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aquamarine-v · 2 months ago

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Rock and Read vol.087 KIZU Lime interview (Dec 2019)

Scans by: @yridenergyridenergy

Interview by—Atsuhiko Kamiya.

Interviewer: It’s been about a year and a half since your last appearance in this magazine.

Lime: I don’t remember at all what we talked about last time (laughs). I think a lot has changed since then, so feel free to dig deep, even into the parts you probably shouldn’t.

Interviewer: Today, I’d like to focus not just on your music but on your experiences overseas, which shaped who you are now. I think songs like KuroiAme and Jusei are not something you could have created if you had only ever lived in Japan.

Lime: I don’t think I’ve talked much about this yet. But yeah, my experiences abroad have definitely influenced Kizu’s music. I’ve lived overseas before, and even now, whenever I get the chance, I like to visit different countries.

Interviewer: When was the first time you went overseas?

Lime: It all started when I studied abroad in the UK as a student. There, I studied English, but I didn’t want to speak it. At the time, I was determined to get by with just Japanese and gestures. I was basically like, “You guys should learn my language” (laughs).

Interviewer: You were already in combat mode (laughs).

Lime: But one day, I just wanted to eat potato chips, and my attitude totally changed. I saw "chips" on the menu and ordered it, but what I got was French fries. I was so shocked, like “I can’t even eat what I want?!” So I started learning English.

Interviewer: So, food was your driving force (laughs).

Lime: Yes, and the food in the UK is awful. I can say this because I’ve actually experienced it myself (laughs). Their staple food is potatoes, and out there, people would say, “If you can’t cook potatoes in 100 different ways, you can’t get married.” I just thought, “I don’t need to learn how to cook any of that” because it all tastes so bad (laughs). I’m the type to straight-up say, “I hate this” but I want to say it after I actually know it. I don’t want to just say “I hate it” based on a feeling. I decide if I hate something or not only after studying or experiencing it.

Interviewer: What made you study abroad?

Lime: My parents sent me off. I was kind of a troublemaker, I think they were hoping to reform me. But, influenced by things over there, I got worse (laughs).

Interviewer: So it powered you up instead (laughs). How did you improve your language skills?

Lime: I think it was a mix of food frustrations and puberty. You know, that age when you really want to talk to cute girls (laughs). At the time, there was a girl I liked. Even though we didn’t speak the same language, I still wanted to talk to her. That’s what got me into learning deeper, everyday conversations. That experience shaped most of my English skills today. There’s a big difference between studying because you want to be able to speak and studying because you have something you want to say. I had things I wanted to say, and I wanted to express my feelings. I’ve always hated studying in general, including studying English.

Interviewer: Were you influenced by music in any way?

Lime: Back then, karaoke didn’t exist in the UK. If you wanted to sing a song, you had to play it yourself. The whole garage band culture was what first got me started in music. That was in middle school. Then, in high school back in Japan, my homeroom teacher was a foreigner who spoke English. I was in a special class that had eight different subjects taught entirely in English. That’s when I realized—just knowing how to speak English isn’t enough, it’s meaningless if I don’t have a skill that holds up globally. And I had nothing. Oh, and while I was studying abroad, I got hit on the forehead with a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. Ended up needing two or three stitches.

Interviewer: You got hit with a whiskey bottle? What happened?

Lime: I don't know. Some crazy things happen over there, things that would never happen in Japan. But through those experiences, I realized that you can’t truly understand Japan or Japanese people unless you go overseas. That’s when I started wanting to see the world. I’d only been living inside such a small world and I wanted to look beyond it and try to find a place where I felt accepted.

Interviewer: So was it a feeling of wanting to experience a different world?

Lime: Yeah. After seeing so many different things, I started thinking, I don’t want to die confined on this island called Japan. I was born in this country and happened to speak Japanese, but that doesn’t mean I have to live here.

Interviewer: Do people tell you that you have a broad perspective?

Lime: They do, but I don’t think of it that way. You don’t learn the real truth about a place in school, right? The world history taught in Japan is completely different from the world history taught overseas. Every country teaches its history in a way that makes itself look good. When you think about it like that, you can't trust the media like TV either. In Japan, people grow up watching the same TV shows, learning from the same textbooks, and being taught by parents who were raised in the same system. Before you know it, you lose the ability to judge what is right and what is wrong. Because of that, I started traveling a lot.

Interviewer: So you realized that both education and media present just one side of the story.

Lime: Right, all I was left with was distrust. I can only believe what I see with my own eyes. No matter how advanced the internet gets, I still can’t trust anything I haven’t seen for myself. I’ve always been distrustful and at this point, the only things I trust are myself and my dog (laughs).

Interviewer: Even if people see the same thing, their thoughts and feelings about it can be completely different.

Lime: That happens a lot. But from my perspective, I think I’m looking at things in a straightforward way. In Japan, the streets are safe, and you can go to bed knowing you’ll wake up tomorrow without worry. But when you go to unstable countries, you start thinking about how to protect yourself, how to avoid danger, and all the risks that exist around you. Maybe because of that, I’ve also started thinking more seriously about the band.

Interviewer: You mean thinking about potential dangers in your activities as a band?

Lime: Yes, I try to eliminate as many uncertainties as possible. Kizu often does new things, right? And when you try something new, there’s always the risk of unexpected problems—like, “Ah, I didn’t see that coming.”

Interviewer: You’ve also mentioned practicing instruments in case something happens to a band member. Maybe that’s why you’ve been playing guitar more often during live shows.

Lime: Yeah, the number of songs where I play guitar has definitely increased. I hate myself for being too busy singing. There are times when I can't give my all just by singing. I started thinking, If I push myself and play guitar while singing, maybe the way my message comes across will change. Because of that, I’ve been playing the guitar a lot more.

Interviewer: The idea of being too busy singing is something I can’t quite understand, can you put that into more words?

Lime: Hmm. If I focus too much on singing, it just becomes a performance of singing beautifully. Even if there’s a deep message behind it, only the skill of singing is conveyed. This is difficult to explain (laughs). I don’t want people to just hear it with their ears—I want them to feel it with their hearts.

Interviewer: So there’s a difference between the two.

Lime: A huge difference. Just because someone sings well doesn’t mean their message gets through. On the other hand, there are times where the vocals are objectively bad, they’re just screaming, but it hits you right in the heart. There was a time when I was focused on just singing well, too. I realized that if I play difficult guitar parts while singing, I’m less conscious of my singing.

Interviewer: Saitama's Shoumetsu, that live felt incredibly intense, and it seemed like your vocal delivery played a big role in that.

Lime: I’m just going to say this straight up—Kizu today is way beyond that. Right now, our performances are the best they’ve ever been. I want people to see what we’re doing now. There are various ways to perform live, but lately, I feel like we’ve truly established what Kizu live is. It’s become so clear that I can easily explain it. Think of it like a glass. If that glass isn’t full of our emotions, we have nothing to pour out to the audience. In the past, Kizu was trying to give away emotions before the glass was even full. So by the second or third song, we were already empty. But now, the current Kizu performs by overflowing—we’re spilling emotions from a full glass.

Interviewer: Sounds like your whole approach to live shows has changed.

Lime: It has, from the very beginning. Now, our shows begin with the four of us just enjoying playing together. By the second or third song, we’ve established our sound and atmosphere as a group, and then we start releasing that energy outward.

Interviewer: So first, you fill yourselves up, and then what overflows spreads throughout the venue.

Lime: That's right. The four of us have talked about this a lot. And if you take it further, it all starts with me. When Kizu first began, I was singing to the front row—my fans. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized, Wait, the most important fans are right here beside me. My bandmates are my biggest fans. So I started singing songs to move them first—songs that would electrify them. And if they are genuinely moved by it, then throwing that to the audience would make for a completely different kind of live experience.

Interviewer: So, you focus on delivering the emotion to the people closest to you first.

Lime: Yeah, there’s a certain order to it. Honestly, I wonder why I didn’t realize it sooner. I should have understood it back when we first formed the band, “Wait, these guys are my fans.” But this isn’t just about bandmate love or something light like that. It's something that's natural.

Interviewer: So it’s not meant to be a touching story.

Lime: It’s just something fundamental to being in a band. I went through several band breakups before I finally figured it out. Like, “You’re playing guitar, but you’re actually my fan” (laughs). This is the biggest thing that’s changed in the last year and a half.

Interviewer: When I interviewed your bandmates, it really came through how much they love and respect you.

Lime: I haven’t read that. Maybe that’s what I’m still lacking (laughs).

Interviewer: Should I print it out for you? (laughs)

Lime: Hahaha! It’s like the fan letters. I read them properly now, but in the past, I'd only skim through. It's a bit cold, but I just didn’t have the mental space to really think about the core of the band or how live performances should be.

Interviewer: Why do you think you didn’t have the mental space back then?

Lime: The name “Kizu” started taking on a life of its own. I was someone who always said, “As long as I can play lives at places like Ikebukuro EDGE, I’m happy.” Then suddenly, we were doing a solo show at Zepp Tokyo and I felt completely thrown off. I don’t think about business at all, that’s something the adults handle, like promotions and all that. For me, it’s enough to just sing the music I love and express what I want to say. Kizu exists in this setup where the adults turn my personal passion into a business. So, how do I put this… hmm… I just kept doing what I wanted and... Suddenly my head is spinning (laughs).

Interviewer: As soon as we got into business talk, you slowed down (laughs).

Lime: What were we talking about again? Oh, right! What I wanted to say was, “It wasn't supposed to be like this.” I was just playing the music I loved, but the people around me were like, “Go bigger! Keep pushing forward!”

Interviewer: So you don’t care about the numbers.

Lime: I care more about what we can do at a live rather than if it sells out or not. But at the same time, if I’m singing what I love and expressing what I truly want to say, it’s only natural that more people would be drawn to it.

Interviewer: Real honesty pulls people in, doesn’t it?

Lime: I’m glad that what I want to express isn’t something narrow. At first, I thought maybe it would only resonate with 20 or 30 people. KuroiAme was like that too. But then fans overseas started responding, and I thought, “Wow, I’m really glad I put it out there.”

Interviewer: KuroiAme made you realize it.

Lime: At first, I started writing it because I wanted to redefine my own view on life. I wasn’t thinking about singing it to the world or anything like that. Lyrically, I had never been able to surpass Oshimai. That song completely redefined my perspective on life. Sure, other songs have their own strengths, different from Oshimai, but if you asked if they redefine my worldview, the answer is no. But now, if there’s one song I want to dedicate my life to singing, it’s KuroiAme.

Interviewer: So KuroiAme redefined your outlook on life.

Lime: It feels so perfect that I thought, 'Was I born to write this song? Did I start this band just so I could sing this song?' As I sang about Japan’s pain and saw the pain of the world, I wanted to reach more people, so naturally, I found myself singing in English.

Interviewer: BLACK RAIN is your first song in English.

Lime: Yeah, I sang it in English for the first time in Shanghai and Taipei. That’s when I realized KuroiAme isn’t just for Japan, it resonates beyond that. So we decided to record it in English.

Interviewer: So it started by reaching the people right in front of you, and before you knew it, it had reached so many others.

Lime: Isn’t that the natural progression? I don’t like doing things that leave out the people right in front of me. There are too many things in band life that feel unnatural. Like battle-of-the-bands shows, I want to do them if there’s a natural reason or a story behind it. But a lot of the time, it’s just, “Our audience numbers are about the same, so let’s play together.” That’s why those events end up feeling dull, and people don't want to come.

Interviewer: The idea of “We match in scale, so let’s do a show together” sounds very business-like.

Lime: Right. That’s why we don’t do anniversary lives. I don’t see anything celebratory about it, and it feels unnatural, so we don’t do it. But if the fans really want to celebrate and organize something, I’ll go. The people who want to celebrate should be the ones to organize it. That feels natural to me. Saying, “Hey, it’s my birthday! Celebrate me!” that’s way too American, I could never do that (laughs). Besides, after doing it so many times, I've come to think that it's meaningless. I mean, what’s the point of a show that’s like, “Yay, we're all happy to celebrate! Okay, time to go home!” (laughs)

Interviewer: I feel like you just made a lot of enemies (laughs).

Lime: But it’s true! “Everyone’s happy! Now let’s all go home!”—what’s the point? (laughs) I mean, I think it’s fine to do that sometimes, it’s not bad. But when I read letters from fans afterward, they all say the same thing: “It was great.” And really, what am I supposed to say besides “Thanks for celebrating”? So it's just shallow exchanges. Oh, and there’s something else I think is totally pointless.

Interviewer: I’m a little scared to hear it with this energy (laughs).

Lime: One time, a staff member at a local live house saw a packed Kizu show and said, “It’d be nice if you could do this every six months or so, on a regular basis.” But if a band keeps playing just because they can pull numbers, even when they have nothing to say, they’re just burning themselves out. And eventually, they start fading. Fans aren’t stupid, they notice. Because of that, I don’t want to go on another tour, unless I have something more to say,

Interviewer: I was just about to ask about the scene, but we naturally arrived here.

Lime: Yeah. Just like how I used to be in the past, the current scene is full of unnatural things. Even what we think is natural now might not seem natural in the future. I might end up saying, “Aren’t live shows kind of unnatural? Pulling in electricity for the lights and guitars and amplifying your voice!”

Interviewer: You might say “We don’t need microphones!” (laughs).

Lime: Hahaha! I might be like, “Gotta sing the way you were born!” (laughs). The boundaries of what’s considered visual kei are so unclear, right? The only thing we have in common is makeup. Everyone’s singing about totally different things, so even if we’re performing on the same stage, it sometimes feels unnatural. The message, the form of expression, the intent—none of it aligns. I end up thinking “This is a completely different genre.”

Interviewer: It seems like it's no longer a genre where everyone can be lumped together.

Lime: That's right. I feel like we’re in the period where something new is supposed to emerge, branching off from visual kei. Not so much “let’s make something new from within visual kei to revitalize it,” but more like, “this branch of visual kei is going to spread globally.” Right now is the time we really have to persevere, honestly, being born in such times is tough.

Interviewer: You’re carrying a lot on your shoulders.

Lime: I don’t think of it that way, and I don’t want to carry anything either. I don’t want to bear the weight of something I can’t even define. But I’ve never wanted to be called just a rock band, nor have I ever hated being part of visual kei. If anything, I take more pride in being visual kei than most people. People talk about “breaking away from visual kei,” but I’ve never felt the need to do that. While touring for Shoumetsu, I started feeling even more strongly that if we stay true to our own sense of what's right, something new will naturally emerge.

Interviewer: What kind of evolution do you imagine when you say “something branching out from visual kei”?

Lime: I don’t think it’s something we imagine or create. It’s something the fans will feel and shape. I’m not someone who can construct it. All I can do is sing what I want to sing and express what I need to express, my bandmates feel the same way. That said, I do hope that where we end up is set apart from everything else.

Interviewer: What do you mean by “set apart”?

Lime: I'm not sure how to put it, but it’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about recently, and it ties into why I don’t like saying “thank you” at live shows. There are shows where it’s appropriate to end with “thank you,” and shows where it’s not. People often misunderstand this, but when I feel like I was able to express what I wanted to express, and the fans truly received it, I don’t think “thank you” is necessary.

Interviewer: It’s not about saying “Thank you for receiving my message”?

Lime: That's right! That kind of “thank you” actually dilutes the emotions felt in the live. I want people to leave the show carrying the feelings as they are. It's meaningless if a show ends with “Thanks for coming! Everyone's happy!” (laughs).

Interviewer: Are you trying to make “everyone's happy!” your enemy? (laughs)

Lime: No, no, no! (laughs) But I do want to say that “thank you” has the power to cancel out what was felt in a live show. Honestly, I think it’s fine if people leave in the middle of our shows. For example, at Shoumetsu in Reiki’s hometown of Niigata, our setlist had about 12 songs, but by the seventh song, I already felt like we had conveyed everything we needed to. So I thought, “What do we do? Should we just leave?” (laughs) It’s not that I didn’t want to play anymore, it was more like, “We've accomplished it. Now go home with that feeling!” (laughs)

Interviewer: So you want the band and fans to connect, understand each other, and leave at the peak of that shared experience?

Lime: Exactly! Because the show was that good, I genuinely felt like leaving by the seventh song. But, in the end, I got carried away and turned into a happy guy anyway. (laughs)

Interviewer: After all that talk attacking “happiness” (laughs)

Lime: Hahaha! We had planned only one encore song, but ended up playing three more.

Interviewer: Would you say that’s what feels natural for a band and a live show?

Lime: Yes. Whether it’s the live show itself, or where the band ends up, or even how visual kei evolves—we just don’t know. Even with tours, I want to let things unfold naturally. Right now, our tour is titled Shoumetsu (Disappearance), but in the end, it might take on a completely different meaning than what we intended. At Zepp Tokyo, I titled the show Sayonara because I wanted to say goodbye to the other version of myself who had been protecting the weaker me until now. But in the end, I couldn’t say goodbye. No matter how determined you are, things don’t always turn out the way you want.

Interviewer: That's different from "not making an effort."

Lime: Yeah. Both live shows and music are living things. Sometimes, they land in a place beyond what we could ever imagine. Live shows are living things and what happens in the moment is what really matters. The message behind a tour title is like a script, it’s secondary. The glass image I talked about. In the first two or three songs, we fill up our vessel to the brim, and then we give what is overflowing to the audience. That is the most important.

Interviewer: It seems like “being natural” is a key theme for you recently.

Lime: That's right. I want to be natural in my songwriting too. Going overseas because you want to write a song for the world—that’s unnatural. But if I happen to go overseas and a song comes from that—that’s natural. And it’s exactly how Jusei came to be.

Interviewer: So as you pursue this idea of being natural, what kind of person do you ultimately want to become?

Lime: I don’t want to be human. Do humans even have something to be proud of as species? I want to transcend the category of “human.” I don’t want to be seen as human, because if I'm seen as a human, I'll be treated as something weird, you know? I don’t want to be looked at like some kind of rare specimen. I don’t want people to expect me to conform to their "common sense" either.

Interviewer: Is there a reason you reject being human and common sense to that extent?

Lime: Common sense is just a majority rule, isn’t it? If you're going to measure me like that, then I’d rather not be human. I actually wrote a song about this… what was it? Oh, Heisei!

Interviewer: In Heisei, you sing “There’s no need to be human” and also “Just quit being human entirely.”

Lime: That’s it. If you ask me what kind of person I want to become, my answer is I don’t want to be human. This hasn’t changed at all. When I wrote Heisei, I had lived through the Heisei era and I came to a conclusion that I don’t want to be human. Well… This whole “transcending humanity” talk is half a joke (laughs).

Interviewer: Do you have a specific direction you want the band to go?

Lime: If I knew that, things would be a lot easier. Sometimes people say, “I don’t get what this artist is trying to do with their music,” and I just want to ask, “Do you know what you want to do with your life? Do you know what kind of person you want to be?” If you did, it’d be boring. Not knowing is what makes it fun. And even if you think you know, you probably just feel like you do. Even if you reach the goal you imagined, you’ll probably find it dull.

Interviewer: So both you and the band’s direction are moving according to what feels natural.

Lime: That’s why I don’t like it when people say, “Kizu is unwavering” I want to waver and keep wavering—because that’s life. No one can walk a straight line from the start. It’s the same with music. A band is a way of living. People don’t ride along to the rhythm—they ride along to life. So yeah, the direction is unclear (laughs).

Interviewer: That unpredictability is what makes the band interesting.

Lime: That’s why I want the band to keep moving naturally. And if I can express my way of life through it, that’s enough. How to show that way of life naturally—that’s the challenge from here on. To do that, I’ll need to grow not just as an artist, but as a person. In the end, I am human, but if I become satisfied with that, I won’t be able to write a song that changes my worldview more than KuroiAme did.

Interviewer: I imagine making an album would be even harder than a single.

Lime: Yeah, but you know what? Even though I say things like “We’re not putting out an album,” I’m secretly trying behind the scenes. Cute, right? (laughs) Sneaky little efforts. But it’s impossible, really! This is our eighth single now, right? I only want to include songs that truly capture my view of life. But if I wait for those kinds of songs to come to me, who knows how long it’ll take? That’s why, for me, just creating one song that will last forever is enough. I believe KuroiAme is that kind of song. So, if I quit the band tomorrow, I’d be okay with it. Right now, we’re focusing on spreading KuroiAme—this interview is part of that, too. The scary thing is: when this phase ends, will I have something left to say or not? I don’t want to do anything unnatural. If I have nothing to say, I’ll stop. If I still have something, I’ll continue. I’m standing right on the brink.

Interviewer: So that feeling of “There’s no tomorrow” that you had from the very beginning — it’s still with you.

Lime: What kind of band does this, though? Where the vocalist just says, “I have nothing left to say, so I’m quitting.” You always hear about bands breaking up because of tension or personal issues. But “I’m quitting because I have nothing left to sing about”—why don’t we hear that more often? That’s the most natural reason to stop. For me, if I ever quit, that would be the only reason. Kizu has no issues—we get along great. Nobody knows what direction we’re heading in, and we all are just doing what we want. Whether we have momentum or not doesn’t matter at all.

Interviewer: You have such a strong will, yet you let nature take its course.

Lime: Because I’ve been betrayed by my own goals so many times. Even if I decide, “This is the direction I’m going,” it never actually goes that way. You can’t fight the force of nature. No matter how well you understand yourself, there’s only one place you’ll end up. It’s better to just let things happen naturally. I think that's what the fans want too.

Interviewer: Fans definitely want to hear your honest thoughts.

Lime: You can’t fool them. They know us better than we know ourselves. After all, you don’t look at yourself in the mirror all the time, right? But fans watch every little detail. They don’t miss a single expression. Honestly, I don’t like being observed that closely (laughs). But there’s no way you can fool someone who’s watching you like that. If I’m not enjoying myself, they’ll know. A song made just for business won’t work. Especially now, with social media and videos, people can see everything. High-definition videos show every wrinkle (laughs). Lies don't work. I didn’t really want to say this, but… Maybe this is why people say “the industry is stagnant.” All the lies have been exposed. ...Oops, I think I talked too much. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?

Interviewer: We've talked about everything from your time abroad to the theme of nature and your thoughts on the scene.

Lime: I want to create a new genre. If I had to name the current visual kei scene, I’d call it “Visual Idol” (laughs). The idol influence is really strong now. The rock influence has basically disappeared. Honestly, I feel completely out of place in this scene. There needs to be a clear division somewhere. Of course, I'm not saying that one is better than the other—each side has its own justice. I just want to see those justices clash head-on. I hate that laid-back, “let’s all get along” vibe in the greenroom. If we push against each other and elevate ourselves, naturally, only the best will remain.

Interviewer: It would be great to have a space where those different justices can collide.

Lime: We could talk about this forever. Please end it with "I don't want to be human" (laughs). So that I end up more natural, like a caveman.

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#kizu #kizu translations #visual kei #RR mag #interviews

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libertineangel · 2 months ago

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The government will scrap a visa scheme, set up by Boris Johnson's government, that allows firms to hire health and social care workers from overseas. Instead, firms will be required to hire British nationals or extend the visas of overseas workers already in the country. Home Office figures estimate this change will cut the number of workers coming to the UK by between 7,000 and 8,000 a year. However, care companies warned some services will struggle to survive without international recruits. Employers will also be asked to pay more to hire foreign staff. The Immigration Skills Charge will increase by 32%, leading smaller firms to pay up to £2,400 to sponsor workers to come to the UK, while large firms will pay up to £6,600. Universities could also be hit by higher charges. The government plans to look into a new tax on every international student enrolled in a UK university, with the proceeds redirected into skills training. At the same time, colleges must meet stricter thresholds, with at least 95% of international students expected to start their course and 90% expected to finish.

The qualification requirements to apply for a skilled worker visa will go back up, reversing changes made under Johnson's government. It will mean new applicants will generally need a degree-level qualification, rather than the equivalent of A-level, which ministers say will make around 180 job roles ineligible for the visa route. Lower qualification requirements will remain for sectors facing long-term shortages, or those considered key to the government's industrial strategy. However it is not yet clear what that means in practice, and the government's migration advisory body has been asked to recommend roles for inclusion. The government also said: English language requirements for all work visas would increase The amount of time migrants need to live in the UK before applying for settled status would double from five years to 10, while setting up a fast-track system for "high-skilled, high-contributing" people A "limited pool" of refugees and displaced people recognised by the United Nations' agency responsible will be eligible to apply for jobs through existing skilled-worker routes. The government will also explore changing the law on how the right to a family life contained in Article 8 in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is applied in immigration cases. The government has previously said Article 8 should be interpreted "much more narrowly", opposing its use in cases including that of a Palestinian family, who were granted the right to live in the UK on appeal after originally applying through a scheme designed for Ukrainians. [...]

Sir Keir dismissed claims the plans were reacting to the threat from Reform, telling broadcasters: "I'm doing this because it is right, because it is fair and because it is what I believe in." He repeatedly attacked the previous Conservative government's immigration approach as an "open borders experiment", which was now over. The UK risks "becoming an island of strangers" without strong rules on immigration and integration, he added.

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monaetheworldsdestroyer · 3 months ago

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ilysm for not being mad at me and also encouraging me to yap bc i found even more ahhhh T.T

Disclaimer before: this is just SOME research!! if u want to, i can do more, the topic got me HOOKED (but tbh i mostly do research stuff when i can yap about it to sb KSKSKSKSK not very academic of me - or is that the very academic part? :o)

anyways here's what I've found out about jewish kids and school in nazi-germany so far:

24th May 1933 ALREADY came a law (idk the correct word rn bc i've been at work until 6pm like a lunatic XD) which said: schools are not allowed to have more than 5% of their student body being "not-aryan" and new students only 1,5% - in time with a law that didn't allow jewish teachers to teach anymore in public school

not THAT much of a problem for smaller towns, but if Erik is from Düsseldorf directly we have somewhat these numbers:

498.000 people in Düsseldor fin 1993, 1% of them Jews, the jewish community there counting 5.000 people among them

Düsseldorf is a large and fairly rich city they were able to build a jewish school in 1935. In 1936 they apparently had more than 300 children which might not seem that much but wasn't super unusal iirc. Many of the teachers and headmasters emigrated or got deported into a concentration camp within the next years. 1939 ,when WWII started, they only had 66 children left - for many children were send to the UK

after 1938 the schools specialised in foreign languages to help the children reach a foreign country - but only those with luck, foreign connections and money made it out

It says that Erik was born in 1930. So perfect school age for this to happen to him q.q

1st June 1942 came the law that jewish children weren't allowed to be taught anything, whether it's from teachers or volunteers which is just INSANE to me rn - aka no more compulsory education for jewish children at all

So yes I think we can assume that Erik would had gotten somewhat of an education until 1942 which would make him 5th/6th class by then and only finishing elementary school (his enrollment day would've been 1936, so during the time of that school and he'd not even know a normal school life at all)

ofc it depends when Erik was deported (I may have to read Magneto testament for that - i only learned about this comic's existence yesterday bc i'm in my krakoa era ksksks) BUT since we see his arrival in Auschwitz in the movies as 1944 it would fit

And that adds up with deportation trains from Düsseldorf (27th October 1941 to Lodz, 10th November 1941 to Minsk, 11th November to 1941 to Riga + 4 more huge deporations in April, June and July 1942 and June 1943) - unfortunately i couldn't find any direct routes from Düsseldorf to Auschwitz rn but Lodz was quite close iirc and ofc a lot of people later got deported to Auschwitz, so it's quite possible for Erik and his family to arrive there in 1944

(I am a bit confused by their arrival there for they still had all fo their hair, but i am not super familiar with the other concentration camps for now, and only visited Auschwitz, where the hair shaving was a HUGE thing and iirc that happend before they would be tattooed, but i think that might be Auschwitz-specific!! and i also read about a family disctric in Auschwitz in 1944 coming in from Theresienstadt soooo maybe that could be an explaination)

So yeah that's my yapping about jewish school education in nazi-germany q.q very insane that it started so early and v insane through and through

Gotta save my topic of "changing their name after WWII" for later tho bc i wasn't able to find resources so far, only other people who escaped the shoah and changed their names afterward (like erik giong from max to erik - v interesting bc Erik Lehnsherr is neither a jewish name nor romano nor eastern european per se iirc - but as i said more research needs to be done for that one!)

Also i prob need to read that magneto testament comic to find out if his family was from Düsseldorf or if they were from polish or another eastern european origin bc there was like the 1938 expulsion of polish jews from germany which might fit as well

I hope it wasn't too random and too.. wild? ask away i'll glady try to look up more but also no pressue that topic is heavy and insane and all of that q.q

that was actually so interesting to read!! i can feel how enthusiastic you are to yap about it

for the hair, from what i know they shaved prisoners’ hair only after they selected which one will stay alive (because when trains with them arrived those unable to work in a camp were sentenced to death immediately, and they didn't got their hair shaved). i know that from a book which was written by an Auschwitz survivor so i think that's a reliable source.

what they did was absolutely horrifying. it is a heavy topic, but also such and gripping one. back to Erik, he would absolutely despise that he didn't got higher education, because he wants to lead the mutantkind towards the better future but who would follow him if they knew that he didn't even graduate highschool?? that man is one walking insecurity, no one can convince me that he doesn't hate himself (but also he thinks he's the best in the world simultaneously) (bpd princess what else can i say)

it def wasn't too random, i find that particular period in history really interesting (and horrifying) (makes me want to throw up when i think about what all those people, including Erik, went through). if you want to yap more in my inbox then you're welcome <3

#monae answers #x men #xmen #erik lehnsherr #max eisenhardt #magneto #ww2

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justinspoliticalcorner · 1 year ago

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Lauren Gambino at The Guardian:

Joe Biden has signed into law a bill that rushes $95bn in foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, a bipartisan legislative victory he hailed as a “good day for world peace” after months of congressional gridlock threatened Washington’s support for Kyiv in its fight to repel Russia’s invasion. The Senate overwhelmingly passed the measure in a 79 -18 vote late on Tuesday night, after the package won similarly lopsided approval in the Republican controlled House, despite months of resistance from an isolationist bloc of hardline conservatives opposed to helping Ukraine. “It’s going to make America safer. It’s going to make the world safer,” Biden said, in remarks delivered from the White House, shortly after signing the bill.

“It was a difficult path,” he continued. “It should have been easier and it should have gotten there sooner. But in the end, we did what America always does. We rose to the moment, came together, and we got it done.” The White House first sent its request for the foreign aid package to Congress in October, and US officials have said the months-long delay hurt Ukraine on the battlefield. Promising to “move fast”, Biden said the US would begin shipping weapons and equipment to Ukraine within a matter of hours. Biden admonished “Maga Republicans” for blocking the aid package as Ukrainian soldiers were running out of artillery shells and ammunition as Iran, China and North Korea helped Russia to ramp up its aerial assault on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. Rejecting the view that Ukraine is locked in an unwinnable conflict that has become a drain on US resources, Biden hailed Ukraine’s army as a “fighting force with the will and the skill to win”. But the president also pressed the case that supporting Ukraine was in the national security interest of the US.

[...] In an effort to attract Republican support, the security bill includes a provision that could see a nationwide ban on TikTok. The House also added language mandating the president seek repayment from Kyiv for roughly $10bn in economic assistance in the form of “forgivable loans”, an idea first floated by Donald Trump, who has stoked anti-Ukraine sentiment among conservatives. Although support for the package was overwhelming, several Democrats have expressed their concern with sending Israel additional military aid as it prosecutes a war that has killed more than 34,000 people in Gaza and plunged the territory into a humanitarian crisis. Three progressive senators, Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch of Vermont and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, voted against the bill for its inclusion of military support to Israel.

On Wednesday, Biden called the aid to Israel “vital”, especially in the wake of Iran’s unprecedented aerial assault on the country. Israel, with help from the US, UK and Jordan, intercepted nearly all of the missiles and drones and there were no reported fatalities. The attack had been launched in retaliation against an Israeli strike on an Iranian consular site in Syria. “My commitment to Israel, I want to make clear again, is ironclad,” Biden said. “The security of Israel is critical. I will always make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Iran and terrorists who it supports.” Biden’s abiding support for Israel’s war in Gaza has hurt his political standing with key parts of the Democratic coalition, especially among young people. As he spoke, students at some of the nation’s most prestigious universities were demonstrating against the war. Biden emphasized that the bill also increases humanitarian assistance to Gaza, touting his administration’s efforts to pressure Israel to allow more aid into the devastated territory. But House Republicans added a provision to the bill prohibiting funds to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, Unrwa, a “lifeline for the Palestinian people in Gaza” that Israel has sought to disband.

President Biden signed a foreign aid package worth $95BN containing foreign aid for Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel and provisions to a TikTok ban.

The good: Ukraine and Taiwan funding. The bad: TikTok ban and Israel funding.

See Also:

Vox: Ukraine aid and a potential TikTok ban: What’s in the House’s new $95 billion bill

#Ukraine Aid #Ukraine #Israel #Taiwan #TikTok Ban #Joe Biden #Biden Administration #Foreign Aid

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444baddog · 5 months ago

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hey all!

i am really excited to be writing again.

hi gang! 24, f here, UK based - very open to ideas here. Ideally looking to write with those 21+. I write vers switches or bottoms - I do not write stone tops, but my characters will always happily be subs or switches, and like I say I can gladly write bottoms or vers’.

I'm looking to write some mxm, fxf OR mxf with me as f :) - looking for some nsfw with possible violence. I generally write fandomless at the moment but have softspots for some fandoms (COD ie my military OC x your OC/Konig/Ghost, Stranger Things where I'll write Steve, Billy, Eddie, Nancy and Eden against another canon chara).

Probably a smut/angst focus though I am not opposed to fluff also when we have the right plot, probably a 70/30 or 60/40 smut to normal ratio. I love victim x bully, stalker x stalkee etc, and this is just a few! Toxic roommates, boss x coworker, university lecturer x student - the list goes on. I have a list of triggers (almost non existent) and also detailed kinks I enjoy/would like to write if you pop me a dm.

Some heavier kinks I want to write (and not all have to be included!) are:

*Dubcon/Noncon

Somno

Foreign object use

Blackmail*

I'm mainly looking to get along with my partner- I love making servers, writing multiple plots and characters if we get along and want to, making moodboards, playlist, even sharing nsfw twitter links and stuff if we're comfy! Tupperbot friendly if you are, but not needed. I write on discord if this wasn’t super clear.

If ANY of this sounds like your cup of tea, please message me (dms are open) or like this post and I'll pop up :) Thanks!

#fandomless rp #stranger things #fandomless roleplay #smut #smut rp #roleplay #cod rp #discord rp #spicy rp #cod #oc x oc #canon x canon #cnc k!nk #k!nks

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katboykirby · 7 months ago

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idk if you've been asked this at any point before, but as someone who lives in the uk and plans to move to japan

what was your experience moving to japan from the uk like and do you have any "dos and don'ts" that you recommend?

The first thing you'll need to look into is acquiring a Visa, since it's mandatory for anyone who plans to stay in Japan for over 90 days. There are multiple different kinds of Visa (such as student Visa, working Visa, expat/digital nomad Visa, etc) so the best option will depend on your personal circumstances.

You can apply for Visas at the Japanese Embassy/Consulate in London. They can also help you with any questions you have, walk you through the application process, and they have a library available as well with a lot of resources. You can also submit your application to them online if you aren't able to go in person.

Here's a good guide for the different types of Visas and what the application process looks like.

Overall I found the whole experience to be relatively smooth, with the biggest obstacles being the long wait times (patience is a virtue for sure) and the tedium of having to fill out so many legal forms. You'll need to provide a lot of info regarding your past work experience, proof that you have a clean criminal record, etc. And depending on which type of Visa you apply for, you might need to pass a Japanese language test to affirm that you have the necessary language skills (although this is usually only a requirement if you will be working at a Japanese company)

If you're looking for residential housing in Japan, AkiyaMart is a service that specialises in helping foreigners find homes throughout the country. They will be the middleman who handles the go-between for you and the Japanese real estate agents, and assist you with all the important details/contracts. This is EXTREMELY helpful, especially if you don't speak or read Japanese.

As for general "Dos and Don'ts".....if you haven't visited Japan before, you definitely should travel there at least once. Even if it's just in major urban areas and big cities like Tokyo, it will still be extremely beneficial if only to help you know what to expect.

Reloadable Suica cards are (imho) the best option for transit. And believe me, you'll be using trains a LOT

You definitely don't need to be 100% fluent in Japanese (unless you're applying for a Visa that specifically requires it) but you should definitely try to memorize at least a few common/key phrases.

In general, just try to be polite and respectful. There's a very sharp difference in culture between the UK and Japan, so familiarise yourself with common Japan courtesies.

It can be intimidating when you look at it all at once like this, but I promise it's a lot more manageable than it looks!

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sissa-arrows · 11 months ago

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Bruh you lost a follower. Admit that the only reason you don’t support Ukraine is because you’re assuming all Ukrainians are white 🙄 Ur lucky you don’t live in a war zone.

Quick reminds me what happened to African students when the war broke? You know the students who were kept from evacuating? Also reminds me who is in the UK complaining about people of color and Muslims in their children’s school?

This is a testimony from an African student

“Multiple bus crossed the border every hour but not a single foreigner was allowed to cross. When we finally managed to to cross the border they told us hotels were for Ukrainians only. No sleep no food in 3 days…”

A Nigerian woman was blocked at the train station in Ukraine they didn’t let her in the train to evacuate…

“It’s not happening only to black people, it’s also happening to Indians, Arabs, Syrians and it shouldn’t be like that.”

That being said I actually said I support Ukraine I just keep my energy for people who need it more because they don’t get as much support and aren’t racists pieces of shit. Ukrainians have every right to defend themselves against Russians and I will support them for it. But war zone or not I’m not going to forget their racism against Africans or their Islamophobia.

The only mistake I made is saying “Ukrainians” instead of “white Ukrainians” just like I often say French instead of “white French” because that’s how we do it in French which is my first language.

Lastly I don’t post to gain followers so if refusing to forget the racism of Ukraine and choosing to support them less actively because I prefer to use my (limited) energy on people who have less support makes me lose followers then so be it. I have principles just like I’m not going to throw my anti imperialism out of the window to support Russia because of my issues with Ukraine I’m not going to throw my anti racism out of the window to forget what Ukraine did.

#ask

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butterflywithsass · 9 months ago

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Things I Wish I knew living on my own

This is gonna be pretty short at the moment (I'll add more later) because I haven't been living on my own for very long and I think there's still plenty that I still have to figure out. I'm also drunk as I write this so this might be rambling.

This is gonna be chock full of really obvious stuff for most people but stuff that really confused or stressed me out when I did it. It's also gonna have that obvious stuff that's not so obvious because no one really talks about it until you are on your own and you haven't the first idea how to start.

First things first. Money. You're gonna need it, so look up a bank that is in your area and look into the process of setting up an account. Some banks have this online, sometimes you need to walk into the bank and do it in person. In both cases, make sure you have a passport, birth certificate, or other ID on you, as literally everything you know about your financial state prior to this. Ask your parents if you need to, or someone who knows this, because they are gonna ask a lot of questions. Once you've got the account set up make sure to confirm your ID. I set up an account online, and since I forgot to do this step, I have now had my account deactivated and I need to start all over again. Don't be like me.

If you're in a foreign country like me, make sure you understand how the currency works, and set up a method to transfer funds without having to pay the tax every time. Set up an app like Wise or something similar so people can transfer you money and you can move it to your bank account. Make sure you have a rough idea of how much something is worth in each currency. I'm still adjusting to using pounds, and things would look really cheap until I realized that a pound is worth slightly more than a dollar.

Services. I mean stuff like wifi and tv and stuff. If you're a student, than your wifi is fine, just make sure you set it up right. Euroroam is a bitch, so make sure you google how to do it right and just follow it step by step. Ask for help. Just ask someone. I'm so serious. Another thing I'm struggling with is TV. In the UK you have to have a license for BBC iplayer. Don't listen to your British friends when they say you don't need it. You do. If you don't have it you will get prosecuted. I don't wanna get prosecuted. It's super easy, even if it's kinda expensive, and hey, you get access to everything BBC. Just google tvl.co.uk and something will turn up. You can use that super handy bank card you got when you signed up for the bank account.

Transport. buses, trains and shit. First of all, make sure you download all the apps and inform yourself on how they work. It's gonna be confusing especially if your an American country hick like me so nows the time to learn. Get the maps. Get the bus schedules and routes. Pin them on your wall. Also, There's often some super cool discounts you can get if you sign up. Where I am in Scotland at the moment there's such a thing as a YoungScot Card, where you can get bus fair free if you're under 22. If you're not in Scotland, chances are there is something like that if you look. Transport can add up. Don't get Uber or a Taxi unless it's your only option, in which case, GET THE UBER. It's better to pay a butload of money for transport than be stranded somewhere alone. Your safety is more important than money.

Printers. You will need them. Often, there will be documents that you need to sign on paper, and so a printer will be needed. Google places where you can get things printed. If you are a student, make figuring out how to print things at your campus library a priority. I'm about to invest in my own printer just so I can skip this process because it's exhausting.

Voting. Just because you're not in your own country, doesn't mean you shouldn't vote. I'm from America, and care very much about the results of the next presidential election. If you're already registered to vote, try and get an absentee ballot.

Which brings me to mail. Get some stamps, and make sure they are the right ones. There will be postcard stamps, and mail stamps, and international stamps. Get the international letter stamps for your ballot and put them on because mailing is not paid for outside of the US. Then fucking mail it! (I'm swearing at myself so I remember to do this part when I'm sober)

Phone number. You will need a new one. Get an Esim card (should be in your settings if you have an iPhone) Make sure your friends have your new number and test it out to make sure it works when you're in a new country. One thing about Europe, is that the old buildings really suck for phone reception. Also, if you want to make this simpler and can't remember numbers very well, use Whatsapp or Instagram to message people.

Mess. You may go into this with certain ideas of granduer when it comes to personal organization. Be real. You won't be any more organized or tidy on your own than you were with other people. Just make sure that the essentials are accounted for and forgive yourself for the rest. Keep a drawer or a basket for all that important shit like bank statements or that letter that says they're opening an investigation because you haven't bought a tv license so it's all in one place and you don't lose anything. If it's urgent, pin it on your wall (get a bulletin board for this). Do your laundry. If you have your own washing machine and dryer, good for you. I don't, so figure out how the system works with the communal washers and get on that. Once again ask for help. Wash your sheets. Wash your pillowcases. WASH YOURSELF.

Hygiene. I hate it too, but it will make you feel better about yourself if you are clean and your teeth are brushed. This is the first thing to go when you feel in a slump. I know. I hate showers. I hate brushing my teeth, but not doing it makes my self-esteem go down the drain and my depression goes on a victory lap. Just do it. If you can't do anything else on this list, or you feel like everything is too overwhelming, do this. It will make a lot of other things feel doable.

Food. Okay, scratch that. This might be the most important thing. I am currently making a late night dinner of dried mangos and wine because I didn't have the motivation do get dinner tonight which is a prime example of what not to do. Because now I'm drunk and hungry. Get a fucking fridge! Get a microwave! Go to the grocery store and buy food. Even if it's ramen or mac and cheese. At least it's food. At this point, don't worry about eating healthy, just eat. Since I'm not allowed a mini fridge or a microwave, I have to time my meals so I get into the dining hall on time which results in this... So if you're in a similar case, set alarms for meal times, and GO TO THEM! If you miss it. Find a place that has cheap takeout that you will eat as a fall back option.

Groceries. Find a grocery store that has the things you need, and see what kind of membership or regular discounts you can get. You will need it. Don't worry about buying too much food, or buying too much junk food. If you're gonna overspend on something, better it be this and not something else. Eventually, you will get a sense of what you actually like to eat and what you don't. But for now, don't be afraid to buy something just to try it because it might become your new favorite food. Make a running list on your phone of what you need to buy and don't worry about overbuying. If you buy something you don't eat or don't want, give it away! Your neighbors or classmates or friends might want it and food is always a good way to meet people and form connections. At my old school, I became known as the one who would always have a bag of storebought cookies on me in class if anyone was hungry and didn't have any other options. I was proud of that reputation.

Don't restrict your space. It can get easy to walk the same path every day, and never venture outside of the area you know well. But every so often, try and use that bus pass you got, and go a little further afield. Just wander. You don't have to have a goal. Just explore. Living in a new place is the perfect time to do this. I recently ended up in a random church just because the gate was unlocked and the door was open. I ended up accidentally eavesdropping on a late night discussion of eleventh-century catholic manuscripts or something I can't remember and came home with a pamphlet for the catholic church I'm never going to join but it was an experience. Make awkward conversations with the people you haven't met before because maybe you'll end up crushing really hard for her even though she's straight and has a boyfriend and you'll spend the next week hopelessly pining but at least it will be something to mark the passing of time, creeping at this petty pace from day to day. Maybe the way she describes how she's learning to dissect cadavers and the way her eyebrows tilt will inspire you.

It's okay to be lonely. It's hard to adjust to living in a new place. Especially if you're a student at a new school. It may feel like everyone is making friends but you. That may be true. You may find that your neighbor has already met a guy and they are really cute together, and they no longer really want to hang out with you. You may find that the person you connected with really well now longer remembers your name but that's okay. It is a superpower, knowing how to be comfortable on your own. It's something you must learn before you can make a lasting connection with anyone. Those people who are making friends so fast are doing it because they are afraid to be alone. You aren't afraid.

Don't overcomit. Sometimes, you might feel so guilty about not donating to a freind's program to help survivers of domestic abuse in africa that you offer to design a website for them. But yuu're swamped. You have three essays due next week and you need to have an opinion about Homer's portrayal of Ithaka and you're terrified every second you spend not working on your essays, so that yiu ccan't relax even during breaks because you're constantly thinking you're behind but now you have to design a website. Don't fucking do that, What were yoy thinking you fuckin idiot. Just give your freind the money and tell her you can't do it.

Keep in touch with people. Don't fall off the map. There are people you love who are still out there. Your gramma wants to know how you're doing so give them a call, but not when you're drunk that will just make her anxious. Call your freinds from your old school. Ask them how they're doing. When tey tell you they're going on a date be happy for them and don't think bout how single you are. Fuck.

Invest in your projects. Don't forget what you love. Join that Good Omens fanfiction group even though it's one of the few things that you're not obligated to do. Don;t forget your hobbies. Watch the thing that David Tennent was in even though you don't have any prior interest in true crime and watch yourself fall into another spiral of hyperfixation.

Read Shakespeare. Relate so hard. Spend an inordinate amount of time memorizing the Yoric soliquiy from Hamlet. Spend a fortune on tickets to see David Tennent play Macbeth in the west end. Let it be your light. The only thing you are looking forward too at the moment.

You'e on your forth glass of wine. You havent neber been this drunk before becuse you are a syupid American who has just moved to the Uk unserpivused. and you're stressing about exams. You were supposed to be working.

Goodbye!

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ineffable-opinions · 1 year ago

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School Culture & Male Androphilia in Japan

[This is part of a series on Takumi-kun 6. The aim of this piece is to discuss the origins of student culture and male androphilia & how it plays out in Takumi-kun series.]

Takumi-kun series is an early BL novel by Shinobu Gotoh with an enduring legacy. It is also an on-going work as we follow Takumi-kun and others beyond their student (gakusei) days and into adult (shakaijin) life.

Takumi-kun series is mostly set in an all-males boarding school Shido Academy. As I have mentioned in my previous posts, pre-modern Japan has a long tradition of male androphilia[1], much of which was age-stratified, class-stratified or both and involved strict/normative inserter/insertee dichotomy. BL has inherited (such as in seme/uke dynamics) and bastardized (such as with younger seme/older uke pairing) traditions of male androphilia in its tropes. Let's discuss a bit of the history before diving into how Shinobu Gotoh plays around with the setup of boarding school male-male sexuality that emerged in the Meiji period.

Part 1

[ Main resource used for this part of the write-up is the chapter titled “Toward the Margins: Male-Male Sexuality in Meiji Popular Discourse” from the book Cartographies of Desire: Male-Male Sexuality in Japanese Discourse, 1600-1950 by Gregory M. Pflugfelder. ]

What Review of Senryu From Meiji Japan Reveals

Meiji period Japan saw transformation of Japanese customary male-male sexuality ‘within the newly established framework of a centralized nation-state’.

…male-male sexuality, which had enjoyed a prominent and respectable place in Edo-period popular texts, came during Meiji times to be routinely represented as “barbarous,” “immoral,” or simply “unspeakable.”

The marginalization of male-male sexuality can be traced through its representation in senryü verse composed during that period. In post-Meiji Restoration popular humor Yoshichö districts of Edo well-known for organized sex work was no longer associated with the kagema or male sex worker. Instead, it was associated with female geisha, mirroring the 18th centuary decline of kagema teahouse and their shutdown by local authorities'. Once mainstream male-male sex work had to go underground and faded from popular memory.

Just as old customs were forgotten, new ones emerged in senryu of 1880.

Two figures […] associated with male-male sexuality were the bantö and detchi—clerk and apprentice, respectively, in a commercial house. The bantö wielded considerable authority over other employees, and had been portrayed in senryü since the Edo period indulging his lechery with young male coworkers. The detchi, on the other hand, may be seen as the merchant version of the priestly chigo or samurai page boy: male adolescents for whom the favor or disfavor of senior males might have significant consequences for their professional advancement.

Meanwhile male-male sexuality involving Buddhist priests went from being considered ‘a lesser transgression than fornication with women’ and a ‘contradiction between the priest's personal indulgence and the ascetic ideals of his religion” to an “emblem of “ancient evils” (kyühei) in dire need of reform’ and ‘a criminal offense’.

Following period saw state regulation of representation of sexuality in media (print media, theatre and paintings - artist Kawanabe Kyösai’s erotic drawing of Meiji oligarch Sanjö Sanetomi & a male foreigner landed him in jail; not much different from jailing of ero BL creators in present day[2]) and a shift in popular discourse that deemed that male-male eroticism has no place in the “civilized” environment of Meiji. Male-male sexuality was further marginalized through silence resulting from ‘state censorship, editorial discretion, authorial inclination, public taste’, etc. Meiji journalists continued reporting on male-male sexuality but adopted a tone of moralistic outrage and condemnation.

In the demarcation of civilized behavior, male-male sexuality was relegated to ‘the Japanese past, the southwestern periphery, and the world of adolescence’.

Japanese Past

‘Male-male erotic practices lay in the past’ which was seen as ‘a backward and “feudal” age, whose institutions and customs Japan must abandon in order to achieve “civilization.”’

Meiji era authors depicted male-male sexuality with historical backdrop (such as samurai society of the Sengoku and Edo eras) that would excuse their representation in the name of historical accuracy. [This is in contrast to say depiction in cinema which has largely avoided depiction of nanshoku with exception of Taboo (1999) and Kubi (2023).]

Pflugfelder gives a couple of examples:

Higeotoko (Man with a Beard; 1890–1896) by Köda Rohan – very shonen ai about the whole thing – involved light hand-holding and fade to blank.

Kagema no adauchi (Kagema's Vendetta; 1899) by Jöno Denpei –about a professional “love boy”. As a person born in 1832 Jöno was familiar with male sex workers like the protagonist from his childhood. But the practice has thoroughly disappeared from the cultural fabric by 1899 that Jöno had to introduce the protagonist whose profession was “disgraceful” “from today's perspective” and his gender identity ambiguous.

Marginalization of Male-Male Sexuality Was Japan's Southwestern Periphery

Centered around Kagoshima prefecture (the former domain of Satsuma), the region encompassed various parts of Kyushu, Shikoku, and Honshu. During the Meiji period, it was popularly believed that male-male erotic practices were more prevalent here than in the rest of Japan. Other than the obvious geographic distinction, there was a social reason too for this distinction. It was believed the region was a stronghold of old customs with lasting imprints of samurai class and the high concentration of warrior families. Satsuma had customary homosocial groups with strict sex-segregation practices such as hekogumi and gojü until the Restoration.

Male-male erotic interaction […] was reportedly common within such groups.

… the martial ethos of the samurai class slowly dissolved under the pressure of social change and “civilized morality.” Contemporary observers correlated the deterioration of shiki or “warrior morale” with a decline in male-male erotic practices.[3]

During the Meiji period, southwestern region (Kagoshima in particular) was known for its male-male sexual practices. These practices were seen as regional peculiarities, distinct from the mainstream culture centered in Tokyo. The southwestern region was viewed as a “feudal” backwater, and the association of male-male erotic practices with this area underscored their perceived “uncivilized” nature. Instead of being seen as a universal practice [the way shudo was percieved], male-male sexuality was considered a “folkway” (füzokü) surviving on the cultural margins of a newly “civilized” nation-state. In the 20th century, sexologists further marginalized these practices by diagnosing regions like Kagoshima with a hereditary condition called “regional same-sex love” (chihôteki döseiai). This effectively contained male-male sexuality within specific geographical and cultural boundaries.

Moreover, from Kagoshima men’s regional identity imperial navy and seafaring got associated with male-male eroticism in Meiji Japan.

male-male sexuality & the world of adolescence

… the sexual object in shudö had always been defined as a young male. In Meiji popular discourse, as in that of the Edo period, it was generally understood that youthfulness formed one of the conditions of male-male erotic desirability. More and more commonly, however, the desiring party too was presumed to be an adolescent, older than his partner as a rule, but neither of them yet an adult.

‘Adolescence (seishun) as an “institutionalized moratorium between childhood and adulthood” [allowed for a] social space where adult standards did not fully apply’. This also allowed male-male sexuality which had gained the status of uncivilized behavior to be excused as ‘youthful folly’.

Institutions of formal education were around since Edo period and so was male-male erotic practices in them. Not only that but also ‘violence between rivals in love’. Following the Restoration, schools mushroomed throughout Japan with an added emphasis on education as a vehicle for social mobility. Students, tasked with future nation building, were expected to be diligent in their study and to stay away from sexual diversion. Male-male sexuality in schools were not just that in discourse of the day but was inextricably linked with ‘shifting definitions of masculinity, regional and political rivalries, and the ongoing “civilization” of morality’.

Mori Ögai - father of Mori Mari who wrote the first BL

Two terms born out of Mori Ögai's 1909 novel critiquing naturalism[4] Wita sekusuarisu (Vita Sexualis) köha and nanpa were used in discourses surrounding male-male sexuality among students. The term köha (translated as “roughnecks” by Pflugfelder and “queers” by Kazuji Ninomiya and Sanford Goldstein) referred to students who eschewed interest in male-female eroticism instead engaged in male-male sexual relations. This was in contrast to their nanpa (translated as “smoothies” by Pflugfelder and “mashers” by Kazuji Ninomiya and Sanford Goldstein) classmates.

[These are penetrator roles but not fixed categories. Students did move from one category to another even in Mori's novel. "Boy" (shonen) who were penetrated could take up penetrator role later on.]

“Smoothies” […] did not tuck up their sleeves or swagger about with menacing shoulders like their “roughneck” peers, but instead dandified themselves in silk kimonos and white socks (tabi) in order to win the favor of women.

In Mori’s school köha student were mostly from Kyushu and southwest Honshu prefecture of Yamaguchi while nanpa were from northeastern region. This regional distinction shows up in Tsubouchi Shöyö's novel Tösei shosei katagi (Spirit of Present Day Students; 1885–1886) wherein Kiriyama Benroku a quintessential köha is a native of Kyushu who wears coarse garb and is contrasted against his classmates womanizing peers not only by his leaning towards samurai ideals of masculinity but also by his interest in his companion Miyaga.

The köha-style of masculinity was modelled on engaging brute strength even in erotic dealings. Moreover ‘the strict age hierarchy that prevailed in student society constrained the very notion of consent, since junior males were in principle supposed to obey the dictates of senior schoolmates.’

In such an environment, male-male sexual practices often took a predatory form, with younger students providing fodder for older ones.

However, there were also non-forced köha-shonen sexual relations too.

Mori describes, for instance, a set of crude hand signals whereby a “boy” could consent to or refuse a senior male's overtures; subtler forms of seduction involved treats, favors, and the prospect of “special protection” (tokubetsu na hogo) by the older party.

Meiji newspapers was eager to cover köha violence wherein the older students who preyed upon “beautiful boy” in the streets of Tokyo and other Meiji cities or fought over a “beautiful boy”. They stood to gain readership especially those from middle- and upper-class who were likely to send their kids to boarding schools. It also fit well in the political context with journalistic crusade aimed at male-male sexuality & exploitation as a “Satsuma habit” in a time when ‘domination of the national government by the so-called “Satsuma clique” (Satsubatsu) faced mounting criticism’.

The portrayal of köha by journalists in post-Restoration Japan led to a strong association between male-male sexuality and adolescence. This association was so strong that any discussion of male-male sexuality would inevitably reference student societies and dormitories as common places for such relationships. Furthermore, accounts of school life often highlighted the culture of male-male eroticism as a distinctive feature. This is evident in memoirs by several notable figures such as Ösugi Sakae (himself a former köha), Iwaya Saza-nami, Ubukata Toshirô, as well as in literary works by Dazai Osamu, Hori Tatsuo, Kawabata Yasunari, Mushanoköji Saneatsu, Origuchi Shinobu, Satomi Ton, Tanizaki Jun’ichirö, and Uno Köji.

Chigo-nise ties (that is, erotic relationships between junior and senior youths) were reportedly common [in Kagoshima] as late as the 1940s, while student memoirs and other accounts describe similar attachments in schools outside the region. With the twentieth-century rise of the notion of [döseiai] “same-sex love,” however, popular representations of such relationships would come increasingly to focus on their psychological features, rather than on physical predation of the Meiji type.

The other half of the ‘asymmetric dyad that made up a male-male erotic relationship’, the sexually penetrated partner, is referred to as ‘shonen’ (boy) in student lingo. By then a mix of inherited knowledge from various arena – Japanese past, classical Chinese, and contemporary forensic pathology – entered public discourse such as seen in Kömurö Shujin's Bishönenron (On the Beautiful Boy).

In Kömurö Shujin's work, the primary effect of this paradigm was to bring to the fore the psychology and physiology of the “beautiful boy” in a manner that would become increasingly common as the century progressed. Kömurö Shujin cited an impressive array of Western authorities on “same-sex love,” most of them doctors or scientists who believed that the “passive” partner in male-male intercourse differed from others of his sex on the basis of certain mental and physical peculiarities, both inborn and acquired. At the same time, the author's understanding of Western sexology was filtered through a set of native assumptions, emerging in a form that often differed in telling ways from the intentions of the original theorists.

Masculinity of wakashu was rarely ever problematized during Edo period. But with the medicalization of male-male sexuality led to attribution of “effemination” with “passive” partner put forth by Western sexologists as Richard von Krafft-Ebing to gain traction in Japan and persist.

[Parallels can be found in bishonen (beautiful boy) stock in BL deemed feminine by readers unfamiliar with the bishonen aesthetics. For example, misattribution bishonen Ayase even when contrasted with feminine Someya in No Money. This also extends to treatment of seme/uke dynamics as though it is a reflection of heterosexual pairing when it is in fact a pairing of two different masculine aesthetics, not to ignore the misogynistic, xenophobic and colonial conception of men who do not fit into specific masculine aesthetics being deemed unmanly/feminine.

Interestingly, Miki Koichiro the director (and screenwriter) of Pornographer, Given, Zettai BL, Bokura no Micro na Shuumatsu etc. is well versed in the male androphilic traditions (among other queer traditions). We can see him using the term “shonen” when instructing the young actor playing Mob-san’s brother’s friend who has a crush on Mob-san. His usage was perfect, proving that he knows what he is doing.]

Part 2

Relics of traditional androphilia in Takumi-kun series

The norm or at least the expectation is that senior students (senpai) pursue pretty boy (bishonen) juniors (kouhai).

This is what outsiders expect even within the universe the novel series is set in as is seen from the conversation between Gii, his best friend Akaike Shouzou and Namiko (Shouzou’s girlfriend) in Sorera Subete Itoshiki Hibi (Those Were Precious Days), a part that never got live action adaptation.

This plays out in Takumi-kun series in various ways. There are two notable bishonen in Takumi-kun’s batch: Gii with his exotic beauty and the princess-like Takabayashi Izumi. In case of pursuit of Gii plays out in a pretty straight forward manner. He is relentlessly chased by seniors who are interested in Gii and their numerous attempts at wooing him.

Takumi-kun 4 - Gii & Sagara

Notable pursuer is Sagara Takahiro who was in the third year when Gii joins Shidou. Sagara as the school president organized many recreational events hoping Gii would participate and they would grow closer. But Gii refuses to participate except for in the final one which took place in Sagara’s absence, the Shinto Shrine Hunt event that is depicted in Takumi-kun 6. Even though the pursuit plays out straight forwardly, it come to nothing since Gii is not there to be pursued. He is there to pursue Takumi-kun.

In case of Takabayashi Izumi, he turns his most ardent pursuers into a band of followers. This obedient little group of lackeys help him to stir up trouble for his love rival Takumi. Moreover, Takabayashi is one of Gii’s pursuers. This pursuit also doesn’t yield any result as Gii doesn’t entertain any pursuit.

Thus, both bishonen of Takumi’s batch subverts expectations surrounding bishonen by being pursuers.

Takabayashi’s plot gets further complicated when he falls in love with Yoshizawa Michio. Their pairing is that of weak seme x weak uke type – both are reluctant to actively pursue each other and requires external intervention to set their ship in motion.

Meanwhile Misu Arata wishes to be the target of his senior Sagara Takahiro’s affections. He actively participates in Sagara’s events wanting to get close [and they do get close as schoolmates] but Sagara is only interested in Gii.

Takumi-kun 4 - Shingyouji & Misu

Misu’s plot further deviates from the pursued bishonen track when a junior (Shingyouji Kanemi) pursues and eventually gets together with him in a clear inversion of the norm.

Takumi is also pursued by his seniors. Aso Kei’s pursuit is depicted in Takumi-kun 6 while Nozaki Daisuke’s attempts at courtship is depicted in Takumi-kun 1.

Aso Kei is the only one Takumi is comfortable interacting with apart from Katakura Toshihisa (Takumi’s best friend). Aso’s pursuit is aided by Gii who wholeheartedly wishes for Takumi’s happiness irrespective of whom he gets together with. Gii creates opportunities for Aso and Takumi to meet by delegating library duty to Takumi when Aso is around thus getting them to interact. Aso’s courtship fails and he takes it out on Gii by showing off – he lies to him that Takumi agreed to shrine hunt with him. When Gii notices that Takumi doesn’t reciprocate Aso’s feelings, he decides to actively pursue Takumi and turns from Aso’s enabler to rival in love.

Nozaki Daisuke’s pursuit of Takumi plays out within the senior pursuing junior set up. Another classic trope is that of love rivals fighting over a bishonen with both literary and in real life precedents. This is evoked in a race between Gii and Nozaki in Takumi’s name from Takumi-kun 1. Here the love rival’s competition is complicated since Gii is a bishonen who is fought over by many others (Takumi, Takabayashi, Nogawa Masaru*, etc).

* Nogawa Masaru is not depicted in any of the movies as far as I can remember.

Even though the novel series is called Takumi-kun series, there are many parts that doesn’t involve Takumi-kun and some of them are exclusively from the point of view of other characters. All in all, Takumi-kun series is like an anthology of many many love stories involving characters who are directly or indirectly connected to Takumi-kun. There are other stories involving younger pursuer and older pursued with all sorts of seme/uke arrangements. Here are some that I can recall right away:

Even guys who are not androphilic such as Akaike Shouzou gets pursued by seniors (Shibata Shun in Shouzou’s case). But these courtships are doomed from the get go.

Younger guy pursues older – senior & junior, teacher & student, etc.

senior x junior pursuit abandoned to establish senior x senior romance (Moriyama & Shibata) or junior x junior romance.

senior x junior romance sometimes end in heartbreak. (Takumi-kun 2)

senior x senior relationships are abandoned in pursuit of senior x junior relationship.

Sometimes seniors employ their seniority to retain power imbalance. (Misu and Shingyouji)

In case it is not clear, who pursues who has got nothing to do with who is seme, uke or riba and vice versa. Since the novel series involves many pairings, we get to see all sorts of seme/uke/riba dynamics (if we are to call it that given Takumi-kun is a June novel).

Footnotes

[1] I prefer using male androphilia because queerness is a bit too vague and in most case in inappropriate since it was the norm. Academics usually use male-male sexuality, male-male desire, male-male eroticism, etc. Male androphilia must not be confused with the narrower term homosexuality.

[2] Danmei author Tian Yi and her companions were sentenced for 10 years for profiting from obscene content on male-male sexuality.

[3] while the courting of “beautiful boys” was a “barbaric custom” (banpü), domain authorities during the Edo period had tacitly encouraged it as a means of preventing young men from going “soft” (nyüjaku) through erotic involvement with women (joshoku).

[4] In the Company of Men: Representations of Male-Male Sexuality In Meiji Literature by Jim Reichert (199-208)

Takumi-kun meta series

1.Trailer plus

2.School culture and male androphilia in Japan. (you are here)

3.How does the movie compare with the source novel?

4.How does the movie compare with previous adaptations?

#takumi kun series #takumi-kun 6 #japanese bl #タクミくんシリーズ長い長い物語の始まりの朝。#タクミくんシリーズ #Gotoh Shinobu #Takumi-kun Series 6: The Morning of the Beginning of a Long #Takumi-kun Shirizu 6 #タクミくんシリーズ6 #Takumi-kun: The Dawn of the Long Tales #takumi kun 6 #takumi kun 1 #takumi kun 2 #takumi kun 3 #takumi kun 4 #takumi kun 5 #Takumi-kun Series 1: And The Spring Breeze Whispers (2007)#Takumi-kun Series 1: And The Spring Breeze Whispers #Takumi-kun Series 1 #Soshite Harukaze ni Sasayaite #Takumi-kun Series 2: Rainbow Colored Glass (2009)#Takumi-kun Series 2: Rainbow Colored Glass #Takumi-kun Series 2 #Takumi-kun Series 2: Nijiiro no Garasu #Takumi-kun Series 3: The Beauty of Detail (2010)#Takumi-kun Series 3: The Beauty of Detail #Takumi-kun Series 3 #Takumi-kun Series 3: Bibou no Detail #タクミくんシリーズ3「美貌のディテイル」#タクミくんシリーズ3

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eaglesnick · 2 months ago

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“We can't deter people fleeing for their lives. They will come. The choice we have is how well we manage their arrival, and how humanely.” - Antonio Guterres

Continuing with my dissection of Reform UK's manifesto, this forth article is about the claim that "record mass migration has damaged our country".

It cannot be denied that mass immigration has had a significant impact on Britain, shaping its economy, society, and culture in various ways. Some argue that it has contributed to economic growth, filled labour shortages, and enriched British culture. Other's, like Reform UK, argue the opposite, claiming it has strained public services, kept wages down, contributed to housing shortages, and led to social tensions.

I have no doubt both sides in the debate are correct - mass immigration has brought both benefits and costs.

The right-wing parties like Reform UK tend to obsess over illegal immigrants, often ignoring the much larger proportion of legal immigrants, men and women INVITED here to help stimulate the economy and work in our low paid public services, especially in the NHS and social care. Net migration hit a record 906,000 people for the year ending June 2023. Of these 52,530 were illegal immigrants, a mere 5.7% of the total immigrant population.

The other 93.3% of immigrants were either overseas students or INVITED here by government and businesses. Personally, I don’t understand why we class overseas students as "immigrants" in the same way we classify foreign nurses or care workers: the former pay to study in Britain whereas "we" pay the latter to work here.

In the academic year 2022/23 there were 758,855 overseas students in Britain. The TOTAL immigration to the UK for that year was estimated at 1,218,000. In other words the TOTAL number of non-student immigrants that came to Britain that year was 498,145. That is still a big number but it is not as big a number as Reform UK would have us believe. Another omission by Reform UK is the reason we need immigrant labour.

The excuse business uses for their mass recruitment abroad is that the British people do not have the skills they are looking for. The question then arises as to why British people lack relevant skills. Professor Brain Bell the chair of UK’s Migration Advisory Body states:

“In the last 10 to 15 years there has been a 27% reduction on how much employers spend on training and a 31% reduction in how much the government spends on adult education.” (BBC Today Programme: 29/11/24)

This has resulted in fewer and fewer skilled workers, which on the surface you would think was a bad thing for both employers and government. But austerity obsessed Tory governments and tight-fisted businesses have been able to recruit cheap labour from abroad to fill the gaps. Businesses have not been training British people because it saves money for the shareholders.

This brings us to public sector expenditure and Reform UK's call, like the Tories before them, to insist that government make public spending cuts.

Tory government's cut nursing and doctor training placements because dogmatic adherence to neo-liberal economic theory dictated it cut public spending as much as possible. Reform UK is no different.

The Tories tried to divert our attention away from this policy by highlighting illegal boat crossings and employers have, understandably, remained silent concerning their contribution to record immigrant numbers. Yet business’s made 453,000 work visa applications for the year ending September 2024, a figure eight times greater than those arriving illegally.

Reform UK doesn’t emphasise the role of business in increasing mass migration and neither does Nigel Farage take any responsibility for the broken promises regarding Britain leaving the EU and the claim that this would reduce immigration numbers. When asked on the BBC programme Broadcasting House (18/05/25) if he wanted to say “sorry” for promising lower food prices and lower migration during the Brexit campaign he blamed Boris Johnson and Michael Gove for failing to deliver.

Refusing to accept responsibility for his promises is typical Farage and comes straight out of the Trump playbook. It doesn’t matter if what you say is true or not. Providing you say a thing often enough people will come to believe you regardless of the truth.

Reform UK party officials are brilliant attack dogs. Once they have their teeth into someone or a particular group of people, then they don’t let go. They play on our fears and they provide us with scapegoats: especially immigrants.

Immigration does need to be controlled, everyone is agreed on that, but Forage’s policy of net zero migration isn’t going to solve the housing crisis, the NHS recruitment crisis or the fact the rich pay too little tax. It will not solve the social care crisis or the crumbling infrastructure problem. In fact a policy of net zero migration is more likely to exacerbate some of these problems than solve them.

Worse, if we, and the rest of the world, follow Reform UK’s energy policy and increase our consumption of fossil fuels rather than investing in green energy, then the climate crisis will worsen. Droughts, flooding, wild fires and famines will increase, and millions of people will be forced to migrate. Some estimates suggest that up to three billion people could be displaced by climate change by the end of the century. If that happens then we really will have a migration problem.

#uk politics #lies #brexit #farage #reform uk #migration #training #skills #workforce

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ivi-prism · 2 months ago

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Wait I wanna know about the duo test thing

Oh hey Harley, sure thing let me yap about this lol. Context. International students looking to study abroad in a country that has English as it's oficial language or at least the dominant language, we have to prove English proficiency. To prove we have English proficiency (meaning we have enough mastery of English to live our day to day live and be able to conduct academic activities in english) different organizations recognized by goverments and other higher education institutions have stablished tests and certificate that if approve certified the student is indeed bilingual and should be allowed to study abroad. Some of such institutions are: TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) a test designed in the United State and for which students have to take courses to prepare for such exam (and pay I assume) IELTS (International English Language Testing System) a test designed by the British Council (UK's cultural and political organization that promotes the english language and culture around the world) for which students also have to take courses and pay a lot to apply to the exam

Both those are the biggest most well regarded exams you can take to certify proficency in English, to the point some high schools and universities will prepare you to take it to measure your english level (yapping continues bellow the read more)

But there are more like the hell that is the International Baccalaureate which is a program that basically lets you see college level classes during high school, that are designed to follow an international and global curriculum that will leave you in equal standing to other students in the global level and if you do well in English class (English class as foreign language) some institutions will accept your diploma and high grades as certification you are indeed bilingual. This context lays out how this testing methods are inaccesible, expensive, take time and are rigoruous and highly prestigious and enforce the ghost of colonialism and the cultural hegemony of the global north over the global south guarding the access to resources and education behind oppresive and expensive systems

So it might come as a surprise that alongside this exams and certificates that hold all that prestige, recognition and years of precedent, Duolingo said "hey we are a good enough resource to teach people English to make a test that will hold as much credibility as those titans!" Enter Duolingo English Test. A Test you can take online just like that if you'd like without having to go through bureocratic bs and for a muuuuuuch more affordable price. An exam that many higher education institutions are accepting as prove of English proficiency just as they would a TOEFL or IELTS. So that is great no? Duolingo English Test has come to democratize the certification of english profecency for international students! It only takes a couple of hours, you will get results in a short notice and you didn't have to spend 1-2 years preparing yourself for it. Right? Well... It is great for people that are alredy proficient in English. Anyone that alredy has a C1, C2 (the two highest levels of mastery of a language) level in English can pay for a Duolingo English Test, present it in an afternoon from their house and get certified in less than a week. Very convenient. But I'd say if you put it in context, if you take not just the Duolingo English test into account but also the institution behind it (Duolingo itself). We have a problem. Duolingo claims it's services are enough to get enough mastery of English to reach a C1/C2 level which you would need to perform and excell in a higher education setting that is conducted solely in your second (or third, fourth,etc) language. And that is simply NOT the case. It is kind of a scam in that regard. Sure you can present the test and get certified, but you most likely would have had to learn English by other methods because Duolingo on itself won't get you there. And I find it so disengenious and annoying that Duolingo got to this stage because of the hype behind their app when its services has been declining for so long. But then well... the entire English profency certification process... is a scam... There are people that have the mastery neccesary to have a sucessful academic career abroad. And they will never be able to access those opportunities because they don't have the money and time to invest into this time consuming, elitist, discriminatory systems.

#asks for ivi #harley the pancake #I have so many opinions on this #having gone through Ib IELTS and taken the Duolingo test #and trying to get everything in order to study abroad with an schoolarship

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expatmortgagesuk · 4 months ago

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London vs. Regional Cities: The Best Buy-to-Let Investment for Expats

People who live outside of the UK should buy land there as a way to make steady income and build wealth over time. One of the hardest things for expat buyers to do is choose where to buy. Should they buy a home in London, where there is a lot of demand, or should they look in the countryside, where rental returns are higher and costs are lower?

Both options have pros and cons, especially when it comes to getting a buy-to-let debt in the UK from outside the UK. People from outside of London can use this guide to help them choose which expat buy to let mortgage uk homes to buy.

People who live outside of London can buy and rent homes there.

How Does London Get So Good?

It is still one of the best places to buy and sell homes in the world. It has a strong economy, is easy to get to from other places in the world, and always has renters. This makes it a good choice for expat property owners who want their homes to gain value over time.

A lot of people want to rent in London. Professionals, students, and foreign workers all like to live there, so renting homes are always full.

Possible capital growth: The prices of homes in London tend to go up over time, which is good for buyers because they get good long-term returns.

Diverse Renters: To make sure they get steady rental income, landlords can go after a lot of different types of renters, from business clients to students.

Safety and Pros: Buying property in London can be a safe bet because it is a major business and culture hub.

Cons of Buying in London

There are a lot of expensive homes in the UK, and some of them are in London. This means you'll need to put down a bigger down payment.

Lower rental yields—Even though prices are going up quickly, rental yields are lower (3–5%) than in small towns in the back country. Tougher mortgage requirements—Some lenders are tougher on how much an expat can afford to pay for a home in a good area of London.

London's Best Places to Buy and Rent

Are you a foreigner who wants to move to London? If so, you should look at new areas that are in high demand as rentals and have room to grow:

The rent in Barking and Dagenham earns about 5% a year, and it is one of the cheapest places to live in London.

Croydon: There is a lot of interest in renting because of projects to rebuild and good transportation.

People in Newham are getting younger, and home prices are going up. The area is growing quickly.

People like to work and go to school in Stratford because of the 2012 Olympics.

Why Choose Cities Nearby?

Expat mortgage UK buy to let homes are moving to regional towns more often because they are cheaper and have better rental yields. Many towns, besides London, are good places to spend money because they are not as expensive as London.

Low property costs are the main benefit because they let expats buy homes with less debt and down payment.

Higher renter yields: yields in London are only 3% to 5%, but they are often between 6% and 8% in small towns.

More and more renters want: People who work, go to school, or have young children like to live in college towns and business hubs.

A lot of money from the government is helping cities outside of London with projects to make them look better and build new roads and bridges.

Why Buying In Small Places Can Be Hard?

Less Fast Capital Growth—Home prices may not go up as quickly as they would in London, even though rental returns are high.

Changes in the market: Some cities in the area depend on certain businesses, which makes them more likely to be hurt by changes in the economy.

Tenant change: Some places have a lot of tenant change, which raises the cost of management.

The South's Best Buy-To-Let Cities

People who live outside of the UK looking for high-yield buy-to-let investments should think about:

With rent rates between 6% and 8%, Manchester has one of the best renting markets in the UK. This is especially true in Salford and Ancoats.

Rents go up by 5 to 7 percent in this city, which is the second largest in the UK. Tenants are in high demand, and the business world is expanding.

A lot of people and companies go to Leeds. The profits in places like Headingley and Holbeck are between 6 and 7 percent.

With 7% to 10% rental returns, Liverpool is one of the best places in the UK to buy a home.

Nottingham is a city that is growing and people want to rent a lot of places. The rate of return is between 5 and 7 percent in places like Lenton and the city center.

Conclusion

People who live outside of the UK can make good buy-to-let investments in London and other places in the UK. Which one to pick depends on your goals and how much money you have. There is long-term capital growth and status in London. In regional towns, on the other hand, you can find better rental yields and lower entry costs.

Buy to let mortgage for expats can get the most out of their real estate purchases by giving careful thought to the property's location, rental demand, and mortgage options.

#expat buy-to-let mortgage UK #best UK property investment #London buy-to-let #regional buy-to-let investment #rental yields UK #expat mortgage lenders #UK property market #high-yield rental cities UK #buy-to-let for expats #UK investment property

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myheadsgonenumb · 4 months ago

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Brit picking tip for writing Hogwarts authentically #6 (link to other tips here)

This one is about the exam system and is more about giving you context so you don't inadvertently try and "improve" something that doesn't make sense to you and thus un-englishify your entire fic.

The way exams work in HP is one of those things I've come to realise people from overseas just assume was made up for the books, and don't know that JKR was in fact just adding magic to the system she went through.

The English, Welsh and NI system (Scottish system is similar but not the same - so I'm not calling it the "British" system) as it currently stands involves a series of examinations taken at the end of year 11 (Hogwarts fifth year equivalent) called GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education) and a set of exams taken at the end of year 13 (Hogwarts seventh year equivalent) called A Levels.

However, "GCSEs" were introduced in 1986. Prior to this, the same set of exams (the exams JKR herself took in 1981) were called O Levels. Which was short for "Ordinary Levels".

Turning these exams into "OWLs" by putting the word "wizarding" in there was a play on the term that everyone in the UK just understood without having to think about. It was a joke that just made sense. This probably did not carry across as well to a foreign readership, but Hogwarts just does the magical equivalent of muggle exams.

And, like in HP, students choose what those subjects will be in the years before they actually sit the exam and the exam course is taught over a few years. (Subjects are generally chosen in y9 - 3rd year, ready to start GCSE work in year 10 - fourth year, but I think JKR wanted to diversify her subjects and bring in plot relevant ones so she introduced the OWL course a year earlier).

The main difference between OWLs and GCSEs (magic aside) is that, where students add new subjects when the start their OWLs, muggles actually drop subjects when they start their GCSEs (though some new subjects are available e.g business studies or sociology are not usually taught below GCSE level).

Prior to choosing their options, students will have had to take all subjects their school teaches as mandatory lessons - art, music, drama, history, geography, languages, technology, IT etc. When they start their GCSE course they drop subjects they are less enthusiastic about and start to specialise. All students have to take maths, English and science.

Hogwarts is following the same pattern of having students choose subjects they find interesting to take to exam level, and giving them a similar amount of freedom in choosing not to study certain subjects, while having other "core" subjects which are mandatory.

I see a lot of complaints online that it is "pointless" that Harry and the others don't have their career interviews until fifth year - a belief that by then it is "too late", because what if they needed a subject that they didn't take?

But the truth is careers interviews do take place during year 10 and 11 in English schools - long after GCSE options have been chosen and the course started. JKR is just reflecting the actual system.

And this happens for 2 reasons that I can think of. 1) There is not much point holding a careers interview with a 13/14 year old. The idea of being a grown up and having a real job is still not a reality for them, and what they want at 14 and what they will want at 18 may be totally different.

And 2) It's unnecessary because - providing you get at least 5 GCSEs (including English Lang and maths) then there isn't really a limit to what you can do next.

The careers interview is to help you decide what you want to do after GCSE (as A levels aren't mandatory) and to look further into the future about what you want post 18, and help you choose the correct post 16 course to help you get there.

So, just like Harry tells McGonagall he wants to be an Auror and she tells him what NEWTS he will need to take to get accepted onto the training course.

Harry is shooting for something elite, but it is quite likely that - as with the muggle system - as long as Hogwarts students have a passing grade in the basics like Transfiguration and Potions, students will be able to enter most careers, if they are capable.

Yes, there are some very specialised subjects - like Gringotts wanting you to have Arithmancy, and needing an OWL in Muggle Studies to work in the muggle liaison office, but realistically, and for the majority of students, if they weren't interested in these subjects to begin with then they probably aren't the right jobs for them.

For most people, an OWL in the core subjects will be enough to let them go on to do whatever they want. It is their NEWTs that will play a bigger role in determining what area of work they go into, and so the careers interview exists to help them choose the right NEWTs for the path they hope to follow.

When it comes to NEWTs, these are based on A levels - the exams students take when they are 18 (one upon a time this meant "Advanced Levels" - as in they were more advanced than the Ordinary Levels. No witty wizarding pun existed for these). The standard number of A Levels a student takes is three (JKR played a bit fast and loose with this, as she must have wanted Harry to be able to take more than three subjects).

Like with GCSEs the course is two years long, but because only three subjects are studied they are now studied much more in depth. The step up between GCSE and A Level is pretty steep. There are no required subjects that have to be taken; students are free to take only subjects they are interested in/ good at. And, like we see in HP when McGonagall tells Neville that he won't be able to keep up with Transfiguration, if he only got an A in his OWL, you do need to meet a minimum grade requirement at GCSE to take the A Level course.

A levels and GCSEs typically run alongside each other every year, in the early summer. This year's exam season runs from 8th May to 24th June. Results are received in August - the A level results come out the week before the GCSE ones - and results day is always a Thursday. The HP books tend to stay true to these timings.

The wizarding system of schooling and examination really is no different to the real life muggle system. Some things in HP are whimsical and nonsensical (like Quidditch) and some things in HP might seem whimsical and nonsensical but are in fact just English. OWLS and NEWTS are the latter.

I hope this helps explain a system that might have seemed totally illogical from the outside, and reduces the temptation some writers have to try and "improve" on JKR's world building. It's not world building. It's just England. (and Wales and NI). And it must work OK, because we all manage to rub along somehow.

#harry potter #hogwarts #fanfic writing #brit picking

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biopractify · 5 months ago

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Scholarships & Grants for Biotechnology & Life Sciences Students

📌 Scholarships & Grants for Biotechnology & Life Sciences Students: A Complete Guide (2024-2025)

🔬 Are you a Biotechnology or Life Sciences student looking for funding opportunities to support your education? Scholarships and grants can help reduce financial stress and allow you to focus on research, studies, and innovation.

In this guide, we’ll explore the best scholarships & grants for biotechnology and life sciences students, including eligibility criteria, application tips, and deadlines.

🎯 Why Apply for Scholarships & Grants?

Scholarships and grants are free money—they do not need to be repaid like student loans. They can cover: ✔ Tuition fees ✔ Research projects & lab expenses ✔ Conference travel & workshops ✔ Living expenses

🔹 Many biotech scholarships focus on students pursuing genetics, bioinformatics, microbiology, biomedical sciences, and molecular biology.

🏆 Top Biotechnology & Life Sciences Scholarships (2024-2025)

1️⃣ National & International Scholarships

📌 Fulbright Foreign Student Program (Global)

Eligibility: Master's & PhD students

Funding: Full tuition, travel, living expenses

Deadline: Varies by country

Apply: https://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/

📌 Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarships (Europe)

Eligibility: Master’s students

Funding: Tuition + monthly stipend

Deadline: December–January

Apply: https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/scholarships/erasmus-mundus_en

📌 Commonwealth Scholarships (UK)

Eligibility: Students from low/middle-income Commonwealth countries

Funding: Full tuition, travel, living costs

Deadline: October (Annual)

Apply: https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/apply/

📌 DAAD Scholarships (Germany)

Eligibility: Master’s & PhD students

Funding: Full tuition + living stipend

Deadline: October (Annual)

Apply: https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/scholarships/

2️⃣ Scholarships for Biotechnology Students (USA & Canada)

📌 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship

Eligibility: US citizens pursuing STEM PhDs

Funding: $37,000 stipend + research support

Deadline: October

Apply: https://www.nsfgrfp.org/

📌 American Association of University Women (AAUW) Fellowships

Eligibility: Women in STEM (international students can apply)

Funding: $18,000–$30,000

Deadline: November

Apply: https://www.aauw.org/resources/programs/fellowships-grants/

📌 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Scholarships

Eligibility: Graduate students in health & life sciences

Funding: Varies

Deadline: December

Apply: https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/

3️⃣ Scholarships for Developing Countries

📌 Gates Cambridge Scholarships (UK)

Eligibility: International students pursuing a master’s or PhD

Funding: Full tuition + stipend

Deadline: October

Apply: https://www.gatescambridge.org/

📌 TWAS Fellowships (For Developing Countries)

Eligibility: PhD & postdoc students in science & technology

Funding: Full funding for research

Deadline: Various

Apply: https://twas.org/opportunities/fellowships

📌 Rotary Foundation Global Grant

Eligibility: Graduate students in life sciences & medicine

Funding: Up to $30,000

Deadline: Rolling applications

Apply: https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/scholarships

💰 Grants for Research & Innovation in Biotechnology

Apart from scholarships, biotech students can apply for grants to fund research projects.

🔹 Research Grants & Fellowships

✔ Wellcome Trust Grants (UK & Global) ✔ NIH Grants (USA) ✔ European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Grants ✔ Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) UK

➡ Tip: Always check university websites and government research portals for grant announcements.

📄 How to Apply for Biotechnology Scholarships Successfully?

✅ 1. Start Early – Many scholarships have strict deadlines (October–January). ✅ 2. Write a Strong Personal Statement – Highlight your research interests and passion. ✅ 3. Get Recommendation Letters – Ask professors & mentors. ✅ 4. Meet Eligibility Criteria – Check country, GPA, and degree requirements. ✅ 5. Tailor Your Application – Avoid using the same essay for all scholarships.

🔎 Final Thoughts: Where to Find More Scholarships?

📌 University Scholarship Portals – Check your university's website for funding options. 📌 Government & NGO Grants – Look for STEM scholarships in your country. 📌 Websites for Scholarship Search:

Scholarships.com

FastWeb

DAAD Scholarship Database

💡 Have questions? Drop them in the comments below! Let’s help more biotech & life sciences students find funding! 🎓🔬

📢 Want More Updates on Scholarships & Grants?

✔ Follow this page for the latest funding opportunities in Biotechnology & Life Sciences! ✔ Share this guide with students who might need it!

🚀 Good luck with your scholarship applications! 🚀

📌 Scholarships & Grants for Biotechnology & Life Sciences Students: A Complete Guide (2024-2025)

In this guide, we’ll explore the best scholarships & grants for biotechnology and life sciences students, including eligibility criteria, application tips, and deadlines.

🎯 Why Apply for Scholarships & Grants?

🔹 Many biotech scholarships focus on students pursuing genetics, bioinformatics, microbiology, biomedical sciences, and molecular biology.

🏆 Top Biotechnology & Life Sciences Scholarships (2024-2025)

1️⃣ National & International Scholarships

📌 Fulbright Foreign Student Program (Global)

Eligibility: Master's & PhD students

Funding: Full tuition, travel, living expenses

Deadline: Varies by country

Apply: https://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/

📌 Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarships (Europe)

Eligibility: Master’s students

Funding: Tuition + monthly stipend

Deadline: December–January

Apply: https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/scholarships/erasmus-mundus_en

📌 Commonwealth Scholarships (UK)

Eligibility: Students from low/middle-income Commonwealth countries

Funding: Full tuition, travel, living costs

Deadline: October (Annual)

Apply: https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/apply/

📌 DAAD Scholarships (Germany)

Eligibility: Master’s & PhD students

Funding: Full tuition + living stipend

Deadline: October (Annual)

Apply: https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/scholarships/

2️⃣ Scholarships for Biotechnology Students (USA & Canada)

📌 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship

Eligibility: US citizens pursuing STEM PhDs

Funding: $37,000 stipend + research support

Deadline: October

Apply: https://www.nsfgrfp.org/

📌 American Association of University Women (AAUW) Fellowships

Eligibility: Women in STEM (international students can apply)

Funding: $18,000–$30,000

Deadline: November

Apply: https://www.aauw.org/resources/programs/fellowships-grants/

📌 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Scholarships

Eligibility: Graduate students in health & life sciences

Funding: Varies

Deadline: December

Apply: https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/

3️⃣ Scholarships for Developing Countries

📌 Gates Cambridge Scholarships (UK)

Eligibility: International students pursuing a master’s or PhD

Funding: Full tuition + stipend

Deadline: October

Apply: https://www.gatescambridge.org/

📌 TWAS Fellowships (For Developing Countries)

Eligibility: PhD & postdoc students in science & technology

Funding: Full funding for research

Deadline: Various

Apply: https://twas.org/opportunities/fellowships

📌 Rotary Foundation Global Grant

Eligibility: Graduate students in life sciences & medicine

Funding: Up to $30,000

Deadline: Rolling applications

Apply: https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/scholarships

💰 Grants for Research & Innovation in Biotechnology

Apart from scholarships, biotech students can apply for grants to fund research projects.

🔹 Research Grants & Fellowships

✔ Wellcome Trust Grants (UK & Global) ✔ NIH Grants (USA) ✔ European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Grants ✔ Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) UK

➡ Tip: Always check university websites and government research portals for grant announcements.

📄 How to Apply for Biotechnology Scholarships Successfully?

🔎 Final Thoughts: Where to Find More Scholarships?

Scholarships.com

FastWeb

DAAD Scholarship Database

💡 Have questions? Drop them in the comments below! Let’s help more biotech & life sciences students find funding! 🎓🔬

📢 Want More Updates on Scholarships & Grants?

✔ Follow this page for the latest funding opportunities in Biotechnology & Life Sciences! ✔ Share this guide with students who might need it!

🚀 Good luck with your scholarship applications! 🚀

#datascience #machinelearning #biopractify #genomics #bioinformatics #biotechnology #biotech #aiinbiotech #bioinformaticstools #biotechcareers

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