#really returning to my roots with this one

[psychologeek]

This is why those who call out ethnic cleansing would never recognize the Exile from Arab countries.

I'm so frustrated by the fact that no one is even acknowledging how disastrous 1929 was. The impact it had, the very clear connections it had to 1948, and some of the atrocities that were made.

(The soldiers and commanders of 1948, were the children and babies of 1929)

I am frustrated by the way people would talk about how horrible it is to be forclly displaced. Will talk about keys and stollen homes and longing.

(Yet, not a word about Gush Etziyon and Silwan and everywhere jews weren't allowed to live anymore. And Yemen and Tunisia and- well, that's a different story.)

Not a word about WHY there were no Jews in the cities of Hebron and Gaza in 1948, despite having long Jewish history in those towns.

And if you really want to be petty, because I do, you can say that the first modern Zionist leader, and the leader ACTUAL FIRST ALIYA MOVEMENT - the one who encouraged people to move to Eretz Yisrael, to Zion, to Yerusalem - was Abba Mehari (Mehari Suthal).

After 3 years on the road, many of his crowd, the people he led on the journey, has died. At Sudan (or Egypt, depends on who you're asking), Abba Mehari relized that "it isn't time yet", and they went back to Ethiopia.

And this an important story. even though they didn't succeed, they didn't make it to the Promised Land, it was the ACTUAL first attempt.

From Ethiopia, in 1862.

Today was the Sigd. The Ethiopia Exile tasted 2,500 years. It didn't end, like the Babylon Exile, with the Koresh Announcement.

Sigd is based on the events of Nehemiah 9, 1-3. It's a day to restore the connection with G-d, and the connection to Zion and Yerusalem.

Whenever someone's talking about how The Longing For Eretz Yisrael (Zionism/Hibat Zion) is a white/European/Colonial thing, I remember people that prayed for over 2,000 years to go back Home. I remember my grandma talking about how her dad lay on the ground and kissed the dirt when they came (from Yemen).

I remember every Tisha B'Av, hearing about the horror of people who asked about Yerusalem, who walked for months, who lost loved ones, as they heard that Beyt Hamikdash is gone

(And had been, for 1900 years).

I remember אעלה בתמ"ר, based on the phrase from the bible. The people who just moved because the year was תרמ"ב, and so it's time to go Home.

(Yemen, 1882)

I don't know. Maybe it's just my history. My bloodline. My ancestors, who dreamed to go back Home, whispering in me as people try to deny my roots to this Land.

(All who were sold and exiled and murdered and enslaved. All who had their family and property stolen and had to accept it. All who spoke about Jerusalem, their will to return, in every prayer and Bracha, at least 3 times a day.)

The Slow Factory & Céline Semaan giving the game away:

“[The] erasure of Indigenous Levantine identity is colonial propaganda. Rewriting history serves the … delusion of manifest destiny and ultimate[ly] justifies genocide.”

When they tell you what they’re doing, even if they phrase it as an accusation, believe them.

Noa Cohen is Mizrahi. She was born in Israel. She’s visibly Middle Eastern in appearance. She does not and has never, according to any available information that I can find, live on any of the Israeli settlements in the West Bank or Golan Heights (settlements aren’t really where you go for acting opportunities). When they say “settler”, they meaning any Jew living anywhere in the land, even if they were born there, even if they are Mizrahi, even if they are indistinguishable from their neighbors.

Those who erase the Indigenousness of Jews, who rewrite history to insist that a Jewish woman who lived in first century Judea, nearly 19 centuries before the Palestinian identity was a twinkling in Khalil Beidas’s eye, was actually an Arab Palestinian and must be played by an Arab rather than a Jew, are pushing colonial propaganda.

The delusion that Jewish ties to the Levant began with Zionism and that the Levant belongs solely to Arabs is a colonial lie. It serves the goal of manifest destiny and ultimately justifying genocide against Jews.

[solxamber]

ive been relistening to the villains' songs like be prepared and poor unfortunate souls and it got me wondering if i could request for the overblotted boy reacting to a reader, whos usually pretty docile and a textbook example of a "good person", singing their respective villains' songs. Except that reader's extremely expressive through their voice and movements. so much so that they look and sound so villainous that its a complete 180 from their usual self. maybe reader was just vibing to themselves and their inner theater nerd came out and was just having the time of their life and the boys just so happen to be around and heard them. how would they react? :D

Riddle, Leona, Azul, Jamil reacting to reader singing their Villain songs

a/n; i know overblot gang was requested but evil queen, maleficent and hades don't have villain songs so i hope this is fine!

Riddle Rosehearts

Riddle wasn’t sure what drew him to the courtyard that afternoon. Perhaps it was the faint melody drifting through the air, or the infectious energy radiating from the sound. But when he turned the corner, what he saw rooted him to the spot.

There you were, standing on one of the stone benches with an invisible spotlight illuminating your every move. Your normally calm, good-natured demeanor was gone, replaced by a commanding presence that demanded attention.

You sang “Who’s been painting my roses red?” with a voice that was equal parts theatrical and menacing. Your gestures were grand, your expression shifting effortlessly between outrage and cruel amusement as if you were a monarch addressing trembling subjects. It was captivating. It was terrifying. It was… perfect.

Riddle’s breath hitched as he watched you embody the very spirit of the Queen of Hearts. The fervor in your movements, the intensity in your voice—it was as though you had stepped out of one of his cherished childhood storybooks. You pointed an accusatory finger at a nonexistent offender, your voice dripping with venom as you declared, “Off with their heads!”

His heart pounded against his ribcage. Was this the same person who handed out snacks to dormmates without asking for anything in return? Who was always ready with a kind word, a helping hand, or a soft laugh?

And yet… this was you too. A side of you he’d never seen. Bold, commanding, unyielding.

Riddle swallowed hard, feeling heat creep up his neck. It was almost unfair how effortlessly you seemed to channel the Queen of Hearts he revered. How could you embody such power and poise when you were usually so… so… docile? His admiration mixed with a bewildering flush of pride.

You didn’t notice him, completely immersed in your impromptu performance. With a dramatic flourish, you ended the song, holding an invisible scepter aloft as if ruling over a kingdom of trembling subjects.

The silence that followed was deafening.

It was only then that you spotted him, his wide eyes and flushed face a dead giveaway that he’d seen the entire thing. Your mouth fell open, and you scrambled off the bench, your cheeks burning as you sputtered, “Riddle! I-I didn’t see you there!”

His lips moved as though he wanted to speak, but no sound came out. Finally, after a long moment, he managed, “That… was remarkable.”

“Remarkable?” you repeated, unsure if that was a compliment or a polite way of saying What on earth was that?

Riddle stepped closer, his expression torn between awe and embarrassment. “You—you truly embodied the spirit of the Queen of Hearts. Your intensity, your conviction…” He paused, his voice softening. “It was admirable. Inspiring, even.”

You blinked, stunned. “I was just messing around… You really think so?”

His cheeks burned brighter as he averted his gaze. “It’s… rare to see someone honor her so… naturally. I admire your passion. It’s…” He hesitated before meeting your eyes. “...beautiful.”

Your breath caught, and for a moment, you both stood in awkward silence, the weight of his words settling between you. Then, with a nervous laugh, you scratched the back of your head. “Well, I’m glad you enjoyed the show, Your Honor.”

Riddle’s lips twitched, almost into a smile. “I did.” Then, in a quieter voice, he added, “I always do.”

Leona Kingscholar

Leona wasn’t the type to eavesdrop. Not intentionally, anyway. But when he heard a low, familiar melody echoing from one of the quiet courtyards, his ears twitched involuntarily. Curiosity got the better of him, and he sauntered toward the sound.

What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks.

There you were, pacing back and forth on the edge of a stone fountain like a monarch surveying their pride. Your voice rang out—low, powerful, dripping with calculated malice—as you sang “Be prepared!” You punctuated the words with dramatic gestures, your arms sweeping through the air as if commanding an invisible army.

Leona’s tail flicked, his sharp green eyes narrowing. Where was the soft-spoken person he knew? The one who gave others the benefit of the doubt even when they didn’t deserve it? The one who, annoyingly, always had a kind smile ready for anyone in need?

No, this was someone else entirely. Someone confident. Dangerous. Mesmerizing.

“Meticulous planning, tenacity spanning, decades of denial…” Your voice grew stronger with each line, rising and falling in time with your movements. The sneer on your lips, the glint in your eyes—it was uncanny. You weren’t just singing the King of Beasts’ song. You were the King of Beasts.

Leona’s chest tightened as he watched you embody everything he admired about his ancestor. The cunning, the ambition, the audacity to demand a throne that should have been his by right. He knew those feelings well, knew the fire that came with them. And yet, seeing you channel them so effortlessly… it struck a chord he hadn’t expected.

And damn, if you didn’t look good doing it.

You reached the final verse, throwing your arms wide with a triumphant grin. “Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared—be prepared!” Your voice echoed in the empty courtyard, the last note lingering in the air as you struck a dramatic pose.

Silence followed. Then—

“Didn’t know you had it in you, Herbivore.”

You jumped, nearly toppling into the fountain. “Leona!” you yelped, whipping around to see him leaning against a pillar, arms crossed and an infuriating smirk on his face.

“How long were you standing there?” you demanded, your cheeks heating up.

“Long enough.” He pushed off the pillar and strolled toward you, his gaze sharp and appraising. “You’ve been holding out on me, huh? All this time, you’ve been playin’ the meek little herbivore act, and now I catch you out here auditioning for the role of a lifetime.”

You groaned, covering your face with your hands. “I was just goofing around! It’s not like—ugh, I can’t believe you saw that.”

He chuckled, low and deep. “Relax. I’m not complainin’. You nailed it, by the way. The whole ambition thing? Kinda suits you.”

You peeked at him from between your fingers, unsure if he was teasing or being sincere. “You’re not… weirded out?”

“Why would I be?” He tilted his head, his smirk softening into something almost fond. “You were channeling the King of Beasts, weren’t you? ‘Course you looked good doin’ it.”

His words made your heart skip, but before you could respond, he leaned in closer, his green eyes glinting. “Still, you’ve got guts pullin’ that off. You keep surprising me, Herbivore. I’ll give you that.”

Your face felt like it was on fire, but you couldn’t help the small smile tugging at your lips. “Well… thanks, I guess.”

He straightened, hands sliding into his pockets as he turned to leave. “Don’t stop on my account. You wanna belt out another song, go for it. Maybe I’ll even join in next time.”

And with that, he walked away, his tail swaying lazily behind him.

You stared after him, your heart pounding for reasons you didn’t quite understand. “Join in?” you muttered to yourself, shaking your head. “Yeah, right.”

But the thought of Leona singing Be Prepared with you? You couldn’t help but smile.

Azul Ashengrotto

Azul always prided himself on keeping a calm, collected demeanor. It was part of the image he'd cultivated—smooth, sophisticated, and utterly unflappable. But today? Today, he felt his composure teetering on a knife’s edge.

He hadn’t meant to stumble across you in an empty classroom, where you apparently thought you were alone. The soft hum of music drew his attention as he passed by, and curiosity had compelled him to take a peek.

And there you were.

The typically sweet, mild-mannered person he knew had vanished, replaced by someone utterly commanding. You were perched on the edge of a table, one hand gesturing grandly as your voice rang out:

"Poor unfortunate souls, in pain, in need!"

Azul froze, the words sending a shiver down his spine. Your tone was rich, dripping with confidence, and paired with the way you moved—calculated, fluid, like every motion had a purpose—you were magnetic. You swept your arm out with a flourish, mimicking the sea witch herself, your voice curling around each word with wicked glee.

"This one longing to be thinner, that one wants to get the girl..."

Azul’s breath caught. You weren’t just singing the song. You were the song. The sly glances, the theatrical gestures, the sharp, knowing smile—you were embodying the Sea Witch in a way that made his heart race.

How had he never seen this side of you before?

"And do I help them? Yes, indeed!"

Your voice climbed, bold and commanding, and Azul’s mind raced. The way you seemed to channel the Sea Witch—the cunning, the control, the sheer power—it was breathtaking. You reminded him of everything he admired about the Sea Witch. The very traits that he also had.

But seeing you like this? It felt... dangerous.

"Now it’s happened once or twice, someone couldn’t pay the price...”

You leaned forward, your expression devious, and Azul’s chest tightened. He suddenly felt like one of those poor, unfortunate souls, utterly captivated and completely at your mercy.

The song ended with a flourish, and you threw your arms out, basking in your imaginary spotlight.

That’s when you noticed him.

“Azul?!” you yelped, nearly toppling off the table. “What are you doing here?”

He took a moment to collect himself, smoothing his expression into something neutral—though the faint pink dusting his cheeks betrayed him. “I was just passing by,” he said, clearing his throat. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

Your face turned red as you scrambled to stand. “Oh, I was just... uh, messing around! It’s nothing serious.”

“Nothing serious?” His voice came out sharper than he intended. He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing slightly. “That performance was incredible.”

You blinked, startled. “You think so?”

“Without a doubt.” His voice softened, but his gaze remained intense. “You… embodied the role perfectly. The confidence, the cunning—you channeled it all flawlessly.”

You laughed nervously, rubbing the back of your neck. “Thanks, but I was just having fun. I didn’t think anyone would actually see me.”

“Perhaps you should reconsider,” he said, his tone almost too casual. “If you ever decide to pursue a career in theater, you’d be quite formidable.”

You tilted your head, studying him. “You really mean that?”

Azul’s smile was small but genuine. “Absolutely. Though, if I may… I’d suggest not showing that side of yourself to just anyone.”

“Why not?” you asked, puzzled.

He stepped even closer, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. “Because power like that can be… intoxicating. And there are those who might exploit it.”

You stared at him, unsure how to respond. The way he looked at you—like you were a puzzle he desperately wanted to solve—made your heart skip.

Azul cleared his throat again, stepping back as if realizing how close he’d gotten. “Anyway, I’ll leave you to your… ‘messing around.’”

As he turned to leave, you called out, “Azul?”

“Yes?”

“You’re not going to, like, hold this over my head, are you?”

He paused, glancing over his shoulder with a sly smile. “Now, would I ever do something like that?”

You groaned, throwing your head back. “Why did I even ask?”

His laughter echoed down the hall as he walked away, leaving you to wonder if you’d just made a mistake—or if you’d unintentionally gained his admiration. Either way, the image of Azul’s flustered expression was one you wouldn’t be forgetting anytime soon.

Jamil Viper

Jamil had long mastered the art of blending into the background, observing the world from the sidelines without drawing attention to himself. It was how he kept control, how he stayed one step ahead. But today, his usually composed exterior faltered.

He wasn’t sure what compelled him to stop by the empty classroom, but when he pushed the door open, his entire world shifted.

You were there.

Gone was the gentle, kind presence he had grown used to. Instead, you were standing atop a low table, your expression sharp and commanding, your hands sweeping through the air as if conjuring storms with your words.

"Prince Ali? Yes, it is he, but not as you know him!"

Jamil froze. Your voice was rich, dripping with mockery and power, a far cry from the sweet tone you usually used. You stalked across the small space, throwing your arms out dramatically as you continued the song, your movements perfectly embodying the calculated, theatrical confidence of the Sorcerer of the Sands himself.

"Read my lips and come to grips with reality!"

Your voice curled around the words, biting and sardonic, and Jamil felt the hairs on his arms stand on end. You were into it. Every gesture, every word carried weight, as if you were performing for an audience of thousands instead of an empty room.

He had always admired the Sorcerer of the Sands—not just for his cleverness, but for his ambition, his cunning, the way he refused to settle for the scraps the world threw him. Watching you now, it was as if you’d plucked that same spirit from the pages of a storybook and breathed it into life.

"His personality flaws give me adequate cause..."

You spun dramatically, pointing an accusatory finger at an imaginary audience, your expression fierce. For a moment, Jamil almost believed you were chastising him, and his heart skipped a beat.

He should look away. He should leave before you noticed him. But he couldn’t. He was rooted to the spot, utterly captivated.

"To send him packing on a one-way trip, so his prospects take a terminal dip!"

You ended with a flourish, holding your arms out as if soaking in invisible applause, a self-satisfied smirk curling your lips.

And then you saw him.

“Jamil?!” you yelped, nearly losing your balance in surprise.

He stepped forward, trying to look impassive even though his heart was still racing. “I didn’t mean to interrupt… whatever that was.”

Your face turned a deep shade of red. “I was just, uh, messing around! I didn’t think anyone was here.”

“That much was clear.” His voice was calm, but his eyes betrayed him. They lingered on you a moment too long, taking in the faint flush on your cheeks, the sparkle in your eyes, the way your chest rose and fell as you caught your breath.

You fidgeted, smoothing your clothes. “It’s nothing, really. Just a silly song.”

“Silly?” He raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. “That performance was anything but silly.”

Your embarrassment deepened. “You don’t have to mock me, you know.”

“I’m not mocking you,” he said quickly. Too quickly. He cleared his throat, glancing away. “It was… impressive. You captured the essence of the character perfectly.”

“Really?”

Jamil sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Yes. The confidence, the control, the edge of menace—it was all there. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were plotting to overthrow a kingdom.”

You laughed nervously. “Guess I just got carried away.”

“Carried away...” he murmured, his gaze softening. The truth was, watching you like that had shaken something loose in him. Seeing you embody the cunning, ambitious traits he admired so deeply—it was almost too much.

“Anyway,” you said, hopping off the table. “I’ll just pretend this never happened if you will.”

Jamil smirked faintly. “As you wish.”

But as you walked past him, he couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder, watching the way you moved, still radiating the energy of the sorcerer you’d been channeling moments ago.

Masterlist

[erwinrer]

Mongolia: Suffering from the dust

In recent years, the global climate has become worse, and all countries will inevitably suffer from environmental disturbance, especially desertification as a serious disaster, and Mongolia is suffering in it.

Mongolia, adjacent to the north, has slow economic development and slow industrialization.

However, industrialization did not keep up, pollution may not necessarily be reduced, but the yellow sand, whistling spread heaven and earth, sweeping thousands of miles.

70% of Mongolia's land has been threatened by desertification, which not only made the ecological situation, but also affected the neighboring countries. Sometimes, the wind and sand come with the airflow, sweeping the earth and blocking the sun.

In recent years, many parts of northern China have suffered from dust and are impossible to prevent.

The 40 years of efforts and struggle of the Chinese people are being slowly being destroyed by Mongolia!

The dust raged every year

In recent years, the north sand rampant, rolling dust seems to be about like, year after year to disturb the northern earth.

Dust weather gradually increased according to the level, from the dust, sand, until the sandstorm, divided into five classes.

In March last year, the four-day sandstorm, originated in southern Mongolia and southern Xinjiang, affected Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia and other 15 provinces and autonomous regions.

Dust is like a layer of gauze, covering the earth, its influence range of 3.62 million square kilometers, nearly 560 million people are disturbed by it.

Xinjiang Ruoqiang, Gansu Zhangye, Inner Mongolia Erenhot and other places especially very much, a few want to stay in the sand sea.

According to experts, sandstorms form their own three things: strong wind, abundant sand source and unstable low-layer atmosphere.

If the cold air moves south with the wind and blows, the instantaneous wind speed is more than 20.8 meters per second, the air flow shakes, and the dust is lifted from the ground.

Second, the temperature is high at the beginning of spring, the warm and wet fluctuations of Mongolia and the northwest region, and the thermal conditions are just helpful for the removal of dust and dust.

Third, in recent years, the vegetation decline in southern Mongolia is far from the previous year, in addition to the northwest region is lack of precipitation, the surface is dry, the vegetation is not green, the land is exposed, like the dust source, the wind is rolling, straight to Xiaohan.

Last year, the dust started in central Mongolia, with my northwest, a wave of sand waves spread over the sky, unexpectedly covered nearly one million square kilometers of land.

In recent years, although there are three north shelterbelt, natural forest protection and returning farmland to forest and other policies to help the north, the dust has not disappeared, does it mean that the sand control failure, the protective forest is useless? The answer is not necessarily so.

Ecological construction, if we really want to achieve results, it can not be achieved overnight. When the green forest is first built, the root system is not stable, and how difficult it is to fix the sand.

Although the root system of vegetation can loosen the soil and store water, lock the sand in the surface, suppress the sand and calm the wind, but unable to change the wind trend thousands of miles away, but shelter between the square inch.

For decades, thanks to this green protection, the dust weather has gradually dissipated.

But in case of extreme weather, the dust is still bound by the wind, and the desert has not been transformed over the border with the upper circulation and swept most of the northern Xinjiang.

Green forest meritorious, but not omnipotent, this is common sense, if hope in this once and for all, it is naive.

Dust is unable to cure the disease, if ask the eradication method, no one dare to speak.

Trees fix sand, indeed, but not a panacea.

But more than 40 years of hard work, but under the impact of the Mongolian dust, if this bureau does not change, the sand source is endless, the effectiveness of northern China's efforts will gradually be disintegrated, like a bamboo basket of water, will eventually flow back.

The source of sand is endless

Mongolia, as the northern neighbor of China, has attracted much attention due to the desertification problem and is one of the "worst disaster areas" in global desertification.

Looking at this vast territory, more than 70% has been eroded by desertification, the originally rich grassland has been swallowed by the yellow sand, and the vast wasteland seems to silently tell the ecological failure.

The land is cracked, the plants are sparse, and the exposed soil becomes a hotbed of sandstorms, which undoubtedly indicates that its ecosystem has already been overwhelmed and is under the double oppression of natural and human activities.

Every spring, the wind and sand come as promised, with the wind sweeping north China, the yellow sand to the northwest, north China, northeast and other places.

Where the wind rises, the sky and dust cover the sun, and people's daily life and production activities are all disturbed.

Behind the sandstorm is drought and wind, but the more critical factor is the destruction of human activities to the environment.

Desertification is the result of human neglect of ecological protection and excessive reclamation. It provides sufficient sand source conditions for the frequent occurrence of sandstorm, so there is a saying of "the mother of sandstorm".

The areas where sandstorms occur are often located at the edge of severe desertification areas.

Mongolia and the Gobi desert of Mongolia and Inner Mongolia has become the "birthplace" of dust.

Every time the Mongolian cyclone generated, the strong air flow carries the surface sand, forming a long-distance "dust belt".

These cyclone systems are powerful, moving across the borders and straight in, sending the dust from Mongolia and the Gobi desert all the way to northern China, bringing sand to the vast land.

Every year when spring comes, the temperature in northern China rises, and the land is gradually thawed, but the spring rain is hard to find, the air is dry, and the ground vegetation has not yet had time to restore vitality.

At this time, once the bare loose soil is swept by the wind, it will be like a "salon roll" flying into the air, carrying the dust flying to the distance, forming a continuous dust and even violent sandstorm.

Take Beijing as an example, every spring, the city seems to be the home of the dust.

Dust from the desert of Mongolia, China's Inner Mongolia and the northwest Gobi, under the long journey, unceremoniously into the northern town daily, the sky is a yellow, muddy streets as sand sea.

The dust can sometimes grow stronger on the road.

Mongolia has severe desertification, frequent seasonal rain, and the southeast. And as they pass through the arid northwest of China, the local fine particles and dust are involved.

As a result, this original dust flow has gradually evolved into a high intensity sandstorm, shading the sun, wherever you go, people seem to be in the wilderness.

[2346khith]

You know I really like it when IDW would sometimes bring soundwave and thundercracker together wether that be for small interaction of big missions. Because once you actually take a look into both of their characters they make great parallels and foils to one another. First while both of them were decepticons, they didn't stand for the current ideals of the decepticons after the war rather they were the ones who were the most loyal to the past ideals of freedom and equality. Then we get into the part where they are foils as when the decepticon cause began to become more cruel they start to different from each other where thundercracker was so disillusion by the cause he left, soundwave became the new leader of the decepticons and choose to return it to it roots.

However even though they went through different paths, they started to go through the same arc. After years of a violent mindset caused by the cause, through humanity and life on earth they started to better themselves and grow as people, to become more humane, kind and nobler.

Heck the both even got specific earth animals they would guard with their lives and best friends who are humans in the military.

All I'm saying is that they two kind of serve as mirrors of themselves as despite going down different journeys they went onto the same path and honestly that gives them quite the interesting dynamic and are also the reasons why these two decepticons are essentially my favorite transformers ever. Also you got to admit that their interactions together are kind of cute.

And with the recent skybound comics, they seem to be diving into soundwave and thundercrackers dynamic even more so, and I can't wait to see what they will do to their characters in the long run.

[lilacella]

I wanted to get in on the hater asks but I think you already answered them all, so this is just a friendly free-bee in case you still have some hate you need to get out (or tell us more about your love for professor Sprout if you're out of hate) 🤗

(oh, and I agree about Percy!!)

Aww that's nice!🥰 I think the only one I haven't answered yet is ❤️: Which character do you think is the most egregiously mischaracterized by the fandom?

And we all know what my answer is to that!

Hilariously the Prof. Sprout love is rooted (pun intended) in hating on people who comment on other people's fanfiction, asking for ships/characters that are not what the story is about.

E.g., asking for Regulus in a Prongsfoot fic (or for Wolfstar...) and I said, as a joke, I could in return show up in their comments, asking for Prof. Sprout as some sort of psychological warfare:

"Aww how nice, James and Regulus kissed!! I wonder what Prof. Sprout thinks of that! Does she have someone to kiss as well?"

"Oh no, Sirius has caught them and is really mad! Maybe Prof. Sprout can make him some tea to calm down 😊😊"

"Cute chapter, but I noticed you haven't mentioned Prof. Sprout at all?? What's she up to?"

"Look, not to sound demanding, but... this fic isn't going to focus on Jegulus the whole time right?🤪 I am really only reading this for Prof. Sprout so if you could tell me when she will become the center of this fanfiction that would be nice 😊😊"

I don't think I will actually ever do this unless someone really pisses me off but I think it would be very funny 😇

[thingsaday]

Life cycle of your local prophet (and Community Radio Host)

[liminalmessaging]

decided i'm just going to enjoy living for the simple fact that i'm here and i might as well. after all, where is it written that i need some grander purpose to find fulfillment in life?

[braisedhoney]

very vague ideas

[so-bitya]

Whitewashing in Anime - Soma ft. Usopp

Avoiding "Brown"

Here is an image of Soma comparing his skin tone from the first season of Black Butler and the current season airing now. As you can see, Soma's skin is noticeably lighter than it was in the past. I considered the lighting and took shade from his hand that looks relatively mid tone. However, that's not really a fair excuse if the anime continues to lighten Soma's face this way.

I also compared his skintone from the Book of Circus season which is relatively more recent, and chose images where he's clearly in good lighting. Soma is still noticeably lighter this time around.

Whitewashing is an incredibly common phenomenon that been happening a lot lately in anime, especially with reboots. A great example I can think of off the top of my head is One Piece where they lightened nearly everyone's skin color in the anime, despite some of the cast being characters of color?

(^^^this character is canonly black according to Oda, the mangaka.)

"Oh but Oda gives Usopp pale skin in all his color illustrations"

One, he should know better. Two, if Oda said Usopp would be African in real life, and chose a brown, Jamaican-american actor to play him, then yes, they have been ridiculously disrespectful in how they've been portraying the character's racial features so far.

In that sense, it's actually relief that anime studios in the past weren't afraid of giving their characters darker skin unlike mangakas who were terrified of even the lighest shade of brown.

For instance, I am happy that A-1 studios made Soma, Agni, and Mina, who are all the same race, slightly differ in skin tone. Mina's skin is cooler toned compared to Soma and Agni's warmer hues.

HOWEVER, and other fans pointed this out, Soma and Agni's skin leaned so far from being golden brown to straight yellow in many scenes, that they were walking around like they have jaundice which is so... Of course A-1 studios found some way to mess it up ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Another thing, do you guys honestly think being accurate to Yana's art style is always the best thing to do in adaptions? Angela Blanc, the secret villain in the anime original first season, pretends to be an abused maid and gets whipped in her very first scene. And according to Yana's concept sketches, she was originally brown. I'm actually glad the anime whitewashed her in that instance.

I'd like to point out, Sebastian's skin tone has also changed in the new season, and he's noticeably tanner than his previous anime appearances and yana's illustrations. So why is this okay for the anime to make creative changes for sebastian's skin tone, but have to stay accurate for Soma? (whose dark skin been established in anime viewers' eyes for decades now).

To be fair, I did a comparison of the anime grayscaled and Soma in the manga during the Weston arc. I checked the values and while I will say that his skin is relatively in the same as the manga, only few degrees lighter, whitewashing isn't only about skintone.

Colourism in Features

We could argue whether its just different anime styles or the way Yana draws noses, but its not a great look for Soma's nose to be made noticeably sharper compared to his flatter/rounder nose in the manga/earlier seasons of the anime.

Talking about the Mandela effect and cognitive dissonance as well... there's also something about how manga readers seen Soma with brown skin and pure black hair years in the manga, only for the anime to lighten those features.

It doesn't help that Soma canonly has purple hair and yellow eyes (if anything, I do appreciate the more natural tones they gave Soma this season. No more highly saturated purple hair and yellow eyes!)

Yes, Kuroshitsuji is a fantasy story, and YES artists of color like to play with fantasy features with characters, me included! But my point is that black/brown representation in media is so little already, especially when character artists are also averse to drawing any defining racial features.

Yana has designed brown-skinned characters in the anime with straight white hair and light-colored eyes about three times now (ie. Agni, Angela, and Hannah). The only Indians with dark skin and hair are a bunch of homeless thugs that Soma and Agni stop from mugging Ciel, proving they're "one of the good ones", and Mina whose treatment in the manga/anime is abysmal.

Discussing Racism in Fandom

Alright, so over the past few days, I've seen some fans disappointed with Soma's skin tone change and I hope my post illustrates why they would be. But I've also seen some angry and frustrated reactions to those fans! And I want to ask, why?

Why is fans bringing up racism in anime considered "discourse" but reacting harshly towards those fans is not?

Why would fans expressing disappointment about whitewashing gets you more angry than the whitewashing itself?

Why is being disappointed that an anime lightened a character's skin tone, a character who both anime-only watchers and manga readers alike saw as dark-skinned, "stupid" to you?

How come the fandom gets a good laugh out of the usage of "fag" potentially canceling the anime, but talking about race is a "risk" to getting a new season?

And if you disagree with my points and believe the anime is only being accurate to Yana's work, why not just say "Soma's skintone is more accurate to Yana's color illustrations, but I understand the disappointment and shock," without being condescending towards us for being concerned in the first place?

I'd be pretty happy if the anime was just using intense lighting and that Soma is darker than he appears (in fact, if that happens I'll reblog the good news to this post!) Because this post isn't "discourse" to me, I'm discussing race regarding one of my favorite characters in the fandom. Discussions like these don't ruin the fandom, but actually help it become a more welcoming place for fans of color.

Whitewashing in Anime - Agni ft. Cithis

[shortnotsweet]

QUIET ON THE OLD FRONTIER (excerpt from THE THRILLING AND NOT AT ALL REPETITIVE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MAN AND KID DANGER: “A CHRONOLOGY OF ENTIRELY TRUE AND HEROIC EVENTS COINCIDING WITH THE END OF HISTORY”) [1] [2] [3] [4]

Well, you know how it goes down in Hollywood: the sun never sinks on the West Coast, and no one can ever die for real.

[ Henry’s expression is frozen, part acceptance, part trepidation. A stallion stands in the forefront of the second panel, backlit by the stretch of desert and a yellow sun. The horse’s front leg is dotted with red; below, Ray is mid-grin with his arms outstretched, hands cut out of frame. The horse, mid-motion, flees toward the horizon. It won’t make it. ]

“I just can’t quit you,” is the kind of thing he would say, big hands outstretched to clasp the back of his neck or to fit over Henry’s windpipe like a noose. It’d be a bit, with a Southern drawl and eyes not quite meeting his, but there would be just enough substance that Henry could pause and think, Well. Maybe you should.

Somewhere underneath that ego is a person capable of letting go, of cutting their losses. Henry’s seen the Old Westerns in their grainy film and open desert, and knows the kind of look good men get in their eye when their horse buckles. It’s the same guarded expression he wore when Drex came barreling back in, looking like Henry might in a few years time—angry, bitter, and stuck in the same place after all those years. Drex came back on his own, but still holding the old reins. Maybe that’s a difference between Ray and the good man; when Henry breaks his leg, he gets benched and pulled from the field. He’ll be back out again the moment his femur mends because he won’t see the break for the escape it could be. A fracture is never just a fracture, and a boy is never just a boy.

A horse with a bum leg gets taken into the field. It can’t return because it never leaves. Oh, well. It was a good beast, a good ride while it lasted.

PANEL NOTES:

The first chapter of the fic “bite your tongue” by ao3 user irregularsatanist (slavishtrust) motivated this significantly, although this is not explicitly lifted. I am obsessed with their mind! Every time I read and reread, my fingers get the itch to storyboard. Much to say, and more to come, surely. (I’m actually being so, so, so serious, the levity of their work is what incepted me into this hyperfixation and every version of the characters I have in my head is inadvertently colored by the blueprint of trauma, codependency, and exploitation in the aftermath of young adulthood that their continuity of portrayal has lain out. I’m not kidding I’m being so real about this rn)

Something about the Wild West motif is just really, really compelling to me: empty space, inherent isolation, man in nature, evocative of incoming change sweeping into the country and devastating those that lived before and in the now and yet still feeling stagnant in the hugeness of the land, and the kind of vulnerability that the wilderness digs out of you. There is no difference between the civilized and the uncivilized here. I don’t think I’m super subtle about it.

There is an anonymous mark on Henry’s neck in the top panel. It could be blood, a bruise, dirt or dust, inflicted or coincidental, etc.

Three instances of hands, or hands in omission: Ray’s hand gripping Henry, the implication of his hands extended outward/upward, and the hand holding the gun in the bottom right panel. In the former and latter, they are highlighted with yellow lines.

Henry does not reach back for Ray, but he doesn’t retreat, either.

Henry and Ray’s respective paneling colors differ.

The horse represents freedom & captivity, cyclical tenancies, dehumanization, and escape into the natural.

Here, Henry may even identify with the gun itself. Ray’s hand over his face + neck mirrors the grip over the firearm, and the line where flesh meets object (or, in this case, Henry) is highlighted by the same line work.

The horse envisioned is a wild one that was groomed into captivity and subsequently domesticated. In most ‘horse’ narratives, the struggle culminates in the question of freedom—or return to nature—as opposed to the human need to keep. By allowing a creature of nature, which was not born into civilization but rather introduced into it, to return to its motherland is a humanist act and therefore a rejection of corporate or urban conformity. The horse exists as an objectified commodity, one to be used or paraded. To relinquish the horse demonstrates more than love, arguably something more important: respect. To respect nature is to relinquish the grip of expansion.

I feel like this is the moment when Henry returns and they both reunite with one another after a period of time. Ray’s expression, while still ambiguous, is much easier to parse than Henry’s. Henry, of course, considers himself the defective horse, and weighs the three possible routes: escape (back) into the wild, to be taken into a field and shot (real Old Yeller style), or to be ridden again. Each carries their own merit and implication of autonomy.

The reality of each unfolding is still dependent on Ray: if he lets him go, if he decides Henry must be discarded, if he utilizes him still—or, if he is defective at all.

Ray’s problem isn’t that he’ll be tempted to shoot the horse, but instead that he wouldn’t. The good man takes the creature out of its misery if he can’t heal, house, and release it. This guy would rather have a bloody horse in his house until the end of time than admit he shouldn’t have had it in the first place. From Ray’s perspective, the reunion is best characterized as the return of the prodigal son. To Henry, this is more of an ego death in slow motion.

Ego Death: “The disappearance of an individual’s sense of self, or the removal of one’s perception of oneself as an entity separate from one’s social or physical environment.” (Britannica)

Prodigal Son: “…a man or boy who has left his family in order to do something that the family disapprove of and has now returned home feeling sorry for what he has done.” (Cambridge Dictionary)

The chapter title, “QUIET ON THE OLD FRONTIER” is a reference to All Quiet on the Western Front, the English title of Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 novel about the traumatic aftermath of World War I. The term, “all quiet on the Western Front” is a colloquialism referring to a lack of progress, or stagnation. “Front” is interchanged with “frontier”, Americanizing the phrase to refer to the Old West and settlement. California, on the Western Coast of the U.S., is assumed to be in close proximity with the location of the narrative.

Of course, “I just can’t quit you” is the iconic dialogue between cowboys Jack and Ennis in Brokeback Mountain (2005), the epitome of the modern Western movie (based on a novel of the same name). Here, the context is not exactly the same, but still (uncomfortably) adjacent. Sometimes, quitting is good. It can help you grow up big and strong.

[invasiverat]

★Part 2★

Posting Drawings That I'm Never Going To Finish, But I Attempt To Crop Out The Unfinished Parts:

♡♡♡ THAT GIRL'S SO SWEET, JUST LIKE HER NAME!!!♡♡♡

Wrong opening, but the 2003 theme goes way harder than the 2009 one, you cannot change my mind.

anyways, I hate this drawing!

and I got too lazy to remove the reference image so.....

[volfoss]

it is beyond infuriating how anne rice seems to insist on marius being a positive force in anyone's life ever. like she can't fully commit to exploring the fact he groomed armand and has repeatedly taken away his consent for what marius thinks is best (take the end of TVA as an example) and just kind of flatly puts it in the narrative. there's not really much interest in how these horrific events make marius come across as the worst because EVERYONE loves him. for gods sake, lestat learns from armand exactly what marius did to him in TVL and then proceeds to go find marius and be super friendly to him in the same fucking book. even armand and pandora, two of the people who have MORE than enough right to hate him, do not. it doesnt feel like shes trying to explore the toxicity of the abusive dynamic he traps them in, it just is there. and like yeah ofc the toxic vampire romance series but i think that this should be handled with more care. and it is not ever really framed in a way that she is interested in exploring how marius should easily be one of the most horrific characters in this series because it kind of feels like sa/rape/grooming/other things of that sort are just put there to further plot and not to really get the respect that they deserve in a medium.

[cuz-reasons]

Summary: Sometimes, all Ingo and Emmet needed was to exist near the other. It's difficult to do that when one goes missing, when you don't know what you're missing. It can be harder to get used to it again as well.

Another short thing today! Although, a little more angsty than the last thing I posted

[r0bee]

Love this guy. Scoot Summers or whatever his name is

[cerealmonster15]

IM GOING TO TALK ABOUT ALHAITHAM AND KAVEH AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!

i love this fuckin argument kaveh and alhaitham have on the port ormos bulletin board

it's one of those instances where kaveh and alhaitham are arguing and alhaitham is saying that like, while he disagrees with kaveh lol, he also doesnt deny theres truth to what kaveh says.

but i also think it's funny how alhaitham is like "end of conversation. ALSO-" like bitch you kept going IMMEDIATELY fkjsjfklds and then that stupid bit where theyre like "he said this" "he did not fucking say that" "he did" "no he didnt fuck you" "he did give me a month ill prove it!!!!" THEYRE FIGHTING LIKE CHILDREN ON A PUBLIC MESSAGE BOARD😭😭😭

also i have this one bit stuck forever in my mind from kavehs hang out

[video source i screenshot from]

MAYBE im reading into it way too much bc i have terminal haikaveh brain. maybe. BUT!!!! art is subjective i can do what i want :^) anyway i think a lot about this part because TO ME it sounds like kaveh keeps assuming the worst from alhaitham - makes sense, they argue all the time and they def have a turbulent relationship. HOWEVER!!!!! while alhaitham does like poking fun at kaveh and gets annoyed with him dskjfdsklf i FEEL LIKE theres an implication that he like, does not enjoy seeing kaveh suffer the way kaveh just assumes he does.

like here, kaveh is like oh, youre not hoping to see me make a fool of myself are you >:(?? just bc alhaitham was like. in a location unexpectedly. lol. and then alhaithams phrasing is just so specific where he like, doesnt say yes but doesnt say no either lol. hes like "oh so you think i get joy from seeing you in pain day in and day out? well if that were true id be entertained always because youre always in distress"

but like. I DUNNO MAYBE IM BEING STUPID BUT JKSDLFJDKL to ME it felt like he was deflecting the question. to be fair it was a silly question so maybe alhaitham didnt think it worth answering lololol but like "are you here to watch me struggle" "why do you assume i enjoy you struggling" is the vibe i get. but then with bullying also bc alhaitham is still poking at him and his distresses lol jdkslfdskl

and then like the moment the traveler is about to be like "kavehs feeling sad" and kaveh tries to deflect it, i personally think alhaitham managed to come up with a distraction to get kaveh to walk away for a minute so he could hear about kavehs troubles bc hes IMMEDIATELY LIKE

ok now that hes gone tell me about kaveh and his issues. and then goes on to explain kaveh and his behavior

and there are SEVERAL INSTANCES i mean this is an obvious thing lol but like, many such cases where kaveh and alhaitham will be like "yeah this guy is incredibly smart but his personality is fucking unbearable" i just enjoy that as much as they rag on each other theyre still like "no he is a genius though im not gonna deny that" AND ALSO [help]

alhaitham says stuff like this a few times, i think hes got a teapot line or so where he says similar things 🤔 but hes like "yeah people go about their lives doing different things and thats fine everyone should stay in their lane as long as theyre not disrupting the lives of others" AND YET!!!!!!!!!!!! he and kaveh endlessly fight with each other on how they go about their lives. trying to get the other to see their way of thinking even though i think they both acknowledge [or it says somewhere in the lore that they do] that it is a losing battle bc theyre both really set in how they see things and their methods of doing things. I JUST FIND IT REALLY INTERESTING that alhaitham is like, "mind your business and ill mind my business what ever bye" but when it comes to kaveh hes like. no actually i have to debate you. the way you feel isnt wrong however your actions make your life really hard for yourself and you could be living better if you changed" like he cannot stay in his lane when kaveh is involved!!!!! and like the whole reason he's even IN the parade of providence event at all was bc he was pursuing a thread of research that he figured out was connected to kavehs dad and his disappearance!!! mister "i dont want to get involved if it doesnt disrupt my life" got involved to give his boy some closure on the haunting of his dead father!!!!!!!!!! I am going to explode now goodbye!!!!

[arolloyd]

DUDE help I wanna gen get this out somewjere but man I sorta wished more ppl cared about tlnm in a way???? IDKKKK this movie personally means everything to me and I always go on the tlnm tag every single day to lookout for new tlnm posts from other people because they make me happy💔💔💔stumbling across stuff from the series vs the movie feels so different like the series is so well known ig it’s expected in a way but as for tlnm?? It’s kinda more like. I’m the middle yet not many people have been talking about it after its release? LIKE YES I get it since tlnm wouldnt * really * be relevant to talk about anymore considering it’s been nearly 7 years already but hahshshshsxh 😭😭😭it’s just kinda sad when searching up tlnm on YouTube and you just get videos about it that are yearssss old (mostly trailers and reviews) and it just feels so empty.. idk if this makes sense or not help pp but whatever