#also it's based on a german tv show

[leuchtstabrebell]

Why you should watch "Ku'damm 56 - The Musical"

I promise it's good!!! My friends and me liked it so much that we saw it live several times. There are people that went there over 80 times. There is a pro-shot that you can watch for free (here)!

Why you might like it:

The music is really good. It's mostly rock with some other genres mixes in. They don't have an orchestra but a rock band instead

The main character is a well written young woman defying the society of West-Berlin in the 1950s

One of the characters is gay and the musical in general has very queer vibes. (That might be because two of the creators are gay men)

It's pretty funny with a very German sense of humour. Very dry. Also a lot of weird sayings.

It's dark but with a hopeful message at the end

The costumes, set and lighting are very creative and good, as well as the choreography.

The actors are fantastic and the characters all have a lot of depth. They're all incredibly complex.

If you like Tanz der Vampire or Elisabeth, you might also like this. It also kind of has Hamilton and SIX vibes.

Why this might not be something for you:

It's in German. (I'm working on a translation English subtitles can be found here)

It contains graphic depictions of: rape, domestic violence, sex, suicide attempts, conversion therapy, misogyny, homophobia

It contains discussions of: all of the above, abortion, the holocaust, war, trauma, infedelity, depression, suicide

One of the characters is a rapist who is portrayed kind of sympathetically. I think his whole plot-line is kind of problematic. Also, basically everyone is morally grey in this. I mean, almost all of the older characters were Nazis...

All of this said: this musical was advertised as something for the whole family and it manages to balance lighter and heavier subjects very well. Weirdly, it really captures the spirit of a lot of Germans, especially people from Berlin.

I'm probably going to make another post later where I'll talk more about the plot and the characters.

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Panjabi MC - Mundian To Bach Ke 2002

"Mundian To Bach Ke", also titled "Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke)" or "Beware", is a bhangra music song produced by British musician Panjabi MC, with vocals and lyrics by Punjabi artist Labh Janjua. The song was produced by Panjabi MC in Birmingham, England, for his 1998 album Legalised. In addition to features of bhangra music, "Mundian To Bach Ke" also uses the bass line and part of the beat from "Fire It Up" (1997) by Busta Rhymes, which in turn is based around a sample from the television theme song for Knight Rider. Following its release as a single in November 2002, "Mundian To Bach Ke" achieved worldwide success, topping the singles charts in Italy and Wallonia and charting highly in many other countries. A remix of the song, released in 2003 and featuring American rapper Jay-Z, also charted highly in North America and Australia. The song sold an estimated 10 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. "Mundian To Bach Ke" was released as a single in Germany on 25 November 2002. It sold over 100,000 in the first two days alone and debuted at number two on the German Singles Chart. On the Italian Singles Chart, the song reached number one for three weeks. In the UK, it was issued through Instant Karma and debuted at its peak of number five on the UK Singles Chart; it was the first bhangra song to reach the UK top 10. It has been featured in many movies and tv shows as well as the dance games Dance Central 3 and Just Dance 4. It received a total of 78% yes votes!

[luna-andra]

StepDad!König Headcanons (SFW & Wholesome) ✨

Image @cozyhuii (@miss_bozo on Twitter)

Headcanons I thought up of König being a step daddy to reader's kid

A/N: Y'all got my very first König headcanon list to 600+ notes earlier today and I had to pump this one out. I had been in a writing rut for a while (still kind of am? But I'm finding my way back) and this is my way of showing my gratitude. StepDad!König originally was something I did for me (König being step daddy to my kid? YES PLEASE) but I made this gender neutral (& gn kid) like the other ones 🖤

Domesticated!König Series: Part 1 Part 2

I write other stuff too! Masterlist here 🖤

👑 His reaction was the better outcome you had thought up when König found out you had a kid from a previous relationship. Why would that deter him from continuing to date you? He was a man that didn’t view single parents as “spoiled goods”, and would quite frankly curb stomp someone if they heard them refer to you as such.

👑 He was aware of the possibility of you postponing and rescheduling dates, and unfortunately they did happen. “Sitter canceled? No problem.” “Mom/Dad bailed on their weekend? I get it.” You were so relieved by his patience and empathy for the times plans would fall through.

👑 It was clear to König that you were going to hold off on introducing him to your child. He had great respect for that rule, it meant you were very keen on not having a revolving door of people coming in and out of that kid’s life.

👑 As time went on, he would always show an active interest in your child by asking how they are doing in school? Did they still like [insert movie/TV show here]? He hoped they liked the treats he had bought at the PX on base.

👑 But the one time you seemed extremely defeated and bummed out about another postponed date, he took his chance and threw out the idea of hanging out - the three of you - at your house. You hesitated, but it had been nearly long enough for you to be okay with it. The guilt weighed on you considering it had been a hot minute since the two of you had any time for each other. König was such a sweetheart, reassuring you that this is how he wanted to spend his time, with you and your kiddo.

👑 Almost every date after that became an outing with the three of you. He was referred to as Onkel König by your child, a title that warmed his gigantic heart.

👑 Came to every sports game/martial arts competition/band or orchestra event/etc. Became as active as the bio mom/dad (if they were still around) in their extra-curricular activities. He didn’t want to miss a single thing.

👑 Speaking of bio mom/dad/ex-spouse, he made the conscious effort to be acquainted with them if they were still present in Kiddo’s life. As long as they were cordial, so was König.

👑 Spoiled the hell out of Kiddo for Christmas and birthdays. They wanted for nothing and sometimes you hated it but were also thankful that he has come to love a child that originally wasn’t his.

👑 We all know König is of older age given his rank of Colonel. It’s so funny when he has to ask you about lingo the younger kids use. “What is bussies and why do they want to go there so much?” That was fun explaining it to König as his face grew intensely pink at his ignorance. It’s best if he comes to you every time he hears something new fly out of that kid’s mouth.

👑 He always used German terms of endearment for the both of you, and Kiddo picked up German the more time they spent with König. It forced you to learn too (you were already learning but you were putting in extra hours after bedtime to stay ahead of them).

👑 100% a prankster. And oh god… did it get out of hand quickly. You had to sit both of them down to scold them about putting soy sauce in your coffee when you weren’t looking; that was the final straw. No one messes with the morning coffee. 

👑 Came home with a puppy from the animal shelter because Kiddo got an A on their test (failed to mention to König that it was a test they had already got rewarded for).

👑 The only time you ever saw this man cry was at Kiddo’s graduation. They said to their friends “Can you take a picture of me with my Dad? He showed up in uniform for this.” He held it together for the event, but let the tear loose on the way home.

Likes & reblogs are always appreciated! Asks are opened for requests & ideas for others. Might do some for Ghost in the future ✨

[kchasm]

Ryu Number: Albert Schweitzer

Albert Schweitzer was a German-born philosopher, theologian, and physician. His personal philosophy was based around the idea of "reverence for life": He believed that there was nothing of the objective world itself that evinced any innate meaning or ethical quality, and that the world was composed of life seeking to sustain itself, which occurred at the expense of other lives. Schweitzer proposed a system of ethics founded on a thoughtful and constant awareness of the reverence for life—all living things—from which should result the effort—through actions—to strengthen and develop it. In short: It was good to maintain and further life and it was bad to damage and destroy life, and one ought to commit to the former as much as possible while minimizing the latter as much as could be managed.

…Did I explain that all right? I don't feel like I got that all right, not really. I suspect I'm mangling the guy's principles here in some way, and I can't do a lot more than apologize. I might not have failed my philosophy classes in university, but I can't honestly say I aced them, either. Just sort of floated through while managing to keep my head above water,

Anyway, praxis manifested itself notably in his running of a hospital in French Equatorial Africa (later Gabon)—founded originally in 1913 before World War I broke out and, as a German citizen in French territory, he was removed. He returned to the hospital in 1924, and headed its operation until his death in 1965.

Yeah, all of that was really heavy, wasn't it? If you want to take a moment before crossing the readmore, I totally understand.

If you didn't already know, here's where you learn that both Ryu and Darth Vader show up as guest fighters in Brawlhalla. There's always someone who doesn't know about Brawlhalla, and I love letting them know that Brawlhalla exists. (Rayman is there too.)

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga includes a trailer for the then-upcoming Lego Indiana Jones video game. Watch it, and you can buy Indiana Jones from the shop. And then play as him, of course.

Dude's a bit clean-shaven, but it's him. He's got the whip and everything.

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles was a TV show based on, uh, well, the chronicles of young Indiana Jones. These semi-edutainment stories would usually see Indy getting tangentially involved with real-life historical events and meeting momentarily with real-life historical figures. The episodes were later edited and released across three DVD sets as The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, each the sets including a DVD-ROM that let you install a slightly more educational computer game version of one of the stories in the set.

Quality-wise, these games are a little, uh.

Also Indiana's really blond in these for some reason.

Still counts, though. Including the parts where questionably drawn Indiana gets to meet the various questionably drawn historical figures.

(Incidentally, for his work, Albert Schweitzer got the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952. This makes him one among a surprisingly large number of Nobel Peace Prize laureates with Ryu Numbers. Larger than you'd think, I'd mean. Or at least larger than you'd think if I asked you to guess how many Nobel Peace Prize laureates had Ryu Numbers and then told you you had only five seconds to answer.)

(It's more than ten, anyway.)

[yandere-sins]

the yandere ghost is just 💕😭. your thoughts on yandere König? 👀

Thank you ♥ Please enjoy :3 (I am also really enjoying it rn that I have the ö key on my keyboard hehehe, fuck yeah, finally the german keyboard is useful >:D)

»»———————— ♡ ————————««

♡ Lord have mercy on the poor soul trapped with and König himself. He can't go even a second without thinking of his darling stuck alone at the base (living their best life away from him), but once he's around you, he's way too awkward to do anything with you. If you were to hold out your hand invitingly to him, he'd—at most!— brush his fingertips over your palm, ready to die happily as he shudders from the sensation. Guy holds your hand once (which costs him a ton of courage), and his heart just... stops. He has to leave the room afterward, or he might lose it, sweating, cursing, pants bulging, and so, so much need inside him to go back and do it again. He wants to go back immediately, kiss you, hold you, and rub against you just once. But unless you invite him again, he'll try to be patient and not pressure you into it, even if it's (he's) so hard and kneeling in front of you, biting his lip so he doesn't beg you to tell him to come closer.

♡ Luckily, his awkwardness also means there is a way to get some peace by collecting all your courage and just randomly hug him while he's busy doing something (that he thinks you'll like, like cleaning or cooking). It'll put him into a state of shock that could potentially make or break your escape. Just kidding. You reach for his gun? You're on the ground or pinned against the wall, his arm choking you as he shouts at you to never fucking do that again. He's scared for your safety first, scary as he looms, pins, and threatens you second. König will be incredibly sorry afterward for hurting you and lashing out as he has to watch you try to breathe again once he retreats after realization sets in. He's furious—at you, at him, at the fact you could have been hurt by his negligence. So at least he leaves you alone for a while to cool off and find a solution, only returning when he's secured some sweets and gummi bears as an attempt for you two to reconcile.

♡ He's very much a beaten dog that will run to any kind of affection you give him. Ask him a question? He drops everything and stands by your side in seconds, even if it's just yes or no. He's inching closer, and you don't look at him or tell him to stop? He'll put his head in your lap and let out a giant blissful sigh. König tries to join any activity he permitted, so if you chill on the couch and watch TV, get ready to almost drop over the edge while he scoots in behind you, or have him hover over you while you do a puzzle, watching which piece you'll place next with enormous interest. He lives for not being rejected by you, and it's his ruin when you tell him to leave you alone and to go away, that you hate him, or that you'll never like him. Please balance these two things carefully, 'cause one day he'll decide to be the monster you keep trying to make him out to be. And you won't like learning just how big, bad, and needy he can be when you push him over the edge. Hint: You're just a doll (what kind depends on his mood) in his hands. Never forget that.

♡ Absolutely does not share you. Don't you dare to look at someone else, even if he has to bring you on a mission. Don't sit anywhere but his lap, never leave his side, and for the love of God, don't open your mouth to speak to anyone but him. Somehow, being with other people makes all these insecurities and anxiety go away for a while, even though when you two are back in private, he asks if you still like him the most. It's almost as if he is showing you off, but the moment someone notices you, he gets growly and visibly possessive, placing his arm around your body (slinging it over your shoulder and grabbing your side like a seatbelt), picking you up, making you straddle his thigh and face him, etc. König hates everyone and anything that looks at you, almost more than when they look at him and he feels judged. You're simply off-limits for others.

♡ He rarely threatens you with violence, but he's love bombing you to the extent that sometimes you forget you're his captive, not his actual partner. König brings you new flowers whenever the old ones wilt, asks you to dance in the kitchen with him, cooks your favorite meals regularly, and asks you out on dates (those rarely happen because "you don't know how to behave," he says, giggling. He doesn't know how to behave either, maybe you two shouldn't be out there together). He buys you things that remind him of you, and even when you have an emergency craving, he gets out at one in the morning to somehow fulfill it. König constantly tells you how much you mean to him and that you're the best thing that's ever happened in his life. If he's a little more confident in your relationship (aka, after you stopped struggling so much), you can count on many gentle touches, pats, head kisses, hugs, hand kisses, rocking you to sleep, etc. He really makes it seem like you're in a relationship.

♡ You probably made the mistake of getting a bit too friendly with him for his twisted mind to understand you were just trying to be nice. He never had that kind of connection with anyone before, and he just had to have you afterward, all to himself, or he might have lost his mind. This desperation is why he keeps you locked away, trying so desperately to sweeten the deal for you by doing everything he can to appease you. There's no one else to wait for him whenever he returns home, give his life another meaning other than killing, so he clings to you who once showed him exactly what he always wanted—an unafraid smile, a welcoming greeting, and kindness radiating off you. He can't share you for the very same reason, knowing that you could make any man go mad with your abilities to welcome them into your life.

♡ Calls you all sorts of loving names like: "Schatz" (treasure), "Liebling" (Darling), "Kleine/Kleiner/Kleines" (fem/masc/gn translates to "Little/Small one") as well as "Große/Großer" (fem/masc translates to "Big/Tall one"), "Prinz/Prinzessin/Eure Majestät" (Prince, Princess, Your Majesty).

♡ You're the only person who can make him come to a complete standstill. He's known to be hyperactive and rarely able to calm down. Still, if you are forced to hug him and let his hand run up and down your back, he's the most focused and calm soldier anyone has ever seen. He doesn't blink, doesn't flinch or move (if not to put you out of harm's way), doesn't speak—a massive silent blot in the landscape. He's able to focus on everything that's discussed, can answer questions easily without stuttering. All that and more, just because he has you like a little comfort plush. It's something his Platoon knows to appreciate and use if needed. Otherwise, they try to stay away from you as far as possible to avoid the calmness turning into terror, unlike what these soldiers have ever seen. No one wants to cross König. They leave being a ragdoll to you.

♡ On days that he comes home exhausted, his insecurities and awkwardness will just be overwritten by exhaustion, so he doesn't care what he does as long as it involves you. He'll lead your hands to where he wants to be touched, forcing you to undress him and ripping your clothes off so he can take you to the bath with him, where you two squeeze into his tub together. There's little space, but König hugs you to his chest and hides his face in your shoulder, taking deep breaths to decompress while you have the option to either ask if he wants to talk about his day or stay silent. He won't allow you to complain or struggle, shutting it down immediately. Squeezing you shut if he must. He's over it for that day. He does, however, not force but relish in it if you decide to take care of him on a whim or because you don't want to be stuck in his tight embrace. He'll let you wash the dirt and blood sticking to him off, kissing your hands reverently as if they are his lifeline keeping him grounded, thoughts off the battlefield, lets you comb his hair, massage his back, or even touch his face before he helps you dry off, wrapping you with his huge towel and carries you to bed with him. Never mind food or other necessities, König simply buries you under his body as he falls asleep partially on top of you. He's not even sorry for touching you so much in the morning. He just apologizes sleepily for drooling on you before he gets up to get some water for you two, still in his full, naked glory. He does, however, eventually realize you two slept next to each other stark-naked, and he has to recover from choking on the water he just drank while he runs to get you both clothes.

[jewish-sideblog]

hey, so im Palestinian and a strong activist for my people's liberation. i wanted to ask for some info/advice on avoiding antisemitism in my activism for Palestine. im on anon bc i don't want to be called a racefaker for caring about Jewish ppl. i know antisemitism is on the rise right now (and generally over the past few years) and i want to make sure i'm not unintentionally contributing to it.

Hey there! I wanted to start by genuinely thanking you for asking this question. Partially because I don't actually get any well-intentioned or helpful questions in my inbox anymore, but also because I understand the amount of bravery it takes to reach out with a question like that at a time like this.

Next, I want to apologize to all my followers who hate long posts. Judaism is a very complicated ethnoreligious group, antisemitism is a very complicated form of bigotry, and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is arguably the most complicated international issue that has ever existed. I'm going to try to go through everything as succinctly as possible below the cut-- I am also going to ask other Jews to contribute to and make edits to this list as needed.

And finally-- I'm writing this as though I were speaking to someone with very little knowledge of the subject. I understand that as a Palestinian, you probably know a lot about what's going on here. But I want to make sure that I'm covering bases for anybody else who might need to use this post. So if you're like, Yeah, Obviously I Knew That. Please remember that a fuckton of people on tumblr are engaging in Israeli criticism without obviously knowing that.

There are two primary forms of antisemitism in anti-Zionist spaces-- antisemitic conspiracy theory, and criticism of Israel that no other country receives. The first kind is the easiest kind to pick out, and it makes a nice bulleted list, so we'll start there.

Dual Loyalty. A global stereotype that has skyrocketed since the establishment of Israel, but it's been around for a lot longer than that. Simply put, it's the idea that Jews are more loyal to Israel (or some global secret kabal) than we are to the countries we currently reside in. With I/P, it manifests as the idea that All Jews are directly responsible for Israel or the idea that All Jews secretly support Israel. If you see a Jew who isn't directly engaging in I/P topics, don't ask them what their stance is. Plenty of us have never even been to Israel, and it's fucked up to assume that we're all experts in geopolitics.

The Holocaust was a Fabrication or a Lesson. The idea that Jews made up the Shoah has been around since the Shoah was still happening, and it's always been ridiculous. Today, you'll see three primary lines about this. Either it's that Jews made up the Shoah as an excuse to establish Israel, that the Jews deserved the Shoah because of what's happening in Israel today, or that the Jews "should have learned their lesson from the Holocaust" because now Jews are "the new Nazis". Frankly, I wish goyim would stop treating the deaths of millions of Jews like a TV show. Palestinian deaths are genuinely horrible, but this isn't some kind of "narrative parallel" to the Shoah.

The Kazars Theory, or All Jews are White. This is the DNA test nonsense. The idea is that Israel (or Jews at large) are only pretending to be indigenous to the Levant and that secretly Jews as a whole are actually indigenous to Eastern Europe. It's a lie, started by a German professor of Russian history in the early 1800s. Meanwhile, the vast majority of genetic, historical, and archaeological evidence points to Jewish origins in the Israeli/Palestinian region. There have been literal hundreds of genetic studies on this. Most of them suggest that Jews, even "white" Ashkenazim, are nearly genetically identical to Palestinians.

World Domination. The idea that Jews control the world began with the Protocols of the Elders of Zion in 1903. If you're encountering criticism of Israel that suggests that world governments, particularly European or American ones, are being controlled by Jews, you've got yourself antisemitism. White supremacists like to use the term "Zionist Occupied Government" or "ZOG" as shorthand for this conspiracy. The next two points are born out of this same ideology.

Controlling the Media. The idea that Jews are in charge of Hollywood and/or major news organizations around the world. Regarding I/P, I've seen a bunch of people say something like "Western media outlets won't cover this! (Because you know who controls them!)" only to look online and see... Western media outlets covering it. See also: "My source is tiktok! I don't trust the news!" While it's obviously a fair criticism to say that some Western news outlets certainly have a pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian bias, it's certainly not every single one of them. Reuters and the AP are once again my go-to's here.

Controlling the Financial World. I haven't actually seen this come up regarding I/P, but considering how things have been going, it's only a matter of time. We don't control the banks. We don't control the stock market. We're not in charge of American aid being sent to Israel. HaShem knows that if we controlled all the money, I'd certainly be living larger than I am now...

Those Bloodthirsty Jews. This one arguably started with Blood Libel in the 1100s, when Christians started accusing us of stealing and eating their babies. Straight up, I have met Christians who still believe this in 2023. You see this a lot with I/P-- the Al Ahli Hospital is the biggest example. More than a month later, most reliable intelligence organizations agree that a misfired Hamas rocket landed in a parking lot, killing about 100 people. But a ton of people are still saying that Those Bloodthirsty Jews intentionally bombed the hospital dead on, killing 470 people. I want to be clear-- Israel is killing a lot of civilians. But if you see a bandwagon of people focusing on the one group of deaths that Israel probably actually didn't cause? Consider why.

Causing wars, revolutions, and calamities. Hamas has straight-up got this one in their founding charter. No, the Jews are not responsible for any major global conflicts, revolutions, or counter-revolutions that don't directly involve Israel. We didn't do WWII. We didn't do the October Revolution. See above-- we're not secretly plotting massacres on Shabbat. A lot of people are saying that Netanyahu and Likud let Hamas in to justify the invasion of Gaza... I'd be shocked if that was the case. All evidence points to a classic intelligence failure. We're not orchestrating bloodbaths.

Section 2: Criticisms only levelled at Israel

It's important to recognise that Israeli civilians are no more collectively responsible for the actions of the Likud coalition than Palestinians are collectively responsible for the actions of Hamas. No Palestinian deserves to be stripped of their rights to self-determination in their ancestral lands because of the October 7th attack. Likewise, no Chinese person deserves to be displaced from China because of the CCP's human rights violations in Tibet, Uyghur and Hong Kong. No Russian person deserves to be ethnically cleansed from Russia because of the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine. But plenty of people do believe that Jews should be stripped of their rights to self-determination in historically Jewish indigenous lands because of the actions of the Israeli government.

After October 7th, I've seen people argue that Israeli babies deserved to be kidnapped because of their national origin. I've seen people argue that Israeli women deserved to be sexually abused because of their nation of origin. I've seen people argue that the seven million Jews living in their ancestral homeland deserve death or displacement because of their nation of origin. Justifying or allowing brutal harm against people because of their national origin is hateful.

I want to make this part very clear-- I do not have an issue with calling out Israeli war crimes or crimes against humanity. But I do have an issue with treating Jewish civilians differently than civilians of other nations responsible for similar horrors. Amplifying bias against a particular group because of that group's nation of origin is called bigotry. Taking a stand against Israeli settlements in the West Bank is anti-Zionism. Collectivizing the label of "white colonialism", and forcing that label upon refugees forced to move to Israel, or Mizrahim with uninterrupted 8,000-year histories in Israel, is antisemitism.

Part 3: Moving Forward

So where do we go from here? If advocating for the destruction of Israel is advocating for the elimination of Jewish self-determination in our ancestral lands, but advocating in favour of the Israeli government is advocating for the elimination of Palestinian self-determination in your ancestral lands, then we must find some middle ground. A solution that allows seven million Jews and five-and-a-half-million Arabs to share the same holy land, without fear of persecution, displacement, or death. For me, this means a few things.

First of all, the recognition that most Israelis disagree with Netanyahu's approach to Palestine, and most Palestinians disagree with Hamas's approach to Israel. And that brings up a question-- why are Likud and Hamas in charge of Israel and Gaza respectively if most people disagree with them? Without getting into the complicated intricacies of the Knesset and the PNA on an already very long post (and without explaining your own government to you), the simple answer is international funds.

Israeli crimes against Palestinians are bankrolled by American Evangelical Christians, who believe that when Palestine is gone, all the Jews will go to Israel, and Jesus will come back to kill the world's infidels. They actually fucking believe that. Meanwhile, Hamas is bankrolled by Iran, which believes that the more often Jews and Sunni Muslims kill each other, the easier it will be for Iranian Shiite Jihad to take over the world. They actually fucking believe that.

So what steps can we take during our advocacy? Not for the destruction of Israel nor the destruction of Palestine, but for America and Iran to get their noses out of our damn business. I genuinely believe that a defunded Likud and a defunded Hamas will allow Israelis and Palestinians to work together for a peaceful two-state or joint-rule solution. Something that will keep my Palestinian friends from feeling like they can't safely travel from Jaffa to Tel Aviv. Something that will allow my Jewish family to visit and pray at the Cenotaphs of Isaac and Rebecca and the Temple Mount. Something that will let Israeli children from Kibbutz Nirim and Palestinian children from Khan Yunis play on the same playgrounds together, instead of sheltering from missile fire.

Frankly, we nearly had that when the Supreme Muslim Council and the Assembly of Representatives began collaborating against the British Mandate instead of against each other. Clearly, it's possible, we just need to stop being pitted against each other by foreign powers.

[princess-ibri]

For the Descendants kids with horrible and trashy names, how would you name them? From books and movies.

So I'll just go ahead and give how I changed each name for My Canon Descendants AU, to make them feel more like their own character/fit better with the og movies time periods/cultures. I didn't give them all unique names as the point of the project was to translate the Descendants kids into the actual movies, not make full OCs, (though I did end up making a few of those anyway xD) but I tried to at least adjust them.

Mal--Mallow (to go with the Nature name theme the Three Good Fairies had going on with their own names/Briar Rose)

Audrey I kept as it was actually a Medieval name!

Evie-- Eva, it's a pretty easy fix to more period accurate/Germanic sounding

Doug -- Doleful, to fit better with the Dwarfs Attribute names, plus he seemed kinda down in the first movie so the meaning felt like it fit

Carlos I kept because honestly I felt like it could fit in universe if Cruella's husband was a Spanish man, which he conceivabley could be

Jay--Jaamil, and no not because of Twisted Wonderland that just happened by accident xD

They orginally had Aladdin's deleted sin be named Aziz but there was already an Aladdin character named that in the TV show who was a villain so I changed it to Ahmed, like one of the other Arabian Nights heroes

Ben--I changed from Benjamin to Benedict as that was more French/period appropriate

Honestly I could 100% see Gaston naming his sons after himself so I kept Gastons 1 and 2 but I changed Gil to Gilbert (French pronunciation of course)

Lonnie...oh Lonnie. I changed her name to Chi, as with her patronymic of Li she would be Li Chi, which sounded similar to Lonnie but would actually be Chinese and is the name of a girl in a Chinese legend who slays a dragon, which was what I based her hypothetical movie plot on

Chad I changed to Charles, easy enough. Much more elegant and formal

Jane I just changed to Janet to make it a little fancier/Frenchier as well xD

Dizzy I changed to Daisy (though I suppose since she's French based, it really should be Marguerite...eh Daisy can be the nickname)

Uma I kept cuz honestly its a good name and her song is a banger 👌

Harry is fine, good pirate name, short for Henry, which also works. Harriet was fine too, just made her and Harry twins and made CJ go by her first name only of Calista.

Honestly with a pirate dad named Smee Squeeky and Squirmy also work, though they're definitely nicknames.

Celia works fine, it fits with the time/culture of 1920s New Orleans, though I did change Freddie to Frederique.

Getting into some book characters now:

Artie I changed to Amhar, a lesser known son of Arthur (could have done Mordred but as the kid was meant to be heroic I decided to go with Amhar, plus it started with A x)

Mad Maddy honestly isn't a bad name, but I did change it to Matilda to be a bit more Medieval sounding, plus linked her to Matilda of the Night, a Medieval witch legend.

(And apparently there's gonna be a son of Morgana Le Fay in the new movie named... Morgie. My gosh. Well we'll change that right back to Yvain. Her actual son, no she's not Mordred's mother no matter what the movies try to tell you she's his aunt and I will die on this pedantic hill)

Hadie I instantly changed to Zagreus. He's the literal son of Hades and goodness its such a better name. Same with changing Herkie to Hyllus. Also an actual son of Hercules and doesn't sound like a euphemism for throwing up.

Allie I changed to Mary Jean after the Real Alice's grandaughter, and when I made my Queen of Hearts Kid D4 hadn't been announced yet so I named her Aceline (a pun on Ace of Hearts)

Ruby and Anxelin weren't terrible names so I kept them, just made Anxelin a Dark Kingdom name xD (and apparently they're giving Rapunzel a third daughter in the new movie? Her name is just Zellie though...so I think I'll just keep these two. Zellie could definitely work as being short for Anxelin and hey, Rapunzel had twins in the actual fairytale so two just works)

Wrapping it up:

Claudine isnt too bad and fits the time period but I changed her parent from Frollo to his brother Jehan cuz that man should never ever get to be with any woman.

Clay Clayton I changed to Cecil after the actual Clayton character in the books who wasn't that bad of a guy.

Yzla works fine as a name for Yzma's daughter. I just changed Zevon to Yzon to match better and not sound so much like he escaped the 23rd century

Ginny Gothel I just lengthened out to Ginevra to sound more fantastical

I didn't actually do anything for Pocahontas as it always kinda controversial to touch. But if I did I'd of course just make her descendant her actual son Thomas Rolfe and apparently they gave Ratcliffe a son named Rick? So...we'll change his name to Richard or--well one sec let me see if Actual Historical Governor Ratcliffe had any kids.

OK! Looks like he didn't but he did die horribly. My Gosh.

Anyway I think that's everyone!

[scotianostra]

Happy Birthday Scottish actor Gary Lewis, born 30th November 1957.

Born and raised in Easterhouse, Glasgow Lewis seems an unlikely actor, he has had jobs as a roadsweeper and librarian, his brother, a teacher encouraged him to do more and he became in his own words a “voracious” reader, this pushed him into wanting to become an actor at the age of 32.

It was a chance meeting with fellow Scot, Peter Mullan that gave him his break, he joined the regular “in house” actors in Ken Loach films, starring with Mullan in My Name is Joe and Robert Carlyle in Carla’s song he was in good company to learn.He had a cracking role in Peter Mullan’s film Orphans, with one of my favourite lines, “She’s not heavy, she’s my mother”

Lewis won the best actor award for the part at the Gijón International Film Festival in 1998.I think most of you will remember Gary Lewis playing coal miner Jackie Elliot, father to the films title role Billy Elliot. I sometimes feel like I m repeating myself when noting the CV’s of these actors, Taggart, Rab C Nesbitt, Rebus were early shows for Lewis, while Stonemouth and In Plain Sight are more recent.

Then there is of course Outlander. Gary Lewis appeared in the first two seasons of the hit show, based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon playing, Colum MacKenzie, laird of the MacKenzie family and Uncle to Jamie Fraser. Colum died in the season finale 2 finale Hail Mary. Of Outlander he says,

“The fan base is extremely passionate. It is strange because I live in Scotland and Outlander isn’t massive here to the extent it is in Australia, America and Canada. There are fans all over the world.”

The past few years have been busy for Gary, he managed to snap up an appearance in the final series of Still Game, as well the movie, The Vanishing, teaming up again with Peter Mullan and last weeks birthday boy Gerard Butler. He has also been in His Dark Materials, Rig 45, It’s a Sin, Vigil and series 3 of The Bay.

IMDB has Gary, along with Billy Boyd and Sharleen Spiteri to star in a film, set in Glasgow called I Feel Fine, however I think the project has stalled as it has been at the “announced” stage for several years now. Gary is also to play Roald Amundsen in the film North Pole: 90° North.

Gary wa also in the Scottish feature film, Stella, about a German Jewish refugee who finds herself working in a stately Home in Dumfries and Galloway belonging to aristocratic supporters of fascist leader Oswald Mosely. I havent seen the film as yet, but will try and remdy that as it has a good rating on Imdb.

Gary reprised the role Colin Robertson last year in the second series of Vigil, he was seen earlier this year in Frankin, Michael Douglas in the lead role as American founding father Benjamin Franklin.

Earlier this month Gary was sighted alongside Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, shooting aboard a boat in Newquay. It's speculated that the trio were filming for an upcoming British TV series on Apple+, named Down Cemetery Road., although I can't find him on the list of actors.

[andromeddog]

Oooo jumping off the previous anon ask, do you have any websites/books that good for reference that you’d recommend?? Or is a simple Google search/going from there good enough to start with

I’ve always been interested in uniforms n stuff but idk where/how to actually FIND info (especially for accuracy) but idk if Wikipedia/Google is the best for that lol

i’ve talked about this (here) and (here) before, but i will elaborate a bit more (a lot more) for you!

again my first response is to ask, what kind of uniform are u looking for? bc there’s just more info on some types than others. like, ww2 american paratroopers? sooo so so much stuff out there, maybe bc there was a wildly successful miniseries that is often listed as one of the best tv shows ever made and it mythologized the paratroopers and now everyone has a big ol boner for them and their uniforms and you can’t got two searches deep without tripping over those jump boots (said w all the love in my heart). but that being said, sometimes just a google search is enough!

this is where being familiar w each of the components of the uniform comes in handy. like oh damn i need ref of that one specific small pouch the marines have on their guns, what was that called?? oh duh it’s a carbine butt stock pouch, sometimes they wore it on their belt, i can just google that and get the exact result i want

buutttttt sometimes the online sources/pics u get are undated/unlabeled, and you have to piece together what ur looking at based on ur own knowledge of a uniform. this is especially true the older you go, and ive run into this issue with ww1 stormtrooper uniforms specifically, where you don’t have an exact date and u have to be like “welllllll i can’t be 100% sure if this is from early or late war, if this is german or austrian, but it’s close enough to what i need and i can’t find any other source that even comes close and ive spent four hours looking so im going to use this” and then you get someone in ur dms like “well actually 🧐 they didn’t wear those specific suspenders/have that patch on their uniforms/use that limited issue pouch in this theater” and then you feel kind of silly. but it’s like damn dude i spent hours looking for ref and found the only like five jpegs still remaining of this uniform pls cut me some slack. ig this is just me saying that i dont get it right all the time and inevitably there will be someone out there who has a better grasp on it and will clock your tiny error from 200 yards

to stop my pointless rambling and actually get to your question, google is a pretty good place to start but u gotta know what to be looking for. wikipedia can b helpful for kind of an intro/getting names of items. pinterest is a big one for me, i mostly like that you can save pics and organize them. i’d also check out reenactment websites/forums; those guys are dedicated to being 100% accurate and can also provide some good action shots. youtube is also a resource that i forget exists haha. following artists who are into that kind of shit, taking notes from the uniforms they draw (careful w this one, as i said earlier even ppl who draw uniforms a lot still mess up occasionally). honestly any big website is bound to have some military history enjoyers and so u can do a general search and see what comes up, that can help point to users/a community that will often have their own sources/discussions that can be helpful. ive said it before but watching movies/shows about the specific era ur looking for is great, you can see how a uniform sits and moves with a person 👍

also books! there isn’t a single catch all book for uniforms, again (again) it’s all by era/country you’re looking for. ebay is GREAT for finding super specific books on topics only you and five other people care about. sometime u can get lucky at an old used book store but that’s a real gamble and only happens veryyyyyy rarely hahah

i always use these sorts of references in tandem and double check to be sure, i swear i have like 12 tabs open and two books open per drawing just so i can get everything as close to accurate as i can. but like ive said im kind of obsessive about details (negative) and can’t be chill about anything ever. what a super cool and very practical skill set that makes me very popular amongst my peers and interests everyone once i have two beers and won’t shut up about it

ending this with my standard “did any of this make sense?” i’m going to turn on my computer now and spend the next eight hours staring at reference pics and drawing my silly little war boys have a great day everyoneeeeeeeee

[tintinology]

What is Tintin’s favourite music record?

In Tintin and the Picaros, Tintin tells the Captain to be quiet and insists on playing a record that "he simply adores" to drown out their conversation while he reveals that the villa they’re staying at is bugged:

What record does he play? In the comic, it’s clearly Bianca Castafiore’s famous Jewel Song:

But what of the adaptations based on the comics? Tintin and the Picaros only has four adaptations: three radio plays (in German, Danish and Swedish), and the 1991 Nelvana TV show.

The TV show is the most similar to the comics, in that it also uses a record of Bianca Castafiore singing to drown out the sound of their conversation.

The German radio play (1984-1987), has Tintin play a rock song:

In the Swedish one (1970s-1980s), he puts on a mambo record (had to add as video because the audio file didn't work, sorry!):

The Danish one (1972-1983), despite being hard to hear, has him put on Dancing Queen by ABBA:

It’s clear the TV show was concerned with being accurate (and maybe didn’t want to choose a song that would age poorly or that people wouldn’t associate with Tintin), while both the German and Danish radio plays went for something that was popular at the time. The Swedish one is probably the most realistic of them all, because they would probably be more likely to find local music among the records at the villa.

Are any of these actually songs that Tintin likes? One can assume that he’s just putting on whatever is at hand, but it is interesting to see what each adaptation thought would be a likely choice for him to find in the villa he and his friends are prisoners in.

[cursecuelebre]

All about me!

I just feel like it’s time to put a little post about me!

My name is Ashlyn and I’m from New England America, my pronouns are She/Her ~ Age is 22 - I am bisexual ~ Neurodivergent

I’m a pagan and a witch based upon my ancestry, Hellenic polytheism and Norse/Germanic paganism and witchcraft.

I’m mostly started out as a tarot reader then became a witch and a pagan, I practice mostly folk magic and Ancestral Magic. Right now trying to find a traditional magic practice. I do a lot of knot magic and needle work presently.

My guardian animal: I don’t know if that’s the correct term but Bears 🐻, I always had dreams/nightmares about bears since I was little and when I did a tarot reading on what my familiar spirit is the bear came up.

Why I started this blog?

I guess the main reasons to keep a digital record of my experiences, thoughts, lessons, etc. to share my experiences so I thought maybe it can help people find what they are looking for and learn about it. Also a chance for me to learn about other people’s perspectives and ideas. I’m always open to learn more and share more information the best I can.

Also I like to swear in my blogs because I like to, I don’t do it excessively but it’s prevalent if you aren’t comfortable with it.

My hobbies!

I read a lot. Not just one subject, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical fiction, Non-Fiction, and Classics. I might post some book reviews and recommendations on this blog. My favorite book is LOTR it’s my cozy and feel good book, Tolkien also had a lot of pagan inspiration for his stories.

I also write! Short stories to writing long stories about whatever comes to mind. I write fantasy and historical fiction, but also horror and thriller. At times I write poetry. Sometimes when I’m bored use my tarot for a creative writing project.

I like to do crafts. Especially when it comes to paganism and witchcraft. I sew and embroidered poppets, sigils, or symbols. I wouldn’t say I’m neat with a thread and needle but I get the job done.

Video Games I love Halo, Skyrim, Fallout, AC Valhalla and Odyssey, Animal Crossing, Red Dead Redemption.

Hiking and Foraging in nature

Witchcraft and Tarot cards (obviously)

My Likes!

Season: Autumn

Holiday: Yule/Saturnalia

Music: Anything that sounds good to me: Right now Opera is my most listen to. From Opera to Oldies to Folk music to Heavy Metal to Pop songs. R&B is a guilty pleasure of mine and a couple of rappers and hiphop artists. So again I kinda like everything.

Animals: I love cats I have three of my own, Rabbits, Squirrels, Deer, Horses, Bears, Ravens. I like any animals but those I wanna say are my top ones 😂

Insects: don’t necessarily like them but spiders and moths are pretty neat, but Honeybees or bees in general are my favorite they’re quite special to me. Hopefully one day I start beekeeping.

TV Shows: Penny Dreadful was amazing if you like dark horror, witchcraft, in a Victorian setting that incorporates a lot of classic horror stories like Frankenstein and Dracula highly recommended it with Eva Green and Helen McCoy. I don’t have a favorite movies or tv shows definitely but Legion, LOTR, Immortals, Harry Potter movies, the show Vikings. Are great and anything like it just 🤌

ASMR/Meditation ambiences

Smell of burning wood

Tarot cards and reading and finding anything that I can do with them that is new

[atamascolily]

Looking back over my screenshots again, I noticed something that bothers me: "Walpurgisnacht" is a name supposedly given to this witch by magical girls (and not what she calls herself, unlike the other witches we encounter), and yet that name appears in heavily stylized runes on her countdown signs in the original series. Why is that? Am I missing something?

The same runes are also in the Eternal movie, although they are a bit more legible. Nothing else appears to have changed overall, although the shading/contrast on the ring and "peacock tails" (probably stylized lotus flowers common in Buddhist mandalas?) is switched up.

The art style here is reminiscent of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century European woodblock prints during the time of the original witchcraft trials. This movement was stoked in large part by the widespread proliferation of lavishly illustrated printed pamphlets, which detailed witches' misdeeds in lurid detail, and popularized many archetypes we now associate with witches, from brooms and black cats to deals and dances with the Devil.

Witches dancing with devils, featured in The History of Witches and Wizards (1720).

Similar woodblock prints, likely representing primary sources, can be seen in the background in Homura's apartment as part of her research into Walpurgisnacht, including several with dancing figures.

These figures can be seen as Walpurgisnacht is ultimately broken up in the final episode.

Just for some fun visual parallels, compare to this shot from the recap movies that wasn't in the original TV release. The main difference is that all of the figures of Homuras are the same, whereas the ones in Walpurgisnacht's circle seem to be different.

The woodblock print in Homura's apartment depicts all the dancers as identical, while the later shot makes them look more like Walpurgisnacht's individualized familiars--which they might well be. Comparison to the Clara Dolls--a large number of familiars repeatedly described as being a match for or counterpart to magical girls with individualized designs--is also inevitable.

Ironically, the Christian saint Walpurga was supposed to protect against witchcraft, but her saint's day (April 30-May 1) ended up being conflated with the witches because it occurred at the same time as Hexennacht (German for 'Witches' Night'), when witches were said to dance with/in honor of the devil on Mount Brocken--and thus when people were most in need of St. Walpurga's protection. Goethe draws on this tradition in Faust, Part One (a major influence on PMMM) for the scene where Mephistopheles takes Faust to the Brocken in order to witness the celebrations--which is also one of the texts depicted in Homura's apartment.

Another sheet reads "Ein Narr"--German for "the fool", another recurring motif associated with Walpurgisnacht (and also Homura).

Given the accuracy of these documents, these woodcuts are presumably based on eyewitness accounts (possibly magical girls, since ordinary people see Walpurgisnacht as a storm) where Walpurgisnacht appeared but was apparently not permanently defeated. Combined with Walpurgisnacht's ability to appear--and presumably disappear--without warning, and the fact that she's large enough to show up on radar as a storm, this suggests to me that Walpurgisnacht might be a time traveler or possess a similar ability to "exit the stage" and only reveal herself at the most dramatic moment(s) possible. Not only would this fit with her cog/stage motif, it would make her an even more fitting narrative foil for Homura, and add yet another parallel between them.

For both witches and ordinary humans alike, Walpurgis Night is traditionally celebrated with dancing and bonfires. Not only is Homura's name is a homonym for 'flame', Rebellion is chock full of ballet motifs, and she is last seen dancing alone in the moonlight late at night--presumably during the "witching hour" (which, depending on the source, is either between 3-4 a.m., or the hour immediately after midnight. Given the earlier scene of Homura becoming a witch as the clocks strikes midnight, I lean towards the latter interpretation).

Even more suggestively, Homura is now diegetically the Devil and appears to have taken on Kyubey's role as a contractor. If so, this strongly implies that she (and/or her double?) will have a personal relationship with magical girls as the one to whom they sold their souls to gain their power, just like historical witches were said to do with Satan. And given that these historical witches supposedly gathered on Walpurgis Night to honor the Devil... well, that does put Walpurgisnacht's likely (re)appearance in a new light, doesn't it?

...and if the 'Walpurgis' of Walpurgis no Kaiten is indeed the same Walpurgisnacht we saw before, then some timey-wimey/reality-bending/fourth-wall breaking shenanigans are afoot.

It's funny because "what were YOU doing at the devil's sacrament?" is usually meant as a tongue-in-cheek joke, but if PMMM continues to take these references seriously, we might actually get to find out!

[mariacallous]

US President Joe Biden confirmed on Thursday evening that a 24-person prisoner swap had taken place with Russia, in what would be the largest such exchange since the end of the Cold War.

Among the most notable of the 16 returnees to the West – four Americans, five Germans and seven Russian political prisoners – are Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, a dual Russian-British citizen, and RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, a dual US-Russian citizen.

Going in the other direction were eight prisoners, excluding two minors, most notably Russian assassin Vadim Krasikov, who has been held in a German prison since 2019 for the murder of a Chechen exile in Berlin, and Pablo Rubtsov, also known as “Pablo Gonzalez”, who is believed to have been a GRU military intelligence agent posing as a Spanish journalist working in Poland, Ukraine and other former Soviet countries.

The prisoner exchange, which took place at Ankara airport, had been in the works for many months, according to multiple analysts. Indications that the swap was in the final stages came with reports that some of those released had been moved from where they were being incarcerated, as well as the speeding up of trials in Russia and Slovenia.

In Slovenia on Wednesday, two Russian deep-cover spies arrested in 2022, whose real names are thought to be Artem Dultsev and Anna Dultseva, pleaded guilty to charges of spying and falsifying documents in a court case held in private. The Ljubljana court sentenced them to time served in prison and ordered their immediate expulsion. The two minors in the exchange are thought to be their children.

Key to the swap was Germany’s reluctant agreement to release the hitman Krasikov, who was serving life for the killing of Georgian citizen Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in Berlin, a crime the judge called an act of “state terrorism”. The western prisoners, on the other hand, were widely seen as being sentenced in show trials on trumped-up charges.

On February 27, 2022, Polish authorities detained Rubtsov on the Polish-Ukrainian border and later charged him with spying for Russia. He had been detained in Poland ever since, reportedly spending time in solitary confinement.

ABW, the Polish internal security agency, claimed the man was carrying out operations to benefit Russia while posing as a journalist and was on his way to Ukraine when detained.

The man was a dual Russian-Spanish citizen, and, under the name of Pablo Gonzalez, he was working as a reporter for several Spanish media, including online newspaper Publico and TV station La Sexta. The fact he was arrested by the ultra-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government lent some weight to arguments by his lawyer and wife back in Spain that he was arrested because of his “inconvenient” reporting. A campaign demanding his release was organised by international media groups such as Reporters without Borders, to no effect.

Christo Grozev, former lead Russia investigator for Bellingcat, had reported for The Insider in 2023 how Rubtsov allegedly gathered intelligence for Russia and tried to gain the trust of Russian opposition activists so he could report back on them. Grozev’s reporting was based on investigative work by a Russian independent outlet, The Agency. Among others, he had allegedly gotten close to and reported on Zhanna Nemtsova, Boris Nemtsov’s daughter, and people from her circle.

Donald Tusk, the ABW or any other Polish authorities had not made any public statement by the time of publication.

Until today, the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War was in 2010 and involved a total of 14 people, including Anna Chapman and Sergei Skripal, a Russian military intelligence officer convicted of spying for Britain, who was later poisoned by Russian agents in Salisbury.

[zhuzhudushu]

Lingopie — Chinese Review ★★

So I did 3 months of Lingopie (stylized as Liñgöpie) so you don't have to (unless you want to lol).

I mention a Chrome extension, the Zhongwen dictionary, quite a bit in this review. It is here, I highly recommend it (click)! It's also available for Firefox (click).

What is Lingopie?

Lingopie is an app and desktop extension/website that allows you to watch tv shows and cartoons with interactive subtitles for language learning. It currently has Spanish, German, Russian, Italian, Portuguese, French, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. It claims to improve your language learning by 80% (compared to Duolingo which is around 20%).

Here is their website. (click)

Pricing: (March 2024)

3 months $36

1 year $71 "on sale" (normally $144)

Lifetime $199 "on sale" (normally $663)

Please note: I have never seen these full prices. It appears that the "sale" is permanent.

My Review / TL;DR Version

Extremely disappointed both in functionality and content for Chinese. Maybe this is a good program for other languages, but for Chinese there is extremely limited content with pinyin subtitles only available for the non-Netflix shows. All the best learning features are available for non-Netflix shows, yet those tended to have significantly worse translations than Netflix. I would not recommend this product for Chinese. While it had a few good features and I enjoyed it for 6-7 episodes of one show, it then had a glitch where an entire episode was subtitled wrong, so I gave up.

See below the cut for full breakdown.

Strengths:

Has access to Netflix shows and films including some popular ones (e.g. Meteor Garden, Dear Ex, Nezha Reborn)

This is nice and I enjoyed rewatching the ones I was familiar with and getting a better grasp of listening and vocab. I appreciate that they try to incorporate kid-friendly along with more serious/adult content with animated and live action tv shows and films. I also liked that it specified if the show was from Taiwan or China, and also included shows that had some Cantonese influence (e.g. Scissor Seven)

Allows you to have English and Chinese subtitles simultaneously or alone, and you can easily click them on an off while watching.

This is pretty standard for all video/subtitle based educational apps, but it was nice to easily click them on and off in case I wanted to double check my understanding, and to compare the direct translation of the words to the full translation of the sentence.

Allows you to pause automatically after each subtitle. Can also loop subtitles over and over. There are also AI-produced explanations of grammar.

This hands down was the best part about the entire experience for me, and why I ended up using Lingopie for 3 months. While it was sometimes clunky (see below), this made singling out specific lines/words for listening practice so easy. Once I got in the groove, I was able to get through episodes fairly quickly and was starting to be able to listen and hear new words in sentences later.

Click on the words in the subtitle to make flashcard sets

This was a nice feature, but I do wish the flashcards were a bit more functional, see below. It was easy enough to use and a quick way to remind yourself of the new words you learned before you jump into the next episode.

Weaknesses:

Pinyin subtitles available on desktop only, with no pinyin subtitles for Netflix shows (as of May 2024)

This is a HUGE flaw, and I was 100% dependent on using another chrome extension for hover-over dictionary while using Lingopie. I know they are working on pinyin subtitles for Netflix and mobile, but I used this for 3 months and it still was not implemented when I ended. To me, if I have to use another app in conjunction with this one in order to fully learn, then what's the point? Especially since I watched Taiwanese and Cantonese-influenced shows with very non-standard pronunciations, comparing standard pinyin to accented productions is necessary for me. Even with the pinyin subtitles for the non-Netflix shows, it left a lot to be desire because they're tiny above the Chinese characters, and sometimes difficult to read. More than once I thought a ǒ was ō because of how tiny it was.

Not enough content, especially cartoons/beginner level

The one above and this bullet are the main reasons why I don't recommend this app for Chinese specifically. Maybe other languages are fine, but there is simply not enough content for the price. I was hoping for more beginner/lower intermediate content like children's cartoons, however there are none for Chinese. All the animated options are more teenager/adult oriented. There also weren't many light-hearted or comedy options, meaning you would have to watch a lot of serious dramas, thrillers, and violent shows if you wanted to get your money's worth. For my personal taste, I don't want to have to pause every dialogue line for an adult thriller. That would ruin my experience of the show and the suspense. For the non-Netflix options, most shows were incomplete with only 1-5 episodes available out of 10+. They also tended to be lower quality productions, with significantly worse English translations. The majority of what is available outside of Netflix are short films (~5 mins) and cooking shows (10-20 mins) which aren't bad for beginners. I personally have no interest in cooking, though lol. Essentially, there is no TRUE beginner fictional content in Chinese available.

The dictionary is... rough

Again, I was fully dependent on the Zhongwen extension. While the English subtitles themselves are good, the individual definitions of words that you hover over are definitely rough. They weren't actually that helpful for breaking down meanings of things like slang and characters' names. For example, in Scissor Seven there were quite a few animal puns, e.g. 汪星人 which is internet slang for "dog" Lingopie translated as "Woofer" which was... awkward and strange. Without the Zhongwen extension I would have had no idea what this was actually referring to. It would been nice if it functioned more like the Zhongwen extension, where it would highlight individual characters or phrases/combos depending on your mouse placement. Particularly on the non-Netflix shows, the translations even in the English subtitles were incredibly rough and at times I couldn't understand the context in either language. There was also one instance of an entire episode (Netflix) that had incorrect subtitles, I suspect subtitles from a different episode? That was the final straw for me.

It chooses whether or not to highlight single words or phrases so you have no control over your flashcards

This made the flashcards not as functional to me. Sometimes, I wanted just the specific noun/verb in the sentence, but it would make me highlight the entire sentence. Other times, I wanted a really functional phase, but it would only let me highlight the individual words. I barely used the flashcard feature because of this.

Clunky interface (Chrome & Firefox)

I can't speak for mobile or Safari because I didn't use them. Since I was relying on the Zhongwen hover-dictionary, I only used Chrome. You can only use Chrome or Safari if you want Netflix shows. Sometimes the auto-pause after each subtitle would be too early or too late, meaning I would have to actually click things pretty persistently throughout each episode. Using the spacebar to pause/unpause hardly ever worked, and using the arrow keys to flip between subtitles also never worked for me. Sometimes the hover-definitions of words would linger even after I clicked away, and would not disappear until the next subtitle appeared. This was super annoying and would block a good portion of the screen. Sometimes I would have to click things 2-3 times before it registered in both Chrome and Firefox.

Overall, I think it's a great idea, but needs some pretty major improvements in order to be worth the price.

In my opinion, if they were to add significantly more shows, including kid's cartoons, and improved their subtitles, dictionary, & interface function, it would be worth the price.

Maybe in a few years as Lingopie grows, it will be worth it. But for now, it's not. For now, it's clunky and limited. If you were to watch it for an hour a day, you would probably get through all the shows that interested in you in about 3-6 months. It wouldn't take longer than a year to go through all of the Chinese content, as of right now. So why would you pay for a year or lifetime price for that?

(divider credit here)

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Maybe it is not because of cgi movies but because how bad written the characters especially the villains. So far the only villain I can think fits is Mother Gothel because of how well-written her character is despite lacking of powers and a twisted version of her helps. Although they did take inspiration from CGI movies like Big Hero 6 for that chapter 6 plot and even took some TV shows like Lion Guard which it revealed to have lion guards in Leona's hometown.

[Referencing this post!]

As I mentioned in the original post, yes; TWST does take inspiration from and make reference to many Disney properties regardless of artistic medium. This extends to their animated and live action films and shows, as well as musical productions (the whole plot line with Rollo having a little brother that was led astray by sin comes from an obscure Hunchback of Notre Dame German musical) and more. It’s just that TWST has yet to introduce characters in their own universe explicitly twisted from characters in the 3D era, whether villains or not.

Seeing as the big “sell” of Twisted Wonderland is its villain-based characters, I can see why one might think poor quality of the original (3D) Disney characters would be a factor in preventing them from being successfully adapted. However, I personally don’t think this is a huge consideration since that would imply Disney’s old villains are all written significantly well when some are simply generically evil or not that interesting (though this will vary depending on who you ask). Besides, it would also discount the fact that no matter how low quality or boring the original villain was, they can always be “dressed up” and given a more interesting story and character by the TWST team; they are not 100% beholden to the mold the original Disney character set.

I definitely agree that many of the more recent villains aren’t the… strongest… (if we had a villain at all, that is). Mother Gothel is the only one that immediately sticks out in my mind as a great villain from the 3D era. (She’s so uniquely wicked in how she gaslights and manipulates Rapunzel.) However, we don’t know if the people on the TWST team also hold this same opinion of disliking the 3D era and letting that actively influence their design direction for the game. It’s very hard to discern what the overall sentiment is since we don’t often hear from the TWST devs and just make assumptions of what the popular opinion is based on what we hear from our own social circles.

With the deliberate 3-4 years of staying with 2D animated characters (+ the G7 being some of the most iconic Disney villains) and now the Platinum Suit line now making references to the classics, I really think nostalgia is the main motivator rather than TWST (or Disney) questioning the quality of their 3D stories and characters. If anything, they (Disney, that is) seem pretty eager to stroke their own egos about mega box office and merchandising hits 😂 Frozen, anyone?

[butternuggets-blog]

DRACULA: A Modern Adaptation

My script for a modern tv adaptation of Dracula, based on the novel by Bram Stoker Also on AO3

EPISODE ONE

101     TRAIN TO BISTRITZ

An aerial shot of train tracks winding through mountainous terrain. A train winding its way towards its destination; old, either early 1990s or even late 80s.

Camera zooms in; long swooping shot.

102     TRAIN CARRIAGE

A figure idly watches the landscape rolling past the window. The glass is streaky; the carriage is clean but shabby and well-worn, clearly old and very used. JONATHAN HARKER rummages inside a pant pocket and pulls out a mobile phone. Samsung Galaxy; he can’t afford an Iphone or has chosen not to purchase one. Not a trend-follower.

Camera static; shows phone screen. Static zoom cut showing the internet and cell reception bars abruptly cut out. He is on his own out here.

103     ARRIVAL AT BISTRITZ

Train shudders to a stop; Jonathan pulls his suitcase out from under his seat and follows the crowd outside onto the platform. Open-air station; very old ticket office with one window, a single bench for waiting passengers. No electronic ticket machine, no modern ads scrolling up. This station is ancient.

Jonathan spots a sign (very hard to miss) for the Golden Krone Hotel which is directly in front of him, opposite the station. He walks across the platform, looks both ways down the street before crossing – people walking by, a stray dog, a genuine horse-drawn carriage – and goes inside.

104     INT. GOLDEN KRONE HOTEL - LOBBY

Open plan hotel lobby; the dining/seating area is to the left, already packed with a modest amount of locals and travellers. The staircase to the upper floors is ahead. The small reception desk is on the right; an OLD WOMAN, one half of the establishment’s proprietors, is already lifting up a flap in the desktop and walking through, reaching Jonathan as he stops in the doorway to admire the interior of the hotel lobby (very traditional; lots of hand-carved wood and painted wallpaper).

OLD WOMAN

Are you the Englishman?

She is speaking German with a stilted fluency. It is not her first language but she knows it passably well. She is Székelys.

JONATHAN HARKER

Yes. I am Jonathan Harker.

He speaks German like a tourist. He is enunciating firmly, with an English accent. Jonathan bows suddenly, awkwardly; the woman reciprocates the gesture. She is smiling; it is an old custom to bow to women in greeting, nowadays most people shake hands. She thinks it is sweet that he has learnt the gesture.

OLD WOMAN

Room seven has been prepared for you.

Jonathan follows the woman over to the desk. She grabs a key – iron, old-fashioned, heavy – from a hook and places it in his hand as her husband appears from a door leading into a back room beside the desk.

OLD WOMAN

Dinner can be served but it is extra, my apologies.

JONATHAN

Thank you. That’s not a problem.

The woman turns to her husband. Jonathan cannot see her expression but the audience can. She is tense, but pretending that nothing is wrong.

OLD WOMAN

[in Romanian] Fetch the letter before I change my mind.

OLD MAN

[in Romanian] It’s for the best.

Jonathan has no clue what is being said. He is wearing the polite smile of a man completely out of his depth.

OLD WOMAN

[in Romanian] Just fetch it.

The man wants to speak, but it is an old argument and he closes his mouth, lets it die. He goes back into the office while Jonathan and the woman stand in awkward silence.

The man returns, handing an envelope to his wife. It is made of thick parchment, sealed with a genuine wax seal, and addressed to Jonathan. The woman slides it across the countertop, fingers pressing down on it.

She is smiling. It is clearly forced.

OLD WOMAN

This was left for you.

JONATHAN

Oh, thank you.

Jonathan tries to take the envelope but there is resistance. The woman does not want to hand the letter over. He tries to snatch it again; this time he is successful.

105     INT. GOLDEN KRONE HOTEL – DINING ROOM

Jonathan is eating a dinner of “robber steak…bacon, onion, and beef, seasoned with red pepper, and strung on sticks and roasted over the fire” with several glasses of “Golden Mediasch wine”.

He reads the opened letter as he eats; the envelope is tucked into his journal, also on the table, which is propping up the letter.

We now hear Dracula’s voice for the first time as he narrates the letter.

DRACULA

My friend, welcome to the Carpathians. I am anxiously expecting you. Sleep well tonight. At three tomorrow the coach will start for Bukovina; a place on it has been reserved for you. At the Borgo Pass my carriage will pick you up and bring you to me.

106     FADE IN – INT. GOLDEN KRONE HOTEL – ROOM SEVEN

The dining room scene fades into Jonathan packing his bag in his room the next day and tidying up his bed.

DRACULA

I trust that your journey from London has been a happy one, and that you will enjoy your stay in my beautiful land.

There is a knock on Jonathan’s hotel room. He zips up his suitcase and answers the door; the OLD WOMAN is standing there, fidgeting nervously.

JONATHAN

Yes? What’s wrong?

Jonathan lets her into the room.

OLD WOMAN

Do you have to go? On today of all days?

JONATHAN

Yes, I have business-

The woman starts weeping.

JONATHAN

Oh! Oh-oh-shh, shh, shh, shh-

He moves to comfort her

JONATHAN

I’m sorry

OLD WOMAN

[in Romanian] I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! It should be us and not you but I can’t-

JONATHAN

What’s the matter? What’s wrong? What did you mean, “today of all days”?

The woman takes a moment to get herself under control.

OLD WOMAN

It is the eve of St George’s day. When it strikes midnight tonight, all the evil in the world will hold sway.

Jonathan is confused.

JONATHAN

What has that got to do with my business trip?

The woman silently shakes her head. She’s said enough; to talk more would be suicide. She takes a rosary from around her neck and places it on Jonathan. He is very confused.

OLD WOMAN

For your mother’s sake.

She leaves.

107 EXT. VARIOUS LANDSCAPES

Picturesque shot of a stagecoach travelling through various landscapes: forest, fruit trees, snow-covered mountains, and valleys.

108     INT. TRAVELLING COACH

As the passengers realise that they have reached the Borgo Pass, they begin to ply Jonathan with gifts; one clasps his hands and says a short prayer, while others press dried rose and garlic into his hands.

JONATHAN

Oh, er, thank you. Thank you.

He is just as confused as he was at the inn. Perhaps this is a normal Romanian farewell?

The coach approaches the stretch of road where Dracula’s coach should be. Everyone looks for it expectantly; Jonathan is disappointed by its absence, the others breathe a sigh of relief.

The driver opens a sliding window set in the front of the coach so he can talk to his passengers.

DRIVER

[in Romanian] We are an hour early.

One of the passengers make the sign of the cross. Another nods.

NODDING PASSENGER

Smart.

The driver turns to Jonathan.

DRIVER

Your coach has not arrived yet. It is late; we will take you on to Bukovina and put you up there for the night.

JONATHAN

Could you wait maybe five minutes? Please?

DRIVER

No. There are wolves.

Suddenly Dracula’s carriage appears behind them. The passengers scream; the driver swears and struggles to get his horses under control as the carriage overtakes and stops in front of them.

DRIVER

[in Romanian] The dead travel fast.

DRACULA – I mean, the “COACHMAN” – alights from his coach and approaches them.

“COACHMAN”

[in Romanian] You are early tonight.

The driver flinches, says nothing. The passengers are frozen in their seats, hardly daring to breath. Their bravery has fled.

The “coachman” pulls Jonathan’s suitcase from the luggage rack. Jonathan climbs out and hesitantly approaches the other vehicle.

“COACHMAN”

Come, come! Let me help you.

He grabs Jonathan’s arm and heaves him into the carriage. He uses a little too much force; Jonathan bounces against the seat. The “coachman” puts a cloak over Jonathan’s shoulders.

JONATHAN

You can keep it for yourself if you want; I’m wearing enough protective layers.

“COACHMAN”

Keep it. And there is a flask of slivovitz in the seat pocket if you would like a nightcap.

The “coachman” flicks the reins and the carriage starts moving. The driver, white-knuckling the reins, watches Jonathan leave. The passengers watch as well, pressed up against the windows but not daring to poke their heads outside.

109     EXT. LANDSCAPE NEAR THE CASTLE

The carriage rides through the night. Jonathan is cold, despite the layers; he pulls the cloak around himself like a blanket and enjoys the night time view.

Jonathan gets curious. By the light of the moon he looks at his watch; it is about to strike midnight.

Camera static; static zoom shot of the watch face as the hands strike midnight.

Howls pierce the air. They are far away and oh so close. Jonathan shivers, shrinking down and trying to hide as best he can in the carriage. They keep moving.

110      INT. OPEN TOP CARRIAGE

Aerial shot of the carriage rolling along the road. Jonathan, feeling brave, is sitting up properly again. He spots blue flames flickering among the trees to the left.

JONATHAN

A will o’ the wisp! I didn’t know you had them here! We have them back home in England, in the marshes.

“COACHMAN”

They are not wisps, only blue flames. Wisps have a mind.

JONATHAN

Supposedly wisps lead people astray. Some people have died after following them.

The coachman grins. He enjoys the thought of people dying.

“COACHMAN”

The flames always appear on St George’s Eve. They mark hidden treasure.

Eyes around them, glowing white. The horses buck and whinny, but there’s nowhere for them to go. The cloud cover lifts and

Wolves.

Standing in a ring around the now stopped carriage, silently observing the men. Suddenly they throw back their heads and howl.

The coachman stands up, throwing his arms wide.

“COACHMAN”

[in Romanian] Begone!

The wolves leave.

“COACHMAN”

The children of the night. What music they make!

Jonathan is shaken. What the hell was that? He presses a hand to his chest, pressing the rosary tucked under his shirt against his skin. It is a comfort.

111      EXT. CASTLE DRACULA

The carriage comes down the final stretch of road before pulling up in the courtyard of “a vast ruined castle”. Jonathan is slumped in the backseat; fear and exhaustion has been too much for him and he nodded off.

The sudden lurch of the carriage coming to a halt wakes him up and he looks about him in awe, hopping from the carriage with the help of the coachman who proceeds to deposit his suitcase beside him before driving off.

Jonathan approaches the front door. It is massive and weathered, with iron nails embedded in it.

Carved along the stone doorframe, in English, is an inscription. The words are clearly new, although the stone it is carved onto is very old.

JONATHAN

[in English] Enter freely, go safely, and leave a little of the happiness you bring.

There is a loud clank of bolts – and gears? - and the door slides open, seemingly on its own.