#serbia x russia

[glitchy-meowy]

RusSerb art I did like a year ago and am finally posting here lol

[eccentrickleptomaniac]

do you have a ship list? just wondering if you have any ships

i don't ship much personally, but i'll give the few that i like

italpol & polukr r both great

russiaser is funny as fuck i love it

i only ship fruk if brexit was the divorce

and not really ship but i think communist mongolia and the ussr being queer platonic partners is cool.

[loonfull-sonnetzz]

To Soothe The Ache

Note: I lost motivation for this fic so I decided to just post the WIP since ya'll have been waiting for AGES. Sorry guys :') No beta we die like Frou Frou

༊*·˚Pairing: Alexei Vronsky X Soldier!Transman!Reader

༊*·˚Universe: Anna Karenina (2012)

༊*·˚Summary: You and Vronsky are soldiers and secretly find comfort

༊*·˚Warnings: menstruation, cramps, unsafe binding (do not bind with bandages!! Please!!), historical inaccuracies, mentions of war, probably out of character Vronsky (hadn’t read or watched Anna Karenina sorry :( )��

༊*·˚WC: 1k

Divider credit: Florietas 

Finally, serenity.

The cavalry unit you had found yourself in had traveled across the Stara Planina, trekking through the jagged peaks and small cliffs while leading the horses, praying to god your foot doesn’t slip on the ice or one of the horses panic from the distant howl of wolves that haunted the vicious winds. All for the sake of fighting off the Ottomans in Serbia. However, the stress was worth it, even as your legs screamed to rest and your eyelids began to go heavy from the restless nights guarding the makeshift camps the unit had made throughout the weeks.

Now your unit had finally left the mountains, finding a decent clearing amongst the soaring pines to rest once again. The wind no longer howls with threats, but whispers along the gently rattled pine needles. Between the spaces of the trees, up high, you could see stars twinkling in the inky night sky, hundreds and thousands of stars gazing down upon you – you could’ve sworn you could see into the eye of the milky way – Something you could never experience in your home city St. Petersburg where the fog and smoke hid the celestials. 

You took a deep breath. One good, deep and well-deserved breath. The crisp winter air filling your lungs, held, then exhaled – coming out as white mist that danced in the dark before dissipating.

But soon enough serenity would not last. Sure, it was relieving to be out late, no longer burdened by your comrades’ complaints and sharing company with the stars, but your body protested. Not just with the ache that dully throbbed in your legs or your eyes that you had to fight to keep open, but the pains that shoot from your hips and to your stomach, an unfortunate reminder of your secret. Stress could do so much before there could be no more delays and the time of the month comes crashing in. Or Alexei Vronsky chiding you for wearing your bandages for too long.

Alexei Vronsky, the man that was just as handsome as his frivolity and ambition, became an unlikely friend. It was all an accident, really. Months ago when they were stationed at some headquarters back home in Russia. Soldiers had to share washrooms, but you were vigilant and always went early in the morning or late at night when it came to changing so no one could know you were born a different boy, a boy who didn’t have the same body as the others. But one of those nights Vronsky was out for a while and returned late, exhausted and accidentally stumbling to the washroom to only catch a brief look as you panicked and slammed the door on his face. 

Even to this day it was hard to know why you had come out to him in the first place. Perhaps it was his hesitant inquiry, or the guilt for being rude for shutting the door on him. Or perhaps something more, that you both didn’t exactly fit societal norms. Vronsky may be charming, ambitious and brave – bearing the image of the perfect soldier, but he is still a man with his own struggles. Perhaps that’s why he didn’t freak out or prodded you with uncomfortable questions as most other people, especially aristocrats like him, usually did.

Shaking your head and pushing the reminiscing thoughts aside, you briskly make your way back to your tent. Your nimble fingers made way to your buttons in a swift fashion, undoing them until the top of your military uniform started to slide down your shoulders and gooseflesh covered your exposed skin. The cold once again reminding you of it’s limited mercy as it bit your flesh and sent chills down your spine. But hypothermia was probably better than cracking your ribs in the long run.

You were already about to unhook the pins that held the bandages before you heard someone clear their throat and call your name. You whipped your gaze at the intruder, stiffening up and crossing your arms over your chest instinctively before you realized who it was.

“Come here, will you?” Alexei murmured, his voice low and soothing like the distant babble of the creek. He drew you slowly enough that you could have pulled back easily. “You’ve already done so much for us since the beginning of this journey, this is the least I could do.”

You felt your face burn from the sudden praise and care, but you soon felt your shoulders droop and arms fall to your sides. He was right in a way, you could collapse at any point if the cramps or your duty as a soldier didn’t keep you up. So you let him trace the pins, unhooking them and unraveling the bandages. Your gaze flickered from his hands to his face, his brows a little furrowed with compassion and concentration as he buttoned up your uniform – not letting a moment of the wintry air freeze you or the discomfort of having your body vulnerable and exposed go on any further.

He catches your gaze as soon as he finishes, his hands lingering on the last button before one glides over to caress your cheek. His worry became more evident on his visage. “Is there something on your mind?”

The lie on your tongue was silenced by another wave of pain, making you hold your own waist and curling further to yourself. Alexei quickly holds you steady, his sapphire eyes flickering all over you to search for the cause of sudden agony.

“I’m bleeding out,” You said with a slightly self-deprecating chuckle, a little amused by Alexei’s fretting to something natural as menstruation. This only confused your fellow comrade before it seemed to click and he sighs and embraces you, his arms wrapped around your waist.

“I’ll be okay, it’s just cramps,” You said, biting down your tongue to smother a wince. But you didn't make an effort to leave and neither did Alexei, who didn’t look convinced by your lame excuse.

“I know, darling. But I'm not leaving your side to suffer this alone. I just want to make you feel better,”  He said, pulling back slightly to meet your gaze again. His hands trailing down to hold onto your hips, the warmth soothing the ache. Alexei then dipped his head down, his soft lips pressed against yours before he whispers against your lips. “How can I be of service?”

[mariacallous]

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the only EU leader to openly back Donald Trump in his bid to reclaim the White House, was unsurprisingly among the first to congratulate the former president on Wednesday morning, even before the final results were in and rival Kamala Harris had conceded.

“The biggest comeback in US political history! Congratulations to President @realDonaldTrump on his enormous win. A much needed victory for the World!” Orban rejoiced on X (formerly Twitter).

Orban, who will be hosting European leaders in Budapest later this week, was swiftly joined by other illiberal leaders and fellow populists in Central and Southeast Europe, likewise unable to contain their glee at the return of Trump, who by midmorning Europe time had gained 266 electoral votes — just four shy from the 270 he needs to be elected the 47th US president.

Another close ally of Trump in Central Europe, Polish President Andrzej Duda, who met the former president in New York earlier this year, posted excitedly, complete with emojis: “Congratulations, Mr. President @realDonaldTrump! You made it happen! 👏👏👏🇵🇱🤝🇺🇸”.

In the Czech Republic, the former prime minister and Trump admirer Andrej Babis posted on X: “Sensational comeback @realDonaldTrump! He wasn’t stopped by an assassination attempt, nor by politically motivated lawsuits, nor by a systematic smear campaign in the media. American citizens have made it clear who they want as US President. I am confident that his victory will bring prosperity to the United States and peace to the world.”

More subdued comments came from Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who Babis is looking to oust in 2025, also on X: “Congratulations to Donald Trump on winning the presidential election. Our shared goal is to ensure that the relations between our countries remain at the highest level, despite changes in administration, and that we continue to develop them for the benefit of our citizens.”

Populist Slovak prime minister, Robert Fico, is currently on a state visit to China, though his ally, President Peter Pellegrini, offered his congratulations to Donald Trump on X. “I wish you and the American people all the success. Slovakia remains to be a strong and reliable Ally on NATO’s tested Eastern Flank living up to our shared commitments. I sincerely wish for a continuation of our good cooperation. Let’s make the transatlantic bond great again.”

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who visited the White House during Trump’s first term in office that ended in 2020, welcomed Trump’s win on X. “Congratulations to Donald Trump on his victory. Together we face the serious challenges ahead. Serbia is committed to cooperation with the USA on stability, prosperity and peace,” Vucic wrote.

Turkey’s strongman leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said he wanted to congratulate his “great friend” Trump on his victory.

“In this new period that will begin with the election of the American people, I hope that Turkey-US relations will strengthen, that regional and global crises and wars, especially the Palestinian issue and the Russia-Ukraine war, will come to an end; I believe that more efforts will be made for a more just world,” Erdogan wrote on X.

The first to hail Trump’s win from Bosnia and Herzegovina was, unsurprisingly, the president of the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska entity, Milorad Dodik. “One of [the] most important electoral wins in recent history of the USA but the World as well! Congratulations, Donald Trump, 47th President of the United States of America!” Dodik wrote on his official X profile.

Late last year Dodik said that a victory for Trump would mean a “better geopolitical situation for Republika Srpska”, claiming that he regretted not declaring his entity’s independence from Bosnia and Herzegovina during Trump’s 2016-2020 presidency.

North Macedonia’s conservative prime minister, Hristijan Mickoski, sent his “heartfelt congratulations” to Trump on Wednesday morning. “This victory is a confirmation of the deep faith of the American people in the principles of freedom and democracy,” Mickoski, whose conservative, right-wing government came to power earlier this year, wrote on Facebook.

Mickoski and his cabinet are not among European leaders who fear a second Trump term could wreak havoc with transatlantic and international relations. His ruling VMRO-DPMNE party nurtures close ties with one of the biggest Trump endorsers on the continent, Hungary’s Orban, and over the summer Mickoski’s series of meetings with close Trump associates made his preference even more obvious.

“We look forward to further deepening our strong partnership and cooperation,” Mickoski added.

Warm words from the Balkans

The president of Montenegro, Jakov Milatovic, congratulated Trump on his victory. “Montenegro and the USA are friends and steadfast partners, united by shared goals and values, focused on advancing democracy, security, stability, and freedom. As NATO allies, we look forward to working very closely with Your administration on strengthening our friendship and deepening cooperation,” Milatovic wrote on X.

Montenegro’s first congratulatory message came earlier from the president of the parliament and leader of the pro-Serbian NOVA party Andrija Mandic. “I am sure that together we will build bridges of cooperation and preserve peace and stability in the Western Balkans,” Mandic wrote on X.

From Kosovo, which has deep ties with the US since the 1998-99 war, President Vjosa Osmani also congratulated Trump on his White House comeback.

“The US remains Kosovo’s steadfast partner and indispensable ally. I look forward to working with the new administration to further deepen our unique bond and strategic alliance,” Osmani said on X.

A similar message came from Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. “Congratulations on a convincing victory and a second presidential term,” Plenkovic wrote on X. “I look forward to our cooperation and further progress in Croatian-American relations.”

Plenkovic’s domestic political rival, President Zoran Milanovic, hailed “the will of the majority of voters” in choosing Trump. He wrote on Facebook: “Since Croatian independence, the USA has been a partner and friend, I am convinced that this will remain the choice of the new president”.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama was also effusive in his congratulations: “I look forward to the great privilege of working with the 47th President to further enhance our partnership for peace, prosperity and further progress,” Rama wrote on X.

In Bulgaria, Boyko Borissov, leader of recent election-winners GERB and former prime minister, posted a photo of himself with Trump on social media, saying: “I’m ready for us to work together, again!”

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev also congratulated the Republican victor: “I am confident that our effective dialogue at the highest level will continue in the interest of the strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the USA,” Radev said.

Opposition party We Continue the Change’s Kiril Petkov described Trump’s comeback as US president as “a serious achievement”, while noting: “Of course, Bulgaria’s fate depends first and foremost on the will of the Bulgarians, but good cooperation with the US is crucial in the positioning of our country amid the changing geopolitical reality.”

In Greece, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis added his voice to the congratulatory messages from countries across the region. “Greece looks forward to further deepening the strategic partnership between our two countries and working together on important regional and global issues,” Mitsotakis wrote on X.

[kmp78]

🇫🇮´s #1 newspaper. 🙃

"Jared Leto blurts out during gig - even the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry blasts him"

Rock band 30StM´s front man Jared Leto has angered Ukrainians all the way up to the foreign ministry.

According to Ukrainska Pravda-media the band performed in Belgrade on Oct 12. Leto confused the audience and gave a speech before the song ABL, which he partly dedicated to Russians.

Leto thanked the fans in Russian and said he wants to visit St. Pete and Moscow "once all the problems are over".

"We have missed you and you know what? Once all these problems are over we´ll be back in Serbia and we´ll go to St. Pete and Moscow", Leto said.

He continued that the band would later also be arriving to celebrate with fans in Kiev.

His Ukrainian fans did not like the speech.

"First of all, why doesn´t he just go to Moscow now? What´s the problem? And second, if he goes to Moscow, he can forget about Kiev", one fan commented on socials.

Even the Ukrainian foreign ministry has weighed in on Leto´s comments. The ministry posted on X a video of Leto´s speech and has combined it with imagery of the horrors of war.

"JARED LETO "FEELING RUSSIAN ENERGY" AND HOPING THAT HE´LL BE ABLE TO PERFORM IN RUSSIA IS AN OFFENCE TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES DEFENDING THEIR FREEDOM."

The post continues that "there can be no appeasing for Russia when it continues its attempts to solve the "problem" of Ukraine´s very existence".

The ministry´s post has gathered plenty of critique against Leto.

"You could have waved the Ukrainian flag, you could have spoken for peace - you chose otherwise. Instead you "missed Russians" and spoke of "problems". Shame on you", one commented.

[russiashouse]

Russia x serbia

One of my favorite ships!

[crystalsandbubbletea]

A rant about something I looked up and regret...

(CW: Swearing, all caps, very cursed things [AKA personifying countries and shipping them], stereotypes)

So my friend told me about this thing called "Countryhumans", and that friend told me that they had mixed feelings, and also told me to not look it up.

And fellas, I made a fatal mistake.

I looked it up, because I'm built wrong, and all I can say is...

BLLLEEEEEUUUUUGGGGHHHHEEEEEWWWW! WHAT THE FUCK-

WHAT THE FUCK HAVE I WITNESSED!?

RUSSIA X UKRAINE!?

POLAND X USSR!?

POLAND X NAZI GERMANY!?

PALESTINE X ISRAEL!?

RUSSIA X AMERICA!?

CANADA X NORTH KOREA!?

CHINA X JAPAN!?

USSR X NAZI GERMANY!?

ALBANIA X SERBIA!?

FUCKING SERBIA X BOSNIA!?

HAVE THOSE PEOPLE EVER TOUCHED HISTORY BOOKS!? HAVE THEY EVER LOOKED AT POLITICS!?

AND A MAJORITY OF THE TIME THE NATIONS WERE BEING STEREOTYPICAL OR STRAIGHT-UP OFFENSIVE!? (i.e: Poland being portrayed as "weak" and "defenseless")

MY THERAPIST WILL BE HEARING ABOUT THIS SHIT-

I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO MY FRIEND-

FELLAS MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T PERSONIFY NATIONS AND SHIP THEM!? MAYBE LOOK AT HISTORIES AND POLITICS!?

[skoati]

Someone please draw nyo russia x serbia I beg of you 🙏

[aijamisespava]

Wrapped 2023 (Aijamisespava Edition!)

Oookay, taking a break from my messenger role in Eurovision Land to bring you something different (buckle up, this is going to get long). Yesterday was Spotify Wrapped, and while I'm off celebrating my favorite songs that made it to that top 100 list, I also become a wild statistician and bring you my stats.

General Stats: Well...I listened for 139,902 minutes (more than my friends and family), my top artist was Taylor Swift with Evanescence, Panic! At The Disco, My Chemical Romance, and Loïc Nottet rounding out my top 5. I'd go into my top 5 songs but.....Loïc Nottet took 3rd and 4th with "Mélodrame" and "Mud Blood" respectively. What about the rest? That's what I'm here for.

Welcome to my Eurovision 2023. Any Eurovision song that makes my Spotify Wrapped is in my Grand Final. So countries can participate as many times as they appear. So here is my list. I'll have their actual placement on my Wrapped in parenthesis.

Latvia 2023: "Aijā" by Sudden Lights (1)

Serbia 2023: "Samo Mi Se Spava" by Luke Black (2)

Türkiye 2010: "We Could Be The Same" by maNga (5)

Switzerland 2021: "Tout l'univers" by Gjon's Tears (7)

Norway 2023: "Queen Of Kings" by Alessandra (9)

Australia 2023: "Promise" by Voyager (12)

Slovenia 2023: "Carpe Diem" by Joker Out (13)

Czechia 2023: "My Sister's Crown" by Vesna (14)

Georgia 2023: "Echo" by Iru (15)

Italy 2023: "Due Vite" by Marco Mengoni (17)

Armenia 2023: "Future Lover" by Brunette (19)

Austria 2023: "Who The Hell Is Edgar?" by Teya + Salena (20)

Lithuania 2023: "Stay" by Monika Linkyte (23)

Finland 2023: "Cha Cha Cha" by Käärijä (26)

France 2023: "Évidemment" by La Zarra (27)

Romania 2023: "D.G.T. (Off And On)" by Theodor Andrei (29)

United Kingdom 2023: "I Wrote A Song" by Mae Muller (31)

Australia 2016: "Sound Of Silence" by Dami Im (48)

Czechia 2022: "Lights Off" by We Are Domi (49)

Switzerland 2020: "Répondez-moi" by Gjon's Tears (52)

Bulgaria 2017: "Beautiful Mess" by Kristian Kostov (53)

Greece 2022: "Die Together" by Amanda Tenfjord (56)

Sweden 2015: "Heroes" by Måns Zelmerlöw (59)

Finland 2014: "Something Better" by Softengine (60)

Belgium 2015: "Rhythm Inside" by Loïc Nottet (61)

Italy 2014: "La Mia Città" by Emma (64)

Austria 2022: "Halo" by LUM!X and PIA MARIA (68)

Russia 2016: "You Are The Only One" by Sergey Lazarev (69)

Belarus: "Forever" by ALEKSEEV (72)

Denmark 2013: "Only Teardrops" by Emmelie de Forest (73)

Ireland 2020: "Story Of My Life" by Lesley Roy (79)

Ireland 2022: "That's Rich" by Brooke (87)

Ukraine 2017: "Time" by O. Torvald (93)

Finland 2022: "Jezebel" by The Rasmus (96)

Cyprus 2021: "El Diablo" by Elena Tsagrinou (97)

Moldova 2010: "Run Away" by Sunstroke Project (100)

Honorable mentions go to "Gladiator" by Jann and "Novi Plan Drugi San" by Filip Baloš for making my Wrapped at 21 and 32, respectively. They may not have made it to the Eurovision stage, but they have a soft spot in my heart. Unfortunately, I did not have any Junior Eurovision songs make it. But if they did, they would be listed.

[xdominiklivakovicx]

Also I forgot to post an ice breaker so here it is;

Name ; Ashley | Ash | Ashie | Trashley

Age range ; 15-17

Nationality ; Croatian 🇭�� | Russian 🇷🇺

Pronouns ; She | Her ♀️

Hobbies ; Drawing | Writing | Animating

Interests ; Art | Football | Animation in general | Rock Music

---------------------------------------------------

Since when did you start following football?

Since 2018 when the World Cup in Russia started

Favorite National Teams?

Croatia NT - because they achieved so much those past 5 years, yes I know they like to move games to penalties and play with our nerves, but I still feel like I am part of their family like other Croatia NT fans :)

Russia NT - because I simply like Russian people and I am half one, so I really fell in love with that team. They played so well during the WC in 2018 and during WC qualifiers. I was literally so miserable when I found out they will not be able to participate in Qatar

Serbia NT - idk I love them simply because they are our neighbours and I always love supporting my neighbours during EURO and WC

Who was your favorite player then and why?

(Wow wut a hard question I have asked myself) Livakovic obviously. I know he was being kept on a bench, but I always knew he would be a great goalkeeper, he is our number 1 and very important member of the National Team, yet I didn't post stuff about him at all because I didn't have Tumblr, I was a dumb kid lmfao- but yeah, I can talk about him 'till I die, so yeah I am moving to the next question before I go too far

Do you train football? If you don't, why?

Hell no I don't. First of all; I am very anti-social person (tho there is exclusion when it comes to going on matches I love rooting with other peeps), Second of all; I have very low self-esteem, Third of all; I wanted to be a goalkeeper, but I was always afraid to get goals bc people often get mad at me, fuck them

Favorite clubs?

Dinamo Zagreb - I've been following this club since 2018 after the end of WC in 2018 mainly because of Livi, I love that guy sm he is precious, but the love of this club has grown in 2021 because of its success in Europa League.

Man City - Kova plays in City and he is literally my 2nd fav football player, and one of my best friends roots for City so here we are 👌

Borussia Dortmund - Idk I just love them so much, their mascot is so cute, the club has gotten my hear for some reason 😭

Favorite pic in your gallery?

The one where I took a picture with Livi 💙

What are your favorite bands?

Nirvana

Sex Pistols

Let 3

Termiti

The Beatles

Led Zeppelin

Scorpions

Green Day

Metallica

Rammstein

Daleka Obala

Queen

Ramones

Black Sabbath

Weezer

SOCIALS:

Instagram

- WW2 drawings - x._.unteroffizier._.ashley._.x

- Normal art - punkish._.stoat._.studios

Discord

- TrASHLEY#3627

Artfight

- PunkishStoatStudios

---------------------------------------------------

Idk what to tell about myself anymore, so enjoy this short af info about myself :}

And see ya in the next post lmfao

Also check out my art acc! -> @nikitatheweasel2

[miss-rum-hee]

Hey! I was thinking about something and wanted to ask: What do you think of calls for GOOD Slavic representation and Slavophobia being shoved aside (mainly by POC) as being unimportant because "you're just white and already have enough rep", when Slavs of all white people should get the rep. Slavs and Eastern Europeans are usually represented in negative ways. Some examples of movies and TV that are guilty of this other than spy movies are:

Taken and Hostel - Stereotype: "Eastern European S*x Trafficker". Taken, one of the most blatant pieces of propaganda. Basically "Big Strong Eagle Daddy American saves his Beautiful Damsel Daughter from Those Savage Barbaric Albanian Perverts", and Hostel. Hostel is "The American Men Get Tortured by Slovaks", and Slovak people called it out. Albania's government had to make signs showing how nice Albania actually looked to try and fix their bad reputation.

Orphan - Stereotype "Eastern European Killer". Esther is revealed to be Estonian, which is Baltic, which while not Slavic is still Eastern European. She's a killer in a kid's body who manipulates people and even tries to SEDUCE AN ADULT MAN. Ironically, Estonia is closer to Finnish culture than Slavic/Russian culture.

Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Tale of the Nightly Neighbors: Not really a stereotype. Also implied antisemitism too. The main characters are a brother and sister, and their new neighbours from Ukraine are sus. The sister believes them to be vampires (which turns out to be true). The problem is how she talks about Ukraine and Eastern Europe when trying to convince her brother the truth. She's like "Ukraine is around those other places. Hungary, Russia, Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Transylvania". The neigbours are also implied to be Jewish with the surname Braun.

Sabrina the Teenage Witch episode Date witj Destiny. This one is more subtle, and I don't think this had malicious intent as it should be noted, Harvey, one of the recurring characters and Sabrina's boyfriend, is Slovenian-American. But this episode is still kinda sus. Sabrina's dating another man at this point and he gets a business job in the Czech Republic. But Sabrina seems to have a hatred and bias against Czech people. She spends the entire episode trying to keep Josh (the man) away from Prague, she's like "oh with that guy Vojtek Kreszowski" or something, and she makes his trip their miserable. Makes the hotel staff rude, makes the room a sty, to the point where he says it's like he's a POW.

Another subtle one most people don't get. Sixteen Candles is notorious for Long Duk Dong, but a quick and often unnoticed discrimination is there too. the heroine's dad , when talking about her sister's boyfriend, says "we're glad she's not marrying an oily Bohunk". Bohunk is an offensive term for a Hungarian person, so he hates Hungarians, and the boyfriend is Hungarian-American.

Or they get erased (like the new MH G3, despite what people say "Draculaura's still Romanian" when it's clear she's not, "the accents were stereotypical" when Romanians and Russians didn't care, "Abbey wasn't Russian" when she was, with her family's names, as well as being okay with mixed Drac and Clawdeen but drawing the line at Abbey, or the Netflix Witcher getting rid of all the Polish influence from the original books, and even the author calling out how they handled his story and characters).

Just wanted to know what you thought of all of this, and how Slavs get called "racist" for talking about Slavophobia and why they deserve rep even when they clarify they're not trying to make POC seem less important

I think it's pretty shitty ngl. It's hard to put into words, but like....One group's representation shouldn't matter more than the other & treating them that way is not a good thing, but it seems like some people really want to push that crap. They should all have the chance to be shown on screen.

It's kinda goofy how they dismiss Slavs wanting better rep as "oh you're just white you HAVE rep already" considering how the Irish (you know, mostly fair-skinned people) weren't even considered the same as whites for a long ass while. I forgot where I saw this, but back in the 40s, there were legit signs at workplaces saying shit like "Asians/Irish/Blacks need not apply."

The Irish weren't even considered as white for a long ass time, so like, what makes these mfs think Slavs are even considered the same?

[residentraccoon]

Eurovision 2017 vs 2018

Inspired by @six-paths-of-jeanmarco (I really wanted to try this sorry lmao)

Albania: World vs Mall

Armenia: Fly with Me vs Qami

Australia: Don't Come Easy vs We Got Love

Austria: Running on Air vs Nobody but You

Azerbaijan: Skeletons vs X My Heart

Belarus: Story of My Life vs Forever

Belgium: City Lights vs A Matter of Time

Bulgaria: Beautiful Mess vs Bones

Croatia: My Friend vs Crazy

Cyprus: Gravity vs Fuego

Czechia: My Turn vs Lie to Me

Denmark: Where I Am vs Higher Ground

Estonia: Verona vs La forza

Finland: Blackbird vs Monsters

France: Requiem vs Mercy

Georgia: Keep the Faith vs For You

Germany: Perfect Life vs You Let Me Walk Alone

Greece: This Is Love vs Oniro mou

Hungary: Origo vs Viszlát nyár

Iceland: Paper vs Our Choice

Ireland: Dying to Try vs Together

Israel: I Feel Alive vs Toy

Italy: Occidentali's Karma vs Non mi avete fatto niente

Latvia: Line vs Funny Girl

Lithuania: Rain of Revolution vs When We're Old (UNPOPULAR OPINION IK IM SORRY)

Malta: Breathlessly vs Taboo

Moldova: Hey Mamma vs My Lucky Day (WHY I love both wtf)

Montenegro: Space vs Inje

Netherlands: Lights and Shadows vs Outlaw in 'Em

North Macedonia: Dance Alone vs Lost and Found

Norway: Grab the Moment vs That's How You Write a Song

Poland: Flashlight vs Light Me Up

Portugal: Amar pelos dois vs O jardim

Romania: Yodel It! vs Goodbye

Russia: Flame Is Burning vs I Won't Break (none lmao)

San Marino: Spirit of the Night vs Who We Are

Serbia: In Too Deep vs Nova deca

Slovenia: On My Way vs Hvala, ne!

Spain: Do It for Your Lover vs Tu canción

Sweden: I Can't Go On vs Dance You Off

Switzerland: Apollo vs Stones (again why do you make me choose between these two)

Ukraine: Time vs Under the Ladder

United Kingdom: Never Give Up on You vs Storm

2017: 20

2018: 22

[mariacallous]

Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari who mediated Kosovo-Serbia talks from 2005 to 2007 passed away on Monday in Helsinki, Finland, the CMI, his Peace Foundation, confirmed. Ahtisaari was 86.

Sauli Niinisto, President of Finland, on X (formerly Twitter) expressed sadness when receiving the news. “Martti Ahtisaari believed in people, civilization and goodness, and he lived a great, remarkable life,” Niinisto said.

Ahtisaari was appointed in 2005 as the United Nations special envoy for talks on the final status of Kosovo, seven years after he had played a key role in trying to bring an end to hostilities there.

After no results in the talks between Serbian and Kosovo’s ethnic Albanian officials, he recommended ‘supervised independence’ for Kosovo.

The so-called Ahtisaari plan served as the basis for Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008, and the reforms it prescribed were pursued in the following months by Kosovo’s government.

However the plan was never put up for a vote at UN Security Council because of Russia’s announcement that it would use its veto, as a permanent member.

In 1999, during NATO air strikes campaign against Yugoslav forces, Ahtisaari served as mediator for the European Union in the attempt to persuade then Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to accept NATO’s plan for an end to hostilities.

He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 for his work in Indonesia, Kosovo and other countries. Ahtisaari then told CNN that peacemaking is always possible and is something which makes him feel proud. “This has sought to work in Indonesia and Kosovo,” Ahtisaari told CNN. In 2005, he oversaw the end of a three-decade conflict between the Indonesian government and Free Aceh Movement rebels that killed some 15,000 people.

Miroslav Lajcak, the EU envoy on the Kosovo- Serbia dialogue, expressed his sadness on Ahtisaari’s passing.

“A highly respected giant of foreign policy, I immensely valued his knowledge, vision and assessments. He once famously said peace is a question of will. This remains more true than ever,” Lajcak said on ‘X’.

Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani said the people of Kosovo mourn the passing of Ahtisaari. “He stood shoulder to shoulder with us as we penned our story as a sovereign, democratic, and independent state. His visionary legacy will forever live in the memory of the people of Kosovo,” Osmani said..

Ahtisaari was President of Finland from 1994 to 2000. Prior to that he had a distinguished career at the United Nations and the Finnish Foreign Ministry.

In 2000, he founded the Crisis Management Initiative, CMI, an independent non-governmental organisation, to continue his legacy of conflict resolution. CMI is today known as CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation.

[six-paths-of-jeanmarco]

Eurovision 2017 vs 2018

Albania: World vs Mall Armenia: Fly with Me vs Qami Australia: Don't Come Easy vs We Got Love Austria: Running on Air vs Nobody but You Azerbaijan: Skeletons vs X My Heart Belarus: Story of My Life vs Forever Belgium: City Lights vs A Matter of Time Bulgaria: Beautiful Mess vs Bones Croatia: My Friend vs Crazy Cyprus: Gravity vs Fuego Czechia: My Turn vs Lie to Me Denmark: Where I Am vs Higher Ground Estonia: Verona vs La forza Finland: Blackbird vs Monsters France: Requiem vs Mercy Georgia: Keep the Faith vs For You Germany: Perfect Life vs You Let Me Walk Alone Greece: This Is Love vs Oniro mou Hungary: Origo vs Viszlát nyár Iceland: Paper vs Our Choice Ireland: Dying to Try vs Together Israel: I Feel Alive vs Toy Italy: Occidentali's Karma vs Non mi avete fatto niente Latvia: Line vs Funny Girl Lithuania: Rain of Revolution vs When We're Old Malta: Breathlessly vs Taboo Moldova: Hey Mamma vs My Lucky Day Montenegro: Space vs Inje Netherlands: Lights and Shadows vs Outlaw in 'Em North Macedonia: Dance Alone vs Lost and Found Norway: Grab the Moment vs That's How You Write a Song Poland: Flashlight vs Light Me Up Portugal: Amar pelos dois vs O jardim Romania: Yodel It! vs Goodbye Russia: Flame Is Burning vs I Won't Break San Marino: Spirit of the Night vs Who We Are Serbia: In Too Deep vs Nova deca Slovenia: On My Way vs Hvala, ne! Spain: Do It for Your Lover vs Tu canción Sweden: I Can't Go On vs Dance You Off Switzerland: Apollo vs Stones Ukraine: Time vs Under the Ladder United Kingdom: Never Give Up on You vs Storm

2017: 21 vs 2018: 22

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 8.17 (after 1945)

1947 – The Radcliffe Line, the border between the Dominions of India and Pakistan, is revealed. 1949 – The 6.7 Ms  Karlıova earthquake shakes eastern Turkey with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), leaving 320–450 dead. 1949 – Matsukawa derailment: Unknown saboteurs cause a passenger train to derail and overturn in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, killing three crew members and igniting a political firestorm between the Japanese Communist Party and the government of Occupied Japan that will eventually lead to the Japanese Red Purge. 1953 – First meeting of Narcotics Anonymous takes place, in Southern California. 1955 – Hurricane Diane made landfall near Wilmington, North Carolina, and it went on to cause major floods and kill more than 184 people. 1958 – Pioneer 0, America's first attempt at lunar orbit, is launched using the first Thor-Able rocket and fails. Notable as one of the first attempted launches beyond Earth orbit by any country. 1959 – Quake Lake is formed by the magnitude 7.2 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake near Hebgen Lake in Montana. 1960 – Aeroflot Flight 036 crashes in Soviet Ukraine, killing 34. 1962 – Peter Fechter is shot and bleeds to death while trying to cross the new Berlin Wall. 1969 – Category 5 Hurricane Camille hits the U.S. Gulf Coast, killing 256 and causing $1.42 billion in damage. 1970 – Soviet Union Venera program: Venera 7 launched. It will become the first spacecraft to successfully transmit data from the surface of another planet (Venus). 1976 – A magnitude 7.9 earthquake hits off the coast of Mindanao, Philippines, triggering a destructive tsunami, killing between 5,000-8,000 people and leaving more than 90,000 homeless. 1977 – The Soviet icebreaker Arktika becomes the first surface ship to reach the North Pole. 1978 – Double Eagle II becomes first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean when it lands in Miserey, France near Paris, 137 hours after leaving Presque Isle, Maine. 1985 – The 1985–86 Hormel strike begins in Austin, Minnesota 1988 – President of Pakistan Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and U.S. Ambassador Arnold Raphel are killed in a plane crash. 1991 – Strathfield massacre: In Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, taxi driver Wade Frankum shoots seven people and injures six others before turning the gun on himself. 1998 – Lewinsky scandal: US President Bill Clinton admits in taped testimony that he had an "improper physical relationship" with White House intern Monica Lewinsky; later that same day he admits before the nation that he "misled people" about the relationship. 1999 – The 7.6 Mw  İzmit earthquake shakes northwestern Turkey with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), leaving 17,118–17,127 dead and 43,953–50,000 injured. 2004 – The National Assembly of Serbia unanimously adopts new state symbols for Serbia: Bože pravde becomes the new anthem and the coat of arms is adopted for the whole country. 2005 – The first forced evacuation of settlers, as part of Israeli disengagement from Gaza, starts. 2005 – Over 500 bombs are set off by terrorists at 300 locations in 63 out of the 64 districts of Bangladesh. 2008 – American swimmer Michael Phelps becomes the first person to win eight gold medals at one Olympic Games. 2009 – An accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam in Khakassia, Russia, kills 75 and shuts down the hydroelectric power station, leading to widespread power failure in the local area. 2015 – A bomb explodes near the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, killing at least 19 people and injuring 123 others. 2017 – Barcelona attacks: A van is driven into pedestrians in La Rambla, killing 14 and injuring at least 100. 2019 – A bomb explodes at a wedding in Kabul killing 63 people and leaving 182 injured.

[theinyshlobster]

instructions for dancing by nicola yoon [review]

read from july 27th - july 31st

review

didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as i did honestly!

i do find the more and more i read the less i like the YA genre but this was a happy little book which i had fun with. i wouldn’t say i was craving to find the ending therefore that’s why its a 3-star, but i still had a good time!

i found evie very quippy and funny, and a lot more intriguing that your usual YA romance novel protagonist. her decisions at times were grating but im finding that’s the point of YA /lhj

X was…. fine. i mean immediate point ding for sharing the same name as musk’s awful website (this book was published in 2021 so yet again this is a joke). but i mean he was nice i guess. he kind of felt one-dimensional minus his backstory with clay & his dad but like… idk it didn’t go beyond that really. the last 30 pages decided to throw a random curveball to his story which i really didn’t see coming. honestly i don’t think i liked it. yes there was “foreshadowing” but idk it felt completely random and unnecessary. nicola yoon please stop killing a main character in ur YA romances please

. i mean im not mad at it but it really wasn’t needed and felt like the tone flipped literally at the last second. not needed!

the wlw rep surprisingly fit right into the story & didn’t seem forced so as a lesbian i will take that as a win. 

fifi was…. weird. idk her characterisation reminds me of when in movies make the bad guys from somewhere like russia, serbia, etc. i mean fifi wasn’t a complete stereotype & she was a nice character by the end but i wasn’t particularly thrilled with her. why was her whole character the fact she has a thick accent. ok sure.

other side characters really had nothing going for them. evie’s dad was alright, and other than that everyone felt flat. you can only do so much in 280 pages but trying to characterise evie’s friends, her mum, her sister, X’s grandparents, his dad, shirley, shirley’s mum…. please you cannot achieve that much in such little pages. honestly you could have even removed evie’s sister and the plot really wouldn’t have suffered. and that leads me on to my final point - too much was trying to be done. like we have evie’s visions, her romance, her plot with her dad, her plot with her friends, martin’s plot, the dance competition…. too much was trying to be achieved and it resulted in nothing really “succeeding”. like i fully forgot this book was about dancing for a good while because that plot was not mentioned for a while. and then i forgot the dad plot because the dancing took up a good portion of reading time. and then the dad’s plot took up a lot of time so i forgot about the friendship plot. the book either needed to be longer to account for all of this or just chuck out some of the side plots and focus on making a few side plots and the overall plot stronger. but honestly i don’t find this egregious as it’s a YA. no shade to YA it’s probably my most read genre but i don’t pick up a YA book expecting a literary masterpiece. i expect to be entertained. and i was! but from a critical perspective……. 😬

lets all just gloss over the fact i didn't do a currently reading post for this im in the trenches atm