ohhhhh i have got to talk about wolfwood's regeneration abilities as a bastardized depiction of resurrection. like what if resurrection wasn't the joyful, miraculous thing we see so centrally in christianity. what if it was more of a curse. what if it didn't make you an angel or the son of god. what if instead it made you into a monster

Episode Zero: High Noon At July

So anyway, Vash is right about everything.

Yes, I'm exaggerating. There are plenty of caveats to Vash's ideals. There are hard ethical questions surrounding humanity's relationship with the Plants, and those will have to be answered or neither species is going to survive much longer. But nothing's going to get better if all they have is Vash, busy getting shot at, and Knives, busy getting his brother shot at. What Vash has been struggling with from the opening minutes of the show is that he's been assuming all the blame for what Knives does, taking punishment and abuse from him and from humans without a word of protest, simply because he believes it's what he deserves.

And it's not. It never has been. He's never been to blame. It is, unequivocally, something Knives did to him.

From those same opening minutes, Knives has been the twin with agency. Never mind that he caused the fleet to crash and instigated the entire plot, or that he was also the one who actively sought to discover Rem's secret; I mentioned before that he offered Rem a choice before escaping in the shuttle. But what I noticed the second time was something equally crucial. Nai is the one piloting the shuttle. Vash is just a passenger, carried along as Nai steered, subjected to his decisions and forced to bear the consequences for his actions. And Nai didn't exactly... ask to be one piloting. He just sits in the chair and takes the stick, not a word said. He assumes agency for himself and for Vash both without room for discussion.

When Nai offered Rem a choice, and she refused, he resolved to give no one else he loved a choice, ever again. But Vash never got a choice, not with Nai. And that became a pattern.

When Nai told Vash: you're my accomplice, you're the one who gave me the program access code (I'm all but one hundred percent certain he means that when Vash accessed Tesla's records, Nai remembered the code he entered), Vash started to run. He fled. He couldn't bear the culpability - it's pretty much the instant he began to engage in suicidal ideation. He ceased to exercise his agency because he believed it lead to this unimaginable horror. The die is already cast: he's Nai's accomplice. It's decided.

Or rather, Nai decided.

Did Vash really keep running for a hundred and fifty years? Well, no, not quite - Knives (naturally) called time-out when Vash pointed a gun at his face. Just wait for a short while...a mere century or so. I promise I'll build a world of Plants. Even he, I think, realised slicing off Vash's arm was a bit of a dick move and had to regroup. But a hundred years later the game was back on and Knives's next move was founding his cult, stealing Plants, committing murders and framing Vash, and Vash was just as bereft of agency as before.

Vash the Stampede is a name that humanity gave him, but they gave it to him because of Knives. Note how it fits the naming scheme of the other members of his cult. Zazie the Beast. Elendira the Crimsonnail. Nicholas the Punisher. Livio the Doublefang. Monev the Gale. E.G. the Mine. A stampede is a herd of running animals too scared to think about the damage they cause as they flee for their lives. And that doesn't really apply to Vash, but it describes the twins as a combined force - Vash flees, Knives follows him bringing destruction. Vash is afraid of facing Knives; Knives is afraid of being without Vash. And between them, complete and utter ruin is left in their wake.

So what changed?

I said before that Meryl is the only other character besides Knives with agency, with a couple of exceptions, and I'll say right now that Vash isn't one of them. In this game, Vash's agency - really Vash himself, his power, his soul - is the prize. People want to have Vash. They desire him. And he doesn't think he has a choice but to fulfil those desires in order to make up for his sins, which is why he went to confront Knives in July - despite knowing, deep down, that his brother will not be convinced and he's walking to a hideous fate, perhaps his death. Vash is an Independent, but he doesn't seem to think he has free will. It's been beaten out of him so viciously he attributes all his hard-earned skills to luck and his compassion to some instinctive bodily urge, as though he's a trained animal. Which Knives takes just the most disgustingly cruel jab at - You need to smile, show your charm, and behave like a harmless pet./They only love your charm, your tricks, and the tightness of your leash. Imagine if Rem had ever heard him talk that way to his brother. (I'm curious how the translation worked there.)

Ah, Rem. We see so little of her. We know almost nothing about her, save that she was an imperfect woman who did her best, who loved both her children as hard as she could. Who chose to love them. Who told them that as long as you can make a choice, you can choose a better future.

I think that was a belief she privately struggled to hold, personally. Knowing that by her inaction an innocent child was subjected to a worse fate than death, it would have been hard to imagine there could still be a future for her. I hope that in the end she came to forgive herself, even if only a little, and not just because of the twins. But we'll never know.

And after Rem, Luida. Who told Vash he was a survivor rather than a coward and he deserved to live, and who survived herself because of Vash - the very last time he stood by, frozen, as Knives tried to take away someone he loved. Who, with Brad, showed that humans can change and learn, and that though they still need to rely on Plants they need not consume them. Who began to take real, practical steps towards that chosen future for both, who gave Vash his coat and built him his hand - a protective memory and the part of the body that reaches out to another that his brother cut from him. Because of them he found contact with his own kind, and began to bridge the gap that had always existed between the two species, and the two sides of his own nature.

And finally tiny Meryl. Inexperienced, sheltered, easy to knock down, easy to pick up, unarmed, all alone, and absolutely filled to the brim with rage. Meryl's way of caring for things is by getting righteously, furiously angry about them. I wonder how long it's been since anyone knew and cared enough about Vash to be in the position to get angry on his behalf, over what's been done to him. Knives didn't take the slightest bit of notice of her (except to dismiss her as "another parasite" because he's a bitch like that) until Vash responded to her. She wasn't even supposed to be there - Zazie just thought it would be funny. Zazie is the best.

(I always wonder if the song Vash sings was him trying to answer Meryl's frantic cries for him to wake up. If he somehow how meant to lift her closer or build the path she climbed to reach him. Conrad said he couldn't speak human language anymore. What if that was the only other way?)

These three women all shared faith in Vash and his ideals, and loved him, rather than what he's "supposed" to be or what he could do for them. All helped form him into the man he is now. Each of them had agency and made choices, even hard ones. And so in the end, Vash's victory over Knives's cruelty also belongs to them. Vash awakens because the connection forged by these women allowed him to pull himself free of the pit of corrosive pain Knives plunged him into - breaking chains of guilt his brother had forged to keep him by his side forever. When the question is asked, "Whose side are you on?" the answer is neither the side of humans nor Plants, despite what Knives thinks. It's the side of Vash choosing his own future, inspired and supported by the women who loved him, rather than being trapped and frozen in the past. Inevitably there will be mistakes, losses - even horrors.

And it'll still beat any future this asshole chooses for him.

Chapter 2: softer sting

Chapters: 2/? Fandom: Trigun Stampede (Anime 2023) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Vash the Stampede/Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Minor or Background Relationship(s) Characters: Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Vash the Stampede (Trigun), Meryl Stryfe, Milly Thompson, Livio the Double Fang (Trigun), Razlo the Tri-Punisher of Death (Trigun), Millions Knives (Trigun), Tesla (Trigun), Roberto (Trigun Stampede) Additional Tags: Beekeeping, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fuckbuddies, Friends to Lovers, Trans Male Character, Trans Vash the Stampede (Trigun), Trans Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Canon Disabled Character, Cooking, Explicit Sexual Content, Oral Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Grinding, Clothed Sex, Sharing a Bed, Skippable Sex Scenes, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Switching, Strap Ons, Self Esteem Issues Summary:

Sad and lonely chain-smoking line cook Wolfwood meets a weird guy at the bar who keeps bees for a living. They get along really well.

Trigun Bookclub Trimax Vol9 Part1

Vol01: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3  | Vol02: Part 1 | Part 2

Trimax: Vol01 Part 1 Vol01 Part 2 | Vol02 Part 1 Vol02 Part 2 | Vol 03 Part 1 | Vol03 Part2 | Vol04 Part1 | Vol04 Part2 | Vol05 | Vol06 | Vol07 | Vol08 Part1 | Vol08 Part2 | Vol09 Part1

Vol 9 recap start! It's late and I'm not having that many clever thoughts, so more just...reacting and saving cool panels :D

Chapter 1:

Aww Nico and Miss Melanie checking to see how Livio is doing. Nico's really got the big brother vibes.

Great catch, buddy!

Smiling and laughing little Wolfwood! This is killing me with so much cuteness. Also, love how he got his big Wolfwood nose as a kid too (I mean, of course he does, but then you never know, an author might make all kids look kinda similiar even unintentionally by giving them big kid eyes, small noses and such stuff...it's just nice to see distinct facial features drawn in different age states)

*** you for that evil trap, Chapel.

Livio not saying anything to that in that one panel is telling a lot actually. Now we know in what way he himself is tied to that orphanage...does he consider it a burden too? I wonder if Chapel struck a nerve with that sentence.

And just like that I knew I was gonna like Livio. Oooh he had it coming.

Hmm love this page. It really feels like the start of something.

Chapter 2:

So so proud of him...I read other bookclub posts about how Wolfwood symbolizes the humanity that CAN change and boy is that right.

I can only imagine Nightow having SO much fun drawing this!! :DD I have no idea but if I'd have to guess I'd say he was just waiting to draw a full page cool blockbuster scene of Wolfwood riding a motorcycle with an explosion in the backgrounds. Probably been wanting to do this since some volumes. And finally got his chance!! Cause there was no need to draw this so action-movie epic-like and he still did, hehe.

First of all, this page here looks so cool! Wolfwood is so shapey, but also the pose and composition...*mwah* Then in this fight we get to see just how good of a fighter Wolfwood actually is. Not that we didn't witness that before, but it was often together with Vash, or if alone, like with Ninelives, he was struggling quite a bit. But here to me it felt like we get this glimpse of a trained assassin he once was, fully in control of the situation, being fast and efficient (without killing).

Such badassery!!! I'm a big fan of how Livio, despite being fully indoctrined, still kinda protects the orphanage too! Well, maybe it's also because Chapel is prob sitting there too and they still need to use the orphanage as bait but STILL! I chose to believe that at this point some point inside Livio was still acting out of attachment to his old home.

Chapter 3:

Hey! That's not a nice thing to say boy! D: Also, she's obviously trying to reassure the kids so don't make them more scared by saying it won't do anything!

Oh fuck. The kids are talking about Nico here but this obviously applies to Vash, as well. Wolfwood can not rely on Vash now who is not around to help.

Also, may I say, what an utterly gorgeous drawing of Wolfwood and Livio.

RAZLOOOO

HMMMM Livio the Double FANG

And in that moment he thinks of that one moment where a person DID need him, where he saved someone :'(

These two pages look soooo cool. I never knew how ominous laundry cool look!

I do wonder...how did Razlo know about the Eye of Michael? Did he meet an informant some time, or overhear smth?

You're not going to kill your brother now, are you Wolfwood! (Not really brother but brother in heart, you know.)

Chapter 4:

Oh I misremembered, he DID mean to kill Livio? Or only momentarily put him out of order, knowing that he has SOME kind of regeneration abilities? I'm not quite sure now. What I do know is that Chapel has a creepy grin and I want that old man out of my face.

Ah hm maybe I should read at least the next page before rambling off. He really only wanted to incapacitate him. I'm relieved!

Rude! You didn't need to throw him through a suddenly spawned set of wood!

At this rate, Wolfwood must be riddled with bullets. Shot from behind, from the front, lost a HUGE amount of blood from his shoulder...

...and yet he's still going on. Oh my boy he's such an awesome character. (Also quick side note, love how Nightow draws hands)

Saving this because awesome pages. This is only the second time we're seeing these vials being used, right? Funny how quickly they became such an important plot device. (I wonder when Nightow planned them into the story...I'm guessing kinda late? Just wondering)

He must have really trusted on Livio blocking that thing!

Aww :(

Making a cut here! The rest will be done in a part 2 post, I don't want to get to the image limit in the middle of a chapter.

THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN.

So, I do mention stuff about Squalo's femily in this post: https://squalodinoappreciationsquad.tumblr.com/post/739709038808449024/headcanons-squalos-family

Now, whilst I might not have the ability now for the entire family tree, I CAN delve a bit more on the issues Squalo's parents have and maybe also why I headcanon Squalo with daddy issues and overcompensation issues.

Squalo's mother and father

I have said that Squalo's dad is your classic case of deadbeat dad and also a huge case of "I pretended I wanted a kid until I could not anymore, I never wanted kids and my fiancée getting pregnant and keeping the baby was a huge mistake and I want no part in this".

I named this guy Livio Superbi, he is Squalo's biological dad.

He never actually put any signature on Squalo's birth certificate, so Squalo actually only has a "Genitore 1" signed, aka his mother Veronica Fontana.

Now, Veronica and Livio met at a fencing competition, they were both fencers at an agonistic level, they liked each other, things got heated because Veronica was a very straightforward woman and Livio loved that.

They officially decided to get engaged at 24 years old, after three years of dating, and were supposed to marry one year later.

Both families were so happy about them until Veronica brought home a positive pregnancy test.

And Livio was not thrilled.

He started questioning whether this baby was actually his, therefore Veronica did a DNA test and confirmed that the baby was his son.

This was done only and exclusively to keep the press at bay - let me remind you that both Livio and Veronica were fencers at an agonistic level.

So the press was all over.

And Livio shut up and pretended everything was fine until the day before the wedding.

That day he basically left to never come back - Veronica was by now 7 months pregnant.

All hell broke loose.

The press sharks were making the rounds, and whilst Veronica had to be rushed to the hospital due to stress and all collapsing around her, both families agreed that Livio had to be disowned and they also tried pressing charges, but the man was already in Argentina by then.

Veronica was then physically fine and gave birth to a baby boy she named Andrea - and this one would become the Squalo Superbi we all love.

Emotionally though. This was the end of all trust she had and the end of her being in love, therefore becoming a bit harsh - that's why Squalo does not define her as "sweet" or "nurturing", but nevertheless mother and son love each other dearly.

Livio Superbi was served with a court o0rder to pay alimony, but he found a way around it. He basically renounced any parental rights and got rid of the Italian citizenship, both by applying for the Argentinian citizenship and by marrying an Argentinian woman called Felicia Suarez.

Karma is a bitch and his wife ended up having not 1, but 3 kids - this time too he didn't want them, but his wife's family had enough dirt on him that he would not be able to live peacefully ever at all.

They were ready to dig up anything related to Veronica Fontana and include her - there was a barely missed court hearing where Veronica would have been able to sue the man's ass for everything he was worth, but this never happened as the man finally decided that maybe it was time to take on a tiny bit of responsibility.

But does Squalo know about his father and his half-siblings?

Yes.

Once in the Varia he was sent on a mission in Argentina and that was where he met his bio dad.

The meeting did NOT go well.

Livio: I WISH YOUR MOTHER ABORTED YOU, YOU RUINED MY LIFE.

Squalo: WELL GOOD RIDDANCE, MY MOTHER DESERVES WAY BETTER THAN A COWARD LIKE YOU.

Etc etc.

The half-siblings kind of apologised and whilst Squalo does not feel any bond with them, he doesn't hold any grudge against them. They occasionally write each other.

There was actually a moment where Livio Superbi tried to come back when his father passed away suddenly of cancer and he wanted some of the inheritance, but he was presented with the papers detailing that he had been disowned and cut off from the family and so he never tried anything after this.

This is what I have. Thoughts?

Squalo's daddy issues and overcompensation

Now, because of all of this, I think Squalo has quite a few daddy issues. He didn't grow up with a father and his mother has been unwilling to find a father figure for him - in her words "your father was a piece of trash, you are growing up just fine with me only, why would you need a father anyway?"

Which means that Squalo really didn't have any male figure to relate to directly. Yes, he has an uncle and and a grandpa, but they would not see him as a son.

Though he has accidentally called Romario "dad" a few times, whilst hanging out with Dino.

Dino is notoriously the guy who grew up without a mother, Squalo is definitely a guy who grew up without a father.

Which also brings me to think that his daddy issues are what is bringing Squalo to follow men with ambition. And also, given the whole background, Squalo has also an idea of loyalty that is ABSOLUTE.

Which also brings up OVERCOMPENSATION. Because Squalo does feel like a perfectionist in all ways and he may feel lacking in something, then he has to compensate elsewhere to bring the metaphorical balance he has in his head in perfect equilibrium.

This is good when everything is going well, but when things go south it's an absolute debacle.

And this is what I think. Any thoughts?

So, I've been reading the first part of GeminiWillow / @somereaderinblue's Purple Hyacinth AU, Part the First, Hush, little baby (don't say a word). I, of course, have been getting emotionally devastated by it. (The AU is that Tesla is born with Knives and Vash was the first Independent Plant and suffers Tesla's canonical fate. Also, Rem and Luida have switched roles, Ship 3 and Ship 5 switch roles. Also, from reading tidbits on their tumblr, it seems that Livio/Razlo are going to be the "Wolfwood" for Tesla). I brainstormed a bit of it with them, having seen their proposal and sharing ideas. This is NOT a co-write. I'm just eager to see where it goes. Now, one thing I have noticed when reading Hush little baby is that there is a LOT of obvious inspiration from two chapters of my own long WIP (Rem Lives AU), Survivor's Guilt - Chapters 6 and 7 specifically, which are flashback-chapters to the Tesla situation. PH-author drew the surnames of SEEDS-crew from my fic, which they thought were canonical. (I corrected them and anyone who reads comments on that. I nicked the names from The SCP Foundation as a reference to another media with morally dubious scientists). There are other similarities, as in, a lot of inspiration from my fic, as well as some things I've seen in other people's fics there (that handle Tesla), as applied to Vash. There are some unique things in there, too (like, now I'm kind of kicking myself for not even thinking of having Tesla share dreams with the dependent Plant-sisters like Vash does, but it would have made my chapters too long and my story was Rem-centric / firmly in her POV even as it was third-person). I kept thinking about why I am very chill regarding people borrowing some ideas and a bit of style from my fanfictions.

Well, first of all, it's because we're all writing fanfiction - simply put. We aren't being entirely original here, as we are expanding upon a source-material that we don't own the copyright to. Also, we are limited in scope because of said source material. Second is an experience I had about 2 years ago in another fandom. There was someone whom I was doing some fic-collaboration with because we mutually had some OCs we admired - like "Can I use your OC in a fic as a cameo-mention?" and so forth. It was pretty common in the teeny, tiny sub-fandom of a big fandom I'd found myself in because said tiny sub-fandom were for a bunch of literal clone / cult-survivor mook characters who did not canonically even have names let alone individual backstories and could be shaped to fan-creator's wills in the aftermath of the canon on the premise that they'd finally gained their freedom. It was pretty much "Instant OCs, just add imagination" without running into the messiness of self-inserts / "sonas." This tiny sub-fandom also started doing pretty much a collective fanon regarding the culture that these types of characters would develop and what they had in their former lives as soldiers. I wound up on a Discord for this sub-fandom and its fanons and I introduced the concept of roleplay to it, but the person who ran the Discord was obviously uninterested, so they made a separate Discord for it and set up a few folders and moderators. Problem was, I was made one of the Mods without knowing much of dip about Discord's functions and the person who'd set it up set up a bunch of folders based upon one popular fanficcer's locales, probably without their permission. In addition to this, I'd wanted to do a roleplay-story with one other person, but borrowing some of said fanficcer's ideas. I contacted them privately and discussed what was allowed and what was off-limits and proceeded. I had apparently misread some of it, because before I knew it, I had this person I'd once collaborated with roaring out the gate that I was plagiarising them, using things without permission and they also were upset over the folder-locale names (and didn't seem to want to listen to me when I told them I was not responsible for those, but they were besties with the forum creator, so I think I got scapegoated). It coincided with me being once a very admired fanficcer in the fandom to being "that person on the forum who became the friend that nobody liked." I got into it with another person, and I could just feel the tension, like, my neurodivergence done got me again and I didn't understand how to human, so multiple people were annoyed with me. I spiraled out of control - I'm bipolar, so I'm shit on the best of days, but this sent me into a full manic episode. I unfortunately lost my shit on a lot of people, which basically made absolutely no one want to listen to my side of it when I tried to explain that I had not, in fact, plagiarised and had simply made some permission-mistakes on something that wasn't even a public fanfic but was a two-person roleplay tucked away on a private discord that was never going to become a fanfic. Paranoia-person who was all "wounded lamb, she plagiarised me!" (over a mistake I thought we'd discussed and worked out) turned the ENTIRE tiny-subfandom against me, plus the greater side of the fandom it had originally shot off from. This included someone who was not previously involved but who ran another popular Discord doing a public tumblr callout post telling the entire fandom not to interact with me anymore. This lead to me becoming suicidal. I had lost an entire friend-group and then-some. Long story short, I'm not paranoid and have determined myself not to be a bitch. If someone in my fandoms likes some of what I am doing, as long as it's not copy-paste, they are free to borrow some stuff from me. You can borrow some of my ideas and style, as long as you add your own flair to it. I don't want to hurt anyone like others have hurt me.

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It’s time for our weekly Diamond Comics Shipping List! Check out some great titles IDW has in store for us next week like Transformers, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, My Little Pony, Spider-Man, Star Trek, and more! All coming your way for June 12th!

TRANSFORMERS #7

Brian Ruckley (A) Cachet Whitman (CVR A) Christian Ward (CVR B) Livio Ramondelli

When another body shows up, Chromia and Prowl feel the pressure to get answers. Bumblebee, meanwhile, applies for a new job-as a bodyguard. But first, he has to impress Elita-1.

•   New story begins here! •   A brand-new era of Transformers!

TRANSFORMERS #1 (2ND PTG)

Brian Ruckley (A) Angel Hernandez, Cachet Whitman (CVR) Gabriel Rodriguez

GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #263

Larry Hama (A/CVR A) Netho Diaz (CVR B) Dan Fraga

As Cobra continues its relentless onslaught on a global scale, G.I. Joe is there to meet them in kind. It’s tyranny versus freedom-heroes and villains will rise and fall, bullets will fly, blood will spill, and who and what remains when the smoke clears is anyone’s guess! Join Living Legend Larry Hama and superstar artist Netho Diaz for another explosive adventure into the action-packed world if G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero!

AMBER BLAKE #1 (2ND PTG)

Jade Lagardère (A/CVR) Butch Guice

AMBER BLAKE #4

Jade Lagardère (A/CVR) Butch Guice

Amber Blake has finally found the person responsible for all of the pain in her life-and there’s no way she’s letting him get away again. But nothing is as it seems, and when the people closest to her betray her, she’ll have to use all of her skills to get out alive-and to get the vengeance she’s longed for.

BERKELEY BREATHED’S BLOOM COUNTY ARTIST EDITION HC

Berkeley Breathed (A/CVR) Berkeley Breathed

The Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of one of the most cherished and fondly remembered comic strips of all time showcases his art in this deluxe oversized edition. You’ve read all the strips, now see the art! This Artist’s Edition features an incredible selection of daily and Sunday comic strips, as well as a selection of sketchbook pages and drawings, published here for the very first time, each and every one scanned from the original art. The dailies are presented at the ACTUAL size drawn, and the Sundays have been slightly reduced but are still bigger and more beautiful than they have ever been presented before! This is the ULTIMATE Bloom County collection by the inimitable Berkeley Breathead!

•   Advance solicited for November release! •   Bloom County returned as a successful webcomic in 2015, with collections published annually by IDW to critical acclaim.

DISNEY COMICS AND STORIES #5

Andrea Castellan, Marco Gervasio, Tito Faraci (A) Andrea Ferraris, Marco Gervasio, Alessio Coppola (CVR) Paolo Campinoti

Three stories never-before-seen in the U.S. await you in another fun-filled issue! In “Mickey Mouse and the Hydrophilic Monsters,” Mickey and Goofy encounter plant life like they-or you-have never seen before! Then, in “Pluto and the ‘Super’ Day,” what happens when Goofy dog-sits Mickey’s beloved pup? Why, nothing less than the unexpected! Finally, in “Shhh,” Peg-Leg Pete and his accomplice encounter more than they bargained for in a robbery gone very wrong!

GLOW #2

Tini Howard (A/CVR A) Hannah Templer

Faced with foes in the forms of the Star Primas-who have real muscles and matching windbreakers-the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling are ready to prove they aren’t unskilled losers. They’re paid television actors! And it’s time to show those Star Primas that paid television actors mean business… Based on the hit Netflix series!

GOOSEBUMPS HORRORS OF THE WITCH HOUSE #2

Denton J. Tipton, Matthew Dow Smith (A/CVR A) Chris Fenoglio

Rosie thought it was bad enough having a witch as a neighbor, but now the witch is trying to take over the whole town! As their parents fall under the witch’s dark spell, it’s up to Rosie and her friends to try and save the day. And they thought algebra was hard…

GLOW #2

Tini Howard (A/CVR A) Hannah Templer

Faced with foes in the forms of the Star Primas-who have real muscles and matching windbreakers-the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling are ready to prove they aren’t unskilled losers. They’re paid television actors! And it’s time to show those Star Primas that paid television actors mean business… Based on the hit Netflix series!

GRAVE TP

Dan Fraga (A/CVR) Dan Fraga

ADVANCE SOLICITED FOR APRIL RELEASE! For fans of coming-of-age stories similar to Stephen King’s The Body; the movie based on it, Stand By Me; IT; Stranger Things; and E.T. Drawn one panel per day over a year, follow the story of three boys who discover a shallow grave while on a weekend camping trip. But that’s just where the mystery begins. The unexpected find reveals a cigar box containing seven mysterious items: a knife, a coin, a pocket watch, a rare baseball card, a gold ring, a silver spoon, and a strange manga comic. How are these items connected? Whose body lies buried? Find out in this once in a lifetime tale of friendship, mystery, suspense, and growing up.

MARVEL ACTION SPIDER-MAN #5

Erik Burnham (A/CVR A) Christopher Jones

Now that Peter, Miles, and Gwen have joined forces, nothing can stop them! Except maybe for homework and an internship at the Daily Bugle. Not to mention being stalked by a most dangerous foe… Kraven the Hunter! All-new web-slinging action in the Mighty Marvel Manner! This exciting new story arc features the Marvel Action debut of Kraven the Hunter! Variant cover by Marvel Action: Black Panther artist Juan Samu!

MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #78

Katie Cook, Andy Price (A/CVR A) Andy Price

The thrilling conclusion to the “Cosmos” story arc is here! With the most powerful ponies in Equestria under Cosmos’ control, do the remaining ponies stand a chance? And whose side will Discord take? Don’t miss the end of what might be Katie Cook and Andy Price’s finest MLP story yet!

MY LITTLE PONY TO WHERE AND BACK AGAIN GN

Justin Eisinger (A/CVR) Various

Adapting the most beloved My Little Pony animated cartoon episodes to graphic novels! My Little Pony comes to bookshelves! Revisit the inhabitants of Equestria and learn about the magic that friendship brings in this adaptation of the television series’ sixth season finale! This volume adapts the two-part “To Where and Back Again” in an original graphic novel.

ROAD OF THE DEAD HIGHWAY TO HELL TP

Jonathan Maberry (A) Drew Moss (CVR) Santiperez

Advance solicited for June release! The five-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author introduces the world to the latest chapter of the zombie epic in this over-the-top wild-ride prequel to ROAD OF THE DEAD! The dead rose and are feasting on the living and a young scientist may hold the secret to a cure. Meanwhile, zombies and biker gangs want her dead, so it’s up to a bunch of losers in muscle cars and a hijacked tank to risk everything to save her.

STAR TREK Q CONFLICT #5

Scott Tipton, David Tipton (A/CVR A&B) David Messina

The contest for the ages continues as the Captains race to capture the one exotic creature that Trelane is missing from his intergalactic menagerie-a Borg Queen! But as the Godlike beings revel in the games, the crews are hatching a plan of their own. Don’t miss the penultimate issue of the biggest Star Trek crossover of all time! The crews of The Next Generation, The Original Series, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine come together to face their biggest challenge yet! Written by Star Trek: TNG: Mirror Broken scribes Scott & David Tipton!

STAR TREK VS TRANSFORMERS TP

John Barber, Mike Johnson (A) Jack Lawrence (A/CVR) Philip Murphy

When Kirk, Spock, and the entire crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise investigate problems at a remote mine, they’re met with a explosive battle between powerful warriors who change into vehicles from the 20th century! As the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons rages, it’s up to Kirk to decide-does he violate the Prime Directive and interfere in a war that’s raged for millenia? And how will the Klingons complicate the issue? It’s cartoony fun between two of the most popular science fiction franchises in the world!

•   Advance solicited for May release! •   Four decades in the making, it’s the crossover that fans have demanded! Kirk, Spock, and Autobots! •   Decepticons and Klingons! Optimus Prime and the Prime Directive!

SWAMP MONSTERS

(CVR) Iger Shop

Something’s out there in the mad, murky depths of the fear-filled, sinister swamp… some… swamp… THING is coming for you! And it’s out for mud! The terror team that brought you Zombies, Return of the Zombies, and the petrifyingly popular hit series, Haunted Horror, takes you on an excursion of evil into the dankest, lagooniest corners of your nightmares, and dredge up over 240 pages of icky, drippy, slimy, grimy beasts from the grungy bottom of the Pre-Code comics’ bog. Swamp Monsters includes a fascinating introduction by comics legend, acclaimed artist of Swamp Thing, “Swampy” Stephen Bissette!

V-WARS GOD OF DEATH ONE-SHOT

Jonathan Maberry (A) Alex Milne (CVR A) Ryan Brown

Michael Fayne was patient zero of the plague that exploded into the Vampire Wars. A cult of militant vampires wants to resurrect him. Luther Swann leads a strike team to prevent the rise of a vampire god. New York Times bestseller Jonathan Maberry returns with an all-new V-Wars tale.

Five-time Bram Stoker award-winning author Jonathan Maberry returns to his signature comic book creation in time for the new TV series starring Ian Somerhalder!

Cover and interior art features the return of Transformers: Unicron superstar artist Alex Milne! Watch for V-Wars on Netflix starring Ian Somerhalder in 2019!

  Join the IDW Hasbro Shared Universe related conversation here in our Comics Discussion and Reviews section and here for all other franchises, superheroes, or general comic book discussions! Not a member? Join our community by creating your own free account here! Or jump right into the live chat on our Discord server or our Facebook Group!

IDW Comics Shipping List for June 12th! It’s time for our weekly Diamond Comics Shipping List! Check out some great titles IDW has in store for us next week like…

P.A.T.C.H. #06: "Life After the Big Bang"

There’s a common rule of thumb when it comes to comics: you can jump in when you see a new #1 on the cover. If not, be wary –you’re not gonna get it, you’ve skipped episodes, you’re missing out. Well, you know what? Nuts to that! We here at P.A.T.C.H. like to stick it to common sense and provide a halfway decent explanation for it! So here we are, presenting a story from possibly the most popular “Transformers” comics title ever that is not a number 1 and provides a satisfying, complete story with connections to more! Enjoy! ... No, seriously, did it take us that long to talk MTMTE?!

“LIFE AFTER THE BIG BANG”

“The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye” #4-5 (2012)/ “Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye” Volume 2

Written by James Roberts, pencils by Alex Milne, colors by Josh Burcham, letters by Shawn Lee The amazing sogn for this wondrous edition of P.A.T.C.H.: https://youtu.be/tvqlt7OWTOk https://open.spotify.com/track/4p82pfEa4cayPqXLN6Rhzm

SO WHAT’S IT ABOUT? After receiving a cryptic, worrisome message, Autobot medic Ratchet, turncoat Autobot Drift and bad luck magnet Pipes land on the medical outpost of Delphi on the planet Messatine to investigate. Faced with a motley crew of doctors and patients and a deadly epidemic, our heroes have to rush both against unexpected enemies and their own worsening health... Oh, and Tailgate and Red Alert aren’t doing so hot on the ship, either. WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW? The opening blurbs mostly fill you in on everything: the recent end of the Autobot-Decepticon War, the proposal to search for the fabled Knights of Cybertron (“Death of Optimus Prime” one-shot), the open invitation by captain Rodimus into the starship “Lost Light” and its disastrous launch (“More Than Meets the Eye” #1). Other than that, the rest are character threads picked up from previous issues of the series and can be ignored for now, to focus on the stand-alone nature of the thing. Still, let’s go over some major ones. In terms of pre-existing character development, the most pressing issue would be Drift’s dramatic arc(s). Although he first appeared in “All Hail Megatron” #5, he already had a pretty long history behind him, mostly outlined in the first “Drift” mini-series. In those four issues (written by Shane McCarthy, penciled by Alex Milne, colored by Josh Perez and lettered by Chris Mowry), it was revealed that Drift started out as destitute and homeless before the War, and so the Decepticon vision of equality appealed to him greatly. (Not to mention giving him an outlet for his pent-up rage.) He was renamed “Deadlock” and garnered a reputation of cruelty and efficiency. That is, until a disobedience episode, an escape attempt and a brief stint with the Circle of Light, a group of pacifist warrior-scholars, changed that. Following that, he bumped into the Wreckers (“Spotlight: Drift”, written by Shane McCarthy, penciled by Casey Coller, colored by Joana Lafuente and lettered by Chris Mowry) and started associating with the Autobots, with whom he stayed for the next few years, up to the second confrontation with the Dead Universe forces (“Chaos”, written by Mike Costa and James Roberts, with art by Livio Ramondelli and letters by Chris Mowry, which we’ve briefly talked about here). One near-death experience later, he emerged as a cheerful spiritualist, much to one famous medic’s annoyance. Just this once, Ratchet’s wrong –this latest rendition of the character is one of his most popular ones, and even if you’re not interested in his pre-history, you can go by what is said about him easily. Though Tailgate is (rather famously) one of the breakout stars of the series, it’s not he who has the more extensive history, but his roomie Cyclonus. An ancient warrior and comrade of deranged megalomaniac Nem-, excuse me, completely stable individual Nova Prime’s, he was an undead creature under the sway of the Dead Universe for a long time (“Revelation”, written by Simon Furman and drawn by various artists). He later joined fellow Golden Age survivor Galvatron and his reformed army against Cybertron (“Chaos” and “Heart of Darkness”... I think so, at least). Following the betrayal of his commander for the love of his home planet, he joined the “Lost Light” after a misunderstanding (and beating up Whirl, but that’s perfectly normal). He’s been warned at least one on his violent tendencies by Rodimus and has expressed his doubts over the entire War; can he really make a fresh start with these people? Finally, and although that could be considered a bit of a spoiler, certain details –locations, characters, even phrases– first appeared or were mentioned in “Last Stand of the Wreckers”, and specifically its trade paperback editions. Click here to get there immediately and (hopefully) get a few good reasons to check out the book yourselves! WHERE DO I GO FROM THERE? To all of “More Than Meets the Eye”, obviously! These two issues, apart from being stand-alone, plant the seeds for so much more down the road, it’s dizzying! Keep up with the series, where all the characters mentioned here receive further development, and when you’re done, be sure to jump in on “Lost Light”, its continuation. If, however, you want to go to specific arcs from the first season of the series based on individual elements (most by the same team as this issue), I’d suggest “Shadowplay” (issues #7-9 or Volume 3) for Ratchet’s past with Drift (and Red Alert’s troubles), “Remain in Light” (#17-21 or Volume 5) for the comeback of Ratchet’s antagonist, “Before and After” and “Cybertronian Homesick Blues” (#12 and #13, both in Volume 4) for Cyclonus and Tailgate’s continuing development and “Under Cold Blue Stars” (issue #15 or Volume 4) for Pipes’ shining moment. Reader discretion is advised: at least one of these stories is known to cause intense pain in the feels. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. Finally, make sure to pick up the dual 2012 Annuals for “More Than Meets The Eye” and “Robots in Disguise” (both contained in Volume 3 of their respective trade collections). Both are split in two. One half of their stories are the adventures of the present cast interacting with a Titan, a huge Transformer from the distant past. The other half, drawn by artist Guido Guidi (who also colors his work) in the style of the old Marvel “Transformers” series (as well as various “cosmic”, high sci-fi titles of the publisher), provides added world-building and backstory for the entire universe. While seemingly unrelated, the origin stories explain a few holes in the pasts of key characters (Cyclonus was young once?! And he knew Dai Atlas, too?!) and become vital later on, especially in the finale of “Lost Light”. IS IT ANY GOOD? It was a satisfying mystery that showcased how unique this world and its characters are. It featured the evolution of a true master artist. It introduced about a trillion things in 44 pages. It provided us with proof that Ratchet is, and shall forever be, one of the greatest things we have ever produced in this miserable world. WAIT, WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY ANYTHING ABOUT DRIFT?! Oh yeah, he’s there, too! Did I forget that? Never mind, song, playlist, go!

AND YOU THINK YOU'VE FIGURED OUT EVERYTHING | PLOT AND DIALOGUE While the format of this story isn’t unfamiliar, even for this feature (this is our third mystery, after “Windblade” and “Punishment”), what separates this one is how dense it is. Within the first three pages of the story, we’re introduced to three characters, one location and an impending threat, all unrelated to the main cast so far. Various techniques –unreliable journal narration, dialogue insertion, two-page spread– are mixed to give everyone as much character as possible and make everyone suspect for what’s going on. And the onslaught of detail doesn’t stop there. This is the kind of story that would’ve been impossible with any other type of property, even a sci-fi one: the very idea of transformation is integral to how it works. Alt-mode details, in-universe cultural views, even having the ability to change shape are used both as world-building and clues for the mystery. This is the kind of story that makes the casual, vaguely interested reader into a devotee and forces them to go back and reread it to get all the foreshadowing. This applies to the dialogue, too. Roberts’ language, which we’ve seen before here, has been praised as snappy and quotable (Ratchet and Drift here, full stop), but it also shows a deep appreciation for all “Transformers” lore. The famous joke on the best names being taken, for example? Done at the expense of an obscure character from a previous generation reusing the name “Prowl”. If there’s one downside to all that, it’s that some scene transitions can be a little clumsy (Red Alert’s scenes, though important for later, come a bit out of left field), but it’s a small price to pay for the excellence on display.

Hark! What is that I see? A vessel is leaving the port! The sirens of the “S. S. Dratchet” are blaring! All aboard! FEELING SPACED BREATHING OUT LISTERINE | ART And speaking of excellence, the team of Alex Milne and Josh Burcham are on fire here. The amount of detail, fluidity and expressiveness on all pre-existing characters is incredible, but the new designs are a triumph on their own. Most will be distracted by Pharma (I know I was!), but it’s Ambulon’s story-important form that’s the real star here. In general, however, there’s incredible synergy between the art and the story. Background details (First Aid’s badge collection) and actions (again, First Aid’s fiddling in the second issue) are as important as anything else to solve the mystery, so make sure you read slowly and pay attention. In general, Milne’s able to pack an incredible amount of information into very tight pages. The best example is probably Drift attacking another character and transforming in a single, enlarged panel and a few mini, inserted ones. Lastly, the backgrounds need to be highlighted. The arrival to the outpost and the climax excluded, all scenes are set indoors, but the art doesn’t feel constrained by them. Instead, it has two different approaches to interior spaces. Everything in Delphi looks used, dented, past its prime –even the very walls feel grimy. This makes it the polar opposite to the brightly lit, spacey rooms of the “Lost Light”, full of inviting light blues and pinks (the violent outburst in Cyclonus’ room is the exception). Burcham’s richly textured work favors faded browns, sickly greens and rusted reds –the liquid of the mysterious disease looks eerily much like blood. Two flashback-montage sequences (Tailgate’s narration and the final explanation for the outbreak of the epidemic) are much freer in panel construction and dreamier in color pallet, but are once again tight and informative. Add to this some splashes of robo-gore and the unobtrusive lettering (Pharma’s silent speech bubble and use of a laser scalpel is another small miracle) and this is an artistic five-course meal.

Pssst. Nobody tell Pipes “corpse-pile” isn’t an actual game. Let him figure it out on his own. YOU'D KILLED THE BETTER PART OF ME | CHARACTERS AND THEMES But, if you’ll let me get personal for a moment, despite all the above gushing, my favorite element in this story is still its protagonist. Ratchet’s arc in IDW has been one defined by his old age, not a unique element in the franchise –same goes for his “Animated” and “Prime” incarnations, after all. Where this medic separates himself, however, is how he’s tied to the larger themes of reconstruction and moral grayness. The characters of this universe are no strangers to morally questionable actions –we have already seen one such early demonstration from the Autobots on this feature–, but the culprit behind the Delphi disease really takes the cake. He claims all sorts of survivalist justifications for his criminal actions, but the one that rubs the worst are his similarities to Ratchet –he calls attention to them to buy time and out of a need to show off, in traditional “baddie” fashion. And that hurts. After all the effort to end the war, there’s still rot, (literal and figurative) disease and evil. How long can anyone hold onto their ideals in such a world? Won’t these ideals be corrupted, sooner or later? Why not just copy the bad guy’s tactics? If such violence is justified, why not snap and kill the bastard already? Why remain selfless and sacrificial –isn’t it tiring? The villain’s charm and Ratchet’s moral dilemma play off of each other wonderfully through Roberts’ snarky dialogue, and the final stinger remains uncomfortable. In the b-plot, this theme is further emphasized with Tailgate and Cyclonus’ scenes, where the senior bot berates the younger one on choosing a faction knowing little of their world. The younger characters introduced do offer another view –that there can be hope for the future-, so there really is no final closure offered. Instead, I wish to end this paragraph with the words of another great author: “Life persists”.

Even beaten down, rusting from the inside out and minutes before death, Ratchet is still cooler and more presentable than all of us at our best. BUT I CAN'T STILL FOCUS ON ANYTHING | FINAL THOUGHTS While reading this story again for this feature, I had flashes of my first time reading it a few years back. At that point, I hadn’t been completely sold on “Transformers”, but processing the facts and the details and the character beats here, I started seeing that there was something great about them. “More Than Meets the Eye” is a special book, the perfect gateway to a rich, complex, beautiful universe and introduced me to one of my faves. This wasn’t the story that blew me away (that might come up later), but it definitely was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

The Turett Collaborative New York City Studio

The Turett Collaborative Architects, TTC New York Design Studio, Buildings Pictures, NY Office Designs

The Turett Collaborative New York City Studio Architects

Contemporary Manhattan Architect Practice, NYC, USA

January 14, 2022

The Turett Collaborative New York City Studio Architects News

LOT-EK Architecture News

Award-Winning, Sustainably-Minded Architecture Firm, The Turett Collaborative, Looks to Future Growth with Addition of Two New Partners 

Left to Right – James Saisakorn, Wayne Turett, Alex Nizhikhovskiy, Jessica Shaw, and Simeon Seigel of TTC:

The Turett Collaborative (TTC), an award-winning architecture and interiors firm founded in 1991 by Wayne Turett, has named two new partners: James Saisakorn, RA, and Aleksandr Nizhikhovskiy, RA. Alongside Turett, Director of Interior Design Jessica Shaw, and Partner Simeon Seigel, RA (pictured above), the new partners will lead the firm’s growth into new markets, emerging technologies, and evolving aesthetics.

Leading with special regard for health, wellness, community, and preservation, TTC is known for its collaborative, client-focused, and sustainably-minded approach to design. Whether it be new construction, renovations, or restorations, the firm offers an all-encompassing approach to sustainable living, with the ultimate goal of building and designing deeply thoughtful, visionary, accessible, and exceptional environments that are made to last.

Alongside dozens of celebrated Manhattan townhomes, apartments, and multifamily residences, TTC has pioneered notable projects spanning decades, from Newsbar in the 90s (Manhattan’s first coffee bar/retail hybrid) to the recent Greenport Passive House (an award-winning net-zero all-electric home) and Civic Hall (a one-of-a-kind technology hub for the world’s civic innovators).

“We are thrilled to welcome James and Aleksandr to the partnership,” says Turett. “Together they will strengthen our identity as a firm and our commitment to collaboration, sustainability, and inventiveness. Collectively bringing a variety of distinctly valuable expertise, passions, and capabilities to the table, this next generation will continue to provide clients with innovative design and a future-forward perspective.”

James Saisakorn, RA, Partner

James Saisakorn joined TTC in 2004, bringing to the firm both a deep passion for design and love of craft. After studying architecture in Switzerland at the Ecole Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL) under the tutelage of the late Luigi Snozzi, a leader of the Ticino school of architecture that included fellow esteemed Swiss architects Mario Botta, Aurelio Galfetti, and Livio Vacchini, he returned to complete his Bachelor of Architecture with a double major in French from Carnegie Mellon University in 1996.

Notably, his past work on energy-efficient and green building design contributed to the production and publication of the 1996 Building Design Manual for the Pennsylvania Energy Code. Saisakorn’s understanding of construction, coupled with his extensive knowledge of municipal codes, landmarks, and zoning has helped to guide many of the firm’s projects from the kernel of an idea to their ultimate completion.

James has applied his expertise to many residential, commercial, and institutional projects throughout the years – from highly detailed residential projects for private clients to larger, more complex commercial projects. With a long-held appreciation for brutalist architecture, he currently resides in Manhattan and is an avid world traveler. As a native of Chicago, James’ inspiration and fascination with modern architecture from an early age led him to where he is today.

Alex Nizhikhovskiy, RA, Partner

With a passion for mentorship and education, Alex Nizhikhovskiy has been a member of the TTC team for over eight years. Alex is a licensed architect in the state of New York, with a Master in Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Spitzer School of Architecture at the City College of New York, where he was recognized with the AIA Henry Adams Medal.

He previously spent five years as a Junior Designer at Montoya-Rodriguez Architects + Planners, where he focused on public projects, primarily public schools, and other educational buildings. Alex now manages Turett’s numerous private residential projects, with a particular affinity for client collaboration and mentoring junior staff. Outside of the practice, Alex mentors students and sits on design juries at his alma mater, the Spitzer School of Architecture. Raised in New York City and now residing in Brooklyn, Alex has a deep connection with and passion for the city – preserving and celebrating its past, while designing for its ever-evolving future.

Upper Manhattan Multi-family Project Rendering of Front Facade:

The TTC partners have been hard at work collaborating on a variety of exciting projects, in both commercial and residential spaces, including the multi-family residence rendering shown above. The dedication and exceptional work for which TTC is known will only continue to be strengthened by the expertise of Saisakorn and Nizhikhovskiy. Over the past decade-plus, the firm’s new partners have demonstrated their commitment to excellence through various accomplishments and experiences, both within the practice and elsewhere. Wayne Turett and The Turett Collaborative as a whole look forward to a future of growth and enhanced expertise brought by the new partners.

About Wayne Turett & The Turett Collaborative

The Turett Collaborative is a multidisciplinary architecture and interior design practice founded in 1991 by architect Wayne Turett. He and the firm are known for elegant and surprising design solutions that stem from a deep understanding of the needs of owners, businesses, and developers.

The firm’s design process engages clients in a collaborative search for design expression, technical resolution, and enduring value. TTC’s work includes not only architectural and interior design, but also graphic, industrial, and furniture design as well, having completed dozens of notable commercial, residential, retail, and restaurant projects in all of these varied disciplines. The firm’s breadth of work runs the gamut from interior renovations and additions to both historic and modern properties to ground-up new construction.

Upper Manhattan Multi-family Project

The Turett Collaborative is currently developing a seven-story, multi-family residential building of approximately 33 apartments, and 60,000 square feet in upper Manhattan. TTC is prioritizing the integration of natural elements and biophilia as components of the design.

The building will offer a multitude of tenant-focused amenities centered around community building and the enrichment of life lived at home, including a shared workspace, gymnasium, conference rooms, library, children’s play area, and a landscaped roof terrace and garden. Additional amenities will help to facilitate the shift from the workplace to work from home. The Turett team will pay particular focus to sustainability and quality of life through material choice, energy efficiency, and clean air ventilation throughout the building.

Older building designs by this NYC studio on e-architect:

13 Leroy Street Town House, New York City, NY, USA Leroy Street Town House

East 61st Street Town House, New York City, NY, USA East 61st Street Town House

More buildings by The Turett Collaborative New York City Architects online very soon

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277 Fifth Avenue, NoMad, NYC Architects: Rafael Viñoly rendering : THREE MARKS 277 Fifth Avenue Building

550 Madison Architects: Snøhetta photo © Snøhetta and MOARE 550 Madison in New York City

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Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, from Math 121 Clark Univ.

[Feynman] "Do you know calculus?"

[Wouk] "I admitted that I didn't"

[Feynman] "You had better learn it...It's the language God talks."

Herman Wouk, converstion with Richard Feynman in The Language God Talks, p.5

"What is your number?" My grandson, Gabriel (age 2), on meeting someone.

"If you ask how such things can occur, seek the answer in God’s grace, not in doctrine; in the longing of the will, not in the understanding; in the sighs of prayer, not in research; seek the bridegroom not the teacher; God and not man " St. Bonaventure, The Journey of the Mind to God.

IS REALITY ALTOGETHER MATHEMATICAL?

In his very fine book, Is God a Mathematician?, Mario Livio gives a good history of mathematics and its foundational applications to science.  He also discusses whether mathematics is a Platonic ideal or is a construction of the human mind -- i.e. is mathematics "discovered" or "invented"? But he does not address the question posed in his title, which I propose to do in this post.  I'll also discuss some related arguments by physicists and philosophers that reality is mathematics (see references).

Now it goes without saying (although I will say it), that if God is omniscient, he knows everything and therefore, perforce, must know all mathematics. These propositions do not, however, require that reality is altogether mathematical, as suggested by Max Tegmark in his book, Our Mathematical Universe.  If reality is altogether mathematical, then everything can be quantified, represented by numbers or properties that can put into correspondence with numbers.  Is this so?

I invite the reader to suggest things that cannot be quantified by numbers.  Here's my list of a few such:

self-awareness, consciousness ("Cogito, ergo sum")

moments of communion with God, The Holy Spirit, Jesus

love of another

shame

anger

pain

happiness

joy

feelings aroused by nature

feelings aroused by music

feelings aroused by intellectual discovery

the literary excellence of a poem, a short story, a novel

boredom on reading blog posts dealing with the reality of mathematics

etc...

Now psychologists might say that most, if not all of the above can be quantified: just use the simple 1-5 scale as, in satisfaction response surveys. I claim that, unlike measuring the mass of a steel ball or its radius, such a procedure would not yield a universal measurement -- one person's "2" might well be another person's "4".  The qualia referred to in the above items are non-quantifiable, in the sense that a universally applicable measurement cannot be applied.

Let's explore just one of the above in more detail--feelings aroused by music.  In another post, God's Gift to Man -- the Transforming Power of Music, I've discussed the emotional and spiritual impact music has had on me, an effect which cannot be explained by mathematical relationships. The Pythagorean harmonies have no place in the dissonances of Bartok, Berlioz or even Mozart (Symphony #40, the Great G - Minor.

The inability of computation -- mathematics -- to emulate musical creativity is illustrated in a science-fiction story by James Blish, "A Work of Art".  In this tale "mind sculptors" of the future install a recreation of Richard Strauss in a non-musical volunteer.   The volunteer thinks of himself as a resurrected Strauss, composes an opera, and then realizes it uses old musical devices and is not creative.  At the concert in which the work is premiered, the volunteer knows that the resounding applause is for the mind sculptors, not for his musical work.

I AM NOT A NUMBER!" (Number 6, in "The Prisoner")

Let's turn to consciousness/self-awareness as an attribute of mathematical reality. Is the brain a "meat computer"-- can consciousness/self-awareness be programmed? In other words, does the self-aware brain operate by algorithms?  

The eminent mathematical physicist, Roger Penrose, has said no to this proposition in three books: "The Emperor's New Mind", "Shadows of the Mind", and "The Large, the Small, and Human Consciousness".  Penrose demonstrates, using Godel's Incompleteness Theorem and Turing's Halting Theorem, that the human can know the truth of a mathematical theorem even when a computer can not.

In "Shadows of the Mind" he gives four types of belief or non-belief in the possibility of Artificial Intelligence (AI), that self-aware intelligence can be programmed by some set of algorithms:

Consciousness is reducible to computation (the view of strong - AI proponents);

Consciousness can be simulated by a computer, but the simulation couldn't produce "real understanding" (John Searle's view);

Consciousness can't even be simulated by computer, but nevertheless has a scientific explanation (Penrose's own view)

Consciousness doesn't have a scientific explanation at all (the view of Thomas Nagel --see Mind and Cosmos)

Penrose is looking to a theory of quantum gravity to explain consciousness, The philosopher John Searle posits, as does Penrose, that consciousness has a scientific explanation , but that it will be an explanation in which consciousness is an "emergent" property of the brain's biochemistry and biophysics, much as wetness can be explained by theories of surface tension for water.  I have discussed Nagel's views (with links to other discussions) in the post which is linked to above.

A quantum computer (i.e. a scientist engaged in quantum computation), Scott Aaronson, has given an amusing and almost-convincing critique of Penrose's thesis in one of his Physics Lectures.  Some of his criticisms can be answered, particularly the one dealing with the Libet experiment, but I don't propose to engage that discussion here.  The critique relies primarily on two features: the activities of the mind are finite, not infinite; a computer which would be allowed to make mistakes would not be bound by Goedel's Theorem.

Finally, note that Max Tegmark does not show in "Our Mathematical Universe" how consciousness can be explained as a mathematical phenomenon.  He claims that this will be done in the future, but that seems to me very much like a scientism of the gaps.

IS MATHEMATICS QUASI-EMPIRICAL?

If mathematics (maybe I should upper-case that?) is to be the end - all and be - all of what is, then it seems reasonable to suppose that mathematics is complete in itself --there are no loose ends.  A primitive view of Goedel's and Turing's theorems suggest that this is not so.  The computer philosopher Gregory Chaitin reinforces this opinion in his books "The Limits of Mathematics" and "The Unknowable":

"What I think it all means is that mathematic is different from physics, but it's not that different. I think that math is quasi-empirical.  It's different from physics, but it's more a matter of degree than an all or nothing difference. I don't think mathematicians have a direct pipeline to God's thoughts, to absolute truth, while physics must always remain tentative and subject to revision [emphasis added]. Yes math is less tentative than physics, but they're both in the same boat, because they're both human activities, and to err is human." Gregory Chaitin, The Unknowable, pp 26-27

MY TAKE

I view mathematics, logic, reason as the foundations and the framework of the building in which we live.  There are essential additions--faith, religion, beauty, love, ... -- which are non-mathematical and above the bounds of logic.  As Pope St. John Paul II, said.  

"Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth — in a word, to know himself — so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves" Pope St. John Paul II, Fides et Ratio.

So my answer to the question in the title is, God is much more than a mathematician.

*I've gone back to my Jewish roots, inverted the title of a very good book, "Is God a Mathematician?" by Mario Livio, to make it a declarative sentence in form, but still a question (imagine a rising inflection at the end, as with a Yiddish or Pennsylvania Dutch accent); I've put one of the few Yiddish phrases I remember at the end.  If you don't know what "oy vey" means, I'll have to ask "what planet are you from?"

REFERENCES

Mario Livio, Is God a Mathematician?

Roger Penrose, The Large, the Small and Human Consciousness

John Searle, Minds, Brains and Programs.

Max Tegmark, Our Mathematical Universe.

Herman Wouk, The Language God Talks.

From a series of articles written by: Bob Kurland - a Catholic Scientist

Ford is officially debuting its fully electric crossover SUV on Saturday, November 17 – but we got a look at the new Mach-E (which was just officially named yesterday) a couple of days early. The leak comes from Ford’s own website, as screenshotted for posterity by Jalopnick, and includes photos of most angles of the car, including the interior, as well as pricing and configuration details for the model variants available at launch.

The Mach-E will start at $43,895 U.S., before any state or tax incentives are applied (and that turns into $36,395 once you apply the maximum $7,5000 Federal tax credit). The ‘Select’ trim Mach-E as configured at that price gets you 230 EPA-rated miles of range, either AWD or RWD (which presumably alters the price) and a 0-60MPH time in the mid 5-second range.

Next up is the ‘Premium’ trim at starting at $50,600, again offering an AWD or RWD option, with 300 miles of estimated EPA-rated range, and that same mid 5-second 0-60MPH time. The ‘California Route 1’ model above that comes in only AWD, has that longer 300 miles of EPA range, and promises a mid 6-second 0-60MPH time. It’s a bit slower off the jump, but it’s “named for its cruise-worthy engineering,” so presumably it’s got a more luxe interior for long-distance highway scenic drives.

Next up is a $59,900 ‘First Edition,’ which will be in limited availability and only at launch for the first batch of customers to reserve. It’s got AWD, a range of around 270 miles, a mid 5-second 0-60MPH time and exclusive exterior color options, special scuff plates, brushed aluminum pedals and red brake callipers, as well as contrast-coloured interior stitching. There’s a GT edition at the top end, with an MSRP starting at $60,500, that will manage to get a 0-60MPH time in the mid 3-second range, so that’s clearly the peak performance options for thrill-seekers. Estimated EPA range on that one is around 230 miles.

In terms of looks, the Mustang Mach-E’s design won’t be a surprise to anyone who’s seen the camouflaged spy shots, or the teaser peeks officially released by Ford. It’s definitely got Mustang vibes, and looks a bit like a Mustang that has been lifted up with paneling extended down towards the road. It looks like a panorama roof is an option, and that hatchback will probably please a lot of small SUV fans. There’s also something funky going on with the door handles – the front ones appear very small and near the base of the door windows, while I’m not sure how exactly it works on the rear passenger doors based on these photos.

There’s also a panoramic sunroof at least as an option, and you can see the interior looks pretty blatantly Tesla-inspired, with a large vertical touchscreen taking up most of the center of the dash – albeit with something that looks like a large physical dial right at the base, instead of going for fully touch-only input. A second digital display appears to replace the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel.

Ford has since taken this down, since it’s hosting a splashy event on Saturday with Idris Elba in LA for the full official reveal. TechCrunch will be on site to bring you more photos and details around availability, customization options and more on the day. social experiment by Livio Acerbo #greengroundit #techcrunch http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/0o2g4TEIQG0/

Ford’s Mustang Mach-E all-electric SUV revealed in leaked photos, prices and configurations Ford is officially debuting its fully electric crossover SUV on Saturday, November 17 – but we got a look at the new Mach-E (which was just officially named yesterday) a couple of days early.

Chiswick W4: Hearing Well - Putting Patients First

Rakhi and Deepak Jagota Award-winning audiologist Deepak Jagota is spreading the joy of better hearing Three years ago audiologist Deepak Jagota launched Hearing Well in Chiswick. Since then, personal, tailored service has been at the heart of his popular practice. That commitment was recently recognised when he won Hounslow Chamber of Commerce’s Commended Award for Best Business for Customer Service 2018. ‘I’m passionate about looking after my patients, so that borough-wide accolade was a wonderful surprise, particularly since the competition was very tough,’ says Deepak. ‘I’m always happy to allocate as much time as necessary for each patient. It’s not a conveyor belt. For example, if an elderly person needs longer to chat to me, that’s never a problem. Equally important, I give everyone a thorough long-term aftercare package which includes a “F1 pitstop” every six months.’ Deepak provides a comprehensive range of audiology services, from conducting hearing tests and prescribing hearing aids to tinnitus advice. ‘I’ve invested in high quality testing equipment and, as an independent audiologist, I’m able to choose the best solution for each patient from all the leading manufacturers. Also, if a particular device isn’t quite working out, I can suggest an excellent alternative. That level of flexibility also applies to the cost and cosmetic appearance of the hearing aid.’ The audiology industry is evolving rapidly and Deepak takes great care to keep up-to-date with cutting-edge technology. This month he attended the launch of the new Livio AI hearing aid made by Starkey. ‘Livio AI represents a revolutionary breakthroughin the market,’ he explains. ‘As well as offering superior sound quality, it has sensors that will alert a nominated contact if the wearer has a fall. In addition, it is able to track movement during exercise and can even translate languages in real time. Sometimes I feel like Q from James Bond when I’m explaining what I can do for patients! ‘It is so satisfying to be able to help people to hear better. Life is just too short to put up with something that reduces the simple joy of connecting with others.’ Hearing Well 50 Chiswick High Road, Chiswick W4 1SZ +442089946966 [email protected] https://www.hearingwell.co.uk https://twitter.com/HearingWellLtd https://www.facebook.com/hearingwelluk/ https://www.instagram.com/hearingwell/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP0-S08WRUPwyklgsxGPrEA Read the full article

Will Crypto Exchanges be Able to Survive The Brutal Crypto Winter?

Only the fittest will survive, or so the saying goes. This mantra does not only apply to the animal kingdom, it works in the business world also and surviving is what a lot of crypto exchanges and companies are struggling to do as the bear market enters its second year.

Global Expansion Success For Huobi

The larger crypto exchanges have a better chance of weathering the storm. Downsizing may be inevitable but their large client base should keep them afloat until the crypto winter abates and markets turn around again. Huobi is one of the big players but it has gone from awarding its senior executives multi-million dollar bonuses in Bitcoin to axing staff a year later.

According to the SCMP Beijing based Huobi Group is still turning a profit despite trade volume shrinking to a tenth of what it was a year ago. CEO of Huobi Global, Livio Weng Xiaoqi, said that transaction fees make up the bulk of profits adding; “We do not know how long the bear market will last, so it is still possible that we will struggle to survive. We have to plan in advance and spend money carefully.”

Huobi’s daily trade volume was well over two billion dollars a year ago, today it has shrunk to just $318 million according to Coinmarketcap. Reported volumes on exchanges vary hugely though so all figures must be eyed warily. What is indisputable though is that volumes and profits are way down along with crypto markets themselves.

Venture funding and news aggregation are loss leaders for Huobi and this is where it is making cuts while still expanding its core business. Weng added that the recent closure of its Shenzhen research subsidiary and downsizing of its Huobi Info news app has resulted in the loss of around 100 positions. Huobi still employs over 1,300 people globally however and was the top crypto exchange at one point.

Huobi’s success is its global reach, with over 70% of its customers being Chinese who live outside of China, or use VPN’s, it has access to a huge and growing market. “Our greatest advantage over competitors is that we have licenses in all major countries – we are the only one among top global exchanges,” Weng added.

Conversely Binance has pulled out of Japan and will not deal with the US due to increasing regulatory pressure a less than positive stance from the government. Huobi has operations in both of these countries and Europe where crypto to fiat trading licenses have been obtained. Its key to survival at the moment is the predominantly Asian client base which is still very hungry for crypto in spite of the ever present bears.

Image from Shutterstock

The post Will Crypto Exchanges be Able to Survive The Brutal Crypto Winter? appeared first on NewsBTC.

from Cryptocracken Tumblr http://bit.ly/2AUx85C via IFTTT

Will Crypto Exchanges be Able to Survive The Brutal Crypto Winter?

Only the fittest will survive, or so the saying goes. This mantra does not only apply to the animal kingdom, it works in the business world also and surviving is what a lot of crypto exchanges and companies are struggling to do as the bear market enters its second year.

Global Expansion Success For Huobi

The larger crypto exchanges have a better chance of weathering the storm. Downsizing may be inevitable but their large client base should keep them afloat until the crypto winter abates and markets turn around again. Huobi is one of the big players but it has gone from awarding its senior executives multi-million dollar bonuses in Bitcoin to axing staff a year later.

According to the SCMP Beijing based Huobi Group is still turning a profit despite trade volume shrinking to a tenth of what it was a year ago. CEO of Huobi Global, Livio Weng Xiaoqi, said that transaction fees make up the bulk of profits adding; “We do not know how long the bear market will last, so it is still possible that we will struggle to survive. We have to plan in advance and spend money carefully.”

Huobi’s daily trade volume was well over two billion dollars a year ago, today it has shrunk to just $318 million according to Coinmarketcap. Reported volumes on exchanges vary hugely though so all figures must be eyed warily. What is indisputable though is that volumes and profits are way down along with crypto markets themselves.

Venture funding and news aggregation are loss leaders for Huobi and this is where it is making cuts while still expanding its core business. Weng added that the recent closure of its Shenzhen research subsidiary and downsizing of its Huobi Info news app has resulted in the loss of around 100 positions. Huobi still employs over 1,300 people globally however and was the top crypto exchange at one point.

Huobi’s success is its global reach, with over 70% of its customers being Chinese who live outside of China, or use VPN’s, it has access to a huge and growing market. “Our greatest advantage over competitors is that we have licenses in all major countries – we are the only one among top global exchanges,” Weng added.

Conversely Binance has pulled out of Japan and will not deal with the US due to increasing regulatory pressure a less than positive stance from the government. Huobi has operations in both of these countries and Europe where crypto to fiat trading licenses have been obtained. Its key to survival at the moment is the predominantly Asian client base which is still very hungry for crypto in spite of the ever present bears.

Image from Shutterstock

The post Will Crypto Exchanges be Able to Survive The Brutal Crypto Winter? appeared first on NewsBTC.

from CryptoCracken SMFeed http://bit.ly/2AUx85C via IFTTT

Will Crypto Exchanges be Able to Survive The Brutal Crypto Winter?

Only the fittest will survive, or so the saying goes. This mantra does not only apply to the animal kingdom, it works in the business world also and surviving is what a lot of crypto exchanges and companies are struggling to do as the bear market enters its second year.

Global Expansion Success For Huobi

The larger crypto exchanges have a better chance of weathering the storm. Downsizing may be inevitable but their large client base should keep them afloat until the crypto winter abates and markets turn around again. Huobi is one of the big players but it has gone from awarding its senior executives multi-million dollar bonuses in Bitcoin to axing staff a year later.

According to the SCMP Beijing based Huobi Group is still turning a profit despite trade volume shrinking to a tenth of what it was a year ago. CEO of Huobi Global, Livio Weng Xiaoqi, said that transaction fees make up the bulk of profits adding; “We do not know how long the bear market will last, so it is still possible that we will struggle to survive. We have to plan in advance and spend money carefully.”

Huobi’s daily trade volume was well over two billion dollars a year ago, today it has shrunk to just $318 million according to Coinmarketcap. Reported volumes on exchanges vary hugely though so all figures must be eyed warily. What is indisputable though is that volumes and profits are way down along with crypto markets themselves.

Venture funding and news aggregation are loss leaders for Huobi and this is where it is making cuts while still expanding its core business. Weng added that the recent closure of its Shenzhen research subsidiary and downsizing of its Huobi Info news app has resulted in the loss of around 100 positions. Huobi still employs over 1,300 people globally however and was the top crypto exchange at one point.

Huobi’s success is its global reach, with over 70% of its customers being Chinese who live outside of China, or use VPN’s, it has access to a huge and growing market. “Our greatest advantage over competitors is that we have licenses in all major countries – we are the only one among top global exchanges,” Weng added.

Conversely Binance has pulled out of Japan and will not deal with the US due to increasing regulatory pressure a less than positive stance from the government. Huobi has operations in both of these countries and Europe where crypto to fiat trading licenses have been obtained. Its key to survival at the moment is the predominantly Asian client base which is still very hungry for crypto in spite of the ever present bears.

Image from Shutterstock

The post Will Crypto Exchanges be Able to Survive The Brutal Crypto Winter? appeared first on NewsBTC.

from Cryptocracken WP http://bit.ly/2AUx85C via IFTTT