#jb week 2019

[jbaileyfansite]

Ariana Grande interviews Jonathan Bailey for VMan Magazine (2024)

Jonathan Bailey’s acting career began at the age of eight when the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company cast him in a role coveted by all little boys who like musicals: Gavroche in Les Miserables. Since then, he’s starred in contemporary plays, refined his iambic pentameter flow via several Shakespearian productions, and, in 2019, won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his work in the gender-swapped revival of Company. In other words, Bailey is a theater nerd. 

This made his upcoming role as Fiyero Tigelaar in the movie adaptation of the Broadway hit, Wicked, all the more unbelievable to him. Over Zoom, with co-star Ariana Grande, Bailey admits that he’s only recently had the space to fangirl over the reality that he’s playing the lead in a musical that rocked his world when he first saw it at the age of 15. Tuning in from Thailand, he and Grande chat about his upcoming project, another adaptation, Jurassic Park, and the memories of Oz that he (reportedly) carries in his pocket.

Ariana Grande: Hi, good morning. What time is it for you?

Jonathan Bailey: It’s 8am. Feeling pretty fresh.

AG: You look beautifully fresh. Just for context, for people reading, Johnny, you’re currently in Thailand. What are you up to over there?

JB: I’m on a really long holiday in the jungle, pretending to run away from fake dinosaurs… Um, no, I’m filming Jurassic Park.  And there are massive links between it and Wicked because it’s got so many of the same crew.

AG: Yes!

JB: The bereavement of leaving Wicked behind has been sort of solved by the fact that so many of them are still here. So, I’m keeping the Wicked dream alive, but with dinosaurs. 

AG: That’s so beautiful. You’re so lucky to have a little piece of Oz with you still every day.

JB: I carry Oz in my pocket. 

AG: Yes. How is it going? 

JB: I am loving it. We’re doing a whole new version of the Jurassic Park franchise.

AG: What can you say about your character, about this new franchise?

JB: I can say that it’s written by David Koepp, who wrote the original. It feels like it’s in ultimate hands to bring it back to what the original achieved. (Jurassic Park) was the first film I went to see with my whole family, and I was way too young, I was terrified. There is a similarity between doing this and Wicked, I also saw the original run of Wicked in London. 

AG: I would love to touch on Fellow Travelers, which was such an emotional and expansive project. What was the process of taking on a character like Tim, whose story is told over several decades? 

JB: Fellow Travelers will always be something that I’m incredibly proud of. For me it [was] the most fulfilling creative, emotional, and spiritual thing I’ve done. Tim and Hawke (leads in Fellow Travelers) are allegories. So many men that lost their lives. It’s never lost on me, all the other actors that couldn’t come out or were vilified for being caught having sex in toilets. All the horrific ways in which a pure thing like man-on-man love has been misconstrued.

AG: It was absolutely palpable. 

JB: I had this amazing weekend in Bangkok and I met this group of Malaysian dudes who were just so brilliant. They were doctors and they were really bright, intelligent, kind, sweet men who were having such a brilliant time. We ended up having dinner and, after a few drinks, they were telling me that they come over from Malaysia to Bangkok because they can’t be out to their families.

AG: My God.

JB: It’s so painful.

AG: I was gonna say, this leads us beautifully into The Shameless Fund, your foundation that you launched actually this week, congratulations. How does it feel that it’s finally out there in the world?

JB: It’s been a labor of love for about two years. When the second series of Bridgerton came out, I was suddenly aware of an increased platform, especially the fact Bridgerton is viewed in multiple territories where being gay is different. So, I just sort of fused the two together—

AG: It’s a beautiful way of making sense of it all. 

JB: Thank you for being an icon and an ambassador for the Shameless Fund.

AG: I’m so proud of you and I love you and your heart so much. Okay, moving on. I was wondering what things have helped you recharge your human battery?

JB: I’ve adapted my life slightly. I don’t live in a city anymore, I do a lot of swimming and gymnastics, which is something that I’ve done [since] I was younger. I [also] think it’s friends, which I know is such a sort ofeye roll [answer]. I’ve got amazing friends, they’ve always been there and I’ve been friends with them for so long.

AG: And me, for 2 years. 

JB: I’ve spiritually known you for 20 years.

AG: Yeah, 100. Let’s move on to Wicked. How did you prepare for the role of Fiyero? 

JB: I mean, it’s a complete dream come true. The preparation started when I listened to the soundtrack when I was like 15. And I remember viscerally; it sent ripples through culture. Also, I remember hearing the orchestration. I hadn’t really heard the synth-meets-full-orchestra-meets-syncopation.

Something about it just completely grabbed me. My best friend from school, me and him went to go and see it together—we were soulmates through school. And it was so funny that, like, two lads just went with it. I think the themes of Wicked have probably expanded, and that’s what I’m really excited about with the film.

AG: Yeah, it feels like it needs to be now more than ever before, perhaps.

JB: I went to go meet Jon (Chu, director). We chatted for about two and a half hours and it was really emotional. The one thing that we talked about with Fiyero: everything is so easy to him. How do you tell the story of someone who seemingly doesn’t care? What’s he frustrated by? We discussed it and found quite a human thing, I think. And, obviously, with our film, it represents extreme privilege and it’s about his bubble needing to pop. 

AG: I think our characters share that in a big way, Elphaba comes along and pops both of our bubbles. Perhaps for the first time we both are able to look at things differently. And it’s not that we’re not loving, heartful people. It’s just that we’ve never had to look outside of what affects us until we meet her.

JB: Exactly. And anyway, it was Jon. Basically, the answer to every question about Wicked is Jon Chu. Don’t you think?

AG: Yeah, I do. I think we were very spoiled to have done this with him. It felt like a teeny, little secret student thing—its intimacy. It felt so small and private until all of a sudden, we were outside, and the Daily Mail was hand gliding over our set—oh, he should play the pterodactyl in your film. 

JB: I think he’s actually hovering over right now.

AG: Can you explain what this was, please? 

JB: It was a man on a massive kite, floating around with his legs hanging down.

AG: I couldn’t believe my eyes. Well, firstly because I don’t have the best eyes. But secondly, because there’s no way. There’s no way! I was like, ah, guy on a hand glider.

JB: With a GoPro. With a GoPro on his toes.

AG: With a GoPro on his toes. Was your experience filming Wicked at all what you expected it to be?

JB: There were certain elements of it that I was incredibly impressed by and I think that is because of the love and care of Mark Platt and Jon Chu. Obviously we’ve grown up loving theater and musical theater, I always felt attached to that wonderment. I think my expectation might have been that somehow in the making of something, you lose that. But we were on those incredible sets. 

AG: Oh my gosh. Best in the world.

JB: I think I was in Wicked fan survival mode for the last 18 months. I’m starting to really get excited about it.

AG: It takes a certain amount of time to grieve something like that. I mean you’re already in Thailand and a whole different person, but it’s interesting how it takes a while and then it hits you.

Source

[musing-and-music]

JB Week - Day 2: how long have you been shipping Jaime and Brienne?

I can remember I already liked them when I first watched the first three seasons and the beginning of season 4 (until Joffrey’s death) back in 2014. But the real moment they hit me as a possibility was during my complete rewatch in 2019, before season 8 aired. I read many fics around that time (mostly in French), and I discovered the difference between the show and the books. My disappointment about their fates in season 8 led me to read the books during the summer and ship them even more!

[ladym-rules]

JB Week - Day 2: how long have you been shipping Jaime and Brienne?

In April 2019, my twitter timeline erupted over Jaime Lannister knighting Brienne of Tarth on a show that I had never watched. By May, I'd seen a zillion gifs and been introduced to AO3. The rest is history.

#fake fan by canon knowledge but true JB fan in my heart

[arpov-blog-blog]

House Democrats home in on Tim Walz as Kamala Harris VP choice

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4806591-tim-walz-harris-vp-house-democrats/

..."As Vice President Harris weighs her choice for running mate, House Democrats are increasingly advocating for a former colleague: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. 

First elected to Congress in 2006, Walz served in the House for 12 years and rose to become the top Democrat on the powerful Veterans Affairs Committee before heading home in 2019 to lead the North Star State. 

The amiable Walz was not only popular on Capitol Hill, but he also had the distinction of being the highest-ranking enlisted soldier in the history of Congress — a status that endeared him to Pentagon supporters in both parties.

That unique resume — combined with his Midwestern roots, liberal policy record and fierce defense of the Biden administration on the campaign trail this year — have made him a top prospect among a growing list of Democrats on Capitol Hill, who say he’d be a strong asset to the Democratic ticket as Harris vies to keep former President Trump from a second term in the White House.

“My sentimental favorite is Tim Walz,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (Mass.), the top Democrat on the powerful Rules Committee. “He was a great member of Congress. The people I know in Minnesota tell me he’s a great governor. … But more importantly, he’s a good guy. He’s down to earth, he’s the real deal, there’s nothing phony about him, and he calls ‘em as he sees ‘em, and he tells it like it is, and I appreciate the candor.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, also singled out Walz as a particularly appealing vice presidential pick. She pointed to Walz’s track record backing labor unions and working families as a key reason for her support. 

“I want somebody who’s really strongly pro-labor and understands labor, because this is a big part of the working-class agenda and making sure that we win working-class votes,” Jayapal said. 

“I want somebody who is totally committed to the agenda that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris fought for. … And then I think it should be somebody who’s really good in some of our Midwestern states. So making sure that we win Wisconsin, Ohio — some of those places. And so that kind of brings me to — I really like Gov. Walz,” she continued. “I like the things that he’s been able to do. I like that he’s from a rural town; I like that he’s got a military background. 

“So he would be a great choice.”

Even former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appears to be leaning in Walz’s favor. A source familiar with the California Democrat’s thinking told The Hill she “is always especially fond of former House colleagues” when asked about Harris’s running mate, a nod to Walz.

Harris’s veepstakes are heading into the final stretch, with the vice president expected to announce her running mate in the coming days. The ticket will travel to seven key battleground states next week, kicking off the swing Tuesday with a stop in Philadelphia.

Walz’s name has been floated as being on Harris’s shortlist, in addition to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, among others.

Democrats, to be sure, think their bench is deep, and many have said they’d be thrilled with any of those options — “There’s really no bad pick, they’re all really good,” McGovern said — but House members have taken a particular affinity for the one they know best.

“The other person [Democrats are interested in] is our former colleague Tim Walz, who we know really well,” said Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (D-N.H.), the chair of the New Democrat Coalition. “He was my chair when I was on the Veterans Affairs Committee, when I was a new member of Congress. Incredibly nice guy, very well thought of in the House and the Senate and then among the governors.”

Walz, who currently chairs the Democratic Governors Association, cut his own path on Capitol Hill, bucking fellow Democrats on some high-profile issues and lending voice to heartland voters he said were neglected by even his own party. 

He was furious in 2014, for instance, when party leaders — including Pelosi — used obscure procedural tactics to block his initial run for ranking member of Veteran Affairs. Two years later, he was openly critical of his fellow Democrats when they chose a leadership team that tilted heavily toward the coasts, warning that the lack of regional diversity would alienate Midwesterners like those he represented. And while other Democrats were fiercely defending ObamaCare from GOP attacks, Walz acknowledged the “warts” dogging the massive health care law — and promised not to gloss over them in talks with district voters.

“I can’t do that,” he said at the time, “because it’s failing my constituents in a lot of ways.” 

But Walz was also a cordial team player who championed a number of traditionally liberal programs — including a minimum wage hike and stem cell research — and stuck his neck out to endorse other controversial Democratic endeavors, including then-President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran. 

Walz’s folksy manner, combined with his long military record, won him favor with lawmakers in both parties. That patronage helped to propel Walz to the top Democratic seat on the Veterans Affairs panel in 2017, and it’s also given him a degree of gravitas as he bounds around the cable news circuit this summer to bash Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), for their “weird” policy agenda and their claims that only Republicans support Second Amendment rights.

“That’s what JD Vance’s schtick is: talking about guns. I guarantee you he can’t shoot pheasants like I can,” Walz told Anderson Cooper this week on CNN. He quickly added that he supports certain limits on firearms to combat America’s gun violence epidemic.

Some Democrats say his military service could be key for the party.

“He has really good ties with the veterans community and is respected, even in conservative circles,” Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) said. “He was somebody respected by the VFW and the American Legion, and I’m sure still is. And that ability, that kind of outreach, is also a real added value.”

House Democrats have also lauded the other vice presidential contenders. They cite Shapiro’s strong approval rating in Pennsylvania, a key swing state; Buttigieg’s appeal in the Midwest and his tactful messaging on television; and Kelly’s background as an astronaut, marriage to former congresswoman and gun control activist Gabby Giffords, and his recent victory in Arizona, another battleground state.

“There’s a lot of good choices out there,” Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) said.

“I think there’s an argument for all of them,” Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) echoed of those being considered for the No. 2 spot. “They all represent the change back to normal and the forward-looking vision that Harris has laid out around our democracy, our freedom and our democracy. Tim happens to be one of my favorites.”

As the party, and the country, await Harris’s announcement, some Democrats said the ultimate deciding factor should be a simple and pragmatic one: Does the selection help the party win the White House in November?

“It’s about math, math, math — electoral math,” Connolly said. “Synergy is important, but if somebody can’t bring any electoral strength to the ticket, that’s a risk we cannot afford.”

Tags Anderson Cooper Ann McLane Kuster Donald Trump Gerry Connolly Glenn Ivey Greg Landsman JB Pritzker JD Vance Jim McGovern Josh Shapiro Kamala Harris Mark Kelly Nancy Pelosi Pete Buttigieg Pramila Jayapal Tim Walz."

[angel0news]

Citizenship Act CAA Unconstitutional? 237 Petitions Before Top Court Today

Amid the row over the Centre's move to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) weeks before Lok Sabha election, the Supreme Court will hear today a batch of 237 petitions challenging the law. A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra will hear the matter.

Among the petitioners are Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a political party primarily based in Kerala, and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, Trinamool leader Mahua Moitra and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

The day after the Centre notified CAA rules, the two organisations approached the Supreme Court, seeking a pause on the implementation of the law. They termed CAA "discriminatory" against the Muslim community.

Back in 2019, when the Citizenship Amendment Bill cleared the Parliament, multiple petitions had been filed against it. But the court had not paused its implementation because the rules had not been notified. On Friday, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal told the court that there was no question of a pause back then since the rules were not notified. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta then said that the fact that the rules were notified before the elections was irrelevant.

Under this law, non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan fleeing religious persecution can seek Indian citizenship. Persons from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian communities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, are eligible to seek citizenship under CAA.

The Opposition has slammed the Narendra Modi government over the timing of the law's implementation - four years after it cleared the Parliament. The move is "evidently designed to polarise the elections, especially in West Bengal and Assam", party leader Jairam Ramesh has said.

Trinamool Congress chief and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said she doubts the legality of CAA and alleged a conspiracy to "snatch citizenship rights". "BJP leaders say CAA gives you rights. But the moment you apply for citizenship, you become illegal migrants and you will lose your rights. You will lose rights and be taken to detention camps. Please think before you apply," she said.

The Centre has trashed the Opposition's allegations. Stressing that the CAA is not "unconstitutional", Home Minister Amit Shah has accused the Opposition of resorting to the "politics of lies". On the timing of the law's implementation, he said, "BJP made it clear in its 2019 manifesto that it will bring CAA and provide Indian citizenship to refugees (from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan). BJP has a clear agenda and under that promise, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in both houses of Parliament in 2019. It got delayed due to Covid."

He has also said that minorities of the country "need not be afraid because CAA has no provision to take back the rights of any citizen".

[harangwook]

Week 8 - Digital Citizenship and Software Literacy: Instagram Filters

The Rise of Face Filters and AR Technology

Face filters have become an integral part of social media engagement, providing users with a tool for digital self-expression and enhancement of their online presence. Initially simple overlays for selfies, these filters have evolved into complex AR tools with interactive effects, beauty filters, and augmented reality masks (Javornik et al., 2022). Platforms like Snapchat and Instagram have embraced these filters, offering users a wide array of options to modify their appearance in real-time.

Augmented Reality Filters: A New Dimension

The advent of AR filters represents the next phase in face filter technology, offering dynamic and interactive experiences that respond to users' motions and surroundings (Bhatt, 2020). Unlike static overlays, AR filters immerse users in virtual environments, creating engaging animations and virtual reality experiences. With the democratization of filter production through platforms like Spark AR Studio, users and brands alike have seized the opportunity to create personalized and creative filters tailored to diverse tastes and preferences.

The Impact on Identity and Self-Image

While face filters offer a fun way to enhance images and videos, concerns have arisen regarding their impact on identity and self-perception (Kumar & Madhushree Nanda Agarwal, 2023). Critics argue that these filters propagate unrealistic beauty standards, fostering feelings of inadequacy and body dissatisfaction among users. Moreover, the blurring of lines between reality and digital alteration raises questions about authenticity and genuine self-representation in online interactions.

Navigating the Future of Face Filters

As technology continues to advance, the potential for innovation in face filters remains boundless (Sofija, 2022). From AI-powered filters to seamless integration with virtual and augmented reality experiences, the future holds exciting possibilities. However, it is imperative to approach the evolution of face filters with a critical lens, considering their implications for social interaction, identity formation, and self-perception. Balancing authenticity with innovation is crucial as we navigate the evolving landscape of digital self-expression.

Addressing Challenges and Promoting Responsible Use

While AR filters offer immense potential, they also present challenges related to unrealistic beauty standards and distorted self-image perceptions (Scott, 2019). Social media developers must prioritize user well-being by carefully curating filters and providing educational resources on healthy filter usage. Additionally, fostering awareness and self-reflection among users can promote mindful engagement with filters, encouraging them to prioritize genuine self-expression over unrealistic standards.

In conclusion, the evolution of face filters, particularly with the introduction of AR technology, has revolutionized digital self-expression. However, it is essential to consider the societal implications and psychological effects of these filters, emphasizing responsible use and promoting authentic online interactions. By striking a balance between innovation and mindfulness, we can harness the potential of face filters to enhance digital experiences while nurturing positive self-image and identity formation.

References

Javornik, A, Marder, B, Barhorst, JB, McLean, G, Rogers, Y, Marshall, P & Warlop, L 2022, ‘“What lies behind the filter?” Uncovering the motivations for using augmented reality (AR) face filters on social media and their effect on well-being’, Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 128, no. 107126, p. 107126.

Kumar, H & Madhushree Nanda Agarwal 2023, ‘Filtering the reality: Exploring the dark and bright sides of augmented reality–based filters on social media’, Australian Journal of Management, SAGE Publishing, pp. 1–21.

Scott, D 2019, Instagram has banned a load of its most popular filters, Cosmopolitan.

Sofija, E 2022, What are augmented reality (AR) filters and how are they transforming the way consumers engage with brands?, www.linkedin.com, viewed 18 March 2024, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-augmented-reality-ar-filters-how-transforming-way-emma-sofija/.

#mda20009

[fantastickkay]

Album Review of the Week: Jonas Brothers - The Album (2023) ☆☆

After Happiness Begins largely fell flat for me in 2019, I was skeptical of a new Jonas Brothers effort but definitely had my ears open. I was a huge fan of theirs from about 2007-2010 and will always support them! The lead single Wings had a nice hook as they were teasing it but, clocking in at less than 2 minutes (!!) it left a lot to be desired. An aside, I never thought I would see the day when 1950s length songs would be in style again. Less than 2 minutes, really? Dang. It also whips back and forth between upbeat and downtempo which can be really irritating. The next single, Waffle House, did actually get me hooked and I was excitedly cautious - their comment of this album being "Bee Gees" inspired still lingering in the back of my mind in a negative way. I am not a fan of their falsetto tendencies, Bee Gees or JB.

Miracle has a really nice funky beat which is largely marred from that dreaded falsetto. With a different vocal style, this song could have been a banger! Yet, once again, it ends at just over 2 minutes without anything really exciting happening. (please let bridges come back!)

Montana Sky gives a bit of a redemption moment. It has a country flavor that they do actually make work for them and their own style. I can definitely picture myself on a road trip enjoying this song with the wind flowing through the car.

Sail Away has a lot of potential to be a really cool song, but once again it misses the mark just enough that it leaves me scratching my head in confusion. It is clearly attempting to meld together a few different genres and trends but comes across more disjointed than anything. The vocal style is very abrasive paired with the music on this particular track as well. In an attempt to appreciate the good, it does have a bridge!

Americana is an interesting track. Just as I was starting to get into it - IT ENDED!! 2 minutes exactly, with a 9 second fade out. It ends up feeling more like an interlude with the choppy vocal style, attempted rap? and repetitive nature. I'm not sure what exactly is happening, it's almost cool (again).

Celebrate! is a fantastic sentiment, they did go through a lot to be able to come back together. It's just far too cheesy and pleading to be in a commercial rather than a serious song. That's not to say that I expect it to be truly "serious" - my whole taste is "guilty pleasures" and unserious. I just mean an earnest piece of music, not something to slap on a Target commercial.

Back to Waffle House, by far the best track on this album. It has true verses, a dynamic chorus and a clear subject. It utilizes the same chanting you hear in the previous track, but in a much better and more engaging way.

Vacation Eyes sounds like it's right out of the mid-1980s with it's slappy, groovy bass. I'm not one of those people that see music in colors, but this song is definitely a pale pink sunset. It has a nice sentiment as well, I can definitely groove to this track.

Summer In the Hamptons is not my style at all. It's borderline vulgar with obnoxious repetitive instrumentation and a disjointed melody. I suppose that's just what happens when the pale pink sunset goes dark!

Summer Baby is the worst track on this album. The falsetto is out in full force and turned up much too high in relation to the music, either that or it simply cuts right through and seems louder. Still, the vocal melody is disjointed which I keep saying but there is just no variety in how they are singing and we all know they are capable and have the talent to at least give some variety and texture!

Vocally, Little Bird is a fantastic song compared to the rest. They are finally singing normally, although the lyrics are cheesy and contrived. I do appreciate the dedication to their children but it sounds like a 9th grader wrote these lyrics.

Walls is firstly kind of an odd song because at the time this was released they were all married and the longest song on this album, by far, is saying that if "you would ever leave me, the walls would cry"? It is slow, boring and weird. Weird because it has a woman saying one phrase in Spanish repeated throughout and it seems to glitch at one point and get super repetitive. The slowness morphed into what seemed like a rockier edge but I couldn't stand to listen to this album for another minute and a half.

Overall, this is a very disappointing release because I know that they are capable of much better. Nick just released a solo album in 2021 that was fantastic and both Nick and Joe have great voices when they use their proper range. Honestly, I just got frustrated listening to it and couldn't wait for it to be over. Even though this 12-track album clocks in at only 32 minutes, I couldn't wait for it to be over. That's something. There were points when it could have been a good album but just fell flat over and over again.

I did not buy a physical of this album, original images sourced from Discogs.

[siangrad703]

Week 5 - Keyword research: Branding for Female empowerment

This journal was very helpful. It introduced me to the term 'social responsibility' and 'femvirtising'. It's written from an American perspective so a lot of the data might not be applicable to my project but I feel holistically this text relates to my project about body image, female empowerment and inclusivity.

Mamuric, N. (2019). Femvertising: Advertising taking social responsibility to sell brands. Journal of Brand Strategy, 7(4), 318-325(8). https://www-ingentaconnect-com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/content/hsp/jbs/2019/00000007/00000004/art00004;jsessionid=1dk9iead8o13o.x-ic-live-03#

Branding “Real” Social Change in Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty

Persis Murray, D. P. M. (2012). Feminist Media Studies. Branding “Real” Social Change in Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty, 13(1), 83–101. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2011.647963

[recovery4ever]

Addiction in Illinois: Understanding the Effects of Recreational Marijuana Legalization

This week, Illinois officially became the eleventh state to legalize recreational marijuana usage. With Governor JB Pritzker signing the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act into law on June 25th, 2019, cannabis businesses in the state are poised to expand and generate significant tax revenues.

In this particular ordinance, adults over the age of 21 will be able to purchase 30 grams or less of cannabis flower, and five grams of cannabis concentrate. Dispensaries are allowed to hold an unlimited amount of cannabis goods in Illinois, though local zoning laws also come into play. The ordinance is set to create the first significant overhaul of cannabis legislation in the state since medical marijuana’s approval in 2013.

In addition to facilitating recreational cannabis sales, the ordinance brings forth an economic plan that aims to convince many into this profitable business:

Business owners receive a two year head start on competitions, with tax rates that increase with time.

The established cannabis industry is estimated to generate $57 million in tax revenues for the state by 2021.

Approximately 770,000 Illinois residents are expected to become licensed cannabis users.

With the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act now enshrined in Illinois law, recreational marijuana usage could bring forth a surge of new resources and economic growth for the state, as well as providing for a sense of new freedom for many. For more information on the implications of recreational marijuana in Illinois, click here for an in-depth article, or here to view the Banyan Treatment Center website.

[justkenz]

Coley McCraney is accused of murdering JB Beasley and Tracie Hawlett in 1999 in Ozark, Alabama. Ozark is in the southeastern corner of Alabama. The two girls were found in the trunk of JB's car, both had been shot in head. The night they were murdered, they were supposed to be headed to a field party in Headland, AL. The girls got lost on the way to the party and ended up in Ozark. McCraney was arrested in 2019 when his DNA matched DNA found at the crime scene.

The trial this morning started around 2 hours late because one juror neglected to show up for jury duty. That juror was picked up by Dale County sheriffs and arrested because he had warrants in a neighboring county. Opening statements were given. The prosecution mentioned how the girls were covered in mud and that mud was only found on the drivers side in the car. The defense stated that McCraney was "player" who chatted the girls up and then had sex with JB. Coley McCraney previously maintained that he never met the girls. The defense also accused Ozark PD of using Gestapo tactics on McCraney following his 2019 arrest. After lunch, Tracie's mother and stepfather gave their testimony that Tracie had called that night and that they began searching for the girls when they failed to come home. A friend and coworker of Tracie's gave testimony that the girls had planned to go to several parties the night that they were murdered, but that Tracie didn't really want to go because she was tired after a long week. JB was in DHR custody at the time of the murder and her foster mom asked JB if she wanted to go to the beach with her and her husband that weekend to celebrate JB's birthday but JB declined. The other two witnesses that were called to the stand were the two women that gave the girls directions when they got lost. Those two women testified that there was no mud on the girls when they saw them.

I am a recent transplant to Ozark. Locals maintain that this is a case of police corruption and that McCraney is innocent. I've heard many theories and stories, none of which are supported by the evidence that's been released thus far.

It's hard to know if the truth will ever be found, especially after so many years, but I hope they are able to find some supporting evidence!

[inner-community]

also, idk. i told her last week i think a lot of parts are getting closer. so for instance with the Adult Us, i think it's becoming pretty hard to tell when we are switching? at least for me. i feel like there are hints that something has changed (like bandit will be more irritable when interrupted, jb spouts off intellectual thoughts and is more coherent than the rest but also is compulsively smoking weed, (part formerly known as andie but doesnt like it now because its our Name to people) is very very Polite and reserved...) but i don't think between them there is as much amnesia and it's like... idk maybe more of like a gradient shift of consciousness than flipping a switch. which is good i think!! i do have a hard time telling though if that is really like... an integration step or if i am just so busy i'm not noticing things/keeping myself in this adult mode more often. but i also notice the smalls are getting closer to the adults. (adults using more of the verbage that the smalls do, which helps us ask for things or express needs, and smalls being more involved in Big tasks)

soooooooo idk!!! it's really weird to like. notice this kind of healing i guess?? and i KNOW what a large part of me feeling so good currently is just weather, because spring brings back like all of my vitality, but we had such a mild winter that i feel like it didn't have as bad an effect on me as usual this year i think. sooo idk.

and my problems are mainly just like, interpersonal with my family now. i think a lot of it comes down to not being able to handle when everyone else has unregulated emotions and acts as unpredictable as they usually do, because no one is really working on their issues in a helpful way. and it makes me angry sometimes because i have problems equal to theirs, but i have put in years and years of work into being a better and more stable person. and i have DID!!! (my family definitely all have parts to some extent but refuse to either believe that or work with them. my sister is convinced she can just like. evict one from her head and i keep telling her that is only going to make it harder to integrate later.)

and two things.. my sister acts JUST LIKE my mom. every little thing is a big deal. if someone stands in her way for a second, or she drops something, she starts yelling about how shes "GOING TO LOSE HER SHIT!!!" and if she hurts someone and they comment on it she starts threatening self harm. and then when we have said that that makes it so everyone coddles her she throws a fit about that too. she talks shit about me and my wife in earshot and is mad if we say something. she is unpredictable and makes my dad take care of her (food, weed, cigarettes, driving her places, driving her 2 hours up to her 35 year old boyfriends house.... (she is 21) and if he doesnt do all of these she goes up to her room to scream-sob at her friends.)

and my dad? is just unpredictable and immature and he can't deal with his problems or his kids' problems and he can't just tell them to be fucking adults! (he also financially supports my brother who doesn't even live with him... my brother who refuses to get a job even tho he is 24. and again, weed, cigarettes, fucking gifts for his online friends, he bought him $700 plane tickets last year...)

and then amidst all that. me and my wife pay him when he needs help and we don't ask him for money or to buy us things. and then he is out here telling us we aren't ready to move out. mf we weren't ready to move IN with you!!!!!!!!!!!!! we moved here dec 2019 and were going to near immediately move, but my sister lied that she would be saving money and moving with us, then covid hit, and now we are still here but thank fucking god we HAVE to move because my wife is going to a school 3 hrs away next spring. so he CAN'T do shit to keep us here.

but it's like... HE isn't ready for us to leave. because we are the only responsible adults. but we are desperate to go, our dog causes my sister to be even bitchier so we want to take him out of the situation, we fucking hate how no one will clean up after themselves, and we just want a QUIET AND CLEAN HOME. where people dont scream at us, our dog, the other animals, the fucking inanimate objects, and themselves ALL THE TIME.

[whattheabcxyz]

2023-03-24

Singapore

When is our government going to take action against landed property owners who think they are entitled to preventing other motorists from parking on the PUBLIC land outside their homes?!

New scam calls able to display local numbers without the “+65″ in front

NHB marks 2 more sites along Toa Payoh Heritage Trail

Nightly Muslim prayers return to HDB void decks for 1st time since 2019

Certis officer hit at high speed by car at Tuas Checkpoint - investigations ongoing

Former NUS don Jeremy Fernando charged with molesting a woman

MBS $4.5b expansion work to finally commence in April 2024 after 2 delays - so what’s to stop them from delaying it even further when the time comes?!

Shaw Theatres Balestier reopens next week - 850 free pairs of movie tickets to be given out

Education

Singapore students join 95K others in lawsuit against UK universities over pandemic disruption

People

Scumbag Do Kwon finally arrested - that took long enough!

Politics

Singaporean TikTok CEO grilled by lawmakers over China-owned company’s privacy & spying - The whole trial was a waste of time... just BAN the cancer that’s TikTok from every country already!!! Also, more about Chew Shou Zi here...

Health

Yet another seemingly healthy man who just touched 40 ups & dies of heart attack - late effects of clot shot?!

Travel

Woman discovers “free” Cathay Pacific tickets to HK come with a bootload of surcharges - looks like nothing in life is really free after all!

Society

^ Finland again ranked world’s happiest country - maybe it’s the saunas?!

Transport

Trial begins for Singapore’s 1st battery charge/swap station for electric motorcycles

JB-Singapore RTS Link nearly half completed on Singapore side - service to start by end-2026

[musing-and-music]

Masterpost - My 2022 in fics

So, last year I've written a good number of fics, in two main fandoms and various ratings, so this post will be divided in three parts: my Fullmetal Alchemist fics, my A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones fics, and the fics in both fandoms that are rated M or E (when they're not part of series I'll promote as well)

As you'll see, it has been a year of gifts, collabs, and exchanges, and I'm pretty satisfied with everything I've written!

Fullmetal Alchemist

Amestrian chronicles: Ratings G & T A series begun in 2021 with all the non-Royai one-shots I write during the "Nuits du FoF" (a monthly writing event on ffnet with other French writers) on the themes I'm given then. I write about lots of different characters, so you might find something that pleases you!

Regency AU series: Ratings G to E | Royai & Havolina I wrote the parts 3 to 7 in 2022!

The Amestrian hour (fma_60min): Ratings G to E | Mainly Royai, but other characters have their own part. The series written with the themes given on Twitter! Parts 7 to 16 were written in 2022

Amestris News Network Presents: The Mustang + Hawkeye Wedding Special: Rating T | Royai | Podfic In tonight's episode of A.N.N., radio show host and hopeless romantic Cecilia Marron takes her listeners on a beautiful journey of love. An amazing project I've been part of this past year!!! It was just awesome to work with my friends who are talented writers and podficcers!

A day away, where we both yearned to be: Rating T | Royai | One-Shot. Riza had plans for her day off, but that was before Roy barged in her home with his own plans Plans that are definitely better anyway Written for @kangdae95draws about the theme of anniversary

Royai Week 2022: Ratings G, T, E | Royai Many flavors of Royai in 7 one-shots!

Growing words: Rating T | Royai & Havolina This is a small collection of the fics written thanks to the prompts my friends sent me over tumblr, for Royai and Havolina

Is it the place or the people? (that warms my cold bones): Rating T | Royai & Havolina & Team Mustang After a time outside in the cold, Jean comes back to the teachers' room to find the people who take important parts of his life. A team of people, warm, welcoming, and caring Written for the FMA Secret Santa!

A Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones

Dawn: Rating T | Post S8Ep03 | Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth | One-shot The battle against the White Walkers is over, and there's work to do. But Jaime and Brienne take the time to speak. The first fic I've ever written on GoT, just after the third episode came out in 2019! Why is it in my 2022 masterpost, you will ask? Well, because this OS has been written in French first, and translated almost 3 years later into English

A few nights in Westeros: Rating T | Jaime/Brienne Compilation of JB one-shots, in various situations and universes, written about various themes The themes are the ones from the "Nuits du FoF"

She's not a diamond: Rating T | Jaime/Brienne | Regency AU Brienne knew how she looked like. However, she'd never thought she could attract the interest of the queen's brother, Jaime Lannister, during her presentation Each chapter is written after a theme given during the "Nuits du FoF"

You dropped your bear: Rating T | Jaime/Brienne | OS, Canon-divergence When she comes back from one moon turn in the wilderness, a bear on her shoulders, Brienne doesn't expect to bump into Kingsguard Jaime Lannister Quite literally I've been inspired by Izumi and Sig Curtis' first meeting for this one-shot!

I'm grateful (that you are alive): Rating T | Jaime/Brienne, Podrick Payne POV | Post ADWD After the encounter between Jaime Lannister and Lady Stoneheart, Podrick sees the way the knight behaves with his Ser-lady, and wonders about their relationship. He makes unexpected allies on the way to bring them together. Written for my first exchange about JB! My first fic gift in the fandom, and I loved writing it 🥰

We're a long term project: Rating T | Jaime/Brienne | Modern AU Brienne is working in Catelyn Stark's team on a new plane engine. But the need for a more experienced engineer is rising, and Stark Engines hire Jaime Lannister, veteran from Baratheon Brothers and heir to LannisCorp. But his past and sharp behavior don't make him the best coworker… especially since he's put in Blondie's-"My name is Brienne!"- office, to her utter frustration But with time and understanding, can they come to work more peacefully together? become friends? or more? Another exchange fic! This time for the A Little Island of Light exchange, with the book characterization of Jaime and Brienne

NSFW fics

et moi je rêve de gestes défendus: Rating E | Royai | 1/2 chapters. Roy has finished grading his students' papers and can finally rest But an accidental phone call from Riza keeps him very awake. Now he can't rest before he's dealt with the problem hearing his girlfriend moaning his name has aroused

Ugly Love: Rating E | Royai | Modern AU They refused to love. Passion will break their rules. The translation of one of my friends' fics!

Let the sun rise over a new life: Rating E | Jaime/Brienne | Post Long Night After the Long Night, Brienne finds herself wanting. Wanting something that her husband will be happy to gift her - once she realizes what it is My second exchange for JB this past year, and my first smut with them!

[brandingvewor]

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Moneybagg released his fourth studio album, A Gangsta's Pain, on April 23, 2021. Moneybagg Yo also released a remix of "Said Sum", featuring American hip hop group City Girls and American rapper DaBaby, which is included on the mixtape.

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Īfter Moneybagg Yo and fellow rapper Blac Youngsta both announced they would be releasing their respective solo albums on a shared day of September 18, 2020, the rappers took this to social media two days before to announce they would instead release a collaborative mixtape titled Code Red. On June 30, 2020, he released the single " Said Sum", his highest-charting song as a lead artist. It was followed up by a deluxe edition in May. The album reached number three on the Billboard 200, with 66,000 units sold during its first week of release. It includes " All Dat" and " U Played", his first Hot 100-charting singles. His third studio album, Time Served, was released in January 2020. He released his second studio album, 43va Heartless, in May 2019. Moneybagg Yo released his debut studio album Reset in November 2018. On July 27, 2018, he released a nine-track mixtape, Bet On Me, with features from YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Baby, and Gunna with the production handled from Tay Keith, Drum God, Javar and others. On February 14, 2018, Moneybagg released his sequel mixtape to 2017's Heartless, 2 Heartless with features from Quavo, Yo Gotti, Lil Baby, and BlocBoy JB and production from Zaytoven and Southside. The project was released on January 1, 2018. In 2018, Moneybagg Yo delivered a compilation album: Moneybagg Yo Presents: NLess Ent x Bread Gang. The mixtape contains a sole feature from YoungBoy Never Broke Again. In October 2017, Moneybagg released Federal 3X, his debut with Interscope since signing a distribution deal. The mixtape featured guest appearances from YFN Lucci and Lil Durk. Heartless arrived in February 2017 and charted at No. His work with Yo Gotti continued on a joint effort titled 2 Federal, released in October 2016. The follow-up, ELO (Everybody Lives On), included guest appearances from Yo Gotti and Migos' Quavo, among others. Federal Reloaded, a revision of the first installment of the Federal series, featured guest appearances from Y Grizzle, Young Dolph and OG Boo Dirty, among others. In 2016, he released three more, one of which won a Memphis Hip Hop Award for Mixtape of the Year. His early mixtapes were issued in 2012, including From Da Block 2 Da Booth and October 20th. was born on September 22, 1991, in South Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in the Walker Homes neighborhood.

[nire-the-mithridatist]

Sharing a bed in a cottage by the sea

Have manmaid!Jaime, my love. To everyone else, prompt me!

×××

There's a big clump of kelp on the beach, and in it is a naked man.

Brienne crouches and touches his neck, feeling a pulse. He is cold, clammy, but the pulse is there, beating true. There are five parallel lines on the side of his neck—she tilts his head, and the same lines are there. He hums at her touch, too weak to be heard over the sound of lapping waves, but strong enough that the vibration of it travels through his throat and warms her fingertips.

So he's alive. Good. She lightly slaps his cheek, and the lines on his neck flutter and Brienne realizes that they are gill flaps. She watches his chest rise and fall, lean muscles, a swimmer's frame, and the kelp that blankets his lower body.

Carefully as to not touch anything too private, she begins brushing the kelp away, and she recoils when abrasive scales scrapes against her palm. Brown mottled skin peeks out from between strands of kelp, and there, and there, jutted shapes that can't be anything but fin.

"Merfolk," she says, as though she can't believe it if she doesn't say it out loud. As though there isn't a half-shark half-man right there in front of her.

He groans in answer and open his eyes and they are green like sea glass, like a broken fragment of a beer bottle that has its edges washed away by the sea.

He is very beautiful. Even the sea-wet hair sticks to his face in an artistic way, like some sort of sea god.

"Leave me," he says, hoarse.

Brienne frowns. "Can you get back into the sea yourself?"

He smiles a terrible smile, sharp teeth on display. "I cannot get back into the sea at all. I'm afraid I've been banished."

There are so many questions, chief of them all, how are merfolk even a real thing, and so Brienne's brain does what it does whenever it is overwhelmed: act first, ask later.

She hoists the merman up, heedless of his sandpaper shark skin scrape her arm red and bleeding.

"Let go of me, wench!"

Brienne snorts. "What century are you from? No one uses that word these days." She walks toward her cottage, a small thing that was all too empty since her father passed.

"I don't keep human years," he says. "We keep our own years: before plastic and after plastic."

That's ridiculous. And yet, horrifying. "You're joking."

"Not at all. Your invention has caused many a death among our own. A small faction of our people think you're waging a war against us. The rest just think you're ignorant. Though," he peers at the bag of trash she's got hanging from her shoulder, and the trash picker attached to it, "some of you do try to minimize, if not undo, further damage. Little good that will do."

"I don't know, I'd say I broke my personal record in trash picking today."

He barks out a laugh. "Yes, I bet you never found a merman before. Which, speaking of, where are you taking me? Not the dreaded aquarium, I hope."

"I've got a tub for you to soak, merman, so you don't dry off. We'll figure things out after you're no longer in danger of a sunstroke."

"I was looking forward for that," he says, forlorn.

"How stupid. Just because you can't be in the sea, doesn't mean you can't live."

"And do what?" he demands. "Sip water through a plastic straw out of a plastic bottle?"

"For a start. We'll figure it out."

"There's a we."

"Yes?" There's him, dead or worse if she leaves him alone, and there's her, always doggedly trying to make a difference or save the wildlife, which now somehow includes a very mouthy shark.

"You're a very stubborn wench."

"I keep telling you, that word is outdated by at least a century."

The rest of the walk has him trying to flop off her arms like a sad limp fish, him pretending he would bite her with his serrated teeth, which she ignores because she knows his threats are empty, and him resorting to insult her with a tongue as sharp as his teeth.

His insults come further and further away as he is weakened by the sun and lack of water, and Brienne has never been gladder to see home.

With some careful manouvring, she manages to open her front door, then the bathroom door, and she drops him into her spacious tub and opens the cold water tap.

He sighs, closes his eyes, and when he doesn't protest she lets him soak as she rummages in the medicine cabinet over the sink for some gauze and antiseptic. She's beginning to feel her arm sting, now that her self-assigned task is completed, along with the many questions she pushed away emerging once more.

But now, first aid. Sitting on the toilet, she goes to work. A hiss escapes her as the antiseptic hit the scrape, and she gingerly places gauze and tapes it in place with medical tape, and her focus is broken as the merman says, "Sorry about that."

"You can't help what you are."

"No," he agrees. "Nor can I help what I'm becoming." He gestures to his body.

Brienne sees it. His gills are closing, turning into smooth skin. His teeth blunt and even out. His tail turns to the approximate shape of legs. His—huh.

She looks away, and she tries to sound casual as she asks, "Why are you turning human?"

"Part of the banishment. If a human saves me, I will be one of them. If no one does, seafoam."

"I'm sorry."

"You're not," he says. His teeth begins to chatter.

Alarmed, Brienne jumps to her feet and help him out of the tub. His legs are too weak to stand, or maybe he doesn't know how to. She carefully drops him on the toilet, and as he sits there, arms around himself, turning blue, she takes the nearest towel and dries him off. He's shaking, cold, too cold for a human. She never considered that his temperature might not change along with the rest of his features. It seems like a death sentence almost as certain as turning into seafoam.

When he's sufficiently dry, she carries him to her bed. She takes the electric hot pillow she keeps around for bad period days, plugs it in, and tells him to hold it. He curls around it, and she pulls the cover over him. She takes off her sand-stained jeans and her hoodie, leaving her in boy shorts and a tee. She gets under the covers and wraps herself around him from behind, for once grateful for her large frame.

Brienne isn't sure how long it's been, but his shivering finally abates, and he gains enough lucidity to turn to face him. In the back of her mind, she thinks, he's naked.

"I'm sorry," she says, "that you have to go through this. And I'm sorry for not letting you turn into seafoam, or die of hypothermia."

"I don't even know how to be a human."

"Trust me, most humans don't either."

He quirks a smile. "And you?"

Brienne gulps. She finds his interest panic-inducing, somehow. As though she should want his approval. "I collect trash in the morning. I work in the afternoon."

"What work?"

"I write children's stories." Like ones about mermaids, though mermen are less likely to be mentioned.

He makes a noise of understanding. "And at night?"

"I make dinner. I eat. I read a book, most days."

"And your friends? Your family?"

"There's just me," she says, helplessly. Shame creeps up to her face, warm. What does it say of her that she has no one?

"Not anymore," he says. "If you had to make me live, then you should take responsibility and keep me alive. And since I don't even know how to walk yet..."

"Oh," she says.

"Yes, oh," he says, mocking. "And since we will have to endure each other, now, I should like to know what to call you."

"I'm—Brienne."

He grins even wider and his arms snake around her waist, and unlike his legs, they are strong. He pulls her, flush against his front, the heated pillow between them. "Good morrow, Brienne. My name's Jaime." He leans close to her.

Brienne scrunches her eyes shut by instinct. The bed shifts. His breath washes over her cheek.

He says, and she can hear the grin in his voice, "Please don't deny me your eyes. I've been denied one ocean already."