#northwestern region (iceland)

[mothmiso]

Skagafjörður (2) (3) (4) by Hugi Ólafsson

Via Flickr:

(1) The small country church at Silfrastaðir in Skagafjörður in N-Iceland was built in 1896 and was protected in 1990. It is unusual in that its base is octagonal. (2) The village Hofs��s (pop. 190) is one of the oldest trading ports in northern Iceland, dating back to the 16th century. It was a trading post for the Danish Trade Monopoly. The Pakkhús (one of the black houses in the photo) is a warehouse built in 1777, during that time. In recent years Hofsós has built itself up as a tourist attraction. The Icelandic Emigration Center is dedicated to the westward migration to North America of Icelanders that reached its peak at the start of the 19th century. There are cafés and restaurants in the village, an excellent outdoor public swimming pool, and pleasant walks along the shore with good examples of hexagonal basalt columns. (3) Haust í Skagafirði / autumn in Skagafjörður (4) The country church in Viðvík in Skagafjörður in N-Iceland was built in 1886 and expanded in 1893.     

[worldwide-blackfolk]

Don’t ever think that there weren’t other #slaves; damn near every race on earth was enslaved at one time or another. Yes, we’re more concerned about Blackfolk, but it’s helpful to know otherwise too. Research it, look into Asia and other areas. Mankind will take a society that is a peaceful people and enslave them.

European slaves

See also: Balkan slave trade, Black Sea slave trade, and Bukhara slave trade

Saqaliba is a term used in medieval Arabic sources to refer to Slavs and other peoples of Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe, or in a broad sense to European slaves under Arab Islamic rule.[citation needed]

Through the Middle Ages up until the early modern period,[76] a major source of slaves sent to Muslim lands was Central and Eastern Europe. Slaves of Northwestern Europe were also favored. The slaves captured were sent to Islamic lands like Spain and Egypt through France and Venice. Prague served as a major centre for castration of Slavic captives.[77][78] The Emirate of Bari also served as an important port for trade of such slaves.[79] After the Byzantine Empire and Venice blocked Arab merchants from European ports, Arabs started importing slaves from the Caucasus and Caspian Sea regions, shipping them off as far east as Transoxiana in Central Asia.[80] Despite this, slaves taken in battle or from minor raids in continental Europe remained a steady resource in many regions. The Ottoman Empire used slaves from the Balkans and Eastern Europe. The Janissaries were primarily composed of enslaved Europeans. Slaving raids by Barbary Pirates on the coasts of Western Europe as far as Iceland remained a source of slaves until suppressed in the early 19th century. Common roles filled by European slaves ranged from laborers to concubines, and even soldiers.

Christians became part of harems as slaves in the Balkans and Asia Minor when the Turks invaded. Muslim qadis owned Christian slave girls. Greek girls who were pretty were forced into prostitution after being enslaved to Turks who took all their earnings in the 14th century according to Ibn Battuta.[81]

[wildwestfjords]

Exploring the Wild Westfjords of Iceland: A Journey through Untamed Beauty

The Westfjords of Iceland are a hidden gem, offering travelers an unparalleled experience of natural beauty, tranquility, and adventure. Unlike the more frequented tourist destinations in Iceland, the Westfjords remain relatively untouched, providing an authentic and raw Icelandic experience. In this blog, we delve into the captivating allure of Westfjords tours, exploring why this region should be on every traveler’s bucket list.

The Untamed Beauty of the Westfjords

The Westfjords, a peninsula in northwestern Iceland, are renowned for their dramatic landscapes, steep fjords, and remote villages. The region’s isolation has preserved its natural splendor, making it a haven for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers. From towering cliffs and cascading waterfalls to pristine beaches and geothermal pools, the Westfjords offer a diverse range of attractions that cater to all types of travelers.

Breathtaking Fjords and Cliffs

One of the most striking features of the Westfjords is its dramatic fjords and towering cliffs. Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, accessible only by boat, is a prime destination for hikers and wildlife enthusiasts. The reserve is home to Arctic foxes and a plethora of bird species, providing a unique opportunity for wildlife observation. The cliffs of Látrabjarg, Europe’s largest bird cliff, are another must-visit. Standing at 441 meters, these cliffs offer breathtaking views and are a birdwatcher’s paradise. A Westfjords tour often includes these iconic sites, showcasing the region’s extraordinary natural beauty.

Majestic Waterfalls and Serene Beaches

The Westfjords boast some of the most stunning waterfalls in Iceland. Dynjandi, often referred to as the “jewel of the Westfjords,” is a series of waterfalls with a cumulative height of 100 meters. The thunderous roar and misty spray of Dynjandi create a mesmerizing spectacle. For those seeking tranquility, Rauðasandur Beach offers a stark contrast. Known for its red and golden sands, this serene beach is perfect for a peaceful stroll while soaking in the picturesque surroundings. Exploring these areas is a highlight of any Westfjords Iceland tour.

Geothermal Wonders and Hot Springs

The geothermal activity in the Westfjords has given rise to several hot springs, providing a perfect way to unwind after a day of exploration. The Reykjafjarðarlaug hot pool, located in a scenic valley, is a hidden gem where travelers can soak in warm, mineral-rich waters while enjoying the stunning vistas. These natural hot springs offer a unique way to experience the geothermal wonders of Iceland, making them a must-visit on any Westfjords tour.

Adventure and Activities

The Westfjords are a playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether it’s hiking, kayaking, or simply driving along the winding roads that hug the coastline, there’s something for everyone. The remote and rugged terrain offers countless hiking trails, each providing a unique perspective of the region’s natural beauty. Kayaking in the fjords allows travelers to explore hidden coves and witness marine life up close. The winding roads of the Westfjords, such as the route to the picturesque village of Ísafjörður, offer a driving experience like no other, with breathtaking views at every turn. For those seeking a comprehensive adventure, Westfjords Iceland tours are an ideal way to explore this magnificent region.

Authentic Icelandic Culture

The Westfjords are not just about natural beauty; they also offer a glimpse into authentic Icelandic culture. The small fishing villages scattered along the coast are steeped in history and tradition. Visiting these villages allows travelers to experience the local way of life, sample fresh seafood, and interact with the friendly locals. Museums, such as the Arctic Fox Center in Súðavík, provide insight into the region’s history and wildlife. Immersing oneself in the local culture is an integral part of any Westfjords tour.

Sustainable and Responsible Tourism

As with any travel destination, it’s essential to approach the Westfjords with a sense of responsibility and respect for the environment. The region’s delicate ecosystems and remote communities require sustainable tourism practices. Tour operators, such as Wild Westfjords, emphasize eco-friendly tours that minimize impact on the environment and support local communities. By choosing responsible Westfjords tours, travelers can help preserve the region’s pristine beauty for future generations.

Conclusion

A tour of the Westfjords of Iceland promises an unforgettable journey through some of the most stunning and unspoiled landscapes on the planet. From dramatic fjords and cliffs to majestic waterfalls and serene beaches, the Westfjords offer a diverse range of attractions that cater to all types of travelers. By embracing sustainable tourism practices and respecting the natural environment, visitors can ensure that the pristine beauty of the Westfjords remains intact for future generations to enjoy. So pack your bags, embark on a Westfjords tour, and discover the wild beauty of Iceland’s best-kept secret.

For more information on planning your Westfjords Iceland tour, visit Wild Westfjords and explore their range of eco-friendly tours and packages.

[newsagency]

Iran rejects UN investigation into protests

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman carried a gas mask in a reference to Germany’s alleged supply of chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq war as he denounced the UN investigation.

Tehran, Iran – Iran has said it will not cooperate with a United Nations fact-finding mission on its response to ongoing anti-government demonstrations due to what it calls the investigation’s “political” nature.

Tehran will have “no form of cooperation with this political committee which has been framed as a fact-finding committee”, foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told reporters during a news conference on Monday.

Last week, Iran announced it had formed a local fact-finding mission, comprised of representatives from the government, the judiciary, the parliament and others, to investigate “events, riots and unrest” during the past few weeks.

According to Kanani, this constituted a “responsible” act by the Iranian state and refuted any need for a UN investigation.

“[The UN investigation was] taking advantage of human rights mechanisms to exert political pressure on independent countries,” Kanani said.

The UN Human Rights Council last week voted to establish a fact-finding mission to investigate potential abuses in Iran’s handling of anti-government demonstrations that have erupted across the country.

The protests began after the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September, following her arrest by morality police for allegedly not adhering to the country’s mandatory dress code.

Of the 47-member council, 25 voted in favour of a resolution that demands Tehran cooperate with the council’s special rapporteur on Iran, including by granting access to areas inside Iranian territory, such as locations where people have been arrested.

There were 16 abstentions and six nations – Armenia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Pakistan and Venezuela – voted against the measure.

The UN has said more than 300 people have died during the protests and nearly 14,000 arrested. Other human rights organisations have provided higher figures, but Iran has not released any official tallies, apart from saying that more than 50 security personnel have been killed.

Several people have received preliminary death sentences for participating in “riots”, according to the Iranian judiciary, while an official said the Iranian Supreme Court has begun hearing appeals for those sentenced to execution.

In the past two weeks, protests have been most intense in Iran’s Kurdish-majority northwestern provinces, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirming it is “strengthening” its presence there.

The elite forces also renewed its missile and drone attacks in neighbouring Iraq’s northern regions last week, which it has threatened to continue if Kurdish groups based there are not disarmed.

New Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is expected in Tehran on Tuesday to meet with President Ebrahim Raisi and discuss the issue.

FOCUS ON GERMANY’S ROLE

Top Iranian officials have repeatedly accused the United States, Israel, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Saudi Arabia of being behind the country’s unrest.

In the past few weeks, Iran has particularly ramped up its rhetoric against Germany, as the European power has expressed repeated support for the protests in Iran.

Along with Iceland, Germany presented the formal call for the formation of the special UN council meeting on Iran that led to the passage of the resolution.

Iran’s foreign ministry on Monday summoned the German ambassador to Tehran for the second time since the start of the protests to condemn “interventionist and baseless” remarks by German officials and to denounce the UN meeting.

During his news conference on Monday, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman carried a black gas mask and held the session with the mask on his podium.

It was meant as a reminder of the use of chemical weapons by Saddam Hussein during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

Tehran has long accused Germany of supplying Hussein with chemical weapons. Kanani said up to 80 percent of the chemical weapons used during the war were supplied by German companies.

In its blacklisting of European individuals and entities in response to European Union sanctions last month, Tehran imposed sanctions on two German companies that it said were responsible for “delivering chemical gases and weapons” to Iraq during the war.

[datasoong47]

Interesting. This was in 2015

In late April, one of the world's strangest laws was quietly revoked. Authorities in Iceland's Westfjords district, the scenic northwestern corner of the Scandinavian island nation, repealed a 400-year-old decree ordering the death on sight of any Basque person found in the region. This old grudge stems from a grisly incident in 1615, when misunderstandings and suspicions between locals and a group of shipwrecked whalers from what's now the northern coast of Spain led to the slaughter of 32 Basques. The decree was ordered by the district's bloodthirsty magistrate. Of course, newer laws have since been put in place, and no person from the Basque country has been in actual danger for a very long time. "The decision to do away with the decree was more symbolic than anything else," Westfjords district commissioner Jonas Gudmundsson told reporters last month. "We have laws, of course, and killing anyone — including Basques — is forbidden these days." In a country of Iceland's small size — it has a population of just over 300,000 people — such seemingly obscure episodes still have a profound resonance. The prominent Icelandic author Sjon wrote of the "slaying of the Spaniards" in his acclaimed 2011 novel "From the Mouth of the Whale," depicting the incident as a hideous act of treachery and opportunism carried out against the shipwrecked sailors. Though remote and sparsely populated, Iceland still found itself at the crossroads of all sorts of global history. The Viking explorers who first reached the New World set sail from its shores. A decade after the killings of the Basque whalers, raiders from as far away as North Africa ravaged the Icelandic coast, kidnapping hundreds of locals as slaves. The "Turkish abductions" of the 17th century are a defining event in Icelandic national memory and enshrined in the country's most famous church in the capital, Reykjavik.

[youneedone2]

Sveitarfelagio Skagafjördur, Northwestern region, Iceland by Arnar Kristjansson

[travel-in-pictures]

Northwestern Region, Iceland 

by Iurie Belegurschi from Iceland 

Source | Google Maps

[poleteli]

Нордюрланд-Вестра, Исландия 

Фу Фу Дж | Фотография | Карта

[googlemapsgems]

Northwestern Region, Iceland (courtesy of Google Maps via GeoGuessr)

[rwby-redux]

Deconstruction

Worldbuilding: Geography

Full disclosure: I hated doing this post. Not because the writing was difficult or the topic was boring—far from it. No, the reason I hated doing this was because I got sucked into a wikihole. I started out researching climate zones, and ten hours later I was reading an article about Icelandic hot spring rye bread (which is called hverabrauð by the way and you should absolutely check it out). I only realized what time it was when I looked out my window and saw the sun starting to rise. Try to picture what my sleep schedule has looked like for the last few days, and you can see why I might be just a smidge upset.

Sorry. Where was I?

Ah, yes: geography. The bane of cartographers everywhere. If you’ve ever dabbled in writing stories with a non-Earth setting, you’ll know that one of the most fundamental aspects of worldbuilding is the lay of the land. Even before you’ve started working on the cultures of your fictional people (or hell, even the plot), you need to develop the locations. Any writer worth their salt will correctly tell you that geography dictates who the characters are, what the story’s about, when major actions occur, where the major story beats take place, why things progress the way they do, and how certain steps are achieved.

Want an example of this? Take a look at the geography of Avatar: The Last Airbender and how it influenced the Fire Nation’s culture and resulting imperialistic conquest: [1]               

A geographic map of Avatar: The Last Airbender depicting the four major countries: the Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, Water Tribes, and Air Temples. | Source: Imgur.

The Fire Nation, being located on a volcanic archipelago, was able to jumpstart its industrial revolution decades before anyone else, courtesy of access to natural resources such as coal and metal ore deposits (which were disproportionately scarcer in the other countries). This abundance of minerals was reflected in gold being commonly incorporated into Fire Nation royal attire, and the Fire Nation boasting some of the most proficient blacksmiths and swordfighters in the world (like Piandao).

Being an island nation, their culinary staples included aquatic and marine species such as waterfowl, fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, bivalves, and seaweed.

The mountainous regions of the Fire Nation made the land ill-suited for agriculture, which likely influenced the development of an oceanic trade route. This allowed for the import of otherwise-unavailable resources from the Earth Kingdom.

The trade route helped to reinforce a unified state by connecting all seaports, trading outposts, and settlements in the archipelago to the major urban capital. This interconnectivity created economic advantages, and solidified a sense of cultural unity and loyalty to the nation by making communication (via ship and messenger hawk) direct and expedient.

The navy emerged as a natural outgrowth of the oceanic trade route. Martial vessels would have been necessary for protecting merchant ships from pirates, collecting taxes from provincial settlements (because navies have steep operating costs), and enforcing the laws of the central authority. Similarly, as an island country, the only way the Fire Nation could have feasibly been harmed is through a naval attack, which would have given it the incentive to cultivate a naval defense.

At the beginning of the Hundred Year War, the Fire Nation seized control of the northwestern Earth Kingdom because the region was rich in resources that they would need to sustain themselves if they were going to survive without international trade.

Their technologically-advanced navy and control of the major oceanic trade routes allowed the Fire Nation to orchestrate blockades, quickly transport troops and equipment between places, and limit the tactical movements of the other countries.

To say that geography dictates the story is an understatement—without it, the story wouldn’t exist. Good writing and likeable characters can only do so much to save a story that lacks this crucial component of worldbuilding.

So, how does this apply to RWBY?

In order to talk about that, first we have to address the unusual way that Remnant’s map was designed.

Back in 2012, while out at an IHOP with Shane Newville, Monty Oum had the idea of squirting a ketchup bottle into a napkin, crumpling it up, and then unfolding it to reveal the blotchy proto-topography of Remnant. His reason for doing so, as he explains:

“The philosophy behind [making the map that way] is that, I feel like, as a 3D animator […] utilizing all this technology, our process—all these computers, all these numbers and stuff—our process is so artificial, it’s riddled with so much artifice, that not only for that, but for everything else I do, I try to imbue kind of like an anarchy, an anarchic-like chaos, just to give it some sense of, like, randomness. Like, you need to preserve that sense of chaos because the process we do is so robotic. […] But the important thing was, like especially with everything that we just raise in our production value, that you have to preserve that anarchic energy that influences everything you do.” [2]

The original terrain map created by Monty Oum. | Source: RWBY Wiki contributor user:Sgt D Grif.

You’d be hard-pressed to disagree with the artistic merit of this design approach. There’s a simplistic elegance to be found in a creator forfeiting a degree of their control over a project, in order to watch how it might organically evolve.

But here’s the thing: this isn’t like leaving slime molds in a petri dish and letting them network until they resemble Japanese subway lines. While anarchic chaos can work for some disciplines of art, it creates glaring issues when applied to worldbuilding. Nature, although it appears outwardly random, is actually rather ordered. The reason why we don’t leave our houses every day carrying umbrellas is because we don’t have to—we have meteorologists that can anticipate the forecast days or weeks ahead. Plenty of natural phenomena can be predicted: weather systems over vast areas, environmental selection pressures converging on similar traits…

And, of course, plate tectonics.

You see, the problem with Monty’s method is that it didn’t account for the movement of Remnant’s continents. Because the planet’s continents were born from artistic randomness rather than methodical and deliberate forethought, we have no reliable access to certain information, like atmospheric circulation, ocean currents, or plate boundaries. All three of these planetary subsystems—the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere—and their dynamics shape the geography of a planet.

Without this information, we can’t answer certain questions.

Was Lake Matsu formed by glacial retreat?

Are Vale’s mountains sitting on a convergent plate boundary? Or are they more like the Appalachians, which are the remains of the Central Pangean Mountains?

If Vale’s mountains were formed by convergent plate boundaries, then why don’t we see evidence of it in the forms of volcanism and earthquakes?

Is Vacuo’s interior desert formed by a rain shadow?

If Solitas’ geography is based on a polar ice cap, then how did early settlers survive long enough to excavate the Dust? How would they have dug through the ice and permafrost?

Has climate change ever resulted in changes in sea level that submerged or exposed the continents? Did early humans and Faunus move between continents by land bridges? Have rises in sea level ever hidden continents (like Earth’s Zealandia)?

Does Mistral’s capital rely on meltwater from the surrounding mountains for irrigating crops?

When the Younger Brother shattered the moon, did the lunar debris alter the landscape when it fell to Remnant? Was it like the Chicxulub asteroid that caused the K-Pg extinction? Did the lunar debris leave craters on the planet’s surface, or cause phenomena like impact winters and ocean acidification?

It bears mentioning that these questions pertain to real-life geographic concepts. This isn’t even touching upon fictional geographic concepts that RWBY introduced, like largescale Dust deposits altering the local environment in such a way that it functionally becomes its own ecosystem (like Lake Matsu’s floating islands). We’re also assuming that RWBY’s continental plates are capable of drift, and weren’t magically glued in place by the gods during the formation of the planet.

Given the scale of these problems, I think it’s safe to say that—while I can appreciate the artistry behind Monty’s design philosophy—the way he designed Remnant ultimately did more harm than good.

While I could spend all afternoon debating the pros and cons of condiment cartography, there are more productive things I could be doing with my time. Instead, I want to discuss Remnant’s geography as it currently is. Specifically, there are three questions I want to test:

How well does the geography hold up?

Does the geography have a realistic influence on society?

How well does the show integrate foreign geographic features into its worldbuilding?

As a quick disclaimer, I’m not an expert on any of the aforementioned subsystems. And because I don’t have any canonical information on Remnant’s atmospheric circulation, ocean currents, or plate boundaries, it becomes impossible to prove or disprove the realism of its geography. For now, we’re going to err on the side of caution and assume that Remnant is a planet with a functionally-analogous lithosphere to Earth’s, and that Remnant’s features are byproducts of such a system.

The current geographic map of Remnant. It boasts five major continents (of which only four have been named) and multiple islands. | Source: World of Remnant, Volume 4, Episode 1: “Vale.”

How Well Does the Geography Hold Up?

To answer this, I used the Köppen-Geiger climate classification to categorize Remnant’s main landmasses (with the exception of the unnamed continent). This model organizes areas into distinct climatic regions based on seasonal precipitation and temperature patterns. The results I cobbled together are based on approximate latitude, ecosystems that we’ve seen in the show, canon maps, and comparisons between the continents and their real-world sources of inspiration (Asia for Anima, North America for eastern Sanus, Australia for Menagerie, etc). Here’s what I came up with:

SANUS: Tropical savanna (Aw/As), cold desert (BWk), cold semi-arid (BSk), hot-summer mediterranean (Csa), warm-summer mediterranean (Csb), humid subtropical (Cfa, Cwa), hot-summer humid continental (Dfa), warm-summer humid continental (Dfb)

ANIMA: Tropical rainforest (Af), area of tropical monsoon (Am), tropical savanna (Aw/As), desert (BWh), hot semi-arid (BSh), humid subtropical (Cfa, Cwa), subtropical highland (Cwb), hot-summer humid continental (Dfa), warm-summer humid continental (Dfb), subarctic (Dfc), Mediterranean-influenced subarctic (Dsc)

SOLITAS: Tundra (ET), subarctic (Dfc), ice cap (EF)

MENAGERIE: Tropical savanna (Aw/As), desert (BWh), hot semi-arid (BSh), humid subtropical (Cfa, Cwa), temperate oceanic (Cfb)

VYTAL: Subpolar oceanic (Cfb)

This isn’t perfect by any means, but I think it satisfies some lingering doubt about the credibility of the geography. Sanus’ interior desert, for example, could easily be a cold desert climate. The exterior band of foliage on the northern and western sides appears to be indicative of a rain shadow effect caused by a mountain belt (the conditions necessary for creating this climate type). We have evidence of there being nearby western mountains courtesy of the earthquakes in Vacuo, [3] as earthquakes often occur near mountain ranges created by subduction boundaries. Similarly, oases (like the one once found in Vacuo) tend to form in cold desert climates as the result of rain shadows (similar to the el-Djerid oases near the Atlas Mountains).

All things considered, I’m inclined to give the climate regions a tentative pass. Like I said, they’re not perfect, but they seem to be holding up so far.

Does the Geography Have a Realistic Influence on Society?

Ehhh. It depends. With Vale it’s hard to say, given how little we’ve seen of the areas outside the capital (like the Emerald Forest and Forever Fall), and the fact that we haven’t visited any other cities in the kingdom. We know that Vale makes use of a massive port for trade and travel due to the nearby body of water. But there doesn’t seem to be anything particularly unique about the capital’s culture that can be directly attributed to its geography. Despite being a coastal city, it doesn’t have any signature delicacies derived from the abundant seafood. The architecture is largely generic urban-Western, and doesn’t incorporate the mountains in any way. Vale’s geography is little more than a convenient buffer against the Grimm.

Mistral, on the other hand, is heavily influenced by the geography. All of its houses and shops are directly integrated into the mountains, with an emphasis on vertical building to accommodate the limited space on the cliffs. Stairs, bridges, and electronic lifts are used for getting around the city. Unlike Vale, Atlas, and Mantle, which use motor vehicles, Mistral doesn’t have the space to accommodate modern roads, and instead relies on railroad transport (like the Argus Limited) to move around the continent. Compared to Vale, Mistral is a vast improvement on how well the writers used geography to influence the culture of a city. However, I still think the show could’ve done more to strengthen this connection. For instance, we see evidence of cave systems in Mistral, which briefly appear on-screen and are never brought up again. [4] Talk about wasted potential. Additionally, the show never addresses how the Council keeps its citizens from falling to death. No joke, the only place in the city that has railings is the safehouse where Qrow and the kids stay. What the hell do people do in the winter when the stairs and paths ice over? How do they not slip and fall and plummet to their deaths? And while I’m thinking about it, why doesn’t the city have a system of ziplines or ski lifts for getting around? Are native-born Mistrali people adapted to the lower oxygen found at higher elevations? And what about Mistral’s agriculture? Do farmers live outside the capital? How do they protect themselves?

Like I said, Mistral is better than Vale in this department, but it could still do with more worldbuilding.

Atlas and Mantle are more akin to Vale when it comes to noticeable geographic influence—or rather, a lack thereof. While the technology accommodates its residents via the heating grid, there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of how the geography shaped the people of this continent. You’d expect a circumpolar indigenous group to have very distinct cultural traits, but there’s none of that. It’s just rampant technological growth. Now, you could argue that any aspect of geographic influence on culture was wiped out around the time of the Great War. But if the show wants me to believe that, it needs to show me proof. Whether it’s a conversation between two characters, or a political movement spearheading cultural revitalization. Something—anything—that might hint at how geography influenced pre-industrial Mantle.

And forgive me if I don’t feel like speculating about Vacuo, given that it’s only appeared in After the Fall and Before the Dawn. When the show decides to unveil it, then I’ll have more to say.

As for Menagerie? Another resounding meh. The inherent intrigue of a settlement that shelters aquatic Faunus is never fully explored. We get to briefly visit the Shallow Sea district of Kuo Kuana, but the scene is too focused on Blake’s and Sun’s conversation to let us fully explore the area. Which is a shame, because a concept like that could easily be taken to some really cool extremes. Like, what about entirely underwater settlements that are built on coral reefs? How cool would that be for Faunus that have gills, webbed appendages, or caudal fins? I’m not expecting Zootopia or anything like that, but it’d be neat if settlers had gone to creative extremes to accommodate the wide variety of Faunus traits.

How Well Does the Show Integrate Foreign Geographic Features into Its Worldbuilding?

In Volume 5 we’re introduced to Lake Matsu, an area rich with naturally-occurring superterranean Gravity Dust. What makes this place so intriguing is the fact that the Dust is in a constant active state, causing the islands to float in the air. Given that Dust is usually inert unless activated by an Aura, the existence of this place is frankly astonishing, and for the life of me I don’t get why the show treated it as little more than set dressing.

This phenomenon—which I’ve taken to calling a Dust vortex—has so much worldbuilding potential. What if Remnant had pseudo-ephemeral lakes created by concentrations of Water Dust? Or how about a cave system with an abundance of Electricity Dust that causes magnetic charges in the surrounding minerals, creating a place similar to Unova’s Chargestone Cave? Maybe Sanus’ southeastern desert has large pockets of Steam Dust that enshroud the area in permanent fog?

Dust vortices wouldn’t just be aesthetically cool, either; they’d have important implications for the lore. Let’s use Lake Matsu as an example.

If the Dust vortex has been there for a long time (upwards of thousands of years), then the organisms in this ecosystem would’ve adapted to it. You would have endemic wildlife—agamid-like gliding lizards, plants with wind-dispersed fruit, lianas and mosses draped from the underside of the islands, diving birds that nest on the outcrops, microbial detritivores found exclusively in the islands’ soil. Maybe Lake Matsu is an important stopover for migrating birds. Maybe the shadows from the overhead islands are important for predatory fish, which hide in the shade to ambush flying insects. Because the wildlife would be endemic to this ecosystem, perhaps the Mistrali government would designate it a protected area and prevent Dust companies from excavating the site. What if there were fishing towns on the shore that depended on tourism to sustain the local economy? Would they ever come into conflict with Dust companies that lobby the government to open up the area to selective mining?

I’m sure I must sound like a broken record at this point, but the worldbuilding possibilities on display here are nothing short of incredible. And the failure of RWBY to explore even a single one feels like getting repeatedly kicked in the stomach by a feral horse.

We’re now 3,000 words in and I didn’t even get to include ideas for tautological place names. It sucks, but sometimes you have to compromise and go with the idea that make sense to include, rather than the idea that exists just to be novel.

Sound familiar?

-

[1] Hello Future Me. “Avatar: A Study in Worldbuilding — the Fire Nation [ The Last Airbender ]” YouTube video. October 26, 2019. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa2BD13VzxY&t=3s]

[2] Rooster Teeth. “RT Podcast: Ep. 191.” YouTube video. November 14, 2012. 7:52 - 12:01. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kymVnsIUWLY]

[3] Myers, E. C. RWBY: Before the Dawn (Book 2). Scholastic Inc, 2020. Online preview. “The city of Vacuo had some order to it, with different districts for residences and businesses, and a wide street down the center for the market. But the outer edges of it were periodically wiped out, because of sandstorms or sinkholes or earthquakes.”

[4] Volume 5, Episode 1: “Welcome to Haven.”

[mothmiso]

Skagafjörður (2) (3) (4) by Hugi Ólafsson

Via Flickr:

(1) The farm Hróarsdalur in Skagafjörður in North-Iceland. In the background are the glacial river Héraðsvötn and Mt. Mælifellshnjúkur (1138 m). (2) Detail of the front of the old turf & wood church at Víðimýri in Skagafjörður. The church is one of only 6 remaining turf churches in Iceland, with a roof of living grass. (3) Mt. Mælifellshnjúkur (1138 m) is the highest point in Skagafjörður, a farming region at the bottom of the eponymous fjord in Northern Iceland. (4) Cattle at the farm Bústaðir.     

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 1.28

814 – The death of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor, brings about the accession of his son Louis the Pious as ruler of the Frankish Empire. 1069 – Robert de Comines, appointed Earl of Northumbria by William the Conqueror, rides into Durham, England, where he is defeated and killed by rebels. This incident leads to the Harrying of the North. 1077 – Walk to Canossa: The excommunication of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, is lifted after he humbles himself before Pope Gregory VII at Canossa in Italy. 1521 – The Diet of Worms begins, lasting until May 25. 1547 – Edward VI, the nine-year-old son of Henry VIII, becomes King of England on his father's death. 1568 – The Edict of Torda prohibits the persecution of individuals on religious grounds in John Sigismund Zápolya's Eastern Hungarian Kingdom. 1573 – Articles of the Warsaw Confederation are signed, sanctioning freedom of religion in Poland. 1591 – Execution of Agnes Sampson, accused of witchcraft in Edinburgh. 1624 – Sir Thomas Warner founds the first British colony in the Caribbean, on the island of Saint Kitts. 1671 – Original city of Panama (founded in 1519) is destroyed by a fire when privateer Henry Morgan sacks and sets fire to it. The site of the previously devastated city is still in ruins (see Panama Viejo). 1724 – The Russian Academy of Sciences is founded in St. Petersburg, Russia, by Peter the Great, and implemented by Senate decree. It is called the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences until 1917. 1754 – Sir Horace Walpole coins the word serendipity in a letter to a friend. 1813 – Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is first published in the United Kingdom. 1846 – The Battle of Aliwal, India, is won by British troops commanded by Sir Harry Smith. 1851 – Northwestern University becomes the first chartered university in Illinois. 1855 – A locomotive on the Panama Canal Railway runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean for the first time. 1871 – Franco-Prussian War: The Siege of Paris ends in French defeat and an armistice. 1878 – Yale Daily News becomes the first independent daily college newspaper in the United States. 1896 – Walter Arnold of East Peckham, Kent, becomes the first person to be convicted of speeding. He was fined one shilling, plus costs, for speeding at 8 mph (13 km/h), thereby exceeding the contemporary speed limit of 2 mph (3.2 km/h). 1902 – The Carnegie Institution of Washington is founded in Washington, D.C. with a $10 million gift from Andrew Carnegie. 1908 – Members of the Portuguese Republican Party fail in their attempted coup d'état against the administrative dictatorship of Prime Minister João Franco. 1909 – United States troops leave Cuba, with the exception of Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, after being there since the Spanish–American War. 1915 – An act of the U.S. Congress creates the United States Coast Guard as a branch of the United States Armed Forces. 1918 – Finnish Civil War: The Red Guard rebels seize control of the capital, Helsinki; members of the Senate of Finland go underground. 1920 – Foundation of the Spanish Legion. 1922 – Knickerbocker Storm: Washington, D.C.'s biggest snowfall, causes a disaster when the roof of the Knickerbocker Theatre collapses, killing over 100 people. 1932 – Japanese forces attack Shanghai. 1933 – The name Pakistan is coined by Choudhry Rahmat Ali Khan and is accepted by Indian Muslims who then thereby adopted it further for the Pakistan Movement seeking independence. 1935 – Iceland becomes the first Western country to legalize therapeutic abortion. 1938 – The World Land Speed Record on a public road is broken by Rudolf Caracciola in the Mercedes-Benz W195 at a speed of 432.7 kilometres per hour (268.9 mph). 1941 – Franco-Thai War: Final air battle of the conflict. A Japanese-mediated armistice goes into effect later in the day. 1945 – World War II: Supplies begin to reach the Republic of China over the newly reopened Burma Road. 1956 – Elvis Presley makes his first national television appearance. 1958 – The Lego company patents the design of its Lego bricks, still compatible with bricks produced today. 1960 – The National Football League announces expansion teams for Dallas to start in the 1960 NFL season and Minneapolis-St. Paul for the 1961 NFL season. 1964 – An unarmed United States Air Force T-39 Sabreliner on a training mission is shot down over Erfurt, East Germany, by a Soviet MiG-19. 1965 – The current design of the Flag of Canada is chosen by an act of Parliament. 1977 – The first day of the Great Lakes Blizzard of 1977, which dumps 10 feet (3.0 m) of snow in one day in Upstate New York. Buffalo, Syracuse, Watertown, and surrounding areas are most affected. 1980 – USCGC Blackthorn collides with the tanker Capricorn while leaving Tampa, Florida and capsizes, killing 23 Coast Guard crewmembers. 1981 – Ronald Reagan lifts remaining domestic petroleum price and allocation controls in the United States, helping to end the 1979 energy crisis and begin the 1980s oil glut. 1982 – US Army general James L. Dozier is rescued by Italian anti-terrorism forces from captivity by the Red Brigades. 1984 – Tropical Storm Domoina makes landfall in southern Mozambique, eventually causing 214 deaths and some of the most severe flooding so far recorded in the region. 1985 – Supergroup USA for Africa (United Support of Artists for Africa) records the hit single We Are the World, to help raise funds for Ethiopian famine relief. 1986 – Space Shuttle program: STS-51-L mission: Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrates after liftoff, killing all seven astronauts on board. 1988 – In R v Morgentaler the Supreme Court of Canada strikes down all anti-abortion laws. 2002 – TAME Flight 120, a Boeing 727-100, crashes in the Andes mountains in southern Colombia, killing 94. 2006 – The roof of one of the buildings at the Katowice International Fair in Poland collapses due to the weight of snow, killing 65 and injuring more than 170 others.

[buiesaroundiceland]

We started our journey today on beautiful Vigur, a small island in Iceland's northwestern Westfjords region. Once a small farming community, Vigur is now a location where farmers harvest down from the used nests of eiders, a type of arctic duck whose soft down feathers line nests before becoming down pillows and comforters once the chicks have hatched and left their nests behind. The island is also home to many other types of birds, such as puffins, terns, and guillemots.

Our expert guide, a relative of the family who currently owns the island, was also an expert puffin wrangler, easily reaching into a burrow and producing a not-so-friendly puffin to show off to the group.

The bird posed for the puffin paparazzi for a few minutes before being released back to its burrow.

While walking near the birds' nesting area, it was necessary for us to carry small flags with us. These provided a false "head" to protect our real ones from the terns, which would aggressively dive at the heads of anyone who might accidentally step too close to their nests. Luckily, everyone in the group left with their heads intact.

Our afternoon excursion took us to the fishing village of Isafjordur, where we visited their Maritime Museum to learn about the history of the fishing industry in Westfjords. This guided tour included an opportunity to sample traditional Icelandic food, including their infamous fermented shark dish. Some of the more adventurous members of the group tried it, and their expressions say it all.

Near Isafjordur, the recreation of a tenth century fishing village gave us the opportunity to peek into the lives of some of Iceland's first settlers and the hard work they put into making a living in this rugged land.

Tomorrow we head north for Grimsey Island and the arctic circle. We're looking forward to sharing more with you soon- as always, we send our love from Iceland!

[thefranklinoutdoor]

LOVE ALL POTATOES

Jim Duignan Claire Pentecost Melissa Potter

Opening: Friday, June 14 from 6 to 9pm

From June 14 to September 7, 2019

Love All Potatoes is a garden laboratory project by Jim Duignan, Claire Pentecost, and Melissa Potter. The artists will plant heirloom variety potatoes (e.g. Jersey Yellow and Okinawa Purple) in improvised planters, start a compost bin, and install a handmade garden cart to seed their intersecting dialogues on plant personal histories, microecologies, and intangible heritage craft histories. Over the summer, the potatoes will blossom on vines running from the sacks along strings to parts unknown. The artists will activate the Franklin as an eco-pedagogical space to engender conversations on the Garfield Park community and land in general, and to develop other collective works-in-progress, such as a publication printed on paper made from potato vines.

Jim Duignan is an artist, forming the Stockyard Institute in 1995 as a civic, artist project in the Back of the Yards community of south Chicago. Stockyard Institute was influenced early by community artists, revolutionaries, local activists, and radical teachers who explored the community as sites of contest and considered the social and civic forms of public engagement as much a part of practice as they did their life. Duignan is a professor of Visual Art in the College of Education at DePaul University in Chicago where he is the Chair of Visual Art Education. Recent print publications include; Back to the Sandbox: Art and Radical Pedagogy, (Ed.) Jaroslav Andel, published Western Washington (2019), Poor and Needy; Baggesen and Brackman, Published by Poor Farm Krabbesholm (2018), Building a Gang-Proof Suit: An Artistic and Pedagogical Framework, for the Chicago Social Practice History Series, (Eds.) Mary Jane Jacob and Kate Zeller, published University of Chicago Press (2015) and No Longer Interested for the Blade of Grass Foundation (2014). Select exhibitions include Stockyard Institute Retrospective, DePaul Art Museum (2021), Envisioning Justice, Sullivan Galleries (2019), PUBLIC SCHOOL, Hyde Park Art Center (2017), Smart Museum (2017), the Chicago Cultural Center (2016), Reykjavik Art Museum, Iceland (2016), Interference Archive, Brooklyn, NYC (2015), Sullivan Galleries, Chicago (2014), Kochi-Muziris Biennial, India (2014) and the Hull House Museum (2013). In addition, Duignan’s work has been published in The Atlantic Monthly, The Art Newspaper, Prestel Publications (Nick Cave’s Epitome), New York Times, Chicago Reader, New Art Examiner, Chronicle of Higher Education, New City, Chicago Tribune, and many others. His work has been recognized by the Weitz Family Foundation, Illinois Humanities, Artadia (NYC), and the Art Institute of Chicago. He received a B.F.A. and M.F.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago in Studio Arts.

Claire Pentecost is an artist and writer whose poetic and inductive drawings, sculpture and installations test and celebrate the conditions that bound and define life itself. Her projects often address the contested line between the natural and the artificial, focusing for many years on food, agriculture, bio-engineering, and anthropogenic changes in the indivisible living entity that animates our planet. Since 2006 she has worked with Brian Holmes, 16Beaver and many others organizing Continental Drift, a series of seminars to articulate the interlocking scales of our existence in the logic of globalization. She is also a founding member of Deeptime Chicago, dedicated to cultural change in the Anthropocene. A sample of Pentecost’s exhibition venues include dOCUMENTA(13), Whitechapel Gallery, the 13th Istanbul Biennial, Nottingham Contemporary, the DePaul Art Museum (Chicago), the Museum of Contemporary Photography (Chicago), the Third Mongolian Land Art Biennial, The Times Museum (Guangzhou), Spencer Museum (Lawrence, KS). Institutions inviting her to lecture include MIT; CalArts; RISD; Northwestern University; Rice University; The University of Virginia; Creative Time Summit and many others. She is represented by Higher Pictures, New York, and is a Professor in the Department of Photography at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Melissa Hilliard Potter is a feminist interdisciplinary artist, writer, and curator whose work has been exhibited in venues including White Columns, Bronx Museum of the Arts, and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, to name a few. Her films have been screened at international film festivals, such as the Cinneffable and the Reeling International LGBT Film Festival. Potter’s awards include three Fulbright Scholar grants, which enabled her to build two papermaking studios at university art departments in Serbia and Bosnia & Hercegovina. As a curator, Potter’s exhibitions include “Social Paper: Hand Papermaking in the Context of Socially Engaged Art” with Jessica Cochran and “Revolution at Point Zero: Feminist Social Practice” with Neysa Page Lieberman. Her critical essays have been printed in BOMB, Art Papers, Flash Art, Metropolis M, Hand Papermaking, and AfterImage among others.

At The FLAT SCREEN

Solo Land Dive: Dukan Desert

Hope Ginsburg

Solo Land Dive: Dukan Desert is part of a body of the Land Dive Team body of work that proposes meditation, practicing present-moment awareness with equanimity, for coping with climate change. Breathing on land with scuba makes for a kind of assisted meditation. The mild, if not moderate discomfort of the equipment (its weight, warmth, constraints) keeps the wearer in mind of his or her physical presence. The intensification of each breath becomes a kind of involuntary meditation; one must “show up” for each exhalation when an entire apparatus is calling attention to it. In this video, one of thirteen Land Dives since 2014, I undertook a solo meditation, breathing with scuba gear in a remote desert landscape crisscrossed by all-terrain vehicles.  As disjunctive as the image appears, it contains the ominous implication of a “future ocean” as rising sea levels are a threat in the Persian Gulf region.

Each of Hope Ginsburg’s long-term projects builds community around learning. Her work is by turns collaborative, cooperative, and participatory. These artworks are made with peers, students, scientists, members of the public, and experts with knowledge from outside of the field. Rooted in first-hand experience, Ginsburg’s projects are invested in the socially transformative potential of knowledge exchange. Hope Ginsburg has exhibited nationally and internationally at venues such as MoMA PS1, MASS MoCA, Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU, Wexner Center for the Arts, Kunst-Werke Berlin, Contemporary Art Center Vilnius, Baltimore Museum of Art, SculptureCenter, and the Mercosul Biennial in Brazil. Upcoming projects include a solo exhibition at the University of South Florida Contemporary Art Museum funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. Ginsburg is the recipient of an Art Matters Foundation Grant and a Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fellowship and has attended residencies such as the Robert Rauschenberg Residency, the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, the Wexner Film/Video Studio, and The Harbor at Beta Local. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Hyperallergic, and Artforum.

Solo Land Dive: Dukan Desert 2015 Single channel video with sound 4 min 59 sec

Camera: Dylan Halpern Editor: Tyler Kirby Sound: Joshua Quarles

Edition of three Courtesy of the artist

At The LIVING ROOM

A Metaphor Against Oblivion

Norma Vila Rivero

A Metaphor Against Oblivion is Norma Vila’s latest conceptual body of work, inspired by two themes: landscape and absence. This collection of images references and criticizes the notions of development by metaphorically representing the absent landscape that remains in the collective consciousness. Vila is tempted to convey the impossibility of the landscape that surrounds her by presenting a critical look at the transformation of the landscape -in the broadest sense of the word- while at the same time a contemplative view of the paradox of development in today's world.  

Vila Rivero works with analogies and the double meanings of objects, words, and concepts. Media, disciplines, and materials are intertwined, thereby creating an intricate web of multi layered ideas. Vila’s starting points originate with personal experiences within her collective environment. She then directs her interests into an in-depth critical analysis of selected topics. With a deep dive into the origins and meaning of her subjects, she prepares the groundwork for making critical, contemporary and pertinent visual commentary.

Vila Rivero comments: "For this project I am working with the representation of the metaphor 'the skin of memory'... Everything we have seen marks us, and many times when passing by some place, it is inevitable to remember that place as it was before ... And that absent landscape is impregnated in us, it is a mark and a metaphor against oblivion. In order to represent that mark or trace in the memory, in this series of photos I place a stencil on the back of a model and the sun imprints the image to their backs... Then I place the model - marked by the memory of what is no longer there - in the place that corresponds to the vanished landscape. All the images used as stencils are based on stories that I have compiled from friends, family members, or myself. The result is a photo that serves as testimony or record of the specific event ... The aim is to present a clear and manifest absence. Photography as a medium is vital as it makes an absence visible and serves as a certificate of presence. In A Metaphor Against Oblivion themes such as the impossibility of the natural landscape on an island, the excessive urban development, the abandonment of cultural heritage, and the negligence in the communities and public spaces are over layered to contrast the effects caused by failed leadership and bad management today."

Calls for attention on the ways we relate to the environment are a peremptory key in Norma Vila's most recent proposal. Issues that previously emerged in her work are openly formulated today in what will be a long-term research project about environmental sustainability in the face of economic growth. Reflection through the chosen images allows us to think about ideas: memory-event-revelation, games of presence and absence, traces of hidden realities, as activation of the memory, and of updating past marks, cognitively and emotionally.

Norma Vila Rivero (b. 1982, Puerto Rico) is an artist that approaches art making from a diverse number of perspectives while subtly seeking to address emotional issues or intense social themes from a humanist point of view. She is also an active art projects coordinator of numerous innovative projects in Puerto Rico and in Boston and New York. Vila Rivero has a B.A. in Visual Arts from the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón and an M.A. in Arts Administration from the Universidad del Turabo, Ana G. Méndez. Her work has been presented in Mexico, Norway, Switzerland, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, St. Croix and U.S.A. In 2017 was selected to participate with Occupy Museums Debt Fair installation at the Whitney Museum Biennial. Since 2010 she is the Administrator of the Galería de Arte de la Universidad del Sagrado Corazón. In 2011 she co-founded Metroplataforma Organizada an artist run space and since 2015 has been the Director of ÁREA: lugar de proyectos (Founded in Caguas, P.R in 2005). Vila Rivero's work is part of the collection of the Museum and Center for Humanistic Studies Dra. Josefina Camacho de la Nuez (University of Turabo, Caguas, P.R), Luciano Benetton Collection, el Museo de Arte de Puerto RIco (MAPR) and the Foundation FIART (International Foundation Fund of the Arts) in Madrid, Spain, as well as in private collections.

At The FRONT YARD

Are You Ready Kahlil Irving

Previously exhibited at Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, "Are You Ready" is a flag sculpture that connotes the relationship of a surrender flag and a racing flag. There is always a struggle and reality to face. So to use the flag with its complex usage past and present is a symbol I find relevant. "Are You Ready" is a response to the call that Tracy Chapman narrates within her song "I'm Ready".  She is singing for passage, for love, for health, for life. So I am responding to her call. This flag flying is a message for Black life and the perseverance of Black people through the constant pressures faced while living today.

Kahlil Robert Irving (b. 1992, San Diego, Ca) is a multimedia artist, currently living and working part time between Saint Louis, Missouri and Brooklyn, New York. Irving completed his BFA in art history and ceramics at the Kansas City Art Institute. In May of 2017, Irving earned his Master of Fine Arts at Washington University in St. Louis. At Washington University in St. Louis Irving was a Chancellor’s Graduate Fellow. Irving was awarded the 2017 Alice C. Cole Fellowship from the studio art department at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Recently, Irving completed the Turner Teaching Fellow at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University.  His work is in the collections of the Riga Porcelain Museum, in Riga, Latvia; Foundation for Contemporary Ceramic Art in Kecskemet, Hungary; The RISD Museum in Providence, Rhode Island; The Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art at Johnson Community College in Overland Park, Kansas; The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York. Most recently, his practice has involved making objects that are to challenge constructs around identity and culture in western civilization. He wants to challenge realities of Racism and objects that exist within the history of decorative arts and contemporary life.

Are You Ready by Kahlil Irving 2018 3 x 5 feet polyester digital print Courtesy of the Artist and Callicoon Fine Arts, NY

THE FRANKLIN 3522 W. Franklin Blvd, Chicago IL 60624 (312)823-3632 Hours: Saturdays 2-5PM and by appointment http://thefranklinoutdoor.tumblr.com/ Instagram #thefranklinoutdoor

[eurosong]

Good morning, folks, and welcome to today’s ESC statistical map, which, as a compliment to last night’s look at the jury votes, will be considering how the Eurovision fans across the 43 participating countries voted. 

For all the talk about how Israel, and then later Cyprus, would be an absolute home run with the televote, instead, the televoting was one of the most divided in years, just like their peers on the juries. To put it in context, the top 3 of this year’s televote only got 32.8% of the overall number of votes, compared to 37.2% in 2016 and 40.1% last year. The top 10 had received 87.6% of all points last year - this year, that was down to 71.6%. This meant very respectable televote performances even for songs in the low teens in the televote ranking. 

In other words, as I predicted way before the idea got popular, 2018 was very 2011. A diverse array of songs that crossed many genres, dividing the televoters - with a winner that got relatively few maximum points, but did get a bunch of slightly “lesser” points. I was absolutely intrigued by how the douzes broke down geographically. Let’s have a look at each country that received them:

Israel - 8 douzes went to the eventual winner, not even half of what went to Salvador Sobral last year. Israel’s douzes are curiously split between the west (France, Spain, San Marino’s fake televote and Australia whose British heritage and placement on the jocular ESC map I guess could make it considered western European) and east (4 countries of the former USSR, including the Muslim majority nation of Azerbaijan). Lithuania - the favourite entry of the other Baltics, and also of a few northwestern European countries (Norway, Ireland and UK) with relatively sizeable diasporas there. Serbia - another country whose twelves are focused almost entirely on a single geographic area. Serbia picked up douzes from all but one of the former Yugoslav countries. It also got a twelve from Switzerland, where there is a huge ex-Yugo diaspora. Cyprus - despite being talked of as a song that could sweep douzes across Europe, Cyprus’ twelves were confined to a small area: Greece, their eternal douze, Bulgaria, neighbours with Greece, and... Armenia. Denmark - only two of the Nordics kept it in the family this year; Iceland and Sweden feeling the connection with the vikings and going with Denmark. Interestingly, Hungary did too - both juries and televoters. Are the Magyars hidden Vikings at heart? xD Italy - The televoters of Albania and Malta sent their near eternal douzes to Italy, and were joined by one of Italy’s fellow big 5s in Germany. Ukraine - there were relatively few douzes shared between former USSR countries this year, so Ukraine’s douze from neighbours in Belarus had to be supplemented by twelves from nearby Poland and Czechia, two countries also with notable Ukrainian communities. Estonia - Estonia felt the love from a fellow Baltic, Lithuania, and a fellow Nordic (in my eyes) and Uralic language nation, Finland. Germany - Germany has more neighbours than most countries in Europe and finally got a bit of neighbourly love from Netherlands and Denmark. Albania - Eugent felt the love from Italy and Macedonia, both countries with sizeable Albanian diasporas. Moldova - Moldova got a near eternal douze from Romania. Russia, who didn’t want to award a douze to Ukraine or the Baltics, also went for Doredos. Czechia - Mikolas got douzes from neighbouring Austria - and Israel. The countries that just got one douze were Bulgaria (from Cyprus - Bulgaria has quite a few expats in Greece and Cyprus), Spain (from their neighbours, hosts Portugal), Netherlands (from Belgium) and Hungary (from Serbia - neighbours and with a number of ethnic Hungarians in Vojvodina.) When the decision gets tough, the edge of one song over many other good quality compositions may be geographic or diasporic ties, and the twelves really do get regional.