#country vs. county

[bethanydelleman]

After her affair with Henry Crawford, Maria is sent to “another country”. Which country do you think it was? The problem with her being sent to anywhere in continental Europe is that Jane Austen was writing Mansfield Mark during the Napeoleonic Wars, and war in Europe had been ongoing for nearly 25 years at this point (though it was soon to end). Is Austen anticipating the end of the wars? Is she ignoring them (in the same way that contemporary writers during the COVID pandemic would not necessarily depict their characters as living during the pandemic)? Or is she thinking of Maria being somewhere else?

I am pretty darn sure Maria is still in the United Kingdom (whatever that was at the time), here is the relevant quote:

It ended in Mrs. Norris’s resolving to quit Mansfield and devote herself to her unfortunate Maria, and in an establishment being formed for them in another country, remote and private, where, shut up together with little society, on one side no affection, on the other no judgment, it may be reasonably supposed that their tempers became their mutual punishment. (Ch 57)

The meaning of "country" is more vague in Austen than it is today. According to Etymoline:

mid-13c., "(one's) native land;" c. 1300, "any geographic area," sometimes with implications of political organization, from Old French contree, cuntrede "region, district, country,"... Also from c. 1300 as "area surrounding a walled city or town; the open country." By early 16c. the word was applied mostly to rural areas, as opposed to towns and cities. Meaning "inhabitants of a country, the people" is from c. 1300.

I'm pretty certain that what this sentence means is another "county" or shire, other than Northamptonshire, within England.

Some examples of Austen using country. Bingley is asked if he'll stay in the country, which likely means stay in a rural area/Hertfordshire, while Mr. Bennet calls his daughters the silliest in the country, which may mean England or Hertfordshire.

This quote seems modern use, but it's actually using country to talk about the neighbourhood:

You have a sweet room here, Mr. Bingley, and a charming prospect over that gravel walk. I do not know a place in the country that is equal to Netherfield. You will not think of quitting it in a hurry, I hope, though you have but a short lease.

And the use here of "country" as coming into the rural areas:

Mr. Bingley with having promised on his first coming into the country to give a ball at Netherfield.

Anyway, I think Maria is in England, just in a shire or county far from home.

[bios-hzrd]

Just wanted to write this down before I forget. There’s this interesting trend I see a lot in Nintendo games where you have the player do something intuitive, and reveal something more strategic that may have been a bit less so.

Wario Land has a bit where you ground pound on a block, and when you land, a nearby enemy with a spiked shell flips over onto their soft belly.

Donkey Kong Country Returns introduces a mechanic wheee if you crouch and shake the controller, you can blow out some air. This is done on a bunch of dandelions. Later it has a little challenge where you blow on a dandelion while dodging an enemy on fire. But when you blow out the dandelion, the flaming enemy goes out too.

But I think the most interesting and subtle version of this trick isn’t in a Nintendo game at all. I’m fairly certain I don’t have to introduce Plants vs Zombies or the Potato Mine, but I will explain the mechanics and strategy.

Potato Mine is pretty blatantly an early game utility plant and very little else. You unlock it at the beginning of the game, and it’s a very cheap minion that kills a single target, but needs to sit on the field a bit to activate.

When you initially get it, you want to try it out. A zombie shambles onto the field, and it’s pretty much the only offensive plant you can afford. Because of the arm time, you place it to the far left of the field, where the zombie will take a long time to get to. While you wait, you place down some sunflowers, and you’re already engaging with one of the games strategies.

More zombies only spawn when the current wave has been eliminated. Earlier waves are smaller, so you can wait and still take them out safely close to base. If you stall the earlier waves, you can build a bigger defense.

(I personally like going in the opposite direction and making the game as difficult as possible with a rushdown strategy based around chompers, garlic, and marigold)

Its utility is very limited to teach you how to play, until the game feels confident enough to give you a more versatile option (squash). Being able to swap it out later on allows the developers to make it an incredibly specific teaching tool that does nothing but what you want the player to do with it.

The main thing that’s missing though is an indicator of what the player did. It does make it easier on the player, but without anything to directly show them exactly what they did, like showing them what happens if you load the instakill at the front line, I don’t think they’re likely to keep doing it once you take the training wheels off.

I said it was interesting and subtle, not that it was perfect game design.

[lesbiangummybearmafia]

@drtanner Ok let me 1st start by saying that I have a strong disdain for billionaires in our country but not all of them were born to wealth and that's the only way they became rich. Even though I do not like them I will give you two, (even though there are more then two) examples Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs both did not come from money, both started their companies Amazon and Apple by themselves with a few other people working hard to make what the companies become. Both were intelligent with a good ideas and were ruthless with implementing them. And they both happen to be white males so that doesn't hurt anything especially in the US. Even though I'm a fan of either facts are facts, truth is truth. So it is possible to start at nothing and become a billionaire in the US but you have to be damn intelligent have a really good idea and know how to implement it. Outside of that yes most of them like the useless worthless piece of crap Elon Musk did come from money, blow hard now owns Twitter and throws his opinion everywhere like a fucking matters. The true problem is not the billionaires the problem is is our government who has chosen to not tax them. You, me and everyone else pays more taxes per year than billionaires, millionaires and corporations that makes billions of dollars. Jeff Bezos the 3rd richest man in the world pays no taxes! That is where the wealth gap is coming from. We have a worst wealth gap in our country now than they did during the great depression. That's why younger generations cannot afford the American dream which I'm sad to say is very much a dead which is to buy a home and have a better life than their parents did. That is no longer possible in our country. The billionaires in the US are now oligarchs here! As we'veheard 1000+ times they have 99% of wealth in our country. Its up to our government to start taxing the living shit out of them! They need to bring back the inheritance tax also, so when these billionaires die their money will actually do some good, instead of it all going to their spoiled brats! Now will we even see our Congress do this... I'm not holding my breath.

We could end homeless in the US but only if lose the narrative that all homeless people are junkies, alcoholics, insane, they want to be there, it's their own fault why should we help them(that's a real one, a friend of my mom back in the day said that). The other thing as a whole the US suffers from is fucking lack of empathy, kindness, compassion, caring about others outside our selfs and our families, tunnel vision. And huge case of not giving a fuck!!!! We are not taught to by our parents or at school empathy for others, kindness, compassion or to treat others as human beings.

[falllpoutboy]

england lost??

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Reference: Whiskey

Whiskey - a general term for an alcoholic liquor made from fermented mashed grains.

Bourbon - the term for a whiskey made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn; traditionally made in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and most bourbon is still produced in the state of Kentucky.

Whiskey vs. Whisky

In the United States, the spelling whiskey is preferred and is what you’ll see on labels of American-made whiskeys. You’ll also see this spelling on Irish whiskeys, as it’s the preferred spelling in Ireland.

Outside of these two countries, though, the spelling whisky is typically preferred to refer to the same general type of drink. Countries that produce this drink, such as Scotland, Canada, and Japan, typically use the whisky spelling on labels.

In general, whiskey and whisky are different spellings for the same general type of alcoholic beverage.

The plural form of whiskey is whiskeys, and the plural of whisky is whiskies.

Even when using the same spelling, specific drinks may have differences from each other. For example, the United States and Ireland both use the whiskey spelling, but the drinks themselves often have different production and distillation methods that will make them look and taste different from each other.

Bourbon & Whiskey

Whiskey - a general term for an alcoholic liquor made from fermented grain mash.

The particular grain (or grain mixture) that is traditionally used will often depend on what is readily available in the local area.

For example, Irish whiskey is typically made from barley, while American whiskey is usually made from corn or rye.

Most whiskeys are aged in wooden containers and almost always are at least 40% alcohol by volume.

Is bourbon a whiskey?

Yes. Bourbon, also known as bourbon whiskey, is a whiskey that is made primarily from corn.

In fact, bourbon must be made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn in order for it to be called bourbon in the United States.

Bourbon production also makes use of particular types of barrels and particular distillation and bottling methods.

However, the corn requirement is the main aspect that makes bourbon unique from other types of whiskey.

Bourbon vs. Whiskey vs. Scotch

Scotch whisky - commonly known as scotch, is another specific kind of whiskey.

While bourbon uses corn as the primary grain, Scotch whisky is typically made mostly of malted barley.

Like bourbon, Scotch whisky also has specific distillation methods and requirements. Just as importantly, a drink can only be called Scotch whisky if it is made in Scotland.

Rye Whiskey vs. Bourbon

Rye whiskey - often shortened to just rye, is a type of whiskey that must be made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% rye.

Rye often uses a different, specific distillation and aging process as well.

And at least in the United States, it’s rye whiskey. When it’s made elsewhere, such as in Canada, it’s rye whisky.

Other Types of Whiskey

Often, whiskeys (or whiskies) are named for the place they come from or for the ingredients used to make them.

Irish whiskey

Canadian whisky

Japanese whisky

Tennessee whiskey

Malt whisky

Blended whiskey

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[alotofpockets]

Final four | Leah Williamson

Pairing: Leah Williamson x Dutch!Reader

Summary: Playing against your girlfriend was never easy, but playing against her team for a spot in the final four of the nations league was tough on another level.

Woso masterlist | Words: 1.8k

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Playing for a different country than your girlfriend meant that you would have to play against each other from time to time. You had never been a fan of having to play against her, since it always meant that only one of you could win. Playing with Leah was much more your cup of tea. Arsenal was where the two of you had met and fell in love, you had played there together for years now. 

Going into the Nations League, you knew that you were going to be competing in the same league, but you cursed yourself when you found out that both The Netherlands and England had been drawn into group A1, meaning that even if everything went well for both your teams, only one of your teams was going to make it into the final four. 

You were nearing the end of the group stages, just two more matches to be played, Scotland vs Belgium, and The Netherlands vs England. The Netherlands and England shared the first position in the group, only England taking the lead on goal difference, meaning that the winner of tonight’s game was going to qualify either Leah’s team or your team.

In the locker room you were gearing up nervously, your mind stuck on the fact that it was going to be either you or Leah. You sat in your cubby next to Viv, the only person who knew exactly how you were feeling. While neither her or Beth were captaining their teams, she was in the same boat, it was either going to be her or her girlfriend moving up in the competition. Viv was a close friend of yours, as you played for the same club and county, you had known her for years, and she knew how to read you well. “The high’s and low’s of football are so close together. I know it seems stressful right now, but no matter what happens, it is going to be okay.” She said with a reassuring hand on your knee. “Thanks Viv.”

You didn’t feel like you should be the one giving the pre-match speech right now, but as the captain it was your duty to do so. “Alright team, listen up.” You stood in the middle of the room. “This is a big game. As you all know, only the winner gets a spot in the final four. We have been performing well, but don’t forget that they have been as well. I want each and everyone of you to give it your all out there.” You looked around at your team proudly. “Let’s show them what we’ve got. Team on three.” Everyone stood and put their hands together, “One, two, three.” You count off, and the room fills with one loud “Team.”

The team starts lining up in the tunnel, you put your game face on and try to get in the game zone mind wise. The England squad lines up next to you, this was really happening. When Leah stood next to you she reached out her hand, with her head still facing the field in front of her. You take her hands, and give it a squeeze, before looking up at the sky and closing your eyes. The moment of the two captains was of course filmed as the camera crew was ready to film the teams entering the field, a moment that you would forever treasure no matter today’s outcome. 

With one last deep breath, you let go of Leah's hand, as you both lead your teams out onto the field. Both national anthems are sung, and one more quick team huddle was held, before you made your way to the middle of the field. You shake hands with the referees as well as Leah of course. 

Before you walk back to your respected places on the field, you give her one last hug. “Give it your all.” You whisper in her ear. She gives you a final squeeze with the words, “You too.” While it was stressful playing against your girlfriend, it was reassuring to you to have moments like this with her before.

The teams were well matched, possession of the ball was switched around constantly. It was getting frustrating for you as a forward to not get the ball further onto the field than a little past the halfway line before it was intercepted by an England player. 

When Jackie intercepted the ball from a bad pass between Keira and Georgia, she lifted her eyes to see you running along the flank. Her pass came in your direction, and with a perfect first touch, you managed to run forward. It was the first time either team had really been able to build up an attack, and you wanted to make the best of it. Though before you could build up further Leah slid in with a slightly late tackle, making you crash into the ground. “Shit, are you okay?” Leah was by your side instantly, her hand placed on your back as you fell face first onto the pitch. The referee blew the whistle for a free kick, while you answered her, “Yeah, I’m fine.” Leah helped you up and patted your back. 

Sherida lined up to take the free kick, and you made your way into the penalty area with the rest of your teammates who had already made their way over. Since the game had been so even, without any shots on goal, this free kick from a promising position had to be taken advantage of. So, when the ball came soaring your way at the far post, you headed it with all the power and spin that you could give it. You didn’t see the ball hit the net, but by the eruption of the crowd you knew you had scored. Your teammates flooded in around you, patting your head and cheering you on. “Come on, let’s keep this up, ladies!” 

Sadly your lead on the opposition wasn’t for long as Alessia made the score not even two minutes after your goal. The half time whistle sounded and the score was still level as you made your way back into the tunnel. Time in the locker room flies by, after short pep-talk and some hydration, you head back onto the field. 

The sixtieth minute was coming closer and subs from both teams were warming up along the sidelines, getting ready to replace some of the tired legs on the field. The speed of the game seemed to pick up again after the substitutions were made, as England came charging forward. Beth tricked one of your defenders and the goalkeeper by making it seem like she was going to set up Alessia with the ball, but taking the shot herself. Her ball hit the back of the net, way out of reach for Daphne. 

Your team wanted to get the ball moving again quickly, waiting in the middle of the field for the whistle to blow. Luckily it didn’t take long for Daan to shoot the ball over the top, for Damaris to pick up. Damaris ran forwards as Mary came charging forward to get the ball, with one swift motion she lobbed the ball over the English goalkeeper, to once again make the score level. 

Both teams were fighting for the goal to put them ahead again, but as the minutes passed by, that goal didn’t seem to come. The ninety minutes had been played, you had just four more minutes of added time before you would have to go into extra time, something you really weren’t hoping for. You knew your teammates well and could see that they were exhausted from the match already. 

You were in the last minute of stoppage time when Vic managed a clean tackle earning her the ball. She looked up and kicked it to you, but you were quickly surrounded by England jerseys, so you passed the ball off to Esmee. The young player didn’t even look before lining up her shot, knowing that if she took her time she would be surrounded the same way as you were. You watched the ball fly into the penalty area where Viv and Damaris were ready to head the ball towards goal. It was Damaris who managed to connect her head to the ball. Time seemed to slow down as the ball moved towards the goal, and right over the tips of Mary’s stretched out hands. It sped up again once it hit the back of the net. 

Damaris ran to the  rest of the team at the sidelines, with all the players on the field following behind. Ending in one big group hug, with people jumping on each other, and tumbling over in excitement. A stoppage time goal to send you through to the semi-finals. 

Celebrating that moment with your team came first, but once you stepped away from the group, you looked for Leah instantly. You found her standing on the other side of the field, her hands on her thighs as she was leaning over in defeat. While you were happy for your team to make it to the next round, you were also gutted for her. 

You hug the England players you meet on your way to her, all of them being your friends as well, since you’ve been with Leah for years. When you made it to your girlfriend she had fallen onto her knees in the grass with tears falling down her face. You sit down on your knees in front of her and wrap your arms around her, “You played so well, darling.” You knew that no words were going to stop her from feeling this tough defeat, but you wanted her to know that she did good. “Made your team, and your country proud.” She buried her head into your chest, and you held her while rubbing your hands up and down her back. 

When Leah’s tears stopped flowing, the two of you sat down together. You wiped the tears of her cheeks, “I know that right now it might not feel like it, but you can be proud of yourself for your performance during this competition, both as an individual player, and the team captain. I know that I am, Leah, I am so proud of you.” 

Even though the defeat stung, Leah wanted to make sure that you knew that she was happy for you. “We’ll since we’re on the topic of being proud.” She started and you saw a slight smile appear on her face. “You did incredible, and you deserve to be a part of the final four. I am very proud of you, and you should be proud of yourself as well.” She hugs you tight, before pressing a kiss to your forehead.

While playing against each other wasn’t easy, you knew that you would always be happy for the other, be supportive, and be proud of each other, no matter what. Your love for each other was bigger than the highs and lows of football.

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[music-tourney]

Poll list for the 70s music tourney

Round 3:

September vs Disco Inferno

Ballroom Blitz vs Rapper's Delight

The Chain vs Roxanne

Bad Girls vs Barracuda

Hotel California vs Killer Queen

Don't Fear the Reaper vs Lola

Rasputin vs Gimme Gimme Gimme

Rocketman vs Dancing in the Moonlight

Superstition vs Ain't no Sunshine

Heart of Glass vs I will Survive

Hooked on a Feeling vs Born to Run

Jolene vs Le Freak

Previous round beneath the Cut

Round 2:

(They Long to be) close to you vs Gimme Gimme Gimme

Don't Fear the reaper vs Starman

Hold the Line vs Killer Queen

Psycho killer vs The Chain

Do it again vs Lola

Renegade vs Dancing in the moonlight

Bat out of hell vs Le Freak

Disco Inferno vs Big Yellow Taxi

Have you ever seen the rain vs Hotel California

Heart of Glass vs YMCA

Ring my bell vs Roxanne

London Calling vs Bad Girls

Ain't No Sunshine vs Stayin Alive

Rasputin vs Sultans of the Swing

Barracuda vs Country roads

Hooked on a feeling vs Our House

The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald vs Rapper's Delight

Black Betty vs Rocket Man

Roundabout vs Ballroom Blitz

Funkytown vs I will survive

Mr.Blue Sky vs Born to Run

September vs Piano Man

Jolene vs Dream On

Superstition vs Freebird

Round 1:

Piano Man vs Imagine

Killer Queen vs Boys don't Cry

Gimme Gimme Gimme vs Let's get it on

I Will Survive vs Carry on Wayward Son

The Chain vs Blinded by the Light

Starman vs Let it Be

Rasputin vs Stairway to Heaven

American Pie vs Take Me Home County Roads

Renegade vs Me and Bobby Mcgee

Jolene vs Brandy (you're a fine girl)

September vs The Devil Went Down to Georgia

Hotel California vs Baba O'Riley

Ballroom Blitz vs The Boys are Back in Town

Don't Fear the Reaper vs Midnight Train to Georgia

Mr. Blue Sky vs The Logical Song

Stayin Alive vs Horse with no Name

Psycho Killer vs Blitzkrieg Bop

Rocket Man vs Smoke on the Water

Heart of Glass vs Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2

T. N. T. vs Black Betty

Southern Nights vs Le Freak

It's too late vs Disco Inferno

YMCA vs All Right Now

Big Yellow Taxi vs Live and Let Die

Freebird vs Detroit Rock City

Bad Girls vs Video Killed the Radio Star

I'll be there vs Ring my Bell

Rapper's Delight vs My Little Town

Dream On vs The Joker

Sultans of the Swing vs American Girl

We are Family vs Barracuda

Dancing in the moonlight vs Wheel in the sky

Escape (Pina Colada Song) vs Have you ever seen the rain

Born to Run vs Iron Man

Papa was a rolling stone vs London Calling

Hooked on a feeling vs Joy to the World

My Sharona vs Superstition

Roundabout vs Stuck in the Middle with you

LA Woman vs Roxanne

(They Long to be) Close to You vs Fire and Rain

Funky Town vs Heart of Gold

Time in a Bottle vs Our House

Ain't No Sunshine vs Anarchy in the UK

Do it again vs Just What I Needed

The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald vs Cats in the Cradle

Your Mama Won't Like Me vs Bat out of Hell

Hold the Line vs Crackling Rosie

Lola vs Heartbreaker

Bonus Rounds:

All Along the Watch Tower vs More than a Feeling

8 other songs by featured artists

60s practice round

[flastar13]

I think there is always a problem with Anne Baleyn's locker room in almost any production. It is always the worst dressed among the six queens. Just look at The Six Wives of Henry VIII of 1970

The other wives wear appropriate dresses to the time that is set the series, Catalina de Aragon wears a Spanish fashion dress from the beginning of the 16th century, and Jane Seymour wears a modest green dress as a company lady according to 1636. What do you wear Anne? A series of high fantasy or Elizabethan dresses.

I give a pass to this dress, not only because it is pretty but because Anne is wearing it in a dysphrase dance.

But what about the rest of dresses? Anne became popular in the English court for her great ingenuity and glamorous French style. Henry the height of gifts during and his commitment, and the Baleyn were not poor. Why is your clothes so pesticary? Let's compare with Jane Seymour, who has a similar story. To start the Seymour were much less prosperous than the Baleyn, Jane's father, John Seymour was appointed gentleman on the battlefield by Enrique VII for his services against the rebels of Cornwall in Blackheath on June 17, 1497. Then he was appointed Caballero Banneret in 1513 after the battle of the Spurs. But outside those honors, the family had not risen much. Thomas Baleyn instead had served Enrique VII and had been in the entourage of Margarita Tudor when she went to Scotland. He was appointed Biscount for his own merit in 1525, even before Ana had met Enrique VIII. He was also heir to Ormond County thanks to his mother. Elizabeth Baleyn of single Howard, was the sister of the Duke of Norfolk. With only that information, it shows that the Baleyn were also much richer than the Seymour, apart from having a major noble status, which should be reflected in the clothes they wear.

If we see in the same adaptation, in your home Wolf Hall Jane uses a historically precise country attire, which shows the simplicity and modesty of Jane but also that the Seymour are not so rich to allow them to use the whole day silk but they are still noble to be made of good quality and dyed wool.

His second outfit, when he attends the Court, is more fashionable and is elegant, but it is still simple and modest, reflecting Jane's personal tastes and that his family being low nobility, but the sumptuous laws, he is not going to Cover of jewelry.

Once he became a queen, Jane's dress improves, she is still pale but is very adorned with jewelry, wears an elaborate two waters unlike the French headdress of her predecessor.

The costume designers managed to tell the story of the most boring of Henry VIII's wives, through her clothes. Showing her evolution from the spinster daughter of an unimportant knight, to a lady-in-waiting courted by the king to the queen of England; wonderfully, with beautiful designs that look like they're from the Tudor era. Why can't they do the same with Anne?

The worst thing is that this is repeated constantly, in one of the most recent series based on the reign of Henry VIII, with a wardrobe that is almost exact to the historical period in which the events take place, "Wolf Hall". Okay, the series is from Cromwell's perspective, so they're not going to show us Anne's life before she got mixed up with the secretary's. Anne is already the future wife of the king when she appears. But when she is queen, her clothes only change color; there are no more jewels, no better fabrics, no embroidery and her hood is horrible. Just compare her pink dress that according to her designers is that of "The daughter of a simple gentleman" vs her clothes as queen when she can use better dyes.

They are practically the same, I know that Anne is at that time Henry's girlfriend, but why is her clothing so simple even when she is the queen of England? There are no other jewels on her neckline, she wears no necklaces other than a pearl choker. Why are her dresses not made of silk, brocade and damask, with embroidery? This problem does not exist with Jane Seymour

Her dresses as a lady-in-waiting, reflect her reserved, simple and modest nature. Her clothes and hood are decorated with simple lace and embroidery, not with jewels unlike other noble ladies. The colors are monotonous but with some color inside, almost saying that the lady may look bland on the outside but on the inside she is a force to be reckoned with. She seems to be the spinster daughter of an unimportant family at the moment.

When Henry visits Wolf Hall, Jane wears a dress that is too simple for a visit from a king, but it gives a good idea of ​​what a lesser noblewoman would wear in her home.

As queen, Jane's clothes become more luxurious; more sumptuous fabrics, lavish jewelry and elaborate English headdresses. Rich but conservative, suitable for Queen Jane's character as peacemaker in the English court.

Is it very difficult to do the same with Anne Boleyn? Even in other productions, such as The Other Boleyn Girl, which try to narrate the rise in status and evolution of Anne Boleyn, they repeat the same mistake: the Queen of England continues to dress like a knight's daughter! It's even worse than in Wolf Hall, where at least Anne uses dyes reserved for royalty in The Other Boleyn, she uses the same color palette throughout the film.

There is no big change in her way of dressing, wait there is. Anne stopped wearing horrible dresses that don't look like they were from the Tudor period in England, like that blue dress with a circle print that looks more Italian and the "Cranach" suit. Seriously, the designers forgot that if the Boleyn girls had foreign influence in their clothing, it was French because they both served as ladies-in-waiting in France, not Italy or Germany. Honestly, the only dress in my grade is Anne's green dress.

This is the look of the woman who became a star at the English court. The fabric is green silk or satin, her French hood looks like a French hood and not a Russian tiara. She wears the iconic gold B necklace. It is elegant, sumptuous and French, the look of a Viscount's daughter. The problem is that by attracting Henry's attention, Anne's clothes do not continue to improve, she does not try to look like the real Queen of England, she continues to dress like a simple noblewoman. Only when she is tried and executed, the designers give her clothes that royalty would wear.

The only adaptation based on the life of Anne Boleyn that manages to narrate the evolution of the character through her clothes is Anne of The Thousand Days. Sure, there are some questionable fabric choices, Russian tiaras, lace-up closures in the back, and the belief that Anne only had the pearl necklace with the gold B. But the designs are so pretty that you don't care.

We are introduced to Anne at court dancing with Henry Percy, she wears a beautiful light green damask dress, a gold choker and a French hood. Her look is simple but elegant and fashionable, fitting for the daughter of a notable noble family.

It's no wonder Henry is drawn to her.

At home at Hever Castle, Anne wears a yellow dress, the design is simpler than the one worn at the court ball; the sleeves are wrist-length and there are no jewels at the neckline. But it's made of satin with embroidery, still an expensive but more casual dress. Befitting someone of Anne's social standing, she is not a princess by birth like Catherine of Aragon, but her family is of higher status than Jane Seymour's, the Boleyn girl's clothes are always going to be better at court and in her home than the pale Seymour girl's clothes.

Back at court, now in the king's favour, Anne wears a more elaborate dress and headdress, accessorising with a gold brooch and a jewelled girdle. All gifts from Henry VIII.

She later wears this to dinner with the king, a dress of beautiful blue velvet with gold embroidery. Her hair is loose and decorated with jewels.

As queen she wears a dress of silver and gold brocade. And at a dance a white dress with silver embroidery and pearls and diamonds sewn into the bodice.

She maintains her queenly appearance even when judged, but the colors are somber.

At her execution, her clothing is devoid of ornamentation, simple and dark, very different from the historical Anne who died looking like a queen. But it is understood that she has been stripped of all her power and influence.

This is how Anne's journey should be told, as she rises, her clothes get better. If I were in charge of Anne's wardrobe, I would have her wear designs similar to those in Wolf Hall and the green dress from The Other Boleyn Girl. At home and as casual wear, her clothes would be similar to the yellow dress from Anne of The Thousand Days. Once she starts being courted by Henry, she would continue to enrich her clothes until she reached her highest point as queen. Basically like Jane Seymour but prettier and French style.

[tanadrin]

What’s the case for an upper and lower chamber?

In my opinion, none.

The historical situation is that the upper chamber had more power and the lower was a sop to the common folk and petty nobility: this is why the House of Commons was formed (originally from knights of the shire and the representatives of cities that had been granted special rights by the Crown), and only later, after a very long process of constitutional evolution in Britain, did the Lords transform into a consultative body that was adjunct to the Commons, where the real power lay. For a while, even after you started to have something that looked like modern government in Britain, you still frequently had PMs drawn from the Lords--and still could, in theory, except that the convention is they come from the Commons.

In the U.S. example, the goal was simply to split the difference between a popular chamber (the House) and a chamber representing state governments (the Senate, whose members could be chosen by any method provided for under state law, but originally were usually chosen by state legislatures). This is because the people who drafted the U.S. constitution hated and were suspicious of popular democracy, because they were rich landowners and slaveholders whose positions were untenable in the long run if everyone in the country could vote and was equally represented.

Obviously they didn't put it like that--they spoke of the hotheaded hoi polloi, the changeable will of the people--but they were massive Romeaboos, and all the populist leaders who whittled away at the Roman republic managed to do so because they were willing to centralize power, to take it away from the baronial elite of the Republic, and to use that power in service of people further down the org chart. In service of themselves too, of course--these were not altruists--but it was the particularly Roman instantiation of the crown-vs-barons struggle, where the common folk usually side with the Crown, because the barons are bastards who abuse them directly.

(Very many "tyrants" in history were "tyrants" only in that they gave a raw deal to the barons in their particular social order, and very many events which we now describe as movements toward a more equitable distribution of power were in fact a very shitty deal for the majority of the population--the peasants--because it gave the barons even more license to abuse their serfs.)

And the American founders knew all this, and they were all barons, and they didn't like the idea of a federal government that was too effective, so they sprinkled it with veto points and also totally failed to anticipate the rise of modern political parties. (Which weren't exactly what they had in mind when they warned against factionalism--that was more about sectional interests. But still, they did totally fail to anticipate how this system would work as party politics developed.)

In a system of democratic government like the U.S. has now, where it is widely acknowledged the rule should be "one adult citizen never convicted of a felony who can get the day off work to stand in line and has a photo ID = one vote" the U.S. Senate is an inexcusable anachronism. Indeed, the Supreme Court has ruled that state senates modeled on the exact same principle as the U.S. senate (say, one county one senator, as the constitution of my home state Tennessee has it) are unconstitutional, because they violate the equal protection clause.

More recently, many countries have approached the idea of an upper chamber as a sort of "chamber of experts" meant to review and advise on legislation. This kind of makes sense in theory, I guess, but if voters want subject-matter experts to make policy, they can vote them in; in practice, any system of appointment or ex officio qualification is going to select for political lackeys without democratic mandates, and it's also just a bad idea to have people with significant power over the legislative process who do not have democratic accountability. The problem of creating legislation is never that we don't have enough smart people willing to offer their opinions; the problem is brokering functional compromises between interest groups and resolving incentives that push the process toward dysfunctional outcomes, which isn't really something you can fix just by fiddling with the composition of your upper house.

So in most modern parliamentary democracies, upper houses are reduced in power. Either they can't veto bills permanently (Lords), they can't originate money bills (Lords again), they only have input on certain matters (German Bundesrat), they're full of government appointees to ensure the government always has a majority in them (Irish Seanad), or the lower house can overrule them on most matters (Japanese House of Councillors). And the reason why is obvious: if your democratic mandate comes from the lower house, if that's where your government is being formed in a parliamentary system, if the whole principle of government is meant to be collective self-rule by the body of citizens, an upper house that is a check on that power is either definitionally redundant or a brake on democracy.

There are ways to ensure that a lower house is both representative and does not devolve into factional chaos. Proportional representation, four-year terms, constructive motions of no confidence (again, parliamentary systems only), etc. Plenty of countries and subnational entities have unicameral legislatures and are perfectly stable: Sweden, Norway, the Baltics, Portugal, Mongolia, South Korea, Peru [ok bad example nvm], all the states of Germany, all the provinces of Canada, most of the provinces of Argentina, Queensland, the vast majority of the states of India, and the three devolved legislatures in the United Kingdom.

Therefore in my opinion there is no good democratic case for an upper house. And all the undemocratic reasons why you'd want one are bad. Too much democracy is, in fact, a very rare problem for systems of government to have!

[compassionatereminders]

tw psych wards, suicide

in my third world country, psych wards are so few and far between that the people in there generally are the worst off. i’ve both worked in one and been admitted to one, and on both ends i’ve found that they’re life saving and life affirming. which is to say, there are some bad experiences (eg, irritable but still ethical resident doctors) but the people who come in generally come out feeling better.

personally, my life turned around because of the psych ward. i was admitted because i was about to kill myself, and one and a half year later i’m generally happy and successful.

are you in a first world country? if yes, do you have any insights on why you had a worse experience than people in my county? is it something about the governance, the culture, or something else? (this is a genuine question, i want to know how to make life better for people like us!)

First of all I want to say that I am genuinely so happy that your stay in a psych ward helped you get better. Second of all I want to deeply thank you for curiously asking me "so why didn't you have that experience?" instead of just going "so psych wards are good!" I really appreciate this.

Yes, I live in a first world country. And actually, a bunch of research has implied that this actually might decrease, not increase, my statistical chance of mental health related recovery. That's not to say that any country's mental health care can be effectively summarized as inherently helpful or inherently harmful. Individual experiences vary everywhere! I am also not denying that in general it is a big privilege to live in a first world country, and that I have many options and privileges not afforded to most people living in third world countries, regardless of my mental health status.

That being said, when comparing statistic recovery rates for, let's say, my diagnosis of schizophrenia, in first world countries vs third world countries, schizophrenics in third world countries generally do better. And this doesn't have one clear cause, but has been theorized to have a lot of potential contributing factors.

Those are among others that in third world countries, there is generally a less individualistic and fatalistic approach to mental health issues, stronger community ties, less systematic and forced/coerced mental health treatment and less reliance on psych medication (in the case of schizophrenia especially antipsychotics). And the fact that living in a country with limited mental health care might actually increase the chances of a good outcome is definitely worth a pause and further discussion.

[public-grimoire-attempt]

These research topics go beyond the typical beginner witchcraft topics and delve into more nuanced areas, suitable for an intermediate witch:

**Historical & Cultural:**

1. **The Witchcraft Trials of a Specific Region:** Instead of a general overview, focus on a particular region's trials (e.g., the Basque Country, colonial America, a specific county in England). Analyze the social, political, and religious context unique to that area.

2. **The Evolution of a Specific Witchcraft Tradition:** Trace the development of a particular tradition (e.g., Wicca, Hoodoo, Stregheria) from its origins to its modern expressions. Analyze its shifts in practice and belief systems.

3. **Forgotten or Obscure Magical Traditions:** Research traditions that are less well-known or documented. Examples include specific folk magic practices from a particular culture, historical grimoires, or ancient magical systems.

4. **The Intersection of Witchcraft and a Specific Historical Movement:** Explore how witchcraft intersected with other historical movements like feminism, environmentalism, or the counter-culture.

5. **Witchcraft and Colonialism:** Examine the role of witchcraft accusations and beliefs in the context of colonialism and its impact on oppressed communities.

**Philosophical & Theoretical:**

6. **A Comparative Study of Magical Systems:** Compare and contrast two or more different magical systems (e.g., ceremonial magic vs. folk magic) focusing on their theoretical underpinnings, practices, and outcomes.

7. **The Role of Intention in Magic:** Delve deeply into the concept of intention, exploring different approaches to setting intent, focusing intent, and overcoming obstacles to effective intention-setting.

8. **The Nature of Energy in Magic:** Research and explore different perspectives on what "energy" is in magical practice, comparing metaphysical concepts with scientific understandings.

9. **The Ethics of Divination:** Explore the ethical considerations surrounding divination, including issues of responsibility, accuracy, and potential harm.

10. **The Psychology of Belief and Ritual:** Investigate the psychological mechanisms underlying belief in magic and the effects of ritual on the practitioner.

**Practical & Skill-Based:**

11. **Advanced Herbalism for Magic:** Go beyond basic herb correspondences. Research the advanced alchemical and energetic properties of herbs and their use in more complex spellwork.

12. **Mastering a Specific Divination Method:** Deepen your understanding of a single divination method (e.g., tarot, runes, astrology) focusing on advanced interpretations and techniques.

13. **Developing Your Own Magical System:** Create a personalized magical system that synthesizes elements from different traditions and reflects your own unique beliefs and practices.

14. **Advanced Sigil Magic:** Explore advanced techniques in sigil creation and activation, experimenting with different methods and incorporating more complex symbolism.

15. **Energy Work and Manipulation:** Delve into more advanced energy work practices, such as energy healing, distant healing, or psychic attack/defense techniques (always approach these with caution and ethical considerations).

Remember to approach your research with a critical and discerning eye, comparing multiple sources and considering different perspectives. Always prioritize safety and ethical considerations in your practice.

[book--brackets]

Summaries under the cut

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman

The winter isn't ending. Nobody knows why.

And Odd has run away from home, even though he can barely walk and has to use a crutch. Out in the forest he encounters a bear, a fox, and an eagle - three creatures with a strange story to tell. Now Odd is faced with a stranger journey than he had ever imagined.

A journey to save Asgard, City of the Norse Gods, from the Frost Giants who have invaded it. It's going to take a very special kind of boy to defeat the most dangerous of all the Frost Giants and rescue the mighty Gods. Someone cheerful and infuriating and clever.

Someone just like Odd...

A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass

Mia Winchell appears to be a typical kid, but she's keeping a big secret—sounds, numbers, and words have color for her. No one knows, and Mia wants to keep it that way. But when trouble at school finally forces Mia to reveal her secret, she must learn to accept herself and embrace her ability, called synesthesia, a mingling of the senses.

Serafina by Robert Beatty

Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of the Biltmore estate. There’s plenty to explore in her grand home, although she must take care to never be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate’s maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember.

But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore’s corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of the Biltmore’s owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak’s true identity... before all of the children vanish one by one.

Serafina’s hunt leads her into the very forest that she has been taught to fear. There she discovers a forgotten legacy of magic, one that is bound to her own identity. In order to save the children of Biltmore, Serafina must seek the answers that will unlock the puzzle of her past.

Wildwood Chronicles by Colin Meloy

In Wildwood, Prue and her friend Curtis uncover a secret world in the midst of violent upheaval—a world full of warring creatures, peaceable mystics, and powerful figures with the darkest intentions. And what begins as a rescue mission becomes something much greater as the two friends find themselves entwined in a struggle for the very freedom of this wilderness. A wilderness the locals call Wildwood.

The Clique by Lisi Harrison

Enter Claire Lyons, the new girl from Florida in Keds and two-year-old Gap overalls, who is clearly not Clique material. Unfortunately for her, while they look for a new home, Claire's family is staying in the guesthouse of the one and only Massie Block—Queen Bee of Octavian Country Day School. Claire's future looks worse than a bad Prada knockoff. But with a little luck and a lot of scheming, Claire might just come up smelling like Chanel No. 19.

Meet the rest of the Clique:

Massie Block: With her glossy brunette bob and laser-whitened smile, Massie is the uncontested ruler of The Clique and the rest of the social scene at Octavian Country Day School, an exclusive private girls' school in Westchester County, New York. Massie knows you'd give anything to be just like her.

Dylan Marvil: Massie's second in command who divides her time between sucking up to Massie and sucking down Atkins Diet shakes.

Alicia Rivera: As sneaky as she is beautiful, Alicia floats easily under adult radar because she seems so "sweet." Would love to take Massie's throne one day. Just might.

Kristen Gregory: She's smart, hardworking, and will insult you to tears faster than you can say "my haircut isn't ugly!"

Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransom

Swallows and Amazons introduces the lovable Walker family, the camp on Wild Cat island, the able-bodied catboat Swallow, and the two intrepid Amazons, Nancy and Peggy Blackett.

Spy School by Stuart Gibbs

Ben Ripley may only be in middle school, but he’s already pegged his dream job: C.I.A. or bust. Unfortunately for him, his personality doesn’t exactly scream “secret agent.” In fact, Ben is so awkward, he can barely get to school and back without a mishap. Because of his innate math skills, Ben isn't surprised when he is recruited for a magnet school with a focus on science—but he’s entirely shocked to discover that the school is actually a front for a junior C.I.A. academy. Could the C.I.A. really want him?

Actually, no. There’s been a case of mistaken identity—but that doesn’t stop Ben from trying to morph into a supercool undercover agent, the kind that always gets the girl. And through a series of hilarious misadventures, Ben realizes he might actually be a halfway decent spy…if he can survive all the attempts being made on his life!

My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara

It seems Ken can't do anything right. He loses saddle blankets and breaks reins...but then comes the worst news yet: a report card so bad that he has to repeat a grade. How can you tame the dreamy mind of a boy who stares out of the window instead of taking an exam? Enter Flicka, the chestnut filly with a wild spirit.

Over the course of one magical summer, both will learn the meaning of responsibility, courage, and, ultimately, friendship.

Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

AN ANCIENT RIVALRY REAWAKENS.

Everything I'd known about the world was a lie.

On my thirteenth birthday, I, Alcatraz Smedry ( yes, I got named after a prison, don’t ask ) received my a bag of sand . And then I accidentally destroyed my foster parents’ kitchen. It’s not my fault, things just break around me, I swear !

I thought the sand was a joke until evil Librarians came to steal it. You’re probably thinking, “Librarians are nice people who recommend good books,” but that’s just what they want you to think! It turns out they’re actually a secret cult keeping the truth from you―a hidden world filled with magical eyeglasses, talking dinosaurs, and knights with crystal swords!

Or so my Grandpa Smedry claimed when he suddenly showed up to rescue me. So now I have to go with him to invade the local library and get that sand back, before it's used to conquer the world. And Grandpa says how I keep breaking things is actually an amazing talent. There’s no way that can all be true, right?

Will I ever make it back home alive?

The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

Jo, Bessie and Fanny move to the country and find an Enchanted Wood right on their doorstep. In the magic Faraway Tree live the magical characters that soon become their new friends – Moon-Face, Silky the fairy, and Saucepan Man. Together they visit the strange lands (the Roundabout Land, the Land of Ice and Snow, Toyland and the Land of Take What You Want) atop the tree and have the most exciting adventures – and narrow escapes.

[northern-passage]

this past week (october 1-7) was banned books week. last year, censors targeted a record 2,571 unique titles, a 38% increase from the 1,858 unique titles targeted for censorship in 2021. the majority of these titles were written by or about members of the LGBT community, Black people, Indigenous people, and other people of color.

[source]

recently, back in July, we saw Mississippi ban Hoopla & Overdrive for people under the age of 18, restricting young people's right to read and their access to library resources. this is likely going to continue as more parents lobby for "parent's rights" (aka the right to treat their children as property) and pressure school boards to remove certain books from the education system.

but there are people that are pushing back against these restrictions: Leah Johnson, author of You Should See Me in a Crown, has spoken out vocally against book banning as well as her experiences as a Black queer woman. she's also opened her own bookstore, Loudmouth Books in Indianapolis, which will be a haven and spotlight for marginalized voices and controversial literature.

George Johnson, author of All Boys Aren't Blue, has joined the PEN America vs. Escambia County School District to challenge the removal and restrictions of books from school libraries within Escambia County, Florida.

There are also multiple library systems across the country that have joined the Books Unbanned program, which offers free digital library cards to anyone age 13-21.

Brooklyn Public Library: ages 13-21, anywhere in the U.S.

Seattle Public Library: ages 13-26, anywhere in the U.S.

Los Angeles County Public Library: ages 13-18, California only

Boston Public Library: ages 13-26, anywhere in the U.S.

[source]

a lot of these book bans claim to be for the "safety" of children, but that is simply not true. these book bans target LGBT literature and Black literature indiscriminately. this does not protect children, it endangers the most vulnerable of them.

Gender Queer, by Maia Kobabe, was the top banned book in 2022. You can find the author here, where e reflects extensively about the current book bannings & advocates for children's right to read as well as the rights of other banned book authors.

Some of the other most banned books of this past year also include (in no particular order):

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Sold by Patricia McCormick

Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman

Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison

Melissa by Alex Gino

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Push by Sapphire

at the end of this banned books week, we should continue the conversation and support for marginalized authors and diverse literature, especially for children, in schools & libraries. get involved at your own local library, talk to your children or your siblings or your nieces and nephews, attend their school board meetings, and contact your representatives and speak out against book censorship.

[deepdarkhwsconfessions]

writing Hetalia fanfiction has given me weird ass historical questions that I know I’ll never know the answer to.

do lebanese people feel a connection to the Phoenicians at all? to carthage???

^ this questions goes for other ancient cultures. Egyptians with the Copts? Greeks with the Mycecenean Greeks? Japan with the Jomon? etc etc etc

what did european women’s hair coverings look like across all of europe and when did they stop wearing them on a country to country basis?

why did people wear belts then started wearing suspenders and then wore belts again. why did people go through a suspenders phase

I assume most countries are primarily vegetarian diets for most of history bc for most of history meat was for the rich but like??? how do I look up vegetarian dishes from across counties

whats a catholic vs a protestant and culturally how does that change anything

do people actually celebrate their namesake saint day

Hello dear Anon. Usually I refrain from commenting on confessions, however in your case it was important to me to tell you that for at least some of your questions finding the response is as easy as a simple google search.

Simply googling “different between Catholicism and Protestantism” will tell you the difference between the two. They are very distinct and that shows very much in the culture of the countries. Again you can find the differences simply by googling your question.

Examples of head coverings of European women can be found in a lot of portraits of rich women from whatever time period you are interested in.

In south Europe yes, some people especially the older generation celebrate their namesake saint day.

Googling “Diet of poor/working class people in *insert country here* in *insert time period here* can help with looking for old vegetarian dishes.

Sadly your other questions are more broad and therefore I cannot give a precise answer here, but again if you Google for example “Do Lebanese people feel connected to the Phoenicians” there are many discussion on the topic and therefore lots of places to start searching.

I hope you found at least some of this helpful!

~Mod🍁

[beardedmrbean]

A man accused of firebombing an anti-abortion office in Wisconsin last year has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge of damaging property with explosives.

Online court records show Hridindu Roychowdhury, of Madison, filed a signed plea agreement Monday in the Western District of Wisconsin. He will face up to 20 years in prison but prosecutors have agreed to recommend the judge reduce his sentence because he has accepted responsibility for the crime. A judge is set to consider whether to accept the agreement at a hearing on Dec. 1.

According to court documents, someone broke a window at the Madison office of Wisconsin Family Action on May 8, 2022, six days after news outlets reported that the U.S. Supreme Court was set to overturn Roe vs. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

WISCONSIN MAN CHARGED WITH FIREBOMBING OFFICES OF PRO-LIFE GROUP

The reports sparked abortion rights supporters to mount protests across the country. Two Catholic churches in Colorado were vandalized in the days leading up to the Madison firebombing. And someone threw Molotov cocktails into an anti-abortion organization’s office in a suburb of Salem, Oregon, several days later.

The U.S. Supreme Court did indeed overturn Roe v. Wade a little more than a month later, putting Wisconsin's 1849 ban on abortion back in play. A Dane County judge this past August ruled that the state's ban doesn't apply to medical abortions, prompting Planned Parenthood to resume offering abortions in the state weeks later.

Someone threw two Molotov cocktails through the broken window, setting a book case on fire, and spraypainted "If abortions aren't safe then you aren't either" on the office's outside wall.

DNA FROM HALF-EATEN BURRITO TIES EX-WISCONSIN DOCTORAL STUDENT TO PRO-LIFE CENTER FIREBOMBING ATTACK

Firefighters extinguished the fire. Investigators pulled Roychowdhury's DNA as well as two other people's DNA from the Molotov cocktails and the broken window. DNA that investigators pulled from a half-eaten burrito that Roychowdhury threw away matched one of the profiles. Court documents do not say whether investigators have used the two unknown DNA profiles to identify anyone.

Police arrested Roychowdhury at Boston International Airport in March 2023. He had a one-way ticket to Guatemala, according to prosecutors.

Roychowdhury's attorneys, Joseph Bugni and Alex Vlisides, didn't immediately respond to an email Tuesday seeking comment.

[beezelbubbles]

Jentry Chau vs the Underworld is great I love it

But it seems to be suffering from the same problem all things set in Texas do, no concept of the scale of the state. Riverfork doesn't exist. But there was once a town by that name that did and it's up in the northeast bit of the state in Nacogdoches county. Given the river situation up that way, it makes sense. I'd originally guessed hill country because of the river situation there and the field trip to the Alamo. But they also pop up to the state fair. And okay you can do that. It'd be like a 5 hour drive from the hill country but doable. Except their high school has a whole dunking booth there and a lot of the students are there the same day?

I imagine they are trying to tick all the Texas boxes and so are sacrificing some accuracy, the creator Echo Wu is from Dallas. But this is always my biggest pet peeve when it comes to stuff set in Texas. There is nothing that is only a couple hours from everything.

All that aside, very cute, very fun, love the magic and mythology of it. I hope we get more. (Though we just watched episode 8, so I don't know what the ending looks like. Hopefully not a cliffhanger.) It's the slightly more grown up version of Life and Times of Juniper Lee.