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agentnico · 2 months

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Master and Margarita (2024) review

Oh when in Soviet Russia…

Plot: Based on Mikhail Bulgakov's novel "Master and Margarita". 1930's, Moscow. A famous writer is censored by the Soviet state: his novel is banned, and the theatrical premier of his new play about Pontius Pilate - canceled. In just a few days he becomes an outcast. Inspired by these misfortunes the writer conceives a new novel in which the devil, named Woland, satirically revenges all those responsible for the writer's downfall. He knows this novel can never be published in the USSR, but Margarita - his muse pushes him to write it no matter what.

I truly believe Master and Margarita is one of the most powerful pieces of literature to come out from Russia. Yes I am aware War & Peace is more talked about, but look, I read all of its 1000+ pages and though it is an epic in every sense of the word, it does drag quite about. As for Master and Margarita, Soviet writer Mikhail Bulgakov created a satirical, quasi-biblical allegory that represents themes that are crucial to the human experience, such as struggle between good and evil, corruption in government and high society, human fragility, religion and prophecy, and the endurance of love over all. It’s a masterfully written piece of work, and one that is truly hard to adapt to screen, due to how much happens through its pages. However I’m all for directors giving it a go, with Michael Lockshin taking the challenge with a motion picture that was originally a co-production between Russian studios and Universal Pictures, though the latter pulled out following the Russo-Ukrainian War, even though most of the filming was already complete. Nevertheless after multiple delays the final product is here, so let’s digest.

Let’s talk through the positives first. It’s nice to see a Russian production of such grand scale, that even gives Hollywood a run for its money. There are some truly spectacular set pieces, and also interesting visuals, especially of a futuristic post-modern take of the Soviet Union, that reminded me a little of the recent Atomic Heart video game. Also the inclusion of August Diehl who plays the central Satanic figure Voland. This casting choice was a truly inspired one, as Diehl both looks and feels as if he came out straight from the pages of Bulgakov’s novel. There’s just this presence to him, as you can tell the power behind his eyes, yet he can also be really charming and witty. Whenever he was on-screen, the movie fully came to life, as he managed to perfectly balance the damning mocking tone with a deep inner understanding of things beyond the human mind. Look, there’s a great reason why they casted an actor outside of Russia for this part, as Diehl honestly was incredible. Funny how this is the same guy who got his testicles shot off in that WW2 Tarantino flick. Evgeniy Tsyganov as the titular Master too felt perfectly apt for the role, in some ways personifying Mikhail Bulgakov himself. The Master is a character that can so easily come off as dull, as he’s generally very stoic and constantly deep in his own thoughts, so it was a nice interpretation with Tsyganov breathing more life into him.

Unfortunately this is where the positives end. Look, I think it is truly impressive for the entire novel to be transferred into a 2hr 30min film, and of course I expected certain parts to be rushed. However the movie shoots itself in the foot by trying to approach the source material in a different way. Messing with various realities and reorganising the events of the novel in a completely different order, the result is messy and all over the place. I can say with full certainty that if I haven’t read the book before that I’d be so confused as to what the hell was going on in this movie. From the way it jumps from one place to the other in non linear fashion made it so difficult to be engaged and feel connected with the characters. There was a lot of extra narrative elements added to an already overstuffed plot (with a lot of creative choices being outright baffling) as such causing the movie to need to rush even more certain other key plot points that again, it was really disorganised and jarring.

Also, I know that ever since Batman it’s now cool to go dark with everything, but The Master and Margarita is a novel that doesn’t shy away from raising a few eyebrows. In fact it goes out of its way to be as weird and ridiculous as possible, with the inherent horror and tragedy that befalls each of its characters being felt only later, after the laughs have died down. The humour in the book, especially the dark stuff - that’s sort of famously the Russian novelists’ coping mechanism against, uh, being a Russian novelist. Yet this new 2024 film hardly allows a single joke, and instead tries to cover everything with a dark dramatic tone, and I feel that really takes away from the charm of Master and Margarita. Heck there are even sequences in the film that are supposed to be played for laughs, like the Behemoth cat’s shootout with the KGB cops that screams for physical comedy potential, yet the movie kind of glosses over it in a very monotonous way.

Aside from August Diehl and Evgeniy Tsyganov, the casting left a lot to be desired. Yulia Snigir made for a really bland Margarita. Voland’s entourage of demons, who in the book are a cause for some truly entertaining if silly shenanigans, here are completely wasted, and in fact are borderline annoying. Yuri Kolokolnikov as Korovev, the main member of his entourage, was actually horrendous. In the source material Korovev is a trickster, yet there was still wiseness within his madness. Here however Kolokolnikov plays him as if he were some kind of deranged clown, screaming every single line and maniacally laughing for absolutely no reason. The talking cat, who is one of the book’s best characters, in here is just a CGI cat who says maybe only two lines of dialogue in the whole film, and even then it’s a lazy mumble courtesy of actor Yura Borisov. Claes Bang as Pontius Pilate looked bored out of his mind. To be fair, the whole biblical side plot of Pilot and Jesus suffers the most here by being downgraded to maybe 5 minutes, which at this rate I feel like they should have cut the whole thing out entirely as the 5 minutes added nothing to the overall film. But yes, Claes Bang was evidently there to collect a pay check, and part of me wishes that instead we just had James McAvoy reprise his comedic take of Pilate from The Book of Clarence that came out earlier in the year.

It was never going to be an easy feat adapting Bulgakov’s epic into a movie. The narrative lends itself so much better to a TV series format, and in fact there is a wonderful 2005 limited series adaptation from Vladimir Bortko, and now that right there is how you make Master and Margarita work! That series featured great music, amazing performances, and plenty of breathing room to give every nook and cranny detail of the book its proper time. 2024’s Master and Margarita doesn’t come anywhere close to it, and though I do admire Lockshin’s ambitions, in the end it all falls flat on its face. August Diehl however is truly phenomenal in this, and honestly I really need to watch more of his acting work. I hear A Hidden Life with him is supposed to be good. Adding that to my watchlist as we speak.

Overall score: 4/10

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yr-obedt-cicero · 1 year

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On the King estate was a wild ravine where a stream known by the name “Awiehawken” dashed over a part of the famous duel ground, “which has been called the most interesting spot in the county of Hudson.” There handsome young Philip Hamilton in the dawn of his manhood fell by the hand of George Eacker three years before his father met a like fate from Aaron Burr. His second on that occasion was his cousin Philip Church, who had recently returned from England with his father, where he had been studying at Eton. These two grand-sons of General Philip Schuyler are said to have been strikingly alike in personal appearance, and their remarkable attachment, which led them to be seen constantly together, is one of the pleasantest memories in the annals of the society of the period.

Source — Mills, Weymer Jay. Historic Houses of New Jersey. United Kingdom, J. B. Lippincott, 1902.

I find this description interesting because it's one of the very few descriptions we get of Philip's appearance, aside the general elucidation of “handsome”, and Hamilton who once described him as having common, basic, infant attributes—Additionally, he was only eight months old, and any of these said features he very well could and likely did grow out of;

It is agreed on all hands, that he is handsome, his features are good, his eye is not only sprightly and expressive but it is full of benignity. His attitude in sitting is by connoisseurs esteemed graceful and he has a method of waving his hand that announces the future orator. He stands however rather awkwardly and his legs have not all the delicate slimness of his fathers.

Source — From Alexander Hamilton to Richard Kidder Meade, [27 August 1782], Founders Online, National Archives. [Original source: The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 3, 1782–1786, ed. Harold C. Syrett. New York: Columbia University Press, 1962, pp. 150–151.]

Also particularly because this edition was published in 1902, before Allan McLane made the grave mistake of titling William's painting as Philip's in 1910. [x] Which would then spur others to make the same mistake like Ron Chernow, and even Phillip Thomas Tucker, who wrote; “A healthy and handsome dark-haired son Philip Hamilton was destined to be born on January 22, 1781.” [x] The presumption of dark hair likely originating due to William's shaded portrait.

But at the same time, Weymer Jay Mill was born in 1880 in Jersey City, and died in 1939. So, he was hardly talking from firsthand experience considering this would have been a whole 79 years after Philip's death, and P. Church who died in 1861. He also doesn't bring up any source material to this particular claim, so it can only be defined as hearsay. Although his claim isn't entirely far-fetched as a whole, P. Church visited his Hamilton relatives often and did seem to be close with his similar namesake cousin. He was definitely close to his Uncle Hamilton, He also served as an Aide-de-camp to for him between 1798-1800, while he was Major General and Inspector General of the Army during the Quasi-war. And both he and his cousin Philip were part of a literature society. It was a Literature Society composed mainly of boys in their early twenties. It looks as though the members belonged to the same generational group, and were all rather acquainted with each other. A reappearing pattern being that; most of them were from New York, studied law, and graduated from Columbia in the 1790s.

About this time, Mr. Jones was a member of a literary society, (of which the late Peter A. Jay was president,) composed, among others, of Nathan Sandford, Charles Baldwin, John Ferguson, Jas. Alexander, Rudolph Bunner, Goveurneur Ogden, the first Philip Hamilton, William Bard, Wm. A. Duer, Philip Church, John Duer, and Beverley Robinson; of whom the last five are the only survivors.

Source — Jones, William Alfred. Memorial of the Late Honorable David S. Jones: With an Appendix, Containing Notices of the Jones Family, of Queen's County. United States, Stanford and Swords, 1849.

But I still have yet to see any claims that could be more solid about Philip looking similar to P. Church. Either way, it is interesting and could be plausible. Although judging by the common depictions of P. Church, I wouldn't consider that a compliment!

#amrev #american history #philip hamilton #philip church #history #hamilchildren #hamilton children #hamilkids #hamilton kids #hamilton family #cicero's history lessons

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reallca-blog · 1 year

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Unwrapping the Wonka Bar Vol. 1 - Where is Charlie’s Town Located? Part 2

If you haven’t read the previous post, click here for Part 1 to make sure you are caught up to speed. If you’re already read the previous post, then welcome back and let’s get back to the show!

Exhibit #1: Tim Burton Didn’t Understand Roald Dahl’s True Work and Vision

Before we start, I need to make it clear that I am not here to trash Tim Burton or his vision, without him we would not even have a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to love and break down. Yet, with that said, it also needs to be said that Burton failed to comprehend the original source material, but I am also here to say that that is not entirely his fault. In the behind-the-scenes material mentioned previously, Burton mentions that he reread the original book by Roald Dahl to better understand the story of the film he was working on, which is something that should be commended. However, something that needs to be stated is that both Tim Burton and screenwriter John August, who it makes sense also read the Dahl book before writing the script, are Americans, which means that there is a good chance they read a copy of the book sold in the United States. It makes sense that one day they each would have sent one of their assistants down to Barnes and Nobles to pick of a copy of Roald Dahl’s most famous work so that they could begin reading it and thus could be best prepared to work on this new film adaptation. But that scenario also implies a certain reality, that Burton and August read American-published versions of the book, meaning that the filmmakers did not truly understand what Roald Dahl’s vision was.

Now, why would it matter if the books Burton and August read from were American-published copies, shouldn’t the material all be the same since Dahl wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in English? You would think so, but to better appeal to the local culture, especially when it comes to material aimed primarily at children, it is quite common for publishers to amend the original works they publish to reflect the dialects spoken in their markets. The result of this practice means that books like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory underwent minor, but in some ways major, changes in the form of diction when it came to publishing the book outside the United Kingdom. In order so that Americans, primarily American children, can both better relate to the characters and in some cases simply follow the plot, American publishers have amended Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s British terminology and replaced them with common American phrases.

The most obvious example of this change comes in the form of the term “lift” being changed to “elevator” in American publications of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

As you can see, the term “lift” is used to describe the Great Glass Elevator, with even the name of Willy Wonka’s contraption having originally been the “Great Glass Lift” only to get turned into the “Great Glass Elevator” in the American edition.

This simple process of changing certain words but keeping the rest of the text intact is evidently clear by comparing how literally similar, but culturally different, the two previous images of text are, but it is also far from the last example of such a change. Another significant change made for the American publication was the value and, more importantly, the name of the currency Charlie finds on the street that he then uses to purchase the Wonka Bar with his Golden Ticket inside.

In the original British version, Charlie finds “fifty-pence” while outside.

Whereas in the American edition, our Lucky Boy finds himself a whole “dollar” that he quickly spends at a local store, and the rest is history.

Now, both versions cannot be canonically correct, so when in doubt its best to rely on the oldest version to best grasp the message the author hoped to convey. And since the author was a British man writing to a British audience, the logical answer is to say that the original British edition is what Roald Dahl had in mind when it came to describing the town that Charlie and the rest of the residents inhabit. And so, with all of this said, it is quite clear that Roald Dahl’s vision when it came to Charlie’s town was not that it was a location with “an American sensibility and a British sensibility,” and so we have no choice to say but that Tim Burton did not truly understand the work he was trying to adapt for the big screen, and so this misunderstanding helps explain why Charlie’s town is such a confusing location. But even though we disproved Burton’s thesis for the location of Charlie’s town, that does not mean that we now have a location for the town, and for that we will need to continue our analysis of the film.

That’s it for Part 2, click here for Part 3 where we begin our analysis of the demographics of Charlie’s town and discuss what they tell us about where he is from.

#unwrapping the wonka bar #charlie and the chocolate factory #charlie and the chocolate factory 2005 #unwrappingthewonkabar #charlieandthechocolatefactory #catcf #catcf 2005

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vanwartime · 1 year

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What is perhaps the most anticipated new book on Canadian art in recent memory, this new volume on E.J. Hughes’ wartime body of work is an astounding look at an exceptional collection. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this book for the past few years, as Robert Amos has gradually released a series of finely crafted books on one of British Columbia’s, or I should say Canada’s most famous artists. The titles include E. J. Hughes Paints British Columbia, E. J. Hughes Paints Vancouver Island, The E. J. Hughes Book of Boats, and now, E. J. Hughes: Canadian War Artist. Actually, the book was released in the fall of 2022, and I really should have posted a review before Christmas, but I have made it my New Years resolution to make amends.

In early 1939, just as the young artist was emerging from the Great Depression, along with Orville Fisher and Paul Goranson, Hughes helped to produce the remarkable 12 panel mural for the Golden Gate International Exhibition in San Francisco. This exhibition was an extravagant event (an entire island was created in San Francisco Bay for the occasion) which featured the high ideals of combining fine art, architecture, and global culture for the betterment of humanity, much like the Arts & Crafts movement had sought to do decades earlier. Alas, the outbreak of war shattered many of those ambitions, and the artist Hughes quickly changed course and enlisted in the Canadian Army on August 30, 1939.

His two colleagues Fisher and Goranson would ultimately follow him into military service, as would another young Vancouver artist, Jack Shadbolt. Frankly, each one of these artists deserves a wartime exposition of their artwork, but for now, we have this volume to initiate the study of this tumultuous time.

The book showcases 70 paintings, drawings, and sketches from the Canadian War Museum, all prizes of the collection but works that are rarely seen in one place. E. J. Hughes created these during the artist’s war service in Ottawa, England, Wales, and Alaska. To keep things closer to home, for the last image above, I’ve included a sketch of Lt. Col. F.W. Guernsey, Mining Engineer, a portrait made at Stanley Park Fort in 1940 (not included in this book, but found in recent online auction archives). For a more in-depth review of the book, I invite you to refer to this Remembrance Day feature by the author.

From the book’s description:

“In this, the third volume [actually, you could say fourth - The E. J. Hughes Book of Boats is a smaller edition, but still stands on its own] of an award-winning series on artist E.J. Hughes (1913–2007), Robert Amos turns his focus to Hughes’s service in the Second World War.”

Tim Cook, the Director of Research at the Canadian War Museum writes about the artist:

"As an artist in uniform during the Second World War, E. J. Hughes created a profound legacy of war art for future generations to empathize, imagine, and re-imagine the Canadian military experience. In this definitive history of Hughes's contributions, Robert Amos offers a penetrating study based on unique archival material and a deep analysis into hundreds of wartime works of art. The war shaped Hughes, leading to period of great creativity that propelled him forward to become one of Canada's most recognized west coast artists." — from the book The Fight for History: 75 Years of Forgetting, Remembering, and Remaking of Canada's Second World War.

E. J. Hughes: Canadian War Artist

Publisher: https://www.touchwoodeditions.com/book/e-j-hughes-canadian-war-artist/

#wwii #vancouver #stanley park #painting #sketch #drawing #ej hughes #edward john hughes #book

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three--rings · 1 year

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I posted 4,302 times in 2022

That's 545 more posts than 2021!

519 posts created (12%)

3,783 posts reblogged (88%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@thebookewyrme

@summerstede

@chocolatepot

@havealittlebitofeverything

@chubsthehamster

I tagged 4,146 of my posts in 2022

Only 4% of my posts had no tags

#ofmd - 1,049 posts

#our flag means death - 907 posts

#blackbonnet - 441 posts

#kinnporsche - 222 posts

#the sandman - 136 posts

#dracula - 130 posts

#word of honor - 129 posts

#beyond evil - 127 posts

#shl - 125 posts

#山河令 - 116 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#but literally i thought one of the ideas of a parliamentary system was the ability to vote parties out when they fuck your entire country up

My Top Posts in 2022:

For all those newly obsessed by Johnathan Harker’s Worst Business Trip Ever, I have to tell you about my favorite piece of published Dracula fanfic, The Dracula Tape by Fred Saberhagen.

The premise is that Dracula accosts some folks in the 1970s in order to give His side of the story and it’s recorded on a tape deck.

It’s hilarious though, because it’s basically like “Look, Johnathan Harker had No Idea what was going on. He didn’t even speak the language, but somehow he claims to know what people were saying to him? Cause he knows a few German words?” And like “look I was just an innocent vampire trying to buy some property and he jumped to All Kinds of conclusions, really.”

And like it makes...a lot of good points about the novel, actually. (Like it wasn’t ME that killed Lucy, maybe it was those experimental blood transfusions that didn’t pay any attention to BLOOD TYPE, VAN HELSING.)

So yeah, highly recommend it after you’ve read the original.

2,090 notes - Posted May 6, 2022

You know one thing that occurred to me watching Sandman so far is that someone out there is going to watch this show and be like “ugh why did they have to put so much gay shit in it, this is just typical of 21st century woke politics cluttering up everything” and not realizing this is just how the comic was in the 19fucking80s.

There’s a reason us baby queers attached so hard to it when we were in our teens, okay?

3,181 notes - Posted August 5, 2022

Because I just read a few AO3 censorship related posts in a row...

I’m not sure antis and people who want to remove certain things from AO3, like any content with anyone under 18, understand WHY those of us who are Of A Certain Age, aka the people who created AO3, fight so hard on this stuff.

Like I don’t think they understand that we have LITERALLY SEEN THIS BEFORE. People spoke up before about “child porn” aka anything involving any character under 18, or even stuff with aged up characters like an adult Harry Potter, but people assume Harry Potter is always 12 or whatever.

And when those complaints were made ALL adult content was wiped. FFN suddenly wouldn’t host ANY explicit fics. No matter how healthy, how fluffy, how consensual and adult and whatever. Just Nope. Things were wiped from existence. LJ randomly wiped entire blogs for being reported, banned users based on the say of Conservative Christians who shouted pedophile at the gays.

What happens when people try to remove objectionable material is that it ends with having no home for ANY explicit material. It’s happened again on social media under SESTA and FOSTA in the name of preventing sex trafficking. In the name of keeping smut out of the Apple store.

Archive of Our Own was founded to be a home for content that wouldn’t be hosted elsewhere. Where you could put something and not fear its deletion the first time someone happened upon it and reported you for whatever reason. Where no one is going to judge whether your fic meets some subjective standard of purity, so long as it’s tagged appropriately and is legal content in the US (which all written fiction is.)

We watched so many communities destroyed, websites erased, content lost and then a new generation comes along and is like “hey let’s do this again” and we’re like NO WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU INSANE?

They’re never going to accept your gay porn about other people’s fictional characters just because you got rid of that “icky” stuff you don’t like. You’ll still be a freak for it. You cannot respectability politics your way out of your shame and embarrassment at being associated with something others see as dirty. You’re going to have to grow up and just accept it.

5,135 notes - Posted August 14, 2022

Okay, Gen Z, younger millennials, please tell me, are you aware of what the title Ms. means? And how to pronounce it?

Because I just listened to several young 20-somethings pronounce it Miss and talk about how it means you're not married. And...I'm feeling weird about it, considering that's the title I use.

(It means my marital status is none of your business. I use it because I'm married but I kept my maiden name so I'm not Mrs. anyone.)

18,990 notes - Posted March 11, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

You know, watching Goncharov entirely through the medium of tumblr posts shared by people I follow isn’t significantly different from how I experience a lot of media these days.

Goncharov, House of the Dragon, equally real to me.

21,706 notes - Posted November 22, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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mjgauthor · 2 years

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How I Got a Book Deal

“If you are going through hell, keep going.” ― Winston S. Churchill.

Twenty years. That’s how long I’ve been writing. I started writing my first real book when I was in high school, and for nine years, I refused to give up on it. I spent hours devising the world, creating maps, and drawing characters. All good practice, but I didn’t spend nearly enough time writing it. And though I didn’t want to admit it, I knew something was wrong with my writing. Like, imagine recording yourself playing a musical instrument. Even if you’ve practiced for a few years, you’d know it didn’t compare to a professional. I remember being in awe of how easily Rowling, or Card, or Rothfuss navigated telling a compelling story while simultaneously building powerful characters and creating vivid descriptions. My writing was a stick-figure drawing compared to their Sistine Chapel.

Still, I’m a stubborn Gregson. We’re all stubborn. And I wanted a go at landing a literary agent. So, I agonizingly prepared querying materials for this book. But the week before I planned on sending it to anyone, I got a feeling after lots of pondering and prayer. And the feeling told me to let it go.

So, I did.

The book went into the figurative drawer, and I doubt I’ll ever go back to it. Honestly, letting it go was the best thing to happen to my writing. That book was like taking care of someone very ill for so long that you forgot to care for yourself.

After I let it go, my writing skill exploded. I got quicker, too. I wrote multiple books over the next several years until finally, after my sixth book, I landed my agent, Heather Cashman. And that day, telling people that I was an agented author was my proudest writing accomplishment.

Until now.

My agent and I went through revisions. Our plan was to take the book from good to great and so she gave me detailed editorial notes. After a few months of digesting these, I realized the book required an even larger revision. So, I rewrote the first hundred pages, then the last hundred. And I heavily revised the middle. I shifted the tense. Adjusted character motivation. Killed an important character who survived the original version. The climax completely changed—the ending, too. In the next five months, the book that used to be DOWNFALL became SKY’S END.

Something about this book felt right. So, when I sent it to my agent, I felt confident. Well, a little nervous, too.

Not long after I sent it to her, Heather came to Salt Lake City for a wedding. We met over lunch to discuss my career while eating chicken souvlaki and pita bread at a local restaurant. And she was absolutely dripping with enthusiasm for SKY’S END. She loved all the changes. We just had a few more minor revisions to do, and then in August 2021, we went on submission to find a publisher.

My agent warned me that it would be difficult—but she would do all she could to sell it.

The first editor responses came back within days. One of them came from a great editor and it was filled with compliments, calling my writing “remarkably vivid” and that my world was “lush” and that I crafted “a wonderfully immersive narrative.” The editor passed, as it wasn’t a perfect fit for her list, but her enthusiasm got me excited enough to think maybe SKY’S END was the one.

Then, I sat back, and waited, hoping we’d hear some great news in the coming months. Except, that’s not what happened. I heard nothing for the rest of 2021.

I pushed the book from my mind and occupied myself with other projects in the meantime, including completing my eighth book and revising my seventh. Then, on January 18th, Heather announced a book deal on Twitter for another client. I sent a congratulatory email to Heather, but I got an email back that made me sit down. It wasn’t just a thank you note. Heather also mentioned that an editor just reached back to her and asked if SKY’S END was still available.

This was, she noted, a very good sign, and that my book might make it to acquisitions at the publisher.

I remember staring at the email, perplexed. Like, I only expected her to respond with “Thanks!” Instead, I got the biggest news I’d had since my agent offered me. So, I went a little wild because this had been a dream of mine since I was sixteen. Even twenty years later, I still vividly remember working on my first book on the dining room table, labeling maps of fantasy lands and drawing illustrations of the characters I wanted to bring to life.

After this email, my wife and I speculated about all the possible scenarios with this publisher and editor.

What could happen?

1. Editor fell out of love – REJECTED.

2. Editor fell in love but couldn’t get editorial team to fall in love too – REJECTED

3. Editor and editorial team loved it, but publisher didn’t – REJECTED

My wife and I were careful when discussing the possibility that this could be anything other than a rejection. Either way, we hunkered down and expected it to be a long wait. A month or two, maybe. But that’s not what happened. Apparently, twenty years had been long enough. A week after my agent told me of the editor’s interest, I got another email from Heather on January 25th.

I was teaching my 7th period ELA class. One thing about me as a teacher is I’ve always been very transparent with my students about the number of rejections I’ve received during my journey. I don’t share rejection specifics with my students, but I do tell them about how hard I’ve worked and the value of perseverance. It’s a good lesson. My classes have chanted “I can do hard things!” Sometimes, I chant that louder than anyone in the room because I need to convince myself that I really can do hard things. When you’ve received hundreds of rejections while querying several books, some doubt creeps in.

Anyway, I got an email while I was in the middle of 7th period. I’m not in the habit of checking my phone while I’m teaching, but I couldn’t help myself because I was hoping to hear back from Heather. Sure enough, the email was from her.

Subject: The shortest wait you’ve ever seen…

Message: Hi Marc,

We’ve received an offer today for SKY’S END.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I stared at the message for a few seconds—almost like I couldn’t comprehend it. Was my agent writing in some ancient, dead language? Was it English? It didn’t make sense. Then, suddenly, I let out a little groan. One of my students glanced back at me and gave me a funny look.

And then I shouted, “OH MY GOSH!”

The whole class stopped working with their partners and stared at me. I was in a daze. Nothing felt real. Was my heart still beating? Honestly, I’m not exactly sure what happened next as this moment is a little hazy. I think I moved to the front of the classroom—panting, and my students were worrying that I was having a heart attack or something. I lowered into a chair, I think, and leaned on my knees. One of my students later told me my face had turned bright purple, and a vein was bulging on my forehead.

They probably thought I was dying. Oh no, Mr. Gregson’s gonna fall over dead in front of his whole class. Who knows CPR? Get the admin in here! Does this mean we don’t have to do the book report?

Finally, I took a breath, and told my students.

And I remember this because the class erupted with cheers and claps. It was the great roar on the third floor. The loudest my room has ever been. My students were all so incredibly happy for me.

Suffice to say, we didn’t get much work done for the remainder of the class period.

This moment was, without a doubt, one of the best feelings of my life. And I’m so happy I got to share it with my students because they’ll never forget it. I know I won’t. Honestly, it felt like I just drained a three pointer to win the NBA championship.

Getting cheered for a book deal…man, kids are the absolute best.

I’m so thrilled to say I’ll be working with Jonah Heller at Peachtree Teen. He just gets my work and has a great vision for it in the marketplace. And I’m so grateful for my agent, Heather, who pushed me to make my book better and who found the absolute perfect landing place for SKY’S END.

I can’t wait for you to read my book, and to meet Conrad. This book is the culmination of twenty years of frustration. It has energy, power, and lots and lots of adrenaline. I’m hoping you read it, and I hope you fall in love with it as much as I have. I just can’t wait to hear your reactions.

SKY’S END is but a piece of me. A piece that will be published, and no one can ever take that away.

Spring 2024 cannot come soon enough.

-Marc

#debut author #traditional publishing #debut novel #book announcement #ya fantasy #fantasy #ya author #ya scifi #ya science fiction

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lady-nightmare · 2 years

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Google translation:

Leaks from a secret speech by Adolf Hitler. Historian: This is not a fake

Adolf Hitler 1914National Socialist leader and later Imperial Chancellor Adolf Hitler gives a speech on the occasion of the outbreak of World War I in Munich on the 2nd of August in 1914. Provider: PAP / DPAdpa DENA.Politik, .Personen, .Geschichte,. I..Weltkrieg, kundgebung, menschenmenge, Politics, POL, People, history

An illegally prepared summary of Adolf Hitler's secret speech to the German generals before the attack on Poland in 1939 is an authentic document, writes "Der Spiegel".

In a secret speech - delivered at the Obersalzberg residence on August 22, 1939 to the commanders of the Wehrmacht and the Kriegsmarine (navy) - Hitler outlined for the first time the aims of the war with Poland.

The weekly "Der Spiegel" has published on its website a material by historian Norman Domeier, which describes the backstage of the writing of the notes from this meeting and their transfer to the Western Allies. The author deals with allegations that the leak from Hitler's speech could be a fake.

Our strength is speed and brutality. Genghis Khan sent millions of women and children to their deaths consciously and joyfully. History sees him only as the great creator of the state. I do not care what weak Western European civilization claims about me - said Hitler during a meeting with generals.

Hitler orders the annihilation of Poles

I gave the order and I have anyone who allows himself a word of criticism to be shot that the goal of the war is not to achieve certain lines, but to physically destroy the enemy. That is why I set up, for the time being only in the East, my skull (SS) troops with the order to send men, women and children of Polish origin and language to death without mercy and pity, 'continued Hitler.

The historian points out that Hitler's words were received with enthusiasm by most of the Wehrmacht leadership. The chief of military intelligence, General Wilhelm Canaris, who was skeptical about the plans of the leader of the Third Reich, was one of the exceptions.

Hitler speaks - Canaris takes notes Canaris made notes of Hitler's speech, although it was forbidden. "The next day he read the most important fragments to us" - revealed one of his associates after the war. The Canaris circle decided to make the notes available to the correspondent of the American news agency Associated Press (AP), Louis Lochner. The document was handed over to the journalist by the Social Democrat Hermann Maass - writes Domeier in "Spiegl".

The author points out that a group of military - critical of Hitler - maintained confidential contacts with Lochner from the mid-1930s, anticipating him, inter alia, on the remilitarization of the Rhineland in 1936

True or Fake? Conservative German historians, including Andreas Hillgruber, disqualified the version of the speech given to Lochner as a fake. Behind their actions was - according to Domeier - the desire to whitewash the role of the Wehrmacht in the crimes of World War II. The document in Lochner's possession proved that the generals knew Hitler's criminal goals well already a week before the war broke out.

After receiving the summary, Lochner traveled to the US Embassy in Berlin to send the document to Washington. However, the head of the embassy, Alexander C. Kirk, refused to help, explaining that the code with which the facility sent messages to the headquarters had probably been broken.

The staff of the British Embassy, to which Lochner reported on August 25, showed more courage. The document, translated into English, was sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in London on the same day.

The attack and annihilation of Poland will begin on Saturday morning. I will send several companies in Polish uniforms to Upper Silesia or to the Protectorate. I don't care if the world believes me. The world only believes in success. (…) Be tough, ruthless, act faster and more brutally than others, Hitler advised his generals.

Historians questioning the document's authenticity believed that this was how Hitler could speak to party comrades, but not to generals. In fact, Hitler was in "war rage" in August 1939, which also affected his language, says Domeier.

Unused document in Nuremberg The summary made public by Lochner was not used during the Nuremberg war criminals trial. Domeier explains that the journalist did forward the document to the Court, but refused to be heard as a witness as this would interfere with his function as trial rapporteur.

He was also not interested in revealing his contacts with German generals. Lochner's testimony would be crucial in the trial, as other Canaris members were already dead by that time.

The summary of the speech in the version disseminated by Lochner is "a key document of Hitler's Nazi worldview based on two pillars - power over the world and extermination" - concludes the German historian.

#poland #germany #adolf hitler #war #war crimes #genocide #history #ww2 #history repeats itself

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dracereads · 2 years

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🌎🚲 Mid-year Reflection on my 2022 Reading Journey

🌃 tagged by @thecasualbookreviewer; It might be titled a little differently than what you tagged me in. A freak-out reminds me too much of cram and grind culture. I read for fun and enjoyment, not to tick the little boxes. As cliche as it is, it's all about the journey and not the destination. It's about the acquisition of brain worms of which I have farmed many this year.

📚Amount of books you’ve read so far

Please hold I need to actually go count because I haven't in awhile. I'm back it's 43.

📚Best book you’ve read so far in 2022

This is such a difficult question. There were so many good books that I read this year. I feel like I have favorites in different categories like this is an awards ceremony. fffs. Overall, I'm going to go with Scum Villain because it's been just a general good source of brain worms this year. The bees have ate well over that book. If you want to send me fake categories and ask based on that, always game. 📚Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2022

I mean. I've read concurrent sequels (books published in multiple volumes) but I don't count those. Because they're all one story told in multiple parts. As for Sequel sequels... I know absolutely nothing is going to top Husband Materials. Even though I haven't read it yet. LOL.

📚New release you haven’t read yet, but want to

I'd like to read I kissed Sarah Wheeler by Casey Mcquistion because it's her junior novel. I'd like to see how it differentiates between the two others before. I haven't gotten to the Fae Keeper duology yet and that's on my list really high. As well as like. Heaven Official's Blessing III which I haven't gotten around to because I'm not ready to hurt quite yet this week. 📚Most anticipated release for the second half of the year 2ha on my birthday. Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn. Aiden Thomas (Cemetary boys) has a new duology starting in September. Golden Terrace in November. Husband Materials on Tuesday. uhhh. Mushroom II in late august even though my physical got delayed until September. So I'll have to get an ebook if I want to read it. So MANY. Glitterland's re-release in Jan. kdfdffkf 📚Favorite new author (debut or new to you)

well, this year it has really been Alexis Hall. My goal is to be done with all of his books by the end of 2022 so I can eagerly await the: *goes to his website to count* 6 books he's got scheduled for 2023?? man is prolific and I am jealous.

also I fell in love with S.A. Cosby in the same way as I did David Heska Wanbli Weidan this year. I believe DHWW has more books coming out soonish. Also excited for those. 📚Biggest surprise Little Mushroom still holds the biggest shocker for me this year. Because I AM SALTY ABOUT IT AND I WILL NOT BE SILENCED. 📚Book that made you happy

SVSSS, Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat, One Last Stop, A lady for a Duke, Pansies. These are all frequent brain worm topics on nights where my brain bees won't be quiet and let me sleep.

📚Newest fictional crush/newest favorite character:

aro ace here. I don't really do crushes. I just have a lot of fictional children. Newest fictional child is Luo Binghe and Xie Lian. As well as maybe Violet from Dark Rise. Luo Binghe: The protagonist who deserved none of his bullshit ever despite some of the horrible things he did. Did not deserve the absolute trashing the plot gave him in Volume 3.

Xie Lian: Local Tired Grandpa with a traumatic past just wants to collect his trash in peace, and both divine realms have decided he will not do that. More news at 11. Violet: Local mixed girl gets harassed by the plot. Absolutely doesn't deserve it. You will be hearing from my unethical treatment of fictional characters lawyer. this is a joke I swear to god.

📚Book that made you cry:

Honey Girl got me GOOD during Grace Porter's mental breakdown. Been there grace. Been there so hard girlie.

Most recently I was in HYSTERICS over This Way Out. Full on ugly inconsolable crying for like 10 minutes over. well. His family is conservative and Muslim, they reject his gay marriage. But what's worse is his fiancee's family is very white and doesn't understand the stigma and the culture. and they just. so neatly wrap up Amar's family into a judgemental little package. and he's just like. "nope they may be assholes but they are my family and they deserve respect because despite THEIR actions I still LOVE them because they are worthy of LOVE." and it just made me grapple with a lot of complicated feelings I have revolving around my own queerness and family issues. Just a very strong gut punch of complications.

📚Most beautiful book you’ve bought or received this year so far:

have you seen Heaven Official's Blessing's Cover art?? especially for volume three??? fdskfsdf or like. Pale Moon Reflected in the Water?? sdlkjff

📚Book you need to read by the end of the year: KD Edward's Tarot Sequence Books The rest of the Alexis Hall booksets. These are the only books that I am going to REQUIRE myself to finish. Otherwise I'm getting FUNKY with it. No rules.

tagging: free tag from me here. If you want a specific @ I will certainly edit you in.

#thecasualbookreviewer #thank you for the tag I appreciate it #drace replies

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dankusner · 6 days

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youtube

In 2017, renowned forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht was invited to make the case for a JFK Assassination conspiracy to an audience at the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, the first time a Warren Commission critic was given such a platform.

At the age of 86, Wecht gave a fiery address on the weakness and duplicity of the forensic evidence examined by the Warren Commission.

In a lively question and answer segment he also spoke briefly about the forensic evidence in Robert Kennedy’s assassination and the advice he gave Dr. Thomas Noguchi in the midst of RFK’s autopsy.

A repeated theme of Wecht’s address was the vital importance of holding the White House to account for the full release of assassination records in 2017 in accordance with the JFK Records Act.

Cyril Wecht did not live to see the White House fulfill its duty under the law, but the fight for full disclosure continue

May 13 brought the sad news of the passing of JFK assassination research legend Dr. Cyril Wecht, a passionate man who for decades pursued the truth of the JFK assassination with unparalleled vigor and tenacity.

Wecht first spoke about the assassination of President Kennedy in 1965 after being invited to an American Academy of Forensic Sciences conference, where he presented a paper critical of the Warren Commission’s official finding that a lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald, had shot the president.

Wecht pursued the JFK case tirelessly for nearly the next 60 years, while serving as a certified forensic pathologist, the coroner for Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, and founder of the Cyril H. Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law at Duquesne University.

In his memorably passionate speeches, Wecht marshaled his immense medical expertise — bolstered by pungent language and moral conviction — to make the case that the government’s account of JFK’s murder was an unscientific sham.

I had the pleasure of doing a lengthy interview with Wecht in 2022.

It was then that he shared with me his biggest concerns about the case.

First, he said, the official autopsy was very much controlled, including its physicians, Dr. James Humes and Dr. J. Thornton Boswell.

By whom he did not say.

Second, he told me that in 1972, he learned that the president’s brain was missing from the government’s collection of autopsy materials, a scoop first published in the New York Times in August 1972.

Asked about the missing brain, Wecht said, “I’m sure it’s been destroyed.”

In 1978, Dr. Wecht served on the medical panel of the House Select Committee on Assassinations and was the only doctor to disagree with the Warren Commission’s so-called single bullet theory.

“The single bullet theory,” he asserted in his dissent, “is unequivocally repudiated by an objective, thorough evaluation and analysis of all the medical, scientific and physical data in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.”

Wecht told me was disappointed by the other doctors, whom he said were all very capable in their fields, but had already made up their minds before the panel met.

Wecht knew George de Mohrenschildt, the itinerant geologist who became friends with Oswald, and said he was likely the most important witness in the JFK assassination story.

Wecht said that de Mohrenschildt told him over lunch one day that he (DeMohrenschildt) had vital information that contradicted the Warren Commission’s findings.

Unfortunately, de Mohrenschildt died on March 29, 1977, before he could testify for the HSCA, officially the victim of a suicide.

When I asked Wecht what took place on Nov. 22, 1963, he said, “it was a coup d'etat, but I’m going to keep pursuing my battle.”

His Background

Cyril Wecht was born in Dunkard Township, Pa., the son of Nathan Wecht and Fannie Rubenstein.

Later the family moved to Pittsburgh, where he graduated from Fifth Avenue High School.

His earned his first medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1952, followed by an M.D. degree in 1956, then a degree in law in 1962.

Wecht also served in the U.S. Air Force, becoming a captain in the medical corps.

Over the course his career, Wecht also consulted on many other high-profile criminal cases.

His first book, “Legal Medicine,” published in 1985, was followed by nine more — all drawing on his expertise as a coroner.

They included “A Question of Murder,” “The Life and Deaths of Cyril Wecht,” “Crime Scene Investigation,” “Grave Secrets,” “Mortal Evidence,” “From Crime Scene to Courtroom,” “Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey,?” “Cause of Death,” and “Tales from the Morgue.”

His most recent book, “The JFK Assassination Dissected,” came out in 2022.

The Wecht Institute sponsored numerous conferences on the assassination of President Kennedy, setting the standard in the field with presentations by assassination experts from around the world.

Those of us in the JFK assassination community feel a great loss at his passing.

Anyone who heard him speak couldn’t help but feel his passion and resolve for finding the truth about President Kennedy’s death.

He fought the good fight for nearly 60 years, and we have all benefited from his firm determination to find the truth wherever it might lead.

The assassination research community and many others extend their heartfelt sympathies to the family of this legendary man of action.

May he rest in peace.

#youtube

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 1 month

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"In the eyes of many of the psychiatrists, the new methods of treatment failed to live up to initial proclamations of a major breakthrough. Several identified problems with the experiments, e.g. uncertain diagnoses and spontaneous remission, which might potentially skew the results. The question of a control group with the same diagnosis was also raised. During his experiments with manganese in 1927, Reiter had in fact used such a group—“control material of 50 patients whose conditions were similar to the ones treated with metal salt, and who – without treatment of any sort – were followed for a similar period.” However, this approach did not carry over to subsequent experiments, and neither Helweg, Ravn nor Schroeder used control groups in their studies.

The spate of sensational announcements of imminent revolutions in psychiatric therapy began to peter out in the mid-1930s, and predictions of breakthroughs became more guarded. In July 1936, August Wimmer, professor of psychiatry at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, published his major textbook Speciel klinisk Psykiatri (“Special Clinical Psychiatry”). In it, he stated that while there had been no shortage of experiments with the treatment of schizophrenia, none of the proposed methods had been convincing. There had “over time” been experiments with many different fever treatments, including “in recent years malaria fever therapy and sulfosin therapy (Schroeder),” but “the results are questionable, including with regard to schizophrenics’ susceptibility to spontaneous remissions […] Nor does metal-salt treatment (Reiter) seem to have triumphed.” Wimmer went on to conclude that “a causal treatment for schizophrenia has not yet been found.”

In the late 1930s, Hjalmar Helweg was similarly lacking in optimism about the methods that he had tested at Vordingborg. In September 1937, after 19 years as chief physician at the hospital, Helweg was appointed to succeed Wimmer in the prestigious position of professor and chief psychiatrist at Rigshospitalet. Just before he left Vordingborg, he was interviewed by the newspaper Berlingske Tidende, who wanted to paint a portrait of the new face of Danish psychiatry and hear his thoughts on the latest advances in “the fight against mental illness.”

“We psychiatrists […] have never been spoiled by luck or stunning victories, and now that I am asked directly, I must admit that no breakthrough has been made in the treatment of mental illness in my time. There have been no breakthroughs, no progress on a scale equivalent to the discovery of insulin […] and its application in the treatment of diabetes. Therefore, it is today equally miserable for a human being to be mentally ill as it was 30 years ago.” Nor did he hold out high hopes for the near future. “The truth is that, as things stand now, we might as well try tap water and beer rather than some chemical preparation,” Helweg concluded.

Several psychiatrists also expressed concern about the direction in which the discipline was heading. Like Helweg, some thought that psychiatry was the poor relation compared to other specialisations and unable to point at the same kind of progress as other forms of medicine. Nor was psychiatry at the front of the queue when it came to medical training. It was not even an exam subject at the University of Copenhagen. Medical students only had 36 hours of teaching and a month of fieldwork in psychiatry. The situation was far from satisfactory. Many psychiatrists thought the discipline deserved better, but changes in the curriculum were still a long way off.

Nor did psychiatry enjoy the best of reputations among the general public. Doctors at the hospitals often encountered “wrong-headed notions” about psychiatry and “a fairly widespread reluctance” among families to allow their relatives to be treated in mental hospitals. In 1934, Carl Clemmensen, chief physician at Bispebjerg Hospital’s Psychiatric Department, conducted a small study aimed at gauging relatives’ animosity towards mental hospitals. He asked 100 relatives what they felt about a family member being admitted to St. Hans and found that 55% were critical and had raised objections

- Jesper Vaczy Kragh, Lobotomy Nation: The History of Psychosurgery and Psychiatry in Denmark (Springer: 2021) p. 60-61.

#rigshospitalet #copenhagen #shock therapy #frederiksberg hospital #insulin coma therapy #schizophrenia #psychiatric clinic #psychiatric power #danish history #mental hospital #madness and civilization #lobotomy nation #academic quote #reading 2023

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jcmarchi · 6 months

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Breakerspace illuminates the mysteries of materials

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/breakerspace-illuminates-the-mysteries-of-materials/

Breakerspace illuminates the mysteries of materials

Days before the opening of the Breakerspace, a new laboratory and lounge at MIT, actor and rapper Jaden Smith tried out the facility’s capabilities, putting his bracelet under a digital optical microscope. On the screen in front of him was a 3D rendering of woven threads, each strand made up of smaller strands, with specks of matter dotting the surface.

“His eyes just lit up,” says Professor Jeffrey Grossman, the Morton and Claire Goulder and Family Professor in Environmental Systems in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE). Smith used a mouse-operated control to home in on the strands, magnifying them 8,000 times. Grossman recalls, “In four minutes, Jaden said, ‘That could be my next album cover.’”

Grossman and Smith have stayed in touch since 2017, when the then-19-year-old star toured campus and sat in on class 3.091 (Introduction to Solid-State Chemistry), which Grossman was teaching at the time. When Smith called in October to say he would be in Cambridge, Grossman invited him to test drive the Breakerspace, which he describes as a hand-on materials exploration space for all undergraduates, regardless of major.

“Curiosity of what the world is made of transcends all disciplines,” Grossman says. “Jaden’s not a material scientist, but he got inspired. And there’s a lot of potential for the space to do that for our students, across disciplines.”

The Breakerspace, equipped with microscopes and other instruments for exploring the composition, structure, and behavior of materials, is the “crown jewel” of DMSE’s strategic vision, Grossman says. The aim is to highlight materials science and engineering — an interdisciplinary field that incorporates chemistry, physics, and engineering principles to understand the materials that make up the world — and articulate its impact.

“Our discipline is about unraveling the mysteries of materials at the atomic level and then using that knowledge to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges — in energy, manufacturing, computing, health care, and more,” says Grossman, who until August was DMSE’s department head. “The Breakerspace is all about sharing that excitement and exploration.”

Breaking in the Breakerspace

The facility, under construction over the summer months, opened to the public on Nov. 8, dubbed Breakerday. In the three-hour opening event, nearly 300 people passed through the doors of 8-102, a glass-enclosed space on the Infinite Corridor, one of MIT’s busiest thoroughfares, as DMSE faculty, lecturers, and students gave demos of their capabilities.

A giant image on the wall projected from the digital optical microscope skimmed over the shaft and barbs of a feather. A scanning electron microscope (SEM), which scans a beam of electrons over an object, zoomed in on the Boston landscape etched into someone’s “Brass Rat,” the MIT class ring. And a tensile test machine, used to test the strength of materials, very slowly pulled apart a metal bar. A half-circle of students watched the machine in silence for a long stretch before a loud pop startled the group. DMSE technical instructor Shaymus Hudson, leading the demo, succinctly explained how testing materials helps engineers better understand and optimize them.

“If you can spot where the metal failed and understand why, you can make it not fail,” Hudson said.

In the lounge-half of the facility, people queued up for espressos and Americanos brewed from a café-quality Italian coffee machine.

“The lounge offers a comfortable setting for creative thinking and socializing,” says Breakerspace manager Justin Lavallee. “I think it will bring in a bigger pool of people than the lab alone. I’m curious to see how the community will build and how the lounge might drive that.”

The promise of great coffee on Breakerday clinched the deal for Kaitlyn Li, a first-year student with an interest in chemical engineering, a field adjacent to materials science and engineering. She learned about the Breakerspace from an email.

“When I read it came with coffee, I was like, ‘That sounds great!’” Li says.

Hands-on learning

The idea for the Breakerspace was born from Grossman’s passion for hands-on learning. In 3.091, for example, an MIT general Institute requirement without a lab component, Grossman would hand out goodie bags filled with materials and tools to reinforce class lessons. One contained rods and beads for constructing the crystal structures of various elements. And during one class, Grossman invited students to lob baseballs at glass panes to understand the effects of mechanical stress on properties.

“We learn and we see things differently when we can play with them with our hands, as opposed to read about them in a book or hear about them in a lecture,” Grossman says.

At MIT, of course, hands-on learning runs deep — the motto, after all, is “mens et manus,” Latin for mind and hand — finding purchase in makerspaces affiliated with engineering or other disciplines for tooling around with machine parts and gears or even bioengineering projects. Materials science and engineering, too, involves making things, namely, new materials for specific applications — but Grossman wanted to focus instead on characterization: analyzing and understanding physical properties of materials, learning why they’re hard or soft or malleable.

“Characterization plays a very fundamental role in our understanding of how to improve processing, improve synthesis, change the structure of materials, et cetera, to ultimately yield a particular performance that’s needed for an application,” says Associate Professor James LeBeau, a microscopy expert in DMSE who helped curate the Breakerspace instruments. “And this space is at that core of characterization.”

The name of the facility itself is a play on “makerspace,” with a twist — students can examine, test, and even break materials to see what they’re made of, how they fail, and why.

Equipment required to characterize materials ranges from digital optical microscopes to SEMs measuring in nanometers, or billionths of a meter. Also needed are machines that can analyze materials, such as an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and a scanning Raman microscope, which convey information about material structures and chemical compositions.

Also available are content creation tools — cameras with tripods, microphones, and lighting — so students can record their experiments and analyses and share them on social media.

The Breakerspace instruments were chosen because they can be operated effectively with very little training — “literally minutes,” says Grossman — which will be provided during regularly scheduled orientations.

“So maybe you’ve got something in your pocket; you want to know what it’s made of — or you want to know what its surface looks like at the 20-nanometers length scale. Well, you can do that here,” Grossman says.

Some students got to exercise their curiosity well before construction on the facility began. Last year, Maria Aguiar, now a junior in DMSE, put her cat figurine into the SEM and discovered its bluish-green tint, characteristic of oxidized copper, was in fact paint.

The rest of MIT was encouraged on Breakerday. One visitor pulled out an Excedrin tablet. Grossman put it under the XRD, which illuminates an object with X-rays to determine its atomic structure. The machine identified acetaminophen, caffeine, and other compounds.

Another student had a cup of apple cider, one of the refreshments available in the lounge that day. “Can you analyze this?” he asked Grossman. The student dipped his finger in the liquid and put a drop of it into an FTIR — short for Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy; it measures how a sample material interacts with infrared light.

“Lo and behold, the machine found that it’s mostly made of water and then a bunch of sugar,” Grossman says. “But that’s the point. It’s not just about getting people to know how to use these tools, but to be curious about what things are made of and get a glimpse at the unseen world around us.”

An undergraduate experience

Though Breakerday welcomed everyone at MIT, regular access is exclusive to MIT undergraduates, ensuring a dedicated place for them to learn, explore, and build a community. Grossman and Lavallee say graduate students and postdocs who need characterization tools for research have multiple avenues of access at MIT — their advisors’ laboratories, for example, or shared facilities such as MIT.nano.

“It’s very difficult for undergrads as just an augmentation of their curricular experience to go and utilize those resources, because there are fees associated with them — there are wait lists, scheduling and policy challenges, and often lengthy training requirements,” Lavallee says. “The Breakerspace is not a wholesale creation of new capabilities that we’re excluding other communities from. It’s just putting those capabilities together in a curated way to deliver to undergraduates.”

Access to materials exploration equipment is a draw for Kirmina Monir, a DMSE senior who is trained to operate one of the Breakerspace’s SEMs and teach others to use it. Typically, even DMSE students would get the opportunity to use such an instrument only as a prescribed part of the curriculum.

“But to be able to just walk into a lab and just use an SEM right there, or use an XRD right there,” Monir says. “This opens the door to a very low barrier to materials science.”

Visitors on Breakerday agreed. Kaitlyn Li, the first-year student interested in chemical engineering and coffee, was thrilled to see demos of machines she knew about from high school chemistry but never used.

“They’d give us an IR spectrum and ask, ‘What molecule is this,’ and then we would have to analyze it,” Li says, referring a chart used for infrared spectroscopy, which measures the interaction of infrared light with matter. In the Breakerspace, which has its own spectrometer, “it’s nice to see how it’s done on the machine and how that procedure works.”

Anna Beck and Samantha Phillips, first-year students taking class 3.001 (Science and Engineering of Materials), plan to start using the laboratory “pretty much immediately” to work on a bioplastics project.

“Our plan is to make a plastic out of banana peels and then test it on the Instron machine,” says Beck, referring to the tensile test machine.

Phillips will likely also use the space to explore curiosity about some object or other. “This is the equivalent of playing with Legos as a kid,” she says.

Learning beyond boundaries

The Breakerspace is mainly for extracurricular undergraduate exploration, but it’s also for teaching. Even before the facility opened, it was being used for class 3.042 (Materials Project Laboratory), and it will be the backdrop for two new classes taking place in the spring: one will be taught by Grossman and Lavallee, 3.000 (Coffee Matters: How to Brew the Perfect Cup), taking advantage of the coffee machine in the lounge and an on-site roaster.

“We think coffee is going to be an exciting material with lots of good testing and roasting and grinding and, of course, materials characterization,” Grossman says.

Another class, 3.S06 (Introduction to Materials Characterization), taught by technical instructor Hudson, will give students experience using microscopy and mechanical testing equipment in experimental research.

Caroline Ross, interim department head for DMSE, sees broader integration into education experiences, including in undergraduate research projects. “We’ve already got plans to incorporate the instruments in our labs, and I think there will be more and more opportunities for using them in UROPs or thesis projects or anywhere else where you can imagine finding a need for analyzing materials.”

Overall, DMSE faculty and staff hope the Breakerspace introduces to first-years and other undergraduates the mystery, beauty, and promise of a discipline they mostly likely didn’t learn about in high school.

“You learn about physics, chemistry, biology, and maybe this thing called engineering,” Grossman says. “I really could have benefited as a freshman from not only hearing the words ‘material science and engineering’ but actually having a space where I could check it out and see what materials make up the world.”

One first-year student who knew little about the discipline before setting foot in the Breakerspace is Alex Wu. Once he did, though, he was hooked: He got training on an SEM and did demos for visitors on Breakerday, showing them magnifications of sugar and salt and asking them to guess which is which.

“This is nothing I’ve ever had access to before. So just the fact that this is something that I’m able to use as an undergraduate in my first year is just so amazing,” Wu says.

Wu is interested in computer science but is now thinking about studying materials science and engineering, too. He thought about whether other first-years might develop an interest in materials after trying out the Breakerspace; then his smile brightened.

“I mean, that’s kind of what happened to me.”

To learn more about the Breakerspace, request access to the lounge, or book a training session on machines, visit dmse.mit.edu/breakerspace.

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medrijpaul-con13 · 9 months

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"Connection of primary and secondary sources in historical timeline publishment"

As the contemporary world slowly moves forward in the future timeline, we other humans think of the remarkable past historical achievements and progress made so far in the modern world. Because in history, learning from the beginning reattached the essence and importance of studies that are rich in details like other cultures and traditions of far places, important timeline events such as the discovery of new tools or inventions that shifted the course of human evolution and more notable histories that contributed a lot. However, the question arises before exploring past information in public libraries or internet sources. The reason is other available sources are not always accurate and falsely claimed by authors. To fully understand the true meaning definition of historically accurate, I would like to share my opinions about the primary and secondary sources. The primary sources' purpose is that it happened in the past timeline when it occurred at that time, while secondary sources backups the ideal information after the event. Examples of primary sources in the study of Kathleen, E. (n.d.) are the following: artifacts or human-made structures, ancient weapons, and old scripture scroll writings, while secondary sources are newspapers, books, and other studies after the initial event.

As for the insight I gained after reading from the guided book of Howell and Gottschalk, I discovered that it is hard work for historians to recreate the events in the past because of the limited sources they access and the lack of evidence in the places where they did occur in the past timeline. Therefore, sources are the true definition of a treasure of the past because they carry the details that could have been the evidence or additional information to a missing piece of history.

For the learning summary of the topic, I have learned about the importance and differences of primary and secondary sources in historical publishment. Because without an idea of historical accuracy, it could lead to misinformation and false history creation in the books or other reading source materials. Lastly, a question to further explore my interest in the topic "Does losing one proven credible source in a giant historical event affect the whole evidence?"

References of sources information:

Kathleen, E. (n.d.). All Guides: History: Primary vs Secondary. Sheridan College. https://sheridancollege.libguides.com/history/primary-secondary#:~:text=Primary%20sources%20include%20any%20original,examine%20and%20analyze%20primary%20sources.

Redmon, R. (2013). Primary vs Secondary Sources [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqXHO7bTPnw

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Time posted: 4:00 pm of August 29, 2023

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pixelartkid · 1 year

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Little League World Series 2022

At IguanaBee, after working on Nerf Legends, I started working on Little League World Series 2022, a sports game based on Little League Baseball, which in 2022 will be 75 years since its founding in 1947 in the United States.

"The mythical Howard J Lamade Stadium, which is a classic Little League stadium, is very well represented in the game".

The game had to be released in conjunction with the return of the league championship in 2022 Post pandemic, which took place in the USA from 17 to 28 August as part of promoting the championship, during those days our Publisher GameMill, had its stand promoting Little League World Series Baseball 2022.

We also had other brands sponsoring the game such as Easton bats.

"Todd Frazier, a current Major League Baseball (MLB) player for the Pittsburgh Pirate & former Little League champion in '98, was in the booth with his son enjoying the game". Play Ball!... My main job was to design the complete UX / UI of the game, from creating Flowcharts, Wireframes, Mockups, Assets and to integrating the Widgets from the engine (we use Unreal Engine 4).

Some material from my work I made in the project! The game was a success for its launch, we had a post-pandemic team meeting.

" The teams Little League World Series Baseball 2022 & What Lies in the Multiverse ".

"The Official Ball of the Little League World Series".

All Little League Baseball videogames that were released before LLWS22:

Little League Baseball Championship Series (for NES, developed by SNK 1990)

Little League 2002 (for GBA, developed by New KidCo, 2002)

Little League 2008 / 2009/ 2010 (Wii & Xbox 360, developed by Now Production, Published by Activision)

Little League 2008/ 2009 (for Nintendo DS, developed by Black Lantern Studios, Inc, Published by Activision)

Little League World Series Baseball 2022 (for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series XS, developed by IguanaBee, Published by GameMill)

The Release Game Yaaaaay!!

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petnews2day · 2 years

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Why are PET prices declining? Experts cite a ‘confluence of events’ tied to the shifting economy

New Post has been published on https://petnews2day.com/pet-industry-news/pet-travel-news/why-are-pet-prices-declining-experts-cite-a-confluence-of-events-tied-to-the-shifting-economy/

Why are PET prices declining? Experts cite a ‘confluence of events’ tied to the shifting economy

Recyclable commodity prices are slumping this fall, including a precipitous drop in PET prices that started earlier this year. Rather than any single reason, experts point to a convergence of logistical factors and economic conditions.

In May, PET beverage bottle and jar prices reached a recent high of almost 40 cents per pound before tumbling for several months, according to RecyclingMarkets.net data published by Resource Recycling. July prices fell 30% month-over-month from June. The price further dropped 61% month-over-month in August to about 10.3 cents per pound. Although curent prices show a slight rise to about 8.5 cents, that’s still far below the 22.8 cents per pound from a year ago.

The PET market is “way lower than it has been, but in the grand scheme of things, I don’t believe it is that low,” said Adam Gendell, director of circular ventures at The Recycling Partnership. He said “PET pricing had been astronomically high” recently and it’s important to remember that “it’s a commodity market, and weird things happen and it fluctuates.”

RecyclingMarkets.net cites factors including rising fuel costs, recession fears and oversupply for the initial spring dip. Several processing facilities also idled this summer for upgrades or time off and summer generally brings a seasonal supply-demand shift, said Steve Alexander, president and CEO of the Association of Plastics Recyclers.

“It was really a confluence of events and it all seemed to come to a head at the end of June and beginning of July,” he said.

Wild oil price fluctuations also play a role. Recycled PET demand generally increases when oil prices are high, because virgin resin is a petroleum-based product, and dips when virgin is cheaper to manufacture. Early in 2022, geopolitical events including the Russia-Ukraine War sent oil prices soaring, and the U.S. joined global leaders in taking steps to stabilize them.

The Independent Commodity Intelligence Service said in September that rPET demand softness is resulting in a temporary oversupply of material. Long-term, though, the market suffers from supply shortages, which has led to more imports from other North American and Asian countries. Overall plastic scrap imports declined from Q3 2021 through Q1 2022, but then swung back up.

“Import was really available. There was some cheaper flake coming in at that time,” Alexander said. “One thing that we can’t control on our own is the supply of material. Recyclers can only process material that’s made available to them.”

Experts say processors need access to more supply to meet brand sustainability commitments, which generally involve upping the amount of recycled content by years such as 2025 or 2030. But experts also recognize that material pricing lags real-time market conditions.

“It’s kind of complicated, seeing as brand demand can be sky high, and it doesn’t equate overnight to moving more PET when it’s at a cheaper price,” Gendell said. “Everyone is still very voracious for material. Demand for rPET, at least in packaging… is still very, very high.”

Experts say another caveat is the lack of accountability to ensure brands fulfill their commitments to purchase more recycled resins, especially when prices are in flux. Not all recycled content goals seem achievable in the given time frames when accounting for market conditions and how much product actually is available, said Chaz Miller of Miller Recycling Services.

“I think you have to distinguish between the sustainability people and the financial people,” Miller said. “The sustainability people tend to be the ones making all these grand promises. Frankly, I don’t think they’ve given any thought whatsoever to the realities of recycling or to the price of recycled resins.”

Miller compiles regional recycling market reports for the Northeast Recycling Council and pointed out the regional differences in current material prices, including PET.

“The Northeast tends to have slightly better prices than other parts of the country,” he said. “There are significant regional variations — prices tend to be a little softer on the West Coast than the East Coast.”

September PET prices in the Northeast came in at nearly 8.3 cents per pound, which is up 10%, or three-quarters of a cent, month-over-month. Still, the price is down 68% year-over-year and 82% (more than 38 cents) since May’s peak.

Slower consumer spending nationwide is one factor tamping down PET demand. About 54% of recycled PET is used to manufacture clothing textiles and carpet fibers, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, so reduced consumer spending on clothing, construction and home improvments plays a role. The Federal Reserve’s numerous interest rate increases over the last six months to tame inflation likewise affect purchasing and demand.

“With PET being a really commonly recycled commodity, the demand for some of the products that it’s used in is starting to slow a little bit,” said Bret Biggers, senior economist at the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.

The International Monetary Fund published its most recent twice-yearly outlook this month. It says global economic activity “is experiencing a broad-based and sharper-than-expected slowdown.” Similarly, the World Trade Organization revised its outlook this month and projects a sharp slowdown in world trade growth next year. ISRI highlights the most recent Producer Price Index numbers for the recycling industry that show all commodities were down in September except plastics, which was 11.3% higher than September 2021.

“All recyclable commodities are having a lull right now,” Biggers said. “Over the next six to eight months, it’s going to be difficult for recycled commodities, including PET.”

ISRI anticipates more mergers and acquisitions in the coming months as plastic and other recyclers try to mitigate inflationary effects and high operating expenses. Just this month, for example, plastic manufacturer Aurora Plastics announced a merger with custom resin compound manufacturer Enviroplas.

Gendell is among those who anticipates that in hindsight, the current pricing volatility will be a short-term blip on the PET radar.

“I don’t feel like the market price right now is going to be any kind of long-term disruption to PET circularity,” Gendell said. “There’s reasons for optimism.”

#Pet Travel News

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freesy46 · 2 years

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Game of thro.es.modern spin off

Game of Thrones Gets 3 New Spin Off Series at HBO - Collider.

'Game of Thrones': Jon Snow spinoff confirmed on HBO, Kit Harington.

Trailer for Game of Thrones in the modern day looks incredible.

Here are all the Game of Thrones spin-offs in development.

'Game of Thrones' spinoffs need to steal 1 idea from 'Avatar.

Game of Thrones Spin-Offs That Are in the Works (And What Fans Want to See).

Tell Me - The Grand Quiz Game | eBay.

Fan-Made 'Game of Thrones' Spin-off Gives the Show a Modern Update.

Game of Thrones on the Beach Wedding Editorial ⋆ Ruffled.

A Trailer For A 'Game Of Thrones' Set In The Modern... - Pedestrian TV.

Bump-in-the-night1990 | FanFiction.

Adote Uma Série - Blogger.

权力的游戏 (电视剧) - 维基百科，自由的百科全书.

HBO developing THREE new Game of Thrones spin-offs.

Game of Thrones Gets 3 New Spin Off Series at HBO - Collider.

Jul 26, 2017 · Martin's Dunk and Egg novellas, which are set about a century before the events of Game of Thrones, are likely contenders for at least getting a spinoff treatment. A series based on Robert's. Mar 18, 2021 · Per The Hollywood Reporter, three new Game of Thrones spinoff series are in the works at HBO, including one from the crafter of another period epic drama series. One show, working title 9 Voyages.

'Game of Thrones': Jon Snow spinoff confirmed on HBO, Kit Harington.

2 days ago · Not every spin-off needs to be serious. Some of them can just be off-the-wall ideas that involve underutilized characters in weird situations. "I want a Hotpies Kitchen Nightmares spinoff where he goes around fixing struggling Inns and Taverns," says Redditor DBHOV. RELATED: 10 Questions Redditors Have About The Jon Snow Spin-Off.

Trailer for Game of Thrones in the modern day looks incredible.

Mar 30, 2022 · By Eddie Makuch on March 30, 2022 at 8:29AM PDT. 5 Comments. House of the Dragon, the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel series, will premiere on August 21 on HBO and HBO Max. The series is based on. They played them hours of German, English and Chinese audio material, including several episodes of "Game of Thrones", "Modern Family" and the German crime series "Tatort", as well as news programmes. Professional audio data records used for training language assistants were also played.

Here are all the Game of Thrones spin-offs in development.

Sep 01, 2017 · Modernising classic content is all the rage: from Sherlock to *shudder* The Day The Earth Stood Still but someone has struck the jackpot with a modern take on Game of Thrones. Yes, they’ve made. 'Game of Thrones' spinoff series based around Jon Snow is in early development. According to 'Variety', actor Kit Harington is attached to reprise his role as the fan-favourite hero in the live-action show, which would take place after the events of. Quick Telecast. Expect News First. Sunday, July 3, 2022.

'Game of Thrones' spinoffs need to steal 1 idea from 'Avatar.

Jun 17, 2022 · House of the Dragon. Since the first planned prequel series starring Naomi Watts (set 10,000 years before GOT) was not picked up by HBO, House of the Dragon will be GOT 's first spin-off — and. In all, researchers uncovered more than 1,000 word sequences—including those from Game of Thrones, Modern Family, House of Cards, and news broadcasts—that incorrectly trigger the devices. "The devices are intentionally programmed in a somewhat forgiving manner, because they are supposed to be able to understand their humans," one of the.

Game of Thrones Spin-Offs That Are in the Works (And What Fans Want to See).

A "Game of Thrones" spinoff series based around Jon Snow is in early development at HBO, Variety has confirmed. Kit Harington is attached to reprise his role as the fan-favorite hero in….

Tell Me - The Grand Quiz Game | eBay.

A Trailer For A 'Game Of Thrones' Set In The Modern Day Has Fans Going Wild By Alex Bruce-Smith Published September 1, 2017 The end of Game of Thrones is rapidly approaching, but HBO is in the.

Fan-Made 'Game of Thrones' Spin-off Gives the Show a Modern Update.

Dec 02, 2021 · Another 'Game of Thrones' Spin-Off Is Coming. A Massachusetts family took a lost pup home. They didn't know it was a coyote. Games of Thrones is the best TV show ever (pending if we’re. Benioff and Weiss together directed two episodes of Game of Thrones, flipping a coin to decide who would get the credit on the show. Benioff was given the credit for season 3 episode 3, "Walk of Punishment", while Weiss was credited with season 4 episode 1, "Two Swords". (7) Benioff and Weiss co-directed the series finale. (46). TV Talk - AMC Developing The Walking Dead Spin-Off - FEAR THE WALKING DEAD - AMC announced Monday that it is in the early stages of developing a Walking Dead "companion series" — aka spinoff — to launch in 2015. AMC announced today that the network is in the initial stages of developing a companion series to its.

Game of Thrones on the Beach Wedding Editorial ⋆ Ruffled.

Jun 27, 2022 · Cast Reacts to the Jon Snow Spin-Off. Some are open to reprising their roles, while others are steering clear of Westeros. By Brady Langmann. Jun 27, 2022. When Game of Thrones aired its series. Creating characters only to destroy them was a problem that plagued another too-big-to-fail TV show, which ended just three years ago even if it feels more distant: "Game of Thrones.". Once. The first proper trailer for the Game Of Thrones spin-off dropped on 5 May, and already fans are besides themselves with excitement. The trailer shows a revamped iron throne, as well as an idea of.

A Trailer For A 'Game Of Thrones' Set In The Modern... - Pedestrian TV.

In addition to all the previously mentioned examples of how Game of Thrones has transitioned to modern times in Westeros, there's also a "Targaryen Square" train station, windmills turning by a. An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works.

Bump-in-the-night1990 | FanFiction.

Jul 26, 2018 · HBO president Casey Bloys has announced that Goldman's project is the only Game of Thrones spin-off moving forward at HBO. The four others are as good as dead, sitting dormant for the time being. 《权力的游戏》（英語： Game of Thrones ，新加坡译《冰与火之歌：权力游戏》，香港译《權力遊戲》，台湾译《冰與火之歌：權力遊戲》）是一部美國中世紀奇幻史詩劇情類型的電視連續劇。該系列連續劇由大衛·貝尼奧夫和D·B·魏斯替HBO創作。. Igra prijestolja (engleski: Game of Thrones) jest američka TV-serija epske fantastike koju su napravili David Benioff i D. B. Weiss.Adaptacija je romanâ iz serijala Pjesme leda i vatre, čiji je autor George R. R. Martin.Ime je dobila po nazivu prvog romana.Snima se u filmskom studiju "Titanic" u Belfastu i na lokacijama u Hrvatskoj, Islandu, Kanadi, Malti, Maroku, SAD-u, Sjevernoj Irskoj.

Adote Uma Série - Blogger.

9 premium running products that really pay off; Mickey Mouse is set to be given unrestricted free reign after his 95-year contract expires; Pregnant wife's expensive baby shower gift list sparks anger; As tech companies pull out of Russia, China looks on with concern; Arcadegeddon is leaving Early Access. Game of Thrones: All the Spinoffs in the Works | PEOPLE.Games of Thrones: titles of all confirmed spin-offs of the saga.Game of Thrones: Don't Expect Emilia Clarke to Return for a Spin.Every Game Of Thrones Spin-Off Currently In Development.Game Of Thrones Spinoff: All The Details We Know - BuzzFeed.All 7 Game Of Thrones Shows In Development Explained.Maisie Williams Reacts to Jon Snow-Centered Ga. Game of Thrones seasons 1-8 are available on DVD and Blu-ray. Spin-off House of the Dragon is now filming and will premiere on August 21, 2022 in the UK. New Back Pain Method Revealed.

权力的游戏 (电视剧) - 维基百科，自由的百科全书.

Source: imgflip. Eddard Stark was a man of honor. However, his honor led Ned to tragically die at the end of the first season. While many fans mourned the death of this heroic character, it was clear that his personality was his own downfall. Game of Thrones: Season 1 - Episode 5 Clip #1 (HBO) Watch on. This meme from imgflip depicts one of the.

HBO developing THREE new Game of Thrones spin-offs.

May 26, 2021 · 26 May 2021. There's a new Game of Thrones spin-off said to be in the works and this one is set to bring warrior queens and some interesting link backs to the original, wildly successful HBO series. We all know that House of the Dragon is filming right now. That one is the first of multiple proposed spin-offs and stars Matt Smith among others. Jun 14, 2020 · Game of Thrones spinoffs should steal 1 idea from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Forget the prequel series, this is the Game of Thrones spinoff we really need. Jake Kleinman. 6.14.2020 8:00 AM. It's.