Speaking Of How To Train Your Dragon And Creature Design, The Shift From The Really Naturalistic Art

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Basem Al-Khandaqji, a Palestinian prisoner in Israeli jail, has won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction for his book, "A Mask, the Color of the Sky," which is about a Palestinian who takes on an Israeli’s identity.

He was unable to recieve the Prize as he was jailed for three life sentences from back in 2004. The person who recieved the reward on his behalf says Khandaqji smuggled the book out of jail page by page so as to avoid the suspicion of Israeli jailers.

The book is about a Palestinian archeologist who assumes an Israeli's identity after finding the Israeli's identity card in an old coat. Nur, the Palestinian, becomes the Jewish Israeli "Ur," and he travels through society to explore his occupiers way of life.

Israel has refused to allow Al-Khandaqji the cash prize, as they claim payment for terrorists is forbidden. However, the fact that Basem won this prize, which is called the "Arabic Booker" is outstanding in itself, considering the lengths he went through to write and publish the book.

This book is a testament to Palestinian resistance and art, showing the lengths Palestinians go through to make their voices heard, and the excellence of their crafts.

CNN Arabic

"قناع بلون السماء" لباسم خندقجي تفوز بجائزة "البوكر" العربية

فازت رواية "قناع بلون السماء" للكاتب الفلسطيني باسم خندقجي بالجائزة العالمية للرواية العربية (البوكر) لعام 2024.

en.majalla.com

Basim Khandaqji wins top Arabic literary award from behind prison bars

The jailed Palestinian author won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction for his book, 'A Mask, the Colour of the Sky', which tells the

https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/143583

imagine you are texting with a friend and suddenly they tell you that a house near them was just hit with a bomb. in the middle of your conversation. to be more specific, think of the last friend you texted, open up your messages even and look, and think about how you would feel if that happened. how would they feel?

this just happened while i was talking with @nesmaah. she and her family are in constant danger and their only chance of escaping it right now is to get enough money to leave gaza. i'm leaving their fundraiser below. please share and donate if you can. these are real people who are in danger right now, who are suffering, who are trying to live despite the circumstances. do not forget that every single person asking for help is a person just like you and your loved ones.

gofundme.com

Donate to Help Nesma's and her family evacuate, organized by Mena K

Nesma Ahmed is raising funds to help her family evacuate from Gaza. Currently, Gaza has be… Mena K needs your support for Help Nesma's and h

In a press conference held by the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza earlier today, they confirmed that they estimate 10,000 people remain missing under the rubble and that, with their very limited means right now, in order to be able to locate and exhume these bodies, the operation could take up to three years. Until then, these 10,000 are not counted among the casualties.

As summer approaches, the trapped bodies are going to be a major source of illnesses and epidemics are expected to spread. Already, there are 20,000 cases of hepatitis in Gaza.

All of this of course is made infinitely more difficult by Israel blocking fuel from entering while it continues to target civil defence vehicles. As a matter of fact, Rafah now has only 3 functioning fire trucks according to a Palestinian Civil Defence spokesperson.

THIS!!!!!!!!!! most of us feel like we aren't doing enough because we can't physically stop a genocide but speaking helps!! pressuring helps!! boycotting helps and protesting helps!! please don't give up on Palestinians not when the entire world has turned their backs on them

here is how YOU can help Palestine

Merlin Au (Woy)

Alright! First off this is an au that will have many many many MANY MANY characters in it! So I'll gladly let anyone join if they're interested in the au!

Starting off with the kingdoms in this au. All kingdoms will be galaxies and the planets in them will be the land that the rulers rule over!

King Donnie

The first kingdom being Camelot that is run by a ruthless king named Donnie. After someone he cared deeply about was taken away from him by magic, he forbids magic to be in his kingdom and to whoever has magic and or practices magic, they're sent to their deaths.

Dominator (First and second half)

Thankfully, Donnie has a dear friend who he took in after helping her father win a war. The father sadly dying in battle. The king will do anything she says and will believe her until his untimely death.

Dominator for the first half was a nice and caring woman despite being born as a witch (without the knowledge of the king).

She was always caring for her maid and kind to people in the kingdom. However, she began having terrible nightmares of her dying over and over again with a strange face looking down at her before striking her down.

As this goes on, Dominator starts to slowly become evil after practicing her magic, keeping it hidden from the king.

In the second half, she begins to grow a hatered for the King making her want to kill him along with his younger brother Prince Darren so she may take the throne and rule over the kingdom, making magic free.

In the third part, she fully becomes corrupted with her power and does everything she can to kill prince Darren.

Prince Darren

The heir to the throne of Camelot is Prince Darren, the brother of Donnie. He's a snobby, self centered posh boi. Unlike his brother, he's a brave man and won't turn down from saving someone. Also he cares a lot for his horse Gerald! Despite being a lil asshole, he does have his kind moments and will show it to certain people or joke around with the knights (Knights of the round table), seeing them as brothers.

Nicola

One day, a young woman comes to Camelot seeking out a place to stay with her dear friend and mother figure Nicola. Nicola works for the King and has known him for a few years. She was a sorcerer herself and practiced black magic, but has sinced stopped due to the rule from the king. She works as a medic and helps the people with herbs to heal the wounded knights or civilians.

Toons

The young woman named Toons arrives at Nicolas lil shack where she lives inside the castles walls.

While Toons began making herself comftable, she accidentally knocked over a bucket of water before turning around and using magic to stop it mid air making her eyes glow a light orange. This of course isn't allowed to be seen by the public, which causes Toons to try and keep it a secret unless she wants her head rolling on the floor.

While on errand for Nicola, Toons stumbles across a man running for his life and passed her. She looked to where he ran from and was face to face with Prince Darren. After some insults were thrown at each other, they began to fight, causing Toons to barely escape him using her magic that the oblivious prince failed to notice.

Further into this story, Toons attends a dinner party with Nicola who was invited by the king to eat at said party.

Unfortunatly, bandits attack the party, going after both Prince Darren and the King. Thankfully the King could fend for himself, killing the bandit that was after him but wasn't able to reach his brother in time. Thankfully, Toons was and grabbed a sword, plunging it into the bandits back and killing him.

From that day forth, the king declared Toons as a servant for Prince Darren for saving him.

King/Lord Hater

The second kingdom is ruled by a horrible leader, who is allies with king Donnie. He attends the parties that Donnie hosts and will bring his servant Peepers who will soon to be his husband, along with his son Prince Wandy.

In public, Hater is seen as a serious and dangerous man, yet he will have his moments of being a dork and stupidity. He will show his gentle side yet will also be an asshole.

However, around Donnie he doesn't show that he has powers and plans to kill the king himself to overthrow Donnie's kingdom. Him being behind the bandits at the party. The bandits were slaves of his who were forced to obey or he'd have them exectuted.

The kingdom Hater rules over is a strict one. The people who live on the planets are filled with fear and will do anything the king asks/orders them to do.

Further into the story, He will begin to have alliance with Dominator, working with her until her plan fails and leaving her on her own. Banishing her from his kingdom.

Commander Peepers

Comander Peepers is also more serious, keeping the king in check and making sure the people on each planet are following all the rules the king has ordered, sending knights to keep people in check. If the people fight against the rules, they are killed or taken away to be tortured until they obey the law.

Peepers also keeps the prince in check, making sure the kid attends meetings, parties, dinner and plans for the kingdom. He enjoys his job, no matter the amount of times he's yelled at, he'll follow his kings orders and perform them as perfect as he can. If he fails at an order, he would begin to doubt himself as a good fit for the kingdom. Peepers may seem as a stone cold watchdog, but he does have emotions too. He cares deeply for his king but won't show it in front of Hater.

Whenever the young prince is caught stealing bread or entering the Tavern(bar), Peepers would feel embarrassed to go collect him, having a whining child to go keep in check. He would also have to help teach the kid magic, sword fighting and continue to tell him each day about his contribution to the kingdom along with the ancestors who ran it before Hater.

Prince Wandy

This small poof of orange is the future heir to the throne when Hater retires (due to him being a skeleton, he wouldn't die and just be watching over his son and keep him in check as a king).

He's incredibly curious ever since he was a child and has always seen Hater as his father, not knowing about where he actually came from. He was only a baby when Hater found him.

As a child, he likes to run around and cause mayhem inside the castle walls, not caring for many of the people who work there, especially the watchdogs. He would mostly run to get away from Peepers, so he could roam around the city.

Wandy sadly isn't allowed to go outside without someone with him, so he would drag either a poor watchdog or order a poor man who's working there to escort him around. He usually likes to either ditch said person and watch them from afar freaking out or ditch them to go to the Tavern, which is basically like a bar/pub.

Of course being a child, he isn't allowed to drink but it won't stop him from trying any chance he gets until he's dragged back to the castle by Peepers.

He practices and learns a lot from both Peepers and Hater but his least favourite activity would be history. He doesn't much care for the past or future, only wanting to be in the present and have fun while he can before becoming king.

The Watchdogs

To keep it short, the watchdogs are loyal and will fight to the death for their king. Protecting Hater at all cost. Some watchdogs will be more frightened than most but will work more out of fear than loyalty.

The knights of the round table

The knights of the round table are knights of Camelot. They are a symbol of bravery, locality and truth to the kingdom. They will protect Prince Darren in the future. Some of these knights will consist of commoners after the king has died.

Wander

Wander is a kind and caring orange looking furry spoon that travels to different kingdoms, mostly avoiding Camelot due to magic being forbidden. He travells with a friend named Sylvia who he met a long time ago during a war that he thankfully saved her from.

He's not exactly a sorcerer but keeps his hat a secret so it doesn't get taken away from him or him being seen as someone who should die. His hat is still magic but he isn't. The hat still gives Wander what he needs and not what he wants, he's incredibly respectful to the hat and cares for it.

The only person he's comftable with letting know it's magic is Sylvia and a few folks he's met and befriended along his travels.

Sylvia

Speaking of Sylvia, before she met Wander, she had worked for Hater before he had Wandy and Peepers. She worked for him for about a year until she was sent to a war that would have killed her.

Thankfully, Wander was there to help her get out of that situation after being swung by a powerful blade to the side. Wander thankfully took care of her and over time she began warming up to the lil weirdo. She now travells the kingdoms and lands with her friend.

That is until she meets Prince Darren and Knight Toons who, after a mishap, she's offered a job as a knight to serve Camelot.

((This is just a WIP so far. But please if you want to join this au with a oc of yours, feel free to! I'd love to keep this au open for everyone, not just the original cast of woy!))

((Thank you to @anothershittydoodler for letting me use their characters “Donnie and Darren”))

reminder that you can get three free e-books about the palestinian liberation struggle from haymarket books!

Fundamental life advice: never trust a product from a youtuber/influencer sponsorship

I’m very tired. you probably heard that Russia destroyed the Kakhovka Dam to slow Ukraine’s counter offensive. here’s something I didn’t quite realize: since this February, the Russians operated the dam in juuuuust the right way so that as much water would build up as possible when the snow melted and spring showers started. and then they blew the whole thing up.

40,000 people may need to be evacuated. I don’t really have the energy to say anything else right now.

Hospitallers Medical Battalion: actual angels can confirm. they’re combat-zone medical services - you know how humanitarian groups like MFS and Red Cross have to pause operations due to the Russians fucking shooting at humanitarian zones? yeah, these guys don’t pause for bullets, they fucking walk into them and they bring out anyone they can.

Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation: you can choose from a number of various fundraiser projects here, if you’re feeling particularly picky. for those of you who balk at the idea of supporting anything military just please remember that things like vehicles and drones aren’t just for military use, they’re also for evacuation and finding the wounded and they’re fucking vital.

KSE Foundation: similar to the above, KSE has multiple projects you can choose from to donate to. looking at it right now, one of the projects with the lowest amounts of money raised thus far - despite being started in April - is Seeds for Ukraine, which will help Ukraine recover from the ecological devastation Russia has been wreaking (and with Ukraine, the countries that rely on Ukraine’s grain exports that Russia keeps trying to steal).

Come Back Alive: do these guys even need the introduction? they’re Come Back Alive. I’m kissing all of them.

United24: Zelenskyy’s brain child, and the official fundraising platform of Ukraine. Mark Hamill recommends the fundraisers for drones in particular.

UAnimals: Nova Kakhovka’s zoo got… pretty much completely swept away. all zoo residents except the birds have drowned. UAnimals has tried throughout the occupation to keep the animals safe, and they’ve been reporting on the status of the zoo. I don’t really know what to say except that I hope they’re able to save the pets and strays in the towns along the river.

You can find NGOs specific to evacuation efforts in this post; please signal boost it as well. I’ve listed them but am leaving the links for the op post.

Ukrainian FireFighters Foundation

Helping To Leave

VOSTOK SOS