Leonid Pasternak  (Ukrainian, 1862–1945) - The Torments Of Creative Work

A very beautiful image of these smiley blackfoot. It seemed everything was alright…

Photograph by Mary T. S. Schaffer in 1907.

STILL ON PATROL

I learned something new and horrifying today which is… that… no submarine is ever considered “lost” … there is apparently a tradition in the U.S. Navy that no submarine is ever lost. Those that go to sea and do not return are considered to be “still on patrol.”

?????

There is a monument about this along a canal near here its… the worst thing I have ever seen. it says “STILL ON PATROL” in huge letters and then goes on to specify exactly how many WWII submarine ghosts are STILL OUT THERE, ON PATROL (it is almost 2000 WWII submarine ghosts, ftr). Here is the text from it:

“U.S. Navy Submarines paid heavily for their success in WWII. A total of 374 officers and 3131 men are still on board these 52 U.S. submarines still on patrol.”

THANKS A LOT, U.S. NAVY, FOR HAVING THIS TOTALLY NORMAL AND NOT AT ALL HORRIFYING TRADITION, AND TELLING ALL OF US ABOUT IT. THANKS. THANK YOU

anyway now my mother and I cannot stop saying STILL ON PATROL to each other in ominous tones of voice

I've never heard anyone say that the term "gypsy" is offensive before. I know it used to have a negative connotation, but it seems like it hasn't for a couple of centuries. Do people still identify as gypsies? I'm not arguing, but this is news to me and I would like to understand more.

Thanks for asking with the intention of understanding better! 

On my father’s side, my family is Romani, the ethnic group historically called gypsies by outsiders. The name came from the misperception than we originated in Egypt (we’re actually from India). Other names for us include words that literally mean unclean or untouchable (in a taboo and gross way). We have always called ourselves Roma or Romani, so it’s not that we identify as gypsies, it’s that others identify us as gypsies. This name or label was forced on us.

Like Native Americans, we are not a dead culture. We have become splintered, and many Romani have been pushed into inescapable poverty thanks to institutional racism. Many of us have assimilated into the dominant culture of the places we live (my family fits here).

But the negative connotation to the word is very much alive and well. Romani girls and women are among the most targeted by sex traffickers. In 2017, Fox “News” aired a scare-mongering “report” on Gypsy immigrants threatening the very fabric of the US.

Historically speaking, the Romani have been forcibly relocated, sterilized, and subjected to genocide. To address the “gypsy problem,” in the 1800’s, Switzerland rounded up Romani males and sent them to North America. This is how one branch of my family arrived in the US. It tends to not get mentioned in history classes, but twenty-five to fifty percent of the Romani population living in Europe in 1939 died at the hands of Nazis.

Taking a word that has been used to label and other an ethnic group, and romanticizing and using it to describe a free-spirited and mischievous nature does not erase the baggage or harm that has been done. Gypsy and its derivative gyp (to steal or swindle) are vulgar and hurtful words that need to be retired and relegated to history.

⁂

Here are some sources and articles, should they be of interest:

The Problem with the Word ‘Gypsy’ (this whole site can be helpful)

The Harmful History of ‘Gypsy’ – discusses the modern myths and the current state

Romani Genocide – Romani specific Wikipedia article on the Nazi Holocaust

Remembering the Roma victims of the Holocaust – discusses how the Romani are often excluded from historical accounts of the Holocaust, and the impact on the people – less dry than the Wikipedia article

Persecution and Politicization: Roma (Gypsies) of Eastern Europe – nice summary of the history associated with the word from Cultural Survival Quarterly magazine

The “G” Word Isn’t for You: How “Gypsy” Erases Romani Women – from the National Organization for Women (NOW) this focuses a little more on how the long-standing stereotypes and racism hurt Romany, especially the women.

King Arthur Baking

Tips for baking with arthritis and other hand-related chronic pain

With some changes to techniques, a careful selection of kitchen tools, and tips from fellow bakers, the joy of baking can live on.

I luckily haven't had to deal with much chronic pain or hand pain yet, especially with regards to baking (crochet is another story). That said, these look like some pretty solid tips! There's also some in the comments section.

Jedi women appreciation post

(press “j” to skip, it’s a very long one)

Did you know that out of the twenty-four named female Jedi (PT Order) who ever appeared onscreen (movies + cartoons), only three are caucasian? Because dang, I’ve seen people shitting on Lucas for his white male protagonists (unjustly in my opinion, he wanted Obi-Wan to be Japanese but Toshiro Mifune turned down the role), but the guy delivered on the background characters! Let me take you on a little tour that’s very likely to blow your mind.

(names are linked to the characters’ wookieepedia pages)

THE MOVIES:

Here’s Madame Jocasta Nu (human), formerly of the High Council, portrayed by Australian actress Aleathea McGrath. She’s so cool they call her Madame and not Master. Wonderful book grandma. (Also appears in TCW, has characterization in canon.)

(She’s incredibly badass.)

Then, here is Padawan Bene (human), one of the Padawans who died during Operation Knightfall in RotS. She’s played by Mousy McCallum, from the UK.

Okay, that’s two beautiful ladies so far.

And then we have Knight Aayla Secura (Twi’Lek) played by American actress Amy Allen. She’s the third caucasian-played Jedi woman, and the last one. She’s also the ONLY Jedi woman to wear something that’s even remotely sexualizing. (Also appears in TCW, has characterization in canon.)

Aaw, what a smile.

Then we have Master Yaddle (unknown species), the frog grandma from TPM. She’s lovely, and the only Jedi woman who isn’t absolutely drop dead gorgeous.

Finally, here is baby Ashla (Togruta), a little youngling in AotC. I wasn’t able to find who played her, so I’ve got nothing on her ethnicity. She looks like Shaak Ti though? She’s adorable.

Now, onto all the other beautiful, beautiful ladies George Lucas blessed us with :D

Here is Master Adi Gallia (Tholothian), of the High Council, played by English model Gin Clarke. (Also appears in TCW, has characterization in canon.)

I love her so much. TCW did not do her beauty justice.

Here is her cousin, Master Stass Allie (Tholothian), of the High Council. She was played by different actresses in AotC and RotS, but the most significant one is Lily Nyamwasa. She was meant to appear in TCW but the show was cancelled.

Stunning. I had to physically restrain myself from adding more pictures.

Moving on, we have Master Luminara Unduli (Mirialan), played by Kenyan actress Mary Oyaya. (Also appears in TCW + Rebels, has characterization in canon.)

Her outfit is just amazing. She’s awesome.

Wow.

Then, we have her Padawan, Barriss Offee (Mirialan), played by Australian actress Nalini Krishan, who is from the Fiji islands. (Also appears in TCW, has characterization in canon.)

Here is Master Depa Billaba (human), of the High Council. She’s played by Indian actress Dipika O'Neill Joti. (Also appears in comics, has characterization.)

Here is her sister, Master Sar Labooda (human), whose actress I couldn’t find. Yes, Depa has a sister!!! And it’s canon! But it’s such an obscure fact that no EU material ever made use of that it, kinda like with Adi Gallia and Stass Allie. I learned this just yesterday, and I’m very disappointed I didn’t know about it when I made my post on Jedi families and blood ties.

There were many background Jedi on Geonosis, and here is Master Khaat Qiyn (human), played by Zuraya Hamilton. (Also appears in comics.)

Also on Geonosis, we have Knight Bultar Swan (human), played by Australian actress Mimi Daraphet. Look at her <3

And here is youngling Mari Amithest (human), also from AotC - she’s from Clan Bear, like Ashla, and she’s played by Phoebe Yiamkiati. Not to be dramatic, but I’d die for her.

Finally, Master Shadday Potkin, whose actress I couldn’t find. She appears briefly in RotS.

That’s it for the movies. Some bright eyes might have noticed I didn’t include Master Shaak Ti. That’s because her make-up in the movies is atrocious and does not do justice to the beauty of the actress - so I’m putting her in the TCW category.

THE CARTOONS:

Master Shaak Ti (Togruta), of the High Council. In the movies, she was played by Oli Shoshan, an Israeli actress. (Has characterization in canon.)

TCW!Shaak Ti is so beautiful I wanna cry.

Here is Katooni (Tholothian), an adorable youngling. (Has characterization in canon.)

Then we have Padawan Ahsoka Tano (Togruta), who is going to be played in live-action by American actress Rosario Dawson. (Is to appear in live-action series, also appears in Rebels, has characterization in canon.)

Rosario looks more like Ahsoka’s design from Rebels, but I can’t be assed to go fishing for another picture. This post already crashed on me twice and this is my third time rewriting this.

Finally, here is Kalifa (human), a youngling. She’s always covered in dirt and TCW really isn’t the best at rendering distinctive ethnic features, and we have no actress to go on from. In the concept art I’ve found she kinda looks like she might be Eastern Asian? (Has characterization in canon.)

Now, onto the few characters who are too alien to belong to any human ethnic group.

We have Jedi Masters and twin sisters Tiplar and Tiplee (Mikkians). They wear matching outfits, which I love. (Have characterization in canon, Tiplee also appears in comics.)

Knight Finn Ertay (Twi’Lek).

Ganodi (Rodian), a youngling from the same clan as Katooni. She’s so cute I could cuddle her to death. Look at her little antennae! (Has characterization in canon.)

And Jedi Consular Rig Nema (unknown species). Her outfit is amazing. (Has characterization in canon.)

BONUS CONTENT:

Here are the few named Jedi left. They’re from the Disney canon, not the LucasFilm canon, so they appear in video games and comics. They follow the same trend though.

Master Cere Junda (human), played by American actress Debra Wilson. (Has characterization.)

Her Padawan, Trilla Suduri (human), played by American/Dominican actress Elizabeth Grullon. (Has characterization.)

Master Cyslin Myr (Mirialan), from the Age of the Republic comics. I’d say she looks human enough to see that she has African features, like Luminara. (Has characterization.)

Knight Rissa Mano (Devaronian), from the same comics. Unfortunately, the drawing style is too inconsistent, so we’ll put her in the “too alien” category. (Has characterization.)

Knight Bant Eerin (Mon Calamari), who was re-canonized by the Obi-Wan and Anakin book. (Has characterization.)

And finally, Tai Uzuma, a youngling from the Kanan comics. (Has characterization.)

That’s all the named female Jedi from the PT-era Order (except for the ones who only appear in books and thus have no faces). There are thirty of them, and three are caucasian, nine are too alien for ethnicity to be applicable, and eighteen are women of color. Fourteen out of the twenty-two adult ones are Masters, not Knights (that’s over one in two) and six have been on the Council (that’s over one in four)!

They are all simply gorgeous, they are not sexualized in any way, and many of them wear incredible custom outfits.

tldr: The Jedi Order rocks.

Firefighter demonstrates how to put out a kitchen fire

i think the near-extinction of people making fun, deep and/or unique interactive text-based browser games, projects and stories is catastrophic to the internet. i'm talking pre-itch.io era, nothing against it.

there are a lot of fun ones listed here and here but for the most part, they were made years ago and are now a dying breed. i get why. there's no money in it. factoring in the cost of web hosting and servers, it probably costs money. it's just sad that it's a dying art form.

anyway, here's some of my favorite browser-based interactive projects and games, if you're into that kind of thing. 90% of them are on the lists that i linked above.

A Better World - create an alternate history timeline

Alter Ego - abandonware birth-to-death life simulator game

Seedship - text-based game about colonizing a new planet

Sandboxels or ThisIsSand - free-falling sand physics games

Little Alchemy 2 - combine various elements to make new ones

Infinite Craft - kind of the same as Little Alchemy

ZenGM - simulate sports

Tamajoji - browser-based tamagotchi

IFDB - interactive fiction database (text adventure games)

Written Realms - more text adventure games with a user interface

The Cafe & Diner - mystery game

The New Campaign Trail - US presidential campaign game

Money Simulator - simulate financial decisions

Genesis - text-based adventure/fantasy game

Level 13 - text-based science fiction adventure game

Miniconomy - player driven economy game

Checkbox Olympics - games involving clicking checkboxes

BrantSteele.net - game show and Hunger Games simulators

Murder Games - fight to the death simulator by Orteil

Cookie Clicker - different but felt weird not including it. by Orteil.

if you're ever thinking about making a niche project that only a select number of individuals will be nerdy enough to enjoy, keep in mind i've been playing some of these games off and on for 20~ years (Alter Ego, for example). quite literally a lifetime of replayability.

I’m so bloody proud of this

(Please don’t steal, I worked really hard on this)