#or is it different in other countries does germany just suck
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Honigbiene And Her Honeybee | Laura Freigang x Baby!Reader
warnings: slight mention of preemie baby medical stuff
word count: 900
summary: you go to your first national camp with your Mama and get a special gift
a/n: requested and part of Laura's Honigbiene thank you!
Your Mama’s hands are light and careful as she dresses you in your special Germany jersey. It is by far the tiniest jersey she has ever seen and it has her last name and number on the back.
The jersey had been custom made for you and sent to her by Stevie, her country’s kitman as soon as he heard you were home from the hospital.
She’d received a lot of things for you, flowers from her club and national team, bottles, diapers, onesies from her teammates and even handmade gifts from fans.
Laura herself is taken aback by the outpouring of support and love, it had never crossed her mind the extent of how adored you would be.
‘I love you.’ She softly murmurs as she picks you up and holds you against her chest.
You babble in her ear and she grins.
‘Are you excited for your first camp? I know that there are a lot of people who are very eager to meet you.’
Ever since you were born, your Mama has never stopped talking to you. Even though you are still too little to understand her, she tells you about her day, where you are going, what you are doing.
Everything and anything under the sun really.
Her own mother affectionately says that that habit of hers will make you grow up to be a chatterbox, just like your Mama.
Laura finds herself very much looking forward to the day you can talk and carry a conversation with her.
While you have grown a lot since you came home with her, you are still smaller than the average baby your age.
Your Mama worries about it sometimes but the doctors tell her you will soon catch up. They assure her you’re doing well based on your adjusted age of two months.
When she had been confused about what that meant, your doctor had patiently explained to her that your adjusted age is based off your original due date.
As you were born eight weeks early, she tells your Mama that despite you actually being four months old, you are not expected to do what a normal four month old should be doing but rather, what a normal two month old can.
You smile at her now and are beginning to look around when she points things out to you.
Laura understands the different cries you make these days, knows when you are hungry, when you need to be changed, tired and even when you just want her attention.
Her attention is not something you lack, or will ever lack. Your Mama is captivated by you and the effects of her long wait to hold you linger in the sense that she rarely puts you down.
She holds you every chance she gets. You fall asleep and wake up in her arms all the time.
It is in her embrace that you rest now, leaning your head against her shoulder as she carries you with one arm.
With her other arm, she grabs her packed suitcase.
‘Okay…do we have everything?’
You gurgle happily in response and Laura mentally runs over the list of things she needed to pack.
She thinks she has everything covered so with one last kiss pressed against your head, she leaves her apartment and takes you to your first national camp.
******
Your Mama should have guessed that you would be receiving the warmest of welcomes when you arrive.
You’d napped in the taxi there and had woken up shortly before reaching.
It is with wide, curious eyes that you meet your Mama’s teammates.
They crowd around you, awing at you and murmuring about how cute you are.
One of them taps your hand gently with her finger and you reach out to grasp it.
You think it feels nice against your palm and so you put it into your mouth, thinking it would be nice there too.
‘Honigbiene…’ Mama says, chuckling as she stops you from sucking it.
There’s an unimpressed look on your face as she does and your Mama’s teammates laugh.
You turn your head, beginning to hide your face back in Mama’s hair but then something else that feels nice is pressed into your hand.
It’s soft and a bright yellow, with black stripes.
‘A honeybee for the Honigbiene.’
The woman isn’t someone you know but she looks really kind so you feel safe in taking the toy from her.
She strokes the bits of hair you have growing and you tighten your grip on your honeybee.
You give her a gummy smile and she giggles brightly.
‘Klara take a photo with her!’ Someone calls out.
Laura turns her body so that there’s a better angle for the photographer to catch you smiling with the Bayern Munich player.
You clutch the honeybee Klara crocheted for you throughout dinner, even as you are passed around to all your Mama’s teammates. Each of them demands having a turn in carrying you and you don’t mind, making contented little noises and excited gurgles.
Laura has her film camera with her and takes lots of photos.
Days later, when she gets her developed photos back and uploads them onto her social media, they go viral.
So does the one of you sleeping in your cot, with your fingers tightly wrapped around your honeybee.
It’s official then, your ‘Honigbiene’ nickname is sticking for good.
German Translation:
Honigbiene - Honeybee
#laura freigang#laura freigang x reader#laura freigang imagine#woso#woso community#dfb frauen#eintracht frankfurt frauen#gerwnt#woso x reader#woso imagine#woso blurbs#woso fanfics#katelynnwrites
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Read the damn article before you pretend this is me just auding Trump in getting reelected
Democrats are stopping their own candidate from getting elected ny refusing to put up someone other than Biden/someone equally unfit and racist
The thing is, the difference between Trump and Biden is their fanbase, their image. Apart from a few Bandaids and otherwise empty promises Biden does indeed continue the same politics as Trump or let's things running undisturbed.
So whether you vote blue no matter who or whatever I don't give a fuck.
But what I do give a fuck about it liberals pretending voting Biden is the end all be all of progressive politics and mandatory to prevent 'the Bad™' from happening going forward. Because it isn't stopping anything as far as we can tell from media coverage
In fact, voting third party is an option, nit voting is an option, doing anything is an option. It's probably worth more to give a random houseless person five bucks than vote Biden.
This annoys me greatly because I don't just see USians say this, I see activists and casuals from other countries with similarly corrupt issues spread the same misinformation about the US. And also about their own countries, act the same way.
Having spend a lot of time within my own countries, Germany, activist spaces and being involved I can tell you with certainty that many people have similar attitudes towards our own government. Campaigning and running ads for political parties involved in funding wars, defending police and police murders, etc.
You might have heard about 'der hohe Repräsentant' (lit. the high Representative' but likely not. Because topics like that largely go ignored by not just the media and our fucked up politicians but our fucked up activists and progressives as well.
Leftists here largely hate Palestine, deem any critique of Israel antisemitic.
Heck even small things, like our progressive parties even try to make healthcare and education worse, push for more cars over public transit. Shit like that
And then hearing people pretend they're a solution on their own, that just voting for them is sufficient. I can't. And they'll attack you for criticizing these parties, which even a supporter who believes in a lesser evil should do, has to do.
Because if you don't critique them and discourage critique (often disingenuously framed as helping the opposing parties, the myth of leftists infighting aiding the right more than the left. A liberal lie I might say), you expose yourself for how you don't send letters, don't go to protests, are in no way involved in anything. You just want their hateful and dangerous politics to continue because they protect your cozy life in a rich white 'western' country.
I think that sucks and I want you to rethink your positions. Because I believe with some tiny bit of introspection you'll realize that this is a messed up thing for you to advocate for.
Again, for the people in the back, if you genuinely believe in the lesser evil that's fine idc even if I don't, but you can't assure yourself you've done enough and you should at the very least stop people from leveraging necessary criticism against politicians.
If you keep defending Biden I'll keep thinking you consider murdering brown* people abroad and invading and destroying their countries a necessary evil to stop... *checks notes* stop Trump from starting wars and enacting racist policies?
#*for why I specifically highlight brown people instead of other marginalized groups#well first of all none of you care about black people getting murdered just within the US already. or not very genuinely#second of all check what I posted about Palestine and the US bombing Iraq just today#also do your research about countries like Sweden Germany France the UK and other european places that enjoy being seen as largely#progressive and 'better than the US at least' and their neo colonialism and just everything else they do#have you heard of Fortress Europe? of Frontex beyond what Jan Böhmermann might've told you?#btw Jan Böhmermann is an open Zionist. fuck him.#a lot of people had requested for him and his team to talk about Palestine. but because he works for german state media he instead#talked about Israel and antisemitism. and downplayed everything. barely addressed any facts about what is going on#despite him being usually being highly critical of german politics and politicians. at least for a liberal#he has still made ambiguously presenting police propaganda in the past where no one was sure whether it was meant to critique police#or celebrate them and make racist jokes about 'clans' and criminality in Germany#dude is not uncontroversial even when he covers important topics more or less well and factually accurate
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that same British anon here
You know what. Yes I will take Ukraine to be the point of reference here, Ukraine know what they're trying to do and are trying to fucking do it, I can respect that.
But yes I've noticed that all the germans I've known are very scared to criticise the government, and I'm not sure why, might just be a culture difference considering the bullshit the tabloids do here, but they seem genuinely a little afraid
imo Britain's problem in general is that while plenty of Brits can agree that the current situation is Very Not Good, even a riot ain't gonna do shit if it isn't goal-oriented and 100% clear what tangible action people want the government to take, and I imagine there's currently a lot of disagreement rn. like the French have a very clear tangible thing they want from Macron: repeal the law raising the retirement age. Euromaidan had clear goals: Yanukovych needed to resign and the Azarov government be dissolved only being the first of a very long list. also I'm putting this under a readmore because I love to ramble.
as a wider, historical uprising example - and please excuse me for coming off as like, US-obsessed patriot American I swear it's just the document really is written as just a perfect example - the US Declaration of Independence is really fascinating to read because it is literally a list of tangible grievances. 'we are angry and have provided you with a list as to why: because you did [a], [b], [c] etc concrete actions. so we are gonna do [x], [y], and [z] (which just so happen to be high treason).'
so grievances like 'being a tyrant' isn't enough, nor is 'hey I can't afford to heat my house or go to the doctor because you fucking suck at running the country, fix this shit.' ya gotta pick a very specific action, and that's not something I think the general British population has agreed on yet? I mean, yall are very good at getting Prime Ministers to resign (and without needing to use violence to do so), which is a very concrete action! and I'm not saying that sarcastically or in a mean way, I really am being genuine. like the Germans could fucking never. Americans could never, or else Trump would've resigned during his term. so I'm still holding out hope for yall and you know what, what does it matter anyway how many PMs you've had in however many years, as long as the transition of power was peaceful and legal? it's better to swap em out as needed than cling onto one that has shown to be Not The One. like what are you, fuckin Catholic or something? divorce them. serve them the papers. also I really, really do not know nearly enough about domestic UK politics in the last 25 years to be making any of the statements in this paragraph but that won't stop me because I'm an American!
......re: the Germans, hm. I thought they were more complacent than scared, but if they are scared it's presumably because the freedom of speech laws in Germany are............ well, the Network Enforcement Act is not helping. in any case, the Germans have always erred toward the side of censorship when it comes to the freedom of speech/hate speech/misinformation dilemma so maybe there's a cultural attitude of "better to be silent and let others think you a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt," if that makes sense? maybe they're less concerned about the government censorship and more about social censure/conforming to popular opinion, idk. I feel like I'd have to be fluent in German to be able to understand the attitudes there. you'd need to ask a German about that.
#ask#anon#silly#or at least I'm being silly. gotta break up the monotony#look you gotta admit it's fun to yell. rolls right off the tongue#yall need to come up with a new demonym because yelling I'M A BRIIIIIIIT or I'M BRIIITIIIIIIISH isn't near as fun as I'M AN AMERICAAAAAAN#it just linguistically doesn't work as well
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Do you know every type of fruit? Who Knows More with Feli Rauch and Pia Wolter
Feli: *sings suspenseful music from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire*
Pia: Yes, this is like Who Wants to be a Millionaire!
Felix: Welcome to Who Knows More? Let’s start with a nice little round of rock paper scissors to determine who gets to make the first bid.
Feli & Pia: Schnick, schnack, schnuck!
Felix: Feli goes first! In the first round we are looking for the countries who participated in the 2022 European Championships! How many can you name?
Feli: …
Pia: You played there, didn’t you? You should know all of them, and the strengths and weaknesses of each team.
Are you trying to remember how many even participated?
Feli: 16…
Pia: Okay, let’s hear it. I can’t say any more.
Feli: Why can't you?
Felix: So you say 16?
Feli: I say 16. I watched every game, so I should remember…
Pia: But you have to talk fast, right, you only have 30 seconds.
Feli: Oh, right. Hmm.
Pia: But now you’ve said 16.
Felix: You’ve said 16. Now we cannot wait to hear them.
Feli: Will you give me a sign if I repeat myself or do I have to pay attention to that?
Felix: Pia will watch out for that.
Pia: Will I?!
Feli: Come on, that would be nice of you.
Pia: Alright, I’ll watch out for you. I don’t want to get in trouble.
Felix: Your 30 seconds start now!
Feli: Germany, Belgium, Iceland, France, Norway, Sweden, Holland, Denmark, Spain, Finland–is that 11?
Pia: No, 10.
Feli: Uhh… argh!
Felix: 15 seconds.
Pia: One from France’s group is missing.
Feli: Uhm…
Pia: I’m being pretty nice!
Feli: Italy, uhh, England, Switzerland, Austria…
Pia: Two more.
Felix: Pia gets the first point!
Feli: Aw, crap.
Pia: I couldn’t remember any more either. Which group was missing? Let me think. You got England’s group, Austria, Norway… ah, you forgot Northern Ireland!
Feli: Northern Ireland! And Portugal!
Felix: Correct! The first point goes to Pia!
Feli: Okay, congratulations.
Pia: I can’t even be happy about it, this sucks.
Felix: Pia now gets to place the first bid in the second category, which is: fruit!
Pia: Fruit?! How many different types are there?
I’ll say I know 12.
Feli: Then I’ll say I know 13. I say 13!
Pia: Just great! I say twi–no I don’t!
Felix: Did I hear 20?
Pia: Okay, 15.
Feli: 15? Would you say 17?
Pia: Look at my poker face.
Feli: Alright, come on, let her do a task for once.
Pia: Shit, now I’ve got to work for my points.
Felix: So 15 in 30 seconds. Pia?
Pia: That’s quite��� I mean… yeah, okay.
Felix: Your time starts now!
Pia: Melon, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, cherry, nectarine, apple, banana, pear, peach, uhh…shit! What did I not get? Clementine, plum, shit, what else is there? Do you know any more?
Feli: *hums game show music*
Pia: Is avocado a fruit? No!
Feli: I thought like you, but then I thought about different countries. I remembered mango, pineapple and stuff like that.
Pia: Shit! I tried to think of fruits you get in the summer first.
Feli: When you started I thought “Okay, bye.”
Pia: Me too! I had a good feeling.
Felix: Feli takes a 2:1 lead!
Feli: You were like “blueberry, raspberry, forest berry”
Felix: This game cannot end in a draw anymore. The last category grants you three points. Feli, your turn. We are looking for UWCL winners, any modes past or present.
Feli: So teams that have won the champions league. Does the women’s cup count?
Pia: Yes, any modes count. Yes, you went to a final.
Feli: I stop listening to Felix after the first part of his sentences.
Pia: You went to a final, we talked about it the other day.
Feli: Okay, rock paper scissors. Ah, no, I’m first!
Felix: You go first.
Pia: Oh god.
Feli: 5?
Felix: Do we hear 5?
Pia: Is that all? I tried to count them in my head and I got to 5 as well. The question is whether I can think of a sixth. You can get 5 too, easy. The first 5 are easy. Don’t you think?
Feli: Yes.
Pia: See? That’s why I need a sixth.
Feli: Don’t we have a time limit? Ref!
Felix: Yes, we have to cut this short.
Pia: I needed to win the first bid. Okay, fine! Shit. I thought, if I say 6 I’ll have 30 seconds to think. I just don’t know whether I’ll remember in those 30 seconds.
Feli: Only your brain may know.
Pia: Oh man!
Felix: 10 seconds left.
Pia: I still have time! One more–I’ll–ugh, okay Feli, you go ahead.
Felix: Okay, Feli!
Feli: Would be so bad if I don’t know them now!
Pia: That’s my last hope!
Feli: Alright then.
Felix: Your 30 seconds start now!
Feli: Barcelona, Wolfsburg, Lyon, Potsdam, Duisburg, Frankfurt. Are there any more? Yes, that Swedish team!
Pia: I couldn’t think of their name!
Feli: That would have been my seventh.
Pia: I didn’t think of Potsdam.
Felix: You got 6. All correct.
Feli: That means I’ve won the game! Yes!
Pia: Okay everyone, just let me say that I only lost for the good vibes in our flat tonight!
Feli: Alright.
Pia: So she’ll let me eat at the table.
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I love your Nyo England so much just ahhh. The dynamic in my opinion is much more intricate and interesting when its coming from the perspective of a mothers love and what that is culturally supposed to look like, compared with the part smothering, part indifference that actually comes to pass. She knows what is expected and feels the pressure of that, but at the same time feels both a 'leave me the hell alone' as a 'stay with me, i love you, oh you want to leave? You'd better not'. Both over and under mothering, children are a great joy and also a heavy burden. Shes like the classic matriarch who was probably once fashionable but is wearing the now dated clothes/hairstyles of her prime and trying to enforce her own generations views on her thoroughly modern children.
Oh thank you for such kind words! It's such fun to set her up against how I read Arthur, who is a lot angrier and more able to switch off that human part of himself because he's old as fuck and doing what he sees is the best way to protect himself from heartbreak. The way I picture Eva is someone much more melancholic and just tired. It's the double compacted British stiff upper lip compounded with oh women and their emotions amirite? Both repress their feelings and it genuinely makes them physically sick as a result.
I'm hoping to write her a bit more fiery with a certain German in upcoming chapters; because Anglo-German relations are genuinely a dumpster fire after the 1880s until... well. Well. There was a fear of Germany that Britain only managed to get past after 2000.
But Evelyn loves her children. I think if she could she would bundle them all up, steal them away to an estate in the country, and never let the outside world in. Like both Arthur and Eva come from a place of genuine benevolence when interacting with the Dominions (+Alfred), but they totally fuck it in execution.
I think Arthur is much more 'I love you but the world sucks so I'm not going to shield you from the emotional hardship that it will cause', and then he would be there to pick up the pieces with a somewhat patronising 'told you it sucks': he's much more about meeting needs than wants. Eva's the other way around, and would put mufflers on so all they know is spoilt kindness, thinking of the 'be treated how you yourself would like to be treated', and my female England wants to be adored and spoiled and coddled, because honestly, who doesn't, just a little.
Of course, that isn't what the kids need, and leaves them completely unprepared for any emotional hardship and totally at odds with a country and a mother country government that really could not give two shits about them most of the time and sees them nothing more than something to be exploited, yet with the face of a woman who does nothing but worry over them. Like that's impossible to reconcile right?
I can imagine both her and Arthur from the 60s onwards going completely counter culture - being freed from constraints that have held them in place for... hundreds of years. Like any child that was over-sheltered, all that freedom and no knowledge what to do with it. They go through as much a crisis as the Dominions do in figuring out who the heck they are. It's a little different between Evelyn and Arthur, as Arthur would have held power in his own right, so his problem is learning to let go of it. Evelyn's would be in some ways the opposite - she has a lot of power now. Over herself. What to do what to do...
I enjoy writing Eva as someone who holds power only ever on behalf of someone else - she knew Alfred was going to be great, she knew that throughout her history the best way of obtaining power for women was often acting through or alongside men (with one notable exception with Liz I), whether that be as wives or mothers, but she's also aware that Alfred is not exactly one for sharing power, so you get that move into soft power which the UK - apparently - excels at. She'd much rather be an advice giver than an actor. Less accountability that way...
Uh! Long enough. Sorry. But yes, yes, yes to your thoughts, thank you for sharing! I always love the idea of nations dressing slightly out of time and in out of fashion clothes. They either can't keep up or weirdly wear something that won't come into style for another decade or so. All the ways they stand out from the crowd in odd and not immediately obvious ways...
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headcanons for the adult camp camp characters part 1 nerriston/performance trio because i love them with all of my heart ever
preston ends up working at a local theatre as the primary director there!! the theatre's actors usually consist of high school students and the theatre ends up hosting a lot of larger high school or college plays, and preston has pressured quite a few colleges into doing some of his favorite plays. the happiest hes ever been was when he got to direct a heathers play. he literally came home and shoved the script in harrison and nerris' faces out of excitement.
harrison works as a magician at the same theatre. he did a few shows in other theatres, a few times in vegas. he wants to become a famous magician, (as preston does a famous actor), but likes his life where it is right now and wouldnt want to be moving all of the time for shows. plus, hes terrified of being seen as a freak of some sort of ridiculed. he does bigger shows every so often, dont think he doesnt, but he mainly does shows in his city.
nerris' job is in marketing. she hates it a lot but performance doesnt bring as much money in as theyd like so they have to put in effort. theyre honestly happy with it because while the job itself sucks, she likes seeing harrison and preston be able to do their own crafts.
nerris did not want a dog. preston and harrison found a dog being given away in a walmart parking lot. and thus, nerris woke up to a dog in their home. harrison named him mantacore after the roy and siegfried's tiger yk the one. he is a samoyed. he sleeps on the bed with them.
they dont have kids ever mostly because i really dont like kids im sorry but i feel as though preston would see a child and go "ew" and nerris is the only one with actually good parents so 2/3 of the kids parents would just not know what to do. soooo no kids
nerris binds but never gets top surgery!! this is mostly because some days they dont really get dysphoria, and they still like appearing feminine from time to time (though neutral is definitely their style like 75% of the time). this headcanon is made by me, someone who binds but does not want to get top surgery, half projecting onto nerris
harrison does not drink, preston sometimes does, nerris does. this doesnt rlly have a followup headcanon but i can only imagine harrison's introverted ass staring down at a cup of orange juice while at a party and then driving everyone else home
there are three bookshelves in the living room. you can tell whos is whos because one is filled with percy jackson and narnia and other fantasy books, another has every script to every play in existence ever as well as analysis books of creative theatre, and one has like four magic related books and mostly stores props. not to say harrison doesnt read, but he mostly steals from nerris' shelf when he wants to read.
every summer, the performance trio (along with the other adult campers) hangs out at camp campbell. the camp shut down after the kids all became adults, mostly because nobody wanted to send their kids to a camp known for being a money laundering scheme, housing a known criminal (cameron campbell), overall a big scam, and because the amount of fbi helicopters flying to the camp was enough to drive everyone else away. it was a miracle the campers were allowed to come back there the following summers.
as adults, the campers are all relatively good friends. dolph moved to germany, but he visits whenever he can, and neil is gone a lot doing research projects in different countries, but the campers still live relatively close together and hang out a lot. i cant see a universe where they stop talking after camp
in honor of the camp, and also because yellow grew on them after a while, yellow is still a color most of the campers wear pretty often, except for max, dolph, and space kid.
harrison is still scared of quartermaster. how is he not dead yet. it has been a decade. he looked old when david was a kid. why is he still here. what the fuck was up with that space octopus. what does he know.
i like to think at least once quartermaster showed up at the nerriston house, poked his hook at harrison and said "come with me" and harrison Just Did. he came back a day later looking absolutely disturbed. he probably saw a demon or something, knowing quartermaster.
#if this contradicts any of my other headcanon posts#ignore that#im inconsistent#i can never see characters i like having kids just ever#again its because i dont really like kids#theyre fun to babysit but. all of the time? 24/7? no
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I’m sorry now I feel bad for being so rude to you. I got so annoyed with that other anon.. I just don’t understand how they can watch teams perform arguably pretty good, at least not bad, and have the reaction ”oh well Norway suck, they would never beat us”. It’s not very respectful of teams who are doing well to just always dismiss their talent and developement by saying they are playing weak opponents, and it seems like a much more practical reaction to go ”oh some of these teams are playing pretty well, we need to take them seriously and prepare well to beat them”.
I don’t think the US need to be afraid to play any team, and no team would be smart to think the US are easy to beat, they never will be. But I think there is a certain arrogance sometimes among some fans and journalists that they can’t take in that other teams can be good. And if the US team does that too that could be a weakness, because then you’re not as well prepared. There’s a difference between being confident in your own ability and just blind to see the developement of other teams.
I followed the USWNT for a long time, especially I’ve seen you in tournaments, always looked up to you as a good team. I’m very aware of the US winning all the titles, the US and Germany, that’s pretty much it on the women’s side, with a few exceptions. I’m definitely not counting the US out, and if ever people say that they aren’t good anymore I always contradict them. I think you will be one of the favourites at the World cup. You have great players, competitiveness and tournament routine, used to winning, which is also important. And the US has a special role in women’s football, you were one of the big trailblazers, probably the biggest one, and that doesn’t just go a way.
That tradition combined with having a big player pool I think the US will always be one of the top teams. But the better women’s football gets it will get more even at the top, which will probably have the US, the bigger European countries and hopefully Brazil, Japan and other South American and Asian countries too the more the game grows.
Thanks for coming back anon. I will always accept other peoples opinions about the USWNT. Your ask was just a bit snarky but understandable if you are passionate about the game and your country. You have valid points and I have no trouble posting them. One point I did make in my original answer was that teams are for sure getting better and making us have to be better. I agree that it’s great for the the future of the womens game. Sometimes as Americans we can get protective of our legacy and it’s tough when our own fans want us to fail let alone the rest of the world. So let’s just look forward to where we are going and it should be a great World Cup👍
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Germany Explained Why Taurus Cruise Missiles Are Not Going to Ukraine - Technology Org
New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/germany-explained-why-taurus-cruise-missiles-are-not-going-to-ukraine-technology-org/
Germany Explained Why Taurus Cruise Missiles Are Not Going to Ukraine - Technology Org
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz once again refused to supply long-range cruise missiles Taurus to Ukraine. The defenders of Ukraine have been asking for them for months, but Germany doesn’t see a viable way to supply them.
The Taurus KEPD 350 is a highly capable long-range cruise missile. Image credit: Alf van Beem via Wikimedia
Olaf Scholz said that the main concern for Germany in this regard is to stay out of this way while supplying weapons to Ukraine. There is a belief that a weapon of this range (more than 500 km) might encourage Ukraine to attack Russia and Russia may consider Germany a party of the war. Scholz emphasized that the Taurus is a long-range weapon and the supply of it could force the war to spill out of Ukraine.
Very similar Storm Shadow and SCALP cruise missiles were provided to Ukraine by the United Kingdom and France. Those cruise missiles helped Ukraine a lot and they were used to attack targets in the occupied Crimea, which Russia considers its own. This did not force Russia to attack NATO. So what is Germany afraid of? Scholz suggested that French and British cruise missiles have different target control capabilities that are not available for the Taurus.
What does that mean? The United Kingdom and France appear to have ways of controlling or at least monitoring what Ukraine is targeting with the cruise missiles they have provided. Of course, it is in the interest of these countries that their weapons are not used against targets on Russian territory. The Taurus doesn’t seem to provide such capabilities.
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The Taurus is highly suitable for destroying bunkers and other concrete structures. The illegal Crimean Bridge would be a perfect target. And it is on internationally recognized Ukrainian territory.
But Scholz is not alone. Bild reports that the latest survey revealed that 49% of the German population would be against sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Only 35% would support it, and 16% did not have a strong opinion on the matter. Just over a thousand German residents took part in this survey.
Scholz also noted that the focus on Taurus is frustrating because Ukraine simply needs ammunition of different ranges. Ukraine actually lacks artillery shells the most, but the Taurus question comes up again and again. After every brutal Russian attack on Ukrainian civilians, Germany hears a new call to hand over the Taurus to Ukraine. Even the death of the opposition leader Alexei Navalny was presented as a reason to free the Taurus.
Scholz is not the main obstacle on Taurus’ road to Ukraine. German lawmakers hit the “No” button every time the question comes up. This has to do not only with fears that this will somehow suck Germany or all of NATO in a war against Russia, but also with the fact that Germany has very few Taurus missiles in stock.
Written by Povilas M.
Sources: Censor.net. Anews.com
#ammunition#artillery#Authored post#bridge#Chancellor#concrete#course#cruise missiles#defenders#Explained#Featured Military news#France#Germany#hand#it#matter#Military technology#missile#missiles#monitoring#NATO#OPINION#Other#population#ranges#russia#Russia Ukraine War#shadow#Special post#Spotlight news
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I add my two cents
Halle Bailey is not my Ariel. So am I racist now? - No.
I grew up quite multicultural during my childhood. Yes, I went to a school specifically for my disability, there were many children with a migration background. Also or especially POC were well represented.
During my office training I also had a POC as a friend. We keep in touch sporadically. And oh wonder, they are normal people. They are not more stupid, more criminal, stronger or more musical than everyone else.
If my friend would tell me now that she loves Halle Bailey as Ariel, that would be fine for me. Anyone who likes Halle as Ariel is free to like her. But I also have the right to think that she sucks. And I want to be able to say that freely without being branded a racist.
What is racism?
"Racism is an ideology that devalues people because of their appearance, their name, their (supposed) culture, origin or religion. In Germany, this affects non-white people – those who are seen as non-German, i.e. not really considered to belong. If people are judged and devalued not according to their individual abilities and characteristics or what they personally do, but as part of a supposedly homogeneous group, then that is racism." - Citation
As I have already written, POC have always been part of my life and therefore belong to it. It also doesn't matter to me which country Halle comes from or witch culture she has. She just doesn't look like the original Ariel. Even if her skin color had been white. Casting a blond/brown-haired person or an asian woman for the role, would have sucked just as much. But it's always good to swing the racism club so that the opposing side shuts up.
I find this fatal because...
1. You can no longer express your opinion freely if your counterpart is a POC.
2. you no longer recognize the real Nazis.
3. This tends to fuel hatred of POC.
In any case, I won't let my opinion be forbidden.
And I really don't care, if Ariel's template is from Denmark or if red-haired people are underrepresented as well.
I only find the arguments of the opponents amusing, who randomly cut together red-haired characters from all sorts of series to say that this is not the case. When it comes to that, I'm sure I'll find a lot of dark-skinned characters. Or post a statue of the danish mermaid just because the metal is shit brown.
Or the argument that Ariel is just a fantasy. In principle yes. But I personally find it illogical that a dark-skinned person lives deep under water. It is well known that the sun does not shine under water. But those are the little things that I don't want to dwell on.
For example, Ariel had a friend who couldn't speak and was black. As a person with a handicap, I would have been very happy, if a story about her had been filmed and POC would have been represented too. I would have found that much better than blackwashing a character. And yes, I didn´t like Blackwashing.
What bothers me about blackwashing is that I no longer recognize my favorite characters. These are complete strangers to me. The closeness I had to these characters is suddenly gone. It feels strange to me when Ariel doesn't look like Ariel anymore. This also applies to dark-skinned characters. If I got to know them like that and they look completely different in the live-action adaptation, then for me it's no longer the character.
I just want the Ariel I loved growing up. Because of which red became my favorite color, the underwater world is a magical place for me and why I hardly eat any fish anymore. The Ariel from back then inspired and fascinated me. the Ariel now, on the other hand, leaves me pretty cold. And that has nothing to do with racism or any prejudices. Halle Bailey is a beautiful talented woman but unfortunately she is not my Ariel.
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Hetalia: Axis Powers Episode #31: Academy Hetalia Christmas Transcript
This episode has Christmas at W Academy (the boarding school alternate universe).
Germany: Next on the list: a subject for this month’s World W Academy paper. How about
Christmas around the world? That sound fun?
{Caption: Christmas at Hetalia Academy}
Italy: Va bene!
(Va bene!: All right! → Italian)
Italy: That sounds super special, guys!
Japan: Your subject is culturally universal!
Italy: It was so fun doing beers of each country last time!
Japan: Germany got a little too involved in that one.
Dream Germany: Hic!
Germany: Ahem…let’s start, ‘kay? How does Italy spend Christmas?
Italy: It’s so beautiful! We put lights on top of this big mountain! Everybody cooks a huge turkey, and then we give gifts to all the mob bosses we know! And you?
Japan: Me? Not that much.
{Caption #1: Merry X’mas}
{Caption #2: Backseat Role}
Dream Japan: Christmas is a time for battle in shopping mall!
Dream Japanese couple: Hehehehehehe!
Japan: Ehehe…
Switzerland: Liar!
Japan: Eh!
Switzerland: Come on, Japan. Tell us what you really think.
Japan: Yes, sir.
Switzerland: Christmas is about family and loving people! Now get bent.
Germany: Well, let’s go interview people.
Italy: I’ll go!
Japan: Better take note.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Narrator: Fat Christmas. I mean, America.
{Caption: Mr. America’s Case}
America: Dude, Christmas rocks! We know how to do it right here! First we “X” out the Christ part to make it extreme! Then we shop and eat stuff ‘til we’re sick! Wanna shovel down some X-mas cake to get in the spirit?
{Text on cake: Merry X’mas}
America: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
(Italy: Ehehehehehehe!)
(Japan: I mustn’t…)
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America: Hetalia!
{Caption: Hetalia}
Narrator: Christmas in Godless Russia.
{Caption: Mr. Russia’s Case}
Russia: December 25th is just like any other day at my house, da?
(Da?: Yes? → Russian)
Russia: Our big winter celebration is called Epiphany, on January 7th, when the Wisemen visited the baby Jesus. But instead of that story, we teach kids a version of pagan belief using a guy called Ded Moroz or Father Frost, who performs witchcraft if you make dolls of him!
Italy: Wow, that’s amazing!
Russia: Tradition says that those dolls will start moving after 25 days!
Doll: ROOOOOAR!
Germany: WHAT THE HELL?! Christmas is freaking crazy in Russia!
Italy: Please hold meeee!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Russia: Hetalia!
{Caption: Hetalia}
Narrator: Even Godlesser China.
{Caption: And…Mr. China’s Case}
China: Christmas trees are illegal in my country. It kinda sucks.
Italy: Heh! Just like girls!
China: It’s because they catch fire too easily. The trees, not the girls.
{Caption #1: Christmas}
{Caption #2: New Year}
China: We started celebrating Christmas when Hong Kong introduce it. I’m sure it’s a little different than Western Christmas. We do have pizza now.
Japan: I must confess to a love for pizza.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
China: Hetalia!
{Caption: Hetalia}
Italy: Phew, I can’t believe Christmas can be celebrated in so many different ways!
Japan: Hai!
(Hai!: Yes! → Japanese)
Germany: This is more fascinating than I thought it’d be! Next, Herr Francey Pants!
(Herr: Mr. → German)
Narrator: Gay Christmas. I mean, French.
{Caption: Mr. France’s Case}
France: Ah, what? You are saying you want to spend your Christmas with me?
Germany: Hell no.
France: Christmas in France is celebrated with all the romance and culture and mystique
that Germany lacks! And then!
Santa: Ho ho ho!
France: We get Santa Claus drunk on wine and the rest of us join him!
(Santa: Hahahahahahaha!)
Japan: Your Santa Claus get drunk and drive around giving present to children?
(Santa: Hahahahahaha!)
France: Yeah, exactly like my papa used to!
(Papa: Dad → French)
France: Anything else?
Japan: Ah, no.
Italy: Hey, France, if you ever see Santa Claus drunk, can you get us some pictures, pretty please?
Germany: Okay, let’s go. We have one more interview and it’s the most important.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
France: Hetalia!
{Caption: Hetalia}
Finland: What? You’re sure it’s fine for me to be the last one?
Narrator: Finnish Christmas. Where’s that?
{Caption: Mr. Finland’s Case}
Japan: Your Christmas is the most traditional.
Italy: Tell us about dead drunk Santa scaring all the kids!
{Caption: Mr. Santa lives on a mountain between Russia and Finland~~}
Finland: Christmas for us is all about being naked in hot sauna! Families get together and build fires which heat all the rooms and make us sweat a bunch!
{Caption: moi moi moi moi}
(Moi: Hi → Finnish)
Germany: That sounds like a really good idea!
Finland: And in a pagan twist, we melt tin in the fire, and drop it in the water while old people divine fortunes for the New Year!
Germany: Recycling, hey? A good use of natural resources.
Italy: I’ve done that! One time, I re-ate the cat food!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finland: Hetalia!
{Caption: Hetalia}
Germany: All right, now we’ll be able to write a newspaper article.
Japan: Oh, hai.
(Hai: Yes → Japanese)
Italy: Wait! We haven’t asked you about your Christmas, Germany! It’s got to be sparkly!
Germany: Well…it is nice…our Christmas Markets are envied all the world over. And we also eat and get drunk like everybody else.
Italy: Ahhhhh!
Germany: I…do have one more question for you two.
Italy, Japan: Auh?
Germany: It’s just…do you have any plans for Christmas Eve?
Japan: Ah…well, I’m free!
Italy: Heil Jesus in Deutschland!
(Heil Jesus in Deutschland!: Hail Jesus in Germany! → German)
Germany: Auh…
Italy: Hahahahahahahaha!
Germany: So…the same old group again this year, huh?
Italy: Hehe! I’m really looking forward to it, ‘cause your present didn’t die this year!
Japan: I sense this is going to be very uncomfortable.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Britain: EEEEEEUGH!
Japan: Oh, good. You’re here. I thought I lost you! Tell us all about Christmas in Britain.
Britain: Eh…uh…huahuah…huahuahuah…
{Caption: End}
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resal would you recommend doing a masters degree in a german university if you arent german nor white and you just started taking german lessons? and if so, which city or uni would you recommend (generally speaking, i know it will also depend on my field). Im from latam, but i have EU citizenship, i have half japanese and half white european ancestry so i dont look white, most people think im either from thailand or that im native american bc my skin is not pale. I know a lot of people that went to study abroad but they are white so... idk i wish id be fluent in german at least but thats not the case lol, also im 25yo (26 in july) i dont wanna be too old or too late for it? Im worried bc 1) im from a third world country 2) im not white 3) i dont speak german (i speak spanish, english, bit of japanese and french but france sucks, spain is NOT an option, uk is out of the question bc of brexit and japan is r xenophobic so) 4) i might be too old. Im sorry i know this is an incredibly privileged ask but google isnt helping bc all the info is meant for 18yo American students
henloooo, well let's see
idk what the visa etc regulations are so u'd need to look into that but uni is pretty much free in germany and student housing is pretty cheap too. we have a program for financial support and i think eu citizens can apply for it too but there might be special conditions, not too sure about that. would u do ur full masters degree here or just do a semester in germany but be enrolled in ur home country?
that shouldn't be (as much of a) problem! u can find racist ppl in every country and germany isn't different but there a lotttt of ppl from different nationalities/cultures living and studying here and especially younger ppl, who u'll mostly be in contact with, tend to not be racist (at least not outright/consciously, there is a thing called "alltagsrassismus"). u should be fine in bigger cities!
depending on what ur studying that should be fine too (are u gonna study in english?). obviously u'll experience some language barrier bc germans translate EVERYTHING, english isn't a standard here at all, but most ppl at uni should know english pretty well and if u need help outside of uni (like asking for directions) ppl will know some basics at least. most unis also have programs/events/courses where u can meet other international/german students which can be fun and help u meet other ppl!
ur not too old at ALLLLL!!!!!! i've studied with moms who were 40+ lmao there are loads of ppl at uni who decided later on in their life to change their career path - bc it's free in germany and u can get support from the state! i had no clue how old most of the ppl were who i was close with at uni bc that never even came up, ppl just assume ur over 18 and that's it
city/uni does depend on what u wanna study bc not every uni offers every degree or u might wanna study in english etc, but there isn't much prestige about unis in germany compared to us/uk. yeah some unis do have a reputation and unis in bigger cities are more popular (which is why it's harder to get in) but ppl mostly decide to study at their "local" uni - if they offer the degree they wanna study. re: city, i'd say come to hamburg<3 idk feel like germans know of the reputation of cities/locations (e.g. dresden is very racist, munich is EXPENSIVE etc) so it's hard to say but in general i'd probably recommend staying in a bigger city, especially when ur a bit worried about racism, but that can also mean that u might feel a little lost
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Fighting the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Other than a few tweets I have stayed quiet on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as I was reading a ton to try and form an opinion. I am writing this post as much for myself as anyone else, as writing helps me clarify my thinking and also records it so I can go back to it at a later point. For those who just want the conclusion up front: I believe NATO needs to push back hard on Russia now, including supplying much more equipment to Ukraine. We also urgently need to stop our energy purchases from Russia.
First, what about any historic promises to Russia not to expand NATO eastward and aren’t we at fault here? Shouldn’t the Ukraine have been guided to a neutrality stance instead? Sure, that absolutely could have been a better approach but happens to be completely irrelevant now as we will never know how that would have played out. The same, incidentally, goes for the opposite view, which is that we should have already had Ukraine in NATO by now. Most of the people writing about these alternatives are some version of: “if you had only done what I had been suggesting there wouldn’t be a war today.” Again: totally unknowable and also irrelevant.
Why am I saying it’s irrelevant? Because we are not dealing with a rational actor on the other side but with a deranged dictator. Putin has been in power way too long and has killed off opposition leaders. He also doesn’t appear to be in the most stable place mentally, as a clear-headed Putin is unlikely to have let all those pictures get out of him sitting way on one end of a super long table making him appear sick or paranoid. Putin has time and again revealed his ambitions in writing and in speeches to build a Russian world that includes many of the places that have previously been part of the empire/union. Ignoring those expressions is like ignoring Hitler’s “Mein Kampf,” where he laid out his ambitions.
What about the nuclear threat? Born in Germany in 1967, I grew up with that threat still very much on everyone’s mind and have often found myself surprised by how much it had receded into the background. First, I believe that there is a non-zero risk of a nuclear war and that’s been the case ever since we had large arsenals of nuclear weapons (another reason to try to live your life well every day). Second, unless he’s managed to change the system, Putin cannot simply push a button and launch nukes. According to detailed descriptions of the set up, the Russian code book is in three parts, all of which need to be assembled to arm weapons and Putin has only one third of that. Third, Putin is already calling sanctions an act of war. So to think that there is some bright line on one side of which we are safe and on the other we are doomed makes no sense. Fourth, the nuclear threat is no different if Putin were to attack a NATO country and so you really would have to believe that he would stop at Ukraine (counter his own words). So yeah, it sucks to have this threat out there but it ain’t going away and we will only come closer to it no matter what. Put differently, this risk is going up with inaction, not down.
Pushing back hard now will make this war go longer and cost more human lives. So why do it? There is no endgame in Ukraine right now that doesn’t result in massive bloodshed. Does anyone seriously think the Ukrainians will just happily be ruled by a puppet regime installed by Moscow? If this war drags on there is a real chance that Putin is in fact toppled, as he and the war are clearly unpopular in Russia. And if he’s not, then at least the chances of a subsequent attempt to invade a NATO member such as Estonia are diminished dramatically (not because Putin himself might not attempt it, but because the opposition around him can grow).
So I find myself in the hawkish position here. I would, however, add that we should focus on much more targeted sanctions than we have. Russia is very much a controlled media environment and it does not help if citizens there start to believe the West is targeting them without reason, driving them to support Putin. Our two biggest levers as going after oligarchs (by the way here I think freezing assets is much better than seizing them outright -- what’s the point, if oligarchs think they can never have them back?) and stopping our energy purchases. The latter is going to hurt us a lot and if we are at all serious about supporting Ukraine we have to be willing to pay that price. Right now we have the worst possible combination: targeting the broad population while at the same time still giving tons of money to the Putin regime every day.
The second order effects of this war are likely to be terrible. The Ukraine is a major food producer and would need to be seeding right now. That’s likely to be massively disrupted if not outright impossible. Given the amounts involved we are talking about more than just a spike in prices. There is a high chance of famines that might kill thousands if not millions of people. Along with this will come political unrest and destabilization in many more parts of the world.
All in all then it is hard to overestimate the extent to which this will get worse before it gets better. Despite all of this there are also reasons for hope. There’s been an awakening globally to just how dangerous a dictator Putin is (something that had been denied by too many for far too long). I admire the Ukrainians who are willing to fight for their freedom and the Russians who are openly demonstrating against the war, despite the threat of draconian punishment. They all deserve our every support.
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This has been a really interesting (bad) year for someone who is skeptical of the government and the medical field but who deeply respects the advances that medicine and science have made in the last hundred years and thinks more people should be aware of them.
I do not trust my doctor! I don't! I am a person with chronic illnesses and my doctor does a shitty job of treating them! Fuck him!
I really really REALLY do not trust the government!
I can't look at someone who's saying "doctors aren't listening to patients" and tell them in good faith that they're wrong. Not about that.
I can't look at some who's saying "the government is lying to us" and say that they're wrong. Not about that.
But that's kind of the thing; all of this is really complicated and nuanced and takes a lot of time to really pick apart and try to improve the situation.
Doctors often DO NOT listen to their patients but there are ways that you can become a better advocate for yourself and better learn how to understand science and biology and your personal, particular illness so you can still get treatment eve if your doctor does not listen to you.
Your government IS lying to you about a LOT of shit but you can IGNORE the government lying about this and look at these independent universities and organizations that show how effective vaccines are and what the current infection counts are and whether masks are needed indoors among vaccinated people.
But that doesn't get better when we just call people conspiracy theorists and don't dig into the hard, miserable work of trying to make them less shitty and then get called a lying asshole for it. It is thankless and it is terrible and it is frustrating but sometimes yeah just being a little patient and willing to talk to them is enough to get them to reconsider.
"Liberals are all in their own bubble and don't want to leave it" yeah well I'm talking to you now, bud. Your tiktok nurse mostly is trying to convince people not to get vaccines and that's pretty bad but yeah, I know it has been frustrating and it feels like you're getting a lot of conflicting information. It sucks. Do you want to hear about the FDA and Thalidomide? The FDA is actually pretty cautious, I know the emergency approval isn't reassuring but if it wasn't at least safe it wouldn't have gotten even the emergency approval. Let's look at what Germany and Japan and Australia are doing, they don't have Biden as president or Fauci as a doctor - what do they say about Ivermectin? I know you're panicking, I know there is good reason to panic, but let's take a minute to calm down and think and see if we can look at this from a different perspective. Let's look at how other countries used masks before this. Let's check out how well lockdowns have worked in other parts of the world. Let's talk bout how the flu evolves and talk about what's probably going on with the variants. Everything sucks and the government is lying to you but Tucker Carlson is paid to lie to you too. Let's see if we can find something else.
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Hopefully this puts things in greater perspective because some tourists just don’t get it and need to hear this. For those who are curious and looking to travel in the future I hope you find this is informative! :) We could all use more perspective on linguistics and traveling imho. I have made some of these mistakes in the past too. We can all learn to be better guests/tourists.
This mindset people have that not only is it okay for tourists to exploit and mistreat local populations, but it’s something that should be encouraged is wrong. You’re not entitled to anything special as a tourist just because you have enough money to play around somewhere “exotic” for a few weeks. Regardless of where people travel to. As a guest in someone else’s home you should put more effort into not being a total asshat. You will have a better time and you might learn something cool along the way.
I will mostly be using France as an example since I live here and have more insight, but everything I say applies outside of France as well.
Note: This information only applies to tourists. Immigrants and refugees are a unique situation and thus face different challenges and have different needs. A tourist chooses where to go and has time (and money) to plan for their trip, which is often only a few weeks or days. Immigrants and refugees often don’t have that same luxury and remain in the country for far longer. (in many cases permanently) Moving to a country places a greater linguistic and cultural demand on an individual. Remember to check your privilege. tourism =/= immigration/asylum.
A) English is not the only language in existence. It might be a widely spoken language, but it’s not the most widely spoken language (that honor goes to Chinese) nor is it the only lingua franca. Chinese, Hindu, Spanish, French, and Arabic are all widely spoken across multiple borders and where you are on the planet will obviously dictate which one of these people go with. If you expect that to be English because your sphere of the internet happens to put you in that bubble of “my language or bust” ignorance then like... that’s on you pal. Get with the times and stop assuming everyone should just speak English.
English speakers are not the only tourists and English, though widely used, is not the only other language a person might need. I have a friend from Laos who speaks absolutely no English. He doesn’t need it and never has. (even now) He speaks Lao (the regional dialects can be as different as Thai is from Laotian btw), Chinese, a bit of Thai, and French because they still use a lot of French for business dealings there. (something I didn’t know ngl) Assuming he should just speak English because “everyone else does” is ignorant. It’s rude. It puts no thought into his situation. It’s entitled. He’s traveled to visit friends in England and he has an English phrase book. He doesn’t need a lot of English so like... the phrase book is absolutely perfect. Most of what he does in England is sight see and speak Chinese with his friends. Be more like my friend from Laos.
B) Official languages may not be the only language a country speaks within its borders. Regional and native languages exist and expecting the locals to speak a 3rd language on top of all that is unbelievably entitled.
France has a number of them. There are people who are born and raised in France who don’t speak French in their day to day life. (or at all) Basque, Breton, Occitan, Alsatian, Yiddish, Ladino, Arabic and a number of others are all spoken within French borders. Many are at risk of being permanently lost (that’s why our new regional language law is important btw) and as a result a greater emphasis is placed on preserving them as opposed to learning something new. Most people have to learn the official language as it’s the only language a lot of countries will accept for paperwork, but anything else is up to the individual and you can suck an egg if you don’t like that. (this also applies to immigrants and refugees btw)
Heck there are places in the US where people don’t even speak English day to day! Some places actually speak French or Spanish. I heard more Spanish in my day to day life than I did English where I grew up in NC! (moved to Florida and Spanish exploded. loved it!)
C) Borders are a thing. People working and living across borders exist and English is often not the language they chose to go with as a result. France borders Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, England, and Switzerland. People who share these borders often choose to go with these languages. English is in there, but please note it’s not the only one.
D) Culturally speaking a country may not like [insert common language here] and as a result may refuse to speak it. That’s entirely their choice. If you don’t like that then don’t visit the country. It’s really that easy.
Colonialism is often a major factor at play in these situations. Respect that choice. You do not get a say in how people reclaim their identity.
As for France? This might come as a shock to some people, but France doesn’t like England. I’m 100% certain these two places exist solely to punch each other in the nuts. (ball tap. an international past time) As a result getting English people to speak French or French people to speak English is about as easy as pulling your own teeth. I’ve been spit on for speaking English because people here just assume I’m from England or they hate “annoying Americans” and after seeing how y’all responded to the last post I made... yeah I totally get it now. Granted, that’s no excuse for someone being hostile, but it is something to keep in mind when you visit and applies to more than just France too.
E) Retail workers and small shop owners don’t owe you shit. You have absolutely no right waltzing into a shop and demanding the staff speak your language (I don’t care how common it is) for the two weeks you’ve decided to play around in their home. Always ask them first. If they can’t or choose not to then tough luck. This is why a phrase book is important!
Retail workers and small shop owners get treated like shit enough. Some of y’all have never worked retail a day in your life and WOW does it show. Please respect retail workers and small shop owners. You don’t know what their day or life has been like. If they’re tired and don’t want to speak to you in a foreign language then that’s their right. I have had no issues using my phone or a phrase book to help communicate concepts when there is a language barrier. (and I fucking live in France. I’m not even visiting)
Emergencies also happen and a phrase book or medical card in the native and/or official language is absolutely essential! Even if you just have an allergy to something! This is a great way to stay safe!
When you visit another country being aware of and researching cultural differences includes linguistic differences. Tourists are guests. You don’t live here, you don’t get a say. Remember, learning a second language (esp if you don’t use it often) is really hard. If you’re visiting a country do not expect them to just use whatever language you speak.
Mind you a phrase book is also important because people within a country may not have a strong grasp on English even if they do speak it. You can very easily get lost or injured without a phrase book to help you. These things allow you to better experience a country and communicate without actually having to learn the entire language... or any of it. And, once again, they exist for free online!
You do not need to learn an entire language to visit somewhere, but you need to be prepared for there to be a barrier. People assuming I mean you need to learn a whole language are uh... really something else. Like do you guys think half the people bending over backwards to communicate with you know the full language? Go ahead. Fuck around and find out. ;)
Obviously I’m not saying you should be treated poorly when visiting if you don’t know the language. Unfortunately no matter how much effort you put in there will always be someone who’s a jerk and I’m sorry for that. All I’m saying is as a tourist you owe it to yourself and others to be better prepared. Trust me. You’ll have a better time in the end. (and if you did the research you’d find that Paris is not the best first place to visit... even if you’re french lol)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS64ZT4eWUA
Please watch this guy’s video. It is hilarious and touches on a lot of the same points I just made. Thank you for your time. :)
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Cultural tidbit for those who are curious about where I live in France:
I live in Alsace currently! (moved from Lyon, but my spouse is from here) In Alsace you might meet people who speak English, but it’s also entirely likely you won’t! Alsace is also a very tourist heavy area because it looks like a German fairy tale and has a lot of tiny villages with cool stuff to do! I highly recommend visiting here over Paris! We have so many storks! (clackclackclack)
Our logo is a pretzel!
That being said, Alsace has its own regional language!
It’s not uncommon to see bilingual signage or to pass someone on the street and hear them speaking Alsatian. You’ll usually hear it from older people, children, or those from rural areas. It’s really fun to listen to and absolutely wild to see written on museum signs!
Kids here will start school learning French, regardless of what they speak at home, which has resulted in a downswing of Alsatian speakers in recent years. That’s why the new regional language law I mentioned waaaaaay above is so important. It’ll allow schools to teach most of the day in Alsatian instead of French with the goal being fully bilingual adults! :)
As of right now, most kids here choose German or English (depending on the school) as their second language. Some kids pick Alsatian and honestly? Good for them! I’m glad!
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Metal Hammer - 1998
"We don't want to gather dust in Germany," said singer Till Lindemann before the release of the successful album Sehnsucht, and the bold words were followed by deeds. After sold-out concerts in Germany's biggest halls, gigs in other European countries and a US tour made it clear that Rammstein is on the way to becoming a global affair.
Richard, what was the most important impression that this US tour left on you?
The most important finding for me was that we were able to convince live without all the pyro effects. I found that very good. I'm more the musical representative in the band, and it was a good feeling to limit myself to the music again and to notice that it seems easy.
Why did you have to do without most of the effects?
The problem was that you're dealing with different officials from state to state. Every state has different laws, and people there take their jobs damn seriously. Worse even than in Germany. If, as in our case, they are foreigners, nothing works. In Santa Ana (California), for example, all our pyro gear was confiscated. We have learned that you simply cannot prepare something like this from Germany.
What was finally possible?
Almost nothing. The boat number, the burning coat, but only rarely - and that's about it. Still, people thought it was cool. That was good, you can tell that there is a substance. It was a good experience for me, I don't want the whole thing to degenerate into a fire circus anyway.
Does this experience have any impact on shows in Germany?
No, not that. It was just an affirmation. I'm not against the Show, but when you're in opposition, say five people are for and one is against, you just have to overreact. I always have to exaggerate, although of course I also like big shows. I like a mix.
How was the relationship with KMFDM, who were already in the support act here in Germany?
Very well. It's really very rare, but this time it kind of formed a friendship and we'll probably do something together again in the future. Remixes and stories like that.
What is it about the much-described American openness?
When people go out, they want to have a good time. They don't see it as narrowly as the Germans. Everything is much more emotional there.
Were there, as you are used to from here, political discussions?
Not at all.
Was that the most positive difference compared to Europe?
The women. They are more open and come to you more quickly. That's really the only thing I noticed. Then of course the climate and landscapes. What totally sucks is the food. I need some black bread too. Starting every morning with a burger and egg is really too much for me.
Aside from the "elementary" things in life...
As a musician you enjoy a different status than in Europe, you are much more respected. As a guitarist you are a completely different person anyway. Germany is more of a singer-oriented country, in the USA they are more into guitarists. That was really a good feeling. I would be lying if I said it wasn't.
On the US tour you played in front of 1000 to 1500 people on average. Was the return to clubs a kind of throwback to earlier times?
It's always good to find out what it's like to play in small clubs. It is fun. Fun in the sense that you have to convince people. That's actually the beauty of it. If you play in front of 4000 people who know everything anyway, it's boring in the long run. But finding new people is what's really exciting. When it works, that's just great.
Were there also concerts that were less successful?
Basically there were no big differences. They were all good except for the one in Santa Ana. We played in an old striptease club where people sat at the table and ate their steaks. That was a little stiff. The best was in Los Angeles on the last day, the reactions there were really good.
You signed with Slash Records (London). How did your first encounters with people from your US company go?
The boss, Bob Biggs, is a totally chilled guy, a very easygoing one. When we were in Los Angeles he invited us and some journalists to his house and the first thing he did was go to bed and get a nap. (Laughs) I thought that was pretty good. Everything else you have to wait and see. I'm always very cautious and I have the feeling that people in the US tend to think everything is great at first.
In the end you decided to present your German-language texts to the American audience without translation. Was that a problem?
It was always said, also by the record company, that it wasn't possible at all, that we would need English lyrics. That's nonsense, we don't need it. On the contrary. I can remember when I first heard music, English, I could never understand a word and still sang along. This is how Rammstein works in other European countries and in America. People notice that the German lyrics are part of the music and they sing along, even though they don't understand anything.
Would that be a loss of identity if you sang in English?
It would be different. That would raise the question of whether it could become part of our identity. It could be something completely different.
Judging by the experiences you have made, what would you do differently on the next US tour from the start?
We wouldn't go on tour with a band of this magnitude again, it should be one floor up. Basically the way it was in Germany, first supporting Project Pitchfork, then the Ramones, and finally our own tour. It should be something like that in America.
With the difference that the tours there last much longer due to the size of the country.
I hope not.
If you want to set something up in the USA, aren't you forced to travel extensively there?
We have considered how we will proceed. Of course we run the risk of getting bogged down now that our records are being released everywhere. We have to think carefully because America is a huge market, but we don't want to play our asses off. You absolutely have to come up with a concept, playing at festivals would be a possibility. In any case, it's important to be present, to have contact with the people there, which is simply not possible over the phone. On the other hand, we have to be careful not to lose sight of Germany, our country of origin. That would be very dangerous.
What are you planning to be present here?
We will play almost all big festivals in Europe.
Can you get any higher here?
It has to work, otherwise it becomes uninteresting. We always have to improve, whether it's the number of viewers, the quality of the concept, the sound - there are definitely still a few steps to go.
To what extent is creative development still possible in your current program? Were you able to write new songs since Sehnsucht?
I would like to. I'm thinking a lot about that at the moment. I've always been a person who likes to have something up my sleeve, but now I have to sit down and write new stuff again. But I've made up my mind that I'll take my time, no matter how long it takes.
When you have achieved so much, what goals are still open?
Actually, I make music because I'm a dissatisfied person. The whole process is based on a dissatisfaction that I believe will haunt me for the rest of my life. I think I always have to make music to be reasonably happy. That's really annoying.
Sounds more like therapy than a job.
But that's how it is and I can't do anything about it. Recently someone told me that we are the most successful band in Germany. I don't even think about it that much myself. Other people always have to tell me that. I'm also not the type to suddenly go completely crazy. I try to see it like a role I took on at Rammstein. I also know that success isn't just about me. I go on stage and play a very specific role, like in a movie. It's a part of me and I like to play it. Then I go off stage and have another role that has nothing to do with Rammstein. There is a private life and it is important to preserve it. The part I play on stage is inside me, of course, otherwise I wouldn't come across as convincing. But it's not all. There are other sides of me that don't come out there. I realize that people who come to me after a show don't mean me as a person. If later I do things all by myself and they become very successful - maybe things will be different then.
Do you manage to look at the topic of Rammstein from a distance?
No, but I would like to. If you spend 300 days a year with Rammstein, then you have no distance. There is no end in sight either. You also always need some time to get back to normal life. When you've just made it, you usually have to start again.
Do you want to do this forever?
No, I don't want to. I think we'll have to raise the alarm for another two or three years. It's important that you stick together, then you can sometimes release a record within four years. Not every year, or at least every two years.
Your daughter is seven years old. Has she seen you on stage before?
Yes, once. She was very proud and always followed my movements.
Did she also see Till's dildo number on 'Bück Dich'?
I covered her eyes. (Laughs) No, I don't think it was made that night. I'm not particularly into this insert anyway. But I could also explain that to her. Children already know, they can separate it.
Is there anything besides Rammstein that you would like to do?
I'd like to find a balance when I'm on tour. When I'm on the road, I can't make music. I took a small studio with me to be able to work - it just wasn't possible. I need something to do besides music when I'm on the tour bus. For example, Günther from KMFDM takes photos all the time. But that's not really my thing. I have to find something there. I used to write pirate stories as a kid. I've been looking for it lately, but haven't found anything. Maybe I should do something like this. I'll think about it.
#Rammstein#Till Lindemann#Richard Kruspe#Paul Landers#Flake Lorenz#Oliver Riedel#Christoph Schneider#1998#*#*scans
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Can I Stay Up Here With You Forever Ch.2
Warning: abuse apologizing, mention of past physical abuse, implied manipulation, abuse minimizing
Taglist: @mediocredetective
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“Here you go Solomon,” Asmo says as they pass the phone to the sorcerer. “Arella says she wants to ask you something. I’ll be back.” And with that the Avatar of Lust took his leave, leaving their older brother with a look of confusion as Solomon moved away from where he literally had the second-born tied down so he couldn’t move. He turned his lapis gaze over to his younger brother who merely shrugged as he went back to chowing down on a bag of crisps he had raided from Purgatory Hall’s pantry.
“Don’t ask me, I don’t know anything,” Beel said with a mouthful of crisps. “I’m going to head home too though. Dinner’s starting soon. Do you want me to try to save you some? It’s Lucifer’s night to cook.”
“Nah... it’ll just go to waste. Lucifer’s still probably mad at me so I doubt he’ll let me inta the house for the rest of the night.” The Avatar of Greed chuckles sadly. “So don’t worry. I’ll see ya tomorrow!”
The Avatar of Gluttony nodded as he left and Mammon impatiently waited for Solomon to come back.
“I’d offer you something to eat or drink but it looks like you’re... a little tied up at the moment.” Simeon tried to break the tension in the room with the unhappy demon.
“Why did ya have ta go ‘n call Arella like that, huh, Simeon?” Mammon asks, eyebrows knit together in frustration. “I told y’all I was fine, my arm was just a bit busted was all. I woulda survived without her knowin’ ‘n now she’s gonna go off the deep end thinkin’ I need ta be saved or some shit like that when I can take care of myself.”
“She loves you, Mammon. All she wants is for you to be happy and safe. You know that.”
“All of ya are makin’ it sound like Lucifer just straight up broke my elbow for shits ‘n giggles when it was an accident. I’m the one who didn’t wait for him ta let go a me before I started pullin’ ta get away, so really it’s my own fault that it’s broken.”
“Yeah, but things like this seem to happen between you and Lucifer a lot- and I mean a lot a lot.”
“Yeah but... he loves me though. He only does things like this because he loves me. I’m his favorite and he just wants me to learn my lesson is all. If I wouldn’t screw up all the time this wouldn’t happen as often- o-or at all even. ‘Sides it ain’t like I’m the only one who ever gets punished. The rest of my brothers all get their punishments too when they screw up. It’s all fair.”
Simeon gave the demon a doubtful look. “You seem to be the only one who gets any physical punishment though...”
“Yeah, but that’s only cuz I’m a blockhead who just doesn’t learn his lesson. I mean the physical stuff only started within the last century- that's when my dear ol’ brother got fed up with wastin’ his breath. You’d think I’d learn by now huh?”
The angel tries to find the words to say what he’s thinking but he can’t, so he just goes about it in a different approach. No wonder Arella worries about him like this. His brother has him completely manipulated into thinking this is acceptable.
“You... you can’t seriously think that, right?” Simeon asks incredulously. “Mammon, this isn’t okay. Regardless of whether your brother actually loves you or not,
“He does,” Mammon interjects.
“He shouldn’t constantly be putting his hands on you for even the slightest of transgressions- especially if it’s due to something you can’t help, like your sin.”
“Of course, it is. C’mon, Simeon, who’re ya kidding? We’re demons! Our morals are different from those of the Celestial Realm or the Human Realm.... That’s just the way things are down here. Do ya gotta like it? No, but y’all gotta accept it.”
“Don’t you think you sound a little... how do I put this... brainwashed?”
“Whaddya mean?”
“Well... I just think maybe you’re so blinded by your love for your brothers that-”
“Hi! I’m back!” Asmo called as they lugged a heavy suitcase behind them. They plopped down on the couch. “Miss me?”
The pair just sort of regarded the strawberry blonde-haired demon as they sat next to their older brother.
“Goin’ somewhere, Asmo?” Mammon asks as he eyes the suitcase, “Wait a minute is that my suitcase?”
“Hm? Oh no, I’m not going anywhere. You are.”
“Huh? I’m not going anywh-”
“Well it was nice talking to you, Arella. I’ll untie him now so you can summon him. We’ll talk in a few weeks, yes?” Solomon promptly reentered the space, “Perfect- oh look Asmo’s back too. I’ll let you go then.” The call ended as Solomon undid the spell binding Mammon to the couch with a wave of his hand.
As Mammon stood, a portal opened up in front of him. “I’m not goin’ through that.”
“And why not?” the angel asks. “I thought you’d be delighted to have the opportunity to go stay with your human for two weeks.”
“Alone. Might I add.” Asmo smirks with a waggle of their brows.
“Shut up, Asmo!” The Avatar of Greed turned a shade of bright red, “Of course, I know we’d be alone! Who else would be there? But....”
“Are you scared Lucifer will be upset that you’re up there without his permission, Mammon?” Simeon asks.
“No! I ain’t scared of Lucifer! What gave you that idea, huh?!”
“You do realize you’re being summoned right? You don’t get much of a choice in that matter. Now, get going before you end up getting pulled through and hurt your arm again.” The sorcerer takes Mammon’s suitcase and tosses it through the portal, leaving the demon to squawk indignantly as he chased after it.
“You suck, Solomon!” Is all that could be heard from the other side of the portal as it started to close and the silver-haired human only rolled his eyes, chuckling amusedly.
“Have fun in the mortal realm, Mammon!”
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The one thing Mammon hates about being summoned is how nearly every time he goes through a portal, he nearly slams into whoever it is that summoned him if they’re standing in his way which is exactly the situation he finds himself in with Arella right now- not a good look for his image, it's very ‘uncool’.
“Hey,” Arella smiles as she wraps her arms around him once they come to a stop.
“Don’t ‘hey’ me. I’m mad at ya.” The demon says with a deep scowl on his face.
“I’m sure you are. How’s your arm feeling? Does it still hurt?”
“I’m fine, Arella. Stop treating me like a kid.”
“Huh?” Arella asks, confused as she removes her arm from around him. “I’m... sorry?”
“Ya should be,” Mammon hums as he turns his back to her. “I told ya everything was fine. Ya didn’t hafta go ‘n do all this. I can take care of myself when it comes to my brothers so I don’t get why you think ya gotta get involved every time I get in a situation with one of ‘em.”
“I just thought... well I guess it doesn’t matter. You’re right.” She walked away headed to where the kitchen was to clean up the mess that had been left from the cup of tea she’d had before all of this.
“Huh? Whaddya mean by that?” The demon followed after her looking to continue their small spat.
“Exactly what it sounds like. You’re right. You can take care of yourself when it comes to your brothers and there really is no need for me to insert myself into the situation but I love you and I hate seeing it happen and not doing anything to defend you so... I’m sorry. If it offends you that much, I won’t do it again.” She says as she washes her cup and the other dishes she had left. “Do you want me to send you home after dinner?”
“I.... no- but not because I don’t want to go back and deal with Lucifer...” The white-haired demon takes a seat at the kitchen island resting his chin on his arms. “I only wanna stay cuz I missed ya...”
“I missed you too...” She rubbed his back as she leaned down to place a kiss on the top of his head. “I’m sorry you feel like I’m treating you like a kid... if you want to stay the whole time you can treat it... like a holiday of sorts.”
“Where are we anyway? I know ya said ya were sellin’ yer old house...but the air smells different. How far away did ya move? Are we still in England?”
“About that...” She looked away sheepishly, “I kind of told you a little white lie... I sold that house about a month or two ago. What I’ve been doing since then is house-hunting and all the things that go with buying a house in another country... We’re in Germany- Berlin, exactly.”
“You lied? Oh, you’re horrible.” The demon feigns a look of hurt as the human laughs. “But seriously, baby, why would ya move so far away?”
She shrugged. “Wanted a change. I can speak German so why not- it's not like I have any family to miss back in England, anyway.”
He nods at that. “So no one knows where we are?”
“Nope,”
“Not even my brothers?”
“Not even your brothers.” She smiled. “I told you: if we wanted to, we could disappear up here and no one would ever know.” She cupped his face in between her hands. “You don’t have to go back home if you don’t want to...”
“I don’t have to decide right now, do I? You won’t leave if I want to go home, right?”
“No, of course not. I wouldn’t ask you to choose between me or the Devildom- there's a lot to give up down there. You can think about it while we’re up here for the next two or three weeks and if you want to go home after then, then I will still be with you, okay? I just want to give you options.”
He nodded as he moved to wrap his arms around her in a tight hug. “Thanks, Doll.”
“Anytime, Baby.” She hummed.
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Find more on my masterlist
#obey me#obey me shall we date#obey me swd#obey me! shall we date?#obey me angst#mammon angst#obey me mammon#obey me simeon#obey me asmodeus#obey me solomon#obey me oc#arella
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