#Defence Capital Conversation

[defencecapital]

Interview: This is how Lohia Aerospace Systems plugs the composites gap in the Indian defence industry

By N. C. Bipindra In the wake of India’s Operation Sindoor against terror camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in May 2025, what stood out was the indigenous military systems that defended civilians and military infrastructures against Pakistani missiles, drones, and artillery fire. The effectiveness of Indian military equipment mainly depends on the key input of raw materials…

[xclowniex]

I genuinely find it disgusting that people go "people don't care about Palestine because they're brown, if it was happening to Ukraine people would care"

And this is vile for many reasons

1) Ukraine is still being invaded, Russia has not left yet. Why the fuck are you dragging the people of a country trying to survive into your little PR war.

2) Whilst Ukraine is considered a white country as the majority population is white, Russia doesn't view Ukrainians as white! To the Russian government it is literally a partly racially motivated war. I say partly as there are multiple motivations surrounding their invasion. But, surprise surprise race doesn't work in Russia like it does in the west. Who would've thunk. And what classification Ukrainians truly are doesn't really matter in this specific conversation because Russia doesn't view them as white!

3) Ukrainians are going through the same shit! Whilst I generally am opposed to comparing wars if we are going to play that game, more Ukrainians died than Palestinians in the first 100 days of war. Did yall know that? And with that data, it was more Ukrainian civilians killed vs. total Palestinian deaths, which include hamas militants. Literally 21k civilians from one singular city in Ukraine were killed, one city! Not all of Ukraine, one city. I will include a source for the Ukrainian death toll figure at the end to back this up.

4) At least in New Zealand, there has been more protests for Palestine than protests for Ukraine. There was one protest movement where on the same day there was a protest in every major city, and one or two smaller protests in the capital here outside of parliment. For palestine, there has been more protests than I can count. There has even been people who tried to have encampments at universities to follow the US's footsteps, but they all were stopped by the universities. There was even a protest with fake blood in the lobby of the New Zealand Defence Force building! Ukraine got none of that energy!

And I just want to say, that whilst it sucks that Ukraine didn't get the same level of support, I do understand that difference issues matter to different people at different levels. The issue I have is when people lie about support for an issue for woke points.

You do not need to put down Ukrainian struggles and suffering for Palestinian struggles and suffering to matter.

(Source)

[buddiesbuddiess]

People will point to “It wouldn’t be so crazy” “Except that I’m not!” as evidence for Buck unequivocally saying he doesn’t love Eddie like that, but they’re ignoring what he immediately follows it up with.

He doesn’t follow it up with “Eddie and I are just friends” or “Eddie’s like a brother to me.” He doesn’t follow it up by immediately establishing the capital P Platonic nature of their relationship.

He follows it up with “Everybody wants me to be hopelessly pining for my straight best friend.” This is just a reiteration of the exact same defence he gave Tommy: essentially, “Well I can’t have feelings for Eddie because he’s straight so there.” But that doesn’t actually define what Buck’s feelings for Eddie actually are. Thats just giving an argument for why they can never be together. That’s a defence mechanism.

Then he moves on to: “Eddie being gone leaves a huge hole in my life.” Again, no mention of why he supposedly doesn’t have feelings for Eddie. Just reiterating how much he’s suffering without Eddie there. He’s defining what Eddie’s absence feels like, but he STILL hasn’t defined what Eddie actually is to him.

And then of course: “I understand him feeling threatened by what me and Eddie have.” So number 1: he knows and acknowledges that there is something to be threatened by. But crucially, HE STILL HASN’T DEFINED WHAT THAT THING IS.

If this conversation was genuinely supposed to unequivocally shut down the idea of Buddie, Buck could so easily have said: “I don’t have feelings for Eddie and never will, he’s incredibly important to me but that’s because he’s like my brother.”

But he didn’t.

[rjtbot]

Day 7: Community

Empathyqueer

A blankqueer stance which is centred on extending love, care, and understanding to others.

Favours:

All blankqueers, stances, etc.

In the sense that one is in favour of everyone believing what one wants - whether an empathyqueer individual agrees, or not.

All dis/enordered individuals

Including medically unrecognised or self diagnosed.

Including all forms of plurality/system origins

Anarchy, communism, and/or socialism

Bodily autonomy

Including pro-affirming care (gender, species, ability, etc.), pro-choice, pro-consent/consensual contact (not necessarily/strictly pro-contact), pro-youth liberation.

Including individual's rights to make "bad" decisions. Ex: body mod, CNC, conabuse, consang, SH, suicide.

Community

Most/all species are naturally social/community driven, so community building is a basic necessity for most.

Drugs/drug legalisation

Emancipation and independence

Fiction freedom/pro-ship

Individualism/freedom of expression

Including the right to identify how one wants.

Including freedom of speech

Kindness

Kink at pride

Kink, paraphilia, and fetishes

Including the big three.

Including the "gross" ones.

This does not mean empathyqueers have to engage in every kink, paraphilia, and/or fetish.

Love/relationships

Nuanced, flexible, and everchanging beliefs

Empathyqueer individuals are always learning how to be best inclusive of friends, family, and other individuals in one's community/communities.

Pacifism when possible

Reconstruction of CPS, DoE, police forces, etc.

Sex education

In order to aid in everyone's bodily autonomy: information about what individuals are getting into is necessary to even begin the debate of certain sex-related topics.

Sex positivity

Everything outside of sex education.

An empathyqueer individual does not have to want, or engage in sex to be sex positive.

Taking neutral stances on things to explore nuance

Trans identities

Including transgender.

Including transspecies.

Including transhateful and/or transharmful.

Including transhated and/or transharmed.

Circumstancially:

Anti-authority figures

USUALLY anti, but empathyqueers make exceptions for necessary authority such as teachers/mentors, parents/parental figures, etc. that have a positive influence on the subject.

These authority figures still deserve criticism in certain cases as no one individual is above another.

Pro-romanticisation/fetishisation of mental/physical abilities

As long as the romanticised/fetishised individual is fine with it!

Pro-violence

Consensual sadomasochism, self-defence, etc.

Religion, cults, and fults

This goes back to the point that everyone should believe what they want.

The only time empathyqueer becomes anti-religion, cult, or fult is when it is being pushed on unwanting individuals.

Revision of crimes, felonies, etc. crimes

Sharing personal information

There are contexts where chronological age, (cis)ability status, and whatnot are important, but the internet is not necessarily one of them. This is a highly nuanced topic.

Not set on:

Cishateful identities

These identities deserve more nuance due to some identifying as "cis" due to source, forced circumstances, etc. that some don't consider.

Contact abolishion

Contact stance

As in your own personal stance

Prison/rehab/etc.

Recovery/rehabilitation

Some individuals have different concepts of what recovery/rehabilitation/etc. mean due to trauma, experience, anarchism, or otherwise that make this a nuanced issue that varies from one to another empathyqueer individual.

Retaliation

TIRF/radical feminism outside of TERF/SWERF/etc. groups

TransID alternatives

Against:

Bullying/cringe culture

Capitalism/fascism/government oppression

Consistent progressivism

Conversion therapy

Including for (disordered or not) paraphilic individuals.

Death penalty

Demonisation of mental/physical abilities

Exclusion in general

Not strictly about discriminatory exclusion.

Gatekeeping, infighting, etc. that goes against community building

Genocide for any reason

Harassment

Labelling identities as "good" or "bad" faith

Medicalism

Including MAPmedicalism, transmedicalism, sysmedicalism, etc.

Non-consensual harm

Including (cis)hateful activity that becomes non-consensual.

Normativity/conformation

Such as allonormativity, amatonormativity, cisnormativity, complemantaranism, heteronormativity, mononormativity, etc.

Including the general idea of "normalcy".

Purity culture/censorship

Including label policing, slur discourse, etc.

SWERF/anti-sex work beliefs

Tying morality into legality/legality into morality

Use by moral grandstanders

Empathyqueers are not "saviours" looking to recruit others. Ex: you will never hear an anti-c empathyqueer berating other contact stances, telling individuals what the moral choice is, etc.

In general:

Keep safe, and carry on.

Live and let live; block as necessary/make your space your own, PLUR.

Words are just words: use them as you please.

Taglist: @2timequeer, @datakeep, @escortedescape, @fagcvnt-bah, @jestingjellyjamboree, @loverboyvergil, @perma-pup, @permamanipulover, @radically-katrielle, @radsodapop, @truebluemagiicc, @vocalux, @werdothestrange

[babybatss-blog]

CHERRY

Johanna x capital!reader, 1100 words

Summary: After meeting you at a victory party, Johanna can’t seem to keep her eyes off of you. But aren’t you capital scum?

Cw: Johanna slightly out of character idk this ain’t my best work, reader is from the capital, reader has a bad relationship with her parents, and multiple mentions of Johanna’s family dying. Reader and Johanna kiss at the end.

Chandeliers, ballgowns, and crowded rooms. An idea of true torture for Miss Johanna Mason. It feels like just yesterday she was in her district living her boring life, but now she’s been forced to parade like some show pony, dressed in stupid clothes with idiotic people. Naively, she thought that this exploitation would end with killing her whole family and celebrating killing 23 other children, but no, here she is in some random mansion toasting expensive champagne with people she’s never met.

After some excruciatingly long conversation about the rugelach that was being served, Johanna manages to finally slip away, strolling along the outskirts of the party as to avoid any unwanted attention from her overly tight dress. She considered just jumping out a window and sprinting out of there, possibly catching the next train straight out of this hellhole and never looking back. Surviving in some cold dark woods would be better than staying here anyways.

That was until she saw you. Standing by a buffet in your frilled pink outfit, you grab a cherry and pop it into your mouth. Something about the way your cherry stained lips enveloped the fruit, how your hands artfully moved and how your eyelashes fluttered in satisfaction by the taste. You seemed so peaceful, enjoying your silent moment away from the crowd just like Johanna is. Her eyes drift up and down your body, taking note of your curves and gravitating warmth that she hasn’t felt in a long time.

So against her better judgment, Johanna struts over to you, a cocky smile on her face as you look up to meet her. This night may be interesting after all. She picks a cherry up from the ornate bowl, popping it into her mouth while maintaining eye contact. Instead of being flustered or blushing by her act, you merely spit the pip into a tissue and place it down.

“Johanna Mason, right? I saw you on the games, it was quite an impressive feat.”

“Thanks. I didn’t expect to be stuck in boring parties like this one, but at least I’ve found someone to pass the time with.”

To this you giggle, a small laugh that is sweet and pleasing to the ears. Johannas fake smile softens, in a way that it hasn’t in many a year. She likes that sound, and strangely wishes to hear it more. “Your too sweet, miss Mason. I actually agree with you though, my parents are regular sponsors of the games and it drives me insane all these parties. At least it has good food!”

“You like cherries hey?”

You look down, an unfamiliar blush coating your cheeks in the same shade as those beloved fruits. “I guess so. They honestly aren’t my favourite, but I appreciate their taste and they are a good snack at times. What about you?”

Johanna scoffs, looking away from you towards the crowd of posh attendees either conversing or dancing. Normally, her automatic assumption would be to enter a state of defence, now used to judgment from others. But Johanna isn’t dumb, she can read a room and can easily tell that you’re a peaceful soul. So, she concedes in honesty, facing back to your curious figure. “I’m not much of a fan of fancy food. Honestly, my favourite is my mum’s old lentil soup.”

Your eyes light up, being uncharacteristically intrigued by such a simple notion. “Sounds delicious! I would love to try it sometime!”

Johanna’s face drops, realising you don’t know what happened to her family. But some abnormal, caring note sparks within the usually guarded victor, not wanting to throw away that blooming pip within you. Your sweet, too sweet for your own good. Therefore, she swiftly recovers herself and continues off as normal. “Then it’ll be done. I’d love to take you back to my hometown someday, teach you what the world is really like.”

“I would love nothing more. If I can convince me parents to let me out is all…”

“Convince? Your old enough to make your own decisions by now aren’t you?”

You shake your head, clearly petrified by the notion. “Oh no no no. That isn’t how things work with my family miss Mason. I’m lucky if I can even enter the garden most days!”

Johanna’s face screws up in disgust, the complete opposite of your worried expression. Boldly, she steps forward and takes your hand. “Follow me.” Without protest you let her lead you, leaving the party out to a balcony. From the balcony you take a sharp left down a stone stairway, covered with green vines and moss. You try and be careful to not slip, but Johanna seems to have a different idea as she quickly skips down the stairs and leads you to a chair, where she plops down beside you.

“You need adventure Cherry. Nobody wants some boring life, and it’s not what you deserve.”

“Cherry?”

“Yes, Cherry. Your sweet like a cherry, small and bright. And Cherries come in pairs. It’s weird, but I like you Cherry. I’ll be your partner in crime.”

Johanna can tell by the look in your eye how her words affect you. Your closed off lifestyle leads you to not truly know what the world has to offer, but the respect and acknowledgement on your face shows that you truly appreciate her actions. Your eyes drift down to her lips while licking your own, and something in the two of you draws you together, a magnet which intertwines your bodies as one.

Subconsciously your hand drifts up, resting on her jaw. Johanna’s eyes also fall to your lips, in a way she has never felt before. “Would you… Be my partner in crime Cherry?” Johanna’s words come out as merely a whisper, as you lean in, your breath touching her flustered skin. Despite the screaming words of protest from your parents within your mind, you close the gap, enveloping her with a passionate kiss. Johanna eagerly returns the affection, her hands sliding up into your hair to push you even closer.

The kiss takes both of your breaths away, so you break apart with gasps. Soon enough, your breath returns and you manage out a couple of words.

"Well, partners in crime it is."

[wuffgang-ameowdeus-moozart]

An average day in Family Video:

"It's just so stupid, you know?"

Robin looks up from where she is rewinding the tapes and nods enthusiastically. "I know, right? I mean, seriously, why would you pay an extra fine if all you need to do is-"

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about that." He points to one of the two monitors in the shop.

"Just....movies? Like, I get that working here sucks, but -"

"No! I'm talking about the scene that comes before this one- or well, now the one before that."

"Ohhhh. You mean needles."

In that moment a customer comes in. Robin goes back to rewinding tapes and Steve goes back to frowning. As soon as the customer is gone (thankfully an older lady who was not interested in starting small-talk) the conversation resumes as if she'd never been there.

"We really should be able to put other things to watch. It's not normal to know a movie by heart that isn't even good. I hate capitalism, it's destroying genuine art."

"Like back in the good old days when everything was black and white and mute?"

"Tell me one contemporary actor that comes even close to Charlin Chaplin."

"Dunno. Like, Harrison Ford?"

"Wow. I can't believe you are literally my soulmate. I'm so embarrassed."

Another pause. Robin motions to the growing pile of tapes in front of her and Steve starts putting them back in the shelves.

"It's just so stupid, you know? Like, I can deal with literal flesh-eating monsters from another dimension. I can deal with almost getting beaten to death more than once. I can deal with the constant stress of being responsible for a bunch of teenagers who put their "thirst for knowledge" before their own safety. And a fucking little needle gets me down?!"

"Steve. It was a traumatic-"

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know. I just don't...get it. Like, the flickering lights make sense. But I don't even remember being drugged up because, oh yeah, I was literally high as a kite. It's such fucking bullshit."

"One of the pros of being gay, I guess. I don't need to worry about donating blood."

They fall silent again. The conversation isn't over, they just need to find the right thread to continue. Talk between them rises and ebbs as naturally as breathing.

"Maybe I should just become gay, too."

"Oh my god you can't just choose to be gay you dingus. It's not like someone is gonna put a barrel against this hollow head of yours and force you to donate"

"I mean, it's not like men are unattractive. If, I don't know, Jonathan offered. I wouldn't say no. Like, I'm not gonna lie, when he got all mad back when I was still with Nance-"

"Deflection or over?"

Steve sighs. "Deflection."

"Resume or later?"

He sighs again. "I don't know. I mean it's not like we can do anything about it."

"Exposure therapy is a thing, you know. If it really bothers you."

"Like a tattoo or something?"

They are silent again. Robin rewinds tapes, Steve cleans the already spotless counter.

"What would we even get?"

"Dunno. Would have to be something discreet to not make job hunting even harder when this one inevitably falls through because of Demogorgons or Mind Flayers or some shit." She doesn't look up but Steve knows she is listening.

"You actually know the names?"

"Don't tell the dipshits."

Another customer comes in. This one is unfortunately a chatty one. Steve's behavior could perhaps be most accurately described as "bitchy". In his defence, he was in the middle of a conversation here.

"Okay, but a discreet tattoo. Like what. A tramp stamp or something?" Robin continues as soon as the door falls shut again.

"N- you know what. Why not?"

"Because it's a fucking tramp stamp Steve"

"What, are you saying I don't get around enough to be considered a tramp? I'll let you know-"

"No, Steve, believe me, I know. But if you get a tramp stamp, I also need to get a tramp stamp."

"Is that a no?"

A pause. Steve knows he won before she even opens her mouth

"You know what? Fuck it. Let's get fucking matching tramp stamps"

(more)

[scotianostra]

December 13th 1585 saw the birth of William Drummond of Hawthornden, the noted Scottish poet.

Drummond was born at Hawthornden Castle, near Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, the eldest son of Sir John Drummond, Laird of Hawthornden. The Drummonds were an ancient family with connections to the Royal House of Stewart. Drummond was educated at the High School of Edinburgh, then at Edinburgh University, graduating MA in 1605. From 1606 to 1608 he studied Law in Paris and Bourges. When he returned to Scotland in November 1608, he bought back nearly 400 volumes of French, Italian, Spanish, and English literature, the foundation of a fine private library. In 1610, Drummond visited London, meeting some of the most famous poets of the city. Upon his father’s death later that year, Drummond became Laird of Hawthornden and retired to the family seat, to write and to lead a life of "gentlemanly simplicity". It's alright if you have the money eh!

Drummond has long enjoyed a reputation as Scotland’s foremost seventeenth-century poet. He wrote in English, not Scots, and is regarded as playing a major role in the Anglification of Scottish literature. As his poetic reputation grew, he began to correspond with the Scottish poets at the Court of King James VI and I: Robert Kerr, Sir Robert Aytoun, Sir David Murray, and, particularly, William Alexander of Menstrie.

When James VI made his only return to Scotland in 1617, Drummond saluted him with Forth Feasting: A Panegyricke to the Kings Most Excellent Majestie. This led to Drummond’s work becoming more widely known in London literary circles. Ben Jonson, on a visit to Scotland, stayed at Hawthornden Castle in 1618, and Drummond recorded their conversations. In 1623, Drummond was deeply affected by the loss of his mother and the death of many friends in a famine that afflicted Scotland. His grief was expressed in his next volume Flowres of Sion, a collection of religious and philosophical lyrics.

In 1626, Drummond was made a burgess of Edinburgh and in the same year made a major donation of books to Edinburgh University Library. His gift of around 550 volumes made him the Library's first significant private benefactor and gave the Library it's first literary collection. Drummond made further donations on an annual basis between 1628 and 1636. All in all, he presented some 800 printed titles and thirty-six manuscripts; around 700 volumes survive in the Library’s collection. These include some of the Library's greatest treasures, especially in the fields of literature, history, geography, philosophy and theology, science, medicine and law. They include early printings of Shakespeare, Jonson, Spenser, Drayton and Sir Philip Sidney, a complete copy of John Derrick's Image of Irelande from 1581!

By 1633, Drummond had resumed his literary career, writing a series of pageants for the Scottish coronation of Charles I. From the mid-1630s onwards, however, Drummond’s energies turned to political pamphleteering. His first overly political work was a defence of John Elphinstone, Lord Balmerino, who was convicted on a capital charge of libel against the King for possessing a document thought to be treasonable.

He also got involved with The National Covenant, although opposed to the infamous prayer book, rather than the taking of arms which blighted Scottish history he advocated passive obedience to the King. Further pamphlets attacked the Presbyterian grip on the country and warned of the consequences of civil war.

Drummond played no personal role in the Bishops’ Wars of 1639 and 1640, and in the civil conflicts that rocked England and Scotland over the following decade. His last substantial tract was Skiamachia, or, A Defence of a Petition in 1643, in which he assumed an extreme anti-clerical position.

Drummond died at Hawthornden Castle on 4 December 1649. Drummond’s son William and brother-in-law collaborated the posthumous printing of much of Drummond’s work.

The wooded solitude Drummond enjoyed at Hawthornden still exists to this day and is an international retreat for writers at Hawthornden Castle has been founded to provide a peaceful setting where creative writers can work without disturbance. To me though, below the cliff it sits on above the River Esk, is the interesting bit, Wallace's Cave, a large rock cavern with a neatly chiseled doorway said to be where our favourite Freedom fighter used at the time of the Battle of Roslin, which took place nearby in 1303.

[justforbooks]

Killing Time by Alan Bennett

The author employs his pitch-perfect repertoire of satirical skills in his first book for five years – a novella about the residents of an upmarket care home during the pandemic

Alan Bennett, now 90, hasn’t published anything original in book form for five years. In the meantime – the Covid years and the Johnson years and the Truss month – readers have had to be content with the peerless annual diaries he writes for the London Review of Books, yearly proof that his special ear for English comedy and sudden pathos is undimmed. This novella is in part his reflection on those years, set inevitably in a care home, the unlikely frontline of national crisis during the pandemic.

Bennett, of course, knows his way around those institutional corridors. He inhabited them in perhaps the most memorable episode of his Talking Heads series, Thora Hird’s Waiting for the Telegram. That episode was not remade when Nicholas Hytner recast the whole series during lockdown, in part because social distancing prevented it, and in part because its sentiment might have been too much for the nation to bear. The gap of a couple of years, however, allows Bennett to frame that period with more imaginative certainty.

The story is a kind of parable. It focuses on the residents of Hill Topp House, a self-consciously upmarket establishment that makes the promise to potential “clients” of “a choir on special occasions and a glass of dry sherry”. It is run by the authoritarian Mrs McBryde who threatens her “community” with banishment to “down the hill” to Low Moor, a more basic council facility, in the event of rule-breaking – of which, with inhibitions loosened by frustration and dementia, there is inevitably plenty. It is Mrs McBryde’s belief that the virus, when it comes, will not afflict Hill Topp – the place is too rarefied for common germs, “the wind would take care of them” – but of course those snobberies are no defence.

That wider tragedy is the backdrop to a surface comedy in which Bennett employs his repertoire of middle-England satire: the anticipated pitch-perfect exchanges about chiropody or babies’ names or war memories, those conversational non sequiturs that have survived intact from his awkward childhood. The initial drama is provided by the eldest resident Mr Woodruff, the home’s inveterate flasher. “Are you not curious?” he asks Mrs Foss, a new arrival, of his habit. “No,” she says, “I was in the St John Ambulance Brigade.”

In some ways the book feels like a wry little rejoinder by Bennett to Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club, which has invaded this territory without much nuance or subtlety. Death is a presence here, but it is not to be solved by any senior citizens’ famous five. Instead, the advance of the virus through Hill Topp becomes a vehicle for something odder, after Mrs McBryde herself succumbs despite explaining in A&E that it couldn’t get her (“The disease was something that was supposed to single out old people and the occasional Asian”). In her absence, the surviving residents take back control of their lives – “arthritis permitting, they scampered” – encouraged by Gus, the window cleaner, who provides extra services to the frustrated and the curious – men and women alike – in the tool shed, on a rota.

Even as a young man, Bennett seemed intrigued by the taboo-breaking possibilities of older age. He expressed that loosening of his own buttoned-up nature in the more confessional tone of Untold Stories (2006), which included his frank account of his mother’s depressive illness that shadowed his childhood, and his candidness about being gay. In his 2009 play The Habit of Art, about the last year of WH Auden’s life, he wrote about locating his Late Style, the capitals expressing his ironic sense of that description: “Feeling I’d scarcely arrived at a style, I now find I’m near the end of it. I’m not quite sure what Late Style means except that it’s some sort of licence, a permit for ageing practitioners to kick their heels up.”

This little book proves he is still enjoying finding ways to utilise that authorial blue badge.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[gracie-bird]

Jamaica's Prime Minister, the Hon. Donald Sangster (centre) hosts Prince Rainier and Princess Grace at a luncheon at Vale Royal in January 1967 during the princely family holidays. In this rare picture, Mr. Sangster appears speaking with the Prince (right), and Mr Arthur Little (behind the Prince) while Miss Hope Sealy (second from left) Head of the Public Relations Department of the Jamaica Tourist Board, converses with Princess Grace.

Princess Grace of Monaco brought her signature elegance to Kingston during a visit with Prince Rainier, touring historic sites like King’s House and Vale Royal. Dressed in a chic Kelly green linen ensemble, she expressed admiration for Jamaica’s vibrant flora and left a lasting impression of grace and warmth on her hosts and the city.

Published Thursday, January 5, 1967 

Rainiers call on GG, Acting PM, tour city

Their Royal Highnesses, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, flew in from Montego Bay yesterday morning to meet Their Excellencies, the Governor General, Sir Clifford Campbell, and Lady Campbell, at King’s House and then to lunch with the Acting Prime Minister, the Hon. Donald Sangster, at Vale Royal.

To wind up their visit to the capital, they later toured the zoo at Hope Gardens, and the University of the West Indies, and drove through downtown Kingston before leaving at 4:30 p.m. on the return trip to Montego Bay.

Arriving at King’s House at about 11:45, the Royal couple were escorted by police outriders and accompanied by Mr. Sangster in the Prime Minister’s black Cadillac Fleetwood motor car flying the ensign of Jamaica’s political head.

The other cars at the Royal party were carried by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Little, hosts to the visitors, Mr Marcel Palmaro, Consul General for Monaco in New York, and Mrs Palmaro. The Chief of Staff, Jamaican Defence Force, Brigadier David Smith, and the Acting Commissioner of Police, Mr Jack Middleton, also travelled with the convoy. The introductions were made by Mr. Sangster. Sir Clifford, in turn, presented to Prince Rainier and Princess Grace his secretary, Mr. Neville Smith, and his private secretary, Miss Phyllis Clarke, in the lobby downstairs.

After drinks in the living room upstairs, the visitors bade farewell, with a wish from Sir Clifford for their early return.

At Vale Royal, the first guest to be presented was Mrs. Iris Sangster, aunt of the host. On the patio before lunch, drinks were served, and the luncheon guests were presented to the Royal couple. Other luncheon guests were Mr and Mrs James Lloyd, Mr and Mrs John Pringle, Mr Theodore Sealy, and Miss Hope Sealy.

Jamaican straw mats with raffia embroidery featuring a floral motif decorated the table at which the party of 14 lunched. The visitors were taken on a tour of Vale Royal just as they had done of some sections of King’s House, and Princess Grace expressed her admiration for the many flowers in bloom.

Princess Grace was dressed in a Kelly green linen skimmer for her Kingston trip, made with a tunic overskirt and a tailored band at the back. Her honey-blonde hair was characteristically styled in the pageboy hairdo for which the former movie star Grace Kelly was well-known and held at the top with a white headband.

The petite Princess, standing at barely five feet, wore white patent leather shoes, and carried a matching handbag, with her only jewels being a gold brooch worn on the bodice of her dress and emerald-and-diamond earrings.

Source:

[joannerowling]

How do you think the Johnny Depp situation got so toxic so quickly? Is it just because he’s so famous? I do think the anti metoo crowd saw Depp as a good person to use to discredit the metoo movement and used him accordingly considering how famous he is.

I mean I remember the level of hatred he got in 2016-18 then it just changed so dramatically during the trial with seemingly so little effort. It felt so suspicious to me. I went from being pretty indifferent to feeling genuinely quite sorry for Amber. She was treated awfully and I have never really been a fan of hers. I wonder if he employed bots to help start a conversation in his favour considering it really seemed like he had very little positive media coverage before the trial. Although there were plenty of real people on his side on TikTok and Twitter etc.

I just wish he was never cast as Grindelwald. Jo and the crew got so much hate for keeping him as Grindelwald for CoG after allegations then got so much backlash for getting rid of him after a judge literally deemed him guilty. I do think it really damaged the fantastic Beasts films. I have a feeling it would have received a little more goodwill if another actor played Grindelwald from the beginning. Plus as a Grindeldore fan I really didn’t like him as Grindelwald at all and I’m genuinely sad now that anyone who plays Grindelwald will be tainted by the Depp fans who’ll always act like the character belongs to Johnny. No Grindelwald belongs to Jo!

Prefacing this with: i'm not really the best to ask about the Depp/Heard case, or actors in general tbh. I'm not the most knowledgeable and found the whole circus around the trial grotesque.

That being said, how did the situation get so toxic? First of all, the heavy involvement of Depp's legal team (as well as either well paid or very motivated third parties) in building his "defence" online in the years preceding the trials and weaponising the Internet against Heard. This is well known by now and includes falsifying evidence before leaking it to fans, use of bots to build a momentum, etc. But it doesn't explain how the sauce took so well, does it? Imo and in no particular order:

Social context online. Check out the first comment on this reddit thread i've found about the Netflix documentary that came out about the case recently: "The appeal of getting in deep with the case wasn’t so much to learn about law and defamation, it was the fun of joining in with others as a community and sharing reactions and emotions." Based on this alone you could have told this was never going to be about justice, but the internet equivalent of a rave party in post-Covid times.

Fashion. It was trendy to be pro-Heard, now it's trendy to be pro-Depp. "Don't you know new info came out that she actually was the abusive one all along?? Keep up!" is a much better story to gossip about than "yeah, Depp, that known abuser, we've known since 2016"

Reactionary response to the brief #MeToo era, or as we call it, the classic pendulum of misogyny coming back in full swing.

The extremely ridiculous American legal system allowing for trials to be filmed and justice to be made a spectacle of, under the very thin veil of education and "transparency". The only thing that's transparent here is that the US fucking suck but we knew this.

Neo capitalism. See this article : the real winners of the case are media content creators who "went all in".

I too wish Depp was never cast as Grindelwald, first because he's such an obviously poor choice for the role independently of his behaviour. But WB in general has a problem with casting the worst possibly individuals known to man (or rather women) in lead roles. See fucking Ezra Miller and the Flash disaster. But i think what actually damaged the movies much more than any celebrity business (least of all JKR's own controversy which the general public knows shit about) is that they weren't all that good.

[starlightshadowsworld]

I will say though that people trying to get others to sympathise.

And feel bad for talking bad about billionaires, is a form of white supremacy.

And that needs to be talked about.

Their are 15 characteristics of white sumperacy.

But the one I want to address here is the right to comfort.

Because you'll ask a person, I'm sorry you want me to feel bad for billionaires dying?

Excuse me.

Why?

Why should I give a fuck?

And the defence is

"Because their people 🥺"

But you'll often find those same people will turn a blind eye when that same argument is used for people who aren't billionaires.

Such as the Greek migrant boat crisis.

The right to comfort is the belief that those in power deserve to live life in comfort.

Another aspect of valuing "logic" over emotion.

Like ignoring and devaluing the way their are people are happy to see billionaires, those who exploit minorities and destroy our planet, die.

They will take the "attacks" aka people disagreeing with them and equate it with systemic racism that affects people of colour every day.

Like... The Greek boat crisis.

A lady compared people making fun of the billionaires dying to people being okay with capital punishment.

Like how mp, Andrew Bridgen compared covid vaccines to the holocaust.

And when you disagree with these people they will shut you down.

If you say something to them in anger they will police your tone.

They will focus more on your tone than what you are saying.

They don't want you to feel heard.

A lot of people have bought up why we should talk more about the Greek migrant boat crisis.

Someone who is using the Right to comfort will get uncomfortable when these issues are being bought up.

And try and silence those topics of conversation because it makes them uncomfortable.

Instead of thinking about why talking about these issues makes them uncomfortable?

Why is it that people making fun of billionaires makes you uncomfortable?

They makethemselves scapegoats.

Using phrases like "your playing the race card" or something similiar.

All in an effort to shut down these conversations.

All because they feel uncomfortable and don't want to address why they feel uncomfortable.

I'm not saying this is everyone but it's something to be aware of.

And how do we avoid this?

We do so in understanding that discomfort is a root of growth and learning.

By listening to others.

By not shutting down this conversations.

And to anyone who's anxious that oh I don't like making jokes about this does that make me bad?

No, no it doesn't.

It's when you see people overjoyed and laughing and want them to feel guilty and feel bad for being happy that their oppressors have kicked the bucket.

When you want people to consider the humanity of billionaires who don't consider anyone.

Than, than you might need to sit and down and think why it bothers you.

Info comes from "White sumperacist culture" the pdf by the Minnestoa Historical Society.

The video "Here's why were quicker to to comfort people who look like us" from Inclusologists-DC.

And 5hahem on tik tok with his response to one of these folk that sparked this whole post.

[knoxfeed]

Multiple explosions in Tehran as Israel launches air strikes Middle East Eye / June 12, 2025 at 06:10PM / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9zs_eC8Kv4 Time: 0:25 Multiple explosions were reported in Tehran early Friday as Israeli forces launched strikes on the Iranian capital. Defence minister Israel Katz said Tel Aviv launched a “preemptive strike” on Iran after US President Donald Trump had warned that Israel could soon strike Iran’s nuclear sites. Catch MEE LIVE, our new biweekly live news programme, where we take a look at the news shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis and hard-hitting interviews. MEE LIVE: Tuesday & Thursday | 12pm ET | 5pm BST | Join the conversation at MEELive@middleeasteye.org Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye

[forblogmostly]

Apollo Micro Systems Advances Growth Strategy with Major Capital Infusion through Preferential Allotment

Apollo Micro Systems Limited took a decisive step forward in its capital expansion journey by executing a substantial preferential allotment of equity shares and convertible equity warrants, reinforcing its growth ambitions in the aerospace and defence sector. The announcement was made following the meeting of the company’s Securities Allotment Committee held on June 2, 2025, reflecting the culmination of a series of strategic approvals and investor engagements that began earlier in the year.

This capital raise initiative was set into motion after receiving approvals from the company’s Board of Directors in January 2025, followed by a resolution passed at an Extraordinary General Meeting in February 2025. The process was further backed by in-principle approvals from both BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited in May, providing the necessary regulatory green light to proceed with the preferential issue.

At the heart of the fundraising effort lies the allotment of over 2.70 crore equity shares at an issue price of ₹114 per share, inclusive of a ₹113 premium. This transaction alone raised an impressive ₹308.29 crore. The equity allotment attracted a diversified base of 53 non-promoter investors, including prominent institutions like LIC Mutual Fund, global funds such as Al Maha Investment Fund – Onyx Strategy, and private equity entities like Zeal Global Opportunities Fund and Nova Global Opportunities Fund. The participation of these seasoned market players underlines investor confidence in Apollo’s strategic direction and its robust position in the niche domain of aerospace technology.

Additionally, the company approved the allotment of over 3.80 crore convertible equity warrants at the same issue price. These instruments, offered to both promoter group members and non-promoter entities, represent a potential infusion of an additional ₹108.49 crore upon full conversion. As per regulatory norms, warrant holders have initially paid 25% of the issue price as subscription money, with the balance to be paid upon conversion into equity shares within a six-month window. The promoter group, comprising Baddam Kanishka Reddy and Baddam Chanakya Reddy, has also contributed significantly to this tranche, reinforcing their commitment to the company’s future.

The combined infusion from equity shares and warrants bolsters the company’s capital base by over ₹416 crore, a timely financial reinforcement for Apollo Micro Systems as it seeks to scale operations, invest in R&D, and secure its role in the national and global defence ecosystem. The structure of the transaction adheres strictly to SEBI’s (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, ensuring transparency and compliance in both pricing and execution.

This financial maneuver not only underpins Apollo’s expansion plans but also strengthens its credibility in the eyes of institutional investors, thereby setting the stage for future capital market engagements. The company has made it clear that these instruments, particularly the warrants, are not merely capital tools but strategic vehicles designed to deepen investor alignment with its long-term vision.

The allotment process, which was overseen meticulously by the Securities Allotment Committee, reflects a mix of institutional robustness and operational agility. The meeting, which spanned nearly an hour and a half, signifies the detailed scrutiny and governance underpinning this high-stakes decision.

Apollo Micro Systems, known for its advanced electronic solutions tailored for defence and aerospace applications, appears poised to leverage this capital to expand its innovation pipeline, fulfill upcoming defence contracts, and consolidate its leadership in one of the country’s most strategically significant sectors.

This round of capital infusion not only enhances liquidity but also sends a strong signal to the market about the company’s readiness to scale with discipline and ambition. With a strong investor base now even more closely aligned with its objectives, Apollo Micro Systems steps into the next phase of its journey with renewed strength and strategic clarity.

[cyberbenb]

Zelensky proposes free trade agreement to Trump, Kyiv says

President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a free trade agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. to President Donald Trump, Deputy Economy Minister and Trade Representative Taras Kachka said on May 20.

According to Kachka, Zelensky offered an agreement in a letter to Trump, alongside mentioning other opportunities for cooperation in trade and the defence industry.

“This, accordingly, will be the next stage of our conversations,” Kachka said during a conference in Ukraine’s capital.

Kyiv is interested in such an agreement, despite the fact that the U.S. is not Ukraine’s largest trading partner, he added.

“We are interested in free trade agreements with all G7 countries. That is, we have (agreements) with Britain, Canada, and the European Union. We also need the United States and Japan,” he said.

Ukraine and the U.S. launched initial talks on a free trade zone back in 2021.

Earlier, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that Kyiv seeks to boost bilateral trade and an agreement with the U.S. to allow “everything except for the fixed exceptions."

Ukrainian trade with the U.S. has dropped in recent years, with only $874 million of exports and $3.4 billion of American imports last year. But the knock-on effect could be a global trade war that hits Ukraine too, Oleksandra Myronenko from the Center for Economic Strategy (CES) in Kyiv, told the Kyiv Independent last month.

In early April, Trump imposed a 10% tariff on all Ukrainian goods, except metal products, which had already been subject to a 25% tariff in March.

Zelensky had to remind Trump peace talks already underway during call with EU leaders, Axios reports

Donald Trump told the leaders that Vladimir Putin agreed to start direct negotiations on a ceasefire immediately, which led to a few seconds of “puzzled silence,” Axios reported.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

[liamtuffs]

The decline of British culture: Shyam Batra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxETnrX3gd0 Getting forced out of the Mayoral elections by Sadiq Khan didn't put Shyam Batra off aspirations of running for Prime Minister. Will ideas like scrapping ULEZ, capital punishment, mass deportations, abolishing income tax, and forcible defence of our borders be enough to get him there? 🔔𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬. https://www.youtube.com/@LiamTuffs/?sub_confirmation=1 ⭐⭐⭐Audio Podcast is currently on your favorite platforms: Spotify:https://ift.tt/P6klKvj 🔗 Stay Connected With Me. Facebook: https://ift.tt/aXKiBH6 Instagram: https://ift.tt/1v76JzP Tiktok: https://ift.tt/sw4IhDV Twitter (X): https://ift.tt/j39VQgO 📩 For business inquiries: thedozenpod@gmail.com ============================= 🎬Suggested videos for you: ▶️ https://youtu.be/dxOPqTMojZw ▶️ https://youtu.be/SbJvm0bjNR4 ▶️ https://youtu.be/6JwQxKCDZ4w ▶️ https://youtu.be/egpOtdFvQbM ▶️ https://youtu.be/tOr_c_wj5Kw ▶️ https://youtu.be/61dZnBEfdYo ▶️ https://youtu.be/ybckXtyCTX8 ▶️ https://youtu.be/JKUOd8qdWuQ ▶️ https://youtu.be/-l6LFNkFBH0 ▶️ https://youtu.be/0TyvMP0Afgo ▶️ https://youtu.be/JUPMLjwU8uk ▶️ https://youtu.be/rwMN5eRsKZk ▶️ https://youtu.be/79epb3THzDs ▶️ https://youtu.be/WT4FEtlN6p0 ▶️ https://youtu.be/rCTsyfxYY-g ================================= ✅ About Liam Tuffs. The Dozen with Liam Tuffs is a no holds barred podcast channel, where True Crime, Celebrity, Politics, Current Affairs, Combat Sports & Comedy are amongst the topics discussed! I sit down with some of the most fascinating and controversial characters including ex-gangsters, comedians, bare knuckle fighters, boxers, celebrities, and politicians to bring you raw & unfiltered conversations. From underworld secrets and true crime confessions to fighter career insights and the dark side of fame, I discuss the stories most people are afraid to tell. These aren't just interviews - they're real, gripping, and often shocking accounts from those who've lived it, survived it, and have nothing left to hide. If you're into true crime, fighter journeys, and untold celebrity stories, join me as I discuss the truth behind the headlines! Hit subscribe, so you don’t miss an episode. https://www.youtube.com/@LiamTuffs/?sub_confirmation=1 ================================= 🔎 Related Phrases: Hashtags via Liam Tuffs https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCef43VJgS6-R_0pCyn6cbrw March 05, 2025 at 03:56PM