Taylor Swift

Long live Miiverse.

Like many of you, I was in open mourning of Microsoft's decision to eliminate MS Paint from the Windows platform. In the only appropriate use of this Mark Twainism in the history of writing, the reports of MS Paint's death were greatly exaggerated. However, the open threat to the democratic art form of terrible MS Paint creations made me deeply aware of how ingrained it is in my life, and I experienced some real appreciation for the many years I have spent making terrible line art, doing bad edits to photos, and adding garbage text to create so-called memes.

Bill Gates' Firey Gauntlet is about this exact emotion. It is a game where you try to escape the Windows update that will destroy the world of MS Paint. Bill Gates stands behind that update, smiling his smiles, and thinking about his plans to sell enterprise software to the masses of the world. The game requires an immense amount of precision platforming, and I will admit that I couldn't even dream of completing it.

I'm a fan of games that present impossible struggles as just that: impossible. If Microsoft, a massive corporation with a nearly limitless amount of power when it comes to the average computer user (especially in office scenarios), decides that it is going to take something away from us, then there's nothing we can really do. We can be angry, and we can be outraged, but ultimately we are literally just waiting for that update to get rid of the thing we love. Sure, you can put the update off, but for how long.

Bill Gates' Firey Gauntlet renders our powerlessness literal, and I applaud it for doing so. You can download it for free at itch.io to play on Windows.

"The year is 2078. It has been a decade since Homo Sapiens-Sapiens perfected teleportation technology. Rather than using teleporters to overcome scarcity or to oppose various forms of oppression, this new technology is used to further promote economic exploitation. We hire aliens to manufacture goods on their planets, and then beam the products of their cheap labour back to Terra. Due to categorical differences in language and cognition, however, the aliens often misunderstand what humans ask them to produce..." - Author's description

Play it here (Windows, Mac, Linux, Web)

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"Verreciel is a space exploration game with controls reminiscent of modular synthetisers." - Author's description

Purchase on itch.io (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Purchase on the App Store (iOS)

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"Gogo is not dead US politician Adlai Stevenson. What is wrong with you people?"

While walking along the streets in Harajuku, we met Sano, a 20-year-old fashion student with yellow top knot hair and wearing a suit.

Sano’s street style outfit consists of a grey blazer and pants suit from Paul Smith, an animal printed collar shirt from Russian menswear fashion brand Tigran Avetisyan, blue socks, Dr. Martens cap toe shoes, and a geometric tote bag from Issey Miyake Bao Bao.

Japanese label Issey Miyake is one of Sano’s favorite fashion brands. He listens to the music of EGS. Follow him on Instagram.

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“Today my clothing was inspired by my stairway with light orange and light green walls. Actually this color mixture reminds me of puke. I am an active user of colors and I don't feel myself cozy in black. My forever sources of inspiration: monochromatism, retrofuturism, sex and fairytales.”

25 July 2017, Mannerheimintie

"ufff" - Author's description

Note: This game contains sexual scenes.

Download here (Windows, Mac, Linux)

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What has Chucklefish so Spellbound?

"Pay no attention to the "souls" inside those drives. You will learn that synthetics will do anything to seem like a human. We made them that way." - Author's description

Purchase on itch.io (Windows, Mac)

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“I'm wearing an overload of Swedish design aka my H&M x Ikea -pants tailored by my mum. I also wear classic checkerboard Vans, a Joy Division -shirt, my grandfathers old Polaroid sunglasses and B&W Hawaiian type of shirt. I'm inspired by internet, my friends and Tyler, the Creator. I mainly wear whatever I think looks cool, sometimes it's goes together and sometimes not. I enjoy something comfy, but I always like to put on something what pops my look. I have bunch of t-shirts with prints, so I think that's my kink.”

2 July 2017, Hakaniemi Market Place

Kota (18 years old) and Ryuma (20 years old) are often seen around the streets of Harajuku. Kota is a student at Bunka Fashion College as well as working at the famous Dog Harajuku boutique. Ryuma works a vintage shop in Tokyo.

Kota is wearing a vintage blazer over a resale comic t-shirt, a pleated skirt over MA-1 gradient pants, orange socks, and vintage dress shoes. Accessories – some of which came from Nejiriburashi – include a visor worn vertically, sunglasses, a Michael Jackson pin, a metallic pouch bag, and Cabbage Patch Kids doll charm. His favorite shop is Dog Harajuku and he likes the music of Deformed Nippon. Follow Kota on Instagram and Twitter!

Ryuma is wearing a neon orange Undercover coat over a Yohji Yamamoto top, Comme Des Garcons Homme Plus pants, and Raf Simons sneakers. Accessories include clear Cazal glasses and a knit bag by the Japanese brand 20471120. Ryuma’s favorite shop is Haruno Shibuya and he likes the music of Nogizaka46. Follow Ryuma on Instagram and Twitter for more streetwear pictures.

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"you are at a house party.

you do not know anybody.

but legend tells of a ~very good puppo~ hiding somewhere in this house! " - Author's description

Download on itch.io (Windows, Mac)

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LINGUA IGNOTA (latin for unknown language), Kristin Hayter’s solo effort, explores violence towards women and gender through extreme music. Kristin Hayter brings sacred music and power electronics, black metal and harsh noise together, taking advantage of her background in both the church, as a soloist, and in metal, as a band member playing shows in high school.

LET THE EVIL OF HIS OWN LIPS COVER HIM, Hayter’s first EP, is a masterful exercise in pacing. The first two tracks of the EP are deceptive; a reverb-drenched organ drones under Hayter’s haunting voice, and there is no hint of the walls of harsh noise to come later in the EP. The liturgical atmosphere established in DISEASE OF MEN and SUFFER FOREVER continues into THAT HE MAY NEVER RISE AGAIN, until the track explodes into a mountain of harsh noise, topped off with intense screamed vocals from Hayter. The organ plays on, even as waves of noise clash with Hayter’s screams.

THE CHOSEN ONE ends the EP with a return to ballad format, substituting piano in for the organ of the previous tracks. A punishing listen, and well worth it. The pacing of this EP and Hayter’s masterful performance makes LET THE EVIL OF HIS OWN LIPS COVER HIM a must listen.

LET THE EVIL OF HIS OWN LIPS COVER HIM by LINGUA IGNOTA

Juri is an 18-year-old fashion student whose handmade pieces caught our eye on the street in Harajuku.

Juri is wearing a vintage plait top with a handmade skirt that she has converted into sarueru pants using suspenders and plaid Jelly Beans heels. Accessories include a handmade plaid beret, handmade earrings, and a jeweled Alice in Wonderland clutch by Tamao.

Follow Juri on Instagram or Twitter to see more of her handmade street style.

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Curly is a 20-year-old girl who works in the Tokyo fashion industry. Her cute pink hairstyle and smile caught our eye on the street in Harajuku.

Curly is wearing a cute resale Chuy’s tee with a Lego taco (from Thank You Mart) with a white skirt and pink Converse high top sneakers. Accessories – some of which came from Shibuya 109 – include a white visor, a hearts wristband, colorful tube socks, and a pink Lego backpack.

Her favorite shops are Kinji Harajuku and Kiki Koenji. She likes the music of Dempagumi.inc. Follow Curly on Instagram and Twitter.

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We met Haine – wearing an all white pirate inspired style – on the street in Harajuku.

Haine’s look features many items from the Japanese subculture brand Alice and The Pirates – including a pirate hat with a sheer shirt under a ruffle vest, white pants with floral lace on the sides, and a briefcase bag. His black buckle shoes are by Dr. Martens.

Haine’s favorite fashion brands include Alice and The Pirates and Atelier Boz. He likes the music of T.M. Revolution.

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add your stacks

6-year-old Coco Princess is a popular personality in the Harajuku street fashion scene. Misato is her mother, and also the owner of the vintage boutique Funktique Tokyo.

Coco is wearing fashion by Gucci, Funktique Tokyo, Ralph Lauren, and classic checkerboard Vans slip-on sneakers.

Follow Coco on Instagram to see lots more super cute Harajuku kids fashion. Also check her Vice video interview.

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Abigail Taylor, of Somerville, was recently appointed as director of Attorney General Maura Healey’s Child and Youth Protection Unit, focusing on improving opportunities and outcomes for children and youth in the state.Taylor has served as assistant attorney general in the attorney general’s Child and Youth Protection Unit since its inception in 2015. Prior to joining the office, Taylor served as a trial attorney in the Criminal Fraud Division of the U.S. Department of [...]

While on the street in Harajuku, we came across 21-year-old Kota and 19-year-old Aoi, who both caught our eye with their all black street style outfits. Let’s take a closer look at their ensembles:

Blonde-haired Kota’s all black ensemble consists of a sleeveless button down shirt from Raf Simons, Issey Miyake pleated pants, and zipper boots from Shinya Yamaguchi. He accessorized his look with silver gauged earrings and studs, a silver cuff bracelet, and a leather lariat necklace. Kota is active on Twitter and Instagram.

Aoi’s outfit features a black cropped suspender top with white collar and pleated skirt, both from Eatme, fishnet body stockings, heeled loafers, and a heart handbag from Vivienne Westwood. Her accessories include silver earrings and a pair of sunglasses. Follow Aoi on Twitter and Instagram!

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While on the street in Harajuku, we met Koji, a 19-year-old student who caught our eye with his orange and green outfit.

Blonde-haired Koji’s ensemble features an orange New Grave t-shirt, dark green pants with matching belt, both from John Lawrence Sullivan, and leather ankle boots – also from John Lawrence Sullivan.

Koji’s favorite brand is by John Lawrence Sullivan and his favorite music includes Lil Uzi Vert and hip hop music. He is active on Instagram.

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The most maligned woman in rock history, Evelyn McDonnell called her, and it’s not hyperbole. Yet for studiocraft and  Fly, Feeling the Space and especially Approximately Infinite Universe deserve the scrutiny that her husband’s desultory Nixon-era albums get from Beatlephiles (she pushes her husband to new heights as a lead guitarist, too). Toss in Season of Glass and Rising and I had to stop noting the number of excellent songs written by Yoko Ono. Her influence is profound: from Alex Chilton’s pilfering the melody of “Mrs. Lennon” for “Holocaust” to the B-52’s and Sleater-Kinney. Walking on Thin Ice, a distillation of the Rykodisc Onobox, is one of the great accidental purchases of my life — at a Best Buy in summer ’96!

Eight years younger than my grandmother, Yoko is still recording: I wish I’d heard Take Me to the Land of Hell, and she enjoys a thriving second life as the object of okay to excellent remixes of older material that have taken her to the top of the American dance charts.

1. Why
2. Death of Samantha
3. Nobody Sees Me Like You Do
4. Walking on Thin Ice
5. I Felt Like Smashing My Face in a Clear Glass Window
6. No, No, No
7. Kiss Kiss Kiss
8. Mindtrain
9. Yang Yang
10. Give Me Something
11. Peter the Dealer
12. Mrs. Lennon
13. Dogtown
14. Talking To The Universe
15. Looking Over from My Hotel Window
16. She Gets Down on Her Knees
17. Move on Fast
18. Extension 33
19. Don’t Worry, Kyoko
20. Silver Horse

We nearly just had the Fyre Festival of gaming. Thankfully (I guess?), a total meltdown of the leadership has kept that from happening.

Earlier this year, a young and wholly unproven esports production company partnered with a small esports betting site to attempt something stunningly ambitious: a giant floating esports-themed LAN party aboard a major cruise ship. For the betting site, MoneyMatches, it would a chance to have a live gambling-friendly esports event, thanks to the legal freedom afforded by international waters. But in spite of a complete lack of relevant experience on the part of the organizers, and a breathtakingly tacky promo video, the so called Video Gamer Gauntlet Cruise seems to have hit a few snags!

On Friday, Zack Smith, CEO of MoneyMatches accused organizer Curtis Smith (no relation) of misleading his investors over the forthcoming nautical LAN party, which was to feature washed-up esports celebrities, Finnish DJ Darude (yes, that Darude), and X-Men Apocalypse actress Alexandra Shipp.

Unfortunately, it turned out that not only had many of these people not agreed to participate in the event, but there wasn't even a boat to put them on. According to Zack, Royal Caribbean, on whose MS Majesty of the Seas™ the party was supposed to take place, had never even heard of the Video Gamer Gauntlet Cruise. Likewise, Red Bull was apparently unaware that it was the flagship sponsor for what is quickly becoming the most hilarious esports debacle in recent memory. (That said, fake investors is pretty tame as far as cruise ship screwups go).

A weirdly cheerful Zack unpacked all these details about the world's most obvious scam on his Periscope stream while brandishing—but never actually drinking—a highball of scotch. With a chuckle, he accused Curtis mostly of getting in way over his head (accurate) and destroying what Zack thinks would have been a good-ass time (less accurate).

Curtis, meanwhile, posted a hasty statement on Instagram that manages to simultaneously confirm the accusations, defend his decisions, insist that the venture will set sail as planned, and offer a refund to anyone who wants one.

I love this story for three reasons.

First, this passage in Curtis's Instagram rebuttal: "We would like to address the information being put out. For starters it is technically correct. At the same time it is also being taken out of context." Yeah, once we get some context we'll definitely see why "we don't have a boat for our gamer cruise" is not a problem.

Second, by his own admission, Smith withheld the Video Gamer Gauntlet Cruise's woes from the general public because he "didn't want people to be nervous about attending" and "in order for us to secure an investor they needed to see that there was a great deal of excitement and industry support for it." Curtis, my dude, "fake it til you make it" will only take you so far, and commandeering a 74,000-ton cruise ship is not included in "so far."

Lastly, this is the second time this has happened. Somehow, the Video Gamer Gauntlet Cruise isn't the first instance of someone trying to combine esports and cavorting across the seven seas. Last fall, the notorious production company KeyTV hosted the Nanyang Dota 2 Championships Cruise Cup #1 on the whale-impaling Sapphire Princess, only to have the entire event fall apart because the ship's satellite internet proved incapable of broadcasting live video.

Listen. It's 2017, and you'd think the technical, legal, and administrative challenges of running an esports event would be clear by now. But esports is nothing if not prone to repeating the same mistakes over and over, even when cruise ships aren't involved. Something tells me that the Video Gamer Gauntlet Cruise will not be the last time that The Lonely Island pops up on some huckster's weekly Spotify playlist, prompting him (and it will always be a him) to ask: "Hey, why hasn't anyone tried putting a LAN party on a boat?"

The real heroes of last night’s vote are not John McCain, Lisa Murkowski, or Susan Collins. They aren’t the 48 Democratic senators either. The real heroes are the direct action protestors in ADAPT that demonstrated tremendous courage in going to the offices of senators and putting their often broken bodies between those senators and ACA repeal. Everyone knew this bill was a disaster. But that didn’t stop most Republican senators from voting for it. The pressure to do so was tremendous. And the real pressure is internal. Especially in this era of exceptional partisanship, voting for the team is the highest priority for most senators. It was far easier to vote for this monstrosity than stand up to McConnell, Pence, and Trump, not to mention big donors like Adelson, Koch, and Wynn. Dean Heller knows this bill is terrible and he knows that it is bad for the people of his state. He also lacks the courage to do anything about it. I strongly believe that without the ADAPT protests, it’s quite likely at least one of those three senators votes for the bill. Such an assertion can be directly proven, but neither can it be for nearly any other protest movement in history, including the civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s. Most politicians will never say, “I voted against a bill because protestors came to my door.” But they will vote for or against bills based on public pressure. Direct action protest adds to that public pressure. Moreover, those direct action protests also inspire other, less radical, activists into action–calling senators, going to town halls, talking to friends and family about the issue.

I mention all of this because even at this late date, many in the LGM community, broadly defined, are not very comfortable with direct action protest. Many commenters will deny that protest helps and they write about how uncomfortable they are with protests, turning into self-parodies of liberals. This kind of direct action is not the be all and end all of political action. But like voting and lobbying, it is an absolutely required type of political action. When people see disabled and mortally ill people sacrificing themselves to save health care, not only for themselves, but for millions of people, it gives a face to the issue. Much like ACT-UP galvanized political support to fight HIV instead of just letting gays and heroin users die, ADAPT helped build political pressure against ACA repeal. We are going to need a lot more of this in the future, and I hope people step up with this kind of action. I also hope we all recognize the vitality and necessity of direct action and do what we can to support it.

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Daiki is a 19-year-old who works at the popular resale shop Kinji Harajuku.

Blonde-haired Daiki’s streetwear look features a Danke Schon (ダンケシェーン) cropped cutout hoodie over a black Vans t-shirt, W&LT Walter Van Beirendonck shorts over tights and knee-high socks, blue sneakers from Yohji Yamamoto Y-3, and a belt bag, also from Y-3. Some of his accessories – which include a steel spike earring and a black hoop earring – are also from Y-3.

Daiki told us his favorite brand is Y-3 and that he listens to all kinds of music. Check him out on Twitter and Instagram.

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