#nine percent edits

[dazzlingkai]

CAI XUKUN × GENTLE MONSTER

[xiaolanhua]

FAN CHENGCHENG FIRST International Film Festival

[gabrielokun]

⭐ getting to know your BL mutuals

Tagged by @pharawee​  Thank you ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა Sorry it took me a while

rules: answer the questions and @ some people. include the tag ‘g2ky BL mutuals 2022’ on your post so we can find everyone’s answer.

⭐ what have been the BLs that took you by surprise this year?

Secret Crush on You

And what a surprise it was. Not gonna lie I almost drop it after 1 ep ( •̯́ ₃ •̯̀)  But I wanted to support Saint so I continue. And Im so happy I did cause this silly little show gave me all of the serotonin I needed ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡  One of the best friends group ever, truly important topics, love and support. This show is so endearing. The only minus is - not enough Daisy (and Touch)

Meow Ears Up

look (*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ idk what to say. I just get in without any expectation and its turns out to be so cute and warm and a bit sad and just so much more than I thought it's gonna be

Choco Milk Shake

emmm i guess Im in my furry era ( •̯́ ₃ •̯̀)  but i really didn't think that dating reincarnation of your dead dog could be so adorable. this show is amazing and i just a little bit salty for not getting ot3 again

On Cloud Nine

It was so confusing but intriguing. Such an interesting story. Also so so beautiful

My Ride

Look even tho they were a couple just for five minutes at the end of the last episode this was a good ride ૮₍ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ₎ა Im a simple girl and sometimes I need a simple show. And this one was perfect for me. It was right show right time

⭐what have been the BLs that you felt a bit disappointed with this year?

easy Coffee Melody

I was here for soft Pavel ૮₍ ˃ ⤙ ˂ ₎ა

and in theory coffee shop setting, queer band, sassy gay baby - the elements are all there but it's just didn't work out.

i still gonna watch special tho cause i miss my pinky and sassy boy

Physical Therapy

i was skipping it all. it was soooo boring

they look cute in gifs, but its truly not a good show

⭐what has been your favorite BL this year?

My Only 12%

I love love love this show. ✧˖°. Best friends to lovers slow burn :✧｡ Simple but good story, amazing acting, great setting. Coo knows how to cry for sure and I cant stop praising Ta. He is truly talented kid. His Cake was so lively *_* His emotions was always clear and so natural - amazing job! This show is just wonderful

⭐favorite BL couples (not just of 2022)?

let's stick to 22 (⊙ _ ⊙ )

Ah Jian x Ray (About Youth)/I need more of them

NuerSyn (Cutie Pie)/they are just precious

CakeEiw (My Only 12%)/ simply perfection

VegasPete (KinnPorsche)  /I was on defense with this one couldn't choose between them and KimChay but Vegas is way more pathetic so he won

SkyJao (Secret Crush On You)/ Sky still is the best boyfriend

KanThua (The Eclipse)

SeanWhite (Not Me)/ yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm basic

⭐what’s your non-BL favorite this year?

Ghost Doctor

if you can ignore their overly loud nohomo screams at the end of the show with those agressive hets stories (¬_¬) ep15 (No matter how many rings she puts on a man in a coma, MinTak is superior) this show was amazing

Weak Hero Class 1

This show is incredible!!! I have no words to describe it. So good but extremely heavy.

not tagging cause i'm sure everyone who wanted to do this already posted their ( i am slow sorry ૮(˶˃ᆺ˂˶)ა ) but if by chance somebody wants to participate you are always welcome 

{\__/} (̷ ̷´̷ ̷^̷ ̷`̷)̷◞♡ |  ⫘ |  

[morethanforever]

CAI XUKUN ✧ PARIS FASHION WEEK 9.26.24 “tu me fais rougir.”

📸 sources 1. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAYg4hPII2M (IG: @/hypebeaststyle) 2. https://www.xiaohongshu.com/user/profile/55e115af5894466106bce26e (XHS: @/艾德里安) 3. https://www.xiaohongshu.com/user/profile/627e9aa000000000210219fc (XHS: @/W中文版) 4. https://www.tiktok.com/@lystapp/video/7419036476270234913 (TT: @/lystapp) 5. https://weibo.com/5173004884/OyOhQbsre (WB: @/旺仔牛奶泡小葵) 6. https://www.douyin.com/video/7419287759182941490 (DY: @/老板不让发) 7. https://x.com/VogueFrance/status/1839304022844657741 (TWT: @/VogueFrance)

[wenxingjun]

he's untouchable <3

[whotfelsewantedtobelynnyx]

Hazbin Hotel Characters As Stupid Shit My Friends and I Say*: Part???

(*phrasing and setting obviously edited slightly for context. Otherwise verbatim quotes.)

Charlie: Come on, guys. You know the first thing you should do when something's not working, right?

Niffty: Scream???

Charlie: Turn it off and back on aga- wait, what?

Adam, in an exaggerated "mean girl "voice: Like, this is hell. You're never escaping.

Alastor, checking his watch: Today my chance of being a murderer is...four percent.

Angel, narrowly dodging being stabbed: You know what I'd rather have in me than this knife? That di-

Husk, nervously eyeing Rosie: ...she's just sucking on a piece of raw, frozen bacon.

Angel: Eugh. *after contemplating for a moment*...porksicle.

Husk: *chokes*

Sir Pentious: Uno, dos, tres...Diaz?

Niffty: One, two, three, nine!

Vaggie: Wha- ok, no to both of you. *to Pentious* Diaz is a name, not a number. *turning to Niffty* And you...just no.

Angel: I don't even know what would happen if you boiled someone's blood.

Cherri, shrugging: Maybe it's like a hot tub, but on the inside.

Valentino, dramatically draping himself over Vox's lap: You must share in my misery. My misery is your misery.

Velvette, who's just walked into the room: ...what the fuck?

Velvette: What does 'dios mio' mean?

Carmilla: Oh my god.

Velvette: Jeez, cut me some slack. I haven't studied in awhile.

Carmilla, pinching the bridge of her nose: No, it literally means 'oh my god'.

Bonus:

Alastor, to Lucifer: Fucking pipsqueak.

[mariacallous]

As national legislation on deepfake pornography crawls its way through Congress, states across the country are trying to take matters into their own hands. Thirty-nine states have introduced a hodgepodge of laws designed to deter the creation of nonconsensual deepfakes and punish those who make and share them.

Earlier this year, Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, herself a victim of nonconsensual deepfakes, introduced the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act, or Defiance Act. If passed, the bill would allow victims of deepfake pornography to sue as long as they could prove the deepfakes had been made without their consent. In June, Republican senator Ted Cruz introduced the Take It Down Act, which would require platforms to remove both revenge porn and nonconsensual deepfake porn.

Though there’s bilateral support for many of these measures, federal legislation can take years to make it through both houses of Congress before being signed into law. But state legislatures and local politicians can move faster—and they’re trying to.

Last month, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu’s office announced a lawsuit against 16 of the most visited websites that allow users to create AI-generated pornography. “Generative AI has enormous promise, but as with all new technologies, there are unintended consequences and criminals seeking to exploit the new technology. We have to be very clear that this is not innovation—this is sexual abuse,” Chiu said in a statement released by his office at the time.

The suit was just the latest attempt to try to curtail the ever-growing issue of nonconsensual deepfake pornography.

“I think there's a misconception that it's just celebrities that are being affected by this,” says Ilana Beller, organizing manager at Public Citizen, which has been tracking nonconsensual deepfake legislation and shared their findings with WIRED. “It's a lot of everyday people who are having this experience.”

Data from Public Citizen shows that 23 states have passed some form of nonconsensual deepfake law. “This is such a pervasive issue, and so state legislators are seeing this as a problem,” says Beller. “I also think that legislators are interested in passing AI legislation right now because we are seeing how fast the technology is developing.”

Last year, WIRED reported that deepfake pornography is only increasing, and researchers estimate that 90 percent of deepfake videos are of porn, the vast majority of which is nonconsensual porn of women. But despite how pervasive the issue is, Kaylee Williams, a researcher at Columbia University who has been tracking nonconsensual deepfake legislation, says she has seen legislators more focused on political deepfakes.

“More states are interested in protecting electoral integrity in that way than they are in dealing with the intimate image question,” she says.

Matthew Bierlein, a Republican state representative in Michigan, who cosponsored the state’s package of nonconsensual deepfake bills, says that he initially came to the issue after exploring legislation on political deepfakes. “Our plan was to make [political deepfakes] a campaign finance violation if you didn’t put disclaimers on them to notify the public.” Through his work on political deepfakes, Bierlein says, he began working with Democratic representative Penelope Tsernoglou, who helped spearhead the nonconsensual deepfake bills.

At the time in January, nonconsensual deepfakes of Taylor Swift had just gone viral, and the subject was widely covered in the news. “We thought that the opportunity was the right time to be able to do something,” Beirlein says. And Beirlein says that he felt Michigan was in the position to be a regional leader in the Midwest, because, unlike some of its neighbors, it has a full-time legislature with well-paid staffers (most states don’t). “We understand that it's a bigger issue than just a Michigan issue. But a lot of things can start at the state level,” he says. “If we get this done, then maybe Ohio adopts this in their legislative session, maybe Indiana adopts something similar, or Illinois, and that can make enforcement easier.”

But what the penalties for creating and sharing nonconsensual deepfakes are—and who is protected—can vary widely from state to state. “The US landscape is just wildly inconsistent on this issue,” says Williams. “I think there's been this misconception lately that all these laws are being passed all over the country. I think what people are seeing is that there have been a lot of laws proposed.”

Some states allow for civil and criminal cases to be brought against perpetrators, while others might only provide for one of the two. Laws like the one that recently took effect in Mississippi, for instance, focus on minors. Over the past year or so, there have been a spate of instances of middle and high schoolers using generative AI to make explicit images and videos of classmates, particularly girls. Other laws focus on adults, with legislators essentially updating existing laws banning revenge porn.

Unlike laws that focus on nonconsensual deepfakes of minors, on which Williams says there is a broad consensus that there they are an “inherent moral wrong,” legislation around what is “ethical” when it comes to nonconsensual deepfakes of adults is “squishier.” In many cases, laws and proposed legislation require proving intent, that the goal of the person making and sharing the nonconsensual deepfake was to harm its subject.

But online, says Sara Jodka, an attorney who specializes in privacy and cybersecurity, this patchwork of state-based legislation can be particularly difficult. “If you can't find a person behind an IP address, how can you prove who the person is, let alone show their intent?”

Williams also notes that in the case of nonconsensual deepfakes of celebrities or other public figures, many of the creators don’t necessarily see themselves as doing harm. “They’ll say, ‘This is fan content,’ that they admire this person and are attracted to them,” she says.

State laws, Jobka says, while a good start, are likely to have limited power to actually deal with the issue, and only a federal law against nonconsensual deepfakes would allow for the kind of interstate investigations and prosecutions that could really force justice and accountability. “States don't really have a lot of ability to track down across state lines internationally,” she says. “So it's going to be very rare, and it's going to be very specific scenarios where the laws are going to be able to even be enforced.”

But Michigan’s Bierlein says that many state representatives are not content to wait for the federal government to address the issue. Bierlein expressed particular concern about the role nonconsensual deepfakes could play in sextortion scams, which the FBI says have been on the rise. In 2023, a Michigan teen died by suicide after scammers threatened to post his (real) intimate photos online. “Things move really slow on a federal level, and if we waited for them to do something, we could be waiting a lot longer,” he says.

[captainpirateface]

On that tour I was a mess quite honestly. This was the peak of Nine Inch Nails newfound rocket ship of fame. It distorted my personality and became overwhelming: to deal with having everyone treat you different, to going from not being able to afford a gas bill to show up to arenas full of people, who kind of think they know you.

The line starts to blur between the guy onstage and the person you used to be. My way of dealing with life was to numb myself with drugs and alcohol because it made me feel better and more equipped to deal with everything. My career was skyrocketing, but the scaffolding that was holding me up as a person was starting to collapse. I wasn’t fully aware of how bad it was getting, but I knew in my heart that I was on an unsustainable, reckless, self-destructive path. When I met David he had been through that. And he was content. He was at peace with himself with an incredible wife, clearly in love. There were a number of times where the two of us were alone, and he said some things that weren’t scolding, but pieces of wisdom that stuck with me: “You know, there is a better way here, and it doesn’t have to end in despair or in death, in the bottom.” A full year later, I hit bottom.

Once I got clean I felt a tremendous amount of shame, of my actions and missed opportunities and the damage that I’ve caused in the past. And I thought back to the time when we were together a lot and I wonder what that could have been like if I was at 100 percent. The “I’m Afraid of Americans” video falls into that category of me at my worst — out of my mind and ashamed of who I was at that time. So when I see that, I have mixed feelings — grateful to be involved, and flattered to be a part of it, but disgusted at myself, at who I was at that time, and wishing I had been 100 percent me. And it nagged me. A few years later, Bowie came through L.A. I’d been sober for a fair amount of time. I wanted to thank him in the way that he helped me. And I reluctantly went backstage, feeling weird and ashamed like, “Hey, I’m the guy that puked on the rug.” And again, I was met with warmth, and grace, and love. And I started to say, “Hey listen, I’ve been clean for …” I don’t even think I finished the sentence; I got a big hug. And he said, “I knew, I knew you’d do that. I knew you’d come out of that.” I have goosebumps right now just thinking about it. It was another very important moment in my life.

-Trent Reznor

[prettyboykatsuki]

ninety-nine percent of editing for like graphics and posters is trying to find font that isnt insanely ugly

[littlelostmabari]

Day 18: Close Call

This week was shit but I'm still alive :) I have a backlog that I will post eventually when they're appropriately edited!

Pairing: f!Reader (Lavellan) x Cullen

Word Count: 1.5k

Summary: You don't want to go to a dress fitting. Cullen doesn't want to go to dance lessons. Broom closets exist.

SFW. Unresolved sexual tension, pre-relationship. Reader is Inquisitor f!Lavellan, otherwise not described.

You had been in hiding for a little more than an hour now, and you were quickly becoming bored with picking the bristles out of the second broom.

You were not a favorite of Josephine's, especially when it came to the… thing… at the Winter Palace. The Ambassador had woken you up at quarter past nine bells with thirteen fabric swatches in all different colors and styles. Josie hadn't even bother to intentionally wake you: you had opened your eyes as the third swatch flitted over the skin of your shoulder. Your blinking eyes had met warm brown skin and yellow ruffles and a square of the most hideous puce taffeta.

And Josie had brought backup in the form of Vivienne and Dorian, who guarded the exit to the staircase and the grand doors to her balcony, respectively. Their positions had necessitated launching yourself in nothing but your nightgown over the railing and down the stairs. The only thing left behind you was the frost along the walls from her Fade Step.

It was too early in the morning to come up with a clever solution, so you defaulted to the easiest, and now you had to start working on the third broom.

About halfway through the first broom there had been annoyed footsteps and voices to match. A searching spell pinged through the closet, and you knew that Dorian had found you, yet the three passed by your hiding place without even approaching the door. You would owe him a bottle or two of the West Hill brandy.

The second broom had been fully plucked while you listened to a pair of laundry maids talking about who was bedding whom and with what frequency. There were things they spoke about that you did not need to know. They were almost done when one threw the door open, saw you, and squealed. A lot of hushing noises and promise of a sovereign later, when they finally moved on, you started to hear music from down the hallway which meant your way back to your room was compromised.

About ten percent of the way through the third broom, there was a commotion from the direction of the music, and a pair of hurried footsteps. You stayed quiet as a mouse, tucked up against the back of the broom closet with the broom clutched tightly in your hands — or, you tried to, but the broom closet was not the largest space even when it wasn't full of Inquisitor.

Unfortunately it was about to be a lot tighter squeeze, as with the briefest increase in music volume, the door swung open and another body with significantly larger shoulders than you quickly pressed into the closet and pulled the door shut behind them.

The darkness that didn't bother your eyes clearly befuddled the other person, who stumbled around in the darkness trying to figure out why the shelves in this closet were squishy and person-shaped.

"Maker's breath," came the exclamation as arms passed over your shoulders to press hands against the wall behind you, and you looked up into the wide eyes of your Commander who clearly couldn't see you, but knew he was not alone.

"'Ello, Cullen," you giggled, and relief shuddered through his shoulders followed quickly by a shiver of blush as he pulled away and pressed back towards the door.

"Inquisitor!" He clearly couldn't figure out where he should put his hands, especially because there was barely a foot of space between the two of you. He settled for behind his back pressed against the door, which only pushed his body that much closer to yours. When his eyes finally adjusted, you knew your grin would be unmistakable.

"Fancy seeing you here." You placed the palms of your hands on the end of the broom and placed your chin atop them, inching your face slightly closer to him.

"Yes, um, hello —" Cullen rasped, "— hello Inquisitor." He coughed and tugged at his collar and that's when you realized that he wasn't wearing his normal armor. He still had on his boots, but he was sans breastplate and mantle and vanbraces and only wearing his breeches and linen shirt. The music suddenly made sense.

"Dance lessons?" you giggled, gesturing at his clothes.

"Morning dress fittings?" he snickered, making the same gesture back at you. Your grin quickly faltered as your eyes darted down to your feet. Right. The nightgown. The broom dropped to the side and you made to cover herself with your hands. There wasn't much you could do, and you praised the Creators that humans had poor darksight. Even still, you and Cullen were suddenly in a resonance of stammering and blushing and it was only broken when voices echoed down the hall from behind the door. It was Vivienne's and Josephine's voices specifically, complaining that the lesser minds of the Inquisition did not appreciate the effort that was going in to make sure the Inquisition held its own at Halamshiral.

You didn't realize you had made a noise, but you must have because suddenly one of Cullen's hands was over your mouth and the other was behind your head and his body had pressed itself against you so that you couldn't move and make incidental noises against the shelves. You were up on tiptoes, hands down against the wall and back stretched to its limit.

"Please," he whispered. "Don't make me go back there." Your eyes were wide as you looked up into his, which had now clearly adjusted to the light. He was darting across your face, looking for anything that might indicate you would call out and betray his location.

"Commander!" Josephine called from right in front of the broom closet. You both held your breath — you could feel the tightness across his shoulders so you knew he was desperately begging you not to give him away. The only noise was the soft hiss of breath out of his nose and the huffing from Josephine on the other side of the door. Then, a final huff, a "where is he", and footsteps retreating down the hallway.

A moment passed, then another.

And another.

And another, and Cullen gently pulled his hand away from your mouth. You took a deep breath and it filled your lungs with embrium and oakmoss and elderflower. As your chest expanded, it pressed into his, and you realize that he hadn't moved an inch away from you even as his hand dropped from your face. Underneath the smell of the herbs there was a hint of petrichor and just the hint of whiskey, or perhaps that flavor was there because suddenly your vision was filled with amber.

His chest pressed forward with each breath too, and there was something in the twitch of his lips and jawline that made your heart leap. You'd not been this close to him before, except in your dreams. Except when the night was lonely enough that you had to conjure images of the Commander to drown out the foreboding of Adamant or the Winter Palace.

You relaxed, allowing the heels of your feet to fall to the ground, which is precisely when you realized exactly how Cullen had pressed you to the back wall of the broom closet — with the side of his hip, with his knee in between your legs. You stopped, shock still, and when he didn't pull back you dropped just a little more until your barely-clothed core rested against his unarmored thigh. That's when several things happened at once.

His eyes darted down to your lips, opened just slightly to breathe.

You brought one hand up to rest fingers on the waist of his linen shirt.

His fingertips tightened in your hair against your scalp.

And a knock echoed on the wood of the door.

"They're gone, Curly," the voice called out, a Kirkwall lilt to Varric's easily identifiable voice. Cullen flinched back from you, releasing your hair, and his eyes shockingly wide. "But they'll be back around this way in a couple minutes. If the Inquisitor is somehow nearby, she might like to know that the kid grabbed a robe from her wardrobe, it's sitting out here whenever she's ready for it."

Cullen coughed, and you heard a chuckled 'close call' from outside the door, then footsteps fading away. Cullen turned his back and adjusted his clothing surreptitiously.

"Inquisitor," he rasped, his voice scratchy. He pulled the door open and looked down the hallway both ways before stepping out and glancing down to a soft grey robe at his feet. He moved to pass it to you but stopped as the light illuminated your disheveled form. A long moment passed in which you did not make an attempt to cover yourself, before he swallowed, pried his eyes away from you, and handed the robe back into the broom closet. When it was in your hands, he strode away down the hallway with great haste before you had a chance to don it.

[dazzlingkai]

230228 蔡徐坤  ⇢ weibo update

[fuckyeahizzyhands]

We said goodbye to Izzy this season. What was your initial reaction to learning his fate, and how did you prepare for his death?

Con O’Neill: You know what, I’ve been around a long time, and going through those first few scripts and seeing which way the arc was going, it didn’t surprise me. I was upset because I loved playing him, but at the same time, I think David knows what he’s doing, and we are all here because of David Jenkins, first and foremost. So I got it. I made him pay for dinner, but I got it nonetheless. And then it was just a matter of honoring what they’d written. And they kept surprising me every episode. He kept giving me stuff that took my breath away and challenged me enormously. And yeah, if you’re going to go out, go out like that.

What message would you want to share with fans who are still struggling with Izzy’s loss?

That’s a big ask, isn’t it? I would say that I have nothing but love, respect, and faith in David Jenkins. Trust him. He knows what he’s doing. None of this was taken lightly. Trust David Jenkins.

When you were preparing for Izzy’s ending, which scene felt like a bigger send-off — that epic monologue delivered to Ricky or his final words to Ed aboard the Revenge?

I remember the day we filmed what turned out to be a eulogy… We shot it several times, and then Fernando [Frias], who was directing that episode, suggested we do one more take and to “let the guard down,” was his phrase. And I didn’t know the guard was up, but that’s the take they used. And there’s an ad-lib in that take as well, which I won’t tell you what it is, which one it is. But I thought the profound moment would be the death. I didn’t understand at the time that the profound moment was the speech. I knew the speech was brilliant. I knew they’d written something extraordinary. Because they played with the narrative a bit in the edit, I didn’t know where it was going to play fundamentally in the final edit. But yeah, it’s basically written and Fernando gave me the key to get where we went to. So thank you, Fernando.

You mention ad-libbing. Was there any scene or moment you got to improvise or enjoyed improvising this season?

I can’t remember. There was a lot this season. That one in the eulogy speech is because I see it being played everywhere all the time at the moment. So I hear that a lot. There was a lot more understanding of character in this season. Ninety-nine percent of ad-libs don’t get in. The thing that’s not often discussed about our show is it’s f**king beautifully written. And we do a lot of takes, and as long as we get what is written down before we do any other playing around, then we’ve done our job because our writers are exceptional. And the joy as an actor — I’m a theater actor from way back — is when you see some of this writing. It’s just brilliant.

You talk about being a theater performer. Were you thrilled to take on Izzy’s musical moment in drag? I was told you learned the French version and English version of “La Vie En Rose” for the episode.

I’d love to say I taught myself, but no, I don’t speak French at all to my shame, but my partner does, and I have a friend called Jenna Russell, who’s just played Edith Piaf in the West End. So between the two of them, they taught me how to [sing the song in French]. And it was just excruciating for both of them… how I bastardized the French language. And bless him, Samba [Schutte] as well was even there when we were doing the lip sync to the recording. Samba was kneeling down, out the shot telling me if my mouth was doing the wrong shape for some of [it]. I mean, it was that extreme, but we got there by the skin of our teeth. But it’s funny if you’d asked me for a song for Izzy, I would never in a million years have thought of “La Vie En Rose.” Now I couldn’t think of any song that suits him better.

What was the process like getting to find Izzy’s drag look? Because it doesn’t feel like he’s embodying a character, but rather an extension of himself.

Quite a lot, to be honest. Nancy [Hennah] first talked to me about it. The drag was on, it was off, it was on, it was off, it was on. It was off. And then when we got close to filming, the drag was on again, and I just didn’t want it to be a comedy. Not that she ever suggested it was, but there were versions of the ideas for the drag which were so extreme that it felt like a parody. And I didn’t want it to be a parody.

Here’s an exclusive for you. When Kristian [Nairn] and I shot the scene where I discovered Wee John doing his makeup, there was one take of the scene where we ended up looking in the mirror together, and I heard myself say, “Make me pretty.” And as gentle as that sounds, it had a profound effect on me because I suddenly realized that that part in [Izzy] that had never been announced before was wanting to announce himself and to be pretty while he was doing it.

And that became really important to me when we were designing the look. And between Nancy, our brilliant makeup designer, and Deb [Watson], my makeup artist, they came up with that look, which I think really honors Izzy as a character, but also made him pretty. It had a profound effect on me when I had myself say those words. I think it’s probably the first time Izzy has ever said the word pretty — and it was about himself. I mean, how lovely is that?

Izzy went through another transformation earlier this season with his peg leg. Was becoming the new “unicorn” of the Revenge vital for his character development this season?

Yeah, I’ve been thinking about this a lot today because I’ve been asked various questions around this theme. And what I think is lovely about Izzy’s arc or Izzy’s redemption is we don’t change who he was. It’s a version of who he was, who is now feeling gratitude and acceptance. And we can talk about the closet, whether it’s an emotional closet or a sexual closet. He comes out of the closet this season, figuratively and visibly, and every queer person has that story. They’re all different versions of the story, but the relief of the coming out process, it’s life-changing. That’s what Izzy does in this season, is he comes out and it’s had a profound effect on the audience. So many of them have already themselves or want to, or need to, and they let him, our writers let him. It’s lovely.

David had said following the finale that there’s no Our Flag Means Death without Izzy. Would you come back for a third season if asked? After all, this is the kind of show where a character can turn into a seagull, so surely there’s room for a ghost.

That’s a conversation you have to have with David. David is the boss on all of this, and I know David always wanted a Season 3. I would be heartbroken for the show if he didn’t get a Season 3 because it deserves it. It’s an important show. If Izzy’s involved, and if he isn’t, I still think it’s a really important show and it should be given its send-off season.

On a more light-hearted final note, we got to see Izzy interact more with Stede as a mentor. What was it like getting to build that dynamic with Rhys in Season 2?

I loved it. Do you know what? Rhys was brilliant in the first season, but in the second season, he just found some extra confidence and he really stepped up. He’s f**king brilliant in the second season, and working with him on those scenes, it was a joy. It was an absolute joy because he’s f**king landed so beautifully. And to be present with him in his newfound faith and confidence… it was joyful, and I think he’s awesome.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Nearly 90% of police killings in Brazil in 2023 involved black individuals

A study published on Thursday (Nov. 7) by the Network of Security Observatories revealed that 4,025 individuals were killed by police in Brazil in 2023. Race and color data were available for 3,169 of these cases, with 2,782 victims identified as black—representing 87.8 percent of the total.

The data from the fifth edition of the bulletin Pele Alvo: Mortes Que Revelam Um Padrão (Targeted Skin: Deaths that Reveal a Pattern) were obtained through Brazil's Access to Information Law (LAI) in nine states. In all of them, the data show a disturbingly high proportion of black people killed by state intervention: Amazonas (92.6%), Bahia (94.6%), Ceará (88.7%), Maranhão (80%), Pará (91.7%), Pernambuco (95.7%), Piauí (74.1%), Rio de Janeiro (86.9%), and São Paulo (66.3%).

Social scientist and coordinator of the Network, Silvia Ramos, describes the figures as "scandalous," underscoring a deep-rooted issue in the country: racism. While it permeates various sectors such as education, health, and the job market, its most glaring manifestation is in public security.

“The profile of a police suspect is further entrenched within law enforcement. Officers are trained to treat a young white man in a suit in the city differently from a young black man in shorts and flip-flops in a favela. The reality is that 99.9 percent of black youths in favelas and peripheral areas wear shorts and flip-flops, and they are all perceived as dangerous, as potential targets whom the police feel justified in killing if necessary,” says the researcher.

Continue reading.

[suzukiblu]

Now that this week's WIP Wednesday is over (I didn't want it to seem like I was fishing for something not on your list) I was wondering if you could add a tag to your WIP Wednesday lists so they're easier to find? I think I've only encountered them on accident twice, and every time I look for them on purpose I can never seem to find them. I want to be able to jump on Damian gets a Pocket and Captain Marvel adopts Superboy when they're available, but I can never tell when they're available.

I already do that, actually! I always tag the starter rules/list post with both "wip wednesday" and "meme". Though when I do a not-Wednesday edition that's usually just tagged "meme".

Also if Tumblr's just being dicks about tag-searching, whenever I do WIP Wednesday ninety-nine percent of the time the starter post is scheduled to go up at 12:30pm EST, so you can pretty much always find it by the time it went up, if nothing else.

Hope that helps! 💙

[obxone]

Marmoris (Chapter Three)

Edited-ish. ~1.7k words

Master Page

Rafe groans, peeling his eyes open when you park in one of the front row spaces at the Island Club. His hands rub over his face as he tries to wipe away the remnants of last night's partying.

“You could have canceled,” you offer, turning your attention to him. “Your friends can survive one day without their fearless leader.”

He looks at you, and you wait for him to snap at your teasing, but he does not. Instead, he only shrugs. “It Is tradition. First Saturday of the summer.”

“I know,” you whine, flipping down the visor to check your makeup. You quickly swipe your favorite shade of lipstick across your lips before flipping the sun visor closed. “We both have our first Saturday traditions that Ward would murder us for if we deviated.”

Rafe chuckles, agreeing that your father would have your asses if you did not make your appearances at the local country club. The country club Ward Cameron poured a lot of money into.

“Here.” You toss him eyedrops, and he catches the bottle with ease before unscrewing the cap to drop them into his red-rimmed eyes. “Appearances,” you mock in a bad English accent.

He smirks, tossing the eyedrops back into the center console and closing the lid.

“You know, Kelce will be here.”

Your eyes cut to his, and he laughs, hand pressed to his stomach at your glare. “You are not funny. Please do not encourage him either, Rafe.”

The laughter still comes from him, and it annoys you even more as you grab your small crossbody and get out of the Q7. He follows an apology coming from him as you lock your car and lead the way into the country club.

“Go golf, Rafe, before I kick you in the shins.”

He laughs but goes with a shake of his head. The role of a big brother is his favorite to play when he could use it to rile you up.

You turn in the opposite direction, aware of all the kook mothers having brunch in the sunroom. Their daughters are in one of the ballrooms, right where you are heading to fill your role as Ward Cameron's perfect daughter. You slip in, the opening speech already having begun. Thankfully, you are quiet enough that no one turns to look at who the latecomer is.

“Finally!” Scarlet dramatically sighs with relief when you drop into an empty chair beside her.

“Everything okay?”

She nods, passing you your signature iced drink.

"You are a goddess," you hum around a few grateful sips. The perfect balance of cold brew and sweet cream. You cross your legs, tightening your grip on the drink as Mrs. Henley’s green eyes cut to you. The empty seat beside you noticed when her lips turn down in a sharp frown.

Scarlet, yourself, and a few other girls sit along the back row, all seats, but one filled. Sarah. You all debuted the prior year and are here as big sisters this season. Rose had graciously volunteered you both without asking, and Ward is making sure you do not fight her on it.

“Where is Sarah?” Cecile asks, leaning forward to look at you.

You shrug, sipping your coffee. “No clue.”

She frowns, but you ignore her. You were twins, which means everyone thinks you are attached at the hip. Granted, that is true ninety-nine percent of the time, but this summer seems to be different. Topper is likely the responsible party for the lack of connection and her absence this morning.

“God forbid one of us dodge this bullet,” Scarlet mutters, and you laugh, nearly spraying your iced coffee over the last row of 13 to 15-year-old girls.

“Henley is going to have her ass for being a no-show,” you respond, glancing at the number of girls in attendance. Many were part-time or full-time residents of Figure 8, but a few were unfamiliar faces and likely only here this summer to debut in the OBX.

“Big sisters!” Mrs. Henley calls, and your attention snaps to hers. “Please wait under the veranda for your little assignments.”

“Oh, thank fuck,” Blair mutters as she stands. Her arm hook with El’s as they lead the way out of the ballroom and down the hall. You follow last, making sure to secure the door before following the others.

You are halfway down the hall, the others turning the corner and leaving you behind when you hear your name. “Ms. Cameron?”

You groan internally and spin on the ball of your foot to see Mrs. Henley hurrying down the hall. A look of disappointment on her face, and you know why.

“I assume the other Ms. Cameron is out with the first of the summer stomach bug?”

“Yes ma’am,” you confirm, hands clasping in front of you. “She is sorry to miss the introductions for the season, but I promised to give her all the details later.”

She nods once before looking down at her watch. “We will finish with the girls and release them to their mothers before we make the pairings announcement. Do you think you can keep the older girls entertained until then?”

“I’m sure I can.” You supply before taking a tentative step back. A hint of a smile is on her face, and you are relieved that she takes the excuse. You turn and hurry down the hall, trying not to break out into a run so you can call Sarah and give her a heated speech over her lack of appearance. A warning would have served her so much better.

A gasp escapes you as you nearly collide with another person around the corner. Warm hands grip your forearms to steady you, and your gaze meets a pair of ocean blue eyes. Heat floods through you at the dimpled smirk on his face.

“In a hurry, Princess?” He asks.

“Something like that,” you supply, shouldering your purse. “Trying to sneak out of work?”

“Something like that,” he offers.

You fight back a smile at him after he copies your words. Sometimes JJ is nice, and other times he is a complete jerk. Today, you are not sure what you are getting, and you do not have time to figure it out.

“I should get back to my mission.”

“Mission?” He asks, tipping his head. His hands are warm on your skin, and you do not hate it.

“Trying to locate my twin.”

“Ah,” he muses. “Welp, don’t want to hold up the princess, do we?”

You frown, pulling away from him, and he notices. His hands fall against his sides.

“Don’t be an ass JJ.”

“You are the one that ran into me. Or is it the pogues' fault?”

“I didn’t say that.”

He rolls his eyes. “You are acting like it.”

“How?”

He shrugs. “You jerked away like the dirty pogue touching you burned that precocious kook skin.”

You hate this kook v pogue bullshit, and he knows it. Yet, he throws it in your face again, and it stings. The irritation at his words simmers inside of you. You know your next words are likely to start a fight, but JJ also needs to learn to let it go. 

“Your words, not mine.”

He scoffs, hands fisting into tight balls. “What are you even doing here?”

Your arms cross over your waist, and your eyebrows raise at his question.

“Right,” he mutters, hands raking through his messy blond locks. “This is your kingdom.”

“You are such an ass, Maybank.”

“I have one, you can kiss it if you want.” He teases.

“In your dreams,” you mutter, glaring at him as your cheeks flame at his invitation. “Don’t you have dishes to be washing?”

He laughs, stepping into your space. No hesitation from him even though it has you taking a step back. He smirks, taking another step, and you do the same, your back hitting the wall behind you. His body heat slams into you with his next step. The mixed smell of the salty ocean water, a note of sandalwood in his cologne, and sweat threatens to suffocate you. He smells like he always does, and it makes your head spin.

“In my dreams? Do you want me to dream about you, Princess?”

“Absolutely not,” you huff, glaring at him as you try to ignore the prickles across your skin the closer he gets. “But we both know that those dreams will be all you get.”

He snorts. “Like I want you.”

“Then why are you in my personal space?” You ask.

He seems to snap out of whatever daze he is in as he takes a rushed step back. His blue eyes darken as you laugh.

“I hate you, Kooks,” he mutters with a shake of his head. “All of you are the same.”

His words make something inside you ignite. You were not like these kooks, and you both know it. How many times have you stepped in to stop your brother and his friends from breaking his face or hurting one of his friends? How many times have you shut down Rafe’s threats to have him fired? You take a step towards him, hand itching to smack him across his face, but this time he does not step back. Instead, he stands his ground, glaring back at you.

“Screw you, JJ.” You snap at him. You hate yourself for your next words, Rafe’s words, but he has dug at you enough already. “At least I know my future is not solely pending on when I end up in jail.”

His jaw drops, the sting of your words shoving into his chest, but he ignores it. His body bristles with anger. “Fuck you, kook princess.”

“Again, only in your dreams,” you taunt as you step around him. “Now, I’m sure you have plenty of dirty dishes to get back to. Don’t want you committing timecard fraud, do we? I’d hate to report that to your manager.”

Again, you hate yourself for it, but he is being rude and aggressive with you for no reason. You had never been mean to JJ. Not once. Sure, you had sassed him on numerous occasions and maybe teased him until he backed off, but you had never intentionally hurt the blond pogue’s feelings.

“I hate all of you, Kooks!”

“Oh, how cute! You actually think I give a fuck.” You turn on your heel and leave him behind.

“Walking away, how mature!” He calls.

“I have kook things to attend to. Something you have no idea about!” You call, waving at him without looking back at him.

(Chapter Four)

[diabolus1exmachina]

Maserati  A6G/54 Spider by Frua (1 of 10). 

From 1954 Maserati offered the final edition of the A6G sports car. As with its predecessor, the sales designation 2000 GT was frequently used in brochures and advertisements. On the race tracks of the World Sports Car Championship, the corresponding offshoots were called A6GCS. By 1957, only 60 Maserati A6G/54 cars had been built, with the bodies being exclusively built by external coachbuilders such as Allemano, Zagato and Frua. 

So the A6G/54 presented at the Paris Motor Show in October 1954 had to meet high expectations. On the one hand, its driving performance was to clearly exceed that of its direct predecessor. On the other hand, Maserati naturally also wanted to increase its production figures again. And last but not least, there was direct competition with Ferrari, an up-and-coming company that had been enticing customers by building sports cars in the immediate vicinity since 1947. Accordingly, the engineers under Gioacchino Colombo began to thorougly rework the two-liter inline six-cylinder engine. Compared to the A6G, the ratio of bore to stroke was changed, turning a long stroke engine into a short stroke engine with two overhead camshafts. Compared to the A6GCS, Maserati used a chain instead of sprockets to drive the camshafts in the A6G/54 to improve reliability in everyday use. These measures increased the revs and thus the power output, which in this case was around 50 percent higher than that of the predecessor. Expressed in figures, 110 kW/150 hp was initially available, later even 118 kW/160 hp thanks to dual ignition.

As already mentioned at the beginning, Maserati at that time only produced the engines, transmissions and the tubular frame made of steel tubes including suspensions for the A6G/54. Then they sent the components to the coachbuilder selected by the individual customer. The official brochures offered a choice of four bodies. Tipo A and Tipo B came from Frua, Tipo C from Allemano and Tipo D from Zagato. Pinin Farina had previously fitted various A6 and A6G chassis, but then fell out of favour with Maserati when they entered into close cooperation with Ferrari. Only for the A6GCS, a few bodies were still being built there at the request of Maserati dealer Mimmo Dei.

This dealer was also the one who started the ball rolling for the A6G/54 Frua Spider. After a Spider based on a A6GCS chassis with the engine of the A6G/54 was completed in Pietro Frua’s workshop in the spring of 1955, Mimmo Dei ordered a small series of ten vehicles. However, only the first one was given the same design as the original model. The other nine were given an extended front and other modifications in detail. Different bumpers and small fake air intakes on the rear fenders for example.