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thexfridax · 4 years

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Translated interview with Director Sciamma

‘We started a culture war‘

Andreas Busche and Nadine Lange, in: Der Tagesspiegel, 29th of October 2019

Additions or clarifications for translating purposes are denoted as [T: …]

Manifest on the female gaze: Céline Sciamma speaks about her period film ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’, MeToo in France and queer visibility.

In France, Céline Sciamma, born in 1978, is already revered as the new feminist and notably queer voice of French cinema, in the tradition of Claire Denis and Catherine Breillat. The director (‘Tomboy’, ‘Girlhood’), who writes her own screenplays, is largely unknown in [T: Germany]. This is most likely about to change with her fourth and most beautiful feature film so far. At the Cannes Film Festival, the period love story between the young painter Marianne and her model Héloïse, daughter of French aristocrats, won the Best Screenplay. Between the rugged landscape of the coast of Brittany and the candlelit interiors of an old villa, the film creates a utopia of solidarity and female desire, in which the characters of Marianne, Héloïse and Sophie the maid overcome class barriers.

Interviewers: Ms Sciamma, ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ is your first period film, it takes place a few years before the French Revolution. Why is this era important for your story?

Céline Sciamma: My interest in those years came from art history. At the time, there was an unusual number of female painters, hundreds in France and across Europe. It really moved me to discover the biographies of these women, who had successful careers. They supported each other and were very political. There was for example feminist art criticism at the time.

I: Noémie Merlant plays the painter Marianne, who is commissioned to do a portrait of Héloïse, a daughter of aristocrats. There are two main themes: the representation of female painters in bourgeois society and the female gaze – and how this [T: gaze] is reflected in the art world at the time. How are these themes connected?

CS: When I went into more detail about the work of female painters in the late 18th century, I realised how much the female perspective is missing from art history. For me this is the most painful loss, which results from the elimination of the female gaze: this relates to the artwork themselves, but also to what art brings to our lives, the memory of a kind of intimacy.

I: Marianne is not based on a specific female painter. But is she representative of women at the time?

CS: I collaborated with an art sociologist, who did extensive research on this era. All biographical details for Marianne correspond to the time in which she lived. The dynamics of a biopic – a successful woman who defies societal norms – never really interested me. My film is a manifest on the female gaze. But there’s also melancholy in this process, because we have to restore something that has been ignored for a long time.

I: Why melancholy?

CS: It makes me sad, because this perspective was withheld from me all my life. That is why the scene, where Marianne, Héloïse and Sophie the maid re-enact an abortion, is so important for the film. By painting an abortion, the act becomes art and is therefore represented. Art gives women the opportunity to tell their own stories. But it’s not only about the past. The topic of abortion is still virtually invisible in cinema.

I: How do you deal with this lack of female perspectives as a screenwriter and director?

CS: I was aware about the lack of queer and lesbian representation in cinema early on. But it becomes dangerous, when we don’t realise anymore that something is withheld from us. I noticed this again, when I watched ‘Wonder Woman’ by Patty Jenkins. It is hard to express how you feel when you know you’re not represented, and at the same time are oblivious to the power it can give you to recognise yourself in cinema. That was a new experience for me.

I: You were one of the initiators of the 50/50 by 2020 movement, which is committed to gender parity at festivals and in film. What do you expect from Cannes next year?

CS: I’m glad that this topic is finally taken seriously. We set out our target for Cannes and want more transparency in the selection committee. However, to achieve these, you have to introduce quota. The board will be replaced [T: next] year, let’s see how it works. We started a culture war. One of the most important things for me is the work on inclusion. The 50/50 [T: movement] and the film production/promotion agency CNC created a fund for cultural diversity in [T: film] productions last year. There’s usually less budget for films made by female directors, this inequality will be slightly mitigated. More than 20 films have already benefitted from this fund.

I: There is progress on one hand, but on the other hand some things are deteriorating again. Do you see it in a similar way?

CS: We had no MeToo-debate in France, unlike the one in the US. The [T: debate] was quickly hijacked and reinterpreted as discussion about free speech: that feminist film criticism would lead to a new form of censorship. You could feel the backlash in France. A good example: Sandra Muller, who created the French MeToo movement ‘Balance ton Porc’ [T: ‘Denounce your pig’, see here for the evolution of the term ‘pig’ in this context] just lost a libel lawsuit. Action was filed by the man, whose harassing statements she made public. The level of societal discourse is not where it’s supposed to be.

I: You lead by example: There are mainly women working on your sets.

CS: It creates a different atmosphere, that is for sure. But I’ll tell you something: Women only make up 50% of the crew, my crew is probably one of the most diverse in France. Claire Mathon is my cinematographer, but a lot of men work with her. My cutter is a man though. It’s about the right balance. The film world is very much dominated by men, but I don’t want to exclude anyone.

I: In Cannes, you said something similar about your colleague Abdellatif Kechiche, who was criticised for his voyeuristic gaze on women, for example in the Palm d’Or winner ‘Blue is the Warmest Colour’. Do you want a cinema, in which your and his gaze can exist side by side?

CS: We have to be conscious about our perspective. In France, I’m always asked about my female gaze, but no one is ever asking a [T: male] filmmaker about his male gaze. Which is still considered as gender neutral. Of course, you can love ‘Blue is the Warmest Colour’ as much as you love ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ [T: 😈], otherwise cinema will become a battlefield of ideologies. We just have to learn to read the images correctly. I would like to invite Abdellatif Kechiche to this relatively new discourse. But he should be asked the same questions as me.

I: You call ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ a manifest on the female gaze. What does that mean?

CS: It starts with the screenplay. I wanted to tell a love story on equal terms. There is no gender-specific power imbalance in the film. That was important for me, especially in a time, in which gender inequality was the social norm. There is also no intellectual dominance between Marianne and Héloïse, they both come from the upper class, are sophisticated and self-determined. Between them, they did not have to negotiate a status.

I: What role did your actresses play in this?

CS: I wrote the film for Adèle Haenel. But it only works if she has a partner who is equal to her. Noémie Merlant is about the same age as Adèle, they are even the same height, which cannot be underestimated in cinema. That’s why shorter actors often have to stand on a pedestal. All these considerations are political, but they are also an offer to the audience: for new emotions, for surprises. Equality creates freedom, because social rules are overturned.

I: As Marianne, Héloïse and Sophie keep to themselves, they are not exposed to the male gaze. They can move freely.

CS: That’s why I don’t think of my film as social utopia. Every utopia is based on our experiences and ideas. You cannot easily find this kind of solidarity among women, you have to create this freedom. That’s why I decided to exclude male characters. What I exclude from the shot also defines what is shown in the picture. That’s the power of cinema.

I: Your film is about the visibility of women. They tell each other, how they see one another – and thus create an image of themselves. At the same time, desire arises from their gazes. How do you create this feeling of intimacy?

CS: We offer a philosophy and politics of love. Even the depiction of queer sexuality in cinema is based on heterosexual paradigms. We first had to learn how to deconstruct this gaze on us. Similarly, it’s also about abolishing the outdated ideal of the muse. There is of course a hierarchy on set, but we tried to transfer the working relationships in the film to our shooting.

I: All your films have queer aspects. Do you ever had any problems to fund your films?

CS: No, but that’s because I don’t need so much money. ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ did cost 4 Million Euros. If I had asked for 12 Million Euros, it might have been different. I can’t complain. I live in a country, in which I can make these kinds of films and be radical. 23 percent of French films are made by female directors.

I: It seems like there were more [T: female directors] recently?

CS: No, the figure has been constant for 20 years. We are just forgotten and then ‘rediscovered’. Think about Alice Guy-Blanché, who made films at the time of Méliès [T: around the turn of last century]. She did everything by herself, used the first closeup. She literally co-invented the cinema. But like all the women, who were active at the beginning of film history, they were driven out, when it was suddenly about money.

Still from ‘Be natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché’ (Pamela B. Green, 2018)

#Céline Sciamma #Der Tagesspiegel #2019 #Portrait of a Lady on Fire #German interview #Manifest on the FEMALE GAZE #Nope on Blue is the Warmest Colour #Alice Guy-Blaché #Cinema #My translation #long post

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shamelessrepresentation · 4 years

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Shameless: The Ignorance of Liam’s Racial Identity and Problematic Portrayal of Veronica

Shameless, a show about the Gallagher family living in the South Side of Chicago, explores many different real-life issues such as alcoholism, financial problems, and family conflicts throughout this 11 season series. Although Shameless helps display many American problems in a truthful light, the representation of Black people in the show is problematic because of the whitewashing and harmful narratives that are displayed. In Shameless, all of the characters are predominately white, except for two characters, Liam and Veronica. This blog post will focus on the representation of these two characters in a series where everyone else is white.

Liam is the only Black child in the Gallagher family, and in the beginning seasons, he doesn't play much of a role considering his age and lack of verbal skills (Murphy, 62). Despite this, he still embodies Black representation on the show. (Murphy, 62). Liam becomes more known in season seven when he is given a free ride to a prestigious private school and season eight when he is more vocal. Although it’s not stated how Liam got a free ride, it soon becomes obvious he was to attend this school to be the school's token Black child. This notion is conveyed throughout season eight, such as episode one around 21:20, when the viewers watch as Liam is pulled numerous times from his class to be put in the playground that the tours walk by and the tour guide says they have diversity at the school. Here is one short video montage clip from multiple episodes showing Liam being taken away from his class: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjP2ejCz2m4 . Sesali Bowen talks about this in her article, "We Need To Talk About Shameless' New Liam & His New School." where Bowen says, "Unbeknownst to the Gallagher family, Liam was only allowed to attend his new private school to be their shining example of diversity, even at the expense of his education." And while this spotlights a real issue that happens regarding diversity quotas at schools, Shameless still falls short in representation due to whitewashing communities in the show and the Black characters, such as Veronica, fitting into racial stereotypes.

Pictured: Liam at his new private school being the only Black male there.

It isn't until season ten where Liam comes to terms with his racial identity and the whiteness his family and community have imposed on him and his life. Not only does whiteness occur in the show, but also Liam is mistreated often as well. Liam is used for all sorts of manipulative things like helping Frank, his father, steal things because his innocence is easy to take advantage of. Trin Moody says in the article, "Time To Get Critical About Representation in Shameless," says, "His family's ignorance of his identity is glimpsed over… [and] the characters give little acknowledgment to his mistreatment." When he decides to move in with Todd, a Black friend, and his family, he becomes connected with his ancestral roots. When he sees Todd's house is full of pictures of Black representation, including Obama, he feels welcomed and encouraged to accept his blackness. Therefore, Liam embraces his race and dismisses his family's disapproval of moving out and working on his identity. Liam’s change of identity is not only shown in his room decorations but also in how he dresses and looks with a new hairstyle, an afro. Liam also talks with a Black family member, Maver, who later becomes a mentor for Liam and teaches him how to live in America as a black man. Mavar is critical to Liam's development because he can connect with another person of his race and get valuable lessons he wouldn't have received from his white family that doesn't understand what it's like to be Black. In this video clip, around 2:09, Mavar describes what it's like to live in America as a Black man to Liam, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhSGWLria4k . This video is one of the many lessons he teaches Liam throughout the season. Overall, seeing this significant change from season one to season 10 in Liam's character development is vital when thinking of how he went from "being plopped at the Gallagher dining table for Shameless to earn some diversity points." (Moody) to being his own person and character with personal triumphs without his white family members being present.

Pictured: Liam in a clothing item (dashiki) and hairstyle (afro) specific to his race.

Another Black character that has a problematic representation is Veronica, a neighbor to the Gallaghers, and like a second family member to them. Throughout the series, Veronica also mentors and helps Liam in understanding and embracing his identity. In season ten, episode one, Liam even asks Veronica to teach him about slavery and they eat food their ancestors ate in the past. And while this brings up important history of Black people, the scene still has a light-hearted undertone, which can take away from its seriousness. This shows that although Shameless includes important topics regarding diversity, it still doesn't result in the Black characters being represented accurately. Although Veronica is viewed as a strong Black woman who has two daughters, a business, and a healthy relationship, she is also is portrayed as a sex-worker for some of the beginning seasons. She does this type of work to make money for her and her white partner, Kevin, to stay afloat, but this portrayal still doesn’t represent her well. Especially because her character is portrayed too sexually in the show, not only from her side work but the way she is dressed. Veronica wears many revealing and skimpy clothing, which can further sexualize her and take away her personality and character. From the very beginning seasons, there are many shots of Veronica having sex and/or her wearing only her bra and underwear often, when looking at scenes of her female white best friend, Fiona, she doesn’t have nearly as many scenes similar to Veronica’s. This is not okay because it can portray Black females in a false and horrible light that can say they are here for only sexual purposes.

Pictured: Veronica in a more revealing top while Fiona is all bundled up.

Nicole Murphy talks about how Veronica's character has been developed well enough to not be a token character in the show, but "her job as an internet sex worker and her relationship with her boyfriend Kevin are often shown in ways that slide easily into the jezebel myth." (Murphy, 63) This myth is explained as one that labels Black women as hypersexual females who influence white men into their beds (Murphy, 63). Therefore, it's evident that Veronica's representation is highly problematic, considering the myth roots stem from slavery. Throughout the series, Veronica uses her body to gain profit or something else via a sexual act with a white man. In season nine, episode three, Veronica helps one of the Gallaghers get a recommendation to an academy by doing this. This is also a considerable problem because Veronica is used for white gain, meaning she helped Carl, a white male, get something while she got nothing in return. Therefore, while Shameless has walked in the right direction in some aspects, the show is lacking greatly in proper representation for both Liam and Veronica. Hopefully in the next season, there will be better representation of both characters as they continue living in the South Side of Chicago.

Pictured: Veronica making a joke that Fiona looks like her, which can indicate her outfit is revealing.

Works Cited:

Bowen, Sesali. “‘Shameless’ Gets Political With A New Liam & His New School.” Shameless Liam School, Chicago Immigration Race Issues, 6 Nov. 2017, www.refinery29.com/en-us/2017/11/179867/shameless-liam-school-racist-season-8-episode-1.

Moody, Trin. “Time To Get Critical About Representation in ‘Shameless.’” Medium, Incluvie, 27 July 2020, medium.com/incluvie/time-to-get-critical-about-representation-in-shameless-4fa2f6faac98.

Murphy, N. L. (2014). Class Negotiations: Poverty, Welfare Policy, and American Television. Austin: University of Texas.

#shameless #shamelessnetflix

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stooogessh · 4 years

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Second Prize: Pan Yanwenxin

While Social justice, the idea that everyone deserves fair treatment and equal opportunities within a society, appears to be an distant concept that has been addressed over and over by politicians and NGO leaders, social injustice issues have concerned every ordinary individual. Social justice is not exclusive to a specific part of the world or a specific group of people, but an advocacy in every country and culture that all humanity shall pay attention to. As a Chinese student studying in the United States, I believe social justice in the United States will not only help creating a more diverse and equal community for us, but also open our eyes to examine a variety of social problems.

To begin with, I would like to discuss an issue that is central to the interest of most Chinese students: college admissions. Renowned for their diligence and hard work at school, Asian students believed that their efforts and ability shown by grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities will guarantee an acceptance letter from schools. However, discrimination in admissions process has shattered their envisioned brighter future of studying at their dream schools with passion and pride. There has been a hot debate over racial quota in the admission process. This is a black box of college admission that raises the bar for many Asian-American students, and many of them are rejected because of racial discrimination. Some prestigious American universities, led by Harvard, give the reason that many Asian students perform poorly in extracurricular activities, while surveys conducted by opponents show no clear link between extracurricular achievement and race. At many schools, Asian students need to have SAT scores at least 140 points higher than those of other races to be eligible, and even then, they might get rejected for spurious reasons. This case shows a serious problem in social justice because clearly an equal opportunity for Asian students is not guaranteed. Supporting social justice is to respect and protect the rights belong to people. Therefore, it is natural that those who suffer from such unfairness will fight against social injustice for their own rights. Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard is the first step and it is just the beginning for the Asian community to work towards equity to remove systemic barriers in higher education.

On the other hand, however, there are countless cases of social injustice that might not have a direct connection with our lives. Whether or not certain groups of people will support a social justice movement that has nothing to do with them raises an important question: Why should everyone in the society supports and pay attention to social justice problems? This can be explained from two aspects. First, enforcing social justice to a great extent, can maintain the peace and prosperity of our society while social injustice will cause serious social unrest and consequential negative influence. For example, disparity in the distribution of wealth and low social mobility in a society is a major issue in social justice. Despite the fact that the rich might benefit from such system, there is also a risk stemmed from the injustice that resentment and increasing crime rate will emerge as a threat to the society as a whole. Therefore, social justice is actually an important part of maintaining social stability. From a different perspective, there are a variety of vulnerable groups, who are all victims of social injustice, call for a change for their own problems. Racial discrimination, sexism, poverty, and Ableism, the list can go on and on. It is important to recognize a fact that even privileged groups could be marginalized. For example, a white male from middle class will also get old one day and have some form of disability. Everyone will experience being a member of the disadvantaged group, so doing our best when we are able to help others will make others empathize and take action when we need help. The society we live in is dynamic and each individual is connected. Put aside altruism and values, when we are helping others and support them in social justice moment, we are helping ourselves at the same time.

To draw a conclusion, social justice matters to all of us because it is not just an empty idea but a cause for everyone to find solutions to the real problems in the society. Social justice in the United States for an international student is more than a series of complex social issues for outsiders to observe but a universal concern that we should reflect on and take action to make a change.

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dalekofchaos · 5 years

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My other Sequel trilogy wasted potential posts

Rey

Finn

Poe

Rose

Luke

Han

Leia

Kylo Ren

Hux

Snoke

Ways Captain Phasma could’ve been used better

Phasma’s backstory is revealed to be the child of Imperial Super Commandos and indoctrinated as a child to be an Imperial loyalist and uses her Mandalorian training to train FO Stormtroopers. This would show a darker contrast to Finn’s story. Where Finn kidnapped and forced to becoming a Stormtrooper and ran from his oppressors. Phasma openly embraced the Imperial indoctrination and become a fascist leader.

Have Phasma visibly shown slaughtering villagers on Tuanul

Have Phasma being involved with the meetings with Snoke. Phasma is part of the First Order triumvirate, there is no reason whatsoever why Phasma CANNOT be involved with the scenes with Snoke.

Have Phasma making it her prime duty to bring the traitorous FN-2187 to justice.

Show Phasma leading the strike team on Takodana

Captain Phasma is the one who fights Finn on Takodana, not FN-2199. There is no logical reason why Finn’s fight could not have been against Phasma on Takodana. It would have established Phasma as skilled warrior. It would have developed Phasma as a character, letting her express her fury over the betrayal by one of the top stormtroopers she trained. Phasma wins the fight and as she is about to deliver the killing blow, Han fires Chewie’s Bowcaster at Phasma saving Finn’s life. And if Kylo Ren can take a blast from Chewbaccas bowcaster and live then Phasma sure as shit can too.

Phasma recovers and returns to Starkiller Base and is captured by Finn and Han. However, Phasma does not comply with Finn and Han, she sounds the security alarm/intruder alert. Starkiller Base is put up on High Alert. Finn and Han are shocked and Phasma just simply tells them “good luck” So Han and Finn figure out on disabling the shields themselves. This is the obvious thing she would do. She is a villain and smart, she would not comply or cower, so Finn, Han and Chewie are left by themselves to disabled the shields on their own. This would’ve happened if JJ Abrams cared about making Phasma a character instead of a means to sell toys. This would also make Finn’s defection more personal for Phasma as she was overconfident that they could not succeed and her troops would’ve killed the Resistance scum, so she places the deaths of millions on Finn’s head.

Show scenes with Hux and Phasma conspiring to kill Snoke and Kylo Ren and taking power for themselves

Make Phasma a deranged individual obsessed with capturing and executing Finn. Phasma is basically Captain Ahab and Finn is her great white whale to chase. She is hunting Finn to the ends of the galaxy. Each battle they face she is there ready for him, every time he isn’t there, she kills every Resistance soldier there. Phasma is losing it, Hux is worried, but both Snoke and Kylo believe this will be beneficial in destroying The Resistance. And finally she finds him on The Supremacy. Finn and Phasma go head to head. finally on equal levels and in this moment it happens. Finn’s old comrades come, Finn believes this is the end, but to his surprise they shoot Phasma down. Phasma is knocked down in the ruins of the Star Destroyer. But Phasma makes her escape with Hux.

Her role in TROS. When Kylo Ren became the Supreme Leader, he promoted Phasma to Admiral and Hux to Grand Marshall. All three committing atrocities in the name of The First Order.

Phasma is shown in FO Admiral uniform in her meetings with Kylo and Hux but puts on her armor in her fights against The Resistance. Because Phasma in a First Order uniform is giving the gays what they want.

Phasma is cracking down hard on her troops. The minute someone shows the slightest bit of hesitation in battle, she immediately executes them and orders anyone loyal to the First Order to do the same. Thus making a Stormtrooper rebellion that much more likely

Finn will inspire a Stormtrooper Rebellion. Phasma will try to suppress it but it will not work. Finn offers Phasma a chance to surrender, but Phasma chooses to go out fighting. So we see an awesome display of Phasma absolutely wasting everyone who has turned on the FO and herself. Until finally we get the final fight between Finn and Phasma. This time Finn is wielding a lightsaber and is well practiced in using it. And as Phasma is at his mercy she will say “you were always scum” Finn will reply. “No, I am a Jedi” as Finn lands the finishing blow

What they chose to do with Captain Phasma

Her backstory is an outsider but an ultimate opportunist and survivalist...which is only added just so they can get away with wasting her character in TFA

Phasma was a rewrite. We don’t know the exact details. But we know that she was created after they were releasing cast photos, because some reports were complaining that there weren’t enough women in the cast photo... and JJ went back and tried to find places he could shoe-horn in a female character. Phasma was born and poor Gwendoline Christie got paraded around to the media to lie about how important her character is. The character is a total afterthought to increase a diversity quota. And it shows. Phasma should have been a villain with equal menace and threat as Kylo Ren and shows what happens when someone willingly accepts and embraces indoctrination. Instead of giving us a great female villain for the Sequel trilogy, they just slap a name on a nobody and they parade her around like a token character who only exists to sell toys, which is beyond insulting.

Just stands there doing nothing

Just walks looking imposing just to do nothing

Has to be told by Kylo Ren to lead a massacre on Tuanul

Is not even acknowledged by Snoke

Is easily coerced into lowering the shields of Starkiller Base. Under the threat of blaster fire....when her armor is MADE for surviving blaster fire.

Is thrown into the trash compactor and makes me wonder why would Gwendoline Christie even agree to star in these movies

Gwendoline Christie is made to look stupid in her interviews justifying Phasma’s existence

Stupidly decides to execute Finn and Rose as a spectacle instead of just shooting Finn and Rose right then and there.

Phasma has a hidden blaster and doesn’t use it against Finn

Has a far better death scene that showcases her character but it is stupidly deleted. I will never understand why this was deleted. Finn calls her out about her betrayal of lowering the shields and when this information is revealed, the Stormtroopers near her look suspicious and it looks as if they are going to turn on her. Phasma like the ultimate survivalist she is kills them with no hesitation. Finn cuts her hand off and blasts her into the abyss, giving Phasma a more deserving and better send off. Seriously, this is way better than their actual confrontation. What I really like about this scene is its direct connection to The Force Awakens plot point and that it acknowledges Phasma’s survivalist attitude which was introduced into her novel.

Phasma has been wasted in two movies, she had SO MUCH POTENTIAL and every chance they had to showcase that potential, it was pointlessly squandered.

#Star Wars #Captain Phasma #Anti JJ Abrams #Anti Rian Johnson #Finn #Rebelfinn #Rebel Finn #Stormtrooper Rebellion #Kylo Ren #General Armitage Hux

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juujinkan · 5 years

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KONO OTO TOMARE! AND THE BEAUTY OF JAPANESE TRADITION

(No spoilers, some hints in the attached videos.

This is just my personal vision of this series, and it has a lot of text. I wrote the original in Spanish, so my apologies in advance for the mistakes I may have committed translating it).

One of the series that caught my attention in 2019, mainly for having a musical topic, is Kono Oto Tomare! (or Stop this Sound!, hereinafter KOT), whose story was split into 2 seasons. 26 episodes of slice of life, drama, comedy and of course, traditional Japanese music.

Synopsis: a group of high school students form a koto club, with diverse personalities as well as diverse approaches to this instrument, and who struggle to get a quota to participate in Nationals. So far, it is your typical series of the genre.

However, KOT has a beautiful story, credible characters and conflicts, excellent music ... and genuine emotions. Perhaps, this is the reason why it has a high rating (for example) in MyAnimeList site, with an average of 8.47 in its 2nd season. (If you haven't watched it yet, please give it a chance!)

I won't extend into unnecessary details, so I will concentrate on episodes 10, 11 & 12 from 2nd season (or 23, 24 and 25 in general count), which belong to the competition for a place in the Nationals, focusing among the 3 most outstanding schools, each one with its own characteristics. I attached videos of each performance, which are explanatory in themselves and allows the viewer to know the characters' motivations or thoughts.

Series dedicate an episode to each school, to emphasize how important they are in the competition, how close they are as competitors, and deepening in the details that led them there.

# 1: Ep. 10 - Himesaka High School // Name of the piece: “3 Paraphrases”

Himesaka shines for a beastly teamwork. The piece requires to be played in perfect synchrony, with many notes and quick changes. Its sound is overwhelming, and the viewer notices it immediately, becoming increasingly complex and even dark.

https://vimeo.com/383800271

# 2: Ep 11 - Hakuto High School // Name of the piece: “Katakago”

Simple in appearance, but with greater depth by the performers, the piece privileges Mio's individual work over the group. And we'll understand why.

https://vimeo.com/383790987

# 3: Ep 12 - Tokise High School // Name of the piece: “Tenkyuu”

The most eclectic group of the three. A difficult piece, arranged in such a way that everyone stands out. Of a distinctive beauty, it shines by itself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixVExga_DUs&t=2s

Each one of these pieces also reveals how the schools have been shown in the series. In Tokise's case, due to the fact they are the main protagonists, we see its growth and effort in a closer way. I have to mention how surprised I am for the dedication that students put into this type of clubs. I can't say if this is “true” in real life, but the responsibility they assume is worth admiring. A cultural matter, I imagine.

Another highlight is the animation. The staff really did a great job, because we can see in detail how characters play their instrument, not with simple shots away but showing their hands in full execution: the fingers sliding gracefully down the strings, the arms stretching, bridges moving. It is really illustrative for those who don't know at all the complexity of their execution (including myself). As well as how uncomfortable and heavy its transfer can be, and at the same time how delicate it is.

Perhaps the only point against it is the excess of dialogues in the performances, which “conditions” our perception of them and at the same time hinders their enjoyment, approaching what Nodame Cantabile series did time ago. In that sense, perhaps what Hibike! Euphonium 2 did at its beautiful final presentation of "Mikazuki no Mai" would be more succesful: no dialogues, no inserted memories (except Kumiko's, but it is short and doesn't have dialogues). The camera moves between the musicians, the director, their music stands; but it always takes place on stage, and at most it takes a slight look behind the scenes. Music is always the protagonist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHQJX8a8CWc

Beyond this detail, the function is equally fulfilled: to thrill through music. The pieces themselves are a vehicle that leads us to remember, empathize and get carried away by what we see and hear.

Special mention to one of the comments from the judges in episode 13/26, that I consider very accurate, and explains the reason why the winner school was chosen:

“A truly wonderful performance can go beyond experts and reach those who don’t know much about koto. Its heart can reach even those who speak a different language and live in a different culture”

Is this a wink to Western viewers? Maybe, but he's still right. Anime itself, manga itself, are Eastern works that attracts the Western viewer, and enjoys beyond language and culture. In the particular case of koto, it shows us the Japanese musical tradition, how is executed in terms of forms and styles, and how it is perceived by these young generations in these competitions. And, as usually happens in every anime competition, the arduous path of practice and devotion its participants follow until the moment of truth comes.

Returning to tradition, there are a few anime series in recent years that have been responsible for showing to the Western world the cultural benefits from ancient times in Japan:

- Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu (2016-2017) did it with rakugo,

- Kabuki-bu! (2017) with the kabuki theater,

- Kono Oto Tomare! (2019) with koto

(Yes, it should be noted that Shouwa is unmarked from the other two since the latter are at a school club level).

There are also series based on some sports such as the amazing Sangatsu no Lion (2016-2018), which deals with shogi or traditional Japanese chess (although as with Shouwa, it is not the main theme but rather part of the plot), Tsurune: Kazemai Koukou Kyuudoubu in 2018, which shows the Kyuudou or archery, and Hinomaruzumou in 2019, with sumo.

And I'm only talking about the last 3 years.

It's nice to see that within all the seemingly infinite fantasy that Japan may be able to create, it also takes time to make these series that deepen into their traditional arts, shading them with either slice of life or other genres. An entertaining way to meet them, both for the new generations of young Japanese people and for those who want to meet them from the other side of the world, understand them beyond language or culture, and, why not, make them part of their own too.

#kono oto tomare!#koto #music #anime #opinion #is a great series please watch it!

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nachtgraves · 6 years

Text

Fic: Happy Hour

One tiny idea got away from me, as per usual. But here’s a little dragon!fuyuhiko and thirsty af hajime.

Read on AO3

Pairing: Hinata Hajima x Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko Word Count: 6,822 Warnings/Tags: M. Urban fantasy AU, aged up characters, dragon!fuyuhiko, mundane!hajime, thirsty!hajime, the rating is entirely hajime’s fault, creative freedom with bartending and drink concoctions Summary: On the first day of a new job, there’s not a whole lot worse you can do than to punch – accidentally! – a dragon in the face.

Hajime really didn’t mean to. He wouldn’t have done it if he had had the choice or control of the way things unraveled.

On the first day of a new job, there’s not a whole lot worse you can do than to punch – accidentally! – a dragon in the face. Never mind that the dragon is the heir to the Kuzuryuu clan, the clan that runs the city in all but name and owns the very club Hajime was just hired at.

It takes him a moment to realize what he’s done. One second he’s being shoved by a rowdy vampire who really shouldn’t be allowed any more Blood Drop cocktails, and the next, he’s trying to not fall over, swinging his arms to regain his balance, and his fist smacks against something.

The something is the nose of the Kuzuryuu clan’s heir. A nose now covered by a delicate looking hand, above which golden eyes flare in anger with the promise of retribution. Molten gold scales appear on his skin, body preparing to change form.

“I’m so sorry!” Hajime squeaks, voice cracking like he’s going through puberty all over again. He doesn’t think about how during those developing years, the man before him played a significant role in Hajime’s understanding of his sexuality.

The Kuzuryuus are infamous. Everyone, from normal humans like Hajime to every known paranormal and Fae, knows who they are and can recognize them in a moment’s notice. This goes double for the heir, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu, whose looks are just as infamous as his temper. The two often go hand-in-hand. Only someone with a death wish would dare to say anything about the golden dragon’s looks behind his back, much less to his very pretty face. He’s even more gorgeous in person.

Fuyuhiko eyes narrow further. “Why is a mundane here?” he demands. And fuck he has a nice voice too. If only the heat in his tone was from a different emotion.

“I was hired recently. Two days ago. Today’s my first day. Mr. Kuzuryuu. Hajime Hinata,” Hajime stutters out his explanation in equal parts terror and humiliation. Or maybe a little more terror, but he’s pretty mortified.

Fuyuhiko looks increasingly confused. And angry. “That doesn’t explain what you’re doing here. Humans work in VIP. What the fuck are you doing down here where you could get hurt?” As if to prove his point, the rowdy vampire whose fault all this was, started complaining anew for more Blood Drops.

Hajime was just trying to go clean up a table that a group of very nice and adorably giggly-drunk dryads had vacated.

“You, shut the fuck up and get out before I deal with you personally,” Fuyuhiko snarls at the belligerently blood-drunk perpetrator. In a flash, the shining gold eyes are focused back on Hajime. “And you. Come with me.”

The vampire, subdued and sobered with fear, is escorted by his friends and Hajime follows after Fuyuhiko to the second floor. Even with his head down, Hajime knows all eyes are on them. He wouldn’t be surprised if people made bets on how the gold dragon was going to dispose of him.

The second floor of Hope&Despair is the VIP area as well as where the main office is. Hajime has been up there only once, the day of his interview, which was, coincidentally, the first time he had ever set foot into the club. H&D’s general floor is paranormal exclusive. It’s both for safety – demonstrated by the drunk vampire – and because most establishments are the reverse. It’s one of the few places that’s a safe place for paranormals to be who they are.

However, H&D doesn’t completely ban mundanes, they just make it harder for them to gain entry. If you’re mundane, your only chance at entry into H&D is if you can get into the VIP floor, which means you need a paranormal VIP sponsor. For that, you had to be well connected with the paranormal elite – who are of an entirely different league to the mundane elite – and/or incredibly wealthy. Hajime is neither.

He trails after Fuyuhiko up the spiraled, neon-lined, clear steps. He doesn’t look at the ass he’s spent a little too much time staring at in magazines and articles featuring the perfect, dark jean hugged dragon.

….Okay, he peeks a little. It’s right in front of him, what could he possibly do?

The second floor is much different during opening hours than when Hajime had come by for his interview. For one, there are people around. Much fewer than the number downstairs, and these individuals are dressed in clothes that far exceed Hajime’s rent. Neon lights in dark blue and indigo hues created a classier atmosphere than the pink and orange and red downstairs, and music plays at a less ear shattering level.

The main office is tucked into the back corner opposite to the bar. It’s a comfortable room with one-way glass walls that allow anyone inside to see the floor while maintaining their own privacy. Fuyuhiko unlocks the door, fluidly tapping a long, numerical password into a panel. He enters first and Hajime follows meekly behind.

The door closes behind him, muting the sounds of the club to a background murmur and Hajime fully aware that he’s alone with the gold dragon in a room that can only be described as sexy with its padded leather, chrome accents, and low-lighting.

Fuyuhiko walks around and leans against the edge of the sleek black desk. Hajime sits in one of the cushioned chairs in front of it after Fuyuhiko makes an impatient noise and glares at him.

“The only new hire so far is kitsune bartender who doesn’t start for another couple of days.”

Fuyuhiko cuts right to the chase and Hajime feels all his blood drain from his body. He had seen a hiring ad for the club, looking for mundanes to work as bartenders and waitstaff. He’d applied on a whim and been called in for an interview a few weeks later. His interviewer had been a faerie of some sort. She had an air of royalty in the way of all fae Hajime had ever interacted with, but she also had the air of royalty of someone actually royal. She was…eccentric. Hajime thinks that his doubts about her role at H&D may have been more than a little valid now.

Fuyuhiko continues, sharp eyes focused on Hajime. “And mundanes never work on the first floor. And you’ve seen why. So why the fuck were you down there?”

“I swear, I saw a hiring ad and applied a few weeks ago. I got called in for an interview about a week ago and two days ago I got a call saying I was hired. I came in today and got my uniform and was sent out to take care of tables and deliver drinks. Sir. Mr. Kuzuryuu.” How does one address the heir to an empire with (alleged) mob affiliations?

Fuyuhiko wrinkles his nose and it’s completely and utterly unfair. “Fuyuhiko is fine. Who interviewed you?”

Hajime blanks on her name. He’s pretty sure she didn’t even give him one. “Uh, she was blonde, I think a faerie.”

Fuyuhiko groans aloud and pinches the bridge of his freckled button nose. “Long blonde hair, clothes like a European boarding school uniform? A guy with spikey pink hair at her heels? Sparkly eyes and didn’t really ever listen to anything you said?”

Hajime just nods, that’s pretty much the person. The pink haired man with far too sharp teeth had been the one to open the door to the office while the faerie princess had quizzed Hajime on whether he had experiences with the occult or spirits of the dead. He’d put it off to some sort of faerie thing at the time. Besides, you don’t question your interviewer’s sanity when you’re a bit desperate for a job. There was only so much longer he could take of his old job as a waiter at a terrible restaurant an hour away from his apartment and university.

“Fucking Sonia.” Fuyuhiko shakes his head, grumbling, “I knew something was up. The hell is she doing trying to run my club? I’m going to fucking kill her.”

Hajime just sits quietly, hands clenching his knees, twisting in the black work apron tied around his waist.

Fuyuhiko stops muttering – Hajime purposely tried not to parse out the exact words in case he hears things that could make him a witness of some sort – and runs a hand through his closely cropped hair.

“Sonia may be… Sonia. But she wouldn’t hire someone incompetent. And we have been looking for a mundane hire – sometimes those diverse workplace quotas are a pain in the ass – but haven’t found anyone yet.” Hajime tries to control the overwhelming hope and relief that surges through him. “Today’s your trial day. If you don’t fuck up, you can stay.”

“Thank you so much, Mr—ah—er. Thank you, Fuyuhiko.”

Hajime’s not sure if he imagined it – and if so, it’s one of his brain’s best work – but at least now he’s got an image of Fuyuhiko smiling the slightest bit safely tucked away in his mind.

The smile, figment or not, is gone too quickly to ponder further, however. “But you’re on this floor. And I’m going to find who sent you out downstairs because you reek of mundane. Only an idiot would mistake you for a kitsune.”

Hajime doesn’t know if he should feel offended, but he does feel a sharp nip of hurt. You can’t choose or control what you are. His entire family is completely mundane and growing up he’d always hoped there was some sort of unknown recessive gene passed to him. Maybe one day he’d wake up… as something.

It must have shown on his face because Fuyuhiko adds, “If anything, you’d be a brownie. Something innocent.”

If only Fuyuhiko knew how decidedly not innocent Hajime thoughts are. Or maybe not. But Hajime smiles up at the dragon in thanks, even if he’s just saying things to humor the painfully mundane human.

“You’re cleaning tables and delivering drinks. How long were you working tonight?”

“Until closing,” Hajime answers. There’s another three hours until then. He’d been planning on working long shifts on the nights he didn’t have early classes.

Fuyuhiko nods and that’s the end of that. Hajime is dismissed and leaves the office. He goes to the bar and is immediately set to work delivering a tray of drinks to a booth. At first, he can’t stop his eyes from straying to the mirrors of the office’s outer walls. Fuyuhiko could be watching him, waiting for him to screw up and kick him out. Or eat him. Hajime wouldn’t mind being eaten in a different way.

But soon, he’s focused on working. Even though the VIP floor has fewer people, it’s still a busy weekend night at a popular club. Hajime has no room to think about the gold dragon. It’s not for until close to closing, when customers are leaving or order their last drinks that Hajime has a moment to breathe. He’s behind the bar, covering for one of the bartenders who had to take an emergency call, cleaning glasses and putting bottles back up on the shelves when he hears someone clear their throat and tap on the counter behind him.

“Be right with you,” Hajime says without turning around. There’s an expensive bottle of gin popular with the werepeople crowd in his hands that goes on a shelf almost out of his reach. He has to stretch his full height and a bit to safely put it away.

Bottle away, he wipes his hands on his half-apron and turns around with the patented service-grin. “What can I do for y—Mr. Kuzuryuu!” Wide-eyed, Hajime stumbles over his words and his own feet. He just barely manages to keep himself upright by bracing his hands against the counter.

Fuyuhiko looks entirely unimpressed. And ridiculously attractive. Not that he wasn’t before, but it’s been a good few hours since Hajime saw the man and the surprise coupled with fatigue after a long day feels like he’s seeing Fuyuhiko for the first time all over again.

In a way it is, at least this version of Fuyuhiko. He’s ditched his black blazer and his white shirt, the sleeves rolled up sloppily, look suspiciously sleep wrinkled – and that’s an image Hajime has to blink away lest he do something stupid. Coupled with the glow of the soft blue lights, Fuyuhiko looks inviting and Hajime desperately wants to be invited.

“I mean, Fuyuhiko,” Hajime corrects himself. Fuyuhiko’s eyebrows move a fraction. “Can I get you anything?”

Fuyuhiko’s eyes flit over the bottles on the shelves behind Hajime, drumming the long, elegant fingers of one hand against the glossy black countertop while the other cups his cheek. “Hmm. Surprise me.”

Gold eyes, luminous and predatory, blink slowly. Hajime feels them as he nods and turns to figure out what to give the man. He has some experience in bartending but he’s an amateur at best with mundane drinks. So he sticks to what he knows and doesn’t touch any of the paranormal liquors. He fixes up some mundane whiskey, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, and crushed ice into a cocktail glass and serves it with his heart pounding in his throat.

Fuyuhiko is expressionless as he takes the glass, swirls it around a bit before taking a sip. It’s a simple cocktail and Hajime could have gone for something a little more complicated or unique, but the drink is the color of Fuyuhiko’s eyes and Hajime has little else on his mind.

When he sets the glass down, it feels like years have passed. Hajime’s barely breathing.

“Not bad for a mundane drink. Try gnomish scotch and a sugar rim next time.”

Gnomish scotch is widely known for being a confoundingly sweet, almost sugary whiskey that still somehow maintains the burn of an alarmingly high proof. It’s often times too syrupy sweet for anyone but a gnome. Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu has a sweet tooth. The knowledge makes Hajime a little weak in the knees. Thankfully, he’s braced against the counter already and doesn’t fall like an idiot.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Hajime manages to answer without too much of a waver in his voice.

Across the room, a table calls for attention ready to pay their tab. Hajime quickly excuses himself and goes to sort them out. This leads to a round of clearing nearby tables and returning to the bar laden with receipts and dirty glasses. Fuyuhiko’s on his phone, slowly nursing his drink.

Hajime cleans glasses and wipes down the counter. Fuyuhiko asks for a glass of water when he finishes his drink and sits at the bar while Hajime and the other employees start flipping chairs onto tables and wiping down every surface. Hajime’s on broom duty when someone clears their throat behind him.

Fuyuhiko nods over towards the office. “Stop by when you’re done. If I’m not back just wait.” Then he heads downstairs.

Hajime finishes up and when everyone else leaves for the night, he gathers his things from the staff room and goes to Fuyuhiko’s office. The dragon hasn’t returned, so Hajime stands against the wall to wait. He goes plays on his phone, responding to texts and killing time checking through social media. Chiaki asked about his first day and he’s about to reply when polished black leather boots peek into his peripheral.

Fuyuhiko unlocks the office doors and barely waits for Hajime to stumble through before getting locked out. He retakes his place against his desk and Hajime returns to the chair in front of it, his bag between his feet.

“Start learning how to mix paranormal drinks, in particular the specials. You can take a photo of the cheat sheet in the drawer by the register to study. I want you knowing them by heart by next week.”

It takes Hajime a moment to comprehend what Fuyuhiko isn’t explicitly saying.

“Do you understand?” Fuyuhiko presses, a touch of impatience coloring his tone.

Hajime is quick to nod then. “Yes, of course! Thank you.”

Fuyuhiko spends a few minutes going over Hajime’s schedule and other technical details. The days and hours Hajime had told Sonia still worked so he was set to have shifts Tuesday, Thursday through Saturday, and if needed Sunday. He’d be working the late shift for the most part, and longer during the weekend nights.

Details sorted, Fuyuhiko settles into his chair and dismisses Hajime for the night. “I’ll see you Tuesday, then.”

“Yes, sir, uh. Fuyuhiko. Thank you, have a good night!”

When Hajime gets home, the sun soon to rise, he strips and falls into bed. For the first time that he can remember, he can’t wait until his next shift.

Hajime sleeps through Sunday morning and into the afternoon. When he finally wakes up, he spends the rest of the day trying to get through assignments and failing at not daydreaming about his new boss. Tuesday couldn’t come fast enough.

Monday he goes in for his morning class, barely finishing up the response paper before he rushes out to catch the train. The class goes by quickly as he spends it finishing the problem sets due for his afternoon class tomorrow.

He’s got a few hours before his next class and heads to the student lounge to get more work done. Most of that work is not school related.

Before he had left H&D Saturday night, technically Sunday morning, he’d done as told and taken a photo of the drinks cheat sheet at the bar. There’s a considerable number of specialty drinks to memorize, some made with liquors Hajime had no idea even existed. When he looks them up he realizes it wouldn’t have mattered because there’s no way he was ever going to be able to afford to purchase even the smallest bottles without completely decimating his groceries budget. Not to mention the drinks are specifically for paranomals and any one of the cocktails is alcohol poisoning in a glass for a mundane.

Hajime’s in the middle of quizzing himself on what makes up a given drink when a shadow appears in his peripheral. Snow-white feathers brush against his shoulder.

“Hey, how was class?” Hajime looks up, greeting Chiaki, her fluffy white wings are tucked up behind her.

Chiaki settles on the comfy chair beside him, already pressing buttons on her portable game console, the faint sound of the game’s music audible through the earbud hanging down Chiaki’s side. “Okay. Are you doing the readings for our next class?”

Hajime shook his head. “I have cocktails to memorize for my new job.” He hadn’t done the readings and didn’t exactly plan on doing them either.

“How was it?”

Hajime relays a summary of events and Chiaki pauses her game as he talks about the mix up on how he wasn’t actually hired.

“You had an eventful first day,” she says once he’s finished.

“That’s one way to describe it. But I got the job for real so it all worked out.” Not to mention his boss was the guy he’s been lusting after in magazines for literal years now. Although whether that’s a pro or a con is yet to be seen.

Tuesday night arrives and working for the man who played a part in helping you affirm your attraction to the same sex leans towards being a con. Hajime’s grateful for the server aprons they have to wear because apparently Fuyuhiko does his best to help open the club and when he doesn’t have other arrangements, he dresses lax in the way of fitted jeans and casual collared shirts with the sleeves rolled up messily.

When chairs are laid back out, bar checked and stocked, floor clean, and all the little pre-opening duties done, Fuyuhiko crooks his fingers at Hajime. “New guy, bar.”

It takes Hajime a moment to shake the image of Fuyuhiko gesturing for Hajime to follow after him for an entirely different reason before he’s scampering at Fuyuhiko’s heels and goes behind the bar.

Fuyuhiko props his chin in his hand on the counter, a pose reminiscent of one of the embarrassingly numerous magazine spreads Hajime has of Fuyuhiko from when they were both younger. In one particular photo, Fuyuhiko’s face is rounder with youth, his lithe stature emphasized with how he shot with his father, a burlier man who seemed to only pass on his eyes to his son.

While the older Kuzuryuu was attractive in the way of a dominant, older male figure, Hajime’s teenaged eyes couldn’t keep themselves off the boy his age. The boy his age that was already taking part in the family business and receiving ownership of a club the day he turned eighteen. Then, he’d been dressed in a black blazer and gold shirt shades paler than his eyes. His expression had been bored with a hint of irritation in the set of his mouth. Hajime was in love in the way of a simple boy just out of puberty.

Now his expression is calculating. Hajime stands with his back straight, waiting. Fuyuhiko’s gaze flits across the bottles behind Hajime before meeting Hajime’s gaze directly.

“A Goodbye Despair.”

Hajime nods and sets to work immediately, grabbing a tall glass and the required bottles. He’s somewhat relieved that Fuyuhiko’s going easy on him, testing him with H&D’s most popular specialty drink.

In minutes, Hajime’s pouring the mixture over ice, a fizzy silver concoction thanks to a faerie spirit and tonic water, and adds the final fruity dark red liqueur over the top. Sliding a straw in, he sets the drink on top of a coaster and slides it in front of Fuyuhiko whose eyes Hajime felt analyzing his every movement.

Fuyuhiko gave nothing away in his expression as he slid the drink closer to himself. He swirled the straw in the drink, mixing red and silver into a cosmos that settles into a soft pink-red before taking a sip. Hajime swallows as Fuyuhiko’s mouth wraps around the straw for more reasons than sweat inducing anxiety.

When Fuyuhiko pulls off, his expression remains blank and unyielding. Hajime bits at his lip, tries to refrain from squirming and shifting on his feet. Finally, Fuyuhiko concedes. “Not bad. Add a bit more ice next time, a lot of faerie liquors are too potent for a lot of people without diluting it.”

“Okay, I’ll remember.” Hajime relaxes minutely. That wasn’t terrible and he managed to pass muster at the very least. Fuyuhiko sends him off to wait tables as the first rush of patrons for the night fills the club.

The night goes by smoothly, the crowd much smaller compared to Saturday but still busy, Hajime never having an extended moment of idling. His ten minute break comes as a reprieve he takes in the staff room with one of his coworkers who works downstairs. She’s one of the bouncers, a shapeshifter of some sort. Carnivorous judging by the amount of meat she consumes. When Hajime enters the breakroom with a grateful sigh, she’s munching away on fried chicken. The containers are from a popular barbeque chicken place down the street. By the looks of it, it’s she’s on her third box.

“Newbie!” she exclaims, mouth full with the chunk of meat she just tore off a drumstick.

“Hey, Akane.” Hajime goes for one of the chilled water bottles in the fridge before taking a seat opposite Akane.at the small coffee table. She offers him a piece of chicken and Hajime accepts. At the first bite, he’s immediately going for his water, chugging half the bottle.

Akane just laughs. “I forgot! Mundanes find this too spicy.”

“Normal people find it too spicy, Akane.” Comes a voice from the small locker rooms where the staff could change and store their belongings. It’s a voice that has Hajime swallowing his water the wrong way, sputtering and choking. There’s a hand on his back, rubbing up and down as he tries to breathe through water. The hand is firm with its even strokes and unbearably hot through his shirt. He wants to feel it on his skin.

When he manages to finally limit his spluttering to sporadic coughs, Hajime looks up at Fuyuhiko, face red from more than lack of oxygen. “Thank you.”

Fuyuhiko’s hand lingers against the top of Hajime’s spine as he stares down at Hajime with a faint scowl. When Fuyuhiko’s hand leaves his skin, Hajime struggles between feeling thankful it’s no longer jumbling his thoughts and wanting it back.

“Man, Newbie, we need to build up your spice tolerance,” Akane says.

“His spice tolerance is probably fine, Akane, you’re the one with the abnormal tolerance,” Fuyuhiko retorts. To Hajime, he says. “If she ever offers you anything, first ask if it’s spicy. If it is, even if she says not by that much, don’t eat it. Most places she eats from have a special spice level just for her.”

Hajime looks warily at the piece of chicken he’d only taken a small bite out of. Fuyuhiko snorts from above him and plucks the piece from his hand. “The chicken place delivers here if you order ahead. Otherwise you can grab something from the kitchens or steal one of the snacks from the fridge if you don’t bring your own.”

Hajime barely registers his word as Fuyuhiko takes a bite out of the pilfered chicken. It’s so juvenile but he can’t help seeing Fuyuhiko biting into the part Hajime’s mouth had been around moments before. Misinterpreting Hajime’s staring, Fuyuhiko raises one delicate brow. “I’m a dragon, we can take a little heat.”

Akane goes back to work immediately after finishing her boxes of chicken, which is not long after Fuyuhiko leaves them, licking his fingers and tossing out the cleaned bone he gave one final suck. Hajime’s both thankful and irritated that Akane forces his attention back to her. She makes Hajime commit to going to the chicken place with her another time, before work, and then focuses on her snack.

Hajime spends the last few minutes of his break mulling over Fuyuhiko’s innocuous remark. Something about the way Fuyuhiko drawled the words out, one hand still on the back of Hajime’s chair close enough that his knuckles had ghosted against Hajime’s back added some underlying meaning. Or Hajime’s lust-filled brain was adding fantasy to reality. It’s likely the latter.

Since he opened and has a semi-early day tomorrow, Hajime’s shift ends a few hours before midnight, the club still open for another five. He’s cleaning up the last couple of tables and replacing drinks before he clocks out until Thursday when Fuyuhiko makes an appearance on the floor again. He takes a seat at one of the tall tables that seats two but you can squeeze five if you’re determined near where Hajime’s just served drinks and a platter of bar snacks to a group of business men and women in a booth. Their eyes meet, Hajime because he can’t seem to ever take his eyes off of his boss whenever he’s in view, and Fuyuhiko because he crooks his index finger and calls him over.

“How can I help you?” Hajime asks, tucking the empty tray under his arm, back straight, thoughts inappropriate.

Fuyuhiko smirks up at him. Even in the tall barstool, especially when he’s curled over, cheek in hand, Hajime has a few centimeters on the blond dragon. “Part two of your quiz before you clock out.”

Hajime’s heart trips. At first it’s because of the unexpectedness, even more of a surprise than the initial pop quiz. Then it’s because Fuyuhiko smiles at how obviously Hajime was thrown off balance at the announcement. It’s a mischievous curl of his mouth, eyes glinting with a smug sort of humor of one with the upper hand and they know and will gloat about it.

“Surprise me. Something simple with rum.”

Hajime nods and goes to the bar. He doesn’t know if this another test on the specialty drinks or if it’s like his test to be actually hired. And is the rum supposed to be a trick question? Does he want mundane rum or something paranormal?

His mind is a whir as he slips behind the bar and looks over the selections of rum. The specialty cocktails that have rum in them aren’t what Hajime would call simple by any means, and they’re often mixed with other drinks, so he goes for a classic cocktail and hopes he gets the needed adjustments right when he goes for siren rum over the familiar bottle he’s gotten sick off of in rum-heavy daiquiris in the past. He puts a little more ginger beer than he would with some normal dark rum and adds a splash of simple syrup. Hopefully, the drink is both spicy with a touch of sweetness. A lime wedge to finish it off, and a thin black straw, Hajime walks back to Fuyuhiko whose eyes have not left him for a second. His face, as before, reveals nothing as Hajime places the drink before him.

“Siren rum is known to pack some heat. Any reason for choosing it?” Fuyuhiko asks, swirling the straw around.

“Uh,” Hajime falters, embarrassed. “Dragons can take a little heat, right?”

Fuyuhiko pauses in his stirring, and a hint of emotion breaks through his deadpan façade. His eyes widen the slightest bit and his mouth rounds ever so before his lips twitch upwards and something akin to mirth dances in his eyes for a heartbeat.

“Right,” he replies and tries the drink.

It feels like years before Fuyuhiko licks his lips and raises his gaze to Hajime. “Your listening skills are something.”

Hajime blinks. “Uh, thanks?”

With a huff, Fuyuhiko plays with the straw. “Sweet and spicy. You remembered off-hand comments.”

Realization and a healthy flush came over Hajime. “Oh! Uh, yeah,” Hajime laughs self-consciously. “I guess.” Fuyuhiko doesn’t need to know it took Hajime almost a month to remember Chiaki likes orange flavored lollipops and hates grape.

“Alright. You can go home now.” Fuyuhiko smirks. “And come back on Thursday.”

“Thank you. I’ll, uh, good night.” Hajime holds back a grimace. I’ll, uh, good night, his brain repeats in a poor impersonation, his own subconscious mocking him as he head to the staff room to collect his things and head home.

Over the next week, every shift he has, Hajime undergoes at least one pop quiz by Fuyuhiko. Sometimes he’ll ask for one of the specialty cocktails, sometimes he asks for a surprise. He hasn’t seemed to fail one yet since he’s made it two weeks and it’s his first payday.

He starts his shift and waits for Fuyuhiko to call him to a table or come up to the bar with the day’s first quiz. He keeps an eye out for the dragon as he delivers drinks and snacks, cleans tables, helps out behind the bar when the crowd gets overwhelming. But by the time his break comes around, he’s yet to see even a glimpse of the blond. He’s glanced towards Fuyuhiko’s office probably one too many times, but no one’s gone in or come out. And if Fuyuhiko was just holing himself inside and watching over the floor from his desk, Hajime wouldn’t be able to tell through the one-way glass anyway.

In the staffroom, Kazuichi, a hanzaki-adjacent paranormal who was in charge of all maintenance aspects of H&D, was lying on the couch. He was the man who had let Hajime and Sonia into Fuyuhiko’s office for Hajime initial interview. He’s in love with Sonia, the only person unaware being the faerie herself who only has eyes for mundane occult and spiritualism, and a certain eccentric paranormal professor who frequents H&D at least once a week.

“Yo,” Kazuichi raises a hand in greeting, grinning with his shark-like teeth. “If you need the bathroom, I’d use the public ones. There’s an issue with the pipes so the staff ones are out of commission until I fix them. I sent Nekomaru out to get me some parts.”

Hajime grabs a water bottle from the fridge and sits across from Kazuichi. “I’m just taking my break.”

They chat for a bit, but Hajime’s distracted, thoughts flitting back to the lack of a certain dragon. Kazuichi notices.

“What’s up?”

Hajime rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry. I guess I’m waiting for Fuyuhiko to pop out of nowhere and give me my pop quiz of the day.”

Kazuichi laughs. “I’ve never seen him come by so often as he has lately, much less test a newbie so much. I mean, I sort of get the testing because you weren’t technically actually hired at first but it’s been entertaining to hear about and watch.”

Hajime’s stuck on one comment. “Him being here often isn’t normal?”

“Nah, not really. He’ll drop by maybe once every few weeks?”

While Hajime wants to ask more, Nekomaru comes barging into the staffroom with a plastic shopping bag.

“I have your tools!” Nekomaru bellows. When he spots Hajime he beams. “Newbie!” He’s very similar to Akane and Hajime is both curious and afraid of what it’s like to be around the both of them at the same time. Kazuichi sorts through the purchases and goes to the staff bathroom while Nekomaru heads back downstairs to return to his post as bouncer. “See you, Hajime! You’re still going drinking with us next week, right?”

Hajime nods, tossing he empty water bottle away. Somehow, he’s gotten friendly with the paranormal staff instead of the few other mundane hires. But he’s not complaining. “Yeah. See you!”

When he returns to the floor, the next few hours go by in a blur of activity. Hajime barely has time to think about Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi’s comments. Things start winding down towards closing, especially after last call, and Hajime is more than ready to go home and sleep through Sunday until he has to wake up Monday for class.

He’s putting back bottles when someone calls for his attention.

“Sorry, bar’s closed,” he says before turning around and stumbling at the sight of Fuyuhiko leaning against the countertop. “Fuyuhiko! Uh. I, hello.”

Fuyuhiko’s gaze flicks up and down Hajime’s form before he tilts his head towards his office. “Come by when you’ve clocked out.” He doesn’t wait for a reply, pushing off the bar counter once he’s said his piece and saunters to his office, disappearing behind the door. Hajime isn’t sure if he’s disappointed or relieved that there’s no quiz.

Fatigue all but vanished, Hajime finishes up his shift, clocks out, and ventures to Fuyuhiko’s office. He’ll grab his belongings when Fuyuhiko’s done with him and he heads home. He’s let in moments after knocking and follows Fuyuhiko to his desk.

“This won’t take long, I just need you to double check some papers so your salary gets wired to your account properly.”

Hajime hovers in front of Fuyuhiko’s desk, while Fuyuhiko goes to one of the cabinets against the wall, unlocking one and rifling through files. He returns with some papers and lays them on the desk. Hajime goes through the papers, bent over the desk. He has the vague feeling of being watched, which of course, Fuyuhiko is right there, but the gaze on him feels more than cursory. Putting it off to his imagination in proximity to Fuyuhiko, he affirms that everything is fine and Fuyuhiko takes the papers and sets them off to the side. But he doesn’t move, and Hajime is stuck between Fuyuhiko and his desk.

“Great, thanks. How have your first two weeks been?”

“Good,” Hajime answers. “I really like working here.”

Fuyuhiko quirks a brow, crosses his arms over his chest.

“Really!” Hajime insists. “I swear I’m not just saying that.”

“If you say so. Regardless, you’ve been doing well. You pick things up quick, and did well on my little pop quizzes.”

Hajime’s mind goes to the drinks he’s made for Fuyuhiko’s quizzes. In these short two weeks, he pretty much knows all of Fuyuhiko’s favorite liquors and tastes, adjusting all the drinks he’s made to suit what he learns of the dragon. In hindsight, he’s been so embarrassingly obvious. Worse than Kazuichi.

“You’re good at adjusting things to a customer’s taste,” Fuyuhiko says, as if reading Hajime’s mind. Hajime’s pretty sure mind-reading isn’t an ability dragons have. He feels his face heat up, nevertheless, which is as good as broadcasting his thoughts.

“And…” Fuyuhiko’s arms uncross and he stalks forward. Hajime instinctively steps back.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed that every time I let you pick a drink, it’s always some sort of shade of gold.” Fuyuhiko comes even closer, backing Hajime up until there’s nowhere Hajime has left to go unless it’s on top of Fuyuhiko’s desk.

Fuyuhiko cages him against the chrome and black furniture, hands braced either side of Hajime’s hips. Even though he’s looking down, Hajime can’t help but feel small. There’s a predator before him and he’s the prey.

Gold eyes meet his unwaveringly. Hajime watches the pupils turn into reptile-slits. A hand, peppered with glossy gold scales creeping up into Fuyuhiko’s folded up shirt sleeve, presses against the center of Hajime’s chest. There’s no way Fuyuhiko doesn’t feel Hajime’s heart race, trip over its own too-fast beats. He tries to swallow, his throat stuck and mouth bone dry.

Pressure forces him further back, onto the desk and he only just saves himself from falling over by gripping the edge of the desk, wrist brushing against Fuyuhiko’s other hand at his hip.

“Uhm,” Hajime tries to speak, but he doesn’t know what he was going to say even if he were able.

Fuyuhiko’s eyes are no longer human. Scales form at the corners, creeping down sharp cheekbones. Hajime learns that freckles are still visible on scales.

If he’s dreaming he doesn’t want to wake up.

That hand that’s against his chest, slides up to his shoulder. Fuyuhiko uses Hajime’s shoulder as leverage to climb on top of the desk, straddling Hajime’s lap. Hajime’s hands automatically go to Fuyuhiko’s hips to keep him from falling.

He really doesn’t want this dream to end.

“There’s no way I’m awake right now,” he breathes, staring up at Fuyuhiko smirking down at him.

Fuyuhiko settles in Hajime’s lap, a solid weight of warmth and power. Arms go around Hajime’s shoulders. He feels pricks of claws drag lightly against his skin, through the fabric of his shirt. Hajime probably has a stupid look on his face, something obvious and dumb and star-struck.

And then Fuyuhiko kisses him and clearly Hajime’s not sleeping, he’s dead and somehow made it to the good kind of afterlife.

He doesn’t know if it’s because he’s a dragon, but Fuyuhiko’s kiss fills Hajime with warmth, like huddling under a blanket in front of a blazing fire on a crisp fall night when the power’s out.

The kiss feels too brief, but Hajime’s mouth is swollen and he’s breathing heavily when he opens his eyes and drinks in Fuyuhiko, mouth slick, eyes blown and shining, skin and scales tinged pink.

“Just so you know,” Fuyuhiko murmurs, “this isn’t a regular occurrence on paydays. But, fuck, you’ve been looking at me like this since we met.”

Mouth on autopilot, no brain-to-mouth filter, Hajime blurts, “I’ve been looking at you like this since I was like fourteen and saw you on TV with your family and realized I was gay.”

There’s a pause before Hajime has a lapful of a laughing dragon. When Fuyuhiko gets is laughter under control, he shakes his head at Hajime. “What are you doing Monday night?”

Hajime blinks. “Nothing.” Was Fuyuhiko going to ask if he could work that night?

“Get dinner with me?” Fuyuhiko asks.

Hajime’s an idiot.

“Uh, wouldn’t there be… issues since I work for you?” Part of his brain yells at him to stop talking.

“I may own this place, but I don’t come around as often as I have been since I hired you.” Hajime hears the echo of Kazuichi’s remark from earlier. “My sister is the one who actually runs the place, but she’s out of town until next week. I’m pretty much just the name on the deed.”

There’s not much said about Fuyuhiko’s sister. She’s always been in the background since Fuyuhiko’s the Kuzuryuu heir that often times, she’s forgotten.

Hajime feels a nip at his neck. Fuyuhiko bit him.

“You bit me?” The sting isn’t bad, it’s more surprise than anything.

“Stop thinking about my sister and about whether you want to get dinner with me or not on Monday.”

Hajime has a sulking, impatient dragon in his lap. There’s no other answer than a rushed, stumbling, “Yes!—uh, I mean, yeah, sounds good. I’d like that.”

#my writing #kuzuhina #danganronpa #super dangan ronpa 2 #sdr2 #hinata hajime #kuzuryuu fuyuhiko #tumblr fic

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ruchikakamat · 3 years

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4 Extremely Underrated Employee Behaviors

Every organization has certain behaviors which they want to cascade amongst their employees. For example, going the extra mile, collaboration, teamwork, being professional, etc. These behaviors usually emerge from the company’s values and objectives.

Often, reward and recognition in the workplace are based on tangible results or activities. Achieving a sales quota, shortening the processing time of a support ticket or closing a large account, for example, but often some unmeasurable performance or behaviors are neglected. However, recognition of employees is a powerful communication tool that reinforces important results that people create for the company. Along with tangible results, when you recognize people for actions and behaviors that you want others to repeat, you reinforce these behaviours amongst all.

Recognizing and rewarding your employees for the generally commendable qualities they demonstrate can have a multiplier effect on your organization. With the right people and the right set up to support, behaviour appreciation and recognition can be planned and executed smoothly. This is a great way to also enroll managers and HR leaders to promote good work ethics and behaviors in the workplace.

Let’s look at four behaviors that often go underrated and need to be recognized immediately to create a strong work culture:

1) Humble & curious

One of the most common traits recruiters try to find in ideal candidates is their ability to be humble and curious. Even survey studies have shown that one of the most valuable personality traits found in a perfect employee is humility. In fact, it has also been stated that humility is a key factor in creating a work environment in which employees from diverse backgrounds feel psychologically safe, thereby creating a healthy work culture.

Talking about curiosity, it is the trait that drives relationship building within teams. Genuine curiosity helps build trust in relationships and enables employees to develop respect from each other.

A humble and curious employee in a leadership role propels the entire team forward. By learning from others, opening up to team members, and admitting mistakes, humble leaders set an example, no matter where they sit on the company ladder. Having humility also helps leaders to practice empathy with employees, because they are willing to take risks and set personal goals aside for the greater good.

Abhishek Desai comes across as a humble & curious employee in his organization and his behaviour was seen and acknowledged with an appreciation post that was visible to all employees in his organization. Other employees who have witnessed such behaviour also expressed their appreciation by sharing their views in the comment. His peers also engaged with the post by liking and sharing their congrats message.

Image 1 is a screenshot from Let’s Buzzz platform.

With Let’s Buzzz, you can create a buzz moment for the Abhishek in your organization to garner peer-to-peer recognition.

2) Problem-solving mindset

Problem-solving skills are a soft skill that is used in the workplace where difficult, unexpected and complicated situations occur. It consists of skills that help identify problems, propose solutions, and select and implement the best. By clearly defining the problem, focusing on the solution, positive language, changing the way of thinking and brainstorming possible solutions to the problem, one can sharpen their problem-solving skills. Understanding each step of the process of the problem and then finding a solution is beneficial.

Employees with problem-solving skills are rare. They have the best interest of the company and are always ready to share their opinion during important matters. When you have found such employees, it’s important to recognize their skills at the right time.

Shiwani from the client servicing team is the backbone of her team. Her problem-solving skill surprises not just her team but even her clients can see that and appreciates it. Her clients are less worried about any glitch as they know Shiwani is always there to solve it. Recognizing this skill of Shiwani is important to make her feel more valued and retain her with the company for a longer time.

Image 2 is a screenshot from Let’s Buzzz platform.

With Let’s Buzzz you can socially appreciate the Shiwani in your organization for her behaviour to solve a problem.

Read more on www.letsbuzzz.com/blog.

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juniperpublishersajop · 4 years

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Polymer Engineering - Developing or Improving Plastic Products- Are Plastics Boon or Bane?

Abstract

Plastics have advantages and disadvantages in properties like every other material section i.e. wood, metals, aluminum, ceramics. A boon is the high flexibility with plastics to create each desired property for each single application. But this is exactly also the bane. The result are the 5 Billon tons of plastic worldwide everywhere on earth. The diversity of plastic solutions is enormous. This makes reuse of it almost impossible. Compared with no economic value of used plastic the significance for Consumers and companies is almost zero. We need a common strength to solve this problem. And we need true facts from scientists and experts to help consumers make the wright decision under technical, economical, ecological and social aspects. This is shown in detail using a plastic tote bag versus a fiber tote bag.

Keywords: Polymer Engineering; Plastic Products; Advantages and Disadvantages; Boon and Bane of Plastics

Introduction

The “polymer” expertise in interaction with technological knowledge on raw materials, polymer materials, machine and process technology, processing, manufacturing technology and quality, tool and surface technology, construction and simulation, use, repair and recycling, cycles and disposal, Life Cycle Engineering (LCE) and Further training leads to qualified “polymer engineering” and is part of polymer science [1,2]. The specialists working in plastics technology also have enormous competitive advantages and behave sustainably through the application of the engineering concept to innovations in their products and in the quality of their work from a variety of particularly forward-looking aspects (-> economy, component optimization, resource conservation, environmental compatibility, etc.). It should be noted at this point that specialist expertise within plastics technology is basically a reflection of our quality of life and thus our prosperity. This will certainly continue to be the case in future, provided that we are “qualified” and highly responsible when it comes to plastics!

Present situation

From today’s perspective and also in the future, plastics from the following, exemplary selected areas of life will no longer be imaginable.

a. Energy saving through lightweight construction (low density) with moving masses (cars, aircrafts, robots, satellites, rockets)

b. Electrical insulation (including electrical cables, electric motors)

c. Thermal insulation for buildings (foams)

d. Improved shelf life and hygiene of food (packaging)

e. Product protection / resource conservation through shock absorption (packaging)

f. Maximum mobility through rubber tires (traffic)

g. Seat belts in vehicles (shock absorption)

h. Electronic components (mass production)

i. Leisure experiences (skiing, climbing, hiking, ball games, bicycles, water sports, tennis, etc.)

j. Clothing, textiles (comfort, durability)

k. crop yields in agriculture (covers, nets, fences, irrigation, silage)

l. medical healing (bandages, syringes, tubes, plasters, implants etc.)

And for all applications of plastics, these are usually inexpensive.

It should also be noted that due to their extremely high number of variants (materials made to measure for every application), plastics have, besides outstanding advantages (see above) as the boon side, also serious disadvantages (i.e.-> recycling problems) as the bane side.

For about 30 years we have been experiencing how plastics are gradually becoming discredited by public opinion due to “conspicuous” environmental events. These include (selection):

a. Fine dust pollution (microplastics) due to tire abrasion, sports fields with artificial turf,

b. Nanoparticles from cosmetics, fibers from clothing parts lead to plastic in the world’s oceans, in the ground and in the air. Polymer particles (plastic primary particles) migrate through food intake in humans and animals

c. Recycling quotas and circular economy up to ban on disposable products in more and more countries worldwide

d. Consumer health as a result of emissions from packaging and insulation materials as well as floor coverings in the construction industry and much more. Think on PVC soft for example.

e. Reduced moisture absorption of arable soils due to mixed decomposition products made of PE from cover foils etc. over the years.

f. Emissions of additives in plastics (fogging) in new cars, home mobiles, textiles, household machines, departments (floors, furniture), buildings (Inside and outside: foams, surface protections), and so on.

Basically, it has to be demanded that the highest priority must be to generate an accurate factual awareness among consumers through honest, open education. Recognized undesirable developments and misalignments are to be named with clear and understandable names. It is just as important, however, to demonstrate and appreciate the indispensable, environmentally friendly, life-saving, and beautifying consequences of plastic applications.

Plastics are made-to-measure materials, and, from today’s perspective, it is precisely this advantage that is increasingly becoming a major disadvantage with the current possibilities with regard to recycling and reuse (closed loop economy). However, this may change in the future. So “plastic waste”, provided chemical recycling processes (catalytic cracking, etc.) further developed so that in the future the plastic itself will become a source of raw materials again, will receive a completely new appreciation Using solar energy, it is fundamentally possible to achieve a carbon-neutral, climate-friendly life cycle assessment! With glass, metal, ceramics, wood, the situation is similar with regard to a circular economy. Quantitatively smaller, unmixed material flows are significantly larger in number with plastics. With high-strength, alloy steel sheets for car bodies, there is the same problem of pure recycling in the second and subsequent life of a component that is subjected to comparable loads, such as in e.g. PVC window frames. For metals, the need for metals with lower properties is huge worldwide. Similar to thermoplastics, they can be melted and re-alloyed and finally used as normal steel, here, for example, structural steel. With 30-year-old PVC window frame formulations, this is also possible to a limited extent, but the volume flows that can be achieved are much lower at the same time significantly higher logistics costs. Additive developments over the decades also prevent their use after 20 years. a. Without plastics, there would only be mobility based on wood, metal and ceramics (no rubber tires).

b. Without plastics, natural fibers for clothing would not be sufficient for all of humanity or the cultivated areas would be too scarce.

c. Without plastics, we used the oil for heating and transport even faster (plastics reduce resource consumption).

d. Without plastics, there would be no electrical devices, no electrical motors and electronic components

e. Without plastics we would have no surface protection (corrosion)

f. Without plastics, medical technology and hygiene would have been up to 100 years ago.

g. And without plastics there would be no space and aviation technology.

It is also correct, however, that the approximately 9 billion tons of plastics that have been extrapolated since 1950 (2 million t pa) up to 2020 including (approx. 420 million t pa) have a destructive impact on the world’s oceans and that animals and plants suffer from it [3]. This last point is something to be deepened.

The chemical industry produces plastics from (only) 4% of the oil that is extracted annually. 45% each of oil flows into heating + cooling and traffic, another 4% into pharmaceutical products. These usual percentages of mass falsify the picture. Due to the low density of plastics (0.1 g / cm3 for foams up to 2.0 for glass fiber reinforced composites) on average around 1.2 g / cm3), their volumes are much larger. This is the only way to explain that landfills are overflowing, the landscape is polluted, and the oceans are full of discarded plastic products because 15 large rivers (4 of them in Europe) flush tons of waste into the oceans. Although it is people, some unscrupulously criminal, who dispose of plastics carelessly, the manufacturing industry and the legislature - here at the international level-would have been wise to take sustainable countermeasures decades ago. Immediate action and implementation of the measures are imperative here. According to a study by Geyer R, et al. [3], University of California (2017), 6.3 billion tons of plastic were generated by 2015. 600 million tons were processed into recycled materials at short notice and 800 million tons were incinerated. 4.9 billion tons are still in use or accumulate in landfills, in the countryside and in the seas. According to R. Geyer, around 34 billion tons of plastic will be produced until 2050. The plastic flood has to increase.

Life Cycle Engineering

If, on the one hand, the media make a very important contribution to uncovering all kinds of environmental crimes, the same breath is always used for a factual, serious presentation of the relationships waived. An unfounded uncertainty among consumers, often based on general statements, is created. Using the example of , the emotional wrong assessment of the population on the “culprit” plastic can be refuted. Holistic balancing and life cycle engineering are sophisticated methodological tools that are executed correctly and provide good support for decision making. They are misguided when carried out in a biased and incomplete or / and methodically improper manner. For example, the numbers in (Table 1) show that an ftb is more environmentally, technically, and economically disadvantageous than a ptb for some criteria (Figure 1).

The following incident must also be mentioned

In a bill by the German Federal Environment Ministry on November 6, 2019, Minister Svenja Schulze said in the Bundestag: “Plastic bags are the epitome of wasting resources. They are made from crude oil and are often only used for a few minutes. ” Anyone who violates the law can be fined up to € 100,000. Here, as in the example below, the question really arises “Where is the proportionality based on facts and where is common sense?”. The EU prohibits disposable drinking straws of a certain diameter range in 2019. Tecnaro company, Ilfeld, Germany has been supplying the straw market with 100% biopolymers that are quickly biodegradable since 2019. Unfortunately, the latter are no longer allowed because the EU administration apparently forgot to allow biopolymers.

Conclusion

Plastics have material advantages and disadvantages. A tailor-made material can usually be produced based on practical requirements. From today’s perspective, the question of the disposal option is often disadvantageous. If plastic is to be used sensibly and sustainably in our world, it is the task of the specialists (chemists, physicists, engineers, business economists, educators, buyers and sellers) to deal with it professionally and competently from the perspective of society. It does not help the consumer and our earth to be told, that moldable thermoplastic plastics are recyclable economically but only if they are collected separately in plastic groups. The consumer, who has to deal responsibly with the available resources, also hold an outstanding position. However, this requires the truthful information required. As this unfortunately does not take place, as the state of our living environment shows worldwide, it is the task of the experts, together with national and international legislators, to provide prompt solutions to prevent the environmental problem from worsening and to introduce improvements.

For more Open Access Journals in Juniper Publishers please click on: https://juniperpublishers.com/

For more articles in Academic Journal of Polymer Science please click on: https://juniperpublishers.com/ajop/index.php

#polymer engineering #bioplastics #biomaterials #polymer synthesis

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khalilhumam · 4 years

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Black people are still seeking racial justice – why and what to do about it

New Post has been published on http://khalilhumam.com/black-people-are-still-seeking-racial-justice-why-and-what-to-do-about-it/

Black people are still seeking racial justice – why and what to do about it

By Kwadwo Frimpong On July 9th 2020, in the wake of nation-wide protests over George Floyd and other Black victims of police violence, David M. Rubenstein Fellow in Governance Studies Rashawn Ray joined actor and producer Boris Kodjoe to talk about policy solutions to address systemic racism and police brutality. Below are highlights from their conversation for the Instagram podcast series #19for20, which aims to inspire public dialogue about difficult topics in social justice. You can watch the full interview here.

What is different about today’s climate compared to prior national uprisings around race?

Ray highlighted how both the visceral public display of George Floyd’s murder and COVID-19 had engulfed the nation in a manner markedly distinct from Ferguson, Black Lives Matter (BLM) and other previous nation-wide racial justice movements. “George Floyd is the twenty first century Emmett Till, a moment similar to [his] murder in 1955 [and] by his mother having the foresight and also the bravery to show his decomposed body in that casket”, he said. The gruesome imagery of witnessing another human being lose their life, with their neck buried under the knee of a police officer for roughly 8 minutes and 46 seconds languishes us psychologically, emotionally and physically. At the same time, with the globe and mainstream media gripped in the sweeping standstill of the pandemic, BLM took to social media, unleashing raw footage of Floyd and other Black victims to signify that they were not isolated, but were the remnants of a larger scourge of racially charged police violence rippling across the country.

View this post on Instagram

For blessing us with your insight and passion for solutions on social justice and equality. #19For20

A post shared by Boris Kodjoe (@boriskodjoe) on Jul 9, 2020 at 5:54pm PDT

Why do Black Lives continue to be devalued and over-criminalized?

Ray remarked on how the nation’s historical legacy of slavery continues to be the foundational epicenter of racial discrimination against Blacks and other minorities. “Bad apples often times come from a rotten tree. And that tree in the United States of America is rooted in systemic racism, particularly when it comes to law enforcement that has roots back to slavery”, he explained. What’s more, according to recent research, disturbing levels of white nationalism and domestic extremist groups have been shown to have infiltrated law enforcement. Kodjoe described a personal encounter he had had with a white businessman in his own neighborhood while dressed in a hoodie and flip flops to illustrate what he referred to as “the magic pause”: how Black individuals continually internalize and deflect a series of micro-aggressions and discriminatory behavior from white individuals. The man was initially disdainful towards Kodjoe but after noticing that he owned one of the most opulent houses in the community, he sharply reversed his tone, adopting a more friendly and positive demeanor. “And that criminalization of Black people is the direct result of the lack of those muscles and the lack of consideration for the fact that I’m a father, I’m a husband, I’m a professional, I have family, I have a job,” Kodjoe emphasized. Ray concurred, remarking that “the magic pause” also reflects the collective memory of traumatic experiences that Blacks have undergone in the past, triggering fresh waves of encounters that either did or could have ended fatally, but also revealing how a white person will attempt to code-switch according to the perceived social class of a Black person. “And I think fundamentally it highlights that we can’t outclass racism. It doesn’t matter if you’re Boris Kodjoe [and] that you have the biggest house on the street….all that matters is that in that moment, he’s seen your skin tone and his skin tone, [which gives] him the script for how to make sense of what was going on,” he added. In essence, these racial attitudes undergird and perpetuate the over-policing and dehumanization of Black people and the long-standing perceptions that they are not only one-dimensional but are more likely to engage in crime. Conversely, crime is inherently racial but there is a tendency to zero in on Black related violence. “94% of Black people kill other Blacks, 86% of white people kill other whites. But we never say white-on-white crime. It’s only talking about Black-on-Black crime,” Ray underscored.

What remedies can help shape the path forward?

1. Re-allocate and re-invest in police departments Simply assigning more police officers to these crises will not solve the underlying issues. Further, not only is crime hovering at historic lows but existing law enforcement funds are not being utilized efficiently: Roughly 40% of homicides and 70% of robberies go unresolved and 9 out of 10 response calls handled by law enforcement stem from non-violent issues, ranging from mental health to homelessness. Defunding the police or re-assigning non-violent crimes to entities better equipped to handle these societal challenges will help to boost efficiency and augment the clearance rate for resolving violent crimes. 2. Implement accountability & transparency in law enforcement Not only does the status quo reward police officers who ratchet up the highest quotas of tickets and arrests but taxpayers routinely foot the bill for civil payouts involving victims of police brutality and even then, the culpable officers are rarely held financially or criminally liable.

Institute police department liability insurance: By shifting the source of funds for civilian payouts from taxpayers to police budgets, police departments will not only have a greater incentive to hold police officers accountable for misconduct but the aggrieved families will receive more just recompense for the loss of their loved ones, through the parties that are directly responsible as opposed to through their own hard-earned tax dollars.

Create a national registry: This will allow police officers to be terminated for misconduct or if they resigned under trial for misconduct as outlined in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Remove qualified immunity: This is a legal safeguard currently upheld by the Supreme Court which shields police officers from criminal liability and being sued financially, however, recently enacted state led reforms such as in Colorado can serve as a promising model.

3. Active civic engagement, particularly down ballot Activism across the electoral spectrum is paramount but local politics largely determines the policies and outcomes within one’s immediate community. Rallying and electing local officials such as state representatives and attorney generals who can impact the judicial system can yield concrete pathways towards significant results. 4. Corporate America needs to embrace meaningful action, not just slogans and words Black assets and intellectual property have been systematically disenfranchised and under-invested in and members of the C-suite and other large conglomerates have a significant role to play in not only reshaping the narrative and incentive structure around business but by also leveraging the existing resources within the Black community to drive sustainable and meaningful change. ”[We] don’t need handouts, we need real partnerships and corporate allies that are ready to invest in us,” Kodjoe reiterated.

Invest in minority-owned small businesses. Roughly 40% of black small businesses went under because 90% didn’t receive relief funds, however, large corporates can leverage their existing sub-contracts to combat this area.

Diversity upper management; there is a rich pool of untapped talent to be capitalized upon.

Compensate individuals for doing the emotional work of anti-racism; they are not there to do it for free.

Institute bi-annual surveys for minorities to capture their experiences in the workplace and promote greater equity.

Implement reparations to close the racial wealth gap.

In essence, Black people don’t want a seat at the table, they want their own table, apportioned with equal weight and size to be acknowledged, seen, and heard across all spectrums of society. W.E.B Dubois encapsulated this enduring plight of Black individuals over a century ago as “double consciousness”, a longing to be both Black and American without having the doors of opportunity closed roughly in one’s face. And yet Blacks are still clamoring for that promise of equal justice and opportunity to be recognized as fully equal citizens in America.

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femnet · 7 years

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There is a huge lack in representation in American politics, and we need to talk about that. Here’s some insight explaining why all of your senators are old, white men.

In politics, especially in America, we see an immense gap in gender. Most politicians are men, and that needs to change. Women face several obstacles when it comes to running for political office, including, socialization, qualification, and recruitment, among others. People still seem to think that women need to do most of the household work and childcare, which creates bias. Women also have lower self-confidence when it comes to politics, and they tend to believe they are unqualified for the job, even when their qualifications surpass their male counterparts’. While socialization, qualification, and recruitment are the main issues, there are a myriad of reasons that stop women from running for office, from gender bias, to the color of their purse.

According to United States Congressman Tim Walberg, there are a total of 535 Members of Congress. Information from the History House website states that 109 of the 325 women who have served in Congress since women could join, are current members. Currently, women in the House of Representatives only make up 20% of members, and of the 100 members in the Senate, there are only 21 women (Sarah Kliff and Soo Oh, 4, November, 2016). In total, there have been 287 female members of the house, and 50 senators, and only 12 women have served on both, per the History House, compared to 9,986 men serving in the house. These are low numbers, especially considering that 51% of the population is female. Heidi Hartmann says “We calculated this at some point, and at the same rate we’re going, it would take about 100 years to get an equal share of women in congress.” These are also low numbers on the global scale. In world rankings of women in national legislature, the United States is 100th after nations like Rwanda, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden (Representation 2020). The United States’ total percent average is 16.9%, while the global average is 19.3%. These statistics set us back far, and we are one of the least progressive countries when it comes to women in legislative positions. A lot of these countries ahead of us have quotas that they are required meet. For example, in Sweden, it is mandatory that 40% of their party’s legislators must be female. This doesn’t even require an amendment or change to the government, and a reason why our numbers are so low is because we don’t have a set quota (Sarah Kliff and Soo Oh). Quotas are working in countries! There is equal or almost equal representation in several countries, and they are being progressive in their work. These countries ahead of us are using the diversity of their country to see more viewpoints, and create a more just government.

Main factors that are stopping women from running for political office are lack of confidence on a political scale, negative reactions, lack of suggestion, obligations for running a household, and the level of bias that is against women holding powerful positions. These factors have taken their toll, as you could see with the statistics in the last paragraph. To add to this, J. Paul Johnson says that women compete in fewer than 1/3rd of all races, and overall are less likely to run. In the coming years, it is still only likely that the number of women serving in congress will only raise 1 to 2%.

Now, women’s biggest problem isn’t winning, it’s running. Claire Cain Miller with the New York Times says “The main reason they’re so underrepresented is that they don’t run in the first place.” The number of women serving in office has stalled, and it’s been that way since the 1990’s. Women are more likely to self-doubt themselves, and it has been shown they don’t have the same confidence as men. When asked, 35% of men say they’re qualified, compared to 22% of women, per Vox.com’s writers Sarah Kliff and Soo Oh. But it doesn’t stop there. A lot of women want to run, but only 50% of women who consider running actually go for it and run. Victoria Lawson, an author of the CUNY report says that “Often women don’t see running as viable when they are qualified.” Qualifications are a big part of politics, and even when women are qualified they feel that they need to be over-qualified to even compare to male candidates. This makes women also start running when they’re older because they’re busy earning qualifications that they don’t need, essentially, women perceive themselves differently. Part of the reason why women don’t feel that they are qualified is because of the way society treats them. Society rewards men for their ambition, and their need to achieve, and that’s not always the case with women. Society tells women that to be successful, they need to be a good wife, a good mother, and then have a job and make money, which is a lot of pressure, and is another reason why we don’t see women in office.

In politics, recruitment is what brings you into the political pipeline. Women are less likely to be taken seriously when they propose a want to run for office, and there isn’t a pipeline of women who want to run, which is a growing issue. Men are 15% more likely to be recruited, according to Claire Cain Miller, and Governor of Oregon Kate Brown says, “I honestly hadn’t considered anything like that until someone called and asked. That’s what it took, and that’s what it takes for women: calling and encouraging.” It is also a matter of having people to recruit women, and female politicians are more likely to recruit other women. Now, society, qualifications, and recruitment obviously aren’t the only issues. There are the seven factors I stated earlier, as well as the issue of sexism, bias, media coverage, and a multitude of other underlying issues.

Another problem is the way the media conveys female candidates. As stated in a research study led by Johanna Dunaway, articles about female candidates included more discussion of character traits than articles about male candidates. The study looked at about 9,725 newspaper articles, and found that when only female candidates were running, the stories focused on character traits 9.5% of the time, and political issues 51.7% of the time, compared to when only men ran, 6% of articles written were about their character traits. We can also see in debates and campaigns, that when there is a female candidate running, personal topics and characteristics of the politician are brought up. “Races with a female candidate lead to news that is more focused on the personal traits and characteristics of the candidates, and this finding is especially stark for gubernatorial campaigns” says a researcher part of the study. But the media coverage is not only related to personality traits. Often times when women run, their outfit choices and appearance are analyzed and criticized by the media. For example, the Washington Post and New York Times have posted articles for months about Senators’ purses and candidate’s shoes. You don’t see the media covering things like the color of Donald Trump or Mike Pence’s tie, but there was an abundance of articles about what pantsuit Hillary was wearing when she was running.

In order to progress the nation with this issue, we need to encourage young girls to become interested, and get involved in politics. This can even begin with introducing them to competitive sports, such as soccer. Competitive sports take the fear out of losing, and it makes girls more competitive. As I mentioned earlier, women are less likely to be ambitious and competitive when it came to running, so putting them in sports at a young age can build up their confidence when it comes to competition. Having young girls participate in competitive sports can make them more attuned to the political environment later on in life. Another thing that encourages young girls to get involved in politics is, encouragement. Senator Claire McCaskill said her parents “told her from a very young age that I would be the first female governor of Mississippi.” She wasn’t, but she was the first female United States Senator. Another big influence is the media, according to Kliff and Oh, young girls are more likely to show interest in politics when women politicians are shown in the media. In a study in India, women were randomly assigned political positions, and it made their parents become more aspirational in what they expected of their daughters.

A big problem was this year’s election. The media and Donald Trump tore Hillary Clinton down, and now women are going to think that every time they open their mouth’s, they are going to receive a sexist comment in response. We need to change the way we think of women in political positions. Either we start a quota so that we can get an equal number of men and women, or we back our female candidates more than ever. There is so much diversity in this country, and we are wasting our resources by continually electing specifically white males. We need to recruit women, raise their confidence, and change the fact that it is okay that society can demean women for wanting a career and a family.

#women in politics #politics #feminism #equality #election #by lianna #october 2017 #real life #edited 10/20 #needs sources

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