaranteeing they do not get the chance to commit those crimes again. This stems from the lack of justice they got in terms of their childhood abuse. Because of their motives, I believe they are not concerned about vanity, and the way they dress/present themselves is mostly based on practicality.
below are images of a costume i think fits Ariel, as well as how they would do their hair/makeup.
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(i don’t own black laces but let’s pretend they’re black)
I paired together a blue short sleeve shirt and black trousers as blue and black are the main colours associated with the police (especially in media). This represents that they are seen as less than tupolski. I chose short sleeves as they are less formal than long sleeves, which I think fits Ariel's character, and they would allow Ariel to attack suspects without ruining their clothes as most of the harm they do is with their fists.
I think Ariel would either have short hair, or would keep their hair tied back at all times because even if it aesthetically would look better down, it would get in the way whilst they were working.
I don't think Ariel would wear makeup. They wouldn’t waste their time on it. However, I think it would be interesting to use makeup unless to give them dark circles to make reference to their monologue in which they say they have nightmares often.
Tupolski
Tupolski acts likes they’re above Ariel, and are much more of a “professional” and sophisticated. This later on is shown to not actually be true as they are the one who in the end performs the execution, and they seem to draw the most genuine pleasure in hurting other people. To me, Tupolski is in this job very much because of the power it provides them rather than a drive to do good or to find justice. This is a direct example of the blatant police brutality and corruption of the totalitarian state the play is set in.
I believe that Tupolski would dress much more put together and polished in order to appear as someone professional and communicate their position of power. below are pictures of a costume I think would work for Tupolski.
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I looked into business attire, and clothes worn by women in power. I found that plaid, especially grey based plaid, is very common in this type of clothing. I also found that blazers/coats with lapels were very common too. for this reason I decided to give Tupolski this full length coat as part of their costume. I gave Tupolski heels here because I believe the extra height they give will communicate that they are of a higher status than Ariel, but also because heels are generally seen as a work/business shoe.
As for makeup; I looked at a variety of detectives and professional women across media (e.g. Rachel from suits, Nikki from silent witness) and found that their makeup is usually quite natural, using a lot of neutral tones to enhance the persons features subtlety so as to make them look more polished.
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in the image above I used very natural colours to create a soft eyeshadow look and sole subtle bronzer, blush and highlighter to emphasise the structure of my face and give my cheeks a healthy glow. To me this would work well for Tupolski as they are a very nonchalant person so I don’t think they’d want to look as if they’d tried hard to look good, but this makeup would make them appear more professional and put together than Ariel which is something they take great joy in pointing out.
Katurian
Immediately when looking into styles for Katurian, I was drawn to dark academia. In its barest bones the dark academia style revolves around 1930s academia and a love for literature. (and often murder). This style is heavily featured in films such as “Kill Your Darlings” and “Dead Poets Society”.
Katurian is a man who’s life and identity revolves so wholly around his writing and his love for words, and whether he likes it or not there ends up being multiple murders linked to him and his work. Thus, this style seemed perfect to base his costume on.
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(ideally i would have put a cream/white blouse under the jumper but i don’t own one)
In this image I’m wearing cigarette pants, which are a very common style of trouser within dark academia. I think the wine red/burgundy of my jumper and shoes fits well to the colour scheme of this style, too. I think making Katurian's costume in this style gives away a lot about their character from the get go, as it’s a style with very distinct connotations.
As well as thinking that this style generally suits Katurian's character very well, I think this works as a costume for them as it is more casual that both Ariel and Tupolski's still. This helps enforce the idea that they both have a higher status than him.
I see Katurian as very scrawny and almost gaunt. They also strike me as someone who spends most of the time in which they should be sleeping or eating, writing instead. They also seem to be a very paranoid person. I based my makeup for this character on these ideas and, where for Tupolski and Ariel makeup was an aesthetic choice (or lack thereof), Katurian's makeup is used to really make them look pathetic and small as I think this will help this scene have maximum affect.
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I used heavy amounts of contour to really emphasise the hollows of the cheekbones to make myself look gaunt. I also applied a mix of brown and purple shadow under my eyes to create the appearance of really severe dark circles. this adds to the weak and sickly look when paired with the contour but also suggests he does not get a lot of sleep, which will make more sense later on in the play when we see how paranoid he is.
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link to pinterest board where i’ve collected some inspiration pictures etc; https://pin.it/1tfoS0s
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Capture One 6 For Mac
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dantetuvr728 · 4 years
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When crowdfunding met crypto
The know-how sector bubbles with exercise. Scarcely a week goes by with no clutch of takeovers being introduced. Get started-ups are gobbled up by their much larger peers. Organizations which have presently proved their value merge or are acquired.
The significant-profile, huge ticket illustrations are popular: in a handful of scenarios, significantly substantial sums are compensated for tech providers that the most important players would like to dovetail with their current functions. Consider YouTube, introduced in 2005 and purchased the following 12 months by Google for $one.65bn; Instagram, launched in 2010 and swept up by Fb for $1bn in 2012; WhatsApp, released in 2009 and bought by Facebook in 2014 for $19.3bn.
Nonetheless in a single Section of the tech sector, all continues to be curiously peaceful: mergers and acquisitions are exceptional. Crowdfunding platforms, allowing traders big and little to put money into enterprises in search of fiscal backing, have noticed remarkably little takeover activity.
Within the phrases of Gary Dushnitsky, Affiliate Professor of System and Entrepreneurship at London Enterprise Faculty (LBS), “This really is an island of tranquillity where by other sectors are bubbling with M&A action. Other digital platforms working experience bubbly M&A exercise; why not crowdfunding?”
The tranquillity was briefly interrupted in Oct 2018 via the announcement the US-dependent cryptocurrency Market Circle Online Monetary designs to amass the crowdfunding company SeedInvest. Circle hopes that the takeover – which will require approval through the US Financial Market Regulatory Authority (FINRA) - can help start off-ups to boost cash by issuing digital coins.
Marieke Flament, who researched for an MBA at LBS, is now Controlling Director for Europe and Worldwide Main Advertising Officer at Circle. She suggests: “The strategy of crowdfunding is remarkable. It makes boosting funds for organizations much more successful by having more and more people capable to take part. The world we envisage can let this to be digitalised and moved to blockchain mainly because it’s way more efficient. We predict these two worlds – crowdfunding and cryptocurrencies – will merge.”
Precisely what is worth? And just how click here blockchain might make sharing it smarter
So why does this region of tech remain an island of tranquillity within a bubbling ocean of M&A action?
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From a sizable data examine of crowdfunding in Europe performed by Dr Dushnitsky and colleagues we recognize that, over the past twelve decades, much more than 700 crowdfunding platforms are launched throughout fifteen European countries. Quite possibly the most Lively marketplaces have been the united kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. Of Individuals 700-in addition operations, around 200 have just withered away.
But that also leaves a lot of platforms jostling with each other in the identical House.
With a few takeovers somewhere else in the broader technologies arena, it is not hard to begin to see the driving force, very easy to see how a takeover can add benefit.
Just one driver could merely be the amount of users, specially exactly where You will find a “community result” – where the much larger the volume of people within the platform, the greater the gain for the person consumer. That helps clarify the takeovers of YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp. But, as Dushnitsky states, “In the case of crowdfunding platform, it’s an open query whether or not obtaining extra people is valuable.” The goal just isn't merely to obtain more users, but rather substantial-value customers – entrepreneurs with genuinely promising enterprise Suggestions over the 1 hand and Energetic investors on the opposite, instead of “tourist investors”.
What about the know-how that a offered System makes use of? Could possibly a System have a novel technological know-how that is definitely remarkable to its competition and so offer you benefit to an acquirer?
In principle, that’s probable. Dushnitsky points out that a crowdfunding platform might need the technological innovation to operate across nations As well as in many languages: “Who states that that a French-based System want operate only in French? Possibly if it might also work in English and Spanish also, that might enhance awareness.”
In fact, Operating in several different languages is comparatively easy. Clearing payments in numerous currencies is a bit more challenging, but definitely manageable. Owning these abilities is not likely for making a single platform vastly much more useful than its competition.
“Technological know-how is most likely not a singular differentiator, or at the very least not the full Tale,” Dushnitsky adds. “I have not seen a circumstance exactly where a crowdfunding platform has long been obtained in which the argument is because it contains a outstanding engineering.”
Evaluate a third dimension in which a crowdfunding System might have an edge about rivals – its power to identify the strengths and weaknesses of investee firms. A undertaking money fund may possibly make a handful of investments over its lifetime – Maybe as couple as 50 percent a dozen.
Then again, a crowdfunding System may possibly aid investment into scores and even hundreds of businesses looking for resources. Crafting an expenditure memorandum for each of countless investees provides a very distinctive problem to that confronted with the undertaking money fund. “When you can do this ideal, then you will be ready to unlock authentic development prospective,” says Dushnitsky. That capacity to streamline the undertaking onboarding method might be crucial. Most likely that could be become a driver of growth.”
The quantity of investors and investees was outlined by Circle as amongst the reasons for buying SeedInvest.
But significantly, A serious thought highlighted by Circle was the fact that SeedInvest has previously cleared regulatory hurdles established with the US Monetary Business Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to permit it to work.
Dushnitsky says: “Fintech providers perform within a regulatory-intensive natural environment and regulatory compliance could be as significant as products-sector fit. Actually, a business might accomplish product or service-market place fit only to realize that it’s violating revenue-laundering regulations. Regulation is a crucial differentiator involving fintech firms on the one hand and advertising or retail platforms on one other.”
Once the SeedInvest offer was announced, Jeremy Allaire, CEO of Circle was candid about among the crucial good reasons for his corporation’s getting determined SeedInvest as a gorgeous target – the function the business had played in pushing for your Obama Administration’s Careers Act. The legislation – the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act to give it its full name – eased regulations to make it a lot easier for providers to utilize crowdfunding to difficulty securities. Said Allaire: “[SeedInvest] served develop the JOBS Act.”
Assuming the Circle-SeedInvest offer is accepted, it must bring the fintech corporation nearer to listing cryptocurrency tokens that could be viewed as monetary securities. However, as Flament points out, the regulatory framework throughout Europe continues to be fragmented.
The query of what helps make a crowdfunding platform a pretty M&A goal continues to be unanswered. But confident-footedness in navigating the regulatory environment may very well be just one element. In the meantime, takeovers keep on being a rarity.
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cardanshaft12 · 4 years
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Propeller Shaft
The propeller shaft (likewise called prop shaft or drive shaft) is a part of the drive train in a vehicle, It is an important part of the transmission of power in the automobile driveline. For a front-engine rear-wheel drive car, it transmits the rotation of the transmission to the shaft of the final drive.
Cardan shafts are used differently in different vehicles, varying greatly in cars with distinct configurations for front-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, and the previously mentioned front-engine rear-wheel drive. The propeller shaft is essentially used to exchange torque between parts that are isolated by a separation since various segments must be in various areas in the vehicle. A front-motor back wheel drive vehicle must have a lengthy drive shaft associating the back pivot to the transmission since these parts are on inverse sides of the vehicle. § Propeller Shaft is the shaft that transmits power from the gearbox to the differential gear in a motor vehicle from the engine to the propeller in a boat or flying machine. § Propeller shaft sometimes called a transmission shaft, transmits power from the gearbox to the rear axle. Regularly the shaft has a tubular section and is made in maybe a couple of piece construction. § The two-piece arrangement is supported at the midpoint by an elastically mounted bearing. Short drive shafts are incorporated for the transmission of power from the last drive assembly to the road wheels in both front and rear-wheel drive layouts.
FUNCTIONS OF THE PROPELLER SHAFT
The main functions of the propeller shaft that if transmit rotary motion and power to the differential. Prop shaft consisting of three parts, i.e. hollow shaft, universal joints, and slip joints.
Where the engine and axles are separated from each other, as on four-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive vehicles, it is the propeller shaft that serves to transmit the driving force generated by the engine to the axles. The longer the shaft, the more liable it is to bend, and bending is further promoted when rotation is applied causing vibrations and resulting in an increase in noise. For this reason, the propeller shaft has been designed to suppress vibrations arising from a wide range of causes.In some vehicles, the engine is kept at the front and the front wheels of the vehicle are being driven. In some other vehicles, the engine is at the rear and the rear wheels are being driven. For such arrangements, a short propeller shaft is used to drive each wheel.
The engine and the transmission unit are attached to the vehicle frame with some flexible mounting. The rear axle housing with differential and wheels are attached to the vehicle frame by suspension springs.
To sum up, the propeller shaft does the following functions:
1. It transmits rotary motion of the gearbox output shaft to the differential and then to the wheels through the axle shafts.
2. It transmits the motion at an angle which is varying frequently.
3. It accommodates changes in length between gearbox and rear axle.
TYPES OF PROPELLER SHAFT:
Single-Piece-Type Propeller Shaft:
Characteristics:
The friction welding adopted at the junction contributes to an improvement in the strength, quality, and durability of the junction. A reduction in the number of component parts and in the weight has been achieved.
Used in vehicles with a short separation between the motor and axles, and MR based four-wheel-drive vehicles. The erosion welding adopted at the intersection adds to an enhancement in the quality, quality, and strength of the intersection.
On a single piece propeller shaft, you may have a solid connection to the axle while a slip yoke connects it to the transmission. The yoke slides over the splines of the transmission’s output shaft. The reason this is done is to allow the driveshaft to “change sizes” during flex. The drive shaft will be able to slide back and forth on these splines to keep from binding, while effectively being able to apply power. You may also have a propeller shaft upfront, similar to what is found on a two-piece driveshaft, which offers a fixed mounting position on the transmission but still allows the transmission shaft to extend as needed. Between the yoke and the transmission shaft—and used as the connecting point for the driveshaft and the differential—are universal joints or u-joints. U-joints are used to manage the angles. The transmission and transmission shaft sits at an angled pitch and this means that the driveshaft will need to pivot as it rotates. U-joints are what make this possible.
2-piece-type/3-piece-type Propeller Shaft:
Characteristics:
The division of the propeller shaft into two- or three-parts permits the vital quantity of revolution to decreased stopping vibration problems from going on when the typical size of the shaft increased. The dynamic damper inserted into the pipe reduces the vibration and noise. The friction welding adopted at the junction contributes to an enchancment in the strength, quality, and sturdiness of the junction. A reduction in the number of factor components and in the weight has been achieved. Two-piece propeller shafts do all the identical matters as a single-piece driveshaft, simply in a barely unique way. Rather than the use of a slip yoke to connect to the rear of the transmission, these are established in a fixed role with the use of a u-joint on the output shaft of the transmission and a u-joint on the axle. Utilized as a piece of cars with lengthy separation between the motor and axles, and Front motor front-drive base four-wheel-drive vehicles. The division of the propeller shaft into a few sections allows the primary quantity of transformations to delivered down maintaining the vibration difficulty from going on when the typical size of the pole expanded. The 2-piece-type prop shaft nonetheless needs to manipulate flex, and this is performed between the two driveshafts as an alternative of at the transmission. This is vital for 4 wheel drive vehicles that see severe flex—as the use of a slip yoke ought to virtually end result in the driveshaft falling out of the vehicle.
Common Bad Propeller Shaft Symptoms
Since propeller axles rotate quickly, they’re able to move the rear wheels of your vehicle. The only way they can keep rotating quickly is if they remain weighted down and balanced exactly right. If your driveshaft were to ever go bad, then there would be some clearly visible symptoms that would present themselves. More specifically,  Here are some common signs to watch out for that will let you know there is a problem with the drive shaft or slip yoke.
1) Vibrations If you’re driving the vehicle and you feel a lot of harsh vibrations coming from under it, then your prop shaft may be in trouble. This is usually the first symptom that people recognize when there is a drive shaft problem. The vibrations are likely due to worn out bushings of the drive shaft. These bushings are what normally keeps the propeller Axle from vibrating in the first place. If the problem is not fixed soon, the vibration will get more severe. It will get so bad that your passengers will be able to feel it too. The worst part is that other drivetrain components can also be affected and damaged. 2) Clunking Noise A failing propeller shaft could cause clunking sounds to be heard as you step on the gas pedal or drive in reverse. These may be in addition to the squeaking sounds that you normally hear all the time. If you hear clunking noises in any of these cases, then it could mean your drive shaft has an issue and should be promptly inspected. Often, this is a common symptom of a bad slip yoke. At this point, you should feel more than motivated to want to replace your shaft before some real damage occurs. 3) Squeaking Noise This could be due to worn out internal components such as bushings or bearings within the shaft or U-joint or possibly an imbalance in the shaft. Usually, the noise increases as you go faster. It could possibly be out of balance or some other part of it could be worn out. 4) Universal Joint Movement Your propeller shaft has a U-joint that rotates at a steady pace. If the U type joint of your drive shaft rotates too fast or fails to rotate, then it’s a problem with your propeller Axle. Perhaps you have a bad Universal joint or your bearings have rust on the cap seals. This may require you to replace your entire driveshaft if the damage is too significant. 5) Turning Problems steering wheel off-center If you try to make a turn with your vehicle and the wheels don’t turn immediately or they hesitate, then you have an issue with your drive shaft.  Your wheels won’t receive the proper amount of torque due to a U-joint issue at the end of the driveshaft, so making turns will be very difficult due to the additional resistance. Once you confirm it’s the driveshaft at fault, you need to get it replaced quickly or risk an accident due to not being able to control the vehicle.
Propeller Shaft Vibration Analysis
Noisy propeller shafts, vibrations in the driveline, or annoying resonance may indicate a problem in the propeller axle. Ignoring this phenomenon may cause damage to bearings and hull or other parts. You can prevent this damage.
Vibration intransmission shaft can be caused by many conditions. One of the most common causes of driveline vibration is worn U-joints or slip splines, out-of-balance components, yokes out of phase or misaligned angles, approaching critical speed range, and yoke ears that are not concentric with the splines. Vibrations problems must be diagnosed accurately and corrected quickly to avoid damage to the driveline components. It is often difficult to determine if a vibration of the vehicle is coming from the driveshaft or something else.  Here are some things to think about while you are troubleshooting any driveshaft problem.      
A First type propeller shaft vibration will cause one shake or disturbance for each revolution of the driveshaft. Anything that is out of balance will only cause the first-order vibration, never any higher-order vibrations.
First type driveshaft vibration is usually caused by:
A component rotating the same speed as the drive shaft that is out-of-round. A component rotating the same speed as the propeller shaft that is out-of-balance. Transmission shaft balance issues can generally be felt at speeds over 30mi./h   The Second type of driveshaft vibration will cause two shakes or disturbances for each revolution of the transmission shaft. A component that is out of balance will NEVER cause a second or other type of vibration, only a first type of vibration.
Second type propeller shaft vibration is usually caused by:
Incorrect Vehicle Trim Height
Powertrain Mounting Problems
Failed or Failing U-Joints
Improperly phased or twisted driveshafts
very low speeds, and higher speeds
Drive Axle Problems
Third type propeller shaft vibration will cause three shakes or disturbances for each revolution of the driveshaft.
This type of vibration is very rare and will not be present on vehicles with Cardan U-joints. A component that is out of balance will NEVER cause a third or higher type vibration, only a first type of vibration.
Third type propeller shaft vibrations are usually caused by:
Failed, failing, or binding Constant Velocity (CV) Joints.  Remove the drive shaft and rotate the CV-joint through its full range of motion while feeling for any rough spots or looseness.
Another common problem is caused by oil leakage from a faulty propeller shaft seal. Also, radial sealing stuffing boxes, which do not adapt to misalignment of the prop shaft, often cause leakages. Other leakages may occur due to the long-term wear of gaskets on the propeller shaft. In order to prevent leakages, we often use propeller shaft seals that ensure longitudinal sealing.
These propeller shaft seals have self-centering lip seals rotating with the drive shaft against a counter-slip ring. A major advantage is that the cooling/lubricating medium remains on the outside and is not pressed in between the sliding surfaces. This is often the cause of leakages.
How to Repair the Prop Shaft
The integrity of your propeller shaft is as important as the whole unit. Even though you may not notice it, the shaft is designed to wear out and corrode over time. Repairs can be done easily without much cost or hassle if you understand how to repair the propeller shaft properly.
Before you begin to think about repairing your propeller shaft, make sure that the blades of the unit are in good condition. If the blades have been damaged, they will require special attention and service to get them back to their former glory.
You should also check the joint between the propshaft and the blades. As the shaft starts to deteriorate, it creates holes that will eventually allow water to enter between the blade and the shaft. Eventually, the blade will corrode and become dull, eventually leading to frequent breakdowns and breakdown of the propeller shaft. Repair the prop shaft to avoid more damage to the blade. If the blades are not damaged, simply repair the damage that is present. With proper maintenance, your propeller will run smoothly for years to come.
A good way to go about the process of repairing the propeller shaft is to remove the blades and trim the shaft after they have been inspected. This will make it easier to align the blade. This is also a good way to avoid damage to the blades that might be caused when they were being installed. As a general rule, the propeller shaft should be able to hold itself together and securely in place. Try removing the blades and paying attention to where the shaft meets the blade. If there is a gap, you may need to adjust the shaft before the process can proceed.
For the best results, it is advisable to have a professional repair the propeller shaft. If you try to repair the shaft yourself, it is likely that you will not be able to maintain the correct alignment of the blades and the shaft. There is a chance that you could end up causing more damage to the driveshaft than fixing it. It is not always necessary to have a professional repair the shaft. Small repairs can be made by purchasing the needed parts or by repairing them yourself. If the propeller shaft is older, it may be need to replace the entire shaft.
How to Replace the Propeller Shaft
Although propeller shafts design and purpose is incredibly simplistic in nature, replacing a drive shaft center support bearing is not one of the easiest jobs to complete.
The exact removal of a driveshaft will vary from vehicle to vehicle, and the exact how-to can’t be covered with one single process across the board.
To remove a driveshaft, you usually only need basic hand tools, which include a socket wrench and socket set along with box wrenches.
Additionally, pry bars will be needed to help encourage the driveshaft to break free after the mounting hardware has been removed.
1. Remove propeller shaft Bolts Remove the shaft differential flange mounting bolts. These bolts will be very tight so use good quality tools to avoid stripping. Some bolts can head 12 point heads as in this example which used a 13mm 12 point socket to remove. These bolts also use lock tight to avoid coming loose while in operation and can be reapplied when reinstalling. 2. Remove propeller shaft Flange Using a plastic hammer gently shock the driveshaft loose from the differential flange by striking the rear yoke (U joint mount). At this point, the back half of the shaft will be free to hang onto it. On some cars, there will be center support which must be undone by removing the two center support mounting bolts. When removing an older vehicle transmission shaft use electrical tape to wrap around types of universal joints cups so they don't fall off and release the cup needle bearings. 3. Remove propeller shaft Using both hands gently slide the driveshaft from the transmission or transfer case. A small amount of fluid might leak out so have a fluid catch basin ready. This would be a good time to replace leaking transmission tail housing seal, universal joints or if removing the transmission or differential repairs are needed. 4. Check U joints At this point, the U joint at either end of the shaft should be checked. Grasp the yoke and move it in all directions. It should be a smooth motion with no rough spots or play in any direction. If a play or rough spots occur then the U joint needs to be replaced. 5. Reinstall propeller shaft Before re-installing the driveshaft apply a small amount of grease to the yoke. This will help lubricate the output shaft seal in the transmission or transfer case. 6. Reinstall Flange Bolts Once the front yoke is installed pull the drive shaft back into place while inserting a mounting bolt by hand to avoid cross-threading. The process of replacing one falls into a higher level of difficulty than simply replacing u-joints or installing a new transmission shaft. A savvy tech can take the time to break into these units to repair what’s specifically broken, but often it’s quicker to simply replace the whole driveshaft.
How to Prevent Propeller Shaft Failure
As a vehicle proprietor, you can likewise do numerous things to safeguard the driveline of your vehicle, from checking and guaranteeing your motor liquids are consistently at the correct levels to maintaining a strategic distance from harsh utilization of the driveline. Here are more explicit tips you can do to keep your propshaft in great working condition: Continuously have your widespread joints all around greased up. The absence of oil can prompt a train of harm that can be pricey not exclusively to the driveshaft yet additionally to connecting segments, for example, siphons and gearboxes. Evacuate the spreads and assess the containers of high use prop shaft all the time. These parts can get exhausted because of consistent high force development. Document off unpleasant edges on the cylinders so it won't get on the other portion of the cylinder. Make a point to supplant the move pin when you supplant tubes since they can slacken on account of force stacking. Apply a limited quantity of oil with oil on tubes as this will assist with making slide simpler and to ensure that the oil is appropriated all the more reliably. Ensure drive shaft covers and chains are in defensive and safe condition to forestall mishaps and wounds.
Recycling of Propeller Shafts
Both brand new replacement propeller shafts for passenger vehicles and professionally reconditioned drive shafts are available on the market. When used transmission shafts (most of which will have been damaged) are reconditioned, the old parts are taken back from vehicle garages for professional recycling in special production plants in accordance with the standards set for original equipment. As part of this process, all usable steel parts are reused. The old propeller shafts are inspected, taken apart, cleaned, machined, and then put back together for the car repairs market. Other materials resulting from the reconditioning process (old grease, metal chips or worn steel parts, for example) are disposed of in the correct and proper way in accordance with applicable environmental guidelines. Recycling significantly reduces the consumption of both raw materials and energy and makes a significant contribution to the active protection of the environment.
The above is the detailed content of the propeller shafts, more related content will continue to be updated.
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tocxmply · 5 years
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BRAINWASHING & ACTIVATION WORDS         [sources: click, click, click, click, click, click]
         so --- the process that underlies HYDRA’s creation of the Winter Soldier. first of all, this can be described as a process of brainwashing/ mind control/ mind manipulation to the point of breaking down one’s identity and reforge it at another’s will. what we know about brainwashing from scientific evidence is that this process is still debatable — whether it is real or a different psychological phenomenon, what it takes to happen, consequences, etc. obviously, it is impossible to conduct research to test hypotheses in such a field — for this reason, i have researched accordingly (shoutout to @timeripe​ for coming along for the ride) and i have tried to build up this background as realistically and plausibly as possible.
1. ELECTROCONVULSIVE/ ELECTROSHOCK STIMULATION (ECS)
         starting at 1945 --- right after Bucky’s fall and when he was captured. ECS was growing quite popular in the psychiatry field in the 1940s, after observations that, for example, it was useful to put a person in an anesthetized state. it was also already demonstrated that the electroshock provoked retrograde amnesia, in that patients could not remember the treatment and therefore had no ill feelings toward it. knowing this, as well as the effect of a general sense of confusion left after treatment, it’s small wonder that HYDRA saw the potential this could have in producing compliant soldiers for their cause. nowadays. it is also known that memory loss and confusion are more pronounced for patients who receive a steady flow of electrical impulses and who undergo bilateral electrode placement, both of which are the Soldier’s case (re: the latter, it’s not actual electrodes used on him because the machines we see in the movies are quite rudimentar tbh, but it is a protocol of bilateral stimulation). we also know that some patients have persistent memory losses, especially with bilateral ECS. therefore, it is also not difficult to envision that, with frequent and non-optimized shock sessions (if not downright done on purpose to force all these side effects), in the course of 70 years of captivity, the Soldier’s memory was frequently wiped clean for the most part and that some portions of it may never be entirely recovered, even if he’s to be removed from this hazardous context (i will venture deeper into his memory + amnesia in a different meta). additionally, whereas nowadays there is no solid evidence that ECS causes brain damage, there are reports that it might result in a lack of blood flow and oxygen to the heart, heart arrhythmia, and persistent asystole.
         tl;dr --- this is a procedure that, when done without regard for the patient’s integrity (which, disclaimer, is NOT what happens nowadays during perfectly safe and optimized ECS therapy sessions), is terrifying af and does not immediately produce immense trauma only because the procedure in itself, ironically, causes the person to be unable to remember it. again, a perfect mechanism to be used by HYDRA standards.
2. CLASSICAL/ PAVLOVIAN CONDITIONING
         this is depicted in “Captain America: Civil War”, by the use of the infamous activation words and how they promptly revert Bucky back to the Winter Soldier mindset and, basically, turn him back to HYDRA’s puppet with zero autonomy/ agency. classical conditioning is “a learning procedure in which a biologically potent stimulus (e.g. food) is paired with a previously neutral stimulus (e.g. a bell). it also refers to the learning process that results from this pairing, through which the neutral stimulus comes to elicit a response (e.g. salivation) that is usually similar to the one elicited by the potent stimulus“. so, how does this apply to the activation words?
         from what we can see at the start of CA:CW, during the flashback in 1991, the biologically potent stimulus is the ECS, as discussed in topic 1, which provokes a state where, right after the session, the Soldier is 1) in a state of confusion, 2) in an anesthetized state of sorts, 3) having no recollection of what just happened, and 4) with his memory in general converted to a clean slate. all of these are ideal, in turn,  to induce a state of hypnosis. in this case: “hypnosis is a state of human consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion. during hypnosis, a person is said to have heightened focus and concentration. the person can concentrate intensely on a specific thought or memory, while blocking out sources of distraction. hypnotized subjects are said to show an increased response to suggestions”. again, it’s not hard to see how convenient this is when you’re trying to create the perfect soldier/weapon, who’s 100% focused on your objectives and doing your bidding only. this is the default mode of functioning of the Winter Soldier, and what is achieved via the activation words.
         so, the way i see it... what happens is that, after every ECS session, a hypnosis session immediately follows. during hypnosis sessions, the Soldier undergoes indoctrination on the whole HYDRA is here to save the world, we fight for freedom, everyone who opposes us needs to be removed, we’re the good guys, etc --- a message we see being clearly used in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”, by Alexander Pierce, when Winter questions the man on the bridge --- he’s immediately reminded of how he himself changed the century, how he’s doing the right thing and this man doesn’t matter, yada yada. whenever this message does not work by itself, then a new ECS session is needed to restart the cycle; aka wipe him and start over.
         during hypnosis sessions, that is also when the activation words are recited, again when the Soldier’s mind is solely focused on them and nothing else. and this is how the conditioning, therefore, works: an initially neutral stimulus (activation words) is associated with other stimuli (shock sessions + hypnosis sessions) which is able to produce a desirable response (absolute compliance, zero resistance, zero questioning of orders, zero agency), so that, by itself, the neutral stimulus becomes able to elicit this same response.
         let me add here that the state of cryostasis the Winter Soldier is kept in, whenever he’s not needed, is also essential for this process --- as, despite the popular “cold sleep” name, this isn’t true sleep at all. this does not allow for REM sleep to occur, which in turn does not allow for short-term learning to be properly converted into long-term memories. which, again in turn, explains the Soldier’s amnesia and, as well, why the conditioning must be reinforced every time he’s awoken (i.e., the reason why he’s awoken, dragged out of the cryo chamber, shoved down for ECS + conditioning --- as we see depicted at the start of CA:CW). 
3. CONSEQUENCES
         first and foremost, i love the general idea depicted at the end of “Black Panther” that recovery IS possible, even for someone who’s quite literally gone through hell and back. however, i don’t agree with the idea that the activation words can be entirely removed, so to speak --- for example, it is well demonstrated that operant conditioning responses can take as much as 10,000 attempts without any sort of reinforcement, before eventually becoming extinct (thank u B.F. Skinner). ofc there is always the excuse that this is fiction and we can make technology as badass as we want, but i’m not a fan of that --- so i go for a compromise as realistic as i can do.
         we know that Shuri was able to “deprogram” Bucky quite substantially, but we aren’t explicitly told how --- only that it was achieved by the time of “Avengers: Infinity War”. we also have Bucky himself stating that he is now “a semi-stable 100-year-old man “ --- semi-stable obviously implying that he still has to deal with some sort of sequels, despite his huge and beautiful progress. back to Shuri’s strategy, i would say this was heavily based on a protocol of counterconditioning/ stimulus substitution and systematic desensitization. to make a long story short, the rationale was to break the association between activation words + Winter’s mindset, to make it so that the power of the activation words over Bucky is as reduced as possible, and to instead associate these activation words with desirable outcomes --- for example, a positive stimulus, such as affectionate human contact, that is offered at the same time the words are recited --- so that the words are gradually able to elicit a positive emotion, rather than complete submission.
         from what we currently know, this sort of intervention has great success and, for example, was one of the earliest behavioral treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder. however, we also know that it is not a perfect technique (like none is) --- which, all things given, leads me to believe that the words have not lost their power entirely. so... whereas, for the most part, by the time of IW they have become obsolete as far as triggering the Winter Soldier mindset goes (provided Bucky is in a positive context), they can still provoke anxiety and they can still bring back a great deal of noxious memories associated with those days. so, for example, reciting these words at this point in time will not succeed in brainwashing, but it will provoke a negative/vulnerable mindset and, under certain circumstances and in certain contexts, may provoke an actual panic attack.
         to conclude: in my portrayal, the events that are post-CA:CW will bring about the start of Bucky’s recovery --- which will be progressive, extended (tbh it will likely be a lifetime process), and certainly not able to revert him back to the man he was in 1945 but that will, no doubt, make a huge difference for his mental health, integrity, and stability. depending on the timeline i’m writing him on, obviously, his progress will greatly vary --- right at the end of CA:TWS, he’s dysfunctional for the most part and greatly vulnerable, whereas, by the time of IW and beyond, he still suffers from severe PTSD symptoms but has learned how to better cope with them and how to preserve his well-being.
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tocxmply-archive · 5 years
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BRAINWASHING & ACTIVATION WORDS          
          so --- the process that underlies HYDRA’s creation of the Winter Soldier. first of all, this can be described as a process of brainwashing/ mind control/ mind manipulation to the point of breaking down one’s identity and reforge it at another’s will. what we know from scientific evidence is that this process is still debatable — whether it is real or a different psychological phenomenon, what it takes to happen, consequences, etc. obviously, it is impossible to conduct research to test hypotheses in such a field — for this reason, i have researched accordingly (shoutout to @timeripe for coming along for the ride) and i have tried to build up this background as realistically and plausibly as possible. 
[sources: click, click, click, click, click, click]
1. ELECTROCONVULSIVE/ ELECTROSHOCK STIMULATION (ECS)
          starting at 1944 --- right after Bucky’s fall and when he was captured. ECS was growing quite popular in the psychiatry field in the 1940s, after observations that, for example, it was useful to put a person in an anesthetized state. it was also already demonstrated that the electroshock provoked retrograde amnesia, in that patients could not remember the treatments and therefore had no ill feelings toward it. knowing this, as well as the effect of a general sense of confusion left after treatment, it’s small wonder that HYDRA saw the potential this could have in producing compliant soldiers for their cause. nowadays. it is also known that memory loss and confusion are more pronounced for patients who receive a steady flow of electrical impulses and who undergo bilateral electrode placement, both of which are the Winter Soldier’s case (re: the latter, it’s not actual electrodes used on him because the machines we see in the movies are quite rudimentar tbh, but it is a protocol of bilateral stimulation). we also know that some patients have persistent memory losses, especially with bilateral ECS. therefore, it is also not difficult to envision that, with frequent and non-optimized shock sessions (if not downright done on purpose to force all these side effects), in the course of 70 years of captivity, the Winter Soldier’s memory was frequently wiped clean for the most part and that some portions of it may never be entirely recovered, even if he’s to be removed from this hazardous context (i will venture deeper into his memory + amnesia in a different meta). additionally, whereas nowadays there is no solid evidence that ECS causes brain damage, there are reports that it might result in a lack of blood flow and oxygen to the heart, heart arrhythmia, and persistent asystole. 
          tl;dr --- this is a procedure that, when done without regard for the patient’s integrity (which, disclaimer, is NOT what happens nowadays during perfectly safe and optimized ECS therapy sessions), is terrifying af and does not immediately produce immense trauma only because the procedure in itself, ironically, causes the person to be unable to remember it. again, a perfect mechanism to be used by HYDRA standards.
2. CLASSICAL/ PAVLOVIAN CONDITIONING
          this is depicted in “Captain America: Civil War”, by the use of the infamous activation words and how they promptly revert Bucky back to the Winter Soldier mindset and, basically, turn him back to HYDRA’s puppet with zero autonomy/ agency. classical conditioning is “a learning procedure in which a biologically potent stimulus (e.g. food) is paired with a previously neutral stimulus (e.g. a bell). it also refers to the learning process that results from this pairing, through which the neutral stimulus comes to elicit a response (e.g. salivation) that is usually similar to the one elicited by the potent stimulus“. so, how does this apply to the activation words? 
          from what we can see at the start of CA:CW, during the flashback in 1991, the biologically potent stimulus is the ECS, as discussed in topic 1, which provokes a state where, right after the session, the Winter Soldier is 1) in a state of confusion, 2) in an anesthetized state of sorts, 3) having no recollection of what just happened, and 4) with his memory in general converted to a clean slate. all of these are ideal, in turn,  to induce a state of hypnosis. in this case: “hypnosis is a state of human consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion. during hypnosis, a person is said to have heightened focus and concentration. the person can concentrate intensely on a specific thought or memory, while blocking out sources of distraction. hypnotized subjects are said to show an increased response to suggestions”. again, it’s not hard to see how convenient this is when you’re trying to create the perfect soldier/weapon, who’s 100% focused on your objectives and doing your bidding only. this is the default mode of functioning of the Winter Soldier, and what is achieved via the activation words.
          so, the way i see it... what happens is that, after every ECS session, a hypnosis session immediately follows. during hypnosis sessions, the Winter Soldier undergoes indoctrination on the whole HYDRA is here to save the world, we fight for freedom, everyone who opposes us needs to be removed, we’re the good guys, etc --- a message we see being clearly used in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”, by Alexander Pierce, when Winter questions the man on the bridge --- he’s immediately reminded of how he himself changed the century, how he’s doing the right thing and this man doesn’t matter, yada yada. whenever this message does not work by itself, then a new ECS session is needed to restart the cycle; aka wipe him and start over. 
          during hypnosis sessions, that is also when the activation words are recited, again when the Winter Soldier’s mind is solely focused on them and nothing else. and this is how the conditioning, therefore, works: an initially neutral stimulus (activation words) is associated with other stimuli (shock sessions + hypnosis sessions) which is able to produce a desirable response (absolute compliance, zero resistance, zero questioning of orders, zero agency), so that, by itself, the neutral stimulus becomes able to elicit this same response.
          let me add here that the state of cryostasis the Winter Soldier is kept in, whenever he’s not needed, is also essential for this process --- as, despite the popular “cold sleep” name, this isn’t true sleep at all. this does not allow for REM sleep to occur, which in turn does not allow for short-term learning to be properly converted into long-term memories. which, again in turn, explains the Winter Soldier’s amnesia and, as well, why the conditioning must be reinforced every time he’s awoken (i.e., the reason why he’s awoken, dragged out of the cryo chamber, shoved down for ECS + conditioning --- as we see depicted at the start of CA:CW).
          a final thought: i personally don’t believe the activation words would ever be as powerful as to immediately and inexorably turn Bucky into a complete robot, after simply reciting them once, as we see done by Zemo. alternatively, what i headcanon is that, while the end result is the same, it requires longer and more effort to get there --- so that Bucky will try to resist the effect that the words are trying to provoke, and it will take a couple more times of reciting them (while he is somehow unable to block them out, for example by being physically constricted) for the brainwashing to be completely successful.
3. CONSEQUENCES
          first and foremost, i love the general idea depicted at the end of “Black Panther” that recovery IS possible, even for someone who’s quite literally gone through hell and back. however, i don’t agree with the idea that the activation words can be entirely removed, so to speak --- for example, it is well demonstrated that operant conditioning responses can take as much as 10,000 attempts without any sort of reinforcement, before eventually becoming extinct (thank you B.F. Skinner). ofc there is always the excuse that this is fiction and we can make technology as badass as we want, but i’m not a fan of that --- so i go for a compromise as realistic as i can do.
          we know that Shuri was able to “deprogram” Bucky quite substantially, but we aren’t explicitly told how --- only that it was achieved by the time of “Avengers: Infinity War”. we also have Bucky himself stating that he is now “a semi-stable 100-year-old man “ --- semi-stable obviously implying that he still has to deal with some sort of sequels, despite his huge and beautiful progress. and this is absolutely all right. persons who endure trauma and/or mental disorders do not magically revert back to a state where they are totally fine, no matter how excellent the therapy is, and i am very glad this much respect was given to this topic. back to Shuri’s strategy, i would say this was heavily based on a protocol of counterconditioning/ stimulus substitution and systematic desensitization. to make a long story short, the rationale was to break the association between activation words + Winter’s mindset, to make it so that the power of the activation words over Bucky is as reduced as possible, and to instead associate these activation words with desirable outcomes --- for example, a positive stimulus, such as affectionate human contact, that is offered at the same time the words are recited --- so that the words are gradually able to elicit a positive emotion, rather than complete submission. 
          from what we currently know, this sort of intervention has great success and, for example, was one of the earliest behavioral treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder. however, we also know that it is not a perfect technique (like none is) --- which, all things given, leads me to believe that the words have not lost their power entirely. so... whereas, for the most part, by the time of IW they have become obsolete as far as triggering the Winter Soldier mindset goes (provided Bucky is in a positive context), they can still provoke anxiety and they can still bring back a great deal of noxious memories associated with those days. so, for example, reciting these words at this point in time will not succeed in brainwashing, but it will provoke a negative/vulnerable mindset and, under certain circumstances and in certain contexts, may provoke an actual panic attack. this also applies to other triggers/stimuli (which i will discuss in another meta) but, essentially and most significantly, to the activation words --- given their relevance re: the Winter Soldier. 
          to conclude: in my portrayal, the events that are post-CA:CW will bring about the start of Bucky’s recovery --- which will be progressive, extended (tbh it will likely be a lifetime process), and not entirely able to revert him back to the man he was in 1944 but that will, no doubt, make a huge difference for his mental health, integrity, and stability. depending on the timeline i’m writing him on, obviously, his progress will greatly vary --- right at the end of CA:TWS, he’s dysfunctional for the most part and greatly vulnerable, whereas, by the time of IW and beyond, he still suffers from severe PTSD symptoms but has learned how to better cope with them and how to preserve his well-being.
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opiatemasses · 5 years
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Sports Transwomen Athletes – Fair or Unfair Competition
Sex and gender, how do they differ?
In general terms, ‘sex’ refers to the biological differences, for example their genitalia and genetic differences between males and females. However, the term ‘gender’ is harder to define, although you can relate it to an individual’s perception of themselves (gender identity) or how the role of a male or female in society (gender role). Sometimes a person’s genetically assigned sex doesn’t match their gender identity, these individuals may be referred to themselves and others as transgender. Still don’t quite get it? There’s a documentary on CBBC called ‘My Life’ Series 6 Episode 1 - "I Am Leo". It’s a very interesting programme about a trans man just wanting acceptance and the processes he goes through. If you don’t want to watch it no panic that’s cool but let’s get clued up on how the two terms (sex and gender) differ. Skip to 3:30mins and watch until 4:15; less than a minute, you’ve got this. 
youtube
Can reality really be ignored?
Men have a physical advantage in sports, I think this is apparent to the majority because of the dominant ideology that men are stronger – as much as I hate to admit this! It purely is because of biological differences that exist within sports, divided into men and women’s competitions; enabling women to compete in settings that aren’t firmly weighted against them. For this reason, the presence of male to female transgender athletes in women’s sport in particular is detriment to female athletes. Is this what you’d really call progressive? In debating what’s reasonable in such a trivial minority of people within sports, we cannot forget about the greater minority of women that would be disadvantaged.
There is a distinguishing line between men’s and women’s sports, however I don’t believe it is gender, its more to do with the difference in hormones. Men have higher testosterone levels therefore they largely outperform women physically; this is why the debate has occurred for excluding male to female transitioning athletes from women’s sports. In particular because transgender women were biologically born male, they will have higher levels of testosterone. This common fact is why some people would say its an unfair competitive advantage over biological women. Let me ask you, what do you think? Just to add not all women have the same levels of testosterone just like neither do all men. As an individual you are all put along a spectrum, this is the same truth for male to female transitioning athletes; although not forgetting that the majority of transwomen do take testosterone blockers. Biological advantages persist throughout sports, perhaps the dividing line of sports should be more to do with their testosterone levels rather than the athlete’s sex or gender at birth. Would it be fair to exclude them as well, punishing them because they aren’t comfortable in their own skin and feel they have to transition? 
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I read a paper entitled ‘Sport and Transgender People: A Systematic Review of the Literature Relating to Sport Participation and Competitive Sport Policies’. I picked out the key points that are very significant.
The majority of transgender people have a negative experience when engaging in competitive sports and sport-related physical activity.
There is no direct and consistent research to suggest that transgender female/male individuals have an athletic advantage in sport. Therefore, the majority of competitive sport policies are discriminatory against this population.
There are several areas of future research that require significant improvement of our knowledge of transgender people’s experiences in sport and inform the development of more inclusive sport policies. But most importantly, enhance the lives of transgender people, both physically and psychosocially [1].
What do we already know?
I believe everyone knows it isn’t fair for transwomen athletes to compete in women’s sport moreover of course biological men shouldn’t participate in female sports. As I discussed above men and women are biologically different. You may have been able to notice it within gym situations as men normally lift a hugely higher weight than females and generally speaking women’s cardiovascular fitness isn’t up to the same standard as males. Whereas transgender women alter this, you could maybe say that now a days trans activists ask the world to pretend otherwise.
The separation of male and female sports isn’t arbitrary. For example, what if Roger Federer announced that he wants to compete in the women’s Grand Slam? Even if for instance he claimed to have been born into the wrong body, that wouldn’t alter his anatomy or make the match any fairer.
Surely, it is bigger than biology, isn’t it?
We now live in a modern-day society that is a lot more accepting in terms of women’s equality, LGBTQ+ etc therefore excluding transgender athletes should really be out of the question. Biology shouldn’t be considered here, its out of place when justice is an issue.
Although you could argue that since men usually generate greater testosterone levels; this allows an individual whom is born male to partake in a female competition which straight away would hinder the other athletes in a negative (disadvantage) way. The point just being made is true, although the feeling an individual gets when being accepted, is powerful beyond belief. In the same way it’s psychically damaging to exclude a transwoman from participating in something she feels passionate about (sport) simply because of who she is [2].
Let’s end with a conclusion, shall we?
If you were part of the minority of trans athletes, would you want the right to prove yourself and compete too? Personally, with our epoch changing each and every day; in the future would it be worthwhile setting up a competition solely for transgender sports people to have their chance to shine. We’ve done it with disabled people and the Paralympics, why not give this a go? Let’s refer to social media (Twitter and Instagram) for this one, with the popular tag of ‘#TransWomenInSport’ give your say.
N0751254  
Footnotes:
[1] Jones, B., Arcelus, J., Bouman, W. and Haycraft, E. (2016). Sport and Transgender People: A Systematic Review of the Literature Relating to Sport Participation and Competitive Sport Policies. Sports Medicine, 47(4), pp.701-716.
[2] WSJ. (2020). Opinion | Should Trans Women Compete in Women's Sports?. [online] Available at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/should-trans-women-compete-in-women-s-sports-11573602744 [Accessed 27 Jan. 2020].
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owaspveracode-blog · 5 years
Text
Web Application Security Testing White Paper
Web Applications: An attractive target for hackers
How will you cost effectively defend web applications from hackers? Your organization depends on mission critical business applications that have sensitive details about customers, business processes and corporate data. Moving away from proprietary client/server applications to web applications provides you with an easier, cost-effective, highly extensible delivery platform. These applications are more than a valuable tool to power your company operations; they are also a valuable and vulnerable target for attackers.
Web applications are increasingly the most well-liked targets of cyber-criminals looking to make money from identity theft, fraud, corporate espionage, and other illegal activities. The impact of an attack may be significant, and include:
o Costly and embarrassing service disruptions
o Down-time
o Lost productivity
o Stolen datav o Regulatory fines
o Angry users
o Irate customers
Along with protecting the corporate brand, federal and state legislation and industry regulations are now actually requiring web applications to be better protected.
As you take action to guard web applications in a timely and effective manner, you have to balance the need for security with availability, performance and cost-effectiveness. Protecting web applications requires both zero-day protection and rapid response with minimal impact to operations without impacting performance or changing system architectures.
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Web applications are increasingly vulnerable
Rapid growth results in emerging problems
The number of corporate web applications has grown exponentially and most organizations are continuing to add new applications for their operations. With this particular rapid growth come common security challenges driven by complexity and inconsistency. New awareness into web application vulnerabilities, because of organizations like the Open Web Application Security Project OWASP has helped organizations identify application security as a priority. But according to a June, 2006 survey, while 70 percent of software developers indicated that their employers emphasize the significance of application security, only 29 percent stated that security was always area of the development process.
Overlooked online application vulnerabilities
Unfortunately, it's not just application flaws which are leaving systems vulnerable. Along with application issues, every web application depends on a large stack of commercial and custom software components. The os, web server, database and all of those other critical aspects of this application stack, have vulnerabilities which are regularly being discovered and communicated to friend and foe alike. It's these vulnerabilities that most organizations overlook when they're considering web application security.
As new vulnerabilities are found, patches become a critical part of managing application security. The method of patch management is complex and difficult to accomplish successfully. Even the most proactive IT team must often reassign critical resources to deploy urgent patches, disrupting normal operations. Enough time required to patch responsibly lengthens the window of time a hacker needs to exploit a particular vulnerability. With thousands of vulnerabilities and patches being announced every year the situation continues to grow. Even organizations with the most efficient patching processes in place can't rely on this alone to guard them from attacks targeting web application vulnerabilities.
Hackers try to find the trail of least resistance
Today's sophisticated attackers target corporate data for financial and political gain. They know they can more easily exploit vulnerabilities in web application stacks versus attempting to defeat well-built network and perimeter security. Hackers have a myriad amount of vulnerabilities techniques to utilize including:
o SQL Injection
o Cross Site Scripting
o Buffer Overflow,
o Denial of Service
The number of application vulnerabilities in commercial applications and open source applications keeps growing at an alarming pace; anywhere from 200 to 400 new vulnerabilities are identified every month.
Based on zone-h.org, 45% of attacks make use of vulnerabilities rather than configuration issues or use brute force. Attackers will work difficult to find and exploit new vulnerabilities in web applications faster then they may be patched. The window of time, from whenever a hacker identifies a vulnerability to when it is communicated and eventually patched, makes a fast response defence- strategy critical to stop a potentially damaging intrusion.
Required: A remote online web application security-testing service
Web applications are increasingly vulnerable and protecting them requires something that can:
o Ensure compliance today
o meet up with the evolving needs of an organization for tomorrow
o Respond quickly
To generally meet this challenge, by the suitable solution should locate these vulnerabilities because they are seen from the hacker's point of view. Therefore a distant online Web application security testing service will best address those needs.
A website application security scan should reveal vulnerability for these attacks:
o SQL Injection
o Blind SQL Injection
o Installation Path Disclosure
o .Net Exception
o Command Execution
o PHP Code Injection
o Xpath Injection
o CRLF Injection
o Directory Traversal
o Script Language Error
o URL Redirection
o Remote File Inclusion
o LDAP Injection
o Cookie Manipulation
o Source Code Disclosure
o Cross-Site Scriptingv o Cross-Frame Scripting
The security scan must test vulnerabilities for a wide selection of website components:
o Web Servers
o Web Server Technologies
o HTTP Methods
o Backup Files
o Directory Enumeration
o Directory Indexing
o Directory Access
o Directory Permissions
o Sensitive/Common Files
o Third Party Application
The web web application security service must:
o Remotely crawl the whole website.
o Analyse each file.
o List the vulnerabilities found combined with severity levels of each vulnerability.
o Launch some web attacks to find out security.
o Include option to create a tailor made attack
o Manage to adapt to any website configuration.
o Produce dynamic tests, which will create relevant reports of online scan findings.
o Give a constantly updated vulnerability assessment
o Include a computerized False Positive Prevention Engine.
o Provide Enhanced Report Generation for Scanning Comparison. - Must include the capability to create comparison and trend analysis of your web applications vulnerabilities centered on scan results generated over a selected time periods.
o Recommend solutions in order to fix, or provide a feasible workaround to the identified vulnerabilities
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Spider-Man: Life Story #4 Thoughts Part 2: Broken Ben, bits and bobs
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Let’s move back to Ben Reilly.
Nitpick: why is he wearing glasses?
His spider powers mitigate the need for glasses.
Peter doesn’t wear glasses. Is staring at photos in a dark room really going to diminish your super enhanced eyesight so much more than lab work, reading business documents and getting punched in the face by bad guys?
A more serious problem though is Ben’s characterization.
Putting aside the photographer thing Ben goes absolutely nuts when he finds out he’s the real Peter Parker. Peter meanwhile is more calm.
The context here is seriously different to the 1990s Clone Saga but does that add up with the differences in how it plays out?
In the 1990s Clone Saga, Peter had recently lost Aunt May, recently recovered from a mental breakdown but ever since had been put under extreme pressures and mental anguish, the reveal he was a fake also hit him hard because it meant potential genetic ailments for his unborn child and the possibility his wife would reject him as a freak. He flipped out...hard.
Here, the clones haven’t been established to regard themselves as lesser than the real people. Peter initially regards them as such yes, thus you’d imagine that would extend to Ben. But Gwen more or less seems to sort of see herself as real even if she isn’t Gwen Stacy.
Peter also lacks the mental fragility or issues his 1990s counterpart had.
Ben in the 1990s Clone Saga though was comparatively mentally healthier and he also flipped out but less so than Peter. When he first realizes he was a clone back in the 1970s though Ben nearly contemplated suicide.
So within the context of these changes I don’t think Ben and Peter’s change in reactions is out of character.
However it doesn’t really reflect well on Ben as a character that the scene where he talks the most so far and is defined the most as a character has him flying out of control, trying to beat Doc Ock to death and irrationally blaming him for stealing his life when Otto had nothing to do with it.
It also doesn’t help that within the span of four pages he goes from out of control irrational violence to saying ‘oh no how could I commit murder I’m Peter Parker’ (whilst being held back from continuing to beat Otto) to then diving out of a broken window (without web-shooters) screaming Otto is a murderer.
It doesn’t leave you with a positive impression of the character at all, it makes him look unstable and not a great choice to adopt the mantle of Spider-Man.
I also wondered briefly if Peter catching Ben by the foot after he fell/committed suicide maybe (?) had killed him like it killed Gwen. I guess when you have spider powers physics don’t apply to you.
Oh one more thing related to Ben Reilly, and it’s about the fact that he’s revealed as the real Peter Parker.
It’s just a teeny tiny thing you know, really more of a nitpick hardly worth menti- WHY WOULD ANYONE BELIEVE THAT!
Look at the logistics of this for a moment.
Warren switched out Gwen for Helen, probably before her wedding. As the ‘father of the bride’ and her boss he’d have had private access to her so a switch makes sense.
When the fuck could he have possibly done this with Peter?
Nowhere in this comic was anyone implied to be able to bypass the spider sense at all. So how the Hell was an old man like Warren supposed to switch Peter and his clone without Peter or Ben realizing; back when Peter was in the prime of his powers btw?
Wouldn’t there be gaps in their memories????
I know, I know, I know Warren never did do this. But Ben and Otto BELIEVE he did.
Why?
Is Ben not simply coming off as insane in this story but supposed to actually be nuts because you could figure out that this is obviously not true with ease. In the canon Clone Sagas it made sense because Peter and Ben both remembered being knocked out then woke up repeating one another’s dialogue.
What’s worse is that Ben flips out over the word of Doctor Octopus!
In the Clone Saga Peter and Ben perform the tests themselves repeatedly and that’s how they come to the conclusion Peter is the clone.
Here Ben Reilly goes nuts because the elderly delusional nut job super villain claims he just read some data that confirms Ben as the Real McCoy.
Why would you believe that immediately???????????????????????
Okay sure, later on Peter and Ben do double check things and confirm the results but nevertheless Ben flips out big time on the trustworthy word of Doc Ock!
Now let’s talk now about Ben’s wife Helen Parker and/or Reil-
...Wait a minute...
*searches every page of LF #4*
...She...she’s not....she’s not in the issue...she’s not even mentioned!
What in the actual fuck Zdarsky!
You introduce the clone of Gwen Stacy in a remix of the 1970s Clone Saga, then when you come to remix the 1990s Clone Saga where she was prominently featured...you ignore her?
Worse you don’t even mention her!?
Peter doesn’t even ask  after her, his ex-wife????????
She gets mentioned on the recap page but we know nothing of where she is.
Last we checked she was posing as Ben’s wife and/or relative. What the Hell happened you can’t ignore that, she’s conspicuous via her absence!
Sigh...let’s talk about the Osborns.
They were handled better. Arguably they were the best/least shitty aspects of this comic (sans the standard stratospheric artwork).
Harry dies saving Peter, remixing Spec #200. Okay that’s not too bad even though the context is totally different.
Then Norman dies of a heart attack after trying to spite Peter one last time and after learning Harry is dead.
Now one nice touch in the issue is a bait and switch where you think Peter is having Ben followed but really it’s Norman Osborn. Didn’t see that coming so well done there.
Norman is also mostly in character because he’s spiteful and hateful till the end, but displays a genuine albeit twisted love for his son.
His role in trying to trick Peter into thinking he’s the clone is rather at odds with canon though and far less dramatic. In canon Norman always planned to trick Peter this way but put the plan in motion in response to Harry’s death as revenge. Here it’s just a pathetic last ditch attempt to spite Peter.
Now granted maybe that was the point. For the plan to totally backfire on Norman and showcase him as the sad pathetic old man he is. If that’s so then okay, well done I guess as a remixing of canon, along with the fact that you kill off Norman in the era he actually came back to life in canon.
His characterization gets wonky in some places though.
He says ‘He drove me to it. He’s always in my head.’
It’s not clear who Norman is talking about. The long shot is Peter which would make sense. It might be the Goblin because some interpretations paint the Goblin as another personality, but that’s against canon and this series never implied that. the dialogue though seems to more directly imply he means Harry which...huh? Doesn’t add up at all that one.
We also have a lingering problem from issue #2, re-emphasised in this issue.
Apparently Norman served out his sentence (really, he didn’t get life for his crimes, okay) and is sour Peter in issue #2 screwed up his escape plan.
Re-read my thoughts on issue #2 for more details on why this is a problem but in a nutshell:
a)      If Norman has access to his money, resources and knowledge of Peter’s identity then he had multiple ways to plan an escape. In the very well known Marvel Knights: Spider-Man Norman kidnaps May and blackmails Peter into freeing him from prison, a plan he mapped out very soon after discovering Peter’s identity. There is no reason given in LF why he wouldn’t do something like this
b)      His escape plan in issue #2 made absolutely no fucking sense whatsoever.
 A final potential problem with Norman in this issue is that if everyone knows who he is and he’s desperate to get back at Peter somehow, even maybe letting Doc Ock kill them...why doesn’t he just reveal his identity to the public!
In canon Norman kept that secret because HE wanted to kill Spidey alone and/or because exposing Spidey meant exposing himself too.
In this context though he’s already exposed and he isn’t going to be destroying Spidey directly at all. So why not just reveal his identity to the world?
P.S. According to Norman Harry owns stock in Parker Industries but didn’t he give all his money to MJ?
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rosecorcoranwrites · 5 years
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MacGuffins Matter
If you know what a MacGuffin is, you're probably thinking that they actually don't matter in the slightest and that I'm full of nonsense. If you don't know what a MacGuffin is, here's a definition from Merriam-Webster: an object, event, or character in a film or story that serves to set and keep the plot in motion despite usually lacking intrinsic importance. The most famous example is the Maltese Falcon, in the film of the same name. It sets the plot in motion, in that every character wants the statue for himself, but lacks intrinsic value in that "the Maltese Falcon" could be swapped out for the treasure of your choice: the Abyssinian Monkey, the Peruvian Chinchilla, the MacGuffian Beast.
Technically, a MacGuffin only lacks intrinsic value in the meta sense, as the characters themselves obviously want the object for some reason. The Harry Potter books, I think, are perfect examples of well-done MacGuffins (except the last book, but more on that later). The Philosopher's Stone in the first book is a powerful magic item that grants perpetual life, so it makes sense for it to be under lock and key, and for Voldemort to want it. In the meta-narrative, it's just an object that provides a mystery for Harry & Co. to investigate. Rowling does something similar with the horcruxes, which are vitally important to stopping Voldemort, ie, are a convenient way to provide a challenging search for our heroes in the final book.
And yet, many authors don't treat MacGuffins like they matter. Because I overanalyze every bit of media I consume, I've noticed two trends of late wherein MacGuffins are misused, and I'm here to tell you all why this is a problem.
The first trend is when the writers forget why the MacGuffin matters to the characters. This occurs when a plot revolving around a MacGuffin stops dead in its tracks, sometimes for chapters or episodes on end, for no discernible reason. Now, I can give some leeway to dawdling around in comedies, since their purpose is to provide laughs rather than tension. In Slayers Next, for example, the characters are looking for the Claire Bible, a MacGuffin of untold power, but spend 90% of the plot derping around getting into ridiculous situations. To be fair, most of these situations are, in fact, because they are looking for the Claire Bible but keep getting false leads. The only arc where they actually stay in one place for multiple episodes is when they learn that the father of one of the characters has been assassinated and have to investigate. Notice, something intrinsically important—solving the murder of an important character—briefly takes precedence over finding the non-intrinsically important plot device. This diversion works, first, because the diversion is deeply personal and, second, because finding the MacGuffin is not time sensitive, as far as the characters know.
On the other hand, you have Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, where the characters camp in the woods for-seemingly-ever. This isn't a comedy, and what's more, lives are at stake. Every minute that Voldemort isn't killed is a chance for him and the Death Eaters to murder muggles and muggleborns. Yet, we the audience are treated to five million chapters (perhaps I exaggerate) of the characters sitting around wondering what to do next. What's even more frustrating is that the non-camping-in-the-woods parts of that book are so interesting: infiltrating the Ministry of Magic, escaping Malfoy Manor, breaking into Gringotts, returning to Hogwarts. I will be the first to say that a story needs downtime as well as action, but the chapters in the woods felt not like downtime, but wasted time: we learned that Ron has feelings of inadequacy, as well as a strong loyalty to his family, which we already knew; we learn that Harry is willing to brave freezing water to get important stuff, which we already knew; we learn, retroactively, that Snape's patronus is a doe because he loved Lily, which... Wait, why would he associate her with the female version of the animal her husband turns into? As usual, I digress...
Anyway, these chapters make the plot stop dead, making us wonder why the characters aren't doing more to find the horcruxes. They know some of the horcruxes are associated with the Hogwarts founders, so why not seek out a historian? They know they need some serious power to destroy them, so why not seek out a powerful wizard? Why not do something? You could easily argue that they were trying, but I'm not blaming the characters, I'm blaming the writer. She gave us these MacGuffins, but rather than use them to drive the plot, she lets the plot slowly, agonizingly crawl forward due to happenstance. The characters happen to overhear that the sword in Lestrange's vault was a fake, and then they happen to have the real one delivered right to them. Harry happens to be correct in his unsubstatiated theory that Helga Hufflepuff's cup might actually be in the vault, and then they happen to fly to Hogwarts where it just so happens that a ghost knows where the diadem is. Although they do take action once they know where a Horcrux is, they do nothing to actually try and find out where they are. Voldemort showing up at he end with Nagini in tow, by this point, is a convenience rather than a threat, because they don't have to bother finding him!
A more recent example is in Tangled: The Series, season two. The characters have a MacGuffin: nigh-unbreakable black rocks that are spreading across the land and that have a magical connection to the flower that saved Rapunzel's mom during childbirth. The characters are questing to find out what, exactly, these black rocks are all about. Much like Slayers, the series is rather lighthearted and episodic, so it's okay for them to take random side adventures here and there, since they are traveling and thus encountering various people and creatures. What is not okay is for them to get shipwrecked and stranded on a island for three episodes! The writers chose to do this, chose to have the characters stay in one spot rather than journey toward their goal. Like the horcruxes in Harry Potter, the black rocks are somewhat time sensitive, as they've eaten up swaths of land that people need for farming and living and whatnot. There is also a certain side character who shall remain nameless (no spoilers; watch the series!) who very much needs them to figure out how to undo the damage the rocks have done, ASAP. Dropping the main characters on the island makes it seem as if the writers forgot that all those people affected by the rocks exist. Yes, technically the MacGuffin doesn't have intrinsic value—they could be purple rocks or black thorns or whatever—but whatever they are, they do have value to the characters in that there is a pressing mystery to be solved.
And that is why dawdling in a MacGuffin-based story is so frustrating. The MacGuffin spurs the plot; forgetting about the MacGuffin stalls the plot. Worse, it erases the value the characters put on the MacGuffin, which undercuts the realism of the story and, at times, can make the characters seem not fully invested in whatever their mission is. The only thing that should divert the characters from this mission is something even more urgent that, in the best case scenario, in some way will end up relating to or enhancing the plot.
Worse than stalling, however, is adding more MacGuffins before the first ones are dealt with. Again, we can look at Deathly Hallows. In each of the first six books of the series, a MacGuffin of one sort or another is introduced and then found by the end of the book. Book six, along with establishing and then revealing the identity of the Half-Blood Prince, also introduces the concept of horcruxes. Ah, thinks the audience, so these will be the five MacGuffins that Harry is looking for in the last book (as two of the seven have already been destroyed). But alas! In the final volume, we are introduced to three extra MacGuffins: the Deathly Hallows, in the form of Harry's invisibility cloak, the stone in Marvolo's ring, and the most MacGuffiny of all, the Elder Wand. Despite the fact that the horcruxes are a rather pressing matter, much story time is spent discussing the Deathly Hallows, their origin, Dumbledore's and Grindlewald's connection to them, the fact that the ring shows you wraiths that entice you to throw your life away, how Voldemort wants the Elder Wand but Harry's actually the master of it, and other things which completely divert from the actual plot of the book.
I'll come right out and say it: nothing about the Deathly Hallows actually adds to the story. In fact, I argue that they detracts from the message of the series as a whole. Is love the ultimate weapon against evil? Nope, you just need to become master of the Elder Wand! Is a focus on blood lineage a bunch of hokum? Not at all, because Harry and Voldemort are secretly related to the three brothers! But I digress once again.
The main reason Rowling should not have introduced these three MacGuffins was that she already had five, which get left by the wayside due to so much focus on the Hallows. Let me rephrase that: the reason she should not have introduced this new plot line was she already had a complicated plot line that gets diverted by this new addition. Chapters that could be used by our heroes to look for horcruxes are spent focusing on who is currently in charge of the Elder Wand. It's like the author is saying, "Yeah, I introduced a prophecy regarding Harry, and the idea that love is more powerful than magic, and that you have to slowly destroy Voldemort one piece at a time, but all that is boring. Here's a one-hit-one-kill-wonder weapon. Wouldn't you rather read about that?" Maybe I would, if that was what was introduced as the means of ending Voldemort. But it wasn't. Horcruxes were. Focus, Rowling, focus!
Lest you think I'm only picking on Harry Potter (I really do like the series, I promise!), lets take a look at another story with far too many MacGuffins: RWBY. The first several seasons of the show were pretty low-key fantasy school type plots, with magical fighting thrown in. We were introduced to our first set of MacGuffins in season three, in the form of the four maidens: Spring, Winter, Summer, and Fall. At the end of the season, the spirit of the Fall Maiden was transferred to a new host, leaving us to assume that in subsequent seasons we might be introduced to the other three maidens, who the good guys and the bad guys want for... reasons? It's a little vague, but still intriguing. We meet one of the other maidens in season five and it looks like we might be on our way to—Oh, just kidding; she leaves the show and our heroes and villains have a new MacGuffin that they want: four relics that are housed under the four schools. So they coincide with the maidens? No? O-okay, well, I guess in the next seasons, they'll be looking for the maidens and the relics, and—Nope! Gods! There are two Manichean gods who destroyed the world and will destroy it again if the relics are brought together and humanity is still fighting, so that's why the good guys are gathering them... during a war? What? Wait, where are the maidens? Where is the plot? What's happening? A lot of viewers jumped ship at this point, and although I'm going to stick with the show (I have a high nonsense threshold), I don't blame them. It's gone off the rails. We don't know what the characters want, other than the relics, but we don't really know why they want them, since, as long as the relics aren't brought together, everything is hunky dory. Truly, truly, I do not know what the writers were thinking introducing so many plot lines. The Maiden MacGuffins were driving the plot, but by introducing the Relic MacGuffins, it necessarily diverts the plot elsewhere.
One final clarification: I'm not saying that a story can't have multiple plot lines. I love stories where each character wants something different, and thus leads the narrative in different directions. What I'm against is letting any of those storylines die on the vine, which is what happens when MacGuffins are forgotten and characters either sit around not going after them or run off after new ones. This makes the audience assume that the MacGuffin isn't important to the characters, that it has no intrinsic or narrative value, and that it doesn't matter. What writers need to ask themselves is, if it's that unimportant to characters and doesn't drive the plot, why include it to begin with?
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