#Middle Eastern and North African sounds

[matchamorphosis]

— ❝ 𝐁𝐄 𝐁𝐀 𝐃𝐀 𝐃𝐎 𝐁𝐄 ❞

summary: you return to the city that raised you and help make dinner for the man that claims your heart.

pairings: friends with benefits!carmen berzatto × fem!mena!reader

genre: friends to benefits to lovers. wordcount: 1.6K

warnings: 18+ only. steamy moments but no smut. cursing. small talk of cultural differences. handjob mention. nicknames: “bear” and “clem”. reader is a food critic. mentions of death, generational trauma, anxiety, and stress. a lot of food talk. past friends with benefits sort of thing.

w. note: so i’m officially a carmy whore, that’s what’s new. reminder that reader is middle eastern north african (that’s what mena stands for). anyway make sure to read, reblog and give feedback. muah!

Be ba da do be; a man loves a woman, the woman loves a man.

“It was a hand job, Carmy. I remember it and so do you, you were dazed as fuck for two hours straight on the drive home and my wrist was sore as shit.”

God how he missed her and her tease, more than how he missed the supercut memories of Chicago that lulled him to sleep when he was homesick in New York.

“Clem,” the nickname zesty, tangy, and sweet in his mouth just like the effects of a slice of clementine on his tongue. “I was dazed for an hour at max, the bottle you coerced the waiter to give you just aided in getting me wasted.”

A stream of laughter flows out of her mouth, her teeth gleaming in a smile that is nothing but contagious as she begins to remember more of that summer night she and him spent downtown.

“Sure, baby sure. Go play innocent Carmy on me, it’s not going to work though cause my memories not shit.” shaking her head, throwing in a liberal amount of garlic on the yellow zucchini, roasted butternut squash and sliced red onion soaking in a pot of melty butter.

Be ba da do be, the man grins a smile he doesn’t know he could manifest but knows well it’s the cause of the woman.

The kitchen is clouded in a variety of smells, from the sweet squashes cooking to the spiced yogurt marinated lamb chops searing and the sourdough rising. Sounds hit each other’s ears in a symphony of roaring laughter, loose footsteps following the groove of the stereo, and the music of food cooking a dinner that will fill their hearts before their stomachs.

Carmen looks at her, really taking a good look at her. Because he feels the heavy ache in his belly strengthen, that ache that simultaneously goes along with the fluttery excitement of seeing, hearing, feeling somebody you care in a long time. It’s making his heart hungry, he never felt this hunger in a while.

The feeling is brightening up his face like a runny egg yolk, pigmenting it with a cherry blush when she grabs him by the back of his head to try the sauce coated on her wooden spoon. Cherry-colored like the filling of Marcus’s doughnuts, making him see stars the same color as the icings when she whispers the lyrics of the playing song in his ear.

The details of the occasion where written and sealed when he sent you a late night voice message after looking through some five year old photographs he had hidden away in three of the cookbooks you gave him for his birthday five years ago. The firecracker of realization striking him that so much time has passed since he was in New York, and you were in Boston.

That hungry sensation scented in a cloud of spices that wrap Carmen’s senses, like a pair of arms that he wants to be within each night. Slow then fast, his chopping escalates then declines as he moves the knife with precision across the cutting board.

Be ba da do be; is the exact pace of his heart thumping in his chest.

It goes along with the movements of her lips and the rain against the kitchen windowsill. Warmth filling his heart, making it rise like the sourdough baking in the oven.

“Carmy?” the approach of her words smooths over to him at the counter, “Yeah y/n/n?” he responds, whisking the dressing of a salad then tasting a bit with his pinky, it’s need some more citrus.

It was a night to make up for a lot of lost time, so the both of you decided on a day to experiment with whatever that was in Carmen’s fridge and you bring whatever the hell that could fit inside your grocery bag.

“Could you hand me three sprigs of rosemary?” his head turn over his shoulder to see her jean clad hips expertly swaying, and moving to the beat of the song.

The exposed skin of her back neck burning a hypnotizing trance in his blue eyes, tightening a knot in his stomach as he licks his lips. He remembers how he used to mark it up with his lips and teeth, leaving behind a trial of blemishes that varied in size and visibility. Carmen manages to snap out of it, dashing his eyes up to her at the stovetop.

Her own eyes stay focused on the sight of onions caramelizing in a sizzling puddle of olive oil, loose curls frame her face as the rest stay in order with the great help of a citrus-colored claw clip. A wooden spoon in one hand as the other motions to the rhythm of the music playing on the old stereo in the living room.

Carmy believes it’s Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass because he hasn’t heard the song “Ladyfingers” since she went away to Boston.

“Rosemary? Ah yeah, yeah, I got rosemary.” Carmen's hands quickly steps away from his area of chopping a lemon and squeezing it in the bowl, heading to his spice cabinet where he opens it as he inspects what little contents fill the empty space.

I really need to do some shopping before I think to invite people over for dinner, he thinks before closing it.

“Um no rosemary actually, sorry about that Chef.” he just sees her smirk and turn to grab her grocery tote bag, pulling out a small jar of rosemary sprigs from the endless depth. A magician, truly, Carmen also thinks as he gives her a smile.

“That’s why I come prepared for the worse when I plan to cook with you Chef.” it’s playful and filled with just the right amount of spark he missed, he secretly yearns for more of it just as he wants more of her saffron tinted rose water flavored presence filling the lonely blue void of his soul.

Be ba da do be; the man spills the bottle of memories, letting the nostalgia soak him through.

“Hey y/n.” he mumbles, standing besides her as she spoons the hot liquid butter over the garlic and rosemary sitting atop the seared steaks.

“Hey Carmy.” Her response crisp, her own eyes drifting to his that move away every few seconds and he licks his damn lips.

Fucking fuck, Bear — little thoughts of moisturizing his lips with the birthday-cake flavored chapstick you have on emerge.

“What do you remember from that night?” his voice stitched with curiosity he tries to hide, covering it up by stirring the couscous added to the squashes. Carmen knows the tiny bowl of chopped parsley will be sprinkled on top it after the couscous cooks through.

Internally, the highly acclaimed Chef asks himself why he hasn’t ever asked her out then but that answer always seems to answer itself time and time again when it pops up. Torturing him when he laid in bed thinking about the bike rides through green Orland Park. How they read each other recipes from cookbooks on Chinatown Branches library shelves, kissing behind the coffee shops in Little Palestine.

That time ago, it wouldn’t have happened. No matter how much confidence he harnessed from pep talks with Mikey or just the willpower of adolescent desire. It wouldn’t have happened, in secret was the only way the both could explore the world and each other and even then you both wouldn’t go as far to call it a relationship. Him and her, the two of you, were just too different.

It was hard truth to swallow from the criticisms Carmen got from his family, being so interested in a woman from her culture who wanted to taste food for a living just as much as she got backlash from her family for being interested in a white guy who wanted to cook for a living.

“I think we have some polar opinions on what happened that night. But we both know it was your bright idea to convince me to skip my afternoon course and drive downtown with you.” her accent slips into your words formally and naturally.

Carmy loves it when that happens, because she can’t control it one bit. The y/n he knew five years ago used to be so overtly embarrassed of it but now, she doesn’t mind it showing whatsoever.

“You’re right, I remember that part of the night crystal clear.” he tags along to this journey back to the past but he’s hoping you’re willing to talk about what happened late that night.

She smacks his bicep with the back of her hand and laughs, an aspect of his physique she knows has gained a few muscle that last time she saw him. It’s then did Carmen realize he said that thought aloud and not to himself.

“You know what Bear, you’re a lot more of a pervert then I remember.” She smirks as he begins to pour out apologies for all the faults this night has, from the lack of herbs to his “creepiness”. But to be fair, it’s taking her a severe amount of discipline to not think about other areas that may have changed as she looks at him trying to explain himself.

“It’s not a problem Carmy, I wanted to talk more of that night to. Just wasn’t done talking before you swang in on your boner.” she grins and he just continues to blush and apologize, accepting to laugh along with you and your endless teasing.

“The dumplings you got us were good though, and I didn’t have to subject myself to unnecessary persecution from my professor so that was an added bonus.” you sigh as you wipe a little bit of sweat off your forehead with your hand towel.

The heat from the oven and stove rises the temperature of the kitchen, convincing you to slip out of the thick university sweater that wraps your body up and reveal the deep richness of your exposed skin the short tank top provides.

“And I liked the fact that it was me and you. Just us walking through the city and catching a late night movie.” and simultaneously you both think back on his lips hungrily devouring yours and your hands unzipping his pants in the shadowy dark of the theatre.

Be ba da do be; the woman doesn’t know why she feels a pain in her heart but she hopes the man can help relive it.

Carmen nods along — I haven’t forgotten that night. I don’t wanna forget how you made me feel because I feel like I’ve forgotten you.

He couldn’t think of the name of the movie that was playing even if it could save him, and why would he want to be saved? His mind floods of memories of that night with his hands in your hair, your hand playing with his hard cock, and his lips hidden in your neck as he tried to maintain his moans by bitting down and sucking on your skin.

Cool air hits your skin but you feel a burn, something similar to the swelter of something hot to your senses but without the sting. Carmen can’t tear his eyes away, even when the pans of food are under his mercy he can’t help them because he’s under the mercy of your figure swaying under his kitchen lights.

You’re crazy, you’re driving me crazy and you’re enjoying it, Carmen thinks as he leans his weight against the countertop, unashamedly enjoying the show before him.

The pure gold plate of your name in Arabic winks at him as it lays comfortably on your exposed cleavage. Bare waist moving softly then strongly like the waves of a tide, glistening with a thin sheen of sweat. It unleashed another memory of playing near the Pierre, the water that night reflecting off the moonlight as his hands slipped into her underwear, massaging her wetness and bringing it up to his lips to taste her for the first time.

Her eyes meet Carmy’s for a second, his face deep pink like the juice of a raspberry before he turns away with an apology.

Enjoying the view? — is what you want to say but you find yourself a little flustered to tease him — because he looks so fucking good.

The veins running from his hands to his forearms popping here and there with his tight grips and motions. The black ink of his tattoos strained through the muscle of his skin it’s making you hot all over. You’re drinking him in, practically thinking of him fucking you while you try to look anywhere else besides his strong nose or shoulders.

“Do you ever think that you’re using a bit too much onion and garlic in your dishes? It smells damn good but I can immediately tell which plate of food is yours from a hundred just from the onion to garlic content and ratio.”

Carmen means it in the most politest manner and he tries and fails to keep back a laugh when you give him your signature questionable look that is ingrained in your family.

“Is that your nice-guy way of saying i’m predicable Carmy? That I’m some sort of onion and garlic addict? Well listen Carmy, I can’t help it, onions and garlic are my love language. The more I love a person the more I use them.”

“You must love me a whole lot then ‘cause my apartments gonna be smelling like ‘em till next month.” he laughs and she giggles while shrugging her shoulder in agreement then taking her squash couscous and braised lamb chops to the little table in the corner of his kitchen.

“Sorry Carmen, I hope you don’t mind it. I mean I just moved back here and i’m already etching myself on you. How is the restaurant doing?” her words soft and gentle, her eyes etched on Carmy’s back, her heart pausing when he stops whatever he was doing to turn around and look at her.

“No no I don’t mind it. It means a lot for you to be here, I’m glad I called you. I, I really missed seeing you, talking to you.” Carmen assures, he doesn’t want to have her walk on eggshells around him, he already cleared everything up with her about Michael and doesn’t want the tension to resurface.

It was great that you two had a lot to talk about but the generational trauma of both your families anxieties and stresses wasn’t a light subject that you both are eager to dive into.

Be ba da do be; the man plays at the strings of his heart, grateful to know they still create the same ballad that plays when the woman’s near.

“And the restaurant is going great. We’re still experimenting with a new menu. I have to talk to some contractors and designers for the layout tomorrow.” she nods along, a little seed of happiness for him growing fast. Growing green veins that wrap around the vesicle of her heart, like a second skin she didn’t know she shed once she stopped talking to her old dear friend.

“I’m happy for you Bear. It all has lead up to this huh?” the twinkle in her eyes glisten, giving him a quick wink that makes him do a mental double take.

Carmen watches her pour her standard household amount on both of their plates and sprinkle it lightly with parsley. The candle in the middle of both your dishes was lite, only she’s not the one that light but him earlier that night.

“Yeah, yeah really it has.” Carmen can’t tear his eyes away from hers, “You know, if you’d like you could drop by tomorrow. You could try this new dessert Marcus is whipping up, I have this ah—” Carmy’s hand lifts up to scratch his head, his eyes roaming from her lips to her nose to the earrings that hang from her ears.

Everywhere before swimming in the soft intensity of her eyes, licking his lips when her lashes shut her eyes for a second before opening them to reveal the intensity of them again.

“This dish, that I’m working on. It has a some uh, you know you could see what I’m talking about band try it out. Only if you want to, you know.” Carmen explains, now looking at you after taking the sourdough out of the oven and playing with the gorgeous brown crackly surface.

“Oh I know, maybe I do want to drop by tomorrow.” her tone is making his head spin, a dozen of ideas for new dishes coming to mind that he wants her to try. Each step she takes closer to him makes his heart pound a new beat, he wishes the smell of her perfume would stay present.

“And you know, maybe you could go easy on me and my crew to. I know how offended you critics can get when you don’t like what the Chef serves up.” Carmen whispers, he doesn’t need to raise his voice with her face inching so close to his.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go more than easy on you Bear. You don’t have to worry about that.” She whispers back, he breaks from his reserved space to inch closer. Admiring the shape of her lips, imagining how soft and warm they feel.

“Then what should I worry about, sweetheart? Should I worry about your daddy? Or your mama? Or my mom? I don’t really care about them right now. I don’t care because they don’t matter.” all forms of fear and hesitancy are thrown out the window and into the rainy night.

“Stop fucking around and tell me what you’re trying to say Carmy.” he sees the watery glint in her eyes, regret rises in his chest as his throat goes dry.

It isn’t fair, it isn’t fair how he’s letting the fears that prevented him from loving her then keep him from loving her now.

When Carmen thought of Chicago when he was in New York he thought of his family, his childhood, his food, and her. Any image of her just is associated with a feeling of regret of what could have been. He just wants to know if she feels that to, and if she doesn’t want to live in that stage of regret anymore.

“I’m saying that maybe we don’t have to feel scared anymore because there’s nothing to be scared of. You know I’ve— I’ve always loved you. I was stupid then to not have told you that but I’m telling it to you now.” he stops talking to take a good look at her, vulnerability spread on every feature of his face.

“What should I be worried about now? There isn’t a single thing I wouldn’t do for you.” he whispers, grasping her face in his hands to keep her avoiding glance to his.

In that action, his nose touches hers, the warmth of her lips seems to radiate against his mouth, her loose curls and his blonde strands of hair touch and twine together. Her hands touch his that still cup her cheeks and she holds the nose of his neck and pulls him to her.

Be ba da do be; they kiss and fill up that space of feeling they never felt but so desperately wanted.

“There better be plenty of onions and garlic in that special dish of yours tomorrow Chef.” y/n lightly demands, taking his mouth to hers again when he decides to lick his damn lips again.

A smirk spreads on Carmen’s face as he kisses back, it was so typical you to make him fall harder with her weird preferences, if that was possible.

“Trust me sweetheart, there’ll be more than enough.” he whispers against her lips, tasting the cake flavored chapstick she had on. “The whole blocks gonna know how much I love you.”

They can’t help the laughter that escapes them, her fingers tangled in his hair whilst he laughs into the crook of her neck. A new ache fills their chests after they come down from their giggles and smiles, but it’s an ache they’re willing to protect and nurture.

Be ba da do be; the man loves the woman and the woman loves the man.

[hirsuteandcute]

Is it ok that I may ask to see someones lower back hairs. I probably sound absolutely weird for even asking that but I’m just new to dealing with having it and I want to better understand how to ignore how people feel about it. I hope me asking to see is now weird I’m not trying to come off that way to anyone :(

Mine (OG followers remember this one)

Submitted anonymously

spencer.barbosa on TikTok

Google? (Google results suck because all the 'lower back hair on women' results were men, babies, stock photos of hairless women, or waxing videos...)

Honestly, a loooot of girls have it, especially Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/North African/South American/South Asian etc. I used to be sooo insecure about it, first I shaved it, then epilated or waxed it, then bleached it. Eventually I got to a point where I'm okay with it and actually barely think about it, even wearing crop tops (something I never thought I'd do!!). It does get easier, but give yourself time, and process it as you want/need to.

Hope this helps!

[lutes-of-the-world]

Hey, just saw your post about Egal the Bard or whatever his name is having inaccurate instruments and making inaccurate music. Your info was very helpful about the instruments, but could you please speak more to why it's musically inaccurate? Or maybe, do you have video examples of what traditional medieval ensemble music sounds like?

Thank you for asking! I run this blog to share things with the intellectually curious.

The misrepresentation of historical music is my pet peeve. I was not kind to this burnout bard, this short-shift schop, this miniature Minnesinger, because he is making the work of medievalists harder. I don't care if someone wants to play bard, but they shouldn't advertise their modern pop stylings as having been informed by the sonic architecture of the middle ages.

Here's the lowdown on medieval European instrumental music:

A lot of it came from North Africa and the Middle East. The Maghrebi Arab-Berbers, whom the Europeans called the Moors, conquered Andalusia and added it to the Umayyad Empire, which was huge and was comprised of Arabs, Persians, Turks, formerly-Byzantine Christians, and Jews. They brought instruments like the lute and shawm with them, and these instruments subsequently spread across Europe. The Moors brought a lot of culture to Europe in general: Córdoba became the European center of learning, especially in math, astronomy, medicine, and philosophy. The three Abrahamic faiths coexisted peacefully (well, after the invasion, and until the Christian Reconquista and subsequent expulsion of the Jews). Arabic, Persian, and Syriac cultures had also preserved classical Greek writings, and as Europeans returned from their various Crusades, they brought this knowledge with them. Aristotle inspired the monastic, literate intellectual life of medieval Europe, and Plato, via Arabic transmission, later inspired the Italian Renaissance.

We don't know how medieval instrumental music sounded, as we have no recordings and very few surviving instruments, and because most of the music and music theory that was written down was sacred a capella music recorded by literate monks and nuns. Secular instrumental music was seen as a baser art, although that was the opinion of the monastic intellectuals, whose perspective is the only one that survives in writ. History is written by the ruling classes.

We can gather clues by looking at medieval depictions of instrumentalists. Illustrations are often simple and stylized, and historicist luthiers' recreations based solely on iconography tend to be cartoony and rough (like anime cosplay!). They should be relegated to theatre props. However, iconographic evidence may be augmented with the study of surviving "folk" music traditions (pardon the classist label. All music is folk music because all music is made by folks!). Some European folk instruments are very old and have evidently changed very little over the centuries, and many of their Middle Eastern and North African progenitors are still played, and the artistry of the great instruments like the oud (lute) and qanoun (psaltery) has been cultivated to greater depths than were ever reached in Europe, because their roots are so much older. The European genius is just as brilliant, but fickle: it often discards its old tools for new ones. For instance, the barbat, the Central Asian/Greater Iranian lute, has been played since ancient Mesopotamian times, and its descendents are more popular today than ever before.

Unfortunately, the Anglophone medieval European academic scene is still overcoming its inherited Eurocentrism, and Arabic scholarship is largely inaccessible to us due to language barriers. I'm sure everything is thoroughly documented and annotated in Arabic scholarship...

If we want to imagine what medieval Al'Andalus sounded like, our best bet is to listen to traditional Andalusian ensembles. The Arab-Andalusian Orchestra of Fez is over a century old - the oldest Andalusian ensemble that is still active - and its repertoire goes back to the middle ages:

Note the melodic intervals sound European, not Arabic. The ensemble prides itself on this. European tuning theory has changed subtly over the centuries, but from its earliest Greek roots it is still recognizable to the modern western ear. Traditional Andalusi music is similarly familiar, though Arabic, Persian, and Turkish music sound microtonally exotic to unaccustomed ears.

We have a treasure, a 13th century Galician illuminated songbook from the court of Alfonso X, el Sabio, of Castile. It's called the Cantigas de Santa Maria and it is full of sacred and pseudo-sacred Marian poems with notated melodies and illustrations of musicians.

Here are scenes from the musical life of Alfonso's court:

Here is a leading European early music ensemble's imagining of how it MAY HAVE sounded:

Here is another glimpse of the past, the painted ceiling of the Capella Palatina of Palermo, Sicily, Fatimid in style, from the 12th century. There are a lot of images of musicians on the six pages of this website.

In short, one mustn't take recordings of recreations of medieval music as gospel. Musicologists, music historians, and historical performers like myself do as best to be as authentic as we can, but the further we look back in history, the more we must engage in creative guesswork. It can be seen as artistic collaboration across time.

"The past is a foreign country."

- L.P. Hartley

[vexic929]

ooooh okay now I need to tell you more about Eris and Nyx :D

Eris: an Amazonian warrior, several thousand years old. Because the Amazons are traditionally female, you could say they're afab, but they'd have no idea what that meant if you said it. Plus, technically they were sculpted from clay, so both the "female" and "birth" part are a little up-for-grabs there. He's somewhat ethnically ambiguous in that millennia-old way - i.e. they appear vaguely Middle Eastern or North African, since those were cradles of civilization before populations spread. He's built of about average height, and has a well-sculpted fighter's build (mostly lean muscle, a bit more in the shoulders and thighs, and androgynous like a Greek statue). I might make a picrew to capture the vision sometime? idk

She's a fierce warrior who fights with a spear or javelin (a fact that endears him to Harley later on, of course), though is well-rounded and adaptable when it comes to weapons. And they've got one more trick up their sleeve... he can turn into a lion(ess) when needed, though she rarely uses this power as it's draining and draws a lot of attention

After leaving Themyscira, they tend to follow whatever world conflict they want to fight in. This doesn't always place him on the "right" side, but she's usually not on the "wrong" side either. She meets Rick flag while he's in the military, and he saves them from a bomb threat (since Eris isn't quite adjusted to modern military techniques). They continue to look out for each other, until Rick is eventually transferred to his job working the Suicide Squad. Eris follows, finding it more interesting than simply following war now that war has become so widespread and technological, and often jumps in during the missions since he's a bit hardier than the non-metahumans in the mix. They and Rick are essentially inseparable - not quite romantically, it's all a bit nebulous, but they're partners in every other sense.

And then the events of The Suicide Squad (2021) roll around... that'll be interesting >:)

I'll send Nyx in a different ask since this got longer than expected

yessssssssss I love them, he sounds SO cool! I love that she can turn into a lion(ess) that's sick!! I already ship them with Rick lol

can't wait to read about Nyx too!!! <3333

[fractallogic]

I wish I had scone here with me in the airport right now because his eavesdropping hobby is listening for arabic speakers and then telling me where they’re from

I have a person sitting next to me waiting and I’m 90% sure she’s speaking Arabic with some kind of lite speech disorder because she has some retroflexed consonants that made me think maybe it’s a close cousin of Arabic, but she’s also speaking slowly enough that I can understand bits and pieces and hear all of the inflection (!!!), so it’s almost definitely Arabic

She has some other features that point me to like. a Levantine dialect (not Egyptian because she has /k/ and not /g/ for /q/, and she has theta and not /t/; she has /laish/ and a couple other words i associate with levantine arabic but not 100% sure about their spread; DEFINITELY not Moroccan or North African because there’s not enough French lexical items and I can understand too much of it (lol); could be Gulf but she doesn’t sound like scone when he speaks Arabic to his family (but he also has a somewhat noticeable “rural” accent to other Gulfis apparently, lol…))

I mean. Levantine is probably a pretty safe bet. That covers a lot of the Middle East. Maybe Jordanian.

Someone please tap into my brain and download the file of her one-sided conversation and tell me if I’m right because I feel creepy enough already having noticed that she has a CO drivers license and trying to remember if CO has any notable amounts of immigrants from any particular middle eastern region lmfao

[my-awesome-roadtrip]

Day 21 : 14th July 2022 - Montgomery AL

Our awesome road trip is nearly over and I’m looking forward to a good ole Sunday Roast !  So today we are in Montgomery Alabama, the home town of Martin Luther King Jr, for our last two nights.

We were a little late leaving this morning, however after a very nice breakfast we were on our way and headed straight into another rain storm. Oh my, can the rain come down hard around here.

Our destination today was The Legacy Museum.

The last time we were here, around 5 years ago, there was a rumour that the Equal Justice Initiative was going to build  something to commemorate the millions of black people that were illegally forced to the USA from their home country of Africa.

The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration is situated on a site in Montgomery where Black people were forced to labor in bondage and is blocks away from one of the most prominent slave auction spaces in America, It is also steps away from the rail station where tens of thousands of Black people were trafficked during the 19th century.    In fact if I looked out of my hotel room right now and I was transported back 200 years I would see a long line of shackled  men and women walking towards the slave pens.

There was no photography allowed which I feel is appropriate and the Museum was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, no one spoke, only the occasional whisper as things were pointed out.

On entering the Museum you are faced with a gigantic screen with wave upon wave of water crashing towards you, the sound was incredible , I felt I was immersed within this turbulent sea, imagine being on a ship on this ferocious ocean.

During the international slave trade 35000 ships transported 12.5 million Africans to America on a journey known as the “middle passage “. They were crammed into holds no more than 5 feet high and there they stayed festering in their own juices. They voyage lasted anything from 80 days to 3 months and more than half these captives died of disease and malnutrition.

Imagine the state of the hold, dark, stinking and filthy with hardly room to turn, your arms and legs shacked and to each other.

Out of the 12.5 million transported 1.5 million died

We walked from gallery to gallery, watched film after film and heard story after story of the brutality men, women and children endured in these unsanitary conditions.

I had no idea that central New York, Broadway and  Wall Street was built on the backs of slaves,I also had no idea that almost the whole of eastern America was built by slave labour.

The information was shocking to learn, and even when Slavery was abolished in the North,  the so called slave free states and also many countries across the world, still continued to profit from the blood of the African people.

Slaves were punished by whipping, shackling, hanging, beating, burning, mutilation, branding, rape, and imprisonment.

We stayed in this Museum for over 4 hours and still we could’ve have stayed longer but a combination of air conditioning and being soaked  during  our walk from the car park forced us to leave…. Into glorious sunshine and 80 degrees.

Our next stop was The National Memorial for Peace and Justice about a 5 minute drive away.

This Memorial commemorates the black lynchings in America and is absolutely stunning in its simplicity and power

There are 805 hanging steel rectangles representing each of the U.S. counties where a documented lynching took place with the names of the lynched men, women and children etched on it together with the date they were so brutally murdered for the slightest infraction. It also includes several sculptures depicting themes related to racial violence.

The further you walk into the Memorial, the higher the rectangles get and as you walk underneath them you suddenly realise they represent  hanging bodies swinging in the breeze.

[practically-an-x-man]

🎶 👗🦸‍♀️🌹🎳 😱 🤝🍸🍁 for Robin, Ophelia, and Eris?

Oh wow thank you so much!! <3

Under the cut for space as usual

Describe Your OC or a Character Ask Game

🎶 - How do they sound? Describe their voice

Robin: Somewhat feminine voice, American with a faint Deaf accent (that gets stronger when she's tired, or when she's not using her ability as a makeshift hearing aid)

Ophelia: Blunt and sarcastic, lower female register with a bit of vocal fry, accent is vaguely New York but wouldn't be obvious to a non-American.

Eris: Decidedly androgynous range, with an accent that sounds like it comes vaguely from the Middle East (but nobody can seem to decide where specifically he's from)

👗-Describe their style

Robin: Kinda bounces all over the place. Most of the time, she just wears casual clothing, band t-shirts alongside either jeans or a skirt, but sometimes she'll feel like dressing up a little more. When she dresses up, she prefers feminine styles.

Ophelia: In her lab, really just whatever's comfortable - t-shirts, sweatpants, she's got a lab coat but only remembers to wear it about half the time. Outside her lab, she'll try to dress a little nicer since she's both a semi-known superhero and the face of a large company and doesn't want to be flamed by journalists or paparazzi, but she still doesn't worry too much about that. And of course, she's got an endless stream of long coats that she wears for her hero work

Eris: Doesn't really have a fashion sense, just wears whatever fits and allows full range of motion. This typically results in a mix between loose fabrics in a variety of colors (similar to Middle Eastern or North African clothing), modern cargo/military clothing with a lot of pockets, and whatever he chooses to steal from Rick's closet.

🦸‍♀️ - What would they dress as for Halloween?

Robin: Some kind of fantasy creature like an elf or dryad, complete with antlers and Ren Faire-style makeup

Ophelia: Spider-Man, but an intentionally shitty costume, strictly to take the piss out of Peter.

Eris: Assuming he could even be convinced to dress up for Halloween in the first place... would either spend weeks making a fully-accurate costume of a historical figure nobody else has ever heard of, or would be dragged along in a couple's/group costume with Rick or Harley.

🌹 - Do they have a signature scent? Perfume, shampoo or alike?

Robin: Roses!

Ophelia: Tends to use citrus-scented soaps, but also smells vaguely of machine oil due to all her time in the lab.

Eris: Not really, he tends to pick scents based on whatever the hell she feels like in the moment, but they tend to gravitate towards cloves/musk/earthy scents.

🎳 - Do they have hobbies? If yes, what are they?

Robin: Enjoys arcade games (and gets very competitive, especially when she's playing against Peter), practicing piano, and costume design - sewing, thrifting, etc., she's actually stepped in a few times to help out at the opera house when their usual costumer dropped out.

Ophelia: Engineering and coding is both her job and her hobby, it just depends on what project she's working on at the time. Once she's brought back through the multiverse, she's got a bit more appreciation for day-to-day life and makes a hobby out of trying new, mundane things - like trying as many varieties of apples as she can, thrifting interesting articles of clothing just to experiment, visiting local shops even if she doesn't end up buying anything, etc.

Eris: I'd say his hobby is collecting hobbies. He's tried all kinds of things over the course of their life and has effectively taken every opportunity to learn a new skill even if it'll turn out to be useless. 16th-century weaving techniques? Butchering a cow by hand? A general knowledge of literally hundreds of different weapons? Whittling? Tattooing? You name it, she's tried it. And if she hasn't, she'll learn.

😱 - Their biggest fear

Robin: Her family being put in danger because of her connection to the X-Men. It's bad enough when it's Sean, but he knows what he's gotten into - she'd hate for the rest of her family, non-mutant civilians with no idea about this whole X-Men business, to get hurt.

Ophelia: Death, as a whole. She won't admit it, and probably isn't even 100% aware of it, but she's terrified of dying a second time.

Eris: Losing Rick unexpectedly. They know it's going to happen at some point, but they're still not prepared for it in the slightest.

🤝 - Are they good with people? Are they able to get along with people and communicate effectively with the people around them?

Robin: Oh, very much so. She's an extrovert, not to mention a professional entertainer (an opera singer), so she's very comfortable being around other people. The only snag is when people get weird about her being Deaf, but as a whole it's generally smooth sailing.

Ophelia: Not really. She tends to be very intense, and often keeps a lot of her emotions behind this mask of sharp wit and sarcasm, so people generally find her entertaining to be around but difficult to make a deeper connection with.

Eris: They're very polarizing, actually. Either people hate him outright for his affinity for violence and lack of morals, or they respect him immediately for being so candid about who he is. She's not great at being a team player, let alone following someone else's lead, but she's also had a lot of practice being around other people and is pretty good at managing it.

🍸- Favourite drink?

Robin: Herbal tea - her favorite to taste is a hibiscus fruit blend, but she's also very familiar with Throat Coat tea with echinacea to preserve her voice when she's busy with a show (and I will say, speaking from experience, it does taste nice too)

Ophelia: She's got an affinity for those store-bought protein shakes, less because they taste particularly good and more because they're quick and easy when she accidentally skips a meal while working.

Eris: A good strong bourbon, or mulled wine. The alcohol doesn't do anything because of their healing factor, but the taste is pleasant and a little nostalgic for him.

🍁 - Their favourite season and why?

Robin: Summer. She doesn't mind the heat (she'll spend half her time inside the air-conditioned opera house for rehearsals anyway), it reminds her of summer vacation with her siblings, and it allows her to walk barefoot without as many problems or questions in the way

Ophelia: Those few weeks in between fall and winter - not so cold that hero work is miserable, cool enough that she can wear her long coat and not overheat in a fight, and it's the perfect time for hot drinks and fluffy sweaters and curling up with a good book.

Eris: Also summer, but for a very different reason. They're built for warm climates anyway, they absolutely thrive with a little sun, and it's a documented fact that people get angry when the temperature rises. Crime rates spike, people get irritable, and the uptick in ambient conflict means Eris is often his strongest in the hot summer months.

[surgicallabor]

Everybody, supposedly Petra Müllejans, with a maybe unfortunately “irresponsible,” maybe “under the influence,” also possibly “lazy” and careless excuse, or so, set my life to get increasingly worse. The people monitoring me in private get dizzy. “People have died,” they seem to have vocalized. Although, they meant older people who started this experimenting on me sometime. Yea, it was like bait. I was interested because I wanted to talk to people and they offered that I have a new life, then that I was always like this, etc. etc. It’s like the whole world did it I guess but I didn’t really pay attention all the time because I was in one place. What it was was that I was like younger and I would be petite and start ballet and singing I guess again. I had a family I didn’t know, and I was “the baby” and yea everyone adored me but I was also supposed to be comfortable and not disrespected like by my dad‘s “custody.” Also, this isn’t really as good but they said my group singing teacher was going to have me move in and she would pick me up every day and make me feel good. She was also the one watching me all the time, like with her treadmill. Are used to sit in my room and talk to them by writing letters and using like stick figure type pictures and stuff. I was pretty smart, you know when my own way. I have lots of sheets, and when Hurricane Katrina finally happened to New Orleans it’s like the floor was covered with him, but they weren’t supposed to be very much to worry about. It’s not as good as the book I wrote in in Cleveland, which I still have. Do you know it’s funny I started to hear things when I was in Cleveland like in the air outside, but other things happened to me. Also, it’s like if it didn’t happen to me, then it could’ve happened to me later. They weren’t really as feisty Up North has all the people in the area of New Orleans I was in in the summer after my first year of college even though they all said they didn’t mind that it was me, and that they actually go in and take turns and watch and stuff. I don’t know why, but I saw them. Connor coordinating their clothes all the time like because of me but I think they started it and I was suspicious, but I think I’m the one who’s in trouble for some reason I don’t really know. Maybe it’s because I didn’t succeed? I didn’t want to do it. I’m glad I could do it but I am pretty sad that nothing better actually happened in real life yet, and then people ask me to do them a favor like I never was nice to them or they trusted me. Now it’s all about if you pleasured younger people but not in a bad way. I was always told in my head better not to since I’m half Chinese. So, maybe other people can learn? I know maybe people care about me but I’m kind of stuck how I am and not sure what would fix this. I’m not really sure what to do at the moment or in the near future, etc. It’s no use sending me online just to figure out if I can get racially categorized because I guess no one cares if I am the one who cares about it. I don’t really know maybe every race but maybe. Indonesians might be more like Africans, and I’m pretty good regarding being Middle Eastern. You know I am half Asian. That sounds like a good idea, I don’t have money to advertise it like on TV like and make a forum. I dunno, they might want me to use my brain to start feeding the poor cock.

[crushingdeath]

SIR RICHARD BISHOP + SHIT CREEK + JS CLAYTON

Wed 4th Oct '23 @ NCI Sports & Social Club Doors 8pm, £14 adv from here

SIR RICHARD BISHOP

As a solo guitarist, Sir Richard Bishop fuses the sounds of flamenco, North African rai and Turkish psych with the spirits of Django Reinhardt and Derek Bailey, early Middle Eastern pop and Central Asian ragas.

For over a quarter of a century, Bishop was part of the legendary, perplexing and mysterious experimental trio Sun City Girls. Extraordinarily prolific and possessed a world-gobbling vision, SCG took absurdist jazz-punk, ethno-improv and fuck-you audience confrontation to sublime and unimaginable heights until the death of drummer Charles Gocher in 2007. Bishop went on to form the psych-power trio Rangda with Ben Chasney (Six Organs Of Admittance) and Chris Corsano. Other influences are absorbed from his extended periods of travelling the world, collecting music for brother (and former SCG bandmate) Alan’s extra-geographic label Sublime Frequencies.

Returning now after a near-decade spent as a rare book dealer specialising in the occult and esoterica, Bishop envelops his lucid, tumbling guitar playing with magick, Tantra, and arcane weirdness. Expect a mixture of gypsy rag, Eastern drones, free improvisation, white noise plus everything and nothing in between.

www.sirrichardbishop.net

SHIT CREEK

Shimmering electronics, gleeful pulsing drone, violin screech and/or chopped-uppop songs. Join psychedelic noisenik Shit Creek on an improvised trip to bliss town.

shit-creek.bandcamp.com

JS CLAYTON

Solo percussion experimentations on a Chris Corsano, Steve Noble, Camille Emaille, Valentina Magaletti, etc. tip.

[stratviewresearch]

Offshore ROV Market Expansion Projected to Gain an Uptick During 2027

Stratview Research has launched a new report on the Offshore ROV Market, which is segmented by Product Type, by Application Type, by Material Type, and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World).

Download Sample Report @

The Offshore ROV Market is likely to witness an impressive CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period. The prime factor that is contributing to the demand for Offshore ROV is the increasing demand for Offshore ROV in various industries.

This report on the Offshore ROV Market has been put together covering various companies of the industry from different geographies. The study is a perfect blend of qualitative and quantitative research highlighting vital market developments, challenges and competition that the industry might face, along with opportunities and trends available in the Offshore ROV Market. The report intends to present a thorough analysis of the Offshore ROV Market and provide cutting-edge market intelligence to help decision makers undertake a sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also classifies and analyses the emerging trends along with major growth drivers.

Offshore ROV Market Outlook

In the report, the market outlook section mainly encompasses fundamental dynamics of the market which include drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges faced by the industry. Drivers and Restraints are intrinsic factors whereas opportunities and challenges act as extrinsic factors affecting the market. The report aims at answering several key questions concerning the overall profitability in the market.

Few key players operating in the Offshore ROV Market are-

• Oceaneering

• Subsea 7

• Fugro

• TechnipFMC

• Saipem

• Forum

• DOF

• ECA

• Deep Ocean Group

• ISE

• Deep Ocean Engineering

• AC-CESS

Growth drivers and Market Value:

This report, from Stratview Research, studies the Offshore ROV Market value and growth drivers over the trend period of 2022-27. According to the report -

Offshore ROV Market is likely to witness an impressive CAGR of 4.40% during the forecast period. The major drivers underpinning the market are the discoveries of offshore oil and gas in prominent economies and increase in their demand.

Segment Analysis:

Based on by Application Type:

Based on the application type, the market is segmented as drilling & well completion, construction support, inspection, repair & maintenance service, remote subsea intervention tooling design & build, and subsea engineering services. The drilling & well completion segment accounted for the largest market share in 2021, and is expected to command the market during the forecasted period. The growth of the segment is driven by the growing deepwater offshore activities in the regions, such as Angola and ultradeep water in Brazil, respectively.

Based on Regional:

In terms of regions, Rest of the World is estimated to lead the offshore ROV market during the forecast period. The growth in offshore deep and ultradeep water activities is bolstering the market in the Middle Eastern & African regions. The increasing activities of offshore exploration and production in countries, such as Angola, the UAE, Nigeria, etc. are expected to catapult the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Know more about the report, click here

To know more about the Research Methodology and other aspects of the research study, kindly get in touch with our sales team at – sales@stratviewresearch.com

Customization of the Report

Along with this market report, our team provides a customization according to the client’s requirement. In case of any queries or customization requirements, please connect with our sales team, who will ensure that your requirements are met.

Connect with us at – Stratview Research Call @:  +1-313-307-4176 Mail Us:  sales@stratviewresearch.com

[24x7newsbengal]

The Blemmyes : Myth or Reality

Subhajit Makhal: The Blemmyes also known as the headless people of Africa. But who are they??? Let's find out.... In the Eastern part of Libya a country in the continent of Africa around fifth century BC there was a tribe of men with no heads upon their shoulders like humans. Instead, they had their eyes and their mouths on their chests. Sounds unreal and a fairy tale fiction story. Right? !!!! Na Na Na. It could have been believed as a fiction or myth but the existence of a tribe called Blemmyes had been testified by not only local ancient Libyans but also by famous historical figures such as famous Greek writer Herodotus. Herodotus claimed that a certain group of people with eyes, nose and mouth on their chests and had no heads existed in his book 'Histories'. Many years later Roman writer Pliny insisted that Blemmyes existed in Africa. Pliny mentioned about Bleymmes in his book 'Naturalis Historia'. He even further declared that Blemmyes were a nomadic tribe who were savages and very dangerous. As centuries after centuries passed stories of Blemmyes continued and spread further. In 1596,a famous English explorer named Sir Walter Raleigh who was a famous courtier of Queen Elizabeth 1 ,wrote in his book about his journey to Guyana where he reportqas that " There was a nation of people whose heads were not above shoulders " and those abd those people had their eyes in their shoulders and their mouths in the middle of their breasts. According to research the Blemmyes were in fact real African people who lived in Northern Nubia (Modern Ethiopia) between 600 BC and 300 AD. However their heads were on their breasts or not remains unknown although famous writers, authors and even explorers testified of Blemmyes. The tribe of Blemmyes had an army and a kingdom. We know this because both Greek and Romans. The Bleymmes had a king. Blemmye writings mention various royal officials who seemed to be arranged in a hierarchy. Beneath the kings were phylarchs, who were chiefs of separate tribes.

An ancient art depicting the Blemmyes.. Other officials include sub-chiefs, court officials, and scribes. The Blemmyes kings had the power to levy taxes and grant exemptions as well as authority over the territory. Many theories states that Blemmyes shifted from Africa towards South America by crossing Atlantic Ocean. Some say they moved towards North America. Some theorists say that Blemmyes shifted towards India. Great explorer Christopher Columbus believed that he would find Blemmyes and not people in the new world that is America. In 1492 ,when Christopher Columbus crossed the Atlantic Ocean in search of fast route to East Asia and the Southwest Pacific he landed a in a place that was unknown to him. There he found treasures - extraordinary trees, birds and gold. But there was one thing that Columbus expected to find that he didn't find and that was Blemmyes. Upon his return in his official report Columbus noted that he had discovered a great many islands inhabited by people without number. He praised the natural beauty of the island. But Columbus also added, "I have not found any monstrous men in those islands, as many as thought.

The Blemmyes kingdom in the middle of map. Now let us see what scientists think of legend Bleymmes. Scientists does not believe in the theory of Blemmyes even later medieval Europeans who believed that there is nothing headless men and according to them Blemmyes are just exaggerated report about apes found in Africa. Writers and exploerers mistook the apes as Bleymmes. Some people gave an explanations that earlier, native warriors of Africa employed tactics of head tucked close to their chest while marching while marching in one knee on the ground. Or maybe those warriors had custom of carrying shields ornamented with faces. So we conclude that Blemmyes infact were a real tribe that existed in Africa but whether they had no heads remains a mystery........ Read the full article

[nwdsc]

(Who Are We? | Al-Qasarから)

Who Are We? by Al-Qasar

Middle Eastern psych-rock collective Al-Qasar’s debut album is an explosive mix of heavy Arabian grooves, global psychedelia and North African trance music. The band calls it "Arabian fuzz." Brazenly electric and deeply connected. Guests include Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) and Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys). ------------------ When continents collide, they make a thunderous sound. Al-Qasar create the soundtrack to that fission on their full-length debut, Who Are We? It is music for a world in flux, with its ancestors deep in the past, but something that could only have been born in the 21st century. Arabian fuzz, they term it, a vision that’s brazenly electric and deeply connected to its roots. But it had a definite starting point. “Al-Qasar was born in the Barbès neighbourhood of Paris,” explains band leader Thomas Attar Bellier. “I’ve lived in Los Angeles, Paris, New York, Lisbon… I wanted to start a project that was in tune with the daily life of people living in these international cities, something diverse, radically colourful, with a fresh, contemporary outlook on what societies really look like today”. The musicians came together, from France, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and the United States. Shows followed, first in France, then in Europe and the Middle East. They put out an EP, the widely-lauded Miraj, recorded in Cairo. In the same time frame, Attar Bellier collaborated with the likes of Emel Mathlouthi and Dina El Wedidi, two of the most exciting names in contemporary Arab music. Work on Who Are We? began in December 2020, with Attar Bellier composing eight tracks that writhe and roar in skilfully controlled chaos. Bass, drums and traditional percussion create a deep, irresistible groove for the foundation, while electric saz and guitars build a wailing wall above, with Moroccan vocalist Jaouad El Garouge’s ecstatic voice, steeped in his Gnawa upbringing, pulling inspiration from history as it strides into the future. Drawing on years of experience working in Los Angeles studios, Attar Bellier produced the album. Who Are We? translates the sound that inhabited his head into something physical that stirs spirit, heart and feet. It is relentless and insistent, like a psychedelic celebration on the dancefloor, bristling with the kind of deep energy that makes Al-Qasar sound like the world’s most dangerous wedding band. During those years spent behind the control board, Attar Bellier made some good friends in the US, and they’ve been eager to help out on the project. Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, PJ Harvey) mixed the record, and Grammy-winner Dave Collins mastered it. The Dead Kennedys’ Jello Biafra was a natural addition to “Ya Malak,” his inimitable voice reciting a translation of Egyptian revolutionary poet Ahmed Fouad Negm, elevating the record’s social critique while showcasing the first-ever English recording of Negm’s work. Jello Biafra is not the only punk hero to appear on Who Are We? Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth layers textured, brooding guitar over the first two cuts, “Awtar Al Sharq” and “Awal.” The sweeping drones embrace the Moroccan bendir groove to magical results. “Lee sent me upwards of eighteen guitar tracks,” says Attar Bellier in amazement. “It was enough for an entire EP, and all so good. The hard part was deciding what not to use. Lee’s vibe just fit perfectly with what I was trying to do with the track.” Al-Qasar’s magnetic pull drew big names from other continents, too. Hend Elrawy, the acclaimed Egyptian singer whom the band met in Cairo, brings her powerful voice to “Mal Wa Jamal”, whose Arabic lyrics promote a female-centric and humbling outlook on prostitution and its consequences. Like the other songs on the album, its social consciousness is carefully veiled in images. “Hobek Tawrat,” for instance, can be taken as a love song, with its seductive, ringing opening on the electric saz that leads up to the aching voice of New York-based Sudanese innovator Alsarah (Alsarah & The Nubatones). On the surface it offers the gliding, breathless sensuality of romance. Underneath, though, its heart is spikily political as Alsarah calls out against the coup in her homeland, rising in passion with each verse – the chorus a slogan from the recent demonstrations. One of the band’s great coups is the track “Barbès Barbès,” an ode and homage to the neighbourhood in Paris where Al-Qasar first came together. The iconic Mehdi Haddab (Speed Caravan) added his oud virtuosity to the track. “Barbès is this edgy, amazing, historically Algerian, and still ungentrified part of the city” explains Attar Bellier. “To me, it is more typical of the way Paris really is than the Eiffel Tower, or than the Louvre. Real people live there, real culture happens there.” Haddab, who occasionally performs with the band, is famous for introducing the oud as a rock’n’roll instrument. “When he played on the track, it was as if he’d set it alight, it just came to life.” Who Are We? is a deep, exhilarating album. Its intensity never wavers, music that pulls from the hypnotic roots of North African trance and threads it into a fabric with the elaborate beauty of Arabic scales and the shock and thrill of rock’n’roll. It is modern folklore, a reflection of the cross-cultural society we’ve become. The continents have collided, and the result is deep magic. Who Are We? Al-Qasar ask. The answer is there on the album cover. Look in the mirror. We are you and me. We are then. We are here. We are now. And we are tomorrow. Listen. クレジット2022年9月16日リリース Thomas Attar Bellier: electric saz, guiters, keys Jaouad El Garouge: vocals, awtar, karkabou, tbila, bendir, claves, caxixi, cowbell Guillaume Théoden: bass, sub bass Nicolas Derolin: darbuka, daf, bongos, bendir, shakers, saget Paul Void: drums

[severepeanutperfection]

Automotive Soft Trim Interior Materials Market : Technological Growth Map over Time

By the conclusion of the forecast period, the market for automotive soft trim interior materials is expected to grow from US$ 5743.6 million in 2022 to US$ 9179 million, representing a CAGR of 4.8%.

Automotive Soft Trim Interior popularly known as “Soft Trims” belongs to automotive interiors segment being a part of the automotive ancillaries sector. The nomenclature is derived from the nature of the product application compared to the hard exterior body & spare parts of the vehicle. It is used in seats, doors, floor liners, pillar covers, cockpit, headliners, etc. of the vehicle. The material used is primarily of 3 types: Leather, Textile/Fabric & Chemical Polymers. Leather is used in Premium automobile models, whereas the latter two cater to Mid & Base Level models in exterior furnishing/covering as well fabrication of core interior body parts. The product has a blend of critical traits more than just the aesthetics aspect; such as Acoustic Control, Durability & Ergonomics, and Feather Weight Capability.

Automotive Soft Trim Interior Market Dynamics & Trends

The entire 4 wheeler-Automotive vehicle segments such as Light Motor Vehicles, Heavy Commercial Vehicles etc. are major consumers whom the product caters to. It has both OEM & Aftermarket channel sales market. Leather, Coated Fabrics & Textiles is used for seats, door-side handles, head rests, arm-rests, seat belts, fasteners & cockpit sections. The premium/luxury model of the vehicle employ leather type whereas the standard models employ the latter types owing to the material quality & its associated cost. Foams & Acoustic Barriers are used in auxiliary interior body parts. \

The product is thus driven both by the automotive OEM for their varied models as well as by end user as per his budget. It can be noted that the existing manufacturers of this material already have a sound access to procurement chemicals & related raw materials. The companies can be a registered to a particular or multiple automotive OEMS which is a determining factor of the company’s standing in the market. These companies are also focusing on different strategies such customized design in order to maintain the market share in the market. Continuous emphasis on new product innovation development by automotive OEMs exists to maintain the competitive advantage by providing more efficient & economic options in the market during the forecast period.

Automotive Soft Trim Interior Market: Regional Outlook

Geographically, the Automotive Soft Trim Interior industry can be divided by major regions which include North America, Western & Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific region, Japan, Middle East and Africa. America, Germany, China and Japan are the major producing nations. In terms of raw materials, Middle East & African countries are major suppliers of Leather; Chemicals by North America, Europe & Asia Pacific including Japan. The market is projected to grow at a steady growth rate. The market would be volume driven across all regions & vehicle segments. Market coverage in existing & untapped regions with OEM order bank would be critical to the company’s business.

The market does not sees any immediate or external threat at present, only material substitution by advanced types may cannibalize the existing material types.

Automotive Soft Trim Interior Market Players

Some of the players and manufacturers across the value chain of the automotive soft trim interior materials market are:

NHK SPRING Co., Ltd

Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc.

Lear Corporation.

SEIREN Co., Ltd.

Grupo Antolin

Magna International Inc.

Toyoda Boshoku Corporation

TS TECH CO., LTD.

Adient plc

GST AutoLeather

Mayur Uniquoters Limited

The Haartz Corporation

Recticel NV/SA

Auto Trim

Classic Soft Trim

Key Segments Profiled in the Automotive Soft Trim Interior Materials Market Survey

By Material Type:

Fabric

Leather

Thermoplastic Polymers (Includes PVC)

Thermoplastic Elastomers

Thermoplastic Olefins (TPO)

Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU)

By Application:

Door Trim

Seating

Cockpit and Dashboard

Pillar Trim

Headliner

Floor/Acoustic Systems

Trunk

By Vehicle Type:

Passenger Cars

Sub-Compact

Compact

Mid-Size

Sedan

SUV/MUV

Luxury

Light Commercial Vehicles

Heavy Commercial Vehicles

By Sales Channel:

OEM

Aftermarket

By Region:

North America

Latin America

The Asia Pacific

MEA

Europe

For More Info@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/automotive-soft-trim-interior-materials-market

[promiseiwillwrite]

Gem Ask

So I decided to share this here, because I actually put work into it.

This was Insanely difficult for me.

The only way I was able to actually do it is because I thought very carefully about what you asked me, and looked up the definition of the word "gem" in several different resources.

My resources included, but were not limited to Walter Schumann's "Handbook of Rocks, Minerals and Gemstones", Charles W. Chesterman and Knopf's "The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals" (and yes, I know Audubon was a Racist, and I am aware that the society named for him is doing work to address the issue. I do not condone racism in any form. When the society in question changes their name, I will re-buy the book.) I also used Wikipedia some, because they have some great pictures, and a list of Giant, Impressive Emeralds that I spent quite a while looking at. Because I think emeralds are really cool, especially giant dragon treasure kinds. (seriously, though, go to wikipedia and look up emeralds, and take a gander)

The definition of gem typically extends to rocks and minerals of a certain quality and hardness that are polished and used for adornment by humans, so in the spirit of this definition, it allowed me to choose between my three favorite rocks, manganese, iron and beryl.

Only one of them is used as jewelry on a regular basis. The other two just catalyze photosynthesis (literally my favorite process) and allow your blood to bind oxygen (near and dear to my heart, lol).

Beryl is a stone that is found throughout earth's crust, and forms into other, different gemstones based on what elements and minerals are in the ground nearby, and what the temperature and pressure conditions are. So essentially it is a Shapeshifter Rock.

Beryl varies in clarity and hardness, from about 7.5 to 8.0 on the Mohs hardness scale. It has a generally Hexagonal crystalline structure, like quartz.

It can turn into Aquamarines (a pale teal seawater color), Morganite (pink like a grapefruit) Emeralds (deep green) as well as have many other startlingly different colors like Crimson and Amber.

My Absolute favorite of these is Emeralds, as you might have guessed from the mention earlier.

Emeralds are actually a bit fragile, compared to many other gemstones of like value. They often have to be treated with oil in order to prevent cracking and to improve clarity, because the stones tend to be included, which means that they have little pieces of other types of stone embedded in them, which interferes with the formation of a stable crystalline lattice.

This makes some sense, when you think about how the crystals form. Emeralds and other types of beryl typically come from pegmatitic veins. Essentially, the temperatures are around 500 - 600 degrees C, and you've got Magma flowing up through specific types of rocks. Beryls and Emeralds form on the edges of these flows, where the pressure is high, but the temperature doesn't cause the lattices to break down.

The green in emeralds comes from the presence of Chromium and Vanadium. The more Chromium, the darker the green color. If you want to imagine it, the 0% chromium stones are colorless, while a 100% stone is going to look black. The most desirable ratio for color and translucence is somewhere around 75%.

Colombian emeralds tend to have the greatest clarity and value, but emeralds can be found in several African, Middle Eastern, and North American countries as well. Some emeralds from Colombia have a unique "star" pattern when polished correctly, and these are among the most valuable.

My absolute favorite single gem in the whole world is a synthetic emerald I got from my grandmother when she passed away.

That made me go look up the various ways in which emeralds can be created in laboratory conditions. I especially thought the process where they use a platinum crucible was wicked cool and mad-sciencey. They can also be created using hydrothermal vents, which sounds equally wicked, but much harder to pull off.

I do know that synthetic emeralds have been available on the market since the 1950's, and while chemically and structurally they are absolutely emeralds, they tend to have lower value because of the *lack* of inclusions and irregularities, though they tend to be stronger, and less prone to breakage.

I have no idea how this particular stone was created. But I love it, because it has sentimental value.My late Grandmother's emerald pendant lives in a tiny, opalized glass chicken on my desk, which I also inherited from my Grandmother.

I have to confess to a bit of skepticism, because of how I was raised, regarding the magical properties of stones. I just like geology and cool rocks... I never really believed a lot of what I was taught as a kid. But you are more than welcome to believe whatever you like, with no judgement from me.

Emeralds are generally associated with being the "birthstone for the month of May". They have been sought after as valuable and sacred since the height of Egypt. Because of their rarity and value, they are often associated with royalty. Emeralds have been attributed the following magical properties: growth, life, hope, healing and love.



I am sorry it took me a little while to get this to you.

And my apologies if it isn't quite 3 pages. I thought you'd rather have actual content than fluff and citations.

[floral-poisons]

floral i actually adore you so much and your mind is literally just genius !! in regard to the sebek convo we were having , i totally can see the fetishization and the whole like awe at his exoticism that leads to that. i've had similar experiences with the family members of my white friends because they'll do that thing where they compliment you but it's like this , " oh wow you're just so ethnic !" " your language is so sexy ," " ooh are your ( insert racial feature ) natural ?" and whatnot.

now on this topic , i wanted to talk about the exoticism around jamil and kalim ( i'd talk about the others too , but i really can only give insight into the arab / muslim experience ).

a lot of fics will describe their actions as "exotic" but in such a fetishy sort of way ? it comes off as orientalist ( which it totally is ) and just overall gross. like the way people will write fics about kalim having an entire brothel of wives and shit- or when they write about jamil's servitude as though it's alluring. . . like it's really just gross. ( i can go on and on for days about the other stuff they write as well ) the stereotyping of this brown kid having like 40+ is not cool. like if yana wanted him to have a big family she could’ve gone for seven-ten kids ( this is how many siblings my grandparents each had ). i also have issues with the fairy gala and how jamil and kalim were really just chalked up to “ pretty exotic people ”

also , as much as i love the both of them and the way that they weren't costumed in the stereotypical "exotic sexy arabian belly dancer" style that jasmine and aladdin were in the original film , i still have problems with their characters in other senses. ( i’ve seen so many scalding sands ocs dressed like belly dancers and it’s like ??? arabian belly dancers only began dressing in such a manner during colonialism because they had to make money off of the desires of european men ) fun fact : if you dressed the way aladdin and jasmine dress in the middle of hot ass arabia , you’d die of a heat stroke. most people dressed in long tunics , thawb , sirwal kameez sets , bisht , and all sorts of other things. almost everyone covered their heads with turbans , headscarves , kuffeyeh , madhala hats , and other things to yk protect their skin and whatnot

for example , the whole thing about kalim's dad having all these kids and wives is like the stereotypical “ rich arab sultan ” thing which is just like ?? especially with how islam / arabia is villainized because of that sort of thing. yana has a questionable history with how she characterizes and portrays the brown , middle eastern/north african , desi and muslim people in her work so im not exactly shocked ?? i feel kinda annoying for complaining about it , especially since im very thankful we didn’t just get a repeat of the aladdin characterizations and costumes , but it still does bug me a lot as a muslim/arab woman who’s had to deal with fetishization , exoticism , orientalism and whatnot my entire life. your truly , genie anon <3

i don't think you're complaining genie anon. imo these are very valid complaints. they're not even complaints. they're criticisms and criticisms that are well needed.

i hope this doesn't sound weird but i think the reason why a lot of these portrayals feel off is because the source material is most likely from an orientalist and racist perspective. i'm aware that yana did extensive research for black butler (for like everything) so my presumption is that a lot of the sources she took for the middle east/northern africa, south asians, desi, muslim, and brown people probably come from the perspective of the british and other colonizing nations. so i'm not surprised that a lot of the stuff she does has the air of orientalism and racism. and then on top of that, aladdin is just a cesspool of orientalist and racist stereotypes that disney didn't denounce until recently. and even in their attempt to "revise" it with the 2019 live action movie, they still ended up reinforcing orientalist stereotypes. this is no way me excusing anything. but this reinforces the idea that we need more non-white voices (and in this case, arab, brown, muslim, desi, south asians, middle eastern/north african voices) in general but especially academia where i presume these sources came from.

i haven't read any translations about the fairy gala so i can't comment on it. but i'm going to take your word because you're probably right. along with everything else, i agree with you and there's nothing to comment on. my experience with orientalism stems from the fact i'm east and southeast asian, which is a wildly different experience from your own. you especially see it on dating apps ick

also i don't think it helps that scarabia, the dorm that's probably mostly filled with brown, muslim, arab, south asian, north african/middle eastern characters, is characterized as "scheming." it fits the orientalist stereotype of how the east schemes against the west and white authorities and that they're planning on taking over (the novel the beetle is the most perfect representation of this imo). on top of that, the miraheze wiki also says that it's implied that kalim got into nrc via a bribe so again, that adds to the scheming stereotype.

honestly though i'm really happy i'm not the only one who noticed this. the way the fandom treats kalim and jamil bothers the living shit out of me. i'm going to talk shit here but when a user active in the twst fandom got called out for racism, everyone was clutching their pearls acting as if this came out of nowhere. i didn't say anything because i felt it wasn't my place and i didn't want to cause unnecessary drama (this blog is a side hobby after all).

but i'm gonna say it now: the person's racism was blatantly obvious. their blog username was clearly fetishizing south asian and arab people. their fucking bio said they fetishized south asian and arab people. their interactions with another blog on here were fetishizing and hypersexualizing jamil (and the blog they talked to was also entertaining these inbox messages/prompts/ideas too). and it bothered me how NO ONE noticed because it just proved to me that people don't care enough about racism in this fandom. no one cares about the more covert racism that takes shape as orientalism and exoticism and fetishization. these people find it entertaining rather than disgusting.

i regret not speaking my piece about this weeks ago when i first saw it on my feed. when the callout happened, i was just 😐 because the signs were in these people's faces. they just didn't notice. and honestly, i could care less if they "didn't know" because that just means you need to do more antiracism work.

anyways going back to jamil, i see a lot of hypersexualization of him when it's wrong because:

he's a minor, please stop

hypersexualizing him is quite literally based in racism and orientalism because it stems from the idea that we, from the east, are hypersexual beings whose cravings for sex can never be satisfied

and then of course, there's the factor with scalding sands ocs in this fandom. these creators (who i presume are white) are just continuing to perpetuate orientalist and racist narratives which continues to get the groups affected hurt and killed in the real world. on top of that, they also end up projecting these ideas onto real people because they haven't touched some fucking grass.

anyways, that was REALLY long and i'm sorry to dump it. but yeah, genie anon, you're so valid in your criticism. and if someone says you're being annoying, just know i'm right here next to you because you're right.

also this message goes out to the whole twst fandom because you guys really need a serious wake-up call when it comes to racism in this fandom. it's frustrating to see. and if you don't understand what's wrong about everything genie anon just talked about, just type "orientalism" in your search engine and read everything that pops up. if you want a solid source and a great book to read about the subject, orientalism by edward said is a good read (it was, at least, the source i used).