#value of marketing

[lastoneout]

the whole guilt-tripping language in posts about important topics paired with how I'm still getting bitches in my notes talking about why it's actually good to tell "bad" people to kill themselves continues to prove to me that a lot of people have absolutely no concept of social justice or activism outside of assuming the worst of and then viciously attacking strangers on the internet

[artbyblastweave]

Funniest thing I've seen recently, and not funny in a ha-ha way, more funny in a "the endless entropic void gnawing at my will to live" way, was somebody asking around for alternatives to Neil Gaiman, in the light of Neil Gaiman's ongoing fall from grace. As though what we're currently sitting through isn't the collapse of the carefully curated "Good Guy Neil" image that caused people to parade Gaiman as the same kind of preferred progressive alternative to, say, Rowling. As though we won't be in the same goddamn situation in a few years or months, with some number of the new progressive sci-fi/fantasy darlings- not all of them, to be clear, but at least some of them- when their impeccably-curated marketing implodes in on itself and they're revealed to be the same kind of sex pest or abuser. Can you not see the wheel to which you are strapped. The game of human pinball you are condemning yourself to with this mindset. Maybe you do see, and you're just resigned to taking it one soul-crushing disappointment at a time, one "I never would have guessed" after another. I mean I think we all need to get resigned to that one way or another, sun's gonna go out before it stops happening

[jesncin]

The Potential of Asian Lois Lane: An extra addition

A bonus addition to my Asian Lois essay. I know Lois Chaudhari isn't technically a Lois since the premise of the comic she's from is where the Superman mythos is fictional and the characters in it happen to be named Clark/Lois etc. But since she's a Lois stand in and romantic partner to the Clark Kent of that story, I figured she deserves an honorable mention at least.

Here's where I position her in my Spectrum of Asian Lois Lane chart. And I'd like to talk about her!

Compared to American Alien, this Lois is actually specific and textually Indian in Superman: Secret Identity. Unlike American Alien Lois (that never specified what kind of Asian Lois was), she can't be replaced as a white woman because the text acknowledges her Indian identity (her name, lines of dialogue like this, etc.) hence she's not interchangeable with whiteness. So this take has that going for it.

Where Lois Chaudhari still falls behind Girl Taking Over (and what it shares in common with American Alien) is yet again a sense of missed opportunities narratively.

In Superman: Secret Identity, a man named Clark Kent from Picketsville suddenly has Superman's powers. After years of being made fun of for his namesake, he suddenly is what everyone has been making fun of him for- and as he lives through life he slowly understands why fictional!Superman is the way he is. It's a great story but where it misses the mark for me is its failure to recognize Superman as an immigrant. Secret Identity's Clark isn't an alien immigrant, or a human immigrant, and is instead ostracized because of his name. Government baddies want to do experiments on him so he has to hide from them too. But then he meets city girl Lois Chaudhari, and they connect because people keep teasing them for their names and Lois knows what it's like to keep secrets because she,,, committed a crime as a teen once.

"I guess we're both dangerous felons, then. Public menaces."

Being hunted by the government and being experimented on isn't really the same as being caught shoplifting.

It works well enough as a connection but to me is a huge missed opportunity to have an Indian American relate to your Superman stand-in as an immigrant. To connect on a deeper level other than "people make fun of us for sharing names with fictional characters". Later in the story, Clark and Lois have twin daughters who are visibly Indian. They too, have Superman's powers. While we're treated extensively to the narrative showing us why Clark would hide his powers from the government wishing to seek harm on him, we never get to see what Clark's daughters have to deal with on top of being visibly non-white.

Superman as an alien immigrant is an anecdote in this story. Because after all, that's not what a white American man from Picketsville would find relatable about him, is it? I have the same thing to say about Secret Identity that I did with American Alien: "Clark isn’t the only American Alien in American Alien, if you catch my drift."

I think this story is the perfect encapsulation of the limits of a white writer. One of my hottest takes on Superman is that the best and most holistic take on his character doesn't exist in the white imagination. Take a look once more at the Spectrum of Asian Lois Lanes chart that I made. All save for Girl Taking Over were headed by white men (MAWS may have Asian directors and writers on their team but ultimately its pitch and main ideas are the brain child of Jake Wyatt, a white man).

People have taken issue with me saying this and assume that I mean white people can't write a good Superman story, and no. That's not what I'm saying. I like Superman: Secret Identity. I even like American Alien. But it's been 80 years of predominantly white writers of all backgrounds getting the chance to write Superman- and already multiple attempts at an Asian Lois- and yet it took until Gene Yang (and artists Gurihiru) with Smashes the Klan and Sarah Kuhn (and artist Arielle Jovellanos) with Girl Taking Over that I felt Superman's themes as an immigrant finally took center stage and weren't just a mention or anecdote.

In no way do I want to imply that getting writers of color or Asian writers specifically will mean you'll be guaranteed a great Superman story. I'm against promoting the idea that diverse talent is infallible or tokenizing and essentializing them in such a way. What I am saying is that the best and most holistic story on Superman as an alien immigrant isn't even a goal in the white imagination. Immigrant Superman doesn't live in that mind. He doesn't pay rent there. He doesn't stop by to visit. And no, Superman creators Shuster and Siegel wouldn't have written that story either. Superman may have been the "Champion of the Oppressed" from another planet under their pen, but he would never have related to or have had immigrant solidarity with America's perpetual foreigners the way Smashes the Klan portrayed him as having. Superman's creators were too busy writing Slam Bradley to be able to write that kind of Superman.

The appeal of these cape characters for me, is the process of adaptation. Seeing them be handed off to someone else with different life experience. Seeing them bring a whole new perspective that surpasses even the creator's intentions on their character. That's what makes these characters rich and worthy of constant revisits. I just think that people of different backgrounds should be able to get as many chances as white men have with writing Superman and his cast of characters.

[strawberry-smog]

[shiftythrifting]

Golf Angels and a Whole Ass Sword???? that I was told I "didn't need" even tho it'd look cool as fuck on the British dress uniform sword belt I thrifted 10 yrs back

[padawansuggest]

Wooley: *trots up to Obi-Wan and Cody in the store with a super ugly Christmas decoration in his hands* Dad, I want this.

Obi-Wan: *about to tell him sure because he’s never paid for anything in his life*

Cody: Absolutely not, that thing is ugly and we don’t need it.

Wooley: So is Skywalker and we keep him!

Anakin: :(

Obi-Wan: LMAO

Cody: Oh my god-

Wooley: Buy it for me or I’m gonna scream.

Obi-Wan: lol just buy it for him, babe.

Cody: Why am I the one buying it?

Obi-Wan: I’m not allowed to have credit cards.

Anakin: Padme lowered my allowance :/

Wooley: I’m an actual infant, I don’t have money.

Cody: Force- fine! Put it in the cart!

[mollyjames]

I remembered the other day I gave Artemis an actual written value in comic, which is great because it makes this deal terrible

[heartru]

my least favourite thing from the watcher discourse has been people saying “WE never asked for higher quality” or “your most popular shows are where you just sit around and talk!!” - babes its likely not what THEY want to do for the rest of eternity lol. they’re allowed to want to grow as creatives and make things they are proud of?

[viktoriakomova]

I’m not saying it’s surprising or inherently wrong [on the athletes’ part] or whatever but. the way NIL has shaken out so far with the value of male athletes and their “brands” being determined primarily by their athletic prowess and merits, and female athletes being overwhelmingly valued on their sex appeal above all other attributes, is just so fucking deflating I mean oh my GOD.

[ryan-sometimes]

There should be a name for that phenomenon where straight men suggest an open relationship to their gfs/wives and then get upset when their partner gets laid more than them

[qqchurch]

i think one big aspect about isekai that's underdiscussed is that a lot of them are written in what's basically a free-for-all webnovel site for everyone to see

the western equivalent to this would be like ao3 or wattpad but with the capital incentive that the stuff that gets really popular will have comics/animated adaptations years down the line, so the cycle of ripping off from others in more extreme or generic ways accelerates since everyone can see what's getting popular on a daily basis

(there's already that trend about filing off the serial numbers on fanfics and publishing them, but i'm not as caught up on that since it's outside my sphere of interests)

[coochiequeens]

Even advocates of surrogacy should agree that regulations are needed

BY Samuel Burke August 16, 2024

In Europe, commercial surrogacy is largely banned and seen as a form of body commodification, similar to organ trafficking. Only a few countries permit highly regulated altruistic surrogacy, which limits reimbursement to just expenses and no additional compensation—resulting in limited participation. Demand for surrogacy, however, is soaring due to delayed childbearing, increasing medical challenges, and the growth of LGBTQ+ family-building. The surrogacy market, valued at $14 billion in 2022, is projected to skyrocket to $129 billion by 2032, according to Global Market Insights.

Currently, only a few European countries, such as Ukraine and Greece, permit commercial surrogacy. These nations operate in a legal gray area with minimal oversight, leading to a largely unregulated industry fraught with issues like trafficking women, falsified documents and sham embryo transfers.

Before the 2022 invasion, Ukraine was a global surrogacy hub estimated to have 2,000-2,500 surrogacy contracts annually. Despite the ongoing conflict, the industry continues, with some women still carrying pregnancies in war-torn Ukraine. Controversially, Ukrainian surrogates now leave their families behind and travel to places like Greece and Northern Cyprus (recognized only by Turkey) to complete pregnancies. The women often live with multiple surrogates in the same dwellings while they wait to give birth.

Advocates for reform argue that current practices neglect the welfare of surrogates. Wes Johnson-Ellis, co-founder of the U.K. non-profit My Surrogacy Journey (MSJ), asserts that surrogates should not have to leave their families to move to another country for the pregnancy to help others build theirs.

Pregnancy and birth are vulnerable times for surrogates. They need their support network and family close by to ensure they are fully supported,” Johnson-Ellis says.

MSJ frequently assists families who’ve faced trying circumstances with other agencies. One couple pursuing surrogacy in Cyprus believed their surrogate was Cypriot. However, she was actually from Eastern Europe and returned to her native country, where she gave birth prematurely according to Johnson-Ellis. Tragically, the baby did not survive.

“They are still fighting to have the baby’s body exhumed and sent back to their home country for a proper burial,” says Johnson-Ellis.

Last August, Greek authorities raided the Mediterranean Fertility Institute in Crete and arrested staff amid allegations of trafficking nearly 100 women from Eastern Europe to act as surrogates. Officials also accused the company of falsifying adoption papers for clients from countries where surrogacy is illegal. The institute is now closed and has not responded to inquiries about these allegations. Advocates for affected families, many from Australia, claim they paid for a surrogacy program that was never fulfilled.

The Republic of Georgia had also emerged as a popular surrogacy destination in Europe, but last year, the Georgian prime minister announced that commercial surrogacy would be restricted to Georgian citizens only. This has left the legality of programs in Georgia in limbo, affecting intended parents from around the world who had turned to the country for surrogacy.

Scandals and swiftly shifting surrogacy laws have sent intended parents in Europe scrambling to relocate their embryos to countries with more stable or established surrogacy frameworks, primarily in the Americas. 

The United States is the top destination for commercial surrogacy due to its well-established legal framework and advanced medical care. However, it is also the most expensive, with total costs for IVF and surrogacy—including medical, legal, and agency fees—averaging $190,000 to $230,000.

Those high costs have traditionally made Canada a more affordable surrogacy option, with costs for IVF and surrogacy averaging $60,000 to $100,000. Although commercial surrogacy is banned, Canadian law permits altruistic surrogacy, similar to the U.K., Denmark, and the Netherlands. This lower cost has dramatically increased demand, leading to average wait times of 10 to 18 months and driving hopeful parents to seek commercial surrogates in Latin America.

Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico are attracting intended parents as alternatives to Europe, with costs typically under $80,000. Mexico City, in particular, has become a popular choice due to its low costs and progressive surrogacy laws.

“Confidence in Mexico is shifting,” says Johnson-Ellis of My Surrogacy Journey, which has launched a service guiding families there. “Mexico actually has more guardrails and regulations in place than the U.S. and has even had the support of the Mexican Supreme Court since 2021.” He points to Mexico City’s practice of issuing pre-birth orders that recognize the intended parents as the legal parents and even list the surrogate as the gestational carrier, not the biological mother when she’s used donor eggs. 

The surrogacy boom in the Americas is coming at Europe’s expense. Advocates argue that Europe’s ban on commercial surrogacy limits access to services and, ironically, increases the exploitation and coercion of women.

“With a commercial model, everyone knows where they stand,” Johnson-Ellis says. “There’s no gray. It’s very black and white. And I think with surrogacy, you need black and white.”

[li-esonthefloor]

jp fans out there like, at long last i have decided to sell my merch. it was kept unopened and unused in the original box in a humidity-controlled room with no direct sunlight and i dared not even look at it more than once semi-annually for nine years for fear my gaze would damage it. buyers, please be aware that oxygen has touched the outside packaging of the product and only buy if that doesn't bother you.

meanwhile me, with the merch i buy,

[rickybaby]

From Motorsport-Total.com:

Peter Bayer confirms that the team will not be directly named after a title sponsor:

"The identity is what Toro Rosso would have been, and it will be closer to the Red Bull family again," he reveals. "But then it will appear with the partners of the naming rights."

(So it is more likely the team will most probably be named xx sponsor Racing Bulls)

Daniel and his popularity in the US were instrumental in attracting the new sponsors:

There are apparently two major sponsors who are keen to work together and have already reached an agreement

According to Bayer, the awareness of the team in the USA, which was significantly promoted by the presence of Drive-to-Survive star Daniel Ricciardo, played an important role in gaining new supporters.

"We are on the right track," he says. "And because we are so well received in the USA, we have found these two companies that like each other. We had a very, very good meeting with these two great new partners. They got along really well. They worked together immediately."

[…] "They brainstormed so much that I got really scared! You have very big ideas. They think big, bigger than we probably would have dared to think."

[joenicassio]

The counter-intuitive way to get attention in a noisy world…

[femmefatalevibe]

Hello! Any tips for starting your own ig blog?

Hi love! Some tips are below:

Consider whether you're crafting a personal brand, professional image, aesthetic, or e-commerce/product-focused account

Choose your handle name wisely. Always do your first name/last name or name of your business when applicable

Add relevant search terms to your headline/bio to make your page more easily discoverable to your intended audience. Hashtags can also be added to this section for discoverability

Select a bio image that best speaks to your personal/brand personality. Keep it polished but approachable like a well-executed mirror selfie, professional editorial photo, or your brand's logo

Craft a clear, compelling, and comprehensive bio that makes it simple to understand who you are/the purpose of your page while still showcasing your personal/brand personality. Include a CTA link (to your website, TikTok, Pinterest, press mention, etc.) or use a LinkTree link for more comprehensive accessibility

Decide on your blog purpose/themes covered, USP, key messages, content pillars, and brand voice/image guidelines (content/colors) before posting

Use the same/coordinating filters on all your photos, and try your best to have an aesthetically pleasing feed, so it looks very editorial and professional when people are debating whether to follow

Ensure your captions are engaging, and conversational. Follow a uniform brand voice/personality. However, you don't want your content to look overly edited and distant. Try to find the right balance between polished and relatable. Use the carousel feature liberally and relevant hashtags to optimize SEO value and discoverability

Utilize Instagram stories to provide an insider look at day-to-day happenings, share inspiration, engage in friendly/conversational dialogue with your audience, and promote engagement through polls, Q&As, etc.

Curate some highlights that best speak to your brand pillars/USP with uniform icon covers. Design them with a tool like Canva for a personal touch

Hope this helps xx