#defi investments 2023
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– Fika
[ i would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of the world alone.] -J.R.R Tolkein
🌱… description: Already in a settled relationship, yet a secret to the rest of the galaxy, you and Anakin Skywalker spend a day on Naboo having a picnic and swimming in the lake.
🍵 … warnings: none, all fluff :p
🧳 … character/s: Anakin Skywalker x Reader
☕️ … word count: 1k ; | date: October 3rd, 2023
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a/n: i noticed there are almost none imagines or stories here abt anakin x reader w fluff, so that’s what i’m invested in doing now. istg if i could i would just give this man a hug 😭 Hope you enjoy the short story as much as i did writing it. In other news, im looking for beta readerssss here's the post!
Already in a settled relationship, yet a secret to the rest of the galaxy, you and Anakin Skywalker were surrounded by the lush greenery of Naboo as you spread out a soft blanket by the picturesque lake. Anakin had managed to arrange this peaceful picnic on a rare day off from the Clone Wars. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground as you settled in.
Anakin's eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint as he revealed the contents of the picnic basket he'd brought. "I hope you like these, Y/N,” he said, pulling out a selection of delicious treats from across the galaxy.
You smiled warmly at him, your heart fluttering at the sight of his endearing enthusiasm. "Anakin, this is wonderful.” The words that came out of your mouth were spilled delicately, portraying how grateful you felt to have a moment of peace with him. “You always know how to surprise me."
As you enjoyed your meal together, you couldn't help but steal glances at each other, your hidden affection bubbling just beneath the surface; sharing soft kisses from now and then. Anakin's gloved hand brushed yours as you both reached for a piece of fruit, sending shivers down your spine. It didn’t matter how long you’ve been together, somehow every time you were together you felt more alive.
After the satisfying meal, Anakin suggested to go for a swim, since he described the lake in front of you as inviting.
The lake's crystal-clear water beckoned, and you eagerly agreed as you laughed faintly. Both of you changed into swimwear concealed beneath your Jedi robes, making sure to keep your lightsabers close. The two of you ventured into the water, and the cool embrace of the lake provided a welcome respite from the warm Naboo sun.
Anakin's laughter echoed across the lake as he splashed you playfully. "You're not getting away that easily," he teased, swimming closer.
You retaliated with a splash of your own, your laughter harmonizing with his. "Oh, it's on, Skywalker!"
The water seemed to wash away your inhibitions, allowing you to be carefree and open with your affections. Anakin reached out, gently cupping your cheek as he drew you closer. His lips met yours in a sweet, lingering kiss, a testament to the love that had grown between you, hidden from the watchful eyes of the Jedi Order. This was it… All you ever wanted was to be like this with him. One of your hands goes to the back of his neck to play with his wet hair, as he slowly surrounded your waist with his arms to keep you close.
As both of you break the kiss to regain some air, he whispered, "I love you, Y/N." You knew he meant it, as you looked into his blue eyes you saw how they shined. A big smile adorning his face, and oh boy you loved that smile.
"I love you too, Anakin," you replied, your heart soaring with happiness.
Together, you swam, laughed, and reveled in the purity of the moment, cherishing the stolen hours of peace and love on Naboo's tranquil shores. In this hidden sanctuary, your love for each other blossomed, defying the challenges of war and the constraints of the Jedi Code.
As the sun began to set, casting a warm, golden glow over the lake, you both knew that these moments were worth any sacrifice. The love between you and Anakin was a beacon of light in a galaxy plunged into darkness, and you were determined to hold onto it, no matter what lay ahead.
The sunlight danced on the lake's surface as Anakin and you swam in the refreshing waters. Anakin, with his charming but occasionally arrogant personality, couldn't resist making a cheeky comment.
"You know, Y/N," he began, a playful grin on his face, "I've heard the Force flows through this lake. Who knows, you might encounter some Force-sensitive aquatic creatures. Maybe you'll have to engage in a deep philosophical debate with a sentient fish."
You rolled your eyes, swimming closer to him. "Anakin, I think even a Force-sensitive fish would struggle to keep up with your debates.”
"True, I do have a gift for debating," Anakin admitted with a smirk. "But who knows what ancient underwater secrets the lake holds? Perhaps there's a school of fish discussing the meaning of life down there."
You couldn't help but laugh at his playful remark. "Anakin, if those fish have cracked the meaning of life, maybe they can teach you how to have the Force on your side," you quipped with a smile, memories of Anakin trying to show you a cool trick resurfacing.
With a sly grin, you retorted, "Speaking of the Force, I recall that time you tried to use it to cook, and, well, let's say it didn't turn out as expected."
Anakin laughed heartily, a touch of humility creeping in. "Okay, okay, I admit, that was a disaster. But I promise not to Force-chop any vegetables today."
As you swam side by side, you couldn't help but continue the playful banter so you decided to propose a fun way to entertain yourselves. "Anakin, you may be a Jedi Knight, but I bet I could beat you in a swimming race."
His eyes widened in mock surprise. "Is that a challenge, Cherub?" Hearing the nickname Anakin has for you roll out of his tongue with that cocky tone made you smile with a feeling of complicity.
You nodded, a competitive glint in your eye. "Oh, it most certainly is."
With that, the race was on, and the two of you swam with all your might, your laughter echoing across the lake. Anakin's competitive spirit was matched only by your determination, and you both pushed each other to your limits.
As you reached the shore, gasping for breath but wearing triumphant smiles, Anakin conceded, "Alright, Y/N, you win this round. But I'll challenge you to a rematch next time."
You grinned, dripping wet and victorious. "I'll be ready, Skywalker."
Your playful banter continued throughout the day, each comment and retort drawing you closer together. Anakin's charming arrogance met its match in your intelligence and strong will, creating a dynamic that made your relationship all the more special.
Amidst the laughter and teasing, you both knew that this was the kind of love and companionship worth fighting for, even in a galaxy torn apart by war and secrecy. Together, you faced the challenges and uncertainties of the Jedi life, all while sharing moments of humor and affection that were uniquely your own.
© Nevess 2023. My original posts are not allowed to be edited, translated and/or re-uploaded on another account or platform without my permission, nevertheless, re-blogs are accepted and very appreciated.
#nevess.writing#nevess.sw#anakin skywalker#anakin skywalker x you#anakin fanfiction#anakin skywalker x reader#anakin skywalker x female reader#anakin skywalker fluff#anakin needs a hug#anakin x y/n#anakin x fem reader#star wars anakin#anakin x you#clone wars anakin#sw anakin#anakin x reader#anakin fluff#fanfiction#anakin imagine#anakin skywalker imagine#anakin skywalker one shot#anakin one shot
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TWIG! Friend! I couldn't help but notice your tags in my excitement post about getting to La Pluie -- I see that you and I are YYY mutuals. :) Let's call YYY... say... zany or offbeat -- off the beaten path of the usual romance-dominated field of Thai BLs. What are some other "zanier" BLs (not just Thailand, but everywhere in Asia) that you love and would recommend for an off-the-wall experience? And, why?
@waitmyturtles I'm so sorry you sent this a million years ago and then I kept letting it languish. And it's extra rude because I love this question! It's so hard to add something like YYY to a rec list without a billion caveats, so this is a great chance to shout out some of the series & shorts that don't get as much attention. A few of these I know you've seen but I have to include them for completeness.
First, for the sake of other people reading this, as Turtles has written about, Cheewin brings his own kind of zaniness to almost everything he works on; my faves of his other than YYY are Make It Right and Secret Crush on You (the exception is Bed Friend, which is not in any way zany but I still liked it).
Also going to mention that since Turtles asked for off the beaten path zany, I won't be mentioning any of the popular comedies (in case you're wondering why I Became the Lead in A BL Drama or Man Who Defies the World of BL aren't on this list).
Alright now that's out of the way, let's get into the other recs!
Zany lesser-known BLs other than YYY
Ossan's Love Franchise (Japanese, 2016-2024, GagaOOLala)
It is... less true now that this series is lesser-known than it was when I started writing this draft (in uh... August 2023) but I shall persist! The franchise details alone for this series are complete crack:
A 2016 45-minute short [skippable imo];
The 2018 original series which builds the short into a zany 7-episode comedy series about a man in his late 20s who suddenly finds himself the love interest of his older boss (in his ~50s) and his coworker/roommate (in his mid-20s);
The sequel film Ossan's Love: Love or Dead (2019)which turns into an action film halfway through for no clear reason but also remains a romantic comedy in which the mains from the original season decide if they want to stay together
The AU season Ossan's Love: In the Sky (2019) which has the same characters of the lead and his boss from S1 and the short, but this time they work in an airport and all of the surrounding cast is different and leads to a very confusing love rhombus. Incredible 10/10 no notes [people hate this because they like the mains from S1 & the film but I loved the mess]
The sequel season to S1 and the film, Ossan's Love Returns (2024) which you can absolutely watch in isolation and is about the main couple re-establishing their relationship and their found family friend group after being long distance for a few years.
It's truly excellent comedy, and gets better every outing; there are some barriers that might prevent some enjoying the earlier seasons but the most recent one is really delightful. You can hear me talk more about this series with @bengiyo and @shortpplfedup on The Conversation podcast!
Diary of Tootsies (Thai, 2017, grey/Netflix (for the movie))
I love Diary of Tootsies and the follow-ups so much. SO much. One of the best laughs of my life was the opening to the movie, and I cannot be in a long car ride without thinking about the purse incident in s1. This show doesn't get a lot of BL fandom attention because the romance arcs are not typical for BL (but that's one of the things I love about them). And the friendship in this series is truly what sells it. Season 1 is self-contained, a lot of people dislike the romance plot of S2; I really like the arc across s2 to the movie (as established above, I tend to be less invested in a particular ship across a franchise or multiple franchises). The movie plot is all about reconciling who you thought you wanted and who you are with (amongst all kinds of shenanigans).
HeHe and He (Hong Kong, 2018-ongoing, YouTube)
This mockumentary sitcom-style series does tackle some serious topics and is also absolutely hilarious nonsense across its 3 seasons. The very simple premise is that a gay guy ("hehe" is slang for gay) and a straight guy who are old friends become roommates when the gay friend breaks up with his longterm boyfriend and needs a place to stay, and hijinks ensue. They do direct-to-camera confessionals spliced in with scenes from their lives. I love this show so much, and it would actually be high up in my indie BL rankings if it were completed. I lose it at least once an episode. It's very queer (if you want a show that tackles everything from hookups to turning everything into a joke to being so, so mean to each other while also loving each other dearly to even chemsex, look no further), and I am in love with all of the wacky characters that have formed a love-hate found family that is deeply relatable. The creators posted a video a few months ago saying they're struggling to end it in a way that they're happy with so I'm not sure we'll ever get an ending for the show. But if you like comedy and queer content it's worth a watch even incomplete! I've been very patiently following this project since 2018 and it's legitimately one of my favourite shows.
Rainbow Prince the Series (Filippino, 2022, YouTube)
This is a musical; it is a lot of campy nonsense. There is royalty, political intrigue, a dog, kidnappings, and so. much. singing. The songs are surprisingly catchy and it's all extremely good fun. Also a lot of the dialogue is very clearly improvised.
Hey! First Love (Vietnamese, 2019, YouTube)
This series of shorts are mostly just silly fluff. The very tenuous plot is that these shorts are slice-of-life moments from a young established couple, but it's all really just excuses for Vietnamese comedy and BL romance tropes. If you haven't watched anything from Vietnam, this is a very low-stakes commitment (I think it's under 30 minutes of content all told; there are 4 "episodes" which are spliced together shorts, each of which has a tiny plot but there is not much of an overarching narrative, and then a Q&A with the actors at the end) and gives you a sense of the Vietnamese sense of humour. Both of these actors have gone on to continue to be in other Vietnamese BLs, so if you have watched Vietnamese BL you may recognize them! The production quality on this is charmingly low.
Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (India, 2019, Amazon Prime)
This film was such a joy to experience in a live theatre. Billed "the first Gay Bollywood RomCom", this movie was a riot of chaos, dance numbers, shenanigans, hilarity, and cuteness. I loved the way this film incorporated the very real legal change to decriminalize homosexuality in its story. Arguably not "BL" as it very much fits in the bollywood tradition not the BL tradition, but OP did ask for all of Asia!
Like Love (China, 2014-15, grey)
And no I don't mean censored--this is from before China started censoring its BLs. This show has kisses as shown in the gif, and even (poorly cropped) sex scenes. It also is super bizarre. I was so confused by this show, the characterization, the fourth wall breaks, and how disjointed it was so I went to read the source material and...it turns out it's one of the most perfect adaptations I've ever seen, the book is in fact exactly like this. The characters are caricatures, there is no bridging between scenes, and the plot is the most absurd take on 'loserfail no-thoughts-head-empty character who doesn't admit he's gay but still ends up in a dedicated and loving relationship with a rich handsome domineering man ' I've ever seen. It's a bewildering experience. Note the sound quality on this one is suuuper miserable. I like s2 way more than s1 (s1 is getting together and includes a lot of the bullying-teasing and I'm-not-gay-I-just-need-him-to-pay-attention-to-me stuff, s2 is the honeymoon phase + getting the homophobic parents on board) but S1 is definitely the zanier of the two. That being said, if you wanted, I think you can dive right in to s2 (there's a direct-to-camera explanation of what happened in s1 at the start of it). Note that they set up a cliffhanger at the end of 2 in anticipation of s3 which was going to be made in 2016 but was cancelled because of the political changes in China in 2016 (this is one of the reasons I went to read the source material; they do get a happy ending in the books).
This is an extremely silly but also touching franchise with a lot of tropes I don't love, but also a lot of things I do (and just neat to see some stuff so early in BL: Underwater kiss? Helicopter ride? Femme fatale becomes friend of the faen? Supportive grandparent? It's all here). There are some fantastic speeches in s2 about supporting your gay children; I liked how in this the kids didn't give up on their parents but try to reconcile their filial piety with their dedication to each other. If you do watch S1, highly recommended you watch the series version rather than the film. For "S2"/the follow-up film, make sure you look for the uncensored film version.
The Lover Room 709 Cut (Korean/Japanese, 2016, grey)
This starts extremely silly, plays with BL tropes, and gets a little bit serious at the end but is mostly just full of puns and innuendos. Includes one of the most hilarious takes on kabedon, and egregious use of the soundtrack from Brokeback Mountain. Also: fart jokes. Folks worried it was going to stay teasing the audience but it does commit and we do get an actual resolution that is satisfying. I admit I've never seen the whole series (which includes stories of 3 other couples in the apartment building) but the BL cut is readily available if you search. Make sure you look for the deleted scene with the lotion application--this scene walked so IFYLITA could run (I'm kidding, but it's very funny seeing this scene now and thinking about that one).
The Boy Next Door (Korean, 2018, YouTube)
This is another older series playing with censorship (similar to The Lover) in which the two characters end up in BL romance tropes but are not actually in love...or are they? The shenanigans are very fun. This one is left more ambiguous than The Lover, which is one of the reasons it's further down the list.
Go! Go! G-Boys (Taiwan, 2006, grey)
I debated between this and another quirky comedy from Taiwan in the early 2000s, Formula 17, but while that's unequivocally a better movie, this one is lesser known and more zany, so it technically better fits the bill for this ask (but if you haven't, go watch Formula 17!). The plot is a bit cringe--straight boy signs up to gay beauty contest to pay off his girlfriend's debts (accompanied by his gay childhood friend who is in love with him) and finds his truth. Meanwhile a homophobic police officer has also infiltrated the contest for investigative purposes. Amongst all that admittedly not great setup, however, are several bizarre sequences including the incredible Lord of the Rings recreation scene (complete with Gatchaman of course), a killer soundtrack, a random delivery of poultry, someone slapping a cake, and, most absurdly unbelievable at all: police taking harassing death threats to the gay contest seriously. It does a great job of setting up what should be a dramatic scene and then immediately undercutting the tension with something absurd. It's not narratively good, but it is a fun ride! And yes, there is a happy ending. Stick around for a fourth wall break (literally) after the credits.
Something Crunchy Crunchy (Korean, 2018, GagaOOLala)
Extremely bizarre little musical short in which snacks are anthropomorphized as hot guys and they sing songs about being eaten and wanting to be eaten. Played entirely sincerely, but the concept is screamingly funny. Fascinating. Also, kind of poly?
Dom (Korean, 2016, GagaOOLala)
Another hilarious and weird Korean short, this time in which we see the protagonist's sex life from the perspective of the condom boxes that are anthropomorphized and given personalities based on their brands.
And since we can't leave out the ladies,
A few zany GLs:
Lily Fever (Korean, 2015, YouTube)
I wrote about this one a little in my GL rec list; it is absolutely bonkers nonsense. There is not really a plot, it's a fever dream of a show. Chaos! Not so much a romance as an excuse to see cute girls flirt and make out.
Legend of Yunqian (China, 2020, grey)
I debated including this one because only the middle is really the zany part, it's sandwiched with more serious xianxia drama. But in the middle of this miniseries is an extremely cute interlude in which xianxia characters time travel to present day for ~reasons. It's censored but there is very little uncertainty about feelings, and manages to be absolutely charming. Worth the short runtime for this kitten quickcut (subbed "Whomst?!" in the show for ultimate comedy). Warning for character death (but it's ok because time travel to reincarnated character!) Subtitled by the indispensable @douqi7s [see their pinned post for links].
BetCin (Filippino, 2022, WeTV)
A lesbian couple with a YouTube following decide to break up but then find out there's a contest for couples, and they decide to pretend to still be together to try and win the contest rather than tell their fans they've broken up. This series does some really interesting things by starting with a breakup and then looking at how two people who are no longer dating manage BGP while also managing their feelings. There's a lot going on in this show, and the hijinks definitely ensue!
Perfect One Night Stand (Korean, 2020, GagaOOLala)
This is a cute Strongberry GL short in which a friend agrees to help her other friend find a girl to have sex with before the day is over; they go through several quirky candidates looking for the titular perfect one night stand.
#ask game#typed so that i can stop thinking it#long post#media recs#ossan's love#diary of tootsies#hehe and he#rainbow prince the series#hey! first love#shubh mangal zyada saavdhan#like love the series#the lover the series#the boy next door the series#go! go! g-boys#something crunchy crunchy#dom the series#lily fever#legend of yunqian#betcin#perfect one night stand#bl meta#gl meta#besties don't judge me for how long it took me to be happy with this list#i just know I'll think of something else I should have included as soon as I post it#but seriously if you try one thing from this list let it be hehe and he
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BlackRock finally admitted that their ESG policies in the name of shareholder capitalism have been bad for business. “BlackRock’s business, scale and investments subject it to significant media coverage and increasing attention from a broad range of stakeholders,” the company stated in it’s annual filing with the SEC. “This heightened scrutiny has resulted in negative publicity and adverse actions for BlackRock and may continue to do so in the future.” In other words, “go woke, go broke.” So what does this mean for shareholder capitalism?
BlackRock is now saying it will not put Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum ahead of shareholders. The shared values they wrongly assumed the public would embrace have backfired. “Any perceived or actual action or lack thereof, or perceived lack of transparency, by BlackRock on matters subject to scrutiny, such as ESG, may be viewed differently by various stakeholders and adversely impact BlackRock’s reputation and business, including through redemptions or terminations by clients, and legal and governmental action and scrutiny,” the filing continued.
As a recap, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) pushes the CEI (Corporate Equality Index), a company’s social woke credit score. The Open Society Foundation, operated by the Soros family, funds the HRC. The ESG promotes a company’s green social credit score, has been pushed by Western governments and the World Economic Forum, and takes into account climate issues in addition to obscuring societal norms.
This will change the landscape of ESG policies as BlackRock alone has $700 billion invested in such initiatives. In December 2023, the House Judiciary Committee issued subpoenas to BlackRock and State Street as part of an investigation into the firms’ promotion of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals to determine if it violated antitrust laws. BlackRock and others have barred businesses that did not adhere to ESG standards, denying them professional opportunities and overseeing that any company wishing to be affiliated with BlackRock adhere to ESG standards.
BlackRock is defying Washington and the World Economic Forum with this decision to move away from the green credit score. The first bill that President Joe Biden vetoed was a bill intended to dissolve the ESG climate social credit score, which was only foreshadowing the policies that later came about, most notably the Inflation Reduction Act that Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen admitted was intended to combat climate change. He also immediately blocked the Keystone Pipeline and removed America’s ability to remain an energy independent nation. Out of all the issues facing America, Biden chose to use his presidential powers to set the groundwork to create the need for a Great Reset to Build Back Better.
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Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism (Yanis Varoufakis, 2023)
"Half an hour or so earlier, the people of Britain had woken up to the news that the pandemic had caused the worst recession in history.
Apparently, the UK’s national income had fallen by a whopping 20.4 per cent, far worse than any comparable figures in America or continental Europe.
Wretched news it certainly was, though not of the sort that undermines one’s world view.
It was what followed fifteen minutes later, just before you woke up, that changed the way I saw the world.
Instead of plummeting in response to the data, the London Stock Exchange jumped up by 2.3 per cent! (…)
Share markets do rise in response to bad news, but only when the news, however awful, turns out at least somewhat better than anticipated.
Had stockbrokers predicted, say, a 22 per cent fall in the UK’s national income, markets would have had good cause to rise if the actual fall on the day was ‘only’ 20.4 per cent.
Except that, on that Wednesday, the markets were expecting a drop of no more than 15 per cent.
That’s what made 12 August 2020 so bizarre: news far worse than anticipated had caused the share market to rise.
Nothing like it had happened before.
So, what had happened?
The news, it turns out, was so bad that traders in the City of London had the following realisation:
‘When things are this dismal, the Bank of England panics. And what have panicky central banks been doing since the crash of 2008? They print money and give it to us.
And what do we do with all the freshly minted dough from the central bank? We buy shares, sending their price up.
And if prices are destined to go up, only a fool would miss out on the action. A wall of printed money is surely on its way to us. Time to buy!’
And buy they did, causing the City of London to defy the gravitational laws of capitalism. (…)
Naturally you will take the free billion but as we’ve established you would be mad to invest it in new production lines.
So what are you going to do with the free cash? You could buy real estate or art or, better still, shares in your own company.
That way, the shares in your company appreciate in value and, if you are the CEO running it, your stature and share-linked bonuses rise too.
No new investment, in other words, but a lot more power in the hands of the powerful."
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THE HIGH REPUBLIC READING PROJECT UPDATE: Ssssssoooo clossssssse. I'm going to be a little sad about having to wait between releases again, but also excited about having more time for other books or just not frantically using every free moment I have to spend on Star Wars. (Which sounds worse than I mean it, I've genuinely enjoyed this and my giant pile of citations is going to be fun to catch up on, too, and I find myself satisfied by having a fun nudge to keep me going.)
MAIN STORYLINE NOVELS - PHASE III:
The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness
The High Republic: Escape from Valo
The High Republic: Defy The Storm
MAIN STORYLINE COMICS - PHASE III:
The High Republic: Shadows of Starlight - 4 issues
The High Republic (2023) - 7 issues [ONGOING]
The High Republic Adventures (2023) - 6 issues [ONGOING]
The High Republic - Saber for Hire (2023) - 2 issues [ONGOING]
ONESHOT COMIC ISSUES - PHASE III:
The High Republic Adventures: Crash Landing
This includes the comics that came out this week, and I'm down to about two hours left of Defy the Storm which is the last thing on my list! I still think each successive Phase has been better than the last. Part of that is that the stakes have slowly been rising with each wave, as well as more authors means more variety, and more time spent with the characters means more investment in them on my part, but I also genuinely think that each Phase has been better structured than the last. Not necessarily more fun/more enjoyable, but that it took a bit of time to find their feet and give it some teeth.
Defy the Storm benefits from having a wider scope of characters and the two authors work really well together. I'm interested to see where Vernestra goes, because I'm really curious about how unsettled and unhappy she's seemed for awhile now, especially if The Acolyte seems to be gearing up to show her as having unresolved issues still a hundred years later or whatever. Because I can see an arc there, but now that she's found Imri alive, she seems more settled, so I'm wondering what even would be left, other than just general trauma over the war, I guess??
I'm also curious about where everything with Keeve Trennis is going, because it's almost guaranteed that she's one of the Lost Twenty, and her arc in the comics has felt like she's frustrated and disappointed with some of the stuff going on around her, but I'm not sure it's built up enough that she would want to leave the Jedi Order for it, unless she's leaving for something else, like Sskeer or whoever the little girl in the comic is.
It has been interesting to watch the effect of the war on the High Republic Jedi, like Avar had an entire arc in the books and comics where she struggled with the dark side because of all the fighting, Elzar had an entire arc where he struggled with the dark side even before the war got really bad, Keeve is struggling, Ceret and Terec the twins from the comics are struggling, Ty Yorick left the Jedi, Lula officially left the Jedi in the latest Adventures comic, Vernestra seems to be struggling, like, these are the Jedi that the authors pitched as being just about the most perfect Jedi ever, and yet being thrown into a war and basically having the entire galaxy put on their shoulders is really hard on them. It's such an interesting parallel to the prequels Jedi, who were thrown directly into a war and had the entire galaxy basically dumped on their shoulders, and I think we've seen fewer Jedi crack under the pressure there than the High Republic is--and I think it's fair to have characters like that, even in people who've trained their whole lives to let things go.
They're space psychic wizards who can sense others' feelings and they're surrounded by a constant bombardment of trauma, grief, and horror at what the Nihil are doing to people! Like, yeah, they're not designed to withstand that, that's why having a place they can retreat to is so vital for them, to have a place where they can shelter from the emotional storm that is just walking down the street with non-Jedi in the middle of a war or, god forbid, be trapped behind a storm wall where there aren't any other Jedi. Jedi weren't meant to be alone and so many of them are being pinned down in place and that's really hard on Jedi.
Also, oh, man, the second issue of Saber for Hire was sooooo interesting, they had a Force-sensitive little girl named Lene and I would be surprised if that's not Lene Kostana, even if I'm squinting a little at how I guess she's supposed to be 200+ years old by the time she trains Sifo-Dyas? Also some banger lore about Force bonds, which I always love.
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Issue 4, 5/10/2023 - The Overseer
Issue Masterpost About the Overseer
This week’s news is once again accompanied by a PDF version of your latest news brought to us once again by the lovely Cheer! Pick it up right here for your viewing pleasure!
The Incident and What it Means for You
By Virtual
News of The Incident has been making its rounds around the Hermitcraft server this week, and citizens have been left wondering what carnage will be wrought as a result.
To those concerned about a second (third if you count the Mycelium resistance) civil war, rest easy. It is likely that the two perpetrators will be the only ones Doc targets. For those not affiliated with Grian or Scar, congratulations! You have free tickets to the show of a century. To those unlucky citizens affiliated with the troublemakers, it is likely The Horrors will be unrelenting. The last time Grian touched DocM77’s redstone, the Hermitcraft server experienced a civil war unlike any it had ever known. Since then, Doc has acquired new weaponry and game-breaking mechanics. The serverwide anvil launcher, goat mech, and living, breathing ender dragon have the potential to make any coming wars very bad for Grian and Scar specifically.
Sources from within the Perimeter say that Doc’s strategies will be psychological until he prepares his heavy weaponry for launch. Efforts currently seem to be focused on Grian, making his base a very dangerous place to be. The charged creeper launcher is once again an active threat, and citizens can expect everything to start breaking in ways that defy physics, reality, and all common sense. Those working for or living near the affected area may want to take shelter within Grumbot for the time being. Though Scarland is yet to be targeted, workers are already beginning to post evacuation routes and vacate the theme park, demonstrating a collective survival instinct far greater than that of their boss. This is an advisable course of action.
All citizens will be watching the events following The Incident with rapt attention. Though the consequences coming towards Grian and Scar will be fun and games, citizens should still be on the lookout to keep themselves safe. To those citizens who want to avoid all possibility of being caught in the crossfire, the safest option will be to change your identity and begin working for Joe Hills.
Now onto other news below the cut!
Astrology Corner
By Winter
Have you been feeling without guidance? Do you look at your birthday and look up your star sign and wonder, “Will the market fall, and due to my investments, I will become broke????” “Am I the capitalist?” Don’t worry, here at The Overseer, we can help you.*
Aries: Do not invest in the button, it may blow up in your face.
Taurus: I wager that you will need to invest in your local newspaper.
Gemini: Due to the rise of Etho heads across the market, you will be paid in Etho heads this week. Make room on your counter.
Cancer: Due to the rise in your boss's anger, you will take out a loan.
Leo: Your life insurance just went up due to your affiliation with GTWS/Grian.
Virgo: You will cash out on the prediction on how the TCG matches worked out.
Libra: You should invest in Redstone as it will increase rather soon.
Scorpio: You will start to see a decline in profits. Pray to the button.
Sagittarius: It will become profitable to become a ghost hunting agency.
Capricorn: You will be tipped a diamond to convince your boss to take part in the war.
Aquarius: You are advised to invest in a protection shield.
Pisces: No one will notice if you sit in front of the button all day.
All star signs: Don’t worry, you are not being watched… yet.
*Ignore how blatantly specific these are. Nothing bad will happen to you.
From the Sidelines
By StarryFelix
Scar, Grian, Bdubs and Doc affiliates+
The last week on the server was chaotic to say the least. With the recent happenings on the server, several of the affiliate guilds are either in shambles or laughing about the shenanigans of their employers. Bdubs’ guild is wondering if dearest Scar’s comment section will ever recover.
The Stress affiliates are happy that she has finally returned to the Hermitcraft server, and Iskall is welcomed back with massive warmth as well. Beside some of the chaos there are most definitely some good and heartwarming moments.
Now… Grian and Scar’s little accident, which I assume people have written about already, is making the citizens in Scarland question the extent of their safety. While they are celebrating all the beautiful new visitors throughout the park (courtesy of Cleo’s amazing armour stand work) and the rising of the absolutely stunning castle, the tensions are visible.
After the intervention for Grian and the back of his base, the people in the area are questioning whether he will even get to finish it. The affiliates do not seem to be too concerned about their own safety, but this might be mainly because so many of them live underground, close to The Rift. Perhaps they’re more used to dangerous situations? The ever unexpectedly weird Grumbot might have influenced their way of looking at the world, and we may never know if this is the truth. This is, for the most part, speculation.
Generally, there still seems to be peace. The question is for how long because last time, “It all started when Grian touched my redstone,” so we don’t know what will happen. The citizens are following all of the events, the rise of tensions, the Tweets, and Youtube Comments of their affiliated Hermits on foot to partially ensure their own safety.
On a happier note, the Beef affiliates are happy that there is finally a solid base instead of just the TCG area or the starter base. It has been both a busy and calm week, and it seems that soon there might be more interesting stuff happening to report about.
For now, it seems most citizens are waiting in anticipation for what might happen next. The speculations of war are ever more present than they usually are on the Hermitcraft server… many affairs and mishaps this week.
I will be heading off and will be keeping an eye on how the citizens take all the sudden commotion that is going on. For now, this was From the Sidelines and I hope to see you in the next column!
Museum Opening!
By Ilea
This week on Hermitcraft we were able to witness an opening of a museum. Of course all of the artifacts in it were ethically sourced and through some serious convincing (and sneaking into it through the back door) we managed to prepare a short guide to it.
Starting with none other than the TCG cards, that have been taking the server by storm. The exhibit was of course donated by VintageBeef himself and we absolutely want to shine more light on it as the TCG tournament is coming to an end.
Then we can see quite a collection of artifacts that are connected to the King's Rules on the server, which includes things like the infamous "No No No No" disc and an invite to the party at which it was played. From the same collection we may find heads of both evil and good King Ren as well as multiple King's Banners and even a shield with it. Probably our favorite artifact from this collection is the "You speak when spoken to!" horn, that over the months has brought a lot of joy and earplugs to many of us.
In a carefully secured glass box we can see the "Begin?" button that opened the Rift and had us connect with the Empires. Right next to it positioned is "King Sausages Diamond of Peace" to remind us about our Empires friends. For now the button is unclickable and we can safely say that this is an actual Grianproof casing.
What is not Grianproofed are Mumbo's vaults and right next to the button we see the first vault key of the season. We are sure that he is not using it anymore, but if anyone would ever feel like trying to get into it, then copying this exhibit should work.
Right opposite we can see a mysterious creeper that had us run away scared not to break something, but then we read the label. As it turned out this was Scar's prized creeper costume that managed to scare the life out of many people. We are really glad that it is safe in the museum now and no longer in his hands.
Speaking of Scar, in this museum we can look at the Scarland VIP pass, which we all can only dream about. What lies close to it is a Zedvancement trophy that had us wondering about what it was for and an old stream day torch, that quite honestly is a blast from the past.
Upstairs we firstly can see the giant dragon head of a Dragonbro that was given to Cubfan by Bdubs. Through the great Hermit Vine we have managed to find out that it was a prize for Cub completing a quest and later used by him as his Royal Magician attire.
After that we are greeted with an array of heads, starting with the ultra rare Baldubs(Bald Bdubs) head from his head shop. Quite honestly upon seeing this we were too stunned to speak. Right next to it there is an awful lot of hair provided by a dwarven beard. We absolutely love the style of it, the braids on this thing are incredibly intricate, but we do not recommend making pictures with it.
Lastly there hangs a sad proof of how washed up our old, but still beloved Etho is. Once again we give our condolences to his pvp skill and wish him a swift recovery.
That is all of the exhibits that we managed to find, hopefully it will grow over the next months, and who knows, maybe we will have a chance to visit it again.
Lost and Found
By Virtual
The following items were collected from across the server over the past week. If you would like to report an item missing, or if you recognize any of the below items as your own, please contact us at [email protected]*
*not a real email address
Item 1: A green shulker box, found on top of Zedaph’s netherite beacon.
Though Zedaph seemed reluctant to give up the box, one of his affiliates delivered it to the Overseer offices last week. When opened, the box contained twelve anvils, a pair of green leather trousers, and three goat horns, all renamed to some variation of DocM77’s username. The purpose of these items is unknown, and their existence raises some concerning implications. If this box belongs to you, collect it at the Overseer offices as soon as possible.
Item 2: A nether portal without corners, found in the lagoons below Scarland Castle.
The nether portal was found completely submerged yet still functioning. The portal was originally suspected to belong to DocM77; However, the goat has denied responsibility for it. When swam through, the portal dropped citizens into a strange, dark corner of the nether disconnected from any visible nether hub, despite its proximity to Scar’s portal. If this anomaly belongs to you, consider relocating the portal or putting up a sign.
Item 3: An unusable ender pearl, found in Cub’s TCG arena.
When thrown, this ender pearl will not teleport the player. Instead, it returns to the user’s inventory in the same hand it was thrown from, regardless if a player is already holding something different. The ender pearl also puts out a constant stream of End ambiance no matter what biome it is in. If this item belongs to you, pick it up before next Friday. Cub has plans to begin experimenting on it.
Ask the Seers
By Seers Jester, S, Vi, and Nes
Has your favourite little guy been put into a situation they can’t get out of? Do you have questions about how a mountain appeared on top of your house last night? Question no more, for The Seers are here to help! Questions can be submitted through the ask box and are collected throughout the week.
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Dear Seers,
Today, I was just doing my usual shift at Scarland, and then BOOM!! I got Hotguyed!! And also died!! This is a near daily occurrence. My back is killing me from all the repeated injuries. Send help/advice, please. I can’t keep doing this!
- Porcupine of a Popcorn Vendor
While I'm aware of a pamphlet of advice produced by the associated Scarland staff, I presume you're needing more than that. While it's not exactly feasible to never be Hotguy'd again, there are some tricks that could make things easier for you.
Option number one, actually, is to complain to your boss. While OSHA doesn't really apply here vis-a-vis entitlement to a safe working environment, he'd probably be willing to move you to a position working indoors if this is really affecting you. I heard once that he was actually able to pull some strings and ask Hotguy himself to stop bothering a particular staff member after they mentioned all the sharpness arrows were, respawn or no, making their chronic back pain flare up really bad.
Another option, if you wouldn't like to talk to your boss about it (understandable), is to get your hands on a mascot suit. Hotguy has never shot someone in a Jellie costume (I suspect some sort of deal with Scar?) and you can use that to your advantage. I'm at least ninety percent sure all employees of Scarland are entitled to wear a Jellie fursuit if they can stand it in this weather, but policies could have changed, I don't know. Maybe enough merch would be close enough?
Final option - desperate option - is to try and wear camouflage with your environment. This means being out of uniform, but also not being an obvious target for aerial attacks (or at least less obvious than someone else). This might mean breaking dress code a bit, but… Well, if someone talks to you about it you get the opportunity to explain yourself and how the Hotguy attacks have been a genuine problem for you lately, which routes back to "complain to your boss" option, minus the part where you start the confrontation. If no one bothers you about being out of uniform/in a dyed-light-maroon uniform, you're now less of a target for random velocitay attacks.
Best of luck! If this advice can't help you avoid Hotguy attacks entirely, I hope it at least lessens them!
- The Seers
_______________________________
Dear Seers,
Back at it again, I used your advice on the shriekers! But I kept the TNT a bit, tested it out, and your advice worked!
Now I have a tiny problem. I got a Warden chasing me around and I don't wanna kill him. I've grown attached to Bobby the Warden.. but he scares my cats and I don't have any place to keep him. Any suggestions?
- Crazier Than The Beast Wranglers
Hello, Crazier Than The Beast Wranglers!
So glad our previous advice helped. Hopefully the receiver of your prank appreciated it as much as you did!
As for Bobby, I suggest asking your local beast wrangler about appropriate care tips for a Warden of his size and age. You can typically find them in or around Decked Out 2! They can also provide you with advice on housing, or you can refer to how other citizens and Hermits are housing their Wardens - such as Scars pet Warden in the tower.
The cats are an entirely different issue. You could try desensitizing them to Bobby by having them in rooms next to one another, sort of like how you’d introduce a new cat by having the new one and one room and the old cat can smell them and get used to their scent before meeting them.
Side note: keep Bobby away from fishing rods
- The Seers
ADVERTISEMENTS
By Jamie
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Come by Tango's Citadel today to get some of the best baked goods on the server! Fellow Citizen, Azelea, has opened up a bakery and shall be catering the Hermitcitizen Masquerade Ball later this year. Don't miss the first week’s sale!
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Watcher issues?
Hello, there! I have experience avoiding Watchers and having them not be able to actually convert me. If any researchers, scientists, or people struggling with the Watchers want to come by, please do! I'll try my best to pass along what makes me unable to be converted.
Location: The small house in the birch forest near Grian's base
Owner: Fleur
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Calling out to all book lovers! This Friday we shall be meeting at Bdubs’ Moss Cafe to discuss our favourite books and give out any and all recommendations! Personally, I’m looking forward to ‘The Secret Life of Sunflowers’.
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Fun and Games
This week's fun and games are brought to you by Snuffy!
Crossword
Brain Teasers
In this game, there are four images of some sort and you need to figure out what each Brain Teaser is trying to say! For example, a brain teaser could be the word READ with lines above and below, and it would mean ‘read between the lines’. Have fun!
And that’s all for this issue folks! Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful week!
#issue#hermitcitizen#pdf edition#hccn astrology corner#hccn lost and found#hccn ask the seers#hccn advertisements#hccn fun and games
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Heart of Stone (2023)
It isn’t so much that Heart of Stone is bad; it’s that it doesn’t do anything good enough to stand out. This is what I think of when someone says “Netflix Top Ten Original”. When it arrives, it feels like everyone’s watching it. A week later, everyone who saw it has already forgotten about it and moved on to the next action spy-thriller with several notable stars in important roles.
Rachel Stone (Gal Gadot) is part of an MI6 field team. What agents Parker (Jamie Dornan), Yang (Jing Lusi) and Bailey (Paul Ready) don’t know is she’s secretly a member of The Charter, an ultra-secret agency dedicated to peacekeeping that operates outside of any government. The Charter uses The Heart, a sophisticated artificial intelligence, to calculate its agents’ odds of success based on every possible factor in real time. The Heart allows the agents to succeed in the most precarious situations and The Charter to hack into any device. When a mysterious hacker named Keya (Alia Bhatt) makes a move against the Charter, Stone has to blow her cover - unaware this is exactly what her opponent was hoping she would do.
I’ll admit that while watching Heart of Stone, I was entertained in a “it’s moving and I want to see what’s coming next” sort of way. Looking back - particularly after writing that synopsis down - this is the store-brand version of your spy-thriller action film. I can remember a death-defying chase down the Italian Alps and the picture’s final confrontation but these scenes are nothing special; they could be in any movie like this. Stone herself is a protagonist we’ve seen a thousand times. Gal Gadot plays the part fine and she handles the stunts with no problem but her character makes no impact. Similarly, The Charter is dull, dull, dull as a secret organization. I can’t think of any movie that’s done exactly what they’re doing, but I swear I’ve seen it before, probably in another movie I forgot soon after it ended.
Heart of Stone sort of feels like the third entry in a franchise that's limping along. It's as if most of the cast are sick of their roles and asking for their characters to be killed off, revealed as traitors or retired, or are the new replacements introduced to help revitalize a fledgling series. Because Stone is at her most interesting when she has to pretend like she can’t handle fieldwork, the film is most engaging at the beginning, when she’s paired up with Bailey, Yang and Parker. About a third of the movie in, they get dropped. Their absence and the focus on Stone should get us all riled up emotionally but we’re just not invested in the characters enough to really care.
On the upside, there are plenty of twists and turns along the way, the stunt work is good, the action well shot and the special effects convincing. While Stone might not be memorable, you do like her. You also like Gal Gadot in the role enough to never feel bored despite the been-there-done-that story and premise. I want to be nice to this movie but too often, it does the obvious or makes a choice that will have you thinking “Couldn’t you have tried something else?” There’s a point towards the end when a villainous character receives a chance at redemption. The movie really wants us to believe they deserve it. Meanwhile, I’m just thinking “What, you didn’t realize the people you were working with were power-hungry madmen when you were setting up a casino where the high-rollers can bet on who will die first in the footage you’ve hacked from the U.S. military? Give me a break.”
Heart of Stone is Mission: Impossible at home. I mean… it is, LITERALLY since you don’t have to go to the theater to see it and it’s about a group of people, led by an action star doing all sorts of action things to save the day from a shadowing organization. It is also figuratively “Mission: Impossible at home”. (September 3, 2023)
#Heart of Stone#movies#films#movie reviews#film reviews#Tom harper#Greg Rucka#Allison Schroeder#Gal Gadot#Jamie Dornan#Alia Bhatt#Sophie Okonedo#Matthis Schweighofer#2023 movies#2023 films
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Singapore's Economy Outpaces Expectations with 2.7% Growth in Q1 2024
Singapore's economy defied forecasts and grew at a faster pace in the first quarter of 2024, according to advance estimates released by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on April 12th. The GDP rose by 2.7% year-on-year, exceeding the 2.2% expansion recorded in the previous quarter.
This positive performance comes despite a slowdown in growth compared to the previous quarter. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter basis, the economy expanded by a modest 0.1%, marking the slowest pace since the first quarter of 2023. Analysts polled by Bloomberg had anticipated a slightly higher growth of 0.5%.
Looking deeper into the sectoral breakdown, the growth story is mixed. The goods-producing industries, including manufacturing and construction, exhibited signs of expansion. Manufacturing grew by 0.8% year-on-year, while construction saw a more robust increase of 4.3%.
However, the services sector, a significant contributor to Singapore's GDP, showed a more muted performance. While some segments like wholesale and retail trade, and transportation and storage, collectively grew by 2.7% year-on-year, the overall sector's expansion slowed down compared to the previous quarter.
Economists remain cautiously optimistic about Singapore's economic prospects for the rest of the year. The global economic slowdown and ongoing geopolitical tensions pose challenges, but Singapore's strategic position as a trade and financial hub is expected to continue attracting investments. The government's targeted stimulus measures aimed at specific industries could also provide a boost to growth.
Stay tuned for further updates and analyses on Singapore's economic performance throughout the year. Visit Singapore Insight Singapore Insight for comprehensive coverage on Singapore's business, finance, and economic landscape.
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Nova Scotia’s utility regulator has defied the provincial government and approved an average 14 per cent increase in electricity rates over two years.
Premier Tim Houston said last November that his government opposed the increase of 6.9 per cent in both 2023 and 2024, which had been agreed to by Nova Scotia Power and most customer representative groups.
However, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board said Thursday it will stick with most parts of the agreement, meaning the average residential customer is going to see their next monthly power bill rise about $12, and there will be further rate hikes in January 2024.
“The board cannot simply disallow Nova Scotia Power’s reasonable costs to make rates more affordable,” says the decision.
“These principles ensure fair rates and the financial health of a utility so it can continue to invest in the system providing services to its customers.” [...]
“Everybody understands that Nova Scotians are faced with a huge affordability crisis …. I think it’s a number that is unaffordable for most Nova Scotians,” he said.
However, he argued the legislation passed last year helped keep rates down, pointing to a line in the board’s decision that states, “rate increases in respect of non-fuel items are nearly half of what they were proposed to be before Bill 212.” [...]
Continue Reading.
Tagging: @politicsofcanada
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𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬
"Decentralized Finance Delights: Top Investment Picks" presents an insightful glimpse into the exciting world of DeFi investments for the year 2023. This comprehensive guide introduces seasoned and novice investors alike to the most promising DeFi projects that are poised to deliver substantial returns. Among the featured picks is the standout "DeFi Project 2023," an innovative platform that leverages cutting-edge blockchain technology to facilitate a diverse range of decentralized financial services. With a focus on security, transparency, and efficiency, "DeFi Project 2023" offers users a seamless experience, including lending, borrowing, yield farming, and liquidity provision. Backed by a team of experts and a robust community, the project demonstrates immense potential for growth and disruption in the financial landscape. As the DeFi sector continues to evolve rapidly, "Decentralized Finance Delights: Top Investment Picks" acts as a reliable compass, helping investors navigate the dynamic market and make well-informed decisions for their portfolios.
#decentralized finance#defi staking#defi tokens#defi coins#top investment picks#defi project 2023#defi opportunities 2023
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What Is So Special About The Dance Drama Wing Chun (詠春) As An Art Furore ? Will The Competition From Shenzhen Force Hong Kong To Do Our Cultural Best?
In the Western world, martial art is the art of motion. For the Chinese, martial art is more than that. It is a master’s philosophy and use of his body to accomplish visual art result.
Success is no accident. Many in the art world just want to follow success and not create it. Great stage works never come from comfort zones. The real risk facing the performing art circles in Hong Kong is the lack of enough top-notch breakthroughs and talented persons, apart from the usual problem: insufficient financial resources to make a big dream possible.
The world has changed. Home cinema, home video game and home audio are the kinds of ‘home entertainment’, because of their instantly accessible enjoyment, are replacing the traditional places like theatres, movie houses and concert halls. Determining what play or dance to go to watch in a theatre can be exorbitant these days, especially when you have to take into account travelling expenses, parking and dinner, apart from the expensive tickets. Making the overall trip ‘worth it’ obviously favours the large budget stage productions these days.
For the above reasons, the new dance drama Wing Chun (詠春), produced by the young city of Shenzhen (深圳) in China, has been extremely popular in the country for more than a year since 2023. The show went to Asian cities. Some said, “What a grand show! Almost 80 dancers perform on stage!” Some said, “The electrifying movements and gravity-defying choreography performed by the dancers create a visual spectacle that keeps us glued to the stage!” Some said, “The variety of striking scenes is another thing that makes me excited. Nobody performs ordinarily!” Some said, “The dancers, male or female, are good-looking, powerful and extremely stunning! They express their performing passion glamorously!”
The story of Ip Man (葉問) who created the famous martial art of Wing Chun (詠春) is well-known among the Chinese. Ip man was born in 1893 and died in 1972. He developed the great martial art of Wing Chun when he was 20. He had a famous legendary student Bruce Lee (李小龍). After the Second World War, Ip left Foshan (佛山) for Hong Kong. The dance performance was chiefly about how he was struggling for a living in Hong Kong, bullied by the gangsters, training his students, sparring with other martial art masters and deserted by his loved wife. His life has an unbroken line of unusual events and emotions, resulting in a successful and yet regretful life.
The production is high-quality but a bit expected. It is said that the investment was fuelled by the Shenzhen government. The stage design, lighting, audiovisual engineering, music and costumes offer their best, though the show are somehow not good enough if it wants to be at the top of other top dances. The truly excellent ones in this case are the dancers. The physically captivating dancers have no stuntman. I can feel that they sometimes risk their bodies to complete dangerous movements. These marvellous performers make the show absurdly beautiful because it is the most rigorous job for a dancer to be equally capable of the best martial art skills at the same time.
The southern island of Baoan (寶安) County became the British Hong Kong after the Opium Wars more than 100 years ago, while the primitive small village of Shenzhen was ignored on the border. In 1979, Shenzhen was suddenly made an Economic Zone for the ambitious economic developments of China. After about 40 years, the young au courant city managed to produce this art show that shocks the Asian art world. Hong Kong has a much longer cultural history and up to now, there has been no such comparable achievement. We should feel downcast by the scale of the threat that we see from this pioneering city neighbour.
The Chief Executive of Hong Kong announced in 2023 that Hong Kong, with the government’s help, will be able to produce big stage shows for large-scale long runs or re-runs. The ‘Signature Performing Arts Programme’ will provide a subsidy of up to Hong Kong $10 million, a matching funding of up to $5 million to match private sector funding and venue support so that these Hong Kong performances can become world-class art productions and the international cultural brand that can represent Hong Kong. This is surely a piece of exciting news. But, the local performing art sectors are too used to government’s money as their major source of funding. How to make profits is right now a big lesson for the local art groups to learn. Money can be a good reason for success. They must realize that there are 10,000 ways that make things not work. Complacency, inertia and lack of business sense are the imminent hurdles that they must overcome.
We all do better when we can gather the most talented people from a larger pool to work together. The population of Hong Kong is just about 7 million. That of Chinese mainland is around 1.41 billion. A top-class performing art team must be made of many gifted artists, from front and back stage. It is almost a necessity that in order to accomplish the ‘signature stage projects’ of Hong Kong, we cannot work alone or simply let a few big stage groups determine the scene. Joint productions of Hong Kong and Chinese mainland will be the sensible path, and I am sure we can find and manage a right path. It is going to take some time, though. Flexibility is the art of creating way outs within the cul-de-sac, as a Turkish playwright pointed out.
Maurice Lee
Chinese Version 中文版: https://www.patreon.com/posts/hong-dong-ya-de-98447537?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
Wing Chun Dance Drama
youtube
Acknowledgement-CultArts x Creative
Wing Chun Dance Drama
youtube
Acknowledgement – 生活生活
Wing Chun Dance Drama Interview
youtube
Acknowledgement – 香港商報
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Introduction : Brief overview of cryptocurrency investing.
Best Cryptocurrency to Invest in 2023: A Comprehensive Guide
Investing in cryptocurrencies can be both exciting and daunting. With the market constantly evolving, it's crucial to stay informed about the best options for potential investments. In this guide, we'll explore the landscape of cryptocurrency investments, highlighting the top choices and offering insights into the factors that influence their performance.
Introduction
Cryptocurrency has become a buzzword in the financial world, with investors seeking opportunities in the decentralized digital assets. As the market continues to expand, it's essential to navigate through the various options and make informed decisions.
Understanding Cryptocurrency
At its core, cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual form of currency that uses cryptography for security. Unlike traditional currencies, cryptocurrencies operate on decentralized networks based on blockchain technology, ensuring transparency and immutability.
Factors Influencing Cryptocurrency Investments
Market Trends and Analysis
The cryptocurrency market is known for its volatility, influenced by various factors such as market demand, technological advancements, and macroeconomic trends. Analyzing these trends provides valuable insights for investors.
Regulatory Factors Affecting Investments
Government regulations play a significant role in shaping the cryptocurrency landscape. Understanding the regulatory environment is crucial as it can impact the legality and acceptance of specific cryptocurrencies.
Best Cryptocurrencies to Invest In
Bitcoin
As the pioneer of cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin remains a prominent choice for investors. Its historical performance and market dominance make it a relatively stable option, especially for those new to the crypto space.
Ethereum
Beyond being a digital currency, Ethereum is known for its smart contract capabilities, enabling the creation of decentralized applications (DApps). Its potential for future growth is tied to the continued development of the Ethereum ecosystem.
Binance Coin
Operating within the Binance ecosystem, Binance Coin has gained popularity due to its various use cases, including transaction fee discounts and participation in token sales on the Binance Launchpad.
Cardano
Cardano stands out for its focus on sustainability and scalability. With a unique consensus algorithm and a commitment to research-driven development, Cardano offers features that set it apart from other cryptocurrencies.
Solana
Solana boasts impressive speed and scalability, making it a preferred choice for developers. Projects built on Solana benefit from its efficient and low-cost transactions.
Risks and Challenges
While the potential for high returns exists, cryptocurrency investments come with inherent risks. Market volatility, security concerns, and regulatory uncertainties are challenges investors must navigate.
Tips for Successful Cryptocurrency Investing
Diversification of the Portfolio
Diversifying your investment portfolio helps spread risk. Consider allocating funds across different cryptocurrencies to minimize the impact of poor performance in a single asset.
Research and Staying Informed
In the ever-evolving cryptocurrency market, staying informed is crucial. Regularly conduct research, follow market trends, and stay updated on news that may influence your investment decisions.
Risk Management Strategies
Implementing risk management strategies, such as setting stop-loss orders and defining an exit strategy, can help protect your investment from sudden market fluctuations.
Future Trends in Cryptocurrency
As technology advances, new trends emerge in the cryptocurrency space. Keep an eye on developments such as decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and other innovative applications that could shape the future of the market.
Case Studies
Learning from the experiences of successful cryptocurrency investors can provide valuable insights. Additionally, understanding the mistakes made by others can help you avoid common pitfalls.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is cryptocurrency a safe investment?
While the potential for high returns exists, cryptocurrency investments come with risks. It's essential to conduct thorough research and only invest what you can afford to lose.
Which cryptocurrency is the most stable?
Bitcoin is often considered a more stable option due to its long history and market dominance.
How do I diversify my cryptocurrency portfolio?
Diversification involves allocating funds across different cryptocurrencies to minimize risk. Consider a mix of established and promising projects.
What are the security risks associated with cryptocurrency?
Security risks include hacking, fraud, and the potential for technological vulnerabilities. Using secure wallets and practicing good cybersecurity habits is crucial.
How often should I review my cryptocurrency portfolio?
Regularly review your portfolio to stay informed about market trends and adjust your strategy based on changing conditions.
Conclusion
Navigating the world of cryptocurrency investments requires a combination of research, risk management, and a forward-looking perspective. By understanding the factors influencing the market and exploring the best cryptocurrency options available, investors can make informed decisions that align with their financial goals.
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The Marvels: A Phenomenon That Captivated Hearts Worldwide
Shaina Tranquilino
November 14, 2023
In the vast realm of comic book superheroes, few franchises have managed to captivate audiences quite like Marvel. With its rich universe and diverse range of characters, Marvel Studios has taken the world by storm in recent years. In this blog post, we'll explore how the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) became so popular and why people love it so much.
1. Building a Cinematic Universe:
One key reason for the immense popularity of the Marvels lies in their ability to create an interconnected cinematic universe. Unlike standalone superhero films, the MCU presents a grand narrative that spans multiple movies and TV series. This unique approach allows fans to immerse themselves in a comprehensive storytelling experience, connecting with characters on multiple levels.
2. Relatable and Complex Characters:
Marvel's heroes are not merely invincible demigods but also complex individuals with relatable struggles. From Tony Stark's journey from arrogance to humility as Iron Man to Peter Parker's coming-of-age story as Spider-Man, these flawed yet endearing characters resonate deeply with audiences. Their humanity makes them more than just superheroes; they become symbols of hope, resilience, and personal growth.
3. Diverse Representation:
The Marvels have always embraced diversity and inclusivity, allowing people from all walks of life to feel represented on screen. Black Panther became a cultural phenomenon as it celebrated African culture while highlighting themes of identity and social justice. Similarly, Captain Marvel shattered gender stereotypes by presenting a strong female lead who defied expectations. By championing representation, Marvel has created a fan base that feels seen and empowered.
4. Humour & Wit:
Humour plays a crucial role in making the Marvel films enjoyable for viewers of all ages. The franchise is renowned for its witty one-liners, banter between characters, and well-timed comedic moments amidst intense action sequences. This blending of humour with serious storytelling strikes a perfect balance, keeping audiences entertained and emotionally invested.
5. Epic Action Sequences & Visual Effects:
The Marvels are synonymous with mind-blowing action sequences that push the boundaries of visual effects. From the exhilarating battles in The Avengers to the breathtaking cosmic warfare in Guardians of the Galaxy, these films offer an immersive experience unlike any other. Such larger-than-life spectacles leave fans in awe and fuel their desire for more superhero adventures.
6. Emotional Connections:
Marvel movies aren't just about flashy powers and epic battles; they also excel at creating emotional connections. Whether it's witnessing Steve Rogers' unwavering loyalty or feeling the pain of Tony Stark sacrificing himself for the greater good, these moments tug at our heartstrings. The ability to evoke genuine emotions strengthens the bond between viewers and characters, making them unforgettable.
The Marvels' meteoric rise to popularity is no accident but rather a result of careful planning, compelling storytelling, diverse representation, and relatable characters. By incorporating humour, emotional depth, and jaw-dropping visuals into their films, Marvel Studios has created an unparalleled cinematic universe that has won over hearts worldwide. As we eagerly anticipate future installments like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Thor: Love and Thunder, it's clear that this superhero franchise will continue to thrive on its formula for success.
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Spell Trek, 10/26/2023: Questioning and Balance
Hey, welcome. You’ve reached the part of the creative process where I begin questioning why I’m doing this! Isn’t that the most fun part? Okay, it’s not quite as dire as that. However, I am uncertain about where things currently stand. So, I’m just going to talk about what’s in my head right now.
Gonna warn you now that it’s a lot. It’s probably not really that interesting if you’re not me or at all invested in the idea of Spell Trek. But it’s all under the “keep reading” link, so you are protected if you want to be spared my “writing about writing” shtick.
So, what has me questioning why I’m doing this? I’ve mentioned balance in previous entries here, but it really is on my mind a lot with this project. It would be different if I was writing an original work because I would not be contending with anyone’s expectations. As this is fanfiction, there ARE expectations. People know and love these characters. You can defy expectations, sure, but there is risk. There is also a threshold. Different readers have different thresholds, I suppose. Still, if you’re using established characters, what would be the point of diverging too much from the source material? Might as well write OCs if they’re too divergent.
Now, I’m not worried about how I’m portraying characters right now. I haven’t even considered characters yet because I’m still noodling about the setting. What am I trying to balance with the setting, then? Well, I’m trying to find the balance between the familiar and the transformative. If I don’t change things enough with my AU, then what was the point of making it an AU at all? If I change things too much, then what was the point of using Trek as a template? There must be change. There must be preservation. It gives me a headache!
Plus, you know, there’s always the chance that I’m overthinking things. I’m guilty of that in my life, for sure.
That brings me to the brainstorming I’ve already done. Have I made things different enough to make the AU worth it? I’m not sure I have. So far, this is where my setting stands:
It’s still in space, but now it’s MAGIC space.
The species are all the same as in vanilla Trek, except those with special abilities get them from magic rather than biology (or magic is just a part of biology, however you want to think of it).
All the tech is still there, but it’s all MAGIC instead.
When I read that, it feels like I didn’t actually do anything. Where is the innovation? Where is the transformation? In my effort to keep things familiar, I’ve made changes that are practically irrelevant. I kept the Trek levels high, but the fantasy levels are low. This AU is barely A at all.
What was my original intent with making this AU, anyway? It was my attempt to feel comfortable writing stories in a fandom which is not my natural genre, since I love Trek and these characters. That's still valid. But why would anyone care? Why would they read something that is essentially just a literary palette swap when they could just stick with something written in the actual setting?
I think this AU has to truly diverge to be worth the effort I'm putting into it. So I have to revisit everything I’ve already written here and give it a second thought. Oy. But it will be worth it. Either I’ll figure out how to write the dang thing, or I’ll figure out that I shouldn’t write the dang thing at all. After all this talk, I’d hate to find out it is the latter option. I’m not giving up that easily, though.
I guess the question to answer is…what do I WANT to write? I thought, perhaps, I wanted to write something a little more adventurous, action-packed, like an actual episode of Lower Decks. That was another reason for making this AU that I forgot to mention above. I thought I could handle such things better in my comfort genre. And perhaps I could. Or perhaps not. I’ve never really written action/adventure stuff in the past. Why would I start now? Perhaps I was blinded by my love of seeing it in Trek. Then again, it’s not my main reason for watching Trek. Actually, I’ll watch the action and enjoy it, but it would probably be on the bottom of the list of my likes. So what do I like? Interesting characters in bananas situations, for sure. That’s a given. I’m all about that interpersonal stuff. Here’s a fact about me: I watched wrestling many years ago, but only for the stories. That should tell you something about me. So I want to see characters interact, and maybe some weird stuff is happening, but it’s probably not too action-packed. Here’s something that’s very specific to Lower Decks: I love the fact that it is showing people on the bottom of the Federation pecking order doing the dirty jobs that nobody else does. It’s mundane to them, but it’s still fascinating to me. Another favorite show of mine is Superstore, so that should make sense (and I swear, I am going to make a Lower Decks AU that is inspired by Superstore; I’m already figuring out how the characters would fit in the world). I guess I like the part of Lower Decks, and Star Trek as a whole, that would fit in the category of “cozy fiction.” It is my chosen genre, and if I can find cozy sci-fi or cozy fantasy, so much the better (you all should read Legends and Lattes, just saying). I think I could write good cozy fiction, especially with these precious characters.
So that’s what I WANT to write. How can I make Spell Trek work as cozy fantasy? That, I am not certain about yet. I have a vague inkling about a wizard tower housing some kind of magical Federation that can do magical research and exploration throughout the multiverse, but nothing solid yet. I’ll return to this another time. I have some other projects to work on, and this has taken me three days off-and-on to finish.
P.S. The word "cozy" is weird. Not the word itself, but how it is used for fiction and games. I used it here because it seems to be the popular word for the concept, but I prefer calling it something else, like "low-stakes." I suppose low-stakes maybe doesn't sound as interesting, but I like it because it gets the point across: this fiction isn't about world-changing events, there's no Chosen One, the fate of millions is not of concern here. Smaller stories that affect the characters within, and maybe some others not mentioned, but that's about it. Why am I still here writing when I just said I was going to go do something else? Fine, I'm outta here.
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THE HIGH REPUBLIC READING PROJECT UPDATE: Since I finished Phases I and II (aside from Young Jedi Adventures previously), in the interests of not having a mile long post, I'm just doing Phase III stuff now. I've also decided against including The Vow of Silver Dawn since I don't think there's an official English translation--though, I am reading the fan translation. (Slowly, I've been reading ORV when I do have time to read.)
Look how close I am! I'm even an hour and half into Defy the Storm and I've started the Phase III comics and I'd guess I have about ten issues left in total to catch up on and I finished Young Jedi Adventures. I can totally do this over the next week and a half!
MAIN STORYLINE NOVELS - PHASE III:
The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness
The High Republic: Escape from Valo
The High Republic: Defy The Storm
MAIN STORYLINE COMICS - PHASE III:
The High Republic: Shadows of Starlight - 4 issues
The High Republic (2023) - 7 issues [ONGOING]
The High Republic Adventures (2023) - 5 issues [ONGOING]
The High Republic - Saber for Hire (2023) - 1 issue [ONGOING]
ONESHOT COMIC ISSUES - PHASE III:
The High Republic Adventures: Crash Landing
EVERYTHING ELSE:
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures - 25 episodes + 6 shorts
I enjoyed Escape from Valo a lot more than I thought I would, Older's and Wong's books usually just aren't my jam, but when they got in a bunch of new characters, I found myself more intrigued this time around. Part of that is probably that Phase III feels a lot tighter and more impactful now that they've had time to really get in gear as an initiative, but also I think maybe it feels like Older and Wong are spreading the story around to more characters and ones that resonate better with me.
A lot of it is that I feel like Older is a little too close to Ram's character and winds up making him feel like The Most Specialest Boy Ever, but putting him into smaller chunks made him go down a lot better for me and I found his struggle to connect with the Jedi younglings versus becoming attached to them (in the way the Jedi mean it/more Buddhist-aligned) worked well for me.
I think the book still fits into the overall trend for me--mostly one of my lesser faves of the Phase, but with 2-3 absolutely BANGER scenes about Jedi philosophy that make it worth reading for.
Now, on to Defy the Storm and I'm curious how this will go, I like both Ireland and Gratton's work, but I do get a little "...." at Ireland's writing for Avon, who I thought worked well enough in the first book but starts to feel like she's not allowed any real flaws because she's too special. I just want a little more variety with the heroes, to let them have some genuinely unlikeable moments to be relatable. (This is personal preference, I might feel different if these were established characters or I was more in the target range.)
I also finished Young Jedi Adventures and I honestly enjoyed having it on in the background! It's very much aimed at a preschool audience, but it does so with charisma and charm radiating out of it in every scene. The voice acting is top notch, the animation is gorgeous, the character/setting designs are stunning, and I admit, I got a little invested in the characters over the time spent with them. To the point I'm kind of genuinely champing at the bit for a second season because I NEED Taborr resolution, YOU CANNOT END IT THERE??? I NEED TO KNOW HOW THIS TURNS OUT???? I NEED ANOTHER SEASON!!!! At least tell me that someone else is in the same hell that I'm in of wanting to see how that conflict plays out and getting weirdly invested in that little shit that just wants real friends. ;__;
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Best Top 10 Cryptocurrency to Invest 2023
March 1, 2023 by Adil Ali
Ethereum is a revolutionary cryptocurrency that’s snappily gaining traction in the global request. Its smart contracts, dApps, interoperability, and brisk sale pets make it a seductive option for businesses and inventors likewise. As further people borrow Ethereum and its DeFi capabilities, the eventuality for the platform to transfigure the way we do deals and contracts continues to grow. also, updates similar to EIP- 1559 on the horizon pledge to make Ethereum indeed more important. With such a promising future, Ethereum looks to be a decreasingly feasible platform for digital deals.
1. Bitcoin (BTC)
Market Cap: $458 billion
Bitcoin is the first and most popular cryptocurrency, created in 2009 by an unknown person or group using the alias Satoshi Nakamoto. It operates on a decentralized tally called blockchain, which allows for secure, transparent, and tamper-resistant deals. Bitcoin is known for its high volatility and is frequently considered a store of value or digital gold.
2. Ethereum (ETH)
Market Cap: $216 billion
Ethereum is the alternate-largest cryptocurrency by request capitalization and was created in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin. Unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum is further than just a digital currency; it’s a decentralized platform that enables inventors to make and emplace decentralized operations( dApps) on its blockchain. The platform’s native currency is Ether( ETH), which is used to pay-for-sale freights and computational services on the Ethereum network.
3. Tether (USDT)
Market Cap: $66 billion
Tether is a stablecoin that was created to be pegged to the US bone at an 11 rate. It was launched in 2014 by Tether Limited and is used as a means of transferring finances between exchanges and trading cryptocurrency without having to convert back to edict currency. Tether is controversial, with some critics claiming that it isn’t completely backed by US bones
4. USD Coin (USDC)
Market Cap: $54 billion
USD Coin, established by the financial technology corporation Circle and the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, is a stable coin tied to the American dollar. It’s backing of USD and routine audit protocols guarantee the stability and clarity of its operation.
5. Binance Coin (BNB)
Market Cap: $52 billion
Established in 2017, Binance Coin is the crypto asset associated with the renowned Binance Exchange, one of the largest crypto trading platforms globally. This digital asset is utilized to pay for trade fees on the Binance Exchange, as well as to access reduced commission fees on the same exchange.
6. Ripple (XRP)
Market Cap: $18 billion
In 2012, Ripple Labs initiated the cryptocurrency known as Ripple. This global payment system enables instantaneous and dependable cross-border payments with the utilization of its blockchain technology. Financial institutions and payment providers can benefit from Ripple’s services.
7. Cardano (ADA)
Market Cap: $18 billion
Input Output Hong Kong (IOHK), a blockchain research and development company, created Cardano, a decentralized platform, in 2017. With a vision of tackling the scalability and security issues that have affected preceding blockchain networks, Cardano is a third-generation blockchain. The native currency of the platform, ADA, is employed to pay transaction fees and to involve oneself in the governance of the Cardano network. Save to documented
8. Binance USD (BUSD)
Market Cap: $18 billion
Binance USD, a fiat-pegged stablecoin developed by the renowned crypto exchange Binance, is constantly monitored to guarantee transparency and maintain full US dollar support. Its main purpose is to allow seamless transfers and trading of digital assets without the need for reverting to conventional money.
9. Solana (SOL)
Market Cap: $15 billion
Solana was founded in 2017 by Solana Labs, to create a blockchain platform with speedy transactions and minimal costs for decentralized applications. As a result, SOL is the cryptocurrency native to this platform, utilized for transaction fees and to join in the administration of the Solana network.
10. Polkadot (DOT)
Market Cap: $10 billion
The Web3 Foundation designed the Polkadot platform in 2016 to bring together different blockchains and allow for seamless interconnectivity. To guarantee high performance and scalability, Polkadot uses a specialized technique called sharding. The native currency of the network is DOT, which is utilized to pay for transaction costs and grant holders a say in Polkadot’s governance.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, while these crypto assets vary in attributes and functions, they all share the objective of furnishing a distributed and safe system of exchanging value. As the industry of cryptocurrency persists to advance, we can assume to witness more breakthroughs and novel applications emerge, generating a thrilling period for both financiers and consumers. It is crucial to complete comprehensive research and recognize the risks linked with investing in any cryptocurrency.
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