#verdict is norwegian

[norvgchar]

Deadlock from Valorant is a Norwegian character, whose real name is Iselin, a typical Norwegian name that was popular through 1990 to 2010.

Iselin is voiced by voice actress is Nora Gjestvang, a Norwegian voice actress who appears to be from the Norwegian district Romerike. Gjestvang speaks in a typical eastern Norwegian or capital-adjacent dialect, which is carried over to the character. Gjestvang has previously been the Norwegian voices for characters like Moana/Vaiana (from Disney’s Moana/Vaiana) and Tulip Olsen (from Infinity Train). Compared to other Norwegian media, her type of voice, way of speaking and dialect are very commonly seen in television series and movies aimed at a younger audience.

In the introductory cinematic for Iselin, as well as in-game, there is Norwegian dialogue. The cinematic’s Norwegian lines are grammatically correct, but they remain stiff, unnatural and unexpected. It is clear, however, that the voice actors hired are Norwegian speakers. Examples of these weird lines are such as “Du blir tilintetgjort!”, roughly translating to “You are being annihilated!”, when Deadlock attacks a polar bear on Svalbard.

In-game, the voice lines remain short and leave little room for cringe, though they are full of swears. In one of the voice lines, she says her own name, “Iselin”, in a weird fashion. Otherwise, there seems to be voice lines that randomly insert Norwegian in an unnatural fashion, but they’re there none-the-less. Some of the lines seem to be pieced together or like an off-take. The voice actress, Gjestvang, seems to have an issue with the word “smørøyet” (”the butter eye”, a term used here as “in the middle”/”bullseye”), which she pronounces “smørje”. Spoken Norwegian is not standardized the same way as written Norwegian, and this might be a weird eastern European dialect thing. Her accent in English is pretty on-point, and is offensively apparent or German.

There is not a lot of lore available for Iselin. She is or was part of a fictional group called Ståljeger (”steel hunter”), and doesn’t seem to be fond of talking to strangers.

Verdict: Her ass IS Norwegian.

Fun fact: While Norwegian voice actors are often omitted when it comes to portraying Norwegian characters, Valorant has a Swedish character, Breach, voiced by Norwegian-American David Menkin from Moss, Norway. This makes Nora Gjestvang the second Norwegian voice actor for player characters in Valorant, which is two more than video games usually have!

[therealvinelle]

Can I hear your opinions on rita skeeter?

You know how some stories have that only sane man, the one person who isn't impressed by our dashing main characters or who's living in a different genre and rated story? The one, typically a fan favorite, character who has a fundamentally different perspective. They can also, shortly put, be the "this is stupid and you're stupid" character.

The NBC Hannibal show has Freddie Lounds ("I'm a bad, bad man", Will threatens her. He is then surprised when she runs a feature on the FBI hiring a creep to come to crime scenes and pretend he's a serial killer.) The Vampire Diaries had Elijah (he isn't a great example of this, but legacy fans will remember all the jokes about how the reason the writers never put him in episodes was because he'd have solved all the characters' stupid problems within twenty minutes and there would be no plot for the rest of the season. Elijah was perceived to be living in a different type of show than the rest of the teen drama cast), and there are some who think that this was Snape for Harry Potter.

They are wrong.

Rita, my dove

Let's take a look at a few things Rita prints over the course of canon, where we have an insight into what actually happened and know precidely what she printed. I have my copy of Goblet of Fire with me, it's in Norwegian so I'll be translating back to English but I trust that's alright.

The Quidditch world cup incident

What we know happened:

The British Ministry was responsible for the event. It was highly prestigious, with foreign leaders attending and people from all over the world camped out near the stadion. After the first match there's celebrations, which turns into a riot. Tents are set on fire, people are chased through the camp grounds, and there's total chaos where nobody knows where their loved ones are. The riot soon turns into a homage to Voldemort, with rioters in Death Eater uniforms tormenting the Muggles living nearby and someone putting up the Dark Mark.

Arthur Weasley, who works in the Department of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts (which is admittedly part of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement), is sent to make a statement on the Ministry's behalf to the terrified witches and wizards hiding.

What Skeeter reports:

Headlining "TERROR AT THE WORLD CUP" (me translating), with an image of the Dark Mark, Rita Skeeter writes (this is Arthur skimming): "Ministry blunders... culprits not apprehended... lax security... Dark wizards running unchecked... national disgrace..." (original English from the wiki)

A full section (and this is me translating again): "If the terrified witches and wizards who waited for information while they hid in the woods had hoped for any sort of reassurance from the Ministry of Magic, they were sorely disappointed. A department spokesman, who only showed up long after the Dark Mark had appeared, claimed no one had been injured but refused to give further information. It remains to be seen if this statement will quell the rumors that several bodies were seen being recovered from the woods an hour later."

Verdict

All of this is accurate, except the last sentence.

Nobody was killed in the incident. However, Skeeter was acting on the information available to her, and she makes it clear this last part is unconfirmed. Further, I'm going to come out in her defense and say that Skeeter, writing an article critical of the Ministry in a community with a very loose sense of free speech, can't take Arthur Weasley at his vague word and should refer to her own sense of judgement when deciding whether the rumors are credible enough to print or not.

As it is, a riot in a crowded area at night with people who dressed like Death Eaters, where the Dark Mark was fired into the sky, where mass panic erupted, in a world where children can produce deadly magic with their wands, could easily have led to casualties. I don't think it was a far leap for Skeeter that people might have died, and the Ministry didn't want to admit as much.

Notice her phrasing (and yes, I know you're reading my translation) when she talks about the Ministry: "It remains to be seen if this statement will quell the rumors that several bodies were seen being recovered from the woods an hour later." Not, "It remains to be seen whether the rumors that several bodies were seen being recovered from the woods an hour later were true.", or any type of phrasing indicating that the truth will out. Only rumors that may or may not be quelled.

Knowing that the Wizarding World doesn't appear to be a functional nor accountable democracy, that things like statistics likely don't exist (who will be your statistician if there is no basic math education? How will wizards interpret statistics if they don't understand basic maths, what use are error margins and percentages to them? This is important, because without statistics there is also no need to collect numbers - how many students take the core classes, how many are employed after X years, how many citizens die in a given year and of what causes... you see where I'm going with this), and that Arthur gets so defensive when reading legitimate criticism of his Ministry (not even his department or jurisdiction, mind, and Skeeter anonymized him), indicates a fraught understanding of governmental accountability and transparency.

In other words, who can say if anybody died that night. Arthur himself had gone to bed with his family as soon as the chaos was under control, and there was no tally after the riot, no controlled evacuation, nothing. Skeeter wasn't wrong for publishing what she herself clarified was speculation, either way I'm hard pressed to see her as a villain for putting the Ministry under pressure, in fact I have to wonder if this kind of pressure is necessary to get them to admit things they'd otherwise shove under the carpet.

Back to Arthur Weasley. In response to this article he says to his family (me translating again): "Molly, I must go to the office. Killing this is going to take some time."

Now, I know real governments have to cry over scandals that take time to move past as well: however, what are people upset over? What's the scandal?

Oh, yes, that the Ministry wasn't able to prevent a riot at a large sports event, flubbed completely once it had begun, and failed to give the people any kind of useful or timely information. All of that is true. The only part that isn't true, would be dispelled if they'd only put out a statement saying "no one was killed". The only reason why one such statement wouldn't work is if Ministry statements are not considered trustworthy - and this is where we return to the above.

So far, so good on Rita Skeeter, and so bad on Arthur who, going by this section, questions the Ministry less than Bellatrix Lestrange questions Voldemort.

Interlude: Percy and the vampires

While the article about the World Cup is read, Percy jumps in with an anecdote about Skeeter.

"That woman is always out to slander the Ministry," Percy said angrily. "Last week she claimed we waster our time fooling around with cauldron thickness when we should be extinguishing vampires! As though it is not expressedly stated in Guidelines for treatment of non-wizard halfhumans that-"

I'm not going to make any guesses as to what precisely Skeeter's criticism was, because Percy is angry and venting to his family, which doesn't make him likely to present her argument fairly. Who knows what, specifically, she criticized and why and what she asked for in her article. What we do know is that she questioned Ministry priorities and resource allotment, and Percy takes it personally, he gets angry about it. Hostility and defensiveness is the gut reaction.

More damningly, "that woman is always out to slander the Ministry" implies no one else is doing it.

Your star is rising, Rita.

Oh no, post got long

And this is the part where I'd go on to her interview with Harry and subsequent articles, and later on Dumbledore, but I'm realizing that would make this post a very long and decentralized mess.

Will cover it in follow up posts: today is for Rita vs. the Ministry and how the Weasleys think Muggles are so quaint with their democracricy and freedom of speech, teehee that's silly.

[spacebubblehomebase]

Love your art and can't wait for more HHstargazers!!! one question... how tf do you pronounce "Magne" cause as I read i just replace it with"morningstar" in my head but i dont like doing that lol

I'm really glad you're excited about my AU ^v^, but as for how to pronounce "Magne"... Sorry. But it seems I'm just as lost as you are in this. 😅👉👈 Because while I have my own interpretation based on my acquired accent, apparently there's more than one way to say it! Depending if you're French, American, or Norwegian just to name some examples. I've heard the different ways people read it out loud, along with its different meanings, and my verdict ended up being: It's fine as long as you tried. XD There doesn't seem to be a universal way of speaking it as I've only seen people be as confused as us (but if there is, I may have also missed it) and it just doesn't seem worth stressing about atm. Maybe someone else would know better, but personally, I pronounce it as "Magh-Neh" just cause my Filipino reading comprehension first thought of it that way and I stuck with it. Again, sorry I couldn't help more. TvT But even the owner of the name won't tell me anything useful. Damn you, Luci "birb" Magne!!! /jk -Bubbly💙

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Andrew Doyle

Published: Feb 1, 2025

I do not much like the destruction of books. As a form of protest, it conjures sinister images from the past, most notably the Pathé news reels of brownshirts and students gathered around a pyre in Berlin’s Opernplatz under the watchful eye of Joseph Goebbels. The Nazis had raided libraries, universities and other private collections to harvest works by political dissidents, sexologists, “degenerate” artists and any others deemed to be “un-German”. Books by Left-wing authors such as Karl Marx, Bertolt Brecht and Rosa Luxemburg were publicly incinerated, along with fictional works by the likes of Thomas Mann, Franz Kafka, Victor Hugo, Oscar Wilde and James Joyce. This was philistinism in its purest form.

The symbolism of a burning book is, therefore, the repudiation of the very notion of freedom. And yet this same freedom means that we must be able to burn books if we so desire. The Nazis, of course, were destroying the property of others, an authoritarian act designed to eliminate whole branches of thought. This is not to be conflated with an individual who chooses to vandalise his or her own property. The trans activists who burn J.K. Rowling’s books and post the footage online are making fools of themselves, but they are also exercising their right to do so in a free society.

This is a distinction worth bearing in mind when we consider the murder of anti-Islam campaigner Salwan Momika, an Iraqi man who had been awaiting a verdict in Sweden for the crime of “agitation against an ethnic or national group”. Momika had publicly burned a number of copies of the Quran during the summer of 2023. He was shot dead during or just before a live stream on TikTok at his home in Södertälje on Wednesday. The details are as of yet unclear, but there are suggestions that the assassination may have involved a foreign power.

Momika had been granted temporary residence in Sweden in 2018, although his frustration with his adopted country’s lacklustre commitment to freedom of speech led him to seek asylum in Norway in March 2024. After just a few weeks, the Norwegian authorities had him deported back to Sweden. According to Momika, the prosecutor in his trial had been seeking his extradition back to Iraq because of his criticisms of Islam. Back in August, he had posted the following on X: “Sweden and Norway have identified me as a threat to their security. Yes, I am a threat to the Islamization project of the West, which is being pursued by your Leftist communist government that is deceiving the citizens and making the country Islamic. So I have come to awaken the people and thwart the Islamization project of the West, and I will not be afraid of you.”

In cases of this kind, it has become depressingly inevitable that commentators will seek to blame the victim. After the publication of Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses in 1988, the Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran issued a fatwa calling for the author’s murder. Instead of taking a united stance against a foreign regime threatening the life of a British citizen, pundits and politicians engaged in endless debates about whether Rushdie had brought this on himself. Crime novelist John Le Carré stated that “there is no law in life or nature that says great religions may be insulted with impunity”, and that “there is no absolute standard of free speech in any society”. It should go without saying that powerful theocrats do not require protection from the hurtful words of novelists.

Last month was the 10th anniversary of the massacre at the offices of the French magazine Charlie Hebdo. Initially, world leaders were united in their condemnation of terrorists who had butchered cartoonists for drawing satirical caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed. Thousands gathered at vigils and held placards bearing the words “Je Suis Charlie”. PEN America — an organisation devoted to the principle of free expression — created a “courage award” for Charlie Hebdo. That was until dozens of members of PEN, including writers such as Joyce Carol Oates and Junot Díaz, signed an open letter in protest. Charlie Hebdo, they claimed, had mocked a “section of the French population that is already marginalized, embattled and victimized”. This was, of course, to misidentify the target. The cartoonists weren’t “punching down” at the Muslim minority, but rather “punching up” at the authoritarianism of institutionalised religion.

We never seem to learn that appeasement of religious extremists only makes them stronger. Our collective failure to take a firm stance for artistic liberty in the Rushdie affair has made it more difficult to uphold the principle today. That Momika was on trial in the first place suggests that Sweden’s commitment to freedom of expression has been subordinated to the creed of multiculturalism. According to the BBC, following Momika’s campaigns in 2023 the Swedish government had “pledged to explore legal means of abolishing protests that involve burning texts in certain circumstances”. Yet Momika’s copies of the Quran were his own property, and he was free to dispose of them as he wished. We might take the view that his method of protest is insensitive or provocative, but in a free society such behaviour is a matter of individual conscience.

The victim-blamers have been predictably vocal. Within hours of the news of Momika’s murder, television personality Bushra Shaikh posted the following on X: “Some of you may disagree but the public desecration of any holy book should be viewed as a hate crime and the offender should face consequences”. She later clarified that by “face consequences” she was not supporting murder, but rather the principle that the “government decides on the punishment”. And yet Shaikh’s logic defeats itself. Her post has been widely interpreted as hate-filled and authoritarian. Does this mean that, if the government were to designate the public advocacy of blasphemy laws a “hate crime”, she would be content to be prosecuted?

Those who endorse authoritarianism, in other words, are laying a trap for themselves. If we look to the state to punish our detractors, where does that leave us when the values of those in power no longer align with our own? Momika has been blamed for the riots and the international diplomatic rows that ensued following his campaigns, but the peaceful protester is not responsible for those who break the law in response. Last summer, the Guardian published a piece that presented his Quran-burning as evidence of a “racism crisis”. One of the Swedish Muslim interviewees was quoted as saying: “I understand you are allowed to think and feel what you want, this is a free country, but there must be boundaries. It’s such a pity that it has happened so many times and Sweden doesn’t seem to learn from its mistakes.”

Those of us who still believe in liberal values will baulk at the suggestion — and the implied threat — in claiming that we are mistaken to support freedom of expression. Moreover, there is nothing racist about burning a copy of the Quran. Islam is a belief-system, not a race. The criminalisation of “Islamophobia” makes about as much sense as prosecuting citizens for “Marxistophobia” or “Freemarketcapitalismophobia”. Had Momika burned a copy of The Communist Manifesto, would there be calls to modify the law to see him incarcerated?

Increasingly, Western societies are pandering to religious zealots who are willing to resort to violence to achieve their aims. Members of the ruling class are undeniably afraid. During Prime Minister’s Questions in November 2024, the Labour MP for Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley, Tahir Ali, asked Keir Starmer whether he would establish “measures to prohibit the desecration of all religious texts and the prophets of the Abrahamic religions”. Starmer replied: “I agree that desecration is awful and should be condemned across the House. We are, as I said before, committed to tackling all forms of hatred and division, including Islamophobia in all its forms.” A better response would have been: “Blasphemy laws are incompatible with the values of a free country.”

It is undeniably the case that Islamic theocracies are intolerant to dissent, but we have only ourselves to blame if we capitulate to pressure from foreign powers to undermine our commitment to secularism. Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan, for instance, blamed the radicalisation of Islamic terrorists on the French president Emmanuel Macron’s tolerance for the right of citizens to blaspheme against Islam. In October 2020, he tweeted: “President Macron has chosen to deliberately provoke Muslims, incl his own citizens, through encouraging the display of blasphemous cartoons targeting Islam & our Prophet PBUH.” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey even cited Momika’s Quran-burning in an attempt to scupper Sweden’s bid to join Nato in 2023.

But blasphemy only makes sense to the faithful. Stéphane Charbonnier (known as “Charb”), the cartoonist and editor-in-chief of Charlie Hebdo who was among the victims of the 2015 atrocity, addressed this point in an “open letter” completed just two days before his death. “God is only sacred to those who believe in him,” he wrote. “If you wish to insult or offend God, you have to be sure that he exists… In France, a religion is nothing more than a collection of texts, traditions, and customs that it is perfectly legitimate to criticize. Sticking a clown nose on Marx is no more offensive or scandalous than popping the same schnoz on Muhammad.”=

This is the spirit of secularism — the French tradition of laïcité — that other countries in the western world should emulate. The problem is not the complaints from those who seek the implementation of sharia in democratic nations, but those in power who fail to reject such demands unequivocally. The murder of Salwan Momika should be a wake-up call for the West. Continued appeasement will only guarantee further bloodshed. For all the short-term risks of defending free speech, our long-term security depends upon it.

--

==

"Why can't you just comply with our authoritarian religious codes?"

Because you want me to. Your religious codes are for you, not me.

This is literally terrorism. We are supposed to be afraid of what will happen to us if we don't submit to Islamic totalitarianism. That is reason enough to not just resist, but actively oppose and defy Islamic totalitarian demands.

[goddamnwebcomics]

Did It Jump the Shark or Not?

Thanks to Fernandolemon for the idea, I decided to do a similar thing to my Mary Sue post where I look back at every time I accuse a comic of a "Fonzie jumps over a shark in waterscooters" moment and see if I was right on retrospect. Let's begin our journey from the very beginning.

Las Lindas: The Introduction of Digit

Yeah no, looking back Las Lindas introducing Digit did NOT make the comic jump the shark, yes Digit is an annoying shitter who becomes more and more unnecessary as years go by but he was the source of one of the major conflicts in this story, and jesus christ, Las Lindas desperately needs TENSION. As for when Las Lindas REALLY jumped the shark, it was arguably when Alejandra turned good, the whole comic began its 15 year long descent into nothing but downhill after that.

Verdict: No

Warmage: Spanking Scene (NSFW link)

Uh, can something that didn't have any value to begin with jump the shark? Yes I would argue this is like, the worst scene in Warmage by far, but it's not like it's a slap in the face to the readers of the comic. Dumok is a fucked up guy, and after this there also was the scene where Llew accidentally cums into his mother's mouth, and we got several naked scenes with a character who is just hideous to look at.

Verdict: Maybe

Dominic Deegan: Deegan turns into a sand giant

Jesus christ, I accused Deegan of jumping the shark this early? Yes, this was just an illusion but god, I really hated superforms back then, and to think Deegan would ACTUALLY later get a superform where he would also turn into a naked giant? Honestly, compared to the comic's later sins, this is lightweight stuff. At least it's something that happens in real life and not inside Deegan's weird Second Sight realm.

Verdict: No

Kit n Kay Boodle: "Don't I Always Go Slow And Careful As I Pass the Heart?" (NSFW link)

Yes. that line is incredibly disturbing especially in the context of this comic, the implication this horse's cock is so long it almost goes all the way through the poodle. The fact it's not shown however, makes it not a shark jump, and also these weirdos appeared like...what? Twice?

It's hard for me to say when Kit N Kay Boodle actually jumped the shark. I guess after talking nipples were introduced? Yeah that whole last chapter was unnecessary especially since Albert didn't even finish it, that's why my riff ends at Karastropov's second defeat.

Verdict: No

Spinnerette: Spinny gets a C&D from Marvel

Once again I accuse this comic of jumping the shark wayyyyy too early. Never mind the fact this comic quite blatantly references fictional superheroes in the very second page of the comic.

It's fucking stupid and I actually forgot Spinny's costume was different at first, but as Norwegian Gnome points out in the notes, Spinny's current costume is just as unoriginal.

Honestly I just find this funny, because later on, the COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF THIS happened in real life! And goddamn it, the Walter Gomez era of Spinny wasn't perfect but it was laugh riot compared to modern Spinnerette! This is probably the most far removed we can get from a shark jump.

Verdict: No

Dominic Deegan: Gregory and Donovan perform a charity concert

I find Deegan treating its setting as Schrödinger's Medieval Times annoying, but this still isn't a shark jump. Yes, Battle of Barthis is probably the worst arc in Dominic Deegan's first quarter, but it's still far from the worst thing in this comic. But technically, this arc DID introduce us to Stonewater-Melna-Whatsherface Orc drama which itself led to...

Yeah, I feel like War In Hell is probably the "shark jumpiest" arc of Dominic Deegan, first due to this scene and second due to treatment of Siegfried. I don't blame anyone dropping the comic after that bullshit.

Verdict: No

Spinnerette: Crisis on A Bunch of Ohios in general

I would argue that yes, similar to Alej turning good, this was a turning point in Spinnerette's history, transforming the comic that showed potential into the neverending slop show that it is today.

Crisis on A Bunch of Ohios destroyed and shattered fourth wall forever, there is an endless cycle of Spinnys and Mecha Maids that will always meet so why should you get invested in current day Spinny and Mecha Maid, and who cares about Mecha Maid's ALS either? It was never mentioned after this comic anyway outside of Adrastea issue!

Honestly I would not be surprised IF Adrastea issue was written before this arc, it feels like something that should have followed Colonel Glass but didn't. So yes, the slopification of Spinnerette didn't happen instantly, but its starting point can be traced back to this fucking trilogy. This is also the first time ever I skipped something in a comic I was riffing.

Verdict: Yes

Gene Carlow: The introduction of Friendship Island's crazy features

Ahahahahahahaha, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Verdict: No

Dominic Deegan: Spark's newfound importance as Stonewater's magic tool

Yeah let's not kid ourselves, March Across Maltak is fucking terrible but I actually find it relieving that it acts as a sendoff to orcs in Dominic Deegan as an important plot device, and it also sends off Stonewater who hasn't made any major appearances since. But this was FAR from the stupidest thing during this arc. Also "stratagem"??? was I huffing myself on thesaurus in 2017??? Those were dark days.

Verdict: No

Gene Catlow: Matt is Matagot, a Creature Born to Be Evil in A Comic where Anyone Can Be Evil

Boy howdy, I may have misread this entire scene a lot.

I still find the delivery of this scene to be awkward, and I find it funny how this comic never had a positive portrayal of a matagot, but other than that I completely misunderstood this scene, especially the "evil demon" part. Catwhis's statement isn't "he is an evil demon because he literally is one" but "he is an evil demon because of what he allegedly did to me". I still find stuff that goes out of its way to go "no, people who are evil are not like you and me, they are all BORN EVIL" to be radically insulting. The nuance of "how does one become evil" is lost in a lot of people and that is why I reject implications of Django from Ask the Werewolves's eldritch horror status being a representation of his abusive side.

Of course this comic fumbled its own "Anyone can be evil" message too later with "Anyone can be evil but ANYONE CAN ALSO CHANGE", like completely pretending irredeemable people do not exist, even though this comic's first villain was irredeemable. And we all know how Matt ended up, he is an evil demon who stole our hearts.

Now you might be wondering, when did Gene Catlow REALLY jump the shark? Yes, even with all its balls to the walls craziness, I think the point where comic really became painful was the redemption of webcats and everything ridiculous that come after it. Jack the Death being a pushover and letting them live, Webcats turning into manchildren as soon as they join The Family, "Uncle Wilhelm", hugpiles, and it's also when the comic's pacing went from bad to worse, we got Forzoi the Mask-Off Moment and also it was just really painful to read, like it was around that time I started having Gene Catlow fatigue. The only good thing post-Shark Jump was Burke and Sulfur's scenes but nothing else besides that.

Verdict: No

Alien Dice: Lexx yells at Stealth for giving Chel the relay, after revealing it to Chel off-screen

This scene fucking sucks but it's not even Lexx at his worst or Stealth at her worst, or even the worst plot twist of the comic. Once again this is very far removed from a shark jump. Like, everything we like is gonna have a shitty scene in it. I know it, you know it, and Alien Dice is especially guilty of it. I was being emotional here and I would argue it's far removed from a shark jump. It's not a scene that changed everything in terms of Lexx and Chel's relationship or altered comic permanently, it's just a shitty scene. It was Tiffany doing a haphazard job of Lexx finally telling Chel she has this alien VR skype thing in her brain. It felt she was doing it more out of obligation than anything, and she tried to force some drama between Lexx and Stealth in between it all. You know, between this and Lexx wanting to kill Dash because he was paranoid about him having a disease, maybe Lexx is a shitty pet owner.

Verdict: No

Console Girl: Emulie fights a giant R.O.B

Console Girl jumping the shark before the reveal the early part of the comic was simulation? Seriously?

I think Console Girl is the only comic that, despite its short length, managed to jumped the shark twice, first with the barely foreshadowed reveal that everything in the first few chapters was a simulation and not even a true recollection of how the past happened, and it jumped the shark the second time when Fetish Consoles were introduced, you know, Vibibi, Game Gir and the walking JoJo reference.

"But don't you get it GW? The abusrdity of R.O.B. police counts as foreshadowing this is simulation!" No

Verdict: No

Alien Dice: Stealth rips all of Claudia's dresses

Once again I reiterate what I said earlier, it's a shitty scene but that does not mean the comic jumped the shark. Stealth became less of a cunt as the comic went on and her being a cunt didn't really ruin the comic.

I can't say if Alien Dice has REALLY jumped the shark yet. Maybe once I revisit it, I will learn more about if the comic feels the same as it once did, and if it doesn't I will probably blame Trasik's death plot twist for it. Even then the comic is still decent, if it gets a plot twist that is even stupider than "Trasik is a mimic" or "Lexx's mom is still alive" plot twists then yeah I will probably accuse it of jumping the shark.

I feel like something that I've learned is that shark jump is not a shitty scene, it is something that changes entirely how the comic feels from that point onwards. The reason why "shark jump" became associated with show declining in quality is because Happy Days went from a down to earth sitcom into a crazy show full of ridiculous moments and Fonzie jumping over the shark was what many felt to be the symbolic representation of that, much like how I feel Crisis on A Bunch Ohios is what separates the goo, erm, Spinnerette with potential from Spinnyslop. Of course it's less of a symbol of decline but more like a gateway moment, similar to how Simpsons fans say Simpsons Golden Age died with Maude Flanders or Skinner turning out to be Armin Tanzarian. But I am getting offtrack

Verdict: No

TwoKinds: Trace becomes Darktraceplier for the first time

And the second time

Wow, I thought the reason I didn't have too many examples from recent years was because I finally learned my lesson and stopped using it so frequently, but apparently not.

Darktraceplier is not a new element to the comic, it is literally part of this comic's original sins. Yes, I could go on and on what a shitty idea it is but I will save that for TwoKinds review I will write few years from now. Why do I insist comics jump the shark so early??? Also I have a really bad memory. "I haven't said that for a long while" my ass.

Verdict: No

Ask the Werewolves: Introduction of Django

We've come full circle, the first and last example are both introductions of characters whose names start with "D", how cute.

I don't think Django is out of place, what I feel more than anything is that Ask the Werewolves can't pick a tone, the first two issues are more softcore porn than anything, then the next two issues are commentary on class struggle and the housing market and the last two issues as of now are all about Django and a secret cosmic horror story with an added subplot of Misty wanting to be a werewolf. In a way it is funny that the final Ask the Werewolves issue is an uneven number, because that means one of these three styles has to win out in the end.

And that is why it's too early for me to say if introduction of Django made the comic jump the shark or not. Everything depends on Issue 7 and I have no idea how long is it gonna take for us to get that answer. Ask the Werewolves has the problems as Warmage in that the comic was never really good or showed potential before this point. Actually, I might prefer Django's presence more compared to the endless venting about the housing market.

But I still can't deny he really is out of place in this comic, and again I really fucking hope they don't explain the eldritch horror thing being a side-effect of him abusing Blackbird.

Verdict: Maybe

Final Conclusion

I feel the term "jumping the shark" is most appropriate for me to use when something I actually kind of could see some potential or even like turns into shit, but it's not something you always realize at the heat of the moment. Out of all the comics I've riffed I can say Gene Catlow, Spinnerette, Dominic Deegan, Console Girl (twice), Kit n Kay Boodle and Las Lindas jumped the shark and only one of those shark jump moments I was able to call in the heat of the moment. There is no room for comics that have been bad from the get go like Monster Girl Academy or Carry On. There's also one case of comic jumping the shark where the shark jump was not comic itself's fault, and that is Peter and Company. I think Peter and Whitney's existence made Peter and Company jump the shark because it's a foregone conclusion: the comic and it leads to all those annoying double retcons like with Tracy's hatred of Peter.

Moral of the story is, you only feel the shark has been jumped after everything is said and done.

[scotianostra]

On 7th July 1307 King Edward I of England died on his last punitive expedition to Scotland at Burgh-on-Sands, near Carlisle.

The epitaph to Edward in Westminster Abbey, London, reads Edwardus Primus Scotorum Malleus hic est. - Edward the First, hammer of the Scots.

Apart from the wars of Independence Edward is remembered with disdain in Scotland for the theft of The Stone of Destiny from Moot Hill at Scone.In 1287 Alexander III, King of Scots, died suddenly after falling from his horse at Kinghorn. The succession crisis that followed presented Edward with a golden opportunity to expand on his conquest of Wales. With the absence of an immediate heir, the Scots throne looked likely to pass to Alexander's infant granddaughter, Margaret (the 'Maid of Norway') – the daughter of the King of Norway.

Rival Scottish claims for the right to succeed as the next monarch led to the Norwegians approaching Edward. Edward planned to wed his own son Edward to Margaret and thus control Scotland via matrimonial rights.

The Scots nobles, fearful of such a takeover, agreed that Margaret should be queen – but at the expense of Edward's marriage plans. Events were thrown into turmoil when Margaret died en route to Scotland.With the succession crisis still looming large and rival claimants still in fierce competition the Guardians of Scotland needed to find someone to adjudicate the claims and help break the deadlock. The perfect candidate was Edward.

As an internationally respected king and a recognised expert on legal matters of state Edward was a logical choice. With the benefit of hindsight this may seem to be the worst of decisions until you consider that England and Scotland had enjoyed an extended period of relatively peaceful co-existence. Claims of English overlordship over Scotland were seen to be a thing of the distant past. The Guardians were in for a very rude shock.In a series of political manouverings Edward insisted that he be recognised as feudal overlord of the Scots before a new Scots king be appointed. The Guardians refused but Edward, the legal expert, got his wish.

While there were two rival claimants (Robert Bruce and John Balliol) Edward's role was adjudicate. If there were more than two then, under medieval law, only a judge could be expected to pronounce a verdict. As a judge Edward had to have authority – and in royal matters authority meant overlordship.

Edward found other claimants for the vacant throne to put pressure on Bruce and Balliol. The plan worked and one by one they came forward to swear allegiance. From that point, with all principle claimants as his vassals, it did not matter who became king. Ultimately Balliol took the crown.

Edward's subsequent heavy-handed treatment of the Scots (demanding taxes and soldiers to help fight his wars) led to the first inklings of rebellion.

In 1295 the Scots signed a mutual aid treaty with France (later to be known as the Auld Alliance). This pact with Edward's enemy brought about swift retaliation from Edward.

Edward destroyed Berwick, slaughtering thousands of the town's inhabitants, before pushing deeper into scotland. The Scots met Edward in battle at Dunbar but was decisively beaten. In a similar tactic to those he had previously used to conquer Wales Edward stripped the country of its treasures and symbollic icons of nationhood as easily as he stripped Balliol of his status as king. Most notably the crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny was removed to be sent back to England. The message was clear – there was to be no other king in Scotland but Edward. Edward's campaigning, however, had left him seriously short of funds. He could no-longer afford to build costly castles to control his new domain as he had in Wales. He was also not reckoning on coming up against some proud Scots Edward had underestimated us. Within a year rebellions to English control broke out – notably led by Andrew Murray in the north and William wallace in the south of the country. Edward left the matter of crushing the rebellion to his representative, John de Warenne, rather than take control personally. At Stirling Bridge Warenne's force was routed by Wallace and Murray's army.

Edward marches north and took control of his army and defeated Wallace's army at Falkirk. Wallace was later captured and executed. Once again Edward assumed that Scotland was conquered.In Bruce Edward had met a formidable, ruthless and determined opponent

Despite ill health and advancing years Edward, Hammer of the Scots, marched his army north to rid himself of Bruce once and for all.

In 1307, with Scotland in sight, Edward died at Burgh-on-Sands. The campaign for the conquest of Scotland passed on to his son, Edward II. The Scots were relieved to find that the brutal and effective military prowess displayed by the father were absent in the son. In 1314 Bruce routed a larger English force at Bannockburn. Recognition of Scotland's sovereignty came years later in 1328.

Accounts credit Edward's dying wish to be that his bones sent to war against the Scots

When he fell ill he perceived he could not recover, he called on his eldest son, the future Edward II, , and made him swear, in presence of all his barons, by the Saints, that as soon as he should be dead,his son would have his body boiled in a large cauldron until the flesh should be separated from the bones; that he would have the flesh buried and the bones preserved; that every time the Scots should rebel against him, he would summon his people, and carry with him the bones of his father.

Historians now disagree with this count, some saying, like King Robert, his heart be taken to the Holy land on a crusade.

Anway it matters not which version you believe, Edward II promptly decided against this and took him homeward to think again

The third pic is a sketch by the English poet in 1774 when the dean and a group of history enthusiasts opened his tomb and examined the body finding it remarkably complete.

As I said there are differing versions of what Edward I wanted done with his remains but the stories of him wanting done with his heart and bones appear to have been simply medieval lore. The story of the English King relishing the death of Wallace while on his own deathbed is pure Hollywood, Sir William was put to death two years previously.

In the fourth pic you see a statue of Longshanks at Burgh-on-Sands, which I must admit I rather like.

[amber-tortoiseshell]

White - w

Genotype: __ __ __ __ __ __/_- __ __ W_

Black golden blotched tabby - ny 22

Genotype: A_ D_ E_ ii mcmc oo/o- spsp titi ww + wide band

Golden is a rare color in norwegian forest cats, and I had problems finding a photo for the tournament. The cat on the picture was labelled golden inconsistently, and unfortunately i'm not sure what was the final verdict about him, golden or not. Imagine it golden, please.

(What do these letters mean?)

[tilbageidanmark]

MOVIES I WATCHED THIS WEEK # 219:

MY LAST 5 (+1) FROM DON HERTZFELDT:

🍿 ME (2024) is his latest work, an emotional wordless musical - about... Who can tell? Love, family? Longing? Eternity? Humanity? Death? 9/10.

🍿 THE MEANING OF LIFE (2005), the cacophony of jokes and music that stick people make in the course of one billion years. 8/10.

🍿 ON MEMORY (2021), a short visual essay that opens with a story about two sisters, one of whom was kissed by Elvis Presley. 9/10.

(I love some logos of film production companies. It's good to know that he was the one who designed the logo for Jennifer Lawrence's Excellent Cadaver film production company.)

🍿 “But I’m not wearin’ any pants!” THE ANIMATION SHOW (2003), the teasers he made for the platform he tried to build together with Mike Judge.

🍿 "Dehydrated Human Corpse... 142 year old..."

WORLD OF TOMORROW EPISODE THREE: THE ABSENT DESTINATION OF DAVID PRIME (2020), the very last film by Don Hertzfeldt I haven't see up to now.

The sad "romance" between Emily Prime and David from the first episode continues here as poor Baby David goes on inter-galactic adventures of cloning and time travel. It's the longest of the three parts, and its role is to continue building the technical mythologies of the two. The baby voices are still the strongest attraction for me, and this trilogy is still my most (and only) favorite Science-Fiction movie. And of course, as convoluted the actual "plot" is, the meeting at the museum between the two happens at the 18:00 time stamp, the exact midpoint of this amazing movie. You know it's coming because of the simple piano that accompanies this scene. “Perhaps there is still hope somewhere in the ocean of time for David and Emily”. 10/10.

The best appreciation piece of 'World of Tomorrow' is by David Ehrlich, the series No. 2 biggest fan.

🍿 "This is me and mommy... This is me and mommy walking.. This is me and mommy walking.. Oh. A rainbow!..."

And so, WORLD OF TOMORROW .... Another re-watch ♻️

🍿

A MESSAGE OF LOVE, The story of Jakob Holdt (2022) is an interview done at the Louisiana Museum. (Video Above).

Long haired hippy Jakob Holdt hitchhiked in the US for 5 years in the early 70's, documenting the lives of the most marginalized people, as well as some of the most affluent. His "adventures" resulted in an output of 15,000 harrowing photographs, which he later published as the book "American Pictures".

'American Pictures' had a big impact on my own life. It was one of the main influences that prompted me too to leave Denmark for the US in 1984, and travel cross-country the first few years.

🍿

Another story about a son of a Danish priest: Dreyer's classic drama DAY OF WRATH. A cold tale of witchcraft and superstition, based on a true Norwegian event from the 16th century. Slow and stern, and a very religious message film about the place of compliance and women in society. 💯 score on Rotten Tomatoes. First watch.

🍿

"I know what you are thinking. I forbid you to think that."

The countries in South America still struggle with scars that never healed of the worst crimes against humanity committed against its people. Some old people still alive today are the ones who carried them out.

THE WEEPING WOMAN ("LA LLORONA"), my first film from Guatemala, tells about one such guy. (It is based on a real person, one Efraín Ríos Montt). A very old, former dictator is convicted of genocide against the indigenous people, but the verdict is then overturned by the high court. Protesters siege the compound where he lives with his elderly wife, daughter, and granddaughter, seeking justice. The family is trapped at the large mansion, haunted by the traumas inflicted by the general.

This quiet movie has so much potential to stir outrage and emotions, and could be so much better. It uses black magic and supernatural horror tropes to supplement the political pain felt by everybody. The trailer. 5/10.

🍿

JIM HENSON X 4:

🍿 "It's not easy being green..."

JIM HENSON IDEA MAN, Ron Howard's best film. A terrific, happy documentary about the pioneer puppeteer, about whom I knew nearly nothing. The way all the people who knew him described him, reminded me of Bill Brasky (but in a good way). For once all these memories worked. He seemed like a unique individual for sure. 💯 score on Rotten Tomatoes. 9/10.

🍿 Frank Oz got 5 of the original members of the group into an hour long conversation in 2017, for MUPPET GUYS TALKING. A terrific, intimate, happy walk down memory lane, where they all share fun they had together. 9/10. Another one with 💯 score on Rotten Tomatoes.

🍿 Re-watch ♻️: TIMEPIECE, Henson's first Oscar nominated short from 1965. A jazzy experiment, filled with exploding rhythm. Seven minutes from an hospital bed to a sexy striptease show. "Help!"

🍿 His 1969 THE WIZARD OF ID, an unsold pilot for a TV-series based on Johnny Hart's comic strip BC.

Bonus: Kermit and the group 'Choir! Choir! Choir!' sing their version of RAINBOW CONNECTION (2023), which is now turning into an official anthem of the whole Muppet Universe.

Extra: Ron Howard's least interesting work, PRESIDENTIAL REUNION (2010), a retread 'Funny or Die' short with 7 of the least-funniest SNL members who impersonated POTUS, all in one unoriginal skit. It's especially painful to watch in 2025.

🍿

Like most all of Werner Herzog's projects, FAMILY ROMANCE, LLC is an unusual and thought-provoking piece of narrative movie-making. 4 years before Wim Wenders' 'Perfect Days', it's a Japanese movie, made in Japanese by a foreign German director. In a documentary-style drama made with not-professional actors, it tells of a guy who provides an odd "Rent-a-Stranger" service, offering himself as a surrogate husband, friend or a scapegoat for people who need it.

The main plot is about his awkward relationship as a pretend father to a shy 12-yo girl, who never knew her real dad. It's absorbing, unexpected and eventually heart-breaking, and it blurs the line between fantasy and reality.

Notes: 1. (There are so many beautiful, green spaces in Tokyo!). 2. Such a magnificent, delicate soundtrack. 3. Colorful Robot Fish at the Robot Hotel! The trailer.

🍿

BRYAN FORBES X 2:

🍿 THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN, my 6th thrilling film by Basil Dearden. A dashing "Assembling a team" caper comedy in the mold of British Ocean 9. A bit silly, outdated premise of what it takes to rob a bank, as well as ridiculous upper-lip military manners, but with a suspenseful execution of the heist climax itself. Sadly, this being 1960, the crime must not pay, so they tacked on an ending scene where everything they worked on is being reversed.

A lovely early cameo for flaming gay Oliver Reed. The screenplay was written by Bryan Forbes, who also co-starred in the film as the good-looking Porthill. The YouTube copy is as crisp as a new £100 note.

🍿 My first suspense film directed by Bryan Forbes, SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON (1964), an unusual, disturbing psychological thriller. Troubled, domineering spiritualist Kim Stanley and her henpecked husband Richard Attenborough kidnap a girl, so that the clairvoyant wife can "find" her later. Wonderful John Barry score and terrific atmospheric cinematography. Great acting all around, also by the great Patrick Magee at the end. 7/10.

🍿

WHEN THE WIND BLOWS (1986) is a deceptively lovely animated movie about an aging English couple putzing around in their isolated country cottage as they prepare themselves for a nuclear attack. Like other famous post-apocalyptic stories about nuclear winter from that period, [Luke Rhinehart's 'Long Voyage Back', 'Threads', 'The war game', 'The day after'] it offers an unforgiving and bleak prospect for the old couple. As they breezily go on with their mundane daily life while getting sicker and sicker from the radiation, they keep a stiff upper lip and cheery optimism about their prospects. But of course - like the situation right now - it's not going to end well.

David Bowie and Roger Waters did the score.

🍿

5 RE-WATCHES:

🍿 On the same day last week when drumpf took a smelly shit on a copy of the American constitution again, I re-watched DAVE (1993) for the Nth time. This is becoming one of my political feel-good guilty pleasures. A shot of nostalgia to 30 years ago when the worst that a prick president like Bill Mitchell could do is shut down a homeless shelter and cheat on his lovely wife.

I haven't seen his 'Cannibal Girls', but 'Dave' is easily my favorite Ivan Reitman movie. It's also my favorite Laura Linney and Sigourney Weaver roles, my favorite Ving Rhames role (even more than Marcellus Wallace), my favorite bad guy Frank Langella (even more than Lolita's Clare Quilty) and my second favorite Charles Grodin role (After 'Midnight Run'). And such a lovely score! 9/10. ♻️

🍿 Another re-watch of LET'S GET LOST (1988), the jazzy biography of Chet Baker, my favorite smokey balladeer, ultimate James Dean Babe-Magnet, the original "Thin White Duke". Tortured and seductive. It pits footage of his beautiful young self against the impressionistic time just before his death. ♻️.

🍿 "I don't know what they have to say - It makes no difference anyway - Whatever it is, I'm against it! No matter what it is or who commenced it, I'm against it"

HORSE FEATHERS, an early pre-Code Marx Brothers comedy. A flimsy excuse for a plot about collage football, full of anarchistic, zany, insane insults by Groucho and Bros ♻️.

Also - First watch: I'LL SAY SHE IS, the opening scene from their 1924 Broadway show, which was filmed with sound in 1931! They all give terrible impressions of a Maurice Chevalier's song. They repeated this number in 'Monkey Business'.

🍿 I forgot that Léa Seydoux was the new, young love interest in MIDNIGHT IN PARIS!

Even with the extreme color correction, the intro scene, with Sidney Bechet playing 'Si tu vous ma mere', is one that I've watched on loop way too many times to admit. But the moment that self-inserted Owen Wilson opens his giant mouth and starts not listening to his fiance, the fan-fiction cringe starts and the magic disappears.

The opening 10/10.

Owen Wilson/Gil Pender 1/10.

The movie as a whole 3/10. ♻️

🍿 I'm actually looking forward to next week to binge-watch Season 2 of SEVERANCE. I recommended it to a friend last night, and so I re-watched the pilot again (again). ♻️

🍿

I've wanted to see the absurdist Tom Stoppard play ROSENCRANZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD for decades, but sadly could keep up with it, once I actually sat down to watch it. I loved 'Waiting for Godot', but this hi-brow Meta-Hamlet parable couldn't keep me awake. ⬇️Could Not Finish⬇️

🍿

AMERICAN BOY: A PROFILE OF STEVEN PRINCE is an hour-long documentary that Martin Scorsese shot in between 'The Last Waltz' and 'Raging Bull'. In some dingy living room in LA he interviews an ex-addict friend of his [The guy had played Andy the gun salesman in 'Taxi Driver'] because supposedly that guy has these great stories to tell. But the guy was no raconteur, his stories were boring, and his delivery was worst. 1/10.

The only memorable moment here is how he once injected adrenaline into the heart of a girl who overdosed on heroin - which Tarantino later re-enacted in 'Pulp Fiction' with Mia Wallace and "Lance".

🍿

SOVIET ANIMATOR FYODOR KHITRUK X 2:

🍿 WINNIE-THE-POOH (Or "Vinni-Pukh" as it is pronounced) was a Russian adaptation of the first chapter of the book, where "Pukh" is searching for honey, and which had nothing to do with the Disney version. (1969) Some guy on Letterboxd wrote: "Made the grave mistake of introducing this to my 3-year-old niece and she has requested we watch this masterpiece fucking endlessly. Send help."

🍿 A YOUNG MAN NAMED ENGELS (1970) is a light, different type of a propaganda piece. Between the ages of 18-22, young Friedrich studied in Bremen and Berlin, and from there he wrote letters to his sister and friends back home, to which he added doodles he drew. The animators used these doodles to create a cute & whimsical portrait of the wealthy man who discovers the suffering world around him. It ends with the first monumental letter he send to Karl Marx in 1844. 7/10 - Recommended.

🍿

I don't know what I expected from Bong Joon Ho's new sci-fi fantasy MICKEY 17, and whatever it was, I soldiered on until the very end. However, of the 300+ movies I've seen so far this year, this was probably the worst one. Even Mike Yanagita couldn't save it. 1/10.

🍿

2 MORE FROM CANADIAN ALISON SNOWDEN AND DAVID FINE:

🍿 BOB'S BIRTHDAY, their 1994 Oscar winner, is my second film by them (After 'Animal Behaviour'). Surprise 40 Birthday party that goes wrong.

🍿 GEORGE AND ROSEMARY, another NFB of Canada that was nominated for an Oscar in 1987. A shy old person falls for an old lady across the street. 8/10.

🍿

2 from Elizabeth Whitmere, another Canadian filmmaker: COLD (2023) is a feminist body horror short, about a 40 yo woman whose body and life can't warm up.

Also, UP TO HERE (2021), another woman desperate for alone time, escapes into a retreat in her mind. [*Female Director*]

🍿

THE SHORTS:

🍿 THE OLYMPIC GAMES OF 1900, a fascinating series of motion-studies of male athletes, competing with tiny thongs, or in the nude, like the original Greek intended. Very low-key with few spectators around.

🍿 "Our story opens on a dark and stormy night..."

WHO KILLED WHO?, a masterful 1943 Ted Avery surrealistic murder parody. "I dood it."

Also, his RED HOT RIDING HOOD, a semi-adult version of the children's fairy tale. With a horny old grandma, lecherous horny wolf and a Marilyn Monroe pin up girl working in a strip club. 9/10.

🍿 DI CAVALCANTI (1977), my first film by Avant-garde Brazilian director Glauber Rocha. It recorded the wake and funeral of his friend, the famous modernist painter Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, and was controversial because of its eccentric, in-you-face brashness.

🍿 COPYSHOP (2001), a nightmarish wordless art film from Austrian Virgil Wildrich. The owner of a copy shop, who makes endless multiplications of himself.

🍿 Cyriak's mini-short 2014 MALFUNCTION, a trippy 1960's nighrmare that involved weird dogs in a supermarket. 9/10.

🍿 THE BOYFRIEND GAME (2015), two Australian teenagers play an imaginary game, each inventing a future lover, but Thomasin McKenzie wants the pretend boyfriend that her friend conjured. [*Female Director*]

🍿 In BATTLE AT BIG ROCK (2019) André Holland's family is camping in their RV, when a herd of dinosaurs attack them. Of the franchise, I've only seen the original 'Jurassic Park', so I wish I didn't see this one.

🍿 BETYE SAAR: TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS (2020) is a terrific, too-short portrait of the youngish 93-yo African-American artist I never heard of. 9/10. [*Female Director*]

🍿 MARGIE SOUDEK'S SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS is a New Yorker short about a grandma with an obsession - and explosions! [*Female Director*]

🍿 BLACK MIRROR is back with season 7! Let's recap: The series had 7 great episodes and 21 mediocre ones. Every season after Season 3 was worse then the previous ones, and the 5 episodes of Season 6 were so completely forgettable, that I had to go to Wikipedia in order to recall them. Based on this trailer, Season 7 looks like it will be even more unwatchable, the usual Netflix chum.

🍿

THROW-BACK TO THE ADORA ART PROJECT:  

Mahna Mahna Adora.

🍿

(ALL MY FILM REVIEWS - HERE).

[plethoraworldatlas]

War, conflict, and environmental disasters displaced a record 75.9 million people from their homes at the end of 2023, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center reported Tuesday.

The vast majority of the displaced—68.3 million—were forced from their homes due to conflicts, the highest number since data became available 15 years ago.

"Millions of families are having their lives torn apart by conflict and violence," Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council—which houses IDMC—said in a statement. "We have never, ever recorded so many people forced away from their homes and communities. It is a damning verdict on the failures of conflict prevention and peacemaking

The IDMC publishes its Global Report on Internal Displacement every year, which is considered the definitive source for data on internal displacements worldwide. This year's report notes that the number of people displaced within their own countries increased by 51% in the last five years while the number displaced by conflict alone swelled by 49%, spiking in 2022 and 2023. The uptick was primarily due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine as well as renewed or ongoing conflicts in Congo, Ethiopia, and Sudan.

"Over the past two years, we've seen alarming new levels of people having to flee their homes due to conflict and violence, even in regions where the trend had been improving," said IDMC director Alexandra Bilak. "Conflict, and the devastation it leaves behind, is keeping millions from re-building their lives, often for years on end."

In addition to tracking the number of displaced people, the IDMC also looked at the total number of new displacements in 2023. It recorded 46.9 million new movements—20.5 million due to war and conflict and 26.4 million due to natural disasters.

"As the planet grapples with conflicts and disasters, the staggering numbers of 47 million new internal displacements tells a harrowing tale," International Organization for Migration Deputy Director General Ugochi Daniels said in a statement. "This report is a stark reminder of the urgent and coordinated need to expand disaster risk reduction, support peacebuilding, ensure the protection of human rights, and, whenever possible, prevent the displacement before it happens."

Of the 20.5 million conflict-driven displacements last year, nearly two-thirds were due to violence in Sudan, Congo, and Palestine.

[into-september]

"Life of Pi", the Movie, was much like I remember the novel from way back when: intriguing start and then we have to suffer the ennui of the castaway along with Pi for three hundred pages until Creepy Island.

Yeah, I spent most of the film waiting for Creepy Island to show up already. I'd say to 100% watch the film which must've been a frickin' marvel in the cinema with 3D and the apropriate soundscape, but be prepared for a kind of middling story.

Bollywood would probably be a better bet for learning about language use in India, by which I mean the amount of English spoken between family and friends in daily life (particularly in a part of the country that was at that time a French colony, but my knowing nothing is why I'm bringing this up). "Slumdog Millionaire" posed the same questions, fwiw, and while I get the demand for linguistic streamlining in a western production for an audience untrained in reading subtitles, the very real presence of English as a living language in contemporary India made it annoying when I can't tell if we're supposed to believe these people are speaking Englisn in an RL unlikely context, or annoying that English is being used to represent dialogue supposedly spoken in another language.

Speaking of linguistic streamlining: For some godforsaken reason this film was dubbed. I genuine can't fathom why, unless it was intended for use in schools for kids younger than the recommended audience (11 year rating here), but why would you use this film with kids that young? Sure, there's a tiger, but the tiger does not take away from the shipwreck and the animals eating each other or the animals possibly being allegorical of if-you-know-you-know. The tiger isn't cute.

I watched it in English and only checked out the dub out of curiosity, and my only notable verdict is that adult Pi was underwhelming, but then I'm not sure how much experience 95% of the actors had; the cast list was full no no-names. I appreciate that they at least made the effort to have at least the major Indian characters voiced by people whose genetic origin was... possibly from the Indian subcontinent at least, if my linguistic prejudices correspond to statistics about the non-European migration to Norway (by which I mean that I suspect Pakistani descend; none of the non-Norwegian names stood out to me as obviously Indian when I skimmed the cast list).

But of course I had to see how they did Gérard Depardieu. And it could be coincidence, it could be on purpose, but he was voiced by the only name I recognised and why wouldn't I recognise the Grand Old Man of Norwegian dubbing - both acting and producing - whose many, many merits includes Obelix in both animated form and the live action films from the nineties.

Anyway, film is super mega pretty and worth a look even if it's just for the visuals.

[norvgchar]

The Manzanita Outpost is a location in Red Dead Redemption 2. The location also exists in Red Dead Online and the original Red Dead Redemption, but the second installation of the series includes a Norwegian-inspired narrative.

The player character is able to interact with several non-player characters that are supposed to be Norwegian settlers from Korshamn, a southern island part of today's Lyngdal municipality (Norwegian: "kommune") and Agder county ("fylke"), in the southern-most part of Norway.

Upon reviewing a YouTube video showcasing some of the non-player character banter, I am not immediately offended by their accents when speaking English. However, much like an author who doesn't know how to write bilingual characters, they switch from solid English to random Norwegian sentences on a line-to-line basis.

It sounds as if most of the voice actors are capable of speaking Norwegian, though seem to mostly be from the capital. Yours truly lives somewhat close to Lyngdal, and it is quite jarring to hear the voices of these 1800s–early 1900s Norwegians, supposedly from a small village far from the capital, speak with a modern Oslo dialect. It's worth noting that Lyngdal and Oslo are about five hours apart by driving today, or four days of walking (according to Google Maps). This also somewhat extends to their accents in English, though Some of the lines they're saying are also a bit strange, such as the farewells "Ta vare på deg selv!" ("Take care of yourself!") and "Ses snart!" (approx. "See you soon!"). The latter line is also delivered oddly, even if Oslo-influenced, and I would request a retake if I were there. The worst offender, which I suspect is not given a Norwegian voice actor, is the blonde character in a blue tunic (viking clothes?).

The game also features Norwegian text in the form of a newspaper clipping and a handwritten note. While the text is mostly grammatically correct by today's standard, this was before many language reforms that lead to the modern day Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk. Comparing with a newspaper from the nearby Lindesnes in 1984, among the errors are av ("of") instead of the then-present af, the usage of the letter å instead of the then-present aa, and fellesskap instead of the then-present fællesskab. The font used in the newspaper clipping is also very modern, and especially the letter s looks surprising. A minor gripe, the article's title, "Grusomme Drap i Lyngdal", is expected to be non-capitalized, such as "Grusomme drap i Lyngdal".

I have not dissected the handwritten note as closely, the perfectly circular circle on top of the letter å is incredibly funny to me.

Verdict: Their asses ARE Norwegian, but lazily so.

The characters' language has no semblance of when or where they're from. I would expect them to, if not copying an older Lyngdal dialect, at least mimic the modern equivalent. The least they could do is hire actors who are willing to use a dialect from the former county Vest-Agder or Agder as a whole. They should also have taken inspiration from newspapers and written language at the time. The whole thing seems naïvely executed to me.

[beardedmrbean]

Neo-Nazi Anders Brevik, who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011, has lost his case against the state in a bid to end his years of isolation in prison.

Breivik had sued the Norwegian authorities, claiming his conditions were "inhumane" and he was suicidal.

But a court ruled on Thursday that Breivik's sentencing terms were "not a violation of human rights".

Breivik's lawyer said his client was disappointed with the outcome and would appeal against the latest judgment.

He has been held in isolation ever since he killed eight people with a car bomb and shot dead another 69, most of them teenagers, at a summer youth camp on the island of Utoeya on 22 July 2011.

He is currently serving a 21-year sentence, the maximum a court in Norway can impose, though it can be extended for as long as he is deemed a threat.

His lawyers claimed he had been living in a "completely locked world" and did "not wish to be alive any more". They had asked the court to lift restrictions on his correspondence with the outside world.

But judges at the Oslo District Court on Thursday said the restrictions placed on Breivik's communications were justified because he remained a danger to society.

They ruled that he enjoyed "relatively great freedom" at the facility and had access to many services in his everyday life.

"He studies and works on his political projects," the verdict said.

Norway attacks: The victims

Norway mass killer Breivik sues over jail isolation

Mass murderer Breivik loses rights case

Oeystein Storrvi, Breivik's lawyer, told Reuters: "He has been in isolation for 12 years and easing of his conditions is vital for his wellbeing in the prison."

Breivik cried during his testimony in January, claiming he was sorry for the attack and that his life had become a nightmare that had left him suicidal.

But the following day, a psychologist told the court that she did not consider him to be depressed and there was a "low risk" of suicide.

Now aged 45, Breivik currently spends his time in a dedicated section of Ringerike prison - located on the shores of the lake that surrounds Utoeya.

At the prison, Breivik has access to a training room, kitchen, TV room and a bathroom.

Many of those killed on the island were teenagers involved with the Norwegian Labour Party's youth wing, the AUF. The attacks remain Norway's worst peacetime atrocity.

Breivik has challenged the terms of his sentence before, winning part of his human rights case against the Norwegian state in 2016 before it was overturned the following year.

He unsuccessfully applied for parole in 2022, with the court ruling he had not changed and remained a risk to society.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

#15yrsago Canadian Industry Minister Jim Prentice loads the DMCA, aims it at Canada’s temple, and pulls the trigger https://web.archive.org/web/20080612120601/http://www.ic.gc.ca/cmb/welcomeic.nsf/0365f77a8a847e1e8525655d006e1f91/85256a5d006b9720852574650065cf5b!OpenDocument

#15yrsago One-click site to tell Amazon that you don’t want Audible DRM https://web.archive.org/web/20080612125539/http://callanaudible.org/

#15yrsago Sabotage manual from 1944 advises acting like an average 2008 manager https://web.archive.org/web/20080715195004/community.e2conf.com/servlet/JiveServlet/download/1090-5-1190/OSS Simple Sabotage Manual.pdf

#15yrsago Linda Stone on time management https://www.huffpost.com/entry/is-it-time-to-retire-the_b_106624

#15yrsago William Gibson interviewed on IO9 https://gizmodo.com/william-gibson-talks-to-io9-about-canada-draft-dodging-5015137

#10yrsago Ai Wei Wei on Prism https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jun/11/nsa-surveillance-us-behaving-like-china

#10yrsago Stopwatching.us: Internet companies and civil liberties groups call for investigation into the surveillance state https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/06/86-civil-liberties-groups-and-internet-companies-demand-end-nsa-spying

#10yrsago Edward Snowden checks out of hotel, whereabouts unknown https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-22850901

#10yrsago Bruce Sterling Augmented World keynote speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohatuq8tekk

#10yrsago Hugh Howey on why he favors self-publishing https://www.salon.com/2013/04/04/hugh_howey_self_publishing_is_the_future_and_great_for_writers/

#5yrsago Norwegian court orders volunteers to take down public domain court verdicts and pay copyright troll’s legal bills https://www.wiumlie.no/2018/rettspraksis/06-11-blog.html

#5yrsago UK security minister proposes “Digital IDs” to enforce online civility https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/online-digital-identification-mob-rule-online-security-minister-ben-wallace-a8390841.html

#5yrsago Infographic: buying games vs pirating them https://www.deviantart.com/dnd01/art/Why-DRM-is-bad-for-the-customer-pdf-file-748886029

#5yrsago Trump won’t stop tearing up official papers so the White House archives employ a staff to tape them back together for the National Archives https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/10/trump-papers-filing-system-635164

#5yrsago British army targeted “stressed” 16-year-olds on exam-results day with Facebook recruitment ads https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-army-recruit-soldiers-gcse-results-facebook-twitter-child-soliders-international-a8390961.html

[xjmlm]

“The social links that hold people together in the modern world, even if in positions of subjugation, are fraying, and in some places, have broken entirely. All of this is taking place on a planet that is heating up, with concentrations of greenhouse gases rising rapidly since 1950. The connection between global warming and swelling industrial output is clear. The factory system is not the kernel of a future society, but a machine producing no-future. These are not merely political consequences of neo liberalism; they are structural features of the capitalist mode of production in our time.” — Endnotes

"An even greater testament to the centrality of industrialization to development can be found in the historical experiences of countries that have successfully developed. Very few economies have gone from poor to rich without achieving a large manufacturing share as a percentage of both employment and GDP. About 95 percent of economies that have achieved high-income status passed through such a period of high manufacturing concentration: as one study of high-income countries’ historical trajectories found, “achieving a manufacturing employment share of 18–20 [percent] has been almost sufficient and absolutely necessary . . . for achieving high-income status.”4 Justin Yifu Lin, the World Bank’s former chief economist, offers a decisive verdict: “except for a few oil-exporting countries, no countries have ever gotten rich without industrialization first.” And those oil-exporting countries, like Norway or Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf autocracies, were quite exceptional; the resource path to development offers far more failures (Iraq, Mozambique, the Congo) than Norwegian-style triumphs, or even middling success stories like Gabon or Botswana. For most of the world, there is no real path to development that does not run through manufacturing."

https://americanaffairsjournal.org/2022/11/the-long-slow-death-of-global-development/

[theveracityreport]

Why Your Kitchen Sponge is Full of Bacteria – And What You Can Do About It

The Perfect Home for Microbes

Kitchen sponges are warm, damp, and full of tiny food particles—creating the ideal environment for bacteria to thrive. In 2017, microbiologist Markus Egert analyzed used sponges and found 362 different species of bacteria, with some areas containing up to 54 billion bacteria per square centimeter. To put that in perspective, that’s similar to the bacteria density found in human stool samples!

One key reason sponges hold so many microbes is their structure—the tiny holes and pockets inside sponges provide a variety of microenvironments that allow different bacteria to settle and grow. Some bacteria thrive alone, while others need to be part of a community. Sponges provide the perfect mix of spaces to accommodate both.

Are These Bacteria Dangerous?

Most of the bacteria found in kitchen sponges are not harmful to healthy people. Many bacteria are a natural part of our environment and even live on our skin. However, Egert’s study found that half of the most common bacterial species in sponges were closely related to bacteria that can cause infections, particularly in people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, and children.

Luckily, bacteria that cause food poisoning, like Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter, are relatively rare in kitchen sponges. A separate study by Jennifer Quinlan found that only 1-2% of sponges contained food poisoning bacteria, and in very small amounts.

Does Cleaning Your Sponge Help?

Many people try to sanitize their sponges by:

Microwaving them

Running them through the dishwasher

Soaking them in hot, soapy water or disinfectant

These methods do reduce bacteria, but they don’t necessarily make the sponge safe. Egert’s study found that while microwaving or boiling a sponge killed some bacteria, it also allowed the most resistant and potentially harmful bacteria to survive and multiply again. Over time, this can create a sponge that harbors even tougher microbes.

Should You Use a Brush Instead?

A study by Norwegian scientist Solveig Langsrud found that while both sponges and dishwashing brushes contained similar types of bacteria, brushes harbored far fewer microbes overall. This is because brushes:

Dry out faster between uses (bacteria need moisture to grow)

Have fewer nooks and crannies where bacteria can hide

Can be cleaned more easily

When Salmonella was introduced to both brushes and sponges, it thrived in the sponge but died off in the brush, likely because the brush dried out faster.

How to Keep Your Cleaning Tools Hygienic

If you still prefer using a sponge, experts recommend:

Replacing it weekly

Microwaving it or running it through the dishwasher daily to kill bacteria

Letting it dry completely between uses instead of keeping it damp

Avoiding using it to clean raw meat juices (use paper towels or separate cloths instead)

However, some scientists, like Egert, argue that switching to a dishwashing brush is a smarter choice for hygiene. Since brushes dry out more effectively, they naturally prevent bacteria from growing.

Final Verdict: Sponge or Brush?

If you’re healthy, the bacteria in your sponge probably won’t harm you—but it may cause bad smells over time.

If you’re immunocompromised, elderly, or have young children, switching to a brush could be the safer option.

No matter what you use, keeping it clean and dry is key to preventing bacteria buildup.

So, while your kitchen sponge isn’t necessarily a health hazard, it’s definitely a microbial hotspot. If you want a cleaner, more hygienic option, a dishwashing brush is the way to go!

[cruel-nature-records]

Stunning review of St James Infirmary “Abandoned” on Monolith Cocktail

Thank you Brian!