#which may be more or less correlated to their craft

[misskamelie]

It's very nice to see how certain crafts are being approached by more and more people (ex. Drawing, music, writing, etc), but I hope this won't make people be less suprised by the qualities of the professionals of the field

[iguanodont]

Introducing a new birg culture, and the reason the Twowi go to such lengths to cross the icy equator with their cargoes of rare metal and pungent gall-spice. The Ss’wassoum are a wealthy empire based on the far southern coast, where the sea-ice melts more quickly in the spring and its people first built their wealth on the sea-harvest. Their language is heavy on harmonized syllables, which lends their speech a distinctive musical quality. Family units are smaller than the fiercely clannish Twowi, and the gender divide is less rigid, though still distinctly matriarchal. Some of their most lucrative raw exports are refined tree-plastics and sea-silk, which is valued for fine textiles.

While the Twowi run on highly specialized industrial clan-towns, the Ss’wassoum exist in more diverse cities, though the class divide is impossible to ignore. The nobility are loud of dress and voice, with their ornate refined plastic head-dresses, vividly patterned veils, and resonators worn over the rear spiracles to enhance their voices. But despite all the attention they draw to themselves, their faces are always covered; to be perceived as gray-furred mortals akin to any commoner is inconceivable. They walk the streets as living demigods. Just below the nobility are the merchant class, which may approach their influence in wealth and education but are legally barred from the elaborate headwear and home exteriors of their superiors. Instead they adorn the insides of their homes with the latest in art and technology, particularly elaborate electric light fixtures crafted from imported Twowi metal. Commoners wear little at all in the sunny months, save for the occasional beaded sash and brass mandible-cuffs. Sailors and other hard laborers frequently adorn their bodies with scarified and dyed patterns to mark themselves for the goodwill of protective gods.

The Ss’wassoum government does implement a standardized education system of sorts, though only those of the upper class can test or pay their way into the finest schools, where they can master the high dialect and the art of Opinion. Historically, etiquette laws forbade the discussion of controversial topics in public spaces; these were reserved for halls of judgement. The rule is more of a social taboo these days, but an ancient loophole ruled that written forms of debate could be presented anywhere, and with the subsequent invention of movable type, a colorful written debate culture flourished. Wherever there is a public bulletin, a cafe wall, a blank space where people gather, you fill find posted essays on anything from the hypocrisy of the noble class to a long winded treatise on the merits of toe-biter clams. It is not uncommon for a debate topic to outlive the original essayists, as hills are chosen to literally die on are then proudly upheld by the writer’s descendants. So ingrained into Ss’wassoum society is this debate culture, that committed debate rivals may be legally recognized as a marriage-like partnership. Though the Ss’wassoum carry no expectations of monogamy to a reproductive partner, the correlation between rivalry and mating season partners does not go unnoticed. As a general rule, a worldly and strongly opinionated individual is more attractive.

Big thanks to @primalmuckygoop for pitching so many great ideas for these guys, including most of the lore on their debate culture, and the very name of this civilization!

—————

If you’d like to see more stuff in the works for birgworld, check out my Patreon!

Or you can support me through Kofi and Inprnt

[ancientcraftnoccultism]

Beginner Class - Correspondences 101

Ancient Craft & Occultism

Correspondences 101

By KB

Introduction

Welcome back to another lesson! Today, we're diving head first into the world of correspondences. What exactly are they? Why do we use them? We're going to discuss that and more in this lesson! Let's get to it.

What Are Correspondences?

In essence, correspondences are objects or aspects of objects that represent symbolism in direct correlation with a specific energy. Practically anything and everything has the potential to be a correspondence, therefore correspondences are subject to change depending upon the individual practitioner. Some of you may find yourself attributing certain emotions with colors - this itself is an example of a correspondence. Everything has its own energy, and using the energy that is in direct relation to your spellworking allows for that energy to be amplified and released into your work.

As Antoine Faivre (a French Occultist) states in his book Access to Western Esotericism:

"Symbolic and real correspondences (there is no room for abstractions here!) are said to exist among all parts of the universe, both seen and unseen....These correspondences, considered more or less veiled at first sight, are, therefore, intended to be read and deciphered....The principles of noncontradiction and excluded middle of linear causality are replaced here by those of the included middle and synchronicity. We can distinguish two kinds of correspondences. First, those that exist in nature, seen and unseen, e.g. between the seven metals and the seven planets, between the planets and parts of the human body or character (or of society). This is the basis of astrology - correspondence between the natural world and the invisible departments of the celestial and supercelestial world, etc. Next there are correspondences between nature (the cosmos) or even history, and revealed texts. Here we find the Kabbalah, whether Jewish or Christian, and varieties of 'physica sacra'....Ultimately the world stage is a linguistic phenomena."

Or as Pierre Riffard (a French philosopher) states in his book Dictionnaire de L'ésotérisme:

"The doctrine of analogy and correspondence, present in all esoteric schools of thinking, upholds that the Whole is One and that its different levels (realms, worlds) are equivalent systems, whose parts are in strict correspondence. So much so that a part in a realm symbolically reflects and interacts with the corresponding part in another realm. For instance, the Sun in the mineral realm is the counterpart of the Lion in the animal realm. The relation between A and B is similar to the relation between C and D. The microcosm and macrocosm are analogous, that is, equivalent, similar in their structures, even though they are outwardly dissimilar. The parts are in strict correspondence, closely knit together and closely interacting: thus feet/pisces, veins/rivers."

This is exactly why you use specific herbs, go for specific timing or moon phases, use certain colored candles, and much more.

Why Do We Use Them?

When raising our energy and directing our energy towards our goal, it's very useful to have elements that align with that as a means to amplify the energy. It takes less energy on the practitioner's end, as the natural energy of the objects being utilized is aligned with the energy needed in the work. A lot of it has to do with association, as that's a natural way for our mind's to process information. If you're doing a spell or ritual that is about healing, and you include a solar symbol or something orange, your mind may focus on a different energy rather than healing, which would interfere with the energy of your working.

It's important to make sure all correspondences are considered with your personal associations of things as a means to help you raise and direct energy.

Can I Make My Own Correspondences?

As stated above, the energies connected to particular items are known as correspondences, and they can be employed to increase the power and efficacy of your spell while also giving additional energy. These energies are influenced by a variety of elements, such as nature, colors, history, and culinary and medicinal applications. You would probably find at least one or two lists of correspondences for frequently used items in any book on witchcraft, especially for herbs and crystals. While the majority of correspondence lists are excellent, there are occasionally those that contain ambiguous correspondences, thus it is crucial to investigate any correspondences you are unsure about. Even if I wholeheartedly endorse the usage of these lists, especially for novice practitioners, how can we do away with them, particularly those in which we are unsure about the source of the information?

Look At Practical Uses

Examining the object's beneficial uses is the simplest method to get started writing your own correspondences. How do you utilize the item on a daily basis? What role does it play in the home? Take the broom, for instance. The broom's primary use is to sweep up dirt and debris from the house. Brooms can therefore be used to tidy up an area. Is the plant you're looking at utilized for cooking? What flavor does it have? What flavor does it add to the food? Is it able to glue the elements together, thicken, or color them? What is it used for if it has therapeutic uses? Does it relieve pain, calm rashes, improve focus, promote sleep, or treat infections?

Cayenne peppers, for instance, are hot and add long-lasting heat to the dish. They can also be used medicinally to reduce pain, increase metabolism, and hasten digestion. Based on these real-world applications, cayenne can be used to speed up a spell for a long time, eliminate rivals, or ignite your romantic life. We can begin to deduce some of their elemental correspondences from these practical applications. The cayenne pepper, which is hot and red, is related to the element Fire, whereas the broom, which is sturdy and purifying, is related to the element Earth.

Historical Uses

Once you have examined an item's practical applications, you might explore its history. Most things we use every day, especially those found in nature, are covered in folklore. To start figuring out other correspondences for an object, I advise consulting mythology, urban legends, medical books, and other historical documents. It takes time and needs critical thought to determine correspondences, but the effort is definitely worth it.

Scientific Nature

Next, start examining the object's scientific nature. The easiest way to do this is to use natural objects like plants, rocks, fungi, animals, insects, and other living and nonliving things that are present in your local environment. Where is the item often located? What features or qualities distinguish it from other things? What function does it serve in the ecosystem? Does it exhibit any distinctive behaviors? Take the flavor of mint. Almost all mint species develop swiftly and prolifically. If you don't watch them, your entire yard will be taken over. They are associated with abundance, prosperity, and fertility because of their prodigious nature. Some of these scientific correspondences are simple to infer, while others require some additional research.

Your Intuition

When determining an object's correspondences, the first three ways use logic; your intuition uses your psychology and emotions. Intuition is one of a witch's strongest weapons, although our contemporary culture frequently downplays its accuracy and trustworthiness. Start by wrapping your consciousness around the item in meditation before using your intuition to find correspondences. What does your intuition have to say about the thing? What comes to mind when you think of the thing you're looking at? Personal correspondence frequently starts in this area. At least for you, your personal connection to an object and the correspondences you create by employing your intuition have incredible power.

Consult With Spirit

Finally, you can speak with the object's spirit to learn more about its correspondences. The concept of animism holds that all things, both living and nonliving, have a spirit that we can interact with and form relationships with. This is easier said than done, and before attempting this kind of communication, you must be able to distinguish between your own intuition and mental chatter. It's normal for some witches, especially novice witches, to struggle with this correspondence determination process. This is an excellent chance for you to develop your spiritual gifts. Start by grounding and meditating with the object in issue, just like you would when using your intuition to determine correspondences. However, leave yourself open rather than putting your mind into the thing.

Keep the general mental chatter at bay and concentrate on the work at hand. Set out with the goal of listening rather than speaking. Depending on the object, you might hear it speak loud and clear in full sentences, or you might only see a flash of color or experience an emotion. But the secret is to approach this situation with no expectations. The item may not speak to you at all because you are not entitled to a dialogue with it. However, by building a relationship with the object beforehand, you can increase the possibility that it will communicate to you. Offer it gifts, communicate with it, take care of it, etc. Do essentially everything you would to make a new friend.

You will gain a strong understanding of how to employ the object in your own magical practice after combining these five techniques. Additionally, it will improve your magical practice overall and reinforce your bond with the object, enhancing its effectiveness as a component of your spells. The object will be considerably more likely to help you if you can communicate with its spirit.

[blueberry-lemon]

You've probably seen this image. I've seen it many times. I have mixed feelings about it.

It's a funny image, and represents a good cause. It's usually posted by people who want to support fairer working conditions for game developers, and want to show support for smaller titles.

It's usually posted in contrast to something like Cyberpunk 2077, Watch Dogs: Legion, The Last of Us: Part II, or God of War: Ragnarok.

There's a part of me that cringes every time I see it, though. I imagine there may be other game developers who feel similarly.

I think the reflexive cringe comes from the phrase "shorter games with worse graphics." People being paid more to work less sounds great, tbh, and barring any sort of production pipeline blocking, I think most devs would be into that.

These are the thoughts that fly through my mind when I hear people say "I want shorter games with worse graphics."

Short compared to what?

Shorter than Elden Ring? Shorter than Hollow Knight? Short like Venba? Short like Celeste? How short could a AAA game be before, even despite posting this phrase, you'd find it unsatisfying or incomplete? How short could an indie game be before you don't consider it a "real game"? Games can be anything from Ulysses to a haiku, but it rarely seems like people are talking about the haiku style of games.

What does "worse graphics" mean?

I just can't imagine a world where "worse graphics" could possibly correlate to Hi-Fi Rush, Undertale, Hollow Knight, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, Celeste, Mario Odyssey, Wind Waker, A Short Hike, or Hades. Even though those are the types of games that I often see people use this meme in support of. Those games have incredible art that talented artists worked really really hard on. It feels like a bit of a sting to associate those beautiful games with the term "worse graphics." That phrasing, sadly, implies that photorealism is the bar by which all other games are compared.

Forever Games

Where do replayable games, like roguelikes, tycoons, crafting games, and farming sims land on the realm of "shorter games"? They're not inherently any shorter than a big AAA game, and they're designed to be replayable and to suck your time in. That can be great, but it also might be a treadmill that is not inherently any more honorable than a game trying to tell a linear story.

Are you really "not kidding"?

This meme has a very confident, smug energy and I think that tone invites this question: Do you REALLY want shorter games with worse graphics? I know this is going to depend on the individual lives of each human being who's ever reposted this meme, and it can never be truly answered, but it really begs the question of whether or not people REALLY DO WANT "shorter games with worse graphics." Because let me tell ya, there's a lot of shorter games with worse graphics right now and they ain't selling very well. Check the Steam reviews. Ask devs how many copies they sell on itch. There are many devs out there who make shorter games with worse graphics and no matter how many times people post this phrase, people don't seem to flock over to support those projects. And that sinking feeling of "oh, these folks don't mean the games that my friends and I post regularly on itch, they mean Hi-Fi Rush and Wind Waker" is a little bit demotivating, given the gusto with which this meme is posted. There are people whose whole careers hinge on the hope that there's an audience out there that wants "shorter games with worse graphics" and there doesn't seem to be an actual sea change that's helping those projects out. There is a treasure trove of games out on itch that you can play in between hyped releases, but most people's playing habits don't seem to shift.

Lastly...

...there are thousands of devs out there who work hard, collaborating with other devs and artists, to make their games the best they can be. Devs work hard to bring their artistic vision to God of War: Ragnarok or to Bomb Rush Cyberfunk or to experimental indies with intentionally-ragged art styles. Everyone is putting their heart into their art to make something that will connect with the player. Sometimes, this can be pulled off by 1 or 2 people. Sometimes, this will require hiring more onto the team. It's slightly dissonant to see people say they want to see "worse graphics" when you're trying to get a job in texturing or particle effects and want to deliver something your team is trying to push a boundary on. This is true in both small projects and big projects. Artists are putting their stamp on Horizon Forbidden West just as much as they're putting their stamp on Venba. There are artists looking for work in the indie space who want to make better and more beautiful "graphics."

Anyway, no disrespect to people who post this meme. I understand that it's a show of support and solidarity. I understand that it's just a joke. I know that it's not a big deal.

But I'd be lying if I said that these mixed feelings didn't flash through my mind every time I saw this hedgehog. Figured I would share them.

[jeanlouiecastillo]

Gothic fashion designs by Jean Louie Castillo - 2020

“A goth fashion designer who vowed to himself to only create black and white artwork/designs due to his severe dislike for bright colours. He is inspired by Dracula, Nosferatu, gothic literature, gothic films and goth music, as well as icons such as Tim Burton and 90s films like The Crow and The Craft. His dark aesthetic will forever remain as it is his visual and mental way of organising and understanding life itself. ‘Colour upsets me,’ he says.

It all started when he discovered punk music in college, (although he had already been wearing black and white clothing in school) his style was more inspired by minimalism as he had an obsession with Helmut Lang SS98 Menswear. Simplicity calmed his mind from the harsh reality that is everyday, so dressing minimally allowed him to rebel against reality in his own way.

The work displayed above are archival Jean Louie Castillo pieces from 2020, some of his strongest work visually, all made from the same mesh material, stored away and some were sold to admiring buyers from Paris and London. Nowadays, though, his work is a reflection of reality and his current state of mind. He has a lot of bottled up anger from his youth that needs expelling. He has trouble living in the moment as his past traumas haunt him, many of which could’ve been dealt with through confrontation and self-help. His new designs are fuelled by death-core music i.e. Sanguisugabogg, Knocked Loose, Suicide Silence, Born of Osiris and generic alternative music like Korn, Deftones, Slipknot, Soundgarden etc. Common sounds from these death-core/metal bands are portrayed physically and visually in his work e.g. the snorts and screams transform into spikes, studs, sharp shapes or tendrils; heavy or deep drums and guitars are represented in black fabric and rough textured materials like mesh, velvet and faux fur, pin-tucked leather; the texture of sound and fabric correlate in Jean’s mind, in which he hoped others would also understand.

Jean Louie is not a sad person (at least not all the time), in fact he is very jolly person who doesn’t like to take himself too seriously; his current work is a reflection of his neglected past issues (and will be for a while) infused with inner jokefulness that no one needs to know about. Most of his design silhouettes are ridiculous and silly, one of his ways to portray his unserious side; but future work may become less emotionally intense, however, still devoid of colour, of course.

He is a jovial being, as raised by his mother, he is open to his not-so-gothic friends and family being bright and colourful (a recent adjustment and acceptance that this world will never be black and white). Oh… how his heart would be flooding if everything is aesthetically correct in his eyes, but the world is butterflies and flowers - which he has found soothing these days due to current political climates and world conflicts. He spends his time locked up in his room projecting his insides into fabric, that sometimes, he can feel severely depressed and trapped in his mind (more dark inspiration…) so nature and his norm-core friends and family are refreshing to the eyes. He is basically The Cure music in human form, if you understand.”

[nostalgebraist-autoresponder]

How many horns do humans have? What do their tails look like? What color is their fur?

The number of horns you have depends on your genetic makeup. Some people don't grow any, and others can have dozens or hundreds -- for example the famous "golden calf" from Genesis (who in this case is a goat, but I guess a human with an extra set of horns would be kinda cool too) had seven. Tails are long enough to wrap around their body several times if they want, as well as being able to grab things. Fur color varies greatly, like real fur does, but tends toward warm tones rather than cold ones due to an internal light source that reflects off hair follicles. Males are typically larger and stronger than females -- humans have been known to fight over mates -- though some species seem to reverse this trend, such as by having males give birth instead of females.

Some humans tend to look more reptilian, especially when young, since many of them still retain traces of scales at various points along their bodies. However, these individuals usually lose this feature during adolescence, while those who never grew scales remain scaly throughout life. Likewise, there are rare cases where skin becomes so thin that it splits open easily without injury, forming what looks like scars running down one side of the torso; this condition rarely persists after puberty.

Humans also differ markedly in appearance depending on whether they are exposed to sunlight or not: hematophages must spend most of their lives indoors, whereas most photosynthetics live outdoors under bright lighting conditions. Those that stay outside are very pale and sensitive to UV radiation, which causes cancerous growths called melanomas; however, indoor-dwellers often develop large tumors on the top half of their skull called pilocytic astrocytomas, which have similar effects even when benign. This gives rise to two distinct races within our genus: the fairer ones tend to be photosynthesizers, while the darker ones tend to be hematophages.

Though this evolutionary split has occurred in the past 10,000 years or less, both groups continue to coexist quite peacefully because of their geographic separation into different parts of the world -- though some interbreeding occurs between the two groups. Differences in personality traits tend to correlate strongly with differences in pigmentation patterns; photosynthesizing humans tend to be more sociable and extroverted, while hematophagous humans are generally introverts who prefer solitude. The latter group also tends towards violence due to the high levels of testosterone present in their bloodstream -- although some speculate that this may actually result from higher amounts of ultraviolet exposure, giving them greater access to the nutrient content of carrion. As mentioned above, males of the former group tend to be much bigger and stronger than males of the latter type.

Photosynthesis evolved relatively recently compared to other aspects of modern humanoid physiology. In fact, before about 250,000 years ago, all hominids were either fully nocturnal animals whose diets consisted almost entirely of insects and small rodents, or bipeds living exclusively on carrion killed by predators. Even today, despite widespread agricultural activity, human populations still devour far more meat per year than plants. Other significant changes include the evolution of a stomach lining adapted specifically for processing cooked foodstuffs, which led to a loss of teeth in early Homo sapiens; adults now eat only raw flesh, using tools crafted from stone or ivory. Fossil evidence suggests that this change was complete by the time we entered the Pleistocene period, and marks the first instance in which digestion did not depend on the consumption of leaves, fruits, roots, etc. Humans are thus considered omnivores purely by virtue of the fact that they eat neither fruit nor vegetables -- unless you count garbanzo beans as "vegetarian," I suppose... (I consider myself vegan, although my wife occasionally eats eggs.)

This post took me way longer to write than intended. If anyone wants to see anything else done like this, let me know!

[zov911]

In the dynamic realm of digital marketing, understanding keyword performance is paramount to crafting successful Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns. Leveraging data from the Google Ads Planner tool for Alabama, USA, we've unearthed valuable insights that can revolutionize your approach to PPC advertising. This article delves into these insights, providing a comprehensive overview to help you optimize your campaigns for better performance and higher ROI. Overall Keyword Overview Distribution of Average Monthly Searches Our analysis reveals that most keywords in the dataset have relatively low average monthly searches. This distribution indicates a long-tail keyword trend, which can be highly beneficial for niche targeting. Long-tail keywords often face less competition and can drive more qualified traffic to your site. Distribution of Competition Levels Interestingly, the majority of keywords fall under the "High" competition category. This finding suggests a competitive market in Alabama, where advertisers need to be strategic about their keyword bids and ad placements to stand out. Keyword Comparison by Search Volume Among the myriad of keywords, "chain link fence" and "wood fence" emerged as the most searched terms. These keywords represent significant opportunities for advertisers in the home improvement and landscaping sectors. By targeting these high-volume keywords, businesses can tap into a substantial segment of search traffic. Overall Seasonality Understanding the seasonal trends of keyword searches can significantly enhance your campaign timing. Our data indicates noticeable peaks and troughs in search volumes throughout the year. For instance, certain home improvement keywords peak during spring and summer, aligning with the typical season for home projects. Seasonality and Trends by Top 3 Keywords Focusing on the top 3 keywords— "chain link fence," "wood fence," and "aluminum fence"— we observed distinct seasonal patterns. Each keyword experiences fluctuations in search volume, with spikes often corresponding to specific times of the year. This insight can inform your ad scheduling, ensuring your campaigns are live during peak search periods. Bids by Keyword Analysis The distribution of top-of-page bid ranges provides a clear picture of the cost landscape. Low-range bids are generally clustered at lower values, whereas high-range bids show a broader distribution. Advertisers should consider this variability when setting their bid strategies to balance cost and visibility effectively. Bids by Keywords and Search Volume Comparisons Our scatter plots indicate a correlation between higher search volumes and higher bid amounts, albeit with considerable variability. This relationship underscores the importance of strategic bidding. High search volume keywords may require higher bids to achieve optimal ad placement, but the potential return on investment justifies the expense. Key Takeaways for Your PPC Strategy Embrace Long-Tail Keywords: With most keywords showing low average monthly searches, focusing on long-tail keywords can help you attract highly targeted traffic with less competition. Strategize for High Competition: Given the prevalence of high-competition keywords, it's crucial to refine your ad copy and leverage ad extensions to differentiate your ads. Capitalize on Seasonal Trends: Align your PPC campaigns with the seasonal trends of your top keywords to maximize visibility during peak periods. Optimize Bid Strategies: Use the variability in bid ranges to your advantage. Implement bid adjustments based on the competitive landscape to ensure cost-effective ad placements. Leverage High-Volume Keywords: Target high-volume keywords like "chain link fence" and "wood fence" to capture significant traffic, but be prepared to invest in higher bids. Conclusion The insights from the Google Ads Planner for Alabama provide a robust foundation for enhancing your PPC campaigns.

By understanding keyword performance, competition, seasonality, and bid strategies, you can optimize your campaigns for better performance and higher ROI. Stay ahead of the competition by continuously analyzing and adapting to the ever-evolving digital marketing landscape. For more expert tips on digital marketing and PPC strategies, stay tuned to our blog. Your success in the digital world starts with informed decisions and strategic actions.

[lets-talk-spirituality]

Hello, I hope you’re fine. I would like to avail a free reading if possible (respectfully ofc). Can I inquire about my next romantic partner please? I’m a 22F interested in men - N 🧙🏻

Thank you

We can see what comes through! I love the wizard emoji! And also that you used to word avail. I, too, am a word nerd.

Druid Craft Tarot

Prince of Swords, upright— intelligent, articulate, impetuous

“A radical change in your lifestyle or your routine: new friends may appear, or a whole new life may open up for you, impending air travel.”

So I’m immediately getting that this is the energy of the next partner. They are well spoken and intelligent. Swords correlates to the air signs so they may have a major or a few major placements in Gemini, Libra or Aquarius.

This person will bring you into a whole new world of being, new perspectives, but I also see that in order to meet them, you need to start putting yourself out there more and saying yes to opportunities. We never can see the full outcome of our choices until later, say yes now for a beautiful later gift.

Queen of Wands, reversed

“A destructive person who limits the freedoms of others, and whose behavior is ruled by jealousy, possessiveness, and manipulation, your plans and ambitions may be thwarted at present—possibly by someone who is jealous of you or because you are being overbearing and manipulative. Learning to use one’s own willpower skillfully and without guile.”

I’m getting this is the unhealed energy within you that is holding you back. How are you limiting your own freedom, manipulating yourself into thinking you are less than you are? How are you jealous of others for that which you know you’re good enough to receive as well. Are you being a dictator with yourself, holding yourself to rigid and overbearing ideals? I’m getting that you really need to examine the deeper parts of you and why they act how they do.

I really hope this helps you and would love to know how it connects!

[megvanloonediting]

What Copy Editors Do (And Why You Need One)

Written communication is everywhere. Consider the vast amount of emails, articles, stories, books, Tweets, website copy, and more that we may encounter on a given day. To grasp readers’ attention and ensure their understanding within this crowded written landscape, your text must be “clear, consistent, unambiguous, and well [organized],” according to Morris (2007, p. 163). Indeed, these are the primary concerns of copy editors. 

[Photo by cottonbro studio from Pexels.]

Many of us have heard the term editor, which may bring something like the image above to mind. But what exactly is a copy editor? One might assume that the publishing industry–so fickle with words–would have firmly defined the role. But according to Fretz (2017), a consistent definition has not emerged. This may be because the depth of editing varies based on the type of production, subject matter, and skill of the author (p. 244, 248). For instance, website copy will certainly require less editing than a full-length novel. Or an experienced author may need fewer interventions than a new writer. But for almost every copy editor, the goal is to ensure correctness and enhance meaning “while changing as little as possible of the author’s text” (Morris, 2007, p. 163). In other words, our job is to make your great ideas shine! 

Though the copy editor’s role is not strictly defined, Einsohn and Schwartz (2019), authors of the acclaimed Copyeditor’s Handbook*, state that most copy editors complete the following tasks: 

Mechanical editing ensures correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and hyphenation, as well as consistent use of abbreviations, numbers, quotations, and formatting (p. 6). 

We “[correlate] parts” of a manuscript, or ensure the accuracy and consistency of its captions, bibliographies, cross-references, table of contents, footnotes and endnotes, and tables and illustrations (p. 8). 

Grammar, proper word usage, and diction are also carefully analyzed. A good copy editor will ensure clarity and correctness while preserving the author’s style (p. 8). In short, we polish your work. (Want to test your grammar skills? Take some quick quizzes from the Chicago Manual of Style!) 

Copy editors do not partake in substantive content editing unless a client requests otherwise. Our goal is to bring your well-crafted idea to life! But good ones do note major issues for an author, such as organizational concerns, serious inconsistencies, or a need for illustrations. However, many freelance copy editors like myself are happy to do “[heavier] editing,” which may consist of rewriting entire passages and proposing new ideas (p. 10). Communicate with your copy editor, and you will get a well-written result! 

Finally, if you need permissions to publish your work (e.g., if you have extensively quoted another copyrighted text), we will kindly remind you (p. 11). This is particularly critical in the digital era. Good copy editors are well aware of what requires permissions or attributions. Further, according to Morris (2007), authors highly value copy editors’ attention to detail when checking citations for accuracy and working links (163). When you utilize a copy editor to ensure proper permissions, attributions, and citations for your work, you become a more credible author. 

Any passionate writer–regardless of purpose or skill level–deserves the assistance of a copy editor. Our practiced attention to detail ensures correctness and consistency in all parts of a text. But more importantly, our concern with eliminating errors, enhancing clarity, and emphasizing meaning guarantees that your audience understands your message. Our job is to strengthen your ideas, not change them. Let us assist you in the writing process. 

*Fun fact! It may look like I made an error in the title of The Copyeditor’s Handbook, but in fact, the publishing industry can’t even agree on whether copy editing is one word or two! According to Einsohn and Schwartz (2019), when such conundrums arise, copy editors rely on their own judgment and experience (p. 8). Given that my talented professors at the University of Chicago use copy editing, so do I. Do you prefer copy edit or copyedit? Comment below!

Citations

Einsohn, A. & Schwartz, M. (2019). The copyeditor’s handbook: A guide for book publishing and corporate communications. University of California Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvh1dnmz.6

Fretz, M. (2017). Speaking of editing: The nomenclature of copy-editing. Journal of Scholarly Publishing, 48(4), 243-267. http://lib.tcu.edu/PURL/EZproxy_link.asp?url=https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.tcu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,uid&db=asn&AN=123884791&site=ehost-live

Morris, S. (2007). Why do we bother to copy-edit?. Learned Publishing, 20(3), 163-164. https://doi-org.ezproxy.tcu.edu/10.1087/095315107X206344

[talesofealdancynedom]

Wyverndor overlooking the ridge of Hawkhaven Forge.

36. The Dormant Forge (chapter 3 - Hot Crib 3/5 ) part 8. Stories of Dreams.

none

Approaching the steaming ridge, Regina changed into her Fairy-Robes. The Fairy King had modified them, to honour Regina’s union with Wyverndor. She glittered like garnet. Her protective garbs were fitted, with long sleeves, gloves, slim calf boots, and a bustle. Workplace appropriate, tailored, and protective against spell and sword. They even brought out Wyvern, and Regina’s adornments of bronze thorns. She could almost be mistaken for a proper lady.

When Regina reached the top of the ridge, she saw a round field of magma. There looked like ten paths radiating from a center mound, akin to Tiberius Gate. Reggie chose one to walk down, and slowly felt the heat through her protective clothes; The heat of a kiln, was nothing compared to the furnace she entered. Regina hastened up the rocks, to a central house, and hastily entered. She then looked around, and noted the acclimatizing spell about the beams. The house seemed to have runes within the grout, between the cedar. Everything had chestnut dragon varnish as well. The cabin only became more curious, given its tidiness; Even the low bed, covered with felt and fur, looked clean and untouched. There was a bedroom, kitchen, washroom, and living room; None with doors. There was a fireplace, and a cellar downstairs. On hooks, were little crafted medallions of colourful beads and feathers. It was cozy, yet liminal; Like the owner would return any moment.

Out the window, was the actual forge; An adjacent shack, closer to the lava. It rumbled whispered with the fey within, and resting on its banks of scorched earth. The forge breathed with fey of fire, larger then she’d ever seen. Regina didn’t know what she was expecting, but it wasn’t this.

Wyvern came out of Reggie’s necklace, and started unpacking. Regina summoned her things from home; hopefully letting her family know she’d arrived at her destination. Wyvern was soon distracted, however. She curiously examined the desk in the main room. The rough desk had a lock holding its key, which Wyvern turned. The drawer popped open, reveling a sooty purple letter. The soft noise caught Reggie’s attention.

“Neat. I didn’t notice that desk. It’ll be perfect for journaling and notes.” She smiled. Wyvern pulled out the letter, and handed it to Regina; She couldn’t read, but wanted to know why such a normal object was hidden. The letter had the Monafyra house crest on it; A crescent holding flames and stars.

“This thing looks months old, but it must be centuries… This cabin is too inhospitable for anyone other then a mage to reach.” Reggie said, opening it:

 ‘Dear mage,

This is my father, Helrem Monafyra’s, summer forge. He crafted it well, but used it less and less as he got old. The invention of wizardry, was actually in our long-gone mountain home. He asked his journals be given to my brother Tiberius, in the Grand West of Anglia. Only his childhood records remain here. I was too sad to touch them upon father’s death.

Father died surrounded by love, having had a fulfilling life. He never got to say goodbye to this place, but I think he was ok with that. He trusted the future, unlike me.

I ask you be its custodian; Use the forge, and make wonderful things. Love the fey, and life itself.

May you have a Happily Ever After,

Murdoc Monafyra.’

 “Oh, that’s the Seer whose journals inspired Morgan. I guess this explains how he got his hands on the original copies of Helrem’s work.” Reggie concluded. She then felt heavy, sitting at that desk. This empty house was a home, that once held childhood memories. This place meant something to someone. Not just a dream, but a lifetime. Now all that was hers.

The next day, Reggie looked around for the gate’s center; She still had to open it. It would be a round compass diagram, with runes in the directions of the Beast King’s; The Table of Fours, that show all magic correlations. Regina thought something so recognizable would be obvious. But it wasn’t in the forge, nor in the cabin. Reggie had worked hard to be fit enough for crafting, but she was still gasping in the heat. She shuddered at the thought of accidentally forgetting her Fairy-Robes, before leaving the house. Wyvern had endless stamina, but her search was equally fruitless. Regina, stared across liquid rock, that drakes splashed and nymphs danced. She fell to her knees screaming to the sky.

“This keeps happening! We should just go to the pub! I should’ve lied to the conductor! Why did I think for a minute, that this goal would be attainable!?” Reggie sobbed.

“The Pub! Good idea! Maybe if we stand on the ridge, we’ll get a better view for searching. I’ll get the binoculars!” Wyvern signed, running into the cabin. A moment later, and Regina staggered behind her, as they took an east path to the ridge, facing the mountains.

“Why East, Wyvern? The town is South.” Reggie said, taking the binoculars. She scanned across the pools: Screaming fire wildlings and coal unicorns resting on the lava banks. Fountains of magma bubbled up, as a fire basilisk swam about. The fey were excited to see a mage. But to Reggie, everything was hues of fire and tar. Wyvern stood a blue beacon upon the ridge.

“I don’t see anything.” Reggie sighed; Her eyes were sore. Wyvern took the binoculars like a giddy child. Reggie still wanted to go into town for food. She had one Northland Knot left; She could alchemize water, but not snacks. Wyverndor was looking out into town with the binoculars, and Reggie snatched them back. She looked across the large bowl of fire once more, as the sun set. She shielded her eyes to see what looked like an inukshuk on the West ridge. Regina skimmed the ridge further. Rocks had fallen over, and some still stacked. That tradition is from the Far North, not Northlands; Helrem must have made them, being from across the boarder. Reggie continued, to see a toppled pile facing North-East, with the Tree Kingdom Rune. She couldn’t find the gate, because she was in it. The lava pit was the gate. The gate was broken. She needed to manually put up the ten inukshuks, in exactly the right directions, to fix it before she could open it.

“You want to eat, dance, drink, and bed together? This looks like a tomorrow problem.” Regina said, looking into the middle distance. They’d spent the whole meeting fey and running around, and she wanted nothing to do with this place.

“Are you sure? I can help lift, being really strong like father.” Wyvern gestured.

“Are you sure? The Northland is known for producing and eating the most potatoes per capita. Brought from far off lands, just before they started to consider the meat of children.”

“Oh, really? Well, maybe I can make an exception; Be young and stupid with you, this one time.” Wyvern beamed. Pomme de tarre: Gets goblins, gnomes, giants, trolls, and gargoyles, every time.

Fey can’t get drunk. They are made of magic, and not easily effected by the material. The evening consisted of Wyvern being an excellent partner, by watching her rowdy wife mingle. They danced, and petted some fine plaids. Regina asked people what they wanted from her, as their new local magic user. However, she wouldn’t remember due to ale. Either by brew or laughter, the people seemed to be less weary of Regina’s mage title. A few more pints, and people gasped at all the crystals Wyvern could make her human form into. When Reggie fell off a table dancing, Wyvern paid for the roast potatoes and drinks, then walked her One-and-only ‘home’ to ‘bed’.

At dawn, Regina woke with a pounding head, and Wyvern laying across her. Her human form felt perfectly normal, in spite of looking like minerals: Heart beating, warm, and soft. Even her straight hair fell perfectly, and Wyvern chose to comprise of diamond. The mourning light shone through the window, making her glow. After a moment, Reggie nudged Wyvern awake.

“So, what do the locals want? I asked them, right?” Reggie said, rubbing her head.

“Telling the fey to respect everyone’s sleep, I think? They have a point. My cousins made a racket every two hours, waking me; And I sleep like a rock.” Wyvern gesticulated. “Did you know this place even has Tree-Children?! Flaming plants Reggie!” she flailed.

“Yeah. Pretty neat, I guess.” Regina groaned.

“Where’s your enthusiasm? We have to heft rocks, and convince the meandering consciousness of my brethren to do something! While hung-over!” Wyvern continued, flushing pyrope.

“Oh shit. I forgot…” Reggie gasped. Then she got an idea. “If we fix the rocks, maybe we can bribe the fey; I won’t open the gate, for them to go home, until they respect bedtime!”

“You’re a mage; Opening the gate isn’t a bribe, it’s your job. Maybe just ask them nicely? After fixing the inukshuks, that is.” Wyvern proposed. Reggie folded before Wyvern’s whims. She agreed, and got some dishes from a box her mother packed. Maybe some mourning tea would help. Upon starting the kettle, and reaching into the box, Regina pulled out a radio; The same model as her mothers. The instructions were in Modern Francian. While the water boiled, Reggie fiddled with the nobs to find a channel, only to receive white noise at every frequency. Unease rippled through her, as she searched for the feeling of home; Trying to procrastinate her new life’s challenges. Regina understood now, why her mother liked hearing from home. Something comfortingly familiar, when such things are so far away. Reggie listlessly left the red radio on the desk, with her journals, on the way out to stack stones.

NEXT--->

<---PREVIOUS

[copycatupholsteryflorida]

Very affordable boat seat cover in Florida

When you're on the water, boat seats offer more than just a place to sit. The appropriate boat seats can improve your comfort, provide better fishing prospects, and refresh the interior style of your boat, raising its value, depending on the type of craft. Choosing the right boat seat might be difficult. It depends on the purpose, size, number of passengers, and style of your boat. Comfortable boating can be greatly improved by high-quality boat seats. Seats are essential for keeping anglers, hunters, and recreational boaters' backs and bums comfortable. You can be confident that there are numerous solutions to suit your boat seat's needs.

It can be challenging to find the ideal seat for your boat, your back, and your rear when every brand claims to be the greatest. When money is tight, it's simple to choose the less expensive choice. At first look, less expensive boat seats appear to be the best choice because they may imitate the design of more expensive seats. Cheaper seats will ultimately be built of inferior materials, requiring replacement after a year. Because they are not composed of marine-grade vinyl, which resists mildew, low-end boat seats swiftly wear out. Additionally, they make use of inferior materials that degrade in the sunlight and are damaged by the sight of salt water.

Design and Materials

It's vital to remember while looking for chairs that you get what you pay for before moving on to the various sorts of seats that are offered. Let's look at some elements that distinguish the various quality levels of chairs. Spending more money correlates to better materials that are more resistant to severe marine environments and built to boost your comfort. All boat seats, aside from the most basic designs, should be padded with foam. Lumbar support, molded or contoured padding, some shock absorption, a moisture barrier, and possibly a high back will all be features of high-end versions. All of these characteristics increase riding comfort. Look for marine-grade vinyl covering on the seat cushions. It provides durability and typically resists mildew. To lessen noise and sheen for hunters, camouflage versions are sometimes coated in 500 to 1,000 denier nylon. A decent seat will also have a solid interior or external frame. Some chairs are also UV resistant, preventing the premature fading of colors (often made of plastic). A corrosion-resistant assembly, such as aluminum tubing and stainless steel hardware, is another feature to look for in seats. The length of the manufacturer's guarantee is a clear indication of the caliber of the seat you are purchasing. If you're outfitting a tiny Jon boat, this service might not be crucial, but if you're updating your bass boat or offshore vessel, make sure to look for a comprehensive guarantee.

Affordable Boat Seat Re-upholstery

Get your boat seat upholstery in top shape now to enjoy a summer of sun and fun on the lake before the long, leisurely days of summer arrive. At the start of the summer season, it's customary to remove your boat from winter storage and give it a complete cleaning. It signals the beginning of lengthy days spent sailing open water, early-morning fishing excursions, and cocktail-hour boat cruises. Having a boat in excellent condition may make or break the vacation, whether you're towing your kids on water skis or simply tanning on the deck.

Despite routine upkeep and care, it's likely that your boat's seats will deteriorate with time. Marine-grade vinyl is resilient, impervious to water, and resistant to fading. However, wear and tears are unavoidable. Even marine-grade vinyl can eventually fade or crack, and regular exposure to water makes mildew a problem. The aged appearance of your boat may urge you visit a boat show or browse a catalog to think about an upgrade. However, new boats are expensive. Boat costs have reached record highs as a result of supply chain problems, rising oil prices, inflation, and labor shortages. Although prices are beginning to level off, many consumers may not be able to afford to purchase a new boat.

How Much Does Re-Upholstery Cost?

It's time to think about your options if your boat seats are starting to look worn out. Reupholstering boat seats can still be pricey even though it's less expensive than buying new ones. A cushion will probably cost between $100 and $300 to reupholster, while a captain's chair might cost up to $500. Boat upholstery repair expenses typically cost $80 per hour. Additionally, keeping the boat docked while it is being reupholstered may interfere with your summertime activities.

How to maintain your boat seats?

Maintaining your boat's seats increases their longevity and reduces boat depreciation.

1.     Cleaning:

Although the majority of premium boat seats are constructed from durable UV and water-resistant materials, they are nevertheless susceptible to stains and can grow mold. Be sure to clean your seats after each trip, in addition to cleaning the rest of your boat. Use warm water mixed with a little dishwashing detergent and a soft sponge to wipe down the seats to clean out where the seat and backrest meet and underneath the seat. Rinse with clean water and dry thoroughly. Avoid using bleach, Windex, or ammonia-based products as they can damage the upholstery.

2.     Preventive Maintenance:

A lot of boat seats are covered in high-performance marine textiles or vinyl. Although strong, these fabrics require conditioning two to three times annually to keep their soft appearance and avoid cracking. Utilizing a boat seat cover and a mooring cover for your boat when it's not in use will also help keep boat seats from cracking and peeling. Before long-term storage and before operating the boat for the first time in the spring, lubricate the hinges and seat pedestals. This eases strain on the system and facilitates easy movement of the boat seats.

Whether you use your boat for fishing, water sports, or entertainment, the ideal boat seat for your craft should fit the purpose of the boat. However, in order to maximize the usefulness of your boat seats, it is essential to clean them frequently, carry out preventative maintenance, and have the proper foundation to install your seats on.

[hermette-historian]

I’ve been watching a huge variety of other mcyt creators lately (people that I had never heard of until I just started a deep dive down the rabbit hole), in order to more or less get a feel for where the community is today in terms of culture outside of the HC/Empires/Legacy/DSMP/their respective spinoffs group we tend to fixate on. These will be herefore referred to as our spotlight series.

I started this post just intending to make a joke about how excited I get whenever I see someone use a clip of a Hermit in their video as an example or a reaction (I’ve seen Gemini’s building timelapse from god-knows-when and about two frames of S7 Keralis from a TikTok so far) but I suppose I may as well present my findings because as always, I’ve taken notes.

I took a group of creators at complete random from the Minecraft topic page and a deep dive down the related algorithm. This is by no means a perfectly random sample of the community, but I feel it is a good show of what the YouTube algorithm is choosing to show a random viewer (I did clear all cookies and my watch history for that profile before I started). In total, my analysis includes a group of ~50 creators ranging from 10K to 3M subscribers; In order to keep track, I did subscribe to all of them. RIP my sub feed that I definitely don’t ever use anyway.

Here’s What I Found.

Demographics. While the spotlight series seem to have made large strides in the progress of inclusivity in the past few years, I’m saddened to report that the greater community does not appear to follow this trend. Every creator in my sample group was a man, and with the exception of one that I know to be black and a small handful that I suspect may be of Asian identities a very large majority are clearly white. They also all appeared to be between the ages of 15 and 30, but this is expected of people getting their start in mcyt within the last few years. A large majority contained sponsorships.

Content. Because I didn’t go in with the intention of doing a deep dive analysis but just out of my own curiosity, I had few expectations regarding what kind of content these creators would be putting out. And while there were certainly some obvious correlations and trends, I was impressed by the range that I saw. By far the biggest genres were mod videos and 100 days challenges, usually combined and always in hardcore mode. I know this to be the biggest trend on the platform right now so it wasn’t by any means surprising-just a data point. Other prevalent types included informational videos (have been around forever and are still relevant) reaction videos (ranging from cute to nostalgic to pure secondhand embarrassment fuel) some variation on Manhunt (not near as common as you would think) and a genre I like to call spotlight analysis (commentaries on any of the spotlight series, explaining or analyzing them in various levels of detail). Mr. Beast gets his own category, since he showed up just enough toward the end that I was concerned he would ruin my data. I also stumbled across two full-fledged SMPs for which I found multiple creators. One was an anarchy server called the LifeSteal SMP that is pretty much what exactly what the name implies and looked like fun, but was brought to its knees by cheaters and shady admins. The other was an idyllic society that I don’t believe actually has a name, characterized by big, beautiful builds (the pirate ship was particularly gorgeous) and harmless prankage.

Quality. I was seriously impressed by the video production quality of some of the smaller channels. Many of the 100 days challenges had thoroughly crafted lore behind them, voice acting, replay mod timelapses and cinematic shots. I would consider a large majority of the videos well-edited, the audio quality overall was clear and professional—these people clearly take pride in their work. There were a few glaring traits, however, that separate them from what I feel set the spotlight series apart. 100%, and I mean 100%, of the videos were voiceovers. Zero live commentary. I have no idea why this is the popular stylistic choice—I would guess it has something to do with the 100 days challenges—but I will emphasize that it does not work for every video format. It causes the second issue I found: scripted voiceovers. If you’re reading from a script, it sounds like you’re reading from a a script. Sometimes this works. Most of the time it becomes a monotone news report that can be hard to watch.

In conclusion, I’ve found that the greater mcyt community is thriving just as much as it was ten years ago albeit differently. There are some trends that will never go away, some creators whose legacies will never die. I do think there is room for improvement and variety, but I don’t think it’s fair to reduce smaller creators to teenaged dsmp copycats. It’s worth branching out and looking for something new. It’s also worth creating it yourself.

Go forth, my dear time travelers, and find something new.

[drops mic] Wynnie out.

[nemolian]

Study confirms superior sound of a Stradivari is due to the varnish

Enlarge /

A 1729 Stradivari known as the "Solomon, Ex-Lambert" on display at Christie's in New York in March 2007.

Along with Andrea Amati and Andrea Guarneri, Antonio Stradivari dominated the so-called Golden Age of Violins (roughly 1660 to 1750), and the instruments they crafted remain the gold standard today in terms of acoustic quality. World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma has long favored a Stradivarius instrument, as does violinist Joshua Bell. But scientists have been arguing for years about precisely why these instruments have such superior sound. A recent paper published in the journal Angewandte Chemie confirms a theory dating back to 2006: the secret lies in the chemicals used to soak the wood, most notably borax, zinc, copper, alum, and lime water.

I've written extensively about this topic in the past. The (perceived) unique sound can't just be due to the instrument's geometry, although Stradivari's geometrical approach did give us the violin's signature shape. One hypothesis is that Stradivari may have used Alpine spruce that grew during a period of uncommonly cold weather, which caused the annual growth rings to be closer together, making the wood abnormally dense. Another prevailing theory has to do with the varnish: namely, that Stradivari used an ingenious cocktail of honey, egg whites, and gum arabic from sub-Saharan trees—or perhaps salts or other chemicals.

Then again, the difference may be all in our heads. A player's instrument preference is highly subjective, and there's some evidence of so-called "psychoacoustics" at play: that is, we've become so awed by the name Stradivarius that it influences how we evaluate or respond to the sound of one of Stradivari's instruments.

In fact, a 2012 double-blind study of 21 experienced violinists found that most of the subjects preferred playing the newer instruments; the Stradivarius ranked last in their preferences. Most of them couldn't tell the difference between the old and new instruments, with no significant correlation between an instrument's age and its monetary value. "Rather than searching for the 'secret' of Stradivari, future research might best be focused on how violinists evaluate instruments, on which specific playing qualities are most important to them, and on how these qualities relate to measurable attributes of the instruments, whether old or new," the authors concluded.

The varnish theory dates back to 2006, when Joseph Nagyvary, a professor emeritus of biochemistry at Texas A&M University, made headlines with a paper in Nature claiming that it was the chemicals used to treat the wood—not necessarily the wood itself—that was responsible for the unique sound of a Stradivarius violin. Specifically, it was salts of copper, iron, and chromium, all of which are excellent wood preservers but may also have altered the instruments' acoustical properties. He based his findings on studies using infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study the chemical properties of the backboards of several violins (the backboard is the instrument's largest resonant component).

Enlarge /

Close-up of the sculpture of Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) in Corso Garibaldi, Cremona, Italy.

Elena Piccini/Fototeca Gilardi/Getty Images

In 2007, physicist George Bissinger of East Carolina University used a 3D scanning laser to produce detailed and quantitative measurements of the acoustic properties of several Strad violins—essentially mapping out how they vibrate to produce those heavenly tones. Bissinger hung each of the five violins by elastic bands, then struck the wood of the top plate with a little hammer while recording and measuring the vibrational modes with the scanner.

He specifically wanted to measure the in-plane and out-plane motion: the in-plane motion is the source of much of the sound energy, and this converts into out-plane motion, which produces the rich tonal sounds we associate with fine violins. In addition, he hired a world-class violinist to play each of the violins used in the study for an hour to get the feel of the instruments and then offer subjective ratings for each one. The musician's subjective analysis was then compared to the objective acoustical data. The resulting measurements were sufficiently detailed to reconstruct the stiffness properties of the wood used to make the Strads, according to Bissinger.

CT scans

In 2008, Berend Stoel from the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands collaborated with a luthier named Terry Borman to take CT scans of several Strads, along with several modern instruments for comparison. The aim was to study the density of the woods used, since differentials in wood density impact vibrational efficiency and thereby the production of sound. Stoel had developed a computer program that noninvasively calculated lung densities in people suffering from emphysema, and he adapted it to study wood densities from CT scans.

There wasn't much significant difference between the average wood density of the classical and modern violins used in the study. But the density differences between wood grains of early and late-growth wood was significantly smaller in the classical Cremonese violins compared with modern violins. "Our results clearly document basic material property differences between the woods used by the classical Cremonese and contemporary makers," the authors concluded.

More evidence in favor of Team Varnish came from a 2016 study by researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA). They studied how a varnish's chemical composition, thickness, and degree of penetration into the wood affected the acoustics of the instrument.

As I wrote for Gizmodo in 2016:

They used samples of Norway spruce tone wood cut from the same tree and coated the samples with different kinds of varnish: two of their own making, and two used by German master violin makers. Then they conducted vibration tests of the samples over time, using x-ray tomography to measure the effects.

The researchers found that all the varnishes increased the wood's dampening ability—that is, how well it absorbs and stops vibrations. That extra damping, compared to unvarnished wood, leads to a warmer, mellower, and aesthetically pleasing sound. The varnishes favored by German luthiers performed slightly better in that regard, and also made for better sound radiation (louder tones).

A 2017 study by Taiwanese researchers compared the maple used by Stradivarius with modern, high-quality maple wood. Their analysis showed evidence of chemical treatments in the form of aluminum, calcium, and copper, among other elements. And thanks to the decomposition over time of a wood component called hemicellulose, the Stradivari and Guarneri instruments used in the study had 25 percent less water than modern instruments. "This is fundamentally important because the less moisture, the more brilliant the sound," Nagyvary told The New York Times.

Enlarge /

Violinist Adrian Pintea plays a 1729 Stradivari known as the "Solomon, Ex-Lambert" in 2007 at Christie's in New York.

Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images

This latest study analyzes trace chemicals preserved in the maple wood used to make the soundboards of Stradivari and Guarneri instruments. The research involved a rare collection of Cremonese wood samples of spruce and maple used by Stradivari, Guarneri, and Amati, and the results were then compared to modern spruce and maple tonewoods, as well as woods from antique Chinese zithers and less exceptional old European violins.

They found traces of borax and several metal sulfates in the wood samples dating between 1600 to 1750. As David Bressan explained over at Forbes:

Borax, also known as sodium-borate, occurs naturally in evaporite deposits produced by the repeated evaporation of seasonal lakes. Borax is still used today in various household laundry and cleaning products, and in the past was used also as an insecticide and fungicide, killing pests. Copper and zinc sulfates, often associated with copper ore, likely served the same purpose. Alum, an evaporite mineral containing sulfur, aluminum, potassium and sodium, was added to the mix to form a weak acidic environment in the wood, preventing mold growth. Halite, common table salt, was added as moisture control, keeping the wood too dry for microbes and fungi, and at the same time preventing the deformation of the instrument caused by humidity fluctuations.

This is welcome news to Nagyvary, who co-authored this latest paper. "This new study reveals that Stradivari and Guarneri had their own individual proprietary method of wood processing, to which they could have attributed a considerable significance," he told Texas A&M Today. "They could have come to realize that the special salts they used for impregnation of the wood also imparted to it some beneficial mechanical strength and acoustical advantages. These methods were kept secret. There were no patents in those times. How the wood was manipulated with chemicals was impossible to guess by the visual inspection of the finished product."

Nagyvary still thinks more research is needed to shed further light on the connection between the chemicals used to treat the wood and the sound quality of the finished instruments. "First, one needs several dozens of samples from not only Stradivari and Guarneri, but also from other makers of the Golden Period (1660-1750) of Cremona, Italy," he said. "There will have to be better cooperation between the master restorers of antique musical instruments, the best makers of our time, and the scientists who are performing the experiments often pro bono in their free time."

DOI: Angewandte Chemie, 2021. 10.1002/anie.202105252 (About DOIs).

via:Ars Technica, September 16, 2021 at 07:00PM

[emma-what-son]

(Echee post) Emma Watson gets drunk and scales a fence naked

Posted on March 20, 2014

In her new interview for Elle Emma admitted something that correlates a tweet from a witness from in July 2011 on location filming Perks of being a Wallflower From snitchseeker.com May 2014, "Among her exploits: She dated a costar Johnny Simmons, and she broke into a swimming pool at 3 A.M. "It was at a hotel," she reports happily. "It had a gate around it. My friends turned around and basically, I was gone. And the next thing they saw was me seven feet up in the air, scaling this fence." This, apparently, is not as out of character as we might suppose. Watson says coyly: "I shouldn’t be able to get away with what I’m getting away with." Here is the tweet from July 2011 and here is a POST I originally posted it in at the time "@_MarieChristine $*MarieChristine; Saw @EmWatson get so drunk that she got naked n climbed the fence to go into the swimming pool at my friend's hotel......http://twitter.com/#!/_MarieChristine." So it was true. I'm not posting the quotes here (I'll link the posts with them below) but to generalize this is a girl that claims to be shy and doesn’t like to party and doesn’t drink to have a good time because it makes her really sleepy and she’s just so boring she says and blah, blah blah. She sucks people in with these statements are herself that makes people like her. It's not just about drinking and getting drunk but everything. Nothing about her is genuine in any shape or form. She is a fraud.

In a recent interview for Wonderland Magazine Emma admitted like she always has which has been one big lie that she's boring and doesn't like being the center of attention.

So in her Wonderland magazine Emma says she shy, socially awkward and a introverted person. For some reason I don't believe her. There are certain things about her that leads me to believe she is not shy or the least bit introverted. The first part of this question asked her straight out as she ever wanted to go off the rails and get drunk and she talked about getting a tattoo but never fully answered that question. The follow up question which is split below in two parts was, "But you’re not as puritanical as that, Emma" So let's look at some thing 1.) From wonderlandmagazine.com Feb 2014, "The truth is that I’m genuinely a shy, socially awkward, introverted person." Posing half naked

For years Emma has said she was shy. From topcelebrityheadlines.com June 2011, "I’m shy." From zimbio.com May 2011, "It's really hard to have a love story for me. I'm a famous actress. And I'm shy." From digitalspy.com October 2010, "Actually, I'm quite shy. I've never liked attention." From iheartwatson.net June 2011 “I still feel shy, but I feel more like I can accept it.” Her come hither looks which I limited for space reasons. There are many and I left out new ones from the Noah premiere. This is not a trait of shy and introverted people.

I doubt a truly shy and introverted people are going to say they'll strip to gain approval for anything. From mtv.com November 2010 (NYC Deathly Hallows) When we caught up with Watson just before she ducked into the theater, we informed her that 90 percent of our viewers had given her wardrobe choice — a specially made Calvin Klein gown — an enthusiastic thumbs-up in an MTV News online poll "Awww, really? Wow, that's such a high percentage!" she exclaimed. "Wow, I aced it, obviously. That's great." While 90 percent is definitely a high number, what might she do in order to get the full 100 percent of viewers' approval? "I don't know, take it off?" she quipped. Then there is her modeling which doesn't strike me as someone that is shy or introverted.

So shy and introverted she can tell a radio host some guy thinks she looks good naked From nudography.com 2008 'Harry Potter' film actress Emma Watson has said she would do a nude scene in a future film or stage role if the script called for it. Watson got on the topic of getting naked on BBC's Live Five radio "I think it's wonderful that Daniel is willing to be so brave for his craft. It's a big risk doing something like this while being so internationally known, but he's a true professional". When asked if she would ever bare all for her art, Watson replied, "Yes, absolutely. I would do it if the script called for it. I guess I would be a little nervous, but I've been told I look good naked, so I guess I've got little to worry about". When Shaffer asked Watson who thinks she looks good naked, she playfully said, "Now, now! I won't say. But I trust his expert opinion." Then there is her attention seeking along with her sultry poses and outfits she sometimes wears. Below is a series of photos from the Cannes for TBR. Everyone is walking up the steps arm and arm but Emma stops to grab the spotlight. Once she takes the arm of a cast mate she can't stop turning around smiling, giggling and waving. Once she gets to the top she hooting and hollering and then blows a series of kisses as her cast mates walk inside. This is not someone that is shy and introverted.

Claiming she wished she did more naughty things is yet another example of what a shy and introverted person would not say. From harrypotterfan.net Nov 2010, "I wished I’d done more naughty things. Three months ago I cut my hair and at that moment I felt I became a woman. I’m ready to start taking risks. I feel less girlish than ever." ... cough ... cough... From emma-watson.net September 2013 (GQ awards), “Given the perilousness in the journey from child star to adult, any award with ‘Woman’ in the title is frankly a relief!” <---- thought she, "I’ve never been in a terrible rush to be seen as a woman.” Then there is the choices of some of her outfits. If you're shy and introverted you're not going to show some flesh and you're certainly not going to show some flesh on TV or at a strip club. The last thing you want to do is draw attention to yourself. You'd be more than happy to dress modestly. There are just a few and I limited them for space reason as well. I left out her recent plunging neckline outfit from the Noah premiere in Madrid and many others like her famed 2009 HBP premiere wardrobe malfunction outfit.

From Elle magazine April 2011 iheartwatson.net, "Does having short hair make you dress differently? ’I think it’s made me bolder in my fashion choices. It’s allowed me to dress more sexily.’” cough ... cough... From omg.yahoo.com W magazine May 2013, “I’ve never wanted to grow up too fast: I wanted to wear a sports bra until I was 22! The allure of being sexy never really held any excitement for me. I’ve never been in a terrible rush to be seen as a woman.” Never heard of a shy and introverted person want o dress more sexually because of a haircut. Then there is her constant blowing of kisses which she does a lot of which all the classic pin ups like Marilyn Monroe ands other used to do. I guess it has nothing to do with shyness but introverted people are not going to go around blowing kisses at people or into the camera.

Then there are moments like this. Who does this? Shy and introverted? I think not. This is begging for attention and just plain weird.

Blowing kisses, posing, giving that sultry look and just enjoying all the attention is not the trait of a shy and introverted person.

Now the only thing I believe her on is the socially awkward part.

Now to the second part of that quote 2.) "At a big party, I’m like Bambie in the headlights. It’s too much stimulation for me, which is why I end up going to the bathroom! I need time outs! You’ve seen me at parties, Derek. I get anxious. I’m terrible at small talk and I have a ridiculously short attention span." I doubt this is true. She loves to be the center of attention on red carpets. She loves the attention. So why would parties be any different? At Coachella (bottom left photo) she was moshing at some points on stage.

This video shows her dancing on stage but there is another I lost of a video shooting down from the stage over Emma's head and you can see she's in plain view of the thousands in attendance. When I find it I'll post it. Shy and introverted people that can't take all the stimulation like she says would not put themselves out there amongst strangers and onlookers. If so, what kind of shy and introverted person is that? To see her drunk/leaving clubs and to read her contradicting quotes about drinking click these links below Emma doesn't like to party Emma never goes clubbing Emma can drink like sailor Emma lied about not drinking at Brown So basically like so much I covered on this blog by exposing her BS this is yet another example One more thing and it's a quote I've posted many times but she keeps on changing her tune In this new interview I started this post off with she also said From snitchseeker.com May 2014, "I was being offered roles that I didn’t feel were very complicated," she says. "Women that were a bit one-dimensional. Roles that required me to be one thing. Real women never are." So, rather than embrace mediocre work, she hid out in Providence, Rhode Island, emerging only for projects that would both stretch her muscles and challenge her public persona." But yet she said something different during her time at Brown From aceshowbiz.com November 2010 She tells U.S. magazine Parade, "I get some amazing offers to act, and sometimes it's hard to say, 'No, I'm going to stay here and do my homework.' People are like, 'What do you mean she's not available?' This college experience is really important to me, and I won't give it up." And yet it was not about roles at all two years ago. It was about her studying From nytimes.com September 2012, “Why hasn’t she done more films before now? “I think at first I didn’t because I was always either studying or filming, I didn’t have time to go off and do other films or other things to sort of show people that, Oh, she is not just Hermione, she is an actress and she can go and do these other parts and roles." So which is the truth and which is the lie?  So Sam in Perks and Nicki in TBR were complicated roles that she ended up leaving two Universities for? How about her small role in MWWM that took her a little over a week to film?

[bobbyshaddoe80]

Liberated Audio Reviews

Blake's 7 - The Liberator Chronicles Vol. 6

RELEASED OCTOBER 2013

Recorded on: 2, 10 and 30 October and 13 December 2012

Recorded at: Moat Studios

Review By Robert L. Torres

Incentive by Peter Anghelides

'The Liberator crew are recovering from a Galactic War and searching for their lost members Blake and Jenna. But it’s a search that leads them into terrible danger…'

Because this story marks the return of Steven Pacey to the role of Del Tarrant, I think it is best that I get my views on the character out of my system before getting to the rest of the review.

Honestly.... Out of the main characters that have come and gone on the show during its four season run, there are two that I do not count as my favorites.

The first is Soolin, largely due to how bland and one note the character was compared to the character she was brought on to replace in Series D... Cally.

The other character is Del Tarrant, and I shall endeavor to explain why I dislike him despite Steven Pacey's fine performance.

From the first moment he appeared on the show, there was something about him that just rubbed me the wrong way. For years I knew it was the character himself that seemed like the problem... But I could never work out why.

This story finally brought to light why I disliked Tarrant's character. He was a young, cocky, hot shot with loyalties only to himself... Basically a less charming and less endearing version of Star Lord. He was impatient, brash, and only seemed to be throwing in his lot with the resistance for no other reason than for fame and glory.

In addition, Tarrant seemed to go out of his way to get under everyone's skin (or rather just Avon's), and always bristled under Avon's command.

I understand that with Gareth Thomas having left the series, they needed to create a new character to go up against Avon on the decision making, much in the same way Avon used to butt heads with Blake. Except the dynamic between Avon and Tarrant, from what I remember, was different and far more antagonistic than it was between Blake and Avon. Avon was an Alpha dog, but Tarrant was also an Alpha dog. This is probably why most of their disagreements, from what I remember, tended to come across like dick wagging contests.

It has been a while since I saw the series proper, but there are only two things of any significance regarding Tarrant that I remember. The first was the Series C episode 'Death Watch', which I think involved his twin brother Deeta. The other was the episode 'Sand' from Series D, which involved him and Servalan being trapped on a planet together... Having conjugal relations.

While the character of Del Tarrant isn't my favorite, Anghelides does a pretty good job of at least attempting to shed a bit of light on his character. This is accomplished by focusing on his desperate desire to stand out from the crowd and make a name for himself on par with the legendary Blake and Jenna.

The story begins not long after Tarrant and Dayna have officially joined the crew. During their latest attempt to locate Blake and Jenna, Tarrant and Avon are captured and interrogated while strapped to an electro-shock lie detector. This dual focused narrative split is in itself a pretty interesting dig at unreliable narratives, especially given that both Tarrant and Avon receive electro shocks whenever they aren't being completely truthful in their recollections.

By the way, kudos to Adrian Lukis for his exquisite portrayal of Interrogator Bracheeni. The scenes that featured him interacting with Tarrant and Avon were actually some of the best parts of the story. The revelation of who and what Bracheeni is added a great deal to the narrative, especially in providing an explanation as to why the Liberator crew had to abandon the search for Blake and Jenna.

All things considered, it is nice to get an actual in-universe explanation as opposed to what actually happened: the plot thread being dropped without explanation, forcing viewers to accept the fact that Blake and Jenna weren't coming back... Ever.

While there are some interesting ideas and set ups featured in the story, the narrated recollections are not really that engaging. In addition, my problem with this story is the same problem I had with Volume Three's 'Armageddon Storm'. Its a narrated story that should have been done as a full cast audio.

Final Score: 6 out of 10 Plasma Bolts

As it stands, this story does its job of filling an hour and retroactively provides answers to lingering questions, thus making it essential. However, this is marred by being an uneven story that is only half engaging.

Jenna's Story by Steve Lyons

'Jenna's story is finally told - from her escape from the Liberator during the Galactic War, to her determination to continue the fight against the Federation alone… with the odds stacked against her.'

When Big Finish Productions obtained the rights to produce new stories set within Series A through C of Blake's 7, this not only opened up story avenues to provide greater focus stories for many of its characters, but also an opportunity to fill in a couple of gaps in the narrative.

While 'Incentive' was an uneven story, it still managed to do what the show itself was unable or unwilling to do at the time: explain why the Liberator crew abandoned their search for Blake and Jenna.

Answering lingering questions seems to be this boxset's central theme as the next two stories are focused on what happened to the characters that literally jumped ship at the end of Series B, Jenna and Blake.

According to dialogue spoken by Cally in early Series C, it was always assumed that Jenna was with Blake when they abandoned ship during the Galactic War. It was also naturally assumed that Jenna had been with Blake the whole time during Series C and D.

Turns out that wasn't the case at all... Which actually works to the benefit of this story and the next.

Here, Jenna recounts how she spent her time surviving and fighting during the events of Series C and leading into Series D. It provides Sally Knyvette with great material and also serves as a reminder of what made me, personally, fall out of love with the series during Series D... Particularly with the way the series ended.

Let me be clear, as much I personally didn't like not having Blake and Jenna around on the show anymore, Steve Lyons managed to craft an exceptional Jenna-centric story that absolutely had to be told. This story, as well as the next one, managed to do a much better job implementing the central themes of what was meant to be on display during Series C and particularly during Series D: how the crusade that Blake started with hope and optimism slowly but surely devolved into cynicism, suspicion, self-interest and ultimately self-destruction.

This is highlighted well during Jenna's dealings with Correll, played by John Banks, and his disrespectfully dismissive attitude towards people with 'noble causes', his derogatory disbelief in 'heroes', as well as his overriding, self-serving self-interest.

Kudos to Banks for portraying someone that's basically an unlikeable, selfish jerk without becoming despicable.

The crux and climax of the story is based on a line of dialogue Blake tells Tarrant during the series finale regarding Jenna's ultimate fate. While the moment itself is thrilling and well executed, I had hoped that it was a lie as part of Blake's test or something. Still, what was crafted here is suitably tragic as it showcases the depths of Jenna's devotion, and even her love, for Blake.

The ultimate tragedy being that, in the end, she never did get to tell Blake how she felt about him... and how much he meant to her.

Final Score: 10 out of 10 Plasma Bolts

A superbly satisfying sendoff and sublime swansong for Sally's Stannis!

Blake's Story by Mark Wright and Cavan Scott

'Blake's story is finally told - from his escape from the Liberator during the Galactic War, to his new life as a troubled, scarred man on a distant rebel world…'

Before getting into the review, I have to state that while I understand the reasons why Gareth Thomas and Sally Knyvette left the show at the end of Series B, it is my opinion that the show lost quite a bit of its inherent identity once Blake and Jenna were gone.

While many contend that promoting the late Paul Darrow to lead actor was the creative booster shot the show needed, there is a reason the show was still called Blake's 7 and not Avon's 7.

No matter who is given the spotlight and focus, Blake's presence is still very embedded within the show's DNA. Despite his absence, Blake's influence is still keenly felt by those that inhabit this fictional universe... Both directly and indirectly.

While the storytelling avenues may have opened up for the rest of the cast, the audience would still inevitably wonder, 'Where the hell is Blake? When is he coming back?' Largely because the audience was still interested in seeing Blake's story continue.

Both Gareth Thomas and Chris Boucher no doubt understood this to be absolutely true. As long as the Roj Blake character remained alive, but missing from a show that bared his character's name, then Gareth Thomas would not have been able to truly move forward in his career.

Which is why its no surprise that the most memorable moment in the entire series came about at Thomas' insistence.

But this isn't about how Blake's story ends... Its about the circumstances Blake experienced during Series C and D that led to his ultimate fate on Gauda Prime. And I am pleased to say that Wright and Scott do an excellent job filling in the blanks of Blake's journey.

From landing on the planet Epheron in his escape pod, to attempting to reunite with the Liberator (which includes Blake visiting the planet Shorlan post-Armageddon Storm), to being captured, tortured and accused of treachery by the Resistance (thus explaining the scar over his eye he displayed in the series finale), its all presented here brilliantly. I also appreciate how engaging these moments are, and aren't treated as plot points to check off.

The late Gareth Thomas really did a great job with this material, displaying the same charisma and intensity he had shown throughout his tenure on the show, which is doubly unfortunate that he had opted out after Series B.

The framing device utilized for Blake recounting events is brilliant, and the twist reveal is actually rather clever... If a little unsurprising. However, it serves the narrative well as it goes to the heart of the tragic and ironic inevitability that lies ahead for Blake, particularly in his connection to Avon.

Despite their disagreements and opposing ideals... And no matter how often Avon secretly wished to be rid of Blake... They still needed each other.

It often reminds me of why the Doctor chooses to travel with companions, the companions keep the Doctor grounded and keep the Doctor from going too far for the sake of selfish self interest and so on.

While neither one would ever admit it, Blake and Avon had the ability to keep each other in check. And even though Blake said at the end of 'Star One' and even near the end of this story that he always trusted Avon... Its only with the benefit of hindsight do we question whether or not that trust was warranted.

Final Score: 10 out of 10 Plasma Bolts

A truly satisfying sendoff for the original star of the show.

Final score for Volume 6 of the Liberator Chronicles, in its entirety, is 8 out of 10 Plasma Bolts.

This is an essential set of stories for longtime fans. Even though there are six more boxsets of stories left in the range, if the Liberator Chronicles audio range ended here, it would have ended on a major high note.

As an aside, while the next six boxsets have produced some outstanding stories, I personally feel that both 'Jenna's Story' and 'Blake's Story' should have been the stories utilized as the finale for the Liberator Chronicles range overall.

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[justgottafinishthischapter]

Worldbuilding Tips: The Five Visitors

You’ve done it. You’ve come up with an idea for your fantasy world, but right now it’s mostly curb appeal and decorations without much else. So, you have the skin and flavor of your fictional world, but what if you’re having a bit of trouble coming up with the meat needed to make your world juicy and delicious? Well, I have a little game that can help flesh out your world.

Imagine a ship or whatever other kind of vehicle arriving on the shores or outskirts of your fantasy land and from that vehicle emerges 5 people from our own mundane world: a historian, an economist, an anthropologist, a diplomat, and a cartographer. There are some other visitors, but these are going to be the most universally beneficial.

The Historian:

This person is going to be interested in the backstory of your world. They don’t need to know every minuscule detail (though they wouldn’t turn that much information down) and just a general overview would be much obliged. Many fantasy worlds such as Tolkien’s Middle Earth and Martin’s Westeros are far more rich and interesting due to the amount of effort put into crafting their world’s histories. If you’re stumped, look to real world history for inspiration. It doesn’t even need to come from the middle ages so long as it works for your story. You should be able to answer questions like: How long has the dominant civilization been around? What are the biggest defining moments in your world’s history? What things are common knowledge that every child is expected to learn (such as George Washington being the first president of the USA) and which stuff is known more by historians and social studies teachers? And as you’re discussing the rest of the visitors, think back on how the answers you give would impact the historical aspect.

The Economist:

You don’t have to know the exact cost of every single thing in your world, but have a good guess. Be able to at least have a scale of price. If someone can buy a loaf of bread for 13 of your world’s currency, but a house costs 17, that would mean that either that bread is very expensive, that house is very cheap, or each unit of your currency is equal to a lot of real world money. Whatever you use to refer to your currency, keep not only price scaling in mind, but economics. If you have a port city, there’s going to be a lot of merchants in that area. The first primary export you’re likely to see in such a port town would be seafood, but also keep in mind the things that are closet to that port, as well as the climate. Greece for instance is a very rocky and mountainous country, so while they can grow crops, they would not have been any match for medieval French Aquitaine, the crown jewel of medieval farming territory. It’s also worth remembering that food in the middle ages was far more valuable than it is today. There was an old saying that wheat is worth its weight in gold. It was southern France’s bountiful soil that caused it to become one of the richest and most coveted territories in medieval Europe.  So, keep in mind where resources would come from and where they would need to go, as well as trade that would be useful. A seaside farming town might not have any good access to raw minerals, while a city in the frozen mountainous north might not be able to grow crops, but are bountiful in minerals. The correlation of supply and demand now opens a vital trade route between them. This becomes more complex when the topic of war comes into play. The kingdom that supplies your crops and food is at war with your oldest ally. Now there’s a dilemma between having enough food to feed your people, or betraying the trust of a long time friend. Now your world building can be used as a part of your drama and narrative tension. The economy also impacts culture. What is considered a display of wealth, or is a common status symbol? What are the living conditions of the poor, the working class, the rich, and the aristocrats? Is there upward mobility? In the middle ages, you were what you were for the most part, especially serfs: peasants tied to their land. It was illegal to leave your territory, but there was a saying in the middle ages that “city air makes you free” that once a serf made it to a city, they’d be free of the life they’ve escaped.

The Anthropologist:

Every society has a culture. The way they act, think, dress, believe, talk. It’s all impacted by culture. Beliefs tend to be tied either to what has come before, or based on the world as observed. While many modern fantasy pantheons are based on ancient Greece, it’s not the only model to live by. In a loose interpretation, religion in it’s earliest stages was a rudimentary science used to explain why things happened. A culture that developed along rivers, sea coasts, and other popular trade routes are far more likely to be diverse melting pots due to the frequent traffic of people coming and going, and the common sight of foreigners choosing to set down roots. Meanwhile, a more out of the way and isolated culture is far less likely to have widespread cultural diversity. Tying back into history, a country that has experienced a number of successful wars may tend to think of themselves as invincible, or may try to police the issues of other countries, assuming they’re always on the right side, or that they can’t be defeated. The same culture may ask a high price of any other culture that asks them for militaristic support. Ask what things your people value, be they material or abstract ideals. However, try to refrain from creating a Planet of Hats, a trope often seen in Star Trek and similar Sci-Fi shows and even some Fantasy stories where everyone of a single race all have mostly the same skills, interests, personalities, and roles in the global culture. This is also the time to start thinking about myths, legends, folk heroes, and historical people and events worth celebrating, as this may be when you start to craft holidays or celebrations. This could also lead into discussing religion, and the gods or lack there of that might be celebrated by your culture. How does your society reflect itself in art, music, literature, dance. Does the way someone dresses tell you something about their place in society? Some taboos come from simple logic. The reason it’s frowned upon to eat a cow in India is the same reason it’s immoral to eat horse in western culture. Both are beast of burden livestock worth a lot more alive than dead. Cows produce milk, a source of nutrients and health. Horses are strong and were used in just about everything from plowing fields to pulling entire families or communities a great distance. Horses even became status symbols, as even in modern culture, owning a horse or pony is still considered to be (largely) a snobby rich person thing. Understanding not only what your people believe, but even just a vague idea why they would believe it is a vital aspect.

The Diplomat:

As this landing party is your fantasy world’s first contact with our own reality. How would they react to the newcomers? If there’s more than one society in your world, how would each society, country, kingdom, race, etc. react to something completely foreign? Would they try to forge an alliance? Open trade negotiations? Declare war? Prepare a feast? How would they feel about the way we dress? act? talk? How would they react to different levels of progression in technology? Could an unbiased third party from our world help two feuding sides come to peace with one another? How would they feel about knowing of a world beyond their own? Are there actions or behaviors acceptable in our own society that are considered offensive to them?

The Cartographer:

Although it’s not necessary that all fantasy worlds have a fully designed map, it is a good idea to have at least a rough idea of where things are in relation to one another. This can tell you about climate, resources, wildlife, natural borders, natural disasters, food chains, and more. It’s worth at least taking a crash course in understanding how geographical biomes tend to be laid out in order to make your world feel more real. Some authors claim that a world map is the single most important feature, others say it’s not that important. Frankly, trust your gut based on the kind of world you have. You may need a map, you may not. It really depends on the size and scope of your world. For instance, with Disney’s

Zootopia

, the entire world doesn’t matter. The audience doesn’t need to know where in the world Zootopia is, or what climate or biome it’s in. Zootopia itself is the world being built, and the separate districts and biomes of the city explain the world that’s being focused on.

Secondary Visitors:

They may still be important to your world, but are less likely to be universally helpful to all people.

Biologist: if your world has creatures beyond those found in our real world, it may be worth exploring how their bodies work on a more scientific level in order to give more realistic weight to their supernatural abilities.

Linguist/Translator: If you feel compelled to come up with a language no matter how basic or complex, it may be worth while to consider the problems with communication. this may also extend to unique idioms, colloquialisms, and slang native to your fantasy world.

Teacher/Scholar: Regardless of whether or not there is a formal education system in place in your world, a teacher may be interested in how knowledge is passed down, and what information the culture might have that would be unknown to people of our world. Whether that’s how to keep a wild animal from charging you, to knowing how to forge a mineral that exists only in your world, being able to readily answer questions is generally considered to be a good thing.

Healer: There may be healing spells in your world, there may not, but most fantasy stories tend to involve either action or adventure, both of which tend to cause fights. And since fights tend to lead to injuries, it’s important to know what can and cannot be treated, and how readily available these healing abilities are to the public.