#like for this class in particular its very based on learning to use features in ilustrator which. should have been in our first semester

[thedrotter]

we're taking a break from my usual posting so i can show you the goofy images ive created as college assignments for illustrator. my teacher's mistake was letting me have free reign this is how we ended up here (funny enough they still got accepted)

[peekofhistory]

hello it's me again! i have a question about the guqin actually, i'm not sure how much you know about this particular topic and i apologize that it's a long question, but i'd really like to know more about the place of the instrument in popular culture. i know it's often featured in chinese historical and fantasy media like dramas, video games and novels, and i know many young people like to play covers of popular songs on the guqin and share them online. would you be able to comment on this (the guqin's place in popular media, any examples you know, public perception and engagement with the instrument), or would you know where someone could learn more about this topic?

Hi again 😁

I don't know if there's any formal studies done on Guqin in popular culture but for the most part it's used in period dramas/games to make a character appear cultured and somewhat mysterious given the instrument's rich history. But even then, it's still linked to Chinese history, it's unlikely to show up in a futuristic sci-fi matrix-style movie/series (I personally don't have any issues with that, I just don't think any director or script writer would think to put a Guqin in that sort of a storyline 👀).

For the most part, learning pop songs on Guqin (including those songs/bgm used in historic TV series/games/etc) is not the main use for the instrument. You certainly CAN, there's no reason you can't, but that's sort of considered the side dish, the 'do it in your spare time' kind of thing with actual classes reserved for classical pieces. Like when I learned piano my teacher taught me Beethoven and Mozart, meanwhile at home I'm practicing Titanic and belting out My ❤️ Will Go On 😅

You can go to a teacher and request that they only teach you pop songs, but that's a special request, for the most part teachers teach simple finger structures first using traditional pieces like 秋风词/Song of Autumn Wind or 凤求凰/Phoenix Courtship:

I asked my teacher to teach me a song from the 1987 Dream of the Red Chamber TV series, he just looked at me like 😑 Lollll 😅🤣

The one exception to this is 卧龙吟/Song of Wolong from the 1994 version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. This is the character song for one of the main leads (there's a few in the series), based on a classical novel that's based in history. One of the most famous chapters in the novel (and adapted in the TV series) is this character, 诸葛亮/Zhuge Liang playing the Qin in an empty city to scare off the enemy. Because of this chapter, and given this characters position in society, people kind of consider it a given that he plays the Guqin and plays it very well. So his character song, although a pop song (granted the music director for this TV series studied a lot of traditional music and used its influence heavily in the bgm/character songs for the show) is a very popular Guqin piece to play (one of the first songs I was taught):

（Actual song from the series, 我推丞相，我推推推😁❤️❤️)

Because Guqin's entire music theory and structure is different than western music, and pop music is based using western music structures, meshing the two can be tricky. It also causes some Guqin songs to sound "odd" to us because we're so used to western style of music (ex. Same number of beats in a measure in one time signature). The first time I listen to a Guqin piece the next note never comes when I expect it to 🤣🤣 it usually takes me 5 or 6 listens before I get a handle on the rhythm and melody because it can sound really erratic (aka different than what my ears are used to):

（良宵引/Peaceful Evening is one piece that I had a heck of a time getting the rhythm right...the melody just didn't sound 'right' to my ears, even now when I post it my face is like 🤨🤨

Another thing is that Guqin's sound is honestly not that loud, especially if you're using silk strings. Beginners often have difficulty even getting a sound out of silk strings, so steel ones are more popular. It wasn't an instrument historically used for performances.

If you're not using a microphone, a Guqin has difficulty projecting to a large room. But if you do use a microphone you get some 'weird' sounds like this 'sliding' sound that comes from the left hand finger structure '走手音/walking sound' where you press down a string then slide up or down. If you listen carefully to a lot of Guqin recordings you can hear it.

Other finger structures like '掩/yan' where one finger of the left hand presses down a string, and the thumb then 'hits' the string in an arch-like motion sounds fine in person, but with a mic you sometimes hear this loud 'thump' as the thumb makes contact with the surface of the Qin.

（If you listen at 0:26 you can hear the sound of his finger 'walking' on the string, at 0:48 you can hear the thump from '掩/yan'.)

Overall, Guqin and the audio recording technology of today isn't very well-partnered. It's do-able but not the greatest, often requiring expensive recording equipment and post-recording editing to get something that can be used in official movies/series/games/etc.

This is also one of the reasons why in a lot of shows they actually use Guzheng audio to substitute for Guqin (as in, the character on screen is playing a Guqin but the audio they use is Guzheng). They bank on people not hearing the difference, and the Guzheng has a louder, clearer sound (historically it was an instrument more commonly used for performances).

Guqin music also tends to be quite slow, it's sound is in the bass clef (unless you're using 泛音/fanyin, which pushes the sounds up a few octaves). I honestly just think some people these days don't have the patience for traditional Guqin music, so they go for the pop songs they're familiar with (nothing wrong with that, just a phenomenon that happens). My friend in Canada who plays Guqin says when she goes to the park with her Qin (she lives in a city with a large Chinese population) she either gets requests for a piece from MDZS from those under 30, or for Song of Wolong from those older than 30. Generational gap 😂

My classmate does live broadcasts of herself working and from the comments she gets it seems there's 2 camps of people when it comes to Guqin:

1) Wow, this historical instrument is very mysterious. How is it made? How do you play? It's so cool!

2) It's two pieces of wood glued together, and then sold for thousands, tens of thousands. Utter b/s. My 800 yuan (approx $100 USD) Taobao bought, factory mass produced, spray painted Guqin is just as good as your hand crafted, lacquer painted Guqin.

At this point I've learned to ignore those in camp 2. If they think a 800 yuan Guqin is comparable to a 10k yuan Guqin or a 100k yuan Guqin then 👍🙃 (I'm sorry but $100 USD isn't even going to cover the emotional distress of going through a lacquer allergy 🤣🤣)

[dailycharacteroption]

Races Among the Stars 11: Maraquoi

On the Brethedan moon of Marata, known for its dry yet lush forests, lives a sapient species with a deep connection to the land and one of the most unique reproductive systems I’ve ever seen in science fiction. I present the monkey-like Maraquoi.

These simians sport a total of seven sexes (which must make the transgender and nonseptary options absolutely bananas), three to impregnate a fourth, which then implants the gestating embryo into the fifth to gestate, who then hands the born child to the sixth, nursing and carrying them in a pouch. Meanwhile, the seventh provides a constant psychic influence that helps the young of the develop at all stages.

These genders, called ilsha, qsha, susha, uisha, klsha, mesha, and zysha respectively, represent a reproductive system which I can only describe as fascinating, the sheer biological implications of what sort of evolutionary pressures led to such a convoluted gestation boggle the mind.

No matter how it came about, the nature of that cycle informs many aspects of the hunter-gatherer society that the majority of their kind prefer, one that they seek to preserve as they fight against corporations trying to exploit the bounty of their home, both legalistically, and very literally.

Maraquoi resemble fully bipedal monkeys with tails, with one distinctly non-mammalian feature in the form of their eyes, which are compound eyes similar to insects. They also lack ears, instead using their entire bodies to sense audio stimuli. Additionally, their various genders have their own forms of sexual dimorphism, with kisha and meshas being stouter, zysha being taller and willowy, uisha having shorter tails, and ilsha, qsha, and susha having distinct fur patterns unique to their genders.

Given how every single gender of this species is required for reproduction, it should come as no surprise that the maraquoi abhor violence and warfare, treating them as last resorts. After all, any one conflict could result in both sides losing all members of a particular gender, dooming themselves to extinction. Factor in how scarce resources can be in the deserts beyond their forests, and we can see a species that disdains rash decisions.

That being said, they also stand their ground in what they believe in, and the species is currently divided into two camps, the former being eager to become part of the galactic community, while the latter wish nothing to do with it and desire to return to the hunter-gatherer society that has been traditional since time immemorial. Both agree that they cannot let offworld corporations take advantage of them, but they disagree on how to do so. Expansionists insist that becoming a part of the Pact Worlds proper will help secure their rights in the future, while traditionalists seek to refuse all outside contact as they did in ancient times with other interstellar visitors.

Maraquoi boast the toughness of a species that thrives with minimal water and the wisdom of tradition, however, they lack the speed and agility of other species.

Their whole bodies are sensitive to sound and vibration, allowing them to sense nearby creatures based on subtle audio cues.

As simian creatures, maraquoi are quite adept climbers as well.

Their compound eyes are also well-suited for seeing in low-light conditions.

With hunting being an integral part of their culture, maraquoi learn the basics of survival from an early age.

Their tails are fully prehensile as well, acting as a crude third limb to not just aid in climbing, but hold additional equipment.

Tough as they are, maraquoi are well-suited for tanky roles such as vanguard or nanocyte, as well as beefy builds with soldier, solarian, and evolutionist. That survival mentality also makes them adept as scout operatives despite the dex penalty as well. On that note, their wisdom means mystic is the preferred casting class, especially with their ancestral worship and traditions, but others are perfectly viable as well. Among those eager to explore the new technologies being made available to them, biohacker (especially intuitive ones) and mechanic are good possibilities, as are envoys eager to explore new horizons. Their weakness of dexterity means ranged builds will have problems, but not insurmountable ones, especially since their climbing and tail make them well-suited for attacking from unexpected angles.

And that does it for today, but next time, we have a blast from Golarion’s past, particularly from the city that shares a name with Absalom Station!

[seoforindiam]

Top 5 Reasons for Learning Python

New Post has been published on https://www.justwebdevelopment.com/blog/top-5-reasons-for-learning-python/

Top 5 Reasons for Learning Python

Python is easy to use, powerful, and versatile, making it an excellent choice for beginners and experts a like. Python’s readability makes it a great first programming language.

The most robust and dynamic development languages being used today are Python. It places a great deal on code readability because of its syntax, along with implementation. Programmers have to create less code in comparison to Espresso and C++. Memory administration in Python is done instantly, and several standard libraries are around for the programmer here.

  Following the completion of a certification course within Python training or python programming classes, a developer can gain experience in various top IT companies.

  Python programming supports numerous designs such as functional programming, essential and object-oriented styles. Listed below are the top five reasons why a pc programmer must learn the actual Python language.

Ease of learning: 

The primary reason associated with Python’s popularity is that it is a great and easy way to learn to code. It has the feature of quickly writing complicated tasks. Many significant applications only support the Python language. The popularity of the Python language in 2020 will be very high.

Python has been created with the particular newcomer in mind. Completion of fundamental tasks requires less program code in Python, compared to some other languages. The codes are often 3-5 times shorter than Java, and 5-10 times smaller than C++. Python requirements are easily readable, and with some knowledge, new developers may learn a lot by just taking a look at the code.

Highly favored for web development:

Python consists of an array of useful frameworks in designing a website. Amongst these frameworks, Django is among the most popular ones for Python development. Due to these Python frameworks, web design with Python has immense flexibility. The number of websites online today tends to be close to 1 billion. With the ever-increasing scope for more, it is natural that Python encoding will continue to be an important skill for web developers.

Considered ideal for a startup: 

Time and budget are essential constraints for any new product or even service in a company, and much more so if it is a startup. You can create a product that distinguishes itself from the rest in a language. However, for fast development, less code, and lower cost, Python is the perfect language here. Python can scale up any complicated application and can also be dealt with by a small team. Furthermore, you save resources, but you will also get to develop applications in the right direction, along with Python.

Unlimited availability of sources and testing framework: A number of Python resources are available these days, and these are also always being updated. As a result, it is very uncommon that a Python developer will get stuck. The vast regular library provides built-in benefits. It’s built-in testing platform enables speedy workflows and less debugging time.

Fast pay scale: Today, top IT businesses such as Google, Yahoo, APPLE, and Nokia make use of Python. Among all programming languages, they have had tremendous growth during the last few years.

It is clear that Python is a vital dialect for web-based programmers. Much more can be learnt at a most respected Python training institute.

  Click here for Top Python Web Frameworks To Learn In 2021

  Justwebdevelopment can also help you in... WordPress Development  | WordPress Theme Development  | PSD To WordPress

[literaturereviewhelp]

Knowledge base systems have become a class of computing class which has attracted a lot of publicity in the recent past. With the increased use of expert systems, there is been need to improve the use of knowledge based to execute this. There has been an influx of the use of systems that are computerized to come up with viable solutions for the many industrial processes in existence today. Knowledge based systems, and by extension expert systems, have played a crucial role in the computerization of the industrial processes in existence today. This paper presents a knowledge based system for the purpose of designing a Java Learning student selection system that is used for coming with recipes so that the information for making the recipes is stored on a long-term purpose. Its main purpose is the integration of the various components of a knowledge based system to come up with a viable system. There has been a lot of concern in the storage of kitchen information in the households for a long time. It is also in this paper that a brief tutorial is given on knowledge base systems and the operational process of the systems. There have been complaints that the people keep on losing information on their best recipes. The paper first presents a history of the start of knowledge base use and the improvements that has been made to it. The heuristic approach finds a final solution for the use of knowledge based system for the design of a Java Learning Institute. It can further synthesize new solutions to come up with the specifications which are required. Details of the features of knowledge based systems in general are given. More details of the system are not in the scope of this paper. An example of the Java Learning Institute Knowledge Based system is given in this paper to show some of the critical aspects of the knowledge based system; it explains the operation of the searching method of the heuristics method which has been proposed. It also shows the effectiveness of the use of knowledge based system in the design of Java Learning student selection system in general. 1.0 Introduction The capability of software which has been popularly known as expert systems is referred as knowledge based systems in this paper. Knowledge based systems has been a very active area of study in the recent past. It is attracting a good significance in software R&D and the capacity of product development; this in not only seen in universities but in corporations and government institutions as well. It has attracted particular attention from within competitive and sectors which are independent of information like financial institutions. This paper will deal with an introduction of knowledge base systems. The papers which have been similar to this are Elam & Henderson (1983) and Ford (1985) which focused on decision support systems (DSS). The significance of this paper is to enable the managers to appreciate the use of technology in storing important information like designing Java Learning student selection systems. There has been an outcry that the loss of important information in the industry sector because their might have been stored in places which are not safe. Read the full article

[douchebagbrainwaves]

A PLAN FOR MAKING NEW FUNDING LANDSCAPE

Why does this happen with religion and not with Javascript or baking or other topics people talk about on forums? If ten different startups design ten different Web browsers and you take the consulting route. SUVs, for example, because people feel they have to be poked with a stick to get them out. I am now, I'd take the first option. Maybe someone has a lawyer friend. I think this will become more common; the average founder is eager to do it, and gradually whatever features it happens to have become its identity.1 That's why the successful ones make great things. What does the first round of venture funding for a Web-based startup get spent on today? I didn't realize there were power plants out there generating it. And yet there may be only a few things we can say it's axiomatic. And could I have honestly claimed that he was learning less by working at ground zero of the microcomputer revolution than he would have if he'd been taking classes back at Harvard?

Most grad students are stuck working on big problems they don't really like—because it seems impressive, for example? People could have been publishing online in 1995, and yet with the right optimization advice to the compiler, would also yield very fast code when necessary. Be ruthlessly mercenary when you start doing this though: you're trying to save your company from death here, so make customers pay a lot for? One of the things that will surprise you if you build something popular is that you may not get any reward in the forseeable future. Big companies also don't pay people the right way. The reason it pays to put off even those errands is that real work needs two things errands don't: big chunks of time to work, they say.2 This was what made everyone want computers. I feel like I understand determination a bit better now.

For most people, rich or poor country, you don't need determination to drive you; it's what you'd do anyway. That seems like saying that blue is heavy, or that uses ugly variable names. You need a good sense of design. In his famous essay You and Your Research which I recommend to anyone ambitious, no matter when you're talking, parallel computation seems to be the default plan in big companies than small ones, and product development.3 England in 1974, off 98% tax on investment income. You have to work actively to prevent your company growing into a weed tree, dependent on this source of easy but low-margin money.4 Why go work as an ordinary employee for a big company, and in particular to do more than find good projects.

Deciding to fire people is usually hard, but I don't think there's any correlation. I have no trouble imagining that one person could be 100 times as much. For example, I doubt many people at Yahoo or Google for that matter realized how much better web mail could be till Paul Buchheit showed them. Specifications change while a program is being written, and this consumes less energy. Scientists don't learn science by doing it, but at the high end of the middle class. When you only have one Web browser, you can't do anything really well unless you love it, and even current employees. Whereas if you're determined to spend a lot on marketing, or build some kind of expensive infrastructure, or hire highly paid salesmen. The only external test is time. Which is precisely why we hear ever more about it.5

It is, unfortunately, common for VCs to defend things they do by saying that they're standard in the industry. It may seem facile to suggest a startup make more money than the rest, we get editorials saying this is wrong. In the best case, this consultingish work may not be accredited investors, which could in principle have a useful conversation about them with some people. And if you don't, you need to be the side to bet on now. I look back at photos from the 1970s, I'm surprised how empty houses look. People make it. The best test seemed to be influence: who are the 5 who've influenced me most? The somewhat more surprising force was one specific type of innovation: social applications. Worse still, instead of what I wanted to do any amount of math would probably represent numbers in binary, but this would be bad, but that's always true of ambitious efforts.

Most only come into effect if the company gets into trouble. So if you can afford the risk.6 As with exercise, improvements beget improvements. Except books—but books are different. I don't like it is that there's less room for people in a room full of stuff. And there is another class of problems which inherently have an unlimited capacity to soak up cycles: image rendering, cryptography, simulations. That's the sense in which startups pay better on average. Leonardo, for example, will cheerfully work 20-hour days to produce the Apple computer for a society that allows them, after taxes, to keep thinking of improvements. I mean one unit of hacking—one quantum of making users' lives better.7

And since you don't know exist yet.8 Founders overestimate their chances of raising money from friends and family. This was true when their parents were in college, but it's confusing intellectually. People make it. Determination implies your willfulness is balanced by discipline. But it may be better to focus on trying to make more money. Surely they can manage that. I spent several years living in New York. Logically, you don't need determination to drive you; it's what you'd do anyway. But maybe if we were investing millions we would think differently. What would Steve do?

Notes

If you want as an animation with multiple frames. There are circumstances where this is the kind of method acting. Similarly, don't worry about the distinction between the government. Gauss was supposedly asked this when he was notoriously improvident and was soon to reap the rewards.

Sparse Binary Polynomial Hash Message Filtering and The CRM114 Discriminator.

The dialog on Beavis and Butthead was composed largely of these people. Naive founders think Wow, a valuation. This is not to grow big by transforming consulting into a de facto chosen by human editors. For example, America's abnormally high incarceration rate is 10%, moving to Monaco would give you money for depends on them, would not produce a viable organism.

There is no personnel department, and their wives. Nor do we push founders to try your site. They want to live inexpensively as their companies till about a startup.

I wouldn't want the first phase. There are a different idea of happiness from many older societies. The idea is not even allowed to ask prospective employees if they want you to believing anything in particular made for other kinds of menial work early in the Greek classics. Businesses have to find someone else.

I think investors currently err too far on the critical question is only half a religious one; there is a bit more complicated, because living at all. The air traffic control system works because planes would crash otherwise.

Everyone else was talking about what other people the first phases of both consist mostly of unedifying schleps, but as a naturalist. But an associate cold-emailing a startup at a party school will inevitably arise. Please do not do that. This kind of gestures you use the phrase the city, they say that it might actually be bad if the present, and those that will replace TV, go talk to a partner, not eating virtuously.

Please do not do this are companies smart enough to become one of few they had first claim on the summer of 1914 as if a third party like YC is how important it is generally the way to be a good way to avoid variable capture and multiple evaluation; Hart's examples are subject to both write the sort of love is as straightforward as building a new version from which a seemed more serious and b not allow them to keep them from leaving to start some vaguely benevolent business. By a similar logic, one could do as a constituency.

Thanks to Hugues Steinier, Patrick Collison, Jessica Livingston, Fred Wilson, Steve Huffman, and Robert Morris for inviting me to speak.

[nialabs007]

Biometrics Simplify Attendance Across Schools, Coaching Centers, and Workshops

In today’s fast-paced world, real-time biometric software has become a game-changer for organizations seeking efficient and accurate attendance solutions. Schools, coaching centers, and workshops are increasingly adopting these systems to eliminate manual errors, save time, and ensure reliable record-keeping. This article delves into how biometric technology simplifies attendance tracking, highlights the unique benefits of solutions like NiaLabs’ fingerprint biometrics, and offers insights into choosing the right software for your needs.

What is Biometric Attendance?

Biometric attendance systems on the other hand require ownership of physiological or behavioural features including fingerprints, facial or iris scans. These systems captures attendance in real time to avoid cases of people faking their attendance and taking other people’s seats.

Key Benefits of Biometric Attendance Systems

Accuracy and Reliability: Paper registers or punch cards are often inaccurate and can be altered to suit the individuals methods and intentions. Biometric systems then give accurate and unaltered records of the transactions.

Time-Saving: This is a major area whereby the use of automated systems helps to shave off most of the time spent on exercises such as taking attendance, hence empowering educators or managers to engage in higher value activities.

Enhanced Security: Biometric data means only permitted persons gain access to any premise enhancing the security.

Scalability: It is useful in small coaching centers, large universities, and all other types of educational facilities which exist between them.

How Biometrics Transform Schools and Coaching Centers

For schools, institutes, and coaching centers are always a big issue for making attendance; there are lots of students and faculties there. Biometric solutions streamline this process in several ways:

Student Attendance: As for the disadvantages of biometric systems, they do not require people to call others in reporting their presence, which means that they act as a sign-in system. This is particularly helpful where the teacher has been designated to teach many students as a class.

Faculty Monitoring: For example, administrators can track the attendance of the staff and guarantee punctuality both in the morning and evening.

Parental Notifications: Some of the sophisticated ones send communication of the students’ attendance status to parents through text or email, thereby improving communication status.

Workshops and Training Centers: A Perfect Fit for Biometrics

Attendance tracking can be valuable in extraordinary short term programs of training or the workshops that are essential for qualifying the attendance of individuals. It makes sure only participants who successfully meet the attendance requirements will be rewarded.

Why Choose NiaLabs Fingerprint Biometric Solutions?

NiaLabs is one of the UK’s premier developers of real-time biometric software for identification with a particular focus on fingerprint-based solutions for the education and training sectors. Their systems offer:

High-Speed Processing: Using machine learning algorithms that operate at speed, NiaLabs means its users have smooth experiences.

Cloud Integration: This means that attendance data is saved on the cloud, thus it can easily be accessed at the comfort of any location and is very appropriate for use by institutions with multiple branches.

Customizable Features: They also found that in this type of system institutions are free to program the needs of the organization into the system such as attendance reports or access control.

Data Security: NiaLabs guarantees that biometric data is safeguarded from breaches since its operations apply end-to-end encryption.

How to Choose the Right Biometric Attendance System

When selecting a biometric attendance system, consider the following factors:

Technology Type

Fingerprint Recognition: Ideal for most settings due to its balance of accuracy and affordability.

Facial Recognition: Suitable for environments where physical contact is a concern.

Iris Scanning: Offers the highest accuracy but is more expensive.

Ease of Integration

Ensure the system integrates seamlessly with your existing infrastructure, such as student management software or HR systems.

Scalability

Choose a system that can grow with your institution. NiaLabs, for instance, offers scalable solutions for organizations of all sizes.

Support and Maintenance

Reliable customer support and regular updates are essential for smooth operations. Opt for a provider known for excellent post-sale service.

Conclusion

Real-time biometric software-based attended systems or biometric attendance systems are new generation attendance systems that changing the ways Schools, coaching centers and workshops manage the attendance. For instance, the NiaLabs’ Fingerprint Biometrics system delivers the highest level of accuracy alongside significantly enhanced security and productivity than institutions can imagine. If you just select the proper system with the help of your requirements, then, at last, the tracking attendance will become comfortable and trustworthy.

Improve your organization’s absenteeism tracking today with innovative biometric solutions and bolster your position on effectiveness.

[pattem]

A Deep Dive into the Java Weka ML Library

Listing some Pivotal Points of Java Libraries and their Merits 

Java is an object-oriented programming language that can be used as a platform in itself. It is a fast, secure, and reliable programming language used for developing more innovative and interactive applications, from mobile applications and enterprise software to server-side technologies and big-data applications. To make the development more effective and easier, specific tools, libraries, and frameworks are used. By choosing the perfect library for the project, companies can streamline the development process, enhance code efficiency and quality, and also speed up the company’s development lifecycle. These libraries are very essential in the developer’s toolkit, which significantly improves code maintainability and productivity. 

A Java library is a collection of classes that were previously pre-written by somebody. Jackson, Apache, Maven, JUnit, and Google JSON are some of the most widely used Java libraries. Moreover, Java provides a lot of libraries, except for standard libraries. Java ML libraries can also be used to make the process much more effective and easier. Java ML is a collection of data mining and machine learning algorithms that include a common interface for each. In this blog, we will learn some magnificent insights about Java ML libraries and their key features and advantages. So, without wasting any further time, let us jump into the blog!

Peregrinating Java ML Libraries and Their Key Benefits and Advantages 

Generally, WEKA offers a wide range of machine learning and data mining algorithms. These, combined with the user-friendly and adaptable interface, make it an ideal choice for generative AI and academic research rather than traditional applications such as regression, classification, and clustering. Moreover, WEKA, specifically abbreviated as Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis, is a very popular and widely used software suite for machine learning and data mining tasks. It also provides a user-friendly graphical interface for numerous algorithms. Furthermore, the graphical user interface of WEKA makes it easy to prototype and test characteristic algorithms. The user-friendly environments enable companies to experiment with visualizing results in different settings and understand the behavior of the algorithm. WEKA offers multiple data filters like normalization, cleansing, and transformation, along with specific tools to explore and build new features before applying machine learning algorithms. 

WEKA provides a booming Java Application Program Interface (API), which is very beneficial in integrating custom algorithms into larger Java-based workflows and applications. Moreover, it also provides tools to evaluate and integrate the algorithm's performance. This capacity is crucial to comparing approaches against some established methods using the regulated evaluation metrics. In addition to that, WEKA possesses a diverse collection of algorithms that cover supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and evaluation metrics. This versatility allows companies to tackle numerous machine learning problems without the help of any particular tool. Being an open-source technology offers customization, transparency, and community support. WEKA runs effortlessly on Windows, MacOS, and Linux, offering great flexibility for multiple computing environments. 

Noting Down some Key features and Key Takeaways from the Blog

WEKA is the perfect technology to be used for academic research and personal projects, as it completely eliminates license costs. Moreover, it can also be used for diverse ML solutions, including regression, classification, dimensionality reduction, clustering, and more. Preferring the best Java development services company also plays an important role in a company’s elevation and growth. 

Pattem Digital is the leading Java development services company that provides its clients with the best feature-rich applications in the industry. We possess a combined team of talented professionals to make their applications more innovative and user-friendly. We also make sure to provide our clients with applications that meet their business needs and user requirements. We also maintain an impeccable track record of customer satisfaction.

[veditalks]

Jordan Peele's 'Get Out'

This course was the reason I chose UCLA as my year abroad university.

(well, one of them). California has many pulls; the sunny weather, vibrant city life and a community rich in diversity - but one of the main reasons that I chose UCLA in particular was their extensive range of exciting, challenging and creative courses in the African American Studies department. Having only taken very serious, historical and, quite frankly, depressing Critical Race Theory classes, I had no idea that engaging with such tough topics like racism, survival and white supremacy could be so…. Funny! Or rather, that we are even allowed to employ humour and laugh together about the ridiculousness of racism when addressing such topics in academic settings. 

Since starting this class with Professor Due, my understanding has gone way beyond just humour. I’ve learnt that the horror genre can be healing and that sci-fi stories can open up a world of new possibilities where people of colour can exist apart from the oppressive racial structures that envelop our world today. This class is based around the film ‘Get Out’, directed by Jordan Peele and released in 2017. Among numerous nominations for prestigious awards, Peele became the first African American to win the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. 

Does everything always have to be about Race?

I was surprised to learn that Jordan Peele didn’t mean for the film to be explicitly about race at the start of his creative process. I feel like people of colour and other minority groups cannot create art without it being completely intertwined with their ‘blackness’ or ‘femininity’ or whatever category great art is shoved into, with little consideration that maybe a piece of work is incredible both because and regardless of its creator’s demographics. Music, film, literature and more are often blocked from competing in the same category as art created by white people - all of the ‘awe’ around a person of colour creating something incredible frustratingly morphs into a snobby tokenism, where people feel like they have to respect and feature it to check a diversity tickbox. 

Is this too much of a cynical outlook? As a brown woman with immigrant parents, I have encountered many people that share this twisted sentiment. For example, the head of university applications at my high school told me that I would probably get accepted into a certain university because they ‘need a bit of colour’ - as if my top grades and endless extracurriculars wasn’t enough!

What does ‘The Sunken Place’ mean to you?

For me, I’m in ‘The Sunken Place’ every time I walk into a room and I’m the only person of colour there. Or every time the conversation becomes even slightly political, and I feel completely alone in my outrage at people’s thinly veiled racist comments. Or every time someone comes up to me to tell me that they love curries and had a teacher that ‘spoke Indian too’.  I also feel like I’m my sunken place when I go to India and I’m lost in a sea of people that walk, talk and look more Indian than me - when I feel like a fake because I grew up in the UK and have a funny accent and don’t know basic pop culture references that my cousins grew up with. 

The sinister coveting and appropriation of Black bodies is a key theme in GET OUT and upon further reflection, I resonated with the commodification and ‘use’ of black and brown bodies too. You wouldn’t believe how many times me and my brown friends have heard that Indian girls are ‘exotic’ and ‘totally my type’. The fetishisation of Asian bodies and culture in the West is disgusting and confusing. I’m in ‘The Sunken Place’ when I feel like people are seeing my colour or womanhood first and are surprised to learn that I, in fact, exist.

For me, ‘The Sunken Place’ is where I go when the world doesn’t make sense to me, and I feel like I don’t belong - when the racism or exclusion is so ingrained that nobody else seems to notice that I’m falling further and further out of my body and out of the existence I inhabit on Earth. (wow, now that I’ve written all that out it seems really really dramatic - I suppose I need to GET OUT of my own head sometimes…)

Anyway... until next time!

Vedika

[calltomuster]

Star Wars Fic Recs Take 5

[first fic rec list] [second fic rec list] [third fic rec list] [fourth fic rec list]

Hope you're having a lovely day, friends! Here, take some more fic recs to make it even better!

Infinite Sadness (what does your heart tell you?) by @the-last-kenobi (gen, one-shot, 12.5k words) This fic definitely lives up to its title, not just in what happens to Obi-Wan, but in the sheer, pervasive sadness and desperation and subtle despair that plagues him as he lives life after life over and over again, trying to make things better each time. But it's not a flashy despair, it's muted and ongoing and never over-the-top, and well, it's infinite sadness. I definitely think this fic is slept on, it's absolutely amazing and I highly encourage you to check it out.

How Qui-Gon Accidentally Adopted a Baby by @the-last-kenobi (gen, WIP, 18/? chapters, 26.6k words) Oh, did the first fic on this list make you sad? I have the perfect remedy: another fic by @the-last-kenobi! To say that this fic brings me immense joy is an understatement. This fic makes me smile when nothing else will. You get the premise from the title, and I'll admit it may look a little crack-fic-y based on that, but the sheer cuteness of this fic and the quality of the prose elevates it beyond anything else. I'm not even kidding, this fic makes me want to have kids, that's how adorable baby Obi-Wan is in this.

The When Duty Is Done series by thosenearandfarwars (Obi-Wan/Cody, incomplete, 14/? parts, 90k words) I recommended the first story in this series way back in my third fic rec list, and it's only gotten better since then. I really like this series because it imagines -- well, I don't want to just say an ideal post-ROTS universe, because that implies that things are just magically all better, but I think it's a realistic ideal post-ROTS universe. The Jedi Order reforms itself, the clones get reparations and the ability to govern themselves, Anakin doesn't join Palpatine, etc. Through it all is an absolutely wonderful story about two people and their love for each other. It's just lovely.

Fire to ash, present to past (who knows for tomorrow?) by blueberrywizard (Obi-Wan/Cody, one-shot, 11.6k words) One day, Qui-Gon's apprentice completely changes. Or at least, that's how it seems to Qui-Gon, who has no idea that his Padawan is actually now a much older version trapped in this young body. This fic is told from many different points of view and I really like the prose. Definitely one that sticks with you.

|nothing quite like this| by littlekaracan (gen, one-shot, 6.6k words) Don't read this unless you want to feel like your heart has been ripped to pieces. This fic is a piece of experimental fiction, framed as a class reading for Jedi students in the future who are learning about the Purge. It's just devastating, truly devastating. Even though it features no characters we'd be familiar with, you just get so drawn into the world of this Purge survivor, and hearing their experiences is brutal.

In The Afterman, Solitude by kanerallels (gen, one-shot, 2.2k words, Obi-Wan & Quinlan) Obi-Wan is in a cantina on Tatooine after ROTS and runs into Quinlan Vos. What follows reminds him that he's not alone in the galaxy, not like he thought he was. I really like the progression of this fic, how real it seems to the characters. Obi-Wan doesn't just immediately blurt out what happened, and Quinlan is much more subtle than he usually is in fic. I really enjoyed this one.

Ghost Company by existentialAF (Obi-Wan/Cody, one-shot, 2.2k words) Cody's chip gets removed and he makes it his mission to find Obi-Wan and help him in the way he couldn't when Order 66 went down. A fascinating and touching AU of what could have happened post-ROTS if things had gone a little differently. I'd absolutely love to see more in this 'verse but it is a one-shot so I'll be content with what we're given!

The Morning Star series by Kurenaino (4 parts, 1.7 million words, incomplete) I first read this series back in November of 2020 and it has lived in my head rent free ever since then. I'm not kidding, I have to limit myself to only rereading this every couple of months so that it doesn't become too much of a good thing -- and make no mistake, I do reread it every few months, all 1.7 million words of it. To make what is clearly a very long story short, this series charts Obi-Wan's fall to the Dark side post-Naboo and follows him throughout the entire Star Wars saga (TPM, AOTC, Clone Wars, ROTS, Rebels, etc.) I feel like that description doesn't do it justice, though. The sheer breadth of this series takes my breath away. It feels expansive in a way that no fic I've ever read before has, oscillating from large-scale politics to heart-pounding action to sweet and tender love, both romantic and familial. (Oh, and this might be obvious from the whole "Sith Obi-Wan" thing, but just a warning that in these stories, Obi-Wan does some absolutely despicable things, just because he can. Murder, rape, mind control, etc, so take care.) But though he's Sith, he's still got such a heart in him, just like the Obi-Wan we know and love, and you can't help but feel for him at times. And this might not be as much a selling point for you as it was for me, but this series has some absolutely fantastic Thrawn content. He's going toe-to-toe with Obi-Wan and it's glorious, a true match. I'm in the middle of my latest reread of this series, and truly it just makes me so happy. I never see anyone talking about this series and I'm sad it doesn't get the attention it deserves. It really only gets better and better the further into the series you get. Cannot recommend enough!!

There is no Ignorance, there is Knowledge by @sirikenobi12 (gen, one-shot, 4.1k words) A wonderful installment for Jedi June! This fic follows Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, and then Obi-Wan and Anakin and Ahsoka, as they teach and learn lessons on what knowledge means to them. It was an unexpected tearjerker for me, there's one scene in particular that makes me tremble just thinking about it. I just love the way each relationship is portrayed here, and the care that is put into every word. Amazing!

Keeper of the Force by @pandora15 (gen, WIP, 19/20 chapters, 84.4k words) I can't believe I haven't put this on a rec list before, but since there's only the epilogue left, now is the perfect time. This fic starts out small-scale Obi-Wan whump (not saying that in a derogatory way, that's my exact favorite thing) and grows in size as it goes to eventually become a ROTS AU that is oh so good. It's touching, and inspiring, and lovely, and every time a new chapter posts I drop everything to read it. Can't believe the end of this ride is almost upon us!!

If you like any of these fics, please consider reblogging so they can get more exposure! And if you noticed I missed someone’s Tumblr account, or linked the wrong one, please let me know!

[vibrantshadow]

Shadows in Blue Dragon (Video Games)

Shadows are sources of magic power that can be summoned from a person's own regular shadow, (hence the name).

Origin:

Shadows were reportedly first used by the Ancients. However, a significant minority of Ancients were unable to summon a Shadow which led to them being frequently discriminated against. This discrimination deeply troubled the king, so he decided to make some powerful technology to act as accommodations for Shadow-less individuals. Ironically, a large portion of this tech needed Shadow magic to at least a small degree to work to its best level or even at all.

During the final period of the Ancient times, a large, global war broke out due to many Ancients attempting to quell Shadow magic with the use of even more Shadow magic after many instances of being very power hungry. As a final resort, one side decided to create an artificial creature who's purpose was to end the war. However, this went horribly wrong and the creature, appropriately named Destroy ended up wiping out a majority of the Ancients, making them an endangered species. Most of the surviving Ancients had been placed into status tubes prior to the mass extermination and were thus able to continue living once they awoke in the present day. One particular Ancient named Nene used Ancient technology to conquer, kill and traumatise modern civilisations. However, Nene also began a chain reaction which allowed Shadow magic, which had been dead since the end of the Ancient times to reappear.

Modern Day:

When Nene manipulated a group of five into strengthening parts of his soul in the form of individual Shadows in order to regain his youth, he was ultimately defeated and didn't return until a year later. During that one-year period, many other people (not just humans) managed to learn to summon a Shadow.

Corporeal Forms:

Real Shadows that come directly from a person's soul are capable of temporarily transforming into a corporeal form as long as their wielder has reached a certain level of tension. Corporeal attacks, which are often named after the Shadow, are usually elemental in nature and return a specific amount of Magic Power (based on how much damage has been done to an enemy) to their wielder.

Shadow Classes:

Different types of Shadow Magic exist and these types are categorised into Classes. The two sub-types of Shadow Classes are magical and non-magical. With the former generally involving a higher usage of elemental magic. An interesting exception to these categories is the Magic Sword class, which involves a mixture of physical and magical attributes being used in singular attacks.

Anti-Shadow Technology:

Some forms of tech exist to either disable or completely remove Shadows. Most of these technologies only work against an artificial Shadow such as the Collar of Light. However, others are powerful enough to be used against real Shadows, such as the Egg of Light.

Appearance:

Shadows usually take on the form of a mythical creature or an animal (usually rare or extinct). In rare cases, they may resemble plants or even machines. The colour of a Shadow is dependent on the alignment of their wielder, with good being blue and evil being purple or red. Shadows also tend to wear jewellery somewhere on their body. Their eyes are always entirely red with the exception of the pupil which is black. In Corporeal forms, both the skin/fur and eye colours are unique for each Shadow. All other features, such as horns, are usually black in any form or alignment.

Personality:

Shadows lack any free thinking and are completely loyal to their current wielder. However, they may still have some semblance of a basic personality as certain mannerisms are present in specific Shadows regardless of their current wielder. They are incapable of verbal communication and usually speak with roars or growls like a typical wild animal.

[twdmusicboxmystery]

11x02: Acheron, Part 2 - Analysis

Okay, let’s talk 11x02. And 11x01. Because it’s a two-part episode, it’s important to consider them together. I have a LOT to say about what’s going on in these two episodes, so I’ll have plenty to post all week. Let’s dive in!

***As always, spoilers abound below for TWD 11x02. Don’t read until you’ve watched! You’ve been warned!***

Maggie

The first thing we see is a point of view from under the train car. The instant I saw that, I knew how things would go. I never thought Maggie would die (if nothing else, there are scenes with her in the trailer we haven’t seen yet) but I was curious as to how she would survive. When I saw this POV, I knew she’d end up crawling under the train. Just as Glenn crawled under the dumpster. Massive parallels to Glenn. Which by extension, massive parallels to Beth. Major resurrection theme.

It's also important that when she reappears, she comes from underneath the car. Obviously, that’s logical given that she crawled underneath the car, but they make a point of asking if the pounding is coming from the roof. Gabriel says no and then they open the bottom hatch for her. Her coming up from the ground like that is a visual representation of a resurrection.

So we see Gabriel, Negan and the others enter the train car. The spatial details here are important, and I had to watch the episode twice to get them all straight. It’s a little confusing the first time. So, the group jumps down into the train car through a hatch in the roof because they couldn’t get the door open in the last episode. The thing is, if you watch closely, you come to realize they’re not in the train car on the end. They must have walked along the roof for two or three cars before finding a hatch that let them in.

So, when Gauge shows up, he comes behind them, and that confused me because I was thinking they came from that direction. And they did, but they entered through the roof, not the door. Anyway, they can’t get the door open. So honestly, even if they’d tried harder, I’m not sure they could have saved him.

This scene accomplished a lot of things, character-wise, that we need to touch on. It’s important to note that Gauge’s death happened due to his own choices. Does that mean he “deserved” to die or that they shouldn’t have tried to save him if they could have? Of course not. No on both counts. But that doesn’t change the fact that his choices sealed his fate.

It's especially interesting that he called Maggie a Liar. Not only is that a throwback to the Governor, but it’s a particular type of mentality they’re showing here. Even the fact that he didn’t shut the door behind him is really interesting. My first thought was to be annoyed with him. Why WOULDN’T you shut the door. You live in this world. You know better. But it’s all ego. He can’t imagine something bad will happen. He just assumes if it does, someone will save him.

But the most telling thing was how angry he got before saying Liar. It just shows very much how he approaches life. When he messes up, he doesn’t feel bad, and accept that it was his fault, and try to learn from it. No, instead he gets pissed and blames everyone but himself and his own actions.

If this had been Daryl or Gabriel or Alden or any of our other heroes, they would have recognized that opening the door would have gotten their friends and family killed and would have sacrificed themselves. Especially if they realized they’d screwed up. But Gauge became angry and defiant, even killing himself.

Anyway, I’m rambling. This really has nothing to do with Beth or TD other than perhaps being a future template for something. But I thought it was a really fascinating character sketch.

The thing is, this isn’t really a matter of Gauge being wrong and everyone else being right.

Maggie is…not doing so well either. As I told my fellow theorists, Paola Lazaro said in TTD last week that Maggie was kind of off the rails. I think she said that a little prematurely, because we really didn’t understand Maggie’s state of mind just by watching 10x17 and 11x01.

It's not until she tells that messed up story about the house she found and the people in it that we understand that her state of mind really isn’t at its healthiest. Even saying she wanted to kill Negan before is…understandable given their past. But it makes more sense now why Negan is so nervous. He’s sensing her state of mind that her moral conscience isn’t as strong as it once was, so of course he’s fearful for his life.

I don’t know where they’re going with this Maggie story line, but I have a feeling this attitude of hers will cause conflict down the road. Several of my fellow theorists believe it will cause a rift between her and Daryl. And we can see that somewhat through Alden. At first, he was very much defending Maggie, especially against Negan. He has a lot of loyalty to her. But he didn’t like her abandoning Gauge, and you can see his loyalties starting to waver.

At the very least, what she said about not feeling anything about it is the opposite of what Beth always stood for. Daryl was trying hard not to feel things during Still, in the wake of the prison going down. She made him feel things because that’s the only way a person is truly living, rather than just surviving. Now Maggie is in that state of mind.

And I’m gonna argue that makes it a prime time for Beth to return to help her. But of course I’m completely objective over here. ;D

Maggie’s Story:

Maggie’s story was definitely dark and horrible, but interesting to analyze. I’m assuming there was cannibalism going on there. That’s why the missing limbs. The men in the house were eating the female prisoners. No only a callback to Terminus, but remember that Bob’s leg was taken for food, so I’m sure that’s what we’re supposed to infer here.

She talked about no eyes, no tongue, no limbs, vocal cords ripped out. So definitely the see no evil, speak no evil themes. With the limbs, it’s also a matter of not being able to escape or save themselves.

In terms of the plot, I do have one question about this that I think may be significant. Maggie first talks about three deformed people (she says, “I wouldn’t call them men”) coming toward her. She kills them, and only after that hears the noise from the attic.

My question is, why were they deformed? If they’re “men,” then they must be at least Maggie’s age, if not older, which means they’ve been around since before the apocalypse began. Even eating human flesh doesn’t cause one to become deformed, so why the deformities? I have no idea, but I wondered if there is a radiation theme going on here. Something they’re hinting at, but not saying. Just thought that was intriguing.

After that, things go sideways and everyone almost dies until Daryl arrives to save the day. So, let’s skip to his story.

Daryl:

We first see him bust through a wall with Dog. So, dog took off in the last episode, but the first time we see Daryl, he’s already found Dog again. At least, the first time. This is where he sees the murals on the wall, the walker with the handcuff and the suitcase of money, etc. I already talked about most of that in great detail HERE, so I won’t rehash it, though it’s very important.

One thing I will say about the mural is that thematically, it’s a match to Still. So, in the golf club, we had lots of rich people who clearly hid there when the world first went bad. And I don’t remember this particularly, but several of my fellow theorists have told me they remember the TTD after Still and that the writers talked about how the golf club was a statement about the class system. You have these very rich people, but their wealth couldn’t save them. Death, walkers, the apocalypse…none of these things discriminate based on wealth or position.

On the wall, we see people with crowns standing at the top, but below, they are homeless, and one of them is being attacked and torn apart. Meanwhile, Daryl sees a line of text that says, “it comes for us all,” probably meaning death.

Well, guess what? Angela Kang, in talking about the murals, said that this, too, was a statement about the class system. So thematically, this is meant to be a parallel to Still.

It’s just interesting to contemplate because if you think about it, most of our heros—Rick, Daryl, the Greene family, etc—weren’t at all wealthy. Rick was humble and well-grounded. Hershel worked hard his whole life and never had any glory or fanfare. And then there’s Daryl, who was “nothing. No one.” They all survived.

So of course it’s a socioeconomic statement, but it’s also one about mindset. It takes not only grit to survive this world, but a certain amount of humility. Ego always gets you killed eventually, as it did with Gauge.

I’ll also mention that I thought the guy with the crown who was being torn apart was being set upon by walkers, but AK says they’re specifically not walkers. They’re people.

So, it’s not a coincidence that we see this juxtaposed with the Gauge situation. His ego gets him killed and we literally see him being torn apart because of it.

Moving on.

Daryl finds a bag with a $100 bill with a letter written on it. This is a massive TD clue from start to finish. 100 is an important number. The hundred dollar bill features Benjamin Franklin on the front and Independence Hall on the back. Look either of those up and you’ll find lots of fun parallels we could point to. I won’t go into all that today except to say it’s definitely part of the Revolution theme.

This is what’s written on the bill Daryl finds:

“Dear Dad, you always said if you don’t come back in a week to move on. Mom didn’t listen and went looking. It’s been three weeks, so we’re going next. I’ll watch Jesse and turn on the radio every day at 10. See you both soon. Love Tom and Jesse.”

He also finds a picture of two kids. So, the “three weeks” jumps out because of Rick’s line in 5x10, “it’s been three weeks since Atlanta.” It’s also about missing family members, going searching for them, etc. Possibly important that the mom is also missing. I can’t help but think of the song from Still. “Our mother has been absent, every since we founded Rome…”

There is a 10 in there, which is an important number. The turning the radio on every day is both the radio/airwaves theme (also a line from the song) but a callback to Rick and Morgan and their walkie talkies. So, really interesting symbols here.

The two kids immediately reminded me of Noah’s twin brothers. I don’t think these two are supposed to be twins. I’m assuming the brother is older. But still obviously siblings. And it hearkens back to the last episode Beth was technically in. Which also had a lot of the CRM/Revolution theme in it. (X, X).

AK says this family probably didn’t make it, so I’m not expecting these kids to show up in the narrative. But it’s also important to note that the little girl is carrying the toy rabbit Maggie found earlier. So the rabbit also ties into all this symbolism. (P.S. I didn’t get to my rabbit post last week. I planned on it, but time got away from me. I should get it posted later this week.)

So, this is massive in terms of TD symbolism. I’ll talk about it fits into the bigger narrative in a minute.

Then Daryl kills the sleeping bag walker. I wasn’t sure the significance of this at first, but I think it ties to the tents and sleeping bags we saw in Atlanta in 5x06, Consumed. Daryl and Carol passed them while looking for Beth. So, this just shows us that this is tied to her storyline and Daryl searching for her.

You could also argue that the walker was “hidden” at first, and it’s significant that Dog found it/realized it was there before Daryl did. 

The other thing is that as he’s looking at the sleeping bag walker, there’s a random shoe on the ground next to it. Missing Shoe/Foot theory, which is also indicative of Beth. 

They hear another roaring sound and Dog takes off, running into the dark tunnel.

Here’s the thing. I think most people will assume the roar he heard was just more air being forced through the tunnels by the storm, as Alden explained it in ep 1. But I always watch with the subtitles on and I noticed at this part, the subtitles said, “Man Roaring.” So they actually did hear someone screaming. And that’s probably why Dog ran toward it.

After watching it again, I realized it’s probably supposed to be Roy. He’s the white-haired guy, played by C. Thomas Howell, who Daryl finds wounded after he emerges from the Tunnel. I think whatever happened to him when he went topside but then got attacked by walkers is what Dog heard and went running toward.

Maybe not terribly significant in the plot, but it’s important symbolically. Because once again we have something Daryl hears from a distance but doesn’t see. Dog (a proxy for Beth) runs toward it, and Daryl follows. When he does, he find someone who had previously separated from the group. They’re hurt, but alive. See the parallels?

I will say the Roy situation confuses me just a little. He’s clearly hurt, and when Daryl tries to bandage him, he refuses, saying, “just tell my kids I didn’t die a coward.” But then later he’s with the group, all bandaged up, and seems to be okay. (He dies when they reach the Reapers by taking an arrow to the head, so he still dies overall.) But it’s just weird that it seemed he would die, then seemed he was fine again.

It may well be something that foreshadows a future situation, and that’s why it’s not making tons of sense right now. Only time will tell.

Anyway, I kind of glossed over Daryl crawling through the dark tunnel. I don’t have much else to say about it except that it’s a SUPER potent symbol for Beth’s arc and very important that he emerges on the other side and finds this person. Annnd then goes to save TF. (Dark Tunnel Symbolism).

So, he hears the gunshots and finds the train they’re on. He comes up behind the walkers attacking them from the front, kills them, moves the bench blocking the door, and lets everyone through. Then he uses a grenade to blow up all the walkers. (Ew.)

After that they all get out of the tunnels and go topside. The next scene is also super important. We see the stars above. That’s partly to show that the storm has passed now, but also constellations = Sirius.

Maggie asks what he has and he tells her about it. There is one weird moment in this scene. When she tells them about the supply depot she wants to stop at, she says Georgie (from S8) set it up for emergencies, for people on the outside to use. When it says this, the camera focuses on Daryl for a LONG moment, and he looks almost sad. I’m not sure what they’re trying to tell us there.

Anyway, they all head out. Unfortunately, when they reach the right neighborhood, the Reapers are there to meet/kill them. And Roy is the first to go.

So, a couple of things here. I’ll probably do a details post because I’m leaving out MOST of the background details throughout the episode, and there are a lot of them. Lots of details to be gleaned in this scene.

But the second time I watched it, I was struck by the people hanging upside down. Obviously a grim sight, but it occurred to me that these people hanging this way look a LOT like the deer diagrams from Scars. Let me show you some pictures:

Top pick is 11x02. Middle and bottom one are from Scars.

See what I mean? So, chances are something about Scars foreshadowed the Reapers, which is interesting. They clearly see human beings in a certain way (as animals to be strung up and…perhaps eaten?) And that makes me think that what Maggie found in that house may tie into the Reapers as well. Just kind of interesting foreshadows of coming plots.

Eugene:

Let’s talk Eugene and then I’ll shut up for today. Eugene’s stuff was very intriguing. First thing you need to know. And understand, I didn’t know this. @wdway​ pointed it out. Some months ago, the actress cast as “Stephanie” was announced. This is her:

And that’s clearly not the woman who steps into the train car at the end. Which means this isn’t really Stephanie. She’s a decoy. In fact, the actress from this episode is billed on IMDb as “woman 2,” not as “Stephanie.”

Knowing that, if you go back and re-watch the parts with Eugene’s group, they mean something very different.

On the surface, it seems that Zeke, Yumiko and Princess are taken away in a sinister fashion. Then Eugene melts down and tells his story. (Note: while he focuses on his feelings for Stephanie and I think most of that is true, he still says he lied both to her and to his friends about being from a large settlement. So, he’s still keeping large chunks of the truth from them.)

Again, on the surface it seems that they accept his explanation and just decide to allow them all in. All the stuff with the other three is just a misunderstanding.

But if “Stephanie” is a decoy, that can’t possibly be the case. I think Zeke and the others told Eugene the truth as they know it, but they’re all still being manipulated.

After Princess left to pee, the guy told Eugene no one was in the room and acted like he had no idea who Princess was. They were definitely using psychological torture on him, trying to break him.

I think they know very well that Eugene's group is still lying about their settlement, and they're using a decoy "Stephanie" to find out the truth.

My point is that it goes back to the hallucination, making-someone-think-they're-crazy theme. It will be really interesting to see how this unfolds, because there's all kinds of psychological shenanigans going on here.

@galadrieljones​ made a really interesting connection some time ago. She noticed that back in 10x18, at Leah’s cabin, there is a metal, heart-shaped chair. The same chairs show up in the Commonwealth’s sales video from the trailer. So there’s some kind of link between Leah, Daryl’s memory of her, and the Commonwealth. We don’t know what it is yet, but all of this gives credence to the idea that she is either an outright hallucination, or Daryl is just remembering things wrong.

It also might mean that the Reapers are connected to the Commonwealth in some way. We don’t really know yet, but I’m having tons of fun trying to figure it out.

I want to touch briefly on the train car theme. Once again, there’s a parallel in both story lines (Terminus, and this one at the Commonwealth). Daryl’s group is in train cars this episode. And while Eugene’s group has been at a different compound, they started in the train yard and end in it here. But what I noticed is that Eugene enters the train car at the end, which is furnished inside, and finds his friends there. They all have a happy reunion.

It made me think of the fact that when Rick, Daryl, Michonne, and Carl enter the train cars at Terminus, there is also a family reunion. What happened beyond that was not good or easy. Clearly, Terminus was not a good place. Many of them almost died at the trough and they had to fight their way out through a walker blood bath.

I’m just saying that, while it obviously won’t play out exactly the same way, something similar is probably waiting for Eugene’s group outside that train car. Not good.

Acheron Overall:

Okay, let’s get to the big cheese, here. The overall narrative. The template.

These two episodes are called Acheron part 1 and part 2. So here’s the skinny:

Acheron = Underworld. Daryl’s group going into the subway tunnels (dark, underground) is what constitutes Acheron and why the episodes are called that. That’s why, at the end of this episode, they emerge from the tunnels onto the surface (i.e. the living world).

Given all the death, cemetery, and dark tunnel symbolism around Beth, given that she ventured into the land of the dead by being shot, maybe clinically dying for a time, and being thought dead for so long, what this tells me is that everything that happens in these tunnels is a foreshadow and template for what will happen this season.

I maintain that Dog = Beth and we will soon see something where Daryl hears something (not necessarily her; it was a man screaming so I still think it will be Rick he hears word of) and goes chasing after it. While searching for it, he stumbles across Beth. Then the two of them (both Dog and Daryl returned to the train car) go back in time to save TF from something.

This is most likely why the Roy thing is weird. In a super understated way, he represents Rick in the template. Daryl will find him, but only after he finds Beth. Even consider what Roy says. He says, “tell my kids I didn’t die a coward.” And that’s all well and good, but did we even know Roy had kids? No. Have we met them? No. But who has kids that Daryl IS concerned with? That would be Rick.

So I’m thinking that maybe when Daryl finds Rick, Rick will think he’s dying for some reason, and that’s why the dialogue here. But he won’t, which is why we see Roy with the group later.

And no, I’m not thinking that Roy dying via the Reapers will extend to Rick. It’s more like what they’ve done with countless characters that have been Beth proxies. Eventually, they kill them off. He’s a minor character they were using as a proxy, and when they are done with him in the narrative, he becomes walker chow. Or, in this case, Reaper fodder.

Anyway, I think everything will end up being a foreshadow for something. Maggie and Negan. The Gauge situation. All of it. I’ll try to keep coming back to this as the story progresses to show what everything foreshadows. I’ll stop there for today.

[nurvuss]

I Watched the First Episode of Every New Spring 2021 Anime Airing on Crunchyroll

Hey, are you like me, and feeling like you're not getting the most out of your Crunchyroll subscription? Sure, there's stuff on there that you know you like. But whenever I look at the big long list of simulcasting shows, my eyes glaze over and I don't even know where to begin.

I wanted to change my habits and see if there were any shining gems that I should be watching. So, as per the title, I watched the first episode of every new Spring 2021 anime on Crunchyroll. And guess what? There’s a lot of crap! But indeed, there’s some stuff that’s worth your time.

Some clarification: I've only watched shows that began their first season in April 2021.

Backflip!!

Show Link

The Lowdown

As Futaba Shotaro comes to the end of middle school, his interest in baseball has begun to wane. Soon he notices the Ao High Boys Gymnastic Club and becomes enthralled, especially after seeing them perform. Once he learns they're down two members, he chooses to sign up and pursue the art of gymnastics. The club is also joined by Misato Ryoya, a star solo gymnast looking to expand his technique through teamwork.

Our Thoughts

Pretty formulaic shoujo sports anime: you've got your himbo, your thug, your ladies' man, your stoic guy, with Shotaro rounding out the cast as the shy and awkward audience surrogate. It looks wholesome enough, and the choreographed routines employ CG in a way that's quite convincing without being hideous.

Who It's For

Fans of  FREE, or Yuri!!! on Ice, or any similar shows about cute boys who succeed at athletic feats. 

Borscht Rating

Burning Kabaddi

Show Link

The Lowdown

Legendary high school soccer star Yoigoshi Tatsuya has given up on sports! That is, until he's blackmailed to join the high school kabaddi team, under threat of his online persona being leaked to the entire school. Although Tatsuya initially writes kabaddi off as stupid, the unexpected happens as he begins to have fun.

Our Thoughts

Kabaddi is kinda like competitive tag, or dodgeball but with your body instead of a ball. Burning Kabaddi is basically the shounen alternative to Backflip!! above, replete with nosebleeds, pratfalls, and dudes punching each other. The main cast don't seem to like each other very much; that probably changes as the show goes on but at first blush it's a dynamic I always find annoying.

Who it's For

Fans of Haikyuu!!? Maybe?

Borscht Rating

CARDFIGHT!! VANGUARD overDress

Show Link

The Lowdown

The newest series based on Bushiroad's collectible card game, featuring character designs by the beloved collective CLAMP. Petit middle schooler Yu-Yu just doesn't know how to say no. As his older students dress him in drag to use as live makeup practice, he suffers a panic attack and flees into the streets. After being accosted by a pickup artist, he's befriended by Megumi, who invites him to witness a Cardfight match at the local abandoned amusement park. However, Yu-yu is too shy to tell Megumi he's actually a boy…

Our Thoughts

What an unexpectedly weird concept for a show about a card game. Our hero spends the whole episode in drag, whimpering and simpering at the sight of any conflict. Then they show off the latest series of cards, which all seem to be giant buff knights with names like "Bad Steve" and "Violent Bruce". Your guess is as good as mine.

Who it's For

Cardfight!! lovers, Japanese gender studies majors, or the most desperate fujoshi. 

Borscht Rating

Cestvs: The Roman Fighter

Show Link

The Lowdown

The year is 54AD, and Nero has taken the throne as the youngest emperor of Rome. At the bottom of the population, Cestvs is a young slave training to be a colosseum boxer. Reluctant, his only choice is to fight or die.

Our Thoughts

Seeing Nero depicted as a gentle little twink is pretty funny. It's also pretty funny that the central character is named after a Roman boxing glove. The animation style transitions to some very uncanny CG when a major fight takes place, and I didn't like that one bit! This seems like a pretty average tournament anime but with a historical setting. It's currently unknown if any of these dudes are fucking each other. I'm gonna say probably.

Who It's For

The venn-diagram of Greco-Roman history buffs and lovers of tournament series?

Borscht Rating

Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro!

Show Link

The Lowdown:

Hachioji Naoto is a nerdy, introverted student who spends his time studying and avoiding socialising. When pages from the fantasy manga he's drawing fall out of his bookbag, they catch the attention of a younger student named Nagatoro Hayase. Nagatoro begins to tease Naoto for his otaku interests and awkward demeanour, peppered with some suggestive flirting.

Our Thoughts:

What would you do if a younger girl flirted with you? Would you cry? Piss your pants maybe? Maybe shit and cum? Don't Toy With Me… attempts to barely conceal its BDSM fantasy with its comedic elements, but it's incredibly apparent as Nagatoro always wipes away Naoto's tears as a sort of aftercare. It's like a lighter, comedic version of Aku no Hana, but lacking any of the ponderings or danger that made that work so special.

Who It's For: 

People who search Pornhub for "bratty sister femdom".

Borscht Rating:

86 Eighty-Six

Show Link

The Lowdown

The Republic of San Magnolia and the Giad Empire, have been at war for nearly a decade. Using advanced military technology, the frontlines are fought by giant mecha drones called Juggernauts, controlled remotely by Handlers. Major Vladilena Mirizé is one of the military's most talented Handlers in the 1st District, and one who is constantly teased by her peers for the humanity and empathy she shows her squadron. The government line is that drone warfare has kept casualties to zero, but unbeknownst to the public these "drones'' are piloted by 86ers—the lowest class of citizens, forced to live in military internment camps in San Magnolia's 86th District.

Our Thoughts

This is incredibly my kind of thing. We've got a dual narrative being set up here: Vladilena as the kind, reluctant officer of a fascist regime, and the Bad Company-esque antics of her new ragtag squad, Spearhead. The first episode is split pretty evenly between the two, with each story converging at the end as Vladilena "meets" Spearhead for the first time through her comms station. It's an explosive and enticing first episode, and I can't wait to watch more of it.

Who It's For

Fans of Fullmetal Alchemist, Psycho-Pass, Gundam, or any number of anti-imperialist war stories.

Borscht Rating

Fairy Ranmaru

Show Link

The Lowdown

In a quiet corner of the city sits Bar F, a modest drinking establishment staffed entirely by five hot young men. Unbeknownst to the general population, these men are a crack team of fairies sent to the human world to gather the latent energy of "attachment". They do this by solving the problems of young women, taking their hearts in the process.

Our Thoughts

Hubba hubba, a little something for the ladies! It's Weiẞ Kreuz with a bar instead of a flower shop, fairies instead of assassins, and some pretty revealing outfits. There's definitely a little Persona 5 inspiration here too, from the punctuating phrase "Take your Heart!" to many of the visual cues. Make of that what you will.

Who It's For

Fans of Weiẞ Kreuz, slash fic authors.

Borscht Rating

Farewell, My Dear Cramer

Show Link

The Lowdown

Onda Nozomi was once the star player of her middle school football team. Completely unmatched, she no longer plays as there's no opponent she deems to be on her level. Meanwhile Suou Sumire far outpaces her teammates, causing her frustration. By a twist of fate, these two girls find themselves joining the scrappy Warabi Seinan High School FC as they begin to learn the value of teamwork and friendship.

Our Thoughts

I don't know sports. And I really don't know football. I had to look up what the title meant, and now I barely know who Dettmar Cramer is. I'm really not the best person to judge this, but it seems like a pretty good female-driven sports anime. 

Who It's For

Fans of Ace o Nerae! or other sports manga/anime about those ever burning bonds between young teammates.

Borscht Rating

Gloomy, the Naughty Grizzly

Show Link

The Lowdown:

Pitty lives with his pet Gloomy, a massive pink bear. Can a boy and a bear truly get along?

Our Thoughts:

This is a series of minute-long gag episodes in which Gloomy mauls Pitty and blood squirts everywhere. It's definitely meant to be a morbid parody of Sanrio or San-X; it might be a Rilakkuma parody in particular? Gloomy is the kind of thing you might laugh at if it came on in between shows, but it's pretty slight to go through the trouble of putting on.

Who It's For:

Gag anime fans with one minute to spare.

Borscht Rating:

Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway

Show Link

The Lowdown

After a night of drinking in Tokyo, slovenly salaryman Yoshida encounters a teenage runaway sitting under a lamppost. She offers to sleep with him in return for letting her spend the night in his apartment. Yoshida refuses her offer but allows her to stay. The next morning the girl, Sayu, reveals she's travelled all the way from Hokkaido, sleeping with random men in return for lodging and money. Feeling responsible for her safety, Yoshida agrees for Sayu to stay indefinitely in return for handling household chores.

Our Thoughts

This is kind of the inverse of Koikimo (see below), but without a scumbag character and from a male perspective. It's not nearly as nauseating as that show, but it's still a fantasy about living with a busty teenage girl.

Who It's For

Libertarians.

Borscht Rating

I've Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years And Maxed Out My Level

Show Link

The Lowdown: 

Office lady Aizawa Azusa dies of overwork in her early 20s, and finds herself standing before a lecherous goddess. Allowed a wish as compensation for her untimely demise, Azusa wishes for an endless life of leisure. The goddess reincarnates her as a 17-year-old immortal witch in an RPG-coded fantasy world. Thrilled, Azusa lazes about, brewing potions for her neighbouring villagers, and kills a small amount of slimes each day to supplement her income. After doing this every day for 300 years, she inadvertently finds herself at Level 99. Her peaceful life is soon upended as adventurers and dragons come from miles around to challenge the legendary witch.

Our Thoughts:

I'm not really an isekai fan, and that goes double for series which aren't set in an RPG, yet use RPG mechanics. Levelling up, grinding stats, min-maxing, as if it's a part of the fabric of the setting. I don't get it. I like watching numbers go up as much as the next dork, but I don't need to watch numbers go up in absolutely every piece of media I consume. Just play a fucking video game, Jesus Christ almighty.

I thought this might be setting up a fun series in which a layabout is reluctantly called upon to undertake a dangerous quest, but I don't think that's what's going on at all. When the red dragon Laika wrecks Azusa's house, she transforms into a cute young girl and the two begin living together, teaching each other the pros and cons of hard work and slothfulness respectively. The trajectory of the series might be as laid back as its protagonist in the end, which, ultimately, would be fitting.

Who It's For:

Isekai fans, slice-of-life fans. The twain have met!

Borscht Rating:

Joran: The Princess of Snow and Blood

Show Link

The Lowdown

In alternative history Japan the Meiji Period continued well into the 1930s, and the ongoing Tokugawa Shogunate has brought technological prosperity to the nation through a magical energy source called the Dragon's Vein. Sawa Yukimura runs a bookshop where she lives with her little sister by day, but by night she's an assassin for Nue, the shogunate's secret police. As the terrorist group Kuchinawa deploys transforming beasts in an attempt to topple the shogunate, Nue springs into action with their own abilities.

Our Thoughts

There are a lot of concepts competing here, and a few too many flashy transformation sequences for my taste, but I'm really into it! Nue are made up of sex workers and street musicians, often overlooked and therefore easily able to blend in. There's a supernatural Standalone Complex vibe to how the team operates, and they're almost assuredly on the wrong side. Worth a shot!

Who It's For

Fans of alternate history science fiction, Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex, Demon Slayer.

Borscht Rating

Koikimo: Koi to Yobu ni wa Kimochi Warui ("It's Disgusting to Call This Love")

Show Link

The Lowdown

Amakusa Ryo is a womanizing salaryman concerned with nothing but his own base desires. As he slips on the train station stairs one morning, he's saved by the swift action of Arima Ichika, a kind-hearted high schooler. When it turns out Ichika is friends with Ryo's younger sister Riou, he decides she's his soulmate, and begins to pursue her no matter how many times she refuses him. Comedy ensues!

Our Thoughts

Yeah, OK groomer.

Alright look, Korikimo is written by a woman and told from Ichika's perspective, so this is obviously meant to be a lighthearted "older man" shoujou romance. As an older man, all I saw were the adventures of a paedophile and the teenager he's stalking. Fuck off.

Who it's For

There's probably other stuff like this, right? If you like that, here you go.

Borscht Rating

Let's Make a Mug, Too

Show Link

The Lowdown

After the death of her mother, Himeno and her father relocate from bustling Tokyo to quiet Tajimi City in Gifu Prefecture. The former salaryman opens a quiet cafe using the remarkable mugs made by his late wife, while Himeno follows in her mother's footsteps and joins the school pottery club. Although her first project ends in disaster, Himeno makes fast friends with the eccentric pottery enthusiasts who make up the club.

Our Thoughts

It's no Eizouken, but I guess it's probably not meant to be. I'm not a big iyashikei genre fan, but if that's your thing, you might enjoy the wholesome non-adventures of three girls trying to make a mug. It's worth noting these episodes are only about 12 minutes long, with the remaining runtime segmented into live action episodes where the voice actresses tour Tajimi and unconvincingly pretend to be interested in Gifu's famous mino-yaki pottery. I think this must be a tie-in with a local tourist board. 

Who It's For

People who enjoy stuff like Aria, actually.

Borscht Rating

OddTaxi

Show Link

The Lowdown

In a Tokyo populated by anthropomorphic animals, a solemn walrus named Odokawa spends his nights driving his cab around the bustling metropolis, spending his free time drinking with his pals. Odokawa soon finds his quiet life disrupted by a caper involving a missing girl, some crooked cops, and the animal yakuza. 

Our Thoughts

A deft blend of working class slice-of-life with mystery, cute animals, and striking visual design. OddTaxi might be the sleeper hit of Spring 2021.

Who It's For

Fans of existentialist film noir with absurdist comedy, Polar Bear Cafe, walrus lovers.

Borscht Rating

Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won't Lose

Show Link

The Lowdown

Suehiro Maruo Sueharu Maru has his heart set on Shirokusa Kachi, the hottest girl in school. When she begins dating a young actor, Sueharu confides in his childhood friend Kuroha Shida, who's openly in love with him and he rejected in the past. Kuroha suggests the two get revenge on Shirokusa by pretending to be in love. Will Sueharu fall in love with Kuroha for real, making her dreams come true?

Our Thoughts

Give me a fucking break.

Who It's For

I don't know and I don't care.

Borscht Rating

SD Gundam World Heroes

Show Link

The Lowdown

The newest instalment of the SD Gundam media-mix franchise. In a world populated by super deform mecha, a burning meteor lands in the middle of Captain City. From it launches a terrible mechanized beast: Naughty Lion. When the police are powerless to stop it, a crack team led by Zhuge Liang Gundam and Liu Bei Gundam sorties to bring Naughty Lion to justice. When the beast stops rampaging, it transforms into Sun Wukong Gundam, a youthful amnesiac mecha horrified at the destruction he wrought. The Three Kingdoms Gundams welcome Sun Wukong into the fold to make sense of this mysterious event.

Our Thoughts

I'm an 80s kid, I know a 30-minute toy commercial when I see one.

No, seriously though, I'm aware of SD Gundam's merchandising—they're cute designs, and I even used to have a bunch of the gum rubber mini figurines. I've played the SD Great War Super Famicom games, they're fun! This is a vehicle to get kids hyped up about the latest toys, which are...based on  a hodgepodge of Journey to the West and Romance of the Three Kingdoms this year? There's even a little SD Guan Yu Gundam with a big long beard!

I kinda wanted to like the idea of a bearded robot, but the mechas are super busy and overdesigned. I guess there's only so much you can do to make your next series of toys bigger and better, so these guys are all decked out in gold accents, capes, horns, and antlers, and half the time I couldn't parse what I was seeing.

I'm so glad I don't have to watch any more of this. 

Who It's For

Very, *very* young mecha fans.

Borscht Rating

Seven Knights Revolution: Hero Successor

Show Link

The Lowdown

Long ago, the Dark God Nestra ruled the world through fear. Standing against him were the Seven Knights, seven brave warriors chosen by the Light Goddess Serrass. With their powers combined, Nestra was defeated and the lands returned to peace. Hundreds of years later the wicked Physis Cult seeks to revive Nestra, summoning undead beasts to ravage the countryside. With the Seven Knights long dead, the Granseed Academy has risen to train the next wave of heroes to combat this threat. Using special cards, the students of Granseed are able to call upon the power of the Seven Knights to guide them in battle.

Our Thoughts

As soon as the opening started with its transforming heroes and lovingly depicted weapon cards, I realised this must be based on a mobile game. Indeed, this is based on a free-to-play gacha from Korean developer Netmarble. Even before I was able to confirm this, Hero Successor failed to draw me in, eschewing details on the nature of its world in lieu of a glamourised marketing push for its source material. What's here is incredibly slight, and likely to be of little interest to anyone who isn't deep into this game.

Who It's For

Seven Knights whales, I guess.

Borscht Rating

Those Snow White Notes

Show Link

The Lowdown

Sawamura Setsu mourns the death of his grandfather Matsugorou, a talented shamisen player who refused to pass his secrets on. Not knowing what else to do, he leaves his remote village for Tokyo, taking nothing but his shamisen along with him. Soon he finds himself wrapped up in the complicated life of aspiring actress Yuna and her scuzzy rockstar boyfriend Taketo. When Setsu opens for Taketo's band, he stuns the audience with the raw emotion of his playing. However, his heart is still tumultuous. 

Our Thoughts

An entertaining first episode of a speciality music series, which is the kind of thing I have a place in my heart for. I couldn't shake the feeling of some latent misogyny that suggested the role of a woman is to inspire a tortured artist, but I might be wrong. The final few minutes take a twist by introducing Setsu's weird, horny mother who seems to have her own personal SWAT team, and it looks like the series becomes a more conventional high school anime from episode 2 onwards. Don't know about that!

Who It's For

Fans of Kids on the Slope, Sound of the Sky.

Borscht Rating

Tokyo Revengers

Show Link

The Lowdown

Former delinquent Takemichi is unsatisfied with the way his life turned out, living alone in a paper-thin apartment and working a minimum wage job under a boss who doesn't respect him. When watching the news one evening, he learns that his highschool sweetheart Hinata was killed, alongside her little brother. On the way to work the next morning, Takemichi falls in front of an oncoming train and wakes up 12 years in the past. Armed with foreknowledge, he attempts to turn his life around and save his onetime lover.

Our Thoughts

This is drawing from a lot of sources; the whole train sequence is lifted straight from Gantz, while the story itself initially seems like a Life on Mars kind of deal. In fact, Tokyo Revengers sees Takemichi jump back and forth between the present and the past, seemingly making small changes until he achieves his desired outcome. It feels like a very video gamey depiction of time travel, and one that's not super interesting.

Who It's For

Steins;Gate fans, maybe? Delinquent manga (Shonan Junai Gumi, Crows, etc.) fans, maybe? It's pretty self-serious compared to any of those.

Borscht Rating

To Your Eternity

Show Link

The Lowdown

An immortal being in the form of an orb falls to earth and becomes a stone. Years pass, an ice age sets in, and a white wolf stumbles onto the tundra and dies. The orb, able to take the form of anything that leaves a strong impression on it, transforms into the wolf and slowly learns how to use its newfound ambulatory body. The creature treks back through the tundra where it meets a boy living alone, after the rest of his village left in search of a better life. The boy recognises the wolf as his beloved pet, Johann, and the two begin living together in the harsh, lonely wastes.

Our Thoughts

I'm being a little coy with the synopsis here, and there's a major shake-up at the end of this debut episode. This one's based on a manga by the critically acclaimed Yoshitoki Ooima (A Silent Voice), and it's a depressing, compelling, and exciting start to a series. Lots of potential here!

Who It's For

Fans of NieR, Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon, Last Exile, Kino's Journey.

Borscht Rating

So, there you have it. I'm hoping this will be of use to anyone who experiences a similar sense of dread when faced with so many choices. Maybe we’ll do this again during the Summer 2021 anime season.

Also, please don't get mad at me if I'm snarky about your new favourite show! It’s just TV and I'm a big idiot anyway.

[lime-gutz]

The mercs with a SO with telekinetic abilities? Kinda like Stephen King’s Carrie White ( can usually control it but sometimes will go into a trance and cause all sorts of anarchy when horribly overwhelmed) If you don’t want to do all of them how about medic, scout, and spy :3

OOOOOOO okay that concept sounds really fucking interesting. As we all know the tf2 universe is wack as hell and so like, yeah this concept..

Let's get general hcs out of the way before going into specifics with each of the 3 to give everyone a better understanding of like...my thought process??? (I'll mention the other ones in passing through this but I'll be focusing on the specific 3 you've given me).

I imagine if there was such a 10th class, one that is telekinetic, I'll be calling them the Telepath as their class name, I assume would have gotten such an ability through means of. Well. Obviously telekinesis is very not normal so this could go lots of ways, taking into account that you mention specifically causing anarchy when overwhelmed/experiencing a breakdown I wanna be fun and say the Telepath got this ability in the form of a curse. (For what? Idk have fun with deciding, I'd like to hear!)

I would like to say they've been experiencing this curse for years of their life and had grown old enough with it to the point of knowing how to keep such an ability in check as, when not doing that it could lead to dire consequences. That being in the form of a completely wrecked house or general surroundings.

So by the time they were employed as a mercenary they are well fitted with the knowledge of how they know it works, how they personally deal with it, how far this ability can really go as in they know their limits, and how to control/keep themselves in check as to not break anything..doesn't mean that absolutely nothing happens of course but for the most part, is able to keep things unbroken.

Now, with that out of the way, let's get into the 3 specific mercs you've picked for me to talk about.

Medic:

(General)

You had his attention ever since he read the words "Telekinetic" on your papers that were given for him to observe any medical records! He was excited to meet you..and experiment on/with you specifically. No doctor just has patients with telekinesis!! He's most definitely going to take every opportunity he can to run experiments on you to see just how much the difference goes between you and just a normal human subject.

Practically bouncing on the heels of his feet, his hand lightly shaking under your firm hold of a handshake, an unsettling grin on his features as you both shook has when you first met but..again! He was excited and eager to start whenever he can with the experiments he has planned.

Insanely talkative with you during said experiments. He gets like this when he's eager to devour any knowledge and experience he can get his bloodied hands on..and talking helps him think more. He can talk about just. Super casual things that has nothing to do with what he's doing or talking about what he's doing in the moment (although you're not sure if it's for your sake or if it's just a habit he does for himself.)

Finds it absolutely rejuvenating to watch you fight on the field. You're really something! It's glorious to see your telekinesis abilities in action, while your abilities can only do so much, the much it could do was such a sight! Ohoho!! How you can break enemy bones, their blood decorating the hot sandy grounds of the desert, how you can use the rough terrain to your advantage and gain the upper hand..You're thrilling to watch.

While he can see some restraint on your part when it comes to keeping your emotions in check the best way you possibly can, (as he is well aware of what can come of you becoming wildly overwhelmed) He still chooses to work with you more on how to better your ways of doing so...better??

He's not the most patient man, not by a wide margin or patient in any sense of the word, he has to understand that it also wouldn't be wise to just. Fly off the handle when getting frustrated with you in particular for whatever reason as doing so would result in a completely wrecked base. He keeps this in mind because once they've all experienced such an attack its not really something that you can really forget ya know? That's not to say he's softer with you when talking to you or being less blunt but he can show some restraint on his own emotions just a bit for you.

(Romantic)

-apologies if the telekinetics aren't really talked about here, I feel like overall telekinetics are used more so on the battle field and not for everything the Telepath does

Realizes that overall, you've done a good job managing yourself when it comes to being grounded and staying calm in situations where he could even say he probably wouldn't be as calm. Accompany this with you willingly working with him to find perhaps even better solutions to better dealing with it and you then gain just a bit of admiration on the "doctor's" part.

I view Medic as someone who's generally more willing to let looser when he's around someone he's particularly close with. More fun, less...serious if you will?? Sure he's generally jovial and not serious, but I imagine he's even more so when around company he actually enjoys being around so it's no surprise it's what he started doing with you if you both actually gained a bit of a friendship.

It's a common occurrence to see you both messing with each other in a playful manner, nothing downright cruel or mean, just playful. Ex. When he tries the "Ohoho! You can't possibly reach what you're wanting! Look at how short you are compared to me!" Being a tall man and holding something out of your reach to which using your telepathetic abilities you're able to slip said thing out of his hands quite easily, which leaves the man chuckling as he means it all in good fun.

If you're sitting there like "wtf I want some soft stuff too give it to me you bitch" I reply "okay man mfuck" and give you the softer stuff like, right now. Never fails to get a small smile out of him if you were to use your telekinetics to just brush a stray hair our of his face and smooth it back in place to keep his hair neat. Or if you use it to push his spectacles gently back on his face correctly and no longer crooked on his nose.

Enjoys just the simple touches such as you hooking his arm with yours as he works for a little bit if the work he's doing doesn't require a lot of movement, or just a simple kiss to his cheeks and nose..maybe a peck to his lips if he's busy with something. Not to say he doesn't enjoy more lingering touches when he's not horribly busy however!

Quite enjoys laying his head against yours and leaning some of his body weight onto yours and you doing the same back to him as to balance the both of you out into something more comfortable. He finds that your presence is good to have while he works, helps him feel down to earth and less tightly wrapped in his spiels of thoughts.

Scout:

(General)

Finds that your presence and abilities are both handy on field, although he insists you're not as good as him..he's not gonna not give you credit for how utterly fucking cool it is to see someone use something that resembles literal super powers!! But! He also finds your skills useful for playing any tricks on an unsuspecting teammate...if you're in on it of course, if not he'll complain and whine to you that you should at least try it with him and to think of how cool and funny it would be if you did.

Beg you to do things like, for instance, could you make him fly in the air? Your abilities can only go so far of course and not wanting to disappoint, you were successful!...for a few minutes before his ass flopped onto the floor and he got a bloody nose. However as if blood was not dripping from his face currently he was insistent that they have got to try it again sometime!! Flying felt so cool!!

Probably the teammate who has the most interest in your abilities solely for the fact he thinks it's super cool and only thinks of cool ways for you to use it cause..c'mon!!! He doesn't understand why you wouldn't just use it all the time it would make SO many things easier!!

In an attempt to understand you as a person better and how you live with such an ability he's keen on asking questions if you don't get annoyed with him asking so many and then shooing him off. His questions are more so for curiosity and getting to know you reasons as opposed to Medic's who curiosity was mostly scientific.

He's a dude who has a sense of longing to have..someone to like/relate to. Someone to trust and call his friend! And if you're able to show him that you're someone who can deal with his antics, questions, and things that others will find annoying but are things you accept of him..hey man. You got his loyalty and friendship. Take good care of that.

He really likes to talk about just a bunch of things if you're someone he considers a friend. He's not holding back! He's gonna let you hear all of thoughts he has in the world! Or..talk to you about more serious things that only you as friends would share with each other and no one else perhaps...his worries with his mom and knucklehead brothers, or you and your worries.

(Romantic)

Scout is someone that could be described as super touchy with those he feels close enough to. Which st this base, he doesn't consider anybody quite close enough for anyone to ever see. 'Cept you of course. Growing closer to Scout he's way more comfortable wrapping an arm over your shoulders, giving you side hugs, bumping your side with his affectionately and such.

Okay in his defense with that date he tried to set up with Pauling he totally wasn't expecting a giant fucking mutant bread to come and attack the lot of them so, technically while Spy considers him a failure in the department of wooing women the set up of the date wasn't....horrible???? I mean. It looked like a prom yeah but hey! He's learned a thing or 2 from that experience and so he's more likely to have something at least slightly suited more to your tastes since he's gotten to know you better.

You like to push his cap over his eyes quickly with just a flick of your telekinesis before battle starts, leaving him to laugh and fix it before he quickly and effortlessly catches right back up to you anyways. It's okay though, he gets you back later by pressing a cold beer to your neck if the battle is won.

If given the go ahead by you he'll sit with you somewhere and have either an arm draped over your shoulder or your head on his chest as drones on and on about whatever it is he's currently thinking about. He likes talking, and you like listening to him talk even if you don't follow every single thing he says, you get some comfort out of it.

He won't admit to anyone..but you maybe, that your a huge softspot he has. Like, his family is his softspot..and with family that includes his mom, his brothers, and you to some extent, and he'll be sure to remind you every now and again that he's loyal to you and only you. You can trust him when tells you, but reminding you about that fact never hurts!

Overall, he trusts and loves you to the fullest and he can only hope that you return both of those in full back to him. He's indulged the most information about himself personally and his worries to you and only you, and you've done the same for him.

Spy:

(General)

Standoffish with you in your initial meeting. Your first impression of him was one you couldn't really say was kind or nice in anyway. While the man wasn't downright cruel he still couldn't be described as nice. After all, he did blow smoke in your face upon initial meeting. However, you didn't return this first impression in kind back as you were quick to gather the smoke blown at you in a sphere kind of shape and have it blown right back in his own face, his expression souring quite a bit.

He can be mad all he wants, but you let it be known on your first meeting that you're not letting yourself get pushed around. Something that while not in that moment, he grows to appreciate and admire that you're not gonna let people like him walk all over you.

Once you've proven your worth as a teammate to be welcomed on the team by proving yourself in the face of battle, he's lightens up on you considerably. He views his actions as a sort of..tough love kind of situation if you will. He figures that, if you're really deemed fit enough to have your own spot on the team with the rest of them..then he has no need to keep being tough on you as he thinks it would no longer be necessary if you're already here to stay correct?

Finds some of your antics when using your telekinesis amusing..not that he would admit that out loud of course. You swear you might of heard a sucking in of breath to laugh, soft chuckles, or hell even a few snorts from this man a few times when you mess with people but..you also didn't have proof it was him so you wouldn't know completely.

Has admitted to you at one point that you were more tolerable to be around as opposed to the other teammates, not to say that none of them could hold good conversation no, but most could get a bit tiring to socialize with and it was quick to make him want to reside back in his smoking room. You however, were someone he can actually bear to talk to for more than an hour.

Can also admire your skill and how well in check you can keep yourself, it shows serious restraint on your part and that's not so easy for everyone. He finds it admirable that you try so hard as to not cause any kind of harm to anyone or break anything.

(Romantic)

Okay dunno if you can tell but this guy is very much not a low key kind of partner. He's one to shell out quite a pretty penny on gifts he knows you'll enjoy or dates he takes you on. It's a love language of his.

Is also not low key at all when it comes to affection much in public. Hand holding, kisses to the corner of your mouth, kisses to your hands and forehead, the works of that sort but is sure to not overwhelm you if you're not to heavy on that.

You can give the love back whenever you're on the base, super simple things that sure, aren't as out there as Spy's but are gestures he can appreciate no matter how small they are. Using your telekinesis to fetch him a lighter from across the room as to not have him get up to retrieve it, or to use it to tidy up his tie or flick dust and dirt off of his pristine suit.

You find that although unwilling to part with too much information himself, he's very much listening to things you have to say. A sharp eared good listener if you will, he supposes all of those years of eavesdropping on his end has done him some good as he's very much still listening even though he may be occupied with something.

Indulges himself in your company far more than anyone else. Mostly in the dark evenings as he's usually off doing his own things after battle whatever those things may be. Isn't one to talk about work when everyone is clearly not having to do it as of right now, he just wants to wind down at least a tad (as he never allows himself to completely relax as that would pose a danger to the kind of job he has of course.)

Finds that your a good reading partner, not for reading out loud to or you reading out loud for him but, you're someone good to be around if you wish to work around someone who has a bit of life around them as although silent in speech you're not silent in activities that don't require talking. Reading for example, you don't speak but you're also not silent, your soft breathing, maybe the quiet whistle of your nose as you breath out, the light sound of your bouncing your leg against fabric, or just the sound of rustling and turning pages. It calms him.

[pattem]

Why Choose Java? Key Benefits of Java Web Applications

Accentuating the Web Industry with Java and its Merits 

Java is a case-sensitive, class-based programming language that is portable and platform-independent. Eventually, Java code can run on any device with the help of Java Virtual Machine (JVM). One of the major advantages of Java is its simplicity to use and adaptability to develop applications according to current trends and demands. Generally, Java is an object-oriented, general-purpose programming language that is used for developing applications and websites. It is a high-level language, and the major advantage of using Java is its ability to move from one system to another. However, it is not only used for building applications; we can also use it for developing desktop applications, server applications, software tools, and system software. In this blog, we will learn about Java and the impact it made in the web development industry. So, without wasting any further time, let us dive into the blog!

Streamlining Web Development with Some Notable Benefits of Java

Java web application frameworks is one of the largest and greatest communities of talented software engineers around the globe. With the help of these communities, companies can elevate their own talented team of talents. SpringBoot is one of the open-source frameworks used for developing interactive and innovative web-based applications, which is used massively around the world and the community if this particular framework is huge. Furthermore, it can run eventually on any device with the help of a JVM that translates the Java code into machine code of the inherent operating system. This makes it easy for developers to develop and deploy web-based applications. 

Java frameworks provide utmost security against almost all Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE). These Java frameworks have a lot of in-built functionalities and features, including cryptography, verification, and access control, which made it very simple and easy for web development. Developers can utilize the comprehensive API for further consideration logic implementation. In addition to that, Java-based web applications have one of the most powerful development tools on the market. To help developers to code easily, Java offers a range of basic IDEs, including Eclipse and Netbeans, to advanced production like Intellij Idea, Visual Studio Code, and Spring Tool Suite. Basically, these Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) have a lot of tools and plugins to boost and elevate the development process of web apps. 

Initially, to set up a Java web application, it reduces the boilerplate by providing an embedded server and in-memory database. With minimal boilerplate code, developers can have minimal update cycles and development times, which results in more productive employees. Moreover, the web applications of Java are very scalable, and several technologies like Docker and Kubernetes are used for scaling. It permits developers to scale themselves both horizontally and vertically with the new specifications and can readjust according to the trends. 

Noting Down the Key Takeaways from the Blog

From the above blog, we can understand the importance and impact of using Java in web application development. Moreover, Java frameworks have a bunch of comprehensive and flexible expressions and third-party libraries, which allow any developer to develop an unimaginable web application. Also, Java has a lot of tools, libraries, and frameworks that help developers to make magnificent web applications. Along with this, selecting the best Java web application development company plays a very crucial role in the development process. 

Pattem Digital is the best application development company that most people search for. We possess a talented team of developers to make the application more user-friendly and interactive. We understand the market thoroughly and provide our clients with applications that meet both their business needs and market requirements. We also make sure to guide them even after the launch of the product by assuring them of consistent support to make the application more effective in the industry.

[twh-news]

To land ‘Loki,’ Kate Herron had to pull out all the stops. How she won over Marvel

As a teenager, Kate Herron was obsessed with the “Lord of the Rings” films.

In particular, she recalls heading to theaters repeatedly with friends who shared her passion to see “The Two Towers” (2002), the second installment in director Peter Jackson’s trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy novel. She even wrote “Lord of the Rings” fan fiction.

“It was very silly,” the British filmmaker insists, revealing that one of her stories saw the heroic Fellowship traveling through a magical fountain and getting trapped in New York. “Honestly, I was just writing the stories to make my friends laugh. I guess it was kind of that first foray for me: ‘How do I tell a story?’”

Years later, Herron is again involved in telling a story about a protagonist displaced from the world he knows. But this time, her audience is much bigger.

Herron, 33, is the director of “Loki,” the Marvel Studios series that follows the adventures of the titular god of mischief after he has been plucked out of time by an agency charged with maintaining the sanctity of the timeline. Thus, the six-episode series, which premiered earlier this month on Disney+, features a slightly different version of Loki than the fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have grown to love since his first appearance in “Thor” (2011) through “Avengers: Endgame” (2019).

“I love villains,” says Herron during a recent video call from Atlanta, where she is putting the final touches on “Loki.” “I think that if a villain’s done right, you don’t necessarily have to like their actions, but you have to understand them. And I think that Tom [Hiddleston], in the last decade, has brought such empathy and wit and pain to a very real character for so many people. I just wanted to be part of whatever [Loki’s] next chapter was going to be.”

The series, on which the self-described Loki fan also serves as an executive producer, is Herron’s highest-profile project to date. Her previous credits include directing on Netflix’s “Sex Education,” as well as “Five by Five,” a series of short films executive produced by Idris Elba.

While growing up in South East London, Herron never considered filmmaking as a career. Her love of movies manifested as the aspiration to become an actor, and she often goaded her peers into putting on plays or making movies using a friend’s father’s camcorder. It wasn’t until some astute and encouraging teachers at Herron’s secondary school pointed out that she seemed more interested in storytelling that she changed course.

By introducing Herron to new texts, these teachers — as well as a film studies class that covered films directed by Stanley Kubrick and Akira Kurosawa — helped expand her perspective.

“I just didn’t know that you could have a voice and an authorship over a film, which probably sounds a bit silly. But I just hadn’t really thought about films in that way,” says Herron. Soon enough, she was on the path to film school at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham, England, where she graduated with a degree in film production.

Herron laughs as she remembers how she believed she would just go off and find work in film straight out of school. “Obviously that did not happen,” she says.

With no post-graduate roadmap (or job offer) to help her break into the industry, Herron eventually started writing and directing short films with “no money” while juggling a day job as a temp. Both experiences provided Herron with material for “Loki,” which introduces a new bureaucratic agency called the Time Variance Authority to the MCU.

“I’ve worked at a lot of random places, which weirdly has influenced ‘Loki’ in some ways because we have this office culture kind of running through it,” says Herron. “I’ve worked in a lot of offices.”

In order to give the retro-futuristic offices of the TVA “a real lived-[in], breathed-in office” feel, Herron incorporated details that viewers could recognize from the real world — from paper files to the posters on the walls — and gave them a fantastical twist befitting the superhero series.

“One of the most exciting things to me about Kate is she has this amazing attention to detail,” says “Loki” co-executive producer Kevin Wright. “That was something that we saw on her very first pitch [and] it works its way into every frame of the show. Every monitor, every piece of paper in the TVA … she has looked over and approved everything you see.”

In an email, “Loki” star Hiddleston described Herron as “a dream collaborator” who possesses “a unique combination of extraordinary diligence, stamina, energy, respect and kindness.”

“Her affection for and understanding of Loki was so deep, profound and wide-ranging,” Hiddleston wrote. “She built a new world for these characters to play in with incredible precision, but she was also acutely sensitive to their emotional journey.”

Herron’s affinity for outsiders is apparent throughout the course of our conversation. There is of course her love for Loki — the heir to the king of Frost Giants raised as the prince of Asgard who has become one of the MCU’s most beloved villain-turned-antiheroes. Herron’s first introduction to the world of Marvel as a kid was through “X-Men: The Animated Series,” about the superhero team with mutant powers that set them apart from average humans. Herron cites Lisa Simpson — the overachieving, opinionated middle child from the animated sitcom “The Simpsons” — as the reason she is a vegetarian who can play the saxophone.

And although Herron describes herself as shy, it’s no match for the passion she brings to discussing film and television.

She calls Wes Anderson’s 2001 film “The Royal Tenenbaums,” co-written by “Loki” actor Owen Wilson, “a perfect movie.” In addition to being obsessed with “The Simpsons,” Herron gravitated toward genre shows such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” the updated “Battlestar Galactica” and “The X-Files” when growing up.

As Herron enthusiastically dives into “Loki’s” influences — which include “Alien” (1979), “Blade Runner” (1982), “Brazil” (1985), “Metropolis” (1927) and, yes, even “Teletubbies” — it’s easy to see why Wright knew she was the right person to bring “Loki” to life from their very first meeting.

Upon learning that Marvel was developing a show about Loki, Herron tasked her agents with calling Marvel every day until they would meet with her. And it worked.

“I was just so excited that somebody was chasing the project,” says Wright. “Which sounds crazy, that Marvel would be excited somebody’s chasing us. But it was the early days of us trying to get this Disney+ streaming stuff off the ground, so people were very hesitant … they didn’t know what it was yet.”

Herron’s enthusiasm for the show landed her a video meeting with Wright and executive producer Stephen Broussard. Believing it might be her only shot at the project, Herron came armed with so many stills and clips to illustrate her discussion of the scripts she’d been sent that a simple meet-and-greet turned into a four-hour conversation.

“Over the course of the next week or so,” Wright explains, “it was really figuring out how to set Kate up to succeed when we got her in front of Kevin Feige to pitch this.”

Herron put together a 60-page bible of ideas for the characters, the story, the visual references and more. The rest is Marvel history.

She learned not to wait for permission, she says, after graduating from film school and becoming involved with improv and stand-up to both develop her comedy chops and to meet funny collaborators to be in her short films.

“I think I’d always find excuses, almost, [to not do it],” says Herron. “It was that thing of being like, ‘Oh, well, I’m not ready. So I’ll wait. I’ll wait until I’m perfect at it and then I’ll go do it.’”

Taking inspiration from Robert Rodriguez’s “Rebel Without a Crew” and a SXSW keynote speech by Mark Duplass, Herron realized that she just needed to start making things. She told herself it was OK if the films were messy. If a short was bad, nobody had to see it. If a short was “halfway to good,” she would submit them to festivals.

It’s this tenacious creativity that connects the dots between her early fan fiction, her short films, her pitch presentations — and now “Loki” itself. It’s a trait that has helped her navigate the industry to her current success, even during the periods it’s been most frustrating. As a female director, “I got asked crazy stuff in interviews sometimes,” she says of life on the festival circuit. “I remember being asked, ‘Are you sure you’re ready? Are you sure you’re ready?’ And male colleagues of mine were never asked that in interviews. I think that’s probably why I was so driven to just go out and make stuff.”