#7th Street Productions

[flashfuckingflesh]

Open Up Your Mind to EVIL! "Conjuring the Beyond" reviewed! (DVD / Breaking Glass Pictures)

Open Up Your Mind to EVIL! “Conjuring the Beyond” reviewed! (DVD / Breaking Glass Pictures)

“Conjuring the Beyond” on DVD at Amazon.com! Divorced and left to wallow in her own self-pity, Wanda Fulcia moves into her brother and wife’s house but her inability to secure a job and act responsible has proved difficult with her hosts as she continues to ask for favors, such as borrowing her brother’s car to drive to a paid sleep study in the middle of a nearly deserted small town.  Dr.…

[teejaystumbles]

Against all odds (a dreamling drabble)

(a 1989 comics AU where Dream does not go meet Hob despite being free)

Dream stares at the sleeping form of Hob Gadling and feels guilty.

He hadn’t gone to their centennial meeting. Despite having escaped Burgess’ cage and having recovered his tools, Dream has not met Hob at their appointed date at the White Horse.

He knows Hob waited for him. Waited until the day had gone and turned to night, after the clock had struck midnight and announced their date over. Dream knows this because he had stood, watching, for as long as the man waited inside the White Horse Inn.

He is not proud of this.

If he examines his reasons for not entering the Inn, keeping watch from the other side of the street instead, he draws a blank. 

Dream does not know why he did not go inside, he knows he froze at the sight of the closed door, the cramped space indoors he could see through the glass (glass, why so much glass everywhere). He had stepped back and waited for his unease to lift, and when that did not happen he had waited for Hob to leave so Dream might meet him outside, but the man did not leave the Inn until the owner practically threw him out on the street, long after midnight. Dream had stepped forward then, only to watch his old acquaintance break down against the building wall and sob. 

Why did Dream not go to him then? Why did he step back into the shadows and watch Hob drag himself up to his feet with a whimper and stumble down the street, hand trailing the wall for support. The only answer Dream can come up with is a supremely uncomfortable one.

He is a coward.

When it comes to relationships, Dream’s track record is disastrous, a fact that he is very aware of. He left Hob in 1889 with cutting words and no promise to return. Hob should by rights be angry at Dream, should be less trusting that he would show. But still the man waited for him at their next appointment, as if he had known Dream’s words to be products of his rage and not vows he would keep. Even if he doesn’t know it, Hob was right to expect Dream to not simply terminate their arrangement. Because here Dream stands, at the foot of Hob’s bed, watching the man sleep, too scared of a smug ‘I-knew-you’d-see-sense’ to dare approach him while awake.

Hob had slowly made his way home, unaware of Dream following him, drawn to him like there was a string tying them to each other. By then Dream felt like the point where he could make himself known had passed, but he hadn’t been able to leave. He kept trailing after Hob, into his small two-room apartment; had watched him shed only his shoes and then stood in the shadows of his curtains while Hob took out a small leather-bound book and pen and started to write. Dream had felt like a ghost, a nightmare watcher haunting his victim. He had carefully reigned in any stray trickles of his power to not make himself known or Hob uncomfortable in his invisible presence. After a few minutes Hob had stopped writing and sighed. Then he wiped his hands over his face tiredly and went to bed, not bothering to get out of his clothes.

Dream stands beside the table with the book now. The pages are still open. His eyes seek out the words unbidden, unable to resist the pull of the written word. He knows he is breaking a lot of taboos this evening. He is invading his friend’s privacy most thoroughly. The knowledge does not stop him from reading what Hob has written.

June 7th 8th, 1989

He didn’t come. The bastard really didn’t come. I can’t believe it. I was so sure he would show. That he was just angry, prideful and stubborn as he is, but surely a hundred years would be long enough to calm down?

Apparently they weren’t. I sat there, at our table at the White Horse, drinking one whiskey after the other, waiting like an idiot until they threw me out, and he didn’t show.

Do you even remember me? Or did you cut me from your memory, like you promised to cut all our ties, the night you left me standing in the rain? Have I left any impact at all on your immortal life that is probably much longer than my own? Surely it must be obvious to you that you have impacted my life more than anyone else. You are the only one who knows me, who knows Hob Gadling, the rough, foolish mercenary who bragged about never dying. Who raised himself from the dirt of the poor just to fall back down again, deeper than ever before. Rise and fall, and rise again only to be put in my place by you again - and rightfully so. 

In 1889 I had finally managed to find some middle ground, feeling safe enough to finally be honest with you - at least partially. And it all blew up in my face.

I should have known, really. Your relaxed smiles for the last centuries were too good to be true. I shouldn’t have trusted my gut and spilled some of the beans. But it had been lonely the last few decades and I thought we had reached an understanding. I thought I knew you, if not as well as you have to know me by now, but enough to take that leap of faith.

I leapt. And you let me fall I fell again. I should be used to it by now, one might think. But when it’s you nothing is simple and the stakes are so much higher.Do you know what you mean to me? Your name is written on a wall inside my heart and I don’t think that any amount of alcohol can wash it away. And I don’t even know it. I don’t know your name but it’s in there, and it’s not coming off. I know. I tried. Although it hurts that you stood me up, I believe that you’ll come back to meet me one day. I will believe in you, no matter what. I have to, for there is no other constant in my life but you. I have to hope.

‘You’re the only one who really knew me at all, and you coming back to me is against all odds, but it’s a chance I’ve got to take’, like Phil says.

Dream does not know who Phil is, but a quick glance at the general human subconscious reveals the quoted words as part of a song by an artist Hob seems to be referring to. Dream perceives the song’s lyrics and its general feeling and swallows heavily. It appears to be an apt choice for Hob’s current emotional state. He reads the last few words while the notes of the song linger in his mind.

So I’ll be here when you’re ready. I hope you know how to find me when they inevitably tear the old place down, but I guess you do. I hope so. I really hope so. I just want to know that you’re okay. I need to know that I’m not alone. There are others like me, I’ve met some. But it’s not the same. No one is like you. No one is as

Please come back

The words cut off abruptly, Hob having clearly been too tired to write more. Dream’s newly reclaimed powers put everything in much sharper relief. Shutting off the flow of emotions from the subconscious comes both easier and harder somehow. Pulling himself back into this singular humanoid shape at Hob’s bedside takes a particular effort he had forgotten since he furnished his ruby. It is not hard, but a task he has to accustom himself to again. Dream pauses for several minutes, quite literally collecting himself, unsure of his next actions.

He looks at Hob again. His face is slack in his sleep, relaxed and calm. Dream only glances at Hob’s dreams to ascertain if they are calm or troubled but finds nothing too upsetting. He does not want to intrude further than he already has so he keeps himself from viewing his friend’s dreams. 

His friend. Friend. The word that had sent Dream running in affront a century ago. Despite himself, struck by a sudden urge to talk to Hob, Dream inhales sharply and silently sits down on the chair in front of the open notebook. He carefully picks up the pen and sets it to the empty paper below Hob’s own words.

My friend.

I apologise for missing our meeting 

I owe you more than one apology. You were correct in your assessment the last time we met. I was am lonely. With one word you dismantled my defences and left me too vulnerable to bear at the time. I was rude to you, and I regretted my words as soon as I had left you. However, as you well know, I am a prideful, stubborn being. Strange, to be able to admit it so easily now. I’ve always known it, and you’re not the first to call me out on it, but of course I would never have allowed anyone who talked to me like that to speak to me again. So I told you I’d leave you, not able to accept that you were, ARE, my friend.

And that I need you, like you need me

I have not forgotten you, Hob Gadling. I do not forget anyone. You are cradled in the vastness of my being like every other mind, your story preserved for all time. This, of course, you cannot know, as I have never introduced myself to you. Again, something I’d like to apologise for. I will, however, endeavour to give you my name in person, and soon.

I would have done so today yesterday, but. For some reason I cannot name I felt unable to approach you or enter our usual meeting place. I know you waited and I am deeply sorry for troubling you.

You have indeed made an impact on my life. Maybe not in the same way I did on yours, but nonetheless our meetings have become something I look forward to. You surely wonder why I never told you who I am. I was not able to admit it a hundred years ago, but to meet you, who knows nothing of my role and my duties, is freeing in a way nothing else is in my existence. You look upon me as your friend, and nothing else. You cannot imagine how much I enjoy the time spent in your presence, listening to your accounts of the last century.

I could not

I was unable to experience much of human history over the last century. This has left me with a certain uneasiness in regards to humanity. I would humbly ask for your patience, once again. As I am trying to gather the courage find the time to gather the courage to meet you in person. Perhaps this book can provide a form of communication, for the time being.

Sincerely, your old friend

Dream drops the pen like it’s burning his fingers and rises swiftly, stepping back from the table and notebook before he can rip out the page he has written in a fit of panic. He has revealed far more than he intended to but it is only fair to leave Hob these words, after what he has put him through.

Dream allows himself one last look at Hob, still sleeping peacefully, before returning back to the Dreaming. There is much to think about. His reluctance to interact with humanity cannot stand if he is to perform his function. Walking with Death has helped him put things in perspective again but he still fears. What? What does he have to fear? He has no need for humans liking him. As he examines his feelings and his earlier short interactions with humans on his way to the White Horse, Dream realises that he does not care about all humans. He only cares about how Hob perceives him. 

Perhaps knowing that he had to introduce himself this time, clearly owing it to his friend, Dream had been afraid of losing Hob’s easy camaraderie. Surely exposing himself as Endless will have a pruning effect on Hob’s relaxed and friendly demeanour. Dream does not want that. But perhaps… No. He will wait for Hob’s reply in his notebook, if it comes. Should he choose to answer Dream, he will then decide how to proceed further. Surely any speculation right now is fruitless.

Trying to put the matter out of his mind for now, Dream goes to resume his work. He is aware enough to know that fear of Hob’s reaction was not the only reason he didn’t enter the White Horse. He needs to work through some things. Perhaps some new nightmares made of planes of suffocating glass will help him put some things behind him.

[Spoiler: of course they won’t, oh honey 🥺]

Part 2

[piscesvenus12h]

ASTROLOGY OBSERVATIONS: SUN THROUGH THE HOUSES - 7th-12th

7th house sun: relationship oriented. Doesn’t like to be alone. Probably a people pleaser. “If not it’s ok” - text message sender. Would rather do it themselves. Caretaker and homemaker. Maternal. Excellent fashion sense. Interior design. This is the friend you go to when you want to throw a party or have a big extravagant plan that you need help with. You’ll end up with a party or event planned with excellence. They strive to make you smile. To the natal owner: don’t ever forget that just as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside. People may walk all over you if you let them. Place boundaries where you need them and don’t feel responsible for other peoples emotions.

8th house sun:  magnetic. Alluring as FUCK. People either love you or they hate you and there’s no grey matter here. Mystic at heart. Sensitive. Connected with the occult. Manifests easily. Should definitely major in psychology or philosophy. Good with money. This is the friend you find when you need to express your power and need help establishing how to do that best. This friend will help you find who you truly are and help you express your fullest potential. To the natal owner: being a hermit is OKAY & NEEDED desperately by you. You cannot survive out in the open world forever, you NEED to retreat and care for yourself first and foremost.

9th house sun: SMART. Book and street smart. Creative in the arts. Idea giver. Divinely inspiration. Book nerd. Low key adrenaline junky. Excellent at languages. Probably doesn’t need a GPS much/remembers locations and directions really fucking good. This is the friend you study all night with for midterms and then hit spring break travels with! They know how to bust out an A+ then party their asses off. To the natal owner: pick one or two passion projects and pursue them with all you have! Anything you set your mind to will take effort and your undivided attention. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t succeed right away, persistence is key!!

10th house sun: girl boss/boy boss. Class president. Probably gets upset with themselves when they don’t get an A on a test they prepared for. random fact giver. natural born leader. Management. Color coding. Probably irons their clothes before work or school. This is the friend you want to seek if you have a new business or club or anything in that area. They will help you set everything up and even serve as a leader if you need one. To the natal owner: it’s ok to take a nap. Productivity does not make you a better person than anyone else. Don’t convince yourself otherwise.

11th house sun:  miss/Mr. popular. committed as fuck. Most people love you and if they don’t, it’s because of a projection. Chatty. Should be a podcast owner. Makes a new friend every week. Really good at social media. open minded. Wants to save all of the animals. “if we don’t have earth, we have nothing.” This is the friend you seek to help take your mission statement up a level. To the natal owner: you can’t save everyone!! Not everyone is worth your genuine love and support. Learn boundaries.

12th house sun: WWJD? Loner. Spiritual or religious. Sees in between the lines. You can’t get anything past these people. They intuitively know all. Fertile. Creative. Powerful when they put their mind to it. Day dreamer. This is the friend that you want if you to transcend and take some magical mushies. They will take you on an adventure of a lifetime. To the natal owner: be careful of escaping your reality too much. I know earth sucks, but you’re stuck here. Ground yourself and find your tribe. 

(Houses 1-6 also posted!)

[world-of-celebs]

Rihanna celebrates a new product launch for her Fenty beauty brand at 7th Street Studios on April 26, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

[bakuhatsufallinlove]

U.A. High School Field Trip Around Japan: Day 1 Translations

To celebrate My Hero Academia reaching one hundred million copies worldwide, Shonen Jump is releasing special illustrations in the newspapers of Japan's 47 prefectures, calling it "U.A. High School Field Trip Around Japan." It's being rolled out daily across one-week.

The schedule is:

April 4th, Day 1: Hokkaidō & Tōhōku regions

April 5th, Day 2: Kantō region

April 6th, Day 3: Chūbu region

April 7th, Day 4: Kansai region

April 8th, Day 5: Chūgoku & Shikoku regions

April 9th, Day 6: Kyūshū & Okinawa regions

April 10th, Day 7: Nationwide release

You can see the illustrations on their website here, where they are released digitally the day after their newspaper release, so Day 1 and Day 2 are available right now.

The illustrations depict charming scenes between Class 1-A about something related to each prefecture's culture or history, so I thought it would be really fun to translate them and share a little bit about Japan.

Here we go!

Note: As I mentioned, the illustrations are available on the official site, but they are all rather small, which makes them hard to read, so in this post I have included photographs from fans which I used for my translations. Every photo was available publicly on twitter and I have credited the posters, but please be respectful and don't draw undue attention to these fans. If anyone contacts me wishing for their photo to be removed, I will do so.

Hokkaidō Region

Hokkaidō

Photo credit: twitter user URix0307

Iida: "Heroes! Be ambitious!!' Aizawa: "I'm leaving you behind."

Iida is standing in front of the statue of William S. Clark at Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill, a scenic spot in Sapporo. Clark worked with the Japanese government to found Sapporo Agricultural College (now Hokkaidō University) in 1876; he is a very famous figure in the history of the region. The statue is inscribed with a quote attributed to him as he left Japan: "Boys, be ambitious!"

Tōhōku Region

Aomori

Photo credit: twitter user redaotkrsn

Dark Shadow: "Fumikage!! I GOT ONE!!" Tokoyami: "The allure of forbidden fruit which tastes so sweet..." Dark Shadow: "One simply cannot resist!" Asui: "Tokoyami-chan sure likes apples, huh?"

Agriculture is huge in Aomori, and specifically they are famous for their apples, contributing about 60% of Japan's entire apple production. Raw apples, jams, juices, desserts, etc., they are everywhere in Aomori, and fyi, they are all absolutely delicious. The sweetest, richest, freshest apples I've ever had in my life were the ones I had here! Dark Shadow is right, one simply cannot resist!!!

Iwate

Photo credit: twitter user bakkk_17

Todoroki: "I can have as many bowls as I want, right?" Endeavor: "SHOUTOOOOO!!!" Kouda: "Todoroki-kun!! Your dad said he wants to eat with you, too!!" Todoroki: "Check, please."

Todoroki is eating wanko soba, a specialty from Iwate where it's basically an all-you-can-eat. The soba is served in many small bowls, and you slurp them up and immediately get served more. The verb he uses, ikeru, is one people also use for "holding your liquor well," which I personally found hilarious. "Oh yeah, I can hold my noodles."

Miyagi

Photo credit: twitter user Abino_Haru_Maki

Ashido: "Teacher, what's wrong? You keep lollygagging about!" Aizawa: "Kittykittykitty..." Shouji: "Anybody suspicious around? Nothing has come up in my search for enemies." Iida: "We're leaving you behind, teacher."

Miyagi is famous for being home to Tashirojima, the so-called "Cat Island" where cats outnumber people. Iida gets revenge!!

Akita

Photo credit: twitter user kado0730

Hagakure: "Namahage faces are so scary!!" Kaminari: "Looks just like Bakugou, don't it." Bakugou: "THERE'S NO RESEMBLANCE AT ALL, I'LL SEND YOU FLYING!!" Sero: "He's a rotten kid who looks just like a Namahage!"

Namahage are frightening folkloric figures from Akita's New Year's festival. Men wear big demon masks and straw coats and wield a (fake) weapon; they march through the streets or knock on doors to scold misbehaving children, asking if there are any "warui ko," (naughty/rotten/bad kids), which is what Sero calls Bakugou.

Yamagata

Photo credit: twitter user ha_n_a_0

Yaoyorozu: "Oh, tranquility! Penetrating the very rock, a cicada’s voice." Kaminari: "Jirou! How about you put your earphones on that rock?" Jirou: "Are you stupid?"

Yaoyorozu is reciting a famous poem by Basho Matsuo written when he visited the Buddhist temple, Risshaku-ji (also called Yamadera, meaning "mountain temple"). This translation is by Helen Craig McCullough. Risshaku-ji, a National Historic site, is home to a number of beautiful buildings and statues built into the mountainside; temple history claims a lineage back to the 9th century. The trail up to the temple consists of 1,015 steps; I visited in winter, which made it quite the precarious climb!

Fukushima

Photo credit: twitter user kingyo0927

Kirishima: "This right here is what I should be aiming for!!" Aoyama: "A fateful encounter~!" Bakugou: "When I said 'just being able to keep standing through anything makes you crazy strong,' this ain't what I meant!!"

Kirishima is looking at rows of okiagari koboshi, which are traditional papier-mâché dolls popular in Fukushima's western Aizu region. They are weighted so that no matter what you do to them, they pop right back up to standing!

That's all for Day 1! I'm still translating Day 2 and collecting Day 3's as they roll in, so please look forward to those. :D

[yuurei20]

Happy birthday to Rook’s voice actor Itokawa Yojiro!

A musical theater performer (Itokawa has only voiced three characters in his career, the first being an unnamed background character and the second being Rook Hunt), Itokawa has spent the past year appearing in stage productions such as 

・Tamakagiru ・Widerstand ・Legendary Little Basketball Team

・Touken Ranbu ・Stage Nanashi - 7th Special Cause of Death Treatment Division ・Tokyo Revengers

・Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ・Yakyoku Nocturne

[ein-shtink]

Sometimes I think about the fact we’re neighbors. There are more things that bring me and a Palestinian woman living in Gaza together than things bringing us apart.

We grew up watching the same sunsets, the same sunrises. If there were no borders, it would take about an hour for us to go and visit one another. We grew up listening to the same music. Our parents did, too.

Our grandparents read poetry in the same language, watched the same Egyptian movies. The foods are similar, the hobbies are, too. When I was in high school I met a girl my age, who grew up in Gaza but relocated with her family to an Arab village within Israel, a five minute drive from where I used to live. We made movies together. We joked a lot. We were one and the same, more often than not.

I can’t stop thinking about the Palestinians in Gaza. I can’t stop thinking about the horrors they endure. I can’t stop thinking about Palestinian men, women and children, having to fight for food. For hygiene products. For water. I can’t stop thinking about them having no time to hide before a bomb hits, about them not being allowed to evacuate. I can’t stop thinking about the ones who died protesting for a better life, long before this war started. They are my neighbors. We watch the same sunsets.

I can’t stop thinking about the hostages, either. I can’t stop thinking about the desecrated bodies of innocent women paraded around Gaza’s streets. I can’t stop thinking about the sisters who were raped and murdered together, aged 13 and 16. The older one was my sister’s friend. I can’t stop thinking about Shlomo Ron, the art-loving 80 year old man who sacrificed his own life to save his wife and grandchildren. He looks just like my grandpa. I can’t stop thinking about Thomas Hand, who was told his little girl was dead and cried tears of joy, because being dead is better than being taken hostage. I can’t stop thinking about the fact Emily Hand didn’t die, and actually was taken hostage. Ever since she was released, she only whispers, too afraid to speak up.

I can’t stop thinking about the suffering. About the loss. About the mothers on both sides of their border who had to watch their children die. About the pain.

Their faces haunt me.

I don’t understand why the West is calling for a ceasefire when they should be calling for peace. I don’t understand why the West is calling for the destruction of Israel when they should be calling for a solution that will allow both people to live side by side, in peace. I don’t understand why the existence of Israel is a bad thing. I don’t understand why the West refuses to call out Hamas, for the crimes of October 7th and their gross mistreatment and neglectful leadership of the Palestinian people ever since they rose to power. I don’t understand why the West views this decades old conflict through a one sided lens, amplifying the voice of one people’s crying and shutting down the other’s.

We deserve better. Palestinians and Israelis deserve better. We deserve to prosper, we deserve to live long and proud of our heritages in the land we both call home.

Maybe one day nations around the world and our own corrupt leaders will stop making us paint one another as the enemy. Israelis and Palestinians, we’re not each other’s enemies. We’re each other’s neighbors.

We deserve to let our children play.

[eretzyisrael]

Good News From Israel

In the 7th Jul 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

Israeli doctors “think outside the box” to save lives.

Good support for Israel from Germany, Taiwan, India and Argentina.

Seven Israeli AI products that benefit society.

Google has signed Israel’s largest office rental agreement.

An Israeli dancing dog astounds the judges on America’s Got Talent.

Read More: Good News From Israel

There are many signs that Israelis are continuing with their work to make a better world, despite the continuing war on many fronts.  The wounded returning to work, Oct 7 victims opening cafes, new innovative medical devices and procedures.

The economy expands with increasing gas exports, private and government support for startups, funding, and partnerships, plus a huge demand for Israeli defense technology. Israel is the new powerhouse in Artificial Intelligence systems that will improve our lives, while Israeli sustainable innovations guarantee to safeguard our planet and feed a hungry world.

You can see all these signs on Israel's streets and in the positivity shown by Israeli youth and in the excitement of the participants of youth groups visiting Israel.

[yyh4ever]

Yu Yu Hakusho POP UP SHOP in Tokyo Character Street

"Japanese-Western style" costumes

A3 Tokyo Company is releasing this new and beautiful POP UP at the Tokyo Character Street Shop in Tokyo Station. Everyone is wearing wayousetchuu, a blending of Japanese and Western styles.

The girls usually appear in GraffArt illustrations of A3, so I am glad Botan and Yukina are included in the standard art this time. I miss Keiko, though.

■ Official Site: eeo.today

■ Pre-order: June 15th to June 19th, 2023 on their Online Shop (overseas shipping available)

■ Period (wagon and mail order): July 7th to July 20th, 2023

■ Location: Tokyo Character Street Wagon (Tokyo Station, Yaesu Underground Shopping Mall, North Exit, B1 Floor)

■ Shipping (mail order): August 2023

■ Goods:

Can Badge

Price: 4,400 yen (complete set, 8 types in total)

Size: 65 mm

Material: tin plate and iron (pin)

Acrylic Keychain

Price: 7,040 yen (complete set, 8 types in total)

Size: 65×65mm

Material: acrylic, metal

Character Acrylic Figure (8 types)

Price: 1,815 each

Size: about H150×W70×D3ｍｍ

Material: acrylic

Types:

Yusuke Urameshi

Kazuma Kuwabara

Kurama

Hiei

Youko Kurama

Koenma

Yukina

Botan

Acrylic Art Board

Price: 2,750 yen

Size: A5 size (148×210mm)

Material: acrylic

Character Clear Case (8 types)

Price: 900 yen each

Size: A5 size (148mm x 210mm)

Material: PVC

Types:

Yusuke Urameshi

Kazuma Kuwabara

Kurama

Hiei

Youko Kurama

Koenma

Yukina

Botan

Premium Postcard Holder

A postcard holder with 30 pockets that can store 100mm x 148mm postcards. The cover is removable.

Price: 1,760 yen

Size:

Closed: Width 125 x Height 170 x 25 mm

Open: 270 x 170 mm

Material: Polypropylene, PVC

Leather Sticky Book (8 types)

Price: 605 yen each

Size: 57×11×77mm

Material: PU leather, paper

Types: Yusuke Urameshi; Kazuma Kuwabara; Kurama; Hiei; Youko Kurama; Koenma; Yukina; Botan

■ Benefit

For every 2,200 yen (tax included) purchase of Yu Yu Hakusho related products, you will get a random postcard (9 types in total).

[thefablemans]

title: last ones out

relationship: geto suguru/gojo satoru

summary: from the corner of his eye, suguru catches a glimpse of white. sunlight reflects off it like holding a flashlight against a mirror. his hand curls into a fist, black lid now crushed inside of his palms.

(there was no need for his eyes to see that which his body already knew. each sorcerer leaks its own unique energy, its soul molding and unmolding. once your soul molds against another’s it is impossible to take it for anything else.)

or: on december 7th, geto suguru visits a café.

DECEMBER 7TH, 2009.

There is something haunting about Tokyo in December: the sun shines, as it usually does, in a feeble attempt to mask the sharpness of the air outside, cold biting and burning each patch of skin it can find; the Christmas decorations come out, and the streets become busy, and then busier, and busier still.

None of that is what haunts him, though.

It’s a haunting thing, really, the normality of it all – how the habitual buzz of the city remains the same, the transit of humans, their pathetic blindness to the world around them, the stench of the cursed spiraling around until it is all there is to the world, like white noise is the back of one’s mind. In the corner, there is a woman with a small child. He chides and whines and points at products, and she laughs and coos and pays no mind at all to it. Somewhere, on the left, there is a man on the phone, coffee in hand as he adjusts the sunglasses and curses the weather. It is all the same as it was yesterday, as it was last month, as it was a year ago.

This is why he hates them: don’t they know that everything has changed? The world turned on its axis, and in it of itself, and inside out – and yet, still, all is what it was.

[READ MORE ON AO3]

[atiny-for-life]

Creative Spotlight #6: Song Mingi

Masterlist

Intro: With so many new Atinys coming in, I figured now would be a good time to shed some light on all the boys' creative solo projects over the years, big and small.

Fashion

As a fashion lover, Mingi also received his own show back in 2020, Minkiway, for which he wrote his own little theme song and rejoiced in getting to be the MC for something:

The episode ended with Hongjoong dropping by as a special guest to deliver a gift for Mingi.

The show returned in 2022 with Episode 3 and a new intro (go watch it and spam the comments if you'd like for the show to make a comeback!):

Collab

On August 7th, 2024, Mirani featured Mingi on a song titled Hit Me Up which they performed together live in the released music video. If you're one of the people who've been longing to hear more of Mingi's singing voice, you're gonna love this:

Music Production

Like his captain, Mingi's also a producer and the first time we get to see him in the studio by himself is during his first 1-Day-Vlog:

10 months ago, Mingi showed off his wide range as an artist in an original song titled Untitled, featuring not just rap but also vocals:

The video is shot in retro style 4 by 3 footage and features a rainy street which eventually transitions from video only to a light audible drizzle at the end of the song.

5 months ago, he came back with his first [FIX OFF] Desire Project, titled Tunnel with original lyrics by Mingi and him also participating in the composition and arrangement:

It's the full emo concept with an alter ego and everything - we got the tattoos, the nail polish, the gloomy atmosphere. I love it.

Against a stunning instrumental (I love the drums), we get to hear him sing and rap, including some precisely dropped f-bombs as he laments a lost love and talks about deeply unhealthy coping mechanisms (alcoholism) to escape the memories and fill the void inside himself.

On August 9th, 2024, Mingi's first LP Fix On/Off was announced and release, consisting of a short Preview which shows Mingi painting. Further information was then provided by Mingi himself in his birthday Inside out clip:

And finally, the actual purchase link was shared through Ateez's Social Media platforms:

[opencommunion]

"Britain’s largest gathering of counter-terrorism experts assembled in London last month to discuss what one police chief called 'legal but harmful protest' following Israel’s war on Gaza. Inside a cavernous Docklands conference hall, companies at the Counter Terror Expo displayed gas mask-clad dummies and crowd control systems as enthusiastic AI reps promised revolutionary advances in surveillance. Tools for hacking phones with 'brute force,' monitoring someone’s emotional state based on their social media and rapidly digesting the contents of an 'acquired' computer were all up for sale. Among the potential customers were foreign police departments, including officers fresh from Georgia’s violent crackdown on anti-Russia protests.

Several salespeople declined to explain their products to the media. 'I can’t believe they let you people in here,' one rep told Declassified after seeing our press card. 'I think it’s disgusting.' Her company markets AI tools for military and law enforcement to process recordings of people’s voices. 

When delegates weren’t browsing spyware or sipping craft beer with a £12 'world food' meal deal, they could listen to the security industry’s leading lights. These included detective chief superintendent Maria Lovegrove who runs Britain’s Prevent strategy against radicalisation. She trumpeted 53 arrests for terrorism offences since October 7. Only one of these was for violence. The rest concerned social media posts or attending gatherings. Asked whether this data suggests police are overreacting to peaceful pro-Palestine protests, Lovegrove valorised an 'early intervention' approach. She told Declassified this was the 'greatest tool in preventing terror attacks' and insisted officers 'only arrest and prosecute when we have to.' Among those arrests were three women found guilty for wearing paraglider stickers at a protest.

Dom Murphy – the Met’s counter terrorism commander – told delegates he was monitoring 'legal but harmful' protests and the risk of 'low-sophistication' attacks by people radicalised online or at university since October 7th. 'If there are 100,000 people at a protest, and one person holding a Hamas flag, we will find them and arrest them,' Murphy reassured attendees. A majority of recent arrests targeted individuals aged under 17, he boasted, as proof that the 'early intervention' approach was working. 

Another panellist praised Britain’s ability to pre-emptively arrest people for public order offences at demonstrations and target them for terror offences further down the line. Craig McCann, a former senior Prevent officer, expressed the mood in the room when he described ceasefire marches as a 'permissive environment for the transfer of extremist ideology.' Like other speakers, he sought to delegitimise opponents of Israel’s war on Gaza by characterising pro-Palestine protests as an 'Islamist camp conflating with far-Right anti-Semitism.' McCann explicitly linked Palestinian nationalism with Nazism, an Israeli propaganda point. Fellow panellists claimed parts of London were a 'no-go zone for Jews.' Discussing threats from 'street protest all the way through to terrorism,' the conference presented far Left, far Right, 'Islamist' and 'environmentalist' ideologies as equal, inter-related threats to British society. ... After lunch, discussion turned to 'British values' and protecting England from the menace of social media and foreign flags that vexed thousands of officers under Murphy’s command. Many felt the next-generation tech on display would ensure ever more effective crackdowns on street protest and dissent."

[workersolidarity]

[ 📹 Several severely wounded children are brought to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the city of Deir al-Balah after the Israeli occupation forces bombed several residential homes in the Bureij Refugee Camp, in the central Gaza Strip on Tuesday, resulting in a number of casualties among civilians. ]

🇮🇱⚔️🇵🇸 🚀🏘️💥🚑 🚨

GAZA GENOCIDE DAY 277: WORLD'S WEAPONS MANUFACTURERS IMPOSE UNOFFICIAL BAN ON TRANSFERS TO "ISRAEL", HALF A MILLION GAZANS FACE "CATASTROPHIC" LEVELS OF HUNGER, ISRAELI OCCUPATION FORCES CLOSE BAPTIST HOSPITAL IN GAZA CITY, ALL PRCS CLINICS NOW CLOSED AS OCCUPATION IMPOSES EVACUATIONS, MASS MURDER OF CIVILIANS CONTINUES

On 277th day of the Israeli occupation's ongoing special genocide operation in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) committed a total of 3 new massacres of Palestinian families, resulting in the deaths of no less than 50 Palestinian civilians, mostly women and children, while another 130 others were wounded over the previous 24-hours.

It should be noted that as a result of the constant Israeli bombardment of Gaza's healthcare system, infrastructure, residential and commercial buildings, local paramedic and civil defense crews are unable to recover countless hundreds, even thousands, of victims who remain trapped under the rubble, or who's bodies remain strewn across the streets of Gaza.

This leaves the official death toll vastly undercounted as Gaza's healthcare officials are unable to accurately tally those killed and maimed in this genocide, which must be kept in mind when considering the scale of the mass murder.

Foreign countries' weapons manufacturers, and exporters of raw materials used in weapons manufacturing, have imposed an informal ban on sales to "Israel" as its genocide in the Gaza Strip continues unabated, going into its 10th month.

According to the Israeli news site Calcalist, the Israeli Ministry of Defense, along with its military branches, are concerned with a situation that is developing in which the Israeli entity could face an ammunition shortage after several countries informally stopped trading weapons and materials with the occupation.

Calcalist says that European weapons manufacturers have begun ignoring their Israeli counterparts, no longer responding to their entreaties, while a major foreign power which is "not the United States", which used to trade with the occupation, has ceased trade of raw materials used in weapons manufacturing with the Zionist entity ever since its response to the events of October 7th began.

At the same time, reporting in the New York Times cautioned that the Israeli occupation army faces a shortage of 120mm artillery shells, with some tanks operating in Gaza being deployed with a smaller number of shells to slow the rate at which such shells are expended.

According to the Times, the occupation army is also facing a shortage of spare parts for D9 armored bulldozers, tanks, and armored personnel carriers.

Although the Israeli occupation promotes the establishment of new weapons manufacturing at home, ammunition produced in the occupied territories is expected to cost "tens of percent" more than imported shells and materials.

And while the Zionist entity is expected to boost domestic production of shells and other "simple" ammunition, it remains highly impractical and unlikely for the occupation to produce all the shells it needs.

Even in the case of boosted production, a large share of shells would still need to be imported due to the limited productive capabilities of the occupied territories, at a time when even the United States struggles to supply its Israeli and Ukrainian partners with all the shells the two warring allies require.

Secondly, for domestic munitions production to dramatically expand would require large amounts of raw materials which cannot be mined in the occupied territories, and so, even in the case of expanded production, many shells would still need to be imported from foreign countries.

Unfortunately for the Zionist entity, aside from the imposition of a quiet ban on sales of munitions to the Israeli occupation, several major suppliers of raw materials used in weapons manufacturing have also banned sales of such raw materials to the occupation.

And while the Israeli occupation has looked to diversify its suppliers of raw materials, and has purchased as much raw materials as possible since the start of the genocidal war in Gaza, defense contractors in the occupied territories have required help from the Ministry of Defense to acquire the necessary materials.

The occupation has caught a few breaks here and there, "another country" has begun selling raw materials to the occupation, while Serbia has provided air defenses since the start of the war.

However, due to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, a global shortage of ammunition and raw materials has developed, leading to price increases and cut-throat competition for supplies.

Calcalist previously reported that due to the intensive use of ammunition since the start of ground operations in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation army had already used some 100'000 shells by the end of November, 2023, just two months into its genocidal war.

Meanwhile, as the Zionist entity's war of extermination continues in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) is warning that "half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic levels of hunger."

Speaking on Monday in a post to the social media platform X, the WFP cautioned that Palestinian families in Gaza often do not receive full food rations on an ongoing basis.

The WFP declared that "unreliable access to humanitarian aid and limited stocks prevent families in Gaza from obtaining the food rations they need," and went on to to call for an "immediate ceasefire" in the Gaza Strip.

At the same time, United Nations' experts on Tuesday cautioned that famine has now spread throughout the Gaza Strip, explaining that the death of Palestinian children in Gaza as a result of malnutrition and dehydration confirms the spread of famine.

The experts warned that the death of a child the other day from malnutrition and dehydration indicates that health and social structures remain under Israeli attack and are severely weakened by the conditions imposed on the Strip.

The UN experts went on to warn that the Israeli occupation's ongoing starvation campaign against the Palestinian population constituted genocide and caused a famine, continuing by calling upon the international community to prioritize the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza by land, and to immediately end the blockade of the enclave.

Previously, on Sunday, a six-year-old child died as a result of malnutrition and dehydration, bringing the total number of deaths resulting from famine and dehydration in the Gaza Strip to 41 since October 7th.

It was also reported that at least 50 children are suffering from malnutrition and famine in Gaza, while symptoms of famine have been recorded in more than 200 children in total.

The Israeli occupation forces on May 7th took control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah and Karm Abu Salem border crossings, where the majority of humanitarian aid entered the Gaza Strip.

Following taking control over the border crossings, the occupation army burned the crossing's facilities to the ground and have since blocked the entry of humanitarian aid convoys, while at the same time blocking thousands of severely sick and wounded Palestinians from exiting Gaza to seek treatment abroad.

In other news on Tuesday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) announced the reopening of its healthcare center in the beleaguered city of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, several months after its facilities were "severely damaged" in January, with the hope of "supporting displaced families who returned to the area in search of shelter."

In a statement about the reopening posted to the social media platform X, the UNRWA said that "Our staff in Khan Yunis were able to reopen our health center after it was severely damaged last January."

"Given the lack of other health facilities in this part of Khan Younis, the clinic is essential to support displaced families who have returned to the area in search of shelter," the UN refugee agency added.

In further news, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) warned on Tuesday that "all medical points and emergency clinics" affiliated with the organization in the Gaza Strip have ceased their operations.

The Society explained that the closure of its facilities is a result of the Occupation's procedures of forced evacuation in various areas of Gaza where medical points and clinics are located.

At the time of publishing, just 15 of 36 hospitals remain just partially operational, with many sustaining damage from Israeli attacks, while the healthcare sector also suffers from a severe shortage of staff and medical supplies, including anesthesia and antibiotics, leaving healthcare professionals struggling to save lives under catastrophic conditions.

Since the start of the Israeli occupation's genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, more than 500 healthcare workers have been killed and hundreds more injured, while the occupation has arrested and detained at least 310 others and destroyed some 130 ambulances during the ongoing aggression.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has previously warned that the volume of medical supplies entering the Strip is "not sufficient to sustain the health response" and that "all medical evacuations out of Gaza remain suspended."

Several UN agencies and international institutions have also previously warned that the Zionist entity's targeting of hospitals and the healthcare sector in Gaza constitutes a clear violation of the principles and standards of International humanitarian law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which guarantee special protections for hospitals and healthcare centers during armed conflicts and wars, while targeting them amounts to a crime against humanity and a war crime.

Yet, the Israeli occupation continues to target Gaza's healthcare infrastructure in direct violation of, and in disregard of, all international and humanitarian laws.

Meanwhile, the slaughter of civilians continues in Gaza as the Zionist army targets the homes, shelters and tents of the displaced, starving and suffering Palestinian population.

On Tuesday morning, Occupation fighter jets bombed a residential house in the city of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, resulting in a number of casualties among the civilian population.

At the same time, Zionist artillery detatchments targeted several neighborhoods west of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, as well as in the vicinity of Al-Shifa Hospital, west of Gaza City, and a school in Al-Nuseirat, all of which were subjected to violent raids.

In further atrocities and war crimes, medical sources with Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital in the city of Gaza stated that soldiers with the Israeli occupation army forced medical staff to close the hospital after its surrounds were subjected to violent gunfire from Merkava tanks and other armored vehicles.

According to residents and staff that witnessed the closure, all staff and patients, as well as displaced civilians seeking shelter in the hospital, were forced to leave under the threat of the occupying forces, exposing them to extreme dangers.

The crimes of the Israeli occupation continued when Zionist warplanes bombed a residential home in the New Camp area of the Al-Nuseirat Refugee Camp, in the central Gaza Strip, murdering at least 7 civilians and wounding several others.

In another atrocity, occupation fighter aircraft bombarded a residential house belonging to the Mahna family on Al-Jalaa Street, in the vicinity of the Ghafri Junction, north of Gaza City, while local paramedic crews managed to recover a small baby from the rubble alive.

Similarly, an occupation raid on the Lababidi area, north of Gaza City, resulted in the deaths of 3 citizens and wounded 3 others.

After another house was bombed by Israeli occupation forces on Al-Nafaq Street in Gaza City, local civil defense crews were able to recover a child, along with several other wounded civilians, from under the rubble of their home.

Local sources are also reporting that three civilians were killed after the Israeli occupation forces bombed a gathering of civilians in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood, west of the city of Rafah, south of Gaza, while occupation Apache helicopters opened fire on several western neighborhoods of the city.

In more occupation war crimes, the Israeli occupation forces bombed a gathering of citizens near the Abu Rasas roundabout in the al-Bureij Camp, in the central Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of 9 Palestinians, most of whom were children, while a number of others were wounded in the attack.

Another citizen was killed, and several others wounded, after occupation artillery shelling targeted the Al-Maghribi Junction, in the Al-Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza City.

According to some reports, at least 33 Palestinian civilians have been killed, and dozens of others wounded, as a result of Israeli bombing since dawn on Tuesday.

In more attacks, at least four Palestinians were killed, and several others wounded, as a result of an Israeli occupation airstrike on the Nuseirat Market, in the camp of the same name, in central Gaza.

As a result of the Israeli occupation's ongoing war of extermination against the Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip, the current death toll now exceeds 38'243 Palestinians killed, including at least 10'000 women and more than 15'000 children, while another 88'033 others have been wounded since the start of the current round of Zionist aggression, beginning with the events of October 7th, 2023.

July 9th, 2024.

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@WorkerSolidarityNews

[argyrocratie]

(...)

"What is the Houthi movement?

The Houthi insurgency is a Zaydi Shiite Islamist political movement established in 1992 to challenge Yemen’s longtime, and increasingly corrupt, leader Ali Abdullah Saleh. Following massive street protests, Saleh resigned his post in 2011. After the resignation, a national unity dialogue was held in Yemen’s capital Sana’a to try to resolve a host of Yemeni political conflicts. However, those talks eventually broke down, prompting the Houthis to advance on Sana’a with the goal of taking power. This sparked Saudi Arabia’s deadly US-backed air, ground, and naval invasion of Yemen, which lasted for seven years and killed an estimated 9,000 civilians, as well as significant numbers of Houthi forces, in repeated airstrikes. Despite the overwhelming force used by Saudi Arabia, however, the Houthis gained control over roughly a third of Yemen’s land—and two-thirds of its population—over the course of the war.

In April 2022, Saudi Arabia and the Houthis negotiated a truce that has nearly eliminated the fighting in Yemen. The truce halted offensive military operations, allowed fuel ships to enter Yemeni ports, and restarted commercial flights from Sana’a airport. However, it did not offer a comprehensive political settlement, leaving open the threat of renewed hostilities.

How have the Houthis become involved in the war?

After Israel began bombing Gaza on October 7th, the Houthi movement—which has long held what Yemen expert Helen Lackner called a “fundamentalist foreign policy position against the US and Israel”—announced that it was ready to intervene in solidarity with Palestinians. “There are red lines in the situation related to Gaza, and we are coordinating with our brothers in the jihad axis and are ready to intervene with all we can,” the Houthis’ leader said. As part of this effort, the movement has carried out 27 attacks in the Red Sea between November 19th and January 11th, most of them on commercial ships linked to Israel (although some of the attacks have targeted ships without a clear connection to Israel). The movement has also tried to fire on American warships and on Israel itself.

In the attacks on commercial ships, the Houthis have mostly fired missiles at them, though on November 20th, the group’s fighters seized a cargo ship and detained the crew members onboard. These attacks have discouraged shipping companies from traversing the Red Sea, the fastest route from Asia to Europe; many are instead sailing around the Horn of Africa, which adds $1 million to the typical cost of a roundtrip. On January 11th, the White House cited this trade disruption as a key motivating factor for the US’s bombings in Yemen, noting that “more than 2,000 ships have been forced to divert thousands of miles to avoid the Red Sea—which can cause weeks of delays in product shipping times.”

The Houthi movement’s attacks in the Red Sea, as well as the retaliation the attacks have generated, have revitalized the group’s power within Yemen. Prior to October 7th, the Houthis were facing discontent due to their authoritarian rule, their failure to pay salaries, and their control of aid in the face of spiraling poverty. Their confrontation with Israel, however, has seen “their popularity suddenly skyrocket, including in areas in Yemen where they don’t rule and in stark contrast to other Arab [states] who are at best being silent, or at worse, helping the enemy,” Yemen expert Helen Lackner told Jewish Currents. After incurring significant losses in their conflict with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the Houthis’ firm opposition to Israel has also helped them to recruit more young men to their military who believe they will have the opportunity to fight in Palestine, according to Lackner.

In this context, experts say it is unlikely the spate of Western bombings will end the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea—and such attacks could even contribute to the group’s bolstered popularity. “They’re willing to live with some level of retaliation because they can then position themselves as having been targeted by this Western alliance that is serving the interests of Israel,” said Mohamad Bazzi, director of New York University’s Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies. Other experts have also warned that the US strikes risk provoking further escalations: For instance, the Houthis could decide to attack Saudi Arabia in a bid to up the pressure on American allies.

(...)

What is Iran’s role in the regional escalation?

While the groups responding to Israel’s bombing of Gaza—Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and the Iraqi and Syrian paramilitaries—are spread out across the region, they are all supported by Iran, which has armed and financed them as part of an overall strategy to contest US and Israeli hegemony in the Middle East. This Iran-supported network is often called the “axis of resistance,” and the alliance’s close collaboration reflects an approach developed by Qassem Soleimani, who was a key Iranian military leader until he was assassinated by the US in January 2020. “A big part of his strategy in the region was for the groups to get to know each other, and to share training and expertise—and that continued after the assassination in Baghdad,” said Bazzi.

Experts emphasize that Iran does not have full control over the groups it funds and arms, which often pursue their own agendas. For example, the relationship between the Houthis and Iran, according to Lackner, “is a bit like Netanyahu’s relationship to Biden. If they agree, and they want to do the same thing, then they do it. But they are not afraid to diverge either,” said Lackner. For instance, the Houthis ignored Iran’s orders to halt their advance on Sana’a in 2014, which sparked the years-long civil war and the conflict with Saudi Arabia. In the current conflagration, Bazzi said, Iran is unlikely to be directing the various forces to pursue “specific attacks,” but Iranian military leadership is “probably involved in larger-scale conversations about the division of responsibilities of different parts of the axis of resistance.”

According to Bazzi, at this moment Iran is carefully calculating how to maintain regional credibility by showing support for Hamas, while not going far enough to provoke a war with powerful foes like the US and Israel. “The primary Iranian calculation is about regime survival, and they don’t want to do anything that seriously jeopardizes their survival,” said Bazzi. Parsi said that so far, Iran has benefited from avoiding risky moves—in contrast to Israel, which has diminished its own “global standing” with its operations in Gaza. “Israel’s pariah status globally—at least outside of the West—is something that the Iranians are drawing benefits from. But that only works to the point that this doesn’t escalate into a larger conflict,” he said.

How is the US responding to the regional conflict?

Since October 7th, the US has repeatedly said that it wants to prevent more fighting in the region. Early on, the US dispatched warships and fighter jets to the Mediterranean to deter Hezbollah from entering the fray. Biden administration officials have also ramped up diplomatic efforts to halt a regional conflagration: The president sent envoy Amos Hochstein to Lebanon to try to negotiate a solution to the fighting around the blue line, and reportedly warned Israel against escalation with Hezbollah in private conversations. In October, when Israel had made plans to pre-emptively strike Lebanon, President Biden called Netanyahu to tell him to “stand down” on the attack plans, and ultimately, Israel did not launch a wide scale attack, according to a December Wall Street Journal report. “The priority for the Biden administration is to limit or prevent the broadening of the conflict,” said Schenker.

At the same time, the US has carried out repeated bombings in Iraq, Syria, and now Yemen, even as officials continue to talk about de-escalation. “We’re not looking for conflict with Iran. We’re not looking to escalate and there’s no reason for it to escalate beyond what happened over the last few days,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said last Friday, after the first US bombings of Yemen. But yesterday, the US military again bombed Houthi targets for the third time in a week, and then designated the Houthis as a terror organization, blocking the group’s access to the global financial system. By targeting Yemen, experts say the US is significantly expanding the regional war—“escalating regional tensions and adding fuel to a conflict,” as Bazzi wrote in a recent column published in The Guardian. “The conflagration could spiral out of control, perhaps more by accident than design,” he noted.

Many Middle East analysts say the Biden administration’s attempt to avert regional war is failing for one main reason: its refusal to couple a plea for de-escalation with advocacy for a ceasefire in Gaza. “Seeing the wider regional conflict as something that can be managed separately from Gaza is the source of the dissonance [in the administration’s strategy],” Bazzi told Jewish Currents. “You can’t prevent the wider regional war effectively without addressing the core immediate issue, which is the Israeli assault on Gaza. It’s just wishful thinking in the Biden administration that somehow it can separate the two.”

[bakuhatsufallinlove]

U.A. High School Field Trip Around Japan: Day 5 Translations

This is Day 5 of Shonen Jump’s special commemoration of My Hero Academia reaching one hundred million copies worldwide, which is being rolled out daily across one-week in each prefecture’s newspaper.

The schedule:

April 4th, Day 1: Hokkaidō & Tōhōku regions

April 5th, Day 2: Kantō region

April 6th, Day 3: Chūbu region

April 7th, Day 4: Kansai region

April 8th, Day 5: Chūgoku & Shikoku regions

April 9th, Day 6: Kyūshū & Okinawa regions

April 10th, Day 7: Nationwide release

You can see the illustrations on their website here, where they are released digitally the day after the newspaper release.

Here we go!

Chūgoku Region

Tottori

Photo credit: twitter user aoao_rice

Ashido: "Ohoo~! Have I got a scoop on a summer fling!?" All Might: "I have come to rubberneck!! ...not! Let's go, Young Ashido!" Yaoyorozu: "Since Kaminari-san has overslept again this morning, please be careful as the class representative." Iida: "Indeed! After all, disturbance of life's daily rhythm is no good." Narrator: "The class president was simply communicating with administration."

Hakuto Coast is a magnificent beach beside a shrine famous for being the location of the so-called "first love story" wherein the white rabbit (the shrine's namesake, 白兎) played matchmaker for deity Ōkuninushi and princess Yagami after Ōkuninushi advised the rabbit on how to heal its wounds. The shrine specializes in matchmaking charms and the area is considered a "lovers' sanctuary."

Shimane

Photo credit: twitter user akamenago

Shouji: "What an incredible slope!" Iida: "Aah, this will be hard, but at the top of that slope a spectacular view of the ocean and a sense of accomplishment await you... Give it your all, Engine!! You can do this!" Kaminari: "You're empathizing with the engines!?"

Eshima Ohashi is famous for being photographed in ways that distort its true slope gradient, making it appear insanely steep. It's steep, but not insanely so! I guess Iida identifies with engines.

Okayama

Photo credit: twitter user mayori_nu3sei

Best Jeanist: "Don't give me the cold shoulder. Just say the word and I'll coordinate any number of jeans outfits for us!" Bakugou: "I WAS JUST PASSING BY, ALL RIGHT!!!" Kaminari: "Now, now, now..." Mineta: "C'mon, you can be honest!"

Kojima Jeans Street is a popular tourist destination in Kurashiki City, as it has been dubbed the birthplace of blue jeans in Japan from its first production in the 1960s. Kacchan is in denial--accept your fate and wrap yourself in the weft of rich indigo!!

Hiroshima

Photo credit: twitter user chugokunp_u35

Kaminari: "Hey! Just a minute ago it was on land, now it's under water!?" Bakugou: "It's just high tide, ain't it!!" Sero: "Ohh, right, the whole thing with the moon's gravity. So, it sinks once every day?" Bakugou: "High tide comes twice a day, don't it!! Go back to kindergarten and start over, you pieces of trash!!"

Visiting Itsukushima Shrine, whose torii entrance appears to be floating in the water at high tide and is made out of decay-resistant camphor wood. The shrine buildings themselves are built up so as to not be submerged.

Yamaguchi

Photo credit: twitter user mizyuki_1010

Todoroki: "This is from my father. Please enjoy at your leisure." Kirishima: "'Ssanks for tha' provisions!!" Uraraka: "Todoroki-kun, you know, you should say thanks!" Todoroki: "It's delicious, thank you." Uraraka: "I meant thank your dad!"

They are eating kawara soba, a unique dish in Yamaguchi which is cooked on a hot curved roof tile.

Shikoku Region

Tokushima

Photo credit: twitter user mgmg_hrak

Kaminari: "Wheeeey..." Sero: "I'd rather be a dancing idiot than a wheeey idiot!" Crowd: "Both are idiots, so why, oh why, not dance~!" Ashido: "Let's go, everyone!! We're all part of this!"

Tokushima's Obon festival includes the Awa dance, wherein huge crowds of people dance in procession over a period of three days. Here's an example! They also often sing a song, dating back to a popular tune from the Edo period, which says both dancers and watchers are idiots, so if you don't dance, it's your loss!

Kagawa

Photo credit: twitter user ZqGuesaki72

Uraraka: "It's anybody who's seen it, right? They won't have money problems for the rest of their life!" Izuku: "That's a crazy face, Uraraka-san!!?"

The Zenigata Sunae in Kan'onji City is a sand sculpture depicting an old Japanese coin, called kan'ei tsūhō. It was originally constructed in 1633 by the local people to welcome a daimyō. According to legend, anyone who sees the coin will live a long and happy life and never have problems with money.

Ehime

Photo credit: twitter user chiccoinocico

Todoroki: "What's this kind of thing about? Are we, like, BFFs now?" Kirishima: "You said it, Todoroki! (red-faced)"

This is JR Shimonada Station, an unstaffed train station along the coast which offers beautiful views of the ocean. Kirishima is a sweetiepie, and apparently easily flustered, hehe.

Kōchi

Photo credit: twitter user _baby_hr

Uraraka: "I'm gonna take a picture!" Dark Shadow: "Aieee!" Hagakure: "All righty~!" Sero: "Looking at this kinda thing, it's like seeing a monster in a dungeon." Jirou: "Use delicacy!!"

Ryūga Cave of Kami City is one of the biggest limestone caves in all of Japan; formed over a period of 175 million years, ancient artifacts from the Yayoi period (~300 BCE to 300 CE) have been found within it. Sero, how could you be so cavalier! Dark Shadow is a good boy!!

That wraps up Day 5, see you for Day 6!

[monste70-comsumer]

To the people who think that this doesn’t affect them, it does. Our state taxes go to Isreal which is killing people who are just living. Most of the population in Palestine are children who are dying every minute. People are living in tents with no clean water and no food. The women have no menstrual products. There is a famine right now. Nobody deserves to be going to bed with the sounds of drones and bombs, and hungry. No parents or siblings need to be holding their dead loved ones. I feel so many things when I see what is going on in the world. And if you were with Ukraine why aren't you with the Palestinians? Say something or do something that could at least save people's lives. “ pick up the stones there are children in the street”. Nobody deserves to live like this. This has been going on for 76+ years and never October 7th.