#edited. it was 14 according to another source

[amber-angel]

Police swarmed peaceful protestors at my university and arrested at least 14 students

[meeravandaseera]

Literary Waterfolkology: Some Historical and Folkloric Similarities in Shandzii's merfolk animatics and more

Edited "A Mermaid and a Warrior" by Georges Antoine Rochegrosse (1859-1938). It seems quite familiar... (´ಠ∀ಠ`)

Another analysis of fictional waterfolk, this tide of time for one of my favorite literary stories featuring waterfolk who are referred to as "Ocean Idiots". It is a quite popular* collaborative work made by multiple authors. Mariza is the sea serpent-person and oceanic deity, Samira is the lunar deity, Larus is the aerial deity, and Indra is the preceding sea serpent-person and oceanic deity before Mariza, all of them by Shandzii. Delta is the shark-person by El-Pada who also created Delta's pirate crew if I am right. Heather the waterfolk hunter or butcher is by Melodyofthevoid. Please dive into the original works before reading, for they are fin-tastic, sublime, and ultra super shell-tacular. If one could do so, please do so. All gifs here are excerpts from Shandzii's animations that were available here. The screenshots of some artworks are all property of the respective artists aside from all the other depictions which have entered the public domain. According to what I have read on their respective blogs on answered ask entries, the artists are fine with their art being used as long as proper credit is given and encourage fan-works as long as the usage is not something in utterly troubled waters. I only display their art if I require them to show a claim that I am making, basically I have had to use them as sources sometimes. Please sea the originals and dive into the works. Here, I solely dive into waterfolklogy as always. What I note are only similarities I noticed, nothing may have been fin-tended and does not mean to serve as a saying that these are "references".

SHALL WE DIVE INTO....

THE GREAT SEA?

SEA-HAW (YEEHAW) AYE AYE FELLOW FIN-DIVIDUAL

Mariza's transformation from a mortal to a shapeshifting humanoid sea serpent-person deity has some folkloric similarities in the "Ship in a Bottle" animatic upon slaying Indra. Many waterpeople were human before in folklore, yet transformed through some means such as curses like Mariza.

Above: Screenshot of Mariza in the "She doesn't need grass" animatic by shandzii.

Above: Indra and Samira art by shandzii in the "Ocean Idiots for Idiots" slideshow by melodyofthevoid on pages 14-15

Transformed Mariza has the ability to transform from her serpentine form to a more humanoid form. Indra is capable of transforming from a entire sea-serpent to a more humanoid appearance. There happen to be plenty waterpeople who would be considered water snake-people like Mariza and Indra. Many of them live both in fresh- and saltwater, thus I will refer to such shrimply as watersnake-people. The closest counterpart to Mariza herself might be a tale of the Passamaquoddy Ne Hwas whose term which may be derived of "niwesq" solely means "spirit" for any supernatural being and it may tell of the Passamaquoddy and Malecite lumpeguin water-people instead. However, this folktale still tells of two freshwater-snake-maidens who once were mortal maidens. One day, they got cursed upon not heeding their mother's warning to not go into a lake at which moment they each possessed their lower halves of serpentine tails according to "The Penguin Book of Mermaids" on page 291. They would make that lake their habitat.

Above: "Nure-onna" by Toriyama Sekien 鳥山石燕 (1712-1788) in the Gazu Hyakki Yakō 画図百鬼夜行.

Some versions of the legend of freshwater-maiden Melusiné say that upon each Saturday, her lower body turned into a serpentine tail from a curse. Usually, she would possess the body of a mortal maiden on other days. There exist the female nagis or naginis and the male nagas in Hinduism who are described as shapeshifting waterfolk, capable of being watersnake-people. "Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology" by Theresa Bane on page 241 describes how they tend to "reside at the bottom of lakes, rivers, and the sea in gem encrusted palaces filled with never-ending dance and song". They are able to be partly or fully serpentine. A Russian folktale that is featured in "Russian Fairy Tales" by W. R. S. Ralston tells of complete freshwater-snakes who live underwater and are capable of turning into mortal people ashore. The Wabanaki and Passamaquoddy nodumkanwet or apodumken were waterpeople said to live in waters, possessing piscine or serpentine tails. In Passamaquoddy Bay, they may take the forms of gigantic, fanged water-serpents according to "Mythical Creatures of Maine: Fantastic Beasts from Legend and Folklore" by Christopher Packard on page 87. Nure-onna was a littoral watersnake-maiden from Japanese folklore, appearing as a watersnake with the head of a woman or a water snake-woman with the a humanoid upper body and the lower half of a serpentine tail. Jinja-hime from Japanese folklore was a sea-serpent with the head of a woman. Another Passamaquoddy myth with possible Christian influences according to "The Penguin Book of Mermaids" on page 289 told of two maidens who would go every Sunday to a lake to bathe and perform supposed ill-considered or undesirable acts which caused them to turn into human-headed freshwater-snakes forever. These are all only some finstances.

Mariza can shapeshift into an actual colossal sea serpent-person alongside as in the "Just a Thingy for School :P" animatic. Mariza seems to be capable of turning in tides back and forth from more averagely humanoid-sized to a more colossal sea serpent-person. This size-shifting is present in some folkloric waterpeople. According to "Mythical Creatures of Maine: Fantastic Beasts from Legend and Folklore" by Christopher Packard on page 85, the Native American Malecite and Passamaquoddy lumpeguin water-people could change their size in great amounts from as small to hide under a curled leaf to the size of a large man.

Both Indra and one of Mariza's forms have pointy head-fins which remind me of some ocean-people like the Orcadian sea-trows whose heads looked pointed like the roof of a house according to W. Traill Dennison in "Orkney Folklore: Sea Myths" in "The Scottish Antiquary, Or, Northern Notes & Queries, Volume 5" on page 167 and the Norse hafstramb merman whose head was described with the shape of a peaked helmet in the King's Mirror. Some native depictions of the Melanesian adaro from the Solomon islands in "The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folklore" on pages 197 and 259 show the adaro with the head of a swordfish, including the dorsal fin showing from the head's tip.

Above: Screenshots of Mariza art details by shandzii.

In regards to one of Mariza's usual forms where her legs would be present with a tail alongside, this reminds me of a description of a sighting from Exeter around the River Ex in ca. 1730-1750 as its distribution came from the August of 1823 in "The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British India and its Dependencies Vol. XV" in an article called "Old and New Mermaids". Wherever or whomever this strange sighting originally stemmed from is unknown. "(...) It is not a century since a Mermaid was said to have been seen in the river just mentioned, close to the walls of the city of Exeter... Its humanity extended to the waist and.. it bore from the waist downwards a resemblance to a salmon. It had, however, two legs placed below the waist, and absolute novelties in the history of Mermaids. With these legs it left the shore of the river Ex (...)". Another earlier sighting in Exeter dated from the November of 1737 claimed how "some Fishermen near the city, drawing their Net ashore, a creature of two legs, having human shape, leapt out and ran away very swiftly. (...) Its feet were webbed like a duck’s. It has eyes, nose and mouth, resembling those of a man, only the nose somewhat depressed, and the tail not unlike a salmon’s, only turning up towards its back, and was four feet high". Also of note may be a depiction from the "Oedipus Aegypticus" by Athanisius Kirchner in 1652 of the Assyrian Atargartis aka. Derceto, a humanoid goddess who can be identified with a goddess at Ascalon who possessed piscine attributes.

Above: Edited illustration from the "Oedipus Aegypticus" in 1652.

Mariza is also capable of having her limbs turn to an "useless" state of water according to one depiction. I find that this reminds me of the Greek myth of naiad or freshwater-nymph Cyane who was a friend of Persephone in some versions. According to one version, Cyane dissolved into liquid upon seeing Persephone being abducted by Hades. This motif seems somewhat similar to how Mariza may have similar situations where her limbs turn to water upon being distressed.

Indra and Mariza's ability to control the ocean is present in countless waterpeople like Poseidon or Neptune, Triton etc.....

Webbed fin ears themselves that many characters from this literary work bear have their own separate entry in my all-read sea, already. (I have read much in my sea already).

Well, Mariza's hair is also something to take a dive into. Perhaps it may show some similarities with the hair of Sedna in Inuit mythology since her hair was described as entangling the ocean's creatures if she was angry. Inuit shamans would comb her hair, for she herself had no fingers, so that the nautical creatures she withheld from being caught by the people could be free again. Her hair appears to be symbolic for the ocean itself as if her hair was really the ocean where the nautical creatures dwell according to "Orality and Literacy: Reflections Across Disciplines" by Susan Gingell on page 122 and "A Mermaid's Tale: A Personal Search for Love and Lore" by Amanda Adams on pages 129-130. This is somewhat similar to the watery hair motif.

Both Mariza and Delta happened to be pirate waterfolk. During my fin-itial research, the tides of time led me to an unknown legend of piratess Anne Bonny and how she supposedly turned into a mermaid. The legend is from Palma Ceia in Tampa, Florida's Gulf Coast. Mermaid Anne Bonny, wielding a sword, is depicted in the seal of the neighborhood on the left with a stingray-maid called Qualenya on the right. The second depiction of the solo Anne Bonny mermaid above is a bit edited, but this alongside the seal got published on Wikimedia Commons and on Flickr, all released as Public Domain. The description of the solo Anne Bonny depiction states how Anne Bonny, "the most fearsome of all sea hags first appeared in the winter of 1733, the same year Anne Bonny was tossed into the sea upon her conviction for piracy. They say that Anne made a deal with The Sailor’s Devil, that if she allowed him to marry her unborn daughter, he’d grant her eternal life beneath the sea. Ever since, all through the Caribbean and up the Florida coast, Bonny has been luring curious sailors to rocky shallows where their boats are crushed and sunk". Supposedly, what is related comes from a 1800s book on pirates, but its title is not stated in any tide of time which renders this source as rather unreliable, yet it may be a fin-teresting implication.

Above: Delta's crew and their respective species as in the "Ocean Idiots for Idiots" slideshow by melodyofthevoid on page 19.

I now shall dive into Delta's pirate crew. The most obvious is the selkie named Sylvia. Sealfolk are Celtic and Norse sea-people who wear sealskins, capable of being seals in the sea and shapeshifting ashore into their humanoid forms, being commonly known as selkies or roane. Without their sealskin, they would usually not be able to shapeshift back into seals and return to the sea.

Above: Screenshots of the "She doesn't need Grass" animatic by shandzii.

Delta is capable of transforming into a shark-person. Many shark-people have existed. Dakuwaqa is a Fijian, shapeshifting oceanic deity who was said to be able to shapeshift into multiple forms like a shark or a humanoid. Avatea or Vatea of the mythology of the Cook islands could be a shark-man with his halves of humanoid and aquatic form being split vertically, but some claim he is half-fish or -porpoise alongside. Hawaiian mythology tells of demi-gods such as Nanaue who would be possessing a shark's mouth on their backs, capable of transforming into full shark forms. The Haida Dogfish-people, specifically the Dogfish-Woman, are shapeshifting dog-fish sharks who can assume mortal human forms ashore. Anyhow, Delta's aquatic form also possesses a head tapering into a shark's tail. This is something similar to what I have already done a dive into for the zora of "The Legend of Zelda" in a separate entry, but the Mesopotamian Abgal or Apkallu, sages who were said to have taught knowledge upon mortal humankind, one of the most well-known being named Uanna or Oannes, had such similar depictions with their heads tapering into fishtails. The Melanesian adaro do so alongside since their heads are literally swordfish in aforementioned depictions. Their heads taper into swordfish-tails. Delta's pectoral fins I assume also remind me of some depictions of supposed tritons or sea-satyrs who would have some front legs or fins, this is also something similar to one of Mariza's aforementioned forms.

Above: Edited "Monstum Marinum" by Conrad Gessner from his "Historiae animalium" in 1558.

One of Delta's crew named Ilia is a stingray-person like Qualenya who may be from the mythology of the Seminole Native American people. My rather strange sources regarding her primarily fincluded Wikimedia Commons' descriptions for her depictions. Above is an illustration of a 1920s book, supposedly. She can apparently transform from a complete stingray to a more humanoid appearance upon being saved by a boy in a blogspot entry which is the only source I found about her legend, but the source is not reliable alongside. I wrote more about Qualenya in a earlier entry alongside with the Anne Bonny mermaid, consider diving into it.

Jackie from the crew is a lobster-person. Greek and Roman mythology may tell of humanoid sea-deities like tritons or ichthyocentaurs, Phorcys, and Pontus who could bear lobster claw appendages or lobster horns on their heads, possibly including spiky, reddish skin like those of lobsters in Hellenistic-Roman mosaics.

Above: Hellenistic-Roman mosaic of aforementioned lobster-people, photos by Dennis Javis, CC-BY SA 2.0.

Riker and Raya in Delta's crew are eel-people. The magindara of Filipino mythology known by the Bikolano community could be described with the tail of an eel or a snake according to Philip Hayward in "Scaled for Success: The Internationalisation of the Mermaid" on page 108.

Above: Screenshots taken from the "Ocean Idiots for Idiots" slideshow by melodyofthevoid on pages 50-51.

Shapeshifting waterpeople are very common and numerous. The slideshow also claims that they require necklaces to shapeshift which is similar to the motif of many shapeshifting waterpeople requiring a talisman like the Irish merrows who require a certain hat called a cohuleen druith to do so. However, the theme of the necklace may be reminiscent to the kelpies of Scottish folklore, horses who live in aquatic environments and may assume humanoid form. A folktale from Barra in the Outer Hebrides related how a kelpie-man turned back into his equine form upon the removal of his necklace or bridle as a kelpie's shapeshifting ability was said to stem from its bridle. Some finstances in regards to how waterpeople may turn into objects as claimed in the slideshow, if I assume correctly, may be correspondent to the freshwater-poeple called the dracae from Scottish folklore or the dracs from French folklore who may assume humanoid form, but can also turn into anything their victim may desire like golden sundry and of course they may turn into wooden dishware even. I mean, who would not want wooden dishware?! It's so useful for many things.

Now, we shall dive into some more darker waters for a section, so please heed caution. It is quite the rough and stormy ocean fin terms of topics like cruelty, exploitation, dissection and some violence, especially since its tides stem from historical sources...

Above: Screenshots of "The Dismemberment Song" animatic by shandzii

Waterpeople, as claimed in the slideshow, are hunted by the forbidden market. Alleged historical records of waterpeople in regards to that show it in clear waters. Like Heather, so-called waterfolk hunters or butchers have already existed for long and I mean those who want to study or dissect them and so on and so forth. I do not refer to waterfolk-hunters who desperately want to sight and capture a waterperson upon being solely offered a reward, yet this motif may be somewhat similar to how Delta got captured in the first tide in "The Dismemberment Song" animatic with a Wanted Poster and a bounty possibly. Such "hunts" have been abundant, an official mermaid hunt was declared in Kiryat Yam in 2009 or another official one fin-cludes the mermaid hunt of the Isle of Man in 1961 according to "Merpeople: A Human History" by Vaughn Scribner on page 206. Fin such, usually a large sum of money would be declared even if one million, the price for the one who would be able to prove the existence of or capture the waterperson. Many assume such hunts solely have their origins in the means of tourist attraction. According to "Merpeople: A Human History" by Vaughn Scribner on page 105, in the year of 1749, Carl Linnaeus had read newspaper articles of waterfolk sightings from Nyköping in Sweden and sent a letter to the Swedish Academy of Science. He wanted to declare a hunt to "catch this animal alive or in spirits" for "in his mind, the reward outweighed the risk, as the discovery of such a rare phenomenon 'could result in one of the biggest discoveries that the Academy could possibly achieve and for which the whole world should thank the Academy'. Perhaps these creatures could reveal humankind's origins?". A mile off Exmouth in the 13th August of 1812, the certain Mr. Toupin and his crew sighted a supposed mermaid. It was said that "(..) a medical gentleman of Exeter has offered a reward of 20 pounds to whoever may succeed in catching the animal, and will bring it to him for dissection. In consequence of this, all the fishermen are very busy in making preparations to endeavour to entangle in their nets this fair nymph of the ocean". Whether this actually happened is a mystery. However, in the aforementioned sightings of legged waterpeople in Exeter, some sighted waterpeople would be hunted or at least chased until they would be dead and their corpse would be exploited.

In regards to Heather, I specifically refer to certain fin-atics who want to dissect or capture waterpeople in a more "professional" tide by making profit of any sort from them. The waterpeople in this work are hunted fin order for the parts of theirs to be sold on the forbidden market for all the supposed healing or magical properties they are said to have, which I fin-d is somewhat similar to the Japanese folktales of the ningyo 人魚 who had been hunted by mortal people for their healing properties. The flesh of the ningyo was said to cause youth and immortality. Ningyo blood was said to heal any wound according to "Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology" by Theresa Bane on page 249. The waterpeople in this literary work share almost the same properties of ningyo. Hoax ningyo specimens like Feeje mermaids were originally also manufactured by the Japanese and are still attributed with healing properties, despite only being usually sewn together with the top half of a monkey and the lower half of a fish. Ningyo bones are described to possess healing properties such as prevention from getting sick, stopping bloody bowel discharges as it's claimed in the "Bencao gangmu" from the 16th century, the "Compendium of Materia Medica", or such bones being used as an antidote in the Netherlands as it's said in the "Wakan sansai zue" in 1713. In the 14th April of 1222, a supposed ningyo washed up on Hakata Bay on the island of Kyushu. It was declared that the ningyo was a good omen and the bones of the alleged ningyo corpse were buried at the Ukimido temple. Around the Edo period, the bones were unearthed and soaked into the waters of the temple where bathers could absorb the supposed healing properties of sickness prevention. Scholars from the Edo period would also consume powdered ningyo bones, thinking it would extend their lives. A recorded fin-stance from 1906 told of the certain Rosa Stanley who charged Mrs. Merrit of Mulberry in Indiana large sum of money for some mermaid skin that could supposedly heal the cancer of hers. It turned into a fin-teresting situation with court dealings which one shall read in the source I shall provide in a separate entry. Skins of waterpeople are also used for many other things. According to "Legends and Superstitions of the Sea and Sailors" by Fletscher S. Bassett on page 169, "(Petrus) Gyllius says the skin of sea men taken in Dalmatia is so though that it is used for saddle covers".

Another account which tells how the town of Torre at the Red Sea would use mermaid skin for shoe soles or targets "that are musket-ball proof" stems from "Acta Germanica; or, The Literary memoirs of Germany" on page 171. "The Triton, whose skin in May 1647 Monconnys saw at Torre, a town and harbour on the Red sea, whose words are to the following purpose; ‘these Tritons, says he, are large fishes as big as a camel and taken in the Red sea (...). The same Monconnys saw in the same place the skin of a mermaid, which was ten foot long, and thicker than the hide of the largest buffle, and harder than wood, of which they make targets that are musket-ball proof, as also soles for shoes, which last three years". The so-called Petrus Petrejus de Elesunda also mentioned in the account how in the province Lucomoria at the extreme confines of Muscovy, there are freshwater-people who are "very delicious to eat". This alongside shows how the ningyo were also prepared as dishes which corresponds to how the flesh of the waterfolk in this literary work, as claimed in the slideshow, is a "rare delicacy".

Now, I dive into the dissections of waterfolk. Aside from all those hoaxes of supposed specimens of waterpeople like the Feeje mermaids who have been dissected, some sea-cretive ones persist. A fin-stance stems from the year of 1560 in which some fishermen once caught seven mermen fincluding mermaids "on the western coast of the island of Ceylon", off the southeast tip of India according to "Merpeople: A Human History" by Vaughn Scribner on page 66. Some Jesuit priests and some certain "F. Hen. Henriques, and Dimas Bosquez physicians to the viceroy of Goa" were some trustworthy witnesses, apparently. Those physicians examined the merpeople "with a great deal of care, and made dissection thereof". Supposedly, "all the parts of both internal and external were found perfectly conformable to those of men".

Above: Edited illustration in "Historiarum anatomicarum rariorum" in 1654.

Heather also kept a waterperson in a tank in the Animal Cann!bal animatic which is a similar motif found in the mermaid of Amboina sighting. Samuel Fallours claimed that he "had this Syrene alive for four days in (his) house at Ambon in a tub of water" according to Vaughn Scribner's work on page 106. Heather is in the possession of many waterfolk parts and puts these on display in a private collection. Vaughn Scribner tells in his "Merpeople: A Human History" on page 79 that "these were not the full, intact and scientifically studied creatures that their eighteenth and nineteenth century successors boasted. Nevertheless, by the end of the seventeenth century, mermaid hands, skins and occasionally full specimens became popular features of private collections and public exhibits". On page 80, he claims that "private collectors, (...), spent the seventeenth century scouring the globe for physical mer-specimens". As an example, in 1638, John Tradescant had "the hand of a mermaid" in his private museum in London. Thomas Bartholin held a supposed skeleton hand and the rib bones of a mermaid in his collection while he also claimed to have dissected a mermaid in Leiden which he featured in his "Historiarum anatomicarum rariorum" in 1654.

"Acta Germanica; or, The Literary memoirs of Germany" on page 171 asserts that "at Prague in the Emperor's Treasury was shown the hand of a mermaid, and another hand in Rome, in Corvini's museum". According to Vaughn Scribner's work on pages 81-82, the Royal Society of London's member Nehemiah Grew recorded in the "Catalogue & Description of the Natural and Artificial Rarities Belonging to the Royal Society and Preserved at Gresham College" in chapter one "the Rib of A Triton or Mareman. About the same length with that of a Mans, but thicker and stronger; and nothing near so much bended. (...) A Bone said to be taken out of a Maremaids Head. It is in bigness and shape not much unlike that called Lapis Manati, but the knobs and hollows thereof are somewhat different".

Above: Illustration from "The Life of P. T. Barnum" on page 233 in 1855.

Entire displayed waterfolk specimens like those that Heather had alongside are plenty as hoaxes like the Feeje mermaids or possible cases of sirenomelia. Many would purchase such faked specimens of waterpeople and, for finstance, display them and charge for money if one wanted to sea the supposed specimen. Such also happened to be exhibited of-fish-ially in museums. As related by Vaughn Scribner in pages 137-138 in his work, an infamous case was of Captain Eades' mermaid who lured with her siren song audiences of London in 1822. While he was in Batavia, the Dutch East Indies, during a trade deal, he was captivated by a dried mermaid so much so that he sold his entire ship and its contents. He believed the hoax that some Japanese fishermen had caught that mermaid, but yet his mermaid did become fin-famous in London, so it may have paid off. In spite of that, some supposed specimens are still mysteries. The sighted waterperson of Exeter in the November of 1737 who had been eliminated was also put on display in Exeter and then in London, but not a fellow has any idea whether it actually happened. The beheaded Tanagran triton in Greek mythology was also said to have been beheaded and displayed in the town of Tanagra. These are all just some fin-stances.

On the left above: Gif by shandzii in "The Dismemberment Song" animatic and on the right above: Edited illustration from "Sights in Boston and Suburbs, or Guide to the Stranger" in 1857.

Some claim to have purchased living waterpeople. Samuel Fallours' son had purchased the mermaid and brought it to him from the nearby island of Buru for "two ells of cloth" according to Vaughn Scribner's retelling in his work on the same aforementioned page.

Mariza encounters a lunar deity named Samira in the "Ship in a Bottle" animatic. Samira also was in a relationship with the previous oceanic deity Indra according to the slideshow. This may fin-dicate waterfolk's connection to the moon, especially lunar cycles since the moon fin-fluences the tides of the oceans and thus all marine life. Many waterpeople have more direct connections to the moon such some seal-people who could often only appear during nights such as when a full moon was present. Atargartis aka. Derceto is also said to be a goddess of the moon. Avatea or Vatea's eyes were also said to represent the sun and the moon.

Resonates with me in some tide. Screenshot taken from the "Ocean Idiots for Idiots" slideshow by melodyofthevoid on page 56.

Mariza is the humanoid oceanic deity in contrast to Larus who is the aerial deity as an avian humanoid. They are described as "siblings", but this is not in the literal sense. Larus only considers Mariza a sister. This connection, yet parallel between the aerial avian and the aquatic piscine can be somewhat distinguished in the Abgal or Apkallu. They could either appear with piscine or avian attributes, thus be considered as piscine and or either avian humanoids. The seirenes of Greek mythology would also be a well example for they were once considered to be avian humanoids and later on piscine through many shifts, especially when they were reinterpreted by Christianity. While these possible water-people that I mentioned are seen as being both at the same time´throughout history by having their names attributed to both the avian and the piscine, still and all, the direct comparison or distinction between the aerial and the aquatic in humanoid beings, the avian and the piscine, thus is an ancient concept, despite all of them not being separate deities directly like it is shown between Mariza and Larus. Atargatis or Derceto may be of mention alongside since one of her symbols was said to be the dove. In the general tide, this distinction shows the duality of air and water.

On the left above: GIF from the "It's Tough to be A God" animatic by shandzii and on the right above: Screenshot of an answered ask request on shandzii's tumblr.

All digital sources will be separate in a reblog of mine of this entry since I feel like it could be fine to be separate for this entry.

Thanks for diving into my sea alongside :>

Edits: Changed in the first phrases "well-known" to " popular"*

[chromaticcs]

Who is the father? Tales of Arise Edition

So Tales of Arise DLC has been annouced and I'm sure people are wondering (probably not), which Renan Lord is Nazamil related to?

(Yes, I'm aware I'm pretty late to the party on this, Reddit has already talked a bit about it, but I don't really care and shouting into the void is cathartic)

So here is a (rather long) anaylsis of who I think it has the highest chance of being and why.

MAJOR story spoilers and talks of unpleasant topics below: mentions of r*pe, slavery and the rest of the bs that happens when people procreate when there's a power inbalance: Mentions are rather clinical and there are no graphic details.

(Also if I've missed any warning tags, please let me know!)

Onwards! (Warning, long long read ahead, I've done a lot of thinking over this. Maybe too much :p )

So, let's start with trying to fit Nazamil into the Tales of Arise (ToA) timeline that will help us to determine who the father could be. We only have five (three, really) choices, as the developer did mention that it was a lord who oposed Alphen in ToA (so not Dohalim). Also within the translations I found of her profile, her father is the Renan lord and her mother was Dahnan (so not Almeidrea). Our top choices are Balseph, Ganabelt and Vholran. I will still be including Dohalim and Almeidrea, just because I want to and we can see whether or not it makes sense even if the developer didn't tell us the above.

Nazamil is a young-ish girl, bordering looking around Rinwell/Law's age, which is stated to be 14/16 respectively, according to ToA. She looks similiar to Rinwell, so around 14, which would be a fair assumption. Min age 14 at the beginning of Beyond the Dawn (BtD), minus two when ToA starts (since BtD is stated to take place about 1-2 years after the ending of ToA), so let's say Nazamil is 11/12 when ToA starts. Assumption one.

This implies that the lord would have had to been on Dahna during the last crown contest. This would also imply that the lord had been on Dahna for the last seventeen years (ten years from the last contest and seven for the contest that is going on in ToA). This immediately rules out Dohalim, due to his age being 28 (sourced from the wiki), and with the current contest having been running for 7 years already, he would have been 21 when it started, and at maximum 18 if he were to be Nazamil's parent. Which...is a pretty big assumption as the story in ToA also tells us that Dohalim was on Lenegis during the last crown contest with his whole backstory with his violin quartet.

That and a few other things I'll point out later, Dohalim is probably 99% not Nazamil's parent.

For the other four, Balseph had confirmed to be at least the lord for the last twenty-seven years, as Ganabelt comments early on in ToA that Balseph had lost the last two Crown Contests. So he's a possibility, as he would be at least forty-five (I'm making another assumption here that to become a lord, the candidate has to have a min age of eighteen. I'm using the age of 'adult' that is commonly portrayed in our world).

We know he was not the lord at the very least in the last Crown Contest, because the last 'sovereign' that won the constest was the previous Lord of Cyslodia. Of course they don't give much context for the Lords, in terms of whether it's possible for one to be lord of one one region one contest and then switch regions the next contest. There's no evidence to support that, so we'll assume that Ganabelt was not a lord in the last Crown Contest. Of course, this doesn't confirm or reject whether or not he was on Dahna during the last contest.

Ganabelt also has a relatively older look in the game, giving the impression of at least a mid-30s to mid-40s man. His voice actor in japanese does make him sound older, which I would personally push to early-40s to late-40s. But his english voice actor sounds like a snotty young noble, dropping him down to at minimum Dohalim's age to mid-30s.

This is very estimate and assumption heavy as there is nothing that hints to his age, other than looks and age. But I would put him as a safe bet for possibly being Nazamil's parent.

Almeidrea, well, I would estimate her age as being thirty to forty? Again, no exact numbers I can find, but if there was little information on Ganabelt, there's almost next to nothing about Almeidrea.

Finally we have Vholran. Which I saw a source about him being around twenty-four at the start of ToA, cannot find the official source of that, but I'll assume him to be around Alphen's age. Alphen is said to be twenty-one, so I doubt Vholran is younger so I would put Vholran to be twenty to late-twenties at oldest. The issue is it's implied that he was only sent to Dahna during the current crown contest (less than seven years). The previous lord was killed by Vholran and the Rena on Lenegis seem to confirm that, in that Vholran wasn't choosen to be a lord, and that the kill happened during the time when the previous lord was already on Dahna.

So this would imply that Vholran would already have been turned into a Renan before procreating, which as implied by the previous part, would not fit our initial timeline of Nazamil having to be 12-13 at least. But he's still in the running, I'll explain later.

(Another side note: This of course assumes that Nazamil was birthed by 'normal' means, as in parents has some intercourse be it consensual or not. No test-tube, Renan magic bs, not yet at least)

Next, traits. We know nothing about her abilities, apart from being cursed with this mask thing, which doesn't seem to a hereditary thing in this case, whereas Shionne's thorns were hereditary (to some extent).

From my experience in playing videos games and character design (especially with JRPGs), we can usually use the hair and eye color to see who she might match the best. Nazamil has heterochromia, her left eye's yellow and the her right eye blue. Her hair, a silvery white.

We can then safely put Almeidrea down as unlikely to be Nazamil's parent, due to her having green eyes and red hair. It's not that she couldn't have birthed Nazamil, but I would say by character design-wise, it ain't giving off the same vibes. Nazamil's design just doesn't hint towards Almeidrea. Dohalim, likewise, same argument. Red hair and dark skin, doesn't fit Nazamil character look.

Then let's focus on the eyes, and the final three lords, Balseph has yellow eyes, Ganabelt blue and Vholran yellow as well. Vholran is the only one with his eye color called out in the wiki, but this may be due to him having more attention in the spotlight than other lords, as well as being a very major character in the plot of Arise.

So based off of eye color, it could be either three. The assumption here is that both eye colors come from her parents, as there seems to be nothing (yet) that points to her having one color that is from an event that happened after her birth.

Then hair color, it's obviously Ganabelt who matches with her the best, with Balseph having brown hair (his beard) and Vholran having black. But note that Vholran also is stated to have white tips, so let's give that a half-check instead of a complete match, especially since there's no way to tell if turning him into the sovereign did something to his hair.

(and if it did turn white, that would mean that the procedures to finish the sovereign-fication would have had to be done before Nazamil's birth, assuming that it's somewhat genetic, which is a fair assumption due to the genetic nature of the 'Renans' in general, which again, look at Vholran's timeline argument)

This doesn't completely knock out Balseph, though, but he is now a weaker candidate for Nazamil's parent.

So, now we have two possible people it could be, Vholran and Ganabelt. And if we look at the rest of Nazamil's character design, nothing seems to scream either of them directly. Color scheme wise, she doesn't fit either of them exactly, with her supporting a light blue, white and purple scheme. Ganabelt is more of a dark, navy blue, and white scheme, whereas Vholran is just blue and black.

Her dress also contains snowflake like patterns, seen more easily here, but that could hint to both Cyslodia being the land of ice and snow, or Vholran's water-based artes which are more ice than water.

Another part of character design is the character personality. Nazamil has a very closed off personality, the profile mentions that she has basically closed off her heart, and good at pretending to be indifferent and apathetic.

In my opinion, this is a bit hard to pin down. Because she's still a child, and has endured a lot of trauma (being hunted down, everyone hates her etc), the personality is a bit more up in the air. We could say that she's similar to Vholran because of the apathetic mask, the indifference, but it is specifically called out to be a mask. There is also the argument that Nazamil mentions about erasing differences, but I would not link that to either Vholran or Ganabelt.

The masking portion, it could be similiar to Ganabelt being good at tricking others, but in the end I am going to discard that bit about her personality, as there is too many factors to be able to get a clear read on who she's most similar too. Both are a draw for me.

Then finally, we get to motive. Vholran doesn't care so he's probably fine with taking an unwilling participant to bed, considering how he kidnapped Shionne in ToA and it was pointed out that he seemed to almost enjoy the struggle she was putting up during that scene.

Ganabelt is basically the snobby noble in the game, the one who represents the 'best' of Renan society, so I really doubt he would willingly touch a Dahnan in that manner with a ten-foot pole. Pure bloodline and all that bs.

Finally there are a few other factors here that may swing the vote to Vholran to being Nazamil's parent.

One, Vholran's face was the one that popped up in the trailer. In a not so subtle manner. They're bringing him back somehow and I would suspect that Nazamil is the tie-in somehow.

Two, people are very aware that Nazamil is half-Renan and half-Dahnan. In fact, they seem to have known from who she was from when she was born. Which puts the Ganabelt-as-Meneck as her parent theory as a bit weak as Meneck was only exposed as Ganabelt in ToA. Of course, trauma doesn't take long to develop and it could be actually that after the events of ToA that Nazamil gets hated on, since BtD is said to take place two years after ToA. Two years of being persucuted is more than enough to cause Nazamil's trauma.

Three, when Nazamil holds the mask up to her face in the trailer, it covers the blue eye, showing only the yellow one. It seems to emphasize that one, which lends more credence to Vholran being her parent.

Four, why would it be Ganabelt? And this has more to do with the story and how they setup Arise, but the other lords barely get a mention outside of their arcs. Balseph was there to setup the beginning. Ganabelt was there to develop Law's story and motive, and Almeidrea was literally just fodder for Rinwell's backstory. The three lords were very 2-dimensional, when compared to the main characters and Vholran, which would lead me to believe that they wouldn't make Nazamil's parent either of those three, unless they plan on expanding on the other lords (which wouldn't be a bad thing).

Five, in the exculsive first clip, the area where Nazamil is running through looks like Mahag Saar, note the windmill in the back and ruined buildings. So it wouldn't be a stretch to say that she used to be from Ganath Haros, but hard to tell.

But...In the same clip, when Nazamil uses astral energy, the eye that glows is the blue one. Which is Ganabelt's eye color. I would usually take that to mean that the eye that glows is the one that belonged to the Renan parent. But I will note that the glow in her eye mimics Vholran's Sovereign glow more than it does for the other Renans in the series, especially since it's in the right eye, where the sovereign crest resides in both Vholran and Alphen.

Then finally, in the pre-order trailer, we have this

Look at that crest behind her, it's not the sovereign crest, rather something different, but it appears in the same manner, which at this point, I am willing to call it as Vholran being her parent, but I'm not going to call it done and dusted.

Regardless, a good amount of the evidence does lean very heavily towards Vholran being Nazamil's parent, a close second being Ganabelt. If they pull a complete plot twist and it's Balseph, oh boi am I going to have fun with analysing that.

The one tiny minor issue that I have is the first point that I made in the very beginning. Vholran doesn't completely fit the timeline and with assumption that Nazamil is 12-13 at the start of ToA. And since it's implied that intercourse was involved, either Nazamil is younger or Vholran is older than I had assumed.

Of course this can easily explained away (as in why it doesn't fit nicely by the developers) by the fact that the DLC was (presumably) not planned when ToA came out. Most likely when they made ToA, they didn't have Nazamil's story out yet in any form, so ToA was made with the assumption that the story was finished, there wasn't more that was planned.

So is that it? Yeah, basically, until we get more information about Nazamil and BtD, we're still in a limbo. But the DLC is a little more than a month out (from time of posting this) so hopefully we'll get some more information (or maybe they'll just tell us, who knows, ToA did do a crap ton of info-dumping during the second half of the game)

Thanks for reading!

Sources: Official Annoucement Trailer Exclusive First Clip Pre-Order Trailer

[bicth-and-in-that-order]

Bonus: Tying up some loose ends

So I wanted to address a couple other things. Namely this shot:

And this interview snippet:

I’ll address the shot first. This is, presumably, the part of Vi’s stomach where Cait shoves her gun. While Cait is hesitant to touch the wound, Vi grabs her arm and the sex scene continues. I read a few comments on Reddit saying that, according to Amanda Overton, this is meant to be a “silent apology”. I haven’t found any sources or interviews confirming this, so take it with a grain of salt, but I’ll talk about it anyway.

First things first, this is not an “apology” , this is Cait acknowledging that she physically hurt Vi. Her hesitancy reads as guilt, perhaps even remorse but she doesn’t stop Vi from pulling her in and doesn’t even say anything about it. People say “actions speak louder than words” and yet in this same fucking scene, not ten seconds ago, Cait found the time and the words to apologize for Maddie but not about the abuse? And how is not saying anything to your partner about fucking hitting them more powerful than taking responsibility for your actions ? But I’m getting ahead of myself. This just goes back to my main point of physical abuse being used as a device to move the plot forward and nothing more. No elaboration, no meaningful commentary on the cycle of abuse and perpetuating violence. I mean it literally gets brushed over in a single shot, now if that doesn’t speak volumes about how the writers feel about Vi getting hit. Which, speaking of the writers…

Amanda Overton. She’s one of the writers on Arcane and while she isn’t saying anything new that hasn’t already been said by a Cait defender, I do want to highlight the second part of her answer. About how you can “never take back mistakes”.

Ignoring the fact that physical abuse isn’t a fucking mistake, what has Cait done to address her “accidentally” hitting Vi? I already went over how Cait allowing Vi to see Jinx doesn’t make up for how she treated her. If actions speak louder than words , Cait had ample opportunity to show, through her actions that she at least gives a fuck about hitting Vi but what does she do?

Oh that’s right. Her actions show that she cares more about getting her pussy ate than meaningfully address that she’s the reason why her girlfriend has a bandage on her stomach. But I’m supposed to believe doing fuck all is making up for the mistake of domestic violence? Mkay

Edit:

Oh and ONE more thing I wanna shut down: “Vi hit Jinx at the end of Act 1”

A) this is yet another whataboutism argument that does nothing to address Cait’s abuse, only shifts the blame to a 14 year old

B) And to reiterate: Vi was a fucking child, Cait is a grown woman. Full stop.

C) Vi immediately and repeatedly gets punished by the narrative for hitting Jinx and abandoning her. She literally gets dragged off to Stillwater and is physically abused for the rest of her childhood. Unlike Cait, Vi shows through her words AND actions that she regrets what she did to Jinx every single day.

Let’s talk about THAT CaitVi scene and the fandom’s response to it

All cards out on the table, I used to adore CaitVi. I was there in the trenches reading the fanfics, watching the shipping videos, even going on fucking dynasty scans for the fanart + doujinshis😭 (iykyk). I loved CaitVi down bad, and of all the things I was most excited for in S2, this ship becoming canon was near the top of the list. I say this to say I don’t come from a place of apathy or hatred when it comes to this ship, but just genuine disappointment and disgust for how it was mishandled in season 2. Particularly when it comes to the abuse.

In preparation of this rant, I did my homework to fully understand both sides. I watched this video:

Which explains Cait’s behavior and even addresses her physical abuse. And, as much as it pains me to say this, I looked through the CaitVi tag on tumblr and read as many posts as I could defending Caitlyn and CaitVi as a ship.

Before I begin, I think it would be fair to lay out the main defense before tearing into these people. So let’s talk about Cait:

The main thesis of “Stop Me Oh’s” video and many other CaitVi shippers is that Caitlyn is someone who doesnt like to communicate her feelings and thinks actions speak louder than words. By helping Vi without hesitation during Act 2 and putting aside her grief to allow Vi a chance to talk to Jinx, someone who murdered her mother, Cait is already showing immense remorse. She’s taking steps to make amends for her actions and proving that her love and trust in Vi outweighs her desire to get revenge. She doesn’t need to actually utter a single apology when she’s done more than enough to make up for her misgivings.

And excusing the whole fascist thing, ALL she did was hit Vi. She didn’t kill the poor thing like Jayce and they weren’t fighting to death like Ekko and Jinx:

And, let’s be honest, wouldn’t you do the same? Put yourself Cait’s shoes. Imagine your family was blown up by your partner’s crazy lunatic sister. You watched her turn your world upside down. And while your partner is fully supportive of hunting down your mother’s murderer, she suddenly switches up when it’s time to actually go through with it. She’s stopping you from shooting this deranged killer all because you MIGHT shoot some annoying child. And then you miss the best chance you’ll ever get to take down this terrorist and your partner comes crawling back to you, talking about how you’re just like that murderer. Then, in the heat of the moment, you hit her with the butt of your gun. You hit her and you abandon her in a hole while she cries on the ground. It’s harsh, but doesn’t she deserve it?

Don’t you see? Cait is a poor rich girl who lost her mother. Unlike these other murderers and thugs, all she did was hit Vi during a moment of passion and would never, ever, ever, ever, do it again. Vi should be grateful Cait even let her see her only family, she could’ve just fucking killed the bitch.

Okay. Jokes asides, let’s just address each of these points one by one.

1. Cait already apologized through her actions

This is the most common defense I see for Cait, and it’ll be the lengthiest one too.

So my question is: For what?

Ignoring the fact that verbally apologizing IS an action, how does Cait deciding not to pursue Jinx and allowing Vi to see her only family correlate to her making amends for the physical abuse?At the very least , I can see Cait siding against Ambessa and admitting she fell for propaganda as “apologizing” for her turning to fascism. I guess. But what is Cait atoning for exactly when she helps out Vi? I’ll try to explain what I think it is:

When Cait says Vi has Jinx’s blood, shoves her gun into her stomach, and leaves her in a ditch, that represents her no longer trusting Vi. Cait thinks she’ll choose Jinx over her. So later, when Cait sides with Vi and allows her to see Jinx, it’s shows that she’s willing to trust Vi again and her judgement of character. Which Vi understands. When we think about it this way, Cait hitting Vi isn’t read as “physical abuse” by the narrative because the physical act of violence isn’t the issue the writers are trying to portray. No, the issue is Cait no longer trusting Vi. Physical abuse was just used as a vehicle to convey Cait’s distrust of Vi, who she now sees as a stranger/enemy….for like, an episode or two, then switches up lol.

But my point in saying all of this is, Cait isn’t really “apologizing through her actions” about the physical abuse. In fact, that was never even a consideration. And no, we’re not going to brush it off by saying “well shouldn’t this count for Cait hitting Vi too”. If we’re to take physical abuse seriously, and WE ARE you freaks, this is an offense that Cait needs to address separately. Properly.

Imagine if someone punched you in the face then stole your cookies. They never apologize to you for anything, but over the following days, they buy you cookies, maybe even some milk. Do you think these actions are enough of an “apology” for punching you in the fucking face? If they are then you need some serious help.

Ah, and contrary to the popular belief that Cait doesn’t need to verbally apologize bc she shows her actions through words and yadda yadda yadda, Cait does, in fact, try to apologize in Jinx’s suicide cell. About fucking Maddie. Then she gets cut off. You would think Cait wouldn’t feel the need to apologize about Maddie since “aCtIonS sPeAk LoUdeR tHaN wOrDs” but I guess Cait picks and choose what she feels sorry about.

And I can already hear the counter argument. “It’s not about if I forgive Cait, but if Vi does since she’s the victim. Cait and Vi kiss and make up, and by the season’s end, they’re a couple. Therefore, Vi forgives Cait about everything.”

Putting aside the cycle of abuse, my question is: how does Vi feel about Cait hitting her? And vice versa. Since the fandom loves throwing “media literacy” around so much, let’s put that to the test. While the physical abuse is never brought up, hinted at, thought about, or addressed ever again (much like how the fandom treats it), that doesn’t mean we can’t talk about the implications.

If Vi doesn’t specifically mention the physical abuse, what does that mean for her character? Did Vi think she deserved it, or maybe she was just used to it, maybe she thought it was in the heat of the moment and Cait would never hurt her again (super toxic mindset btw), etc etc.

If Cait never mentions her physically abusing Vi, what does that mean for her character? Does she even care, does she think she was justified, did she think Vi could take it, why is Maddie the first thing she apologizes about and not hitting Vi and leaving her in a dank hole?

Because we could easily be getting into toxic/abusive territory, and when it comes to physical violence, there’s very little wiggle room for a more positive interpretation.

2. These characters aren’t perfect, they’re flawed

So this argument falls back on the “well pobody’s nerfect” defense and to that extent I agree. I think Cait is selfish and callous, but all the other characters who have similar flaws (think Silco, Marco, Ambessa, probably more) end up fucking dying and/or have actual narrative consequences. I’ve seen people argue that Cait losing her eye is a narrative consequence and IT IS for Cait’s alt right phase and choosing to follow Ambessa but it’s NOT for hitting Vi. Neither is Maddie betraying her. An appropriate narrative consequence would’ve been Vi leaving her ass, but I promise you the same people defending Cait would’ve had a thousand think pieces about how the writers sabotaged Cait’s character. Arcane is NOT a show about bad people getting away with bad things either.

3. Well Jayce killed Viktor / Ekko and Jinx tried to kill each other

So this argument acknowledges Cait’s abuse and her lack of apology but tries to deflect by claiming the other couples are violent, if not more. Even though this is a classic whataboutism, I’ll address it. I won’t acknowledge the timebomb side of the argument because it’s incredibly dumb, but for Jayvik, where do we begin? Recall that after Cait and Vi kissed, they were on romantic terms. That’s why Cait even bothers bringing up Maddie, and it’s really more so to let the viewer know Cait will excuse abuse but draws the line at infidelity. During Act 2, Jayce and Viktor are enemies and Viktor will literally kill everyone if he continues on his path. Jayce could have at least talked to Viktor first, but the writers chose to make him deranged or whatever so that was out of the question. And again, they’re enemies. Fighting isn’t off the table, even killing. If Viktor sucker punched Jayce while they were astral projecting together, then that might be analogous to Cait and Vi, but they don’t.

4. Not all relationships are perfect

This is one is similar to point two, but I’m taking a different angle. No, not all relationships are perfect, but I would never call physical abuse a “flaw” that’s to be expected in a normal, healthy relationship. Once you introduce violence, we call that abusive. I didn’t know we were in dire need of an abusive lesbian relationship, but I’ll walk with you.

If Arcane had the balls, CaitVi could’ve been portrayed as the toxic yuri couple it clearly is. They could’ve leaned into Vi being desperate enough to take Cait back and Cait not giving a single fuck about hitting Vi and leaving her. And if they did, this post wouldn’t exist. But they don’t. We’re genuinely supposed to like this slop and view it as a good thing because they kiss and play fun pop music while they fuck instead of the more appropriate “Poison” (by Bell Biv DeVoe ofc).

5. Well Jinx did XYZ to Vi

Another whataboutism. At risk of making this post longer than it already is, I’m gonna be brief. Yes, Jinx did awful things to Vi, but the narrative properly punishes Jinx for all of her actions (I mean the girl literally sacrifices herself) and wastes no time calling her out, especially Vi. Behind Cait, Vi is Jinx’s biggest hater. Literally chokes the girl out on sight. So let’s not pretend there’s some hypocrisy going on here, though it doesn’t escape me that many Cait fans end up being Jinx haters.

With that, I think I’ve covered all the major defenses for Caitvi’s physical abuse. All I can say is that the relationship is fucked and Vi deserves better.

[fromdevcom]

Source (edited) - https://twitter.com/WebRemedies/status/872504861799088132 Guess what? You can now use Shopify to conduct ecommerce for virtually no investment, and potentially change the world with your cool product(s). Now that’s something to get excited about. Shopify has teamed up with the Oberlo application to enable dropshipping to your new online store for little to no cost. They’re currently offering a 14-day free trial. This is an opportunity for you to finally get your online business up and running without investing a small fortune. Together, these sites can help you launch a set of products that could finally enable you to hit the big time—or, just give you a low-cost environment to let what you thought was a good idea fizzle without breaking the bank. Did we mention it’s free to get started? (Yes, there’s a catch.) Read on to get the scoop. Ecommerce for Everyone Source - If you’re ready to take the plunge into e-commerce, we recommend you snag the 14-day freebie. The Shopify site is perfect for small businesses ready to diversify sales, or the fledgling entrepreneur ready to fly their first ecommerce site. But with a number of ecommerce choices on the market today, why should you choose Shopify? According to Business Insider, the volume of sales on Shopify grew 106 percent, to $3.4 billion last year. They’re also adding more tools (including Apple Pay) and the spiffy little deal we’re discussing in this article today. According to their website, Shopify started in a coffee shop a decade ago. That entrepreneurial spirit has carried over. The site offers various non-pretentious but very effective tools for people getting their ecommerce sites up and running. You don't have to be a DevOps geek to use this site. Plus, now they’re giving you a trial offer that costs absolutely nothing. What’s there to lose? Today there has been more than $34 billion worth of sales since they kicked things off. Why shouldn't your business take them up another billion or so? How Do I know if I’m selling the Right Stuff? Source - Well, the truth is, you’re not going to have the answer to this question right off the bat. If you’re an established business with a track record of moving that particular product in another retail venue, then you may already have a sense of the market niche you’re trying to hit. New products are trickier. That’s why this 14-day free trial is generally a good thing; it caters to both those with an established product and entrepreneurs who are just taking those first wobbly baby steps. One of the big questions we hear right up front is, what should I sell? We highly recommend reading How to Find a Product to Sell Online: The Definitive Guide from ecommerce incubator A Better Lemonade Stand. It's another excellent, free resource that's helpful during this part of your ecommerce journey. The e-book emphasizes several key things to think about when selecting your product(s): Are you choosing products that you are genuinely interested in and passionate about? What trends do you see coming that you might capitalize on? (Tip: Check out TrendHunter for ideas.) Have you tied your products to specific keywords to help improve your visibility? Are there any “pain points” that your products can solve? Look at traditional brick and mortar businesses. Are they selling products that might be more convenient to purchase online? You can also check out this article for more inspiration on the kinds of things you can sell. Steps to Setting Up Your Shopify Store Source - https://websitesetup.org/build-online-store-shopify/ If you’re ready to do a big cannonball into the ecommerce ocean, we can help you get started. Here are the top eight steps to undertake once you’ve registered for your free 14-day trial: Figure our your online store name. Shopify even has a free business name generator that cleverly tells you if the .com is available. Go here to register for your free account. Add your store name and “Create your store.” Isn’t this exciting?

Next, pick your custom theme and click “start with this theme.” If you want to play with your theme a little, you can go to the online store section and select Themes > Customize. A new window will open and you’ll see the sections of your store theme, including the header, body, footer, and so on. You can open each section and mess around with the site vibe. It’s pretty intuitive, with some drag and drop functionality. Add your logo. If you don’t have one, you can go to the free Shopify logo maker and do-it-yourself. Next, start adding content. Some of the basic page categories that we’ve seen include: About; Terms & Conditions: Returns; Shipping & Delivery; and, Contact Us. It’s easy to add pages to your site. Go to the Online Store tab and select Pages > Add Page. Boom! Then comes the most important part—GETTING PAID! Go here to set up your customer payment options. One thing to consider is how much you will charge for shipping. Free shipping is all the rage these days. Of course, you'll adjust your product price accordingly to accommodate shipping fees. Here’s a good video on how to set up shipping options on your new Shopify account. Here’s your last step. Before you launch, you’ll have to enter your credit card billing info, but you won’t be charged until after your free trial is up. Tips and Tricks Source - Shopify may have thought of everything. But in case you didn’t, they have a kind of tips and tricks page with a checklist of things you probably forgot. Here are some examples of what you’ll find there: How to optimize your pictures so they load faster. How to add analytics so you can start to define your target audience. How to edit the automated emails that are triggered when someone buys something. Shopify suggests you offer a coupon when someone makes a purchase, to keep them coming back for more. These are just a few of the checkpoints to consider. Dropshipping Source - https://www.shopify.com/oberlo Mapping out a fulfillment process is easy with Oberlo, one of the application partners with Shopify. Oberlo helps simplify dropshipping. You can import AliExpress products (Tip: Make use of the Chrome extension) by simply clicking on what you want to sell. The app monitors supply so you don’t run the risk of selling something out of stock. You can set your product margins with the app, which watches for pricing changes from the supplier. When customers buy the product from your site, Ali Express handles fulfillment and shipping and Obelo monitors the process. When the product ships, it triggers an email confirmation to the customer. It really is that simple. Final Steps: Marketing Now you’re ready to start marketing your site. It’s best to develop a solid and thorough ecommerce marketing strategy to help you keep track of and achieve your goals. In addition to other marketing practices, be sure to leverage the power of social media. Here are a few of our favorite social media resources to get the word out: Reddit Facebook Groups Instagram Influencers Tumblr Blog Wanelo Shopify has given you some great free tools—now it’s up to you to make the shopping happen. If setting up an ecommerce site is something you’ve always considered, you now have the resources at your fingers to change the way you do business. So, what are you waiting for? Andy Beohar is the Chief Inbound Marketing Strategist at SevenAtoms Inc, a San Francisco Inbound Marketing and PPC Agency. At SevenAtoms, he manages and develops inbound marketing and Google AdWords strategies for companies with the goal to substantially increase their online visibility, grow their brand and bring in more leads and conversions.

[govindhtech]

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus Coming Soon to Galaxy series

Galaxy Tab S10 Plus Release Date

It’s possible that the Galaxy Tab S10 series will be revealed in October. The mixed reality headset from Samsung may be released alongside the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus.

According to reports that surfaced over the weekend, Samsung and Google are collaborating on an Android-based mixed reality project that may see a developer kit launched in October 2024 in advance of a complete launch in 2025. Furthermore, given that another gadget is expected to launch at the same time, it appears that this might be at a full Samsung event.

Introduction Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus

The Galaxy Tab S10 series may launch in October, according to Max Jambor, a frequent Samsung leaker, who stated on Twitter/X today. In a prior post on Allround-PC, Jambor had stated that the Tab S10 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus would be available at that time. Meanwhile, there are rumours that the Galaxy Tab S10 may not even come with a base model.

Regardless matter how many tablets in the series there may be, Samsung has already stated that the Tab S10 series will be released before the end of 2024. In addition to the XR headset and the upcoming “Fan Edition” releases, there are also rumours of a “Ultra” or “Slim” Galaxy Z Fold 6 that suggest Samsung may be gearing up for another event later this year.

With sources predicting an October debut, Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus anticipation is high. New Galaxy Tab models provide speedier performance, stunning designs, and cutting-edge technologies that change tablets. This essay covers anticipated features, technological details, and what could revolutionize the tablet market.

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra/S10+ Design and Build Quality

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and S10+ further Samsung’s tablet innovation. Both models should be high-end glass and metal. Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and Ultra may have 12.4- and 12.9-inch Super AMOLED panels. These panels produce brilliant, high-resolution colours for business, gaming, and media.

Performance and Hardware

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPUs for the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus are quick and efficient.  CPUs and up to 12GB of RAM help these tablets multitask and run the most demanding software. With microSD card extension, expect 128GB–512GB capacity.

Camera Features

Samsung may give the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra a dual rear camera with a 5MP ultra-wide sensor and a 13MP primary sensor. Perhaps Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is configured similarly. Both tablets may include 8MP front cameras for selfies and video chatting. These camera characteristics guarantee high-quality personal and commercial photographs and videos.

Charging and Battery Life

Tablet battery life should be good with Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and S10+. Speculation claims the Ultra will have a 10,000mAh battery and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus 9,800mAh. Both models should have 45W rapid charging, reducing downtime and maximizing work and play time.

Functionalities and Programmes

Samsung’s user-friendly One UI 5.0 and Android 14 will be on these tablets. This software bundle provides a smooth, straightforward user experience with creativity and productivity-boosting capabilities. S Pen support with accuracy and usability for note-taking, drawing, and professional tasks will remain notable.

Extra Features and Links

Expect Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and 5G connection. These features ensure fast, reliable internet connections and device pairing. Some models have AKG-tuned quad speakers and Dolby Atmos capabilities for immersive media consumption.

Competing with the Best

The Samsung Tab S10 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus will compete with the Apple iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface Pro series, which dominate this market. Samsung’s ingenuity and superb hardware and software make these tablets competitive. Experts and casual users will welcome 5G connectivity, S Pen compatibility, and high-performance processors.

Cost and Access

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra may cost $999 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus $899. Details about pricing are pending. These devices’ outstanding quality and cutting-edge technology justify their prices. Pre-orders may begin in late September, and availability may begin in October after the actual announcement.

In summary

Finally, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus will be unique tablets. They offer an unrivalled user experience with long battery life, powerful processors, high-resolution displays, and vast feature sets. Geek fans await October’s release.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[qu-film-history-to-1968]

Analysis of Land Without Bread

By: Julia Kusmenko

The following is a reply to my post: https://www.tumblr.com/qu-film-history-to-1968/734810119430389760/untraditional-elements-in-land-without-bread?source=share

In the 1933 documentary Land Without Bread, the narrator accounts life in Las Hurdes, a remote area in the mountains of Spain where inhabitants struck by poverty, illness and limited resources must struggle to survive. After viewing the film, the elements of the storytelling used in the documentary are disparate from typical documentaries, such as the absence of interviews, absence of sound other than narration, and an array of disturbing imagery. 

According to Luis Buñuel, the director of Land Without Bread, the filmmakers “had brought almost exactly the footage that the film would come to. So, after studying the area for three days, we decided to shoot only scenes that corresponded to a previously prepared synopsis” (Buñuel 97). This was shocking to learn since documentaries typically shoot more footage than is necessary, then craft the narrative arc in post-production. 

Furthermore, “An Ethnographic Surrealist Film: Luis Buñuel’s Land Without Bread” describes how the film uses dark imagery to illustrate the hardships experienced in Las Hurdes. As stated in the text, “While drawn from everyday events, however, numerous images in Land Without Bread emerge directly from the surrealist iconography of violence, transgression, and death: a headless rooster hanging upside down in a town square, a bull exiting the door of a house in Alberca, a close-up of the head of a donkey swarming with bees” (Ruoff 50). In other words, Land Without Bread dramatizes the destitute lives of the people in Las Hurdes by showing the most distressing imagery. In this way, the film deviates from non-fiction storytelling to emphasize the horrors the inhabitants of Las Hurdes endure throughout their lives. I noticed this when first viewing the documentary and appreciate that Ruoff also noted this element of the documentary.

Another element of Land Without Bread that deviates from the norm is the unreliable narrator. In the words of Fiona Otway, Land Without Bread serves as an example of  “precise narrational positioning for framing unreliability in the documentary form” (Otway 4). I also observed this when watching the film and felt it was odd that the narrator was the only source presenting the facts throughout the entire documentary. 

Works Cited

Buñuel, Luis. “Land without Bread.” F Is for Phony: Fake Documentary and Truth’s Undoing, edited by Alexandra Juhasz and Jesse Lerner, NED-New edition, vol. 17, University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 91–98. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5749/j.ctttsntj.9. Accessed 22 Nov. 2023.

Ruoff, Jeffrey. “An Ethnographic Surrealist Film: Luis Buñuel’s Land Without Bread.” Visual Anthropology Review, vol. 14, no. 1, 1998, pp. 45-57.

Otway, Fiona. “The Unreliable Narrator in Documentary.” Journal of Film and Video, vol. 67, no. 3–4, 2015, pp. 3–23. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.5406/jfilmvideo.67.3-4.0003. Accessed 22 Nov. 2023.

[moran-with-a-g]

[image ids: a series of images from @/unpackedmedia talking about the antisemitic and anti-israel bias, titled

What's going on with Wikipedia?

(With the Wikipedia logo under the title)

Since October 7, thousands of Wikipedia articles related to Israel, Palestine, and Judaism have been subjected to "edit wars", distorting their content to promote an antisemitic and anti-Israel narrative.

Wikipedia's anti-Israel bias

Accusations of anti-Israel bias on Wikipedia aren't new-articles dating back to 2008 have highlighted the issue.

Since October 7, pro-Palestinian editors have launched targeted campaigns to distort Jewish and Israeli history.

A group called Tech For Palestine (TFP) coordinated anti-Israel edits in an 8,000-member Discord server, violating Wikipedia's guidelines. Meanwhile, another group of 40 editors worked to demonize Israel, portray Islamist groups favorably, and push fringe academic views as mainstream.

Together, these groups have edited over 10,000 articles, shaping 90% of their content.

Before and after...

Wikipedia's definition of "Zionism" before October 7:

Zionism (Hebrew: ציונות Tsiyonut [tsijo'nut] after Zion) is both an ideology [1][2][3] and nationalist[fn 1] movement that espouses the establishment of, and support for a Jewish state centered in the area roughly corresponding to Canaan, the Holy Land, the region of Palestine or Eretz Israel on the basis of a long Jewish connection and attachment to that land.

Wikipedia's definition of "Zionism" after October 7:

Zionismlal is an ethno-cultural nationalist[1] [fn 1] movement that emerged in Europe in the late 19th century and aimed for the establishment of a Jewish state through the colonization of a land outside of Europe. [4][5][6][7] It eventually focused on the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, [8][9] [10][11] a region corresponding to the Land of Israel in Judaism, [12][13][14][15] and of central importance in Jewish history. Zionists wanted to create a Jewish state in Palestine with as much land, as many Jews, and as few Palestinian Arabs as possible. [16] Following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Zionism became the ideology supporting the protection and development of Israel as a Jewish state and has been described as Israel's national or state ideology. [17][18][1][19][20][21]

The problem got so bad wikipedia had to get involved

It's not just Jews who have noticed the distortion of Jewish and Israel-related content on Wikipedia - the issue became so severe that Wikipedia itself had to intervene, an extremely rare occurrence.

In January, Wikipedia banned eight editors for "disruptive behavior" related to Israel-Palestine articles - six were pro-Palestinian, while two were pro-Israel.

Wikipedia clarified that the bans were not a reflection of the organization's stance on the content of the articles.

Source reliability

Wikipedia's anti-Israel bias isn't just limited to its editors - it extends to the platform's very rules on source reliability.

Wikipedia determines a source's "reliability" by majority consensus, often leading to politically skewed decisions. For example, the site has deemed Al Jazeera, a Qatari state-controlled propaganda outlet, "generally reliable" on Israel-Palestine coverage-despite overwhelming evidence that its journalists have collaborated with Hamas, as seen during the recent hostage release ceremonies.

At the same time, Wikipedia has labeled the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) "questionable," a decision that disapointed and outraged many in the Jewish community.

Wikipedia Arabic promotes even more antisemitism

Content across different language versions of Wikipedia is wildly inconsistent. A Johns Hopkins University study even found that "cultural and social biases significantly influence Wikipedia's multilingual content."

Wikipedia Arabic is particularly problematic, rife with antisemitism and even October 7 denial. For example, according to Wikipedia Arabic, Hamas only targetted Israeli army bases on October 7 - a blatant distortion of reality.

Wikipedia Arabic even changed its logo to the Palestinian flag.

(under the text is an arrow pointing at an image of the Wikipedia logo, painted in the Palestinian flags colors)

Real world implications

Wikipedia's distortions have huge implications far beyond a single website. For example...

Google heavily prioritizes Wikipedia in search results - it's the top result in 56% of searches and appears on the first page in 99% of them. This influence extends beyond Google, shaping Al outputs, including ChatGPT.

Despite being openly editable, Wikipedia is still widely seen as a trustworthy source. A 2019 YouGov survey found that 78-98% of respondents across five countries trust Wikipedia "a great deal" or "somewhat." As a result, efforts to distort Jewish and Israeli history on the platform directly shape public opinion on Jews and the conflict.

There has always been an implicit anti-israel and anti-jewish bias in mainstream media. Be wary of what you're reading-it may have been written by antisemites.

And wikipedia is no exception.

/.End id]

Wikipedia is being weaponised against Jews & Israel.

Since October 7, thousands of articles on Israel and Jewish history have been distorted to push an anti-Israel and antisemitic narrative. Wikipedia ranks Al Jazeera as “reliable” while labeling the ADL “questionable.” Wikipedia Arabic even denies Hamas’ October 7 massacre. Google prioritizes Wikipedia in searches, shaping public opinion worldwide. Be wary of what you read—history is being rewritten.

Unpacked Media

[panbelle]

How old are the disney princesses really?

Updated: Feb. 5, 2025

We've all seen this image floating around the internet for many years:

But where are they getting these ages from? And is there any truth to them? Well, I did the research for you and, surprise, plenty of these are wrong or not supported. Here are some of the official and unknown ages of our favorite heroines (including those not pictured)

Snow White: 14 - Yep, this one's actually right, but only barely. It's reported that at the time of the release of the movie her age was released to The Press, but it's just as likely this is an urban legend.

And before you say it, no Prince Florian was not 31. As stated and confirmed by the book The Art of Walt Disney, he is depicted as 18.

Edit: I HAVE FOUND SOMETHING. I guess I didn't realize when writing that Snow White's age is "confirmed" by The Art of Walt Disney Book as well! My bad. On page 125 of the book, it states "Another outline, this one dated October 22, 1934, includes a complete breakdown of the cast of characters." It goes on to state Snow as 14, The Prince as 18, and the Huntsman as 40!

Cinderella: Unknown - 19 is the age given by many, but I couldn't find where it is "explicitly stated" as many of these sources claim. Edit: Cinderella is stated to be 19 in this video from the Disney Princess YouTube channel! Thank you to the folks in the notes for bringing to my attention!

Aurora: 16 - if you've watched the movie, you should know this is correct as we are told that Maleficent’s curse will come to pass on her 16th birthday.

Ariel: 16 - This one is stated by the character herself!

Belle: mid-20s - that's right, Belle is not stated as 17 by any official source. Both her animator Mark Henn and her voice actor Paige O'Hara are sourced as saying she is estimated to be in her mid-20s. Edit: It appears that 17 comes from one of the early drafts of the film where Belle celebrates her 17th birthday (you can find the scene and others here), but the story and character designs are much different than the final product! Another early draft from 1990 states her as 18 (can be found here), but it is not the final draft. Thank you to @riddlerosehearts for letting me in on this info!

Jasmine: Unknown - Jasmine's age has never been confirmed or even referenced in any of the Aladdin movies, television series, or other spinoff projects. In the original film, the Sultan declares that Jasmine must be married "by her next birthday", but never specifies how old she will become on said birthday. 15 comes from an early concept where the Sultan says "By your sixteenth birthday." According to "Disney's Aladdin: the making of the animated film" (on page 41), this concept was scrapped when Jeffrey Katzenberg became worried about sending the wrong message regarding the idea that fifteen-year-old girls should get married. So Jasmine is actually explicitly not 15.

Pocahontas: 18-19 - Yeah, this one's correct, according to her supervising animator, Glen Keane, in an interview with the Orlando Sentenial from June 23, 1995 (Sorry it's behind a paywall, but I promise the info is there 😔).

Mulan: Unknown - I was surprised at this one, but I couldn't find an official reference to Mulan being 16 anywhere. I suspect it probably came from a press release somewhere. In the Qing dynasty novel "Fierce and Filial", she left home to battle in the Wei army at the age of seventeen, and returned home twelve years later at the age of twenty-nine. So I'd lean 17 for a "canon" age.

Tiana: Unknown - Just like Mulan, I couldn't find a source for Tiana being 19, but I suspect a lost press release somewhere includes it in the description of the character because many news articles around the time of the movie's release include the age. Edit: her age is listed in the official movie page on movies.disney.com and it is in fact 19! Thank you @firecat17 for the info!

Rapunzel: 18 - seems like the princesses' ages range from 'who knows?' to 'we explicitly tell you in the movie.' And Rapunzel is no exception to the rule, outright stating that she's turning 18 in the film.

Also, she turns the ages 19, 20, and 21 over the course of her series.

Elena: 16-20 over the course of her series.

Merida: 16 - This is stated in the junior novelization of the film, which is generally accepted as canon to the film itself.

Anna and Elsa: 18 and 21, respectively (Frozen 1) - Both of these were confirmed by Jennifer Lee, one of the main filmmakers on the project. They are 21 and 24 in the sequel.

Moana: 16 - Her voice actor, Auli'i Cravalho, said in an interview with ABC that Moana is 16 years old.

Raya: 18 - This one is iffy because I can't find an exact source but the film came out recently enough that I believe it was stated somewhere official, whether that was a press release or statement from a person involved with the project, I don't know.

And for funsies, Mirabel, Luisa, Isabela, and Dolores: 15, 19, 21, and 21 respectively. This stuff has been confirmed multiple times by many sources so I won't argue.

[cyberbenb]

Erdogan says he's in agreement with Putin on grain deal extension

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on July 14 that he and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin were “of the same mind” on the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Turkish state-run Anadolu news outlet reported.

"(UN Secretary-General Antonio) Guterres sent a letter to Putin. I hope that with this letter, we assure the extension of the grain corridor deal with the joint efforts of us and Russia," Erdogan told reporters, as cited by Anadolu.

Erdogan added that Turkey was preparing for the Russian dictator’s visit in August.

Russia has threatened not to prolong the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which allows Ukraine to continue exporting its agricultural products, unless the West eases its restrictions against Russia’s grain and fertilizers exports. The current agreed-upon extension period is set to expire on July 17.

Erdogan wants to extend grain deal for another 3 months

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, allowing Ukraine to continue exporting its grain amid Russia’s full-scale war, was prolonged on May 17, and is due to expire on July 18.

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

On July 13, Putin claimed that none of Moscow’s conditions for extending the grain deal had been met, according to the Russian state-controlled news agency Interfax.

Russia’s key demand is reconnecting the Kremlin-owned Russian Agricultural Bank to the SWIFT international payment system. The European Union cut the bank from the payment system on June 14 under its sanctions regime over the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The EU is not considering removing that restriction but is weighing an option to connect a subsidiary of Russia’s Agricultural Bank to SWIFT, allowing grain and fertilizer transactions, unnamed sources told Reuters and the Financial Times.

Guterres reportedly asked Putin to extend the grain deal for several months to give the EU time to arrange the scheme.

Turkey and the UN brokered the grain deal in July 2022. Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine, one of the world’s top grain exporters, initially prevented Ukraine from shipping agricultural products through its Black Sea ports.

Agriculture Minister: Russia’s grain corridor sabotage could lead to higher food prices

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Russia’s blockage of Ukrainian seaports triggered a global food crisis. The global food crisis was partially resolved in July when an UN-backed grain deal was reached, forcing Russia to unblock three ports in Odesa Oblast for…

The Kyiv IndependentAnastasiya Gordiychuk

[apuff]

*edit to my reblog: i think it's worth putting the statement the WHO put (linked above & here) (formatting & emphasis added)

Six months of war leave Al-Shifa hospital in ruins, WHO mission reports A WHO-led multi-agency mission accessed Al-Shifa Hospital in north #Gaza on 5 April to conduct a preliminary assessment of the extent of destruction and identify needs to guide future efforts to restore the facility. The highly complex mission was conducted in close partnership with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (@UNOCHA), United Nations Mine Action Service (@UNMAS), United Nations Department for Safety and Security (@UNDSS), and in collaboration with the acting Hospital Director. Prior to the mission, WHO’s efforts to reach the hospital to medically evacuate patients and staff and conduct an assessment were denied, delayed or impeded six times between 25 March and 1 April. Like the majority of the north, Al-Shifa Hospital - once the largest and most important referral hospital in Gaza – is now an empty shell after the latest siege. No patients remain at the facility. Most of the buildings are extensively damaged or destroyed and the majority of equipment is unusable or reduced to ashes. The WHO team said that the scale of devastation has left the facility completely non-functional, further reducing access to life-saving health care in Gaza. Restoring even minimal functionality in the short term seems implausible and will require substantial efforts to assess and clear the grounds for unexploded ordnance to ensure safety and accessibility for partners to bring in equipment and supplies. The hospital’s emergency department, surgical, and maternity ward buildings are extensively damaged due to explosives and fire. The western wall of the emergency department and northern wall of the neonatal intensive care department (NICU) have been torn down. At least 115 beds in what once was the emergency department have been burnt and 14 incubators in the NICU destroyed, among others assets. An in-depth assessment by a team of engineers is needed to determine if these buildings are safe for future use. The hospital's oxygen plant has been destroyed, leaving Kamal Adwan Hospital as the only source of medical oxygen production in the north. Further comprehensive assessment is essential to evaluate the functionality of vital equipment such as CT scanners, ventilators, sterilization devices, and surgical equipment, including surgical tools and anaesthesia devices. The current situation has left north Gaza without CT scanning capabilities and significantly diminished laboratory capacity, severely compromising effective diagnosis, which will increase avoidable deaths. Numerous shallow graves have been dug just outside the emergency department, and the administrative and surgical buildings. In the same area, many dead bodies were partially buried with their limbs visible. During the visit, WHO staff witnessed at least five bodies lying partially covered on the ground, exposed to the heat. The team reported a pungent smell of decomposing bodies engulfing the hospital compound. Safeguarding dignity, even in death, is an indispensable act of humanity. According to the acting Hospital Director, patients were held in abysmal conditions during the siege.

They endured severe lack of food, water, health care, hygiene and sanitation, and were forced to relocate between buildings at gun point. At least 20 patients have reportedly died due to the lack of access to care and limited movement authorized for health personnel. Despite deconfliction, yesterday’s mission faced significant delays at the military checkpoint en route to Al-Shifa Hospital. On the same day, another WHO-led mission bound for Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals in northern Gaza - to deliver medical supplies, fuel, deploy emergency medical teams, and support referral of critical patients - encountered unnecessary delays, including the detention of a supply truck driver who was part of the convoy. He was detained for over an hour at a separate location, out of view of the mission team. Eventually this mission was aborted due to safety concerns as the delays left insufficient time for safe completion and return before nightfall. Between mid-October and end March, over half of all WHO missions have been denied, delayed, impeded or postponed. As health needs soar, the lack of a functional deconfliction system is a major obstacle in delivering humanitarian aid – including medical supplies, fuel, food and water to hospitals — anywhere close to the scale needed. Six months – half a year – into the war, the destruction of Al-Shifa Hospital and Nasser Medical Complex has broken the backbone of the already ailing health system. Prior to the latest siege, WHO and partners had supported the revival of basic services at Al-Shifa Hospital, and Nasser Medical Complex was regularly supplied to continue serving as the main hospital in south Gaza. These efforts are now lost.

As WHO marks #WorldHealthDay tomorrow, under the theme “#MyHealthMyRight”, this basic right is utterly out of reach for the civilians of Gaza. Access to health care in Gaza has become totally inadequate, and the ability of WHO and partners to help is constantly disrupted and impeded. Of the 36 main hospitals that used to serve over 2 million Gazans, only 10 remain somewhat functional, with severe limitations on the types of services they can deliver. The proposed military incursion into Rafah can only result in further diminution of access to health care and would have unimaginable health consequences. The systematic dismantling of health care must end. WHO repeats its calls for the protection of patients, health and humanitarian workers, health infrastructure, and civilians. Hospitals must not be militarized, misused, or attacked. WHO demands an effective, transparent and workable deconfliction mechanism, and safety guarantees, ensuring that the movement of aid within Gaza, including through checkpoints, is safe, predictable and expedited. WHO calls for additional land crossings to allow access into and across Gaza more safely and directly. As famine looms, disease outbreaks spread, and traumatic injuries increase, WHO calls for unimpeded access of humanitarian aid into and across the Gaza Strip, and a lasting ceasefire.

🇮🇱⚔️🇵🇸 🚨

WHO FOOTAGE FROM AL-SHIFA MEDICAL COMPLEX SHOWS COMPLETE AND UTTER DESTRUCTION OF HOSPITAL FACILITIES

📹 Footage published by the World Health Organization (WHO) following their mission to Al-Shifa medical complex after the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) siege and eventual raid left the hospital in ruins, with what the WHO described as a graveyard of shallow graves left throughout the hospital's grounds.

According to Gaza's media office, more than 400 Palestinians were killed during Zionist army operations at Al-Shifa, with a total of 1'500 Palestinians missing, killed or wounded over the course of the raid.

#source

#videosource

#WHOreport

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - February 13, 2023

Hello there! Welcome to another edition of ‘Feel Good Newsletter’. I'm so glad you're here. Every week, I scour the web for the most uplifting and heartwarming stories to bring you a little bit of joy and inspiration. So, sit back, relax, and let's dive in!

1. Minnesota House passes "universal" school meals, providing free breakfast, lunch to students

The Minnesota House of Representatives is considering a bill that would provide universal school meals to all students in the state, regardless of their families' ability to pay. The goal of the bill is to ensure that all students have access to nutritious meals and are better equipped to learn in the classroom.

If the bill is approved, Minnesota would become the second state in the country, after California, to offer universal school meals. The bill has the support of education and anti-hunger advocates, who argue that it would help to address food insecurity and improve student health and academic performance.

2. Ukraine succeeds in bringing back 128 children forcibly removed to Russia

Ukraine has succeeded in bringing back 128 children forcibly taken by the invaders to Russia.

Source: Yuliia Usenko, Head of the Department for the Protection of the Interests of Children and Combating Violence of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, quoted by Ukrinform

Quote: "We have managed to bring 128 children back to Ukraine. More than 50 of them, together with their parents or guardians, are currently in EU countries.

3. Putting solar panels in grazing fields is good for sheep

A study found that installing solar panels in grazing fields is beneficial for sheep. The study was conducted in the UK and found that sheep were more likely to spend time in areas with solar panels than in areas without. This is because the panels provide shade and shelter from the sun, wind, and rain.

The researchers believe that this could help to improve the welfare of sheep, as they are more likely to seek out shade in hot weather, which can reduce the risk of heat stress. The study also found that the solar panels had little impact on the growth and health of the grass, which is important for the sheep's diet.

4. Dad takes toddler son for a manicure after teacher says it's 'only for girls'

The father and son were at a "Daddy and Me" event, where fathers were encouraged to spend time with their children doing various activities. The father chose to take his son to get a manicure, but was told by the teacher in charge of the activity that it was only for girls. The father was reportedly surprised and upset by the teacher's statement, as he felt that it was important for his son to be able to express himself however he wants, without gender stereotypes getting in the way.

The article notes that the incident highlights the ongoing issue of gender stereotypes and the importance of promoting gender equality and inclusivity, especially in children's activities.

4. More than half of new U.S. electric-generating capacity in 2023 will be solar, and only 14% will be using fossil fuels

Information Administration (EIA), energy production in the country increased for the fourth consecutive week. The EIA data showed that the output of oil, natural gas, and coal rose by 1.6%, 2.2%, and 3.2% respectively. The increase in energy production is due to a combination of factors, including improved drilling techniques, favorable weather conditions, and rising global demand for energy.

5. Deforestation in Brazil falls by 60% in first month under Lula

Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil fell for the first time this year, according to a report by Reuters. The decrease is attributed to increased enforcement of environmental regulations and increased monitoring of illegal logging activities. The Brazilian government has implemented several measures to reduce deforestation and preserve the Amazon rainforest, which is a critical component of the global ecosystem.

6. Cat returned to NJ shelter for being 'too affectionate' now happy in his new home

A cat named Bruno surrendered to a shelter in New Jersey and was eventually adopted by a new family. Bruno, who was described as a friendly and affectionate cat, is now happily settling into his new home. The story of Bruno's adoption serves as a reminder of the importance of animal shelters and the work they do to find loving homes for abandoned pets.

7. A doggy day care was on fire. Neighbors helped save all 115 dogs inside.

A fire broke out at a doggy daycare and resort in Seattle, causing significant damage to the building. No dogs or employees were injured in the fire, but several dogs had to be temporarily relocated to other facilities. The cause of the fire is under investigation, and the resort is working to make repairs and get back to serving the community's four-legged friends as soon as possible.

- - -

That's it for this week. If you liked this post you can support this newsletter with a small kofi donation:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

Have a great week ahead :)

[psychicexpertlover]

hi i really hope this doesn’t come off as offensive at all because it’s not intended to be but it probably will anyway just by default but… if i may ask, why do you stand with amber heard? you’re under no obligation to answer this but i wanted to know what your perspective is since there is so much evidence of her being an abuser circulating in the media. do you only support her because you don’t believe men can be victims? again i apologize if any of this comes off as hostile or accusatory, i genuinely just want to know your opinion!! i hope you have a nice day

\\ TERFS DNI //

Hey anon! I'm going to try to take this ask in good faith, but please know that assuming things ("do you only believe her because you don't believe men can be victims?") is rude - and unnecessary considering the content on my blog easily disproves it. It's simple really:

I do believe men can be victims.

I don't believe Johnny Depp is a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of Amber Heard.

You state that there is "so much evidence" to prove that she is abusive, but here's the kicker: there isn't. The piece that is most often cited as "evidence" is a heavily edited audio clip from Amber and Depp's marital therapy sessions, that was leaked by the Daily Mail. In this clip, Amber is heard saying that she slapped Depp (open palm) to which he argues that it was a closed-fist punch.

When the entirety of the recording was later released (don't remember to which site but I believe it was used in the most recent trial, which Depp lost) it was revealed that Depp headbutted Amber, making her nose bleed - she initially thought it was broken - and she struck him in self defense.

Now, another misconception is that Amber severed Depp's finger during a fight in which she threw a broken vodka bottle at him. This. Is. False. (Or at least very likely to be as I'll explain now). When the incident occured in 2017, Depp repeatedly stated that he cut his own finger. He said this unprompted, to several people, including ones who he would have no reason to lie to (e.g. his good friend Paul Bettany who has always harbored a strong dislike of Amber) and his personal doctor. The evidence (text messages, emails, etc) is currently being reviewed during the ongoing trial and can be found in the transcripts of Depp's witness testimonials as well as reputable news sites. (source used here being Insider)

Additionally, according to this excerpt from court documents, Depp's lawyer orchestrated a smear campaign to try to ruin Amber's reputation and credibility. Judging by the sheer amount of Depp supporters floating around the internet, it was successful.

There are also allegations that Amber abused her former partner, Tasya van Ree. However, Tasya herself has come forth and said these were entirely false, and were based in homophobia and misogyny. In the same statement, she went on to describe Amber as "brilliant, honest and beautiful woman and I [Tasya] have the utmost respect for her." (source)

Finally, most recently, makeup brand Milano accused Amber of lying of using their product to cover up her bruises. They stated, through a TikTok with questionable grammar, that the palette hadn't been released until 2017, a year after the allegations of DV. The ethics of the TikTok in question aside, it's... simply not true? Popular makeup magazine Glamour UK included the product in question in an article from June 3rd 2016. Plus, the brand of the palette used in court was never mentioned, and it was stated to be a prop, not the actual item Amber used.

So, now that we have cleared the rumors about Amber's supposed dishonesty, let's talk about the fact that Depp is a violent and abusive person - and has been proved, with evidence.

This article by the Irish Examiner goes in-depth about Depp's libel trial against the Sun (a tabloid that referred to him as a "wife-beater" which he contested). It examines the 14 cases of alleged violence - 12 of which were confirmed, and 2 of which were declared likely but lacking sufficient evidence to be confirmed. These date back to as early as 2013.

Let me say that again.

Johnny Depp beat and abused Amber Heard. This isn't "conjecture" or slander - a judge ruled him as a wife-beater based on actual evidence.

I would highly encourage everyone to read this article. It's horrifying and eye-opening.

Last but not least, please remember to take everything Depp's friends say with a whole ocean-full of salt. Case in point, Paul Bettany?

Yeah. That text exchange is from June fucking 2013.

I hope this was enough for you anon. You can also peruse the "amber heard" tag on my blog if you want to know more.

[jenbobbyy]

GUIDE TO NAMES!

Specimen 2

Gel - from 'CANNOT_RELEASE_GEL_TWICE' error note at repeat 60

Jelly - from Pakpak (video essay) or a general fanon name

Goop - from Wambu (interview/video essay) or a general fanon name

Slimemonster - ingame model name

Specimen 3

One, two and three - fanblog names, @z0nie i think?

Centispiders/Spiderpedes - general fanon name

Arthropod Hybrid - wiki name

Subject 5 - notes

Specimen 4

Ringu - official, model/wiki/interview

Matsuri - some theories, but she's a girl killed in the notes

Specimen 5

Bab - official, model/wiki/interviews

Strawberry - comes from 'LUSTING STRAWBERRY' chase theme

MOTHER - theories, notes

Specimen 6

Ben - official, model/wiki/interviews

The Merchant - comes from 'THE MERCHANT' chase theme

The Puppet - mostly used in video essays or gameplays and not super relevant

Specimen 7

Wall of Flesh - unsure, mentioned in kira interview

The White Cat - official, credits

Hugo - @z0nie maybe? seen this one used a few times

Specimen 8

Deer Lord - official, model 'DL'

Deer God - common fanon name

Specimen 9

TAKER - official, model and... yeah.

Specimen 10

Parasite - official, model

Specimen 11

Food Demon - official, model 'FD'

Beef/Burger/Mcdonalds/Arby's Demon - common fanon names

Specimen 12

Mansion within a mansion - canon? mentioned in kira interview

Mansionception - fanon name

Perry - probably another z0nie? But could also be a general askblog name

Room 810 - canon, duh

Paranormal structure - wiki

Specimen 13

Mermaid - canon? model label

Siren - common fanon name

The Host

The Host - canon? mentioned in Cat-Dos

Vlogger - also canon! see endless notes, they're the same poor guy

Old Man - fanon? wiki + interviews but cant find a source

Vernon Shaw - that's just his voice actor..

Stanley - started by @z0nie and widely accepted as fanon

Richard - from a horrible, horrible fanfic. God, please. No.

The Protagonist

Protag - i mean....

Specimen 14 - bad end fanon name, SUPER widely accepted, almost canon

Maxwell - @genericspookysaskblog

Monster 1

Officer/Security guard - may be canon, cant remember model name will update

Monster 2

Bodybag - model, canon, model

Monster 3

Babyface - fanon?

Monster 4

The Hanged Man - canon, model and wiki

T-Rex - chase theme 'T-REX CANT WEAR MITTENS' and Pakpak video essay

Monster 5

Ghost cow - model, canon

Angus - fanon

Mad cow - fanon

Monster 6

Bekka - model, canon, Rebecca Black

Monster 7

Scarechair - fanon?

US1

Whiteface/WF - canon! see IMSCARED; A PIXELATED NIGHTMARE

US2

Otto - canon, kira was bugged about FNAF according to interview

US3

Spooper - canon, model

US4

Tirsiak - canon, credits?

US5

Lisa - canon, see SILENT HILL PT

All dollhouse names are widely canon - models and such, but I'll go over them anyways;

Woormy Charles, Hooked Doll, Husks, Frenzy, etc

Names like Carl, WAM and Howard are canon, made up by Kira and Sheena for 'the kids on the wiki'

If you have any additions or changes, LMK!

EDIT: thank you @genericspookysaskblog for the tips!!

The fun part about starting a Spooky's hyperfixation is figuring out what names are official and what are just made up. (I cannot for the life of me figure out if specimen 7 is actually known as the wall of flesh or not).

[putschki1969]

Yuki Kajiura New Album  「PARADE」Details Revealed

Finally we have a tracklist for this upcoming release!

FictionJunction ALBUM「PARADE」

【Release date】 2023/04/19

【Product specifications】

First Press Limited Edition (CD＋Blu-ray) ￥ 6,600 VVCL 2147~2148

Regular Edition (CD) ￥ 3,300 VVCL 2149

Pre-order link:　https://fictionjunction.lnk.to/0419AL_parade

【Tracklist】 ■DISC1: CD 01. Prologue 02. ことのほかやわらかい (Koto no Hoka Yawarakai) 03. 夜光塗料 feat. ASCA (Yakō toryō) 04. Beginning 05. もう君のことを見たくない feat. rito (Mō Kimi no Koto wo Mitakunai) 06. 櫂　feat. Aimer (Kai) 07. 蒼穹のファンファーレ feat. 藍井エイル&ASCA&ReoNa (Sōkyū no fanfāre) （”SAO” 10th Anniversary Theme Song） 08. 八月のオルガン feat. LINO LEIA (Hachigatsu no Organ) 09. それは小さな光のような feat. KEIKO (Sore ha Chīsana Hikari no you na) 10. from the edge feat. LiSA （”Demon Slayer” Ending Theme） 11. moonlight melody 12. 世界の果て feat. 結城アイラ(Sekai no hate) 13. Parade

M 01,02,04,11,13 feat. KAORI/KEIKO/YURIKO KAIDA/Joelle

■DISC2: Blu-ray ・「Parade」Music Video ・「Yuki Kajiura LIVE vol.#16～Sing a Song Tour～」 01. overture 02. Beginning 03. 記憶の森 04. Distance 05. Fields of hope 06. 宝石 07. 凱歌 08. moonlight melody 09. ひとりごと 10. 約束 11. 花の唄 12. I beg you 13. wonderland 14. 春はゆく 15. eternal blue 16. stone cold 17. ユメノツバサ 18. 目覚め 19. zodiacal sign 20. maybe tomorrow

Ohhh, very excited about this release (despite the abundance of artists I do not care for XD). We are actually getting a music video for “Parade” which is a brand new track! I LOVE FictionJunction’s version of “Beginning” so I am happy to see it included here. Not expecting much from “Prologue” but I am definitely looking forward to “ことのほかやわらかい“  (which is another new song as far as I know? According to YK, Keiko likes to call this song “cinnamon roll-chan so I am guessing it is ultra sweet?). “それは小さな光のような” still hasn’t grown on me but it’s great that Keiko is getting her very own solo track alongside high-profile artists such as LiSA and Aimer. More power to her, YAY!  

The Blu-ray content isn’t too exciting considering that all of this was broadcast on Streaming+ already but hey, I don’t mind having an official release for it.

『30th Anniversary FictionJunction Station Fan Club Talk＆Live vol.#2』Additional Tokyo Performances

On top of the already announced fan club exclusive events, there will be four additional performances taking place in the Tokyo area. 

[Tokyo additional performance] May 28 (Sun) TIAT SKY HALL, Tokyo 1st Stage: Open 12:15 / Start 13:00 Talk & Live & autograph session (★ FC members only) 2nd Stage: Open 16:15 / Start 17:00 Talk & Live & autograph session (★ FC members only) June 17 (Sat) TIAT SKY HALL, Tokyo 1st Stage: Open 12:15 / Start 13:00 Talk & Live & autograph session (★ FC members only) 2nd Stage: Open 16:15 / Start 17:00 Talk & Live & autograph session (★ FC members only) https://www.tiatskyhall.jp

Source: https://fictionjunction.com/information/9699/

[tomorrowusa]

From @guyverhofstadt . Guy Verhofstadt is a member of the European Parliament and served as Prime Minister of Belgium from 1999 to 2008.

Seldom does a day go by without a war crime by Putin’s Russia.

Putin can’t make any military progress in his war of aggression against Ukraine so he bombs civilians. This time his target was an apartment complex in Dnipro.  

Russia carries out two mass rocket strikes on Ukraine killing at least 14 people   

One video, purported to be from near the scene of the attack, showed people running away, while another showed the immediate aftermath of the strike – a courtyard covered in a thick layer of grey dust, a cloud of smoke and a woman can be heard screaming in the background.

At least 14 people, including a 15-year-old girl, were killed and 64 wounded in the attack, the Dnipropetrovsk governor, Valentyn Reznichenko, said on Telegram. Seven children were among the wounded, the youngest aged three, he added.

So far 38 people had been pulled from the rubble and the search operation was continuing, he said.

So far we have just been tinkering around the edges with sanctions. As Mr. Verhofstadt suggests, Russian assets should be seized and given to Ukraine.

Russia is a terrorist state and should be treated as such. Those who take the side of Putin like Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson are terrorist sympathizers.

EDIT: We now know who planned the attack.

Russian commander responsible for striking at Dnipro residential building identified 

The nine-story apartment building in Dnipro was hit in a large-scale Russian missile attack on the afternoon of Jan. 14. At least 21 people were killed and another 73 were injured, according to latest reports.

"Today, a terrorist who serves in this regiment launched a missile attack on a building in Dnipro," Sternenko’s post reads.

According to Ukrainian sources, the strike was conducted via Kh-22 missile launched by a Tu-22M aircraft in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The pilot's call sign is 4249, and the aircraft then landed at an airfield in Russia’s Ryazan.

"Oleg Timoshin knows exactly the entire crew of the terrorists on board the plane," the volunteer added.

Bratchuk and Sternenko stated that an earlier missile strike was launched against a shopping center in Kremenchuk, Poltava Oblast, on June 27, 2022 – by the same Russian commander. At the time, over 20 people were killed and another 30 were reported missing.

Hopefully we’ll eventually see Oleg in The Hague. Ukrainian cyber investigators will be on his trail from this point onward.