#picture is from the inside cover of the simplified book 5 print

[moontls]

Tianbao Fuyao Lu by Feitian Yexiang

Translator: moon Editors: juurensha, namio Original: 天宝伏妖录 by 非天夜翔 (221 chs + various extras) Posted at Chicken Gege, updates Sundays at 9 AM GMT+7

Synopsis: From the end of the horizon, a phoenix led millions of birds in flight. Behind it, a sky filled with billowing clouds that looked like a sea of flames skimmed over Chang’an. A golden-winged peng perched loftily atop the roof of the Xingqing Palace. In its eyes was reflected the splendor of the common people who lived in this Divine Land. In silence, dynasties rose and fell, and the tides ebbed and flowed.

Li Jinglong dragged along his wound-riddled body. From the palm of his hand, a brilliant light shone as he relentlessly drew closer to Hongjun.

“The living… are merely passing travelers…”

His deep voice resounded through the depths of the world, as the black fog that covered the sky and blanketed the earth receded before that light.

“The dead… return to their eternal homes.”

That light was the blazing sun that illuminated the heavens and the earth. It was the light of the stars that twinkled in the night sky. It was an everlasting Heart Lamp that pierced through the darkness.

“The heavens and the earth are… an inn; for all our grief we inevitably return… to dust.”

Li Jinglong closed his eyes, placing one hand on Hongjun’s forehead. The white light dispersed, illuminating the mountains of corpses and rivers of blood that filled the battlefield. In the shadows cast by the light of that lamp, the memories came: the flamboyant debauchery in Pingkang Li, the parasol tree in the Exorcism Department bathing in the light of the summer sun, the swirling sand and fluttering snow of Saiwai, the clear, spring-like sound of A-Tai’s song, the new green leaves that Mo Rigen and Lu Xu picked, the flying brushstrokes of Qiu Yongsi’s pen, which evolved into immortal verses that graced Li Bai’s cup —

A young nobleman strolled through the Eastern Market of Chang’an,

Enjoying the breeze as he rode his white horse on a silver saddle.

After admiring the falling flowers, where does he like to go?

He smiles as he enters a Hu-run wine shop.

Read it here, and remember to support our favorite chicken author by purchasing the raws!

[lindstromm]

Simplified Bookbinding: How to make a cheap first book

By now, you may have seen some of the bookbinding posts in which @renegadepublishing​ bookbinders have turned fanfiction into works of art. Wow. Gorgeous. Also intimidating. @armoredsuperheavy​ wrote a manual they share as a google doc for free (linked on the pinned post on their tumblr). It’s amazing.

Maybe you want to try bookbinding, but it’s expensive; you need to buy a lot of stuff; you’re not very good at crafts.

This post teaches you everything you need to make a cheap and crappy first book!! Yay! You can totally suck at it and it’s fine!!

In this post, I’ll show you how I made this book:

out of Elmer’s school glue, scrapbooking paper and a Cheerios box. It cost less than $20. Making a cheap and crappy book will help you figure out if you want to invest the time and money to learn how to make a beautiful book that will last for years.

There are four steps to making a book:

1. Format the text and print it. I’m skipping that for this practice book. We’re binding blank pages.

2. Create the text block.

3. Create the case.

4. Attach the case to the text block.

Long post with pictures, Youtube videos and instructions under the cut.

Step One: Format and print the text. (Skip)

Step Two: Create the text block

Renegade Bookbinders fold and sew signatures. We’re not doing that for this practice book because sewing requires skill and equipment. We’re just going to use glue.

Use A5 paper. A5 is paper that measures 5 and 7/8 inches by 8 and 1/4 inches (148mm by 210mm). If you use a different size, you’ll have to measure your own cover boards; the measurement in this post is for A5 paper.

The paper is the most expensive part of this book. You can buy a ream for $13 or go to Staples and get the cheapest 8x11 ream they have and ask them to cut it down for an extra $2. Or you can cut your own stack of paper. Measure a stack about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick and put it in binder clips.

You need liquid glue (I used Elmer’s school glue and that’s why my book is already falling apart but you’re not buying anything special for this practice book). You also need a brush with short stiff bristles. I had a craft paint brush.

You need a piece of non-stretchy fabric (don’t use an old t-shirt, use an old pillowcase) that measures 7.75 inches by 3 or 4 inches.

Watch these two videos and do what she does:

She has a fancy book press, but you don’t need one. Put the text block between sheets of waxed paper (so the glue doesn’t stick to anything else), then just pile heavy books on top. Here’s my cheap book press! I leave my text block to dry overnight.

Congrats! You have finished step 2 and your text block is ready for the casing.

--------------------

Step Three: Make the Case

For this step, you’ll need some decorative paper or cardstock. If you want to be totally cheap, just use printer paper or ads or whatever you’ve got. I had some scrapbooking paper. You’ll also need thin cardboard. I used a Cheerios box. Use something you can cut with scissors so you don’t have to buy an exacto knife.

In this project, I used:

1. One piece of 12x12 inch cardstock cut in half for the cover paper.

2. One piece of 11x3.5 inch cardstock for the spine cover.

3. Two pieces of 12x12 text weight paper for the end papers.

4. One piece of text weight paper cut 8 inches by the width of the spine for the spine guide. So if the text block is 1/2 inch thick, cut this spine guide piece 1/2 inch wide. If your text block is 3/4 inch thick, cut the spine guide 3/4 inch thick. You’ll want to get this measurement right or it throws off how the case fits onto your book.

5. Two pieces of thin cardboard 8.5 x 5.75 inches for the cover board. That’s measured to fit a cover for A5 size paper.

Got your supplies together?

Glue the spine guide (the small skinny piece of paper) and cover boards to the spine cover (the piece that is 11x3.5 inches). Leave 1/4 inch between the spine guide and the cover boards. I used an Elmer’s glue stick but you can use liquid glue that you spread with a brush. Be careful not to get the paper too wet or it wrinkles badly.

Put waxed paper over it, set a heavy book on top, and let it dry for an hour.

Now we’re going to attach the cover paper to the cover boards (the Cheerios box). Again, I used an Elmer’s glue stick. (Usually I use a higher quality tacky craft glue, but don’t buy fancy glue for your practice book.) Line up the edges of the cover paper with the spine cover as best you can (not overlapping, just lined up), apply glue and then cover with waxed paper, set heavy books on top, and let dry for an hour.

This is what it looks like from the back side:

Flipped over, it now looks like this:

Cut the edges so it’s basically even, and then cut a curved piece out of the corners so it looks like this:

Next step is to glue the cover paper and fold it over the cover boards. Use the glue stick, or use liquid glue and smear it smooth with the brush. Crease it well and smooth it with a ruler (bone folders are the better tool, but I’m not asking you to buy tools for this book):

Set waxed paper over it, pile heavy books on top, and let dry for an hour.

When it’s done drying, you should have a case:

Yay! You finished step 3!!

--------------

Step Four: Attach case to text block

Go get those two sheets of 12x12 inch text weight paper to make the end papers. Cut them so they’re the same height as the text block (8.25 inches). Fold them in half with the right sides together.

Pick up your text block. Notice how the cloth on the spine is partly glued onto the page? Pull that back until the cloth is very close to the spine.

You’re going to glue the crease of the end paper right into the edge of that cloth, so you want it as close to the spine as possible. Spread liquid glue on the crease of the end paper and set it into the spine cloth. Very Important: Put waxed paper or a piece of trash paper between the end papers and between the end paper and the next paper on the text block. Otherwise you’ll glue a chunk of pages together. Do this on both sides of the text block (you can let it dry before flipping it over to glue the end paper to the other side).

Pile books on it and let that dry. Your end papers are bigger than your text block. After everything is dry, cut off the edges so they’re even.

Now we’re going to glue the end papers to the case. Set the text block into the case and wiggle it around until it looks good. You want about an 1/8 of an inch around the text block. Mark the corners on the inside of the case with a pencil where you want the edges of the text block to be.

Then apply glue to the end paper (I’m still using that glue stick) and stick it to the case, being careful to get it in position where you marked it. Put a piece of paper between the end papers, put waxed paper on top of the text block and pile some heavy books on it. Let dry for at least 30 minutes.

This next part is the trickiest part of the whole process. I’ve made 15 books, and I’ve only gotten this second end paper in smoothly in about half of them. So if you wrinkle it, you’re in good company because we all do that sometimes.

Flip the text block over, apply glue to the end paper, and stick it to the other side of the case, smoothing it out as much as you can with a ruler. Then insert paper between the end papers, set heavy books on it, and let it dry for at least an hour.

Cue symphonic music and find yourself an audience for your unveiling because . . . you have CREATED A BOOK!! It’s thrilling. It really is. If you’re holding it in your hands and wishing with all your heart and soul that it had words in it, you’re a Renegade Bookbinder at heart. Come geek out about glue (don’t EVER use Elmer’s school glue again), bookcloth, sewing techniques, fonts, paper selection. Oh, it just goes forever!!

[purplelyric12]

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[foursproutwealth-blog]

Colas: "Market Narratives Are Shifting"

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/wealth/colas-market-narratives-are-shifting/

Colas: "Market Narratives Are Shifting"

Authored by Nicholas Colas via DataTrekResearch.com,

“What gets measured gets managed.” That statement is a large part of how I look at individual companies, especially as it relates to metrics like executive compensation. If the CEO gets paid primarily on sales and earnings growth, for example, you need to watch asset efficiency. And if a company changes management but not compensation structure, you can bet not much will change except for the group picture in the annual report.

In asset management, the most commonly used measurement is quarterly performance. It is an imperfect tool, to say the least. There’s plenty of academic literature that shows real money management skill (versus luck) is hard to spot in even a 5-year track record. But “we dance with who we brung”, and quarterly performance is our date to the prom.

The recent narrative shift in global capital markets could therefore not have come at a worse time. January was a stellar month, with the S&P 500 up 5.6%, EAFE equities +5.0%, Emerging Markets up 8.3%, and US large cap Tech +7.0%. Then the story changed from “Higher interest rates don’t matter” to “higher interest rates are the only thing that matter”. The volatility shock from VIX-linked products last week only cemented the notion that second-order effects lurk menacingly inside this new story markets now embrace.

Since we are now almost exactly half way through the first quarter of 2018, investors tethered to quarterly performance have a tough call to make: what narrative will dominate the second half of Q1? Here are the choices, simplified for brevity:

Scenario #1: Equity investors will soon shift their focus from the ill effects of higher interest rates to the bullish developments in corporate profit growth, since Q1 earnings season should print eye-catching +17% bottom line comps to last year. In this environment:

The S&P rallies 3-4% from current levels, which still wouldn’t make for new highs but would be a welcomed reprieve for equity holders. Volatility would diminish, but the days of a sub-10 CBOE VIX Index are gone.

The US 10 Year Treasury drifts to just under 3.0%, but also exhibits less volatility than recent norms. The momentum here feels too strong to deny.

Financials and Technology lead the way, as they are both expected to post 20% earnings growth in Q1.

Emerging markets equities outperform EAFE stocks due their much higher weighting of Technology stocks, which should piggyback on the move in US listed Tech.

Scenario #2: Markets struggle with rising interest rates, but declining equity market volatility (and hopes for Q1 earnings) provide a counterweight. In this environment:

Equities end the quarter flat on the year at, essentially, today’s close.

10 Year Treasury yields rise to just over 3.0% on the back of slightly hotter inflation, wage and employment data. Tomorrow’s CPI report, Jay Powell’s testimony to Congress on February 28th, and the February Jobs Report break no new ground on inflation expectations. The late March Fed meeting is probably too late in the quarter to shift expectations in Q1.

Investors view Tech stocks as a safe haven due to its relative strength in the first half of the quarter and the group rallies 2-3% in a flat tape. And, not to stereotype, but tech investors care less about valuations than most. EM outperforms EAFE for the same reason as Scenario #1.

Scenario #3: The second half of Q1 2018 closely resembles the first two weeks of February. Here:

US equities go back to their 5-year average valuations of 16x forward earnings (S&P 500 at 2512, or 5.6% lower for the year).

10 Year yields move quickly past 3.0%.

Correlations (which we covered yesterday) reconverge and there really is no safe haven. Volatility remains at current levels or ticks higher.

Now, the important question to ask is not “Which scenario do I think is most likely?” but “which scenario do I think other market participants will settle on in the coming 4 weeks?”

Our take:

Scenario #3 (notable downside for equities and bonds) feels the most likely, but only because it closely resembles the very near past. And that’s where it runs into some trouble. To keep this narrative in the lead position, inflation expectations have to continue to get worse at an accelerating rate. Possible, but a tall ask given where we are today. And asset price volatility is no longer dormant, so the chance of a “Vol shock” such as last week is mathematically lower.

Scenario #1 (relief rally) would be a welcomed change, but seems even more unlikely than #3. It is hard to believe that investors will abandon the inflation/higher rate narrative very quickly. They have seen the cost of complacently ignoring it and are now “Once bitten, twice shy”.

That leaves us with Scenario #2 (muddle along) as the default winner, if only by a hair. In this case, equities play tug of war with interest rates, but neither side makes much progress. First quarter 2018 goes in the books as the first round of the fight between rising interest rates and stock valuations, but with no clear winner (and certainly no knock-out).

In the end, however, the central message of this note is to encourage you to see the next 6 weeks not just through your own investment lens. Market narratives are shifting right now and remain muddy in comparison to the last 5 years. While quarterly performance may be the measurement by which we are judged, the real stories that drive outsized moves in asset prices always take longer to develop.

[onthegoinmco]

DISCLOSURE: I am a member of D23 and passing along some great information in case you wanted to know about the 2018 member gift!

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club was established in 2009 for passionate Disney fans to celebrate their love of the Disney Parks to the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios with special events, publications, online content, tours, and more.

D23 was established to bring Disney fans closer to the “magic” through one-of-a-kind experiences, special events, unique merchandise offerings, quarterly publications, exclusive online content, and opportunities to meet others who share the same affection for Disney. D23 offers fans an insider look at every corner of Disney, from the parks, animation, television and film to the treasures of the legendary Walt Disney Archives.

There are several levels of D23 memberships, you can find them all here, and every year for those opting to purchase a Gold Membership they offer a special gift.

And just this week D23 has announced that its 2018 Gold Member Gift will center around Mickey Mouse in honor of his upcoming 90th birthday, on November 18, 2018. The D23 Team worked with the Walt Disney Archives to curate this collectible box set of 23 items, and it looks awesome!

2018 D23 Gold Member Gift

D23

1 – Steamboat Willie Original Script Pages (1928) A star is born as Mickey dazzles audiences with antics set to animation’s first synchronized soundtrack. Predating the invention of the storyboard, this illustrated continuity becomes a treasured memento that Walt Disney keeps in his desk.

2 – Mickey Mouse Comic Strip Fan Card (1931) Newspaper “funny pages” bring Mickey into homes, and millions follow his serialized adventures. When Mickey poses for a formal photograph, readers are encouraged to write in to see the finished result… and find tag-along pal Butch making a surprise appearance!

3 – Miniature Cel from Parade of the Award Nominees (1932) Created for one showing at the 1932 Academy Awards dinner, Mickey appears in color for the first time on screen. Comic caricatures of the year’s Oscar nominees process alongside Minnie Mouse, Clarabelle Cow, and Pluto.

4 – Mickey and Minnie Doll—McCall Printed Pattern No. 91 (1932) Huggable Mickey and Minnie toys become a national craze, and when official doll maker Charlotte Clark cannot accommodate the overwhelming demand, Disney authorizes a home-use pattern so mothers can make mice for their eager little ones.

5 – Hyperion Studio “Ickymay Ousmay” Crest (ca. 1933) As the Disney Studio on Hyperion Avenue prospers and expands, a whimsical coat of arms appears on an interior door. With faux formality, a banner device in Pig Latin glorifies the source behind the success: Mickey Mouse!

6 – Carl Laemmle Scrapbook Page Art (ca. 1935) Hollywood pioneer Carl Laemmle’s Universal Pictures once distributed Disney Oswald cartoons and, later, Mickey’s as well. In tribute to Laemmle, Walt sends this historic greeting—likely the only time Mickey and Oswald will “meet” until the lucky rabbit’s 2006 “homecoming.”

7 – Walt Disney Productions Logo (1940s) The new, purpose-built Disney campus in Burbank allows increased productivity and possibilities. This elegant logo art appears on everything from electrical generators and location vehicles to mailroom bicycles and matchbooks.

8 – The Nifty Nineties Animation Drawing (1941) Mickey is not only “taken by surprise” by a coquettish Minnie in this nostalgic cartoon short, but also drawn with enormous appeal by Disney Legend Fred Moore.

9 – Aircraft Worker Insignia Sticker (ca. 1942)  With his wrench and propeller forming a “V” for victory, Mickey represents the “can-do” spirit of the American home front. Ultimately, Disney provides mascot and insignia art, buoying the resolve of thousands serving in military and civilian groups.

10 – “Walt Disney and Staff” Christmas Card (1947)  For Walt’s traditional holiday greeting, artist Hank Porter depicts Mickey as another beloved joy-giver: Santa Claus! Inside, a galaxy of Disney characters toasts the new year, including Mickey’s feature co-stars from Fun and Fancy Free.

11 – Television Prop “Book” (1954) and Portrait Enclosure (1953) In his first weekly television broadcast, Walt Disney not only introduces his innovative theme park concept but pays tribute to the mouse that started it all. Walt’s on-screen scrapbook contains Mickey’s portrait in oil by Disney Legend John Hench.

12 – Television Commercial Model Sheet (1954) For a brief time, Disney creates animated television commercials featuring simplified “modern” stylings of characters designed to read clearly on early TV screens. Artist Tom Oreb is the first to re-think Mickey in these geometric, contemporary terms.

13- The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Record Cover (Disneyland Records, ca. 1957)  Dramatic art by Disney Legend Al Dempster shows Mickey at his magical best, accompanying the original Fantasia recording of Paul Dukas’ classical composition. To make sure young listeners can follow along, clever narration by Sterling Holloway is added.

14 – “Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club” Mouseketeers Fan Card (1957) Featuring five themed days, catchy music, educational outreach, and unforgettable headwear, the Mickey Mouse Club is a broadcasting sensation. This card shows its young stars ready for their third season, along with “Mooseketeers” Jimmie Dodd and Roy Williams.

15 – Walt Disney World Mickey Mouse Revue Attraction Poster (1971) Mickey conquers a new medium of animation—as an Audio-Animatronics figure—headlining his own show in the new Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Hollywood designers John DeCuir Sr. and David Negron’s dynamic poster has motion in mind (plus a few hidden friends)!

16 – Disneyland Backstage Cast Magazine—Commemorative Issue (Summer 1978) Parodying Norman Rockwell’s famous Saturday Evening Post cover, Charles Boyer’s “Triple Self Portrait” fronts a celebration of both Walt and Mickey, including Mickey’s “own story,” a photo timeline, and a look at the wristwatch that became a generational icon.

17 – “Happy Birthday, Mickey” Button (1978) This jubilant logo honors the 50th anniversary of Mickey’s debut. Inspired by familiar cartoon title card art, legendary Disney animator Ward Kimball sports his pinback throughout a commemorative “whistle stop” train tour and for many years thereafter.

18 – “We Are Doing It” WED/MAPO Poster (ca. 1981) Based on art created for a Library of Congress exhibit, Disney Imagineers use this poster for inspiration as they hurry to build both EPCOT Center and Tokyo Disneyland. The original heading is optimistically overprinted as the projects near completion.

19 – “Oh, What a Merry Christmas Day” Vocal Lead Sheet (1982) After a 30-year absence, Mickey returns to the big screen in Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983). Disney greets Dickens with this song, by Disney Legend Irwin Kostal (Mary Poppins) and Frederick Searles, seen here in its nascent pre-production form.

20 – Tron Film Print (Hidden Mickey) (1982) Only the sharpest eyes catch Mickey’s image as Flynn and Yori ride a “Solar Sailer” beyond the game grid of Tron. Within the electronic terrain, Mickey is on hand as computer animation makes magic that was unimaginable in the Steamboat Willie days.

21 – Tokyo Disneyland Souvenir Gift Bag (1983) A colorful array of classic attractions beckons visitors to explore the new “Kingdom of Family Dreams” in Japan. Mickey welcomes the world and ushers in an era of international Disney entertainment experiences that extend beyond movie and television screens.

22 – Disney Channel Launch Party Napkin (1983) When Disney inaugurates its premium cable service in April 1983, one of the first images broadcast is a mouse-shaped satellite—“ears” poised to beam entertainment to all. Launch parties celebrate another milestone (and medium) for Mickey.

23 – Shanghai Disneyland Mickey Avenue Seal (2016) Flanked by pals Donald Duck and Goofy, Mickey greets the sunshine of new horizons on Mickey Avenue. The cartoon-themed thoroughfare transports visitors to a “one-reel town” that’s also a gateway to the newest in Disney wonders.

D23

If you aren’t a D23 member? What are you waiting for?

You can find out more about the benefits of joining here.

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The post D23 Announces 2018 Gold Member Gift appeared first on On the Go in MCO.