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organic-guacamole · 3 years

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episode 209 spoilers below

I'm so late today but here it is

I love EJ, he's finally learning to be happy. I'm so proud.

Ms Jenn = every boomer during zoom calls, like jeez yes we can hear you stop shouting at me.

LOVE THE SUBTLE JOKE ABOUT QUARANTINE "these dark times" "you mean spring break?"

ah yes, remember when we thought covid was just gonna give us a longer spring break? good times

SEBLOS

damn the passive aggressiveness from Carlos and the absolutely over it tone from seb✋

CASWELL COUSINS!!!!! THEY'RE THE BEST!!!!

we needed more if this kind of goofiness for the first part of season 2 that only such an iconic duo can provide.

old old movies-

is it even that old, or is Nini being a gen alpha rn-

i choose to imagine EJ being scared of the movie and hiding in Ashlyn's shoulder while she keeps a straight face and then EJ pretending to be tough afterwards

aww redlyn are soulmates.... yknow, if gingers had souls

(please ignore me)

y'all saw how EJ's face *lit up* when Gina logged on? how dare you tell me he doesn't like her

ofc she's no damsel in distress, she's Gina porter, she's amazing.

so do we think she'd be the type to just glare at suspicious people? or bark at them

do they not know that Rini broke up? or is Ms Jenn just wanting Nini to suffer through her heartbreak to make her a better actress....

speaking of, why is Nini in the call? she's not in the show anymore. Unless she is, even after the rose and the song got cut, which would be so unfair to all those that auditioned properly before she even came back but whatever, she's the main character I get it 🙄

big red is a hero honestly, Nini better thank him for changing the subject like that

I can't-

i won't work you over the break-

this woman would 100% work her kids 24/7 if it was legal and idk how to feel about it.

YES GINA USE THAT CHARM

QUEEN

FRENCH QUEEN

SHE LEARNT FROM THE BEST (antoine obvi)

smh the airport lady, eavesdropping on Gina's call.

The way she was so happy to answer EJ's call, "eej"

I love them your honour.

EJ WITH PAINTED NAILS YES PLEASE

great now we need to see Gina, Ashlyn and EJ having a complete spa day and EJ getting really into it and Gina and Ashlyn take pictures of him when he's laying down in a robe with a mask and cucumbers on his eyes.

finally we get to see Gina's side of portwell

the way she considered it as flirting, this is the sign she asked for in episode 6 come onnnnn

no is Asher/jack really doing tiktok dances in an airport-

Ricky is me. I am burrito.

oh Lynne, sweetie, I'm sorry but the blonde hair is not it

is that even the same lady or-

THE BEAN

THE CHICAGO BEAN

THE BIG OLD METAL BEAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY 😭

jetlag is my go to excuse for anything... I haven't travelled in 2 years.

"welcome to the Lynne and Mike gossip show. where we talk about our depressed son that we both neglect in certain ways! And now a word from our sponsor, Nord VPN..."

SO MANY CANDLES

WHAT DEMON IS LYNNE TRYING TO SUMMON IN HIS ROOM-

is Nina becoming social media obsessed EJ from season 1? AND SHE LIED ABOUT HAVING SONGS TOO PLEASE WHY ARW THEY RECYCLING THE SAME PLOT-

Gina smiling at the picture of her family on Instagram makes me so happy, idek why.

EJ's nails are so pretty, we needed to see it more (unless he had it on for the rest of the episode and I just.... didn't notice🧍🏽‍♀️)

oh not the tiktok kid✋

yes ma'am end this strange mans whole tiktok career

sir take a hint and leave

GINA NO DONT SAY YOUR LAST NAME HE COULD BE A HUMAN TRAFFICKER

Ricky, walking in style✨

weird kid, ok then Lynne, can't you see he's this close to the edge?

not all your fault baby Ricky, Nini sucks a bit more

RICKY YOU DIDN'T COME DOWN HARD ON THE SONG-

YOU ASKED WHAT IT WAS ABOUT AND SHE SHUT YOU DOWN-

PLEASE DO NOT BLAME YOURSELF

ok but the deleting comment thing was very bad

still don't know if I like Jack honestly

hmmm so Nini's calling herself Nini instead of Nina in her little egg seat, while trying to write a song without inspiration.... Nini, honey, Ricky was your muse, he inspired you to write all those songs, even if it wasn't good for the relationship.

that doesn't mean you gotta get back with him, or that you can't write a song that not about him butttt it'll take some time

the rainbow sticker in her box and her rainbow shirt-

anyways wbk she's not totally straight

Jack are you a criminal?

quick, Gina, check his ankle for a tracker

THE YES AND PRACTICE STRIKES AGAIN

the way Gina wasn't into it in episode 6 but she's used the technique twice now

stole her grandma's Pomeranian-

Jack where the hell did you pull that out from-

the fake crying killed me, that looks like so much fun though

anyone wanna raid a first class lounge with me?

wait so is jack not gonna go in with her?

wouldn't he go in too? help look for the credit card? SO CONFUSED

the first class lounge guy was so into the drama though, watch his face when they start arguing 😭

sorry to break this to you Kourtney, but you haven't even blocked the second act yet soooo...

take that as you will

I love how all of them are totally dissing the dance off

that's the most realistic part of this show tbh

shouldn't Nini have asked how she knew....since the start? why is the fact that her best friend has knowledge of a North high secret now dawning on her...

Howie is sweet honestly, at least he's trying to help. but I stand with Kourtney, don't take him back just because he sang an amazing song, and is giving you a heads up on what's gonna happen...

KOURTNEY IS ME TRYING TO LEAVE AN ONLINE CLASS

I hate school

ooo Nini's writing a song about bad internet connection 🤩🤩🤩

I never lie, except when I do-

son that is the creepiest thing you could say to a stranger that you've been "helping"

2 truths and a lie👀

he's an Ariana fan 100%

called it.

OLDER BROTHER-

WHAT-

free spirit? damn so brother porter was in that horse movie

so has she been kissed or not?????????

I feel like she's moved more than 15 times though so possibly

but then if she's moved so much, and before east high she never opened up to anyone, she's never been kissed then?? damn

same though Gina so let's be besties please

heartbreak president is a great song title idea, give Nini a call rn

but wait

is the no strings attached feeling thing about her telling Ricky she liked him? she thought she was moving away so she thought it'd be no strings attached???

guys I think I figured it out insert the "I've connected two dots" meme

THE DUKE SWEATSHIRT

IS THAT YOUR BOYFRIEND'S

OMG I LOVE I LOVE

NOT THAT I KNOW OF???

ma'am did you just kill me

yes you did

Lynne and Ricky have such a weird relationship

YES IT DID SUCK

TODD SUCKS

LYNNE SUCKS

yeah I get that you wanted Ricky to like Todd BUT THAT WASN'T THE TIME

right so we already know that Ricky was so desperate to keep Nini cuz he didn't want to be like his parents, and now Lynne's talking about this-

Richard needs a long hug

yes Lynne, it is your fault. thank you for finally admitting it.

YES DYE YOUR HAIR

BLOND HIGHLIGHTS RICKY WILL RISE AGAIN

"sometimes the best, last thing you can do for someone you love, is let them go."

gotta admit I teared up at that point

not me thinking big red was calling ms Jenn cupcake for a hot second-

Carlos please omg, you're at the "beach" and they're leaving for the pool?

also, why not just do the call from the hotel room please omg

"don't ask me"

"Carlos"

OMG WHAT HAPPENED

big red wants the tea

O M G

SEB IS JEALOUS

JEALOUS SEBBY IS MY FAVOURITE THING IDC

I'm surprised ms Jenn knew how to give Nini permission to screenshare tbh

So lily's been stalking the East high kids and spending time editing this video while she's supposedly in an immersion trip.... right

EJ and Ashlyn's picture is so chaotic, what even is happening there

"slacking off" bestie its spring break, obviously they're confident enough that they'll get it done in time so why not focus on your own musical.

jealous seb = sassy seb

please what if those guys Carlos is posing with are his cousins or something and that's why he's so confused about Seb

6 YEAR OLD EJ I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM

Nini saying she's obsessed with her ex, that's not weird at all 👍

I can just tell Matt had a blast harassing Julia with those puppets.

Jack please dont be like that, "yet"

chances are you'll never see eachother again 🥰

(honestly sometimes I really miss those friends I made on trips and stuff when we'd spend the day or week together, only to never see them again....those were the good days though)

Ashlyn and Nini should write more songs..... something better than this one at least

Nini: "im good"

cue the Tia Mowry (please I can't spell) crying gif

oh I forgot Ricky was in the show for a hot second

1. where did Gina get to film this without people being around

2. did she just... randomly change her clothes???

ok but the transition between Carlos and EJ

*chefs kiss*

now everyone shut up, EJ's singing

oh i think I'm pregnant

HIS MUSCLES

YES KOURTNEY

I love how big red and Kourtney went from being "the best friends™" to the couple in season 1, to kinda close themselves and having their own plots

sebby makes me so happy

props to biggies editing skills honestly

PORTWELL BEING SIDE TO SIDE I CANT

AND SEBLOS OMG

big red lives for the drama

"wow" so true Ricky

no he is not cute, stop it

"holding" ok that's kinda cute

yeah EJ's a lucky guy😌

jokes aside, it's not that hard to exchange numbers-

keep in touch if you want

ok I really like Jack now

if he comes back in season 3, maybe have him be LGBTQ+ ?

like the only out characters they have rn are Seb and Carlos and they're like the sterotypes, yk?

I'd love to see jack kinda break the mold

Ricky's breaking my heart

that song just hurts

the only thing

now I don't hate Lynne????????

HOW DARE THEY WRITE IN A PROPER REDEMPTION ARC FOR HER

UGH IM SUPPOSED TO HATE HER FOREVER

I mean I don't live her now but she's good

but honestly

"mom can I show you something"

IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL

THE PICTURE AND EVERYTHING OMG

I'm sobbing please help

Gina saying she's just waiting for the right guy and then EJ coming to the airport to pick her up late at night without her asking, offering to bring her back in the morning so she won't have to Uber, bringing her a granola bar (WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT SHE FORGOT TO PACK) and without expecting anything in return???

ms ma'am you've got a keeper right there

her smile at the end was so heartwarming I really can't.

this episode was great.

it felt really short but I liked it, great character development for Ricky, Lynne and Gina.

Cant wait for next episode to see more of EJ being the ideal boyfriend /hj

#hsmtmts #hsmtmts s2 #hsmtmts season 2 #hsmtmts spoilers #ej caswell #ricky bowen #gina porter #seblos #nini salazar roberts #jack hsmtmts #carlos rodriguez #seb mathew smith #kourtney greene #big red #ashlyn caswell #caswell cousins #portwell will be the death of me #guac's episode text blocks :)

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megashadowdragon · 4 years

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on lukes moment of weakness and how it is fitting for luke among other comments

Personally I TOTALLY believe that George's Luke would have been VERY similarly to Rian's Luke.

And here is the reason why.... Luke has almost always been George's insert (lucas pronunced luke S ) and it makes total sense for Luke to be "exiled" and secluded away just as George became with Star Wars after the backlash of the prequels. But at the end of it, he comes back and stands up for what makes Star Wars what it is. Which is what Luke does for the Jedi and themes of Star Wars by the end of TLJ. He has learned from his mistakes, atoned for them, found redemption, confronted those he has failed, inspired hope, and learned to show compassion once again.

Now while George may have done it differently, I do believe that Luke being in exile was a metaphor for George's own relationship with Star Wars and its fandom.

www . reddit . com/r/StarWars/comments/ebb4f3/lukes_momentaneous_thought_of_killing_ben_solo/

I know I'm stepping on dangerous territory here by talking about The Last Jedi, and I only do this because I think this is an interesting take on a key moment of the movie. Just bear in mind that I do not intend to make my point-of-view the absolute truth of it. After all, this is just my opinion.

We all know very well how divisive Episode VIII was, with many people pationately hating that movie. One of the main reasons of complaint is the fact Luke Skywalker had attempted to kill his apprentice and nephew, Ben Solo, because he sensed the Dark Side to be too strong in the latter. Luke Skywalker, the only person in the entire galaxy that saw there was still light in Darth Vader, tried to kill his relative. When even Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda had lost all hope Anakin could be saved, Luke helped putting him on the path of redemption, helping Vader turn back to the Light and fulfill the prophecy of the Chosen One. It seems to be an insult that this same character gave up on his nephew so easily and tried to kill him.

I believe things must be analyzed more carefully.

I've just finished marathoning the Skywalker Saga (by the way, I STRONGLY recommend the Ersnt Rister order: IV-V-I-II-III-VI) and noticed something very interesting while watching Return Of The Jedi.

During the final moments of Luke and Vader's duel aboard the Death Star II, we see the young Jedi Knight wants to avoid fighting his father so as not to fall in the trecharous web of Palpatine, who wants to turn the young Skywalker to the Dark Side. Luke is hiding beneath the Emperor's throne. Vader chases him and, through the Force, reads Luke's thoughts to lure him into confrontation:

You cannot hide forever, Luke. Give yourself to the Dark Side. It is the only way you can save your friends. Yes, your thoughts betray you. Your feelings for them are strong. Especially for... sister! So, you have a twin sister!

In this moment, we see Luke's face and he's completely terrified by the idea Darth Vader found out about his sister. It is something new and Luke fears for Leia's well-being. Also, we hear from Vader's words that he cares a lot about his friends, the people he loves. Vader continues:

Your feelings have now betrayed her too. Obi-Wan was wise to hide her from me. Now his failure is complete. If you will not turn to the Dark Side, THEN PERHAPS SHE WILL!

Now we have something different. Since he was brought before the Emperor, Luke had been constatly confronted by Palpatine and Vader with the idea of him turning to the Dark Side. When Vader talks about the possibility of that happening to Leia, it's not a threat directed to him, but to someone he loves. In this moment, Luke loses it completly and attacks Vader viciously, totally enraged. The Sith Lord can't stand the power of his son, fuelled by hate and falls to the ground, defeated. In this moment Luke is prepared to make the final blow, but then he hears Palpatine laughing and clapping. This makes him go back to his senses and realize what he's been doing. He then turns off his lightsaber and refuses to kill his father.

"I'm a Jedi, like my father before me" and so on... we know what happens, so let's fast-forward to The Last Jedi.

When Luke is confronted by Rey, who demands him to tell what had happened between him and Kylo Ren, we learn how things unfolded through Luke's perspective:

I saw darkness. I sensed it building in him. I'd seen it in moments during his training. But then I looked inside, and it was beyond what I ever imagined.

In this moment of the flashback we see Luke's hand reaching out to his lightsaber, almost unconsciously. He then proceeds:

. He would bring destruction and pain and death, AND THE END OF EVERYTHING I LOVE BECAUSE OF WHAT HE WILL BECOME, AND FOR THE BRIEFEST MOMENT OF PURE INSTINCT, I THOUGHT I COULD STOP IT.

Here it is again. Like in Episode VI, we see Luke reacting in a similar way by the notion of something posing a threat not to him, but to the people he loves and cares about. Luke feared Ben would destroy everything he cherished, just like Vader had threatened by turning Leia to the dark. And, just like in the OT, it was a passing shadow:

It passed like a fleeting shadow, and I was left with shame and with consequence. And the last thing I saw were the eyes of a frightened boy whose Master had failed him.

I've already written way more than I expected, so I'll just conclude here. I've realized the act Luke commits in the Sequels is the same (or at least VERY similar) as from the OT: he attempted to kill Vader then his nephew, out of fear of seeing what/who he loved destroyed. He repented and managed to stop himself in the act in both situations. And he was ashamed. So, at least regarding this point of the movie, I see the same Luke Skywalker.

(luke had more to lose now then he did before

another example which I saw dont remember where I saw it but I saved the comments unfortunately I didnt put in the links:

edit: (now I remember www . reddit . com/r/StarWars/comments/9a3hdl/)

Luke considered killing Ben for about two seconds in a vulnerable moment

Sort of like he almost got baited into killing Vader by a few mocking words, and cut the hand off his own father in blind rage.

Luke is still just a person. If we've learned anything in Star Wars it's that the Jedi are not superhuman paragons of virtue and perfection, no matter how they might appear to the unwashed masses in the SW universe. They have the same flaws, temptations, failures, etc as anyone else. Yes the Force can help them overcome some of this, but they're far from perfect. Luke could have, and I agree should have grown in a positive way, but it's not impossible or even unbelievable that he didn't. He just had his life's labor wiped out in front of him and blamed himself for it. All those years of finding lost Jedi knowledge and artifacts, being what he believed to be the last Jedi in the universe with the responsibility to restart the order on his shoulders alone. All those lives that he took under his protection and guidance as the Master of the new order, wiped out in one night. Because of him (at least in his mind). Everything he was working towards for years just totally undone in a few hours and it was all his fault.

So he leaves and says fuck the whole lot of it. He lives by himself, stews in his misery and regret, retreats into himself and rejects the most foundational principle of the whole concept of being a Jedi: to help people. He's the most powerful Force user alive and he's wasting away by himself on some desolate rock, swearing off the rest of the galaxy because he thinks that he's a failure, that he wasn't strong or good enough, that he can't win, that it's not even worth it to try anymore, and that even at the height of his wisdom and power, it was all undone, and by himself no less.

another comment

Stuff has changed, I mean he’s quicker to come to his senses. I wouldn’t call that his flaw though. His flaw is one of his greatest traits, his care for his friends and family. It’s a flaw cause it causes implusive actions, lashing out on Vader, leaving Yoda, a single thought that he could stop a horrible fate in Ben.

I personal struggle with a temptation in my life, a temptation to do something my faith says is wrong to do. I may have overcome it some days, but other days, whether the same circumstances or not, I might fall into it. Temptations are a constant battle, not a one and done thing. Flaws are similar, you don’t just grow past a flaw after one instance.

Because a day may come when you will brought face-to-face with that temptation or flaw again, but the circumstances will be different, and it won’t be so easy to overcome.

You mentioned Toy Story in a post, and that’s a decent example when it comes to one facet. Woody might not get jealous when another flashy toy comes along that gets more attention like Buzz did.

A better example of the nagging of a temptation, like Luke dealt with, is in Lord of the Rings. The Ring is a constant temptation to the bearer and those around them. At least by the film, Frodo may have resisted the urge to use it under the tree, but he still was tempted to use it at other times, and it was a constant battle. Same with Bilbo. Bilbo held the ring for 60 years. And the temptation of it held him greatly. He drops the Ring in Bag End, letting it go. If he was viewed similarly to how people viewed Luke tossing the saber, that’d mean he freed himself from it’s grasp and from the temptation to take and use it. We see in Rivendell that isn’t the case for him. He has a moment of wanting to take it back, and even at the end of his time in Middle Earth, he inquires about it, although more innocently curious.

That would be more similar to Luke’s case. To fall to the dark is a constant temptation that Jedi should always be aware of, and if you get close at one point, there’s the possibility that it’ll happen again, and if you aren’t prepared or it comes in a different form, you’ll either fall or get really close.

That turned out longer than I meant it, but I see this idea and..it’s just not the case.

another comment

Just because you get older doesn't mean you necessarily get wiser and better.

Jedi are still people (and some aliens, but you get the meaning), and the prequels (and even the OT) showed that even the oldest and wisest among the Jedi were capable of mistakes and misjudgments.

I think it's unreasonable to assume Luke should have become incapable of making, or even repeating mistakes and succumbing to emotion.

Right because people only get better as they get older and we grow past our flaws and doubts permanently right?

You guys are weird.

Luke overcame that moment of doubt before he almost struck Vader down and you think what ....... Luke got some kind of videogame like powerup where that character flaw would never come back again?

Some of you have a very black and white (boring) opinion on life and human growth.

Spoiler: People have flaws, we don't all overcome those flaws.Your boy Luke is no exception.

Consider what nearly proved to be his downfall in Return of the Jedi: for all the Emperor's taunting about the Rebel Alliance's imminent demise, it was Darth Vader who finally pushed his Berserk Button by discovering that Leia was his twin sister and suggesting that if Luke didn't change sides, he and his master might have better luck turning her. Then, when Luke went berserk, it totally worked: he curb-stomped Darth Vader and still didn't go evil in the end. His father's killing off the Emperor also put an end to a whole lot of the Empire's evil and birthed the New Republic.

Flash forward thirty years, and once again someone is threatening everyone and everything Luke loves, and killing the guy would surely preempt a whole lot of trouble. In his heart of hearts, he doubtless remembers what Yoda taught him about how easy and seductive the Dark Side is, but he also remembers how Yoda's mistake of hiding the truth about his lineage from him nearly brought his downfall. He also remembers how killing the Emperor solved so many problems the way he'd better not try to solve them this time... Well, what's so tempting about that?

Luke had more to lose at this time. He knew what a relatively free, peaceful Galaxy looked like, and had other students to care for besides Ben. Instinctively, he was acting out of concern for them. Luke makes an important point when he gives Rey the truth: it is a split second. Luke is a hero, but he's human. He was impulsive and acted on instinct in his youth, so the fear of Ben turning is enough to push him to the edge for a second.

hopeforben . tumblr . com/post/623000635980333056/theres-a-significant-portion-of-the-fandom-that/embed

@emeraldspiral

@daughter-of-water

@someoneintheshadow456

#star wars #star wars the last jedi #luke skywalker #star wars meta

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ministryofgamers · 7 years

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The FIX - Bren

I’ve been doing YouTube for a LONG time now, well 8 years certainly sounds like a long time to me.. but eerily doesn’t feel like a long time. We’ve been through so many changes and trails, trying different things, making movies, TV shows, Interviews, Press events... you name it, as a content creator for the video game community I’ve made it. I’ve always wanted to be a successful youtuber when it came to video-games, these days that usually means you have to figure out a silly name and play lots of games and make a fool of yourself (and yeah i’ve done that too). A youtube star is someone that has millions of followers, uploads daily, sometimes twice daily, but I have none of those things... does that mean i’m not successful? I dont’ think so. I’ve conducted interviews with lead game designers, been to top tier invite only press functions, had 2 shows on UK TV for video games, a movie, and run an active community driven youtube channel that has a great gathering of awesome people. So why is it that I feel like I’ve failed somehow? is it because I didn’t find the right audience? is it because I didn’t get launched to super stardom for my time as a games journalist... would I even want that if it came knocking... i’m not even sure I would like it to be honest. It's strange, I've always felt like I’ve wanted to be successful in making video content, films, art, always wanted to entertain and make something that would make someone say “wow” and I have done that, but on a small scale.

Now on Youtube I see things are very different, attention spans are miniscule, kids are starting channels left right and centre, no knowledge of how to frame a good shot, how to use a decent microphone, no knowledge on how to make a proper video... vertical videos of cats being dicks, fail videos, pranks, challenges, all of that stuff to me is benine crap, redundant. I feel the same about reality TV and how most formats prey on schadenfreude( german phrase meaning "to take pleasure in anothers missfortune") I find it nausiating that television, for the most part, has become so mundane, fuelled by adverts and les than average production values. I recently watched a shocking piece of output form the BBC where they seem to have forgotten that sound levels are important... as well as whitebalance and did the OP forget his tripod? Hand held is ok, but this chap looked like he'd had a bit too much rum in his coffee that morning.

Anyway, back to Youtube. I'm a part of a few "small youtuber" groups on facebook, basically if you don't have 500,000 subs these days you are considered to be pretty small time. And in these groups I see thousands of the same posts everyday "yay i got 20 subs" or "how many views do i need before i can monetize." and the best one "sub for sub anyone?" honestly pretty much everyone on those groups that i've looked at (except one or two) literally have no fucking idea what they are doing and couldn't make a video if it meant saving their own life. Time and time again I see the same shit, constantly. It honestly makes me Wince at the thought that these kids are about to embark on the most dissapointing crusade of thier lives. I started youtube in 2009 and it was a bloody good time to do so as there were pretty much no such thing as lets plays or video game shows etc... we had an amazing show, 4 presenters, heavily edited reviews, sketches, comedy! And best of all we were in with the big boys, interviewing people I never thought i'd ever get to meet! "But Bren, why didn't you just keep going with that?" Well, thats a whole different story and i'll just sum it up by saying there were differences of opinion and it fell apart.

Starting GameGazmTV was very freeing... I had decided that I needed a platform where I didn't care too much about what content I put on it... I had boxed up my camera equipment and used a phone to film most of the stuff for it... we slapped half naked manga girls all over it with flames and rock music in the hope that we would offend someone enough to just come and look at the channel... even the name "GameGazm" was fucking ridiculous. It wasn't long before we started to slowly change everything. Removing the semi naked girls, and some "dead weight" and started to clean up the brand... but it didn't do anything really.. I started to slip back into the "everything must be good" routine, so started heavily editing videos again, making bigger productions, adding more visual effects to everything... graphical updates, weekly updates, started doing let's plays for more content, live streams... then by year 4 we changed the name fully to Ministry of Gamers in the hope of finally shedding the GameGazm crappy beginnings. And now I've suddenly realised... that I hate most of it... I look back at a lot of our content and pretty much 90% of it I could throw in the bin and no one would bat an eyelid. The content I love the most on our channel is 2 videos... Solstice and Top Gun. 2 videos that I think are actually really worth watching... the rest of them i'm not that bothered about... but solstice and top gun both took 6 weeks each to make... thats a lot of time... and then the most successful video on our channel is a video about a fucking controller that we shot in an hour because we thought "why not" I couldn't give a crap about that controller... but its the only video that i've spent the least amount of time on and its the most successfull thing ive ever made.... talk about a kick in the teeth... thats some way to really get yourself down.

Up until this point if you asked me is YouTube worth doing, should I start a channel? I would have said " yeah its really fun to do, and totally worth it." but ask me right now? i'd say "no... don't do it.. its really not worth the stress you'll put yourself through, its not worth seeing comments like "shut up and stop reviewing games you fat cunt." on a video that you spent DAYS writing, recording, editing. Its not worth making any video that takes you longer than an hour to do, because honestly... your effort is the last thing youtube gives a crap about." Youtube does not care if you stayed up for a week straight slaving over an edit, making sure your colours are good, sound is balanced, Youtube doesn't care if you spent days crafting a CGI intro for your channel, making custom graphics, building a brand! It DOESN'T CARE... but make a controller video, slap it up, and youtube will give you £300 and a pat on the head..... great... just film your cat doing something retarded and you'll be a millionaire in no time. don't worry about talent... its not required here.

Basically youtube isn't the kind of platform I would like to be on. But not being on Youtube is like saying "I don't want to be on the biggest viewing platform available." throughout my video carrer I've only ever really been interested in making content about videogames. It's my passion so what else would I do? I have a couple of thoughts about other avenues I could explore. But if I really cared about them then I would have been doing it already. No I still care about making content for videogames but now its time to change the focus... change the direction because something has to change... i'm no longer going to use youtube as a platform to give content thats about something else.. i'm going to make it about ME and my team as people, its not a show anymore. I want it to document OUR struggle, OUR journey through a project, how we as people are focused on making entertainment. Youtube doesn't need another gaming channel, it needs to hear about how crushingly difficult it is to get anywhere with content creation, and thats where I want to be now. I'll be working on something I really care about, and i'll provide updates to that on youtube.

I can't keep going the way I have been, a constant viscious circle of dissapointment and failiure, over and over. I'm done trying to fill a gap that just doesn't need to be filled. There are other ways I can use my time and thats the most precious thing to all of us.. becasue there really isnt' that much of it.

Why have I written this? I guess to just put it all down somehwere other than my head.. the more I write at the moment the more I feel it leaving me.. literally like ive turned a tap on and the water was filthy and its slowly starting to clear up. My main point to all of this though was to fully understand why i'm so successful at failing, I make incredible work that never gets anywhere and no one really cares that much about, but its still MY work, and even if only one person sees it and is entertained by it, then to me, i've won. So in closing, I am a youtuber, and a fucking successful one. And no one really knows it...... yet, and of course i'll never give up, I firmly believe I have something to offer a wide audience, i'm not quite sure what that is yet, but I feel like its my mission to figure it out, I owe it to myself to keep trying! and always give my best. Take pride in what you do, and if you believe in something enough, you will get it... after a long bitter road of absolute mental turmoil.... you'll get it.

Bren.

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half-the-world-away-13 · 7 years

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death note (netflix) review

here are my thoughts that i wrote as i watched this film, i cannot say that they are unbiased as they most definitely are, but i still think they are notable.

~ (the bad) # (the good)

~light has not lost his mum ~who is that girl tho? light doesn't 'like' girls ~ryuk from the start is telling him to use it, but light should have decided to himself UPDATE: i have nothing bad to say about ryuk tbh the voice actor is v good and although he might seem too dark at times (compared w/ the anime) it came out really well. ~WHY is light so keen to tell that girl what the death note does?! he should never be like that as it makes him vulnerable to getting caught! ~they are not a TEAM!!!!! light is independent!! untrustworthy of others!!!! who even is she!!! ~light would never bleach his hair seriously?! keeping the actors original hair would be better ~this mia character is far too smart. shes supposed to be stupidly loyal to light and instead is going against him. #that FBI suicide was pretty good tbh UPDATE: FUCK YOU MIA why is she doing all the good stuff!! LIGHT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SMART ONE WHY IS SHE MEDDLING UGH #lights dad going on live tv was also v good as its obvo its light now (but i dont think this was L's idea anyway) ~was light supposed to give that much away in their first meeting? 'you think you're better than me' seriously?! it would be smart if he's doing it bc despite L knowing its him he has no proof, but the original way of L knowing but never explicitly taking it too far to make light confess, and light never revealing ANYTHING at all was FAR more tense and smart. ~there is no burning rule? pretty sure but maybe i've forgotten? unlikely tho ~L should never get that impulsive and angry when watori leaves, he shows well too much emotion. UPDATE: L would never try to kill light w/ a gun!!!! not him AT ALL ~why would light even have to rely on mia hiding the death note in the first place?! why isn't he smart enough to do it himself?! he cared more about not letting anyone know it was him than not letting anyone see the book which is where all the proof is! there is no basis to kill him/imprison him w/ a confession or L thinking its him w/ no proof on how these impossible acts occurred. ~i swear to god light you better fucking write her name in it after that betrayal. WHY is she suddenly the sociopath when light is THE sociopath! well not in this apparently!! shes right about him being a fucking pussy tho he just isn't dark enough, but her ruining his plans is gonna fuck up everything for both of them so she can fuck right off. UPDATE: thank FUCK he did this. ~the ending: light's overall plan was v smart and i'm happy at that, some of the rightful character is coming thru FINALLY. good that L did not choose to kill light as that goes completely against his character (not that he hasn't already done that)

~EDIT: i forgot to write about light’s and L’s relationship initially but it is v important so must be brought up. basically, it was non-existent. death note was as good as it was bc the contrast and the tense atmosphere and the complex relationship between them made it impossible to look away. to some, L was their favourite character bc he was so developed and likeable, and the perfect nemesis to light, but in this version there was no L like that to be seen. i must admit that he played off some of L’s mannerisms v well and w/ better scripting it could have gone better (so not the actors fault), but they wrote L to basically just be a hurdle for light, but gave him no characterisation of his own that made him a true main and memorable character. i mean cmon the story of him in the mental asylum to train kids to be detectives was just poor and thrown together to give him a vague enough background to let the story progress. this is what really let the whole film down for me bc it’s taken away a big part of death note, leaving it w/ light (and apparently mia?!) as the main characters, who were just not developed enough to hold the whole thing together and make it anything like the original.

final thoughts: of course, the ending and whole story really was completely different than the manga/anime in all ways (can barely justify having the same name tbh), but w/ no prior knowledge of the series then some could be happy w/ this, but if you know about the potential this film could have had from the genius content of the originals then it's just pitying really. also, netflix seem to have removed star ratings and in this case its done them a favour as the backlash from this would have been terrible (4.7/10 review on imdb proves this)

#Death Note #death note netflix #movie adaptions of books #anime adaptation #movie vs anime #movie vs book #review #biased #anime #manga #Light Yagami #l lawliet #netflix

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arthoebeyonce · 8 years

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ok i kiiiiinda see his point especially with african american historical figures… but the thing is all british actors are highly desirable in america because they are better trained. not saying americans don’t have drama schools but there is a difference between them and the big, prestigious drama schools in london, in fairness. british actors tend to be classically trained and highly versatile in both stage and screen. so they are in very high demand over there.

second point to say is that black british actors tend to go to america because there is not enough roles for them here, and that’s very sad. it is still extremely difficult for people like idris elba, john boyega and chiwetel ejiofor (who are amazing, we can all agree on that) to have longlasting careers in britain alone. so that’s something that definitely needs fixing over here. but i am hesitant to fully agree with SLJ since i rep our black british actors so hard and think they need recognition and opportunities to showcase their talent too. i don’t want them to be out of a job :(

what does everyone else think?

EDIT (IMPORTANT): i wrote the below post in response to one of the many comments taking issue with the idea that african american actors are ‘poorly trained’. i feel utterly mortified thinking that people think that’s what people thought i was saying here. having read many of the comments i now see that i came across as a right dick in my first post so please read below and comment if there is anything else in the post you take an issue with!!! not going to delete it though because i think sometimes on this website it’s good to show that you make mistakes and you have blind spots even when you think you are pretty aware of representation issues and so on, but that you can learn and develop your thinking by accepting your mistakes and taking on board what people FROM THAT COMMUNITY tell you. appreciate all the comments on this post and please keep them coming!! “looking back at my first post i think it was both badly worded (the general thrust was meant to be about why americans might prefer british actors but i accept that it didn’t come across clearly) and also had a hefty dose of snootiness about british drama institutions that were both uncritical and unnecessary. i fully accept that and would like to apologise as i can’t in any sense claim deep knowledge of american versus british drama schools so really that was just quite silly and i regret that.

i hope that you can see though that this uncritical fawning of british drama education was in no way meant to be a put down of african american actors as being ‘poorly trained’, and somehow not deserving of the roles black british actors get. i can’t stress this enough because it could not be further from my thinking and i would hate if my original comments came across as a snide towards african american actors, or as me trying to pit the two against each other. that was not my intention at all.

i absolutely, 100% accept that many, many black actors in america are higly trained yet still not getting the recognition and roles they deserve. black british actors have the same problem and they both have to navigate through a racist industry. however i dont think black british actors need to get the slack for a racist film industry and not pursue roles in the biggest film industry in the world. american casting directors love the brits for whatever reason and i dont see why black british actors shouldn’t go for those roles if they can. that was my only point – in no way was it meant as a comment about 'poorly trained’ african-american actors. i do not think at all, hell no. if anything, my thinking stems primarily from a desire to fight the corner of black, working class actors like john boyega and idris elba who work fucking hard and are amazing and deserve every role they can get. this is in contrast to the utterly vile trend of extremely posh and privileged white, male actors like benedict fuckface making it big in america for literally no apparent reason, above actually talented actors like idris and john who are frustrated by lack of opportunities for people of colour in their home country. i hope this has clarified my viewpoint a bit as i would feel utterly mortified if what people took from my post was a put down of black american actors.”

#samuel l jackson #john boyega #idris elba #chiwetel ejiofor #samuel l. jackson

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where-his-towel-is · 7 years

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Rules:

1. Always post the rules. 2. Answer the questions given by the person who tagged you. 3. Write 11 questions of your own. 4. Tag 11 people.

Tagged by: @kasumi-chou @miraculous-katsukii @avocadowrites (jeez guys i love you but wow, i have alot of questions to answer, probably cuz i’m so mystERIOUS oooHHH o.O)

(if you guys are interested enough to read all of this then sure, go ahead)

--------- kas’ questions

First letter of your real name E!

Age/birthday 2nd November (i’m 18 rn, huzzah for voting rights!)

Favourite season Autumn every time - the colours, the weather, the sweaters, firworks and bonfires on guy fawkes night, halloween... its the best ok.

Favourite fruit Pear!

Do you have short, medium or long hair? Medium

Hanahaki or soulmate? i didn’t know what hanahaki was until just now, so even though it sounds incredibly interesting i’m gonna have to say soulmate. (even though soumates in real life would be very very worrying)

Angst or Fluff? fluff fluffity fluff fluff! i love to squee over my babies being happy

Soundboard (help the writer with ideas) or beta (help the writer with wording/grammar)? BOTH ALWAYS, but ideas are my fave and so much fun

Do you still have an active ff.net? If yes, link haha nope. not worth your time i’m afraid.

Would you trade one of Phichit’s hamsters to bring Vicchan back to life? i find this question personally offensive kas so i won’t answer it you cruel cruel person

Should Victor and Yuuri both wear white at their wedding? as long as its viktor in the dress i dont even care what colour it is, white is overrated anyway fuck purity man, who cares.

---------- jas’ questions

Favorite animal? catties!!! ^-^ ...and also blue whales, they always look like they’ve achieved enlightenment.

Favorite foods! augh ok. paneer in any kind of curry, grilled halloumi burgers, prawns in any way shape or form <3 (im sorry my delicious prawny friends, i will be the death of you all)

Character you deeply relate to: Tori from the book ‘Solitaire’. i’ll always say that that book saved my life. also Pierre Bezhukov from War and Peace, it kind of scares me how many of my own flaws i see in him.

Favorite book and why: dfgjhhgasfgjdfhg all of them ok, every book ever. complete works of shakespeare, there you go. folio edition for the #aesthetic.

Favorite outfit! there’s this khaki long cardigan thing i have that i love to wear with everything. also my boots with rainbow laces!!

Most vivid and realistic dream: well lets not talk about the one i had when i was 13 and met danisnotonfire (my first crush at the time, i was but a child) and had an awkward dinner in the school canteen with him. ...oops.

Do you think of yourself as a spiritual person or not? not so much. atheism is more my jam. i do like considering how awesome the universe is though, and sometimes i feel like i believe in fate. some moments are too good to be true.

Ghosts: real or not? i wish.

Favorite movie? nausicaa of the valley of the wind for animated movies, and little women for live action films. (what can i say im all about strong ladies ok)

Favorite dessert? banoffee pie. mwah.

3 things on your bucket list: finish this bloody scott pilgrim fic; make an album; write a musical.

------------- andi muffin child’s questions

Spring or autumn? autumn! <3 (see above)

Classical music or EDM? blargh i LOVE BOTH OK, it just depends on the piece/song itself. actually i could probably write a ranty essay on how edm is the classical music of today but lets not get into that.

Morning person or night owl? i’m writing this at 00:07. huh.

Pastel or punk? like personally? i guess i wear more punky stuff? pastel has never suited me.

Painting or singing? singING i need deM harmoNIES U KNO (but mad love and respect to all painters, you are magical beings)

Piano or violin? in the words of Carole King, “piano is my first language”.

Jeans or skirts? jeeeaaaannnsss

Extrovert or introvert? i’m basically a rare pepe in my own school. thats how introverted i am. have u ever seen me. no u have not.

Fantasy book or non-fictional book? fantasy all the way; sorry but textbooks aint got dragons in them

Discovery channel or disney channel? discovery channel. to replenish the knowledge ive lost by not reading non fiction books.

Hair up or hair down person? i love love love having my hair down, but i usually have to shove it out of the way into a ponytail. bergh.

OK FINALLY MY QUESTIONS (i’m tired right now so these will be a bit mad ok)

1. where is wally/waldo if you’re one of those weirdos from Across The Pond?

2. favourite tv show theme tune?

3. if you could live in an AU what AU would you write for yourself?

4. which powerpuff girl are you?

5. which ship in YOI do you think needs some more lovin by the fandom?

6. how long would you last in a horror movie?

7. leopard print or tiger stripes? and which half of victuuri would you put in which clothes?

8. how much would you pay kubo-sensei for the down low on the YOI movie?

9. favourite type of sky? (e.g. sunset, cloudy sky, overcast etc)

10. why did the chicken cross the road?

11. if you could send a message to all creators with your newly acquired psychic powers, what would that message be?

Tag: @kasumi-chou @tododorky @miraculous-katsukii (sorry for tagging you right back but i just wanna know what you’d all say tbh, i’m interested) @xuan-timewrite @queenofaburiedkingdom @iceprinceofbelair @n3rdlif343va @islandsofjohnmontagu @sealofwisdom136 @katsukiyuuris @metalkiraliyany

(i hope its ok that i tagged you guys <3 tag me back in your answers to my dumb questions cuz im interested in what you all have to say)

#taggles #taggy mctagtag #yoi #mostly yoi #taggy taggy

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mirkstrolls · 7 years

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[LOG] dumpster days pt 1/3

[Chatlogs from over on #BWIC: the conversations that occur as Widsth Orpheo (inspiredTalesmith) pisses off a history gang and spends an afternoon trying to avoid their very physical ire. Takes place over a good seven hours -- I’ve trimmed out most of the irrelevant dialogue, so if you want to read Hadean and Emerel threatening each other, this is not the place for that.

Also starring Pheres Dysseu (refiningSpacetime), Emerel Victis (meganeNarcissus), Hadean Dauths (invertedDissident), Ullane Wistim (journeyingMedic), and Sielan Reisov (pivotalPersuasion).

In this issue: shaming Pheres for his interest in troll Twilight, a bad limerick, Emerel offers to help, Ullane realizes that Widsth does this too often.]

RS: | I will Give Sixty Beetles to Whoever Presents Me with Something Entertaining | RS: | Because I am Afraid I am About to Expire from Boredom |

IT: I am about to lose ConneCtion to the internet IT: But it may interest thee to know, Sir Dysseu, that I didst just aCCidentally inCur the wrath of most of the West Alpine SeCtor HistoriCal SoCiety IT: 'Tis too long a tale to relate at the moment, but it doth involve a Certain private diary, the Cerulean Dynasty's fashion for pierCing deliCate plaCes IT: And a great many sCandalized historians who are now defaming my honest reputation!!! IT: ...They wish to defame me, in faCt, with pitChforks IT: Adieu!

RS: | | | RS: | Well | ! | As Always | RS: | Orpheo Wins | =:) |

MN: wEll orphEos fuckEd MN: sucks to bE you pal

ID: hahaha what.

MN: looks likE hE got a hold of somEonEs diary and blastEd that shit MN: hE might not bE aliVE now MN: and by that .I. mEan hEs probably still running knowing pissEd off bluEs MN: oh man this is grEat

ID: ahahah that's pretty wild. run nerd, spread the awful awful truth.

MN: hE fights the good fight haha

ID: the fight that ancient highbloods are huge pervs. who could have seen it coming.

MN: .I. for onE am just shockEd

ID: all those historians so crushed. by the knowledge their idols were packing some extra metal.

MN: .I.m not that crushEd MN: .I. actually am a historian MN: this is prEtty normal by now

ID: you are, huh. do you have a specialty or are you just a well rounded nerd. ID: why are there so many nerds in this chatroom.

MN: .I.m thE most wEll roundEd nErd MN: but nah MN: military history

ID: well at least you chose an interesting part to be a nerd about.

MN: Exactly MN: .I. cant gEt Enough of this shit MN: EVEr bEEn to thE rEEnactmEnt fair MN: wE haVE a big fight ring aftEr the battlE rEplays arE donE MN: somEtimEs pEoplE diE MN: but thE prizEs arE grEat

ID: uh no because i have no idea where the fuck to find one of those. but battle replays sound fun. ID: unless you're on the side that loses i guess.

MN: which to bE fair isnt that diffErEnt from anything ElsE pEoplE haVE bEEn doing forEVEr but you know MN: thE closEst onE is outsidE cascara MN: chEck it out somEtimE .I. say bEcausE thE nExt fairE is nExt wEEk

ID: uh cascara. will make a note of it. and figure out where the fuck that is.

MN: hErE MN: Sent hErEsamap.png

[MN and ID threaten each other in a vaguely pitch-flirty manner and challenge each other to a duel at the historical fair. JM says she’s seen too many undead for her taste.]

RS: | But | Have You Seem any Sparkling White Ones | like in the Films | JM | ? | Inquiring Minds wish to Know | =:P |

MN: wE dont EVEn takE chancEs and somEonE on staff burns thE dEad

JM: Sound practice JM: Those films are made by idiots who deserve to be drained of blood. JM: No. Thankfully.

ID: what movies.

JM: You'll be sorry you asked. JM: I feel RS is going to answer.

MN: sEE .PHERES.I.m not thE only onE who kEEps tElling you thosE moViEs suck

JM: They are awful JM: and stupid JM: and inaccurate

RS: / someone else do the title / I'm with a customer / =:( /

ID: i no longer care what movie it is. since it apparently sucks.

RS: / and they are perfectly fine / my sympathies for your lack of taste / =:) / both of yours /

JM: No self-respecting drinker would be so soppy

MN: look .I.m going to shortEn thE titlE MN: and call it MN: thE film in which a drinkEr starEs at a girl whilE shE slEEps and shE is okay with it

JM: Especially not over such a pathetic protagonist JM: Exactly JM: It is disgusting JM: all the characterization is bad JM: terrible quadrant dynamics

MN: thE wErEfiEnds wErE hot as hEll and thats thE bEst part of the moViE

RS: / it's meant to emphasize the pitiful nature of their relationship / for heaven's sake /

JM: There's pitiful JM: And there's downright obnoxious

MN: .PHERES. no it wasnt

JM: Also it was disturbing JM: And crossed boundaries

IT: Dysseu, art thou aCtually defending that film

JM: Unfortunately

ID: if any drinker was staring at me while i slept. i'd gut them.

MN: holy shit hEs still aliVE

ID: for now.

IT: I am on the run for my life IT: And I must needs stop

JM: wait

IT: to KINKSHAME thee

JM: Ha

MN: haha is thE cErulEan chaptEr still aftEr you

IT: ...Ye muses, no wonder thou didst think RiCCin attraCtive IT: 'Tis the fangs, is it not????

MN: its thou thought dudE

JM: Some people are into that

RS: / oh / go back to reading your filthy eulogies / orpheo / hahaaaa / RS: | NO |

JM: It's okay RS JM: We accept you

ID: ahahahahah

JM: But not your movie taste JM: ...Orpheo? [edited] JM: Widsth Orpheo?

IT: 'Tis I, Orphep

JM: Shut

MN: .I. loVE you man but your moViE tastEs suck and .I. will not stand by whilE thEy hurt you

IT: )That was a humorous untruth but yes, that is my name)

JM: You may not remember me

MN: orphEo holy shit arE you typing whilE you run

JM: But I treated you

IT: jog wouldst be more aCCurate henCe my deteriorating quirk IT: !!!!!!

ID: how long until pheres asks emerel to dress up like the main character though.

IT: MediC Wistim??

JM: Ah JM: Yes

MN: oh my god MN: hadEan you haVE .NO IDEA.

JM: HaJM: Wait has he done that

ID: ahahahah are you serious.

MN: hE kEEps trying to put .ME. into thE drinkEr aEsthEtic box

JM: That's amazing

IT: hello there dear lady!! IT: also HAS HE DONE THAT

ID: do you have to say lines.

JM: Oh please JM: I hope so

IT: I NEED CONFIRMATION, MN

JM: "I'm not good for you, Bellah"

MN: .NO I REFUSE.

JM: You mean JM: He has tried

MN: .I WILL NOT DRESS UP AS TROLL EDWARD CULLEN.

ID: ahahahahah i'm dying.

IT: :O :O :O

MN: thats classifiEd

JM: This is amazing

IT: >:D

ID: does he want you to bite him and shit.

MN: also classifiEd

ID: so definitely yes.

IT: ye gods

MN: .I. will not confirm or dEny MN: on a public chat

JM: In the absence of proof JM: I will assume yes

MN: hEy orphEo arE you anywhErE nEar cascara

IT: this materisl doth beg a limeriCk

JM: Do it JM: It can only make it better JM: To record it forever JM: To testify Pheres's mistakes

MN: bEcausE if you arE .I. might bE ablE to swing by and hElp you out MN: .I. know a fEw guys from thE cErulEan branch

JM: Please help him I had to put him back together not too long ago JM: Don't let my work go to waste

IT: At the request of the lovely Ullane IT: There onCe was a troll called pher IT: his pref'renCes were quite clear IT: he told his mate "bite me, IT: and perhaps, glow slightly?" IT: on the whole 'twas rather queer IT: afaojf pardon me a momeny

MN: amazing MN: .I. haVE no idEa how you camE up with that on thE run MN: but good job

JM: edhjckkkkkkk I slipped and fell off my seat JM: My horn hit the keyboard JM: Thanks to my laughter

MN: oh .MY. god

ID: hahah lovely. almost brings a tear to my eye, 8/10.

JM: The art of our time

ID: i mean i thought that shit was ancient art. isn't art these days memes.

JM: Think, ID JM: It incorporated modern media JM: Like the dreadful film JM: Ancient form, modern subject

ID: got me there i guess.

JM: Score

#refiningspacetime #havesomefantrolls #cloudbattrolls #rebatrolls #widsth rp #widsth #bad wiggler isolation creche #pesterlogs #...kinda?#pheres dysseu #emerel victis #hadean dauths #ullane wistim #ic #so sorry if you're on mobile and the cuts don't work #dumpster days #mirkstrolls rp

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liliesofpur-i-ty · 8 years

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review of Loren MazzaCane Connor’s “Lullaby” LP, (2001 / 2016) – Carbon Records / Recital – 7. "I Am Scared of the Dark / 8. And the Shadows on the Wall"

“I’m not scared,” (of the dark), I used to say to my mother. But I was. A lullaby is sung to a kid, in the dark. [listen here] thank you Sean McCann for re-releasing this dying flicker of a flame; this cloak, this burden, this wing, this mask, even this handful of inwardness that a rose petal sheds, as before a lover, in the pale, twilit mist that gilds its fringed edges and its wilting, lilting song ...before Rilke continues in his notebooks to tell the story about the death of a beloved from whom death cannot gather her life entire and instead her burgeoning life spills from her mouth seeps through her eyelids into two trembling roses that will carry forever her overflowing abundance, the poet whispers to his beloved, death: "...I've invented a new form of caress: placing a rose gently on a closed eye until its coolness can no longer be felt; only the gentle petal will continue to rest on the eyelid like sleep just before dawn." 1. Lullaby (the 1st) / 2. Whispers / 3. (Lullaby the 2nd) / 4. Lullaby (the 3rd) / 5. Want Me to Tell You (Why I Cried?)

More than anything Loren Connor's airs and lullabies suggest the silent and serene timelessness of this verging past the curtain of sleep, where one can no longer contain one's life in the confines of space and time, but beyond that white linen that flutters there before the windowpane, distilling and subduing the effulgence of life into the longing and remorse of reminiscence, one can see rising the life that one fashioned as in a dream, twining its slender tenderness that trembles exposed into the light it longs to join - like a sigh, like a murmur, a whisper, a silent poem - and as one's life aches in its curl and curve, all of one's memories that retain the gesture of lost longing (but not to whom your empty hand was extended) swell in one surge to pierce the veil that severs one from the immensity of life and its supreme capacity to annihilate with the softest caress of pity 6. "Dont Leave" / 7. "I Am Scared of the Dark / 8. And the Shadows on the Wall" / 9. Lullaby (the last) ...and one breathes oneself out (that anachronistic kin between in-spire / ex-spire, a spire, a steeple tapers before the sky one cannot embrace) from between two lips that quiver in repose, but one's life continues without one, continues to billow in rising undulations towards everything for which one longs in anguish, but the light grows dim, one can no longer grasp with tenacity the dream-light and the dream-dance of ruin and communion, the beloved's phantasm hovering just beyond a kiss in luminous translucence floats into the darkness that consumes one, the mysteries of sleep have become shadows that mock, obscurity that looms in a teasing posture, while the curtain that seemed so seamless to traverse, expands like the foam of a shipwreck into the dense firmament that quakes from some unreal perdition in heaven 10. Sleep / 11. The Kiss - A Moment at the Door / 12. Woven Dreams / 13. Through the Stars ...so one's lids flutter to alight upon the void (or is it bliss? or is it the rapturous azure?), shudder for an instant, and into the depths of sleep one plunges ("avec mes deux ailes sans plume"), and falling throughout eternity into the sea of death one is submerged ("sans mâts, sans mâts, ni fertiles îlots"), an exquisite air, a divine shroud envelops one in its vaporous folds, is the place that could not have existed, but was conjured each instant i cried out to you? is the place where silence becomes song? where song becomes silent for every song is sung? i feel your presence and a hand that carefully comes out of nowhere to take the hand that i never offered... "...(kiss me / down into your memory and / a memory and memory / i) kiss me,(will go)" into the farthest reaches of the fabric of the night that swathes all in its kiss and from star to star i skip and vault and the metallic twinkle of their wink alights with each leap and reverberates into a much hoped-for dawn, but limned with a wavering disbelief this blush that will rouse me will seem like the first light of the world, where all is imbued in a rosy dew and pallor mo(u)rning: an incomplete coda ...and stuttering awake, my tongue is adorned with a melody, an intimation of the hypnotic opiate of sleep, the siren song, the Orphic narcotic that swayed even death, a strain, an air (and lovely is it to breathe) that in my memory has unraveled from melancholy to thirst, from sorrow to the wistful knowledge, in trace, in shade, that not all has been lost, from lack as an absence to the presence and profusion of an ample grace laced with hope, bathed in the soft halcyon light with which dream rids itself of pain, with which pain is made beatific, a silken varnish softer in this light i'm sorry, i cannot speak coherently (read logic but not lucid) of something so beautiful, something that retains melody while void of structure itself, something without a metronomic skeleton of time that floats and whirls in the tempo of fancy wherever melody might divine to waft, to wash, the composition of this piece is not an architecture but the ghost of form, since form is not enough to trace the space of dream, where everything unravels into a gentle song, still poised with grace, though, a song that a non-existent god, for instance, withdrawn and vanished, might proffer in penitence for all of the sorrow in the world. much like the devastating candle scene in Tarkovsky's Nostalghia, where an entire human life is glimpsed through the flickering of a single candle... in fact, this is what the director had to say about the scene: "‘Oleg, know what,’ began Andrei in a roundabout way. 'I had this idea of filming a man asleep in one continuous sequence, without any editing — from the moment he falls asleep at night to the moment he wakes up in the morning. Imagine what a subtle and grandiose range of human emotions would be reflected on his face in that time! Especially if he dreams.’" ...this album depicts the sound of drifting into sleep, and in it the subtle, though still grandiose, range of flitting, floating, flickering into death where some light still lingers.

"If only our life were one long standing at the window, if only we could just stay there, like an unmoving curl of smoke, frozen at that one moment in the evening that paints the curve of the mountains with painful color. If only we could stay there beyond forever! If, at the very least, on this shore of the impossible, we could stay like that, without undertaking one single action, without our pale lips committing the sin of uttering more words! Look, it grows dark! … The positive peace of everything fills me with rage, with something which is the bitter aftertaste of the air I breathe. My soul aches… In the distance a slow ribbon of smoke rises and disperses… A restless tedium blocks further thoughts of you… How unnecessary it all is! Us and the world and the mystery of both." –Fernando Pessoa, from The Book of Disquiet, translated by Richard Zenith

P. S. please don't leave me, i love you

#music diaries #loren mazzacane connors #this album means everything to me #recital records #sean mccann

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adambstingus · 7 years

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Dear Britain: Elena Ferrante, Slavoj Žižek and other European writers on Brexit

Ahead of the European referendum, we asked leading authors and thinkers from EU countries to write letters to Britain. Do they want us to stay, or are they ready to say goodbye?

Elena Ferrante Italy

Dear Britain, I dont have much sympathy for the current European Union. Its upper floors are elegantly furnished, with spacious halls for parties and banquets; there are abundant stores and provisions, rooms with panoramic views where building bylaws pertaining to those residing on the lower floors are discussed and drawn up, security services that design alarm systems and sturdy doors to keep out those who want to set up camp in the entrance hall or at least in the basement. Its an ugly Europe, this one. Behind its facade, it safeguards the interests of those countries that are strongest, both economically and militarily. And yet, despite the rules and regulations, it has never stopped thinking that when there is nothing further to be gained it is best to throw off the union and make do with the old cocksure ways of the proud old nations.

This belief is the most wrongheaded of all. The single pieces of Europe have long lost their autonomy and centrality. Major financial crises cannot be faced by stewing in ones own juice. Migrations cannot be controlled with traffic lights or barbed wire. Global terrorism is not a video game you play at home in your living room. The worlds climate cannot be fixed by opening an umbrella. The happy few are no longer enough, not even for themselves, but must confront the unhappy many.

And so, while it may be a union that has united little or nothing, it is necessary, in my opinion, to stay together at all costs. What we need now is not many small countries but a continent. Amid conflicts and confrontations, in defiance of the facts, we must try to move towards a community that instead of drawing up lists of objectives becomes actively political and puts an end to countless intolerable inequalities. Contained in the treasure chests of its sovereign states, Europe has many kinds of poison but also wonderful jewels. It is time to throw away the former and pull out the latter in preparation for our impassioned feast of common thought and action. We dont need roots now: they make plants of us, splendid, yes, but bound to the ground, and nowadays everything is more mobile than ever, shifting quickly from one shape to the next. A broad, true identity must open itself up to all identities and absorb the best in them. Time is short. Many kinds of malaise and poverty are spreading, the streets are increasingly stained with blood, the worst intentions feed the worst kinds of politics. Staying together is no longer an option but an obligation and an urgent necessity. Women and men of Britain, please, let us stay together, and change Europe together.

Translated by Daniela Petracco. Frantumaglia: An Authors Journey Told Through Letters, Interviews, and Occasional Writings will be published in November by Europa Editions.

Javier Maras Spain

Dear Britain, As Spaniards born under the Franco dictatorship (especially those of us who belonged to families on the losing side of the civil war) we were always aware that we might one day have to leave our country and go into exile. Whenever I imagined this possibility, my chosen destination was never France or Italy or some Latin American country, but Britain. This was perhaps because, early on, I acquired a reasonably good knowledge of English, but it was doubtless also because I had read so much British literature and seen so many British films that Britain seemed to me a familiar place and as undeniably European as my home town of Madrid. Indeed, I partly owe my vocation as a writer to Richmal Crompton and her Just William (or Guillermo as we knew him) books. I was brought up reading Charles Dickens and Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudyard Kipling and GK Chesterton, J Meade Faulkner and Anthony Hope, Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. My childhood heroes were portrayed by actors such as John Mills, Stewart Granger, Jack Hawkins, David Niven and Trevor Howard. My first platonic love was Hayley Mills. Britain was not only a constant presence in my fantasies, it also seemed to me a country that would be sure to take me in if things took a turn for the worse in Spain; a place where I would not feel entirely foreign. For me, it is as much a part of Europe as Italy, Germany, France or Austria, possibly even more so.

I knew, too, that it was an invariably democratic country, respectful of individual freedoms and generous to those who took refuge there: from Joseph Baretti to Nikolaus Pevsner and from Elias Canetti to my friend Guillermo Cabrera Infante, who was exiled from Cuba in 1965, not to mention such Spanish writers as Blanco White, Luis Cernuda, Arturo Barea and Manuel Chaves Nogales. It seemed only natural that Britain should form part of the EU. True, the EU does not tend to arouse great passion it more often provokes feelings of discontent however, it is largely responsible for the fact that, since 1945, the various countries of this continent have not resorted to killing each other. That this fails to spark enthusiasm and, above all, gratitude, only demonstrates how ignorant and forgetful our present-day societies are.

Were Britain to leave the union, its unlikely that anyone would immediately start a war, but you never know. One thing I do know is that the rest of the continent would feel orphaned, amputated, empty and even defenceless. Let me explain that last word: those of us who do still remember ought to give thanks every day for the existence of that island separated from us only by a narrow strip of sea. Without it, it is probable that the entire continent would have suffered the consequences of a crushing victory by Hitler. Simply knowing that this small island spent years resisting tyranny and invasion is enough to make us all want to be able to count on its continuing presence, and always to be on the same side, whether in wartime or during long years of peace. We want to keep it as close to us as possible, even if only for purely selfish reasons and in order to save us from ourselves.

Translated by Margaret Jull Costa. Thus Bad Begins is published by Penguin.

Timur Vermes Germany

Dear Britain, Lets keep it short: what is the EU? Its the consequence of the second world war. Its the attempt to make things better.

Even if you dont always get the best result for yourself.

Many, throughout the whole of Europe, dont share this ambition any more.

Thats understandable, for 60 million people had to die before most found it a worthwhile ambition.

And that was a long time ago.

Everyone has the right to wait until this view comes naturally to them.

But they should know this: next time they wont get it so cheaply.

Look Whos Back is available in paperback from MacLehose.

Anne Enright Ireland

Dear Britain, I have two of your children at least, they might choose to be yours. Their father is British, born and reared. He likes cricket. His name is Murphy. His family moved from Ireland to London after the potato famine of the 1840s and five generations later, they are still called Spud. In 1980 he swapped the friendly racism of Surrey for the friendly racism that English people are subjected to in Dublin, which he finds a bit tiresome. The huge migration that unsettled his family and left them forever subject to cheerful insult involved more than a million refugees who left Ireland for the urban centres of Britain and America. When a population tips like that it is hard to rebalance. Ireland has been weakened by migration ever since, and Britain has been strengthened by it.

I dont think there will be a Brexit because people rarely vote against their clear economic interests (Apart from working class Tories, mutters Mr Murphy). But I would like Britain to stay in Europe for more positive reasons. I could talk about idealism. I could talk about the second world war, or other wars less glorious ask why you dont vote to leave Nato, for example, or the community of nations that went to Iraq but the arguments for Brexit seem based on a fear of being contaminated by foreigners, and fear is never truly idealistic. It is tribal. It is the kind of atavistic thinking that makes me step back from my own nationalism, now and then. So it is easy for me to set aside my Irishness in order to say: I like Britain very much. I mean, I like whatever Britain is a shifting thing, a landscape, a language, a library full of astonishing books, a mosaic of peoples stalled in one migration or another, from the raw Saxon faces you see in East Anglia, to the sari shops of Bradford, to the eyes of my two children, who came from God knows where.

They like the trees, by the way. Also, and in this order: curry, cousins, yorkshire pudding, the way that everything is better funded, the BBC, Bristol, sarcasm, the pub, AFC Wimbledon, Edgar Wright, Topshop and how the politicians seem very polite but are really furious. So now you know.

Of course as an Irishwoman I also have to be cheerfully insulting and say that I am really sorry that Britain lost her empire with all the money and the power that came with it, I know that must be hard for you all. But as you would say to any grand old lady, in her nostalgia and wounded pride, Dont isolate yourself. It must be so tempting to shut the doors and pull the curtains, keep the money under the mattress until the value fades out of the old notes, and think about the past. Which was great, if a little bit unfair. But the world has changed, since Britain was last alone. Dont go. You will not thrive, and we want you to thrive. You are still family to us all.

The Green Road is published by Vintage.

Yanis Varoufakis Greece

Dear Britain, Last year I tried, and failed, to convince the EU top brass to behave humanely toward my long-suffering country. Now, I am writing to you with an odd plea: that you stay in this same EU yes, the one that crushed our Athens spring and has been behaving abominably ever since.

Some will deploy tabloid logic to explain my plea (Varoufakis wants the UK to stay in to pay for Greeces bailouts). Others will accuse me of abandoning the fight for restoring democracy. Yet I trust that your Pythonesque appreciation of paradox will pierce through the seeming contradiction.

The reason I want you to stay in is that voting to leave will not get you out. Rather than escaping the EU, Brexit will keep you tied to a Europe that is nastier, sadder and increasingly dangerous to itself, to you, indeed to the rest of the planet.

The masters of the City will never allow a new Boris Johnson government to even think of leaving the EUs single market, despite Michael Goves musings. Which means that all the gadgets sold in your shops will have to abide by standards made in Brussels, your environmental protection rules will be drawn up in Brussels, and market regulation will be (yes you guessed it) determined in Brussels.

So, even after Brexit, the majority of your laws will be written in the same dreary Brussels corridors as now, except you will have no say in their shaping. With your democracy as truncated as it is now, you will remain stuck, albeit less powerful, in a Europe whose fragmentation Brexit will accelerate.

The EU is undoubtedly bureaucratic, opaque and contemptuous of the parliamentarianism that you and I cherish. You may, therefore, conclude that speeding up the EUs fragmentation is not such a bad idea. Think again! Will its disintegration cause progressive democrats to rise up across Europe, empower their parliaments, usher in the forces of light and hope, and foster harmonious cooperation on the continent? Not likely.

The EUs fragmentation will divide the continent in at least two parts, the major fault line running down the Rhine and across the Alps. In the north east, deflation will rule, with millions of working poor Germans, Poles and so on becoming unemployed. In the Latin part, the order of the day will be inflation with unemployment. Only political monsters will crawl out of this fault line, spreading xenophobic misanthropy everywhere and ensuring, through competitive devaluations, that you will also be drawn into the ensuing vortex.

This is why I am pleading with you to stay in our terrible EU. Europes democrats need you. And you need us. Together we have a chance of reviving democratic sovereignty across Europe. It wont be easy. But it is worth a try.

When I was student, a close friend who hated parties nevertheless never missed one just so that he would have something to bitch about the day after. Please do not be like him. Please stay in the EU with enthusiasm for our common cause: to take arms against a sea of troubles, and, by opposing, end them.

And the Weak Suffer What They Must? is published by Vintage.

Riad Sattouf France

Riad Sattouf

The graphic novel The Arab of the Future, Vol 1 by Riad Sattouf is published by Two Roads.

Jonas Jonasson Sweden

Dear Britain, You have many talents. Playing football springs to mind. Brewing decent beer. Speaking a language that people understand. On the other hand, you seem to be having trouble driving. It is the wrong side, you know. But it seems to work, as long as you all make the same mistake.

And you were more than brave during the war. Churchill said all he had to offer was blood, toil, tears and sweat. But he left out self-esteem. You taught the world and yourselves that a Brit is a Brit is a Brit. Meanwhile, Swedes let the Nazis pass through our country, cap in hand.

War is bad. And still Europe engaged in war for a long time in the first half of the 20th century. More than 50 million Europeans died. And we came to sensible conclusions: we decided to work together, across the borders, in such a way that attacking your neighbour would be like attacking yourself. We called it the European Coal and Steal Community, a rather ingenious construction presented by a French politician of German descent. As more countries joined, this community eventually turned into the European Union, and it was quite something. Fifty million died during the first half of the last century. Fifty thousand in the second half. Were it not for the downfall of Yugoslavia, there would be no official number at all.

But then there is this thing called memory. We tend to forget a lot. Like England not being able to beat Sweden in football for 24 straight years (you were just as surprised every time we won). Or like the EU, and what it is really for. In Sweden, people tend to write about how the UK would be worse off leaving the union. The fact that it would be a disaster for the rest of us is given less attention. I think Brexit would be the beginning of the end of an unprecedented period of peace at the heart of Europe. Without you, the EU will crack at its very seams. I wish you would stay, and that all of us together in toil, tears and sweat but not blood will steer the peace project that is the European Union in the right direction. If you accept, you may drive on whichever side of the road you prefer. We will even let you win Euro 2016 this summer. After all, the manager of the England team is practically half Swedish.

Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All by Jonas Jonasson is published by 4th Estate.

Kapka Kassabova Bulgaria

Dear Britain, The country I come from is where Europe technically ends today, or begins, depending on your journey. But only technically: recently, in European Turkey, I met people who feel proudly European, just minus the passports. To them, Europeanness, like the secular republic, is a hard-won value, worlds away from Brussels, where beautiful Europa has been nibbled to a drab word. The Turks on the west side of the Bosphorus are perhaps the last European idealists.

It was the Ottomans who gave Europe via the Balkans the word komshulak, neighbourliness, the spirit of living next door convivially, sharing joys and sorrows as the tides of history turn. Komshulak is the highest, if humblest, form of civility. When it breaks down, everything breaks down. Komshulak is at the heart of the battered European project. Battered but not beaten. Let us not be fooled, on these most westerly isles, that there is some better place, once we drift away. There isnt. There is only the cold Atlantic Ocean.

I settled in Edinburgh a decade ago, after a decade in New Zealand: I had returned to Europe, and one of its great cities too. When I moved to the Highlands, I lost none of this essential Scottish Europeanness, with its unfussy love of eccentricity, diversity, and live-and-let-live attitude, this sense of continuity with the continent even in remote glens. And though I love Scotland with an almost unseemly passion, I feel like an adopted Brit. Is that a paradox? Then so is the fact that I feel Balkan and European, in the sense that the Balkans are (whisper it) only partly European. And heres the wonderful rub: Europe is not a monoculture. It is a place where people ride reindeer, grow vines, eat Turkish delight, and call themselves Shetlanders. Ill keep my subscription to that.

Border will be published by Granta in 2017.

Slavoj iek Slovenia

Dear Britain, When Stalin was asked in the late 1920s which is worse, the right or the left, he snapped back: They are both worse! And this is my first reaction to the question of whether or not to leave the EU.

I am not interested in sending love letters to the British public with the sentimental message: Please stay in Europe! What interests me is ultimately only one question. Europe is now caught in a vicious cycle, oscillating between the false opposites of surrender to global capitalism and surrender to anti-immigrant populism which politics has a chance of enabling us to step out of this mad dance?

The symbols of global capitalism are secretly negotiated trade agreements such as the Trade in Services Agreement (Tisa) or Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The social impact of TTIP is clear enough: it stands for nothing less than a brutal assault on democracy. Nowhere is this clearer than in the case of Investor-State Dispute Settlements (ISDS), which allow companies to sue governments if their policies cause a loss of profits. Simply put, this means that unelected transnational corporations can dictate the policies of democratically elected governments.

So how would Brexit fare in this context? From a leftwing standpoint, there are some good reasons to support Brexit: a strong nation state exempted from the control of Brussels technocrats can protect the welfare state and counteract austerity politics. However, I am worried about the ideological and political background of this option. From Greece to France, a new trend is arising in what remains of the radical left: the rediscovery of nationalism. All of a sudden, universalism is out, dismissed as a lifeless political and cultural counterpart of rootless global capital.

The reason for this is obvious: the rise of rightwing nationalist populism in western Europe, which is now the strongest political force advocating the protection of working class interests, and simultaneously the strongest political force able to give rise to proper political passions. So the reasoning goes: why should the left leave this field of nationalist passions to the radical right, why should it not reclaim la patrie from the Front National?

In this leftwing populism, the logic of Us against Them remains, however here they are not poor refugees or immigrants, but financial capital and technocratic state bureaucracy. This populism moves beyond the old working class anticapitalism; it tries to bring together a multiplicity of struggles from ecology to feminism, from the right to employment to free education and healthcare.

The recurrent story of the contemporary left is that of a leader or party elected with universal enthusiasm, promising a new world (Mandela, Lula) but sooner or later, usually after a couple of years, they stumble upon the key dilemma: does one dare to touch the capitalist mechanisms, or does one decide to play the game? If one disturbs the mechanisms, one is very swiftly punished by market perturbations, economic chaos and the rest. So how can we push things further after the first enthusiastic stage is over?

I remain convinced that our only hope is to act trans-nationally only in this way do we have a chance to constrain global capitalism. The nation-state is not the right instrument to confront the refugee crisis, global warming, and other truly pressing issues. So instead of opposing Eurocrats on behalf of national interests, lets try to form an all-European left. And it is because of this margin of hope that I am tempted to say: vote against Brexit, but do it as a devout Christian who supports a sinner while secretly cursing him. Dont compete with the rightwing populists, dont allow them to define the terms of the struggle. Socialist nationalism is not the right way to fight the threat of national socialism.

Against the Double Blackmail is published by Allen Lane.

Cees Nooteboom The Netherlands

Dear Britain, Imagine for one moment a peculiar kind of parlour game. Take the famous picture by Jean-Baptiste Isabey, The Congress of Vienna, from 1815. Look at the gentlemen involved, Alexander I, tsar of Russia, the Duke of Wellington, the devious and eternal Talleyrand, accompanied by a poet and a writer, De Lamartine and Chateaubriand. Then of course Metternich, the Bavarians, the Saxons and the Prussians, Karl August Frst von Hardenberg, Alexander and Wilhelm von Humboldt. There is even a Dutchman with a German name, Hans Christoph Ernst von Gagern.

The Congress of Vienna by Jean-Baptiste Isabey. Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2016

Now take out Viscount Castlereagh, the Duke of Wellington, the Earl of Aberdeen and the rest of the British delegation. Remember it is only a game. Make them leave their seats, that means five empty chairs. Look at the intense amazement on the faces of Metternich and Talleyrand. Where are the British? Have they really left the table?

These last few months we have been reading and hearing daily about Brexit. Economists, politicians, commentators have inundated us with arguments for and against. We have lost our innocence. There is no escape. We must have an opinion. Even me. I am not an economist. I am a poet, like Lamartine. And I have written a book on Germany. Does that make me an expert? I was a child during the second world war. My father died in the British aerial bombardment of the Hague in February 1945. But the British did not start the war. Germany did. And the Germans have understood better than most they were on the wrong side of history. Therefore they are now convinced that they do not want a German Europe but a European Germany.

But what if a British absence will force them to fill the European vacuum? Simply, by their specific weight in the middle, by their industrial strength, and by their history, which will determine the history of Europe, because they are there? And how does that affect the other countries of Europe?

I am a European, convinced, against all odds, and amid the sad turbulence of separatists and populists. The Europeans outside Britain cannot decide their fate this time. Now I read that the bosses of hedge funds are supporting the campaign to leave the EU. These are the people who were called not so long ago the dandies of the apocalypse in a French publication but who reads the French newspapers in the UK? David Cameron has spoken about the possibility of a world war. That seems far-fetched rhetoric, and has been ridiculed.

And yet, who dares to bet that if Britain opts out, later historians might not see this as a Versailles moment? Castlereagh and Wellington never left the congress in Vienna, and as far as I am concerned Cameron or Johnson, or Corbyn should stay seated at the tables of Europe. Our problems are manifold, but 50 years of peace is too precious to gamble with.

Letters to Poseidon is published by MacLehose.

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/06/11/dear-britain-elena-ferrante-slavoj-zizek-and-other-european-writers-on-brexit/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/161711823767

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oceniram · 5 years

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Power Rangers Rugrats 3

Episode 3

Its been a month since Hera-dia her minions and monsters have come to earth to conquer it. Each attempt had been foiled by the rangers and Hera-dia was at her wits end she couldn't figure out how to get rid of the rangers it annoyed her to end. No matter what type of monster she threw at them the ranger defeated them it was frustrating. "Ahh Gordian get in her and bring the other moron with you," she shouted in anger normally she wouldn't take out her anger on her soldiers but it has been a month since they arrived without success. "Madam you wanted to see us?" Both of her minions kneeled at her as the woman sat in her throne " Listen up I need you to tell me everything their is to now about power rangers we tried the easy way but now we make them suffer What I need you to do is research and you I want you to infiltrate the rangers and get me what I need to finish them off," Hera-dia ordered her minions and with that both of them went to work. "Yes mistress," The duo answered as they left to accomplish their missions. Gordian had left the lair soon after he was giving orders, however the monster maker had gone to the ancient archives to search on the history of earth and power rangers in it. What Kolder had found in the archives was stunning maybe that was an understatement but he couldn't help wonder how the heck did his mistress missed this.

Kolder the monster maker entered his mistress throne room he hoped that Hera-Dia was in a bit of a better mood then before. "Mistress I've done as you commanded me to do and I dont think you are going to like it," Golder bowed at his mistress as he talked to show her the respect she deserves. "Well are you going to speak in riddles or tell me what you discovered ?" Hera-dia's curiosity was intrigued she wanted to understand what was going on with this group. "well you see we are not the first invader for the Earth. As it turns out their have been previous attacker and every time their has been a group of power rangers to defeat them, what am trying to say is conquering this planet wont be easy." The monster maker explained to Hera-dia of the situation with Earth and its defenders. How there have been many teams throughout the years and Each team defeated their respective villain's and their forces of Evil. "So what your saying is that we should give up? I will never give up this universe shall belong to me do you understand me!" Hera-dia once again was angry how dare he suggest such a think. "Calm down Mistress am not suggesting anything of the sort all am saying is that we need to be smarter then the previous invaders." Kolder tried to calm his Mistress as best he could and it was a good thing he succeeded too.

Gordian was inside a training room or something that was the equivalent of a gym he trained in his warriors ways trying to further his strength however he was also plotting on how to take the Rangers down. He recalled all his battles with them this past month. As his memories went on he recalled that the pink ranger doesn't like to take orders but then he also recalled that she was close to the blue ranger and if he could do something to start a storm within the team then maybe he can get rid of them or they could get rid of each other for them, "Yes Thats It I know what I must do to defeat those foolish rangers," He shouted to himself as he went to prepare for the battle of his life. It was a good thing that he was a smart at least he thinks his a smart man. the shape shifter left his training area.

Back on Earth with Rangers the yellow and black rangers were practicing futbol/soccer Lil had become one of the best player and Phil became a decent player. "Good move sis if you keep this up you might be one of the best player on the planet ." Phil praise his sister he loved the sport but he loved his sister more as the two rangers continued to practice. Lil took the ball from the opposite practice team she ran passing centers and defensing she shot the goal jumped to catch the ball but the ball went in. "Good job Lil and good job team," Their coach praised her and the team. Team take break well continue later." the coach smiled he was seeing potential in Lil to be one of the best players his ever coached.

The blue ranger aka Chuckie was working on the Lava Java with his sister Kimi and their parents Chuck and Kira whom run the café with Betty the mother of the twins helps them out as well, "So Chuckie how long have you and Angelica been dating?" His sister asked him as they worked on the café "Not that long its been two months," Chuckie replied walking near the register to take the next customer's order. Chuckie gave the customary greeting and took the order as his sister went to the kitchen prepared the smoothie. "You call two months not long?" Kimi asked a bit surprise as their time went on Kimi and Chuckie continued to work and talk about their lives with each-other. Tommy was working on his latest film project which was something of a horror movie and by working I mean he was editing the film he had finished it a while back all that was left was the editing.

While the others were at work our practice the pink ranger was fighting a battle which she refers to as the stupid car monster. Thats right our current pink Ranger was taking driving lessons and she was doing poorly. "Ahh this is stupid," Angelica was getting frustrated with the car luckily for her the instructor was a man of patience. "Calm down Miss Pickles the car is a weapon you must be in control and remain observant to all your surroundings." The instructor explained as he saw his student getting nervous. Angelica drove whoever everything she did behind the wheel was wrong she had almost crash twice if not for the instructor pressing the brake on his side.

Unfortunately for Angelica and the rangers Hera-dia was watching them and she took notice of Angelica's frustration these gave the villainess a wicked Idea "I see an unworthy ranger "oh how delicious would it be too have one of their own take them down and I know how Kolder tell me you can make a monster out of this frustration," The wicked one summoned her monster maker "Yes of course mistress I'll get on that right away," Kolder wen to work as his mistress has order he used his magic to channel the frustration of the pink ranger into a monster. And thus Frustrator was born. Frustrator was basically a shadow with small eyes and a huge brain on top of his head that was the color red and he was hunched all the time.

Frustrator the newly monster started destroying the city. While the monster attacked and destroyed everything in sight. Gaia the mentor of the rangers witness these through the power of the river of knowledge she did what any good mentor would do and summed the rangers from their activities. "Rangers Hera-dia has sent another creature to destroy your world." She called to her ranger and ranger found spots to transform:

"Hey Kimi am going to the bathroom," Chuckie called out to his sister as he dashed to bathroom making sure no one was in their he shouted the magic words "BLUE DRAGON," ingulfed in a blue light that was shaped like a dragon the blur ranger appeared he immediately teleported to the battle field. "Hey ugly you wanna pick on some one try me," The blue ranger attacked the monster. Blue fought hard but the monster was unstoppable.

Tommy had the easiest way of leaving since he was basically alone and editing his films so he stood from his chair and yelled out, "RED PHOENIX." Tommy was drowned in ashes and from it rose the red ranger. Soon Red was teleported to the field where blue had engaged the monster "Need help?" Red asked as he used his phoenix sword to slash the monster, however Frustrator powers increased and soon he had both blue and red at his mercy. As the monster was about to finish them off he felt a sharp pain as he turned to see who it was he Saw the pink ranger "Blue Red are you gays okay?" Pink asked in concern as she rushed to the side of her teammates Yeah we're fine this thing is though," Red replied getting back up Where are Yellow and Black?" Blue askes as he dodged Frustrator's attacks.

Soon after Black and yellow arrived at the scene and started to attack the monster "what did we miss guys? Black asked pulling out his martial-arts moves. "You missed us getting our butts handed to us," Pink replied angrily as she went for her blaster and blasted Frustratior Where were you guys?" Red asked as he battled the monster "We had practice and it ran late, anyway how do we beat this guy?" Yellow replied to Red's question and asked one of her own. If we knew that we wouldn't be here."

The Ranger continued to battle Frustrator but this monster seemed to get stronger. Red threw a couple punches which were blocked by Frustrator. Pink kept on blasting him which made Frustrator angry and frustrated in other words he got stronger. Frustrator grabbed the laser and threw it back at Pink. Pink closed her eyes as she saw he blow come closer she felt as time stood still for some unknow reason she was paralyzed. it could be fear or something else whatever it was she was ready to die but the blow never came when she opened her eyes she saw blue standing in-front of her taking the hit for her. "Hey pink you okay?" Blue asked weakly as the blow he took damaged him quite a bit. "Yea you adorable idiot." pink replied to her boyfriend.

"Okay am threw following the rules you almost killed the man I loved and for that you pay ." Pink stood up and walked slowly towards the monster . The monster threw everything he had at Pink but she just kept on walking and dodging his attacks until she was close enough. She pulled her blaster at max and blasted him into ashes there was no remain of Frustraior for Hera-dia's growth spell.

Hera-dia observed these and she was surprised it seemed that pink was willing to do anything to save the ones she loved oh boy was she enjoying this mush better then tutoring her prisoners. "Kolder Gordian change of plans, I now know what I must do to defeat these wretched rangers once and for all," She smirked evilly.

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vitalmindandbody · 7 years

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Who’s bad? Michael Jackson’s estate owes Quincy Jones $ 9.4 m in royalties, jury ends

Music producer winnings four-year fight for fees related to music from books Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad

A jury on Wednesday found that Michael Jacksons estate owes Quincy Jones $9.4 m in royalties and make fees from Billie Jean, Thriller and more of the luminaries biggest hits.

The award from a Los Angeles superior court jury fell short of the $30 m the producer sought in the lawsuit registered nearly four years ago, but well above the nearly $392,000 the Jackson estate battled Jones was owed.

The jury of 10 women and two men had been deliberating since Monday.

This lawsuit was never about Michael, it was about protecting the integrity of the cultivate we all did in the recording studio and the gift of what we created, Jones wrote in a statement released. Although this[ decision] is not the full amount that I was strive, I am very grateful that the jury decided in our favour on such matters. I view it is not simply as a win for myself personally, but for masters rights overall.

Estate attorney Howard Weitzman said he and his squad were surprised by the verdict. I understand everybodys going to say it could have been much worse they were asking for huge amounts, Weitzman said. Were still disappointed.

He said the estate proposed an appeal.

Jones claimed in the lawsuit that Jacksons estate and Sony Music Entertainment owed him for music he had produced in Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad as well as the This Is It soundtrack and two Cirque du Soleil shows.

The lawsuit said the entities had improperly re-edited the anthems to deprive Jones of royalties and production fees, and that he had a contractual privilege to take first crack at any re-edit or remix.

The Jackson camp is of the view that Jones should be paid only licensing fees for songs used in those three productions. Jones claimed he was entitled to a share of the overall receipts from them.

The trial centered on the definitions of words in the two contracts Jackson and Jones signed in 1978 and 1985.

Under the batches, for example, Jones is entitled to a share of net receipts from a videoshow of the carols. The Jackson attorneys indicated the expression was meant to apply to music videos and not feature films.

Jury foreman Duy Nguyen, 28, said here contracts were the strongest pieces of ground the jury weighed, and said hearing Joness testimony was also helpful.

He said he and many members of the jury were Jackson followers, but that didnt factor into the deliberations. He said the judgment quantity was a settlement flesh based on an experts testimony.

Jones took the countenance during the experiment, and was asked by Jackson estate attorney Howard Weitzman whether he realized he was essentially suing Jackson himself.

Jones angrily contradicted. Im not suing Michael, he said. Im suing you all.

The defense attorneys pointed out that Jacksons death in 2009 has already been lucrative for Jones, who cleared$ 8m from his share of their works in the two years after the vocalists death, versus $ 3m in the two years previous.

You dont deserve a grow, Weitzman said during closing disputes. You cant have any more of Michael Jacksons money.

Jones contended he was seeking his due for the handiwork he had done rather than simply endeavouring money. His attorney Scott Cole accused the defense of using parole activities and loopholes to deny Jones, the Hollywood Reporter said.

The producer worked with Jackson on the three-album operate widely considers the performers prime: Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad.

Jacksons hittings from those albums including Billie Jean, Thriller and Dont Stop Til You Get Enough are among the songs Jones demands were re-edited.

The lawsuit initially placed the amount Jones sought at at least $10 m, but his attorneys later arrived at $30 m after an accounting of the owneds gains from the works.

Jones and Jackson proved to be a perfect partnership, beginning with the 1979 s Off the Wall. Jackson yielded a youth papa vigor to Jones, who was known principally as a producer and arranger of jazz and film soundtracks. And Jones lent knowledge and gravitas to Jackson, who was still best known to most as the child prodigy who fronted the Jackson 5.