#learn Spanish in Qatar

[milevenfcb]

this is a bit of a long post, just talking about online antisemitism. it’s kind of all over the place and turned into a bit of a rant, so there’s a strong chance none of this makes any sense lol.

this is probably obvious and goes without saying, but antisemitism is a whole lot more prevalent online than it is in real life.

you see blatant antisemitism getting thousands of likes on instagram, sure. but you don’t know where those thousands of likes are coming from. some are probably real people, of course. but bots are a huge, huge issue on every single social media platform. there’s been plenty of studies done on how Al Jazeera, Qatar’s propaganda machine, has used bots to fuel anti Israeli ideas or straight up antisemitism online.

not to mention that you don’t know where the likes are coming from, if it’s real people. some might be American, okay. some might be British. some might be Canadian or Spanish or German (and many are probably Irish, haha). but I’ll bet that many of the antisemitism you see online comes from certain countries where kids are conditioned into hating Jewish people and Israelis.

one major cause of antisemitism is simply just being uneducated. people don’t know what the Holocaust really was, or what WWII really was, or they fall for the “Jews and/or Israel control the world” shit, or they don’t know/don’t want to learn the proper definition of a genocide or apartheid.

again, this is probably obvious, but we see so much antisemitism online because a) people can be anonymous and say whatever the hell they want without facing any consequences, and b) because antisemitism that happens in real life gets shared and reposted thousands of times online. yes, antisemitism is a huge issue in real life, especially lately, but, and I might sound naive for saying this, it’s not as prevalent as you’d think by just looking at what gets posted or talked about online.

you’ll see a post “joking” about the Holocaust or some shit like that get 100k likes on instagram. but from my personal experience, most real people from western countries don’t think like that in real life. yes, there are Holocaust deniers who genuinely believe it was 271k and not 6m. But they are not nearly as popular in real life as they would want to you to think. the recent incident at that Barstool bar is a good example. mo khan has made it very clear that he hates Jews and is possibly a full neo-Nazi, as he went to be interviewed by one. and there are some really shitty people who have donated to his GoSendGo. but every person whom I’ve talked to in real life about this has agreed that mo khan is an awful person.

of courses, this is my personal experience, and there’s always going to be other Jews with different experiences.

all this just to say that social media isn’t real life. yes, antisemitism is a huge, huge issue, and has been for years and years, especially since October 7th. but there are also so many people who support us, and I really do believe that there’s quite more good people in the world than not. and for your own mental health, instead of focusing on the endless hatred towards Jews online, focus on the people who do support us, as well as ways to fight against the rise in antisemitism.

shabbat shalom

[42bakery]

I hope you all will allow me this post on Pedrenzo day. It won't be as well sourced as the previous ones, but I think we deserve a chronology.

Pre-World championship. They meet for the first time at the CEV (2000), but they have know about each other before that. They are both close to age (19 months) and both were pretty small. At this point, they use the other rider as a reference more than as a rival as they both are fighting against people older and more experience than them with the handicap of their age and height.

In 125cc (2002 and 2003) During this period of time, their rivalry started, but it was pretty tame. It's also important to note that it was mostly external factors that started it rather than the riders itself. Dani was racing for Telefonica/Movistar and Jorge for Caja Madrid/Fortuna), which made them two very young rider, with lots of talent and pretty promising, in Spanish teams. Their teams weren't friendly against each other, and their manager also used to be rivals. All of it, made the riders feel like they had to beat the other in the track at all cost. it got to the point on wanting to know the other's position to see if they have placed higher.

We also had their characters component, that is something that will follow them their whole life. Dani is quite and calm. He does things behind close doors and the talking on the track. Where Jorge is loud, very loud, and he uses the media and does the talking in the open. They also had 0 contact outside track between them, not even a 'hi' when meeting at the paddock.

In 250cc (2005) In here their 125cc rivalry is intensify. Dani was already 2 times World Champion and Jorge had still to prove himself. Dani was the dominant force to beat and Jorge wanted to be the one to do that. There was also the talking everyone did on the media, that fueled their rivalry. Everyone was accusing everyone of doing things. (mostly Puig, Amatriaín and Jorge).

In this year, the thing between them got much worse as they made contact on track several times. Germany is mentioned as the time that set everything into flames, but Catalunya was the turning point. Due to his excess of aggressiveness (and probably unconsciousness and stupidity), Jorge got a race ban (Malaysia 2005) after he made contact at the Japanese GP with De Angelis and Dani. Jorge used to blame Dani for that because instead of helping him, Dani took out all the receipts of the contact they made on track, which was the nail in Jorge's coffin according to Lorenzo. Older Jorge will admit he deserved it and that it was a turning point for him.

It's during this time when Dani refused to say Jorge's name or mention him (Germany 2005 forward), which pissed Jorge. And I think it still pisses him to some extend.

So by the time Dani moved to MotoGP, they were at each other's throats, specially with the media, and with Dani as a 3 times Word Champion and Jorge still needing to prove himself.

MotoGP When Jorge made it to MotoGP, media expected them pick their rivalry where they left it, and it kind of did with the Qatar incident. In that Grand Prix Dani didn't congratulate Jorge after a good result, and it pissed Jorge. Years later we learn it was due to an injury. However, it put them in the 'not speaking' terms and labelled as bitter rivals. The following Grand Prix, the ex-King of Spain (Juan Carlos I), who is a fan of racing, tried to show they get along and it was just a misunderstanding made them shake hands at the pre-podium.

Instead of cleaning the air in between them or cleaining their image it made it all worse. It looked like they couldn't be in the same room if they weren't forced to share the space.

On track they keep fighting hard against each other, more cleanly this time, and still with the same mentality as in 125cc and 250cc. If I can't win because there are other riders doing/having a better day than me, at least I have to beat Dani/Jorge.

Allegedly, 2008 was the worse point in their rivalry, but when asked them directly, they was the period of time between 2008-2010. Their rivalry got to that point it split the whole country. People were genuinely asking if you were Team Dani or Team Jorge. There are still videos of young Spanish riders having to choose (the Márquez used to be die hard Dani fans and Rins was team Jorge all the way).

Little by little, after fighting so much and for so long against each other, and sharing so many space and podiums together, their relationship moved from bitter rivals, to just rivals, to the rival I respect. Dani said that for him the big change was 2012, when their championship fight was the closes. Dani realized that he had been fighting his whole life with Jorge, therefore, they are as good as the other. Their rivalry had made them grown as riders because they had to outsmart and be better on track than the other, so it was a hats off moment.

In 2012 we also had the first physical approach between them. It was also in Qatar when they hugged for the first time, and it was a symbol of them finally burying the hatchet.

2012 also gave us the iconic marriage proposal (please watch the whole video, it explains Pedrenzo rivalry up to 2012).

From then on, their relationship improved a lot. It could also be that they both had change their managers by 2013, so part of what it set their rivalry wasn't in the equation anymore. They also had grown from kids to adults!

In 2015 Dani invited Jorge to Sete Gibernau's (ex-ride, and Dani's friend and coach) 'ranch'/track for a training weekend among other riders. Jorge ended up getting injured, and Dani went out of his way to check on him because Jorge was fighting for the championship. He got injured in the collarbone and Jorge himself admitted it was dumb because he just wanted to win against Dani when racing with smaller bikes. Apparently Pedrosa was miles faster than any other riders (Rins was there and I think the Espargarós too are mentiones

In 2018, when it was announced that Jorge was moving from Ducati to Honda and was going to replace Dani, Jorge tried to convince Pedrosa to stay in the championship by switching to the Petrona's team. It was pretty public with Jorge saying how a much smoother bike will suit Dani's riding style. Ultimately, Dani decided he didn't want to break anymore bones or suffer, so he retired.

Jorge and Dani exchanging helmets at the end of the 2018 season

After MotoGP Now they have a pretty good relationship. They can be in the same room and laugh and talk for hours about racing, including their 250cc races. Jorge will be the one pulling all the monts and remembering the weirdest stuff and Dani will look bamboozled because he doesn't remember that. In fact, among all DAZN's pundits, Jorge is the one that makes Dani smile and talk the most.

They're pretty quick to mention the other rider when possible (specially Jorge), and they are pretty open when asked about their battles in and out of the track. In fact Jorge will jump at any opportunity to mention and praise Dani. Dani will need a bit more of coaxing, but he will also talk and praise Jorge.

Now that the know parts are about, I want to share some thought I have about them.

I think this imatge basically summarizes their relationship. And creditto Jorge Lorenzo himself for putting it together.

First photo is pretty early in their relationship. You can see that they aren't interested in each other. It's basically a photo for the media. The middle one is Jerez 2008 and you can see how forced their handshake is. The king gets the wrong hand, and all of them are confused and wants to be done with it. And the last one, it's more than a handshake. They are truly happy and comfortable around the other. They want it.

Waru's thoughts I think young Jorge was really mad at Dani and wanted to win Dani no matter what due to the different way they got into the championship. All red tapes were broken for Dani. His ages was overlooked when he entered the Movistar Cup, when Jorge had to wait until he was 15 to make his debut. Dani had Puig who saw him and decided to bring him to the top, despite not meeting the criteria that was set, while Jorge had to fight and crawl all his way up. Yes Jorge got a manager and his dad, but he also had to prove himself over and over while Dani could flop and Puig would have still been at his side. It's also the relationship between Dani and his dad. Antonio was there to guide and support Dani, but at the end of the day it was Dani who took the decision, while Jorge didn't have a great relationship with his dad. Chicho acted more as a coach than a dad.

And then when Dani got the 125cc tittle, he got the ColaCao add, that made him look as the good boy that hasn't broken anything, while Jorge had the bad boy label. Dani had everything he wanted, DORNA's approval as he has come thought a DORNA's approved championship, a good relationship with his dad, a great mentor and a team behind. Basically it could be seen as DORNA had picked Dani to be the next Spanish winner at the big category (see why I translated Elegido para ganar as handpicked to win?) and instead, Jorge was the one who did it.

So yes, I think Jorge saw Dani having everything he had fighter for, and not having had to fight as hard as hi. So apart of all the things mentioned above, I think there was a bit of jealousy involved too. But well this is what I think, I might be wrong, but the way Jorge reacts when the ColaCao add is mentioned is prove that there was more there.

And here is all the chronology. If you think I forgot anything let me know! Also feel free to add things if you want.

[doseofarabic]

Dose # 1 - Introduction

Facts about the language

It’s a Semitic language, which is a branch of languages that includes languages like Arabic, Amharic, Aramaic and Hebrew among other languages.

It has millions speakers worldwide. People usually refer to 22 countries as “the Arab world” but I personally prefer to talk about “Arabic speaking countries” since it gives a better representation of the countries that speak the language and have Arabic as one of the official languages which are 25 countries in the Western part of Asia as well as Northern Africa.

The 25 countries are: Saudi Arabia, Chad, Algeria, Comoros, Eritrea, Djibouti, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Bahrain, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

People might want to learn for a variety of reasons, whether it is to live in an Arabic speaking country or environment, for work purposes, or for religious purposes. Muslims Arabic holds a special place since it is the language of the Holy Quran.

Variations

Since many regions speak the language. There are a lot of variation in the language which I try to summarize.

To put it simply, on one hand we have the Standard Arabic, which is the formal Arabic. The older variation of Standard Arabic is Classical Arabic, among is the Holly Quran which is the most eloquent, inimitable form of Arabic.  

Here is a small post I made about MSA and Classical Arabic.

I will focus on the modern variant of Standard Arabic which is “Modern Standard Arabic”, or MSA. Nowadays, this variant is used in official correspondence, books, magazines and writings in general. It is important.

There are also dialects which are the “spoken Arabic”, each region has their own dialects but they are usually grouped per region and similarities:

Gulf dialects; Levantine dialects; Maghreb dialects; Nile Valley and Egyptian

Some dialects are not within these groups per se but they are somewhat close like Yemeni and Iraqi (which I would associate with the Gulf dialects).

I could also place Djibouti, Somalia, Mauritania and Chad in a separate category as well

These groupings over simplify the variety of the dialects but it’s to make the concept closer to understand especially for those who are not familiar with it. I spoke about dialects in a post I made a where I tried to provide an explanation for the difference in dialects, if you’re interested read it [here].

Usually, people learn Arabic to be able to speak a certain dialect, I recommend studying the standard Arabic first or at least having some sort of knowledge before delving into the dialects.

In my lessons, I will focus on Modern Standard Arabic, but I do make dialectal posts on my blog as well which can be found [here].

Arabic alphabets

Arabic is written from right to left, and the letters connect to form words. The letters are read as they are written in 99.9% of the cases, except for only very minor exceptions. It's also very phonetically consisentent, very similar to Spanish for example when comapred to English were different letters can be read differently according to the word.

Arabic has 28 letters, and because the writing connects the words together to form sentences, each letter can be written in 4 ways: the isolated form, the initial form (how it would look like if it came at the beginning of the word), medial form (how it would look like if it was in the middle of the word), and finally, the final form (how it would look like if it were at the end of the word).

However, it is important to note that not all letters connect with other letters, for example, the letters (ا / د / ذ  / ر  / ز / و) do not connect to each other, and only connects if the other letters in the alphabet comes before it.

The Arabic letters are simple, and many letters resemble one another, I usually refer to letters that are similar as “sisters”. The resemblance in shape doesn’t necessarily mean that the sounds are similar though.

There are two types of vowels, short vowels or harakat, and these are the diacritics or little accents that can be found on top of each letters; and long vowels or mudood which are three letters ا   (which makes the sound “aah” ), و   (which makes the sound of “oo” like “pool” ) and ي   (which makes the sound “ee” like feel). Usually, when talking about “vowels” people are referring to the long vowels.

The vowel is twice as long as the haraka but it has the same sound.

Grammar & vocabulary

Arabic is a very well structured language, and it has a very consistent grammar, exceptions are not very common and it’s very logical.

A notable thing to note about Arabic grammar is that first of all, there are grammatical cases, like Turkish and German for example.

This means that the end of the word changes according to its role in a sentence. In the case of Arabic, the harakat of the end of the word changes depending on the place and role it plays in a sentence.

So don’t be surprised when you see the same word ending with different harakat. Because it is a language that has this grammatical case system, the sentence structure is flexible.

For example تُوتُ  (berries) is the same as تُوتَ  and تُوتِ . The difference here is the place in the sentence.

Another thing is that Arabic has a root system, most words have a root (most likely made up of three letters), the root has a certain meaning and all the derived words will contain the same three letters of the root as well as a certain meaning that is carried with the derivation.

For example the word كَتَبَ  is the root and it means “to write”, we derive words like كَاتِب  (writer or author) مَكْتُوب (written) and كِتَاب (book) and مَكْتَبَة (library). If you know the verb (root) it’ll be easy to guess the meaning of the word or have a guess on what the word is about.

Arabic letters : how are they arranged?

There are two ways that the letters in Arabic are arranged, the first one is called التَّرْتِيب الأبجَدِيُّ   attartīb alʾbǧadiy. This is the old order of the letters, it was based on the order of the letters in Semetic languages, the order is also used in numbers (similar to roman numerals, how a letter can have a numerical value like (i) which is the number a).

This order is still used when making lists, for example if you’re saying point a) point b) , people are more likely to use this order.

For point c) in Arabic people will say ج)  and not ت.

The letters are grouped in these words, in this same order

أبجد هوز حطي كلمن سعفص قرشت ثخذ ضظغ

التَّرْتِيبُ الهِجَائِيَ attartīb alhiǧāʾiy is an order that was later introduced. This order arranges words in the alphabet according to the similarities between the way the letters are drawn. It’s the one used when studying Arabic.

This is the order of these letters

أ ب ت ث ج ح خ د ذ ر ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ع غ ف ق ك ل م ن هـ و ي

For simplicity’s sake, I suggest focusing on the second order, but it’s good to know that it’s not the only one.

I hope this has been an interesting introduction to read!

Homework

Complete this small quiz to measure how much you understood from this lesson

Next lesson : we will study the different harakat and vowels.

[agendabymooner]

DIRECTORY: F1 Drivers x Filipino OFCs by AGENDABYMOONER (UPDATED)

AHHH !!! Apparently I made too much Filo OCs (there’s never too much but for some it maybe a lot?). So why not make a little character directory based on the Formula One drivers I’ve written about?

(I am not Filipino baiting I promise 🥲 I make a lot of Filipino OCs because I too am a Filipino)

This is done alphabetically btw. By surnames :) enjoy xx

CHARLES LECLERC (CL16)

LOUELLA LOURDES VILLAR: A Filipino celebrity who met Charles when she moved to Monaco to pursue her masters. Arthur, Charles' brother, calls the two of them "homie hoppers."

"slut", smau: charles' ex trashed his new girlfriend a while ago, but too bad he wasn't really into the thought of making music with anyone but lou villar.

PATO O'WARD (PO29)

DIWA J. ARELLANO: McLaren F1 team's admin who works to constantly slander and support Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Also a bit besotted.

caught 'em lacking, smau: diwa arellano is mclaren f1's social media admin. so what if her constant teasing of oscar bites her in the ass and accidentally posts something that could potentially compromise her job? meanwhile, lando and oscar laugh at her demise while pato finds it endearing.

SERGIO PEREZ (SP11)

CARMELLA AYALA PEREZ: Checo’s Miss Universe wife who represented the Philippines!

she's beauty, she's grace, smau: in which carmella ayala perez, the miss universe 2018 winner, tied the knot with checo after their five years of relationship and the birth of their second child.

DANIEL RICCIARDO

TALA MORAN: Daniel Ricciardo's partner that he accidentally exposed as his to the public.

leaked, smau: daniel ricciardo is a borderline blabbermouth.

OSCAR PIASTRI (OP81)

PALOMA SAN PEDRO: Oscar was a victim of Jollibee obsession introduction because he’s so in love with her. She’s also Carlos Sainz’s cousin-in-law.

jollibee, madrid and all that romantic fiasco, smau: paloma san pedro is carlos sainz's cousin-in-law who also introduced oscar to his newly found filipino fast food chain addiction. safe to say that he bought a ticket last minute just so he can obsess over her, too.

live tweets, japan and all that romance fiasco, smau: how oscar's podium win in the japanese gp led to the revelation of his relationship with carlos sainz's in-law, paloma. lesson learned: just call her "pal" then she'll spill the tea for the both of you easily (f, h)

lucky charms, qatar and all that romance fiasco, smau: oscar is quite a forgetful guy, he forgot to mention to carlos, his future in-law, that paloma was his sprint lucky charm. (f)

long distance, england and all that romance fiasco, smau: paloma moved to england a year after enduring a long distance relationship with oscar.

CARLOS SAINZ (CS55)

MAGDALENA SAN PEDRO SAINZ: Married to a Ferrari driver. A bit unhinged and as equally millennial as Carlos. Apparently her marriage with him calls for reparations lol.

ride home, smau: the ferrari driver accidentally outed himself as a married man, so mona magdalena sainz stepped in to say hi to his loyal fans. (f, g, h) (extra)

dear, smau: nobody loved each other more than magda and carlos sainz. OR a series of tweets in which magda and carlos never took each other seriously. (h)

pag-ibig, traducido (love, translated), fic: no matter what cultural context and backstories, magda and carlos' souls were entwined into one all thanks to the languages of love that they shared. OR times when the spanish and filipino defined their love in many languages. (f) ♡

MICK SCHUMACHER (MS47)

BARBIE BLANCO: Sebastian Vettel’s adoptive daughter that Mick practically grew up with.

she's everything... and he's just mick, smau: barbara 'barbie' blanco is the vettel family's foster child that gradually turned to kimi vettel's nanny and mick's crush? (f, g)

"besties", smau: everyone swore that mick and barbie are more than "babysitting pardners" (f)

who is kenough, smau: mick nearly took the piss from arthur leclerc after the posts that the monegasque had of barbie. too bad, mick was already hers before arthur could even try. (feat. arthur leclerc)

kenergy unfolded, fic: written version of who is kenough OR arthur leclerc was only scheming just so mick could do something about revealing his relationship with barbie. ♡

the vibing allan and the reluctant ken, smau: for mick, there are only two words to describe his girlfriend's best friend arthur: a headache. OR arthur leclerc is a third wheel that mick always get on a fight with. thankfully, barbie had fair experiences with boys who are petulant and childish at times (kimi and seb)

extra - barbie and the schuminis

mick multiplied, socmed snapshot: girl dad!mick that's all

the little schuminis, fic: 4 times when mick showed his devotion + 1 time his devotion paid off

YUKI TSUNODA (YT22)

PIA ELLIS: An indie singer who also happens to be Yuki’s much shorter girlfriend.

line without a hook, smau: pia ellis misses her mystery bf that everyone thought to be her delusions. it turns out he's a formula one driver who definitely misses her too.

chaos family, socmed snapshot: yuki is a dad to the little mini yukis known as hana and shin.

SEBASTIAN VETTEL (SV5)

BEL VETTEL: A socialite from Philippines who’s married to the kindest human to have ever existed. Also a mother to Seb’s kids (including Barbie Blanco).

crazy rich wife, smau: everyone (some twitter account) wonders where the recently retired german driver had gone to after the 2022 season. thank god for bel vettel, his fans now know that he’s still alive and is being spoiled and pampered by his wife. (f, g)

sweet spoiled husband (+ son), smau: mick schumacher is a grown man that both bel and seb treat like their own child. (f, g)

sweet spoiled schatzi, smau: bel and seb introduce the newest addition to their little family, and mick seems to love kimi vettel as much as a godfather loves his godchild. (f)

sweet little similarities, smau: bel and everyone could tell that kimi vettel was becoming more like his father, sebastian's, carbon copy as days went on. (f, g, h)

sebastian and sons (and soufflés), fic: day in the life of a retired sebastian vettel, featuring his kids kimi and barbie (and a nervous mick). (f)

sweetest spoiled sons, smau: sebastian was a father to not only two- but THREE kids. OR stefan vettel is the newest addition in the vettel household after years of trying and it's safe to say that everyone welcomed this news with open arms. (f)

crazy rich and famous, smau: the vettel couple stepped up to address the scrutiny that their children faced OR sebastian activated his instagram account just so he could show his masterpiece: photographs that he took of his wife for their anniversary.

seb's best girl, scenarios (x daughter!ofc)

Summary: Sebastian Vettel understood the downfalls of infertility just by being there for his wife. What he didn’t know, however, was that his life would drastically change when their foster daughter, Barbie Blanco, was put into their care. OR, what made Sebastian the best father figure to a teenager who had nobody but herself. 

one, enter barbie: fifteen-year-old barbie blanco thought that meeting new people was intimidating, and sebastian learned that making her comfortable in her new home was a responsibility he should uphold as her father figure.

two, meeting mick in malaysia: barbie was brought to her first race ever and had met her newest best friends there. it was obvious that she and mick schumacher would get stuck to the hips after their first meeting.

[ask-red-guy-dhmis]

United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama

Haiti, Jamaica, Peru,

Republic Dominican, Cuba, Carribean

Greenland, El Salvador too.

Puerto Rico, Columbia, Venezuela

Honduras, Guyana, and still,

Guatemala, Bolivia, then Argentina

And Ecuador, Chile, Brazil.

Costa Rica, Belize, Nicaragua, Bermuda

Bahamas, Tobago, San Juan,

Paraguay, Uruguay, Surinam

And French Guiana, Barbados, and Guam.

Norway, and Sweden, and Iceland, and Finland

And Germany now one piece,

Switzerland, Austria, Czechoslovakia

Italy, Turkey, and Greece.

Poland, Romania, Scotland, Albania

Ireland, Russia, Oman,

Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia

Hungary, Cyprus, Iraq, and Iran.

There's Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan

Both Yemens, Kuwait, and Bahrain,

The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Portugal

France, England, Denmark, and Spain

India, Pakistan, Burma, Afghanistan

Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan,

Kampuchea, Malaysia, then Bangladesh (Asia)

And China, Korea, Japan.

Mongolia, Laos, and Tibet, Indonesia

The Philippine Islands, Taiwan,

Sri Lanka, New Guinea, Sumatra, New Zealand

Then Borneo, and Vietnam.

Tunisia, Morocco, Uganda, Angola

Zimbabwe, Djibouti, Botswana,

Mozambique, Zambia, Swaziland, Gambia

Guinea, Algeria, Ghana.

Burundi, Lesotho, and Malawi, Togo

The Spanish Sahara is gone,

Niger, Nigeria, Chad, and Liberia

Egypt, Benin, and Gabon.

Tanzania, Somalia, Kenya, and Mali

Sierra Leone, and Algiers,

Dahomey, Namibia, Senegal, Libya

Cameroon, Congo, Zaire.

Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar

Rwanda, Mahore, and Cayman,

Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Yugoslavia...

Crete, Mauritania

Then Transylviania,

Monaco, Liechtenstein

Malta, and Palestine,

Fiji, Australia, Sudan..

NO MORE SONGS PLEASE IM SO TIRED OF LEARNING

[moonystoes]

I ❤️❤️❤️ yemenies احلى ناس والنعم فيك

( your arabic was very good and understable dw and yemeni accent is one of the best in the gulf imo)(also qatar is soo beautiful i visit sometimes and it got even more beautiful after their world cup festivities)

im from uae and i recently got into football and woso in general (bc of being a gayass) but i only started watching wsl and liga f not knowing theres fineee stuff in the french league as well 🫦🫦

(also super random but watchibg football matches (for the women leagues) commentary in eng is soo weird yk bc im soo used to dramatic arabic commentary)

I left qatar right before the world cup and I see my friends post about new malls and new events that never existed when I lived there 😔💔💔.

ohhh nice to meet you :))) did you find out about woso through thirsty edits?

Also yesss the commentary thing pisses me off so bad, not only do the British commentators talk like they're sleeping on mic, they also never put effort in learning how to pronounce the players. Elisa, with the white name, still gets mispronounced all the time. Arabic commentators do so much research on names and literally history. the closest language i would recommend is French/Spanish, you won't understand shit, but you would feel the atmosphere better.

There was a time where I was able to watch PSG VS RM in arabic and it was so nice 😍 it was on BEINsports but they don't broadcast women matches at all only rarely, thats the only chance I got.

[sparkles-oflight]

TW: some serious themes such as trauma and child abuse (fictional) but I'll talk about it briefly

I was listening to a song from my childhood (video below), which is from an Argentinian family tv series/novela from 2007-2010 called Casi Angeles.

That series was one of the ones that made me learn Spanish (since, well, this is one of Cris Morena's novelas that didn't make it to Portugal and I found out about it on my own). I always identified with the character of Mar (interpreted my Mariana Esposito, also known as Lali - who I think she sang at Qatar's worlds, but I could be wrong since I didn't watch it) who was a small girl, with a rude and loud personality who just never learned how to deal with her feelings because her family wasn't around (She was literally abandoned because the series starts with the theme of child abuse in an orphanage) and because she keeps being betrayed over and over again (it's a novela duh).

Anyways, the character resonated a lot with me and so did Lali. Today, I was listening to "Escaparé" and I thought "wait, I actually don't know Lali's stance on LGBTQ" (not only because she's argentian - which is a country that doesn't have the best queer acceptance out there - but also because she usually fights for human right causes such as women's rights).*

EDIT: Someone has informed that Argentina is actually a more accepting country than I had in my mind (I probably had that image because some of the last Argentinian content I consumed was literally casi angeles last year ^^') - at least on paper (because we are very "accepting" here too, but only on paper :'). I'm veryyyyy glad to hear about it!

Turns out, she literally came out as bisexual! (as I suspected, that woman already has such a big crush on Miley Cyrus lol)

You guys have no idea how much I love people - especially older than me - who I resonated with at some point in my life (Especially in my childhood) have something in common with me, even after I don't show as much interest in them anymore.

Estoy orgullosa de vos, Lali. Y estoy aún mas orgullosa de te eligir como idolo cuando yo era chica (pero, ya era mas alta que vos jajaja)

[beardedmrbean]

I don't know how to offend someone from Andorra or Liechtenstein, but having dealt with both Albanians and Sammarinese in the past: If you want to offend someone from Albania, imply that they're from the mountains; and if you want to offend someone from San Marino, say that they're Italian.

Fun little bit about Liechtenstein, the only reason I learned it exists is because Conan was going around as a bit and insulting every country in the world in a effort to see where he was on the air, he'd made a joke about some place and got some annoyed letters from some fans there. He didn't even know he was on there. I'm glad he's free from the late night nonsense, current year humor is dead and he's too funny for that crap.

Those could work, maybe bring up the bunkers for Albania but that may be hit or miss.

Andorra you could probably go with calling them either french or spanish to tick them off, given the way the place works and all, don't think enough people even know the place exists to warrant an insult.

Which might also work

I forgot Monaco too, you could tell them that UAE or Qatar has a higher GDP than them or something like that, call them poor basically.

Malta, probably something about the pope and crusades.

Looking again North Macedonia, honestly asking them about Alexander the Great would be the best way in my experience.

They skipped Kosovo too, but they've had enough problems I'll leave them be.

[funmintix]

PECCO BAGNAIA BIOGRAPHY 29/04/2016 (Ⅰ)

FRANCESCO BAGNAIA #21

Date of birth: 14/01/97 – Turín – Italy Age: 19 First Grand Prix: Moto3 Grand Prix of Qatar 2013 First victory: Last victory: First pole: First fastest lap: Moto3 Grand Prix of France – (2014) First podium: Moto3 Grand Prix of France – (2015) Victories: Poles: Fastest laps: 2 (Moto3)

Podiums: 3 (Moto3) Best championship finish: 14th World Championship Moto3 2015 Total GP appearances: 55 (Moto3) SPORTING CAREER 2009: European MiniGP Champion – Italian MiniGP Championship runner up 2010: 125cc PreGP Mediterranean Championship runner up 3rd in 125 PreGP Catalan Championship 2011: 3rd in 125cc Spanish Championship 2012: 3rd in Moto3 Spanish Championship Championship 2013: Moto3 World Championship debut 2014: 16th in Moto3 World Championship 2015: 14th in Moto3 World Championship

BIOGRAPHY

Francesco Bagnaia, known affectionately to his friends as 'Pecco', is one of the most exciting young racing talents to emerge from Italy in recent times. Originally hailing from Turin, he now lives with his parents and two siblings in Chivasso, a small town some twenty kilometres from the capital of the Piamonte region. His father works for an accessory company, as does his mother, and together they form a tight family unit.

Like most young racers, Pecco fell in love with motorcycles watching his father compete alongside his uncle in amateur championships. On the occasion of his sixth Christmas, Santa brought Pecco a 50cc Beta motocross bike, which he would gleefully ride on wasteland close to the family home. At the age of eight he received his first race bike, a minimoto that he took along to the Italian Championship – a series he qualified for at the first attempt and would continue racing in until the age of ten. 

2009 was a year of change – a slightly bigger bike with gears. He won his first 50cc race on the ZPF in Viterbo, finishing runner up in the Italian Championship but taking the title in the three round European Championship. It became clear that if he wanted to take the next step and compete against the best young riders on the continent he would have to turn to Spain and in 2010 he focused his activities on the Iberian Peninsula, under the guidance of Emilio Alzamora. Whilst he continued to live in Italy  he made frequent trips across the Mediterranean to race, taking third place in the Catalan Championship and finishing as runner up in the Mediterranean Championship. 

After stepping up to the Metrakit PreGP 125cc class in 2010, the moment arrived for him to truly test his mettle as a potential Grand Prix rider, as he made his debut in the Spanish Championship. He certainly didn't look out of place, finishing third in the championship in both 2011 and 2012 as he collected five podiums, including two victories. Those two seasons also served as a major learning experience as he first competed on a two stroke 125cc Aprilia before making the switch to the four stroke Moto3. 

His achievements in the CEV did not go unnoticed back in his native country and the Italian Federation swooped for his signature to contest the Moto3 World Championship with Team Italia in 2013. It was a typically tough debut season for Pecco, a season of adaptation, learning and experience. However, his riding caught the attention of national hero Valentino Rossi, who headhunted Pecco for his VR46 Academy. In 2014 he lined up on the grid in the distinctive and powerful black colours of the Sky Racing Team VR46. 

That second season as a World Championship rider was going well up until a crash in warm up for the Dutch TT that left Pecco with a broken wrist and out of action for a number of races. It was a cruel setback that did not deny Pecco the chance to build on his fourth place finish and circuit record at Le Mans early in the season. At the same circuit, the Italian reached his first ever Moto3 podium in 2015, a third place. 

Nowadays Pecco lives in Pesaro, close to the Valentino Rossi Ranch – a unique training facility that gives young Italian riders a magical opportunity to ride dirt track alongside a legend of the sport whilst also completing a rigorous physical training programme. Amongst all those determined young faces at the ranch, Pecco Bagnaia is the 'boy next door.' He keeps his feet on the ground and does his talking on the track.

[footballworldcuptickets]

Clint Dempsey on growing soccer in the USA FIFA 2026 Chances

FIFA 2026: When comparing the roster at any level to other top countries around the world since the 2022 World Cup, it’s fair to question if the U.S. has done enough to support its current core. Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson, Yunus Musah, Chris Richards, and Tyler Adams are among the key personnel who have established themselves in Europe’s top leagues since the round of 16 exit in Qatar.

Since the U.S. Men’s National Team, USMNT, made its exit in the Round of 16 during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, there has been growing concern about whether enough has been done to build on the current core of talent. Key players like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson, Yunus Musah, Chris Richards, and Tyler Adams have secured spots in top European leagues, establishing themselves as leaders for the USMNT.

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The question now is how the U.S. can change that, especially within its domestic scene. One of the ways is through better platforms and opportunities for emerging talent. Clint Dempsey, a former USMNT star, is doing just that by partnering with Spanish football giant Real Madrid and healthcare company Abbott. Their collaboration has led to the launch of the Abbott Dream Team program, a unique initiative to uncover the next generation of football talent in the U.S.

FIFA World Cup: Dream Team Tryouts Dempsey Seeks Versatile Talent

The Abbott Dream Team is hosting tryouts across five major cities in the U.S., Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Los Angeles, where young male and female players, ages 18-19, will have the chance to showcase their skills to Real Madrid’s coaches. The ultimate goal is to select 11 players to travel to Spain and train at Real Madrid’s renowned Ciudad Real Madrid training center.

Stay true to yourself, Dempsey advised NBCUniversal Local. The reason why you love the game should be showcased. He stressed the importance of confidence and resilience, even in the face of failure. You might hear ‘You aren’t good enough,’ but the key is to learn from setbacks instead of seeing them as losses. Even if you are good enough to make it, are you still hungry to take your game to another level?

As football continues to evolve tactically, with new player profiles like inverted fullbacks, false nines, and ball-playing goalkeepers becoming more common, Dempsey is specifically looking for complete players. These are players who can use both feet, take on defenders in 1v1 situations, and contribute effectively on both ends of the pitch. He believes versatility is crucial, as a well-rounded player can fill multiple roles on the field.

Dempsey Calls for Creativity, Competition, and Growth Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026

Play the position you love the most, Dempsey explained. If you’re a complete player, people can tell right away. However, Dempsey also underscored the importance of creativity, drawing from his own experience as a player. I want to see creative players, the ones who can take on defenders and create opportunities for themselves and others.

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In terms of USMNT’s prospects for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Dempsey noted that players like Patrick Agyemang, Diego Luna, Malik Tillman, Brendan Aaronson, and Haji Wright have all improved their stocks under Pochettino’s reign. The big question is whether the U.S. will have enough depth and talent to challenge the likes of Spain, Portugal, and Argentina, who have made significant strides in player development since 2022.

Rising Giants USA Faces Tough Road to Football World Cup 2026

These countries are emerging as strong contenders for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Spain, in particular, already showing the impact of its up-and-coming stars. The 2024 UEFA European Championship winners have seen the rise of young wingers like Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, alongside promising defenders such as Pau Cubarsi and Alejandro Balde.

Portugal, which claimed the 2025 UEFA Nations League, still boasts the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 41 by the time of the 2026 tournament. However, there are rising stars in the Portuguese squad, including midfielders Vitinha and João Neves, who bring a blend of youth and experience, having already tasted success in the Champions League.

For the USMNT, the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup promises to be filled with challenges. While the U.S. managed to make it out of its group in Qatar, the 3-1 loss to the Netherlands in the Round of 16 showed that they still have a long way to go before they can compete with the world’s top teams.

Dempsey Home-Field Advantage Key for USA in World Cup

Dempsey believes that hosting the World Cup on U.S. soil will provide a unique advantage, serving as a 12th man to fuel the team’s confidence and energy. He likened the situation to the U.S.’s performance in the 1994 World Cup, where the team shocked the world with unexpected performances.

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If that 1994 team could make an impact, there’s no reason why this team, fully fit and confident, couldn’t do something special, Dempsey said. The clock is ticking, and with the 2026 FIFA World Cup just around the corner, the U.S. has a golden opportunity to capitalize on its home-field advantage.

But in order to make a deep run, the USMNT will need to continue to develop top-tier talent both domestically and abroad, ensuring that the next generation of players is ready to compete with the best on the world stage. Dempsey, who knows a thing or two about what it takes to succeed at the highest level, has been providing valuable tips to aspiring players on how to stand out.

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[esraaadell]

learn arabi

Learn Arabic: A Journey into a Rich and Beautiful Language

Arabic is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with over 400 million speakers across the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond. It is the language of the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, and has a deep historical, cultural, and literary significance. learn to speak arabic can open doors to new opportunities, whether for travel, business, or academic pursuits.

Why Learn Arabic?

1. Cultural and Historical Importance

Arabic has a rich history dating back thousands of years. It has influenced many other languages, including Spanish, Persian, and Swahili. Understanding Arabic allows learners to appreciate the great works of classical literature, poetry, and philosophy written by famous scholars such as Ibn Khaldun, Al-Farabi, and Al-Ghazali.

2. Career and Business Opportunities

The Arab world is home to some of the fastest-growing economies, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Learning Arabic can be a valuable skill for those looking to work in diplomacy, international business, journalism, and translation.

3. Religious Significance

For Muslims, Arabic is essential for understanding the Qur’an and Islamic teachings. Many Muslims around the world learn Arabic to improve their understanding of Islamic texts and prayers.

4. Travel and Communication

Arabic is the official language of over 20 countries, making it extremely useful for travelers. Learning basic Arabic phrases can make it easier to navigate Arab countries, interact with locals, and experience their rich cultures.

How to Learn Arabic Effectively

1. Start with the Basics

Arabic has 28 letters in its alphabet, written from right to left. Beginners should focus on learning the letters, pronunciation, and basic vocabulary.

2. Practice Speaking Daily

Speaking is one of the best ways to learn any language. Try to practice with native speakers, join language exchange programs, or use online platforms like Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, or ArabicPod101.

3. Immerse Yourself in Arabic

Watch Arabic movies, TV shows, and YouTube videos

Listen to Arabic music and podcasts

Read Arabic books, newspapers, and online articles

4. Use Flashcards and Apps

Apps like Anki, Memrise, and Drops can help build your vocabulary through spaced repetition.

5. Enroll in Arabic Courses

Many universities and online platforms offer Arabic language courses, from beginner to advanced levels. Websites like Coursera, Udemy, and Al Jazeera Learning Arabic provide structured lessons.

Challenges of Learning Arabic and How to Overcome Them

Different Script – The Arabic script may seem difficult at first, but regular practice makes it easier.

Grammar Complexity – Arabic grammar has unique rules, but breaking them down into small lessons helps.

Multiple Dialects – Arabic has many dialects (e.g., Egyptian, Levantine, Gulf), but learning Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) first can help you understand different varieties.

Conclusion

learn arabi is a rewarding experience that connects you with a rich cultural and linguistic heritage. Whether for personal growth, religious understanding, or career opportunities, Arabic offers countless benefits. With dedication and practice, anyone can master this beautiful language.

[42bakery]

Headcanons about Pedrenzo teammates au please

Hi Anna 👋👋👋👋 thank you so much for this.

This one is tough because it depends a lot on which part of their relationship we are talking about. It's pre-2005? It's 2005? It's between 2008-2010? Or it's 2012 and beyond? (Yes I know I put a gap but there not a lot of info in the 2010-2012 so maybe like pre-2005?, I might or might not have also write about that). I'll try to give 5 head canons for each period, so it's going to be a long post.

Pre-2005

1- Jorge is stocked when he started to work with Dani because that's the rider he used as a reference. And now he's on the other side of the box. Dani is unimpressed. He's just there to win so no matter whose his teammate it he will destroy it.

2- Jorge tried to be friendly towards Dani because he knew he could learn from him, but he was meet with coldness.

3- They don't talk at all. Not even in the debrief, not even in team strategies. Not even when Jorge needs to understand the difference between the new piece/bike Dani has compared to what Jorge has. It's like there's a wall between them in there

4- When Dani wins the championship in 2003 the team partied a lot. Jorge was there like a puppy following Dani and relishing as he FINALLY have Dani's attention

2005

1- Part of Jorge is happy that Dani is his teammate because he knows how good he is. At the same time he knows he's the rider that needs to always beat on track. It's a hard expectation to manage. Dani is just slightly annoyed because he needs to keep his barriers always up. Plus Puig is always telling him to be careful and beat Jorge.

2- Team meetings are a fucking mess. Amatriaín and Puig are always at each other's throats accusing the other of interference/sabotage. They have to split the team meetings in team Dani and Team Jorge and just a few people are in both. to avoid conflict.

3- With each new battle and Jorge crashes the media is all over the team/managers/riders. They are always speculation from sabotage or foult play. Some rivals (De Angelis) might say the team used Jorge as a weapon to make sure Dani won the 250cc Championship the second time in a row.

4- Afer the 2005 Japanese GP Dani is asked to come to the stewards room and discuss Jorge's behavior the team asked Dani to play nice, so he does it. Jorge doesn't get a race ban but he still messed with Dani and De Angelis in the next race and gets it anyways.

5- When Dani wins the tittle that year (Australia), he goes to Jorge's room in the house the team rents in there and rubs his championship. Dani is totally wasted so they might get into a fight and might or might not hate kissed each other.

Between 2008-2010

1- Team tried to brush off the past bad relationship, but after Qatar and the Spanish GP incidents it was clear that they can't. Team is just always doing damage control with them.

2- Team meetings are always separated and Dani demands no data is shared between them.

3- Jorge is always telling the media what's going on, so it's like the media is always at the garage with them. Dani prefers to do the talking on the track., which not always works well as Jorge likes to paint him as the bad guy. Team let them because they are producing results.

4- They bet on results and the winner makes the other do something humiliating.

5- Team doesn't let hem be together in events or do videos for social media due to reasons... Meaning Jorge was shading Dani all the time and Dani always left the place angry. Rumors said the physically fight each other at the back of a garage and might or might not be true.

2012-Beyond

1- Both are hesitant, not sure how they stands they are cordial at each others (if it's post-2015 Dani might be the one to start the first conversation asking about Jorge's collarbone).

2- They split the developing job well. Dani sits there listening Jorge dissect the Yamaha and trying to understand where the Honda is stronger and how to improve the weakness. Jorge sits there looking at Dani when he talks to the engineers for hours about the differences. Also Dani is happy that for once he has a teammate that can actually feel the difference between 2 bikes or different parts (Thanks Marc and Casey for make Dani feel like he's imagining things).

3- They go out for dinners and events and Jorge is always sharing it on social media. They might even train together from time to time in Switzerland.

4- Their media videos are just them talking about 2 stroke bikes, with Dani smiling and Jorge watching Dani. (If it's post 2012 they make reference to the 'And maybe in 2-3 years we get married a lot).

And that's all I can came up at the moment. Sorry

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[didishawn]

Vogue (Pedri x Model! Reader)

Warnings: basically you showing off your home to Vogue, a bit of Spanish here and there

Masterlist

You do the simulation of opening the door as if the cameraman has caught you by surprise, ample smile on your face as you greet the future viewers.

"Hello Vogue, I am y/n s/n and today I am giving you all an inside look into my home"

The video starts in the living room, modern furniture, a bit impersonal at first if you will, the true essence lays in the small details.

"So, this might be disappointing for some, to hear out furniture doesn't have a deep meaning behind, but it is the truth. When my boyfriend and I were looking to fill up the house, we honestly just wanted everything to fulfill their duties, a coach to be a coach and a desk to be a desk. The only real thought we put into it were the color coordinations really, but not even that as you will see in some parts"

The camera follows you as you direct yourself to the chimney, watching it with a special glint in your eye "The one thing I really wanted the house to have was this, all my life I have dreamed of the typical scene, you know? The cuddling in front of the fire with your loved one and a good book"

The camera zooms in to the decorations on top of the chimney. Photos of you and Pedri, his family, your own, your friends, the lens of the camera stops in a photo of Pedri and you, waiting for you to explain yourself about it "This was back in Qatar for the World Cup when he had a free day from training and we just went around the city. Unfortunately, this was the only photo decent enough to set up here, but we have probably hundreds of that day" the photo shows the two of you on a date back in the day, bright smiles and the sun setting on the background.

The camera then follows you into the kitchen, much more colorful than the living room and not matching at all. There are plant decorations all over the roof, and cooking robots that not even you are sure what they are for.

"For the kitchen I must confess we did have some help from Pinterest, and by that I mean there is probably another kitchen somewhere in the world that looks exactly like this"

You walk to the counter "Of course we have lots of Canarian bananas, I wonder why, and then, I am more of a sweets as a snack type of girl, I know, not the healthiest but I promise I don't abuse them either" you open one of the closets and show them all your snacks "and here we have every kid's dream, you all better believe that our house is ready for whenever one of our friends needs someone on babysitter duties"

"Now, I must confess neither Pedri or I are the best cooks, we won't burn the kitchen down but someone might get sick after eating. And while Pedri has lunch on the club, I most of the time eat out too because of work. But we are pretty lucky that Fer, Pedri's brother, is quite the culinary and comes lots of times to eat with us and cooks us something too"

"We have heard Pedri's mother is a pretty good chef" the cameraman says and you nod.

"Yes, she totally is, I have asked her to teach me a thing or two, but a few lessons in and I think she has learned that I am a total disaster, but don't worry Rosy, I promise I will get better and won't kill your son with my food"

You leave the kitchen and they follow you through a long hallway decorated with pictures of you in the front pages of the most famous magazines in one side "This decoration was Pedri's idea, I hate it but he doesn't let me take them down" on the other there are photos of Pedri with both the Barça shirt and the National Team's, as well as some shirts of other players -Messi, Mbappe, Agüero... - and his own all signed "And my revenge were this pictures"

You walk them into your office "This is where I lock myself up to work if I ever need it" the room is filled up with books, some photos with friends and fashion magazines "as a model you always have to keep up with fashion trends, or even study to create your own" you point to the projector hanging from the roof and the screen "I also study old catwalks to see what I can improve"

You walk them closer to you bookshelf, and show off your precious collection "As some of you may know, I am a huge bookworm, most of my freetime I am buried into the pages of one"

"Any recommendations?"

You think for a moment "Well, it depends, for younger ages my absolute favorite is the Percy Jackson saga, probably my favourite too as you never grow too old to read them" you point to the books, in the center of them all for everyone to see "Now, for older ages I do like very much Daisy Jones and the Six, The Song of Achilles or maybe The Secret History. They are all typical really, but a good way for new readers to start or if you simply want someone to comment books with, its easy to find people who have read these"

You now direct them to see the photos "Now, this is for sure one of my favorites areas of the house, there are photos with friends..." photos with Gavi, Ansu, Ferran and then also with your own friends "Pedri..." photos of you two kissing, one with his parents and another with his brother "my family..." a big family photo, then single ones with each member "and now onto the big part, celebrities..." photos with Messi, Neymar, Bella Hadid, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa - anyone you can name, really.

"Which is your favorite one?"

You think for a moment, then answer "I really like this one with Pedri and Messi when Pedri won the Golden Boy, it was a good night, I almost cried when Messi said my name"

You leave your office and next is the gym "Mostly Pedri uses it really, I am more of a run around the city type of girl, but yeah, we have everythung he needs to stay in his top form"

Next are the guest rooms "Mostly Pedri's family uses them really"

"Does your family not come around?"

"Oh they do, just not as much as his. His family adore each other so much, my own knows we better not spend that much time together or we will probably end up killing each other"

You direct them through a door and lead them into your dressing room, the thing is full with yours and Pedri's clothes, mostly yours though.

"My favorite part here is definitely this one" you say and lead them to a zone full of sweatshirts that are definitely not yours "I must confess I am a steal-your-clothes type of girlfriend"

You show them your shoes, pointing to your favorite pair, the same with other types of clothing's before showing off the famous mirror you take selfies in that everyone is in love with and leave the room.

The bathroom comes next, big enough for two people to be inside at the same time "There is a side for Pedri and one for me" you say in front of the two sinks "He says things are not proportionate, though" and it is true, as you open you own closet the thing is full of everything you own, on his there are a couple of things that are his, the basics, and on the lower part he too keeps some of your stuff "I don't see what he says, everything is good in my opinion"

As you leave the bathroom, you hear the door open on the background, and are quick on your feet to greet your boyfriend, the crew almost struggling to keep up with you and film the kiss you two share.

"Perdón, se me olvidaba hoy tenías esto, me puedo ir si quieres" (sorry, I forgot this was today, I can go if you want me to)

You turn to look at the crew, they all sake their heads "Noo, quédate, igual solo me queda por mostrar el patio" (noo, stay, only the backyard is the one thing left)

"¿Mostraste la habitación?" (you showed the bedroom?)

You shake your head "Claro que no, no se van a morir por no ver una cama" (of course not, it's not like they will die if they don't see a bed)

"No lo sé, algunos de tus fans son muy intensos" (I don't know, some of your fans are pretty intense)

"Hablo él que tiene a las niñas de 12 años peleándose por él en tiktok" (says the one who has the twelve-year-olds fighting for him on tiktok)

You are followed by your boyfriend and crew outside to see the big pool, the goal, the basket full of balls, a barbecue and the seats you use to tan.

"I must confess it's Pedri who spends most of the time here, I mostly only come out during the summer to keep myself tan"

"¿Les estás diciendo que no usas nuestra piscina?" (are you telling them how you don't use our pool?)

"Más o menos, ¿por qué no presentas tú nuestro gran jardín?" (more or less, why don't you present our great garden?)

"Seguro lo haré mejor que tú" he clears his throat and puts on the same face he does on Barça videos "Espera, ¿tengo que hacerlo en inglés?" (I most definitely will do it better than you do. Wait, do I have to do it in English?)

The crew shakes his head "We will make sure to translate it later"

"Menos mal. Bueno, acá tenemos una gran piscina que la señorita no usa más que para postureo, se habrá metido cuatro veces contadas" (thanks god. Well, here we have a great pool that the young lady only uses for photos, she will have been in it about four times)

"¡No le digas eso!" (don't tell them that!)

"Silencio, que estoy en mi entrevista con Vogue. Bueno, también tenemos esta portería, así para practicar un poco, aunque la portera s/n no es muy buena que digamos" (silent, I am in my Vogue interview. Well, here we have a goal to practice a bit, even though goalkeeper s/n is not very good)

You roll your eyes and he sticks his tongue out at you.

"Las tumbonas para que la señorita se ponga morena y una barbacoa que ninguno tocamos porque nos la cargamos" (the chairs so the lady can tan and a barbecue that neither of us touch because we would break it)

"Well guys, that is all our house, we hope you liked the video, thanks so much to Vogue for coming all the way to Barcelona. ¿Quieres decir algo?" (you want to say something?)

"Ehhh, give a like? Subscribirse y... ya está, ¿no?" (subscribe and... that's it, right?)

"Yeah, that's it, lots of kisses and I will be seeing you next time"

The camera takes one last shot of you two mustering out your best smiles and the video is over.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil’s National High School Exam from 2021 marred by accusations of censorship

[Image description: person holding two stacks of papers, one of ENEM questions, another for answers.]

ENEM (Brazil's National High School Exam) is a non-obligatory standardized test to evaluate high school students' scholarly learning. Having become the main entrance exam for most Brazilian universities, one can roughly think of it as the country's SATs.

It's a long exam, with 180 multiple-choice questions & an essay, held over two Sundays, in sessions of 5h. It branches Portuguese, History, Geography, Math, Physics, Chemistry, Sociology, Philosophy, Biology, Literature, Arts, & English/Spanish (student chooses foreign language).

The exam is divided in four "areas", each with 45 questions:

- Languages, codes, and related technologies (plus a written essay)

- Human sciences and related technologies

- Natural sciences and related technologies

- Mathematics and its technologies.

Given the essay is usually about social issues & the exam as a whole often mentions current events, the exam has loooong been accused by conservatives of left-leaning/liberal bias. Brazil's current president, Jair Bolsonaro, frequently deemed far-right, endorses that opinion. Shortly after winning the 2018 presidential election, he spoke about an ENEM question on LGBT+ history:  "Don't worry, next year there won't be any more questions like that." This month, during a visit to Qatar, he said "Look at the pattern of Enem in Brazil. For God's sake. Does that measure any knowledge? Or is it political activism and behavioral issues?" 

Now that you've got the basics on what ENEM is, here's the latest bombshell news: 37 people resigned from the Brazilian educational studies institute INEP just two weeks before Enem was set to take place. They complained about “lack of command” in the planning of this year's edition, about an “atmosphere of insecurity and fear” created by the government, and of their superiors forcing them to change exam questions & subjecting them to "intolerable pressure" & "harassment".

It's been reported Bolsonaro himself asked Education Minister for any questions mentioning the Brazil's 1964-1985 dictatorship to refer to the military coup that started it as a 'revolution'. Since he took charge in 2019, ENEM hasn't mention the regime.

Bolsonaro denied the accusation of interference, saying "I didn't see it, I didn’t look at it, I don't know it." A few days earlier, though, he had said "Now ENEM's questions are starting to resemble the government. No need to worry about those absurd questions from the past."

This year's censored questions haven't been disclosed beyond that. Rejected questions get archived on a national database so they have a chance of being used in a future edition, thus they're classified. But there’s a document of INEP workers requesting re-inclusion of 38 of the 66 questions the government barred for 2019's ENEM. They're not 100% discarded but can't be used until INEP's presidency decides, so they’re in a limbo. Journalists gained access to some of 2019′s censored ENEM questions.

*Law & Order SVU voice* These are their stories.

Mafalda

This Mafalda comic (shoddily edited here by me to add my translation) got barred from 2019's ENEM. The commission appointed by the government to evaluate the questions said simply "It generates unnecessary controversy".

[Image description: Mafalda sees her mother knitting, says to herself: “Poor Mom! She’s worried because tomorrow I’m starting kindergarten & she fears me disliking it. I could calm her down saying I wish to go to kindergarten, then middle school, high school, college, etc...” Mafalda walks to her mother: “Mom, I want to go to kindergarten & study hard in order not to be a frustrated & failed woman like you when I grow up!” Mafalda leaves the room with a smile, her mother in tears, and says to herself “It feels so good to comfort our mother!”]

Madonna

The Bolsonaro government also censored from Brazil's National High School Exam of 2019 Madonna's 1986 song 'Papa Don't Preach', from the POV of a teen girl telling her father she's pregnant. The justification: "It generates unnecessary controversy".

[Image description: Madonna in the Papa Don’t Preach music video.]

Military Dictatorship

Three poems found themselves barred. One is Maio 1964 (May 1964) by Ferreira Gullar, about political imprisonment & torture in Brazil's Military Regime. Alhough the question just required saying it referred to that time, they barred it for "Historical decontextualization of the text". An unspecified poem by Paulo Leminski was barred for the same reason - "Historical decontextualization of the text". A song by Chico Buarque was barred for "Biased reading of history / Suggestion: replace 'dictatorship' with 'military regime'." Both talked about that... Regime

[Image description: Ferreira Gullar, Paulo Leminski, and Chico Buarque.]

Religion? Sort of?

Another question that was censored featured this comic (also shoddily edited by me for translation). They said "It hurts religious sentiment", despite religion being far from the focus here, which is on online privacy and oversharing.

[Image description: comic of a Christian confessionary booth; the confessor, on their knees, say “Father, I have sinned...”; the priest, browsing Facebook on a computer, answers “I already knew...”]

There was also Poem VII, by Manoel Barros in his book O Livro Das Ignorãças ('Book Of Ignorance', but the last word deliberately misspelled). They said "It hurts religious feeling & freedom of belief" (probably because the first verse paraphrases the Bible; the poem said “In the dis-beginning there was verb” in a way that specifically reminisced “In the beginning” in Genesis).

[Image description: Manoel de Barros.]

Laerte

Another censored comic was by Brazilian transgender cartoonist Laerte Coutinho. The question aimed, say the workers' records, for "critical thinking on the recognition of diversity in contemporary society", & got barred for "Biased reading of history" & "Directioning of thought".

[Image description: Laerte Coutinho.]

More history and current social issues

Also censored in Brazil's 2019 ENEM were questions about:

slavery in the country's history and its still existing impact on poor Afro-Brazilians nowadays; barred for - you guessed it? - "Biased reading of history";

public security (with one of the options for answers being police violence), barred for "Offending police forces";

feminism (with a photo of a woman in bra in a Slut Walk). They were barred for, respectively,  & "Unnecessary controversy";

the debate of lowering or not our legal penal age, which is currently 18, was censored because "It generates unnecessary controversy in favor of not reducing the age of criminal responsibility";

gun safety, mentioning an event in 2013 when a 5 year old child in Burkesville, USA, accidentally killed his younger sister with the rifle he had gotten as birthday gift; barred for - guessed it? - "Unnecessary controversy";

Israel

Two questions about Bolsonaro ally Israel (one about the its relationship with then US president Donald Trump & another about Jewwish settlement in Palestinian land in the early 1900s) were barred for “Biased reading of geography/history” & "Unnecessary interference with another country's sovereignty”.

Oh but it wasn't only humanities questions that got censored. Math and sciences weren't spared either! *pops knuckles*

For starters, a biology question about cannibalism  in the animal kingdom was barred for "Inducing the youngster to antisocial behaviour".

A question about care in HIV/AIDS, which mentioned condoms as the cheapest and most effective way to prevent it, got censored for "Unnecessary controversy" & "Directioning of personal health care".

Another question, about the eased transmission of leprosy (Hansen's disease) in Brazilian prisons due to overcrowding & precarious living conditions, was censored for "Generating unnecessary controversy about the penal system".

Even farming wasn't spared. A question about the production of genetically modified corn was barred fr "Unnecessary controversy regarding rural production".

And even a math question got censored! For... Wait for it... Yes! “Unnecessary controversy”! Again! This time, "regarding the idea of a couple". As we head to the end of the thread, I hope you give me the liberty to:

[Image description: gif of the Confused Brazilian Blonde Math Lady meme.]

So... What now?

In response to these, deputies from the opposition have requested the suspension of INEP's president Danilo Dupas (who said the resignation of employees was due to "internal issues"), permanent audit on the Education Ministry, & investigation of harassment claims.

-

This post was based mainly on Revista Piauí’s recent report on that 2019 INEP document. You can read it in Portuguese here. Other sources were linked throughout the text.

A Twitter Thread version of this post is available on the Bird App.

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Thanks!

[beauty-and-passion]

Silly fun challenge prompt: what languages do you associate with the Sides/what would be the 2nd language each Side learn?

For example I am a big fan of Hispanic (Spanish speaking) Creativitwins fanon. And c! Thomas too could've learnt Spanish in high school and the fact his love interest is hispanic too just makes perfect sense-

And in contrast to Hispanic twins I headcanon Janus as a francophone (French speaking) for two reasons: 1) it was still lingua franca around Victorian era, his aesthetic inspiration and 2) dividing American high school by Spanish class vs. French class is like causing Civil War (I was and still am a language nerd, so I learnt both languages, which was a mistake but the kind of mistake that was worth it when you think about it later)

German suites Logan since lots of famous philosophers are German. I associate Japanese or Korean with Virgil since those two are really dominant in the current subculture world (and maybe our emo could've been inspired and turn into E-boy - wow that sounds terrifying)

I don't have strong preference on Patton's but Italian sounds nice, since all those music and dessert and anything sweet are often from Italy. And maybe 'Orange' can be some language that sounds harsh like Russian, so he can murmur in that in sleep and scares everyone else

I know you're in Europe: 1) you use GMT and 2) Americans wouldn't care about Eurovision. So I wonder how you would think based on your European experience!

Oooh, I like this! As European Who Studied Languages, I definitely approve this and I'll gladly add my two cents about which languages the sides should learn.

_________

Roman: He canonically knows Spanish and that's perfect like that. Spanish is a romantic language, someone speaks Spanish and you can't help but swoon. It’s a great choice for the Side responsible for romance and passion.

_________

Remus: Remus isn't just intrusive thoughts, but there’s a very high chance he’s also responsible for Thomas' sexual urges. So, what is the language made for sex? You’re right, it’s French. French is sexy. You can say anything in French and bam, ✨sexy ✨.

"Je sors la poubelle." Sexy, isn't it? Well, I just said "I'm taking out the trash". See? Very sexy.

(French people, please confirm my words. We all know it’s true)

_________

Janus: Your points are incredibly valid and I love them. But if we should choose among all languages, I would love Janus to be one of the very few (extremely few) people in the world who can speak Latin.

I know Latin is a dead language, but it would be great - and not just because of the connection with his name.

Let’s consider that the other Romance languages, despite evolving from Latin, cannot entirely understand it, because they all changed a lot through the centuries after mixing with the Germanic ones. On the other hand, the Germanic languages (English, German, Swedish and so on) are part of a completely different group, only slightly influenced by Latin, so they cannot understand it.

In other words, Janus would speak a language that only sounds familiar - and maybe you can grasp a couple words here and there if you know a romance language, but the true meaning is hidden. What is he actually saying? Who knows. Is he actually cursing someone? Who knows. After all, do you understand Latin? Yeah, me neither.

If I have to pick a language that is still spoken today instead, I think I'll join you with French. Your points are valid and French is a very elegant language, fitting for Janus’ whole aesthetic. So yes, French could work.

_________

Logan: German is a great choice and you are absolutely right with your point about the philosophers. Also German is a language of harsh sounds and strict grammar rules - for example:

declensions that should be used accordingly for articles, adjectives and nouns

specific verbs for specific meanings

words made by putting together shorter words (like Haustürschlüssel.  Haustür means “front door”, Schlüssel means “key” -> this word means “front door’s key”)

sentences that should follow a specific construction, with parts of the compound verb after the noun and part at the end of the sentence. And secondary phrases also have a specific syntax and should always be introduced by a comma

In other words, it's a very organized language and I think it would fit Logan.

But also, considering that almost all words related to science and philosophy come from Greek, I think Logan should at least understand some Greek. As a treat.

(Also because Greek is another incredibly complicated language, so if someone has the patience to learn it, it’s definitely Logan.)

_________

Virgil: oh my gosh, I never thought about an eastern language for Virgil. In a way, it would be a very peculiar choice and I kinda like it. Japanese and Korean are extremely complicated languages, they have a very specific alphabet (I'm especially thinking about the Japanese one, that even asks for a specific direction to write words) and require a lot of work (and memory) to learn them.

But Virgil is also a poet and when I think of poets and sonnets my first connection is with the french ennui, le mal du vivre and especially Baudelaire and his works. Virgil would appreciate Baudelaire a lot. So French, again.

But hey, there’s too much French now. So I’ll pick the other european literature full of sadness: the russian one.

Russian is supposed to be a big scary language and its alphabet is weird and omg what if they're cursing us? But if you learn it a little bit, you’ll find out that Russian has a lot of soft/open sounds (due to a good use of vowels) and it's very poetic.

So the language itself is a bit like Virgil: he seems scary and evil at a first glance, but if you learn about him, he's actually kinder than he looks.

But never underestimate Russian, because just like Anxiety, fear is just behind the corner: you start learning it and wow, there is just one present tense, one past tense and one future tense? This is great, what a wonderful language!

And then, before you’ll realize it, you will find out that each verb has a “doppelganger” used for entirely different purposes AND there a gazillion verbs of motion and you will end up crying on the floor, because there are just too many verbs - and look, there are also one trillion particles you can put before these verbs and they give them EVEN MORE MEANINGS.

No, this isn't entirely based on my personal experience, what makes you think that.

_________

Patton: I have never thought about Patton learning another language, because English just fits him too well.

But when you proposed Italian... well, my heart just wiped out everything else. There is nothing here, only Patton speaking Italian.

So yes, Patton's second language should be Italian. No, it must be Italian. Because French is the language of sex, Spanish is the language of love, but if you want to declare your eternal love to someone, you use Italian. Do you want to marry someone? Italian. Do you want to tell your significant other how much you adore them? Italian. Italian has one million ways to express love and Patton should use them all with his kiddos.

And yes, Italian is also associated with warm people, warm places and good food, all things Patton deserves and should enjoy. So Italian is a big yes.

_________

Orange: since Orange is a mystery, I am a bit torn between these two languages:

1) Esperanto: This language is amazing, because it isn’t a natural language, born like all others, but it has been built by a man, who wanted to create an universal language in order to foster world peace and international understanding.

So this language has been created to be as simple as possible, with a very regular grammar (unlike all other natural languages) and its words all have references to other language groups (romance, germanic, slavic, indo-europeans, finno-ugric languages and so on).

And if you actually listen to it (especially if you know some latin languages) you will find it weirdly understandable. I found this video in particular and I was impressed by how strangely familiar esperanto sounds.

And... that’s it, I just think it would be kinda poetic that the last side knows a language that all others can use and understand.

2) A Greenlandic language. Why? Because they are insanely polysynthetic.

What does that mean? If in German you can make words by putting together other two/three words (like in the example I used before), in the Greenlandic languages you can build an entire sentence by putting together nouns, verbs, articles and everything else. All together in one single word, whose meaning can be translated with an entire sentence in another language.

Do you want an example? Here is an example from Wikipedia: tuntussuqatarniksaitengqiggtuq.

Yes, this is a word.

This word is from the Yupik language and means "He had not yet said again that he was going to hunt reindeer.". And this word is made of:

tuntu- (= reindeer)

ssur-  (= hunt)

qatar- (future tense)

ni- (= say)

ksaite- (negative)

ngqiggte- (= again)

uq  (3rd.sing.IND)

Is this insane? This is fucking insane. Do you want to be scared? This is real fear. What the heck. How. Why.

You know what? This is perfect for Orange, I’ll leave Esperanto to Thomas. Orange deserves to be this scary. I can already see the other sides quiver before him.

_________

And so, here are my guesses! If someone has other ideas, feel free to add yours and tell us why, so we can all have a nice discussion :D