#flat grid theory

[coupleofdays]

One interesting detail I noticed on my most recent re-viewing of Tron is that during the scene where Flynn is transported into the computer, you can briefly see that the world he arrives on seems to be sphere-shaped, like a planet. I had previously imagined that the whole digital world was just one flat plane that stretched off into infinity, with the different computer systems being locations in this landscape. But now I imagine that each separate system, such as the ENCOM system, is a separate "planet" in the "space" of the digital world. Come to think of it, the final panel of Tron: The Ghost in the Machine (don't worry, there's no spoilers!) seems to be going for this idea as well:

This would mean that communication between separate computer systems, such as via the internet or its predecessors, would be in the form of "space travel" in the digital universe (though interestingly enough, that's not how the internet is depicted in Tron 2.0). I wonder what the Tron equivalent of a spaceship might look like. Possibly like the Solar Sailer, but that was only used in the film to travel along set beams, across a single "planet".

[neferaskingdom]

♡ Love in the Times of Charles | MV1

Pairing: Max Verstappen x Leclerc!Reader [Face Claim: None]

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Summary: Y/N and Max are on a stealth mission to keep their relationship under wraps. But with rumors swirling faster than a car at Monza, Charles's overprotective instincts kick in—cue the concerned brother alarms! Meanwhile, the boys offer about as much help as a flat tire, with plans so ridiculous they might just need a pit crew. Will Y/N and Max dodge Charles’s protective wrath, or will this love story end up in the wall? Strap in; it’s gonna be a bumpy ride!

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

A/N: just wanted to ask if anyone feels annoyed or don't like it when smau fics have story parts? like I don't want to do the confessions and some of the things on text and I wanna write about some of the behind the scenes too and the only way to do that is to write it in a story format but apparently some people don't like that? like what is you guy's consensus on this?

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Part 5 of my wheel-to-wheel but still in denial series: Masterlist

y/n_leclerc posted a photo:

Caption: Thought coffee was gonna be the most stable thing in my life but even that got replaced by matcha ☕️💔

Liked by charles_leclerc, maxverstappen1, landonorris, and 420,876 others.

Comments:

maxverstappen1:

Did the coffee leave you for someone else too?

      ↪ y/n_leclerc :

At least coffee doesn’t need a grid penalty to get close to me.

      ↪ danielricciardo:

This roast is hotter than the coffee 👀

      ↪ charles_leclerc:

Don't make me call FIA on both of you.

      ↪ y/n_leclerc :

Charles, pls, I’m still recovering from your last safety briefing.

      ↪ landonorris:

Max back to roasting? Is this the plot twist we’ve been waiting for?

user1:

Why are they roasting each other again? What happened to 'Max is definitely into her'?!

user2:

THE FLIRTING ERA IS OVER?? MAX AND Y/N ROAST ERA INCOMING 🚨

user3:

WE NEED ANSWERS. WHY ISN’T MAX FLIRTING ANYMORE??

DMs between Max and Y/N:

maxverstappen1:

Still thinking about our coffee date this morning. You looked way too good for just a casual date. 😏

y/n_leclerc:

Lol please, I literally rolled out of bed and threw on a hoodie. But I’m glad my ‘effortless chic’ fooled you. 😉

maxverstappen1:

Fooled me? No chance. I knew exactly what you were doing. Strategic as always. 😌

y/n_leclerc:

Strategic? I just wanted caffeine, Max. But if you’re calling my bedhead a ‘strategy’... sure, I’ll take it.

maxverstappen1:

Whatever you call it, it worked. Couldn’t stop staring at you.

y/n_leclerc:

Max. You’re so sappy today, what happened to your 'too cool' attitude?

maxverstappen1:

That went out the window the moment you started dating me. Now, I’m just soft. For you. 🥲

y/n_leclerc:

Soft Verstappen? I never thought I'd live to see the day.

maxverstappen1:

Only for you. Don’t tell the others, though. I have a reputation to uphold.

y/n_leclerc:

Your secret’s safe with me. But honestly, I’m loving whatever this is. Us, I mean.

maxverstappen1:

Same. This whole 'flirting in public and pretending everything’s normal' thing? Chef’s kiss. Watching people lose their minds over it is the best part.

y/n_leclerc:

It’s like we’re living rent-free in their heads. The comments are gold. Especially the ones trying to figure out what the hell is going on with us.

maxverstappen1:

Like the one saying we’re secretly married already? That one almost made me spit out my coffee. 😂

y/n_leclerc:

I saw that! They’ve got theories for days. The one where we’re 'just friends' but you’ve been flirting for a whole week straight? Love that for us.

maxverstappen1:

Right? Like, I was literally flirting non-stop, and now they think we’re back to picking fights with each other like nothing happened. 😂

y/n_leclerc:

We're driving them crazy and honestly, I’m having the time of my life watching it.

maxverstappen1:

Same. But I kinda miss not having to hold back on the flirting. 😏

y/n_leclerc:

Oh yeah? How would you even flirt if you didn’t have to hold back, Verstappen?

maxverstappen1:

I’d take you somewhere nice. Like, I don’t know, a fancy restaurant maybe? 😎

y/n_leclerc:

Smooth. Are you asking me out again?

maxverstappen1:

Depends. Are you saying yes?

y/n_leclerc:

Let’s say I’m free… where are you taking me?

maxverstappen1:

Somewhere where you won’t be able to just wear a hoodie. Gotta dress up for this one. 😉

y/n_leclerc:

A challenge. I accept.

maxverstappen1:

Perfect. Friday night. I’ll pick you up.

y/n_leclerc:

Can’t wait. 😘

y/n_leclerc posted a photo:

Caption: Dinner for one but looking like a 10 ✨

Liked by charles_leclerc, danielricciardo, landonorris, and 420,876 others.

Comments:

carmenmmundt:

You’re killing it! 💅 When’s our next girls' dinner??

      ↪ y/n_leclerc:

Whenever you’re ready to throw George’s credit card on the line again. 💳😉

      ↪ georgerussell63:

Excuse me, why is my financial ruin the theme of your dinners?

lilymhe:

Okay but where’s MY invite?? You look too good to be dining alone.

      ↪ y/n_leclerc:

Lily, your absence was felt, the waiter asked where my better half was. 🥲

      ↪ alex_albon:

Pretty sure he asked that because you flirted for a free dessert.

      ↪ y/n_leclerc:

And it WORKED, Albono. That’s called strategy.

      ↪ maxverstappen1:

Dinner for one? Weird, thought you’d be out there terrorizing other diners.

      ↪ y/n_leclerc:

Terrorizing diners? Max, I’m not the one who scarfs food down like I’ve been starved for days.

      ↪ maxverstappen1:

That’s called efficiency. You wouldn’t know, with how long you take to pick an outfit.

      ↪ y/n_leclerc:

Efficiency? More like desperation. And excuse you, I picked this outfit in five minutes

      ↪ danielricciardo:

Efficiency is just code for ‘I’m hungry and scared of forks.’

      ↪ y/n_leclerc:

Daniel gets it. Max probably uses chopsticks like they’re drumsticks.

      ↪ maxverstappen1:

Bold of you to assume I even use utensils.

      ↪ landonorris:

He just drinks soup straight from the bowl. Classy.

      ↪ y/n_leclerc:

Honestly, that explains a lot.

      ↪ charles_leclerc:

What is happening in these comments?? Also, Y/N, you look great but maybe stop tormenting Max in public?

      ↪ y/n_leclerc:

He does that all by himself, Charles. I’m just here for moral support.

      ↪ maxverstappen1:

Your moral support feels more like public humiliation.

      ↪ y/n_leclerc:

You’d miss it if I stopped, Verstappen.

user4:

Y/N and Max fighting in the comments AGAIN, this is the content I live for.

user5:

Max is trying to pretend like he’s not impressed but we all know the truth.

user6:

Plot twist: Max was the one taking the picture at the restaurant.

alex_albon:

maxverstappen1 Why are you pretending you're not paying for that wine?

      ↪ y/n_leclerc:

EWW who’d go to dinner with him??

      ↪ maxverstappen1:

And yet, here you are, missing me at dinner.

      ↪ y/n_leclerc:

Not as much as you miss your table manners.

user7:

"Max & Y/N: Endless banter, zero chill."

user8:

Y/N is out here eating fine dining alone while dragging Max in the comments, living the DREAM.

user9:

At this point, they should just get married and keep roasting each other forever.

user10:

Wasn’t Max all flirty in the last chapter? WHAT HAPPENED?!

user11:

Max flirting era is over 😭

user12:

Plot twist: Max and Y/N are in a secret relationship where they flirt by insulting each other.

y/n_leclerc posted a photo:

Caption: Monza weekend!! Supporting my favorite Ferrari boy, Charles! ❤️ Let’s get this Win!!

Liked by charles_leclerc, danielricciardo, landonorris, and 320,456 others.

Comments:

charles_leclerc:

Let’s do this!

user13:

President of the Charles Leclerc fan club, reporting for duty.

user14:

As always, our queen is a Ferrari stan first.

user15:

She’s so loyal to Charles, I love it.

user16:

Imagine supporting a guy and then getting spotted at Red Bull later. Sis, pick a side!

user17:

Did anyone else see Y/N on the Red Bull side?? 👀 I smell drama.

landonorris:

Are you hyping Charles because you have to, or because you want to? Asking for Max.

user18:

Girl, why are there rumors you were seen near Red Bull? 👀

user19:

If I see Y/N at Red Bull again, I’m going full detective mode. Like, pick a lane!

user20:

MONZA DRAMA INCOMING 🚨 Did she swap allegiances?!

pierregasly:

Bet Max is gonna ‘conveniently’ miss this post.

      ↪ y/n_leclerc:

He’s too busy finishing ahead of you to notice.

      ↪ pierregasly:

Unnecessary.

maxverstappen1 posted a photo:

Caption: Calm before the storm. Let’s get it. 💪

Liked by charles_leclerc, y/n_leclerc, landonorris, and 420,876 others.

Comments:

y/n_leclerc:

Storm? More like a light drizzle with a 10% chance of embarrassment.

      ↪ maxverstappen1:

Says the girl who can’t walk in heels without tripping over nothing.

      ↪ georgerussell63:

This is the weirdest foreplay I’ve ever seen.

      ↪ alex_albon:

George said what we’re all thinking.

user21:

They fight like an old married couple but without the actual marriage.

f1_gossips tweeted:

SPOTTED: Y/N Leclerc cheering for Charles at Monza, but sources claim she was ALSO seen at the Red Bull garage earlier. Trouble in Ferrari paradise? Or is Y/N just mixing allegiances? Stay tuned for more.

Comments:

user22:

This girl is living her best double agent life.

user23:

Y/N is just here for the drama and we love it.

user24:

I’m convinced she’s trolling us all. A queen of chaos.

user25:

She’s doing what we all want to do—have a Ferrari brother and a Red Bull ‘friend’ 😂.

user26:

Ferrari fans about to lose it 😂

user27:

Plot twist: she’s there for the energy drinks.

user28:

She’s definitely with Max. No other explanation.

user29:

Charles is gonna crash into Max out of pure sibling rage, I can feel it.

user30:

Y/N in the Red Bull garage?! Someone call Charles, this is a scandal!

user31:

This is the chaos I signed up for. I NEED MORE TEA.

user32:

Not Y/N being Ferrari’s biggest fan and then sneaking over to Red Bull. Iconic.

user33:

Ferrari by day, Red Bull by night?

user34:

She’s playing both teams and we stan.

user45:

Charles has no idea his sister is secretly living a double life.

user36:

How long before Charles throws Max into a wall, tho?

y/n_leclerc posted a photo:

Caption: CHARLES WINS AT MONZA! I TOLD Y’ALL 🔥 FORZA FERRARI, FORZA LECLERC 🚀❤️

Liked by charles_leclerc, maxverstappen1, landonorris, and 520,439 others.

Comments:

charles_leclerc:

Best fan out there ❤️ Grazie mille!

user37:

She’s literally the president of the Leclerc fan club.

user38:

Low-key love how Max isn’t even on her radar right now.

user39:

I give it 10 minutes before someone spots her with Max and the chaos starts.

user40:

This is why Y/N is the ultimate sister.

user41:

She’s living her best life as Ferrari royalty, honestly.

user42:

I’d celebrate Charles winning too, if I didn’t also think she was spotted on the Red Bull side.

user43:

Wait, no, seriously, can someone confirm if she was actually with Max at Red Bull today?

f1_gossips tweeted:

BREAKING: Charles Leclerc wins the Italian Grand Prix in stunning fashion! Meanwhile, sources at the post-race afterparty spotted Y/N Leclerc getting cozy with none other than Max Verstappen. Are the rumors true? Check out this pic below!

Comments:

user44:

Bigfoot and UFOs have more clarity than this pic, but I can still see Max.

user45:

Y/N said Ferrari win, but Max is the prize.

user46:

She went from Ferrari girl to Red Bull real quick after that win, huh?

user47:

Charles won the race, but Max won Y/N.

user48:

Y/N’s living her best ‘support Ferrari but flirt with Red Bull’ life.

user49:

Blurry or not, I KNOW that’s Max. The man’s silhouette is unmistakable.

user50:

Y/N and Max cuddling up after Charles' win?? Ferrari fans, we okay??

user51:

Monza afterparty tea is always the spiciest.

user52:

I can’t believe she’s out here celebrating with Max after her brother won.

user53:

Y/N’s like, ‘Congrats, Charles, but I gotta go check on my Red Bull guy real quick.’

user54:

This girl’s got her Ferrari heart and Red Bull eyes 👀.

user55:

Plot twist: Max and Y/N are secretly dating and just troll us all online for fun.

f1_gossips tweeted:

MORE DRAMA: After celebrating Charles’ win, Y/N Leclerc was allegedly spotted again at the Red Bull garage. The blurred lines between Ferrari and Red Bull have fans in a frenzy. Is Y/N really just here this weekend to ‘support her brother,’ or is something else brewing between her and Max Verstappen?

Comments:

user56:

I’m convinced she’s playing us all for fun.

user57:

Y/N’s trolling everyone, and honestly, I’m here for it.

user58:

I don’t care who she’s with, I just need answers!!

user59:

I swear Y/N’s gonna give me a heart attack with these mixed signals.

user60:

Charles winning, Y/N maybe dating Max, and blurry gossip pics—F1 drama is at an all-time high.

user61:

I’m starting to think Y/N is the real mastermind of the entire F1 circus.

user62:

Next race, Charles is taking Max out for ‘unrelated’ reasons. Bet.

DMs between Charles and Y/N:

charles_leclerc:

Y/N. WHAT IS THIS I’M SEEING ABOUT YOU AND MAX AT THE MONZA AFTERPARTY?!

y/n_leclerc:

Charles, relax. What are you even talking about?

charles_leclerc:

RELAX? I’ve seen the pictures! Cozying up with Max? The one guy you literally fight with all the time? What the hell is going on?!

y/n_leclerc:

Oh my god. First of all, I would rather fight a swarm of bees than 'cozy up' with Max. You really think I’d be into that? Insufferable, annoying, always-has-something-to-say Max?

charles_leclerc:

The pictures don’t lie, Y/N. You were standing way too close. What were you doing with him?!

y/n_leclerc:

We were arguing, obviously. You know that’s like our thing. Five minutes in the same room, and he’s already saying something dumb. I’m just trying to live my life, and he’s there, being all Max-y.

charles_leclerc:

Arguing? That’s it? You swear?!

y/n_leclerc:

Yes! We were literally just arguing. You know, me calling him a pain in the ass, him being all smug. Classic Max-and-Y/N content.

charles_leclerc:

Mon dieu, Y/N. You scared the hell out of me! The way these gossip pages were talking, I thought you two were about to get married or something. 😤

y/n_leclerc:

Married to Max? I’d rather shove my head in a tire wall. Relax, Charlie. Nothing is happening. It’s just Max being his annoying self, like usual.

charles_leclerc:

Okay, good. I don’t need that headache in my life. Gossip pages making a big deal out of nothing as always.

y/n_leclerc:

Yeah, chill out. Like I said, I’d rather throw myself into a DRS zone than let that happen. 😂

charles_leclerc:

Good. I thought I was going to have to block you from every race event if something was going on. Max Verstappen... ugh.

Groupchat: “The Snafu Society”

y/n_leclerc:

GUYS. WE HAVE A MASSIVE PROBLEM.

(sends screenshot of her convo with Charles)

What the hell am I supposed to do?? Charles is going to KILL me when he finds out I’m actually with Max and I lied about it!

lando.jpg:

Ohhhh, you are so screwed. 😂 Like, RIP Y/N. 💀 It was nice knowing you.

georgerussell63:

Big yikes. I’m sending flowers to your funeral. What’s your favorite color?

alex_albon:

Maybe you can tell him Max saved a kitten from a burning building? Or like… became a monk? You gotta soften the blow somehow. 🐱🔥

danielricciardo:

Tell him Max is actually a long-lost Leclerc cousin. Boom. Problem solved.

maxverstappen1:

EXCUSE ME?! A Leclerc cousin? Why am I suddenly part of the family? also that's incest?? 😂

y/n_leclerc:

I’m SERIOUS! He’s going to legit lose it! I’ve been stalling but… there’s no way out of this. What if he literally crashes into you on track, Max?? 😳

maxverstappen1:

Okay, calm down. He won’t crash into me… I hope. Maybe. Probably.

lando.jpg:

Definitely gonna crash into you. Like, 100%. F in the chat for Max.

danielricciardo:

New idea! Fake your own disappearance! Hide in a bunker until the season’s over. It’s flawless.

alex_albon:

Or just make Max wear a disguise next time you two are together. Like, put him in a Ferrari hat, maybe Charles won’t notice.

georgerussell63:

Ferrari hat? Genius. Max, you good with that? 

maxverstappen1:

NO. I’m not wearing a Ferrari hat. 😤

y/n_leclerc:

This is NOT helping, you guys! Max, are you just sitting there being all calm about this?

maxverstappen1:

Look, we’ll figure it out. Worst case, I’ll just charm him with my winning personality.

lando.jpg:

Winning personality, Max? The only thing Charles is winning is the fistfight with you when he finds out. 😂

danielricciardo:

Tell him you’re pregnant. Just drop it like a bomb. He’ll be too shocked to kill Max.

y/n_leclerc:

EXCUSE ME? Daniel, you’re banned from giving advice.

alex_albon:

Seconded.

georgerussell63:

Honestly, Charles is probably already suspicious. But Max, maybe send him a fruit basket to soften him up? 'Thanks for not killing me—yet.' 🍍

maxverstappen1:

Guys… Let’s just stay calm. We’ll tell him soon, and everything will be fine. Right, Y/N?

y/n_leclerc:

Fine?! I’m about to be disowned!

lando.jpg:

Don’t worry. We’ll visit you in exile. 😂

maxverstappen1:

Okay, okay. I’ll talk to him if I have to. Just… try not to panic. It’s me. Charles likes me… kinda. Right?

y/n_leclerc:

You wish, Max. He’s gonna use you as a traffic cone.

danielricciardo:

Let’s be honest. If anyone’s gonna crash into Max, it’s gonna be Arthur, just for fun. 😂

y/n_leclerc:

Great. Now I’m even more stressed.

lando.jpg:

And I know the perfect way to destress! drinks on me when we go back to monaco

f1_gossips tweeted:

🚨 Monaco Scandal: Y/N Leclerc and Max Verstappen Caught Kissing! 🚨

Hold onto your racing helmets, folks, because the latest tea is HOT! 🔥 Forget everything you thought you knew about Y/N and Max’s so-called “rivalry,” because sources in Monaco just served up some serious tea! 🍵rumour has it that Y/N Leclerc and Max Verstappen were spotted not only getting cozy while waiting for an elevator, but actually kissing. Yes, you read that right—kissing. 😳

According to eyewitnesses, they looked all kinds of cozy—like, too close for two people who “can’t stand each other.” To make it even juicier, Max was overheard calling Y/N “Schatje” and “Liefje.” Yes, you read that right. Pet names. Dutch pet names. 😱

They weren’t exactly trying to hide it either, full-on PDA while waiting for the elevator at a fancy Monaco Bar. With Max's arms around Y/N and her hand on his chest, it's safe to say things are heating up faster than a Monaco track in July. Is this the confirmation we've all been waiting for? Are they finally going public? Fans are losing their minds, and we are here for it. 👀💋

#MaxYN  #PlotTwistOfTheYear #ElevatorEscapade

Comments:

user63:

 WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. Max calling Y/N schatje AND liefje?!? I’m screaming. 🚨😱

user64:

 My man went from being jealous of the elevator guy to being the elevator guy himself

user65:

This is the enemies-to-lovers plot twist I didn’t know I needed.

user66:

 If Charles finds out, he’s gonna drive Max off the track. 😬

use67:

 Okay but I bet they were arguing over who pressed the elevator button first.

user68:

 What is miss girl’s obsession with elevators?!?!?

user69:

 So Max is soft now? Pet names and everything? I’m unwell.

user70:

I swear this whole time they’ve been pretending to hate each other, and now they’re cuddling in elevators. Someone explain. 😩

user71:

WAIT THEY WERE KISSING?! I was not emotionally prepared for this news. 😳

user72:

So Max’s love language is Dutch pet names and y/n's is elevator kisses? I’m dying.

user73:

KISSING in MONACO? This just became the most iconic off-track moment of the year.

user74:

I can't believe Max Verstappen of all people is out here calling Y/N "schatje" in public. 💀

user75:

Charles is gonna lose it when he finds out his sister is locking lips with his biggest rival. 💀

user76:

Monaco’s about to get real awkward if Charles runs into them... just saying.

Y/N woke up to the sound of soft, rhythmic breathing beside her. Her head pounded, and she felt like someone had stuffed cotton in her mouth. She blinked, trying to get her bearings, and slowly realized where she was: in Max’s bed, in Max’s apartment, with Max’s arm thrown lazily over her waist, holding her like they hadn’t just gotten plastered the night before.

For a moment, she lay there, wrapped in the heavy warmth of his arm draped across her stomach, trying to remember exactly how they ended up in this position. Her head throbbed with the unmistakable ache of too many drinks and too many bad decisions.

Max stirred next to her, shifting slightly but keeping his arm around her like it was a reflex. Y/N turned her head to look at him, his face still half-buried in the pillow, hair messy and slightly wild, looking so annoyingly cute it made her stomach do a weird little flip.

“Morning, Schatje,” he mumbled without even opening his eyes.

Y/N snorted. "Wow, you’re really pulling out all the stops with the pet names this morning, huh? Wasn’t it ‘Liefje’ last night? I’m gonna need a Dutch dictionary just to keep up."

Max laughed, the sound vibrating through his chest. "You should consider it. I’ve got a lot more where that came from. Besides, you’re cute when you’re all hungover and confused.”

Y/N groaned, rolling onto her back and throwing an arm over her face. “Ugh, don’t remind me. I feel like death.”

“Well, I think you look adorable,” Max replied, pulling her closer and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

She peeked out from under her arm, squinting at him. “You sure it’s not because your head is still spinning?”

“Maybe,” Max admitted, his smile growing. “But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”

Y/N giggled, poking his side. “You’re so full of it.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

For a moment, they lay there in silence, enjoying the rare quietness of the morning. It was one of those rare, soft moments—no teasing, no sarcastic comments, just the two of them tangled together, wrapped in the warmth of each other.

“Why did we drink so much last night?” Y/N eventually asked, her voice muffled by Max’s chest.

“Because Lando dared us,” Max answered, sounding almost proud.

"Why do we listen to him?" Y/N groaned, her voice hoarse as she nuzzled deeper into Max’s chest.

Max chuckled, his voice still raspy with sleep. "Because he’s surprisingly persuasive for someone who looks like a lost child."

Y/N groaned again. “I’m never listening to that idiot again. We need to stop letting Lando be in charge of our nights.”

“I agree. Never let Lando dictate our fun again,” Max chuckled, shifting to press another kiss on her temple. “I’m officially banning him.”

“Good.” She sighed contentedly, closing her eyes for just a little bit longer. “I could stay like this forever.”

“Me too,” Max whispered softly.

She giggled, pulling the blanket up over her head to block out the sun. "I still feel like death though."

"Same." Max shifted slightly, brushing her hair away from her face. "But at least I’m dying next to you, Schatje."

"Please don’t," she grumbled, but she couldn’t stop the smile spreading across her face. "Honestly, I blame you just as much as Lando. You were the one who said, ‘Let’s do tequila shots, it'll be fun!’"

"Because it was fun," Max shot back, smirking. "At least until we ended up making out in front of that elevator."

Y/N froze for a second before she groaned and threw a pillow over her face. "Ugh, don’t remind me. I’m still embarrassed."

Max rolled onto his side to face her, pulling the pillow off her head. "Why? You didn’t seem embarrassed at the time," he teased. "In fact, I seem to remember you being very enthusiastic about it."

Y/N’s face turned red. "Okay, okay, shut up!"

"I’m just saying." Max winked at her, then stretched, looking way too good for someone who was supposed to be hungover. "You looked cute."

"Great," she muttered, rolling her eyes but smiling. "Now I’m cute and dead."

Max snickered, then leaned over to kiss her forehead. "If you’re dead, I’m dead too, because Lando definitely spiked those drinks."

"Speaking of Lando, I’m pretty sure I need to blacklist him from my life," Y/N said, stretching lazily. She reached over the side of the bed and found her phone buried in her pile of clothes. "Let me see if he’s alive."

As soon as her phone powered on, it exploded with notifications. Text after text, missed call after missed call, all from the boys…and her brothers.

"Oh no," Y/N whispered, her eyes wide. She stared at the screen, frozen in horror. "Oh no, no, no." She scrolled through the chaos and saw that her brothers were leading the charge in spamming her. There were also dozens of missed calls, mostly from Charles, Arthur, and—“Why is Lorenzo involved? What the hell did we do last night?!”

Max, who was halfway to the bathroom, turned back around. "What’s wrong?"

Y/N held up her phone, showing him the sheer volume of missed calls. "Max, we’re screwed. We are so screwed."

Max’s eyebrows furrowed. "Who’s been calling?"

"Everyone. All the boys. My brothers. Even Lorenzo. And Arthur. This is a nightmare," Y/N said, her voice rising in panic.

Max blinked. "Lorenzo? That’s… that’s not good."

"No shit it’s not good!" Y/N shrieked, scrolling through her messages frantically. "I’m being hunted down by my entire family!"

Max grabbed his own phone from the nightstand, but it was dead. He shrugged. "I guess ignorance is bliss, huh?"

Y/N groaned, clutching her phone like it might explode. "You’re not helping, Max!"

She scrolled through the texts, all of which ranged from "CALL ME NOW!" to "What the hell is going on?" from Charles, Arthur, and Lorenzo. Max peered over her shoulder, his brow furrowing.

"Okay, maybe it’s not that bad—" he started, but Y/N’s phone rang, cutting him off.

"Lando," Y/N muttered. "This idiot better have some answers." She answered the call. "Lando, what the hell did you do?!"

"Me?!" Lando’s voice screeched through the phone. "This isn’t my fault! I wasn’t the one making out with Max in front of an elevator!"

Y/N slapped her forehead, and Max burst into laughter. "Oh my God, Lando, seriously?!"

"Yes! Seriously!" Lando was practically hyperventilating on the other end of the call. "Photos got leaked from last night! You two were caught being all cozy, and now everyone knows. Charles called me at like 6 AM, and I thought I was gonna die. Arthur called next, and then Lorenzo—LORENZO! I had to confess, Y/N! I caved under pressure!"

Y/N’s eyes widened in horror. "Oh my God, Lando!"

"I’m a dead man! You’re a dead woman! We’re all dead!" Lando rambled, his voice climbing an octave with each sentence. "Charles is pissed, Arthur is even worse, and Lorenzo…Lorenzo is probably getting a hitman involved. And now they’re all at your apartment waiting for you!"

"Wait, what? They’re at my apartment?!" Y/N shrieked.

"Yes!" Lando cried. "They’re waiting for you, Y/N! They want answers!"

Max, who had been listening in, leaned closer to the phone. "What exactly are they mad about?"

"MAX! Oh God, Max, you’re so dead," Lando screeched. "They saw the pictures of you two—holding hands, kissing, being all ‘Schatje’ this and ‘Liefje’ that. And now they want to know why no one told them."

Y/N buried her face in her hands. "This is a nightmare."

Lando continued rambling, clearly losing his grip on reality. "Charles was so mad, he almost broke his phone when I told him I knew about you two. And Arthur? He’s got murder in his eyes. Murder, Y/N. I’m not even safe!. Arthur called me ‘an accomplice,’ and I’m honestly afraid for my life right now.”

Y/N exchanged a horrified look with Max. "We’re all doomed," she muttered.

Max, surprisingly calm, shrugged. "I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?"

"Death, Max," Y/N replied, her voice shaking with disbelief. "The worst is death."

Lando piped up again. "You guys need to come up with a plan. Fast. Charles, Arthur, and Lorenzo are about to storm the place like it’s a medieval siege."

Y/N was starting to spiral. "I need a plan! I need an escape route! I can’t face them like this!"

Max rubbed her back soothingly. "Relax, Schatje. We’ll go to your apartment, deal with them, and explain everything."

"Max, they’re gonna skin you alive," Y/N said, glaring at him. "You really think they’ll just let this slide? You’re dating their sister."

"And I’ll just tell them that I’ve got good intentions." Max smirked. "Maybe we can distract them with snacks."

"Lorenzo doesn’t do snacks," Y/N deadpanned.

Lando was still panicking on the other end. "I’m staying far away from this. You’re on your own!"

Y/N groaned. "Lando, you’re supposed to help!"

"I can’t help you if I’m dead, Y/N!" Lando whined. "I’m too pretty to die young!"

Max sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright, let’s just get this over with."

Y/N looked at him, both amused and horrified. "You’re way too calm for someone who’s about to be slaughtered by my family."

Max winked at her. "I’ve got my secret weapon: my irresistible charm."

Lando’s voice piped up again. “If I don’t hear from you in the next 24 hours, I’ll assume you’ve both been murdered by Charles.”

"Yeah, you’re definitely gonna need more than that," Y/N muttered.

Lando interrupted one last time. "Good luck, guys. You’re gonna need it."

“Thanks, Lando. Very reassuring.” Y/N hung up and looked at Max, feeling the anxiety slowly building. “What do we do?”

Y/N tossed her phone onto the couch. She stood up, pacing the room. "This is bad. This is so bad. They’re probably already plotting my demise."

Max stood up and stretched, clearly unbothered. "I’ll take responsibility. I’ll tell them I made the first move."

Y/N laughed, despite the panic bubbling in her chest. "Oh, that’s gonna go over great."

"Don’t worry," Max said, walking over to her and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I’ll protect you."

She looked up at him, eyes wide. "You’re delusional."

"Maybe," Max grinned, "but I’m delusional for you."

Y/N shook her head, grabbing his hand. "Come on, let’s go. Might as well face the music before they break down my door."

"Or your phone," Max quipped.

Y/N glared at him. "This is all your fault."

Max smirked. "Maybe. But you love me anyway."

She groaned but didn’t deny it, knowing full well that Max was right—about both things.

Y/N ran her hand through her hair, trying to calm herself down. “Okay, okay. We’ll go back to my apartment and figure this out.”

Max stood up, stretching. “I’ll make sure to bring snacks for the interrogation.”

Y/N laughed, despite herself. “You’re way too calm about this.”

“Maybe I like living dangerously,” Max said, smirking.

“Or maybe you just have a death wish.”

“Either way,” Max replied, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek, “I’m with you.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but smiled. “Well, you better be. Because we’re both about to face the firing squad.”

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

[the-hinky-panda]

Boss Mare: Part VI

Catch up on the Boss Mare Series here.

Want to be added to the tag list? Just click here!

Jamie falls in love with you the day you decide you want to learn how to ride a horse. 

You tell him one evening on the back steps of the porch, over a bowl of chicken and corn soup, about the herd of donkeys your family had. How you and your sisters would help each other up onto their backs and sit there. If you were lucky, another sister would encourage it to walk along a game trail in the woods by holding a carrot or apple in front of it. Once the donkey got its treat, you all had to walk back home because without motivation, the animal refused to move. How much harder could riding a horse be?

It’s an easy day workwise; Sundays usually are. There’s no day of rest on a ranch but there are more restful days than others. The fence lines in the closest pastures need to be checked. The ride is relatively flat, the route will only take an hour at tops, and major repairs won’t be done until tomorrow. It turns into a family ride of sorts. Tate wants to “cowboy” with Kayce and John. Rip goes to take notes and make flags on sections that need to be repaired tomorrow. Jamie goes because he’d rather be on the back of a horse than in front of a computer. It’s a good opportunity to get Robin, an older mare, out of her stall and give you your chance to ride. 

That was the plan at least. Robin had other ideas. Four days in a stall has given the otherwise sedate mare some extra pep. Never having sat on the back of a horse before, you perceive the sideways bouncing trot as normal despite no one else’s horse doing that. But that is part of your charm, enjoying a new experience without an ounce of fear in it. And as he watches his father reach over and grab your reins, showing you how to manage the energetic horse, the realization of why hits Jamie right between the eyes. 

You trust them. All of them. 

There’s been enough conversation between the two of you for him to gather enough pieces of your background. You came from a very tight knit, off-grid community somewhere up near the Canadian border. He had looked into the law enforcement side and found there were a couple militias and a religious cult that would fit some of the descriptions you’ve given him of your previous life. You lacked the edge of a militia, showing far too much empathy for the horses and the wranglers, so that left the cult. A cult would also explain how you adapted so quickly to the ranch hierarchy. It’s why you so easily accept the authority of his father and Rip, follow the expectations without questioning why. He’s been keeping notes, compiling evidence towards the cult theory, and it’s left him wanting to investigate more into the group. You ran for a reason and he hasn’t asked you about it just yet. Given your easy going nature, it must be something horrific. 

“Son of a bitch-” 

Jamie looks up to see Robin has interpreted John’s dismounting of his own horse as a personal act of war and bolted along the fence line. Rip and Kayce race off after you and the horse, while John grabs Tate’s reins to keep his horse from following. Jamie moves up closer in case Tate’s horse decides to take off too but the old mare just doesn’t have it in her anymore. John comes to the same conclusion and pulls himself back up into the saddle of his own horse. 

“So much for switching horses with her.” 

Jamie’s watching you closely, expecting you to bail off at any given point and he prays you jump off away from the fence. But you don’t. You’re stuck to the saddle and showing no signs of listing off one side or the other. He wonders if you superglued your ass to the saddle. John chuckles. 

“She’s going to ride the hair off that horse.” 

Jamie laughs too. “Looks that way.” 

“See, grandson,” John points to Rip and Kayce. “When a horse runs off with someone, you don’t chase them. You bank out to the sides and then cut across to stop them. If a horse senses there’s another horse behind them running, it becomes a race. And then you got two horses running away.” 

Tate nods sagely. “That’s why we’re waiting back here. Less horses running.” 

“That’s right. Less horses running.” 

The dust is starting to settle and Robin has slowed her run down to a bouncy trot. Rip has reached you and has a hold of the reins while you’re patting the mare’s neck. He can hear your laugh all the way back to where he’s still sitting. Kayce starts cantering back to them while Rip and you follow at a slower pace. 

John glances over at Jamie before tapping Tate on the shoulder. “Tell you what, grandson, go on up there and meet your dad. Just walk now. I want to talk to your Uncle Jamie for a minute.” 

“Okay.” Tate gives his horse a quick tap and off he moves towards Kayce. 

Jamie shifts in his own saddle, feeling like he’s about to be scolded for something, what that is, he has no idea. 

“You and Lara have been spending a lot of dinners out on the back porch.” 

Jamie gives his father a side eye. “Yeah, I suppose so.” 

“Have you learned anything about her?” 

“Not a whole lot. Lara’s not her real name, just one that she chose. I think she’s from a cult somewhere up near the Canadian border. I’ve asked some law enforcement contacts to look into the group a little more.” Jamie’s quiet for a moment, watching you ride back towards them. You’re smiling so brightly, cheeks flushed, and hair wild. It’s the most free you’ve ever looked and it causes something to twist in his chest but in the most pleasant way possible. “I know she’s happy here.” 

John hums. “And so are you.” 

“I’ve always been happy here.” He bites his tongue so he doesn’t finish the rest of the sentence. I never wanted to leave. 

“I like her,” John says at length. “She’s honest, hard working, and actually pleasant to be around. Bar isn’t set too high on that last one though.” 

Jamie actually laughs. “That is true.” 

“That being said, she doesn’t strike me as someone who leaves a place where she’s happy and safe. A place where she’s made a connection with someone. These people she ran from are going to come looking for her.” 

“Yeah, I thought of that. I figure the more we know, the better we can protect her.” 

“You’re going to have to protect her, son. I doubt they’ll come after us physically. If they really are a religious cult, they’re about fighting on the mental battlefield. They won’t use violence to get her back. They’ll do it on paper, legally, intellectually. You’re going to be her first line of defense.” 

Jamie nods solemnly. “I agree.” 

“She also needs to know that we all want her here, that we all will fight for her to stay here if that’s what she wants. So tonight, I want both of you at the dinner table.” 

“Dad,” Jamie shakes his head. “Beth is going to-” 

“Son, Beth hasn’t come to dinner for the entire week. You would have known that if you were at the table and not the back porch. And she won’t be there tonight.” John chuckles. “We’ll break Lara in slowly.” 

Jamie watches as you’re almost back to where he and his father are still waiting on their horses. You look even more wild closer up, so alive, so happy. So breathtakingly beautiful. He realizes it’s not about just protecting you from whoever comes looking. He has to protect you because his life will lose all color if you were to ever leave the Yellowstone. 

[edwin-paynes-bowtie]

I have so many wonderful things to say about XO Kitty season 2. And I will say them. All my underlying complaints really stem back to a single issue, but I feel like right now I have to word-vomit the Problem because it's, like, tickling my brain.

I do not like the way queer characters, plotlines, and concepts were handled in XO Kitty season 2. At all.

To be clear - this show is not queerbaiting. It is about a bisexual girl (Kitty) who ends up with a boy who is a perfect match for her (Minho).

What does bother me is that after the Kitty/Yuri kiss and its fallout, Kitty's queerness is never addressed again. Not even in passing! Praveena declares she's no longer interested in her, and we never hear anything about girls or bisexuality surrounding Kitty again.

I also really do not appreciate the way that Yuri was treated. Yuri, a main character and a main love interest in season one, underwent some insane character assassination this season. All of her sharp personality traits were immediately gone, and she was made a very flat side character right off the bat. But the nail in the coffin was her cheating on Juliana with Kitty. What the fuck? Juliana was her every thought last season. She was miserable without her. She went to great lengths to talk to her and to get her back to KISS. But the second Juliana is back, and their relationship is generally good!!! ...She cheats on Juliana, her girlfriend of a year, with Kitty? And for what!? She gets completely sidelined after that! She and Kitty are hardly even friends anymore! So they broke Yuri and Juliana up for nothing, and ruined Yuri's character for nothing.

Also, it SUCKS that Yuri has no friends, no girlfriend, and now her family's being sued and she lost her money. The show just kept beating her down. It was lowkey ridiculous.

The only good thing I'll say about that kissing whole situation is that Kitty wasn't exclusive with Praveena. I don't really think Kitty did anything morally awful, and we narrowly avoided the cheating bisexual trope - even if I didn't love it.

I also want to talk about Juliana. She was one of my favorite characters in the season, and the way that she just totally dropped off the grid was mad. She and Yuri broke up, we saw her like three more times, and at the end she's in a weird pair the spares relationship with Praveena. It gave the vibes of "hey.... they're both lesbians.... they should know each other." Not great.

I also personally really did not like Q's new love interest. He was juvenile and a complete and utter asshole. He underwent very little character growth. He and Florian both suck and Q could do better, but he's been the quintessential GBF trope since day 1 and I guess can't branch out into his own character.

I have to wonder what the fuck the writers were thinking when they botched every queer storyline this badly.

My theory is that the writers saw Netflix cancel tons of top-performing queer shows (like my beloved Dead Boy Detectives) and panicked. Then they just removed all traces of queerness as much as they could to avoid cancelation.

But, whether or not that's true, it's very annoying and feels like a massive L for me as a bi woman.

[alexturntable]

in his post-race interview with sky italy at monza this year, charles says "i know that as a racing driver i should not feel any emotion and i should stay cold to everything" which is an extremely interesting thought process from him esp when applied to what you were talking about re: his nonchalance and avoidance of showing emotion (which i agree with 100%)

I feel like I missed so much stuff from Monza because it was in Italian but yeah this fits very well into the nonchalant guy facade theory because this is what he thinks he should do and that's what's been working for him.

It's interesting he said that because he also mentioned being "emotionally flat" on the f1 beyond the grid podcast which is basically the same thing, you don't overreact to the good or bad races and stay as flat as possible. It's an image he has in his head of this perfect driver who can stay focused all the time and doesn't overreact to good or bad results. Of course it's not possible to keep this up all the time because he's still human and he gets emotional when he wins his home race for example but he thinks moving on fast is the key.

[heathensimmer]

Capp family Update - Roaring Heights 3t2

If you're not an expert on Sims 3 worlds and Sims 2 lore (I'm rusty as hell on Strangetown and Veronaville admittedly) like myself, then you should know that the Capp family from the Sims 2 is in the Sims 3 ... in the past!

Here's how I am imagining the situation to go.

First, let's arrive at the home of the Thebes.

Had to turn on day mode in Build so forgive the grid.

Andromache Thebe and her husband, Hector. They live in Roaring Heights - Sims 3 Timeline. Prelude to Sims 2. A time where technology likely got way out of hand (time travel was available in 3, not 2, for example)

They came to Roaring Heights "on vacation" - as said in assumedly good faith by their son - Consort Capp.

But now, it seems that Consort speaks of moving back to the Old Country ... "Veronaville" .... or at least, something is going on between parents and son ... I mean, also, Consort Capp and his wife, Contessa, (she's dead at the beginning of Sims 2) literally popped out a third child while in Roaring Heights - Kent Capp - I am going to imagine that this was unexpected since their biography lays out that they came to Roaring Heights on vacation.

Of course, both of their bios in Roaring Heights (Thebes and Capps) also state that the families seemingly have decided to move in. But I am not sure.

For example, the Capp home in Roaring Heights only has three bedrooms. Regan and Kent would end up having to share a room, but they also have a lot of money at the start of Sims 3 Roaring Heights!

So why would they have opted for THIS house ...

...with not enough space for a pregnancy (unless it was unexpected like I suspect) when there are freakin' deluxe multi-floor mansions available in Roaring Heights?

Contessa is a technophobe.

Hector is also a technophobe. Consort is not a technophobe.

Roaring Heights has a lot of technophobic Sims and is known for being a Sims 3 world that lacks objects such as flat-screen televisions and computers entirely - items that are common in other worlds.

I'm starting to get a clearer picture. Old Country may be subject to changes that Hector and Andromache, and also Contessa, do not like at all.

Hector and Andromache probably want to stay in Roaring Heights.

But its' possible that Consort wants to go back to the Old Country, embrace supernatural immigrants and the advent of technology.

Maybe he just misses it.

My first theory came to fruition when I had Andromache invite Consort and Goneril over to the house one afternoon.

I directed Hector to argue with Consort.

And for good reason!

When I made Consort selectable upon his arrival, I saw this!

When did that happen? It must have been organically sometime ago and I just forgot!

At least he's friends with his dad, but their relationships REALLY went down. Also, when I played the Capp home a few days ago, Contessa was literally in the process of birthing Kent and raising a newborn so ... they really didn't have time to keep up relationships!

But anyways, because of this, I had Hector argue with Consort bc wtf Consort? Why are you pissed at your father?

Looking at Hector's thought bubble, he's arguing about paranormal.

Consort, what ... wait a minute, Goneril tells me you have bought a television for the living room? What on earth are you thinking? Goneril could start becoming obsessed with those new ghost documentaries! This is unlike you! Roaring Heights is the perfect place to whip you into shape!

Hector works in the military, so he probably would be pretty aggressive.

Meanwhile, Goneril?

Just cries ...

TO BE CONTINUED

I promise I will be cleaning my SimFileShare folder soon and posting a Google Docs of all my stuff! Stay tuned!!!!

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Underground Empire: Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman's must-read account of "How America Weaponized the World Economy."

I'm coming to Minneapolis! Oct 15: Presenting The Internet Con at Moon Palace Books. Oct 16: Keynoting the 26th ACM Conference On Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing.

At the end of Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman's new book Underground Empire, they cite the work of John Lewis Gaddis, "preeminent historian of the Cold War," who dubbed that perilous period "The Long Peace":

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250840554/undergroundempire

Despite several harrowing near-misses, neither of the two hair-trigger, nuclear-tipped arsenals were ever loosed. When the Cold War ended, the world breathed a sigh of relief and set about refashioning itself, braiding together economic and social interdependencies that were supposed to make future war unthinkable. Nations that depend on one another couldn't afford to go to war, because they couldn't hurt the other without hurting themselves.

The standard account of the Cold War's "Long Peace" is that the game theorists who invented Mutually Assured Destruction set up a game where "the only way to win was not to play" (to quote the Matthew Broderick documentary War Games). The interdependency strategy of the post-Cold War, neoliberal, "flat" world was built on the same fundamentals: make war more costly than peace, victory worse than the status quo, and war would be over – if we wanted it.

But Gaddis has a different idea. Any effect Mutually Assured Destruction had on keeping fingers from pushing the buttons was downstream of a much more important factor: independence. For the most part, the US and the USSR had nonintersecting spheres of influence. Each of these spheres was self-sufficient. That meant that they didn't compete with one another for the use of the same resource or territory, and neither could put the other in check by seizing some asset they both relied on. The exceptions to this – proxy wars in Latin America and Southeast Asia – were the disastrous exceptions that proved the rule.

But the past forty years rejected this theory. From Thomas Friedman's "World Is Flat" to Fukyama's "End of History," the modern road to peace is paved with networks whose nodes can be found in every country. These networks – shipping routes, money-clearing systems, supply chains, the internet itself – weave together nearly every nation on Earth into a single web of interdependencies that make war impossible.

War, you may have noticed, has become very, very possible. Even countries with their own McDonald's franchises are willing to take up arms against one another.

That's where Farrell and Newman's book comes in. The two political scientists tell the story of how these global networks were built through accidents of history, mostly by American corporations and/or the American state. The web was built by accident, but the spider at its center was always the USA.

At various junctures since the Cold War, American presidents, spies and military leaders have noticed this web and tugged at it. A tariff here, a sanction there, then an embargo. The NSA turns the internet into a surveillance grid and a weapon of war. The SWIFT system is turned into a way to project American political goals around the world – first by blocking transactions for things the US government disfavors, then to cut off access for people who do business with people who do things that the US wants stopped.

Networks tend to centralization, to hubs. These central points are efficient, but (as we learned during the covid lockdown) brittle. One factory fails and an entire category of goods can no longer be made – anywhere. When it comes to global resiliency, these bottlenecks are are a bug; but when it comes to US foreign policy, these chokepoints are a feature.

Farrell and Newman skillfully weave a tale of individuals, powers, circumstances and forces, showing how the rise and rise of world-is-flat rah-rah globalism created a series of irresistable opportunities for "weaponized interdependence." Some players of the game wield these weapons like a scalpel; others (like Trump) use them like a club.

This is a chronicle of the dawning realization – among US power-players and their foreign adversaries, particularly in China – that the US lured its trading partners into entrusting it with financial clearing, IP enforcement, fiber landings, and other chokepoints, on the grounds that American wouldn't risk the wealth these systems generated by turning them into engines of coercion.

But then, of course, that's exactly what America did, from the War on Terror to economic sanctions on Iran, from seizing Argentinian reserves to freezing Russia's cash. Sometimes, the US did this for reasons that I sympathize with, other times, for reasons I am aghast at. But they did it, and did it, and did it.

America's adversaries (and frenemies, like the EU) have tried to build alternative "underground empires" to offset the risk of having their interdependencies weaponized (or to escape from an ongoing situation). But therein lies a conundrum: world-is-flat-ism has ended the age of indepedence. Countries really do need each other – for energy, materials, and finished goods. Independence is a long way off.

To create new interdependency networks, it's not enough for countries to agree that they don't trust America as neutral maintainer of their strategic chokepoints. They also have to agree to trust one of their own to operate those chokepoints. Lots of countries have come to mistrust US dollar-clearing and the SWIFT system ��� but few are willing to allow, say, China to run an alternative system that carries out settlements in Renminbi. The EU might be able to suck in some "friendly" countries for a Euro-clearing system, but would China trust them? How about Iran?

Farrell and Newman make a good case that US's position at the center of the web is a historical accident, and possibly a one-off, contingent on the ascendant post-Cold War ideology that said that markets and the interdependencies they create would neutralize the threat of handing a rival nation that much power.

Which leaves us in a world of interdependency in conflict. If Gaddis is right and the Long Peace was the result of independence, then this bodes very ill. The only thing worse than a world where no one can depend on anyone is a world where we must depend on entities that are hostile to us, and vice-versa. That way lies a widening gyre of conflict that felt eerily palpable as world events unfolded while I read this excellent, incisive book.

Political science, done right, has the power to reframe your whole understanding of events around you. Farrell and Newman set out a compelling thesis, defend it well, and tell a fascinating tale. And when they finish, they leave you with a way to make sense of things that seem senseless and terrible. This may not make those things less terrible, but at least they're comprehensible.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/10/weaponized-interdependence/#the-other-swifties

My next novel is The Lost Cause, a hopeful novel of the climate emergency. Amazon won't sell the audiobook, so I made my own and I'm pre-selling it on Kickstarter!

[kajtekmakesthings]

After 2 months of on-and-off work, I have sewn my very first pair of pants!

They are canvas work pants -- specifically the Jutland Pants pattern from Thread Theory.

I knew I'd need to do a bunch of fitting to get the size right, and decided to make a wearable muslin out of cheap canvas. I mostly succeeded at not being a perfectionist about these, but still ended up going a little nuts with the finishing details because I can't help myself.

I printed the PDF pattern at home, taped it all together, and then transferred it to gridded freezer paper to give me a final pattern that was more durable and easier to handle.

I started with their standard size 32, and did a full seat adjustment right off the bat because I could already tell the rear crotch seam was too short for my butt. My actual measurement there was pretty much identical to the size 36 pattern, so I printed that off and used it as a rough guide for making the adjustment before I transferred everything to the freezer paper.

I was really impressed with the instructions from Thread Theory, which are easy to follow and come with an additional sew-along blog that explains everything in a slightly different way. I've never made pants before (or really a garment anywhere near this complex), and it all came together smoothly.

I had some really cute scrap quilting fabric picked out for the pocket flap details, and decided to use it as an inspiration for the decorative stitching on the back right pocket. After some noodling around with different shapes from the print, I came up with a stylized crane I really liked.

Once I'd gotten the initial shape built (everything except the cargo pockets, waistband, and bottom hem), it was time for the first fitting!

Not a bad start. The seat adjustment turned out pretty much perfectly! There just wasn't enough ease in the thighs for freedom of movement (the fabric has zero stretch, and any work pants of mine need to allow for squatting, kneeling, and climbing). Also some tension across the hips was creating a weird... crotch situation.

I spent what felt like an eternity unpicking the outside and inside seams, and then pinning and re-pinning and basting extra fabric into the gaps until I got a shape that worked.

I ended up drafting a couple of long, narrow panels to insert into the side seams. They start about an inch below the waistband and end around the knee, which means I had to get them installed and finished before adding the cargo pockets on top.

This is where I decided to do felled, bound seams. The original pattern calls for flat felled seams, which I love the look of and enjoyed learning how to make. Unfortunately, canvas is bulky and doesn't like to take a crisp fold, and also frays like crazy. It just wasn't working.

I switched to binding each seam with bias tape, and then stitching it down flat so it had the same tidy, smooth, finish as a flat felled seam. I love how this turned out and will definitely be doing it again for future projects with fabrics that tend to fray.

The blue bias tape in the photo is one I had lying around the house and decided to use up for this project. Unfortunately, the panel inserts nearly doubled the number of long seams and I didn't have enough bias tape for them. So I learned how to make my own bias tape out of the gray pocket fabric and the yellow accent fabric. It's not terrible with the help of a bias tape maker, and I love having the ability to make binding that perfectly matches my project.

To adjust the inside seams, I sewed in a long gusset that runs from knee to knee. While the side panels were a pain in the ass and I've adjusted my pattern to eliminate them from future iterations, I think I want to keep the gusset. It's doing a great job of taking strain off the crotch seams when I move, and I'm also finding two smaller, bound, seams on the inner thigh much more comfortable than a single, chunky, serged one like I usually get with jeans.

Here's where I got to with the final fit (adding the waistband, pockets, and hem also changes the silhouette a little). I'm really happy with where I ended up. The pants are fitted enough through the waist and hips that they stay up comfortably without a belt, and make my butt look great. The looser fit through the thighs gives me a full, comfortable, range of motion, and the overall look is much closer to classic men's workwear than the slightly-shrink-wrapped stretch jeans that I've grown accustomed to.

Overall, I'm really happy with this pattern. Aside from adding the gusset, there's only a few changes I'll be making to the original design. I replaced the velcro fasteners for the cargo pockets with snaps (I honestly just hate velcro on clothing). I'll also want to add interfacing to the waistband lining in the future. The soft cotton I used is really comfortable, but adding a little stiffness should make it easier to work with while sewing the wastband and give me a cleaner finished look.

I learned so much about tailoring over the course of this project, and picked up a ton of new techniques. I feel like I not only have a great pattern that I know fits me well and that I can re-use whenever I want, but I also understand a lot more about how pants come together and how to get them to fit and move the way I want. It's super exciting!

[fairfieldthinkspace]

The Unconquered Mathematics of the Inca

By Professor Chris Staecker, PhD

Department of Mathematics

The quipu is a beautiful thing. It was a mystery, but we figured it out. It’s a system of knots tied in cords that the Inca and their predecessors used to keep track of numbers. The Inca had no written language, so the only records we have from the old days were written with fingers in quipus. Over 1,000 pre-columbian quipus still exist today, mostly in museums.

One old document, Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala’s El primer nueva corónica y buen gobierno (1615), includes a famous drawing of an Inca recordkeeper—a quipucamayoc—holding a quipu. For historians, the quipus became a source of frustration: the old sources describe it, but none of them explain exactly how it worked. That’s where the mathematicians came in.

Left: Drawing of the Quipucamayoc, from El primer nueva corónica y buen gobierno by Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala, 1615. He holds a quipu, with a diagram of the yupana at lower-left. 

Right: A replica quipu on the wall of the author’s office in Bannow Science Center. (Come see it!)

In 1912, American mathematician and historian Leslie Leland Locke was the first to propose a specific interpretation. He believed, without much evidence, that the Inca were using a base-10 positional number system exactly like our own. So the number 74 would be represented by a 7-turn knot followed by a 4-turn knot. It seemed reasonable, if a bit familiar, but really there was no way to test Locke’s theory.

Above: The number 74, as it would be represented on a quipu. (Photo and knotting by the author.)

Later work by Marcia and Robert Ascher in the 1970s discovered that many quipu bundles include a special cord which shows the sum of all the others. So the quipu functions like a spreadsheet! Several numbers grouped together, with the sum written at the bottom. This work finally proved that Locke’s interpretation of the numbers was right: the correctness of the sums only makes sense if the Inca really were using Locke’s proposed system.

Anyone with an appreciation for mathematics will recognize a particular thrill here: we encounter mysterious symbols, see strange patterns, and apply mathematical analysis to figure it all out! This “decoding” of the quipu represented one of the first great successes in what we now call “ethnomathematics:” the study of the mathematical practices of traditional cultures.

But the quipu was not the only mathematical instrument used by the Inca. There was also the yupana, shown in the lower left of Guaman Poma’s quipucamayoc. It seems to have been some sort of counting board, where counters would be moved around to represent calculations—like an abacus without bars. However, details in the old sources are very scarce concerning the yupana, even more so than for the quipu. No one described exactly how it worked, and Guaman Poma’s simple illustration is the only drawing of a yupana that exists in any primary source.

But in the late 1800s, archaeologists began to find rectangular boards divided into compartments, often with different shapes and heights (see photos). These artifacts were quickly identified as the mysterious yupana, and again the mathematicians took an interest.

Above: Author’s photo of a “yupana” artifact in the Museum of Natural History, New York City. The museum describes this item as: “carved stone block of unknown purpose.”

Below: Author’s 3D-printed replica of the “yupana” artifact of Chordeleg, excavated 1869. (Come see it in my office!)

The yupana artifacts are beautiful objects, but they didn’t come with instructions. How exactly were they used as calculators? Over the decades, many people have announced their own “decoding” of these things. But serious scholarship has reached other conclusions.

The problem is, these artifacts don’t actually match the historical descriptions of the yupana. The striking feature of the artifacts is their three-dimensionality, but Guaman Poma’s drawing is a flat grid of squares. Additionally, the old texts describe the specific geographical region where the yupana was used, which doesn’t correspond to the locations where the artifacts have been found.

We also know that the Inca loved to use regular geometric shapes in their art, and they played board games. So these artifacts could very well be artistic carvings or gameboards. The scholars generally agree: the Inca probably did use a counting board, but they are lost today. And there’s no good evidence that these “yupana” artifacts have anything to do with calculation at all. 

Unfortunately, the mystique of the Inca is too strong for this kind of dry academic conclusion. Especially in our time, a lifetime of serious study is no match for the idle notions of a confident hobbyist who “does their own research.”

A European engineer made headlines in 2004 when he announced his own “decoding” of the yupana artifacts. His explanation assumes a base-40 number system (the Inca used base-10). He boasted that it took him less than an hour to “solve the riddle,” and that he did so with no knowledge of the Inca culture (no surprise there). Media reports did not point out how deeply unserious it all was. This guy probably felt a certain cosmic kinship with the Inca, a respectful connection across the centuries when he finally cracked their code.

But it is not respectful to trample so casually on another culture’s ground. Respect begins with seeing the Inca not as a puzzle, but as a people. They were a complex people, and yes, a mathematical people, but they did not exist in order to be deciphered. They created their own mathematics for their own reasons, and their knowledge was not lost by accident: it was purposefully destroyed. And who are we, after all this time, to demand answers from the Inca? Their yupana, at least, will probably remain forever unconquered.

This article is adapted from the author’s YouTube video about the yupana: https://youtu.be/93QoXmIEsvw.

[thearchercore]

Sorry if I’m being stupid or simply not knowledgeable, but what do you mean when you’re referencing Baku and having left Charles’ car on the grid?

And if you say you don’t believe Charles’ car has been tempered with before this season - which, if we are really talking about this being a thing, seems a bit rushed to claim then after only two races and a qualifying - why would you reference Baku?

Also, how sure are we about the alarms in Jeddah being something that was installed by Charles’ side of the garage and not simply a malfunction of the security systems of the track?

Sorry again, I’m not trying to be difficult, I am just a bit lost but don’t get me wrong: I totally agree with you that something is fishy. And I don’t try to defend CS55 here, everything but that. I just don’t want us Charles fans be claimed to be delusional.

well i dont know the specific terms but the cars are on the grid like 15 minutes before the race starts and before you're set to start your formation lap, and when charles put his car on the starting grid, he did not mention any braking issues. those appeared when the race started.

the alarm was reported by a fan so we can only believe the person who was there in person who said specifically there were alarms installed in charles' garage.

again, i'm not saying it's true, it's a theory and i still feel like a flat earther when considering it but it's suspicious and more people noticed the pattern so that's all

[sanders1665]

Memphis received the call mid-morning as he sat on the couch, flipping absently through a book. Erydan’s voice on the other end was as calm as ever.

“Hey, Memphis. Alexandria and I are in the area. Would you like to join us for coffee at the Blue Café?”

Memphis smiled. “Better still—come over. I’ll make you some coffee with caramel macchiato creamer. I’m not doing much anyway.”

There was a pause before Erydan replied, “That’s even better. We have something of interest for you.” His tone was vague but carried a weight that Memphis couldn’t quite place.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Memphis opened it to find them both standing there. After the usual pleasantries—hugs, handshakes, and quick smiles—he led them into the living room.

The space was warm and inviting, if simple. A couch and two recliners flanked the coffee table. A bookshelf stretched to the ceiling, crammed with well-worn books. Paintings by Michele and the kids hung on the walls, and small ornaments collected from family travels dotted the shelves. It was a lived-in room, comfortable and uncluttered.

Once they were seated, Memphis returned with mugs of coffee. He noticed almost immediately that something was off. Alexandria wasn’t her usual vibrant self, and Erydan seemed subdued. There was a nervous energy between them.

Memphis leaned forward, breaking the silence with a smile. “So, what do I owe the pleasure of your good company?”

Erydan shifted in his seat, glancing at Alexandria. “Well,” he began carefully, “we owe you some truth. And... we’re a little nervous about how you might react.”

Memphis frowned, his smile fading. “What the bloody 'ell are you talking about, mate?”

Alexandria leaned forward, her voice softer than usual. “Memphis, the way you write about your interests online—your theories, your questions—you’re so close to realizing something.”

Memphis raised an eyebrow. “Again, what the bloody 'ell are you talking about?”

Alexandria hesitated, then spoke carefully. “A while ago, you speculated that the world’s ancient megalithic sites—the pyramids, Machu Picchu, Sacsayhuamán, Stonehenge—when mapped on a flat surface, could resemble a computer circuit board.”

Memphis chuckled, waving her off. “That was just a silly joke.”

“Well,” Erydan said, drawing the word out, “what if it wasn’t just a joke? What if those locations transported energy to different parts of the world? A grid. A network.”

Memphis froze, his amusement fading. “Just who the bloody 'ell are you people?” he asked, his tone sharper now.

Alexandria glanced at Erydan, then turned back to Memphis, her expression serious. “We understand you, Memphis, and we want to be part of your journey of discovery. With our knowledge and... past experience... we can help you. And maybe you can help us too.”

Memphis narrowed his eyes. “You’re hiding something. What is it?”

Erydan and Alexandria exchanged a look. Finally, Alexandria spoke, her words deliberate and quick, as if she feared losing her nerve.

“Memphis, we are... a different species of human. We developed about a million years ago, and we’ve been hiding in plain sight ever since, subtly guiding mankind’s progress.”

Memphis sat back, slack-jawed, staring at them both.

Erydan’s tone was calm, almost soothing. “We think of ourselves as gardeners, planting seeds here and there. Sometimes beautiful things grow.” He gestured toward Memphis. “This is who you are, too. You plant seeds in people’s minds, inspire them to dream, to grow. You’ve seen it yourself—the positive changes in people when they pursue their passions because of something you said.”

Memphis shook his head, struggling to process.

“We’re not so different, Memphis,” Alexandria added gently. “And we’re lonely in some ways. We’ve carried these secrets for so long, and we need someone we can trust. Someone who understands. That’s why we’re here. We want to be part of your inner world, and we want you in ours.”

The words hit him harder than he expected. For years, he’d felt like a lone wolf, burdened by questions no one seemed to share. And now, here were two people—or something more than people—offering him understanding, even camaraderie.

Tears welled in his eyes, slipping down his cheeks before he could stop them. He looked away, embarrassed, but Alexandria leaned forward, her voice soft. “We’ll leave now. Please, call us when you’re ready.”

They stood and walked to the door, leaving Memphis sitting there, his mind reeling. The room felt too quiet, too empty. He glanced at the books on his shelves, at the paintings on the wall, at the notebook where his theories lay half-forgotten.

And for the first time, he wondered if he’d been right all along.

[adacatlovelace]

My personal interpretations of Cruelty Squad

Firstly: The Triagons gave birth to each other, hence why "X triagon was born of Y" where Y is usually what the previous one represented. I mention this specifically becuase I've seen a lot of people assume the trigons represent what they are born from, which A. The wording seems to say otherwise and B. I have reason to believe otherwise.

Like the whole idea of peeling an onion at the end of the game, the key to understanding them is to start from the outside and work inward, going backwards.

The Third triagon was born of Death. With life now being finite, the energy being given to the earth (Organism) was suddenly more than was needed to sustain life, thus creating wealth. With the creation of wealth, conflict was born.

It takes the form of Abraxas in the Archon Grid (Or rather a part of them that was planted as a "seed" hence his flower like form). He is Capitalism and the spirit of the free market. The idea of wealth as a very concept. He is also your boss, both philosophically and physically.

To explain this, I first have to explain my theory about how the world of Cruelty Squad works. You see, CONTROL, the building you raid in Office, is the parent company of every other company. Each company fights, thrives, lives and dies in competition with each other, but in reality they are little more than the various tendrils of CONTROL, who manages this whole ecosystem to make Abraxas continually grow in power (Again he's literally a flower).

Elsa Holmes "The Archdemoness" and the 4 subarchons essentially act as gatekeepers to Archon grid, and once they are dead, the grid opens up and you kill Abraxas.

By doing so, you eliminate all wealth, and by extension conflict from the world. You live among friends and spend the rest of your life in idle contentment. Everyone is equal, represented by an infinite flat plane. But without conflict, you are now trapped and unable to change anything. Change cannot be brought about without conflict and youre now stuck in a world of emptiness, the tower you're walking to is infinitely far away, much like how you will now never reach a better understanding of the universe.

The Third Triagon's color is Red. Worn by the wealthy people in Idiot Party and the CTO in Office.

The second Triagon was born of Life. Its death, nice and straight forward. An end to the previously infinite expanse of life. This leads nicely into my theory about "Divine Link"

Now a lot of games that have respawn tend to invoke the philosophical question "are you really still you?" Cruelty Squad does not. Once you die and have your divine link severed, thats it. You are now nothing but a flesh automoton driven by neurotransmitters. A flesh golem implanted with the previous memories of you. Your literal soul is gone. This is why trying to enter divine link doors say "something feels missing"

The Divine sphere heals you spiritually and physically. It undoes the experimental power in misery modifications and restores you as you.

But what if, instead of a soul, you supplemented it with... something else? What if you turned away from the light entirely and embraced the fact that you're nothing more than an instrument of death? What if your soul was made of negative energy? What if every breath you took was only a means to spread as much death as physically possible.

So yes, I am saying that Hope Eradicated is basically you becoming the Lich from Adventure Time and filling the spot where a soul should be with something thats not a soul.

The "Life" ending is interesting to me. The big face with LIFE written on it says you're meeting the Triagon of life, but everything else says otherwise. To meet him, you must first KILL THE FEW FRIENDS YOU HAVE (This is 100% canon too. Once you enter Cruelty Squad HQ on Hope Eradicated, all the NPCS who were nice to you suddenly die and will not respawn and the face will even say "Your friends are in Hell, yet you smile), pass the hallway toxic to all life and then kill the CEO to take his place, either by the ZKZ transactional rifle (Which is powered up by your CEO mindset) or with the Bolt ACR, a weapon that no longer affects you.

My theory is that this is actually the Triagon of Death, the LIFE sign simply being irony. Life is a joke to are . You spread death and suffering all in the name of your own desires. Nothing is more important.

The second Triagon's color is Blue. Worn by the security at idiot party, and the CSO in Office, as well as the color of the Hope Eradicated border.

Confronting Death, they are in awe of you. You become the new CEO and now have the final piece of the puzzle to face the First and Final Triagon.

The Third Triagon was born out of Malice, but is life itself. This is horrendous to think about considering the implication is that life in and of itself is evil. By entering the trauma loop, you make your way over to the Cradle of Life, where life itself came from. In doing so, you've basically launched yourself into the very inner workings of universe. You fuck everything up so bad that the value of life becomes negative, but you, as a being of DEATH instead grow to be so much more. A "being of pure grace"

You look upon the vast cosmos that are now your kingdom and you begin to peel an onion. As you go layer by layer, the laws of the universe begin to break down and it becomes an infinitely dense spec once again.

Remember that life was born of Malice. The universe itself is an organism of Malice. It hates you. It hates itself. It does not want to exist. So you grant it mercy. By doing so you've deleted existance itself. What was once the universe is now empty but content with itself. A "Golden Age" The color of first triagon is Green, worn by the high priest in Idiot Party, Human Resources in Office, your landlord and several other people who are uniquely tied to the "greater meaning" of the game.

[aesthetinet]

Interface Ideology: From Skeuomorphic Cynicism to the Myths of Flat Design

Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) shape not just how we interact with technology, but how we understand it. While skeuomorphic design mimics physical objects, flat design removes these cues in favor of minimalism. These aesthetic shifts are not merely stylistic; they encode ideological assumptions. Skeuomorphic design operates within cynical ideology, where users know the artifice but embrace it anyway. Flat design, on the other hand, mirrors the myths of feudalism, giving the illusion of transparency while concealing algorithmic control.

Skeuomorphism: The Aesthetic of Cynical Ideology

Skeuomorphism—think leather-textured notepads or digital bookshelves—was once the dominant GUI aesthetic. While often dismissed as outdated, it functions within what Slavoj Žižek calls cynical ideology: “they know what they do, but they do it anyway.”] Users recognize that digital objects are simulations, yet they engage with them as if they were real. The aesthetic’s power lies in this contradiction.

This design choice is more than nostalgia—it acts as a comforting veil over the abstraction of digital systems. When an app resembles a familiar object, it reassures users that they remain in control, even as real control diminishes. The textured icons of early iPhones, for example, disguised the increasing automation and data extraction occurring beneath them. Skeuomorphism knowingly maintains an illusion: users understand that their interfaces are artificial, yet this aesthetic softens the transition from the tangible to the virtual.

But this illusion can no longer hold. As platforms optimize for efficiency and data-driven interaction, skeuomorphism’s reassuring mimicry gives way to an aesthetic that erases even the pretense of user agency.

Flat Design and the Feudal Myth of Digital Freedom

With the rise of flat design, shadows, textures, and embellishments disappeared in favor of minimalist grids, bright colors, and uniform typography. The shift was framed as a move toward clarity and efficiency, but as Wendy Hui Kyong Chun argues in On Software, or the Persistence of Visual Knowledge, software aesthetics are not neutral—they discipline users while making their constraints invisible.

Flat design presents itself as transparent: what you see is what you get. But this visual clarity is deceptive. By stripping away analog references, flat design hides the complexity of algorithms that shape what we see. Social media feeds, recommendation engines, and ranking algorithms structure digital experiences in ways that are neither visible nor neutral.

Here, I once again turn to Yanis Varoufakis’s theory of technofeudalism. Feudal societies maintained power by framing hierarchy as divine order. Today’s platforms function similarly, presenting algorithmic governance as a natural, benevolent force. Just as medieval subjects were told that God determined their place in society, users are told they freely shape their digital environments—when in reality, algorithms curate, filter, and restrict visibility.

Shadow banning, content suppression, and personalized feeds are not glitches but features of platform design. Yet, the aesthetics of flat interfaces mask this control, reinforcing the belief that digital spaces are neutral and democratic. The result is a feudal-like dependency on platforms that control visibility, engagement, and monetization. We exist as digital serfs, laboring within walled gardens, believing we have control when, in reality, we are governed by unseen forces.

Conclusion: Aesthetics as Ideology

Skeuomorphic and flat designs are more than visual trends; they encode ideological functions. Skeuomorphism, through its nostalgic mimicry, acknowledges its own artifice while soothing users’ transition into digital abstraction. Flat design, by contrast, eliminates these visual crutches while concealing deeper constraints, much like feudal myths masked medieval power structures. As digital capitalism evolves into technofeudalism, it becomes crucial to recognize that what appears transparent and neutral is often the most deceptive. The way interfaces look shapes how we think, and how we think determines whether we accept or challenge the systems behind them.

This blog post was made using ChatGPT, prompt engineering done by @sublim3aesthetics

[artg476-corestudio11]

BLOG POST #9- Rationales Refined

The Patchwork Co. Logo Design Rationale

The Challenge The challenge was to create a logo that captured the essence of two artists working together while still giving each of them a way to mark their own work. It needed to feel organic, handmade, and balanced, all while keeping the branding cohesive. It was a tricky balance between individuality and unity.

The Approach Instead of taking a literal approach, I focused on design elements that suggested the handmade, organic feel without making it too obvious. I wanted the logo to feel natural, not forced, while still holding the brand’s values at its core.

What I Did I used hand-drawn elements, texture, and symbolism to create that organic vibe. Repetition was key to tying everything together and giving it a sense of balance. By keeping the color palette simple, it allowed enough room for each artist to add their own touch without messing with the overall feel of the logo. The result is a design that feels personal to both artists, yet still keeps a unified look for the brand as a whole.

“My Biggest Fan” Oil Painting Rationale

The Challenge Creating a realistic portrait with oil paints is always a challenge, but the real difficulty here was capturing not just the likeness, but also the presence and personality of the subject. It's about translating the energy of a person into a 2D medium, and that can be tough because you don’t have the ability to capture movement or sound, just visual clues that need to bring everything to life.

The Approach Throughout my studies, I’ve learned how important colour theory is in achieving depth and warmth in a painting. One key takeaway is avoiding the use of straight black or white, which can make things look flat. I also relied on an underpainting technique, layering multiple layers of paint to build up texture and complexity, which helped add that depth and vibrancy to the piece.

What I Did For the background, I focused on soft blending to create a bokeh effect, this technique allowed me to give the impression of depth without distracting from the main subject. The idea was to make sure the subject stood out clearly against the softer, more abstract background. I paid special attention to subtle highlights and different colour variations in the portrait itself to bring out the subject’s personality. These touches helped give the portrait dimension and warmth, and made sure it felt alive and dynamic.

Photography Rationale

The Challenge The main challenge was to create a photo that was visually compelling with a strong, balanced composition. It’s about capturing not just the subject but creating an image that draws the viewer in and feels complete.

The Approach To achieve a strong composition, I used grid systems like the rule of thirds and the golden ratio. These tools help guide where to place the key elements of the photo to create balance and visual interest. I also focused on understanding how the exposure triangle - ISO, shutter speed, and aperture, work together to ensure the photo is both well-exposed and sharp.

What I Did I first assessed the lighting in the environment, making adjustments to the camera settings based on the unique setting. Once the exposure was balanced, I positioned the subjects in the frame according to the grid system, making sure they were placed in a way that felt visually pleasing and dynamic

[fx1600]

All of this, some shit is really far away and there’s no other way to get to it. But also! Even if a city is small, laid out on a grid and in THEORY “walkable” genuinely it can still be almost out of the question to walk!

Living on the outskirts of LA you have to deal with cracked and gouged roadways and side walks that are a huge tripping hazard. To the point it’s out of the question if you have a hard time walking, have joint issues, easily sprain/dislocate joints, or need a mobility aid. Not to mention if there’s a fast food place anywhere on your route where the ‘safety’ of the side walk ends so cars can pass in and out of the drive through right in your path and if the areas small enough they won’t see you until you’re directly in the dip where their car needs to go.

Then not even to mention how spaced out cross walks are to the point it could take a quarter mile walk to get from one side of the street to the other 15 feet in front of you since in areas that have a lot of stop lights they’re usually spaced a quarter mile apart and it’s illegal and dangerous not to use those spaced out crosswalks.

Then not even getting into the fact that some streets have no overhead coverage so if you’re gonna me walking more than a few minutes you could risk sun exposure and heat exhaustion. Or the fact that some streets just use slightly elevated asphalt as the ‘side walk’ that could either be filled with loose sand, large rocks, holes with chunks of loose asphalt, OR EVEN WHOLE ASS CARS USING IT AS A PARKING SPACE.

If they even bothered to elevate it in the first place! Some places just flat out never made side walks in the first place so it’s either seen as driving or parking space. And even the half assed ones are seen as parking spaces showing the people don’t care and could easily run you down if you walk on that road. Some areas side walks are so bad that people will LITERALLY JUST WALK DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE! I have seen so many wheelchair users forced to use the middle of the road because the side of the road where they SHOULD be able to get through either has no feasible way of getting a wheel chair through the mess that’s been made of it that’s never been fixed, OR BECAUSE SOMEONE PARKED IN THE MIDDLE OF IT

“America IS walkable, you’re all just lazy” my childhood home was an hour from the nearest hospital (by car)

[marvinjaisalmerblogs]

Walk Through Kuldhara: A Deserted Village

Kuldhara is an intriguing and mysterious village located in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, India. This abandoned settlement, once a thriving community, now stands as a haunting reminder of a bygone era. A visit to Kuldhara offers an eerie yet fascinating glimpse into the history and culture of the region. For those exploring Jaisalmer and its surrounding areas, Kuldhara is an essential stop on the journey. If you are looking for a comfortable and affordable stay nearby, Marvin Jaisalmer, a budget hotel in Jaisalmer, provides an ideal place to rest and rejuvenate after a day of exploration.

The Mystery of Kuldhara

Kuldhara’s history is shrouded in mystery. The village was abandoned overnight, and the reason for its desertion remains unclear. One popular theory is that the villagers fled due to oppressive taxation and the cruelty of the local ruler, while others believe that a curse was placed on the village, making it uninhabitable. Whatever the reason, Kuldhara remains an intriguing site that draws visitors from all over the world.

As you walk through the deserted streets of Kuldhara, you’ll see the remnants of old homes, temples, and wells. The stone structures, although weathered by time, give you a sense of the village’s former life. The layout of the village is organized in a grid pattern, a feature that is common in many ancient settlements. The narrow alleys and the old architecture make it feel like you’ve stepped back in time.

The Architecture of Kuldhara

The architecture of Kuldhara is a significant part of its charm. The houses in Kuldhara were built using locally sourced sandstone, a material that gives the village a unique look. The homes were designed to keep the residents cool in the harsh desert climate. The walls were thick and the roofs flat, designed to collect rainwater and provide shade. As you wander through the village, you’ll notice that many of the buildings have intricate carvings and designs, showcasing the craftsmanship of the people who once lived here.

Despite the years of abandonment, the village retains a sense of order and symmetry. It’s a reminder of how well-planned ancient villages were, and how they were able to withstand the extreme desert conditions. Walking through Kuldhara feels like you are walking through a living museum, with each stone telling a story of the past.

Kuldhara's Spiritual Significance

Though Kuldhara is no longer inhabited, it holds great spiritual significance for the people of Rajasthan. There are several temples in the village dedicated to Hindu gods and goddesses. The most notable of these is the temple of Lord Shiva. These temples, although in ruins, continue to be a place of reverence for visitors who come to pay their respects.

Many locals believe that the village is cursed, and some even say that the spirits of the villagers still roam the area. This belief adds to the mystique of Kuldhara, and it’s not uncommon for visitors to feel a sense of unease while exploring the village. If you’re intrigued by the paranormal, Kuldhara offers an experience like no other. For those looking for a peaceful and serene environment, staying at Marvin Jaisalmer, a budget hotel in Jaisalmer, offers the perfect balance of comfort and convenience.

Visiting Kuldhara

Visiting Kuldhara is a unique experience that offers a glimpse into the history and culture of Rajasthan. The village is located about 18 kilometers from Jaisalmer, making it an easy day trip for tourists. You can hire a taxi or take a guided tour to reach the village. The journey to Kuldhara takes you through the barren desert landscape, giving you a chance to appreciate the vastness and beauty of the Thar Desert.

When you arrive at Kuldhara, you’ll find that there are no entry fees, making it an affordable destination for travelers. It’s recommended to visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the midday heat. The village is open to visitors year-round, but it’s best to check the weather conditions before your visit, as the desert can get quite hot during the summer months.

Things to Do at Kuldhara

While Kuldhara is primarily known for its history and mystery, there are several things you can do to make your visit even more memorable. One of the most popular activities is to explore the ruins and learn about the village’s past. You can also take photographs of the ancient structures and the surrounding desert landscape. The village offers a unique setting for photography, with its blend of history, architecture, and natural beauty.

For those who enjoy a more immersive experience, there are opportunities to learn about the local folklore and legends associated with Kuldhara. You can hire a local guide who will share stories about the village’s past, including the legends of the curse and the fate of the villagers. This adds a layer of intrigue to your visit and helps you connect more deeply with the place.

Nearby Attractions

After exploring Kuldhara, there are several other attractions in the area that you can visit. Jaisalmer, known as the “Golden City,” is famous for its beautiful fort, havelis, and vibrant culture. The Jaisalmer Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the largest living forts in the world and offers stunning views of the city and the surrounding desert.

Another must-visit attraction near Kuldhara is the Sam Sand Dunes, where you can experience the beauty of the desert on a camel ride. The dunes are especially stunning at sunset when the golden sand reflects the changing colors of the sky.

If you’re looking for a place to relax and enjoy some delicious food after your visit to Kuldhara, be sure to check out the best cafe in Jaisalmer. There are many charming cafes in the city that offer a mix of local and international cuisine, perfect for recharging before your next adventure. Marvin Jaisalmer, a budget hotel in Jaisalmer, also provides a cozy environment for guests to unwind and enjoy a delicious meal after a long day of sightseeing.

Conclusion

A visit to Kuldhara is a journey into the past, offering a chance to explore the ruins of a once-thriving village in the heart of the Thar Desert. The mystery surrounding the village’s abandonment, coupled with its unique architecture and spiritual significance, makes Kuldhara a must-see destination for history and adventure lovers. Whether you’re staying at Marvin Jaisalmer, a budget hotel in Jaisalmer, or enjoying the local cuisine at the best cafe in Jaisalmer, your trip to Kuldhara will be an unforgettable experience.