#carmen's original campaign world... | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

milkbreadtoast · 4 years

Text

“Some Animals are More Equal than Others”: An Analysis of Race and Gender in Disney’s Zootopia(2016)

Hey guys! Back in Fall 2019 I wrote an essay analyzing race and gender in the Disney animated film Zootopia for my Gender & Film sociology class. I also addressed the portrayal of cops in this film. The page requirement was 10 pages but I ended up writing over 25 lol... I’m still pretty proud of this essay so I just wanted to share it online.. feel free to read it if you enjoy reading film analysis/critique!! I think.... it’s a good read (it’s long as ass, but I hope you stick with it to the end 🙏)

(note: I wish I could format this better e.g. make it doublespaced so it’s easier on the eyes, but tumblr is pretty restricted orz,, I did decide to add a few more pictures to this post than the essay I originally turned in to make it a bit more visually pleasing!)

“Some Animals are More Equal than Others”: An Analysis of Race and Gender in Zootopia

Author: Fluffberries/@milkbreadtoast

26 November 2019

“I implore you, try. Try to make the world a better place.”

- Judy Hopps (Zootopia)

The Walt Disney animated film Zootopia had its theatrical debut on March 4, 2016, and was a huge financial and popular success, exceeding the opening weekend returns of Frozen (2013) and breaking records for the studio (Sandlin 2). Interestingly, despite the movie being ostensibly about the controversial and politicized topic of racism, the movie has been praised “equally enthusiastically—for completely different and often contradictory messages and ideologies—by both left-leaning and right-leaning cultural critics” (Sandlin 9). Indeed, Jason Johnson, political editor at The Root, praises the film as being “the most searing, complicated and subversive film about race, drugs and policy since Traffic” and claims it is “nothing like any Disney animated movie you’ve ever seen” (para 2). But for film critic Demetri Ravanos, Zootopia is a “refreshing” film that “shows cops in an overwhelmingly positive light,” and should be praised for refusing to “elicit a negative reaction” to the police (Sandlin 14). Crucially, the film “debuted in the middle of contentious (and ongoing) national conversations about police violence, white supremacy, the police state, and the Black Lives Matter movement” (Sandlin 3). The film’s release also coincided with the 2016 presidential election of the United States, where the campaign of Donald Trump was fueled by hateful rhetoric toward women, minority groups, and immigrants. However, while Zootopia appears to be progressive, ultimately the film does not challenge, and instead reinforces, dominant ideologies on race and gender. While it may seem “refreshing,” and “nothing like any Disney animated movie you’ve ever seen,” the film actually continues the long-running trend in Disney animated films of rewriting and sanitizing the traumas of the past and present. Contradictory to its progressive message of “try to make the world a better place,” Zootopia ultimately upholds and perpetuates dominant ideologies by privileging the lives and feelings of some groups, and invalidating those of others.

“Coding” in Zootopia

In the paper “Look Out New World, Here We Come’?: Race, Racialization, and Sexuality in Four Children’s Animated Films by Disney, Pixar, and DreamWorks,” the authors Carmen Lugo-Lugo and Mary Bloodsworth-Lugo argue that “Even though animals (and other nonhuman characters) are anthropomorphized in children’s animated films, these films also, unfailingly, racialize nonhuman characters in the process. That is to say, these characters are not simply transformed into some generic ‘human’ (for there are no generic humans); rather, they are inscribed, for example, as White ‘humans,’ Black ‘humans,’ Asian ‘humans,’ or Latino ‘humans’ (Lugo-Lugo, 168). I argue that voice actors are crucial in racializing and ‘coding’ a character with a social identity, through both linguistic profiling and the identity of the voice actors.

Linguist John Baugh, in his influential work on “linguistic profiling,” defines it as “the auditory equivalent of visual ‘racial profiling.’ ...Whereas ‘racial profiling’ is based on visual cues that result in the confirmation or speculation of the racial background of an individual, or individuals, ‘linguistic profiling’ is based upon auditory cues that may include racial identification, but which can also be used to identify other linguistic subgroups within a given speech community” (Baugh, 158). Linguistic profiling is something we readily do, and potentially from very little information, such as just the word “Hello” (Baugh, 160). Unlike visual racial profiling, Baugh argues that linguistic profiling is “subtle” (160), and it is this subtle quality that makes linguistic profiling ideal for racializing nonhuman characters in modern Disney films over visual racial cues, which dip dangerously into racist caricature. Disney has a long track record of blatantly racist depictions of people of color(POC). A long-running trend of theirs is depicting POC as animals, including but not limited to Latines as chihuahuas, black people as monkeys, crows, and hyenas, and Asians as siamese cats (Mickey Mouse Monopoly). In these racist caricatures, Disney has relied heavily on visual stereotypes (such as the “slanted eyes” and “buck teeth” given to the siamese cats in Lady and the Tramp (1955)), along with linguistic cues (such as “heavy accents,” often produced by white actors) to racially code these animal characters (Mickey Mouse Monopoly). In order to not repeat the glaring mistakes of the past, while still necessarily racializing the all-animal cast of Zootopia, the more subtle role voice acting plays becomes all the more important.

However it is not just linguistic profiling, or the voice in isolation, that matters in coding characters. As Baugh points out, speakers can flexibly adapt their speech to different situations (“linguistic accommodation”), and accent or dialect can be correlated with, but is in no way determined by, social category, particularly race (158). Speaking General American English does not mean someone is white, and Disney has historically cast white actors to voice characters of color and characters coded as POC (e.g. the characters in Aladdin (1992)). In their more recent films, Disney appears to also acknowledge the race and/or ethnicity of the voice actor as important, as evidenced by the casting of Auli’i Cravalho, and other actors of Polynesian descent, in Moana (2016). The social identity of an actor, even if only the voice is heard, is important as a form of representation. There is a growing sense that characters of color should be portrayed by actors of their race (even if a General American English accent is still preferred for protagonists). Thus, it can be claimed that the identity of the voice actors, along with linguistic cues, can be considered sufficient to ‘code’ a character as having a certain race and gender. This ‘coding’ is crucial to keep in mind while navigating the allegorical animal world of Zootopia.

Prey vs. Predator

The film introduces the categories of “predator” and “prey” as being one of the main ways the social world in Zootopia is organized, and one of the main sources of prejudice and social stratification. Judy Hopps, the film’s bunny protagonist, and Nick Wilde, the film’s fox deuteragonist, are categorized as prey and predator respectively. Judy is voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, and Nick is voiced by Jason Bateman; both actors are white, and thus both Judy and Nick are white-coded. The predator vs prey dichotomy has both highly racial and gendered connotations within the narrative.

As others have noted (Johnson, Sandlin), the racial allegory in Zootopia is highly muddled. For one, many of the predators in the movie, and crucially every predator who goes “savage” in the latter half, are voiced by actors of color(specifically black or Latine), and thus coded as such. They are the targets of fear-based discrimination and abuses by the state(specifically imprisonment by Mayor Lionheart and darting by a serum making them go savage by Assistant Mayor Bellwether) in ways that appear to parallel the problems faced by POC in America, specifically men of color. Moreover, the rhetoric used to describe them, as “savage” and “primitive,” mirrors the same racist, anti-Native, anti-black rhetoric used by whites to justify their dominant position in society and dehumanize the people subject to their oppression. This has led many to analyze the movie by arguing predators represent people of color, and prey represent white people(Johnson, Beaudine, Nagata). However, this is a vast oversimplification and overlooks several key points. For one, through their voice actors, there are numerous prey characters coded as POC (e.g. Chief Bogo, Gazelle, Nangi), and numerous predators coded as white (e.g. Mayor Lionheart, Benjamin Clawhauser, Gideon Grey). More importantly, predators seem to occupy the space of both the colonizers and the oppressed in the narrative, a reversal that does not exist in real life. Predators are a statistical minority (10% of the population in Zootopia) and oppressed in the present due to prey fear and perception of them as dangerous and inherently “savage.” However, it is historical fact in the world of Zootopia that predators were once dominant over prey, a dynamic sustained by violence and “savagery.” The favorable status beliefs about predators(stronger, more powerful, more competent) and their correlated positional advantages(better jobs and political power) are consistent with real world patterns of hegemony. In the movie, we are told and made to sympathize with the predators who face discrimination and who are coded as people of color. But in doing so, necessarily, we overlook and forgive the predators’ violent past and historical domination; they have “evolved” past it. This is hugely problematic for several reasons. First, it invokes the deeply racist assumption that oppressed people of color are “biologically predisposed to be savages,” and that white fear of them is at least partially justified. It also invokes the “DNA” argument that people of different races are biologically different; this is completely untrue with human races, which are socially constructed (Omi 55), but scientifically accurate with respect to the animal species of Zootopia, which are biologically distinct. Second, the violent history of white colonialism, genocide, and slavery is more akin to the history of predators rather than prey. By having us overlook the violence of the predators of the past, is the movie subtly, slyly, telling us to overlook the violence of white colonialism? Are the filmmakers not showing a profound lack of self-awareness that the dominant group today were in fact the colonizers of the past(and present), and their position of domination is crucially dependent on that?

(Female) Prey vs. (Male) Predator

From the very beginning of the movie, the predator-prey dichotomy is given gendered connotations. A young Judy Hopps narrates during her school play: “Back then, the world was divided in two. Vicious predator(gestures to the leopard boy next to her, who growls), or meek prey.”[1] Throughout the film, prey characters are stereotyped as being weaker, submissive, and less competent (e.g., “dumb bunny”), and predators as being dominant, aggressive, and more competent. These status beliefs mirror common status beliefs about men and women consistent with a hegemonic masculinity (Lorber 43). The positional advantages held by predators, such as the political power of Mayor Lionheart(who is voiced by J.K. Simmons and is white-coded), are also consistent with hegemonic (white)masculinity. In this way, the construction of the prey and predator categories as a binary that ranks predators above prey mirrors the stratification of gender in US society that “ranks men above women of the same race and class… In a gender-stratified society, what men do is usually valued more highly than what women do because men do it, even when their activities are very similar or the same” (Lorber 43). Moreover, the perceived differences between prey and predator are thought to be “biological,” consistent with Lorber’s assertion that “Gender is so pervasive in our society that we assume it is bred into our genes,” when really gender is socially constructed, and naturalized to justify hegemonic masculinity (1). Even though there are both male and female prey and predators, the movie makes a point of having key prey characters, such as protagonist Judy Hopps and antagonist Assistant Mayor Dawn Bellwether, be female, and important predator characters, such as deuteragonist Nick Wilde and Mayor Lionheart, be male. Much of the tension that occurs between prey and predator characters is between female prey and male predators as well, and Judy and Nick, as well as Bellwether and Lionheart, are presented as narrative foils to one another.

“Sly Fox, Dumb Bunny”

The importance of considering gender in respect to the characters of Zootopia is implicated in the way the protagonist, Judy Hopps, was specifically designed with emphasized femininity as one of her defining traits. Kira Lehtomäki, Judy’s character animator, reveals, “In Hopps' animation, we tried to celebrate both her rabbitness and her female nature. She's a tough bunny, but she's still feminine. She's sweet, but she's not weak” (Zootopia wiki). Not only does Judy depict an emphasized femininity, but it is specifically white femininity, as she is white-coded. Although Judy overtly receives discrimination because of allegorical ‘race,’ that is, her species, this can be understood as mainly gender discrimination masquerading as something else; however, it is specifically the gender discrimination faced by white women.

Bunnies are a low-status group in the world of Zootopia, and this is in part due to conflations of race and gender in the social construction of the “bunny” status, specifically the feminized connotations of being a bunny. Throughout the film, there is an interesting trend of “bunny” and ‘female’ being used interchangeably in the script. Yax, a male yak character, tells the grown woman Judy, “we’re all good on Bunny Scout cookies”(the real-world correlate being “Girl Scout cookies”), unintentionally infantilizing her as he underestimates her age. Nick tells Judy that she “throw[s] like a bunny,” “Oh you bunnies, you’re so emotional,” and “Are all bunnies bad drivers, or is it just you?”, depicting more stereotypes about women altered to be about bunnies instead. Bunnies as a social category are infantilized in the world of Zootopia. Calling a bunny “cute” is considered the equivalent of a racial slur in-universe; as Judy explains, “a bunny can call another bunny ‘cute,’” but other animals cannot. The word “cute” has infantilized connotations, and it is significant that Judy is only called “cute” by male characters(specifically male predators; Nick calls Judy cute 3 times in the movie). Finally, the most cited bunny stereotype in the film is that of the “dumb bunny,” paralleling status beliefs that devalue the competency of women (Lorber 43). The conflation of the social categories of “bunny” and “female” within the world of Zootopia serves to characterize the discrimination Judy receives as, allegorically, being mainly that of the white female, stereotyped as weak, submissive, infantilized and incompetent.

Although Nick is voiced by a white man and thus white coded, he seems to be treated as a person of color within the narrative of the film. The discrimination he faces in the film as a male predator, and specifically a male fox, mirrors that faced by men of color. “Fox” is shown to be an unfavored minority group, negatively stereotyped as being “shifty” and “untrustworthy.” The foxes specifically face discrimination within the predator category, in contrast to other predators with higher status (such as the lion who is the mayor). Judy’s father warns that “foxes are the worst,” and Nick’s childhood bullies specifically target him as a fox, not just as a predator: “Even though you’re a fox? ...If you think we would trust a fox, you must be dumber than you look.” Fear of foxes, however, appears to also have a highly gendered connotation within the allegory of Zootopia. When Judy’s parents give her “fox repellent” before she leaves for Zootopia to protect her from foxes, they are specifically trying to protect her from male foxes; this is confirmed when Judy’s mother, in agreeing with Judy’s father that foxes are “the worst,” uses Gideon Grey, Judy’s male childhood fox bully, as an example. In addition, the “fox repellent” resembles the pepper spray/mace given to girls to protect themselves against predatory men, especially since the spray is given to her by her parents, not the police force. Thus, I would argue that it is more representative of anti-rape self defense spray rather than police pepper spray, as some have claimed it to be analogous to (Nagata 8). To further reinforce this gendered connotation, Judy’s fox repellent is colored pink.

When Judy’s parents speak of “foxes” as a general category, they really mean “male foxes.” Bell hooks points out in "The oppositional gaze: Black female spectators” that when feminist scholars speak of “women” as a general, abstract category, they obfuscate that what is really being analyzed is “white women” (hooks 314). Similarly, Judy’s parents may warn Judy of “foxes” in general without mentioning anything about gender, but they are really referring to “male foxes.” When gender, and likewise, race, are spoken of in general, abstract terms, what follows is the erasure of the unspoken. Indeed, no female foxes are shown onscreen in the entire film, and the only interactions Judy has with foxes in the film are with male foxes; the face of Nick’s mom is cut off in a flashback to Nick’s childhood, as if to say she is not relevant to the narrative. As bell hooks argues, race and gender cannot, and should not, be analyzed in isolation. It is important that when the movie talks about prey fear of predator, it is specifically prey fear of male predator, and refers to white fear of men of color, and even more specifically, white female fear of men of color(especially given that the main prey characters are white-coded females, and both have unconscious or explicit bias against predators, the important characters of which are shown to be male, and the “savage” ones voiced by men of color).

White Voicing (and Blackfacing?)

It is interesting to consider why, in a movie ostensibly about racial tensions, the movie’s two main characters are cast with white actors, and are thus white-coded. In analyzing Zootopia, people seem to find it significant enough to point out that the predators who are targeted by Bellwether’s “night howler” plot are voiced by people of color(Sandlin, Johnson, Nagata), but far less seem to find it notable that the main characters Judy and Nick--as well as Bellwether and Lionheart--are portrayed by white people. Some might argue that Judy and Nick, as animals, and not humans, do not have specified races, and thus can be relatable to everyone. It is certainly true that speaking with a General American(GA) accent is not sufficient to code an animated non-human character as white. Disney has a clear linguistic bias toward a GA accent in casting its protagonists; even when POC are cast as protagonists, they speak more or less with a standard GA accent, as in Mulan (1992) and Moana (2016). This bias extends even to non-American white characters, such as the characters in Frozen (2013), set in Scandinavia, the French characters in Beauty and the Beast (1991), and the Australian protagonist of The Rescuers Down Under (1990). But again, even though the protagonists might sound more or less the same(in terms of dialect and accent) regardless of the identity of the voice actor, POC are still preferred for POC roles in the modern age of Disney as a form of representation. Given this, actors of color who speak the Disney-preferred General American English could have easily been sought out and cast by Disney for Judy and Nick, but instead, Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman were cast. Why?

The answer is rooted in the Gramscian concept of ‘hegemony,’ the idea that the ideology of the group in power that justifies their dominant position in society becomes naturalized, and thus invisible. According to feminist scholar Judith Lorber, “the dominant categories are the hegemonic ideals, taken so for granted as the way things should be that white is not ordinarily thought of as a race, middle class as a class, or men as a gender. The characteristics of these categories define the Other as that which lacks the valuable qualities the dominants exhibit”(43). The concept of hegemony is present in the politics of linguistics as well, as the favored dialect and accent of a language(usually that of the group in power) is not usually referred to as a dialect, or thought of as having an accent; consider General American English, also known as Standard English. Thus, due to the hegemony of white supremacy, it is not immediately obvious to the viewer that Judy and Nick are white-coded, despite being voiced by white actors. As Lugo-Lugo argues, “rather than construing animated characters as generally unmarked by race, it is more likely that these characters are raced as White (which is why mainstream audiences do not notice many characters’ races) as well as non-White (which is why other characters jump from their backgrounds)” (176).

Disney’s decision to cast white actors as Nick and Judy could be interpreted as more than unconsciously conforming to the invisible, ‘default’ hegemonic ideal, as if by accident. Disney is a profit-motivated megacorporation, and it is within their interests to create protagonists that are as ‘universally’ appealing and relatable as possible. Thus, this casting decision could be a deliberate attempt to cater to both white people and people of color at the same time; by taking POC-identifiable issues and attributing them to white-coded characters, both white people and people of color can ‘see themselves in’ the characters. But consistent with hegemony, in which the ideology of the ruling class becomes the ideology of all, supposed universalism that claims to appeal to all is really appealing to the group in power. By catering to both POC and white people, Disney is specifically pandering to white people; catering to only POC would risk alienating white people, the dominant group. The compulsive inclusion of white-coded characters in a narrative about racism subsequently appropriates racism as a white issue, and upholds the hegemony of white supremacy. Even if viewers do notice that the main characters in Zootopia are white-coded, they may feel reluctant to point this out, because Nick’s struggles so clearly align with those of men of color. Disney(and not only Disney) has a historical practice of casting racist caricatures of people of color with white voice actors. Although Nick’s ‘race’ is ambiguified in that it is allegorical, the identity of his voice actor subtly but unfailingly codes him as white, while the narrative identifies him more with men of color. It could even be argued that the character of Nick Wilde, in being portrayed by Jason Bateman, approaches the territory of ‘blackface’(or brownface, yellowface, redface, etc.)--the modern-day Disney version of it--but in a form so subtle, it slips under the radar.

“Killing Rage”: the Policing of Feelings

In an article in The Journal of Popular Culture, Jennifer Sandlin analyzes Disney as a powerful enactor of social control through an “affective economy,” creating and marketing some emotions such as joy, nostalgia, and even sadness, while policing and suppressing others, specifically rage (3). “Feelings,” as individual and inconsequential as they may seem, are socially situated and socially propagated (Sandlin 3). As Rebecca Wanzo argues in a section about Ferguson in Feminist Studies, “the civil rights struggle over police brutality is very much about feeling—whose feelings are allowed to count” (Sandlin 14).

Bell hooks, in her book Killing Rage, writes that “To perpetuate and maintain white supremacy, white folks have colonized black Americans, and a part of that colonizing process has been teaching us to repress our rage, to never make them the targets of any anger we feel about racism” (14). Sandlin applies bell hooks’ “killing rage” argument to Zootopia, arguing that the film polices anger for predators by portraying rage as universally bad and “a direct threat to the social order,” and “attempts to kill off rage at all costs, to pathologize it, neutralize it, and frame it as an entirely biological and entirely negative affect” (Sandlin 15, 17). When the “night howler” plot is inevitably resolved, the targeted predators cease their anger and violence and ‘go back to normal,’ restoring ‘order’ in the city, and the stress of the audience, heightened during the dramatized scenes of predator rage, is relieved. This reinforces the notion that rage is universally negative and a threat to society, and frames this rage essentially as a plot device: neatly resolved, artificially induced, and completely temporary. In doing so, Zootopia erases and invalidates the anger of people of color, specifically black Americans, as a rational, social response to the traumas of white supremacy, including systemic police brutality and state violence. Crucially, Zootopia fails to acknowledge the productive capacity of rage as resistance, as described by hooks: “confronting my rage, witnessing the way it moved me to grow and change, I understood intimately that it had the potential not only to destroy but to construct. Then and now I understand rage to be a necessary aspect of resistance struggle” (hooks 16).

Sandlin primarily focuses on the rage of the predators targeted by the “night howler” plot who “go savage,” and uses non-gendered descriptors such as “predatory animals” and “black rage” in her analysis of the policing of POC anger. I agree with Sandlin’s argument that Zootopia advocates “killing rage” as a universal threat to the social order, regardless of context or constructive capacity, and apply it specifically to how the film polices anger for women of color.

The predators targeted by the “night howler” plot who are explicitly depicted as going savage are crucially all male predators, and all are POC-coded (through voicing, or in Nick’s case, through the nature of his discrimination). As emphasized earlier with the fear of foxes, the movie is playing not only on white fear of POC, but of men of color specifically. Although the movie does hint that female predators have also been targeted by the serum(e.g. through photographs shown very briefly on Chief Bogo’s board), these cases of female predator-gone-savage are not shown explicitly on screen, and are as difficult to spot as an easter egg. Instead, through the characters Mrs. Otterton, Gazelle, and an unnamed leopard protestor, the film polices the anger of women of color by not allowing them to feel it, or by portraying it as destructive and ignoring its reason for existence.

Mrs. Otterton, the wife of Emmit Otterton, one of the key predators in the movie who ‘goes savage,’ is one of the movie’s main sources of pathos. She is voiced by Octavia Spencer, an African American actress, and is thus coded as an African American woman. She tearfully pleads the police department to bring her husband home, pointing out that they have “two beautiful children” and that Emmit “would never just disappear.” When Judy volunteers to take her husband’s case, Mrs. Otterton joyously embraces Judy, gushing, “Oh, bless you! Bless you, little bunny!” Interestingly, her husband, Emmit, does not speak a single word in the entire film, not even at the end when he returns to normal, and has no voice actor; the tragedy of the ‘missing predators’ case is understood through Mrs. Otterton’s subjectivity alone. Another interesting bit of trivia is that Mrs. Otterton is not given a first name by the writers; even though she is the one who speaks for the couple, she is only known in relation to her missing, voiceless husband.

Sandlin argues that “Racialization... plays out precisely at the level of affect, and it matters that popular films such as Zootopia allow some emotions (happiness, joy, even sadness, as evidenced in another recent Disney film, Inside Out) but seek to minimize or stigmatize others (anger, in particular)” (Sandlin 14). Throughout the movie, Mrs. Otterton shows only two emotions: sadness, and grateful joy--both are emotions privileged by Disney. She looks on sorrowfully at her ‘savage’ husband prowling aggressively in his cell, and whispers, “That’s not my Emmit.” At the end of the movie, when her husband has recovered, she embraces him and looks at Judy with a grateful smile, thanking her. She does not voice or display a hint of anger in the entire film. She does not have the power to solve her own problem; instead, she is dependent on the police force, specifically Judy, a white woman, to help her.

While Mrs. Otterton is cute and sweet and appears to be a positive portrayal of black women, as opposed to demonizing them in other ways, such as through the “Sapphire” stereotype (hooks 311), it could be argued that Disney is strategically using race and gender through her character: the black woman in the role of the pathos, the selfless mother and wife, and dependent on the ‘white woman’ to help her. In a film where anger is portrayed as universally threatening and disruptive, it is crucial that for the black woman to be sympathetic, she is not allowed to feel or express it. While it may avoid some negative stereotypes, the portrayal of Mrs. Otterton purely as a one dimensional character who is not allowed to feel anger, especially not toward the police, stifles and invalidates any anger black women might have, including anger as resistance as described by hooks, and anger as a justified response to the abuses of the state. Judy and the cops are portrayed as Mrs. Otterton’s saviors and heroes, and certainly not as part of the problem.

Rage as a part of resistance is shown in Zootopia through the animals protesting at peace rallies, but it is portrayed as disruptive regardless of whose rage it is, and the reason behind it. Judy is seen sandwiched between a pig and a leopard at the rally; the pig is yelling racist sentiment(“Go back to the forest, predator!”) at the leopard, who is trying to defend herself (“I’m from the savannah!”). Judy is trying to get both parties to stop being angry, despite the fact that only the leopard is justified in her anger, and is actively trying to defend herself from the pig, who instigated the clash with his ignorant taunts. Judy is visually shown as literally being squished equally by both sides, thus reinforcing the notion that ‘both sides are in the wrong’(see images below). The implicit argument in this visual is similar to the one in the song “Savages” from Pocahontas (1995), where both the white colonizers and the Native Americans are painted as equally “savage,” and the settler colonialist genocide of Indigenous Peoples is rewritten as merely a failure to understand the other’s mindset.

Judy is seen sandwiched between a pig and a leopard at the rally; the pig is yelling racist sentiment(“Go back to the forest, predator!”) at the leopard, who is trying to defend herself (“I’m from the savannah!”)

The disruptive anger of the leopard protestor is contrasted with the protest of Gazelle, Zootopia’s singer sensation. Gazelle is a gazelle, a prey animal, and is thus not directly being affected by anti-predator hate, but she ‘stands in solidarity’ with her male predator backup dancers. Despite being prey, she is coded as a woman of color, specifically Latina, most evident through her being voiced by Latina pop star Shakira. She is presented in the movie as an example of the non-disruptive, ‘correct’ way for a woman of color to show resistance: purely peacefully. Like Mrs. Otterton, Gazelle is not allowed to show anger in her protest; she shows only dignified sorrow as she pleads the audience, “give me back the Zootopia I love.” This once again demonstrates how Zootopia demonizes and polices anger in general, especially when her peaceful, non-angry protest is contrasted with that of the angry leopard protestor(who, as a predator, is being directly affected by the hate). The dignified Gazelle is used as a role model and symbol of peace in the city, whereas the leopard, by squishing Judy in parallel with the ‘racist pig,’ is painted as unreasonable and threatening. Zootopia refuses to acknowledge the hugely differential contexts in which rage occurs, and the highly racialized and gendered policing of who is ‘allowed’ to feel and show rage, instead adopting the centrist, neoconservative perspective that ‘both sides are as bad as each other.’ By contrasting Gazelle’s protest with that of the leopard protestor, Zootopia mirrors the “never ending calls” by many white Americans for POC protestors, especially African Americans(note that the leopard protestor is originally “from the (African) savannah”), to “stop being so ‘angry’” (Sandlin 18). The film thus de-legitimizes the anger of women of color by not only killing rage as resistance, ignoring context and constructive capacity; the anger of women of color is also de-legitimized in that the sympathetic black woman is not allowed to feel it; her strategic use in the film as pathos depends on her only expressing the ‘favored’ emotions of sadness, joy, and gratitude.

“Copaganda”: “Blue Lives Matter”

Disney has a history of using positive affects like nostalgia and pleasure to rewrite and romanticize historical periods of traumatic racist violence in order to “mediate cultural upheavals” in the present United States (Sandlin 5). This is exemplified through Song of the South (1946) which depicts Antebellum plantation life as a “white musical utopia,” and was released in the “post-Civil Rights era,” as well as Princess and the Frog (2009), which depicts a utopian “color-blind New Orleans,” and was released during “the years of the Obama presidency when black Americans were gaining social, economic, and political rights” (Sandlin 5). As Sandlin argues, “Starting in the late 1920s with its earliest Mickey Mouse films, Disney has... reconstructed and represented a sanitized past, a sterilized cultural present, and a utopian future (Fjellman), and has utilized pedagogies of pleasure to… help audiences escape from tension and conflict, particularly around issues of race” (Sandlin 4). Zootopia, released at a height of the “Black Lives Matter” movement, a response to police brutality toward African Americans, continues this trend of sterilizing the present with its sanitized and glorified portrayal of the police force.

In a narrative centering on cops, Zootopia completely erases police brutality, censors anti-cop sentiment, ignores the historically white supremacist goals of the police force, and relegates state-sanctioned violence to the work of just ‘a few bad apples.’ In his review, Johnson argues that Assistant Mayor Bellwether’s plot to ‘dart’ the predators in the city with a drug that would make them ‘go savage’ and be feared by the prey majority is “straight out of the realization that members of the CIA either wittingly or unwittingly helped introduce crack cocaine into minority communities in the 1970s and ’80s” (para 9). However, there is a crucial difference between the actions of the CIA and those of Bellwether; the CIA is far bigger than the actions of one sheep, their actions strategic and systematic, the effects lasting and devastating, and the CIA was not thrown in jail as a result. The drug epidemic in the United States, unlike the “night howler” plot of Bellwether, was, is, not neatly resolved.

Throughout the film, cops are portrayed in a softened, overwhelmingly positive light, and the ideology of the ‘good cop’ is used to justify and endorse the institution of the police. Significantly, the character of Nick Wilde, previously living a life outside of the law, ultimately becomes a cop in the film. Judy ‘compliments’ Nick while they are working together that he would make “a pretty good cop,” and after the two find the missing predators, before Judy talks to the press, she presents him with a form to enlist in the police force, asking him to be her partner. Tender music plays as Nick accepts her form with wide eyes, and ultimately, at the end of the film, he does proudly join the ZPD. Becoming a cop is portrayed as something he’s always wanted; it references his childhood dream of joining the “junior ranger scouts” and paints him as an ultimately lawful character, despite his career of “hustling.”

Perhaps one of the most significant instances of pro-police ideology comes from Judy’s superior, the normally gruff Chief Bogo, after Judy expresses guilt that she “broke” the world. Bogo responds, “...The world has always been broken.That’s why we need good cops, like you.”; this statement specifically cites ‘good cops’ as the solution to fixing the broken world. Judy responds, “With all due respect, sir… A good cop is supposed to serve and protect. Help the city, not tear it apart.” The ideology of the ‘good cop,’ one that ‘serves and protects’ the people, is the ideology that helps keep the system in place and accepted; in a society where police officers have power over the lives of black Americans, this is the hegemonic ideal that justifies the position of the group in power.

Something important about the portrayal of cops in the film is that in the world of Zootopia, guns do not exist. None of the members of the ZPD are shown carrying or using lethal weapons of force(or using any physical force on civilians at all). The nearest equivalent are the dart guns loaded with the “night howler” serum that Bellwether and her ram henchmen use to “dart” predators and make them go “savage.” Judy carries only her “fox repellent,” which was given to her by her parents, not by the ZPD, has specific gendered connotations(as an anti-rape tool), and was never actually deployed in the movie. The notion of the ‘un-armed cop’ is nothing more than an idealized fantasy, Disney playing pretend; yet Disney’s influence in socializing and shaping the perspectives of millions of young kids across the globe has the power to make the notion real in their minds.

The cops in Zootopia are completely unarmed at all times, and are never depicted using any force on civilians.

The abuse of power by the state is partially acknowledged through the character of Bellwether, who relies on her ram police henchmen to carry out her plot of darting predators. However, Bellwether is portrayed as the exception to the rule, the ‘bad apple,’ who is ultimately caught and thrown in jail, resolving the conflict. This portrayal of abusers of power getting what they deserve is contrary to the fact that most police officers are acquitted for fatal shootings (Lopez, Ross). The only other negative consequences of police action come from Judy, after her statement about predators being biologically savage escalates anti-predator sentiment in the city. In response, Judy guiltily calls herself not a “good cop” because she unintentionally ‘tears the city apart’ with her “irresponsible” comments, and promptly turns in her badge. Later, Judy returns to the city with Nick, and she ultimately and fully redeems herself as the two of them bring justice to Bellwether, and restore ‘order’ to the city. In this case, police abuse of power is portrayed as excusable because Judy really is at heart a “good cop” and well meaning person, she apologizes for her actions, and ultimately sets things right. Both Bellwether and Judy’s portrayals leave out the possibility of state abuse of power that is not only intentional, but systemic and not the exception to the rule.

Anti-cop sentiment in the film is only allowed to be voiced by ‘shady’ characters, namely the character of Duke Weaselton, who is previously established as a “master criminal” with a rude, deceitful personality. As Weaselton is threatened with certain death by frigid ice bath as Nick and Judy watch with smug expressions, he yells at Nick, “Why are you helping her?! She’s a cop!” This is the single instance of explicit anti-cop sentiment in the entire film, aside from some civilian discontentment at parking tickets given by the “meter maid” Judy (which is mostly played as comedy). Even Nick’s buddy, a fennec fox named Finnick(who is voiced by an African American actor, Tom Lister Jr., and thus black-coded) does not make any negative remarks on cops, and only finds it highly amusing when Nick is “hustled” by Judy. Even the biggest crime boss in the city, Mr. Big, takes Judy’s side after she demonstrates herself to be a ‘good cop’ in saving his daughter’s life. Mr. Big’s underground power(specifically the threat of violence and death; “Ice ‘em!”) is used to Judy’s advantage to give her real power, power she needs when one considers how cops have been de-armed in the film. If cops in the film are necessarily de-armed and nonviolent to support the sanitized ‘good cop’ portrayal, but the power of violence is still necessary to exert control, then the movie offers the convenient solution of obtaining this power from an outside source that is below the law(ironic, considering Judy’s lawful leanings). The cops get to use violence, but take none of the responsibility and receive no blame.

Although there are positive portrayals of cops throughout the film, arguably one of the most positive portrayals in the film is that of the protagonist herself: Judy Hopps, the world’s ‘first bunny cop.’ She faces gender and species discrimination(which, given that the ‘bunny’ species is given feminine connotations in the film, acts in some ways as a stand-in for gender discrimination). But in the face of all of it, she’s a “trier,” committed to “serve and protect,” and “make the world a better place.” Not to mention, the artists and animators at Disney put a lot of thought and effort into her design and animation, to create a strong affective attachment to the character. It could be argued that Judy and Nick being atypical members of the police force(small, non-threatening, members of low status groups) is an example of the classic ‘underdog’ narrative; succeeding despite odds being stacked against you. Indeed, Gregory Beaudine argues exactly that in an article in Comparative Education Review: “By giving her this particular set of intersectional identities, Disney Animation has given us an underdog worthy of our admiration and support and a springboard from which to discuss the idea of exceptionality among those who may not conform to hegemonic ideas of success” (236). But I posit that this also serves a strategic purpose in sanitizing and softening the image of the police force, reinforcing the ‘good cop’ ideology. A huge bear, cape buffalo or rhinoceros perhaps, but it is quite difficult to be afraid of the cute and virtuous bunny cop and her snarky yet likeable fox partner(who ultimately joins the police force), especially as both possess no lethal weapons of force. Beaudine also claims Judy’s character design represents “purity” (236), but the very notion of what constitutes ‘purity’ has racial and gendered connotations in western society; it is tied to whiteness, specifically that of the white female (Dyers 84). Judy’s intersectional identities--her gender, allegorical race(bunny, prey), and the race she is coded as(white)--interact and amplify each other to paint her, and thus cops by extension, in an overwhelmingly positive and innocuous light. The sanitized ‘good cop’ portrayal in Zootopia is propaganda, just as the ‘good colonizer’ portrayal of John Smith in Pocahontas (1995) was. Thus, not only does the movie as a whole explicitly and implicitly endorse the ideology of the ‘good cop,’ but Judy herself, by virtue of being such a likeable heroine, contributes to the de-legitimizing of anti-cop sentiment and the fear of and anger at police brutality and state-sanctioned violence.

Conclusion: Making the World a Better Place?

Ultimately, despite its progressive message about changing the world one person at a time, the movie ends on a rather conservative note. The status quo is essentially restored; the only difference between Zootopia at the beginning and Zootopia at the end is that Judy and Nick are on the police force, and the ‘bad apples’ get their just desserts. Since those are the only differences, then, the audience is led to believe that these small changes do constitute real progress. Indeed, the movie is actually pushing that message through its manipulation of affect; the relief and satisfaction at the plot being resolved leads the audience to feel that way. As Disney’s business model involves profiting off people’s emotions, they cannot leave the audience with feelings of unease, or they will lose money; they must cleanly ‘resolve’ the conflict with a ‘happy ending,’ even if its real life correlate is one that cannot be resolved without significant structural change. The story resolves with Nick becoming a cop; Judy has ‘saved’ him from his life of crime, and the city can rest happily and feel at peace knowing that ‘good cops’ like Judy and Nick are on the job. However, no structural changes have actually been enacted; instead, individual exceptions, like Bellwether and Judy and Nick, are emphasized and made out to be the ‘main problems’ and ‘main solution.’ The latent virulent prejudices held by the people, that erupted and sent the city into turmoil, also have not changed; they have simply become latent once more. Moreover, in the heat of “Black Lives Matter,” Zootopia takes a side--the side of “blue lives”-- and privileges the voices, feelings, and lives of police officers over those who suffer at the hands of the state. With Zootopia, Disney continues its long-running trend of sanitizing the brutal and traumatic realities of the past and present in order to maintain hegemony and uphold white supremacy.

Disney has a significant role as a global agent of socialization, influencing and shaping children’s views on how to navigate the world around them. The Walt Disney Company is “capable of not merely providing entertainment but also shaping the identities, desires, and subjectivities of millions of people across the globe” (Sandlin 8), and the media it puts out is a powerful “educational force in regulating the meanings, values, and tastes that set the norms, that offer up and legitimate particular subject positions—what it means to claim an identity as male, female, white, black, citizen, noncitizen” (Lugo-Lugo 167). As shown in the documentary Mickey Mouse Monopoly, children will imitate and reenact what they see onscreen, perpetuating and ‘making real’ the ideologies that permeate the media. Children do not have the same lived experiences as adults, and are less likely to consume media with a critical eye, an “oppositional gaze” (hooks 308), and compare it to reality to check its accuracy; instead, the representations they see contribute to how they understand reality. It matters that Disney continues to depict very similar types of women, men, and male-female relationship dynamics. Disney perpetuates hegemonic norms, while rendering those who fall outside those norms invisible. In the world of Disney, gay people don’t exist[2]. Neither do other LGBTQA+ identities, gender identities outside the binary, and gender nonconformity. A proper Disney heroine, like Judy, is “sweet” and “a tough bunny, but ...still feminine” (Lehtomäki). People of color exist, but the roles they are depicted in are still restricted and serve a specific purpose that ultimately upholds patriarchy and white supremacy. Disney has a history of portraying people of color as animals, and only allowing white people to be ‘people’; in this movie, where everyone is an animal, the dynamic duo Judy and Nick are still coded as white and get to be the heroes who save the day. As in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, “some [animals] are more equal than others” (Orwell 112).

Judy implores the audience at the end of the film to “Try. Try to make the world a better place.” It’s a very nice message, compassionate enough to soothe the wounded hearts of a world marred by hate and blatant racist and sexist rhetoric, yet vague enough to satisfy both extremes of the political spectrum. And crucially, vague enough to not offend or alienate the dominant groups or upset existing power structures. And yet despite its ambiguity, the movie does offer a not-so-vague ‘solution’ to the problem of ‘making the world a better place’: relying on (good) cops to keep the peace, killing rage as a direct threat to the social order and thus policing and delegitimizing the feelings of both men and women of color, and maintaining hegemony.

---

Notes

[1] The ideology of gender being a binary with men seen as predatory and dominant and women as “meek prey” is evident in the words Judy uses, but also in another modality. While she says the words “meek prey,” the young Judy does a very feminine-coded gesture, clasping her paws to her chest, pouting, sticking out her hip, and closing her legs. Even though gender is not mentioned verbally, her feminized gesture when referring to the “prey” category implicitly intertwines the categories.

[2] This essay was written before Pixar Onward(2020)’s gay character was revealed. Disney has yet to portray a protagonist or main character as openly LGBTQA+, however.

---

Bibliography

Baugh, John. “Linguistic Profiling.” Black linguistics: Language, society and politics in Africa and the Americas. Routledge, 2005.

Beaudine, Gregory, Oyemolade Osibodu, and Aliya Beavers. "Disney’s Metaphorical Exploration of Racism and Stereotypes: A Review of Zootopia." Comparative Education Review 61.1 (2017): 227-234.

Eddo-Lodge, Reni. "The anti-feminist character of Bella Swan, or why the Twilight saga is regressive." Kritikos 10.1 (2013).

Hooks, Bell. "Killing rage: Ending racism." Journal of Leisure Research 28.4 (1996): 316.

Hooks, Bell. "The oppositional gaze: Black female spectators." The feminism and visual culture reader (2003): 94-105.

Johnson, Jason. “Zootopia: Yes, Disney Made a Movie about White Supremacy and the War on Drugs.” The Root, (2016).

Lopez, German. “Cops Are Almost Never Prosecuted and Convicted for Use of Force.” Vox, Vox, 14 Nov. 2018, www.vox.com/identities/2016/8/13/17938234/police-shootings-killings-prosecutions-court.

Lorber, Judith. "“Night to his Day”: The social construction of gender." Race, class, and gender in the United States: An integrated study 6 (2004): 54-65.

Lugo-Lugo, Carmen R., and Mary K. Bloodsworth-Lugo. “‘Look Out New World, Here We Come’?: Race, Racialization, and Sexuality in Four Children’s Animated Films by Disney, Pixar, and DreamWorks.” Cultural Studies ↔ Critical Methodologies, vol. 9, no. 2, Apr. 2009, pp. 166–178, doi:10.1177/1532708608325937.

Nagata, Matthew Keizo. "A White Savior, Savagery, and Criminality in the City of" Multitudinous Opportunity" in Zootopia." (2019).

Omi, Michael, and Howard Winant. Racial formation in the United States. Routledge, 2014.

Orwell, George. Animal Farm: A Fairy Story. New York: The New American Library, 1946. Print.

Ross, Janell. “Police Officers Convicted for Fatal Shootings Are the Exception, Not the Rule.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 14 Mar. 2019, www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/police-officers-convicted-fatal-shootings-are-exception-not-rule-n982741.

Sandlin, Jennifer, and Nathan Snaza. “It's Called a Hustle, Sweetheart”: Black Lives Matter, the Police State, and the Politics of Colonizing Anger in Zootopia." Journal of Popular Culture 51.5 (2018): 1190-1213.

“Mickey Mouse Monopoly”. Northampton, MA: Media Education Foundation, 2002.

“Judy Hopps.” Zootopia Wiki, zootopia.fandom.com/wiki/Judy_Hopps.

Zootopia. Directed by Byron Howard and Rich Moore, Walt Disney Studios, 2016.

#zootopia #disney #film critique #film analysis #my writing #finally publishing this out there on the web.........#this essay rly is long as ass ohgphgduhfsd but i think i...made some points that i want ppl to read and think about so...publishes...!!#idk if anyone will read this tho... i think. i think it's the best essay i've ever written tho...#anyway if you didn't think this film had a lot of copaganda: think again #highly recommend u give this a read if u like zootopia but feel uncomfortable abt its treatment of racism etc but havent rly been able to #articulate why...#o yea i did write this back in fall 2019 but i. i reread it again and i think its.........relevant #if u read this pls tell me what u think...!#i just want ppl to think...#anyway BLM and ACAB #edit: IF U READ THIS THANK U!!!!

291 notes · View notes

halloweentv · 4 years

Text

Netflix Halloween

v.2020

A list of Halloween themed shows and movies available on Netflix streaming that you can play for Halloween! Enjoy!

Stranger Things

S2e2 Trick or Treat, Freak

After Will sees something terrible on trick or treat night, Mike wonders whether Eleven is still out there. Nancy wrestles with the truth about Barb.

Hubie Halloween

Despite his devotion to his hometown of Salem (and its Halloween celebration), Hubie Dubois is a figure of mockery for kids and adults alike. But this year, something is going bump in the night, and it's up to Hubie to save Halloween.

Cobra Kai

S1e3 Esqueleto

Daniel volunteers to chaperone the Halloween dance so he can keep an eye on Sam. Johnny tries to recruit more students for his new business.

A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting

Recruited by a secret society of babysitters, high school student Kelly Ferguson battles the boogeyman and his monsters when they capture Jacob, the 5 year old boy she’s watching on Halloween.

The Babysitters Club

S1e2 Claudia do the Phantom phone calls

The spooky spirit of Halloween sweeps through Stoneybrook. Meanwhile Claudia explores budding romance and struggles to connect with her parents.

F is for Family

S1e4 F is for Halloween

Frank secretly torpedoes Sue’s shot at a real job and a bully leaves Bill afraid to don his costume.

Harvey Girls Forever

S1e3 Harveyween

Lotta faces her fears to save her friends on Halloween night.

The spooky tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween

When Melvin tries to cancel Halloween, clever best friends Harold and George create their own spooky holiday—and it’s a huge success.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Chapter one: October Country

While Greendale readies for a Halloween eclipse, Sabrina faces a crucial decision and Harvey makes an unexpected decision.

Legends of Tomorrow

S3e4 Phone Home

The Legends jump to 1988 to capture an anachronistic Dominator and save young Ray from being killed.

The Flash

S6e4 There will be Blood

Barry's efforts to prepare Cisco for Crisis are derailed when Cisco schemes to save Barry's life instead; Ramsey Rosso uses his deadly new abilities to save his own life, while sacrificing his humanity in the process.

Supernatural

S4e7 It’s the Great Pumpkin Sam Winchester

Investigating two mysterious deaths in a small town, Sam and Dean discover a witch is sacrificing people to summon a dangerous demon.

Riverdale

S4e4 Halloween

Halloween comes to Riverdale bearing VHS tapes and creepy dolls of unknown origin.

Scream: The TV series

Anthology series that follows a group of teenagers being stalked and targeted by a masked serial killer. Halloween episodes: S1e9 tm”The Dance” and S3e3 “The man behind the mask”

American Horror Story

Murder House

S1e 4&5 Halloween Part 1 & 2

The ghosts can leave the house on halloween night. Tate runs into some ghosts from his past.

Coven

S3e4 Fearful Pranks Ensue

the witches raise the dead on Halloween

Freak Show

S4e3&4 Edward Mordrake Part 1 & 2

the freaks don’t want to perform on halloween in fear of a ghost coming to visit.

Hotel

S5e4 Devil’s Night

John receives an invitation to attend an exclusive Devil's Night Soiree, while Alex tries to diagnose Holden's strange condition.

Parks and Recreation

S2e7 Greg Pikitis

Leslie enlists the help of Dave and Andy in order to catch a local teen vandal. Meanwhile, Ann struggles to make her Halloween party fun and gets help from an unlikely source.

S4e5 Meet n Greet

Ben is mad when Andy and April decide to throw a Halloween party at their house without asking him. Tom emcees an event for Leslie’s campaign but manages to also promote his company. Meanwhile, Ron and Ann give Andy and April an unusual wedding present.

13 Reasons Why

Tape 2 Side B

Its Halloween in the present and Clay strikes back at someone who wronged Hannah. In the past Hannah thinks someone is stalking her.

Fuller House

S2e4 Curse of Tanner Manor

DJ attempts to throw the scariest Halloween party for Max. Stephanie works as a zombie at a haunted house.

Carmen Sandiego

S3e2 The Day of the Dead Caper

Carmen tracks a you g art thief on Dis de Muertos.

S3e3 The Haunted Bayou Caper

V.I.L.E. crashes a costume party hosted by a celebrity chef at his spooky mansion.

House of 1000 Corpses

Two young couples traveling across the backwoods of Texas searching for urban legends of murder end up as prisoners of a bizarre and sadistic backwater family of serial killers.

Star Trek TOS

S2e7 Catspaw

Kirk and the crew land on a planet with a spooky castle and witches.

Pac’s Scary Halloween

Sinister Dr. Pacenstein schemes to swap bodies with Pac during a Halloween party.

Pac Man and the Ghostly Adventures

S1e21 A Berry Scary Night

Count Pacula attempts to drain the last yellow orb in Pac World on Halloween night.

S2e12 The Shadow of the were-pac

Pac and his friends are confronted by spooky space ghost pirates.

Cult of Chucky

Chucky has some scores to settle with some old enemies.

Charmed

S3e4 All Halliwell’s Eve

The sister’s go to the 1600’s to save a witch and her baby

S8e6 Kill Billie Vol. 1

While the Charmed ones are dealing with paparazzi and Halloween, armed and ready to vanquish, Billie inexplicably freezes and is flooded with childhood flashbacks when she sees her latest demon target, the Dogan.

Charmed (2018)

S1e3 Sweet Tooth

When Macy learns of a mysterious death in her lab, she informs her sisters, and together they devise a plan to flush out the demon; Maggie volunteers to throw a Halloween party at her house.

Lucifer

S2e6 Monster

Guilty and self-destructive, Lucifer clashes with Chloe during an investigation, leading her to team up with Dan instead. Meanwhile, Amenadiel bonds with Charlotte, and Maze takes Trixie trick-or-treating

Gossip Girl

S4e9 The Witches of Bushwick

Chuck throws a Saints and Sinners masquerade party.

Power Rangers

S1e25 Life’s a Masquerade

Isn’t set on Halloween but has a cool Frankenstein monster in it. and costumes.

S1e53 Trick or Treat

Kimberly goes on a Halloween game showâ€¦cuz those exist.

S2 e21 Zedd’s Monster Mash

Tommy faces some real Halloween monsters after he’s kidnapped by Goldar.

Power Rangers Samurai “Party Monsters” and “Trickster Treat”

Power Rangers Megaforce “Raising Spirits”

Power Rangers Dino Charge “The Ghostest with the Mostest” and in Dino Super Charge “Trick or Trial”

Big Bad Beetle Borgs

S1e24 Bye, Bye Frankie

Frankenbeans escapes into town on Halloween night, then the monster Grenade Guy is ordered to kidnap him.

Goosebumps

Good show for the season but the Halloween episodes in particular are

Specials “The Haunted Mask” Carly Beth’s scary mask begins to change her.

Specials “The Haunted Mask 2” A boy’s creepy Halloween mask won’t come off and begins to harm him.

S2e15 Attack of the Jack O'Lanterns

Jack O‘Lantern aliens terrorize some trick or treaters.

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween

Two young friends find a magic book that brings a ventriloquist's dummy to life.

Creeped out

A series of spellbinding, enchanting and intriguing tales that will bring chills to the back of the neck. Different characters must navigate their way through the unexplained.

Dreamworks Spooky Stories

“Scared Skrekless” Shrek and Co tell scary stories

“Monsters vs Aliens Mutant pumpkins” Ginormica and co battle mutant pumpkins!

Dreamworks Spooky Stories Vol. 2

“Monsters Vs Aliens: night of the Living Carrots” Picks up right after the previous special

Also included another MVA short, Megamind, and Shrek.

Glee

S2e5 The Rocky Horror Glee Show

the class attempts to out on a performance of Rocky Horror for Halloween.

New Girl

S2e6 Halloween

Jess gets hired as a zombie at a haunted house.

S3e6 Keaton

Jess hosts a Halloween party and a Michael Keaton batman costume helps cheer up Schmidt.

My Babysitter’s a Vampire

S2e10 Halloweird

In a total “not rip off” of Buffy, a mask makes people turn into real-life versions of their costumes.

The Vampire Diaries

S1e7 Haunted

Matt takes Vicky to a haunted hous ebut the night takes a terrifying turn

The Office

S2e5 Halloween

Downsizing leads corporate headquarters to order Michael to fire somebody by the end of October. Michael procrastinates until Halloween, when he still has not decided whom to fire. When he decides to fire Creed, Creed manages to convince Michael to fire Devon.

S6e8 Koi Pond

While on the way to a business meeting, Michael falls into a koi pond. The staff tease him so he holds an anti-bullying seminar. Pam and Andy go cold-calling to stir up some new business; they reluctantly use clients’ mistaking them as a couple to their advantage.

S7e6 Costume Contest

Michael freaks out when Darryl goes over his head by taking an idea to corporate. The employees partake in a Halloween costume contest in the office. Meanwhile, Pam tries to get the truth from Danny about their dating history.

S8e5 Spooked

Erin works to make a spooky, non-childish Halloween party, with help from Gabe. Dwight becomes friends with Robert’s son, and Pam and Jim debate the existence of ghosts. Meanwhile, Robert tries to figure out everyone’s deepest fears in order to culminate a ghost story.

Super Monsters Save Halloween

The Super Monsters use their powers to get their neighbors in the Halloween spirit, then help a nervous friend see there's nothing to be afraid of.

Super Monsters: Vida’s first Halloween

The Super Monsters share their Halloween traditions with Vida, then get invited to a Día de los Muertos party in the Howlers' backyard.

Super Monsters: Dia de los Monsters

The Super Monsters celebrate Día de los Muertos in Vida's hometown with her magical family, some new monster friends and a spook-tacular parade!

StarBeam: Halloween Hero

Greedy Captain Fishbeard is stealing everybody's Halloween treats for himself, but StarBeam and Boost have some tricks up their sleeves to save the day!

Monster Family

Dracula's spell turns a woman and her loved ones into a vampire, a mummy, a werewolf and Frankenstein's monster.

Highway to Heaven

S2e5 The Devil & Jonathan Smith

Jonathan recruits a con artist's help after Jabez Stone tricks Mark into selling his soul in order to save a little boy's life, but The Devil has another agenda - acquiring the soul of an angel.

S4e5 I was a middle aged werewolf

During Halloween night, Jonathan helps a little boy get over his fears (and in the process get even with his older sister).

Curious Creations of Christine McConnell

Christine McConnell, an artist and baker lives in a mansion full of monsters and ghosts. She loves to create morbid looking desserts like gingerbread haunted houses, caramel spiders and bones made of pretzel sticks, peanut butter and white chocolate.

Hotel Transylvania

S1e13 The Legend of Pumpkin Guts

Mavis and her friends learn the true meaning of Halloween

Scooby Doo Mystery incorporated

S1e17 Escape from Mystery Manor

When the gang goes on a quest to find out what happened to the original Mystery Incorporated group, they find themselves trapped in the underground Darrow Mansion.

Community

S1e7 Introduction to Statistics

Jeff must choose between a date and honoring a promise to Annie.

S2e6 Epidemiology

Halloween at GCC is ripe for zombie-inspired nightmares.

S3e5 Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps

Britta discovers that an anonymous psych quiz proves that one of her friends is a psychopath.

Sleepy Hollow

Ichabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of three people, with the culprit being the legendary apparition, The Headless Horseman.

Sister, Sister

S3e7 Halloween

Though grounded Tia and Tamera take Ray’s car in search of a Halloween rave.

Moesha

S3e9 Halloween part 1: Kim’s Revenge

A three-way phone call among friends leads to hurt feelings for Kim, who overhears more than she bargained for concerning a Halloween-costume contest.

S6e7 The Nutty Moesha

While trying to juggle studying, taking care of her family while Dee's away and planning for her Halloween party, Moesha, along with Niecy, starts using energy-raising vitamins that have some peculiar side effects

The Parkers

S2e7 Scary Kim

Kim pulled pranks on Halloween on her friends. Her friends gets her back by pulling a huge prank

S3e7 Mummy’s the word

When Kim,Stevie and T rent out a woman's house for a Halloween party Nikki has to save the professor when they find out she plans to turn him into a mummy

Liv & Maddie

S1e5 Kang-A-Rooney

Joey ends up crushing on Liv in a kangaroo costume while practicing how to talk to girls.

S2e3 Helgaween-A-Rooney

A magic amulet creates a frightening triplet for Liv and Maddie named Helga.

S3e4 Haunt-A-Rooney

Liv and Joey travel to New York for Halloween

S4e3 Scare-A-Rooney

Liv takes Ruby to a spooky dinner and runs into an old acquaintance.

All Hallows’ Eve

As Eve celebrates her birthday on Halloween night, she discovers she's a witch and accidentally summons an old relative, who has nasty plans for the town.

Girlfriends

S1e6 The Remains of the Date

Joan plans an elaborate scheme to get revenge on William for the latest in a series of Halloween pranks. Toni is put off when her date asks her to engage in a threesome--with a stuffed animal.

S2e7 Trick or Truth

Toni winds up suffering a huge breakdown after she discovers Greg took her back only to get revenge on her.

Sam & Cat

S1e16 #DollSitting

On Halloween, Sam and Cat are hired to babysit a doll, with unusual and creepy results. Cat also thinks she may have accidentally turned Dice into a monkey with a magic spell.

Gilmore Girls

S6e7 Twenty-one is the loneliest number

Since Rory was a tyke, the Gilmore girls have planned her 21st birthday: in Atlantic City, sipping martinis, playing 21. But with the estrangement, Emily plans the birthday party -and it's soooo not Atlantic City.

NCIS

S6e6 Murder 2.0

In the days before Halloween, a rampaging serial killer posts cryptic clues online, which the NCIS team must decipher before he strikes again.

S7e5 Code Of Conduct

The NCIS team is called to investigate when a practical-joke-loving Marine turns up dead on Halloween Eve in an apparent suicide. Plus, DiNozzo and McGee share some of their favorite Halloween memories.

Criminal Minds

S6e6 Devil’s Night

The BAU go to Detroit to catch a man who burns his victims alive during the pre-Halloween celebration Devil's Night.

S10e6 Boxed in

A child reappears one year after he went missing -- but the team must work quickly when a trick-or-treater disappears under similar circumstances.

#halloween #halloween tv #netflix #stranger things #cobra kai #parks and rec #ahs #streaming

66 notes · View notes

courfeyracs-swordcane · 2 years

Note

16, 18, 29, and 43 for the oc ask thing

Okay also gonna be mostly oscu since it’s. Easy and I have brainrot.

16. Which one of your OCs would be the best at biology (school subject)?

Leigh!!! He’s the token stem friend! (Not that he can decide which stem he wants to do— in the community college au he starts out premed, has a crisis about his mortality, goes through just about every other science they offer, and eventually winds up being a high school biology science teacher!)

18. Any OC crackships?

Oh GOD there are so many??? And they keep getting. Uncomfortably canon. The most recent one is. We made a wwi community college au ice skating AU (auception) in which Harry (figure skating prodigy) winds up teaching Leigh (like a baby giraffe on ice skates) to skate to save his relationship with Joel (plays hockey and is kind of shitty in this for no reason which is really homophobic of us he deserves the world) and Leigh and Harry wind up together instead

29. Which one of your OCs would go investigate an abandoned house at night without telling anyone they’re going?

Detective Clifford M Oible, Babey!!!

43. Do you have any certain type when you create your OCs? Do you tend to favour some certain traits or looks? It’s time to confess

,,,,,lowkey. I made the gang from my fuckinf. Peanut allergy time travel story and have never made a different set of characters since??? Like you get.

1. Exhausted but the only functional one (varying degrees of defacto leader and done with this shit)

Victoria (Peanuts)

Skippy Turnstike (Otbaw)

Ada Williams (Otbaw)

Natalia Rosario (Edwardian character design)

Harry Oible (oscu)

Frank (Victorian boarding school aro romeo and juliet)

Ava (Final Countdown)

Seyn (dnd campaign)

2. Kinda overconfident/cocky/annoying, just here for a good time, varying amounts of Issues

Jack Callahan (Peab)

Johnny and Felicity (peab wwi subplot)

Tucker and Mills Turnstike (OTBAW)

Jim McAllister (Edwardian character design)

Leigh Robertson (oscu)

Nellie and Violetta (Victorian boarding school aro romeo and juliet)(girlfriends)

Axelrod Hemmingsworth and Chessy Cheshire both (spaceship)

Carmen (final countdown)

Larceny (dnd campaign)

3. Literally so done with all of this and does not want to be here but also would die for all y’all fuck off (varying degrees of morality)

Richmond and Celia (peab)

Monty Turnstike (and Mills again) (Otbaw)

Benjamin Rosario (Edwardian character design)

John-or-Benny (oscu original concept, he is significantly less like this now)

Captain FUCK (Flintlock Keating) and Marion Huckleberry (spaceship)

Noq (Dnd campaign)

4. Gay And Nice TM (varying degrees of chaos)

Elliot (peab)

Peter (peab wwi subplot)

Rosie Boot and Clarence Williams (otbaw)

Finian Wright (Edwardian character design)

Joel DiMarco (oscu)(technically not gay but still very queer)

Alan Costa (oscu original concept, he’s mean now)

Dora (Victorian boarding school aro romeo and juliet)

Selah (final countdown)

Arson (dnd campaign)

5. Confused and Nice, doing their best and it’s getting there (varying degrees of Child and/or Dead)

Chaffinch (peab)

Wellie Turnstike and Milton Weatherby (Otbaw)

Elise Carlisle (Edwardian character design)

Alfred and Percival (Victorian boarding school aro romeo and juliet)

Caleb (final countdown)

Jamie (dnd campaign)

Honorable Mention! Sad Dad (tragic backstory)

Edward (peab)(does not have a tragic backstory but he’s very tired so I’m giving him these rights)

Dan Jameson (peab wwi subplot)

Alan Costa (oscu)

Matthew Wright (Edwardian character design)

Aurora Steinber (spaceship)

#anyway if you read all that. feel free to ask me abt any of those other characters/stories I haven’t thought about them much in a HOT minute #I really made six characters and went okay thats enough 😌 and have just been remixing them ever since #good for me #living my best life #oscu #peab #Otbaw

1 note · View note

jazzicology · 3 years

Text

JAZZPRING!

This will seem topsy-turvy to those of you in the Northern hemisphere - but in New Zealand, Spring is just around the corner. And here at Jazzicology headquarters in Queenstown, we’re busy preparing for our Spring jazz gigs. Putting together a set on a specific theme is a great incentive to search for and learn new material. Here’s our ‘Jazzpring’ setlist with some notes on each. We’ve aimed for a mix of tempos and contrasting jazz styles. In amongst some old standards are some quirky additions: possibly the only song written from the perspective of a frightened tomato (Hang on Little Tomato); and a wonderful number that perfectly sets Shakespeare’s ‘It was a lover and his lass’ to a catchy melody and jazz chords – it deserves to be in everyone’s Spring set list. I was amazed how many jazz songs there are on topics relating to Spring – far too many to include in just one gig!

Joyspring. 1954 composition by Clifford Brown, jazz trumpeter and a key figure in the Hard Bop movement. The lyrics I use are by Jezra Kay. This is a super-fast-paced, up-beat tune. I discovered, rather too late for this gig, that there are also some wonderfully poetic lyrics by Jon Hendricks, a leading jazz lyricist who is responsible for the lyrics for many well-known jazz songs composed as instrumentals. You can read about Hendrick’s lyrics for JoySpring here.

You must believe in Spring. Composed by Michel LeGrand (1964), this song shares some features with his other, better-known compositions (Windmills of Your Mind; What Are You Doing For The Rest of Your Life). The chords and melody strike a reflective and melancholy, yet hopeful, mood. It is a truly beautiful number that I had not previously been aware of. I have been listening to Bill Evans’s instrumental version of it – it just incredible - and this vocal performance by Sarah McKenzie. It was originally called La Chanson de Maxence and was written for the French film ‘Les Demoiselles de Rochefort’. Looking at the original French lyrics, it is clear the English lyrics are not a translation; the song’s theme of Spring is entirely attributable to the authors of the English language lyricists Bergman and Bergman. Indeed, these lyrics are so well crafted that it is difficult to believe the phrase ‘You Must Believe in Spring’ wasn’t originally in Le Grand’s mind when he wrote it! Listening to various vocal recordings over the last few weeks, I discovered some additional lyrics that, as far as I can tell, appear only in a recording by Barbra Streisand. I don’t know who wrote them (possibly Streisand), but they seem apt for a troubled world, so here they are for other singers who may be interested in using them:

When angry voices drown the music of the spheres

And children face a world that’s far beyond their years

Above the darkest skies, The far horizons lie

With all the reasons why you must believe in Spring.

Spring can really hang you up the most. Composer Tommy Wolf (1955), lyrics Fran Landesman. Spring isn’t all rainbows and daffodils – like all fun times of year, for those who are down or lonely it can serve to underline your own misery. The title of the song is a jazz twist on the opening line of T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land: "April is the cruellest month". My favourite version of this song is by Carmen McCrae – it’s like a masterclass in jazz vocals. I was surprised how difficult this song was to learn – and was relieved to find an entire blog written about it, claiming that the obscene number of verses and lyrics, and wide vocal range and unusual phrasings are clearly the work of someone who hates singers! Fortunately, I love a challenge.

Blue Skies. Irving Berlin (1926). Blue Skies is probably the best-known and certainly the oldest song in this set. Thelonious Monk wrote a Be-Bop number, ‘Suddenly in Walked Bud’, based on the chord progressions in Blue Skies, as a tribute to his friend, the jazz pianist, Bud Powell. The lyrics are a virtual who’s-who list of jazz greats from that time. Monk’s ‘In Walked Bud’ is an example of a jazz ‘contrafact’: where a new melody is laid over existing chords (in this case, Blue Skies). There are lots of examples of this in Bop from the 1940s, because it was a way for jazz musicians to create new pieces “for performance and recording on which they could immediately improvise, without having to seek permission or pay publisher fees for copyrighted materials (while melodies can be copyrighted, the underlying harmonic structure cannot be)”. Since the lyrics and melody for ‘In Walked Bud’ work perfectly well over the chords for ‘Blue Skies’ (apart from the bridge) I’ll incorporate elements of them into our performance.

It might as well be Spring. Composed by Rodgers and Hammerstein (1945) for the movie State Fair, for which it won an Academy Award for best original song. Many people have recorded this, but I’ve been listening to Ella Fitzerald and this lovely French version by (the aptly Spring-named) Blossom Dearie.

They say its Spring. Composers Bob Haymes and Marty Clark (1950s). With a melody and lyrics that are as light and floaty as a feather, this is a quintessential Spring song about being in love. Blossom Dearie appears to have been the first to record it, in 1957.

Nature Boy/Nardis. Composed by Eden Ahbez (1947). Nature boy is on Jazzicology’s set list – but with a twist! We will perform it using the principal motif from Miles Davis’ Nardis in both the Intro and coda. This was an idea developed by me and UK jazz pianist Sid Thomas, and you can listen to Sid and I performing it here. The ‘back story’ to Nature Boy is pretty interesting in its own right and can be found in a previous Jazzicology blog penned by Sid, ‘The one hit wonders of jazz’.

I love Paris in the Springtime. Cole Porter (1954). A classic recording of this by Ella Fitzgerald. However, I very much like this version, which has a Parisian café feel. This is a relatively simple melody to learn, with the chief challenge for the vocalist being the wide vocal range needed to change register.

Timeless Place. Composed by Jimmy Rowles in the 1970s as an instrumental (‘The Peacocks’) and recorded by him and sax legend Stan Getz in the 1975 album of the same name. The wonderful, reflective lyrics were added much later by UK jazz vocalist, Norma Winstone, and included on her 1993 album Well Kept Secret. This song is technically very challenging for a vocalist: the melody over the ‘bridge’ is a little non-intuitive and sits outside the harmony – it creates a tension which resolves into the main refrain. The word Spring appears nowhere in the song, but I’m going to justify its inclusion here because the lyrics include a beautiful formal garden with flowers and trees.

Double Rainbow. Composed by Brazilian jazz maestro, Antonio Jobim in 1970. This is one of his lesser-known numbers. It perfectly captures a spring garden, after a sudden rain-shower, with rainbows, puddles and a little robin hopping about. Actually, because the song is written in Portugese, the little bird in the song is a chico-chico, so robin is used as the equivalent in the English translation (maybe I should use a bellbird instead?). In Portugese, the title is Chovendo na Roseira (the rain is falling on the roses) and I perform it using first the Portugese and then the English lyrics – both are lovely, and the different languages each lend a slightly different feel to song.

Hang on Little Tomato. Music and lyrics by Patrick Abbey, China Forbes and Thomas Lauderdale and released on the Pink Martini album of the same name in 2004. For those who have gotten their tomato seedlings off to an early start, this the song you need to sing to them when they get planted outside. It’s a scary world out there for a little tomato. It’s a seriously cute little song, and a reminder that we all need to keep hanging on to the vine. The song title is apparently a reference to a Hunt's Ketchup ad campaign "Hang On, Little Tomato!" in a 1964 issue of Life magazine. (Is it a coincidence that Pink Martini’s named their own record label Heinz, I wonder?)

Hey Nonny No! Composed by UK jazz composer and pianist Sid Thomas, this up-beat, toe-tappin’ number captures the feel of Spring brilliantly and the melody and chords provide a fabulous setting for Shakespeare’s ‘It was a lover and his lass’ from As you Like it. You’ll be humming this one on the way home.

Seed Leaves. Another Sid Thomas composition, this one setting to music the poem ‘Seed Leaves’ by Poet Laureate and two times Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Wilbur. You can find the poem here. Anyone wishing to request the music for ‘Hey Nonny No’ or ‘Seed Leaves’ can contact Sid Thomas here.

Surrey with the Fringe on top. Rogers and Hammerstein, from Oklahoma (1946). Is it a little bit twee? Maybe, but hey – it is also very sweet. And it was a part of Miles Davis’ repertoire in the 1950s, so there’s no arguing with that!

Up Jumped Spring. Composed by US jazz trumpet player Freddie Hubbard in 1962, and included in his album Backlash. The lyrics were added later by vocalist US jazz vocalist Abbey Lincoln. This clip of the song being sung live by Audrey Silver is really worth listening to - what a confident, flawless performance.

So, there you have it: an eclectic Spring jazz set involving Shakespeare, tomatoes, rainbows, birds, toads, seedlings, melting snow, new love and a little sprinkling of melancholy. The lyrics in this set contain the words ‘isinglass’ and ‘yggdrasil’ – not words you hear every day – come to our gig on September 5th (assuming Queenstown is out of lockdown by then!) and see if you can spot them!

Other suggestions for Spring songs can be found here:

https://jazz.fm/classic-jazz-songs-about-spring/

https://www.wrti.org/post/10-jazz-tunes-remind-you-its-spring

Nance Wilson

Nance Wilson is one half of Queenstown-based jazz duo, Jazzicology, together with pianist Mark Rendall-Wilson.

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nance-wilson-trio

Facebook: Jazzicology

#jazzmusic #jazz vocals

3 notes · View notes

ask-de-writer · 4 years

Text

DARING DO and THE GRYPHON’S QUEST! : MLP Fan Fiction : Part 17 of 19

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

DARING DO

and

THE GRYPHON’S QUEST!

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

and

Carmen Pondiego

Cover art by Aranel the Cyborg, now Wind the Mama Cat

29584 words

Writing begun 03/29/16

This is a Fan Fiction based on My Little Pony. Canterlot, Princess Luna and the name Daring Do are owned by Hasboro Inc.

//////////////

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions, provided that such things are done without charge. I will allow those who do commission art works to charge for their images.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fictions is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

Chapter 17. The Coward’s Weapon!

Daring Do was pleasantly surprised at just how good her half brother Blendin was at specimen preparation. There was another surprise for her too.

Friend spent much of her time crooning to her Eagle eggs. She did frequently leave her nest and lend her green magic to the task, usually greatly simplifying the work. It was the greatest assistance at particularly difficult or delicate times in the preparation of the failed nymphs that she had loved so dearly and watched over for so many centuries.

Almost any time that they took a break from the arduous task before them, Friend would leave the eggs and nest protected by a nearly invisible glow of green magic. She would take a place beside Daring Do and purr/croon softly. Daring Do found real rest and comfort in the love that Friend shared with her. She often rested her head against the changeling’s horn and shared thought and memory.

It was from that sharing that she learned something surprising about Friend. When her hive was attacked by war equipped and battle ready unicorns, Friend defended the hive’s precious eggs.

She slaughtered ten of the enemy, literally tearing them to pieces in the defense of those eggs. When her shared hive mind felt the Queen die, she went briefly berserk. Four of the ten attacking unicorns that she killed fell in those few moments.

It was duty and love for the eggs that she tended that brought her back to something resembling sanity. Taking all of the eggs that she could carry, she fled into the night.

The world outside of the hive was a strange and confusing place at first. By luck alone, she found a long disused road that led to the mountains. She did the best that she could but it was not enough. One by one, she felt the spark of returned love die out of each of the eggs. Her heart was torn asunder by the loss.

Daring Do knew the rest of the story. What she did not know was the sheer depth of feeling that Friend had developed for her. She meant it when she said that Daring Do was Matunen, Hive Queen, in the ancient tongue of Early Middle Equestrian.

Friend was totally contented for the first time in ages. That in no way interfered with any whit of her egg tending.

Blendin saw his half sister’s serene relaxation around Friend and was glad. The Apprentice Librarian of the Great Library in him was glad too. He was learning things about conservation of irreplaceable delicate artifacts and relics that would apply to his work in the Great Library.

Once everything was ready, he stared at the results of their work in wonder. He had not only helped to prepare the whole foundation for the creation of an entire intelligent species, he had it and all of his half sister’s notes cataloged for the Great Library!

Together, they sent a note of their progress to the Empress.

The door, upon opening, showed the Empress, Grata, and Hisst, the Right Wing of the Imperial Throne. The hallway was blocked by heavily armed Imperial Guards in full battle armor.

Daring Do was about to ask if such precautions were necessary when a loud, harsh voice from up the hallway demanded, “This is all Blasphemous! Even if it were the truth and showed our ancient roots, it would still be blasphemy! The Holy Legends declare that Faith alone is sufficient and seeking truth beyond its holy pages undermines Faith!

“Whatever is here must be destroyed!”

The Empress responded, “What is about to be destroyed is YOU, Krapper! You have fifteen seconds to be around the curve and out of OUR sight before I order my troops to open fire!”

“You would not dare!”

“Nine seconds left, Krapper.”

There was a clatter of claws on stone as the speaker retreated!

The Empress drew a deep breath, her crest showing disgust. “The entire lot of First Creation Idiots want to destroy the only real history that our kind has.”

Friend spoke up, “Your Majesty, they are wrong. This I/we know. Before I/we loved the eggs that became the nymphs of your kind, I/we saw changelings. I/we saw unicorns. I/we saw Eagles. I/we saw pegassi.

“I/we helped matunen Daring Do and brother Blendin to be sure that these failed nymphs truly show how I/we loved the eggs that became the nymphs that are your kind.”

The Empress, crest showing deep thought, began tracing the development of her kind. She was reading the placards set by each step of the way. Looking over to the true mother of her whole species, she asked, “Why did you go from pony to big cat for our hindquarters?”

Friend crowded over to point as she spoke. “Not all big cat. See how these bones go? That is from the pegassus. The head was carnivore, Eagle. The hindquarters had to eat meat too or fail. I/we did see a lion in mountains once, close enough to feel its insides by loving it. I/we used what I/we knew.”

Grata, crest rippling in laughter, exclaimed, “We are so lucky that she didn’t see a bear!”

After the fit of laughter passed around the room, the Empress asked, “How will this all be presented, Doctor Do?”

Daring Do sketched rapidly. “The case, to be portable must be of stout woodwork. The front viewing window should be made of glass that has been spell strengthened like a Magic Net mirror.”

The Empress nodded, crest showing some concern. “You mentioned not risking the real relics and that is a good idea.

“We have General Iron Hooves here with some of his munitions experts. The team that they are consulting with is known to you, though we know that you do not like them much.

“V.I.L.E. Is here. They have sent Carmen Pondiego, Baron Von Nighthoof, Marehem Skadefryd, and Kiros Asbhy. I understand that they have also got a number of Agents here too.”

Crest smiling, the Empress went on, “I was warned to be sure that I still have both mandibles of my beak after dealing with them. However, they will be absolutely honest with family.

“They have several missions. One is being worked on now with General Ironhooves and his aides. Another is to be the agency for creating your cases and making the copies for display. I will be ordering twenty sets.”

Daring Do, looking doubtful, did agree, “I have to admit that when it comes to museum quality duplication, Mom’s company is unexcelled.”

An all too familiar voice caroled from the doorway, “So sweet to hear you actually say something nice about my company! Of course we are honest! V.I.L.E. has never been caught or proved to be guilty of ANY crime at all!

“Suspicions? Poof! Suspicion and a cup of tea will get you anything from a nice Bergamont to bag of Lupton’s Worst!

Carmen Pondiego strutted into the room in her trademark porkpie hat and fire engine red dress. She called over her shoulder, “General, Dear, would you please come in and see for yourself what my daughter found that is causing all this mess?”

General Ironhooves entered the door. He was in his simple field uniform.

He tipped his Campaign Hat to the Empress and her Wings. He approached the study tables, examining the relics with care. He picked up Daring Do’s voluminous field notes and sketches, seeming to leaf through them, except that once in a while he stopped long enough to separate pages that stuck together.

He put down the books and turned to the Empress. “Ma'am, you have chosen your battlefield perfectly. Better, you have the enemy in the sights of your artillery.

“I hope that it does not come to armed conflict, but if it does, after consulting with Carmen here, I think that you will have a LOT of surprises for them!”

Daring Do managed to look skeptical. “Only them?”

Before Carmen could snark back, Marehem wandered in, right past the security detail. He grinned. “Helps to be a misfortune changel …”

His eyes bugged out. It was the first time that Daring Do could remember that her uncle Marehem was caught totally off guard!

“An Egg-tender, HERE? How did that happen? How can she live without a hive?”

Friend looked up from serenely turning the eggs in the nest. She smiled as she said, “Matunen Daring Do.”

Uncle M stopped like he’d hit a brick wall headfirst. “Adora, Matunen? A queen?”

The Empress nodded, crest rippling amusement. “It hit us like that too, when we realized that Friend is OVER two thousand years old. She was the sole survivor of a destroyed hive.

“Tending eggs kept her sane. She is the Mother who loved an unstable and fatal hybridization into becoming our strong race. I gather that for her, loving means something other than a simple feeling.”

Marehem got it together to say, “It sure does. The eggs a queen lays are sort of neutral. They will develop as random kinds of changelings. Give them to an Egg-tender and tell her how many of which sort, worker, other egg-tenders, drones, even a queen, and that is what you will get. Their love is a very complex magic that no other kind can do.”

Daring Do, eyes twinkling, suggested, “Make the order for V.I.L.E. twenty one copies. We will donate one to the Nightmare Wars Collection of the Royal Museum!”

General Ironhooves grinned hugely. “You really want to shaft those First Creationists, don’t you?”

Daring Do simply said, “Yes. They defile and deny the history that I have devoted my life to.”

Carmen pointed to the work tables and said, “Will you take a real compliment from your mother, Adora? This, notes, restorations, preparation and all is a fantastic piece of work.

V.I.L.E. will duplicate it with the greatest of care. With your permission, we will keep a copy for our own private museum.”

Mutely, Daring Do nodded.

She saw Uncle M talking to a Magic Net mirror and turning it to show everything.

Carmen pointed to an especially fragile relic and said, “Be especially careful of this one, Baron.”

One by one, the laboriously prepared relics, notes and all quietly vanished. General Ironhooves simply noted, “Handy trick, that!”

Daring Do, Friend, with her nest, and Blendin were brought to a large suite with an open airy feeling. One Gryphon port was open enough for the Eagles to get in and out but not Gryphons. The rooms were swarmed with Eagles.

Friend immediately shared that soft green magic of hers to include all of the waiting Eagles. The way that they crowded close about the nest, it was clear that they had been waiting for Friend’s loving magic. Several shuffled aside and one reached out a beak and snagged Daring Do’s tunic, making her join or get a torn tunic. She joined the Eagles in luxuriating in the literal glow of Friend’s shared love.

After a few days of resting up, Rahak came by. Crest at attention, he requested, “Doctor Do, master Blendin, would you come please? The display copies are ready for examination.”

They followed the Wing Commander back down to the workroom. There were twenty one large cases of fine solid woodwork, each faced by stout glass armored by a spell to the toughness of steel. The contents were beautifully displayed to make the whole progression from hippogriff to Gryphon utterly clear. Each item of the display had its explanatory placard.

Neatly done on each placard was an exact copy of a reference to the actual original Legend Document, with translation. After that part was a clear, simple note explaining the item.

Central to the whole display was Daring Do’s detailed sketch of the remains of the failed nymphs in place, as they were found.

The whole thing had such an impact that Daring Do’s breath drew in, in a way that she had heard so many times as a child riding her mother’s back in a knapsack, when her mother saw some beautiful thing that she was about to steal.

Turning to an equally awestruck Blendin, Daring Do said, “Tell Carmen that this is the best display preparation that I have ever seen.”

“Thank you, dear,” said a familiar voice. A khaki colored unicorn mare in a form fitting fire engine red dress stepped out of the shadows. Daring Do was shocked to see bags under her eyes.

Carmen Pondiego told her, “The General is sleeping now. I have been working along with every agent that I have available. I cannot tell you what we have been doing. Imperial Security is involved. I only hope that it has been enough to prevent the war.”

Rahak suggested, “Let us all prepare for this evening’s banquet. That is when you will make your presentation, Doctor Do.”

Daring Do was looking around the Imperial Banquet Hall, at the many war banners that fluttered in the light breeze. There were also the banners of the provinces of the Empire. The wood and stonework was outstanding for its solidity and rich carving.

Perched on every place that they could find claw room were hundreds of Eagles, looking expectantly at Friend. Her nest had been placed conveniently close to Daring Do’s place.

The dining tables were all set so that every diner could see the big glass fronted case with its display. There were two small books by each place.

One was a copy of the original document of the Legends, written some time shortly before 54 Post Nightmare Wars. It had an exact copy of the document itself, a line by line literal translation and a third line in modern Gryphon with notes to explain the meaning of idioms used when the original was written. No commentaries. No editing. Only a foreword explaining that this was a true copy of the Legends that they all revered and tried to follow. Commentaries were dispensed with in the hope that the reader could understand what the words said and form their own opinions based on solid fact.

It was signed and sealed by the Empress herself.

The other small book contained copies of Daring Do’s expedition notes and sketches that were relevant to the display showing the origin of their species.

The First Created believers started to scream, “Blasphemy!”

The Empress herself cut them off. “Silence, Krapper! These are the Legends that you CLAIM to revere!”

“You have left out the rich and ancient commentaries!”

Her crest rippling with laughter, the Empress exclaimed, “Ancient? Krapper, the FIRST commentary was inserted into a small book like this only thirty five years ago! It had a note that it WAS NOT HOLY WRIT, only opinion. That note was removed and further commentaries added. More than half of the mass of your book has been added in just the last five years!

“It must be wonderful to be able to write up whatever you please, insert it into the next edition of your book and have it called HOLY WRIT!”

“Our Book is the true Law! Holy Word is higher than mere secular law!”

“NO, Krapper! That is direct sedition! Guards! Stand behind Krapper! If he utters one more word of sedition, cut his wing tendons at once. He will be given the LONG DROP at sunrise for the crime.”

The Empress paused for effect and added, “Now, we have a banquet laid before us. Let not Krapper’s ill manners spoil your appetite. After we have eaten, we will hear from Doctor Daring Do, whose actual facts, well documented and proven may provide you with much food for thought.”

The server placed a plate in front of Daring Do, commenting, “I hope that we got it to your taste. It is a sauced alfalfa steak. We don’t eat such fare, so we are not much used to cooking it.”

Daring Do replied with a smile, “I am sure that it will be fine. You have been doing well the last few days.”

She cut a bite and began to chew. Numbness spread from her mouth. She gasped and could draw no air. Her vision was fading slowly.

She heard, “The Blasphemer has been struck down! Any means to strike at blasphemy is honorable, the Holy Writ is clear!”

The voice of the Empress cried, “Poison is the Coward’s Weapon! Seize them! Do not wait for the Long Drop! Kill them now!”

The voice of Friend cut across the fading din, “No! Matunen still has love. I/we need them! They will wish for your long drop! I/we promise …”

Then no sight. No sound. No touch. No taste. Nothing …

<==PREVIOUS NEXT==>

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

#DARING DO AND THE GRYPHON'S QUEST!#Part 17 of 19 #MLP Fan Fiction #Written by De Writer and Carmen Pondiego

7 notes · View notes

shera-dnd · 5 years

Text

She-ra D&D Chronological order Master Post

This post here features links to all the relevant tags in this blog and all links are set up so you’ll see posts in chronological order

Shera D&D: The original series. Meant to retell the story of SPOP as a D&D campaign. This tag features posts from all 3 seasons.

Player Q&A: As a way to celebrate reaching certain milestones people could send questions directly to the characters. Which helped solidify this as a D&D AU

Catradora Week 2018: A series of mini fic for the first Catradora week ever. They are all set in the D&D AU and feature some big events

Sidequest Ravnica: Our first Sidequest. Since just retelling the events of SPOP would not be enough to sustain this blog for long I decided to write these little “filler arcs” between seasons. This one takes place in the world of Ravnica and uses the Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica as reference

Sidequest Ravenloft: Set in the iconic D&D adventure Curse of Strahd my second attempt at a Sidequest is one of my personal favorites and also the one that somehow resulted in a long discussion about Catradora future kids

Sidequest Masks: The first Sidequest not based on D&D. Based on the Masks system this adventure features teenage super heroes, lots of glitra and glitradora and Adora as the GM

Valentine’s in the Multiverse: Three short fics taking place in the world of each of the previous Sidequests. Ranging from angsty to funny to spicy

Sidequest Waterdeep: Set in the adventure Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, this Sidequest is all just one big double date featuring Carmen and Julia from Carmen Sandiego

Master of Cruelties: Not a series, but a fic released around this date as way to get all the angst out before the big Catradora wedding

Catra and Adora’s Tome of Love: The big gay wedding we’ve all been waiting for

Meet the Players: Simple listing of several silly facts about our players and the world around them

Sidequest Maelstrom: Based on Storm King’s Thunder this sidequest pits our players against an army of giants and Glimmer against how gay she is for giant ladies

Week of Cuteness: A week long event consisting entirely of cute Catradora posts. Just my attempt at making the Catradora tag a little less angsty

Her Best: Catra and Adora are struggling to get by and Adora wishes she could do more to help. Don’t worry this is more wholesome than you’d think

This should be all you need in order to enjoy this mess of a blog

As new content is added this post will be edited and reblogged to keep things up to date. Hope this helps all the new nerds who wish to read through my work

and if you did read this whole thing and wish to help me out a little consider buying me a coffee on https://ko-fi.com/loriela

#master post #guide #literally everything

110 notes · View notes

kimarchive · 4 years

Text

“keep it moving” | lil’ kim by mtv news, 2003.

"I'm locked in a five-year contract with [Kim]," said Cease, who's signed as a solo artist to Queen Bee Records. Other than albums that Kim herself has recorded, Cease's poor-selling but critically acclaimed 1999 solo debut, The Wonderful World of Cease A Leo, is the only release to come from the Queen Bee Records imprint since it was founded in 1998.

-- by Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Sway Calloway, Jeff Cornell and Quddus Phillipe Kimberly Jones is dying to go Hollywood, but some people are hissing that she already has. She definitely isn't the same 'round-the-way girl the Notorious B.I.G. introduced us to in 1995. Little Ms. Jones has estranged herself from old ideals and friends from her 'hood that she once considered family. She's got a fresh attitude to go with her new set of Hollywood and high-society buddies and associates, people such as Hugh Hefner, Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra, Don King, Donatella Versace and Victoria Gotti.

Kimberly doesn't even look the same — she switches hairstyles almost as often as she changes rhyme flows. Plus she's got a new surgically altered nose to go with her voluptuous, augmented breasts. "When I decided to finally do that is when I realized I was a sex symbol," she has said about her implants. "It's something that I felt would make me have more fun with my photo shoots and enhance my look a little bit." But going Hollywood for Kim really means just that: She wants to make movies. Her dreams have nothing to do with forgetting where she came from, or — as they might say in her native Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood — "acting brand new." Kim maintains she's the same Brooklyn girl at heart: feisty, focused and determined not to fail. Like Will Smith and, more recently, Queen Latifah, rap's Queen Bee wants to make it big in Tinsletown. Yeah, she's appeared in such flicks as "Juwanna Mann" (2002) and "Zoolander" (2001), but Kim knows she's capable of bigger roles and more explosive performances. "Being involved in different entities of the game is so much fun 'cause you don't just get stuck in one genre," she explained. "I like to be here and there. My personality and my character are versatile." But unlike the aforementioned rap legends, she still wants to keep the music industry buzzing about her material. "That's one thing I don't like," Kim said, referring to how some of her fellow MCs' music careers suffered as their movie careers took off. "Will [Smith] was doing it at one point. Regular rappers were trying to [sell] five million [albums] and he was doing seven million, with flicks out that were doing $50 million a week. That's the type of success I want to follow. I think what happens is that the rappers [who] have success in Hollywood kinda start ignoring their music. I don't think it matters to them anymore. I ain't gonna front, [if] you're getting $20 to 25 million a film ... even $10 million a film is enough to make you say, 'I don't have to do an album this year.' [But] I wouldn't do that." And that's no Hollywood talk, either. Kim not only has a movie called "Guns and Roses" due out this summer, she has a new LP, La Bella Mafia, in stores now. Named La Bella Mafia after a 1997 made-for-TV movie, "Bella Mafia," in which widows of mob figures take over the family business, this LP has been heralded as Kim's best work since her trailblazing 1996 solo debut, Hard Core. On Mafia, she runs away from the syrupy melodies and hooks that hampered 2000's Notorious K.I.M.'s "How Many Licks" and "I'm Human," which seemed to pander to radio and dancefloors. Kim's latest opus is a return to the streets, where she enlists such sound-shapers as the always-unpredictable Swizz Beatz, Scott Storch, who has co-produced some of Dr. Dre's classic jeep thumpers, and Mobb Deep's master of morose tracks, Havoc.

"She's a star, [and] people respect stars," said Havoc, who first worked with Kim on Mobb Deep's remix to "Quiet Storm." "She's smart, and most of the decisions she makes are good musically. She's among the top people in the game, and she's better than a lot of [guys]. You don't have a choice but to give her that respect." "I think she's on top of the game," concurred Queen Latifah, who recorded with Kim on the soundtrack for the Academy Award-winning film "Chicago." "I just bought her album the other day and I love it. I think it's [about] her growing up. She still ballsy, and she's still gonna pop junk to any other female rapper out there, but I like where she is right now. I like to see her in control of where she wants to go. I'm proud of her." And while Kim loves the praise she's received from her peers and fans, she feels things could still be a lot better. Although Mafia put her on pace to equal or surpass the numbers she posted with her biggest selling LP, the double platinum Hard Core (despite its lukewarm reception, Notorious K.I.M. still sold over a million copies as well), Kim wasn't pleased with La Bella Mafia's first-week sales of close to 167,000 copies. "A lot of people say 'Kim is up there,' " the Queen Bee lamented, "but I don't feel that I'm up there 'cause I haven't accomplished my goal yet, which is to sell 10 million records of one album. Imagine what people will say when I reach that point." One thing people do talk about is how long it takes Kim to churn out albums. There was a four-year gap between the first two records, and even with the widely heralded Trackmasters and the spirit of Mafia co-executive producer B.I.G. fueling this album's beats and rhymes, it took years to make as well.

"It's kind of hard because I like to take my time to make things perfect," Kim said, explaining why she always has such a long gap between projects. "I went into this album thinking, 'I'm just going to have fun with it.' I said, 'I'm going to do what I want to do. Let me do this the way I feel B.I.G would have wanted me to do this.' He's the one that taught me everything I know, and he tells me things still. That's why B.I.G is listed as the co-executive producer on my album. It's just me and him." What also slows down production is the fact that you just can't keep the black Erica Kane locked in the studio for too long. She's got her manicured hands dipped in far too many projects to be getting stuck in a sound booth all night. For one thing, she's got a new clothing line, Hollyhood, still in development, with a launch tentatively planned for the fall. A true fashion aficionado, Kim's wild outfits, trend-setting hairdos and modeling stints for Mac and Candies and have given her a strong presence in the fashion world. Hobnobbing with clothing kingpins with last names like Prada, Versace and Armani have only strengthened her cause. "When she did 'Guns and Roses,' she was on the mark," LisaRaye said of Kim's spin as Chastity, the vixen of the bunch. In addition to the movie, the two worked together on a song for the film's soundtrack. "We filmed that movie in 18 days, so you know how quick and steady the flow was," she continued. "She was actually excellent." "It was fun," Kim said with a grin. "It's like a female 'Young Guns.' Us five females, we're like sisters. When we all got together it was nothing but love. For the most part, we were all sisters on that set — we all had each other's back. I like to surround myself with good people — positive people committed to their work."

And make no mistake — if you're not committed to Kim, you can't be down. At her album release party a few weeks ago, celebrities such as Dave Chappelle, Mobb Deep, Jagged Edge and Wayne Wonder came out to one of Manhattan's newest hot spots, the Lobby, all ready to hail the Queen. Conspicuously absent were Kim's longtime running mates, Lil' Cease and the rest of the Junior M.A.F.I.A. Kim and the J.M., all friends and protégés of Biggie's, had been virtually inseparable since they were introduced back in 1995. The originally nine-member crew appeared on classic songs together, put out a gold album and performed at countless shows nationwide. When B.I.G. died, they leaned on each other during their collective time of mourning, and his memory was the glue that held them all together. And the bond was deep. When Kim went solo, she looked out for her boys as their careers stagnated. If they needed money, she hit them off. If one of her guys got in trouble with the law, as Larceny and Cease were known to do on a few occasions, Kim, the perennial mother figure, always bailed them out. At one point, the clique was so close that they all lived together in Kim's New Jersey mansion. But since then, the group's relationship has soured, and the Queen Bee has had to literally clean house. "Well, you have to move on and you have to grow," Kim said, visibly holding back venom and opting to give a more politically correct answer as to why she no longer associates with Cease and Co. "You can't be taken advantage of for too long, and it's a case where unfortunately, [the relationship] just went bad. In the same sense, I hope they do well and [that] they can find God in their hearts." On La Bella Mafia's "Heavenly Father," however, Kim's a little less restrained. She raps, "And was it enough that I split 20 percent of what I make?/ Was it enough that I cut n----s half of what I bake?"

Lil' Cease is just as angry with Kim these days as she is with him. His biggest beef with her is not that she cut him off — it's that she won't let him go. He's so miffed at his onetime homegirl that he's started a "Free Cease A Leo" T-shirt campaign.

"She's putting all this stuff out like she's not messing with me right now," Biggie's puffy-cheeked former best friend fumed. "I feel like if you [are] not messing with me, give me walking papers so I can do me. We had our differences [and] I thought we could patch them up, but honey is doing her thing. I'm not knocking her, but she still got me under paperwork. [I've] been trying to get in touch with her, [but] she's ducking me. I call the office, [but] she don't want to talk to me. I go to the office [and] I can't see her."

"There's a lot of truth to what Cease was saying," Kim retorted with a snarl before clamming up. "I don't really want to get into that. The only thing I'm concerned with is La Bella Mafia being in stores. The whole truth will come out later and I can't wait." Although Kim is being clandestine and won't say exactly when her and the Mafia started to fall out, she is more than willing to reveal when her relationship with her former manager, mentor, friend and Notorious K.I.M.'s executive producer P. Diddy went south. "I can honestly say that during the whole process of [making Notorious K.I.M.], Puff and I were like a brother and a sister arguing," said the 26-year-old. "One minute we'd be the best of friends, and then the next minute things weren't working out at all," Kim said. "Sometimes Puffy likes people to do whatever he says. I'm a creative person, an entertainer. I'm a boss lady. A lot of times when you [are] working with a boss man, you have to respect each other's opinion. I just wanted my respect and because I was young and female, I don't think he gave it to me fully." "I'm a hard coach from beginning to end," Diddy said unapologetically about his meticulous work ethic. "I'mma push an artist to [be] the best. Some artists feel [like], 'I've grown up, and I don't want you to push me this hard no more.' I can't really do that. I'm not crazy or anything, I just want to be the best. We gotta be the best every time." Kim said she was also hurt because when times got tough for her after Notorious K.I.M. received mixed reactions, Diddy abandoned her. "I loved Puffy with all my heart, [and] if you look back, I was the only one supporting him. [At the time we were making my album] I wasn't even signed to Bad Boy," she vented. "During those times I held his hands, like, 'I know these people hate you right now, but I'm with you, dawg.' Puffy can be very selfish. I had to let him go do him and I had to go do me. I needed people at that time that was going to support me 150 percent. I was only getting 50 percent. Unfortunately, I don't speak to him at all."

P. Diddy, who seems indifferent about the split, offers a simpler explanation: "I think it's [about] people outgrowing each other and people wanting different things." While Kim hasn't cut off all her old friends, she has been gravitating toward a new crowd on the road to becoming a better-rounded person. One of her biggest cheerleaders now is Victoria Gotti, a multimedia personality and the daughter of late mob boss John Gotti. The two met over a year ago at an event in New Jersey and have built a nurturing relationship. They've done their share of partying and have at least one big adventure in common: The line-slinging siren recently held her buddy to a long-standing promise to appear in one of her videos. In February, the pair braved the bitter cold to shoot the unreleased clip for Kim's song "I Came Back For You" in front of the Brooklyn Bridge. Gotti says she'd do anything for her homie. "It's weird because she's everything she is onstage and nothing like her [persona]," Gotti said, describing why such a diverse group of people show Kim love. "She is a chameleon. She can just rise to [any] occasion and fit whatever mood everybody's in. That's the one thing I adore about Kim, [and] that's the first thing that shines through. Forget her looks, forget her outrageous outfits — she's got personality that's second to none." And what Kim's hoping for is that soon, her success in all fields will be second to none. Even as her fan base broadens, she maintains that she'll never forget the gig that first put her on to all the other opportunities. In fact, she is as hungry as ever to stand out and rock the mic. "I don't ever worry about competition," she says confidently in regards to her fellow female rappers. "I do a totally different thing from all these females. Everybody feels that 'I have to be at the top.' We can all be at the top selling records. There is no 'I'm better.' I know I'm a Queen and I do what I do.' "

And what she is doing is everything.

#lil' kim #interview #mtv news #2003

11 notes · View notes

cupcakes-oc-corner · 5 years

Text

Current OC Masterlist

List of all the OCs I have created over time. Each of them is organized into sections based on where they come from story-wise or universe-wise (whichever makes more sense), and each section will have a small blurb describing what it is and why it’s a separate section.

This list will be updated with links to refs and such when I hopefully make/upload them, and if/when I make more ocs.

If you have any questions about them, go ahead! I am always open to rambling about these guys, they live rent free in my head.

Osrean OCs:

[All the ocs who are from/currently live in my island country called Osrea, or exist in the same universe as said island and do not have another specific story to associate with.]

Rodney Andrew Daysen

Elise Siora Wynlamin

"Eclipse"

Armaudis Lunotte

Aria Lunotte

Allen Daemonne

Aron Rosenfell

Ezekiel

Railux

Cereluna

Morias

“The Maker”

Alma Mori

Lillith Daimon

Avarus "Greed" Daimon

Vanexia "Pride" Daimon

Luxarina "Lust" Daimon

Iraxos "Wrath" Daimon

Invirix "Envy" Daimon

Revixor "Sloth" Daimon

Edazel "Gluttony" Daimon

Astrid

Apollonia Rivett

Esther Carmel

Wren

Draco

Lucian Orion Armstrong

Keto Ikeda

Carmen Emilia Ramos

Josef Nikolas Andwin

Éammon

Adrielle

Rina

Dr. Kian Yang

Violetta Lavoie

Harrison

Pepper

Gabriel

Uriel

Iris Abigail Magana Daemonne

Hiram Sairus Winchell

Orin Altair Swiftbreeze

Zorak “Zak” Orzalus

Caelera Alvizaus Vilfeu

Ilzeras Vilfeu

Arboresian OCs:

[All the OCs who are from/currently live in the island country of Arboresia, originally created by my friends @isa-ghost and @deaths-presence. Isa has an OC sideblog that goes much more in-depth about this place if anyone is interested. It can found here: @isas-oc-asylum.]

Liam McMurray

Anais Lauren Corbeau

Josephine Carol Freeman

Vera Desdemona Regis

Kyoko Fukuhara

Mirella Emery Griffin

Lyra Newsom

Theodore Lee Galadan

Sage Adanet

Connie Avery Miller

Bartholomew

Daevon Partridge

Fenix Partridge

Cain Forrester

Yukito Naichingeru

Verge Loqui

Carol Amara Windrose

Keishara Artin Liafir

Xerith Rolim Aranea

Saelihn Edea Ololee

Ilvan Ardryll Ceramys

Ryo Ulacyne Sanguilis

Anarxia Ruvari

Maeve Duval

Ginger Egret

Malcolm Norwood

Marcia Norwood

Duskhaven OCs:

[All the OCs who are from/currently live in the realm of Duskhaven, created by my friend @angsty-prompt-hole.]

"Ghost"

Leandra Videre

Cavalier Cove/“The Manor” OCs:

[All the OCs who are from/currently live in Cavalier Cove or the surrounding area. This is notably the same area where “The Manor” (aka the main setting for quite a lot of the OC rp I do with friends) is located. As this region a liminal space, it does not directly connect to any specific universe but includes characters from a wide variety of them, including the other ones listed here.]

Miriam “Cupcake” Elaina Portman

Xena Inovo

Cable

Willow May Egret

Avery Keays

Zaleriah

Samael

Deranzel Orzalus

Carter Guerison

Hikari Murakami

Luciel “Luci”

Wyvera

Not so Normal OCs:

[All the OCs who make up the cast of my currently in-progress comic “Not so Normal”. The comic takes place in the same universe that Osrea exists in. It has its own blog which can be found here: @not-so-normal-comic]

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Grace Thompson

Naomi Thompson

Frederick “Fred” Algorn

Xander Rosewood

Jason Torres

Amethyst

Jade Clark

Hazel Li

Mara

Kraum “Magician” Vilfeu-DeLuna-Vunamos

Prof. O’Ryan

Virox

AMSUR OCs:

[All the OCs who make up my SCP Foundation inspired supernatural research organization with questionable morals (because who doesn’t love those). It exists in the same universe and both NSN and Osrea.]

Dr. Richard Lawrence

Erica

D&D OCs:

[All of the characters I have created for various D&D campaigns.]

Erid

Cade

Naeris

Ailish

Uoni

Minecraft/”Blockverse” OCs:

[All the characters I have created who live in the world of Minecraft (aka the “Blockverse”, based on lore created with several other online friends.]

Ember Violet Ward

Katherine Renarde

Austin Wartet

Luisa Cubetto

Sylvia Anne Mall

Roman Tyler Stal

"Jackson" Porcus

Markus Strad

Freya Daleko

Evan Onze

Benjamin Clyde Huntsman

Miera Patisseri

Misc OCs:

[A list for OCs who do not currently have a set universe/story.]

Zara

Xavier

Kiara

Mae Hallowell

#oc masterlist #cupcake's kids #osrea #arboresia #cavalier cove #Not so Normal #d&d

9 notes · View notes

whatsnewcartoons · 5 years

Text

What’s New In 2019: The Cartoons.

PART 2:

Separated by network. All premiere dates are estimated until confirmed. Timings are in EST.

DISNEY CHANNEL:

- Amphibia (TBA): Created and executive produced by Matt Braly (Gravity Falls), Amphibia chronicles the adventures of Anne Boonchuy, a self-centered 13-year-old who is magically transported to the fictitious world of Amphibia, a rural marshland full of frog-people. With the help of an excitable young frog named Sprig, Anne will transform into a hero and discover the first true friendship of her life.

The series was announced to be greenlit for production in early 2018 and is expected to premiere later in 2019.

- The Owl House (TBA): Created and executive produced by Dana Terrace (DuckTales) is a horror-comedy series that follows Luz, a self-assured teenage human girl who accidentally stumbles upon a portal to the Demon Realm. There she befriends a rebellious witch, Eda, and an adorably tiny warrior, King. Despite not having magical abilities, Luz pursues her dream of becoming a witch by serving as Eda’s apprentice at the Owl House and ultimately finds a new family in an unlikely setting.

The series was announced at the same time as Amphibia and a Season 4 renewal of Star vs the Forces of Evil in early 2018. Similar to Amphibia, it is expected to release in late 2019.

- Vikingskool (end 2019): The series will follow a group of young would-be Viking warriors in an elite Vikingskool. Ross described the alumni as being “Like freshmen in ‘Top Gun,’ but for Vikings. ”The group will embark on a series of humorous and exciting adventures in a mystical world. At the heart of the tale are three best friends: Erik, Arnie and Ilba, each with their own unique Viking strengths and weaknesses.

The series is being produced by Ireland’s Cartoon Saloon (“The Secret of Kells,” “The Breadwinner”) and France’s Samka Productions (“Jamie’s Got Tentacles”) with post-production from Norwegian VFX company Storm Films. It’s this pedigree that prompted Ross to explain to Variety: “There is a substantial Viking history in Ireland and Northern France. As a co-production we can say it’s the only Viking show made by actual Vikings.”

The series’ 26 half-hours are scheduled for broadcast at the end of 2019.

- 101 Dalmatian Street (early 2019): Inspired by Dodie Smith’s 1956 novel and the 1961 movie, it will be based in Camden Town, London.

Featuring 43 cast members covering 106 speaking roles, the modern tale will focus on dalmatians Dylan and Dolly, their parents Doug and Delilah and 97 younger puppies whose names all also begin with D. Miriam Margolyes, known for her portrayal of Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter film series, will voice Bessie the Cornish Cow.American actors Josh Brener and Michaela Dietz will voice Dylan and Dolly, the eldest Dalmatian siblings. Rapper Ben Bailey Smith, also known as Doc Brown, will voice Sid Squirrel as well as Spencer Sausage Dog. The series will also feature EastEnders star Tameka Empson as Pearl Police Horse and Bethan Wright as Prunella Pug.

The series has premiered its first episode on Disney Channel Africa and is set to premiere on Disney Channel UK in January. It will premiere in the US in spring 2019.

NETFLIX:

- Pinky Malinky (January 1, 2019): Pinky Malinky is a brand-new fly-on-the-wall reality show that follows the everyday life of Pinky, an infectiously positive hot dog living in a human world. With his best friends Babs and JJ by his side, Pinky reaches for the stars in the small town of Sackenhack. Through his good spirits and sausage sensibilities, Pinky proves that a "wiener" is only one small letter away from being a "WINNER!"

Using the tropes of a mockumentary and reality show format, Pinky and his friends will talk directly to the camera and the audience to share their absurd and silly take on real life. At times, all children feel like they don't fit in and Pinky's undeniably unique point of view as a literal wiener amongst humans will allow kids to laugh at his familiar struggles and enjoy his unusual perspective on the challenges of being a school-aged kid. By always reaching for the stars, Pinky pushes himself further than anyone could imagine. Pinky and his friends' humorous experiences will also be shared across social media and Nickelodeon's digital platforms. Co-created and co-executive produced by Chris Garbutt and Rikke Asbjoern (The Amazing World of Gumball) and executive produced by Scott Kreamer (Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness), the trio are a part of the Artist Collective, an internal diverse group of experienced creators who mentor and support up-and-coming talent while also collaborating to cultivate, challenge and inspire Nickelodeon's development pipeline. Pinky Malinky will star Lucas Grabeel (Glenn Martin DDS, I Kissed A Vampire) as Pinky Malinky, Diamond White (The Haunted Hathaways) as Babs Buttman, and Nathan Kress (iCarly) as JJ Jameson. Under the deal with Netflix, Nickelodeon is producing two seasons — 59 episodes — of Pinky Malinky for the streaming service. The first season, consisting of 28 episodes is now available on Netflix.

- Tuca & Bertie (TBA): The series, which has received a 10-episode order, is an adult-oriented comedy about the friendship between two 30-year-old bird women who live in the same apartment building: Tuca (Haddish), a cocky, care-free toucan, and Bertie (Wong), an anxious, daydreaming songbird.

Both Haddish and Wong will also serve as executive producers in addition to starring. Lisa Hanawalt created the series and will serve as executive producer. Hanawalt is the production designer and producer on Netflix’s critically-acclaimed animated series “BoJack Horseman.” Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the creator of “BoJack” will also executive produce along with “BoJack” executive producers Noel Bright and Steven A. Cohen. Michael Eisner’s The Tornante Company, which produces “BoJack,” will produce. Animation is being done at Shadowmachine.

The series was announced to be in production in February 2018 and is set to release in the summer.

- Carmen Sandiego (January 18, 2019): Carmen Sandiego started as a video game in 1985 and ventured out into books, television, and comics. Children of the ‘90s have searched for Sandiego in the U.S.A., in Europe, in Space, and back in Time. The PBS animated series Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? ran for 295 episodes between 1991 and 1995. Author John Peel wrote 10 Carmen Sandiego books in the '90s. DC Comics published four issues of a Carmen Sandiego comic starting in June 1996.

Believe it or not, after more than two decades Sandiego, a notorious crook, is still on the loose. Can she outrun the Netflix binge watchers? We’ll have see if Rodriguez has what it takes.

Insiders say that Netflix has ordered 20 episodes of the series, which aims to be as educational as it is entertaining, given the title character’s globetrotting adventures. The series is set to release on Netflix on January 18, 2019.

- Cannon Busters (March 1, 2019): Cannon Busters tells the story of a royal droid named S.A.M., who is searching for her best friend, and heir to the throne. Along the way, she’s joined by an old maintenance droid and a fugitive. The 12-episode series buy is part of Netflix’s impending wave of anime titles including Ultraman, Kengan Ashura, and season two of Aggretsuko.

Cannon Busters was created by LeSean Thomas, a storyboard artist and character designer known for his work on The Boondocks, the animated Black Dynamite series, and The Legend of Korra. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, Netflix has bought 12 episodes, adapted from a 2003 comic of the same title.

The series was first announced at the Netflix panel at the 2018 Anime Expo and is set to release on Netflix on March 1, 2019.

- Twelve Forever (TBA): The series centers on 12-year-old Reggie, whose desire to remain a child is so powerful it creates a fantasy world in which she never has to grow up. She’s joined by her friends Todd and Esther, who visit this amazing world to live out their superhero fantasies and escape the responsibilities of impending adulthood.

Production companies behind the series are the Cartel and Puny Entertainment. In addition to Vickerman, executive producers include the Cartel’s Stan Spry and Bradford Bricken, and Puny’s Chris Hardwick and Shadi Petosky.

The original pilot was first aired on Cartoon Network in 2015 and was not picked up by the network until Netflix was announced to have picked it up for a first season in December 2017 and is set to release sometime in 2019.

So that’s the stuff you can expect from the major networks (and Netflix) in terms of animation this year. Which shows are you most excited to watch this year? Here’s to an amazing 2019 full of amazing cartoons.

For the upcoming cartoons on Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, go check out Part 1.

#cartoons #disney #netflix #amphibia #the owl house #vikingskool #101 dalmations street #pinky malinky #tuca and bertie #carmen sandiego #cannon busters #twelve forever #2019 #premieres

46 notes · View notes

chau735473623711-blog · 5 years

Text

Music Quizzes

The effect different genres of music can have in your mind, body, and community. Then there's promoting. Bossa nova - Portuguese for "new wave" - gained foreign money, in response to Brazilian music historian Ruy Castro, when it appeared in an advert for a 1958 multi-artist concert put on by Grupo Universitário Hebraico do Brasil. World music was hashed out in 1987 at an business assembly. It was meant only for a short marketing marketing campaign to pump non-Anglophone musicians in retail areas they won't otherwise fit into, only to stay an acknowledged, if unwieldy, class. Radio codecs sometimes impose themselves on the music. AOR is a US abbreviation for "album-oriented radio" (later "rock") coined in 1972 by Lee Abrams and Kent Burkhart's consultancy agency for the FM rock radio stations that will outline ultra-slick center-American rock: Styx, Boston , Aerosmith. In practise, it usually translates to "definitively pre-punk".

For example, you might say, Within the refrain of ‘Poses,' Rufus Wainwright sets his first line of text to a protracted, arching melody, harking back to opera." This describes the music and lets the reader know what part you might be speaking about and how you are hearing it (it reminds you of opera). Now tell the reader what is significant about this. What does it do for the which means of the textual content? The textual content suggests that ‘you mentioned watch my head about it,' however this rising operatic melody appears to suggest that the singer is de facto floating away and gone into one other world." Now your description of the music capabilities as evidence in an argument about how the tune has two layers of meaning (text and music). In the highlands of Tibet, for hundreds of years, it was commonplace for farmers to sing a particular sort of track to their yaks. The melodies were intended to coax the yaks to provide more milk, praising the sheen of their coats and the beauty of their horns. The actual combination of tones was said to have particular powers to chill out the yaks and get the milk flowing. Right this moment, only a handful of old-timers nonetheless keep in mind these songs; younger herders merely don't learn the music, distracted by the pop songs coming in over the radio. And when click the following internet site outdated-timers die, most certainly the songs will die as nicely.

Setting a distinct precedent, Friedrich Nietzsche's views on music are a byproduct of his common philosophy of culture. Nietzsche initially defends the prevalence of sure strains of European classical music. He praises composers whose irrational genius gives the Dionysian power needed to right the rational excesses of European tradition. Nietzsche eventually reverses himself. In an extended attack on Richard Wagner's operas, he rejects the continuing value of the nice" model that characterizes artwork music. In what quantities to a reversal of Kantian aesthetic priorities, Nietzsche praises Georges Bizet's extensively standard opera Carmen (1875) for its triviality and ease (see Sweeney-Turner). Nonetheless, most philosophers ignore Nietzsche's protection of light" music. Two mid-вЂ90s albums outlined these ideological threads higher than any other. In 1994, GravediggazвЂ debut 6 Toes Deep found RZA and Prince Paul collaborating on the peak of their powers together with StetsasonicвЂs Frukwan, plus, um, a fourth man. The result was dusty, violent, funny, and endlessly inventive, valorizing unhealthy PCP trips and imagining a suicide hotline that talked you into it. A yr later, MemphisвЂ Three 6 Mafia launched its eerie, lo-fi debut Mystic Stylez, a druggy exploration of 35mm, oversaturated haunted-house music. ItвЂs an album of just about ambient violence, barbmagill1531.wikidot.com its warbling synths a pink fog that creeps in from underneath your door and subtly normalizes its lyrical malevolence, like the steadily reworking worlds of JacobвЂs Ladder or Silent Hill. Literary curiosity within the fashionable ballad kind dates back at the least to Thomas Percy and William Wordsworth English Elizabethan and Stuart composers had often evolved their music from people themes, the classical suite was primarily based upon stylised people-dances, and Joseph Haydn 's use of people melodies is famous. However the emergence of the time period "folks" coincided with an "outburst of nationwide feeling throughout Europe" that was particularly robust on the edges of Europe, where national identity was most asserted. Nationalist composers emerged in Central Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, Spain and Britain: the music of Dvořák , Smetana , Grieg , Rimsky-Korsakov , Brahms , Liszt , de Falla , Wagner , Sibelius , Vaughan Williams , Bartók , and plenty of others drew upon folk melodies. There are numerous completely different kinds of jazz dance, every with its own traits and influences. In general although, jazz dance has all the time been associated with standard tradition and it has changed over time in parallel with the music and kinds of widespread entertainment. Presently, many alternative styles coexist, in addition to numerous levels of fusion with other genres. Some important figures in the history of jazz dance are Katherine Dunham, who reinforced the connection between jazz dance and its African origins; Bob Fosse highly influential figure in the development of dance in films, and Matt Mattox , who developed his personal approach based on ballet training. Like by no means before, the web has change into a spot for sharing creative work - similar to music - amongst a world group of artists and art lovers. Whereas music and music collections predate the web, the net enabled a lot bigger scale collections. Whereas folks used to personal a handful of vinyls or CDs, they these days have prompt entry to the entire of published musical content material by way of online platforms. Such dramatic increase in the size of music collections created two challenges: (i) the necessity to mechanically organize a set (as customers and publishers can't manage them manually anymore), and (ii) the necessity to robotically recommend new songs to a consumer understanding his listening habits. An underlying job in each those challenges is to be able to group songs in semantic categories. Through all of it, RCA — Kelly's label home for the whole lot of his solo profession, each immediately and as a part of its partnership with Jive Data (which merged with RCA in 2007) — has stood by the singer, primarily, sources tell Selection, as a result of he has never been convicted of a crime and has steadfastly maintained his innocence. Makes an attempt by music firms to assemble a morality barometer for https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/100259256-ulysses-beaver artists is a precarious task, as Spotify learned final yr when it tried to ban artists — significantly Kelly — from its playlists based mostly on conduct it vaguely outlined as hateful conduct" Spotify ended up briefly penalizing two artists — Kelly and rapper XXXTentacion, neither of whom had been convicted of the related expenses of sexual misconduct — earlier than walking back the policy resulting from its vague definition and execution.

Maybe enjoyable rock music continues to be being made but it is not being performed on my local different station, so I'm not aware of it. It appears to be like like pretentiousness has taken over rock music. If a song would not have a severe that means, it has no right to exist. Rock fans decry the loss of life of "actual music." This can be a turn off to many people who want music to serve completely different purposes. Generally, it should be fun. Sometimes, it should be severe. Generally it must be about things we are able to relate as to if that is falling in love or a painful breakup. Generally it could possibly cope with social points.

1 note · View note

johnson614610616-blog · 5 years

Text

Secular Renaissance Music

The effect completely different genres of music can have in your thoughts, body, and neighborhood. Then there is promoting. Bossa nova - Portuguese for "new wave" - gained forex, in line with Brazilian music historian Ruy Castro, when it appeared in an advert for a 1958 multi-artist live performance put on by Grupo Universitário Hebraico do Brasil. World music was hashed out in 1987 at an business meeting. It was meant only for www.goodreads.com a quick advertising and marketing campaign to pump non-Anglophone musicians in retail spaces they may not in any other case fit into, solely to remain an acknowledged, if unwieldy, category. Radio formats generally impose themselves on the music. AOR is a US abbreviation for "album-oriented radio" (later "rock") coined in 1972 by Lee Abrams and Kent Burkhart's consultancy agency for the FM rock radio stations that may outline extremely-slick center-American rock: Styx, Boston , Aerosmith. In practise, it often translates to "definitively pre-punk".

Hip-hop emerged in the Nineteen Seventies and ‘80s in response to conservative government insurance policies that created a poverty disaster within the interior metropolis. Hip-Hop eliminated the melodic and harmonic elements of earlier musical types and targeted instead on rhythm and vocals to create a totally new musical fashion. Though it was a singular new musical type, Hip-Hop nonetheless had a strong hyperlink to the African oral custom with its fast wordplay, complicated rhyming, and storytelling strategies. Rappers used this new musical fashion to call attention to the internal-metropolis plight, criticize political figures, categorical ambitions, and promote themselves (Sullivan, 2001)." Like older musical styles, Hip-Hop served to present African Americans a voice in a tradition of oppression, in addition to to create cultural ties between individuals inside the African American community. In the highlands of Tibet, for centuries, it was commonplace for farmers to sing a particular type of track to their yaks. The melodies had been intended to coax the yaks to supply extra milk, praising the sheen of their coats and the great thing about their horns. The actual combination of tones was mentioned to have particular powers to chill out the yaks and get the milk flowing. As we speak, solely a handful of outdated-timers nonetheless remember these songs; youthful herders merely don't be taught the music, distracted by the pop songs coming in over the radio. And when the previous-timers die, more than likely the songs will die as effectively.

Setting a different precedent, Friedrich Nietzsche's views on music are a byproduct of his basic philosophy of tradition. Nietzsche initially defends the prevalence of certain strains of European classical music. He praises composers whose irrational genius provides the Dionysian energy wanted to correct the rational excesses of European tradition. Nietzsche finally reverses himself. In an extended assault on Richard Wagner's operas, he rejects the continuing worth of the great" fashion that characterizes artwork music. In what quantities to a reversal of Kantian aesthetic priorities, Nietzsche praises Georges Bizet's broadly in style opera Carmen (1875) for its triviality and simplicity (see Sweeney-Turner). Nevertheless, most philosophers ignore Nietzsche's protection of sunshine" music. Usually, many people imagine musical preferences reflect characteristics such as age , character , and values A 2003 study published in the Journal of Persona and Social Psychology discovered people who find themselves open to new experiences tend to favor music from the blues, jazz, classical, and folks genres. Those who are extraverted and agreeable" are inclined to prefer music akin to pop, soundtrack, spiritual, soul, funk, digital, and www.audio-transcoder.com dance. While these studies prove personality does affect musical tastes, Rentfrow and his colleagues on the University of Cambridge within the UK are curious as to whether there are other psychological mechanisms that come into play with regards to musical desire. When information or an expertise includes a range of senses, it is firing off a variety of electrical and chemical brain triggers. The extra triggers fired, the stronger the quick notion is, and the more seemingly the knowledge or expertise will transfer from our sensory notion into our quick-term reminiscence. That is one cause why it is easier to remember the lyrics of a track than to recite a poem. And it is why we do better remembering music lyrics if we hear the music playing - even if just in our heads. Our mind is retrieving a wide range of sensory cues. There are many different types of jazz dance, every with its own traits and influences. On the whole though, jazz dance has at all times been associated with fashionable tradition and it has changed over time in parallel with the music and kinds of standard leisure. Presently, many alternative types coexist, as well as various degrees of fusion with other genres. Some important figures in the historical past of jazz dance are Katherine Dunham, who reinforced the connection between jazz dance and its African origins; Bob Fosse extremely influential determine within the growth of dance in films, and Matt Mattox , who developed his own technique based on ballet training. The L.A. beat scene never really gets sufficient shine for its affect on future bass — however scan the playlists of most future bass DJs and also you're more likely to discover more than a few tracks from Brainfeeder, New Los Angeles, WeDidIt and different Low Finish Idea-affiliated imprints. Among the artists on these labels, the one whose music provides the clearest hyperlink between the beat scene and future bass is WeDidIt's RL Grime, who found his own again door More suggestions into the scene by juxtaposing pretty, almost ethereal melodies and pitch-shifted vocals with hard-hitting, trap-influenced beats as far back as 2011, when he was known as Clockwork. At the moment, impeccably produced, anthemic tracks like his recent "Reims" point the best way toward future bass's, um, future. XXXTentacion, 20 YouTube subscribers: 10.6 million SoundCloud followers: 2.6 million Instagram followers: 14.3 million Launched his first tune on SoundCloud in 2013 after spending time in a Florida youth correction centre. Called rap's most controversial man" by Spin magazine, he was recognized for his downbeat lyrics and quite a few brushes with the regulation and feuds with other artists, together with Drake. After being murdered in a theft on June 18, 2018, his single Unhappy! went to primary on the Billboard Sizzling 100. Rolling Stone journal mentioned he left behind a huge music footprint".

However the recipe to your Discover Weekly playlist is much more sophisticated than that. Spotify also creates a profile of each user's individualized style in music, grouped into clusters of artists and micro-genres—not simply rock" and rap" but wonderful-grained distinctions like synthpop" and southern soul." These are derived utilizing know-how from Echo Nest, a music analytics agency that Spotify acquired in 2014, which learns about rising genres by having machines learn music sites and analyze how varied artists are described.

1 note · View note

giant-goldfish · 5 years

Note

1, 5, 9, 12

sorry this is long i have a lot to say1. a favorite character you have playedi only played as an actual player twice so i only got geshem and bilhah but its so hard 2 pick....... ill say geshem bc i actually played her for more than one session. shes a big stupid dragonborn fighter and her entire dragon titties r out5. favorite npcOBVIOUSLY salim... hes the man that started this all, absolute legend9. your favorite thing about d&di love how ppl can start from the same setting n general plot and take it to completely unique + personal stories?? like every long campaign has its own original world that everyone gets attached to, even if theyre still set in faerun. like the players n dm all build it together as they go to more places.. i mean my world has an entirely new pantheon yeah but even the little stuff! like the little mama mia ass coastal town w the ugly wizard tower stuck in the middle. no one else has that!! thats so fun!!!12. your in game inside jokes/memes/catchphrases and where they came from.after the first session our wizard carmen became salims apprentice as part of their contract, and she just assumed she stayed in his house since then?? so carmen just moved in with this guy without warning and everyones always joking salim hasnt had sex in 6 months bc carmens always there and hes dying. also the concept of fantasy grindr being a guy at the pier who paints a fullsize oil painting of you naked, like those fucking caricature artists for tourists?? and then hanging the paintings on a wall thats also at the pier. you gotta stand there naked for 5 hours and theres a line. ALSO when one player didnt come we said his half elf is at elfsgiving which is now a canon holiday

6 notes · View notes

donnasaufley-blog · 5 years

Text

Public Accountability For Donna Saufley; Or, Why I Quit Working At Hiker Heaven (2019)

In March of last year, I was sitting in the southern California desert trying to find direction after years of travel and exhaustion from studying communal spaces. I decided I would take on a simpler spiritual pursuit of walking across the country and rather than walking on the shoulder of highways, I decided it would likely be more scenic to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. I had about $20 in my pocket, an ILBE marine bag, and had a sharpie made sign up in a public counter-culture tourist location known as Slab City seeking donated gear for a PCT attempt. The hike in itself is a different story of its own and I invite you to follow me on social media if travel for greater meaning without allowing money to prevent it interests you, but the contents of this article surrounds how I ended up working at a famous hiker spot known as Hiker Heaven during the last couple seasons.

Hiking the PCT without finances took a great deal of creativity and ethical approaches in being honest with trail angels as I made my way up the trail. I tripled my money working at Carmen’s Garden, did worktrade for StillHouse Hostel, moved firewood for Trail Angels in Big Bear, etc. I dumpster dived and hiker boxed scored most of my calories. I had written an email and planned to stay a week volunteering at Hiker Heaven, in order to rest before continuing on was the original plan. When I finally did reach Agua Dulce, my perspective of the trail had changed a great deal. I found the rugged desolate nature I once read about on the trail was nowhere to be found in this new boom of thru-hiking popularity where every 15 minutes another person in a puffy is passing by asking how many miles you walked so far for the day. Being someone who decided to hike for solitude and ecological connection, I found the time alone rare and felt more like I was contributing to a form of unsustainable eco-tourism that made me feel ashamed. When Donna Saufley invited me to stay and offered to pay me for my help, I saw my safest route to exit the thru-hike attempt. I ended up staying for a month and a half, which turned out to be profitable to me at a rate of $100 a week for more than full-time work and access to lots of hiking gear.

I decided as Hiker Heaven closed its doors to northbound hikers on the 30th, I would take a train to Portland to work with radicals at OccupyICEPDX protesting the recent family separations and militarization of the border. When that ended, I combined my skills of frugal travel mixed with the endurance of long distance hiking to attempt bike touring down the coast. At the end of my trip, I went a route that put me through Agua Dulce on my way to visit friends in Tucson. While there I was invited to return for hiker season. I had a feeling it wasn’t going to work out as well as the year before, but had nothing better to do and no other prospects for replenishing my supplies. I kinda went out of my way to get a train ticket back from Tucson a month later, but had high hopes the season would make up for the loss.

It turned out upon returning the Pacific Crest Trail was facing very high snow levels at elevation in southern California due to the polar vortex, which pushed back the arrival of hikers by over a month. This is an uncontrollable thing for all parties involved, but meant for me I had a whole month of draining resources to take care of myself in the expensive nowhere mountain town of Agua Dulce. By the time the first groups of hikers began to show up, I’d already drained more resources than Donna was going to pay for the whole season. In a way, it began to feel like an entrapment to work anywhere from 30-60 hours a week just to make up for the net loss of getting into the situation in the first place. I began to notice more details than my short time at Hiker Heaven the year before. Suddenly the comments by Donna about supposedly “barely scraping by financially” became entangled (sometimes within hours) with talk of selling their house at a market value of $500k to move to the pacific northwest, increasing the workers’ of Saufley Electric’s pay, the possible $10-30k in donations from PCT hikers that would be flowing in, and their incessant shopping began to grate. Especially when said to someone who has been living out of backpacks (and now a bike) for nearly a decade of their life. It would be nothing for her to pay all their volunteers a stipend, but she chooses not to for her own benefit. It’s also not hard to imagine when draining resources just for the chance to listen to Donna’s opinions and finally learning some semblance of the economy behind everything, how my bohemian work gig I once thought great to avoid contributing to military violence by doing “volunteer work” for a possible $100 a week “gift” began to feel more like exploitation than the cheat code to avoid taxes to a murderous government it once was.

To make matters worse, those endless opinions from Donna were more politically fueled this year. As last year they had a “no talking politics” rule, most likely because they were an employing a hiker at the time with anti-Muslim and transphobic prejudices than for herself. An example of new frustrations began when Donna started to interrupt and point out my using gender neutral terms for everyone as “wrong.” When explained to her grammatically they/them has existed longer than he or she as a pronoun, with suggestions to learn this by googling some things her response was, “Well, at least I’m only going to be doing this one more year.” This alongside my constantly being referenced as a he/him was one of many annoyances (though it was something I was expecting to suffer for a couple months in exchange for the resources I thought I would get). It seemed I was just nodding my head at whatever the daily opinions were to get it over with, rather than debate a business owning white lady in a $500k house who gets all her news from nightly viewings of MSNBC that she might not have any clue what is happening in the streets or around the world (let alone gender theory).

Things finally came to a head when a group of rightwing hikers came through. Prior to this season you should know, I had discovered a great organization known as Indigenous Women Hike who had a campaign to bring the racism of John Muir into conversations among outdoors culture and industry. I had even been sponsored a Rethink The Wild shirt from them via an individual to wear for hiker season in order to start the conversation with people hiking across indigenous lands via the Pacific Crest Trail. Indigenous sovereignty is a very important issue for me is the reason why I would quit. I quickly began to feel uncomfortable by this group of hikers as they camped by the RV I was staying in and had late night campfire discussions where I overhead bits of Fox News-like dialogue-isms such as: “It’s not racist if it’s a fact, man” in reference to some statistics they were claiming about black people.

“I was never called a Nazi until Trump was in office and I told people I voted for him.”

And references to, “those antifa fucks” and “race wars.”

Originally I thought I would just wait out their leaving, as in all traveling it is a common occurrence to just have to put up with someone repeating Fox News rhetoric. The following day, however, Donna was taking one of them grocery shopping and I had to go along to get my own groceries. On the way back I was in the backseat listening to their discussion. It turned out this hiker (with a name I cannot recall) was an ex-military white South African and he began talking about his country/ politics. This began by Donna mentioning their liberal centrist views of not being proud of Donald Trump, in which he responded that in his country Donald Trump is considered an international hero. This he said was because he demanded white farmers stop being murdered in South Africa or the USA would intervene. The white genocide myth in South Africa is statistically inaccurate and is a story being spun by white nationalist groups around the world. He began talking about how in South Africa white people are the minority and black people would like to kill him just for his skin color. An example he had of this is how in America people consider Nelson Mandela to be a great leader, but his people call Nelson Mandela a terrorist. He lauded Fox News as the only accurate news representation, said journalists could never be trusted anywhere else and how in growing up surrounded by race wars he had a better understanding of what was happening in the world. Donna didn’t have much to say or counter any of this, other than a statement of maybe she would see things differently if she had lived his life and that, “maybe the South Africa stuff is like how everyone gets upset when Israel fires at Palestine, but never when Palestine shoots at Israel.”

The talk about all this dissipated as he spoke of his bodyguard work for figures such as Sean Connery, which seemed to delight Donna.

Back at Hiker Heaven the discussions with the rightwing hikers didn’t cease, and they seemed to get wide-eyed or talk of preparation for the future in the face of the race war stories this man had to tell them. The moment I knew I could no longer work for Donna Saufley was later that evening, while standing in the garage doing laundry. I described the kinds of things I heard these people talking about and called them white nationalists, with which Donna responded, “it makes my stomach churn to know there are people with those opinions here, but there is nothing I can do to change them.” She then followed this by describing how there are “some people” in this world who want to remove monuments or change the names of things, but they can’t change the past. Much like she can’t change their so-called opinions on race. This struck my last chord and so I brought up John Muir directly as a historical figure on the PCT and his anti-indigenous work with the Indian Removal Act that led to countless deaths. When she told me this was just the way things are and it’s silly to change it, I asked how returning the name to something as it was for thousands of years before Europeans invaded and put the name of someone responsible for their relatives' deaths as little as a couple hundred years ago was wrong? She became flustered and said it’s just the way it is, “and there’s nothing anyone can do to change it other than accept it.”

I walked back to the RV I was staying in and didn’t leave it for the night. I halfway packed my stuff up in the realization I had to leave. The next afternoon, Donna came by and asked if I was ready to start working for the day. I told her I planned to leave in a couple days and no longer wished to work for her due to her racist views toward indigenous people and her centrism to (the money of) white nationalists/ supremacists. She then got angry and told me I had ONE HOUR to get off her property. This caught me off guard, as I expected her to at least give me the couple days to get my things in order and be civil about it. I told her no, I’ll leave in a couple days. She demanded I leave or she would call the sheriff. I told her to call the sheriff, as they would have to give me an eviction notice. She stomped off and I began packing to leave within an hour anyways, expecting her to escalate the situation. Within ten minutes she had cut off the power to the RV and turned off the Hiker Heaven WiFi. I’d began separating what could be carried on my bike and tossing useless/ trash items out the door due to the space being small. She then stood in front of the RV and called all the male hikers to gather around, where she then asked them to remove me from the property. Gaslighting and twisting the things I’d said around, such as saying I referred to ALL hikers as “white supremacists” (which thankfully the actual white supremacist and white nationalists had hiked out that morning) and how I had become anti-hiker (in reference to discussions I had with her about the environmental strain of thru-hiking culture over the last years). This is when I pulled out my phone and began to record in case it took a violent direction, as I knew my legal right to be there and how they didn’t have any right to lay a hand on me. I was honestly prepared to defend myself with mace in one pocket and a knife in the other. I hoped making them understand my position in some fashion, my legal right to defend myself in the scenario, warning them of my intention to do so, and the presence of a camera would deescalate the situation. Which thankfully, at some level it did! A few of them asked me if they could help me pack and I said no, plus demanded they not come near me. As I had no idea who these people were or what they might be preparing to do. One became aggressive (older man in back of photo below) demanding I be gone within an hour or he’d make me, alongside the oldest of the men being the most hostile. He even sat in a chair outside the RV while I packed my things telling me how I should be ashamed to insult such a “well-respected” lady of the hiking community. Only one of the hikers (wearing sunglasses in picture below) came up to me before I left and apologized for what was happening, then handed me $15. The rest made themselves scarce. Donna informed me as I was leaving if I shared what happened she would leave a “bad review” of me on my WarmShowers account (an app for cyclists to host bike tourists for free) so I would never have places to stay during my bike tours. As there doesn’t seem to be a depth Donna Saufley isn’t willing to sink to.

After leaving Hiker Heaven, I had to pedal two days to the nearest REI to return some hiking bags I got in order to have some money on the road. All in all, I am traveling again with several hundred dollars less than expected, lost $90 in groceries purchased the day before, and hundreds in equipment I wasn’t given the time to mail off. Not only did Donna prove to be their own kind of racist in the end, exploited labor out of people like me for years, but also ripped off someone with very little in the world for nearly half they own. I’m writing this about a month from the incident, because it’s the first time I’ve had enough of a break to do so. As pedaling 40-80 miles a day and trying to figure out what direction to go in takes up a great deal of time. My hope in sharing this is to encourage people not to support Hiker Heaven if they have any trace of ethics in their decisions, and simply not let such a privileged person get away with doing what they did without it following her legacy.

In the future, I intend to write more about my observations over two years around the thru-hiking industry and subsequent culture. My time spent interacting with such large amounts of hikers and history I learned while working at Hiker Heaven will be used, as well as this event. This article is more to have this specific incident out in the public to warn others ASAP.

#Donna Saufley #Hiker Heaven #Saufley Electric #Pacific Crest Trail #PCT2019 #PCTClassOF2019 #racist #racistbusiness #racism #fascist #antifa

1 note · View note