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the-moon-devi · 9 months

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Astro Indicators Of Being Curvy

Reminder! This can change based off of genetics, and if you have any harsh aspects from saturn to any of these planets/placements.

🍑 Jupiter Dominance~ Individuals with Jupiter as one of their dominant planets tend to have a curvaceous appearance or a particular body part that is noticeably larger. However, this trait usually manifests in conjunction with other factors. Jupiter governs the legs, which often leads to this body part being much more prominent than others.

🍑 Moon/Venus Dominance: Both of these are feminine planets. Having 1 or both of these as your top 3 dominant planets gives the native a natural, curvy shape and womanly appearance. Moon gives you softness and bust. Moon can also bring the weight, while venus brings in the shape and curves. Moon rules boobs and venus rules the butt.

🍑 Sag/Taurus/Cancer/Libra dominant

🍑 Ceres in 1h/ conjunct Asc~ This is the asteroid of motherhood. And from what I've notice this brings women specifically a plumpness and curviness to their appearance. Their womanly body parts are more accentuated. Usually the chest area is prominent too!

Ex: Marilyn Monroe

🍑 Saggittarius Ascendants- our centaurs bring the legs. Lol. Although it doesn't always have to be the legs but it's usually something nice about that area. Sag Ascendants are ruled by the planet of expansion (jupiter) so its never surprising when I see that they are thicker than most people in their family.

🍑 purva ashada Ascendants

🍑 Cancer Ascendants- cancer all around brings womanliness, and femininity. They can sometimes embody that motherly figure of having wider hips and being thicker especially once they get older. Most the times when we see Cancer Ascendants who are slim they usually have saturn or mercurial influence on the Ascendant. Cancer can also bring the tata's.

🍑 Libra/Taurus Ascendants

🍑 7th house lord (positively aspecting) jupiter/moon

🍑 Moon in 2nd,1st,7th,4th house

🍑 Venus - Jupiter

🍒 Venus - Moon

🍒 4th house ruler aspecting Jupiter

🍒 Jupiter in 1h, 2h, 4h

🍒 Punarvasu, Vishaka, Purvabhadrapada in big 3

🍒 Jupiter aspecting sun/moon, ascendant, ascendant ruler

🍒 Mars ruled nakshatras in big 3; dhanistha,Mrigashira, Chitra

🍒 Aqaurius Moon/ Uranus - Moon; The Curious Case of Aquarius and Curviness/

It's perplexing to think about how Aquarius or even Uranus could be related to body shape. However, these celestial bodies are known for ruling trends, and in recent years, it has become fashionable to embrace curves. Women who are curvier than the norm, especially those from diverse cultural backgrounds, have become the face of uniqueness. Aquarius, the outcast of the zodiac, can bring attention to unconventional body parts on women. This can be unexpected and may occur with age, causing body image issues in some women, especially those with an Aquarius moon. This sign also brings a taboo or otherworldly appearance, which is why I believe Sarah Baartman, who was treated like an animal for her appearance, was an Aquarius moon. Women with an Aquarius moon can stand out because of their unique nature, as this sign is associated with trends. Not all Aquarius moon women are going to be curvy, but it is understandable why some plus-size models with an Aquarius influence on their moon have been celebrated for breaking beauty standards.

Ex: Barbie Ferreira, Ashley Graham, Precious Lee, and Mia Amber Davis w/ Moon conjunct Uranus

🍒 Moon aspecting Ascendant

🍒 Moon- Jupiter

The more you have the thicker you are. It usually takes a combination of these. If you have these and still aren't considered to be thick, check and see if you have saturn or mercury impacting your ascendant or ascendant ruler.

𝓓𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓓𝓮'𝓛𝓾𝔁𝔁𝓮

𝓒𝓱𝓮𝓬𝓴 𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓞𝓾𝓽.....

𝓗𝓸𝓽 𝓐𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓵𝓸𝓰𝔂

©𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓵

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truevedicastrology · 10 months

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Unveiling the Enigma of Mars

🚀Mars, the celestial orchestrator of how you magnetize individuals and the manner in which you resonate. It delves into the intricate essence you exude and the perceptions people harbor about you. This cosmic force also embodies masculine energy, offering insights into the archetype of men you may allure.

🌌Mars in the 1st house unravels your allure externally, where your energy becomes swiftly discernible. You're characterized by responsiveness and a tenacious self-advocacy. Occasionally perceived as impulsive or irate, your sanctuary lies in self-indulgence, physical exertion, and athletic pursuits. The gravitational pull extends to men with athletic prowess or those with a self-centric aesthetic.

🌺Mars in the 2nd house manifests allure through olfactory allure, skin aesthetics, or indulgence in epicurean pleasures. Passion for culinary arts and a penchant for opulence mark your identity. Your charm attracts men of affluence or those generously disposed.

🏖️Mars in the 3rd house articulates allure through eloquence and the written word. Passion resonates in your speech, and the written realm becomes a source of profound joy. A proclivity for literature and related pursuits is evident. The enticement extends to multitasking, loquacious men, possibly educators or wordsmiths.

🏡Mars in the 4th house unveils allure in moments of domestic comfort, adorned in unassuming attire. Emotional energy becomes an irresistible magnet. Mars, discreetly nestled here, shares passion exclusively with intimate circles or family. Attraction extends to nurturing, emotionally expressive men, perhaps with a hint of moodiness.

🎨Mars in the 5th house radiates allure during dynamic activities, invoking attractiveness in motion. Passion is channeled into hobbies, joy, and a perpetual youthful spirit. The magnetic pull is towards confident, charismatic, and playful individuals.

🌈Mars in the 6th house renders allure through physique and an organized, health-conscious lifestyle. The zenith of well-being is achieved through proactive endeavors, organization, and animal companionship. Attraction is directed towards industrious, meticulous men, potentially involved in animal care or fitness training.

🌙Mars in the 7th house allures through aesthetic grace, fastidiousness, and a pursuit of justice. The epitome of well-being lies in harmonious relationships and aesthetic refinement. Attraction extends to men who embody beauty, meticulous grooming, and charm.

🔮Mars in the 8th house projects allure through intimate and sexual charisma, intertwined with an aura of power. Stability and emotional equilibrium define your zenith. This allure thrives in secrecy and spiritual pursuits, attracting individuals exuding intense energy, possessiveness, and depth.

🌐Mars in the 9th house emanates allure through vivacity, intellect, and captivating narratives. The ardor for exploration, diverse cultures, and distant realms is palpable. Attraction aligns with optimistic, adventurous men, including educators, professors, or those hailing from diverse cultures.

🏰Mars in the 10th house showcases allure in the public eye, accentuating tenacity and success. Energy converges into achievements and reputation, possibly bordering on work-centric tendencies. Attraction is drawn towards older, stable, and successful men, echoing qualities reminiscent of paternal figures.

📱Mars in the 11th house unfolds allure in the digital realm, exuding uniqueness that captivates social networks. The energy is invested in friendships, aspirations, and dreams. Attraction encompasses peculiar, distinctive men, thriving either in group dynamics or solitude, immersed in individual pursuits.

💖Mars in the 12th house mystically radiates allure, captivating through an enigmatic aura. Appreciation transcends the physical, delving into the spiritual and ethereal facets. Energy is channeled into artistic expressions, resonating with the profound. Attraction unfolds towards artistic, spiritual, emotionally profound individuals, potentially from coastal regions, with a transcendent connection that transcends verbal communication.

Follow our Facebook page Mage Magic Touch for personal consultations https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565561190268

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butchscientist · 11 months

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From Queers in Palestine (here is their website, queersinpalestine is their instagram):

"Since October 7th, we have been witnessing an accelerated genocide unfolding in the Gaza Strip and in all parts of Palestine, blatantly and publicly declared on numerous occasions by Israeli governmental and military figures. The brutality and lethal magnitude of the atrocities committed by the Israeli state and its supporters produce increasingly harrowing conditions for those who remain alive in Palestine, every day, everywhere. This brutality has been sustained through the continued economic, military, diplomatic, and political support of world leaders historically and presently. We note, document, and narrate the hundreds of catastrophic massacres for the past 75 years at the hands of the annihilatory wrath of the Zionist regime; from Deir Yassin to the Tantura Massacre (1948) upon which Israel’s foundation is based, to the Kafr Qassem Massacre (1956) to Sabra and Shatila (1982), and this is just to name a few. There is no possibility of any liberatory political and social movement to achieve life and dignity if it is aligned with the genocidal death machine of Israel. Israel is founded on blood and is sustained through blood.

During these times, and in line with its long-standing exploitation of liberal identity politics, Israel has been weaponizing queer bodies to counter any support for Palestine and any critique of its settler-colonial project. Israelis (politicians, organizations, and “civilians”) have been mobilizing colonial dichotomies such as “civilized” and “barbaric,” “human” and “animal,” and other dehumanizing binaries as a discourse that legitimizes the attacks on Palestinians. Within this settler-colonial rhetoric, Israel seeks to garner and mobilize support from Western governments and liberal societies by portraying itself as a nation that respects freedom, diversity, and human rights, that is fighting a “monstrous” and oppressive society, illuminated clearly through the declaration of the Prime Minister of Israel “There is a struggle between the children of light and children of darkness, between humanity and law of the jungle.”

While these blatantly racist genocidal declarations take the stage, activists in Palestine and internationally are being silenced, harassed, detained, criminalized, workers fired from their jobs, and students suspended from universities. International feminist and queer activists, in solidarity with Palestine, are facing attacks and harassment by Zionists under the premise that those who support Palestine will be “raped” and “beheaded” by Palestinians for merely being women and queers. Yet more often than not, rape and death are what Zionists wish upon queers and women who stand in solidarity with Palestine. Zionist fantasies of brutalized bodies do not surprise us, for we have experienced the reality of their manifestation on our skin and spirit. Yet they never seize to accelerate in their explicit vehemence. It becomes evermore absurd when such framings are constructed against Palestinian society, in light of countless testimonies, reports, and documentations of sexual violence Palestinians have been facing throughout Israel’s 75 years of military occupation. From the thousands of Palestinian prisoners, men and women, who are subject to sexual torture and rape since Israel’s inception to this very day, to daily and escalating settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, to Israeli “civilians” filming themselves torturing kidnapped Palestinians as a TikTok trend, and the most recent harrowing footage published on social media platforms by Israeli soldiers which document the lengths of torture and sexual abuse soldiers and settlers inflict on our bodies regardless of their sexual orientation and gender – all forms of violence, including sexual violence are systematically and structurally part of Zionist domination over Palestinian life. And yet Israeli society continues to weaponize queerness for the purposes of justifying war and colonial repression, as if their bombs, apartheid walls, guns, knives, and bulldozers are selective of who they harm based on sexuality and gender.

We refuse the instrumentalization of our queerness, our bodies, and the violence we face as queer people to demonize and dehumanize our communities, especially in service of imperial and genocidal acts. We refuse that Palestinian sexuality and Palestinian attitudes towards diverse sexualities become parameters for assigning humanity to any colonized society. We deserve life because we are human, with the multitude of our imperfections, and not because of our proximity to colonial modes of liberal humanity. We refuse colonial and imperialist tactics that seek to alienate us from our society and alienate our society from us, on the basis of our queerness. We are fighting interconnected systems of oppression, including patriarchy and capitalism, and our dreams of autonomy, community, and liberation are inherently tied to our desire for self-determination. No queer liberation can be achieved with settler-colonization, and no queer solidarity can be fostered if it stands blind to the racialized, capitalist, fascist, and imperial structures that dominate us.

We call on queer and feminist activists and groups around the world to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their resistance to displacement, land theft, and ethnic cleansing and their struggle for the liberation of their lands and futures from Zionist settler-colonialism. This call cannot be answered only by sharing statements and signing letters but by an active engagement with decolonial and liberatory struggles in Palestine and around the globe. Our unequivocal demands are as follows:

Reject Israeli funding, refuse collaborations with all Israeli institutions, and join the BDS movement.

Strike: Silently or publicly, refuse that your exploited labor be used for the silencing of Palestine activism or the funding, support, and endorsement of military settler colonization and genocide.

Do what anti-colonial queers have done for decades, reclaim the narrative, and set the terms of the conversation, this time about Palestine. What is happening in Palestine is Genocide. Israel is a Settler-Colony. Palestinians are a Militarily Occupied and Colonized Society. Under international law, Israel Does Not have the right to “defend” itself against the population it occupies, while Palestinians Have the right to Resist their occupation. Demanding Ceasefire is the first step in holding Israel accountable for its crimes against humanity. We must also demand to break the siege on Gaza and the dismantlement of the Zionist settler-colony.

Contact your local representatives to pressure them into defunding the genocide, ending their military, diplomatic, and political support with Israel. Speak up against the ongoing and complicit criminalization of solidarity with Palestine and the colonial and Islamophobic projection of European Antisemitism on Palestinian and racialized voices, as we are witnessing particularly in France, the UK, the US, and Germany.

Shut down main streets. Organize a sit-in in your local central station. Interrupt the flow of commerce. Complacency is a choice.

We, queer Palestinians, are an integral part of our society, and we are informing you: from the heavily militarized alleys of Jerusalem to Huwara’s scorched lands, to Jaffa’s surveilled streets and cutting across Gaza’s besieging walls, from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

#palestine #gaza #free palestine #queers in palestine

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a-very-tired-jew · 7 months

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Dropout TV has an Antisemitism problem

TL;DR: What you think isn’t antisemitic actually is. Replace Zionist or Jew with any other minority group, would you say the same thing?

If you read the title of this piece and thought “wait, I thought the CEO was Jewish and so were members of the talent, crew, and personnel” then you’d be correct. I am not talking about them. I am talking about the fanbase, which has now become so outwardly antisemitic and hostile that they are disparaging Dropout and Dropout personnel on its own official Discord server. For those of you who don’t know what Dropout is, it is a media company that was formerly known as CollegeHumor that produces original programming. Often their content is comedic in nature and covers everything from improv games to actual play to animated series. The company and people involved are very progressive and their ideals are often seen through the content that is produced. Discord is a social media platform that allows for text messaging, voice calls, video calls, and the sharing of media files. So what is the antisemitism problem? In November 2023 a channel on the official Dropout Discord server was made titled “palestine”. The opening statement of the channel is that it is fan run and fan moderated. This is not an issue and is a good move by a company that in itself is often very political. However, the fanbase running this particular channel then proceeded to (and has continued to) engage in antisemitic behavior while also chasing away or banning anyone who calls it out. Initially you would think that this space would begin as many of these things do, a gradual shift to extremism over the course of time. You would also think that it would be accepting and tolerant given the proclivity of progressive and leftist spaces to emphasize dialogue, diversity, inclusivity, and cooperation. Unfortunately, this channel began right out with extremism by targeting Zionists (read: Jews or anyone who spoke up) and banning them from the entire server. Any information that was provided by sources not in line with the channel and moderator ideals is labeled as Zionist (Jewish) Propaganda, deleted, and the person removed.

Fig. 1. Moderator message after removing two people near the beginning of the channel’s creation who were asking about Israelis, the hostages, and other such questions.

The irony is that the channel primarily shares material from Al-Jazeera, which has long been recognized as a pro-Hamas outlet, or other sources that are actively associated with Hamas as well. When confronted about the sharing of materials from sources that support Hamas and the implication that they, the members, therefore support its activities the members of the channel will often deflect and say they don’t support the group, but then justify the actions of the terrorist group.

Fig 2. User justifying Hamas’s actions in response to one of the removed Zionists. This statement implies that Israel has been constantly murdering people and thus Hamas’s actions are valid.

Fig. 3. Both users are responding to one of the banned persons talking about the conflict. In context, both are denying that Hamas takes aid from the various charities and thereby keeps Palestinians impoverished, as such they have to fight back (against Israel).

Fig. 4. The same user from Figure 2 and 3 (bottom user) justifying Hamas’s attack on October 7th. This response is to someone asking about condemnation of the initial attack, and the user says it is in response to mass murder, thereby providing an ahistorical account.

Members of the channel also began justifying the Houthi’s behavior when their offensive began and even went so far as to say that they could not be antisemitic because they are Semitic people. To give credit where credit is due, this position was quickly corrected. However, people still maintained their support of the Houthi’s regardless of their knowledge that the group engaged in horrific activities.

Fig. 5. User saying Houthis are not antisemitic and justifies this with an outdated and antiquated classification system.

Fig. 6. Justification of the Houthis because they’re fighting Israel denial that Israel (and by extensions Jews) are crying wolf about antisemitism.

The discussion surrounding the Houthis, and in turn Hamas and its actions, eventually led to members justifying terrorism. There are two positions to their justification 1) If Hamas is the government and in charge of the area, then it can’t be a terrorist attack. 2) Any attack on a colonial power is valid, and Israel is a white imperialist colonial country, so the attack is justified. The first position denies that governments can engage in terror attacks on other countries or peoples. The second position denies the existence of Jews from the MENA region and that they were forced out of their home countries and into Israel upon its creation. To members of this channel, Israel is made of white Europeans. For some members the denial that terrorism is a thing turned into outright conspiracy that the word terrorism is an excuse to commit genocide.

Fig. 7. Top user is “asking questions” and thus denies 10/7 was a terrorist attack because Hamas is the government. Bottom user states that there is no such thing as terrorism, and in turn denies MENA Jews history by implicating Israel is a colonial power.

Fig. 8. User implies that the word terrorism is an excuse to commit genocide and that we can excuse terrorism because of the USA’s past and present actions.

There are a lot more examples within the channel as well. There are moments of Holocaust inversion, Holocaust denial, denial of October 7th, usage of terrorist terminology, attacking the hostages or denying that Israel is trying to get them back, denial of Jewish history, etc... It is ironic that they repeat any source not on their list is hasbara (Jewish propaganda) while exclusively posting Al-Jazeera. The AJ materials the members post do not include the negotiations between Israel and Hamas, they do not include incidents where Hamas declined turning over the hostages and a ceasefire, nor do they include interviews with returned hostages and their experiences. The entire channel is designed to make Israel (Zionists (Jews)) into the villain and diminish the actions of Hamas. At no point in the channel is there a discussion on Hamas beating/shooting/killing Gazans who try to get aid from the supplied resources. The dichotomy is clear.

However, one of the most recent incidents of antisemitism happened in response to the Dropout newsletter that came out recently as of this writing (02/19/2024). I will let you read the message below first.

Fig. 9. User attacking Sam Reich, the CEO of Dropout, for maintaining a neutral position in the conflict.

At first this message appears to be attacking any other CEO for not committing to a progressive cause. If this message was taken outside of this conflict, it could be used for any movement that has happened in the USA in the past few decades. However, this is what we call the “pound of flesh”. This phrase is fairly common, but what does it mean when it comes to the I/P conflict, antisemitism, and Jews? Jewish people have always had to give a “pound of flesh” to prove that they’re not one of the “bad ones”. At some point a Jewish person will have to give up some aspect of their identity to be more socially acceptable in their respective social circle and/or larger group that they belong to. As the Left has clearly defined any Jew who does not outwardly speak up as an “evil Zionist” this means that Sam Reich is therefore one of the “bad ones”. Einat Wolf wrote about this very phenomenon for TabletMag where she discusses how young Jews are being pressured to renounce Israel on college campuses. What the members of the channel do not realize, or do not want to accept, is that pressuring a Jewish person to renounce part of their cultural identity is in itself antisemitic. Jewish people have a 2000-year tie to the Levant region and regardless of what the current government of Israel is doing, and whether you stand opposed to it or not, asking a Jew to publicly giving up that connection is engaging in the same antisemitic demands that have plagued them for centuries.

As such, Dropout, a company with Jewish personnel, is being harassed by its antisemitic fanbase who insist they are not antisemitic while engaging in centuries old antisemitic behaviors that Jews have seen before. I personally do not know what should be done, or what the company can do, but considering the majority of these members are self-avowed progressive Leftists it is concerning that such spaces have become hostile to Jewish Leftists such as myself and others. Many of these people will likely think that they’re not being antisemitic. Some of you readers may not think they’re antisemitic either, or that you yourself share similar views and are not antisemitic. But not all antisemitism is outright calls to “Gas the Jews”, sometimes it’s more subtle and involves silencing Jewish voices you disagree with, proving that you’re a “good Jew”, denying our history, and more. So the next time someone says “Oh you’re just using antisemitism as an excuse to keep me quiet”, maybe think that you’re using it to quiet Jewish voices. Would you, at any other point, say something like this to another minority speaking up about hate towards them? No? Then what’s the difference? Antisemitism is one of the oldest forms of hate, it is systemic and ingrained in so many cultures across the world. The first step is recognizing it and being cognizant. Hopefully the Dropout Discord can take these first steps. If not…well I don’t see many Jews feeling safe there for quite some time.

#jew #judaism #dropout #leftist antisemitism #antisemitism #antizionism is antisemitism

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echoisquiet · 2 months

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I’ve been obsessed with The Dragon Prince for years but the new season blew me away and so I’ve complied a list of pros and cons for watching it, in hopes of enticing more of my friends to join me in this hyperfixation

PROS:

1: Episode lengths are fairly short, ranging from 24-33 minutes, so you don’t need to commit too much time for a single episode

2: There are 6 seasons, with it already renewed for a 7th season. So you won’t be left on a cliffhanger

3: Each season has 9 episodes, currently the total episode count is 54, which is a lot lower than most shows

4: The show has a fairly diverse cast of characters, lots of POC characters and LGBTQIA+ characters

5: it also has multiple graphic novels so there’s lots to consume, if you so wish.

CONS:

1: it is this company’s first show and the 3D animation is a little janky during the first couple seasons but it improves later on.

2: the story is a little slow to start and can take a while to pick up but it gets very intense later on.

A couple things I’d like to point out for your consideration:

1: IT HAS GAY ELVES!! It can be hard to find MLM representation in children’s shows and this one is imo very good (though it may make you sad at times so fair warning)

2: LESBIANS!!! THEYRE ARE LESBIANS AND THEYRE HAPPY AND SO CUTE

3: HOT ELVES!! VERY ATTRACTIVE ELF CHARACRERS OF ALL GENDERS!!

4: DEAF REPRESENTATION! There is a deaf character in the show who only speaks through sign language and has an interpreter.

5: THERE IS A TRANSGENDER MAN IN THE SHOW AND HE IS SO SWEET AND LOVELY

6: it may seem a little silly at first but it also has some very serious moments!

7: it honestly has a lot more blood and death in later seasons than I would’ve expected in a show rated TV-Y7

In conclusion:

Please give The Dragon Prince a chance.

Thank you for your time.

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lulu2992 · 7 months

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Exploration of the now-offline Far Cry 5 official websites

Part 3: Game Info 2 (America)

Recovered content

On July 13th, 2017, this is what the Overview, on the Game Info page of the American website, said:

OVERVIEW Welcome to Hope County, Montana, land of the free and the brave, but also home to a fanatical doomsday cult known as The Project at Eden’s Gate that is threatening the community's freedom. Stand up to the cult’s leader, Joseph Seed and the Heralds, and spark the fires of resistance that will liberate the besieged community. In this expansive world, your limits and creativity will be tested against the biggest and most ruthless baddest enemy Far Cry has ever seen. It’ll be wild and it’ll get weird, but as long as you keep your wits about you, the residents of Hope County can rest assured knowing you’re their beacon of hope. Join the Resistance on February 27, 2018, with Far Cry 5. Available on PlayStation 4 system, Xbox One, and PC.

Then, it was moved to the Game Features page and only said this:

OVERVIEW Far Cry 5 is a massive open world that’s filled with something new around every bend. The enemy AI behavior is more realistic and the exploration is almost endless. Even when you feel like taking a break from the campaign, you can take in some leisurely fishing before diving back into your quest. It’s your mission. With it comes the freedom to take on a world that hits back by any means necessary. Join the Resistance now with Far Cry 5. Available on PlayStation 4 system, Xbox One, and PC.

On this Game Features page, which was only archived three times on the Wayback Machine (and remained unchanged at least from May 18th, 2019, to February 7th, 2020), there was also information about Hope County’s three main regions:

REGIONS WHERE ONE MISSION ENDS, ANOTHER BEGINS Three diverse regions and three really bad Heralds stand between you and The Father. How you conquer them is up to you.

HOLLAND VALLEY - John Seed's Region Named for the Dutch immigrants who originally settled here, Holland Valley feels like a postcard from the West. It is home to farms, grazing animals, and a small community named Fall’s End. Because of all the goods that are grown and transformed here, this is also where the cult is planning to reap whatever they need before The Collapse.

HENBANE RIVER - Faith Seed's Region Henbane River was once a place where people came to heal. Its landscape was dotted with cottages, hot springs, and the flowers that give the region its name. Over time the hot springs business fizzled out and the Project at Eden’s Gate moved in. This area is the cult’s heart in Hope County and a place of field labor and worship. Its economy revolves around converting souls into a docile workforce through use of drugs.

WHITETAIL MOUNTAINS - Jacob Seed's Region Whitetail Mountains are a true wilderness where nature’s raw power is on display. Teeming with wildlife, this is a place to hide secrets—from both society and the law. It’s here that the cult is building an army to protect their followers from the Collapse. While Eden’s Gate controls this region, those who reject the cult can also find safe haven here. Preppers and survivalists have encamped themselves in these hidden mountains as they await the right moment to strike.

You could find the Activities as well:

HUNTING Aim a bit off? Practice your marksmanship on some of the wild animals that are roaming throughout the different regions in Hope County. But beware, the animals fight back. FISHING Need a breather from ousting a doomsday cult and their maniacal leader? Take a break and cast a line in any of Hope County's scenic lakes and rivers. WINGSUIT Do you believe you can fly? Nothing says freedom like soaring high above Hope County like a bald eagle. CRAFTING While you make your way through the diverse landscapes of Hope County, Montana, you will encounter all manner of animals and natural resources. Use them to your advantage, when crafting your upgrades.

There was also an introduction to the For Hire system, and notably this:

GUNS FOR HIRE Not only do you have unique skills to bring to the table, so do your Guns For Hire. You can meet and recruit them in the open world, although they may need some help sorting out their own problems before lending you a hand. If you like to travel in numbers, you can recruit up to two for hire at a time, which should help increase your chances of survival.

FANGS FOR HIRE It's not only the human residents of Hope County who are prepared to fight back. As a part of the Guns for Hire system, Fangs for Hire are animal companions for the player. Each is unique, and can enhance whatever playstyle you choose.

“Read More” took you to the News section, to an article titled “Meet Far Cry 5's Characters” (more details in future posts), and another one that was apparently not archived, sadly...

Commentary

The changes in the Overview are interesting to me because they initially called Eden’s Gate “the biggest and most ruthless baddest enemy Far Cry has ever seen”... and then didn’t.

I like that we learn more about the three regions, especially details such as Holland Valley getting its name from the Dutch immigrants who used to live there or the Henbane River being a reference to the flowers that grow in the region. That said, the Bliss flowers we see in Far Cry 5 seem to be inspired by Datura, not Henbane, so I don’t know if this is a mistake or if the developers had other real-life flowers in mind when they came up with the concept of Bliss. Henbane flowers contain the same psychoactive substance as the drug used by the cult: scopolamine (although its hallucinogenic properties were greatly exaggerated in the game).

The site also says we could craft upgrades using “animals and natural resources”, but while plants can indeed be used to make “homeopathics”, crafting upgrades with animal skins, for example, wasn’t a mechanic in Far Cry 5 anymore.

Under the cut are all the available source files, saved directly from the website, of the images you see in the screenshots:

Next to the flag above, on the right, is the (barely visible here) “intaglio” pattern, used in the background of most pages on the site.

Small and barely visible white eagle with a transparent background below.

Small and barely visible white eagle with a transparent background above.

#far cry 5 #eden’s gate #hope county #joseph seed #holland valley #john seed #henbane river #faith seed #whitetail mountains #jacob seed #grace armstrong #nick rye #boomer

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dramioneasks · 7 months

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Dramione News:

HP Knotfest - Fest is complete, a masterlist will be posted soon.

HP Animagi Week - Prompts have been revealed, fest starts Apr 8th.

HP Goldenage - Salt and Pepper Fest, posting has begun, no dramione as yet.

HP BardFest - Posting starts Feb 21st.

HP Triad!Fest - Fics due Mar 14th.

hp_bunintheoven - Posting will begin Mar 16th.

HP Trans Fest - Prompting from Mar 31st - Apr 14th.

The Great Wizarding Feast Fest - Signups open from Mar 1st - Apr 30th.

HP Springtide Festival - Signups are open, fics due Mar 31st.

Kinks of Knockturn Alley - A Devious & Diverse New Year 2024, fest is complete, no dramione this time :(

Harry Potter Wizarding Olympics Fest - Claiming open from Feb 7th - May 21st.

Harry Potter Mythology Fest - Prompting is open, fics due Apr 30th.

Truly Madly Deeply Fest - Fest is complete, a masterlist will be posted soon.

HP Cry Me a River Fest - Fics due Apr 21st.

Bad Witches Fest - Claiming is open, fics due Apr 6th.

The One Direction Fanfiction Fest - Signups are open, closed Jul 23rd.

HP Animated Fest - Claiming is open until May 6th.

The Sub!Draco Fest - Signups are open, closes Jun 4th.

HP Smells Like Teen Spirit - Claiming is open, fics due May 15th.

HP Lyricists Fest - Fics due Mar 17th, posting starts Mar 22nd.

HP Recipe Rec Fest - Fest is open, last day to upload your fic is May 6th.

Dreomione Fest - Signups open, fics due Jun 19th.

Wizarding Olympics Fest - Fics due May 28th.

Dramione Fanfiction Forum - Deflower Draco, signups are open, closes Apr 19th.

Ladies of HP Fest - Fest starts Apr 28th. Ends Aug 31st.

HP MILF Fest - Prompting is closed. Claiming starts Mar 4th.

Draco's Den - Signups end Mar 7th.

HP Soulmates Fest (Twitter) - Signups open Apr 1st. Close Jul 11th.

#dramione news

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bfpnola · 10 months

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copying and pasting directly from the link above:

We write this as workers, students, farmers, parents – as Palestinians, as queer Palestinians. We write this not because our queerness exceptionalizes our positions but because, in the same way, we have been othered as queers, we are now facing patriarchal colonial tactics that seek to further alienate us as queer Palestinians. To gather our words and energies requires an enormous effort. We are sickened that amidst these moments of spectacular brutality and carnage projected onto Palestinian bodies, including rape, torture, mutilation, and maiming, we are diverted from grieving and organizing to make a demand.

Since October 7th, we have been witnessing an accelerated genocide unfolding in the Gaza Strip and in all parts of Palestine, blatantly and publicly declared on numerous occasions by Israeli governmental and military figures. The brutality and lethal magnitude of the atrocities committed by the Israeli state and its supporters produce increasingly harrowing conditions for those who remain alive in Palestine, every day, everywhere. This brutality has been sustained through the continued economic, military, diplomatic, and political support of world leaders historically and presently. We note, document, and narrate the hundreds of catastrophic massacres for the past 75 years at the hands of the annihilatory wrath of the Zionist regime; from Deir Yassin to the Tantura Massacre (1948) upon which Israel’s foundation is based, to the Kafr Qassem Massacre (1956) to Sabra and Shatila (1982), and this is just to name a few. There is no possibility of any liberatory political and social movement to achieve life and dignity if it is aligned with the genocidal death machine of Israel. Israel is founded on blood and is sustained through blood.

Reject Israeli funding, refuse collaborations with all Israeli institutions, and join the BDS movement.

Strike: Silently or publicly, refuse that your exploited labor be used for the silencing of Palestine activism or the funding, support, and endorsement of military settler colonization and genocide.

Shut down main streets. Organize a sit-in in your local central station. Interrupt the flow of commerce. Complacency is a choice.

see all signatures of this demand on the original link at the top of this post. BFP is #361 on the list but there are roughly 600 total at the time of us reposting this, according to the queers for Palestine instagram page. you should go sign too :)

#reaux speaks #queers for palestine #queer #trans #lgbtq #lgbtq+#lgbt #lgbtqia #palestine #free palestine #free gaza #protest #gender #anti zionism #settler colonialism #homophobia #transphobia #genocide #resources

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scotianostra · 2 months

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July 22nd 1915 saw the death of Sir Sandford Fleming the man who invented time.

Fleming was born on January 7th 1827 in Kirkcaldy, Fife, and okay he never invented time, but read on and discover what this man, little known in his native land gave us......

At the age of 14 he was apprenticed as a surveyor and in 1845, at the age of 18, he emigrated with his older brother David to colonial Canada, their route took them through many cities of the country including Quebec, Montreal and Kingston.

He first worked as a surveyor and later became a railway engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railway, Fleming founded the Royal Canadian Institute in Toronto in 1849. While originally an organization for engineers, surveyors, and architects, it would evolve into a institution for the advancement of science in general.

Sandford Fleming advocated the adoption of a standard time or mean time with hourly variations according to established time zones. Fleming’s system, still in use today, established Greenwich, England (at 0 degrees longitude) as the standard time, and divides the world into 24 time zones, each a fixed time from the mean time.

Stanford wasn’t just a “one trick pony” and his innovations were quite diverse he designed the first Canadian postage stamp. The three-penny stamp issued in 1851 had a beaver on it (the national animal of Canada). he went on to design an early in-line skate in 1850, he surveyed the first railroad route across Canada and was the head engineer for most of the Intercolonial Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway.

In 1880, Fleming retired from surveying and became the Chancellor of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, a post he held for 35 years. In later life, he became a strong advocate for a trans-Pacific submarine telegraph cable.

The “father of standard time” died in Halifax on July 22, 1915, leaving behind an incredible legacy, numerous places and buildings in Canada are named in his honour, including a town in Saskatchewan, and his 95-acre property to the city of Halifax which he gifted for use as a public park, which was named Fleming Park in 1908. Mount Sir Sandford the highest mountain of the Sir Sandford Range and the highest mountain in the Selkirk Mountains of southeastern British Columbia. He is also one of many Scots honoured with a Google Doodle.

#scotland #scottish #history #edinburgh #Canada #Inventor

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stellrn · 5 months

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*~Rules are made to be broken!

ᯓ★Name: Receptacle X (Goes by the name Stelle.)

ᯓ★Also goes by: Trailblazer (General) , Big sister (by Clara) , The Galactic Baseballer (Self-proclaimed) , “friend” (passive-aggressive name given by Aventurine.)

ᯓ★Rarity: ✦✦✦✦✦

ᯓ★Path: Adaptive.

ᯓ★Element: Adaptive.

ᯓ★Gender: Cis female (She/her)

ᯓ★Physical Age: 23

ᯓ★Actual Age: Unknown

ᯓ★Sexuality: Bisexual/Pansexual (?)

ᯓ★Ships for this character: No one in particular, everyone’s cool. (except illegal ones ofc.)

ᯓ★Race: Human (?)

ᯓ★ Current Location: Penacony

ᯓ★Faction: Astral Express , The Nameless

ᯓ★Moral Alignment: Chaotic neutral

ᯓ★Likes: Video games , exploring , seeking interactions , monetary gains (credits, stellar jades etc.)

ᯓ★Dislikes: Manipulative and annoying people , The Stellaron Hunters (except Silver Wolf, she’s cool.) , people that pose a danger to the Astral Express (whom she considers her family) and her friends

ᯓ★Weaknesses: Clueless about most things, easy to bait through trash cans, stellar jades, any form of monetary gains etc, a bit stupid at times.

*~APPEARANCE.

— The female Trailblazer, Stelle, takes the resemblance of a human with gray-silvery hair. Stelle, wears a white inner shirt, a long black-sleeved jacket (rolled up), a black tight skirt, and a light blue garter on the left thigh.

Extra info about appearance:

ᯓ★Height: 5’7’’ - 5’8’’

ᯓ★Build: Slender , curvy

ᯓ★Hair: Medium-length gray hair that stops just past her shoulders.

ᯓ★ Eye colour: Golden yellow

*~PERSONALITY.

ᯓ★Stelle consistently upholds a composed and impartial demeanor, yet occasionally interjects with irrelevant or humorous remarks, even in the face of serious situations. It is implied through March 7th's memories that she doesn’t talk much.

ᯓ★Furthermore, Stelle demonstrates a keen inclination for exploration, actively seeking interaction with a diverse range of objects. This often results in perplexed reactions from their fellow teammates or nearby outsiders. These idiosyncratic behaviors include aimless wandering, an inclination to inspect trash cans, or even pranks like hiding in a closet in Goethe Hotel to scare the room service worker.

ᯓ★When embroiled in combat, however, Stelle’s personality undergoes a notable transformation, revealing an intense and ferocious disposition. It has been noted through her ultimate animations that Stelle seems to be colder and stoic.

*~LORE OF RECEPTACLE X.

—> A girl who boarded the Astral Express. She chose to travel with the Astral Express to eliminate the dangers posed by the Stellaron.

ᯓ★The Voyage Continues: Character Story 1.

“Stelle doesn’t remember much. She’s not from around here, nor did she come from elsewhere. She’s not really going anywhere— Just then, that indistinct voice whispers into her ear. That sorrowful and tender persuasion, that deceptive goading... The seeds take root. She opens her eyes, and the speaker is no longer there. But there are more and more voices, and they are getting clearer and clearer. Some give easygoing care, some calmly provide advice, some speak firm support, and some gift gentle direction… She sees the silken thread being woven to form tomorrow. A huge beast descends from infinity, Golden pupils stare down from the darkness, and she is no longer abandoned by the past. She will also set upon a long journey, and the thorns she has stepped on have become her path. The train whistles, wishing her a successful journey to the coming future...by her own will.”

ᯓ★Silent Galaxy: Character Story 2.

“She has arrived at the "City of Preservation." Behind the snow curtain, the wind lashes like steel blades, but the kindling burns on. Distant lands won't hear them, and the earth trembles in kind, with only the wailing crowds braving the wind. After facing foreign enemies, the Eternal Freeze, and reality's fissures, a rot begins to fester within the fort. She tries lending a helping hand, but is forsaken. Some once looked down on her and misunderstood her, but still she stood by their side and helped them find their way. More care about her and worry about her. They face their suffering, and find the cure for the distressed. Eventually, they come to her side. In the ice and snow, she is like a fire, protecting the soul of this world...Even though she must scorch herself day and night.”

*~PERSONAL HEADCANONS.

ᯓ★Stelle is naturally very warm, due to the Stellaron and the fraction of the power received by her from the Aeon of Preservation, Qlipoth during her battle with Cocolia (The previous Supreme Guardian of Belobog). As such, her friends, March 7th (because I also headcanon that March’s body temperature runs colder than the average human because of her being trapped in six-phased ice for a long (?) time.) and Dan Heng, (He is a Vidyadhara. Vidhyadhara=dragon-like species. Dragons are basically reptiles, and reptiles are cold-blooded animals. Also a headcanon btw hehe.) hugged close to her when setting foot upon the cold planet of Jarilo-VI.

ᯓ★Due to the symbiosis between her and the Stellaron, the Stellaron now functions as her heart in a way. Say, if it were forcibly removed, somehow, she would die.

ᯓ★Stelle uses the username “the-coolest-galactic-baseballer” on social media. (This may be updated.)

ᯓ★She is a synthetic human. (Basically something like Xueyi or the 2 million Herta androids present on the space station.)

—>(CREDITS to: yourdarlingness and embracekiss on TUMBLR for the STELLE ICONS and HSR WIKI for the info~!)

#005. about me

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vonnart · 1 year

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Woodland Youth VII 🌿🐷

  I draw this woodland youth and his pig companion every June to commemorate when I first went vegan. This is my 7th year and each time I highlight a different reason why I believe in a plant-based diet/lifestyle in the hopes of inspiring others to consider making the switch themselves. For this year, I wanted to take a more objective approach with deforestation instead of the more emotion based discussions surrounding taste, ethics, or morality.   I am aware that a lot of people don’t understand or agree with the idea of ditching meat and dairy. This includes my own family and closest friends and the age ol' arguments of “Cheese tastes too good”, “What about these canine teeth”, or “Why should I even care about pigs and cows?”. And regardless of your position on the climate change debate, there are objective truths and facts that demonstrate the negative impact of the insatiable desire for animal products on the planet. One of the greatest issues is with deforestation! Numerous research papers and studies assert that between 80 and 90 percent of deforestation is caused by the expansion of farmland for animal agriculture. This is the leading cause of habitat destruction and the more obvious depletion on the “lungs of the planet” with the lack of oxygen production. Without trees, we would experience more drought and heat surges due to the lack of water vapor in the air that the trees produce. Plus this is happening In some of the world's most culturally and biologically diverse ecosystems, which is leading to more extinctions of species.   Destruction is expanding and can be slowed down significantly by a push as consumers to make a change by what's on our plates. So I will continue my journey to give a voice for these rainforests and the animals that continue to get slaughtered on the daily. You can expect to see the woodland youth and his pig making an appearance again this time next year!🌿🐷 🌟Also to my Patreon backers, I just made a post about this piece including my thoughts and the process behind its creation! Link here: https://www.patreon.com/vonnart!🌟 #vonnart #drawing #art #artist #woodlandyouth #pencilart #vegan #draw #originalart #traditionalart

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mykpoplovers · 2 months

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Sensational K-pop idol SHINee’s Taemin is coming to Malaysia for his first solo concert

SHINee’s maknae, Taemin, has officially announced his first solo concert in Malaysia on 7th September and it will be the second stop in Asia!

K-Pop prince, the ever-talented soloist Taemin proudly announced the highly anticipate first solo world tour 2024 TAEMIN World Tour “Ephemeral Gaze” in Kuala Lumpur. Brought to you by Masa Entertainment, the concert is scheduled to take place in 7 th September 2024 (Saturday) at 7PM at Malawati Indoor Stadium, Shah Alam, Selangor.

A privilege for all the TAEmate who the FROMM official fan club member, entitled to join the early bird ticket pre- sales. FROMM presale start on 2 nd August 2024 (Friday) at 11 AM to 11:59PM, and general ticket sales will be start on 5 th August 2024 (Monday) at 11 AM. Pre-sale details will be revealed tomorrow (July 31st) at noon.

Since his debut in 2008, Taemin has only been to Malaysia with SHINee members for the Golden Disk Awards in 2013 and as a special guest performer for the Formula One Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix in 2015. Therefore, the concert on September 7th will be his first solo concert in Malaysia.

Taemin debuted at the age of 14, displaying his remarkable dance talent as SHINee’s main dancer. By 2012, he had showcased his impressive vocal abilities and began taking on the role of the group’s lead vocalist. Over the course of his career, he has appeared in several dramas, voiced characters in animated films, and sung for drama OSTs. On August 18, 2014, he officially launched his solo career with the release of his first mini album “ACE.” In 2021, he became the youngest artist to achieve the milestone of releasing an album for 13 consecutive years (including group albums).

In April 2024, Taemin joined Big Planet Made Entertainment and embarked on new challenges with a fresh image. “Ephemeral Gaze” is SHINee Taemin’s first solo world tour and is a significant gift for TAEMates around the world.

“Ephemeral Gaze” signifies a fleeting glance, expressing that Taemin remains true to himself despite diverse perspectives. For this tour, Taemin will bring brand new performance from his new album, set to be released in August to show to the Malaysian TAEMates.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be among the first to witness Taemin’s concert!

2024 TAEMIN World Tour “Ephemeral Gaze” in Kuala Lumpur Date: 7th September 2024 (Saturday) Time: 7 PM Venue: Malawati Indoor Stadium, Shah Alam, Selangor FROMM Fanclub Fan Pre-sale Date: 2 nd August 2024 (11 AM to 11:59 PM) General Ticket Sale Date: 5th August 2024 (11 AM) Ticket Prices: RM 948 (VIP Standing), RM 818 (PS1), RM 698 (PS2), RM 518 (PS3), RM 398 (PS4) Ticketing Website: my.bookmyshow.com

**Each fan can purchase a limit of 2 tickets during the fan club presale period, while the general ticket sale allows each fan to purchase 4 tickets.

For more ticket details and concert information, stay tuned to Masa Entertainment social media.

#TAEMIN #WORLD_TOUR #Ephemeral_Gaze #TAEMate #TAEMIN_WORLD_TOUR #EphemeralGazeInKualaLumpur #MASAEntertainment #StormexEntertainment #kpop #malaysia

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gael-garcia · 11 months

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A Liberatory Demand from Queers in Palestine

Reject Israeli funding, refuse collaborations with all Israeli institutions, and join the BDS movement.

Strike: Silently or publicly, refuse that your exploited labor be used for the silencing of Palestine activism or the funding, support, and endorsement of military settler colonization and genocide.

Shut down main streets. Organize a sit-in in your local central station. Interrupt the flow of commerce. Complacency is a choice.

We, the undersigned, Palestinians and allies, amplify the Liberatory Demand from Queers in Palestine:

Number of signatories (211) – last updated on 09 November 2023 – 01:44 AM Gaza time.

#queers in palestine #free palestine #text

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epocharpg · 6 months

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State of the Game: April 7th 2024

Art: More backgrounds, with the default aerial and aquatic backgrounds now done! Much happier with the both of these, they're better made artistically, look more interesting and are both general enough to fit any animal.

Now that the 3 main default backgrounds are complete, I'm really digging in on getting the starters made. Starters can be used in activities by people who don't yet have their own character so they can still participate, and players can also obtain slots to starters for breeding purposes. At least initially starters are going to be a pretty important aspect of breeding before enough player-owned creatures are in the game, so having a diverse roster of starters is important! Here are a couple of the starters I've done already, which hopefully provide a nice glimpse into what your characters in this ARPG could look like!

Additionally I've been doing more item art, notably general crafting materials that players can obtain through activities.

Guides: While I have yet to write the new format for marking guides, I have written a general walkthrough that can help players (particularly those new to ARPGs) with designing their characters.

#epoch arpg #game development #april 2024

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boysplanetrecaps · 6 months

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Build Up Episode 6 Recap Part 3: Team Mismatch v. Team Maknae

Welcome back to the recap series that follows ALL the rabbit holes: BPR Unnie recaps MNET’s Build Up! In the previous post, we saw a team with not great teamwork lose to a team that had not great rhythm. In tonight’s scintillating tale, we’re going to see a team of maknae (youngest members of the show) take on a team that includes people of all different ages. We’re going to lose one of the teams, and it’s going to be sad no matter what, so… let’s face the music.

Dahee calls the next two teams up on stage. It’s Team Mismatch versus Team Maknae. (These are my names for the teams, but you have to admit, they’re good names.)

Team Mismatch:

Left to right: Geonu, Seohyung, Soomin

In the previous round, Geonu and Soomin performed Don’t Forget and came in 7th place; new recruit Kim Seohyung performed I Don’t Love You with Hong Seongjun of BDC, and lost to Geonu and Soomin. Hong Seongjun was eliminated, unfortunately.

You might remember Geonu as the one who used to have light pink hair. He’s on Just B with Bain. You might remember Chicago’s own Soomin as the one who sang “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” in the vocal check in. And you might remember Kim Seohyung as just being a kind of lovable weirdo with a surprisingly deep voice and a sort of stiff, formal manner despite his relatively young age.

Left to right: Yeonwoo, Yunseo, Joohee

In the previous round, Ji Yeonwoo and Jeong Yunseo performed The Little Prince and came in 8th place; new recruit Park Joohee performed performed The Moon with Kwon Euibin, and lost. Euibin was eliminated, unfortunately.

You may remember Yeonwoo as the one who forgot the words to a Mamamoo song in front of Solar even though he’s from her agency. He certainly remembers, I’m sure. You may remember Joohee as the one who cried at the end of his song in the 2x2 mission and couldn’t sing. Meanwhile, Driver Yunseo is the hero of the maknae team, determined and confident no matter what.

Seeing the two teams onstage, the guys in the green room say the two teams look like villains and “a traffic light.” The judges think that Joohee looks like he’s wearing his dad’s clothes -- I think it’s his loose white pants that give that impression. He also looks terrified.

Team Maknae introduces themselves as “The Youngest Musicians” and do some anime poses. It’s cyooo!

Soomin from the other team immediately pipes up to point out that he’s the same age as the guys in Team Maknae.

The judges ask Joohee how he’s doing, and he says he has decided to be cooler this time. Well, I hope so.

Then Team Mismatch introduces themselves as “Taco Trio” because they ate Mexican food whenever they practiced and each had different favorite dishes -- tacos, quesadillas, and burritos. “Just like we like various dishes,” Seohyung says, “we want to show our diverse charms on stage.”

Dahee encourages the teams to smack talk, and they do, and it’s whatever.

We head into the flashback, picking up with the moment when Yunseo and Yeonwoo recruited Joohee. Joohee was really happy to be on a team with his fellow maknae (youngest) and is looking for a song that will go with their image.

They’ve decided on Nakka by Akmu.

If you don’t know Akmu, they’re a brother-sister duo with undeniable talent signed to YG. They’re not really idols; brother Chankhyuk writes their songs and sings on them, and sister Suhyun might have the single most beautiful voice in all of pop, both kpop and western pop. They’re super popular in Korea, and are called things like “The Nation’s Siblings.” They’re also my fella’s favorite Korean-based musical act by a wide margin. He full on just listens to Akmu.

If you want to get to know them a bit, you can check out Suhyun’s solo song Alien, which is probably her most “idol”-like moment. I already mentioned her performance in Hopeless Romantic in the previous post. And then from Akmu themselves there’s always Dinosaur.

Anyway, I actually hadn’t heard Nakka before but it’s great. A collab with IU? Of course I’m on board. It seems to be about taking a leap of faith when you’re in a good relationship….? I’ll let you be the judge. Joohee says that the song represents closing your eyes and sort of letting go and being courageous.

Driver Yunseo says that he thought the song might be a bit monotonous without some form of performance/dance, so they decide to add some movement. They want to provoke feelings, so they… wear sunglasses? Ok.

They’re rehearsing in a room at Mystic Story, which is Jeong Yunseo’s agency. (Mystic Story is home to Lucy, a boy band, and Billlie, a girl group.) They talk a bit about how they have a chingoo on the opposing team. And again, the subtitles translate “chingoo” as friend, so in the subtitles they’re saying things like “We can’t lose to a friend!” But of course, as you know, chingoo *can* mean friend but it also can mean “someone the same age.” Ok, cool, we’re good.

They’re at some sort of interim evaluation and see their rivals, so they decide to visit them and see… I don’t know, what they’re up to?

Geonu is up to wearing that hat, so, that’s good.

Driver Yunseo asks, “Is there anything you guys can do better than us?” And I mean, what did he think they’d say back to that? Geonu, reasonably, says, “What do YOU think? I mean, honestly, I do everything well.” It’s so odd -- did Yunseo think the other team would be like, “Actually, we’re bad singers, so you should win”? Soomin says, “In a way, everyone on our team has debuted. We’re pros, and you’re amateurs.” I don’t know if that’s entirely accurate, but I guess it’s true that Seohyung has performed on stage, and I guess Soomin put out a single or something, so, sure. Anyway this whole scene makes me really uncomfortable and I’m glad when it’s over!

It’s performance day. Team Maknae turns their backs to the judges then turns back around wearing sunglasses.

This isn’t as random as it might seem; when Akmu performed this song live on Sketchbook, they wore sunglasses too. I think they’re trying to look

The performance begins.

Full version without reactions.

My thoughts:

Aww, I really liked this. I think all three of them have great voices and they sound great together.

Left to right: Yeowoo, Yunseo, Joohee

I think Yeonwoo might hold his eyes open like that to make them look bigger, but it just makes him look scared. I don’t think he actually was scared, though. He sounded great.

It’s funny, I don’t have as much to say about this performance as I do about performances I like less. They all have similar voices; all three have good breath control, no nasality, and an lovely natural vocal color. When they did that bit where they sort of echoed each other back and forth, it almost sounded like the same person singing over and over.

Joohee’s voice is my favorite of the three. It’s just the cleanest and prettiest, in my opinion. I think this is the best I’ve heard him sing this whole time.

Yeonwoo might be the weakest of the three but that’s a compliment to them, not an insult to him. He seems slightly uncomfortable on higher notes -- it’s an issue with agility, I think. He can hit them straight on, but having to hit them suddenly on a run is harder for him. Still, he’s a great singer.

Yunseo’s voice has the most texture, which adds a bit of interest to the trio. He also had that lovely long note with amazing dynamic control (ie, he controls his volume).

I loved the close harmony and almost-acappela moment toward the end. Nice work!

I’m not sure I *loved* the whole stylized, robotic movement thing they did, but it was cute and funny enough. They were doing a thing and it was a way to add interest without using up the breath they needed to sing.

I do worry that maybe the song wasn’t the best choice, just because it didn’t have the emotional resonance or engagement that some of the other songs have had….? But maybe that will work in their favor, helping them stand out in a group of serious, ponderous songs. Regardless, I’m cheering for them to win. I enjoyed this a lot.

In the MNET edit, the judges are laughing during their super serious “bada badas,” but then Joohee starts to sing and Eunkwang loses his SHIT.

Every time the guys do the badabums in their action poses, everyone laughs -- but when they actually sing, everyone is like, “but they can really sing!”

We see Eunkwang the most, but it seems like everyone’s having a great time.

Dahee loves it too!

The judges applaud without hesitation when the guys are done, and all theother guys backstage cheer.

Wendy tells Joohee that when he started to sing at the beginning, she thought they were just playing the pre-recorded song. Fair -- that kid obviously ate the CD for breakfast. Eunkwang adds to the praise, saying that Joohee was like an uncut gemstone that has now become polished.

Eunkwang also praises the teamwork and staging, saying that it made everything fun and light.

Guest Judge Guy -- whose name I never remember so I’ll just have to call him Guest Judge Guy and you’ll just have to make your peace with that -- says, “You were so charming that I thought, ‘I could even become a fan if it’s a team like this.’” Me too, GJG! Me too!

That’s about all the feedback we hear, and then it’s time for Team Mismatch!

Everyone’s interested to see what the “bad guys” are going to do.

The judges wonder about this combination -- Seohyung seems to be an odd choice to add to the duo of Soomin and Geonu. They had had to choose among Seohyung, Joohee, Gwangseok, and Woong, and I’m not sure if there’s anyone they’d prefer to that.. I think Soomin didn’t want to work with Joohee -- he seems to look down on the young trainees, kind of like, I don’t know, like he’s too good to work with them? I don’t mean to be so negative about Soomin but I’ve been open about how he rubs me the wrong way, so at least I’m not pretending I’m totally objective here.. I also think Soomin wouldn’t have wanted to work with Woong -- the two of them worked together on Ditto and I didn’t sense much camaraderie on the team. I think Gwangseok’s voice wouldn’t mesh well at all with Soomin and Geonu’s lighter tones. So it kind of had to be Seohyung. And a bass voice could add a lot of interest to any team, right?

The judges ask Seohyung how he feels about singing the song the team is going to sing, and he says cheerfully that he’s never sung in this genre before, but that since the song is called Joker, he’s going to be a Joker in this performance. Love that! Imagine, just saying to your teammates, “Ok, I haven’t done this genre before, but I’m ready to try.” IMAGINE THAT!

We head into the flashback and see Geonu and Soomin entering the Small Room of Serious Decisions, muttering to themselves, “I hope he’s still there!” And quite to everyone’s surprise, they seem to be enthusiastically interested in Kim Seohyung.

I had assumed that they’d chosen via process of elimination -- that they didn’t want a trainee like Joohee, a low tier like Woong, or a strong, uncontrolled voice like Gwangseok’s. But nope, seems like they really wanted Seohyung, or at least are doing a good job of pretending that they did. Good for them either way.

Seohyung is like, “I can’t believe the ‘Chicago baby’ wants me!” (He says “Chicago baby” in English -- pretty funny.) When he runs into them in the hall, Geonu says in Korean, “We chose you!” and Seohyung replies in good-sounding English, “Seriously?!?”

We get a little flashback montage showing how high energy Geonu and Soomin are, and how calm and polite Seohyung is. I think my favorite is him bumping into a door and then saying thank you to it. Also we’re reminded that he likes to watch car documentaries. WHAT ARE CAR DOCUMENTARIES???

(The Korean letters phonetically spell out the English words “Welcome, my bro.” Also: s w e a t e r spotting)

The guys meet up to plan and rehearse, and Geonu and Soomin reveal that they already had a song in mind: Joker by Big Naughty.

Ok, Big Naughty is the guy who sang Hopeless Romantic, which we’ve talked about a few times -- the song that guest starred the female half of Akmu (who sang Nakka). Big Naughty’s song Joker features Jamie, formerly known as Jimin Park, who you might know for being a host/personality on a lot of Korean shows, or for her song 3D Woman or maybe April Fools (two awesome songs). She finally got out of JYP’s basement and she’s out and about now!

Joker seems to be about that tension between wanting to have a sincere, genuine relationship with someone, where you let down your guard, and wanting to protect your heart and keep things light. It has a light, sort of jazzy sound that reminds me a lot of And July by Heize and Dean.

So yeah, Soomin and Geonu tell Seohyung about the song they’ve picked, and he says he’s never heard it. Of course he hasn’t. It’s not a car documentary. Geonu explains that he thinks this will help all of them by letting them show something new but also use their talents.

Seohyung interviews, “I contemplated the situation momentarily. Truly, singing a ballad would be easier, but if I were to do so, how would improvement be possible?” See, that’s my guy. He tells the duo that he’s ready to try it -- “use me as a joker,” he says. Soomin challenges him to try smack talk, and he says, in English: “....… Babies! …. We… we go to the next round!” That’s about all he can do, but it’s great.

Then they decide they have to make a handshake and help Seohyung develop a “vibe.” I think they’re having fun and getting to be friends. It’s cute.

Cutting back to performance day, the judges are like, I can’t imagine Seohyung singing this song. I can’t either, but that’s mainly because Nakka by Akmu is so firmly stuck in my head that I can’t remember how any other songs go until/unless I listen to another one.

The performance begins.

Full version without reactions.

My thoughts:

Overall, really great, mainly because of Soomin and Seohyung.

I wish that Soomin had been entranced by Woong or Bain instead of Geonu, who I think has one of the weakest voices on the show. I really don’t want to feel that way, since Geonu and Bain are in the same group and I want that group to be successful, but I can’t help how I feel -- that Geonu is vastly outshined by nearly every other vocalist on this show. His voice is very nasal, he’s often a bit off key, his high notes are strained and shrill sounding, and he lacks breath support on longer notes. He also is awkward in his movements, the way he kind of jerks around as if he’s semi-dancing.

Geonu’s deficiencies are highlighted by how lovely and sweet Soomin’s voice is. He also has a nice spoken tone that gives warmth to his rapping. I don’t have much to say about Soomin’s performance because it was just sort of universally good.

Seohyung surprised me, and I bet he surprised the judges, with how well he did here. I’m calling it now -- they’re going to do an instant replay of his little growl at the 1:35 mark. His high notes sounded supported, and his deep notes were really satisfying.

I’m a bit on the fence about the arrangement and staging. I love the idea of giving Seohyung the majority of Jamie’s lines, and having him sing them down an octave, so you have a bass coming in instead of an alto. Fun idea. But it did mean that Seohyung hung back for the first third of a three minute performance. I guess we’ll see what the judges think of that. I also wish there’d been more harmonies -- there are only maybe 10-15 seconds total where they’re singing in 3-part harmony. I would have liked to hear more.

If I had to guess, I would assume the judges will give this round to Soomin’s team, if for no other reason than I’ve noticed that Korean judges tend to just sort of prefer awarding wins to older people. It’s a weird sort of age discrimination, where they are indulgent to young people, but also habitually prefer older people. I’m not convinced that Soomin’s team actually did better, though.

In a fight between Soomin and Joohee, I’d say it’s a dead heat.

In a fight between Yunseo and Seohyung, also, a dead heat.

In a fight between Yeonwoo and Geonu, I choose Yeonwoo, no question.

Judging based on team synergy and harmonies, I’d choose the maknae’s team.

So yeah, I’d give the win to the maknae, but I still think the judges are going to give it to Soomin’s team. Let’s see what happens….

In the MNET edit, naturally, we get a lot of reactions to Soomin’s first few notes. And of course, when Seohyung starts to sing, the judges are delighted too.

Ah, I was wrong, there’s no instant replay of Seohyung’s growl, but we do see Wendy make this face:

.. and we do get an instant replay of his lines “... so let’s just play the game.” Checks out.

After Geonu says “take a little nap,” he does this weird little dance and makes weird faces and it’s very like, IDK, your cousin dancing at a party when he’s high on shrooms and no one wants to tell him no music is playing. You know? Very that.

Baekho’s face speaks for all of us, I think:

When they’re done, of course everyone applauds.

Everyone is happy for Seohyung for trying something new and basically nailing it.

Best pals Jay and Wumuti do their best Seohyung deep-voice impression:

It’s obviously very affectionate.

Dahee asks the judges what they thought. Jaehwan says that he got on his feet almost immediately for this performance. He says to all three, “your free, sexy, and fatal charms mesmerized me today,” then calls out Soomin for his excellent intro notes.

VCG praises the group’s teamwork and harmony, and then reminds Seohyung that he (VCG) had told Seohyung to change not his voice, but his expression and manner. And Seohyung did really well at doing just that. Also, his bass voice added a lot to a team with a high tenor like Geonu.

Guest Judge Guy praises Seohyung for tackling a new genre. Yeah!

Baekho tries his best to tell Geonu to stop dancing like a dorky weirdo. He says, “Geonu, I think you have everything you need -- but the image you’re trying to portray kind of ruined the performance in general.” We’re reminded that Geonu did the same kind of thing in the other two performances. Baekho says that if Geonu could just tone that down, he could win a lot of fans. Is anyone going to mention his pitchiness or nasality or lack of vocal agility….? Just me…? Ok…

So, it’s time to get both teams up on stage to find out their fate.

The judges vote. Wendy notes that she might feel different if she’d heard the song in the opposite order. Not fair, then. Maybe watch a playback of both or something.

The results are revealed…

Red is Soomin’s team, and blue is Team Maknae. Only Eunkwang voted for Team Maknae, so Soomin’s team wins.

Dahee asks the winners to say a few words, and Geonu basically says he feels bad about the fact that the losing team is being eliminated, but promises to keep up the good work. Driver Yunseo says they performed with no regrets and enjoyed working together, and hopes to meet everyone again in the future.

They walk off stage together, and it looks as if Yunseo and Yeonwoo are both comforting Joohee. Aww. Backstage, they say they’re a little sad that it’s over, but they aren’t crying. I think they were pretty much expecting to lose. Aww.

Well, I really want to see all of them again in the future, and I think we will. Yunseo is signed to Mystic Story and Yeonwoo is signed to RBW -- both good agencies. I don’t know where Joohee is signed, or if he’s signed at all. However, things often shuffle around after shows like this, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Kim Minseo from Bain’s team ends up debuting with some or all of Team Maknae here in the next year or two. Team Maknae, fighting!

Soomin’s team has a group hug backstage and vows to stick it out to the end.

And that brings us to the end of the round, and the end of this post! Thanks as always for being a friend! I'll see you in the next one.

#bpr recaps build up #mnet build up #build up mnet #build up

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