#this song is an anthem of academia

[sylvanium]

You know you have a supportive and very understanding friend when...

(pov: instead of writing a thesis, you send a catchy song about ADHD to your friend, saying it reminds you of her and the dynamics she has with her husband (he is the ADHD one); and she absolutely loves the song and sends you back “just a little something to mentally support you in your eternal thesis/diploma battle" - so you click the link and...)

...the song she sends to you is "I've No More Fucks To Give" (by Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq.) and she wishes you to get to this Point Of No Return because SHE KNOWS your life will be so much better when you get there.

I love her, your honor.

(And no, I’m still very far away from this point - I still give waaaay to many fucks about anything, really - but it’s nice to know your friend has faith you can do better than that. lol)

[dekusheroacademia]

Blink and you'll miss it: Bakugou sobbing (and All Might and Erasermight exchanging hearts)

[thottybrucewayne]

Another James Somerton lie that's super egregious to me is his lying about Janelle Monáe having to come out of the closet when Pynk came out because "Everyone got confused and thought the song was a girl power anthem when it was really Janelle's coming out song." and making a big deal about erasure and what not but it's like A. None of that is true the second that music video came out everybody and they mama said, "Janelle Monáe gay?????????????????" That was the primary reading of the music video, and it's very well-documented B. It could be argued that the music is somewhat of a "girl power" anthem too and I doubt Janelle would have an issue with that interpretation given that Pynk has a very "owning your sexuality and taking up space" message. C. Funny that James Somerton would make such an impassioned defense of an artist being "forced" to come out because he literally lied on a bisexual writer who was forced to come out after people assumed that she was some gross straight woman obsessed with gay men. James, who supposedly did alllllllll this research, lumped that author in with the "Straight woman who writes gay men's stories." in his video and proceeded to get pissy with her when she left a pretty mild comment of "Hey, after a whole harassment campaign against me forcing me to come out of the closet it kinda sucks that people are still calling me straight." Then, after very gently being called out over him erasing her sexuality to fit his narrative, he proceeded to omit the title of that author's work in his later videos and make up a lie about her being mean to him on Twitter when his audience questioned him on it. LITERALLY TALKIN OUTTA BOTH SIDES OF HIS MOUTH

This whole situation reminds me of a TikTok creator who's been called out for stealing from Black women all the time and how every time it's brought up, it's met with silence. Once, He just straight-up read out a Black trans femme's tweets without properly crediting her or asking her for permission to use her work. Making the excuse of "Well, I screenshotted the tweets and put them on the screen so..." then his fans spent days bashing her for calling him out on using the work of other creators without asking and making fun of her for having a donation up which I don't think he ever addressed outside of the occasional stray comment.

This way of "building a progressive brand" through stealing the work of marginalized writers is actually common in left circles and academia and has been an issue, particularly for Black trans femme essayists, for a while. Black MaGes (people of marginalized genders) will come out and say, "Hey! This really popular essayist ripped me off word for word bar for bar" and get paid dust because their platform isn't large enough to speak out and because their platforms are smaller, people are less inclined to care when they get ripped off. Like, it's easy for us to point at James and say, "Omg? How could he get away with stealing this much for so long?" when the answer is simple, nobody cares what you have to say if you don't have a big platform, thus nobody cares if you get stolen from and unfortunately, we're all complicit. Look at how much this situation has blown up just because a super-popular guy brought it up. If Hbomb and Todd in the shadows didn't speak on this story and these small creators made a bigger stink about James biting their shit, yall would have ignored them at best or crucified them and accused them of trying to tear down the body of work of a gay man and probably throw in something about them secretly being a kiwi farms troll trying to sew discord in the community (I know how yall get down...) at worst. To address this issue more substantially, WE have to be better about learning slowly and taking time to pour over materials ourselves and not fall into the trap of letting whatever video essayist we like the best at the moment shape how we think and feel about whatever topic they're covering. Ismatu Gwendolyn and their threadings essays on substack have really helped me personally start removing myself from the "quick learner" rat race and the need to digest as much information as possible that video essays fulfill and reintroduced me to learning slowly and with intention and reading sources for myself first without depending on the thoughts and feelings of a creator I like and agree with to color my view of things. If we work towards getting used to treating video essayists like essayists and not our parasocial besties being our beginning and end to learning on a topic, we can A. Mitigate the amount of misinformation and plagiarized work circulating by being able to identify them easier and B. Improve our personal relationship to learning so we don't have to rely on some stranger with "bisexual lighting" to make us feel smart.

Edit: Please rb the typo-less version,,,,

[thenumberonelistener]

My Hero Academia playlist (and why the songs are there)

(pls reblog with further suggestions i wanna add stuff to my playlist because I made this playlist 2 years ago)

Dirty Little Secret (all american rejects) : idk it originally went with my main oc ship because it was with shouto and they needed to hide it from his dad

Bakugo! (KVMIL) : I mean, duh.

Me and My Broken Heart (Rixton) : I gave this to todoroki. I'm not sure why. for some reason I thought it matched the angsty vibe

Hey, Soul Sister (Train) : Dekuchaco. That's all.

Rude (MAGIC!) : This gave me really big Kirishima vibes when I made it and it still does.

All Star (Smash Mouth) : This is my All Might song. thats it.

Starships (nicki Minaj) : Minaaaa <3

Pound The Alarm (nicki minaj) : This gives me so many... Present mic dj vibes

Bang Bang (K'naan) : This is just so cute and I like using it for any ship I'm thinking of.

Boss Bitch (doja cat) : another Mina song. It's probably in here because it used to wake me up.

Hot 'n Cold (Katy Perry) : purely JUST for the icyhot memes.

Va Va Voom (Nicki minaj) : I think i thought this went with mina when i put it in here? i don't know but i like this song. Could go better with midnight though.

Peach Sign (Kenshi Yonezu) : this is one of the theme songs.

You make me feel... (good) (Cobra Starship) : This song is just such a bop?? soOO GOOD? and it was one of my dance team songs at the time. It's just a good, sfw kind of ship song? but can really be used for found family too? I think?

Uraraka (GameboyJones) : OBVIOUSLY I HAVE TASTE

The Red Means I love you (Madds Buckley) : this song was made about Himiko Toga, and i love it

Class 1-A (Rustage) : This seems obvious

A World Alone (Lorde) : i put it in here for my oc, honestly <3

Get Him Back! (olivia Rodrigo) : I have no idea whY, but it reminded me of hitoshi?

Sora ni Utaeba (amazarashi) : it's one of the theme songs

Here with me (d4vd) : made me sad and reminded me a little of the empty oboro-shaped hole in Mic and Aizawa's friend group

Everybody Talks (Neon Trees) : Gives me denki vibes honestly

Good old fashioned loverboy (queen) : ERASERMIC!!!! gay.

Dear Future husband (meghan Trainor) : no idea why it's in here, take your best guess.

Still into you (paramore) : ERASERMIC!

Moves Like Jagger (maroon 5) : Present mic. thats it.

Don't Threaten me with a good time (Panic!) : I think this is in here because of Mic, but I'm not sure.

Sweater Weather (The Neighborhood) : bisexual anthem... it's just the vibe

Airplanes (B.o.B) : the memes, but also because I just like this song. and it fits with the rest of the playlist vibes

The Record player Song (Daisy the Great) : This song was more attributable to one of my ocs, Sairento

Prom Queen (Beach Bunny) : I related this to Sairento but also to Ochako

[earphone-jacks]

My Hero Academia Class 1-A Music Headcanons

I've been catching up on the manga and thinking a lot about Jiro making a collaborative playlist to help her really connect with her classmates lately. Anyway,

Deku listens to soundtracks, like bombastic instrumentals from old superhero movies, and I like to think he enjoys some fantasy adventures too. He also likes J-rock, including some openings and endings from the anime. He's pretty open to recommendations no matter the genre, but generally prefers more mellow stuff to help him relax and study or just unwind after a long day, and tends to listen to the same small handful of his favourite songs anyway.

Bakugo listens to heavy metal, particularly extreme metal. He loves the blast beat drumming and harsh vocals. A lot of the lyrics are incomprehensible upon listening, but if you took the time to look some of them up, they'd give more insight to his more vulnerable side that he's too prideful to show. I also like the idea of him having a softer private playlist that nobody lives to speak of.

Ochako didn't really seek out new music on her own before high school and formed her taste mostly from the radio or recommendations from friends. She has a lot of fun going through the playlist and she's happy to listen to anything from bubbly J-pop to heavy metal. I think she'd be a big fan of Babymetal.

Iida also likes instrumentals for studying, but more classical, and with faster tempos that he can take his morning runs to as well, like allegro. Something like hardcore techno would be funny, maybe some sport anthems, and a few more mellow rock songs that he picked up from his brother for when he needs to cool down.

Todoroki was very isolated and had a really limited musical library before high school. He'd also just listen to some classical, traditional Japanese music, or whatever was on the radio, if anything at all. He later gravitates to edgy alternative rock, or anything with relatable lyrics that help him vent his emotions. I think he could use that.

Tokoyami likes goth, modern classical, anything mellow, dark and ethereal-sounding with poetic lyrics. His music is oddly calming and haunting at the same time. He doesn't like anything too loud or harsh-sounding, partially because it can excite Dark Shadow too much.

Tsuyu and Koda both listen to cozy movie soundtracks, like from Disney or Ghibli, folk, lo-fi, ambient nature sounds, anything grounding and soothing, or "cottagecore".

Momo listens to classical, traditional pop, or modern music with elements of either, like baroque/chamber pop.

Jiro is already confirmed to have a preference for rock, probably alternative rock, and punk. I'd like to think some metal as well, but she'll listen to almost any genre and has impeccable taste in everything. She was largely influenced by her parents, and maybe grandparents, so her library spans a few decades as well.

Mina and Toru both listen to upbeat J-pop, and I like to think one of them introduced the others to Little Glee Monster. Maybe some sappy or wistful love songs more in private. Mina also likes 70s pop, disco and hip-hop, the kind of music that just compells you to dance and sing at the top of your lungs, maybe some psychedelic space rock and sci-fi horror soundtracks.

Kirishima is also confirmed to like 80s rock, like Eikichi Yazawa and Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi. I'd also think he likes stuff from as far back as the 50/60s as well, since Yazawa is the closest thing to Elvis from Japan that I know of, and that he picks up some more modern hard rock and metal mostly from Bakugo and Tetsutetsu as well.

Kaminari and Mineta both listen to J-pop, mostly from female idols that they think are cute. Besides that, Kaminari likes pop rock/punk and a lot of English music, and seems to have formed a lot of his taste from whatever was popular on the radio or social media with the occasional unexpected banger. He also had a dubstep, Vocaloid and hyperpop phase.

Sero is almost as adventurous as Jiro with music. He has a talent for finding underrated indie bands, and songs in a few different languages as well.

Aoyama also listens to some classical, but more opera, as well as French pop, some disco and house that he can vogue to. It's mostly upbeat but there's some sad-sounding songs in there as well that the others can't translate.

Shoji doesn't have much to contribute, being a minimalist, but he generally likes the more mellow indie stuff. He can get overstimulated easily.

Sato and Ojiro both like upbeat stuff, and enjoy music more as background noise for training, or baking in Sato's case. I also think Sato would enjoy the girls' bubbly pop music, and Ojiro would like some traditional stuff. Idk man they're nothing characters

[nancysandoval]

NANCY SANDOVAL ( 30. CIS WOMAN. SHE/HER ) is here! They’ve lived in Asbury Park for 3 MONTHS and are originally from NEW YORK CITY, NY. They are UNEMPLOYED and in their downtime love GIVING SHITTY LIFE ADVICE and PULLING THE FIVE-FINGER DISCOUNT. They look a lot like MAIKA MONROE and live at MEADOWLARK APARTMENTS. The song that makes people think of them the most is RAGE BY RICO NASTY.

THE BASICS:

FULL NAME: nancy elizabeth sandoval, née wright

NICKNAMES: nan, nance

GENDER & PRONOUNS: cis woman & she/her

AGE & BIRTHDAY: 30 & july 12, 1994

ZODIAC: ☼ cancer ☾ leo ↑ aries

BIRTHPLACE: carson city, nv

MBTI & ALIGNMENT: enfp & true neutral

+ TRAITS: headstrong, spontaneous, creative, flirtatious

- TRAITS: hedonistic, fickle, manipulative, pessimistic

RESIDENCE: meadowlark apartments

OCCUPATION: broke bitch :( - hit up her depop pls !!!!

LINKS: pinterest / playlist / tasks

BACKGROUND & DETAILS:

surface level: nancy is very messy, sometimes rude, and often nude

deep down: ......... that’s still pretty much accurate lmao

born in nevada, her parents met thanks to a chance encounter while her mom was researching for an upcoming book. nancy was an unexpected surprise in their lives, but fast-forward 5 years and they were sealing the deal, getting hitched in nyc where her mom had the gaudy, mega wedding of her dreams.

photographic evidence of nancy being an angelic flower girl DOES in fact exist

and, as her mother would say, "thank god it does, because you haven't been sweet since."

nancy's formative years were a blur of questionable choices and dangerous stunts, running amok in the streets of new york on her parents' dime and never once considering the consequences. attempts were made to rein her in; freezing credit cards, grounding her (lol), and making hollow threats of sending her away to bootcamp or boarding school.

nothing stuck. over and over, nancy ran to her dad for an easy bailout and extra cash, fueling the growing rift between her parents as they argued about her future.

for real the anthem of her teen years

she hurt herself, she fell in with the wrong crowds, she found drugs and lost her mind a little. an addiction to pills spiraled and worsened, graduating to cheaper and quicker highs as time went on. it was a miracle that she ever graduated high school, see-sawing between sobriety and oblivion while treating rehab like a casual hotel stay, but her mom made sure it happened.

this carried on into her twenties. living under her mother's thumb was not fun. even in a high-rise penthouse with zero "real world" concerns, nancy felt like she was choking on her short leash. no booze, no visitors, no privacy from her parents - what was the point in living?? she tried to keep busy by half-assing therapy sessions, taking up yoga, and delving deep into the world of online academia (just to rack up a bill for the 'rents), but eventually she snapped.

nancy packed her shit and ran away to california. she settled in silver lake, living there for a good three years, but an attempted career in food service had her backsliding into addictive habits. eventually, she checked herself into an in-patient facility with a promise from her dad that he'd be there to congratulate her when the 3 month stay ended.

.... and he was......... but so was his hot young girlfriend that nancy had regular fantasies about bludgeoning to death.

she threw the tantrum of the century, only resurfacing from her rage blackout when she'd driven halfway to new york by herself, and car trouble stranded her in colorado. feeling reckless and spiteful (and just a tiny bit terrified of turning 30), nancy did the most insane thing she could think of - and got married to a guy that she met at a gas station.

okay, she got to know him first...... sort of. enough to find out that his name was cooper sandoval and decide that she could live with that last name, too. sadly, it didn't last. their honeymoon phase inevitably wore off, nancy turned 30 and didn't wake up an old hag, so the most sensible thing to do was call it quits.

it was the dual incompetence of cooper and his family's lawyer that had nancy gunning it to jersey, having to sort through the legalities in person to end their less-than-a-year marriage. and once everything was signed and dotted, she just... didn't leave. she's near enough to nyc now that her mom can visit whenever she gets the itch to be overbearing, and hey! nancy was always a big fan of snooki, so jersey can't be all bad, right?

she's still lowkey desperate to prove her independence (to herself, to her parents, to the world), but she's not totally opposed to roommates or longtime houseguests!!

always picking up random hobbies to keep her hands & mind busy, though they rarely last. her latest kick has been tie-dyeing and bleaching old clothes, so best believe that her place reeks atm

loves to claim that she's a child of divorce when her parents legit split up after she was well into her 20s, but whatevaaahhh

she's hugely into high fantasy & horror - the gorier the better

probably has some fucked up (meaning: bad) hellraiser tattoos

has a knack for ruining relationships, even ones that aren't hers <3

smokes 24/7. even if she doesn't have a cigarette in hand, rest assured that she's mentally taking a drag

POTENTIAL CONNECTIONS:

first and foremost, i love vibin’ off dash chem 💖 plz feel free to hmu at anytime for a completely random thread and i’ll jump!

neighbors  -  anyone else living at meadowlark apartments! nancy is really a terrible and noisy neighbor so yah, count me in for dumb vendettas

friends  -  THE most important connection okok. she’s been in town for ~3mo, which isn't all that long, but nancy's social ass would chat up anyone anywhere there's alcohol avail

work weirdness - nancy's currently unemployed and (kinda) looking for the work, so i wouldn't mind her already having a couple failed job interviews under her belt - or! someone who maybe put in a good word for her somewhere

one night stand / fwb / etc.  -  nancy’s a hoor so yakno.... can be something antagonistic too! luv the idea of a hook-up gone wrong ngl

fellow addicts  -  “recovered” or not. she doesn’t go often, but now and then nancy finds comfort in going to the occasional aa / na meeting. can’t get enough of listening to middle-aged men detail how they ruined their lives - really makes a girl feel good about her own shitty choices 💕

a mentor / unlikely friend  -  idk exactly what i mean by this lmfao, but i’m imagining someone older (or honestly, her age & just more settled) who does not run in the same circles in the slightest, but something just Clicks between them. a good influence really

a square  -  flipside of the last idea: someone nancy gets to corrupt <3

[ace-touya]

I don’t know if anyone’s listened to the Enneagram album by Sleeping At Last, but I’m going to assign each song to an MHA character!

Izuku Midoriya

One is an optimistic song. For Izuku, I believe it highlights his beliefs that being a hero means to save others and contribute to making the world better, and the confidence he has in heroes to do that. This song also has a few lyrics that I think resonate with his arc in terms of being quirkless.

All Might

Two is a song that focuses on the narrators relationship with others rather than self-reflection like many of the other songs in enneagram. I think this highlights one of my favourite traits that All Might possesses - the fact that he’s in no way arrogant despite definitely coming across as someone who would be. The themes of this song also relate to the aspect of All Might’s character that puts others before himself far too often.

Katsuki Bakugo

Three is an anthem for burnt-out gifted kids. A major part of Katsuki’s character revolves around a fight to be the best, and this song delves into the moment of realisation that perfection isn’t necessary, and that the narrator has worth even with all their flaws

Shoto Todoroki

Four revolves around learning to find the good in the world and discovering yourself. Shoto has come a long way since season one of My Hero Academia, realising the things that he truly wants and who he wants to be, learning to forgive, and forming friendships with people who he feels safe around. In four, the narrator is still working through their feelings, but they’re beginning to love the life they lead.

Tomura Shigaraki

Five explores the thoughts of someone who needs to understand the world in order to not feel threatened by it. Tomura’s character, all throughout the series, has worked to reveal the holes in hero society. He hates it, and he wants rid of it, because he no longer wants to be hurt. The narrator of Five struggles with detachment and a fear of the chaotic world around them, feelings that I do see present in Tomura’s character. However, the narrator finds closure and belonging through human connection. And Tomura found that with the league.

Keigo Takami

Six speaks on struggling with negativity. Keigo is an overall optimistic character, but he’s been through horrific traumas and as a result, that positivity likely doesn’t come as easy to him as Izuku’s does. Keigo struggles, but he ultimately believes that the world is good. Five portrays a fight with depression, and the narrator is constantly fighting their own mind just to stay alive, yet they also want to be there for others. I think this is the kind of energy we’d get from Hawks if we saw what his day-to-day was like.

Eijiro Kirishima

Seven is a song about adventure. Kirishima is full of infectious positivity who, while maybe not the most confident in himself, is confident in his goals and morals. He wants to be manly, which to him means brave and compassionate. Seven’s narrator is always trying to move toward their goals, and deeply appreciates the world they live in and the people they’re surrounded by. Seven doesn’t seem, at first glance, to be as deep as the other songs in the album, but it is still just as introspective once you pay attention.

Touya Todoroki

Eight is about growing up too fast. When Touya became Dabi, he also became closed off and secretive. Eight’s narrator is angry, and scared of healing, and is finally putting themself and their pain on display in hopes that they’ll be understood. Dabi wants to be seen and heard and still craves the same thing he wanted as a child: validation from his father. The narrator feels like they aren’t the same person they were when they were young, and that they can’t go back to that version of themself, and has a deep sense of protectiveness over anything that they see themselves in. This is my favourite song on the album.

Himiko Toga

Nine is about the aftermath of being what others want instead of being yourself. Toga’s childhood was full of pretending to be ‘normal’ to appease her parents and fit in, leading to her desperation to be herself and do what she wants now, because she was never able to before. The narrator wants to start over, and what’s to be someone they like. They want to experience life for themselves, regardless of what other’s think of them. However, they still find their understanding of others just as important as their understanding of themself. This is my enneagram!

[stayevildarling]

5 and 14 for the character ask game with each sarah character please <33

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them? + 14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character.

Billie Dean Howard:

5: „Oh, pretty woman“ by Roy Orbison and „National Anthem“ by Lana Del Ray

14: old money

Cordelia Goode:

5: „Je te laisserai des mots“ by Patrick Watson

14: witchcore with a bit of cottage core

Ally Mayfair Richards:

5: „Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang“ by Sohodolls

14: gay soccer mom

Wilhemina Venable:

5: „Little dark age“ by MGMT and „Bloody Mary“ by Lady Gaga

14: dark academia but ✨purple✨

Audrey Tindall:

5: „Yellow“ by Coldplay or „She‘s so lovely“ by Scouting for Girls

14: cottage core

Sally McKenna:

5: „Tear you apart“ by She wants revenge

14: edgy, grunge

Lana Winters:

5: „Cigarette Duet“ by Princess Chelsea

14: vintage chic

Mildred Ratched:

5: ,,Who is she?'' by I Monster

14: vintage? (specifically 1947?)

Tammy (Oceans 8)

5: ,,These boots are made for walking'' by Nancy Sinatra + ,,I kissed a girl'' by Katy Perry

14: same as Ally tbh gay soccer mom

side note: this is really funny because the other day I was thinking about this. imagine being on a roadtrip with them. Cordelia lets you choose music and then one of them remembers you saying you have a playlist with songs that remind you of them. Imagine playing ,,Pretty woman'' for Billie, she would be an adorable blushing mess. Then playing a really soft love song for Cordelia only to then play ,,Bloody Mary'' or one of the darker songs that remind you of Mina. Her face, she would be furious but this would be so funny 🤣

[inkofamethyst]

March 13, 2023

Late 2022/Early 2023 Bops!!

Two Knocks - aeseaes

Vandalize - One Ok Rock

That Unwanted Animal - The Amazing Devil

The Horror and the Wild - The Amazing Devil

Dream Away - KWINI

mm+i - serin oh

Bird Song - Florence + The Machine

Seven Nation Army / Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Buffalo Rose

A Beautiful Song (from Nier: Automata)

Mourning (from Nier Automata)

Sogno di Volare - Christopher Tin (from Civilization VI)

Bird Song has quite literally been my February anthem, but all of these have been on repeat for weeks.  Alongside all of Upstate tbh.  Once again, I prove myself to be pretty genreless lol.  We’ll see how many of these survive to the Spotify Wrapped.

I wonder if PhD admissions these days are biased toward extroverted (or extrovert-presenting (such as myself)) students.  I mean, I suppose most things in life show preference for extroverts, but I’ve certainly noticed during my visits that many students who make it to interviews or to the admit stage are quite (and, occasionally, aggressively) extroverted.  And while, on one hand, I feel like this disadvantages great students who just don’t have that same charisma, I also think it kind of represents a changing academia.  Prioritizing future academics who are more likely to be team players, who are more likely to reach outside of their fields and engage in that ~interdisciplinary research~ which universities adore.  Prioritizing friendly, collaborative, and fun cohorts at the graduate level.  Rewarding not just intelligence and hard skills, but also soft skills.  Maybe I’m thinking too much into it.  It’s just that I’ve been so surprised by how personable all of the prospective students I’ve met this cycle have been, and I’m wondering if that initial “reaching out phase” in the early fall is meant as a screening process to select for those personable students, not just the brilliant ones.  I mean, I suppose that can also come out through letters of recommendation and such, I don’t know.  I’m probably just overthinking; I should go to bed.

Speaking of sleep, I don’t know if it was just me (actually, I know it wasn’t because I expressed this to many people today and they agreed), but daylight savings was killer this year.  I haven’t ever slept in half an hour past my wake-up time, and getting up this morning was a horror show.  Didn’t wash my face, didn’t eat breakfast, had no energy during the 8am.  Ended up taking a long nap in the afternoon which helped, but I think I could’ve used another hour and a half tbh.  

Today I’m thankful for.. choir rehearsals.  Just in general.  Learning and perfecting music with others is such a fun time, and I feel so lucky to have stumbled into this amazing group and have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sing in a symphony orchestra as a non career musician.  I remember experiencing very similar feelings during marching band in high school, just feeling overwhelmed with joy and gratitude and a sense of belonging despite the difficulty of maintaining the standard that the ensemble required.  It’s fun to be challenged this way.  It’s beautiful to be part of building something greater than anything I could ever do on my own.

[edit, two days later: oh also happy three year anniversary to miss rona i guess]

[all-star-avocado]

currently reading: Blackout by Connie Willis, it's about grad students researching time travel to WWII during the Blitz. Interesting historically, and also she must've worked in academia because her grasp of collegiate dysfunction is on point.

last song: Wake Me Up/Hey Brother mix by Anthem Lights

currently working on: building DocuSign templates for insurance forms at work, organizing vacation plans, and brainstorming a sequel for a book.

tagging (no pressure): @myletternevercame, @bentcoppers, @tuntematonkorppi, @fortysevenswrites, @astarkey, @scrumptiousperfectionwizard, @bennett-slytherin, @riddlemethispoetry, and whoever else who wants to.

[newstfionline]

Friday, August 23, 2024

Labor Dispute Halts Rail Freight in Canada, Raising Supply Chain Concerns (NYT) Rail freight traffic in Canada came to a standstill early Thursday as the country’s two main rail companies locked out about 10,000 employees, a move that could cause supply chain disruptions in the United States and serious economic consequences within Canada. The move follows months of contract talks that failed to reach an agreement. The two companies, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, said before the lockout that their extensive routes within the United States would continue to operate, but many businesses there are likely to be affected. About 6,500 containers enter the United States by rail from Canada every day, according to the Railway Association of Canada, an industry lobbying group. That includes cargo from Asia and Europe that lands in Canadian ports. Rail shipments into Canada from the United States will also be halted.

Biden Approved Secret Nuclear Strategy Refocusing on Chinese Threat (NYT) President Joe Biden approved in March a highly classified nuclear strategic plan for the United States that, for the first time, reorients America’s deterrent strategy to focus on China’s rapid expansion in its nuclear arsenal. The shift comes as the Pentagon believes China’s stockpiles will rival the size and diversity of the United States’ and Russia’s over the next decade. The White House never announced that Biden had approved the revised strategy, called the “Nuclear Employment Guidance,” which also newly seeks to prepare the United States for possible coordinated nuclear challenges from China, Russia and North Korea. The document, updated every four years or so, is so highly classified that there are no electronic copies, only a small number of hard copies distributed to a few national security officials and Pentagon commanders. But in recent speeches, two senior administration officials were allowed to allude to the change—in carefully constrained, single sentences. “The president recently issued updated nuclear-weapons employment guidance to account for multiple nuclear-armed adversaries,” Vipin Narang, a nuclear strategist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who served in the Pentagon, said this month before returning to academia. “And in particular,” he added, the weapons guidance accounted for “the significant increase in the size and diversity” of China’s nuclear arsenal.

Panama starts returning migrants on US-funded flights (BBC) Panama on Tuesday started repatriating undocumented migrants on flights financed by the United States. The move comes less than two months after José Raúl Mulino was sworn in as Panama’s president. Mr Mulino campaigned on a promise to “close” the Darién Gap, the dangerous stretch of jungle which more than half a million migrants crossed last year on their way north from South America. The Biden administration said it had agreed to pay for the flights as part of its efforts to deter irregular migration. A group of 29 Colombians with criminal records were the first to be returned on Tuesday.

German warship blasts Darth Vader anthem in heart of London. ‘No deeper message,’ navy says. (AP) Germany’s navy says there was “no deeper message” in the choice to blast the famed Imperial March—Darth Vader’s theme song in the “Star Wars” films—from one of its warships as it cruised down the River Thames through London this week. A bystander captured the spectacle Monday on video, which quickly went viral on social media. The song selection made waves across Europe. The warship was in the area for training and dropped anchor in London for a normal supply stop, the German navy said. “The commander can choose the music freely,” the navy said in a statement Thursday. “The choice of music has no deeper message.” There’s no word whether Anakin Skywalker himself was aboard.

This superyacht hotspot for the uber-wealthy is heating up—and becoming more dangerous (CNN) The storm that sank the “Bayesian,” a luxury yacht anchored off the Sicily coast, was sudden, violent and deadly. The superyacht, which was carrying 22 people, sank in the early hours of Monday morning, near the port of Porticello, claiming at least five lives. Rescue operations have been hampered by the difficulties of reaching the vessel, which is resting on the sea floor approximately 165 feet deep. The incident has shocked many. The Mediterranean, prized for its crystal clear, tranquil waters, is a prime summer destination for the very wealthy and their superyachts. But these waters can still be dangerous—one of the reasons thousands of people die every year trying to migrate across it. Many believe the yacht was struck by a waterspout—one of several types of tornadoes. The coast guard reported the yacht was struck by a tornado, and a waterspout was reported to the European Severe Weather Database around the same time. Storms that day resulted in at least two dozen waterspout reports across Italy.

Poorly trained recruits contribute to loss of Ukrainian territory on eastern front, commanders say (AP) Some new Ukrainian soldiers refuse to fire at the enemy. Others, according to commanders and fellow fighters, struggle to assemble weapons or to coordinate basic combat movements. A few have even walked away from their posts, abandoning the battlefield altogether. While Ukraine presses on with its incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, its troops are still losing precious ground along the country’s eastern front—a grim erosion that military commanders blame in part on poorly trained recruits drawn from a recent mobilization drive, as well as Russia’s clear superiority in ammunition and air power. Commanders say the recruits have contributed to a string of territorial losses that enabled Russia’s army to advance, including near the city of Pokrovsk, a critical logistics hub. If it falls, the defeat would imperil Ukraine’s defenses and bring Russia closer to its stated aim of capturing the Donetsk region. Russian soldiers are now just 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) away.

Myanmar households crippled as currency tumbles to record low (Reuters) A rapid depreciation of Myanmar’s currency is pushing up the prices of essentials, including food and medicine, crippling ordinary households in the Southeast Asian country wrecked by civil war and a crumbling economy. The Myanmar kyat has been extremely volatile in recent days, plunging to a low of 7,500 to the dollar in the black market last week from 5,000 earlier in the month, according to four foreign exchange traders. The plunge followed reports that the Myanmar junta was printing more kyat to prop up the currency, two traders said. The kyat has since recovered to around 6,000 to the dollar in the black market while the central bank’s official reference rate was 2,100 on Tuesday, with an online market trading rate of 3,400. But prices of essentials have not come down, six residents said. The kyat’s fall, rising transportation costs and disruptions in border trade have sent costs of some medicines and groceries soaring in Myanmar’s main cities in recent weeks, they said. “It used to cost about 25,000 kyat ($11.94) per week for our household groceries until about a month ago but now it costs about 40,000 kyat,” said a 27-year-old housewife from Naypyitaw, Myanmar’s capital.

Hundreds of Ultra-Orthodox Israelis Clash With Police Over Draft (NYT) Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Israeli men protested outside a conscription center in Jerusalem on Wednesday and clashed with police officers amid rising national tensions about a court decision ordering a draft for the insular community. Israel’s military began sending conscription orders last month to ultra-Orthodox men aged 18 to 26 after the Supreme Court in June ordered an end to exemptions that had been in place for decades. Military service is mandatory for most Israelis over 18, with some exceptions, such as for most Arab citizens. Before the ruling, over 60,000 ultra-Orthodox religious students of draft age were also formally exempt from service. The Israeli police said that they had sent reinforcements to try to maintain order, and Israeli news media reported that officers had sealed off several streets, used water cannons to disperse crowds and beaten some protesters with batons. The protest highlights the increased friction between Israel’s mainstream secular society and the ultra-Orthodox, the fastest-growing part of the population. Many ultra-Orthodox see full-time Torah study as crucial, arguing that this scholarship is what has ensured the survival of Jews for centuries.

The War in Gaza Is Making Thousands of Orphans (NYT) The war in Gaza is taking children from parents and parents from children, undoing the natural order of things, rupturing the basic unit of Gazan life. It is making so many orphans in such chaos that no agency or aid group can count them. Medical staff say children are left to roam hospital hallways and fend for themselves after being rushed there bloodied and alone—“wounded child, no surviving family,” some hospitals label them. Neonatal units house babies whom no one has come to claim. In Khan Younis, a volunteer-run camp has sprung up to shelter more than 1,000 children who have lost one or both parents, including the Akeilas. One section is dedicated to “only survivors,” children who have lost their entire families, except perhaps a sibling. There is a long waiting list. Amid the bombing, the constant pell-mell evacuations from tent to tent and apartment to hospital to shelter, no one can say how many children have lost track of their parents, and how many have lost them for good.

Copper and robbers (Wired) In most places, power companies are a pretty dull business. But in South Africa they are under a literal assault, targeted by heavily armed gangs that have crippled the nation’s energy infrastructure and claimed an ever-growing number of lives. Practically every day, homes across the country are plunged into darkness, train lines shut down, water supplies cut off, and hospitals forced to close, all because thieves are targeting the material that carries electricity: copper. The battle cry of energy transition advocates is “Electrify everything.” Meaning: Let’s power cars, heating systems, industrial plants, and every other type of machine with electricity rather than fossil fuels. To do that, we need copper—and lots of it. Second to silver, a rarer and far more expensive metal, copper is the best natural electrical conductor on Earth. We need it for solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. (A typical EV contains as much as 175 pounds of copper.) We need it for the giant batteries that will provide power when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. We need it to massively expand and upgrade the countless miles of power cables that undergird the energy grid in practically every country. In the United States, the capacity of the electric grid will have to grow as much as threefold to meet the expected demand. A recent report from S&P Global predicts that the amount of copper we’ll need over the next 25 years will add up to more than the human race has consumed in its entire history. “The world has never produced anywhere close to this much copper in such a short time frame,” the report notes. The world might not be up to the challenge. Analysts predict supplies will fall short by millions of tons in the coming years. No wonder Goldman Sachs has declared “no decarbonization without copper” and called copper “the new oil.” In the past four years, the price of a ton of copper has shot from about $6,400 to more than $9,000. That, in turn, has made electrical wiring, equipment, and even raw metal fresh from the mines into juicy targets for thieves.

[a-lilypad]

get to know me tag game

thank you for the tag lovely @caffeinatedbisexual (´ε｀ )♡

favourite colour: hmmm green or purple? or blue! i love neons or dark colours

last song: the new national anthem by pierce the veil (☆▽☆)

currently reading: the lovely bones by alice sebold (i’ve been reading this for over a year now and i actually cannot finish it because it makes me so depressed) and the blue exorcist manga

currently watching: my hero academia (i’m so upset that saturdays episode was postponed a week i need to see izuku go feral at shigaraki)

currently craving: monster (ultra paradise) and a cig (i haven’t smoked in months because i don’t have money to spend on baccy im withering away)

coffee or tea: depends on my mood but if i had to pick it would be coffee!! either a mocha or black with a tiny bit of sugar

tags: anyone who wants to do it!!

[tardisgrump]

So over on Twitter my lovely friend and fellow artist @/e0n0va hosts a monthly character design challenge. This month’s theme was “based on a song”

Being the weeb i am i chose the song “anthem” from the My Hero Academia stage show

And this is the lady i came up with

[ao3feed-kiribaku]

when i get home im gonna bury you

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/CrUuA2z by dng3rously_yours in which bakugo gets drink and high alone somewheres after all mights retirement because he’s sad and midoriya finds him fucked up because iida asked midoriya to check on him and his door was unlocked. bakugo was laughing and/or crying, etc. idrk i wrote this before actually writing any of the fic. deku holds him and stumbles him out to the common room where the bakusquad, plus like shoto idk he was probably cuddling w midoriya or sum shit like that, are all there and kirishima takes over and idk shit happens i’m literally writing this off of a whim because i’m supposed to be studying for my science exam Words: 341, Chapters: 2/?, Language: English Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia (Anime & Manga) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Underage Categories: M/M Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Kirishima Eijirou, Midoriya Izuku, Todoroki Shouto, Sero Hanta, Kaminari Denki, Ashido Mina, Jirou Kyouka, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, iida tenya - mentioned Relationships: Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijirou Additional Tags: Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, Bakugou Katsuki is Bad at Feelings, bakugo gets high, Bakugo gets drunk, bakugo is sad, Fluff and Angst, Possible smut, idk yet tho, Kirishima Eijirou is a Good Friend, Kirishima Eijirou is a Ray of Sunshine, Minor Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijirou, Gay Kirishima Eijirou, Gay Bakugou Katsuki, implied tododeku - Freeform, Only Kinda Tho, possible implied shinkami???? i really don’t know., i wrote this instead of studying im going insane, KISS ME KISS ME WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED, Latino Sero Hanta, Stoner Sero Hanta, Mentioned Yagi Toshinori | All Might, all might’s retirement, fuck everything i’m so tired, bakugo sips vodka like it’s nothing because he’s sad, me too guys, sero gives bakugo weed, bakugo has never smoked before until now, author has never watched my hero academia, Angry Bakugou Katsuki, Sad Bakugou Katsuki, the main focus is bakugo after his fight with midoriya that poor man is going through stuff, i dont know how bakugo got vodka, Pining Bakugou Katsuki, Pining Kirishima Eijirou, Mutual Pining, Everyone Is Gay, Gay Male Character, possible gay sex idk yet it might just be sad, i literally wrote the beginning of this on the notes app, I Wrote This While Listening to Melanie Martinez's Music, I Wrote This While Listening to Hozier's Music, I Wrote This While Listening to Hamilton, Bakugo has a lot of feelings, possible mentioned suicidal ideation, Suicidal Bakugou Katsuki, Suicidal Thoughts, go away i’m tired, I Wrote This While Listening to Pierce the Veil's Music, the new national anthem by pierce the veil is so good, I Wrote This While Listening to Alex G's Music, Song: Pretend (Alex G), Song: Mary (Alex G), Song: I Wait For You (Alex G), Mentioned Iida Tenya, this is my first fic ever, i used to write fics on my school notebooks and my mom found them, she got very mad when she read them, they were always smut so i have that going for me i guess 😞, bakugo isn’t exactly suicidal, but he kinda gets sad and his brain blacks out in a way?, it’ll be explained better in the fic read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/CrUuA2z

[moochilatv]

Otriexx presents: Pain

"Pain" is an evocative anthem for anyone facing life's toughest battles.

Dive into the raw emotion of "Pain," a powerful song about heartbreak, self-discovery, and overcoming depression and addiction. Through haunting visuals and candid lyrics, the artist shares their journey from suffering to healing. Experience the struggle of broken promises, the weight of addiction, and the resilient pursuit of hope. "Pain" is an evocative anthem for anyone facing life's toughest battles.

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BIO:

Introducing Otriexx – a powerhouse balancing books and beats! 📚🎶 With a thirst for knowledge as strong as their love for music, Otriexx dives into academia while cranking out rap tunes inspired by the raw storytelling inspired by Kodak Black. 🎤 Fueled by passion, every lyric and beat is a testament to his dedication to the craft. Music isn't just a hobby for Otriexx – it's a relentless journey fueled by love and determination!

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[harmony-of-political-science]

The Harmony of Political Science and Art: Amplifying Marginalized Voices

Through this harmonious melding of political science theory and artistic expression, the "Harmony of Political Science" project has illuminated the powerful synergy that can emerge when academia and art converge. By carefully curating a Spotify playlist resonating with the works of these authors, this endeavor has given voice to the multifaceted experiences of marginalized communities.

Embodying Core Concepts Through Evocative Lyrics

The evocative lyrics examined, spanning powerful anthems like Hozier ft. Mavis Staples' "Nina Cried Power," Olivia Rodrigo's "All American Bitch," Nina Simone's "Four Women," Taylor Swift's "The Man," Halsey's "Nightmare," Jamila Woods' "VRY BLK" and "Blk Girl Soldier," Shea Diamond's "I Am Her," and Rina Sawayama's "STFU!" serve as an embodiment of the core concepts explored - from intersectionality and critiques of mainstream white feminism, to the "visibility project" and the catalyzing role of autonomous social movements. Each song offers a unique sonic portal into the nuanced realities shaped by the intersections of racial, gender, and other systemic oppressions.

Bridging Academia and Art to Challenge Dominant Discourses

Ultimately, this project stands as a testament to the transformative potential of interdisciplinary dialogue and creative expression. By bridging academia and art, it creates space for marginalized narratives to take center stage, challenging dominant discourses and amplifying voices too often rendered invisible or distorted.

Music's Power to Transcend Boundaries and Propel Change

As the final notes fade, we are left with a profound appreciation for music's power to transcend boundaries, stir souls, and propel societal change. This playlist serves as an enduring artistic statement and call to action - a passionate rallying cry to bear witness, interrogate assumptions, and strive towards a more equitable and inclusive world.

Embracing the Harmonious Interplay of Intellect and Creativity

In the endless pursuit of knowledge and justice, may we forever embrace the harmonious interplay of intellectual rigor and creative expression as catalysts for understanding, empathy, and transformative progress. The "Harmony of Political Science" project stands as a shining example of the transformative potential that emerges when these two domains converge.