#BUT IF YOU BUY IN KOREA ITS ONLY $40+ | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

mint-moon25 · 2 months ago

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HDG - BANKS

DEAR - KOREAN - GIRLS - OF - SEOUL,

WHEN - IT - COMES - 2 - EMPLOYMENT

AND - WORK - SEOUL - KOREA - HAS A

SCORE - OF - ZERO - ( 0 )

MANY - CHICAS - TELLING - THEIR YES

FEMALE - LANDLORDS - SLIGHTLY

LATE - NEEDED - 2 - BUY - MEDICATION

4 - HER - MOM

GRABBED - ON - THE - HAIR - 'THE DAY

SHE - CARES' - BOXED - HER - KICKED

HER - CALLED - 'PROSTITUTION' - THE

OLD - KOREAN - MALE - IN - APT - 500

WILL - PAY - THAT - SHOULD - GET

HER - RENT - ON - TIME

KOREAN - TV - DRAMAS

FATHER - NEEDING - MORE - 4 - XMAS

CHRISTMAS - HIS - SON - WANTS THE

ROBOT - EVERYONE - IS - BUYING - AS

HIS - EMPLOYER - BOXED - HIM - YES

FRONT - OF - EVERYONE - KICKED

BOXED - KICKED - BOXED - THE - DAY

U - THINK - U - CAN - GET - MORE

THAN - YOUR - WORTH

MY - CAPITAL - ONE - BANK - MC

MASTERCARD - JUST MAILED AT

LABRE PLACE - APARTMENTS

US POSTAL

RIGHT - NOW - 26 SEPT 2024

10:20A - EDT - MAIN LIBRARY

SATURDAY - DIFFERENT BLK

MALE - HISPANIC - FEMALE

GOT - MY - TEL - NO - CHANGED

SUNDAY - TOLD - ME - 2 WEEKS

CAN'T - DO - MUCH

LESS - THAN - 2 DAYS - I - ATE

B R - ONE DAY - JUST 1 DONUT

JESUS - 40 DAYS - 40 NIGHTS

LABRE - PLACE APARTMENTS

JESSICA - BLK - FEMALE

NEW - PROPERTY - MANAGEMENT

OF - BOTH - SHE - THINKS - SHE FL

CAN - EVICT - NOT - IN - FLORIDA

ONLY - LANDLORD - CAN - EVICT

SHE - SHOWED - ME - WHERE THE

WATER - HEATER - THE - WORKS

JUST - PUT - TRASH - BAG - IN YES

THERE - I - REPLIED - 'FIRE'

YES - SHE - SAYS

ALSO - SHE - SAID - 'EVICTION'

AFTER - ALL - U - PUT - THERE

WHY - I - GOT - FURNISHED

$1,191 - DIDN'T - TELL - ME

SQUARE - FEET

570 SQ FT - OR - 575 SQ FT

SAW - EXTRAORDINARY - BEAUTY

AS - BLK - FEMALE - THERE

HUGE - NO - OF - OLD - BLK MEN

SAW - 4 - BLK - FEMALES

FINALLY - SAW - HISPANIC - AND

MORE - MEN - JUST - SAW - TWO

HISPANIC - FEMALES

JESSICA - BLK - FEMALE

DISCRIMINATION - OF - NATIONAL

ORIGIN - I - WAS - APPROVED YES

ALREADY - IN - AUGUST

SHE - KNOWS - 01 OCT - ARRESTS

OF - HOMELESS - MAJORITY BLK

MEN - THEN - HISPANIC - MEN

NOT - MANY - FEMALES

SHE - MADE - ME - WAIT - 3 WEEKS

NO - WORD - 2 PAGE - FR - SOCIAL

SECURITY - PROVING - $943

6 MONTHS - $943 - BANKS - NOT

GOOD - ENOUGH

COULD - B - EMPLOYED - BY THE

US TREASURY

TAXABLE - INCOME

OR - DISABLED - OR - MENTALLY

ILL - SSI - SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME

THE - TREATMENT - DIFFERENT

THE - ORIGINAL - SHE - SAID - PRANK

JUST - LIKE - EMAIL - GOT - LEASE

SHE - SAID - PRANK - EMAIL

SHE - SAID - 4 - ME - 2 - RETURN

$943 - 2 - US TREASURY - ITS PRANK

BUT - HOW - DID - THEY - GET - MY

EMAIL - ADDRESS

JESSICA - SAID - 'RANDOM - EMAIL'

JESSICA - BLK - FEMALE - IS

MADAME

ILLEGAL - PROSTITUTION

BLK - POWER - UP - TO

NEW - LAWS

HUDS - CLOSING - DOWN

LOW - INCOME - APT - CLOSING

REQUIRED

01) SWIMMING - POOL - ON - TOP

02) CHILDREN's - SMALL - PLAYGROUND

03) BBQ GRILLS - INSPECTED - REGULAR

CAN'T - HAVE - RUST

04) DOORMEN - 21 AND OLDER - CONCEALED

CARRY - AND - UNIFORMED - 24 HRS - 7 DAYS

HOLIDAYS - INCLUDED

LABRE PLACE - APARTMENTS

SHEPHERD's COURT - APARTMENTS - IN

CAMILLUS - HOUSE - 1555 NW 7TH AVE

BOTH - ILLEGAL - BUSINESS

HRS - 8A - 5P

HRS - 8A - 4P

FRAUD - NO - ONE - BUT - JESSICA - BLK

ILLEGAL

LABRE PLACE - APTS

1 MAINTENANCE - ILLEGAL

ONLY - MALE - SPEAKS - SPANISH - ILLEGAL

OTHER - SPEAKS - BOTH - JUST - HIM

ILLEGAL

3 EMPLOYEES - ONLY

30 MIN - LUNCH - MAINTENANCE - TAKES

PLACE - ILLEGAL

MUST - HAVE - 2 MAINTENANCE - EACH

1 FULL - TIME - OTHER - AND - 2 - TAKE

PLACE - OF - LUNCH - THEY - DON'T

LOW INCOME - APTS

IDENTITY - THEFT

NO - LANDLORDS - PROPERTY - MANAGER

THINKS - SHE - CAN - EVICT - IN - FLORIDA

SSI - RECIPIENTS

YOU - ONLY - ANSWER - 2 - SOCIAL SECURITY

WHEN - U - GET - JOB - ONLY - TELL - THEM

U - HAVE - 1 YEAR - 2 CHANGE - MIND

UNTIL - BECOMES - $5 - PER - MONTH

U C

33% - OF - SSI

33% - OF - $5.00

BUT - YOU - HAVE - OTHER - INCOME

KEEP - THAT - SECRET

YOU - MUST - HAVE - 2 - APT - BLDGS

WHEN - EVICTED - YOU - HAVE - YES

ANOTHER

JESSICA - WANTS - ME - ARRESTED

4 - HOMELESSNESS - 01 OCT 2024

BRICKELL - ALREADY - PRACTICING

$2,500 - FINE - PER - HOMELESS

ARREST - 3 MONTHS - STATE PRISON

STEAK - REQUIRED - PER - MONTH

JESSICA - DELIGHTED - 4 - ME - 2 B

ARRESTED

MENTAL - HOSPITALS - KIDNAPPED

BLONDS - BOTH MEN - AND WOMEN

DID - HER - FOR - YEARS - THE - USA

NO - BLK - WOMEN - KIDNAPPED

JESSICA - IS - JEALOUS

THOSE - BLONDS - AS - WRINKLED

PUT - IN - PARKS - AFTER - HOURS

NO - ID - DEAD - PARENTS

DEAD - RELATIVES - THE - USA

NOW - AGE 246

GOING - 2 - CAPITAL - ONE - CAFE

HELP - ME - ACTIVATE

I - WAS - ROBBED

2 MALES - USUALLY - THE - STAFF

WILL - BEG

30 SEPT - MY - LEAVING

PUBLIC - STORAGE

$100 - FEE - MOST - LIKELY - FOR

NOT - LEAVING

SUING - THESE - SLIMES

GOING - 2 C - HARVARD - LAWYERS

MALES - AT - LAS VEGAS - NEVADA

COMMUNITY - PROPERTY - STATE

DESERT

MORE - LAWS - THAN - FLORIDA

NON-PROPERTY - STATE

WRINKLED - PRUNE - BAG - SENIORS

27TH - STATE - CONCEALED - CARRY

240924 YUNA — Paris Fashion Week

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xxxg0ryygurlll13xxx · 5 months ago

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so last night was the shit show of the united states presidential debate between the 2 inevitable candidates

and yes as funny as it is that it went so horribly and has funny as the mems are, this really isnt funny. we are literally doomed. theres no way around it. neither candidate will probably even live thru a full term but the damage the one could do would be so horrifically devastating it wont matter how short the term was. also both will lead us to war. and if putin doesnt kick the bucket soon NATOs gonna end up in WWIII. the only thing keeping countries like the US, Russia, North Korea etc from nuclear war is the mutually assured destruction of it. and trust that these men are just unhinged enough to put those keys in and press that button. as much as id love to think that ill be able to grow old and be happy i doubt ill live past 40 at this rate. this election is between a lunatic, unhinged, lying, womanizer who only cares about himself and a geriatric old man who entertains the lunatic. the worlds gonna end one day and that day seems to be getting closer and closer. we have 5 years before our climate damage is irreversible and no ones gonna do jack shit about it. ive accepted that within the next 30 years i will likely lose not only my rights as a human being but also my life at the hands of lunatic old men who have no sense of humanity. whether the nuclear war kills me, the boiling of the planet, or my own hand to avoid options 1 and 2 ive accepted i probably wont die peacefully at 104 in my sleep. ive accepted death as ive accepted i wont bring children into this awful world, ill never be able to buy a house, and ill be drowning in debt for the rest of my life regardless of how much i make. i try to think of the more immediate future like college and career options but i cant help but think abt these things. im 16 and worried about my future rights as a citizen, world war 3, nuclear holocausts, fascism in america and my inevitable death. i wish i could have some semblance of secruity in my government and in the world but at this point i dont even bother having hope. i want to change it somehow but unfortunately i worry that by the time i can change anything it will be too late. for fucks sake the 10 commandments are now required in louisianna classrooms and in ohio you must teach the bible in public schools. women and babies in the US are dying at an insane rate since the overturn of row v wade (americas federal protection of abortions) project 2025 just straight up exists and makes sure that not only do i not have rights as a woman, a member of the LGBT+ community but also that im a criminal by birth because my parents are 2 diff faiths. trump a felon and presidential candidate has called my fathers people vermin, sees women as playthings and only cares about himself and money. if there is one human on this planet that i thing god truly made a mistake in creating its him. tbh with everything going on in the world im not sure i believe in a god anymore (something that could also be a crime in project 2025). and haha yea laugh at america the laughing stock of the world, the meth lab that lives under canada but god help us if he becomes president. ive mentioned before that if that happens mt family will literally have to flee the states. imagine that, political refugees from the so called land of the free. despite the fact that both candidates suck one is significantly better than the other. if youre a US citzen over 18 PLEASE PLEASE VOTE BLUE.

american politics is a joke and its citizens are the punchline.

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kenresearch1 · 1 year ago

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Top 5 players in US Biosimilar Market

Buy Now

STORY OUTLINE

Pfizer: Excelling in the line of Biosimilar drugs with an experience of more than 10 years with presence in over 180 countries.

Amgen: Making pharmaceutical products with an experience of over 40 years and presence in over 100 countries.

Viartis: Presence in over 165 countries, and making Biosimilar drugs in over 75 markets, this pharmaceutical company is another leading contributor of US Biosimilar market.

Coherus Biosciences: Increasing patient access to cost effective medicines with a Biosimilar drugs experience of 13 years.

Biogen: serving humanity through science with a experiences of more than 40 years in the field of biologics.

According to Ken Research, the US Biosimilar market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of ~40% in the next five years which currently has a market size of ~USD 9.4 Bn.

The US Biosimilar market is rapidly growing and will be witnessing a significant growth in the next five years.

There are various reasons behind the rapid growth of US Biosimilar market. Some of the major reasons behind the growth of US Biosimilar market include the cost effective nature of Biosimilar drugs, rising geriatric population, rising prevalence of chronic diseases, and growing partnerships between companies to develop Biosimilar drugs.

Various companies and players are contributing to their best efforts in the growth of the US Biosimilar market.

This article aims to put light on the contributions done by the major players towards the growth of the US Biosimilar market.

1.Pfizer

Click to read more about Pfizer

Pfizer is a leading American pharmaceutical company which is operating in the field of generics or original drugs for more than 30 years. But did you know that this pharma not only manufactures biologics but also biosimilar drugs?

Pfizer has been in the business of biosimilar drugs for more than 10 years and have been quite successful as well. With more than 83,000 employees and presence in over 180 countries, this leading pharmaceutical company made almost USD 2 Bn. revenue only from its Biosimilar drugs sale in 2021.

Recently, this pharmaceutical company also collaborated with Samsung in two deals to produce various biosimilar drugs in South Korea. The deal size between these two companies happens to be approximately USD 900 Bn.

The major Biosimilar drugs of this pharmaceutical giant are primarily

ZIRABEV (a Biosimilar of Avastin)

TRAZIMERA (a Biosimilar of Herceptin)

RUXIENCE (a Biosimilar of Rituxan)

RITACRIT (a Biosimilar of Epogen)

NVYEPRIA (a Biosimilar of Neulasta)

NIVESTYM (a Biosimilar of Neupogen)

FILGRASTIM (a Biosimilar of Neupogen).

2.Amgen

Click here to Download a Sample Report

Amgen is another leading American pharmaceutical company which not only makes Biologics or generic drugs but also Biosimilar drugs. This pharmaceutical company has more than 40 years of experience when it comes to pharmaceutical line.

With over 25000 employees and presence in over 100 countries, this pharmaceutical company earned about USD 2 Bn. from their three biosimilar drugs which are reportedly MVASI, KANJITNTI, and AMJEVITA.

This pharma giant has also invested about USD 2 Bn. in the development of Biosimilar drugs.

This pharmaceutical company has made Biosimilar drugs primarily in 4 fields which are General Medicine, Oncology, and Hematology along with, Inflammation.

EPOTEIN ALFA

AMJEVITA

AVSOLA

KANJINTI

MVASI

RIABNI

are the various Biosimilar drugs of Amgen. And, STELARA, EYLEA, SOLIRIS are in their pipeline.

Recently Amgen revealed their Biosimilar report’s 8 version. It revealed a major information which said that the pharmaceutical company saved about USD 10 Bn. through their Biosimilar drugs in the past five years.

3.Viartis

Headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, this American pharmaceutical company was founded only in 2020 yet they have achieved massive success in the pharmaceutical products with their revenue being USD 16 ~Bn. in 2022.

With presence in 165 countries and with over 45,000 employees worldwide, this pharmaceutical company makes pharmaceutical products in 10 areas which primarily are Cardiovascular, Dermatology, ophthalmology, Oncology, Gastroenterology, Women’s health, Infectious diseases, Diabetes & Metabolism, Immunology, CNS & Anesthesiology, Respiratory diseases and allergy.

Speaking of their first Biosimilar products, their first ever Biosimilar drug was launched in 2014. They have a variety of Biosimilar drugs which are primarily

TRASTUZUMAB

INSULIN ASPART

PEGFILGRASTIM

INSULIN GLARGINE-YFGN

ADALIMUMAB

BEVACIZUMAB

Their Biosimilar drug Insulin Glargine which is known as SEMGLEE was the first ever interchangeable Biosimilar drug in the United States which was FDA approved.

Their PEGFILGRASTIM also was the first ever FDA approved drug in the United States. They have launched their Biosimilar drugs in over 75 markets worldwide.

4.Coherus Biosciences:

Click here to Ask for a Custom Report

Headquartered in Redwood city, California this American pharmaceutical company earned a revenue of almost USD 211 Mn. In 2022.

With presence in over 55 countries and 300+ employees worldwide, this pharmaceutical company makes products in various areas such as solid tumors, non-small lung cancers, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, small cell lung cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Speaking of their Biosimilar drugs, this pharma has been in the field of creating Biosimilar drugs since 2010 which has given them almost 13 years of experience.

This pharmaceutical company also disclosed that it plans to spend at least USD 1 Tn. on medicines worldwide, out of which at least 40% will be spent on Biosimilar drugs.

Their three major Biosimilar drugs which are also FDA approved include UDENCYA, YUSIMRY, and CIMERLI.

Udencya is a Biosimilar drug of Pegfilgrastim, Yusimry is a Biosimilar drug of Ranibizumab, and Cimerli is a Biosimilar drug of Adalimumab.

5.Biogen

Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this American pharmaceutical company earned a revenue of around USD 10 Bn. in 2022.

This company happens to have an experience of more than 40 years when it comes to making pharmaceutical products.

With presence in over 80 countries and more than 9000 employees worldwide, this pharmaceutical company primarily deals in Neurology, Specialized Immunology, Neuropsychiatry, Ophthalmology, and Rare Diseases.

ADUCANUMAB

LECANEMAB

TOFERSEN

ZURANOLONE

LITIFILIMAB

BENAPALI

FLIXABI

IMRALDI

are some of their Biosimilar drugs.

With their Biosimilar drugs, more than 250,000 people have gone on Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor therapy.

Recently, this pharmaceutical company also made an agreement with Bio-Thera solutions to develop a Biosimilar drug for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

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jentlemahae · 3 years ago

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Let’s Get Physical – K-pop Fans and The Physical Album Phenomenon (Article)

Data based on this survey.

Here’s a little fun trivia for you – what do physical albums, Blockbuster and dinosaurs have in common? Answer – they are all extinct. With the emergence of MP3 players, smartphones and online streaming services, tangible versions of music have sunk into oblivion by now, becoming but a nostalgic memory for those over 20. But despite that overall decline, physical sales of Korean music have been skyrocketing for quite a while… but why is that? Why are K-pop fans still buying physical albums? Let’s find out!

I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that you probably know what physical albums are, but if anyone is unsure, let me quickly put your mind at ease. Physicals are the material format of an album – they are sold by a retailer to a consumer, who then becomes the sole owner. In short, they are what you would commonly call CDs.

I know what you must be thinking – ‘Grandma alert! No one uses CDs anymore!’. And yes, that is indeed true! With the advent of the digital era and the takeover of streaming services, the vast majority of people have switched to listening to music in online formats, rather than with CDs. After all, why would you spend €15+ to buy only one album, when for a much smaller monthly fee you can have access to millions of records? And that’s not even touching upon the influence of piracy (where you can have all that music for free), or how CDs have become so obsolete, tech companies no longer include space for them in laptops… Simply put, by now physical albums have become a thing of the past.

But while that is true, we have seen a strange turn of events in the past decade with K-pop albums. Whereas the sales of physical Western titles have been plummeting globally at an annualized rate of over 10% since 2010, K-pop physical sales have been on the rise since 2013, when boy group EXO managed to sell 1M units. Afterwards, K-pop physical sales began steadily increasing, both in South Korea and on a global scale. So much so that it is now almost a given that a K-pop artist will become a million seller sooner or later.

Albeit being an impressive achievement, I think it can’t help but make you wonder why. I mean, it’s not like K-pop fans don’t listen to music mainly on streaming services just like everybody else these days, so why are they buying physical albums?

After racking my brain trying to figure it out, I finally got an epiphany last week – why don’t I simply ask them? That is, why don’t I directly ask K-pop fans why or why not they choose to purchase physical albums? And that’s exactly what I did.

I launched a survey on social media within an online community of K-pop fans, and quickly received a few hundred responses. Very few participants owned no albums at all, as most of the respondents had between 20 and 40 units, and many even surpassed the 100 mark! Some of the results I got were to be expected, while some were rather surprising to me. But I now have a better understanding as to why so many people buy albums, and why so many others do not.

But before we dive into the survey’s findings, let’s talk about what exactly makes K-pop albums so special…

K-pop albums – more than just music

The K-pop industry is best known for many things – complex choreographies, fun and uplifting beats, and charismatic variety content, just to name a few. But what truly makes the industry stand out from its music peers is the constant impeccable attention for visuals.

Between fashionable and avant-garde-esque styling, and music videos and live performances that could put blockbusters to shame, the visual aspect is placed on the same level of importance as music in K-pop. Thus, it should come as no surprise that even the way the music is packaged and distributed is meticulously cared for.

Whereas physical albums by western artists usually consist of just a CD in a jewel case and (maybe) a lyric booklet, K-pop acts take the traditional conceptualization of physicals and move it on the next level (pun intended). CDs and lyric booklets are still there, but they are accompanied by photobooks (containing all photos used for the album’s concept and promotions), random photocards (i.e., a hard card with a picture of an idol on the front), stickers, posters, and even innovative goodies sometimes.

Moreover, K-pop albums can come in many different shapes and forms, foregoing the old jewel case format. They can vary from intricate classics like f(x)’s mockup design of a VHS tape for Pink Tape, or EXO’s comic book-inspired The War: The Power Of Music, to more minimalistic designs like BTS’s Love Yourself trilogy (which even received a Grammy nomination for Best Recording Package in 2019).

Not only does this help the artist stand out more from the masses, it also ensures fans actually enjoy themselves while unboxing their favorite albums. Opening a K-pop album is not just an act – it’s an experience. Fans get to have fun during the unboxing, discovering all the details and hidden features in the packaging, and finding out which random photocard they received. It’s even become a trend for fans to film themselves while unboxing, and then upload their reaction on YouTube, where the videos can even receive millions of views.

K-pop albums are where creativity meets commerciality – they are the product of a tug-of-war between being art and being a commodity. They have to be fun and creative, but must also be usable and trendy enough for fans to think they are worth the money. And most of all, they have to be so visually appealing they can transcend the music they accompany. The power of a K-pop album lies in the fact that it can make people want to possess it without listening to (or even liking) the music it contains.

In fact, buying an album and actually using it are two separate activities for K-pop fans, and generally they are not consequential. In my survey, only 40% of respondents indicated they actually use the CDs after buying them, with many specifying they use them only when listening on online streaming platforms is not a viable option (e.g., if their car does not have an auxiliary port).

But then, why do K-pop fans purchase physical albums? And why do they not?

Pretty and expensive

Unsurprisingly, the main reason behind the purchase of K-pop physicals as indicated by respondents (80%) was “I think the content inside (photobooks, photocards, posters, etc) is pretty / visually appealing”. Why is this not surprising? Well, as we covered in the last section, K-pop physicals are pretty darn nice to look at – so, it doesn’t come as a shock that people want to have them for the aesthetics of it all!

What did actually surprise me was how many people indicated they buy K-pop physicals for collection purposes, be it photocards or the albums themselves – either option was selected by 35% of respondents. Even though I already knew there were plenty of collectors out there, the statistics still caught me slightly off guard, since K-pop albums are not exactly cheap… actually, they are quite the spendy thing!

Simpler (= Western) physical albums can already round up to €15+ a piece, but when you factor in the added expenditure of photobooks, photocards, posters, stickers, and so on… you can imagine that K-pop physicals will cost you a bit more. With an average between €25 and €55, they definitely fall on the more expensive end of the spectrum. And on top of that, there are also harsh shipping fees, which are usually pretty steep for those outside South Korea (more often than not, they are as much as the album…).

Not to mention, K-pop physicals face a major scarcity issue. That is, they are hard to get a hold of after the preorder period ends, because the amount of albums in stock is reflective of the preorder numbers. Thus, if you did not preorder, you are not sure to find a copy after the official drop, which forces you to make the purchase in a limited time window. And adding fuel to the fire, there’s the peculiarity of K-pop physicals increasing in monetary value after the official release of the record. Meaning that even if you’re lucky enough to find a copy, the price will probably be inflated. As one respondent put it, “Buying K-pop albums feels like a chase and race”.

That’s why the fact that “I cannot afford it financially” being the #1 chosen response (61%) for respondents who do not buy physicals did not surprise me in the slightest. Not everyone has 70 bucks to drop on a K-pop album, and that is okay!

The usefulness of the useless

Another option which I knew was going to be a popular choice among non-buyers was “I do not have any use for them / I do not care about them”, which was chosen by 50% of the cohort.

Given their price and utility (or lack thereof), K-pop physicals can be categorized as luxury goods purchasable for hedonic consumption, which is not something everyone enjoys. If you are not really sure what that means, worry not – I’ll give you a sparknotes explanation of what that entails. To put it simply, hedonic consumption refers to the usage of products in order to spark emotional arousal in oneself, rather than to fulfill primary needs (which is referred to as utilitarian consumption). Hence, it is something used to describe the purchase of luxury goods (i.e., products that are not essential but are highly desired).

As the utility of K-pop physical albums doesn’t really go beyond making the owner happy, they check all the boxes for luxury items. Thus, they are not worth the money for people who are not willing to spend that much on something with no practical use. As one respondent bluntly put it, “[K-pop physicals] are just an overpriced decoration”.

Pride and parasocial

The second most popular reason (50%) for buying physical copies was “I want to support the artist and increase their sales”, which is yet another unsurprising result.

Parasocial attachments (i.e., one-sided relationships between fans and media personalities) are a widespread phenomenon within K-pop fandoms, and it’s common for fans to feel a sense of pride and/or fulfillment whenever their favorite artists reach commendable achievements. Ergo, it’s not unusual for fans to believe their duties as supporters extend to contributing to the artist’s paycheck by buying anything they put out.

Knowing this, K-pop companies capitalize heavily on these parasocial interactions by maximizing on the amount of content offered and producing different design versions of the same album. The inside (the music) is the same, but the outside is different, and that makes it worth a few more euros in the eyes of fans. And the higher the sales are, the higher the artist will place on music charts, which is the goal to both companies and the idols’ admirers.

Companies want their acts to score a high spot on music charts for obvious reasons (more fame and revenue for themselves), and fans’ reasoning is not that much different… Actually, it is not at all different. Fans want their favorite artists to have more fame and revenue not only because they think the idols deserve it, but also so they can have bragging rights on social media.

Many fans see accomplishments of their favorite celebrities as an extension of their own, and I have long known that this phenomenon is particularly strong within K-pop fandoms. And that’s why it’s a custom among fans of the genre to bulk buy thousands of copies of an album, in order to boost the artist’s final sale numbers.

As one respondent commented, a short-coming on the idol’s part is “embarrassing [for their] fans”. Being a K-pop enthusiast with an active presence on social media, that remark did not faze me at all.

K-pop albums go green

Unfortunately, bulk buying has quite the drawbacks. Not only does it call into question the validity of K-pop acts’ album sales (are those 1M albums going to 1M different people, or just the same 100k?), but it also has strong environmental and social negative impacts (which was indicated as a concern by 30% of respondents).

First of all, the fact that so many units are brought en masse makes you wonder, where do the extra copies go? The answer is both nice and disturbing – they get donated to orphanages.

That seems nice in theory, but many Korean NGOs who work with orphanages have complained about it at length, pointing out how the donations are actually useless to children in those establishments. “What you’re doing is not donating, you’re dumping your garbage on us” said a spokesperson of an organization, and that “These so-called donations [do not] come with good intentions”. Chilling words, if I may add.

Moreover, manufacturing so many albums has quite the sizable ecological footprint, and when you take into account that a large portion of the copies will go to waste, that just seems ridiculous.

Nevertheless, there are some K-pop companies which took this into account, and attempted initiatives to make their sales greener. Several artists have announced their physical albums will be manufactured with recycled materials, and some are even going as far as trying to eliminate them almost altogether, in order to dramatically reduce their carbon footprint.

For instance, boy group VICTON launched an initiative for their comeback in Jan 2022 called a “platform album”, which offers fans the opportunity to purchase a digital version of the record, where you will only be mailed the photocard and be emailed a download code for the songs. This is a brilliant idea, as photocards usually are the most valued and desired element of the physical contents, and this way the environmental impact won’t be as large. Fans are happy, idols are happy, and the planet is happy – a win for everyone!

The road ahead

So, what is the future of K-pop physical albums? Will people keep buying, or will sales start to plummet?

Well, I think it’s safe to say that sales will not go down anytime soon, at least according to my survey. Despite many respondents stating they have environmental concerns, or criticizing bulk buying and how physicals are used by companies in their ploys to manipulate fans, 75% said they will continue (or will start) purchasing physical copies in the future.

Furthermore, the notion that buying physical albums is part of your “duties” as a fan is still going strong among K-pop aficionados. To quote one respondent, there is a lot of “inner-fandom shaming that goes on whenever you don’t own any albums”. And that’s not helped by companies actively exploiting this form of mob mentality via the release of different physical versions of the same record.

Just as it’s not likely for fans to stop mass buying, odds are K-pop companies will not stop mass producing. After all, we’re talking about giant corporations here – the choice between ethics and money is an easy one for them, and we all know which option they will ultimately pick.

It is a vicious cycle, one which neither companies nor fans are likely to exit in the foreseeable future. It’s just like that song goes – they just made a million and they’re STILL not satisfied. But how many more albums will it take for everyone to be satisfied?

thank u for reading <333

#PLEASE READ TT #i really loved writing this ^^ pls read heheh #and thank u again to everyone who took the survey !!#yes it's long but what u gonna do

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robertreich · 4 years ago

Video

youtube

Trump’s 40 Biggest Broken Promises

Trump voters. Nearly 4 years in, here’s an updated list of Trump’s 40 biggest broken promises.

1. He said coronavirus would “go away without a vaccine.”

You bought it. But it didn’t. While other countries got the pandemic under control and avoided large numbers of fatalities, the virus has killed more than 130,000 Americans*, and that number is still climbing.

2. He said he won’t have time to play golf if elected president.

But he has made more than 250 visits to his golf clubs since he took office – a record for any president – including more trips during the pandemic than meetings with Dr. Fauci. The total financial cost to America? More than $136 million.

3. He said he would repeal the Affordable Care Act, and replace it with something “beautiful.”

It didn’t happen. Instead, 7 million Americans have lost their health insurance since he took office. He has asked the Supreme Court to strike down the law in the middle of a global pandemic with no plan to replace it.

4. He said he’d cut your taxes, and that the super-rich like him would pay more.

He did the opposite. By 2027, the richest 1 percent will have received 83 percent of the Trump tax cut and the richest 0.1 percent, 60 percent of it. But more than half of all Americans will pay more in taxes.

5. He said corporations would use their tax cuts to invest in American workers.

They didn’t. Corporations spent more of their tax savings buying back shares of their own stock than increasing workers wages.

6. He said he would boost economic growth by 4 percent a year.

Nope. The economy stalled, and unemployment has soared to the highest levels since the Great Depression. Just over half of working-age Americans are employed – the worst ratio in 70 years.

7. He said he wouldn’t “cut Social Security like every other Republican and I’m not going to cut Medicare or Medicaid.”

His latest budget includes billions in cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

8. He promised to be “the voice” of American workers.

He hasn’t. His administration has stripped workers of their rights, repealed overtime protections, rolled back workplace safety rules, and turned a blind eye to employers who steal their workers’ wages.

9. He promised that the average American family would see a $4,000 pay raise because of his tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations.

But nothing trickled down. Wages for most Americans have barely kept up with inflation.

10. He promised that anyone who wants a test for Covid will get one.

But countless Americans still can’t get a test.

11. He said hydroxychloroquine protects against coronavirus.

No way. The FDA revoked its emergency authorization due to the drug’s potentially lethal side effects.

12. He promised to eliminate the federal deficit.

He has increased the federal deficit by more than 60 percent.

13. He said he would hire “only the best people.”

He has fired a record number of his own cabinet and White House picks, and then called them “whackos,” “dumb as a rock," and "not mentally qualified.” 6 of them have been charged with crimes.

14. He promised to bring down the price of prescription drugs and said drug companies are “getting away with murder.”

They still are. Drug prices have soared, and a company that got federal funds to develop a drug to treat coronavirus is charging $3,000 a pop.=

15. He promised to revive the struggling coal industry and bring back lost coal mining jobs.

The coal industry has continued to lose jobs as clean energy becomes cheaper.

16. He promised to help American workers during the pandemic.

But 80% of the tax benefits in the coronavirus stimulus package have gone to millionaires and billionaires. And at least 21 million Americans have lost extra unemployment benefits, with no new stimulus check to fall back on.

17. He said he’d drain the swamp.

Instead, he’s brought into his administration more billionaires, CEOs, and Wall Street moguls than in any administration in history, and he’s filled departments and agencies with former lobbyists, lawyers and consultants who are crafting new policies for the same industries they used to work for.

18. He promised to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions.

His Justice Department is trying to repeal the entire Affordable Care Act, including protections for people with preexisting conditions.

19. He said Mexico would pay for his border wall.

The wall is estimated to cost American taxpayers an estimated $11 billion.

20. He promised to bring peace to the Middle East.

Instead, tensions have increased and his so-called “peace plan” was dead on arrival.

21. He promised to lock up Hillary Clinton for using a private email server.

He didn’t. Funny enough, Trump uses his personal cell-phone for official business, and several members of his own administration, including Jared Kushner and Ivanka, have used private email in the White House.

22. He promised to use his business experience to whip the federal government into shape.

He hasn’t. His White House is in permanent chaos. He caused the longest government shutdown in our nation’s history when he didn’t get funding for his wall.

23. He promised to end DACA.

The Supreme Court ruled that his plan to deport 700,000 young immigrants was unconstitutional, and DACA still stands.

24. He promised “six weeks of paid maternity leave to any mother with a newborn child whose employer does not provide the benefit.”

He hasn’t delivered.

25. He promised to bring an end to Kim Jong-Un’s nuclear program.

Kim is expanding North Korea’s nuclear program.

26. He said he would distance himself from his businesses while in office.

He continues to make money from his properties and maintain his grip on his real estate empire.

27. He said he’d force companies to keep jobs in America, and that there would be consequences for companies that shipped jobs abroad.

Since he took office, companies like GE, Carrier, Ford, and Harley Davidson have continued to outsource thousands of jobs while still receiving massive tax breaks. And offshoring by federal contractors has increased.

28. He promised to end the opioid crisis.

Americans are now more likely to die from an opioid overdose than a car accident.

29. He said he’d release his tax returns.

It’s been nearly 4 years. He hasn’t released his tax returns.

30. He promised to tear up the Iran nuclear deal and renegotiate a better deal.

Negotiations have gone nowhere, and he brought us to the brink of war.

31. He promised to enact term limits for all members of Congress.

He has not even tried to enact term limits.

32. He promised that China would pay for tariffs on imported goods.

His trade war has cost U.S. consumers $34 billion a year, eliminated 300,000 American jobs, and cost American taxpayers $22 billion in subsidies for farmers hurt by the tariffs.

33. He promised to “push colleges to cut the skyrocketing cost of tuition.”

Instead, he’s made it easier for for-profit colleges to defraud students, and tuition is still rising.

34. He promised to protect American steel jobs.

The steel industry continues to lose jobs.

35. He promised tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations would spur economic growth and pay for themselves.

His tax cuts will add $2 trillion to the federal deficit.

36. After pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord, he said he’d negotiate a better deal on the environment.

He hasn’t attempted to negotiate any deal.

37. He promised that the many women who accused him of sexual misconduct “will be sued after the election is over.”

He hasn’t sued them, presumably because he doesn’t want the truth to come out.

38. He promised to bring back all troops from Afghanistan.

He now says: "We’ll always have somebody there.”

39. He pledged to put America first.

Instead, he’s deferred to dictators and authoritarians at America’s expense, and ostracized our allies — who now laugh at us behind our back.

40. He promised to be the voice of the common people.

He’s made his rich friends richer, increased the political power of big corporations and the wealthy, and harmed working Americans.Don’t let the liar-in-chief break any more promises. Vote him out in November.

#video #videos #Trump #Trump promises #Trump country #Trump lies

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fresh-bag-of-ham · 3 years ago

Text

ok let’s talk SUNSCREEN

SO the UV filters available in the US can at this point be considered truly terrible. One of the main reasons you’re supposed to reapply sunscreen every two hours is that many of the filters we use are destroyed by the very UV radiation they are designed to block. Killed in the line of duty, thank you for your sacrifice, etc. Counterpoint: sunscreen is gross and reapplying it every two hours is the worst. I am not doing that. Fortunately, Europe and Japan/Korea have been much quicker to approve newly developed more stable UV filters for use and at this point they have some really good ones. They also have much better UVA protection, both because of the better filters available and better labeling regulations.

A quick simplified summary: UVB causes sunburns, is directly absorbed by DNA strands which causes the mutations that lead to skin cancer, SPF measures protection against this only. UVA does more generic damage, creates free radicals associated with aging, wrinkles, collagen loss, pigmentation, etc. etc., but can also contribute to immunosuppression and therefore skin cancer. It’s more complex than this obviously but that’s not really the point of this post.

My sunscreen criteria: I hate wearing sunscreen. However, Accutane + sun = an extremely bad time. My ideal sunscreen is something that doesn’t feel disgusting to wear so I will wear it regularly in the first place (i.e. dry-touch), something I ideally don’t have to reapply super often under normal daily use (i.e. photostable UV filters, water-resistant when necessary), and has maximum protection. As long as I’m wearing it, I also want as much UVA protection as I can find, without compromising the former criteria.

Note: The sunscreens I tried are almost all chemical UV filters and several are loaded with alcohol, so if that upsets your skin then proceed with caution/ask me for a specific rec!

Note 2: All of these are SPF50+ (the highest rating allowed in the EU (meaning they tested at at least SPF60) unless otherwise specified *cough*Supergoop*cough*)

Best Face: Kao Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence (x)

Best feel, best protection, best price point. This gets recommended everywhere for a reason. Bit of a silicone feel on the face. No white cast. Smells like alcohol at first. Really, really quality daily face sunscreen. Water resistant. Caveat that because of the alcohol I would make sure to throw a layer of moisturizer on beforehand to make sure I’m not totally drying myself out.

Also make sure you get the name exactly right, there’s a blah blah Watery Gel that’s totally different consistency, totally different filters, etc. etc. It has to be Watery Essence.

Best Body: Eucerin Sun Sensitive Protect Dry Touch Sun Gel-Cream (x)

This was a sleeper hit, so shout-out to Eucerin for the greatest body sunscreen I’ve ever tried. This stuff is SO protective and dries SO. DAMN. DRY. Zero grease somehow, feels like nothing. It’s even water resistant. I tried a couple LRP body sunscreens but they honestly aren’t worth mentioning. Eucerin or bust babey!

More Face Sunscreens:

I’ve also tried all top five sunscreens from this Stylevana listicle of Asian face SPF (x). The thing about face sunscreens that they’ve started doing is loading them up with silicones and acrylate polymers, which leaves a silicone-y feel on your skin like a makeup primer. As far as I can tell from poking through various patents, these polymers are doing a few things in the formula: a) emulsifying/stabilizing the newer/bigger UV filter molecules, and creating an occlusive layer over the UV filter molecules on the skin to a) improve water resistance and b) reduce eye stingy-ness. At first I thought I wanted to avoid these seemingly unnecessary additives but considering their function, these are all features I want/need in a face sunscreen so we’re living with them.

1. Shiseido - Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Milk: really good, sliiight white cast but absolutely no streaks, more like a foundation just a hair too light for my skin tone. However I can’t imagine buying this because #2 on the list is better and 1/3 the price. Medium silicone feel. Something I’d probably only break out for when I went to an outdoor summer wedding.

2. Kao - Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence: I have already sung its praises.

3. MISSHA - All Around Safe Block Essence Sun Milk: closest to a US milky/greasy sunscreen experience here, though very fluid and still absorbs nicely. No silicone feel. Not a bad choice but nothing special.

4. Canmake - Mermaid Skin Gel UV: probably second favorite after Biore. Similar, bit less of a silicone feel. I’ve gotten red a couple times using this though, possibly because less silicone feel = no layer of protection against sweat/physically rubbing off? I bet this would be perfect under makeup though, it’s super light.

5. COSRX - Aloe Soothing Sun Cream: SO moisturizing, almost a dewy feel that sits on your skin and never dries. I wanted to love her, but unfortunately she is so loaded with the aforementioned polymers that when you reapply/put the appropriate amount on to begin with, it completely gums up and pills and you lose all protection. Also definitely not water resistant. Probably my top pick for a winter daily face sunscreen that I wouldn’t ever be worrying about reapplying though.

Other Contenders:

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Fluid (x) and Bioderma Photoderm Max Milk (x)

These two bad boys have the highest rated UVA protection currently on the market, 46 PPD for La Roche-Posay and 42 PPD for Bioderma. The LRP is extremely watery (technically alcohol-y) and comes in a teeny bottle(though same size as a lot of these I guess) but it is The Best UVA protection money can buy. The texture is really nice too, and feels super water resistant. If I’m outside sweating or on the water in the summer, this is going on my face. I've also seen it on sale multiple times since I’ve started researching sunscreens (because it’s extremely popular) so you can definitely find it in the $0.30/mL-or-less tier if you keep an eye out.

This Bioderma is cheaper and also extremely protective (thanks Helena @bronyraurmp3 for the rec!) but unfortunately it stung both my and Mr T’s eyes like a BITCH. Extremely unpleasant experiences for both of us. TBH if I’m out in midday sun, swimming or kayaking or something, I’m gonna be wearing a long-sleeved UPF rashguard to protect my arms and upper body and not worrying too much about whatever cheap greasy sunscreen I put on my legs. This Bioderma stuff would be going on my neck, ears, and hands though bc it’s super water resistant.

Eucerin Sun Sensitive Protect Mattifying Fluid : bit of a white cast, really slippy texture going on and nice dry touch texture when it dried down, but drying down took foreeever. Probably really nice if you’re sensitive and pale.

Eucerin Sun Oil Control Gel-Cream Dry Touch : VERY matte and dry-touch, would have loved it if I hadn’t gotten burned using it (doesn’t have all the newest most stable UV filters). Approaching the expensive end of things too, but would be a lovely option if you really prioritize non-greasiness and don’t need the premium protection? Mr T really liked using it on his bald head lol.

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF40 (US): This is recommended many places but it has to be a joke that people are actually paying Shiseido Anessa prices for old American UV filter selection, only SPF 40, and no UVA rating to speak of, right??? (ok they do have a PA+++ rating meaning a PPD of 8-16, so. this is acceptable.) I did not test this one but damn wtf. The texture is probably nice though and it looks perfectly sheer in the photos on their website, so maybe as a last resort for darker skintones that show a white cast with everything else? At that price tho... you do you but damn.

Jigott Snail UV Sun Block : This had good reviews on Yesstyle but it sucked. White streaks, bad.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Light Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF60 (US): Another in the outdoor-wedding only price range. There’s a tinted and a non-tinted mineral version and I ended up mixing them together to get a shade that looked pretty good on me, but needing two bottles for that puts it in the extremely ridiculous price category. Really slippy nice texture that takes a bit to dry but dries down perfectly matte. I guess the person who wants to shell out for a high end all-mineral tinted sunscreen exists somewhere out there but I would bet there are many nice cheaper mineral options out there that I haven’t tried.

And that’s it! For EU sunscreens, I was able to order them on caretobeauty.com, and Japanese/Korean ones from yesstyle.com or stylevana.com, though I had to go to eBay for the Biore and Anessa. I ordered some Biore from a seller on Amazon but they shipped from Japan and I think they got taken by customs because the last known location on the tracking info is Chicago, so finding a seller in the US that has already imported them seems like a good idea (vendor lullabellabeauty on eBay worked great for me, fwiw, I will definitely order my Biore from there in the future).

If you have specific questions about any of these, or if you have any recs you think I should try, hmu! You will be shocked I’m sure to hear I have a whole sunscreen database at this point.

#skincare

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wantaichi · 4 years ago

Text

haikyuu + skincare hcs

ever think abt how they treat their skin? probably not. but like. do they wash their face like a normal person? have a 32 step skincare routine maybe??

msg me for any character who’s not here and i’ll drop their routine for u

masterlist.

karasuno

sugawara. lives up to his title as mr. refreshing. cleanses, tones, and moisturizes. !chefs kiss! keeps a jar of aloe vera face gel in his fridge, his mom had a spare. carries around a 100-sheet pack of oil film, more out of habit than of need. good skincare just makes him feel in control of his life, ok

ennoshita. fuckin’ spotless. part of the 0.0001% who don’t sweat easily. doesn’t have a complete regimen but never skips out on cleansing and toning before bed. actually reads the product ingredients and googles the benefits before buying. neutrogena type of guy.

asahi. facial scrubs are his holy grail. like. dead skin? stubborn hair follicles? haha not on his watch ヾ( ･`⌓´･)ﾉﾞ trims his goatee every 3-4 week bc a well-groomed beard goes hand in hand with proper skincare. a sucker for aromatic products. lavender? shea butter? SOLD.

daichi. “healthy lifestyle is key to healthy skin“ typa dude. rly just thinks natural is the way to go. drinks 8 glasses of water, eats his veggies, exercises regularly, gets 8 hours of sleep. sounds like smth off wikihow if u ask me. probably is.

tsukishima. cetaphil hoe. brand loyalty embodied. on it for 5++ years, and never once considered switching. BUT. his routine ends at step 1. cleanse. and that’s it. the fuck he need a 32 step skincare routine for? long as he gets a day’s worth of grime and dirt off his face, he gucci

yamaguchi. sensitive skin’s got him constantly changing/exploring different products. rode on tsukki’s cetaphil agenda for the first few years of puberty (rly just out of curiousity) but dropped out when his skin got used to it. thinks pimple patches are a blessing to mankind.

tanaka. fuck. chaotic greasy. asks for oil film from suga just to stick it on his forehead, lets it stay there. uses whatever’s in the bathroom to wash off, aka majority of saeko’s products. got yelled at once to “get his greasy ass over here” and got slabbed with aztec healing clay mask. converted to clay mask hoe after 20 minutes. “mm this shit’s dope!”

nishinoya. fuck. chaotic greasy part ii. but make it baby face. only does skincare when chillin at the tanakas. homie got him to try the clay mask bc chick’s dig that. “bro, u mean the mask or boys who do the mask?” “both bro” “awshit bro gimme that” thinks splashing some water twice a week is enough

kageyama. ? this yalls mans? oblivious to the whole concept of skincare, only acknowledges general hygiene. uses whatever’s on the soap holder to wash his face. probably dove. doesnt really have much skin problems to begin with, only breaks out once a year. living proof that god has favorites.

hinata. only started taking skincare seriously that time a huge ass zit grew on his chin. yachi offered him her unfinished bottle of cosrx (she’s a hoarder and u kno it), and has since been giving him all her leftover bottles. basically gets to use good quality products for free smh

nekoma

kuroo. not very big on the idea of skincare per se, but supports any brand on that cruelty-free and vegan agenda. reads the product ingredients like a children’s book. “mm phenoxyethanol and retinyl palmitate.. i’ll take it.” always leaves the saleslady stunned.

kenma. too lazy to adopt a routine. but regularly uses his mom’s facial wash. you know. those mom brands. has a stash of facemasks from lev’s trip to korea —> only form of skincare he actually appreciates bc he can simultaneously play his games and be all bout dat self care

lev. abuses his perks of having a sister. casually uses all alisa’s imported, high end stuff. la prairie. estee lauder. la mer. and she doesn’t mind bc her “levochka deserves all the finest things”. boujee ass russians

yaku. baby face. when god made it rain collagen, he was freestylin in a pool full of it while we was all sleepin. doesn’t exert much effort, just cleanses and tones bc it’s part of proper hygiene. girls envy him. parents in their 40s wanna be him.

seijoh

oikawa. SKINCARE HOE KING. fuckin high maintenance. goes to the derma for his monthly laser facial treatment. on broke days, he settles for a diamond peel. skin so smooth it puts the entire female population to shame. spends his savings on those clinique eye creams. probably modeled for the face shop once

iwaizumi. homie reeks of male cleanser. might either dove men or nivea men. there’s no in between. oikawa internally screams everytime he witnesses his bff wash his face. two words. aggressive. rubbing. bordering on hostile he might actually skin his face off

mattsun and makki. fuck. drugstore cleansers. the ones that come in sachets. agreed to take turns in buying bundles for sharing. sometimes sneaks a pinch from oikawa’s clinique products when he’s not looking. haha dumb hoe. may have an addiction to charcoal nose pore strips just so they can compare blackheads

fukurodani

bokuto. buys whatever’s on sale idfk. genuinely wants to get on kuroo’s go green agenda but too lazy to look around the store. normally just uses the bubbles from his soap or shampoo. his belief: if it cleans his hands and his ass, then it can fuckin clean his face too

akaashi. healthy lifestyle + decent regimen = pretty skin. cleanses and tones. tried his mom’s aloe vera face gel once and got hooked. shit’s relaxing as hell. owns a bunch of facemasks, sometimes uses but keeps forgetting to take them off before falling asleep. uwu af

dateko

futakuchi. doesn’t have a routine cause “who tf needs that” and “obviously not me.” or so he says. secretly the biggest spender on skincare in all of dateko. owns a bunch of anti wrinkle products and probably one of those jade rollers. but no one needs to know that. just wants everyone to think he’s naturally pretty

aone. told by futakuchi that “knitting your brows too much causes premature wrinkles, but not like i’m an expert on that hhhahaha dont get me wrong.” can’t rly do anything bout it. he was born with that face. also buys whatever’s on sale

shiratorizawa

ushijima. surprisingly blemish free? but not entirely smooth? just spotless? basically a rock? never went past step 1: cleanse. never realized he’s been skipping out the 31 next steps. cetaphil hoe.

tendou. dry. crusty. compensates by sweating a lot through practice. might be effective if he’d stop leaving the foam on longer than recommended, thus leaving his skin dryer than his love life. yeah, i went there.

shirabu. flawless at first glance. until you lift those uneven ass bangs. tbh its nothing serious except “are we gonna ignore the fact that his whiteheads follow the shape of his bangs” as pointed out by tendou. uses whatever cleanser his mom buys for him

semi. decent skin care routine. a big boy who’s fairly knowledgeable on other brands outside cetaphil and dove/garnier/nivea men. takes him less than 5 minutes to pick a product bc he’s tried them all, knows what works, knows his skin type in and out. stan semi for clear skin.

see inarizaki + sakusa here

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icannotreadcursive · 4 years ago

Text

So we all know JKR is a moron, and one of the places that shows is in the official Wizarding Schools list. Mostly because there are way too few of them

There are officially 11 of them, and we know 8: 3 in Europe (one of which is in the British Isles), 1 in Russia, 1 in Japan, 1 in Africa, 1 in South America, and 1 in North America. That's a ridiculously tiny number, and almost all of them cover ranges that are ridiculously huge and with such diverse cultures and magical traditions within their range. So let's run through what I consider a sensible distribution of wizarding schools.

Starting with the British Isles, we know we have Hogwarts in Scotland. There would also be one in Ireland—because of the way Irish history has gone, this school likely would have taken a side in the Troubles and therefore be, at least unofficially, either very Catholic or very Protestant. Irish wizarding kids whose families are religiously opposite to the school, or not particularly religious, may then choose to go to Hogwarts instead to avoid conflict. I think there used to beother schools—1 in Wales, and as many as 3 in England, 1 in or near London, and 1 each associated with Cambridge and Oxford universities. The Cambridge and Oxford schools I think would have evolved over time into magic colleges, because I do not believe for a second that there is no such thing as post-secondary wizarding education. The London school can't still exist and have it still make sense that all our Hogwarts friends end up at Hogwarts—if it's a fancy private school, Draco is there not at Hogwarts; if it's a public school Hermione and all the Weasleys are there, not at Hogwarts, and so on. I'm not sure exactly why or when I think it closed, but sometime before the 1990s, probably before the 1950s, Hogwarts absorbed the London school's student pool. The Welsh school I think was a victim of the English destruction of Welsh culture. If it still exists, or has been rebuilt, I think it's very small and teaches at least partially in Welsh.

Moving on to the rest of Europe. We know we have Beauxbatons in France, and I buy that. Then we have Durmstrang, which is allegedly in Scandinavia. “Durmstrang” doesn't sound Scandinavian to me, it sounds German, because it is German. It's obviously derived from the German phrase “Sturm und Drang” which means “storm and stress,” so I feel like Durmstrang must be somewhere that is or has been German-speaking. I'm inclined to put it in Poland in one of the areas that used to be in Prussia, possibly near Danzig. Durmstrang would then serve most everywhere that has ever been part of that which is now Germany, so most of the middle of Europe.

I do think there is also at least 1 school in Scandinavia. And there's going to be 1 in Spain, 1 it Italy—specifically Rome—and 1 in the south-east of Europe, probably Romania or Bulgaria.

That brings us up to a total of 8 major magic schools in Europe, 2 of them in the British Isles, not counting any magic colleges.

You may note I sort of left out most of Eastern Europe. That's because I think there's probably a school somewhere between Moscow, and Minsk in Belarus that serves Eastern Europe and Western Russia. That is still a very large geographical range, but a lot of that area is quite sparsely populated so I think it works out, especially if we expect that there are smaller, more local schools and/or homeschooling coalitions going on. We'll say this is Koldovstoretz, the canon Russian school. But also, Russia is freaking enormous, there's no way there's only one magic school in all of Russia. I think there must be ant least 1 more, out east, but probably there's 2, one out east and one more toward the middle, possibly near Krasnoyarsk.

I'm willing to believe that there is 1 major magic school in Japan, and that's the canon Mahoutokoro School of Magic. That cannot be the only school in Asia.

There has to be 1 in China. Now, despite China's size, I'm actually okay with the idea of there only being 1 major official magic school. China has a long history of centralizing government and education and its vast bureaucracy. I can see there being one school that's been there since, like, the 800s AD. If there is only the one official school, though, there will also be smaller local less prestigious schools, and again homeschooling.

There's definitely at least 1 in India. Mongolia and Kazakhstan are both traditionally nomadic enough that I expect magic is taught much more on a familial, elder-to-child basis without any large centralized schools. I feel like there would be 1 in Korea, because while Korea is relatively small, it is culturally very distinct from both China and Japan and has historically made a point of maintaining that distinction, so I don't think they'd be sending their wizarding kids to either of the neighboring magic schools.

I am going to very conservatively say there's 1 on the Indochinese Peninsula.

That gives us 5 in Asia. With the 8 in Europe and 3 in Russia, we're already at 16 major magic schools.

There's at least 4 in the middle east: 1 in Turkey, 1 in Iran, 1 in Saudi Arabia, and 1 in the vicinity of Israel that focuses on Judaic magic tradition. Exactly where that one is—whether it's within the modern state of Israel or not—is going to depend pretty significantly on how old it is, whether it's born of Jewish cultural revival and reclamation or if it's ancient. It's quite likely there would be more schools than this, it's a large region with longstanding emphasis on education, but let's just go with these 4.

We're at 20 schools.

Africa. Canon gives us Uagadou School of Magic in Uganda. The idea that there is only 1 school to serve the entire African continent is insane. And I don't think there's any way around the fact that it derives from the colonialist and racist idea that Africa and African people are uncivilized and uneducated.

In North Africa, I'm saying there's at least 2: 1 in Morocco, and 1 in Egypt. Because of regional histories, there's definitely 1 in Ethiopia and definitely 1 in Zimbabwe. I expect at least 1 in Western Africa, probably Nigeria. I was thinking that is there's 1 in South Africa (the country specifically, not the region of Southern Africa) there'd be 2, one white one black, because of Apartheid, but on second thought I highly suspect that until quite recently, most or all white wizarding kids in South Africa would have been sent to Durmstrang or Hogwarts, depending on their parents' backgrounds and socialaspirations, so I'm not sure what magic schools there might be in Southern Africa other than the one in Zimbabwe.

This puts us at (a minimum of) 6 schools in Africa, 26 worldwide.

Hopping the Atlantic to North America where it's just as ridiculous to think there's 1 school for the entire damn continent. There's going to be at least 8 in the U.S. alone. An old affluent white one up east that looks a whole lot like its European cousins (that's Ilvermorny), 2 in the south (one that started off whites only, one historically black), 2 in the midwest (again, one white one black), 1 in California, 1 that at least used to be girls only (this one is probably also East Coast), and 1 that focuses on Native magic traditions that's either west/midwest or in or near the Qualla Boundary in North Carolina.

There's at least 3 in Canada: an English speaking one probably east of middle, an English speaking one in the west that probably also gets kids from Alaska, and a French speaking one in Quebec.

I'm thinking another 3 in Mexico and Mesoamerica, one of which was or is closely tied to the school in Spain, and all 3 of which teach different, even conflicting, magical traditions.

We're at 40 schools worldwide.

In South America, we know we have Castelobruxo in Brazil, which allegedly serves all of South America, but that's also stupid, in no small part because Brazil speaks a different language from the entire rest of the continent. So that gives us bare minimun 2 schools: Portuguese speaking Castelobruxo, and another Spanish speaking school. I'm gonna say there's actually 2 Spanish speaking schools, for a total of 3.

Finally, Australia's gotta have 1.

So, using my numbers, which I fully recognize leave out a lot of places and still give most of these schools impractically large ranges, even taking into account home schooling and community-based education, we get 44 Wizarding schools. That's four times the official number.

Like, wtf.

#Harry Potter #meta #harry potter meta #fuck jkr #international wizarding schools #wizarding schools #magic schools #hogwarts #long post

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thelightofthingshopedfor · 3 years ago

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Goddamn it Kyra I wasn't even interested in the Lego Lokis before, but now that you've so rudely posted pics of the options I'm probably going to have to buy some. So, couple questions: I'm not familiar with the website you linked to (it doesn't help that I'm on my phone lol) - do you get them from that site or just Aliexpress? I've kind of poked around there but I don't think I've ever actually bought anything - do you have links to those ones you bought or any tips for finding them on the site? (or like. using the site in general without getting scammed or something? Idk much about it other than stuff being low priced lol).

😇😇😇

putting the rest behind a cut because oops this got long

OKAY SO the cool thing about knockoff Lego figures is that a) there are a ton of them, so you can probably find multiple versions of most characters, and b) they're super cheap, so if you do end up getting ripped off, you're probably only out a few bucks. plus if you don't get ripped off, you feel like a genius, because authentic Lego minifigs tend to cost way more than they should (and if you get them online, you probably don't have a good way to know that they're authentic) and here you are getting something just as good or better for way less.

the site I was getting pictures from is HeroBloks, which I only just discovered myself a couple days ago; it looks like mostly it's good for tracking your collection (and learning more about bootleg Lego minifigs in general, maybe--I didn't really realize until now how many different companies there are making Lego-like minifigs) rather than buying, with individual pages including sale links that are only mildly useful. like, the extremely sad TVA Loki has an AliExpress search link that apparently just searches for "blocks," which is the least helpful search term imaginable; the eBay link uses "xinh+xh1745+loki (tva)" as the search term and that's definitely better, although it doesn't actually turn up anything. maybe that one's too new to be widely available yet, I don't know. (I hope that's the case. I need him and his sad little face to come and live with me.)

anyway--eBay is a possible source. searching for "loki minifigure" gets me results for several of the new ones I’ve been seeing, and they all seem to be shipping from Japan or South Korea. the problem is they're all selling for $4.99 plus $7.49 shipping each, which is...more than I want to spend on something I know is a knockoff of some kind when I don't know anything about the quality control and I'm not guaranteed to get what's in the picture. (here's another listing asking $40 total for all 8 figures I bought yesterday, which is actually a better price, and I'd probably end up doing that if I hadn't found them elsewhere, but that's because I have a problem.)

this is why I like AliExpress, because the risks are slightly higher but the prices tend to be much lower, even with shipping prices having gone up a bit over the last couple years. as I understand it, the site is basically just a huge marketplace for tons of different sellers in Asia, like if eBay only allowed fixed-price listings and it was based in China. the vast majority of the site reads like it went through Google Translate, because it probably did. you can find...basically anything there. I have no idea if any of it's authentic. (I also don't know anything about how or where any of the knockoff stuff is made, so...there is that.) I would not, for instance, drop $300 on a Hot Toys Loki from here, even though I absolutely would have the option to do so, for the obvious reason that I'm not going to risk that much money on an item that might be a cheap knockoff or could arrive broken. there is, in general, a solid possibility of breakable things arriving broken, because decent packaging costs more. cheap shipping will be slow (by which I mean like...up to 90 days), and most purchases either won't have tracking at all or won't have accurate tracking, so this is absolutely not a place to buy anything you want to get quickly. you also don't want to just buy something and forget about it, because there are (variable but generous) time limits past which you can't get a refund if you don't receive your items. the site's UI is...mostly functional. you often have to get a little creative with your search terms to find what you want (and sometimes you won’t find what you want through searching, but through looking at related items on the pages of things that aren’t quite what you want or are what you want but aren’t a good price). you will, absolutely, come across a lot of stolen art on things like pins, t-shirts, stickers, and phone cases, which you might not realize until you see something you recognize from a fanartist you like, and obviously that sucks. listing photos are nearly always stock photos, so in many cases they won't tell you anything about the item you're actually getting. you know the Wish app, and all the crazy things people get from that? you can find all the same stuff on AliExpress, at similar levels of quality.

however, if you approach it keeping all that in mind, it can be a great resource. I can't make any guarantees about the site's safety, but to the best of my knowledge it's secure and I've never had any weird charges show up after buying something. it's also my understanding that Alibaba, the parent company, is more or less the Chinese equivalent of Amazon in terms of the amount of business it does, which would probably be pretty tough if customer data were routinely being exposed to thieves, you know? I've also successfully gotten several refunds for items that never arrived, which actually hasn't happened all that often--but knowing that it can happen and that the return period expires, I’ll check back on the site if it seems like it’s been an unusually long time and I’ll make a reminder for myself of the deadline so I can contact the seller in time if necessary.

so the way I shop there is, I don't buy expensive or fragile things in general, because I recognize there's a nonzero chance I'll get a cheap knockoff, or something that was broken in transit because the seller tossed it in a box with no padding and called it good, or sometimes nothing at all. but like eBay, the sellers and items have ratings and reviews from customers, so that helps avoid some risk. items with lots of reviews tend to include at least a few customer photos, which are great for getting a better idea of what the thing you're buying actually looks like. I took a bit of a risk last year buying a Hot Toys (or the equivalent, I actually have no idea) Steve Rogers head for about $20, for instance, but I wasn't super worried about it because the customer photos looked good, the seller I used had a lot of sales and a lot of good ratings, and it was still a lot less than I would've paid for an authentic Hot Toys Steve Rogers head--and in fact he got here just fine and he looked fantastic. I also spent about $20 for a knockoff Iron Studios Loki statue, because in that case it was like...yep I’d love the real thing, nope I’m not willing to spend hundreds of dollars on it, yep I am willing to spend $20 on something that doesn’t look quite as nice but still looks good enough for me in the customer photos. well, and I’ve also bought knockoffs I knew would look bad, because they were cheap and I want all the Lokis and I have enough of an addiction that all the Lokis does in fact sometimes mean “even ones that look really bad” to me.

anyway, uh, Lego-type minifigs. this is an especially good area to go knockoff, because--okay, apparently I can’t link to a page of HeroBloks search results for some reason, but it’s the best resource I’ve found for this type of thing that isn’t just authentic Lego figures. but if you go there and do a search for “loki” you’ll get a bunch of results and you’ll see that they come from like...9 or 10 different brands. Lego specifically has only four Loki options: Avengers Loki in black, Avengers Loki in gray for some reason (which, frankly, looks like a cheap knockoff but isn’t), movie-inaccurate Ragnarok Loki with the blue outfit and the full helmet, an ugly Classic Loki, and a mostly green Loki from I guess the first Thor movie (and then I think they’re going to release a TVA Loki, a Sylvie, and a Throg). all those other results--all those different outfits from every single Loki appearance, and different variations on those outfits, nearly all of them more screen-accurate and/or detailed than the Lego versions--are technically knockoffs. they’re better and you can buy them for way less. (I mean, a lot of them are new so I don’t have them yet, but I do have frost giant Loki, better Ragnarok Loki, better Avengers Loki, opera Loki who actually has another face that’s half-Jotun, and at least one chrome-helmet option, and they all look basically like the photos. so I think I can reasonably expect most of the new ones to look basically like their photos too.)

for reasons that I don’t understand aside from a vague guess that it’s copyright-related, AliExpress pretty much no longer shows full pictures of Lego-type figures in their listings--instead, you have to pick just based on the heads. this is a problem when lots of heads look very similar to each other! luckily, the listings also typically have the actual serial numbers for each figure, as do the HeroBloks listings, so you can cross-reference them to see what you’re really getting. for instance let’s take this listing because it’s cheap and it offers most of the Loki figures that are currently available. say you’re interested in one of the horn-less Lokis. there are...let’s see, five of them, but you have no idea what they actually look like aside from slightly different facial expressions and maybe weapons. however, the first one listed says XH1359 for its color...and what do you know, 1359 is the serial number for this Loki by a company called Xinh. okay cool, how about the last one? the “color” is listed as WM2182--and yes, HeroBloks has a listing for a Ragnarok Loki from World Minifigures with the serial number 2182. (I just ordered all 8 of the new World Minifigures ones yesterday, so again, I can’t personally guarantee yet that they’ll look as good in person as in the pictures--but I think they probably will, and more importantly they cost a whole dollar each.) and if HeroBloks doesn’t have a particular figure, you can probably find something useful just by googling the serial number.

I specifically bought from this listing yesterday because they currently have a bit of a sale going and a deal for free shipping if you buy 10 figures, and I wanted a couple duplicates, so it worked out to be the cheapest option. the same store has another listing for a bunch more Marvel characters, including a couple more Lokis I already had, so it should be pretty easy to get the free shipping so the figures are less than a dollar each and you’re only risking about $10. if you’d rather try one or two and see how it goes, it looks like this listing is probably the cheapest, with figures currently going for a little over a dollar each once you add shipping (although it’s totally possible shipping is more for me because Alaska).

that’s...probably already way more information than you really wanted, but I hope at least some of it makes sense. feel free to ask other specific questions if they come up--I might not be able to give answers exactly, but I can probably tell you what my experience has been, which is better than nothing.

#loki #action figures #lego #marvel cinematic universe #conversations #scintillatingshortgirl19

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bangwoolofbangtan · 4 years ago

Text

TIME

ENTERTAINER of the year

BTS

[Time magazine BTS interview ]

It’s late October, and Suga is sitting on a couch strumming a guitar. His feet are bare, his long hair falling over his eyes. He noodles around, testing out chords and muttering softly to himself, silver hoop earrings glinting in the light. “I just started learning a few months ago,” he says. It’s an intimate moment, the kind you’d spend with a new crush in a college dorm room while they confess rock-star ambitions. But Suga is one-seventh of the Korean pop band BTS, which means I’m just one of millions of fans watching, savoring the moment.

BTS isn’t just the biggest K-pop act on the charts. They’ve become the biggest band in the world—full stop. Between releasing multiple albums, breaking every type of record and appearing in these extemporaneous livestreams in 2020, BTS ascended to the zenith of pop stardom. And they did it in a year defined by setbacks, one in which the world hit pause and everyone struggled to maintain their connections. Other celebrities tried to leverage this year’s challenges; most failed. (Remember that star-studded “Imagine” video?) But BTS’s bonds to their international fan base, called ARMY, deepened amid the pandemic, a global racial reckoning and worldwide shutdowns. “There are times when I’m still taken aback by all the unimaginable things that are happening,” Suga tells TIME later. “But I ask myself, Who’s going to do this, if not us?”

Today, K-pop is a multibillion-dollar business, but for decades the gatekeepers of the music world—the Western radio moguls, media outlets and number-crunchers—treated it as a novelty. BTS hits the expected high notes of traditional K-pop: sharp outfits, crisp choreography and dazzling videos. But they’ve matched that superstar shine with a surprising level of honesty about the hard work that goes into it. BTS meets the demands of Top 40’s authenticity era without sacrificing any of the gloss that’s made K-pop a cultural force. It doesn’t hurt that their songs are irresistible: polished confections that are dense with hooks and sit comfortably on any mainstream playlist.

BTS is not the first Korean act to establish a secure foothold in the West, yet their outsize success today is indicative of a sea change in the inner workings of fandom and how music is consumed. From propelling their label to a $7.5 billion IPO valuation to inspiring fans to match their $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter, BTS is a case study in music-industry dominance through human connection. Once Suga masters the guitar, there won’t be much left for them to conquer.

In an alternate universe where COVID-19 didn’t exist, BTS’s 2020 would likely have looked much like the years that came before. The group got its start in 2010, after K-pop mastermind and Big Hit Entertainment founder Bang Si-hyuk recruited RM, 26, from Seoul’s underground rap scene. He was soon joined by Jin, 28; Suga, 27; J-Hope, 26; Jimin, 25; V, 24; and Jung Kook, 23, selected for their dancing, rapping and singing talents.

But unlike their peers, BTS had an antiestablishment streak, both in their activism and in the way they contributed to their songwriting and production—which was then rare in K-pop, although that’s started to change. In BTS’s debut 2013 single, “No More Dream,” they critiqued Korean social pressures, like the high expectations placed on schoolkids. They have been open about their own challenges with mental health and spoken publicly about their support for LGBTQ+ rights. (Same-sex marriage is still not legally recognized in South Korea.) And they’ve modeled a form of gentler, more neutral masculinity, whether dyeing their hair pastel shades or draping their arms lovingly over one another. All this has made them unique not just in K-pop but also in the global pop marketplace.

In March, BTS was prepping for a global tour. Instead, they stayed in Seoul to wait out the pandemic. For the group, life didn’t feel too different: “We always spend 30 days a month together, 10 hours a day,” Jin says. But with their plans upended, they had to pivot. In August, BTS dropped an English-language single, “Dynamite,” that topped the charts in the U.S.—a first for an all-Korean act. With their latest album this year, Be, they’ve become the first band in history to debut a song and album at No. 1 on Billboard’s charts in the same week. “We never expected that we would release another album,” says RM. “Life is a trade-off.”

Their triumphs this year weren’t just about the music. In October, they put on perhaps the biggest virtual ticketed show of all time, selling nearly a million tickets to the two-night event. Their management company went public in Korea, turning Bang into a billionaire and each of the members into millionaires, a rarity in an industry where the spoils often go to the distributors, not the creators. And they were finally rewarded with a Grammy nomination. On YouTube, where their Big Hit Labels is one of the top 10 most subscribed music accounts (with over 13 billion views by this year), their only real competition is themselves, says YouTube’s music-trends manager Kevin Meenan. The “Dynamite” video racked up 101 million views in under 24 hours, a first for the platform. “They’ve beaten all their own records,” he says.

Not that the glory comes without drawbacks: namely, lack of free time. It’s nearing midnight in Seoul in late November, and BTS, sans Suga, who’s recovering from shoulder surgery, are fitting in another interview—this time, just with me. V, Jimin and J-Hope spontaneously burst into song as they discuss Jin’s upcoming birthday. “Love, love, love,” they harmonize, making good use of the Beatles’ chorus, turning to their bandmate and crossing their fingers in the Korean version of the heart symbol.

Comparisons to that epoch-defining group are inevitable. “What’s different is that we’re seven, and we also dance,” says V. “It’s kind of like a cliché when big boy bands are coming up: ‘Oh, there’s another Beatles!’” says RM. I’ve interviewed BTS five times, and in every interaction, they are polite to a fault. But by now they must be weary of revisiting these comparisons, just as they must be tired of explaining their success. RM says it’s a mix of luck, timing and mood. “I’m not 100% sure,” he says.

They’ve matured into smart celebrities: focused and cautious, they’re both more ready for the questions and more hesitant to make big statements. When you ask BTS about their landmark year, for once they’re not exactly chipper; J-Hope wryly calls it a “roller coaster.” “Sh-t happens,” says RM. “It was a year that we struggled a lot,” says Jimin. Usually a showman, on this point he seems more introspective than usual. “We might look like we’re doing well on the outside with the numbers, but we do go through a hard time ourselves,” he says. For a group whose purpose is truly defined by their fans, the lack of human interaction has been stifling. Still, they’ve made it a point to represent optimism. “I always wanted to become an artist that can provide comfort, relief and positive energy to people,” says J-Hope. “That intent harmonized with the sincerity of our group and led us to who we are today.”

In an era marked by so much anguish and cynicism, BTS has stayed true to their message of kindness, connection and self-acceptance. That’s the foundation of their relationship with their fans. South Korean philosopher and author Dr. Jiyoung Lee describes the passion of BTS’s fandom as a phenomenon called “horizontality,” a mutual exchange between artists and their fans. As opposed to top-down instruction from an icon to their followers, BTS has built a true community. “Us and our fans are a great influence on each other,” says J-Hope. “We learn through the process of making music and receiving feedback.” The BTS fandom isn’t just about ensuring the band’s primacy—it’s also about extending the band’s message of positivity into the world. “BTS and ARMY are a symbol of change in zeitgeist, not just of generational change,” says Lee.

And in June, BTS became a symbol of youth activism worldwide after they donated $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement amid major protests in the U.S. (They have a long track record of supporting initiatives like UNICEF and school programs.) BTS says now it was simply in support of human rights. “That was not politics. It was related to racism,” Jin says. “We believe everyone deserves to be respected. That’s why we made that decision.”

That proved meaningful for fans like Yassin Adam, 20, an ARMY from Georgia who runs popular BTS social media accounts sharing news and updates, and who is Black. “It will bring more awareness to this issue people like me face in this country,” he says. “I see myself in them, or at least a version of myself.” In May and June, a broad coalition of K-pop fans made headlines for interfering with a police app and buying out tickets for a Trump campaign rally, depleting the in-person attendance. Later that summer, ARMY’s grassroots fundraising effort matched BTS’s $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter within 24 hours.

For 28-year-old Nicole Santero, who is Asian American, their success in the U.S. is also a triumph of representation: “I never really saw people like myself on such a mainstream stage,” Santero says. She’s writing her doctoral dissertation on the culture of BTS fandom, and she runs a popular Twitter account that analyzes and shares BTS data. “Anytime I’m awake, I’m doing something related to BTS,” she says. “This is a deeper kind of love.”

Devotion like that is a point of pride for BTS, particularly in a year when so much has felt uncertain. “We’re not sure if we’ve actually earned respect,” RM says. “But one thing for sure is that [people] feel like, O.K., this is not just some kind of a syndrome, a phenomenon.” He searches for the right words. “These little boys from Korea are doing this.” —With reporting by Aria Chen/Hong Kong; Mariah Espada/Washington; Sangsuk Sylvia Kang and Kat Moon/New York

FASHION CREDITS

RM: Jacket, shirt, pants and shoes HERMES; SUGA: Jacket, shirt and necklace CELINE. Pants GIVENCHY. Shoes LOUIS VUITTON; Jung Kook: Jacket, shirt, pants and shoes FENDI; J-Hope: Jacket, shirt, pants and shoes LOUIS VUITTON. Necklace HERMES; Jin: Suit, knit top and shoes BALENCIAGA; Jimin: Jacket, silk shirt, pants and shoes CELINE; V: Suit, shirt and shoes ALEXANDER McQUEEN. Tie THOM BROWNE.

#bts #kim taehyung #bts update #kim namjoon #park jimin #kim seokjin #jeon jungkook #jung hoseok #min yoongi #bts time magazine #bts time 2020 #bts time #bts entertainer of the year #bts interview #bts time photoshoot #bts photoshoot #bts group photo #bts achievements #bts article

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weightlessau · 5 years ago

Text

midlife crisis [ateez; jongho]

2.7k words

prompt from reedsy:

“I’d like to buy a plane ticket to your furthest destination today,” you told the airline employee

please pretend that everyone in ateez can speak fluent english or that y’all can speak the same language idk... 。(*^▽^*)ゞ

It's completely normal for people in their 30s and 40s to question their life and choices they made along the way. This became such a widespread problem that it even got its own name: the Mid-life Crisis.

People have the desire to go through drastic changes in their life even if they already have established a life of their own.

This phenomenon however should not be common for young people in their 20s or even teens, people who have not even begun making a life of their own.

Or so the elderly think.

After graduating high school, you didn't know what to do with you life. You didn't know what to do in college either so you just went and got a job as a hair and make up artist after an apprenticeship to apease your parents and at least do something with your life and for your future. At least you could earn some money while being hopeless with your decision.

But the months came and went and a year later, you still didn't know what to do.

So you just up and went and went to the airport the very same day.

"I'd like to buy a plane ticket to your furthest destination today," you tell the airline employee.

You must look crazy to them. Tousled hair, clothes not matching and dragging a heavy suitcase behind you, demanding a flight as far as possible.

But this employee seems to be used to your type of customers as she just glances at you for a second before starting to type on the computer in front of her.

"We have a flight to South Korea in about two hours, if that's alright with you?"

"Perfect." You hand over the necessary money and dash towards the gate to put your baggage away.

And not even a day later, you land in a completely new country, surrounded by unknown people.

Well, apparently not as unknown as you thought. Something special must be happening because a gaggle of girls push against the barrier of the arrival gate next to you. Is someone famous coming to Korea?, you ask yourself, but ultimately decide not to stick around for the drama. You need to find a place to stay first.

Just as you are about to turn away from the turmoil a hand grabs your arm and pulls you away from the crowd. You try to rip your arm away from the man dragging you, but you are surrounded by eight more of them. A panicked scream crawls up your throat. You just arrived a minute ago! Is this really how you're going to die? Your mom warned you to be careful with strangers.

Before your scream can burst out of your mouth a hand clasps itself over your mouth, almost covering half of your face.

"Please, don't scream," the person dragging you pleads with you. Why does he sound panicked? You're the one getting kidnapped!

As if he can read your thoughts, he continues, "we're not trying to kidnap you, I swear."

Finally, the boy that held your mouth closed sees that you won't shout anymore and releases you mouth.

"Who are you?" you burst out, tears springing into your eyes. Being surrounded by at least five strange men at once is more terrifying than you could have imagined.

"Oh no," one of them says with a frown on his face, "please, don't cry. We just tried to get away from the fans."

"That doesn't make it any better!" A pout forms on your face as you try to surpress the tears.

An even taller man, with prominent eyebrows, speaks up, "We were about to be mobbed by our fans, so we had to find a way to get around them, unsuspected."

"Are they here for you guys?"

"Yeah, kinda." The tallest of the bunch admits and scraches the back of his brown hair.

"And why, for the love of god," you ask exesperated, "would you grab me for that?"

This time the smallest of the group speaks up, the one that grabed you, you glare, "I don't know! I panicked, okay?"

"No! Not okay! Do you know how," you take a deep braeth, "Do you know how terrified I was? I thought that I was getting kidnapped." He let go of your wrist.

"She could distract the fans while we get in the van?" a quiet voice chimes in from the back. He is quite pretty, you have to admit.

"And why would I do that, princess?" you bite back snarkily.

Ignoring you nickname for his friend, the other large man with fiery hair replies enthusiastically, "we'll get you a room to stay in!" he says as if it's the best idea, "if you don't have one yet, that is?" he adds.

"You're lucky, I don't," you glare at each one of them once more before you stomp over to the fans after getting the managers number, for insurance.

"Guys, look! Over there!" you squeal loudly and point to the opposite direction of the boys' van.

Later you find out that they do, in fact, not have a room for you to stay in. The company deeming it a waste of money to get you a hotel room, so, to keep you quiet, they let you stay in their dorm for the while. Most (your mother) would flip out and ask you why the hell you would accept the offer to live together with eight boys in a dorm. The only answer you have is that you're broke and a cheapskate, who doesn't have a job and who just arrived in a foreign country recently. Even if you die, you're not going to leave much behind. That sounds dark, but you're in a Mid-life Crisis and don't really think that anything in life has worth or meaning. And what does it matter if the boys kill you? At least they're nice while they do it, giving you a warm bed next to Mingi's bed and delicious food, made by Wooyoung himself.

You have to stay with Mingi while his roommate, the youngest of the group, Jongho, has to suffer on the living room couch for his elders.

You are just about to enter the kitchen, for one of those delicious meal times, when you happen to overhear a conversation going on between Jongho and his members.

"My back is killing me, hyung. The couch really isn't comfortable," he moans as he hunches his own back a few times to relieve the pain.

"Bear with it a little more, Jongho. You know Mingi can't sleep on the couch because of his back and you were the one volunteering to sleep there," Hongjoong answers him sympathetically.

"And you know that we can't just throw her out or move her from bed to bed the whole time. We brought her into this mess and I bet they aren’t all that comfortable with the arrangement, too," Seonghwa adds.

Mingi walks up behind the sitting figure of Jongho and begins massaging the tense muscles in his back. He feels bad for being the one to offer you a place to stay and not even being the one to suffer because of his mistake.

That's when you decide to walk in with an apologetic expression, "I can take the couch, guys. It's no problem."

All eight of them startle from your sudden appearence at the doorframe.

"I don't want you to feel uncomfortable in your own home," you talk to Jongho directly.

"No," he shrugs Mingi's hands away, "what are you talking about?"

"I heard you talking, Jongho," you roll your eyes and finally sit down at the table.

With a shake of his head and his left hand, he tells you, "I still won't make you sleep on the couch. I can endure it until you find another place to stay at. It's no problem to me. I'm still young and perfectly healthy," he insists and ends the conversation completely, cutting you off whenever you want to object.

It's time for bed for everyone at the dorm, as Hongjoong likes to tell you all, even though he is a hypocryte and never actually goes to bed himself. After a few minutes of restlessness, you decide to do something against your parched mouth and leave Mingi's soft breathing behind you as you quietly tap over to the kitchen. While you gulp down the cold water, you notice heavy sighing coming from the living room, along with rustling, indicating a lot of tossing and turning.

Before you can change your mind, you quickly make your way towards the sounds of the obviously still awake Jongho.

"Jongho?" you still ask into the dimness to be sure.

"Hmm?"

"Don't be stubborn. I can take the couch for a few nights."

"No need, (y/n)."

"Well," you exhale, "if you don't want me to sleep on the couch and I want you to sleep in your own bed, why don't we share?"

"Share what?" he questions.

"The bed, you stubborn dummy. It's big enough for the both of us."

Nervously you hold you breath, waiting for his answer in the dimly lit doorway to the living room. You hear rustling before Jongho appears in front of you, arms full of his blanket and pillow, "alright, let's go." In the end you share the bed. Although you estimated that both of you would fit comfortably just fine, you still are awoken by the boys giggling like little school girls and phones in your faces.

Groggily you open your eyes a little more, trying to make out where you are and feel a heavy weight on your waist and warmth in front of you. That's when it dawns on you.

You try to rip yourself out of Jongho's tight embrace, but to no avail. It even gets tighter.

"Jongho," you whisper, glancing back at the boys recording behind you with possibly the reddest face you have ever had, "Jongho," you try again a little louder and still struggle against his grip. He wakes up to see your tomato-like face and immidately flashes back, hitting his head on the side board of bed in the process.

The boys seem to have a field day with your reactions and struggle to hold their phones steady on you faces, before Seonghwa decides that it's enough and they should leave you two alone. But of course that little shit doesn't close the door before shooting you both a suggestive wink.

In spite of you two barely being able to look into each others eyes the whole day, Jongho comes back that night and sleeps in the same bed as you again.

This continues on for two or three more weeks, before you finally find a job and your own cheap place to stay in. Coincidentally, you are able to get a job as the new make up and hair stylist of Ateez, the ones giving you the job not knowing who you really are to the boys.

After weeks of this arrangement you had with Jongho the two of you became much more comfortable with showing this contentment openly through skinship. Though you like hugging Jongho, the boys love it even more when you do that.

"Well, well, well. Would you look who we have here, Sangie."

Speaking of the devil. The worst of them all, Wooyoung and Yeosang.

"I see them, Woo. Jongho looks awfully comfortable hugging (y/n) for someone, who always screams bloody murder whenever we try to do the same, don't you think?"

"Leave us alone," Jongho says nonchalantly and waves them off behind your back. You, on the other hand, aren't as casual as Jongho and burn up brightly, hiding your face in the crook of his neck. You knew you would regret, coming to the dorm for a visit.

You feel Jongho's heartbeat pick up, when you bury your face in his nape. Maybe he isn't as uneffected by the teasing as you thought.

Wooyoung's cackling laugh echoes through the hallway when he and Yeosang leave you two alone again.

"Fuck it," you hear Jongho whisper before he pulls you away from him at an arms length to look you in the eyes. Your confused look greets him, questioning why he broke your embrace.

"What's up?" you ask, tilting your head, looking into his deep brown eyes.

Not meeting your eyes, he takes a deep breath to calm his hearthbeat, "I feel these things and I don't know what to do anytime I'm with you except hug you and wish to maybe kiss you and cuddle with you and tell everyone that I can cuddle with my partner if I want to and whenever you leave I look forward to seeing you again the second you're not in my eyesight anymore and I really like you," Jongho rattles down in one breath, eyes darting around, still not meeting your face, which has morphed from confused to a bright smiling face.

"Will you maybe, possibly, consider being my girlfriend/boyfriend, maybe?"

You smile up at him. You also like him, have been since you started falling asleep to his soothing voice lulling you to sleep at your nightly talking session after Mingi had already fallen asleep.

"I maybe, possibly, do want to be that, Jongho."

bonus (suggestive):

You finished everyone's make up and hair and the last member is sitting in the other make up chair with your colleague. You finally get to relax your feet and sit down on Jongho's lap, his hands coming up to rest on your hips instinctively, as you talk innocently with each other, not caring for the other staff members in the room. They're used to your PDA anyways, seeing as you two never actually get a moment alone, away from everyone else. They're so used to it that even Seonghwa looks away. At the beginning of your official relationship he watched you two with hawk eyes to ensure that you didn't do anything naughty, the 'innocence' of the youngest still very precious to him.

You're using the time before he has to go on stage to finally catch up after hectic running around during the styling.

"-and then I found the lipstick in a purse I haven't used for like two months!" you rant to him, him smiling fondly up at you, "Can you believe it? I don't even know how it ended up there! I really nearly came late to work for that shit."

"It looks really good on you, baby," Jongho compliments your lip color, that you spent precious minutes searching for that morning.

"Thank you," you smile down at him and go for a kiss.

Before you can reach his lips, he leans back slightly, "nuh-uh," he tutts, "no, kissing, babe, sorry. You worked so hard on my make up so no ruining it."

You pout at him which vanishes as an idea pops into your mind. "You're right," you agree with a devious smile, but still lean towards him again.

This time you aim further down. You press a light, brushing kiss (or two) onto his sensitive neck and leave him a shuddering mess underneath you, as you bend back towards the side of his neck. His hands tighten on your hips, maybe as a warning for you or maybe as a way to control himself and his pressing urges.

Thankfully you are in a corner of the room, your kisses unseen by the rest of the crew.

Just to tease him a little more you drop another kiss onto his sensitive neck and suck a little before letting go again. A quiet sigh leaves him accidentally when he slants his head to give you easier access, your hands trailing up his sides and making their way into his hair. You are mindful not to mess up his hair, but can't resist tugging it to give you even more room to kiss. Your lips drag down a path on his neck, biting and kissing on random spots, careful not to suck a mark minutes before the show begins.

"(y/n)," he breaths out into your ear, making you shiver as well.

"Stage in five, everyone."

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opedguy · 4 years ago

Text

Blinken Spreads U.S.-Russian-China Feud to G7

LOS ANGELS (OnlineColumnist.com), May 3, 2021.--U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 58, is trying to put together a coalition against Russia and China, a dangerous strategy since many other sovereign states depend on China or Russia for manufacturing and energy. Under 68-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Federation has become the European Union’s biggest supplier of natural gas and petroleum, some 40% of its supplies. Blinken has partnered with 47-year-old British Foreign Secretary Dominique Raab, already reeling from a shrinkage in global clout since exiting the European Union Jan. 31. Since taking office, President Joe Biden, 78, and Blinker have antagonized Russia and China, accusing the two communist superpowers of breaking the “rules based” international system, especially when it comes to maritime shipping. Neither China nor Russia want the West meddling in its territorial waters.

Speaking in London at the G7 today, Raab said he saw “an increasing demand and need for an agile cluster of countries that share the same values and want to protect the multilateral system,” buying into Blinken’s antagonistic relationship with Russia and China. When Blinken and 44-year-old National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with China’s chief diplomats in a get-to-know you summit in Anchorage, Alaska March 18, they both insulted the Chinese delegation. Blinken and Sullivan started from the get-go lecturing China about human alleged human rights abuses with Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang province, pro-Democracy protesters in Hong Kong and global ties with Taiwan. Raab invited Australia, South Korea, India and South Africa, “a sign that we can see a shift to a pattern of like-minded countries working together. No one in those countries wants to get on China or Russia’s bad side.

Blinken’s feud with Russia and China stems from the Biden administration’s over-arching foreign policy of moral superiority of the U.S. and Western alliance. From Day One, Biden and Blinken drove a wedge with Russia and China over human rights, now repeated by Raab. Blinken and Raab think they’re putting together a coalition against Russia and China, something preposterous. Blinken has already drive U.S.-Russian and U.S.-Chinese relations to the worst level since the 1962 Cuban Missile crisis or before former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger opened the door to diplomatic relations with China in 1971. China and Russia observe closely Blinken and Raab’s scheming to turn other countries against them. Raab exposed his real feelings about Russia, a carryover from the March 4, 2018 Novichok poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, U.K.

Raab didn’t hold back his ire with Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him over every human rights abuse imaginable. Raab sees Putin as playing “brinkmanship, saber rattling on the border of Ukraine, the cyber-attacks and misinformation and the poisoning of Alexi Navalny, that was not just a human rights abuse but a use of chemical weapons on Russian soil,” Raab said, letting it all hang out. Blinken has a real ally in London but has zero clout to improve U.S.-Russian relations. Blinken’s now using Raab to burn more bridges with Russia and China, exposing a litany of complaints. Raab talks about a creating a G7 rapid disinformation response team, showing how little he knows about what he calls misinformation. Blinken and Rob act like only Russia and China use disinformation, ignoring the Western press, notorious for advancing its agenda regardless of the facts.

Blinken mistakenly thinks that a multilateral approach diplomacy involves building coalition against U.S. enemies. Biden and Blinken want to drag other countries, especially the U.K., into the U.S. feud with Russia and China. No one in the EU wants to take on Biden’s challenge to allow the U.S. to lead the “Free World” against Russia and China. Biden and Blinken’s diplomacy is so atavistic, it prompted are rare rebuke by the EU when it said we don’t need the U.S. to “lead the Free World.” Biden and Blinker rejected an “American First” foreign policy of former President Donald Trump. Trump didn’t antagonize competing superpowers, just wanted better trade agreements that favored the U.S. economy. Biden and Blinken accused Russia and China of egregious human rights abuses, trying, through multilateral diplomacy, to put pressure of the communist states to conform to international rules.

Blinker tried to clarify at the G7 his belligerent attitude toward Russia and China. “What we are trying to do is to uphold the international rules-based order, that our countries have invested so much in or so many decades to the benefit, I would argue not just of our own citizens but the people around the world, including by the way, China, Blinken said, in one of the twisted statements imaginable. If Blinken seeks cooperation from Russia and China, he shouldn’t try to form coalitions to apply pressure on the communist states to adopt U.S. values. Neither China nor Russia shares in U.S. or Western values when it comes to open societies, free dissent and a free press. Blinken and Raab need to stop blaming Russia and China for a monopoly on propaganda when there’s plenty of disinformation coming from the Western press. Blinken needs to stop slamming Russia and China before it’s too late.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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bangtan-madi · 5 years ago

Text

546 Days Without You — Two: Negative 40

Pairing — Seokjin x Reader

Tags — boyfriend!Seokjin, older brother!Yoongi, producer/songwriter!MC, military au (ish), idol au (ish)

Genre — fluff, angst

Word Count — 3.6k

Summary — Kim Seokjin is your entire world, and that world falls apart the moment he and your older brother Yoongi are conscripted into the South Korean military.

Part — 2 / 15

Warnings — short panic attack, enlistment

Previous — Next

You wake with a startle, your phone going absolutely berserk at your side. At first, you ignore the constant buzzing and pinging. The first light of morning is only just starting to stream through the bedroom curtains, past the blanket fort that Seokjin built the day before, and over the sleeping figure of the man still curled up to you. Work is calling, even at six-thirty in the morning, but you elect to ignore it for just a bit longer. Looking down at Seokjin—hilariously endearing with his messy, bedhead hair and sleepy, pursed lips—you can't hide the smile as he continues to slumber, oblivious to the world.

Work can definitely wait a little while longer.

Another fifteen minutes pass before you hear a ringtone unlike the others. Your closest friend's song, "Promise," starts playing, beginning at the second chorus. That's not a call you'd get for no reason, so you blindly reach for your phone and swipe to answer.

"Chim?" is all you can manage, your voice raspy and thick from sleep.

"[Y/n], you've been ignoring all our texts!" Jimin exclaims, and his loud voice causes you to pull the phone away from your ear and Seokjin to stir against you.

"I've been sleeping, Jimin. What did you need? What's going on?"

Jimin's voice is quieter this time. "You really should look at what everyone's already sent you. I texted you, your brother has, the lawyers...basically everyone."

The last group he mentions causes you to awaken fully. Your eyes open, and you shift away from Seokjin just long enough to sit up. "Why would the law department text me?"

"Look at your texts. Please, Aein. They'll explain better than I can."

You remain on the call with Jimin as you scroll through your text messages. Over the last half-hour, your notifications have exploded. Texts, voice memos, news alerts, emails, just about every source of information you could get has come in at once. And all of it revolves around the news article that catches your eye before anything else.

"Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo announces that no exemptions will be given to Kim Seokjin or any other member of BTS."

Flipping to another article in a hurry, you read a different summary.

"South Korea's Ministry of National Defense finds no ground in arguments against conscription as made by Big Hit Entertainment lawyers."

And another.

"The Final Verdict: All Members of South Korean Boyband BTS Must Service in the Military."

Your breath catches in your throat, and a whimper escapes as you sit in shock of it all.

You'd failed. Everything you tried, all the work and time you put into trying to find a way around this disaster, it's all for nothing. Seokjin will still have to serve. Yoongi will still have to serve. All the other members will have to serve.

And you feel like your heart is breaking.

"[Y/n]? Are you still there?"

"Where is everyone," you murmur, your voice lifeless and hoarse.

"Taehyung and I are on our way to HQ right now. I think your brother was already there recording when the news broke. I'm not sure where Hoseok or Jungkook are; they weren't at the dorms when we woke up. I think Namjoon was with Yoongi. I'm still trying to track everyone down, but it's a mess."

You push yourself onto your knees, trembling hands pulling yourself from the blanket fort. Seokjin stirs again, eyes fluttering open. He looks at you, eyeing your obvious distress, and sits up immediately.

"We're on our way," you tell Jimin, and you end the call before another word is spoken.

Seokjin slips from the pile of pillows and comforters, his voice soft and deep as he struggles to wake up so quickly. "Jagi? [Y/n], what's wrong? You're so pale...who was that?"

Shakily gripping the edge of the dresser, you turn and look up at him. His brown eyes are full of confusion, worry, and empathy. You open your mouth several times, failing each time to concoct a coherent thought. How can you express that the tiny string of hope you'd been gripping on to has snapped? How can you tell him that you failed?

The longer the silence lasts, the more a sense of realization washes across Seokjin's face. He hasn't heard a word from you yet, but somehow—deep down—he already knows what you would say. Instead of repeating himself, he simply reaches out and pulls you into him, resting his chin on top of your head.

And you let bitter and broken tears fall.

The meeting at Big Hit headquarters goes about as well as you expect. It's a private affair with only Bang PD, the BTS members, the lawyers, and you attending. After finally collecting everyone that needed to be there, a variety of news is given.

All of which can be condensed down to this: No exemption will be given, not to Seokjin nor to any other member of BTS. The Ministry of Defense is afraid of what precedent will be set if they start handing out free passes to idols. None of the arguments won them over. Everyone will still have to serve in the military.

Not only that, but the Ministry of Defense went ahead and served Seokjin with his conscription notice. He has forty days to enlist or face the consequences.

As the meeting starts to wind down, you glance around the room at the gloomy faces of the people you care most about. Your brother Yoongi sits to your left, his light features even paler with the heavy news. On his other side, Jimin and Taehyung look similarly grim. The former reaches for Yoongi's hand, knowing that the gesture usually calms him down, but Yoongi pulls away and tightly clasps both hands in his lap.

On the right side of the table, Hoseok and Jungkook—usually the brightest rays of sunshine in the group—look as if they're about to cry. Namjoon sits next to Seokjin, his jaw firmly set and his eyes staring intently at the table. To your direct right, Seokjin has his hand on your bouncing knee. Though he appears calm on the surface, you can tell by the way he keeps quiet that none of this is sitting well with him.

"I wish there was more we could do," Kang Eunji, one of the lawyers, states quietly after giving her briefing on the situation. "I genuinely don't see a way out of this, boys, and you know I would fight for it if I saw even a shred of evidence that we could win this. I just...I think we've given it the best we can."

"And now it's time to serve," Seokjin concludes.

Bang PD, looking equally as bothered as the rest of the group, places his hand on the conscription notice in front of him. "Now there's just the matter of when...and who."

"Who?" you inquire.

Bang PD nods once. "Seokjin isn't the only one with military service in the near future." He glances to your left, to Yoongi. "You want to tell everyone what you told me this morning, Yoongi?"

With widened eyes, you turn to your brother. He doesn't look up from his hands, keeping his voice calm and low as he states, "I think it might be best if I enlist at the same time as Seokjin."

Your body moves on its own accord, shoving you out of your chair and away from the conference table. Not bothering to look back at the group, you know whose footsteps are following after you.

You make it halfway to the recording studio, mid-way down the window-lined corridor, before Seokjin catches up to you. He grasps your sleeve and tries to get you to stop.

"Jagiya, please, just wait for a second—"

"—Let me go, Seokjin," you growl, pulling your sleeve from his grasp.

Seokjin does the opposite of what you ask. He moves ahead of you and blocks your path to the recording studio. "Not going to happen."

Glaring up at him, you attempt to shove him out of the way. Being as strong as he is, it's easy for him to grasp both your arms, pin them to your sides, and push you against the window so you're forced to stop moving.

"Stop moving," he orders as you continue to squirm. "God, you're too much like your brother. Stop fighting for once, [Y/n]!"

"What, like you?"

The words come out sharp and much louder than you intended. You're lucky that no one else is in the hallway, but this isn't a spat that can be summed up to two friends having a disagreement. Anyone seeing this would know this is between lovers.

"You're giving up," you add, high-strung emotions slipping into your voice. "Both of you are! Why would you do that?"

"Because I'm tired," he breathes with immense honesty. "Both of us are. I am tired of fighting my duty as a citizen. I don't have a right to get out of enlisting, just like ninety-nine percent of men in this country. I shouldn't be able to buy my way out with money and fame. I feel guilty at every single meeting with the lawyers...and after all the inquisition this past year...[Y/n], I'm just done. I've accepted it, and I'm ready to do my service."

"Well, I'm not, and I haven't." Something inside you snaps at his confession. "I'm not ready to give up yet, Seokin."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but this is my choice, Jagi. Conscription is a duty, one that I'm happy to do."

"That's a lie. You're scared out of your mind."

"I can be both. My dad was, my older brother was, every man I've talked to was. But they all agree that it's an honor to serve. It's time I stop fighting this. My birthday is less than six weeks away. I need to stop fighting and start preparing." There's a pause before he goes on. "I've already talked about it with Bang PD and the boys. It took a while, but they eventually agreed with me. If we were given the red light for exemption, for good, this was the next step. Acceptance."

"And when was this?" you ask, finally able to break away from his grasp. This time, he lets you go because you aren't intent on running away. "So I'm the last to know? Really?"

"I wanted to be absolutely sure it was the right decision," he admits with sad eyes. "I know you had a friend that passed away while serving. I didn't want to—"

"—To, what? Scare me? A little late for that." You feel your heart beating a million miles an hour, and your hands tremble against your sides. "It's only October, Jinnie. We can still fight for this. You can't—I won't let you give up on me yet. Not when we still have time."

A certain sad determination settles on Seokjin's face as his eyes shift up to meet yours. He reaches out, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear with incredible tenderness. "I'm not going to leave you, [Y/n]. Not permanently, not in any way more difficult than our early tours. Remember those days, where we were all gone for six, seven months at a time? Those were hard and we made it, and that was way before even Band PD knew about us. I remember Wings being especially hard, but we made it."

"But I flew out to meet you all the time," you retort, voice quivering as you try to remain strong. "And we had Facetime and texting and tour was three times shorter than conscription! In the military, there will be none of that. You won't have me or the boys or Bang PD, and you know how they treat trainees in boot camp, right? You know what their methods are, don't you?"

"I don't have a damn choice, [Y/n]!" Seokjin's voice raises a bit, and he instantly regrets it. The two of you barely ever fight this bad, let alone raise your voices at each other, but this time nothing is going the way it should.

There's a pause before you retort, "If you give up, there's no way they'll consider giving an exception to the others. Do you really think Jimin or Jungkook have the constitution for the military? Or Taehyung? They're all so young, and Joon acts tough, but he's as big a softie as anyone. The same goes for my brother; he's a creative genius, not a soldier! And god, I don't wanna even think about what will happen to Hobi's sunshine."

Seokjin bites the inside of his cheek at your words, and you can tell you've hit a nerve. "We've tried. All of us have tried out hardest...but we failed. It's time to accept it and move on. I'm ready to serve, and when it's time, I know the other members will be, too. And I need you to support me in that decision. Yoongi and I both need that, more than anything right now."

You push away from Seokjin, putting some distance between you. You need room to breathe; air is coming into your lungs, but you feel your head spinning from lack of oxygen. You know this feeling, this panic and anxiety, but there's nothing you can do to stop it. No amount of coping will help.

Your worst nightmare is coming true. Seokjin. Yoongi. Both are going to leave you, and there's always a risk of them not coming back.

"Jagi—"

"—N-No, need...space. Please."

Clutching your hands to your chest, you close your eyes and try to focus on breathing. Seokjin's voice tells you to do the same. He's seen you have panic attacks in the past, but this is the worst one you've had in a while.

"I'm not going to leave you." He repeats words like these over and over until you're calm enough to feel your emotions again. Besides anxiety, there's fear and guilt and sadness.

The anxiety subsides and the sadness becomes chief. You let yourself be pulled back into him, feeling him wiping your tears away before you realize they're falling. Seokjin has always been your security blanket. Even from day one, back when you were antagonistic towards each other, there was always something about him that made you want to curl up in his protective embrace. You've always felt safe with him.

But now you feel like your safety is being stripped away.

"We knew this was coming," he mumbles, feeling your tears start to subside. Now you're cradled up to him, not wanting to feel anything at all. "This isn't a surprise. You've done more than anyone to get me a chance at exemption. You met with the law department more than even Band PD. You had ideas that even the lawyers hadn't thought of. You fought for me, for all of us, and I love you for that. But now I think we all see that they're not going to give us that exception. I'm the first because I'm the oldest, but eventually, we're all going to have to do our part at some point."

"The next is my brother," you murmur.

"And it's better to have several go at a time than one at a time, otherwise it'll be nearly seven years before everyone's back. Do you want to wait another seven years, Jagi? 'Cause I know I don't."

You shake your head, letting it fall against his shoulder. "I hate this."

"I know. Not my favorite way to spend a birthday, either." Seokjin takes a deep breath, then puts a few inches between you. "But you know who's handling it worse than everyone? Yoongi. He's really letting this get to him. I think you should talk to him."

You open your mouth to protest, but Seokjin shakes his head.

"I'm not leaving. I'll be here when you get back."

The door to Genius Lab is locked. A huff slips from your lips as you lean your forehead against the door.

"Yoongi, let me in." No response, so you ring the bell. "C'mon, you can't stay locked up in here for—"

Suddenly, the door opens. On the other side, Yoongi stands with headphones draped around his neck. "Sorry, I was editing and couldn't hear you." He points to the label beside the doorbell. “It’s why I made that.”

I’m working, please press the doorbell.

“And you still insist on trying the doorknob first.”

After he lets you inside, you plop down on the charcoal grey sofa that faces his studio setup. An electric piano to the left, a monitor setup to the right, and his main set up on the far wall, it's a place you've seen many times. You helped him put it together all those years ago, helped him move in all the tech and various basketball paraphernalia.

"How are you?" you ask, playing with the edges of the throw pillow as a distraction.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Yoongi settles into his studio chair, the one with his "SUGA '93" jersey draped on the back. He spins the chair so he can face you, crossing his arms and giving an irreverent sigh. "You think I'm an idiot."

"I do."

"And you think I'm leaving you."

"You are."

"And you see me as a coward."

"No. Not that. Never that."

Your brother's dark eyes shift up to yours. "Your voice says otherwise. You get this tremble in your vocals when you're trying to hold back. You're a Min, just like me. I can read you like a book, so go ahead. Let me have it. I can take it."

Tossing the pillow side, you push yourself off the sofa and stand in front of Yoongi. Fists clenched at your sides, you take an angry breath before meeting his gaze.

"Fine. You want the truth? I think you're both crazy. You and Seokjin. I know things look bad, but you're both just...giving up! You especially. You have until March next year, Yoongi. You still have nearly five months. Why now? Why the sudden one-eighty?"

Yoongi attempts to reach for your hand, but you pull it back. He settles back in the chair, clenching his jaw before he responds, "We've had a while to think about it. The entire Map of the Soul tour, actually."

"I was there with you, and you both seemed fine."

"You were there some of the time, not all. Look, it's not easy for me either, but if this is where the future is going, if we are going to have to serve, we thought it was best to do it in pairs. That way we can at least get it over with quicker."

That you remember. Seokjin had said as much. That's the only part that makes even a little bit of sense to you.

"Do you realize the impact this will have on the other members' futures?" you ask. "If you and Seokjin take their decision and don't fight it, you're setting a precedent for BTS. If you both cave, then the others have no chance of getting an exemption."

"They've already closed that door, you heard as much, and this isn't about them. This is about Seokjin and me and what our decisions are. Can you just...hear me out?"

Despite not liking where the conversation is going, you nod affirmatively. That's something that you and your brother have struggled with ever since you were young. Most of your arguments ended in a stalemate with neither of you speaking to the other. It took a lot of effort and time to get you to where you are now, where you can sit with the other and talk through your disagreements.

You owe him that, at least.

"Seokjin and I talked about it a lot, believe me," Yoongi mutters softly. "And a lot of that revolved around you. It would be so much easier if we weren't so close in age, but that can't be helped. And honestly, I'd have to enlist eventually...so why prolong the inevitable? I don't want them to call on me like I'm a tool they can use. I'll go when I want to and do my service on my own terms."

He reaches out again, and this time you allow him to take one of your hands. His face is broken as he clutches your wrist in both hands, resting his forehead against your arm.

"The very last thing either of us wants to do is hurt you, [Y/n]. But we've tried our best, and now it's time to do the right thing. I'm not a fan of the military either, and I know your hatred runs deeper than mine, but I'm strong enough to do this. Seokjin and I both are. Have faith in us, and I know we'll make it."

At that moment, you realize that there's nothing more you can say or do that will change the minds of either of the men you love most. Seokjin and Yoongi are determined. They've made their decision, and as much as you despise both that and the system that forces them to, deep down you know that there's no other way.

"Do you trust me?" Yoongi asks, after a few moments of silence. "Do you trust us?"

You slip your hand into his. The threading of your fingers together brings his gaze back up to yours. As you offer a tiny smile, your free hand rests on his bleached hair and ruffles it back and forth. The gesture causes Yoongi's lips to twitch into a grin, even if only for a moment.

"More than anyone on earth."

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orbemnews · 4 years ago

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Henry Goldrich, Gear Guru to Rock Stars, Is Dead at 88 When asked about his musical ability, Henry Goldrich would often demur, “I play cash register.” His stage was Manny’s Music in Manhattan, where Mr. Goldrich, the longtime owner, supplied equipment to a generation of rock stars. But even though he sold instead of strummed, Mr. Goldrich secured an important role in rock by connecting famous musicians with cutting-edge equipment. “To these guys, Henry was the superstar,” his son Judd said. “He was the first guy to get gear they had never seen before.” Mr. Goldrich died on Feb. 16 at his home in Boca Raton, Fla. He was 88. His death was confirmed by his other son, Ian, who said he had been in frail but stable health. Manny’s, which closed in 2009 after 74 years in business, was long the largest and best-known of the cluster of music shops on the West 48th Street block known as Music Row. It was opened in 1935 by Mr. Goldrich’s father, Manny, and it was a second home for Henry since his infancy, when the shop’s clientele of swing stars doted on him. Ella Fitzgerald would babysit for him in the shop when his parents went out for lunch, Ian Goldrich said. By 1968, when his father died at 62, Henry Goldrich had largely taken over operations and had turned the shop into an equipment mecca and hangout for world-renowned artists. He did this by expanding its inventory of the latest gear and by solidifying connections with suppliers that helped him consistently stock high-level instruments and new products. At a time before rock stars were lavished with the latest equipment straight from the manufacturers, Manny’s was favored by top musicians searching for new gear and testing out new equipment. These included two guitar gods of the 1960s, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton — to whom, Ian Goldrich said, his father recommended the wah-wah pedal, an electronic device that immediately became a staple of both musicians’ approaches. He added that Hendrix would buy scores of guitars on credit and have Mr. Goldrich fine-tune them to the guitarist’s demanding preferences. Many rock and pop classics were either played or written on instruments sold by Mr. Goldrich. John Sebastian, founder of the Lovin’ Spoonful, recalled in an interview how Mr. Goldrich in the mid-1960s helped him select the Gibson J-45 he used on early Spoonful recordings like “Do You Believe in Magic?” Mr. Goldrich similarly matched James Taylor with a quality Martin acoustic guitar early in his career, his son Ian said. And Sting used the Fender Stratocaster Mr. Goldrich sold him to compose “Message in a Bottle” and many other hits for the Police before donating it to the Smithsonian Institution. In 1970, he sold the Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour the 1969 black Stratocaster he played on many of the band’s seminal recordings. It sold at auction in 2019 for a record $3,975,000. Pete Townshend of the Who would order expensive electric guitars by the dozens from Mr. Goldrich, who was not happy when he heard about the guitarist’s penchant for destroying his instrument onstage for theatrical effect. “It was good business,” Ian Goldrich said, “but my father was annoyed that Pete was breaking all the guitars he was selling him.” Unlike many of his flamboyant rock-star customers, Mr. Goodrich always dressed conventionally in a sport coat and kept a blunt demeanor that put his customers at ease. “He had a gruff personality; he treated them all the same,” Ian Goldrich said. “He’d tell Bob Dylan, ‘Sit in the back and I’ll be with you in a minute.’” There was the day in 1985 — it was Black Friday, and the store was packed — that Mick Jagger and David Bowie stopped by together, creating a commotion that halted sales. An annoyed Mr. Goldrich quickly sold them their items and rushed them out. “My father was like, ‘What are you guys doing here today?’” Ian recalled. “He didn’t throw them out, but he was not happy.” When the band Guns N’ Roses asked to shoot part of the video for their 1989 hit “Paradise City” in the store, Ian Goldrich recalled, his father agreed only reluctantly, saying, “OK, but we’re not shutting down for them.” Ever opinionated, Mr. Goldrich told Harry Chapin in 1972 that his new song “Taxi,” at nearly seven minutes, was too lengthy to be a hit. (It reached the Top 40 and is now considered a classic.) And he told Paul Simon, who as a boy had bought his first guitar at Manny’s, that he thought Simon and Garfunkel was a “lousy name” for a group. But he also advised new stars in a fatherly way not to squander their newfound wealth. “He’d take them aside and say, ‘You’re making money now — how are you going to take care of it?’” Ian Goldrich said. Henry Jerome Goldrich was born on May 15, 1932, to Manny and Julia Goldrich, and grew up in Brooklyn and in Hewlett on Long Island. After graduating from Adelphi College, he served in the Army in Korea in the mid-1950s and then went to work full time at Manny’s. His father opened the store on West 48th Street, a location he chose because it was close to the Broadway theaters and the 52nd Street jazz clubs, as well as numerous recording studios and the Brill Building, a hub for music publishers. In 1999, Mr. Goldrich sold Manny’s to Sam Ash Music, a rival store, which largely retained the staff until Manny’s closed in 2009. In addition to his sons, Mr. Goldrich is survived by his wife, Judi; his daughter, Holly Goldrich; seven grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. Mr. Goldrich often used his celebrity clientele to market the store. “He recognized value of these people being in the store and it made the business, certainly,” his son Judd said. When a young Eric Clapton, then with the group Cream, was stuck in New York without the money to fly home to England, he offered his amplifiers to Mr. Goldrich to raise funds. “He said, ‘I’ll buy them from you as long as you stencil them with the Cream logo,” Ian said. Then there was the store’s Wall of Fame, thousands of autographed publicity photos of famous customers that constituted a Who’s Who of popular music. Mr. Goldrich helped cultivate the photos, many of which were inscribed to him, and often kept his staff from stacking merchandise in front of them. Mr. Taylor, in a video interview, described being mesmerized by the photos as a teenager and being proud when his own was added. “It was sort of an inside thing, not as celebrated as a Grammy or a gold record or a position on the charts,” he said. “But definitely you had arrived if you were included on that wall.” Mr. Goldrich became close friends with many musicians, including the Who’s bassist, John Entwistle, who attended Judd’s bar mitzvah in New Jersey and hosted the Goldrich family at his Gothic mansion in England. Ian remembered the band’s drummer, Keith Moon, sitting on his father’s lap while drinking cognac at a screening of the film “Tommy.” In a video interview, Mr. Goldrich described selling the violinist Itzhak Perlman an electric violin. When Mr. Perlman tried bargaining, Mr. Goldrich parried by asking if he ever reduced his performance fee. “He said, ‘It’s different, I’m a talent,’” Mr. Goldrich recalled. “I said, ‘I’m a talent in my own way, too.’” That talent was palpable to Mr. Sebastian when he asked Mr. Goldrich to allow him to test out his stock of Gibson acoustic guitars in a merchandise room. “Henry’s famously prickly demeanor receded slightly,” Mr. Sebastian recalled, and he agreed to open early the next morning to allow him in. “He knew exactly what I wanted,” he said. “And I’ll be damned if I didn’t catch Henry smiling as he made out the bill.” Source link Orbem News #Dead #gear #Goldrich #Guru #Henry #rock #stars

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