#arsenic-72

[elementcattos]

Arsenic & six of his sisters

Arsenic is a monoisotopic element, meaning only one of its isotopes (Arsenic-75) is stable. All others are radioactive. These are the seven most stable isotopes.

None of the sisters really like each other, but they usually put their differences aside to mess with their brother.

Art & designs by @sciphonpylon! I love these jerks sm

[glimmerofawesome]

[inprimalinie]

Occidentul trece cu vederea modernizarea militară a Rusiei din cauza propriei propagande

În raportul său, Royal United Services Institute a calificat drept depășite sau eronate percepțiile larg răspândite privind slăbiciunea armatei ruse. Iar propaganda care “abundă pe rețelele de socializare” a creat aceste percepții. Georgiana Arsene De fapt, Rusia și-a modernizat apărarea aeriană: acum poate neutraliza cu succes rachetele AGM-88 HARM cu ghidare radar și poate doborî avioanele…

[petrerpkr]

Jason todd reading order

For more info here /& /here

Batman #357-#399 (1983-1986)

Batman #402-416(1986)

Detective Comics #524-#567 (1983-1986)

Detective Comics #568-#582(1986)

Nightwing Vol. 2 #101 -106(2005)

Batman #424-429(1988)(Batman: A Death in the Family)

Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying (1989)

Red Hood: Lost Days (2010)

Batman: Under the Red Hood Batman #635-641, #645-50, & Batman Annual #25(2005)

Green Arrow Vol. 3 #69-72(2007)

Nightwing Vol. 2 #118-122(2006)

Batman RIP(2008)

Robin (Vol.2) #175-183(2008)

Batman: Battle for the Cowl(2009)

Batman and Robin #1-6 + 23-25(2009)

Red Hood and the Outlaws vol 1 #0-20(2011)

Batman Incorporated #0-6(2012)

Batman Incorporated #7-13 + Batman Incorporated Special #1(2013)

Death of the Family(2013)

Red Hood and the Outlaws Annual #1 (2013)

Batman and Robin (Vol. 2) #20(2013)

Red Hood and the Outlaws #21-40(2013) + Red Hood and the Outlaws Annual #2(2014)

Red Hood/Arsenal (2015)

Batman and Robin Eternal(2015)

Batman and Robin #33–37 (2014 – 2015)

Batman Eternal(2015)

Robin war

Red Hood and the Outlaws: Rebirth #1 (2016)

Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 2 #1-13 (2016)

Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 2 Annual #1 (2017)

Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 2 #14-25

Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 2 Annual #2(2018)

Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 2 #26(2018)

Red Hood: Outlaw #27-36 (2018)+Red Hood: Outlaw Annual 3(2019)

Event Leviathan(2019)

Red Hood: Outlaw #37-52(2019)

Joker War(2020)

Batman: Urban Legends #1-6 (2021)

Robin #5(2021)

Nightwing Annual (2021)

Task Force Z #1-12(2021)

The Joker : The Man Who Stopped Laughing 1-6 (2022)

Batman – Legends of Gotham (2023)

Lazarus Planet: Next Evolution (2023)

Knight Terrors: Robin (2023)

Red Hood – The Hill(2024)

[louisupdates]

The Grenfell Tower fire was one of the most appalling tragedies in recent British history. The two-day blaze killed 72 people and in turn, led to a national uproar. Still to this day, millions of Brits remember those who lost their lives during the fire, with communities regularly coming together through a slew of different mediums. One community-driven collective that was launched off the back of the Grenfell fire is Grenfell Athletic FC, a local grassroots football team that was founded to help young men come together. The football club — launched by Rupert Taylor — has just unveiled a brand-new football kit, made in collaboration with Nike and Kitlocker, that features cuts of fabric donated from items of clothing that survived the Grenfell fire, including some garments worn by the survivors on the night of their escape.

The new kits have been launched under a project titled “Fabric of the Community,” with each shirt designed to include a subtle perimeter area surrounding the club crest, reserved for a bespoke cut of fabric. One survivor from the Grenfell fire was Nick Burton, whose wife was tragically the 72nd victim of the fire. He donated the shirt worn on the night of the fire, using this project as a moment to gain further closure from the incident.

Commenting on the donation of his shirt for the “Fabric of the Community Campaign,” Mr Burton said: “This is one of the only connections that I have to my home. I feel that it’s time to let go and now it will live on as part of the fabric of the community – the community that is everything to us.”

The clean-cut shirt, which will be worn by Grenfell Athletic’s men’s and women’s teams during the 2024/25 season, is designed with NFC technology that’s intricately crafted into the shirts by Kitlocker, allowing fans to digitally interact with the kit, as an NFC chip is embedded behind the club badge, thus linking to a touching video that relates to the shirt’s donated fabric.

Along with victims of the Grenfell fire, several non-local supporters of the club have also donated to the campaign, including Hector Bellerin who donated a match-worn shirt from his time at Arsenal. One Direction star Louis Tomlinson has also donated one of his treasured Doncaster Rovers shirts.

Take a closer look at the Grenfell Athletic jersey above and be sure to buy yours now via Kitlocker.

[LINK TO ARTICLE]

[itsabouttimex2]

Monkiefam: Part One

Transformation Troubles

(Part Zero) (Part One) (Part Two) (Part Three)

“It’s for your own safety, kiddo.”

Those words ring in your mind as you stare out of the window, watching as your “father” trains your “brother”. You idly watch them clash, deftly swinging their staffs, blocking, counter-attacking, and breaking through each other’s defenses. Wukong stands leagues above MK, even though the kid is learning fast. You’ve gotten used to the sight of the monkey demon correcting his mentee’s stance, shifting his arms and legs, hauling him off the ground and dusting his clothes off when he knocks him down. Once, you would’ve stood in wide-eyed awe, caught on every fluid strike and powerful swing. Now, it’s become so commonplace that you barely bat an eye.

You only really start to pay attention when they start rapidly shifting between several forms from the 72 Transformations technique.

Although your “family” had allowed you to partake in basic training exercises like stretches and warmups, anything beyond that was strictly off-limits to you. As MK mastered skill after skill and bolstered his arsenal of techniques, you were stuck inside, only able to watch him grow. All to keep you safe, in their own words. One was a monkey demon and one was an inheritor to the legacy and powers of said monkey demon. They were powerful and mystical, and you were a regular human, short-lived and fragile. Weaker, slower, squishier.

But more than smart enough to learn a few of their tricks.

And brave enough to try one out.

“If you wanna change your body, you gotta change your thinking first, bud.”Wukong had instructed MK with these words not too long ago. From a hawk to a tiger to even something as small as a butterfly, Sun Wukong had already mastered all 72 and MK was well on his way to learning to do so himself.

You only had one in mind to start with. If you wanted to ever escape the smothering clutches of these two warriors, you weren’t going to be able to do it with any kind of mindless force. Being able to take the form of a hawk might’ve sounded useful, but the Monkey King could easily outspeed you. A tiger? Both of them could take the same form, and were much stronger to boot. Picking something like a spider would easily keep MK away, but wouldn’t deter Wukong in the slightest.

So instead, you settled on the monkey. Then, you had plausible deniability on your side. You could shrug it off as ‘wanting to be more like him’ or ‘wanting to see what it was like’ if Wukong asked you why you’d been practicing transformations at all. MK wouldn’t need any sort of explanation from you, because he’d probably just get excited about you learning such a technique.

You have your plan. And your reasoning, if things go poorly. All that’s left to do is to get started.

Change your thinking.

Wild, exuberant energy. Skillful jumps and leaps. Dexterous limbs and powerful bodies. Unbridled curiosity. Devotion to your troop.

An innate desire to revel in freedom.

At first, you had worried that the transformation might hurt. But then the whole world flashes gold and your body shifts and reshapes, and you feel better than you ever have before. A burst of adrenaline rushes through you, glowing sparks of white hot energy coursing your veins. You lie there on the floor for a few minutes, trying to regain your composure as the searing ecstasy of success flows through your shifted body.

And then there’s a knock on the door. You try to scramble to your feet, only to trip over your unfamiliar appendages. You slip and lightly thud against the floor, which only worries your captor more.

“You doing okay in there, bud? Training ran a little long, huh?”

You can’t respond. You try to respond, but nothing akin to speech comes out. Only silk-soft chittering. Then it hits you.

You aren’t a gorilla, a chimpanzee, an orangutan.

“Are you still mad that we won’t let you train with us? Am I getting the silent treatment now, kid?”

No, you’ve shifted into one of the little monkeys that flourish on Flower Fruit Mountain.

“Aww, don’t be too upset, alright? Hey, I’ll have MK bring us some of those noodles the two of you like, okay? The three of us can eat together.”

And you don’t know how to turn back.

“Y/N?”

You only have a few seconds to register the concern in his voice before the door between the two of you flies off the handles, broken down by a single kick from Wukong. He crosses the threshold into your room, looking around not only in worry, but tentative anger. If you had broken out again, he was going to…

You look up. He looks down.

There’s only a couple of seconds where he’s confused, head tilted curiously to the side at the sight of the little monkey in front of him. Then, recognition writes itself across his face.

His eyes widen in adoration as the end of his tail curls into a sort of heart. He dashes forward and snatches you off the ground with a huge grin, holding you up to his face. He nuzzles you against himself, brushing his cheek against your own. He only pauses to call out to his student.

“MK, bud, you gotta come see this!”

Once you hear excited footsteps pounding down the halls, you know that you’re in for a long day.

[bloop-bl00p]

Rewriting the Hollow Knight of Hazbin Hotel

So, am I the only one who finds it weird that Carmilla isn’t getting jumped by the higher class?

The girl has an arsenal of weapons that can kill Goetia’s members AND neutralize their powers. And she sells it at affordable prices? Stricker can buy those weapons for God’s sake! That’s how he kills Blue Bloods, shouldn't that ring a bell in the Royal Class?

It’s surprising that an uprising hasn't happened yet, some imps managed to build successful businesses (Bliztø, Crimson, Stricker, Barbie I guess?) imagine the disaster if one day they have enough of being treated as lesser and just happen to have enough money to arm a large population of imps.

I intended her to be Velvette's mother, but I changed my plan and turned her into my OC. One thing I don't like about Viv’s Hell is how small it looks. You're telling me that everyone either comes from somewhere in America or Europe, Nifty is the only Asian character, and Cherry Bomb is the only Australian but that’s not enough for me.

Add to that the fact that her POC characters are grey. Or that she simply doesn't add any features/accents that could help the audience guess which origin are her characters.

I know Velvette has an accent but that’s the only character who has one. They should have done more research to make everyone have a dialect at least as unique as Zestial.

Anyways, Carmilla is from South Africa. Don’t get mad at me, Viv’s Hell feels extremely small and I needed multiple POVs to diversify the backstory.

I want my Version of Hell to be a clash of multiple origins, musically speaking you can give the aggressive Spanish guitars to Vaga. Carmilla is associated with Kwela and Soul.

Nomsa Mbatha was born in 1959 and grew to be an impoverished black woman in South Africa during the apartheid, she eventually married gang members to survive.

The Gang was primarily focused on smuggling and economic activities and she participated as a new member when she got married. She partacked in smuggling weapons, drugs, and other contraband into prisons and served as well as an informant gathering intelligence from the outside world and relaying information to gang members in prison or on the streets. Nomsa also provided alibis. All of that is in exchange for protection and money to have a somewhat normal life.

She had her two daughters at 35, the two were twins. Nomsa interchanged between mother and Gang members and, unfortunately, had to bring the girls to do some of the dirty work.

The two girls died with their mother at 20 during a police raid. Nomsa was struck with guilt as she thought she was the reason Odette and Clara went to Hell with her.

In Hell, she renamed herself Induna and used her knowledge to start selling weapons, normal ones at first. Until she started commercializing Blessed Steels.

She didn’t get away with it, she was targeted by many Goetia members scared to lose their position of power since it’s the only thing that can kill them. It’s only through negotiation that she comes up with an arrangement with them with the help of Zestial who’s well-known and respected.

You need to be legally approved (A card to hold one in public) and only royal members have access to it Induna is the exception. The utilization is up to them once purchased.

The weapons are actually mostly harmless to The 72 Lesser Keys of Solomon. It’s the rest of the Goetia, their children who can be killed. The Seven Deadly Sins or The Other Fallen Angels are also safe.

Her employees usually seek the lost Angelic Weapons just right after extermination, they operate during the cleaning of roads and are trained to recognize blessed steel as they can't be noticed with metal detectors. They wear uniforms and it’s usually during these weapons harvesting that people follow them to steal from the company. It’s rare since her workers know how to fight but it happens and a small black market occurred from it, that’s where Stricker got his personal dagger. He also steals from the rich.

Details:

→ Nomsa speaks Zulu and Induna means leader of a group of warriors.

Nomsa means The Mother of Compassion and Mbatha can mean Protector. She’s a mother and the protector of her children.

→ The Twins work for their mother and she insists that they work indoors. One works to design the weapons, and the other tests them. Induna regularly trains them on how to fight and defend themselves.

→ Vaga worked for a few years with Induna and sees herself in her. She keeps her daughter safe the same way she tries to keep her brother out of danger.

My take on human Vaggie → here ←

Appearance:

Watch me fight my biggest enemies, front-facing, and side-profile. I feel like I messed up the head shape in the side profile.

Vivziepop when she learned it’s easy to moisturize and draw POC characters with actual features.

Anyway, I don’t really know what I want to do with her sinner's forms. I think I’m gonna make her a bear because Mommy Bear. I’ll keep the big paws as a way to say she has the weight of the people she killed on her hands. You could say…

“But she never killed anyone.”

Yes, but she still sold weapons that killed people later, willingly participating in a sin will get you to Hell.

That’s all for the rewrite.

[pure-garbage]

Sandbox Adventures Chapter Masterpost

I didn't realize quite how long this monstrosity was until I started typing it out. Have a handy, neatly ordered chapter list with links. Chapters containing smut are marked (S), so they're easy to avoid(Or not avoid...). Now in two parts because apparently even the chapter list became too long :p

First Chapter - Escape

2 - Stowaway

3 - Wisdom Of The Runaway

4 - Corrin Strikes!

5 - Oppressive Power

6 - Chilly Invitation

7 - Grueling Heat

8 - Devotion

9 - Unsolicited Truths

10 - Cursed Blade

11 - Quest To Find God

12 - Resolve Over Skill

13 - Guile Within G-8

14 - Assessment

15 - Straw Game

16 - Tashigi's Trap

17 - Bubbles And Iron

18 - Perplexing Heart

19 - Preoccupation Over Discipline

20 - Oil And Water

21 - Saucy Speculation

22 - Matchmaker

23 - Assume Too Much

24 - Silent Cues

25 - Wordless Proposal

26 - Stolen Treasure

27 - Muscle Memory

28 - One Calm Moment

29 - Nosy Friends

30 - Patient Mentorship

31 - Intense Practice

32 - Pleasure Cove (S)

33 - Quick Learner (S)

34 - Forbidden Fantasy (S)

35 - Consummation (S)

36 - Legendary Hands

37 - Careful What You Wish For

38 - Limes And Revenge (S)

39 - Culmination (S)

40 - Insatiable Demon (S)

41 - Tale Of The Scar

42 - Downtime

43 - Race Between Lovers (S)

44 - Torture And Torment

45 - Hefty Price

46 - Fury Of Asura

47 - Goddess Of Death

48 - Soap And Blood (S)

49 - Ten Seconds

50 - Broken Ribs (S)

51 - Ice And The Admiral

52 - Experience

53 - Kitten Claws

54 - Lullaby

55 - Menace

56 - Turmoil

57 - Harbinger

58 - Grey Clover

59 - Cling To The Truth

60 - Scorn

61 - Deadly Test

62 - Prevail

63 - Grit And Spunk

64 - Clean Getaway

65 - Revelry (S)

66 - Ill-phrased Proposal

67 - Buried Past

68 - Breakdown

69 - Weight Of A Promise

70 - Chasm

71 - Final Swim

72 - Re-Emergence

73 - Overcome The Shadows

74 - Time out!

75 - Versatility

76 - Faith

77 - Counter Tactics

78 - Total Satisfaction (S)

79 - Secret Arsenal

80 - Two-Faced Archipelago

81 - Back Half

82 - Valkyries' Wrath

83 - Familiar Tactics

84 - Down With The Gods

85 - Unlucky Thirteen

86 - Paw-Palm Express

87 - Unhampered Departure?

88 - Demand To Be Spoken

89 - Stargazers And Thieves

90 - Beset

91 - Redemption

92 - Worms And Maggots

93 - The Warrior's Path

94 - Curiosity

95 - Tokens

96 - One Year Later

97 - Earring Hunt

98 - Convenient Proposition

99 - Interrupted Rituals

== Click Here For Part Two ==

[workingclasshistory]

On this day, 9 April 1945, Georg Elser, a factory worker and folk musician who tried single-handedly to kill Hitler, was murdered in the Dachau concentration camp. Working in a weapons factory and then a quarry, he gradually built up an arsenal of stolen explosives, which in 1939 he planted in a pub in Munich, which he knew Hitler visited every year on 8 and 9 November to celebrate the Nazi putsch of 1923. Unbeknownst to Elser, that year Hitler left early and the bomb missed him by minutes, instead killed six senior Nazis, as well as accidentally a waitress. Elser was later arrested and tortured, but insisted he acted alone and refused to give up any other names, other than one of a communist who had already died. He was sent to the concentration camps, where he was killed on the orders of Himmler just a few days before their liberation. Learn more about German resistance to Nazism in our podcast episode 72: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/72-edelweiss-pirates-swing-kids/ Pictured: photograph of Elser, enhanced by WCH https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=605774411595778&set=a.602588028581083&type=3

[dead-dove-moment]

Halphas

One of the 72 Great Demons. Furnishes his summoner with all sorts of armaments, both supernatural and mundane. With the right weapon, anything can be killed. And he prides himself on always having that weapon somewhere in his arsenal.

He is a shameless arms dealer fully willing to offer his services to all sides of a conflict at once, so that he can watch the violence unfold and then peck at the carcasses of the losers.

However, he holds a certain protective fondness for those who grew up as child soldiers, and will sometimes manifest to contract with them if their anti-magic toxin is low enough. Perhaps it's because he recognizes such mortals as the rarest kind of weapon: the kind that's also a person.

Plays only a minor, off-screen role in the tale of Rokkenjima. Beyond the door of trickery, as the detective performs the perfect autopsy, you might catch a glimpse of a pigeon nestled on a nearby perch, watching as his carefully-selected wares are put to use.

(credit to @the-ill-doctor for the character art. consider tossing her a commission request! ^_^)

[vickozone]

The Magnus Archives

-S2 Notes-

I had a lot more to say on this season apart from the first. (I find some of them funny, like Ep 78)

An animatic may or may not be coming soon.

<- previous notes next notes ->

Handwriting translated below:

{ Note: Magnus was the last name of the man that discovered Arsenic, a lethal poison } [I am not sure what this proves, but I found it interesting]

#41 Jon explores the caves, makes own statement

#42 Crazed band causing ppl to off themselves + Martin is suspicious

#43 Police order and fire guy identified (ep. 12?) Jon rizzed cop into getting tapes

#44 circus again, Gertrude’s tape

#45 Malaria doctors (rather similar to Jane scenario), also, Jon has photos of Tim… antique guy

#46 Book guy, Michael Crew, rain smell (ep. 18)

#47 MICHAEL STABBED JON!? OMG WHY DID I FIND IT HOT?? (Ep. 53, 5 stitches??)

#48 person lost in non-human crowd. I trust Elias.

#49 More meat. … Still trust Elias

#50 Smirk, again, and Tim thinks Jon is banging a cop. People keep moving to New Zealand.

#51 Simon Fairchild in the ocean + not!Sasha is going to a… wax museum??

#52 weird, strong inmate. Not!Sasha boyfriend? (omg. Tim.)

#53 Another archive. Martin is such a sweetheart.

#54 Taxidermy and Jon is slowly going marbles (broke into Gertrude’s home!!)

#55 “disease, insects, and the smell when they burn.” [side: I do not remember what the episode was about, but upon further reflection, it was the pest control guy]

#56 Vamp dude again aND I ALMOST CRIED WHEN JON YELLED AT MARTIN?! HE’S GOING INSANE!! WHY IS HE SMILING?? STOP. THAT SCARED ME!!! Also “The Hunt” He’s 29? [Martin]

{ Note: When a character emphasizes “The (insert noun)”, note it }

#57 space program, 3 people involved, stock boyfriend

#58 old file about cannibalism. Jon is legit going insane. (Oregon Trail)

#59 ex-thug taken in. Something with Agnes. Everyone is scared of Jon.

#60 Eyes. Team confronts Jon.

#61 Coffin again + another cop. Daisy.

#62 “The End”, + Gertrude tape. Floorboard. [Mary Keay’s experience with Leitner book]

#63 The dark are my friend + YouTube girl again

#64 Mummy tomb + Jon broke into police station?? [he keeps breaking laws] #65 17 HOUR ASMR EATING COMPUTER!! Tim CURSES Jon out.

#66 Man buried alive (sorta). Gertrude is a pyromaniac [/j]

#67 “The Cult of The Lightless Flame”, Agnes is back

#68 Another book? Not!Sasha scared Jon. Lol

#69 ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Spiders seem to be a theme. “The Spiders”? Is Annabelle a monster? Like Prentiss?

#70 Death book. Istg, if there are anymore books-

#71 Spooky train.

#72 More meat. “I don’t want my final thoughts to be racist.”

#73 Maxwell kidnapped child, brought to industrial complex. 5 seconds, chaos happened. “People’s Church of The Devine Host.” (Barista quit.)

#74 Insomniac girl meets Michael (pookie bear) ALSO, Jon is sus[picious] of Sasha? That’s new.

#75 Michael crew, again. Theme of falling endlessly…

#76 Melanie tours WW train. Jon is slowly learning that Sasha is different.

#77 “Not them” OMG, THAT’S WHY!! NEAT NOT!SASHA TO A PULP!

#78 OH. NO. OUR TABLE. “And now I see you.” Chills. (stop, cause I literally yelled)

#79 “Come out, come out wherever you are…” Jon crying, pleading in sorry for his coworkers broke me. Martin + Tim are stuck in Michael’s dimension [lucky]

#80 JURGEN IS ALIVE. JURGEN IS KILLED BY ELIAS. ENTITIES? (knew it) TIM + MARTIN BLAME JON. SOMETHING WITH AN EYE.

(side notes within the {} brackets, and more detailed notes of what I was referring to within [] brackets)

[the-arsenal6]

Stina has played a total of 72 minutes against City in the WSL this season after coming of the bench (including injury time) and has scored 3 goals, in the 87th, 89th and 92nd minute, to bring Arsenal the win in both matches

[allthegothihopgirls]

jason comic recs? preferably ones i can get collected because there is one normal comics store in my vicinity and i never get the chance to go. no drivers license blues

OH GOD I FORGOT ABOUT THIS I'M SENDING THE FORCE OF 1000 APOLOGIES RN.

honestly i have. no clue what can be collected vs what can't. i don't buy many full runs of anything. so sorry in advance.

oh god i've gotta rack my brain for this..

i can't even rec u most of his robin run.... i'm a hater about his pre-crisis origin. huge hater if u will.

there's like 20~ batman issues post-crisis where's he's alive and robin. so there's that. (#408-426)

he's in the 1985 superman annual. with wonder woman. and it's cute

oh there's that one part in new teen titans (#18-31). he's in that w/ really good characterisation... at least i think so. it's been years since i've read it.

OH. best jaybin ever in batman: the cult

green arrow (2001) has a few issues containing post-utrh jason, those are good. (#69-72)

i liked his bonding with dick in the 2021 nightwing annual.

he was fun in robins (2021)

i'll rec both the outlaws runs but do not trust any of their characterisations on anyone who isn't jason. don't even trust their characterisation on jason.

i liked red hood/arsenal too but they kind of butchered roy.

OH HE WAS SUPER GOOD IN DCEASED: UNKILLABLES.

ok yeah that's pretty much all i have.... everything else i can think of that i've enjoyed are literally just single cameo issues he's had in other stuff i've read, or batman.

[dreamings-free]

Hypebeast Nov 21, 2024 | text by Jack Lynch

The Grenfell Tower fire was one of the most appalling tragedies in recent British history. The two-day blaze killed 72 people and in turn, led to a national uproar. Still to this day, millions of Brits remember those who lost their lives during the fire, with communities regularly coming together through a slew of different mediums. One community-driven collective that was launched off the back of the Grenfell fire is Grenfell Athletic FC, a local grassroots football team that was founded to help young men come together. The football club — launched by Rupert Taylor — has just unveiled a brand-new football kit, made in collaboration with Nike and Kitlocker, that features cuts of fabric donated from items of clothing that survived the Grenfell fire, including some garments worn by the survivors on the night of their escape.

The new kits have been launched under a project titled “Fabric of the Community,” with each shirt designed to include a subtle perimeter area surrounding the club crest, reserved for a bespoke cut of fabric. One survivor from the Grenfell fire was Nick Burton, whose wife was tragically the 72nd victim of the fire. He donated the shirt worn on the night of the fire, using this project as a moment to gain further closure from the incident.

Commenting on the donation of his shirt for the “Fabric of the Community Campaign,” Mr Burton said: “This is one of the only connections that I have to my home. I feel that it’s time to let go and now it will live on as part of the fabric of the community – the community that is everything to us.”

The clean-cut shirt, which will be worn by Grenfell Athletic’s men’s and women’s teams during the 2024/25 season, is designed with NFC technology that’s intricately crafted into the shirts by Kitlocker, allowing fans to digitally interact with the kit, as an NFC chip is embedded behind the club badge, thus linking to a touching video that relates to the shirt’s donated fabric.

Along with victims of the Grenfell fire, several non-local supporters of the club have also donated to the campaign, including Hector Bellerin who donated a match-worn shirt from his time at Arsenal. One Direction star Louis Tomlinson has also donated one of his treasured Doncaster Rovers shirts.

Take a closer look at the Grenfell Athletic jersey above and be sure to buy yours now via Kitlocker.

-

(it isn't specified here, but it seems the cuts of donated fabric was used for the circle placed under the club's badge, so each shirt is different)

[mariacallous]

Public discussions following Vladimir Putin's May visit to China largely focused on exports of obscure tubers and beef cartilage to Beijing. But despite the lack of a public breakthrough in the sphere of military assistance, China remains an essential partner for the Kremlin in its war in Ukraine. Military supplies from other allied authoritarian regimes — North Korea, Iran, and Belarus — sometimes even surpass those Ukraine receives from the West. As Russia’s own reserves of armored vehicles dwindle, support from the Kremlin’s axis of authoritarian allies is only expected to grow.

Belarus: A launchpad for attacks, training of mobilized troops, tanks, and fuel

For the first six years of Russia’s war in Ukraine — i.e. 2014-2020 — Alexander Lukashenko's regime in Minsk managed to maintain a relatively independent policy. There was even limited military-technical cooperation between Belarus and Ukraine, with Belarusian petroleum products refined from Russian oil going to Ukraine for use by its armed forces at a time when they were busily fending off attacks from Russian-backed forces in the Donbas region. However, everything changed in August 2020, when a wave of popular protests swept over Belarus, exposing Lukashenko’s political vulnerability at home. Vladimir Putin responded by allocating a reserve of Russian law enforcement officers to suppress the demonstrations, thereby maintaining the regime in power in Minsk while leaving it almost wholly dependent on Moscow for survival. In February 2022, it was time for Lukashenko to repay his debts by becoming an accomplice, if not an outright ally, in the Kremlin’s full-scale assault on Kyiv.

In the early days of the invasion, forces from Russia's Eastern Military District and Airborne Troops, which had relocated to Belarus under the pretext of conducting training exercises, thus securing a foothold on the right bank of the Dnieper River, launched an offensive on the Ukrainian capital. Kyiv’s main government buildings and other “decision-making centers” are located on the right bank (the western one), an area of Ukraine that became accessible to Russian invaders largely thanks to the fact that they were able to stage their attack from Belarusian territory. Furthermore, Belarus became a reliable rear base for the Russian army, which received fuel and lubricants directly from the Mozyr refinery, had its wounded soldiers treated in Belarusian hospitals, and launched missile attacks and airstrikes from Belarusian soil and airspace.

Notably, Ukraine refrained from striking Belarusian territory, likely to avoid provoking Lukashenko into direct participation in the war. As a result, Russian troops in Belarus felt even safer than in Russia's border regions, which were subjected to Ukrainian strikes from the first days of the full-scale invasion. Without this “immunity,” the losses suffered by the Russian side during its retreat from the Kyiv region in March-April 2022 might have been even greater. Even after the Russian withdrawal, Belarusian airspace was used by Russian A-50 AWACS aircraft, Tu-22M3 strategic bombers, and Su-34 and Su-35 fighters to launch airstrikes.

The next phase of cooperation between Moscow and Minsk began at the end of 2022. The Belaruski Hayun monitoring group reported the dispatch to Russia of trains carrying dozens of tanks (1, 2), trucks, and ammunition from Belarusian warehouses. According to the group’s estimates, in October 2022 alone, 98 T-72 tanks, 60 BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles (including 20 without turrets), and 53 Ural trucks were shipped. As of early November 2022, over 65,000 tons of ammunition had been transferred.

With the start of Russia’s mobilization in September 2022, some groups of recruits, primarily reinforcements for the 2nd Guards Motor Rifle Taman Division, received training at Belarusian ranges due to overcrowding at Russian sites. Economic aid has also played a crucial role: in recent months, imports of gasoline from Belarus have helped the Kremlin stabilize consumer prices amid drone attacks on its own refineries. Additionally, it was recently disclosed that the Belarusian military-industrial complex produces sights for Russian APCs, and also for its T-72 and T-90 tanks.

Of course, this help comes at a cost. Despite the Russian army’s acute need for military equipment, weapons deliveries to Belarus continue, albeit with significant delays. Additionally, Russian tactical nuclear weapons were recently stationed in Belarus, likely easing Lukashenko's concerns about “threats from NATO.” Furthermore, Russian police and National Guard officers remain ready to assist the Minsk regime in the event of renewed protests.

It should be noted that Belarusian capabilities to provide military aid to Russia are far from exhausted. The country produces “Kaiman“ armored vehicles, MAZ military trucks, and MZKT chassis for heavy equipment. Additionally, the Belarusian military industry complex manufactures reconnaissance drones and multiple launch rocket systems, and it also upgrades tanks. These resources could prove indispensable for the Russian army, which is experiencing a significant shortage of certain equipment (specifics of which can be found in our front-line situation review).

Iran: Drones and artillery ammunition

Russian-Iranian military-technical cooperation dates back to the late Soviet era, when Moscow sent Tehran modest arms and equipment supplies during the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988). After the Soviet Union’s collapse, military shipments to Iran increased until they were almost completely halted between 2008-2015 due to international sanctions imposed on Iran’s nuclear program. Notable deals include the transfer in 2007 of Tor surface-to-air missile systems, one of which accidentally shot down a Ukrainian International Airlines commercial flight over Tehran in 2020. Additionally, Iran and Russia cooperated militarily in Syria to support the regime of Bashar al-Assad in the country’s civil war.

Almost from the outset of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Kremlin needed military aid. Moscow was particularly interested in Iran's advanced drone industry. Under sanctions and unable to procure full-fledged combat aircraft, the Iranian regime developed an impressive range of drones, from reconnaissance platforms to loitering munitions. While the Russian military industry excelled in reconnaissance UAVs, Russia had almost no kamikaze drones at the beginning of the full-scale war. As pre-war missile stockpiles were gradually depleted, the focus shifted to long-range drones like Shahed-131 and Shahed-136.

Because of these drones, along with cruise and ballistic missiles, it became significantly more challenging for the Ukrainian Armed Forces to fend off attacks on both civilian and military infrastructure behind the front lines. Consequently, production of Shahed drones shifted to Russia itself at sites like the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, often utilizing forced student labor. According to agreements disclosed in 2022 through leaked documents from Alabuga, Iran committed to supplying 6,000 kits for assembling Shaheds over two and a half years.

Russian-made drones underwent significant modifications: Kometa-M antennas were installed to counter electronic warfare, the warhead the aircraft carry was upgraded for greater effectiveness, the body color was changed to black to enhance nocturnal concealment, and LTE modems were integrated to track the drones’ movements. Although Mohajer-6 reconnaissance drones were also supplied in limited quantities, they did not achieve the widespread popularity of the Shahed.

In addition to drones, Iran also provides Russia with artillery ammunition. Initially, Iranian-made artillery shots surfaced in the possession of Ukrainian forces, sourced from intercepted Western shipments intended for Iran-supported armed groups in the Middle East. By summer 2023, reports emerged regarding Russian-Iranian contracts for almost $2 million worth of ammunition and barrels for both tanks and artillery guns. Subsequently, Iranian shells were integrated into service with Russian forces.

It is worth noting that the first captured samples contained Chinese shells, leading to suspicions of direct military aid from China to Russia. However, the gunpowder charges supplied with these shells were of Iranian origin, and the shell production date suggests they reached Iran during the Iran-Iraq War. Subsequently, the range of ammunition expanded to include 203 mm shells of U.S. manufacture, inherited by the Islamic Republic from the pro-Western Shah's regime and suitable for Soviet 2S7 Pion guns. Recently, supplies of 130 mm shells for the M-46 gun were also reported.

In return, Iran has reached an agreement to purchase modern Su-35 fighters and helicopters from Russia and is currently in negotiations for S-400 anti-air missile systems. This equipment will undoubtedly bolster the capabilities of the Islamic Republic amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East, but the current circumstances have also raised doubts about how much hardware Tehran will be willing to part with. More advanced drones such as jet-powered Shahed-238s could be held back (even though a similar drone was once shot down over Ukraine back in January). And although Reuters reported in February that approximately 400 Iranian-made ballistic missiles had already been delivered to Russia, they have yet to be observed on the battlefield.

North Korea: Soviet shells and “Kimskanders”

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moscow has engaged in very limited military-technical cooperation with North Korea, partly due to the international sanctions imposed against the regime in Pyongyang. In contrast, in the 1990s South Korea received Russian tanks and infantry fighting vehicles as part of debt repayments. Nevertheless, relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have been relatively warm: North Korea was one of the few countries to recognize the 2014 annexation of Crimea and, in 2022, four more regions of Ukraine.

By 2023, Moscow found itself in need of more than just diplomatic aid. Russian production of artillery ammunition and ballistic missiles did not meet the demands of the front. Meanwhile, North Korea appeared to possess significant stocks of Soviet-caliber artillery shells, once presumed to be intended for wiping out Seoul in the event of renewed conflict on the Korean Peninsula. However, with the advancement of its nuclear program, Pyongyang had acquired more effective means of deterrence, reducing the need for artillery ammunition, if not entirely eliminating it. On the other hand, North Korea actively pursued the development of its missile program, with some ballistic missiles (known in the West as KN-23) demonstrating characteristics matching those of Russia’s Iskanders (at least on paper).

Massive ammunition supplies began following Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia in September 2023. According to OSINT investigators, munitions are transported by container ships from North Korean ports to Russia before being sent by rail to front-line areas. According to the South Korean Defense Ministry, a total of 67,000 containers of ammunition were delivered, a volume that could have contained up to 3 million 152 mm artillery shells, or as many as 500,000 122 mm artillery rockets for the Grad MLRS.

Soon, munitions with a distinctive bluish hue for artillery and MLRS started appearing in Russian frontline videos, and almost immediately, Russian pro-war bloggers began expressing their concerns about the quality and accuracy of the ammunition. Nonetheless, the shells proved sufficient for sustained artillery fire, and when combined with Russian and Iranian ammunition, they provided the Russian army with a significant artillery advantage over the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The status of North Korean missiles presents a murkier picture. In early 2024, there were reports of several KN-23 ballistic missile strikes on Kharkiv, one of which was scrutinized by Conflict Armament Research specialists. Since then, however, reports of the utilization of such missiles, dubbed “Kimskanders” by Russian pro-war bloggers, have dwindled. The reasons for this decline remain unclear: it could be because production and delivery capacities are lacking, or perhaps flaws were revealed during use. According to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, approximately half of the missiles veered off course and detonated in mid-air.

Nonetheless, North Korea’s potential to assist Russia remains largely untapped. Kim Jong-un’s arsenal comprises various weapon types, including MLRS equipped with 240 mm guided rockets (though reliable reports of their potential supply have yet to materialize). Furthermore, North Korea possesses a substantial number of tanks, notably T-54/55 and T-62M models, which Russia employs on the front lines. With forecasts indicating the depletion of Soviet-era armored vehicle stocks in Russian warehouses by 2026, the provision of North Korean tanks and other armored vehicles could help sustain Russia’s capacity for offensive operations in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the extent of what the Kremlin can offer in return remains uncertain, especially considering that nearly all modern weapons produced by the Russian military-industrial complex are allocated to the Ukrainian front. Potential offerings could involve technology transfers and the establishment of licensed production facilities in North Korea, although such endeavors risk provoking strong reactions from South Korea and Japan, both of which have thus far refrained from directly aiding Ukraine militarily.

China: machine-tools and help with sanctions evasion

Despite the so-called “friendship without limits” between Beijing and Moscow, the People's Republic of China has not been observed providing direct material-technical support to the Russian Armed Forces in its conflict with Ukraine. However, China remains a critical supplier of military and dual-use products to the Russian defense industry, and there is evidence indicating increased shipments of precision machinery and equipment, with a significant portion of the Western-sanctioned goods that reach Russia getting there via China. The Insider recently conducted its own investigation into the specific methods used to facilitate such imports.

Thanks to Chinese assistance, Russia receives various UAV elements, including FPV drones and critical components for electronic warfare systems designed to counter these very drones. Ukrainian drone production enterprises also heavily rely on the Chinese component base. However, Russia holds a logistical advantage in this regard. Some drones are offered to Russian buyers as ready-made solutions, while others are purchased from AliExpress by Russian startups, which then pass them off as their own products.

Notably, among the ready-made drones, DJI products play an extremely significant role for both sides in the conflict. DJI UAVs serve as tactical reconnaissance tools and bombers for munition drops. DJI is associated with Russia's first direct military purchase of Chinese equipment: in 2023, the Russian Defense Ministry acquired Mavic quadcopters, which Russian servicemen could obtain for free (instructions on how to do so were even published in pro-war channels). Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Defense procured a large batch of Desertcross off-road vehicles (reportedly at an inflated price). These vehicles are increasingly being utilized at the front lines, serving as transportation for assault groups. While their use has garnered some negative feedback, in the face of a shortage of armored vehicles and means of transportation, they remain a necessary option.

It should be noted that the “assistance” from Chinese companies extends beyond equipment and components to include intelligence gathering. AFP reported that in November 2022, the late Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner PMC purchased two Chinese commercial satellites and utilized their imagery to plan operations in Ukraine, Africa, and even during their short-lived June 2023 mutiny in Russia itself.

However, despite Russia's efforts to secure direct Chinese military assistance starting from as early as the beginning of 2022, no such shipments have been confirmed. Based on comments from Chinese officials, Beijing appears intent on maintaining a cautiously pro-Russian stance on the international stage, while paying lip service to Ukraine's territorial integrity and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

If China's stance were to shift, the Russian army could potentially gain access to a wide range of weaponry, from outdated kit to cutting-edge models. Considering that a potential Chinese conflict with Taiwan (or any other Pacific region adversary) would not be likely to burn through large stocks of armored vehicles and artillery, the potential for the transfer of such systems to Russia remains a real possibility. Furthermore, any Chinese restrictions on component supplies to Ukraine could pose a serious threat to Kyiv, at least until alternative supply routes through third-party countries and shell companies could be established — mirroring the very strategies employed by Russia to keep its military-industrial complex working.

[claudehenrion]

Bienvenue –si j'ose !-- en enfer...

Dans un délai qui risque d'être court, cette ''Fête de Pâques 2024'' restera comme la date officielle du début de la fin de ce qui fut la France : depuis le 15 novembre 2013, ce blog, s'appuyant sur mon arabophonie et ma connaissance de la civilisation arabe –c'est à dire, à peu de choses près, le Coran-- a répété, billet après billet, que nous allions vers une bérézina... Combien de gens de bonne foi et bien intentionnés m'ont écrit que j'étais pessimiste, que je voyais tout en noir...

Et soudain, voilà que toutes les boutiques de sondages se mettent à changer de discours et découvrent ce qu'elles refusaient de voir : les français sont inquiets à en paniquer, ils sont plus pessimistes que je ne l'ai jamais été, et les vrais chiffres sortent enfin des armoires où on les tenait cachés… Faut-il que tout aille mal, pour que nos armadas de vrais parasites/faux démocrates, nos laïcards de salon, nos soi-disant républicains, nosgauchistes d'opérette et nos révolutionnaires du ''Flore'' en soient soudain réduits à dire la vérité, comme de vulgaires hommes de Droite : neuf français sur dix osent enfin dire qu'ils ont peur, dans leur vie de tous les jours, et que l'insécurité progresse à toute vitesse... 72% d'entre avouent ne pas faire confiance au gouvernement pour les protéger (dixit Odoxa, devenue brutalement honnête), et 6 sur 10 ont décidé de se défendre eux-mêmes (alarmes, armes de poing, sports de combat).

Jusque là, on pouvait craindre qu'une passion pour le déni du réel, un attrait pour les idées de Gauche –toutes mauvaises-- et un refus de ce qui n'est pas conforme au grand mensonge qui sert de fondement à toutes nos idéologies mortifères, ne soient devenus de plus en plus difficiles à contourner : le ''système'' en place avait réussi à tout bloquer ! Des gouvernements peuplés d'aveugles et de nuls (mais tout puissants) nous interdisaient tout ce qui n'était pas ''pile-poil'' conforme à leur mensonge, via l'injustifiable (et démodé) enrégimentement à Gauche de 99 % des journalistes (qui doivent être tenus pour co-responsables de tous les maux qui nous tombent dessus). Ils ont été jusqu'à inventer des ''pandémies'' inexistantes pour nous cacher la seule pandémie (qui, elle, en est une, et ''mahousse'' !) qui nous menace vraiment : l'islam triomphant.... aidé dans sa marche par leurs silences et leurs mensonges ! Cet arsenal mortifère nous conduisait peu à peu là où ils voulaient que nous allions : en enfer. Nous n'y sommes pas encore, mais ''on n'en a jamais été aussi près'' !

Nos lamentables gouvernants, incapables --par système, mais aussi par absence d'intelligence et de référentiels culturels-- de désigner par leur nom toutes les horreurs dont ils ont fait notre quotidien, ont brutalement ouvert les yeux, et viennent tout juste de commencer à entr'apercevoir la série de catastrophes à laquelle leur impéritie et leur imprévoyance ne nous laissent que très peu de chances d'échapper : ceux qui ont vu clair ont baptisé ce drame ''le grand remplacement'', pendant que les idiots-utiles parlaient ''d'une chance pour la France''. Cherchez l'erreur !

On en revient toujours à Camus : ''Mal nommer les choses, c'est ajouter au malheur du monde''... sauf que nos faux guides ne nomment même pas : ils esquivent ! Dans un torrent de pensée à l'envers, ils essaient de nous faire avaler que si on est pour la paix, on est pro-poutine... si on est pour dire la vérité, on est complotiste... et si on aime la France en tant que ce qu'elle est (et non en souhaitant leur enfer-sur-terre), on est facho... Notre cas semblait sans espoir...

Devant ce changement, la panique de nos apprentis-ministricules si peu professionnels devrait faire de la peine à voir... sauf que, ayant fait tout ce qu'il ne fallait pas pour que le ciel leur tombe sur la tête, ils n'ont que ce qu'ils méritent ! Nous allons, nous, souffrir ''un max'', mais en ce qui les concerne... ''c'est bien fait pour leur gueule''. Et ils croient nous impressionner en ayant mis devant chaque église, pour Pâques, (''quoi qu'il en coûte'', ajouterait sans doute leur chef, s'il ne s'était pas réfugié dans un inutile ''sauvetage -sic !'' de la forêt amazonienne --qui, sans lui, est condamnée... tout le monde sait ça !-- en veillant à ce que ses costumes voyagent sur un siège ''First Class'', plein prix. Honte à lui !), des militaires lourdement (?) armés des quelques sarbacanes qui nous restent encore, après que nous ayons sacrifié nos arsenaux et nos réserves stratégiques au fantasme anti-poutinien du chef... La vérité ? On ne les croit plus, c'est tout.

Vous rendez-vous compte de ce que signifie cette déroute en rase campagne ? Au nom d'une ridicule ''laïcité'' résiduelle, vidée de son sens et de tout intérêt, seul le christianisme est interdit de pratique, de respect et de considération, en France, où seuls comptent les choix supposés de quelques minorités, surtout si elles ne sont représentatives de rien ou de quelque dépravation indescriptible... Des pouvoirs hostiles ont pris le pouvoir dans nos banlieues, dans nos villes, nos campagnes, nos villages... et nous avons de moins en moins les moyens d'assurer la sécurité dans nos rues... Si Jules Romains revenait parmi nous, il ne ferait plus de ''Ambert et Issoire'' deux ''trous de province'' où des ''Copains'' (joués, plus tard, par Philippe Noiret, Guy Bedos, Pierre Mondy et Claude Rich, accompagnés par Les Copains d’abord de Georges Brassens) exerceraient leurs talents... mais des lieux de ''points de deal'' ! Sic transit gloria mundi, hélas !

Aujourd'hui, la population française –qui n'ose même plus se revendiquer telle, tremble en permanence pour son intégralité physique (je ne parle même pas de son intégrité morale...) pour ses biens, pour ses femmes et ses filles, pour ses enfants visés par les drogues les plus immondes... Notre langue est battue en brèche et arabisée, notre magnifique culture est niée par celui-là même qui devait la promouvoir, nos modes de vie menacés par la violence la plus barbare, et notre histoire, si riche, remplacée par des enchaînements de bobards dont pas un seul ne tient la route, mais que des ''cavaliers d'Allah'' barbus et sales interdisent de mettre en doute, puisqu'ils sont archi-faux !

Au nom de notre gloire fanée, et dans l'irresponsabilité la plus totale... nous avons fait la danse du ventre pour organiser des jeux olympiques qui ne devraient logiquement plus être ni l'un ni l'autre : nous n'avons plus un kopek vaillant en poche, et ceux que nous jetons par les fenêtres vient de traites tirées sur le futur de nos enfants. La guerre rode partout –en partie par notre arrogance à raconter que nous sommes prêts à la déclencher ''pour de vrai'' sans en avoir le début de l'ombre d'un moyen... Au nom du beau mouvement olympique, nous refusons aux athlètes russes de se produire sous les couleurs de leur pays et d'avoir droit à leur hymne national … qui sont les deux strictes définitions-conditions de l'olympisme... Nous sommes inconséquents, irresponsables et provocateurs, en offrant notre gorge aux tueurs de Daech, du défilé inaugural (''Une folie criminelle'', d'après Alain Bauer) au défilé final... qui risque ''d'être de la revue'' !

Et s'il n'y avait que tout ça... Au fil des ans et des mauvaises idées, c'est par vagues successives que nos lamentables gouvernants qui, initialement nuls, se révèlent dangereux tout azimuts (dixit aussi Alain Bauer) détruisent le bel édifice, construit avec amour, persévérance et tellement d'intelligence par 70 générations de français (qui furent, par moments, gaulois ou gallo-romains) : ils croyaient bâtir un monde... et il a suffi de 2 mandatures de ''lumières éteintes'' pour tout foutre par terre... Oh ! Que j'ai mal, très mal, à ma France !

En rongeant les fondamentaux, ils ont fait s'écrouler les murs... et nous voilà offerts, sans défense, aux dangereux vents du large. Un exemple ? Au moment où le monde entier se réarme, fait des stocks de munitions, re-remplit ses arsenaux... nous nous sommes engagés à offrir, gratos, à l'Ukraine (à qui ça ne sera d'aucune utilité : les carottes sont cuites... et nous, avec ! Là encore, il serait sage de voir le monde tel que 7 humains sur 10 le voient...), la totalité de tout ce que nous aurions pu produire... mais que notre impécuniosité va laisser à l'état de ''rêves éveillés''. Pauvre France ! Lorsque les canons tonneront (ce qui est possible, avec les puérils excès présidentiels !), on pourra continuer à donner au monde ce que nous nous croyons encore capables de donner : de mauvais conseils... à surtout ne pas suivre... Dire qu'il suffisait de si peu... trois fois rien, peut-être...

H-Cl.