#same irish times intern same

[heritageposts]

Ask an older generation of white South Africans when they first felt the bite of anti-apartheid sanctions, and some point to the moment in 1968 when their prime minister, BJ Vorster, banned a tour by the England cricket team because it included a mixed-race player, Basil D’Oliveira. After that, South Africa was excluded from international cricket until Nelson Mandela walked free from prison 22 years later. The D’Oliveira affair, as it became known, proved a watershed in drumming up popular support for the sporting boycott that eventually saw the country excluded from most international competition including rugby, the great passion of the white Afrikaners who were the base of the ruling Nationalist party and who bitterly resented being cast out. For others, the moment of reckoning came years later, in 1985 when foreign banks called in South Africa’s loans. It was a clear sign that the country’s economy was going to pay an ever higher price for apartheid. Neither of those events was decisive in bringing down South Africa’s regime. Far more credit lies with the black schoolchildren who took to the streets of Soweto in 1976 and kicked off years of unrest and civil disobedience that made the country increasingly ungovernable until changing global politics, and the collapse of communism, played its part. But the rise of the popular anti-apartheid boycott over nearly 30 years made its mark on South Africans who were increasingly confronted by a repudiation of their system. Ordinary Europeans pressured supermarkets to stop selling South African products. British students forced Barclays Bank to pull out of the apartheid state. The refusal of a Dublin shop worker to ring up a Cape grapefruit led to a strike and then a total ban on South African imports by the Irish government. By the mid-1980s, one in four Britons said they were boycotting South African goods – a testament to the reach of the anti-apartheid campaign. . . . The musicians union blocked South African artists from playing on the BBC, and the cultural boycott saw most performers refusing to play in the apartheid state, although some, including Elton John and Queen, infamously put on concerts at Sun City in the Bophuthatswana homeland. The US didn’t have the same sporting or cultural ties, and imported far fewer South African products, but the mobilisation against apartheid in universities, churches and through local coalitions in the 1980s was instrumental in forcing the hand of American politicians and big business in favour of financial sanctions and divestment. By the time President FW de Klerk was ready to release Mandela and negotiate an end to apartheid, a big selling point for part of the white population was an end to boycotts and isolation. Twenty-seven years after the end of white rule, some see the boycott campaign against South Africa as a guide to mobilising popular support against what is increasingly condemned as Israel’s own brand of apartheid.

. . . continues at the guardian (21 May, 2021)

[makingqueerhistory]

Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, the Ladies of Llangollen, were two Irish women who fell in love. Renowned international oddities, these women lived together and slept in the same bed. Together with their maid and their succession of dogs named Sappho, the two collected gothic art and lived happily ever after.

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[panther-os]

@amikoroyaiart did this awesome commission of my OC Lennie and my version of Ghost! I've wanted to commission her since I first came across her art over a year ago but it took me a while to save and just ahhhhhhh so worth it

Fun fact! The pants are uniform accurate. 141 is an international task force, and while Ghost and many of the rest of the team are SAS and wear black or navy fatigues, Lennie is an tArm (Irish Army) and wears that specific camo pattern! Their neon pink hair is definitely out of regulation, but no one dares call them on it.

Lennie is nonbinary and their full name and rank is Lieutenant Lennie Lynch. They're from Carrick-on-Shannon in Leitrim County of Ireland, and they're the 141's Chief Logistics & Supply Officer. Anything from toilet paper to ammo to fresh fruit to video games, it all goes through them. They have a ton of smuggler contacts in order to get supplies out to remote areas, and they use this network for information as well.

Basically Laswell's job, but more focused on keeping people alive via food and bandages and etc than keeping people alive via intel on the enemy.

Price met Lennie at the same time he met Nikolai. It was a joint an tArm and SAS operation where the two squads wound up trapped in a snowstorm with dwindling supplies, including much-needed medical supplies. Lennie asked for an hour with the sat phone, spent that time making threats and promises and calling in favors, and then Nikolai (the only pilot good enough and crazy enough) dropped off the supplies not too much later, which is how he and Price met. Then, a few years later, Price pulled Lennie for the Taskforce knowing their skills would be needed.

Lennie drinks far too many cups of coffee a day, barely sleeps, and spends the majority of their time in their dark office staring at computer screens. Their first date with Ghost was a joint nap on their office couch. Their best frenemy is @atohii 's OC Niko, the Chief Medical Officer, friend because they've made him weep tears of gratitude over the supplies he needs to keep everyone healthy, enemy because they've cut him off from energy drinks (the hypocrite) and gotten the entire rest of the base involved in it.

It's best assumed that Lennie knows everything and could be anywhere. They walk very quietly and often surprise people by slurping their coffee from right behind them. If they were an animal, they'd be a wild hare - the kind that surely speaks a thousand tongues and knows exactly how you die.

Ghost is still with Soap, and Soap is also with Niko, and sometimes Ghost and Niko are together as well, but romantically, Lennie's just with Ghost. We love a poly141.

This Ghost is based on TikTok cosplayer Kuromi (his account is tagged MDNI, please respect that) and Irish actor Fra Fee (because Les Mis is an old SpIn and my Ghost is Irish, his ggparents immigrated to Manchester during the Great Hunger). I don't have any specific scar or tattoo headcanons for Ghost, but I like Amiko's usual spread so I asked her to just use those, and I'm thrilled with how it came out!

And just ahhhhhhh I'm still screaming over Lennie 😍

[sgiandubh]

Oh, hello

The Sibyl of Tydavnet was supposedly back home, and we finally have something to speculate upon, after a week-end with no news from both of Them (go figure). So much so that it's been very, very quiet in here:

This is, of course, a latergram, When being the important question, here. I have to say I was a bit surprised, after two hours of research (and cooking, but that is a separate story).

Let's unpack:

From 1974 to 2023, the Monaghan County Museum has been open and free to visit. Until 1981, in the old Courthouse building of Monaghan Town, then temporarily hosted by the Christian Brothers Secondary School, and since 1986 in this building on Hill Street:

I am not inventing anything, this info comes straight from their official website:

On May 18th, 2023 (on International Museum Day), the venue was closed and the collections were planned to be moved at the new Monaghan Peace Campus:

The Peace Campus is a very important local initiative, funded by the City Council, the Irish Department of Rural and Community Development and the EU, via the Irish SEUPB (Special EU Programs Body - ironically, the counterpart of my new job, starting next Friday, LOL). It was inaugurated on May 10, 2024:

Where was C, in this clip, posted today and suggesting a recent trip to Ireland?

In the old building, of course, exactly as it was on May 18, 2023:

Apparently taken on an extensive private tour that included the storage area, where this pic was taken:

How do I know it? I simply combed the meager social media accounts of the Museum, that's all. See and compare for yourself, with this screenshot of the moving operations, from the old Hill Street to the new premises (posted on Facebook, on June 14th, 2024, but very likely shot slightly before):

In April 2023, the new Peace Campus looked roughly like this. There is no way that clip would have been shot there. Not then...

...and not later, because the new display in the new venue looks totally different:

And it was completed around May 10th 2024, when this picture was taken, separately from the rest of the released info:

The pic was taken by Laura Hogan, the North East Correspondent for RTE News, a subsidiary of the Irish public TV and Radio broadcasting company:

But perhaps even more interestingly, the Museum shot several clips of people featured, like C, in the new inaugural exhibition. Such as this guy, back in June 2023, on their old premises:

Ardal O'Hanlon, Irish stand-up comedian and actor, based in Ireland and London:

This is a very, very, VERY late latergram. My best guess would be anytime between May 2023 and most probably around June 2023. Simply because it would be logical that the clip shooting be completed with all the people involved at the same time, for logistical reasons, and before the packing of the exhibits would have started in earnest.

As always, I could be wrong. As always, people will bitch around, especially the divas and those who know strictly nothing. But I'll be damned if C were in Ireland anytime near this last week-end!

[fandomfluffandfuck]

STEVE SINGING OLD IRISH SONGS TO HIS BABY JUST LIKE HIS MOM DID FOR HIM

I physically need to hear Steve softly sing Báidín Fheilimí while slowly rocking a sleepy little one

I think it’s canon that Steve is the son of Irish immigrants, so he absolutely speaks at least a little bit. Maybe he learned the songs from his mom, and now he’s singing them hoping to be half as good a parent as she was

If you're curious to hear the song, like me, here's a version I quickly found on YouTube performed by na Casaidigh (there's also English translation in the description)

JESUS CHRIST

Y-E-S.

You are so fucking correct. Steve needs to sing softly (in general, I would kill to see that on screen) in his native tongue to the tiniest newborn swaddled tight, looking extra little in Steve's big and protective but endlessly gentle arms while Bucky sleepily watches from the doorway, leaned up against the wooden frame, covertly wiping his watering eyes. I need that. Because, yes, exactly, Steve's a mamma's boy and would be truly an unfairly incredible parent.

It's definitely canon that Sarah Rogers, at least, was Irish and immigrated to America. I believe Joseph Rogers was an American soldier who was, then, American. That may or may not be canon and probably depends on the comic run you're looking at? But-! Yes, I've heard lots floating around about Steve and his Irish heritage.

Along with that, I've seen lots of posts about if Steve was speaking Gaelic at home or not, if Sarah would've risked that at the time or said fuck the man. I tried to find one in particular that delved into Steve's Irishness and his disability, mentioning that with Steve's hearing being weak/absent in one ear, he likely would've struggled with pronouncing words, and that would've been added to if he were speaking Gaelic at home, adding to his accent and likely getting him bullied at school, but... I couldn't find it again :(

(This post about gaeilge is the closest I could get, and it is still a great post!)

(Or this, about other languages)

Plus, touching on Sarah Rogers and more posts I've seen but can't track down because Tumblr's search function sucks, I've even seen posts going around that say according to certain comic runs, there is talks about/hints at Steve being born on the boat coming over from Ireland in international waters, so... just something to think about.

Personally, it just adds fuel to the fire that burns within me, knowing that Steve is absolutely not the blindly patriotic, conservative-coopted symbol who is projected in non-fandom spaces. Steve is not loyal to a country but to a set of morals and beliefs that make him stand up for what's right. And that's what I love about him--that is what would make him the same great kind of parent that Sarah was for him.

Apologies for the mini rant, haha

[reminiscingtonight]

Good Girls Gone Bad

Leah Williamson x Reader

Word Count: 1.3k

A/N: I usually don’t post back-to-back, but I was inspired by *that* clip

[WOSO Masterlist]

“Okay, which one of you did it?”

For 8am on a Monday morning, Katie McCabe can be loud. Even slightly hungover after a late night out partying, the girl can still break eardrums. 

Usually you’d be hyping her up, causing a ruckus with your platonic soulmate and making the locker room slightly more chaotic, but as mentioned before, you too are suffering the consequences of a late night out at the club with your best friend. You’re huddled by Lia, hoping the calm Swiss would dissuade Katie from impeding upon your self-imposed exile from the crazier and louder side of the locker room. Your hopes are dashed when Katie’s shoes come into the edge of your vision.

“Unless your next words are going to be apologizing for dragging me out last night with you and then making me do shots when we had practice at the butt crack of dawn the next day, I don’t want to hear it,” you grumble, not lifting your head from where it’s resting on Lia’s shoulder.

The Swiss rubs a soothing hand up and down your back, though not without exchanging an amused look with your girlfriend who’s sitting on your other side.

“Don’t act so innocent. We both know what you did.”

“And what exactly did I do?”

It’s only then, when you finally look Katie in the face, that you know exactly why she’s so mad. Biting your lip, you try hard not to laugh.

Some time between stumbling out of your shared uber last night and then showing up to today’s practice (late of course), Katie’s hair has turned from its rich brown roots into a bright red mane.

“Wow. I think you’ve got the Ronnie McD look down pat. You auditioning to be his successor or something?”

The snorts of laughter in the room are worth the murderous expression that crosses Katie’s face at your tease.

“I was taking a shower this morning and the next thing I know, my hair’s red! I know you had something to do with it!”

Out of all the girls on the team, Katie’s usually the one pulling the pranks. You’re probably second after her, oftentimes tag teaming to get a wider range of teammates. So it’s not like Katie’s argument is fully without merit. Though this time around she’s missing a key detail.

“And at what time would I have had the opportunity to do so?”

You’ve all been out on international duty for a little under two weeks. Yesterday was the first day you’ve seen Katie since leaving for camp, and you don’t even remember the last time you stepped foot into her place.

Honestly you wish you could take credit for such a prank. Only very few people have ever successfully pranked Katie. So whoever swapped her shampoo out with a dye filled bottle deserved all the praises in the world.

“Who else would’ve done something like this? Leah?” Katie throws the blonde’s name out with a roll of her eyes. 

It’s well known how responsible your girlfriend is. To have Leah taking such a big mick out of Katie would basically be the same as if Kim were to suddenly become tech savvy --- virtually unfathomable.

Leah simply hums. “Who me? No, no way, not me. I’m a good girl.”

Though her words are innocent, Leah follows them up with a cheeky grin and a wink sent your way.

Your mouth drops open. Leah did not just say that. Not in front of all of your friends. Not when she has a tendency to say similar things as that in the privacy of your shared bedroom. 

You’re half blushing, wondering what has gotten into your girlfriend, and half appalled all the same as you turn, wanting to see Katie’s reaction to Leah’s words. You’re already bracing yourself for the inevitable teasing or for the brunette to read into Leah’s body language, only to find the Irish woman not even paying Leah any attention. Instead, she’s back to glaring at you.

“Mark your days, (Y/L/N),” Katie huffs. “I’ll get you back for this. Just you see.”

Turning on her heels, Katie stomps to her locker, glaring at anyone who dares to stop and stare.

Rolling your eyes, you turn back to your girlfriend. There’s still this indecipherable gleam in her eyes that’s making you quite suspicious.

Finally ungluing yourself from Lia’s side, you all but throw yourself back into the blonde’s arms.

Chuckling, Leah presses a kiss against your cheek.

“Can you believe Katie? Like when do I have the time to take a piss on her? I barely crawled out of bed this morning, let alone drove to her place and replaced her shampoo with red dye.”

“I told you going out last night was a bad idea.”

Yes, you distinctly remember Leah trying to convince you to spend the night with her, but you hadn’t seen Katie in what felt like ages. You kissed your pouting girlfriend goodbye, promising to be back quick.

“If you hadn’t blown me off to go clubbing with Katie last night, we could’ve been doing so many things instead of you leaving me to stew all by my lonesome. You know you can never trust me to behave when left to my own devices.”

“Oh my god.” Now Leah’s weird behavior all day makes sense. Despite your hungover clinginess, your girlfriend’s been strangely despondent this morning. She hasn’t been actively cold or ignoring you by any means, she’s just been less like her normal touchy self since you’ve both woken up for the day. Her strange behavior was one of the reasons you sought solitude with Lia instead of throwing yourself into your girlfriend’s arms this morning. 

“It was you!” you whisper-shout, eyes wide with a mix of shock and impressivity. 

“What ever could you be accusing me of doing, babe?”

You should’ve known something was up when Leah didn’t try as hard as she usually does to keep you from going out last night. And you should’ve known she would have gotten up to no good in your absence. Your girlfriend rarely gets into mayhem-causing moods, but when she is in one, there’s no telling who’s safe. The last time she was in one, not even Keira, the one who helped set up half of Leah’s pranks with her, was safe. 

Since you denied Leah sex last night, it seems as if you, and by proxy Katie, are on top of her shit-list this time around.

She gives you a pat on the leg before shooting to her feet.

“All this because I didn’t have sex with you last night?” you whine, quick to scramble after to her. You were already kicking yourself for missing out on getting naked with Leah last night. But now she’s actively torturing you for doing so as well. “Katie’s literally going to be on my ass about this for at least the next week.”

“First off, that’s my ass. Tell her to back off. And second, a girl has needs. It’s not my fault you blew me off to go party last night. I’m just finding creative outlets to let off some steam.”

There’s a slight sparkle in her eyes that tells you Leah’s not actually mad. Though the mischief hasn’t left either, so you’re not sure if you’re quite so safe yet. Knowing your girlfriend, you still had a lot of things coming your way. 

“I swear, Leah,” you huff, an embarrassed blush already rising to you cheeks.

“What are you going to do, punish me?”

Your mouth drops open.

Leah’s skipping away with a devilish look and joyous giggle as you try your best to pick your jaw off the floor. 

Your girlfriend is going to kill you before the end of the day. You just know it.

Your thoughts are followed by you quickly ducking, barely avoiding the football aimed at your head. On second thought, maybe Leah’s not going to be the death of you. Katie might get there first.

[workersolidarity]

[ 📹 📸 Scenes of massive destruction and carnage everywhere following an Israeli occupation forces (IOF) firebelt that destroyed an entire residential block in the Beit Lahiya Project, in the northern Gaza Strip today, killing and wounding large numbers of Palestinian civilians, with children among the casualties. ]

🇮🇱⚔️🇵🇸 🚀🏘️💥🚑 🚨

DAY 227: ISRAELI OCCUPATION INTENSIFIES ATTACKS ON THE GAZA, MASS SLAUGHTERS OVER 100 CIVILIANS IN A DAY WHILE ICC TO ISSUE ARREST WARRANTS FOR NETANYAHU AND SINWAR

On 227th day of the Israeli occupation's ongoing special genocide operation in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) committed a total of 10 new massacres of Palestinian families, resulting in the deaths of no less than 106 Palestinian civilians, mostly women and children, while another 176 others were wounded over the previous 24-hours.

It should be noted that as a result of the constant Israeli bombardment of Gaza's healthcare system, infrastructure, residential and commercial buildings, local paramedic and civil defense crews are unable to recover countless hundreds, even thousands of victims who remain trapped under the rubble, or who's bodies remain strewn across the streets of Gaza.

This leaves the official death toll vastly undercounted, as Gaza's healthcare officials are unable to accurately tally those killed and maimed in this genocide, which must be kept in mind when considering the scale of the mass murder.

Speaking in an interview with CNN, the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague, Karim Khan, said he was requesting the Judges of the ICC to issue arrest warrants against Israeli occupation Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, along with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

The ICC prosecutor said he was also seeking an arrest warrant for occupation Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as two other top Hamas leaders, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, leader of the military-wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades, and Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas' political leader.

A panel of judges from the ICC will now consider Khan's request for the warrants, which include charges of "Extermination, murder, taking of hostages, rape and sexual assault in detention."

The arrest warrants would mark the first time a close American ally has been targeted by the Court.

As the ICC looks to indict the Israeli Prime Minister and the leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, the Americans are working to track Sinwar, looking to give the Netanyahu regime a "total victory" so it can end the war in Gaza.

According to US officials who spoke with the Middle East Eye under the condition of anonymity, the US has expanded efforts to track the Hamas leader, whom the Biden administration believe is still hiding inside Hamas' expansive tunnel network under the Gaza Strip, but are also exploring the possibility that Sinwar has fled to Egypt, or even Lebanon or Syria.

According to the report, the Biden administration remains about one month behind the movements of Sinwar, who's last known location was within the Gaza Strip.

When asked what this means, practically, the anonymous official said "One month means you aren't even close to real-time information."

The MEE says tracking Sinwar has taken on a new urgency in the US Intelligence community because the Biden administration believes that tracking down Sinwar's location (likely for an assassination attempt) would help pressure the Israeli occupation authorities to end the war by declaring victory over Hamas.

In an interview with CNN last week, President Biden told reporters "I said to Bibi (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu), 'Don't make the same mistake we made in America. We wanted to get bin Laden. We'll help you get Sinwar'."

In other news, Ireland intends to become the next country to recognize a State of Palestine. That's according to a speech delivered by Irish Prime Minister, Simon Harris commemorating the victims of the Great Irish Famine of 1845-1852.

It should be noted that Ireland would become the eighth member of the European Union to recognize Palestinian Statehood, alongside the nations of Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Sweden and the Southern administration of Cyprus.

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation ramped-up its bombing and shelling of the Gaza Strip overnight, continuing and intensifying its genocide of the Palestinian population of the enclave.

Israeli military operations expanded in the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, over the weekend, pushing more than 800'000 displaced Palestinians out of the city, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, also known as UNRWA.

In an announcement by UNRWA on Monday, the Humanitarian aid agency said that Israeli ground operations in the Rafah area had forced over 810'000 Palestinians out of the city, most of whom had already been displaced from their homes elsewhere in Gaza due to the occupation's seemingly endless 8-months-long blockade and bombardment.

For the 14th consecutive day, the Israeli authorities continued to keep the Rafah and Karm Abu Salem border crossings near the border with Egypt closed, continuing the policy of starvation and torture, while medical and humanitarian aid trucks continue to be blocked from entering the Gaza Strip.

Nearby, Israeli Merkava tanks were seen advancing towards the Salah al-Din Gate, south of Rafah, and into the Brazil neighborhood near the border with Egypt.

The occupation military was also seen pummeling residential homes in the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of Rafah, while additional tanks and armored vehicles were stationed in the vicinity of the Martyr Abu Youssef Al-Najjar Hospital.

In one Israeli raid, occupation fighter jets bombarded a residential home belonging to the Khafaja family, in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood, west of Rafah, resulting in the deaths of at least three Palestinians, including the Deputy Director of the Tal al-Sultan Police, Ayman Hamdan Khafaja.

Another 8 civilians who were wounded in the assault were taken to the Kuwait Specialized Hospital in central Rafah.

Violent Israeli airstrikes also hammered neighborhoods east of the Khan Yunis governate as well.

In another horrific war crime, warplanes belonging to the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) bombed a residential home belonging to the Hassan family in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp, in the central Gaza Strip, killing an astounding 31 civilians and wounding many others.

The occupation army also killed the Deputy Director of Investigations in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, along with an assistant.

Israeli warplanes further bombarded the area near the Al-Qastal Towers, east of Deir al-Balah, while another raid targeted a residential neighborhood east of the Bureij Camp, also in central Gaza.

Meanwhile, IOF air, missile and drone strikes, along with intense artillery shelling, hammered the Jabalia area, in the northern Gaza Strip, for the second consecutive week, further displacing large numbers of civilians.

Occupation soldiers, stationed along the Netzarim Corridor, an infrastructure built by the Israeli occupation amidst the ongoing war to divide the Gaza Strip into its northern and southern constituent halves, fired shells into the eastern areas of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City, while Zionist fighter jets launched at least two raids on the same neighborhood.

Israeli aircraft also bombed in the vicinity of the Sheikh Zakaria Mosque in the Al-Daraj neighborhood, in central Gaza City, after which, the bodies of three martyrs were taken to the Baptist Hospital in the city.

Similarly, occupation warplanes bombed a civilian residence in the Al-Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza City, while three civilians were killed following an airstrike on the Al-Attar family home in the Abu Iskander area of the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, north of Gaza City.

The Israeli occupation army went on to bomb neighborhoods east of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City, while occupation Apache helicopters opened fire on the Jabalia Refugee Camp, in the north of Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets bombed a residential apartment belonging to the Labad family in Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip, slaughtering 6 Palestinian civilians.

Another Israeli raid bombarded the Abraj al-Qastal area, east of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, and also destroyed a civilian residence east of the Bureij Refugee Camp.

In Gaza's south, Israeli artillery shelling pummeled the outskirts of the town of Al-Qarara, north of Khan Yunis, while occupation gunboats fired shells and machine guns towards the coast of Rafah.

Israeli air raids went on to target various areas of Khan Yunis, Nuseirat Beach, and the Al-Zawayda Beach area.

As a result of the Israeli occupation's ongoing special genocide operation in the Gaza Strip, the death toll among the local population has risen to exceed 35'562 Palestinians killed, including at least 15'000 children and over 10'000 women, while another 79'652 others have been wounded since the start of the current round of Zionist aggression, beginning with the events of October 7th, 2023.

May 20th, 2024.

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@WorkerSolidarityNews

[tropical-fruit-mx]

Smith family coffee order HCs, courtesy of yours truly, a former barista

@hazelnut-u-out posted a poll yesterday about whether or not Rick Sanchez is an iced coffee drinker (short answer: yes, but nuance to come) and I realized that I never came up with HCs for the family's coffee orders. I love doing this for fandoms I'm in because I barista-ed for A While and low key miss it sometimes. Anyway, headcanons!!

Rick

So in his tough guy-tortured loner-vigilante phase he was obviously an avid black coffee drinker (usually spiked). Being on the run/not having a place to call one's own he develops a taste for practicality and simplicity. Thus, he likes an easy drink you can get anywhere that is impossible to mess up. However, in a post-"Analyze Piss", post-Prime, 'Rick Sanchez is experiencing new levels of DGAF' world we get into the chaotic beverage enjoyer phase. First off, he has 100% tried every single new special drink that Starbucks rolls out. The summer skies boba thing, the oleato, everything. (He's a big fan of the Irish cream flavor when it comes out seasonally and was pissed the first time when he realized it didn't have alcohol in it.) Because Rick is hugely dopamine seeking so fun colored, fun flavored things always catch his eye. I also feel like he would majorly enjoy specialty coffee shops that do elaborate coffee drinks, like this man would fuck up a cereal milk latte. I also will contend that in this phase he has no regular order, he literally gets a different thing every time just to experiment with as many drinks as possible.

Beth

Drinks flat whites because she thinks they're classy and it's easier to have a simple coffee order for the intern at the vet to take down. I also think that she generally likes mixing caffeine and alcohol (huge espresso martini fan) and probably lost her mind on vodka red bulls in college. She also definitely had a red bull addiction to get through vet school but now she only drinks them as a guilty pleasure.

Space Beth

In honor of the fact that she's recreating her dad's 30s I think she has the same taste in coffee as a young Rick, which means she drinks it black and strong. She seems like an avid French press user and most likely has sourced fancy beans from somewhere in space (Venusian coffee probably fucks)

Jerry

Hot caramel macchiato, but he's convinced that this is the traditional way macchiatos are made and despite multiple arguments about the origins of macchiatos he is staunchly of the opinion that the actual drink is an upside down latte with fuck tons of caramel.

Summer

Pink drink purist, maybe gets matcha cold foam on top when she's feeling fancy. Although I could also see her getting vanilla iced lattes when she wants more caffeine. And if she's with Rick I can imagine her joining him in ordering crazy coffees just for fun.

Morty

Morty Smith is a fourteen year old boy, the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frap was basically made for him. It's just a fucking milkshake with caffeine, although I think that when he's with Beth and Jerry they make him get the crème version.

[magics-neptunes-things]

Lover

Hello there ♥

Sorry for all the people waiting for this one, you can find the request here, here, here, here and here. Can't believe how many request I have for them to be honest.

But it's the international break so let's find some comfort in here 🥲

It's with the prompt n°15 and 34 from here and the end of the two first chapters that you can find here and here.

Enjoy!

TW : None

PART 1 | PART 3

_____________________________________________________________

Waking up with Katie is probably Caitlin’s favorite thing these days. Even if Katie isn’t the same on the field as outside, sleepy Katie is extremely cuddly and clingy when waking up. With her morning broken voice, her body still warm to have been all night under the duvet and her sulky face if she didn’t get her lot of hug, in Caitlin’s opinion she is simply adorable. And it’s terribly difficult for her to resist her repeated requests to hug or extend their time in bed.

It’s the same this morning. Caitlin is lying on her back, Katie completely lying on her, her arms wrapped around her neck and her face buried at the level of her chest. Caitlin has been drawing for many minutes imaginary drawings on Katie’s hips with her fingertips, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. The spirit of the Australian woman flies away a little, remembering some of their memories with a small smile.

Their first kiss that quickly slipped on their first time. The first dinner with their two families together and a big difference in the number of Foord compared to the McCabe, Katie having ten brothers and sisters and Caitlin only a big sister and her mother. The dinner at the restaurant where Caitlin asked Katie if she could change the sens of the Irish ring she wears to signify to the world that she’s no longer single. Their joint move into a new house in St-Albans. The fun they had to heckle like teenagers when choosing their furniture. The memories are many and all bring a pleasant feeling of warmth in the pit of Caitlin’s stomach.

Caitlin’s attention turns to Katie when she moves when a wave of shivers run in her skin.

"You tickle me" moaned Katie, burying her face even more in Caitlin.

"Sorry" laughs the Australian with a kiss in her hair.

Katie only responds with a new moan and the Australian passes her arms around Katie’s waist to tighten her against her.

"We’re going to have to get up Katie baby" Caitlin announces, glancing at the alarm clock on her bedside table.

She still remembers when Katie made fun of her to still have an alarm clock "like a grandmother", but when Caitlin pointed out that it allowed her to watch the time without having to move and interrupt their hugs to grab her phone, it suddenly found favor in her eyes.

"Noooooo" complains Katie, as expected, by infinitely sticking against Caitlin.

This amuses the Australian who laughs softly, laying kisses on Katie’s forehead and hair.

"Five more minutes but that’s all we have left" Caitlin whispers, kissing Katie’s temple.

The latter growls in a low voice, creating a new smile on Caitlin’s face. And as always, five minutes later Katie again asks for five more minutes. Unfortunately, their time is up.

"Fine" grunts Katie sitting on the bed and rubbing her eyes with a sulky look.

Wondering how she can be as cute as at this moment, Caitlin cannot resist the urge to lean over her to gently kiss her cheek.

"You’re beautiful, you know that right?" whispers Caitlin against Katie’s cheek.

The latter smiled as she heard her and laid a kiss on her lips.

"You’re the most beautiful of us two" replies the Irish, frowning when she sees Caitlin rolling her eyes with a smile. "What? It's the truth"

"Of course, my love. Avocado toast for breakfast?"

"Please" answers Katie with a big smile.

********

Hours later, the two young women are on the football field of the Arsenal women’s team, the referee’s whistle announcing the end of the match. It’s with general relief from the players of Arsenal that the whistles are welcomed. The match against Manchester City was complicated, but they managed to win with a difference of one goal, bringing the score to 3-2. Beth, Alessia and Caitlin managed to find the net despite an excellent goalkeeper. A few yellow cards were also handed out, one to a Katie who was a little too abrupt when she pushed a player who had the misfortune to make a bad tackle on Leah.

At the end of the game, Caitlin takes the opportunity to talk a little with Alanna, whom she sees too little to her taste despite the fact that they live on the same island again. Catching up with Mackenzie is simpler as the latter is also in London. They are soon joined by a teammate of Alanna who enters herself the discussion. And it only takes Katie three seconds to find that this young and charming Swedish is looking at Caitlin with a little too much interest.

Leaving her teammate of the Ireland team behind, Katie quickly goes to the entrance of the tunnel, where the conversation between the trio takes place. After having greeted Alanna warmly and then a little less warmly the other brunette, Katie positions herself next to Caitlin. Without necessarily touching her but her positioning leaves no doubt about the threat barely masked to her opponent.

"Can you stop doing that?" gently laughs Caitlin after they say goodbye to Alanna and her teammate, Alanna and Caitlin promising to call each other in the week to see each other quickly.

"Do what?" Katie asks, following Caitlin into the corridors leading to their locker rooms.

"Intimidate people"

"She doesn’t have to look at my girlfriend like she did" Katie groans grabbing Caitlin by the waist.

Turning her in her arms, Katie gently sticks her against the wall behind her and also sticks against her.

"You’re mine" she says, frowning.

"Okay, keep your pant on, cowgirl." Caitlin laughs as she wraps her arms around the Irish girl’s neck. "Of course I am"

They only have time to exchange a kiss before they are interrupted, Kyra emitting a disgusted "ew" like a child surprising her parents kissing.

"I’m taking you for a date tonight" Katie abruptly decides.

********

Later in the evening, Caitlin and Katie are actually in a restaurant that both particularly appreciate by their shared passion for sushi. The conversations are light and their complicit looks are enough to make the people around them understand that it’s useless to try to disturb them if they ever recognized them. Tonight, it’s only about them and whatever if the world explode.

"There’s something I’d like to talk to you about for a while" Katie begins while trying to catch a grain of rice with her chopsticks.

"Okay?" Caitlin replies, looking at her with curiosity.

"But I don’t know how to tell you. And I must confess that I’m a little afraid of your reaction"

Caitlin slightly frowns, mixed between curiosity and worry. What’s going on in Katie’s mind that she’s afraid to talk to her about something? But, deciding to remain benevolent, the Australian gently puts her hand on Katie’s who is sitting in front of her.

"You talk to me about anything Babe" says the Australian, smiling.

Katie looks at her, hesitating for a little while before finally opening her mouth. Caitlin feels like she can hear Katie’s brain working from where she is.

"How do you feel about kids?"

"Good, I think? I mean, I know Kyra beats me in Harper’s favorite aunties, but I think she likes me" says Caitlin, shrugging her shoulders before realizing. "But you mean having kids?"

"Yes" sighs Katie, secretly relieved not to have to explain any longer.

"I’ve never given it too much thought before" Caitlin honestly replies. "When you’re a woman athlete, I find it hard to combine. It makes you stop more than a year, with pregnancy and everything after it"

Without saying a word, Katie listens religiously to her girlfriend. Her only visible sign of nervousness is that she bites the inside of her lower lip.

"Katrina had courage" Katie simply replies, since Caitlin referred to Harper just before.

"I’m not saying I don’t want it. I perfectly imagine us both starting a family" Caitlin says, looking for Katie’s eyes. "But maybe not right now. I selfishly want to have you just for me a little more"

Katie smiles softly, interlacing her fingers with those of Caitlin on the table. It’s been a long time since they decided to stop hiding and act naturally with each other.

"And please don’t tell me you want eleven kids like your parents"

"No" laughs Katie shaking her head. "I am exceedingly admiring how my parents managed to raise all eleven of us without any of us going wrong. But definitely not eleven"

"How much then?" asks Caitlin, tilting her head to better observe her.

"I don’t know, one already sounds good. And why not a second a little later"

"Two is good" confirms Caitlin, recalling moments spent with her sister.

Her sister and her mother are two of the most important people in her life, Katie having managed to make her place in this ranking. But after growing up without a father, having these two people by her side when she grew up was very important to her. She wouldn’t see herself without her sister.

"Two is perfect. Like you are" smirk Katie.

[mywingsareonwheels]

The outcome I want from the UK election today:-

Labour victory (even though I hate Starmer), obviously

all the left-wing, LGBTQIA+-allied Labour MPs (especially the WOC) to retain or gain seats

the LibDems to push the Tories into third place (pleasepleaseplease that would be fucking game-changing on an international level srsly and also HILARIOUS)

Reform to fizzle out and die

the SNP to do well, and specifically the mediocre but acceptable SNP candidate I'll be voting for today to kick out the shitty and useless Tory we've had

Plaid Cymru to also do well pls

the Green Party of England and Wales to gain seats and generally do well

ditto the Scottish Greens (of whom I'm a proud member <3)

the steady encroachment of far right politics (with media encouragement) in this country to just fucking halt and go away (and yes, having the LibDems as the official opposition to Labour would help with this, and would massively off-set all the problems with Starmer as PM :) )

Ah shit, I'm demonstrating my England-and-Scotland-centric lack of Northern Irish knowledge here; if any Northern Irish people would like to reblog with similar and specific wishes I'd be extremely grateful. <3

Go forth, fellow UK peeps! Remember your ID! And remember that you don't have to vote for and donate to/join the same party, so if you are voting tactically for a party you aren't a fan of today, you can then join or donate to a party you want to see grow and gain power next time round! Think short *and* long-term. :)

[eccentrcks]

𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐎𝐂: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐨𝐞.

This gorgeous artwork of Marlene was made by my talented baby sister. Give her some applause for this! 🫶 I also made a taglist out of boredom, so don't mind me. Taglist to those who inspired me to make this profile and ref. sheet: @revnah1406, @welldonekhushi, @littlemissclandestine, @alypink, and @darkhazard19.

⎯ 𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡:

Name: Marlene

Full Name: Marlene Jamie Monroe

Alias(es): "Mona" (General nickname by her family), "Marlie" (childhood nickname), "Chicky" (Captain Price), "Squirt" or "Baby Girl" (Phillip Graves), "Marl" (David Mason).

Age: 23

Gender: Female

Nationality: American

Ethnicity: Irish, Native American, Welsh.

Hair Colour: Chestnut brown.

Eye Colour: Light brown

Height: 5’11” (181cm)

Weight: 187lbs (84.8kg)

Body Built: Athletically average.

Languages Spoken: English, Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Cree, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Bulgarian, Mandarin, French, German, Portuguese, etc.

Date of Birth: August 29, 2002.

Place of Birth: Fairbanks, Alaska.

Blood Type: AB-

Sexuality: Heterosexual.

Marital Status: Single

Occupation: N/A.

Status: Unknown.

-

⎯ 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗦:

Myers-Briggs Type: INTJ-T (The Architect)

Calm and reserved: Despite having her moments of being a spitfire, she is actually a well composed individual and this really helps her in matters of survival. Although pretty social sometimes, then she can be completely asocial, Marlene is not exactly the kind of person who wouldn't instantly show her actual personality to others whom she'd just met. She handles stressful situations with the pressure very well most of time.

Selfless and loyal: Marlene may be an impassive and hardened young woman, but she has a good soul and heart. Those who are lucky to be a genuine friend of hers are privileged to see her display her true self at most times. Has the tendency to put others before herself. Marlene's love language is giving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch- which the latter is a rare thing of her to do frequently as a young adult now. Keeps it discreet though.

Tough as nails: She is unbelievably durable and endures a lot of life-threatening situations. Often gets underestimated by others, but tends to straighten them up with a surprise. It still hurts, yes, although she just quickly learns how to suck it up and keep going without letting it drag her down.

Jaded and weary: It's safe to mention that Marlene didn't had a normal childhood and went through a lot of hardships growing up with a paranoid survivalist of a mother. Kind of a sore spot for her to be asked about. Has a bad case of PTSD and denies her clinical diagnoses constantly. ("I'm fine." is her favourite saying) Has a complex relationship with her mother, her only parent that raised her this way, which means Marlene cares and resents her at the same time, yet she internally respects the woman who taught her most of everything she knows. She suffered from losses who were dearly significant to her... somethings she isn't ready to openly talk about. So the girl is just simply exhausted from existing.

Adaptable and intelligent, also a polyglot: If thrown into an environment that Marlene hadn't been in before, she will learn and adapt if it's necessary. Growing up traveling with her mother had taught her some things. She's quite a multilingual genius, speaks and read around 37(ish) languages, but also graduated high school at sixteen before attending Stanford University and finishing in three years for her computer science degree. So in a shorter summary, she's an eager and fantastic learner.

-

⎯ 𝗦𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦:

Primary Weapons: Knife, Karambit neck knife, Remington 700PSS, HK-MP5K, HK-MP5A3, TP-82, XM177E1, and Pipe Bombs.

Fighting Style: Hand-to-hand combat, some MMA.

Special Skills: Great at reading others' body languages and sensing danger.

Talents: She can learn to speak at another language in a short span of time, craft explosives such as a pipe bomb within an hour if she has the resources, and create traps with the right stuff.

Shortcomings: Can get paranoid most of the time, chronically insomniac, has some trust issues, and suffers from terrible migraines.

-

⎯ 𝗕𝗜𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗬:

"Born and grew up outside of Fairbanks in an isolated cabin for five years of her life with her mother, who had Marlene at eighteen, and mostly traveled around on the road after. She grew up with tough love and Melissa, her mother, was fiercely overprotective with her only child. Once they settled somewhere in California when she was eight where Marlene finally got enrolled in a public school where her peers would eventually learn about her intellect. She never knew how, or where, her mother earned her huge incomes to financially support themselves, but knows Melissa just has an every important job whenever she isn't home. Besides, whenever her mother was confronted, she was just met with a firm look by her and the woman stating that it's none of her concern as Marlene should just focus on herself. Eventually this led to her rebellious behaviour before incidents occurred and slowly shaped Marlene into a withdrawn teenager in college."

"Her history with Taskforce 141 was purely platonic. Met them through her mother, one by one when she was an teenager, before the group realized she was Melissa's baby girl and they all knew the same woman who met each of them outside of their occupations. She've met Phillip Graves when she was a kid when he came by to confront her mother before a father-daughter bond was formed between them since then. David Mason is her godfather and one of the people whom Marlene looks up to- much to Graves' dismay."

"When she was done with college at nineteen and the year 2021-[REDACTED]."

"Until 2022, she was brought into the CIA's custody in middle of a late evening walk, more like by Taskforce 141, and interrogated after some evidence of her was caught stealing some invaluable intel and secrets, appearing as one of their employees, before she was picked up by a black van after that. She kept denying the accusations and evidence for weeks until Graves, allegedly dead at the time, safely liberated her despite Marlene being in a frail condition with the help from David Mason and proof that she was truly innocent. Someone had framed her."

"Then not too long hours after she was brought into his protective custody, no one knew who helped her other than the fact that she escaped CIA's custody, as one of The Shadow Company's bases was attacked. Mostly everyone made it out, but Marlene who was soon announced dead after she passed out from the blood loss with the base getting bombed into nothing once they were forced to leave her behind. Leaving Graves and David angry, distraught, and vowed to avenge her once they find the culprits. Her remains were never found after that."

Theme song: Methods of Madness by Secession Studios.

*Profile will be be updated once the story progresses and kept her backstory vague(ish) for now.

[corbiecomic]

"Corinne Morgan, Corbie" remastered #1 - now available in print!

It's been a long time coming, but you can now enjoy the first ever issue of Corinne Morgan, Corbie as an old school, high quality, real-world comic book! Read on to learn all about how you can secure a copy from the extremely limited initial print run - and to discover the extra treats in store if you order the deluxe package!

ABOUT "CORINNE MORGAN, CORBIE"

Corinne Morgan has always gone out of her way to stay out of trouble. All she wants is to graduate from the notoriously brutal Anna Dale Academy in one piece. Unfortunately, her headmistress seems out to get her – and a vicious trio of students known as the I.C. are too! All this would be enough for anyone to handle, but things get a million times crazier when Corinne acquires a crystal ball that revives her ancestor, an Irish war goddess with her own plans for revenge and in need of a new body. These events will lead to the teen inventor adopting a new-alter ego - the battling bird gal, Corbie!

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of its original release, "The Power" has been given a major makeover for this new edition, with each page recreated from the original pencil materials. But that's not all! Five pages of never-before-seen comic material appear here for the first time ever, as well as an exclusive article looking back on the making of both the original and new editions. Colorful, breezy and engaging, this reimagined version of the first Corbie adventure will enthrall seasoned fans as well as new members of her flock!

Corbie #1 was released digitally in 2023 as a remastered and expanded reimagining of the 2018 version, commemorating its fifth anniversary. Further improvements and enhancements have been made beyond those found in the current digital edition for the print release, and two extra pages of pin-up art are now included. Both cover variants are available - cover "A" (Corbie and Morrigan in front of Stonydawn, the Morgan family home) or cover "B" (Corbie in close-up). Only 50 copies are available for each variant!

Each print copy of “Corinne Morgan, Corbie” #1 (deluxe and standard) comes with a numbered certificate confirming it originates from the initial August 2024 print run. The deluxe edition also includes the following extra items:

CORINNE STICKER: An exclusive sticker of the star of the series, Corinne Morgan - but selected issues instead include an even rarer holofoil variant! Which type will you get?

CORBIE MINI-PRINT: Readers will receive a special laminated mini-print of Corbie, with the CMC logo on the reverse side!

UNIQUE HAND-DRAWN PEN ART: Every purchase of the deluxe edition of Corinne Morgan, Corbie #1 comes with its own hand-drawn pen illustration of a member of the cast - no two are alike! Will you get Corinne in her daytime attire, or art of her as her superhero alter-ego, Corbie? Will you be the lucky recipient of the art depicting her pal Sadie Byrd, or her schoolyard nemesis Maxine Glass? The only way to find out is to order your copy!

Corinne Morgan, Corbie #1 is available for order now via Ko-Fi as a 32-page print comic, with international shipping available. Don't forget that you can also get issues 1, 2 and 3 in PDF and CBZ formats from the same store!

[just-ray]

Weekly Report 28/08/2024

On a 69

From here on, since I am primarily a neutral political news blog (I try to be neutral in news...that is....not in beliefs.), I will be doing weekly oppinion based reports on current events, including Irish and US politics.

☆•☆•☆•☆•☆•☆•☆•☆•☆•☆

Irish politics has been as mundane as it has been in the past few months, with the steady work on the annual budget being continued by Coaltition parties Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and the Green Party, with effort from Jack Chambers, the Fianna Fáil Minister for Finance, and Fine Gaels Minister for Public Expendature and Reform, Paschal Donohoe.

However, those of us who follow irish politics anxiously await the return of Leaders Questions to the Oireachtas Channel (or Oireachtas TV).

---

With less than 69 days to go until the United States presidential elections, the latest polls show the Harris Walz duo leading the race to the Oval Office 47.0% to trumps close second of 43.7%.

I interviewed an Irish Republican/Trump supporter and an Irish Democrat/Harris supporter and asked for their views on the current trends being faced in American politics.

Let's find out what they had to say.

Note: I have altered the original response, only with punctuation such as ".", "," ect. I have not changed the order of words or sentences, or altered the meaning of any of the given text.

Question: "How do you feel about the current polls, suggesting that Harris and Walz may be taking the Oval Office next November, and do you think the current trend will remain the same as we draw closer to the elections?"

Republican: "I, personally, do believe that trump will end up succeededing in the election, as a common trend amongst the majority of people does come from an economic standpoint, whilst I also do understand people wanting good social policies I don't particularly think that is a main issue when some people can no longer feed and house themselves. I do personally believe the vote will be very close, though."

Democrat:

"[As] much as I would love Harris to win, the amount of support trump has been receiving for years now is hard to ignore. I believe that while Harris has proven to be popular and very supported, trump has just got an enormous amount of americans on his side. The twisted view of america being “broken” or something of the sort is a very common trend amongst more conservative groups of people. and they believe trump can fix it.

I don’t believe this “make america great again” thing is a trend, more of a twisted delusion, honestly. I do think people, including Harris and Walz supporters, tend to focus too much on one thing. More focus and attention need to be put into the ridiculous amount of homelessness in America. my hope would be that the future president would really try to actually deal with this problem rather than contribute to it."

---

However, time is running out, and with just under 70 days until the ballots open, if things continue as they have been, presidential candidate Donald Trump may come out as "the bottom from 69".

Will Donald and his VP candidate JD Vance.....erm....Trump? Or will Kamala Harris and her VP candidate Tim get the chance to Walz into the Oval Office next November?

Both the answer to that question, and the future of the America can be found in the swing states.

---

My name is Ray, I have an early university entry certificate in International Relations, and this has been the weekly report.

[charlottesbookclub]

should we talk about the interlace on gwayne's horse's armor?

since I spend altogether too much time looking at stills and gifs of gwayne anyway, I figured I might as well share some observations I have about the really interesting visuals that are happening with his horse's armor

this is part art historical analysis, part gwayne meta, and part "let's look at some gorgeous images under the guise of doing visual analysis" so if that's your thing, please read on! if not, that's also totally fine – I get that this is hyperspecific and also a symptom of my very serious gwayne brainrot, so I'm putting everything else below the cut! 💚💚 (also it's quite long – sorry! 😅)

okay I want to be upfront about my qualifications and my shortfalls here: I'm an art history phd student and so basically all I do is visual analysis of objects. I've studied a number of medieval manuscripts that feature interlace (which is where I'm going to draw most of my knowledge from here), and I've taken a seminar (an advanced graduate course) specifically on medieval manuscripts, for which I wrote a research paper entitled "From Kells to Celtic: The Aesthetics of the Book of Kells Illuminations as a Marker of Irish Identity." HOWEVER I am NOT a historian of armor, so I will be taking my knowledge of interlace on other objects and applying it to the armor we see in the show

a short intro

so, the first thing that struck me about gwayne's horse's armor is that it's really different than the other equestrian armor we see, even amongst the other men who came with him from oldtown. to be honest, my guess is that this was likely done in the show to help him stand out and also show that he is a special and precious princess (which he is btw 😌😌) who needs fancy armor for his horse. I'm not sure if further thought went into it than that (but maybe it did! I'm happy to stand corrected here!)

however, the catastrophic levels of brainrot I've developed over this man have compelled me to read much further into it than that, which I shall now proceed to do with great enthusiasm! ☺️

first, let's look at the armor:

it's hard to find really detailed close-ups, but it's clear that the armor is incredibly intricate. not only do we have this very complex interlacing, but certain designs are marked out with different colors and internal patterning, making the whole thing even more visually interesting and complex

while interlacing is used across a vast range of time, cultures, geographical regions, and artistic mediums, given both the visuality of this armor in particular and knowing that westeros is based on medieval europe, seeing this interlace instantly called to mind a style that we today call "insular fusion" (I'm not going to go into all the specifics of it here because that's a post all its own lol 😅). it's a style perhaps most famously exemplified by The Book of Kells, but it is found throughout many different objects of the same period (ca. 700-900 CE)

now let's look at some fucking interlace hell yeah!!!!!!

from The Book of Kells (ca. 750-810 CE)

from The Lindisfarne Gospels (ca. 698-721 CE)

and two non-manuscript examples:

Animal Head Post from a Viking Ship Burial (ca. 825 CE)

and a later example, but one of my favorites:

Wooden Portal of the Urnes Stave Church (ca. 1050-1070 CE)

do we see the vision??? are y'all picking up what I'm putting down???

"okay, charlotte, I see the similarities, but why does this matter?" you may be asking yourself (or maybe you aren't idk), and the answer is: this type of interlacing had some super fascinating meanings and uses, some of which I think we can apply to gwayne! 💚💚

let me break it down from least to most potentially related to gwayne:

the aesthetics of interlace as an identity marker

use of interlace in a religious context

interlace as a status symbol

the protective potential of interlace

and now let's go into detailllllllll!!!!!

the aesthetics of interlace as an identity marker

I bring this one up because it's what I focused on in my personal research on the topic of interlace, but I also think it's the least relevant to gwayne. my argument in my paper was that the aesthetics of the interlace in the Book of Kells have been thoughtfully and intentionally re-used throughout history and into the present as a clear visual marker of identity that draws a narrative back to the production of the Book of Kells. however, in terms of the show, we have very little indication that the particular style of interlacing we see on gwayne's horse is associated with any larger identity concepts. it doesn't seem to be associated with house hightower, as none of the other men with gwayne seem to borrow this motif, nor do we see it associated with alicent (as far as I can tell from the little looking I've done, but I'm more than happy to revise this!). for it to make sense as some form of identity marker, it would have to be clear what identity he's visually referencing, and since his use of interlace seems unique, I think it's doubtful that it's part of a larger visual invocation of identity

use of interlace in a religious context

part of what makes insular fusion so interesting as a style is that it is indeed a fusion of a number of different regional styles, including vine scrolls from the mediterranean, triskeles from the northern british isles, and zoomorphic (meaning "in the form of animals") interlace from northwestern mainland europe. although insular fusion is used to decorate christian objects (like gospel books and churches), its component parts are much much older and have connections to various pagan religions that significantly pre-date christianity. obviously it's impossible to be 100% certain of the exact significance of interlace in any of these religious contexts (there are no written records explaining it), but scholars have a few guesses

one suggestion is that interlace in some way represented the spirit world/the world of the gods, or perhaps even a point of connection between the human world and the world beyond. although the religion of westeros is obviously different than any of the real-world religions that used interlace in this manner, I do still wonder if there could be a religious connection here. it's pretty clear that gwayne's mother was quite religious, and alicent is as well. although we don't totally know gwayne's relationship with religion, we could certainly guess that it's at least a little bit important to him, given the beliefs of the women in his life. I know that the most common religious symbol in westeros tends to be the seven-pointed star, which is not something I see on the interlace on the armor, so I'm not sure how far I would want to take this hypothesis, but I did want to put it out there for anyone who might have further thoughts!

interlace as a status symbol

as I mentioned to in the beginning, I do think it's likely that this particular type of armor was chosen for gwayne's horse because it does come off as a bit ostentatious. the manuscripts with interlace that I mentioned above were hugely expensive and time-consuming projects, and only the most affluent religious communities could afford such luxurious gospel books. given the level of detail on the armor, I have to imagine that the same is true in the world of the show. in some ways, it's a mode of conspicuous consumption; a demonstration of the hightowers' wealth and influence. there's a reason gwayne's horse's armor stands out: because it's meant to. it's meant to set him apart, even from the other soldiers who came with him from oldtown

now this next part is just my own conjecture, but I also wonder if the armor is meant to speak to a more artistic sensibility on gwayne's part. after all, equestrian armor is a very functional object with a very clear goal: to protect the horse. from a purely functional standpoint, the interlace does nothing to serve this purpose (and may actually hinder it a little??), it simply adds a complex visuality to the armor. aside from just flaunting the wealth that must have been expended to commission such a piece, it also suggests that it was crafted by artisans who had both functional and aesthetic goals in mind while creating it. whether it was gwayne himself who directed the commission or not, it seems significant that he chose to use this armor that doubles as a kind of art piece. he does seem to be someone who enjoys the finer things in life, so it wouldn't surprise me if he had an artistic appreciation too, and was using this armor as a way to demonstrate that (or perhaps even just as a way to show his own personal artistic taste/preferences)

the protective potential of interlace

technically, I think "interlace as a status symbol" is the most likely reason for the armor being the way it is, but this one is my favorite theory, so I'm putting it at the top. circling back to the religious uses of interlace, another theory of its religious significance is as a mode of protection. some scholars think that its creators believed that the weaving, intertwined lines of the interlace would confuse and trap evil spirits. building on this theory is the fact that complex interlacing was often used at transitional or liminal points, such as the beginning pages of a gospel book or on the doors of churches. the idea here is that the interlace wields its protective powers at these key entry points against any evil entities that might try to enter sacred or protected spaces

interlace as apotropaic (a fancy technical term meaning "protective," often used in reference to magic or magical practices) seems particularly poignant for an object that was literally going to be worn into battle. now, I admit once again that there is little canon evidence to suggest that interlace is thought of in this way in the world of the show, so I'm running with this theory more because I like it rather than because I think it's legitimately based in canon. but I just think it's very sweet that gwayne's horse would be adorned with this complex interlace that seems to be woven with protective powers. even if gwayne (or others) didn't literally believe that interlace had those kind of powers, the fact that he still made the choice to invoke the idea of protection against harm and evil is a lovely thought. (it makes me think of how people today still might carry a rabbit's foot or have charms against the evil eye, even if they don't actually place stock in the beliefs surrounding those objects. I just think it's cool that generations of cultural belief still imbue these objects with a kind of magical aura). I just like the idea that he (or someone else?? otto? alicent? his mother?) chose armor that might have been associated with protection against harm

and now I'll finally wrap up!!

whew that was a lot! if you've read this far – thank you so much!! I'm honestly not even sure if these thoughts were coherent, but I kept thinking about this when I looked at that interlaced armor, and I just had to get the ideas out of my head lol

but I'd love to hear what others think about this topic! I'm certainly not an expert on the matter, and I'd be super open to hearing if others have different interpretations!

if nothing else, I hope you learned something cool about interlace! (and also just how far I have descended into madness over this man that I am writing pages-long analyses of his horse's armor 😅🤪)

[sometipsygnostalgic]

Due to a series of unfortunate events (a cancellation of all direct flights for 2 days), im going to be spending between 90 minutes and three hours in IRELAND of all places. The REPUBLIC of Ireland. I was not expecting this on my american adventure.

I wont get to do any irish things but im flying both flights with Aer Lingus instead of British Airways.

Here is my review of Aer Lingus which is by extension my review of Ireland:

- Holy SHIT this airbus is half the size of the boeing i was going to take. I expected it to have insane turbulence like the KLM washing machines but honestly it's no different to the boeing

- it is nice to hear announcements made in a celtic language first again, even if it's Gaelic and not Cymraeg. I look forward to seeing the "Casnewydd/Newport" sign when i finally take the train home, it's the first symbol of being in Wales.

- We left early. EARLY. On one hand this is leagues above all my BA flights that have never left on time. On the other hand if it left just 60 seconds late, id have recieved a free change of transfer plane. Now i gotta hope we get there "early" enough for me to get through customs and find my next flight. Better prepare to run but theres not much i can do about this. I just hope British Airways dont force me to pay for a rebooked flight because they decided 60 minutes international transfer time was enough (hah!) and i dont have superhuman speed.

- Im sat by an emergency exit. This has funny side effects. I get sliiiightly more leg room, but also im sat by the exit and the door is way, way colder than any other wall in the plane. It's not bothersome but it's funny how i have a free Cooling Wall.

- Internet is about same price as BA and i can use discord (good) but i cant use youtube (very bad, you should probably only go for for the im service)

- The dinner was about the same quality as the British airways food, but they had TWO meat options instead of one. I took the Beef Stew. Very yummy. They had cheese and tomato on the side instead of the cursed tomato couscous yoghurt that looks like strawberry muesli which british airways keep serving (prison food). I also really liked the chocolate mousse, slightly easier to eat than the chocolate brownie i get with BA, but i find it weird aer lingus serve most of their drinks in tiny cartons. Why??? At least i get a tiny water bottle with BA, like a souvenir. Also theres a tinier bread roll and no cheese with it, but the cheese felt out of place anyway. Not as out of place as the tiny creamer pot i get on both airlines, with no coffee in sight. It's like a shot.

- you dont get any free alcohol on this flight, you have to pay for your 1 can can of lager. With a credit card. Mine was in the overhead locker. Thankfully a guy on my aisle was feeling generous and bought my can. Downgrade from BA including 2 alcoholic drinks in the flights

- instead of a nice pasty or bacon egg roll for breakfast they gave me a tiny carton of orange juice and a Nature Valley granola bar. Horrible

- the in flight entertainment is on a screen from 2009 instead of 1999. There is no funny controller that stops working randomly. It is a normal ass touch screen. Unfortunately i lost my provided earbuds at the start of the flight so i havent done anything with it

- no reclining chair on this airbus :( it's an overnight flight. My chair is missing an arm but i assume thats because it is by the emergency exit

- BA do this thing where they dim the lights and turn them back on an hour before arrival. Aer Lingus have decided to "dim" the lights by having these purple lights on, instead of turning them off.

More to come when i arrive at the airport

[sgiandubh]

What did Caitriona say about Christian Bale after working with him?!

Dear Christian Bale Anon,

I just wrote 'notoriously difficult'. I never implied she said anything along those lines herself. But your OTT reaction immediately unmasked you, dear Stan Militia Anon.

It took me exactly 30 seconds to Google find the most interesting public statements she made about working with Bale and Damon on set:

Namely, a Sarina Bellissimo podcast for the Irish radio station Spin FM, on November 19, 2019:

This statement resumes it all - but it still makes for an interesting listen (has it been posted before? I suppose it must have, her Stans will post every single shred she ever uttered):

Plus, on the very same day, an interview for Steven Weintraub's Collider (https://collider.com/caitriona-balfe-interview-ford-v-ferrari-outlander-season-5/), which reads along the same lines:

And then, you have this:

Bale is mentioned around the 0:23 mark and I have to say, the contrast with all the rest of the interview is palpable. She is tense and a bit uneasy. Body language is a bitch, I know.

That being said, remember (LOL) these are public statements. What exactly did you want or expect her to say? And, if I may add, what exactly did you want or expect me to say, too?

Ignore your submission? Lie about it - and give you the opportunity to brownnose me in public?

You probably don't know me, Anon. Also, use your logic: she sounded very enthusiastic about her experience with him, on set - I'll give you this and again, this is absolutely polite, civilized, normal, expected (insert anything you want here, really). But it takes two to tango, don't you think?

Well...How about this cast Q&A at the Toronto International Film Festival's screening (September 10, 2019)? I think the real dynamic is showing and mind you: he never mentioned C, his screen wife. Who stood almost next to him, on stage: her expression is interesting to analyze, perhaps halfway between being starstruck and keeping a brave face:

Not a single time. And barely, if at all, in all the other interviews. And I am not very sure he even looks at her while she's talking (he isn't reacting to her infectious laughing, so long for the fish). This guy presents himself as a sociopathic boor.

Sidenote: funny thing that a new bride talks about the importance of marriage teamwork and mentions Ma and Pa. I rest my case.

Back to our topic, I have to say the Irish press didn't seem to like Bale at all. Irish Central, for example, is very kind to C, but less so to Bale (https://www.irishcentral.com/opinion/caitriona-balfe-ford-v-ferrari):

I think I gave you enough attention for today. Now go take this answer elsewhere. On your own page (remember the address?) or as an Anon to the Amateur Eugenicist. She loves those slap-a-shipper, cheap gossip wares. She'll probably publish you.