#it's that you can upload more than 4 images in a single post

[edtdragon]

Fan art for @queenkaijupixel 's new look!

[samsseptember]

Samtember 2024 Calendar, Rules, and Guidelines!

Hi, Sam Wilson Nation! It’s that time of year again when we all get together to celebrate our beloved Sam Wilson’s birth month. That’s right, it’s ✰Samtember2024✰ !!!

As per usual, the event will be running from Friday, September 1st to Saturday, September 30th and there will be prompts set for each day:

Week 1:

Day 1 - Free Space

Day 2 - Bird Telepathy

Day 3 - Costume

Day 4 - Crossover/Multiverse

Day 5 - Canon Divergence

Day 6 - Hurt/Comfort

Day 7 - Future Fic

Week 2:

Day 8 - On Your Left

Day 9 - Move Your Seat Up

Day 10 - I Never Said Pilot

Day 11 - The Big Three

Day 12 - When Do We Start?

Day 13 - Man, Shut the Hell Up

Day 14 - Moon Stuff

Week 3:

Day 15 - Cap Quartet

Day 16 - Redwing

Day 17 - Mission Fic

Day 18 - Shield

Day 19 - Wakanda

Day 20 - Undercover

Day 21 - Co-Pilots

Week 4 + 2 Days:

Day 22 - Cookout / Boil

Day 23 - Birthday

Day 24 - Fishing

Day 25 - Louisiana

Day 26 - Lovers

Day 27 - The Paul & Darlene

Day 28 - Slice of Life

Day 29 - Wilson Family

Day 30 - Home

We will open a collection on AO3 soon. We will update this when the collection is ready, but when it is you'll also be able to find it by typing samtember2024 in the add to collections option.

You can also tag any works you post with #samtember2024 or tag this blog @samsseptember. Works will be reblogged every day throughout the month. 

What works count for this fan event?

Any of the following count:

fanfic

podfic

fanart

gifsets

photosets / moodboards / collages

graphics

Haikus

videos / edits

playlists

fic rec lists

comments

Whichever way you want to celebrate Sam Wilson, it’s up to you! 

The rest of the FAQ and rules are under the cut.

FAQ

What is this?

It’s a Sam Wilson fan event.

Is there any pressure?

No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on for the month. Do however many you please.

Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?

Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all 30 prompts at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single day in one fill, that’d be wild but it’s okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.

Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?

Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.

Should the work I make be Sam Wilson-centric?

Yes. You can make a gen work or a piece with any ship with Sam Wilson in it, but the main focus should be Sam Wilson.

How long will this event run?

It will run from September 1st to September 30th.

I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?

There will be! They will come out daily.

Do I have to post my fic for the prompt on the day of the prompt?

You can if you’d like, but it’s okay if you post a piece on a day other than the day of the prompt.

RULES AND GUIDELINES

What are the guidelines for the event?

For Everyone:

1. Remember to tag @samsseptember in the post as well as #samtember2024.

2. Please also tag the prompt you’re filling (for instance, if the square is “Redwing”, use “#redwing” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).

3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:

a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.

b ) Add it to Samtember 2024 Collection that you can find here.

For Artists:

1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.

2. All visual art forms are welcome:

a ) Gifsets, at least 3 gifs.

b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.

c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.

d) Fan video.

e) Graphics edit.

For Authors:

1. At least 500 words.

2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.

3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.

For Podficcers:

1. The podfic should at least be 5 minutes long.

2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.

3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.

For Fic Rec Lists:

1. You must have at least three fics or podfics on the rec list.

2. Make sure to give brief descriptions of the fics or podfics as well as their rating and wordcount.

For Commenters:

1. Any amount of comment counts, from a heart emoji (“❤️”) to an essay.

2. We would rather this be about what makes you happy and joyful about reading than any scathing critiques.

Things to be mindful of when creating:

For Sam

Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).

Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.

In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.

General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.

For Bucky

Avoid phrasing “flesh/normal/human hand” to refer to the contrast between his prosthetic arm and his right arm. The phrasing is ableist. You can simply refer to his prosthesis when relevant, otherwise use “right/left arm/hand”.

For more information, please check out this document suggested by @ninesdb on how to write Bucky as an amputee. @ninesdb is also open to questions if you have any queries not answered by the google doc.

Specific Tags:

Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift”, “Sam Wilson is a Saint”, and “Bucky Needs a Hug”.

Have fun and we look forward to all your wonderful works! ✰

[casually-salad]

cutie pox chronicles, full master-post.

welcome to my sick and twisted world.. everything will be found below.

so firstly! i know theres a couple people coming from off tumblr sites to check this out (( hi jay!!! )) so ill explain somethin real quick!

All of my comics have hand written text! now sometimes these can be hard to read, and so if you press this button ( image below ) and ive wrote out all the text in there for your convenience! make sure as well to read the body of the post and also the tags! usually i have some post upload thoughts or feelings i talk about there - some add context and some are fun!

normally i would recommend going through my archive and searching for "mlp infection au" or "cutie pox chronicles" but you wont have to do that here - but for nontumblr users if you want to check out other blogs i recommend that method.

now before reading there is a massive trigger warning: on all posts with these topics everything is tagged as "tw (topic)" and so i would recommend blocklisting ones that make you uncomfortable or understand what youre going into! triggering contents include: blood, gore, body horror, eye horror and eye trauma, child death, dismemberment, and cannibalism.

now! all posts will be in upload order, liked here with the title and the in story date ( as it changes. ) as well as which posts are single images and which ones are comics. when looking at stat sheets, the more full the better! 0% - or empty health is death, and 0%- or empty, composure is maina. alright!!!!! here we gooooo!!

The Cutie Pox. (day 0) comic

stat sheets ( day 1 ) comic?

Lillys last cutiemark. - single

first sightings -single

first nights out. - comic

how far away does a home stray? - single

lillys last mark - comic

the everfree - single

from hell and back - comic (day 0)

imbalance - comic (day 2)

finding the spark - comic

moon dancers melancholy part 1 - comic

moon dancer sheet - single

fleeting feelings - comic

helping hoof..? - comic

moon dancers melancholy part 2 - comic

freezerburnt - comic

fleeting calmness - comic ( day 3 )

dreams fall hard today - comic

princesses stat sheets - comic?

wilting lilly - comic

youre going to live with that guilt - comic

home - home again. - comic ( day 4 )

hurt everywhere you go part 1 - comic

bracing for impact ( hurt everywhere you go part 2) - comic

get well - comic

fly free canary. - comic

getting worse - comic

a storm on the horizon- comic (day 5 )

CLOSING THOUGHTS:

i really never thought this comic would get me as far as it did, seince i started posting i went from having 100 followers to about 210, thats more than double! thats insane. i wont lie i am SOOOO ANXIOUS to have such a following!!!!! usually my posts prior wouldnt get more than 5 notes but now!! almost all of them ( at least of this comic ) have over 30 on every one!!! thats just, so crazy. i hope everyone continues to look forward as i begin preparation on chapter 2, and what else i have to offer on here - i have a whole lot more story to tell and im excited to!

[xenosagaepisodeone]

For the last 2 weeks I've been transfixed on a strain of lost media I've come to call "bad memory induced media", where the supposed media in question does not (or at least more than likely does not) exist, but there are swaths of people convinced that they have definitely seen it at some point. There is rarely anything more to go off of for the hunt than a vague summary outlined in a post on some forum, but the lack of specificity allows people to fill in the blanks with similar types of media that they've seen, giving them the impression that they've already experienced it. I've found that this is extremely common for alleged lost shock media in particular, which isn't surprising. I talked a little about this on my LOL SUPERMAN post, and I get the impression that a similar strain of logic applies on a smaller scale.

Anyway, 2 major cases I have been looking at for a while are Saki Sanobashi/Go For A Punch and Evil Farm Game. Saki Sanobashi in particular fascinates me because an urban legend like this should have crumbled to the wayside by like 2018 at the latest, since that's when anime more or less became demystified to normal people. The basic premise is that it is an 80s/90s horror anime about anywhere from 4-8 girls trapped in a bathroom. The girls talk about their lives, hopes, dreams and philosophies before slowly going insane and dying one by one. If you like horror stuff you probably are already getting the vague impression that it sounds familiar- which could be influenced by any swath of media artifacts from Saw to the Russian Sleep Experiment creepypasta to the Ikea SCP to ClockUp's Euphoria to snippets of Battle Royale to that one Grisaia no Kajitsu arc. OP insisted he found it fully subbed on the deep web (omegalul) and hasn't found a trace of it since, implying some kind of murky origin or legal status (the OVA is not pornographic btw). As you can probably tell, I think this is silly. Like, so much goes into anime production that it would be difficult to hide any traces of this thing's existence. Someone had to voice act those girls. Someone had to sit hunched over a desk and draw that settei. OVAs were such a new thing in the 80s and 90s that both sfw and nsfw series were advertised in magazines. The only way that this could be so lost that not even a MAL entry remains is if it had been a student/indie production or something made for a single comiket event...but even at that....you're telling me that someone still managed to rip this from a vhs and subtitle it? And then chose to upload it to the deep web instead of youtube? even the title sounds like something google translated but didnt format correctly ("Saki Sanobashi" being gibberish while "Saki-san no Bashi" translates to "Saki-san's Bridge").

And yet there are people who will say "I definitely saw this at some point" because they saw a reaction image similar to the alleged scene where the protagonist smashes someone's head into a mirror. "The neck scratching death sounds familiar...." because you watched a higurashi amv! And OP did too, and thought it was so creepy that he involved it in his fake story. It's almost grating how much you have to suspend your disbelief to embrace that something like this exists in the exact way that stories like this insist. While many people have accepted that the series is likely not real in the last 4 or so years, there still persists a cohort of people hunting for Saki Sanobashi, likely because they are kids who are now too old to believe in Squidward's Suicide.

Evil Farm Game gives me a chuckle because it goes like this: a redditor posts to r/tipofmytongue about an old flash game where you play as a farmer who kills his wife and then has to hide her body while going about his farm tasks. The setup is completely fine and actually kind of reminiscent of a few story driven flash games I played on newgrounds as a kid. Many people came forward insisting that they had played this as well, one person even producing a link to a file from their hard drive that they couldn't open, but strongly believed that the game was there. A subreddit was even created to support the search. The twist is that it was a misremembered joke from a vinesauce stream.

Everyone knows that memory is an extremely fallable thing; people can be coaxed into believing that they did or saw things that they didn't with the correct prompts. What gets me is that a lot of people on the hunt for "bad memory induced media" seem to largely be hyping themselves up. They want to believe there is something that exists against all reason no matter what. It's chuuni in nature. Do not get me wrong- the interest in finding a cool, mysterious, haunting piece of media isn't lost on me, but dog, the dopamine hit of finding a previously lost 1985 commercial for almonds in a box of vhs tapes you got from eBay is the same.

[sambuckylibrary]

SamBucky Summer Bingo 2024

The @sambuckylibrary will be holding a Summer Bingo! The event will start on June 1st and run until August 31st. During that time, we will be reblogging and sharing the work you guys create here on our blog.

You can post fanfiction, art, fic rec lists, comments, moodboards, podfics, edits, etc. It’ll be a low-stakes event. No need to sign up. Just remember to tag @sambuckylibrary in your post for each fill, and we will be tracking #sbsummer2024 for reblogs.

If you are posting on AO3, please add it to the SamBucky Summer Bingo 2024 Collection.

The Bingo Cards are:

There are also badges for each fill. For those badges, as well as the FAQ and rules, check the information under “keep reading”.

FAQ

What is this?

It’s a SamBucky bingo event.

Is there any pressure?

No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on every bingo card. Do however many you please.

Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?

Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all nine prompts on the card at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single bingo card in one fill, that’d be wild but it’s okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.

Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?

Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.

Is it just SamBucky?

Yes please, just SamBucky. There can be side ships, but the main ship should be SamBucky.

How long will this event run?

It will run from June 1st and run until August 31st.

I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?

There are! Here they are:

1) Vacation Bingo Badges

2) Mission Bingo Badges

3) Loving Bingo Badges

RULES AND GUIDELINES

What are the guidelines for the bingo?

I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.

For Everyone:

1. Remember to @sambuckylibrary in the post as well as #sbsummer2024.

2. Please also tag the prompt you’re filling (for instance, if the square is “Redwing”, use “#redwing” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).

3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:

a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.

b ) Add it to SamBucky Summer Bingo 2024 (SamBucky_Summer_Bingo_2024).

For Artists:

1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.

2. All visual art forms are welcome:

a ) Gifsets, at least 3 gifs.

b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.

c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.

d) Fan video.

e) Graphics edit.

For Authors:

1. At least 500 words.

2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.

3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.

For Podficcers:

1. The podfic should at least be 5 minutes long.

2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.

3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.

For Fic Rec Lists:

1. You must have at least three fics or podfics on the rec list.

2. Make sure to give brief descriptions of the fics or podfics as well as their rating and wordcount.

For Commenters:

1. Any amount of comment counts, from a heart emoji (“❤️”) to an essay.

2. We would rather this be about what makes you happy and joyful about reading than any scathing critiques.

Things to be mindful of when creating:

For Sam

Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).

Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.

In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.

General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.

For Bucky

Avoid phrasing “flesh/normal/human hand” to refer to the contrast between his prosthetic arm and his right arm. The phrasing is ableist. You can simply refer to his prosthesis when relevant, otherwise use “right/left arm/hand”.

For more information, please check out this document suggested by @ninesdb on how to write Bucky as an amputee. @ninesdb is also open to questions if you have any queries not answered by the google doc.

Specific Tags:

Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift”, “Sam Wilson is a Saint”, and “Bucky Needs a Hug”.

Have fun and we look forward to your Summer Bingo fics!

- The Mods

[sambuckyhalloweenbingo]

The SamBucky Halloween Bingo 2024

Hey! It's almost the spooky season, and as such, it's time for the SamBucky Halloween Bingo! From October 1st to November 7th, we will be reblogging and sharing the work you guys create here on our blog.

You can post fanfiction, art, fic rec lists, comments, moodboards, podfics, edits, etc. It’ll be a low-stakes event. No need to sign up. Just remember to tag @sambuckyhalloweenbingo in your post for each fill, and we will be tracking #sbhalloween2024 for reblogs.

If you are posting on AO3, please add it to the SamBucky Halloween Bingo 2024 Collection.

The Bingo Card:

FAQ

What is this?

It’s a SamBucky bingo event.

Is there any pressure?

No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on every bingo card. Do however many you please.

Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?

Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all nine prompts on the card at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single bingo card in one fill, that’d be wild but it’s okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.

Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?

Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.

Is it just SamBucky?

Yes please, just SamBucky. There can be side ships, but the main ship should be SamBucky.

How long will this event run?

It will run from October 1st and run until November 7th.

I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?

There are! Here they are:

RULES AND GUIDELINES

What are the guidelines for the bingo?

I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.

For Everyone:

1. Remember to tag @sambuckyhalloweenbingo in the post as well as #sbhalloween2024.

2. Please also tag the prompt you’re filling (for instance, if the square is “Costume”, use “#costume” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).

3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:

a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.

b ) Add it to the SamBucky Halloween Bingo 2024 Collection (SamBucky_Halloween_Bingo_2024).

For Artists:

1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.

2. All visual art forms are welcome:

a ) Gifsets or photosets, at least 3 gifs or photos.

b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.

c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.

d) Fan video.

e) Graphics edit.

For Authors:

1. At least 500 words.

2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.

3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.

For Podficcers:

1. The podfic should at least be 5 minutes long.

2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.

3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.

For Fic Rec Lists:

1. You must have at least three fics or podfics on the rec list.

2. Make sure to give brief descriptions of the fics or podfics as well as their rating and wordcount.

For Commenters:

1. Any amount of comment counts, from a heart emoji (“❤️”) to an essay.

2. We would rather this be about what makes you happy and joyful about reading than any scathing critiques.

Things to be mindful of when creating:

For Sam

Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).

Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.

In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.

General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.

For Bucky

Avoid phrasing “flesh/normal/human hand” to refer to the contrast between his prosthetic arm and his right arm. The phrasing is ableist. You can simply refer to his prosthesis when relevant, otherwise use “right/left arm/hand”.

For more information, please check out this document suggested by @ninesdb on how to write Bucky as an amputee. @ninesdb is also open to questions if you have any queries not answered by the google doc.

Specific Tags:

Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift”, “Sam Wilson is a Saint”, and “Bucky Needs a Hug”.

Have fun and we look forward to your Halloween Bingo fics!

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Right, I'm back. I didn't post anything yesterday because I thought it's best not to rush. But it was indeed fascinating to see reactions in real time to the photo. Yes, I'm talking about the photo posted on IG of JM, JK and another person.

I think I must have read opinions that varied on a entire spectrum and expressed quite vehemently. It's safe to say everyone has really strong opinions and you either condemn it or you're totally fine with it, as long as you pick a side and don't question anything. In sitautions such as these, the tendency to add just a touch of conspiracy is right there. And it gets a pass when there's a lack of information, a language barrier, etc.

I too have my own questions and observations, to which I don't necesarily need an answer, but I'll just write them down.

1. I couldn't help but think of how deep the level of social media stalking is in this fandom. I looked up the account immediately as I saw a screenshot because initially there was confusion about the source. That guy made no previous photo uploads of either JM or JK. At a first glance, there is nothing to connect him to them. And still he had fan accounts following him, before it all blew up and he gained a lot more. My question is, how did that happen? Are there people who look up Jimin's followers list and they try to figure out if there's someone from an inner circle? In all those 50 million people? Do they check some select few accounts daily to see if there's a possibility of a post? The logistics of this are giving me a headache. Or maybe there's some obvious, easier answer and I don't know it.

2. Considering that the account is public, it's not like the photo is leaked. I don't know exactly the nature of the relationship that man has/had with JM & JK and I do not wish to make any speculation with regards to his intentions.

3. I think the outrage was mostly caused by jikookers bringing back to the surface that old photo under the heart arch. Which indeed paints a certain picture, but it's also not the most incriminatory thing out there. I don't think there's any real actual danger, considering that it was supposedly taken from Jungkook's dad Kakao talk. If that's true then it means the dad was ok with showing it.

3. What I personally believe should not have happened was to circulate that photo so easily on social media. People knew about it for a long time, even before someone posted it on I-Jikook twitter. But in cases like these, the photos will always be revealed. They will leave the group chats and out into the wild usually for a petty reason. Because at the end of the day, that's the issue. It has nothing to do with giving a shit about the people in the photo, it's about winning a shipping argument, about screaming "we won". Win what exactly???? It shows who is in it for the fantasy. No single argument could work for them. Replying on and on about deleting doesn't matter.

4. Maybe my last point, but this situation has revealed some things which were already known, but maybe not really articulated specifically all the time. As people not only part of the fandom, but also using social media 24/7, our ideas about privacy and what we should have access to when it comes to public figures has certainly been influenced by the current landscape. In the case of JM & JK particularly, they have been sharing pieces of themselves for more than a decade. It was the BH strategy, the BTS brand. It worked wonders because look at the huge fandom it gathered and the relationship that was built between idol and fan. Hell, Jungkook is doubling down heavy on it with his livestreams. How can anyone really expect a mass of people to really stop and think about privacy? We ourselves as regular people curate our social media image and we voice our opinions and share the places we go to, who are our friends, what parties we attended, when we get into a relationship. Every mundane or special occassion is posted for public consumption. I'm not saying this as some excuse that would justify sharing what looks like a private photo. What I'm saying is that it's to be expected in a way. As harsh as it is, but we live in this reality where the line between the public and private sphere is getting more invisible day by day.

What I think it's scary is that if there's a situation in which an actual compromising photo would somehow be leaked and which can be in the detriment of the people in it for various reasons, so called fans would still share it as proof. Because it doesn't matter for them. It's the high of finding it, of screaming about it on social media, without thinking for more than a second about possible implications. Everything needs to be done fast, regardless of consequences because people need to feed themselves with gossip and leaks.

I'm really just rambling here and not making too much sense. Anyway, I think we should always take a step back and really assess the situation and not scream about it, regardless of our position. Not everything is a threat, or privacy violation or putting people in danger, but it doesn't mean that it needs to be treated lightly as if it's no big deal (which usually comes from people who care more about their own safisfaction and feeling like a "winner").

[vees-strangeworld-omniverse]

ARGONUS INFO: the other aeronoids

(NOTE: description copy-pasted from DA where i normally post my works. any context that is missing here on tumblr can be found on my DA [linked here and on pinned post] )

[this image is best viewed when opened in a new tab.]

[re-upload due to original being re-blog from main]

edit 11/21/23: i changed the native range of most avibells; instead of originating in nylus/sonias, most avibels will come form the eastern hemisphere with some species in the western hemisphere. i figured it'd make a bit more sense given how diverse gliders actually are.

AAAAAND like with the elkinets, i go more into detail about the other members of the order aeronoida.

the aeronoids are the other species of "living aircraft" on argonus. alot about their biology is similar, if not the same as the elkinet. if you want more details on that (and the elkinets themselves), look at this post here [tumblr edit: this leads to the DA post, not the tumblr one which you should be able to find via the search bar]. but, i'll go over the basics:

1-they're entirely biological, with the exception of their semi-mechanical engines.

2-sometimes there exist pygmy versions of them, usually due to lack of resources. a-however, pygmies tend to be more common due to purposely breeding them.

3-colorations is usually based of respective aircraft's, though can be almost anything. a-and like with the elkinets, there's only colors, patterns and markings.

4-hybrids can exist, and have similar statistics of getting a hybrid as the elkinets (primarily with size differences between the parents) a-however naturally speaking, it only exist within two parents of the same genus. b-there tends to be a higher chance for a hybrid for the other aeronoid species, regardless of the size difference.

[tumblr edit: most aeronoid groups are monotypic, consisting of a single genus, if not a super genus at the largest]

5-their engines are more resilient than a normal, non-living aircraft. they don't fly faster than 210mph. a-while on the topic of flight, aeronoids aren't always flying as their top speed. they only have their engines at full power for long enough to get sufficient air. after that, they lower the speed so that it's just enough to keep them in the air. b-however, there are two main groups that don't have engines, later on those.

6-they have a similar lifecycle to each other, though with varying degrees of each stages length. a-these lengths obviously vary depending on lifespan. 7- there are some foot variations with the other aeronoids, like their is with the elkinets a-however, these variations are usually either your standard anisodactyl feed or webbed feet. this is dependent more on the environment they've adapted for than it is the aircraft type.

8-they're around the same length as their real-life aircraft counterpart a-exact sizes vary between individuals and species b-some aeronoids, however, are smaller than their real-world counterparts now, before we can truly get into the four main groups of non-elkinets, we first have to go through the evolutionary tree first, so you get a good idea on who's related to who.

EVOLUTION AND BASIC TAXONOMY          it all starts with the bird ancestor, a sort of stem-parrot, which may have looked similar to your average passerine, or maybe a bit like a mimicoot minus the crest and pseudoteeth. after all, on my post about the mimicoots [tumblr edit: also a link to a DA post], the tomium is purely convergent to the aeronoids. the superorder would then split into two groups: the mimicoot and the aeronoids.

 there haven't been any clear fossils of an intermediate aeronoid (at least at time of posting, maybe i'll make one later), thought most people agree it may have looked like a weird theropect-bird hybrid. between the bird ancestor, the intermediate form and the basal aeronoid, a couple major things have happened:     1-the loss of feather covering the body     2-wings becoming more thicker and longer in the absence of flight feathers     3-the loss of the secondary eyes (the smaller bottom eyes that most vertebrates have)     4-the appearances of prop engines both on the back and on the wingtips.

    after the intermediate form came the basal aeronoid, which looked like a theropect with an engine on it's back. it's guessed that this basal aeronoid uses all three engines to fly, though speculatively rather poorly. that didn't matter, though, since most aeronoids later down the line would develop better flight in there own unique ways.

    the earliest group to branch off from the rest were a group that started using less of the engines in more favor of flapping their first forelimbs. these intermediate gliders would become the avibels, the aeronoids that returned to their flapping winged ways of their ancestor, minus feathers.

    the next branch would lead to the theropects, which further developed their wing engines as their primary scource of flight, as well as re-evolving them as another set of "arms". however, before true theropects came along, another group close to them would split off and start using those arms more often than their original first forelimbs, causing those forelimbs to reduce in size. these aernoids would be the elkinet ancestor, as as they further developed their wings, not only did those vestigial arms completely disappear, but also the prop blades since they started using the actual wing itself to grab and manipulate object. this would eventually lead to the elkinet we all know and recognize.     despite the multiple arms of multiplanes (biplanes, triplanes, ect), they're not a separate group as the elkinets. the multiple wings are more of a mutation that stuck around than something that was ancestral.

    the final branchoff would lead to a quadrupedal aeronoid that had lost the prop engines on the wingtips in favor of the one on the back. one group would ditch the wings entirely and become the carnivoran-like stunits. the other, however, not only lost wings but also the engines entirely. what the intermediate "flightless" form looked like is also under debate, though it may have had small, vestigial wings and a heavily reduced engines. in any case, the aeronoid would instead opt for completely gliding and loosing powered flight, leading to them becoming the rodads.

alright, natural history lesson over, time to continue on.

    most aeronoid species are relatively smart, and have been kept in captivity by both elkinets and later down the line humans. while most of them are really tame, some species have been fully domesticated. their reasoning for being kept by elkinet usually is companionship, though some secondary usages like hunting, transportation, eggs and meat are also common. in addition, their pygmy variation are also common due to intentional breeding.     aeronoids tend to fill in similar niches to other existing animals. despite this, they rarely do ever go into direct competition with other animals of the same niche, probably due to argonus's size which allow the aeronoids to take over a niche of their own in certain areas.

  ok, ok, NOW we can get into each individual (extant) groups of aeronoids.   

THE STUNNITS (helicopters)

wild ranges:     the stunits are found almost worldwide, but are most common in the temperate and lush habitats. they can also be found in civilizations as strays/ferals. general diet:     most stunnits are generalist omnivores, but there are some variations to exactly what they eat. some of the smaller helicopters have a more carnivorous diet, as they'll hunt smaller animals and eat carrion as part of their diet. on the otherhand, some of the largest helicopter species are near-entirely herbivores, having plants as a main staple of their diet.     captive stunits are usually fed their own diet-specific kibble, though with the more omnivorous / carnivores species some good grain-free dogfood have been used as a cheaper alternative. behavoir:     most stunnits are social to some extent, at the very least they'll tolerate each other if food and water is plentiful. armed and attack helicopters have a more vulpine-like role, being carnivorous loners that only really get together to mate and raise young. larger helicopters have a more canid-like behavior. much like other aernoids, the stunnit's tail and prop blades can be an indicator of emotions. for example, their tails wag when happy or exited, or their props could twitch around to show frustration or annoyance.     stunnits raise their young in the late spring. they'll create a shallow "nest" that's either loosely made of nesting materials or no nesting materials at all. the mother will lay about 3-5 eggs, and then both parents will protect the eggs until they hatch. the babies are precocial, meaning they're born in an advanced state to where they're able to walk, run and to some extent drink/eat on their own. the parents still have to protect them and feed them until they're truly ready to be on their own.     stunnits, both in the wild and with feral colonies, have a set territory that that chase intruders off of. these fights rarely end in severe injuries/death. feral colonies tend to be less territorial. stunnits communicate with growls, howls and "groarks" (barking, but with a slight growling/roaring tone to it; best example i can give is the mane wolf's roar-barks).

additional stuff:   the stunnits get the title of "man's best friend" of argonus, and it's no secret why. they're the aircraft analog to carnivorans, more specifically bears, canines and felines. most species have been kept in captivity and used for a variety of tasks, such as transportations, guarding, herding, hunting, pest control, ect.     they have an actual full body. helicopters with a lattice tail (Like the bell 47 tail here) have an actual full tail, and like the cockpit/canopy the lattice rods are just extra ornaments. even with the skycrane, they're a more fuller body.     just like their real-world counterparts, they're incredible fliers that can hover in places, as well as dive and make hairpin turns. when they fight in the air, most of it is just them chasing eachother around, maybe even pushing eachother a few time before one of them leaves. these fights usually dont last too and and almost always ends with both parties leaving with little to no injuries.     most species of stunnits (excluding the mostly-herbivorous ones) have a serrated beak, which is good for cutting into their food whether that's be the flesh of an animals or the flesh of a watermelon.

THE AVIBELS (sailplanes and gliders)

wild ranges:    most species originally were found throughout the eastern hemispheres, with some species being native to the western hemisphere. however, thanks to the elkinets they can be found anywhere where there's civilization..

general diet:     while the avibel are considered generalist omnivores, they're more in line with being an opportunistic carnivores and have at least 50% of their diet consist of meat. most of the meat they eat are usually animals smaller than them, with their favorites being rodents, lizards, frogs and fish. the plants they eats, on the otherhand, are often fruits, grains and seeds of various plants. they've also been known to have an incredibly strong sweet-tooth from time to time, having been known to raid maple buckets and beehives for the sweet, sugary treat insides. this sweet tooth is most common in the spring.     avibels that are kept in captivity are typically content with eating a high-quality dogfood since most contain all the essential nutrients to keep the gliders happy. however, there do exist more specialized feed for avibels, especially for ones who want them to start producing more eggs. this feed usually contains a mixture of insects, dried meat, dried fruit and grains.

behavoir:     the avibels are best described as being "bootleg crows". they have the intelligence just slightly under that of actual crows and ravens, able to learn and adapt to various environments. the avibels are very social animals and are commonly seen in small groups of 3-7 (Though larger groups do occur). they're monogamous and mate for life; if one partner dies, the other will become depressed and will refuse to mate with any other glider for a while (sometimes never). avibel are expert hunters, and can be seen actively hunting small animals and insects.     these aeronoids have a decent vocal range. they made a wide variety of sound, usually consisting of hisses, screeches and "chirps", all reminiscent of various bird-of-prey. they'll also slam their tails on the ground to show anger and frustration (this is especially true to broody hens).     when raising young, the two parents will create a nest usually under a tree or any other covered places. unlike alot of other aeronoids, baby avibel chicks (which they have 1-2 of) are born both blind and deaf for the first week or two, much like some bird species. the parents swap places and take turns caring for the babies until after two months when they're ready to be on their own. sometimes the offspring will stay with the parents to help care for the next generation.

additional stuff:     unlike most other aeronoid species, the avibels typically don't have any form on engines whatsoever. instead, the go the old-fashion route and fly by flapping their wings to take off. once in the air, they'll uses a mixture of powered flight and rising thermals to stay in the air. despite their appearances as a more bird-like elkinets, they're only distantly related to them like we are to baboons.     also unlike alot of aeronoids, their beaks have sorta re-evolved into...beaks. more specifically, their beaks are curved and sharp, with the top one having a point not unlike an eagle's. the beak is much like a multitool, being able to tear, shred and cut not just their food but also really anything.     elkients have raised avibels for centuries as a source of eggs, meat and companionship, and the gliders often double as a form of pest control too. humans also took a liking to them, as their intelligence and easy tamability made them great mounts as well. however, avibels have been known to act aggressive towards humans and anyone who disturbs their nest while they're raising chicks.

THE RODADS (lifting bodies) wild ranges:     rodads originate from the woodlands and mountains of sonias. just like with the two other aeronoids here, the elkinets and their civilizations have made them a world-wide city animal.

general diet:     the rodads are generalist herbivores, generally speaking. the specifics of what plants they eat can vary by the region. naturally speaking, they eat leaves, flowers, fruit, nuts and seeds, but they'll also take grass, twigs and really any plants they can get their forepaws and mouths on. they'll also take on insects and small animals occasionally. during it's waking hours, a rodad will spend at least 70% of it's time foraging for food. behavoir:     rodad's aren't the most smartest animals out there. rodads are also not very social animals, and at most in the wild they'll tolerate each other if they're enough food and water around. however, in captivity they're alot more easier to get along with each other. wild rodads are territorial, and they can be seen fighting for the best food and mating rights.      when not eating or fighting, rodads are rather slow and chill animals, and can be see climbing and/or sleeping in trees (or any other high, enclosed place), or wonder around to make sure no rival steps foot into their territory. if disturbed, they'll either run or (if in a high place) jump off and glide to safety. and if they're really cornered, they'll try and bite/scratch the threat.     they're rather tolerable around other smaller animals that don't pose much threat to them. rodads are also surprisingly good swimmers, and many species have at least some semi-aquatic lifestyles. with their combined behavior and occasional affinity for the water, some humans called they "citybaras", seeing them as the capybaras of the city.     the aircraft are ok parents. males usually make a small cavity in the ground, just big enough for a female and her clutch pf 4-5, and he'll mate with first female that comes in. after that, he'll make sure no other guys take his girl while she lays her eggs and protect them. once the eggs hatch, he leaves her to do the rest of the work. thankfully, the babies are born precocial, so there's not much to be done other than making sure they learn how to eat and drink on their own.     rodads don't make much noise. at most they've been known to hiss and softly squeak. however, during fights they'll scream and squeal not unlike that of koalas.

additional info     the rodads are the only aeronoid, both presently and within fossil records, to ditch true flight entirely. instead they use their weird body shape to glide from one place to another. they can actually glide long distances, and in addition are surprisingly good jumpers and climbers. unfortunately, they often fall prey to many predator, stunnits and avibels being a common foe.      although they have no wings, rodads still have a small, thin tail. rodads also have evolved whiskers, which they uses to sense their surroundings since their vision isn't the best. 

THE THEROPECTS (tiltrotors)

wild ranges:     theropects are strictly restrained to the jungles and rainforest of sonias. unlike most others here, feral population are actually rare and only confined to equally warm habitats. all other theropects outside of sonias are usually part of zoos and sanctuaries, sometimes as exotic pets, too.

general diet:     theropects are all around generalist omnivores. they eat anything that's edible to them, but fruits and leaves make up 60% of their diet. sometimes they'll pick up some invertebrates, small animals, and eggs to round out their diet. they're rather infamous for raiding fruit farmers and stealing the food they grow, especially during peak ripe season.

behavoir:     one of the most intelligent species of animal on argonus, the theropects are only second to their civilized relatives, the elkinets. as a matter of fact, they're the closest thing argonus gets to chimps and gibbons, since when it comes to primates no hominoids themselves haven evolved on argonus (Only lemur, new world and old world monkeys). despite the likening to chimpanzees, they're more like gorillas, being plant-eating pacifists that rather would scare it's enemies than to actually attack.     theropects are not only bipedal like their relatives, but are also very good a manipulating objects. they use both their forelimbs and their wings (or more accurately their prop blades) to grab, hold and move things. their prop blades are especially good at this, since they move very much like the elkinet's wings. they even have a bit of gecko-padding to further hold things.     the tiltrotors are very social and very good parents. they make a very simple nest to lay their eggs in. the mother usually only has one baby, rarely ever two. while the babies are born with their eyes open, they still cling onto mom (or any other females' if she's not round) for at least two years. during that time both mother, father and other members of the group will help take care of them and the mother, and later down the line teach the offspring how to survive.     theropects make a wide array of barks, screeches, whistles, coos and hisses to communicate with each other. 

additional stuff:     since argonus lacks any apes, this is the closest they got to gibbon, gorillas and chimpanzees. in captivity, they're about as pleasant to own as a cockatoo or macaw (aka don't get one unless you're very experienced). they've been used in laboratories and scientific studies, and are common info the film industry as animal actors. however, they're not all sunshine and rainbows, as they're very noisy, nippy and often can be seen stealing things from their owners. however, with enough proper love, care, toys and attention, those issues are brought down to a minimum. still, there is alot of legality issues when it comes to owning theropects as pets, so usually it's better off to leave it to zoos and sanctuaries to take care of them.

aaaaand that's it for the aeronoids! any other information regarding them will probably be in other post.

[sk8theinfinitysims4-leavan]

We're Lea (@lea-heartscxiv) and Van (@van-yangyin) and this is our sideblog where we publish everything related to our SK8 the Infinity Sims 4 🛹♾

Until the current story is reached, the main story will usually be published three times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays). However, if it's divided into more than one part, all parts will be published on the same day. Also will be posting at present time from Tadashi's Birthday, together with past main story.

Here you can see all about our SK8 the Infinity Sims Project (Non-official, only from fans for fans), like: [You can click on the tag to go directly to the wanted one]

Single screenshots [tagged as #SK8 SS]

3D renders made from Blender [tagged as #SK8 renders]

WIPs (Work in Progress) of what will appear in our main story/ AUs [tagged as #SK8 WIPs]

Family trees (canon and OCs characters) diagrams [tagged as #SK8 FamilyTrees and when it's about SK8 OCs with #OCs and #Original Characters]

Short or a little long AUs stories using official as base. It's a kind of visual fanfic. [tagged as #SK8 OAUs and tagged with name of story that can be viewed in story post if it has more than one part]

Short or a little long AUs stories non-official compilant. It's a kind of visual fanfic. [tagged as #SK8 nonOAUs and tagged with name of story that can be viewed in story post if it has more than one part]

Our main sims story in an organized way and from the beginning (when we start it in 2021 on Twitter) although here it will be only in English (We also write it in Spanish, you can go to our blogger if you want to read it in that language to know what is written here in case you have problems with English and you're interested), so whoever wants can read it. It won't have the same amount of images that Blogger has per publication (since we can't publish more than 30 here) but it will have all the story and separated by the parts that are necessary. It's a kind of visual fanfic. [tagged as #SK8 MainStory]

Fanarts about our SK8 content [tagged as #SK8 FanArt, #reblog and #username, mainly from us with our art accounts when we draw something inspired by or related to the content we do here, since for the moment we can't know if or how many people will be interested enough in our content to inspire them to draw about it. But if our content inspires you enough to make art go for it, we will be very happy to see it and reblog it. THO HAVE IN MIND THAT ANY "FANART" THAT IS GENERATE WITH AI WE DON'T REBLOG NOR SUPPORT THEM AND WILL BE BLOCKED ON SIGHT, we're artists and don't support content generate with AI. All we made is always with our own hands (either draw and write because have our passion and our artistic vision in them)]

Some other personal tags: SOLE CILIEGIO (Matchablossom/JoeCherry), TRUE EDEN (TadaAi), TULIP WRENCH (Shadoka) and SNOW SKATE (Renga)

We're also planning to organize events, raffles of screenshots/renders made by us by request (you choose theme/ship), also that you can be part of our story/stories by choosing between several options at certain points of stories and much more...

All our content about Sims 4 is tagged as #SK8_TS4LeaVan

As this is a sideblog, we can't give likes or follow anyone, so the likes would be given from our accounts and if you want us to be mutuals will have to be from our main accounts. Or if your interest is only in SK8 fandom, our art/theory/analysis account.

Lea's SNS | Van's SNS | Blogger (to see there our content in Spanish, search for #SK8ESP_TS4LeaVan)

All custom content related to SK8 the Inifinty, both recolors and meshes, is 100% made by us. Meshes and recolors based on official content by @van-yangyin and recolors of non-official content with artistic freedoms by @lea-heartscxiv. Such content is for family use only, thank you for your understanding, if that's all you're looking for then please be on your way. If you're interested in the stories we tell or content we upload (such as screenshots or renders), you're more than welcome. Also we use custom content from other creators when are "similar" but not identical (when we're in the process of creating it from scratch), we're wcif friendly so feel free to ask us. 🛹

[valkerie-gallery]

Multiple Pre-Warnings about my Posts

1) My Gallery ID is SilverPhoenix42

2) I use the FREE photo editing program GIMP on my windows laptop

3) My Sims have a lot of cc, so feel free to ask for links on corresponding posts / DMs and I'll try to get them to you! I'll do my best, but I have a LOT of cc and it might take me some time to find the links, if I can at all

4) My sims do have changed pronouns, typically, but I (ACCIDENTALLY) might not refer to them correctly as I'm doing this by memory, and tend to forget which sim has what pronouns since I've made so many. I'm trying my best here

5) When I post Look-books, halfway through making these, I decided to change the format, but I'm too lazy to go back and change the old ones, so there will be a noticeable difference in format between most of them. Sorry if it bothers anyone!

5) Tumblr won't let me upload more than one image from my computer in a single post, so i will be using the web image link way. I will be posting everything to my twitter @ValkerieQueen first, and then using the links to upload the images here properly. (This might have gotten fixed... we'll see. -P.S. IT WAS yay)

6) Check out my CC Finds blog! @valkerieccfinds

[differentpastazipperbandit]

Welcome, folks, to first. episode of Instagram Curiosities! we dive into the wild, weird, and wacky wonders of the ‘Gram! I’m Yakko—"Yakko said

"—I’m Wakko—"Wakko said, finishing his brother's sentence with a cheeky grin..

And I’m the cute one, Dot!"dot said said with a giggle, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters, be organized by hashtags, and be associated with a location via geographical tagging. Posts can be shared publicly or with preapproved followers. Users can browse other users' content by tags and locations, view trending content, like photos, and follow other users to add their content to a personal feed- oh well says Wikipedia."Yakko said, rolling his eyes playfully.

"But we're not here for a history lesson," Wakko interjected, his voice full of energy. "We're here to curiosities!"

Yakko nodded, his smile growing wider. "That's right, folks! We've got a detailed facts about Instagram:

The platform was launched in 2010 by Kevin p and Mike Krieger, and it didn't take long for it to become a hit. Within the first year, it had already racked up a million users!"Yakko said, his enthusiasm palpable.

Wakko took over, his voice rising with excitement. "And now, it's got over a billion! Can you imagine? That's more people than live in the third most populated country in the world!"

Dot leaned in closer to the camera, her curiosity piqued. "But it's not just the numbers that make Instagram so fascinating. It's the stories behind the posts!"

Mumber 2:In April 2012, Facebook acquired Instagram for approximately $1 billion in cash and stock, a move that significantly boosted Instagram's resources and growth."Wakko said, his eyes widening at the sheer size of the deal.

Yakko nodded in agreement. "And it's not just about the money. It's about the impact. This little app went from a hipster's playground to a global phenomenon overnight!"

Mumber 3:Instagram quickly gained popularity, reaching 1 million registered users in just two months after its launch. As of 2023, it boasts over 1.4 billion monthly active users worldwide." Dot said, her voice filled with amazement.

That's right, Dot," Yakko chimed in, "And with that many people sharing their lives, you're bound to find some real gems. Like that one guy who posts pictures of his lunch every single day for the past five years!"

Wakko couldn't help but laugh. "Or the woman who documents her cat's every move, turning it into an internet celebrity with millions of fans!"

The trio exchanged glances, their excitement building. "But wait, there's more!" Dot exclaimed

Mumber 4:tagram is known for its photo filters, which allow users to enhance their photos with various effects. The early filters, such as X-Pro II, Earlybird, and Amaro, became very popular."Yakko said, as an image of a retro-filtered photo popped up on the screen.

Wakko jumped in. "Those filters were like a secret sauce! They turned every smartphone snap into a work of art!"

Dot nodded, her eyes glazing over as she remembered. "Remember the time we tried to recreate all those filters using real cameras and photo editing software? What a mess we made!"

The three of them laughed, the memory bringing them closer as they shared their early attempts at Instagram stardom.

Mumber 5:Introduced in August 2016, Instagram Stories allows users to post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. This feature was inspired by Snapchat and has become one of Instagram's most popular features."Wakko said, raising his eyebrows at the strategic move.

Yakko nodded thoughtfully. "It's like a sneak peek into people's lives, minus the permanence. It's like reality TV, but for everyone!"

Dot added, "And it's not just for personal use. Businesses and influencers use it to build engagement and show a more casual side of themselves."

Mumber 6 Launched in June 2018, IGTV is a standalone video application that allows users to upload videos up to 60 minutes long. It was designed to compete with platforms like YouTube."Dot said voice confusion.

Yakko leaned back in his chair, a twinkle in his eye. "It's like Instagram's little sibling who's trying to steal the spotlight with longer, more in-depth content!"

Wakko nodded, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he pulled up an example IGTV, short for Instagram TV, was a video application by Instagram for Android and iOS smartphones.It allowed for longer videos compared to Instagram feeds. IGTV was available as a stand-alone app, though basic functionality was also available within the Instagram app and website but On March 1, 2022 announced the shutdown of IGTV, due to their focus on Instagram Reels. The app was removed from app stores in mid-March, and all IGTV videos were then merged into the Instagram app.

Yakko leaned in, his curiosity piqued. "And let's not forget about Instagram Reels! The bite-sized videos that have everyone dancing and lip-syncing!"

Dot giggled. "Remember when we tried to do that dance challenge? We had to redo it so many times!"

The three of them chuckled at the memory of their awkward dance moves and the hours they had spent perfecting their reel.

Numbers 7 ntroduced in August 2020, Instagram Reels allows users to create and share short, engaging video clips set to music. Reels was launched to compete with TikTok's growing popularity ."Yakko said with a smirk.

Wakko nodded, a hint of competitive spirit in his eyes. "It's like a battle of the social media giants, and everyone's invited to join the dance-off!"

Dot's face lit up. "And it's not just about the fun, either. Some people have turned Reels into a full-time career, with millions of fans and brand deals!"

Mumber 8 Instagram has played a significant role in the rise of social media influencers, individuals who leverage their large followings to promote products and brands. Influencer marketing has become a multi-billion-dollar industry."Wakko said, his eyes shining with excitement at the thought of fame and fortune.

Yakko leaned in, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "But with great power comes great responsibility. Some influencers have faced backlash for not being transparent about their sponsorships, leading to changes in advertising guidelines."

Dot nodded in agreement. "It's important for users to know when someone's being paid to promote something, so they can make informed decisions about what they support."

Mumber 9:The Explore page helps users discover new content based on their interests and previous interactions on the platform. It's a powerful tool for content discovery and engagement."dot said, her voice filled with wonder.

Yakko nodded. "It's like a never-ending treasure hunt for viral videos and breathtaking photos!"

Wakko leaned in closer to the camera, his eyes glinting with excitement. "But it's not all sunshine and rainbows. There's a dark side to the algorithm, too. Sometimes it shows us things we didn't even know we were interested in!"

The siblings shared a knowing look, acknowledging the occasional oddities that popped up in their own explore pages.

Mumber 10 Instagram introduced shopping features to allow businesses to sell products directly through the app. Users can browse and purchase items without leaving Instagram. " Yakko Said

Wakko's eyes lit up. "It's like a shopping mall in your pocket! You can buy everything from sneakers to sunglasses with just a few taps!"

Dot tapped her chin thoughtfully. "But it's not just about the buying. It's about the visual storytelling. Influencers and brands use Instagram to create mini-advertisements that feel like art, not sales pitches."

Mumber 11 Instagram's algorithm has evolved to prioritize content that users are most likely to engage with, based on factors like likes, comments, and viewing history, rather than displaying posts in chronological order."Yakko said, as a graphic of a complex web of data points flashed across the screen.

Wakko's expression grew thoughtful. "It's like Big Brother is watching, trying to predict what we'll like next."

Dot nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly. "And sometimes it feels like it knows us better than we know ourselves."

Mumber 12 Instagram's Direct Messaging (DM) feature enables users to send private messages, photos, videos, and posts directly to other users. It has become a key communication tool on the platform."Wakko said, his voice dropping to a whisper as if sharing a secret.

Yakko nodded solemnly. "But it's not just for friends and family. It's also where influencers connect with their fans, and where scammers lurk."

Dot shivered. "Remember that time someone tried to sell us a 'magic' weight loss potion? Thank goodness we're too smart for that!"

The trio shared a laugh, but there was a hint of caution in their voices.

Mumber 13 Instagram has implemented various security features, including two-factor authentication and tools to report and block inappropriate content, to enhance user safety and privacy." Dot said, her voice taking on a more serious tone.

Yakko nodded gravely. "But it's still important for users to be vigilant. You never know who's lurking behind a screen name."

Wakko leaned in, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "And let's not forget the drama! From celebrity feuds to influencer scandals, Instagram has seen it all!"

The three of them shared a knowing smile, acknowledging the occasional soap opera-like quality of the platform.

Mumber 14 Instagram has had a significant cultural impact, influencing fashion, travel, food, and lifestyle trends. Hashtags like #TBT (Throwback Thursday) and #InstaFood have become part of popular culture."Yakko said, scrolling through his feed to show examples of these trends in action.

Wakko's eyes widened. "It's like everyone's a critic and a photographer now. You can't eat a meal without someone snapping a pic first!"

Dot chimed in, her voice filled with amusement. "And let's not forget the Instagram vs. reality moments. Sometimes the perfect photos aren't so perfect after all!"

Mumber 15 Instagram has introduced features to support mental health, such as hiding like counts on posts and providing resources for users experiencing distress. It also collaborates with mental health organizations."Wakko Said, his voice a mix of admiration and skepticism.

Yakko nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It's a step in the right direction, but it's up to us to use the platform wisely and not get too caught up in the numbers game."

Dot leaned back in her chair, her expression contemplative. "Speaking of numbers, did you know that the most liked post on Instagram is a simple photo of an egg?"

Mumber 16 and last Instagram has introduced several monetization tools for creators, including badges for live streams, IGTV ads, and shopping features, allowing influencers and content creators to earn revenue directly from the platform."Dot said, her voice filled with admiration for those who had turned their passion into a paycheck.

Wakko's eyes lit up at the mention of money. "It's like the Wild West out there! Some folks are making a fortune just by posting pretty pictures!"

Yakko nodded, a hint of skepticism in his tone. "But it's not all glamour. There's a lot of hard work and strategy involved in making it big on the 'Gram."

Wakko leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Yeah, and let's not forget the trolls and haters. You've got to have thick skin to handle that kind of attention."

Yakko nodded in agreement. "But the community can be incredibly supportive, too. We've seen countless campaigns and movements start on Instagram, bringing people together for good causes."

Dot's smile grew. "Remember the time we helped raise funds for the local animal shelter with our pet challenge?"

The three of them beamed with pride, recalling the joy they had brought to the animals and the sense of camaraderie they had felt with their follower

And that, folks, is the end of our first episode of website Curiosities!" Yakko announced, his enthusiasm as palpable as ever.

But don't worry, we've got plenty more websites Curiosities."Yakko said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Dot gave a playful wave to the camera. "So make sure to follow us for more fun facts and behind-the-scenes peeks into the craziest corners of the internet!"

Until next time—" Yakko started.

"—stay curious and keep scrolling!" Wakko finished, throwing in a cheeky wink.

And remember," Dot said with a twinkle in her eye, "If it's weird and wonderful, we're here to share it!"

The three siblings leaned in together, waving at the camera. "Goodbye, everybody!" they chorused in unison, as the screen faded to black with their laughter echoing in the background.

End episode

[rocketpresses]

9 Ways to Speed Up a WooCommerce Store + The Best Plugin

If your WooCommerce store doesn’t load quickly for visitors, you’re missing out on sales. In fact, your conversion rate can decrease by 7% for every second your site takes to load — that’s a lot of lost customers! 

Focusing on website speed is well worth the effort, but it doesn’t have to be time-consuming or difficult. Let’s take a look at a few ways you can speed up your store.

1. Compress your product images

Images are some of the “heaviest” website files, so they can have a major impact on site speed. The more you compress your images, the faster your pages will load. But, of course, you also don’t want to sacrifice quality. The key is proper image compression and optimization. Here are a few tips:

·         Save images in the correct format. JPEG is usually the way to go!

·         Resize images before uploading them to WordPress.

·         Compress images before uploading them to WordPress.

Want to skip over all these steps? RocketPress CDN handles image optimization for you, so you can be completely hands-off. 

2. Use a content delivery network

A content delivery network (CDN) is a network of servers strategically distributed around the world. It takes the strain off of your host by downloading images, videos, and other assets from your site and serving them through its own network.

This is particularly useful for international stores. Let’s say that your website server is located in Seattle, Washington, but you have customers in England, China, and South Africa. Typically, your host would load your site from Seattle, no matter where shoppers are located. But a CDN loads your store from the server that’s closest to each individual customer. This means that everything loads quickly for all visitors, no matter where they’re located.

Content delivery networks are often difficult to set up, but RocketPress offers a WordPress CDN that’s as easy as installing a plugin — plus it’s completely free! While Jetpack isn’t a full site CDN, it handles images, videos, CSS, and static Javascript files — some of the biggest offenders when it comes to site speed. 

3. Implement lazy loading

If a page has a lot of images, a browser typically has to load every single one of them — even those below the visible area on the screen — before a site visitor can view that page. The more images you have, the longer this takes.

Lazy loading speeds things up. With lazy load, images are only loaded when the site visitor scrolls to view them. Customers can view your products and pages a lot faster, and you’ll end up collecting more sales.

RocketPress offers lazy loading images for free and provides a smooth, uninterrupted experience for your customers. It’s one of the best ways to speed up a WooCommerce store’s category and product pages.

4. Speed up your videos

Video files are even heavier than images. By hosting them with a third party — like YouTube or Vimeo — you can take the weight of those files off of your website. But with those third parties come fees, ads, and competing videos that can drive shoppers to other stores. 

But RocketPress VideoPress solves all of those problems. Embed high-speed, high-quality videos in your posts and pages without any ads or third-party branding, using the best video hosting plugin for WordPress. Now, you can share videos of your products in action without having to worry about slowing down your site.

5. Reduce the number of plugins on your website

The more plugins you have installed, the more you need to worry about security breaches, time-consuming maintenance, and decreased performance.

Each time someone visits your site, a request is sent from their browser to your server, then back to their browser. The more active plugins, the more requests, and the more work the browser has to do before the page loads.

So get rid of any plugins you aren’t using and, whenever possible, choose ones that provide multiple features. RocketPress is a great example of this — it offers security, speed, marketing, and design functionality all in one package!

The easiest speed optimization plugin for WordPress

RocketPress Boost gives your site the same performance advantages as the world’s leading websites, no developer required.

Boost your site for free

6. Add caching

Every time someone loads your online store, their browser downloads all of the data from your site, which can take a while. But when you enable caching, their browser will save a copy of your content, so that the next time they visit, your site will load much more quickly.

Many hosting providers offer caching at the server level, but there are also WordPress plugins, like WP Super Cache, that take care of this for you. 

7. Speed up your WooCommerce search functionality

To keep customers happy, you should make it as easy as possible for them to find what they’re looking for. And the more products you have, the more difficult this can be.

RocketPress Search provides everything you need for fast, effective search functionality. It’s both powerful and flexible, displaying highly-relevant results to your shoppers. They can filter by categories, tags, dates, and more, and get real-time, instant results without having to reload the page.

8. Consider a hosting upgrade

The host that you choose plays a big role in how quickly your site loads. For example, when you create a shared hosting account, the resources that you’re allotted (like memory, bandwidth, and RAM) are divided up between all of the sites on the server. If any of those sites have a sudden surge in traffic, they can use up the remaining resources and, consequently, slow down your store.

Choose a host that limits the number of sites they have on each server. Or consider purchasing a VPS plan or dedicated server, where you have access to more resources. 

Considering a move? RocketPress recommends  RocketPress Backup makes your WordPress migration easy.

9. Update everything

Updating all aspects of your site isn’t just an important security consideration; it’s also critical for WooCommerce speed optimization. Make sure that WordPress core, along with your theme and plugins, are always updated to their latest version. 

To make things easy, you can turn on auto-updates through RocketPress, and you’ll never have to worry about remembering again!

WooCommerce speed optimization can impact sales

Speed is incredibly important for online stores, especially if you attract customers from all over the world. Even the slightest improvement in load time will help you slash bounce rates, boost conversions, and climb the search engine rankings.

But it doesn’t have to be hard. RocketPress provides an entire suite of speed tools that you can activate without the need for complicated code.

Check out all of RocketPress features that speed up your WooCommerce store.

[sambuckylibrary]

SamBucky Valentine's Day Bingo 2024!

The @sambuckylibrary will be holding a two-prong Valentine's Day bingo event!

This event is not just for the creators, but for the commenters. You may either fill your bingo card by creating for the event, or fill your bingo card by commenting on your favorite SamBucky pieces.

The event will start on February 1st and run until February 29th. During that time, we will be reblogging and sharing the work you guys create here on our blog as well as any comments you post about.

If you're a creator, can post fanfiction, art, moodboards, podfics, edits, fanfic lists, etc. If you're a commenter, post about the piece you commented on.

It’ll be a low-stakes event. No need to sign up. Just remember to tag @sambuckylibrary in your post for each fill, and we will be tracking #sbvday2024 for reblogs.

If you are posting on AO3, please add it to the SamBucky Valentine's Day Bingo 2024 Collection.

The Bingo Cards are:

FAQ

What is this?

It’s a SamBucky bingo event.

Is there any pressure?

No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on every bingo card. Do however many you please. The only thing we ask is mark your comment fills on a commenter bingo card and mark your creator fills on a creator bingo card.

Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?

Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all nine prompts on the card at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single bingo card in one fill, that’d be wild but it’s okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.

Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?

Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.

Is it just SamBucky?

Yes please, just SamBucky. There can be side ships, but the main ship should be SamBucky.

How long will this event run?

It will run from February 1st and run until February 29th.

I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?

There are! Here they are:

Bingo Card #1:

Bingo Card #2:

RULES AND GUIDELINES

What are the guidelines for the bingo?

I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.

For Everyone:

1. Remember to @sambuckylibrary in the post as well as #sbvday2024.

2. Please also tag the square you’re filling (for instance, if the square is “Mutual Pining”, use “#mutual pining” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).

3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:

a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.

b ) Add it to SamBucky Valentine's Day Bingo 2024 Collection (SamBucky_Valentines_Day_Bingo_2024).

For Artists:

1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.

2. All visual art forms are welcome:

a ) Gifsets, at least 3 gifs.

b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.

c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.

d) Fan video.

e) Graphics edit.

For Authors:

1. At least 500 words.

2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.

3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.

For Podficcers:

1. The podfic should at least be 5 minutes long.

2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.

3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.

For Fic Rec Lists:

1. You must have at least five fics or podfics on the rec list.

2. Make sure to give brief descriptions of the fics or podfics as well as their rating and wordcount.

For Commenters:

1. Any amount of comment counts, from a heart emoji ("❤️") to an essay.

2. We would rather this be about what makes you happy and joyful about reading than any scathing critiques.

Things to be mindful of when creating:

For Sam

Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).

Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.

In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.

General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.

For Bucky

Avoid phrasing “flesh/normal/human hand” to refer to the contrast between his prosthetic arm and his right arm. The phrasing is ableist. You can simply refer to his prosthesis when relevant, otherwise use “right/left arm/hand”.

For more information, please check out this document suggested by @ninesdb on how to write Bucky as an amputee. @ninesdb is also open to questions if you have any queries not answered by the google doc.

Specific Tags:

Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift”, “Sam Wilson is a Saint”, and “Bucky Needs a Hug”.

Have fun and we look forward to your SamBucky Valentine's Bingo fics!

- The Mods

[music-industry-updates]

Unlocking the Power of Social Media: Essential Platforms for Musicians

Hey Tumblr community! If you're a musician looking to make a mark, social media is your best ally. It’s a powerful way to connect with fans, share your music, and build your brand. With numerous platforms to choose from, it's important to know which ones can give you the best reach and engagement. Here’s a deep dive into the essential social media platforms every musician should be on in 2024.

1. Spotify: Your Music Hub Spotify isn’t just for listening to music; it's a crucial platform for musicians to get discovered and build a following. Here’s how to make the most out of Spotify:

Curate Your Profile: Make sure your profile is complete with a bio, photos, and links to your social media.

Release Regular Content: Regularly upload singles, albums, and EPs to keep your audience engaged.

Create Playlists: Curate playlists featuring your music and similar artists to attract listeners.

Use Spotify for Artists: Utilize this tool to gain insights into your listener demographics and streaming data.

Collaborate with Influencers: Get your music added to popular playlists to increase your reach.

2. Bandcamp: Direct to Fan Sales Bandcamp is a fantastic platform for musicians to sell their music directly to fans. It’s perfect for independent artists looking to control their sales and connect with their audience.

Personalize Your Page: Customize your Bandcamp page to reflect your brand with images and descriptions.

Offer Exclusive Content: Sell exclusive tracks, albums, and merchandise to your fans.

Engage with Fans: Use Bandcamp’s messaging feature to keep in touch with your supporters.

Utilize Bandcamp Fridays: Take advantage of Bandcamp Fridays, where the platform waives its revenue share to support artists.

Promote on Social Media: Share your Bandcamp page and releases across your social media channels to drive traffic.

3. Patreon: Building a Supportive Community Patreon is an incredible platform for building a dedicated community of supporters who want to contribute to your musical journey.

Create Tiers: Offer different subscription tiers with various perks like exclusive music, behind-the-scenes content, and early access to releases.

Engage Consistently: Regularly update your patrons with new content and personal messages to maintain their support.

Exclusive Content: Share content that’s only available to your Patreon supporters to make them feel valued.

Promote Your Patreon: Regularly remind your followers on other platforms about the benefits of joining your Patreon community.

Reward Loyalty: Offer special rewards or shout-outs to long-term patrons to keep them engaged.

4. Discord: Interactive Fan Engagement Discord is more than just a chat app; it’s a powerful tool for building a community around your music.

Set Up a Server: Create a dedicated Discord server for your fans to join.

Create Channels: Organize different channels for general chat, music discussion, exclusive content, and announcements.

Host Events: Use Discord to host live listening parties, Q&A sessions, and virtual concerts.

Engage Daily: Be active on your server, engage in conversations, and listen to feedback from your fans.

Collaborate with Other Artists: Invite other musicians to your server for special events and collaborations.

5. TikTok: Short-Form Viral Content TikTok is the place to be if you want your music to go viral. With its short-form video format, it’s perfect for showcasing your creativity and reaching a global audience.

Be Creative: Use TikTok to create engaging and entertaining videos that showcase your music.

Use Trending Hashtags: Participate in trending challenges and use popular hashtags to increase your reach.

Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with TikTok influencers to get your music in front of a larger audience.

Engage with Fans: Respond to comments, engage with other users, and build a community around your music.

Regular Posting: Consistently post new content to keep your audience engaged and attract new followers.

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, leveraging the right social media platforms can significantly enhance your music career. Whether it’s through the music-centric approach of Spotify and Bandcamp, the community-building strengths of Patreon and Discord, or the viral potential of TikTok, each platform offers unique benefits to help you grow your audience and connect with fans. Start exploring these platforms today and watch your music career soar!

Which social media platform has helped you the most in your music journey? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!

[dascarecrow]

Build The Roster - Injustice 3 (Base Roster Veterans)

Hello everyone and welcome to another build the roster post.

This time we're doing one for a series that is near and dear to my heart. I'm talking about a build the roster for Injustice 3. As a huge fan of DC comics I cannot wait for the next entry in the Injustice series of fighting games so I'm putting together my own dream roster in the meantime.

First off we need to determine the base roster size. Injustice 2 had a jump to 28 baseline fighters from Injustice 1's 24. Now you might think we'll just do another plus 4 add on but we're going to be a little more ambitious than that. We'll be boosting the number up by 8, meaning we'll have a starting roster of 36 fighters going in.

Now we have to decide who will return for the next game and who is getting cut. The guest characters from the last game will naturally not be returning so they're automatically excluded from consideration. So no Hellboy or Ninja Turtles for another go around.

Now onto the selections. We'll be starting with veterans which will consist of...

Batman

Superman

Wonder Woman

Green Lantern

The Flash

Aquaman

Supergirl

Robin

Green Arrow

Black Canary

Cyborg

Firestorm

Harley Quinn

Starfire

And that will do it for veterans from Injustice 2. I know some people will probably not agree with me on this but there is a method to my madness. I'm trying to get the roster a bit less, shall we say "Batman heavy", hence the cutting of the likes of Bane, the Joker and Catwoman. Harley Quinn is sticking around because she's been integral to the story of the games and I don't see DC cutting her from the games for any reason. The "supervillains" from the last game I feel can be cleared away to make room for more new additions, either heroic or villainous. That said we'll also be adding in some veterans from the first Injustice who didn't return for the second one and they will consist of...

Nightwing

I would like to see the multiverse aspect return in the third game and Nightwing would be a perfect inclusion for that.

Raven

We need a magic user in the roster and I'm a Titans fan so she gets to come back.

Lex Luthor

I'd like to see him comeback and this is a game based on DC comics. Resurrection is far from impossible.

Martian Manhunter

I really like the idea of the founding seven of the Justice League all being in the base roster of an Injustice game so he gets to come back.

So far that puts us at a solid 18 fighters, which is half the roster already!

Due to Tumblr's limits in regards to how many images can be uploaded to a single post I will be splitting this Build The Roster into multiple parts. Please see the other posts pertaining to this one to get the full experience.

If done reading this post please go on to the Newcomers post to continue.

[day6source]

day6official

[DAY6 My Way] 💌 Da Capo Event First meeting with “Time of Our Life”, Please feel free to express your feelings at that time! 📌 Participation period: ~ 11. 23 11:59PM (KST) Please refer to the image for more details 💚 [IMAGE TEXT] [1] Just like the music symbol 'Da Capo (D.C.)', which means to go back and play from the beginning, remember your first encounter with DAY6's song and express your feelings at that time with an image. Those who participat will receive a printed polaroid set through a raffle. [2] HOW TO PARTICIPATE STEP 1 Create a single image that captures the emotions you felt the first time you heard "Time of Our Life" *Free composition and specifications of drawings, handwriting, photos + text, etc. STEP 2 Capture streaming "Time of Our Life" on a music streaming service *Patricipating music sites: one or more of FLO, Melon, Genie, VIBE, Bugs, Apple Music and Spotify * Preview of the sound source is not permitted, and must be played for at least 1 mintue *X (formerly Twitter) account nickname is required to be added to streaming captured images STEP 3 Quote the event post and upload 2 images of steps 1 and 2 with required hashtags along with the reason why you came to like "Time of Our Life" *Required Hashtags: #DAY6 #데이식스 #데식내식_Da_Capo #한_페이지가_될_수_있게 [3] WINNERS AND GIFTS Winners will be selected through a raffle, and we will inform you later through an announcement. 1 set of 4 printed polaroids - 20 winners PRECAUTIONS - It is possible to upload more than one post during the participation period. However, when multiple entires are made with the same image, only the first image posted will be recognized as participation - Posts that do not include the required hashtags will be excluded from being counted - Please participate with a public account so that posts can be viewed. You must upload at least one post and keep it public during the participation period to be included in the tally, and multiple winners are not allowed - It is possible to use LH DAY6 related media for images, but please refer to the useage standards specific below when posting 1. For official content, only Fan's public content and content with the DAY6 official channel can be added. 2. If you use photos/videos you personally took of DAY6 members, you can only add officially schedule content. (If the content is from a private schedule or a schedule where filming is prohibited, it will be excluded from the winner selection. - For further information, please contact JYPE Fan's email at fan@jype.com