Imaginext ads from 2013-2014 that were shown as part of the UK’s Milkshake! kid’s programming block on Channel 5.
Author: Brian Carnell
Widespread Funerary Cannibalism in the Magdalenian Cultures?
The Magdalenians were a culture that lived in what is now Western Europe from approximately 17,000 to 12,000 years ago. Numerous Magadlenian sites have been found, ranging from Portugal to France to the Italian peninsula.
A recent literature review of studies of Magdalenian sites that included human remains suggests the widespread practice of post-mortem cannibalism.
Of the 59 sites identified, it was possible to ascertain funerary behaviour at 25 sites, with 10 deposits attributed to primary burial, 13 showing evidence of anthropic modification indicative of cannibalism, and two sites combining both behaviours. Given the similarities of the anthropic modifications observed on the cutmarked and cannibalised human remains across sites, the high frequency and geographic distribution of this practice, and the association, in some of the sites, of cannibalism with the ritualistic manipulation of human remains, it is proposed that cannibalism during the Magdalenian was practiced as a form of funerary behaviour rather than for necessity or as gastronomic cannibalism. Funerary cannibalism appears in greater abundance during the Middle Magdalenian whilst primary burials are more common during the Upper and terminal Magdalenian. Further, although genetic data are limited, we identify a relationship between funerary behaviour and genetic ancestry, with all cannibalised individuals showing ancestry associated with the GoyetQ2 cluster, indicative of Magdalenian human groups, whilst sequenced individuals found in a primary burial context show a genetic affinity with the Epigravettian (Villabruna associated ancestry), the other major technocomplex of the period. We hypothesise that cannibalism is a funerary behaviour indicative of GoyetQ2 associated Magdalenian populations, and that differences in funerary behaviours during the Magdalenian reflect distinct genetic ancestries indicative of known population movements during the terminal Upper Palaeolithic. This interpretation must be tempered however given that limited taphonomic or genetic study has been performed at the majority of Magdalenian sites, and thus to fully clarify the funerary behaviours of Magdalenian groups additional focus on understudied Magdalenian assemblages needs to be established.
Terms and Conditions: The Game
Terms & Conditions is a hilarious parody of the ridiculous terms & conditions that we are all forced to accept to do even the most basic things in our lives these days.
Epic Games Store Still Not Profitable
Epic Games is suing Google over the Google Play Store’s policy of taking a 30 percent cut of any in-app transactions. As part of that lawsuit, Epic admitted that its Epic Game Store has yet to turn a profit, which demonstrates just how difficult it is in the real world to use predatory pricing to undercut competitors.
The dominant platform for purchasing PC games is Valve’s Steam. Valve’s competitors and some media outlets have estimated that up to 70 percent of all online PC game sales occur through Steam. Even as far back as 2011, CD Projekt claimed that 80 percent of the online sales of The Witcher 2 occurred through Steam.
In 2018 Epic Games decided to compete with Steam by launching the Epic Games Store. Epic’s main strategy was fairly straightforward: it was predatory pricing all the way down.
Epic announced it would give away one to two games each week for free to draw in users, attempting to undercut Steam by setting the price for many games at free. In 2020, it gave away Grand Theft Auto V for free, which more than 7 million customers took advantage of, and in 2021, more than 19 million users took advantage of its Star Wars Battlefront II giveaway.
Epic has also sponsored game sales in which the company has agreed to absorb the discounted price. So if a game normally sells for $15 and Epic cuts the price to $10 for a sale, it often absorbs the $5 difference.
And how has that worked out? It looks like Epic did little more than set a massive pile of cash on fire without capturing significant market share from Valve or turning a profit. Epic Game Store chief Steve Allison testified in the Google trial that the store’s goal is still growth and that it remains unprofitable.
Epic’s experiences illustrate the problems with using predatory pricing to take market share from competitors. It is an expensive strategy that is difficult to sustain long term and which competitors have many counter-strategies to undermine.
AEW Sting PVC Statue
To be honest, most of the Diamond Select AEW PVC figures have looked very bad. This Sting PVC diorama is the only one I’ve seen that I’d be willing to actually buy and display.
Continue reading “AEW Sting PVC Statue”Legends in 3D Bust–Cyclops
Not a fan of this sculpt at all.