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[travel-logue]

10+ UK Tour Packages from Dubai

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[foolishlovers]

CO-WORKER AUs: Below you can find a list of Good Omens AUs in which Crowley and Aziraphale are co-workers. (oh my god they were co-workers)

[Requested by anon. You can request more fic recs here.]

Hit me with your ledger by KissMyAsthma (G, 1k) Corporate accountant Aziraphale has been infatuated with his coworker Crowley for a long time, but he has done nothing about it. One day, opportunity strikes and… Sometimes, an accidental nude is all it takes to score a date.

Get Down by AppleSeeds (T, 3k) When Aziraphale calls downstairs asking them to send up someone to fix the fax machine in his office, he doesn't expect them to send the most handsome and stylish man he's ever encountered in his entire life. Hopefully he won't end up doing anything foolish to embarrass himself.

The Piano Serpent by journeytogallifrey (T, 3k) Aziraphale owns The Flaming Sword, which is one of the premier gay bars in London. Everyone knows this… except for their pianist, Crowley. While the regulars take bets over whether he's the clueless straight person he seems, Aziraphale just tries to prevent himself from falling further. But one night Crowley plays a song written specially to honor their regulars, and Aziraphale can't hold the truth in any longer. How will Crowley react? Will the truth really set them free?

Hold the Lift by CemeteryAngel725 (T, 5k) Crowley just wants to get to work on time, but when he gets stuck in a lift with new guy Aziraphale, he ends up with a lot more than he bargained for. See, Aziraphale has this list of 36 questions…

!False (It's Funny Because It's True) by MirjamOmens (E, 6k) Aziraphale drew a long breath through his nose. Crowley, of course it had to be Crowley. The new guy in the sales department, who would promise potential customers just about anything to close a deal. Arrogant, annoying – and wildly, stupidly attractive. Aziraphale hated him. Aziraphale is a stellar software architect and a project manager, who is so done with the sales department selling unrealistically scheduled and budgeted projects. And he definitely doesn't have a crush on anyone, thank you very much.

Bang This Out? by crepesandoysters (E, 9k) As far as work friendships go, Aziraphale and Crowley have won the jackpot. They work well together and know how to make each other laugh, the whole metaphorical package. They could even be called best friends. Or, at least, they could be called that until today. Today comes with a kiss, and the kiss comes with more. A lot more if it were up to them. Except that their workplace seems to have other ideas.

Cock Tales by TawnyOwl95 (E, 12k) Crowley’s love life is on the rocks so he finally swears off men. Typical that his new job places him with a co-worker who's so straight up sexy. Or in which, Aziraphale tries to mix things up, Crowley is shaken and Anathema is a right stirrer. But could a relationship be worth a shot?

I'm Beginning to See the Light by ineffabildaddy (E, 15k) There was Crowley - the paragon of cool, the overlord of apathy, breezing easily through each and every one of their exchanges and giving no fucks while doing so; then there was the anachronistic, cloying Aziraphale, trying and failing not to live life like a Thomas Hardy protagonist, and giving many fucks indeed. Or: Aziraphale has quite the pash on his colleague Crowley, who seems resolutely disinterested in him. As their annual Christmas party progresses, it appears that Crowley may not be as disinterested as Aziraphale first thought.

House Style by soft_october (M, 24k) “Since that's all settled, the real question is did he give you his number?” Anathema laughed. “He was looking at you the way you look at lunch.” “Forget lunch!” Michael declared. “He was looking at you the way you were looking at him!” Aziraphale is content in his job as an editor at Celestial Publishing, though he could go for a bit less of doing his boss' job for him. But everything goes a bit screwy when the CEO brings in a consultant with plans to build a program that will turn the entire editorial department on its head. If only he wasn't so handsome.

All Lines Are Open by TawnyOwl95, FeralTuxedo (E, 21k) Anthony Crowley, bored host of a trite call-in radio show on Tadfield FM, has very few pleasures in life beyond annoying his long-suffering producer Aziraphale. When a caller reports suspicious activity at the abandoned Tadfield Manor, Crowley is determined to investigate, dragging Aziraphale along. Both of them are going to get more than they bargained for. A local radio AU

Heavenly Wicked Cafe by WaitingToBeBroken (T, 33k) There is a terribly rude barista that makes amazing coffee and a saint of a barista, whose coffee tastes vile. And they are in love.

i've found a way (a way to make you smile) by curtaincall (T, 40k) Crowley worked in Sales. He had never intended to work in Sales. It had just sort of happened. One moment, there he’d been, a newly minted university graduate off to change the world, exquisitely useless Philosophy degree in hand, and now here he was, having sauntered vaguely downwards into a Hell that consisted mainly of cold-calling new customers and sucking up to existing ones.   AU based on The Office.

First Class (Hons) Christmas, University of Tadfield. by heloluv (M, 41k) Dr. A.Z. Fell is a renowned literature tutor at the prestigious University of Tadfield. December is upon the University, and Dr. Fell is leading the Christmas Charity Drive. He needs volunteers. Dr. A.J. Crowley is a skilled plant ecologist who recently began his tenure at UoT. He can't stand Christmas, and nothing at all could ever possibly convince him to partake in "festivities". Until a certain literary expert catches his eye. A Christmas and New Years fic, in which Aziraphale teaches Crowley how to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year.

because thinking makes it so by summerofspock, NaroMoreau (E, 41k) It's supposed to be an exchange. An arrangement. Something to make them both feel better and less lonely. But Crowley's never had the brightest ideas.

Tadfield's Finest by angelsnuffbox (E, 51k) The sleepy town of Tadfield is thoroughly shaken by the arrival of DI Crowley. Where barely anything ever happened before, there is now a bustle of low grade criminal activity, and everyone knows where to point the blame. Gabriel thinks he's a bad omen for the town, many others are quick to agree. Meanwhile, Aziraphale from SOCO just thinks he's hot. Ridiculously so.

Golden Handcuffs by seekwill (E, 70k) Far from any city, near the Scottish coast, Tadfield College has a celebrated history, an unrivaled academic reputation, and two departments at war. When the Biology and English departments are forced to share a building, Senior Lecturer and botanist Anthony Crowley finds himself drawn into the orbit of the polite but strange English professor, Dr. Aziraphale Fell. As the new term begins, two academics navigate the politics of both their offices and academia, and try to solve the puzzle of one another.

Wild Hearts by foolishlovers (E, 124, WIP) In the idyllic English countryside, far from the hustle and bustle of the big city, two teachers at Willowbrook Hall set out to transform their students’ lives through the world of theatre. But for Mr. Crowley, the challenge of navigating his long hidden feelings and dear friendship with Mr. Fell may prove to be the greatest drama of all.

Sugar And Spice by SylWritesStuff, ladydragona (E, 179k, WIP) Queer technology giant Anthony J. Crowley is just about ready to throw in the towel after relationship after relationship has failed, but there's a new barista at the company coffee shop and he's cute and sweet and Crowley's never been able to resist blond hair and blue eyes. The tabloids will have a field day, they always do, but his assistant is getting married and a temp is needed. A temp who really isn't very good at making complicated coffees, has past experience in reception, and absolutely no idea that the latest complicated coffee order came from the owner himself. Aziraphale only knows that he's handsome, patient, and was the first person who told him he was doing well. How could he refuse the temp position? Or, he soon discovers, more.

[you can find more fic rec masterposts here]

[onlyangellucifer]

I LOVE YOU, ITS RUINING MY LIFE

PLOT:

It’s the biggest trial of the year and the whole world is watching. Stakes are higher and tension is higher. Little do they know, the prosecutor and defence attorney are in love.

OR

Harry is a popular defense attorney in London & Y/N is a popular prosecutor. Both are known for rarely losing & now they’ve found themselves in a pickle.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:✧*⋆.*:･ﾟ✧.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆ ☾

WARNINGS:

Mentions of murder, blood, and the likes (nothing too graphic), smut (in the future), angst, fluff, etc. will add more if any others pop up!

AUTHORS NOTE:

Hello!! Ive been MIA, sorry. However, ive come bearing gifts! Below the cut is a sneak peak at this new short series (no more than 6 parts atm). Im working on the other series’ too, sorry for the delay. Hope you can forgive me. Anyways i hope u enjoy defense attorney!Harry 🫶🏼 the preview also isnt proof read, so excuse any typos. Meaning things WILL be changed / could be changed & moved around! Not sure of word count, but cant be more than 1500. Its short.

London hasnt seen a case this high profile since the case of Harold Shipman, who killed up to 250 victims. Many feared this may be another case of Jack The Ripper, as they double checked their doors at night, hoping the serial killer wasn’t going to show up at their door. The relief that washed over the town when the police had finally caught the man whom they think is responsible for the latest killings of 20 men and women. The scenes were too graphic to show on tv.

Y/N ended up with the case. The crime scene photos were unnerving to her and interviewing the victims families made it even worse. Bile creeping up throat as she read the horrific things that happened to each victim. She wanted to know this case by the back of her hand, because of course she was up against one of the top defense attorneys in the country. He rather lost and found plot holes in every single case, having a 97% success rate with getting his clients off the hook and their record clear. She thought noone would pick up the mans case, there was so much evidence that pointed towards the man.

Harry was attractive, tall, dark hair and those piercing greenish hazel eyes. Y/N was nervous and she hated being that way. Harry often came by the law firm, having connections with anyone and everyone. His career was unmatched, he was handsome, wealthy, the whole package. Yet he was single and that blew Y/N’s mind.

Harry was just as shocked as Y/N to learn they’d facing each other in court. He was certain his client did it, but, he had to defend him anyways. He was called by the court to do it pro bono, as noone else wanted to take the case. If he lost, his numbers would certainly be impacted. If he won, people may look at him differently in a moral sense. Surely though there was a plot hole and the prosecution would slip up. He couldnt believe it was Y/N who got the case. Soft, shy, gorgeous Y/N. He already developed this small crush on her and now he had to take her on in court? Surely this wasnt a good thing. It had to be God punishing him for helping criminals and making a good living while doing so. Harry always viewed her as the more submissive type and his dirty thoughts were hard to keep at bay. Maybe that was the reason God was punishing him.

While Harry laid awake, staring at the ceiling, Y/N was doing the same. Y/N had never seen Harry in action, but, she’s heard how he’s always been strict and concise in the court room. His dominant side coming out, and that scared Y/N. Especially because she imagined him being dominant somewhere else, mainly at night when she lay in bed alone with her thoughts and hands.

[thestylesindependent]

X

Harry Styles’s longtime stylist, Harry Lambert, and his creative director, Molly Hawkins, have had a lot to do with crafting the pop star and actor into one of the era’s top fashion icons. When they joined Styles in launching a company called Pleasing a year and a half ago, they achieved something even more significant, although no flashbulbs were around to capture it. Pleasing’s debut collection, a line of $20 nail polishes inspired by Styles’s own affinity for colorful manicures, was one of the first nail polish to be nearly 100% biodegradable.

Traditional nail polish is made from plastic polymers that break into tiny fragments of microplastic, contributing to pollution. From the start, Hawkins and Lambert were committed to making a version that would naturally decompose. They spent two years finding a laboratory able to work with them on devising a biodegradable formula, and then, in November 2021, they flashed the logo for Pleasing on the wall of the arena outside one of Styles’s concerts in Glendale, Arizona. Days later, when the Pleasing website went live, its first four polish colors—in trendy shades like inky black and bubblegum pink and with quirky names like Granny’s Pink Pearls—sold quickly. Six subsequent collections have launched every few months since then and have seen hero items sell out rapidly as well, while lines have snaked around the block for holiday pop-ups in London, New York, and Los Angeles.

As Pleasing expands into new categories (such as serums, eye shadow, and apparel), Hawkins and Lambert are continuing to push to make products even more eco-friendly, including making brush bristles from castor beans, a renewable resource, rather than petroleum. “We’re incentivizing our partners to keep moving forward,” says Hawkins. “If they can commit to developing a product for us, we can commit to purchasing a [large] quantity of it.”

Still, what makes Pleasing’s products so covetable among fans is that they just look so good. Lambert and Hawkins led the design process for the brand’s signature glass nail polish bottles, which feature globe-shaped tops in metallic and marble colors. “To succeed, the packaging needs to be interesting and exciting,” says Lambert. “We want the products to be so gorgeous that they live on your shelf, not inside your drawer.” To promote each new collection, the duo taps emerging artists to create attractive, color-saturated photography and illustrations. William Waterworth shot Pleasing’s first-ever campaign, for example, while Marisol Muro created the bright, ’70s inspired artwork that accompanied the recent nature-inspired Shroom Bloom nail polish line. Styles himself isn’t intimately involved with product development and doesn’t promote the brand heavily on social media. That’s by design. “At this moment, there are a lot of celebrity brands on the market,” says Lambert. “Pleasing is part of Harry’s world, but we also don’t want to rely on him to be the only reason people buy this product. We want to actually solve problems.”

[diabolus1exmachina]

Aston Martin DB6 

In 1965, the DB6 was first shown to the public at the London Motor Show. Looking only at the front end, we see many similarities to its predecessor, the DB5. However, the rear of the DB6 has become completely different. The biggest difference is the slightly elongated rear end, which features a Kamm-style spoiler inspired by Aston Martin's racing efforts. The DB6 was the company’s signature road car of the times with just over 1200 examples produced. Very few of these were delivered from the factory with the desirable Vantage option package which included triple Weber carburetors and a higher compression cylinder head. In Vantage trim, the 4.0L DOHC straight six is quoted as producing 325 horsepower. The DB6 boasts numerous technical advancements over the DB5, including a 5-speed ZF transmission, slightly longer wheel base for increased stability at high speed, and improved aerodynamics.  This example features the 5-speed manual gearbox, instead of the 5-speed ZF automatic transmission. The DB6 was a powerful and elegant sports touring car, one which remains a timeless blue-chip classic thanks to its blend of all the ingredients that make a classic car quintessentially appealing. Mechanically innovative, rare, attractive, high performance, and with a touch of star quality lent by James Bond's famous DB5, the DB6 is an ideal all round classic.

[cherrylng]

MUSE X ALTERNATIVE ROCK [STYLE Series #004 - Muse (August 2010)]

MUSE X ALTERNATIVE ROCK

90s alternative rock that became the starting point for the resilience of the live band Muse.

Text by Masataka Oguchi

Muse have conquered the Budokan, which is in a sense a milestone for many rock bands, and will play the first day of the Fuji Rock Festival this summer. As the years have gone by, their presence has grown here in Japan, but they didn't get to this point overnight.

What has made them a world-class band is not only their dramatic songs, but also their strong live performance, which is hard to believe that they are just three people.

If you've ever seen 'HAARP', their London Wembley Stadium concert package, you've experienced, if only vicariously, the sheer expressive and destructive power of Muse. In fact, to an audience of 90,000 people, the three joyfully and lustily lead the frenzy and create an extraordinary delight. Although they had minimal support, it is no exaggeration to say that the three of them almost pushed through the crowd.

It is often said that ‘young British acts have good albums, but their live shows are……’ However, Muse were different from the very beginning of their career, as they had a formidable musical ability and knew ‘what a live show was all about’. It was this basic physical strength that enabled them to go on long tours in the US and not get tired of travelling all over the world.

This is due to the fact that they have always preferred to listen to more meaty, American alternative rock. For the three of them, who were born in 1977-78, it was Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. etc. that they became obsessed with in the early 90s, when they can remember. Even for bands from their home country, their favourites were mostly punk-tinged bands such as Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Senseless Things and Mega City Four, and they almost didn't go through with Britpop bands, which should have been a generational justification.

"Nothing against Oasis, but all of a sudden there was this huge British Britpop boom that we didn't really fit in with at all. We didn't like it one bit," says Chris Wolstenholme. Matthew Bellamy also said in one interview that the band's tone before Muse was as follows.

"I was into Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. I liked noisy guitars. I used to do experimental stuff, like playing Primus-style riffs for half an hour on end," he says. Even when the three of them started out, they wanted an experimental, punk sound, so one would assume that they were constitutionally unacceptable to Britpop to begin with. However, Matthew praised Radiohead's The Bends (1995) as ‘the only really worthwhile album of the 90s’. John Leckie, the master producer of The Bends, famously worked on Muse's debut Showbiz (1999). However, in the early days, comparisons to Radiohead were brought up as much as they could (Matthew's back voice, his unique position in the scene and other tasty media material), and the band themselves seemed fed up with the Radiohead buzz.

For the members of Muse, who had been attracted to the primitive since their boyhood when they were hooked on Nirvana's 'Nevermind' (1991), the US alternative movement of the early to mid 1990s must have been a kind of ‘cradle’. The alternative sound is characterised by bands that are more or less influenced musically and mentally by ‘punk rock’. The bands then mixed in their own favourite mixes of new wave, hard rock, metal, funk, hip-hop, etc., and developed their own sounds in an uncontrolled manner.

Looking back, it was almost a miracle that such a diverse and experimental sound was considered ‘cool’ at the time. It was the last era in which rock's radicalism matched the tastes of the masses. Take an extreme example. By today's standards, you'd have to say, ‘How sick and heavy is that?’ Alice in Chains' album of the same name (1995) and Tool's Aenima (1996), which by today's standards should have been called “how sick and heavy!”, topped the US charts and reached number two with impunity. The landscape was a stark contrast to the UK, which was in the throes of a return to its own culture and where somewhat compact and formal music formats were in vogue.

Pic: Rage Against The Machine, the West Coast's foremost social group. Matthew's skills were enhanced by his admiration for Tom Morello's superb guitar playing, which allows him to use his guitar to express a variety of tones.

Pic: Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, a band that has been a major influence on all three Muse members. Dave Grohl, who now leads Foo Fighters, is a Muse fan.

pic Koh Hasebe

Pic: One of the bands Matthew got into as a teenager, along with Rage Against The Machine and Sonic Youth, and was greatly inspired by the roaring guitars of J. Masquith.

pic Koh Hasebe

Pic: Deftones are highly regarded by musicians for their emotional melodies and ultra-heavy, dynamic sound. Diamond Eyes, released in May 2010, is also on a roll.

Now, of the US alternative groups, the one they were most into was Rage Against The Machine. Matthew cites a Rage show as ‘the first show that hit me’ and has reached the point of worship, imitating guitarist Tom Morello's riffs on stage. Rage and Muse have different musical styles. However, they both share the same heavy, emotive chemistry that fuses the chemistry between the members.

Even in rock, which is at its best at direct expression, it is actually quite difficult to push emotions to the last drop. However, the members of Muse learnt how to express their emotions without reservation from their predecessors, such as Rage, and mastered the art of doing so in their own way.

They also performed together at Woodstock 99, although on different dates. They also headlined a rock festival in Germany in June this year (also on different dates). One Day As A Lion, a project of Zach de la Rocha (vo) and John Theodore (ds), formerly of Mars Volta, will also appear at Fuji Rock this summer (also on different dates from Muse). Hopefully one day they will get along and appear on the same day.

As unique as their musical influences are, the circumstances surrounding their debut are also unique. Muse did not follow the standard practice of signing with a record label in their home country, but first signed a contract with a management company (Taste Media). This company took the lead in signing record deals in each country. By taking such an irregular form, it can be said that Muse has been setting up a global strategy from the time of its debut.

They first took the lead and signed a record deal in the US. The company was Maverick Records, famous for being co-founded by Madonna (now unrelated). In the UK, it was Mushroom Records, which had bands such as Garbage; in Japan, it was Avex. As for the ‘Woodstock 99’ mentioned earlier, it was an unparalleled ‘showcase’ for an unknown newcomer.

Many industry sympathisers attended their early showcase shows in LA, including members of KORN, Deftones and other heavy rock bands that were at the height of their popularity at the time. Incidentally, one of the reasons Muse liked Maverick was because of Deftones.

Thus, Muse's affinity with (and mentality against) heavy rock, which was the next big trend in the US after alternative, was a major factor in their acceptance in the US. 'KORN and Slipknot are amazing live. Hats off to Slipknot", says Matthew. The band's sound itself is lustrous, but Matthew's guitar work has a ‘weight’ that even metal bands can't match.

In the late 90s in the UK, Britpop had cooled off and the demand for rock bands had waned. It must have been extremely unlucky for bands aiming for British domination at the time, but it was a blessing in disguise for Muse, who had their sights set on the world from the outset. However, Muse themselves have now proved that their path has not been a detour.

They started out as heretics, but now they are becoming the ‘norm’ that everyone aspires to.

Deftones

Formed in Sacramento, USA, in 1988. Made their debut on Maverick in 1995 with Adrenaline. Often seen as part of the ‘rap-rock’ faction of bands like KORN and Limp Bizkit, the expressive power of Chino Moreno (vocals), who skillfully uses both clean and shout parts, could be described as ‘heavy emo’. The band was also a favourite of Muse and was a major factor in their signing with Maverick. The band is still active today.

The Flaming Lips

Formed in Oklahoma City, USA, in 1983. The band's early forte was noisy rock, but from the mid-‘90s onwards they gradually changed direction, and with 1999’s The Soft Bulletin, they transformed into a dreamy, soft-psychedelic band, which, combined with their dreamy live performances, made them a late addition to the famous band. Matthew Bellamy loves live shows as well as music, and confessed that he once cried when he heard their signature song ‘Do You Realise?'

Nirvana

Formed in Seattle, USA, in 1987. Their second album Nevermind (1991) was their big international breakthrough. The band's fusion of intense musicality, stirred up by punk and hard rock, and Kurt Cobain's excellent melodies won the hearts of the younger generation (and, of course, the Muse crowd as well). 'Nevermind' heralded the dawn of alternative rock, and for the next few years it dominated the US. The band died out spontaneously in 1994 due to Kurt's suicide.

Primus

Formed in 1984 in El Sobrante, USA. Led by bassist Les Claypool, who boasts a foolproof technique, Primus made their big break in 1993 with ‘Pork Soda’, a unique musical style that blended progressive and funk elements with heavy rock. They were also in the limelight at Lollapalooza 1993, a touring festival in the USA that same year. Matthew said in one interview that he was ‘doing experimental stuff, like playing Primus-style riffs for half an hour on end’, and it seems that he was attracted to small tricks.

Rage Against The Machine

Four-piece formed in Los Angeles, USA, in 1990. One of the heaviest rock bands of the 1990s, with a strong political and socially-conscious message based on the Clash, they performed with sincerity and extremism. The band captivated rock fans around the world with Zak de la Rocha's rapid-fire rap and Tom Morello's superb guitar playing that ran the gamut between hard rock and punk. The band broke up in 2000 when Zak left the band, but was revived in 2007. They are still active today.

The Smashing Pumpkins

Formed in Chicago, USA, in 1988. The band's tall, thin frontman Billy Corgan was as much a ‘heretic’ as his appearance, and included aesthetic new wave sensibilities as well as hard rock/heavy rock elements. Riding the post-Nirvana alternative wave, the band catapulted to the top of the world's top bands in 1995 with the double-disc epic Melon Collie and the Never-Ending Sadness. The band broke up in 2000 and returned in 2006. In 2010, the band appeared at Summer Sonic.

System Of A Down

Met in the Armenian community of Los Angeles, USA, and formed their predecessor band in 1992. The band shares a similar political outlook with Rage. The band became popular for their Middle Eastern-inspired ethnic heavy rock, and debuted in 1998 with an album of the same name. In 2001, their second, Toxic, finally reached number one on the US charts. Matthew respects Serge Tankian, a brilliant frontman with a broad musical knowledge and an activist side.

[Extra edition] dEUS

Belgian rock powerhouse formed in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1991. Perhaps because of their moderate distance from the UK and US, they presented a unique musical style that swallowed folk, prog rock, psychedelic and avant-garde, while subtly synchronising with the alternatives of the same era. Matthew used to listen to them a lot as a child. He also said that the Evil Superstars, also from Belgium, were one of his Favourite Bands.

[blueiskewl]

Ancient Iranian Carving Seized at a London Airport

An ancient sculpture illicitly carved from a rock relief in Iran will soon go on display at the British Museum before being repatriated to the National Museum in Tehran.

Carved in calcareous limestone, the sculpture depicts a standing male figure with an ornamental headdress. The piece likely hails from the 3rd century C.E. when the Sasanian Empire ruled greater Iran, according to the Guardian.

“It belongs to a period when Iran was the center of a powerful empire stretching from Syria to the Caucasus and Central Asia, and with its capital at Ctesiphon, south of present-day Baghdad,” St. John Simpson, an archaeologist and senior curator the British Museum’s department of the Middle East, told the paper. “The Sasanians were powerful rivals of Rome, and famous today for their fine silverwares and cut glass.”

The relief was seized at the Stansted airport outside of London, where border officers pulled the item aside because of its suspicious packaging—an unpadded, slapdash crate held together by nails. Inside was the carving, which had recently been excised with an angle grinder.

“We almost never come across a case of something being cut out of the ‘living rock,’” Simpson said. “That’s a level of brutalism that surpasses anything.”

Exactly where the carving came from remains a mystery, though context clues may help to narrow the list of potential locations. Roughly only 30 Sasanian rock reliefs are known to exist today, and almost all them came from the small Fars Province in southwest Iran.

Simpson suspects it “comes from somewhere in the Shiraz area” of the province. “Stylistically, it is similar to one known in the region,” he explained. “I think it probably is part of a big sequence. There might be more bits out there.”

The subject of the piece is similarly difficult to determine. “The lack of an inscription makes it impossible to identify the person depicted, but his dress and diademed headdress signifies him as a person of high rank,” the curator said. “His gesture of greeting and submission, with a raised bent forefinger, is a feature of Sasanian art when figures are in the presence of royalty, which suggests that this was part of a larger composition, with the king to the right and perhaps other figures behind.”

Interpol and the National Crime Agency have both investigated the object, but no arrests have yet been made. An internet auction site in the U.K. was listed as the package’s destination address, but the company claimed not to be expecting it.

Because of its poor padding, the relief broke in two pieces during transport. Conservators have since put it back together.

“The British Museum is committed to contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage in the U.K. and globally, partnering with law enforcement agencies to identify illicitly trafficked antiquities,” read a statement from the museum. “Objects seized in this way are brought to the British Museum for identification and cataloguing.”

The London institution obtained permission from the Iranian government to display the carving for three months. After that time, it will be repatriated to the National Museum in Tehran.

Simpson called the newly repaired piece “stunningly attractive,” before weighing in on its potential worth.  

“The valuation could be anything, really. We’re talking £20 million to £30 million-plus,” ($25 million to $37 million) he said. “There’s never been anything like it on the market.”

By Taylor Dafoe.

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Strangers AU (2) Masterlist

part one

6:30 Special - dansphlevels

Summary: In a world where you and your soulmate both have constellations of dark blue freckles that glow when you’re together, Dan has been waiting for his whole life for it to finally glow. And when it does, he is stood face to face with a man Phil, who looks back in confusion, his own constellation unlit.

airport meetings (ao3) - pasteldanhowells

Summary: Dan is having a bad start to his morning, and you would think a stranger crashing into him, literally, would make things worse, but actually, it makes Dan's morning somewhat better when Dan sees how attractive the man is.

A Match and a Fuse (ao3) - waveydnp

Summary: Phil is twenty six years old and stuck in a dead end life. He works at Starbucks and may or may not be carrying a torch for his best friend of eight years. He doesn’t know who he is or what he wants–or how to go about figuring it out. That all starts to change when he happens upon the resume of a certain law school grad named Daniel.

Charmed (ao3) - hygge

Summary: Dan doesn’t understand Valentine’s Day. That is until he’s given an anonymous card with someone’s phone number in it. It takes months of talking with this anonymous person to learn who they are, and it ends up being the person that Dan least expects.

Close To You - succubusphan

Summary:Phil takes his friend’s child to baby ballet and meets a handsome dad. It was the first day of the rest of his life.

Golden Boy (ao3) - hygge

Summary: Phil takes a drawing class in university and needs a subject for his drawing final.

Ice Packs And Coffee Cups (ao3) - rainbowchristy

Summary: As part of the emergency staff for London's biggest concert venue, Phil knew how to manage a huge range of problems. When a certain brown-haired boy turns up unconscious, Phil doesn't think much of it, well, until the boy awakens, that is.

I Really Can’t Tell If I’m Dreaming Or Breathing - wavydanrises

Summary: Dan is an events manager at the Queen’s Garden’s, one of the city’s most renowned hotels, and he's organizing a Christmas reception with the cute reception planner called Phil Lester.

Lost (ao3) - BeeAreEff

Summary: phil goes to an amusementpark, no spoilers.

Lungs Filled With Flowers - botanistlester

Summary: Whenever Dan has a bad day, he always knows that Animal Crossing will be there for him no matter what. When he finds a friend code written on his desk, he immediately adds it into his DS, despite not knowing who it could be.

pastry chef attempts to steal phil’s heart (ao3) - sierraadeux

Summary: If anyone asks, Prince Philip’s sneaky morning journeys down to the royal pastry kitchen are for nothing more than the perfect cup of coffee.

Popping Corn With Your Ex-Boyfriend’s Ex-Boyfriend (ao3) - spencerwrites

Summary: Phil goes to the cinema by himself and finds his boyfriend with another boy buying tickets for the same movie he wanted to see. Phil and Dan both dump their boyfriend and go see the movie together instead.

snuggle up close, let me hold your pieces in place, even if just for a night (ao3) - natigail

Summary: It was just one thing after another really.

Broken down bus with a whole class of freshers. Dingy hotel room that was cold as fuck. No one wanting to share a room with Dan.

But then the TA Phil stepped up to the plate and defended Dan. Of course, it meant that the two of them ended up sharing a bed, and then the heater had to break. It's the perfect excuse for sharing body warmth and confessions.

Special Delivery (ao3) - phantasticworks

Summary: Dan Howell receives a package he definitely didn't order, but the man who did order it is... well, he's rather interesting. And the object he's ordered... well, it's odd, to say the least.

strawberries and cigarettes (ao3) - calvinahobbes

Summary: “Hey, mate, spare a light?” the guy says. He stops a couple of feet from Phil and holds out an unlit cigarette.

Swipe Right (ao3) - howellesterfics

Summary: Dan is tired of matching with sexually confused frat boys on Tinder. When he swipes right on Phil, he hopes that this time around things will be different, and well - they certainly are.

Try New Things (ao3) - PoisonedMind

Summary: Phil tries yoga for the first time and it’s an absolutely harrowing experience except for the cute guy at the mat next to him who sucks just as badly as Phil does.

Two Strangers Drinking Champagne In An Airport - dxnhowell

Summary: Dan and Phil in an airport terminal drinking champagne out of plastic cups with a bunch of those airport TV screens in the background with all the flights cancelled.

Up Close And Personal - dxnhowell

Summary: Dan is a famous dinosaur expert who has been studying dinosaurs his whole life, and gets the opportunity to work at Jurassic World (he works exclusively with the raptors). Phil is a very smart guy, like a genius, and he’s close friends with Louise who works at Jurassic World so he gets to go to Jurassic World and gets behind the scenes VIP treatment. There, he meets Dan. Unfortunately for Phil, things go wrong while feeding the raptors and an accident happens.

waffles (ao3) - kae_karo

Summary: phil goes to the 24hr diner with the hopes of seeing his favorite waiter (insp by me seeing a cute waitress at a diner. unfortunately none of the rest actually happened to me lmao)

[aistimali]

I will design a timeless logo

Hi there! I'm a graphic designer with 5 years of experience in a leading London-based Logo agency. As your logo designer and Brand Specialist, I will focus on creating a timeless and industry-leading logo for your business. I believe in the importance of logos and branding in a company's success, and nothing gives me more pride than to see one of my logos at the top.

My Manifesto:

Good design is less: Less is more

Less is Bold: Bold means confidence

Bold is experimental: Experiments involve risks

Experimental design is fresh: Fresh faces are always welcome

Fresh is creative: Creativity attracts curiosity

Creative is smart: Make people think and rethink

Smart is communicative: Communicate visually

Communicative design is simple: Easy to understand yet difficult to produce

Simple is aesthetic: Attractive things work better

Aesthetic is good: Good enough is never good enough

*Premium Business logo Package details:

3 Logo Concepts

20 Pages long corporate identity file

Social media kit

Stationery files

VIP Support: Customer priority & Available for Zooms, Skype.

I genuinely look forward to working with you,

All the best,

[ambrozians]

💜💛🤍 for jade n roy pls <3

💜 how do they silently show love or affection toward one another?

roy tends to place his hand on the small of her back, if only to remind himself that she truly is standing beside him and not just a scene from one of his better dreams. whenever he catches her eye, he’ll give her a smile or make a funny face to try to get a laugh out of her. he’ll give her massages here and there, and on the rare occasion he is awake first, he will bring breakfast in bed (green tea with honey and greek yogurt with chia seeds, an assortment of fresh fruit, and a drizzle of honey).

while physical touch isn’t very high on the love languages list, jade will find herself looping her arm around his, partly because they’re one of his physical features she is most attracted to and partly because he’s very nice to hold. she will play with his hair, whether it be absentmindedly running her fingers through it or attempting to tuck a rogue strand in place that’s been bothering her for five minutes. if she’s in the store and she sees something she knows he’ll like, she will make sure to bring it on the next visit or he’ll receive a package in the mail (with a little note and a kiss on it).

💛 what is their favorite activity to do together?

besides cute family stuff with their daughter or attempting to give her a sibling? 😭 okay, i’ll be serious now 🙈 back when they first started dating they were staying in japan, so they would spend time walking through the local markets or trying small restaurants. there were also a handful of movie marathons since roy felt personally attacked when he learned that jade had never seen back to the future, robin hood, or any of the star wars films. nowadays, the moments they can be together are few and far between, so they try their best to take advantage of the times when they can leave arsenal and cheshire’s world behind and just be roy and jade for a bit, whatever that may entail.

🤍 what is their favorite or most admired quality in each other?

i’ve actually been thinking about this question quite a lot lately, and a specific moment came to mind. something that was reiterated several times in the cursed titans (2008) run was that no matter what he did or how far he fell, roy harper is still a hero in the eyes of many, and that includes jade. the quality she admires most is his ability to be good in spite of his struggles and in turn, confidently believe in the idea that everyone deserves a second chance (which is something she feels that she is undeserving of). no matter what happens, he’s roy harper. he’s going to dust himself off, get back up, and come back better - and he’s going to try his damn hardest to help others do the same.

now, as for what he most admires about jade, it would be her selflessness. the most obvious examples to cite would be almost any situation where lian is involved. the value she places on freedom is incredibly high but she is willing to sacrifice all of that for their daughter’s sake. she could’ve gone after roy and dick that night in london but she chose not to - not because she didn’t want to take care of her or didn’t love her, but because she understood the kind of life lian would be able to live (for the record: i do not believe that jade would’ve raised lian to be an assassin at. all). another piece that plays into this, too, is her capacity for forgiveness (when it comes to him), but that’s a topic for another day!

ask game.

[get-back-homeward]

Spring 1958: Access to All The Records

A million years ago, I had heard somewhere about how the Beatles had early on gotten ahold of the Lomax ethnomusicology collection: recordings of black folk singers in the American South. I’ve always wondered when? how? I myself didn’t get the chance to hear them until college with access to the music department’s library.

Listening to their 1960 home recordings, I felt convinced they’d had them by then. I Don’t Know (Oh Johnny) especially sounds like a teenage boy’s attempt to imitate those recordings. But where on earth would have have gotten access to them as teens?

Well, it looks like Lewisohn tracked down the source. In Spring 1958, John meets Tony Carricker at art school:

By some distance, friendships were the most attractive aspect of art school life for John. He and Tony Carricker gravitated toward each other on the basis of a shared love of music. As Tony puts it, “Early rock freaks found each other like drug takers will find each other.” He still recalls their first conversation, as they walked down the hill into town: “It was like an interrogation: ‘Have you got this?’ ‘Have you heard that?’ ‘Oh, you’ve got that, have you?’—it was like being vetted. I was in.”41 Tony had “Bloodshot Eyes” by Wynonie Harris, he had red label Vogue 78s, he introduced John to Bobby Freeman’s “Do You Want to Dance,” he had country blues and he loved Chuck Berry; when John found out Tony had memorized all the words of “Roll Over Beethoven” he got him to write them down for him. He recalls overhearing John saying to somebody, “He’s got all the records!”

Tony was one of those enthusiasts not merely prepared to accept whatever was available in the local shops but to seek out scarce sounds. He was a gatherer, hungry to expand his knowledge. He’d discovered that the cultural department of the American Embassy in London loaned Smithsonian Institution and other rare records free to applicants, on trust. Packages containing discs by Bessie Smith, Ida Cox, Lead Belly, Big Bill Broonzy, Blind Willie Johnson, Sleepy John Estes and other such fabulously exotic creatures, remarkable field recordings from the American South and rare studio sessions of the 1920s to 1940s, would be dispatched via Royal Mail from Grosvenor Square to Tony’s tiny house in Widnes, the return postage prepaid.

—Tune In (Ch. 8), Mark Lewisohn

Thank Tony, the American Embassy, the Smithsonian, and Royal Mail.

[clatterbane]

Yay, more prophylactic freezer action.

All the dry staples (rice, flour, beans, etc.) from the grocery order earlier are now in frozen quarantine for a few days before they go anywhere near our pantry cupboard. Because I was unfortunately reminded again not long ago that I probably should NOT have slacked off on that, when I found minor evidence of flour moths in my previous bag of cornmeal. 😵

After some careful inspection, it didn't look like any had managed to get much further than that. Everything infestable that was in there got cycled through the freezer to kill off any kind of bugs and/or their eggs anyway, playing it safe. I actually just cleared out the final batch this evening, to make room for the new stuff. Including a fresh bag of the same cornmeal!

The few items left in those four drawers usually dedicated to dry goods are, like, pickled vegetables and some shirataki noodles in vacuum pouches. Not tempting chow for horrible little moth larvae, and it would be obvious if the pouches had lost seal

Now an amazing amount of pantry stuff has been taking up space to one side of our living room for several weeks altogether--and I am leaving that cabinet empty of everything that might host them for a few more days, until those new groceries are ready to leave quarantine. Just to hopefully make sure there's a lower chance of any eggs or anything lingering in there.

Our temporary pantry, y'all. That back of the couch bag just got hastily hoiked there a little while ago.

Thankfully no evidence of any worrying bugs anywhere else in the house so far, with the freezer-cycled food just sitting there in the openwith no good way to keep anything out of it. Can't say I will be sorry to finally get everything back where it belongs!

Anyway, I am indeed aware that this might seem like an overly nutty reaction to finding what looked like evidence of moth webs in a bag of cornmeal. And maybe it really is.

But yeah, I do have actual OCD. Plus I lived with both moths and freaking weevils in my mom's food hoard, which she couldn't just get rid of on any of the several different occasions when bugs did get into it. Hitchhiking in on new items from the store.

She would honest to goodness also go ahead and cook pasta that she knew had weevils lurking in the package, and fish them out of the boiling water with a spoon. 🥴 I think I took significant psychic damage from just several years of those damned moths flapping around the whole house, and their awful maggoty-looking web spinning children dangling on threads. I remember walking straight into one hanging from the living room ceiling fan, of all places. And this shit went on for several years straight.

Those little fuckers will get into things that you wouldn't even imagine them possibly being attracted to. You may think a jar or other firmly closed lidded hard container will keep them out, but if it's not completely airtight they will find a way in.

On the plus side, I did develop extensive experience at identifying signs of weevils and moths in your food stores.

Anyway, I really am extra motivated to avoid dealing with pest bugs in my own pantry, now that I am in charge of my own. Brought home weevils a couple of times back in London, but promptly tossed everything that might be infested and preemptively froze the rest.

So yeah, it might be aggravating, but I think I will indeed go back to making sure everything risky that comes in goes through freezer quarantine before it joins the other food. Needing to systematically go through and do that on all the existing shit has eaten up way more spoons than if I had just done it gradually before a new thing went into the cabinet at all. And luckily we also have more freezer space now, to help make quarantine more practical.

Also, it may be pretty ingrained in me to keep plenty of food on hand. To the point that I do set actual stock limits for myself. But, at least this feels like further evidence that I really do not seem to have developed the same outright hoarding urge--to the point that you literally could not bring yourself to throw a buggy bag of cornmeal or rice in the trash. 😬 I can, and will, toss whatever I need to in order to keep things non-disgusting.

[solomons-finest-rum]

If you had to trust a Hardy character with helping you with post-wisdom tooth removal recovery, who would be best? Who would be the worst at it?

oh goodness, you know… I can’t honestly say I’ve never thought about it. Because I have. Being taken care of by a Hardy character is of course a great fantasy of mine, although… Yes. Although.

I suppose even Heaven has a catch.

To be fair, most of Tom Hardy characters have that sort of “I’ll take care of you because you’re mine” quality, which of course makes him so attractive and so “female gaze”. Throw in a cosy cardigan? Well, don’t mind if I do.

Out of them all, the best possible scenario would be Handsome Bob. We all heard Mumbles when he lectured Mr. One Two, and rightfully so. Bob would take care of you like nobody’s business, he’s just built like that.

Now, don’t come for me but I can’t help but think that if push comes to shove Alfie Solomons also comes through for his family. I mean, there is a certain transactional aspect to his character, I’m not going to argue, but all in all he is possessive and that makes him almost caring.

The worst man to take care of you… I’m afraid it would be a long list. Delaney, Sikes, Heathcliff would probably be my top three of the worst case scenario, with Freddie and Jack not close behind. I suppose Eames and Leo could actually stop their heads from spinning just long enough to acknowledge your existence, but I wouldn’t exactly hold my breath and wait for the care package to arrive.

The Kray twins, however, would be a strong 50/50. They would either bring London to their knees as a twisted means to make it up to you for the pain you were feeling, or ghost you for two weeks to avoid any emotional distress. I’m still on the fence about these two and I suppose I always will be.

[detectivechandler]

R O L E P L A Y   C H A R A C T E R   S T A T S   S H E E T

Repost, replacing the old information with your muse’s information.

Hover underlined ‘links’ for better explanations, should you need them.

Pass it on to your mutuals for a better understanding of their muses.

stole it from @spynorth

▍ Face claim: Rupert Penry Jones ▍ Name:  Joseph Chandler ▍ Age: 34 (verse dependent) ▍ Gender: Male ▍ Nationality: British ▍ Birthday:  October 31, ▍ Sun Sign: Libra ▍ Residence: London, UK ▍ Marital Status: verse dependent, though also eventually in a relationship with @gentlemanstarkey ▍ Alignment: lawful good

L I K E S

▍ Drink: His go to drink is green tea, though he will settle for any type of it if the occasion calls and green isn't available. He also likes sparkling water, orange juice and shirley temples. If he's going to have an alcoholic drink, he will go with usually a pinot noir or a gin and tonic. he also likes a good scotch. but all occasions of drinking anything with alcohol are few and fair between. ▍ Food: sushi !! he'll kill you (not really) for some sushi, man. At home, seeing as how he is usually cooking for one, he will just eat freezer meals. Spoiler alert, they aren't that great. ▍ Day or Night: either. he doesn't sleep much anyhow. ▍ Snacks: junk food. candy bars and packaged pastries and the like. he's got a secret drawer in his kitchen that is his stash. ▍ Song: Him, Sam Smith. ▍ Quote: “Set the force that drove the criminal to the crime against itself.”, Discipline and Punish, Michael Foucault. ▍ Historical Character: John Keats. and also Copernicus ▍ Pet: nope. no way. absolutely not.

▍ Book: He likes poems and owns collections from some of his favorite poets, but hasn't read nearly as much since graduating university. ▍ Colour: red. a more secret one is yellow. he'll never tell anyone. ▍ Flower(s):   he doesn't have one. he barely notices them as it is. they're fairly all pretty in their own right .. but he notices nothing to put one ahead of the next. ▍ Sexuality: absolutely asexual. sexual intimacy is the last thing on his mind when it comes to imagining being intimate and vulnerable with his partner. though he discovers more of an interest once he enters into a relationship with james, the other man could say he's decided on a completely chaste relationship and joe would be fine with it. it has nothing to do with his attraction or feelings, he just doesn't prioritize it or, frankly, even understand it fully.  

L O O K S

▍ Body type: He’s 6′2 in height and while (obviously) built similarly to his identical twin adam, joe leans more toward soft in some places and slightly round in others due to the more sedentary nature of his job and overall lifestyle. his muscles, while noticeable in his arms and back, are not as toned as they might otherwise be. he's a soft boy - especially around his hips and stomach. he has a slightly rounder face thats only truly noticeable when compared to adam's more lean and angular one. ▍ Eye colour:  Blue 

▍ Hair colour: dirty blonde. when wet, it will seem almost entirely brown. when in the sunlight, it gets blonder.

▍ Body reference:

Tagging @gentlemanstarkey , @dodgedabullet + anyone else !