#lets organic Dubai

[letsorganicseo]

Going Nuts for Organic: The Benefits of Choosing Organic Nuts for Your Health and the Environment

Nuts are a staple food in many cultures and have been a part of human diets for thousands of years. They are known for their high nutrient content and ability to provide sustained energy throughout the day. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in organic nuts as people have become more aware of the benefits of organic farming practices for their health and the environment. This article will discuss the benefits of choosing organic nuts over conventionally grown nuts and the role of organic farming in promoting sustainable agriculture.

What are Organic Nuts?

Organic nuts are grown using farming practices prioritizing environmental sustainability and soil, water, and air health. It means no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers are used in their production, and no genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are present in the farming process. Organic farming also minimizes soil erosion, promotes biodiversity, and protects natural habitats.

Organic nuts are also processed without additives, preservatives, or synthetic chemicals. It ensures the final product is free from harmful substances that can negatively impact our health. Instead, organic nuts are handled carefully, ensuring they retain their natural flavors, textures, and nutrients.

Types of organic nuts

Many organic nuts are available, each with a unique flavor and nutritional profile. Here are some of the most popular types of organic nuts:

1.     Almonds:

Almonds are a popular type of nut rich in nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamin E, and healthy fats. They have a slightly sweet and nutty flavor and are often used in baking, snacking, and as a topping for salads and yogurt.

2.     Cashews:

Cashews are a creamy, buttery nut often used in Asian cuisine and as a dairy substitute in vegan recipes. They are a good source of protein, healthy fats, and minerals such as magnesium and zinc.

3.     Walnuts:

Walnuts have a slightly bitter and earthy flavor and are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, and antioxidants. They are often used in baking, as a topping for oatmeal or yogurt, or as a snack.

4.     Pecans:

Pecans have a rich buttery flavor and are often used in baking, as a topping for salads, or as a snack. They are a good source of healthy fats, protein, fiber, and minerals such as magnesium and zinc.

5.     Brazil Nuts:

Brazil nuts have a creamy and slightly sweet flavor and are a good source of protein, healthy fats, and minerals such as selenium. They are often used in baking, as a topping for salads or yogurt, or as a snack.

6.     Hazelnuts:

Hazelnuts have a sweet and nutty flavor and are often used in baking, as a topping for salads or yogurt, or as a snack. They are a good source of protein, healthy fats, and minerals such as magnesium and potassium.

7.     Pistachios:

Pistachios have a slightly sweet and nutty flavor and are often used in baking, as a topping for salads or yogurt, or as a snack. They are a good source of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

The Benefits of Organic Nuts:

1.      Higher Nutrient Content:

Organic nuts have been found to have a higher nutrient content compared to conventionally grown nuts. Studies have shown that organic nuts have higher levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and zinc. This is because organic farming practices promote healthy soil, promoting healthy plant growth, and nutrient absorption.

2.      Better for the Environment:

Organic farming practices prioritize the environment's health by using methods that reduce pollution, soil erosion, and greenhouse gas emissions. These methods include crop rotation, natural pest control, and compost and manure instead of synthetic fertilizers. Organic farming promotes biodiversity, important for maintaining healthy ecosystems and natural habitats.

3.      No Harmful Chemicals:

Organic nuts are free from harmful chemicals such as synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. These chemicals have been linked to various health problems, including cancer, reproductive issues, and neurological damage. Choosing organic nuts ensures that you consume food free from these harmful substances.

4.      Better Taste:

Organic nuts are often considered to taste better than conventionally grown nuts. This is because they are handled with care and processed without the use of preservatives or additives. Organic nuts are also more likely to be grown in smaller batches, which allows for greater attention to detail and quality control.

5.      Supporting Sustainable Agriculture:

By choosing organic nuts, you support sustainable agriculture practices that prioritize the health of the environment, soil, and water. Organic farming also supports small-scale farmers, who often rely on traditional methods of agriculture that are more in line with the principles of sustainability.

How to Incorporate Organic Nuts into Your Diet?

Organic nuts can be incorporated into your diet in a variety of ways. Here are a few ideas:

1.      As a Snack:

Organic nuts make a great snack when you need a quick energy boost. They are portable, easy to store, and can be eaten on the go. Try carrying a small bag of organic nuts when moving, and reach for them when you need a healthy snack.

2.      As a Topping:

Organic nuts can be used as a topping for salads, oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothie bowls. They add a satisfying crunch and a flavor boost to your meals, providing you with essential nutrients.

3.      As a Butter:

Organic nut butter is a delicious and nutritious addition to your diet. It can be used as a toast spread or as a fruit and vegetable dip. Nut butter is also great for making homemade granola bars, energy balls, and other healthy snacks.

4.      In Baked Goods:

Organic nuts can be used in baked goods like muffins, bread, and cakes. They add texture and flavor to your baked goods while providing a healthy source of protein and other nutrients.

5.      In Trail Mix:

Organic nuts are a common ingredient in trail mix, a popular hiking, camping, or on-the-go snack. Trail mix can be customized to your taste preferences by adding dried fruits, seeds, or chocolate chips.

Are you switching to organic nuts-worthy options for health?

Switching to organic nuts is a worthy option for improving your health. Organic nuts have several health benefits over conventionally grown nuts, making them healthier and more nutritious. Here are some reasons why switching to organic nuts is a good option for your health:

1.      Higher Nutrient Content:

Organic nuts are known to have a higher nutrient content compared to conventionally grown nuts. Studies have shown that organic nuts have higher levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and zinc. This is because organic farming practices promote healthy soil, promoting healthy plant growth, and nutrient absorption.

2.      No Harmful Chemicals:

Organic nuts are grown and processed without harmful chemicals such as synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. These chemicals have been linked to various health problems, including cancer, reproductive issues, and neurological damage. You are consuming food free from these harmful substances by choosing organic nuts.

3.      Better for the Environment:

Organic farming practices prioritize the environment's health by using methods that reduce pollution, soil erosion, and greenhouse gas emissions. These methods include crop rotation, natural pest control, and compost and manure instead of synthetic fertilizers. Organic farming promotes biodiversity, important for maintaining healthy ecosystems and natural habitats.

4.      Less Likely to Be Contaminated:

Organic nuts are less likely to be contaminated with harmful substances, such as aflatoxins, which can develop on nuts when they are exposed to moisture and warm temperatures. Organic nuts are handled carefully, ensuring they are less likely to be contaminated during the growing and processing stages.

5.      Better Taste:

Organic nuts are often considered to taste better than conventionally grown nuts. This is because they are handled carefully and processed without preservatives or additives. Organic nuts are also more likely to be grown in smaller batches, which allows for greater attention to detail and quality control.

By choosing organic nuts, you make a healthier and more sustainable choice for yourself and the planet.

How to buy organic nuts?

Buying organic nuts is a great way to support sustainable agriculture and improve your health. Here are some tips on how to buy organic nuts:

1.      Look for the USDA Organic Label:

The easiest way to ensure you buy organic nuts is to look for the USDA Organic label. The United States Department of Agriculture regulates this label and ensures that the product has been grown and processed according to strict organic standards.

2.      Buy from Trusted Sources:

Buy organic nuts from trusted sources, such as local farmers' markets, organic food stores, or reputable online retailers. These sources are more likely to sell high-quality organic nuts grown and processed according to organic standards.

3.      Check the Packaging:

Check the packaging to ensure the nuts have been certified organic by a reputable certification agency. Look for the certification logo, which should be prominently displayed on the packaging.

4.      Check the Expiration Date:

Make sure to check the expiration date before purchasing organic nuts. Nuts can go rancid over time, impacting their flavor and nutritional value. Fresh nuts will have a longer shelf life and are more likely to retain their flavor and nutritional value.

5.      Choose Whole Nuts:

When possible, choose whole organic nuts instead of pre-shelled or processed nuts. Whole nuts are less likely to be contaminated with additives or preservatives, and they are more likely to retain their natural flavors and nutrients.

6.      Consider the Source:

Consider where the nuts were grown and processed. Look for nuts grown locally or regionally, as this reduces the carbon footprint associated with transportation. Additionally, consider the farming practices used to grow the nuts, as some organic farms may use more sustainable or ethical practices than others.

By following these tips, you can ensure you get the highest quality organic nuts available.

Conclusion:

Organic nuts are a delicious and nutritious addition to your diet, and choosing them over conventionally grown nuts has numerous benefits for your health and the environment. Organic farming practices prioritize the health of the soil, water, and air while also supporting biodiversity and sustainable agriculture. By incorporating organic nuts into your diet, you are improving your health and supporting a more sustainable and ethical food system. So, next time you reach for a snack, consider going nuts for organic!

[gallierhouse]

Armand really likes playing with dolls. He throws Lestat around like a rag doll when he meets him, he ties people to his slab and sets them on fire. The theatre is his dollhouse, and all the cast and crew are his little toys he puppets (he literally does, when he makes them all pass out at the dinner table and when he manhandles Santiago and Claudia), and he directs their little plays and dresses them up in little costumes and has them act out his fun little fantasies every night (“no pain,” Claudia falling out of a window and dying, etc.). He even sets their bedtime. Then he’s got his morgue, where he keeps all the parts he doesn’t feel like playing with anymore. Still organized, still catalogued, still clearly owned by him. In little boxes with their names written on them. In San Francisco he buys houses and fixes the slanting floors and flips them for profit. He rips newspaper off the windows to let the light in when he’s arguing with Louis. Then he restricts Louis’ movement and leaves him immobile and in pain on a bed instead of feeding him or putting him in his coffin. He cuts the strings of his favorite marionette. You see it in how he feeds Louis. He drips his blood into Louis’ mouth and then removes his wrist once he decides Louis has had enough. Then he puppets and contorts Daniel’s body for his own amusement, and then he sets Daniel in front of the television and leaves it on like he’s babysitting a child, and then he gently cleans up Daniel’s wounds and holds him like a child and convinces him he wants to die. In Dubai he controls all the windows in the penthouse, and he’s made some interesting decisions about their wardrobe (it’s all black athleisure, unless Armand’s wearing a dress shirt). The shelves are out of Louis’ reach, the only one ever shown leaving the apartment is Armand. He sells their paintings. He’s planted his magnolia in the zen garden he built for Louis. It’s literally his dollhouse he keeps his favorite doll in. Their bedroom is made of bars. He’s wiped some of Louis’ memories, he’s put Fred Steins in with Louis’ photos. I think Armand conceptualizes all of this as servitude, things he does for someone else’s benefit at the expense of himself because he’s dutiful and self-sacrificial, and I think there is some truth to that, but on another level, he really enjoys playing with dolls. He’d probably be better off if he started playing the Sims or something. He’s such a little perfectionist with a control freak streak. He’s actually very easy to please. As long as everything goes his way 24/7, 365, without failure or exception, he’s happy.

[centrally-unplanned]

Adam Tooze giving some pitch-perfect pornography targeted at me specifically with Israel's "Gaza 2035: A three-step master plan to build what they call the Gaza-Arish-Sderot Free Trade Zone", capped with an AI generated Gaza-Dubai:

I'm in love, this is so glorious. "The world if Israel could play around with Gaza like a little set of Legos" tell me this is not identical energy:

Except its not a shitpost its an actual report from the Office of the Prime Minister. And folks we have got it all! The most convoluted administration system you could possibly imagine for no reason:

The new free trade zone would be administered by Israel, Egypt, and what the Israeli Prime Minister calls the Gaza Rehabilitation Authority (GRA)—a proposed Palestinian-run agency that would oversee reconstruction in Gaza and “manage the Strip’s finances.”

A cutesy little minimalist graphic of all the brand new industries that will magically become globally competitive in export markets because Israel says so:

The beach resorts are in my beloved!! But what are the little factories you ask? Oh nothing, just electric car production facilities!

Remember, before building your first factory, you need 18 Burj Khalifas. We economists call this "infrastructure development", take notes.

It will have high-speed rail through its center, oil projects on the coast, and of course, I'm saving the best for last - a rail project to NEOM:

 🥳The 🥳Line 🥳Mentioned 🥳

The legend on the map literally just says "a mega project" like, oh yeah, one of those! See em all the time.

Now, you might be asking - Ash, if this is your goal wouldn't you have not destroyed every square inch of habitable urban infrastructure in Gaza and shredded their economy into scraps of paper soaked in blood if your plan was to Singapore-on-the-Sea the place? You sweet summer child, those apartments? They are apartments of the past, darling, you don't need organically developed urban ecologies built over time to compliment human habitation. That is for fucking libs. All of this "war" thing was just set-up to create a blank slate for the construction of The Line 2: Its Definitely Real This Time!

I am going to murder James C Scott myself just so I can hover this plan over his corpse and watch the sheer hubris of this monument to the state's desire for legibility and technocratic solutionism resurrect him from the goddamn grave.

"Well....at least after all this they would have to recognize Palestine as a stat-" Woah woah woah woah, hold on:

The final stage would be when Palestine signs the Abraham Accords signaling “Palestinian self-rule,” albeit without statehood

Lets not...lets not get overambitious here. Baby steps, you know? We have to be careful.

Anyway this is the most ludicrously ill-considered and ill-presented reconstruction plan I have ever seen in my life and I shudder to think that, instead of it being an off-hand drip of propaganda intended solely to brush off nosey reporters and diplomats, it might actually be serious. Bibi hasn't let me down yet on the "thinking things through" front!

But tbc if this was fiction - instead of a ruthlessly grim reality - the Regional Deputy Minister of Trade charged with implementing this technocratic abortion would be my precious little blorbo and I would stan her to hell and back.

[eiraeths]

quotes from the tv show chuck, but make it the 141

———

Ghost: I’m a Riley, I don’t run. I stalk my prey.

———

Soap: [to Ghost, under the influence of a truth serum] God you're so pretty! And Gaz, your jaw was chiseled by Michelangelo himself.

Gaz: Thank you.

———

Ghost: Relax, I think I see a scenario where we both get out of here with acceptable losses.

Soap: What exactly is your version of acceptable?

Ghost: Breaks and punctures, possible loss of a limb, no major organ damage.

———

Soap: [mimicking Ghost’s voice] Well thanks for saving my life today, Soap.

Soap: Any time, Ghost. Yeah, you know what you're my friend.

Soap: [mimicking Ghost’s voice] Yeah, you know what, you're my friend too.

Soap: That's really kind of you, Ghost. Have a good night.

Ghost: [seriously] Thank you. [closes door]

———

Soap: What's in Dubai?

Ghost: Weap-Con, the greatest weapons convention in the world. I go every year. I find it incredibly relaxing. It looks like I'll get to write this year's off as a business trip.

———

Laswell: Well, it's an interesting group of employees you've put together here.

Price: Oh, they scare me too. Ha ha ha.

———

Soap: I talked to Ghost.

Gaz: And?

Soap: If he'd have me, I'd let him.

———

Soap: [while Ghost is about to leaving for a mission] What am I, what do I say? What do we...?

Ghost: I love you.

Soap: That's good. I love you. I like that. I love you, too. Be safe, okay?

Ghost: Nothing is gonna keep me from coming back to you.

Soap: Better not.

———

Laswell: Lieutenant Riley, after the Yves St. Laurent incident, you will obviously have to sit this one out.

Ghost: [quietly to himself] Stab one guy with a stilleto...

———

Soap: [to Ghost] Do our wedding colors remind you of socialism?

———

Soap: Let's get this party started.

Ghost: [eager to kill mercenaries] My sentiments exactly.

———

Ghost: It made a nasty scar, right over one of my favorite scars.

———

this was more ghoap than the 141

whoops

anyways happy holidays the yuletide is in fact gay or whatever that actually means

i told my dad about the time i got barked at by vultures and he got a sign that says beware of vultures and put it on my door. he thinks he’s so funny. (he is)

[courtney-deserved-better]

Hello and Dubai: Emma represses her feelings, and is given a warning.

chapter eight of my ridonculous race rewrite has been posted! go check it out!

read from the beginning here

summary:

Courtney thinks competing in the Ridonculous Race as the Best Friends is a terrible idea, but Alejandro is certain that with their skills, they can win… even if his legs are still damaged, and a few former members of Team Chris are also competing. Not to mention that Courtney soon finds herself distracted by a face she never expected to see here. As wounds from the past begin to rip open, will the Best Friends be able to stay best friends?

Noah expects this show to be like any other that he and Owen have competed on in the last year, complete with his steadily increasing competitive drive. What he doesn’t expect is to make fast friends with another team, or a reunion with a strangely sincere Alejandro. More perceptive than he’s given credit for, Owen just wants his little buddy to choose happiness, which is easier said than done on reality television.

Emma will do anything to win the million—except trust her opponents, or even her allies. Competing mostly for fun, Kitty wishes her sister would let her walls down, as she’s tired of how Emma’s been treating her since her bad breakup. There’s only so much bossy behavior she can take, and if Emma doesn’t start being honest with her, Kitty’s going to take charge.

[the-fo0l]

Hi again! So my idea was for a yan Agent 47 having to take reader with him on missions. The place 47 kept them in was recently infiltrated by another rival organization. Now he doesn't trust anyone other than himself to protect his darling (let's just say he can't leave her with Diana because she's constantly on the move). So whenever he takes them with him, he has them blending in with other civilians... the only problem is that reader attracts danger. Literally. No matter where they are, the targets are somehow within the same vicinity, chatting them up and becoming infatuated with them like our fave agent, who is slowly losing his stoic composure. I imagined this for his missions in like Paris, Bangkok, and even Dubai since the crowd of npcs are huge and the targets are usually just walking around. (Sorry if this is too long 😅)

"Thrill of the kill"

agent 47 x nb! reader

Notes: uhhhh omg this is like my favorite request ever??? god i hope i did it justice. but it also took like 5 months for me to get to :((

Summary: 47 has to bring reader with him on the Bangkok mission. and they have an certain encounter with Jordan Cross that motivates 47 to bring a...satisfying end to this mission

Warnings: violence, some swears, unhealthy love obsessions, may not be 100% accurate, takes place a day before the actual mission

[the dotted lines are little timeskips]

The atmosphere was so tense, almost suffocatingly so.

Rain pelts fall down onto the windshield, creating a steady loud drumming sound that fills the car. The darkness outside is impenetrable, making it difficult to anything more than a few feet away, and the windows being covered in water certainly doesn't help.

Occasionally, a flash of lightning illuminates the outside world for a brief moment before plunging it right back into darkness.

Still, 47 drives with ease, weaving through the rain-slicked roads with impressive precision, not that you expected anything less. There's a sense of exhilaration that comes with the speed of the car and the current circumstances.

You've been lost in thought for a while now, the events of the last few hours melt together into one big blur. How the hell they managed to find you remains a mystery, but considering the countless measures that'd been in place to prevent situations exactly like these, it couldn't have been easy.

You hear 47 exhale shakily, an involuntary little thing that brings your attention back to him. 47 was normally so calm and collected, yet now he's visibly troubled. You could see it in the stiffness of his posture, the way his eyes move rather erratically between the road, the rear-view mirror and you, and in the way his fingers flex and fidget around the steering wheel.

You could sense the palpable paranoia emanating from him. See that he's struggling with his decision to bring you along on this mission. He knows your presence might complicate the job, or worse, put you in harm's way, but he loves you too much to leave you unprotected at a time like this. The thought of leaving you with someone else, or just letting you out of his sight at all, made him anxious. No, he himself is the only person 47 could trust to properly protect you now.

For you, the night had been both terrifying and surreal. You'd been held captive by this man for so long that you'd forgotten what freedom feels like. Hell, you'd forgotten what car rides felt like. Watching the rain slide down the windows was a sight for sore eyes.

47 continues to drive forward, and as you hurtle towards your unknown destination, you feel liberated in a way, even if you are by all means not free.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The journey to Bangkok had been long, but not unpleasant. Between the private and exclusive transport and 47s determination to make you as comfortable as possible, you weren’t really given the opportunity to be uncomfortable.

Even while out in the water, you can make out a set of yellow buildings surrounded by green leafage. Once docked, 47 courteously helps you off the boat and leads you down the dock towards the Himmapan.

As you approach the luxurious hotel, you're immediately engulfed by the lively and vibrant atmosphere, the sound of the waves, and the smell of exotic flowers hanging in the air. The tropical setting is adorned with towering palm trees and lush greenery, which provide a certain tranquility even amidst all the hustle and bustle.

On your way here, 47 had told you about the place you were going, but nothing had prepared you for a sight like this.

Naturally, 47 wasn't as affected by all the grandeur, having become accustomed to luxury after his many missions of executing the obscenely wealthy and powerful.

Instead, he marveled your awestruck expression. Taking a moment to look at you with a mix of amusement and affection, although his stoic expression doesn't falter much. 47 can't help but feel a sense of protectiveness over you seeing you delight in the simple pleasure of being out in the world again.

His hand came to rest on your lower back, making sure you stayed at his side while he guided you towards the buildings entrance. Already hating how the sight of you made a few heads turn.

Stepping into the spacious atrium, your eyes widen a bit in awe at the opulence of it all.

The plush carpet under your feet, the eager-to-please staff greeting you as you walk by, towering exotic plants and the golden light bathing everything in a warm glow. The serene ambiance was a sharp contrast to the modern safe house in the woods, where you'd been holed up in for months, although both had the massive windows in common.

"Wow, this place is gorgeous," you whispered to the assassin. "I've never been anywhere like this before."

47 nodded stoically, his eyes scanning over the room. "Stay close," he murmured to you as you two made your way to the front desk.

"Welcome to The Himmapan Hotel," the receptionist said, straightening up at 47s commanding aura, "Hello there, how may I assist you?"

"Checking in, name's Tobias Rieper," of course, 47 had prepared a reservation under his usual alias.

All while a certain Jordan Cross had been close by, preoccupied bitching to the staff about the preparations for his party tomorrow. But once he grew bored of dealing with others' incompetence, his gaze drifted away from the apologetic staff to you, and his eyes found you. All of a sudden, the staffs responses were falling on deaf ears, his attention now fully fixated on your figure as you stand a short distance behind 47.

The receptionist nodded and quickly found the reservation along with the keycard to room 205. "Thank you, sir. Welcome to the Himmapan Hotel"

As you were being given the keycard, the singer sauntered up to you, a smirk plastered his face. "Well, well, who might you be?" he said, eyeing you up and down.

"Hey there, beautiful," he purred, looking down at you with a smug expression. "What's someone like you doing here all alone?"

The look on his face made your skin crawl. You didn't need to look at 47 to sense how incredibly tense he'd become. 47 was glaring at the man from where he was standing behind you, yet he didn't say a word, even though he knew who the man was, and what he had done.

You shook your head, voice a bit shaky, it'd been a while since you spoke to someone except 47. Sad how your first non-47 interaction in months was with this asshole.

"I'm with him," you said, gesturing towards the stone faced assassin, who was using all his restraint to not pull out his gun right now in front of dozens of witnesses and cameras.

The singer continued, undeterred. "Him? Seriously? Come on, do you not know who I am? How 'bout you let me take you out tonight, I'll show you a better time than he could."

All you did in response was take a step closer to 47, fully at his side now. You had to admit, being so stupidly smug with 47 glaring at him is ballzy, or just moronic.

The whole interaction was making 47s patience run thin, his composure cracking, thinking of nothing but all the different ways he could kill him right now. Though he did feel a twinge of pride when you moved closer to him, allowing him to wrap an arm around you.

Jordan sneered, his confidence wavering when being met with your silence and 47s piercing glare.

"Suit yourself," he said, backing away. "But when you come to your senses, come up to my emperor suite, my guards'll let you in."

He turned to walk away but couldn't resist taking one last glance back at you. That look in his eyes told you this wouldn't be the last of him, and 47 saw that too. Sending you a wink was just the final nail in the coffin. The assassin involuntarily tightened his protective hold on you, glaring at his target as he walked away.

But 47s grip on your waist softened when he turned to face you, and his focus was brought back to the present moment. "Stay close," he murmured, trying to seem as unbothered as possible.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Experience utmost relaxation and lavishness amidst beautiful surroundings," the line that'd been printed on the brochures left in your room. Tell you what, one thing the Himmapan doesn't do is false advertise.

The room was exquisite, tastefully designed, with quality furniture and an incredible view. There's even a 5-star restaurant that 47 ordered you dinner from.

But not as you were settling in, 47 finally felt a sense of calm wash over him, knowing that you were in a place of relative safety now.

Though you could have sworn you'd seen that same man from earlier lingering in the hallway close to your room, he wasn't looking for you, was he..?

First, people find a way to infiltrate the safehouse. Now he has to bring you with him on a mission, potentially putting you in danger, and then the target has the gall to come on to you like that. 47 wasn't sure he could take another incident like this.

His mind couldn't help but drift to his mission, and the fact his primary target had been trying to flirt with you earlier in the lobby. After all, the only reason you and him were here in the first place was because he had a job to do, a job that he was, weirdly, looking forward to carrying out.

Despite his focused thoughts, 47 couldn't help but steal glances at you, perched on the edge of the bed, staring out at the stunning view of the city skyline from their balcony.

A couple hours, and you were finally asleep, meaning it was time for 47 to go to work. His eyes never left your peacefully resting figure as he prepared.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Happy hunting 47,"

Diana's words rang in his ears, though 47 acknowledged none of them, too busy making haste towards the man who'd now become his own personal, primary target.

The hotel was eerily quiet at night. Yes, some people could still be heard out and about in the distance, but the only sign of life in the hallway was that of 47s footsteps.

The darkness in Cross' bedroom was broken only by the moonlight and street lamps outside. 47 crept towards the bed, where his target lay asleep. He could clearly hear the man's shallow breathing and see the rise and fall of his chest, not that he would continue breathing much longer.

47 preemptively turned off his communication with Diana. She didn't need to know about what was about to go down. He could later blame it on a bad connection. After all, no one would think of 47 as anything but professional.

The assassin never had any reason for excessive violence, but this target had brought out that strange desire in him. For the first time, 47 wanted him to feel pain. So, he moved to the bedside table and took out a length of thin wire, which was then swiftly wrapped around the Jordan's neck.

The man woke suddenly, gasping for air as the wire around his neck only grew tighter. Jordan struggled for a few moments, weakly and fruitlessly struggling against 47, until the killer decided that strangulation simply wouldn't be satisfactory enough.

The singer gasped and sputtered for air, his hands flailing as he tried to fight back. But 47 was too strong, too skilled. He threw him out of bed and to the ground, pinning him down and beginning to viciously punch the singer until he went limp.

47 couldn't stop there, though. He wanted to do more. He continued to beat the lifeless body with a ferocity he had never shown before, overtaken by an irrational instinctive desire. Slowing down only once, the singer was completely beyond recognition.

Talking to you like that, disrespecting you like that, as if looking at you wasn't bad enough in the first place.

He wanted to keep punching until there was nothing left of the rock star. Blood stained 47s face and hands as he continued the assault, breaking the singers face in, long after the man had taken his final breath.

Catching his breath, he begun cleaning up the crime scene, after all, this kill looked like the exact opposite of an accident. 47 left the room as silently as he had entered, knowing that his work was done and his revenge was taken.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"All targets down, good work fou--" 47 cuts Diana's farewell is short.

A job well done, the artist is dead, along with his lawyer, even if 47 lost his cool there for a minute. It doesn't matter. He'd seen to it that no one would find Jordans body.

47 crossed the threshold of your shared hotel room as quietly as possible, carefully closing the door behind him.

He changed out of his bloodstained clothes and threw them away. Still, you don't exactly beat a man to death and bejond expecting to come out completely unscathed, even if your opponent couldn't get a single hit in.

He cleaned up his bruised knuckles as best as he could. You'd probably still ask about it, though. The thought of your questioning expression and smooth hands grazing over his calloused injured ones made him happier than he cared to admit.

47 stood beside the bed for a moment, watching you peacefully rest while he put away the last of his gear. The anger and bloodlust he'd been consumed by before were replaced by a deep sense of relief. He couldn't afford to lose you. Never, not for anything or anyone in the world. And he wouldn't.

Slowly, he eased into the bed beside you, pulling you closer carefully so as not to wake you. Though his hold on you gradually tightened, and he basked in the smell of your hair and the feel of you securely back in his embrace, right where you belong and where your safety is guaranteed.

Finally, he felt he could breathe again.

Your departure from Bangkok had been scheduled for tomorrow since the mission was completed and all. But perhaps you two could stay one more day, you do seem to like it here after all.

cant wait until i get better at writing. but whateves. this is about to be the busiest week of my life, so probably not gonna get much done. love you all !!!!

[dougielombax]

Let’s make something quite clear.

COP29 is going to be nothing but a ghastly self-congratulatory circlejerk of genocidally minded fossil fuel worshippers and greenwashing nihilists furiously yanking eachother off amidst a backdrop of caviar and champagne.

Hosted by a genocidally minded petrodollar fascist dictatorship no less.

(To say nothing of Ukraine’s cynical support for such a putrid government! Talk about double standards!)

You know this.

I know this.

Everyone and their dog knows this.

Hosting the previous conference in Dubai was bad enough but this is genuinely obscene!

It’s beyond insulting.

Boycott the shite out of it.

Or at least call it out.

Perhaps both! Idk.

Feel free to reblog.

Leaving a few more news articles and other relevant links here too for clarity.

Some of them are a few months out of date (mostly from very late last year) admittedly but it took me a while to find them.

Reblog the shit out of this.

[femoso-seben]

Ok since you answered to my comment that you would do a 3rd part then can I ask for a third part of "Working With a Legend" but now it's Ghost and Price working with her and experiencing it for themselves why she is such a legend

You don't have to if you don't want too!

I hope you have a good day!

Sorry for the late reply luv I was a little stuck on the story and bogged my school. Laswell walks in and you get up walking over to the table, waiting for the next easy mission. You see everyone looks at the photo of a man, racially ambiguous, brown if you will.

“This is Lazarus—” Laswell points to the photo. You let out a long sigh and a string of curses. Everyone turns to you, intrigued by your behavior.

“You know something,” Ghost said looking down at you.

“Lazarus… don’t bother trying to kill him.” You wave your hand walking back to the couch and lying down.

“Why?” Price asks.

“Because Lazarus isn’t a person.”

“What does that mean?” You look up and focus on them before laughing and closing your eyes.

“Lazarus is a title, I’ve killed the last four of them, someone always new takes over.” You explain Lazarus is a criminal organization, one that you know very well. Under the thin layer of society, a crime world exists.

“Do you know where Lazarus is?” Laswell asks, you raise your head and slightly nod. “We aren’t going to kill Lazarus we need information from him.”

“You’ll lead the mission,” Price said to you and you nodded getting up and stretching out. “Ghost and I will accompany you.

Great… the two officer ranks….

You all board a military heli you would rather do a commercial with everyone else, and blend in with the crowd but you can’t complain about a nice military heli that can get you far.

“What’s our first move?” Ghost asks, looking at you.

“We’ll find their little paws.”

“What?” Price said leaning in.

“Lazarus is a crime thing, you need to find their little paws and tails before finding the rat… you two should change to fit the tourist part.” You explain and look out at the city below you.

Dubai is a beautiful place, a place with no natural culture and slavery. You walk out and begin looking for the shady-looking person, the little rats that run this city. Your eyes caught on a little boy, who looked homeless.

You walk up to them speaking Arabic, the child looks at you wearily before you pull out a small metallic card with the Lazarus symbol. The child nods and gestures for you to follow, and you do so.

Price and Ghost follow after you and soon you are at a nightclub where tourists are dancing and influencers posting photos, in all a perfect place to traffic people. There sitting at a table was Lazarus.

“Here you go, I’m gonna get some alcohol,” he tells Price before walking off. Something felt wrong and you were pretty sure they could feel it too. You get your drink, vodka in strawberry juice. You look around and see Lazarus’s bodyguards.

You slowly make your way towards these men and take them out, dragging them to the back and striking them in pressure points. you reach into your back cuffing their hands and legs together. Soon it was just Lazarus.

You make your way back to the table to find the three men in a heated discussion. You sat down at the table and smiled at the new Lazarus. He looked at you rather annoyed by your presence.

You reach into your bag and put four bullets onto the table a small veil threat. It took this new Lazarus a minute to realize what this meant. “L likes to send their regards.” You said in a feminine tone like you're a hired woman to do so.

This man instantly begins to sweat and try to get up but it wasn’t easy with both Ghost and Price sitting on either side of him. He looked around and found out all his guards were gone, you took care of that.

The three of you took him away to a more private place. Away from prying eyes. They interrogated, and you sat back and watched as the man squirmed and shouted slipping into Arabic every other sentence. You sit back and open your work phone, the US government didn’t say you're exclusive to them, you gaze down at your phone and see a new buyer.

It was rather fortunate that you were in the right place for this mission, the death of a Saudi Prince, a familial struggle, if you may have. You get up and slink off going to your weapon stash, changing outfit you hail a cab for the exclusive party. You have a strong suspicion this job was also in play to eliminate you in the process. You look down at the little bottle of poison and hide it in the heels of your shoes. You put on enough makeup to look like you belong at the party.

You moved in stayed long enough to look like you belong, and found the cup the prince is drinking from. You gaze around to see if anyone is watching him. Several people are watching him, besides his guard a mysterious person, that one was meant for you. You walk up to him striking up a conversation flirtling a little bit acting like a foreigner. Enough for them to let their guard down. You quietly maneuver them into a corner knock them out, and set them on the ground as if they are drunkenly sleeping.

You added a small bit of poison into the prince’s cup, he’s a man, he wouldn’t be thinking about being drugged nor about protecting his cup. You used the crowd to hide yourself the way the crowd flowed back and forth tricking the camera. You even gave a drink to another person, and yourself before leaving. At most, you were there for an hour.

“Where were you?” You look up to see Both Price and Ghost looking at you like you are a deadly viper, you give them a coy smile and wave your hand dismissing them.

“Did you get what you need?” You ask them. They shook their head.

“Then let me.” You walk past them there Lazarus is covered in blood, they are playing dirty and violent. You quietly spoke to Lazarus, bringing up your history and who you were. The veiled threat of the four bullets in between your fingers.

He spilled.

BANG!

You kill him leave four printless bullets in his lap and walk to the two.

“Let’s head out.”

[fritzes]

rank the m1000s 👀🙏

ooh okay, I’m not gonna do the ones that keep changing around (I’m sorry maria I love you but your 1000 isn’t getting on the list):

indian wells. for non taylor fritz related reasons I SWEAR (okay maybe a little bit). I mean, it's literally tennis paradise. no other masters can really compare to this in my opinion, there's something really magical about it. it's the first combined 1000 of the year, it is absolutely carrying the "sunshine" in sunshine double (we'll get to miami later), and did any other 1000 get its very own maya edit? I don't think so

monte carlo (don't kill me!). ok picking something to be #2 made me realize that the drop-off from indian wells is real, I had a hard time with this one. and as much as I dislike monte carlo as a place... that court has off the charts vibes. the 2023 edition might be one of my favorite tournaments ever, and I like the way it kicks off clay season. the vibes guys, the vibes!

cincinnati. tbh I'm surprising myself with this one because I've never reeeeeally been able to take cincy seriously because like. it's in ohio. it's known for having players hang out at an applebees. but jokes aside, I kinda love it. the place on the calendar is good, it's a nice warmup for the us open. also influenced by recency bias because the 2023 edition, both wta and atp, were so good. I don't know, I really like its place in the tour, it's just so solid

rome. if you thought cincy had recency bias, let me introduce you to the daniil-incudced overrating of rome. this kinda occupies the same space as cincy, being the real warmup tournament for rg, and same as cincy, I like its place in the calendar and the tour. except, unlike cincy, this is clay season so insanity galore. iga double bageling pliskova in the final that one time will always be iconic and of course, the hard court specialist himself winning this tournament will elevate it forever

miami. "but maya! miami is cursed! it's always raining! how can you put it so high?" two words: jannik sinner. yeah the jannik miami narratives strike a chord in my brain like few other player + tournament pairings do and it makes me so insane that I kind of learned to make gifs just because I had a jannik miami gifset idea. other than jannik, despite the nature of it being very much cursed, it does usually produce some really good tennis in the last few rounds

madrid. ah, madrid. if we were going off of tennis alone, this would be top 3 easily. back to back amazing igaryna finals, carlos' magical 2022 run, andy murray beating rafa in the final in straight sets somehow, ons' win in 2022. alas, there is more that just the tennis, and the organization of this tournament is genuinely horrible and so fucking sexist. a tournament like this does not deserve the quality of tennis it gets

doha/dubai. yes I know they're two separate 1000s this year but they've always flip-flopped in the past so as a 1000, it's always been one entity to me (and there's nothing that would put one above or below the other). there's always really good matches, obviously iga consistently sweeps doha and it's amazing, but dubai also gave us krejcikova's absolutely ridiculous 2023 run and this year's final was amazing. always a solid tournament with some great tennis

montreal/toronto. I feel bad for putting it so low, but it's always been kinda meh to me. 2023's chaos aside, this is the tournament where top players find their feet on hardcourts after wimbledon, and... I don't know. it's perfectly fine, but there's nothing really remarkable about it

shanghai/beijing. another one that I feel really bad for putting low, but there's something about that post-us open big tournament that just feels so bleh. the season is so long already and the players are just so exhausted. it doesn't usually take away from the quality of the tennis, it just doesn't have the same feeling as the stuff above it. I would say it feels a bit tacked on, but there's only one tournament I really think that about and that's...

paris. good god. there is something wrong with this tournament. I don't think an indoor 1000 is a bad idea, but the court and the lighting is just so bland, especially when compared to turin which is just two weeks later. at this point in the season, the top players want to be at the finals and anyone who isn't a top player just wants to be home and it just feels like an exhausted tournament. casper was right about one thing in his yap session the uts dinner: paris is easily the worst masters 1000

[bunny-hoodlum]

#20, 33, 34, and 35 please!!

Sorry this is late! Wanted to think about my answers more, but I forgot to even read the original questions this whole time, so I def' didn't get to think about my answers, whups. 😅

Thank you for ask, @dayseternal-blog!! 🥰

How do you approach action sequences or intense moments?

I haven't written anything action, it makes me cringe because I don't think I know what I'm doing, but I read that short sentences are best for this and I would agree. Choppy, curt sentences would give that sense of blow for blow feeling that action needs, and it would give the sense of it happening seconds of each other, or even simultaneously. I would probably look for an action scene to copy tbh, and try to write the choreography in a choppy way. Emotionally intense moments can be the same, I suppose. Idk what I do personally, I think I'm an Intuitive writer. Once I'm in the emotion of the scene or character, I just go for it and my heart beats really fast usually and it's wrenching and it's awesome and then it just exists and it feels right. (Until I reread it a month or so later. 🙈 Jk, time isn't the problem, my inconsistent headspace is. 🤭)

How do you incorporate world-building elements into your fics?

So, at this point and as you know, I'm veryyyyy comfortable writing my modern AUs as if they were based in Japan. Even though I don't think Konoha could feasibly be as big as Tokyo with the size of Hi no Kuni, I just write it as if it is. 😅 I pull from the real world to some extent, usually Uzushio is a mix of Okinawa and Taiwan, but I also have some AU where it's pretty damn impoverished, so it's going to be a mix of Macau and Haiti. Sometimes Suna is a mix of Macau and Vegas, haha. I guess Dubai and Macau would probably be more... unique. 🤔 I focus on food and architecture more than deeper things like politics and style of governance and whatnot, because my characters only experience those things passively as ordinary citizens do. Whenever I get back to Powerless, the shady secret government program plotline will actually matter more than Slice of Life stuff, so in that instance I will have to map out history, organizations and their affiliations, how secret programs are run, etc. It just depends on what my story needs. Usually backstory kind of comes to me on its own and that informs me of the world. Can't really think of anything else. 🤔 Making things familiar is the main aim every time, though. Dango to a Japanese is like sugar-cinnamon pretzels to us in the US or whatever, it's a familiar snack you can get pretty easily. That's the kind of immersion I try to keep in mind.

Are there any fic writing tips or tricks you've learning along the way that you'd like to share?

Proofread before posting. Proofread again when you wake up the next day after posting. You'll always miss something, but give yourself the first week to catch all the typos you might've missed. 😂

I guess I recommend reading your dialogue aloud? Maybe your whole fic? My inner monologue is pretty damn loud, so I like to trust my word flow is good because I'm practically reading it aloud in my head. I recommend letting characters interrupt each other. Unless perhaps both parties are really solemn about getting to the bottom of the issue or respect each other or both, that neither interrupts the other, but their emotions would be raging to speak up in the midst of all that patience. Figure out your own writing process. If outlining sucks out the fun, try writing the whole thing without guidance but be sure to analyze the story's direction with what you produce. I recommend the flashlight method for pantsers like myself, there are other methods as well, but a little organization goes a long way. I lastly recommend the "One Stop for Writers" site, their Emotion Thesaurus is such an amazing tool. When you just need to reference things quickly, it's very robust.

What do you enjoy the most about being a fic writer?

Between the community aspect and kind of being known for certain things, I think those are pretty even. I enjoy the act of creation and all that, but having something I experienced along the way and having the pride of it being mine is pretty damn cool. And the community makes that feeling even better.

[letsorganicseo]

Organic Conditioner: The Benefits of Using Natural Hair Care Products

Maintaining healthy hair is essential, and using the right hair care products plays a vital role in achieving this goal. Organic hair care products are gaining popularity among consumers thanks to their natural ingredients that promote healthy hair growth and reduce the risk of hair damage. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of using organic conditioner and the natural ingredients that make them effective.

What is Organic Conditioner?

Organic conditioner is a hair care product made from natural ingredients free from harmful chemicals such as parabens, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances. Unlike conventional conditioners that coat the hair with chemicals, organic conditioners use natural ingredients to nourish the hair from the inside out, resulting in softer, healthier, and more manageable hair.

Benefits of Using Organic Conditioner

1.      Nourishes the Hair and Scalp

One of the main benefits of using organic conditioner is that it nourishes the hair and scalp with natural ingredients. Organic conditioners are made from coconut oil, avocado oil, shea butter, and aloe vera, which provide essential nutrients to the hair and scalp, promoting healthy hair growth.

2.      Prevents Hair Damage

Regular use of conventional hair care products can damage hair due to chemicals such as sulfates, which strip the hair of its natural oils. On the other hand, organic conditioners are free from such harmful chemicals, making them gentle on the hair and reducing the risk of hair damage.

3.      Reduces Hair Loss

Various factors, including stress, hormonal changes, and genetics, can cause hair loss. However, using conventional hair care products that contain harsh chemicals can exacerbate the problem. Organic conditioners are made from natural ingredients that are gentle on the hair and scalp, reducing the risk of hair loss.

4.      Improves Hair Texture and Appearance

Organic conditioners contain natural ingredients that can improve the texture and appearance of the hair. Ingredients such as argan oil, rich in vitamin E and fatty acids, can help repair damaged hair and promote healthy growth. Similarly, ingredients such as honey and apple cider vinegar can help to soften and add shine to the hair.

5.      Safe for the Environment

Conventional hair care products contain harmful chemicals that can pollute the environment and harm aquatic life. On the other hand, organic conditioners are made from natural ingredients that are safe for the environment and biodegradable, making them eco-friendly.

Natural Ingredients in Organic Conditioner

1.      Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a natural ingredient commonly used in organic conditioners. It is rich in fatty acids that penetrate the hair shaft, nourishing the hair and scalp from the inside out. Coconut oil also has antimicrobial properties that can help prevent dandruff and other scalp infections.

2.      Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a natural ingredient known for its soothing and healing properties. It is rich in vitamins and minerals that can nourish the hair and scalp, reducing the risk of hair damage and promoting healthy growth.

3.      Shea Butter

Shea butter is a natural ingredient rich in vitamins and fatty acids that nourish the hair and scalp. It is also known for its moisturizing properties, making it an effective ingredient in combating dry and brittle hair.

4.      Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is a natural ingredient rich in vitamins and minerals that can promote healthy hair growth. It is also rich in antioxidants that protect the hair from environmental damage.

5. Argan Oil 

Argan Oil is a natural ingredient rich in vitamin E, fatty acids, and antioxidants. It is derived from the kernels of the argan tree, which is native to Morocco. Argan oil is a popular ingredient in organic conditioners because it can repair damaged hair and promote healthy growth. It can help moisturize the hair and scalp, reduce frizz and flyaways, and add shine. Argan oil is also known for protecting hair from environmental damage, such as exposure to the sun and pollution.

How to Use Organic Conditioner?

Using organic conditioner is similar to using conventional conditioner. Here are the steps:

1.      Shampoo your hair with a natural, sulfate-free shampoo.

2.      Rinse your hair thoroughly with warm water.

3.      Apply a small amount of organic conditioner to your hair, focusing on the ends.

4.      Massage the conditioner into your hair and scalp for 1-2 minutes.

5.      Leave the conditioner in your hair for 3-5 minutes to allow it to penetrate the hair shaft.

6.      Rinse your hair thoroughly with cool water.

7.      Pat your hair dry with a towel.

Is switching to organic conditioner worth the option?

Switching to organic conditioners can be a great option for promoting healthier hair and lifestyle. Here are some reasons why switching to organic conditioner can be worth considering:

1.  Free from Harmful Chemicals: 

Organic conditioner is made from natural ingredients free from harmful chemicals such as parabens, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances. These chemicals are commonly found in conventional hair care products and can harm the environment and human health.

2.     Promotes Healthy Hair Growth: 

Organic conditioners can promote healthy hair growth by providing essential nutrients to the hair and scalp. Organic ingredients such as coconut, argan, and aloe vera nourish the hair and scalp, reduce hair breakage, and prevent hair loss.

3.     Better for the Environment: 

Organic conditioner is made from natural and organic ingredients that are sustainably sourced and environmentally friendly. Unlike conventional hair care products, organic conditioner does not contain harmful chemicals that can harm the environment or contribute to pollution.

4.     Safe for Sensitive Scalp: 

Organic conditioner is free from harsh chemicals that can irritate the scalp, making it a great option for those with sensitive scalps. The natural and organic ingredients used in organic conditioners are gentle and nourishing, making them suitable for all hair types.

5.     Better for Overall Health: 

Switching to organic conditioners can contribute to a healthier lifestyle. Using natural and organic products on your hair and scalp reduces exposure to harmful chemicals and promotes overall health and well-being.

How to choose organic conditioner?

Choosing an organic conditioner can seem overwhelming, with so many options available. Here are some factors to consider when selecting an organic conditioner:

1.  Hair Type: 

When selecting an organic conditioner, consider your hair type. For example, if you have dry hair, look for a conditioner containing natural oils such as coconut or jojoba oil. If you have fine hair, look for a lightweight conditioner that won't weigh your hair down.

2.      Ingredients: 

Look for an organic conditioner that contains natural and organic ingredients. Avoid products that contain synthetic fragrances, sulfates, and parabens, which can be harmful to your hair and scalp. Look for aloe vera, argan oil, and shea butter, which nourish and moisturize the hair.

3.      Brand Reputation: 

Choose a brand with a good reputation for producing high-quality organic hair care products. Look for reviews from other customers who have used the product to understand its effectiveness.

4.      Certification: 

Look for products certified by reputable organizations such as USDA Organic or EcoCert. This certification ensures the product has natural and organic ingredients and does not contain harmful chemicals.

5.      Price: 

Organic conditioners can vary in price, so consider your budget when selecting a product. Remember that a higher price does not necessarily mean a better product, so look for a product that fits your budget and meets your needs.

When selecting an organic conditioner, consider your hair type, ingredients, brand reputation, certification, and price. Considering these factors, you can select an organic conditioner that is effective, safe and suits your hair care needs.

Conclusion

Organic conditioner is a natural hair care product that can benefit your hair and scalp. Made from natural ingredients free from harmful chemicals, it is a safe and effective choice for those who want to promote healthy hair growth and reduce the risk of hair damage. Using organic conditioner, you can nourish your hair and scalp with essential nutrients, prevent hair loss, improve the texture and appearance of your hair, and help protect the environment. So, next time you are looking for a hair care product, consider trying an organic conditioner to achieve healthy, beautiful hair.

[hussyknee]

The 1975 saw a festival set cut short in Malaysia after frontman Matty Healy criticised the country’s government for its LGBTQ+ laws, and kissed the band’s bassist on-stage.

During their headlining set at the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur on Friday July 21, Healy gave a speech calling out the Malaysian government for its hardline stance on gay rights.

“I made a mistake. When we were booking shows, I wasn’t looking into it. I don’t see the fucking point, right, I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with,” said Healy.

He continued: “I am sorry if that offends you and you’re religious and it’s part of your fucking government, but your government are a bunch of fucking ret**ds and I don’t care anymore. If you push, I am going to push back. I am not in the fucking mood, I’m not in the fucking mood."

Healy later told the crowd that the night would not feature a set of their more “uplifting” material due to his frustration.

“Unfortunately, you don’t get a set of loads of uplifting songs because I’m fucking furious and that’s not fair on you because you’re not representative of your government,” he said. “Because you are young people and I am sure a lot of you are gay and progressive and cool. So I pulled the show yesterday and we had a conversation and we said ‘You know what? We can’t let these kids down because they’re not the problem’.”

He added: “But, I’ve done this before, I’ve gone to a country where, I don’t know what the fuck it is? Ridiculous. Fucking ridiculous to tell people what they can do with their that and that [points to groin and mouth] and if you want to invite me here to do a show, you can fuck off. I’ll take your money, you can ban me, but I’ve done this before and it doesn’t feel good and I’m fucked off.”

Fan shot footage showed that after his speech, bassist Ross MacDonald walked over to him and then the two began to kiss. After their seventh song, ‘I Couldn’t Be More In Love’, Healy told the crowd that they had to go, claiming the band had “just got banned from Kuala Lumpur”. The 1975 then left the stage.

....

Malaysian law criminalises sexual activity between people of the same sex, with its penal code criminalising “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” and acts of “gross indecency”.

This is not the first time Healy has spoken out against anti-LGBTQ laws in another country. In 2019, the singer kissed a male fan during a show in Dubai, defying strict anti-LGBTQ laws in the Arab state.

Footage of the moment showed Healy inviting the fan to hug him, before the pair shared a quick kiss.

Homosexuality is illegal in Dubai and is punishable with up to 10 years in jail.

Posting on Twitter after the show, he wrote: “Thank you Dubai you were so amazing. I don’t think we’ll be allowed back due to my ‘behaviour’ but know that I love you and I wouldn’t have done anything differently given the chance again.”

He added: “But who knows maybe they will let me back in let’s just wait and see."

CAN WE KILL THIS FUCKING GUY YET?? First the "ironic" Nazi salute to "dunk" on fucking Kanye, and now endangering queer people left, right and center?? HE KISSED A MAN ON STAGE IN SAUDI ARABIA AND THEN FUCKED OFF?? Is that poor dude even okay?? Did healy want to make him the target of a hate crime??? To be chased by police???? Now THIS???

He cheated a whole mess of people out of their money and pissed off and embarrassed a super religious conservative country where homosexuality is criminalized ON BEHALF OF "GAY RIGHTS??? Painting a huge target??? On Malaysian queer people??? And then fucked off?? Affecting not only his own fans but the festival staff and organizers, the vendors, the rest of the performers, future shows and festivals??? Because he didn't know what country he was booking shows in??

HUNT KILL STAB DIE MURDER KILL

Edit: He just got the festival shut down entirely. The music festival that was one of the few arenas where young queer people and artists got to express themselves, and a whole lot of poor vendors were depending on for some income. Stories already surfacing about the indie performers in the line-up affected by the shut down, including one musician who was planning for it to be her comeback performance dedicated to her mother after her death. Other concerts already scheduled and paid for the coming days are also now imperiled. All this so he could launder his reputation as a racist antisemite using queer people.

[2amtechnicolor]

Milgram Project and Spec Ops: The Line - The Only Way to Win is Not to Play

"They are guilty. But what is justice? And how would you see it dealt?" - Konrad, Spec Ops: The Line (2012)

[TW: mentions of murder, violence, various war crimes, and the American military]

So Fuuta's second MV and voice drama premiered last night...and it's a lot. This is our first time hearing directly from a "Guilty" prisoner and honestly, probably one of the best example of how a vote can change personalities in Milgram next to Haruka's second VD.

(I will be pulling Milgram ENG translations from @onigiriico)

So we all know the basic premise of Milgram, the music videos. We watch a prisoner sing about their "murder", we listen to their talks with the warden, Es, and then we voice them "innocent/justified" or "guilty/unjustified" accordingly.

In season one, us, as the audience, had a sense of naivete. We had no idea what a "guilty" or "innocent" vote would do to the prisoners. There was no real explanation for what the consequences of our actions would be. Now, the curtain has been pulled back. Sure, we heard the story from Jackalope, but listening to a second-hand account and a first-hand account are two different things. One is clinical observation, the other is emotional.

One person's death is a tragedy, but a million deaths is a statistic.

When just given the factual events (Kotoko attacked Amane, Mikoto, Mahiru, and Fuuta before being subdued by Kazui), it's easy to digest. Person A moves to Persona B and commits Action C.

A 17-year-old boy strangles a 10-year-old girl.

An 18-year-old girl aborts her child.

A 20-year-old man harasses a middle schooler online until her death.

At face value, any one of these could easily be voted "guilty" from one sentence according to your own values. It's when you get into the specifics, when we see their point of view for ourselves, when we hear it from their mouths, that it becomes more complicated.

Why is Muu, a girl who stabbed a classmate, more forgivable than Fuuta, who never laid his hands on anyone?

Why is Mahiru, a woman whose boyfriend committed suicide, less forgivable than an organ harvester?

Does internet harassment justify losing an eye? Does a toxic relationship justify being on the brink of death? If you had known the outcome, would you even have chosen differently?

Fuuta: "You and I are exactly the same breed!...Like I’d let someone like this judge whether I should be forgiven or not!"

This brings me to Spec Ops: The Line.

For all of you who don't know what SO:TL is, it's a military shooter game in the Spec Ops series, released in 2012, near the height of the military shooter genre's popularity (Gears of War, Halo, Call of Duty, etc.) However, SO:TL isn't a video game--it's an art piece.

You play as Captain Martin Walker, a special ops soldier in the US Army, searching Dubai and the surrounding area for an missing army comrade of his: Lieutenant Colonel John Konrad, the 33rd Infantry's commander. Konrad had defied orders in an attempt to bring order back to Dubai after the worst of sandstorms in its recorded history hit.

I won't go into detail on the whole plot, but while the player searches for Konrad and the rest of the 33rd you also:

use white phosphorus against opposing forces, killing 47 civilians who were evacuated for shelter in the process

execute either a Emirati civilian who stole water from the desert city or a member of the 33rd who was sent to apprehend him, killing the civilian's whole family in the process. Choosing to not choose kills them both.

assist in decimating the water supply of Dubai, dooming the city's inhabitants to dehydration

and many, many more atrocities.

In the end, when you finally find Konrad, the man who has been taunting you over the radio the whole game...he's dead. He's been dead for a while. You, the player, as Captain Walker, did all this, killed all those innocent people, justifying that it would all be worth it in the end, to find a man that was already dead.

Konrad: "There were 5,000 people alive in Dubai the day before you arrived. How many are alive today I wonder?"

There is no way out of these missions but through. You have to use chemical weapons, you have to murder civilians in cold blood. You have no choice.

But...There's always a choice.

In the words of the game itself: "If you were a better person, you wouldn't be here."

You don't have to play this game.

Turning your console off and never touching the disc again is a valid choice.

You don't have to be a war criminal. You have the choice to walk away.

You don't have to vote in Milgram.

You, the audience, are Captain Walker. By playing SO:TL, you are responsible for the destruction of Dubai.

We, the audience, are Warden Es. By voting in Milgram, we are responsible for Kotoko's vigilante justice. We are responsible for Fuuta losing an eye. We are responsible for Mahiru's near-death experience, and Amane's broken mental state.

But we don't have to be.

...

However, There's one major difference between SO:TL and Milgram, and I'm not just talking about genre.

Spec Ops: The Line is a singleplayer video game.

Milgram is decided by majority vote.

If you choose to opt out of Spec Ops: The Line, no one has to die.

If you choose to opt out of voting in Milgram...you can't necessarily stop everyone else.

So if a "guilty" or "innocent" outcome is inevitable, which is the most moral decision?

Not voting?

Or voting with your conscience without knowing the results of your outcome?

Are you setting a shattered bone, or breaking it in another place?

...

I can't answer that for you.

Es: "It’s alright. If you and I really are the same kind of person like you say, I’ll end up like that sooner or later anyway."

[realmadridfamily]

Andrea Martinez : model, winner of the Miss Universe Spain competition and business administration graduate, the young woman from León took advantage of her husband Kepa Arrizabalaga's return to Spain to resume her professional projects. With determination: wherever you are tomorrow, your career will develop.

Projects accumulate in Andrea Martinez's head. After winning the Miss Universe Spain competition in 2020, life in the United Kingdom in the midst of the Brexit period with her life partner, Kepa Arrizabalaga (goalkeeper of Chelsea), kept her on edge until they returned to Spain.She continues to work as a model, planning to start two companies - including a clothing brand - and expanding her social media. And according to what she tells us in this interview, she will take it wherever the world of football takes her. Her professional development will not stop.

At 30, your CV covers everything from studying Business Administration and Management to being a basketball player and, most importantly, a model. What is your current professional situation?

I find myself in a mixture of everything. The last two years in London, with Brexit, I've been quite slow. But now, back in Spain, I'm at a point where I want to share everything that's on my mind and I can: I'm back in fashion, I'm starting two small businesses, I'm also going to start working with social media … and well, whatever comes out.

So let's talk about the clothing brand you are involved with ...

I have been interested in fashion since I was 17, when I started working as a model, and fashion has always attracted my attention, also from a business point of view. I've noticed that all women's suits are more or less the same, and I like them to be a little more varied. When looking for a suit of this type, you need to go to high fashion brands that ordinary people cannot afford. This is what I want to do, also with dresses.

At first glance, this project seems like the perfect combination of your role as a model with your studies.

Yes, exactly. When I do a photo shoot or walk the runway, I look at the entire organization behind it, all the processes a brand has to go through to get there and put on a show. And that was something that really interested me. That's why I worked in Milan, in the Armani offices, because I'm very interested in the world of fashion from the inside. So, without a doubt, my knowledge of administration and business management helps me a lot.

Beauty pageants also have their opponents. What is your opinion and what did winning Miss Univero Spain mean to you?

I think that the critics' opinion is to some extent based on previous years, when many things were done incorrectly. Today, Miss Universe wants to raise the value of women, strong, independent, powerful, intelligent women with big ambitions. I would say to those who are not supporters of this competition that they should sit down for a moment and simply listen to women's voices, because each candidate from each country has a very powerful social project behind her. This is something very powerful that benefits women. The win was like a rebirth for me because we had come out of the pandemic stage. The sudden rediscovery of who Andrea was, what she wanted to do, gave me life, gave me light.

Your modeling career has taken you to places such as Dubai, Paris and Milan. From the outside, everything looks impressive. How much work is behind it?

There is a lot of work, especially mental work. The ability to accept one "no" after another … it's easier to say "no" than "yes". Also, especially when I was younger, the thing about diets … you have to have a lot of mental strength. Before, some people didn't have much tact and might call you fat or a cow. As a 19-year-old, you have to know how to deal with it and not let it damage your personality.

Returning to your many facets. You came to present many contradictions …

I have always been a very anxious girl. I never had a special calling, but I liked touching all sectors. And that's how it has stayed with me to this day, which is why I take on every new project that seems at least a little interesting to me, I pursue it with all my might and put my whole soul into it. I think I enjoy the process of achieving something more than once. My family is in the opposition and I decided to take the exams to become a finance technician and later be promoted to inspector. I did well on my first exam, but during the process I realized that I wouldn't be able to spend eight hours in an office doing the exact same thing all the time for the rest of my life. That's why I decided to pursue other options.

And then there is the basketball player aspect. How far have you come in this sport?

I played from the age of 5 to 18. I played in two Spanish championships with team from Castilla y Leon and was selected in the Spanish pre-selection. It was my passion, it gave me values and teamwork that are very useful to me today. I left it when I had to consider : studies or sports.

A look at Instagram shows that sports are very present in your life.

I love nature-related activities, such as horse riding. Now I also do yoga, so that I can get to know myself a little better and calm down the rhythm of my thoughts. I love cycling, every time I go to Leon I ride a bike, of course it also helps me keep fit. I started to have contact with diving a few years ago and it is a world that fascinates me.

Also on Instagram, we saw you saying goodbye to London and giving thanks for the years you spent there. Do you see yourself in a few months saying, "Hello, here we are again?"

In football you don't know what will happen to you tomorrow, so our options are always open. Whatever comes will be good and I will be happy, it will be a new stimulus and I will be happy to have a new challenge.

As a footballer's wife, it is not easy to make careers compatible. What is your feeling: you accompany Kepa in his sports life and you need to take a break for a better moment, or maybe you are both able to develop professionally?

I think there is no better time than today. And in football, as I say, we never know where we will end up. I am very proud of my husband's career and regret that I cannot accompany him throughout his career. I'm not going to sacrifice family life or life with my husband, because I can do it perfectly well from a distance - technology makes the world smaller. Due to my restless or overly ambitious personality, perhaps I couldn't just accompany him all the time to leave out everything has to do with me, because that would mean losing my own life. So whenever I can, I will develop my projects.

You are still connected to León not only sentimentally. You also visit from time to time and participate in public life.

León is my city. I was born and raised there, I love it very much, my family is there. And above all, I love participating in Holy Week, which enjoys international tourist interest. I always promote what I can about my city, giving a helping hand, highlighting the careers of women supporting the fight against cancer. It's my home, it's my family and everything I can contribute, I'm happy and more than that, I love enjoying my city.

[indelicateink]

thinking about louis’ uncensored salt and irritation in this scene and it got me thinking

louis is, in a way, more terrifying in a kill than lestat (at least from this season’s telling), but let me explain

when that acolyte with cancer shows up at rue royale marked for death, for me, i realized lestat is scary, but louis is an unknown quantity, and i find that so interestingly unsettling.

which is going to be the worse death for you?

lestat is like a panther, he is going to stalk or attack you and kill you and likely rip your throat out doing it. if he’s feeling especially elaborate, apparently he’ll incapacitate you and drain you/feed off you for a while (the tenor, the guy at the dinner table). a soupçon of psychological torture before you snuff it. (the decapitated train conductor was a hilarious violent exception.) it’s kind of feline, whether it’s an outright kill or if he plays with his food, and i’ve always been grateful i’ll probably never die by cat—it’s a bad way to go.

louis? louis can be like a righteous tarantino protagonist. louis’ kills often vent rage (rightly so), like the asshole businessman who talked down to him. we’ve seen louis go hannibal lecter on these fuckers—slicing off the alderman’s ear, sticking the top half of his corpse on the gate of the park with the shitty history; ripping the jaw off the dude at the mardi gras massacre. though when louis goes back to eating human after lestat’s return, the story doesn’t shine a light on any of louis’ human kills, and i’m terribly curious how those played out. when/if he’s not murdering violently, what does that look like?

so when the cancer victim showed up and they were both pissed at him, i was more worried about what louis would do. lestat IS going to kill you, my guy. but if louis gets there first, i cannot tell you what will happen to you before you die.

dubai louis hasn’t killed a motherfucker in two decades and the man is SIMMERING. His ethically-sourced free-range organic non-gmo humans satisfy half his needs, but if he’s not venting his anger via his vampirism, is he allowing himself to acknowledge his rage at all?

[beezusvreeland]

a very good idea - chapter 4

summary: After your boyfriend cheats on you at a party, you break up with him, who tells you nobody else is willing to be with you like him. You decide to prove him wrong, with a little help from a new friend.

ship: miguel o'hara x f!reader

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Chapter 4

You had more homework than the regular person and not just because you were taking some advanced classes. Before your side hustle, you would babysit kids in your neighborhood during the week and work as a waitress on events organized by your brother-in-law’s catering business on the weekends. 

You’ve had summer jobs before, but when high school came around, your mom got really sick and it took doctors a few months to come to the conclusion that she was exhausted. The burnout type of exhaustion. She started seeing a psychiatrist and, stubborn as always, went right back to her two jobs. You and your sister Jenna had to bargain a lot, but at last convinced her to quit at least one of them and let the two of you help her.

All the money from the babysitting and waitressing went to house and health bills, mostly your mom’s. You very quickly realized that, unless you got an all inclusive scholarship, your chances of going to college were zero to none. Attending college had been your dream since you were a kid, when you’d watch reruns of Felicity with Jenna, both of you fascinated with all the classes and drama the protagonist went through. Your mom didn’t have the opportunity to go to college and, when your sister’s time came, she chose to focus on working in restaurants, learning as much as she could so she could open her bakery someday. When she met her husband Mike, they united their toothbrushes and business aspirations. Now he would organize events and she would develop a menu for them. You’ve loved the way they were each other’s biggest fans. They were your idea of what a loving relationship should be. Mikes were really hard to find, though. 

The first time you hung out at Harry’s Manhattan penthouse, some of his friends were there. You thought maybe you and Harry could watch a movie and spend time with each other, but obviously that wouldn’t happen. 

Harry was different when his friends were around: louder, he would drink more and more arrogant, whatever it took for boys like Flash Thompson and Eddie Brock to laugh and agree with him.

Flash was complaining about how he had to turn in an essay about the Wall Street Crash of 1929. 

“It’s so fucking boring, who cares what happened literally a hundred years ago”, Flash said, like doing the paper was the worse thing could ever happen to someone. “The only interesting thing about Wall Street is the Wolf and Margot Robbie.”

It took a lot of effort for you not to roll your eyes. 

“Don’t turn that shit in, then”, Eddie said, making Harry laugh and shake his head.

“My dad said that if I don’t get at least a C, I can kiss the Dubai trip goodbye.”

“A C?”, you gasped, in spite of yourself. 

“I know right, it fucking sucks”, Flash looked at you, all serious.

That was a little too much for you. Forgetting to care how Harry and his friends perceived you for a moment, you said: “Gosh, I could write a C type of essay about anything in an hour”.

“Well, write mine, then.”

You finally gave into the need to roll your eyes, then looked at him. 

“For 200 dollars I just might”, you joked.

However, Flash took his wallet from his back pocket and gave the money to you. Just like that. Like it was nothing. It probably was nothing to him, but to you, that money was really valuable. That’s how you have justified your hustle since then: you would write reports and essays for some of the rich kids from school and earn enough to help out at home and save for college. It was a perfect scheme, unless someone found out, which you (and your clients, really) have been really careful to prevent.

***

After an hour inside the library, you still had to finish a book report of your own, so you took your things and decided to go to the basketball court. Miguel’s practice hadn’t even started yet, he and some other boys, including Miles, paid attention to what their coach was saying.

You climbed a few steps and sat at the bleachers. Before opening your copy of Hamlet , you observed your surroundings. Besides the basketball team, there were a few freshman kids ready to watch the practice, as well as some girls you recognized from the hallways. 

The coach whistled loudly and the boys clapped their hands, scattering through the court to start playing. Miles saw you and waved. Miguel turned to see who his friend was smiling at, his eyes finding yours. You gave him a shy wave, which he responded to with a nod, turning back to his teammates. 

You felt disappointed at that. Your mind was telling you to stop being stupid, that you had no business having any expectations at all. But you also remembered his smile a few hours before, at lunch. He had a really beautiful smile. You wished it wasn’t a rare occurrence. 

You tried to focus on the book, which you had already read, a pencil and a highlighter in hand. During your reading process, you used post-its to mark pages that had scenes and dialogues that could be useful remembering while writing the report. You always felt grateful to your past self. 

Sounds of sneakers gliding on the court’s shiny floor and the ball being thrown and caught filled your ears in an almost relaxing way. 

“Why is she even here?”, you heard a voice saying not so quietly on your right.

You pretended not to hear, struggling to read the same sentence for the third time. 

“Probably trying to find a rebound”, the two girls laughed at the pun. “It’s kind of desperate, if you ask me.”

Dealing with Harry was hard enough, but people you have never spoken to before? Who were they to say anything about you? Why did they even care? And, most of all, why did those stupid comments hurt you? 

“Hey!”

Looking up, your eyes meet Miguel’s again, but this time he climbs the steps, stopping one before where you were. He took his hoodie off, the white shirt underneath going up with it, before coming down all together. It was so quick, but you swore seeing a part of his six pack awakened something in you.

Miguel put his hand through his hair, trying to put it back in place. He proceeded to fold his hoodie and get on his knees, his long arms offering it to you.

“Can you hold this for me?”, Miguel asked, sounding so sweet, yet another thing you weren’t prepared for. He was so close to you, you could see a few of his sweat droplets in great detail. 

“Yeah”, you nodded, feeling his hand palm one of your cheeks, while his lips kissed the other. 

He went back to the court in what felt like too soon. You put your hand where his was just a moment before, you could feel the heat spread through your face. Back at the court, Miguel was smiling at himself and, next to you, the girls stood in absolute silence.

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