#I’m sick of editing AP content

[oddygaul]

Scavengers Reign

Holy shit, good western animation that’s not comedy and actually has a focus on aesthetics, setting and craft??

Seriously, I still can’t believe something like Scavengers Reign got made. This feels like a student thesis film you’d see on Vimeo, not a full 12-episode series with a healthy production schedule.

I loved this show. The artstyle is a clear rip of Moebius, but that’s… fucking sick? I mean, given how little that style has been successfully adapted for animation, I’m all for it, especially when it’s done with this much care and skill. Seriously, some of the longer environments shots could genuinely pass for later Moebius illustrations. The colors are also gorgeous throughout, managing to make each biome feel distinct (and thus sell how far our characters have traveled) while maintaining a consistent, muted vibe over the course of the story.

The star of the show, obviously, is the ecology and creature design. Even with no added context, the designs are all very cool, from the little rolling polyps we see everywhere to the stampeding ungulates. But the thing that sets this show apart is the clear ecological niche we’re shown for each species. Nearly every creature we see, we learn something about: their source of food, their natural predators, the unique behavior they’ve adapted to thrive in their environment. And the comparison to nature documentaries doesn’t just stop there - they even directly ape the style, editing and content of documentaries, like when the show focuses on territorial disputes between members of the same species, or highlights a predator taking advantage of its prey’s weakest moments to strike.

Some of my particular favorite ideas: 1. All of the various white-coated creatures near Azi’s desert encampment that blend seamlessly into the spires for camouflage 2. The seafaring creatures sucking up their young for protection during the lightning storm, and the parasites that come in to gorge themselves while they’re defenseless 3. The fact that the little Grey-looking gecko-apes (Hollow’s species), given their intelligence and powerful telekinesis, could clearly become apex predators and take on prey many times their size… but instead use their hypnosis to force other species to get food for them, because it takes way less energy expenditure. That’s nature, baby!

The show definitely drags a bit around the halfway point. The start of the story is explosive, as we follow the viewpoints of 3 different groups of survivors and their drastically different situations. The character dynamics are great in the beginning - Ursula and Sam’s early mastery of the wildlife during their expeditions, Azi’s reticence contrasted with Levi’s developing personality, and the slow horror that unfolds as Kamen is taken in by Hollow. For the first few episodes, we have no idea where things will end up, and it’s exciting watching things play out.

By the midpoint, we’ve basically lost Kamen’s point of view, as his arc is put on ice until the end of the show, so we’re just bouncing back and forth between Sam & Ursula’s perspective, and the group Azi finds herself falling in with. Sam & Ursula’s narrative feels like it gets stuck in a rut here, as Sam gets infected with two different parasites back to back; I really feel like they should’ve committed to one (preferably the plot thread about the previous survivor) rather than trying to land the same emotional beat twice in a row. On Azi’s side, while I understand what they were going for with Kris and the other newcomers, their story never really got compelling for me. Scavengers’ strength is the planet and its bizarre alien life. Levi, with their dawning sentience and growing connection to the natural world, really fits into those themes; replacing that with a ‘Humans were the real monsters scavengers all along!’ subplot is a tough sell, especially when the characters driving it are about as charismatic as a puddle and have some of the most awkward acting / writing in the show.

There’s even some form issues in the middle section. In classic anime fashion, the visuals take a bit of a hit; there’s less standout background work in the 2nd act, and the character animation suffers at times. I also found the editing distracting in this section; with only two points of view to go between, the constant cutting between the A and B plot started to feel artificial and distracting. Also, since we more or less have an idea of how the stories are going to come together by this point, there’s a sense of inevitability to the proceedings.

Fortunately, things come back together in the end; Ursula leaving Sam behind is every bit as bittersweet as it should be, Levi’s resurrection by the planet-flowers is fascinating, and the sequence where Hollow is returned to its natural self, courtesy of a Levi-supplied Total Perspective Vortex, is just goddamn gorgeous. Seriously, if anything can become iconic anymore in the constantly shifting hell that is today’s media landscape, it’s this breathtaking animated montage of life germinating and evolving on Vesta. Well, that and the buckwild life-to-death flower pollination sequence in episode 3. Fully expecting to see those posted as captures on random forums one, five, ten years from now.

Here’s hoping for season two, or anything more from this creative team! They can’t leave us hanging with the fuckin Imperium of Man showing up at the end like that, can they?

#will's media thoughts / virtual brain repository #shows #scavengers reign

[yvesdot]

yves.’S 2020 YEAR IN REVIEW

(2018) (2019)

(view the image in highest quality here!)

A look at something I wrote every month in 2020. All of the above excerpts can be read in order at this link, and below I’ve noted a little on where I was each month and why I chose each piece. In short: I greatly improved my writing schedule, spent a lot of time writing a novel, and edited the front half of Forest Castles.

JANUARY - THE ONE AND ONLY UNIVERSE OF KAY RAINIER (unpublished)

I discussed beginning KAY last year in 2019′s Year in Review, and this year I wrote it for three months straight. Every day I would write for at least 15 minutes, usually more; the project’s at about 70k right now.

FEBRUARY - THE ONE AND ONLY UNIVERSE OF KAY RAINIER (unpublished)

Unfortunately, I didn’t have a set time for writing, so I’d consistently push ‘daily’ writing off until 5:30 AM the next day. My sleep schedule tanked, and I got sick with a mystery illness.

MARCH - THE ONE AND ONLY UNIVERSE OF KAY RAINIER (unpublished)

I struggled a lot to function like a normal human being due to my terrible sleep schedule. I’m sorry to be such a downer! It gets better in the next month, I promise. I did write some wonderful scenes here. 

APRIL - So Easily ($5 on Patreon)

I prioritized my sleep schedule, deciding to use Camp NaNo as a break from daily writing. I expected to begin again in May, but knew I wouldn’t force myself to write at all this month in favor of fixing my sleep schedule. Curiously, despite that, I wrote So Easily, a short story about Constantine and his (late) wife, Julia. 

MAY - Exhaustively (read online)

You may remember Exhaustively from quite a while back. I’m working on editing it again so that I can send a bound physical version to a beloved Patron. It’s incredibly hard, because I love the version I posted online! And that, of course, is still available to read. During this month I didn’t write very much, again prioritizing sleep.

JUNE - The Traveler Wife (read online)

I won the Reedsy contest with a short story that hit me out of nowhere about the Twin Paradox and escapism in difficult times. Many people have left wonderful comments; I’m glad that this work managed to reach such a wide audience. 

JULY - If Lespere Had Just Done Her Fucking Job Then Maybe This Wouldn’t Have Happened (But She Didn’t So Donnelly Hooked Up With An Alien) (unpublished)

Running down on an impossible deadline, I wrote a science fiction alien romance short story in three days. This, of course, is not that; it’s a largely better science fiction alien romance story I wrote after having a fascinating dream. It’s not yet finished, and as the name implies, it will be NSFW. Technically this counted for my miscellaneous Camp NaNo challenge (25k), which I’m confident I hit, but I forgot to update the widget on the site. Whoops.

AUGUST - Your Father’s Son ($1 on Patreon)

I had this immense, sudden urge to write a short story about a younger Kay for my Patrons. After all, when I’m not posting much from my longer projects, it can be hard to get a feel for the characters, and I owed my incredible Patreon supporters some truly special content-- not just this story, but an explanation of every edit I made from beginning to end, plus a bonus AP Lit-ready analysis of the piece as a whole.

SEPTEMBER - I Went To The Hospital To Get Tested for COVID (unpublished)

Came down with COVID symptoms, including an inability to breathe; went to the hospital to get tested and then went home and spent a week in what I can only describe as delirium. Needless to say, writing slowed. I started writing about the experience, but stopped when I got to this excerpt because I was getting overly emotional and I needed to think about something else.

OCTOBER - Halloween Drabble 1/3 (read online)

You know yves. needs to deliver the Halloween content! So I wrote three quick little drabbles, the last of which I posted just a day ago. I’ll have to plan better for next year.

NOVEMBER - Forest Castles (first two chapters)

My best NaNoWriMo ever-- I won with 60k! Of course, I was Rebelling, editing Forest Castles to finally make a dent in the project. This not only worked, but it’s kept me editing every day in addition to another 45 minutes of writing! This excerpt is one I wrote afresh this year, since the previous draft did not excite me enough. I’m very happy with the new Chapter 6.

DECEMBER - THE ONE AND ONLY UNIVERSE OF KAY RAINIER (unpublished)

I wrote so many things in December, freed from the focus of NaNo and suddenly able to write a full hour a day, that I couldn’t possibly give you a full list here. Please accept this scene I wrote non-chronologically for KAY; a strategy that’s quite new to me. 

This year, I overwhelmingly improved in balancing Tumblr, life, and writing. I’ve written far more than you can imagine from just this peek, and even when I took breaks, I still got things done. Including a consistent Patreon!

This upcoming year, I hope to improve at finishing the projects I’ve begun in the past. This means editing Forest Castles, and also going back to get a first draft done of KAY and some of the short stories displayed here. 

If you’d like to make your own 2020 year in review post, please do! I’m happy to share my template, though many are also available online (usually as “summary of art”), and you’re of course welcome to make it as simple or elaborate as you like. Just be sure to tag me so that I can celebrate with you!

As always, you can read all of my posted writing here, and if you’d like to support me, I have both a ko-fi for one-time donations and a Patreon for exclusive monthly content. Thank you very much for accompanying me this year; I have appreciated your asks, replies, comments, and views more than ever. I wish you the absolute best in 2021.

#txt #important writing updates #year in review #summary of art #summary of writing #year in writing #writeblr #excerpts #writeblr community #writeblr meme #writing meme #the one and only universe of kay rainier #forest castles #so easily #exhaustively #the traveler wife #donnelly story #your father's son

[meiwroo]

Can you write something along the lines of Peter being super obsessive over the reader and he sneaks into her room and hides in her closet every day after school, constantly takes pictures of her and has Polaroid’s of her all over his room, she eventually talks to him in class and they agree to do a project together, she insists that they should do it at his place and she comes too early and sees the pictures in his room? ~ what happens after that is up to you ;) -🎱 (can this be my signature?)

Can you tell I didn’t edit this one as much? Also, I think I’m getting into the swing of things? Enjoy

Okay, so there’s one thing that bothers me. Whenever Peter sneaks into your room, he’s wearing his Spider-Man suit—enough to get caught in broad daylight scaling an apartment building by a bystander—or even worse a villain. Do you know how many villains could peep this and start coming after you?? Anyway

When it comes to you, Peter has a one-track mind.

It’s always ‘Do physics homework—Check the camera to see what Y/N is doing; Cook dinner—Check Y/N’s social media and see if she posted anything new.’ 24/7 until something urgent pops up that requires his undivided attention i.e. trying not to die

And the way Peter ends up in your closet is gradual.

At first he happened to swing by as you were on your way home, and he trailed you

Then he swung by when no one happened to be home. Curiosity got the best of him, and before he knew it, he was putting Karen on mute and sliding open your window before dropping down in your room

One thing he loves is that right off the bat your room smells like you

Staring at the knickknacks in your room, noting whether or not your room and desk is orderly, all of it gives him a better gauge of your personality that he’s not able to see when he’s listening to you and your friends talk during lunch or in class

And then it happens again and again, until one day, his Spidey senses start tingling and he can hear you unlocking the front door and heading up to your room. On the spur of the moment, he hid in your closet. Stupid, if you were the type of person to hang up your clothes as soon as you got home. But for hours until you finally fell asleep, he was forced to sit in your cramped closet watching you in your natural habitat. It was truly a wonderful experience…

It made him feel stupid for not thinking of it before. So, every now and then he would treat himself into sneaking into your room. On particular days where he hardly saw you because you either called in sick, ditched class, or had a field trip with another class.

If you were already home, he’d wait and sneak in when you left the room, or if he was feeling particularly brazen, when you had your back turned and earphones in listening to your music at full blast, he would just slide your window open, climb on the ceiling, and gently sneak into your closet.

If you ever wonder where the sudden breeze came from, that’s Peter.

And it continues until every day after school, Peter beats you home by minutes, sneaking into your closet, getting his daily dose of you.

He’s gotten himself a routine, where he would accomplish all of his work at school before the final bell, head to your place and make himself comfortable on your closet floor, leave when you go to grab dinner and go eat dinner himself with May, and then head out for patrols, before coming back home to catch a bit of shut eye

That’s what? Only like 3-4 hours he gets to spend with you every day? Regardless it’s not enough

Peter does record you though. At first through his phone, and then through surveillance cameras he’s placed around your room; One in the smoke detector and then a listening bug in your light switch

It would be small minor things like you talking to yourself, telling yourself a joke, humming to yourself while you browsed the web, watching you rage quit at video games, and even watching you struggle with homework which frustrates Peter to no end.

Listening to you get upset over not being able to solve a problem makes him want to tear his hair out. If he could just pluck the pencil from your hand right quick and show you how it’s done…All he needed was a minute

Another thing that also irked him? You losing points on homework because you left a section blank or didn’t turn it in at all. During those times, Peter just wishes he could turn homework in on your behalf and not get caught. He’d do it in a heartbeat if teachers couldn’t recognize your handwriting and the assignment had no way of getting back to you

When it’s late, and he’s all snuggled in bed, Peter likes to watch the videos and fantasize about would it would be like if he was next to you. How you two would interact, and etc. He feels closer to you whenever he does this.

Sometimes he likes to fall asleep to the sound of your shallow breathing when you’re asleep

Every now and then Peter likes to ease into bed beside you after hard fights that leave him bruised and exhausted

It’s easy to pick your habits and routines like this. eating habits, bathroom habits, what music you tend to steer towards, what content you like to watch the most on the internet; All of your likes and dislikes, favorite food, color, drink, what’s on your wish list right, what’s even got you stressed right—which breaks his heart because he’s not sure what he can do to help

But Peter has this collection, right?  Of odd pictures that he snaps of you every chance he gets.

He has a collage of them—11 or so—on the wall against his bed. Easy to hide with a perfectly propped pillow if May were to ever walk in his room while he’s away. He hangs the ones that are both artistic and articulates your personality the best. It’s his little masterpiece. 

Let’s say he gets beaten up too badly in a fight and he’s forced to stay home while you recover. Those pictures keep him going

But then there’s the scrapbook Peter has (in his desk drawer). Tons of Polaroid snaps—dated and describing what you’re doing—in addition to nonsensical diary entries beside them about how you made him feel in that moment or what he’d love to do to you, or maybe even a little poem

It’s mainly filled with fun memories Peter wasn’t really a part of. Pictures of you hugging your best friend and goofing off during a field trip, you winning a small award and going on stage to receive it, you participating in extracurriculars e.g. track and field

And then there are the nonsensical ones like your face before you’re about to devour your favorite food, or your aloof expression while you sit outside during study hall, or your deeply focused expression while you cram in gym class before a test you have next period. 

In general, Peter takes a lot of pictures of you; And they’re everywhere. All you have to do is look closely and you’ll find a photo under his desk by the foot of his chair, or a more risqué one poking out from under his nightstand—even phots sprinkled between the pile of dirty laundry he’s been throwing in the corner

It’d honestly be bad if May ever decided to spontaneously do spring cleaning in his room

It’d be bad if you came across these photos which—spoiler: you do.

Everything was going great with Peter watching from afar, and then you had to go and talk with him

Don’t get me wrong, Peter was so happy he thought he would puke.

It had been in APES, and the class was doing a lab. Your friend who takes the class with you and had called in sick, so you decided to partner up with Peter, I mean he did sit directly to the left of you

His heart stopped, of course, he was praising the heavens that his voice didn’t crack, everything was great. His day was blessed, and he actually spent time talking with you which rolled smoothly between you to.

There was a report due on Monday, so you two decided y’all would both knock it out today after school at his place. 

Big, fucking, mistake.

Peter was so high on cloud nine, that he forgot about his little hobby littered around his room—the same room which you two planned to do the assignment in since May had her weird project occupying the majority of the surfaces in the living room which she explicitly told him not to move

It didn’t dawn on him until you asked to use his bathroom, and he walked into his room. 

He picked up a shirt, sniffed, and was ready to toss it into the hamper until two photos fluttered out.

And then magically he realizes that he had his scrapbook out with the recently developed 6-7 photos scattered on his desk.

He heard you exit the bathroom and his heart stops.

“Peter, you in here?”

His eyes dart between the door and the scrapbook comically

He could’ve webbed the door shut, climbed out the window, and then crawl in through the bathroom and say something like he needed to go retrieve something from May’s room—which he should’ve did, but instead there you are smiling at him in the doorway casually greeting him before your eyes flicker to all of the Polaroid's and decide to pick one up

“Y/N wait!”

Your brain takes a full minute to fully process what you’re seeing

Let’s say it’s a picture of you changing in your bedroom

When you look Peter in the eyes and see his panicked expression, it tells you everything you need to know.

You should’ve left after the first picture, but you needed to confirm, so you started picking up the nearest pictures, shuffling through them.

You grabbing coffee with MJ, you going shopping with your mom, you trying on dresses and browsing in a local department store, even you propped lazily against your friend’s car while you wait for them to lock their front door.

“Where did you get these?!”

“I—I can explain!”

You try to make a run for it, but Parker’s quicker than you, stronger than you; He pins you against the wall easily, both of your wrists clasped tightly in one hand.

He’s breathing heavily as though a panic attack was soon about to set in

“I can explain…” is all he says, staring into your eyes wildly

Feedback?

#yandere headcanons #yandere marvel #yandere peter parker x reader #yandere spiderman x reader #yandere peter parker #yandere spiderman

[gayasinstupidpodcast]

What’s up gamers!!! Our fourth episode plowed through the chaos of thanksgiving holidays and is Here w/ some Facts and Opinions about creating shit and being LGBT and how being LGBT influences creating shit. HEADS UP we recorded this while I had a cold so my voice is probably a little off, but ik Isaac put SO much work into the editing so it would be ready on time and we have recorded statements from some amazing artists (transcriptions under the cut below!) & this is honestly one of my favorite episodes we’ve done so far, so give her a listen if you’re gay or enjoy fun things!

BIG thank you once again to everyone who participated in this month’s episode!! Your contributions are so valued and so beautiful!!

You can find us on the Itunes Podcast App/Webpage at Gay As In Stupid Podcast! You can also find our episodes uploaded to Youtube and Soundcloud!

You can also follow us on twitter at gayasinstupid!

Further Reading on LGBT Artists

Montage of a Queering Deferred: Memory, Ownership, and Archival Silencing in the Rhetorical Biography of Langston Hughes

The Political Provocations of Keith Haring 

Pop art politics: Activism of Keith Haring 

E M Forster’s Gay Fiction

Alok Vaid-Menon Tells Us What It’s Like To Be Femme In Public

Shea Diamond Speaks Her Truth

Aaron’s 2018 November Recs!

Alok Alok Vaid-Menon is one of my favorite poet/activist/performance artists out there! Their writing and stage presence is gorgeous and witty in a way that’s SO clever and still feels like you’re in a room trading jokes you don’t need to explain with your closest trans friends. The way they balance their art creates a real, deeply touching experience that feels very essential to our world.

Miles (2016) Miles is set in 1999 and is a coming of age story about a gay teenager trying to get a volleyball scholarship for college in Chicago. It’s not revolutionary and it’s not over the top dramatic, but it’s funny and honest and it makes me feel nice. Definitely the movie to watch when you’ve just been through something emotionally taxing and need a light crying session and some mediocre pastries.

Isaac’s 2018 November Recs!

The Adventure Zone I know half of you already kin the Mcelroys while the other half either don’t know or don’t care, but the Adventure Zone is one of my most favorite things in the world. It’s a DND podcast (yes, all episodes are transcribed, and they have a graphic novel for the first arc of Balance with a second one on the way!) by three brothers plus their dad, and not only does it have the most amazing story and is ungodly funny, but TONS of gays (Griffin went ape with those Lesbian NPCS)! And just because they can! Same with trans characters. It’s a story where they just exist, and that’s really important to me because in a lot of media LGBT have to almost prove why they deserve to take up space. And it’s not just something that goes on in their first campaign, Amnesty also has those sweet sweet gay! I could talk about this podcast for hours, so if you needed that final push to give it a listen, THIS IS IT!

Stardew Valley You get to farm and be gay. And if THAT hasn’t sold you on this charming video game, then maybe the super cute graphics, beautiful soundtrack and a handful of interesting characters will! TBH I spend so much time playing this game it’s concerning. It’s just such a fun way to relax, and I just really REALLY like video games were I can chose to be gay. Like. God Tier. YOU CAN HAVE CROPS AND CHICKENS AND BE GAY C’MON YALL!!

The Amazing Quotes And Artists Featured!

Meg | instagram | esty

“My identity as a bisexual woman influences my art in many ways. As a woman, i create art about the issues that effect me, such as abortion and gender equality, in order to resonate with the people that matter most to me. As a bisexual individual, my subjects often appear from a gaze that falls outside of the stereotypical eye. My figure drawings and portraits all come from a place of admiration, and don’t fall into the stereotype of the male gaze or womanly care- they are the space inbetween, equally sexualized and normalized. I feel lucky to be a bi gal in the art world because it is a place that is my own to create in. There are so many queer artists that i look up to such as Mapplethorpe and Warhol, and many female artists i can cite as influence (Jenny Holzer, Kiki Smith, and Louise Bourgeois to name a few). My identity gives me a whole new world of content to draw from and allows my work to resonate with a wider audience, and I really think that any artists goal is to reach and touch as many people as possible.“  

Cameron | twitter | instagram 

“I don’t think that it influences the form really, but it definitely influences the subject matter! (Much as I hate to admit it, my identity influences the majority of choices I make in life.) I write a lot of poems about lgbtq related things and religion, as well as other stuff too. I was raised catholic, so realizing that I was “different” at more than one point in my teen years was scary AF. Being a member of the lgbtq+ community and also trying to still feel like I belong, or wanting to, in a religious community is hard, the two things are usually at a crossroads in my life so writing about them makes it easier for me to get through. My hope is that someday someone reads what I wrote and finds some peace in their own life/experience.” 

Vince | art instagram

“Well, being transgender I feel like I’m constantly aware of the lack of representation of my community, and I feel like it might be because of that I tend to experiment with showing all sorts of different type of people in my work. Because there’s so much diversity in the world, why not showcase that?”

Fox | art instagram  

“Oof…I’m gay so my characters always be gay. Gotta Fill the void in media w my own bullshit so I don’t have to rely on straight showrunners who will inevitably discard the character since they themselves seem to have no personal attachment and treat lgbt characters as disposable extras. Bc if I don’t at least attempt to create representation in the field I’m going into then I can’t rlly complain about the lack of it right? If I don’t try and change it I can’t complain about the lack of change so being an lgbt artist is lowkey Big Pressure to be revolutionary in your work but sometime…..I just wanna draw funkey animeal and that’s aight too”

Jen | twitter | instagram

“As a female bisexual poet, I worry often that my poetry and art will be too niche to be appreciated. I’ve spent years editing my poetry down to its barest bones in hopes that someone will relate to it. Changing pronouns back and forth because I worry that if I do talk about a woman, the poem will be stripped of its context and suddenly be about my queerness when in reality it never was. When I write about love and people I have dated and have crushed on, I want the poem to exist outside of the gender of who I love. I fear my authorial death will result in a complete misinterpretation of what I mean. When I write, it truly does not matter to me if I am writing about a woman or a man. If I feel what I write and I can make someone else feel it too does it matter that I also love women? I write what matters to me overall, regardless of gender, I try to make my poetry as true as possible. Sometimes, when I catch myself over editing I try to take myself back to the moment, to the person, what I loved about him or her. “

Lain | art instagram

“My LGBT Identity has significantly impacted almost all of my art, especially my work over the last two years. Ever since I have allowed myself to accept that I am trans and began my transition (6 months on T!), the impact that my Roman Catholic upbringing has had on my bisexual trans identity has bled into my artwork. Because of the way I was raised, accepting and allowing myself to be authentic has been an upward struggle. And what better way to process and document struggle than art?  

Much of my recent work has had a focus on the trans body, particularly the “sanctity” of self-actualization and the god-like power that comes with accepting and creating yourself in the unique and exceptional way that LGBT people must in order to live authentically. Two of my pieces on this topic were actually recently exhibited at UWM in the Trans-lucent exhibition, and will remain there until December 15th (I think). I got sick and tired of never seeing trans representation, so now I am creating that space that I crave in my own work.”

Kobe | instagram | soundcloud

“My art from is very influenced by my LGBT identity. It is very influenced by my LGBT black Identity. I think that whenever an artist makes their art (in my case writing music, singing, dancing) they should incorporate as much of themselves as possible. I think my LGBT identity definitely adds a sense of representation as well. I want people like me to listen to my music to know they aren’t alone. So it influences my work a lot. “

Nat | art instagram

“I think the fact that I am part of the LGBT+ community influences my art directly. Even though I don’t draw as often as I wish, I believe both my drawings and college projects (I am a 3d art/animation student), and my creativity in general is inspired by my personal experiences as a gay woman and common things experienced by the community. I try as often as I can to bring representation of some kind in the things I do, mainly personal projects. I also feel that it influences me on my motivation to keep creating; whenever I listen to, see drawings, watch movies or see whatever form of artistic expression from LGBT+ artists it gives me the energy to keep going, to keep creating.”

#gay as in stupid podcast #lgbt podcast #lgbt artists #gay art #trans art

[quercussp]

I genuinely believe it's likely that Dan is sick of everything he does being reduced to jokes about his sexuality or fodder for "proving" Phan. It makes no difference what the subject of his videos is, whether they're serious or jokey, whether he is trying to actually help people deal with some of the things he has struggled with or just make a silly spon for a dating ap. The vast majority of responses are not about his content, or his message, or his editing. They're about Phan or about how

(part 2)“gay” he is. Dan doesn’t call out his audience very often but one thing that he has done on many occasions is say that he is not gay and that he doesn’t like labels so it must be quite disheartening for him to see “LOL gay” “OMG Dan’s so gay” “that bit of the video was so gay” “you can tell Dan’s gay because of the way he sits” on everything he posts. I wouldn’t blame him if he just gives up and gets a job stacking shelves at Tesco tbh.

i mean, anon, you’re entitled to your feelings, i’m not gonna tell you what to think, but i personally can’t agree with you about literally anything in this message. sorry.

#anon ask #phan #the part about stacking shelves #made me laugh out lou #i'm sorry anon i don't mean to make fun of your opinion #but seriously #it's very funny to read that #also dan is hopefully a normal person #and does not consider being called gay offensive

[tarjeisandvikmoe]

My friend told me and our other friends about a another school shooting recently. I asked, “was it a big one?” Somebody else said, “how many died?” There were no tears, no shock. Barely any reaction. Tomorrow we’re walking out of school because even though we’re basically desensitized to the horror of it, we are sick and tired of showing up to school knowing we might be murdered and the government would hardly care. Part 1

I have chronic nose bleeds. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve started bleeding all over my work and just tried to contain it with one hand while still doing my homework, because doing homework is more important than dealing with the blood running down my face. I also got a black eye earlier this year and spent the evening doing my homework even though I could barely see it, getting mascara and tears all over the paper. I couldn’t get any extensions. 

I don’t party. Few people I know actually party. Because we have school from 8-3:30, requires sports or theater 3:30-5:30, and 1 hour of homework per class each night. That’s abt 5-6 hours a night. On the weekends, we’re staying up late writing papers and trying not to cry.

Our government/education system cares more about what girls are wearing than who lives and who dies.

I have cheated on tests. I’m not ashamed of this. I have cheated on AP tests I’ve spent hours studying for. AP tests ask about content you don’t learn, and most of us in the US are willing to give up anything for a good grade. Honesty. Mental health. Physical health.

Everyone of us in high school here does three things: references vines and memes, talks about how broke we are, and jokes about suicide. We’re broke. Our parents are broke. We don’t want to die but a lot of us don’t really see the point in living besides these marginal happinesses like friendship and family, if you even have those things. Why live when you’re just gonna have to be in debt for the rest of your life, paying off an education that got you nowhere?

We don’t have jobs in America. Which means we, the high schoolers, don’t really have hopes and dreams. I don’t watch the SKAM remakes but I saw an edit somebody made of one where the Jonas says “the generations before us dreamed of a utopia. Our generation has given up.” This is beyond true, especially in America. We don’t get to dream of anything except maybe not dying in debt.

This was depressing. But it’s true. There are amazing things about America, but, especially in high school, the overwhelming majority of the system is not only failing us, but destroying us. And if Julie really thinks a US SKAM about partying, drinking, football, cheerleaders, and prom will do us any sort of justice, she has failed us, too.

Honestly, wow. I wish I could send this to Julie because this is the American high school experience. You really summed it up perfectly. For some reason, the rich and privileged are the only ones who somehow attain some aspects of the glitzy, romanticized high school experience that’s depicted on television. I really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is what life has been like even for me in college now. 

In the plainest of words, this is exactly what growing up in America was like for me. I graduated in 2015, but I remember drills where I was shoved in the corner of the room. I remember being conscious of going to the bathroom in between bells so I wouldn’t be stuck in the bathroom in case a shooting happened. That’s not normal, and it never should have been normalized to begin with. We shouldn’t have to kill ourselves for our education and sacrifice our sanity and physical well-being in the name of education. These are the problems we face. 

I faced these. I didn’t give a fuck about the football game on Friday because I was more worried about if my family was even going to have food to eat for dinner when I got home that night. I remember staying up till 4am crying and doing homework and falling asleep and waking up at 6am and having a mental breakdown because I didn’t even finish everything that was due. Who can even think about partying when there’s so much else going on? Maybe I was a nerd, and that’s fine. 

If Julie wants to make Skam Austin realistic, she has to come to these conclusions. Most high schoolers are suffering in a way I don’t think many can relate to or understand. I know because I’ve lived it too. High school really isn’t just football, cheerleaders, and prom. If Julie wants this to work, it has to be just as socially charged if not more than OG Skam was. 

I’m so sorry that this is what we live in and that our system has failed us because it’s true. Our education system values a number in a gradebook and a test taken more than the mental well-being of a human being, and there’s something so messed up with that. I think maybe that quote is from Druck. I haven’t watched it, but I couldn’t agree with that statement more. We have nothing anymore. Just anxiety, depression, and a crippling amount of student loan debt. (At least for us college kids we do.) 

Julie took this role on, and I can only hope she’s listened to stories and experiences like yours and like mine. If not, just like you said, she’s failed too. 

#i cried reading these #thank u for sending them #sorry it took so long to respond #i was eating dinner at first #skamusa #was greensfeld #Anonymous #ask #suicide // #just in case #long post

[selenite-drywall]

April 27, 2019

Time: Far too late to feel this damn early

Mood: Whelmed

Whelmed, in a very definite way. I have to finish the last Geochem homework today or tomorrow so I can turn it in on Monday. While I’m in JROWL, I have to talk to my adviser and get him to sign off on me forfeiting twenty transfer credits because RPI won’t let a freshman come in with more than a year of AP credits. It is with some pride that I will turn in this form, even if it erases the fact that I very nearly came in with two. 

My parents ask me every time we talk whether I will graduate early. I used to say I didn’t know, and that is still true, but I have decided now that I am going to work towards it as much as I can. Get my degree and go somewhere for grad school. Maybe stay here, depending on how sick of it I am by the time I have a Bachelor’s.

The end-of-year laziness has decided to hit me now, when the things I have left to do can be numbered on one hand. Usually it sets in right after spring break, but I held it together this long. I prefer it earlier. 

Instead of schoolwork and procrastinating it by being bad at video games, I find myself reading, which is worse for my lethargy, if not for my mental stimulation. I keep meaning to have a crack at the edition of Les Mis that I acquired in its original French, but instead I’ve been sliding through Homestuck fanfiction. I never said I was a man of taste. Well, maybe I did, but I never have claimed not to lie on occasion. Besides, my standards for fanfiction I will read are exacting, and while the particular genre might be distasteful, the content is not. As many great minds have oft repeated in their times, Homestuck Is Good Actually.

As always, dear no readers, my ask box is open and as dry as ever. Stay Frosty.

-s-d

#not advice #presonal #geochemistry #jrowl #graduation #freshman year #rpi #ap #procrastination #spring break #les mis #homestuck

[jinareads]

LET’S TALK: Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

I've finally finished Lord of Shadows, the second book in The Dark Artifices trilogy by Cassandra Clare. It was beautiful and heartbreaking and hilarious, and I don't think I've felt that empty (in the best way possible) since I finished Clockwork Princess.

Trust me, you DO NOT want to read this if you haven't read all of the Shadowhunter books by Cassandra Clare.

Summary:

Lord of Shadows continues after Malcolm Fade's death, which has given rise to a bunch of Teuthida demons in Los Angeles. Jace and Clary visit the Los Angeles Institute, and since they can't stay because of a top-secret Clave mission to Faerie, a group of Centurions (graduates of Scholomance, an elite Shadowhunter school) arrive to lead the search for Malcolm's body and stop the sea demons. We're then introduced to Perfect Diego's friends, who are definitely less than friendly--and Diego doesn't look so perfect now, either. His recently rekindled romance with Cristina comes to a screeching halt when we find out that he's engaged--and with the heavily prejudiced Zara Dearborn, who wants to take the Los Angeles Institute for herself and for the Cohort (an anti-Downworlder hate faction of the Clave). And in the middle of all this, Emma, Julian, Cristina, and Mark go on a very illegal rescue mission to the Unseelie Court to save Kieran, who has been sentenced to death for the death of Iarlath (this is the Faerie who whipped Emma, nearly to death). And so they save Kieran, and are unexpectedly rescued themselves by a member of the Seelie Court and Mark's aunt, Nene. Here, the Seelie Queen shows Julian what's going on in Los Angeles: Arthur Blackthorn, in his last lucid moments, has decided to sacrifice himself to Malcolm, and a successfully revived Annabel awakes to kill Malcolm and take the Black Volume of the Dead. The Seelie Queen then offers the team her soldiers to help defeat the Unseelie King alongside the Clave--but more importantly to Julian, she says that she knows a way to break the parabatai bond--in exchange for the Black Volume. And so Julian and Emma go to Malcolm's cottage, while Ty, Livvy, and Kit venture off to Blackthorn Manor in hopes of discovering more about Annabel. An ancient and deadly group called the Riders, as ordered by the Unseelie King, are now tracking the Blackthorns to bring back the Black Volume to the king, and at the end of a battle that nearly kills all of our main characters, Annabel appears. Julian persuades Annabel to testify in front of the Clave and turn over the Black Volume in exchange for Blackthorn Manor and reinstatement of her honor, and everyone travels to Alicante via a portal that Magnus Bane opens up (with great difficulty, since his powers have been used thus far to help heal and protect the Blackthorns). So the Blackthorns, Emma, Kieran (who will also testify against the Unseelie King), Annabel, Alec, and Magnus are all in Alicante, awaiting the trial that will determine the fate of the Los Angeles Institute. Following Magnus's suggestion, Emma and Julian go to Robert Lightwood (the Inquisitor), asking that he send Emma into exile to deaden the parabatai bond. Robert agrees, and shortly after, the trial is underway. This is where everything falls apart: Annabel is unexpectedly questioned under the Mortal Sword, Magnus collapses due to his hidden sickness, Annabel kills Robert with the Mortal Sword, Annabel kills Livvy, and Emma shatters the Mortal Sword with Cortana. The book ends, with Julian clutching yet another member of his family lost to him.

Okay, so it's really hard to summarize what happens in Lord of Shadows because it is a MASSIVE book--both in terms of page number and plot content. So much happens in this book, and I want to discuss some of the finer details a little bit further.

favorites:

Emma's humor.

“‘You’re my mother’s sister?’ [Mark] said incredulously. ‘I think they usually call that your aunt,’ said Emma. Mark gave her a dark look.”

“‘I am Sabnock of Thule. How dare you stand before me, ugly human?’ ‘How personal,’ [Emma] said. ‘I’m hurt.’“

“‘In all our lives there has only been one thing we have sought and not found.’ ‘A sense of humor?’ Emma suggested.”

Kit's mundane knowledge. Things like cancer and autism aren't talked about in the Shadowhunter community, and it’s so interesting to see Kit react to their dangerously traditional way of rejecting mundane medicine and treatment.

Diana's history. Cassie did such a beautiful job in allowing the reader into Diana's past, and we finally learn her secret: Diana is a transgender woman. Since mundane medicine is forbidden by the Clave, she was living in mundane society until the war, and is now living as her dead sister, Aria. I love that we got to understand why Diana refused to become the Head of the Institute, despite her absolute love for the Blackthorns and Emma. 

Gwyn ap Nudd. I was 100% intimidated by Gwyn until he started making his moves on Diana, and their interactions turned into some of my favorite moments. Especially when he casually quotes Shakespeare.

Some idiot put “Will H.” on all the rare first editions in the library.

Cristina. I can’t believe I almost forgot about Cristina!! I was really into the whole Mark-Cristina-Kieran thing going on in the book and how Cristina and Kieran were very patient with Mark figuring out what he wanted. Also, I loved how irrelevant Diego was to Cristina after she found out about Zara (ok I know he had good intentions with the whole thing but whatever)

what the fuck:

Clary’s (impending) death. CASSIE CAN’T DO THIS TO US I THOUGHT WE WERE SAFE AFTER CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE

Sidenote: Ok, Jace technically died during TMI--we can totally bring her back nbd

Cortana. Cortana cuts through a lot of stuff that normal weapons shouldn’t be able to cut through--exhibit: the death of one of the seven riders (which was actually thought to be impossible). Also, I didn’t even consider that one of the Mortal Instruments could be destroyed. Does this mean Cortana can now compel people to tell the truth???

Theory: Can Cortana somehow cut the parabatai bond, since it can apparently cut through everything?

Annabel’s murderous rampage at the end. I 100% did not expect her to kill everyone at the end???

Tessa and Magnus. WHAT IS WRONG WITH TESSA AND MAGNUS??? The whole time Magnus was working his magic, I was getting worried because while he’s one of the most powerful warlocks we know, HE HAS LIMITS. And they kept. pushing. him.

tears:

Livvy’s death. I HATED that this happened to the Blackthorns, especially since they’ve already lost so much and they only had each other left. At the same time, I kind of saw it coming, especially with Kit entering the picture. I’m really glad that Kit and Ty have formed a relationship so that Ty will have someone to support him through this in the next book.

Robert’s death. I finished the story with Robert and Michael in Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy after I finished LoS, and it was SO MUCH MORE DEVASTATING that he died. Not only did Emma and Julian lose the one person who could’ve helped them through the whole being in love with your parabatai thing, but just THINK OF ROBERT AS HE HEARD THEIR STORY. Robert can’t go back in time and make it up to Michael, but he could’ve helped another pair of parabatai

Jon’s death. I really didn’t mind this until the last couple stories from TFTSA, but it def hit me when I thought of him and Marisol, and how little time they had together.

Arthur’s death. I ALMOST FORGOT THIS HAPPENED. Arthur has such a twisted history, with his imprisonment in Faerie while his brother fell in love (please read TFTSA). I honestly felt so sad that Julian had to take on the responsibility of being a father and Institute head at such a young age, but I’m so glad that Arthur had a final moment of awareness--I hate that he sacrificed himself, but it was beautiful that during his moment of clarity, his mind focused on saving the people he loved the most.

things that I don’t know how to feel about yet:

Jaime. I’m still really not into him or Diego yet, despite all their talk of good intentions. His interactions with Dru made me think of the Nate-Jessamine relationship for some reason??

Sebastian + Seelie Queen child. I’ve seen this theory around the internet so many times, and I am worried. I am worried because of Dru’s little trip to Faerie involved a BOY WITH WHITE-BLOND HAIR AND GREEN EYES--aka Ash. And he asks about his mother; could it be that the Seelie Queen is hiding him away from everyone else, trying to keep him a secret? Or maybe he’s been kidnapped by the Unseelie King?

And it’s mentioned that he’s around 13, but let’s not forget that a day in the human world was 7 years for Andrew and Arthur when they were trapped in Faerie.

#the dark artifices #shadowhunters #lord of shadows #book talk #cassandra clare #julian blackthorn #emma carstairs #nephilim #the mortal instruments #the infernal devices #lol might add to this later because there's SO MUCH TO DISCUSS ABOUT LOS #books #booktalk #mine #letstalk #let's talk

[themelodramatic-blog1]

Confessions of an IB Graduate

I’ve been complaining about being in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) since I started it. It was two years of functioning on the least possible hours of sleep, last minute everything, and a whole lot of pessimism. But now that I’ve finished the IB and have had the chance to spend three weeks binge watching everything in my Netflix ‘recommended’ box, I’ve had a self reflection of some sorts; IB really was more than all the tears, despite what my past self led me to believe. Because of this, I’ve compiled a list of lessons I’ve learned from secondary school/high school/I don’t know why we have so many names for the same level of education.

1. Who cares if you’re a try-hard.

I was that kid who overloaded herself with extra-curriculars. Competitive track and field? Check. Public speaking? Check. Martial arts? Check. Music? Check. TEDx organiser? Check. Model UN? Check. (Honestly, the list goes on too long. I’m tired even writing this. How did I do all of that?) I was also very passionate about the subjects I took in school. I LOVE history. I read extra because I was genuinely interested in the class, and my hand shot up every time I was allowed to ask a question. Because of all of this, I was called an overachiever and a try-hard.

Being called an ‘overachiever’ is not necessarily negative. By definition, it basically means to perform better than expected. However, I’ve learned that people have the tendency to use adjectives like this to put down strong, passionate individuals who are driven to achieve their goals. Yeah, it’s a bit disheartening when you’re put down for doing something you love. At the end of the day, all of those things people say won’t matter. Not only will your resume look incredible, but you’ll also be fulfilled by all the experiences you’ve gained. You won’t have any regrets about trying something you were interested in even if it doesn’t work out, because you took the effort to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Through these activities, you’ll also meet a ton of people who share the same interests you do. When I look back on the time I organized a TEDxYouth event at my school, I remember how my best friend (who co-organized the event with me) and I went from table to table at lunch with a rehearsed skit to get people to buy tickets. Who cares if Abigail from third period thinks you’re extra? You are extra, and that will get you a lot further in life than hating on other people for being motivated.

2. Be confident in all of your choices.

People always best way to live your life is with unapologetic confidence. We look at Rihanna wearing bright purple highlighters and think yes, I want to be that, so there’s no reason we shouldn’t implement that mindset into everything we do. You are most definitely going to make terrible decisions in high school. There will be a time when you should absolutely not eat three servings of chicken nuggets at once, but that doesn’t mean you won’t do it. Should you watch another episode of FRIENDS after 3 hours straight of Netflix? Probably not. You will most definitely make good decisions too. You’ll realize that skipping Economics to sit with your sad friend in the bathroom and be there for her is important.

No matter what, have confidence in your own choices. You will not only own them, but also learn from them with a better mindset. You’ll care less about judgemental eyes around you, and more about what you felt after making that decision. One time, I went to school in leggings and my dad’s oversized sweater because I was tired. Everyone said I looked terrible but it was the most comfortable day of my life so who’s really winning?

3. Procrastination is inevitable. Be smart about it.

One second you’re starting a new book in English, and the next second you have two presentations, a 4000 word paper, three essays, and a test in a week. You’ll probably have that much to do because you left everything to the last minute, and you left everything to the last minute because the thought of doing your work overwhelms you. That’s okay.

It is perfectly fine to step away from your work once in a while, even with deadlines fast approaching. You can’t do your best work if you’re too overwhelmed. Take time to put it in a metaphorical box and stuff that box under your bed. Let yourself take a breather and destress before getting back to the hectic world that is school. But, if you’re going to do that, make sure you have a game plan for when you get back. 

I learned really quickly in the IB that there is a lot to do, and the only way to get them done is one at a time. Start with the most important thing, and work your way down in order of priority. Trying to do everything at once simply won’t be possible because your body can only physically do so many things at once. Get assignments done first (especially if they’re graded), and study later. Doing an assignment will help you revise content anyway, and your mind will not be at rest if your to-do list is full of 1,000 word papers. My solution was to take a day (if I had that time luxury) to put everything aside, and come back to it with a list of what to do. If you’re going to procrastinate, at least give future you a little bit of time, and strategy.

4. Ask for help.

You don’t know everything, even if you think you know yourself better than anyone else. There was a point where I had a lot going on personally, and I kept piling more work on myself because I thought it would make things better. It led to bad mental health situations, and that just made my circumstance worse. Reach out to anyone: a friend, a sibling, a parent, a teacher, a cousin, a counselor. Sometimes all you really need is to tell someone you aren’t handling things perfectly. Someone out there will be able to help you, and that will make you feel a whole lot better.

5. Start your college applications ASAYPC: as soon as you possibly can.

The college application process is a nightmare. You will spend countless hours on top of your school workload to craft the perfect applications to the colleges of your dreams. You will become sick of the SATs and ACTs. You will march over to your counselor’s office multiple times a week. You will worry about your essays and if they capture the essence of what a college wants. The only way to make this process better is to start early.

Find out what YOU want in a college. People say where you do your undergraduate degree doesn’t matter, but that’s a lie. You certainly don’t need a school with a big name, but you do need to find a school that fits what you want to achieve from a college education. I applied to schools like NYU because of prestige, but I realized a while after that it wasn’t what I wanted in a school. It’s an amazing school, but I wanted a traditional campus setting and smaller class size. Little things like that will make a huge difference when it comes to choosing where you’ll end up. Do you want a state school or private school? A liberal arts college? A city or a quieter area? How does location affect your opportunities? Everyone is different, and colleges will be able to tell if you’re a fit for their school. Take the time to learn about different schools before investing your time in long applications.

Take your standardized tests early so you have time to retake them if you’re unhappy with your score. If you are happy with your score right away, taking the tests early will let you check a box off your list, and that leaves room for a lot more.

Write your essays as soon as prompts come out so you have time to edit your work.

Have everyone read your essays. Even authors have editors. Sometimes you’ll miss out on errors, and other times your first draft won’t capture your personality the way you want it to. Having a fresh pair of eyes will help.

Do your research. Look into both the Common Application and Coalition Application. The Coalition Application allows you to delete official documents and recommendations, which the Common Application doesn’t allow. It will help a lot should any mistakes be made, and you won’t have to individually contact colleges if you accidentally put the wrong documents on your application. 

6. Grades aren’t everything.

Don’t push yourself to the point of self destruction over a grade. What matters is that you’re working hard and trying your best. So what if you get a B or a C? If you’re worried about how it will look on an application, don’t. There’s a lot more to the review process than solely looking at grades, especially if you’re taking rigorous courses (taking IB/AP/Honors courses and getting a lower grade is better than taking easy courses where you aren’t challenging yourself at all and getting a 97%). Of course, try your best to make As, but keep in mind that you are more than your stats.

7. Have fun.

Do something stupid. Don’t miss spirit week. Go to the lame dances and sneak out for an after party with your galpals. Text that person you want to text. When high school ends, you won’t see 90% of these people anyway, so enjoy the moments while it lasts. You’re going to need something to reminisce on, and I can guarantee you it will not be your Biology IA. I literally don’t even remember what mine was.

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

At the end of the day, there’s nothing more important than learning about yourself and being true to what you want. I’ll be moving halfway across the world this summer, away from my family and friends, to study in Washington D.C. I’m incredibly thankful to have been accepted into my dream school, Georgetown University, but I know that there is absolutely no way I would’ve come close if it weren’t for all the experiences I’ve had in school. I now own being called a dramatic try hard because despite all the stressful nights and tired days, I had fun trying new things and growing into my own skin. I am proud of my accomplishments, and the fact that I try hard. Past me has nothing on present me, and future me is going to hopefully be even better. I guess IB was ok after all...ish.

Congratulations, class of 2018!

#graduate #class of 2018 #IB #IBDP #goodbye #highschool #we #out

[faithfulnews]

This journalist did her job: Now she hopes that it didn't expose her to COVID-19

Normal 2020 fashion. Reporting now, article online @ExpressNews soon! pic.twitter.com/btHbHKPTLT

— Silvia Foster-Frau (@SilviaElenaFF) April 5, 2020

Silvia Foster-Frau did her job.

The 27-year-old San Antonio Express-News reporter hopes her dedication to her profession didn’t expose her to COVID-19.

For more than two years, Foster-Frau has produced sensitive, nuanced coverage of the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas — site of a Nov. 5, 2017, mass shooting in which 26 people died and 20 were wounded.

Her journalistic prowess has earned her honors such as Texas AP Star Reporter of the Year in the biggest newspaper category and the national Cornell Award for religion reporting excellence at mid-sized newspapers.

On Sunday, Foster-Frau returned to the rural area southeast of San Antonio to report on the Baptist church continuing to meet, “despite the potential danger posed by the novel coronavirus” — as she put it in her story.

Her news article was excellent. No surprise there. Equally impressive were the compelling images captured by Express-News photographer Josie Norris.

But given the concerns over the possible spread of COVID-19, I wondered about the decision to send journalists into an assembly with 40 worshipers, none of them wearing masks, according to the newspaper’s story.

Foster-Frau was kind enough to talk with me about her experience. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Bobby Ross Jr.: You developed some really good relationships with people involved in the massacre and have excelled at covering that. Can you tell me a little about that?

Silvia Foster-Frau: Yeah, I grew really close to them. I never had an experience quite like that. I never would have met those people if not for what happened.

For me, being the one covering it, I got really close to these people I was covering, and it brought up a lot of questions I hadn’t had to deal with about journalism and ethics. It was unlike anything I’ve experienced before, and it definitely changed me as a person.

I wasn’t like, “Oh, I learned a lot on the job.” It was actually very transformative personally. I’m really grateful for that.

Ross: In any specific way?

Foster-Frau: I guess for one, I learned a lot about grace and recovering from it, and how people do that, and what helps and doesn’t help. Fortunately, intense grief isn’t something I’ve had to grapple with. Personally, kind of experiencing that almost vicariously with them really changed me. It made me a lot more sensitive. I think I developed there in ways I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

And then, apart from that, I feel like the people at the Springs are people who are not necessarily media-friendly folks. I guess learning more about their culture — rural Texan culture — and finding something in common with them was really special, even if you feel like you come from different worlds.

"Knowing vulnerability, choosing to celebrate." Front page of today's @ExpressNews by @SilviaElenaFF. https://t.co/Sf8TJ2yMZb #SutherlandSprings pic.twitter.com/DjqdisIV3M

— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) November 5, 2018

Ross: They learned they could trust you, I think. 

Foster-Frau: Yeah, I think they learned that. I was very transparent from the beginning about my mission.

I was always trying to explain that it was our public service mission to tell their stories so people could understand what they’re going through and maybe make changes in their lives and advocate for others in the future based on what they learned in their stories. I think that resonated with them. We were on the same page about what the mission was most of the time.

Ross: Tell me about your story Sunday. I’m intrigued that they’re still meeting given some of the warnings that are out there. And also, that you went and covered it in person. How did you find out that was happening? And what was your thought process in deciding how to cover it?

Foster-Frau: I knew something was going on because we’re all Facebook friends now. I saw the pastor and his wife and other members of the congregation, too, posting pretty outspokenly about how church is an essential service. They were definitely getting blowback online, too, which is why they felt more compelled to be vocal about it on social media.

As the threat of the virus became more real here, and more and more restrictions were being imposed statewide and in San Antonio, their position didn’t let up. They’ve livestreamed church services for a while now, so every once in a while I’ll tune in because I’m used to going to church with them now.

So I noticed a pretty sizable crowd on their livestream. That’s when I started to think there was a story there. It was a few days later when Gov. Greg Abbott kind of clarified the church exemption (to his “stay at home” order limiting business activity and social interaction). It seemed like there was a point of contention in Texas with whether or not churches were essential.

I decided I needed to go down there to report on it. I felt like I needed to be there to at least understand the different layers of protection. It’s hard — you can’t tell totally from the livestream if everyone has face masks or if anyone has gloves on. Sometimes it’s hard to tell depth, how far apart they are. So a photographer and I went down.

Ross: Were you wearing a mask?

Foster-Frau: I had a scarf. I planned on wearing it. And then one of the congregants, as I was walking in, I kind of put it up, and he said, “Are you planning on stealing something here, or are you planning on robbing this church?”

So I was like, “OK, here we go.” I ended up, and I’m not sure if I’m proud of this decision, but I ended up just keeping it up around my neck and not putting it on. In retrospect, I probably should have still kept it on. 

Ross: In some ways, you’re as exposed as the rest of the congregation if anyone happened to have the virus? 

Foster-Frau: I would say so. I tried to hang back during the service. But even afterward, I’m interviewing them, so you’re going up and talking to them. A woman hugged me without me even having a second to react.

There was just one fun moment at the end, too, where I was about to leave, and I was talking to this woman, and I put up my elbow, and she said, “Oh, no, still give me a hug.” And I just looked at her and just kept walking away, like, “OK, bye.”

Ross: What is it about journalists that we put ourselves in those situations, and the story is so important, even in a case like this where it could be a bad thing to catch a virus like that? 

Foster-Frau: I was anxious going down there for that reason. But it felt important to me that people understood what was going on there, and I thought it was a story that was very revealing and just interesting psychologically about how people are coping with this unprecedented time.

I feel very lucky in a lot of ways. I still have a job. I have health insurance. I have people I know will take care of me if I get sick. So, in that way, I try to put things in perspective.

I think journalists, we end up talking to people who are a lot less fortunate than us. Not that journalists have it all. We aren’t doing super great these days. But I just always keep that in mind, so when I go up for these stories, I’m like, “OK, I’m putting myself at risk, but there are people every day who put themselves at more risk and don’t have a choice about it.”

That’s the mentality. I don’t know. Maybe it was foolish. [End of interview]

• • •

I appreciate Foster-Frau’s self-reflection. I remain one of her biggest fans.

When I was younger, I ignored a tornado warning to drive to a hospital and interview survivors of the May 1999 Oklahoma twisters that claimed 44 lives.

Two decades later, I’d like to think I’m older and wiser and would take cover rather than risk my life in the storm.

Power Up: The Week’s Big Questions

1. How can newsrooms cover the coronavirus pandemic AND protect journalists?: I shared a little of Silvia Foster-Frau’s experience with Kelly McBride, the Poynter Institute’s senior vice president and chair of its Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership.

The media ethics expert offered this advice: “Journalists are known for their courage. For running toward big stories while others run away. But deliberately putting yourself at risk to cover a COVID-19 story doesn't make any sense, because there are so many alternatives. In this case, she could have asked congregants to FaceTime her during the service, take pictures for her. She could have stayed outside. ... The problem with putting yourself at risk with this virus is that you put everyone else that you come in contact at a higher risk.”

I also reached out to Marc Duvoisin, editor and vice president of the San Antonio Express-News.

Here’s what he told me:

To protect our journalists from COVID-19, almost everyone in the newsroom is working remotely. Hardly anyone goes to the newsroom anymore. I have been working from home for the past three weeks, and so have nearly all the department heads and other staff members.

My guidance to reporters is to report remotely to the extent possible — via Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, etc. — and, when they must go to the scene of a story, to observe social-distancing rules and stay at least 6 feet away from others.

We have distributed hand sanitizer and masks to reporters, although supplies sometimes run out.

Photographers, who by the nature of their work have to be out in the world, have been given masks, sanitizer and sanitary gloves.

No one on our staff has tested positive for the virus or gotten sick from it that we know of.

Silvia tells me that when she went to Sutherland Springs to report on the Sunday in-person worship service at First Baptist, she wore a scarf as a face mask, brought along and used hand sanitizer and tried to maintain proper social distancing, although it was difficult at times.

The photographer, Josie Norris, wore a mask and kept her distance from people.

Covering the coronavirus crisis presents great challenges to journalists, including how to witness and record events without exposing oneself to infection. My guidance to Express-News journalists has been to put their personal safety first, always — to report remotely whenever possible and observe strict social distancing when they have to go out in the world. No story is worth getting sick for.

I appreciate Duvoisin taking time to respond to my question.

2. Speaking of houses of worship still meeting during the COVID-19 threat, are news organizations putting too much emphasis on them?: That media coverage question has emerged, somewhat predictably, as noted in a post by GetReligion’s Terry Mattingly.

Mattingly’s main point: The few churches refusing to socially isolate is a legitimate story, but so is the massive move to online worship by the overwhelming majority of faith groups nationally.

“(I)f this is still happening in areas that have had outbreaks, it's a serious, serious issue,” Washington Post religion writer Sarah Pulliam Bailey tweeted concerning the tiny minority of churches still assembling. “It's not just a ‘one church’ thing. The reporting is deeply important.”

Religion News Service’s Jack Jenkins suggested: “(T)he rationale for the media attention is pretty straightforward: it doesn’t take a ton of gatherings to infect an entire community.”

Continue reading “This Journalist Did Her Job: She Hopes It Didn't Expose Her To COVID-19,” by Bobby Ross, Jr., at Religion Unplugged.

Go to the article

[jobsearchtips02]

New e-mails show how President Trump roiled NOAA during Typhoon Dorian

A chest of files released on Friday night supply the clearest glimpse yet into how President Trump’s incorrect statements, modified forecast map and tweets relating to Cyclone Dorian’s projection course rattled top officials in addition to rank and file scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in September.

Hurricane Dorian near peak intensity on Sept. 1,2019 (NOAA/RAMMB).

The files, released in reaction to Freedom of Details Act requests from The Washington Post and other media outlets, show that the No. 2 official at the firm, Ret.

Register For the Post The majority of newsletter: Today’s most popular stories on The Washington Post

The statement was extensively interpreted within NOAA’s National Weather Service as contradicting a precise projection due to political pressure from the White Home and the Department of Commerce.

“[P] lease accept Neil’s reply as a genuine acknowledgment of a news release we did not approve or support,” Gallaudet wrote in an email to Gary Shigenaka, a NOAA marine biologist, on Sept. 8 at 5: 48 a.m. “You know from my multiple messages to you and your coworkers that we respect and guarantee your service and clinical stability.”

Other e-mails reveal a few of the process of authorizing the statement and its dissemination, which involves then deputy chief of staff and interactions director Julie Roberts. It’s not clear from the e-mails who directed NOAA to issue it. Roberts has given that departed the agency, as has then-NOAA chief of personnel Stuart Levenbach.

Jacobs likewise composed to Shigenaka, stating, “This whole thing is being blown way out of proportion and politicized. The so-called tweet said definitely no chance of effects and NHC assistance was requiring 5-30%. The projection office did the right thing to calm the nerves of citizens. I enjoy NOAA. I am so happy with everything you all do.”

” You have no concept how hard I’m fighting to keep politics out of science. We are an unbiased science firm, and we won’t and never will base any choices on anything aside from science,” Jacobs wrote.

The Post has reported that the demand for NOAA to provide the statement came from White House acting chief of personnel Mick Mulvaney, at the demand of the president, through authorities at the Commerce Department Some communications that would shed light on the origins of the statement are edited in the FOIA release, due to a continuous Commerce Department Inspector General investigation into the matter.

In another series of emails, Gallaudet reveals his issue for the NWS workforce, and seems to reference resigning over the matter.

In a message to John Murphy, the chief running officer of the NWS, Gallaudet states: “Thank you John. I track all of NWS on social networks, so I see the feeling, however truthfully get it. I’m having a hard time not leaving the pattern right now.”

Murphy, who served in the Air Force, responds: “Hang in there sir. Require you and judgement we make almost daily because we have pension. Is this battle to die for or much better to remain and fight for what’s right,” including, “we can do more in pattern.”

Your Home Science Committee is likewise investigating the political pressure offered on one of the world’s leading oceans and climatic science agencies, and an internal NOAA query is looking for to determine whether the agency’s clinical stability policy— which explicitly prohibits political disturbance with scientific findings and the interaction of those findings– was broken.

At stake is public trust in weather forecasts and warnings focused on saving lives and securing property. The emails reveal a concern among the firm’s leaders that its forecasters would hesitate to release a storm warning or other forecast “item” due to worries that it would oppose or anger a political authorities, such as the president.

” Staff members now fear for there jobs and are questioning whether they should publish possibly life-saving info or inspect tweets initially,” Murphy wrote to Jacobs in an email at 2 a.m. on Sept. 8. “This is not good and I will assure staff members to focus on mission as I have been doing. I truly hope folks can find way to let this go and our workers do not be reluctant for even one second.”

© Evan Vucci/AP President Trump holds a chart, customized to highlight Alabama, as he talks with reporters after getting a rundown on Typhoon Dorian in the Oval Workplace on Sept. 4.

The emails also show the minutes when the debate that became referred to as “Sharpiegate” first concerned NOAA’s attention. In action to an email inquiry from The Post on Sept. 4, quickly after Trump showed the modified forecast map in the Oval Workplace, NOAA’s deputy chief of public affairs Scott Smullen wrote associates:

” How do you wish to handle this one? Looks like somebody at the WH [White House] drew with a marker on the image of our official projection.”

In a separate email discussion, Cory Pieper, social networks lead at the NWS, informed the general public affairs office that the projection image was “doctored.” Susan Buchanan, the director of the office, responded: “Are you sure they were doctored?” Pieper reacted: “Yes, that was doctored.”

The Washington Post would later report it was President Trump who altered the image with a black Sharpie.

With media questions putting into the National Hurricane Center in Miami, public affairs officer Dennis Feltgen sent out an urgent message to colleagues in Washington later on that day. “HELP!!!”

NOAA’s Roberts revealed the hope the debate would fade. “I pray this thing passes away off by early morning,” she wrote to associates.

However the release of the anonymous statement two days later on only magnified the controversy, provoking a gush of outrage from the general public, Feltgen emailed once again. “I am enthusiastic there was some consideration of the outcome unsightly response to this press release. I am sick to my stomach.”

Louis Uccellini, director of the NWS, wrote “the mood out there is quite ugly” in an e-mail to NOAA management while describing an “upwelling” in the weather community.

In reaction to the declaration, Craig McLean, NOAA’s acting chief researcher, wrote to Weather condition Service and NOAA leaders, specifying: “What’s next? Climate science is a hoax? Flabbergasted to leave our forecasters awaiting the political wind.”

In an email to NOAA leadership the next day, McLean wrote: “For a company founded upon and recognized for determining clinical facts, relied on by the public, and accountable in law to put forward essential science info, I discover it unconscionable that an anonymous voice inside of NOAA would be discovered to castigate a dutiful, proper, and faithful NWS Forecaster who spoke the reality.”

McLean, a veteran NOAA authorities, would consequently go public with his criticism and launch the clinical integrity investigation.

The backstory

At the time of Trump’s tweet, the NWS’s projection assistance showed only an extremely little threat (about 5 percent) of tropical-storm-force winds for a small portion of Alabama. Nevertheless, Alabama was not in the storm projection track or “cone of uncertainty” from the National Hurricane Center, which showed Hurricane Dorian skirting the East Coast far away from Alabama.

While the NWS’s Birmingham workplace set the record straight, specifying Alabama “would NOT see any effects” from the storm, and despite the fact that leading NOAA officials knew its forecasters only acted in response to calls from concerned citizens, the agency still advised the Birmingham division for speaking “in absolute terms.”

Trump’s tweet that Alabama would be affected by the storm acquired national attention when Trump presented the variation of the projection cone from Aug. 29, extended into Alabama– customized utilizing a Sharpie. The crudely modified map appeared to represent an effort to retroactively validate the original Alabama tweet.

The outcomes of the Commerce Department Inspector General’s investigation are expected in the near future. In December, Trump nominated Jacobs to head NOAA after the previous candidate, Barry Myers, withdrew from contention, and the Dorian matter is sure to come up at any election hearing.

%.

from Job Search Tips https://jobsearchtips.net/new-e-mails-show-how-president-trump-roiled-noaa-during-typhoon-dorian/

[theliterateape]

“I Don’t Regret My Past but I Do Regret That There is Proof of It...”

By Don Hall

Here at The Ape, we’re relatively new to the issues of publishing content. Sure, David was an editor of a health rag and I’ve been publishing blog posts since before some of you were born (I believe my first piece was all about Hoovervilles and “a chicken in every pot”), but this is a different kind of animal.

We had a bit of a conundrum to solve when we committed to publish an anonymous piece in January of last year (Hey, Second City, Maybe Hire Some Actual Professional Comedians?)  and took some heat for it. We tried to be as fair as we could — that piece was pitched by an employee of Second City with a request of anonymity and was heavily edited from the moment it was sent to us and even following its publication.

Just recently, we encountered another dilemma:

The photo in question was one used by regular contributor Joe Janes in his weekly parody column, “The Minutes Of Our Last Meeting” and featured an open source photograph of a Neo-Nazi rally. In the forefront was a young woman, wearing a red t-shirt bearing a huge swastika, her hand in the Heil Hitler mode.

I responded:

“Whoa. How is it ruining your life? In order to remove the photo, we’ll just need proof you are actually in the photo. Thanks!”

Her response was to first call me and leave a voicemail.

Excerpted:

“Would it be ruining your life if someone were trying to use these photographs in the negative manner to take your child away because that is what my son’s father is trying to do. I don't regret my past but I can't have my past showing up when I am in a court battle over keeping my son.

I don't regret my past but I do regret that there is proof of it.”

Then another email:

“You supplied a phone number. I just called. "Ruining my life" is a mild over statement.. But if something posed a threat about taking your child away, wouldnt that ruin your life?

I was terrified. Angry. Scared when I sent that email below. As i still am. My ex is abusive. Mentally and was physically to my son while we We're together. He's stalking me and runnjng my name in the mid and found my photo on this page..

My names [redacted.] Where the photograph originally came from was a [redacted] paper showing my name as [redacted.] I only went to that rally for the person I was with at the time. I didn't go because I held the same beliefs. I went because surprise, it was a bad relationship and I didn't want to make them cross..

I don't regret my past.. I hate it is going to cause trouble in a custody case in keeping my son SAFE with me. My reputation is all i have. I have no criminal record. But being involved with Nazis would cause too many questions.

I'm a good 100pouds heavier. Having a child, 2 miscarriages and currently pregnant will do that to a woman.. I enclosed photos.

Please. Use a different woman. Please don't use that photo. I'm a mutt anyways. My mothee is 1/4 Cherokee. And my great great grandfather immigrated from Germany, so not only American Indian, I am of Jewish decent..

My fiancee is trying to send me the Facebook post of my ex sharing the page of the photo and what he's said. Its all a joke to him. He doesn't care about my son. He only wants to make me miserable. All he wants to do is hurt and control me. I'm out of his grasp, so he's trying anything to make me look bad.

My fiancee is a good man. A hard working blue collar man. This doesn't only effect me. It could blow back on his too, and our kids. And makes my reputation dirty.

Please.”

And then three more emails like it.

I went into the InterTubez and vetted the photo. Everything she said was on the up and up, so I found a different Neo-Nazi rally shot (sadly, there are far too many) and changed it out.

She expressed gratitude, there were screenshots of her ex online, and she used the phrase “not all heroes have capes.”

I’m not so sure I feel heroic but I feel ethical and I suppose that’s a decent way to feel. I can’t, however, get past the fact that, in my gut, I feel like this woman deserves to be terrified of her past. The initial photo was taken in 2015, leading up to the election of Our Reality Star President, at a Neo-Nazi rally.

“I don’t regret my past but I do regret that there is proof it.”

That statement says an awful lot about where we are in the ongoing evolution of modern society. I can hear Weinstein, Spacey and even Trump saying the same thing. I can imagine certain police officers saying it. Politicians saying it. Internet trolls saying it.

Christ, that statement could be the lasting meme that defines this particular era of social media, call out culture and unrelenting intolerance for disagreement on moralistic grounds.

I wonder about the kid in question and the horrifying circumstances, far beyond his control, that will shape who he becomes. Who will he be in 10 years — a Neo-Nazi? A misogynist? Even worse, a Republican? Will he learn to regret his youthful indiscretion or just the proof of its existence?

I used to believe that I could (and should) live without regret. As I grow older, that belief is shifting into a one that knows I will regret some things but will not endure shame for them as long as I have truly changed for the better.

To be completely forthcoming, when I received her initial takedown request and saw the photo, I didn’t want to help her. At all. In the same vein as the Nazi-punching memes of last year, the idea of being kind to a Neo-Nazi whose life was being ruined by a past she does not regret left me conflicted.

I wanted to fuck with her, to make her twist in her own pictorial legacy, to pay for the crime of being at a Neo-Nazi rally, wearing a huge swastika on her chest and saluting an ideology I find to be reprehensible in every way imaginable. Judgment is the national past time these days and using the internet as a means to vigilantism has become commonplace. We don’t even wait until accusations or context has been vetted by journalists anymore — the appearance of either acting like or simply not condemning the enemy is enough for a solid, full-throated trolling.

Once I told a friend that I believed all white people in the United States are racists because they all benefit from a racist paradigm. This friend later turned enemy and used this as my admission that I was racist. “He said he was a racist!” she wrote. “I have the receipts!” This quickly flashed through my mind as I read the Neo-Nazi mom’s plea that she only attended the rally to appease an abusive man.

“I believe her.” “Punch a Nazi.” “But I believe her.” “But she’s a fucking Nazi!”

So, yes. We took the photo down and replaced it with something else but I don’t feel good about it.

Why did we take it down? Because no one appointed us the punisher of those who do not regret their past but do regret that there is proof of it. No one made us the internet Batman, doling out our version of punishment to those who offend us or disagree with us. The low road is filled with vengeful, gleeful monsters, thrilled to destroy anyone they deem the Moral Enemy. The high road is harder emotionally and so there are fewer taking it.

The new activism is to react to hatred and ignorance and perhaps a lifetime of shitty patriarchal indoctrination with nothing less than complete destruction. That those afflicted by bullies and toxicity are using bullying and toxicity to fight back is the irony of our times.

I want this woman in the photo to regret her past and not only the proof of it. I want to see her have to bathe in the consequences of a sick and putrid worldview so willingly displayed.

It is not, however, my place to play executioner. Vengeance against someone I don’t know for things I find morally bankrupt is petty and self-righteous and I can’t allow myself to sink to that status. My personal feelings cannot be the guide to my conscience. More importantly, as The Ape continues to become something bigger and more culturally significant as a publication, it is our place to be ethical.

I still really hope the kid comes out a thinking, caring human being. I hope I never see a photo featuring him saluting hate like his mother.

#Journalistic ethics #Neo-Nazis #I believe her #Punch a Nazi #culture of outrage

[literateape]

“I Don’t Regret My Past but I Do Regret That There is Proof of It...”

By Don Hall

Here at The Ape, we’re relatively new to the issues of publishing content. Sure, David was an editor of a health rag and I’ve been publishing blog posts since before some of you were born (I believe my first piece was all about Hoovervilles and “a chicken in every pot”), but this is a different kind of animal.

We had a bit of a conundrum to solve when we committed to publish an anonymous piece in January of last year (Hey, Second City, Maybe Hire Some Actual Professional Comedians?)  and took some heat for it. We tried to be as fair as we could — that piece was pitched by an employee of Second City with a request of anonymity and was heavily edited from the moment it was sent to us and even following its publication.

Just recently, we encountered another dilemma:

The photo in question was one used by regular contributor Joe Janes in his weekly parody column, “The Minutes Of Our Last Meeting” and featured an open source photograph of a Neo-Nazi rally. In the forefront was a young woman, wearing a red t-shirt bearing a huge swastika, her hand in the Heil Hitler mode.

I responded:

“Whoa. How is it ruining your life? In order to remove the photo, we’ll just need proof you are actually in the photo. Thanks!”

Her response was to first call me and leave a voicemail.

Excerpted:

“Would it be ruining your life if someone were trying to use these photographs in the negative manner to take your child away because that is what my son’s father is trying to do. I don't regret my past but I can't have my past showing up when I am in a court battle over keeping my son.

I don't regret my past but I do regret that there is proof of it.”

Then another email:

“You supplied a phone number. I just called. "Ruining my life" is a mild over statement.. But if something posed a threat about taking your child away, wouldnt that ruin your life?

I was terrified. Angry. Scared when I sent that email below. As i still am. My ex is abusive. Mentally and was physically to my son while we We're together. He's stalking me and runnjng my name in the mid and found my photo on this page..

My names [redacted.] Where the photograph originally came from was a [redacted] paper showing my name as [redacted.] I only went to that rally for the person I was with at the time. I didn't go because I held the same beliefs. I went because surprise, it was a bad relationship and I didn't want to make them cross..

I don't regret my past.. I hate it is going to cause trouble in a custody case in keeping my son SAFE with me. My reputation is all i have. I have no criminal record. But being involved with Nazis would cause too many questions.

I'm a good 100pouds heavier. Having a child, 2 miscarriages and currently pregnant will do that to a woman.. I enclosed photos.

Please. Use a different woman. Please don't use that photo. I'm a mutt anyways. My mothee is 1/4 Cherokee. And my great great grandfather immigrated from Germany, so not only American Indian, I am of Jewish decent..

My fiancee is trying to send me the Facebook post of my ex sharing the page of the photo and what he's said. Its all a joke to him. He doesn't care about my son. He only wants to make me miserable. All he wants to do is hurt and control me. I'm out of his grasp, so he's trying anything to make me look bad.

My fiancee is a good man. A hard working blue collar man. This doesn't only effect me. It could blow back on his too, and our kids. And makes my reputation dirty.

Please.”

And then three more emails like it.

I went into the InterTubez and vetted the photo. Everything she said was on the up and up, so I found a different Neo-Nazi rally shot (sadly, there are far too many) and changed it out.

She expressed gratitude, there were screenshots of her ex online, and she used the phrase “not all heroes have capes.”

I’m not so sure I feel heroic but I feel ethical and I suppose that’s a decent way to feel. I can’t, however, get past the fact that, in my gut, I feel like this woman deserves to be terrified of her past. The initial photo was taken in 2015, leading up to the election of Our Reality Star President, at a Neo-Nazi rally.

“I don’t regret my past but I do regret that there is proof it.”

That statement says an awful lot about where we are in the ongoing evolution of modern society. I can hear Weinstein, Spacey and even Trump saying the same thing. I can imagine certain police officers saying it. Politicians saying it. Internet trolls saying it.

Christ, that statement could be the lasting meme that defines this particular era of social media, call out culture and unrelenting intolerance for disagreement on moralistic grounds.

I wonder about the kid in question and the horrifying circumstances, far beyond his control, that will shape who he becomes. Who will he be in 10 years — a Neo-Nazi? A misogynist? Even worse, a Republican? Will he learn to regret his youthful indiscretion or just the proof of its existence?

I used to believe that I could (and should) live without regret. As I grow older, that belief is shifting into a one that knows I will regret some things but will not endure shame for them as long as I have truly changed for the better.

To be completely forthcoming, when I received her initial takedown request and saw the photo, I didn’t want to help her. At all. In the same vein as the Nazi-punching memes of last year, the idea of being kind to a Neo-Nazi whose life was being ruined by a past she does not regret left me conflicted.

I wanted to fuck with her, to make her twist in her own pictorial legacy, to pay for the crime of being at a Neo-Nazi rally, wearing a huge swastika on her chest and saluting an ideology I find to be reprehensible in every way imaginable. Judgment is the national past time these days and using the internet as a means to vigilantism has become commonplace. We don’t even wait until accusations or context has been vetted by journalists anymore — the appearance of either acting like or simply not condemning the enemy is enough for a solid, full-throated trolling.

Once I told a friend that I believed all white people in the United States are racists because they all benefit from a racist paradigm. This friend later turned enemy and used this as my admission that I was racist. “He said he was a racist!” she wrote. “I have the receipts!” This quickly flashed through my mind as I read the Neo-Nazi mom’s plea that she only attended the rally to appease an abusive man.

“I believe her.” “Punch a Nazi.” “But I believe her.” “But she’s a fucking Nazi!”

So, yes. We took the photo down and replaced it with something else but I don’t feel good about it.

Why did we take it down? Because no one appointed us the punisher of those who do not regret their past but do regret that there is proof of it. No one made us the internet Batman, doling out our version of punishment to those who offend us or disagree with us. The low road is filled with vengeful, gleeful monsters, thrilled to destroy anyone they deem the Moral Enemy. The high road is harder emotionally and so there are fewer taking it.

The new activism is to react to hatred and ignorance and perhaps a lifetime of shitty patriarchal indoctrination with nothing less than complete destruction. That those afflicted by bullies and toxicity are using bullying and toxicity to fight back is the irony of our times.

I want this woman in the photo to regret her past and not only the proof of it. I want to see her have to bathe in the consequences of a sick and putrid worldview so willingly displayed.

It is not, however, my place to play executioner. Vengeance against someone I don’t know for things I find morally bankrupt is petty and self-righteous and I can’t allow myself to sink to that status. My personal feelings cannot be the guide to my conscience. More importantly, as The Ape continues to become something bigger and more culturally significant as a publication, it is our place to be ethical.

I still really hope the kid comes out a thinking, caring human being. I hope I never see a photo featuring him saluting hate like his mother.

#Journalistic ethics #Neo-Nazis #I believe her #Punch a Nazi #culture of outrage

[othersportsnews-blog]

Golfing -- Weekly eighteen -- Jon Rahm proves he can get on all sorts of programs following Irish Open victory

New Post has been published on https://othersportsnews.com/golfing-weekly-eighteen-jon-rahm-proves-he-can-get-on-all-sorts-of-programs-following-irish-open-victory/

Golfing -- Weekly eighteen -- Jon Rahm proves he can get on all sorts of programs following Irish Open victory

This week’s edition of the Weekly eighteen was prepared even though questioning why nobody has trademarked Rahmania nonetheless. The T-shirt possibilities alone are limitless.

one. Rahmania — see, it’s catchy — ongoing this weekend, as Jon Rahm lapped the Irish Open area. If you are scoring at property, that’s now two titles this yr for the 22-yr-aged — a person on every of his property excursions. Perhaps the most outstanding section of his match is his adaptability. Rahm has now triumphed at Torrey Pines, a big ballpark practically did so at Colonial, a ball-striker’s paradise and received at Portstewart, a basic one-way links monitor. These a few programs are about as distinct as a few planet-course venues can be, which usually means Rahm’s capacity to make his match go well with every of them need to be the scariest point for his opponents going ahead.

two. It was a few months back — just prior to the final match of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship, which showcased Rahm in what would in the end be a getting rid of battle from Dustin Johnson — when I been given a textual content concept from a person PGA Tour member questioning irrespective of whether Rahm was by now the world’s 2nd-very best player. Now, these items are malleable on a weekly foundation, but it was intended much less as criticism from anybody else than praise for the youngster. And it’s a valid suggestion. Given that turning professional just around a yr back, Rahm has played twenty five events, ending in the prime-10 on 11 events even though lacking the slice just a few periods.

3. In the close, it failed to “make any difference” given that he received by a 50 percent-dozen strokes in any case, but Rahm could have – if not need to have — been penalized for innocently nonetheless incorrectly marking his ball on the sixth hole in the final spherical. If this situation appears familiar, there’s a purpose: It was the same violation that price Lexi Thompson a important championship previously this yr. However, the purpose Rahm wasn’t penalized is because the rule has given that transformed, letting for much more wiggle area to make this a judgment simply call. In this specific circumstance, the European official managing the situation insisted there was no sick intent and he confirmed “realistic judgment.”

4. This is what, in my viewpoint, is the most egregious concern when it will come to skilled golfing violations and incorrect scorecards: If a player like Thompson commits an infraction in the course of any of the to start with a few rounds (hers came in the third), that player might nevertheless be subject to both online video evaluate and, if identified “guilty,” a penalty for signing an incorrect scorecard. However, if the same scenario occurs in the course of the final spherical, there can be no later recourse.

5. There are two methods to that problem. A single is to have no cutoff date for identifying violations, which usually means if online video evaluate tomorrow exhibits a penalty to, say, Ben Hogan at the 1950 U.S. Open, then — you guessed it — he could nevertheless be posthumously docked a couple of strokes. The other solution is to have all tournament scores deemed final by midnight of that day’s spherical. I will allow you choose which possibility appears much less preposterous and much more sensible.

Spaniard Jon Rahm turn professional hardly a yr back and now he is a person of the preferred picks to win up coming week’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Niall Carson/PA via AP

six. Hen or the egg. The meaning of daily life. Play or rest. Among the the finest inquiries ever asked is irrespective of whether elite golfers are greater ready by actively playing the 7 days prior to a important or resting alternatively. Alright, maybe not, but it’s nevertheless value thinking about, in particular coming into up coming week’s Open Championship. A lot more so than standard, there is a terrific divide inside of the game’s higher ranks. Rahm, for instance, will make Royal Birkdale his fourth straight start out McIlroy will make it his third. Meanwhile, the likes of planet No. one Dustin Johnson and U.S. Open winner Brooks Koepka will be competing for the to start with time given that the U.S. Open. Previous proof exhibits there’s no correct remedy for important prep, but we will again come across two independent factions up coming 7 days.

7. For the third straight 7 days, the European Tour will function a greater strength of area — and, for that reason, much more planet position factors — than its PGA Tour counterpart, as the Scottish Open will outdistance the John Deere Vintage in that aspect. What does it signify? Not considerably, truly — but it is great to see a couple of weeks in which the spotlight is much more on the European circuit alternatively.

8. The debate around Bernhard Langer and Scott McCarron probably breaking Rule fourteen-1b — aka, the anchoring ban — has made these a firestorm that last 7 days they issued a joint assertion emphatically denying they’re anchoring their putters in competitiveness. Each player insists he has labored with both the USGA and PGA Tour Champions regulations officers, and has been assured that no rule is being broken. Even so, that has not stopped observers from nevertheless accusing them of anchoring.

9. This is the major problem with these accusations: They are not precisely like calling out a baseball player for possessing as well considerably pine tar on the bat. Accusing Langer and McCarron of anchoring is the same as calling them cheaters — an unfair label contemplating regulations officers have absolved them of any wrongdoing. Until eventually a governing entire body announces there’s fault with their putting strokes, every of these players justifies the gain of the doubt somewhat than presumed guilt.

10. There will not be lots of uncooked, genuine answers this yr as great as the a person Xander Schauffele made available on the CBS telecast following his Greenbrier Vintage win. “It truthfully just transformed my daily life,” he stated, shaking his head. “I require to get it all in.” It was outstanding when the PGA Tour rookie contended at the U.S. Open, ending T-5, but as well normally that variety of 7 days potential customers to players pumping the brakes somewhat than stepping on the fuel pedal. Schauffele, nevertheless, has ongoing his critical summertime heater, parlaying his to start with important start out into his to start with win. He’ll have lots of time to get it all in.

Xander Schauffele parlayed his potent displaying at the U.S. Open into his to start with PGA Tour victory at the Greenbrier Vintage. Bob Donnan-United states of america Today Sporting activities

11. I have lined the Greenbrier Vintage from on site about a 50 percent-dozen periods and the very best way I can describe the 7 days is that it’s like summertime camp for PGA Tour players and their households. They have pleasurable off the golfing system, with so lots of functions readily available they have pleasurable on the system, a scoreable monitor in which great pictures are rewarded. All of which is only a little section of the purpose why it was so great to see the celebration held again this yr, subsequent a a person-yr hiatus thanks to devastating floods in the location last yr. The tales of tragedy in that location are horrible, but the story this 7 days was a person of not only remembrance, but rejuvenation.

12. Regardless of major following the to start with, 2nd and third rounds, Sebastian Munoz couldn’t hold on for the wire-to-wire victory. But let us all concur on this: He seemed a full ton greater than a man ranked 410th in the planet who’d never ever concluded in the prime-twenty five prior to.

thirteen. Jim “Bones” Mackay is a intelligent male. Not because he lasted a quarter-century on a high quality bag or because he is using his talents to Television set. It truly is because he is coming into this new job in his career figuring out that he will not know everything. In the course of a Thursday teleconference saying his new commentating gig with NBC/Golfing Channel, this was the most outstanding point he stated: “I want to get greater and I want to find out as considerably as I can. I’m going to be the man bothering a ton of folks with a ton of inquiries. … I are not able to wait to get at it. I just are not able to tension adequate that I have a ton to find out out there, for sure.”

fourteen. Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson’s new caddie is a pretty intelligent male, as well. Tim Mickelson isn’t really just looping for his brother. The previous Arizona State head coach is also Rahm’s agent. This is what he tweeted Sunday following a pleasant start out to these moonlighting obligations: “Nicely Today is Entertaining! Phil shoots 64 and my other manager @JonRahmpga shoots sixty five n receives European Tour Earn #one. Savor n Appreciate these times.”

Jon Rahm was not penalised in the final spherical of the Dubai Responsibility Totally free Irish Open because of new directives aimed at lessening the influence of online video know-how in the match.

Spain’s Jon Rahm consolidated his status as the most popular assets in golfing with a resounding victory in the Dubai Responsibility Totally free Irish Open, his 2nd win in just his twenty fifth celebration as a skilled.

Rookie Xander Schauffele created a 3-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday to close with a 3-underneath 67 and win The Greenbrier Vintage by a stroke around Robert Streb for his to start with PGA Tour victory.

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fifteen. Sam Snead is normally regarded the finest “older” player of all-time. He was the oldest player to make the slice in a important, the oldest to make the slice on the PGA Tour and the to start with to shoot his age in a PGA Tour celebration. But a person of his documents is going down — sometime. At the age of 52 several years, 10 months and 8 times, Snead received the 1965 Greater Greensboro Open. This earlier 7 days, Davis Really like III contended for a few times at fifty three. He’s definitely capable of profitable again, but if he will not at this age, then maybe Steve Stricker can in a couple of several years — or Mickelson, or Jim Furyk a couple of several years later. The issue is, Snead’s document is terrific, but it’s not going to stand eternally.

sixteen. Rory McIlroy introduced prior to the Irish Open that he is off Twitter — at the very least for now. It truly is a shift precipitated by a pointed spat with Steve Elkington following McIlroy’s skipped slice at the U.S. Open. That’s a disgrace. McIlroy is refreshingly genuine, self-deprecating and intelligent on social media. His decision is easy to understand, but it’s a decline for the rest of us.

seventeen. As host of the Irish Open, McIlroy’s win at last year’s celebration was hailed as a heroic homecoming. This year’s skipped slice just rendered disappointment. His last six world-wide starts off have finished MC-17th-MC-thirty fifth-7th-thirtieth, with a five-7 days injuries hiatus in the middle. He’s stating all the correct items — he is pissed off he feels like he is close he believes he wants much more competitive rounds he thinks his match is on monitor for the approaching Open Championship. But there are unquestionably much more inquiries about his match correct now than answers.

eighteen. On the vibrant aspect, at the very least McIlroy will not have to browse about these inquiries on Twitter anymore.

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[lliampowell]

April? How about, Ap-brill?

Try and find such high calibre of wordplay anywhere else. I dare you.

I know this post comes a little late, because it’s almost May (where the fuck is my life going?!) What can I say - I’ve been extremely busy... Or rather, I’ve been mildly busy but I’m exaggerating to imply an air of success. Because that’s something people do, and that’s the world we live in. We’re doomed. 

This post comes from a less jaded place of mind, because I can’t help but feel that everything is going to get better - because realistically how much worse could it get. You need the bad to appreciate the good (is what people sometimes say to make you feel good when you’re dealt a bum hand). But it comes from a place of truth I suppose. 

‘Less jaded’ lasted for about 7 seconds soz. 

This post doesn’t have a theme or a particular topic, because I think I’m over it. And by it I mean everything. I’m sick of being a whiney little bitch, expecting things to get better, constantly getting my hopes up only for them to fall. So I’ve given up on that. I haven’t given up hope though; I think things will get better but it takes a bit of elbow grease  hard work  effort. I’ve decided that the only good things that will happen to me are things that I do for myself. There’s no such thing as good luck, God is a myth and you’re never going to win the lottery mum; stop spending your quids. 

I don’t expect or even really want that much from my life - I just want to be slightly happy and do things because I want to do them, not because I’m forced to do them... And when you think of life like that, everything gradually becomes a little easier and those hopes become manageable. Again, my resilient youth lends well to this, because I have virtually no obligations to anyone but myself, and this will probably change over time, but for the time being, I’ve decided to say fuck it and just do what I want. How bow dah. 

Whether I actually follow through on this mindset is another issue (blog post) altogether. And I’m sure that we’ll all find out in a few months whether or not I’m a hypocrite (spoiler: I am). But the important thing is, is that I’m allowing myself to think like this, and to be what and who I want. This sounds like the closing points of a C4 documentary. The Boy With An Apricot For A Face

In other news, I’m currently finishing up an edit on a short film that I worked on with a few friends, and I’m genuinely really pleased with the results. Just a bit of encouragement to carry on the path that I’ve taken - to keep on making films. It’s all well and good clawing at any entry-level opportunity, competing against your friends for what is virtually a minimum wage tea-making position -  but we should be the content makers. We have the abilities, ideas and limitless creativity to become the directors and producers of the future... And people say ‘yeah you should really start at the bottom and understand the industry’. Fuck that, do what you want. 

Next time on this blog: Theresa MAY (because it will be the month of May and apparently there is a politics going on). For now, enjoy stills: