#contribution to Dutch music

[thechanelmuse]

Juneteenth is a Black American holiday. 

We call Juneteenth many things: Black Independence Day, Freedom Day, Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day. We celebrate and honor our ancestors. 

December 31 is recognized as Watch Night or Freedom’s Eve in Black American churches because it marks the day our enslaved ancestors were awaiting news of their freedom going into 1863. On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. But all of the ancestors wouldn’t be freed until June 19, 1865 for those in Galveston, Texas and even January 23, 1866 for those in New Jersey (the last slave state). (It’s also worth noting that our people under the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations wouldn’t be freed until April 28, 1866 and June 14, 1866 for those under the Cherokee Nation by way of the Treaties.)

Since 1866, Black Americans in Texas have been commemorating the emancipation of our people by way of reading the Emancipation Proclamation and coming together to have parades, free festivities, and later on pageants. Thereafter, it spread to select states as an annual day of commemoration of our people in our homeland. 

Here’s a short silent video filmed during the 1925 Juneteenth celebration in Beaumont, Texas:

(It’s also worth noting that the Mascogos tribe in Coahuila, Mexico celebrate Juneteenth over there as well. Quick history lesson: A total of 305,326 Africans were shipped to the US to be enslaved alongside of American Indians who were already or would become enslaved as prisoners of war, as well as those who stayed behind refusing to leave and walk the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma. In the United States, you were either enslaved under the English territories, the Dutch, the French, the Spanish, or under the Nations of what would called the Five “Civilized” Native American Tribes: Cherokee, Creek (Muscogee), Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminoles. Mascogos descend from the Seminoles who escaped slavery during the Seminole Wars, or the Gullah Wars that lasted for more than 100 years if you will, and then settled at El Nacimiento in 1852.)

We largely wave our red, white and blue flags on Juneteenth. These are the only colors that represent Juneteenth. But sometimes you may see others wave our Black American Heritage flag (red, black, and gold).

Juneteenth is a day of respect. It has nothing to do with Africa, diversity, inclusion, immigration, your Pan-African flag, your cashapps, nor your commerce businesses. It is not a day of “what about” isms. It is not a day to tap into your inner colonizer and attempt to wipe out our existence. That is ethnocide and anti-Black American. If you can’t attend a Black American (centered) event that’s filled with education on the day, our music, our food and other centered activities because it’s not centered around yours…that is a you problem. Respect our day for what and whom it stands for in our homeland. 

Juneteenth flag creator: “Boston Ben” Haith 

It was created in 1997. The red, white and blue colors represent the American flag. The five-point star represents the Lone State (Texas). The white burst around the star represents a nova, the beginning of a new star. The new beginning for Black Americans. 

Black American Heritage Flag creators: Melvin Charles & Gleason T. Jackson

It was created in 1967, our Civil Rights era. The color black represents the ethnic pride for who we are. Red represents the blood shed for freedom, equality, justice and human dignity. Gold fig wreath represents intellect, prosperity, and peace. The sword represents the strength and authority exhibited by a Black culture that made many contributions to the world in mathematics, art, medicine, and physical science, heralding the contributions that Black Americans would make in these and other fields. 

SN: While we’re talking about flags, I should note that Grace Wisher, a 13-year-old free Black girl from Baltimore helped stitched the Star Spangled flag, which would inspire the national anthem during her six years of service to Mary Pickersgill. I ain’t even gon hold you. I never looked too far into it, but she prob sewed that whole American flag her damn self. They love lying about history here until you start unearthing them old documents. 

In conclusion, Juneteenth is a Black American holiday. Respect us and our ancestors.

#juneteenth #juneteenth flag #black american history #black american culture #ben haith #black american heritage flag #melvin charles #gleason t jackson #grace wisher #american flag #mascogos #juneteenth 2023

[reality-detective]

💥💰 Revealed: The Secret Empire of the Rothschilds, Rockefellers, and Morgans 💰💥

Prepare to uncover the shocking truth about the world's most influential families and their iron grip on the global economy. The Federal Reserve Cartel, comprised of the Rothschilds, Rockefellers, and Morgans, holds unparalleled power that extends far beyond the realm of oil.

Picture this: The Four Horsemen of Banking, including Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo, join forces with the Four Horsemen of Oil, such as Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch/Shell, BP, and Chevron Texaco. But their domination doesn't stop there. They have extended their reach to encompass the music industry through an intricate network of private banks. These behemoths, along with Deutsche Bank, BNP, Barclays, and other European old money giants, control the strings of the music industry, enabling them to dictate its direction and influence.

The nefarious deeds of the Rockefeller dynasty are far-reaching, starting with their military-commercialization of music in the early 1900s. They orchestrated a diabolical plan to shift the world's standard tuning of music to 440 pitch. This insidious frequency was known to provoke greater aggression, psychosocial agitation, emotional distress, and even physical illnesses. Behind the scenes, this manipulation led to financial gains for those complicit in the monopoly, including agents, agencies, and companies connected to the North American Rockefeller crime cartel and elite organizations.

Fast forward to the late 1980s, when the Rockefellers summoned the top music executives and talent to a highly secretive meeting in Los Angeles. Their sinister agenda? To usher in the era of Controlled Rap Music, tightly linked to the privatization of U.S. prisons. These privately owned prisons, operated by the Rockefellers, Rothschilds, Bush family, and other influential figures, served as money laundering operations, tax exemption schemes, and pyramid scheme operations.

The Rockefellers devised a cunning plan to control the rap industry and target black communities by promoting violent music that fueled oppression and civil unrest. They brought together top executives and leading black artists, binding them with confidentiality agreements. Their objective was clear: coordinate the violence within the rap music movement, while major record labels gained exclusive rights for production and distribution across the United States. As a reward, they would receive shares and points within the private prison systems.

The Masonic plan unfolded with precision, resulting in over 1,500 private prison systems housing more than 1 million black teenagers by 1990. These vulnerable youths, expressing the generational trauma imposed upon them, unknowingly contributed to the Rockefellers' malevolent scheme. The private prison systems reaped billions annually from the government, creating a vast money laundering network through inflated products, such as ramen noodles priced 8 times higher than their actual value. The flow of hundreds of billions from government funding, pyramid schemes, and insurance companies transformed the privatization of prisons into a multi-trillion-dollar venture.

Local courts and judges mercilessly sentenced petty criminals and first-time offenders, filling the ever-expanding private prisons. As a result, the United States now holds the dubious record for the highest number of incarcerated individuals in the world, with an unprecedented number of prisons. This was not an accident—it was a meticulously orchestrated plan by the Rockefellers.

But their influence doesn't end there. These silent thieves also manipulate elections, ensuring their grip on power remains unbroken.

Unmasking the true face of those who control the world, the Rothschilds and Rockefellers find themselves in the crosshairs of military alliance operations aimed at dismantling the Rothschilds' deep state power in Europe, the UK, Russia, and China.

Are you connecting the DOTS? 🤔

#pay attention #educate yourself #educate yourselves #knowledge is power #reeducate yourself #reeducate yourselves #think for yourself #think for yourselves #think about it #do your homework #do your own research #do some research #do your research #question everything #ask yourself questions #connecting dots

[germanpostwarmodern]

Together with DADA Concrete Art today is considered to most significant Swiss contribution to art history, represented by the quadriga Max Bill, Richard Paul Lohse, Verena Loewensberg and Camille Graeser. But although the life and work of each of the protagonists has been comprehensively researched and published, the actual history of the Concrete Avant-garde based in Zurich in all of its different ramifications has remained somewhat opaque. The director and journalist Thomas Haemmerli and journalist colleague Brigitte Ulmer used this blank space in Swiss art history as point of departure for a complete history of the Zurich Concretists and their complex environment. The result is „Circle! Square! Progress! - Zurich’s Concrete Avant-Garde. Max Bill, Camille Graeser, Verena Loewensberg, Richard Paul Lohse and Their Times“, recently published by Scheidegger & Spiess. The book starts with a history of Concrete Art as coined by Dutch artist Theo van Doesburg and sheds light on the Zurich group’s forefathers and mothers, among them Georges Vantongerloo, Johannes Itten and Sophie Taeuber-Arp but also dedicated patrons like Leo Leuppi. Subsequently Zurich’s „Fantastic Four“, as the Haus Konstruktiv called them in a 2011 exhibition, are portrayed and contextualized in very concise dossiers that portray the artists in their entirety.

But what is particularly noteworthy and interesting is how the authors map the sources of inspiration as well as the network of people and places surrounding the Zurich artists: from mathematics, Bach’s „Art of Fugue“ to Twelve-Tone-Music the manifold influences are carved out and institutions like the Galerie des Eaux Vives, the Bel Etage or the Corso music club are portrayed as meeting points and party locations of the art scene. Beyond this the authors also discuss the afterlife of the artists as omnipresent decorations and players on the art market, an addendum that nicely concludes the book.

As a result „Circle! Square! Progress!“ Provides an equally complete and lively account of the Zurich Concretes’ history as well as their personal network and afterlife. A highly recommended and diverting piece of art history!

#scheidegger & spiess #art history #swiss art #concrete art #geometric abstraction #book #constructivism

[skylarsblue]

★Bittersweet Discussions★

✭Red Dead Redemption✭

★Fem!Reader, use of Y/N, mention of Isaac & Eliza's death, attempted mugging, mention of abusive family, trauma bonding(?), hurt comfort, mostly fluff though. Same universe as ★Sugar Cube★ because I'm stuck on them. Not proof-read.★

It was a bit upsetting leaving Valentine, it was a pleasant town with a lot of charm, but it was clearly getting a bit too hot. Rumors of Leviticus Cornwall and Pinkertons swarming around were cause for concern, so the time left in the area was limited, ticking down quickly. Which is what prompted Y/N to practically beg for more excuses to go to town, be it for simple errands or for theft. She wasn’t picky which.

Dutch wasn’t going to decline her want to contribute, not when she’d truly proved how good she was at swindling without bloodshed. But, he didn’t trust her all that much. She supposed it was fair, she hadn’t been around too long, and when they found her, she was essentially a damsel in distress. She wasn’t too concerned in proving herself to the man either. That odd, foreboding feeling he brought with him never left. Though, she managed to hide her skeptical glances whenever he’d get into a speech.

Arthur mentioned it once, and she felt what he said rang very true. Dutch had a gift for speaking. She held her tongue, but she couldn’t help but agree. He had the gift of speech, and that was really it. A lot of words that sounded relevant or full of purpose, but when she truly listened, it felt aimless. Walking in circles. It was a lot of mannerisms that commanded respect and big words of empty encouragement, things that made him sound like a level-headed leader. She’d met men like that before. Mostly preachers. Not that Dutch was a holy man, Lord no.

That aside, she’d managed to grab a few wallets and pieces of expensive accessories on the outskirts of Valentine. Mostly by acting like she needed help. She felt a bit guilty when a stranger was particularly nice, but it was a matter of survival. It went smoothly, but if it hadn’t, she could’ve handled it on her own. And even if she couldn’t, her shadow, a couple yards behind her at any given time, made her feel safe.

Arthur Morgan, on his dusty colored Clysdale mare, hand often hovering on his holster. Watching carefully from a distance. He’d had plenty of adrenaline spikes that day, watching her act so well. Maybe she’d do well in plays. He was sure she’d be quite the sight on a stage, perhaps with a musical element, under bright lights and dressed glamorously.

“Alright, I think we should calm it down now. We’ve gotten lucky but who knows how long that’ll last.” The man commented, leading the horse to walk beside her. Y/N chuckled to herself as she tucked a gold pocket watch into her skirt pocket. “Fair point, sir! We’re close to town anyway. What did we need again?” She questioned, tilting her head up toward him. 

Arthur sighed fondly, shaking his head. “You’re the one with the list, sweetheart.” He reminded, looking back down to her. Y/N gazed at him fondly. The brim of his hat left a heavy shadow over his eyes, eyes she found herself dreaming of more often recently. The warm sun radiating over his face, illuminating freckles and smile lines.

“Right, my apologies.” Y/N replied to him, looking for the paper on her person. She wondered if he was aware of how much she liked him. It had to be obvious by now, they had a whole secret language purely for asking for affection. He still asked her for sugar, almost daily. But whatever was between them, it wasn’t labeled. She wondered if it should’ve been, or maybe it would’ve been better to leave it be. It wasn’t like it meant much, putting a word purely to describe the emotions in the air between them. 

That, and she was far too nervous to ask.

“Here you go. You tell me where to go, boss.” Y/N held up the list to him, speaking cheerfully. Arthur smiled at her enthusiasm as he took it from her hand. A short list of errands and what to get. “The gunsmith, general store. Somethin’ bout talkin’ to the ranch hands, I guess to scope out if there’s any money floatin’ around the livestock.” He mumbled. He gave her back the list as they approached a hitching post, hopping off Dusty. He patted the mare’s neck and rounded to give Y/N the spending money. “I’ll deal with the ranch stuff, why don’t you try the gunsmith.” It was more a direction than a question, but she didn’t mind. Though her face did express a bit of hesitation. “He might not sell to me. I’ve had that happen before, cause, well,” She paused and made a gesture to her being. Not nearly as done up as when they first met her, but still rather put together. Flowy skirt in a pastel color, the little bow around her neck, hair properly twisted up. “If he gives you any trouble, I’ll handle it.” Arthur patted her shoulder reassuringly. “Right, I forgot. I have a big scary cowboy on my side, what was I thinkin’?” She teased, giggling as Arthur rolled his eyes with a sigh. She straightened out his shirt collar and patted him on the chest. “Let’s get these errands done, I wanna see if we have time to get some food that Pearson didn’t make.” She stepped around him to start toward the gunsmith.

Arthur paused for a moment, watching her walk away. His had raised to graze over his collar, as if he’d get to feel the phantom sensation of her hands. He scoffed at himself, tilting his hat down in a moment of embarrassment. He was growing soft, and the worst part was, he didn’t exactly hate it. It was different, and it was pleasant. Not that he thought this little…crush, or whatever it was, would be enough to completely change the kind of man he was. Wanting to be a gentleman to a kind young lady wasn’t going to make up for years of murdering and theft. It was those factors that made in wholy certain he wasn’t worthy of getting bashful over her attention anyway.

From the second he saw her, she seemed to be the opposite of him, even if time had shown they had quite a few similarities. Hell, she’d killed a man the second he met her. Yet, he couldn’t compare himself to her. Not when she seemed so soft and graceful. Not fragile, no, that wasn’t fitting at all. She’d proven several times to be quite the independent type, be it when it came to standing up for herself or problem solving on the fly. However, her atmosphere reminded him of so many sensitive things. 

The feeling of a light breeze on feverish skin, the fur of a kitten, the satisfying burn from a fancy whiskey; the kind that went down real smooth. It wasn’t even limited to when she’d actively interact with him either. Sure, he was particularly taken with her compassionate hands squeezing his shoulder reassuringly after the day had worn away at him. Finding some strange solace in her voice when she said his name so warmly, like it brought her joy to say it. But something about her existence as a whole made him feel that way, it was almost frightening.

Whether she came to him in thought or he watched her from afar, it didn’t matter. There was this anemoia with her presence. He’d never had much of a home, sturdy walls and the safety of a roof. But she felt like that, or, he thought so anyway. However a home was described to feel like, that’s what it was. Though he recognized he wouldn’t really know since he had yet to experience it, and he knew he likely never would. 

He’d felt fondness and love for women, and others, before. Some more brief than others. Each time, there was a familiar thread that connected the feeling, so he could recognize it.

This time was truly different though. Why, he wasn’t sure. He’d tried to think about it, weigh it to past experiences. He wasn’t keen on being left in the dark when it came to anything, much less his own feelings. He’d failed though. All that ended up happening last time was he’d zoned out and came back too having drawn her face in his journal. Again.

At the very least, he liked her, a lot. Arthur felt his cheeks burn, no doubt red, much to his dismay. He rubbed his face with both his hands, continuing to walk as he groaned quietly to himself. He wasn’t old per say, but he felt too old to be acting so callow. Like he was a teenager again. Easily flustered and giddy over the smallest things. He shook his head at his foolishness, dropping his arms, but keeping his gaze at the ground. He inhaled, steeling himself, raising his head.

“Hey mister!”

“Oh son of a-“ Arthur turned and was met with the sight of a gun barrel. There was no Irish accent from this man or his companion, though they didn’t sound local either. He sighed as the stranger pulled back the hammer, finger on the trigger. The one aiming the gun was a pale man, dark hair and eyes, clean shaven and probably not much older than himself. His accomplice seemed younger, still carrying some youthful glow in his cheeks that was oddly unmatched by an unkempt beard. Arthur blinked slowly, looking at the gun. He raised his hands, though his face portrayed an aloof expression, perhaps a bit annoyed.

“I ain’t lookin’ for trouble.” Arthur said. “Save it, cowpoke. You speak when spoken to, ya hear?” The gunsman spat. Arthur didn’t hide his face of disgust when he saw some spit leave the man’s lips with the conviction he spoke, thankfully not hitting him. Still gross though.

“I want everythin’ you got, or I shoot you where you stand. Got it?” The stranger demanded. Arthur gritted his teeth. “I ain’t got much to give.” He replied, much to the mugger’s annoyance.

“If you wanna do this the hard way-“ The man and his friend flinched when a woman’s voice broke through the air. Arthur felt his heart sink when he recognized the melodic sound. He looked over his shoulder, as did his adversaries. Sure enough, not too far behind him, the sugary-sweet rabbit he’d rode into town with approached. Her eyes wide with worry, her hands clasped in front of herself. 

“Don’t interfere, woman!” The younger man shouted. “We’re doing some private business here, so move along.” He pulled out his own gun now, clicking the safety off, 

Arthur felt his heart go from his stomach to his throat, blood rushing in quick bursts in his ears. She moved recklessly toward them, in front of him. Blocking him with her arm whilst shouting a protest. Of course, their gun’s aim went to her. That was when she used both hands to cover her stomach, and then pleaded again. 

Arthur was now just as confused as he was anxious. He looked over at her face. He’d seen her fear stricken face before, how her brows furrowed with worry, how her lip trembled when her eyes watered. Her face expressed worry now, but it was different. It dawned on him very suddenly that she’d pulled this kind of thing before when playing a trick. 

She was acting.

“Please, leave him be. Surely there are other people you could steal from!” Y/N pleaded with a whimpering tone. While the younger man didn’t seem to waver, the older of the two seemed to zero in on her defensive stance with her stomach. “We don’t want their money, we want his.” The bearded attacker hissed. “Please, my husband and I are already on hard times as it is. We need to save now more than ever. Just a little mercy, please.” She begged. If it weren’t for him knowing, Arthur would’ve bought the act fully. She really had a talent for it, even if she was using it for thievery. And, well, for saving his skin.

“Lady, what don’t you get?!“ The young man shouted. “Mason, quit!” The elder man sent a swift whack to the back of the other’s head, his gun lowered. Arthur took a step back when feeling Y/N push at him. She gave him a side glance, and it told him enough. He pulled her to him with hands on her shoulders, before wrapping one arm around her torso, turning her to face him. To shield her more.

“Wh- but, you said-“ “We don’t attack expecting mothers, and I ain’t havin’ you widow’er either.”

The act worked, clearly, but Arthur’s quiet demeanor made Y/N feel unnerved. He seemed disturbed in a way, but she couldn’t exactly take a second to ask why. He was playing along, at least, so she kept up her part as the two men holstered their guns. “We’ll be on our way. But I expect you to keep this between us.” Said the leader of the two. “Of course sir, I won’t say a word.” Y/N reassured. With a nod, the man grabbed his accomplice by the back of the vest and dragged him away to their horses. Soon enough, they were far away, and Y/N gave Arthur more space.

She was worried before because of obvious reasons. He’d almost been shot point blank, and that wasn’t great, but he seemed more uncomfortable than she’d expected. He’d had plenty of these situations happen before. She looked him over, his almost detached expression as he adjusted his hat. 

“Arthur?” Her voice spooked him for a moment, but he seemed to click back into reality. “Huh?” He blinked. She clasped her hands together, nervously fidgeting with a small ring she wore, twisting it around her finger. “Are you alright? I’m sorry if I messed something up there, I just didn’t know how else to help without shootin’ them.” Arthur blinked slowly before shaking his head and rubbing his eyes with his hand, letting out a long breath. “No, no. You did great. Just uh, the whole…” He motioned vaguely to her stomach and then around at the air, somewhat aimlessly.

“Oh! Oh, right. I figured that would make them back off. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” Y/N said. He’d started walking down the dirt path, she followed beside him. His mood had shifted rather dramatically. She’d seen him annoyed, stressed, downright angry. This wasn’t any of those, which was what made her so worried. He seemed borderline melancholy, and she didn’t know why, but to think she caused it made her a bit sick. “You’re alright. It’s just, an uh, sensitive subject I s’ppose.” He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck while looking at the ground.

That felt more confusing to her, honestly. But she kept her mouth shut. It wasn’t her place to ask, she felt. But Arthur glanced up at her, catching curiosity in her concerned face. There was a lump in his throat that almost seemed to suffocate him. There were very few things he opened up about to most people, especially when it came to things that weighed so heavily on him. He didn’t like bringing up his past, not to others and not to himself. His mind was a stubborn thing and it liked to stick on regrets to the point of making him physically ill. Arthur never handled emotions well, so he’d learned to avoid them for the most part. Not for his comfort, but for his survival.

But she looked so worried, and the air around her was so warm. Arthur looked at her face again and felt his shoulders loosen. He inhaled, holding his breath for a moment, before letting it out in one big huff. The silence stretched a bit longer as they slowly meandered down the dirt path, the air a bit tense. Before he finally unclenched his jaw and opened his mouth to speak, without planning what he’d say. And out it spilled.

“I had a son once.” Arthur said plainly. Y/N’s eyes widened and she almost let her mouth fall agape. She held back her surprise though, not wanting to be rude. She stepped a bit closer though, but kept her hands to herself. “I was young, so was the girl. A waitress I met in a town, lovely girl. I was…reckless, selfish. I knew I didn’t want to stay committed to her but I got’er pregnant.” He explained. He kept his gaze down, whether it was because he was ashamed at the past or that he was admitting sensitive things, she didn’t question. Just listened.

“I wanted to do right by’em. Or, maybe I told myself that to make myself feel less guilty.” He shrugged. “I didn’t stick around, but I didn’t completely leave either. I’d come around when I could to help. Felt it was the least I could do, support’em. I helped make the boy, ya know?” The question was rhetorical but she nodded to show she was listening. This felt so intense and heavy, and she had the distinct feeling the story wasn’t a happy one.

Arthur ran a hand down his face and looked up at the sky before continuing. “At one point, I considered sticking around a little more permanently. Not get hitched to her or nothin’, she deserved better than me, obviously. But Dutch wanted to move further West and I couldn’t take them with me.” He cracked his jaw, clenched his teeth. His nose scrunched up. “Go on, son. Pick what life you want. You can settle down, go soft, force yourself to be a father. Or, you can come with the family who accepted you. Be my guest. That’s what Dutch said to me.” He huffed.

“That’s a terrible thing to say in that situation!” Y/N suddenly spoke, outraged at the callousness. Arthur found himself smiling faintly at her rage. It felt cathartic to have someone on his side, even if it was far too late. “Yeah, never quite got over that. But…I was barely twenty, and, I didn’t know what to do. Dutch raised me and I wasn’t exactly sure how to be a good man.” He grew sad so quickly again. He hit his left palm with his right fist a few times, a nervous tick she’d noticed he had. He seemed to have a lot of them, actually.

“I left, for a long time this time. I didn’t forget ‘bout’em. Though, I remember telling myself they’d be better off without me anyway. To make it easier on myself, as if I deserved that.” He whispered the last part while looking down at his feet. Y/N’s hand reached over to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. They both came to a stop at a bench in front of the post office, the area barely populated and the sun on its way to set. She subtly guided him to sit down, still listening intently.

Arthur bounced his leg, leaning back to rest against the wall. He swallowed. “Well uh, I came back one day. The place was empty, but the backyard had uhm…two crosses.” His voice grew a bit hoarse. Y/N’s heart broke as she watched him force his face to stay as cold as possible, eyes facing the sky, as if trying to escape into it. “Oh Arthur…” She said in a hushed tone. He rolled the joint of his jaw again, biting his tongue. It weighed so heavily on him and it showed, that was precisely why he didn’t talk about it. 

He looked over when he felt Y/N’s hand gently grab his forearm, caressing the skin with her thumb. Her gaze made his muscles loosen, and while the ache of guilt and regret was heavy on his chest, he found himself able to breathe still. It wasn’t suffocating. 

“I couldn’t possibly understand what that’s like.” She let her hand fall back into her lap, not realizing how much he ached for the contact once it was gone. She looked around and searched her brain for what to say. It was something so heavy, so she wanted to treat it seriously. Though, she also knew a heavy atmosphere made Arthur itch to run away. He wasn’t a coward, but he wasn’t fond of the feeling. She patted her lap a bit awkwardly. “I mean, the closest thing I guess I could think of was realizing I lost my brother. But, he’s alive, not- I dunno, why am I even trying to relate? I just,” She awkwardly stammered. “I want you to know I hear you, so I’m trying to relate, but I- I can’t. And I shouldn’t be trying, I’m sorry.” She cringed.

Arthur let out a breathy laugh. “I get it. Thank you.” He reassured, watching her deflate in relief. She handled it clumsily, but the sentiment reached him all the same. She rubbed her hands together, still feeling timid about approaching the topic. She wanted to comfort him, ease the pain, but this kind of situation wasn’t something she could fix with a “good job” and a hug. The woman squeezed her hands together before looking him over, hoping her sympathy conveyed in her face. “I thought of something to say, but I don’t know if it’ll actually help as I intend for it too.” She admitted.

Arthur raised his hand in an encouraging motion. “No, go ‘head. I wanna hear what you have to say.” He nodded. She bit down on the inside of her cheek, inhaling slowly. 

“I think…I think you would be a great father, all things considered.” She whispered. It was genuine, truly. She believed it fully too, and she could only pray it came across. Maybe back then he was young and reckless, but she could see how well he’d do now. From the way he handled the gang, how he talked to Jack like the boy was his own, a leader and while he could be stubborn and gruff, he had the softness important for child development. He felt like a family man, a good one. She’d told him that before, but she wanted to make sure it stuck. 

Arthur rubbed his palms on the fabric of his pants as the words hit him in the chest. He clicked his tongue, allowing himself to smile slightly. “I ‘ppreciate that.” He replied softly. Y/N reached over and squeezed his arm again, smiling at him with so much kindness, it lessened the load of the world again. “I appreciate you trusted me enough to tell me, I don’t imagine it's easy to share.” Her words made him nod again. “It ain’t, and I usually don’t. But you…” He admired her face again. “You’re easy to talk to, I guess.” The woman lit up at that. She’d always enjoyed being told she was nice to be around, that her efforts to make those who cared comfortable to be vulnerable around her worked. It was rare she got an outright confirmation that it was working, it made her feel warm and fuzzy.

Arthur rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, well, the feeling is mutual.” She chimed in, making him look up, brow raised and prompting her to elaborate. “I mean it! I know I might seem naive sometimes, but I’m quite the good judge of character. And you,” She nudged him with her arm playfully. “You’re a good man. I think I’ve explained why before.” He chuckled at that, feeling blood rush to his face as he recalled the night at the hotel. It was a completely innocent night, but a powerful one, which he’d found himself thinking back to it often. Though, saying he wished to feel her dainty hands running over his skin again didn’t sound like something a gentleman would say, even if it was true. 

Arthur shook his head but he was smiling regardless. “I have a feeling you won’t let me argue.” He said, and she gave a confirmative hum. “I’ve met plenty of people in this world, and plenty that superficially act like you. But what makes you different is you feel, well, safe.” She explained. She’d felt awkward before, but saying this, she felt no shame. It was the truth and she wanted him to know it. She appreciated the shades of blue in his eyes in the warm sunlight as she spoke, truly adoring the little details she noticed. Every freckle and line in his skin. “Safe? Me?” Arthur challenged genially. “Yes sir, you. There aren’t many men in this world that have the feeling you do. Like…like walking into a blanket warmed by a fire, after a long walk in the cold.”

The outlaw scoffed and looked away, his elbow resting on his knee, hiding the lower half of his face in his hand. “I mean it!” She insisted, resting her hand on his shoulder. Had her hand drifted upward, just slightly, she’d be able to feel the speed of his pulse in his neck. Rapid and stuttered. Desperate to compose himself, he looked for a way to change the subject, lest he say something he’d regret or melt into the ground beneath him. “Well, I told you about me.” He sat up straight again, clearing his throat as he looked her in the eye again. “Care to share your own? You mentioned your brother. Wouldn’t mind lendin’ an ear, if you’re willin’ to share.” He said. 

Y/N’s mood shifted a bit, and Arthur regretted his attempt at removing the attention from himself, until she prepared herself to speak. “It’s nothing like what you went through, he isn’t dead or anything, just…different.” She explained. Picking at her nails for a moment, she recalled her past. Her father was a mean man, that wasn’t anything he hadn’t heard. But he wasn’t the only member of her family, just the head of it. Her mother was sweet, though, the woman seemed to favor the baby boy she’d given birth to over her daughter. That was a fact Y/N sometimes recalled with bitterness but considered herself mostly healed from. Her cousin came to stay with them later on in life, he wasn’t great from the start, but she didn’t exactly consider him family regardless. Even if others around her went to calling him her brother pretty quickly. But her brother, that always stung a bit more.

“Walter, my younger brother, used to be the sweetest boy. After he was born, my mother got sick, so she couldn’t really care for either of us properly. My father was no good at it, speaking from experience, so I tried to step up.” Y/N explained, shifting her position on the bench for more comfort. “It wasn’t easy, but, after my mother got better I didn’t want to just leave him to the two of them. I liked caring for him, and even though he was a baby, it felt like he actually appreciated what I did.” She laughed at the sentiment. It sounded far more pathetic out loud, seeking validation from the innocent clinginess of a baby. “From the start, he wouldn’t let go of me. Swore up and down I was his favorite person, the best sister to ever live! I held onto that a lot. Especially when he started having a voice of his own, he used to defend me from my father a lot. I know that wasn’t easy. A young man trying to get his father to respect a lady, his rebellious daughter no less.”

Y/N paused as she recalled the various instances of this. How conflicted it’d make her feel, watching the boy she practically raised have to defend her to their actual parents. He did it so valiantly too, even when it caused more grief for himself. Things she wanted to keep him from. Being a punching bag didn’t bother her as much as seeing her brother’s young face contorted in distress and anger. However, being defended after so long felt nice too. It brought a sense of guilt with the comfort, to know someone cared enough to stand up for her against at the expense of themselves, but that last part was what made her sick. 

She sighed. “Then, I guess as he got older, my father’s influence seemed more appealing. I mean, my father was a greedy man, but a successful one. Even if most of his earnings came from me.” Arthur watched as the air around her grew somber, and he felt a stabbing in his chest as her mouth formed a frown. For someone with a smile so sugary sweet, her frown put an acrid, bitter taste in the back of his mouth. “He started agreeing with my father more, pulling away from me. I practically raised the boy but as time went on, he seemed like a stranger. I held onto hope that maybe something would break, that he’d go back to how he was.” She shook her head. “Then one day, my father was goin’ on about how ungrateful I was. How I’d be sorry when he finally gave me away. My brother, fifteen then, came in after hearing the shouting.” She leaned back, staring into the ground with a solemn expression.

“For once, I looked and asked him to help. I had never done it before, but, I was so tired. I wanted someone in my corner and I thought, maybe if he saw how much it was hurting me, he would defend me again.” Y/N raised her hand to her hair, fussing with it a bit, something she did when she wanted to soothe herself. Arthur had seen her do it when arguments broke out between people in the gang or when Miss Grimshaw scolded her amongst all the girls for “lazing” about. “Then he said; “He’s right. And you should learn that by now.” And it hit me like a train, full force.” She let out a bitter, scoff-like laugh. It was devoid of any joy, and Arthur felt his heart break when she blinked back some water in her eyes. “He wasn’t the boy I raised. And I knew that the hope I’d ever see that little boy again was gone. Really sealed that when he did nothing but nod when my father told me he’d finally sold me off.” 

Y/N shook out her hands and pressed her middle finger to the corners of her eyes, sniffling. “Sorry, I went and made this ‘bout me. I didn’t mean to be so selfish.” She apologized. Arthur shook his head and placed a large hand on her back. She exhaled at the light pressure and the pleasant warmth that bled through her clothes. “Don’t apologize. I asked, and it seemed like you’ve been hopin’ someone would listen.” He replied. She hummed, squeezing her hands together. He noted how much closer she was now, practically tucked into his side, and it gave him a sense of solace. “It’s nothing compared to what you’ve been through.” She downplayed, and he let out a noise to cut her off. “That don’t mean nothin’. It’s still hard on you, clearly. Don’t go actin’ like my pain mean you can’t have your own.” 

Y/N fought off the urge to swoon under his caring eyes. It didn’t work very well. “Right, thank you, Arthur.” Her voice brought back that warm feeling in his chest, like he’d taken a swig of whiskey. She huffed and patted her lap. “Alright, ya know what, this day has gone sideways.” She stood up suddenly, full of energy as she pivoted to face him, her face bright and cheery once again. The sky behind her had begun to turn pink, the yellows & oranges illuminated her like a halo. “But, we still got time. I say we go enjoy ourselves with the time. I hear the saloon’s got a new dish they’re tryin’ out, and I think you’ve more than earned a whiskey, good sir.” She held out her hand, the other behind her back, standing straight and proud.

Arthur found himself grinning. He reached his hand out, following her guidance to stand up, even if she couldn’t have pulled him if he didn’t allow it. “What happened to those errands?” He questioned teasingly. “We say we ran into some trouble and try again tomorrow, obviously.” Y/N pulled him along, wrapping both her hands around his own to encourage him faster. “C’mon! I’ll pay!” She cheered.

#red dead redemption #red dead redemption 2 #red dead redemption x reader #arthur morgan #arthur morgan x reader #female reader #arthur morgan x female reader #rdr2 arthur morgan

[borisbubbles]

Eurovision 2023: #26 & #25

26. AZERBAIJAN Fahree ft Ilkin Dovlatov - "Özünlə apar" 36th place

Decade Ranking: 98/153 [Above James Newman, below The Roop]

We're nearing that point of the ranking where I'm feeling "okay this is enjoyable moreso than flawed", but there are a few entries on that cusp that just fall short.

And I think Azerbaijan are a very good example of that, actually. If you wanted to know the entry that is the most smack-dab-average of the year's musical representation look no further. "Özünlə apar" is the posterchild of this contest - an entry that showcases its home country's musical traditions while also not being particularly competitive.

On a bad-to-good scale,"Özünlə apar" lands at "Not Bad". Which is... fine? But is that something Eurovision songs should strive for?

Well, staging and context can improve matters, but in Azer's case those worked against them. Semi 1's second half was a weaksauce affair, and I felt like Azerbaijan were one of the main contributers to that. You have this not uninteresting ethnic mugham song with two conventionally attractive vocalists that -by their sheer appearance- exhude massive sexual tension (both of their looks are so gay-coded lmao <3). It can become good, if you give it the right care.

This is not the right type of care:

Those visuals would work for Veronika maybe (god Raiven WOULD kill for that backdrop wouldn't she?) but for an ethnic ballad, eh. Wouldn't it be better to just focus on the main vocalist? Try to make it intimate rather than have him swallowed by the LEDS (i am SO not marking Natalia down for the same thing btw, dwi) The "big prop on an empty stage framed by copious wideshots" staging is not one that suits the genre.

(tho lol at how you can see the crew WHEEL THE HANDS ON THE STAGE in the background of this gif)

We saw with Hersi's "One Night's Anger" and Blas Canto's "Voy a quedarme" how the deadly combination of slow + empty can murder an average song's immersion, and I felt like this was one such example. Staging that outclevers the audience is a thing of the past, Azerbaijan. Back to the "Miracles", I think, or you will not see a final for a long, long time.

And since this one was a short write-up, let's add in a second:

25. GERMANY Isaak - "Always on the run" 12th place

Decade Ranking: 93/153 [Above Malik, below Sudden Lights]

Like Fahree and Ilkin, Isaak is right on the cusp of the Green Zone, but falls just short. I feel like the year was good enough for me to not cling to a "Not Bad" banger.

That said, I did feel like Isaak was marginally better than the average German entry - half a decade behind the pop curve, as per Germany's usual (I mean, the German jury 12'd Sweden. SWEDEN!!) but catchy enough. The real ringer was always Isaak himself. I don't know why the Germans were so outraged about when the international jury put him first (esp since Isaak also won the Televote? lmao). When in doubt, pick someone who can perform, you dipshits. I saw the German NF live (it was -mothershocker- really bad) . The only two that came anywhere near "serving" (SMFD RYK & MARIE!!) and didn't have a song that made me wish homicide on the composer/performer (DIE MAX!!) were Isaak and Bodine Monet? And Germany were NEVER going to pick an individual with a vision and a personality, let alone if that person is Dutch, not Deutsch, so~

Indeed, it was always Isaak's ability to sing while emoting that made me question whether I just liked him or liked the combo of him + the song, but I now know it's the former. "Always on the run" is -again- Not Bad, but we've had so many fucking Counting Stars pass pver the counter over the years (the fact that I've spent YEARS headcanoning "Counting Stars" as ID despite KNOWING it's a 1R song says enough for how fucking interchangeable these "indie" poprock songs are). How can one be excited by one at this point, I don't understand.

However, if Isaak's live skills were my main draw, then we must also admit that the performance in the Semi (the non-canonical one) was better than the one in the Grand Final. The one in the GF felt like one where Isaak went through the motions of Having To Perform. Maybe it was the backstage tension, maybe it was because Tuesday had a piss-poor line-up that made him look better, maybe it was the bad R/O that put him behind the far more exciting Ukraine, but Finale Isaak was just kinda there for me, singing his song one final time, neither adding nor detracting from the proceedings. That is hand-on-heart a high yellow, not a green, so here we are.

But I do think it's good the juries handed him a 12th place (is 12th the default placement all the generic dated radio pop gets nowadays? Cannot wait to confirm that again with 2025's inevitable Pompeii clone)(sent by Denmark, bank on it), because (1) AOTR was well-staged with respect for its introspective narrative, which is rare for GERMANY (2) Germany needed some sort of pick-me-up after the Ryk fanboys terrorized everyone for not getting their way (3) the surprise left-side result FINALLY PROVES THAT SANDBAGGING RYK WAS THE CORRECT CHOICE, EAT A MOULDY DYK!!! It's MY meta now, and Bubblevision has no time for your shitty also-ran fanfaves...x

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 24 GOOD(ish) ENTRIES OF 2024

The efforts to improve the year despite the ongoing shitstorm have been noted and appreciated. ^_^

THE RANKING

#eurovision #borisbubbles #esc #eurovision song contest #ESC 2024 #Eurovision 2024 #Malmö 2024 #Germany #Azerbaijan #Fahree #ilkin dovlatov #Fahree ft. Ilkin Dolvatov #Özünle Apar #Isaak #Isaak Guderian #Always On The Run #Youtube

[black-arcana]

Ex-DELAIN Singer CHARLOTTE WESSELS Explores 'Heavier Sound' On Upcoming Solo Album

Charismatic Dutch singer/songwriter Charlotte Wessels is set to release her new studio album on September 20, 2024 via Napalm Records. The LP's first single, "The Exorcism", will arrive on May 16, 2024.

Wessels's album promises a cohesive exploration of fear and liberation, as well as spellbinding melancholia and dark, catchy elements meeting progressive and heavier soundscapes. Charlotte and her band will bring this story to the stage on October 4, 2024 at Utrecht's TivoliVredenburg.

The former DELAIN vocalist's earlier solo endeavors, "Tales From Six Feet Under" (2021) and "Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II" (2022) already gained Wessels a remarkable number of devotees, but for the upcoming release, Wessels is raising the bar significantly. While still writing and producing the songs in her Six Feet Under basement home studio and sharing their first incarnations with her patrons, now she's taking the songs to the next level with a band of her fellow ex-DELAIN cohorts Timo Somers (guitars, additional arrangements),Otto Schimmelpenninck Van Der Oije (bass) and Joey Marin De Boer (drums) as well as Sophia Vernikov (piano/hammond),contributing to the new, heavier sound. The album also features arrangements by Vikram Shankar (SILENT SKIES, PAIN OF SALVATION),cello by Elianne Anemaat, mixing by Guido Aalbers (MUSE, COLDPLAY, THE GATHERING) and mastering by Andy VanDette (PORCUPINE TREE, VOLA, DREAM THEATER).

Wessels states: "This album is significant, for on the one hand, telling such a deeply personal journey — through its unintended theme of fear and obsessive thoughts — and at the same time, representing the joy of finding the song's true forms with everyone involved in the making of this record. There were moments in the studio with the band that truly reminded me of why I love making music in the first place, and I don't think I've ever been as excited about music going out into the world. This is the album I want to re-introduce myself with, and I'm so glad to do it with this amazing team."

In a 2022 interview with Spain's The Metal Circus TV, Wessels was asked how she feels about the fact that DELAIN made a comeback with a new lineup. A short time earlier, DELAIN released a single, "The Quest And The Curse", featuring keyboardist, founder and main songwriter Martijn Westerholt alongside new singer Diana Leah, original guitarist Ronald Landa and original drummer Sander Zoer, plus bassist Ludovico Cioffi. Charlotte said: "I'm trying not to engage with it too much, honestly. I've seen positive responses about it, which I think is good. But I do try to keep some distance and just focus on what I'm doing rather than checking that out, because I still don't feel like that will make me happier per se."

In February 2021, Westerholt announced the dissolution of DELAIN's previous lineup. At the time, he explained: "For the last year or so, the collaboration within the band ceased to work as well as it once had. Some of us were no longer happy with the current roles in the band. We all tried very hard to find a solution for over a year, but sadly we were unable to find one. As a result, we will all be going our own ways and pursuing our own endeavors.

"I am very sad our cooperation has come to end, but at the same time I am very grateful for all the years we were able to work together. Together we toured the world, shared highs and lows, and met with many successes as well as times that pushed us to learn and grow. We all enjoyed meeting our fans and making new friends all over the globe."

At the time, Wessels said about her departure: "I know that you might have questions about the 'why' in all of this. I fully understand and respect that. Simply put, it is the sad conclusion of more than a year of trying to find solutions to built-up grievances. Part of me feels like I'm letting all of you down, I'd like you to know that this decision was not taken lightly and I apologize to those of you who had high hopes of seeing all of us together live on stage again after lockdown. Until recently, I thought this might still be in the cards for us as well."

The new DELAIN lineup made its official live debut in August 2022 at the Riverside festival in Aarburg, Switzerland.

Photo credit: Tim Tronckoe

#charlotte wessels #the exorcism #interview

[barkingbonzo]

AUDREY HEPBURN

Audrey Kathleen Hepburn (née Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress. Recognized as a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen legend from the Classical Hollywood cinema and was inducted into the International Best Dressed Hall of Fame List.

Born into an aristocratic family in Ixelles, Brussels, Hepburn spent parts of her childhood in Belgium, England and the Netherlands. She attended boarding school in Kent, England from 1936 to 1939. With the outbreak of World War II, she returned to the Netherlands. During the war, Hepburn studied ballet at the Arnhem Conservatory and by 1944, she performed ballet to raise money to support the Dutch resistance. Hepburn studied ballet with Sonia Gaskell in Amsterdam beginning in 1945 and with Marie Rambert in London from 1948. She began performing as a chorus girl in West End musical theatre productions and then had minor appearances in several films. Hepburn rose to stardom in the romantic comedy Roman Holiday (1953) alongside Gregory Peck, for which she was the first actress to win an Oscar, a Golden Globe Award, and a BAFTA Award for a single performance. That year, she also won a Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play for her performance in Ondine.

Hepburn went on to star in a number of successful films such as Sabrina (1954), in which Humphrey Bogart and William Holden compete for her affection; Funny Face (1957), a musical in which she sang her own parts; the drama The Nun's Story (1959); the romantic comedy Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961); the thriller-romance Charade (1963), opposite Cary Grant; and the musical My Fair Lady (1964). In 1967, she starred in the thriller Wait Until Dark, receiving Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. After that, Hepburn only occasionally appeared in films, one being Robin and Marian (1976) with Sean Connery. Her last recorded performances were in the 1990 documentary television series Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement – Informational Programming. In 1994, Hepburn's contributions to a spoken-word recording titled Audrey Hepburn's Enchanted Tales earned her a posthumous Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children. She stands as one of few entertainers who have won Academy, Emmy, Grammy and Tony Awards.

Hepburn won three BAFTA Awards for Best British Actress in a Leading Role. In recognition of her film career, she received BAFTA's Lifetime Achievement Award, the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award and the Special Tony Award. Later in life, Hepburn devoted much of her time to UNICEF, to which she had contributed since 1954. Between 1988 and 1992, she worked in some of the poorest communities of Africa, South America and Asia. In December 1992, Hepburn received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. A month later, she died of appendiceal cancer at her home in Tolochenaz, Vaud, Switzerland at the age of 63

#AUDREY HEPBURN #actress #unicef #Presidential Medal of Freedom

[duhbatmann]

RDR

"Red Dead Redemption" is a Western-themed action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games. It was released in May 2010 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game is a spiritual successor to 2004's "Red Dead Revolver" but is not a direct sequel. "Red Dead Redemption" is the second game in the Red Dead series and is set during the decline of the American Frontier in the year 1911.

The game follows John Marston, a former outlaw, whose wife and son are taken hostage by the government in ransom for his services as a hired gun. Marston is forced to bring three members of his former gang to justice. The story explores themes of loyalty, morality, and the end of the Wild West era as Marston struggles to reconcile his tumultuous past with his family's safety and his own principles.

"Red Dead Redemption" is praised for its open-world gameplay, in which players can explore the vast, fictionalized Western United States and parts of Mexico, either on foot or by horseback. The game features a morality system, where players' actions affect their reputation in the game world, and an extensive single-player storyline with main and side missions. It also includes various multiplayer modes.

The game's open-world environment allows players to interact with the world and its inhabitants in multiple ways. They can engage in activities such as hunting, gambling, and bounty hunting. The game also features a "Dead Eye" targeting system, which allows players to slow down time for shooting accuracy.

"Red Dead Redemption" received critical acclaim for its story, voice acting, gameplay, and music. It won numerous Game of the Year awards and is considered one of the greatest video games of all time. Its success led to the development of a prequel, "Red Dead Redemption 2," which was released in October 2018. The sequel further expanded on the universe, focusing on the story of Arthur Morgan, a member of the Dutch van der Linde gang, which John Marston was also part of.

RDR2

"Red Dead Redemption 2" (RDR2) is an epic Western-themed action-adventure video game developed and published by Rockstar Games. It was released in October 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with a version for Microsoft Windows launching in November 2019, and for the Google Stadia platform in November 2019 as well. Serving as both a prequel to the 2010 game "Red Dead Redemption" and the third installment in the Red Dead series, RDR2 has been highly praised for its story, characters, open-world design, and attention to detail.

The game is set in a fictionalized version of the United States at the turn of the 20th century, in 1899, and follows Arthur Morgan, a senior member of the Van der Linde gang. The story explores the gang's decline as they are pursued by lawmen and bounty hunters across the American frontier. Throughout the game, players experience the challenges faced by outlaws during the closing days of the American Wild West and the onset of the modern age. The narrative also delves into Arthur's complex relationships with other gang members, including the charismatic and idealistic gang leader Dutch van der Linde, and a young John Marston, the protagonist of the first "Red Dead Redemption."

RDR2 is renowned for its vast, immersive open world that players can explore. The game features diverse landscapes, including mountains, forests, plains, and swamps, all teeming with wildlife. It introduces several improvements over its predecessor, such as an enhanced "Dead Eye" system for precision shooting, a more dynamic weather system, and a deeper interaction system with NPCs (non-playable characters). Players can engage in numerous activities like hunting, fishing, gambling, and bounty hunting, as well as side missions and random encounters that contribute to the game's realism and depth.

The game also includes a detailed honor system that affects how the world reacts to the player based on their actions. Positive deeds, such as helping strangers and upholding the law, will improve Arthur's honor, while negative actions, like committing crimes and causing chaos, will lower it. This system influences the game's narrative and character interactions, adding to the player's immersion.

Upon release, "Red Dead Redemption 2" received universal acclaim, with critics lauding its story, characters, and vast, detailed world. It was praised as a landmark in video game design, noted for its ambition and the quality of its execution. The game achieved significant commercial success, breaking several sales records and receiving numerous awards.

In addition to the single-player experience, the game introduced "Red Dead Online," a multiplayer mode where players can explore the game's world, engage in various cooperative and competitive game modes, and create their own stories with customized characters.

"Red Dead Redemption 2" is considered by many as one of the greatest video games ever made, thanks to its compelling storytelling, dynamic open-world, and deep, engaging gameplay.

#rdr2 community #red dead redemption 2 #rockstar games #arthur morgan #charles smith #javier escuella #red dead redemption #rdr2 arthur #tumblr polls #100 days of productivity #low poly #trendingnow #hyperspecific poll

[oldstormyy]

Person who sent the ask about molly that you replied to. I think you’re very right about molly. She is such a layered character and people fail to acknowledge how impactful and nuanced she really is. It’s either villainising her or transforming her into the perfect victim as you said. I like that you touched on her flaws, i think another interesting point to her character is her internalised misogyny and her classism. Being born into wealth makes her severely lack perspective but she still struggles immensely under patriarchy. You see her go from being convinced she is special/superior to her deteriorating into complete isolation. I think the way she was raised and the mistakes she has made all contributed to her decline, as well as the influence of dutch and societal pressures. You can see molly’s sense of superiority throughout the game with her constant refusal of work and how she looks down at other gang members sans maybe abigail, hosea, arthur etc… I think her issues with internalised misogyny are a bit harder to articulate (for me at least) but you do see through her interactions with the other girls how she snitty she can get lol. There’s this added complexity to it because she clearly trusts and respects abigail, but still distances herself from abigail until she’s hit rock bottom. I think there is a lot of internalised misogyny that permeates throughout the camp that is reinforced by susan and ducth mostly. I think susan and dutch’s issues with misogyny are far to vast to cover in one go but i do believe dutch’s views specifically contribute to molly’s downfall. And again the point you brought up about how insane she must be to completely abandon her life of comfort in favour of joining a gang of outlaws 😵‍💫 she must share a good amount of dutch’s ideals too but she occupies a weird position where she is a lot more transparent about her entitlement while holding much less power than dutch.

Molly likes to read, enjoys classical music and writes poetry. She is a smart and creative woman. She has a complicated relationship with her home country, she is wealthy and had immense privilege in ireland but when sean accuses her of being a west-briton she is offended and clearly doesn’t see herself that way which means she doesn’t believe in unionism regardless of her wealth. Despite being in only a few cut scenes she is a beautifully profound character that i love.

So so sorry for the wall of text do not feel at all compelled to reply im just happy to see somebody else that cares for her beyond surface level analysis. Thank you if you read

^ well put. i can add in my 2 cents on the topic of Molly's internalized misogyny: I think it shows especially in the way she treats the other women in camp (calling them "trollops" etc), which is also very strongly intervowen with her classism! I think the misogyny present in camp is very nuanced so we'll leave that conversation for another day <3

[randomvarious]

Today's compilation:

Another Pyrrhic Victory 1989 Grunge / Hard Rock

Here's a neat, little artifact from the Seattle grunge scene that was released just before the genre went nuclear and proceeded to usurp hair metal as the new face of rock music for the early 90s. 1989 was a year that proved to be quite a decisive one for this new and much darker sound that was using elements from both punk and metal. Soundgarden and Alice in Chains had both managed to ink deals with major labels, and Nirvana released their debut album, Bleach, too.

Now, the first label that comes to mind for literally anyone when you mention the word 'grunge' to them is obviously Sub Pop, but Sub Pop was not actually the first label to put out a grunge record. That honor seems to belong to a Long Island sublabel of Dutch East India Trading called Homestead Records, who in 1985, released Seattle band Green River's debut EP, Come On Down.

Arguably, grunge's second record, though, was a various artist compilation that came out in 1986 called Deep Six, which also happened to be the debut release of another Seattle label that would go on to specialize in punk called C/Z Records. And a few years later, after that first ever grunge comp, C/Z then put out their second one, Another Pyrrhic Victory, which in addition to Green River also featured another pioneering grunge band called Malfunkshun, both of whom had also appeared on Deep Six as well. And alongside them on this comp were a few lesser known bands too.

Now, to my own ears, this release isn't really anything all *that* spectacular, but I think it's still pretty cool to get an authentic dose of ephemera from this scene that has been so heavily romanticized, like the 60s have been for a prior generation. And still, I think there are a couple very good tracks on it, both of which were exclusives at the time.

Malfunkshun kick off the album with something terrifically noisy called "My Only Fan," which also has some great groove to it too. These guys originally formed in 1980, but never actually released anything official while they were together, besides some songs for v/a comps. However, "My Only Fan" features the band's original vocalist, Andrew Wood. Sometime after the release of Deep Six, which had a pair of Malfunkshun songs on it, the band went on an extended hiatus and Wood then helped form a much more popular Seattle Grunge group by the name of Mother Love Bone. But after that, Malfunkshun also returned to work, and out of it came "My Only Fan," released the year before Wood would tragically pass from a drug overdose 😔.

And the other highlight on this album comes courtesy of a band named H-Hour, who, just like Malfunkshun, also formed in the early 80s, but barely released anything either. In fact, the only release this band ever made themselves when they were intact is a 1987 cassette simply titled 1987, which no one currently on Discogs claims to own and has also never once been sold on its marketplace either. But on Another Pyrrhic Victory, H-Hour contributed a song called "Medley," which is over ten minutes long, and is basically two songs in one. And while "both songs" are good, the shredding that takes place in the final two minutes of the second one really manages to kick the whole thing up a notch 🤘. Plus, up until just last year, this release was the only place that you could actually find this track.

So there's probably Seattle grunge showcase comps out there that are more consistent than this one, but Another Pyrrhic Victory still has a couple sweet cuts on it from a pair of bands who seem to have been pretty underappreciated nonetheless.

Highlights:

Malfunkshun - "My Only Fan" H-Hour - "Medley"

#grunge #hard rock #rock #music #80s #80s music #80's #80's music

[reality-detective]

Exposed: The Secret Dominion of the Rothschilds, Rockefellers, and Morgans 💥

Prepare to uncover the startling reality behind the world's most influential families and their immense control over the global economy. The Federal Reserve Cartel, consisting of the Rothschilds, Rockefellers, and Morgans, wields unprecedented power that extends well beyond the realm of oil.

Imagine this: The Four Horsemen of Banking, including Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo, unite with the Four Horsemen of Oil, such as Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch/Shell, BP, and Chevron Texaco. Yet, their dominion doesn't stop there. Through an intricate web of private banks, they have expanded their influence to encompass the music industry. These colossal entities, along with Deutsche Bank, BNP, Barclays, and other European old money giants, hold the reins of the music industry, allowing them to shape its trajectory and exert their influence.

The Machiavellian machinations of the Rockefeller dynasty reach far and wide, commencing with their commercialization of music in the early 1900s. They orchestrated a sinister plot to shift the world's standard tuning of music to 440 pitch. This insidious frequency was known to provoke heightened aggression, psychosocial agitation, emotional distress, and even physical ailments. Behind closed doors, this manipulation resulted in financial gains for those complicit in the monopoly, including agents, agencies, and companies associated with the North American Rockefeller crime cartel and influential organizations.

Fast forward to the late 1980s when the Rockefellers summoned top music executives and artists to a highly clandestine meeting in Los Angeles. Their sinister agenda? To usher in the era of Controlled Rap Music, intricately linked to the privatization of U.S. prisons. These privately owned prisons, operated by the Rockefellers, Rothschilds, Bush family, and other influential figures, served as money laundering operations, tax exemption schemes, and pyramid scheme enterprises.

Crafting a deceitful plan, the Rockefellers aimed to control the rap industry and target black communities by promoting violent music that fueled oppression and civil unrest. They brought together leading executives and prominent black artists, binding them with strict confidentiality agreements. Their objective was clear: orchestrate violence within the rap music movement while major record labels secured exclusive rights for production and distribution across the United States. In return, they would receive shares and points within the private prison systems.

The Masonic scheme unfolded with precision, resulting in over 1,500 private prison systems incarcerating more than 1 million black teenagers by 1990. These vulnerable youths, expressing the generational trauma imposed upon them, unknowingly contributed to the Rockefellers' malevolent plan. The private prison systems reaped billions annually from the government, establishing an extensive money laundering network through inflated products, such as ramen noodles priced at 8 times their actual value. The flow of hundreds of billions from government funding, pyramid schemes, and insurance companies transformed prison privatization into a multi-trillion-dollar enterprise.

Local courts and judges mercilessly sentenced petty criminals and first-time offenders, filling the expanding private prisons. Consequently, the United States holds the unfortunate record for the highest number of incarcerated individuals in the world, with an unprecedented number of prisons. This was not a coincidence—it was a meticulously orchestrated plan by the Rockefellers.

But their influence doesn't stop there.

As the true faces of those who wield global authority are revealed, the Rothschilds and Rockefellers find themselves targeted by military alliance operations aiming to dismantle the Rothschilds' deep state power in Europe, the UK, Russia, and China.

- Julian Assange WikiLeaks 🤔

#pay attention #educate yourselves #educate yourself #reeducate yourself #knowledge is power #reeducate yourselves #think for yourselves #think about it #think for yourself #do your homework #do your own research #do some research #ask yourself questions #question everything #wikileaks #julian assange #news

[a-silent-symphony]

NIGHTWISH's FLOOR JANSEN To Release New Solo Single 'Invincible' This Friday

Floor Jansen, best known as the lead vocalist of the Finnish symphonic metal band NIGHTWISH, will release a new solo single, "Invincible", on Friday, January 13. She says: "This song tackles a sensitive and important subject."

"Invincible" is the fourth single from Floor's upcoming debut solo album, "Paragon", which will arrive 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.

"Paragon" includes the following tracks:

01. My Paragon 02. Daydream 03. Invincible 04. Hope 05. Come Full Circle 06. Storm 07. Me Without You 08. The Calm 09. Armoured Wings 10. Fire

Jansen said: "To renew yourself and take leaps into the unknown makes you grow. To age is a gift not everyone gets. I am a fortunate woman who got to make an album I never knew I could make. One that even defines me, where I am on my path. I have reached my PARAGON! I am so proud of this work! And grateful for all the amazing people in this beautiful life that helped me get here!"

With its mix of influences and powerful vocal performances, "Paragon" is an album that will appeal to fans of pop music and metal alike. It's the perfect addition to any music collection, and a must-have for fans of Floor Jansen and NIGHTWISH.

"Paragon" will be released digitally and physically on CD, vinyl, and a limited-edition deluxe box set. The album will be available on all major streaming platforms and at music retailers worldwide.

Following the release, Jansen will embark on a tour of The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria in April and May of 2023.

Floor has already released three singles from "Paragon": "Me Without You", "Storm" and "Fire".

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.

#floor jansen #NW members side projects #Floor solo career #2023 news

[itwasnotahamster]

- Introduction -

Welcome to my metal-focused blog! Here, I share random stuff about metal, including photo and gif edits, music recommendations (mostly from Spotify), my favourite musicians, and interesting research or facts about specific bands. Of course, I'll cover much more than that, but those are my main areas of focus.

Occasionally, I share my thoughts, but it's not a regular occurrence. I'm careful to keep myself informed about the content I post, particularly when it involves giving credit to artists, photographers, or anyone responsible. I want to make it clear that the things I share belong to their rightful owners, and I do not claim them as my own. If any modifications are made, I will specify them. Apart from that, I don't own anything I post. I occasionally share amusing content, including memes, but I'm making an effort to tidy things up a bit. It's not about being overly serious—I still enjoy humour—just that my initial plan for this blog was to give it a slightly serious tone.

And please, if you come across something on my blog that lacks the credited owner's name, please inform me, and I'll gladly add it. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated. Finding a name can be a challenge when sifting through a billion search results.

I exclusively use Tumblr because other platforms require strict adherence to guidelines, involving censorship and doing some ass-kissing, which is something I hate doing. Moreover, some platforms tend to ban users over trivial matters, creating unnecessary complications that I prefer to avoid. In the future, I might create my own platform or find a platform to blog and migrate all my current posts there. Right now, I'll stick with Tumblr.

Please note that any post I make may undergo frequent revisions if I come across any errors or require minor adjustments. Therefore, it is advised to always double-check for any updates.

- Facts About Me -

🖤 I'm a graphic designer (finished my schooling!).

🖤 I am a native-English speaker (not from Europe nor the States), however, I am trying to learn other languages like Swedish, Italian, Latin, Spanish, Dutch, and more.

🖤 I'm a researcher, so I really love delving into a lot of different topics and always trying to make sure I correct myself.

🖤 I am your typical music fan, I generally don't personally engage with anyone (friends, family, acquaintances) unless they express a desire to converse and contribute their own thoughts. This is mainly due to respect. I usually rely on articles or whatever reliable information I can gather when it comes to musicians like Per Ohlin (Dead) or Euronymous. I approach things with caution and I'm selective about what I believe through word-of-mouth.

🖤 I am a vinyl collector, I'm expanding my selection and considering sharing posts about my metal-related vinyls.

🖤 I am an artist, I've shared my work on a different platform. However, I might consider posting some of it here in the future.

🖤 I love writing and sharing poetry-related content, so expect to see that occasionally.

🖤 I am an eclectic pagan and I do have a blog on Tumblr where I post some of my beliefs, and experiences, or share things that are informational.

- My Opinions -

These are just little heads up but I do try to avoid jumping on any bandwagons. However, when it comes to disliking a musician, it's usually based on valid reasons, particularly their behaviour. While I may not focus too much on posting content related to Euro, it is because I have concerns about his actions, such as taking pictures of Dead and sending fragments of his skull to others. These actions, I feel, turn a person's death into a commodity and disregard declining mental health. Nevertheless, I acknowledge and appreciate Euronymous’ talent as a musician and the effort he has devoted to his craft. However, my current opinions of him are somewhat cold. It's worth noting that perspectives can evolve, and I remain open to reconsidering my stance as I conduct more research, but it’s hard to forget that portion. 

I just want to mention that I won't share anything about Burzum and Varg Vikernes. He's known for spreading rumours, lying through his teeth, especially about Øystein Aarseth, and he's a racist, wannabe edgelord. He's an arsonist and murderer. Clearly, I am not particularly fond of him. So, if you're wanting to find anything about Varg, then you're not going to find it here.

- My Do Nots -

I won't share anything about the DOTBH album because I don't support sharing that kind of imagery. I respect other people's family members and understand that they wouldn't want to see it. And to me personally, it's wrong to do.

I won't back bands supporting Nazism or identifying as white nationalists. I try to be very careful with this when I can. I already see this enough with bands I may stumble upon. I try to look through if a band is under the NSBM scene or not to avoid this.

I won't share anything gory here. It's not because it personally bothers me, but it's just something I'm not interested in posting, therefore, I avoid it.

- Final -

So, that's pretty much it. If you have any questions about bands or anything specific related to Mayhem, its members, or Morbid, just give me a shout.

#blog introduction #metal music #black metal #black metal blog #metal blog #intro #introductory post #Pelle Ohlin #Dead #Euronymous #Mayhem #Morbid #metal #music #alt music #itwasnotahamster

[coolkraay]

Music box 17

17: a song with great lyrics. Ooh this is a tough one, nice! Are we looking at objectively great, lyrics I think are great, lyrics that are great because they're ridiculously fun? Lyrics I personally think are great are the ones in the song Before the Helmets by Major Parkinson. It's a short little interlude of a song with lyrics that refer to childhood creativity and fantasy. Later parts of these lyrics reappear in a different song, slightly altered. The frontman of this band studied literature so that may also contribute to why I like their lyrics. "Silent salamander skies" makes no sense yet it makes so much sense and it's fun to say. "I stare into the tapestry of dinosaurs and cogwheels" is also very evocative.

Another song with lyrics I like is Bastille's Warmth. It reflects such a strong feeling of yearning for acceptance and love and escaping from all of the chaos and negativity of everyday news. "Feeling hopeless I look for distraction, I go searching for you."

And finally a song in Dutch. I generally don't find Dutch a very musical or poetic language but Eefje de Visser brings it into her work so beautifully. I think because she focuses on describing feelings and moods as well as picking words because they sound nice together. So her lyrics can be a bit vague but they're very nice to listen to and I think for that they're great too! "Mijn benen worden zwaar en het bloed ruist door mijn oren (my legs become heavy and the blood rushes through my ears)"

Music Box asks

#Jack-daww #ask game #heehee that one needed a bit more consideration

[black-arcana]

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.

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

[byneddiedingo]

Gene Tierney and Vincent Price in Dragonwyck (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1946)

Cast: Gene Tierney, Vincent Price, Walter Huston, Glenn Langan, Anne Revere, Spring Byington, Connie Marshall, Harry Morgan, Jessica Tandy. Screenplay: Joseph L. Mankiewicz, based on a novel by Anya Seton. Cinematography: Arthur C. Miller. Art direction: J. Russell Spencer, Lyle R. Wheeler. Film editing: Dorothy Spencer. Music: Alfred Newman. 

Dragonwyck both courts and suffers from comparison to those other paradigmatic gloomy old house movies of the 1940s, Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca (1941) and Robert Stevenson's Jane Eyre (1943). As the imperious master of the titular gloomy old house, Vincent Price can hardly compete with Laurence Olivier in the former or Orson Welles in the latter. Price had an aura of camp, present not only today after his many horror movies, but apparent even then, after playing Shelby Carpenter in Laura (Otto Preminger, 1944). Gene Tierney, on the other hand, holds up well in a comparison with Joan Fontaine, the heroine of both of the other two movies. There's also some distinguished supporting work from first-rate actors like Walter Huston, Anne Revere, and Jessica Tandy, and solid contributions by familiar character actors Spring Byington and Harry Morgan. So Dragonwyck isn't a total loss. Where it falls apart is in adapting Any Seton's hefty novel, which concentrates as much on history as on gothic romance. The historical element in both novel and film centers on the overthrow of the semi-feudal patroon system that was established in the Hudson River Valley by the Dutch in the 17th century and persisted through the mid-1840s. In adapting the novel, even the gifted screenwriter Joseph L. Mankiewicz can't do much to stuff the history into the confines of his movie, which was also his debut as a director. But I got the feeling that he was stymied by the demands of the characters as well: We get only an outline of the backstory of his heroine, Miranda Wells (Tierney), in an opening scene with her stern, puritanical father (Huston) and her more understanding mother (Revere), before she is carried off to Dragonwyck to serve as governess to Katrine Van Ryn (Connie Marshall) and companion to the invalid Mrs. Van Ryn (Vivienne Osborne). The mystery of how and why Miranda's distant cousin-by-marriage, Nicholas Van Ryn (Price), decided to hire Miranda is never explained. The faithful Van Ryn housekeeper (Byington) shows her the house and tells her its creepy history, and then warns her, "One day you'll wish with all your heart you'd never come to Dragonwyck." But there's also a handsome young doctor (the forgettable Glenn Langan) to suggest alternative possibilities. The spook factor consists of a portrait of an ill-fated ancestor and her harpsichord, whose ghost can be heard singing and playing at ominous moments, such as the death of Mrs. Van Ryn. Mankiewicz has some trouble putting all of these pieces into play: For example, little Katrine disappears from the story entirely in mid-film, even after Miranda nominally becomes Katrine's stepmother. The best way to watch a movie like Dragonwyck is to disengage all expectations of logical character development and plot structure and just go with the mood supplied by the sets and Arthur C. Miller's cinematography.  

#Dragonwyck #Joseph L. Mankiewicz #Gene Tierney #Vincent Price