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whenitsdarkweilluminate · 7 months

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Lisbon 2018 – Grand Final

Host: Portugal Slogan: “All Aboard!” Participants: 43 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - separated) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host

Winner: Netta - Toy Country: Israel Points: 529 (52.5% of highest score possible) Language: English

General Overview:

I kept putting off reviewing 2018 because I remembered it being a “meh” year. I was dissatisfied in the winner. Many of my faves didn't qualify. And most of the songs seemed forgettable? After all this writing, I'd still rank 2018 towards the bottom of the decade, but it's ahead of 2011 and 2017 at least. For reference, my fave contest of each decade would be: 1956, 1969, 1977, 1980, 1997, 2009, 2012 and 2021.

The opening sequence is exactly same as the two semi-finals (ie. the montage of local people and culture). But since it's the Grand Final, there is an opening act this time! It begins with someone playing a Portuguese guitar, then Ana Moura and Mariza sing some fado music. Mariza's song includes a soft-sounding marching band across the stage. The flag parade happens next, with two DJ's playing contemporary beats to soundtrack it. There's also sailors holding the flags.

Then it's the host introductions. Like I said in SF1, I enjoyed their comedy this year. I especially loved Filomena in the Green Room. And lol at the hosts insinuating that the shirtless stagehand was naked underneath the graphic. There was also a dedication to Lys Assia, who passed earlier in 2018, which was nice.

The interval isn't as bloated as other recent contests. It starts with Branko playing some tranquil dance music, featuring 4 different soloists, one at a time. First it's Sara Tavares (from the 1994 contest) holding a long note, then Plutónio raps, followed by Dino D'Santiago singing inside this silhouette visual effect, and finally Mayra Andrade is joined by dancers on the walkway. They have soothing voices. Next, there's a video on why it took Portugal 53 years to win. Then Suzy from 2014 makes a surprise appearance. And lastly, Salvador Sobral performs two songs: a piano ballad called “Mano a mano” (meh to this one), where he pounds the piano casing at one point, and a reprise of his winning song, as a duet with Caetano Veloso.

The postcards involve the artists exiting a door in places where a door shouldn't be. Like on top of a cliff or something. They aren't attached to a building. Which makes them look like portals. It's as if the artists teleported to Portugal from their home country. Upon entering Portugal, they explore the area and do an activity. Then they take a selfie, as “#AllAboard” appears on screen. Then the flag colours are displayed on a sea anemone graphic. And lastly, there's an adjustment sound to start each performance. The portal doors are what I associate with 2018, like the hallway in 2017.

The stage is designed like a gyroscope. The performance platform is the center circle, with 3 gigantic rings overhead, kind of like archways. Each ring is on a different inclination/angle. There's also a circular walkway ramp cutting through the audience that acts as the 4th ring (on a 0° angle). On either side of the stage, there is a bridge that connect to the ramp. And just like 2010, there is no LED screen. Instead, the back of the stage is constructed of wavy vertical bars.

2018 was a battle between Israel and Cyprus… but not according to the juries. They put Austria and Sweden top 2, which the public weren't as fond of. Early on, the jury vote was a tight race between those 4 countries and Germany. Then it became a battle between Israel and Austria. Then Sweden caught up with Austria. In the end, Israel won the televote, putting them way ahead of both. As for the correspondents: Sweden's Felix Sandman wore Benjamin's merch and Latvia's Dagmāra Legante made a Kanye West joke.

Ukraine: Mélovin - Under the Ladder 3rd year in a row where the SF2 closer opens the Grand Final. I did not expect the juries to rank this last.

Spain: Amaia & Alfred - Tu canción This is like the sweetest love song ever. Yeah, the couple broke up a few months later, but most relationships don't last anyways. Feelings change over time. You live in the moment, and this was how they felt in May 2018. On stage, they look smitten with their cute smiles and eye contact. The opening shot shows them standing far apart in dark lighting, while the audience's phone lights shine behind them. Then the camera spins around Alfred and zooms in on Amaia, as they trade lead vocals. Afterwards, the pair slowly walks towards each other. They hold hands, they embrace. And the camera continues spin around them at certain points. The song itself is a classy, old-fashioned, stuffy ballad. But it also has a tender, romantic texture and a very nice melody. Plus Amaia & Alfred's voices are sweet. “Tu canción” starts with slow, sparse piano notes. Said piano increases in the first chorus, where the strings sneak in. Then the second verse/chorus adds in low-key percussion and makes the strings more noticeable. While the bridge sees the instrumental quiet, then intensify, then stop upon the final chorus. Then the song finally “bursts open”. That “OHHH OHHH” build-up is very effective. I also like the “Siento que bailo…” hook. The lyrics involve Amaia & Alfred expressing their love to each other. Alfred says flying to the moon now feels real; Amaia says his voice shelters her. It's very lovey dovey.

Slovenia: Lea Sirk - Hvala, ne! “STOP THE MUSIC!”

Lithuania: Ieva Zasimauskaitė - When We're Old

Austria: Cesár Sampson - Nobody but You

Estonia: Elina Nechayeva - La forza

Norway: Alexander Rybak - That's How You Write a Song A semi-final winner placing 15th in the grand final is unexpected.

Portugal: Cláudia Pascoal - O jardim Better than the song they won with. This did not deserve last place, although 39 points is pretty high for that. I can see how “O jardim” was overlooked though – not much happens in the song. There's no big melody, no epic climax. Instead, the song's purpose is to maintain a specific mood. That mood is peaceful grieving. Isaura wrote “O jardim” about her late grandmother. The lyrics repeat the phrase “Now that you're not here, I'll water your garden”, as if this thought keeps circling in her mind. She literally takes care of her grandmother's garden to keep her memory alive. The verses don't translate to English very well, however. The music starts with slow, sad piano notes. Then this subtle anxious sound is added underneath, followed by tiny acoustic tings. Then, from 1:36-2:07, the beat switches to a series of metal spring sounds and inconsistent jittery taps. It's a cool sound and it's my favourite part. It doesn't change the mood either. This is also when Isaura comes on stage and turns “O jardim” into a duet. The ending is minimalist and like a light howl. “O jardim” is all about simplicity. Doing anything extra wouldn't work. Cláudia gives a sensitive vocal too. She seems tearful at the end. On stage, she starts in a dark silhouette. She closes her eyes. She sways a bit. There's spotlights behind her. The stage doesn't feel like it's missing anything though. I also like how Cláudia's voice jumps out at certain points.

United Kingdom: SuRie - Storm The UK is back to flopping. “Storm” is infamous for the stage invader, but the Grand Final video on YouTube replaced her performance with a rehearsal. SuRie sings this with genuine compassion for her family, but the song is bland. The chorus is 'whatever' to me, both melodically and lyrically. The “Toge-e-ether” and “sto-o-orm” hooks are weak. And the lyrics are basic. The “spread your love...” bridge is climactic though. In the verses, SuRie addresses her brother, sister, mother and father one at a time. She reminds her siblings of their childhood worldview (their fearless hopes and dreams), and says she still believes in this stuff. Then she asks her mom if she did good enough. The chorus is her reassuring they'll overcome the storm together. It's an uplifting song with a straightforward message. But it lacks depth I guess? The instrumental only grabs my attention in a few spots too. The song starts with the piano, but quickly adds foot taps, squeals, submerged quivers and finger snaps. The chorus then diminishes back to the piano, before it accelerates via heavy claps; leading the second half bulldozing through with drums and whirls. The second chorus also starts dramatically, with stomps and sawing strings instead. The bridge uses dramatic boom-claps as well. Later, the song returns to the piano before the last chorus. And the outro repeats the bridge lyric. On stage, SuRie stands at the front of a tunnel made of lit-up squares. There's also pyro upon the last chorus.

Serbia: Sanja Ilić & Balkanika - Nova deca Actually her voice is kind of annoying.

Germany: Michael Schulte - You Let Me Walk Alone The only time Germany wasn't bottom 2 during 2015-2023. All it took was a personal, sincere, down-to-Earth ballad to reach top 5. That's how Ireland kept winning! But it sounds like an Ed Sheeran ballad, and I don't like Ed Sheeran (I also hear Adele's “Someone Like You”). The “1-2-3” hook (“1 love / 2 hearts / 3 kids”) is kinda annoying too. And the lyrics are messy. In the song, Michael reflects on growing up without his father, who passed away when Michael was young. However, the wording of “one love”, “loving mum” and “You let me walk this road alone” makes it sound like his father chose to abandon him. There's no mention of a “loving dad”. Still, if this were written in another language, would I even notice? Lines like “I was told that you were too” and “My childhood hero will always be you” still get to me. He sees his father in himself. He misses his father when he needs guidance. His dad provided protection and wisdom. Musically, the verses follow a quick back-and-forth piano. Then the piano is more pronounced in the chorus. The strings come in later. There's an “oh oh oh” bridge. Plus some crashes towards the end. And the drums enter to carry the final chorus. I'm not crazy about this arrangement, but I don't mind the “every now and then” hook. The stage starts darkly lit. Then, a semi-circle LED screen acts as a lyric video behind Michael. It also shows family photos, which really pulls at the heartstrings. And there's hypnotic images during the bridge.

Albania: Eugent Bushpepa - Mall

France: Madame Monsieur - Mercy France is my #2 again! “Mercy” tells the harrowing, but fortunate, story of Nigerian refugee Taiwo Yussif giving birth on a rescue ship. She named the baby “Mercy”. The title is play on words, since “merci” means “thank you” in French. The lyrics are from the POV of the baby. She recounts how her mother fled the war at home. They had nothing to lose. The sea (or “blue immensity”) became the enemy. She was lucky to even be born (“They offered me a hand / And I'm alive”). The song addresses how not every refugee has a happy ending like this. Many of them don't make it. The title implies they deserve mercy. The instrumental and Émilie's voice capture the mood of this situation well. It's a bleak and distressed vibe, but with a message of perseverance. The song starts with minuscule guitar plucks and finger snaps, followed by some cowbell(?). Then a snap-shut transition starts the chorus, which has a fuller sound, and includes distorted cry responses and some “pippity pips” appearing midway. The chorus has a great melody too. The song later quiets for the bridge. And the outro repeats a chant of “merci, merci”, as the duo pushes their hands forward, and the audience joins in. Maybe they could've done something more with the stage though. They're dressed in funeral black. They walk forward in unison. The camera follows her across the stage bridge. And they're on the audience ramp for the “merci, merci” chant. But it needed something more.

Czech Republic: Mikolas Josef - Lie to Me HE DID THE FLIP!!

Denmark: Rasmussen - Higher Ground It's just missing something to make my top 10.

Australia: Jessica Mauboy - We Got Love This could've been an anthem.

Finland: Saara Aalto - Monsters A borderline qualifier that flopped in the final.

Bulgaria: Equinox - Bones

Moldova: DoReDoS - My Lucky Day

Sweden: Benjamin Ingrosso - Dance You Off “With 21 points... Sweden”

Hungary: AWS - Viszlát nyár I think he screams even more in the final.

Israel: Netta - Toy (winner review below)

Netherlands: Waylon - Outlaw in 'Em

Ireland: Ryan O'Shaughnessy - Together

Cyprus: Eleni Foureira - Fuego

Italy: Ermal Meta & Fabrizio Moro - Non mi avete fatto niente I was puzzled by the 249 televote points... until I realized “Non mi” references several, then-recent, terrorist attacks (Cairo churches, La Rambla Street, 2015 Paris attacks, London Bridge, the truck in Nice). Plus 9/11 “skyscrapers” and 7/7 “subways”. Most of these happened in Eurovision countries. It must've struck a chord. The lyrics are also displayed in various languages so viewers can understand them, along with faces in the fonts. The chorus is an emphatic “You did nothing to me”, saying the terrorists didn't win. Life continues. It's just “pointless wars”. The song doesn't hide the horrific reality either: “blood in the sewer”; “arms without hands”; “mothers without children”. It also finds commonality in religions, dismisses racism, and says mass murder isn't a valid belief. And that “the smile of a child” shows resilience. This is a wordy, lyrically dense song. The duo sings SO quickly to cram everything in that it makes the melody ineffective, despite the up-and-down pattern. I also dislike Fabrizio's hoarse screams at the end, even if it expresses fury. Ermal wails after the bridge too. The instrumental is restless though. It starts with a twinkly guitar and light stomps, then light jingles. There's some slam-downs in the first chorus. Then the second verse increases the tempo into a folksy scared running drum beat. There's some guitar wails later. And the bridge quiets down when they walk to separate bridges. “Non mi” has a strong message and it isn't a cheesy peace song; but it's just not something I seek out much.

The Winner:

Israel achieves their 4th win, exactly 20 years after their 3rd... which was exactly 20 years after their 1st. I guess they'll win again in 2038? Between “Diva” and “Toy”, Israel's results were all over the place: 4 top 10s, 6 NQs, and several times in the bottom half of the scoreboard. The juries ranked “Toy” 3rd, but Netta's 317 televote points were more than enough. Weirdly, the semi-final was the opposite, where the juries were more favourable than the public.

This is an annoying song, but the chicken noises make it worse. “Toy” starts a cappella, with Netta making a bunch of strange mouth sounds (“*bird trill*, ouch, hey!, hm, la!”). Then the backing comes in and she starts clucking like a chicken. This irritating intro lasts for 20+ seconds. It's such a “WTF” moment. It makes for a memorable first impression, but it turns “Toy” into a borderline joke entry. Once the instrumental starts, there's some “Ethnic pop” elements. Verse 1 contains casual hand drums, bass stomps that stop every few seconds, and a couple short jerks. Then the pre-chorus diminishes to a soft synth, before building up with beeps and a squeaky sound, as Netta clucks again. Then the chorus roars and bulldozes through (with more beeps), followed by a string-y post-chorus that rolls around, where the backing shouts “CULULUU”. Those “CULULUU”s are almost as irritating as the chicken noises. This is a weird criticism, but the chorus sounds too much like a Eurovision song. I get bored of it. The second verse starts with video game pew-pews. Then the bridge interrupts the second chorus, leading to a big vocal note on “BOYYYYY”, which transitions to the next string-y bit. The song pulls back again partway through the last chorus. And Netta finishes on another big note (“TOYYYYY”). The song is vengeful and in-your-face and Netta brings attitude and personality. The backing responses of “not your toy/stupid boy” are catchy too.

But the message is hard to take seriously when it's communicated in such a silly way. The lyrics were inspired by the #MeToo movement (“I'll take you down now!”), where Netta rejects being a man's toy, calling him a “stupid boy”. Her vocal has a bratty, ridiculing, and immature tone. She says the boys are too loud and forgot how to play the game. She doesn't care about their money or the “modern-time preachers”. And she makes chicken noises to insinuate he's a coward (like when someone goes “bawk bawk bawk”). The lyrics also mention childhood interests – teddy bear, Barbie, Simon Says, Pikachu, dolls, Wonder Woman – which adds a darker layer to this. The narrator sounds like a little girl. “You're stupid just like your smart.. PHONE!” is a funny line though. There's even a smartphone ding during it. “My Simon Says 'leave me alone'” is clever too, with respecting consent. And “Barbie got something to say” challenges the Barbie stereotypes. There's also a couple Hebrew phrases (“ani lo buba” and “stefa”) and the Japanese word “Baka” (stupid person). But I also think “On the MadaBaka beat” is a censored version of “MF-ing beat”. Apparently “Trump-pam-pau” is a Trump reference too. The lyrics say a lot... in the verses anyways. “Stupid boy” is a childish insult.

On stage, Netta is dressed in a kimono, with two bookcases full of golden cat figurines wagging their tails behind her. She also uses this touch pad thing, which spells the word “H-E-Y”. Meanwhile, the camera will cut to the 3 backing dancers making funny poses and dance moves. They start on the stage bridge, but join Netta later on. And everyone is on the audience ramp at the end. They also flap their arms like a chicken during the clucking. And there's some pyro for the first chorus. The dancers are funny at least.

Ultimately, this, “I Wanna” and “Hard Rock Hallelujah” are the closest to a novelty song winning. I don't think this is what Salvador had in mind during his winning speech... it must've been awkward to hand Netta the trophy. Also, Jack White was later added as a songwriter for similarities to “Seven Nation Army”... I don't hear it.

Verdict: “D” Tier. Catchy but everything about this is annoying.

My Ranking:

Grand Final: 01. Cyprus: Eleni Foureira - Fuego 02. France: Madame Monsieur - Mercy 03. Estonia: Elina Nechayeva - La forza 04. Slovenia: Lea Sirk - Hvala, ne! 05. Austria: Cesár Sampson - Nobody but You 06. Portugal: Cláudia Pascoal - O jardim 07. Moldova: DoReDoS - My Lucky Day 08. Lithuania: Ieva Zasimauskaitė - When We're Old 09. Denmark: Rasmussen - Higher Ground 10. Czech Republic: Mikolas Josef - Lie to Me

11. Ukraine: Mélovin - Under the Ladder 12. Australia: Jessica Mauboy - We Got Love 13. Finland: Saara Aalto - Monsters 14. Germany: Michael Schulte - You Let Me Walk Alone 15. Sweden: Benjamin Ingrosso - Dance You Off 16. Serbia: Sanja Ilić & Balkanika - Nova deca 17. Spain: Amaia & Alfred - Tu canción 18. Bulgaria: Equinox - Bones 19. Italy: Ermal Meta & Fabrizio Moro - Non mi avete fatto niente 20. Israel: Netta - Toy 21. United Kingdom: SuRie - Storm 22. Ireland: Ryan O'Shaughnessy - Together 23. Netherlands: Waylon - Outlaw in 'Em 24. Albania: Eugent Bushpepa - Mall 25. Hungary: AWS - Viszlát nyár 26. Norway: Alexander Rybak - That's How You Write a Song

Full Ranking: 01. Cyprus: Eleni Foureira - Fuego 02. France: Madame Monsieur - Mercy 03. Estonia: Elina Nechayeva - La forza 04. Switzerland: Zibbz - Stones 05. Slovenia: Lea Sirk - Hvala, ne! 06. Austria: Cesár Sampson - Nobody but You 07. Belgium: Sennek - A Matter of Time 08. Armenia: Sevak Khanagyan - Qami 09. Latvia: Laura Rizzotto - Funny Girl 10. Portugal: Cláudia Pascoal - O jardim 11. Moldova: DoReDoS - My Lucky Day 12. Lithuania: Ieva Zasimauskaitė - When We're Old 13. Denmark: Rasmussen - Higher Ground 14. Malta: Christabelle - Taboo 15. Czech Republic: Mikolas Josef - Lie to Me 16. Ukraine: Mélovin - Under the Ladder 17. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Eye Cue - Lost and Found 18. Greece: Yianna Terzi - Oniro mou 19. Poland: Gromee feat. Lukas Meijer - Light Me Up 20. Australia: Jessica Mauboy - We Got Love 21. Finland: Saara Aalto - Monsters 22. Germany: Michael Schulte - You Let Me Walk Alone 23. Croatia: Franka - Crazy 24. Sweden: Benjamin Ingrosso - Dance You Off 25. Serbia: Sanja Ilić & Balkanika - Nova deca 26. Spain: Amaia & Alfred - Tu canción 27. Bulgaria: Equinox - Bones 28. Belarus: Alekseev - Forever 29. Italy: Ermal Meta & Fabrizio Moro - Non mi avete fatto niente 30. Israel: Netta - Toy 31. San Marino: Jessika feat. Jenifer Brening - Who We Are 32. Azerbaijan: Aisel - X My Heart 33. United Kingdom: SuRie - Storm 34. Ireland: Ryan O'Shaughnessy - Together 35. Montenegro: Vanja Radovanović - Inje 36. Netherlands: Waylon - Outlaw in 'Em 37. Romania: The Humans - Goodbye 38. Albania: Eugent Bushpepa - Mall 39. Russia: Julia Samoylova - I Won't Break 40. Hungary: AWS - Viszlát nyár 41. Norway: Alexander Rybak - That's How You Write a Song 42. Iceland: Ari Ólafsson - Our Choice 43. Georgia: Ethno-Jazz Band Iriao - For You

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panicinthestudio · 1 year

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Buddha statue in schist, 3rd-4th century

Ancient Gandhara

Schist

147.5 cm (58 1/8 in.) high

Supporting numerous publications on the art of ancient Gandhara, Claude de Marteau was perhaps best known for his expertise in Gandharan sculpture. His connoisseurship is epitomized by this almost life-size statue of the Buddha, which excels for its naturalism, grace, and contemplative attitude.

The ancient region of Gandhara, which spanned modern-day northwest Pakistan and southern Afghanistan, was home to a vibrant, cosmopolitan civilization situated at the crossroads of international trade networks linking South Asia, Central Asia, China, and the Mediterranean. Because of its verdant terrain and lucrative trade position, the region fell repeatedly to foreign raids and invaders. The Kushans, originally from Central Asia and already having incorporated elements of Greek culture, established themselves in Gandhara in the early first century CE. Under the Kushan ruler Kanishka (127-151 CE), Gandharan Buddhist art and architecture flourished, resulting in the creation of some of the earliest iconic images of the historical Buddha, such as the present statue.

Indicative of Gandharan art's appealing multiculturalism, the stone carver who created the present image of the Buddha was clearly as well-versed in Buddhist iconography as he was in the Greco-Roman aesthetic tradition of naturalism. He succeeds in realistically modelling the figure's stance with a gentle, understated contrapposto, lightly bending the right knee and placing more weight on the left leg—imbuing movement within his creation. He effortlessly conveys the Buddha's supple physique, suggested under the sweeping pleats of his heavy monastic robe. To this, the sculptor has added certain physiological features, rooted in Indic religions, that distinguish an enlightened being (mahalakshana). A raised circular dot in the middle of his brow represents his urna, from which in many sutras, the Buddha emits a ray of light to illuminate distant worlds. Crisp, wavy locks are pulled over an ushnisha, a cranial protuberance endowed with a variety of magical powers. Another prominent symbol of his enlightened consciousness is the large halo backing his head and shoulders. But perhaps most profound is the arresting quietude evoked by his heart-shaped, mustachioed visage, whose heavy-lidded downward expression conveys a solemn detachment from the world.

The present sculpture's torso and stance are portrayed with a higher degree of naturalism than a representative example in the British Museum (1947,0511.1). The soft treatment of the robes compares well with Gandharan sculptures of the Buddha held in the Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena (F.1975.04.2.S), and sold at Christie's, New York, 21 March 2008, lot 527. A Gandharan Buddha with a similar cordate facial type is in the Tokyo National Museum (C0097675). Depicting Maitreya, the Future Buddha, venerated in the pedestal below Shakyamuni's feet, the present sculpture belongs to an iconic trope in Gandharan art also represented by a Buddha in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2014.188), and reflected in examples sold at Christie's, New York, 25 March 2004, lot 18, and Bonhams, Hong Kong, 2 December 2021, lot 1036.

Bonhams

#schist #stone #figure #3rd century #4th century #Buddhism #cultural amalgam #Gandhara #art #art history #Bonhams #religion #iconography

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panticwritten · 20 days

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Exercise 1: Flash Fanfiction

Here's the first exercise that I wrote for the writing swap streams!

Turnout was low on the April stream, and I hope to see more folks for the stream on May 4th. I'll have a bit more time to prepare for that one, so I'm looking forward to it!

This first exercise is fanfiction from the video game Dauntless, which I've been playing with my husband for the past month or so. I didn't think I'd write anything in this universe, so this one was a surprise!

A small reflection is included at the end of the exercise, as part of the exercise.

Word count for the exercise: 626 words.

CW:

Blood/wound healing

We haven't added any paid tiers yet, but check out my Patreon for more content!

Not every hunt was equal.

The slayer eased their bare leg into the bath water and winced. Granny Strega had warned them, and she was right: This healing wasn’t pleasant. The special tonic she made would heal the corruption and close the wound, but all that meant was the pain of healing in minutes instead of spread over the weeks.

“Nasty fucker—hey, I told you to wait for me.” Their partner opened the bathing room door the rest of the way and only feigned a pout for another moment. “How’s it feeling?”

“Terrible. Nothing for pain in this, the corruption—”

They wobbled on the edge of the tub and Blaze moved closer to hold them steady by the shoulders. They didn’t look directly at her, instead meeting her eyes in the mirror propped up next to the tub.

The bathing room wasn’t particularly large, and Panic was fairly certain it was some sort of storage room before this section of the building was assigned to the pair. Just an empty square with a drain in the middle until Blaze dragged the tub and the mirror in several days after arriving. At the time, Panic was simply grateful to have privacy in bathing rather than using the public baths, but now they were glad to bleed the corruption out of their calf in the peace of their own home.

Thinking of that day and watching Blaze’s chocolate brown eyes was much easier than looking down at the black goo leeching from the wound just a couple inches under their knee.

That was fine, though, because Blaze took a glance down at the bath for them, then grimaced.

“That Shrowd got you pretty deep.” Blaze’s brow pinched in concern. She repeated: “You were supposed to wait for me.”

“Sorry.” Panic looked away, finally down into the tub at the cloud of black drifting out from their wound, mixing with the faint tinge of green from Granny’s tonic. “I just wanted to get this over with.”

She rolled her eyes, but it was with a smile. “Dumbass. Not even a week since you reforged your blades and you do this.”

“You’re the one who needed the voidfeathers,” Panic muttered through gritted teeth. “I wanted to go to Cape Fury. Deepfrost Skarns, for Gregario.”

“You still bother with his rumors?” Blaze barked a laugh, which drew a smile from them. No matter how strained, she knew exactly how to make them smile.

Panic flexed their leg and winced. A large puff of black and red shot from the wound, then the tub flashed with a green light.

All at once, the pain was gone. The inky black corruption had also vanished from the water, leaving that green tinge with sickly red ribbons flowing through it. The potion did its job, and Granny Strega earned her pay once again.

“So…” Blaze released Panic’s shoulders and backed away from the tub. Corruption she could handle, but blood was a whole different story. “Shrowds?”

Panic couldn’t help it: they burst into a thin laugh. Right back into the Embermane’s den, after that?

“Skarns, dude.” They snagged the towel they had hanging from the door handle to pat their leg dry. They lingered and touched the new, circular scar with the pad of their finger before dropping the towel on the ground. They’d clean up before suiting up. “Maybe some Thunderdeeps for Moyra, then we can go after your Shrowds again.”

Blaze feigned a pout, then cracked a grin. “Better go let Granny know you’re okay.” She reminded them. “She’ll be worried about you, especially after a special order like that.”

They nodded and rolled their pant leg back down to cover their calf. They’d better get moving before Granny sent someone after them.

------

My reflection:

Things I think I did well:

Actually writing something under 1,000 words??? It was also fun to work with two characters that are so completely new to me as a writer, especially since they are essentially blank slates as PCs.

Things I struggled with:

Something I normally have a really hard time with is environmental descriptions. This was no exception, and when I went back for a second pass to bring the word count up a little bit almost everything I added was related to describing the environment. These things just don’t come to me very easily.

I do still think the descriptions could have been better in this one, though I did purposefully not describe Blaze. Because the POV is pretty close to Panic, I really don’t think they would be thinking in detail about the appearance of someone they see everyday when they’re already feeling the stress of active pain and healing. Maybe I’ll write their first meeting sometime, though I’m not sure if I’ll keep writing Dauntless stuff.

What ‘muscles’ do I feel like I worked this time?:

I definitely worked on my characterization and stylization skills. Having two characters that have no prescribed personality other than ‘this is my avatar to experience the world with’ and creating a whole personality for them was fun.

Fitting them into a world I’ve never written in was also a challenge, since I normally write in worlds that feel familiar to me or that I’ve been writing in for so long they feel like home. This was something new, and that can be tough. I remember the line ‘into the Embermane’s den’ was originally ‘into the lion’s den’ until I realized that these people wouldn’t refer to it as a lion’s den since lions are far from the scariest critter they would have to worry about.

Putting myself into the world and asking those questions: “what would be common phrases in this world?” “how do common sayings and phrases change based on worldbuilding context?” “how does this translate into behavior differences, and habits?”

These questions are helpful when writing fanfiction, of course, but they are also very important when writing within our own original worlds that might diverge from the reality we live in and the spheres we exist in. This is part of why I chose this world to write in, honestly, because I knew it would be more of a challenge.

#my writing #filled prompts #my art #dauntless

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iitroorkee · 2 months

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The Roorkee Water Conclave 2024, organized by IIT Roorkee and NIH, united global experts and sponsors to address water-related challenges. Themed "Responsible Water Management and Circular Economy," it featured insightful addresses and the announcement of the 4th edition. Collaboration with leading organizations enriched discussions, while anticipation surrounds forthcoming publications.

#RoorkeeWaterConclave #IITRoorkee #NIH #WaterChallenges #ResponsibleWaterManagement #CircularEconomy #GlobalExperts #Collaboration #Sustainability #Publication

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ejb59195 · 2 months

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4th Stop: Süleymaniye Mosque.

On my fourth day, I went early to the Süleymaniye Mosque with the intention of studying every inch of this mosque! To give you a little more background on this place, a few years after Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent's largest project, the Süleymaniye Mosque, was completed, I had heard amazing things about it and was excited to see it for myself. I went to the mosque with a group of tourists that were going there. While walking with the tourists, I saw that the mosque was situated on the city's Third Hill, and had views of the Bosphorus & the Golden Horn.

I was astounded by the mosque's grandeur and elegance as I got closer to its location. It surrounded a sizable complex of structures, which had a hospital, school, library, bathhouse, and public kitchen. The mosque itself had a rectangular layout with 4 smaller domes and 4 thin minarets flanking a central dome– where it measured 53 meters in height & 26 meters in diameter. The interior was also roomy and light-filled, as the dome was supported by 2 semi-domes & 4 enormous piers. Stained glass, calligraphy, and vibrant tiles adorned the interior, while white marble and limestone made up the exterior walls. The mosque featured two main entrances, each with a sizable courtyard: one on the north and one on the south. and a fountain for ablutions. ¹¹

I entered the mosque through the north portal, which bore an Arabic inscription stating that it was founded in 1550 and inaugurated in 1557. The design's harmony and balance, which blended Islamic and Byzantine architectural elements, astounded me. The mosque's design was straightforward but symmetrical, with a spacious prayer hall separated into three aisles by columns arranged in rows. The mihrab, or niche that pointed toward Mecca, and the minbar, or pulpit where the imam gave the sermon, were located along the central aisle. Exquisite blue, green, and red tiles covered the walls surrounding the mihrab and minbar, which were crafted from finely carved marble. The dome above the mihrab had a circular window that let in natural light, creating a stunning contrast with the dark background. The dome was also adorned with a verse from the Quran that praised God as the creator of the heavens and the earth. ¹²

I observed that the Mosque was crowded with individuals from various ethnic backgrounds during my adventure here. Muslims brought together a diverse group of people: Turks, Arabs, Persians, Kurds, Greeks, Armenians, Jews, and Europeans. A few of them were just taking in the mosque while others were praying, reading, and conversing. I heard the sounds of religious hymns, the call to prayer, the adhan, and recitations of the Quran. I also heard a variety of languages and dialects. I smelled the aromas of food and coffee from the cafes and kitchen nearby, along with the scents of incense, rose water, and perfumes. Observing the spiritual and cultural diversity of Ottoman society filled me with wonder and amazement as well as a sense of calm and peace. The mosque was not only a place of worship, but also a center of learning and charity. The mosque had a library that housed thousands of books and manuscripts on various subjects, such as theology, law, philosophy, medicine, astronomy, and mathematics. The library was open to the public, and anyone who wished to study or borrow a book was welcome. ¹²

At the end of exploration, I came to the conclusion that the mosque represented the might & splendor of the Ottoman Empire, as well as the kindness and insights of Sultan Süleyman and his architect Sinan. The mosque served as a showcase for their goals and aspirations as well as their technical and artistic abilities. It was a symbol of the tolerance and diversity of Ottoman society, which welcomed a variety of cultures and religions while adhering to Islam. The mosque was a monument to civilization and a work of architectural art.

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fulltestbank · 1 year

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Test Bank For Krugman's Economics for the AP® Course Fourth Edition by David Anderson

Krugman's Economics for the AP Course Table of contents for Economics for the AP Course 4th edition Macroeconomics UNIT 1 Basic Economic Concepts 1.1 Scarcity and Choice 1.2 Opportunity Cost and the Production Possibilities Curve Model 1.3 Comparative Advantage and Gains from Trade 1.4 Demand 1.5 Supply 1.6 Market Equilibrium, Disequilibrium, and Changes in Equilibrium Unit 2 Economic Indicators and the Business Cycle 2.1 The Circular Flow and Gross Domestic Product 2.2 Limitations of Gross Domestic Product 2.3 Unemployment 2.4 Price Indices and Inflation 2.5 Costs of Inflation 2.6 Real Versus Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2.7 Business Cycles Unit 3 National Income and Price Determination 3.1 Aggregate Demand 3.2 Multipliers 3.3 Short-Run Aggregate Supply 3.4 The Long-Run Aggregate Supply Curve 3.5 Equilibrium in the Aggregate Demand–Aggregate Supply Model 3.6 Short-Run Changes in the Aggregate Demand–Aggregate Supply Model 3.7 Long-Run Self Adjustment in the Aggregate Demand–Aggregate Supply Model 3.8 Fiscal Policy 3.9 Automatic Stabilizers Unit 4 The Financial Sector 4.1 Financial Assets 4.2 Nominal Versus Real Interest Rates 4.3A Definition, Measurement, and Functions of Money 4.3B Central Banks and the Federal Reserve 4.4 Banking and the Expansion of the Money Supply 4.5 The Money Market 4.6 Monetary Policy 4.7 The Loanable Funds Market Unit 5 Long-Run Consequences of Stabilization Policies 5.1 Fiscal and Monetary Policy Actions in the Short Run 5.2 The Phillips Curve 5.3 Money Growth and Inflation 5.4 Government Deficits and the National Debt 5.5 Crowding Out 5.6 Economic Growth 5.7 Public Policy and Economic Growth Unit 6 International Trade and Finance 6.1 Balance of Payments Accounts 6.2 Exchange Rates 6.3 The Foreign Exchange Market 6.4 Changes in Policies, Economic Conditions, and the Foreign Exchange Market 6.5 The Foreign Exchange Market and Net Exports 6.6 Real Interest Rate and International Capital Flows Appendix Putting it All Together AP® Macroeconomics Exam Practice Test Macroeconomics Enrichment Modules A: Recession and Recovery During the Pandemic B: Federal Reserve Monetary Policy in an Ample Reserve Regime Microeconomics UNIT 1 Basic Economic Concepts 1.1 Scarcity and Choice 1.2 Economic Systems 1.3 The Production Possibilities Curve 1.4 Comparative Advantage and Trade 1.5 Cost-Benefit Analysis 1.6 Consumer Choice Unit 2 Supply and Demand 2.1 Demand 2.2 Supply 2.3 Price Elasticity of Demand 2.4 Price Elasticity of Supply 2.5 Income Elasticity and Cross-Price Elasticity 2.6 Consumer Surplus, Producer Surplus, and Market Equilibrium 2.7 Market Disequilibrium and Changing Market Conditions 2.8A Government Intervention: Taxes, Subsidies, and Markey Efficiency 2.8B Government Intervention: Price and Quantity Controls 2.9 International Trade and Public Policy Unit 3 Production Costs, Profit, and Perfect Competition 3.1 The Production Function 3.2 Short-Run Production Costs 3.3 Long-Run Production Costs 3.4 Types of Profit 3.5 Profit Maximization 3.6 Firms’ Entry and Exit Decisions 3.7 Perfect Competition Unit 4 Imperfect Competition 4.1 Introduction to Imperfect Competition 4.2 Monopoly 4.3 Price Discrimination 4.4 Monopolistic Competition 4.5 Oligopoly and Game Theory Unit 5 Factor Markets 5.1 Introduction to Factor Markets 5.2 Changes in Factor Demand and Supply 5.3 Profit Maximization in Factor Markets 5.4 Monopsony Unit 6 Market Failure and the Role of Government 6.1 Market Outcomes and Social Efficiency 6.2 Externalities 6.3 Public Goods 6.4 Government Policies 6.5 Income and Wealth Inequality AP® Microeconomics Exam Practice Test Microeconomics Enrichment Modules C: Behavioral Economics D: The Economics of Information E: Indifference Curves and Consumer Choice AP® Economics Skills Appendix: Graphs in Economics Publisher book page Test Bank For Krugman's Economics for the AP Course Fourth Edition by David Anderson by David Anderson Shop Page Read the full article

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rankertopgoogle · 1 year

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car insurance

GET INVOLVED IN THE BETTER STREETS WEEKEND

Electric bikes insurance Bicycle NSW is excited to announce two Better Streets events happening this weekend in Wollongong and Sydney. These events bring together communities, advocacy groups, and politicians to promote safe and healthy streets that are accessible to everyone. Bikes for sale near me

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Electric bike hire near me On March 5th, a gathering will take place in support of Better Streets. Participants will be walking or riding from Thirroul to Towradgi via Woonona also stopping at local playgrounds along the way. State candidates, Wollongong Councillors, and media are invited to join the fun. Find out more about the event here or on facebook here. Bicycle service near me

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CYCLING OUR WAY OUT OF TRANSPORT POVERTY

Do you spend 10% or more of your disposable income on transport? Living in the country, with pot-holed roads and long-distance travel, or locked into a car finance scheme may find you spending in excess of 20%. Bicycle shop near me

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Environmentalist, Bicycle NSW friend and Arup transport planner Ed Forrester first decided to try cycling from Manly to Sydney’s CBD on National Ride to Work day last October. He had previously thought that the ride was unachievable due to a lack of safe infrastructure on congested roads, the topography and his low skill level as a rider. However, Ed’s opinion did a full 180 when he gave it a go. Mountain bike shop near me

Cycle store near me I avoid Sydney Road and travel along Lauderdale Avenue and over the Ethel Street bridge to reach Seaforth. The shared path is unsuitable for faster cycling as it’s narrow, has blind corners and is popular with pedestrians and families with prams. Because of this I cycle on the road. The route is low-trafficked, so I don’t feel unsafe. A slight annoyance is bin day with bins placed on the narrow shared path instead of curb side. The views from Seaforth are the highlight of the ride! Bicycle store near me

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travel-rdm · 2 years

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The Vatican - The Holy City

Every year, approximately 9 million people visit Rome, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. The architectural wonders of Rome, as well as some of the most exquisite art galleries, the great history of the Roman empire and not to forget, the Vatican make this destination so popular.

Even though Vatican City is located in Rome, it is a self-contained entity with a surface area of 121 acres, making it the world's smallest known country with its administrative structure, governing policies, and citizenship. The Vatican has been a prominent part of Rome's history and has helped to shape the city.

Except for St. Peter's Square to the southeast, the Vatican is surrounded by medieval and Renaissance walls. Only three of the six gates are open to the public: the plaza, the Arco delle Campane in the facade of St. Peter's Basilica, and the northern entrance to the Vatican Museums and Galleries.

St. Peter's Basilica, erected in the fourth century and renovated in the sixteenth, is the most impressive structure of the Vatican. It is the biggest religious cathedral and was built atop the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle.

History

The Vatican acquired control of the region around Rome and served as the center of the Papal States from the 4th-century to 1870. The Fascist Italian government recognized Vatican City's independent sovereignty in the Lateran Treaty of 1929. When the pope is elected as the Roman Catholic Church's leader, he assumes absolute power. He has the entire administrative, legislative, and judicial authority within the city.

Within the city walls, the Pope calls Vatican Palace home. The Roman Catholic Church's governance is known as the Holy See, and it is governed by the pope, who is also the bishop of Rome. As a result, the Holy See has jurisdiction over all Catholics around the globe.

Places of attraction in the Vatican

A unique combination of artistic and architectural treasures from some of the best in history can be found within the borders of this little country also known as the holy city. A tour of the Vatican City is a necessity for anybody interested in seeing how art and spirituality interact, merge and influence each other.

Some of the must-visit places in the Vatican are as follows:

St. Peter’s Basilica

With its double colonnade and circular plaza, as well as palaces and gardens surrounding it, St Peter's Basilica is the world's biggest religious church and a formidable image of Catholicism. Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini, and Maderno collaborated on the basilica, which was built on the tomb of St Peter the Apostle.

When you enter the church, you'll notice that it's not just the world's largest cathedral, but also a great museum adorned with works of art by Renaissance masters such as Michelangelo and Bernini. A guided tour is recommended to fully discover and appreciate the monument or an audio guide if you want to self-explore if you want to delve deeper into the art and architecture, as well as the stories and history associated with them. Also, don’t miss the majestic dome designed by Michelangelo.

Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel, located about a kilometer from the St. Peter Basilica, is a visual delight for art aficionados. It was originally known as Cappella Magna and serves as the Pope's formal home and the location where the College of Cardinals elect the next Pope.

The chapel's ceiling is thought to be one of Michelangelo's best works, depicting the entire journey of humanity in a series of nine paintings, from creation to downfall. A tour of the chapel is a must just for the vivid articulation of various stories from Catholic history, including the second coming of Christ on the judgment day, in the form of a series of pictures on the dome.

Vatican Gardens

The Vatican Gardens are home to 13 museums and 54 art galleries, so if you're planning a comprehensive tour of all of them, make sure to book your tickets accordingly and that you leave enough time in your schedule.

The Vatican Garden began as a tiny exhibition for sculpture collections and grew into a 7-kilometer-long complex, housing the best collections of art from all ages and empires. At present, the museum has a little over 20,000 paintings on display, although it is estimated that the institution has around 70,000 artworks in total.

Rarely do art, architecture, and spirituality interact so intimately and beyond, as they do in the Vatican and are comparable to very few destinations in the world.

#rome vatican #basilica

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naman19rawat · 2 years

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The Vatican - The Holy City

History

Places of attraction in the Vatican

Some of the must-visit places in the Vatican are as follows:

St. Peter’s Basilica

Sistine Chapel

Vatican Gardens

Rarely do art, architecture, and spirituality interact so intimately and beyond, as they do in the Vatican and are comparable to very few destinations in the world.

#Vatican Gardens #vatican city #rome

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zambianobserver · 2 years

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Fired Public Service Workers Who Were On Contracts, Removed From Payroll

FIRED PUBLIC SERVICE WORKERS WHO WERE ON CONTRACTS, REMOVED FROM PAYROLL Lusaka-4th May 2022 Government has removed from the payroll all contractual employees, who recently lost their jobs. In a circular: Public Service Management Division Circular No. B25 of 2022, PSMD Permanent Secretary, Margaret Miyoba has ordered the removal of such employees from the payroll. “This serves to inform the…

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wingodex · 3 years

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Sourcing Copley’s Sociogram

so this started out because i recognized some of the photographs and art on copley’s wall, and got curious about everything else. i know that the dates and locations of the original pictures don’t necessarily have anything to do with what they’re supposed to be in the movie but i thought it was interesting enough to share. plus i spent a not insignificant amount of time tracking down some of these images. the organization is a mixture between chronologically in the show and from a timeline perspective. the rest is under the cut

So we start out with this mosaic that you see when Andy looks at the sociogram for the first time while confronting Copley. This is a Roman mosaic found in Antioch, which is near modern-day Antakya, Turkey. It’s from the 4th century CE and shows an Amazon Warrior in mounted combat against a Greek soldier. Mosaics were found in both private and public buildings throughout the Roman empire. They’re made up of small cut pieces of marble, tile, glass, pottery, stone and shells called tesserae.

Here you have the title page of the 1668 edition of Andromaque, a play written by Jean Racine. It was first performed in November of 1667 for the court of Louis XIV by a company of actors called “les Grands Comédiens.” The play follows the story of Andromache after the Trojan War when her husband Hector has been killed and she has been taken prisoner.

The portrait of Andromache is from the book “Promptuarium Iconum Insigniorum” by Guillaume Rouillé. The book was published in Lyon, France, in 1553. The book is made up of portraits designed as medals, along with brief biographies for notable figures. The art was done using woodcut and there are 950 woodcut portraits in the book.

This is a fresco of Mycenaean woman bearing gifts. It’s from Thebes and was reconstructed by H. Reusch in 1956. The original fresco is from 1400-1200 BCE. Frescos were popular decoration, not just in palaces and tombs but in storerooms, kitchens and workshops. Fresco painting is a technique where the drawing is made on wet plaster. When the plaster dries, the image becomes a permanent part of the wall.

You also have a map by Bernardus Sylvanus (Bernardo Silvano) of Northern India and Central Asia. It’s one of the earliest obtainable maps of the area and the first printed in two colors. This map first appeared in Silvanus’ “Claudii Ptholemaei Alexandrini liber Geographicae” published in Venice in 1511.

This is a photograph of an ornamented, golden Minoan double-axe, or a “labrys.” In ancient Crete, the double axe was an important sacred symbol of the supposed Minoan religion. In Crete the double axe only accompanies female goddesses, never male gods. In Roman Crete, the labrys was often associated with the mythological Amazons.

This is a picture of the Holyland Model of Jerusalem in the Israel Museum. It’s a 1:50 scale model of Jerusalem in the late Second Temple period. It was originally commissioned in 1966 by the owner of the Holyland Hotel and was eventually relocated to the Israel Museum in 2006.

The first image is the cover of the book “Heroines of the Crusades” by C. A. Bloss. I don’t know if this is the original cover, but it is certainly an older edition. The book was originally published in 1853 and contains biographies of notable women who were involved with the crusades, as well as a general overview of the first through to the eighth crusade.

And then hey, it’s The Hague Map of Jerusalem! This is one of the artworks that I knew before. The original map is from 1190-1200 CE. The map takes some liberties with the layout of the city, prioritizing aesthetics decisions like making it have the layout of a cruciform. Circular maps are also like a thing from this time. It also uhhhhh mislabels some things, such as the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, but that’s maybe expected. At the bottom you can see some mounted crusaders chasing after Muslim fighters. It’s drawn on vellum.

I’m grouping these two images together for clarity, because they’re both by the same painter. From the moment I saw the paintings, I thought that this was kind of a weird pull for Copley, but not necessarily for us as viewers. These paintings were done by Italian painter Paolo Domenico Finoglia (known as Finoglio) and are from a series of large paintings based on the poem “Gerusalemme Liberata” (Jerusalem Delivered) published in 1581. These paintings are baroque in style and were commissioned in 1634. The first painting is “The Duel of Raymond of Toulouse and Argante” and the second painting is “The Duel of Tancred and Clorinda”. Now, when I say this choice of paintings makes sense to us, what I mean is that parts of the poem Jerusalem Delivered are about a Christian crusader falling in love with a Muslim defender who he then kills on the battlefield (that’s the second painting of Tancred and Clorinda). It’s a fun parallel, although Clorinda converts to Christianity before she dies. Sidenote, but Joe and Nicky probably hated Jerusalem Delivered if they ever read it

This motherfucking painting. Finding out where this painting came from was an absolute nightmare. Not the worst to find, but certainly frustrating. So this painting can be found in the Borodino Panorama museum, although it’s not part of the panorama. The artist is unknown. The year it was painted is unknown. For all we know fucking Joe painted it. This is such a deep dive, I don’t know how Copley found this image. This painting shows French soldiers in Moscow as it burned. It’s called “Французы в Москве” or “The French in Moscow”.

Did you think we were finished talking about Napoleon? Well, we’re not! Copley has a lot of paintings from Napoleon’s Russian campaign on his board. There might be more on his eastern Europe wall too, but unfortunately, I can’t see it well enough to identify any.

The counterfeits potentially made by Booker show the 40 franc gold coin, known informally as the double Napoleon. These coins were first issued by Napoleon in 1803 to replace the earlier Louis coins. They were originally minted in two denominations: 20 francs and 40 francs, although they were minted in denominations of 5, 10 and 50 at various other times. The coins were designed and engraved by Jean Pierre Droz, and Pierre-Joseph Tiolier respectively. In the particular image of the coin that I found, you can actually see Droz’s signature. Tiolier’s signature appears in full on the dies that he cut himself (these coins only have a monogram). From screenshots of the end credits, I can’t actually see the specific denomination, nor can I see the date clearly, however I do know that the coins were minted sometime between 1807 and 1808. There were many different issues of these coins during Napoleon’s reign, and the fact that Napoleon has a laurel crowned head and that the coin says République Française rather than Empire Français narrows the timeline a bit. I might revisit this topic at a later date so watch out for that.

The first painting is “The Battle of Borodino, 7 September 1812” by Louis-François Lejeune in 1822. It’s oil on canvas. This painting depicts the attack on the Shevardino Redoubt, seen from the French side. While it was a French victory, it was a costly battle for both sides. During the Russian Campaign, Lejeune was général de brigade, although he ended up abandoning his post because of frostbite during the retreat and got arrested. He actually kept his paintbrushes with him on the battlefield. This painting was his masterwork. Now, with regards to the actual content of the painting, Booker would have been in the Battle of Borodino, as he didn’t try to desert until after the Battle of Smolensk.

The second painting is “Die Schlacht bei Borodino” (The Battle of Borodino) by Peter von Hess. It was painted in 1843 and is oil on canvas. Von Hess was a German painter who specialized in historic paintings of the Napoleonic Wars and the Greek War of Independence. This painting depicts the same battle as the previous one, although the focus is on the Russian and Lithuanian soldiers, rather than the French. This also shows an event from later in the battle; the counterattack on the Rayevsky Battery.

The last image is “The Boasted Crossing of the Niemen at the Opening of the Campaign of 1812 by N. Bonaparte” by John Heaviside Clark and Matthew Dubourg. The painting was based on a sketch by an officer, then painted by Heaviside Clark and engraved by Dubourg. It’s a coloured aquatint and was published in 1816. The crossing of the Niemen marks the beginning of the Russian Campaign in June of 1812.

There are actually quite a few photos of ToG during the Crimean war (1853-1856). These are actually some of the first war photographs ever taken, which is kind of neat, I guess. These photos were taken by Roger Fenton, a British photographer. These photos would have all been taken in 1855, so the tags on the photos are anachronistic but we can let it slide. The first image with Joe and Nicky is of Croat labourers. The second image of Andy is of a vivandière, a French woman attached to military regiments as a sutler. The last image (also of Joe and Nicky) is of British soldiers and is on of the covers of the book Victorians at War by Ian Beckett.

The photograph from the American civil war was originally of Union Generals, including General Philip Sheridan. At the time of this picture, Sheridan lead the Cavalry Corps, and the flag that you see in the picture is cavalry, so ToG rode horses during the American Civil War, according to this picture. It was taken in 1864.

I find the pictures of Haiti to be very interesting. First off, (and unrelated to the photographs themselves) because there was literally a coup d’état about every two years during this period in Haiti and unlike some of the other photos, these ones don’t even try to pretend they were all taken at the same time, or that they’re related at all. They’re just some pictures of Haiti during the early 20th century and it’s funny. All of photographs were taken in Port-au-Prince in Haiti. The first picture (from the upper left corner) is of the Market Square between 1909-1920. The second image is a street scene, between 1890 and 1901. Now the third photograph is making me lose it because in the movie it’s all mysterious, with a figure circled and a question mark, but in the original image it’s just a little kid standing on a public fountain. He’s not a member of the old guard. He’s not even 10 years old. This picture was also taken between 1890 and 1901. The last photo is another street scene, taken in 1901. I have to say, I’m very glad that the people in charge of the sociogram didn’t edited any of the guards’ faces on to anyone in these photos considering every single person in them is Black.

Okay, so now we’re getting into the First World War photos. There are A Lot of WW1 photos. This photo of Andy is actually from Gallipoli and was taken in 1915 by Ernest Brooks, an official war photographer. The Gallipoli campaign was an attempt by the Entente to weaken the Ottoman Empire by taking control of the Turkish Straits. All invasion attempts were unsuccessful and eventually they evacuated the area at the end of 1915. Andy seems to be wearing an Anzac uniform.

As for the rest of the photos in this shot, they’re also all from the Gallipoli campaign. The first photo is from War Illustrated in June of 1915 and shows Australians soldiers dragging an artillery piece into position at Anzac during the Battle of Gallipoli. The second image is also from 1915 and shows soldiers bringing supplies to the Australian camp. The last image is of Anzac cove shortly after the landing there in 1915.

Originally I didn’t notice that this was an edited picture, but since I was already looking, I decided to track this one down too, and turns out it is edited. I honestly can’t tell whether it’s Booker or Joe, but that kind of looks like Matthias Schoenaerts’ nose, so I’m gonna say that’s Booker. This photograph was taken in May 1917 by Lieutenant John Warwick Brooke in Arras, France. These are British troops at the Battle of Arras, which at the time achieved the honor of longest advance in trench warfare. The battle was very costly on both sides, with around 290,000 casualties total. Warwick Brooke was an official British war photographer.

On the very right-hand side, you can see two pictures. The first one is of infantry of the 1st Canadian Division having a meal in the trenches at Ploegsteert, March 1916. It was taken by another official British war photographer, Lieutenant Ernest Brooks.

The next photo is from a series of photos of a raiding party of the 10th Battalion. It’s of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) waiting in nap for the signal to go. John Warwick Brooke, the photographer, followed them in the sap, where a shell fell short killing seven men. It was taken near Arras in March 1917. This photo takes place after the Battle of the Somme, during the German withdrawals to the Hindenburg line.

This fucking image. I’m so angry about this image. I spent hours going through World War 1 photo databases and then when I found the original source of the image it told me absolutely nothing!!! A waste of time!!! This is an image of a British soldier assisting two little French girls who had just escaped death but I knew that already, that’s how I found it in the first place. This photo was from the Haig “Official Photographs” series, which were from 1916 onwards. Edit: I found it again!!! This photo was taken in Bethune in May 1918. It was taken by war photographer Ernest Brooks. In April of 1918, the German Sixth Army tried to attack Bethune during the Battle of Lys (Fourth Battle of Ypres) but were repulsed. It was taken between offensives on the Western Front during the German spring offensive. The next major battle on this part of the Western Front began weeks after this picture was taken.

On the top of the screen there are two photographs. The first is a photo by Ernest Brooks from the Battle of Broodseinde (October 1917). The battle was part of a larger offensive - the third Battle of Ypres - engineered by Sir Douglas Haig to capture the Passchendaele ridge. This is an anti-aircraft gun in action during the battle.

The next photograph is also from the German spring offensive, between the Battle of Lys and the Battle of the Third Battle of the Aisne. It shows a 12-inch gun (named "Bunty") of the Royal Garrison Artillery firing at Louez in May 1918. This is another photograph by John Warwick Brooke.

This image of Andy was also originally a photograph taken by Lieutenant John Warwick Brooke. This photo is of the 4th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders (51st Division) feeding a French refugee child in their improvised trench near Locon, France in 1918.

There are so many WW1 photos. The rest of these don’t have any of the characters in them as far as we know, so I’ll go over these quickly. The first picture is from the Western Front in France and was likely taken by John Warwick Brooke. This photograph was taken at night and shows two teams of machine gunners, strategically positioned behind some vegetation. The ground behind them looks sandy, suggesting they might be near the coast. Directly in front of the gunners a mine has just exploded, showering the men with debris. This picture was taken in sometime between 1916-18.

The next photo was also taken by John Warwick Brooke in 1917. This picture is of the Battle of Cambrai and shows a 'C' Battalion tank bringing in a captured 15 cm naval gun. Cambrai is an interesting battle because it was a tank/artillery fight mostly, and the British used a lot of new tank/infantry maneuvers. It also ended very badly for the British.

The third photograph was taken by Ernest Brooks. It shows soldiers of the 8th East Yorkshire Regiment moving to the front near Frezenberg in October 1917 prior to the assault (Battle of Broodseinde) the following morning. It was a victory for the British, which eventually led to the Germans withdrawing from the Belgian coast.

The last photograph was taken by Lieutenant William Ivor Castle, the Canadian official photographer in September 1916. It shows a shell being loaded into a 15 inch howitzer. This photograph is from the Battle of the Somme. The Somme was a Franco-British victory but of the 3 million men who fought in it, around 1 million were either injured or killed, making it one of the deadliest battles in human history.

So there’s actually photographic evidence of almost all of ToG being involved with the Spanish Civil War, but I’ll get to those in a second. The image that we see of Nicky in the credits places him at the Battle of Irún in 1936. He is with the Spanish Republican People’s Army. This was a major battle at the beginning of the war, as it allowed the Nationalist Army to capture the province of Gipuzkoa after Irún fell, which had been held by the Republic. It allowed the Nationalist Army to control supplies. The photographer is unknown.

Jumping forward a bit here, but I can’t believe I found this photo, like I wasn’t even looking for it and I found it, but still. Wow. So on the board, it’s shown that Nicky was in the Congo in 1964 during the Simba Rebellion. The original image is of mercenary Gerry Moggach, from Scotland, with self-made guns (Molotov cocktails lmaoo) in November 1964. The Congo Crisis was a period of political upheaval and conflict in the Republic of the Congo (which is now the DRC) and involved a bunch of civil wars that also served as a proxy conflict in the Cold War.

Now, back to Spain and the rest of the guard. From this BTS image of Copley’s sociogram we know that both Booker and Andy were involved in the Spanish Civil War as well. The first image, which Andy is apparently in, was taken in 1936 and shows her with a miliciana, which were battalions of woman who fought to defend the Republic. The photographer is unknown. The second image is of Republican soldiers and civilians. Booker is in this image. The original was taken in 1937 by an unknown photographer.

Now we get into the World War II photographs. This photo of Booker from WW2 was originally taken at Mount Tambu, New Guinea in July of 1943, by Gordon Short. The photo is of Leslie “Bull” Allen, an Australian soldier who was awarded the US Silver Star for rescuing 12 US soldiers while under fire. The battle was fought between Japanese and Allied forces. Australian forces eventually secured the area in August of that year.

This photo frustrates me. First, it doesn’t even look like they manipulated it, but also because “pacific” is written in the near the bottom right corner. Now, I’m not saying that Nicky wasn’t in the Pacific Theatre but now that I know where this image was actually taken it’s like. Ugh. This photo was not taken in the Pacific Theatre, it was taken of American soldiers at Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Omaha was the codename given to one of the five sections during the Allied invasion of Normandy. D-Day is the largest seaborne invasion in history, and it eventually led to the liberation of France and the Allied victory on the Western Front. Now personally, I think Nicky being there is very interesting and the timeline meets up better with his other WW2 picture. If you’ve ever seen Saving Private Ryan (1998), that movie opens with the invasion of Omaha Beach.

This photo of Nicky excites me for several reasons but also brings up some important questions about what the fuck Nicky was up to in 1944. The original photograph shows Private G.R. MacDonald giving first aid to a French boy in Brionne on August of 1944. The interesting part for me is the uniform though. MacDonald was part of the Toronto Scottish Regiment (75th Battalion). The Toronto Scottish Regiment were actually part of Operation Jubilee, although they weren’t able to land because of the tide and only had one fatal casualty, which good for them considering what happened to everyone else at Dieppe. Although Nicky probably wasn’t a part of that considering he was with American soldiers earlier in 1944.

Next to Nicky, on the right, you can see a picture of a plane and an explosion behind it. That picture is from Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The picture is taken at the Ford Island seaplane base and you can see the USS Shaw (DD-373) explode in the center background. USS Nevada (BB-36) is also visible in the middle background, with her bow headed toward the left. Several planes are in the foreground, a consolidated PBY, Vought OS2Us and Curtiss SOCs. The wrecked wing in the foreground is from a PBY.

This photograph is of French resistance fighters and was taken in September of 1944. The French resistance was a movement that fought against the occupation of Nazi Germany after 1940. The resistance engaged in guerilla warfare, published underground newspapers, acted as spies for the Allied forces and kept up escape networks for trapped soldiers and airmen. Although the woman in the original picture isn’t identified, there were many other women involved with the French resistance like Simone Segouin, Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, Lucie Aubrac, and Marie-Hélène Lefaucheux.

The first image is of a Boeing B-29A-45-BN Superfortress 44-61784 6 Bombardment Group G 24 BS. It was taken in June of 1945 while it was firebombing Osaka, Japan.

The next two images are of the smoke from the atomic bombs. The first picture is of the mushroom cloud over Hiroshima and was taken by George R. Caron on August 6th, 1945. The second image shows the cloud over Nagasaki and was taken by Charles Levy on August 9th, 1945.

Okay, so this is my absolute fav manipulation in the whole movie, because it looks so good. Here we have Nicky, Joe and Booker as guerrillas during the Cuban Revolution. If you saw this image and thought “wait is that Fidel Castro?” you’d be right! The man gesturing to the ground with a stick is in fact Fidel Castro. Now, what you might have missed is the man next to Castro who has been edited to look like Booker... yeah I’m like 95% sure they put Booker’s face on Che Guevara.

This image of Nicky during the American Civil Rights Movement is from the March on Washington which happened in August of 1963. 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to call for fair treatment and equal opportunity for Black Americans. This is where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I have a Dream” speech.

This picture of Andy, Joe and Nicky is of Martin Luther King Jr’s speech at UC Berkeley in May of 1967. The speech was attended by about 7000 students and he spoke against the Vietnam war. Photograph by Michael Ochs (?)

This photo was taken of US soldiers in Huế during the Vietnam War. The photo was taken in 1968 during the Tet Offensive. Booker is the one behind the medic. There’s a post it note that you can see fully in a BTS image of the sociogram that confirms it’s Booker. The Tet Offensive, which was launched in January of 1968, was one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War, and the largest up to that point. It was a campaign of surprise attacks by the VC and PAVN against military and civilian command and control centers in South Vietnam (ARVN and the USA). The Battle of Huế lasted over a month and resulted in the destruction of the city and the massacre of thousands of civilians.

This photo of Andy helping with Operation Babylift was originally taken in 1975. Operation Babylift was an evacuation of orphans from Saigon in the face of a North Vietnamese Offensive. 3000 orphans were evacuated and at the end of April, Northern Vietnamese forces launched rockets at Saigon.

This image of Andy shows her on the Berlin Wall. The original photo was taken near the Brandenburger Tor in November of 1989. The photo shows West Berliners helping East Berliners climb the Berlin Wall after the opening of the wall was announced by the East German Communist government. The photo was taken by Jockel Finck.

tw ethnic cleansing, tw islamophobia, tw genocide. The photos of Booker in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a combat medic indicate that Booker was in Sarajevo for the Siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War, however the original photo was taken of the Cheshire Regiment (1st Battalion) in Ahmići, in April of 1993. The Ahmići Massacre was committed by the Croats during the conflict and was part of a larger series of attacks called the Lašva Valley ethnic cleansing, and targeted Bosnian Muslim civilians. Around 120 people were murdered in Ahmići.

These last images are all from wars within the last 20 years. The first image was taken in Daychopan, Afghanistan by Sgt. Kyle Davis in September, 2003. The photo is of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division. They were searching for Taliban fighters and weapon caches.

The next image is of two aerial photos of the ISIS command and control Centre in Syria, before and after it was bombed by a US F-22 fighter jet in September 2014.

The last image is of a US soldier assisting a wounded Iraqi civilian in Fallujah, Iraq in November, 2004. Photograph was taken by Cpl. Theresa M. Medina.

As for the rest of the photos, (Joe and Nicky saving the man in the cave, Joe in the DRC, some WW2 photos and some background photos in the BTS images and during the movie) I haven’t been able to find them because they’re not clear, I don’t want to look at historical archives anymore or I don’t even know where to start with searching for them. I might pick up searching again later if I decide to become even more like Copley than I already am. If you have any additional info about some of the missing photos let me know! Also if you want any of the original photos or resources just let me know and I can send them to you!

edit: I just want to make this very clear, but some of TOGs involvement here is suspicious as hell. Obviously we don’t know the exact circumstances, but things like Nicky being shown as a mercenary during the Simba rebellion, Booker as an American soldier during the Vietnam War and the images of US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan have some incredibly negative and incriminating implications. I worry that in my excitement about finding some of these images I glossed over pretty horrific details and context. It’s important to be conscious of some of the very real tragedies and atrocities being shown here.

#the old guard #Andromache the Scythian #Yusuf al Kaysani #Nicolo di Genova #the old guard meta #tog meta #tog posts #Sebastien Le Livre #long post #tog history #also i will say #if anyone does want to track down the original joe in the congo pic #please look after yourself #i stopped trying to find it because going through pictures from the DRC can be very disturbing #i think it's also worth noting that in terms of the context of each image i decided to go for picture specific #while leaving the broader cultural context more vague #like i'm not about to explain the crimean war or the congo crisis on this post #this is just a jumping off point about certain events!! do your own research too!!#also lmaooo do you know who was also in the congo in the 1960s? fucking che guevara #i am also like 80% sure the cave rescue picture was staged #i simply cannot find it #anyway now that this is done comparative timeline drops soon

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