#30 Day Anime Challenge (2020)

[anipgarden]

For the homies who haven't followed for a long time, why the quest for swampweed milkweek seeds?

So I’m currently at the library so if this answer is lame I may go into more detail once I get home but the long and the short of it is Swamp Milkweed Pretty Pink Color. Long version below.

Summer ~2015 (I think): volunteering at the zoo, making and selling seed bombs to raise money for conservation projects. Some Karen sasses at me for encouraging people to make butterfly gardens/plant butterfly friendly plants (??????) and basically says ‘You probably don’t even so how dare you imply I, a mother of 3, should.’ I take that as a challenge.

Fall and Winter 2015: start collecting seeds and stuff from whatever stores sold them cheap for a butterfly garden. Start learning about how important milkweed is for monarchs. Goal to obtain Any Milkweed is a go.

Spring 2016ish (I think): I find milkweed for sale at garden stores! This is Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica), and most of it is red and orange. While googling I find a Really Nice All Yellow Variety and my goal becomes Obtaining Yellow Milkweed.

Spring 2017ish: obtain yellow milkweed. At this point I have like 7ish tropical milkweed plants in my garden.

Spring either 2019 and 2020: at this point I have been growing milkweed and other flowers pollinators like for awhile when I learn that UH OH. Tropical Milkweed is invasive in my area! And I really shouldn’t be growing it! (One could argue the greenhouses in my area shouldn’t be selling it in the first place and I’d agree but I digress.) In my quest to figure out what species of milkweed ARENT invasive in my state—native, even—I find swamp milkweed and its the prettiest plant I’ve ever seen. Fuck yellow tropical milkweed, this plant is BRIGHT bright pink, beloved by caterpillars, beloved by pollinators, and smells like VANILLA? I want it now.

Thus begins the quest to grow it (and other species but mostly swamp milkweed) from seed. It never works out.

Spring 2020: accidentally steps on seedlings. Fatality.

Spring 2021: seeds were cold stratifying in the fridge but were left out of the fridge too long, sprouted in the bag for three days, and were weak as hell when I finally put them in. Forgot to water. Fatality.

Spring 2022: seeds are left in cups for way too long, forgot to water because Senior Project, cold stratification of next batch doesnt go well. Fatality.

Spring 2023: seeds mold while cold stratifying, germination rate is ‘one out of 21’ and then that one dies because I forget to water. Fatality.

During that whole while I’m thinking to myself ‘ok I suck at growing these from seed maybe they sell them in greenhouses and plant stores?’ And no they don’t. Until earlier this year when I finally find them being sold at native plant festivals (wherein which I arrive too late to my town’s once-yearly native plant festival and they’re sold out of milkweeds before the 30 minute mark of a 5 hour event YES I’m still mad about that) and other gardening festivals (shout out to the lady selling swamp milkweed at the zoo’s garden festival AND the honeybee festival) and ONE garden store near my friend’s house by the beach called Earthworks.

There are other milkweeds I am questing after now because there’s like 21-22 native milkweeds in Florida and my goal is to grow as many different varieties as possible (which is HARD because NO ONE SELLS THEM except for at this once a year plant sale and they don’t have enough to last THIRTY MINUTES YES IM STILL MAD). Currently I’ve also got my eyes set on sandhill milkweed (Asclepias humistrata) and Redring milkweed (whos latin name I don’t remember right now). Also trying to figure out why pictures of swamp milkweed are Bright Ass Vibrant Pink but all the ones I’ve gotten and that my garden server has are pale ass strawberry milk pink but yknow.

Since I’m trying to start a career in animation I’ll likely end up moving to Southern California sooner or later, and all my knowledge about swamp milkweed will be Fucking Useless. But worry not! I have another milkweed to obsess over that grows in Cali! Heartleaf Milkweed (which might be Asclepias cordifolia but I could be remembering that wrong) is GORGEOUS and it has the growth habit like Sandhill in a sense but the flowers are droopy and VELVETY PURPLE and the leaves are HEART SHAPED (kinda) so yknow. Vibes.

Anyways yeah thems the brakes pal.

#ani rambles #answered asks #the milkweed queen has spoken #i think its really funny that my gardening journey started out of spite #and now look at me

[historyhermann]

Kaisa's defense: Are patrons who borrow books, liable to return them?

Kaisa gets annoyed with the committee of Three Witches

Happy Book Lovers' Day! On December 16, 2020, I submitted a post to I Love Libraries about Kaisa, the recurring librarian in the animated series, Hilda, titled "Witches, patrons, and the value of libraries in Netflix's Hilda," and included a section, where Kaisa argues that the "person who borrowed the book is liable for its return," with the obligation passed from the librarian to the patron, while the witches say SHE is the one responsible. While this was included in the final article, which was published on January 8, 2021, and re-titled "The Mysterious Librarian in Netflix's "Hilda" Finally Gets a Name," it was worded differently, [1] and I didn't explore it in-depth. So I'll re-examine that part of the episode and note its implications more broadly in terms of relations between librarians and patrons, and the ever-present problem of missing books from libraries.

This post is reprinted from Pop Culture Library Review and Wayback Machine.

In the episode "Chapter 3: The Witch," Kaisa comes before three witches who govern the tower and they tell her that she must return a book missing from the library for almost 30 years! She challenges this, saying that the person who borrowed the book is liable for its return, passing off the obligation from the librarian to the patron. The witches remind her of her responsibilities and say that if she does not find the book, she will be cast into the void! While librarians obviously are not cast into the void for misplaced books, the episode is right to highlight the problem of missing books and how librarians solve this problem. Later, Kaisa reveals why she had not tried to return the book until now: she was embarrassed that she could not use the right spell to find the book. They later return with the book and Tildy pleads with the witches to not punish them, the void of no return is unintentionally opened, trapping Kaisa, Hilda, and Frida.

The question at the title of this post still itches my brain: Are patrons who borrow books, liable to return them? Some on /r/Libraries and /r/librarians have shared that they give students who fail to return a book a warning, the terrible condition of returned books(which is kinda funny to read), stolen/lost book, and lending to the wrong person. Others shared the return of missing items, horrible patrons, weird sense of guilt when checking out books, getting patrons to return their books, presenting photo IDs to check out books, and libraries that give anyone a library card. [2] One of the most interesting discussions was one on /r/asklibrarians where librarians responded as to how a librarian could cover up a theft:

...Books disappear all the time. Depends on if the library uses any security measures like RFID tags...Here are a few ideas: Checking the book out to another user. Marking it as lost under that other users identity. Checking the book in but just taking it. Makes it appear lost in the shelves. Simply taking the book through an employee entrance with no security gates. Or simply desensitizing the security strip and walking the book out the front door. Or you can purge the user from the system making them not exist. Assuming a modern library, the librarian could alter the records if they had the right circulation authorizations. In most cases, there is likely to be an audit trail, but no one is likely to be looking for that unless alerted to the possibility that someone did that. Someone with the right IT privileges for the circulation software, could probably alter those audit trails as well.

In some ways, Kaisa may have done this when not getting the book back from Tildy. She probably as had to deal with those who return books with "illegal drugs, water damage, urine odors, cigarette burns, coffee stains, fecal matter, roaches, or peanut butter globs," those who have tried to argue that they don't need to pay library fines, while dealing with account issues, checking out books, and other tasks. [3] As one librarian put it, not only can the length of a loan period " have a big impact on staff workload and patron satisfaction with a library," but overdue materials are an issue "because they are not available to other library users" while fines lead to the perception that overdue fines allows the library to function and buy materials.

In fact, many libraries spend a lot of money and time "attempting to retrieve overdue materials and collect various fines," meaning these fines represent "a drop in the bucket for library revenues" and saying that while overdue fines may "provide some incentive for returning materials" some studies have shown they are "not a significant deterrent to the ultimate return of items. Libraries can also collect fines on lost and damaged materials or lost library identification cards, which are meant to " replace or repair the material...plus a processing fee," while it was said that there "should be some flexibility with overdue policies." It has also been said that if a book is lost, then a fine should be collected, while for a missing book, "the library does not know where the item is." [4]

The same librarian urged library personnel to be "familiar with registration procedures and be prepared to answer questions about the library’s services and resources," and to have specific "procedures for dealing with security and medical emergencies and all staff should be thoroughly familiar with them." This connects with the mission of a librarian to not only handling books, but books themselves serving a vital function, and the responsibility of the library to "adjust the time allotted for the patron to have the item to ensure it reaches the originating library on time." It was also said that librarians should take into account copyright, freedom of information, privacy, duty of care, censorship, and confidentiality which assisting a patron. [5]

Committee of Witches annoyed with Kaisa

When it comes to actual libraries, there appears to be agreement with the idea that patrons who borrow books are liable to return them. In fact, of library policies I read, there was a consensus that patrons are responsible for book replacement, returning books on time (late books hinder ability of other patrons to use book), have to pay for damaged or lost materials, and responsible for books they have checked out under their name. [6] Some librarians even said that those who abuse privileges may be banned from interlibrary loan, holds placed on their student accounts, suspension of borrowing privileges, or being reported to a collection agency. [7]

There were libraries which laid out their responsibilities even more clearly. Some said they had the "responsibility of ensuring the availability of materials for the use of the community," but that the person who borrows materials is responsible for materials borrowed and "agrees to return them in good condition and by the date they are due." Others absolved the library from "liability, damages, or expense" from misuse of library devices, library materials, and asserted that librarians are responsible for renewing and returning items, with fees imposed if items are not returned. However, in some cases, librarians had the discretion to stop or restrict loans of materials or the ability to waive fines, charges, or fees in cases of hardship. [8]

Kaisa stands by her view that patrons who borrow books are liable to return them, while the witches say it should be the library's responsibility after a book is overdue for 30 years. If this was the real world, the responsibility of the patron would likely still be emphasized, but at that point, the library would have declared the book "lost" and probably charged the patron a fee for the lost book. Kaisa does not do that as she knows exactly who has the book, but she doesn't want to take responsibility for getting the book back, not at first.

The answer to the question, are patrons who borrow books, liable to return them, is generally yes, but that does not justify patrons being treated in such a way that they are heavily penalized with fines which discourage them from borrowing from a library. It is certainly a "wonderful surprise" that Kaisa is the keeper of the books, i.e. the librarian who, with the help of Hilda and Frida, was able to convince an old lady to return a book. An impressive feat, you could say.

© 2022 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

Notes

[1] Worded as "the person who borrowed the book is responsible for it and the witches threaten to cast her into a void if she cannot locate the lost item."

[2] See the "checking out books" (Nov. 2018), "Librarians: What's the worst condition someone has returned a book?" (Apr. 2014), "Most stolen book at your library" (Jul. 2018),"I (accudentally) lent a book to someone who is NOT authorized to use the library. What to do?" (Jun. 2020), "Lots of (probably) missing items were returned!" (Nov. 2020), "Horrible Patrons: CoVid Edition" (Feb. 2021), "I'm struggling with a weird sense of guilt when checking books out now, it's very irrational" (Sept. 2021), "Academic librarians: strategies for getting checked out books back from faculty?" (Mar. 2017), "Violating the spirit of the policy but not the letter of it..." (May 2017), "I think one of our patrons is a hoarder, and he isn't returning our books." (Aug. 2018), "Borrowing Policy Inquiry" (Dec. 2016), "Borrowing Out of Town" (Jun. 2016).

[3] See K.W. Colyard, "How To Piss Off Your Local Librarian," Bustle, Jul. 16, 2015; Oleg Kagan, "Day in the Life: Reference Librarian at a Public Library," Every Library, Nov. 29, 2017.

[4] "Basic library procedures: Circulation functions," Living in the Library World, Dec. 18, 2008; "Basic library procedures: Library inventory," Living in the Library World, Jan. 18, 2009.

[5] See "Circulation of nonbook materials," Living in the Library World, Dec. 28, 2008; "Circulation's role in security," Living in the Library World, Dec. 28, 2008; "Basic library procedures: Processing library materials," Living in the Library World, Jan. 7, 2009; "Library co-operation, interlibrary loan and document delivery," Living in the Library World,  Jan. 25, 2010; "Ethics," Living in the Library World, Nov. 22, 2010.

[6] "Library Policies," Galveston College, accessed October 3, 2021; "Loan Periods," Richard E. Bjork Library at Stockton University, accessed October 3, 2021; "Overdue Materials," Richard E. Bjork Library at Stockton University, accessed October 3, 2021; "Lost/Damaged Item," Richard E. Bjork Library at Stockton University, accessed October 3, 2021; "Outside Borrowers," University Libraries of University of Georgia, accessed October 3, 2021; "Circulation Policies," Princeton University Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Borrow," Pitts Theology Library at Emory University, accessed October 3, 2021;

"Library," Caswell County, NC, accessed October 3, 2021; "Interlibrary Loan Borrowing and Document Delivery Services," University of North Texas University Libraries, accessed October 3, 2021; "Library Fines and Fees," New York Public Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Library Policies, Guidelines and Procedures: Lost or Damaged Materials," Calvin T. Ryan Library, University of Nebraska Kearney, accessed October 3, 2021; "Step by Step – Billing Patrons and Libraries for Lost Books in Horizon," Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System, accessed October 3, 2021; "Loan Periods and Fines," Pasadena Public Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Studio Use Policy," Pikes Peak Library District, Sept. 2019; "Interlibrary Loan (ILL)," SRSU Library & Archives, accessed October 3, 2021;

"Policies," Proctor Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Borrow Materials," E.H. Butler Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "InterLibrary Loan (ILL)," Osceola Library System, accessed October 3, 2021; "Borrowing/Circulation," SCSU Research Guides at Southern Connecticut State University, accessed October 3, 2021; "Library Policies," Orange Coast College, accessed October 3, 2021; "Borrowing and Renewals," Marriott Library, University of Utah, accessed October 3, 2021; "Borrow," UC Berkeley Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Borrowing," Hawai'i Pacific University, accessed October 3, 2021; "Fine Free Library," San Francisco Public Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "FAQ : Interlibrary Loan," Smithsonian Libraries, accessed October 3, 2021; "Checkout Periods and Protocols," Fulton Library, Utah Valley University, accessed October 3, 2021 (discussed secondary borrowers); "Borrow, Renew & Return," Georgia Tech Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Borrowing Policies," Stewart B. Land Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Borrowing Materials," Memorial Library of Nazereth & Vicinity," accessed October 3, 2021; "Hennepin County Library goes fine-free," Hennepin County Library, Mar. 9, 2021; "Borrow Items," Charleston County Public Library, accessed October 3, 2021;

"Interlibrary Loan," Omaha Public Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Book Club in a Bag," Southeast Regional Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Interlibrary Loan," Kenton County Public Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Pageturners To Go," Multnomah Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Remote Delivery," UW-Madison Libraries, accessed October 3, 2021; "Library," Thesophical Society of America, accessed October 3, 2021; "Borrowing Privileges," Penn State University Libraries, accessed October 3, 2021; "Borrowing Materials," Circulation Services, Research Guides at Broward College, accessed October 3, 2021; "Prince William libraries are now fine-free," InsideNOVA, Jul. 7, 2021; "Your Library Account," Boulder Public Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Services - Libraries," LibGuides at St. Joseph's College New York, accessed October 3, 2021;

"Nevada State College Interlibrary Loan," Nevada State College, accessed October 3, 2021; "Get a Library Card," Laurel County Public Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "InterLibrary Loan," Queens College Libraries, accessed October 3, 2021; "Bradley Library eliminates late fees," Daily Journal, Sept. 9, 2021; "Library," Amridge University, accessed October 3, 2021; "Checkout Privileges," BYU Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Using the Library," Linda Hall Library, accessed October 3, 2021; Borrowing from CSN Libraries," CSN Libraries, accessed October 3, 2021; "Interlibrary Loan (ILL)," Texas State Library and Archives Commission, accessed October 3, 2021; "Borrowing Library materials," Simon Fraser University, accessed October 3, 2021; "Library of Things: Home," LibGuides at Milton Public Library, accessed October 3, 2021;

"Onsite Borrowing Program," OCLC Research, accessed October 3, 2021; "Welcome to Your Library," Grand Rapids Public Library, accessed October 3, 2021; "Frequently Asked Questions," El Dorado County Library, accessed October 3, 2021; Liam Griffin, "Libraries Become Fine-Free In July In Prince William County," Manassas, VA, accessed October 3, 2021; "Circulation," Mary and John Gray Library, Lamar University, accessed October 3, 2021; "Prince William Public Libraries to Go Fine-Free Beginning July 1," Jul. 2021, accessed October 3, 2021; "James. E. Walker Library," Middle Tennessee State University, accessed October 3, 2021 (mentions proxy borrowers); "Interlibrary Loan (ILL)," University of Idaho Library, accessed October 3, 2021.

#hilda librarian #hilda #white women #patrons #books #borrowing #library users #library patrons #libraries #rfid #reddit

[shidiand]

2022 shidi’s review

Best of media

- Umineko no Naku Koro ni

I started Umineko by manga in 2016 and made it to Ep 6, picked up the LP archive version ~1-2 years ago and made it to Ep 3, but this November I finally finished Umineko from beginning to end in its proper visual novel form. It may well be the longest thing I've ever read, and yet the remarkable thing about Umineko is that I believe it hardly squanders a single moment of its immense 1.1 million word count; it by and large fully justifies every use of its tremendous length. I feel that very few works of such length do. There are still things I want to resolve about it; I want to reread it again one day and solve them myself. There are still more things I'll probably carry with me into things I create from here on out. Is there any visual novel with better soundtrack or voice acting? I've become an Umineko Guy, and I will wear this mark with pride.

- Hellsinker.

I first played Hellsinker in 2020, and I delved into about ~75% of the game at that time, but it wasn't until March this year that I finally pushed myself to finish it, and let myself see everything about the game. It's still one of my favourite games ever. One of my favourite experiences ever. A wholly, solitarily unique game uncompromising in its vision; it grants you a glimpse of it and its author's insanity, and I did my best to interpret it. You might bounce off of it, such a game it is. But highly specific games, that can only appeal to certain people, have their charm too. I was a Dead Liar main from beginning to end. I will continue to recommend this game to others until the day I die.

- Defunctland's Disney Channel Theme: A History Mystery A documentary of modest length, but a lovely one. Surely one of my favourite Defunctland videos ever (not that I have watched much of his work), and possibly for a very long time to come.

- action button reviews boku no natsuyasumi A longer documentary, but a remarkable one in how it weaves a deep analysis of the game and Tim Roger's personal stories and reflections into a potent emotional core. Beautifully told.

- Secret Base's Captain Ahab: The Story of Dave Stieb Another long documentary, this time one covering the more cut-and-dry story of Dave Stieb's baseball career, but it wrung much emotion out of me all the same. I'm glad I was able to learn about this single little story of sports history, one episode at a time.

- Nuclear Throne

I also started NT in 2016 and reached a resolution with it that year, but in the depths of my unemployment malaise, on a whim of coincidence (seeing Rami Ismail retweet a video essay about it by @dookasx​), I decided to pick it up again this year, and it soon became my fidget game for killing 20-30 minutes of time. It was not long until I decided to push myself to achieve 100% unlocks to fill a newfound need for closure. Then the madness began. This challenge ran from about April to August. My understanding of the game and how to best build and play to unlock each crowns changed significantly from my 2016 understanding, and I surely improved quite a bit over the course of the challenge, but the Rogue (has weak passive and active abilities) and Melting (has 2 HP instead of 8) runs tested my patience and sanity towards the very end. I can say I have explored this completed game to a very deep degree, and that I would not recommend this challenge to others. There are probably better things I could have done with that time. However, the game is pretty fun.

- Alice to Zouroku

I didn't read or watch Alice to Zouroku for the first time in 2022, but I did do a rewatch of the anime in February, and on that revisit it went quite a ways up my ranking of anime and fiction in general. Something about viewing Sana's experiences through the lens of autism made me just a bit more fond of it, I've been thinking about it from time to time throughout the year. It's a very tender story. The soundtrack of the anime wrings emotions out of me. I didn't actually know that the manga continued after chapter 21 because the scans stop there (ahaha...), and it was such a strange yet not bad place to have an "ending", I respected that. Don't mind that. I recommend it.

- Berserk

I read all of Berserk for the first time this year. I am certain that if I had read this earlier in my life, it would have had a great and lasting influence on me, both in storytelling and art; however, I think works like Vagabond and Tenco's Story had already taken that spot for me years ago, so it was not to be. Yet I was still swept up in awe at this story quite literally larger than the life of its author, of epic confrontations, and pain, and healing. Miura's ability to depict portraits of scale was unmatched. The weight of Guts' legacy, looking back at the web of influence from Guts to every dragonslayer derived from him, is tremendous. Another epic-length story that I feel deserves to be as long as it is.

- Bocchi the Rock

There has been no shortage of effusive praise for the Bocchi the Rock anime, so I will exempt myself from writing much of my own, but it was a very enjoyable experience to watch and share in with the many positive bocchiposters on my Twitter and Tumblr feeds. The music was great, the musical performances blew the bandori scenes I'd been accustomed to out of the water, and it was genuinely quite funny and emotionally cogent. It's got a small cast of characters who simply give off so much personality, it would be hard not to love them.

- Healer Girl

This was a 2022 seasonal that I watched on my own, as I like to do, and it was a delight. A fine mix of lightness and seriousness in its storytelling, charming characters, presented with a musical coating. If that sounds like Bocchi the Rock... yeah, I guess it does. It might not be as insane and radical as BTR, but I think it holds up. You've all heard the good word about BTR. I would recommend giving Healer Girl a try.

- The First 12 Episodes of G Gundam

Okay, this probably doesn't deserve to be on here, not without having finished it first, but G Gundam is such stupid fun. It's just good to go back and watch some shit from a completely different time period and take in the differences. I really liked the orchestra-based soundtrack and stingers. And this Domon Kasshu fella. What a guy. What a classic burning-hearted coolguy.

- Kindred Spirits on the Rooftop

Another late-to-the-party media for me to experience in 2022. Though not without tangible flaws, it managed to tell a charming high-school story from beginning to end. It was a little longer than I expected due to wading through the latter, bonus half of the content that was more often than not an exercise in clicking through scene reruns rearranged for a different character's perspective (but there were enough new scenes that I could tolerate it.) I had no interest in the sex scenes, which were mostly just okay, and ended up zoning out while clicking past them. Even so, the ending made me feel something when it was all over, and perhaps that was enough to push me to faithfully 100% every scene, the seiyuu comments, the drama CDs, the translations on Tumblr of lead writer tweet-comments, whichever AO3 fics interested me enough to read them, the VN podcasters' episodes about it... so, not nothing. Not bad at all. Not an unconditional recommendation, but it was good, to me.

- Urasekai Picnic (vol 5 - 7 and fanfics)

I'd been reading Urapi since 2021, but I got around to reading the latest volumes this year, and the story has continued to develop in ways that bolstered my confidence in the series from "fun, episodical horror encounters with lesbian investigators" to "now we're really getting somewhere with these characters and this plot". The teasers for the upcoming volume 8 are giving me yet more bits of confidence that Urapi might just round out to a properly closed narrative. I also read @rabbiteclair​'s excellent Urapi fanfics this year, which is a notable side point to this item; all quite excellent and capable of making me hallucinate that I read an additional volume or two of Urapi this year at times when I am not fully awake.

Things I did

- Wrote https://shidiand.tumblr.com/intro2touhou. I don't know if it's good. But it's something.

- Wrote some other things. I think this was one of the few times I'd properly finished a major project on my own. It was a catharsis. If you took the time to read it, thank you.

- Drew a few things, not very seriously. I made my friends and my favourite artist smile by drawing their OCs, so I'm happy.

https://akiraita.tumblr.com/post/684828588797837312/as-veil-enjoyer-193-i-like-hina-a-lot-so-here-she

https://twitter.com/shidiand/status/1518375294268104705

https://twitter.com/shidiand/status/1572331492923310081

- Stopped watching vtubers. I took a step back from the excitement of keeping up with streams. I'll be alright.

- Helped archive the N-tone x Dust_Box_49 10th Anniversary collection on Youtube. I was conflicted over doing this permissionless upload. But this music is very important to me.

- Participated in TTRPG with friends. It didn't pan out for me but I was glad I gave it a try. Sometimes exhausting. Always quite engrossing. It was probably the most social I was all year. Thank you to my GM and fellow players.

- Started learning Japanese again. I'm plateauing a bit, and I've only been working on my reading, but I managed to get into a good spot for grammar.

- Started exercising regularly again. Have to take care of this body.

- Got my driver's license. Driving gives me anxiety but it's a little step of responsibility.

- Did not go insane during the long year of unemployment. I regained the will to find a job again by the end of the year.

I'll keep at it going into 2023. I think I can get a job, I'll keep thinking about some original stories. No promises about drawing. Let's become a human once more.

#bulb #long time no textpost hows everyone doing

[reallyneedsalife]

reallyneedsalife's 007 Fest 2022 Master Post

I was so happy to be a part of 007 Fest this year, and being Co-Captain of Q-Branch has been absolutely wonderful! Lots of plans fell through, lots of things got written that were entirely pulled out of my arse and made up on the spot, but it is all over now until next year!

My overall total for this year is 504 points... I think. I'm not too certain but eh it's done and maths was never my strong suit.

Writing Total - 132 points

Two Birds :: 15 points Filled 1,000 words prompt, prompted work via Q-Branch prompts (this one supplied by 3NIGM4)

Lost, Never Found :: 5 points Filled 200 words prompt

Change. :: 5 points Filled 300 words prompt and made for NTTD Fix It Day

Moneypenny Knows Best :: 7 points Filled the Getting Together prompt, prompted work anonymously of "Write a (00Q) fic with the title of Moneypenny Knows Best" from 2020 Fest. 719 words.

On The Prowl :: 5 points Filled 100 words prompt and the Free Space theme prompt of Humour

Rumour has it :: 15 points Filled 850 words prompt, Outsider POV prompt and featured a rare pair in Bill Tanner & OC

gift giving and alarms :: 15 points Filled the 750 words and Established Relationship prompts and featured a rare pair in Moneypenny/R

Quanker Anustickle Iggywumpus III :: 5 points Filled Fluff/Humour prompt and 650 words prompt.

A Father's Love :: 10 points Filled prompt provided in 2022 Fest "Q got thrown out as a queer teenager and ended up being adopted by Boothroyd".

learning to fly :: 15 points Filled the Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies prompt

How 002 learned not to pick a fight with R :: 15 points Filled the Hurt/Comfort prompt and 2,000 words prompt and featured a rare pair in Q & R

Multichapter Works

where worlds collide (and days are dark) Ch1 :: soldier keep on marching on (10 points) Filled the Mission Fic prompt Ch2 :: careful son you've got dreamers plans (10 points) Filled the 950 words for Free Space

    

Other Fan Creation Total - 124 points

Atlantis edit :: 5 points

Let Me Down Slowly edit :: 5 points

Another Love edit :: 5 points

Transition edit :: 5 points

NTTD Age edit :: 5 points

Dench!M edit :: 5 points

My Future edit :: 5 points Filled Angst prompt

Sweater Weather edit :: 5 points

Queering the Characters edit :: 5 points

Queering the Characters Headcanons :: 6 points

Headcanons Pt 1 :: 15 points

Headcanons Pt 2 :: 13 points

Prompt Table Mood Boards :: 45 points (5 points per mood board x 9 mood boards)

      

Theme Days

NTTD Fix It Animals of Bond Headcanon Day Queering the Characters Day Participated in response to Villain Day challenge (code)

     

Miscellaneous Total - 27 points

Comments :: 17 comments (17 points) Attending an Event :: 5 sessions (5 points) (Casino Royal Watch Along Short Fic Readalong Q-Branch Productivity Hours x 2 Cards Against Bondmanity) 00Q Fanmix (5 points)

   

Bonus Total - 221 points

3 Prompt Tables :: 90 points (30 points x 3) 1 31-Day Challenge :: 75 points 4 Headcanon Bonus :: 56 points

   

OVERALL TOTAL :: 504 points (I have no idea if this is correct ^^')

#QB-X8 #007 Fest 2022 #team q branch #007 Fest Masterpost #masterpost #reallyneedsalife

[csaenvs3000w23]

Making Sense of Nature Interpretation

Choosing one topic to discuss for this week's Blog post was a little challenging, especially since I have learned so many different intriguing facts over the duration of my studies in biology at the University of Guelph. Choosing one amazing fact about nature did not come easily to me, since nature is full of interesting aspects.

To me, I find every aspect of nature to be breathtaking. Whether it is plants, animals, landscape, etc. Although, I will say I particularly love learning about every area of nature, I especially love learning about animals.

As many of you may have already heard the tragic story of the MarineLand orca Kiska, who recently passed away in captivity. Kiska swam alone in a tank at the theme park for over a decade.

This situation has been on my mind and has encouraged me to think about the effects of animals in captivity versus in their natural habitats, especially on large marine mammals.

Unfortunately, the orca population has been rapidly declining, in which the Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) have been declared as an endangered species. As of October 2021, there are only 72 living SRKWs (University of British Columbia, 2021).

I want to use this opportunity to discuss this beautiful species and shed light on their amazing qualities, bringing focus to the importance of healthy environmental conditions and resource availability for this species to thrive in.

So, let’s share some cool facts about these remarkable creatures!

Orcinus orcas (more commonly known as the killer whale) are marine mammals that can swim as fast as 50 km per hour! S P E E D. They often travel with their pods and matriarch lineages, averaging to approximately 120 kilometres each day (Whale Trail, 2018). Each orca has specific markings referred to as “saddle patches” which are located behind their dorsal fins, making them identifiable from others – kind of like fingerprints for humans (Whale Trail, 2018).

Also, orcas have the second largest brain weighing in at roughly 17 pounds!! (Whale Trail, 2018). No wonder they are so smart ;)

To put it into perspective, the average human brain weighs around 3 pounds (Winston Medical Center, 2023).

Female adult orcas average 5.4 – 6.1 meters in length, weighing between 6,000-8,000 pounds. Whereas males are typically 6.7 - 7.3 meters and between 8,000-10,000 pounds. The life expectancy for this large marine mammal can be anywhere between 30 to 100 years (Whale Trail, 2018).

One fact that is exceptionally interesting is that orcas can use echolocation to help detect their prey! Killer whales can use echolocation to detect fish in areas where they cannot visually see, up to distances as far as 500 ft (NOAA Fisheries, 2015).

These wonderful organisms and their surrounding environment must be preserved. More effort needs to be put towards protecting this species. We need to think of ways to provide organisms with the resource availability to allow them to live safely in their natural habitats.

Everyone can do their part in being conscientious when it comes to:

Recycling / disposing waste

Using plastic materials / hazardous materials - 78% of marine mammals are at risk of choking on plastic (Fleshman, 2021).

Refraining from over-fishing / resource availability

Boycotting captivity (ie SeaWorld, Marineland etc)

References

Fleshman, R. (2021, September 7). Environmental Fun Facts. KPWB. Retrieved March 18th, 2023, from https://kpwb.org/environmental-fun-facts-2/

NOAA Fisheries (2020, June 15). Sound Strategy: Hunting with the Southern Residents, Part 2. NOAA. Retrieved March 18th, 2023, from https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/sound-strategy-hunting-southern-residents-part-2#:~:text=Echolocation%20allows%20killer%20whales%20to,see%20in%20the%20dark%20water

The Whale Trail (2018). Southern Resident Killer Whale. TheWhaleTrail.org. Retrieved March 18th, 2023, from https://thewhaletrail.org/wt-species/southern- residentkillerwhale/

University of British Columbia. (2021). No apparent shortage of prey for southern resident killer whales in Canadian waters during summer. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 17th, 2023, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211012112222.htm

[idolskpop]

Lee Min Ki: From ‘Behind Your Touch’ to ‘Three Days’, the Actor Shows His Versatility in Different Genres

Lee Min Ki is a South Korean actor who has been captivating the viewers with his diverse roles in various genres. He is currently starring in the hit romance drama “Behind Your Touch” with Han Ji Min, where he plays a charismatic detective who falls in love with a veterinarian with psychometric powers.

(Photo : tvN Drama Official) He is also preparing for his big screen comeback with the occult film “Three Days” with Park Shin Yang, where he portrays a priest who tries to exorcise a devil that has possessed a young woman.

Lee Min Ki and Han Ji Min’s Chemistry in ‘Behind Your Touch’

‘Behind Your Touch’ Episode 10: Lee Min Ki’s Investigation Gets Complicated “Behind Your Touch” is a JTBC drama that airs every weekend at 10:30 p.m. KST. It is also available for worldwide viewers on Netflix. The drama tells the story of Yoon Jae In (Han Ji Min), a veterinarian who can read the memories of people and animals by touching them, and Kang Do Kyung (Lee Min Ki), a detective who is dedicated to solving crimes and protecting justice. The drama has been receiving rave reviews from the viewers for its thrilling plot, humorous scenes, and romantic chemistry between the leads. The drama has achieved an average rating of 6.7% in just six weeks, making it one of the most popular dramas of 2023.

(Photo : Lee Min Ki Official Instagram) Lee Min Ki has impressed the viewers with his transformation into a hot-blooded police officer who has great work ethics and a warm heart. He has shown his versatility as an actor by portraying different emotions and expressions depending on the situation. He has also displayed his chemistry with Han Ji Min, who is equally charming and talented as his co-star. The viewers have praised the couple for their natural and realistic acting, as well as their sweet and passionate moments. They have also expressed their anticipation for the upcoming episodes, as the drama is expected to reveal more secrets and twists.

(Photo : Lee Min Ki's Instagram) “Lee Min Ki and Han Ji Min are so good together. They make me feel butterflies in my stomach.” - A viewer comment “I love this drama so much. It’s funny, suspenseful, and romantic. Lee Min Ki is amazing as a detective. He’s so cool and handsome.” - Another viewer comment

Lee Min Ki’s Return to the Big Screen with ‘Three Days’

(Photo : JTBC Official Instagram) Lee Min Ki is not only active on the small screen, but also on the big screen. He is set to star in Showbox’s new occult film “Three Days” with Park Shin Yang, who is known for his roles in “Lovers in Paris” and "Money Flower". “Three Days” is a film that depicts a young woman’s resurrection three days after her funeral. However, it turns out that a devil has taken over her body and is ready to cause chaos and destruction. Lee Min Ki plays Father Kim, a priest who is determined to exorcise the evil spirit and save the people from danger.

(Photo : JTBC Drama Official) Lee Min Ki, Han Ji Min, EXO Suho The film has been in production since 2020, but it gained attention from the public in 2023 when it released its first teaser poster. The poster showed Lee Min Ki holding a cross and looking solemn, while Park Shin Yang looked menacing behind him. The film is expected to be released in the later half of 2023, and it will showcase Lee Min Ki’s ability to handle different genres and characters. The film will also be a challenge for him, as he will have to perform intense action scenes and deal with horror elements. “I’m looking forward to seeing Lee Min Ki in a horror movie. He’s such a versatile actor who can do anything.” - A fan comment “I’m curious about how Lee Min Ki and Park Shin Yang will work together. They are both great actors with different styles.” - Another fan comment

Conclusion

(Photo : JTBC Official Instagram) Lee Min Ki, Han Ji Min Lee Min Ki is an actor who has been showing his versatility in different genres and roles. He is currently enjoying success with his romance drama “Behind Your Touch” with Han Ji Min, where he plays a detective who falls in love with a veterinarian with psychometric powers. He is also preparing for his big screen comeback with the occult film “Three Days” with Park Shin Yang, where he plays a priest who tries to exorcise a devil that has possessed a young woman.

(Photo : JTBC Official Instagram) Lee Min KI Lee Min Ki has proven his talent and charisma as an actor, and he continues to challenge himself with new projects and genres. He is one of the most sought-after actors in the Korean entertainment industry, and he has a bright future ahead of him. What do you think about Lee Min Ki’s versatility as an actor? Have you seen “Behind Your Touch” yet? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below! Subscribe to IDOLS KPOP for exclusive updates and captivating content. Read the full article

#BehindYourTouch #LeeMinKi

[newstfionline]

Monday, May 1, 2023

Guam, where America’s next war may begin (Economist) “Where America’s day begins”, as Guam likes to sell itself, is also where a future American war with China may begin. This westernmost speck of America, just 30 miles (48km) long and with a population of about 170,000, helps it project power across the vast Pacific. As tension over Taiwan worsens, war games often predict early and sustained Chinese missile strikes on Guam. Startlingly, for such a vital military complex, Guam is only thinly defended. Its thaad missile-defence battery is not always switched on. It is in any case intended to parry only a limited attack from North Korea, not an onslaught from China. China makes no secret that Guam is in its cross-hairs. The df-26 missile, with a range of 4,000km, is commonly called the “Guam killer”. In 2020 a Chinese propaganda video depicted an h-6k bomber attacking an undisclosed air base: the satellite image was unmistakably of Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The vulnerability of Guam is belatedly getting attention in Washington, not least because successive heads of Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii, in charge of any future war with China, keep pleading for better protection.

Greener pastures? 2,500 hopeful sheep cross Idaho highway (AP) Why did 2,500 sheep cross the road? Because the grass was greener on the other side. In Idaho, it’s not unusual to see ranchers moving a bleating herd of sheep up to higher elevation at this time of year. But the sight of 2,500 wooly beasts trotting across a highway earlier this week brought a crowd about 300 people. Curious onlookers lined the road as the animals sheepishly entered the highway, guided by ranchers and steered by sheepdogs. They traveled up the road a little ways, the fluffy white herd obscuring the yellow-painted centerline amid a chorus of “baas” and the lead ewe’s jangling bell. Leaving the open road behind, they will journey through the sagebrush-dotted foothills for a few weeks to their summer home in the Boise National Forest. This trip up to higher elevations is a tradition dating back around 100 years, the Boise-area TV station reported, and having the sheep graze in the forest helps prevent fires and invigorates plant growth.

Key nations sit out U.S. standoff with Russia, China, leaks show (Washington Post) President Biden’s global agenda faces significant challenges as major developing nations seek to evade the intensifying standoff between the United States, Russia and China and, in some cases, exploit that rivalry for their own gain, classified American intelligence assessments show. The documents, among a trove of U.S. secrets leaked online through the Discord messaging platform, provide a rare glimpse into the private calculations by key emerging powers, including India, Brazil, Pakistan and Egypt, as they attempt to straddle allegiances in an era when America is no longer the world’s unchallenged superpower. Matias Spektor, a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said developing nations are recalibrating at a moment when America faces potent new competition, as China projects new economic and military clout and Russia, though weakened by President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, demonstrates its ability to deflect Western pressure. “It’s unclear who will end up in a pole position in 10 years’ time, so they need to diversify their risk and hedge their bets,” Spektor said. The Biden administration has told those countries that it is not asking them to pick sides between the United States on one hand and China and Russia on the other, a message that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stressed in his travels. But nations including South Africa and Colombia bridle at what they see as an implicit choice.

Details revealed about King Charles III’s coronation service (AP) It will be a coronation of many faiths and many languages. King Charles III, keen to show that he can be a unifying figure for everyone in the United Kingdom, will be crowned in a ceremony that will for the first time include the active participation of faiths other than the Church of England. Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh leaders will take part in various aspects of the coronation, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s office said Saturday, as it revealed details of a service it described as an act of Christian worship that will reflect contemporary society. The ceremony also will include female bishops for the first time, as well as hymns and prayers sung in Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic, as well as English.

Spain, Portugal swelter as April temperature records broken (Reuters) Mainland Spain and Portugal have broken temperature records for April, as the Iberian neighbours swelter in an early-season heatwave that has exacerbated a long drought in some regions. Spain’s southern city of Cordoba registered 38.8 Celsius (101.8 Fahrenheit) at its airport on Thursday. In neighbouring Portugal, the temperature in the central town of Mora reached 36.9 C, breaking the record of 36.0 C set in April 1945, its weather agency said. Temperatures started dropping on Friday in Portugal but the heatwave persisted in parts of Spain.

They Refused to Fight for Russia. The Law Did Not Treat Them Kindly. (NYT) An officer in the Federal Guard Service, which is responsible for protecting Russian President Vladimir Putin, decided last fall to avoid fighting in Ukraine by sneaking across the southern border into Kazakhstan. The officer, Maj. Mikhail Zhilin, disguised himself as a mushroom picker, wearing camouflage and carrying a couple of small bottles of cognac so that he could douse himself and then act drunk and disoriented if he encountered the Russian border patrol. In the dark, the lean, fit major navigated across the forested frontier without incident, but he was arrested on the other side. “He had these romantic notions when he first began his military-academic studies,” his wife said, "but everything soured when the war started.” Zhilin is among the hundreds of Russian men who faced criminal charges for becoming war refuseniks since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. In 2022, 1,121 people were convicted of evading mandatory military conscription, according to statistics from Russia’s Supreme Court, compared with an average of around 600 in more recent years. In addition, criminal cases have been initiated against more than 1,000 soldiers, mostly for abandoning their units. In theory, Russian law allows for conscientious objectors performing alternative service, but it is rarely granted.

Tense face-off: Philippines confronts China over sea claims (AP) A Chinese coast guard ship blocked a Philippine patrol vessel steaming into a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, causing a frightening near-collision in the latest act of Beijing’s aggression in the strategic waterway. The high seas face-off April 23 between the larger Chinese ship and the Philippine coast guard’s BRP Malapascua near Second Thomas Shoal was among the tense moments it and another Philippine vessel encountered in a weeklong sovereignty patrol in one of the world’s most hotly contested waterways. The disputed shoal is about 194 kilometers (121 miles) west of the Philippine island province of Palawan.

Sudan crisis risks becoming a nightmare for the world—former PM Hamdok (BBC) Sudan’s former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has warned that the conflict in his country could become worse than those in Syria and Libya. The fighting between the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would be a “nightmare for the world” if it continued, he said. “This is a huge country, very diverse ... I think it will be a nightmare for the world,” he said. “This is not a war between an army and small rebellion. It is almost like two armies—well trained and well armed.” Mr Hamdok—who served as prime minister twice between 2019 and 2022—added that the insecurity could become worse than the civil wars in Syria and Libya. Those wars have led to hundreds of thousands of deaths, created millions of refugees and caused instability in the wider regions. Both factions fear losing power in Sudan, partly because on both sides there are men who could end up at the International Criminal Court for war crimes committed in the Darfur region almost 20 years ago.

A listener’s openness reveals a culture of giving (CSM) There’s a prevailing narrative in Western media about much of the African continent. It’s one of instability and perpetual want, of resources awaiting plunder by outsiders, of self-determination only in pockets. That misses a lot. For the Monitor, contributor Nick Roll delivered a counternarrative: a story of generosity and agency. Through an international aid organization, he learned of an effort in the village of Chadakori, Niger, to integrate refugees fleeing political violence in neighboring Nigeria. It isn’t a perfect arrangement, says Nick. “But then at the same time, everyone I talked to, they didn’t regret opening their doors, opening their villages to these refugees,” Nick says. “You know, if you go out looking for stories of death and destruction, you’re going to find them,” he says. “If you go looking for these stories of resilience or generosity amid really harsh conditions, people will recognize what you’re doing. People are aware of how they’ve been portrayed [before] ... and they trust somebody who is looking to do something differently.”

#headlines #news

[mad4india1]

Trash Into Treasure: 60-Year-Old Transforms 200 kg Of E-Waste Into Artistic Masterpieces, Sells Globally

Who is Vishwanath Mallabadi Davangere?

Eco-Artist Transforms Trash into Treasure : Meet Vishwanath Mallabadi Davangere, the Retired Wipro Exec Turned Master of Recycling. This Bangalore-based artist has a unique talent for turning discarded items into stunning works of art.

Who is Vishwanath Mallabadi Davangere?

Trash Into Treasure!

Making Art Out of Tech Waste

500+ Eco Art Out Of E-Waste

Trash Into Treasure!

With India facing a growing e-waste crisis, producing 10.1 lakh tonnes in 2019-20 with only 22.7% recycled, Vishwanath’s passion for recycling is more important than ever.

He focuses on retrieving items such as copper, gold, and multi-coloured wires, keyboards, and computer components that are useful based on their texture, color, and form.

This approach allows him to effectively utilize materials that would otherwise be discarded and contribute to the growing issue of e-waste.

Growing up, Vishwanath’s father was a renowned sculptor and painter, but he had hopes of his son becoming a doctor. But Vishwanath had other ideas. He was fascinated with upcycling second-hand objects from a young age, and decided to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Applied Art.

Even as a high-level executive at Wipro, working in Talent Transformation, Vishwanath couldn’t shake his passion for eco-art. In his free time and on the weekends, he devoted himself to experimenting with e-waste and creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

Now, he’s living proof that turning a hobby into a business can lead to a fulfilling and exciting career!

Making Art Out of Tech Waste

Vishwanath is a master of turning tech trash into treasure! He takes apart everything from computers and laptops, to data cards and even medical devices, and transforms them into works of art.

It all started as a fun hobby – making little animals out of scrap gadgets. But as he learned more about the harm e-waste was causing to the environment, he took his art to the next level, creating murals and sculptures that spread awareness about this pressing issue.

And the best part? It’s now turned into a successful business! After retiring two years ago, Vishwanath started selling his unique eco-art pieces and has built a global following, with buyers from Europe, the Netherlands, the US, and even Delhi.

From computer keyboard keys to resistors and even wristwatch parts, Vishwanath has transformed over 500 pieces of e-waste into stunning pieces of art! This eco-artist’s talent knows no bounds as he transforms trash into treasure with his visionary imagination and skilled hands.

500+ Eco Art Out Of E-Waste

He has created a six-foot-tall sculpture, a portrait of business tycoon Azim Premji, eco-jewellery, and even wearable art for a fashion show. Each piece is unique, crafted with care, and made from items that would otherwise end up in landfills.

The process of upcycling is not for the faint-hearted, but Vishwanath takes on the challenge with passion and determination. He carefully examines each item of e-waste, looking at its texture, shape, color and more, before conceptualizing the final product.

Turning trash into treasure! That’s the magic of Vishwanath’s art. In just a few short minutes, he can turn scraps of e-waste into stunning pieces of jewelry. But, when it comes to sculptures, the process might take weeks or even months. But it’s all worth it because sustainable initiatives and upcycled art are all the rage these days.

Companies everywhere are looking to adopt a more sustainable culture, and Vishwanath’s art is the perfect addition to any eco-friendly office or home.

He’s not only an eco-artist, but also a published author, with a paper about upcycling for sustainable living that was published by Springer Nature, Singapore in 2020. And the eco-artist is just getting started!

Currently, he’s working on a massive 20×30 foot public art installation that’s sure to turn heads. Using discarded parts of mobile phones, remote controls, and calculators, this work of art will showcase just how much beauty can be created from what some might consider “trash.”

And that’s not all, Vishwanath is also working on a mural installation and 3D sculpture that he hopes to showcase in the Bengaluru metro.

#mad4india #Trash Into Treasure

[alexandreawinstone]

Day 3

MARNIE SERRE

For our group task we were given the brand Marine Serre to research, we had around 40 mins to research their main key factors of how they identify themselves as a brand.  These include vision and purpose, brand identity, customer, price, place, promotion, product, and packaging, these are the main fundamentals that make a brand complete and effective.  After this task we will use these fundamentals to use for our own brand, we will start to gather the ideas we already have and finalise in depth our overall point of sales.

Vision and Purpose

Marine Serre has a strong innovation for sustainability, recycling, and upcycling, designing clothes from regenerated materials and sustainable fibres such as biodegradable yarns.  “Her vision is to challenge the fashion system”, using deadstock and reused materials have a place in the luxury fashion industry.  50% of her collections are composed of upcycled products.

Brand Identity

The clothing she creates are inspired by identity, fluidity, and diversity. She is well known for her iconic crescent moon print, sportswear fabrications and couture shapes.  The simple crescent moon logo is effective because it is easy for the consumer to remember meaning her brand is identified as that logo.  Also, many believe that a spiritual moon will bring luck and will bring you magical dreams. Specifically, a crescent moon was known to symbolize womanhood, fertility, intuitiveness, psyche, and empowerment.  Many brands do have a meaning behind there logo.   I think that for our brand we need to consider a logo that is simple and easy to identify, but it still needs to show what our brand is about. 

Customer

The consumer is both male and female, but with a focus of female garments, consumers have a luxury style and love patterns.  The styles of the garments show that the consumer is around the age range of early 20s to early 30s, however looking at the price tag of the garments it targets consumers with a larger income.  After doing some research I have noticed that young adults are either wealthy or have a large social media following. 

Price

The price of the product is on the luxury side of the market, meaning people with higher incomes can only afford to purchase these items with ease.  These products range from £100 – £600 depending on the type of garment.

Product

The brand’s main selling point is clothing for both men and women, but they also sell underwear, accessories like bags and shoes.  However, the brand it not ethical even though they are envisioned as a sustainable brand, the materials are not animal friendly as they still use fabrics such as wool and leather, which is not organic.  The products are produced from multiple countries such as Spain, Portugal, France, Bulgaria, Turkey, Italy, Hong Kong.  All products are inspired by patterns and patch work, with a vary of colours ranging from bright to dark.  

Place

The brand has an online consumer as well as an in-store consumer, the brand is in many luxury department stores like Selfridges however they do not have a store even though they are an independent brand.  Marine Serre sales grew 95% from 2019 – 2020 and in the same year they launched there website to have an in-depth product information and archive pieces which are searchable by material.  The business grew 30% in 2021.

Promotion

For promotion, the brand rarely uses public marketing and opts for celebrity influences, online marketing using social platforms and doing collaborations with brands like Jimmy Choo. They do get a lot of promotion from magazines at the time of fashion week, reports of the catwalk will be published online or in the latest edition of the magazine.

Packaging

For packaging as the brand is mainly based in department stores, majority of the time they will use the department stores packaging instead of their own unless they have their own boutique within the store itself.  For example, of the garments were purchased in Selfridges, the store will use the bright yellow bag with black bold writing to package up the items to advertise the store.  With online purchases, the packaging is slightly different, and it will come in its own luxury white box, a dust bag with the brands logo with tissue paper and a care card for the item.  This is because the brand wants to make the online purchase feel personal and luxury.  With the vision of being a sustainable brand of recycling, the packaging also must vouch for the same vision and the packaging must be recyclable as well.

[perryhedge]

japanese update dec 2022

I tend to just vomit up walls of text on Discord about this stuff, especially since it doesn't really go anywhere usually and I just need to talk it out and set some things in order, but every once in a while I remember I have this Tumblr. i mostly use it for talking about anime and manga I guess, but there's no reason why it has to be that.

So, after two months of basically taking it easy in a sense and not tracking any of my study, I'm now getting kind of sick of that. I like having goals, seeing my progress in hours, and generally watching Number Go Up. It was nice to take a break, especially since I've been essentially tracking religiously since May 2020 or so, but I think that break is over and I'm ready to take things seriously again.

I know from my experience with French that maintenance of a language (at least for input skills, not output) becomes much easier the higher your level. I can still watch a French Youtube video (even sometimes at 1.25x speed every once in a while like I do in English -- I have recently been told I am a psychopath for doing this, but I know people do it for audiobooks and such), or read a book, even though I stopped immersing every day starting in March. I do want to get back into it again, with a book club reading L'elegance du herisson. Anyway, so basically my goal with Japanese is to kind of go at it seriously for a shorter period of time before tapering off, rather than being more casually immersed in it over a longer period of time. It just helps with my motivation. I tend to binge things and respond well to goal-oriented stuff.

So, because I'm a maniac, I basically went in to my old spreadsheet (stopped at Sep 30) and cross-checked with Learn Natively and Anilist to fill in an approximation of how much anime and manga I read. No idea about Youtube, but it's a good enough estimate. Apparently I've crossed 2 million characters, and 800 hours total (including study and immersion).

So where to go from here. Well I already decided this month I would focus on reducing my backlog, since I started like 10 different shows, and some of them are quite long. I also decided I would finish Pandora Hearts, which is a long-ish manga. I read the first volume last night, I liked it well enough but I don't know if I'm totally sold just yet, or at least not sold enough to binge it like I've done with some manga. I read half of Chainsaw Man in one day. I might push my way through it still, though.

So yeah, next year I want to be a little bit more intentional about working hard to improve my Japanese ability. I think just a bit of extra effort will be worth it for me. I don't think what I currently do is unsustainable -- I put in about a half an hour into study (kanji and vocab SRS), then just watch and read what I want to, and I'm still improving since I have so much more to learn. But I learned this with French, too. I was improving way more when I was actively challenging myself, and spending at least some time doing things that took a little bit of effort. Not so much that I wasn't having fun at all, but just that extra bit of effort was really good.

So in terms of my listening ability. I think I'll just stick with anime, honestly, for the time being. I do need stronger listening ability eventually, and for that I plan to go into movies or other scripted live-action content. But at the moment I still don't even really understand easier unscripted content like streams 100%, let alone most anime, because of my vocab limits. It's good to train general listening ability at the same time as vocab, but I think it might honestly burn me out unnecessarily to have to deal with films right now. I am not interested in dramas, they seem mostly to be in genres I don't find interesting, and it wouldn't be something I would normally watch. So for the moment, listening will not be my focus any more than it already is. I'm not setting any strict goals, but maybe I'll set an easy weekly minimum just to ensure I'm getting some listening practice as I put in the hours to improve my vocab and grammar through reading.

The lack of middle-level content that I find compelling is kind of an issue I have with my reading as well. Obviously, difficult ranges widely in a medium or even a genre. But generally, I'd expect manga to be pretty much the easiest thing you can read, followed by light novels and then finally novels. Within novels you can probably make a similar distinction to what we have in the anglosphere, between genre fiction and literary fiction. Not a perfect distinction, but again, talking in generalities. So if I wasn't such a stubborn person I'd try to work my way up from manga (which is 100% of what I read now, and I'm getting kind of okay at it at least with furigana) to light novels, the next easiest thing. But here's the thing. I really, really, do not like light novels. I find them boring and irritating. And I really do want to emphasize that I am being stubborn here. I'm sure I could find stuff that is at least enjoyable. But, I just want to jump directly to literature. I don't even think I particularly would care for genre fiction written for adults (if such a distinction exists and if that is even much of a genre different from light novels, which seem more like what we'd call YA).

So here's my dilemma. I said I would put more effort into doing things that aren't necessarily what I love to do, in the name of improving. But I don't think I can overcome the intermediate plateau by suitably "leveling up" to intermediate level difficulty content (as opposed to the easier stuff I immerse with now, kids' anime and shoujo/shounen manga) since I just don't find it interesting. I'm not even in the intermediate plateau yet but of course since I'm incredibly neurotic I'm already worrying about this.

So here's my solution. Next year, or whenever I finish Pandora hearts, I'm going to set a very minimal goal of pushing myself 30 minutes a day with actually challenging content. I might work up through difficulty levels on Natively, and just force myself through a couple of light novels if I feel in the mood to do so. Or, I might just dive into literature and push through it. I've looked into literary prizes which might be a good start for contemporary literature, which I'd imagine is easier than classical stuff or even older stuff for kids (I tried reading Night on the Galactic Railroad once, by the way -- way too hard at the time). I also follow a French Youtuber who reads a lot of Asian literature and might be a good place to look for recommendations. A few days ago I looked at the Japanese Wikipedia pages and skimmed some synopses, and I found some that actually sounded interesting and like something I would actually read, moreso than pretty much any light novel I've found. And I could actually understand these synopses, sometimes. So I think that's where I'll go next.

So in conclusion, I won't be changing anything drastically this year most likely. I'm still kind of focusing on life stuff, too. But starting the end of this year or perhaps 2023, I'll try to seriously improve my reading ability, and as a result I imagine I'll be bumping up my SRS to something like 10 vocab cards a day.

800 hours is nothing to sneeze at. I feel like I've made a lot of progress. But it's still the beginning. I want to seriously get to a level where pretty much any normal anime/manga (which is most of what I expect to be using Japanese for) is comprehensible at like a 99% vocab coverage level. That'll take some effort, but it's doable. It just requires me to either keep at this the way I am for years (like...3+ years maybe, just a wild estimate), or really put in the work to always be immersing with harder and harder material and look things up more often like I did with French (in which case I might be at least at a N1 level at the two year mark). I feel ready to commit to the latter, at least where I'm at now.

Really, I truly believe that after a certain point (which I'm past) language learning is all about how many hours of immersion you get. At least, for me. I can do some skill building here and there, maybe brush up on grammar but there's a limit to how effective that can be. Every time I look into that stuff I'm disappointed at how shallow the pool of language in learner resources is compared to what I care about, which is the pool of language that people use to communicate -- and that includes slang, in-jokes, memes, cultural background, history, and tons of other stuff that comes up naturally in natural communication but rarely in artificial communication. So, in terms of hours, where do I want to be in a month? In a year? Well, I'm not going to count the SRS time because that's not a goal -- it's not like I'm willing to put in any more or less than 30 minutes a day, so it makes no sense to make goals around it. Right now, I have ~575 hours of immersion (just an estimate). I can probably get that to around 650 by the end of the year. So I think around 1500 hours (about 140 minutes a day) or even 1750 hours (3 hours a day) are not too unreasonable goals for 2023. And maybe if I'm still feeling up to it, I'll continue to commit seriously in 2024. But at this point, there's no point in theorycrafting so far ahead.

#japanese

[innovativeresilience]

For Black-owned businesses, concerns extend beyond inflation, supply chain issues--NBC

Sept. 20, 2022, 2:16 PM EDT / Updated Sept. 21, 2022, 10:42 AM EDT

By Curtis Bunn and Claretta Bellamy

When Keith Millner, wife Charmaine and two of their friends decided to open a Jersey Mike’s Subs sandwich shop in Atlanta in 2019, they had no idea they would end up working behind the counter.

Their doors opened in November 2020, during the heart of the Covid pandemic. When businesses started reopening in July 2021, the nature of commerce had changed — and Black businesses felt the reverberations. For this group at Jersey Mike’s, part of the work became finding dedicated workers post-pandemic. With little to no options, they were forced to don aprons and hats and roll up their sleeves.

“It’s either that or close the business,” said Millner, a former commercial banker who now coaches individuals and organizations on corporate culture, public speaking and other areas. “We were trained on every aspect of the business. So, yeah, we ran the counter, made sandwiches, worked the grill, ordered inventory — whatever it took. And we still do.”

A recent study of small business owners by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that inflation and supply chain issues are the top challenges entrepreneurs face today. However, Black business owners, like Millner and Co., face other unique hurdles that are specific to the Black community.

Unlike their white counterparts, Black businesses deal with systemic racism — a fact highlighted in a study on the government’s Payment Protection Program (PPP). The study shows that there are structural inequities “built-in to the administration of the program, the application process, and the fee structure.” Additionally, Black businesses often encounter racism and discrimination when securing bank financing, which leads to them having difficulties acquiring loans.

There has also been a massive increase of Black workers wanting flexibility instead of working traditional 9-to-6 schedules, leading to labor shortages, according to a study by Future Forum. 

A Future Forum/Slack survey of 5,448 workers found that 83% of Black workers want a flexible working schedule to create a work-life balance, which creates a labor shortage for Black business owners serving the Black community, especially in the service industry. Millner’s Jersey Mike’s in Atlanta is located in an area with a largely Black demographic and workforce. Millner and his corporate executive co-partners Charmaine Ward, Eric Harrison and Nicole Williams say these stats coincide with their ongoing staffing issues. 

“Their freedom and flexibility in their schedule are more important to them than a regular paycheck,” Millner said of many young Black workers he has employed. “And so, they will drive Uber or Lyft. They will take the occasional odd job or they’ll go work for a moving company for a day or two or they’ll take four roommates so that they can split their rent. They’re making a lot of different choices from a lifestyle standpoint. And it impacts business.” 

The challenge of securing funding

The Chamber of Commerce study said that 85% of small business owners say they are concerned about the impact of inflation on their business, up from 74% last quarter. One in three small business owners call inflation their highest concern and 67% of them have raised prices in response to inflation. Those concerns weigh heavily on Black-owned businesses, too. But the biggest hurdle is finding those willing to finance their business.  

Maya Barfield, a veterinarian who owns Willow Brook Animal Hospital in Dallas, was astounded and deflated when, despite having pristine credit and attempting to purchase an established successful business, she and her husband were refused bank loans.

“You put together a great portfolio and it’s not enough,” Barfield said. “A process that should take 30 to 45 days took us six months. It was exhausting. Our white counterparts who are on equal footing had no such problems.”

She and her husband, a pharmaceutical company executive, had to use programs such as Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)’s Black Economic Development Fund to secure the resources to procure their business.

This concern is unique to Black entrepreneurs. A number of studies and organizations point out various discrepancies in lending practices, all of them pointing to Black entrepreneurs being denied at an exponentially higher rate than non-Blacks. The Federal Reserve found that over half of Black business owners were rejected for bank loans, which is twice the rate compared to white business owners.

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s flagship 7(a) program decreased loans to Black businesses by 35% in 2020, the largest drop in lending to any race or ethnic group tracked by the agency.

Millner and Co. had a curious experience when attempting to open their Jersey Mike’s restaurant. They received two approval letters from major banks. But days before closing, they were told they could not be funded.

“We have A-1 credit—all of us,” he said. “We had purchased equipment and the initial inventory, signed a 10-year lease and hired people. And then we had to scramble.

 “I used to be a banker, so I know the drill. This was not a common practice, approving someone and then pulling the offer just before closing.”

Many Black businesses, the Brookings Institute’s report said, had greater luck pursuing loans from non mainstream banks. NPR reported that Savannah, Georgia’s Black-owned Carver State Bank helped many Black businesses that were denied loans from mainstream banks, issuing $9 million in PPP loans within a five-month period. 

But all PPP loans have not been beneficial to Black-owned businesses. The Center for Responsible Lending stated some of those challenges in their report.

“The Paycheck Protection Program continues to be disadvantageous to smaller businesses, businesses owned by people of color, and businesses without employees. PPP loans can be forgiven if the business is able to use the funds for eligible expenses within eight weeks of receiving the loan,” the report read. “This requirement makes it challenging, particularly for very small businesses, to ensure loans are forgiven rather than converted into long-term debt.”

Non-Black support has dwindled

Black-owned businesses were energized by the response to the Black Lives Matter-led social justice movement of 2020. Inspired by the cause and frustrated with long-standing inequities that were on full display when George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, BLM helped ignite a push to support Black-owned businesses. There was no data to support the uptick in sales that owners say they initially felt, but anecdotally, they contend there was a boost once businesses reopened after the pandemic-forced shut down.

According to NBC Bay Area, searches for “Black-owned businesses near me” peaked in June 2020, with companies like Yelp making it easier for people to find and support Black-owned businesses, per data from Google.

That meant non-Black patrons were on the support train, too. “I felt it and I saw it,” said Mel Banks, who was shopping for a birthday gift for his wife last week at The New Black Wall Street in Stonecrest, Georgia, about 17 miles east of Atlanta. It is a mall that has more than 100 shops and restaurants — all Black-owned.

Over time, though, the enthusiasm for the BLM push diminished. And as BLM the movement quieted, so did support.

Tremaine Jasper, owner and editor of PhxSoul.com, a website that lists events and has a Phoenix-area Black-owned business directory, said he benefited from the social justice movement and community effort to support Black-owned business. He said he received up to 10,000 views in one day, when he usually had 13,000 a month. His website was promoted on mainstream media outlets, including rapper Jay-Z’s Roc Nation.

While traffic on his website has slightly dipped since then, Jasper said that he also witnessed a decline in revenue for advertising and grant funding opportunities, which were much more promoted to entrepreneurs and made available during the pandemic. He said it is difficult to pinpoint the cause for the decline, but noted one factor could be from a decline of media coverage highlighting Black-owned businesses.

“I think that PhxSoul.com has probably dropped off in the minds of people who don’t regularly visit the website,” he said.

The same can be said for salon owner Nikia Londy, who runs Intriguing Hair, a wig and hair extension shop in Boston. She said that during the height of the social justice movement, corporations and financial institutions pledged to support Black-owned businesses. However, two years later, Londy, 37, said she doesn’t “really see where that has gone.”

Alternative options for Black businesses 

This helped small business owners like Londy, who faced major financial challenges both during and post-pandemic. Aside from struggling to make payroll during the government shutdown, and having her store looted during the 2020 protests, Londy was denied a business loan from her bank of 10 years. Londy said her bank’s rejection “didn’t make sense,” and as a result was grateful for the alternative funding options like the ones LISC provided.

The salon owner eventually received two $10,000 grants, one from Verizon’s Small Business Digital Ready program through LISC and another from PayPal through the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, a program that provides capital and services to help underprivileged communities. Through LISC’s digital accelerator program, she also was able to hire three college interns from the Hult International School of Business, who worked on a digital marketing campaign for Intriguing Hair and helped increase customer traffic to the salon.

LISC also works with many major banks and insurance companies, and public and private foundations that invest in communities of color. Hall, who leads LISC’s small business and commercial lending, said the organization works with partners and foundations to decrease down payment risks for borrowers. The normal down payment risk for commercial real estate averages around 10-20% for borrowers, Hall said, but his organization lowers it to between 3 to 5% for borrowers.

Hall advises Black businesses to consider certain industries, like professional services, in which they have a better chance at being successful. Hall says that Black-owned businesses need to be in more sectors and should reflect the community needs. He cites “The Jeffersons,” a popular 1970s Black sitcom centered on a Black man who built wealth as a dry cleaners owner as an example of a business endeavor that Black people embraced.

“In the ’70s and ’80s, African Americans … we dominated the dry-cleaning business nationally,” Hall said. He said that’s not the case anymore, adding that Black American likely “didn’t see the value in it.” 

Now, Jasper is focused on the solutions. He said it’s also important for Black business owners to understand the value of partnering with other Black-owned businesses: “Let’s work on our strengths and weaknesses and try to present a good opportunity.”

CORRECTION (Sept. 21, 2022, 10:42 a.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated the year Keith Millner opened up his Jersey Mike’s Subs sandwich shop in Atlanta. It was 2020, not 2019.

[reviewolf]

#Videnton #VidentonReview #VideoMarketing

[inputanimeoutput]

30 Day Anime Challenge (2020 Edition) || Day #23

One of the more visually stunning and narratively profound anime that I’ve watched in the recent years is Terror in Resonance.

This series doesn’t get as much credit as it probably deserves.  The story is absolutely wonderful, and I haven’t really seen many other anime that compare.  However,  I’m using this series in a discussion about animation, so I’ll put my praise of the story aside for now.

Visually, however, Terror in Resonance is stunning.  It hits both the “beautiful” and “unique” animation for this question.  There are many beautiful sequences of animation within this anime--the water-play scene, the motorcycle ride, the tears--and all of them are just so striking. 

At the same time, the series makes some incredibly unique choices when it comes to its animation style.  The animation is both very realistic and somehow still very disconnected from reality.  The realism makes a major impact considering the type of narrative and serves in making the most terrifying and horrifying moments even more poignant because of how real they seem.  At the same time, the moments that are very disconnected from reality are served by animation that is stretched and warped in a way that serves that narrative dissonance well.

Terror in Resonance might not be the most beautiful anime I’ve seen, but it’s animation sticks out and serves answering this question well.

#Terror in Resonance #Zankyou no Terror #30 Day Anime Challenge (2020) #IAO 30 Day Anime Challenge #30 Day Anime Challenge

[cercasinomeworld]

30 Days Hairstyle Challenge

Day 20 - Sided hair character(s): Ayaka Kamine - Ayame Sohma

(Shit. I love him.)

#30 days hairstyle challenge #30 days challenge #anime challenge #challenge #anime #anime characters #sided hair #sided hair character #tsuredure children #tsurezure children #ayaka kamine #fruits basket #fruits basket 2019 #fruits basket 2020 #ayame sohma

[thewaywardcasgirl]

Day_21 cheese

Monterey Jack from chip and dale rescue rangers! He was my favorite rodent growing up and the way he went crazy upon smelling and floated towards the cheese 😂💗

@peanutbutterandgrapejelly

#watercolor painting #30 days of watercolor #june 2020 #june challenge #watercolor #dylan paints #cheese #monterey jack #chip and dale #disney fanart #disney tv animation #disney tv show #favorite tv shows #cartoon #my art