#welcome to the 24th century

[my-timing-is-digital]

send  👫  for  a  reunion  starter

After the conclusion of Clemens' debacle, and his and Guinan's subsequent departures, the android repositioned the transreceiver in his supposed prototypical device for the horseless carriages and settled himself at the desk, monitoring the instrument's workings deliberately. Assiduously, he observed the rhythmic oscillations of the metal indicator, which functioned in a similar fashion as an analogue seismograph. Thus far, his device had not measured any time shifts, and would not for the next 39 minutes...

A long-awaited, arrhythmic scratching sound instantaneously tore his attention to the contraption. Excitedly, the pen attached to the end of the indicator recorded the occurrence — the device finally measured the time shift he had been anticipating —, and based off of the particulars printed on the sheet of paper, he could accurately determine the epicentre of the spatial distortion. Data consulted a map of the town to confirm the location, and without a moment's hesitation, he leapt to his feet and vacated his room. He navigated himself down a flight of stairs with mathematical precision and hurried outside where he supplied the bellboy, Jack, with sufficient 19th century currency to have him procure a carriage, preferably drawn by two equines — to multiply the carriage's power.

The ever-efficient hotel employee immediately scurried off to the stables and returned within several minutes, gesturing gleefully at the wagon he had snatched from an agitated colleague. Prior to mounting the box, Data expressed his gratitude for his services and pressed an additional sum of money in the boy's hand. He had never rode on horseback, let alone piloted a vehicle that was pulled by two of them, but he had judged it advantageous to observe others operate this form of transportation, in case he would relay on its services in the foreseeable future — he was glad he had pursued that particular endeavour.

Data armed himself with the reins and managed to set the equines into motion, gently instructing the animals to accelerate. The terminal words of farewell that emanated from the bellboy were left behind in a cloud of dust...

The carriage careened through the streets, teetering uncomfortably toward his destination: the local hospital. And it was not until he was in close proximity of the aforementioned facility that his positronic subprocessors sensed the familiar hum of 24th century technology, or rather, the wavelengths of a tricorder that was broadcasting signals on all frequencies. While he narrowly circumvented a collision with another horse-drawn carriage, he inferred that the others must have successfully ferried themselves across the frontiers of time and were here to assist him.

When the carriage swept around a corner, the tricorder transmission started to grow stronger and more prominent; his conjecture was confirmed when he sighted the others filing out of the hospital, and he promptly surmised that the occurrence of the time shift might have been a joint effort between them and the two individuals with the ophidian. Unfortunately, he could not initiate his interrogation, for his friends appeared to have antagonised the local police force.

'Data!' Commander Riker's loud, sonorous voice lacerated through the air, alerting him, unnecessarily, of their presence.

The android pulled on the reins to render the equines stationary adjacent to the pavement, allowing his friends to embark the vehicle.

'Doctor,' Data said, his own voice extraordinarily tranquil. He extended his hand for to grab and join him on the box seat while the others clambered into the carriage. 'It is good to see you again.'

'Go, Data! Hurry!' Captain Picard ordered, an urgent accentuation vibrated in the words he had enunciated.

'Aye, sir,' he replied compliantly, providing the horses with the objective to proceed down the street, with the intention to escape the police and take temporary refuge in the countryside until the coast was clear and they were certain no reinforcements would be ambushing them upon their return...

[ninjago-zine-of-elements]

Welcome to the Zine of Elements!

Zine Information Doc || FaQ || Updates || Pinch hitter form

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Zine of Elements! This fanzine project is centered around celebrating the LEGO Ninjago TV series’ various lesser-appreciated elemental masters through fanfiction and fanart.

Applications for the project are currently CLOSED, and the mods are reviewing submissions. Follow this blog and read on for more information!

What is the Zine of Elements?

The Zine of Elements (ZoE) is a free, digital SFW fanzine hosted by @21st-century-ninja (Fabro) and @curiositythecryptid (Lis). Over the course of three months, 18 artists and 5 writers will work together to bring the background elemental masters to life!

The ZoE is a canon-focused zine, which means that contributors will be asked to create works that fall beneath the canon umbrella (see the Zine Doc for more details). While the ninja are allowed to be background characters in any works created, they cannot be the subject matter, as this is a zine dedicated to the lesser-seen elemental masters.

Who can apply?

Anyone, regardless of age or skill, is welcome to apply for the ZoE. You must be able to use Discord to communicate, and you must be able to speak either English, Spanish, or Portuguese.

What does the schedule look like?

Applications: Nov 24, 2024 to Dec 14, 2024 Application results: by Dec 28, 2024 Creation period: Dec 28, 2024 to March 22, 2025 (12 weeks) Pitches due: Jan 11, 2025 Check in 1: Feb 1, 2025 Final dropout date: March 1, 2025 Check in 2: March 1, 2025 Due date: March 22, 2025 Zine publishing date: Mid April 2025, TBD

What if I have more questions?

If you have more questions, the Zine Doc has more detailed information on the project. Our ask box is always open, too!

I'm excited to apply! How do I do that?

In just three weeks, writer and artist applications will open via Google Form! In the meantime, though, you can be prepping your portfolios. Artists will be required to provide at least three pieces, at least one of them that must be Ninjago-focused, and writers will be required to provide three writing samples, at least one of which must be Ninjago-focused and under 2,000 words.

And that's that, everyone! Follow this blog for future updates on the project, and we'll see you Nov 24th!

@ninjago-events

[transterrorweek]

Trans Terror Week 2024

We’re back! Trans Terror Week 2024 will run November 24-30th.

Between Twitter dying and busy mods (@solomontoaster and @manicpixiedreamjop once again), we are not going to have much of a presence on Twitter this year, though we will be keeping tabs on it. Your best chance at getting a quick response will be one Tumblr!

The rules are the same a last year, detailed on our FAQ page (for the mobile accessible FAQ go here). 

Rules and Reminders:

This event is for anyone who is trans, nonbinary or is currently questioning their gender. Our goal is to uplift trans content creators in the Terror fandom and we encourage cis creators to show their support for their trans compatriots.

There is NO restriction on type of content: art, fics, edits, playlists, videos, everything is welcome!

November 24th is also for Creator Spotlights, make a post highlighting your works and we’ll give you a boost!

Please tag your works #transterrorweek/#transterrorweek2024 and/or ping us @transterrorweek to make sure we see your stuff! This applies to both Tumblr and Twitter.

Fics can also be added to the Ao3 collection. Simply search for “Trans Terror Week” when posting your fic or follow the link on our blog. Our FAQ has instructions for posting anonymously.

Prompts:

This years prompts are the result of three semesters of grad school study and research on the part of one of the mods. As always, full details on the prompts can be found on our prompts page:

Day 1: Staged Otherness | Trans Performers - Fanny & Stella

Fanny & Stella cross dressed both onstage and in their personal lives during the 19th century.

Day 2: Kabloona |Trans Explorers - Jan Morris

Jan Morris was the first* trans person to ascend Mount Everest as a journalist accompanying the 1953 British Mount Everest Expedition. *as far as I know

Day 3: "Herodotus and Oral History" | Trans Historians - Leslie Feinberg

Leslie Feinberg is the author of the pioneering trans history text Transgender Warriors.

Day 4: "Identification of a Senior Officer" | Trans Military Officers - Chevalière d'Éon

Charlotte d'Éon de Beaumont, the Chevalière d'Éon, was recognized as a woman by King Louis XVI, who furnished her with a new wardrobe.

Day 5: "Learning About Sea Ice" | Trans Scientists - Alan L. Hart

Alan L. Hart pioneered the use of x-ray photography for tuberculosis diagnosis.

Day 6: Arctic Circles and Imperial Knowledge | Trans Titlebearers - Sir Ewan Forbes

Sir Ewan Forbes of Craigievar was the 11th Baronet of his family’s barony from 1968 until his death in 1991.

Day 7: "You Do Not Belong Here" | Trans Activists - Loren Cameron

Loren Cameron was a trans activist and photographer, known for photographing nude trans bodies.

[ladykailitha]

Howlin' for Yule

Hello and welcome to my Christmas AUvent Calendar! Every day from now until the 24th I will be posting a ficlet that is 500-1500 from an AU I've done over the years.

All stories will be marked with the tag #12 aus of christmas so you can follow along as I will only be tagging my permanent list for this (it would get too confusing otherwise).

The next one on our list is: Werewolf verse. You can read the story here. All links will be to the first chapter, but the chapter itself will have links to the rest of the story.

Do you know how ridiculously proud I am of that title? Do you? Because I am so damn proud of that title. Also welcome to the one that got away from me. I could have kept it short. They dance, they schmooze, and they go home.

But I wanted to write more with this one and when I realized if I wanted this to end on the 24th, I should have started on the 13th, instead of the 12th, I figured I could extend this and post it Christmas Eve.

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9

~

Eddie stood in front of a mirror and fussed with his tie. He usually got a chuckle from seeing his reflection in a mirror because according to Wayne that one only became a myth recently with them no longer using silver to back them anymore. But not even that thought could bring a smile to his face.

Because he had to look super nice for his boyfriend’s big Yule Tide ‘do up at the new vampire coven’s place. After the Creel house had almost burnt down when Jason attacked, Chrissy thought it would be better to move the coven somewhere safer. Closer to civilization so that if that happened again, they could get help faster.

They had bought a beautiful mansion in Loch Nora that was able to house all the remaining members of the coven comfortably. It even had a large room just for balls. Which is what this most certainly was.

When Chrissy suggested it back in October, she had merely suggested party including the vampires and werewolves as a way to foster peace between them. But Steve, the beautiful big brained and even bigger hearted had suggested a Yule Ball for all the supernatural beings in Hawkins.

So that meant that all Eddie’s friends were going to be there and he had to look nice.

“You look like you’re going to a funeral,” Wayne groused from behind him. “Probably your own judging from the sour expression on his face.

Eddie whirled around in shock. Wayne was standing there in early 18th century clothes in golds and browns. He looked amazing. “Why can’t I look like that?!”

Wayne looked down at his attire and then back up. “Would you like to?”

Eddie cocked his head to the side. “I mean we really don’t have much time to make me something like that.” He waved at Wayne’s outfit. “Because I don’t think your clothes will fit me very well.”

Wayne chuckled. “Oh ye of little faith. You take that monkey suit off, and I’ll play fairy goduncle. Go on.”

Eddie raised a questioning eyebrow but did as he was told. He hadn’t been gone two scant minutes when he came back and all the clothes were laid out on his bed. Silks, velvet, and lace all in black. He would cut a dashing figure for sure.

He hurried to get dressed and then rushed out to the front to the kitchen and poured out a bowl of milk, placing it on the windowsill.

Wayne chuckled from the living room. “She owed me a favor, but I’m sure she will appreciate the treat anyway.”

Eddie shook his head. “It’s just good manners.”

Wayne nodded solemnly. He had raised this boy right. Not just in the ways of the supernatural, but in the ways of being a good human, too.

Then the sound of horses arriving, clattered outside their window and they both exited the trailer to see an elegant coach and four black horses.

“Your boy sure has a flare for the dramatic,” Wayne huffed as he was helped into the carriage by an actual footman. Something that Wayne had never experienced in his long life.

Eddie could only agree. In the last light of the shortest day of the year, the driver and footman seemed to glimmer as though they had a glamour placed over them to look vaguely human.

They pulled up to the coven’s new home and Eddie let out a wolf whistle. “The new Dominus seems to have her own flare for the dramatic.”

“Nah,” Wayne said as he exited the carriage, “that just comes from being a vampire.”

They were shown into what Eddie could only call a ballroom. It was massive. It was currently setup with long mahogany tables with little nameplates in front of every placement. The eating utensils were gold, the glasses were crystal, and plates were fine china.

It screamed opulence and once Eddie would have turned tail and ran. But not anymore. Being a vampire changed that, for sure, but what really cinched the deal was the man, standing next to the Dominus in a beautiful red and gold outfit similar to what Wayne and Eddie were wearing.

Steve Harrington, Roane Pack Alpha.

~

Day 11 Day 12

NOW WITH PART TWO!

I could have waited until the 23rd to post this one, but there was something symbolic about posting it on the day of the winter solstice. The longest night.

Tag List: CLOSED

1- @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @zerokrox-blog @sadisticaltarts @dolphincliffs

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @cryptid-system @kultiras

3- @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

4- @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @forgottenkanji @dreamercec @blondie1006

5- @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @genderless-spoon @fearieshadow @thesecondfate

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman

7- @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @ravenfrog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @lingeringmirth

8- @gutterflower77 @a-lovely-craziness @just-a-tiny-void @w1ll0wtr33 @beelze-the-bubkiss

[mysticstronomy]

WHAT IS THE SLOWEST THING IN THE UNIVERSE??

Blog#394

Saturday, April 20th, 2024.

Welcome back,

For centuries, physicists thought there was no limit to how fast an object could travel. But Einstein showed that the universe does, in fact, have a speed limit: the speed of light in a vacuum (that is, empty space). Nothing can travel faster than 300,000 kilometers per second (186,000 miles per second).

Only massless particles, including photons, which make up light, can travel at that speed. It's impossible to accelerate any material object up to the speed of light because it would take an infinite amount of energy to do so.

So as it turns out, Einstein could never have caught up with the beam of light that captured his imagination as a teenager!

How long does it take to get to the Moon? Light travels the 380,000 kilometers (240,000 miles) between the Moon and the Earth in 1.3 seconds. It would take a person more than nine years of continuous walking to travel this distance.

Light: 1.3 seconds

Electron: 2.9 minutes

Space shuttle (orbital speed): 14 hours

Sound (70°F): 13 days

Passenger jet: 18 days

NYC subway car (maximum speed): 220 days

Human (walking): 9 years

The faster an object travels, the more massive it becomes. As an accelerating object gains mass and thus becomes heavier, it takes more and more energy to increase its speed. It would take an infinite amount of energy to make an object reach the speed of light.

Originally published on

COMING UP!!

(Wednesday, April 24th, 2024)

"HOW FAST DOES LIGHT TRAVEL??"

[episodicnostalgia]

Star Trek: The Next Generation, 125 (May 16, 1988) - “The Neutral Zone”

Teleplay by: Maurice Hurley Story by: Deborah McIntyre & Mona Clee Directed by: James L. Conway

The Breakdown

This is one of those “multiple story lines going on at the same time” episodes, so first let’s deal with…

Plotline  #1 – After the Enterprise scanners pick up an old earth space capsule that piques Data’s interest, he and Worf decide to hop over and take a look. There they find three preserved bodies in cryonic chambers, which are beamed over to sick bay.  Turns out these three bodies have been sitting out in space since the late 20th century, y’know, from 25 years ago when people began the common practice of preserving their deceased loved ones (it was like Tamagotchi’s, everyone was doing it) in the hope of reviving them when medical science had advanced far enough.  That’s right, I said deceased.  These three people were frozen at the exact moment of their death (that’s gotta be tricky to pull off), and now revived 300 years by Dr. Beverly Crusher herself; their company is comprised of a Rich Guy who played the stock market, A mother of two, and a drug addicted musician. 

The episode follows the newly resurrected boomers, as they grapple with the fact that they’ve jumped 300+ years into the future, and that their loved ones are all dead, etc. The Rich dude (Ralph ) has a particularly hard time coping with the fact that his fortune is both nonexistent and (even if it weren’t) meaningless, since the pursuit of wealth and power no longer holds any sway in the post-scarcity 24th century. The mother (Clare) understandably spends most of the runtime being depressed, until Troi points out that she has a great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandson, who will undoubtedly welcome his displaced ancient ancestor with open arms. Lastly, the musician (Sonny) pretty much stays a lecherous, sexist, alcoholic, but he’s mostly having a good time enjoying the replicators and hanging out with his new guitar. At various points they inconvenience Picard (who’s dealing with more important things in the other plotline), but mostly they kind of sit around as the Enterprise crew smugly judge them for being ignorant and confused, until they’re transferred to another ship that will take them back to earth and become someone else’s problem.

Plotline #2 -  Starfleet outposts along the Neutral Zone (the established border between the Federation and the Romulan Empire) are being destroyed, and Picard has been ordered to check out if the Romulans are to blame.  Most of the Episode deals with Picard getting the bridge crew to study the Romulans so they can form a strategy, but that’s easier said than done, since it’s been decades since anyone has heard from them.

Anyways, when they finally arrive along the edge of ‘the zone’, Worf makes a shocking revelation that their outposts aren’t destroyed, but rather completely missing, since there would be some sign of debris otherwise.  Shortly thereafter a Romulan ship decloaks, and their captain explains to Picard that their outposts are also missing, and figured it was the Federation’s doing, but now realize it must have been someone-or-something else. Thankfully cooler heads prevail, and both sides agree to collaborate on solving this mystery later on, and then leave, but not before making a thinly-veiled threat that they’ll be back to cause more trouble down the road.

So, on that disconcerting note, the Enterprise optimistically heads back to its regular business because this is the finale, and we need to wrap things up until next season!

The Verdict

The thing is, both plot outlines have plenty of potential, in their own right.  A story about displaced-wealthy-20th-century-folk struggling to fit into a society that has no place for their ideologies, is a perfect theme for Star Trek. And I’ll admit, there’s every chance that the execution of such a story would come off as pretentious and out-of-touch as anything else the show put out during this season, but even a failed attempt would be interesting to watch… provided of course that it was the primary focus of the episode.  My biggest issue wasn’t how hilariously proud of itself the Hurley's script is for criticizing capitalism (while we’re at it, did you know slavery and genocide are also bad? Follow me, for more deep insights!), but rather that the story doesn’t really go anywhere, or do anything with the subject matter.

Ralph (the survivor with the most screen time) is arrogant and demeaning to the crew because he’s used to getting his own way, and we are made to understand that his love of money is directly tied to his character flaws, which is fine, but then what? At one point there’s a scene where he disregards Picard’s orders (to calm the fuck down and stay out of the way), and chooses to intrude on bridge just in time to see the Romulans being space-jerks, but there are no real consequences or thematic correlation, rendering the moment pointless. In the end Ralph seemingly resigns himself to accepting his new lot in life, but has nothing in the way of a meaningful epiphany to help him reach that point. Clare and Sonny both have similarly meandering “journeys” as well. Clare ultimately takes comfort in knowing she has living a descendant (who doesn’t know her, or share any cultural values), while Sonny just happily concludes that since everyone he knows is dead, he doesn’t need to worry about facing any accountability for his past (and seemingly hurtful) life choices.  Remember kids, the secret to finding inner peace is in outliving everyone you've ever wronged!

Meanwhile, the “Romulans-are-back” story line is conceptually more exciting, but it takes almost the entire episode for anything to happen. The most intriguing development is the revelation that some other unknown entity may pose a threat big enough to challenge both the Federation and Romulan empire simultaneously, but then it’s quickly tossed away in favour of a generalized tease about the Romulans stepping up as the show’s primary antagonist. It’s not so much that it’s bad, but like the “boomers-in-space” story, it doesn’t really go anywhere, leaving us with what is essentially a promise that more interesting episodes will continue the story “some other time.”

Now before anyone gets up in arms, yes I am aware that this episode was originally intended as the first in a multi-episode arc, before the writers strike forced them to rework their plan [more on this below].  Be that as it may, even if part 2 had both A) existed, and B) rocked hard, this is still a weakly structured episode.  That’s not to say I hated ‘the neutral zone’ altogether, but I certainly can’t say I thought it was good. 

Nice try guys, maybe next time.

1.5 stars (out of 5)

Parting Thoughts

Apathetic utopia: One thing that doesn’t sit right with me is the sheer disregard that Picard and many of his crew show for the space-boomer’s safety and well being. For starters, Riker was barely willing to let Data check out the capsule to begin with (even after Data points out that it could have historical value, if nothing else), but even after Data and Worf discover the bodies, Riker seems put out by Data’s insistence that they be preserved.  Then, to make matters worse, when Picard hears that the SB’s have been revived he’s downright irritable with Data, arguing that he should have left the survivors behind because “they WERE dead at the time.”  But like… here’s the thing, Dr. Crusher examined their bodies and discovered that all of them could be revived with relative ease, which suggests they were only clinically dead, and it’s commonly accepted that the window of revival in the Trek universe is significantly larger than our present day reality.  So yeah, they were technically dead, I suppose, but not irretrievably, which I would argue comes with a clear moral responsibility. The context for Picard’s ambivalence toward the situation is that he’s stressed about the upcoming Romulan mission, but that’s still an oddly callous stance for a man who professes the sanctity of life.

Silly things I find interesting: Introducing, the Borg! …kinda.  I can’t remember if the missing outposts are ever mentioned again in the show, but the intended continuation of this story was originally meant to serve as an introduction to the Borg, who would have been revealed as the true culprits. Obviously that didn’t pan out, but it’s interesting to think what might have been.

In fairness to the writers, a big part of why the script was so lacklustre is, once again, due to the strike. Basically, once a writers strike is underway, productions aren’t allowed to make any changes to a script until the union signs an agreement. Knowing the strike was imminent, it seems Maurice Hurley had no choice but to whip up a completed script based on the first draft, in only a couple days time.  Needless to say, the results speak for themselves.  Ultimately, I think it would have made more sense for the studio to keep the script for the following season; ‘Conspiracy’ was already a much more exciting episode, and would have served as a stronger season finale.

Did you know that... in Canada (where I'm from) our "Universal health coverage" still doesn't cover cryogenic suspension. So reach out to your MP and let them know we demand better comprehensive coverage before the next federal election! [All kidding aside, we should be doing that anyway. Seriously, how is dental not inherently included in that?]

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

Not strictly traditional, but good fun! They sip the drink the quaich dry. “Quaich” is a Scots rendering of the Gaelic word “cuach”, meaning cup. The two-handed design of this drinking vessel incorporates trust, on the part of both giver and receiver.

The quaich, Scotland’s cup of friendship, has been used through the centuries to offer a welcoming drink at clan gatherings, and other family occasions, and to friends and visitors.

Slàinte Mhath!

#BOMB💥

Posted 24th July 2024

[drgeyerappreciation]

Hello everyone! Welcome to Dr. Geyer Appreciation Week 2024! We're excited to be back for another year. Thank you to everyone who filled out the interest survey to help pick out our dates and themes. We're so excited to finally announce all the details for this years event.

This year the event is running June 23rd - 29th. You can find this years themes below: 

Day 1 (June 23rd) Pre-canon: We start off the event by exploring who Dr. Geyer was when he was younger. Whether that be as a child, in high school, in college, etc. Anything that takes place before we see him in canon is open territory.

Day 2 (June 24th) Love and Family / Domestic: A look at Dr. Geyer as a husband and father. Or maybe throw him into some other relationships. 

Day 3 (June 25th) Alternate Universe: Maybe there’s a universe where Dr. Geyer never actually became a doctor. Maybe he was a firefighter or a chef or a teacher. Maybe he lived in another century altogether. Anything is possible!

Day 4 (June 26th) Darkness and Light: Everyone has light and dark inside of them. Today’s the day to find out just what Dr. Geyer is made of, or maybe see how outside forces affect him. 

Day 5 (June 27th) Seasons: This day is all about seasons, whether that's the literal seasons of the year or of a life. That's all up to you!

Day 6 (June 28th) Lyrics and Quotes: What quotes or lyrics do you associate Dr. Geyer? Maybe there's a specific song that relates to him or maybe it's a favorite of his.

Day 7 (June 29th) Dealer’s Choice: Today’s theme is completely up to you. Do you have something you’ve been wanting to make but didn’t get a chance during the other days? This is the perfect time for that.   

While there are specific themes for the different days, it is not necessary to follow them. So if your muse leads you someplace else for that day, feel free to follow it, and we look forward to seeing what you create. We accept any and all content whether it be fanfiction, fanart, playlists, gifsets, whatever you feel like making. If there are any questions, our ask box is always open. 

When posting please tag @drgeyerappreciation and/or #drgeyerappreciationweek or #drgeyerweek2024 in the tags so we can find your posts and reblog them!

Happy creating!

[chameleonsallinvermillion]

Names From Twilight

Watching the movements of names from Twilight up and down the baby name charts year after year is a particular hobby of mine. Even if I ignore other fandoms for a year, I never ignore Twilight. It's such a good cross-section of names, and also it contains The Name That Haunts Me.

Most of these names aren't given because of Twilight, naturally. Only in rare cases is there ever likely to be a connection. But the rise and fall of popularity is interesting to me nonetheless and that is what tumblr is for.

Isabella: - 10th place, with 1795 baby girls in 2023. No surprises there. It never falls far.

Edward: - 30th place, 1501 boys named. Another of those names that just won't go away. A standard reliable boy name that hasn't turned unisex yet. How can parents walk away?

Jacob: - 24th place, 1655. I imagine the majority of them are Jake most of the time.

Charlie: - there never is any indication that Bella's father is called Charles so I stick with Charlie. It came in 17th in 2023, with 2010 boys.

Carlisle: - zero. Absolutely none - or, if there are, there are less than three of them. Didn't make the charts at all. It's a pity because I rather like it as a name.

Esme: - 982 baby girls, bringing it into 47th place. E names are so popular, especially ones that feel like they belong in the early 20th century: Elsie, Esme, and so on.

Renee: - 545th place, with 71 girls. It's higher than I expected. It always is.

Alice: - she never seems to leave the top 100. I think of it as a placeholder name, something you choose when you can't think of anything else, like Rose, but that's mean of me. 50th place, 955 girls.

Rosalie: - Rosie and Rose are so popular at the moment, and double-barrels ending in Rose are booming, so it's no surprise this one is doing okay for itself. 279th place, with 161 baby girls.

Emmett: - with only 38 boys in 2023, I'm slightly surprised in Emmett. It feels like it should belong higher, up alongside Ezra perhaps or Asher and Isaiah. But it never seems to make the climb so I guess something about it just doesn't appeal.

Jasper: - 690 boys, putting it at a very respectable 75th place. I think it will probably continue to rise too.

Leah: - 169th place, with 205 girls. It's falling down the ranks a bit but that's a welcome respite.

Seth: - 229th place, with 213 babies. Not bad and fits in nicely with its companions that I loosely class as "farmboy names".

Quill: - 4107th place, with just four boys, which makes it exactly the same level as

Aro: - also with just four boys. Aro feels like a name that ought to catch on. With Arlo so high, and Arrow climbing? People are missing a chance to dazzle on the baby naming forums.

But all of this is just fluff, just leading us to the biggest and most important question of all. Carlisle didn't make the cut this year. Quill and Aro, both so ordinary-sounding, are barely scraping through. Where on this list is our girl, Renesmee?

Renesmee: - 1030th place, with 33 baby girls in 2023. 33 little Renesmees out there, just beginning to learn to crawl. Sit with that for a moment. Reflect on it.

Because Renesmee is such a new name, it is theoretically possible for me to find out exactly how many of them are alive - certainly within in England and Wales, possibly within the world so long as other countries also provide good naming data. There's a beginning point to the name, the same as Nevaeh, and we can chart its whole lifespan. If we close our eyes to the fact that sometimes children don't survive, it seems probable that everyone who has ever been called Renesmee is currently alive. I'm not sure if any of them will be teenagers yet. This fascinates me. This, honestly, delights me.

But do you want to know what doesn't delight me? The Name That Haunts Me lingers on this list still. Do you want to know what it is?

Renesmae: - 774th place, with 36 baby girls. It's more popular than Renesmee. Do you know why this haunts me? It's because it's so normal. I almost miss it on the list, every time. If I didn't know where this name comes from, I wouldn't bat an eyelid at it. Do you know how many mediocre names lurk in the lower levels of the list? How many things that feel slightly off but you could be persuaded were actually very common at some time or other? Renesmae. She's...normal. Ren, probably, to her friends. A little quirky but ultimately mundane.

It's entirely possible that a mother out there has chosen the name Renesmae for her daughter and has no idea where it comes from. People don't always research the name they choose, you know. Maybe she heard it at a toddler play place with her young son and thought it sounded interesting and pretty. Maybe she suggested it to her husband and he was persuaded. Maybe these parents have genuinely no idea that they've named their little girl after the vampire baby from Twilight. It's not likely but it's possible. It's possible.

[katiajewelbox]

Broadwell Concert 24 November

Christmas is hoving into view! Start your celebrations on 24th November in the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Broadwell, Lechlade GL7 3QS with: 

St Birgitta's Vision, a dramatic community oratorio, world premiere

St Birgitta was a Swedish saint born in 1303, whose visions of the Nativity were a major influence on Western European fine art through many centuries.  Much of the oratorio text is taken from her writings.

There are over 50 performers ranging from members of local choirs and instrumental groups to professional soloists

The evening commences with a choral evensong at 5pm, followed by an interval, and St Birgitta's Vision (which lasts for 40 minutes) begins at 6pm

Tickets for St Birgitta's Vision can be purchased in advance or during the interval - full details on the poster

Those who would prefer not to come to the choral evensong are welcome to arrive during the interval (suggest 5.45)

Parking signposted from the road

All profits from St Birgitta's Vision will go to support and maintain the beautiful 12th/13th Church of St Peter and Paul.

Tickets: £10 in advance, £15 on the door, Under 15s free.

BACS Broadwell Parish Vicar and Church Wardens, Sort Code 20-84-58,

Acc 60205826, Reference: St Birgitta

Further info: annabel_molyneaux@hotmail.com / 07919 192377]

[theadmiralslegion]

Welcome to our inaugural Community Challenge!

There are five categories of prompts:

GENERAL * 12 new fics by members of the community * 6 new fics in the 23rd Century era: Star Trek (The Original Series), Star Trek: the Animated Series, Star Trek: Discovery S1-2, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and related Short Treks * 6 new fics in the 24th Century era: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy and related Short Treks * 6 new fics in the post 24th Century era: Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Discovery S3-5, and related Short Treks

RATINGS * 3 G rated fics * 3 T rated fics * 3 M rated fics * 3 E rated fics

PAIRINGS * 3 F/F fics * 3 F/M fics * 3 M/M fics * 3 Multi fics * 3 Gen fics

TROPES * 1 Only One Bed * 1 Fake Dating * 1 Mutual Pining * 1 Mission Fic * 1 Hurt/Comfort * 1 Everyone Can See It

ALTERNATE UNIVERSES * 1 Canon Divergence * 1 Historical * 1 Fairy Tale * 1 Sports * 1 University * 1 Flower Shop/Tattoo Parlor

Rules:

All fics must either feature Star Trek characters or be set within the Star Trek universe. Any version of Star Trek is welcome, including beta canon. Any Trek characters are welcome, including OCs.

Fics must be posted to the collection in order to count toward the challenge. They may be posted wherever else you like.

A fic may check off more than one challenge. For example "T-rated Cornwell/Lorca Academy fic" fits TOS Era, T, F/M, University. Please include the prompts your fic fulfills in the tags and/or notes.

There are no word count requirements or limitations.

The current standings and remaining challenges will be posted to tumblr the first of every month.

If a category is completed before December 1, 2024, new prompts will be unlocked.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions.

If you want to participate, congrats you're a member of the community. Please follow us for updates!

[capriccfest]

CaPri 2023 Consummation Ceremony Fest: Rules and Guidelines

Timeline:

Prompting Opens: 19th June, 2023 (Closes: 21st July, 2023)

Claiming Opens: 24th July, 2023

Submissions Due: 13th October, 2023

Posting Starts: 20th October, 2023

Intro:

Ah, the beauty of CaPri’s consummation ceremonies… Can you imagine Damianos’ shock over learning he’ll have to make love to Laurent in front of witnesses because of some ancient royal decree from centuries ago that the consummation of a royal marriage must be witnessed by the council? And Laurent’s complete complacency and/or amusement? The list of sarcastic taunts he intends to bait Damen with is practically endless and we’re so here for it. But Lamen aren’t the only couple the consummation fest mods would like to see. We’re open to any and all pairings…in terms of imagination, dear contributors, the sky’s the limit.

Also, and because we don’t want to curb your creative spirit in any way, we’re not limiting contributions to fics, but also accept art and/or podfics (if you have the original author’s consent). Feel free to collaborate amongst yourself, let those creative juices flow!

The Rules:

This fest is 18+ only, no exceptions will be made for any reason. Any attempt to deceive the mods will result in the instant dismissal from participating in the fest.

If you’re contributing a fic, we humbly ask for a minimum of at least 1000 words. Beyond that, the sky’s the limit.

You must have an AO3 Account to participate. The AO3 collection is available here.

Since we’re new on the fest circuit, this won’t be an anonymous fest. You’re welcome to natter away about your prompt in your favourite Discord server or amongst friends. For fic contributions, we do ask that you do not share snippets of your story publicly until your contribution has been revealed.

Your work must be created especially for the fest. This means, anything you previously published is not eligible for submission.

If you’d like to submit a podfic, please provide us with the original author’s approval to record their work.

Please note that the mods’ decision on the interpretation of the rules is final.

Prompts:

Prompting will begin 19th June, 2023 and run right through to the 21st July, 2023. You’re welcome to submit as many ideas as you would like…the more the merrier! You can find the prompting form here.

There’s no requirement to participate in the fest in order to be eligible for prompting; we’re a bit greedy and want all your ideas. 

If you’re the mysterious kind, the form allows for anonymous prompt contributions.

This fest is not a gift exchange, however if you’d be happy to receive a contribution based on your prompt as an AO3 gift, we ask that you indicate so in the form. Contributors, at this point, the mods team would like to take the opportunity to remind you that if you opt to gift your work to the prompter you should adhere to their wishes. That means respecting special requests and/or any squicks.

All prompts are open to all ratings. We do ask that you respect the maximum rating stated if you plan to gift your contribution to the prompter.

Self-prompting is allowed. For this you don't need to fill out the prompts form. Simply wait until we release the claims form and tell us all about it then. Do make sure to jot down your self-prompt somewhere. Those cheeky plot bunnies sure do like skipping away. If self-prompting, we still encourage you to submit prompts.

Claiming:

We expect claiming to start on the 24th July, 2023, likely (and providing there are no technical hiccups) from 11am GMT onwards.

Prompts will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis and can be claimed once for fic, once for art, and once for other fanworks.

We would appreciate it if you could choose three prompts when submitting your claim, with your first choice being the prompt you’d like most, though you are not required to submit three choices.

You may only claim one prompt at a time. Once you’re done and have submitted your contribution, you’re welcome to choose a second prompt. For this reason, claiming will remain open until submissions are due. Please let us know in your submission email if you’re planning to submit a second claim through the form.

We do understand that sometimes life gets in the way of fun and that this may make it impossible for you to complete your work. No judgements, we merely ask that you inform us as soon as possible.

If you decide to collaborate, e.g. fic + art, please ensure to provide us with details for all claimants in one claim form.

Once you have submitted your claim, we aim to respond within 24 hours to confirm your choice. Please respond within 72 hours to let us know that you have received our confirmation and will participate in the Captive Prince Consummation Ceremony Fest.

Creating:

As previously stated, we ask for a minimum word count of 1000 words. Beyond that, you’re free to break your own personal records.

We will only accept completed works; multi-chaptered works are fine but all chapters must be uploaded at once. All submissions must be new and individual works. They cannot be a continuation of your previously published work.

Prompts are meant to inspire you, as are any additional notes provided, but as you are the creative head of your work, we suggest you set your creativity free. If you plan to gift your work to the prompter, we do ask that you take the prompter’s squicks and special requests into consideration.

Lastly, not a rule but merely an encouragement for you to dream big. As Albert Einstein once said, ‘creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.’

Submissions:

For written contributions, we strongly encourage you to have your work beta-read prior to submitting it.

Once you’re done creating and editing, please submit your work to the mods team.

Submissions are due by 13th October, 2023, but if you’re finished early, we encourage you to submit before that date.

The mods will create a dedicated AO3 collection for the fest.

Once you’re ready to submit your work, please complete the below header and email it to capriccfest@gmail.com.

Your email subject line should read: Fic Submission: (Title)(Artist)

All creations must be posted directly to the AO3 Collections page here.

Please ensure that you add the fest mod account (CaPriCCFest) as co-creator when uploading your submission so that we are able to adjust the posting date. We will not make any changes to your contribution.

Please ensure that you tag your contribution correctly and include all appropriate warnings. The mods reserve the right to request that you add a missing warning tag. If you’re unsure you are welcome to contact the mods at capriccfest@gmail.com.

E-Mail Submissions Header:

Title:

Pairing:

Creator:

Rating:

Word Count (if applicable):

Art Medium (if applicable):

Run Time (if applicable):

Warning/Tags:

Prompt #:

Summary:

Link to submission:

Extensions/Dropping Out:

We’re all human, so if you need an extension, or need to pull out of the fest, please contact us at capriccfest@gmail.com and let us know. No need to be afraid, we’re here to help. Please note that if you’re dropping out, you will not be eligible to claim another prompt for the remainder of the fest.

Posting:

The mods will release fest contributions on a schedule and send out a Tumblr post from the official CaPri Consummation Fest account. If you’re on Tumblr, please consider giving us a follow to stay in the know about fest updates and posted works.

Any other questions?

Any questions you may have can be submitted directly to the mods team through the Ask Us All The Things! function on Tumblr or, if you prefer, by emailing the mods directly: capriccfest@gmail.com. We aim to answer as soon as we can, but do keep in mind that we are also humans with work and life commitments.

[nashscribblings]

Welcome to the far future of the 24th Century! We're going to stab you with a sword now.

[nicklloydnow]

“Donald trump should have seen it coming. He arrived on May 25th at the Libertarian Party’s national convention in Washington, DC, hoping to expand his support, but the crowd mostly responded with boos. Attendees lacked enthusiasm for a protectionist who added $8.4trn to America’s national debt. They also spent the weekend squabbling among themselves. After losing presidential races for more than half a century, the Libertarian Party is facing an identity crisis.

(…)

The most intense divisions are about strategy. The hardline Mises Caucus (named after Ludwig von Mises, a pro-market Austrian economist) has dominated the party’s leadership since 2022 and adopted populist rhetoric. The group was responsible for inviting Mr Trump, as well as Robert F. Kennedy junior, an independent candidate, to speak at the convention. The debate about whether to invite the outside candidates at times seemed more heated than the Libertarians’ own presidential-nomination fight. On May 24th, the convention’s first day, one attendee yelled into the microphone, “I would like to propose that we go tell Donald Trump to go fuck himself!” The crowd cheered.

“I would rather us focus on the Libertarian candidates,” said Jim Fulner, from the Radical Caucus. “I’m fearful that come later this summer, when I’m working the county fair, someone will say, ‘Oh, Libertarians, you guys are the Donald Trump people.’” Nick Apostolopoulos, from California, welcomed the attention Mr Trump’s speech brought—and said his presence proved “this party matters, and that they have to try and appeal to this voting bloc.”

Few believed that Mr Trump won much support. He promised to appoint a Libertarian to his cabinet and commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht, who is serving life in prison after founding the dark-web equivalent of Amazon for illegal drugs. The crowd responded positively to Mr Trump’s nod to a Libertarian cause célèbre, but booed after he asked them to choose him as the Libertarian Party’s presidential nominee. Mr Trump hit back, “If you want to lose, don’t do that. Keep getting your 3% every four years.”

Mr Kennedy was more disciplined, tailoring his speech to the crowd by highlighting his opposition to covid lockdowns. Even so he received a cool reception. Libertarians want a candidate who will promise to abolish, not reform, government agencies.

The reality is that Libertarians are more interested in positions than personalities. The exception may be the broad admiration for Ron Paul, a retired Republican congressman whom many cite as their lodestar. But at 88 Mr Paul has achieved the difficult feat of being considered too old to plausibly run for president.

(…)

But the party is far from unified. Given the choice between Mr Oliver and “none of the above”, more than a third of the delegates preferred no one. It remains uncertain whether the party’s candidate will appear on the ballot in all 50 states, as several previous nominees have. If the Libertarian candidate has any influence on the presidential election this year, it will be as a spoiler in a close-run swing state.

Mr Oliver’s victory marked a rare defeat for the Mises Caucus. But the re-election of Angela McArdle, a Mises Caucus member, as the national party chairperson is perhaps more important to the future of the movement. Ms McArdle faced criticism for her decision to invite outside candidates to speak. Controversy over the Mises Caucus had led several state delegations to split, and much of the convention’s floor time was eaten up over fights about whom to recognise. The rise of the Mises wing of the party has led more pragmatically minded members to largely give up on the project of advancing libertarian ideas by building a political party.

The party struggles on big stages, such as in presidential, gubernatorial or Senate contests. Yet it occasionally wins municipal elections, leaving some to wonder whether national activism is pointless or even counter-productive. Why would Libertarians invest time in a hopeless race for president when they could direct their energy to fighting a local sales tax or antiquated laws restricting alcohol sales?

(…)

The party faithful believe that national and local activism are not mutually exclusive. Elijah Gizzarelli won fewer than 3,000 votes when he ran for governor of Rhode Island as a Libertarian two years ago, but he argues that the party has a long record of success—so long as the definition of success expands beyond winning elections. He says the party succeeds by shifting the “Overton window”, or the spectrum of political ideas that are generally considered acceptable.”

[page-2-ids]

New Coining Event!

Hello and welcome to Synth’s Coining Rockin’ Event (or the “cre coining event” for the sane), a coining event entirely centered around rock music! Everything from J-Rock, to grunge, to hair metal! Any and everyone is welcome to participate! The event is going to last from May 1st to June 15! 

There aren’t really any rules, just some stuff I’d like to say before we get to the prompts. Every day of the event has two prompts, in theory the first one is a more known song and the second less known and also similar/linked in some way, but I don’t know how good of a job I did at that. It’s totally cool to do both prompts or just one, going off actual relation, vibes, whatever works! I’d like to ask that no one does genders just related to the listed song or songs/albums, just so we can avoid recoinings, but everything else is up for grabs!

Everyone is free to do all days, just a couple, multiple prompts a day, whatever floats your boat!

If anyone is interested in some tags they could use to organize or find terms, I have some of those under the cut. With all that out of the way, here are the prompts!

May 1st: November Rain (Guns N’ Roses) // (Don’t Fear) The Reaper (Blue Oyster Cult) May 2nd: Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana) // Slither (Velvet Revolver) May 3rd: Dream On (Aerosmith) // Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (any version) May 4th: Girls, Girls, Girls (Motley Crue) // Talk Dirty To Me (Poison) May 5th: Welcome to the Jungle (Guns N’ Roses) // Nightrain (Guns N’ Roses) May 6th: Every Rose Has Its Thorn (Poison) // Snuff (Slipknot) May 7th: I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing (Aerosmith) // I’d Die For You (Bon Jovi) May 8th: Livin’ On A Prayer (Bon Jovi) // Viva la Gloria! (Green Day) May 9th: You Give Love A Bad Name (Bon Jovi) // Shot Through The Heart (Bon Jovi) May 10th: Slippery When Wet (Bon Jovi) // 7800° Degrees Fahrenheit (Bon Jovi) May 11th: Dr. Feelgood (Motley Crue) // London Calling (The Clash) May 12th: American Idiot (Green Day) // 21st Century Breakdown (Green Day) May 13th: The Black Parade (My Chemical Romance) // Danger Days: The True Lives Of the Fabulous Killjoys (My Chemical Romance) May 14th: Comfortably Numb (Pink Floyd) // Give Me Novacaine (Green Day) May 15th: Numb (Linkin Park) // Shadow On the Sun (Audioslave) May 16th: Are We the Waiting (Green Day) // The Thin Ice (Pink Floyd) May 17th: Everlong (Foo Fighters) // She’s a Rebel (Green Day) May 18th: I Don’t Love You You (My Chemical Romance) // Don’t Cry (Guns N’ Roses) May 19th: Basketcase (Green Day) // Everyday is News (Shinsei Kamattechan) May 20th: Holiday (Green Day) // God Save the Queen (Sex Pistols) May 21st: Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) // Homecoming (Green Day) May 22nd: Rock You Like a Hurricane (Scorpions) // Young Lust (Pink Floyd) May 23rd: Somebody Told Me (The Killers) // Michael (Franz Ferdinand) May 24th: The Sharpest Lives (My Chemical Romance) // Kickstart My Heart (Motley Crue) May 25th: In The End (Linkin Park) // Last Resort (Papa Roach) May 26th: Pour Some Sugar On Me (Def Leppard) // Cherry Pie (Warrant) May 27th: Here I Go Again (Whitesnake) // Street Of Dreams (Guns N’ Roses) May 28th: Should I Stay Or Should I Go (The Clash) // American Woman (Lenny Kravitz) May 29th: Shout At the Devil (Motley Crue) // The Hardest Part Is The Night (Bon Jovi) May 30th: Closer (Nine Inch Nails) // Wither (Tech N9ne, Corey Taylor) May 31st: I Love Rock N’ Roll (Joan Jett) // Mental Health(Bang Your Head) (Quiet Riot) June 1st: Master of Puppets (Metallica) // Under The Bridge (Red Hot Chili Peppers) June 2nd: Enter Sandman (Metallica) // Nightmare (Avenged Sevenfold) June 3rd: Toxicity (System Of A Down) // Carnivore (Body Count) June 4th: Nevermind (Nirvana) // Whatever (Adore Delano) June 5th: Sweet Child O’ Mine (Guns N’ Roses) // Born To Be My Baby (Bon Jovi) June 6th: Psychosocial (Slipknot) // Welcome to Horrorwood (Ice Nine Kills) June 7th: A Little Piece of Heaven (Avenged Sevenfold) // Enthrone (CHTHONIC) June 8th: Walk This Way (Aerosmith or Aerosmith, Run D.M.C.) // Bring The Noise (Public Enemy, Anthrax) June 9th: Rocket Man (Elton John) // Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix) June 10th: Say It Ain’t So (Weezer) // Inside Out (Eve 6) June 11th: Letterbomb (Green Day) // Better (Guns N’ Roses) June 12th: I Write Sins Not Tragedies (Panic! At The Disco) // Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down (Fall Out Boy) June 13th: Combat Rock (The Clash) // Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (The Sex Pistols) June 14th: Runaway Train (Soul Asylum) // Patience (Guns N’ Roses) June 15th: Dust N’ Bones (Guns N’ Roses) // Homebound Train (Bon Jovi)

For anyone interested, here are the tags I’ll be using to organize genders related to certain bands. No one has to use them, but I thought someone would be interested and I’m bored! Also, all of these terms have already been coined, by me or someone else, that’s why not everything has a tag

Guns N’ Roses - #nrosesgender

Bon Jovi - #bonjender // #bonjovigender

Motley Crue - #cruegender

Green Day - #greendaygender

Slipknot - #slipknotgender

Poison - #poisoningender

My Chemical Romance - #mychemancegender

The Clash - #clashgender

The Sex Pistols - #sextolgender // #sextolsgender

Avenged Sevenfold - #sevenfoldgender

Shinsei Kamattechan - #kamattegender

Red Hot Chili Peppers - #rhcpgender

Metallica - #metallicagender

Nirvana - #nirvanagender

Body Count - #bodycountgender

Linkin Park - #linkinian

Aerosmith - #aerosmithgender

Velvet Revolver - #velvolvergender

Quiet Riot - #quiotgender // #rietgender

[tomorrowusa]

Putin never accepted Ukraine as an independent state. He then deluded himself into thinking that people in Ukraine would welcome a return to Russia and would cheer his invaders as liberators. Now Ukrainians want to have even less to do with Russia.

Rather than spread Russia's influence, Putin's invasion has prompted serious shrinkage of it.

The port city of Odesa has been the target of numerous Russian attacks recently. It has been engaged in a de-Russification campaign. The Russian empress, or rather her bronze likeness, used to stand proudly on a pedestal in the heart of the city that she founded in the late 18th century. Now she is here, locked in a box away from public view. The removal of Catherine (the Great), unthinkable before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, is a reflection of the mood in a city that is rapidly losing all sentimentality about the Russian-linked pages of its past as it comes under sustained fire from Russian missiles. [ ... ] Catherine’s removal is just one part of a programme of “de-Russification” that is going on all over Ukraine. It has a particular hue in Odesa, where it is not only the figure of Catherine that binds the historical and cultural landscape to Moscow. Many of the great Russian-language writers were from Odesa or spent time there, its residents largely speak Russian and its Transfiguration Cathedral was consecrated by Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, in 2010.

But now, President Putin is swiftly accomplishing something that 30 years of Ukrainian independence had previously struggled to do: he is turning Odesa into a proudly Ukrainian city. A barrage of missile attacks over the past two weeks, the first time the centre of the city has been significantly damaged since the start of the war, is likely to only accelerate this process. [ ... ]

One of the more visible elements of the battle against Russian heritage is a Ukraine-wide programme to rename streets, which have, over the years, reflected the frequent political upheaval that has come to this part of Europe. Catherine Square, where the monument to the empress previously stood, has been called Karl Marx Square and Adolf Hitler Square within living memory. Now, many names are to be changed again, with Russian-influenced names replaced by Ukrainian names or simply topographical markers. In Odesa, a local council committee has regular meetings to discuss where changes should be made.

Ukraine is even changing the calendar to stick it to Russia.

Ukraine moves Christmas Day in snub to Russia

Ukraine has moved its official Christmas Day state holiday from 7 January to 25 December, the latest move aimed at distancing itself from Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed into law a parliamentary bill that aimed to "abandon the Russian heritage of imposing Christmas celebrations". In recent years, Kyiv has been cutting religious, cultural and other ties with Russia, aligning itself with the West. This process escalated following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Mr Zelensky signed the bill on Friday - two weeks after it had been passed by Ukrainian lawmakers. The legislation also moves another two state holidays, Day of Ukrainian Statehood, from 28 July to 15 July, and the Defenders' Day, which commemorates armed forces veterans, from 14 October to 1 October.

BTW: Day of Ukrainian Statehood (День Української Державності) is not the same thing as Ukrainian Independence Day (August 24th). Day of Ukrainian Statehood marks the official conversion of King Volodymyr the Great and Kyiv to Christianity in 988. Poland has a somewhat similar foundation story; Grand Duke Mieszko's conversion in 966 is regarded as the beginning of the Polish state.

Before anybody sheds tears for anything Russian, be aware that Russia has always tried to impose its language and way of life on countries it has occupied. That continues in parts of Ukraine under Putin's temporary control.

The Hardest Soft Power: How Moscow Forces The Russian Language On Occupied Ukraine

The whole point of the invasion has been to wipe out Ukrainian identity. There's a word for that: genocide.