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him-e · 6 years

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Hi, I sent the original ask about a Celibate Rey ending, I don't know what discourse came out of it, I didn't see it, but I wanted to clear the air. I didn't mean to come off dismissive of female romance/sexuality or of your ship in my ask. I understand it can be exhausting to defend your perspective over and over to people who don't want to listen, so I totally get if you thought I was baiting, though. I'm sorry for the trouble or stress this caused you.

Not asking to troll or continue the discourse, but if you don’t want to continue discussing this topic please delete this. But how can you see a valid Celibate-Rey endgame going? If IX were to end with Rey on her own and to some degree happy (Since this is Star Wars, the ending has to be at least slightly happy or hopeful) what kind of an ending would it be? If Kylo dies or survives, either/or.

Hey, no problem at all, and sorry for my snappish answer (hopefully you realized I was being part tongue-in-cheek, though). Admittedly the “better off alone/celibate” argument is something that cyclically resurfaces in other ships of mine, particularly Jaime/Brienne, which made me skittish on the whole thing, particularly when it’s tied to *female agency* buzzwords and the assumption that it’s the shippers who are arbitrarily trying to force a romance on the character, rather than it being part of the character’s canon narrative (not necessarily your case, but it’s such a popular argument against the J/B ship that I’ve developed particularly nasty anticorps for it)

So re: Celibate Jedi!Rey—

Is it a technically possible endgame for her? Totally.

Is it something I would personally be okay with and find satisfying? Well, yes, if:

a) it acknowledges and gives closure to Rey’s feelings for Ben, and viceversa. This includes admitting a degree of bittersweet in the happily ever after final picture.

Just considering the force bond alone without its romantic implications, Rey and Kylo, just the two of them, are connected on a deep intimate level. This is kind of a big deal, especially for Rey, whose familial bonds were suddenly and irrevocably severed when she was little, after which she was left completely alone with no chance to find her way back to her parents (ironically, now she has a magical tracking device in her head that allows her to communicate with another person even across galaxies. From completely alone, to never completely alone even in her own head. Big deal, indeed).

Even if the bond is broken (because Kylo dies, or else) and no overtly romantic stuff happens between them, it will still leave a mark on Rey, an empty spot where something magical used to be that can only be partially filled with familial or “muggle” love and the purpose of a “lone” Jedi path. That she would bury Kylo (or watch him leave never to return) and immediately go to join the Resistance’s party original trilogy style as if nothing sad just happened doesn’t make a lot sense to me. In fact, it would infuriate me, as I hate when characters are written as if they had some emotion switch hidden somewhere that makes them go from sad to cheerful in the blink of an eye (and tbh TLJ, for all I liked it, already went dangerously close to that, with Rey’s jarring post-proposal cheerfulness on the Falcon during the whole Crait sequence, imo).

So if they want to go that route, they need to be ready to tinge their happy ending with a little melancholy, otherwise I won’t find it realistic at all. This especially if Kylo dies, but also if he leaves or they are separated for whatever reason. (if Kylo lives, and redeems himself, and stays, I don’t see any reason why he and Rey should not be together, tbh. I mean it’s not like there’s still a Jedi order around dictating what Rey is or isn’t allowed to do. Like Palpatine was the Senate, she is the Jedi Order now, she can make new rules, lmao)

b) it avoids attaching moralistic implications to this choice (?) of celibacy (”that’s what I’m really meant for”, or “that’s how I’ll live my life to the fullest and be truly happy”, etc).

The figure of the Jedi in SW is, at the end of the day, a caregiver. A magical warrior/monk who essentially devotes their life to other people, denying any sort of personal ambition of satisfaction for himself (self-drive is closer to the Sith way). While the extent of this self-abnegation can be reframed and repackaged in a more “progressive” light (say Rey rebuilds a Jedi order with different rules, or just chooses a different way to be a Jedi, see above), the essence of caregiving and selflessness will probably remain untouched. It’s really funny to me that the people who want this endgame for Rey are the same one who get their panties in a twist at the thought of Rey being “reduced to an emotional caregiver” for Ben (paraphrasing some anti post I’ve read recently). The point is, Celibate!Jedi Rey wouldn’t be simply choosing friendship/family/a career over romance, she’d actually sacrifice her individual (in this case, romantic/sexual) desires in order to become a caregiver for an entire community. And this isn’t something I’d consider an especially subversive or /empowering/ endgame for a female character, quite the opposite, actually. The subtext here needs to be handed carefully, particularly if her endgame involves rebuilding some sort of Jedi school for gifted children: the risk of elevating her to a self-sacrificial virgin mother archetype would be pretty high. It can be done, and it can imply Rey will find happiness in this life, but without any sort of hamfisted *inspirational moral message for little girls*, if you know what I mean.

c) it doesn’t frame Rey’s choice not to be with Kylo specifically (if it is indeed a choice on her part and not something dictated by external forces, aka Kylo’s death or the Willabeth endgame, more on that later) in a moral(istic) perspective.

no “I can’t be with you because you have been mean to people, ewww” bullshit, thank you very much. This sounds like the ultimate anti wet dream, Rey rejecting Kylo because he’s awful, and I think we’re WAAAYYYY past it with all that happened in TLJ.

I hope this clarifies things a bit!

Another anon asked me to explain what I meant with the Willabeth endgame, and:

in POTC III Will Turner kills Davy Jones, so he has to take his place as the captain of the Flying Dutchman, which is a curse for life. He and Elizabeth (who are now married) spend a last day together on an island (during which it’s implied they fuck like rabbits and conceive a child, lmao), and then, at sunset, Will says goodbye, leaving the box containing his heart to Elizabeth, to whom he says, “will you keep it safe for me?”. It’s heartbreaking and a bit sadistic tbh but also incredibly romantic.

How does this apply to Reylo?

Well, Kylo could be

sentenced to lifelong exile on a remote planet, or

imprisoned for life, or

going on exile on his own will, or

leaving to form a new order of darksiders (or something) as he feels he has no place among the Good Guys and has Redeemed Himself But Not Really, or

sentenced to death and then promptly freed by Rey, who urges him to leave never to return, for his own safety, or

in general, literally or metaphorically cursed to live an existence separated from Rey as a form of atonement alternative to death;

and Rey obviously can’t follow him, because she can’t and won’t abandon her place among the Resistance, and they both know this, but it doesn’t stop them for wanting each other and swearing they will wait for each other forever, cue pants-dropping emotional final goodbye scene which, while offering complete closure, leaves the possibility of a future reunion entirely possible.

Why do I think it’s a valid scenario?

it’s a good compromise between endgame Reylo and Celibate!Jedi Rey;

Kylo gets to Suffer ™, as y’all hope for;

an unwritten but very common and wise rule of storytelling (whether or not you agree with it) is that a couple who can’t be together NOW is more interesting than a couple who is Just Together and chillin’ on the sofa or something, so this endgame leaves things open enough to be further explored in hypothetical tie-in canon material (comics, novels, tv adaptations, maybe even a standalone Episode IX-bis in five or six years from now, WHO THE HELL KNOWS?);

the fanfictions would SKYROCKET;

the force bond, if it still exists at that point, would be an INCREDIBLY convenient plot device;

Reylo Sex Island

end

#anon #asks #sw asks #sw for ts #sw wank #reylo for ts #celibate rey #sw endgame #sw speculation #the willabeth endgame #long post

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pittarchives · 7 years

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History of Pitt Libraries

This post is an adaptation of the Libraries at Pitt exhibit that was featured in the Hillman Library ground floor lobby during Homecoming.

The libraries of the University of Pittsburgh have been in a constant state of progression dating back to the school’s very beginnings. Hugh Henry Brackenridge, founder of the University’s predecessor the Pittsburgh Academy, wrote in his 1792 novel Modern Chivalry that “men in the learned professions require propinquity to the libraries of Apollo as well as the seats of the Muses,” indicating the importance he placed on books and education. After becoming the Western University of Pennsylvania in 1819, the school’s library grew, only to be completely lost in the Great Fire of 1845. The University and its library rose from the ashes even stronger than before, accepting its first major gifts of book collections and hiring its first trained librarian. As the University of Pittsburgh (renamed in 1908) grew from a local to a national and then an international university, so too did the library collection, necessitating the construction of the school’s first standalone library building, Hillman Library, which opened in 1968. As we celebrate fifty years of Hillman Library, we are looking back at the history of libraries at the University of Pittsburgh.

WUP library on the second floor of the Perrysville Avenue building. Western University of Pennsylvania (W.U.P.) Libraries Early in the University’s history, teaching faculty controlled the library collection. Already in 1822, students were responsible for paying for any damage they did to books; however, if the guilty party could not be identified, the charge was distributed among all of the students. While the original W.U.P. library was destroyed in the 1845 fire, by 1861 the library contained about 2,000 volumes. Additional titles were held in the members-only libraries of the Irving and Philomathean Literary Societies. The modern University library collection traces its roots to the 1874 gift of Robert Watson’s library, comprising over 2,000 volumes on mathematics, science, and ancient and modern languages. This was followed by the establishment of a reading room and the designation of the first University Librarian, Greek Professor Joseph F. Griggs, in 1878. In January 1890, the first student assistant was hired to oversee the periodicals room in W.U.P.’s Perrysville Avenue building. As W.U.P. set its sights on its future in Oakland as the University of Pittsburgh, it hired Catherine Elston as the school’s first trained librarian in 1905. In 1907, brothers Peter and John Alldred donated a recreational reading collection and endowment, respectively, which was to remain separate from the rest of the University’s holdings.

A packed reading room in State Hall. State Hall “The Library is to the University, as a whole, what the laboratory is to Physics, Chemistry, or Biology.” – Chancellor Samuel B. McCormick, 1920 With Pitt’s move to Oakland in 1908, the library was relocated to the first floor of its first new building, State Hall. This location proved inconvenient, as it was adjacent to the School of Mines laboratory, so in 1917 the library was moved to a larger room on the building’s second floor. The growing library was relocated again to State Hall’s third floor in 1919, but the students and faculty deemed the new location inaccessible and use began to decline. As a result of the inconvenient main collection location, departmental libraries began to prosper throughout campus. One example, the Fine Arts library, was funded by Helen Clay Frick beginning in 1927 and it quickly became one of the premier libraries of its kind in the country. By 1930, the Fine Arts library contained over 12,500 volumes, 50,000 photographs, and 15,000 lantern slides illustrating artwork from various places and times. The library and the University continued to grow throughout the early twentieth century until it became clear to Chancellor John Bowman that a new building was needed on campus: one that could accommodate students, faculty, and the expanding collection of libraries for years to come.

Cathedral of Learning library service desk. The librarian is using a pneumatic tube to send book requests to the stacks below. Cathedral of Learning “In the Cathedral, the library was a mystery. It was spread out among several floors – most were closed stacks.” – Charles Aston, Special Collections Over 30,000 volumes and library equipment were transported at night from State Hall to the Cathedral of Learning between April 29-May 1, 1936, and an additional 40,000 volumes remained available via messenger service until they were eventually relocated that summer. These materials were removed from the third floor of State Hall via a specially designed chute that delivered the boxes to trucks waiting to transport them to the Cathedral. On May 4, 1936, the libraries opened for use on the Cathedral’s fourth, fifth, and sixth floors. Pneumatic tubes transported book requests called call slips to students working in the stacks and retrieved items were delivered to the fifth floor on an electric conveyor. There were separate reading rooms for men and women. The library in the Cathedral was filled with heavy wooden furniture and bookcases; the spaces were stereotypically quiet with little interaction among students. The windows were opened in the summer to cool the stifling spaces, but that also allowed the smoky Pittsburgh air into the stacks, creating a layer of dirt. Less than 25 years after the Cathedral opened, the library was already outdated and overgrown. It became clear that the solution would be to build a standalone library building to accommodate the expanding collection and rapidly changing library services and technologies.

The Darlington Library in the Cathedral of Learning. Darlington Library In 1918, Mary and Edith Darlington initiated the first million dollar gift to the University when they donated their father, William Darlington’s, library to Pitt. Once the bulk of the estate was received in May 1925, the University became the owner of an extensive library of books, manuscripts, atlases and maps pertaining to early American history, particularly that of western Pennsylvania. The collection also included many Victorian English first editions acquired by William’s son, O’Hara, and a complete set of Audubon’s Birds of America. Initially located in State Hall, the Darlington Library moved with the general collection to the Cathedral of Learning in 1936. Situated on the sixth floor of the Cathedral, the entrance was distinguished by wrought iron gates designed by Samuel Yellin. The library also included several of the Darlington’s original wooden bookcases and was decorated to reflect the collection’s Victorian roots. While the physical library has been removed from the Cathedral, the majority of the collection has been digitized and made available online. This has allowed the University to provide greater access to the library and contributes to the preservation of the robust collection for generations to come.

Card catalogs on the ground floor of Hillman Library.

Hillman Library “Students come into Hillman Library and they see the whole library as theirs. That environment would have been impossible in the old library …” Charles Aston, Special Collections On January 8, 1968, Hillman Library, named for local industrialist J. Hartwell Hillman, Jr., opened its doors. Though still partially under construction, students and faculty remarked on how bright and clean the new library was compared to its predecessor in the Cathedral of Learning. On September 6, 1968, construction was completed and dedication ceremonies were held on the first floor. The library reflected a shift in ideologies and services, implementing an open stack model that allowed for greater personal discovery. Hillman also adapted to evolving technologies, which provided for the automation of many of the library’s circulation and behind the scenes work. Soon, the library entered the digital age by offering an online catalog and access to various databases. Another change in Pitt’s library culture precipitated by the move to Hillman was the idea of the library as a social center. Students could meet in the new library to collaborate on projects, study together, or simply socialize. With relatively mobile furniture and a more laidback environment, students could make the library and its space conform to their needs.

Frick Fine Arts Library, part of the ULS. University Library System The Hillman system of libraries included the general collection, as well as administrative control of the Bevier Engineering, Langley, Math, Music, Fine Arts, Economics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Allegheny Observatory and Social Work libraries. In 1979, the library acquired from the History Department the Archives of Industrial Society which, along with the University Archives, formed the Archives Service Center. The gathering of collections under one administrative umbrella was similar to the Falk Library of the Health Sciences, which combined the collections of the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy in 1957. In 1982, the University Library System formed in response to the recommendations of a task force that sought to improve efficiency within all the University libraries. The new ULS included the Hillman system, as well as the libraries of the Schools of Business, Library and Information Science, and Public and International Affairs. The ULS now includes the regional campus libraries and the Center for American Music, as well. By forming one cohesive system, Pitt’s libraries implemented new technologies en masse, including the University’s first online catalog and in 1996 the ULS’s first website. These libraries also utilize a unified technical services department to handle behind-the-scenes functions, such as cataloging and acquisitions.

The Digital Scholarship Commons, one of the many spacers where users can create, rather than consume, knowledge. Libraries of Today Today, the University’s libraries are in the midst of yet another evolution of services. The libraries, especially Hillman, have made the change from being collection-centric to user-centric spaces. More students use the physical library than ever before, and so group study rooms and technology enriched spaces compliment the more traditional reading and quiet study areas. The Cup & Chaucer café even provides food and drink to patrons, something that would have been inconceivable in the Cathedral’s library. To make room for more people, portions of the collection have been sent to high density storage at the Library Resource Facility; however, these materials remain highly accessible and can be requested electronically through PittCat. The libraries have also become a place where users can create knowledge rather than simply accessing it. Spaces like the Digital Scholarship Commons and one-button studio are available for users to create digital projects, videos, and other content. The ULS is also a leader in promoting open access and publishing scholarly, peer reviewed e-journals. The D-Scholarship institutional repository provides access to the research output of the University and, recently, librarians have played an active role in research data management. The beginning of Hillman Library’s renovation this summer marks the next exciting phase in the development of Pitt libraries.

- Zach Brodt

#vintage library #University Of Pittsburgh #libraries #Western University of Pennsylvania

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dragonpressgraphics · 7 years

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3 Tag Games

Tagged by @pod7et

1: Are you named after someone? was. I fixed that 11 1/2 years ago.

2: When was the last time you cried? Uh, not caused by a fic? Not sure. But I was very close this saturday

3: Do you like your handwriting? Nope. And I know that seems weird, that as an artist I have horrible handwriting, but i do. I apparantly just have no patience to wait - my art thumbnails also look very awful. the difference is, the first time i'm trying to get the idea down fast before my brain moves on or forgets. the second time is to make it nice. I never get around to writing it a second time unless its typed up.

4: What is your favorite lunch meat? in general: Roast Beef. specifically - the Buttercup Dairy Store Cajun Roast Beef. A small mom and pop owned store back home where i had my first job.

5: Do you have kids? yes. one.

6: If you were another person, would you be friends with you? i don't see why not?

7: Do you use sarcasm? everyone around me does so if i do, it doesn't get noticed as sarcasm. i have it, i try to, but my levels of sarcasm just doesn't compare

8: Do you still have your tonsils? Yes

9: Would you bungee jump? *SHUDDERING* Why would you ask me that? WHY?

10: What is your favorite kind of cereal? I don't eat cereal anymore

11: Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? I used to, but i have a pair of shoes now that i can get on and off without having to, so i don't bother anymore

12: Do you think you’re a strong person? No

13: What is your favorite ice cream? Vanilla bean - Breyers or Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby

14: What is the first thing you notice about people? Uh...colors, I think. They'll draw your eye in and then you start noticing everything else.

15: What is the least favorite physical thing you like about yourself? MY HEIGHT (I'm so short and its not fair - my dad was a whole foot taller than me. so's his brother. and his oldest sister is almost a foot taller than me as well

16: What color pants and shoes are you wearing now? blue striped pj’s

17: What are you listening to right now? Everyone's sleeping and i was too lazy to find my headphones, so all i'm listening to is my fingers typing and the humming refridgerator (i apparantly can't spell that.)

18: If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Well, that depends. Am I picking it? Or does each color have some deep meaning that would be applied to me? Becuase if it's the first, the color would be blue. if its' the second, you'll have to give me the chart...

19: Favorite smell? BACON

20: Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? my mum-in-law (and yes, i call her mum. and no, i'm not from England. so there.)

21: Favorite sport to watch? Yuri on Ice. that totally counts, right?

22: Hair color? plain old brown with silver creeping in. sometimes i dye it to bring out the red highlights that hide inside. usually that means i've just turned my whole head red. :P

23: Eye color? Brown

24: Do you wear contacts? I can't wear them anymore. they hurt my eyes.

25: Favorite food to eat? Bacon. what, i can use the same answer twice! okay fine - how about something i can't get anymore because i don't know how my father cooked it?

26: Scary movies or comedy? Comedy! I'll even watch scary stuff sometimes if it has enough comedy

27: Last movie you watched? You know what? NO. I ain't telling cause i really regret watching it. WHILE i was watching it, but i was too lazy to find something else.

28: What color of shirt are you wearing? my bright orange pj's

29: Summer or winter? Autumn!!!

30: Hugs or kisses? Hugs

31: What book are you currently reading? Does fanfic count? if not, I technically have several books i'm in the middle of right now - i think i started them 2 years ago. before i realized i could read fanfic on my nook.

32: Who do you miss right now? dad

33: What is on your mouse pad? N/A (laptop has the touchpad, and even when it doesn’t, i use a trackball. no mouse necessary - but we did have one a friend stole from our college computer lab that my hubby used for like, forever.

34: What is the last TV program you watched? um.....oh! the Red Green Show

35: What is the best sound? music. or laughing.

36: Rolling Stones or The Beatles? not sure

37: What is the furthest you have ever traveled? NH to California

38: Do you have a special talent? i like to think so

39: Where were you born? Deleware

******************************

Alright, I was tagged by @dmsilvisart to answer 8 questions and tag 9 people who I would like to get to know better. Here we go:

1. Relationship Status: Married 11 1/2 years, known each other for 22

2. Favorite Color: Blue!!!!!!

3. Pets: None. Everyone in my house but me is allergic

4. Last Song I Listened To: That was hours ago! you expect me to remember? :( Right now i have the Yuri on Ice open theme song stuck in my head. Which makes me mad because i tried to buy it on Amazon and the only copies i could find were NOT the version in the open (different singer) or only 30 seconds long (when the open is around a minute and a half)

5. Favorite TV Shows: Supernatural, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Sherlock, Yuri on Ice, M*A*S*H (no one said it still had to be on the air...or in its original run...or...any kind of...qualifier), Stargate, Eureka, slayers, Furuba and probably so much more if i had any brain left for thinking

6. First Fandom: Star Trek

7. Hobbies: Reading, writing, arting (though i want that to be more than a hobby), Games (puzzles, board, card and video - everything really), knitting, scrapbooking

8. Books I’m Currently Reading: Several. from like, 2 years ago, before the whole nook thing. BUT! I am holding @unforth-ninawaters "Glimmer of Hope" hostage until i get more of my work done and i'm sooooo antsing to read it right now!

************************ Alphabet Game

Tagged by @tenoko1

a - age: 39.9

b - biggest fear: Being in open water or being lost, or being alone

c - current time: 3:05am

d - drink you last had: tea

e - every day starts with: my daughter waking me up for a hug before she leaves for school. then i attempt to fall back asleep until i get a nerf shot at my ass (by my husband) as a pretend alarm clock

f - favorite song: Dust in the Wind (but really, so SO many good ones to choose from! how do you choose?)

g - ghosts, are they real: can't decide

h - hometown: where i live now? where i was born? Where i grew up? I never know which version of the question i'm being asked...

i - in love with: not sure what to put here

j - jealous of: anyone whose life is more together than mine i guess. Or people who waste their opportunities

k - killed someone: um, no

l - last time you cried: This saturday I came really close. I had to go hide.

m - middle name: Is my maiden name - i was rather partial to it and since i was moving my old middle name to the first position i said, sure, why not. Let's just lop off that first name and move everything over one to make room for that new last name. wasn't like i was using that old first name anyway.

n - number of siblings: 1.5 (aka, a full sister and a half brother. whom i havent seen since he was 5 except for one time, by accident, at a con. Where he made it clear he wanted nothing to do with our family.

o - one wish: To be able to support myself on my artistic ability

p - person you last called/texted: do the website IMs count? cause that would be either jhoomwrites or mittensmorgul

q - questions you’re always asked: did you draw this?

r - reasons to smile: my kid, music, my art, comments on my fics

s - song last sang: aaaaaah....All of me? i...think? I was singing along

t - which time? Because according to my fitbit, i was awake 17 times last night

u - underwear color: the hated pink color

v - vacation destination: so. many. places! japan, ireland, greece, a supernatural convention for the ENTIRE weekend

w - worst habit(s): Tumblr, procrastination - oh wait, same thing

x - x-rays you’ve had: i've had a variety of things like that - xrays, mri's, catscans...hip, sinus, teeth, baby, gallstones, foot, etc

y - your favorite food: For the third time, BACON!

z - zodiac Sign: Aries

Not tagging anyone - if you wanna do it, go ahead :D

#i think i should go to bed now #3 tag games #tenoko1 #dmsilvisart #and pod7et

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rizzizzsins-blog · 5 years

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From the Ashes, Ch. 5

Wanna read this on Archive? Click here.

It felt like an eternity before Dr. Dreemurr knocked.

“Asher? May I come in? I am also bringing some other Royal Family members. You may accept or refuse to see them, and it will be completely alright.”

“No, it’s okay,” he assented.

The click of dress shoes let him know she was being followed. The door opened, and two very different looking goat monsters followed in behind Dr. Dreemurr.They were a couple, with rick dark hair and mahogany eyes that watched him with unreadable expressions.

The woman introduced herself first, holding out a hand.

“How do you do? My name is Fafriel Dreemurr, and I am the current queen of the Underfell Kingdom and its peoples. It is lovely to meet you, and to be sure that you’re alright… well, alright enough.” Her language and enunciation were a little stiff, but Asher could tell she wanted to be there. He shook her hand.

“You’re meant to kiss it,” the male grumbled from back in his chair.

“Gorey, he’s not one of our subjects. He’s not required to follow such outdated protocols.”

“Hmph,” the male replied.

“Come introduce yourself, you curmudgeon.”

He sighed. “You’re right… I’m being unreasonable. Good afternoon, young dryad. I am King Fafgore of the Underfell Kingdom. I am pleased to see you talking and moving.”

“Hehe, am I supposed to kiss your hand?” Asher joked, trying to loosen him up.

There’s a beat of silence. Both women are frozen stiff.

Then raucous laughter from the man. “Oh, goodness! You certainly know how to break the ice. In all my centuries of performing as King, not once has a male monster asked if he needed to kiss my hand, even those attracted to other males. No, you do not need to kiss my hand, but you may if you feel so inclined.”

Asher elected to shake it. This seemed fine.

“Excellent. Now, let’s get down to business…. Dr. Dreemurr, if you’d explain the technicalities.”

The doctor took a deep breath, sighing with relief.

“.... Mr. Asher, you have a serious, irreversible case of VCD I and II. Void contamination disease, and its mental counterpart, Void Contamination Disorder.”

“What does that mean? I didn’t take past Intro To Monster Bio,” Asher admitted.

“It means that the concentrated VOID that the Collider lets into reality to do its work has been completely absorbed into your body. It is now inseparable from you.”

Dr. Dreemurr hands him a very outdated looking brochure.

“I apologize for the datedness of the documentation, but this has not happened in a very long time. Anyways, VOID contamination on your level has enormous consequences on your mental stability and physical functions.”

“Like what? You’re being pretty vague.”

She winced. “I’m sorry…. I just really do not wish to see you suffer, child.”

Asher swallowed. “I can take it.”

She continued. “You have lost the ability to flower. You are infertile.”

These weren’t really bad news, since Asher had never wanted children or flowers in the first place.

“You are infertile both in the sense of reproduction and in a magical sense. You can no longer grow living plants with the touch of your hand, as far as we know, and your bullet patterns… I don’t know what they’re going to look like now, but please be exceedingly careful with using your magic.”

He nodded.

“You will experience symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, memory loss, nonsensical or garbled memories, memories belonging to other people or timelines, random facts or premonitions that turn out to be true, headaches, and you are no longer photoreceptive. You will have to eat much more food than you are likely used to.”

He nodded, a little more weakly.

“Thankfully, the DTC container did not burst or puncture during the Colliding process, or we would be looking at something much worse, but I understand that this is hard news to bear…. Other symptoms include chronic pain, partial molecular and magical instability, loss of ability to heal others unless they are also contaminated, difficulty exerting your body or magic, and tremors. Considering the severity of your contamination, any of these symptoms are possible at any time. There is little we can do to mitigate these issues other than physical and psychological therapy…. I’m sorry,” Dr. Dreemurr gulped. Tears sparkled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

“So… I’m guessing I can’t go back to work.”

Dr. Dreemurr shook her head.

“How am I supposed to make rent? Buy groceries?”

“You cannot. Not reliably.”

Asher’s breath picked up. Panic was rising through his roots.

“What am I supposed to do? Am I gonna be put away in some nursing home with a lady spoon-feeding me?!”

“Certainly not. That would be a waste of your remaining faculties, and maddening, I’m sure, for a man as young and alert as yourself,” Fafgore stopped him. “This is where my wife and I would like to come in. We have an alternative proposition for you. You can accept or revoke your consent at any time.”

Asher took deep breaths and tried to listen.

Dr. Dreemurr handed him a cup of tea, his bed manifesting a table to steady it. He couldn’t drink it. His hands almost knocked the cup over until he tucked them under his thighs.

She handed him a silly straw with a strained smile. He took it with his mouth and drank the tea in slow sips.

It did make him feel just a little better.

“We would like to, as the Royal Families, with my wife and I at the helm, offer you a lifelong trust fund and assistance. You would not be wealthy, but you would want for nothing. You could live in any assisted living facility you liked, or with an attendant, but you would retain your independence.”

“That doesn’t sound very independent.”

“It is the best we can do,” Fafgore sighed. “I know how frustrating this must be for you. A close confidant of mine underwent this many years ago.”

Asher’s lower lip trembled.

The last things he’d used to cope with life had been taken away.

“W-with all respect, your Highness…. You can’t.”

Fafgore nodded sagely. “In any case, we would like to offer you our deepest apologies for what has happened, and our assistance. This phone number is a direct line to our house. Please avoid sharing it if possible. You may contact us at any time, no matter the hour, and we will respond.” He handed Asher… a business card, amusingly enough. Asher nodded his thanks.

“Well… we would strongly recommend that you do not drive home. Do you have a ride, or would you like us to arrange for someone?” Dr. Dreemurr asked.

“I-- I can f-find someone on my app.”

“Alright. Your clothes and personal items that survived are in the cabinet over there. Please use the rails if you have difficulty walking to it, but you should have about 80% faculty in your legs or more.”

The queen of Underfell approached Asher, a slightly softer look in her harsh expression.

She took a knee on the ground, and clasped his hand tightly.

“My deepest apologies…. This should never have happened. If you decide to accept our assistance, you will be like my own child. You will want for nothing.”

Fafgore and Asher both bristled a bit at the mention of children.

“Thank you…. I need some time to think, your Highness.”

She shook her head. “Fafriel is fine, child.”

He nodded. Fafgore approached next. He gave Asher a deep bow, then kissed Asher’s hand.

“You do not need to be alone. My wife and I are not the most exciting company, but our assistance will always be available to you.”

Asher nodded again. The royal couple departed, leaving only Dr. Dreemurr.

“I apologize if they seemed a bit over-formal… that is the nature of their kingdom.”

“It’s okay,” Asher tried to smile.

“I recognize this is a bit unprofessional, but… may I hug you?”

That broke Asher. Tears rushed down his face, and he managed a yes between hitched sobs. Her fur enveloped him, and he could feel the fire of her magic imbued in her warmth.

“I c---can’t remember the last time I was held,” he whimpered. She pulled him in closer.

“I imagined… you have no family or partner listed in your records. I heard a young man demanding to see you, but he doesn’t seem much of a partner, if you’ll forgive me for saying.”

Asher just assented, trying to control his breathing.

“I j-just want us to be happy again.”

“Take on one issue at a time, my child. Just one issue, one day, one step at a time. You may want to take some time to focus on your own happiness.”

He stared up at her, terror and pain in his eyes.

“.... How?”

Dr. Dreemurr held him longer still, trying not to cry herself, before letting go.

“Here is my number as well. There is a temporary walking stick by your clothes for you to use as you need it. I hope to hear from you, but you are not obligated to an old lady like me. Please… take care of yourself.” With that, she left.

Asher wiped his tears up. They looked like muddy water in his hands. Disgusting. Every part of him was disgusting.

Even so, someone probably needed this hospital room, so he took his first shaky steps off the bed, reaching for the walking stick. It was a sickly pink. He hated it, but whenever he loosened his grip on it, his knees started to buckle, so he was stuck with it for now.

Even putting on his clothes or opening his app required several attempts, his hands spasming every time he tried to do a button or press a letter on his keyboard.

Eventually, he managed to send a message to Scamp to pick him up.

SCAMP: OFFLINE

Shit. He really didn’t want anyone else to see him like this. To pick him up and wrinkle their nose.

There was a second knock on the door.

“Hey, princey, you still in there?”

Asher hurriedly zipped up his jeans and buttoned his polo.

“Y-yeah, come inside.”

There was a snort, before the door opened. “Jesus, princey…. Let’s get you home, okay?” Cinn sighed, gently helping Asher up. It was hard to get used to the kind of tenderness that people were treating him with lately. Hopefully, gods he hoped it wasn’t pity.

Cinn moves him into the elevator, and they head down to the parking lot.

“Normally you could gimme an address and I’d port ya home, but I don’t wanna move you through spacetime in your state, so driving it is.”

He walked Asher to an ‘86 Grand Prix in nearly perfect condition, a stark contrast to the walking wreck of a Lada that Scamp drove around.

“This is certainly an upgrade.”

“From what?” Cinn sees his phone. “Aww, please don’t tell me you’ve gotten in the walkin’ spontaneous combustion hazard that is Scamp’s car.”

“I have. He’s actually my favorite driver on the app. Law-breaking as fuck, but he gives a smooth ride…. Uh, in the car! As a driver” Asher quickly corrected himself.

“So ya know about Scamp’s side gig too, huh… I highly recommend. His aftercare’s the shit.”

If Asher had been drinking anything, he would have spit it out.

“Anyways, let’s get ya nice and comfy in there.” He scooped Asher up and placed him in the front passenger seat, bundling him up with a nice blanket.

“I’m not an old lady, Cinn.”

“Believe me. Yer gonna be a lot more sensitive to the temperature from now on.”

They slowly backed out of the parking lot, and Asher gave him the address. Cinn seemed to know where he was going, until he took a wrong turn and missed an exit.

“Whoops,” he chuckled, continuing to drive.

After his fifth mistake, Asher caught on.

“You’re stalling.”

“I--err----”

“Nope. That’s all the answer I need,” Asher chuckled dryly. “What I do wanna know is why.”

Cinn sighed, then found a nice stretch of road to pull over in. The car came to a stop.

“Look, I…. I’m not tryin’ ta kidnap you or anything like that. I just…. I know it’s none of my business, but I don’t really wanna take you back to that piece of shit you live with. I know his type. He’s not gonna support you in the slightest. I know you handle his bull all the time, but if he disrespects ya again in front of me like that… I don’t know if I can handle myself.”

Asher pinched his forehead.

“Look, Cinn. You don’t know me or him that well, and even if you’re right, we can’t avoid reality forever. So stop taking the scenic infinity route and just get me to where I need to go.”

Cinn’s shoulders drooped a bit, but he agreed. The Grand Prix started up again, and they were at Asher’s apartment complex in five minutes.

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ, this place is a walkin’ ADA violation. Is there a fuckin’ elevator in there?”

Asher shrugged.

“What floor do ya live on?”

“9th.”

“Please. I know I’m meddlin’ too much for your taste, but let me walk you up the stairs. I don’t trust that flimsy fuckin’ cane.”

Asher finally smiled a bit. “Hehe, me neither. Maybe next paycheck I can….” he went silent. Cinn accepted the quiet, and they slowly worked their way up the stairs.

As they got on the ninth floor, no thanks to the lack of handrails, Asher’s soul started to pick up. He was finally home. His bed and coffee maker were waiting for him.

He knocked to let his partner know ahead of time that he was home. “Theo? I’m back!”

No answer.

“You wanna open the door? My keys got destroyed.”

B̴̲̙͉̂ȕ̵̞̠t̴̹͆͑͆ ̴̨͋͘n̶͇̮̹̑̒o̷̲̚b̵̨͍̲̌͋̂ȯ̸̡̯̻d̷̜̳̊̇͜y̶̞̻͊ ̷̟̫̭̑c̶̟̫̠̋a̴̩̐m̵̺͚͗͛ȩ̵̢̮͆.̵̮̋̔͠

“Theo? Theo! Look, I know you’re mad, but I really don’t have any keys.”

n̶̹̬͇̅̔o̷̗̐̄̚b̴̢̮̈́̆̚ò̶̬d̵͎̠͆̄̚y̴̖͙̝̍͝ ̷̘̈́̾͊c̵̮͂̄ͅä̸̱͍̪̚m̷̼͋e̶͍̓͝

̸̮̹̫̈͛̎ṉ̶̯ȍ̶̮̔b̶̢̪͛̃͘ȏ̸̺̞̾d̷̗̼̓̂͐y̸̢̖̒͊̋ ̴͇͒c̸̞̹̑̈́a̷̮͖͊m̸̬̮͇̐̃̈́e̵̫͗

̶̠͝n̷̪̪͌̊ō̴̱b̴̻͌ō̶̖͝d̸͍̩̔͊͝y̶̮̞̓͐̋ ̸͔c̴̳͆a̵̖̟̓̚m̵̥̻̻̃̿̈́ę̵̪̹̉͝

“I’m bustin’ the door down. This bastard has some fuckin’ nerve!” Cinn growled. “Can you stand on yer own for a minute?” Asher tested it, and nodded.

“Stand back.”

The big skeleton threw his shoulder into the door hard, busting it right off its hinges.

Air dust flew everywhere, as if it had been settling for…

Days.

“... I don’t hear anything…” Asher’s voice cracked.

“Maybe the cunt’s asleep. Let’s check it out ‘fore assuming anything.” Cinn carefully helped Asher down a couple of steps into his apartment.

It was almost completely empty.

His bed, his CRT television, his vintage coffee maker, his teapot, their minifridge, everything. Everything but dirty dishes, a note, and something crumpled up under one of the closets.

“I tell you to come home at 10 PM.

You decide my word’s worth shit to you and go to work without even stopping by.

A whole week goes by and neither you nor the hospital could be bothered to contact me.

You’re never at home, you’re never in bed, and I’m sick of you neglecting me and acting like I don’t exist, just because I tell you things that you don’t wanna hear.

Sorry, but the fire’s just not there anymore.

Theo.”

#from the ashes #orizzinal content

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dorcasrempel · 6 years

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Developing new ways to advance copper production

MIT associate professor of metallurgy Antoine Allanore has received a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) to run larger scale tests of a new way to produce copper using electricity to separate copper from melted sulfur-based minerals, which are the main source of copper.

One of Allanore’s primary goals is to make high-purity copper that can go directly into production of copper wire, which is in increasing demand for applications from renewable energy to electric vehicles. Production of electric and hybrid cars and buses is expected to rise from 3.1 million vehicles in 2017 to 27.2 million by 2027, with an accompanying nine-fold increase in demand for copper from 204,000 metric tons to 1.9 million metric tons (2.09 million U.S. tons) over the same period, according to a March 2017 IDTechEx report commissioned by the International Copper Association (ICA).

In June 2017, researchers in Allanore’s lab identified how to selectively separate pure copper and other metallic elements from sulfide mineral ore in one step. Their molten sulfide electrolysis process eliminates sulfur dioxide, a noxious byproduct of traditional copper extraction methods, instead producing pure elemental sulfur.

“We think that with our technology we could provide these copper wires with less energy consumption and higher productivity,” Allanore says. It may be possible to cut the energy needed for making copper by 20 percent.

In earlier research, postdoc Sulata K. Sahu and graduate student Brian J. Chmielowiec ’12, decomposed sulfur-rich minerals at high temperature into pure sulfur and extracted three different metals at very high purity: copper, molybdenum, and rhenium. The process is similar to the Hall-Héroult process, which uses electrolysis to produce aluminum, but operates at a higher operating temperature to enable production of liquid copper.

Currently, it takes multiple steps to separate out copper, first crushing sulfide minerals, and then floating out the copper-bearing parts. This copper-rich material — copper concentrate — is next partially refined in a smelter, and further purified with electrolytic refining. “Professor Allanore’s approach would work on the copper concentrate and has the potential to produce copper rod in a single operation while separating unwanted impurities and recovering valuable byproducts that are also in the concentrate,” says Hal Stillman, director of technology development and transfer for the International Copper Association. “Professor Allanore’s approach is a big step; it allows a completely new approach to refining copper.”

The three-year, $1.89 million DOE award will allow Allanore’s group to make a larger reactor, producing about 10 times as much liquid copper per hour, and to run the reactor for a longer time, enough to identify what happens to the other metals accompanying copper, which are also commercially important.

Allanore’s group effort began this year, and he hopes it will provide the data needed to move on to a pilot plant within three years. “We are aiming to be ready to provide the design criteria, the material and operating conditions of a one metric ton per day demonstration reactor,” Allanore says. “If everything is successful, that’s what we will deliver.”

Key technical challenges to overcome are proving the durability of the process over a longer time period and verifying the purity of the metals that are made in the process. Some of the byproducts of copper production, selenium, for example, are valuable in their own right.

“The revolution that we are proposing is that only one reactor would do everything. It would make the liquid copper product and allow us to recover elemental sulfur, and allows us to recover selenium,” Allanore says. “We are using electricity, and electrons can be very selective, so we are using electrons in a manner that enables the most efficient separation of the products of the chemical process.”

Conventional pyrometallurgy produces copper by burning the ore in air, requires four steps and produces noxious compounds like sulfur dioxide (SO2) that require secondary processing into sulfuric acid. The initial batch of copper also requires further processing. “It leaves behind copper metal with too much sulfur and too much oxygen, too much for downstream direct wire production,” Allanore says.

Allanore lab’s new molten sulfide electrolysis method better handles trace metals and other elements impurities that come with the copper, allowing for separation of multiple elements at high purity from the same production process. “Therefore, we can rethink the manufacturing process of copper wires,” Allanore says.

“The essential part is about providing the sector — mining companies, existing smelting companies and existing copper producers — some data that show what happens on longer operations and at a larger scale,” Allanore says.

The International Copper Association conducted a Life Cycle Assessment that identified several areas where the copper industry can improve its environmental footprint. The study indicates the industry needs to continue reducing on-site sulfur dioxide emissions and to get its electricity from sources that are more environmentally friendly. Allanore’s project is relevant to both these issues. “If developed and deployed, it has the potential to decrease energy demand, operate entirely on renewable energy, and reduce sulfur dioxide emissions,” ICA technology director Stillman says. “In addition, it can separate unwanted impurities and recover valuable by-products from the concentrate. Right now, the technical evidence that is creating excitement is a small-scale proof-of-principle demonstration. It’s great that EERE has provided the needed initial funding to explore the potential. If the process works at larger scale, it could be the type of revolutionary approach that the industry is seeking.”

Allanore’s award is one of 24 early-stage, innovative technology projects receiving up to $35 million in support. It was announced this year by the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Advanced Manufacturing Office earlier this year.

Developing new ways to advance copper production syndicated from https://osmowaterfilters.blogspot.com/

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alishameehanmusicjournalism-blog · 7 years

Photo

In the DJ world of the music industry, all I really see is the success of male DJ’s such as Skrillex, Sigma, Avicii and David Guetta. I love seeing strong woman DJ’s standing up and owning the stage, breaking any rules and stereotypes. Paige Heywood is a perfect inspiration for any female DJ. With a soulful/funky house sound and a love for ‘oldskool’ vinyl, she has done guest mixes for GAYDIO and played at venues such as RBase in Manchester and regular sessions at Thirty3Hz in Guildford.

I’m hanging out with Paige today to find out what got her into DJing and what we can expect from her in the future!

Hey Paige, how are you today?

Hi Alisha, I’m great thanks! Pleasure to be involved and thanks for having me!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what got you into DJing?

I’m originally from Manchester and at the moment, I currently live in Guildford. Moving away from the Manchester music scene was a big thing to do but also being here makes it easier to enter London and this is what I need around me. I first got into DJ’ing when I was around 6 years old. A big inspiration of mine, my father for that matter started the ropes on DJ’ing in his younger years so I grew up with a big music base around me. I used to sit and watch him and every now and then he would let me play with faders and effects, we would go vinyl shopping every saturday/sunday to get new tunes for his gigs and a big factor of that is what got me hooked on labels such as HEDKANDI and DEFECTED. From 2010, I asked my dad to pass his decks to me and I got stuck into the funky/soulful house beats almost every day. Since then I’ve been digging away at vinyl and trying to perfect my beatmatching with a few hurdles along the way due to being partially deaf in my right ear.

Who are your inspirations?

Growing up, I listened to DJ’s such as Todd Terry, Kenny Dope, Armand Van Helden, ATFC, Joey Negro, David Morales and Masters At Work these were my big timers from Djing to production. I was in love! As for artist’s, I gained a HUGE love for Jocelyn Brown, Inaya Day, India, Aretha Franklin and many more with their power house vocals, its a dream!

What is it like being a female DJ in today’s music industry?

Growing up and from the age of 9/10 - 13-16 telling people I was a female DJ or wanted to be wasn’t the easiest. I would get stick and a lot of people told me I would never do it, especially boys but the key word there is boys, male DJ’s I spoke to at those times and even now support me more than ever and have always sent their best encouragement telling me never to give up I have something special. I’m all for girl power, but I don’t see why i should be any different to any other DJ out there regarding gender, male or female were all trying to get somewhere and we’re all doing something we love. As I’ve gotten older, I have had the disrespectful comments from older men and the rude comments which I do feel is out of line, I wouldn’t go cat calling someone down the street so please don’t do it to me, you know.

Can you tell us a bit about the gear you use?

My home set up consists of 3 decks, A Technics 1210 MK2, a Technics 1210 MK5 and Vestax PDX made for scratching, its a dream to use with its heavy torque and the needles design for no jump. For mixer’s, I use the Technics 1200 DMC championship mixer and Behringer DJX 900. For monitors, I use two RCL and 2 legend monitors. For amps, I have an XL amplifier and a Technics SU-V620. As for Needles, I use Ortofon and Stanton scratch needle.

What are some of your favourite records? I’ve recently got into vinyl myself but would love some fresh recommendations!

One of my all time favourite records has to be Masters At Work ft India - To Be In Love, it comes with me everywhere alongside Defected’s Jay-J and Miguel Migs in the house along with a few others and Junior Sanchez ft Dajae - B with u and Dimitri’s love train edit of D train. With around 4000 vinyls it’s hard to pick a few as there’s so much going on and so much option it can be overwhelming.

I always see DJ’s popular in hot, sunny European countries. Have you explored the world at all through DJing?

I haven’t been able to be out in sunny Ibiza for a summer DJ’ing yet or anywhere else for that matter, I think with my sound, I need to make it right, find the right venues etc but I always keep my eye on what’s out there and what’s going down.

What are you goals for the future?

Ahhh! Now these i cannot share, we will see what happens in the future!

Any events coming up you’d like us to share for you?

I have gigs across surrey and london at the moment only a few to name: 10th May - Komo Guildford - House/Bass and Techno 12th May - Thirty3hz for Doktor Zed’s - The Emergency Room 13th May - Cafe 1001 - in the disco/funk lounge for FACT

Thanks Paige, it’s been awesome!

#dj #feature #paigeheywood #gigride #journalist #journalism #music #decks #interview #review #live

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haroldgross · 7 years

Text

New Post has been published on Harold Gross: The 5a.m. Critic

New Post has been published on http://literaryends.com/hgblog/oscars-2017-nominations/

Oscars 2017 (nominations)

So I did pretty well with the nominations (my hit rate was 87% based on the full field of 103 choices across the major categories as listed on HSX), but there were definitely some surprises. I also didn’t list all of the potential categories, but I’ll be honest about where I hit or not below. Updates to my picks on winners will occur just prior to the big night… and I’m sure there will be some rethinking after the SAG awards this Sunday. This year, I also discovered 538’s ongoing statistical analysis of the choices, which was both surprising and a bit disappointing. But as we all know, stats often don’t tell the whole or a reliable story.

I still have some gaps at the time of the initial writing, but I hope to fill as many of them as possible before the great event.

THE MAJORS

Best supporting actress

Viola Davis (Fences)

Naomie Harris (Moonlight)

Nicole Kidman (Lion)

Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures)

Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea)

Viola Davis has the edge here in a really tough field. I couldn’t argue with her win, but I think Spencer’s performance was more controlled and subtle.

Best supporting actor

Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)

Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)

Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea)

Dev Patel (Lion)

Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)

Mahershala Ali is the clear front-runner, and deservedly so. While the other performances are all solid, his was the most ranging and subtle.

Best actress

Isabelle Huppert (Elle)

Ruth Negga (Loving)

Natalie Portman (Jackie)

Emma Stone (La La Land)

Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)

I did get partially caught out here. Dropping Amy Adams and keeping Streep (who was also up for SAG) surprised me. Adams performance is solid, but understandably challenging to interpret due to the story. But Streep, as talented as she is, just wasn’t that good in Florence Foster Jenkins. Not adding Taraji Henson to this field was criminal. Huppert has a head of steam globally, and I did miss those winds previously, but it wasn’t that surprising. However I did call Negga for Blunt (again as compared to SAG).

The win here is tough. Stone will have a lot of focus and love. If I had to pick this moment, I’d go with the tidal wave of La La Land.

Best actor

Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)

Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge)

Ryan Gosling (La La Land)

Viggo Mortenson (Captain Fantastic)

Denzel Washington (Fences)

Had this, though there was an outside chance Hanks would have been added over Mortenson.

The race here is Washington vs. Gosling. Washington is the better performance, but Gosling’s piano work alone is enough to astound. As of now, I think Washington will walk away with Oscar despite La La’s rolling thunder.

Best director

Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)

Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge)

Damien Chazelle (La La Land)

Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea)

Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)

Chazelle is the likely winner here, but my personal preference would be Villenueuve, whose achievements in Arrival really outshine the other movies in this list.

Best foreign language film

A Man Called Ove (Sweden)

Land of Mine (Denmark)

The Salesman (Iran)

Tanna (Australia)

Toni Erdmann (Germany)

Based on what’s been happening, Toni Erdmann is the likely win here.

Best picture

Arrival

Fences

Hacksaw Ridge

Hell or High Water

Hidden Figures

La La Land

Lion

Manchester by the Sea

Moonlight

Had half-expected Silence to be part of this field, but had the rest of them, not that it was a difficult list to guess this year. The winner… now that gets more interesting.

My personal pick for best in this field is Arrival. It accomplished some very difficult feats and left the audience with some very interesting ideas and did it all honestly, while managing to let you trick yourself. Hidden Figures manages to deliver a powerful, but personal story. Either are solid choices for the win.

However, La La Land, which I did enjoy a great deal, has the Hollywood and Broadway inside track and massive momentum (not to mention 14 new nominations). I suspect La La takes the statuette.

THE MINORS

Best adapted screenplay

Eric Heisserer (Arrival)

August Wilson (Fences)

Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi (Hidden Figures)

Luke Davies (Lion)

Barry Jenkins and Alvin McCraney (Moonlight)

Arrival. Period. It even improved on the award-winning original story it was based upon. But, honestly, likely to be one of the others; probably Moonlight.

Best original screenplay

Taylor Sheridan (Hell or High Water)

Damien Chazelle (La La Land)

Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou (The Lobster)

Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea)

Mike Mills (20th Century Women)

La La Land is the likely winner. While Lobster is quite unique, it just isn’t that great a script/story at the end of it all. Manchester, as well, fell flat for me, the strength it has is really the performances, not its words or story.

Best animated feature

Kubo and the Two Strings

Moana

My Life as a Zucchini

The Red Turtle

Zootopia

Kubo and Two Strings was one of the best animated flicks I’ve seen in ages. It was original, unique, and flat-out gorgeous and fun. However, I know Zootopia is likely to win.

That said, I’m sticking to my guns on on this one and sticking with Kubo for the statuette because if it doesn’t I will scream a bit at the reveal.

Best documentary feature

Fire At Sea

I Am Not Your Negro

Life, Animated

OJ: Made in America

13th

This one is tough, but I’m thinking the politics of the moment insist that 13th takes the category.

Best original song

La La Land – Audition (The Fools Who Dream) by Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

La La Land – City of Stars by Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

Moana – How Far I’ll Go by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Trolls – Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake, Max Martin and Karl Johan Schuster

Jim: The James Foley Story – The Empty Chair by J Ralph and Sting

La La may well work against itself here and split the vote. But, while not entirely upbeat as a song, I’d go with Fools Who Dream. If the vote splits, will probably go to Trolls.

Best original score

Jackie by Mica Levi

La La Land by Justin Hurwitz

Lion by Dustin O’Halloran and Hauschka

Moonlight by Nicholas Britell

Passengers by Thomas Newton

Yeah, La La Land by a mile. No matter how you feel about this movie, the complexity and originality of the score is way beyond any of the other entrants.

Best live action short

Ennemis Interieurs

La Femme et le TGV

Silent Nights

Sing

Timecode

As usual, throw a dart and pick one (I really wish you could get to see these more easily). I’ll start with Sing as my choice and will revise based on buzz later.

Best documentary short

4.1 Miles

Extremis

Joe’s Violin

Watani: My Homeland

The White Helmets

Ditto: but going with Joe’s Violin for now cause I like the title.

Best animated short

Blind Vaysha

Borrowed Time

Pear Cider and Cigarettes

Pearl

Piper

Second ditto: Going with Pear Cider and Cigarettes in honor of the nod to Jarmusch.

THE TECHNICAL

Best costume design

Allied

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Florence Foster Jenkins

Jackie

La La Land

This gets interesting. Usually this goes to a period piece… but they are all period pieces. Several are flamboyant period pieces. Based on scope and challenge, I’m thinking Fantastic Beasts. While the others all did wonderfully, they were invisible (a feat in itself) but Beasts had both ends… the invisible and the inventive, which tips the scales in its favor.

Best make-up and hairstyling

A Man Called Ove

Star Trek Beyond

Suicide Squad

Wow, just not the three I’d have expected. Suicide Squad, I think in this case. Harley Quinn and the Joker alone deserve it; utterly unforgettable, the pair of them.

Best production design

Arrival

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Hail, Caesar!

La La Land

Passengers

Another tough choice as each succeeds quite well in its way. I’m going to go to an outlier here because, honestly, the production design really did impress me: Passengers. However, Beasts is likely to take this one as well for similar reasons as costume. But I didn’t think the design in Beasts was really all that good… it felt forced and unreal rather than magical to me. Passengers was seamless and felt real to the tale rather than distracting from it.

Best cinematography

Arrival

La La Land

Lion

Moonlight

Silence

For this it is between Arrival and Silence. Arrival’s work is more complex, with focus and framing adding to the story telling. Silence is just plain pretty, from what I’ve seen. With no other nods, Silence may get its shot here. For my sensibilities, though, Arrival deserves it in this field.

Best film editing

Arrival

Hacksaw Ridge

Hell or High Water

La La Land

Moonlight

Arrival, without question for me. The editing made this film. No other nominee can claim that integral a role for its success.

Best sound editing

Arrival

Deepwater Horizon

Hacksaw Ridge

La La Land

Sully

La La Land for this. The soundscape of the film is just as important as its story in this case.

Best sound mixing

Arrival

Hacksaw Ridge

La La Land

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

Thinking Rogue One for this one… keeping any dialogue intelligible over all that racket took some serious effort.

Best visual effects

Deepwater Horizon

Doctor Strange

The Jungle Book

Kubo and the Two Strings

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

For sheer inventiveness, probably Doctor Strange, though Jungle Book rewrote the tech handbook quite a bit and it has nothing else on order this year despite being such a huge, popular hit. And I’m not sure I could pull apart Kubo to place it in this category… so suspect others can’t either.

#craft #General

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