#Mack has spoken

[xerogravityorange]

Marcellus Williams was on death row longer than I've been alive for a crime he didn't commit. He deserved to live.

Rest in power Williams

[xerogravityorange]

I now consider this canon.

King behaviour

[cin-cant-donate-blood]

Ever wanted to know how to pronounce the name of our favorite Ur copper merchant, Ea-nāṣir? If you haven't looked it up, I can almost guarantee that you are saying it wrong, but fret not. I will share the secret with you (or at least the buest guess modern experts have).

The reconstruction of how to pronounce his name currently looks like this in the IPA:

[e.a.ˈnaː.t͡sʼiʁ]

If that looks daunting, keep reading.

While Ea-nāṣir may be remembered to us as a Sumerian, he did not speak Sumerian. The Sumerian language was all but extinct in his day, and Sumerians now spoke an unrelated language called Akkadian.

The infamous complaint tablets are written in Akkadian Cuneiform, which is a complicated writing system that it is difficult to figure out the pronunciation of after the fact. Pronunciations have shifted considerably during the time that modern people have studied it. All the same, we have a "buest guess" at pronunciation.

The first thing to note is that Akkadian has phonemic vowel quantity, which is a fancy way if saying that the length of a vowel is really important. Ea-nāṣir's name has four vowels, and three are short and one is long. The long one is the A with a bar on top (called a macron, pronounced MACK-ron or MAKE-ron). If you see that symbol in other languages it is probably also a long vowel (you'll see this in Arabic, Latin, and many other languages).

This also tells us where to stress the word. While Akkadian has somewhat complicated rules for stress, Ea-nāṣir's case is simple: stress the syllable with the long vowel.

The vowels themselves are the vowels you would find in Spanish, Japanese or Swahili: the E is closest to the English vowel in dress, the As are between trap and palm, just like Spanish gato, and the I is somewhere around sheep or fear.

So far, intuitively, you're probably pronouncing it something like "e-a-NAW-sir", which is getting closer to the accurate idea, but we haven't looked at the consonants yet, and unfortunately they are the hardest parts (for an English speaker).

The N is just a regular N. This isn't too surprising since N is one of the single most common sounds across all spoken languages (perhaps only beaten by M).

The R, while contested among scholars, seems to be leaning towards a "back R" or "guttural R", the way French people and some Germans do it.

That leaves the ṣ. Oh boy. It is, first of all, an affricate, like the Z in pizza. "e-a-NAAT-sir" would as such be a good try. It is, however, also something called an ejective, which is a notoriously tricky type of consonant where you block the airflow while saying it, only to release it immediately after.

You know the T-dropping that some brits do, or the way you rapidly close off air flow at the back of your throat when saying ah-ah-ah (and perhaps wagging your finger)? Try putting an air release like that right after the ts sound. If the closest you get is "e-a-NAT-suh-ir" then you are already doing a good job.

If you are a perfectionist, here is an old youtube video of a person making the noise, with decent audio.

And that's it, really. That is a complete breakdown of the best guess we have at how Ea-nāṣir's name would have been pronounced.

[theoutcastrogue]

Ballads of the Hanged: Swinging from the Gallows Tree

A mixtape of execution ballads and assorted tales of guilt, wrath, terror, and defiance on the gallows, where all men are brothers.

[on spotify]

21 tracks, 1h 15min in full (spotify lacks one song)

I teased this many moons ago, and I finally finished it. No booklet in PDF form (too much hassle), but I got extensive liner notes, which you can also read here, for more pictures and a wider format. Enjoy!

LINER NOTES

1. Hans Zimmer - Hoist The Colours

Heave ho thieves and beggars never shall we die

What a heartbreaking thing to say on the scaffold. But we have to start with theatrics and a drum roll, and our introduction needs no introduction.

2007, from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End OST lyrics: Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio music: Hans Zimmer & Gore Verbinski

2. Shirley Collins - Tyburn Tree (Since Laws Were Made)

Next stop, Tyburn: England's most notorious gallows. In The Beggar's Opera, the highwayman Macheath (later also known as Mack the Knife) observes that if they hanged rich criminals like they hang the poor ones, "'twould thin the land". Shirley Jackson subtly changed this to the better.

Since laws were made for ev'ry degree to curb vice in others as well as me, I wonder there's no better company on Tyburn Tree.

But since gold from laws can take out the sting, and if rich men like us were to swing, it would rid the land their numbers to see upon Tyburn Tree.

recorded 1966, released 2002 in Within Sound lyrics: John Gay, from The Beggar's Opera, 1728 music: traditional ("Greensleeves"), 16th century

3. Joan Baez - Long Black Veil

A country ballad about a man falsely accused of murder, who lets himself get dragged to the gallows because he won't reveal his alibi: an affair with his best friend's wife. It's been covered by a million people, here's Baez live.

The scaffold is high, eternity near, She stands in the crowd, she sheds not a tear, But sometimes at night, when the cold winds moan, In a long black veil she cries o'er my bones.

1963, from In Concert Part 2 lyrics & music: Lefty Frizzell, 1959

4. Oscar Isaac with Punch Brothers & Secret Sisters - Hang Me, Oh Hang Me

A poor boy who got "so damn hungry he could hide behind a straw", made his last stand with a rifle and a dagger, and has been all around this world, and is positively done with it.

They put the rope around my neck, they hung me up so high Last words I heard 'em say, won't be long now 'fore you die Hand me, oh hang me, and I'll be dead and gone Wouldn't mind the hanging, but the laying in the grave so long

2015, from Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of "Inside Llewyn Davis", after Oscar Isaac's rendition in Inside Llewyn Davis, 2013, in turn after Dave Van Ronk's rendition in Folksinger, 1962 lyrics & music: traditional American/unclear origin, folk song with various titles (I've Been All Around This World, The Gambler, My Father Was a Gambler, The New Railroad), first recorded by Justis Begley, 1937

5. Chapel Hill - Seven Curses

Cover of a Bob Dylan song, telling us the dark tale of a judge who's about to send a man to the gallows for stealing a horse, promises his daughter he'll show clemency if she agrees to sleep with him, and then reneges on his promise.

The next morning she had awoken to know that the judge had never spoken she saw that hanging branch a-bending she saw her father's body broken These be seven curses for a judge so cruel

2013, from One For The Birds lyrics inspired by Judy Collins's "Anathea" (1963), in turn inspired by the traditional Hungarian ballad "Feher Anna", who curses the judge "thirteen years may be lie bleeding" lyrics & music: Bob Dylan, recorded 1963, released 1991 in The Bootleg Series

6. Ewan MacColl - Go Down Ye Murderers

A song about Timothy Evans, a man accused of murdering his wife and child, which he denied until his last breath. They convicted him and hanged him in 1950. He was 25 years old. Three years later the real murderer, his neighbour John Christie, confessed, and the case played a major role in abolishing capital punishment in the UK.

The rope was fixed around his neck, and the washer behind his ear And the prison bell was tolling but Tim Evans did not hear Sayin' go down, you murderer, go down

They sent Tim Evans to the drop for a crime he didn't do It was Christy was the murderer, and the judge and jury too Sayin' go down, you murderers, go down

1956, from Bad Lads and Hard Cases: British Ballads Of Crime And Criminals lyrics & music: Ewan MacColl

7. Jennifer Lawrence - The Hanging Tree

One of the stranger things that can happen at the hanging tree is camaraderie. "On the gallows tree, all men are brothers", to quote A Feast for Crows, and when the state murders, then in defiance, an execution ballad can become a protest song. Many have in real life, this one is fiction, from The Hunger Games. Wisely, the director asked the composer for a simple tune, nothing elaborate, something that could be "sung by one person or by a thousand people".

Are you, are you coming to the tree? Wear a necklace of rope side by side with me Strange things have happened here, no stranger would it be If we met at midnight in the hanging tree

2014, from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 OST lyrics: Suzanne Collins music: James Newton Howard

8. Let's Play Dead - Heaven and Hell

A fairly traditional execution ballad written recently for the series Harlots. Margaret Wells sings it to herself for consolation and courage, as she sits alone in a cell, waiting to get dragged to the gallows.

I'm no more a sinner than any man here I'm no less a saint than the priest at god's ear But now I am snared, they will punish me well With a ladder to heaven and a rope down to hell

2018, from the single Heaven and Hell, for Harlots Season 2 Episode 7 lyrics & music: Let's Play Dead

9. Odetta - Gallows Pole

Probably the most well-known execution ballad of the 20th century, thanks to several iconic renditions. This one remains my favourite.

Hangman, hangman, slack your rope, slack it for a while I think I see my father coming, riding many a mile Papa did you bring me silver, did you bring me gold? Or did you come to see me hanging by the gallows pole?

1960, from At Carnegie Hall lyrics & music: traditional (Child 95 / Roud 144), known under many other titles ("Hangman", "The Maid freed From the Gallows", "The Prickle-Holly Bush"); this version is directly influenced by Lead Belly's "Gallis Pole" (1930s), and they both informed Led Zeppelin's 1970 version

10. Johnny Cash - 25 Minutes to Go

Peak gallows humour, uproariously funny and defiant, and somehow still conveying the terror of a man who's about to die and emphatically doesn't want to. Performed live at Folsom Prison.

Then the sheriff said boy I'm gonna watch you die, 19 minutes to go So I laughed in his face and I spit in his eye, 18 minutes to go Now here comes the preacher for to save my soul, 13 minutes to go And he's talking about burning but I'm so cold, 12 minutes to go

1968, from At Folsom Prison lyrics & music: Shel Silverstein, from his 1962 album Inside Folk Songs

11. Johnny Cash - Sam Hall

A classic execution ballad with many versions (see here for its complicated history), some of which are stoic and dignified, and others humorous. But this one brims with rage. Sam Hall will not be repenting on the gallows, and he'll see you all in hell.

My name it is Sam Hall and I hate you one and all And I hate you one and all, damn your eyes

2002, from American IV: The Man Comes Around lyrics & music: : traditional, 18th century broadside ballad, Roud 369

12. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Up Jumped the Devil

A song about a man doomed from the start to play the villain’s part, and the origin of this blog’s #swinging from the gallows tree tag.

Who's that hanging from the gallow tree? His eyes are hollow but he looks like me Who's that swinging from the gallow tree? Up jumped the Devil and he took my soul from me

1999, from Tender Prey lyrics: Nick Cave music: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

13. NOT ON SPOTIFY: Dead Rat Orchestra - The Black Procession

This ballad imagines a sinister procession of 20 criminals (black tradesmen brought up in hell!), each with their own specialty (it's mostly thieves of some sort), on the way to the gallows. The last and worst of them is the thief-catcher, and if one of them is innocent, they'll all go free. But of course none of them are. It's written in thieves' cant (lyrics and more context here), and the chorus means: "Look well, listen well, see where they are dragged, up to the gallows where they are hanged."

Toure you well; hark you well, see where they are rubb’d, Up to the nubbing cheat where they are nubb’d.

2015, from Tyburnia: A Radical History Of 600 Years Of Public Execution lyrics: from The Triumph of Wit by J. Shirley, 1688 music: Robin Alderton, Daniel Merrill & Nathaniel Robin Mann

14. John Harle & Marc Almond - The Tyburn Tree

And where does the Black Procession lead? To Tyburn, of course. The dark gothic side of Marc Almond.

The Tyburn Tree, I weep for thee, blood in the roots 'Tis not a tree with bark and leaves of spring awakening 'Tis not a tree with blossom and fruit, 'tis not a tree No boughs to bend beneath the unruly breath of winter No memories of woods warmed by spring's sweet touch 'Tis not a tree — take a ride to Tyburn and dance the last jig

2014, from The Tyburn Tree (Dark London) lyrics: Marc Almond music: John Harle

15. CocoRosie - Gallows

Speaking of dark and gothic.

They took him to the gallows, he fought them all the way though And when they asked us how we knew his name We died just before him, our eyes are in the flowers Our hands are in the branches, our voices in the breezes And our screaming is in his screaming

2010, from Grey Oceans lyrics & music: Sierra Rose Casady & Bianca Leilani Casady

16. The Tiger Lillies - Hang Tomorrow

In their Two Penny Opera, the pioneers of dark cabaret reimagine Brecht’s Threepenny Opera, and take all the suaveness out of Mack the Knife. Here they also take all the fight out of him. What's even left? A pathetic empty husk, a bastard (let's not forget that Brecht's MacHeath is no rogue with a heart of gold, he's a horrible man) who can't even be intriguing. How disturbingly pedestrian.

So here I am in jail again, oh god it stinks of piss I've been in here since I was young, so I can reminisce It's looking rather grim this time, it's looking rather bad But if I swing tomorrow in some ways I'll be glad

2001, from Two Penny Opera lyrics & music: Martyn Jacques

17. Tom Hollander - Ballad In Which MacHeath Begs All Mens' Forgiveness

In The Threepenny Opera, Mack the Knife stands on the scaffold and asks for pity. No point being judgmental now, that he's about to die. He morbidly describes how his dead body will end up, and then he lashes out at everyone, cops and criminals (same difference), while still begging them all for forgiveness. Very VERY sarcastically. The ballad's concept is borrowed from François Villon (see below), and this translation is unusually bold (honorific, see here and here for other translations and context).

You crooked cops with your Mercedes, your mobile phones, your trendy jackets, your cuts from drugs and dice and ladies, your Scotland Yard protection rackets.

Let heaven smash your fucking faces, slash you and let the blood run free and break you in a thousand places. I've pardoned you. You pardon me.

1994, from The Threepenny Opera - Donmar Warehouse Original Cast lyrics: Bertolt Brecht 1928, loosely inspired by François Villon's "Ballad of the Hanged" c. 1489, translated by Jeremy Sams 1994 music: Kurt Weill 1928

18. Saga de Ragnar Lodbrock - Ballade des pendus

And here's the OG Ballad of the Hanged, written in the 15th century by the OG poète maudit, François Villon (translation here). It paints an indelible picture of strung up corpses swaying in the wind, decaying, pecked by birds, ravaged by the elements and time. And crucially, it's in the first person. The hanged speak, begging their fellow-humans for pity, and god for forgiveness.

Frères humains, qui après nous vivez, N'ayez les cœurs contre nous endurcis, Car, si pitié de nous pauvres avez, Dieu en aura plus tôt de vous mercis. Vous nous voyez ci attachés, cinq, six: Quant à la chair, que trop avons nourrie, Elle est piéça dévorée et pourrie, Et nous, les os, devenons cendre et poudre. De notre mal personne ne s'en rie; Mais priez Dieu que tous nous veuille absoudre!

recorded 1979, released 1999 in the Saga de Ragnar Lodbrock reissue lyrics: François Villon, c. 1489 music: Saga de Ragnar Lodbrock

19. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Mercy Seat

Honorary inclusion, a song not about hanging: the mercy seat is the electric chair. But the lyrics are a punch and this is a torrent of a song, a whirlwind, a masterpiece, a 7-minute cynic snarl. So it couldn't possibly get left out of this compilation.

And the mercy seat is awaiting, and I think my head is burning And in a way I'm yearning to be done with all this measuring of proof An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (a life for a life and a truth for a truth) And anyway I told the truth, and I'm not afraid to die (and I'm afraid I told a lie)

1999, from Tender Prey lyrics & music: Nick Cave

20. Graveyard Train - Ballad For Beelzebub

And after? Welcome to Hell, ladies and gents, and bards. (Bards are rogues, too.) The Graveyard Train play a kind of Southern Gothic (but very southern, they're Australian), and here they entertain the thought of a band that ends up in hell and has to keep playing, without end, for an audience that can't hear. What a bleak prospect.

Well the air on the stage is burning our lungs And we're all going deaf from the beating drums And you can't see a thing for all the blood and the sweat in our eyes

Well we played till we died, and now we're all dead But the Man says we got to get up there again And you can't come down till the brimstone turns to ice

2008, from The Serpent And The Crow lyrics & music: Graveyard Train

21. Samuel Kim feat. Colm R. McGuinness - Hoist the Colours

Yo ho, all together Hoist the colours high Heave ho, thieves and beggars

But we won't end in hell. The only acceptable ending to this compilation is the triumphant version (wait for it) of its beginning: a pirate's end. Traditionally the gibbet, yes, but also the ghost ship that still sails, the ripple that still travels, and the story that still gets told.

Did I stutter the first time?

NEVER SHALL WE DIE

[thelovetheystole]

Fully updated list with dates for all Robert mentions (plus other somewhat Rob related show content) we've had since Aaron's return in October 2023. Please note that the quotes are not exact as I just write them down from memory.

Pinned to my blog and I'll add more as we go 🤞

2023

○ October 18 - Aaron tells Vinny 'maybe I like the memories' after moving in to the second Mill flat

• October 27 - Rhona quips 'That worked out really well for Robert' in front of Aaron when he was talking about going after Craig

• December 13 - Victoria tells Aaron 'You sound like you're speaking from experience' when Aaron said she should wait for Jacob if he's the one. Followed by her then saying 'Speaking of the one, Robert's doing okay'.

2024

○ January 15 - Aaron's drunken pause to Victoria

• January 18 - Charity reminds Aaron of the time he and Robert were 'raising Seb together', * first Seb mention in years

• January 30 - Aaron rattles of all the 'ghosts' on his list to Mack, but Robert was the only on there that's still alive, * first time Aaron has spoken Robert's name since his exit episode in 2021

° March 1 - Aaron tells Vinny he will probably never have kids, so zero chance to pass on a faulty gene

• August 8 - Victoria tells John about their brother Robert, she also says to Eric that she's going to tell Robert about John, later Aaron has a very visible reaction to learning he's unknowingly hooked up with Robert's half brother and John looks at an old Sugden family photo at Vic's house

• August 9 - Aaron emotionally tells his mum that 'It's brought everything back - about Robert' and that he 'can't go there again'

• Aug 13 - Aaron says to Chas that he 'never would have gone there' if he had known John was Robert's brother

○ Aug 16 - Aaron advises Vinny that it's no use 'pining for someone who isn't there anymore'

• Aug 27 - Vic tells John 'It's nice to have someone in my corner, I haven't had that since Robert went away'

° Aug 29 - Victoria tells Aaron and John that this is 'messed up' and questions if Aaron wants to sleep with all her brothers

• Sep 2 - Vic tells Aaron him being involved with Robert's brother is 'a bit weird', Aaron tells her 'John won't replace Robert' for either of them, later John says he's 'not been auditioning as Robert's replacement'

• Sep 23 - Vic has found old family photos and wants to show John, mentions 'Rob and Andy' twice. Later, she finds out John's still seeing Aaron, and tells him 'You know Aaron is married to Robert, our brother?' (Yes, is, not was!)

• Oct 29 - Charity questions where Rebecca and Seb are after Ross brings Moses to an illegal fight *Second Seb mention this year, Charity also mentioned him in january

• Oct 30 - Ross talks about Seb a lot, while Charity asks if Robert knows about Rebecca's death. He just looks at her funny and doesn't answer, just says as far as he knows, he's still in prison

• Oct 31 - Robert is talked about throughout the whole episode, as is Seb, as Ross explains he went to see Robert in prison, where he signed papers for Seb to live in Bristol with Rebecca's aunt

• Nov 5 - More Robert and Seb talk, actual meaningful talk too, with Aaron reminicing of a time he had 'everything'. This one is extra significant because it shows Aaron looking at a photo of Robert and Seb on Vic's keychain 💛🍋

• Nov 6 - Even more Robert and Seb talk, Aaron tries to make out to John that just because he's thinking about Seb doesn't mean he still loves his dad. John doesn't believe him, and of course we don't either! Then John says rude things about Robert, which sets Aaron right off!

• Nov 8 - John apologises to Aaron for being weird about him and Robert

Link to my post with clues about John ⬇️

Links to my posts with Danny's quotes about Robert/Ryan from 2020-2024 (includes their social media imteractions and their pub meeting) ⬇️

Great start to 2025 ⬇️

[sonicjustbecause]

Sonic incarnations

My three favourites

Adventure 2

I like how Sonic was mysterious in SA2. In a different way than Shadow. Shadow's mystery was due of him not truly know himself. But for Sonic it was just his nature. He was fast, always moving and elusive. he can be here and the moment later he is already gone, like the wind. And like a swift. Even his speech can be mysterious at time 'What you see is what you get!'. A non-answer actually that perfectly describles him, but he was self confident. He is also whimsical, a bit grumpy and hot headed (for this he always falls for Shadow teasing him). Yet he is amazing when dealing with stressful situations, like when he was trapped in open space and with a bomb and a fake emerald. He didn't panic and was able to think straight. Overall Adventure Sonic is gentle, just like most Sonic incarnations. Is also one of the few time we saw Sonic crying.

I'm fond of Ryan Drummond's voice of that time. So loud and high pitched, and goofy, full of energy, seemingly belonging to a teenager. But it could turn low and soft spoken when thoughful, resembling Shadow's voice.

Prime

I always had a soft spot for annoying characters. Well, not all annoying characters, there are some I hate like everybody. But I tend to like most of them. The Sonic from Prime is very outgoing compared to Adventure Sonic. He is still elusive but he is not mysterious, also because he talks a lot. He is also gentle, like most Sonic incarnation, but he has a short attention span. He has traits of ADHD. I do not know how this thing work, but reading about people with ADHD they tend to relate to Sonic. He is less stupid than people may think, sometimes he outsmarts his enemies. Sonic is self aware and want to fix his mistakes and his flaws, he costantly questions himself about doing the right thing. Is also one of the most melancholy incarnations, weightened by guilt.

I think Deven Mack is my third favourite Sonic VA. His voice is goofy and soft, suiting him very well.

Movie

Probably the most youthful, naive and innocent Sonic. He is still funny and full of energy, but he lacks of the self confidence that normally surrounds other incarnation of him. He is a imaginative lonely kid who, due of being an alien, is forced to live in the shadows and built an imaginary world for himself, longing to have friends and to get noticed and loved abd playing with his own after images. Until one day reality hits hard. That moment he exposes himself. A blessing in disguise actually, that allows himself to find a family. Unfortunately he is still too different to blend with humans. He does impossible thing to be accepted but he is still treated like a menace by most. Luckily for him he meets Tails and Knuckles, other two aliens that come from his same planet. In a certain way he remembers me Shadow also due to his past. Luckily Sonic is mentally stronger than Shadow.

[yesterdayiwrote]

After reading @vro0m's post suggesting Grill the Grid should take on a Taskmaster format, please have my ‘not entirely definitive’ list of Which Taskmaster contestant the 2023 F1 grid would most be like...

Max Verstappen : Kerry Godliman - Wants to win. Doesn’t want you to know how much they want to win. Until you tell them he’s done it wrong and then he argues the rules with you incessantly. Probably loves a laminator. Bosh, done.

Sergio Perez : Paul Sinha - Should be really good at this. Is getting a bit old though and inexplicably fucking the whole thing up. Is really trying but just permanently perplexed about how this isn’t going better for them.

Charles Leclerc : Judi Love - Is trying really hard, still not quite understanding what they’re being asked to do but not wanting anyone to realise how confused they are. Most likely to ask ‘Is there a duck on my face?’

Carlos Sainz : Joe Thomas - Is also very confused, but slightly less chaotic with it, not exactly hiding how confused they are, just openly having a breakdown while their brain stops working. Liable to suddenly argue back about how unfair it is and how hard they’re trying.

Lewis Hamilton : Liza Tarbuck - Knows what they’re doing, minimal fuss, just gets on with it and ends up winning everything. Is starting to get mildly irritated you’re asking them to do it still, decreases effort throughout proceedings, yet still somehow manages to do really well

George Russell: Mel Giedroyc - George is Mel. Rushes into every task with enthusiasm. Highly competitive. Tackles every task with a cacophony of Britishisms spilling from his mouth in place of swear words to hide his frustrations, whilst simultaneously congratulating the crew on what great tasks they’ve come up with. (There is also a really strong argument for Ivo Graham here. Bringing big Eton energy but slightly more angsty about his failures)

Lando Norris : Nish Kumar - Is trying really, really hard. Is also failing really, really hard by failing to notice generally what’s going on around him.

Oscar Piastri : Richard Osman - Just getting the tasks done in a calm, sensible manner. No bells and whistles, just taking it all in his stride.

Esteban Ocon : Jessica Knappett - Goes rushing in to everything with enthusiasm and positive energy and falls face first into failure. Tall and lanky and just very happy to be here.

Pierre Gasly : Iain Stirling - Tries really hard, really wants to win, but you can’t shake the feeling that you’re watching a Love Island episode whenever you watch him attempt anything (just for wildly different reasons).

Fernando Alonso : Rhod Gilbert - Quietly confident of their own abilities. A bit of a lone wolf and hates team tasks because he just wants to win for himself. Has an uncanny knack of finding a loophole and winning tasks thanks to some dirt he has on the taskmaster from many years ago.

Lance Stroll : Paul Chowdhry - He’s not entirely sure how he’s ended up here, or what he’s supposed to do, but he’s giving it a go anyway. Appears unenthusiastic about everything but actually wants to win, just with the least possible effort he can muster.

Valtteri Bottas : Hugh Dennis - Very calm about everything, even his own failures. Actually not that worried about where he comes, just happy to be taking part. (Valtteri would actually be Fred the Swede but he’s not a contestant so he can’t be)

Zhou Guanyu : Charlotte Ritchie - Appears like they have it all together. Calm and softly spoken, yet strangely chaotic when given a task. Seems really eager to please but kind of low key stressed and anxious. (A certain element of Sophie Duker or Mawaan Rizwan entirely for the great fits though)

Yuki Tsunoda : Fern Brady - Is very stressed about everything and would very much like to go home for a big sleep because being competitive is exhausting

Daniel Ricciardo : Joe Wilkinson - Chaos. Full stop.

Nico Hulkenberg : Lee Mack - This is one of the harder ones because he could be any of the ‘uncontroversial older guy’ contestants. Went for Lee because he’d probably keep dropping dad jokes in there but not a total chaos demon. Just does…fine?

Kevin Magnussen : Ardal O’Hanlon - Similar to what I wrote for Nico but with a bit more chaos and confusion thrown in, but just politely smiling his way through it. (See also Alan Davies)

Alex Albon : James Acaster - Has a severe dislike for whoever organised this, would quite like it to be over. Would also like to win. Doesn’t want to look desperate with it but is actually trying very hard. Is very angry that he’s not winning and ends up ranting about how unfair it is to hide his disappointment.

Logan Sargeant : Desiree Burch - American. (Look, I ran out of ideas for Logan I will admit)

[cogentranting]

I think that the idea of the found family splitting up at the end is an idea that can work but there are some specific things that make it work.

First of all, the time frame has to be right. If the story that brought them together is too short, it doesn't work. If they came together, did one thing, and then split apart, then the idea that they became a family doesn't hold weight. So typically if the story is one movie or one book, splitting the family doesn't work. But if it's a series (tv show, multiple movies, multiple books) then you can have them together for quite a while. They didn't just come together for a task and then split up once they didn't need each other anymore. They were together for a while and chose to be around each other repeatedly.

Secondly, the splitting up has to be of the GROUP but not the FAMILY. It can be that they may never all live or work together again, but done right the idea becomes that they were a team/group first and that brought them together and they became a family but then the need for the group passed, but they remained a family. It's tricky to give a proper sense of this because typically the splitting up comes at the end of whatever story, and this focuses on the idea of what comes after. But when it's achieved it becomes a mimicking of certain family patterns-- you're raised together, you grow up as family, but then as you get older life leads you in different directions. People move to different houses (or cities or countries), people get married and form new connections, things arise that put that distance between you. But in a healthy family situation, that connection remains and you still are in each others lives.

Third, there has to be some sort of natural reason for the parting. It can't just be 'well we're done so I guess I'm going to go because there's no reason to stay'.

A couple examples:

(Spoilers for each within their section) Agents of Shield-- 1. Time frame- the team in some iteration or other has been around for 7 years (give or take) by the end. During that time they've lived together and repeatedly have chosen to come back together if they've been separated, and there hasn't been one specific thing they all need to accomplish that forces them together. Its all been choice. 2. Finality- Two things put this slightly into question with AOS. One there's a sort of prophecy spoken midway through the final season that the entire team will never be all in one place again after this mission. Two, the final get together scene indicates they don't do that often and their meet up only lasts a few minutes. However, the impression I get from the finale is that all of the team members are still in frequent contact even if the group is big enough and doing diverse enough things that its hard to get everyone in the same room very often. But they clearly still care about each other, they clearly still know the details of each others lives. They're still family. They've just spread out. (and as for the prophecy the specific inclusion of Deke who has to make the sacrifice of staying behind in another timeline means that there is the allowance of everyone BUT Deke getting together at various points in their future). 3. Purpose- Leaving the Shield team feels natural. Fitz and Simmons are retiring to raise their daughter. May is moving into a new position. Coulson needs to go find himself. And then we split Mack and Yoyo from Daisy and her new part of the family (Kora and Daniel) to form two new teams (like two siblings who get married and form their own households).

Guardians of the Galaxy-- 1. Time Frame- The Guardians actively live together in close quarters from 2014 to 2025/2026. That's 6 or 7 years for the majority of the team (minus 5 for the blip) and 11 or 12 for Nebula and Rocket. The adventures we see in the movies that bring them together are each of the span of maybe two weeks at the MOST. The rest of those years is just daily lives and daily adventures together. 2. Finality- Peter and Mantis leave in the most real way and neither of them expresses it necessarily as permanent. Even though it doesn't seem they intend to rejoin the Guardians down the road, they probably will eventually return to Knowhere. In the meantime, Nebula and Drax have left the team but Knowhere still likely will be the home base (or at least a frequent stop) for the new Guardians team, so Rocket and Groot will still see them regularly. And with the ease of travel for these characters, there's nothing to suggest that they won't talk frequently, and visit each other whenever they can. They aren't all Guardians anymore but that doesn't mean they aren't family still. 3. Purpose- All of the endings fit for the characters. Nebula and Drax have clear new roles on Knowhere, Peter has family responsibilities he has to face, Mantis has to go make her own choices. And, much like Shield, Rocket's formation of a new team mirrors a family member moving out and forming a new household of their own, raising their own kids.

Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom-- This one doesn't totally work for me. It only works in part. Specifically, Inej, Jesper, and Kaz feel like a found family by the end, the other three don't. Wylan's connection is mostly to Jesper so he feels more like an in-law. Nina feels close as a friend, but not fully as family. And Matthias is only connected through Nina. 1. Time frame- this is a big part of the reason why I've narrowed to only three. Inej, Jesper, and Kaz have the most history. At the start of the books they have been working together already for some time. So the specific two part adventure of the books doesn't force them together, it just strengthens the bond. The time frame itself is unclear, but it does seem to be multiple years. In contrast, Matthias and Wylan ONLY have the span of a few weeks with the team. (We could give Matthias a break on this because he dies so there isn't the option of sticking around longer, but I think the indication is that while he had some level of bond with the other characters, it was mostly just him and Nina who were close, and they intended to go off on their own at the end if he had survived). Wylan also seems to be the driving force behind Jesper leaving at the end. Nina is a little more complicated since (if I'm remembering the books correctly) she had some level of connection with the team before the start of Six of Crows. 2. Finality- Here we have a sequel to give us a glimpse via the King of Scars duology. Rule of Wolves shows very clearly that Kaz is still in contact with Jesper and Wylan (however, to me, this seems pretty clear that the relationship is between Kaz and Jesper, and that any contact Kaz has with Wylan is incidental.) Contact with Inej is harder (because she's sailing around being awesome, not living in a house across town) but the care and connection is still there. Nina by contrast, seems to have very little contact with any of the team at any point after the end of Crooked Kingdom (and with her, it's not a cameo appearance, she gets a third of those two books). Circumstances are at play since she's a spy and then living under an assumed identity, but even her mentions (both out loud and in her inner monologue) of the others are pretty limited and usually specific to skills she learned from them. Matthias is dead and that's pretty final. 3. Purpose- All of them have pretty good reasons for leaving, none of them just seem to drift away (apart from maybe Wylan).

[prxttythngs]

closed for @wstfl . based on this .

" it's not a bad as it looks. " the words are spoken instantly, before kia has had time to take a good look at him. mack knows she worries, frets too much for her own good about the broken noses and bloody lips that he comes home with on a weekly basis. today, a black eye has taken the vision in his right eye, darkened bruises marring every patch of skin from his brow to his cheekbone. with his left eye, he can still see kia perfectly, and the sight is enough to bring a smile to his face. " i'm serious-- don't start. " mack reaches out a hand, pulling her close until they are chest to chest, forcing the shorter girl to stand on her tip toes to make their lips meet in a kiss. the slit in his lip makes the kiss taste like metal, but mack pretends not to notice it. " i won the fight. get changed. " a smack to her ass is meant to spring the girl into action. " i'm taking you out somewhere nice. "

[xerogravityorange]

The Great Gatsby says the word "yellow" a total of 24 times. That's all I have to say.

[luke-hughes43]

what is allie like personality wise? she kinda gives off more quiet but still happy you know?

I feel like she's just very soft spoken. and is very caring and has a big heart.

and it's one of the things that mack loves about her.

[weirdthoughtsandideas]

Ok. Final HSMTMTS season review by a random nerdy girl with weird thoughts and ideas

Non-spoilers:

They really did not give a single fuck anymore

No like so many bleeped swear words ??

SEXUAL INNUENDOS TOO? HELP SO MANY OF THEM.

I feel like they did want to do more with this show and I am guessing a lot of their ”we give no more fucks” attitude this season has something to do with that

They made some odd choices with some characters lol

The amount of times I thought ”this reminds me of glee”, ”it’s giving glee vibes” people who wanna watch something after this show watch Glee it’s on D+ now too because Disney bought Fox

In the end I am happy and satisfied with the season and I am glad to see it all at once rather than wait for eps. Waiting for eps is fun too but I like variety

Now Spoiler Time😌

I need to talk about the most important thing first according to me.

ASHLYN!! ASH!!! *squeals*

I don’t know if the fandom has treated her as roughly this season but I have not forgiven you how you treated her last season and she is the baby girl ever

Like this girl?? All her lines can be memes?? HER MOUTH TO MOUTH THING THAT COMES BACK SEVERAL TIMES GIRL YOU ARE NOT SUBTLE WITH ANYTHING

Maddox and Jet are the siblings ever I love how they just sibling-tease each other all the time while always being friends. And I am happy they have each other considering their home life seems to be… oof.

A LOT of things seemed to happen off screen that I’d like to see… on screen?

Like a big part of the Seb stuff… his whole dad thing was just very rushed and kinda like ”btw we are adding this random thing” and ??

And the CHEATING. Biggest plot twist of the show. I WAS NOT PREPARED. I WAS NOT PREPARED.

Big Red and Ashlyn’s breakup was actually very nice though. No drama… I also found it hilarious that she was more mad for Carlos’ sake than her own didjdkdkgidoslf

THE PUMPKIN MAN WAS SO RANDOM?! WHAT THE FUCK. AND HE JUST CLIMBED THROUGH THE WINDOW TO ?? TALK TO CARLOS ON THE PORCH WHAT WAS GOING ON I WAS SO CONFUSED I DIDN’T EVEN REMEMBER HIM

Ricky is such a sweet boy honestly

WHEN HE ASKED THE CAMERA WHO THE FUCK THEY WERE HELP BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL X 2000

Good on them for confirming Ryan is gay

Why is Maddox such a gay mess I love her

It feels like their story is not over yet and a lot of loose threads are still up. I wish we could have seen their graduation

MADDOX AND ASH WERE MAKING OUT. Like when this show started it was ”a little peck” at most with Carlos and Seb and now there is this.

Also their kissing scene and Carlos walking in 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I’m happy things are going good for Gina and her mom is finally present

I seem to have forgotten when/if Kourtney broke up with Howie or not?? Did she? Did I not remember that?

Emmy is so funny I can’t

I loved to see everyone’s origin stories how they got to the theatre in the first place. Like Ash feeling like she was in EJ’s shadow?? Ricky not even doing the audition if he hadn’t spoken to Gina? Carlos being bullied like that??? SEB WITH A GIRL?!

Mack just has this large former child actor energy going on I can’t explain it ??

Also them highkey wanting to reference Dog with a blog here

Every time they do a show I am always prepared something will go wrong. Like S1 scarred me now I think something always will happen and even when it goes good I am still like ”aaaaany time now…”

I know I will have more stuff to say about this show. But that’s all for tonight. It was a wild ride with the Wildcats.

[thelovetheystole]

With Chas going away for weeks again, I guess that means very little Aaron coming up as well 🤷‍♀️

Since his main focus, last time we heard, was being there for and helping his mum. When was the last time we saw him help out at the Woolie? Or take Eve off Chas' hands for a bit?

He doesn't seem to hang out with Mack anymore, and we rarely see him at work. Does he talk to Vinny outside work, or only when Vinny's injured? Is Aaron and Cain getting along now? Aaron and Caleb? He does live in his house. What about Paddy, do they spend any time together? Has he spoken to Belle once since coming back from Italy? Does he know Victoria has ended it with Jacob? After all, he seemed invested in their relationship in December... And he is Harry's godfather.

[sonicjustbecause]

Lost in translation (general). Unavoidable.

"What girl witch cute". Yes. This is the plain translation. I'll come there later.

I'm not a native English speaker. I can say I know one language and half. Written/spoken Italian (native), written English.

I like to watch shows in Italian and Japanese usually. Seldom I watch them in English. In general i dislike the translation and the voices they choose for characters from foreign shows.

Like, I would watch easily The Simpson in English because is their native show and the voice they choose are good. In the Italian show they went as far as finding VA who have very similar voices to the original VA.

Sonic Prime worked fine with English voice (because they choose canadian VA and not the american ones. Both RCS and Kirk Thorton are... uhmmm... I loved Deven Mack and Ian Hanlin). Is maybe one of the few shows I watched happily in English. And I could somewhat understand what they say because of a clearer pronunciation.

For other shows I often watch them either in Japanese with English sub, or translated in Italian. For Dragon Ball I watched the whole DB and DBZ in Italian, DBS in Japanese with English subs.

I watched my favourites episodes of Dragon Ball Z in Italian, Japanese and English, to see how they differ and how voices work.

Italian in general stay true to the Japanese dialogues (few exception here and there, I'll come later). English? Oh God. The scene with Vegeta being possessed by Babidy made me laugh in English. Something like: 'He is in my head! I'm attacked! I can't! Oh no, I'm not innocent" Talkative Vegeta. The context was the same, the message was about the same (more ambiguous and open to interpretation in Italian and Japanese, more one sided in English) but a dramatic scene like that became a comical scene in English. And the voices... oh no!.

English dubbing! NO! My ears!

Language, context...

Monolingual people think all language are the same. Not the case, languages are influenced by enviroment. Inuit have many ways to say 'snow' with a single word, referring to the different quality of it.

Coming to the language we are referring to, English is known to be a low context language. It has a word for everything and a very rich vocaboulary.

Italian is a mid context language. It has not a so large vocaboulary,

Some words are the same but with different meaning.

Example

Salutare: it does means either 'to greet and' 'healthy' Sale: it does means either "going up" and "salt"

Batteria: 'set' 'drums' and 'battery' Piano: "plan", 'floor' (of a building), 'flat' (like the surface of a table), 'piano'

Those words can be easily translates in English though.

The problem come with figuratve language. Every language has one. I don't speak Japanese so i can make examples using italian and English.

When someone is lucky, we say, vulgarly: "che culo!" But, translated in EWnglish it turns in a "What an ass!". The phrase is the same, litera, the meaning change completely. For this you can't always stay true to the original material.

Another example, still involving luck in Italian might be:

"Avere un culo così".

In English it turns something like

"Having a big ass"

From having luck to being fat. And there it turns even funnier because in Italian you can use the very same phrase to tell that either someone is fat or that a woman looks curvy in the butt area in particular. Though all of them are not nice and can be used only among close freinds. Otherwise there are three distinct phrase for the different things like: "avere fortuna" "essere grassi" "avere un sedere formoso". Context.

Japanese is abnormally high context.

Let's talk about the above monstruosity that make us laugh hard.

Among people who like Japamese stuffs, there are some who are so passionate that they would sacrifice grammar in order to have a product that is true to the original. In Italy we have many translators. Some are better, some are worse. We got cursed by this man in particular:

Gualtiero Cannarsi.

To be honest, is unfortunate. He talks the finest Italian you can hear. But his translations from Japanese to Italian suck. he is one who think the product must be true to itself, so he just change Japanese words into italian words, leaving the Japanese rules, grammars etc. Yes, nothing got lost in traslation. But the result is incomprehensible so to say the truth, everything got lost.

If transtated in Cannarsi style, Versailles no Bara turns into Versailles di Rosa (The correct translation is 'La rosa di Versailles). For a better understanding of what I'm saying, in English, if I just switch the words, I get 'Versailles of Rose'.

His translation get some... uh, funny results:

Porco Rosso is supposed to be settled in Italy. Then why do they talk like barbarians?

"To stay to have fun to those places you'll end to be kidnappen in company" Is bad I know. I tried to stay true to his awful translations. This is terrible, considering that Gibli tried to write in Italian, as best as they could to create a better atmosphere:

"Non si fa credito" "Le rosse ali si sono spezzate (correct but arcaic) "Vivo o morto?(sounds better) "Di nuovo il canto di trionfo del Porcellino Rosso (perfect)" "Le bambine sane e salve" Still the atmosphere is there, is true!

You have to be fluent in Italian to understand this. Then you can either laugh or facepalm or be disgusted.

We also have good example of translation from Japanese. Luckily we have many good products from Japan that are treated correctly. One that I can think off is from Dragon Ball Super - Broly.

In DBS - Broly, I can feel the Japanese aura/culture/mentality from every phrase, every word they speak. They all sound solemn without sounding the same. But at the same time it is translated in a fine Italian, we all understand what they say just fine. The actor were great at acting and... do you know that the one who dubs Goku is the same VA who dubs Shadow? And the voice sounds different, very silly when he dubs Goku, more serious and mature when he dubs Shadow.

We of course also had some bad translation because there was a period we relied on 4kids. Luckily we still had manga, they came directly from Japan and got translated in italian. Some of them unfortunately went translated by Gualtiero Cannarsi. Dark days for anime. It seems things are getting better right now.

Same VA, different personalities.

[sc0tters]

Bed Buds

life isn't so bad when you've got someone in your bed

introduction ☆

➞ meet francesca

➞ what needs to be spoken about

blurbs ☆

➞ the context

➞ nick gets jealous

➞ astrid kicks his ass

➞ fran is bi

➞ rough sex talks

➞ nick loves her in his jersey

➞ nick takes pride in fucking her dumb

➞ fran gets needy

➞ mack tells nick

➞ nicks reaction

➞ the timeline

➞ they love the edging

➞ fran is slow on top

➞ the nick is jealous sex

➞ fran squirted

➞ fran finds nick in bed with another girl

➞ he feels horrible for making her cry

➞ the girls comfort her

➞ they get together

➞ their friends reactions

➞ nick is a good boyfriend

➞ fran was hit

➞ nick finds out

➞ he has to stay calm

➞ how the boys handle it

➞ they learn theyre pregnant

➞ everyone is mad at nick

➞ Fran goes to Boston

➞ theyre still horny

➞ the boys who are mad

➞ they have a cat

➞ the reaction to the pregnancy

➞ how fran feels about his mullet

➞ fran stole his cowboy hat

➞ nick looking good

➞ she comforts him

social media ☆

➞ coming soon

[adultswim2021]

Moral Orel #42: “Nesting” | November 20, 2008 - 12:15AM | S03E12

It’s the penultimate episode of Moral Orel, unless you count the bonus episode Abstinence or the special Beforel Orel. This one starts off with a scene taking place during Offensiveness, in which Orel gets eggs banned. Here we learn that the way Orel got eggs banned was by making an appeal to the Mayor, who he (and we) find out is Orel’s father, Clay. Clay Puppington has been the mayor this entire time! This is the “stinking dead-end job” he’s been complaining about for the entire series!

After these scenes, we join up with the present, where it’s Easter in Moralton. Miss Censordoll finds out that Orel was shot by his father, and begins hatching her scheme to gain control of the town. In Alone, we see her lording over a cardboard diorama of Moralton, and the opening sequence of this episode reminds us of this. 

There is yet another time jump forward to November. Clay is running against Miss Censordoll for mayor as an incumbent. Orel, dealing a blow of betrayal to his father, is Censordoll’s campaign manager, and even appears in a pamphlet in his still-hobbled state, pointing out the fact that he shot his own goddamned flesh and blood.

It’s established throughout the episode that Clay shares Censordoll’s passion for eggs, as sinful as they are. It’s tied to his own shameful issues with his Oedipal complex and his mother’s death he caused as a boy. When they have a debate, he cracks up, and Censordoll realizes that she can control him and concedes the election. The episode ends with them having a chat at the bar, which eventually ends with her seducing him. 

This one is fairly complicated, and requires a decent memory from watching Offensiveness. Easy to lose sight of is just how much the episode moves ahead through time. There’s also the detail of Orel and Clay’s relationship; Clay had been shamefully ignoring and avoiding Orel for the past six months.

The reason this detail is sorta glossed over (it’s mentioned in dialogue), is that originally this season was meant to be 20 episodes, and Dino originally wanted to have an episode or two that showed Clay avoiding Orel. The scene in Clay’s study where Orel remains stonefaced while his father dresses him down for his betrayal is the first time they’ve spoken directly to one another since Easter. At this point in the series, we see Orel has fully lost respect for Clay.

According to the video commentary for this episode (viewable on Youtube at the moment, also linked to from the Moral Orel wiki in an alternate link) This episode was originally going to coincide with the 2008 election, which at the time of production looked like it might have been Hillary Clinton vs. McCain. This was mostly a coincidence, but they were interested in playing that up for the promotion of the episode. It wound up being the Big O limo man instead of Hilldog as we all know. 

The scene where Clay morphs into his little boy self sounds like it wasn’t scripted; Scott recorded his lines and slipped into the little boy voice on the word “mommy”, and as Dino describes it he decided to destroy Scott’s subtlety and animate Clay as his little boy self for one shot. I like it fine! Animation is supposed to be visually expressive!

The song at the end, when Clay is macking on Censordoll, was originally supposed to have legible lyrics. It was a mashup of "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" called "I Saw Santa kissing Grandma’s Corpse". Eben Schleter wrote the lyrics and Dino described them as being horrifically shocking. It’s on the official, but very limited, Moral Orel soundtrack that was distributed to the cast, crew, and some fans. It’s unavailable on YouTube as far as I can tell, which is weird. You’d figure someone would’ve uploaded it there. Maybe I will. Not sure if the horrifically shocking part is in the segment we get; seems like pretty normal stuff to me.

Dino also decided against using it because he didn't want people to think there was a connection between Clay kissing Censordoll as a "corpse". Censordoll's obsession with eggs is because she's barren (because her parents removed her reproductive organs as a child), for those of you who are connection-hounds.

Finally: my proprietary tidbit, which is special, and I am special for knowing: The “stinkin’ dead-end job” running gag with the mayor reveal was actually an unrealized concept from The Ben Stiller Show, which Dino wrote for. There was a running sketch which was a bad sitcom about an obnoxious sockpuppet named Skank who was the patriarch of a human family. Dino had pitched an idea that Skank would come home muttering “stinkin’ dead-end job!” on some repeated basis and that they’d eventually reveal that he was the mayor. The reason “Nesting” was selected as one of the episodes to produce for season three was because Dino really wanted to make sure we got this payoff with Clay, and this joke was planned since the beginning of the series. I unfortunately knew that tidbit before Moral Orel even was a thing, so I also knew and was perhaps mildly robbed.

44 NIGHTS OF OREL

This premiere was preceded by a repeat of Offensiveness, which is to be expected... to say the least!

MAIL BAG

@snusuwiwjs asks:

What is your opinion on Barenaked Ladies? It looks like a scrapped finale that got replaced by Live at Fillmore.

I never actually did watch those Gametap era Space Ghost episodes, but I will at some point for this blog, so I have no idea! If you're saying you think that it was an intended finale for television, that's pretty interesting. My understanding is that those episodes weren't actually written by anyone connected to the original Coast to Coast. It is weird thinking there are episodes of that show I haven't watched, but here we are!

8SLV2P77djc. You can go ahead and type that into youtube, PRINCESS

Wow, that's so weird. Is that a talking chicken? What the hell are these Cartoon guys smoking? LMFAO

KON! writes:

RE: MORAL ORAL EPISODE S03E11 "SACRIFICE" I can't believe Dino did a Horace & Pete years before Louie

Except I didn't have to pay five dang dollars for it!!! I had to pay $200 dollars a month for a cable package that included hundreds of channels I did not need or want, and spend one half of my waking hours at work in order to afford it. Morally that's a much better deal because Louie grabbed his dick at some broad and said "nice fuckin' model" to her (sexist).