#but they played an important role for our country's independence

[useless-catalanfacts]

Here's a clear example of what we mean when we speak of how Spain's occupation makes the lives of Catalan people worse in so many ways every day, including the lives of those who are against independence! It doesn't matter that anyone plays the role of the good exemplary Catalan, speaks only Spanish, cries against the independentists asking for too many things, say that voting is going too far, always defend that Spain is right and we don't have the ability to rule ourselves... It doesn't matter, because the Spanish system still always considers you a second-class citizen.

For decades, Catalonia and the Valencian Country have had a problem because Spain doesn't have a working railway system for transporting goods. Barcelona and València are two of the busiest ports in all the Mediterranean, and the goods have to be taken by trucks to their destinations or to France (to be taken to the rest of Europe). This means that there is a huge concentration of trucks on our highways, and they cause many accidents, traffic congestion, and damage the roads quicker.

Heatmap of the average daily amount of trucks in the highways in the state of Spain. You can see how Catalonia is 100% in red, and almost all the Valencian Country is too. The only other red areas are a part of Murcia (right under the Valencian Country), a part of the highways leading to Madrid, and a part going towards France via the Basque Country. This map is made with data published by the Spanish Government (source).

For this reason, the Governments of Catalonia and the Valencian Country have been asking for over a decade to build the Mediterranean Corridor, a train line for goods that would unite all the busiest harbours and main cities since Algeciras (tip of Southern Spain right in front of Morocco), with all Southern Spain, the Valencian Country, and Catalonia, to Southern France, where there are already railway lines connecting it to Northern Italy and Central Europe. The Gov of Catalonia has been begging for this for over a decade mainly to bring down the amount of accidents on the road, because the regional governments have very limited power and money and don't have the permission to do infrastructure works like this (it is only the Gov of Spain that has this power). The Spanish Gov's answer has always been the refusal to make any train lines through Catalonia and the Valencian Country, and that if they ever build a railway it would go through Madrid instead. They don't care that people die here on the roads because of their national pride and dismissal/hatred of Catalans.

Now they have decided to build the railway for goods. And, yep, it will go through Madrid. It will not affect the roads, because it still doesn't go near the busy harbours of València and Barcelona. So they will still need to drive trucks to take them to the train line. Spain's hatred reaches levels of stupidity.

Look again at the map of which roads need support, and now compare it to the map posted by Spain's railways official account of where the railway will go through:

(Source: Adif, July 10th 2024)

That's not useful. Also, notice how they have lied saying it stops in Barcelona but pointing at the map where Barcelona isn't. Barcelona is much further south and on the coast (that's why it's an important harbour! Most goods are transported internationally by ship!). The city that they have mislabelled as "Barcelona" is actually Girona. And the Spanish railways has also taken a very political choice of misspelling Figueres with the Spanish spelling that was imposed during the fascist dictatorship (since Catalan was forbidden, all Catalan names —towns/cities, areas, rivers, people's personal names, etc— had to be translated to Spanish, and when place names didn't mean anything and couldn't be translated they had to be spelled in the Spanish way), spelling it Figueras instead.

Direct instances of facing discrimination for being from our country, for speaking Catalan, or for having a Catalan name or accent aren't the only ways in which Spain makes our life worse. There are many things every day from waking up to going to sleep that are decided for us, against us. This is why people who live in a place should have the power to decide how their home is ruled, and not a government far away that doesn't know our problems and which in the best of cases doesn't care about us and in the worst cases actively wishes us the worst.

[ukrfeminism]

Kemi Badenoch believes that “good public servants” must not be “hounded” out of office after the human rights watchdog dropped an investigation into its chairwoman.

Baroness Falkner of Margravine, of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), was the subject of an internal inquiry into allegations about her behaviour by current and former members of staff.

Critics said that the complaints were ideologically motivated because of her position on trans rights. The claims against Falkner were subsequently leaked to Channel 4 News in what her allies said was an attempt to “prejudge” the inquiry.

Badenoch, the minister for women and equalities, was so concerned that she called in an independent legal expert to review the handling of the complaints.

The commission said that on receiving the result of the review it had decided to close the investigation. It admitted to “process failures”.

Falkner, who had been investigated for five months, said: “I am grateful to see an end to this investigation into unsubstantiated claims against me. I am also particularly grateful for the support and encouragement I have received, since the investigation into allegations against me was first disclosed. I have relished public service all my life and continue to do so with vigour and determination.”

A source close to Badenoch said: “Kishwer Falkner has been a courageous chair of the EHRC who has dealt deftly with many contentious issues. Kemi has always been clear that good public servants should not be hounded out of office and she is pleased this process has now concluded.”

The complaints against Falkner were made after the EHRC’s 12 commissioners overruled concerns from its management team and recommended that the government consider creating a legal distinction between people born female and those who transition to become women.

More than 40 complaints were made by 12 current and former members of staff alleging bullying and harassment by Falkner and a toxic workplace. She strongly denied them.

Falkner said: “The organisation has been going through a transformation programme, to take clearer and more measurable action as the country’s regulator of equality law. Our staff are the most important element of achieving this change. I am proud that most have embraced the journey with a clear-eyed focus on the end goal – becoming the trusted equality regulator that serves everyone.

“I remain completely focused on the job I set out to do: advancing equality of opportunity and protecting the human rights of everyone in Britain.”

Behind the story

When Baroness Falkner of Margravine took on the role of chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, she knew it would not be easy. Trying to play referee in the culture wars over transgender rights has led to relentless criticism by those who have variously branded her “scum” and even a Nazi.

What she had not expected, however, was criticism from within. The investigation into her was marred with controversy from the start, with critics directly linking it to Falkner’s position on trans rights and suggesting it was ideologically motivated. These concerns intensified when a dossier of the allegations was leaked to Channel 4 News.

These included claims that Falkner had described a trans woman as a “bloke in lipstick” at a board meeting. She is also said to have “rolled her eyes” at staff who expressed concerns about the stance being taken by commissioners. Staff said she was “rude” and oversaw an exodus of workers unhappy about the direction of the organisation.

The claims were denied by Falkner, with some in the commission saying that things had been “blown out of all proportion”. The leaking of the dossier, they said, had compromised the inquiry. “There is no way she can get a fair hearing now,” they said.

The investigation was halted but Falkner had become an isolated figure. She took leave and it was said that the commission declined to pay her legal expenses. The end of the investigation represents the end of five months of turmoil for Falkner.

[from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras]

Talking about my beloved Háma earlier this week got me thinking again about how Beregond is the Háma of Gondor. One of the ways Tolkien showed us how bound together Gondor and Rohan were as countries was by drawing explicit parallels between individual Gondorians and Rohirrim (like Boromir and Théodred), and it happens for everyone's favorite guards, too. They have some differences (I mean, Háma dies 😭), but they’re much more alike than not. 

Most importantly, they’re both soldiers—part of a very hierarchical, duty-bound structure—who nonetheless decide in key moments to disregard orders and follow their own judgment and good sense instead. Háma will let Gandalf violate the ban on weapons in Meduseld and Beregond will leave his post and literally slay anyone facilitating the burning of Faramir because their hearts and minds tell them that sometimes laws must be broken in service of a larger morality. That takes courage, independence of thought, and a strong sense of self. By disobeying, they both knowingly risk punishment—and, indeed, both are punished—but they do it anyway because they know it’s right. And ultimately, both are forgiven and honored because everyone can see they made correct, if unlawful, decisions. (This parallel is also replicated a little further up the respective hierarchies because Éomer and Faramir are also both noted mavericks who choose at pivotal moments to aid members of the Fellowship even though, by law, those outsiders should be arrested or killed. So, again, parallels between pairs of Gondorians and Rohirrim abound!)

I like that Tolkien takes care to show that it’s not just the folks at the very top of communities of Men that can have and display these really admirable and noble traits. It’s important for there to be a Háma and a Beregond so that we know these lands of Men are worth protecting—there is goodness there! And of course it fits very neatly with the “small hands do great deeds” theme of LOTR overall. Háma and Beregond each change the course of history when they trust to their own worth and hold to their own values, no matter the circumstances or consequences.

So that’s the biggest/weightiest parallel for Háma and Beregond, but it’s certainly not the only one. They both work for prestigious military units in the capital city of their countries. They both play formal roles in granting our major characters access to those cities. They’re both firsthand witnesses to the mental manipulation and torment of their leaders (Théoden and Denethor) by an enemy. They both get joyful moments witnessing the healing of a beloved lord. They’re both Gandalf enthusiasts in places where not everyone respects or welcomes Gandalf’s presence. They both demonstrate a willingness to draw swords on anyone they perceive as threatening their lords. They’re both pretty adept at rolling with it when things take a really weird turn (I mean, really, the legendary lost heir of Elendil shows up on Háma’s doorstep claiming to be friends with a mythical elf-sorceress, and he just goes with it. And Beregond has never seen a hobbit before and maybe isn’t even sure they’re real when one is thrust on him, and he immediately makes Pip his buddy!). 

Those are the canon parallels, but I would be remiss if I didn’t finish by specifying that @brigwife and I agree it is rock solid head canon that Háma and Beregond met somehow and became actual long distance best friends. It’s only natural that they’d get along given how much they have in common—just two absolute gems of the race of Men who would totally love and appreciate one another. And I’d like to think that even as Háma’s legacy is commemorated at his resting place in Rohan, there’s also a little memorial for him in Gondor built by Beregond in a beautiful, peaceful part of Ithilien. During Beregond’s lifetime it stands as a tribute to his enduring friendship with Háma, and in later days, when anyone who knew them is gone, it stands instead as a tribute to the enduring friendship of Gondor and Rohan.

[maximumphilosopheranchor]

“While disinformation, fake news, and propaganda have been around since the beginning of time, today, new technologies are helping it proliferate online, often drowning out responsible voices. Nowhere is this truer than in Ukraine.

Bot technology, which was developed in the earliest years of the internet, has more recently been put to nefarious uses. Unscrupulous actors are using social media algorithms to raise the popularity of particular kinds of inflammatory content and to spread propaganda.

For more than a decade, former Soviet bloc countries have played an important and disturbing role in developing bot and troll farms. Russian and pro-Russian Ukrainians, many working for the Russian Federal Security Service, have launched well-functioning bot factories, creating chaos, distractions, anger, and fear via numerous disinformation streams that now pose an integral challenge everywhere, in countries as different as Venezuela, Colombia, the United States, and the U.K. - not just in Ukraine.

This is how it works. We are spending more and more time online, reading posts, watching videos, and consuming more information than ever. We share them with our friends and tweet about them. Many people rely on social media for all their news. In this way we have created entirely new information ecosystems outside the traditional systems that include fact-checking procedures.

Bots pretend to be a person online. They take advantage of our already established social media networks and spread like wildfire on them, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and instant messaging apps. The messages they push out are simple, precise, unambiguous, and convey a single thought. They are calibrated to produce the strongest emotions possible and elicit fear and confusion, creating havoc and causing considerable psychic damage to each of us, our loved ones, and people all over our country.

After Zelenskyy became president, it didn’t take long for him to understand how dangerous these bot farms are and the peril they posed to Ukraine: “These are the challenges of today, and we must be prepared for them,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine in February 2020. “In Ukraine, this is now a real business, a very serious business. Bot farms are a problem, whatever they are: for white or black, there is no difference. Because those who stand up for good, such as Ukraine’s independence, in social media today may be against it tomorrow. Therefore, we must fight against such things. For the independence of the country, the independence of the individual, human rights must be fought in any way.”

At that moment, Zelenskyy was speaking more broadly, meaning that not only Ukrainians but the whole world must learn to distinguish the line where freedom of speech ends and disinformation begins. To me, it seemed a very crucial point, because if we cannot decide on what is allowed on social media now, we will be unable to deal with even greater challenges in the future.

Bot farms were used to supplement and reinforce the methods used on the oligarch-owned television networks. They helped amplify the message of pro-Russian puppets brought to power by Moscow in different countries, influencing their politics and media. For Russia, the internet has been an important source of contemporary propaganda, and its use of the internet is analogous to the methods the Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebels developed in the 1930s on the radio and in newspapers. As he once said, “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” Nonsense remains nonsense in the singular. But when someone sends hundreds and thousands of nonsensical posts and commentaries to people’s phones and computer screens, people begin to believe what they see.

Here is but one outrageous example in Ukrainian media: to undermine government land reform policies, an endless number of absurd stories appeared about Chinese people digging up and shipping out the famously fertile Ukrainian soil. The usual chauvinistic and racist Russian-style propaganda outlets promulgated and published these stories. Their purpose was to create doubt about these needed land reform measures – such as lifting the moratorium on the sale of Ukraine’s agricultural land and investing in irrigation systems – which would help rid the agricultural sector of fraud and abuse and boost Ukraine’s economy. In the same vein, other stories trumpeted that Zelenskyy was a pro-Russian president or controlled by oligarchs – anything that could undermine people’s trust in him. By repeating such garbage over and over again, some were seeking political dividends. This fake news contributed to an oppressive political atmosphere and increased Ukrainians’ disenchantment with their institutions.”

Iuliia Mendel, The Fight of Our Lives: My Time with Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s Battle for Democracy, and What It Means for the World

[dailyanarchistposts]

J.5.1 What is community unionism?

Community unionism is our term for the process of creating participatory communities (called “communes” in classical anarchism) within the current society in order to transform it.

Basically, a community union is the creation of interested members of a community who decide to form an organisation to fight against injustice and improvements locally. It is a forum by which inhabitants can raise issues that affect themselves and others and provide a means of solving these problems. As such, it is a means of directly involving local people in the life of their own communities and collectively solving the problems facing them as both individuals and as part of a wider society. In this way, local people take part in deciding what effects them and their community and create a self-managed “dual power” to the local and national state. They also, by taking part in self-managed community assemblies, develop their ability to participate and manage their own affairs, so showing that the state is unnecessary and harmful to their interests. Politics, therefore, is not separated into a specialised activity that only certain people do (i.e. politicians). Instead, it becomes communalised and part of everyday life and in the hands of all.

As would be imagined, like the participatory communities that would exist in an anarchist society (see section I.5), the community union would be based upon a mass assembly of its members. Here would be discussed the issues that effect the membership and how to solve them. Thus issues like rent increases, school closures, rising cost of living, taxation, cuts and state-imposed “reforms” to the nature and quality of public services, utilities and resources, repressive laws and so on could be debated and action taken to combat them. Like the communes of a future anarchy, these community unions would be confederated with other unions in different areas in order to co-ordinate joint activity and solve common problems. These confederations would be based upon self-management, mandated and recallable delegates and the creation of administrative action committees to see that the memberships decisions are carried out.

The community union could also raise funds for strikes and other social protests, organise pickets, boycotts and generally aid others in struggle. By organising their own forms of direct action (such as tax and rent strikes, environmental protests and so on) they can weaken the state while building an self-managed infrastructure of co-operatives to replace the useful functions the state or capitalist firms currently provide. So, in addition to organising resistance to the state and capitalist firms, these community unions could play an important role in creating an alternative economy within capitalism. For example, such unions could have a mutual bank or credit union associated with them which could allow funds to be gathered for the creation of self-managed co-operatives and social services and centres. In this way a communalised co-operative sector could develop, along with a communal confederation of community unions and their co-operative banks.

Such community unions have been formed in many different countries in recent years to fight against numerous attacks on the working class. In the late 1980s and early 1990s groups were created in neighbourhoods across Britain to organise non-payment of the Conservative government’s Community Charge (popularly known as the poll tax, this tax was independent on income and was based on the electoral register). Federations of these groups were created to co-ordinate the struggle and pull resources and, in the end, ensured that the government withdrew the hated tax and helped push Thatcher out of government. In Ireland, similar groups were formed to defeat the privatisation of the water industry by a similar non-payment campaign in the mid-1990s.

However, few of these groups have been taken as part of a wider strategy to empower the local community but the few that have indicate the potential of such a strategy. This potential can be seen from two examples of libertarian community organising in Europe, one in Italy and another in Spain, while the neighbourhood assemblies in Argentina show that such popular self-government can and does develop spontaneously in struggle.

In Southern Italy, anarchists organised a very successful Municipal Federation of the Base (FMB) in Spezzano Albanese. This organisation, in the words of one activist, is “an alternative to the power of the town hall” and provides a “glimpse of what a future libertarian society could be.” Its aim is “the bringing together of all interests within the district. In intervening at a municipal level, we become involved not only in the world of work but also the life of the community … the FMB make counter proposals [to Town Hall decisions], which aren’t presented to the Council but proposed for discussion in the area to raise people’s level of consciousness. Whether they like it or not the Town Hall is obliged to take account of these proposals.” In addition, the FMB also supports co-operatives within it, so creating a communalised, self-managed economic sector within capitalism. Such a development helps to reduce the problems facing isolated co-operatives in a capitalist economy — see section J.5.11 — and was actively done in order to “seek to bring together all the currents, all the problems and contradictions, to seek solutions” to such problems facing co-operatives. [“Community Organising in Southern Italy”, pp. 16–19, Black Flag, no. 210, p. 17 and p. 18]

Elsewhere in Europe, the long, hard work of the C.N.T. in Spain has also resulted in mass village assemblies being created in the Puerto Real area, near Cadiz. These community assemblies came about to support an industrial struggle by shipyard workers. One C.N.T. member explains: “Every Thursday of every week, in the towns and villages in the area, we had all-village assemblies where anyone connected with the particular issue [of the rationalisation of the shipyards], whether they were actually workers in the shipyard itself, or women or children or grandparents, could go along … and actually vote and take part in the decision making process of what was going to take place.” With such popular input and support, the shipyard workers won their struggle. However, the assembly continued after the strike and “managed to link together twelve different organisations within the local area that are all interested in fighting … various aspects” of capitalism including health, taxation, economic, ecological and cultural issues. Moreover, the struggle “created a structure which was very different from the kind of structure of political parties, where the decisions are made at the top and they filter down. What we managed to do in Puerto Real was make decisions at the base and take them upwards.” [Anarcho-Syndicalism in Puerto Real: from shipyard resistance to direct democracy and community control, p. 6]

More recently, the December 2001 revolt against neo-liberalism in Argentina saw hundreds of neighbourhood assemblies created across the country. These quickly federated into inter-barrial assemblies to co-ordinate struggles. The assemblies occupied buildings, created communal projects like popular kitchens, community centres, day-care centres and built links with occupied workplaces. As one participant put it: “The initial vocabulary was simply: Let’s do things for ourselves, and do them right. Let’s decide for ourselves. Let’s decide democratically, and if we do, then let’s explicitly agree that we’re all equals here, that there are no bosses … We lead ourselves. We lead together. We lead and decide amongst ourselves … no one invented it … It just happened. We met one another on the corner and decided, enough! … Let’s invent new organisational forms and reinvent society.” Another notes that this was people who “begin to solve problems themselves, without turning to the institutions that caused the problems in the first place.” The neighbourhood assemblies ended a system in which “we elected people to make our decisions for us … now we will make our own decisions.” While the “anarchist movement has been talking about these ideas for years” the movement took them up “from necessity.” [Marina Sitrin (ed.), Horizontalism: Voices of Popular Power in Argentina, p. 41 and pp. 38–9]

The idea of community organising has long existed within anarchism. Kropotkin pointed to the directly democratic assemblies of Paris during the French Revolution> These were “constituted as so many mediums of popular administration, it remained of the people, and this is what made the revolutionary power of these organisations.” This ensured that the local revolutionary councils “which sprang from the popular movement was not separated from the people.” In this popular self-organisation “the masses, accustoming themselves to act without receiving orders from the national representatives, were practising what was described later on as Direct Self-Government.” These assemblies federated to co-ordinate joint activity but it was based on their permanence: “that is, the possibility of calling the general assembly whenever it was wanted by the members of the section and of discussing everything in the general assembly.” In short, “the Commune of Paris was not to be a governed State, but a people governing itself directly — when possible — without intermediaries, without masters” and so “the principles of anarchism … had their origin, not in theoretic speculations, but in the deeds of the Great French Revolution.” This “laid the foundations of a new, free, social organisation”and Kropotkin predicted that “the libertarians would no doubt do the same to-day.” [Great French Revolution, vol. 1, p. 201, p. 203, pp. 210–1, p. 210, p. 204 and p. 206]

In Chile during 1925 “a grass roots movement of great significance emerged,” the tenant leagues (ligas do arrendatarios). The movement pledged to pay half their rent beginning the 1st of February, 1925, at huge public rallies (it should also be noted that “Anarchist labour unionists had formed previous ligas do arrendatarios in 1907 and 1914.”). The tenants leagues were organised by ward and federated into a city-wide council. It was a vast organisation, with 12,000 tenants in just one ward of Santiago alone. The movement also “press[ed] for a law which would legally recognise the lower rents they had begun paying .. . the leagues voted to declare a general strike … should a rent law not be passed.” The government gave in, although the landlords tried to get around it and, in response, on April 8th “the anarchists in Santiago led a general strike in support of the universal rent reduction of 50 percent.” Official figures showed that rents “fell sharply during 1915, due in part to the rent strikes” and for the anarchists “the tenant league movement had been the first step toward a new social order in Chile.” [Peter DeShazo, Urban Workers and Labor Unions in Chile 1902–1927, p. 223, p. 327, p. 223, p. 225 and p. 226] As one Anarchist newspaper put it:

“This movement since its first moments had been essentially revolutionary. The tactics of direct action were preached by libertarians with highly successful results, because they managed to instil in the working classes the idea that if landlords would not accept the 50 percent lowering of rents, they should pay nothing at all. In libertarian terms, this is the same as taking possession of common property. It completes the first stage of what will become a social revolution.” [quoted by DeShazo, Op. Cit., p. 226]

A similar concern for community organising and struggle was expressed in Spain. While the collectives during the revolution are well known, the CNT had long organised in the community and around non-workplace issues. As well as neighbourhood based defence committees to organise and co-ordinate struggles and insurrections, the CNT organised various community based struggles. The most famous example of this must be the rent strikes during the early 1930s in Barcelona. In 1931, the CNT’s Construction Union organised a “Economic Defence Commission” to organise against high rents and lack of affordable housing. Its basic demand was for a 40% rent decrease but it also addressed unemployment and the cost of food. The campaign was launched by a mass meeting on May 1st, 1931. A series of meetings were held in the various working class neighbourhoods of Barcelona and in surrounding suburbs. This culminated in a mass meeting held at the Palace of Fine Arts on July 5th which raised a series of demands for the movement. By July, 45,000 people were taking part in the rent strike and this rose to over 100,000 by August. As well as refusing to pay rent, families were placed back into their homes from which they had been evicted. The movement spread to a number of the outlying towns which set up their own Economic Defence Commissions. The local groups co-ordinated actions their actions out of CNT union halls or local libertarian community centres. The movement faced increased state repression but in many parts of Barcelona landlords had been forced to come to terms with their tenants, agreeing to reduced rents rather than facing the prospect of having no income for an extended period or the landlord simply agreed to forget the unpaid rents from the period of the rent strike. [Nick Rider, “The Practice of Direct Action: the Barcelona rent strike of 1931”, For Anarchism, David Goodway (ed.), pp. 79–105] As Abel Paz summarised:

“Unemployed workers did not receive or ask for state aid … The workers’ first response to the economic crisis was the rent, gas, and electricity strike in mid-1933, which the CNT and FAI’s Economic Defence Committee had been laying the foundations for since 1931. Likewise, house, street, and neighbourhood groups began to turn out en masse to stop evictions and other coercive acts ordered by the landlords (always with police support). The people were constantly mobilised. Women and youngsters were particularly active; it was they who challenged the police and stopped the endless evictions.” [Durrutu in the Spanish Revolution, p. 308]

In Gijon, the CNT “reinforced its populist image by … its direct consumer campaigns. Some of these were organised through the federation’s Anti-Unemployment Committee, which sponsored numerous rallies and marches in favour of ‘bread and work.’ While they focused on the issue of jobs, they also addressed more general concerns about the cost of living for poor families. In a May 1933 rally, for example, demonstrators asked that families of unemployed workers not be evicted from their homes, even if they fell behind on the rent.” The “organisers made the connections between home and work and tried to draw the entire family into the struggle.” However, the CNT’s “most concerted attempt to bring in the larger community was the formation of a new syndicate, in the spring of 1932, for the Defence of Public Interests (SDIP). In contrast to a conventional union, which comprised groups of workers, the SDIP was organised through neighbourhood committees. Its specific purpose was to enforce a generous renters’ rights law of December 1931 that had not been vigorously implemented. Following anarchosyndicalist strategy, the SDIP utilised various forms of direct action, from rent strikes, to mass demonstrations, to the reversal of evictions.” This last action involved the local SDIP group going to a home, breaking the judge’s official eviction seal and carrying the furniture back in from the street. They left their own sign: ”opened by order of the CNT.” The CNT’s direct action strategies “helped keep political discourse in the street, and encouraged people to pursue the same extra-legal channels of activism that they had developed under the monarchy.” [Pamela Beth Radcliff, From mobilization to civil war, pp. 287–288 and p. 289]

In these ways, grassroots movements from below were created, with direct democracy and participation becoming an inherent part of a local political culture of resistance, with people deciding things for themselves directly and without hierarchy. Such developments are the embryonic structures of a world based around participation and self-management, with a strong and dynamic community life. For, as Martin Buber argued, ”[t]he more a human group lets itself be represented in the management of its common affairs … the less communal life there is in it and the more impoverished it becomes as a community.” [Paths in Utopia, p. 133]

Anarchist support and encouragement of community unionism, by creating the means for communal self-management, helps to enrich the community as well as creating the organisational forms required to resist the state and capitalism. In this way we build the anti-state which will (hopefully) replace the state. Moreover, the combination of community unionism with workplace assemblies (as in Puerto Real), provides a mutual support network which can be very effective in helping winning struggles. For example, in Glasgow, Scotland in 1916, a massive rent strike was finally won when workers came out in strike in support of the rent strikers who been arrested for non-payment. Such developments indicate that Isaac Puente was correct:

“Libertarian Communism is a society organised without the state and without private ownership. And there is no need to invent anything or conjure up some new organisation for the purpose. The centres about which life in the future will be organised are already with us in the society of today: the free union and the free municipality [or Commune]. ”The union: in it combine spontaneously the workers from factories and all places of collective exploitation. “And the free municipality: an assembly … where, again in spontaneity, inhabitants … combine together, and which points the way to the solution of problems in social life … “Both kinds of organisation, run on federal and democratic principles, will be sovereign in their decision making, without being beholden to any higher body, their only obligation being to federate one with another as dictated by the economic requirement for liaison and communications bodies organised in industrial federations. “The union and the free municipality will assume the collective or common ownership of everything which is under private ownership at present [but collectively used] and will regulate production and consumption (in a word, the economy) in each locality.

“The very bringing together of the two terms (communism and libertarian) is indicative in itself of the fusion of two ideas: one of them is collectivist, tending to bring about harmony in the whole through the contributions and co-operation of individuals, without undermining their independence in any way; while the other is individualist, seeking to reassure the individual that his independence will be respected.” [Libertarian Communism, pp. 6–7]

The combination of community unionism, along with industrial unionism (see next section), will be the key to creating an anarchist society, Community unionism, by creating the free commune within the state, allows us to become accustomed to managing our own affairs and seeing that an injury to one is an injury to all. In this way a social power is created in opposition to the state. The town council may still be in the hands of politicians, but neither they nor the central government would be able to move without worrying about what the people’s reaction might be, as expressed and organised in their community assemblies and federations.

[aeolianblues]

Been a little 'in the public eye' if you can call it that, in a musical context in the last few days, and as a result of that and being young, a lot of people have been asking me how I discover new music, and that's an excellent question that just becomes trickier as the age range of my questioners changes. I do have multiple sources, some of which are more analogue than others, while some are purely digital. And I do recognise that it's tricky to even keep up with some of these methods: I don't know if I can feasibly tell a 60 year old that five of the artists I played on my last show were bands I found through Instagram and gave a chance to. I can't tell a busy person to read through DIY or Dork Magazine. Bandcamp deep diving also takes its time. I know people that would scoff at the idea of taking an algorithmically recommended band from Spotify or YouTube. Picking up names from the lineups of showcase festivals (which are specifically for emerging artists) is a Task, especially since when artists are smaller, there's less available out there on them. I can't just tell them to listen to BBC 6 Music. I love 6 Music, but they're not going to tell me about the new Canadian artists who literally are touring our country and stopping by our venues. The CBC doesn't serve its mandate in that regards at all.

All this tells me if that there is certainly still a hunger for new music, and a need for someone to present it to people in a way that helps them make sense of all the noise. The over 40s are not going to comb through Tiktok's latest shoegaze revival. Radio should still play a massive, massive role in the music industry, and it's a shame that most people won't know it's out there when they really want it. Commercial radio serves advertiser interests, not that of music fans. Unfortunately that's what most people think radio is at all.

People have got to rediscover their local independent stations, whose curators are only driven by a love for exciting new sounds and acts they've found. Obviously because they don't rely on sponsors like that, they're basically always in need of donations and on the precipice, but we have ways of helping that out. The biggest perhaps is just actually listening to them, and letting people know that they're important. To you, to your friends, to the music community. When campus stations and other independent art initiatives apply for grants and funding from art councils, the work that we're doing and its impact on, and our involvement in the community is a big factor in whether we get funding or not.

I don't quite know what the 'call to action' on this post is, I'm genuinely just thinking out loud since I've been talking to people who showed up at these festival gigs drawn by a headliner but impressed by the openers and wanting to know more new bands! All I can say is show up for openers, stay tuned to the avenues bringing up new music, and spread the word about them! Music isn't dead, not yet ;)

[deadpresidents]

A Statement from 13 Presidential Centers: The unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as stated in the Declaration of Independence, are principles that bind us together as Americans. They have enabled the United States to strive toward a more perfect union, even when we have not always lived up to those ideals. As a diverse nation of people with different backgrounds and beliefs, democracy holds us together. We are a country rooted in the rule of law, where the protection of the rights of all people is paramount. At the same time, we live among our fellow citizens, underscoring the importance of compassion, tolerance, pluralism, and respect for others. We, the undersigned, represent a wide range of views across a breadth of issues. We recognize that these views can exist peaceably side by side when rooted in the principles of democracy. Debate and disagreement are central features in a healthy democracy. Civility and respect in political discourse, whether in an election year or otherwise, are essential. Americans have a strong interest in supporting democratic movements and respect for human rights around the world because free societies elsewhere contribute to our own security and prosperity here at home. But that interest is undermined when others see our own house in disarray. The world will not wait for us to address our problems, so we must both continue to strive toward a more perfect union and help those abroad looking for U.S. leadership. Each of us has a role to play and responsibilities to uphold. Our elected officials must lead by example and govern effectively in ways that deliver for the American people. This, in turn, will help to restore trust in public service. The rest of us must engage in civil dialogue; respect democratic institutions and rights; uphold safe, secure, and accessible elections; and contribute to local, state, or national improvement. By signing this statement, we reaffirm our commitment to the principles of democracy undergirding this great nation, protecting our freedom, and respecting our fellow citizens. When united by these convictions, America is stronger as a country and an inspiration for others. Obama Foundation George W. Bush Presidential Center Clinton Foundation George & Barbara Bush Foundation The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute The Carter Center Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation Richard Nixon Foundation LBJ Foundation John F. Kennedy Library Foundation Truman Library Institute Roosevelt Institute Hoover Presidential Foundation

[galenachrysanthemum]

i've been impressed by the ability of this seemingly rag-tag team of white aussie dipshits to do journalism lately

some of you may recognise friendly jordies as the guy who had his house firebombed after discussing links between former new south wales deputy premier john barilaro and organised crime (this is a mirror upload, as the original was taken down due to continued threats, the nature of which have not been made public)

Pine Gap is a military installation near the centre of australia run by the CIA, NSA, NRO, and a token presence of australian military personnel. It is notable for being the groudstation primarily responsible for all us military or intelligence satellite traffic in the eastern hemisphere, which is to say all sattelite traffic that cannot be picked up by a groundstation on us soil. it has been operating since the mid 60s and as such has played a significant role in us involvement in vietnam, afghanistan, and iraq.

as well as being one of the sites named by edward snowden as part of the us program of intercepting civillian communications worldwide (including, but likely not limited to, XKeyscore and interception of communication satelite transmissions), it is known to provide targeting telemetry for missile and drone strikes and it is currently in use by the idf for this, and likely other purposes.

in the mid 1970s, australian prime minister gough whitlam threatened to terminate australia's end of the treaty allowing the us to operate pine gap as part of an effort to gain some independance from foreign superpowers. he was later dismissed by governor general john kerr and it is alledged by a former CIA contractor that the CIA pushed kerr to dismiss whitlam as they had him in their pocket (describing him as "our man kerr")

the number of us military bases and installations in australia has largely not been a topic of discussion in recent years, perhaps it should be again. it has been nice to see indigenous rights and land rights gain some traction these past few years (because of course all these bases are built on stolen indigenous land, why wouldn't they be). perhaps gaza can be a wake up call for what happens when you let another country's government make your decisions for you and perhaps we can even do some good for other important causes along the way as well.

[darkdrin6]

"Shut up"-rubric

So, Lin Kuei. A clan of assassins in the service of the Earthrealm. Dangerous and secretive masters of their craft.

And they are absolutely incompetent in this very craft.

As they say: "I'll write down every minute who sucked a dick where" (с)

Let's just say - yes, Lin Kuei are hired killers, just like in the old timeline. Why? They are the defenders of their homeworld, a noble clan!.. Shut up and answer yourself a couple of important questions - what means do they exist for and how do they earn a living. To maintain the work of a complex organization, resources are needed - first of all, money. It is necessary to maintain a base (a temple or something else), train fighters, maintain a staff of informants, buy ammunition and medicines, weapons, equipment and everything else. All this requires funds. And Lin Kuei clearly does not enjoy the support of any state, does not produce something independently on a sufficient scale, they do not have the opportunity to be completely self-sufficient. So, probably, their mercenary activity is literally what allows them to survive, develop and prepare for the defense of the Earthrealm. To draw an analogy, this is similar to the system shown in Naruto, where ninja villages also traded contracts of varying complexity, so they literally had something to survive on. However, they were ready to defend the interests of their country, and this was literally their goal.

And if we have dealt with this, then we will move on.

There is every reason to believe that the main trio of Lin Kuei - Bi Han, Kuai and Tomas, are masters in their profession, with enough experience and knowledge to be considered professionals. Secretive, deadly, able to use both their combat power and the skills of quiet killers, isn't it true?

Not true.

And the trailer of Lin Kuei in all its glory shows his incompetence.

Let's start with the little things - the equipment. A specialist is as good as his tools are good. And the trailer throws us in the face…

…this.

In another frame (if you have seen an exclusive fragment of the story clip), you can see how massive this telescope is. Ergonomics? No, thanks.

Where do you wear it, dear? There are no pockets, no pouches, nothing on your uniform. Why complicate your life (and worsen the review) by using an unambiguously outdated device? Your new era is clearly the twenty-first century. Or is Lin Kuei in such a dire financial situation?

But okay, the equipment is not such a terrible mistake, and he could take it anywhere, take it from a corpse, for example. How about how Lin Kuei warriors act in practice?

Answer: it's fucked up.

Here we see the fortress where they are making their way. Knowing that there are opponents there (again, this was shown in an exclusive fragment). In the daytime. Wait until dark or dusk? No? Why didn't they do it? Okay, it's possible that they were hurried by time, but even so, they chose literally the most illuminated fucking wall for climbing. Although it is clear that there are enough shadow areas where they would not be so noticeable in their colored clothes. Especially Scorpion is just the pinnacle of invisibility (sarcasm) in his bright yellow robe.

Despite the fact that they clearly have no problem with climbing. You have a cryomancer, you have a flying dude. You have the owner of the longest damn rope for climbing up. The relief of the wall clearly did not play a decisive role here. It's just that our nice fools don't think with their heads.

Well, to hell with it, with this wall, they may have chosen a place with the least security (which is doubtful), but what do they do once inside, in the courtyard of the fortress?

They are literally walking in the most open place. If there were no plot necessity, they would have been noticed in no time, raised the alarm and stuffed with arrows for a change.

Stay in the shade, use shelters and landscape features, almost any sane person will say. Bullshit, we will do stupid things, the "professional killers" from Lin Kuei will tell you.

But Bi Han's behavior raises even more questions here. We're not even going to talk about the ice tackle, which he did for some shit without any need. Let's remember about the murder he commits in the frame.

A soldier in armor with an open neck, but with a breastplate. How to secretly kill him? So that he died quickly and quietly, without attracting attention to himself?

WELL, OF COURSE, TO POKE AN ICE KNIFE INTO THE MOST PROTECTED PART OF THE ARMOR, HOW DID YOU NOT GUESS

Bi Han, dear, it seems you are no stranger to taking people's lives quickly and quietly. Why didn't you punch him in the throat, which would have been safer and faster? He was standing with his back to you, you couldn't have known one hundred percent that your knife would pierce his armor. Why are you embarrassing yourself so much? You're a fucking professional.

Damn, we understand that it's really not the fault of the characters. But all their stupid actions really look very funny and sad. Well-coordinated, well-honed work would be much more spectacular than these pathetic attempts. In the end, it's simple… it's a sad sight. And once again, Lin Kuei are exposed as just stupid people who can only engage in head-on collisions, which negates their role as hired secretive killers.

[mojave-pete]

MOMS FOR AMERICA ACTION

Trump Endorsement Statement November 27, 2023 We are in the midst of a cultural crisis, and the American family has never been at greater risk. Our God-given rights are under attack – and our own children are being taught to disdain the values that have always made America the freest, most prosperous nation on earth.

My name is Kimberly Fletcher. I am the Founder and President of Moms for America and Moms for America Action. I’m also a mom who wants my children and grandchildren to enjoy the freedom and opportunities that only America can provide. And like millions of other moms, I’m deeply concerned for our children, our families, and the future of our country.

What we need most right now are leaders who will protect the Constitution, defend the family, and stand for truth and commonsense even when it isn’t popular to do so. We need leaders who are not afraid to fight for what’s right, who will defend the Constitution and put America first. That is why Moms for America Action is endorsing Donald Trump for president.

Donald Trump has already proven himself the leader we need in these turbulent times. As president, Donald Trump was a steadfast champion for moms. He took action to keep our children safe in schools by rescinding Barack Obama’s co-ed bathroom policy – in his first week in office. He reduced taxes and cut regulations to ease the burden on hard-working American families. He instituted policies that allowed America to achieve true energy independence for the first time in half a century, slashing the prices of gas and electricity to the benefit of moms and their families.

Donald Trump was also the first sitting president ever to attend the March For Life, where he honored mothers as heroes and acknowledged the indispensable role we play in raising America’s children to become the next generation of patriots to lead this country.

That is why Moms for America Action enthusiastically endorses Donald Trump for President of the United States. He is a proven leader who has already demonstrated that he will stand up for freedom and fight for American values, even when he is viciously attacked for doing so.

As mothers, there is nothing more important to us than a free America where our children can thrive and are free to pursue their American dream.  Moms need a champion like Donald Trump back in the White House, defending our families, protecting our freedoms, and renewing hope for our children.

[sjwenvs3000f24]

Interpreting Nature through Art and the Gift of Beauty

When I first think about art in nature interpretation, I admit that I don't immediately see myself as someone who can interpret the natural world through an artistic lens. Yet, this week's content made me reconsider the ways in which I already engage with nature through creative means. Whether it’s capturing a sunrise or snapping a photo of the first snowfall, these moments of beauty are small but significant acts of interpretation, my attempt to share an emotional connection with nature.

Art, as I’ve learned, plays a crucial role in how people perceive and connect with the environment. The Group of Seven’s iconic landscapes have shaped how many Canadians view their country’s natural beauty, highlighting the power art has in crafting national and personal identity. As nature interpreters, we don't need to be professional artists to use the arts as a medium for interpretation. Instead, we can use a different kind of art, weather by photography, sketching, or even storytelling. These can be tools to evoke emotional responses and help others see the environment in new ways.

Photo by Sophia Wegener, 2024.

Art enables us to interpret what words alone cannot capture. This connects with what Michael Burtch said about how art invokes emotional responses. Just as art museums now interpret exhibits through visual and emotional connections. We must consider how nature’s beauty resonates with people differently on an emotional level. Interpretation through art offers us a way to communicate themes like conservation, sustainability, and beauty in ways that facts and data alone might not convey.

When it comes to interpreting the "gift of beauty" in nature, I think it’s about more than just recognizing the aesthetic aspects of the natural world. It’s about understanding the deeper emotional and intellectual responses that beauty can provoke. Beauty in nature is not just visual, it’s multi-sensory. It can be the feeling of crisp mountain air, the sound of leaves crunching underfoot, or the smell of rain-soaked earth. These moments are gifts because they remind us of the world’s inherent value, independent of human intervention.

Photo by Sophia Wegener, 2024.

Freeman Tilden’s perspective on interpretation is presenting as a whole rather than focusing on just a part. This resonates deeply with me here. The experience of nature’s beauty shouldn’t be reduced to just one scene or sensation rather, it’s about conveying the interconnectedness of it all. A hike through the forest, for example, isn't just a walk, it's an experience that brings together sight, sound, and movement in a way that creates a holistic appreciation of the environment. It’s our job as interpreters to capture that 

Photo by Sophia Wegener, 2024.

In thinking about how art can be used in nature interpretation, it’s important not to overlook the role of risk in planning these experiences. Just as artists take creative risks in their work, nature interpreters must also balance the risk of introducing complex themes with the need for safety and preparedness. This was highlighted in the Lemon Theory, which reminds us that accidents often result from a chain of overlooked details. In our role, we must be mindful of not only the creative risks we take but also the physical and emotional safety of our audience.

Planning for nature interpretation means being prepared for the unexpected. As we consider using art to evoke emotional connections with nature, we must also think about how to mitigate potential risks. Whether it’s ensuring our programs are accessible to all or being mindful of how different audiences perceive risk in outdoor environments.

I may not see myself as an artist, but I have realized that I don’t need to be. By using art to interpret the beauty of nature, I can help others connect to the environment in ways that go beyond words. Nature’s beauty is a gift, one that we can all interpret differently, whether through a photograph or a shared moment in the wilderness. The challenge for us, as nature interpreters, is to use these tools wisely. Balancing creative risks with thoughtful planning to ensure that everyone can experience the gift of nature’s beauty.

[mariacallous]

After officially hiking tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports earlier this month, the US government is getting even more serious about keeping China-made autos out of the country. On Monday, the US Commerce Department proposed a new rule that would ban some Chinese- and Russian-made automotive hardware and software from the US, with software restrictions starting as early as 2026.

The Biden administration says the move is needed for national security reasons, given how central technology is to today’s increasingly sophisticated cars. In announcing the proposed ban, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo cited vehicles’ internet-connected cameras, microphones, and GPS equipment. “It doesn't take much imagination to understand how a foreign adversary with access to this information could pose a serious risk to both our national security and the privacy of US citizens,” she said.

The US government’s move comes as China has dramatically increased the number of affordable vehicles, and especially electric ones, it makes and sells overseas. Chinese auto exports grew by more than 30 percent in just the first half of this year, setting off alarm bells in Europe and the US, where officials worry inexpensively made Chinese vehicles could overwhelm domestic industry. The US and Europe had moved to make it harder and more expensive for China to sell its autos in those regions, but the Chinese automakers have responded by setting up manufacturing bases in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Mexico—all of which might one day provide a loophole to allow more Chinese-designed and engineered vehicles into new Western markets.

Still, the proposed rule focuses on security rather than competition. Raimondo had previously raised the specter of foreign actors using hijacked connected car technology to cause mayhem on the US public roads. “Imagine if there were thousands or hundreds of thousands of Chinese connected vehicles on American roads that could be immediately and simultaneously disabled by somebody in Beijing,” she said in February.

That situation isn’t quite realistic, given how few Chinese and Russian firms supply automotive software or hardware in the US right now. A proposed software and hardware ban is more preemptive than a response to any immediate security risk, says Steve Man, the global head of auto research at Bloomberg Intelligence, a research and advisory firm. “PRC and Russian automakers do not currently play a significant role in the US auto market, and US drivers right now are safe,” a senior Biden administration official told WIRED.

Because the rule would apply to any connected vehicle, not just electric ones, it would create even stronger prohibitions against Chinese-made auto tech. "If the 100 percent tariffs on made-in-China EVs were a wall, the proposed ban on connected vehicles would be a death sentence for China EV Inc. aiming to enter the US,” says Lei Xing, the former chief editor at China Auto Review and an independent analyst. Under such a rule, he says, the prospects of seeing Chinese EVs on sale in the US in the coming decade is “nearly zero.”

If finalized, the new rule would only apply to automotive hardware and software able to receive or process radio frequency communications, and software integrated into vehicles’ automated driving systems, the Commerce Department says. It would not apply to autos’ “passive” parts, including fasteners and plastic covers. The rules would begin to take effect in model year 2027 vehicles and be fully implemented by 2030.

The rule will now move to a public comment period, and the Commerce Department would likely finalize it before President Joe Biden leaves office in early 2025.

The US auto industry seems to believe the rules are a step in the right direction. In a statement, John Bozzella, the president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation trade group, called the government's process of developing the proposed rules “thoughtful.” While their lead time would allow some auto manufacturers to find new software and hardware suppliers, he said, “the required transition but may be too short for others.”

​​Chinese tech and auto companies—including Huawei, Tencent, Baidu, BYD, and Geely—have invested heavily in developing their own software and hardware for self-driving cars. But so far these products are almost all used on cars sold in the Chinese markets.

The US government has used similar logic to push back against the incursion of other Chinese technology in the US. In 2022, it banned the approval of some equipment from the Chinese telecommunications firms Huawei and ZTE, also citing national security concerns. This spring, President Joe Biden signed a law that would force TikTok’s parent company, the Chinese firm ByteDance, to divest from the social media app or face a ban. TikTok has challenged the law in court.

The US government’s proposed ban on Chinese connected vehicle software is similar, says Man, the auto analyst. “This is a TikTok move,” he says.

[alexzalben]

PRIME VIDEO OFFICIALLY PICKS UP A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN FOR FOUR MORE EPISODES, AS A LIMITED SERIES

Release below: Prime Video today announced the renewal of A League of Their Own. The second installment is a four episode, limited series, set to premiere on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

A League of Their Own evokes the joyful spirit of Penny Marshall's beloved classic, while widening the lens to tell the story of an entire generation of women who dreamed of playing professional baseball. The show takes a deeper look at race and sexuality, following the journey of a whole new ensemble of characters as they carve their own paths towards the field, both in the league and outside of it.

“We’re deeply proud of the work that Abbi, Will, the cast, and crew have done reimagining A League of Their Own which has produced an incredibly loyal fan base as well as achieved numerous, well-deserved recognitions and accolades,” said Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon and MGM Studios. “After hearing what Abbi, Will, and the writing team have planned for the new story within this wonderful series, we are excited for our fans to see what comes next.”

"Making this show and seeing the impact it has had in the world has been an incredible joy,” said Will Graham and Abbi Jacobson. “While obviously we were hoping for eleven seasons, we’re grateful to be able to continue to tell the story of these characters and this world.”

The first season of A League of Their Own received the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding New TV Series and was presented with the National Visibility Award by The Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Additionally, the series has been recognized by a number of organizations including nominations from the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the NAACP Image Awards, and the Queerties.

Maybelle Blair, 95-year-old original All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) player, will return as consultant for season 2 of the show. She continues to campaign for donations for The International Women’s Baseball Center (IWBC). Donations will help with one of the organization’s ultimate goals, breaking ground at the construction site for the center in Rockford, Illinois. The Museum and Education center will preserve the long history and impact of sports on the lives of girls and women and will include the Women’s Baseball Hall of Fame and a plaza with nine memorials honoring many who played an important role in the sport’s history. The non-profit welcomes donations to help fund the multi-phased project. Donations can be made at http://www.internationalwomensbaseballcenter.org.

[mask131]

The arduous path to French fantasy

If you recall, not too long ago I posted a rough translation of an article by the BNF (National French Library) called "A cosmogony of French fantasy", taking a look at the fantasy genre in French literature. Well I just discovered something that blew my mind.

The journal this article was part of, was actually one of a series of journal-reviews published by the BNF entirely centered around fantasy. The article "Cosmogony" was from the issue centered around "Worldbuilding", but I found another article talking about the history of the fantasy genre in French literature, this time coming from an issue of "BNF - Fantasy" with for theme "Modern success".

So here is the rough translation of: Fantasy in France, a long road... Originally written by Anne Besson

Fantasy has been present in France for numerous decades, but it had to wait until the turn of the 21st century to actually be recognized as its own genre, thanks to the work of fans and of independant publishing houses.

The main reason fantasy arrived quite "late" in French literature was due to a lack of identification. Numerous fantasy works were already published in France for a long time - but there was no specific collections dedicated to fantasy, and the very name "fantasy" wasn't used. For example, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings was translated in France in 1972-1973, by the publishing house Christian Bourgois - which is VERY late compared to other European countries, that had done a translating work long before. Other main works of fantasy only came in France under the shadow or as satellites of other literary genres. First, under the fantastique genre, with the collection "Aventures fantastiques" (Fantastical adventures) by Opta, then under the science-fiction genre. [Note: I said it before, but "fantastique" is a genre of French literature centered around a supernatural element arriving into a mundane and realistic setting very similar to our own. Dracula is "fantastique", for example] The works of Jack Vance were translated by the "Club du Livre d'Anticipation" (The Anticipation Book Club), Roger Zelzany's Chronicles of Amber was found originally in "Présence du futur" (Presence of the future), then in "Folio SF". In fact, for a very long time the term "science-fiction" will dominate the French edition, used as a general category for many non-realistic work - even what was identified by the 80s as "heroic fantasy" was named by French editors "science-fiction".

It is only at the end of the 1990s, and at the beginning of the 2000s that the word "fantasy" appeared - it was when specific collections and specialized publishing houses also formed themselves, such as Nestiveqnen or Mnémos, all derived from the editing industry of role-playing games. In 2000, the publishing house Bragelonne will decide to translate the works of David Gemmell and Terry Goodkind, great fantasy authors that hadn't been translated in French yet, and which were massive successes that helped the expansion of the fantasy industry in France.

Fans are definitively those that make fantasy live the most in France. Alongside the fantasy boom of the 90s-2000s, numerous actors appeared in what was called the "micro-edition", a very dynamic but very fragile world. Numerous festivals started popping out everywhere, and fandoms appearing thanks to the Internet became the main sources of information about the genre.

The growing importance of this sector, and the apparition of "experts" of fantasy, is translated by a new care for fantasy as a genre. Numerous classical authors ignored until this point get translated (such as William Morris, by "Aux forges de Vulcain", "In Vulcan's forge"). Numerous "integral" editions are offered by Bragelonne, Pocket or J'ai Lu. You also have several re-translations, offering a new French text closer and more respectful towards the originals (Patrice Louinet reworked on Robert E. Howard, while David Camus offered new H.P. Lovecraft translations, and Daniel Lauzon completely redid the French Tolkien works).

But truly French fantasy works - as in, French-written fantasy works created by francophone authors - were for a long time considered as "secondary" works. Late to the party, they had a hard time imposing themselves among the many translations of English-works. But today, we can consider that the French creation reached a level of "full maturity". In fact, we re-discover today an old French fantasy that had been forgotten by previous generations - Les centaures by André Lichtenberg in 1904, re-edited by the Callidor editions in 2017 ; or the duology Khanaor by Francis Berthelot in 1983. But, again, it was at the end of the 90s that the "New French School" of fantasy appeared, embodied by the trio of Mathieu Gaborit (Les Chroniques des Crépusculaires, 1995-1996, The Chronicles of the Dusk-people), Fabrice Colin (Arcadia, 1998 or Winterheim, 1999-2003) and Henri Loevenbruck (La Moïra, or Gallica, both starting in 2001).

Editors started accepting in their ranks authors with very unique, peculiar or demanding imaginations. Among these specific works we can find the Horde du contrevent (Horde of the counter-wind) by Alain Damasio, in 2004, by the house La Volte, or Jean-Philippe Jaworski's works (Récits du vieux royaume, Tales of the old kingdom, 2007, or Rois du monde, Kings of the world, 2013) in the house Les moutons électriques.

Other independant editors (note: In English I don't know if you can say "indie publishing houses" or if the "indie" term is only applied to video games and animation) also started imposing themselves. Scrinéo published Gabriel Katz, ActuSF published Karim Berrouka, Critic's published Estelle Faye and Lionel Davoust. Finally the "historical" actors of the domain, the "ancients" of the fantasy genre, also started encouraging the growth of French talents: L'Atalante published Régis Goddyn, Mnémos published Adrien Tomas and Charlotte Bousquet. As for Bragelonne they have Pierre Pevel, who is the great example of a fantasy inspired by the old French feuilletons - his Les Enchantements d'Ambremer (The Enchantments of Ambersea, 2003) are inspired by Arsène Lupin, while his Les Lames du Cardinal (The Blades of the Cardinal, 2007), reference and pay homage to Alexandre Dumas. About this last series: it was actually the very first French fantasy series to ever be translated in the United-States!

[beardedmrbean]

Savon Sanomat is among the morning's papers carrying an STT news agency report that in terms of media coverage, Pekka Haavisto (who is a Green MP but running as an independent) and Alexander Stubb (NCP) are leading the pack of candidates in Finland's upcoming presidential elections.

An analysis of more than 14,400 articles by the media monitoring company Retriever found that Haavisto had almost 4,300 mentions in the domestic media during the review period from the beginning of September to Tuesday of this week.

Stubb registered just 120 fewer mentions.

Current Speaker of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho (Finns) ranked third in terms of the number of media mentions. Immediately behind him was Mika Aaltola, an independent.

"The visibility of Halla-aho, who ranked third, has been boosted not only by publicity about the presidential election, but also by statements related to parliamentary work and party politics. It is interesting that Aaltola, who has lost support in the polls, reached as high as fourth in terms of media visibility," Retriever media analyst Pilvi Bisi was quoted as saying.

The president's job

An editorial in Thursday's Aamulehti points out that the powers of the President of Finland have been narrowed over the few past decades by shifting more authority to parliament and the government.

The paper writes that it is a good thing that power is not too concentrated in any single organ of state.

When times were even better in Finland it was even considered whether the entire institution of the presidency was completely irrelevant, Aamulehti continues. This is something that has not been heard in the ongoing presidential election campaign, it notes, adding that there is no doubt that the president's role is vital for Finland today.

As the paper reminds readers, the president is the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces, manages foreign policy in tandem with the government, represents Finland at Nato summits, as well as appoints certain high office holders and judges.

However, in Aamulehti's words, "The most important task of our future president is to keep Finland on the world map."

It stresses the importance of what kind of image of Finland the president gives to the world and what kind of relations the president succeeds in creating and maintaining with the world's powers.

Also, Aamulehti expects that Finland's next president will have a significant role to play within Nato, as the Nordic countries rise to a brand new strategically important position on the world map.

And, although the president does not actively engage in domestic politics, in the current world situation, the president represents to many what the paper describes as a "trusted influencer" fully dedicated to promoting Finland's interests.

"The job is not easy and people's expectations are high. That's clear," writes Aamulehti.

More asylum applications

A number of people who entered Finland without valid travel documents this autumn, but declined to apply for asylum, have now done so, reports Ilta-Sanomat.

In November, some of the people who arrived at the Vartius border crossing without the required documents did not apply for asylum at that time. Now the situation has changed.

Major Timo Keinonen, the deputy commander of the Kainuu Border Guard, told the paper on Wednesday that almost all of the migrants who crossed the border at the Vartius checkpoint in November have now asked for asylum in Finland. Keinonen added that the lack of clarity about the situation was most likely related to a language barrier.

As Ilta-Sanomat notes, any of the arrivals from Russia who did not have the documents required for entry, and do not apply for asylum, can be returned either to Russia or to their original country of origin.

Popular neighbourhoods

Helsingin Sanomat looks at which parts of the capital region are most attractive to home buyers based on reactions to listings on the Oikotie online real estate service.

The service, which claims more than one million users a week says that the most popular areas in the capital region are currently Lauttasaari in Helsinki, Tapiola in Espoo and Tikkurila in Vantaa.

The top ten most popular neighbourhoods in the capital itself are Lauttasaari, Töölö, Munkkiniemi, Ullanlinna, Kallio, Oulunkylä, Laajasalo, Vuosaari, Kruununhaka, and Punavuori.

Falling housing prices have been most clearly seen in Helsinki's Ullanlinna, where average square metre prices were more than 10 percent lower in the first half of this year than last year, according to Oikotie.

Chilly start to the new year

Iltalehti reports that longer-term weather forecasts indicate that 2024 will kick off with plenty of snow and below average cold temperatures.

Foreca meteorologist Joanna Rinne told the paper that although day-to-day and week-to-week variations are still uncertain, it looks like the whole of January will be colder than usual, and that some really bone-chilling sub-zero temperatures are a possibility, especially in the north of the country.

[ridenwithbiden]

President Joe Biden on Saturday paid tribute to the late former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor as "an American icon."

“She spent her career committed to the stable center, pragmatic and in search of common ground. I did not agree with all of her opinions, but I admired her decency and unwavering devotion to the facts, to our country, to active citizenship and the common good,” Biden said.

O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the nation’s highest court, died Friday morning in Phoenix, Arizona. She was 93.

“As a U.S. Senator on the Judiciary Committee, I remember the hope surrounding her historic nomination to the Supreme Court. The Senate voted 99-0 in her favor, proof that our nation can come together to move history forward,” Biden said.

O'Connor was appointed to the bench in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan. At her Senate confirmation hearing, then-Sen. Joe Biden quickly voiced his support for her. A senior member of the Judiciary panel at the time, Biden encouraged the first woman Supreme Court nominee to remember her sex, particularly when it came to speeches and other activities outside of the courtroom as a newly high-profile figure.

"It is your right, if it were your desire, to go out and campaign very strongly for the [Equal Rights Amendment],” Biden told her. “It is your right to go out and make speeches across the country about inequality for women — if you believe it. Don't wall yourself off. Your male brethren have not done it. Don't you do it."

Initially, O’Connor pushed back, saying it would be a potential violation of judicial ethics for her to do so. Biden disagreed, calling it an “obligation” to American women to speak out on issues important to them, as long as her speech conformed to judicial ethics.

"You are a singular asset. And you are looked at by many of us not merely because you are a bright, competent lawyer but also because you are a woman. That is something that should be advertised by you,” he said. “Don't let us intimidate you into not doing it.”

When O'Connor retired from the court in 2005, Biden acknowledged the role she played in “steering us through some very rough waters” during her time on the bench.

"Though I have not always agreed with her, I have always held JusticeO'Connor in the highest regard,” he said.

In his Saturday statement, Biden also praised O'Connor's dedication to public service and the “bedrock American principle of an independent judiciary," and cited her institute’s work to promote civics education and civil discourse.

“She knew that for democracy to work, we have to listen to each other, and remember how much more we all have in common as Americans than what keeps us apart,” he said.

Vice President Kamala Harris also released a statement Saturday calling O'Connor a "trailblazer."

"As an associate justice of the Supreme Court, as a state senator, and as a proud daughter of Arizona, Justice O'Connor dedicated her life to public service. A champion of civics education, Justice O’Connor helped countless young Americans better understand the nature and importance of our democracy," Harris added.