#Christopher Noël

[m-c-easton]

Depicting Abuse in Fiction

This week I read an essay by Christopher Noël titled “Keeping Open the Wounds of Possibility: The Marvelous, the Uncanny, and the Fantastic in Fiction.” It was an approachable, hands-on review of ideas from the Russian Formalists (especially defamiliarization) and Wolfgang Iser (especially the reader and author co-creating the text). But I liked it most for helping me clarify some of my…

[yoannblogging]

081223 17:45

[nomadeurbain]

Les 3 plus belles bûches de Noël animalières 2022 : l'idée gourmande du jour 4/24

Le calendrier de l'Avent des idées Gourmandes de Nomade Urbain 4/24 : Les 3 plus belles bûches de Noël animalières 2022

Vous êtes sucrés ou salés ? Les deux peut-être ? La période de Noël est riche en douceurs, gourmandises, simples ou recherchée. Pour vous aider à vous faire plaisir, je partage quelques coups de cœur. Voici les 3 plus belles bûches de Noël animalières, pour des gourmandises craquantes. Les 3 plus belles bûches de Noël animalières 2022 : simplement à croquer Mieux qu’un animal empaillé, mieux…

[pandaofsecrets]

What's in a Name? — Miraculous Ladybug

2. CÉSAIRE, LAHIFFE & BOURGEOIS

2.1. Césaire

Césaire: from a Roman cognomen probably meaning "hairy", which was most famously the name of Julius Caesar. Was most likely chosen in reference to Aimé Césaire, a Martinican author, poet, and politician.

Alya: "sky, heaven, loftiness", in Arabic. It's also the name of a star in the constellation Serpens, but that's neither here nor there. Is a reference to singer Aaliyah.

Marlena: a blend of "Maria" and "Magdalena", it was chosen in reference to Marlena Shaw.

Otis: a reference to Otis Redding. Is derived from the Germanic name "Otto", meaning "wealth, fortune".

Ella: reference to Ella Fitzgerald. It comes from either a Germanic word meaning "other", or from the shortening of various names beginning with "El-".

Etta: short form of Henrietta and other names that end with "-etta". Is a reference to Etta James, whose stage name was derived from her real given name Jamesetta.

Nora: probably a reference to jazz musician Norah Jones. Is either from a short form of Honora or Eleanor, or from an Arabic name meaning "light", the latter of which would etymologically connect her name with Nooroo's.

2.2. Lahiffe

Lahiffe: from an Irish surname that means "descendant of the hero". Together with the last syllable of Nino's name, it forms a pun: in French, "-no Lahiffe" sounds a lot like "Nolife", which was the name of a French TV network that focused on geeky topics.

Nino: diminutive of various Italian names that end with "-nino", like Antonino and Saturnino. Its spelling resembles that of the Spanish word "niño", meaning "child". It has gone way up in popularity in France, going from #431 in 1995 to #28 in 2022.

Chris: a shortening of various names that start with "Chris-", like "Christopher" and "Christian". Is the English translation of the character's French name, "Noël", which is literally just the French word for Christmas.

2.3. Bourgeois

Bourgeois: from an Old French word meaning "city dweller", which originally referred to the wealthier members of the Third Estate during the French Revolution. Might also be in reference to "parloir aux bourgeois", a very archaic French term meaning "city hall".

Chloé: from the Ancient Greek word meaning "sprout", which was an epithet of the goddess Demeter. In modern Greek, it has the much less glamorous meaning of "grass, lawn".

André: from an Ancient Greek word that simply means "man".

Audrey: "noble strength", in Old English, this name is where we get the word "tawdry". Audrey is the only member of the Bourgeois family whose first name is not Greek in origin.

Zoe: "life", in Greek. Not as in being a name that means "life", mind you, it's literally the Greek word for life.

Lee: from the Old English word for "meadow".

[evren-sadwrn]

does vincent ever read for fun? if yes what are some of her favrite books/authors?

this is so funny bc not so long ago i made a list of books that vincent would read(this list is just books I’ve read in recent years btw) buckle up buddy this list is long. and yeah i didnt like the first list i think the first six or seven were apart of the original list lol

This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind

Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw

The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell

Les Fleur du Mal by Charles Baudelaire

The Prince by Machiavelli

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

Treachery in Bordeaux by Jean-Pierre Alaux & Noël Balen

Techniques of Persuasion by J.A.C. Brown

Public Opinion by Walter Lippmann

The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene

Hannibal: The Military Biography of Rome’s Greatest Enemy by Richard A. Gabriel

The Royal art of Poison by Eleanor Herman

Yves Saint Laurent: Haute Couture Catwalk

Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress

Monet by Christoph Heinrich

[landrysg]

Music for the Second Sunday of Advent:

Camille Saint-Saëns, Oratorio de Noël

Nicely performed by the Konzertchor Darmstadt and the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Christoph Poppen, conductor

[alexlacquemanne]

2023 in 12 movies (1 per months)

January

The Horse Whisperer (1998) directed by Robert Redford with Robert Redford, Kristin Scott Thomas, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Neil, Chris Cooper and Cherry Jones

[First Time]

February

L'Horloger de Saint-Paul (1974) directed by Bertrand Tavernier with Philippe Noiret, Jean Rochefort, Jacques Denis, Yves Afonso, Julien Bertheau and Jacques Hilling

[First Time]

March

The Fabelmans (2022) directed by Steven Spielberg with Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Keeley Karsten, Julia Butters and Judd Hirsch

[First Time]

April

The Third Man (1949) directed by Carol Reed with Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, Trevor Howard and Bernard Lee

[First Time]

May

The World, The Flesh and the Devil (1959) directed by Ranald MacDougall with Harry Belafonte, Inger Stevens and Mel Ferrer

[First Time]

June

La ciociara (1960) directed by Vittorio De Sica with Sophia Loren, Eleonora Brown, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Carlo Ninchi, Andrea Checchi and Pupella Maggio

[First Time]

July

Oppenheimer (2023) directed by Christopher Nolan with Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett and Casey Affleck

[First Time]

August

Heat (1995) directed by Michael Mann with Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Dennis Haysbert, Donald Breedan and Ashley Judd

[First Time]

September

Catch Me If You Can (2002) directed by Steven Spielberg with Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Nathalie Baye, Amy Adams, Martin Sheen, James Brolin and Brian Howe

[First Time]

October

Le Grand Bain (2018) directed by Gilles Lellouche with Mathieu Amalric, Guillaume Canet, Benoît Poelvoorde, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Philippe Katerine, Félix Moati, Alban Ivanov, Balasingham Thamilchelvan, Virginie Efira et Leïla Bekhti

[First Time]

November

Fools Rush In (1997) directed by Andy Tennant with Matthew Perry, Salma Hayek, Jon Tenney, Carlos Gómez, Tomás Milián, Siobhan Fallon et John Bennett Perry

[First Time]

December

The Great Race (1965) directed by Blake Edwards with Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood, Jack Lemmon, Peter Falk, Keenan Wynn et Ross Martin

[First Time]

Honourable Mentions :

Airplane! (1980)

Duel (1972)

Les Sentiments (2003)

The Carpetbaggers (1964)

Scoop (2006)

Mon crime (2023)

To Have and Have Not (1944)

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

臥虎藏龍 (2000)

The Glenn Miller Story (1954)

Le Dernier Voyage (2020)

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982)

L'ingorgo (1979)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Adieu Gary (2008)

Conflict (1945)

Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

La Nuit américaine (1973)

Sorcerer (1977)

La Guerre des polices (1979)

Life of Pi (2012)

The Big Short (2015)

Le Hussard sur le toit (1995)

Excalibur (1981)

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)

Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)

Le Procès Goldman (2023)

Enter the Dragon (1973)

Matrimonio all'italiana (1964)

Chaplin (1992)

La Vie de château (1966)

Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

Au-delà des grilles (1949)

Second Tour (2023)

Le Couteau dans la plaie (1962)

The Eiger Sanction (1975)

JFK (1991)

Le Fugitif (1993)

Chef (2014)

Quai des Orfèvres (1947)

Appointment with Death (1988)

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

River of No Return (1954)

L'Assassinat du père Noël (1941)

Dances with Wolves (1990)

Die Glasbläserin (2016)

The Lion in Winter (1968)

Les Mystères de Paris (1962)

[gauloise-sans-filtre]

(It’s anon with movies!) i’m open to different genres except for horror movies and something too tooth-rotting romantic, and probably i’d like something made after 1990+!

Okay then, so I've had to remove a very big chunk out of the many romantic films in France. Below, a small list to see what you think about with no romance (except maybe a little bit for Amelie), as you wish and according to my tastes. You may know some of them, so let me know if you do, and if you liked them? I warn you that I'm not taking into account the controversy surrounding the directors. I'm only interested in the quality of the movies. I hope you'll find what you're looking for in this little panel. Normally, they are all available in english or with english subtitles.

But I have an objection the 90s were a good area for Luc Besson's action movies :

Nikita (La femme Nikita for the english speakers), Director Luc Besson

Léon (For english speakers Leon the professional), Director Luc Besson

Jeanne D'Arc (Joan of Arc for english speakers), Luc Besson

2000 : Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien, director Dominic Moll

2000 : Le goût des autres (For english speakers Taste of others), director Agnès Jaoui

2001 : Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (Amelie for english speakers), Director : Jean Pierre Jeunet

2001 : La chambre des officiers, director François Dupeyron

2001, Le Pacte des loups, director Christophe Gans

2002 : L'auberge Espagnole, director : Cédric Klapisch

2002, Le Pianiste, director Roman Polanski

2002, Monsieur Batignole, director Gérard Jugnot

2003, Les Triplettes de Belleville, director Sylvain Chomet

2003, Swimming Pool, director François Ozon

2004 : Les Choristes (For english speakers The Chorus), director Christophe Barratier

2004, 36, Quai des Orfèvres, director Olivier Marchal

2005, Enfermés dehors, director Albert Dupontel

2005, Joyeux Noël, director Christian Carion

2005, De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté, director Jacques Audiar

2006, Ne le dis à personne, director Guillaume Canet

2006, Je vous salue Sarajevo, director Jean Luc Godard

2007, Le Scaphandre et le Papillon, director Julian Schnabel

2008, Mesrine instinct de mort (part 1), director Jean François Richet

2008, Mesrine ennemi public numéro 1, director Jean François Richet

2008 : Le premier jour du reste de ta vie, director Rémi Bezançon

2008 : Deux jours à tuer, Jean Becker

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 6: Folie a Deux (originally published on October 2, 2023)

AN: And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. We've been building up to this for two years now, but at long last, Steven and Black Rutile finally go head-to-head once again. And this time, there will be nothing holding them back in their fight to the death, except for their own inner demons. Steven refuses to fight and kill for entertainment but deep down, he's resisting the urge to go all out. Meanwhile, Black Rutile is incredibly eager to kill Steven once and for all, but that doesn't stop her from having her own second thoughts about everything. This, I believe, makes their dynamic so well-written, though I might be bragging here since I was the one who created it. But enough stroking my ego, we're officially at the halfway point of Snake Eyes now, so let's begin!

Synopsis: Steven and Black Rutile have their long-awaited rematch. Meanwhile, Nosiop begins his plot for universal conquest.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Grace Rolek as Connie

Jennifer Paz as Lapis

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Aurelio Voltaire as King Cobralan Jormagundr

Jason Marsden as Prince Nosiop Jormagundr

Keith David as Pyth

Shirley Millner as Queen Constricta Jormagundr

Henry Rollins as Captain Boa

Neil Flynn as Aescul

Patti LuPone as Yellow Diamond

Lisa Hannigan as Blue Diamond

Christine Ebersole as White Diamond

Ron Perlman as Inner Steven

Christopher Lloyd as Batsputin Vosania

Anna Akana as Dionna of the Sands

Peter Stormare as Reximillian

--

"Okay ladies, everyone into your cells!" one of the Bismuth guards at Revanche 666 yelled as the Rutile Rebels were ordered to their assigned prison cells in the aftermath of their attempted takeover of Little Homeworld. "This will be your home for as long as it takes for you to change your ways and finally accept that you lost."

"So that's how it is, huh?" Black Rutile muttered as she glumly sat down in her cell and gazed at her feet. Everything she had worked so hard from the moment Steven came out as the so-called son of Pink Diamond was all made entirely pointless once again. And even worse, it wasn't even Steven who ruined her plans this time, but instead his disgusting human friends. That was one of many things she hated about Steven. Despite how toxic he was towards others, Steven always knew how to gather allies, whether they were former enemies he convinced would agree with him or simple-minded creatures he could mold into his slaves.

Of course, Black Rutile wasn't any better, but at least she knew how evil she was and loved it. But now, her love of manipulating others to her whims had been used against her thanks to some choice words by the Crystal Gems to turn her allies' collective backs on her. And now, as she heard her subordinates converse among themselves, Black Rutile had one question to ask herself.

"Is this still worth it?"

--

"Status update on the Diamonds?" a Slytherophidian scientist said to his lab assistant as the pair watched over three massive gems in an equally large containment field meant to house the ginormous Diamonds they would soon reform into.

"Their vitals are normal, Dr. Heller." The female Slytherophidian said, gazing down at a tablet documenting the Diamonds' statistics. "They should return to their normal forms within a few minutes."

"Excellent work, Dr. Mercer." Dr. Heller said before the two scientists turned to find Aescul walking into the laboratory. "Oh, hello Aescul. Need anything?"

"Yes, I'm gonna need you two to leave for a bit so I can have a little privacy with our giant guests here." Aescul stated. "They're gonna need some catching up to do."

"Understood, sir." Dr. Heller said as he and his assistant left Aescul alone in the lab, just as the Diamonds regenerated their forms and found themselves in the containment unit.

"Oh, what happened?" Yellow groaned as she slowly regained consciousness from her fight with the Metals. "Where are those Metals?"

"Where are we? Some kind of laboratory?" Blue asked while looking around and tapping on the glass.

"You are exactly right, my Diamond-y friend," Aescul stated. "Hi, my name's Aescul. I'm a Slytherophidian spy who participated in the surveillance of your people and brought your little friend Steven to your planet. Nice to meet you guys."

"Hello there, Mr. Aescul." White Diamond politely greeted the spy in a somewhat awkward fashion. "Would you mind telling us where we are and why we're here?"

"Oh yeah, that." Aescul nodded. "You took quite a beating against the Metals, and I just wanted to see if you'll be alright in time for Steven's big fight with Black Rutile."

"Whose big fight with what?!" Yellow yelled in shock.

"Oh no, Steven!" Blue added, just as horrified at the decision, while Aescul remained stoic.

"Please, you must tell your masters to change this decision at once!" White begged Aescul on her knees like her life depended on it. "You have no idea how much Black Rutile hates our dear Steven!"

"Sorry, everybody, but rules are rules," Aescul said as he turned to leave. "You know, I can let you go so you're free to watch, ladies. You just need to keep your mouths shut since everybody hates you so much. Remember that cover-up?"

"Yes, we convinced the universe at large that all the planets we conquered were uninhabited to hide the fact that we committed genocide, we know," Yellow stated dryly as the Diamonds were released from their confinement. "I don't think I want to know how Steven would react to such news."

"Probably not well at all." White nodded fearfully while Aescul led them out of the lab. Little did they know was that Steven was having his own issues at the moment.

--

Meanwhile, Steven anxiously paced back and forth in the Crystal Gems' quarters at the Ouraborium as he contemplated what he had heard earlier. Queen Constricta had just announced that Steven and Black Rutile were due to fight soon in the arena, their first one-on-one battle since Black Rutile invaded the beach house while the Gems were in Los Diego. A lot has changed since the two last fought, but one thing that remained a constant was that Black Rutile utterly hated him and wanted every opportunity she got to knock him down a peg.

"Well, well, well, look who's all ready for his big day." Black Rutile declared sarcastically as she entered the room to speak with Steven one last time. "Don't get cold feet, old friend. The Slytherophidians wouldn't like that. Then again, they already hate you as is."

"So, what brings you here?" Steven said tepidly. "Want to gloat some more before we fight?"

"Quit reading my mind!" Black Rutile laughed before offering her archenemy a high-five. "Give me five!" Steven didn't answer, causing Black Rutile to high-five herself instead. "But in addition, I come here to inform you of a new plan I've come up with in cooperation with a new acquaintance I've made here with similar designs for the universe as I."

"Who are you talking about?" Steven asked quietly.

"I am, of course, talking about Prince Nosiop Jormagundr." Black Rutile stated. "You'll get to meet him soon, of course, but for now, to give you an idea of what we have planned." She played a holographic image of a tall, humanoid figure looming over the Crystal Gems and zapping them into poofing before the Gems reformed, looking like they had just emerged from a Kindergarten. "Nosiop and the rest of the royal family have connections with a being known as the Lapidarist that can revert all Gemkind into their base programming." She explained. "Meaning that we won't just force the Crystal Gems into being returned to what they were originally created to do, but the Diamonds and all of your little friends too! And maybe as a bonus, you might fall victim to the Lapidarist's powers too, thanks to you possessing good ol' Pink Diamond's gem."

"I knew you would do something like this to get your way!" Steven screamed angrily. "You're a monster!"

"Oh, I'm a monster. I haven't heard that one before." Black Rutile replied with a cross of her arms and a roll of her eyes. "What are you going to do about it? Shatter me? Oh wait, you can't because you're a pacifist! No, pacifist might be too kind for you. You can't shatter me because you're a coward."

"I am not!" Steven yelled back, only for Black Rutile to shut him up with a finger to his lips.

"Oh sure, try and deny it all you want, but let me make one thing clear." Black Rutile stated. "All of this was your fault. All of your friends were abducted by these snake people all because they've been watching you for months on end, and now they're all going to die because you don't want to fight!"

"But that's the idea." Steven tried to explain himself. "I told the king that I refuse to kill people for the entertainment of others, something I'm sure you would love to do."

"Oh sure, even the king is patting you on the back for your cowardice." Black Rutile sneered as she prepared to leave. "But remember that next we meet, you and the other Crystal Gems will finally learn your place under my heel."

"I'll see you in the ring." Steven said as Black Rutile left the room. Once again, she was plotting her revenge, but this time, her plan would involve transforming all Gems into her slaves, the Crystal Gems included. Steven couldn't stand for this. As much as he wanted to stay true to his guns, Black Rutile needed to be stopped once and for all, no matter what it would take.

"I said I've had enough of your bullying, Black Rutile," Steven yelled as soon as he heard another pair of footsteps approach him. "I'll see you in the ring!"

"I'm not Black Rutile, but I still think we need to talk about her," Greg replied in a firm yet gentle and fatherly tone while sitting beside his son.

"Please don't tell me she convinced you I'm a monster." Steven prayed that his beloved father wouldn't betray him.

"What, no?! I would never think such horrible things about my son!" Greg exclaimed. "Black Rutile's a monster, and your kindness aside, anyone else would've wanted to put her down for good with no remorse."

"Then I don't understand why you're talking to me when you barely know her," Steven responded.

"It would be the logical move, the safest move, the sensible move," Greg added.

"But?" Steven asked.

"It's not the Steven move. You trust people. You give them second chances, and they live up to your expectations the best they can." Greg explained. "I mean, Lapis, Peridot, Jasper, Bismuth, Spinel, the Diamonds, White Topaz, they all wanted you dead or out of the way, yet you believed they deserved a chance anyways."

"And here comes Black Rutile to refuse a second chance and live up to how evil she can be." Steven muttered disdainfully.

"No one can deny all the horrible things she did." Greg agreed with his half-human son. "I mean, she formed an entire terrorist organization to get revenge on you AND tried to destroy or conquer Earth multiple times!"

"But now she and Nosiop are plotting to reset the entire Gem race and use them to conquer the universe!" Steven exclaimed.

"True. And if I had your powers, I'd use them to take her down if I had no other option." Greg shook his head in agreement. "But I never thought I'd live to see you consider doing the same. You always find a way."

"Not this time." Steven declared as he got off the couch. "I've had to do a lot of growing up ever since I discovered my powers."

"And you did pretty great despite all you endured." Greg smiled pridefully, remembering all the ups and downs he and his son went through together as Steven grew up.

"For a while. But then I kept letting her get in my head and making me live up to her expectations. It's because of her that I had to leave everyone behind!" Steven exclaimed angrily, only for Greg to not answer him. "Aren't you going to argue with me?"

"Not when you're right, Schtu-ball," Greg replied somberly, knowing what Steven would do next.

"I've had fun, but I knew that when the situation gets serious, so would I!" Steven added.

"I'm not gonna argue with you, Steven," Greg said, not wanting to get into a fight with Steven. "I just wanted to make sure you really thought about this."

"I have, Dad. I'm sorry about what I'm going to do to Black Rutile; I really am." Steven replied firmly as he turned around and prepared to leave for the arena, his eyes briefly glowing a faint pink. "But I'm not a bright-eyed little kid singing songs about ice cream anymore. Playtime's over."

--

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, you've been waiting for this fight for ages now, but at long last, the moment has arrived!" King Cobralan announced to his cheering audience. "In this corner, you know him; you absolutely hate him, Steven Universe!"

As Steven marched out into the arena, he was met with booing and insults from the Slytherophidians, who were eager to see him killed in action. At the same time, the Crystal Gems could only watch helplessly as their human son was forced to fight against his will.

"Please do your best, Steven." Pearl silently prayed for Steven's survival.

"What are the odds of him making out of this alive, Garnet?" Amethyst asked the fusion.

"I'm calculating a 32.33% chance of Steven making this out with perfect mental health," Garnet replied, lowering her shades. "Repeating, of course."

"Well, that's better than he usually does," Jasper added.

"And in this corner, the Striking Shadow of the Rebellion, the leader of the Rutile Rebels, the little Rutile that could, the most wanted criminal known to Gemkind, BLAAAAACK RUTIIIILE!" The Slytherophidians celebrated Black Rutile's introduction, a stark contrast to how Steven was received, as Black Rutile strutted into the arena with her sword over her shoulder.

"You know what shall happen once I win this, right?" Black Rutile snidely asked Steven as she drew her sword. "You shall die, and there will be much rejoicing." To emphasize her point, Aquamarine and Eyeball gave a dry "Yay." from afar.

"I know, but I'm willing to try." Steven said as he nervously summoned his shield to defend himself as Black Rutile furiously charged at her archenemy and tried to stab him with her sword. Throughout the first part of the fight, Steven mainly defended himself with the shield from Black Rutile's attacks, all while she vented her frustrations and insecurities on him.

"Haha, you're just blocking!" Black Rutile laughed. "Typical Steven, never once raising a fist even if his life depended on it! You're just like your mother, just as weak and pathetic a brat as she was!"

"Seriously, pressing the mother button again?!" Steven yelled before he finally decided to throw a punch, but Black Rutile effortlessly caught it and threw him to the ground.

"Oh, what's the matter, little boy?" Black Rutile taunted. "Going to cry? Maybe soil yourself in front of hundreds?"

"So this is going to be our battle?" Steven muttered frustratedly. "Just you making speech after speech in between insulting me? Trust me, if I wanted to hear someone talk about themselves all day, I'd spend time with Peridot or Jasper."

"You know I can hear you, Steven!" Peridot yelled in offense before Jasper pushed her away.

"Come on, Steven, destroy her!" Jasper ordered Steven.

"No, this isn't just a battle. It's a message." Black Rutile replied while holding back tears of rage and sorrow. "A message about how you ruined countless lives with your worthless pacifism, but none more than mine. Before I met you, I was the ideal servant! Proud, ruthless, ruling by intelligence and charisma alone! Under my gentle guidance, entire armies of Gems made civilizations tremble before the Diamonds' might! But then you came along, a mere human boy from a pathetic little ball of dirt thought long abandoned by the Diamonds, a boy who stripped me of my honor and pride that I built my entire identity upon. It was at your hands that I suffered my greatest defeats and was forced to live life as a commoner after giving up everything I had worked for. You could not begin to imagine the disgrace I felt when I was exposed as a mere victim of White Diamond's sense of humor in front of everyone on your world!"

"But you still don't understand!" Steven exclaimed as he got back up and smacked Black Rutile in the face with his shield, making her tears fly free as she parried another attack and pressed her sword against the shield. "You were this way because the Diamonds gave you everything you could've ever wanted, and you still selfishly wanted more! Has it ever occurred to you that you're more like Pink Diamond than you think?!"

Angered by this accusation, Black Rutile slashed at Steven's shield as she began crying in earnest, something that Steven had never seen her do before, if she could even express such sadness at all. "Don't you dare compare me to that overgrown brat! I had suffered for centuries because of her, and now it's because of you that I lost everything!" she screamed tearfully. "I admired the Diamonds so much, but it's all their fault I'm reduced to a shell of my former self! Why do I have to keep chasing after a damned half-human rat who always knew what to do to ruin my life?! Why do you keep getting so strong and winning at everything, and even be acknowledged by the Diamonds as one of them, but why was I the one always getting pushed aside?! Why can't you just accept me for who I am?!"

Steven couldn't believe what he was seeing. Black Rutile, who had prided herself as a cunning, devious, opportunistic, sociopathic monster, was showing real sadness for the first time ever since they first met each other on that faithful day when she and White Topaz interviewed him for their fake news show. Everyone has seen Black Rutile laugh, but now Steven isn't sure if anyone has ever seen her cry.

However, Black Rutile quickly brushed her tears away and replaced her crestfallen frown with a psychotic grin. "But now, with Nosiop and the Lapidarist by my side, I can start anew with a new army, a new Homeworld to rule, and an entire universe at my fingertips to enslave! That's why I needed to come with you, to seize the opportunity like I always do! The Lapidarist shall free us of these petty attachments we have forged with each other, and I have to say, revenge feels pretty good."

"Not yet." Steven firmly stated as he stood his ground and awaited another attack from his nemesis.

"Too little, too late. Story of our lives, Steven Universe." Black Rutile smirked as her sadness turned into insane laughter as she lunged at Steven, ready to kill him once and for all.

--

"So, is this what Black Rutile is truly like?" Dionna of the Sands asked as she and the other Universal Lords watched the fight between the half-human son of Pink Diamond and the rebellious Rutile below their theater box. "I have only heard stories about her atrocities before now."

"Nay, as someone whose life was threatened by her before, this is utterly new to me." Batsputin added with a curious shake of his head. "Never before have I seen someone pour their heart out this much. Metaphorically, of course."

"It is extraordinary to see a Gem act this way." Reximillian agreed with Batsputin. "Is it normal for one of their race to be this emotional?"

"I'm not too sure." King Cobralan answered fearfully. "I'm afraid that should Steven Universe survive this, there should come a time for him to learn the truth."

"The truth about what, my love?" Queen Constricta asked.

"The truth about the origins of Gems and how they connect to us," Cobralan told his wife, making Constricta realize what her husband was talking about. "Captain Boa, inform our special friend at once."

"It shall be done, sire." Captain Boa said as he slithered away. "And I'll make sure to look for Princess Naja and Pyth as well. No one has seen them lately."

"Don't bother, Captain." Nosiop told Boa as he took a break from silently cheering for Black Rutile to face his uncle. "Naja is just in her room, nothing too serious. As for Pyth, wouldn't you like to know?"

--

While the Contest of Champions was going on, Pyth had retreated into his favorite hidden chambers within the royal family's castle with a torch in hand to search for something he hadn't checked up on in decades. Raising his torch to the wall, the Jormagundrs' royal vizier examined a series of stone wall carvings depicting what could come in the future.

They displayed images depicting what appeared to be figures resembling Steven and Black Rutile fighting each other in the arena, then shaking hands, followed by the two of them facing a large humanoid figure with hair resembling White Diamond's, and then them preparing to fight an even bigger snake creature.

"It is just as the prophecy foretold." Pyth stated ominously. "The sword and the shield shall soon reach an understanding after the shield learns of the sword's true inner self, just in time for Ragnarok."

--

"Dang, Black Rutile is really going all out." Greg muttered in surprise at Black Rutile's emotional outburst. "Never expected her to be that broken."

"She's lying, I just know it!" Connie yelled as she struggled to rush out into the arena and back up Steven against Black Rutile. "Black Rutile would never say something like that; she has to be faking it!"

"Connie, please calm down!" Pearl said while holding Connie back from recklessly charging into battle. "I know you love Steven, but I think he can handle himself here."

"Still, I've never seen Black Rutile like this before." White Topaz added. "I've been working with her for ages, and even I don't think she would get this emotional."

"Maybe it's because of how Steven ruined her life." Aquamarine said as she fluttered into view, with Eyeball, Holly Blue, and Cat's Eye beside her. "Think of it: she is only now venting all of her frustrations because, in this world, violence is both the only question and the answer."

"And the answer is yes!" Eyeball added cheerfully.

"Ugh, these guys." Lapis groaned in disgust. "What'll it take for you just to give up already?"

"In all seriousness, even we're questioning our loyalty to Black Rutile right now." Holly Blue declared. "We're so sick of her complaining about her losing; we almost selected a superior leader to replace her!"

"But unfortunately, Black Rutile and his new friend had to come in and ruin our fun!" Cat's Eye declared dramatically and swooned into Holly Blue's arms. "Now we are well and truly lost!"

"I'll believe it when I see it, drama queen." Jasper scoffed in disbelief as everyone turned back to watch the fight with bated breath. The battle between Steven and Black Rutile had just gotten more intense than ever, escalating from a duel between rivals to a clash of warriors. But who would make it out of this fight alive was left to the viewers.

--

"What's wrong, boyo? Too scared to keep fighting?!" Black Rutile snarled viciously as she threw her bowie knife at Steven's eye, only for him to block it with his shield and accidentally injure a Slytherophidian in the audience. "Oh, I get it; you want to go easy on me because you think I'm just so scared and misunderstood!"

"I know what you're going through, Black Rutile. There was a time when I felt scared and alone, too!" Steven exclaimed as he continued fighting back. "Of course, that was half because you made me feel like everything I did was for nothing!"

"Everything you did was for nothing, you pink brat!" Black Rutile responded as she jumped into the air and tried attacking Steven from behind. However, something began to change within Steven in the seconds before she would land the finishing blow.

"You're really just going to stand there and let her kill you?" a familiar voice in Steven's head asked. "Do you give up? Will you abandon their hope? Can you not feel their desperation?" Steven's eyes lit up in shock as the world around him froze, the only ones moving being himself and a being who looked just like him, only more muscular with pink skin and his hair in a pompadour. "Will evil forever rule the universe? HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN?!"

"You again!" Steven yelled at Inner Steven, facing him. "What do you want with me now? What have I forgotten?"

"I'm asking if you've forgotten what it means to stand up for yourself." Inner Steven said, turning Steven around to face Black Rutile, ready to stab him in the back. "Tell me, my friend, are you ready to surrender and let a monster like her claim the victory she craved for so long?"

"But what if she isn't a monster?" Steven asked his darker half. "Fighting her has given me a whole new perspective on Black Rutile as a person. She feels so lost and alone, and it's all my fault. Maybe if she stopped trying to kill me for a minute, maybe we can finally talk things out!"

"Oh please, she's probably lying as always to play with your sympathy." Inner Steven shook his head in disgust before he got an idea. "As a matter of fact, why don't I take the wheel for a bit? I've been wanting some action for a long time now."

"Well, if that's what you want, then by all means," Steven sighed in resignation before stepping away to let Inner Steven take hold. "go get her, tiger."

"You're too kind, my little friend." Inner Steven grinned happily as time resumed to normal, and Black Rutile was about to stab Steven in the back. However, she was quickly met with Steven grabbing her sword by the blade, not caring about the injuries to his hand it would cause, before saying one word in a very deep voice. "FALL!"

Steven's increased volume sent Black Rutile flying back into the arena walls, creating a significant dent in the wall as the Slytherophidians gawked at Steven's sudden change. Not even the two hecklers had any wisecracks to make because of how shocking this was.

"W-what is this?" Black Rutile stuttered in shock at this new development. "Who are you?! Where is Steven?!"

"He's gone." Steven, now under the control of Inner Steven, declared as his body became a pink silhouette with glowing white eyes and a pair of shields in his hands.

"What did you just say?!" Black Rutile shouted. "Answer me!"

"He's GOOOOOOOOOOOOONE!" Steven boomed loud enough to create a shockwave that rocked the Ouraborium and the entire surrounding city, causing everybody inside to fall over from the sudden yell.

"Wait, this is just like when I removed his gem!" White exclaimed hopefully while the other Diamonds trembled in fear. "If this is anything like that time, then Black Rutile is toast!"

"Steven, you can't do that!" Black Rutile yelled angrily. "This victory is mine!" With an angry battle cry, the Rutile charged at Steven with her sword, ready to kill, only to be grabbed by the face and slammed into the ground. "What happened to you, Steven?! Why are you like this? Answer me, blast you!"

"This is what happens when I cut loose and show you how powerful I really am." Steven announced before picking Black Rutile up and throwing her to the sky before zipping towards the airborne Gem with superhuman speed and striking her with everything he's got. "ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA-OWATTA!"

"Make it stop, make it stop!" Black Rutile screeched as she felt every last bit of hatred Steven had for her with every attack. But no matter how much she wanted to, she could never poof from the amount of damage she was taking, almost as if Steven wanted her to suffer all the pain she wrought upon others.

As Black Rutile landed on the ground in a cloud of dust while Steven descended from the air, the only thing she could do now was plead for mercy. "No more, Steven Universe! Grant me mercy, I beg of you!"

"You, who are without mercy, now plead for it?" Steven scoffed in disgust at Black Rutile's attempted surrender. "I thought you were made of sterner stuff."

"That's what you think!" Black Rutile briefly regained her bravado and drew her sword, but Steven deflected the attack with his twin shields before grabbing the blade and twisting it into a corkscrew shape.

"No need to wonder where your god is, Black Rutile, for he is right here." Steven declared menacingly, his threat sending shivers down the audience's spines. "And he is fresh out of mercy."

"Oh, how cute, he thinks he's a-." Black Rutile chuckled before she realized what Steven was about to do. "OH SHIT!" With another punch to the face, Black Rutile skidded to the ground so hard she was almost buried within Serpentes's surface. As she burst one hand out of the arena's floor to pick herself back up, Steven stepped on her face, and Black Rutile was forced back into the hole.

"This is where you belong, Black Rutile. Under. My. Heel." Steven coldly declared as Black Rutile continued trying to escape. "Had enough yet?"

"You know what? I give up." Black Rutile said, causing Steven to stop stomping on her as she exited the hole and onto her knees. "Go ahead, kill me. Kill me now." Steven was silent, as if he was hesitating to put her down. "DO IT!"

"FINISH HER! FINISH HER! FINISH HER! FINISH HER!" the Slytherophidians chanted as they beckoned the empowered Steven to shatter Black Rutile just as Steven returned to his senses and realized what he had just done.

"No!" Steven boldly declared upon regaining his humanity. "I refuse to kill someone who's already dead inside as is!" The Slytherophidians gasped in shock at Steven's announcement, but unlike the last time something like this happened, where they made him the scourge of Serpentes, they were willing to hear him out this time. "Just look at Black Rutile here. She's lost everything. Her power, her status, even her dignity. Everything she's been through has reduced my opponent into a pathetic shell of her former self, and I do not think shattering her would grant her any kind of sweet release she would be looking for. Why kill her when she's already killed herself?"

"So that's it? You're sparing me?" Black Rutile muttered in disbelief before she immediately grabbed onto his pant leg like an upset child. "Why?! Why can't you shatter me already?! I've ruined your life, turned you against your friends, and turned the whole universe against you! Why can't you just hate me like I do?!"

"Because after hearing you vent your anger," Steven coldly responded. "nobody hates you more than yourself." On that last word, Steven left the humiliated Black Rutile to be gawked at by the shocked snake people like she was some kind of endangered species. Perhaps Steven was right. No one did hate Black Rutile more than herself. And this made her very worried.

"Uh, this was certainly an unexpected end to such an intense fight." King Cobralan announced as he tried to ease the tension thick enough to be cut with the sharpest swords in the universe. "How about we go to halftime then?!" The Slytherophidians all cheered at the suggestion while their fearless leader wiped the sweat off his brow. "Oh geez, I do not want to know how the Lapidarist will hear about this!"

"Hmph, pathetic." Nosiop scoffed in dismay at Black Rutile's meltdown as a pair of Slytherophidian guards took her away. Regardless of her performance, she was still needed for his plan to succeed, but Nosiop knew she would need to be taken off the board soon.

--

Minutes later, Black Rutile was left to wallow in shame in her personal quarters at the Ouraborium, utterly humiliated by her defeat and how Steven refused to kill her no matter how much she begged him to end her suffering. But no matter what she did, Steven refused to cave into the pressure of others and stuck true to his ideals. "I thought this time, just this once, I thought I was gonna get what I was fighting for."

"Hey, Black Rutile, remember me?" White Topaz said as she entered Black Rutile's quarters to comfort her old master despite how much she was abused in the past. "I just thought I'd stop by and see how you were doing. Man, Steven absolutely destroyed you back there, huh?"

"Don't remind me." Black Rutile sulked angrily as she turned away. "The nerve of that boy, thinking I was more like Pink Diamond than I realized, and how nobody hated me more than me. Can you believe him?! Always projecting his own issues onto others!"

"But it's true, you are like Pink Diamond!" White Topaz agreed with Steven's accusations. "You got everything you could ever want, yet you still think that isn't enough, so you decided to become an evil megalomaniac bent on conquering the universe because you think you'd be a much better leader than any of the Diamonds combined."

"Because that's what I built my identity on! Or at least I thought I did." Black Rutile stated. "Until I learned that everything I worked for was because White Diamond found my dreams of greatness funny. I swear on my gem, once I learn more about the Lapidarist, I will restore everything to its proper order, except that only I shall be made leader of all Gemkind!"

"Then you truly are lost." White Topaz declared sadly, having now lost all hope in helping Black Rutile make a change. "Goodbye, my Rutile."

As White Topaz turned away and left Black Rutile behind, her former superior could only cry out for her ex-bodyguard to come back. "Topaz, get back here at once! Topaz!" The doors shut behind White Topaz, leaving Black Rutile alone in her room. "TOPAZ!" She fruitlessly pounded on the door with tears in her eyes, desperately trying to get White Topaz's attention, but to no avail.

What once was a proud, arrogant conqueror with delusions of grandeur was now a broken, lonely shell of her former self. Thus continues the tragic tale of the life of Black Rutile.

--

"What was all that for?!" Steven yelled at Inner Steven in the meantime. "You could've gotten Black Rutile seriously hurt or worse!"

"It's the least she deserves after all she's done to you." Inner Steven firmly retorted while folding his metaphorical arms. "Let's see, lying to you and all your friends, attempting to kill you, gaslighting you into betraying your friends, attempting to destroy the Earth multiple times, shall I go on? Going easy on her just wouldn't be enough if you ask me. Consider yourself lucky you made it out with your mental health intact."

Just then, there was a knock at Steven's door. "We'll settle this later, Inner Me. I think someone wants to see me." Steven said to the personification of his darker impulses as he opened the door to find Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl beside King Cobralan. "Oh hey, guys. Sorry, I got you all worried back there."

"Nah, we're not talking about how you utterly creamed Black Rutile in your fight." Amethyst shook her head morosely.

"We're here because King Cobralan wants to speak with you about something." Garnet added before nodding to Pearl.

"So, Your Majesty, what did you want to say to him?" Pearl asked the Slytherophidian king.

"I wanted to tell Steven that it's time he learns the truth." King Cobralan said forebodingly.

--

In Loving Memory of David McCallum

September 19, 1933 – September 25, 2023

"So many different ways to tell a story, but that's what makes them so interesting. You can never predict how they're going to turn out."

-Professor Paradox, Ben 10 Omniverse: "And Then There Were Ben"

So ends quite possibly the longest chapter of Snake Eyes yet, and how fitting that it's the chapter marking the halfway point. From here on out, Black Rutile has turned into full tragic villain, we get more hints on her big scheme with Nosiop and Pyth, and next time, Steven learns the origins of the Gems we've all been waiting for. And I can assure you, it'll be one of the biggest bomb drops I've written not just for Alternate Future, but for any of my stories in general. See you then.

[omagazineparis]

Quelques idées de cadeaux beauté éthiques et engagés !

Noël approche à grands pas et vous hésitez toujours sur les cadeaux à offrir à vos proches ? Entre la cosmétique, les crèmes et autres parfums, la liste des idées de cadeaux beauté est infinie. Normal dans ce cas de ne plus savoir où donner de la tête ! De plus, il n’est pas évident de trouver les marques prenant soin de votre peau, de la planète et des animaux à la fois. Mais n’ayez crainte : la rédaction d’Ô Magazine est là pour veiller sur les dernières tendances. Nous vous présentons ainsi nos cinq idées de cadeaux beauté éthiques et engagés ! Offrez une bulle de bien-être avec les produits 100Bon ! Crédit photo : 100Bon 100Bon est une maison de parfums lyonnaise fondée en 2017 par Christophe Bombana.  Son objectif était de créer des parfums naturels présentant un impact environnemental aussi minime que possible. Pari réussi : chez 100Bon, adieu le sur-emballage et le plastique ! Les produits sont mis en bouteille puis emballés dans un étui de papier kraft, simple et raffiné. Chez Ô Magazine, on adore le minimalisme ! Mais ce n’est pas tout… 100 % rechargeables, Made in France, recyclables, vegan et cruelty-free, les produits 100Bon n’ont pas fini de vous étonner ! Composés à 99,91% d’ingrédients naturels, la parfumerie élabore ses fragrances à Grasse, à partir de végétaux, d’huiles essentielles et d'alcool de blé bio. La liste s'arrête là ! Naturel et accessibilité, telles sont les valeurs de cette marque certifiée Slow cosmétique.  De plus, en se fondant sur l’Aromachologie, 100Bon met les bienfaits des huiles essentielles au cœur de ses produits en créant des formules qui font du bien au corps aussi bien qu’à l’esprit ! Mais au fait, l’Aromachologie, c’est quoi ? Il s’agit de la science étudiant les odeurs et leur impact sur les comportements humains. Les produits 100Bon vont donc plus loin que la parfumerie classique : ils influencent votre équilibre psychique, en vous permettant de mieux réguler vos émotions. Si vous êtes en quête du cadeau idéal, nous vous suggérons la Trousse de Noël Feel Good ! Craquez pour leur trousse de Noël en édition limitée, et faites découvrir cette nouvelle routine beauté aux bienfaits positivants ! Cette trousse contient un savon liquide Fleur d'Oranger & Lilas, une eau de parfum Bois & Poudre et un spray Idées claires issus de leur gamme Aromachologie. Prix juste, parfum enivrant, composition clean et transparente… que demander de plus ? Découvrez maintenant l'univers olfactif des parfums 100Bon ! Pour des cheveux nourris jusqu’au bout des pointes, direction Cut by Fred Crédit photo : Cut by Fred Derrière Cut by Fred se cache Frédéric Birault, le coiffeur chouchou des stars françaises telles que Mélanie Laurent, Marion Cotillard ou encore Vanessa Paradis. En 2016, Fred prend la décision de créer son propre studio de coiffure à Paris. Et le moins que l’on puisse dire, c'est qu'il fait un carton ! Mais le jeune homme ne s’arrête pas là…  Adepte d'un style de coiffure naturel et sans prise de tête, Fred en a assez des produits qui ne prennent soin ni des cheveux, ni de l’environnement. C’est pour cela qu’après des années d’élaboration, il crée sa propre gamme de produits capillaires. Et cela pour notre plus grand bonheur ! À la fois vegan, cruelty-free, fabriqués en France et formulés avec un maximum d'ingrédients naturels et biologiques, les produits Cut by Fred sont un véritable must-have. De plus, leur packaging est attrayant et les produits sont simples à utiliser. De bons basics à posséder, sans superflu ! Actuellement, certains des produits Cut by Fred sont conservés dans des contenants en verre, tandis que d’autres sont préservés dans un packaging totalement compostable. Beaucoup de ces produits sont également rechargeables. De quoi faire du bien à la planète !  Comme cadeau idéal, nous vous suggérons le Sérum nourrissant Cut by Fred au parfum 100 % naturel. Bénéficiant d’une composition parfaite, il nourrit et donne de l’éclat sans graisser. À base d’huile d’argan bio d’Abyssinie, de jojoba bio et de ricin également bio, il s’adapte parfaitement à tout type de cheveux. Alors craquez pour les produits Cut By Fred, LA marque de soins pour cheveux Made in France 100 % naturelle. Ces cadeaux beauté éthiques et engagés trouveront naturellement leur place au pied de votre sapin ! Pensez au rituel traditionnel avec les outils de beauté Jade Roller Crédit photo : Jade Roller Jade Roller est née de l’amitié entre Mei Zhang, d’origine chinoise, et Thibault Nelkin, originaire du sud de la France. Voyant Mei utiliser au quotidien le rouleau de jade que ce dernier a hérité de sa grand-mère, Thibault trouve l'inspiration ! À l’époque, il lui avait été impossible de trouver un rouleau similaire de qualité satisfaisante ! C’est donc de ce constat qu’est née Jade Roller, afin de rendre accessible à tous cet objet ancestral.  Mais à quoi sert un rouleau de jade ? Le jade est une pierre semi-précieuse. Largement utilisé dans la médecine chinoise traditionnelle, elle est également prisée par les Mayas et les Egyptiens dès l’Antiquité. Rien que cela ! L’action du roulage de la pierre de jade sur la peau détend le système nerveux et élimine les toxines par drainage lymphatique. Cela permet de stimuler la circulation du sang, procurant ainsi une amélioration du tonus facial. Il ralentit également le processus de vieillissement et conduit à un teint plus lumineux et éclatant que jamais ! Impressionnant, non ? La mission de Jade Roller consiste donc à vous accompagner lors de votre rituel de soin quotidien par un roulage d’une durée de 60 petites secondes. Rien de tel pour votre bien-être physique et mental ! Mei et Thibault travaillent directement avec leurs artisans et fournisseurs afin de garder la main sur toutes les étapes du processus créatif. De plus, ils conçoivent et désignent tous leurs produits en France, afin de garantir la meilleure qualité de fabrication possible. Comme cadeau idéal, nous vous suggérons l’Améthyste Roller. L’améthyste est une pierre semi-précieuse prisée pour sa beauté et sa rareté. Elle favorise l’équilibre, la sérénité, la créativité et l’ouverture d’esprit. Cette pierre est donc fortement recommandée si vous avez la peau sensible, réactive ou inflammée, et que vous êtes en recherche de calme et d’apaisement. Avec Jade Roller, il n'a jamais été plus facile de faire plaisir ! Idées de cadeaux beauté éthiques : faites découvrir les soins naturels à base d’actifs polaires Polaar Crédit photo : Polaar L’histoire de la marque débute dans les années 1970, alors que les parents de Daniel Kurbiel se rendent pour la première fois dans les régions enneigées du monde arctique. Des décennies plus tard, leur fils prendra la relève et fera la connaissance de Maria Olech, une étudiante spécialisée dans la flore polaire. Ainsi, il en apprendra plus sur cette flore aux actifs extraordinaires. Ainsi est née Polaar. Les voyages d’exploration se succèdent, au cours desquels les scientifiques cherchent à percer le secret de la flore polaire afin de créer des soins d’une nature inégalée. Des algues boréales aux vertus hydratantes et régénératrices hors du commun, à la délicate fleur de Nunatak aux propriétés anti-âge exceptionnelles, les expéditions des équipes de Polaar permettent de découvrir de puissants actifs à l’efficacité sans précédent. Mais Polaar est bien plus qu’une marque de soins naturels. En effet, l’objectif ne se limite pas au fait de ramener des ingrédients tirés des terres arctiques… il s’agit surtout de les préserver ! Depuis leurs débuts, la philosophie éthique de la marque fait partie intégrante du processus de création. Ainsi, les produits Polaar sont formulés sans alcool, ni paraben ni huiles minérales. De même, des filières de récolte responsables ont rapidement été mises en place en association avec des producteurs locaux afin de ne jamais abîmer la nature. Vegan, cruelty-free, ces produits contiennent des ingrédients naturels, aux principes actifs rares et innovants. Il sont le fruit d'une cueillette écologique et responsable… que désirer de plus ! vous trouverez sur leur site des idées de cadeaux beauté éthiques. Comme cadeau idéal, nous vous suggérons le Coffret de Noël Nuit Polaire. Laissez-vous tenter par la puissance des Algues Boréales dans ce coffret composé d’une crème revitalisante et d’un lait de corps hydratant. Provenant des abysses des océans polaires, la Rhodimenia Borrelia possède des propriétés revitalisantes, permettant une hydratation en profondeur. Alors n’attendez plus, faites découvrir Polaar, les soins issus du monde arctique ! Pour une mise en beauté engagée, optez pour Zao Make-Up ! Crédit photo : Zao Make-Up Ces dernières années, les marques cosmétiques ne cessent de se multiplier. Mais rares sont celles qui parviennent à combiner qualité, composition 100% naturelle et valeurs environnementales… Pour notre plus grand bonheur, une marque conjuguant toutes ces qualités a vu le jour : Zao Make-up !  Co-fondée par quatre amis soucieux de préserver la Nature avant tout, Zao Make-Up est la première marque de maquillage 100 % naturelle, rechargeable et certifiée bio par Ecocert. Mais ce n’est pas le seul label de la marque… En effet, grâce à la qualité supérieure de ses produits zéro-déchet, Zao Make-Up a également obtenu la mention « Slow Cosmétique ». Avec plus de 80 critères d’évaluation, cette mention extrêmement recherchée est un véritable gage de qualité. Sans oublier que les produits Zao Make-Up sont également entièrement vegan et cruelty-free. Alors, que demander de mieux ! Découvrez donc ces produits d’exception dans leur écrin de bambou entièrement rechargeable. À la fois élégants, écologiques et économiques, vous n’arriverez plus à vous en passer. Pigmentation, composition, texture, tenue, qualité… tout est là. Vous ne serez pas déçue ! Cela permet d'allier le plaisir du maquillage protection de son capital santé. En effet, Zao Make-Up a éliminé toute substance chimique ou nocive de ses formules. Optez donc pour cette nouvelle routine beauté éthique et écologique ! Comme cadeau idéal, nous vous suggérons le Coffret « Cozy Beauty ». Pour Noël, Zao Make-Up a pensé à tout avec cet élégant coffret en bambou composé d’une bougie d’ambiance 100 % naturelle et végétale, d’un baume joues & lèvres et d'une box duo yeux composée d’un highlighter et d’un fard à paupières. De quoi créer un maquillage festif idéal pour égayer les fêtes de fin d'année !  Encore une marque incroyable qui vous propose des idées de cadeaux beauté éthiques. Vive les cadeaux beauté éthiques et engagés ! Au fil des années, il n’est pas toujours facile de trouver de nouvelles idées de cadeaux beauté faisant vraiment la différence. Surtout si l’on recherche des marques engagées ! Mais la rédaction d’Ô Magazine s’est chargée de tout et a déniché de véritables pépites. Crèmes à base d’actifs rares d’origine polaire, rouleaux en pierre semi-précieuse, maquillage zéro-déchet à la composition au-dessus de tout soupçon… voici des idées insolites et écolo pour un Noël que vos proches ne sont pas prêt.e.s d’oublier ! Alors, inspiré.e.s ? Et vous, quel est le cadeau de notre liste qui vous fait craquer ? Read the full article

[toutmontbeliard-com]

Conseil municipal de Montbéliard

Conseil municipal de Montbéliard ce mardi 2 avril 2024 à 18h00, salle du Conseil de Pays de Montbéliard Agglomération, avenue des Alliés à Montbéliard. L’ordre du jour est : Mme Marie-Noëlle BIGUINET 1- Avenant de projet à la convention-cadre d’Opération de Revitalisation du Territoire de Pays de Montbéliard Agglomération – Intégration de la Ville de Montbéliard au programme Action Cœur de Ville 2 Mme Marie-Noëlle BIGUINET 2- Définition des Zones d’Accélération des Energies Renouvelables (ZAEnR) et bilan de la concertation associée Mme Marie-Noëlle BIGUINET 3- Mise en demeure d’acquérir la parcelle cadastrée section BH 67 sise 39 route d’Audincourt – Emplacement réservé n°11 – Renonciation à l’acquisition Mme Marie-Noëlle BIGUINET 4- Rachat par la Ville de Montbéliard du bien sis 44 rue de Belfort en portage foncier à l’Etablissement Public Foncier Local Doubs Franche-Comté (EPF) M. Eddie STAMPONE 5- Rapport sur la situation en matière d’égalité femmes / hommes M. Eddie STAMPONE 6- Budget Principal – Reprise anticipée des résultats de l’exercice 2023 au Budget Primitif 2024 M. Eddie STAMPONE 7- Budget Primitif – Année 2024 – Budget Principal M. Eddie STAMPONE 8- Budget annexe du service public des cimetières – Reprise anticipée des résultats de l’exercice 2023 au Budget Primitif 2024 M. Eddie STAMPONE 9- Budget Primitif – Année 2024 – Budget annexe du service public des cimetières M. Eddie STAMPONE 10- Impôts locaux – Fixation des taux 2024 M. Eddie STAMPONE 11- Autorisations de Programme – Budget Primitif 2024 - Ajustement M. Eddie STAMPONE 12- Subventions aux associations, au CCAS et subventions d’investissement – Année 2024 M. Eddie STAMPONE 13- Provisions comptables et reprises sur provisions – Budget annexe du service public des cimetières – Année 2024 M. Eddie STAMPONE 14- Tarification – Année 2024 - Actualisation M. Eddie STAMPONE 15- Personnel communal – Prime exceptionnelle de pouvoir d’achat M. Eddie STAMPONE 16- Personnel communal – Actualisation du tableau des emplois M. Eddie STAMPONE 17- Rénovation énergétique école élémentaire Jules Grosjean – Sollicitation d’un fonds de concours auprès de PMA M. Eddie STAMPONE 18- Société Publique Locale Territoire 25 – Souscription à l’augmentation de capital social de la société Mme Christine SCHMITT 19- Lumières de Noël 2024 – Demandes de subvention M. Christophe FROPPIER 20- Accueil du Marché du Soir de Pays de Montbéliard Agglomération – Signature de la convention M. Christophe FROPPIER 21- Garantie d’emprunts à la Société Anonyme d’HLM Néolia – Réhabilitation de 10 logements sis 1 à 19 rue des Fusillés de 1944 à Montbéliard M. Christophe FROPPIER 22- Garantie d’emprunts à la Société Anonyme d’HLM Néolia – Réhabilitation de 29 logements sis 2 à 6 rue Maurice Ravel à Montbéliard M. Christophe FROPPIER 23- Garantie d’emprunts à la Société Anonyme d’HLM Néolia – Réhabilitation de 141 logements sis 4 à 10 rue Jean Zay à Montbéliard M. Christophe FROPPIER 24- Garantie d’emprunts à la Société Anonyme d’HLM Néolia – Réhabilitation de 135 logements sis 8, 10, 12 et 14 rue Pierre Brossolette à Montbéliard M. Christophe FROPPIER 25- Garantie d’emprunts à la Société Anonyme d’HLM Néolia – Réhabilitation de 64 logements sis 10 à 16 rue Jules Massenet à Montbéliard M. Christophe FROPPIER 26- Garantie d’emprunts à la Société Anonyme d’HLM Néolia – Réhabilitation de 70 logements sis 40 à 52 rue Etienne Oehmichen à Montbéliard M. Christophe FROPPIER 27- Garantie d’emprunts à la Société Anonyme d’HLM Néolia – Réhabilitation de 24 logements sis 49 rue Etienne Oehmichen à Montbéliard M. Rémi PLUCHE 28- Propriétés communales – Habilitation du Maire à déposer les demandes d’autorisations d’aménager ou de modifier un Etablissement Recevant du Public (ERP) Questions diverses. Read the full article

[gourmandisestv-paris]

MA BLANQUETTE DE SAUMON A LA NORMANDE façon Mère Mitraille - Un délice !... RECETTE : Une bonne Blanquette de Saumon à la Normande pour les fêtes de fins d'année, Noël ou Saint Sylvestre !, ou à faire à toutes les saisons... Laissez-vous tenter par cette blanquette de poisson, ce plat économique car peu de cuisson !. Un goût subtile et réconfortant. Avec ses moules et ses crevettes roses, sa sauce légère sans alcool, on adore grâce à la recette de la Mère Mitraille. (La liste des ingrédients figure dans la vidéo). Bon régal !. Christophe.

[goodlifevancouver]

Chez Christophe Holiday Chocolate and Cake

Chez Christophe Chocolaterie Patisserie launches 10th Anniversary Holiday Collection Holiday Collection for festive gift-giving and seasonal indulgence. Located in Burnaby Heights and White Rock, the chocolatier is featuring its signature handcrafted showpieces, Bûche de Noël (Yule Log), limited edition dragee, bespoke gift boxes, and stocking stuffers, including festive chocolate lollipops…

[kimludcom]

Mythique Rumba (Live at Muziekpublique)

Mythique Rumba set the Molière theater on fire celebrating the 1 year anniversary of the inscription of the Congolese Rumba on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. Artists of all generations performed an amazing set of rumba music with a live band of incredible quality! Exactly one year ago, on 14/12/2021, the Congolese rumba was inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. The cradle of rumba is, of course, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa) and the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), but some important pages of Congolese rumba were also written in our country. The Congolese group Mythique Rumba Congolaise International (MRCI), Mythique Rumba for short, is celebrating in the heart of Matonge and is inviting some of the most prestigious names in rumba for a first “anniversary concert”. The guests will be revealed on our website as they become available. Mythique Rumba Congolaise Internationale (MRCI) is an orchestra specialising in Congolese rumba. It is composed of talented performers, some of whom are internationally renowned. The orchestra never ceases to popularise the great classics of this mythical and danceable music that highlights the African scene and continues to conquer the world. It revives the work of such unmistakable artists as Kallé Jeff, Tabu Ley Rochereau, Franco Luambo Makiadi, Nico Kasanda, … Not forgetting those of subsequent generations: the Soki brothers, Nyboma, Pepe Kallé, Wuta Mayi, Papy-Tex and Josky. SETLIST 0:00:00 - "Africa mokili mobimba" ( Dechaud – African Jazz) 0:06:12 - "Congo avenir" (Tabu Ley – African Fiesta national) 0:11:39 - "Sola" (Mulembo – Bella Bella) 0:17:47 - "Fatimata" (Sam Mangwana) 0:25:45 - "Est-ce que" (Papa Wemba) 0:33:00 - "KSK" (Josky – Ok Jazz) 0:42:25 - "Chérie Bade" (Abeti Masikini) 0:48:36 - "Naïrobi" (Tabu Ley/Mbilia Bel) 0:54:57 - "Assana mwana mawa" (Nyboma) 1:01:57 - "Kamale + Double Double" (Nyboma) 1:15:00 - "Amena" (Pépé Kalle, Ppa Wemba, Emeneya) 1:20:59 - "Kizunguzungu" (Papa Noël – Ok Jazz) 1:36:03 - "Ayant droit" (Wuta Mayi – Ok Jazz) MUSICIANS - Vocals: Nana AKULU, Mélanie NYOKA, Grâce Nheema VANGU, Canta NYBOMA, Malage DE LUGENDO, Willy BULA, Chabrown LE MAHA, Hugues MOYABA. - Guitar: Caïen MADOKA (Direction artistique), Patient KUSANGILA, Jordan DIAPASON, - Bass: Jacquou ILUNGA, Pappy MUNTU - Brass section: Benoît DASSIE, Bert BERNAERTS, Didan DIBWIDI - Percussion : Tister IKOMO -Drums: Junior ILOKO TECHNICAL CREW Lights: Erik Janssens Sound: Christophe Loncour Video / editing: Elsa Audevart, Tom Coss Technical production: Mathieu Alexandre, Erik Janssens, Nathan Viboud, Jérémie Dupuy General Production: Klay Mahungu, Etoko vzw, Muziekpublique https://www.muziekpublique.be

[jesanson]

SIEC 2023 : enjeux et perspectives de l'immobilier commercial

À l’occasion du SIEC 2023, le Salon International des Espaces Commerciaux, dont DCG.media est partenaire media, nous avons pu poser quelques questions à Christophe Noël, Délégué général de la Fédération des Acteurs du Commerce et des territoires.  Christophe Noël, Délégué général de la Fédération des Acteurs du Commerce et des Territoires Trois bonnes raisons de se rendre au salon SIEC 2023 ?…