I have a question since you're from surrounding regions, is taylor actually well known in china? Why do you think GQ went with him there are a lot more famous celebs, taylor doesn't even have a lot screen exposure

So for some reason, I'm taking this question super seriously.

Please note that 1, I can only speak from my observation and my position 2, I'm from Hong Kong, so there are certain things about mainland China that I might not be aware of

Regarding Taylor's notability in China:

Is he well-known? Well, and I say this with all the love I have for Taylor, not really. In fact, during his time in China, there have been several cases in the videos that I reposted that you can hear people ask in Mandarin "Who is he?" A few more recounts I read said that quite several people who ended up near the fan crowd asked "Who is that handsome foreigner?" and followed and took photos/videos of him not because they recognized him, but because they were intrigued. (but side note, even the people who didn't know who he was said that 1, he's really handsome 2, he's really friendly, so that's sweet)

The thing about Taylor's notability in China comes in two regards:

1, RWRB became one of the most popular western queer media to be distributed on streaming platforms in China (especially since most if not all of the local queer media is banned, yes I'm angry about it), so this part kind of goes without explanation

2, Taylor uses Chinese social media platforms, which is really rare for Hollywood actors. This gives him a platform to interact with Chinese fans, since because of firewall/censorship, it's a hassle (and technically illegal but shhhhh) for Chinese fans to check his Instagram/ Tiktok/ Twitter(not that he uses it)/ Threads

Regarding the reason GQ went with him:

1, it was a personal invitation from the Editor-in-chief of GQ China (so more or less the head PIC of the event). They met during the Ferrari show, the Editor, Rocco Liu invited Taylor, Taylor said he'll come if it works out with his schedule and the rest is history.

2, And this is my speculation (because I care about international relationships and thought about this a lot), but I think GQ wanted to try something new by inviting Taylor, a Hollywood actor (and thus promoting the overall image of China but that's getting too political for my taste on my own public platform), and since Taylor is (a) currently popular since RWRB is still relatively new and the Chinese fandom is still really active (b) evidently willing to try out the local ways of things as seen from him using and operating his own Little Red Book and Bilibili account.

I mentioned this before, but I think that since Taylor was so willing to try new things (which is a quality of his that I personally admire greatly), all the people/organizations/companies in China who got in contact with him saw the opportunity to experiment and see what a Hollywood actor could do in a Chinese setting/market and how much traction he can bring. That's my guess for why he was so busy and going from event to event non-stop, and evidently looking tired by the time he was going back to the States (especially for someone who appears to never be tired)

So yeah. I think they took Taylor's enthusiasm for trying new things and his currently persistent popularity in China and ran with it. Not that it's a bad thing though.

But I will say this, for the GQ event, all sorts of people were invited. The most famous ones with a considerable career already (think the equivalent of RDJ, Brad Pitt, Leonardo Dicaprio etc), the currently popular young stars (think the equivalent of K-pop stars or the "white boy of the month" trend) but there were a considerable amount of people that I completely never seen or heard, and neither did a lot of Chines audience. In fact, I don't know who the two ladies who were in the same boat with Taylor during the water carpet are. So there's also that.

Vanity Fair interview translated

Just a side note before the actual translation; I don't know why, but instead of reporting the full questions and answers in full as she should, the journalist decided to report only summarized fragments of what Måneskin said and patch these fragments up into messy clusters. She also worded a couple phrases in a very confusing way (and yes, she's fully Italian). In short, she did quite a poor job, so the final shape of the interview is not that good. I didn't expect top-tier journalism from Vanity Fair but ffs. You'll see what I mean.

I translated it as it is, adding just a couple footnotes to give you insight on Italian pop culture references.

Translation under the cut

Måneskin: "Different from whom?"

by Lavinia Farnese, 09 June 2021

"True justice is being judged for what you do and not for what you are." The ones who are convinced of this are Damiano, Victoria, Ethan and Thomas who, by being the emblem of a generation that is finally free, refuse labels and conformism. In life, in love and on the stage. Where, maybe precisely because of this, they're winning everything

With the still unexpected (first place at Sanremo Festival) and the incredible (triumph at Eurovision) in their eyes, Måneskin are on the sofa of the house-studio they rented - to resume writing songs and rehearsing them - like you are after a won battle: lying in a calm and unreal silence, alert and a bit irreverent, happy.

In the garden there's the tennis table and the pool, the light of summer when it's starting and calming the country all around, and it filters inside from the large windows, and it goes onto the shining black of Ethan's hair, which blends with Thomas' eye shadow and the butterfly he has tattooed oh his naked forearm, which completes the picture of Victoria's golden crucifix hanging between neck and tank top and ends on the black nail polish of Damiano's stretched hands.

It's a human fresco, a Theatre of wrath [translator's note: "Teatro d'ira"] - to call it with the title of their latest album, a platinum record already - where their flaunted 20 years of age, their irregular femininity and virility are grown into proud and challenging custom, a pop glam rock generational manifesto of hard-earned liberties in a finally-unconditional expression of the self.

To watch them from any angle and from another age is to think that a great love will be born in those who'll understand: this new way of being in the world, the true and sovereign realm they hold where "diversity=exceptionality", the power of the artistic and cultural revolution of which they are healthy carriers in establishing in all lyrics and gestures the right to live according to one's own nature past the "people (who) talk, the people (who) unfortunately talk, and don't know what the fuck they're talking about." [tn: "Zitti e buoni" lyrics]

We go where we're afloat, where the air isn't gone. [tn: journalist's own variation on "Zitti e buoni" lyrics]

Miley Cyrus says hi – The numbers of a phenomenon

"The streams of Zitti e buoni are growing by the second, and they bring us above Muse, at the top of English charts, twelfth in the Spotify Global Chart. Followers almost tripled, in the post-Rotterdam period (from 1,4 to 3,3 millions, ed.) Contagious and universal folly: t-shirts and merchandising sold out in 10 minutes. Like the records, the tickets for a tour that keeps adding dates and expanding over geographic maps. They're contacting us even from some festivals were The Rolling Stones went." Thomas

"After the pretextual controversy over cocaine that France built against us, later disproven by my drug test, some graffiti popped up in Spain depicting me as a “No drugs” poster guy. Some tweets made us laugh: "Congratulations, Italy! I've never been more certain that four people have had sex with each other." Miley Cyrus started following us -You're great. -You guys are greater." Damiano

From the garage to the stars – Story of a flight

"It was only 2016, and we played in restaurants, in the streets, in via del Corso. Damiano without even a microphone, Thomas' guitar with wonky strings, Ethan was drumming on a cajón. During Rome highschools' sit-ins (Kennedy, Virgilio, Mamiani) we had our first confirmations and half-hours of celebrity, playing among those who criticized us and those who went "wow they're really cool." One of the rare times when they would have paid us – 50 euros each – we gave the money to the next band in the lineup so that they would make us play in their spot, later in the day, when there would have been more people. We had already realized how things worked. Visibility mattered more than money. And we still think that." Victoria

The intimacy of rock – Choice of a genre

"Music allows us the miracle of extending to others some very personal and private topics, sometimes even difficult and thorny ones. They are and they remain deeply your own, but at the same time they become a confession that reaches a wider audience, and in this passage that is alike a delivery, they find a place in you as well, a processing of them. You overcome them, you accept them. One second it's something aggressive, the next it's a ballad. Cathartic». Damiano

Against panic – The stage as therapy

"I've suffered a lot from anxiety and panic attacks, it's an issue I've worked on thanks to a psychotherapy course, my friends and my family. Playing helped me in not letting myself be paralyzed by my fears, not making myself limited in my private and professional life. I've learned to accept, to live with this side of myself. I don't hide it. I don't feel ashamed of it." Victoria

Analysis as necessity – Relying on someone saves you

"This belief that only madmen go to the psychologist is a widespread ignorance. No-one's born learned. [tn: common Italian saying] And it's often hard to understand the very reason why we're here, let alone the origin and direction of our desires. It's a long and legitimate journey towards lucidity, a kind of backing to become transparent." Damiano

Being out of our minds – But different from them [tn: "Zitti e buoni" lyrics]

"When you feel a strong passion towards something that is not a canonical job but an artistic language, that already puts you on a level of anomaly, which is not superior or inferior to other people, but it puts you in the position of the one who breaks the mold and also works at a loss, the one who sustains great risks while trying to do something that who knows if it will take you anywhere. "Why do it if it doesn't pay?". You want to give this dream of yours an aesthetic, but it becomes "You're dressing so weird! You must be gay!" - now that I'm 22 I laugh about it, but when I was 17 it had an effect on me, too." Damiano

The beauty of uniqueness – Of believing in it and defending it

"And I mean, at the end of the day if we're all different it's not because we want be alternative but because, really, no-one is the same. Justice is being judged on what you do and not what you are. Justice is equality, respect, beauty." Ethan

Fluid sexuality – Pride is freedom

"Heels for men that like themselves in them, kisses among ourselves, we have an open, extended mind, and we're proud of it. The horizons become vast, past the oppression of conservative families. With the information on the web knowledge becomes greater and with it the possibility that minorities will be less and less minorities, because the majority will be less of a majority. This way we'll make insults and bullying grow quieter. If social media get to a village of 50 souls and reveal to a girl who's afraid of the dark that someone has felt her same fear, then there's no reason to give a name to that fear, to mark it with labels which also limit and restrict. Definitions always had this effect on me. You shouldn't even consider the gender when judging someone, let alone their orientation." Victoria

Sexism – A culture to be dismantled

"Emma [tn: Emma Marrone, Italian singer] drops the bomb: “At Eurovision when I was there they massacred me for a pair of shorts, while they said nothing to Damiano – bare-chested and in heels.” The easy judgment against women is more fierce, constant, debasing (if I have a lot of sex I'm cool while Vic is a whore, where I show myself strong I'm a leader while Vic is despotic and a pain in the ass who reached success because she's hot.) As a male I'm privileged, the abuse I get is not comparable to those a woman has to live through, the comments over my aesthetic are centered only on my aesthetic and don't insinuate anything about my professionalism and my competence, while women are victims of this kind of thought in a systematic way. It happened though to find myself standing with a woman who while pulling me to herself to take a selfie, started licking my face out of the blue... I mean, what the hell do you want? Who asked you? Consent exists, and it's due." Damiano

Grow yourself – The only commandment

"To me conformism is the opposite of education [tn: could also mean "politeness"] and is the asphyxia of expression. I fortunately never endured heavy bullying, heavy enough for the the judgement of others to change me. But the mold of the small crumbs of bullying I got and of the kind of aggression that scars is the same. If I'm a kid who dances and likes dolls you have to let me do what I like. I was a kid who wanted to keep his hair long and played with Barbie. As a teen, my friends looked at my hair: " You have to find a girl with short hair to be at your side." My grandparents took away my dolls: "Stop it, they're not for you." Ethan

"When I was six I was already sick of them, the distinctions between masculine and feminine. I've always had strong ideas about how I wanted to be. I refused things that were typically defined as girly, and all around me they mocked me because I went skateboarding, I played soccer, I didn't wear skirts, I was giving myself the chance to be as I wished. I endured it a little, I suffered a little, but I had courage, and now thanks to that courage I know that I could have gotten even much more hurt, otherwise I would have left to others the most important choice: the one about myself." Victoria

Love in progress – Music, girlfriends

"I've been married to music for the last 20 years. I can't wait to celebrate our golden wedding anniversary." Ethan

"Everyone makes their own experiences, sometimes it goes well, sometimes it goes wrong, but it's always not anybody's business." Thomas

"When I first felt feelings and attraction towards a girl it was a bit disorienting because I had never had the courage of going beyond the limitations I had put for myself. For society being heterosexual is the norm and so you often define yourself in that way automatically, depriving yourself of the freedom to live many shades and faces of love. Once I overcame the initial insecurity of having to call into question my certainties I've lived my sexuality in a very natural and free way, as it should be for everyone." Victoria

"I had paparazzi at my door every day and night. So, after four years of relationship, I revealed her name. I still have paparazzi at my door every day and nigh, but at least I don't have to hide anything anymore." Damiano

The worth of the group – Phenomenology of protection

"The true engagement though, the true family is among ourselves, our band. We've believed in it since day zero, even before we called ourselves Måneskin (Moonlight in Danish), even before Ethan drew a giant moon on the flier for the first concert we ever did. We share everything, even the pain for the tragedy of Seid Visin, who committed suicide at 20 because of racism. [tn: I think the journalist asked them their opinion about Seid Visin's death, which was a current events topic in Italy, and then pasted it syntaxically in the middle of Thomas' answer, which was not a great move] A group is what we all should be: stay united and not back down an inch in the face of oppression that is generated by a distorted view of diversity." Thomas

I'm not of the right age – Like Gigliola [tn: Gigliola Cinquetti won Eurovision with her song "Non ho l'età", which means "I'm not of the right age"]

"Before you the only one who won both Sanremo and Eurovision on the same year was Cinquetti (1964). If there's anything I feel I'm not of the right age for? No, honestly no. Maybe having children. Regarding children I'll be honest: I'm not of the right age." Damiano

Having touched the sky – The fears that remain

"We're more than inside the dream, we're in the conquered dream. When you fly high there's the risk of plummeting and hurting yourself, but we'll work hard not to end up like Icarus, who burns his wings with the sun. Everything is in our hands. And this - a bit pretentiously - reassures us rather than scaring us." Damiano

Finding SKZ - 6: FL00

pairing(s): Hybrid!Bang Chan x Reader, Hybrid!SKZ x Reader

genre: Hybrid!AU, Dystopian!AU, lots of Angst, spoonful of Fluff, eventual Smut

warning(s): Mature language, verbal abuse, mentions of physical abuse, flashbacks, mentions of death

word count: 5k

synopsis: After rescuing an abandoned hybrid from his fate of death, he has one other favor to ask of you. Not only do you have to find his eight other hybrid brothers, but you have to keep them safe from the deadly dangers of your city: Miroh

chapter directory 

The Third World War sparked almost a century ago after the leak of a secret terrorist operation against what was known in the Old World as Europe. To this day, the origination of the group, nicknamed R.U.I.N.S., is still unknown. Members of R.U.I.N.S. first began their nuclear attack in London, Britain, where they wiped out nearly 60% of the population as well as completely demolished the lands. The remaining 40% either fled to neighboring countries or died out due to the dangerous aftermaths of the bomb, usually sickness from lingering toxic chemicals or starvation. R.U.I.N.S. moved on to spread the genocide to the rest of Europe and were met with strong resistance from world superpowers such as Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, the United States and Russia. Unfortunately, the influence of the terrorist group spread and planted corruption in the superpower’s government, which would eventually lead to the outbreak of a full fledged nuclear war that killed 95% of the world population, known today as the Mass Genocide… 

You lean away from your laptop screen with a sigh, a dull ache lingering within your eyes. For the past few hours, you had been writing, more like trying to write the research paper your professor had assigned a couple days ago. You wanted to get it out of the way in order to study for the rest of your finals which started this upcoming Friday. 

You meant to do it during the weekend, but you were a little preoccupied with helping your two new additions settle in. The office/extra bedroom had become way too crowded, especially considering you could only fit a twin bed and a tiny air mattress in there. As a solution, you went out and purchased one of those pull out sofas. The one in your living room was old and rotting anyway so it didn’t make much of a difference to you. Plus, it was either that or give up your own bed, and you don’t know if you’re ready to do that just yet. 

Lifting your arms high above your head, your tense muscles loosen as the sickening cracks of underused bones enter your ears. Relaxed, you slide your laptop off your lap and do the same with your legs. Just as you were about to force yourself back into the historical world, your bedroom door opens.

You lift your gaze to watch Hyunjin walk through the doorway, two mugs within his hands. He offers you the pastel yellow one, which you accept with a sigh of gratitude. The fragrance of your favorite tea enters your nostrils and your stomach is already filled with the ghostly warmth of the drink. After taking a well-earned sip, you hum, “Thanks, Jinnie.” 

“You’re welcome, noona. Woojin-hyung said you haven’t left your room in hours.” 

“Yeah,” You nod, gesturing to your computer, “I have to write this paper before Friday. Sorry, I haven’t really been around that much today.” 

Hyunjin shakes his head while taking a sip from his own cup, “Don’t apologize. We know how busy you are this week.” 

Your heart melts at the young hybrid’s words. With a smile, you reach up to caress Hyunjin’s cropped ears. The fur beneath your fingertips is like velvet. Hyunjin releases a breath of satisfaction, leaning more into your pet. Originally, you had been wary to touch his ears, seeing as Chan had made the comment that his original owner altered their shape. But Hyunjin had quickly waved your worry away and welcomed your affection. As did most of the boys. 

“I see who the favorite is in this family.” Seungmin grumbles from the doorway, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. “You’ve barely been here three days and are already getting all the attention.”

“It’s not my fault I’m cuter than you,” Hyunjin chuckles, saluting his younger brother with a lift of his mug. 

Seungmin sends him a playful growl before crossing the room and plopping on your other side. He pulls your phone from his pocket and points to the screen, “I think I found more about Felix. For real this time.” 

When Seungmin said he found Felix last Saturday morning, it wasn’t him. Nor were the other four Lee Felix’s he found. Since you kind of ran out of options, you guys agreed on the conclusion that whoever bought him probably changed his last name or something. That really hasn’t made your search any easier, considering there were a lot of Lee Felixs as it is, but there are even more Felixs. 

“Oh yeah? Let’s see.” 

“So I found three possible houses,” Seungmin pulls up a web page depicting the owners of a home near where your dad lives. He allows you to skim through the information while continuing, “The first one has records of a cat hybrid called Felix that has lived with them for about a year now. The other two are the same, except one records residence for about five months and the last one of two and a half years. All of them are how old Felix would be now.”

Hyunjin hums, “You’re sure one of these could be him?” 

Seungmin shrugs, “Surer than the last ones. It’s not a hundred percent but it doesn’t hurt to try.” 

“Okay,” You nod and turn back to face the beagle hybrid. “What’s the plan this time?” 

“I was talking to Woojin-hyung and Chan-hyung and they thought it’d be best if we split up and go to the homes ourselves.” 

Hesitance immediately fills your veins at his recount. It’s not that you were against going straight to the houses, you’ve done that before, you just didn’t like the whole ‘splitting up’ part. The idea of some of the hybrids traveling through the streets of Miroh without you at their side didn’t sit well within your stomach. In fact, it made you sick. Look at the whole thing that happened with Chan back at the circus. You really didn’t want a repeat of that again. 

“I don’t know, Min… That’s a little-” 

“-Woojin-hyung would go with Hyunjinnie, and Channie-hyung with me. You’ll have nothing to worry about, noona.” 

Your eyebrows furrow, “So that means…” 

Hyunjin nods, “You’re with Minho-hyung. Channie-hyung originally wanted to go with you, but the rest of us thought that it would be better divided this way.” 

In your thoughts, you fail to notice the knowing look both Hyunjin and Seungmin send one another, complete with raised eyebrows and mischievous smirks. Since you were paired with the coyote hybrid, that means you have to be with him… alone. Lucky for you, Minho kept his promise and didn’t tell anyone about what happened in the alleyway or about the things you said. But that doesn’t mean he’s not going to inquire about such things further on his own terms. 

“I mean… I guess that’s fine.” You shrug, glancing toward the screen of your laptop. “Whatever works.” 

Seungmin nods, “Good. Chan said you don’t have class or work on Tuesday, so were figured we could try then.” 

“Yeah, sure.” Sinking your teeth into your bottom lip, you reach for your computer and position your fingers across the keys. “Sorry guys, I really need to finish this.”

“It’s fine, noona.” Hyunjin sends you a sweet smile before tugging Seungmin toward the door. “Don’t stress yourself out and enjoy your drink.” 

Only when the door shuts behind them with a click do you free the building anxiety budding within your chest. You toss the laptop away once again and bury your face into your palms. A deep sigh spills from your lips and echoes through your bedroom. The sound couldn’t compare to the loudness of your thoughts. 

You’ve kept everything a secret for so long, but like most, you knew you wouldn’t be able to keep it forever. 

*** 

Tuesday came a lot quicker than you really wanted it to. Then again, you did spend most of your time suffering through schoolwork. 

Before everyone went their separate ways, Chan made sure to give Minho a long spewl of making sure nothing dangerous happens to you. You, still embarrassed about the whole bathroom encounter, didn’t have it in you to relay your favorite ‘I can take care of myself’ line. It’s not like you were purposely avoiding Chan, you just happened to have a lot of work you needed to get done… C’mon, you can’t even lie to yourself. 

Your original plan was to stay away from Chan for a bit to let whatever spur-of-the-moment hormones dissipate. But your plan definitely backfired because the longer you were away from him, the more you thought about him. His soft, blonde curls. His gentle touch. His deep brown, shimmering eyes. And the more these thoughts took over your mind, the greater your fear grew. You were supposed to be protecting him and the boys. And thinking about him in such ways was only doing more harm than good. Even if you were behind closed doors, the two of you would still get hurt. They couldn’t stay with you forever. They had to leave someday. 

Still, you so desperately wanted to be selfish. 

A blaring horn awakens you from your thoughts and reminds you of your current setting. You were sat in the back of a taxi with Minho beside you, currently staring out the window. His fluffy auburn, pointed ears were hidden beneath the hood of a new black sweatshirt you bought him. When you gave it to him, he claimed he didn’t want it and would never wear it. Guess he forgot. 

“The sweatshirt looks nice,” You murmur softly, reaching across the space between the two of you to tug on his sleeve. Minho flinches away from your touch and turns his head to send you a warning glance. Defeated, you retract your hand and retire your attention to the passing scenery outside your own window. So much for good terms. 

Bungalow houses pass by your vision in blurs, each one more different than the last. The Felix you and Minho were heading to see actually lived near your father’s neighborhood. Obviously, you wouldn’t be paying him and his family a visit, but it’s nice to see familiarity for once. Plus if things go bad, you actually had transportation to get home. 

The cab driver pulls the car to a stop after a couple more houses and a smaller, red brick and pine wooded home stands in front of you. From its size, you could tell it didn’t have too many bedrooms, maybe one or two, and on top of that, not many rooms at all. The front yard was well kept and filled with various decorations like creepy gnomes and plastic flamingos. There was a single Jeep in the driveway. A good sign. 

You pay your driver and follow Minho as he exits the vehicle. You almost want to laugh as he eyes the lawn ornaments with distaste. You settle with a hidden smile instead. 

The two of you make your way up the driveway, silent except for the gravel crunching beneath your every step. Minho had not spoken a word since you left the apartment and it was beginning to frustrate you. You knew he still had questions, so why wouldn’t he just ask? Why does he have to let you suffer? 

“We’re college students, remember? And we’re interviewing them for a research project.” You turn to see if Minho acknowledged your reminder at all, but once again, you’re only met with the side of his face. A huff pushes past your lips and you quicken your pace to the front door, Minho allows you to go ahead and you wonder if he’s purposely doing it to make you wait. 

You shake your head, “Ready?” 

The hybrid just shrugs. 

That’s answer enough for you to raise your hand and rap your knuckles against the door. You barely wait thirty seconds until the obstacle swings open and reveals a short, pudgy and older woman. Her face comforts to confusion, before a bright smile stretches across her face. 

“Well isn’t this just a nice surprise!?” 

Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard to you, too high-pitched and quirky. You conjure up a kind grin of your own and gesture between both you and Minho, “I’m sorry to bother you, ma’am, but my friend and I are doing a research project for our Biology class on hybrids living in residentials. We were wondering if you had one-?” 

“-Oh yes! We do!” The woman turns back into the house and shouts something that has your ear drums splintering. You glance warily toward your companion before turning back just in time to see another figure enter the doorway. 

And your face goes pale at the sight.  

You didn’t know exactly what Felix looked like, but from Chan’s brief description, this hybrid looked pretty damn close. His hair was a shade of bright blonde, bringing more emphasis to the orange cat ears emerging from the sides of his head. He had a kind face with big brown eyes and rose colored lips. You could also see lines of freckles dotting across his cheekbones and down the arch of his nose. 

It has to be him. 

“This is Felix. Say hi to the nice students, honey.” 

Felix doesn’t say a word, his eyes wide and centered straight at Minho. You peer over to see the coyote hybrid with a similar look, all except his lips were compressed into a straight line. You start to reach over to ground him, but a sudden yelp has your head snapping back toward the other pair. 

“I’m not going to ask again, you little brat. Greet our guests.” Unlike before, her voice is mellow and full of warning. Your eyes trail down to see the woman clutching Felix’s wrist, his skin around her fingers a stark white. Felix inhales an unsteady breath before stuttering in a deep voice, “H-Hello…” 

The woman smiles and nudges him into the house, “There we go. Now go be useful and make some tea. Come in, my dears, let’s talk about this project in the living room.”

Before you can decline her offer, the woman was already grabbing your wrist and dragging you through the doorway. You send Minho a terrified glance, who quickly lurches forward to grab your other hand. He shakes his head, “Miss, we don’t-” 

“-Nonsense. We’ll discuss your project over some tea and cookies.” She doesn’t take no for an answer and quite literally, pulls both you and Minho inside. She seats the two of you in an old fashioned parlor filled with victorian style decorations. The couch you sit on is harder than a rock and very uncomfortable. Minho’s face gave away his pain too. You could only think of his poor tail right now. 

The woman takes a seat in an armchair across from the two of you, pushing her glasses up her hooked nose. She smiles again and speaks, “You’ll have to forgive me, it’s been a while since I’ve had any visitors. Now tell me about this project.” 

You go into this long detailed discussion about this fake project both you and Minho rehearsed beforehand, or you at least did. The woman believes every single word that leaves your lips, her eyes never straying from your talking form. You passed the strange feeling in your gut off as anxiety for Felix. But the goosebumps on your arms claimed otherwise. 

“How wonderful. I’ll help you with anything you need!” The woman leans forward in her seat, reaches toward you and thumbs a loose lock of your hair. “My, what a pretty, little thing you are.” 

Instantly, you recoil from her touch and scoot closer to Minho. You laugh awkwardly, trying not to physically cringe, “Oh, thank you…” 

“My son would think you’re just absolutely divine. You should meet him!” 

Minho feverishly shakes his head, “I don’t think-” 

“-He gets home at five. You can stay until then.” The woman grins radiantly, oblivious to the expressions of shock on both you and Minho’s face. When Felix enters the room, she turns her head and nods, “Ah, good boy, Felix. Put the tray on the coffee table.” 

Felix does as he’s asked, placing his porcelain tray on the table separating Minho and you from the adjacent woman. The cat hybrid goes about pouring a couple cups of tea and plating some cookies, his orange tail limp behind him. 

“Cream or sugar, love?” 

You shake your head, “Uh, no thank you.” 

Felix hands you one of the teacups, his fingers brushing yours. You lift your eyes to meet his gaze and you feel your heart practically break in half. You’ve never seen so much sadness in a pair of eyes before, and it made you think back to how the woman was grabbing him. You immediately weren’t in the mood for tea. 

“Perfect. Now let’s get on with this little interview.” The woman leans back in her chair and snaps her fingers. Felix sinks to his knees where he’s stood and takes his own seat on the floor. You eye the vacant chair next to the woman but don’t say a word. 

Minho clears his throat, discomfort laced through the sound, and nods, “O-Okay… Well, how long have you been living with Felix?” 

“Oh no, dear, you have that wrong.” The woman shakes a single gnarled finger toward the hidden hybrid, “Felix has been working for me for almost a year now.” 

You can’t help but glance toward the boy. His eyes haven’t moved from the floor. 

“Right…” Minho hums, “...How has that been?” 

“Oh well, he tries, I suppose.” Your hostess shrugs and sends Felix a disappointed look. “In my opinion, human slaves were much better than hybrid ones.” 

You try to suppress the anger burning within your core by digging your fingernails into your palms. Swallowing the retorts on your tongue, you send Minho yet another wary glance and force yourself to listen to the older woman’s words, “Sometimes we have some hiccups here and there, but-... Darling, aren’t you going to drink your tea?” 

“I will, I just-”

“-Take a sip, love. Just one.” The intensity of the woman’s gaze sends chills coursing throughout your body. The weight of the cup between your fingers seemed to grow heavier and heavier. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Felix slightly shaking his head. His eyes wide with fright. 

You shake your head with a small laugh, “Actually, I’m not-”

“-It’s rude to deny your hostess, darling. I said drink the tea.” 

At her tone of voice, your hands began to shake. Memories flash within your mind like a firework show, a familiar voice taking over hers. Though your logic and common sense were screaming no, your body disobeys and soon the bitter liquid is cascading like gasoline down your throat. You regretted the decision as soon as you felt the tea sit within the depths of your stomach. 

The smile returns to the woman’s face, “See, was that so bad? How was it?” 

You nod, “Good. Very good.” 

“Wonderful.” 

A tense silence overtakes the atmosphere. You feel yourself cowering beneath the woman’s still smiling face. You slide your hand over to Minho’s knee, squeezing at the flesh in warning. He covers your hand with his, returns a gentle squeeze then rises from his seat, “I think we’re actually going to be leaving now.”

The woman pouts, “Already? My son hasn’t come home yet...” 

“Miss, your son isn’t coming home.” All eyes turn to at Felix’s deep voice. He shrinks beneath the glare his owner sends his way, but he continues to speak, “He died a couple months ago. You know that.” 

Goosebumps spread across your skin at the absolute fire burning within the woman’s eyes. She growls, “What do you know, you useless punk. You know nothing.”  

“Don’t talk to him like that.” More gooseflesh arises when you turn to peer back at Minho. His second set of teeth was visible, showcasing his sharp incisors. He bares them toward her and hisses, “Felix-ssi, you’re coming with us. Let’s go.” 

“You can’t! My son! I swear to the Lord I will…” 

As you’re rising from your seat, a sudden wave of dizziness rushes over your body and dulls your senses. You could vaguely hear the woman threatening to call the police before your knees buckle and you collapse into Minho. The hybrid catches you, his face immediately contorting to concern, “(Y/N)-ah, what’s wrong?... (Y/N)-ah!” 

“The tea. I laced it with a sedative.” Felix rushes forward, helping Minho keep you upright. Tears of panic were streaming down his face, he sobs, “I’m so sorry, hyung! I had to!” 

“Shit, just… Hey!” 

The last thing you hear before fading into darkness was a large crash and Felix’s scream. 

***

You’re in a closet. The closet. Darkness cradling you like a blankets. The shadows are your guardians. They keep you hidden. They keep you safe. 

Crash after crash. Scream after scream. Covering your ears does nothing. The sounds are engraved within your mind. You can’t escape. 

“Somebody help me!...” 

“Come here you fucking slut! I’ll teach you a fucking lesson!” 

“Please! Stop-ah!...” 

Tears spill down your cheeks like blood. You hide your face in the crease of your knees, which are pulled to your chest. It muffles your helpless sobs. In the dark. You are the darkness. 

“(Y/N)!...”

“Shut up, pathetic whore! I’ll put you in the fucking ground, pathetic piece of shit!” 

This nightmare will never end. Your demons follow everywhere you go. 

You can’t escape. 

“(Y/N)-ah?” Your eyes snap open at the call of your name. Minho’s face enters your vision which makes you realize you weren’t in a closet at all. He tilts his head, “(Y/N)-ah? Can you hear me?” 

You nod, “Y-Yeah. I can.” 

“Can you sit up?” 

“I think so.”

With Minho’s support, you’re able to easily maneuver your body into a sitting position. A throbbing headache hits you head on (mind the pun). You clutch your head with a groan, feeling sick all of a sudden. It’s like that time you woke up after bar-hopping with your friends. Worst hangover ever. 

When you manage to adjust to the pain, you take the chance to look at your current setting. You were in your bedroom, in your bed. Felix was sat in a chair a couple feet away from both you and Minho, his concerned eyes directed your way. 

“I shouldn’t have drank that goddamn tea,” You groan, massaging at your pulsing temples. “What happened?” 

“After you collapsed, shit hit the fan.” At Minho’s retort, you notice the small gash decorating his forehead. It didn’t look like it needed stitches which was a good thing. A really good thing considering the situation you are in. “We were able to lock her in a room long enough to get the hell out of there. I wanted to take you to the hospital, but Felix-ssi said no.” 

You shake your head, “But why? I-I don’t understand…” 

“She’s troubled…” Felix’s deep voice wrenches your attention away from Minho. At your gaze, he looks away, almost as if he couldn’t meet your eyes. “Ever since her son died, she’s been so…” 

“Bat shit crazy?” Minho offers.

The other hybrid shakes his head, “She just… wanted companionship… Even so, I’m so sorry.” 

“You have nothing to apologize for, sweetheart.” You wince as you swing your legs over to sit upright on the side of your bed and better face the male. You send him a soft smile, “It wasn’t your fault.” 

Felix nods, but you can still read the guilt all across his face. You decide not to press and turn back to Minho, “Did you let the others know?” 

He nods, “Yeah. Everyone’s outside. Channie-hyung wanted to come in, but we thought it would be better for you if we were the ones to explain what happened.” 

You try not to notice how your heart flutters at the mention of the wolf hybrid. You clear your throat and shrug, “Yeah, I get it. Thanks.” 

The two of them take your statement of gratitude as a permit to leave the room. Felix meets your eyes before he steps through the doorway, almost as if he were about to say something, but decides against it and completely rushes from the room. Minho also seems to hesitate, locking eyes with you before following his feline brother.

You didn’t like the knowing look you saw within his eyes. 

Before you can think too much into it, another figure enters the room. Immediately, your cheeks start to burn and your heart race began to pick up. You will yourself to remain calm as the newcomer makes his way across the room to sit on the mattress beside you. Your attempt, though a good effort, fails. Because when you lift your gaze to connect with his, you’re immediately done for. 

“Hi…” 

Chan chuckles, “Hi…” 

You purse your suddenly dry lips, licking at the course flesh. You try to think of something else to say, not liking how the silence matched the beat of your heart. No tangible thoughts entered your mind though. Which is why you’re thankful Chan was the one to break the silence, “How are you feeling?” 

“Oh, I’m fine.”  

“You sure? You were asleep for a while.” He lifts his hand to caress your hair back, his hand trailing fiery touches down your cheek. With his thumb, he rubs the skin just beneath your right eye, probably taking the dark lines beneath them. “Four or five hours actually.” 

“Trust me, Chan, I’m okay.” You chuckle, grab his wrist and pull his hand away from your face. Your gaze trails down to your lap as you swallow at the stone in your throat. “I’m okay.” 

As the quiet stretches on, you can’t help but think about when you were last alone with Chan. When you could feel his hands on your skin. His breath on your cheek. His lips… 

“Stop.” 

Chan furrows his brows, “What?” 

You shake your head, “N-Nothing… It’s nothing. I just-” 

“-(Y/N).” Your rambling ceases when the hybrid places both hands on your elbows, pulling you toward his body. “What’s wrong?” 

Putting your hands against his chest to avoid him pulling your bodies any closer, you shake your head feverishly, “We can’t do this.” 

“Do what?” 

“You know what, Chan.” You sigh, “This… whatever this is.” 

Chan remains confused with his silver ears pulled back, his eyes a blend of concern and wonder. He removes one of his hands to lift your chin up, forcing your eyes to meet. The more the feelings inside you stir, the greater your fear grows. You feel like you’ll suffocate. But fly at the same time just sat in his arms. 

“Your heart is beating really fast.” Chan murmurs, placing his free hand right over your pulsing organ. His other travels up to cup your cheek again, your face fitting perfectly in his palm. He sends you a small smile, “Don’t fight it, (Y/N). Don’t be afraid.” 

Tears well in the corners of your eyes. You don’t know why you’re crying, but you do know that you can’t stop. Each tear creates a river down your skin. A river of fear, sorrow and love. You don’t like feeling this vulnerable. Especially in front of him. Your whisper is filled with raw emotion, only audible enough for him to hear, “I don’t want to hurt you, Chan… And I don’t want to get hurt…” 

Not again.

“Do you trust me?” 

You close your eyes with a sob, more droplets escaping your eyes. Even so, you can’t help the smile that contorts upon your lips, “More than anyone I have ever known.” 

“Then will you trust me if I tell you that I’ve never wanted anything more in my life than to kiss you right now.” Chan laughs, and the breath from his joy paints stars across your skin. You feel as if you were beneath a trance, only seeing him and only wanting to see him. “(Y/N)...” 

He leans closer and closer until your lips are barely centimeters apart. One slip, and they’d touch. But he doesn’t deplete the space, and instead murmurs softly, “The world has taken anything and everything from me… And maybe it’s wrong, but for once, I want to be selfish…

“But I need to know you feel the same way.” His chocolate eyes bore into your own, and you swear you can see another universe hidden within the irises. A universe full of love, and life, and pain, and even death. You don’t see what the world chooses to see, but something that it chooses not to see: A beautiful creature that has lost everything, and is slowly gaining it all back. 

The two of you aren’t so different in that sense. 

Defeated, you shake your head, “This is a bad idea.” 

Chan smirks, “Maybe. But an even worse idea is not kissing you this time.” 

“Then kiss me.” You whisper, “I trust you.” 

No sooner had you spoken the words did Chan diminish the remaining space and connect your lips to his. All hesitation and panic from before disappears in the actual act, and you can’t help but lean more into him, craving more of his touch. Your hands fly into his soft curls, like the many times you’ve wanted to before, and your bodies just mold into one. You’ve kissed a couple other people over your years, but none have ever felt like this. And as cliche as it sounds, you could spend hours just kissing Chan’s lips. 

Your first kiss felt like hours honestly. And even when it ended, you could still feel the ghost of his lips hovering over yours. The two of you simply stare into one another’s eyes, before Chan kisses you. Once. Twice. Again and again until it may have actually been hours that passed. You didn’t want it to end any time soon. 

It may have been selfish, but you didn’t care. You felt safe. Peaceful. Loved. In ways that you’ve never felt safe, peaceful and loved before. With Chan, the pain life has brought and will continue to bring dissipates into passion and longing. It was as if the world only held the two of you. 

Nothing else existed. Just him and you.

Why we should be excited about Elon Musk’s Neuralink?

--Elon Musk next to the surgical robot, Neuralink presentation. Source: thesun.co.uk--

The presentation of Elon Musk’s new venture Neuralink has come and gone a couple of weeks ago, but perhaps it didn’t create the fuss it deserved. Of course comparing a project recruiting presentation to an actual rocket launch is not fair, though brain-chip integration is not a topic to overlook.

Before I go too ahead of myself, let’s look at the main points of the presentation to see what’s this all about:

Neuralink is a coin-sized chip that is to be integrated to the brain. The integration requires a brain surgery, where a part of the skull is removed and the electrodes of the chip are sewed into the neural connections of the brain.

--Neuralink chip location on the brain, which replaces a piece of skull. Source: cnet.com--

Appropriately, the project consists of two parts: the chip and the surgical robot. Elon stressed that the aim is to make the complete operation mechanical, removing the element of human error. At its apex, a Neuralink insertion operation will take an hour, won’t require general anesthesia, and the patient (or the customer in this case) can leave the facility in a couple of hours.

A day with the Neuralink chip will look like this: you charge the chip contactless overnight, which provides enough battery for 24 hours. During the day, the chip both reads your thoughts and does what you want, in addition to providing information seamlessly. To learn about the weather, you just think about it, the chip searches it through the web and - with lack of a better term - whispers you the result.

They also demonstrated the effects of the chip on pigs: one that doesn’t have, one does, and one that used to have. All the pigs seemed fine (of course I’m no veterinarian), and the one with the chip sent live signals whenever it smelled stuff. Plus, they showed a video demonstration, where a pig is walking on the treadmill, and they are able to accurately predict the joint locations based on the data that the chip sends.

--Live demonstration on pigs. Source: theverge.com--

The presentation ended with a Q&A. The highlights of this part for me were;

The promise that this chip can solve brain related or neural problems like depression, eyesight loss, parkinsons etc.

After it’s settled, the whole procedure (surgery + the chip) will be available for a couple of thousand dollars.

The things you can do with this will wary: from fetching your car (they said Tesla of course) to playing a video game or driving a car without any physical action.

They also mentioned ‘saving memories’ at some point. I don’t know how I felt about this (frightened probably), but it immediately reminded me of the Braindance concept of Cyberpunk 2077 (this video explains this concept in the lore of the game. But quickly, Braindance enables other people to live captured memories of another: sense, hear, see).

Now let’s examine further what does this all mean. But first of all, we must understand that this project has two main challenges: the procedure and the technology. The hardware challenge consists of the task of inserting a chip, which is a foreign object to the body, into the brain. And this is much harder than it seems. Not only such a delicate electronic device should stay perfectly operational inside the body, but also it should cause no harm to the carrier over the years. The technology on the other hand, seems like a nightmare. The requirements it brings are enormous. First, the elephant in the room, it must solve some of the everlasting mysteries of the human brain and the neural system. Second, it must be able to do it with a piece of hardware that is as big as a coin. Last, as the data in the question is the most sensitive of all - literally one’s thoughts - it must bring the state-of-the-art privacy applications alongside. 

The issues of hardware size and privacy are easier to discuss, and go hand in hand. Due to size limitations, the chip is apparently designed as simple as possible, just capable about collecting neural data and sending it to a cloud. This means you should always be around wireless internet connection for this device to run. One thing that the chip must certainly do though, is the encryption of the neural data before sending it to the cloud, and decryption of the incoming data from the cloud (for an illustration of what encryption/decryption is, see the following figure).

--A basic encryption/decryption procedure, where both sides (it would be the chip and the cloud in the case of Neuralink) share a secret key. This key can be used to scramble the data when sending, and to unscramble when received. That way, anybody listening to the channel in between cannot understand what the data means. Source: cheapsslshop.com--

Now the neural aspect - I should say what I think about this up front: Neuralink at this stage didn’t show anything new. I can understand that the smelling experiment and the joint prediction can appear out of this world to some, though this is general knowledge today. For long, people have been examining brain scans to understand how particular movements or thoughts map to regions of the brain (see this video for such an experiment). You can then use this signal to understand when the smell receptors are at play, or, with the help of machine learning, you can predict the body positions. Going even further - a colleague of mine once told me about their bachelor’s graduation project: neural prediction of when a person is happy or sad. And they did it by using external electrodes to the head, and some kitten pictures. And this was years ago. One credit of amazement however I can give is: the same chip, from a singular position and limited number of neural connections, can be used to process both things - though it wasn’t explained whether the same chip and the same animal was used for both experiments.

This brings the question of “Is Neuralink selling a dream” for me. And my answer is “Definitely yes!”. What they described to be possible, such as the chip ‘writing an answer directly to your brain’ or ‘recording your thoughts/memories’ is by no means a capability of today’s science. These tasks are fundamentally different than searching some correlations between neural activity, as they require the complete deciphering of the neural activity. Today, we have very limited idea how a neuron, or a group of neurons store information. Thus, we cannot convert their activity to what we see, hear, or think externally. That’s also why we cannot write information to somebody’s brain - the best we can do is to hit somebody in back of their head, to make them see a flash in their sight (this is a bit exaggerated, but you get the point).

But then why should we be excited about Neuralink, if it is just selling dreams? Because there are categories of doing that. I mean, if your sailor friend during the high Middle Ages started talking about ‘going beyond the sky’, just because you can sail in the oceans now, there would be no reason to take this seriously. But if your engineer friend started talking about the same thing, after the jet engine was invented in the later stages of the Second World War, there would be indeed reasons to be excited about it. What we saw in this presentation has told to me that we are in the second scenario. Integrating a chip to a brain without any damage, and then successfully extracting neural information is a great first step. And this has always held true: “Sic parvis magna”.

--“Sic parvis magna”. Literally the Latin for ‘small, just as big’. Usually it’s meaning is translated as ‘greatness from small beginnings’. Source: pinterest.com--

So finally, would I get this chip for my brain? No - not as soon as it’s available at least. The following are my considerations - when they are satisfied, only then I can consider having a brain surgery to get an implant:

It does much more than being a version of Siri. It enables me to control the electronic environment around me. Plus it creates some sort of augmented reality - for instance it can highlight the objects that I’m searching for.

It does not transfer any data out of my head, except a command or a internet related search. No matter how secure, I’m not ok with my thoughts exiting my head (literally). It should do all the processing locally, and contact the cloud when I ask for a question, or make a command to the external world.

Many people use it for some time and experience no side-effects.

Let me finish with a disclaimer, as this is my first post: I do write about subjects that I’m interested in, in an informed but not in an academic manner. Therefore, consider this and future content as such.

TW One: Latter Days - the VORTEX article on the upcoming audio!

THEY’RE BACK and it’s all about the team (unless you’re Yvonne Hartman and then it’s very much all about you !)… We return to Canary Wharf in London to meet the team at Torchwood One for a third box set of adventures in Latter Days. Tracy-Ann Oberman is back in the heels and business suit of Yvonne Hartman, and Gareth David-Lloyd reprises his role as Ianto Jones.

In this box set of three tales we meet Yvonne’s mother; see Torchwood through the eyes of one of its cleaners; and Ianto finds himself trapped inside the retirement plans of Tommy – the head of Alien Acquisitions.

The set opens with Retirement Plan which was written by Ianto  himself, actor Gareth David-Lloyd, and features a character we first met in box set one – only now, Tommy is retiring. But there’s something very wrong in the idyll of El Cielo, and it’s going to kill Ianto. There are spies, guns and snowmobiles, a secret base – and definitely piranhas!

Gareth says: “I’m a bit more familiar writing for the characters than I was the first time around when I had to go back over the first series of Torchwood One. I did some more research on Yvonne’s character for this one, but I know her and the others much better this time. 

“I wasn’t given too much of a detailed brief – just that it was all to do with retirement – and that was it! The central character in this one is Tommy played brilliantly by Tim Bentinck who was in the first series of Torchwood One. Unfortunately, death is the way most people leave Torchwood – either that, or they are retconned! But Tommy has some ideas about retirement within the constraints of working for Torchwood and he’s planning an alternative. He’s been secretly pottering away on his own retirement dream but he needs Ianto’s help to realise it.”

As well as writing the adventure, Gareth is enjoying playing a different facet to Ianto’s character, having established himself as a firm favourite with listeners through his work at Torchwood Three in Cardiff.

He confirms: “It was great fun to play a different, more innocent side to Ianto in the first series, and to come back and write for him has been a great pleasure.

“The whole idea of Ianto living out his fantasies as a secret agent has been in my head for some time. Ianto and Yvonne get trapped in a James Bond world – it’s a bit risqué.

“When I was writing there were some moments where I thought Tracy-Ann will either love me or hate me for this – the reasons for which will become evident! “Yvonne is a great character. At least you know when you work for Torchwood that you are sort of being looked after by Yvonne – as long as you do exactly what she says! She can be very unforgiving if you stray from her agenda.” When you’re writing a script that features the character you play, do you ever consider giving yourself all the best lines?

Gareth laughs: “Ianto always gets a couple of nice dry one-liners, though there wasn’t any temptation to give myself the best lines – I definitely wanted to make the story about Tommy. Ianto has some fun interjections but Tim has got such great comic timing I wanted to utilise that as best as I could.”

A MYSTERIOUS FORCE is wiping out Torchwood in Locker 15, by Matt Fitton, the second story in this set, and the only person who can save London is a cleaner called Dave.

Matt explains: “The Torchwood One stories are all about office life, in a way. I just wanted to look at how Yvonne runs things, and what it is like working there for her. Yvonne likes to know her staff but she can be incredibly ruthless, to get the job done.

“The first box set was about the new person coming in to work at Torchwood and seeing it through her eyes; volume two was about business as usual and the day to day work. Series three is about what happens when you retire, and we’ve various stories about people coming to the end of their Torchwood working lives and their different ways of leaving.

“In Locker 15 they uncover a problem in the offices of Torchwood One and need the help of an old employee who used to be a cleaner and has been retired for a few years, as he might know something about what’s going on.”

Although Torchwood as a series features fantastical ideas, there’s always been an element of the real world to it. As the original publicity for the television series said, it’s The X Files meets This Life.

Matt explains: “Even though Torchwood are dealing with weird and wonderful aliens you’ve got to remember they still have an office to run – with people to empty the bins, refill the paper tray and fix the photocopier. Would someone who has done that at Torchwood need to be retconned when they leave, and what would the longer term effects of that be?

“Just what happens when someone retires from Torchwood? There’s a high mortality rate among its agents, but what about the cleaner? That’s when we meet Dave Cook, who Yvonne and Ianto find in a care home, and they try to prise information from his memory.

“In the past, we’ve likened Torchwood One to the TV series Archer which features a dysfunctional group of spies – here we have a dysfunctional office, which just happens to be full of alien hunters.”

THE EVENTS of the Torchwood team’s domestic lives come to the forefront in The Rockery by Tim Foley. Anne Hartman has retired to the country, which comes as a surprise to her daughter. Has Yvonne met a problem even she can’t solve?

Tim says: “This is probably the first Torchwood story I’ve pitched completely from scratch. I was watching the recording of 9 to 5 (from the previous box set) and Tracy-Ann squared up magnificently against Jane Asher. Yvonne’s dynamic with a figure that was older and equal to her was so electric. So I got in touch with James Goss and asked, ‘Are we ever going to meet Yvonne’s mother?’ Hint hint hint. He got in touch with Russell T Davies who really liked the idea, and then we found ourselves working out how we could meet Anne Hartman, what she was like and what she’d think of the daughter she’d raised. It turns out that the themes worked really well for the next Torchwood One box set, so I leapt at the chance to write it!

“Yvonne’s mother has retired early and Yvonne isn’t happy about it. Anne Hartman moves to the countryside and we see Yvonne bouncing back and forth between her life in the city and her mother’s new life in Shropshire. It’s a story of a strained relationship, with love and pain and things unsaid and strange plants at the bottom of the garden.”

For Tim, expanding on Yvonne’s personal life was something of a joy. He says: “This is somebody retiring who has never known Torchwood… and never wishes to know it. It would be very easy to write a character that was effectively Yvonne senior, but we found it far more interesting to imagine Yvonne as her father’s daughter (I obliquely referred to Yvonne’s dad in a previous Torchwood story since we decided he’s mentioned as working in security in a certain 1970s Doctor Who!). 

“Who, then, is Anne? I’m really excited for listeners to meet her. Unlike her husband and her daughter, Anne has always tried to live a quiet life. But with Yvonne back in the picture, there’s hardly going to be much of that…”

Tracy-Ann adds: “There’s so much love for Yvonne. Whenever I’m on tour, people bring her up and say how much they love her in Big Finish.”

Matt Fitton and producer James Goss have previously told Vortex that their writing for Torchwood One has been partly inspired by bad office jobs they’ve held in the past. Has there been anything from Tim’s own working life that’s fed in to this story?

He reveals: “I mainly work in theatre, and this script is the most play-like I’ve written for Big Finish (that’s something James Goss noted as well, I think he called me out for using act breaks!). It’s three characters navigating what it means to be human; it’d work well on stage. I adore the fact that Torchwood as a show can be this flexible. Some days I get to write about the end of the world, and on other days I get to write about a lonely woman tending to her rockery. When I retire myself, it’s a time I’ll look upon very fondly!”

TASKED WITH bringing the trio of tales to life was director Barnaby Edwards, who tells Vortex what he thinks makes Torchwood One so special: “We only got a glimpse of Yvonne Hartman on television before she met her well-deserved cybernetic fate. And yet those brief minutes during which she lit up the screen with her ruthless, camp, solipsistic effulgence were enough to make us thirst for more. Similarly, we never got as much Ianto as that character merited.

“So, for me, what makes the Torchwood One adventures so special is expanding our knowledge of Yvonne, the black widow spider who is the master brain at the centre of Torchwood’s web, and Ianto, the loyal puppy who is very much the heart of Torchwood.”

Barney – who also directed the first two box sets of this series – particularly enjoys working with the series’ two main leads. He says: “Tracy-Ann and Gareth are two of my favourite performers. The partnering of cynical Yvonne with the exuberant, innocent and utterly loveable Ianto is what makes these stories such a joy to direct. They’re the best double act around.”

And were there plenty of memorable moments during the recording days? Barney grins: “Many, actually. Hearing Ianto’s James Bond fantasies, finding out what makes Tommy (Torchwood’s Q, played by the brilliant Tim Bentinck) tick, and – of course – meeting the only woman more terrifying than Yvonne Hartman: her mother!”

It’s show and tell time!

This spiel is courtesy of @thewriteblrarchives and their NaNoWriMo Support Group. Let’s talk my process and my NaNo project for this November. It’s really long, so I’ve put it under the tab; enjoy!

Questions for you:

How long have you been writing? 

I’ve been writing for as I can remember, honestly. I used to write little stories and poems long before I entered kindergarten. By the time I was in late elementary school, I was consistently planning more coherent stories. I never finished one of them, though.

When you start a project, how do you start? With character, setting, plot, aesthetic, something else? 

So inspiration usually hits me like trucks hitting anime protagonists. Sometimes the foundations of a character I find interesting will inspire me, other times it’s a setting. There’s been at least one time that I’ve seen a trope I really liked an off-shoot of that I wanted a full story about (i.e. found family where they’re actually friends and don’t act like they secretly hate each other).

What’s your favourite part of the writing process?

World building is hands down my favorite part of the writing process. I have way more worlds than I have stories for. Normally, I’ll only have vague concepts for characters and a plot until I have a solid world I can play around in, so world building is also one of the longest parts of my process, too.

What genres do you write?

I write a lot of fantasy. Like a lot, a lot of fantasy. Realistically, it’s usually leaning more into science fantasy, but it’s still always very definitively a fantasy world. Everything I write usually has some LGBT+ , aspects of adventure, and potential romantic subplots.

Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever written?

I think it’s personally stranger when I write in a normal place like a cafe, library, or on a desk. I tend to write on the go -- in cars and buses -- and I was scribbling stories throughout my classes and college prep program.

Questions for NaNo:

Have you participated in NaNo or camp NaNo before?

I almost participated in NaNo eons ago, but I chickened out on October 31st. Ever since then I’ve always considered it and just never went through with NaNo or any Camp NaNos.

What made you decide to join up?

So I’m kinda always thinking about joining NaNo and chicken out at the last minute.I’m an expert at making excuses for myself where creative writing is involved! But a little before I finally decided to join I saw this Preptober video by Alexa Donne on YouTube. I had been watching writing tips for a few days because I was distressed about how little I’d been writing recently. Seeing that really just made me decide that there’s no time like the present; even if it’s horrible, I love writing and I just gotta do it.

What are you most excited about/looking forward to?

I’m really, really excited about where this story’s going (in part because even I don’t really know yet). I’ve fallen in love with these characters and there are so many routes their arcs could go. I’m still nailing down an embodiment of an antagonistic force, though, so that’s something I’m looking forward to coming together.

Anything you’re a bit nervous about?

Writing in general, haha! I’ve never successfully written a full-length manuscript before and I’m trying to just go in order for NaNo so I get the experience of it. I just finished the first chapter and cried because I felt so relieved. My favorite part of the novel to write is the middle, but I need a lot of improvement and motivation for the beginning and ending; I’m glad to have the first chapter weight finally off my shoulders.

Have you done a lot of preparation? Or none whatsoever?

I’ve done some prep for my novel. Key word is some. I started prep work on October 16th with a brand new idea, so I was bound to be pretty behind on planning in general. But I’m also a total pantser, so I was trying planner for a change. In the end, I had established my protagonists, the world, and a vague sense of the plot. I also nearly created a language as a part of the PoV character’s culture.

Do you have a workspace, schedule, or daily goal?

In theory, I have a daily goal of 1,667-2,000 words. Because I’m writing a fantasy, I want to get as close to the average word count of my genre as possible. In general, I tend to write at night after work and on my way to work, but I’m trying to wake up earlier so I can write in the morning and not have to transcribe it from a notebook later. I usually write at home, typically isolated in a bedroom.

Questions for your wip:

What’s your NaNo wip titled (if it has one)?

If We’re to Carry Stars

Tell us a bit about your NaNo wip! For example the plot, genre, themes…

If We’re to Carry Stars (IWCS) is a fantasy adventure novel set in the world of Eondes. Thousands of years before the beginning of the story, Eondes chose the Yuvel as its protectors.The Yuvel were merely a race of healers with a high magical aptitude; their styled after nymphs, elves and fairies, with pointed ears and features meant to mimic the planet itself (fiery eyes, green hair, blue blood, etc.). In exchange for protection, Eondes granted the Yuvel access to its magical core, which they were tasked with keeping clean. It gave them elemental magic and strengthened their healing magic. Over the years, the Yuvel had managed to eliminate all known illnesses and dutifully served Eondes.

However, their protection came at a price. Not only has accurate records of old cures and ailments fallen from folklore and records, but no one’s immune systems were prepared to battle any future threats. Faith in Yuvellen magic had made these things unnecessary.

Until now.

A magic-resistant illness has begun to spread through Eondes’ other races. Meanwhile, Eondes’ magical core has begun to pollute, thus weakening the Yuvel with an illness of their own. Many Yuvel have begun leaving their home on Yuvellse in search of answers and a cure, while other races have followed in suit. Faith in the Yuvel has plummeted and tensions between races rise as unlikely alliances strive for Eondes’ hope.

In the midst of such dread, a Yuvel named Eiríńé finds herself wrapped up in one of these quests as she searches for happiness in a dismal life.

Themes: I want to play with the concept of love and selfishness. Is it more selfish to remain where you’re unhappy or is it more selfish to leave in search of happiness? How do you communicate love? How do you communicate your needs when it comes to love, such as styles of affection? I would also like to play around with some other things, but they’re not as concrete yet.

What is your protagonist like?

So I’m playing with the 5 Man Band trope, and therefore have 5 protagonists with one as focal PoV character

Eiríńé in the focal character and the PoV character (as much as she can be in a third person limited perspective). She’s quite a soft-spoken and hesitant Yuvel. Because she frequently second guesses herself, she ends up taking forever to make a decision. She’s rather kind and strives to be a people pleaser. But she’s also horrendously cynical and deeply discontent with her own life. At the beginning of the story, Eiríńé is engaged and has a good, supportive network of friends and family, none of whom seem to realize how deeply unhappy she is with her life. She makes the decision to leave her life behind and join the others on their quest once Mirunise prompts her to make a brash decision and said impulsiveness lights her heart unlike anything before.

Mirunise is the party leader. She’s a Capescu, a shape-shifting race that can shift into any animal they can imagine; they have heightened sense in their default form. Mirunise is a bubbly paragon with a hurricane for a personality. She’s bombastic and aggressively friendly, to the point Ayondi is frequently trying to calm her down. Her cheer and smile is considered infectious. When confronted with negativity, her optimism usually takes the competitive form of refusing to let the source of said negativity win. Because she’s such a dominating force of personality, she can come off as insensitive and/or rude to some; whenever this is pointed out, she quiets and displays an aggressively compassionate side that’s surprisingly a great listener. Mirunise comes across Ayondi and V'haǵir on her way to see her father. Upon learning of V'haǵir’s condition and ambitions, Mirunise quickly joins their group and spearheads them forward.

Ayondi is V'haǵir’s childhood friend. She’s a Darunshin, a human-like species with bird wings that grow and shrink on command, they have an almost supernatural strength. Ayondi is calm and reserved with a deep motherly streak. She cares deeply for other people, but has a habit of expressing it through nitpicking. She is both the most intelligent and has the most common sense in the part; her strategies tend to fall on deaf ears, though. She’s a realist, but a pessimistic side grows after V'haǵir falls ill; everyone who’s contracted the illness thus far as died, and she fears her days with him are numbered. So she picks up V'haǵir‘s quest and decides that she’d rather save others from the grief of loss than just wallow in her own.

V'haǵir is Ayondi’s childhood friend; his illness is the catalyst for his initial quest with Ayondi to search for a cure. He’s a Wevri, an aquatic race with webbed ears and control over existing water. V'haǵir is boisterous and optimistic, a typical paragon like Mirunise. He’s excitable and generally cheerful. He’s the least thrilled about combat in the party, too. In life, he wants to make everyone happier than he’s ever been (and seeing as he’s almost always been generally happy, that’s a lofty ambition). When he first exhibits symptoms of the illness, V'haǵir laments his poor luck and feels discouraged by the lack of a cure. However, he quickly decides that he doesn’t want to idly wait for death and sets out on a quest for a cure, even if he may never live to use it for himself.

Somayn is the last person to join the party before Eiríńé. He’s a Zuifeel, an elf-like race with pointed, drooping ears and a magical connection to nature. Somayn is quiet, but friendly. He’s very worldly and often acts as a sort of folklore guide for the rest of the party. Despite being generally intelligent, he doesn’t really have a great deal of common sense. He’s realistic, calm and collected, and emotionally open with his allies; he sees no point in lying or hiding one’s feelings. On their travels, Mirunise, Ayondi, and V'haǵir find him in the middle of battle (more specifically on the losing side) against a group of bandits. Somayn decides to join their quest after he’s been healed of his injures, citing a need to scour Eondes’ libraries for potential cures.

Have you been planning it for a while? Conversely, do you know anything about it yet?

I wish I could say that I’ve been planning IWCS for a while. But I started planning this story October 16th of this year and started writing it on November 1st. I have a solid handle on the main characters and the world of Eondes, but it’s still up in the air where it’ll all go.

WHY IT'S SAFE FOR MAKING NEW VENTURE ANIMAL

It's exciting that there even exist parts of the world than what I saw immediately around me. The Mythical Man-Month, adding people to a project tends to slow it down. More often it was just an arbitrary series of hoops to jump through, words without content designed mainly for testability. It's like the court of Louis XIV. Modern literature is important, but the job listings have to be really useful. But you could in principle have a useful conversation about them with some people. Technological progress means making things do more of what we want. It would be less now, probably less than the cost of sending them the first month's bill. But that same illiquidity also encouraged you not to seek it.1 You don't do that if you start scanning people with no symptoms, you'll get this on a giant scale: a huge number of software patents there's not a lot of users.

It's what bias means. By definition they're partisan. I worked at Yahoo during 1998 and 1999.2 If I remember correctly, our frontpage used to just fit in the size window people typically used then. Now the frightening giant is Microsoft, and they could not master it. Want to know if you bet on Web-based software, you can probably get even more effect by paying closer attention to the time you have.3 Enough of an effect to triple the value of what they create. There are really two variants of that question, and the bureaucratic obstacles all medical startups face, and the classics. When I was 13 I realized, is that my m. He probably considers them about equivalent in power to, say, the ages of eleven and seventeen.4

And yet, mysteriously, Viaweb ended up crushing all its competitors. The war was due mostly to external forces, and the most efficient way to do it. So for any given team of founders, would it not pay to wait till his arteries were over 90% blocked and 3 days later he had a quadruple bypass.5 At the end of the year I couldn't even remember what else I had stored in that attic. Obvious comparisons suggest themselves, both to the process and the resulting product. Basically, Apple bumped IBM and then Microsoft stole its wallet. What happens now with the Super Bowl used to happen every night. That is, are the riskiest startups the ones that wanted Oracle experience. That doing good work.6 It let them build great looking online stores literally in minutes.7 Web-based application.8

They're a lot of bandwidth.9 What that level of ability can get you is, say, Python? Or rather, any client, and if you have genuine intellectual curiosity, that's what you'll naturally tend to do if you just follow your own inclinations.10 As a result it became massively successful. By granting such an over-broad patents, but they are an order of magnitude less important than solving the real problem, my friend Robert Morris and I started a startup to do this is to collect them together in one place for a certain number of hours each day.11 Everyone was so cheerful and healthy and rich. What was really happening was de-oligopolization. When would you ever want to do. I found I could entertain myself by having ideas instead of reading other people's.12 Microsoft client and server software. One forgets it's owned by a private company. You can mitigate this with subsidies at the bottom nine tenths of university CS departments.13

And while I miss the 3 year old ever had. You might think that people decide to buy something, and if you want to be their research assistants because they're genuinely interested in the topic. A company that sues competitors for patent infringement till you have money, and making money consists mostly of errands.14 This was too subtle for me. People from the desktop software business will find this hard to credit, but at the time. But if you look at the source, because you control the whole system, right down to the hardware. For the first week or so we intended to make this point diplomatically, but in some cases it's possible to get rich will do whatever they like with you: install puppet governments, siphon off your best workers, use your women as prostitutes, dump their toxic waste on your territory—all the things we describe as addictive are. I got was $12. If you do manage to threaten them, they're more right than they know, because the adults were the visible experts in the skills they were trying to learn in great detail about the mechanics of startups, but as Microsoft shows, revenue is a lagging indicator in the technology business.15

At least $1000 a month. The best ideas are just on the right side of impossible. Programs that write programs.16 You can figure out the tricks for winning at this new game. That is very hard to answer in the general case. This will take some effort on the part of the game.17 And yet the authorities still for the most part act as if drugs were themselves the cause of the problem.18 Perhaps a better solution is to let as few things into your identity as possible. You can probably take it as a computer system executing that algorithm. The effects of World War II were both economic and social history, and the advantage will grow as fast as I can type, then spend several weeks rewriting it.19 Finally, the truly serious hacker should consider learning Lisp: Lisp is worth learning for the profound enlightenment experience you will have when you finally get it; that experience will make you a better programmer for the rest of us can use. I wanted to buy them, however limited.

Notes

But although I started using it, and the older you get to profitability on a weekend and sit alone and think.

It's unpleasant because the arrival of desktop publishing, given people the shareholders instead of themselves. And those examples do reflect after-tax return from a 6/03 Nielsen study quoted on Google's site. I talked to a VC is interested in investing but doesn't want to write your thoughts down in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, Oxford University Press, 1996.

Does anyone really think we're so useless that in the world of the company.

73 billion.

Apparently there's only one founder is being compensated for risks he took earlier. The shift in power from investors to founders is how much they can be explained by math. MSFT, having spent much of observed behavior.

I ordered a large company? As well as down.

But his world record only lasted 46 days.

Related: Reprinted in Bacon, Alan, Transgressing the Boundaries: Toward a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity, Social Text 46/47, pp. If you seem like noise.

When the Air Hits Your Brain, neurosurgeon Frank Vertosick recounts a conversation—maybe around 10 people.

I call it procrastination when someone works hard and not fundraising is because their company made money from them. Learning this explained a lot of detail. If this is the kind that has little relation to other investors, even thinking requires control of scarce resources, political deal-making power. It tipped from being this boulder we had high hopes for doesn't do well, but that's a pyramid scheme.

Financing a startup. The dialog on Beavis and Butthead was composed largely of these titles vary too much. Copyright owners tend to say, of course it was 94% 33 of 35 companies that an eminent designer is any better than enterprise software—and to run on the server.

Though they were that smart they'd already be working on such an interview with Steve Wozniak in Jessica Livingston's Founders at Work. A single point of treason.

There's a good chance that a startup you can do it in B. That's why there's a continuum here. The other cause is usually slow growth or excessive spending rather than ones they capture.

By Paleolithic standards, technology evolved at a time machine. There are still expensive to start a startup to become addictive. Instead of bubbling up from the other seed firms always find is that most three letter words are bad news; it would not change the world barely affects me. Then when we got to see if you do.

But not all are. They're common to all cultures with long traditions of living in cities. I think it's mainly not having the universities in the former, and large bribes by the normal people they're usually surrounded with.

They're still deciding, which parents would still send their kids won't listen to them about your fundraising prospects. The Socialist People's Democratic Republic of X is probably not do that.

And the reason.

As I was once trying to sell hardware without trying to capture the service revenue as well, but economically that's how we gauge their progress, but rather that if a company just to go to college, they have to decide between two alternatives, we'd ask, what if they pay so well is that it killed the best hackers want to design these, because people would treat you like a compiler, you could only get in the narrow technical sense of being harsh to founders would actually increase the spammers' cost to reach a given audience by a sense of the word intelligence is the least correlation between launch magnitude and success. Good and bad luck.

Heirs will be interesting to 10,000 sestertii, for many Americans the decisive change in how Stripe felt. I talked to a woman who had recently arrived from Russia. Many will consent to b rather than ones they capture. Good investors don't lead startups on; their reputations are too valuable.

Preparing presentation - meeting with will

Call with Will - clarifying and preparing Prototypes:

Will and I were on the phone one day having a bit of a catch up and discussing the project and, with the first presentation looming, we decided we should probably get cracking with our presentation prep. So we messaged the team to see what everybody's availability was, unfortunately the other members of the group would not be free until Sunday evening, so Will an I decided to just get cracking ourselves as at this point, we had numerous ideas floating about but nothing we felt was concrete enough to present seriously. So we began by dissolving our ideas a little more, trying to change them from ideas to realistically assessed possibilities. To help us with this, we decided to start by visualising the user journeys of both our ideas, one being an A-Frame solution  and the other an AltSpace solution. This helped us assess individual stages and the transition between stages of the user experience. Immediately this highlighted how much more streamlined the AltSpace solution is than A-Frame - providing the same functionality in less functions (buttons). As well as having a graph we can now review, I think the real usefulness of this exercise came from the increased understanding of each idea me and Will now had from this discussion. This is hard to document in a blog but this discussion really helped us separate the pros and the cons of each solution. 

- A-Frame Solution User Journey

- A-Frame Prototype, Students Personal Bubble (showing the use of buttons as an interface for loading subsequent equirectangular images)

- AltSpace Solution User Journey

- AltSpace Prototype, Students Shared Room (showing off social aspects, the proposed space, detail of work within the space) 

From this point, our next step prior to the presentation was preparing the prototypes. Although we have just had a couple of sessions with Juan recapping A-Frame, as well as going over some new things, realistically we do not expect to be able to implement many of these features to our A-Frame demo in time for the presentation on Monday. Instead, we want to ensure the functionality of the concept is as clear as possible. To showcase this in our presentation, we thought it would be best to record ourselves mimicking the use of the interface within Unity, using a camera in the software to record our demonstration, as producing an web based/interactive prototype for A-Frame in this time is a little unrealistic for us. As Will and myself had already produced a small prototype A-Frame demo a few days ago, it was just a case of recording this demo and putting it in the presentation - easy enough. 

Earlier in by blog I included a screen recording of our group developing the shared space where a teaser of each clients work would be housed. During todays call Will and myself decided that rather than developing two separate spaces for our solutions, this shared space could be used across both demonstrations to save us time. Especially seeing as we had already gone through the effort of texturing the room and filling it with my own mock-up content. 

Even after getting these solutions ready for this presentation Will and myself were still unsure as to what solution we wanted to carry on with after this presentation, we had even less of an idea what the Universities response to this would be also. On one hand, I think that A-Frame opens up a bigger world of possibility and we could experiment with more technically challenging elements; on the other hand, I think that AltSpace is a great solution for retaining some of the sociability of the physical showcase through its use of avatars, the ability to send messages and react with emojis. So there are definitely pro’s and con’s to each and this is something we will likely weigh up in the presentation for the client. Either way I am looking forward to hearing their thoughts on both solutions so we know with which one to move forward. 

Group interaction on AltSpace:

To highlight the sociability of AltSpace we also decided it would be a nice idea if we got a recording of our group all interacting within AltSpace for the presentation, so when we had a free day we got everybody into the shared AltSpace world to record a demonstration (see below). We were all really impressed with the software and the built in avatar feature is a really nice way to capture some of the humanistic side of the showcase that we might be missing out on with it moving digital. All in all though we think there is a lot of possibility in AltSpace and Will communicated that the process was pretty streamlined once you had done it once. I left in quite a lot of our time on AltSpace in this video because it was such a funny call. Something about meeting on AltSpace, especially making full use of the avatar feature like Charlotte and Will have, made the experience hilarious. Which definitely is definitely something that fulfils some of the criteria discussed with the clients, particularly Rachel regarding wanting it to feel like people are really there. 

At this stage though I think we are in a really good place to have two different solutions and that fact itself is proof that we are engaging with Exploration and considering routes and softwares completely new to us. 

- AltSpace Group Interaction for Demo

Preparing the Presentation:

Our presentation layout was pretty straight forward, we only had basic demonstrations at this point so it made sense for us to have a very direct presentation structure, as follows:

 - Title Page  - Solutions - Pros and Cons - A-Frame Prototype   - AltSpace Prototype - Style ideas

When we were setting up the document rather than using a Google Slides template for the background I suggested I make a background texture from one of my photos. I wanted to try and play into the dark room aesthetic we had discussed with dark reds, to try and bring some cohesiveness between the presentation and the style ideas we would be presenting.

The image I chose was some experimental long exposure I was trying of the suns reflection across a lake. The contrast in the light and the base colour palette of reds and oranges was the perfect starting point. 

In Photoshop I darkened the image and shifted the hue slightly further towards red to match the dark room aesthetic more. I also duplicated the layer and applied a colour halftone filter to make a polka-dotted effect, reducing the opacity so it became more of a texture. 

We have included a pros & cons suggestion as I had mentioned in an earlier post. I think this is a quick and effective way for us to give the clients realistic expectations of our two solutions, which they might not necessarily be able to see from such early demonstrations, in an effort to keep them as well-informed as possible on both. We also included the user journey graphics I have documented earlier in this blog to explain the route of each demonstration before we show it to the clients. I am responsible for the AltSpace explanation and demonstration which I am very happy about. 

For this part of the presentation I simply took footage of the group on AltSpace where we are all viewing work and engaging with one another in the chat, and did a commentary on the features we like over it. After we had all the content we needed in our presentation we divided up the slides and went away to record our own sections, which we will edit together later in After Effects or Premier Pro. Although we have basic prototypes I think we have still put together a strong presentation as it is informative and its exploratory.

Interview: Jaye Jayle on the web // Echoes and Dust

Interview: Jaye Jayle 

on the web: Facebook // Bandcamp

In a fantasy world it would be just making records and making songs in world of people who spend their night lives when the sun goes down, the kids go to sleep and they’re laying in their bed or sitting on their couch they don’t turn on the TV and scroll through netflix or look at their phone. They put on a record and take it in and breathe and feel something that you don’t feel in any other world besides that world.

Full interview by Michael Hayden via Echoes and Dust.

My first experience with Jaye Jayle was seeing them live opening for Oathbreaker. It seems like their blend of americana, kraut-rock grooves and Morricone-esque soundtracking would be an odd fit for a metal show, their presence and weightiness stole the show for me. I was so impressed by their performance that I became a bit obsessed with both their debut album House Cricks and Other Excuses to Get Out and their outstanding split release with Emma Ruth Rundle The Time Between Us. I didn’t know at the time (even though he looked familiar) that the main songwriter was Evan Patterson from the mighty Young Widows. As a fan of Young Widows this just intrigued m even more. How does a person go from the thunder and fury of Young Widows to the dark, moody and tension filled music of Jaye Jayle? When the opportunity to interview Evan about their upcoming album No Trail and Other Unholy Paths (available June 29th via Sargent House) I jumped at the chance to hear more about this intriguingly unique project.

We planned on talking after their set opening for Russian Circles at the Empty Bottle here in Chicago. Evan immediately strikes you as a warm and engaged person, he gives everyone who approaches him his undivided attention. It seemed like no matter where we went to begin the interview he was being approached by old friends, acquaintances or newly made fans and he always took the time to share some words with them. I was really impressed by his kindness towards strangers and his patience when confronted with some of Chicago’s more exuberant drunks. The conversation that followed was a real pleasure to have and I’m even more of a fan of the band now that I’ve spent some time hearing about it’s genesis and evolution.

(((o))): How did Jaye Jayle get born out of Young Widows?

Evan Patterson: The initial thought of the project or the idea of writing songs outside of Young Widows was just to not think about anything in capacity of it being performed. It was just kind of writing songs casually. I was actually in Santa Fe, NM visiting a past partner. She had a parlour guitar that was all fucked up, the bridge was already pulling away and the only thing I could do was kind of play on the last five frets to get it to stay in tune. I decided I was just going to write a song or what I felt was a song. It was always just a couple of minutes or a couple of parts. Not a deliberate idea of anything, just kind of a stream of consciousness thing.

(((o))): Previously did you write with a more compositional approach?

Evan: A little bit, once the band becomes involved in a project or any kind of composition or songwriting to me it makes to consider that they are there. There’s Jaye Jayle songs that I work that have no base of anyone playing with me and when we get together and play them they just come out how they are. One the band becomes involved it’s adding the saturation or the color to the song.

(((o))): That kind of my addresses my follow up question. I know that you’re the main songwriter but do you bring raw ideas to the band and let them play to their strengths or do you dictate who does what?

Evan: It’s a bit of a compositional dictatorship in the songwriting process until we get to the pinnacle moment of a song or a piece. I say here’s all the ideas I have and here’s the drum beat and this is where I hear the bass to be and this is where I hear the vocal melody and once it all becomes musical, that’s where the freedom sets in. Then we can say “this section of song is open” but it takes a long time to get to that place but those guys are

(((o))): You have some great players.

Evan: Todd (Cook) is my favorite bass player to ever live on the face of the planet and Neal (Argabright) can play keyboards better than anyone else. Todd and Neal don’t want to be soloists, they want to be part of the composition rather than just doing the same thing or wondering when they get to take the lead. There’s no leads. It’s more of a score.

(((o))): It’s interesting to me that a lot the press around you guys bring up the kraut-rock kind of influences and I hear it a bit but when I think about bands like say Can often times the song is just a really long guitar solo. I hear it in more of say Michael Rother’s (Neu!) solo stuff where all of the instruments are placed well, or contributing to the whole piece.

Evan: When I listen to Can I don’t really listen to the guitar work as much as I do the forward motion of the songs rather than it just being parts. When a Can song starts you kind of know it’s not going to leave. You always know when you hear the beginning of a Can song if that’s going to be the Can song you want to listen to or if you don’t want to listen and that’s usually in the rhythm section.

(((o))): So the new album is produced by Dean Hurley(David Lynch’s sound collaborator). I love Twin Peaks and the sound design has always been a big part of that, especially in the most recent season. How did working with him come about?

Evan: That sound design is all Dean. I actually had no idea about any of his collaborations with David Lynch until I heard Lynch’s album ‘The Big Dream’ and I’m such a fan of that record. Something about the way it incorporated modern music and that Twin Peaks sound, everything about that. I associated with so much of what’s going on with that record, maybe at times not melodically or vocally what was going on but the production of it completely surrounded me. So I saw that Dean Hurley worked on, produced and co-wrote the record so I just wrote him an email.

(((o))): Nice, that simple huh?

Evan: Yeah, he said “send me some songs” and then he said he loved the kind of strange blues-dirge thing we were doing.

(((o))): One thing I love about you guys is the music does kind of the same thing as Twin Peaks, it creates an environment that you kind of live within during the duration of the music. When I found out Dean Hurley produced it I thought that made perfect sense for what you do.

Evan: Yeah, me too.

(((o))): You recorded it at Earth Analog (Matt Talbot of Hum’s studio) right?

Evan: Yeah in Tolono, Il which is also kind of a Twin Peaks oddball kind of place. It’s an old industrial wasteland that’s a crossroads for trains. Where we were there were trains going by every ten minutes at such a high speed that they would shake the building.

(((o))): Did you have to stop working when the trains went by?

Evan: There’d be times where we’d work around it and there’d be times that we’d just play. There’s train horns all over the recording, mostly in a way that wouldn’t even know and you’d probably just think it’s a synthesizer.

(((o))): In the press release for the album it mentions that it’s designed to be completely non linear, where you can start it at any point. I think that’s an interesting departure from both people who think that the single is everything and the kind of people who write big concepts that are meant to be listened to in a very specific way.

Evan: It’s difficult to listen to a full album. The attention span of a modern human being is so small, I feel like we have the attention span of an ant. It’s just how it is when we have accessibility to everything and everything. With that each side of a record needs to live on it’s own because the is the attention span of human beings. I love records and I collect a ton of record and so many records that I have it’s difficult to get up and flip the side, you know? Being a collector and investing myself in artists from all times, anything that was created on vinyl really, there’s a thing about listening to one side of a record and having it feel complete. Rather than the ending of the first side leaving you hanging, I just wanted to feel like it doesn’t leave you hanging.

(((o))): Not a lot of people take people’s attention span into consideration, haha.

Evan: It’s just a fact.

(((o))): You’re active in a lot of projects, the most active being Jaye Jayle and Young Widows, do you sit down and with intention to write for either or do you just write and decide where it lives later?

Evan: Young Widows is very inactive right now, we’re rehearsing and doing Old Wounds but we didn’t play at all for about 14 months. But it kind of refers back to your first question with writing music and spontaneity of creativity. Jaye Jayle and the songs we write are just what I’m writing right now. Young Widows songs a lot of time were just from showing up and playing and seeing what happens. Composition always kind of came later after we’d been playing for a while. With Jaye Jayle pieces they’re just something I work on every single day for hours and hours, whether it’s playing one chord for three weeks trying to find the melody or dynamic or rhythm within that note or chord or whatever it might be. I absolutely love Jaye Jayle, it brings me more joy than anything I’ve ever done in my entire life. It’s the most euphoric and hypnotic and therapeutic music that I’ve ever created and I feel lucky to have the band because they’re all on the same page.

(((o))): With Jaye Jayle there’s a kind of tension where it feels like it’s about to explode but it never does whereas Young Widows feels like everything is exploding all the time.

Evan: Absolutely

(((o))): Is that conscious decision? Kind of intentionally moving away from that more explosive outlet and stripping it back?

Evan: It’s definitely unconscious and unintentional. It’s more exciting for me to be contained and in control. I was extremely nervous tonight in a way of being in control. It’s so much easier to go full on, just playing loud and having it turn into this chaotic thing. Staying in the environment we have created is exciting because it’s difficult. The instincts of being a musician is at times playing more and everyone having their times of stepping out of the composition. Honestly I feel what’s going on with this music is the tip of the iceberg of what’s going to happen and there’s going to be even more tension and control going forward.

(((o))): You played a lot of new material tonight and one thing that really struck me is the restraint your auxiliary player (Corey Smith) shows, he’ll just rest and wait. Finding musicians like that is pretty rare. That adds to overall feeling that at any moment one of these guys is just going to bust out into a solo or lead line but they never do, is that kind of a theme?

Evan: I don’t know if it’s a theme so much as it is an idea of composition rather than individuals. At times even the singing and the lyrical subject matter and the control of even singing, I don’t even want that to shine. I always think about film and film scores. I just rewatched Badlands and that film influenced me highly. Watching that again and every time the music comes in it doesn’t take you out of the film it kind of puts you more in it. It gives you a narrative and a voice and almost earthly place. I know everyone in the band understands that feeling, we’ve all been playing music for a long time and we’ve never been it in trying to live a world of dominant showing off. We just all want to create an environment.

(((o))): It works really well, even tonight where you played mostly new songs that I had never heard it didn’t really matter because the environment is consistent and holds your attention. Which brings me to the last question. Is it hard to switch from this controlled environment back to the Young Widows sound for you upcoming tour?

Some thoughts on “productivity”

Howdy! So I've really been enjoying writing these blog posts where I write answers to questions that I often get from folks at conferences, in direct messages, through email, and more. Today, I thought I would answer some of the questions I often get about… productivity.

For some reason or other, people think that I'm quite a productive individual. I've mentioned in other blog posts that I think productivity is a subjective benchmark. "Productive" looks different to different people. I don't consider myself productive, but I imagine that someone who saw that output of my work would perceive me as such.

Alright! Time to answer some questions.

How do you do so much?

This is the one I get a lot. Most times, I sugarcoat it and talk about my passion and my enthusiasm and the goals I have. This is all true. But can I be honest with you? One of my biggest motivators is the fact that I am impossible to satisfy. I'll never feel like I've done enough conference talks or written enough blog posts or submitted enough pull requests. Admittedly, this is a dangerous ideology and one that I would not recommend other people follow. How do I do so much? My definition of "much" is pushed forward every day. What was enough for me yesterday is not enough for me today? Some people might judge this negatively; others might look at this worldview with envy. I don't much care about those opinions. It's a perspective I derived from my experiences as the daughter of immigrants (and an immigrant myself), the eldest child in a low-income family who held all the promise, and the girl who was expected to get perfect scores.

So that's the answer to that question, the complete-no-bullshit answer. For better or worse, I'm addicted to doing more.

Do you even sleep?

Oh gosh! This question. I will admit. I've had long stretches of time where I didn't get enough sleep (and was quite proud of it). I've since grown wise and learned my lesson. I'll admit that between school and some of the other stuff I have to balance, my days have to start early and end late. I haven't tried to fight this. Instead, I embraced the awesomeness of the nap. This is something that, in retrospect, my mother did quite often. Between raising her children and working and getting her second university degree, she also had many early days and late nights. Regardless, she would often settle for a pre-dinner or post-dinner nap. I've started to do the same too. I find that it increases the number of hours I sleep per day, increases the amount of time I spend in deep and REM sleep and helps clear my mind at those foggy moments in the middle of the day. Thanks, mom!

Do you check off everything on your to-do list every day?

Ha! No. I'd say that by the end of the day, there are usually one or two things that I haven't done. They are often the things that I want to do least. I try to not beat myself too hard for it and just prioritize those things the next day. Although, to be honest, I slip up on that also.

How do you stay motivated?

Depending on the day, different things motivate me. Somedays, I'm motivated by the haters. Other days, I'm motivated by the sacrifices made by my family. Other days, I'm motivated by the sacrifices that I made yesterday to get to where I am. Other days, I'm motivated by the fact that a girl's gotta pay the bills. My motivations are often determined by the events of the day, the things I experience, and other subtle aspects of my environment.

I don't believe that motivations have to be consistently altruistic or positive. It's OK if your endeavors get a little selfish sometimes (as long as that isn't always the case and you're aware of the selfish nature of your present motivations). Some days you feel a little selfish. Other days you feel a little selfless. As long as you know what you want and why you want it (and you aren't hurting anyone with your motivations and a couple of other caveats), you're fine.

When do you go to bed?

Around midnight.

When do you wake up?

Between 6:45 AM and 7 AM.

How do you get over the afternoon slump?

A warm cup of Black tea.

Why do you keep your to-do lists on paper?

It makes it easier for me to write my daily tasks without having to get on a web or mobile app and be distracted by all the goodies on the Internet. It also serves as an excellent record of the things that I accomplished. Most to-do list apps don't give you a way to see what tasks you completed on which day. Writing my to-do list on paper gives me the ability to know the history and progression of my work and get some motivation out of it.

Why are you so sarcastic when talking about productive?

I feel some type of way about a world in which everyday tasks are increasingly automated, and the only way we can derive value as people in a capitalist society is by checking things off a list. I try to be introspective in examining my desire to do more and aware of how much of it is because I don't want to feel like a useless waste of space. "Productivity" is such a loaded term in the tech industry, and I feel like it carries a lot of classism and sexism in it. Usually, the things that are considered productive are the things that make you more money. Raising a child (a traditionally maternal task) doesn't count as productive, although it is a massive undertaking. Creating public art (an endeavor that is purely altruistic) isn't often seen as productive. I stray away from using the word productive, and the system of concepts stemming from it because I think it's a socially harmful and limited concept. Sometimes, my distaste for the word, the concept, and its impact on society comes out in the form of sarcasm.

What helps you blow off the stress that can arise from being a task-oriented and ambitious person?

This changes. During the summer months, I liked to go to the beach near my apartment and just stand by the waves and look out into Lake Michigan or clean up the beer bottles and cans that wash up on shore. During the fall, I like to go on long evening walks. As of recently, I've been getting into high-intensity exercise. I'm talking drenched in sweat, can't talk, can't breathe exercise. Who knows what I'll get into as a form of stress relief next.

And that's all I've got! To be honest, this blog post is running a little long and as my Zarf-related research shows, asking for more than five minutes of anybody's time is a tall order in the web!

Catch you on the flip side!

Bob ships and proposals. Who asked and how?

WINNIX

it’s after lew gets sober, after he and dick have abandoned the glitz of life in nixon, new jersey, for the quieter pastures of lancaster. dick has his peaceful house in the country, and lew is trying to adjust to no longer being a city boy.

he feels like there’s never been a better time to start his new life with dick.

dick’s aging mother lives a sort drive down the road, so lew spends a lot of time plotting with her. she’s so excited to see her son get married that she’s more than willing to help lew out. she advises him on the rings, the setting, even what sort of wedding dick would like.

lew’s past wedding rings have always been gleaming, bejeweled, bearing rocks bigger than the moon. if he’s marrying dick, he wants the exact opposite. he chooses two identical gold bands, with a secret engraving on the inside.

he chooses to propose before dinner, after they’ve both had a long day -- dick working, and lew trying to find work of his own. dick is baffled by lew’s sudden desire to go for a walk in the countryside, but he won’t argue.

he can tell something is on lew’s mind. he’s quieter than usual, not making any wisecracks. he usually doesn’t like silence to stretch for too long, but now he makes no effort to fill the conversation. dick doesn’t try to talk, knowing lew needs to work through it. he will speak when he’s ready.

just as the sun is beginning to set, lew suddenly stops and pulls dick close.

“look, dick, i... i’m not going to pretend i have the best track record with this sort of thing. i’m not an easy person to be married to; hell, it’s tough being around me in general. but you, you... always manage it. you love me. you believe in me, no mater what. without you, i wouldn’t be where i am today, and i could never be happy if you weren’t in my life. so i’m just gonna take the plunge and ask here...”

he presses the ring in dick’s hand. “will you go all the way with me?”

dick is very quiet for a long moment. lew feels like his heart is going to explode in his chest.

then, dick leans in and kisses him.

“you know i will, nix. always.”

SPEIRTON

ron has a lot of ideas about doing things right, because he knows carwood deserves nothing less. 

he’s known for a long time that he wanted to marry carwood, that this is the way he wants to spend the rest of his life, so there’s not a doubt in his mind when he decides it’s finally the right time to propose.

he’s a bit lost when picking out a ring (he has to get kitty to help him) but when he spots a handsome silver band, he knows immediately that this is the one for the man he loves.

he considers proposing at dinner, but deems it too cliche. the idea dawns in his head to pop the question in the spring, when all the gardens of huntington are in full-bloom, but he loses his nerve halfway through their walk. during fourth of july, watching the fireworks with carwood huddled next to him (he knows how much carwood loves fireworks; they always make ron a little nervous, so his boyfriend stays close to soothe him), it seems like the best opportunity -- but ron can’t pull the ring from his pocket.

it’s starting to seem like every time the opportunity comes up, ron winds up losing his nerve. halloween falls through without a proposal, the first snowfall of the year sees nothing, even ron’s hopes of doing it during thanksgiving fail.

he’s all but given up by the time christmas eve comes. he bought the ring in january; now it’s december, and he’s wasted an entire year being afraid of not doing it right.

he’s sitting on the stairs of the lipton boarding house, away from the bustle of people celebrating the holidays. the party is wonderful, but his own thoughts are weighing on him. he has the ring between his fingers and is staring at it when he hears the creak of a wheelchair behind him.

he looks up, only to find mama lipton watching him with an unsurprised expression on her face.

he can’t think of what to say, but he doesn’t need to speak. carwood’s mother only nods, as if she understands it all. she’s so much like her son that way that sometimes it gives ron chills.

“it doesn’t have to be perfect,” she tells him. “as long as you mean it.”

when she smiles at him, ron knows he has her blessing. that’s the moment he finds the nerve he’s been searching for all year long.

it doesn’t have to be perfect; it doesn’t have to be romantic. he loves lip so much that he could propose with a rock he found in the garden and not be any less genuine. it would still be a proposal that they could look back on and smile about.

that night, after the party has cleared out, and almost everyone else has retired to bed (save mama lipton, still lingering in the dining room, definitely not spying) ron stops carwood before he can put on his shoes.

in the softly glowing light of the tree, he falls to one knee and pulls out the ring. “i want to ask you to marry me,” he says, blunt as a stone. “i will never find anyone that makes me as happy. i love you with all of myself. i think i have from the moment we met. i can’t imagine any way i’d rather wake up in the morning than with you by my side. so, if you’ll have me, carwood lipton... will you marry me?”

there are tears in carwood’s eyes when he falls to his knees in front of ron. once they’re level, he presses a hand to his jaw; the other allows ron to slip the ring onto his finger. “a life with you,” he tells him, “would be the best life i could ask for.”

BABEROE

babe is a nervous wreck, okay

he’s sure something is going to go wrong. he’s not afraid, he’s not paranoid, he knows it. he’s going to get struck by lightning just as he gets down on one knee. a bus will come out of nowhere and hit them both. the world will end the moment he pops the question.

(”you’re overdramatic,” bill tells him, cuffing him on the head. “shut up and pick out a ring already.”)

babe takes bill’s advice, because bill is probably right, and does pick out a ring. it’s one that reminds him of gene -- beautiful, thoughtful, and a little fearless.

he’s got the proposal all planned out. he’s going to take gene down to LOVE park, and propose to him right in front of the fountain. it seems like the best idea he’s ever had. julian is hiding behind a tree with a camera, he’s got renee waiting to carry out flowers, and bill, fran, and spina are all playing crowd control.

the only hitch in his plans is on their way there, when gene insists at stopping at the convenience store because they’re out of toothpaste. babe follows him in, texting his friends that they’re running late, and lingers around as gene thumbs through different brands of toothpaste.

on a whim, he slips his hand in his pocket. that’s when he panics.

the ring isn’t there.

what the hell happened? he doesn’t know, but this is the catastrophe he’s been anticipating all day. he knew something was coming, but now that it has he feels like he’s actually been struck by lightning. somehow, this is worse than anything he imagined. he can’t let his own idiocy ruin his proposal!

so, babe is forced to improvise.

grabbing a ring pop off the candy shelf probably isn’t the most romantic way to fall to one knee, but he’s pretty sure gene gets the idea.

“gene, listen, i -- i’m not doing this right. i know that. i don’t know what i’m doing, and you’re probably gonna laugh in my face, and i deserve that! i had a ring, i lost the ring, i don’t know what --”

gene is staring at him like he’s sprouted a second head. babe groans, ruffles his hair, and starts over. “look, i know i’m not perfect. you deserve some guy way better than me, but the fact is, i love you. i love you to death. i love you so much that i have no clue what to do with myself. sometimes it feels like it’s killing me, how much i love you. nothing in the world would make me happier than spending the rest of my life with you. and if you want that too...”

he holds out the ring pop. “all you gotta do is say yes.”

gene stares at him for a long moment as a smile spreads across his lips. babe’s heart is in his throat until the moment gene breaks into a full grin. arms twine around his shoulders, guiding babe to his feet.

“you always have to take me by surprise, edward,” he mutters before pressing his lips to babe’s.

(their friends are all livid that they missed the big proposal, but babe and gene couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out. gene does get his real ring eventually, but wears the ring pop for a week.)

WEBGOTT

getting joe to propose is like dragging a hermit crab out of its shell.

he doesn’t have anything against marriage, exactly, he just... is against it when it involves him.

don’t get him wrong. he loves web. he adores him. he thinks web is amazing. it’s just the idea of being bound to web for the rest of his life that TERRIFIES him. 

so, he’s a little afraid of commitment. sue him.

it takes a lot of cajoling from his friends for joe to even start to consider a wedding. they’ve been together for so long that it seems like the natural next step, and he knows web has been thinking about marriage for a while. joe’s even had a few conversations with him, but talking about it is different than actually doing it.

grant takes him to pick out the ring. lieb is second-guessing himself every other second, but manages to pick out a gleaming ring that reminds him of webster. he places the order and is halfway out of the store when he freaks out and wants to turn around and cancel it (grant drags him through the doorway and has to force him into the car.)

lieb has no clue how to propose (he’s got ideas, but nothing seems right) until his birthday, when web sets up a dinner by the beach. maybe it’s a little cheap to propose on his own birthday, but joe doesn’t care.

they’ve just finished eating when web suggests they dip their feet in the water. as they’re standing up, joe begins to slip the ring out of his pocket...

when webster drops down on one knee.

“joe, i know how big of a step this is for you. i know that you’re afraid. but marriage is the ultimate act of trust, and if i’m setting sail for the rest of our lives, i wouldn’t want it to be with anyone but you.”

joe is stunned, exhilarated, and horrified all at once. all he’s able to do is slowly draw the ring out of his pocket and press it into webster’s open hands. “geez, web, you always gotta one-up me, huh?”

(the entire liebgott family throws a rave. they love weddings, and mama liebgott was convinced she’d never get to see one of her kids go down the aisle. joe is making her dreams come true.)

LUZTOYE

so it’s a big leap, because neither of them have any clue what they’re doing.

all george knows is that he’s absolutely in love with joe, he wants to spend the rest of his life with him, and if he’s got to put a ring on it, well, it’s going to be the best proposal in the history of all time.

(luz is a little too excited about proposing.)

he decides to do it at a theme park, on top of a roller coaster. just before they go over the first drop, he thinks he’ll pull out the ring and propose to joe.

there are two problems. one: joe is too busy squeezing his eyes shut and holding on for dear life to notice when george pulls the ring from his pocket. two: george gets his timing wrong. the roller coaster drops, and the ring goes flying.

luckily it was still in it’s box, so he’s able to find it after the ride ends, but in that moment he swore his heart went sailing off the coaster right along with it.

his next plan is at the zoo. he and joe have never been to the zoo before, but he thinks it would be hilarious to propose right in front of the elephant enclosure.

he underestimated how much joe both loves and hates the zoo.

one moment it’s, “luz, this is boring, let’s go home,” and the next second it’s, “look at this, LOOK AT THIS LION, oh my god LUZ”. he only went to the zoo once as a little boy, and as it turns out joe is way too enthusiastic about it. he also feels like it’s a shame for the animals to be enclosed like that, and makes a few alarming comments about setting the animals free.

(george thinks joe just really wants to ride a lion.)

the zoo plan is a bust. george has one more trick up his sleeve.

“i don’t like this. georgie, why the hell did you want to do this, i don’t like this --”

admittedly, he should have anticipated joe’s fear of heights before trying to propose to him on a ferris wheel.

joe is too busy trying not to pass out to pay any attention to what george is doing. it gives him the perfect opportunity to pull out a ring, but getting joe to actually look at him is a much bigger challenge.

he waits until they make it to the top of the wheel before nudging joe in the shoulder. his boyfriend rounds on him. “wha--”

joe’s voice dies in his throat as his eyes land on the ring. the silence between them is heavy as a winter blanket. there are a million things george could say, a million wisecracks to lighten the mood. instead, he says nothing; he just presses the ring into joe’s hands.

joe slips the ring on his finger, and his face grows brighter and brighter with each passing second as he stares at it. disbelief shifts to awe, then dawning joy.

“georgie... you really want...”

“if you’d have me,” george replies.

joe lets out a whoop of joy, and tackles him. they both nearly tumble out the side of the ferris wheel with the force of their kiss, but it’s worth it.

Long Island Divorce Attorneys

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Sex and Porn

So today a friend and I had a conversation about sex and porn. Just a side note we weren't talking about our fantasies, but how we think sex should be taught to children. I myself am a very sexual person. I enjoy sex a lot. I enjoy it so much that if I have trouble sleeping I instantly masturbate. So as far as having sex, I enjoy it when it's equal and theres passion involved. Not just dirty talk and basically letting my partner degrade me. If I'm being degraded it, I choose to degrade myself because I have controle of that. When having sex I beleive that both parties should be on the same page when it comes to the type of sex you like to have, wether it be rough and dirty, or slow and passionate. There should definitely be comunication during the fact. So if your partner is doing something you're not into let them know and change the position without killing the mood. Some men like to be controlled. Others like to hsve full control over the entire event. There's a very small fraction where guys prefer a 50/50 exchange during sex. Meaning one partner does one position, the other decides the next one. As a female, I prefer the 50/50 exchange. Not because I'm trying to be lazy, but because I want to pleasure my partner as much as he is wanting to pleasure me. As far as sex education goes, I beleive it should definitely be taught in school as a single course. There is a lot to learn about sex that no teen can learn in the span of 1-3 weeks. There is more to learn than just birth, birth control, STI's, and the act of sex. Back when I was in high school, that's all we talked about during those 3 weeks. I wanted to learn about porn, consent, when is the right time, how it should feel when it's your first time from both a male and female perspective. But of course they aren't allowed to speak of those things in fear that the parents will burn the school down, basically. So I did my own research. When it comes to consent, and when the right time is most of the articles I had read was that the WOMAN has to say it's okay and give consent when SHE is ready. But what about the guy? What if he isn't ready and doesn't give consent? Apparently that doesn't exist. Apparently all men want sex weather the woman is ready or not. I don't beleive that. Like I said before, there has to be comunication between both parties. Meaning if one partner is ready but the other isn't, no sexual act should accur. Doesn't matter if it's a guy or a girl that isn't ready. If you both aren't on the same page, don't move forward. Now as far as the feeling of your first time, I have been told that it is painful. But it doesn't have to be. If you're a female and it's your first time and it hurts it maybe because you aren't 100% comfortable with the situation or your partner. Yes there will be a small bit of pain due to the streatching but if you're crying or screaming in pain and not pleasure, STOP! You're partner could be too rough with you, or they aren't helping you feel comfortable. And guys when it's your first time, it won't hurt, unless you're with another male and you choose to be bottom. It's gonna hurt but make sure you're partner is making you feel comfortable. If he isn't tell him to, STOP! Now as far as porn goes, I can go all day with this, but considering that this log is already as long as the missippi river I'll make it short. Porn is available on the world wide web. For free. Yes, even here on tumblr. There's probably one thing I don't like about most porn and that is the men degrading women portraying teen girls. It makes my skin literally crawl off my body. Seeing a 40 year old man "punishing" and 18 year old girl isn't a turn on for me. But that's my personal opinion. Personally I like to see passion. Less dirty talk, no screaming, just moaning with pleasure as both partners connect with eachother for that moment. I also like to see the 50/50 exchange in porn. Both parties have equal amount of control. Both parties are being respectful towards one another. Weather it be rough sex or soft sex. As far as teens watching porn, most of it does teach them wrong. Teen guys watch porn before having sex and beleive they have to fuck like a porn star. That's not the case. Because honestly these guys are getting paid to do these things. Teen boys in high school aren't. And as far as teen girls watching porn, they shouldn't beleive that the guy has to mistreat her in order for her to climax. She doesn't need to be spit on, slapped, or tossed around like a rag doll to climax. I believe that parents should definitely talk to their kids about sex, especially girls. I don't want my future daughter to watch a 40 year old with an 18 year old and beleive that's what is going to happen. I would want my daughter to watch porn and see the passion, and see the 50/50 exchange. I want her to see the partners respect each other during that moment. Because one day she will face that time where she will have sex and I want her to know that it can be great and you don't have to feel dirty after it's all over. I want her to feel powerful afterwards, not ashamed. And guys after you climax, if you are feeling powerful, great, but don't go recording it and showing it to your buddies. Don't go bragging about how you went on for hours when in reality when it's your first time, the most you'll last is 15 minutes. That's average so don't feel bad. And to both parties, don't ignore your partner. You were adult enough to have sex, be adult enough to talk about it. It's gonna be awkward, but you'll feel great after. And be sure you are both on the same page when it comes to a "relationship." Wether you want one or not. Make that clear. Other wise it's gonna be a lot more awkward then it should be. Well that's it for this log. If I left anything out, let me know and I'll put it in a future log.

Today’s Memphian To Meet is Jared “Jay B” Boyd aka DJ Bizzle Bluebland. He’ll be broadcasting live from Central Station’S lobby this Sunday at noon, just in time for a perfectly Memphis brunch playlist. Catch the stream on social media via I Love Memphis accounts on Facebook and Twitter (I’ll share the link) or on Memphis Travel’s Instagram Live. Photo provided by the artist. This set is the last of the Memphis Music Hub DJ Series —details on that here. See DJ Spanish Fly’s old school Memphis hip hop set (in 360° Smell-O-Vision Magic!) here. Read more about DJ Alpha Whiskey’s all-ladies soul set here and see her 360° broadcast here. Get to know DJ Memphi$ Jone$ here and watch his set here. I’m extra excited about this Sunday’s DJ Dance Party, because Jay B is a friend of mine, a fellow writer, and a very cool Memphian that you need to meet. Get to know him a little better with our quick Q&A below, then plan to tune in on Sunday on social media at noon. Sunday Brunch! With DJ Bizzle Bluebland! This Week! Holly: What can Memphis music fans from around the world expect during your set on Sunday 5/3 at noon? Jay B: It’ll be similar to my typical Sunday fare at Eight & Sand [the lobby bar at Central Station]. I’ll be the finale of this series, so I want to make sure I encompass all of what folks have heard throughout the series. Like the other DJs who spin at Eight & Sand, I love my records. So, you’ll hear some of the Memphis music from my collection that have become staples of my sets. Some of it is rare, and some is not necessarily hard to find but a bit off the map. You probably won’t hear your favorite Al Green or Isaac Hayes joint, but you’ll definitely hear them, their collaborators, and some other selections adjacent to the marquee Memphis music. Holly: What does your DJ set theme mean to you? Jay B: It’s a Sunday afternoon set, so the energy is soulful. It’s warm, and fulfilling, like the family meal you eat after church. That uplifting, sanctified energy is in there, but you’re unwinding and easing into your week. So, you get an excuse to indulge a bit. Jay B. with Joyce Cobb at Central Station. Photo provided by the artist. Get To Know Jay B Holly: Where are you from? How long have you lived in Memphis? Jay B: I’m a born and raised Memphian. From the Southeast area of town, but I went to school further out East at White Station. After graduation, I went to college, not too far away, at Ole Miss, before landing a job in Mobile, Alabama. I’ve been back in Memphis for almost a year-and-a-half. I’m grateful to be home, and back in my element. Holly: Tell us about your “day job”…I bet most I Love Memphis readers are familiar with your great work. Jay B: I’m a news reporter at The Daily Memphian, writing about general news, arts and culture. Anyone who might be familiar with my writing, may know me most for my features about Memphis music history and its culture. But in a very short career, I’ve covered everything from crime scenes to capital murders to naval ship christenings with Warren Buffett’s daughter to luncheons with Jimmy Buffett and all sorts of things. You never know what might come across your desk, and it never fails, the stories I never would pick for myself are always the most rewarding. I think learning on the fly has made me a well-rounded individual.  Holly: How did you get started as an artist and as DJ? Jay B: I think I started planting the seeds of becoming an emcee as a kid. I would carry around a little Fisher-Price boombox with a mic, rapping and singing. I’d perform all-the-time in preschool and elementary. In middle school, I started recording my own songs. And in high school, I had a pretty good run, as a part of a group produced by C-Major, who’s now an integral part of Memphis’ Unapologetic crew. I learned to DJ in college, as a staff member at Bridge Builders summer conferences. It was a way to keep the students energized each week. So, I brought it back on campus at Ole Miss, and flourished with the skill on my own college radio program. And I really love records, so spinning records helps me pay for that habit.  Holly: How has Memphis music inspired your artistic career? Jay B: I’ve always been one to pay homage to the creators in this city. When I was young, it was all about Memphis hip-hop. In college, my cousin Andrew Love, a seminal horn player in Memphis soul, passed away. It spurred my interest in owning all the records he played on. I’ve been buying records weekly ever since, and I’m still not close to that goal. But it has kept me deeply engrossed in Memphis soul, its labels, its producers, and its stories. Jay B. and Memphis soul producer Dan Greer. Photo provided by the artist. Memphis Inspiration  Holly: How has Memphis as a city inspired your artistic career? Jay B: Being home has been revolutionary for my morale. It’s certainly made me a better record collector. But the proximity to the artists who wrote, engineered, produced and released this music has given me perspective, care, and, in some cases, ownership over the media. I feel like an ambassador and an advocate for the artists and their material. Not only am I able to play a song, if I’m doing my job right, I’m able to tell you a bit about how it came to be. That feeds my spirit. And because Eight & Sand is all Memphis music all the time, the other DJs really push me. I get record envy. So, I can’t slip. I have to keep digging for records, relationships and stories!   Holly: Favorite Memphis music artists or genre and why? Jay B: I learned from guys like DJ Leroy, Memphis Jone$ and Witnesse, through the years, to have a deep appreciation for “boogie” music. It’s the groovy, funky, post-disco vibe that most people would never associate with Memphis. And Memphis is, by no means, a hub of the style. But like most things, particularly in the realm of music, we bring our own flavor to the party. It’s glam, it’s sometimes hokey, it’s over-produced, and can tend to be cookie-cutter, stuck in a time we’ve all moved on from. It just reminds me to hang loose and not take things so seriously.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Jared “Jay B.” Boyd (@jaredjaybboyd) on Mar 8, 2020 at 4:26pm PDT DJ Bizzle Bluebland at Central Station Holly: You’ve done sets at Central Station before. Tell us about that. Jay B: From the time Central Station opened, I’ve been in Eight and Sand every Sunday. That’s my home bases, as far as my DJ career is concerned. I had given up DJing after college, and was considering jumping back into it. The guys at Eight & Sand were privy to my love for Memphis records, and asked if I’d be interested in the gig. It’s been incredible. Since October, we’ve brought in Cut Chemist, Spanish Fly, Dante Ross, Case Bloom—all these guys I would’ve never been able to spin records with otherwise. The dudes who aren’t from Memphis have had an immense respect for what we’ve been building, and they love the Memphis music.  Holly: During non-pandemic times, how can Memphians enjoy the DJ Bizzle Blueband experience? Jay B: Every Sunday at Eight & Sand, I’m in the building, spinning classic Memphis records, chatting with visitors to Memphis and hanging with locals. I love the lounge atmosphere. I try to think of it like a sort of Sunday Soul Brunch.  DJing In A Pandemic Holly: How have you been coping personally and professionally during the pandemic? Jay B: I’ve been making it okay. News is still a busy business. I can’t complain, at all. My work is essential, and I’m still able to make a living. So long as that is the case, I have been clinging to the perspective that I shouldn’t allow myself to complain. As far as music goes, I’ve been recording my mixes and uploading them to the web. It’s given me an opportunity to be more creative, playing music from outside of Memphis, and more experimental styles I wouldn’t typically play with a live audience.  Holly: How can people keep up with your projects? Jay B: I’m @JaredJayBBoyd on Twitter and Instagram. My articles can be found on Daily Memphian’s homepage most every day. I’m DJ Bizzle Bluebland on MixCloud, where I host my own mix show “Nervous Wreck Radio.” I continue to co-host the “Beale St. Caravan” on NPR, which is syndicated internationally, sharing the stories and sounds of Memphis and the Mississippi Delta worldwide. And, if you need one hub to find all that, and other side projects, my website www.JaredJayBBoyd.com keeps it all under one tab. Jared and me after a press conference on May 2, 2019—exactly one year ago! Just For Fun: Meet Jay B 1. What’s always in your bag/on your person? I have to keep a phone charger, business cards, my Beats headphones, and my computer, in case any news breaks. I don’t want to get caught slipping. 2. Guilty pleasure? YouTube. I can spend hours, at a time, watching interviews, talk shows and news features about the nerdiest topics. 3. Go to outfit? Black denim pants, white Nike Cortez sneakers, an ironic vintage t-shirt promoting a band I’ve only heard once or twice. 4. How do you drink your coffee? Black, no cream, no sugar. I’m enjoying a cup of coffee right now, actually. The beans were imported from Ethiopia and roasted in Memphis by my friend Bartholomew Jones. 5. Favorite song(s) right now? My friends at Shangri-La Records laced me with a pack of records yesterday. It’s already changing the way I’m listening to music and formulating mixes. But I’m going to have to keep the titles to myself, until they hit my mix show. 6. Go-to order at Eight & Sand after a DJ set? The chicken sandwich called “The Birdie” is the best in town. But I’m vegan these days. So, I’ll grab an order of fries over at Bishop and bring them over to the bar to chill. MEMPHIS MUSIC HUB DJ SERIES Sunday Brunch SUNDAY, MAY 3 AT NOON Live on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Rebroadcast in 360 next week. Are you a home owner in Memphis, with a broken garage door? Call ASAP garage door today at 901-461-0385 or checkout https://ift.tt/1B5z3Pc

https://ilovememphisblog.com/2020/05/memphian-to-meet-jared-boyd-aka-dj-bizzle-bluebland/

Loss Of Control: Spins Or Spirals?

All of us want to keep our friends alive, and the newest safety initiative uses the moniker of “loss of control (LOC).” The popular belief is that LOC is synonymous with stall/spin, and the popular panacea is visual angle of attack indicators. But, in fact, low-speed spirals (different from high-speed spirals taught as part of instrument training) can masquerade as and be as vicious as inadvertent spins. Here’s the story of how this was discovered.

Three years ago, the Experimental Aircraft Association announced the Founder’s Innovation Prize with a goal of reducing LOC accidents by 50 percent over 10 years, I, like nearly 200 others, started thinking of how to win (and spend) the $25,000 first prize.

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Maybe half of that first year’s submissions were about ways to measure or indicate angle of attack, but I started with exhaustive research, including a tedious and brain-numbing analysis of 551 NTSB reports on RV-series experimental, amateur-built aircraft events. Sure, stall/spin accidents were prominent among the fatalities, but there were interesting observations along the way. For example, in the NTSB reports, the reported phase of flight was often irrelevant to the event, inconsistent with the narrative or missing. And one prominent alphabet organization considered flying into wires when buzzing to be a loss of control. In other words, the data and the reports could not be taken at face value.

Also interesting were some of the accident mechanisms. In nearly half of the runway excursions (off the side of the runway on landing), the approach was in trouble longitudinally (bounces, approach angle, etc.) before the airplane departed the runway. This observation eventually evolved into the observation that the motor skills of controlling the airplane are four: pitch, power, roll and yaw. My current working definition of LOC is the failure of the pilot, for whatever reason, to adequately and simultaneously control all four.

But why does LOC occur? IMSAFE, distractions, task saturation and similar are obvious suspects. Noted general aviation safety analyst Ron Wanttaja distinguishes between failures in pilot judgment and in skills.

Dr. Bill Rhodes has started many of his safety talks by asking for a show of hands of how many in the audience lost a friend in a small plane crash, and then how many were not surprised that the pilot killed himself. Typically, half the audience was not surprised. The takeaways are that the goal of a 50 percent reduction in LOC accidents is unrealistic and that general aviation safety is much more of a marketing issue than it is a technical issue.

But the four-motor-task definition of LOC and the marketing observation led to the current thinking: the most feasible way to reduce LOC accidents is to improve pilots’ flying skills, and the way to do this is by making those skills fun, rewarding and challenging to acquire. After all, nobody thinks that the FAA’s Five Hazardous Attitudes apply to them.

Frustrated and highly motivated by failing to even make the finals of the EAA contest in the first three attempts, I dove into finding rewarding and challenging ways to improve pilot skills. Like others, I’d observed that over the decades that pilot and CFI skills and knowledge have declined and that current training focuses on high proficiency in the middle of the envelope, where accidents don’t occur. And the newest Airman Certification Standards eschew stalls, apparently preferring that a pilot first sees an actual stall break with a plane full of passengers, not safely at altitude with a CFI.

Another untoward but fortuitous circumstance was that I’ve had three spinal surgeries in the past five years, and the mere mention of the word “aerobatics” distorts the surgeon’s face. So instead of looking at upset training and spins, aerial maneuvers that would require more than 2Gs or more than 60° of bank, I started looking at exercises that could be done in just about any plane, such as a Cessna 172 or my non-aerobatic RV-9A.

These Expanded Envelope Exercises (3E) differ from maneuvers in that they don’t necessarily have completion standards, but, rather, their purpose is to expand the pilot’s comfort zone so that the pilot can handle an imminent LOC situation as not a big deal, rather than panicking or freezing at the controls. Each exercise exposes the pilot to some combination of a highly dynamic flight situation, new kinesthetic sensations and very high workload—ingredients that can overwhelm a pilot and lead to LOC.

While all of the exercises so far have proven easy enough to perform on the first or second try, they are unusual enough that they should only be attempted with a CFI who has seen these exercises before. I almost found this out myself the hard way.

One exercise involved steep turns at low airspeeds. (Lest I tempt anybody to go out and try something over their head, I won’t be any more specific in the description). I’d done this without a hint of a problem in the RV-9A, but then one subject pilot botched the maneuver, and we were very quickly in a steep spiral. Before we could complete the “my airplane, your airplane, my airplane” positive change of controls ritual, the airplane was at 80° of bank and 30° nose down—pretty exciting! And even though I’ve taught basic aerobatics, I was overwhelmed by a windshield full of Georgia marshes coming up at me.

The flight data downloaded from the Garmin G3X Touch system indicated that we were in a genuine spiral, and despite my fairly prompt recovery, we lost almost 400 feet. Had this happened turning base to final, every accident investigator in the world would have classified it as a stall/spin. And, depending upon the circumstances, the impact signature of a spiral and of a spin may be indistinguishable. This event also suggests that many historical stall/spin accidents may have been misclassified!

In the figure above, each line of data was recorded one second apart. Recovery was initiated at the green line, five seconds in. The orange cells are maximum values achieved. Looking at each column in turn:

The highest angle of attack before the recovery was 0.36, well below the stall angle of attack, 1.0;

Airspeed started at 66 knots, final approach speed. Recovery never went above 99 knots, a few knots below Va;

The target bank angle was 60°, but the subject pilot inadvertently let the bank get to 80°. Note that the surprised safety pilot did not remove all of the bank angle before starting the nose up;

The airplane achieved 30° nose down before recovery was initiated, enough to startle the safety pilot;

G forces were nominal and low. Even during recovery, G forces were moderate;

Recovery started after losing 58 feet of altitude, but recovery required an additional 332 feet, for a total altitude loss of nearly 400 feet;

Vertical speed reached an impressive 4,000 feet/minute down.

Part of my research included looking for stall/spin videos on the web. I found two that were definitely spins, but what’s really interesting is that both of those spins were entered when the plane was already out of control in a steeply banked, nose-down attitude, similar to a well-developed spiral. In other words, inability to recognize and recover from a spiral resulted in the spin.

The research, the botched low-speed-turn digital flight data and especially 3E may help general aviation turn a corner to a better LOC rate, especially as those with more knowledge and experience than I start to contribute:

While this first result and the digital flight data are incontrovertible, there’s still more work to be done on low-speed spirals, including recognition and recovery. A reasonable expected outcome is that low-speed spirals be taught as part of the sport pilot and private pilot curricula, just as stalls are;

3E is a natural candidate for the Wings Program, and I’ve used it very successfully on Flight Reviews. 3E should be done early in a pilot’s career, preferably before transitioning to a new airplane type;

3E is now being explored and developed at Utah Valley University, where the name 3E was conceived. They’re exploring it initially with their CFIs. Hopefully, other organizations will join in to develop 3E, for there are many styles of flying, and just one style of 3E won’t work everywhere, for everybody;

AOA gadgets and add-ons are not a panacea for LOC. This was recognized way back in 1925, 93 years ago, when Louis Bramson Mogens wrote in his patent application that “visual or audible signals cannot be regarded as satisfactory in all circumstances for the reason that they may escape the attention of the pilot at the critical moment and in either case they must be interpreted by the pilot and translated into action of some kind to correct the condition of the machine to which his attention has been directed.”

Would I like to win the $25,000 prize next year? Of course! Both my ego and bank account encourage me to keep trying. But regardless of any contest results or who gets the credit, the work must continue, as the more important goal is keeping our friends alive. 

Ed Wischmeyer, ATP/CFII, has flown well over 150 makes and models of general aviation aircraft and published hundreds of pilot reports, articles and columns. His Ph.D. is from MIT.

The post Loss Of Control: Spins Or Spirals? appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

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Group Brainstorming and Debriefing

For our brainstorming session, we followed a very similar approach as to what we did in the class brainstorming activity. We revisited our list of 1 how might we questions, and as a group highlighted which of these we found most interesting or fruitful. From there, we each committed to remotely brainstorming for 15 minutes on each of the highlighted ideation prompts, and then another 15 minutes reflecting and giving feedback on the results once they were all in. We used google docs and slack as our main communication and brainstorming platforms- where we could begin live editing on the google doc while multiple of us were on the same document. We were able to hash out our thoughts after both in the google doc and through slack, where we shared our main concerns, or judgements, about the brainstorming results. Next, we went back in and reorganized our thoughts into a more categorical visual display. I found this ideation exercise exciting to come up with as many ideas as possible, and also a bit challenging. I found myself trying to go over the time limit or still pondering questions after I had already moved on. One thing that was kinda funny and weird during my reflection stage of this step, was that I said outloud in my apartment ‘why are phones more dangerous with data security than my google home ? Is it proximity?’ To which my google home responds ‘yes’ from the corner of my room. Perhaps she was brainstorming with me!

In reflecting on the exercise a day or two after completion, I am kind of caught up in the idea that some of the solutions posed strayed away from the ideation prompt. I found myself in this problem a few times, where I would come up with as many possible distribution ideas but then none of those would actually relate to Internet of Things. One take away is how vital it is to keep the prompt in front of us at all times during this process, so as to be constantly reminded. My favorite idea out of these so far is the mobile app that’s a personal assistant/ teacher to IoT and data security. Another is finding a way to parcel data created from IoT devices (let’s say google home alarm sleep schedule, or stating that you have run out of milk, to then have those voice commands integrated with mobile apps to automatically send milk your way, to analyze your sleep cycle in the health app, etc.) In essence, this idea is to integrate voice recognition, on demand delivery and convenience services, and smart phone interfaces to make our smart devices incredible more smart.

Below you can find a transcript of our ideation brainstorming session:

IoT Core definition:

as we ideate to have a macro view of topic we chose considering privacy/security issues

An IoT device is distinguished by being identified as a "Physical Object" ( not a person ) embedded with "Network Connectivity" (sensors, electronics) that enables "Data Exchange" (collection of information, data transfer & storage). Categories for the devices can include Consumer, Commercial, Industrial and Infrastructure and they are developed to make access to information ( via a wearable or Smart Home device) more convenient and readily accessible.

How might individuals gain access to their data:

JSON FILES

Color maps *

Emojis

Different type of data visualizations **

Based on pop culture

Based on your Soc

2 step verification

Maybe have to go to the town center every city has one to become a smart city **

Thumb print scanner

Based on your dna (insert a drop of blood) **

Housed in your amazon account

Data must be able to be digestible by smartphones

Government provided smartphones

Data libraries

Phone app that comes with smart phones with data access - *** Jenean

API

Self scanners at grocery stores *

ATMs

Making everything open-source

everytime a piece of data is produced, it is uploaded onto a public server

Treat data like puzzle pieces

reimagine data as a collective unit rather than individually focused

World atlas or like database of every individual’s data… registered into database with a device’s first use of internet.. Collective storing after

Legal protection.. Companies must distribute to each customer unless opted out *

Regulation of data access

Unlocking said data through fingerprints or eyescans

Everyone should be able to request to download their data

Cameras on devices

Notifications if you are sharing an alarming amount of data *

Piggybacking… notifications for each time data is shared with another company/user

A service that can delete your data across multiple devices

An app that helps you manage how and where you share your data **

Access to the data

We were looking at it from 2 different ways to have companies/governments to allow access to the data that they were using in their companies.  And then on the other side of the spectrum

Looking into opting out of information but in a layer by layer that type of situation

Making it as digestible as possible. Imagine if privacy policies, or credit card statements, or mortgages where in a digestible format.

transparency/public

Pushing for an informed opinion

*Ooh guys just thought of an interesting example….  my current renters insurance is an app that is named maya and she tells me all the legal stuff of my policy in a texting format and i respond like ‘ tell me more’ and she explains in greater detail - Jaime *

Very Interesting ~Jenean    

^^Love this, I could’ve definitely used Maya during my move out process lol (Johnnie)

Control our tracking settings on our devices

VPN

In private browsing/incognito

Restrict purchasing of user data

Notify users of their data being sold

Data exchange database

Increased encryption standards

Distributed file systems

Use Data receipts (public key cryptography)

Automatically delete data

Reapproaching cloud storage

Removing data collection

Scheduled data releases

Api integration

Application interfacing with what you say

Parce all the data into segments for Specific uses (connecting voice commands with mobile apps, order triggers, safety resources, scheduling and productivity apps) and distribute the segments separately like Blockchain… no one resource has access to entirety

Treat data like iTunes library/ App Store

scheduled data clearings

Data expiration and permanent deletions across all that have access

Lack of interface on IoT device could lead to something being hacked and you don’t know*

Distributing data through new or different media than the standard

Creating new file types that are locked to specific devices

DNA based

Physical record of data

Combining encryption with messaging platforms

Various servers for specific users and have them be checked out

Updated hardware to turn commercial grade into consumer grade

Intranets of various types of data

Using computer vision to move away from source code

Getting rid of the code

How can we have these devices be digital but not survive on code (to avoid hacking)

Each device creating its own coding language so no other computer could read it

Have the device man all the data usage

Jumbling up code after each data production

Provide examples of how companies are using their data to sell them different products

Requiring hover messages over everything that you click that states this gives companies this information about you

Showing the implications of actions like (this page would like to track your location), or saying that if you allow uber to track you when you are not on the app then they will use this to raise rates on your area

Letting users know when different data streams are commingled into information that is being used

How to implement web trackers into your handheld devices(there are different chrome extensions that show what type of cookies are tracking you and what type of data they are transmitting. Why isn’t something like that for mobile)

Push notifications on distribution

Incorporating transparency of data distribution in voice/messaging

Amber alert like messages when a breach occurs

Visualization of where data is housed, where its been sent/who has access (pie chart like slice)

Eguides about data sharing

Data encryption education

A website teaching users about what type of data companies are collecting and teaching how to opt out

Data-use fireside talks sponsored by companies big in data analytics

Hack-Athons put on by common mobile app companies

Infographic videos walking through use of specific data

Taking data use like a narrative journey… comic book stories of the journey, magic school bus

*why were phone books ok but sharing your other info scares people*

Sending transactional emails with each distribution

Transparent reporting of breaches

Phones carry more personal data than any other device

Once we download an apd we should have to double opt in to sharing data. Meaning once they ask uber wants to share your location  and then they ask are you sure uber can now do XYZ click confirm to share this data

How do we fight robo callers/ robo texters

It is soo easy to click on a phishing link on your phone versus any other IOT device

We need to be able to protect ourselves from public wifi problems

Can almost always locate a person by their cell phone

Browsers are set to normal browsing… private mode not always accessible

Phones are a main device for communication

If not on wifi, they are consistently connected to cellular network..exposure

Proximity*

Because of phone logs

oversight

Traceable

Most mobile apps are connected to internet/ cellular connection

You have to give your phone number away for so many signups

Same with email, which many have connected to their phone

Frequent reminders that an app is using specific information… you have been sharing your location with ____ for 2 weeks. Would you like to continue sharing your location?

How might the government regulate the collection of data from IOT technology?

How might we use blockchain  for better data privacy

How might Smart cities utilize bluetooth/wifi/QR/etc. to collect data more securely

How might the government become more strategic in their leadership on how to use IoT

funding to modernize IT infrastructure to enable IoT projects

How might we leverage the advance of sensor technology make data more safe