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dailyanarchistposts · 17 days

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As May Day Approaches

Following this press conference, the government hoped that its official announcements would finally take the life out of the yellow vest movement, defusing the social tension that has built up. However, in the hours following Macron’s speech, several well-known yellow vest figures expressed their dissatisfaction with his proposals, calling for further demonstrations. In the end, even if some yellow vesters were sidetracked by Macron’s announcement, it was difficult to predict whether people would massively take the streets for the 24th act of the yellow vest movement.

On Saturday, April 27, about 23,600 yellow vesters demonstrated in France. For this new day of action, the epicenter of the movement was the city of Strasbourg. As the European elections will occur in a month, an “international call” was made to gather and march towards the European Parliament. Some Belgians, Germans, Italians, Swiss, and Luxembourgers participated as well. About 3000 demonstrators walked through the streets of Strasbourg, confronting police and engaging in property destruction. In the end, 42 people were arrested and at least 7 injured—three police officers, three demonstrators, and one passerby.

At the same time, two demonstrations took place in Paris. The first, organized by trade unions, drew about 5500 demonstrators, among them 2000 in yellow vests, while the other, mostly composed of several hundreds of yellow vesters, did a tour of all the major corporate media headquarters to ask for “impartial media coverage.” Other gatherings also took place in Lyons, Toulouse, Cambrai, and elsewhere in France. (All of the figures provided here are from the French authorities.)

If we compare the total number of participants in this 24th act to the other national days of action, it is undeniable that it attracted fewer participants. Does that mean that the government has finally gained the upper hand over the movement? It’s unclear. It is possible that some yellow vesters stayed home from the 24th act in order to prepare for May Day.

Last year, the intensity of property destruction and confrontations with police during the May Day mobilization of anarchists and other autonomous rebels compelled the government to cancel the entire traditional trade union march. In view of the tense social and political situation in France today, who knows what May Day 2019 could bring?

If the government attempts to cancel or repress demonstrations in Paris this May Day, the situation could become explosive. Not only because the police have adopted aggressive new law enforcement strategies over the past few weeks, but also because several calls have been made for yellow vesters to join autonomous rebels at the front of the traditional Parisian afternoon procession for the “ultimate act.” The objective is set: Paris is to become the capital city of rioting.

Here is an English adaptation of one of the calls, entitled Pour un 1er mai jaune et noir:

For a yellow and black May Day! “When the government violates the rights of the people, insurrection is for the people and for each portion of the people the most sacred of rights and the most indispensable of duties.” -Article 35 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (1793) Macron’s government has decided to crush the current social protest by force, reaching a level of repression never seen before: prohibitions of demonstrations, deployment of soldiers, the use of armored vehicles, the use of chemical markers and weapons of war against protesters, jail sentences in spades, hands torn off, blinded protesters… During the demonstration of May Day 2018, the Prefecture of Police counted 14,500 demonstrators “on the sidelines of the trade union procession” (almost as much as in the traditional procession) including 1200 “radical individuals.” On March 16, at the time of act 18, it was 1500 “ultra violent” ones who were present among the 7000 demonstrators, according to the figures of this same police. Today, what frightens the state is not the rioters themselves, but the adhesion and understanding they arouse among the rest of the population. And this despite the calls, week after week, for everyone to dissociate themselves from the “breakers.” If there is one group that currently strikes France with all its violence, it is not the “Black Bloc,” nor the yellow vests; it is rather the government itself. We are calling on all revolutionaries in France and elsewhere, all those who want this to change, to come and form a determined and combative march. Because if repression falls on everyone, our response must be common and united. Against Macron and his world, let’s take the street together to revive the convergence of anger and hope. Let’s get ready, let’s equip ourselves, lets organize ourselves to overthrow him and drag him through a day in hell. War has been declared!

[1] “Proportional representation” would mean that if, for example, 30% of voters vote for the Green Party, then members of that party would receive 30% of the total number of seats. So far, legislative elections offer no proportional representation—even if a party receives a large percentage of votes, it might not gain many seats at the assembly. People have been complaining about this “unfair process,” so now the government is willing to increase proportional representation in elections. Unfortunately, for several years now, the National Front has usually received around 20–25% of votes but only currently holds 6 seats out of the 577 in the Assemblée Nationale. Increasing proportional representation will give them more power in the decision-making—although, of course, it’s not clear to what extent Macron will actually follow through on his promises. Of course, there is no option for people who have grown disillusioned with government itself: that perspective will never be “proportionately represented.” This is why the government refused outright to recognized blank votes.

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sitp-recs · 2 years

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hey! can you rec me some drarry falling in love fics? not super plotty, really sweet, fluffy fics please! don't care how long. preferrably 3rd person POV

Hi there! Absolutely, I highly recommend the ones below:

Secretly, between the shadow and the soul by @teacup-tai (2021, T, 3k)

The thing about surrender is that once you accept the unavoidable rhythm of change, the surprising uncontrollability of life, and the astonishing inevitability of feelings, it is easy.

Market Saturdays by @sorrybutblog (2021, M, 3.2k)

In which Harry is an accidental part-time cheesemonger, Draco is an organic farmer and they fall in love. Not an AU.

The Long Fall by @tackytigerfic (2021, M, 3.6k)

It's supposed to be a simple house renovation, and maybe it's just the paint fumes, but Harry is feeling dizzy around Draco Malfoy. And what's the real meaning of family, anyway?

He Whose Hand and Eye Are Gentle by khalulu (2017, G, 5k)

Draco reads poems and sometimes writes them. Harry receives poems and sometimes reads them. Rutherford delivers poems via the scenic route. Wombat snores. Eventually, all comes together, with help from the foxes in red bibs and the sumo referee.

Mise en Place by @corvuscrowned (2021, T, 5k)

Draco needs to learn how to cook, and luckily, Harry knows his way around a kitchen. The fact that Draco is using his newfound cooking skills to impress another man... Well, Harry just tries not to think about that too much.

Proof of the Pudding by daisymondays (2017, T, 10k)

When Greg's bakery opens on Diagon Alley, Draco doesn’t expect it to the place he ends up finding love, but then again Harry Potter has always defied Draco's expectations.

the way you make me glow by @softlystarstruck (2022, M, 11k)

In a cottage next to the sea, love blossoms. Or perhaps it’s been there all along.

Poppiholla by @moonflower-rose (2021, M, 12k)

Harry had accepted that he would pine silently for Malfoy forever, but one, humid summer might change that.

Bridges by @cavendishbutterfly (2021, E, 16k)

Harry and Draco are on a trip to Budapest to help with Kingsley's re-election, but that's the boring bit. More interesting: Harry Potter is changing his Tinder preferences to include men.

An Improbable Bout of Summer Madness by @ghaniblue (2021, E, 16k)

Draco had planned a quiet, peaceful summer holiday with his son. The last thing he expected was to find Potter here, in Draco's little Cornish retreat. Making fudge in a shop? The idea was too ludicrous for words.

It's Friday (I'm in Love) by @punk-rock-yuppie (2018, E, 16k)

At first, Draco only hangs out with them on Fridays after work; then he starts shagging Potter after pub nights. Then all the rest of the gang tries to befriend Draco and even worse, Potter tries to date him. It’s an absolute disaster, if you ask Draco.

Take These Lies by @pennygalleon (2021, E, 19k)

There’s a portrait of his godfather in Draco Malfoy’s potions shop and Harry needs to know why. But that’s not why he keeps coming back.

amid this warm and steady sweetness by warmfoothills (2019, E, 21k)

Harry is not living in a period drama, no matter what his friends or his new house or Malfoy’s sudden affinity for horse-riding might suggest, and if one more person uses the word courting, he’s going to start hexing people.

Nice Things by aideomai (2020, M, 22k)

The first thing that happened was Theodore Nott came back from France.

With Great Yawns and Stretchings by sugar_screw (2016, T, 22k)

The coffee is very good. Really. And the cats are so cute. That's why Harry goes so often.

Safe As Houses by @xanthippe74 (2021, T, 24k)

After five years abroad, Harry’s thrilled to be home and working at the most prestigious ward-building firm in Britain. But everything gets turned upside down when he's assigned to work for Draco Malfoy—who somehow grew up to be just the sort of sexy bastard Harry goes for.

Seeker, Chaser, Keeper by VivacissimoVoce (2013, M, 59k)

Rumor has it that a wealthy investor is starting up a brand new professional Quidditch team and he’s looking for players. Harry and Draco both want to make the team, but there can be only one Seeker.

Tea and No Sympathy by who_la_hoop (2014, E, 70k)

It's Potter's fault, of course, that Draco finds himself trapped in the same twenty-four-hour period, repeating itself over and over again.

Little Deaths and How to Avoid Them (or Draco Malfoy's Guide to Stop Dying and Start Living Instead) by nerakrose and dustmouth (2018, M, 96k)

Malfoy is way too interested in coroner reports for somebody who's definitely not looking for ways to die, Harry wants to be friends with him, and Ginny wants to break up with Harry.

The Liars Department by @dorthyanndrarry (2020, T, 103k)

This is a story about Harry meeting up with Draco Malfoy four years after the war. And a story about Harry, well, not hating his job per say, but it's not like he has much to compare it to and it seemed fine. His whole life seemed fine.

#asks #drarry reclist #falling in love #fluff

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catofadifferentcolor · 9 months

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Random Old Guard Thoughts (1/?): Movie Timeline

As I've often stated, loudly and repeatedly, I tend to hyperfixate on details very few other people would consider important. Case in point: What is the timeline of The Old Guard (2020)?

I don't mean the pre-canon timeline - what these characters were doing at any given point in the last thousand years, though that too is something I've given far too much thought to - but the actual timeline of the events of the movie.

Now, we can pretty safely say the events take place in early 2019, as:

In the scene outside the mine in Val d'Argent, Nile's phone gives the date as Sunday, April 21.

The Frank Ocean song "Godspeed" Nile listens to at Camp Leatherneck was released in 2016.

The years in which April 21 falls on Sunday after this song was released are: 2019, 2024, 2030, and 2047.

Presuming that the movie is set during the War in Afghanistan, which ended August 20, 2021, this leaves 2019 as the only possible year the movie could take place. (Or, since the war went on for nearly two decades and the Doha Accords were not signed until February 29, 2020, it could have been intended to be set in a possible near-future at filming, but that seems against the general historicity of the movie/comics.) This is also the year the movie was shot during, so it seems most likely.

Sunday, April 21, 2019 is coincidentally Easter, which seems like a good date to set events involving resurrection and immortality, as well as to sneak your unwilling human test subjects into your usually bustling pharmaceutical company headquarters. (Though why you'd carry out your morally dubious research in your HQ is another matter.)

Seems simple enough. However, the incident in South Sudan takes place during a full moon - there's a nice lingering shot of it early in the movie, so it's not just some stage light shining through a window - and the last full moon before Easter 2019 is Friday, April 19. (Good Friday, coincidentally.)

We do have a bit of wiggle room. The moon rising at 6:19 pm in Juba on the night of Thursday, April 18 probably looked close enough to full to count. The one rising at 5:25 pm on Wednesday, April 17 might've too. But the question remains: even if we push the rescue operation back to the night of April 17-18, is it even possible for someone moving covertly to get from a contested war zone in Central Africa to another in Central Asia in time to make it to Northern France the next night?

Because the way I see it:

Sunday, April 21 is the hard date. Andy, Nile, and Booker leave Val d'Argent around sunrise on this day (6:31 am) and drive to Copely's house in Surrey. Google tells me this is a 774 km drive, which should take 8:45 hours. There must have been some sort of border check regardless of whatever passports were used as the UK never was part of the Schengen Area - and possibly a stop for weapons after. (Even if we shave off a few hours speeding on empty holiday roads, London sunset was 8:06 pm that day and there's nothing to imply Nile and Copley waited overnight to stage their rescue. Andy and Booker can't have been in the labs longer than four hours.)

Andy, Booker, and Nile leave Goussainville at night. If they took the most direct route to Val d'Argent (and I don't see why they would), that is a 465 km drive, which should take 5 hours. They arrive at the cave in daylight - between 7 am and 9 pm that time of year - and Andy leaves again for the town at dark. This tells me their arrival in Val d'Argent is sometime Saturday, April 20.

It is night when the guard are attacked in Goussainville. This is likely the morning of Saturday, April 20, but can be any time between sunset (8:50 pm) the day before and sunrise (6:54 am) that morning.

Andy and Nile are shown arriving at Goussainville in daylight. This could, theoretically, be any number of days before the attack, but given the clothes it's probably Friday, April 19. Also, unless we dream each other isn't an every night thing, Nile would probably have gotten Quỳnh's story earlier if it wasn't.

It is daylight on a train in Central Africa when Andy, Booker, Joe, and Nicky first dream of Nile. This could, theoretically, be any number of days after the mission in South Sudan, but I get the feeling it's meant to be the morning after - which, accounting for the moon, would be Thursday, April 18.

Is it physically possible to travel from South Sudan to Afghanistan to France in, at maximum, 39 hours? Probably. If you managed direct flights it would be something like 15 hours total plus a couple hours driving. But can it actually be done? Can you jump off a train in the middle of nowhere, find a single woman on a military base in another country with nothing but a picture and half a name, and get yourself and your companion to another continent in what's realistically more like 30 hours? All while keeping out of sight of an ex-CIA operative and, presumably, the US military?

I don't know. It sounds like the start of a Top Gear special - and initially I was going to argue that it couldn't be done. I was going to argue that the South Sudan mission had to occur during the March 20 full moon for the timing to work... but maybe not. Maybe it can be done. I'd love to know.

Which, I suppose, is a long way to travel to determine the date of Nile's first death: some time between sunrise in Central Africa and sunset in Central Asia on Thursday, April 18, 2019.

#the old guard #tog #random thoughts #rant #thoughts

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cinemacentury · 2 months

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Saturday, March 9, 2024

"In solitude, I felt the liberty you spoke of. But I also felt your absence."

119. PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (Céline Sciamma, 2019) - France - Physical - Home Library, BluRay - 120 minutes. New film #110.

#criterion collection #portrait of a lady on fire #adele haenel #noemie merlant #celine sciamma

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brookston · 1 month

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Holidays 4.13

Holidays

Aerosmith Day (Massachusetts)

American Elephant Day

American Sikh Day

Arugula o Rocket Day (French Republic)

Auslan Day (Australia)

Beauty Peace Day

Celebrate Teen Literature Day

Day of Patrons and Philanthropists (Russia)

Day of the Dead (Elder Scrolls)

Environmental Protection Day

Feast of Rotten Endings

413 Day (Arkansas)

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) International Awareness Day

Homestuck Day

Huguenot Day (France)

Ides of April (Ancient Rome)

International Campus & Community Day

International Creativity & Innovation Day

International Day of the Kiss

International Functional Neurological Disorder Awareness Day

International Imposter Syndrome Awareness Day

International Jaat Day (India)

International Plant Appreciation Day

International Rock & Roll Day

International Special Librarian’s Day

International Turban Day

John Hanson Day (Maryland)

Katyn Memorial Day (Poland)

Military-Industrial Complex Employee Day (Ukraine)

National Boot Day

National Borinqueneers Day

National Hippy Day

National Hockey Card Day

National Japanese Spitz Day

National Kiss Your Homies Day

National Pathology Day (India)

National PhiliShui Day

National Silly Earring Day

National Sticker Day

National Theresa Day

Neil Banging Out the Tunes Day

Religious Freedom Day (England; France)

Scrabble Day

Silent Spring Day

Sinhala & Tamil New Year’s Eve (Sri Lanka)

Sterile Packaging Day

Swiftie Day

Teacher’s Day (Ecuador)

Thomas Jefferson Day

Unfairly Prosecuted Persons Day (Slovakia)

Western Mass Day (Massachusetts)

World Microscope Day

World Sarcoidosis Day

World’s Day of Remembrance for Victims of Katyn Massacre

Food & Drink Celebrations

Day to Give Thanks for Fish and Seafood

Hopocalypse Day (Drake’s Brewing)

National Make Lunch Count Day

National Peach Cobbler Day

2nd Saturday in April

Baby Massage Day [2nd Saturday]

Global Day to End Child Sexual Abuse [2nd Saturday]

National Catch & Release Day [2nd Saturday]

Slow Art Day [2nd Saturday]

World Circus Day [2nd Saturday]

Weekly Holidays beginning April 13 (2nd Week)

California Native Plant Week [thru 4.20]

Independence & Related Days

Adammia (Declared; 2013) [unrecognized]

Mensa Ann (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Sicily (from Naples; 1848)

Varnland (Declared; 1991) [unrecognized]

Winterspell (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

New Year’s Days

Songkran (Thailand) (a.k.a. …

Bangla New Year

Bisket Jatra (Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand)

Chiang Mai Songkran

Tamil New Year

Thai New Year

Festivals Beginning April 13, 2024

Armageddon Expo Christchurch, New Zealand) [thru 4.14]

Baldwin County Strawberry Festival (Loxley, Alabama) [thru 4.14]

Bar K Beer Fest (St. Louis, Missouri)

Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) [thru 4.14]

CNY Maple Festival (Marathon, New York) [thru 4.14]

Crawfish & Zydeco Festival (Kemah, Texas) [thru 4.14]

Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival (Kenosha, Wisconsin)

Dessert Wars (Baltimore, Maryland)

Georgia Renaissance Festival (Fairburn, Georgia) [thru 6.2]

Hall Cabernet Cookout (St. Helena, California)

Hudson Mac & Cheese Fest (Washingtonville, New York)

International Orange Blossom Carnival (Adana, Turkey) [thru 4.21]

Lost Colony Wine & Culinary Festival (Manteo, North Carolina)

Mobile Chocolate Festival (Mobile, Alabama)

National Grits Festival (Warwick, Georgia)

Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival (San Francisco, California) [thru 4.14 & 4.20-21]

Polish Festival (Phoenix, Arizona) [thru 4.14]

Spring Cheese and Chocolate Weekend (Stillwater, Minnesota) [thru 4.14]

Supernova Pop Culture Expo Gold Coast, Australia) [thru 4.14]

Taste of Hillcrest (San Diego, California)

Feast Days

Alfarbot: Alfheim Day (Pagan)

Believe in Fairies Day (Pastafarian)

Bill Hicks Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Caradoc (Christian; Saint)

Carpus, Papyrus, and Agathonic (Christian; Martyrs)

Elizablecccch Arden (Muppetism)

Eudora Welty (Writerism)

Festival of Jupiter Victor (Ancient Rome)

Festival of Libertas (Ancient Roman personification of freedom and political liberty)

Grounding Meditation Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Guinoch of Scotland (Christian; Saint)

Hermenegild (Christian; Martyr)

Ida of Louvain (Christian; Saint)

James Ensor (Artology)

Libertas (Old Roman Goddess of Liberty)

Martin I, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Martius (a.k.a. Mars; Christian; Saint)

Poshui Jie begins (Water Splashing Festival; China)

Ptolemy (Positivist; Saint)

Purification Festival (Thailand; Everyday Wicca)

Samuel Beckett (Writerism)

Seamus Heaney (Writerism)

Squashing of Moonhopper Day (Shamanism)

Thomas Lawrence (Artology)

Vaisakhi (Sikh spring grain harvest festival)

Vishnu (Pondicherry, India; Hindu)

Yayoi Matsuri (Nikko, Japan; 5-Day Spring Festival)

Islamic Moveable Calendar Holidays

Eid al-Fitr celebrations continue (Islam)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Prime Number Day: 103 [27 of 72]

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Aladdin Sane, by David Bowie (Album; 1973)

An Apprenticeship or The Book of Pleasures, by Clarice Lispector (Novel; 1969)

Bedeviled Rabbit (WB Cartoon; 1957)

The Big Bad Wolf (Disney Cartoon; 1934)

Black Rose, by Thin Lizzy (Album; 1979)

Bridget Jones’s Diary (Film; 2001)

Brown Sugar, by The Rolling Stones (Song; 1971)

Bulldog Drummond (Radio Series; 1941)

By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept, by Elizabeth Smart (Novel; 1945)

Casino Royale, by Ian Fleming (Novel; 1953) [James Bond #1]

Catch a Fire, by Bob Marley (Album; 1973)

Critic’s Choice (Film; 1963)

Dane, by Heinrich Schütz Opera; 1627)

Daltrey, by Roger Daltrey (Album; 1973)

Echo, by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (Album; 1999)

El Capitan, by John Philip Soul (Operetta; 1896)

Good Little Monkeys (Happy Harmonies; 1935)

The Greyhound and the Rabbit (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1940)

Hold the Lion Please (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1951)

The Kilkenny Cats (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1945)

Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, Get Your Adverbs Here Grammar Rock Cartoon; Schoolhouse Rock; 1974)

Messiah, by George Frederic Handel (Oratorio; 1742)

Mickey’s Kangaroo (Disney Cartoon; 1935)

Mouse Into Space (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1962)

The One Minute Manager, by Kennth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson (Book; 1983)

Rampage (Film; 2018)

Rising Sun, by Michael Crichton (Novel; 1992)

Safe at Home! (Film; 1962)

Swing Shift (Film; 1984)

Tango in the Night, by Fleetwood Mac (Album; 1987)

Tintin and the Picaros, by Hergé (Graphic Novel; 1976) [Tintin #23]

12 Angry Men (Film; 1957)

Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand (Historic Novel; 2012)

Today’s Name Days

Hermenegild, Ida, Martin (Austria)

Ida, Martin (Croatia)

Aleš (Czech Republic)

Justinus (Denmark)

Tarvi, Tarvo (Estonia)

Tellervo (Finland)

Ida (France)

Hermenegil, Ida, Gilda, Martin (Germany)

Gerontios (Greece)

Ida (Hungary)

Ermenegildo, Martino (Italy)

Egils, Jagailis, Justins, Justs, Nauris (Latvia)

Algaudė, Ida, Mingaudas (Lithuania)

Asta, Astrid (Norway)

Hermenegild, Hermenegilda, Ida, Jan, Justyn, Małgorzata, Przemysł, Przemysław (Poland)

Artemon (Romania)

Aleš (Slovakia)

Hermenegildo, Martín (Spain)

Artur, Douglas (Sweden)

Slavka, Yaroslava (Ukraine)

Thom, Thomas, Thomasina, Thompson, Tom, Tomas, Tommie, Tommy, Twain (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 104 of 2024; 262 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 6 of week 15 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 28 of 28]

Chinese: Month 3 (Wu-Chen), Day 5 (Ding-Wei)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 5 Nisan 5784

Islamic: 34 Shawwal 1445

J Cal: 14 Cyan; Sevenday [14 of 30]

Julian: 31 March 2024

Moon: 28%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 20 Archimedes (4th Month) [Albategnius]

Runic Half Month: Man (Human Being) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 26 of 92)

Week: 2nd Week of April

Zodiac: Aries (Day 24 of 31)

#calendar #Holidays

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black-arcana · 1 year

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Watch: NIGHTWISH's FLOOR JANSEN Performs In Amsterdam As Support Act For METALLICA

NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen performed earlier today (Saturday, April 29) at the Johan Cruijf Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands as the support act for METALLICA. She was the last-minute replacement for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, which canceled its appearance because the band's singer Ivan Moody is recovering from a recent surgery to correct an acute hernia injury.

Fan-filmed video of Floor's performance can be seen below.

Jansen's debut solo album, "Paragon", arrived on March 24. The LP showcases the Dutch-born singer's impressive vocal range and powerful voice on a diverse collection of pop-infused tracks and emotional ballads influenced by the sounds of her career.

With its mix of influences and powerful vocal performances, "Paragon" is an album that will appeal to fans of pop music and metal alike.

As part of NIGHTWISH, Jansen has landed two number one albums in Finland, and Top Five albums in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Born in the Netherlands, Jansen joined her first band, one of the world's first symphonic metal bands, AFTER FOREVER, when she was only 16 years old. The group went on to release five albums from 2000 to 2007, before they broke up in 2009.

Jansen's next band, REVAMP, released two albums in 2010 and 2013, before she joined NIGHTWISH as a full-time member. NIGHTWISH's first album with Jansen as the lead singer was 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", which landed in Top 10s around the world. This was followed by 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." , which was also an international success.

Jansen has toured extensively with the band and appeared on three of NIGHTWISH's live albums "Showtime, Storytime", "Vehicle Of Spirit" and "Decades: Live In Buenos Aires".

In 2019, Jansen participated in the popular Dutch TV show "Beste Zangers" where she scored a big hit with "Phantom Of The Opera" together with Henk Poort. She was recognized with a Dutch Popprijs award — a prestigious accolade for artists that has made important contributions to Dutch music. In the same year, her first solo tour sold out in less than 24 hours.

Jansen performed live with NIGHTWISH for the first time on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon. Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013.

youtube

#floor jansen #henk poort #phantom of the opera #Youtube

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sizzlingpatrolfox · 2 months

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Hey, do you know when exactly jimin's video from the paris club was leaked? Was it before him going back to Seoul where he celebrated jk's b'day with his friends or was it after his trip back to Seoul when he celebrated the b'day?

I remember but memories are a bit confusing because of timezones.

Almost everything about Jimin's travels was posted pretty much on real time while he was in France and then Russia as well. People in Hawaii didn't really leak anything about him while he was there.

If I recall correctly, Jimin was first seen in Paris on Wednesday or Thursday (I think - timezones and all). The next night first a video of him walking around in the pub came out, and later they posted the video where they were doing that forehead flick game. I really wanna say it was Thursday, but it could've been Wednesday too. I know for sure it wasn't Friday, though. Jungkook's birthday was on Saturday night later that week. I do remember perfectly well that it was Sunday at around 1pm for me (so Monday 1am in Korea) when Jimin posted JK's photo on twitter. Which meant the gathering had happened Sunday late at night. And it was later found out that it might've taken place at zzinu's house.

So, yes. It was posted before his birthday. Basically everything people saw him do in Paris was posted almost as immediately as it happened. Jimin was in Paris for only three days, then he went back to Seoul, stopped by Jungkook's, slept and took another plane the next morning. He talked about his itinerary a little in his birthday live from Saudi Arabia in October 2019.

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empty-movement · 2 years

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Empty Movement’s (Belated) Black Rose Saga 25th Anniversary/Utena & Anthy Dollfie Dream Drop/Pride 2022/We’re Broke and Selling Stuff/Whatever Party!!!

What up friends! Here's the deal. We bought two sets of the Utena and Anthy Dollfies. Vanna’s (my) hope was that selling one set, alongside a feeding frenzy of merch we still have from the Japan trips for the musicals, will be sufficient that I can afford to keep the other set. We've also hit uh, some other bills, but let's be real. This is about the dolls. I want money so I can keep them.

Wow so greedy lady overextends her credit and it's your problem? NOT AT ALL FRIENDS. IT'S YOUR WIN. Why? Because we’re gonna throw a *party.* We’re gonna stream musicals, give away stuff, and *everything being auctioned starts at cost.* Why? I mean it’s Utena’s 25th anniversary, and this is right when the Black Rose starts, and the dollfies are cool and I actually wanna keep a pair, and we all just need something to do that isn’t doomscroll...and I hear our streams are pretty cool? Wild? Ahem. So what’s incoming???

FREE UTENA MERCH GIVEAWAY:

Now - July 8th, 6PM EST: Enter our giveaway! What’s there to win?

- First, a Pride ‘22 Revolution Denim Jacket, designed by Vanna and donated by Rat. This will be made to your size and color preferences based on what’s available in the store! - Second, a deck of the ‘series accurate’ playing cards Vanna designed a few years ago. These have slightly edited face cards with references to Utena throughout. These are donated by us. - Finally, a sealed copy of the 2019 Musical Utena ~ Blooming Rose of Deepest Black Blu-ray, with the live pre-order limited music box that plays the musical’s opening banger. This is donated for giveaway by an anonymous wonderful person!

Check the application form for details and rules! There aren’t many. We’re literally just givin’ y’all stuff. :D We’ll hold on shipping until after the auctions.

AUCTION OF A BRAND NEW PAIR OF UTENA AND ANTHY DOLLFIES:

July 4- July 11th on eBid.net, at our store! (No there’s nothing there until these dates lol) That’s right, sealed and unseparated and starting at cost. If the bids get driven up, might include the Volks Magazine that announced them. They’ll end in the US time zone evening somewhere. SOMEWHERE IN THIS TIME FRAME we will post an unboxing of the other pair or something of SOME kind to show these ladies off, but idk yet, we’ll get back to y’all.

AUCTION OF A TRULY LUDICROUS AMOUNT OF OTHER UTENA STUFF:

July 5-July 12th, on eBid.net, at our store! Preliminary list here, sorry for the ugly. THESE ARE IN CANADIAN DOLLARS Didn’t get your Dollfies? Well holy hell do we have a ton of merch left for you! THE SERIES ACCURATE TEACUP AND TEAPOTS WILL BE UP, as well as a deluge of most 2019 Musical Utena merch. We are going to list the bromides individually, which is a lot, we know...but this is about letting everyone get exactly what they want instead of trying to batch the characters up. These will end in US evening time zones, with a delay between each so you have time to bid. The bromides will all go last. This merch is all opening again, at cost. We’ve had it stored for so long it’ll feel like profit anyway. :)

NOT QUITE LAST AND DEFINITELY NOT LEAST: MUSICAL UTENA FOR YOU, NO SLEEP FOR US WEEKEND:

2018′s Musical Utena ~ Bud of the White Rose: Friday July 8, 7PM EST/4PM PST Saturday July 8, 11AM EST EUROZONE UK: 4PM, France: 5PM 2019′s Musical Utena ~ Blooming Rose of Deepest Black: Saturday July 8, 7PM EST/4PM PST Sunday July 9, 11AM EST EUROZONE UK: 4PM, France: 5PM

We will be streaming as always on Twitch, and this time we’ll be doing Euro runs as well! These take a LOT out of us to do but they’re so worth it when we can. <3 Remember, these will be *after* the merch giveaway but *during* the run of the auctions.

Actually finally:

The auctions will end on July 11th for the Dollfies and July 12th for the rest. They’ll end in the evening hours in the US, to be decided! Afterward we will contact everyone about combining shipping and such. “But Empty Movement,” you might say. “what if we just want to give you money?” WELL. I mean, that option is also available, as always, via Patreon. We also sell merch via our Printful store! Once this frenzy is over, look forward to a HUGE new interview translation, more gallery stuff, a doujin scan drop, more everything. So much more everything that there’s now another domain, emptymovement.com! But for now, let’s celebrate these gorgeous Dollfies, and the 25th anniversary of the Black Rose Saga, which premiered at the beginning of July in 1997. Cool huh? We didn’t schedule all this for *the correct* weekend coming up here, because frankly, with it being on Canada Day and Independence Day weekend, we suspect the internet will not support the streaming. Also, sorry this isn’t all prettier but there’s just so much to do! See you soon!

Love,

Vanna & Yasha

#utena #revolutionary girl utena #dollfie #utena merch #empty movement #rgu #sku #anthy #dollfie dream #musical utena #utena streams #sku musical #idk jesus there are so many things to type and say to run a production like this can't it just manifest out of my head yet tf

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beardedmrbean · 10 months

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South African political leader Julius Malema led racially violent chants at a massive rally on Saturday.

Malema, who is the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party, sang the genocidal anti-apartheid struggle song "Kill the Boer, the farmer," referring to the White descendants of Dutch settlers or "Boers" in South Africa.

The Economic Freedom Fighters has emerged as one of the preeminent powers in South African politics after the end of the Apartheid regime. Malema was originally a youth leader in the African National Congress (ANC) which was famous for being led by South Africa’s first Black leader, Nelson Mandela.

Malema faced backlash for his call for violence against White South Africans. John Steenhuisen, the leader of South Africa's biggest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA) condemned Malema on Monday, warning, "This is a man who is determined to ignite... civil war." He later noted that Malema is a "bloodthirsty tyrant" calling for "mass murder." He also claimed that the DA will file a complaint against Malema with the UN Human Rights Council.

While the EFF is a relatively new party, it appears to be rising in popularity.

"The liberal DA, which has traditionally appealed to a largely White electorate, is polling to win about 16 percent of the vote," the Agence France Presse reported. "The militant EFF, which advocates for reforms to increase land ownership among Black South Africans, is polling at around 13 percent."

According to the BBC noted that Malema has been brought to court for multiple similar offenses.

"He has been repeatedly accused of hate speech. He's been dragged to court by civil rights group AfriForum after the organisation filed a complaint to have the two songs Dubul'ibhunu (Shoot the Boer) and Biza a ma'fire brigade (Call the Fire Brigade) declared hate speech and unfair discrimination," the BBC reported in an article about the EFF’s 10-year anniversary.

At a similar rally in 2019, Malema declared he would be willing to destroy the political system in order to ensure equality.

"White people, all we want is to join you at the dinner table and eat with you," he said to thousands of followers at Soweto's Orlando Stadium. "If you do not want us to sit with you at the table, then we have no choice but to destroy the table."

In response to previous backlash he has faced for singing "Kill the Boer," ("Kill the White farmer") Malema said the EFF is not "anti-White" so much as seeking "equality for South Africa's Black majority."

Malema also argued that the EFF seeks to address the "ill-gotten privileges that White people enjoy, and which are being protected by the ANC."

In 2019, Malema said, "The first thing we will deal with is the issue of land. We want to expropriate the land without compensation so that Black people also benefit from its wealth."

#nunyas news #he seems like a nice fellow #let's do a trade

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historyhermann · 10 months

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Nimona Spoiler-Filled Review [part 1]

Nimona is a science fantasy adventure-comedy film. It is based on ND Stevenson's webcomic, and later graphic novel, of the same name. Annapurna Animation, Vertigo Entertainment, DNEG Animation, Blue Sky Studios, and 20th Century Animation produced the film. Nick Bruno and Troy Quane directed it. Karen Ryan and Julie Zackary are producers. This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, Nimona, being reviewed here, wouldn't exist. As a warning, there will be discussion of death, murder, depression, suicide, and other distressing topics.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the forty-second article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on July 31, 2023.

The film begins in an almost Disney-like fashion, with the opening of a scroll. Viewers are told about a kingdom where everyone lived in peace with nothing to fear. A "great and terrible evil" is said to be lurking in the shadows. As the narrator states, in this "dark hour", a hero named Gloreth (voiced by Karen Ryan) rose up, banishing the evil. She vowed that her people would never be in such a vulnerable place again, thanks to an elite force of knights. Their descendants were tasked with protecting the kingdom for years to come. Following this, the narrator declares that if you want a happily ever after, you can never let your guard down because the monsters are "always out there". This film takes place 1000 years later.

What follows is one of the film's most important plot points: the beginning of Ballister Boldheart's "villain arc". While he is at the knighting ceremony with his boyfriend Ambrosius Goldenloin (voiced by Eugene Lee Yang), Queen Valerin (voiced by Lorraine Toussaint) declares Ambrosius, who is called Goldenloin in the rest of this review, a knight. However, she only calls him a "hero of the realm". To make matters worse, his sword activates, causing him to stab the Queen, and kill her. Even though it is evident that someone set him up, everyone is against him, and he becomes a fugitive.

Before going further, it is worth noting the amazing cast choices with this film. Apart from Eugene Lee Yang, Lorraine Toussaint, and Karen Ryan, there's Chloë Grace Moretz as Nimona, Riz Ahmed as Ballister, and Frances Conroy as The Director. This is enhanced by RuPaul and Indya Moore as announcers Nate Knight and Alamzapam Davis. Even two Saturday Night Live cast members voice characters: Sarah Sherman as Coriander Cavaverish and Beck Bennett as Sir Thoddeus Sureblade. In addition, Zayaan Kunwar voices a young Ballister, Charlotte Aldrich as young Gloreth, and Cindy Slattery as Syntheya (voice of the kingdom). Lastly, Julio Torres voices Diego the Squire, Sommersill Tarabek an Institute Analyst, and Lylianna Eugene as Patinece. Even ND Stevenson cameos as cereal mascot Kwispy Dragon.

What is interesting about these cast choices is that the voice actors have a lot of range. Moretz previously played Wednesday Addams in the two animated Addams Family films in 2019 and 2021, while Ahmed did the English dubbed voice of Takai in Weathering with You and Amin Nawabi in Flee. Furthermore, Yang voiced Toul in Star Wars: Visions, Toussaint famously voiced Shadow Weaver in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, RuPaul as Mr. X in Amphibia, Moore as Shep in Steven Universe Future and Brooklyn in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, while Conray has provided her voice to characters in We Bare Bears, Summer Camp Island, and many other (mostly live-action) productions since 1976.

Adding to this, Yang is outwardly gay and of South Korean descent. Ahmed is British-Pakistani. Toussaint is a Black woman born in Trinidad and Tobago. RuPaul is a Black gay man (and drag queen). Torres is a gay man born in El Salvador. Eugene is a young Black girl. Moore is a transgender non-binary Black woman with Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Haitian ancestry.

This diversity translates onto the screen. In the original comic, Goldenloin was a White man, but in this film, he is East Asian, like his voice actor. Similarly, Ballister is Asian descent in this film as well. Some online chatter claimed that the Queen Valerin's death was "anti-Black". However, this faulty and wrongheaded claim shows a lack of understanding about the film. For one, Valerin is beloved by everyone in the Kingdom. As such, everyone wants to avenge her death. Secondly, there are two other prominent Black characters, new anchors Alamzapam Davis and Nate Knight.

Furthermore, although Ballister is the one who "killed" Valerin, it is later revealed that this is a set up by The Director of the infamous Institute. Even if Valerin had survived, she would still be heading an oppressive system built on lies and deceit. So, there would have been a confrontation at some point. But, it's hard to know when that would have happened.

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There is more to this film than its diversity and cast choices. For one, Nimona has a strong chaotic and "riot grrrl" energy to her. This is clear from her introduction about 10 minutes into the film, when she breaks into Ballister's "secret lair" (an abandoned tower) and "applies" to be his sidekick. Ballister isn't sure about her, but she tells him that "every villain needs a sidekick". After spurning her, he goes off to get arrested (despite his claim he won't be). That whole scene, which is less than three minutes long, begins the great dynamic between Nimona and Ballister. Surely, it is different from what is in the original comic, but that's ok.

Ballister's character development is clear. He goes from being an "innocent" hero who loves the Institute to a "villain" determined to clear his name. He wants to find who is responsible for killing Valerin, no matter what. Nimona helps him along the way. She notes that when the world sees you as a villain, you are one, no matter how hard you try and change that perception. That's an important message, especially when certain groups and individuals are villainized by reactionary individuals (and groups).

I also liked how fluid Nimona is with her forms. She changes into a rhino, a bear, a gorilla, a monkey, an ostrich, a whale, and a cat at different points in the film. Her ability to easily change her form is shown effortlessly in the film. This embodies the power of animation. If this film had been live action, rather than animation, it may have been an unmitigated disaster. Through her transformations, Nimona becomes a more relatable character, despite her desire for destruction. After all, she is excited when there are explosions through the Institute, with fire in her eyes, and saying "metal". Her relatability may be heightened for those who are gender non-conforming, trans, non-binary, or combination of all three.

Goldenloin's leadership of the mission trying to track down Ballister says a lot. It shows how committed someone can be to oppressive systems, even if you love the person being targeted. ND Stevenson noted in one interview that it is convenient for the Institute to cast Ballister as a villain and Goldenloin as the opposite.

This relates to the argument that at times cisgender gay individuals fit into corrupt institutions and systems that the trans community can't. Ballister does this during the film. At the same time, the Institute claims they are taking "every precaution" to keep everyone safe. They even have tests to stop "monster attacks". All these tactics attempt to keep people in a state fear. Similar tactics were employed by Clu and his minions, like Pavel and Tesler, in Tron: Uprising. In that series, those villains attempted to marginalize the Renegade and get everyone to turn against him.

In an undoubted criticism of mass surveillance, the Institute look at their cameras and use facial recognition in an attempt to locate Ballister. Despite this, Nimona and Ballister still escape, with Nimona telling how she ended up becoming a shapeshifter, and even kidnap the squire (voiced by Julio Torres). He reveals that the Director set up Ballister, with the video evidence to prove it, with Nimona later uploading this video. It is implied that Nimona doesn't feel pain. Later, in another relatable moment, Nimona says she feels worse when she doesn't shapeshift, saying it makes her insides feel itchy.

Nimona is not alone in criticism of surveillance. At one point, in the ever-controversial and problematic gen:LOCK, Col. Raquel Marin demands loyalty, belief in the chain of command. She is so paranoid of people criticizing her that she orders covert surveillance on the gen:LOCK team (the show's protagonists). There are many other examples of this in fiction. For instance, Philip K. Dick's The Minority Report and A Scanner Darkly, The Lord of Rings move adaptations (specifically the all-seeing Eye of Sauron), THX 1138 (1971), Brazil (1985), V for Vendetta (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and Snowden (2016) all have commentary which is critical of mass surveillance.

The rest of the film involves attempts to expose the Director for her crimes. In the process, the cruelty of the world is shown. The Institute's Knights try to electrocute her and a little girl declares she is a "monster". The latter breaks her. She comments that she doesn't know if it is scarier that everyone in the Kingdom wants to put a sword through her heart or that sometimes she wants to let them do that. Ballister agrees with her. But he reassures her that no matter what they do, they can't change how people see them. This brings me to one of the best parts of the film: when Nimona shapeshifts into Goldenloin. She does so that the Director will admit her crimes and note that she framed Ballister.

Unsurprisingly, the Director tells Goldenloin she is innocent. In a TV broadcast, she inspires fear in people, declaring that anyone around them can be the "monster". This is meant to increase public support for the Institute. She caps this off by lying, claiming she isn't the one in the video, pointing to the fact that Nimona is a shapeshifter. To make matters worse, Goldenloin causes Ballister to doubt his faith in Nimona and she flees from the Institute's knights, who now know the location of her secret headquarters. As she runs away and hides, she remembers playing, many years prior, with Gloreth, until the village residents pull them apart, surround her. She inadvertently causes a fire and Gloreth sides with ignorant adults of the town, declaring that Nimona needs to go back to "whence she came", back to the shadows.

Nimona then alludes to how depression and anger can lead to suicide. Nimona attacks the walled city, and despite their attempts to stop her, she goes onward. In the process, the Director shows her true colors. She wants to turn the cannons on the city, even though many innocent people will die! The attempt by Nimona to take her own life, to have the statue go through her heart, is stopped by Ballister who tells her she isn't alone and apologizes for her actions. As Stevenson noted in one interview, Ballister isn't a bad person, but doesn't understand everything Nimona is going through, even though he grows through the movie.

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The film ends with the Director expressing her commitment to the oppressive system. She claims that Nimona is a threat to their "way of life". Nimona appears to sacrifice herself and transforms into a huge phoenix. As a result, the Director is killed, and a wall is destroyed. However, this isn't the end. There is a time skip. The kingdom has changed, with the former wall-breach becoming a trade road, while Ballister and Nimona are honored as heroes. Ballister is with Goldenloin, in a scene which reminds me of when Troy Sandoval and Benson Mekler run a restaurant side-by-side in the Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts series finale.

When revisiting his old hideout, Ballister remembers his time with Nimona, fixes up the place, and hears something which sounds like her. It is heavily implied that she has resurrected, bringing him great joy. This means that there is the possibility of a sequel or continuation in some form.

There have been many reviews of the film, whether in Variety, Empire, The Hollywood Reporter, Screen Daily, The Guardian, and Associated Press. None mention a criticism I saw online: that the film slimmed Nimona down from her chubby/fat/overweight self in the comic. I remember people claiming the same happened with Steven Universe over the course of that series. Fans had various explanations for that. As for Nimona, Stevenson stated that it was very important to him that Nimona's body type be accurate in the film.

In one interview he noted that Nimona is "chubby...curvy...never sexualized, and...gender-nonconforming". He added that she "has her own unique style...[and] chooses to look this way." In another interview, Stevenson noted that it was "very healing" to draw Nimona's body type because he had an hourglass-teenager body type which he was uncomfortable with. He further explained that Nimona is "not constrained by her body."

The film is different from the comic in many ways. Even so, Nimona is still an "embodiment of that feeling of limitless possibility". The film encourages audience members to question the labels people have assigned them,. It focuses on the ability of people to change and personal identity. As such, it should be no surprise that animators/creators such as Vivienne Medrano, Daron Nefcy, Michael Rianda, and Matt Braly, praised the film, along with many others on social media.

It is almost a miracle the film was made at all. In 2015, 20th Century Fox acquired the animation film rights to Nimona. The scheduled release was February 2020, with Blue Sky Studios doing the animation work. However, this changed when Disney gobbled up 20th Century Fox. As a result, the film was delayed to March 2021 and again to January 2022. To make matters worse, the pandemic caused remote production, adding a strain on the film's crew. The film's future was thrown into question when Disney announced that Blue Sky Studios was being shut down and ended the film's production. While there will continual speculation as to why Disney did this, some argued that Disney cancelled the film because of its LGBTQ representation.

Annapurna Pictures revived the film. DNEG Animation was added as an animation partner. Despite this change, the voice cast was retained. Later, reporting revealed that the film was the first release of Annapurna's new division, Annapurna Animation. The latter may be the division under which Hazbin Hotel is released. It will build upon an oft-watched indie animated pilot. In contrast, this film built upon what Blue Sky Studios completed before Disney closed the studio. This meant that the film wasn't started "from scratch". On a related note, I wish that Nimona would have been an animated series, rather than a film, as they could have explored more of the characters, but the film is strong on its own.

There is no doubt that more films like Nimona need to be in the world. This film comes at the same time that animated films like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Elemental have done well. Others, like Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken have bombed at the box office, or have only been released on streaming platforms. The latter is the case for Justice League X RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen: Part One, with a second part reportedly coming on October 31st.

Nimona would not be possible without hard work of the writers, animators, storyboarders, and other crew. A largely-circulated spreadsheet in which people anonymously described their conditions in animation studios does not mention Annapurna Pictures or Annapurna Animation. Two reviews on Glassdoor are diametrically opposed. One praises Annapurna and another is very critical. So, the true work conditions are hard to determine. The same spreadsheet includes reviews describing DNEG as having low pay, disorganization, and overwork.

There is no doubt that that each member of the crew worked hard on this film, even though their working conditions may not have been the best. This film aired 59 days after the writer's strike began and 14 days after the actor's strike began. Those individuals are represented by WGA and SAG-AFTRA. Both strikes are paired together in a Wikipedia page entitled "2023 Hollywood labor disputes". The script and work had been stockpiled. This allowed for the film to be aired. Netflix has become a struck company for striking actors and workers.

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warningsine · 9 months

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LIBREVILLE, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Military officers in oil-producing Gabon said they had seized power on Wednesday, placing President Ali Bongo under house arrest and naming a new leader after the Central African state's election body announced Bongo had won a third term.

Saying they represented the armed forces, the officers declared on television that the election results were cancelled, borders closed and state institutions dissolved, after a tense vote that was set to extend the Bongo family's more than half century in power.

Within hours, generals met to discuss who would lead the transition and agreed by unanimous vote to appoint General Brice Oligui Nguema, former head of the presidential guard, according to another televised address.

Meanwhile, from detention in his residence, Bongo appealed in a video statement to foreign allies, imploring them to speak out on his and his family's behalf. He said he did not know what was happening.

Bongo's plight was a dramatic reversal from the early hours of Wednesday when the electoral commission declared him the winner of Saturday's disputed vote.

Hundreds of people celebrated the military's intervention in the streets of the Gabonese capital Libreville, while the United Nations, African Union and France, Gabon's former colonial ruler which has troops stationed there, condemned the coup.

The military takeover in Gabon is the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020, and the second - after Niger - in as many months. Military officers have also seized power in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Chad, erasing democratic gains since the 1990s and raising fear among foreign powers that have strategic interests in the region.

"I am marching today because I am joyful. After almost 60 years, the Bongos are out of power," said Jules Lebigui, a jobless 27-year-old who joined crowds in Libreville.

Bongo took over in 2009 on the death of his father Omar, who had ruled since 1967. Opponents say the family has done little to share the state's oil and mining wealth with its 2.3 million people.

Violent unrest broke out after Bongo's contested 2016 election victory, and there was a foiled coup attempt in 2019.

The Gabon officers, calling themselves The Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions, said the country faced "a severe institutional, political, economic, and social crisis", and that the Aug. 26 vote was not credible.

They also said they had arrested the president's son, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, and others for corruption and treason.

There was no immediate comment from Gabon's government.

COUP 'CONTAGION'

Bongo, 64, was last seen in public casting his vote on Saturday. Before the vote, he had looked healthier than his more frail television appearances after his 2018 stroke.

Unlike Niger and other Sahel countries, Gabon, which lies further south on the Atlantic coast, has not had to battle destabilising Islamist insurgencies. But the coup is a further sign of democratic backsliding in the volatile region.

A "contagion of autocracy" is spreading across Africa, said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, the current chair of West African bloc ECOWAS. He said he was working closely with other African leaders on how to respond in Gabon.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the African Union condemned the events and called on the military to ensure the safety of Bongo and his family, while China and Russia said they hoped for a swift return to stability. The United States said the situation was deeply concerning.

"We condemn the military coup and recall our commitment to free and transparent elections," French government spokesman Olivier Veran said.

The coup creates more uncertainty for France's presence in the region. France has about 350 troops in Gabon. Its forces have been kicked out of Mali and Burkina Faso after coups there in the last two years.

French miner Eramet (ERMT.PA), which has large manganese operations in Gabon, said it had halted operations.

Gabon produces about 200,000 barrels of oil a day, mainly from depleting fields. International companies include France's TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) and Anglo-French producer Perenco.

Concerns about the weekend election's transparency were raised by a lack of international observers, the suspension of some foreign broadcasts and a decision to cut internet service and impose a night-time curfew after the vote. Bongo's team rejected allegations of fraud.

On Wednesday, the internet appeared to be working for the first time since the vote. The junta confirmed web access had been restored as well as all international broadcasts, but it said it would keep the curfew in place until further notice.

Shortly before the coup announcement, the election authority declared Bongo the election winner with 64.27% of the vote and said his main challenger, Albert Ondo Ossa, had secured 30.77%.

Gabon's dollar-denominated bonds fell as much as 14 cents on Wednesday before recovering to trade down 9.5 cents on the dollar.

#Ali Bongo #gabon #coup d'etat

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