#mark derr

[bones-n-bookles]

How the Dog Became the Dog: From Wolves to Our Best Friends, by Mark Derr, 2011

A holiday gift if I remember correctly

[grison-in-space]

Specialization is so far advanced in dogdom that even among working lines there are divisions between trial and hunting or herding dogs. Whereas not too many years ago field trials were merely a way to keep a dog employed in the off-season, they have become ends in themselves. Trial dogs, be they pointers, retrievers, spaniels, setters, herders, or hounds, tend as a rule to be possessed of high energy, drive, and speed. Some of the trials are timed events with scores awarded for the number of animals treed or flushed, while others simply require precise execution of prescribed tasks. Intensely trained and drilled, the dogs work close to their handler, taking direction from him or her.

Working dogs must be more independent. Situations on the hunt, the ranch, or farm are considerably more complicated and subtle than those in a trial, where the goal is to make everything uniform so the dogs can be measured against each other or against a standard of behavior—for example, whether a retriever can follow a beeline for a duck on the ground one hundred yards away and bring it back with minimal human direction. A super trial dog, trained to point one tamed bird at a time, might forget entirely what to do when in the field on a hunt it encounters a covey of wild quail intent on scattering to all points of the compass. Or it might face pheasants whose idea of fun is to keep moving along the ground, forcing it either to hold point over empty space or to engage in a kind of moving point, which its handler has worked to discourage.

Dog’s Best Friend, Mark Derr (1997)

I think this passage really gets into what @canisitsnotlupus was discussing the other day about working vs sport in terms of behavior. Here, Derr is talking specifically about gundogs, but the general principle is fairly easy to extend to other forms of working and sport.

In particular, the dog's attention to the handler is something I think tends to get amped up and intensified when tasks transition from the demands of work into the demands of sport. Sport rewards specificity and precision as well as uniformity and often speed, and dogs and handlers alike have to dedicate intense attention to one another in order to execute the tasks of the game competitively.

By contrast, work is longer, often more boring, and simultaneously more demanding: as Derr points out, working situations are less controlled and therefore likely to throw up unanticipated hurdles for the dog and handler alike. Working situations therefore are more likely to reward a wider range of successful strategies and styles, depending on the function to which the work is put and the specific demands and uses of the job.

Moreover, the jobs themselves are likely to vary substantially depending on local conditions, including local culture, technology availability, the social context of the task, and the local opinions about how dogs should be managed... and this can heavily impact the choice of breeds used for various tasks, especially if the breeders controlling the development of a breed with the same historical purpose are no longer engaging in that purpose. For example, I made a point about St. Bernards not being very good for SAR the other day, and part of that is the increased use of cramped vehicles and helicopters for transporting dogs over large surfaces and the necessity of navigating tight spaces and precarious ground for SAR dogs, alongside the ability to cover large swathes of distance in a pinch. The way we do the task has changed, and the ideal dog to perform the task changes alongside it.

Here's another point: jobs for dogs open up all the time. The wide range of tasks service dogs are put to, for example, requires a lot of complex traits. I would submit that no one right now is producing an ideal dog for mobility service work, although Swissies and Bernese are probably the best placed to enter that niche... and both breeds have small gene pools that don't have a ton of room to change and grow in accordance with the needs of the job, either. How big does a mobility assistance dog need to be? How long lived could we make big dogs?

The trick is thinking of situations where a dog brings value to the task without creating more work to manage the dog than than that value eases. For example, herd dogs and horses can be replaced with ATVs.... but they stress cattle less, and once trained they are easy enough to control, so the niche remains. The sensory capacities of a dog are hard to replicate, so many niches for dogs depend on scentwork (and sometimes dogs' hearing) today.

In some ways, then, the fact that we use dogs for tasks in day to day life so much less is partly a cultural failure of imagination and partly a delayed response to enormous changes in technology. But tech often comes with its own drawbacks. I wonder sometimes if obedience schools might benefit from classes designed to teach useful tricks, like the kind of guided retrieves that can result in a dog that can fetch a targeted object. For all the man is, ah, a bit terrifying and not good at managing arousal, Zak George's short-lived Superfetch show did a great job of showcasing this and showing off some of the genuinely useful things dogs could be asked to do and provide, like racing upstairs for a clean diaper.

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Book names + authors under the cut

Gordo Livingstone/Mark Bennet- Green Creek Series by TJ Klune

Lesto Arseni/Shemal- The Pirate of Fathoms Deep by Megan Derr

Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji- Mo Dao Zu Shi/Grand Master of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Wallace Price/Hugo Freeman- Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

[blueboyluca]

@konmari-dogs's post reminded me, I read a lot of dog books this year! My biggest tip for reading more is put a bunch of books on your phone and just dip into them when you can. I think I originally got this tip from Milly, but it really works. If you are getting sick of one or need a break, you can easily flit to another. You can get a page or two while waiting for appointments or at a cafe or something. Really easy to read a lot more.

Anyway, I read a lot of crap this year but also some gems.

Hit list: The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson. I finally read this classic. I skimmed most of the training stuff because it is a bit outdated now, but I really liked the allegorical parts, the actual bits that are why it is titled the way it is. That stuff is still really relevant today.

Dog is Love by Clive D.L. Wynne. I enjoyed this. It followed the story of how Wynne convinced himself that dogs do love us, through various scientific disciplines. I also think this guy is a compelling speaker, if a little pompous.

Wonderdog by Jules Howard. Loved this one, excellent overview of dog science throughout history. Really worth the read.

The Secret History of Kindness by Melissa Holbrook Pierson. My favourite read this year, an incredibly moving overview of the history of training dogs.

In Defence of Dogs by John Bradshaw. I started this one more than a year ago and finished it this year. It was pretty good, but a little outdated on the science now. Still worth a read.

The Great Grisby by Mikita Brottman. I enjoyed this, it was about various dogs in literature or real dogs owned by famous people, mostly Victorians. It was a fun read. The focus won't be for everyone.

How the Dog Became the Dog: From Wolves to Our Best Friends by Mark Derr. I started reading this like 5 years ago. I really enjoyed the first half then dropped off it. I finished it this year and I am glad, but there wasn't as much good stuff in the second half. Still, I reference it a lot and I love the way he writes about early dogs.

Shit list: Living with Border Collies by Barbara Sykes. This one is a mess. Very few useful ideas, mostly just batty nonsense.

Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis. This was the only novel I read this year and it was garbage. Do not recommend.

How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger. You all know I hated it. I am stunned when people recommend it to others to get into dog buttons. I thought the narrative itself was a steaming pile of garbage and I thought the tips on how to get started with buttons were vague and unhelpful. Cannot understand this fad at all.

The First Domestication by Brandy R. Fogg and Raymond Pierotti. I started this a year or two ago and finished it this year. It was a mess. I appreciated the parts where they ripped into Coppinger, but there were tons of other really questionable bits so I basically think the whole thing is a wash.

Dogs: A Philosophical Guide to Our Best Friends by Mark Alizart. It wasn't terrible, but it was quite strange. I appreciated it sent me down a few rabbit holes though. I tried reading some more philosophical books about dogs but they fall apart as soon as the authors show they know nothing about modern dog science.

Dingoes Don’t Bark by Lionel Hudson. This one also wasn't terrible but it was also kind of nothing. Not a lot of information about dingoes. I think the documentary it pairs with would be more worhtwhile. I think it's from the 70s, maybe 80s.

Still reading: Level Up Your Dog Training by Natalie Bridger Watson. This is for beginners, but I am enjoying it as another resource for my club.

The Wolf Within by Professor Bryan Sykes. This is good but thick and science heavy, so I know it will take me a long time.

Treat Everyone Like a Dog by Karen London. I am not enjoying this at all. It will inevitably make it onto my shit list one year.

What Dogs Want by Mat Ward. Really loving this very cute and modern take on basic dog care for new owners.

What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs by Cat Warren. I am really loving this so far. It's my kind of book, a mix of dog science and memoir.

Our Oldest Companions by Pat Shipman. I am not that taken in by Shipman. I've read one of her other books and I don't find her particularly compelling. I am finding Sykes more interesting than this one.

Aesop's Animals: The Science Behind the Fables by Jo Wimpenny. This one is pretty good, not sure if I will finish it though because I read the dog and wolf chapters already.

Positive Herding 101 by Barbara Buchmayer. I am enjoying this. I got through all the beginning stuff and have finally reached the chapters that will talk about herding training.

Enrichment Games for High Energy Dogs by Barbara Buchmayer. This is good enough that it made me buy her other book. I haven't finished it yet though.

[rosielindy]

All of this times a bazillion! Sitting to write about the human-canine connection and I found an article that covers it well.

I like how he frames wolves and early humans as equals. He gets a bit anthropomorphic but it serves well to make the point. In ordinary circumstances I would never presume to know what a wolf is thinking. I’d be too busy shitting my pants and running away.

Over thousands of years, just like everything else humans touch, they had to break the synergy, destroy and dominate, putting humans (esp. men) as the center and all others their servants, including other humans, also perceived as lesser-than.

I’m rambling on, processing. I’ve been honored to share this canine connection with five beautiful beings in my adult life. Even before I started “adulting” I always felt connected to dogs, I trust them more than most humans.

What’s not to love? Mutual respect, unconditional love and trust, protection, sweet doggy kisses, soul comfort, silly interactions, nuzzles for attention, snuggling for warmth or just because it feels good.

🥰🐾

[solrika]

Tagged by @stukagoggles and @monstroso --thank you!

favorite color: right now, yellow, but it changes a lot

last song listened to: Move Me by Hozier

currently reading: halfway through "How the Dog Became The Dog" by Mark Derr. Very mixed on it--he's got a lot of snide little asides I just don't care for.

currently watching: Nothing on the TV. Working through the "Try Guys Ruin: Legends" series on YouTube. I would be watching "Secrets of the Neanderthals," but Netflix kicked me off the joint subscription.

coffee or tea: Both! Tea is part of my culture, coffee is a soothing treat.

currently craving: Salt and Straw JUST discontinued their rhubarb-crumble-with-anise flavor and I'm so sad about it. I love bougie ice cream.

[music-othersthings-blog]

Where is my angel?

Lyrics

English

Where is my angel Draped over the end of the day? Someone come and save me, please Only the sighs of a tiring day

Everyone looks happy Can you look at me? Cuz I am blue & grey The meaning of the tears reflected in the mirror The colors hidden in my smile, blue & grey

I don’t know where it went wrong A blue question mark in my head since I was a child Maybe that’s why I lived so fiercely But once I look back, once I stand still here That menacing shadow swallows me up The question mark, still blue Is it uneasiness, melancholy? Perhaps we really are animals of regret* Or perhaps it’s that I was born out of loneliness I still don’t know, that menacing blue I hope I don’t get consumed by it, I will find the exit

I just wanna be happier Melt me, I’m cold My hand reached out innumerable times A colourless echo Oh this ground feels so heavier I am singing by myself I just wanna be happier Is even this too much to ask for? The beating of my quickening heart That I felt when I walked the cold winter streets Even now, I still feel it

Don’t say it’s okay Because it’s not okay Please don’t leave me alone, it hurts too much

The road that I always walk on, the light that always shines on me But for some reason, today it’s an unfamiliar scene Did I become too used to it or did it fall apart** But it’s heavy, this piece of metal A grey rhinoceros*** coming towards me I stand with unfocused eyes, all alone This moment doesn’t seem like me I’m just not scared

I don’t believe in the god that is certainty**** Colorful words make me nervous Wide gray areas put me at ease Here there is the grey of a million faces When it rains, it’s my world I dance on top of this city May the bright days have fog May we be together always on wet days And to all the dust here, I raise a toast

I just wanna be happier Feel the heat from my hands I need you more because they are not warm Oh this ground feels so heavier I am singing by myself Far in the future, if I smile I’ll say, that’s how it used to be

As I secretly take back the words that are floating in the air I fall asleep at dawn, good night.

Portuguese

Onde está o meu anjo?

No final deste dia

Alguém venha me salvar, por favor

Um suspiro de um dia cansativo

Parece que todo mundo está feliz

Você pode olhar para mim? Por que estou triste e apagado

O significado das lágrimas refletidas no espelho

É a cor escolhida por trás do meu sorriso, azul e cinza

Eu não sei onde deu errado

Desde criança, tenho um ponto de interrogação

azul marcado na minha cabeça

Talvez seja por isso que eu viva tão ferozmente

Mas quando eu olho para trás, estou sozinho

Aquela sombra gelada que me devora

Aquele o ponto de interrogação azul que ainda existe

É ansiedade ou depressão?

Eu estou muito arrependido?

Ou talvez seja eu, a quem solidão criou

Eu ainda não sei, aquele fervoroso azul

Espero não ser devorado, encontrarei uma saída

Eu só quero ser mais feliz

Para derreter o frio em mim

As minhas mão estenderam-se inúmeras vezes

Ecos sem cor

Oh, esse chão parece tão mais pesado

Estou cantando sozinho

Eu só quero ser mais feliz

Estou sendo egoísta demais?

Eu senti isso quando caminhei pelas ruas frias de inverno

O som da minha respiração acelerada

Eu ainda a sinto

Não diga que está tudo bem

Porque não está

Por favor, não me deixe sozinho, dói muito

Na estrada em que caminho, há uma luz que sempre brilha

Mas, hoje, isso não parece familiar

Está apagada ou quebrada?

O pedaço de metal parece tão pesada

Um rinoceronte cinza vem em minha direção

Só continuo parado ali, sem foco

Eu não me sinto eu mesmo agora

Não estou assustado

Eu não acredito em um Deus

Chamado convicção

Palavras como "cor" me fazem estremecer

Uma área cinza e vasta é muito mais confortável

Há centenas de milhões de expressões faciais cinzentas aqui

Quando chove, é o meu mundo

Eu danço sobre esta cidade

Em um dia claro, ela traz alguma névoa

Em dias de chuva, estamos sempre juntos

Um brinde a todo o pó daqui

Eu só quero ser mais feliz

Para derreter o frio em mim

As minhas mão estenderam-se inúmeras vezes, ecos sem cor

Oh, esse chão parece tão mais pesado

Eu estou cantando sozinho

Em um futuro distante, quando eu sorrir

Vou te dizer que fiz

Depois de pegar secretamente as palavras no ar

Agora adormeço de madrugada, boa noite.

[hkvoyage]

Hey buddy. How is it going?

I just recently got into fantasy tag in Klaine fanfiction. Mockingbird in the looking glass was such a chef's kiss by @quizasvivamos was such a bliss. I would like to read more on this tag. Could you please suggest more wonderful fics in the fantasy genre? Thanks in advance!

And yeah, those who are wondering what happened to "Living Haphazard" (if anyone. I don't think my fic will be remembered) with that one chapter, I did that chapter, got deleted, lost motivation as of now. And my med school life is driving me crazy too. I will try to upload that soon and complete it.

Heartstone Verse by @sunshineoptimismandangels

Ancient magic, lurking monsters, and a spell that has plagued Blaine’s family for centuries. All Blaine wants to do is survive in peace and hide from the evils that follow him. New York City seemed like a good place to just disappear, to let the gray anonymity of the city obscure him. He didn’t expect that New York City was where he’d find the one thing that was most dangerous to him, and he didn’t expect to find Kurt Hummel a man who could uncoil him with a smile and possibly make his cold heart beat again.

Note: Also check out Folaigh Verse and Callaway Place 

~~~~~

The Prince and the Moon God by @seeroftodayandtomorrow

"It is the sole purpose of Blaine's birth. One hundred years will have passed when he reaches his twenty-first year. Then he will be put on a ship, make the long voyage to the Isle, and have his throat cut to make sure his family keeps its power." Inspired by a story by Megan Derr.

~~~~~

Hell & High Water by mmerainbows

Kurt counted the days even though no one else did anymore, and for what, he didn’t know. His dad died eight years ago, and he had no other family to speak of. His days were monotonous and thankless as he hunted for the community he lived in. Long gone were the days when he could dabble in music and fashion because that world no longer existed, and without those things - who was Kurt Hummel really? Until the day an emergency transmission is received and what Kurt is forced to reconsider what is existing and what is truly living.

~~~~~

Picture Perfect by @lilyvandersteen 

Kurt makes a pact with an evil spirit to save his father's life in return for many years of servitude. The spirit wants sexual favours, too, but is rebuffed by Kurt's soulmate protection. Enraged, the spirit traps him into a painting and tells him only his soulmate will be able to rescue him. Fifty years later, Blaine discovers the painting and is struck by its beauty.

Note: Also check out Erased and Worth the Wait 

~~~~~

Shimmering Blueseries by @jayhawk-writes

Kurt Hummel is a half-elf living in the picturesque village of O’a Nalore. One night, he meets a woman who, because of the kindness he shows her, changes his whole life.

Note: Also check out The Silver-Scaled Mark 

~~~~~

Mockingbird in the Looking Glass by @quizasvivamos

Kurt Hummel is a billionaire playboy and the founder and CEO of Hummel Industries, headquartered in the heart of New York City. What he did to get there and what his company does to make its money is a mystery. Kurt lives a reckless and carefree life until, one day, strange things begin to happen, and he finds himself in a situation of which he could have never dreamed. On a journey of self-discovery, Kurt must face himself and learn about power and responsibility, compassion, and, above all, love.

Happy Reading! - HKVoyage

[grison-in-space]

okay for the love of fuck epigenetics is not and never has been "Lamarckian evolution", mark derr, sit down. Lamarck's central premise was that repeated behaviors engaged in by parental individuals could directly alter the physiology of the offspring, not that parental experiences could shape offspring phenotypes. in some ways epigenetic effects on phenotypes owe far more to Waddington's premise of developmental canalization than anything Lamarck could have dreamt up, devoid of mechanism, and Waddington actually put together some damn experiments to back his ideas up.

crucially underestimated fellow, Waddington.

[blueboyluca]

"Dogs are as capable of being clowns as people are, without question, and that is one reason we get on so well with them."

— Mark Derr, How the Dog Became the Dog: From Wolves to Our Best Friends (2011)

[poisonappletales]

DIRECTOR'S ABRIDGED CUT VERSION

Today marks the 5th anniversary of the game...Don't Take This Risk! As a gift, we've released a Director's Abridged Cut of it.

NEW FEATURES

2 Extra Endings

Spanish translation by @hiyokol

Updated artwork (so you can see how blonde Unknown is)

VOICE ACTOR

Unknown by Nicolas Derre

HOW TO DOWNLOAD

You can download it by clicking on the link above, scrolling down to the list of downloads and downloading one of the links that has the word "Directors Abridged Cut" in it. (Please choose the link that corresponds with your computer! For now, it's only available for the PC and Mac.)

CONTACT US

Support us on Patreon

tumblr. Our main website! Follow us for sneak peeks and more…

Facebook. Don't forget to like us!

Twitter.

Hang out with other fans on our Discord here!

Director's Notes

You might wonder why there's only one voice actor this time. That's because the original game was made for a 48 hour game jam. I didn't have time to direct the two voice actors then, even though they did an excellent job in the time frame available.

In the Director's Abridged Cut, Nicolas Derre worked closely with the director (a.k.a. the one writing this) to capture Unknown's character. Come learn more about this stranger, if you dare...

In addition to the 2 extra endings, there are a few added lines sprinkled throughout the script. More fun nuggets of information to help you unravel Unknown's true identity.

@hiyokol did an excellent job on the Spanish translation, and I apologize for how long it took to code it into the game! I truly appreciate the work she put into it. To change the language, go to the Options/Preferences menu. You will see a section labeled as "Language." You can then choose "English" or "Spanish." Please enjoy!

I also slipped in an image for Beauty and the War (X Playing Pieces), an upcoming game where you can find out Unknown's true name/face/identity. I actually polled my lovely patreon family about what picture I should use there. There was a tie between the re-done picture of Ambrosia looking back at X and a mysterious illustration that I hadn't yet posted. Seeing how you can find the former quite easily (i.e. just by looking at the header for this tumblr page), I decided to go with the latter.

As one of my awesome patrons mentioned, going with the wild card fit with Unknown's style. Good call or no? Feel free to share what you think when you see it! (You can also expect me to post it someday in the future on my tumblr here.)

Other than that, I've called this a "Director's Abridged Cut" rather than a "Director's Cut" because if I really wanted to renovate the game in a full-out director's cut, I'd expand the dialogue, put in more pictures and tie the themes together better. So why did I create this abridged cut?

The answer is: Unknown gets a lot of asks, but I noticed many misunderstood his personality (likely due to the original game being made in 48 hours). A lot of people also thought he was a redhead because I put in too many red hues before. So I more or less updated the art with the one I used in the webtoon, with just a few tweaks here or there. I didn't want to spend too much time polishing him off since I still have a lot of work to finish with Beauty and the War (X Playing Pieces). (I'm giving that project a lot of love, so if you want to see more detailed illustrations of Unknown, you'll want to check out that game when it's out. After all, you want to see how his face looks, don't you? Oh, and if you're wondering how my updated artwork looks...well, don't miss the promo pic at the end! Or wait for it to get posted here. Your call.)

Bottom line is, I want you to understand Unknown just a little better...so you can hopefully be better equipped to meet him in Beauty and the War (X Playing Pieces) when it's released.

Unknown can't wait to see his kittens. Are you ready for it?

Happy 5th anniversary! Let's celebrate together. And don't forget - you aren't alone. Reach out to someone if you need it. Show each other love...but don't let anyone push you past your boundaries. You're someone who matters.

[deuteriumuniverse]

Gosho's Detective Picture Book Reviews

My review of detectives (and detective novels) based on Gosho's Detective Picture Book (also called Gosho's Mystery Library) are as below, to be completed not in the near future.

❤️ denote my personal favorites

Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle) ❤️

Kogoro Akechi (Edogawa Rampo)

Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie) ❤️

Arsene Lupin (Maurice Leblanc)

Jules Maigret (Georges Simenon)

Kousuke Kindaichi (Seishi Yokomizo)

Lieutenant Columbo (Richard Levison and William Link)

Zenigata Heiji (Kodo Nomura)

Philip Marlowe (Raymond Chandler)

C. Auguste Dupin (Edgar Allan Poe)

Ellery Queen (Ellery Queen) ❤️

V.I. Warshawski (Sara Paretsky)

Father Brown (C.K. Chesterton)

Cordelia Gray (P.D. James) ❤️

Heizo Hasegawa (Shotaro Ikenami)

Mitsuhiko Asami (Yasuo Uchida)

Nero Wolfe (Rex Stout)

Shunsaku Kudo (Nobumitsu Kodaka)

Hannibal Lecter (Thomas Harris)

Miss Marple (Agatha Christie) ❤️

Sam Spade (Dashiell Hammett)

Shozo Totsugawa (Kyotaro Nishimura)

Ninzaburo Furuhata (Kouki Mitani)

Perry Mason (Erle Stanley Gardner)

Mikeneko Holmes (Jiro Akagawa)

Inspector Samejima (Arimasa Osawa)

James Bond (Ian Fleming)

Kyosuke Kamizu (Akimitsu Takagi)

Charlie Chan (Earl Derr Biggers)

John Thorndyke (Richard Austin Freeman)

Touyama Kin-san (Tatsurou Jinde)

Mike Hammer (Mickey Spillane)

Philo Vance (S.S. Van Dine)

Akakabu-kenji (Shunzo Waku)

Drury Lane (Ellery Queen)

Katherine Turner (Misa Yamamura)

Henry Jackson (Isaac Asimov)

Denshichi (Tatsurou Jinde)

Lew Archer (Ross Macdonald)

Kiyoshi Mitarai (Soji Shimada)

The Old Man in the Corner (Baroness Orczy)

Joseph Rouletabille (Gaston Leroux)

Hanshichi (Kido Okamoto) ❤️

Koichiro Munakata (Seiichi Morimura)

Eitaro Imanishi (Seicho Matsumoto)

Gideon Fell (John Dickson Carr)

Yuichiro Goda (Kaoru Takamura)

Ukyou Sugishita (Yasuhiro Koshimizu)

Steve Carella (Ed McBain)

Hideo Himura (Alice Arisugawa)

Riyako Asabuki (Shizuko Natsuki)

Robert Ironside (Collier Young)

Akihiko Chuzenji (Natsuhiko Kyogoku)

Kiyoshi Shimada (Yukito Ayatsuji)

The Continental Op (Dashiell Hammett) ❤️

Ningyo Sashichi (Seishi Yokomizo)

Joseph French (Freeman Wills Crofts)

Yoshibumi Takagi (Kenzo Kitakata)

Mom (James Yaffe)

Rintaro Norizuki (Rintaro Noziruki)

Koko (Lilian Jackson Braun)

Manabu Yukawa (Keigo Higashino) ❤️

Daisuke Kanbe (Yasutaka Tsutsui)

Inspector Zenigata (Monkey Punch)

Robert Langdon (Dan Brown)

Akojuro Senba (Juran Hisao)

Kanki Ibaragi (Futaro Yamada)

Bannai Tarao (Yoshitake Hisa)

Richard Cuff (Wilkie Collins)

Philip Trent (E.C. Bentley)

Gregory House (David Shore)

Yoshio Kuraishi (Hideo Yokoyama)

Adrian Monk (Andy Breckman and David Hoberman)

Inspector Onitsura (Tetsuya Ayukawa)

Enshi Shunotei (Kaoru Kitamura)

Lincoln Rhyme (Jeffery Deaver)

Kei Enomoto (Yusuke Kishi)

Keisuke Shiratori (Takeru Kaido)

Genya Tojo (Shinzo Mitsuda)

Shioriko Shinokawa (En Mikami)

Handyman of Susukino (Naomi Azuma)

Kageyama (Tokuya Higashigawa)

Hotaro Oreki (Honobu Yonezawa)

Lisbeth Salander (Stieg Larsson)

Lieutenant Fukuie (Takahiro Ookura)

Takeshi Yoshiki (Soji Shimada)

Jiro Egami (Alice Arisugawa)

Kyouko Okitegami (Nisio Isin)

Sakurako Kujou (Shiori Ota)

The Phantom Thief Detective Yamaneko (Manabu Kaminaga)

Riko Rinda (Keisuke Matsuoka)

Shinichiro Hanaoka (Koji Hayashi and Junpei Yamaoka)

Richard Castle (Andrew W. Warlowe)

Hiroto Miyama (Manabu Uda)

Yukimasa Yugami (Hideo Iura)

Mikoto Mitsumi (Akiko Nogi)

Keita Kurokochi (Takashi Nagasaki)

Totono Kuno (Yumi Tamura)

Maomao (Natsu Hyuga)

Sherlock Holmes (Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss) ❤️

Rohan Kishibe (Hirohiko Araki)

Seiko Fuji (Miko Yasu)

[into-september]

Gang of Secrets, now in English

SPOILERS NO DERR

I don’t have a whole lot to say but it was very interesting to note that this episode worked a whole lot better for me in English. I assume it was because of wonky subs, but honestly the voice work is just more convincing. By which I mean “Marinette”, whose voice work is the only one that really matters here. Obviously, I can’t say how much of this is because I don’t understand French, but I never had this issue watching anime and so I am inclined to blame this one on the English dub being good, actually. 

 - It is so very, very, very good to hear Juleka speak words

 - “Marinette will stay our friend whether she wants to or not” is a line that runs a lot better than whatever it was in the fansubs. It honestly grated me that the first three episodes had two akuma victims who went after Marinette to help her. 

 - Chloé still hanging out in the art room, let’s see how that’ll play out when the first we ever saw of Zoé was her hanging out in the art room

 - I love Trixx here, like a LOT. pLEASE let this season have plenty of Trixx.

 - “You’re an amazing friend, Ladybug”. Alya, no. Since when was Ladybug something more than the friendly neighborhood superhero who gave you a couple of interviews and gave you a miraculous like... three times. See, this is why people whine about Chloé turning her back on Ladybug: Chloé in fact had a special relationship with Ladybug that was important enough that the show went back to revisit it several times and eventually let it become the very thing breaking her. If Alya had something corresponding, it sure as hell never happened on screen. 

 - To the point where I’m more interested in whether Hawkie is going to take this setback to heart, because holy hell does this mark Rena Rouge WHOSE FACE AND NAME AND HOME ADRESS HE KNOWS as one motherfucker of an opponent. 

 - And if it doesn’t matter that Hawkie knows the temp heroes then I demand more Ryuko like seriously

 - (I was about to make some comment about the hilarity of Cat Noir moving on with Ryuko but then I remembered that He Knows and that he wouldn’t. So, uh, Ryuko trying to move on with Cat Noir and him having to navigate the profoundly uncomfortable situation of being the resident flirt who can’t flirt back with the girl who is interested for real?)

 - Marinette: You’re right, I’m keeping secrets, I have to lie to my friends and my parents and this is too big for us all and it’ll change everything- 

  Alya’s list of possible Marinette secrets during this monologue: Drugs? Online gambling? A sugar daddy? Killed a man? Recruited by the DGSI? Joined a doomsday cult?

[netlex]

The chinese parrot (1927)

starring Anna Mae Wong

The Chinese Parrot (1926) is the second novel in the Charlie Chan series of mystery novels by Earl Derr Biggers.

“Why, Mr Chan here is a detective, isn’t he? A detective on a vacation. If you’ve ever read a mystery story you know that a detective never works so hard as when he’s on vacation. He’s like the postman who goes for a long walk on his day off. Here we are, all set. We’ve got our bright and shining mark, our millionaire—P. J. Madden, one of the most famous financiers in America. I tell you, poor P. J. is doomed. Ten to one Mr Chan and I will walk into that ranch-house and find him dead on the first rug we come to.”

“This is no joking matter,” Eden rebuked severely. “Mr Chan—you seem to be a man of considerable ability.

full reading

[thisiswhymomworries]

Gay (mlm) Book Reccs

links to Asexual / Aromantic, Bisexual / Pansexual, Lesbian, Transgender / Non-Binary sheets

TCCL stands for Tulsa City-County Library, in Oklahoma. These reference sheets list the books physically available (not including ebooks only) at the 24 library locations in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For folks outside of this range, I suggest double-checking your local libraries, as well as the apps OverDrive, Hoopla, and YourCloudLibrary!

An online version of this list can be found at https://bit.ly/2kq4tjP. This goodreads shelf includes ebooks, new releases, and books not available at the library! It also features a notes section that specifies which character is gay, their exact identity if stated in the text, and whether they are a main or side character.

In the shelf list along the left side of the page, you can also find shelves for other LGBT+ identities, as well as books featuring characters that are disabled, fat, mentally ill, neurodivergent, and people of color. All the books are cross-tagged, so a book featuring a black disabled trans woman would appear in the shelves named disabled, POC, and transgender.

transcription below the cut!

Books Featuring Gay Male Characters Available at TCCL

(format: Title Author Genre)

The Black Tides of Heaven Yang, J. Y. Fantasy

The Love Interest Dietrich, Cale YA Romance

Black Wings Beating London, Alex YA Fantasy

Red Skies Falling London, Alex YA Fantasy

My Fate According to the Butterfly Villanueva, Gail D. Middle Grade Fiction

Heart of Iron Poston, Ashley YA Science Fiction

Soul of Stars Poston, Ashley YA Science Fiction

Salvation Day Wallace, Kali Science Fiction / Horror

Keep This to Yourself Ryan, Tom YA Mystery

The Merciful Crow Owen, Margaret YA Fantasy

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue Mackenzi, Lee YA Historical Fiction

Openly Straight Konigsberg, Bill YA Romance

Upside Down Walker, N. R. YA Romance

Red, White, & Royal Blue McQuiston, Casey YA Romance

Object of Desire Maclean, Dal Romance

The High King’s Golden Tongue Derr, Megan Science Fiction

All the Wrong Places Gallagher, Ann Romance

Kill Game Kingsbridge, Cordelia Mystery

Trick Roller Kingsbridge, Cordelia Mystery

Cash Plays Kingsbridge, Cordelia Mystery

One-Eyed Royals Kingsbridge, Cordelia Mystery

A Chip and a Chair Kingsbridge, Cordelia Mystery

A Mark on my Soul Greene, Jordan YA Romance

Timekeeper Sim, Tara YA Science Fiction

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda Albertalli, Becky YA Romance

Two Boys Kissing Levithan, David YA Romance

Autoboyography Lauren, Christina YA Romance

Taproot Young, Keezy Graphic Novel

My Brother’s Husband (vol 1) Tagame, Gengoroh Graphic Novel

My Brother’s Husband (vol 2) Tagame, Gengoroh Graphic Novel

Carry On Rowell, Rainbow YA Fantasy / Romance

What If It’s Us Albertalli, Becky YA Romance

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Sáenz, Benjamin Alire YA Romance

Stranger Than Fanfiction Colfer, Chris YA Fiction

Blank Spaces Lennox, Cass Romance

Draw the Line Linn, Laurent YA Fiction

How Not to Ask a Boy to Prom Goslee, S. J. YA Romance

Trans Mission: My Quest to a Beard Bertie, Alex Autobiography

Once & Future Capetta, Amy Rose YA Fantasy

The Song of Achilles Miller, Madeline Historical Fiction / Romance

Proxy London, Alex YA Science Fiction

The Priory of the Orange Tree Shannon, Samantha Fantasy

[grison-in-space]

Form for a working dog refers to locomotion, agility, strength, bite; for a show dog, good looks. Mate two dogs who look like pointers but have never really pointed, and you probably will end up with a litter of dogs who look like pointers but do not reliably freeze when they encounter prey. But breed two scruffy-looking mutts who come to a screeching halt whenever their noses encounter another animal and stare, waiting for it to move, and you have a good chance of getting at least a couple of puppies with the same disposition. They might look like street curs, but they will point and probably do other things as well. In other words, the look does not make the dog—something that many of us have never learned.

While the breeds, or subgroups, into which these animals are narrowly divided are often arbitrarily based on the irrelevancy of coat characteristics or ear shape, the general types more appropriately reflect broader behavioral and phenotypic eccentricities. Insofar as the dogs are employed at tasks for which they ostensibly were bred, their styles of work reinforce our notions of breed specialities. On the other hand, when we watch them performing in a different arena—for example, chasing a Frisbee or detecting scents—we realize how much they have in common in terms of their innate canine drives.

Dog’s Best Friend, Mark Derr (1997)