#current affair 2017 in english

[potato-frend-blog]

Different Types of Propaganda: Part 1

Hello chuckle fucks of Tumblr, it's clear to me that you no fucking clue what propaganda is or how to spot it.

So 1st is what is propaganda?

Definition of propaganda:

the spreading of ideas, information, or rumors to help or injure an institution, a cause, or a person ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one cause or to damage an opposing cause https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propaganda

dissemination of information—facts, arguments, rumors, half-truths, or lies—to influence public opinion. It is often conveyed through mass media. https://www.britannica.com/topic/propaganda

information, ideas, opinions, or images, often only giving one part of an argument, that are broadcast, published, or in some other way spread to influence people's opinions https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/propaganda

Propaganda Techniques Explained

This video does a good job of summarizing the different techniques

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sybo484veJY (you have to copy the link because the video doesn't allow playback.)

Agenda Setting:

Agenda: a secret aim or reason for doing something. (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/agenda?q=Agenda)

A situation where critics perceive inexplicit political motives (or an institutional tendency to overlook underprivileged perspectives) to lie behind the choice of topics covered (e.g. in the news, current affairs, and documentaries), their relative importance (inferred from sequence and the relative amounts of space or time devoted to them), how they are presented, and what issues are backgrounded or excluded (see also selective representation). Media agendas are often set by ‘authoritative sources’ in government and industry upon which news organizations rely. The primary concern is that those in power thus call attention to issues that suit their agendas and distract attention from those that undermine them. It is usually argued that this influences or determines the terms and scope of public debate—not by telling people what to think but by telling them what to think about and controlling the salience for them of particular issues. (https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095355782)

Agenda setting means the "ability [of the news media] to influence the importance placed on the topics of the public agenda". If a news item is covered frequently and prominently, the audience will regard the issue as more important. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#:~:text=Bandwagon%20and%20%22inevitable%2Dvictory%22,the%20road%20to%20certain%20victory)

(https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Agenda-Setting-Theory-Model_fig1_307536314)

Fear Appeal:

A psychological and rhetorical strategy in persuasive communication such as advertising that seeks to evoke a response of fear or anxiety in the audience by showing them an undesirable outcome that they can avoid by heeding the warning. This strategy is intended to increase the effectiveness of the message and it is commonly used in health and safety campaigns, such as those warning motorists not to drink and drive. (https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095812722?p=emailAWHA3YEy2eMug&d=/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095812722)

For example, fear can be used to drive votes toward a particular candidate or party—a method that relies on our natural instinct to find safety in numbers. And, a meta-analysis conducted by Albarracin and her colleagues found that messages with fear are nearly twice as effective as messages without fear (Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 141, No. 6, 2015). (https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2020/fear-motivator-elections)

(https://thevisualcommunicationguy.com/2017/09/14/the-fear-appeal-advertising/)

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreversible_Damage)

Appeal to Prejudice

Prejudice: an unfair and unreasonable opinion or feeling, especially when formed without enough thought or knowledge. (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/prejudice)

The one who makes the appeal to prejudice attempts to persuade you to act or feel in a certain way by associating his person, product or proposal with a certain one or more of your prejudices, positive or negative – a prejudice being a prejudgment wrapped in emotion and having a history. Not only does he rekindle your prejudice, he also arouses in you warm feelings toward the one (himself) who apparently shares your prejudice. And so it becomes much easier to make you believe or buy whatever he has to offer. (https://agloa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019PropGuidelinesSecD.pdf)

Using loaded or emotive terms to attach value or moral goodness to believing the proposition. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#:~:text=Bandwagon%20and%20%22inevitable%2Dvictory%22,the%20road%20to%20certain%20victory)

Der ewige Jude, a pseudo-documentary directed by Fritz Hippler and influenced by German Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels, featured scenes of Jews in Warsaw and Lodz ghettos. The film was popular in Germany and occupied Europe, with notorious sequences comparing Jews to rats carrying contagion. The film also highlighted the alien nature of East European Jews, with "stereotypical" Polish Jews transformed into "western-looking" Jews. The film's crude characterizations and gruesome footage made it a hit with audiences, demonstrating that there was no difference between Jews in East European ghettos and those in German neighborhoods.( https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/der-ewige-jude)

Inevitable Victory + Bandwagon

Inevitable: certain to happen and unable to be avoided or prevented (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/inevitable?q=Inevitable) + Victory: an occasion when you win a game, competition, election, war, etc. or the fact that you have won. (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/victory?q=Victory) = Certain to happen and cannot to be stopped or averted occasion when you win a game, competition, election, war, etc.

Bandwagon: an activity, group, movement, etc. that has become successful or fashionable and so attracts many new people. (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/bandwagon)

An effort is made to influence you to act in a certain way by asserting or implying that that is what is popular or what the majority is doing (https://agloa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019PropGuidelinesSecD.pdf)

invites those not already on the bandwagon to join those already on the road to certain victory. Those already or at least partially on the bandwagon are reassured that staying aboard is their best course of action. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#:~:text=Bandwagon%20and%20%22inevitable%2Dvictory%22,the%20road%20to%20certain%20victory)

(https://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/the-big-question-about-donald-trumps-rise-in-the-polls)

(https://x.com/AHA_tylersgap/status/734961473265373185/photo/1)

Beautiful People

The type of propaganda that deals with famous people or depicts attractive, happy people. This suggests if people buy a product or follow a certain ideology, they too will be happy or successful. (This is used more in advertising for products, instead of political reasons.) Usually for advertising rather than political purposes, sexual arousal may also be used. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#:~:text=Bandwagon%20and%20%22inevitable%2Dvictory%22,the%20road%20to%20certain%20victory)

depiction of attractive famous people or happy people to associate success or happiness with adherence to an idea or cause or purchase of a product. (https://www.dailywritingtips.com/50-types-of-propaganda/)

(https://quizlet.com/855901690/persuasive-techniques-flash-cards/)

Big lie

The repeated articulation of a complex of events that justify subsequent action. The descriptions of these events have elements of truth, and the "big lie" generalizations merge and eventually supplant the public's accurate perception of the underlying events. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#:~:text=Bandwagon%20and%20%22inevitable%2Dvictory%22,the%20road%20to%20certain%20victory)

A big lie (German: große Lüge) is a gross distortion or misrepresentation of the truth primarily used as a political propaganda technique. The German expression was first used by Adolf Hitler in his book Mein Kampf (1925) to describe how people could be induced to believe so colossal a lie because they would not believe that someone "could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously". Hitler claimed that the technique had been used by Jews to blame Germany's loss in World War I on German general Erich Ludendorff, who was a prominent nationalist political leader in the Weimar Republic. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_lie)

A deliberate gross distortion of the truth is used especially as a propaganda tactic. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20lie)

(https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/big-lie-looms-over-nevadas-legislative-primaries)

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_views_of_Adolf_Hitler#Mein_Kampf)

Black-and-white fallacy

Presenting only two choices, with the product or idea being propagated as the better choice. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

type of cognitive distortion characterized by the tendency to see things in absolutes, with no shades of grey in between. This type of thinking can manifest in various aspects of life, from relationships to work to personal beliefs. (https://www.psychowellnesscenter.com/Blog/how-does-black-and-white-thinking-affects-your-mood-and-behavior)

only two choices are given. You are either for something or against it; there is no middle ground or shades of gray. It is used to polarize issues and negate all attempts to find a common ground. (https://www.cuesta.edu/student/resources/ssc/study_guides/critical_thinking/103_think_logic_errors.html#:~:text=This%20technique%20is%20also%20called,to%20find%20a%20common%20ground)

"“Globalize the Intifada” is a phrase used by pro-Palestinian activists that calls for aggressive resistance against Israel and those who support Israel. The most prominent expressions of intifada have been through violence so this phrase is often understood by those saying and hearing it as encouraging violence against Israelis, Jews, and institutions supporting Israel. While the intent of the person saying this phrase may be different, the impact on the Jewish community remains the same."

(https://www.ajc.org/news/what-does-globalize-the-intifada-mean-and-how-can-it-lead-to-targeting-jews-with-violence)

See when people say "Globalize the Intifada" it implies that there are only two choices in the conflict. One, is the pro-Palestine side, that the aggressive resistance against Israel, and those who support it, and the pro-Israel side is the ones they are against. Without realizing that there is a peaceful option. ( The one I do not know because, one I am not a politician, and international politics is a mess. And two I do not know enough about the conflict to support a peaceful end where everyone is satisfied. )

Cherry picking

suppressing evidence, or the fallacy of incomplete evidence is the act of pointing to individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position while ignoring a significant portion of related and similar cases or data that may contradict that position. Cherry-picking may be committed intentionally or unintentionally. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_picking)

Present only evidence confirming your position, while ignoring or withholding an often more significant portion that contradicts it. (https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=29&k=cherry+picking&p=propaganda.php)

Example : “CLAIM: Four recent shootings show there has been an “incredible rise” in transgender or nonbinary mass shooters in the past few years, making the group “by far the largest group committing as a percentage of the population.” Donald Trump Jr. spread the narrative widely on Twitter, claiming the supposed “incredible rise” and later saying there was a clear trend forming. Hundreds of other social media users amplified the idea. Trump Jr. did not respond to a request for comment.” THE FACTS: While specific data on transgender and nonbinary mass shooters can be hard to isolate, available information shows that the overwhelming majority of assailants in mass shootings are cisgender males. In making the claim, social media users are citing four examples over the past five years in which the assailant in a shooting identified as trans or nonbinary: the November killing of five at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado; a 2019 shooting at a Denver-area school by two shooters, one of them a trans man, that left one student dead and eight wounded; a 2018 shooting at a Maryland warehouse that left four dead, including the shooter; and the shooting Monday in Nashville. The number of mass shootings committed by those identifying as trans or nonbinary — and their ratio compared to mass shootings committed by other groups — is hard to quantify. It depends on the database used, how the act is defined, and how gender identity is recorded — for example, transgender males may statistically be counted as just men. But experts agree that the most reputable information still shows a clear pattern that cisgender males are the most likely to commit such an act of mass violence.” (https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-transgender-nashville-shooting-misinformation-cd62492d066d41e820c138256570978c)

(02:15: cherry picking definition: Biden highlights only wage growth in "the bottom 40%," while not mentioning that, due to inflation, real wages actually declined for all other income groups.) (https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=29&k=cherry+picking&p=propaganda.php)

Classical conditioning

That is, if A is always present when B is present and B causes a physical reaction (e.g. disgust, pleasure), then when presented with object A in the absence of B, that same reaction will be experienced. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

The behavioral psychological method that systematically transfers feelings, thoughts, or dispositions through relationships. It pairs an object, event, or variable that elicits a particular natural or reflexive response (unconditioned stimulus) with a neutral one to the point that only the presence of the latter is required to induce the originally impulsive and event-specific response. This time, it’s no longer neutral but a conditioned stimulus. (https://www.thecable.ng/classical-conditioning-potent-political-strategy/)

(https://sites.psu.edu/intropsychf19grp7/2019/11/15/classical-conditioning-puppy-training/)

As you can see, the food products in both these ads have been depicted as mouth-watering and delicious, and are designed to cause consumers to feel hungry. (https://www.advergize.com/marketing/classical-conditioning-examples-in-psychology/#Classical_Conditioning_in_Advertising_Examples)

Ad hominem

A Latin phrase that has come to mean attacking one's opponent, as opposed to attacking their arguments. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

attacking the character or motive of the person making an argument, rather than attacking the argument itself. (https://www.propwatch.org/term_results.php?cat_id=1&id=23&k=ad+hominem)

(https://thinkingispower.com/logical-fallacies/)

(35:19: ad hominem definition: Warnock attacks the character of Walker and his allies for making allegations against his church, without addressing any of the specific allegations against his church.) (https://www.propwatch.org/term_results.php?cat_id=1&id=23&k=ad+hominem)

Ad nauseam

This uses tireless repetition of an idea. An idea, especially a simple slogan, that is repeated enough times, may begin to be taken as the truth. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

repeating something over and over again, until it forms a mental association and/or becomes perceived as truth. Based on the "mere exposure effect," is a psychological phenomenon by which people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they're familiar to them, including things they don't like. This principle for example makes people more likely to prefer listening to a song they've heard before over a new song they've never heard and to believe something they hear repeatedly, even if they know it's untrue.(https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=24&k=ad+nauseum&p=propaganda.php)

"Make America Great Again"

(https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/donald-trump-dropped-378000-make-america-great-again-hats-2015s-final-quarter-msna786506)

Appeal to authority

Appeals to authority cite prominent figures to support a position, idea, argument, or course of action. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

(also known as an appeal to false or unqualified authority) plays on people’s feelings of respect or familiarity towards a famous person to bypass critical thinking. It’s like someone is telling us “accept this because some authority said it.” (https://www.scribbr.com/fallacies/appeal-to-authority-fallacy/#:~:text=An%20appeal%20to%20authority%20)

appeal to anonymous authority - insisting something is true because an unnamed expert, study, or generalized group (like 'scientists') says it's true (https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=73&k=appeal+to+anonymous+authority&p=propaganda.php)

(09:56: appeal to anonymous authority see definition: There are "those that say" you can test too much, without identifying who those people are.) (https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=73&k=appeal+to+anonymous+authority&p=propaganda.php)

Cognitive dissonance

People desire to be consistent. Suppose a pollster finds that a certain group of people hates his candidate for senator but loves actor A. They use actor A's endorsement of their candidate to change people's minds because people cannot tolerate inconsistency. They are forced to either dislike the actor or like the candidate. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

Creates a feeling of mental stress when we encounter ideas or beliefs that conflict with our own. (https://www.propwatch.org/term_results.php?id=99&k=cognitive%20dissonance)

Psychological conflict resulting from incongruous beliefs and attitudes held simultaneously. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cognitive%20dissonance)

Common man

The approach attempts to convince the audience that the propagandist's positions reflect the common sense of the people. It is designed to win the confidence of the audience by communicating in the common manner and style of the target audience. Propagandists use ordinary language and mannerisms (and clothe their message in face-to-face and audiovisual communications) in attempting to identify their point of view with that of the average person. A common example of this type of propaganda is a political figure, usually running for a placement, in a backyard or shop doing daily routine things. This image appeals to the common person. With the plain folk's device, the propagandist can win the confidence of persons who resent or distrust foreign-sounding, intellectual speech, words, or mannerisms. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

Establishing a connection with an audience based on being just like one of them and being able to empathize with their concerns. (https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=30&k=common+folk&p=propaganda.php)

(04:53: common folk see definition) (https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=30&k=common+folk&p=propaganda.php)

(https://movieposters.ha.com/itm/movie-posters/war/world-war-ii-propaganda-us-government-printing-office-1944-navy-poster-285-x-40-i-m-proud-of-you-folks-too-jo/a/7132-86871.s)

Cult of personality

A cult of personality arises when an individual uses mass media to create an idealized and heroic public image, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. The hero personality then advocates the positions that the propagandist desires to promote. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

A situation in which a public figure (such as a political leader) is deliberately presented to the people of a country as a great person who should be admired and loved. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cult%20of%20personality)

“Nazi propaganda often focused on glorifying Adolf Hitler as Germany’s sole savior in order to inspire a sense of personal devotion to him. Many films, books, newspapers, magazines, and other items portrayed Hitler as a strong and self-sacrificing father figure who personally embodied the character traits of the “ideal Nazi.”” (https://perspectives.ushmm.org/tag/cult-of-personality)

(Recently appointed as German chancellor, Adolf Hitler greets President Paul von Hindenburg in Potsdam, Germany, on March 21, 1933. This pose was designed to project an image of Hitler as non-threatening to the established order. This particular image is from a popular postcard. The photo also appeared widely in both the German and international press. Hitler appears in civilian dress, bowing in deference to the heavily decorated von Hindenburg. The March 5, 1933, elections had conferred legitimacy on Hitler's leadership.) (https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/making-a-leader)

(https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/30/washington-trump-and-cults-of-personality/)

Demonizing the enemy

Making individuals from the opposing nation, from a different ethnic group, or those who support the opposing viewpoint appear to be subhuman, worthless, or immoral, through suggestion or false accusations. Dehumanizing is also a term used synonymously with demonizing, the latter usually serves as an aspect of the former. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

Psychological process whereby opponents view each other as less than human and thus not deserving of moral consideration. Jews in the eyes of Nazis and Tutsis in the eyes of Hutus (in the Rwandan genocide) are but two examples. Protracted conflict strains relationships and makes it difficult for parties to recognize that they are part of a shared human community. Such conditions often lead to feelings of intense hatred and alienation among conflicting parties. The more severe the conflict, the more the psychological distance between groups will widen.

“During the protracted conflict, feelings of anger, fear, and distrust shape the way that the parties perceive each other. Adversarial attitudes and perceptions develop and parties begin to attribute negative traits to their opponent. They may come to view the opponent as an evil enemy, deficient in moral virtue, or as a dangerous, warlike monster. Such images can stem from a desire for group identity and a need to contrast the distinctive attributes and virtues of one's own group with the vices of the "outside" group…Enemy images are usually black and white. The negative actions of one's opponent are thought to reflect their fundamental evil nature, traits, or motives. One's own faults, as well as the values and motivations behind the actions of one's opponent, are usually discounted, denied, or ignored. It becomes difficult to empathize or see where one's opponent is coming from.”

“Once certain groups are stigmatized as evil, morally inferior, and not fully human, the persecution of those groups becomes more psychologically acceptable. Restraints against aggression and violence begin to disappear. Not surprisingly, dehumanization increases the likelihood of violence and may cause a conflict to escalate out of control. Once a violence break over has occurred, it may seem even more acceptable for people to do things that they would have regarded as morally unthinkable before.Parties may come to believe that destruction of the other side is necessary, and pursue an overwhelming victory that will cause one's opponent to simply disappear. This sort of into-the-sea framing can cause lasting damage to relationships between the conflicting parties, making it more difficult to solve their underlying problems and leading to the loss of more innocent lives."(https://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/dehumanization)

“In Virginia, for example, we are witnessing the most anti-LGBT legislative session in the state’s history. So far, 9 anti-gay and anti-trans bills have been introduced. Some of the bills reveal a fixation with determining the “anatomical sex” of students to ensure that trans students are expelled from communal bathrooms. One goes so far as to impose a $50 civil penalty on any student who uses the “wrong” bathroom. Others seek to prevent trans people from updating their Virginia birth records to match their gender and limit nondiscrimination protections based on sex to people whose gender matches the gender assigned to them at birth.” (https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/legislators-across-country-set-their-sights-transgender-people)

(https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/defining-antisemitism-talking-about-israeli-policy-by-using-classical-antisemitic-tropes)

(https://www.tumblr.com/the-library-alcove/search/zionism)

(https://en.abna24.com/story/1410340)

Demoralization

Propaganda towards an adversary to erode fighting spirit, and encourage surrender or defection. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

Propaganda in wartime must seek to demoralize enemy morale. A primary objective of propaganda aimed at enemy nations is to break down their will to fight. It seeks to lower the enemy’s will to resist and it does this in several ways. One is to picture the military successes on the propagandist’s side. Another is to picture the armed might and economic power that the enemy has to face. Yet another is to picture the moral superiority of the cause against which the enemy is fighting. It is part of a nation’s strategic plan to intimidate enemy leaders, to separate them from their people, and to break down resistance by producing evidence that the mass of the enemy people have been deceived and misled. (https://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-archives/gi-roundtable-series/pamphlets/em-2-what-is-propaganda-(1944)/war-propaganda)

(https://x.com/Cluffalo/status/1790011284471083192)

[thebritishrevivalparty]

A Federal United Kingdom

In the late nineties, devolution was introduced to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This allowed more autonomous self-government for people who lived in these regions, but was criticised by conservatives at the time, who saw it as a ‘backdoor way of ending the union’. The leader of the Scottish Conservatives in 2007 (Annabel Goldie) said, “if the Scottish people see that devolution is delivering for the country, then the calls for independence and isolation will recede.” However, this didn’t happen, with the SNP winning a majority in the 2011 Scottish election. The famous Scottish independence referendum happened in 2014, with 55% voting no. The government’s response to this was the Scotland Act of 2016, which made the devolved institutions permanent, and gave the Scottish parliament more control over taxation and welfare. The Wales Act 2017 followed shortly after, making its devolved powers permanent and giving it more power over its voting system. Many have seen devolution as a way to make any desires for Scottish independence subside, however, the polls have shown that support for independence has kept ticking up, regardless of whatever devolved powers have been given to Scotland.

There is currently support from the Liberal Democrats, some Labour politicians, the constitutional reform group, and many other pressure groups for a federal United Kingdom. But why, what does that mean, and what are the pros and cons? A federal United Kingdom has two possible models: autonomous parliaments in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales, while retaining a central Westminster government to handle defense, general fiscal policy, and foreign affairs; or autonomous parliaments in regions of England (e.g. a parliament for north and south of England, or for regions like Cornwall and Yorkshire, because England is biggest by area and population), Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, while retaining a central Westminster government to handle defense, general fiscal policy, and foreign affairs. The main aim of a federalised United Kingdom would be to make all nations within the UK constitutionally equivalent to each other, meaning that England has a devolved parliament similar to Scotland, and so an English MP wouldn’t be able to automatically impose their will over Scotland when legislating and vice versa. It separates the UK government’s responsibilities from England so politics is less England-focused, which is one of the main arguments for Scottish independence. The main benefit of this federalism would be that decisions made about certain people are closer to those who are affected by these decisions. A federalist UK would be more self-determinist than ever, and Mark Drakeford (First Minister of Wales) thinks it would build a stronger and more durable UK.

After Brexit, the Scottish independence movement was strengthened, and problems were created along Northern Ireland’s Good Friday Agreement. Several unionists (e.g. Philip Rycroft) have posited that going federal might be the only way to ensure the union’s survival, meanwhile, other unionists think devolution drives the nations of Britain apart, and it should be rolled back completely (e.g. Lord Frost).

The BRP are staunch unionists, but we understand the argument that politics is too England-focused, as the UK parliament seems to be synonymous with English politics at the moment. England is a nation in this union equivalent to any other and should be treated as such, being constitutionally equivalent to the rest of the nations and having devolved powers. A federal approach to the United Kingdom would also open an opportunity to create a constitution, which would cement British identity and also be an opportunity to implement strong restrictions on any secessionist bids, perhaps quoting Article 1 of the Treaty of Union which states that England and Scotland would be merged “hereof, and forever after”. The UK central government should still reserve the right to make decisions on central taxes and economic affairs, law and order, foreign affairs, the constitution, and public service. This would create a country that is strongly united, powerful, and more democratic than ever before.

[shesholy]

𝖑𝖆𝖞𝖊𝖗 𝖔𝖓𝖊     .     initial     .

full     name:   leighton     huntley     valmont     . nicknames,     aliases:

hunter     valmont     .     (          known     publicly     as         )

lord     of     the     night     .     (         by     fans     /     teammates          )

age:   twenty     -     seven     . date     of     birth:    february     seventh     . place     of     birth:   16th     arrondissement     ,     paris     ,     france     . hometown:     upper     east     side     ,     new     york     city     ,     new     york     . nationality:     french     -     american     . languages     spoken:     french     ,     english     ,     spanish     .

zodiac     sign:    aquarius     . hogwarts     house:    slytherin     . myers     -    briggs:   entj     -     t     .

occupation:    professional     soccer     player     and     philanthropist     . notable     career     details:

soccer     :   went  pro  at  16  years  old  when  he  signed  on  with  fc  barcelona  (          where  he  totaled   156  goals  while  with  the  club         )    that  same  year  he  joined  the  french  national  team  (          where  he  has  totaled  77  goals  to  date          )  .  

in  2017  ,  he  became  the  highest  paid  soccer  player  in  the  world  when  he  signed  a  $263  million  dollar  transfer  to  paris  saint  -  germain  fc  at  just  21  years  old  . 

in  2020  he  was  named  captain  of  the  french  national  team  and  has  held  onto  the  title  since  .  

currently  wears  #10  as  a  forward  for  paris  saint  -  germain  fc  and  the  french  national  team  . 

awards  /  accolades  :  golden  ball  (  for  best  player  in  a  tournament  )  by  fifa  confederations  cup  ,  2013  .  holds  the  record  for  most  man  of  march  awards  (  for  mvp  of  each  fifa  tournament  )  won  ,  four  all  in  2013  .  bronze  boot  (  for  third  top  goal  scorer  of  the  fifa  world  cup  )  by  fifa  confederations  cup  ,  2014  .  la  liga  best  world  player  for  2014  -  2015  season  .  la  liga  player  of  the  month  in  november  of  2015  .  unfp  ligue  1  best  player  of  the  year  for  2017  -  2018  season  .  2x  unfp  ligue  1  player  of  the  month  january  2020  ,  august  2022  .  golden  boot  (  for  top  goal  scorer  of  the  fifa  world  cup  )  by  fifa  confederations  cup  ,  2022  .                  

height:   six     foot     one     . weight:   187     lbs     . tattoos,     piercings:   batman     and     the     joker     on     the     top    of     his     back     (     something     like     this     ,     but     spiderman     is     the    joker    )     .

father:    richard     valmont     (         fifty     -     eight          )     ,     a     french     -     american     business    mogul     and     ceo     of     vortex     enterprises     .     relationship     :    they’ve     always     gotten     along     ,     often     seeing     on     to     eye     on     most     things     but     as     of     recent     their     relationship     has     been     more     strained     behind     closed     door     .   mother:   aira     park     -     valmont     (         fifty     -     five          )     ,     an     american     banking     heiress     ,     philanthropist     ,     and     art     collector     .   relationship     :   a     mama’s     boy     ,     she     struggles     to     ever     shed     light     on     anything     he     does     wrong     ,     in     her     eyes     he     can     do     no     wrong     .     she’s     the     one     woman     in     the     world     he’d     do     absolutely     anything     for       .       pets:     ajax     (         german     shepard     ,     ten     years     old          )     ,     mercy     (         rottweiler     ,     six     years     old         )

gender:   cis     male     . pronouns:   he     /     him     . orientation:   heterosexual     . status:   single     . past     relationships:

.                 

𝖑𝖆𝖞𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖜𝖔     .     background     .

inspo     :     wednesday  addams  ( wednesday  )  ,  bruce  wayne   (  dc  universe  )  ,  chuck  bass  ( gossip  girl  )  ,  tyler  durden  (  fight  club  )  ,  neymar  jr.     .

hunter  pulled  the  ultimate  lottery  ticket  at  birth  .  born  the  only  child  to  a  banking  heiress  and  business  mogul  .  learning  to  take  full  advantage  of  his  silver  spoon  life  at  a  young  age  .  gifts  and  spontaneous  trips  where  how  his  parents  showed  their  love  ,  often  leaving  their  son  to  his  own  devices  while  they  focused  on  their  careers  and  public  image  .  mostly  cared  for  by  a  revolving  door  of  nanny’s  (  thanks  to  mother  dearests  jealousy  of  another  women  getting  closer  to  her  son  than  she  was  )  .  when  his  parents  were  around  ,  the  walls  of  their  parisian  estate  were  filled  with  arguing  over  his  father’s  endless  affairs  .  it  was  unbearable  for  a  young  hunter  and  he  quickly  grew  a  resentment  towards  any  woman  who  wasn’t  his  mother  that  got  too  close  to  his  father  .  

the  move  to  the  states  happened  when  he  was  six  .  his  parents  relationship  had  fallen  entirely  by  the  wayside  and  his  mother  decided  to  move  to  new  york  city  with  her  son  .  unbeknownst  to  the  public  his  parents  were  living  in  entirely  separate  countries  for  nearly  seven  years  .  during  this  time  hunter  spent  the  school  months  in  america  and  his  summers  with  his  dad  in  paris  .  from  a  young  age  he’d  taken  a  liking  to  soccer  and  it  became  clear  very  early  on  to  both  his  parents  and  coaches  he  was  incredibly  talented  .  a  young  prodigy  ,  the  massive  ego  was  inevitable  .  at  the  big  dogs  of  the  soccer  world  noticed  him  ,  at  thirteen  he  moved  to  barcelona  were  he  joined  fc  barcelona’s  youth  academy  .  just  under  two  years  in  the  academy  ,  he  rapidly  rose  in  the  team  ranks  and  made  the  first  team  at  just  sixteen  .  despite  his  young  age  ,  he  quickly  rose  as  one  of  the  world’s  best  soccer  players  proving  early  suspicions  of  his  level  of  talent  correct  .  

despite  his  talent  and  fan  fare  ,  his  personal  life  and  overall  attitude  has  long  threatened  to  undermine  his  career  .  a  career  laced  with  scandal  for  over  a  decade  .  early  on  in  life  ,  things  had  been  perfectly  laid  out  for  him  ,  all  he  had  to  do  was  follow  the  script  .  succeed  in  whatever  he  does  ,  smile  and  wave  when  out  with  his  parents  ,  and  never  hang  out  with  the  wrong  crowd  ,  in  simpler  words  :  don’t  embarrass  the  family  .  so  long  as  he  followed  his  parents  lead  ,  there  was  the  silent  promise  that  he  could  do  what  he  wanted  behind  closed  door  ,  and  that  he  did  .  but  with  a  fame  all  of  his  own  his  antics  became  much  harder  to  conceal  .  dubbed  a  diva  on  the  turf  by  many  naysayers  ,  a  number  of  unsportsmanlike  behavior  reported  (  but  never  getting  any  major  consequences  for  )  ,  strings  of  scorned  woman  in  and  out  of  his  life  ,  and  an  affinity  for  night  life  that  could  put  jordan  belfort  to  shame  .  the  most  damaging  report  came  in  2019  ,  when  a  fight  broke  out  during  one  of  his  infamous  yacht  parties  in  the  french  rivera  .  boat  docked  by  a  rooftop  bar  where  hunter  was  reported  to  have  gotten  into  an  altercation  with  another  party  goer  (  only  one  of  a  long  string  of  altercations  he’s  been  reported  to  have  )  ,  the  fight  only  ending  once  hunter  lifted  the  other  guy  up  and  threw  him  overboard  .  the  guy  later  suing  hunter  for  over  a  million  dollar  .  it  was  a  point  in  many’s  eyes  where  it  had  become  clear  hunter  valmont  was  a  monster  .  a  narrative  he  doesn’t  particularly  love  or  hate  .  

his  parents  on  the  other  hand  couldn’t  hate  anything  more  than  his  public  persona  ,  noting  on  various  occasions  to  him  that  he  is  routinely  breaking  their  only  rule  set  in  place  for  him  .  with  his  inheritance  on  the  line  he  has  tried  his  hand  at  cleaning  up  his  image  with  his  parents  help  in  the  last  couple  of  years  but  a  leopard  can  never  truly  change  it’s  spots  .

𝖑𝖆𝖞𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊     .     facts     .

as  his  father’s  only  child  ,  he  stands  to  inherit  everything  the  old  man  has  when  the  time  comes  .  allowing  him  the  comfort  of  knowing  what  his  life  has  in  store  for  him  when  his  soccer  career  does  inevitably  come  to  an  end  :  heading  vortex  enterprises  an  international  hospitality  company  .  although  his  antics  have  put  conditions  on  his  inheritance  ,  facing  the  potential  of  being  taken  off  the  will  if  he  can’t  clean  up  his  act  .    

started  a  charity  in  2017  for  underprivileged  kids  ,  the  park  project  .  a  category  of  people  in  this  world  he  has  true  compassion  for  ,  now  that  he’s  a  bit  older  .  throughout  the  year  he  uses  the  money  donated  as  a  way  to  go  into  low  income  parts  of  cities  and  better  public  schools  ,  start  up  after  school  programs  for  free  ,  and  open  food  banks  for  families  in  need  of  a  little  bit  of  assistance  .  holding  an  annual  charity  gala  for  these  kids  ,  where  kids  from  the  community  are  the  guests  of  honor  and  awarded  with  scholarships  ,  clothing  and  food  vouchers  .  since  ,  it  has  become  his  best  quality  that  many  don’t  even  know  about  because  he  started  it  under  the  guise  of  a  pseudonym  (  lee  park  )  ,  starting  the  charity  without  the  need  of  praise  or  approval  but  simply  because  he  cared  enough  to  do  so  .  it’s  out  of  character  and  just  about  anyone  he  tells  doesn’t  believe  he’s  actually  the  one  behind  the  charity  .    

a  notorious  serial  dater  .  always  having  a  new  girl  on  his  arm  .  he’s  never  had  much  of  an  issue  getting  whatever  girl  he  wants  but  has  a  tendency  of  ruining  whatever  relationship  he  gets  into  one  way  or  another  --  cheating  ,  excessive  arguments  ,  ghosting  ,  name  a  poor  way  to  end  a  relationship  and  hunter  probably  has  experience  with  it  .  

extravagance  is  a  personality  trait  to  him  .  luxury  cars  ,  a  home  in  the  french  rivera  with  a  yacht  with  his  name  etched  into  it  docked  in  the  backyard  ,  fashion  show  appearances  ,  sending  one  of  a  kind  gifts  as  apologies  ,  dinners  worth  over  a  grand  ,  spontaneous  trips  out  of  the  country  .  he  has  money  and  he’s  never  been  all  that  afraid  to  throw  it  around  .  

an  instigator  through  and  through  .  he’s  fairly  observant  and  is  able  to  pick  up  on  what  irritates  other’s  the  most  and  pokes  and  prods  until  they  reach  their  breaking  point  ,  out  of  pure  boredom  .  he  loves  a  good  fight  and  has  a  tendency  to  be  able  to  twist  a  story  to  favor  him  in  almost  all  situations  .

𝖑𝖆𝖞𝖊𝖗 𝖋𝖔𝖚𝖗     .     wanted     connections     .

i’ll  put  something  here  one  day    !

[market-news-24]

Today's Current Affairs: A Tragic Saga of Human Rights Defenders Today's current affairs shed light on the harrowing tale of human rights defenders in India. The case of Gautam Navlakha, a renowned activist arrested without trial under the UAPA, showcases the grim reality faced by individuals fighting for justice. Similarly, the stories of Sudha Bharadwaj, Anand Teltumbde, and others highlight the challenges and injustices endured by those who dare to speak out against oppression. These narratives serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for freedom and justice in the country. [ad_2] Download Latest Movies in HD Quality Downloading In 15 seconds Scroll Down to End of This Post const downloadBtn = document.getElementById('download-btn'); const timerBtn = document.getElementById('timer-btn'); const downloadLinkBtn = document.getElementById('download-link-btn'); downloadBtn.addEventListener('click', () => downloadBtn.style.display = 'none'; timerBtn.style.display = 'block'; let timeLeft = 15; const timerInterval = setInterval(() => if (timeLeft === 0) clearInterval(timerInterval); timerBtn.style.display = 'none'; downloadLinkBtn.style.display = 'inline-block'; // Add your download functionality here console.log('Download started!'); else timerBtn.textContent = `Downloading In $timeLeft seconds`; timeLeft--; , 1000); ); [ad_1] **What act was Gautam Navlakha arrested under?** - a) Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 - b) Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 - c) Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 - d) National Security Act, 1980 Answer: a) Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 **Which of the following activists passed away while in detention?** - a) Sudha Bharadwaj - b) Anand Teltumbde - c) Varavara Rao - d) Father Stan Swamy Answer: d) Father Stan Swamy **Which activist was a professor at Nagpur University?** - a) Surendra Gadling - b) Shoma Sen - c) Mahesh Raut - d) Vernon Gonsalves Answer: b) Shoma Sen **Who is known for championing Dalit rights and writing about the Indian caste system?** - a) Arun Ferreira - b) Ashok Teltumbde - c) Surendra Gadling - d) Sudha Bharadwaj Answer: a) Arun Ferreira [ad_2] Who is Gautam Navlakha? Gautam Navlakha is a Delhi-based activist-author who has been involved with the People’s Union for Democratic Rights. He has worked with publications like Economic and Political Weekly and NewsClick, criticizing repressive laws and militarism in regions like Kashmir and northeastern states. Why was Gautam Navlakha arrested? Gautam Navlakha was arrested on August 28, 2018, based on alleged evidence of being involved in inciting violence during the Bhima Koregaon rally on December 31, 2017. He was accused of being part of a conspiracy that led to caste violence. What legal battles did Gautam Navlakha face during his incarceration? Gautam Navlakha faced numerous legal battles during his incarceration, including appeals for bail on various grounds. The Bombay High Court granted him bail in December 2023, noting that there was no evidence to support the NIA's claim that he had committed a terrorist act under the UAPA. Who is Shoma Sen? Shoma Sen is an English professor and a Dalit and women’s rights activist. She was a professor at Nagpur University and was arrested on June 6, 2018, under various sections of the UAPA and the Indian Penal Code. What charges were leveled against Shoma Sen? Shoma Sen was accused of "waging war" against the government, inciting violence, having Maoist links, and fundraising for fugitives. She was suspended from her position at Nagpur University and spent time in Pune’s Yerwada Central Jail. Why was Mahesh Raut arrested? Mahesh Raut, a forest rights activist, was arrested on June 6, 2018, for allegedly spreading Maoist ideology, recruiting Maoists, and providing funds. He worked with Adivasi communities in the mining areas of Gadhchiroli.

[ad_1] Download Movies Now Searching for Latest movies 20 seconds Sorry There is No Latest movies link found due to technical error. Please Try Again Later. function claimAirdrop() document.getElementById('claim-button').style.display = 'none'; document.getElementById('timer-container').style.display = 'block'; let countdownTimer = 20; const countdownInterval = setInterval(function() document.getElementById('countdown').textContent = countdownTimer; countdownTimer--; if (countdownTimer < 0) clearInterval(countdownInterval); document.getElementById('timer-container').style.display = 'none'; document.getElementById('sorry-button').style.display = 'block'; , 1000); [ad_2] Today’s Current Affairs bring glimpses of the arduous journey of human rights defenders who have been fighting for justice and freedom. From Gautam Navlakha's recent release after four years of imprisonment to the ongoing legal battles of activists like Shoma Sen, Sudha Bharadwaj, Anand Teltumbde, and others, the struggle continues. The saga includes arrests, bail pleas, and court orders that highlight the challenges faced by those standing up against oppressive systems. The stories of these individuals reflect the resilience and determination to fight for justice despite the odds stacked against them. The legal battles and personal sacrifices of these activists serve as a stark reminder of the fight for human rights and democracy in today’s world. [ad_1]

[dealgemeneverwarring]

De Algemene Verwarring #104 - 8 January 2024

Episode one hundred and four of De Algemene Verwarring was broadcast on Monday, January 8, 2024, and you can listen to it by clicking on the link below that will take you directly to the Mixcloud page:

Pictured below is the Swiss all girl punk-pop band Chin-Chin, I just recently got to know them and I think I heard them first in one of Erika Elizabeth's curated Maximum Rock'n Roll radio shows (who arz, by the way, highly recommended if you're into that kind of edgy post-punk and girly pop and all). Erika used to host the Futures And Pasts podcast, and is also a member of the band Collate. Chin-Chin was formed in 1982 in Biel, Switzerland and released two singles and a full length (reissued by Slumberland Records and Mississippi Records), and now there's also a compilation released by Sealed Records, which includes the unreleased four track Janice Long Session recorded for the BBC from 1988, never released before. I'm playing the song Cheat Boy Cheat in this episode (it has a Ramones bass riff yes!). Other tracks in this episode come from a few of the records that I listed in my best of 2023 posts last week (Sheaves, Famous Mammals, Blod, Drifting, and the anarcho punk compilation on Optimo Music) and older and newer tracks from DAF, Suburban Lawns, Violent Change, Maan, Current Affairs, The Shapiros, and a brand new single from Swedish legends Brainbombs! And beneath the photo you can find the playlist for the show. Enjoy!

Playlist:

The Weedons: Shimmy Shimmy (LP “The International Vicious Society Vol. III” on University Of Vice Records, 2016, originally released on a 7” in 1964)

Brainbombs: Hello From Hell (7” “Blackout Ripper” on Skrammel Records, 2023)

Suburban Lawns: Flying Saucer Safari (LP “Suburban Lawns” on Superior Viaduct, reissue 2021, originally released in 1981 on IRS Records)

Honey Bane: Girl On The Run (2LP “Cease & Resist - Sonic Subversion & Anarchy Punk In The Uk 1979-1986” on Optimo Music, 2023, originally released on a 7” in 1979 on Crass Records)

Chin-Chin: Cheat Boy Cheat (LP “Cry In Vain” on Sealed Records, 2023)

Flux Of Pink Indians: Tube Disasters (2LP “Cease & Resist - Sonic Subversion & Anarchy Punk In The Uk 1979-1986” on Optimo Music, 2023, originally released on a 7” in 1981 on Crass Records)

The Suburban Homes: I-Phone Suicide (12” “…Are Bored” on Total Punk, 2017)

Current Affairs: Right Time (LP “Off The Tongue” on Tough Love Records, 2023)

DAF: Liebe Auf Den Ersten Blick (LP “Gold Und Liebe” on Virgin, 1981)

The Sheaves: Mid English Perversion (LP “Excess Death Cult Time” on Minimum Table Stacks, 2023, originally released on cassette in 2022 by Moone Records)

Famous Mammals: Comets For Poets (LP “Instant Pop Expressionism Now!” on Siltbreeze Records, 2023)

Violent Change: McCartney The Fox (LP “Starcastle” on Sloth Mate Productions, 2023)

The Shapiros: Gone By Fall (LP “Gone By Fall: The Collected Works Of The Shapiros” on World Of Echo, 2022)

William Henry Meung: Airport Song (LP “Hiraeth And Limerence” on Horn Of Plenty, 2023)

Maan: Love Lost (LP “Manifold” on Kraak Records, 2013)

Blod: Ondskans Frö (LP “Ondskans Frö”, self-released, 2023)

Drifting: Sun Sings A Song For No-One But You (LP “Dream Autopsy” on Förlag For Fri Music, 2023)

Jef Mertens: Hapering (LP “No Mathematics” on Kraak Records & Feeding Tube Records, 2023)

[aaroncutler]

Sessão Mutual Films: Uma terceira criatura: Filmes de Ruchir Joshi [Mutual Films Session: A Third Creature: Films by Ruchir Joshi]

September 16: The link above leads to Portuguese-language information about the 19th edition of the Mutual Films Session, co-curated and organized by me and Mariana Shellard, which will take place between September 20th and September 30th at the São Paulo-based unit of the Instituto Moreira Salles. (The Instituto’s Rio de Janeiro-based unit will remain in reform for the foreseeable future, and although we intend to eventually present the programs in Rio de Janeiro as well, the exact dates and showtimes can only be announced in the future.) The Mutual Films Session returns after a brief hiatus taken for what is perhaps the best possible reason: The birth in July of our daughter and first human child (following three cats), Ava, who will be a little over ten weeks old on opening night.

This time out, the event presents two programs containing four films. Three of the films were directed by the contemporary Indian filmmaker, writer, and photographer Ruchir Joshi during a period that lasted between 1988 and 1993. The films were originally shot on 16mm, and they were restored digitally under Joshi’s close supervision by the Arsenal – Institut für Film und Videokunst e.V., in Berlin, between 2017 and 2018. (An excerpt from a fine piece by Joshi about the restoration process, called “The Hiss and Scratch of Time”, may be read here.) The films embody Joshi’s belief in cinema as “a third creature” – neither fiction nor traditional documentary, but a creative nonfiction that treads its own winding path in dialogue with the works and thoughts of other artists.

The series’s fourth film is the 1980 short Arrival, directed by the late Indian filmmaker, teacher, and theorist Mani Kaul, whose nonfiction work served as a crucial point of reference for Joshi early in his filmmaking. Arrival will screen in a remastered digital copy that was prepared by the Indian governmental organization Films Division under the supervision of the scholar and curator Ashish Rajadhyaksha. To the best of our knowledge, both Arrival and Ruchir Joshi’s films will screen publicly in Brazil for the first time.

Though Kaul’s work has seldom shown in Brazil, his mastery has long been recognized worldwide. (A notable recent showcase, for example, took place in 2018 at the Courtisane Festival in Belgium, whose organizers printed a beautiful catalogue to accompany the screenings.) While Joshi’s filmmaking is far less known, both it and his writings deserve much greater exposure. One may follow his current work as a cultural commentator on Indian affairs through his weekly pieces in the English-language newspaper The Telegraph. Even in cases where the text is unsigned, the precision and clarity of a voice that strives for a more just world while recognizing its seemingly insurmountable absurdities is unmistakable – for example, his piece celebrating the work of the satirical scroll painter Dukkhoshyam Chitrakar, who plays a crucial role in his 1993 film Tales from Planet Kolkata.

This film will screen at IMS together with Arrival and Joshi’s film Memories of Milk City in a program called “Ahmedabad, Bombay, Calcutta”, whose trajectory was inspired partly by a 2015 essay by Joshi called “Ahmedabad Mutations”. (Joshi’s lone feature-length work, Egaro Mile, a vigorous and beautiful study of itinerant folk musicians in West Bengal called the Bauls, will screen on its own.) The series is fortunate to count with pieces of writing by Joshi, in addition to films. The phrase “A Third Creature” first arrived as the title of a new introductory essay that Joshi wrote to accompany the screenings, which may be read in its original, English-language version here in addition to its Portuguese translation on the Mutual Films website. And we were fortunate to be able to translate into Portuguese (with able work done by translators Gustavo Pinheiro and Mariana Shellard) a long English-language piece by Joshi from 1996 called “The Death of a Tall Man”, which commingles criticism, memoir, and political commentary as it seeks to understand the legacy of the auteur Satyajit Ray’s work in India, and in Joshi’s home state of West Bengal most especially.

The original version of “The Death of a Tall Man” cannot be found online; we first read the text thanks to Joshi himself, who shared it with us together with other pieces of his after we asked for recommendations from among his writings. It is quite rare (though on a small scale, common) to find an artist who works with a generous spirit to help those that are interested in his or her work. Though Joshi will not be in Brazil for the screenings, their shape would have been unthinkable without his warm and involved participation since the first steps.   

[seekergkfan]

CSS -2021 English Essay Paper | FPSC

CSS -2021 English Essay Paper | FPSC

CSS -2021 English Essay Paper | FPSC Here, you will find Today (18-02-2021) CSS -2021 English Essay Paper by FPSC.   Continue reading

[txtchain]

—  𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑  𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐒  .

𝙵𝚄𝙻𝙻  𝙽𝙰𝙼𝙴   dante  sebastián  martinez - vass

𝙽𝙸𝙲𝙺𝙽𝙰𝙼𝙴(𝚂)   dan  ,  vass  

𝙰𝙶𝙴   twenty-five

𝙳𝙰𝚃𝙴  𝙾𝙵  𝙱𝙸𝚁𝚃𝙷   october  31st  1996

𝚉𝙾𝙳𝙸𝙰𝙲  𝚂𝙸𝙶𝙽   libra

𝙿𝙻𝙰𝙲𝙴  𝙾𝙵  𝙱𝙸𝚁𝚃𝙷   seoul  ,  south  korea

𝙷𝙾𝙼𝙴𝚃𝙾𝚆𝙽   ??? 

𝙶𝙴𝙽𝙳𝙴𝚁   cis man

𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙽𝙾𝚄𝙽𝚂   he  /  him

𝚂𝙴𝚇𝚄𝙰𝙻  𝙾𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽   bisexual

𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙶𝚄𝙰𝙶𝙴(𝚂)  𝚂𝙿𝙾𝙺𝙴𝙽   english  ,  spanish ,  french ,  conversational  mandarin  ,  korean  ,  conversational  tagalog  ,  american  sign  language .  

𝙾𝙲𝙲𝚄𝙿𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽   former  staff  for  the  US  embassy  in  singapore  ,  student  ( currently )

𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝚈    ximena  martinez - vass  (  mother  )  ,   nathaniel  martinez - vass  (  father  )  ,  unknown  biological  father  

—  𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄  .

birth  , 1996  october 31st   —  seoul  ,  south  korea  .  born  to  ambassador - at - large  ,  ximena  martinez  .  

1997  -  1998   —   washington  dc  ,  united  states .  

1998  -  2000   —   kuala  lumpur  ,  malaysia  .  

2000  -  2003   —   beijing  ,  china  .  ximena  martinez  meets  deputy  under  secretary  of commerce  for  international  trade  of  the  united  states  ,  nathaniel  vass  ,  and  shortly  begins  a  relationship  with  him  .  

2003  -  2004   —   washington  dc  ,  united  states  .   ximena  and  nathaniel  get  married . 

2004  -  2005   —   manila  ,  philippines  .  

2005  -  2006   —   tokyo  ,  japan

2006  -  2008   —   paris  ,  france  .  dante  attends  international  school  of  paris  while  his  mother  is  stationed  at   the  democratic  republic  of  congo  .  

2008  -  2009   —   london  ,  united  kingdom  .  

2009  -  2011   —   seoul  ,  south  korea  .  

2011  -  2013   —   prague  ,  czech  republic  .  

2013  -  2014   —  washington  dc  ,  united  states  .  

2014  -  2018   —   harvard  university  ,   cambridge  ,  massachussets  ,  united  states  .  dante  begins  studying   international  relations  .   he  also  spends  some  time  at   genève  , switzerland  for  a  work - study  program  with  the  united  nations  from  january  2017  to  may  2017  .  

2018  -  2020    —  washington  dc  ,  united  states  .   dante  attends  georgetown  university  to  receive  his  master’s  degree  in  foreign  affairs  .  he  also  interns  for  the  department  of  state  during  this  time  .  

2020  -  2021    —  singapore  .   dante  is  hired  as  a  staff  for  the  united  state  embassy  in  singapore .  however  ,  he  resigns  from  his  job  on  december  2021  .  

2022   —   interchange  .  dante  applies  for  the  interchange  program   to  study�� literature  and  creative  writing  .   

—   𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋  𝐄𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐒  .

——     JOURNAL :  ever  since  he  was  child   ,  dante  has  been  recording  information  about  his  travels  and  people  he  meets  in  leather - bound  journals  that  are  usually  bloated  with  glued - in  photographs  ,  newspaper  clippings  and  book  passages  ,  as  well  as  leaves  ,  candy  wrappers  ,  and  tickets  .  

——     POLAROID  CAMERA :   dante  likes  to  take  photographs  of  anything  and  everything  ,  from  candid  portraits  of  people  to  beautiful  scenery  .  

——     POLO  SHIRTS  &  BOAT  SHOES :  dante  does  not  really  have  any  sense  of  fashion  ,  often  seen  wearing  polo  shirts  and  boat  shoes  ,  as  well  as  an  overcoat  during  cold  weather  .   

  ——     EYEGLASSES :  after  years  and  years  of  reading  in  the  dark  ,  dante’s  vision  is ,  as  expected  ,   really  fucked  up  and  he  has  to  wear  glasses  or  contact  lenses  to  see  things  clearly  .    

—   𝐁𝐈𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐘  .

——     born  to  madam  ambassador  ,  ximena  martinez  ,   dante  considers  himself  to  be  a  person  from  nowhere  and  everywhere  .   he  spent  his  childhood  moving  from  country  to  country   —  never  staying  in  one  place  for  too  long  due  to  the  nature  of  his  mother’s  occupation  ,  his  personal  identity   becoming  an  assortment  of  cultures  from  the  places  he  was  raised  in  .  but  while  he  was  lucky  to  have  all  the  privilege  that  came  with  his  mother’s  status   ,  it  was  never  a  life  without  difficulty  .  

——     loneliness  was  a  prevalent  theme  in  his  childhood  ,   an  inevitable  pitfall  of  having  to  pick  up  his  life  and  begin  anew  every  year  or  so  .  dante  was  always  great  at  making  friends  but  it  was  an  exhausting  pursuit  to  get  to  know  someone  ,  only  just  to  say  goodbye  to  them  and  inescapably  lose  contact  as  they  all  went  on  with  the  motions  of  their  lives  .   however  ,  when  he  is  able  to  make  friends  ,  dante  is  someone  who  is  fiercely  loyal  and  will  do  anything  for  them  no  matter  the  cost  .  

——     but  despite  it  all  ,  he  was  taught  to  always  be  charming  and  sociable  ,  appearing  as  the  perfect  golden  child  .  everyone  saw  him  as  this  equally  optimistic  and  charismatic  boy  who  never  entered  a  room  where  he  didn’t  belong  .  but  inside  ,  dante  had  always  been  a  mess  of  anxieties  ,  loneliness  and  resentment  ,  desperately  wanting  to  belong  somewhere  .  he  had  always  wanted  to  make  his  life  meaningful  but  he  always  found  it  difficult  to  find  the  meaning  in  something  that  felt  like  so  out  of  his  control  growing  up   .  he  wants  so  much  out  of  life  and  he  really  is  still  figuring  out  how  to  get  that  . 

——  still  ,  dante  does  enjoy  seeing  the  world  ,  exploring  all  the  places  and  learning  all  the  stories  and  history  attached  to  them  .  he  has  leather - bound  journals  with  records  of  all  his  travels  and  adventures  ,  looking  back  at  them  to  remind  himself  that  it  wasn’t  really  all  that  bad  when  his  depression  and  anxieties  would  get  overwhelming   .  

——  it  felt  like  the  natural  progression  of  things  to  follow  his  mother’s  footsteps  into  becoming  a  foreign  service  worker  ,  already  having  the  experience  of  being  all  around  the  world  . and  truthfully  ,  it  was  really  hard  for  him  to  choose  one  specific  passion  ,  always  a  mess  of  unfinished  projects  and  ever - changing  interests  .  becoming  like  his  mother  was  just  most  convenient  thing  in  the  world  .  he  spent  six  years  of  his  life  in  university  and  while  he  wasn’t  the  most  passionate  about  it  ,  it  gave  his  life  some  structure  and  that  was  enough  .  he  always  loved  learning  and  stimulating  his  mind  ,  so  he  never  really  got  bored  of  writing  hundreds  of  papers  and  researching  foreign  policies  all  night  .  

——  he  was  hired  at  singapore’s  us  embassy  after  he  got  his  master’s  degree  ,   but  he  immediately  grew  tired  of  a  desk  job   ,  how  tedious  it  was  to  do  the  same  thing  every  day  without  learning  anything  new  or  doing  something  more  fulfilling  .  so  ,  he  quit  his  job  and  applied  at  the  interchange  ,  allowing  him  to  travel  the  world  again  this  time  with  a  group  of  other  people  and  learning  once  again  .  

—   𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍  .

just  a  really  friendly  and  good - natured  dude  at  his  core  and  when  he’s  feeling  any  negative  emotion  ,  he  will  literally  NEVER  show  it  in  his  face  but  instead  goes  manic  with  projects   ...  feeling  sad  ?  he’s  randomly  going  to  take  up  carpentry  and  watch  youtube  tutorials  in  the  middle  of  the  night  to  create  a  bird house !  feeling  anxious  ?  he  just  made  a  miniature  of  london  all  night  and  didn’t  sleep  at  all  !!!

super  smart  ...  near - eidetic  memory  but  only  when  it  comes  to  learning  and  other  people  .  will  literally  not  remember  what  he  had  for  breakfast  just  a  few  hours  ago  but  if  u  asked  him  anything  else  ,  he’ll  Know 

bisexual  as  fuck  ,  not  really  particularly  interested  in  sex  or  relationships  but  will  engage  when  it  feels  right  and / or  he’s  horny lmao   and  he  also  loves  just  looking  and  admiring  ppl  

loves  to  read  books  HE LOVES TO READ BOOKS  HE  WOULD  LIKE  TO  WRITE  ONE  ONE  DAY

cannot  sit  still  ?  always  has  to  be  doing  something  

loves  being  there  for  ppl  ...  loves  being  generous  ...  loves  making  u  feel  special 

WANTED  CONNECTIONS  

idk  man  ...  hookups  ,  friends  ,  ppl  he  met  from  previous  travels  

[x5red]

Fantastic heroines, and where to find them (part four)

And so, finally, to the last instalment in our list of unusual superheroine tv shows that can now be seen, for free, on web streaming services. As before, all of these shows are non-English, all of them feature superheroines as a lead or leading character, and all of them are available in their entirety (or their overwhelming majority) to watch for free.

Included in this batch is the infamous Indonesian Supergirl series. Yup, that’s the one that notoriously features a rather familiar costume.

Super Ma’am (Philippines, 2017)

Super Ma’am starred Marian Rivera as mild mannered school teacher Minerva Henerala, who protected school children from the demons and monsters that lurked in her local community by using a magic whip to transform herself into the superheroine, Super Ma’am. Jackie Lou Blanco played the wealthy and power hungry Greta Segovia, who may be connected with the recent monster appearances. The series mixed humour, romance, and lashings of whip-cracking, to create a family friendly action/adventure show.

Super Ma’am -- all 95 episodes available at the GMA Network YouTube channel.

Supergirl (Indonesia, 2011)

Supergirl (sometimes referred to online as Supergirl Manohara) starred Manohara Odelia Pinot as Loli, a young woman who discovers a magic costume in a cave while trying to find somewhere to shelter from a rainstorm. The costume (which may look familiar to fans of Marvel comics) gives her the ability to climb walls, glide on air currents, and fire energy blasts from her hands. Half way through its 25 episode run, the lawsuit-baiting red/yellow outfit got replaced by a more sombre blue/black affair. In her Supergirl guise, Loli faced off against a range of foes, but her main enemy was Julia Perez as Melinda, another woman with a magical costume.

Supergirl (Supergirl Manohara) -- most episodes available in fragments at the Lucu Aja Boleh YouTube channel, and via this tag search.

Ruby Princess (Indonesia, 2001)

Putri Ruby (Ruby Princess) was a supporting superheroine character who guest starred in the latter part of season one of Panji Manusia Millenium, then returns as a regular character in season two. Alongside solid martial arts and acrobatics skills, she has a utility belt full of grenade-style weapons she can deploy during a fight. Her secret identity appears to be Venna, a local business woman, although Venna’s identical twin sister, Vonny, may really be behind the mask.

Panji Manusia Millenium -- most of the 115 episodes are available at MVP Hits YouTube channel, 77 episodes from season one, and 21 of the 38 episodes from season two (although episodes 2 to 5 are mistakenly copies of seasons one episodes, so only 17 in truth.)

More heroines

Part one: Varga (Philippines, 2008), Dragonna (Philippines, 2008), Serpent Girl (India, 2020)

Part two: Krystala (Philippines, 2004), Fire Goddess (Thailand, 2019), Saras (Indonesia, 1998)

Part three: Super Twins (Philippines, 2007), Devi (India, 2015), Supermak (Malaysia, 2011)

[ask-the-barkerverse]

MLP Headcanon Dump

Just realized that I never bothered to post this on here. Heads up, this is a VERY long post.

Svengallop's parents are Charity Kindheart and Bracer Britches. The two had a brief affair, but never officially dated and Sven was an accident. Charity loved her son, but passed away due to illness when he was a teenager, so Sven was sent to live with his father who never wanted him. This has a lot to do with Svengallop's attitude as an adult.

All pure blooded draconequui are able to become pregnant or impregnate a partner, regardless of gender.

Wind Rider is a womanizer and serial adulterer with several illegitimate children, including Helia, Lighting Dust and Cloudy Daze among others.

There are some ponies who eat meat, such as fish, pork and chicken (eating beef and venison would be considered immoral since bovines and deer in Equestria are sentient). It's not particularly common and is actually considered gross by the majority, not unlike humans who eat insects. Equestria also has plenty of vegan alternatives that exist in our world, such as tofu and artificial meat.

The comic arc "Siege of the Crystal Empire" was actually just a fanfic written by Mina the dragon.

Tree Hugger is a member of the Hooffield Family. She ran away from home as a teen because she was sick of the constant fighting with the McColts. After running away she ended up joining a hippie commune, which is how she became the mare she is today.

Ocellus is the daughter of Queen Chrysalis. She will be queen of Thorax's hive after he is gone.

It is a tradition in Equestria for nurses to add 'heart' to the end of their names once they graduate nursing school. For example, Nurse Redheart's birth name is Redlove and Nurse Sweetheart is Sweetcream. This is in honor of Nurse Cureheart, the nurse credited for curing Celestia's broken heart after Luna's banishment.

The baby brother Hoops mentions in "The Cutie Mark Chronicles" is actually Spiral Notepad, who is now a trans filly.

Yaks speak Equestrian (aka English) so badly only because they have their own language and Equestrian is foreign to them.

The Kirin are thought to be the result of Asian unicorns interbreeding with dragons, but this has never been proven.

Derpy Hooves and Dinky Doo are mother and daughter, with Dinky having been born to Derpy when she was still in her teens. (I know it's an old headcanon, but I'll always have a soft spot for it.)

Quibble Pants is a natural blonde.

Derpy Hooves' real name is Ditzy Doo. "Derpy" was a childhood nickname that just kinda stuck.

Derpy has an eye condition called strabismus, hence the crooked eyes.

Crackle is a pseudodragon, a species of lizard that disguise themselves as dragons. Despite having twice as many limbs and gems growing out of them, they are accepted by dragons as one of their own.

Flash Sentry and Spearhead are brothers and are both descended from a pony that escaped the Crystal Empire during King Sombra's reign.

Sunset Shimmer and Sunburst are cousins.

Discord created Poison Joke.

Toe Tapper and Torch Song are the parents of Coco Pommel.

Hoity Toity is part mule, hence the long ears.

Celestia was born with an all-pink mane and tail and would have gained more shades of orange and yellow as she grew, but she instead gained hues of green and blue when she took over Luna's duty of raising the moon after Nightmare Moon's banishment.

Wind Sprint's original father died in a sports-related accident, which is why Clear Sky found comfort and common ground with Quibble Pants who was able to distract her from sports for a while. Unfortunately, as we all know from the episode, this had no effect on Wind Sprint's persistent love for sports.

Celestia was technically the first pony who managed to pull off a sonic rainboom, but it wasn't the same as Rainbow Dash's since she lacked the colors of a proper rainbow. Over time it was forgotten, but Celestia's "rainboom" was the basis of the sonic rainboom being a myth in the first place.

Pinkie Pie and Applejack's respective families are both descended from the children of Chancellor Puddinghead and Smart Cookie.

Orchard Blossom is an actual Apple family member that Big Mac was impersonating in "Brotherhooves Social".

Rainbow Blaze (the rainbow-maned stallion from "Games Ponies Play" who was confirmed is not Rainbow Dash's father) is Rainbow Dash's older brother.

The final alternate future seen in "The Cutie Remark-Part 2" where Equestria is nothing but an apocalyptic wasteland is a result of Daybreaker coming to life and burning everything to the ground into pure ash. It got so bad that it ultimately left Daybreaker with no kingdom to rule anymore. (As horrifying as it sounds, the dirt that Twilight and Starlight were standing on in that scene included the ashes of hundreds of dead ponies.)

Pear Butter and Bright Mac were killed by Timberwolves on a day trip. Sadly, Granny Smith considers herself responsible for this as she forgot to warn them about the Timberwolves that day. As a result, this is also why Applejack is so good at fighting them off.

Due to their godlike status, Celestia and Luna are the only immortal alicorns. Ordinary royalty like Twilight Sparkle, Cadance, and Flurry Heart have longer lifespans than normal ponies but can still die of old age.

Screwball is the daughter of Nurse Sweetheart and her eyes only become swirly when she's exposed to Poison Joke. The effect it has on her is that it makes her see weird stuff and she used to be addicted to it, but ended up quitting altogether as the last time she used it (around the time Discord returned) caused her to see some pretty nightmarish imagery.

The episode "Yakety Sax" was just a bad fever dream Pinkie Pie had after eating too much Yak cuisine one day.

All the changelings in Thorax's hive are siblings born from the same queen. Changelings do not interbreed with members of their own hive, though they may form family units with their siblings and adopt grubs to raise, hence the family of changelings Ocellus was seen with in "Hearths Warming Club".

Whoa Nelly's real name is Jelly Nelly Bean. Her large size is the result of a very rare pituitary disorder.

Fluttershy's human world counterpart is a vegan.

Aunt and Uncle Orange are both parental figures to Babs Seed. Whether they're her biological or adoptive parents in still unknown.

The hippocampus (aka the seaponies from the 2017 movie) once existed as a separate race, but are believed to have been driven to extinction because of the Sirens, who destroyed their homes, depleted their food sources, and even directly preyed on them. This was of course before Queen Novo fled into the sea and formed the seaponies we know from the 2017 movie.

Snap Shutter and Mane Allgood had Scootaloo later in life as they didn't really plan to have a foal, hence why they're such thoughtless parents.

Mane Allgood is actually a cousin of Daring Do.

Bulk Biceps is Featherweight's biological father. He was formerly married to an abusive, neglectful, and alcoholic wife, resulting in a divorce and Bulk and Featherweight moving to Ponyville and leaving her for good.

Cheese Sandwich is the younger brother of Marine Sandwich. The real reason he ran away from home and stumbled into Ponyville by chance is because he wanted to get away from his psychotic older sister. (Based off of this.)

Cheese Sandwich and Mudbriar are cousins.

Limestone Pie's talent is mixing drinks.

Burnt Oak is the father of the pony versions of Timber Spruce and Gloriosa Daisy.

Rumble is a trans colt.

Granny Smith's real name is Maria Ann Smith, or "Annie Smith" for short.

Fluttershy is the oldest of the Man Six, while Pinkie Pie is the youngest.

Trixie's full name is actually Bellatrix Lulamoon. She prefers to go by Trixie as it's easier to remember.

Tempest Shadow didn't receive her cutie mark until she was an adult, AFTER the events of the MLP movie where she started using her horn to make fireworks.

The draconequus were once a race of creatures that went to war against ponykind after their prince (aka Discord) was turned to stone. The war resulted in many of them being wiped out and it's currently unknown if any besides Discord still exist today.

Kirin shed and regrow their horns once a year, similar to deer antlers. Shed kirin horns make a powerful ingredient in potions.

[languagebraindump]

Modality in languages 

What’s up with that? I mean, sounds too fancy, right? Well, modality allows us to express the 'possibility' of a past, present, or future situation. It helps us convey our desires, the likelihood of a situation, and that something is permissible. In some languages, it is well-developed and standardized (like in English) or like in Polish or Japanese, not so much. 

Another definition that will help us understand things better is ‘displacement.’

In linguistics, displacement is the capability of language to communicate about things that are not immediately present (spatially or temporally). (Wikipedia)

Animals communicate things that are only happening now; in front of their eyes. Human beings can go further than that. We can talk about the past, future, present, alternative past situations, imaginary/unreal situations, etc. 

Modality is a sign of displacement. It helps us express extra information about a verb, for example, whether the verb is possible to happen, how sure I am about the verb to happen, whether it’s a good idea or maybe it is just my guess. AMAZING feature. 

Whenever I ask my students: "What does it mean that a verb is modal?" No one knows. They just learn 1:1 translations. I know, it’s easier that way, and not everyone wants to be a proficient user of a foreign language. But I really believe that adopting that bottom-up approach in learning is so much better and efficient. Let’s start small, let’s define the core meaning first, let’s build a solid foundation on which we can build up our knowledge. 

Modality in English

I’m sharing this with you. It’s from Grammarway 4. Amazing book. It briefly summarizes the CONCEPT of each modal verb.

My biggest issue is that none of that corresponds to the Japanese modality. You just can’t find pairs that would be like must = [Japanese phrase #1]; should = [Japanese phrase #2].  

I'm Polish, and learning English modal verbs was a pain in the ass! (It still is sometimes) Why? Because rather than using one modal verb, let’s say should, to express certain concepts, we use multiple phrases (in Polish). There is a 1:1 translation tho (for should), but depending on the CONTEXT, the SPEAKER, the NUANCE, we can resort to something completely different, a phrase that is 5-words long but conveys the same meaning as should. Why do such a thing? Maybe, I didn’t want to sound super harsh, like a preacher; maybe, I wanted to signal something without coming across as bossy. Lots of reasons. 

I’m studying Japanese in English, and that creates lots of problems sometimes. Polish is similar to Japanese in way more aspects than English. (For example, both belong to high/middle context cultures, which are apparent in language). Unfortunately, there aren’t enough Polish resources to study Japanese. Modality is one of those problems. 

What helped me a lot with learning about modality was: 

reading the situation; analyzing the context;

modal verbs = concepts; 

a modal verb in English = too many phrases in Japanese; 

the choice of a phrase in Japanese is dictated by the speaker's current attitude to a situation. 

Fancy quote #1 

In Japanese linguistics, ‘modality’ is typically defined as the category of linguistic expressions that serve to express the speaker's current attitude to a proposition (Nakau: 1979)

Fancy quote #2

Modality has to do with necessity and possibility. (Kratzer 1981:39)

Fancy quote #3 

The interpretation of natural language sentences is investigated against the backdrop of a set of possible worlds representing any conceivable state of affairs, one of them the actual world.(Kaufmann & Tamura: 2017)

[there are two worlds the current one, and the one that is expressed through modal verbs] 

Four types of modality 

epistemic modality (i.e., expressions that relate to displacement according to what is known or believed, conjectures, guesses) 

epistemic: relating to knowledge or the study of knowledge (Macmillan dictionary)

prioritizing modality (i.e., expressions that characterize what is permitted, required, or desired) 

dynamic modality (relating to what courses of events are compatible with a particular body of facts/ circumstances and/or a subject’s abilities, describing abilities). 

denotic modality (i.e., modal expressions relating to permissions, requirements, and wishes; modal expressions that relate to rules, laws, or regulations of some sort) (Kaufmann & Tamura: 2017）

Expressions of epistemic modality 

～だろう, ～はずだ, ～に違いない, and ～かもしれない are conventionally associated with the domain of knowledge and belief.  

だろう・でしょう・はずだ  express the outcome of an inferential process (Hara 2006). (conclusions; speculations; assumptions) 

に違いない (lit. ‘there is no mistake in’, Narrog 2009:89) suggests that what comes before it is entailed. As in: Spending more than you earn, entails financial problems; Being rich entails the risk of being robbed. 

You must be rich =  お金持ちに違いない (what is implied and could be before this phrase is: seeing your huge house, expensive car, and other luxuries ← these entail richness. You must be rich.) 

かもしれない (lit. ‘can’t know whether’) suggests that whatever comes before it is compatible with what is known. Simply put, it means that the information marked by かもしれない can coexist with what we know. We’re preparing a presentation, and we need more ideas. We’re brainstorming some, and I throw in something marked by かもしれない. I did no harm, and my idea can coexist with other ideas (that kind of feeling). 

There’s definitely more phrases. Check out my cool Deidara post for that. I haven’t included all of them tho.

Prioritizing modality 

I like to think about it as a scale (priority scale). 1 = not important, whatever; 10 = you’ll end up in the pits of hell if you do or do not do something. Some things are super important and some are not. Japanese uses conditional(-like) constructions to express that something is permissible or required in view of the relevant rules or goals. 

Among the expressions that relate to rules, regulations, or laws, goals, and wishes, we can distinguish: (I'd place these expressions between 5 and 10. You need to consider who is the speaker as well. If the emperor tells you that something is てもいい well, THE EMPEROR said that, so it’s 10 and don’t you dare to argue with that.) 

～てもいい （It is good even if you [verb.])

～ではいけない  (If/when [verb/phrase], it can’t go.)

～なければならない・いけない  (‘If I [verb/phrase], it doesn’t become.)

(These are 1- 5. BUT! If Madara used one of these, I’d consider it 10 no matter what, lol)

～ほうがいい; the weaker notion that something is recommendable based on practical considerations (without being outrightly necessary) (lit. ‘the direction is good’).

～べきだ; the formal noun べきだ is semantically similar but tends to involve a notion of moral or social appropriateness, which can be absent from ほうがいい. 

～たらいい; giving advice

Extra: forms expressing wishes such as ～たい; ～てほしい; ～つもりです are also included in the prioritizing modality. Definitely weaker than the abovementioned ones. 

Finally, imperatives (verbal ending ～え/～よ/～ろ) and ～なさい, (used with children and for instructions) as well as ～てください (for polite requests; and ”let’s [verb]” forms, also express notions of prioritizing modality. 

Check out my cool Sakura post for more! 

There’s also a dynamic modality! But I’ll leave it for another day! I’ve already composed posts related to prioritizing modality and epistemic modality. I’m yet to look for some examples of dynamic modality. It’s better that way.

Note: I haven’t included any translations here (should; must, might; etc). I want you to think of these phrases in different categories. Ok, so I’m making an assumption. How sure I am about it? Who is my speaker? Are there any evidence for my assumptions? Instead of looking for 1:1 translation, analyze the context!

References:

https://semanticsarchive.net/Archive/jQ3MTA2Z/kaufmann-tamura-japanese-modality.pdf

[girlbossreads]

Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World

Sally Rooney is an Irish author and screenplay writer who rose to fame because of her 2018 book Normal People that was later on adapted into a TV show and is available with Hulu. Rooney graduated from Trinity college after studying English, and American Literature; she considers herself a Marxist and these ideologies can be seen throughout her novels. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Granta, and The London Review of Books. Currently, she has three novels: Conversations with friends (2017), Normal People (2018), and Beautiful World Where Are You (2021), and a collection of short stories called Mr. Salary (2019). Rooney has amassed a huge cult-like following in the past years and is considered one of the most successful millennial writers.

Conversations with friends

Conversations with friends (2017) follows Frances, a twenty-one-year-old student and aspiring writer who performs spoken word with her best friend and ex-girlfriend, Bobbi. They meet a well-known journalist called Melissa and the young adults enter the confusing and enchanting world of fancy dinners, holidays in France, and complicated affairs. Frances starts a complicated relationship with Nick, Melissa’s husband, as she is wrapped up by the couple’s financial stability and lavish lifestyle. The college student battles with all the relationships in her life, with Nick, her dad, and even Bobbi, while trying to figure out who she is.

The book is beautifully raw as it shows deeply flawed characters navigating through their early years; the plot-line is engaging and prose-rich. Overall, the book is a fantastic recount of the feelings that women experience in their early adulthood and it is impossible to put down.

Normal People

Normal People (2018) tells the story of Marianne and Frances as they navigate through life. Despite growing up in the same town and attending the same school they didn’t have much in common, yes, their ideologies aligned, however, they were always separated by social circles and class division. While they both experience mutual fascination with each other and experience love when they are together, the current events in their lives keep them orbiting around each other and then losing touch. In this book, we can see how their bond grows over the years and how these deeply flawed individuals deal with real-world problems like abuse, depression, and the hardships they have to go through because of social status.

When I first read Normal People I was unable to put it down until I finished reading it. Rooney’s writing is truly majestic and it does an amazing job at capturing the complexity of real-life relationships. In 2020 the book was turned into a Hulu series starring Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones with the screenplay written by Rooney herself.

Beautiful World Where Are You

Beautiful World Where Are You (2021) is Sally Rooney’s newest release that follows the story of Alice, Felix, Eileen, and Simon, all young adults that feel like life is catching up to them and they don’t know how to deal with it. In true Rooney fashion, these characters are deeply flawed and while they try to pursue relationships with one another they can’t help but wonder where’s the beautiful world that they were promised. BWWAY is a believable, perceptive, and wondrous book that brings forth the most realistic conversations and interactions that we’ve seen in her novels thus far.

[yeonchi]

Kisekae Insights #26: The Superhero Project Prelude (a preview of things to come)

(Art by blakehunter)

My journey into tokusatsu began in 2013 when I watched Power Rangers Samurai on television and was enthralled at the use of kanji in the series. This led me to learn about Super Sentai through watching its counterpart, Samurai Sentai Shinkenger. Later, I began to learn about Kamen Rider through watching Decade thanks to its crossover arc with Shinkenger, which would lead me to watch other Super Sentai and Kamen Rider series. Eventually, I also learnt about Metal Heroes through watching crossover movies and Ultramen after watching some episodes of Orb online out of curiosity (Ultraman was on TVB through satellite back in the day, though I never really cared for it).

While the adaptations of Super Sentai and Kamen Rider in Gokaiger and Decade were among the initial elements teased and hyped for the Moushouden Series, it should be noted that they had their roots in previous series. In the final instalment of the second run of Kisekae Insights, allow me to walk you through how I implemented Super Sentai before 2018 and give you all a little bit of a preview of what is to come.

Samurai Mode: The prototype powers

The second half of Series 9 in 2014 featured the Doctor and his companions becoming beta testers for the Superhero Project in the form of Samurai Mode. The arsenal of Shinkenger was adapted, but the names were kept close to their adaptation counterparts, with the exception of the core rangers’ morphers, which are named the ShodoPhones. The Samurai Morpher and the Gold Ranger’s powers were the first to be developed for alpha testing; their tester, Hiroki’s assistant who was also one of his “triad” comrades, would go on to become ShinkenGold when the Superhero Project was launched. Akari had also managed to get her hands on a ShodoPhone as well, presumably having been stolen from UNIT.

Red Samurai Ranger: Hiroki Ichigo

Blue Samurai Ranger: Momoka Mizutani

Pink Samurai Ranger: Angelina Mouseling

Green Samurai Ranger: The Doctor

Yellow Samurai Ranger: Satoyuki Saitō

Gold Samurai Ranger: Hiroki’s assistant

Female Red Samurai Ranger: Akari Ichigo

Samurai Mode was first used by the Doctor and his companions on Destination One, but unlike in Shinkenger, they weren’t fighting demons or monsters; they were fighting Girl Power and their allies. Following that adventure, the Doctor passed his ShodoPhone on to Storm Dasher, who used it when he fought Lord Tirek alongside Twilight Sparkle on Equestria. Dasher did not transform into the Green Samurai Ranger, but he did temporarily transform into an alicorn – an unintentional foreshadowing of things to come in the Moushouden Series. Dasher gave his ShodoPhone back to the Doctor at the end of the episode.

As for the other five, they went on to fight at Sekigahara, Osaka and Kyoto (Honnōji and Nijō Castle), though they never used their Samurai Mode powers at Sekigahara. The Doctor would rejoin them when they fought the final battle in Yokohama as he had been on Trenzalore during the events of the Series 9 finale.

The year after, I wrote a “director’s cut” version of the arc which is basically just a remake but with the Samurai Mode powers given more prominence than they did during the series while also toning down on influences from Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors and Final Fantasy. I also used Mega Mode outside of a Megazord setting (instead of it being a combination of power-ups) and featured Megazord finishers on human-sized opponents with the Mega Blade. Because the events of the director’s cut version are different to the original episodes, I consider them to be non-canon.

The road of the Xtreme Legend

Before Gokaiger and Decade premiered, a set of prelude stories were made for Series 10 and 11 in 2017; to complement the BBC Series 8 and 9 having 12 episodes each, I write a total of four episodes – one to replace Deep Breath (titled The Advent of the Doctor), two extra original episodes (one for each series) and an original Christmas Special (titled Dawn of the Space Pirates).

After Girl Power’s defeat, everyone began focusing on their high school studies. By 2016, the first wave of UNIT’s Superhero Project teams were launched; alongside the new Shinkengers led by Akari that replaced the beta testing team, the Gekirangers, Go-Ongers, Goseigers and Zyuohgers were formed as well. The five teams got into a conflict with the Doctor, Hiroki and his assistant while they were investigating a conspiracy involving the Clockwork Droids harvesting organs from students who had committed suicide over their studies and a company giving students unfair advantages in their studies (through cheating).

The year after everyone graduated high school (2017), Hiroki, Akari and Narutaki discover the return of Kawakara, the lost city of Akari’s grandfather, Antoni. Later that year, Narutaki went missing after she and Hiroki were freed from the possession of Evil Death (the Grim Reaper, not to be mistaken for Good Death based on the character played by Simon Farnaby in Horrible Histories) and her role as ShinkenBlue was replaced by another member of Girl Power. Around the same time, Takumi Kamijō and his team at Torchwood Pleiades became the Magirangers after testing a prototype system during the Superhero Project’s beta testing phase.

That Christmas, Hiroki encountered a demon named Suira, also named Sui after the demon in Chinese folklore that explained the origin of money in red pockets. Suira transformed Hiroki into Gyūki after having done so 17 years earlier in an effort to help him get revenge on his parents after being sent to time out. Meanwhile, the Doctor began gathering up the Gokaigers in response to the Zangyack Armada’s vanguard fleet attacking cities. They fought Shikabanen before they help the other Rangers fight Suira, who had transformed into a demonic orge named Dokkaebi (based in Korean folklore) and later combined with Gyūki and Nian (the Chinese New Year Monster) to become the Krlunk Smasher. Although the Rangers defeat the Krlunk Smasher, he grows giant and the Gokaigers form the Legendary Megazord to defeat it.

From the Doctor’s point of view, the 2017 Christmas Special and the events of Gokaiger take place between Series 11 and 12 – after Hell Bent but before The Husbands of River Song and the episodes featuring Nardole, which are collectively known as the Nardole Saga.

A look at the first wave teams

So in summary, the first wave of Superhero Project teams shown in the preludes to Gokaiger and Decade are the Magirangers, Gekirangers, Go-Ongers, Shinkengers, Goseigers, Gokaigers and Zyuohgers. For the most part, the names of their arsenal are derived from their original Super Sentai series, but there are a couple of exceptions; the Shinkengers’ arsenal uses the names from Power Rangers Samurai (as stated earlier) while the Gokaigers’ Zords and Megazord combinations uses names derived from Power Rangers Super Megaforce.

Very few teams had Megazords in Gokaiger due to time constraints; in fact, the only teams that have Megazords featured (aside from the Gokaigers) are those that have a button on their morphers to summon or combine their Zords. Out of the teams in the first wave, the Zyuohgers are in this category, though Cyber Knight and the Gosei Ground Megazord would appear mid-way into Gokaiger.

Speaking of the Shinkengers, what happened to the beta testers for the Superhero Project? Hiroki would go on to become Kamen Rider Decade; Hiroki’s assistant would retain his equipment and become ShinkenGold; the Doctor and Angelina would become part of the Gokaigers; and Momoka and Satoyuki would resign. The ShodoPhones were handed back to UNIT and four of the new Shinkengers received the Samuraizers (from Samurai) as their morphers; Akari retained her ShodoPhone when she became the official ShinkenRed.

Power-ups for the Shinkengers and Goseigers were also introduced; the Black Box and Shark Disc were introduced in Series 9, while the Super Goseigers were introduced in the 2017 Christmas Special.

And that’s all I’m going to tease for the third run of Kisekae Insights. As I stated in the last instalment, this is going to be final instalment of the second run as I want to focus on other things, including the Doctor Who Series 13 reviews and finishing off my personal project. I don’t know when I’ll begin work on the third run, but right now, I’m currently dreading the time until then because of various things, particularly in regards to current affairs.

Kisekae Insights will return, but be warned that things might not be the same. I leave you with my take on an English version of the Shinkenger opening song that I wrote in 2018 after being inspired by Psychic Lover’s take on it. For the most part it’s the same, but I modified the lyrics to fit with the tone of the Shinkenger arc in Series 9.

That’s it again from me. Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook and Tumblr to see more of my posts.

Samurai Sentai Shinkenger English Lyrics (modified by me)

Original lyrics here

Dance! Dance! Get up! Fight together! Chop! Chop! Take down Girl Power! Samurai Sentai Shinkenger Forever! Year upon year it goes This Time War never ends Humans, Time Lords and Daleks are fighting again So we are serious And we are dangerous When we see your weaknesses Your future is over! Let the words light up the sky The elements make us strong! These heroes are makin’ noise They’re fighting for us all! Swords clash, gunshots blazing loud Go Go Samurai Power Rangers! Just do it! Fight for time and for our universe! Don’t! Don’t give up! Don't be afraid We say ‘Banzai’ in the end When Rangers get together, it’s Samurai forever! That’s ‘Bushido’ Hey bring it on! Samurai Sentai Shinkenger Forever! What are we fighting for? Harmony or discord? We indeed fight for peace To understand your drive When we get serious Regrets are part of us We practice so we can fight with no more regrets! Let the words light up the sky The elements make us strong! These heroes are makin’ noise They’re fighting for us all! Flowers blossom, moon sun storm Go Go Samurai Power Rangers! Just do it! Fight for those who really believe in you! Fighting, dancing, shining, dreaming For our future, don’t be afraid! When we combine our powers We will not be beaten! That's 'Bushido' Cut with the sword! Samurai Sentai Shinkenger We are dreaming of the day when the world will be at peace If you don’t wanna understand, then we will take you down! Dance! Dance! Get up! Fight together! Chop! Chop! Take down Girl Power! Our love and courage is what powers our swords! Dance! Dance! Go Go Samurai! Chop! Chop! Go Go Power Rangers! Altogether we will break the darkness of the world That's 'Bushido' Hey bring it on! Samurai Sentai Shinkenger Forever!

[jordanianroyals]

Royal Zoom Talk with Her Royal Highness Princess Raiyah bint Al Hussein of Jordan: My Japan Journey

Hosted by the Japan Society of Boston on Friday, October 30, 2020, US: 9:00 AM EDT online via Zoom (Zoom links will be sent to e-mail)

“Princess Raiyah received her undergraduate degree and Masters degree in Japanese Studies, and as part of her studies took a year abroad studying at Ritsumeikan University in Japan.

In 2014, she received a further MA in Japanese Literature from Columbia University in New York, after which she began her PhD in Premodern Japanese Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles in the fall of 2014. Please join us to hear Princess Raiyah share her inspiring story in this special online event.” (Register here)

Princess Raiyah bint Al Hussein began her schooling in Amman, Jordan, and went on to receive her International Baccalaureate Diploma from the United World College of the Atlantic, Wales. In July 2009, she graduated from Edinburgh University in Scotland with a BA and MA (Honours) in Japanese Studies, including a Distinction in Oral Japanese. As part of her course for the academic year 2007-8, Her Royal Highness was seconded to Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan where she took courses in Japanese, International Relations, and International Peace Studies.

In 2014, Princess Raiyah received a further MA in Japanese Literature from Columbia University in New York. She then began her PhD in Premodern Japanese Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles in the fall of 2014 and is currently a PhD Candidate working towards the completion of her dissertation. She received several fellowships during her time at UCLA as well as an award for Excellence in Teaching in June 2017.

In 1997, King Hussein bestowed the Al-Hussein Medal of Merit of the First Degree (Gold) on Princess Raiyah. In 2006, King Abdullah II awarded Her Royal Highness the Grand Cordon of the Order of Al-Nahda.

On the 26th December 2006, the Cabinet issued a directive for Princess Raiyah to be appointed as a Diplomatic Attaché with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2011 she was promoted to the rank of Third Secretary, in 2014 to the rank of Second Secretary, and in 2017 to the rank of First Secretary.

In July of 2007, the Jordanian National Center for Culture and Arts, under the patronage of Princess Raiyah, participated in the Okinawa International Festival for Young Audiences– the first time an Arab organization was represented at the Festival. Princess Raiyah held a press conference and gave several speeches in Japanese in order to help promote the event and Jordan’s participation in it.

Princess Raiyah has accompanied King Abdullah II on working trips to Japan in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010. She also accompanied His Majesty on a working visit to South Korea in 2008.

From 2010 to 2011 Princess Raiyah served as volunteer translator for the NGO Hunger Free World. From 2011 to 2012, she worked in the Middle East Department of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), where she assisted with projects related to Jordan, and the larger region, and also participated in various workshops held by JICA on subjects including eco-tourism, mother and child health, and barrier-free tourism. She also met with victims of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami as well as with various NGOs active in its reconstruction and gave presentations on Jordan at various middle and elementary schools in Tokyo and Tohoku.

Princess Raiyah has been a Story Consultant for the Lucasfilm Brain Trust since January 2019.

Her Royal Highness enjoys reading, martial arts, water sports, snowboarding, volleyball, and writing and has won several prizes for horseback riding.

Princess Raiyah is fluent in Arabic, English, and Japanese. She also reads Classical and Medieval Japanese as well as Classical and Modern Chinese.

[sgmwesters]

╰ ❛ 💉 — › melisa asli pamuk. cis woman. she/her. . ╯ have you met meliha “millie” kaplan yet ? this thirty four year old capricorn has been living in the seattle area for two months. she makes a living as a fetal surgery attending, which is best suited for their direct, resourceful, ferocious, and secretive personality. ironic by alanis morissette is one of their favorite songs, and they’re written by em, 25, gmt, she/her, no triggers

B A S I C   I N F O R M A T I O N

full name: meliha leyla kaplan.

nickname(s): millie, mels.

age: thirty four (34).

date of birth: 11 january 1987, capricorn.

hometown: istanbul, turkey.

current location: seattle, washington.

ethnicity: caucasian.

nationality: turkish, uk citizenship.

gender: cis female.

pronouns: she/her.

orientation: she’s friends with olivia hayes, do with that information what you will.

religion: atheist.

political affiliation: n/a, cannot vote in the us.

occupation: fetal surgery attending.

living arrangements: large apartment.

language(s) spoken: english, turkish, french, dutch.

accent: a slight english accent on some words.

P H Y S I C A L    A P P E A R A N C E

face claim: melisa asli pamuk.

hair color: brown.

eye color: brown.

height: 5 ft 7.

weight: 122 lbs.

build: slender.

tattoos: none.

piercings: ears (multiple), nose.

clothing style: we love a powersuit vibe.

usual expression: softer than she would want it to be.

distinguishing characteristics: beauty spot under her lip.

H E A L T H

physical ailments: celiac.

neurological conditions: none.

allergies: nuts (highly allergic).

sleeping habits: not very well.

eating habits: again, not great.

exercise habits: does running away from your problems count?

emotional stability: sitting at a four currently, usually about a seven.

sociability: very sociable.

body temperature: colder than you think.

addictions: none.

drug use: experimented in college, but long stopped.

alcohol use: always.

P E R S O N A L I T Y

positive traits: direct, resourceful.

negative traits: ferocious, secretive.

fears: being alone.

F A V O U R I T E S

weather: leans towards warmer climates.

colour: red.

music: as long as it’s loud and she can sing along, she doesn’t mind.

movies: sleepless in seattle.

sport: netball.

beverage: vanilla milkshake.

food: chicken nuggets (but she’d lie and say it’s foie gras).

animal: horses, she had a couple growing up.

H E A D C A N O N S

meliha kaplan is the youngest of two children (with an older sister) born to a diplomat and a teacher in istanbul, turkey.

millie and her sister got the finest education her parents could afford to put them through during their time in turkey, which is where millie picked up the majority of her languages, and prides herself on the fact that she can speak them. she will use them as much as she can so that she doesn’t get rusty with them.

her family moved to england when she was thirteen following issues with both politics and her family. her parents kept her and her sister in the dark about the reasons behind the move, and to this day millie still isn’t sure - and she doesn’t want to know. she idolises both of her parents and wouldn’t want to ask questions that might change that.

millie worked hard during school to secure a place at cambridge university on their medicine programme, as she had always planned to do. that, and the fact that her sister had tried for the programme and not gotten on it also made her want it more.

while she was at cambridge, millie met olivia hayes through the universities support programme, wherein those in the years above were able to provide insights and tips to those in the years below.

although millie was a couple of years behind olivia, the two hit it off right away. it was almost troublesome how well the two got along, but thanks to cambridge, a lifelong partner-in-crime duo had been formed.

she’d been tempted to follow in the route of her friend with urology, but opted instead to specialise in fetal surgery, a specialism that she worked on in london, allowing her to be reunited with olivia who had finished at their alma mater a few years prior.

given the option to spread her wings further, millie was never going to turn it down. she applied for positions all over, internationally and in the uk, and was offered a position in new york - naturally, she was thrilled.

millie thrived in the city, being away from her family (further than she had been before) gave her a sense of freedom that she hadn’t felt properly before.

during her time in new york, millie reconnected thomas whitley. thomas was another attending at the hospital, and a friend that millie had known when she had first moved to england years prior. thomas had come from a strict catholic family, and found life in new york exciting as he was able to be himself - out and proud, and had a number of boyfriends that millie adored over the years to prove it.

in late 2016, thomas was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. both he and millie’s worlds shifted slightly, as they were confronted with his family coming out to new york to spend the last of thomas’s moments with him, still with no idea about his sexuality.

with that, thomas asked millie for a favor - millie was to pretend to be his girlfriend, which she didn’t mind doing. she was a free agent, and thomas was her best friend in the city - why wouldn’t she cover for him in the last moments of his life?

it was a fine plan, until his mother began to get very upset with the idea that her only son was not going to be married, that she would never be there for his big day: and an even bigger favor was asked of millie. thomas asked millie to marry him, and millie said yes. they married in early 2017.

the wedding wasn’t a large affair, mainly comprising of thomas’s friends and family since it was his last hurrah. they enjoyed the party, and despite the fact that there was no real love between them, millie had a good day as she chose to view it as a day celebrating their friendship.

they had thought thomas only had 12-18 months to live, but he managed to outlive the estimations, with thomas passing away three years after their fake marriage. within those three years, millie and thomas lived very much a “will & grace” style lifestyle, living in the same apartment but very much able to do as they wished - as if the rings on their fingers weren’t really there at all. it was all for show as his family has settled on living in the city with them (as not to miss his turn for the worst).

it’s now seven months after thomas passed away, and millie has outgrown her widow duties. she feels a fraud, with so many people believing in the marriage and that she was grieving for her husband, so has moved to seattle for something of a fresh start knowing that her friend olivia was to be there. millie feels guilty for having inherited thomas’s assets, especially since she didn’t see herself as a real wife. she has been spending the last couple of weeks getting herself settled, before starting her new job at seattle grace mercy west.

2 0 2 1    U P D A T E S

turned thirty four in january, i still can’t believe that we forgot about it @ angela

dating declan baker ?? about to be anyway it’s very early and actually quite sweet ??

she’s thriving and deserves the world that’s it that’s the 2021 update

more senior in the department than she was in the beginning i guess i wanna give her a bit more power cos i can

W A N T E D    C O N N E C T I O N S / P L O T S

always liked the idea of her dead husbands boyfriend, i feel like that could throw a few of the old curveballs into her life

maybe her older sister? would wanna talk it through first though thanks x

[southeastasianists]

It is 42 years already since the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime!

45 years ago, on 17 April 1975, the Khmer Rouge (KR) regime took power, lasting until 6 January 1979. At least 1.7 million people are believed to have died from starvation, torture, execution and forced labor over those three years, 8 months, and 20 days. In order to find justice and reconciliation for the victims, The Extraordinary Chamber in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) began in 2006, after 9 years of negotiations between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the United Nations. The role is to prosecute senior leaders and those most responsible for crimes committed during the KR regime.

Four primary cases have been investigated at the ECCC since it began, with some divided into parts. At the time of writing, Case 001, Case 002/1 have passed final verdicts, Case 002/2 is under appeal and some are ongoing.

Outreach programs in Transitional Justice

It is around 10 years since the ECCC in Cambodia began hearing its first case. At the beginning of proceedings, updated information is shared by the ECCC with non-NGOs in Cambodia through outreach programs, so that updates on each case reached people living in remote areas. Outreach platforms used different methods but very often they included the voice of vitcim. Survivors shared their experiences in the KR regime at the ECCC or NGO-led forums, regardless of whether they are Vietnamese, Cham or Khmer. Some outreach programs include documentary short films or television programs on the KR regimes.

As the court is located in Cambodia, members of the broader public are able to attend proceedings. Based on Public Affairs Outreach Figures 2009 to 2017, there have been 55,129 participants so far in programs run by the court, including court visits, study tours, and 98,230 students attending school lectures.

The ECCC is the first international court in which victims have had the opportunity to participate in the process of procedure. In the Internal Rules of the ECCC, victims are able to file complaints before the ECCC, and they can be recognized as a Civil Party if they suffered harm during the regime.

From my observations, while survivors often become emotional when speaking about the past, they also feel that younger generations need to know and learn from the past to prevent genocide in future.

In the “Justice and Reconciliation for the Victims of the Khmer Rouge?” report, a survivor said : “I feel believed as I was given a chance to give testimony about what I have been through during a very cruel regime, I feel relieved that I can show the younger generation they must not allow this type of regime to happen again.”

The survivors are witness who can tell the youth that this regime happened, even if they don’t know much about the structure at the top levels or the overall strategy of the regime. They can at least describe their experiences and how they suffered. In this way, it is a supplement to the ECCC’s findings.

After many years working in this field, I am used to hearing the opinion from survivors that their children do not believe them because, they say, “Khmer could not kill Khmer.” During outreach programs and discussions, the question often is raised: “why did they killed Khmers? Why do they need to force people to work hard? Why did they have to evacuate people from one place to another?” Thus, the young people need to gain understanding and to hear more about what happened during this regime from different perspectives. However, although 45 years has passed since this regime began, it can still be hard for survivors to break their silence. It remains hard to recall the past.

In our interview with Soeung Phearak, a media reporter, he said “I used to hear about the Tribunal [the ECCC]  from the television or radio but I never heard what my mum faced during the Khmer Rouge regime. I really want to hear what my mum suffered during the Khmer Rouge regime, but she always skipped over what happened…She is the most important evidence of what she suffered.”

How the ECCC contribute to the history education in formal education?

Article 65 of the Cambodian Constitution, in the chapter on Education, Culture and Social Affairs, declares that the state shall “promote the right of the citizen to a quality education at all levels and shall take every measure to progressively make this education available to all the citizens.”

The history of KR regime is delivered in the existing curriculum in high schools. As the textbook was created prior to the beginning of public hearings, it does not currently include any information taken from the tribunal.

In order to promote the history of Cambodia during the KR regime, a reparations project was included in the judgement of Case 002/1, which proposed the “inclusion of a chapter on forced population movement and executions at Tuol Po Chrey within the Cambodian school curriculum”. Since this curriculum update is on-going it is supplemented by Documentation Center of Cambodia Programs (DC-Cam).  DC-Cam has compiled a history textbook, teachers’ guide book and other materials for lecturers in order to transfer knowledge to students across Cambodia.

The ECCC process in each case is slow and thorough, from the investigation process through to  the verdict. Thus, the materials or evidence used during proceedings and written in those judgements is often extensive. In the Pre-Trial Chamber  approximately 1,000 documents in Khmer French and English were put before the Chamber and subject to examination. It was no different in Case 002/01, with approximately 5,824 pieces of documentary evidence include documents, audio and video recording and written evidence witnesses, experts and Civil Parties. In Case 002/02, the documents subject to examination stretched to over 82,000 pages. These sources will be contained in archives like the Legal Documentation Centre, DC-Cam and Bophana Center, so that future generations and members of the public are able to access them.

On the topic of how of the ECCC passess knowledge to the youth, there are different opinions. Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia,  was quoted in the Phnom Penh Post in 2018: “the ECCC is a court of law, not a history department,” he said, saying seeing the tribunal as a teaching tool “completely undermines” the years and millions invested in it. “Its legacy is justice… to prosecute the Khmer Rouge leaders.”

By contrast, Keo Duong, a history lecturer and member of the committee revising the text-book for formal education, explains that:

“Decisions in the judgement are based on multiple sources and evidence in order to make a careful conclusions. It is a solid reference for Cambodian history and of course, formal education. I’m now a member of history textbook writing committee. I write about the DK history for formal education and one of the sources I use is ECCC sources and judgements. For example, the lesson on S-21, the number of people who were at S-21, the crimes committed by top leaders, reports or primary sources that have been used in the court and so on.”

Conclusion

We urge the Ministry of Education and the relevant departments to include information from the ECCC and the existing curriculum as soon as possible, and to teach this in a critical way, so as not only to remember but also to understand.