#United Graphic 21

[aria-ashryver]

verified by Operation Olive Branch - line 26

🌷 This is a signal boost for the Alshawish family! 🌷

Meet Haya: a bright, young freelancer hoping to evacuate Gaza with her family.

They are a family of eight; Haya (31) is fundraising to evacuate through the Rafah crossing to Egypt, along with her parents, Nahed (64) and Shadia (53), her brother, Mohamed (35), and three other sisters, Ghadir (37), Amal (29), and Aseel (21). Their other brother, Ahmed, is currently residing in Belgium, and helping them organise this fundraiser.

Before the war stole their livelihood from them, these siblings worked as a united team of freelancers, including three skilled programmers and one graphic designer. Now, their father's factory has been destroyed, their home burned, they are unable to work, and they have been forced to flee for their lives.

So far, they have raised €58,581 of their €100,000 goal to see them all to safety.

🍉 Will you support them by making a donation? 🍉

As if their situation was not already horrific enough, Haya is also grappling with another fear:

I, Haya, suffer from severe allergy to penicillin-derived medications, and my sister, Amal, also suffers from severe allergies to medications from my family such as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. These allergies create a deep sense of fear and anxiety for us, as we live in a constant state of tension and fear of anything that may require a visit to the hospital. We fear being given inappropriate medications due to the unavailability of suitable treatments in Gaza because of war or lack of awareness and not informing the doctor of our allergies, which could lead to serious consequences threatening our lives. This situation breeds a storm of doubts and worries, so we appeal to you to help us leave Gaza and rid ourselves of the anxiety and fear due to allergies.

I urge you to follow Haya ( @hayanahed ) and read more of the Alshawish family's story in their own words. Please reblog their posts, and donate if you are able to do so.

You support will mean the world to them in this devastating time. Please donate if you can 💖

[fiercynn]

let's talk about the palestinians in israeli prisons

content warning for discussion of police and military violence, torture, and murder of palestinians, including of children, though not in graphic detail

in just the past two weeks, israel’s genocidal ramp-up in violence and surveillance towards palestinian has led to the doubling of the population of palestinians incarcerated in israeli prisons. prior to october 7, 2023, there were approximately 5,200 palestinians incarcerated by israel; by october 21, that number had increased to over 10,000. around 4,000 are gazans who were working in israel with temporary labor permits, and another 1,070 are palestinians arrested in overnight army raids in the occupied west bank and east jerusalem.

imprisoned palestinians are being treated worse than ever; israeli forces and guards are assaulting them, starving them, preventing them from accessing healthcare, cutting off of their water and electricity, and prohibiting them from any contact from their families. the knesset (israeli parliament) even voted this past week to allow prisons to reduce the minimum living space allotted to each detainee because of the rising crush of prisoners, and to allow detainees to be imprisoned without a bed.

but this recent ramp-up in detention and increase in the dehumanization of palestinians should not overshadow the long history of oppression, torture, and murder of palestinians by israeli forces through the criminalization. for a good background and summary, rawan masri and fathi nemer’s piece imprisoning palestine: zionist colonialism through an abolitionist lens for scalawag magazine is an illuminating analysis of how israeli law, policing, and incarceration have worked together to advance zionist colonization of palestine and dispossess palestinians of their land, their rights, and their humanity.

as a result of this history, the following dynamics and outcomes have long existed in israeli policing and incarceration of palestinians:

prior to october 7, one in every five palestinians had been arrested and charged under israeli military occupation; that percentage has only gone up now. while the absolute numbers on incarceration are nowhere near a country like the u.s., the rates of incarceration for palestinians are massively higher even than those of black americans (which is not to downplay the latter; the rates of incarceration for black americans is also fucking ridiculous and horrifying.) for palestinian men, that incarceration rate was as high as 40%. the united nations estimates that approximately one million palestinians have been imprisoned since israel occupied the west bank and gaza in 1967, including tens of thousands of children.

the israeli criminal legal system is anti-black as well, particularly towards afro-palestinians, who are tireless in their fight for palestinian liberation. even black jewish people are impacted by carceral anti-blackness: 40% of minors in the israeli correction system are ethiopian israeli jewish people, although ethiopian israelis make up less than 2% of population. but the racism is even clearer for the tiny community of 350-400 afro-palestinians, who live in a neighborhood in jerusalem that is blockaded at both entrances by israeli police, where they are highly surveilled and face constant police harassment. the majority of their community has been arrested at one point or another, and those who are incarcerated, including youth, are subject to constant rearrests for flimsy reasons. for example, mohammed firawi, an afro-palestinian youth who had been arrested when he was in twelfth grade because he was accused of throwing stones at israeli police, was shuttled around nine israeli prisons before being released five years later. however, he was rearrested two days after his homecoming because he “defied Israeli orders to refrain from celebrating [his release].”

palestinians live under a different (and harsher) system of law than israelis – an inequality so profoundly unjust that it didn’t even exist in south africa’s apartheid system. in the occupied west bank, palestinians are tried under military law for the same crimes that israelis are tried under civilian law. teenagers and adults alike are tried in military courts, where simultaneous arabic interpretation is not provided, so palestinian defendants are only provided summaries at the end of proceedings that can leave out important details. virtually all military cases in the west bank end in convictions – 99.74%, to be exact.

the separate systems of law also mean that palestinians can be held without trial or even being charged. “administrative detention” allows the israeli military to hold prisoners indefinitely on secret information, and is applied almost exclusively to palestinians in the occupied west bank, east jerusalem, and gaza. prior to october 7, there were 1,264 administrative detainees out of the total 5,200 palestinian people incarcerated in israeli jails – almost 25%!

palestinian children detained by the israeli military are subject to physical and psychological torture. since the second intifada in 2000, more than 12,000 palestinian children have been detained by the israeli military, and between 500 and 1000 children are held every year. a save the children report from july 2023 found that 86% of palestinian children report being beaten in israeli military detention. 42% are injured at the point of arrest, and 69% report being strip-searched. they are often interrogated without the presence of a parent or lawyer, and potentially even in a language not understood to them. they are also charged according to their age at the time of sentencing instead of at the time of their alleged offense, allowing for higher charges simply because their trials take a long time.

palestinians are often murdered in prison by security forces, and the bodies of palestinians who die in detention can be kept by israeli forces for the remainder of their sentence. since 1967, approximately 237 palestinian detainees have reportedly been murdered with torture, medical negligence, or execution during arrest or an escape attempt. in late 2022 and early 2023, the united nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied palestinian territories learned that israeli authorities were holding 125 palestinian bodies, including 13 bodies of palestinians who had died in prison, “allegedly as they need to terminate the execution of the sentence”. the bodies of palestinians are even lost or visibly damaged by israeli authorities when they are returned to families.

palestinian prisoners often face exile to gaza even when they are released, regardless of where they were originally from. former prisoners are often separated from their families, who may have difficulty entering gaza, and who may also lose rights simply for being related to a former prisoner. for example, formerly incarcerated palestinian shuaib abu snina was exiled to gaza, and found that his wife and children in jerusalem were raided and arrested by israeli forces using him as as reason. shuaib was forced to divorce his wife because his eldest son was told that israeli forces “will not deal with your [family] as citizens with rights in jerusalem unless your father divorces your mother”.

but even in captivity, palestinians continue to resist and fight for their liberation. incarcerated palestinians engage in mass disobedience even when faced with beatings or solitary confinement from doing so. since at least the 1960s, palestinians have undergone mass and individual hunger strikes; on may 2, 2023, khader adnan, who was being held without trial in administration detention, was martyred after 80 days of hunger strike. incarcerated palestinians also support each other and have earned concessions through their protests, such as increased visitations, better conditions, access to books and political curriculum, and more – though many of these are clearly being violated by the current israeli acceleration in imprisonment.

as rawan masri and fathi nemer conclude for scalawag magazine:

Today, more than ever, it remains crucial to center any discussion about Palestinian liberation through the lens of abolition and a complete rejection of carcerality. In this context, Incarceration is not only related to prisons and prisoners, but touches upon every aspect of our life. From the moment of birth, Palestinians must contend with being criminalized for existing. We are surveilled and censored, our oppression normalized, and our bodies corralled into various open-air and closed prisons. Such tactics have always revealed more about the jailor than the prisoner, and the logics inherent to the carceral apparatus are shared between all oppressive forces. While the goal is to project strength and power, what it divulges instead is fear, insecurity, and self-doubt. Resorting to locking away the inconvenient reminders of a crooked system betrays its weakness, a society unable to function without constructed villains onto which the world's ills can be pinned. It is an attempt to cover the sun with a sieve. [x]

organizations to follow and support:

addameer prisoner support and human rights association

samidoun palestinian prisoner solidarity network

al-haq

adalah legal center for arab minority rights in israel

adalah justice project

[tomorrowusa]

While perhaps it's too early to call it a "masterstroke", Joe Biden stepping aside for Kamala Harris will probably turn out much better than any Democrat would have predicted a month ago.

Kamala Harris will likely be the next president of the United States – and that’s overall good news if you care about democracy, justice and equality. Joe Biden’s decision on Sunday to bow out of the presidential race clears the path for the country to elect its first woman and first woman of color as president.

For people who need a historical reminder...

[M]ost people in this country typically choose the Democratic nominee for president over the Republican nominee time and time again. With the sole exception of 2004, in every presidential election since 1992, the Democratic nominee has won the popular vote (Biden bested Donald Trump by 7m votes in 2020).

Now for more recent events.

If, in fact, support for Democrats among people of color is the principal problem, then putting Harris at the top of the ticket is a master stroke. The enthusiasm for electing the first woman of color as president will likely be a thunderclap across the country that consolidates the support of voters of color, and, equally important, motivates them to turn out in large numbers at the polls, much as they did for Barack Obama in 2008. The challenge the party will face in November is holding the support of Democratic-leaning and other “gettable” whites, especially given the electorate’s tortured history in embracing supremely qualified female candidates such as Hillary Clinton and Stacey Abrams. (The primary difference between Abrams, who lost in Georgia, and Senator Raphael Warnock, who won, is gender.) Sexism, misogyny and sexist attitudes about who should be the leader of the free world are real and Democrats will have to work hard to address that challenge. One critical step to solidifying the Democratic base is for all political leaders to quickly and forcefully endorse and embrace Harris’s candidacy. Mathematically, it is likely – and certainly possible, if massive investments are made in getting out the vote of people of color and young people as soon as possible – that the gains for Democrats will offset any losses among whites worried about a woman (and one of color, no less) occupying the Oval Office and becoming our nation’s commander in chief.

We shouldn't forget that the VP's mom was born in India. A number of people in the growing South Asian community in the US who may not be especially interested in politics will be tempted to pause their disinterest and vote for Kamala. India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have all had female prime ministers – so there's not exactly a taboo about women in power.

One way to measure enthusiasm for Kamala is to look at how much money is being raised by ActBlue. Not all the money ActBlue raises goes to the national ticket. I donated to a US Senate campaign in June via ActBlue. BUT the timing of recent donations leaves little doubt what the cause of the recent spike is.

For context, first some recent weekly totals (source)...

Week of June 30 through July 6 — $65,220,920

Week of July 7 through July 13 — $48,669,913

Week of July 14 through July 20 — $61,349,601

As of Noon today (CDT): Week of July 21 through July 27th — $150,042,360 and the third day of the week is just a little over half over. In the previous hour alone, roughly $2.44 million was raised.

These are small donations, not like the $45 million per month promised by multi-billionaire Elon Putz to Trump. So grassroots Dems are stoked and are out for a win.

ActBlue is fairly no-nonsense, it's not exactly Amazon in layout. So people are not drawn there by flashy graphics.

Kamala Harris — Donate via ActBlue

[swiftiesforceasefire]

#SpeakNowTaylor Week (Jan 21-27) is a fandom-wide event with the aim of letting Taylor know that Swifties want her to demand a ceasefire.

In December, the United Nations voted, by an overwhelmingly majority, for a ceasefire in Gaza. Now, the International Court of Justice is hearing a case brought by South Africa that may lead to an order to stop aggressions against Palestinians within the next few weeks, even if the case takes years to conclude.

The world has not stopped showing up for Palestine. Protestors are out marching in the snow as Gaza enters a bitter winter with more than 23,000 dead and reports from humanitarian organizations around the world that more than half of its population is starving.

It's time for a big push. Taylor Swift's influence has been extensively documented in the last year: she's gotten tens of thousands of fans to register to vote, led to significant increases in viewership for the already wildly popular NFL, and caused mini economic booms in every state and country she's toured so far. The United States has lagged behind nearly every other country in the world in calling on Israel to halt its aggressions. As "Miss Americana," Taylor's influence could have a more important impact now than ever before.

To participate in #SpeakNowTaylor Week:

Share and promote the fandom event far and wide

Post #⁠SwiftiesForCeasefire and #SpeakNowTaylor every day of the week

Repost our graphics, found at our website, on every social media platform, and tag ⁠#SwiftiesForCeasefire and #SpeakNowTaylor

Tag @taylorswift and @taylornation in your captions, as well as in the comments and notes of other ⁠#SwiftiesForCeasefire and #SpeakNowTaylor posts

Fandom creators: Make your own ⁠#SwiftiesForCeasefire and #SpeakNowTaylor posts and flood the tags

Follow @swiftiesforceasefire for more actions, as well as graphics that you can share or repost to your own accounts.

Let's say #SpeakNowTaylor as loudly as we can, and make sure that Taylor knows her fans are #⁠SwiftiesForCeasefire!

[whumptober]

Meet The New Mods

Thank you very much for the warm welcome! To begin we’d like to say a very big thank you to mods Pan and Claire, as well as Jo, Marie and Kat, for their hard work in creating and continuing the event for six years — especially with how big the community has become! We have a momentous job ahead of us when it comes to modding the community and running the event as well as they did, but we are determined and up for the challenge.

So perhaps it’s time to introduce ourselves:

gunshou tumblr | discord | ao3

fandom old (she/her)

I’ve participated in Whumptober for a few years, although I never finished. I’m a writer who can’t write fluff to save my life; if a character isn’t going through some kind of trauma in canon I’ll make it happen in fanfic. I live with an old blind mini poodle and intense imposter syndrome. I used to mod communities on Livejournal (fandom OLD) and I’m really excited to be a part of the new mod team. Please feel free to follow and interact with me!

Surro | 21 | he/him | @promptsforyourwhumpfic

AO3: SurroWhump

Discord: surro_

🎵 - I’m Not Okay (Chris Catalyst) and Will of the People (Muse)

I've been lurking in the whump community since 2017, and have been a whump enthusiast for as long as I can remember (seriously, all of my original characters have to had some sort of whumpy backstory). I’ve been a loyal Whumptober completionist since 2018, and have written my fair share of angst for a variety of whumpees and OCs.This is my first time being a part of a mod team, and I am really thrilled to be a part of such a big event! I look forward to working on this project and interacting with the wider community.

Kitty | she/her | @mrmustachious

AO3: TheWeatherOutside

Discord: justkitty.

Hello everyone! Those in the Whumptober discord may know me as being a mod there since last year, but if not, then hi! I have been a completionist for Whumptober every year since 2019, and it’s safe to say that the event quickly became one of my favourite times of year. I’ve been a fan of whump since well before I knew what it was, so it’s been amazing to find a community filled with so many like-minded, wonderful people creating such fantastic (and evil ;)) works. I’m so excited to be a part of the team, and I am looking forward to seeing what everyone creates this year.

Vanne | 21 | queer | she/her | @fl4tlines

AO3: savanne

Discord: v4nne

🎵: Lowlife — YUNGBLUD & Cheap Love — girli

Hiya! I’ve mainly lurked in the whump community for a while, across several different blogs. I was a Whumptober completionist in 2021 on an old blog, but I haven’t completed it since! I mainly write OC whump, with more focus on emotional suffering compared to the physical elements. Outside of whump, I volunteer and run a wildlife rehabilitation unit, work in retail and keep the ADHD goblin in my head happy by cycling through an endless list of other hobbies like graphic design, wildlife photography and traveling for gigs. I’m really looking forward to helping put together Whumptober this year and being a part of it!

[halobirthdays]

IT'S FINALLY TIME

PUT ON YOUR PARTY HATS AND GET READY

In honor of Rtas Vadum's birthday on September 21, 2023, Halobirthdays is hosting an Rtas-themed birthday give away!!

What's included?

The winner will receive:

One (1) copy of Halo: Fractures

One (1) copy of the Halo Graphic Novel

One (1) unassembled, unpainted 3D print of a Kerel-pattern assault carrier** (like our girl Shadow of Intent)

One (1) high-res, watermark-free print of the commission created by @destinysquared, which I have affectionately dubbed "Rtas Pondering His Orb"

One (1) high-res, watermark-free print of the commission created by @ab-rinart

The cost of shipping and handling will be covered by Halobirthdays

**Listen to me. Read that again. The example shown is a 3D render. The winner will receive a plastic, unassembled, unpainted model, which measures around 7inx4in. The model includes supports that were added during printing that need to be removed. I will send the winner instructions on how to get it ship-shape (pun intended).

How do I enter?

You must be following Halobirthdays

One (1) like and one (1) reblog of this post will count as an entry, for a total of two (2) entries max per user

You must have an address within the contiguous United States

You must be eighteen years or older to enter

When will a winner be selected?

This give away will run from the moment of this posting until 12:00AM EST on September 22, 2023. After that, the entries will be tallied and a winner will be randomly selected as soon as possible. Halobirthdays will contact the winner via Tumblr direct message. The winner has 24 hours to come forward and claim the prize. If they do not come forward, a new winner will be randomly selected.

Please make it clear that you are not a bot by tagging the post, and/or adding an icon and banner to your blog. It's not required, but reblogs and likes from bot or give away accounts will be blocked.

Fine print below the cut:

This give away is not affiliated with Tumblr.

This give away will run until 12:00AM EST on September 22, 2023. One (1) winner will be randomly selected.

By participating, you affirm that you meet and agree to the terms and conditions set forth herein.

If a winner is selected but is found to not meet the eligibility criteria, they forfeit the prize and another winner will be selected.

Any issues regarding shipping once the prize has been mailed shall be settled between the winner and the mail service. Halobirthdays will make a conscientious effort to ensure that the prize arrives undamaged. However, Halobirthdays shall be held blameless for any lost or stolen prizes, damage, and/or shipping delays during transit.

[study-with-aura]

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

All of this review lets me see how much I have learned in my first year of high school, but at the same time, cumulative exams are NOT fun. There is SO MUCH information! And I'm still learning more information in Biology and World History! I mentioned this in yesterday's post, but my piano harmony and theory exam is on Friday, and I am much more worried about that than the practical! Almost done, almost done. And the best present of all during finals week, Julien will be home! He's taking his finals right now, and I'm not sure if he'll be coming back over the weekend or early next week. He won't tell me. He's going to get squished like my squishmallows. He better be ready for it!

Tasks Completed:

Geometry - 1st and 2nd quarter review

Lit and Comp II - Reviewed Units 7-9 vocabulary + read the news + + worked on non-fiction writing assignment (due next Thursday) + CLEP Test practice question + reviewed final study sheet

Spanish 2 - Reviewed Los Artes vocabulary + reviewed more on the preterit and imperfect

Bible I - Read Matthew 21

World History - Typed up a short essay about a current female leader and her accomplishments (I went with Kaja Kallas who is the Prime Minister of Estonia because she was in the last docuseries I watched as an interviewee, and she seemed interesting)

Biology with Lab - Learned about some phyla of invertebrates + filled in graphic organizer chart (first two sections) + continued germination lab

Foundations - Read more on virtue + completed the next quiz on Read Theory + worked on the outline for my argumentative speech

Piano - Practiced for two hours in one hour split sessions

Khan Academy - Completed High School Geometry daily mastery challenge + completed High School biology daily mastery challenge + completed World History Unit 1 test (89%)

CLEP - Completed Sample CLEP Test Questions 61-75

Streaming - Watched The Cuba Libre Story Episode 8

Duolingo - Studied for approximately 30 minutes (Spanish, French, Chinese) + completed daily quests

Reading - Read pages 229-274 of Into the Bright Open by Cherie Dimaline and finished the book

Chores - None today

Activities of the Day:

Personal Bible Study (Romans 8)

Ballet

Variations

Journal/Mindfulness

[kellyvela]

Sophie's Hon 💋

If you want to know more about the guy Sophie Turner is smooching lately, you know, that very tall, very very rich, British aristocrat with a fantasy novel name, this post is for you . . . . lol

His full name is The Hon Peregrine John Dickinson Pearson, but he goes by “Perry.” And the photo above is his company profile picture.

Born on October 27th, 1994, he's 29 years old and the future 5th Viscount Cowdray.

Perry is from Midhurst, West Sussex, and now lives in a £5million house in Chelsea, West London.

The Hon before his name means The Honourable, a title used for all sons and daughters of viscounts and barons. Hon also works for 'honey' and 'sweetheart', hence this post's title.

Peregrine may come from Henry Winston Peregrine Spencer-Churchill, nephew of former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Sir Winston (Leonard Spencer) Churchill.

Yes, Churchill, you read it right! Perry's grandfather Weetman John Churchill Pearson, 3rd Viscount Cowdray, was the son of Agnes Beryl Spencer-Churchill, who was the granddaughter of George Spencer-Churchill, 6th Duke of Marlborough.

So Perry is distant related to Winston Churchill and Diana Spencer, The Lady D . . . . In fact, he has already introduced Sophie to some of the current Spencer-Churchills (they are cousins with Perry, I guess 🤷‍♀️).

Now, I have no idea why his parents opted to name him Peregrine over Weetman, since each of the four former Viscounts Cowdray were all named Weetman; but his peculiar fantasy novel/bird-like name inmmediately made me think of House Arryn and Harry Hardyng. More on this later.

But since he's not named Weetman, he fixed that by naming his own property investment and development company 'Weetman'.

John is for both grandfathers: Weetman John Churchill Pearson, 3rd Viscount Cowdray, and John Howard Cordle. 

Dickinson is for his great-great-grandfather: Weetman Dickinson Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray.

~~~

Family

The seat of the Pearson Family is Cowdray Estate, Cowdray Park, Midhurst, West Sussex. The picture of the family above was taken at Buck Hall, the atrium of Cowdray House.

The name Cowdray comes from Coudreye, the Norman word for the nearby hazel woods.

Perry is the son and heir of Michael Orlando Weetman Pearson, 4th Viscount Cowdray, and Marina Rose Cordle.

His dad produced the documentary "Sympathy for the Devil," directed and written by Jean-Luc Godard, documenting the creative evolution of the song "Sympathy for the Devil" as the Rolling Stones developed it during recording sessions at Olympic Studios in London.

His mom is an artist, sculptress, interior designer and mindfulness coach, she's keenly interested in spiritual matters, she practises Transcendental Meditation (a form of silent meditation) and Qigong.

His parents separated in August 2023, after 36 years of marriage.

Perry has three older sisters and a younger brother:

Eliza Anne Venetia Pearson (born 31 May 1988). She married her first husband at 21. Later he left her for the Kate Winslet . . . . She remarried, had children and lives in Ibiza now.

Emily Jane Marina Pearson (born 13 December 1989). Tatler Magazine included her as one of the 10 perfect potential brides for Prince Harry . . . . She she studied Plant-based Nutrition and is one of the founders of the vegan restaurant "Farmacy" in Notting Hill.

Catrina Sophie Lavinia Pearson (born 13 March 1991). She goes by "Catty." She's a musician and a film-school graduate.

Montague Orlando William Pearson (born 17 May 1997). He goes by "Monty". Wee brother is 6'4. He's a helicopter pilot, enjoys flying drones and studied film production and graphic design. He was named after the former owners of Cowdray Estate, the Viscounts of Montague.

Perry also has an older half brother:

Sebastian William Orlando Pearson (born 1970).

As you can see, Perry is privileged to be the heir above his older half brother Sebastian, since he was born out of wedlock, and above his older sisters: Eliza, Emily and Catrina, since they were born women . . . . Where have I heard this before???

Sometimes I'm glad I'm an only child . . . .

As any other younger brother of three older sisters, he was annoying. According to Tatler Magazine, Perry liked to wind up his sisters (then vegan) by scoffing meat.

Perry is also an uncle, his sisters Eliza and Emily are mothers of cute babies, but sadly I can't show you pictures. He looks cute holding a baby tho.

Talking about cute babies, that little curly blonde boy sat in a chair next to his standing father in one of the portraits in the picture above, is Perry. His portrait was painted by Chinese artist Chen Yanning, who also painted Queen Elizabeth II's portrait:

Here a few more childhood pics:

That picture of of him as a baby peeing on a plant, is his Instagram profile picture . . . .

~~~

Education

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services at the University of West London, UK.

Not Oxford or Cambridge? Shocking!

UX Desing at General Assembly in New York, NY, US.

Dear Perry, you can improve my user experience by making your instagram account public. That would do!

~~~

Occupation

In January 2015, it was reported by Tatler Magazine that he was working for Aylesford International Estate Agents in London.

He also worked as an assistant site manager for Cordles, a London based contractor company founded by his maternal uncle Rupert Cordle.

He started working at Cowdray Estate in West Sussex, his family estate and heirdom, since 2016 to this day.

He's also the founder, partner and director of Weetman Developments, his own property investment and development company in London, since 2019 to this day.

Perry is also a Le Chameau – the wellington boot brand – ambassador.

As you can see, Perry is basically a nepo baby lol

But that doesn't mean he doesn't work, Cowdray Estate is huge (16,500 acre), and offers a vast variety of activities like golf, clay-pigeon shooting, fly fishing on the river Rother, walking, cycling, riding, polo, truffle hunting, hospitality at the farm shop & café, holiday cottages, tree houses, wedding venues, private stays and events at Cowdray House, filming locations (the Cowdray Ruins were used during the filming of Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan’s film, "Mary Queen of Scots"), among others, and Perry is/will be in charge of all of that.

According to his mom, back in 2019 he was pioneering aquaponic farming on a commercial scale [The Telegraph - June, 2019].

In an interview for The Gentleman's Journal, Perry said that he's working to pass the estate on to his heir in better conditions: “But the dream is to pass it on to my son or daughter in better nick than it’s in now. That’s the mentality when it comes to estates,” “You’re so grateful that you’ve been given this opportunity, you want others to have the same opportunity that you had.”

I don't know if Perry will try to change the primogeniture rules, but it was really nice to read that he thinks his heir could be a son or a daughter.

Perry's family was always wealthy (construction and petroleum in the past, publishing nowadays); but not always aristocrats.

His great-great-grandfather, Weetman Dickinson Pearson, was made a Baronet of Paddockhurst in 1894, then he purchased Cowdray Estate in 1909. Later he was made Baron Cowdray first, in 1910, and then the 1st Viscount Cowdray in 1917.

Viscount, is a European title of nobility, ranking immediately below a count, or earl. It is one of the five ranks of British nobility and peerage, which, in descending order, are duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron.

So, when Perry becomes the 5th Viscount Cowdray, he won't be on top of the british nobility; but he will be richer. At present, Perry's family is thought to be worth £224million, and one day, he will inherit all of that.

~~~

Hobbies

Riding (Not Polo)

His family estate includes Cowdray Park Polo Club, dubbed The Home of British Polo, but Perry doesn't play Polo.

His parents never pushed him to, perhaps fearing that he could get hurt by falling from a horse. "Michael (Perry's father) never sought polo glory after a fall from a horse at the age of 13" [standard.co.uk - 2010].

In 2018 he said: “Cowdray is to polo what Goodwood is to racing and Glyndebourne to opera.” “I’m getting lessons.” “I grew up riding and over the next few years it’s something I can see myself doing a lot more” [The Telegraph - August, 2018].

Later, in an interview for The Gentleman's Journal, he joked by saying that "he’s not particularly good at it".

So far, I only saw him presenting Polo trophies and congratulating the champions, so I guess the lessons didn't work . . . . lol

Maybe is better that way, if he doesn't play polo he wont smell of horses. Sophie is asthmatic and allergic to horses.

Golf

He plays golf for some charity and corporate events. No idea if he's good at it.

Clay-pigeon shooting

Not sure if he really shoots at flying clay targets or he only modeled to promote the shooting school at his family estate.

Huntings

He likes to attend posh huntings wearing tweed, baker boy caps and suspenders.

He already took Sophie to one of those last December, but she didn't wear tweed, she defied the rules by wearing a Zara black jacket and a pair of acid washed jeans. . . . She would look great wearing tweed, tho . . . .

(There have been hunters in my family, so I can't judge much)

Here some pics:

Skiing

He seems very skilled at it.

Meribel in France seems to be his family favorite destination to enjoy the snow.

He already took Sophie to ski & “après ski” there, and they were having the time of their lives!

Going to the beach

Yeah!

Ibiza is a favorite destination for his family, his dad used to live there, and now his eldest sister established there with her own family.

Can't wait to see Sophie enjoying the sun in Ibiza next . . . .

Enjoy some pics:

Partying

Fuck yeah!

"Like all the Cowdrays, he loves a party" [Tatler Magazine, January 2015].

"(...) the Hon Peregrine Pearson (the Cowdray heir), known for throwing ‘wild afterparties’ at his house in Chelsea, which he shares with Ella (Richards)’s boyfriend, Sascha von Bismarck" [Tatler Magazine, March 2023]. 

Here abundant evidence:

Pottery

Perry enjoyed spending time in his mom's pottery studio in the garden: “We were brought up being quite creative – spending time in her studio was very bonding” [The Telegraph - August, 2018].

I would love to see one of those creative pieces made by Perry 👀

Meditation

Like his mom, Perry practises meditation as well. [The Telegraph - June, 2019].

From pictures, it seems he usually wears a silver Meditator pendant. The Meditator is a seated figure, with a pointed head, a heart and a hole in its middle. His mom designed it herself, as a reminder to live in the present moment, rather than fretting about the past or future.

~~~

Previous relationships

His only known/famous relationship was with Princess Maria Olympia of Greece and Denmark.

He dated Olympia for three years, since 2020 to 2023.

She seemed really into Perry during the relationship:

But shortly after their break up was official, she was reported being in a relationship with an older, married with children man . . . .

His wife kicked him out of the house after the news. Good for her! [Read more about it here]

~~~

So far, this is all I learnt about Sophie's Hon Perry Pearson. I love that he's so tall and the way he can hug her being so tall, I bet Sophie loves it too.

But I kinda hate that the press only uses his most unflattering pictures, when is easy to find public pictures where he actually looks good.

Also, my friend told me that he reminds her a bit of Paul Mescal, and now I can't unsee it . . . .

What more can I say about him after my research? Oh, maybe that he has met the Dalai Lama and sat next to Kim Kardashian and Kimora Lee Simmons at Paris Hilton's wedding lol

He also loves to wear sunglasses, even indoors . . . .

Anyways, now to the point of this post!

~~~

Romance with Sophie Turner

Perry is a Scorpio and Sophie is a Pisces, like Scorpio Ryan Gosling and Pisces Eva Mendes . . . .

I have no idea how they met, where they met, or when they met, but we have evidence that they spent the last part of October 2023 together.

2023 was a rough year for both of them, with her divorce and custody battle, and with his own break up with his ex, and the separation of his parents after 36 years of marriage.

The first time we saw him next to Sophie, we have no idea who he was. It was during the Rugby World Cup final on October 28th 2023, just before Sophie unveiled the trophy:

Perry was there with Sophie, but we had no idea they were together until October 31th 2023, when a couple of pictures of them sharing a kiss outside Paris’s Gare du Nord train station were made public and got viral:

The pictures were taken on the same day as the Rugby World Cup final. It was reported that they arrived together in Paris from London via the Eurostar, and said goodbye with a kiss before meeting again later at the Stade de France.

When their Paris kiss pictures were all over the press, someone claimed that their friend had seen them together the week before:

So, if the Rugby World Cup final was on October 28th 2023 and Perry's 29th birthday was the day before, I bet the lovebirds spent his birthday together in London.

I wonder what Sophie got Perry for his birthday??? An appointment with a fashion stylist, I hope!

(Perry, honey, burn those double breasted suits in your closet, please! They don't fit your large body 🙏 King Felipe II of Spain, has a similar body and his tailoring is👌)

I also believe they spent the last days of October together in Paris, since they were seen all cozy during a romantic dinner at some fancy Parisian restaurant:

After that Sophie was seen back in New York on November 3th 2023. We don't know if Perry travelled with her to New York, but some anon claims he saw them holding hands in West Village:

Back in London, they were seen making out in a famous spot on November 2023 . . . .

. . . . And having dinner with friends on early December 2023:

Later, we have graphic evidence of them spending time together from the 7th to the 10th of December 2023, at least.

December 7th 2023:

They went to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland at night, where they walked around, hugged and kissed:

December 8th 2023:

They had brunch in West London and walked around hand in hand, eventually stopping so Perry could gently caress Sophie's face and kiss her:

That day, this also happened . . . . 🤨

December 9th 2023:

They attended a posh hunting weekend at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, held by some of the current Spencer-Churchills: George Spencer-Churchill and his wife Camilla Thorp, Marquess and Marchioness of Blandford (they will be Duke and Duchess of Marlborough one day).

The event was full of Perry's aristocrat friends like Alexander Spencer-Churchill, Lady Jemima Herbert, the Earl of Pembroke’s daughter, and Eleanor Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington’s niece, among others.

So, Perry has basically already introduced Sophie to some relative and close friends:

Can someone please explain to me why is Perry wearing a pink ribbon around his neck in the last picture? Is a mystery I need to resolve in this lifetime.

Here a few more pics:

After that, I suspect they spent the holidays together in London, or, at least, that they saw each other for a few hours during those days. I'm not saying she introduced him to her family and daughters, but it's obvious that they are dating and Christmas and the New Year are festivities you want to share with the people you care for.

I wonder what Perry got Sophie for Christmas? A handmade ceramic vase? A basket full of hydroponic vegetables that he grew himself?Diamonds?

And most recently, on January 17, 2024, they were seen walking around London at night all cozied up:

I want her UGGS!!!

Also, are those really mini liquor bottles at Perry's hand??? At first I thought they were Sophie's nail polish bottles 💅🏼

Someone spotted them skiing in Meribel, France. It was reported on January 28th, 2024, but it was probably before that date. Deuixmoi titled the stories as "let's see what your fave celebs have been up to the past week"

She's having the time of her life with Perry? GOOD FOR HER!

OK, today January 29th 2024, Sophie herself posted pics of them skiing in Meribel together with a couple of Perry's friends:

Lol at Perry not looking at the camera in the first pic 🤭

So, I suppose they are official now, right? Maybe it's time to post this post . . . .

~~~

Now, in the beginning of this post I said that after knowing Perry's fantasy novel/bird-like name, I immediately thought about ASOIAF's House Arryn and Harry Hardyng, you know, since House Arryn's sigil is a falcon, Harry Hardyng is dubbed the Young Falcon, and the peregrine is literally a species of falcon.

And since Harry Hardyng is the current Sansa's suitor in the ASOIAF incomplete series, I joked with my friends by saying that Sophie has entered his Harry Hardyng era . . . .

Perry also made me remember that passage in A Storm of Swords where Margaery's peregrine took a heron in full flight the day she and Sansa went hawking.

Peregrine is also the name of a ship that Arianne Martell boards in one of the few chapters of The Winds of Winter that GRRM released in advance.

Perry's name also reminds me of Pippin from The Lord of the Rings, since his full name is Peregrin Tuk, but this is a story for another day.

But if the Pearsons of Cowdray were a House from Westeros, they would be the Arryns enemies, since the Pearson's sigil is a gryphon:

And thanks to Sansa/Alayne we all know that the Winged Knight and the Griffin King were mortal enemies:

The Winged Knight was Ser Artys Arryn. Legend said that he had driven the First Men from the Vale and flown to the top of the Giant's Lance on a huge falcon to slay the Griffin King.  —A Feast for Crows - Alayne II

You know, in some ancient mythologies, the creature known as gryphon is depicted as fire-belching: "winged, tailed, and taloned dragon which spat fire." 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 Just saying . . . .

House Pearson motto is:

'Do it with thy might'

These words are carved on the stone fireplace in Buck Hall, the atrium at the heart of Cowdray House.

According to The Gentleman's Journal, Perry translates his family motto to simpler words: “Just do it — that might be a more modern approximation.”

But he's more into Adidas and North Star. Sorry Nike . . . . lol

Anyways, GRRM has the opportunity to do the funniest thing . . . .

~~~

And talking about GRRM, it's time to tell you that Perry's family are the founders and large share holders of Pearson plc, a British multinational publishing and education company headquartered in London.

Pearson plc owns Penguin Random House, you know, GRRM's publishers, the ones that publish the ASOIAF series . . . .

And I recently came to know that Penguin Random House is going to republish Joan Hannington’s autobiography “I Am What I Am” under the title ‘Joan.’ And, you know, Sophie's upcoming project is precisely a tv series called ‘Joan,’ with Sophie taking the role of Joan Hannington . . . .

Some will say that this is part of the j word agenda, lol

Again, GRRM has the opportunity to do the funniest thing . . . .

~~~

Finally, we need to answer an important question!

~~~

So . . . .

A match made in heaven? Or maybe we won't see his face again?

Only time will tell. I only hope that he makes Sophie super happy as long as they are together.

I will probably update this post with time or make a part 2, because Tumblr doesn't let me add more pictures 😢

Thanks for reading!

[factsfcrged]

FACTSFCRGED. An indie RP blog for FBI Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid of the Behavioral Analysis Unit from the series Criminal Minds. Written by Penny. Activity levels vary. 18+ required. 21+ preferred. Potentially triggering content may be present including but not limited to mentions of addiction, graphic violence, various methods of torture and homicide, psychological, physical and emotional trauma & more per the nature of the show and the criminals the BAU pursues.

AUs and crossovers are available / welcome. Multi muses, rp hub blogs & original characters are all welcome.

[wen-kexing-apologist]

Bengiyo Queer Cinema Syllabus

Hello! After a holiday hiatus, I am returning to @bengiyo’s queer cinema syllabus. We will be ringing in the new year with Unit 4: Heartbreak Alley, the totally light-hearted, definitely not agonizing section of the syllabus where I get to watch countless acts of violence be committed against queer people. That fuck I have Lesbians waiting for me at the end of this unit. The films in Unit 4 are: Bent (1997), Strange Fruit (2004), Boys Don’t Cry (1999), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Parting Glances (1986), Philadelphia (1993), The Living End (1992), Holding the Man (2015), Jeffery (1995), and Boys on the SIde (1995)

Today I will be writing about 

Boy’s Don’t Cry (1999) dir. Kimberly Pierce

Content Warning: rape, murder, self harm

[Run Time- 1:58, Lang: English] [I was not able to find Strange Fruit anywhere online so will investigate my library to see if they have a copy]

Summary: A young man named Brandon Teena navigates love, life, and being transgender in rural Nebraska. 

Cast: *Hilary Swank as Brandon Teena *Chloe Sevigny as Lana Tisdel *Peter Sarsgaard as John Lotter *Brendan Sexton III as Tom Nissen *Alicia Goranson as Candace

Side note: Boys Don’t Cry is based on the true story, and real life rape and murder of Brandon Teena, who was 21 years old when he was killed in Fall River, Nebraska. 

__

To start, I’m glad that I looked this film up before I watched it so that I knew what to expect. I don’t know how often this will occur throughout the syllabus, but while the syllabus itself is a lead in to BLs it seems to be structured towards Baby Gays, which means that I am expanding my knowledge of famous trans people in history beyond Stonewall. I didn’t know who Brandon Teena was until I looked up this movie, I didn’t see his name printed in anything until I read Transgender History. 

I am having a delayed reaction to this movie. While I was watching it, I was able to bear witness to the violence, it was graphic, and brutal, but I knew it was coming, I had time to prepare myself, I could abstract the violence being done in to a fictional character, I could remind myself it was a movie when the cameras panned away from the dead bodies and I could see the supposed corpses breathing. And then it was over and I couldn’t escape it anymore. I couldn’t escape the knowledge that this was real, that this actually happened, that what I had just watched, what I was not spared from, was bearing witness to an actual crime, to actual violence, rape, murder of an actual, real human being, of Family. 

I said this in my last post from Heartbreak Alley that I went in to this section just expecting to be put through the wringer for almost the entire length of a film. I would say I went in to this unit expecting to feel my skin crawling the way it did with Mysterious Skin. Instead I have been gifted all sides of queerness: acceptance, homophobia, love, hatred, joy, pain, gentleness, violence. I want to talk for a bit about how grateful I was to see Brandon happy. His experience in this film does speak to truth, to trans experience, the complexity of being loved by a family member but not having your identity respected. Brandon’s cousin cuts his hair short for him, but can’t call him a man. Brandon gets in a bar fight and is beaming afterwards cause he got a shiner, cause random strangers didn’t clock him as trans. Brandon stays in Fall River for far longer than he should because he is riding the high of just getting to exist as himself. I know a number of friends who wanted to immediately get the hell out of dodge when they started their transition. Hell, I barely return home myself. 

Brandon does stupid boy things, he flirts with every pretty girl, he pushes his own boundaries because he wants to prove that he is a man. He smiles. He smiles often. He smiles widely. He smiles. I loved how much he smiled in this movie. I love that his life was not all suffering. This movie is kind to Brandon while still having to put him through the inevitable. 

This movie speaks to queer strength and queer fears, Brandon knew the people who raped and murdered him. They were his friends, he was their friend. They smoked together, drank beer together, and tried to dodge cops together.  John (the man who will go on to murder Brandon) was one of the first people we saw affirm Brandon’s gender identity (at least in the movie). And I think this movie is smart in how they set John and Tom up. They are friendly but they are wild, we learn that John has issues with impulse control, we see how quickly John and Tom can escalate their behavior towards aggression. 

Lana serves a reminder to trans people that we are worthy of being loved, and that there are people who will love us. I love what it says about Lana when she notices Brandon’s breasts during their first sexual encounter. When they finish she feels his lap, searching for a dick, she strokes his cheek and comments on how smooth his face is, she calls him handsome. For me this is where I think Lana figures it out, even if she isn’t told until later. 

Lana (and later on Candace) serve as reminders to me that rural doesn’t mean bigoted. It can. It absolutely can. But there are queer people everywhere, there are allies everywhere, queer people can have a life, find love, experience joy anywhere. When Brandon returns to Lincoln for his court date, his cousin Lonny asks him “Fall River? You know they hang faggots there,” and that could be true. Fall River had people like John and Tom, it also had people like Lana,  Candace, and the nurse. 

[CW: the next few paragraphs will discuss sexual assault] 

I loved that Lana was committed to Brandon as a person, she did not care what his body looked like. I loved that she refused to participate in Brandon’s humiliation. When John and Tom forcibly stripped him and tried to show Lana his vulva, she refused to look. It’s Brandon’s business, she loves Brandon, she doesn’t care, she will ease as much pain and humiliation as she possibly can. 

The rape scene was brutual and hard to watch, especially because they don’t start it right away. Brandon is being interrogated, you get the implication, and while I was writing notes to myself I was just about to write “i’m glad they spared us the scene” when they cut to Brandon’s rape sequence. I sometimes struggle with displayed assaulted scenes, especially when they are associated with real people, because I think it is important to really, fully understand the violence that was committed against Brandon. I think the brutality he was treated with is very much an important thing to sit with and understand, and I am not one to feel like people should turn away from observing acts of violence. But I also don’t know that I love watching the assault of a man who actually existed who was really beaten and gang raped, I don’t think we have any way of knowing if he’d want to show that. I don’t think we have any way of knowing if that honors his memory. 

Either way, I did find it absolutely fascinating from a characterization standpoint what happened after Brandon was raped. Because before they get confirmation that Brandon is trans, they are using Brandon’s name and pronouns, then they get the confirmation and partway through they switch to Brandon’s deadname and misgender him. When they rape him, they misgender him. When he’s raped we see him getting thrown around, slammed against the car, punched in the face, etc. he is treated with such violence, and then it is over and Tom and John and Brandon kinda go back to normal? They gently place his shirt over his torso, they call him buddy, they help him stand up, they help him get in to the car, they ask Brandon if he is okay. 

They take Brandon home, and immediately go back to affirming his identity. Like Brandon is in the bathroom, trying not to hold back or quiet down his breakdown, and John and Tom refer to him as ‘little dude’ when they start asking him if he is okay and if he will need any help. Like???? I feel like I will need to sit in that scene for a while trying to pick apart what John and Tom’s brains are doing there. Don’t get me wrong, the less I have to hear Brandon be deadnamed or misgendered the better, but it was truly a wild thing to see Brandon’s cousin deadname and misgender him all the time while still caring about and loving him, and to see Brandon’s assaulters and future murderers just slip so easily back in to masculine terminology for Brandon in this scene. 

[Assault conversation over]

We get a similar thing with Candace where she is the first person to figure out that Brandon is trans, and she is horrified. But when Brandon comes a-knocking on her door, at first Candance cannot even meet his eye but she still uses his name, and the second she picks up on the fact that something is wrong with the way his voice wavers, she faces him, she softens, she asks him what they did to him, and she lets him back in to her home, she tries to hide him to keep him safe long enough to get out of town. 

And Brandon gets another moment of peace, he and Lana have sex with Lana knowing everything about him. Knowing that he lied about his life, knowing that he has a vagina. They have another moment alone to dream, to talk about leaving Fall River, to plan to run away together. I don’t know if any of that happened in real life, but the movie at least grants Brandon one more moment of joy before his entire life is ripped away from him. 

And it happens so fast. Candace is shot and killed instantaneously. Branon is shot in the head and he dies instantaneously, and John stabs him to make sure he’s finished the job, but in an instant, with the pull of a trigger Brandon is just…gone. Twenty-one years old, a whole life ahead of him. I think movies too often grant its characters a dying monologue. They get to have a final moment before they finally, slowly succumb to their injuries. But not here. Brandon is alive one second, and dead the next. There is no moment for silence right after, there is no remorse with John or Tom, they turn against Lana, they turn against each other. They are firing bullets at random, John is stopping Tom from killing Lana or Candace’s toddler. 

I’ll tell you what though, sometimes the parallels parallel. Two days ago, my friend and I learned of the death of someone we cared about and loved, it’s a devastating loss for our household, and a devastating loss for the broader community. As far as I know, they did not die from any violent action, but they were a part of an incredibly stigmatized and disregarded community. The last few people who have passed away in my life died slowly, I was able to brace for it, but this was quick, unexpected and I say this only because seeing Brandon die so quickly, knowing he was real, knowing he had so much time taken from him, that knowledge just wrapped itself right around the rest of my grief for the week. I had a delayed emotional reaction to this movie, it took a couple minutes of silence afterwards to feel the blow, but I think having watched this when I did, Brandon Teena’s story will live in a different, deeper part of me than most of the films I’ve watched so far. 

Favorite Moment

There isn’t one scene that really stands out to me, cause everything was so strong. I feel like my favorite moment is maybe right at the beginning when Brandon looks in the mirror after his haircut and sees himself and you can just see the happiness take root in his body. 

Favorite Quote

“You’re so handsome” 

Lana says this after she and Brandon have sex for the first time. I talked about it a bit above, but I think she figured out that Brandon was trans here, and I see her calling him handsome as affirmation.

Final Score

9/10

This was a fantastic film with incredible acting.

[satoshi-mochida]

System Shock remake for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, and Xbox One launches May 21

From Gematsu

The System Shock remake will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on May 21, publisher Prime Matter and developer Nightdive Studios announced.

The remake first launched for PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG on May 30, 2023.

Here is an overview of the game, via Prime Matter:

About

“Look at you, Hacker. A pth-pth… pathetic creature of meat and bone.” You awaken from a six month healing coma aboard Citadel Station, TriOptimum’s premier research facility. Mutants feast on their former crew mates, nightmares of flesh bound to metal roam the dark hallways, and the station’s A.I., SHODAN, is aiming Citadel’s mining laser… at Earth! Your military grade neural interface is all that stands between humanity and the silicon god coming to remake Earth in their vision. System Shock is a remake of the beloved PC classic. Updating mechanics, graphics, and enemy A.I.—System Shock is here to offer a new generation of players a chance to go toe-to-toe with one of gaming’s iconic enemies: SHODAN. Fight, hack, and save humanity from a fate worse than death itself.

Weapons and Tools at Your Disposal

“How can you challenge a perfect, immortal machine?” Weapons have been completely overhauled to form a new deadly arsenal featuring the MK 2100 Magnum, SK-27 Shotgun, LG-XX Plasma Rifle, ND-12 Rail Gun, the Laser Rapier, and many more. Plug-in the Mapping Unit implant to chart your way through all nine levels of Citadel Station, hook-up the Biological Systems Monitor to monitor your health and energy consumption, and install the Multimedia Data Reader to experience the last horrifying moments of Citadel’s crew.

New Threats and Horrors

“My children, a human infection continues to thrive inside of me…” SHODAN’s twisted mind has remade the crew into her image of perfection. Poisoning their DNA, she mutated their flesh. Clouding their minds, she grafted together steel and bone to make them cyborgs. Around every corner lurks a new and horrible way to die.

Explore Citadel Station for the First Time

“You are an interloper, a blight on my domain.” Citadel Station has been renovated to include new areas to explore, traps to evade, puzzles to solve and secrets to discover. Hack your way through Cyberspace, a 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF) hacking simulator rebuilt to be more dangerous with new enemies and challenges.

Watch a new trailer below.

Consoles Release Date Trailer

[usafphantom2]

8th Fighter Squadron Honors F-117 with Striking New Matte Black F-16 Flagship

The 8th Fighter Squadron has unveiled a new flagship: an F-16 painted matte black to resemble its iconic predecessor, the F-117.

David Cenciotti

8th Fighter Squadron flagship

The new flagship of the 8th FS (All images, credit: A1C Michelle Ferrari)

On Jun. 12, 2024, the social media account of Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, posted on Instagram the first photos of the new flagship of the 8th Fighter Squadron: an F-16 Fighting Falcon (or “Viper” as the type is nicknamed within the fighter pilot community) sporting a black color scheme that is inspired by its iconic predecessor at the unit, the F-117 Nighthawk stealth jet.

Indeed, the aircraft, an F-16C Block 42 #88-0517, is primarily painted in a matte black color, giving it a stealthy appearance. The nose cone/radome and the underside of the fuselage appear to be painted in a lighter gray. The tail features the emblem of the 8th Fighter Squadron, also known as the “Black Sheep.” This is depicted by a graphic of a black sheep standing on a white thunderbolt.

The tail of F-16 #88-0517.

The tail code “HO” is visible, indicating the aircraft is based at Holloman Air Force Base. The top of the tail has a tail flash with a stylized F-117 and the text “Black Sheep” written in yellow on a black background, which is part of the squadron’s identity.

Overall, the combination of dark and light gray tones as well as the unmistakable squadron markings, give the aircraft a unique appearance.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Holloman AFB (@hollomanafb)

The F-117-era

“The Nighthawk was transferred to Holloman in 1992 and was here longer than any other base. If you look at the history of this amazing aircraft, you’ll see why we’re so excited to honor its legacy,” says the text accompanying the photos of the new 8th FS’s flagship.

The 8th Fighter Squadron is still today an active unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the 54th Fighter Group under the Air Education and Training Command, and stationed at Holloman AFB. The squadron currently operates F-16 and its role is initial training, transition training, and instructor upgrades on the Viper.

In 1992, the 8th FS, depending by the 49th Fighter Wing retired its F-15A Eagles and received the first Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighters from the inactivated 416th Fighter Squadron.

After converting to the F-117A in May 1992, the 8th deployed fighters and crews to Southwest Asia in the 1990s for Operation Southern Watch, supporting UN weapons inspectors in Iraq and enforcing the no-fly zone to curb Saddam Hussein’s WMD programs. In 1998, the squadron’s F-117s were sent to the Gulf during Operation Desert Fox to enhance strike capabilities against high-value targets, although the operation concluded before their arrival due to the long flight from Holloman AFB to Kuwait.

On February 21, 1999, the 8th deployed F-117s and crews to Aviano Air Base, Italy, and Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, for Operation Allied Force, a NATO mission to stop ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. The squadron’s Nighthawks played a crucial role in the initial airstrikes against Yugoslavia’s air defenses.

But on March 27, 1999, “VEGA 31“, the F-117 Nighthawk #82-0806, flown by Lt. Col. Darrell P. Zelko, was shot down by SA-3 Goa surface-to-air missiles while returning to Aviano airbase, after a strike mission against a target near Belgrade. A US search and rescue team recovered the pilot a few hours after the crash. This incident marked the only loss of an F-117 in combat. Following this, Defense Secretary William Cohen ordered 12 additional F-117s to join the operation, bringing the total to 24.

After Allied Force, F-117s of the unit were also involved in OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom), during which the stealth jets deployed Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, and supported the invasion’s opening night, targeting a bunker believed to house Saddam Hussein. Despite not eliminating Hussein, the strike allowed the coalition to gain a strategic advantage, and the EGBU-27 bomb became the F-117’s primary weapon.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom, F-117 pilots flew over 80 missions, deploying nearly 100 enhanced guided bombs against key targets. Approximately 300 personnel supported these missions.

In 2006, it was announced that Holloman AFB would cease to host the F-117A, with the aircraft retiring by 2008. The planes were sent to Tonopah Airport, Nevada, for long-term storage due to the continued classification of their stealth technology. The last official flight of the F-117A was carried out in late April 2008, leading to the inactivation of the 8th Fighter Squadron after 67 years of active service on May 16, 2008. As we have explained in details for several years now, the retirement of the F-117 was not final and 16 years later, the Nighthawk still flies.

F-117 landing (Image credit: U.S. Air Force)

Viper unit

The squadron was reactivated and equipped with the F-22 on Sept. 25, 2009. In May 2011, the squadron ceased its operations, and on July 15, 2011, the 8th Fighter Squadron was officially deactivated. It was reactivated once again, at Holloman AFB, on Aug. 4, 2017, as an F-16 unit under the 54th Fighter Group, which at that time was a geographically-separated unit of the 56th Fighter Wing from Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

In October 2018, the Fighter Group was realigned under the 49th Wing when Holloman was assigned to the Air Education and Training Command (AETC).

About David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

[wormytoast]

2.3 graphic! 2.2 graphic here

as always this post is leak free but my blog DOES contain leaks and spoilers, so please mute "#hsr spoilers" and "#hsr leaks" if you don't want to see that stuff <3

Trailblazer will not be considered in these stats because they are a null character.

TYPES

Fire: 7

Ice: 8

Lightning: 7

Wind: 6

Physical: 8

Quantum: 8

Imaginary: 6

Fire is now in the middle of the pack with Lightning while Quantum is boosted to the front with Ice and Physical.

PATHS

Destruction: 9

Erudition: 7

The Hunt: 7

Harmony: 8

Nihility: 9

Preservation: 4

Abundance: 6

Destruction is, once again, tied for most populous path with Nihility (who could've guessed? LOL). Erudition gained one more unit.

RARITY

Limited 5-Star: 23

Standard 5-Star: 7; Overall 5-Star: 30

4-Star: 21

For a second version in a row we did not receive any drip marketing for a new 4-star! I think the absence of one in 2.2 is fair considering the hinting they did with Trailblazer's hat in the live, but what's the reason in 2.3? It's not a big deal regardless but still strange.

OVERLAP

There are now 9 overlaps of unit path/type combinations. Neither Firefly nor Jade are new type/path combinations, although both are new rarities for their combos as well as the first overlapping combos for their respective types. The only type without an overlapping combination is Imaginary.

Fire/Destruction- Hook & Firefly

Quantum/Erudition- Qingque & Jade

Physical/Harmony- Hanya & Robin

Physical/The Hunt- Sushang & Boothill

Ice/Preservation- March 7th & Gepard

Ice/Destruction- Jingliu & Misha

Lightning/Erudition- Serval & Jing Yuan

Lightning/Nihility- Kafka & Acheron

Wind/Nihility- Sampo & Black Swan

Unfulfilled combinations:

Erudition- Wind & Imaginary

The Hunt- Lightning

Preservation- Fire, Wind, Lightning, & Physical

Abundance- Ice

MODELS

F child: 2

F short: 9

F med: 11

F tall: 11

M short: 3

M med: 4

M tall: 10

Wow, two more women in a Hoyo game? I'm so surprised! Seriously though, Jade is the first Quantum unit that has a tall model (all Quantum units up until this point have been F med or F short). Of course this is assuming that Jade has an F tall model but, realistically, her proportions are that of most F tall models so I'd say it's a safe bet. We already know Firefly is an F med model. No love for the boys or the children this version.

I don't feel like repeating old info so I'll try to be quick: Quantum is all women while Imaginary is all men except for Yukong. We have not received a new F child unit since launch (happy one year HSR!).

OVERALL + OTHER THOUGHTS

Not much to say about this update in terms of statistics or units. I'm REALLY hoping we get Sunday by 2.4, but there's also a good chance 2.4 will take us to a previous location to give players a breather from Penacony, so we might need to wait a bit longer for Sunday 🫡

I'm also surprised that we didn't get Screwllum for 2.3 considering they mentioned updating the Simulated Universe in 2.3! Very unfortunate for Screwllum enjoyers.

After Penacony... maybe a Japanese-themed location? We've already got hints of one from both Sparkle and Acheron (although Acheron's home is probably unreachable now...)

Thanks for reading this far if you did! Maybe consider following this account? Or not since this is basically a gacha ramble account LOL

[bimboficationblues]

One Piece in Review, Part 1: Break of Romance Dawn! (Ch. 1-41)

Welcome to my One Piece reread review! In each part I’m gonna take a close look at each arc of the manga, what works, what doesn’t, how it relates to the work as a “whole" (such as it is).

First up: Romance Dawn [chapters 1-7], followed by two story arcs which I think follow enough of a similar pattern that they can all be understood as a unit: Orange Town [chapters 8-21] and Syrup Village [chapters 22-41]. Where the grand adventure begins! These make up the first half of the "East Blue" saga, a series of arcs that all take place in the "East Blue" sea.

The first three arcs of One Piece follow a very simple formula: our protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, is in need of members for his pirate crew and a ship. This is part of his ambition to become "King of the Pirates," which requires finding the treasure of previous Pirate King Gold Roger. He shows up in a small village or town, often by contrivance, and confronts a local villain who is menacing the locals in one form or another: an authoritarian Marine captain, a ransacking materialistic clown pirate, and a scheming ex-pirate trying to pull off one last job, respectively. Luffy gets involved not out of a desire to be heroic, but usually out of self-interest (such as acquiring a ship or a map of his destination) or to help an interpersonal connection he's made in the area. Along the way he meets an oddball with some special talent or skill who he invites to join his crew, and they eventually agree to join in pursuit of their own personal dream. In this series of arcs, he recruits powerful and stoic swordsman Roronoa Zoro, kleptomaniac and pirate-hating navigator Nami, and inventive but cowardly sharpshooter Usopp.

@canmom recently read through this segment of the story and posted what I think is an insightful perspective about the series’ beginnings, from the viewpoint of someone approaching the series for (approximately) the first time in its twenty-six year history. Her perspective is, I think it's fair to say, a little mixed, both because of the art style's notoriously divisive quality as well as the tone and content of this first part of the story.

These first three arcs kind of wear author Eiichiro Oda’s influences on their sleeve both narratively and visually, especially that of Akira Toriyama's Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball. I also think that some of the concepts are probably inspired (directly or not) by series like JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and Outlaw Star, such as the "Devil Fruit" (which resemble JJBA's Stands as a way to give characters unique and wacky powers, though simpler than Stands in general). The linework for characters is generally rounder and softer in shape, a little "cartoony," and it's not always consistent. There's a lot of visual gags, puns, and big reaction faces, though mercifully few lame sex jokes relative to the early portions of Dragon Ball. The strongest visual moments are in the action sequences and spreads (see below).

Similar to Dragon Ball, One Piece draws a lot on folk tales, fables, mythology, and fantasy literature, sometimes subtly and sometimes not so much (as is the case with the introduction of Usopp, a character who is initially both a variant on Pinocchio and the Boy Who Cried Wolf). And yet, Dragon Ball doesn’t really confront the grimmer sides of its story and world until fairly late into the “non-Z” portion. Within the first chapter of One Piece: a child cuts his face open with a large knife to prove his courage, a bandit gets shot in the head by a pirate, and another man has his arm torn off by a sea monster. (All of these are obfuscated in some way in the Toei anime.) None of this gets an especially graphic treatment visually, but combined with the apparent silliness of the power system and visual design, plus some of the more interesting setting details, it definitely establishes that this is a world full of both awe-inspiring wonder AND genuine danger.

And, unlike something like Dragon Ball or JoJo's where a lot of the writing is (self-admittedly) done by the seat of the author's pants, there's definitely a real effort to maintain something like a consistent world-logic - which isn't to say Oda doesn't sometimes abruptly change course. But concepts like the "Grand Line" or the Devil Fruit surface repeatedly, baiting readers to follow and learn more if they keep coming back. Below, Chapter 8 (an early mention of the Grand Line) and Chapter 22 (where it's actually explained in detail):

The settings and backgrounds of these early arcs tend to be sparse, minimal, and rustic: small houses, quiet taverns, little rickety boats, and tamed greenery. This, too, is a tradeoff. On the one hand, it effectively communicates how small this part of the world is, and on re-read this makes these early islands really stand out compared to the kinds of weird or grandiose places that the Straw Hat Pirates will visit later in the manga. It paints a picture of small communities and everyday people trying to eke out a stable existence on the periphery of the world, threatened by a mix of local crime and corrupt authority, which in turn point towards the existence of much larger forces.

On the other hand, those first forty chapters can feel a little drab because of this somewhat underwhelming aesthetic. Once the series starts to really hit its stride in the following saga, I think this is much less of a problem. And, just to defend the thing I just critiqued, @opbackgrounds has a cool write-up noting the differences between the architecture in the different villages, so although the settings aren't the most thrilling, their designs do still communicate distinct class and cultural differences, like Orange Town's obviously greater wealth communicated below, which corresponds to its success as a port town:

This same limitation of scope extends into the main conflicts. They skew small, with relatively minor pirate crews menacing the small towns that I described above. Unlike the antagonists of the "Paradise" [Ch. 101-597] and "New World" [Ch. 598-ongoing] portions of the story, who are admirals, warlords, emperors, and even a self-proclaimed god-king, the antagonists in these first three arcs are trying to acquire petty personal fiefdoms or fulfill private schemes, or in the case of that clown everyone was upset about a while back, reach *well* outside his grasp. It can feel a little "villain of the week," and in at least two out of four cases, with one edge case, that's an accurate label.

The two villains of Romance Dawn, for instance, are completely outclassed by our protagonists. "Iron Mace" Alvida and "Axe-Hand" Morgan never pose a serious threat to our heroes, they're largely vessels for Luffy and Zoro to display what they can do. They have two other useful qualities, though. First, they immediately set the tone for who the antagonists are generally going to be, a mix of Marines or government authorities, and other pirates with alternative worldviews to Luffy and the crew's. Second, they introduce some of the series' basic themes.

Both Morgan and Alvida rule by fear, with the former in particular demanding complete obedience, and using his rank in the Marines as proof of his own superiority and a means to personally enrich himself. By putting Luffy in conflict with these two, it suggests that the status of "Pirate King" maybe doesn't inherently carry the kind of connotation of superiority and command, or control over wealth, that you might assume. In the first chapter, we've seen Luffy glow with delight at the claim that "pirates have freedom." While the themes are a little embryonic at this point, it's clear from the start what direction the series is going.

In this way, most of the villains are direct foils for Luffy and the crew member being recruited in each arc. For example, Captain Kuro "of a Thousand Plans," the villain of the "Syrup Village" arc, is both a foil for Luffy and Usopp, willing to abandon his crew in pursuit of a quiet, shamed life as an ex-pirate rather than live loudly and proudly, and who relies on deception to advance his goals. Buggy the Clown, the villain of "Orange Town," has a boundless ambition for treasure that parallels both Luffy and Nami's aspirations, but while Luffy sees treasure in the variety of places and things that people value because of their history and connections to important people (like his own straw hat), and Nami's money-lust stems from a complicated history of hurt (which is only foreshadowed in this section), Buggy is simplistic and sadistic, incapable of seeing beyond himself.

A random aside: Buggy is an all-time gag antagonist, and unlike the other three, he will repeatedly resurface throughout the narrative. This is part of the core appeal of One Piece, imo. What seem like villains of the week or background characters often end up coming back, often in new roles. In Buggy's case, while he returns first as a minor villain and later an ally, above all he is essentially the series' longest-running gag: a man who is basically incompetent but keeps failing upwards largely through the misunderstandings of others.

This use of narrative foils to push specific ideas within each arc, which then form a web of interrelated themes throughout the whole saga or series, is a common feature of One Piece antagonists, but they get meatier and gain greater emotional complexity or thematic weight as the story goes on.

You might have noticed I've been quiet about the core cast so far, but now that I've touched on antagonists, it seems appropriate to say some words about them. But also, that's partly intentional because in the early days the information about our protagonists is relayed in a piecemeal way. We get basic backgrounds for Usopp, Luffy, and Zoro, but a better sense of who they are unfolds over time rather than in single chapters or arcs: how they behave with each other, the choices they make, what their personalities are like. This lack of instant information is deliberate on Oda's part. Luffy (after learning that Nami lost someone to pirates) expresses that he understands, but also indicates that he doesn't necessarily need to hear about it. These people aren't connected because they share intimate details of their histories with each other but because they have shared values and aspirations, and they inspire one another to pursue their goals.

The way Luffy is written, for example, leaves open a lot of questions around his familial and early life until they suddenly come roaring back into the story way later. But we do learn a decent amount about him in this arc: he's a bit of a dope and not a great sailor, but he's a strong fighter, he has some sense of honor and bravery but isn't above being underhanded, and despite his lack of intellect he has a fair amount of tactical and emotional intelligence.

While he hasn't quite figured out to be the best possible leader yet, Luffy has a sort of natural charisma by virtue of his sheer unblinking willpower. His dreams and aspirations inspire others around him to pursue their own, seemingly unachievable goals. So far, so shonen. But where he stands out from other shonen heroes is that his goals are so defiant of how the world "should" work - a young kid who can't swim, with the silly power of "stretching," from a backwater village in the "weakest" sea in the One Piece world - that it naturally brings him into conflict with that world's social and political order. It'll be interesting to observe how Luffy develops as a character and a leader as the series continues.

Each of the main cast is, fittingly for pirates, atypically heroic or arguably non-heroic. In spite of their position as protagonists, each one has an idiosyncratic personality, a self-interested goal, and a hoard of vices, and what's more is that these vices often aren't always positioned as things they need to overcome. Zoro is incredibly prideful to the point of putting himself in unnecessary danger, indulgent in alcohol, and easily gets lost. Nami is obsessed with making money and has an especially short fuse. Usopp is easily frightened and falls back on deception as a way to puff himself up.

And yet these are the things that endear the characters to each other, and us to them: Usopp uses lies not just to inflate his own ego but to make others feel better or to distract an enemy at critical moments; Zoro's prideful determination to basically defy all medical wisdom has saved the crew's life multiple times, as early as Orange Town; Nami's knack for stealing makes her a valuable asset under pressure, and her short fuse is because she often has to play the clever and rational member of the group.

I'm gonna decline to comment further on the remaining three characters, because I think while each of them gets time to shine in this section of the story, it'll be better to look at how they take shape in the context of the next string of arcs. Which means, once again, I find myself pointing to the long game as justification for what makes this section of the story work.

I think taken together, these qualities of the early series make it easy to see why One Piece is massively successful AND has something of a mixed reputation among non-readers, or people who pick up the first volume or two and then drop it.

My feelings on this earliest segment of One Piece are a bit mixed, myself. What makes it work for me is viewing it as part of an unfolding process, with the knowledge of what's to come and how the seemingly small and less exciting characters or concepts eventually swell in scope and emotional weight. But some of the emotional moments in this early section land with a bit of a thud for me (I've never been a huge fan of Zoro's backstory for instance), and the conflicts and characterization are hit or miss. But, considering the manga I've read that have stronger starting points but ultimately drown as they continue, there's a compelling case to be made that One Piece is a great example of manga-as-process rather than just a series of parts. It benefits from a long-term, serialized format in a way that not all works actually do.

Overall I'd say Romance Dawn is a little wobbly, while Orange Town and Syrup Village polish up the basic formula before it starts to get more complex in the next few arcs.

Next up, Baratie, Arlong Park, and Loguetown (ch. 42-100)!