#and i have opinions on that officially speaking

[phoenixyfriend]

Suggested Listening: Columbia Protests (as of 4/25/24)

Alright, folks, I've seen a couple different approaches to this situation, and I think there's something to be learned from each of the below. I know some of them have a contested reputation, but all media sources have a bias and I will be including some context on those biases.

The podcasts I'm sharing are:

The Daily (New York Times)

The Take (Al Jazeera)

Democracy Now! (independent radio broadcast)

Global News Podcast (BBC Radio)

It's come up a few times on NPR as well, but not in enough detail for me to include. I will be linking Spotify, but these are all available elsewhere, though official transcripts can take several days.

The Daily - April 25th, 2024: This podcast is a production of The New York Times. The paper is left-leaning, but has a noted bias towards Israel, and has run into trouble on trans issues in the recent past. The podcast is further left, though still more cautiously moderate than something like Democracy Now; the podcast has previously been responsible for fact checks against the more biased NYT opinion pieces.*

Why you should listen to it: This episode provides the most comprehensive timeline to what has happened, in what order, and why certain actions have been taken. It is notably more sympathetic to Columbia University President Shafik than other coverage, though that may just be the natural result of explaining the current political pressures. It is still more sympathetic to the protesters than to her, but I do think this is helpful for establishing a timeline of events. It is not the only one, and I will share another below.

* That infamous article about the alleged systemic sexual violence that Hamas committed on Oct. 7th was put through a fact checker by the podcast team when it came time to do an episode about it, and the inability to substantiate it led to not only the episode being cancelled, but the article itself being (quietly) edited to note that it was not substantiated. The NYT did not handle it well, but I want to make it clear that the podcast team is independent in many respects, and while I've taken issue with some of their episodes, they often have more comprehensive coverage of certain matters.

The Take - April 25th, 2024: This is a podcast from the English-speaking branch of Al Jazeera, a Qatari news organization that, while independent, does receive a certain amount of funding from the Qatari government. By that measure, I do hesitate to place it on a left-right scale due to existing outside the Western political spectrum. As a Middle Eastern, Arab news org, Al Jazeera provides a perspective much closer to the action than others, and one that is generally much more sympathetic to Muslim and Arab voices. It is also, like the others on this list, an award-winning journal. At this time, Al Jazeera is considered one of the most reliable news sources for information on what is happening in Gaza, through their Palestinian correspondents; they have also been banned in Israel as antisemitic propaganda.

I need to make it very clear that I am not in any way denigrating it for having Qatari government funding; the BBC shares many of those factors, just British.

Why you should listen to it: Al Jazeera got a reporter into the student protest encampment in Columbia, and got more direct interviews with some of the students on the ground. This is part two of their coverage of the protests; Part One (April 24th, 2024)provides another perspective of the timeline, which focuses on different factors, generally closer to the events in Columbia than the national factors.

Democracy Now! - April 23rd, 2024: This is a far left/progressive radio broadcast (repackaged for podcast streaming) that has been running since 1996. They often have interviews with people that I haven't necessarily seen other podcasts bring in, and while I would not consider them extreme, I do sometimes find that certain details get left out in pursuit of a more black-and-white narrative.

Why you should listen to it: Cohost Juan González has been in the field of progressive journalism for a very long time, but it's more relevant than ever for this episode: González was one of the original organizers for the 1968 Columbia protests that resulted in one of the largest mass arrests in NYPD history. The 1968 protests were massive, and deeply impactful on a national scale. González's perspective on how this current protest compares to the one he helped organize nearly sixty years ago is a fascinating way to think about the current events.

Global News Podcast - April 25th, 2024: BBC is a very centrist source for journalism, funded primarily by the UK government and advertising. As such, their coverage tends to lean in favor of the current party, though they do not 'toe the party line' as such. They do regularly platform right-wing activists, but they also have correspondents in the Middle East with a more progressive perspective. I would compare them to CNN in the US; ineffective in terms of opinion, and comparatively milquetoast on that front, but capable of getting access to high-level events that smaller networks aren't.

Why you should listen to it: ...honestly, this is just a 'round it out' kind of suggestion, to get an idea of what the international community is thinking of the events at Columbia. I don't think they necessarily contribute much in terms of factual discovery, but it helps with getting the lay of the land.

#phoenix politics #current events #gaza #palestine #pro palestine #united states #new york #nyc #new york city #new york times #nyt #the daily #the take #al jazeera #democracy now #juan gonzalez #bbc #bbc global news #podcasts #columbia #university of columbia #Minouche Shafik

[alphabetcompletionist]

i just got recommended the blog wordsearchwhatever and let's just say if this was 2014 our blogs would be anthropomorphized and kissing

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP RSTUVW YZ

24/26

#and per se and #except a little bit of. what do the kids call it. kismesis #cuz they do word searches kinda bad #and i have opinions on that officially speaking

[hum--hallelujah]

and I think it's insane that depending on what lyric site you use for Miss Missing You it reads as both "'cause I am the best you'll ever have" OR "I am the best you'll never have" because that's like one of the most perpetually bonkers double meanings Pete has ever posted and somehow it made it into a song nearly seven years later

#idk what the official lyrics if there's a lyric booklet say but as far as the internet goes I've seen both equally #which is. CRAZY insane #she speaks! #anyway you know the ''who actually write mmy'' debate that happens sometimes? someone ask me my opinion on it #bc I have An Opinion. #fob #srar #miss missing you

[selkiecoded]

okay thats interesting! in the SF try-outs during the song "legally blonde" she sings about how she cant be legally blonde, while in the official version AND THE DEMO she sings about letting her be legally blonde. which means that at some point they changed the lyrics around, and then changed them back! laurence o'keefe.... nell benjamin.... what occurs in your twisted minds

#covers mouth sorry so sorry guys #im a huge fan of beacon of positivity + good boy (elle puts a leash on emmett confirmed) + love and war (not in the demo but part of SF) #+ i liked some of the lyrics in the demo version of so much better (it called back to beacon of positivity!!! (i am insane)) such as: #I dream of your name next to my own but mine's looking fine up there alone #but i greatly prefer all the official songs we got. well. maybe good boy over ireland wouldve been fun (i think ireland is boring) #but itd play into the 'all men are dogs hurr hurr' joke that im glad they avoided. anyways. what was i saying. #right i havent listened to every version of everything yet (for example theres a SF version of chip on my shoulder i need to watch) #(and just the SF vers in general. shes hidden from me... why was emmett there before the remix... let me see their conversation) #but from what i have heard they made a lot of changes that were sorely needed. in take it like a man demo shes so much meaner?? #it made me sad. it wasnt a duet + they wrung out the romantic tension (no subtext by calvin klein... sigh) + shes meaner!!!! #in the bway vers hes baffled but enjoys going along w it + she genuinely likes him even when hes wearing his regular clothes #but in the demo vers she keeps calling him stuff like ugly duckling and talking about how the geek is gone :( but she likes that geek.. #the lines 'how much do you think i earn??' and 'kindly shut up :)' are funny but speak to a dynamic between the two that makes me sad... #follow me for more beautiful opinions on a fifteen year old musical #(heaves. do you know weird it is to see comments from 15yrs ago when this was actually showing. my brother is fifteen.) #god im so sorry i should be put down like a dog #lgb bootleggers are intense. i swear they got a bootleg every night or smth bc we got her shoe flying off + SF + kyle as understudy etc #go watch a so much better compilation sometime how did they take so many bootlegs?? how did you find them?? #and its awesome cause these were filmed on 2007/2008 tech which means they have 15 pixels maximum #SORRRRYYYYYYYYYY

[master-k0hga]

| T A M I R A |

[ Category: The Promised Land ]

| This is Tamira, or Tammy for short before I actually gave her a full on name lmao- She's the partner of the chieftain of the Frostclaw Traders tribe, Takeshi. Tammy runs a Pharmacy with Andy as her assistant (a previous boy I introduced like a while ago); She is very good when it comes to medical diagnostics and even making her own healing and medicinal remedies too! Which are a very recommended source of keeping yourself safe from sickness and injuries in the harshest bone chilling winter of the Glacier Mountains Resort (and just in the cold mountains in general, it can get really ruthless out there!)

... Hoping I'll ever be able to actually draw the landscapes of this land someday cuz poorly putting it into words does it no justice and writing and describing environments is definitely NOT my strong suit whatsoever.. I draw for a fcking reason, words don't bode well for my struggling brain

... Fun fact, she is my second trans female OC that I have.... I'mean it's not rly a fun fact since nobody gives a damn but I love her very much and I really enjoy her design quite a lot here! Ofc like all my other OCs who are part of the Frostclaw, she was also a Yiga roughly during the time BotW first came out.. Still was trans then as she is now but just part of a personal project for me now-

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

INFO

Name: Tamira Species: Ice Elf General Personality: Shy, timid, supportive, easy going, hardworking, friendly, empathetic Height: 7ft "2" Relationship Status: In a relationship

Extra Info:

Works and is in charge of the Pharmacy along with anything relating to medical and hospitality within the small town; And her staff mainly consist of not only average healthy lifestyles, but also those who have had history or a rough past of health complications or addictions

She's also a part time therapist and assistant for the leader of the town, who is also her partner; Takeshi. She files and deals with important phone calls and paperwork whilst he is better and more vocal with meetings with other outside leaders and such

She loves to sew in her free time, it soothes her and definitely helps with her stresses of life and her job, which is the burden of carrying everyone's problems and health; Which she believes she has to deal with herself, to which she really doesn't and has been told several times by her protective boyfriend. It's also thanks to Tammy for the productive and comfortable design and advantage the clothing that the Frostclaw wear

Her mother died from an illness when she was young and her father had eventually succumbed to his dementia when he got older, she never got the chance to tell her parents of her coming out as trans years ago. Not caring whether they would've accepted her or not since she would have Takeshi to support her, she personally believes there is now unfinished business with her parents

Enjoys hot baths, however needs to bathe by herself as she is still self conscious about her body

Has gotten angry, like full on angry on a couple of occasions; One time getting mad at her assistant at the Pharmacy she runs (Andy) for being rather discriminatory about one of her then clients at the time, safe to say he kept his mouth shut about judging others and overtime started being influenced by Tammy's empathic nature.. Even though he's still a dick

Is a vegetarian, she used to eat meat from time to time as a kid however became very off put by it one day when she was in her teens after accidentally witnessing someone from the outside walls disrespectfully mutilate a lamb. She has not eaten meat since and has gone for more animal free alternatives to most products like butter, milk and cheese

Her grandparents owned a farm just outside the town that she sometimes manages along with a couple other volunteers; She has at least two of some animals likes pigs, cows, sheep, chickens and goats along with a few other critters that are not known nor exist in our worlds. Her grandparents passed the rights to the farm to her in their will before they died.

Despite not doing it directly to hurt something or someone but in case she is in need of defending herself; She's actually rather skilled with a bow, even going so far as to shoot three arrows at a time. Only times she's ever "used" it however was to ward off potential trespassers or poachers trying to get close to her grandparent's farm; Especially as said farm is now under the protection of the Golden Palace

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

I think that's all I have for her right now, I didn't really have all that much for Tammy when I started re-purposing my former Yiga OCs back on DA, I was pretty much starting out on trying to figure out what I wanted to do for them at the time so... Pretty much this is her new purpose now, I think it kinda fits for someone such as her... She's free, but she also has morals that more people definitely need in this world..

Now I just need to finish off her boyfriend Takeshi since his re-design sketch has been sitting collecting dust in my files for literal months.. I think I made him before Tammy as well so like?? Weird tbh??

But he's just his stoic and kinda scary, while also being a very kind self so... Yeah Idk..

. Tamira, Art © Me . DON’T RE-POST .

#MASTER-K0HGA #Ary / Kohga Chronicles #Ary / Kohga OCs and Works #Tammy #Tamira #OC #transfemale #trans #Ice Elf #Frosclaw #Frostclaw Traders #The Promised Land #Original Character #My OC #My Character #My Art #Fandomless #Just realized I don't rly need to use the re-post tags anymore cuz now I'm actually getting to new stuff now or new versions of my OC #drawings that I'm posting on this blog here.. So from here on out even if you recognize an OC of mine somewhat... I'm most likely re-drawin #them anyways cuz some old designs are kinda not good.... Like at all in my opinion so Idk... oh well don't matter #I feel like I'm actually almost close to done when it specifically comes to the Frostclaw tribe #Cuz as I said all of them were Yiga OCs one time before I decided to re-purpose them officially and stuff back on DA.. #But I believe I just have the odd few to get on with then they'll be all done for now til I've completely finish off all my OC refs and stu #Then I can get on with proper like world building. lore and all that sorts afterwards! #Which I'm kinda looking forward to but also dreading at the same time cuz I am not rly good with stuff other than OCs and #Humanoid like designs and characters.... And tbh I'm doing this all by myself. I have no one helping me here so I know it's gonna be like.. #Wonky... In some areas and whatnot... But anyways that's enough from me for tonight- I'm already tired and I just got on my laptop today #.... Not like this won't already be over a week or a month since the last art spam anyways.. And nobody looked at any of it last time...! #So... Yeah... Whatever... Not like I have anybody to speak to anyways so whatever who cares...-

[silentreigns]

But seriously what the fuck has to happen for those rich losers to take Spa off the calendar? I don't care if it's a fan favorite or historical track. Nobody needs to be risking their lives for our entertainment!

#f1 #formula 1 #formula one #i keep thinking about the death and i have had it. officially #people have been saying spa should be taken off the calendar like it's been too dangerous #i wish drivers would speak out about not wanting to race there but the fia doesnt even value their opinions #so any petition is sort of useless unless it's done by the extremely rich sponsors

[halogalopaghost]

2023 TMNT movie wishlist:

Donnie-centric plotlines or at least giving him a personality beyond "nerd"

Raph having a soft side and actual traits beyond "he angy"

Leo being stupid with his brothers as teenagers are wont to do

Mikey being a good tactician and a goofball at the same time

Splinter struggling with the line between sensei and father

Shredder being one bad ass motherfucker

Whump

Some cool weaponry and swordplay!!

Some horror/thriller elements 😍

#hello I just learned that there will be a new TMNT movie and I have OPINIONS #and FEELINGS #I've been tossing TMNT novel ideas in my head for years #at one point it was actually a career goal of mine to write official TMNT IP long form fiction #I don't consider it an end goal anymore but I would still fucking love that #I'd also take Danny phantom #the ghost speaks #tmnt #tmnt 2023

[gayemeralds]

i was trying to send you an ask a few seconds ago but the entire page lagged so here it is again. you said you like sonadow but in a very niche way, can you elaborate on that? i'm rlly interested

hmmm maybe niche wasn’t the right word haha i guess i just disagree with most iterations/portrayal of sonadow haha.

a lot of them sort of turn them into a typical romantic partnership. they’re showy with their affection, they’re married, they get flustered about having a crush, etc, but i don’t really see those things happening. like sonic himself is a super private person so i don’t really expect much pda from him; and i really don’t see it from shadow, either. aside from like holding hands i don’t see a big difference in their relationship as friends/rivals verses lovers. maybe not quite so mean to each other sometimes but otherwise it’s the same dynamic.

idk one thing that always kind of irks me is the idea that when they’re older they get a white picket fence, kids, and marriage. i just don’t see that happening haha. i always hate when people have sonic ‘settle down’ when he gets older, as a ‘sign of maturity’. i don’t like it for sonamy and i especially don’t like it for sonadow, when shadow can actually keep up with him. sonic doesn’t want to be tied down, and i think shadow would respect that- i don’t really think they’d get married, and i don’t think theyd really retire from being heroes, and i don’t think they would have a permanent home. they wouldn’t stop adventuring or moving around. either they’re on the move helping people or just enjoying the beauty of the world.

i also just don’t see them really having kids? i think theyd mentor people but i don’t really think they’d adopt anyone or something like that. if the persons in need they might but it’s more of a situational thing; they’d do it to help, but i don’t think they would ever actually plan to have kids. again, not really wanting to be tied down.

also, this is just what I’ve seen, but it also makes me super frustrated when people act like shadow suddenly becomes the most important person in Sonic’s life. i hate hate hate when romance gets elevated above friendship; characters like tails and Amy and knuckles, who were super important friends, get sorta tossed aside and shadow suddenly becomes the Most Important Person Ever. idk how to really describe it i just hate the way people put so much importance into romantic relationships.

also a popular trope i’ve noticed is that the two kind of dance around their feelings/ are shy about having a crush which i don’t really see? they’re very straightforward people i think. at least i think sonic would definitely just straight up ask as soon as he started having feelings, once he’s comfortable with the idea of romance and partners. i don’t think they’d really dance around it. and i don’t think they’d be shy about it.

#also this is a very small pet peeve but it’s annoying when people are like omg sonic gets a sexuality crisis or whatever #like. man sonic wouldn’t give two shits if he suddenly started liking boys #i know it’s about projection and stuff but. meh #sonic ‘doesn’t care about authorities or societal rules or other peoples opinions’ the hedgehog #honestly would be the character with the least internalized homophobia lmao #other than knuckles who probably doesn’t even know what homophobia is (raised on a secluded island with a different culture) #sega official speaks #a lot of the critiques i have are the same for sonamy and most other ships #but sonadow is the ship that gets thrown around a whole bunch #and kind of annoyingly so haha #it’s fun for laughs and stuff but if you’re like #wanting to keep the relationship in character and all that stuff #you really have to examine how shadow and sonic would ACTUALLY act if they were in love #hm hm hm it’s all just my opinion though haha i have some nicher feelings on romance

[mashbrainrot]

it isn't really funny that that person sent an 87 year old man that tweet is it? grow up.

I wanted that on my blog because it was funny to me that that person was debating the issue with their family, which, if you notice, is all I commented on.

having been in fandom for a long time, the second I saw someone jokingly mention that we should ask Alan, I figured the writing was on the wall, and it was only a matter of time. the one glimmer of hope is that I earnestly don't believe he will see it. I don't know the person, but in my experience, even if i did, it wouldn't help.

to me its just common sense that isn't cool, and if people want to think I condone it, I'm sure they will think that regardless.

#issuing a public statement like my opinion matters so that i can officially let everyone know im morally superior #anyway. wild to send this to me. #helen speaks #god bless the wank #evergreen honestly #what is my life that im responding to this at 11:20 in the morning? well you see i have a deadline and i am trying to avoid it

[starswallowingsea]

i've been thinking about this a lot recently and for like the last year since i've taken translation theory courses and gotten more proficient in my second language buuuuuut. only like 3% of published works in american/english first language book stores are translated from other languages. compare that to how quickly books published in english get translated into other languages. an author could be incredibly well known in their home country or to their audience of native language speakers, but they're still considered "nobodies" by the general english speaking population because of a lack of translations into english.

part of the problem i think is the cultural superiority english speakers feel in the world right now and how its trying to bury other cultures and languages because english is best. this then leads to nobody seeing a reason to translate works from other languages or only translating very few* because there isnt an audience for "foreign" literature. i dont think most of my classmates outside the spanish program have read many, if any works by non-english speaking authors and that really is a shame because it opens so many new viewpoints on the world and gives you a look into other cultures right in your own home!

*the exception here i think is anime/manga which has an incredibly dedicated fanbase creating fanlations for smaller series that havent gotten official english dubs/subs/translations. japanese literature still has a hard time on the market in america though

#this isnt super coherent dont take this as fact or anything just my opinion #but i have noticed that its somewhat difficult to get anything other than a few classics as translated novels #officially anyway. like i have 100 years of solitude and hopscotch on my bookshelf #i think when i was looking for a copy of el lugar sin limites (jose donoso) i saw an english translation of htat #but it was more likely to be in portuguese or french or its original spanish #i think they didnt have any copies of the english text actually #uhm. also poetry in other languages when translated? exquisite #shoutout to translators who do poetry because goddamn that is so hard #to make it sound pretty and preserve the original meaning in that way to a new audience #translation is the art and science of languages i think. #anyway the site i linked had a translations database but it got moved so. idk what to do with that. #uhm anyway try reading more translated books or short stories #you can find quiroga's short stories translated online for free #or at least i found a la deriva for free online and it uses really striking imagery in it #shay speaks

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

I like how Paramore took my least favorite song on the record and made me appreciate it in a whole new way. and they didn't even have to incentivise me with Laura Dern!

#no I'm not quote on quote ''pitting two bad b*tches against each other'' here #but yes I am absolutely dunking on bejeweled bc I still have some kind of distaste for that song. #like... it's just sonically annoying to me for some reason. I tried to appreciate it bc I thought I'd like #the video but eh. #whereas running out of time also is not my vibe musically speaking?? like the sound of it just Isn't my #favorite #but actually the vid made me love it I think #T AND HAYLEY. GUYS THIS IS AN OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO WHAT ARE Y'ALL DOING STOP IT YOU'RE TOO CUTE #Lu rambles #this has been Unpopular Opinions With Lu! join us next time when Lu will share another Unpopular Opinion

[mrfoox]

I'm kinda glad I can keep my opinions to myself but man

#miranda talking shit #Heard an story of... “I had my first strong love feeling like a woman. We met only a few times irl #But then suddenly she moved away and broke all contact for a year. I waited for her and tried to contact her. She sent an message 6 month #Ago about how she did it bc of anxiety and not bc of me. Then it's just been silence again. But I'm still waiting for her and I'd drop #Everything if she contacted me again“ me: what.... Wh.... Huh?! #Like I get it... First love? That shits intense but also like... Do you hear? Yourself? This isn't good for you... You've been waiting for #Someone for like two years who have not held contract with you like at all. As someone who struggles with bad anxiety and depression... Yea #Like if I really loved or cared for someone I'd try more than just give an excuse and then stop answering again #Everyone is different and we all have our past but... That sounds so... Yeah not good. #Heard this story and I was like wow... You're.. Over 30 and you... Don't respect yourself enough to break things off and move on? #First love makes us stupid but like... They weren't even officially dating it was more an “it could go somewhere” type of situation. #Maybe I've... Had practice but. Actions does speak louder than words. If I don't feel that return of care I'll tire and go to those I know #Will. I wanted to shake this man and scream this at him but... No one asks for my opinion and I understand when to not share it #It just sounds so sad to me. To wait for years for someone who can't even bother texting you? Still you're hoping they'll contact you #Hope is an wonderful thing and it's what keeps us alive but... Hope placed on people who has shown they do not care... Yeah #Maybe I'm harsh but I do believe in the idea if someone really does care. Texting and calling even just some isn't impossible. Inaction #Speaks for itself... No answer is also an answer. #Me sitting there sadly: you deserve better king... Love and respect yourself....

[marblemuffin]

man. I might have to block the g/ood o/mens tag. lol

#dove speaks #ever since season 2 came out all I see constantly is stuff about azi and crow being romantic #romantic and dating and kissing and having sex and so on and so forth #and. man. as an acearo person who identified STRONGLY with these characters and their relationship during season 1 #it's just been making me really. deeply sad #there was a whole acearo community around g/o that I don't see on my dash anymore #like. idk. im trying to be happy for you guys #but i can't help feeling like i lost something. that something that was Really Important and Meaningful to me was taken away #and obviously nobody has this intention and is just having fun with their ship and I don't blame them #but seeing it constantly being celebrated has just been rubbing salt in the wound #I get it's an unpopular opinion but I really cannot express how disappointed I was with the amount of romance present in this season #all leading up to that kiss at the end #when I finally got to that part there was just this. profound feeling of loss that overtook me #like Oh. okay. so this is just officially... not for me anymore.

[heritageposts]

The Grayzone has obtained slides from a confidential Israel lobby presentation based on data from Republican pollster Frank Luntz. They contain talking points for politicians and public figures seeking to justify Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip. Two prominent pro-Israel lobby groups are holding private briefings in New York City to coach elected officials and well-known figures on how to influence public opinion in favor of the Israeli military’s rampage in Gaza, The Grayzone can reveal. These PR sessions, convened by the UJA-Federation and Jewish Community Relations Council, rely on data collected by Frank Luntz, a veteran Republican pollster and pundit. [...] The Luntz-tested presentations on the war in Gaza urge politicians to avoid trumpeting America’s supposedly shared democratic values with Israel, and focus instead on deploying “The Language of War with Hamas.” According to this framing, they must deploy incendiary language painting Hamas as a “brutal and savage…organization of hate” which has “raped women,” while insisting Israel is engaged in “a war for humanity.” [...] Luntz’s Gaza war presentation puts his poll-tested tactics back in the Israel lobby’s hands, urging pro-Israel public figures to stay on the attack with incendiary language and shocking allegations against their enemies. In one focus group, Luntz asked participants to state which alleged act by Hamas on October 7 “bothers you more.” After being presented with a laundry list of alleged atrocities, a majority declared that they were most upset by the claim that Hamas “raped civilians” – 19 percent more than those who expressed outrage that Hamas supposedly “exterminated civilians.” Data like this apparently influenced the Israeli government to launch an obsessive but still unsuccessful campaign to prove that Hamas carried out sexual assault on a systematic basis on October 7. Initiated at Israel’s United Nations mission in December 2023 with speeches by neoliberal tech oligarch Sheryl Sandberg and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a recipient of hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations and speaking fees from Israel lobby organizations, Tel Aviv’s propaganda blitz has yet to produce a single self-identified victim of sexual assault by Hamas. A March 5 report by UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence Pramila Patten did not contain one direct testimony of sexual assault on October 7. What’s more, Patten’s team said they found “no digital evidence specifically depicting acts of sexual violence.”

They also advice to use different language for Democrat and Republican voters, which inadvertently provides one of the most succinct explanation of the difference between the two genocidal parties that I've ever come across:

To make their arguments stick, Luntz recommends pro-Israel forces avoid the exterminationist language favored by Israeli officials who have called, for example, to “erase” the population of Gaza, and to instead advocate for “an efficient, effective approach” to eliminating Hamas. At the same time, veteran pollster acknowledges that Republican voters prefer phrases which imply maximalist violence, like “eradicate” and “obliterate,” while sanitized terms like “neutralize” appeal more to Democrats. Republican presidential candidates Nikki Haley and Donald Trump have showcased similar focus-grouped rhetoric with their calls to “finish them” and “finish the problem” in Gaza.

One of the slides, illustrating what language to use:

There are several more slides in the article. I recommend reading the whole thing, start to finish. One more thing I'd like to highlight though:

Luntz acknowledges Israel’s mounting PR problems in a slide identifying the most powerful tactics employed by Palestine solidarity activists. “Israelis attacking Israel is the second most potent weapon against Israel,” the visual display reads beside a photo of a protest by Jewish Voices for Peace, a US-based Jewish organization dedicated to ending Israel’s occupation of Palestine. “The most potent” tactic in mobilizing opposition to Israel’s assault on Gaza, according to Luntz, “is the visual destruction of Gaza and the human toll.” The slide inadvertently acknowledges the cruelty of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, displaying a bombed out apartment building with clearly anguished women and children fleeing in the foreground. But Luntz assures his audience, “It ‘looks like a genocide’ even though the damage has nothing to do with the definition.” According to this logic, the American public can become more tolerant of copiously documented crimes against humanity if they are simply told not to believe their lying eyes.

. . . full article on GZ (6 Mar 2024)

#free palestine #palestine #israel #gaza #hasbara

[ursie]

Brennan’s statement on Palestine :

[ ID: Statement from Brennan Lee Mulligan, on Instagram. It consists of three black squares with plain white text. The text reads as follows:

"I'm calling on my government officials to immediately demand a ceasefire and de-escalation in Gaza.

I applaud anyone and everyone calling for peace, with the understanding that real peace only exists if it deeply and honestly accounts for and fully ends violence in all its forms. Real peace addresses and corrects wrong-doing in the past and guards against it in the future. It goes hand in hand with justice and requires truth, restoration, reconciliation, reparation.

Peace cannot co-exist with collective punishment, ethnic cleansing and forced displacement. It cannot co-exist with blockades, embargoes, or with 2.2 million people, half of which are children, trapped with no hope of escape or political recourse. it cannot co-exist with murdered journalists, bombed hospitals, or years of protesters being shot and killed at the border. it cannot co-exist with illegal settlements, segregated roads, and the silent, imperial chill that settles over the gaps in the violence - the unspoken geopolitical consensus that a group of people need to unflinchingly accept permanent subjugation and occupation.

My hear breaks for every Israeli person who lost loved ones during the attacks of October 7th. It breaks for every Ukrainian person who has lost their loved ones. It breaks for every Congolese person who has lost their loved ones. I do not speak on behalf of Palestinians now because some lives are worth more than others. I speak on their behalf because I, and all Americans, have a responsibility to pressure our government because we are responsible for this. Some have said that this situation is complicated. The Unites States government clearly disagrees. It has definitively, categorically, militarily chosen a side, and I do not agree with that decision.

In wiring this, I have been wrestling with what I am sure many people like me wrestle with: There is a powerful narrative surrounding violence in the Middle East that asserts and ever-moving goalpost of self-education and study in order to even be qualified to have an opinion. As someone with a love of research, I have at times in my life fallen into the trap that I am not educated enough clever enough, or aware enough to have a worthwhile perspective, and that three more articles and two more lectures and one more book will do the trick. Unfortunately, democracy doesn't work that way - we, the citizens of any democracy, cannot possibly be experts on every aspect of the policies of our governments, and yet if we do not constantly weigh in an make our voices heard, the entire experiment falls apart. Not only do people constantly doubt themselves and the things they can see with their own two eyes, but old shortcuts for political action can fall apart as well: This specific issue exists along a raw, charged and unique faultline in American Politics. Nobody I grew up with has ever challenged me on my support for abortion rights, LGBT rights, Black Lives Matter, anti-capitalism, anti-fascism, none of it. The people in my country who would despise me for those positions are, for all intents and purposes, strangers to me. But there are people who I've broken bread with and shared honest affection with who will see the words I've written here and incorrectly conclude that I do not wish for the security, dignity and happiness of them and their loved ones, and that breaks my fucking heart. Full-throatedly condemning the actions of the Israeli government while battling rampant anti-semitism at home is an urgent moral necessity, and doing so is made unnecessarily challenging for the average person to navigate by the pointed obfuscations of cynical opportunists, bigots, and demagogues on all sides of the political spectrum who see some advantage in sowing that incredibly dangerous confusion.

So, I'm calling my representatives. I'm having hard conversations with friends and family. I'm here, talking to you. I should have done it sooner. If you're Israeli and hurt by this statement, know that I want freedom, dignity, security and peace for you, and that every ounce of my political awareness believes whole-heartedly that the actions of your government are not only destroying innocent lives, but doing so to the detriment of you and your loved ones' safety. If you're American and feel lost and confused - I understand and empathize. This, the whole country, only works when we get involved. I am constantly haunted by the specter that maybe I missed some crucial piece of information on this, or any, important world event. I'll just have to make my peace with that self-doubt and trust my gut by going with Jewish Voice for Peace, Amnesty International, the Geneva Conventions, the United Nations, etc. And if you're Palestinian and reading this: I unreservedly support your right to life, to freedom, to happiness and human flourishing, to full enfranchisement and equal rights, to opportunity, prosperity and abundance, to the restoration of stolen property and land, and to a Free Palestine." End ID ]

#if anyone wants to do the id I will love you forever btw #brennan lee mulligan #d20 #dropout #free palestine #dimension 20 #I babble

[cattordi]

a/n hi i have explanation as to why i was gone for so long please don’t sue me. i wrote this after watching saltburn and watching 2037633 felix edits. but i honestly forgot how to write so im getting back into it. don’t judge :P

summary it’s 2006 and you’re an american who recently decided to study overseas in england at oxford and there’s one person who just won’t leave you alone

pairings felix catton x american!reader

warnings smut, orgasm control, begging, foul language, creampie/breeding, overstimulation, slight choking, oral sex, not proofread, smoking cigarettes(not reader), unprotected sex, fluff, angst, name calling, daddy kink, praise, 18+ MINORS DNI

chips or crisps?

“can i just get a vodka martini?” you ask the bartender. he nods and quickly scurries off to make your drink.

england is not what you expect it to me. it’s nice. nicer than america in your opinion but the people were something.

one person you just couldn’t shake stood in all his glory across the pub. “he’s gorgeous right?” a redheaded girl says as she walks from his direction towards you.

“uh no not really” you lie. no one in their right mind could think that felix catton was unattractive. he’s 6’5, has a gorgeous smile, and a very very hot body. the only thing about him that bothered you was how he teased you. m

you didn’t know if it was because you liked him or what. “no one thinks felix is unattractive. felix doesn’t even think felix is unattractive.” the redhead continues saying.

“um do i know you?” you ask as the bartender slides your drink across the bar and you had him 4 pounds. “oou an american. i’m annabel” she says.

“hm.” you say and turn to look in felix’s direction again. hes now looking over at the bar where you and annabel are. first hes staring at annabel and then his eyes wander over to you; catching your gaze. you quickly look away not wanting to hold eye contact but for some reason your eyes wander right back to him.

he’s now smiling at you goofily because you got caught staring.

you roll your eyes and turn back facing the bar. annabel walks away after getting her drinks and now you’re officially by yourself again.

just the way you liked it.

you finish off your drink and quickly get a new one.

times passes and more people start filing into the pub; which calls for more drinks. “chips or crisps?” you hear next to you and you already know who it is.

“what do you want felix?” you groan and throw your head back.

the way your mouth is open and your neck is exposed makes felix feel a way inside. “is it chips or crisps?”

“felix i swear-“ you begin but he cuts you off. “you swear what love?” he begins and you finally look at him, “you’re you’re slap me? you’ve done that before.”

“what is your fascination with me?” you snap and he looks so amused.

“that,” he says a points at me, “what you just did is my fascination with you love.” furrowing your eyebrows he continues, “the way i get you all riled up without even touching you.” he says and his mouth is next to your ear at the point.

the smell of bourbon wraps around your head and into your nose. “you’re drunk.” you say and he chuckles.

“i’m not. lighten up y/n, you know i like teasing you.”

you can’t really tell if he’s lying so you just stop talking hoping he goes away after he gets his drinks.

newsflash: he doesn’t.

“y/n?” he says.

“what could you want now felix?”

“talk to me, love.”

“don’t call me that.. and no.”

“you just spoke to me.”

you don’t speak this time and he chuckles, “this little game we’re playing,” he begins and gestures between the two of you,” is lovely.” his accent warms you inside.

“i’m leaving.” you groan and push off your chair. you quickly gather your purse and coat before walking out; all while not even glancing at felix.

the cold england air hits you like a truck as you step outside. “it’s awfully cold.” felix says.

you jump at the unexpected sound of his voice. “felix what the hell are you doing?”

“don’t be foolish y/n. it’s 10 at night. i’m walking you back to your dorm.”

“i don’t need you to walk me back.” you say and he shrugs, “i didn’t ask you that did i?”

“whatever.” you begin walking and you can hear felix walking behind you.

after about 5 minutes of walking he finally speaks, “so y/n why don’t you like me?”

you ignore him but he won’t take that for an answer, “y/n answer the bloody question.”

you still don’t answer.

“for fucks sake,m y/n.” he says and he sounds upset. “whatever.” is all you hear before a hand wraps around your wrist pulling you between a small alley.

“felix let go.” you groan in annoyance that he won’t just leave you alone. but behind your little act, you want him to bother you; in more ways than others.

“stop acting like i don’t exist.” he begins as he gets close to your ear, “stop acting like i don’t have an effect on you.”

“you don’t.” you whisper and that pisses him off more.

“y/n,” he scoffs and you feel yourself beginning to get wet,”you act the way you do because you know, everything i do makes you feel good.”

if only he knew how true that statement was.

you shake your head, looking up at him. “listen, im not like every other girl who bows down to you. you can’t think i’m just gonna give out.”

“and why wouldn’t you love? i see the effect i have on you. i try to be so nice to you love.. and you push me away.” he begins as his hand slides into your mini skirt. “i bet you’re soaking for me.”

you refuse to make eye contact so you look down at his chest. “look at me love.” you shake your head now causing him to grab you by your jaw. “i said look at me.”

you whimper quietly at the feeling of his hand now touching the wet spot of your panties. felix’s eyes soften at your sound, “do i make you this wet love?”

after a few seconds, you finally give into all the feelings. so you nod your head but this doesn’t satisfy him, “words.”

“yes.”

“good girl. now,” he begins before pulling his hands out of your panties; causing you to whimper again at the lost of touch, “let’s go to my dorm. i’m not taking you in a bloody alley, darling.”

with that, he grabs your hand and begins walking quickly in the direction of the dorms. you can’t help but notice how big his hand is compared to yours.. and how long his legs are. one of his steps is 3 of yours.

after another 30 seconds of walking he stops. “you walk awfully slow love.”

“well sorry i’m not-“ you begin but yelp as your feet leave the ground and felix throws you over his shoulder. “felix put me down!” you groan.

“darling we are like 3 minutes away. just let me carry you.” he says and smacks your butt. the stinging feeling after keeps you quiet.

those three minutes pass so quickly you don’t even realize he’s walked the stair of his dorm and is now unlocking the door.

slowly, felix sets you down and points to the bed. “take your skirt off.”

you hum in response before pulling your skirt down. he’s watching you intently with his arms crossed. his button up shirt is unbuttoned halfway down; revealing his sculpted chest.

“now your,” he begins and points at your panties. as you slide them off the moon shines on your glistening folds and a low groan comes out of him.

as you discard of you panties, felix walks over and stands between your legs. “look at me.” you do as he says, “is this what you want?”

felix begins squatting down slowly. “do you want to be mine y/n?” he ask when he’s parellel with your pussy. his hot breath sends shivers up your spine. “hm y/n? answer me love.”

his hands wrap around your thighs. “yes felix.. that’s what i want.” you moan out as he begins kissing your inner thigh.

“well before we start.. call me daddy.” he lips your pussy in between words, “and you only cum when i say so. understood?”

you whimper lightly, “yes daddy.”

you’d never called a guy daddy before but it got you off more than you expected.

“well then,” with that felix’s mouth attacks your folds and clit causing your back to arch in pleasure.

your hands find his hair as he continues licking up and down your slit; ever so often he’ll hum and the feeling it gives almost pushes you over the edge.

“can i cum please daddy?” you ask and he hums something that sounds like a no. “please, please i want to cum.”

the begging and humming goes on for another minute or so until felix stops. “what happened?” you ask breathlessly.

“you tasted delicious darling, but i don’t want you to cum until i’m in you.”

he quickly pecks you on the lips before rolling you onto your stomach. you can’t see what he’s doing but his shadow cast on the wall as he stands.

you hear his belt being undone and soon his hand cupping your ass. “god, you’re perfect darling” he groans as his hand slides down; his accent is music to your ears.

“thank you..” you moan as he moves his dick between your wet folds. “thank you what?”

his hand wraps around your throat, “say it y/n.” the way your name rolls off his lips makes you feel so good. “thank you daddy.”

“good girl.” with that he slides in. you couldn’t see how big it was but you could definitely feel it. you moan in pleasurable pain as he stretches you.

doggystyle wasn’t always your first choice of positions because after a lot bit it was too much. every thrust would hit your cervix and begin hurting but with felix: it felt good.

“so- damned- tight.” he says and thrust harder in between words. you dig your face into the comforter moaning.

his hand snakes around your body to the front and begins rubbing your clit in small agonizingly pleasing circles. “felix-“

a sharp smack hits your ass, “that’s not my name y/n.”his hips continue to smack into you as he fucks you senselessly. “what’s my name?”

“fuck i need to cum.” you moan and he smacks your ass again, before grabbing you by the neck and pulling you up towards his chest continuing to fuck you. the new position caused him to hit your g spot in more ways than before. “what’s my name?” he ask through gritted teeth.

you’d never felt this kind of pleasure with anyone before. “can i please cum, daddy?”

“that’s what i like to hear.. but no.” his hand continues massage your swollen bud as he breathes heavily on your neck; fucking you maliciously. “god, do you feel god. all wet for me.. letting me fuck you to no avail like daddys slut.”

“please can i come daddy? please.. you feel so good.” you moan,

he pushes you back onto the bed, holding your by the neck; keeping you in place. “please daddy can i cum?” the feeling of release deepens so much and you can’t take it.

“i can’t take it.” you say through pleasured cries. the way he rubs your clit and hits your g spot repeatedly overstimulates you.

“yes you can and you will y/n.” he begins, “you’re mine now. all mine. no one could fuck you like i do. don’t you agree?”

you nod while whimpering out hushed “yes daddy”’s

“good. do you want to cum?”

“yes, yes please.”

“beg. and make sure it’s loud. i want everyone in this dorm to hear how much of a slut you are for my cock.”

“please daddy. please can i come? i want to make you feel good.” you plead and you have to admit: you can be louder.

“that’s not loud enough darling.” he says and stops rubbing your clit. the lost of friction causes you to whimper. “louder.”

“please daddy. i need to come. please, i can’t take it anymore.” you grab the sheets of his bed and grip them tight as an anchor as he fucks you.

“louder y/n, you’re almost there.” he groans. you can tell he’s getting close as well. his grip on your hips has tightened and you can feel his shaft pulsing slightly against your walls.

his fingers touch your clit again and you moan loudly, “oh my gosh, can i please cum daddy? you feel so good in me. i want to cum all on your dick.”

this time you’re so loud he’s even threatened to cover your mouth. “cum love. milk my cock like i know you’ve wanted too since we met”

at the sound of his permission, you release your orgasm. white flashes take over your vision as you release what felix has took his time to build up.

he continues to fuck you through your orgasm causing more pleasure. moaning loudly, you arch your back towards him. “holy hell, you’re so tight around me.”

he groans and pushes your hips into the bed. his thrust begin to slow and become sputtered movements. “you were made for me y/n.. so perfect.” he groans as releases hot white spurts that coat your walls.

the way he talks to you turns you on even more as you come down from your high. he continues to fuck you slowly as his cum drips out of you and onto your clit.

“fuck y/n..” he moans softly as he pulls out slowly. you continue laying down trying to catch your breath as he stands.

you hear things being more behind you but you’re too weak to turn your head and look. after a few seconds, you feel felix straddling you. “roll over.”

you do as he says to reveal he’s holding a cloth. “open your legs for me..”

slowly, you open your legs to reveal your swollen sex. “you did so good love.”

felix squats lowly and begins wiping you up. “thank you.”

smiling at you he continues,”but you know.. you never answered my question.”

“hm?”

“chips or crisps?”

#felix catton #saltburn #felix catton smut #felix catton fic #jacob elordi x reader #felix catton saltburn #felix catton fluff #felix catton x y/n #felix catton x reader #felix catton x you #saltburn x reader