#And being fearless!

[sunburnacoustic]

“Over the years we've cast loads of ideas aside thinking they were too cheesy, too silly or simply not rock enough," explains Bellamy. "But when we came to writing Black Holes And Revelations, none of those things seemed to matter any more. We'd got to the point where we were just not afraid to do anything."

Black Holes And Revelations is Muse's most unabashedly honest album to date. Lyrically, Bellamy has let down his guard and for the first time, fire-and-brimstone cautionary tales inspired by his passionately held beliefs sit side-by-side with poignant, heartfelt love songs: "This is the first time I've managed to get these things into the music," he says proudly. Rather than feeling pressured by the success of Absolution, it seems to have freed them. "We really wanted this album to be a departure for us," says Howard. "Whatever it was we were doing - whether just working out the guitar sound or arranging the whole song structure - we wanted to make it more extreme."

Black Holes And Revelations is the sound of a band letting their hair down and, for the first time, really having some fun. "The dirty Prince-like groove of [the album's first single] 'Supermassive Black Hole', definitely surprised people," says Bellamy gleefully. "It was just so light-hearted. That's a side of the band we didn't capture on the first three albums: us jamming around and having a laugh."

In fact, Muse aren't the dour, chin-stroking types of repute. When the likeable Bellamy punctuates his self-proclaimed "berserk" assertions with an infectious hyena-like laugh, he proves that the band possess a mocking self-awareness. "We really don't take ourselves as seriously as people think," he chuckles.

Muse have always embraced their sense of the ridiculous. "Our best songs have always sounded ever so slightly ludicrous," says Wolstenholme. "Songs where we've had no fear of seeming over the top. We've never lost that fearlessness, and now it seems we've earned some respect for that." He's right: a somewhat open mind is called for to appreciate the bold ambition of Black Holes And Revelations, but surrendering to Muse's hyper-coloured world is well-rewarded.

————-

Muse on writing, on their sense of fun and ridiculousness, just more snippets I liked from the Independent interview during Black Holes And Revelations. ‘We blew them all off the stage’, The Independent, September 2006

[kittyprincessofcats]

ICJ Ruling

Okay, let's get into this.

First of all, I get the frustration at the court not ordering a ceasefire. I was disappointed and frustrated at first too, since a ceasefire was the biggest and most important preliminary measure South Africa was requesting - and of course we just all want this horror to finally end for the people in Gaza. So I get the frustration and disappointment, I really do.

However, I do think this ruling is still a major win for South Africa, Palestine, and international law as a whole and here's why:

The court acknowledged that it has jurisdiction over this case and completely dismissed Israel's request to throw out the case as a whole. It will now determine at the merits stage (that will probably take years) whether Israel is actually commiting genocide.

The court acknowledged that Palestinians are a "distinct national or ethnic group and therefore deserving of protection under the genocide convention". Pull this out next time someone tells you "there's no such thing as Palestinians, they're all just Arabs".

The court acknowledged very unambiguously that "at least some" of Israel's actions being genocidal in nature is "plausible". South Africa has a case, officially. Israel is accused of genocide, in a way the ICJ deems "plausible", officially. This is huge. (And seriously, how freaking satisfying was it to hear all of those genocidal statements by Israeli politicians read out loud and used as justification for this rulling?)

The court might not have ordered a "ceasefire" in those words, but they did order Israel to "immediately end all genocidal acts" (which includes killing and injuring Palestinians) and submit proof that they actually did. How are they going to comply with this ruling without at least severly reducing or changing what they're doing in Gaza?

In fact, this wording might actually be more appropriate for a genocide (vs a war), as author and journalist Ali Abunimah notes on Twitter:

He's completely right. Israel lost today, by overwhelming majority (I mean, 15 to 2? I heard people predict the rulings would be very close, like 9 judges vs 8, but instead we got 15 to 2 (and even 16 to 1 on the humanitarian aid). Holy shit.) The court disimissed almost everything Israel's side of lawyers said, while acknowledging that South Africa's accusations are "plausible".

And this is important especially because of Mr Abunimah's second tweet there^. Because the question is, where do we go from here?

This ruling means that Israel is officially /possibly/ commiting genocide and that should have huge international consequences. The rest of the world now HAS to take these accusations seriously and stop arming and supporting Israel - and if they won't do it on their own, we, the people, have to make them. This is THE moment to rise up all around the world, especially in the countries most supportive of Israel (the US, the UK, Germany): Protest, call your representatives and demand a ceasefire and an end of arms deliveries to Israel.

We now have a legal case to back our demands: If Israel is, according to the ICJ, "plausibly" commiting genocide, then all of our governments are, according to the ICJ, "plausibly" guiltly of aiding in genocide. And we need to hold that over their heads and demand better. We need to do that right now and in huge numbers. Most politicians only care about themselves and saving their skin. We have to make them realize that they could be accused of aiding in genocide.

(As a German, I'm thinking of Germany here in particular: After South Africa's hearing, our government dismissed their case as having "no basis" - how are they going to keep saying that now that the ICJ officially thinks otherwise? Over the last months, people here have been arrested at protests for calling what's happening in Gaza a genocide. How are the police supposed to legally keep doing that now that the ICJ has officially deemed this accusation "plausible"? I used to be scared to use the word "genocide" at protests or write it on my protest signs - not anymore, have fun trying to arrest me for that when the ICJ literally has my back on this one 🖕🏻.)

So yeah - don't be defeatist about this, don't let Israel's narrative that they "won" (they didn't) take over. This might not be everything we wanted, but it's still a good result. Don't let what the court didn't say ("ceasefire"), distract you from the very important things that they did say. Let this be your motivation to get loud and active, especially if you live in any country that supports Israel. Put pressure on your governments to not be complicit in genocide, you now officially have the highest international court on your side.

[brainrotcharacters]

You know what would devastate me? Professor X or Magneto seeing current poolverine and losing their shit.

That said, do it.

[sysig]

Two skeletons in a trench lab coat (Patreon)

Bonus:

He’s very careful! Everything was fine before you interrupted!

[hatepotion]

i wasn't gonna post these but here are some of the lil prints i made for last weekend's art market :)

(eras tour poster sticker sheet under the cut!)

[sometimesmaybespoof]

When she Half on my Life till I 2

[transmascsonicthehedgehog]

is anyone else angered by the fact that the year of shadow merch is either more exclusive than my love life OR immediately sold out as soon as it's presented online. go to hell, all of you. let fans actually get a hold of SOMETHING without having to fight tooth and nail for it

[rickybaby]

Genuine question as I am curious — I know it’s pretty obvious with his expressions/ body language that Daniel seemed shy/insecure(?) about having his braces, but has he ever outright said anything about feeling that way with them? Just out of curiosity as I am new around here!

“I feel very different in terms of looks. Fortunately, experience also bought me better looks. I’m not really too fond of showing people photos of me when I was younger”

[cowboy-caboodles]

Nightmares (1/2)

took me awhile to put this comic together but now that the holidays are over (at least for this Yid) i have time on my hands!

i like to think that the jacobs’ apartment is a safe place for the manhattan newsies, and a few of them come over for dinner or a warm place to sleep when they can. (most specifically Jack, who took a while to warm up to the idea of Davey’s parents offering him shelter and food, but once he did he spent half his time sleeping over)

[fatedroses]

I simply give the giant garlean man WoL energy, that is all.

[aiuredsworld]

It’s raining, and there’re puddles, and Drarry just enjoys kicking water at each other

[swordlesbian-chappellroan]

i've been noticing some confusion in the tags, and i just want to clarify: fallout takes place in an alternate timeline from ours. it appears to have diverged no later than the 60's, with an american being the first man in space (1961), the united states being restructured into a commonwealth (1969), and the vietnam war never occurring (according to jonathan nolan), among other things.

so no, cooper howard was never an ipad kid and he doesn't know who lady gaga is (unless lady gaga is known for her kicky showtunes). it's also why some of their technology/culture is outdated compared to ours, and some is quite advanced.

[blahlahblash]

New Shadow render REDRAW?!??!?!?!?!?!?>@W@".e

[mezsygfs]

see, I'm not even a big Taylor Swift fan, like id listen to anyone else if it were a choice BUT YK DAMN WELL IM LISTENING TO ALL HER RELEASES. being friends with swifties is a commitment.

[kvtnisseverdeen]

GET TO KNOW ME MEME: FAVORITE MUSICIANS

↳ TAYLOR SWIFT

“There’s a part of me that definitely is always going to be different. I needed to grow up in many ways. I needed to make boundaries, to figure out what was mine and what was the public’s. That old version of me that shares unfailingly and unblinkingly with a world that is probably not fit to be shared with? I think that’s gone. “