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architectnews · 3 years

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Expo 2020 Dubai Sustainability Pavilion Building

Expo 2020 Dubai Sustainability Pavilion Building, Architect, UAE Design Project Photos

Expo 2020 Dubai Sustainability Pavilion Design

6 October 2021

Design: Grimshaw Architects

Photos by Phil Handforth

Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion at EXPO 2020 Dubai

Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion, opened to the public in 2021 as one of the top three attractions of the Dubai Expo 2020, and aims to illuminate the ingenuity and possibility of architecture as society looks to intelligent strategies for future sustainable living.

photograph : Dany Eid / Expo 2020

Drawing inspiration from complex natural processes like photosynthesis, the dynamic form of the Pavilion is in service to its function, capturing energy from sunlight and fresh water from humid air. The relationship of building to site, and to its physical and cultural contexts is critical, as the facility’s strength lies in its capacity to demonstrate a new way of living sustainably in a challenging desert environment.

Sited in a prominent location, the Pavilion structure works in tandem with the considered landscape of demonstration gardens, winding pathways and shaded enclaves to create an aura of magic punctuated by the sights, smells and tactile opportunities of nature. The gardens are both experiential and functional, setting the stage for the exhibition contents within and creating shaded gathering areas that will manage and distribute crowds while providing retail, food and beverage opportunities.

When creating a building with a goal of generating its own energy and water in a harsh climate, the solution cannot be driven by a single aspect of the design. To achieve net-zero, the design required a series of technologies, building systems and design solutions to act in unison. This self-contained, micro-ecosystem resulted from a combination of strategies: optimizing the natural conditions inherent in its location; working with and within them to maximize efficiency; and supplementing them with pioneering sustainable technologies to create innovative solutions

The design is driven by maximizing efficiency which it does by seeking shade in the one place available: below the ground. The Pavilion uses the insulating properties of the earth to shield it from the harsh ambient temperatures which can soar to 50 degrees in the warmer months.

photo : Dany Eid / Expo 2020

Most of the accommodation is below grade and cased with an earth roof system, creating a substantial barrier to help reduce its cooling loads and conserve energy. The above ground surfaces are clad with a gabion rainscreen wall – sourced with local stone from the Hajar Mountains – which provides enough thermal mass to absorb the heat while the stone’s natural color reflects the sun.

Flora and fauna sourced from the surrounding deserts – including some species that have been never been cultivated by humans – are arranged on the planted roofs and throughout the gardens, creating a water efficient landscape that functions through a series of closed loop systems designed to filter, supply and recycle water. The framing of these local topographical and floral features, combined with the technologies of water recycling and reuse, provide visitors a newfound appreciation of the unique region and its biodiversity. The site also includes areas for productive agricultural landscape featuring halophytic agriculture and other testing beds.

The culmination of the building’s systems can be found in the heart of the Pavilion, its large exterior courtyard. Borrowing from the vernacular of the region, the courtyard provides a large, passively cooled space for visitors. During the design, thermodynamic studies charting the prevailing breezes were used to shape the courtyard to allow desirable cool south-westerly breezes to enter while blocking warmer winds.

Soaring over the courtyard, the Pavilion’s canopy accommodates more than 6,000 sqm of ultra-efficient monocrystalline photovoltaic cells embedded in glass panels. The combination of the cell and the glass casing allow the building to harness solar energy while providing shade and daylighting to the visitors below. The experience in the courtyard is of being beneath a large shade tree with dappled light projecting onto the surfaces below. The form of the canopy works with the courtyard to direct cool air in, while simultaneously exhausting low-lying hot air through a chimney effect at the centre.

The canopy also serves as a large collection area for stormwater and dew that replenishes the building’s water system. The result is a structure that combines the most advanced technology in solar capture and a clear understanding of the natural conditions of the site to actively generate energy while passively cooling and enhancing the experience of the visitor. With over 6,000 sqm of exhibition space, the Sustainability Pavilion will enjoy a long life after Expo is over, transforming into a science museum and expanding on its mission of exploring sustainable practices and the critical stewardship of our fragile planet.

ENERGY E TREES The Sustainability Pavilion is complemented by an installation of Energy Trees which contribute toward its goal of producing its own energy. Nineteen E-trees ranging from 15-18m in diameter are dispersed throughout the site and provide 28% of the energy required to power the building. Inspired by the Dragon’s Blood, a tree found only on Socotra, an island 200 miles off the coast of Yemen, the E-Tree is designed to be a deployable freestanding shade structure that harvests the sun’s energy. The structure is constructed from steel and complex composites and has been optimized to support an 18m photovoltaic array.

Taking further cues from nature, the array follows the sun in the same manner as a sunflower, rotating 180 degrees throughout the course of the day to maximize the energy yield and increase the efficiency of the solar cells, before returning to its original position at night. Bespoke trapezoidal panels composed of highly efficient monocrystalline solar cells, embedded within three layers of glass, provide shade below without casting severe shadows or blocking views to the sky.

Supporting the array is an engineered carbon fibre structure inspired by the design of the steering wheel of a yacht. The structural design maximizes strength in its shape, with radial branches encircled by a compression ring while decreasing the load of the structure itself. Carbon fibre was chosen for its light weight which allows the form to extend unsupported for up to nine meters in all directions.

The E-Trees have become an integral part of both the exhibition and the Pavilion site – showcasing and educating visitors on the research on solar harnessing and panel technology – while at the same time, serving as an integral part of the systems that contributes to a net zero energy goal of the building.

photo : Dany Eid / Expo 2020

Terra Expo 2020 Dubai Sustainability Pavilion Design – Building Information

Project Data:

Client: Emaar Properties & Expo 2020 Dubai

Location: Expo Road Dubai South, Jebel Ali P.O. Box 2020 Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Website: https://ift.tt/3FmYDo0 Completion date: January 2021 Gross square footage: 17,000 sqm Project cost: confidential

Project Team:

Grimshaw: architect Buro Happold: engineering Desert Ink: landscape architecture

photo : Dany Eid / Expo 2020

Other Consultants:

Rice Perry Ellis: local architect Sherwood Design Engineers: civil engineering, water management Cerami: AV, IT, acoustics, security Tricon: food service Orca : crowd flow RWDI: climate analysis Thinc Design: exhibition design Eden Project: exhibition content TAW Weiss: maintenance Arch4Blind: accessibility Charcoal Blue: theatre design Lord Cultural: operations Friday Group: specifications

photo : Dany Eid / Expo 2020

Grimshaw Design Team:

Andrew Whalley – Chairman – Partner in Charge Matthew Utley – Principal – Director of Middle East Operations Mark Rhoads – Associate Principal – Project Director Casimir Zdanius – Associate Principal – Industrial Design Lead

Associate Principals: Iouyu Chen, Robert Young, George Hauner, Croz Crozling, Andrew Anderson

Associates: Jorge Salgado, Aimee Duquette, Aaron Vaden Youmans, Ross Goldsworthy, Woojae Sung, Andrea Debilio

Design Team: Zach Fine, Augustine Savage, Kyle Day, Renua Itsueli, Fernando Fisbein, Hannah Park, Anthony Mopty, Joana Torres, Justin Brammer, Mehnaj Tabassum, Diba Dayani, Mason Nabors, Albert Hsu, Kurt Hanzlik, Patricia McKee, Fan Cao, Kyle Spence, Vincent Velasquez, Max Dowd, Wooyoung Choi, Leland Jobson, David Mans, Greg Smith, Konrad Sobon, Raphael Ogoe, Alexandra Danciulescu

Photos: Phil Handforth

Sustainability Pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai Design: Grimshaw Architects image courtesy of architects Sustainability Pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai

Grimshaw

Expo 2020 Pavilion Abu Dhabi Sustainability

Expo 2020 Dubai Sustainability Pavilion building design images / information received 061021 from CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati Architects

Location: Jebel Ali, Dubai, UAE

Dubai 2020 Expo Pavilions

Dubai Expo UK Pavilion Design: Es Devlin photo by Alin Constantin ; image courtesy of Es Devlin Expo 2020 Dubai UK Pavilion Building

Dubai Expo Swedish Pavilion Building Design: Alessandro Ripellino Architects, Studio Adrien Gardère and Luigi Pardo Architetti photo courtesy of Swedish government Dubai Expo Swedish Pavilion Building

Dubai 2020 Expo Pavilions Design: Santiago Calatrava, Foster + Partners, BIG and Grimshaw Architects image courtesy of architects Dubai 2020 Expo Pavilions

2020 Expo Dubai Luxembourgish Pavilion Design: METAFORM Architects image courtesy of architects 2020 Expo Dubai Luxembourg Pavilion Building

Dubai World Expo 2010 Masterplan Design: HOK / Populous Dubai World Expo Masterplan

Grimshaw Architects

Dubai World Expo

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Abu Dhabi Architecture Designs – chronological list

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Hyperloop Pods and Portals Design: BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group image from architects studio Hyperloop Pods and Portals in Dubai

Architecture Tours Dubai by e-architect

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Comments / photos for the Expo 2020 Dubai Sustainability Pavilion Building design by Grimshaw Architects in UAE page welcome

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carmenlire · 5 years

Text

Satiable

Trigger Warning for disordered eating.

read on ao3

He doesn’t notice at first.

He doesn’t notice that he’s subsisting on coffee, that he can’t quite remember the last time he had a real meal. He’s just not hungry and he can’t figure out why his headaches have come back.

When he was a teenager, Alec suffered from terrible, pain in the ass headaches that made him want to collapse into bed where he could cry until he finally fell asleep and get some relief from the pain. It’s a dull ache in the back of his head, a sharp pain in his temples.

It’s been awhile since they’ve been this bad, though Alec doesn’t notice that their intensity-- and frequency-- has been ratcheting up. All he knows is that by mid afternoon he can hardly focus. He takes a deep breath and as his lungs expand, he feels a quiet easing of the bands that seem to tighten around his chest a little more with each day that passes. It’s a temporary relief from slogging through paperwork and approving expense reports but it keeps him from screaming.

Sighing heavily in the quiet of his office, Alec tosses his pen onto the blotter and brings a hand up until he can press fingers into his temples hard enough so that the blunt pain can drown out his headache for a brief, blissful moment.

Glancing at the clock, Alec sees that it’s almost six. Shadowhunters should be coming down to ops soon for their assignments and Alec’s glad that he gave Jace that responsibility a couple of months ago. He doesn’t know if he could leave the sanctity of his office right now and go into the control center where everyone would be talking, eager and ready to head off on patrol as their runes kicked in for the night.

The very thought of the controlled chaos makes his head pound a little more viciously.

Shaking his head a little, Alec works another hour or so until he deems the day done. He still has a thousand things that will be waiting for his attention in the morning-- and he knows a thousand more will drop in his lap overnight, no doubt-- but he’s done all he can for today.

Standing, Alec feels himself sway a little in his spot. Blinking, he frowns and reaches for the mostly empty mug of coffee that’s never far from his elbow. He takes a last swig and while it’s gone cold and more than a little gross, his shoulders lose some of their tension.

Reaching behind him, Alec shrugs into his coat and pockets his phone and stele. He’s out the door a minute later and manages to avoid everyone on his way out. Fall is sneakily fading into winter and Alec huddles a little tighter into his coat.

Magnus is out of town for a few days, tending to a werewolf pack illness in Dubai, so it’s just him as he swings the door open to their loft.

Alec briefly debates making dinner-- maybe heating a can of soup up or scrounging for some cheese and crackers-- but just the thought is exhausting. As he goes to walk past the kitchen, however, he abruptly stops as he realizes that the only thing he’s had today is six cups of coffee.

Suddenly, he’s starving and with a sigh, he enters the kitchen and heads straight to the fridge. Opening it, his head throbs as the fluorescent light pierces into his skull.

He’s not seeing a lot of options. He’s definitely not in the mood to cook and Alec briefly wishes that he’d had this realization just ten minutes before. He could’ve stopped by the pizza joint down the block or ordered takeout from the Thai place halfway between here and the Institute. Undoubtedly unhealthy but he needs calories and he's too tired to worry about their quality. He figures something is better than nothing.

Now, if he could just find something that wasn't too damned exhausting to prepare, something he wouldn't need to wait an hour for. He wants his bed so fucking bad he feels his eyes burning.

He’s just about to give up altogether when a deep blue Tupperware container catches his eye on the bottom shelf. Leaning down-- and that feels like so much goddamn effort-- just a little, he slides the box out enough to see a bright pink post-it on top.

This is for you, darling. I shudder to think what’s passed for a meal since I left you a few days ago. Before you collapse into bed, I want you to eat this entire bowl.

Love, Mr. Lightwood-Bane

Huffing out a laugh, Alec wonders idly that Magnus knows him too well. He hadn’t looked in the fridge in a few days but he’s filled with a quiet wave of warmth at Magnus taking the time to prepare-- or summon, for Alec’s not quite romantic enough to think that Magnus toiled away over this pasta when he wasn’t looking-- dinner while he was away. It's well known that Alec gets tunnel vision when he's at work. Magnus is used to Alec coming home and devouring the whole fucking kitchen once he's out of the Institute and breathign fresh air.

Alec tries to tamp down on the guilt that Magnus doesn't know that that's not what this is lately. It's not enough to be cause for concern, he tells himself and ignores it when the thought strikes hollow.

The pasta-- chicken fettuccine, his favorite-- warms up perfectly in the microwave. It’s delicious, even if Alec barely manages to eat half of the container before he’s too full to continue.

Figuring he’ll have leftovers tomorrow, he pours a glass of tap water and downs it while standing in front of the sink. Placing the empty glass next to the fork he’d used, Alec runs a hand through his hair before giving the room a once over and stepping out to the hallway, turning the lights off as he goes.

Pulling his shirt over his head and pushing his pants down until they pool on the floor next to his side of the bed, Alec slides between cool sheets and sighs into his pillow.

The weight of the day sloughs off him and he closes his burning eyes, finding almost immediate relief from the headache that’s held him in a vise grip for most of the day.

Sinking into the sheets, he falls asleep quick, pulling Magnus’s pillow to his chest and breathing in the scent of his husband’s shampoo.

The weeks blend together and Alec feels like his whole goddamn life is a never ending dumpster fire.

Well, that’s not quite true but he’s overwhelmed and stressed to the max and if Jace asks for special permission for a dumbass mission one more time, Alec won’t be responsible for his reaction.

His vision blurs as he reads over a request from the Clave that’s as subtle as a fucking grenade asking for his expertise to calm rising downworld tensions in St. Petersburg. Their flattery falls flat and Alec’s well aware that he’ll be portaling his ass to Russia by week’s end to deal with shadowhunters who will need to be brought to heel quickly and with as little bloodshed as possible.

That’s a headache for future Alec, though, he thinks with a grimace.

Reaching for the last bite of his pain au chocolat that he’d picked up along with his quad latte this morning, Alec barely tastes the damned thing. He figures it’s more than enough to get him through a day that’s busting with meetings and reaches for his coffee to wash it down only to scowl when the to go cup is unforgivably light.

There’s not a drop left and Alec growls a little-- there’s no one around to hear his irritation, at least-- as he stands, rounding his desk to head to the canteen, hoping to hell that someone’s bought more hazelnut k-cups since they were out last week.

Thankfully, Izzy is the only one there when he arrives and she bites into her sandwich as he grunts at her, the bare minimum greeting she’ll take and the most he can summon the energy to give.

“Rough day,” she asks dryly, reaching onto her plate for a cheddar and sour cream chip.

“Everything’s a pain in my ass,” Alec replies roughly. “If I have to hear another recruit talk back I’m putting them on ichor duty for the rest of the goddamn decade.”

Rasing a brow, Isabelle doesn’t say anything. She just watches him as she makes her steady way through lunch.

Alec opens one of the cabinets and breathes a quiet yet fervent sigh of relief when he sees the red box, almost three quarters full of his favorite k-cups. Placing his mug under the drip, Alec fires the Keurig up and selects the biggest size, tapping the button for strong before hitting start.

Almost immediately, the fresh smell of brewing coffee hits the air and his shoulders relax. It’s like coming home. It’s a brief respite and Alec inhales the notes of hazelnut and beans and prays that his headache stays away until after he has a chance to peak into the new recruits' training.

He’s just reaching for the almond milk in the refrigerator when Izzy asks, “When’s the last time you ate?”

“I had a croissant this morning,” Alec says absently.

“And before that?”

Alec’s quiet for a moment as he tries to remember. There was that granola bar he’d forced down last night as he’d been reading over a treatise draft. Frowning a little, Alec can’t remember anything else that he’d eaten yesterday and shit if he can remember the day before that.

He’s too busy to eat, he thinks with a frown. He’s never hungry in the mornings and by the time he gets to the Institute, he’s too busy to take a break. Most nights, he’s so damned tired that he takes a few mechanic bites of food before going to bed, just to wake up the next morning and do it all over again.

His plate is full to bursting and eating is as low a priority as he can have right now. There’s a little voice, though, that tries to slither its way through his head.

It’s not that he likes not eating. It’s not that it makes him the tiniest bit happy when he’s realized that he’s managed to go sixteen-- or twenty four or thirty six-- hours without anything but coffee to serve as a meal.

It’s something he can control. He can ignore his hunger pains through sheer force of will, even if nausea sweeps through him occasionally and he has to close his eyes to regain his equilibrium.

It’s something that’s plagued him off and on since he was in the Academy. When Alec was stressed-- when he was tired and the only thing he felt he could control was his eating-- his appetite vanished. It’s nothing unusual and Alec knows that in a few days, a few weeks, he’ll feel better one morning. Waking up won’t be so exhausting and he’ll go over to the East Village and have the best bacon burger in the city with an extra large fry and Oreo milkshake. Everything will go back to how it’s supposed to be and Alec won’t have to wonder when his last meal was, won’t feel his sister’s piercing eyes over a bag of Ruffles potato chips.

He doesn’t answer her and Iz doesn’t push. He pours a healthy dollop of milk into his coffee and leaves, resigned to going back to his office and getting through the day’s work.

Distantly, he wonders if he’ll have time to sneak in a quick training session before he calls it a day. He feels light and there’s an energy that’s simmering low in his gut that he knows from past experience just needs an outlet. Blowing across his coffee, Alec takes a slow, deep sip and wonders if he could persuade Jace to a sparring match tonight.

The next morning, Alec wakes up to a long line of warmth along his back. Sinking into the sheets, his breath catches at the dull throbbing in his ankle. He’d used an iratze after sparring Jace last night and he’s pissed that his ankle still feels off. Deciding to deal with it later, Alec relaxes further against Magnus and his eyes fall shut as he feels his husband nose along his spine.

He lets himself be urged onto his back and stares up at a sleep-rumpled Magnus. It’s a vision that still makes his heart ache in the best damn way, no matter that they’ve been together for a few years now.

Magnus studies him in the low light and Alec closes his eyes again as Magnus leans forward and nibbles across his collarbone, along his deflect rune.

“What do you say to waffles this morning, Alexander?” Magnus’s voice is a low rasp and Alec smiles a little even if words get stuck in his throat.

As though he knows Alec’s thinking, Magnus raises his head and studies him carefully. The intensity in his unglamoured eyes is a little unnerving.

Running a thumb over a stubbled jaw, Magnus smiles. “What do you say? Surely the Institute can wait a couple of hours.”

While there’s a part of Alec that’s uneasy-- while Magnus could be coy when needed, with Alec his attempts at subterfuge had all the subtlety of a sledgehammer-- Alec knows that Magnus has realized that his appetite has been damn near nonexistent lately.

Resigned, Alec thinks that he wouldn’t be surprised if his husband knew about his over-training. Alec’s not dumb. He might be pissed off but his ankle is screaming and the only reason that ever happens after applying an iratze is because his energy stores are too low.

Things have finally come to a head and while he still feels like he’s in a fog most days, he knows that something had to give sooner or later.

“Sure,” he replies hoarsely. “Let’s have waffles for breakfast.”

Magnus’s gaze eases just a tad even as the gold warms. He leans down and kisses Alec.

“Right answer, darling.”

The two of them get ready slowly, showering together, lingering under the warm spray. Magnus catches Alec’s wince when he forgets not to put his full weight on his left foot and his eyes sharpen.

He doesn’t say anything though, merely lowering until he’s kneeling on the marble of their shower, reaching a hand out to wrap it around Alec’s ankle. Alec watches as azure flows into his skin and the relief is immediate.

Magnus kisses the delicate bone of his ankle before lowering his foot back to the ground and stands, pulling Alec closer with arms around his middle.

They stand there for long minutes and Alec feels warmth that’s been missing for longer than he wants to admit.

He’s finally hungry. Not starving, not ravenous. But he can admit that he’s craving food.

It’s the breaking of the dam. It’s a start.

Alec knows the next few hours won't be easy but Magnus hasn't stopped looking at him, warm and open, and suddenly he's tired of hiding from his husband.

It feels like the quietest of snicks as the puzzle pieces align. Maybe, he wonders, if he felt guilty about keeping something from his husband then it was time to come clean.

He breathes easier at just the idea.

#satiable #my writing #malec fic

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strandedhaze · 5 years

Text

ONE : MEET NAOMI

FULL NAME: naomi june cheng-bradshaw. PREFERRED NAME: naomi. NICKNAME(S): most people call her nomi, noms, nao, nai and similar variations, elijah calls her nana. DATE OF BIRTH: may 3rd, 1994. GENDER: cis female. PREFERRED PRONOUNS: she/her/hers. ORIENTATION: heterosexual. RELATIONSHIP STATUS: single in main verse. RELIGION: she’s not a particularly religious person. OCCUPATION: press manager for honda racing corporation. CURRENT RESIDENCE: madrid, spain ; she owns a house in the prestigious la finca neighbourhood.

TWO : NAOMI’S BACKGROUND

HOMETOWN: marina bay, singapore. NATIONALITY: singaporean. LINGUISTICS: english is her native language but, asides from it, she speaks spanish, portuguese, italian, french, mandarin chinese and japanese. in some languages, she’s more proficient than others. for instance, she speaks spanish just as well as she speaks english. her spoken japanese is nearly flawless and though she can read and comprehend the language, she can’t write. she’s still getting around to dive deeper into mandarin chinese. EDUCATION: she attended the massachusetts institute of technology - also known as MIT - and she has a double degree in business analytics and management. CRIMINAL RECORD: clean. BIRTH ORDER: first. FATHER: charles bradshaw was born on february 23rd, 1971 in windsor, england. he is an investment banker who resides in between hong kong and dubai. MOTHER: sonoya cheng was born on july 5th, 1971 in sentosa island, singapore. she is a real estate tycoon who resides in between toronto, abu dhabi and singapore. SISTER(S): none. BROTHER(S): edward cheng-bradshaw was born on january 15th, 1997 in marina bay, singapore. he is a software developer manager and resides in san francisco, california. OTHER RELEVANT FAMILY: constance mizuno, sister-in-law. SIGNIFICANT OTHER: naomi is single. CHILDREN: none so far. FRIENDS: to be done. EXES: andrea pagani, marco ricci and aleix martin. PETS: none so far.

THREE : GET UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

HEIGHT: 5′7″ ( 174 cm ). WEIGHT: her weight oscillates between 127 lbs ( 57.6 kg ) and 134 lbs ( 61 kg ). BODY TYPE AND BUILD: she is naturally slim - courtesy of genetics and her fast metabolism - but, despite that fact, she still has a willowy frame. by no means, does she have a hourglass shape with a big bust, tiny waist and thick thighs but with a good, healthy diet and a workout plan ( that she, often, forgets to follow ) consisting of some weight training and fun classes, naomi has still managed to achieve a shape she’s comfortable with. she has particularly long legs and, thanks to all the hot yoga and pilates classes, she holds a rather toned overall body. EYE COLOR: brown. EYESIGHT: she has perfect eyesight though when the work load increases, you’ll find her reaching for her glasses in order to give her eyes a break. she also wears blue light blocking glasses whenever she’s working on a computer. HAIR COLOR: dark brown. HAIR STYLE: her hair is, has always been - and will always be, according to her - long, hitting the middle of her back, at worst, when she goes for a trim to keep its healthy condition and it has a natural wavy texture which naomi has learned to love. styling wise, it rarely gets too eventful... during the season, she’ll throw it on a ponytail or a bun for the race weekends and allow it to dry into its natural texture on the remaining work days. if she’s attending an event of sorts or going out to celebrate, she’ll straighten it or go for a nice blowout. DOMINANT HAND: right. NOTABLE PHYSICAL TRAITS: her lips or, possibly, their plumpness, her legs that often seem endless, her tan complexion and how it makes her dark eyes and hair standout, and for the rare occasions when it makes an appearance, her smile. SCARS AND MARKS: nothing outstanding - she has your average scars and marks here and there. TATTOOS: she has a lotus mandala on the inside of her right wrist, a symbol of enlightenment for her, as well as a way to symbolize all the growth she achieved throughout her life. PIERCINGS: regular lobes. VOICECLAIM: nicole elise. ACCENT AND INTENSITY: having moved out and grown up in london, naomi developed a thick london accent which she never knew how intense it was up until she found herself in massachusetts. the four years spent there, softened the intensity of the british accent and the nearly six years in spain also played a part when washing away what once was a proper londoner accent so, these days, it’s hard to identify what accent she has exactly. it’s more of a mixture than anything specific. ALLERGIES: cherries and insect stings, particularly bee stings. PHOBIAS AND FEARS: extremely deep waters and though it’s not a phobia, she gets really nervous when she’s driving over bridges. MENTAL ILLNESSES: none so far. PHYSICAL ILLNESSES: none so far. SCENT THEY WEAR: it varies depending on a lot of factors, such as season of the year, time of the day, occasion and, above all, her personal mood. during summer, you’ll often catch her wearing soleil blanc by tom ford or replica beach walk by maison margiela, and during summer nights, she'll wear sundaze by byredo. for fancy events, her go-to is bewitching yasmine by penhaligon’s, same way her go-to for nights out with friends is slow dance by byredo. whenever she has an important business meeting, she’ll wear cuir celeste by ex nihilo, simply because in naomi’s opinion, the scent is the definition of boss bitch and throughout race weekends, she’ll go for rose of no man’s land by byredo. le labo’s patchouli 24 and maison margiela’s replica by the fireplace are generally the scents she wears through winter. for date nights where she actually cares to put some effort in and is actually interested in the person, she’ll specifically wear reine de nuit by byredo or santal 33 by le labo. ALCOHOL USE: socially, she does. SMOKING: she doesn’t smoke. OTHER NARCOTICS USE: no. INDULGENT FOOD: she prefers to eat healthy but there’s no denying that every once in a while, she needs to indulge in some soul food. SPLURGE SPENDING: it happens every now and again, but she’s mostly a responsible buyer. GAMBLING: no. ADDICTIONS AND VICES: none.

FOUR : DIG DEEPER

CAN THEY DRIVE? yes, she can drive. CAN THEY COOK AND BAKE? yes and yes. CAN THEY CHANGE A FLAT TIRE? yes. CAN THEY TIE A TIE? yes. CAN THEY SWIM? yes. CAN THEY RIDE A BICYCLE? yes. CAN THEY JUMP START A CAR? yes. CAN THEY BRAID HAIR? yes. CAN THEY PICK A LOCK? yes. EXTROVERTED OR INTROVERTED? extroverted. DISORGANIZED OR ORGANIZED? organized, and she hates when things get messy. CLOSE OR OPEN MINDED? open minded. CALM OR ANXIOUS? calm. PATIENT OR IMPATIENT? healthy in-between and always depends on the situation. OUTSPOKEN OR RESERVED? outspoken. LEADER OR FOLLOWER? she's a leader, all through and through. OPTIMISTIC OR PESSIMISTIC? optimistic, mostly. TRADITIONAL OR MODERN? modern. HARD-WORKING OR LAZY? hard-working. CULTURED OR UNCULTURED? cultured. LOYAL OR DISLOYAL? loyal. FAITHFUL OR UNFAITHFUL? faithful. NIGHT OWL OR EARLY BIRD? honestly, it all depends on the time of the year. HEAVY OR LIGHT SLEEPER? light sleeper. COFFEE OR TEA? tea over coffee, these days. DAY OR NIGHT? night. TAKING BATHS OR SHOWERS? baths. COCA COLA OR PEPSI? none. CATS OR DOGS? both. NETFLIX OR CINEMA? netflix. SHOWS OR MOVIES? both. LAPTOP OR GAMING CONSOLE? laptop. HEALTHY OR JUNK FOOD? healthy. ICE CREAM OR FROZEN YOGURT? ice cream. PIZZA OR HAMBURGER? pizza. LOLLIPOPS OR GUMMY WORMS? gummy worms. BEACH OR POOL? beach. SNOWBALLS FIGHTING OR ICESKATING? iceskating. LITERATURE OR SCIENCE? science. HISTORY OR ART? art. CHOCOLATE BARS OR COTTON CANDY? chocolate bars. XBOX OR PLAYSTATION? playstation. FACE-TO-FACE OR PHONE INTERACTIONS? face-to-face interactions. DRAMA OR SCI-FI? sci-fi. HORROR OR COMEDY? horror.

FIVE : NAOMI’S LIKES & DISLIKES

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: yoga. FAVORITE ANIMAL: giraffe. FAVORITE BOOK: everything i know about love by dolly alderton. FAVORITE QUOTE: ❝ when you’re tired, go slowly. go quietly. go timidly. but do not stop. ❞ — heidi priebe. FAVORITE COLOR(S): it’s a very specific beige/tan colour, a champagne type of shade. FAVORITE DESIGNER: maison christian dior and acne studios. FAVORITE CUISINE: singaporean cuisine, all through and through. there are little things she’s more passionate about than her national cuisine, she often says no one does food like singapore. FAVORITE DISH(ES): hainanese chicken rice, laksa, hokkien fried mee and dumplings. FAVORITE DRINK: matcha ginger latte and bubble tea. FAVORITE FLOWER(S): lotus flower. FAVORITE GEM: diamond. FAVORITE HOLIDAY: new years. FAVORITE MOVIE: currently, it must be parasite by bong joon-ho. FAVORITE MUSIC GENRE: she doesn’t have a favorite music genre. naomi listens to a little bit of everything because for her, it’s more about the songs and artists than the genre itself. FAVORITE SONG(S): xo by beyoncé. GO TO KARAOKE SONG: kiss it better by rihanna. FAVORITE SCENT(S): the scent of gasoline, melting chocolate and freshly baked goods. FAVORITE TELEVISION SHOW(S): la casa de papel. FAVORITE SPORTS: motogp, formula1 and football. SPORTS TEAM THEY SUPPORT: real madrid. FAVORITE EMOJI: probably the 💅🏽 though it’s not what she uses the most. FAVORITE WEATHER: she likes that type of weather at the end of a summer day, when it’s warm but not too much and you walk around the beach feeling that soft breeze of air hitting you, and the day is settling down and all that remains is a wash of what the weather was throughout the day. FAVORITE SEASON OF THE YEAR: summer. FAVORITE PLACE(S): a close tie between her childhood home in marina bay, singapore and her current home in madrid. she loves the memories and how much singapore grounds her, how it freshens up her ties to the culture and reminds her of better days. at the same time, she also loves madrid. the people, the culture and everything in between. both bring her a sense of peace she’s very fond of. SUPERPOWER THEY WISH THEY HAD: teleportation. VACATION DESTINATION: if she was forced to choose, coppenhagen or amsterdam for a solo, self-reflection trip and anywhere in japan or thailand just to unwind.

#tbt / naomi cheng-bradshaw.

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kkultokkie · 5 years

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Tag Game

Rules:

Tag the person who tagged you

Answer the questions

Tag 10 people

i was tagged by @sugakookiesbutbadass, thank you! ^^

1. How tall are you? - 5ft 5.5

2. What colour and style is your hair? - black, somewhere between straight and wavy, kinda long

3. What colour are your eyes? - dark brown

4. Do you wear glasses? - yep i am practically blind, since i was 4 xD

5. Do you wear braces? - i had them, for four. whole. years. theyve been off for a year now tho :D

6. What’s your fashion sense? - anything and everything

7. Full name? - esteban julio ricardo montoya de la rosa ramirez (lol im iranka ok why do u need more)

When were you born? - May 13th

Where are you from and where do you live now? - born in conneticut, live in the UK (these questions are kinda personal dontchu think? lol)

What school do you go to? - does it matter?

What kind of student are you? - uhh in school i was just the quiet kid who was smart so the teachers liked them, even tho slowly i became less and less organised and rarely handed homework in on time lol teachers still had the impression that i was a good student. idk uni is different, im just a procrastinator but at least i show up at lectures (most of the time)

Do you like school? - yeah? and no? its interesting and i like learning but i hate deadlines and stress and feeling like im wasting £9k+

Favourite subject? - at school? definitely art. at uni, Brain & Behaviour? maybe? Cognition?

Favourite tv shows? - i dont watch much tv but; merlin, a:tla, sherlock (up to season 3), teen wolf (up to season 3b), man in the high castle (though i never finished that), legend of korra

Favourite movie? - lord of the rings (and princess mononoke, big hero six, mulan, how to train your dragon, mad max: fury road, attack the block...)

Favourite books? - lord of the rings, blue light (by gary paulson), the percy jackson series, the man who mistook his wife for a hat

Favourite pastime? - playing piano, drawing, painting, writing, designing worlds/characters, reading fanfics, watching bts or oh my girl related content, listening to music, singing, playing flute, going for walks, filming/photographing things

Do you have any regrets? - i mean,,,

Dream job? - every job thats in those typical lesbian posts (farmer, own a cafe that doubles as a book and flower shop, etc)

Would you ever like to be married? - i want to be in a committed relationship, dunno about married tho. im not a fan of weddings

Would you like to have kids? - no

How many? - on the offchance i adopt, one or two?

Do you like shopping? - no. i like the things but shopping is boring and tiring lol

What countries have you visited? - USA, England, Scotland, Wales (yes im separating them lol), Dubai (just the airport), Abu Dhabi (the airport again lol), Pakistan, France, Belgium, Spain, Turkey

Scariest nightmare you have ever had? - idk, the only dreams ive had that have woken me up bc i was scared have all been to do with bugs, usually spiders but sometimes moths

Any enemies? - i hope not

Do you have a significant other? - i wish :(

Do you get along with your family? - yes but only when im pretending to be someone im not

Do you believe in miracles? - maybe?

How are you? - tired currently, but whats new. no one cares so i wont bother answering more detailed lol

i tag: literally anyone who wants to do this, idk who to tag

#tagged

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originaldetectivesheep · 6 years

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Tales of the Missing 14 - A Last Song For The Road

There is a difference between how far we do go, and how far we can go: in an age when going around the world means only paying several expensive jet-powered bus fares, who is the adventurer and who is not is not immediately clear.

A Last Song For The Road

Cathy brushed a long strand of hair out of her face and looked down at her drink. "I think it's amazing," she said. "I don't think that I could ever do something like that – just go off somewhere that far away, just like that. It's – you're – it's something really special." She looked up at Dave again, trying not to look too interested – trying not to look too obviously interested.

He smiled back, that rogueish smile that probably had girls like her at his feet everywhere he went, Beijing to Berlin, leaning against the jukebox. "Naw – it's not much. You see what you got to do, and then you pull up and do it, I guess. It's what I do – I'm not sure that I know how to do anything else." He took another slug out of his beer. "But, I can't say that I don't like getting home once in a bit; the road takes a lot out of you, so I want to make the most of the time I got back here – back with my people, where I come from." He was looking straight at her, straight through her, and Cathy knew that even if he didn't feel quite the same way she did – and that wasn't a foregone conclusion either – he would let her feel the way she felt, give her what she wanted, let her have him tonight.

Dave smiled again, and nodded over at the jukebox. "It's getting a little late – let's do one more song before I got to go." Cathy nodded looking quickly down at her phone, scanning the messages from Marcia and Tess back at the bar, running commentary on the stream of her life, and from somewhere over by the door, someone yelled back at them: "Dave, yo! Uber's here!"

"Goddamnit," Dave said, and when Cathy looked up he was already moving, pushing his way through the crowd, and she took a step, reaching out after him, and then the jukebox caught behind her, and she stopped dead still, the slow turbid intro of Seether's "Fine Again" boiling up out of the speakers behind her. This was how he left – this was how he went out, out onto the road – this was what he left her with.

No. Barely as soon as the distorted guitars came in to give her a kick in the back, Cathy was moving, pushing her way out, out past the door guy and into the dark of Norwich Street, staring after the taillights of his ride sinking off into the dark. Brakes squealed next to her, and Cathy spun in place, something in her eyes freezing the taxi driver silent, even as he hauled himself out the window to scream at her for blocking the road. "FOLLOW THAT UBER!"

"You got it, lady," the driver said, kicking the passenger door open, and Cathy was in before it barely smacked all the way out, the taxi grumpling out into gear and leaping ahead barely before she had the chance to pull it closed. It couldn't end like this – it definitely couldn't end just like this.

"I – lady, all I said was I saw him," the cashier said, wondering whether she should be shifting closer to the silent alarm. People got weird in airports all the time, but this was the first time that she'd even heard of someone flipping out and going ham at a pretzel stand over a runaway boyfriend. "You don't got to show a boarding pass to buy a pretzel – I don't know where he was going."

"Please," Cathy said, knuckles white where she was gripping the cash register with both hands. "Please – anything. Did he say anything – anything at all?"

The cashier leaned back. "I – miss, a lot of people come through here. National's a big airport. Lot of people come by want to buy a pretzel – we kind of famous for DC. I can't remember everybody."

"But you remembered him – his description," Cathy said, pressing in, leaning over the counter. "You remembered that much – can't you remember anything he said? Anything at all?"

"I – wait – wait – that was it." The cashier blinked, and straightened up. "That's right – I try to upsell him on the drink, you know, and he said naw, I got to get a beer, and that's why I was here, cuz where I'm going they don't got beer and if I'm eat a pretzel I got to have a beer with it. That's it – he got to be going to like Dubai or shi–, or something, cuz they can't got beer there." She took a deep breath. "Is that okay? I'm serious, it's all I got. So can you –"

Cathy was staring down at her phone. "Not Dubai – not right away. The window is wrong – if he was here and gone an hour ago it has to be Atatürk – Turkey. Regular flights – but I'd have to change my ticket – I'll miss his – and the next one won't be –" She was talking to herself, mumbling as she walked away, eyes wild.

"Miss – goddamn – you gonna block my line, pitch a fit, and you ain't even buy a pretzel? Goddamnit! What the hell?" But it was no use: Cathy was already long gone, lost again into the press of the terminal.

"No, listen," the bartender said in clipped Dutch-accented English, "this is a bar and not an information bureau. You want to sit and talk about your bad times, you buy a beer and I will stand here and listen. You want a beer and not to talk, cooler is behind you, you pay, I open your bottle, you go away. You not want to buy anything, you go away." Cathy folded her arms, trying to work out how to deal with this aspect of Turkish customer service as Atatürk flowed and streamed around the bar, an island in the middle of the terminal walkways.

"I tried at the information booth," she started at last, "but I don't know his last name – and this is a big airport. It must be like half the world's going through here – I can't find him myself in the middle of everyone from Europe, Africa, and Asia all together."

The bartender shrugged. "Not my problem. You want a beer, you can buy; information, not my problem."

"I can't buy something in every place he might have been through – there's not that many bars, but I'd still get totally drunk."

The bartender glared. "Still, it's my problem how?"

Cathy thought for a second. "If you can help me – if you saw him, if you can help me find him, I'll buy something. How about that? If you can't, it won't be long – I promise."

The bartender raised an eyebrow and folded his arms. "All right," he said after a second. "All right; I'll bet you my time, against your beer money. So what about it? Any other description, besides the white American guy, middle height, middle build, blue eyes, light brown hair with goatee?"

Cathy thought for a second. She didn't know that much about Dave – couldn't tell what clothes he might have changed from the bar to New Haven to DC to here. But –

"He – he likes Seether," she said, tentatively, not sure that it would help, but the bartender's jaw dropped open.

"That guy! Him! Yeah, he was here!" He leaned forward, hands on the bar. "We were playing Die Antwoord, and he gave me shit about it – told me to put on Seether, a good band if we were going to have to play bands from South Africa. I mean, I didn't change the music because we can't, and to fuck with him, but he kept on – how it's all the electronic in Hong Kong, and how he thought he wouldn't have to put up with that here in Turkey on the way, and, like fuck him, but isn't that it?"

"Hong Kong – there's a one-stop through Abu Dhabi – open seat – thirty minutes – I could make it if I run – but, no, that's a terminal change, I'd have to take the bus –" Cathy was moving, staring down at her phone, halfway out of the bar, and then the bartender's cough cracked like a gunshot. She jumped, then shamefacedly picked up an Efes Light out of the cooler. She did owe him, but it was just the one question – it was all right to try and get out of this on the cheap.

"Forty-five lira please," the bartender said, grabbing the beer out of her hands and cracking the cap off with his church key. Cathy remembered the sign from the exchange counter and did the math. Nine dollars. For a Turkish Bud Light. Holy fuck. She pushed a stool out and sat down, handing her card across the counter, trying to come to terms with the prices as much as to prepare herself for what was to come.

"No, I am very sorry, miss," the border guard said, perfectly cool because at least three Westerners had to have this talk every single day, "but you can't transfer to the Shenzhen subway at Futian stop if you don't have a Chinese visa. I know it's the same subway card, but there's still a border here. Please, go back to Admiralty, then go to city hall and make a visa application if you need to cross the border."

Cathy's eyes flicked back and forth wildly, her passport crumpling between her fingers and the desk. "But – but – if I can go, I'll find him – I'll be quick. Look, isn't Shenzhen one of those 72-hour cities? Where you can get the instant visa if you have proof you're leaving?"

The border guard shook her head, wondering exactly where these people came from who thought "I'll be quick, just in and out" would work to get in to a country that made people show their passport to buy an inter-city bus ticket. "Yes, miss, there is a 72-hour visa – for people who arrive by air, and have proof of international connecting flight. We cannot give this visa at the subway border crossing. Please – just go make normal application. I can see you have a hard time, and I don't want to call the police. You can do it – you can do it the normal way, and everything will be fine. Please."

Cathy pulled back, her passport spindling in her fist. "Right. Right. If I have to – thank you. But isn't there some other way – wasn't there a same day visa, a visa with a lot of conditions and you have to find it from exactly the right place – something like that, but you could get it in an hour if you could and then get across the border the same day?" She was drawn up, hesitant, like she knew this was a last throw of the dice.

The border guard furrowed her eyebrows behind her glasses. "Miss, this is not the Vietnam War days any more. We're not any more a British colony. We have rules, and rules are followed – we don't have the same-day visa since fifteen years. Don't think, just anything goes in Hong Kong, that you can do anything you want. Just go Admiralty, make the application, wait a few days and go Disneyland or Ladies Market if get bored waiting." She snorted and slammed her stamp into the stamp pad. "Next!"

Cathy backed up, away, down the chute back to the Lok Ma Chau tracks. It would be hard – it would be hard waiting, having to track him down in Shenzhen across the border, having to learn up in Chinese waiting for the visa to even communicate with people over there – but she'd come this far, and gotten this close, and there was no way on earth that she was going to stop now.

"Is – is this all?" Cathy wasn't quite sure how skepticism scanned in Chinese, even after a week and a half of constantly dealing with Chinese speakers unsure what the hell she was doing here, alone, on a mission, from Shenzhen to Xiamen to Fuzhou to Ningbo, to the Nanjing cutoff and finally to Qingdao, but not to Yantai, not yet, not tonight. She nodded anyway; it was too late and she was too tired and she still had to hunt up a room at one of the sketchy-looking hotels around the train station to collapse in for the night.

"Yes. This is all. Sorry it's a lot: I have train tomorrow, and then ferry from Yantai to Dalian." The clerk shrugged, because this wasn't really her problem, after all, and started baling up Cathy's energy drinks and cup-noodle pots and snacks-that-didn't-look-like-flooring-tiles-marinated-in-chili-oil into doubled-up plastic bags.

"Ni hui chu DaLian ma?" someone asked, and Cathy turned to look behind her at the cluster of middle-aged fishermen sitting around a table, drinking Laoshan beer out of long green bottles and stubbing cigarettes out in an empty sardine can. "There isn't a train until the morning; come over and have a drink! Lailailai!"

Cathy adjusted her bags, unsure how to answer; she wasn't going to get any closer to Dave tonight, but no matter how fast she'd adapted, how much better her Chinese'd gotten, sitting around drinking in a 7-11 with a bunch of old guys was maybe still a cultural bridge too far. "What're you going to Dalian for?" another one of them asked. "Russian? Got Russian friends?"

She shook her head. "No; I go to Harbin – from Dalian to Harbin. I – I look for somebody."

The youngest of them, someone's kid or nephew, lifted his close-buzzed head off the far end of the table, bleary-eyed, blinking. "If you're going to Harbin, why go to Dalian? Why not just take the fast train?"

Cathy took a step forward, curious, confused. "The fast train? I ask, about trains, but the fast trains from here only go back to Nanjing. Or, I didn't understand – I can't read, and sometimes it's hard to listen."

The first speaker shook his head, smiling, and beckoned her in with a downward flip of his hand. "The fast trains going north are from the new train station; come over, we'll tell you how to get there. Lai, lai!" Cathy nodded and bustled her shopping around, pulling out a Qingpi from her own provisions and popping the cap off with a stray chopstick as she sat down.

"That one's cousin is a tax driver," the guy continued as Cathy took a first drink from her beer, pointing across the table at the balding one, who stood up and shuffled back to the drinks shelf, grinning a manic grin. "He can take you to the new train station; there should be a subway up there, but it's not done yet, and if you can't read, you can't take the bus." He raised up his beer and clicked it against Cathy's. "Cheers! Where is your hotel?"

She shook her head. There was welcoming, and then there was dangerous. "Around. I'll find a place. This is a fast trip."

"Rose Phoenix Inn will have spare rooms," the nephew said, fumbling at another Laoshan and not getting the cap off. "You don't want to go over too late because it's, uh, guest friendly, but you can stay a little, drink with us!" He pushed a tin of what looked like oil-packed octopus across the table at Cathy. "Try some! It's good!" She nodded, taking the chopsticks the first, graying fisherman handed her over from the counter, and was making appropriate yum noises on a first pinch of octopus when the balding guy came back with a handful of clear plastic cups and a quart bottle of baijiu. Four cups, around the four of them at the table, the bottle empty and hers fullest.

The fishermen looked at her expectantly. Cathy set her beer bottle down on the table with a clunk. "Nimen xiang wo xia ba?" Are you guys trying to kill me? But she picked up the cup anyway, drank it down anyway. These guys were getting her a taxi – they were getting her a taxi to a faster train – they were getting her that much closer to Dave.

She'd checked the few hotels on the other side of the ridge first, by the train station, and after doing that climb Cathy was fairly sure that if Dave was registered on this side of Vladivostok, he wouldn't go hiking over it – it was worse than San Francisco, it was like you needed spikes and a climbing rope to go up the street – just to go out to the bar. So this one looked promising – on the long bay side and not part of a hotel, small and snug and maybe not full of Russian sailors, or with just enough of them that Dave could feel like he could hold court like an international badass. Cathy shoved through the wooden doors under the fancifully-carved ПОРТ РОЯЛ archboard, ignoring the confused bartender and thrice-confused Chinese marines and their domino game, because through the gloom inside she could see him – she couldn't mistake him: she had found him at last, at long last.

He was about to press a button on the jukebox, and she found her voice even as she got up to him to take him by the arm. "Dave!" she said, "Dave – it's Cathy! Cathy!"

He blinked, and his eyes widened, and he nearly fell over. "But – I mean – we had a good time, but what – what are you doing here on the other side of the damn planet?"

Cathy drew herself up, hands folded in front of her. "Because I couldn't leave it like that – I couldn't let you leave just like that – not without saying anything. It wouldn't be right; it wouldn't be right for me, not for you, not for any of us." She looked up. "Dave, when you left – when you were called out and you drove out of Wortham, this close to out of my life, do you remember what you did – do you remember how you left?"

He blinked, unsure, unsure of the meaning, the meaning that he'd provoked to drag this woman, against all odds, nearly all the way around the world. "I – I played a song on the jukebox. Yeah. I put in to play some Seether, because I didn't think I'd have to go right away."

"Exactly!" Cathy sparked up, pressing close in on him. "You played Seether! You were perfect – you were so perfect – you were the best thing that's ever happened to me and then you had to go and play Seether in public! WHAT IN THE DAMN HELL. Dave, Seether is an awful, awful band. They are bad, and dumb, and dumb-bad and bad-dumb – they're like if someone was listening to Puddle of Mudd and thought somehow, 'yes, but can we make it even worse'. Seether is terrible: they make bad music for fat teenagers from Ohio who think wearing juggalo makeup would make them gay. They are bad. They are so, so, so fucking bad, and I had to find you – I had to prove it, prove it to myself that you hadn't hit it by accident, that your taste really was that bad and I really couldn't have anything nice ever." Cathy wiped at the edge of her eye with the heel of her hand.

"But – they're not that bad – and – Russia, all the way to Russia?" Dave was reeling. Cathy folded her arms and glared.

"Yes. Yes they are. And in public – while you were talking to me – seriously, someone has to take responsibility." She took a deep breath. "I hope you have the time to think over what you've done; when I found your hotel the clerk showed me that you were registered for the full week. I'm on the next ferry to Japan tomorrow. Don't talk to me." She turned back to the bar. "Bratchik, Studyenoye podzhalste!" The barkeep opened the tap for her beer, shaking his head, and out the corner of her eye Cathy saw Dave reaching a five-ruble piece up for the jukebox. "A ni Seether!"

further Tales of the Missing ...

#fiction #talesofthemissing

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shirleylawson · 4 years

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Four Days in Dubai

After I unpacked my bag last Wednesday from my London/Brighton trip to see my girl I was told by my darling husband to re pack, as we were off to Dubai the next day. Just got back from 4 days in Dubai, first time in the Middle East and not a social visit so absolutely exhausted. We had to go for us to basically make the final decision on whether or not to sign on the dotted line to transfer there or not (and I had a few wee contacts of my own to see, but keeping quiet about them at the moment, due to my superstition) and of course this time wifey had to come along as she is the one who has the final yay or nay at the end of the day!. Firstly, 4 days is not enough to get a real feel for a place but, depending on your pace, and ours was approx. 4 hours sleep per night, you can get a fair idea. If I had to choose whether or not to live there according to the flight, then the deal is done! We travelled Economy Class, of course, but with United Emirates Airlines, it doesn't feel like economy. Three tunnels take you onto the aircraft, one for First class, one Business and us cattle classes in Economy. We had to pass through the last two aisles of Business to get to our seats without even a whiff of the champagne and caviar being served in First, but the sight of the business class was enough to make me wonder if they all sat through there in First Class in a Living Room setting with shag pile carpet, full four poster beds and a log fire! Our flight was wonderful. Five hours and 40 minutes of sheer relaxation. A warm fluffy blanket and big soft pillow on every seat, which reclined backward and outward for your legs. Huge TV/Computer/Games Station/CD Radio in front with 700 channels to choose from. All the latest movies, I watched, My Sisters Keeper, Julie& Julia a bit of Malcolm in the Middle and listened to some of the new Red Hot Chilly CD and we had arrived, being served three times in between with wines, and a wonderful three course meal. There was an under aircraft camera to watch the assent from Rome and descent into Dubai. As we approached Dubai airport the first thing that stuck me was the proximity of the airport to the actual city. The runway seemed to be in the very centre of all these magnificent buildings and I felt I could reach out and touch the tips of them. From the air Dubai has a skyline similar to Manhattan but on a grander scale and with the lights and glitz of Las Vegas thrown in. I could see the Burg Dubai (tallest building in the world) rising above them all and it was spectacular. We disembarked and the airport was not a disappointment after the flight. It was huge and as I stood at passport control I looked up and couldn’t see the where the building ended, all I could see where lights and water falls and sky trains whizzing past, I felt like I’d stepped into another century. All airport staff are fluent in English and are only too willing to assist you with any enquiries you may have with a smile. It took a fair hike to eventually arrive outside but of course we were standing on Travelators the whole time and trying to take in the sights of the airport. I never thought an airport would make me want to get the old camera out (unfortunately it was packed away). The floors were white glistening marble with the gleam of silver everywhere (had to keep on the Prada sunglasses, also to show these Arabs I’m a classy Italian broad), sparkly little fairy lights and fabulous water features accompanied by music. Never mind a bloody hotel, I thought, lets just go get some sleeping bags and park here for the 4 days! We wouldn’t have needed the sleeping bags as it turned out, with an abundance of leather reclining seats in front of TV’s and computers. The services offered inside the airport were also very impressive, a line of pristine baby buggies in wonderful Disney Technicolor lined one wall for complimentary use and looked like a baby had never had it’s nappy soaked bum near one. Outside the warm night air hit us. It was 11.30pm but still warm and me in my boots and padded jacket. Our dear friend from Rome Paolo was coming to pick us up. He’s been living and working there for just over a year now and we’ve known him for 13 years, so we trusted his judgment of life in Dubai. Outside there was a queue of limousines and hummer limos…………..does no one have a normal car in this city?? Apparently not, Paolo drove up in his huge 4 by 4 Merc! The drive to his apartment took all of 20 minutes and then I saw some of the real Dubai City!!!! I craned my neck out the window the entire journey as Stefano and Paolo chatted away and caught up after not seeing each other for some time. Row after row after row of the most spectacular examples of 21st century architecture lined the streets to my left. Each building making me gasp until the two second gap of the next. Apartments blocks, office blocks, hotels and restaurants each one more impressive than the other. To the right was the sea. A pier stretching as far as the eye could see in the shape of a palm tree full of hotels, swimming pools and talcum powder beaches. Paolo’s apartment was on the 22nd floor of a dark blue building, the glass looked dark blue from the outside but normal from the inside. His balcony had a sea view to the right with the Marina and all the amenities it had to offer, a pool directly below and the skyline of glittering, sky scrapping buildings to the left. We sat out there drinking and talking and laughing (Paolo’s girlfriend lives with him) till 4 am which was silly, since Stefano had to be up early in the morning and had a hectic few days ahead, but he managed! He went off to “Internet City”, the main office area of the city by 08.30hrs and I set off to check out the local area. Taxis are in abundance (just like Rome I hear you say…………….not), in fact, there is even no need to raise your arm or call for one, they seem to instinctively know you are coming to the road for a taxi and up they pull. Out gets the driver and opens the back door for you, with polite, thank you Madams and welcomes. All the locals speak perfect English I soon learnt, even though I insisted on speaking to everyone in Italian!!! Please don’t ask me why I did this, as I have no logical explanation why my seriously defective brain seems to work slightly different to the norm. After 4 days of doing this and seriously analysing why I would speak in Italian to these polite English speaking people, I can only assume it’s because in my brain they are foreign, and with all foreigners I speak Italian (I did it in Greece last year also) as that’s MY foreign language that I know! Does it make any sense to anyone? Please tell me it does! Shopping malls are pretty standard (by Dubai standards of course, think airport, sky trains and water features) but they had Marks and Spencer’s, Debenhams (dedicated to British readers) New Look, Top Shop………every single High Street British shop including, of course, Italian designer shops and the American chains, although I have to say it was a mainly British city from the signs (lift not elevator) and the electric plugs in the houses (heaven, adaptor stayed in the bag for 4 days). To give you an idea of the size of the mall it is equivalent to 73 football fields with over 700 shops (I read this outside;) and has an indoor ski resort in which you can ski or snow board or sledge the day away and swear as far as the eye can see that you were in the Alpine Mountains. Lisa, Paolo’s girlfriend and I headed down to check out the beach which was a 5 minutes walk from the apartment. The beach had long white sandy beaches running into the crystal clear sea, the Persian Gulf, (surely they can’t have cleaned that up manually as well?) which gave me time to digest my lunch and listen to some tunes on my ipod whilst catching some much missed sun rays. Since it is after all November, it started to get a wee bit chilly around 6pm, so we headed up to the apartment and joined our men folk in the pool for a swim. Whilst swimming my laps of the pool I see three women chatting away at the side of the pool and detect Scottish accents. Swimming a little closer, not only are they Scottish but from Glasgow so I casually, accidentally swim up to them and say, “Hi, are those Scottish accents I hear?” “Yes, one of them replies “I’m from Newlands” We get into a wee bit of chit chat and discuss how long they’ve been living there (one 9 years, one 5 years and one a sister who’s just visiting) and why we are there and I’m trying to decide if it’s for me. I ask if they like living there and the two that live there say it’s like living in paradise. “So?”, one says, “What do you think, do you like it”. “Well I can’t really tell at this point as it’s only been a day and at the moment I kind of know how Scarlett Johansson felt in Lost in Translation, it all feels a bit like a golden cage and surreal to me. “Where have you come from?” she asks, to which I answer Rome, I’ve been living in Rome for the last 6 years. “AAAAhhh” she says with a look of disgust on her face, “well if you can cope with living in Rome you can cope with living anywhere!!!!!” well (directed to my Italian friends and other international friends living in Rome) it was like someone had insulted my kid! You know that feeling? Like, you can moan and complain about your own kids all you want but,……………. if someone else does!!! I thought, you cheeky cow, I never thought I would feel so defensive about Rome. I told her I think I would miss the history and the piazza’s and the general integration and embracement of the Italian culture, but was still feeling a little shell shocked by her comment when Stefano, who was eaves dropping said, “So you’re from Glasgow?”, Yes she said, we moved from Glasgow to here. “Well”, says Stefano, “I suppose anywhere would feel like Paradise straight from Glasgow!” Shabam!!!! and he swam away leaving me smiling and wondering how I never manage to think of smart comments at the right time. First night dinner was had at the Royal Hotel Meridian, the hotels seem to be the place where all the local expats hang out for drinks and eating as alcohol is not served in pavement open air cafes. No idea what the star rating is of this hotel as it seems to be the same rating as every hotel I have seen but if I worked for the AA hotel rating system, I would give this a big 10 star rating. I felt like a super star. When I went to the bathroom the door was opened for me and I reluctantly stepped into the cubicle, checking my back that she wasn’t following me in to wipe my ass. She very discreetly left the restroom and returned when she heard me open my door with a clean hot towel and even put on the bloomin tap, (hey, this kind of service was giving to me in Starbucks that morning, not quite on that level but not too far off). I returned to find the waiter rush tomy chair for my return. I really wanted to say, like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, “Look darlin, I’m a sure thing, I’ve been living in Rome for 6 years and I’m impressed if you say sorry after bumping into me, it’s really easy, no need for this, honest!”. The guys went inside to choose the fish and lobsters that were still swimming around happily, so I declined. The most amazing fish and crab was served and eaten by all (we were joined by another couple who are friends of Paolo’s) and we then walked down to the hotel swimming pool and drank some drinks under the gazebo and looked out over at the spectacular grounds. Stefano and I went for a walk in the gardens and he put his arm around me and said, this is the life I have always wanted to give you, would you rather be here or in Rome right now. I looked around and said, without a doubt it is spectacular and breathtaking but honestly………….I’d rather be snuggled up with my huge log fire crackling away under our blanket watching TV in Rome! Over in the bar we could hear some English football being watched by some Brits on a big screen TV and some Scottish accents in the balmy night air. We left to go onto another bar called Budda Bar which was in an Indian style,(I suppose the clue is in the name) and had a cocktail before deciding at around 2am that since we had to get up at 08.30am we had better head for home. Another step out into the night with a taxi stopping before you even know if you need one yourself and another fare of 10 dirham’s which is less than 2 euro’s (10 dirham’s is 1.80 euro) and when we gave him a 20 he was most grateful. By the way, we took a taxi back to the airport which is around 25-30 minutes and it cost 12 euro, with luggage and helping in and out of the car. We both walked down to the seafront at lunchtime the next day relaxed and knowing that the work part was over and lets really see this place. We stopped into Starbucks and had a coffee and decided to drive up the desert and go sand dune quad biking. The drive wasn’t long, around 45 mins before we reached a landscape untouched by human hand of approx. 2,500 miles of desert. It was still bright and sunny when we paid for our buggies and all four of us headed over to the “practice area” to get the hang of the buggies before excitedly driving through the gate and heading straight for the desert. The first mile or so you can see that people have been coming here at night and having bonfires or whatever and leaving their rubbish behind (bastards!) but after that it’s miles and miles and miles of swooping dunes and wind brushed sand with no sign of human touch. In the distance a few wild camels and apart from that just…………..nothing! It was such fun! Stefano took a dune a bit too cockily and toppled his buggy over but apart from his pride, nothing was hurt! The sun started to set and we all four stopped at the top of a huge dune around 60 ft high and watched this wonderful sight. You feel the silence and no one said anything for a few minutes (which believe me is a wonderment in itself from Paolo). Then once again we were off all racing along and over taking one another and we all reached the top of a dune at the same time and braked hard to look down at a straight vertical drop of around 60 feet. We all parked and looked down and decided that we wouldn’t take the chance and put the buggies into reverse, we lacked the needed adrenaline rush of an 18 year old at this point and with a combined age of around 150 years, we all headed back to the flag in the distance, which was our marker flag for returning the buggies. What a fabulous experience. That night we went out for a Persian meal in a restaurant set on a channel not unlike sitting in Venice, only a few years younger. Again, first class service, first class meal and wonderful wine. We thought about going to the cinema one night but decided it was really silly to go to the cinema when we had such little time and you can go to the cinema anywhere, although looking at the website of the nearest cinema was enough entertainment in itself. Huge individual leather reclining lazy boys in pairs or fours. All with waitress service of meals, wines or snacks accomplished by the push of a button on your chair. Basically, to summarise the rest of the trip was very short indeed and I would have loved to have had another week or two there. We slipped away early one morning, insisting that Paolo stay in bed as taxi’s are so cheap, and there we were back in the wonderful airport where I felt I had been in only yesterday. Whilst waiting for my flight I popped into the toilet to be greeted by another towel/open door woman and thought, how will I survive without you in Rome? We landed at Fiumicino airport in the morning and before going outside to call the Park&Go guy to get our car I ran into the tobacco shop to buy cigarettes. As the woman threw my change down on the counter ignoring my outstretched hand and saying nothing but nodding to the next customer to tell her what he wanted I thought, yip, back in Italy, a vero?. In conclusion…………….we spent a very stressful next few hours back at home discussing back and forth the pro’s and con’s of staying in Rome or leaving and working and living in Dubai. I would miss my house terribly, and the friends I have made. Stefano would miss the outdoor life and his horses. I would miss my dogs. He looked like a 12 year old boy at one point and I felt so bad for him that he couldn’t make the decision. If we don’t like it we can stay a minimum of one year perhaps 18 months. If we do……….. indefinitely. The house here in Rome will always be ours, we will rent it out and in fact already have an interested family without even having advertised. Chris will come live with us when he finishes school and there are an abundance of British Colleges and Universities although I think he has his heart set on sailing school. I would spend July and August in Rome to escape the 50 degree temperatures over there and to have Jen over for the summer as that’s where all her friends will be returning from University for the summer are and where she feels is home. She will of course come to Dubai to visit us and I will go there, but we already agreed that if this job was taken, that summers would be spent in a rented apartment in the city centre of Rome. Without talking about finances, although it’s hard not to as they are incomparable, I would be able to go to Brighton and see Jen whenever I wanted to without worrying about how much the flight was and staying as long as I wanted. I could go up to Glasgow to see Chris for the next year or so till he is with us also or have him come down for weekends in Brighton. Money would be no issue. We have made the decision. It’s a yes!

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biohackn · 1 year

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Red Light Therapy in Dubai and Blue Light Blocking Glasses: The Latest in Wellness Technology

As the world becomes more tech-savvy, our reliance on digital devices has increased. While this has made our lives easier in many ways, it has also led to concerns about the impact of blue light on our health. Fortunately, new wellness technologies like red light therapy and blue light blocking glasses are now available in Dubai, helping to mitigate some of the negative effects of blue light exposure.

Red light therapy in dubai is a non-invasive treatment that uses red and near-infrared light to help promote healing and improve overall wellness. The treatment is typically delivered through a device that emits light at specific wavelengths, which can penetrate deep into the skin and stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. This can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin tone and texture, and even reduce inflammation and pain.

In Dubai, red light therapy is becoming increasingly popular as people seek out natural and non-invasive treatments to improve their health and wellness. The therapy is often offered in wellness centers and spas, and can also be purchased for home use. The treatment is generally considered safe and can be used in conjunction with other wellness practices, such as meditation or yoga.

Another technology that has gained popularity blue light blocking glasses in dubai. These glasses are designed to block out blue light, which is emitted by digital devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers. Blue light has been shown to disrupt sleep patterns, cause eye strain and headaches, and even contribute to the development of certain types of cancer. By wearing blue light blocking glasses, individuals can reduce their exposure to blue light and help mitigate some of these negative effects.

In Dubai, blue light blocking glasses can be found in a variety of styles and price points, making them accessible to people from all walks of life. They can be purchased online or in stores, and are becoming a popular accessory for people who spend a lot of time in front of screens.

In conclusion, the rise of technology has led to concerns about the impact of blue light on our health, but new wellness technologies like red light therapy and blue light blocking glasses are now available in Dubai to help mitigate some of these negative effects. Whether you're looking to improve your skin tone and texture with red light therapy or reduce eye strain and headaches with blue light blocking glasses, there are a variety of options available to help you maintain your health and wellness in the digital age. As with any new treatment or device, it's important to do your research and consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new wellness regimen.

#blue light blocking glasses in dubai #Red light therapy in dubai

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gilles-blaise-westminster · 5 years

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Photography in London - Week 9

- Activities

ACTIVITY 1

Before cropping:

Bas Princen, Cooling Plant (Dubai) (2010)

Look carefully at the whole photo – notice everything that is depicted in it and how these different elements work together to create a narrative. What is the photograph of?

This photo shows a cooling plant in Dubai, with a bunch of workers in front of it. It plays on the very graphic lines of the cooling plant and the buildings in the background against the fluidity of the small mounts of dirt and dust and the workers.

I imagine that the people on the photo are either working in the building, or on a construction site that is not on the picture, maybe behind the photographer. I believe they are workers as they were the customary blue overalls that the profession usually wears. They appear to be on a break, maybe on their lunch break (which could be confirmed by their pose, the overall natural lighting and the tints of the sky).

What is the photograph about?

This photograph was created for an exhibition called “Cinq Villes”, for Rotterdam’s fourth international architecture biennale.

As mentioned above, the middle and background play off of the foreground, which gives off some very different vibes. The middle and background show graphic lines, modernity, geometry, solid colours, an urban environment. The foreground is dusty, and looks a lot like a desert. I see this high contrast between these two parts of the photograph as a critic of society, maybe of how the rich are always in the background whilst the poorer workers work on their comfort.

After cropping:

Bas Princen, Cooling Plant (Dubai) (2010)

What is the photograph of?

I decided to go for a very intense crop to change the whole mood of that picture, which I think I managed pretty well. This “new” photograph shows a man, all alone, sitting on the small part of nature that still is, contemplating a huge metal dark wall.

What is the photograph about?

In this photograph, the emphasis is really put on the man. He is the pop of colour in the middle of the image. It is really the first think the viewer should see. His pose feels very lonely, as if he was the last one on a devastated planet.

I really like how the black background shows a huge contrast with the foreground, in maybe all the ways possible: it is very dark (against the lightness of the dust and the blue), it is black (against the light beige and blue), it has very graphic lines, typical of metal sheets (against the fluidity of the nature in the foreground). It also takes the biggest part of the picture whilst still not being the main focus.

ACTIVITY 2

In the first picture with the children eating ice-cream, what is mostly to be noted are how similar they are, as if they were mirrored: the way the eat it, the colour of their tops, their facial expressions. The car in the foreground, the stuffed animal and the lighthouse (far in the background) are interesting as well. I like all the graphic lines in the image.

The second picture is remarkable in terms of colour: the red of the binoculars is reflected in the notebook and in the tail of the plane. The light-blue necklaces are also to be noted. It is hard to really analyse because of how crowded the background is.

I really like the third picture. The perspective is interesting, the contrasting colours are very nice (the more muted colours for the environment and the flashy reds and yellows on his clothes), etc. It’s like the model wears all the colours that his surroundings have. He is also waiting in a room with washing machines, suggesting that his clothes are being washed. It’s as if without the muted environment (the washing machines), the colours could not exist.

The last picture is quite perturbing. I don’t really know what is going on, but I am noting how staged it feels compared to the three pictures that came before. The models are posing, the flag in the background doesn’t feel natural at all. There’s a very clear perspective, as all the straight lines on the ground are pointing toward the upper-right corner of the picture.

Caption 1: “Legend”

This caption draws attention to the clothes, as it is what is written on the model’s t-shirt. This also adds a deeper meaning, as we start wondering about who the model is: is he a legend? Is his life one? Is the photograph one?

Caption 2: “Reflections”

This caption draws attention to the shine of the ground, of the washing machines (metal and glass), of the leather, and to the flash on the plastic sheets on the background wall. The way light reflects on it is very interesting and, when you look at it closely, fascinating. This caption is centred on the lighting.

Caption 3: “Candid Patience”

This caption reflects the model and what he’s doing. He is candidly waiting for his clothes. It is more literal than the two last ones but still not as literal as the one following.

Caption 4: “Young Man Waiting For His Clothes To Be Washed”

This style of caption is very different from the last ones, as it seems quite literal. However, who says that this is what is happening? I like it a lot.

Caption 1: “Industrial Pride”

This caption mainly focuses on the flag in the background and the overall environment. The word Pride today is often associated with the Pride parades, and the pride flag that goes with it. The poses the models have shows the pride, while everything around reflects this industrial point of view.

Caption 2: “Trains”

With this caption, I tried to focus on what’s going on around the picture instead of the picture itself. The clues we get from the composition are the chains, the opening on a huge building behind that white brick hall, there seems to be tracks on the ground. While I don’t know if this really is related to trains, it is what it makes me think of.

Caption 3: “Traffic”

This caption is a play on words. As mentioned above, I imagine this place to be a factory where trains are being built. If you focus on the window that should be open to the outside, we can note that it’s actually been covered in planks, as if the building had actually been abandoned. What the models are doing isn’t specified, but it might be illegal when you see the way the window was blocked out. Traffic then comes into mind, as it works for trains moving and for illegal business.

Caption 4: “Showroom”

This is a caption that should make you consider the environment differently. The lighting feels so fake and too good that it makes me think this might actually not really be a factory but more of a showroom, maybe just a shallow movie set with prompts.

- Deutsche Borse Prize, Photographer’s gallery

Mohamed Bourouissa, Free trade

What is the main message of this artist’s work?

Bourouissa is an artist that mainly wants to criticise colonialism and its effects on society. This reflects a lot with his own background, as he was born in 1978 in Algeria. He photographs about who he is, about people around him (may he know them or not). For example, he treated in one of his series the unemployment problem in Marseille (which is a city known for its big immigrant communities). He also made a series about friendship. All of these concrete examples all would not be if the French had not colonised Northern Africa, so I personally think it is to be considered as a consequence of colonialism.

How is this conveyed? (What techniques is s/he using?)

To get his message across, he uses several media: photography (of course), but also augmented reality, emphasising people being invisible to most. A very important aspect of his photographs are also the model’s insight and participation (which is a thing I personally value a lot). They are an integrant part of how the photograph will come out, and more than by simply being in them.

When one looks at the pictures he produces, the theme is very much about the consequences of colonialism and what came after it. To convey that, he goes for graphic lines, bold colours and strong lighting (may it be natural or artificial).

This is the most striking picture of Bourouissa that we have access on the website. First of all, the subject makes it very clear: it’s police abuse, an unfortunately common sin of our society. The important part of it is the victim, the guy sitting on the ground, as the focus of the image emphasises.

The story this image shows us is very hard and can be seen in its composition. This coloured guy on the ground is getting arrested, but the woman standing to him, on the right part of the frame, is clearly in a position of sadness, as if she had given up in front of so much injustice. It is to be noted that the policeman just next to the sitting guy is black, showing how some will fade in, while some won’t.

The colours are very beautiful. They are probably artificial. Coming from our point of view, a strong warm orangey-red light, and coming from the back, a cold light-yellow light. It shows how the warm side is the “home” side, and that the police are coming from the outside.

These contrasting lights are also reflected in the clothing (and their colours): the two civilians look like they were just taken out of bed, wearing very few and in light colours (grey). The policemen, on the other hand, wear black, combat boots, etc. This contrast is very important, really creating two different worlds, a warm home versus a cold outside.

Anton Kusters, The Blue Skies Project

What is the main message of this artist’s work?

In his series called “The Blue Skies Project”, Kusters wants to represent trauma the best way he can. This is a really heavy theme that is very difficult to represent, as trauma in itself is a very personal thing that is felt differently for each individual.

At the basis of his project lays the story of his grandfather. He nearly escaped deportation in 1943. Kusters though: what if he had been deported? What would he have felt? How would this have been like? Can I find those feelings myself today? Kusters then decided to go to Auschwitz to “investigate”, hoping to find answers, but all he found was the realisation that there were many more camps than Auschwitz: over a thousand, according to him. In order to really get that trauma, all would have to be visited.

How is this conveyed? (What techniques is s/he using?)

To really get that hard feeling, Kusters takes polaroid pictures of the blue sky in each camp. This is heavily symbolic. The polaroid in itself is a media that is very fragile, like the concept of trauma. The images are printed but time can (and probably will) make it disappear, in the same way what we remember of those camps and times is fading away. The subject of each of those polaroid is the blue sky, which is also very symbolic, as it never stays in place, as it is ever-changing. It shows how volatile the image of trauma is.

There are two more aspects to be discussed: the inscription on the polaroid pictures and the presentation overall. On each polaroid, Kusters insisted on blind stamping the number of victims and the coordinates of each camp. This is very contrasting with the principle of the polaroid itself: when blind stamping numbers (or any other thing) into a picture, the picture is marked forever and that information cannot be erased. It’s very interesting: the image of the sky will end up fading away, like our memories, but the number of victims and the exact location will never disappear. It’s like a reminder.

Finally, the presentation is very important. Ruben Samama was asked to compose a 13-year long generative audio piece “which recreates in sound and length the period between 1933 and 1945 when the camps were operational.” This plays a big part on how we can feel the exhibition. In Samama’s words, “It is history being played. […] In single sounds, and one sound being one victim, there is no hierarchy in trauma.” It really is adding one more layer to this already heavy exhibition.

I don’t think there is that much to say about the picture itself, as the work of Kusters is mostly symbolic. It is a simple representation of a blue sky. We can see that it looks typically like a polaroid picture, with a lighter centre and darker areas in the corners. This simplicity creates a real contrast with the heavy theme of the exhibition. We would not think of a blue sky to talk about trauma or genocide.

We get more information with what is underneath than with the image itself. It tells us that 25 people died in that camp. I looked up the coordinates, and they are of a city in the North of Poland (Gdansk), but I couldn’t find the camp associated with it.

The title of the series doesn’t say much: “The Blue Skies Project”. Indeed, that is what the polaroid pictures show, but it doesn’t say much more about the theme of the photographic series as a whole. It is very much needed to gather more information about it to really enjoy it and understand its depths, meaning that the exhibition text is 100% needed.

Mark Neville, Parade

What is the main message of this artist’s work?

With this series, British artist Mark Neville wants to show what life is in the area of Guingamp, in Brittany. He wants to show the real meaning of community and identity through community in this rural area of the North-East of France.

In the case of the little town of Guingamp, the sense of community is enhanced in many ways: the football team, the farming community, the Breton dancers, the baton twirlers, the beauty pageants, etc. It relates a lot to what Brittany really means: a little Britain. There’s an emphasis on the contrast between Brittany and Britain, also pushed forward by the fact the project started when the UK voted out of the EU. Neville thus shows his own sense of community (as he is British) through the mirroring of France.

He photographs animals and shows the complex relationships farmers develop with their cattle, as we all know that the end product is food. Agriculture is a recurring theme of Neville’s photographs. He insists on the importance of sustainability.

How is this conveyed? (What techniques is s/he using?)

There are two different kind of pictures: some look very documentary, unstaged, whilst others show a clear organisation and are staged.

All of his pictures show a person, sometimes accompanied by one or more animals, which helps in translating his point of view.

This picture sits in the more staged category of Neville’s work. It portrays a little girl, probably from a cheerleading team as her pompoms show. Behind her are many dogs, all of the same breed, with a pond. The little girl’s expression is very contrasting to her portrayal: her stare is quite empty, while her clothes are colourful, happy, she has bright blue eyes and blonde hair, but really her expression is almost lacking in a way.

The way the dogs come out behind her is quite weird and I can’t put my finger on how this picture was taken. At first, I thought of a collage, but it seems that there is some wooden installation floating on the pond behind her, which allows them to be almost floating in the air.

On this picture, Neville plays a lot on perspective. The little girl seems to be the point of emergence from where all the dogs come out.

Clare Stand, The Discrete Channel with Noise

What is the main message of this artist’s work?

This series is inspired by Eckhardt’s “Electronic Television” from 1936. She is interested in communication and what makes it possible today, mostly the modern means of communication and how the interpretation of a conversation can lead to many different outcomes.

How is this conveyed? (What techniques is s/he using?)

Her process to construct her series is quite precise. As she resided in France, she asked her husband (who lived in the UK) to pick images from her own archive and to draw a grid on it, cutting it into a lot of squares. Then, he had to put on each square a number from 1 to 10 that would represent a different tone of grey. When that was done, he was to give her the numbers in order on the phone.

This is one of the image Stand recreated after being on the phone with her husband. It is very interesting. First off, the choice of black and white (or grey) is a strategic choice, put up probably to make Stand and her husband’s work easier, but it is also a nod to her inspiration, Eckhardt’s “Electronic Television” (1936), as everything was in black and white at that time.

This image shows very well the complexities of communication. While we don’t know what the original image is like, some parts of it seem… wrong? The way her husband interpreted some “pixels” to be very light do not translate very well on Stand’s recreation of the image. It is as if they were out of place. We can definitely pick up the overall scene, a man sitting at his desk, maybe using a typewriter or a computer of some sort, but it is hard to know more – which completely validates Stand’s point.

In your view, which artist should win the competition? Why?

Personally, I think the winner should be Bourouissa, the first of the four artist I’ve treated. I comparison with the others, I really enjoy how he doesn’t overcomplicate his message. What he shows is instantly striking, whilst much more reflexion is needed for the others.

I also really like the participative aspect of his series, which is something I am also doing in my own photographic series.

- Personal photo

Show yourself (self-portrait)

This photo for me really what I would show as a definition of the word: contrast. I really wanted this picture to show as many contrasts as possible to illustrate a really important thing for me, which is showing your “true colours”, who you really are, and how that real internal person is often very different from the “public figure”.

To do that, I tried to show pain in my facial expression. I want to show on there how much it hurts to have to keep your inner persona a secret, how hard it is to keep for yourself something that you really want out in the world.

I used colours a lot to emphasise this contrast. The red jumper I am wearing represents the outer shell, vibrant and invincible to the world. However, when one looks at the face, you can see many blue highlights (that I achieved by holding my computer underneath my face with a blue plain image showing). As blue is on the opposite of the colour wheel to red, it adds one more contrast in the image.

The last contrast that I included in the image is done with the lighting. This photograph is shot next to my window, with the blinds closed, which produces a very homogenous diffused light. I decided to keep it on my back, and to have a very dark face in general, to again emphasise the contrast between the outer (the back) and the inner persona (the front).

The other two captions I have for this picture that change its meaning are:

“When You Hit Your Toe on the Table”

“Choking”

If I were to crop the picture to change the meaning, here’s what I would produce:

By cutting out the main subject that shows really what this picture was about and turning it sideways, this picture now shows something utterly different. The play with the white, the beige and the red are already very interesting as colours.

The subject could also be very different. This here could be captioned “A Day at the Beach”, and the viewer could see the sand, the blinding sun and maybe a bright red towel.

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johnsmith216 · 5 years

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daniel882646-blog · 5 years

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thepaperpanda · 7 years

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THE SILENT SHOUT || PART I

A/N: my best friend has been diagnosed as borderline. Currently I have an occasion to spend a lot of time with him, I am also a witness of his anxiety and panic attacks, of his rage outbursts and incertitude, which is overhelming him on and on. Looking at him one day a thought came up to my mind: if BPD can be caused by some traumatic experiences, maybe Bucky was suffering to similar symptoms also. After all things Hydra had done to him, I suppose he might likely suffered from this disorder. That’s why I decided to make a little series of bpd!Bucky. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. Based on a true events.

Words: 1624

Warnings: self harming, panic attack, bpd, angst, bpd!Bucky, sad!Bucky, depression, blood, graphic description of violence, swearing

Author: Rouge

It has been a week since he moved to your house.

From the very beginning you were more worried than happy about that idea of Steve. Despite your positive attitude towards Bucky, you good knew he may cause a lot of problems.

But on the other hand you understood what Steve has been going through for last couple of years. Notorious uncertainty, sadness, sorrow. He was a mess and you wanted to do anything to comfort him.

When you heard that Shield finally found Bucky, alive, you felt a deep relief. It meant the end of Steve’s mental pain. It meant that since then everything could have been seen only in a bright colors.

When Steve came to you with his idea of taking Bucky to your common house, you didn’t even try to hide your dissatisfaction. A lot of arguments had taken place then in between two of you. But finally Steve managed to melt your heart and you said yes.

However, keeping the good of your child in your mind, you ensured Steve that if something wrong will about to happen, you will move out, taking baby with you. He agreed on that little deal without blinking.

You had to reconcile with a fact your man was sharing his love at three, not only at two… It obviously was hurting you, sometimes Bucky seemed to be Steve’s number one, but you had to accept it. They were friends since childhood, they grew up together, they were fighting together, arm to arm. In such situation you could do nothing. You didn’t want to hurt Steve by your listlessness at Bucky’s problems. You knew that man went through a lot in his life. Like Steve, Bucky Barnes was only a pawn in that brutal game. Like everyone of you…

When you met him for the first time since 5 years, you were shocked.

He looked incredibly good, some bruises still could have been seen at his muscular arm and neck, few scars on his collarbones, a swollen jaw. But he looked good as for someone who has been tortured for months.

But something had changed and you easily felt that.

His eyes.

There were no more happiness in them. That beautiful blue eyes of his, which were glowing with a mischief sparks formerly, now were dark and bereft the will of life.

“Y/N! Can you hold the door please!?” Steve screamed aloud.

You got up from the leather sofa in living room and quickly went to open the door. As soon as you did, you saw several boxes and a bit of Steve’s bangs above them.

“Do you need help?” you asked amicably, opening doors as wide as you could.

“No, dear, just hold on them” Steve said. Slowly and carefully he passed through the threshold and put boxes down in the hallway.

You were observing him for a while, then you sight fell on someone standing in front of the door.

James Bucky Barnes.

Standing there dressed in a large black leather jacket, dark jeans and grey shirt, with a black hat on his head, Bucky slowly raised his chin and looked briefly into your eyes.

“Hi, Y/N” he gave you a small smile, a little wince appeared on his face.

“Bucky” you smiled happily, whispering his name and taking step back to make a space for him. “Come in, come in.”

Hesitantly he walked inside and then you closed the door behind him making sure they were locked.

“Follow me” you gave him another smile and you led him to the large living room.

It was the biggest room in Steve’s house. One wall had windows and door leading to a big balcony. The room was painted in light orange mixed with lime. The floorboards were made of pear tree wood that had a nice, warm shade. There was a brownish carpet with an abstractive pattern in the middle of the room. Steve had fitted your common living room with stylish furniture. There was a big dark brown leather corner sofa on the left. It had light brow cushions. In front of it, there was an ebony coffee table with sculptured legs and edges. There also were two brown armchairs. The table were placed on the carpet. Next to the sofa, there was a tall lamp which metal parts were coloured patina gold. Opposite to the sofa there was a big plasma TV standing on a stand similar to the coffee table. Below the TV there was a black DVD player. Right to it, an ebony case with clouded glass doors could be found. There also was a small showcase where you put some books, films and wine glasses. Above the sofa there was a wide painting showing a stunning sunset on a seaside. The windows were decorated with a short white delicate curtain and fantasy yellow drape. On the windowsill, there standed a flowerpot with an orchid. Next to it there was a picture frame with a photo made on your vacation in Dubai. The room was really warm and cosy.

“Do you want to drink something?” you asked politely when Bucky sat on the sofa. “Coffee, please…” he looked at you and took his hat off, placing it next to him.

You walked to the kitchen and put a kettle on a stove. Suddenly you felt a pair of familiar strong hands at your slim waist.

“Thank you…” Steve whispered directly into your ear, leaning down to kiss your cheek from behind. “It means a lot not only to me, Y/N.” “I know, Steve” you gave a slight nod and slowly turned your head towards him so you could reach his rough lips and kissed them.

Steve hummed happily at the unexpected kiss, his grasp got tighten around your waist.

With an agile movement you slipped out of his arms, pecking his lips.

“He is my friend too, Steve” you said, pouring a boiling water to the cup with black coffee. “It was obvious I’ll say yes in a respond to your idea” you shrugged slightly. “I was and am still worried about Sebastian, our child.” you lifted your chin and sadly glanced at Steve.

He rubbed his chin.

“I know… But he is working on those… Outbursts..” Captain sighed deeply. “Okay. I will move boxes to his room. They are still blocking the passage through the corridor” he let out a quiet giggle before he left kitchen.

You took a cup of coffee and came back to the living room.

“Here you go” you put the cup on the table, smiling at Bucky and taking a seat in one of the armchairs. “So… How are you, Buck? You look magnificent” you smirked warmly, crossing your legs.

“I’m doing good lately” he took a sip of coffee, humming in an approval of the bitter taste. “You’re a real coffee master, Y/N.”

You laughed shortly.

“Oh, thank you! Charming as always, Buck!” you winked at him.

He woke up in the middle of the night.

For a while he was laying motionless on his back, glaring up at ceiling.

Then he slowly got up. When he was walking towards bathroom, he could feel a chill at his bare legs and torso. He had only his black boxers on.

He entered the bathroom and carefully closed the door behind him, trying not to make any sounds which could woke you and Steve up.

Bucky stared at the scars lining his right wrist, observing it as if from a great distance. Other days he would count them and their meanings, one for every time they'd hurt him. Every time he hated himself for lying to people he loved. But it was so easy, too easy for him to promise them that he had taken the antidepressants. And now, feeling the scars beneath his fingers, Bucky could picture it so vividly that he could feel each sharp intake of breath, each tear that slid from his pale skin. As the bathtub faucet ran cold water over his neck and the blade glowed crimson beneath his clumsy fingers, his head would tilt back, his mouth open in silent agony but also perverse joy, because he knew that he should not be feeling this, doing this, enjoying this as he did. And his anger exploded with each swift movement of the razor, his pain that so often destroyed him coating the floor of the tub in sickening contrast to the pale tile. He remembered kneeling on this same floor, attacking his biceps until he could take it no longer and fell back, exhausted, against the bathroom cabinet. It was few weeks ago, when Steve agreed to doss him when he escaped the hospital run by Shield. The urge was so strong that he clenched his fists to keep from reaching for the blade. It was so tempting. So painfully tempting. Bucky thought desperately of his wrist again, aching to feel sadness for the delicate skin that he so readily destroyed. He forced his fingers to stay on the shining tiles, but so eager was he for the pain.. And he cut the skin once again, observing like a little stream of redness was pouring down, mixing with a cold water at his feet. He felt like his skin was burning under the touch of a cold razor, he felt a bit dizzy because of the blood which was flowing out of the cut. Bucky chuckled nervously, but it turned into breathless weeping. He stayed here as long as he had to, until the urge was gone. Because he had to fight this and he knew that. Because of the five words he kept repeating in his mind, kept vowing, swearing to himself.

I won’t draw blood tonight.

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tripxtours · 6 years

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Bizarre things you can do in Dubai

Dubai is one city that’s bursting with surprises. It holds an assortment of unique experiences from around the world, adapted into this beautiful country. In this write-up, we are going to explore some of the most unusual and unexpected you can get involved in during your visit to Dubai. So dive right into this read and we are definite you will find something that will excite you!

Walk through an Aquarium or choose to swim amidst predators!

If you are someone who loves the world of deep sea and marine creatures, Dubai may be the perfect place for you to go vacation at! Pay a visit to the Underwater Tunnel which is a part of the Dubai Aquarium and you can even take a walk through the aquarium in an acrylic tunnel with a view that spans 270 degrees. You can journey through this breath-taking place and experience the marine world through three varied ecological zones namely – Coastline, Rainforest and night creatures. They also have animals such as Giant spider crabs, penguins, piranhas, crocodiles, seahorses. Sea jellies and much more!

If you love deep sea creatures and a sense of adventure, the Predator dive at the Atlantis Palm is a must visit. Here you can swim amidst some of the rarest species of sharks and rays among 65000 other marine animals. You can also hand feed the creatures during this descend into the ambassador lagoon at the Lost Chambers aquarium, Atlantis.

‘Chill’ in an Ice Lounge

Dubai is also home to the first Ice lounge in the Middle East- Chillout Lounge, which is simply a grand place to be at! You can witness sculptures crafted in ice, seating completely made of ice and more here. This place is a combination of ice, glass, and steel which is lit by diffused lighting that enters through the ice blocks. These low-lux hues also bring out the patterns embossed in the ice cubes that make the walls of the space.

To ensure your body does not get affected by the sudden dip in temperature, the lounge provides you with sufficient thermal clothing and is also facilitated with a buffer zone set to 5 degrees, to let your body adapt to the sub-zero temperatures before you enter the lounge. If you are famished, you can also dine here and choose from an assortment of sandwiches, hot drinks, and exquisite desserts.

Dine in the sky

Dubai is well known for the multitude of cuisines they offer and the unique flavor and taste of the Emirati food. What if we told you that dinner in Dubai could be turned into an adventure? At Dinner in the sky, you can do just the same. Floating up in the sky 50 meters above ground, you can not only indulge in a fine dining experience but also treat yourself to a magnificent view of the skyline of Dubai.

Dining in the sky is perfect procreation where a view meets a plate. You can book ahead and go along with your loved ones as this epic experience can seat 22 people simultaneously. If you like capturing memories of a place on your travel, you can have the time of your life atop this dining space, as almost all of the icons of Dubai such as Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, Palm Jumeirah, and Dubai Marina is clearly visible from here and that too at a panoramic angle.

Ski in a Desert country

Unbelievable as it may sound, you can ski from a high slope and even get a chairlift ride with an incredible view in a desert-like Dubai. Ski Dubai, located in Dubai Mall is one of UAE’s top destinations is an arena filled with real snow and temperatures as low as 4 degree Celsius. The destination is so authentic that you will have to dress exactly like how you would in a ski resort! You can have the time of your life in this place regardless of your age; spend your time building a snowman, ride a sled downhill, climb towers, capture the view from a chairlift, ski through a slope or take a visit to the ice caves in the snow park!

Ski Dubai is also excellent in terms of facilities as they understand you may not have come to Dubai prepared for heavy winter weather. They provide thermals and anything necessary and you can even buy a cup of steaming hot cocoa to savor in the cold. They also have rides you can venture on such as the snow bullet ride, mountain thriller ride, and an indoor zip line over the snow-covered slopes.

Soar up to the sky in a balloon

Sounds like a dream doesn’t it? Soaring up into the sky amidst the clouds, the sun, and birds! No dream is impossible in this versatile country. Going high up in the air on a hot air balloon ride is an item in the bucket list of every human being. It is a unique, scintillating experience with views that are worth dying for. As the launch of the balloon ride usually begins in the desert, you can also use the chance to go on a desert safari along with the ride.

As you soar up into the endless sky up above, you will start to see the vast desert expanding with each second and objects getting smaller with the height. At a height close to 4000 feet above the sands of the desert, you will get a glimpse of the ocean at a distance like a blue-green splotch on the land. Another advantage of this experience is that you will be able to witness the fauna of the desert as well; gazelles, camels, gazelles, oryx and more, in a picturesque setting.

Upon landing, you will also be welcomed with a delicious Arabian breakfast before you return to the city to add a sense of completion to your visit to the desert skies at twilight.

Zoom across the mountains on the world’s longest zip line

If you are someone who lives for the feel of adrenaline rushing through your veins, Dubai has something to add to your list of adventures. Located upon the mountain ranges of Jebel Jais, the zip line is the largest of its kind in the world that will let you cruise over the peaks at a speed as high as 150 kmph at a height of 1680 meters above ground. The feel of the fear dissipating into the air as you are distracted by the breath-taking views, that feeling of being disconnected from everything except nature and the feeling of true freedom are things you must experience at least once in your lifetime.

As for safety, you can completely avoid worry as the facility is equipped with the best security harnesses and safety precautions to ensure you are safe at all times. The ride lasts for a blissful three minutes until you land on a platform.

Take a walk through a man-made bio-dome

Want to experience how being a real rainforest would feel like? Take a trip to Dubai! Sounds truly bizarre, doesn’t it? Like we said, there is almost no experience that Dubai does not form home to. The Green planet, Dubai is a multilevel structure that is maintained at the exact weather conditions of a rain forest in Amazon. There is simply a world inside here consisting of over 3000 varieties of both rare and indigenous flora and fauna. This vast and enclosed ecosystem is also the largest of its kind which forms the ultimate destination for anyone who loves nature. The atmosphere inside can seem unfamiliar with the specific settings of humidity, temperature, and light. However, after a few minutes, you will adapt to it completely and start to breathe in the freshness of the forest life.

We hope you had a roller coaster ride of a virtual experience as you went through this write-up. Take a unique journey into the world of adventures, experiences and once in a lifetime opportunities with a visit to this land of dreams- Dubai. Book with TripxTours to explore the real Dubai and travel with #NOREGRETS!

#ski dubai #longest zip-line #Hot Air Balloon Ride in Dubai #Flying Cup Dubai #best desert safaris #dubai aquarium #Dubai mall

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lillypulitzer-world · 4 years

Link

These glasses are very helpful in reducing the exposure of blue light to our eyes whenever we are looking at a screen. These glasses are designed in such a way to block the blue light and hence protect our eyes from its harmful effects. They help in reducing eye strain and headaches.

#Blue light blocking glasses Dubai

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evefiller1 · 6 years

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text change

After the tutorial I started reading through the text to try and get rid of the windows and ensure all the spaces where even. during the process I noticed that some of it didn't make sense, I think this was a mixture of chopping and changing the text when creating the content and when transfusing it over to illustrator . I have now read through it and got rid of all the widows but the next has now changed. I have checked and it is still within the word count.

A look into the future

Overpopulation

Overpopulation is an undesirable condition

where the number of existing human population

exceeds the carrying capacity of Earth.

In the history of our species, the birth and

death rate have always been able to balance

out to maintain a population growth rate that is

sustainable, but this is not the case now.

Since the time of the Bubonic Plague in the

1400’s, the growth of population has been on

a constant rise. Between the time of the plague

and the 21st century, there have been hundreds

and thousands of wars, natural calamities and

man-made hazards. However, none of these

have made a dent on the population. Developing

nations face the problem of overpopulation

more than developed countries, but it affects

most of the Earth as of now.

According to the Overpopulation Index which

ranks countries according to the sustainability of

their populations, Singapore is rated as the world’s

most overpopulated state, followed by Israel and

Kuwait. The UK is rated 17th in the table.

There have been many attempts in the past

to reduce and prevent overpopulation but a

sustainable solution hasn’t yet been found.

A lot of work and awareness was made through

China’s one child policy. It started in the 1970s

when China’s population was rapidly approaching

the one-billion mark. The official program

was started to combat this by the central

government of China, the purpose of which

was to limit the great majority of family units

in the country to one child each. The rationale

for implementing the policy was to reduce the

growth rate of China’s enormous population.

It was announced in late 2015 that the program

was to end in early 2016. It did work with the

fertility rate down, however some of the gains

were offset though with a drop in death rate

and a rise in life expectancy. The policy wasn’t

stainable as it did cause an unbalanced sex ratio

with there being 3 to 4 percent more males.

Males where seen as more desirable causing a

rise in females getting aborted, adopted and

some were abandoned. There was also a

growing proportion of elderly people but not

enough children to later rely on for support.

Small changes are being made around the

world to help combat the issues, including family

planning advice, tax benefits or concessions, and

better education on the matter.

What is the cause of

this massive rise in

population?

Technical advancements

Growing advances in technology with each

coming year has affected humanity in many ways.

One of these has been the ability to save lives

and create better medical treatment for all.

A direct result of this has been increased lifespan

contributing to the growth of the population. In

the past fifty years, the growth of population has

boomed and has turned into overpopulation. In

the history of our species, the birth and death

rate have always been able to balance each

and maintain a population growth rate that is

sustainable.

Immigration

Many people prefer to move to developed

countries like US, UK, Canada and Australia

where the best facilities are available such as

medication, education, security and higher levels

of employment. The result ends in overcrowding

within these highly established countries.

Difference between the number of people

who are leaving the country and the number of

people who enter narrows down which leads

to more demand for food, clothes, energy and

homes. This gives rise to shortage of resources.

Though the overall population remains the same,

it just affects the density of population making

that place simply overcrowded.

Poverty

For thousands of years, a very small part of the

population had enough money to live in comfort.

The rest faced poverty and would give birth

to large families to make up for the high infant

mortality rate. Families that have been through

poverty, natural disasters or are simply in need

of more hands to work are a major factor for

overpopulation. As compared to earlier times,

most of these children now survive and consume

resources that are not sufficient in nature.

Effects

Degradation of Environment:

With the overuse of coal, oil and natural gas, it

has started producing some serious effects on

our environment. Rises in the number of vehicles

and industries have badly affected the quality of

air, releasing more CO2 emissions which

leads to global warming. Melting of polar ice

caps, changing climate patterns, rise in sea level

are a few of the consequences that we might

have to face due to the increase in pollution.

Rising sea levels is a massive issue as it takes up

vital land that we need for homes and facilities.

Rise in Unemployment:

When a country becomes overpopulated,

unemployment rises as there are fewer jobs

to support the large number of people. Rise in

unemployment gives rise to crime as people

will steal various items to feed their family and

provide them basic amenities of life.

High Cost of Living:

As difference between demand and supply

continues to expand due to overpopulation,

it raises the prices of various commodities

including food, shelter and healthcare. This means

that people have to pay more to survive and

feed their families.

The way we live and our homes have rapidly

changed over the years, and they still have a lot

of room for development with two thirds of the

world expected to live in cities by 2050, we

will have to take some dramatic changes. This

book suggests some crazy but possible ideas of

your future home.

Underground

Underground construction has been around for

thousands of years, mostly developed through mining

and more recently through transport, and commercial

industries, but not yet for luxury.

Underground housing (sometimes called earth sheltered

housing) refers specifically to homes that have been

built underground, either partially or completely. These

subterranean homes have grown increasingly popular as

space is getting limited and soon it will be just normal to

go underground for work and living.

In Mexico there is proposed building that would house

5,000 people, with terraced floors receiving natural light

from a huge glass ceiling above – although the lower

floors will need extra lighting with fibre optics.

Under the sea

Going under water make sense as the sea level

rises it is taking away land that we currently use.

However it is more complex then going

underground. Technological advances would

be needed to deal with emergency evacuation

systems, and environmental controls of air

supply and humidity. According to Koblick, the

technology already exists to create underwater

colonies supporting up to 100 people.

Making larger habitats with multiple modules

made of steel, glass and special cement used

underwater would be simpler than trying to

create one giant bubble. These smaller structures

could be added or taken away to create living

space for as many people as desired. Most

likely, we wouldn’t want to build any deeper

than 1,000ft (300m), because the pressures at

such depths would require very thick walls and

excessive periods of decompression for those

returning to the surface.

Building up

Building up saves space driving housing on a large

scale, we already use the basic idea of building

up with hotels, flats but we don’t yet have the

technology and materials to build any higher.

Skyscrapers need a big base, which limits their space

saving potential, defeating the whole point. But

Dubai’s 828m-tall Burj Khalifa Tower offers a clever

solution. A unique Y-shaped design with a hexagonal

core and three wings has been used to create

perfect stability. Skyscrapers will get taller and taller

with the next set to be 1km tall in Jeddah. There is

definitely more potential however to use the space

above us if we think out of the normal skyscraper.

Architect Vincent Callebaut recently unveiled a

blue-sky plan for a high-flying fleet of self-sufficient

aircraft that are one part zeppelin cities and one

part hydrogen-generating floating farms. They

are 100% emission-free and are capable of generating

hydrogen gas without consuming land needed for

crops or forests.

Each airship will have 20 wind turbines, the

interior space can be for housing, offices, scientific

laboratories, and entertainment.

Flying cars

Flying cars are becoming very relevant and expect

to see them around very soon. With a growing

population and roads struggling to cope, flying

transport could become the new way to travel

around.

A flying car that doesn’t require a pilots licence has

been unveiled in California. It can travel for up to 25

miles (40km) at a speed of 62mph, and Its makers

say it will eventually cost the same as a typical sports-

utility car, but early models will be more expensive.

The car has been tested in Canada, where the

country’s aviation authority has authorised its use.

There are other similar designs that are being

developed in other countries including the Kitty

Hawk and Transition, which is set to be released later

this month.

Living on Mars

Humans will “absolutely” be on Mars in the

future, NASA chief scientist Jim Green stated,

and the first person to go is likely living today, he

said.

After the “building blocks of life” were discovered

on the Red Planet, life on Mars and living on

Mars seems to be less like a scene from the

movie The Martian and more like a reality.

Mars is more Earth-like than any other planet

in the solar system, making it an attractive

second option for the human race. There’s also

a natural beauty on the planet: a grand canyon

that measures nearly the entire width of the U.S.

and a volcano the size of Arizona. The plan is to

send someone to the planet by 2040. But that’s

dependent on quite a few factors.

References

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-of-

overpopulation.php

https://www.britannica.com/topic/one-child-policy

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150421-will-we-ever-live-

underground

http://www.sustainablebuild.co.uk/constructionunderground.html

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130930-can-we-build-underwater-

cities

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140530-how-high-up-can-

skyscrapers-go

https://inhabitat.com/high-flying-algae-airships-are-self-sufficient-airborne-

cities/

https://www.ted.com/talks/stephen_petranek_your_kids_might_live_on_

mars_here_s_how_they_ll_survive/discussion

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