#*. fallon ford | facts.

[kmp78]

“Yep, it's a big city with 40000 boroughs. 😂. “. - Actually there are only 5 boroughs in Manhattan (often mistakenly called neighborhoods) but over 350 actual neighborhoods throughout the 5 boroughs!! Here’s a slightly gossipy mini travel log some might enjoy. Humor me.

The old money billionaires (like Paris Hiltons family type) mostly live in mid-town Manhattan around Central Park and the exclusive Gramercy Park neighborhood with its resident’s personal key to a locked private park along with their apartment (highlighted in JL’s WeCrashed mini-series.) Gramercy Park was the home of Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, literature and theater luminaries of the early 20th century such as Truman Capote and Edith Wharton and is currently the home of celebrities such as Midler, Delevigne and assorted top models, J. Roberts, Lagerfeld, Fallon and Kate Hudson.

Lots of artsy folks and big film, sports and fashion celebrities; Timberlake, Swift, B and Jay Z, T Brady, Lewis Hamilton, DiNiro, ScarJo, J. Gyllenhaal, Reynolds and Lively, Styles and many more, live or have lived in the lower Manhattan neighborhoods that JL likes to hang out in when he is in town. These include neighborhoods like Tribeca, SoHo, West Village, the Bowery and Chelsea; all home to some of the best boutiques and endless areas to eat and mingle in NYC. FYI:The Bowery is the 7th most expensive neighbor-hood in Manhattan. Lewis Hamilton’s 12,000 sf penthouse in Tribeca recently sold for 50+/- million US dollars!!! Yes, you heard that right and he made somewhere around 6 million $ on the sale. 😵‍💫

Sparked by the influx of successful hip-hop artists and the Barkley Center, many musicians, athletes and successful actors live near or in Brooklyn in places like Dumbo, Red Hook, Park Slope or Williamsburg. Hathaway, Damon, A. Driver, Sarsgaard and M Gyllenhaal, Blunt and Krasinski, Bork, Nora Jones, Hawke, O Wilde, E. Murphy and many more all have homes in Brooklyn.

Queens has several less expensive neighborhoods like Sunnyside, Howard Beach and Astoria (one of the cheapest neighborhoods to live in). While there is an young active nightlife in Astoria and one or two other neighborhoods, Queens is a safer, less expensive place young people go to start out or raise a family. The Fresh Meadows neighborhood was the home of not famous at all, me. 😁

The Bronx has some of the poorest and toughest neighborhoods (around Yankee Stadium) though there are some very beautiful and well kept areas and many old stately stone homes. It’s trying hard to come back.

Staten Island is a much quieter more residential part of the city filled with highly ethnic (heavily Italian) blue collar working class families. (Think Jersey Shore on TV). While a few mid century actors lived there many years ago, no one famous except briefly Pete Davidson who was raised there, seems to want to live there now. Fun Fact: The characters in the movie “Working Girl” starring Harrison Ford and Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver, Alex Baldwin and Joan Cusak are in Staten Island for this flick. Don’t miss this 1988 rah rah rom com feel good movie classic!! (Free by Hulu or Disney subscription or 2.99 Amazon rental or 3.99 some other places in US. Maybe free somewhere but worth a few bucks) You will see the actual SI ferry from the island to Manhattan which you must take daily to get to NY and hear the true Staten Island classic NY accent at its best! Great story and music too !

Well, nobody asked for all this but it is a very awesome city in which I lived, worked for many years and know well ! Beautiful, very exciting, exceptionally cultural and immensely historic (don’t get me started) but expensive to live in for the most part. And now you can all trace JL and Thinnie’s whereabouts around town! 🤪

Thanks, anon! 🤭🙌

I wonder why JL decided not to splurge on a NYC pad anyway, after being on the look-out couple years ago. 🤔

Guess his deal with Bowery saves him a big penny! 🤷🏼‍♀️

[jewlsreigngallery]

Master Post

Hi everyone, I'm Jewls! Here on this page you'll find my oc art and fan art. I also like to illustrate some of my favorite scenes I read from AO3 fics.

Some other facts you all should know is I am a self taught artist as well as beginner animator, though I am just having fun with animation at the moment😊 I'm taking lessons with an art tutor to improve my art as well!

Current fandoms: Super Mario Bros, Trolls and Gravity Falls

Fan Art

AO3 Illustrations - Sensitivity and Scars by doubleOOc // Caught in the Middle by Awesome_Sauce433

Super Mario Bros - Mario and Luigi as Calvin Klien Models // Mario in My Style (I think...) // Princess Peach // Luigi and Mr. L DTIYS Submission // Mario 2023 scene re draw // Mr. L // Mr. M

30 Days of Mario Challenge - Week 1 // Week 2 // Week 3 // Week 4 // Mario Character Turn Around

Super Mario Bros AU - Headcanon 1 // Headcanon 2 // Headcanon 3 // AO3 - Back to the Dark Lands (part 1 complete) // research for au 1

Trolls - Broppy 1 // Poppy DTIYS Art Submission // Trollsona // Broppy 2 // Branch DTIYS Art Submission // Broppy 3 // Broppy 4 DTIYS // Viva // Trollsona // Clay

Trolls AU - Introduction

Gravity Falls - Ford // Dipper and Mabel Redraw // First Time Drawing Stan and Ford // Dipper and Mabel

Original Art

OCs - Jace // Remis // Fallon // Jarvus // Marabeth and Jarvus // Fallon and Remis // Remis 2 // Amia // Daniel // Tainum // Jace 2 // Nathanial and MJ

Original Illustrations: Practice Cut Short // In the Dance Studio

Traditional Portraits

Jungkook // Jin // V // Jaemin // J-Hope // Felix // RM // Liam Payne // Niall Horan

Animations

Jace Dancing

[crowclawed]

what was their favorite childhood activity? @ fallon!

MEME WEEKEND: HONESTY HOUR ASK LINK.

“Sounds lame but it was following my brother around. When I wasn’t fixing stuff with my dad or hanging with my own friends, I was usually with him.” Fallon reminisced, letting the image play out in her head from a different perspective. “Mom used to say it was like watching ducks.”  Imagining how it must have looked. There was Bowie leading the pack, and then there was her gangly limbs and little balance waddling after. Thing was her brother never let her forget where she belonged. Quick to remind everyone including herself that it was, and always would be the spot right next to his. 

It was just one of those things, built into her structure like bone. Family looked out for family. No man left behind and no one made to feel forgotten. “I think that’s the perk of being the youngest, you get to have someone to set pace.” 

[cmtcahrule]

Statistics from LC IG account: Year 2019

I am going to share some data and observations and ask questions.

Liz had 270 posts on IG (not stories) in 365 days. Compare that to 402 in 2016; 501 in 2017 and 362 in 2018.

Travel: Travel slowed down in 2019. These dates come from her posts so not sure if they are accurate.

Jan 1-9 – Cayman Islands; Jan 26-28 – Utah Feb 4-7 – Colorado (Aspen); Feb 8-10 – Dallas; Feb 12-16 – London; Feb 26 – Austin March 15-20 – NYC; March 26-April 2 – Doha April 14 – San Antonio May 7-10 – NYC; May 11 – Chicago; May 17 – Dallas June 19-30 – London July 5-14 – Italy – Capri/Positano/Sicily; July 17-31 - London Aug 1-16 – London (maybe a side trip to Italy on Aug 14) Sept 25 – Denver; Sept 29—30 – NYC Oct 15-17 – NYC; Oct 21 – NYC; Oct 24-31 – London Nov 8-17 – Austin/Dallas; Nov 27-28 – Dallas Dec 1-2 – Denver; Dec 31 – Cabo, Mexico

AH liked 22 of LCs posts in 2019 which was noticeably difference from liking most all of her posts in 2018. The posts he liked included: 2018 year end recap, LC ENCOURAING HIM TO BE AN INSTAGRAM HUSBAND, AH kayaking with the kids, 3 generations of Hammers, Harper, Liz filming a commercial, kids with the Easter bunny, Ford’s first day of preschool, kids Halloween pics, Liz getting outstanding alumni award, kids at Bird Bakery, Armie and Liz at GOCampaign at NeueHouse, Ford, Family Thanksgiving, Harper with Christmas stocking, Liz selfie in dress with poofy sleeves, Harper’s 5th birthday, Disney on Ice with kids, and Archie’s 9th birthday.

AH only posted 2 likes on her IG account between JANUARY 9-SEPTEMBER 10. Most likes were in Jan/Nov/Dec. AH stopped posting on his IG account between Mar 31-Sept 6. His last post on his IG account about LC was in March 2019.

TC posted 3 times on LCs account in 2019: July 11 (LC saying they should open up a Bird Bakery in Lipari, Italy); Aug 25 (San Vicente Inn bday party); and Sept 3 (National Relaxation Day - Liz and Armie on moped). Both Pauline and Giulliang liked 4 of her posts each.  

Overall, unlike 2018, there were far fewer postings and many more postings of LC doing her own thing.

January starts off with TC showing off the beautiful sex dungeon culture bib at the Golden Globes while AH and LC are in the Cayman Islands. TC was in LA from at least Jan 3-12 and is seen with AH and LC in Beverly Hills on Jan 12. Between Jan 16-18, TC was in London and Paris but was then back in LA from Jan 21-28 for the Actors Roundtable (21st) and SAG awards (28th). AH and LC celebrated Ford’s 2nd birthday (14th), Niki’s 30th birthday (26th), and the Wounds premier at Sundance (27-28). Pretty lowkey month.

In February, AH accompanied LC to the Next Gen Philanthropic Leader Award ceremony and then LC takes off for Aspen with a load of girlfriends on a ski trip (4-7). LC posted AHs March 2019 GQ cover and said “he was off the gram” in February prepping for a role. In her post she says: You are going to want to pick up this issue since Le Trackie is making a comeback appearance. Her Feb 10 post is awkward – she is dancing with AH as part of Harper’s Preschool Gala but it looks so staged/fake. He looks like he does not want to kiss her. AH/LC/TC run into each other in London Feb. 12 and take a photo op near their respective mag covers. TC was in London for BAFTA (10th) and posted the three stars/Berlin shoes IG story on the 11th. AH is supposed to be filming Dreamland this month but I don’t have a date on this. The Hammers Valentine’s Day pic looks fake and AH is just going along with it.

In March, TC is filming Dune in Budapest and facetiming AH regularly. AH goes on Jimmy Fallon promoting Hotel Mumbai (and shares w/ Jimmy that he in fact has just facetimed TC that morning). Again, March 2019 is the last time AH posts about LC on his IG account. Only other activity of note is the trip to NYC in mid-March for Hotel Mumbai press. Niki is there and the Fallon interview takes place. AH has the Dreamland vibe/look going on. LC heads off to Doha solo at the end of the month for the Fashion Trust Arabia awards and Love Ball Arabia and posts a lot of pics of herself.  

Starting in April, LC posts a lot fewer posts on IG. TC is in Jordan filming Dune all month long and I bet AH is lonely without him. LC posts an April 6 date night pic with AH, but once again, it looks fake and he won’t be seen kissing her. They are in Palm Springs with the kids for spring break. It also makes me ask the question: who takes these pics of them? In late April, LC posts about them moving into a new home.

TC is wrapping up the Dune shoot in Hungary and Budapest in May. What I took note of in June is LCs post on May 8 showing a Timmy look a like on the runway at the LV show in NYC. I also need to have someone shed some light on what AH was doing in Chicago on May 11. Her post of them walking down the street with him in a white bathrobe is odd. LC posted a 9 year anniversary pic of her and AH on May 23. They are at the River Café. There is one in London and NYC but she was in neither city on the 23rd so it must be an old pic. AH is sticking his tongue out at her suggestively in this pic. Why, and it is cringe. Again, it feels staged.

Rebecca filming began in London on June 3. AH is there the whole month. LC posted she was celebrating PRIDE week on June 8. I noted on Liz’s Father’s Day post on June 16 she did not call AH her HUSBAND but rather referenced him by his IG handle. LC and kids headed to London on June 19 and stayed there until August 18. TWO MONTHS. Pretty hard to have an affair with Lily James during this time I would imagine. Unless it was when LC took off to party in Italy for 10 days in July. LC posted another strange pic of her and AH together at a pub on June 22 where AH is hiding his face behind her and nuzzling her neck. I don’t think AH wanted anyone to see him being affectionate with her.  

Liz was in Italy from July 5-14 – 10 days. I think she left the kids with AH in London except that there is one photo of her and Harper on a boat in Naples on July 5 and one of her and Harper in Capri on July 6. The next time you see the kids is in a pic in London on July 17 welcoming her back from Italy. So did she go from London to Italy to London to Italy to London? The rest of the month is site-seeing in London with her and the kids.

August 2019 is when a magazine drops hints a divorce is on the horizon. TC wraps up shooting Dune in Norway (remember the Norway travel book on AHs bookshelf earlier this year?) and is in Amsterdam with Will from Aug 6-9. Side note: I love TCs IG story in Amsterdam on Aug 6 where he is walking down the street at night mouthing some rap song – so sexy! The King promo begins this month and the trailer is out – what better place to celebrate than Amsterdam! We get a Hammer family photo op on Aug 10 (we see their backsides while they are walking down a street in London) and then they all arrive back home in LA on the 17th. LCs birthday post on Aug 19 is lowkey – a sexy AH with the kids at the house with a cake wishing her a happy birthday. But then we fast forward to the joint adult birthday party at the San Vicente Inn on the 24th that includes a post of LC and LRD in a sexy hug. What??? Why was LRD at the party supposedly making out with LC? I thought she was TCs “girlfriend”. Shortly after the party, we get the Happy Angry Birthday Blind Gossip article. This article mentions that AH had gone off for a long period of time during the party to talk to someone on the phone. And LC calls him a liar and he says to stop being a bitch. My notes show that TC was attending one of Guillian’s concerts at a small venue that weekend in NYC. Maybe AH was on the phone with TC??? Interestingly, TC “liked” LCs birthday post from the San Vicente Inn on Aug 25 so it must be one big happy MODERN family. I took note of LCs birthday post to AH on Aug 28. It is AH looking his finest but now instead of her calling him my HUSBAND she calls him MY PERSON.

AH is smoking ribs in the backyard at the beginning of Sept for his birthday. TC is off showing the world and AH just how sexy he is in a silver HA suit at the Sept 2 The King premier in Venice. I am not sure what to make of LCs post on Sept 3 of her and AH riding a moped together. She is recognizing National Relaxation Day and when you listen to AH speak on the moped it sounds like stage directions. On Sept 20, I notice LC puts out a post saying “Nobody puts baby in the corner.” And I am thinking except for maybe a Mr. Chalamet. I think AH treats himself to a private b-day celebration in London from Sept 6-16. He posts a pic of him drinking a pint at a pub with friends on the 6th. Important to note: TC “likes” an AH post for the first time in 9 months. Just to make sure everyone is clear that both boys are STRAIGHT and not seeing each other after this “like” we have the Capri boat sham. AH is back in LA at the gym with friends on Sept. 16. The DOTN shoot begins in London on Sept 30.

Side note: For all you detectives out there, can you please help me find out where TC was on Saturday, Sept 7? Was he celebrating with AH in London? I have notes that say TC was heading to Toronto from Europe on the 8th but now cannot find that reference. And then how do the dates overlap with the Capri boat sham.  

AH films DOTN with that sexy pornstache in London in October. Andrew Aciman releases the Find Me novel and AH and TC really do “find each other” at the London premiere of The King on Oct 3. Too bad for us and AH that TC didn’t show up with the black HA cutout suit because it would have been a total mindfuck - agree! Maybe TC modeled it for AH in his hotel room. While all this is going on, LC is back at home honoring Female Founders at an event with Rachel Zoe. What else is going on? AH stops wearing his wedding ring; meets up with Luca for dinner and TC heads off to Busan with a big grin and a mighty limp after calling in a sick day to hang out with his lover and skip promo. LC is in London Oct 24-30 but we see no pics of AH or the kids…just her at a LV show and tourist sites. My mind wonders: Is she trying to show the public she is still attached to AH? Finally, TC is at The King premiere in Beverly Hills on the 26th and stays in LA until Nov 3.

LC heads home from London for Halloween to celebrate with the kids. TC is in Long Beach to open up the Kid Cudi concert on Nov 3. Not sure exactly when AH gets home from London but he shows up at an event with LC on Sept 18 – supporting the GO CAMPAIGN. Kid Cudi is at this event. LC posts several pics of AH and her at this event but they just don’t give off the same loving vibe as they did in 2016. In one of her pics she writes: “And then they learned to smile.” OK. LC spends a lot of time in Texas during November (from the 8th-17th). She accepts the outstanding alumni award from her college alma mater. At the end of November, AH is shooting a National Geographic segment in Sardinia (learning how to suck a goat’s teet) and then heads to Dallas for Thanksgiving with the family.

The start of December has the family in Denver celebrating Harper’s birthday. We also know AH is in Hawaii on Dec 5-6 filming Next Goal Wins and visiting gay bars. TC is off in NYC at the Little Women premiere (7th) and makes a Jimmy Fallon appearance (9th). TC flies to Paris on Dec 10 and we see him in a LW press event wearing that delicious red LV jacket. We watch him watching the CMBYN scene where he plays the piano for Oliver (Dec 12) and lusts after him. The London LW premiere is Dec 16 and along with it that cute Gorillaz t-shirt. We next see AH in LA on Dec 9 in a Christmas shot with Santa and the kids. I took note that AH IS NOT WEARING HIS WEDDING RING in this pic and he has showed up to an event in jeans and a ball cap whereas other attendees are a bit more dressed up. It just gives off a whole “IDGAF vibe. I am done with photo ops.” He does redeem himself with the sexy rope belt though. Sorry Harper and Ford – I digress. LC puts out an interesting @cakebytim post on Dec 12. LC also posts a pic of her and AH and the kids to commemorate Harper’s 5th birthday – the ring finger is hidden again. On Dec. 17 LC says she “feels more powerful surrounded by other powerful women” in an IG post. On Dec 18, LC and AH take the kids to Disney on Ice at the Staples Center and then they celebrate Archie’s 5th birthday. LC makes sure to let everyone know that “Archie has stayed a loyal companion while maintaining a heathy level of indifference”. AH is off to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the MDL Beast Festival (Dec 20-22). There he paints two blue letter Ts on his forehead and lets off some steam. We see TC celebrating his birthday at a restaurant with Kid Cudi in NYC on Dec 28. AH and LZ spend Christmas in LA with the kids which is interesting because they have spent Christmas in Denver the last 3 years. 

Everything from 2019 looks fake and staged between them IMHO. Especially in comparison to the 2016 and 2017 posts. It looks like AH and LC are just trying to show the public they are still one big happy family while AH carries on his romance behind the scenes with TC. However, their posts are not fooling many of us. I will close out 2019 letting everyone know that AH wore the BOYFRIEND sweater on Christmas Day while everyone opened presents. Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas.  

[delinquentdevils]

[ jacob elordi. cis male. he/him. ] Ulysses Flynn is a 26 year old and has been in Santo Padre for 26 years. They are security at Fifth Street Casino and a member of the Order of Odin MC. 

tw for violence, abandonment, prison.

SORTA BUT NOT REALLY FUN FACTS.

son of samuel ‘switchblade’ flynn, mother unknown.

switchblade found out about ulysses when he found a screaming two week old on his door step with nothing more than a note that said ‘he’s yours’ tucked into a blue blanket with the name ulysses stitched on it.

despite keeping him and raising him to the best of his ability, ulysses father wasn’t the most equipped to be a single father. if not for the order of odin m.c., uly’s not sure he would have made it to adulthood.

the life lessons he learned from a young age were violence and how not to get caught. he considers himself a pro at both.

he’s never had much ambition beyond wanting to join the order, and tried to drop out/get himself kicked out of school from age 12 onwards. his father forced him to stay and insisted he finish high school and ulysses made that everyone else’s problem from faculty to his peers.

he managed to make it to graduation, but once he was handed his diploma his main focus turned to becoming a patch member of O3.

at 20, his father was excommunicated for botching a weapons drop and fleeing. uly has never forgiven him for the cowardice, and to prove his loyalty to the club he cut his father’s insignia tattoo out.

he used a switchblade, because that felt somewhat poetic to him.

had a crush on edie teller ever since he was first able to decipher what a crush was.

eventually, he managed to convince her to give him a real chance despite their differing views on him being a club member.

what followed was the most at peace he’s ever been in his life between that and rolling with the club. he felt like he had figured out what life’s supposed to feel like, until he fucked it up.

after edie was followed and harassed by a local after her shift end one night, uly took it upon himself to make sure that didn’t happen again.

the following night, the man was found with a cracked skull and the lost of vision in his right eye due to a vicious crowbar attack. in the adrenaline of it, ulysses made a rookie mistake and removed his facial bandana to spit on him which resulted in a distinctly clear image of him on a cctv camera that couldn’t be disputed.

due to this, jail time for aggravated assault was inevitable and he was eventually sentenced to two years in prison.

he was paroled 3 months ago and is now adjusting to life as a free man and is trying – and often times failing – to stay out of legal trouble.

currently works security at fifth street casino. 

PERSONALITY.

+ witty, driven, loyal, fearless.

- hotheaded, confrontational, obsessive, vengeful.

BONUS ROUND.

uly’s birthchart.

his insignia tattoo is on his chest to remind him home is where the heart is.

he always carries the switchblade he used to remove his father’s tattoo to remind him that cowardice is worse than death.

he still has the note that his birth mother left when she abandoned him to remind him that blood doesn’t equal family.

CURRENT CONNECTIONS.

best friend who’s like a sister (who’s actually his sister) jasey bomba​

ex-girlfriend: edie teller

the ride or die homies: landon teller, fallon ford

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

connections wise he’s pretty much an open book right now, but some baseline ideas that can be springboarded off are:

friendly.

best friend / childhood friends / pseudo-siblings / a mentor / fellow club members / older club members he admires / friends / drunk friends / prison pen pals / new friends / roommate / co-workers at the casino / former co-workers.

romantic.

flirtationship / friends with benefits / tinder matches / high school exes / unrequited crush (can be either way) / experimented with their sexuality together (he’s bisexual).

antagonistic.

enemies / former (best) friends / fell for the same person & fell out of touch / frenemies / rivals / negative influence / former co-workers / people he’s fucked over in the past or has fucked him over.

[phantomofthepairofdice]

The Rosscars 2020

Wow. It’s that time of year again, only this time it’s different because it’s on a blog that no one will read! (hold for applause) Welcome to the first annual online publication for the Rosscars (hold for applause while the reader acknowledges how positively droll it is that I combined my name with “Oscars”). Who can forget such indelible Rosscar memories like when Steven Soderbergh surprised us all and won Best Director for Out of Sight or Bill Irwin’s beautiful speech upon winning Best Supporting Actor for Rachel Getting Married?! The Rosscars mean something different to everyone, but we all know that they mean quality choices made by a committee of one schmuck. This year’s Rosscars are bizarre because in an effort to be more like the Academy guidelines, film’s nominated have been released between January 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021. As usual, theatrical windows be damned, streamers are welcome. Of course, I have my gripes. I like categorizing movies by release year – specifically, when they become available to the plain old public like yours truly – not at festivals, limited runs in NYC and LA. Well, the Oscars are still weeks away and I feel like everybody wants to forget about last year and move onto this one that we’re already three months into - So here are my awards for the films, performers, and craftspeople that stood out in a pretty exceptional year for movies even though distribution was stranger than ever. 

**A few caveats and guidelines to Rosscar newcomers (which I imagine is just a formality since we all know the Rosscars so well)**

The rules and categories are a little different around here. First, not every category is honored directly. That’s for a few reasons, chiefly that I don’t feel qualified to reward the technical categories properly – I suppose I should say that I feel less qualified to do so than the “above the line” categories. In keeping with the Academy standard, there are five nominees in each category, except for Best Picture, Best Non-Fiction/Documentary Feature, and Best Ensemble Cast which allow up to ten. Every category, save those three, will have the possibility of honorable mentions, because I want to highlight some things that just barely missed the cut. The narrowing down of a lot of these categories was awfully tough.

Nominees are listed alphabetically, and the winners are in bold and italics.

Also, it’s important to keep in mind that I couldn’t see everything (this isn’t a job and it’s still $20 to rent The Father, y’all) and that these are just the opinions of one (self-described) “bozo on the internet.” If you’re a reader and have different picks, feel free to share!

Special Commendations for some things that I want to recognize: • Ludwig Goransson for his Tenet score which is an absolute banger • The costumes of Emma. (Alexandra Byrne), Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Ann Roth), and Small Axe (Jaqueline Durran, Sinéad Kidao, and Lisa Duncan) all struck me as exceptional • Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross with their scores for both Soul and Mank. Crazy that Pixar is working with the guy who made “Closer” • The cinematography of Da 5 Bloods (Newton Thomas Sigel), First Cow (Christopher Blauvelt), Beanpole (Kseniya Sereda), and A White, White Day (Maria von Hausswolff)

The Rosscars red carpet was, as usual, a bizarre affair. People filed into the theater and it seemed like the only encounters were awkward ones. Vin Diesel showed up in character as Bloodshot, Aaron Sorkin started getting really verbose about what a lovely night it was, and it became clear that most of the celebrities in attendance didn’t read their invitations closely enough to realize that this was not, in fact, the Academy Awards.

Everyone’s seated, and the show is under way. After a medley about the nominees this year by Common and Seth McFarlane that was more corny but clever than it was funny, the first official category is here, and the presenter is none other than... Ross!

Best Supporting Actor:

1. Chadwick Boseman for Da 5 Bloods

2. Matthew Macfadyen for The Assistant

3. Jesse Plemmons for Judas and the Black Messiah

4. Paul Raci for Sound of Metal

5. Glynn Turman for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Honorable Mentions:

• Lucas Hedges for Let Them All Talk

• Orion Lee for First Cow

• Bill Murray for On the Rocks

Best Supporting Actress:

1. Vanessa Bayer for Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar

2. Candice Bergen for Let Them All Talk

3. Gina Rodriguez for Kajillionaire

4. Amanda Seyfried for Mank

5. Yuon Yuh-jung for Minari

Honorable Mentions:

• Jane Adams for She Dies Tomorrow

• Charin Alvarez for Saint Frances

• Talia Ryder for Never Rarely Sometimes Always

• Debra Winger for Kajillionaire

Everyone loves a montage. The audience gets comfortable in their seats as the video screens start to show a montage of some of the most famous moments from Hollywood’s most magical movies. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers waltz, gliding across a dance floor like two hovering angels. There’s a clip of Leo declaring himself king of the world in Titanic, the flying bicycles in ET, Bogart stares longingly into Bacall’s eyes, and then there’s some scene where Tom Cruise rides a motorcycle from 2010′s Knight and Day. The audience all seems confused how that last one got in there. The John Williams music swells as little Kevin McAllister screams when puts on aftershave. We see clips of Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver, Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia embrace Harrison Ford’s Han Solo, Bruce Lee smoothly declares that boards don’t hit back and... wait... was that a clip from Michel Gondry’s Green Hornet with Seth Rogen? And that’s a clip from What Happens in Vegas... Bad Teacher... Vanilla Sky... Shrek 2... Any Given Sunday... Everyone is flummoxed. The last clip fades out and a sole editing credit appears: Cameron Diaz. The lights come up and there’s some applause, but mostly confused murmurs. 

The ceremony has had a bit of a misstep, but nothing it can’t recover from, especially as the next category is announced over the PA, and it looks like the presenter is... Ross!

Best Ensemble Cast:

1. Bacurau

2. Da 5 Bloods 

3. Kajillionaire

4. Let Them All Talk

5. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

6. Minari

7. Nomadland

8. Pieces of a Woman

9. Small Axe

Best Original Screenplay:

1. Danny Bilson and Paul Dameo & Spike Lee and Kevin Wilmott for Da 5 Bloods

2. Lee Isaac Chung for Minari

3. Brandon Cronenberg for Possessor

4. Sean Durkin for The Nest

5. Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles for Bacurau

Honorable Mentions – a very difficult task to weed this down to five.

• Shaka King and Will Berson for Judas and the Black Messiah, from a story by Kenny and Keith Lucas

• Steve McQueen, Alastair Siddons, and Courttia Newland for Small Axe

• Kelly O'Sullivan for Saint Frances

• Thomas Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm for Another Round

Best Actor:

1. Ben Affleck for The Way Back

2. Chadwick Boseman for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

3. Delroy Lindo for Da 5 Bloods

4. John Magaro for First Cow

5. Mads Mikkelsen for Another Round

Honorable Mentions:

• Riz Ahmed for Sound of Metal

• John Boyega for Small Axe

• Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah

• Hugh Jackman for Bad Education

• Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson for A White, White Day

We have a break in the action and it looks like Darius Rucker has showed up to perform what he would have nominated for Best Original Song. The crowd is absolutely furious as he starts playing a song that apparently was in Trial of the Chicago Seven. An ocean of sonorous boos and curses overtakes the the once docile crowd. The Rock just ripped his chair from out of the ground. Jane Lynch somehow smuggled in a civil war era flintlock pistol that she’s now pointing at the stage! Suddenly, the crowd unifies around what started as a confident chant of one lone audience member - John C Reilly. It’s growing... Ja Ja Ding Dong, Ja Ja Ding Dong, Ja Ja Ding Dong - it’s like the macabre circus performers from Tod Browning’s Freaks, but instead of chanting “Gooble Gobble” they’re clearly pining for Darius to change his tune to the silly and delightful jam from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. Darius, scared for his life, leaves the stage, but here come Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams to deliver the goods. Busy Philips and Michelle Williams burst into tears. Tom Hanks nods in approval. A segment saved by brave artists placating a toxic group of fans... we’ve just witnessed a live version of the Snyder Cut, folks.

Jack Nicholson seems completely unfazed, giving a thumbs up to the camera and blowing a kiss to the next presenter. Coming to the stage is... Ross... again...

Best Actress:

1. Jessie Buckley for i’m thinking of ending things

2. Carrie Coon for The Nest

3. Han Ye-ri for Minari

4. Sidney Flanagan for Never Rarely Sometimes Always

5. Vasilisa Perelygina for Beanpole

Honorable Mentions – these cuts were especially painful

• Haley Bennet for Swallow

• Morfydd Clark for Saint Maud

• Frances McDormand for Nomadland

• Christin Milioti for Palm Springs

• Geraldine Viswanathan for Bad Education

Best Adapted Screenplay:

1. Charlie Kaufman for i'm thinking of ending things from Iain Reed's novel

2. Sarah Gubbins for Shirley from Susan Scarf Merrell's novel

3. Kelly Reichardt and John Raymond for First Cow

4. Simon Rich for American Pickle from his short story "Sell Out"

5. Mike Makowsky for Bad Education from Robert Kolker's "The Bad Superintendent"

Best Non-Fiction/Documentary Feature:

1. Boys State

2. Collective

3. David Byrne’s American Utopia

4. Dick Johnson is Dead

5. Feels Good Man

6. In & Of Itself

7. The Painter and the Thief

8. Time

Jimmy Fallon has come out on stage to do a bit about the pandemic and watching movies at home. People are just absolutely not having it. He tries not to laugh at his own jokes while doing what I guess is technically a pretty good impression of Dr. Fauci interviewing James Corden as Martin Scorsese (the less said of this impression, the better) on what is or isn’t cinema. The bit doesn’t track and Fallon is absolutely tanking. The producers cut away from the stage to spare the viewers at home from this monstrosity. We see crowd shots of Millie Bobby Brown shaking her head in dismay, Colin Firth is simultaneously grimacing and trying to stave off laughter, Cynthia Erivo is texting, and director Tom Hooper is taking notes for his next film. Corden yells, “Carpool Karaoke! Remember?!” Ron Howard has fainted. This thing is almost completely off the rails.

Coming back to the stage is the next presenter, a clearly embarrassed... Ross! He’s in a total flop sweat, but stumbles his way through a joke about how Fallon should try co-hosting the Oscars with James Franco sometime. There are scant chuckles throughout a crowd that mostly just wants to see who won and go home.

Best Director:

1. Christopher Nolan for Tenet

2. Spike Lee for Da 5 Bloods

3. Steve McQueen for Small Axe

4. Kelly Reichardt for First Cow

5. Chloé Zhao for Nomadland

Honorable Mentions:

• Kitty Green for The Assistant

• Eliza Hittman for Never Rarely Sometimes Always

• Charlie Kaufman for i'm thinking of ending things

• Thomas Vinterberg for Another Round

Best Picture

1. Bacurau

2. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar

3. Da 5 Bloods

4. First Cow

5. i'm thinking of ending things

6. Judas and the Black Messiah

7. Never Rarely Sometimes Always

8. Nomadland

9. Small Axe

10. Tenet

Accepting the award for best picture is none other than Eve, the cow actor who played the titular First Cow! The audience is enamored with how graceful she looks in her cow gown, and her speech, though indecipherable, is likely simple, observational, and deeply profound for those who speak cow.

Wow, what a ceremony! Hearts were broken, property was damaged, dreams were fulfilled... blood was shed? Damn it, Meryl Streep came in and mugged Charlie Kaufman before absconding with the trophy. Oddly, she’s a previous winner, so the attack isn’t out of need for hardware. People are reading through articles about production on Adaptation for potential motives. Streep made time for a photo opportunity, but remains at large.

I could go on ad infinitum about all of these nominees and winners themselves and why they did or didn’t make the cut, but that’d be better served in a different piece. For now, my thoughts on most of these can be found on the Best of 2020 write-up and over on my Letterboxd. And, as always, these awards can be revoked and redistributed at will, so don’t get too cozy with that statue, Danny Bilson!

On behalf of the RAOGL (Rosscars Association of One Guy at a Laptop), thanks for reading, and stay tuned as we’re establishing a tip line for anyone has seen Ms. Streep or her stolen valor Rosscar. We’ll see you next year. Keep watching movies, and keep arbitrarily quantifying them in terms of subjective quality!

[puppyexpressions]

6 Fun Facts About Golden Retrievers

A gentle, loyal, family companion, the Golden Retriever is a favorite pet for all ages, and you may think you know Golden Retrievers well. Test your knowledge of the breed with these fun facts -- the Golden Retriever's versatility just may surprise you!

1. Despite their titled heritage, Golden Retrievers didn't win breed recognition until the 1920s.

Golden Retrievers were developed starting in 1850 by the Scotsman Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks, the Lord of Tweedmouth. Hunting birds was popular at the time, both as sport and as a practical way of obtaining food. Marjoribanks sought a medium-sized bird dog to support the hunt. The breed was developed by crossing a Retriever with a Water Spaniel, then crossing their offspring with Bloodhounds, Irish Setters, the St. John's Water Dog, and other Retrievers. Golden Retrievers were first shown in 1908, at the U.K.'s Crystal Palace. They were entered as "flat coats (golden)" rather than the name we know them by today.

It took until 1925 for the breed to win official American Kennel Club (AKC) recognition. Today, Golden Retrievers are still used for hunting and field trials, and they also perform obedience and guide dog work.

2. There are three types of Golden Retrievers.

While you might think all Golden Retrievers look very similar, the breed actually has three different colors -- golden, light golden, and dark golden -- as well as three different types -- English, Canadian, and American. There are subtle differences between the types of Goldens, but they all fall under the same breed.

How do you know what type of Golden Retriever you've got? Check their build and coloring. Canadian and American Golden Retrievers tend to have the same build; however, Canadians have a thinner coat than the Americans. English Golden Retrievers have a stockier build than the other types, and also tend to have a light golden to white color. To get an idea of what color coat your Golden Retriever puppy will have when it matures, take a look at its ears. The tip of the ears usually show what color the pup will be after they lose their puppy coat. No matter which type of Golden you have, they'll have an even, enjoyable temperament. Goldens are renowned for their calm, playful, and friendly disposition.

3. Two Presidents enjoyed Golden Retrievers as pets while in the White House.

Both President Ford and President Reagan enjoyed Golden Retrievers while in office. President Reagan's Golden Retriever, Victory, was one of six dogs the president owned. President Reagan also enjoyed a stable full of horses at his ranch.

President Ford had a Siamese cat and a mixed-breed dog in addition to Liberty the Golden Retriever and Liberty's puppy, Misty.

Goldens are also popular as celebrity pets. Celebs who own Golden Retrievers include Miranda Lambert, Jimmy Fallon, Emma Stone, Adam Levine, and Oprah.

4. Golden Retrievers are so popular in movies due to their obedient nature.

Golden Retrievers are often featured in movies and television shows, including Air Bud and Homeward Bound. While the breed is certainly cute, it's not their beauty that gets Goldens so many television spots. It's their mellow nature, combined with their trainability.

Golden Retrievers are easy to train, and they perform reliably and consistently. That's what makes them such popular guide dogs, and it's also what led the breed to take first in AKC obedience trials when they were introduced in 1977.

5. Golden Retrievers also make great working dogs.

It's not all fame and fortune for these pets. Many Golden Retrievers work as search and rescue dogs. Their tracking abilities and strong sense of smell help them find missing people. Perhaps the most well-known use of Golden Retrievers as rescue dogs was during 9/11, when a two-year-old trained rescue dog named Bretagne helped search for survivors. Bretagne went on to aid in the search and rescue efforts during Hurricanes Rita and Katrina as well.

6. Golden Retrievers are record holders.

A couple of Golden Retrievers have made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. An Australian Golden holds the world record for the loudest bark, measured at 113.1 decibels -- 3 decibels louder than a buzzing chainsaw. Another Golden Retriever holds the record for the most tennis balls held in the mouth, at five tennis balls.

Golden Retrievers are an impressive bunch, as any Golden lover knows. It's no wonder they are the third most popular dog breed in the U.S.

[tabloidtoc]

Hollywood Reporter, November 13

I’m out of tabloids until Monday afternoon, but my OCD remains :)

Cover: Actress Roundtable -- Laura Dern, Lupita Nyong’o, Jennifer Lopez, Renee Zellweger, Awkawfina, Scarlett Johansson 

Page 4: Contents 

Page 6: Contents 

Page 13: The Report -- Streaming TV’s ‘Black Box’ and the coming Guild War 

Page 16: Disney’s ‘FX on Hulu’ Plan Snubs Pay TV to Boost Digital Battle, Viacom Makes ‘Agressive’ Play to Remake Its Leadership 

Page 18: Can NBC Halt Jimmy Fallon’s Long Ratings Tumble?, Amazon Takes Netflix’s Theater Playbook 

Page 20: Box Office, Broadcast TV, Cable TV, Billboard Hot 100, Billboard 200, Closer Look -- LGBTQ’s TV Visibility Grows 

Page 22: Awards Season -- Documentary Feature -- Apollo 11, Prosecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz, David Crosby: Remember My Name, Best Actress -- Charlize Theron, International Feature Film -- The Traitor (Italy), Lionheart (Nigeria)/Joy (Austria), Makeup/Hairstyling -- Rocketman 

Page 24: 7 Days of Deals -- Chernin Readies ‘2.0′ Media Fund: $700M to Shower on ‘Quality’ Buys, At AFM There’s the Best and Then Not Much Else, Rights Available -- Dangerous Alliance by Jennieke Cohen, Girl Serpent Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust, Film -- Colin Farrell and Andy Serkis are in talks to join The Batman as the Penquin and Alfred Pennyworth, Adam McKay, Emma Stone and Brad Pitt, Vanessa Hudgens and Alexandra Shipp

Page 25: Tenoch Huerta, Sadie Sink, Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, Television -- Kate McKinnon, Ava DuVernay, Mary-Louise Parker, Courtney B. Vance, Digital -- Zoe Saldana and Reese Witherspoon, Adam Scott and Ben Stiller, D’Arcy Carden and Abbi Jacobson, Kaitlyn Dever and Jonathan Tucker, Will Graham, Kristen Bell, Michelle Wolf, Real Estate -- Oprah Winfrey and Jeff Bridges, Rep Sheet -- Wesley Snipes, Hong Chau, Swizz Beatz, Chris Lowell, Adrien Brody, One to Watch -- Rachel Gao 

Page 27: About Town -- Jane Fonda and the ‘Ticking Existential Time Bomb’ in D.C. 

Page 28: ‘One of Michael Crichton’s Most Iconic Pieces of Work,’ THR Confidential -- Hollywood history questions answered -- Which Agent Shot Another Agent in the Groin? Walter Wanger, Joan Bennett and Jennings Lang 

Page 30: Yes I Did Say That! -- Reed Hastings, Katie McGrath, Kent Alterman, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joy Behar, John Legend, Amy Robach, Chris Jack, Flashback -- Kelsey Grammer 

Page 32: Patron of the Artists Awards -- David Oyelowo and Ava DuVernay, Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow, Courtney B. Vance and Norman Lear and Willem Dafoe, Cynthia Erivo, Olivia Wilde, Mark Ruffalo and Laurence Fishburne, Awkwafina and Constance Wu, Gabrielle Carteris, Greg Berlant and husband Robbie Rogers, JoBeth Williams and Paul Rudd, Leonardo DiCaprio, Chrissy Metz and Diane Warren, Esai Morales and David Harbour and Julia Garner 

Page 33: American Cinematheque Awards -- Charlize Theron and Seth MacFarlane, Kristen Stewart, Jason Reitman, Adam Aron and wife Abbe and son David and Les Coney, Donna Langley and Seth Rogen 

Page 34: Baby2Baby Gala -- Gwyneth Paltrow, Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba and Chrissy Teigen and Kelly Rowland and Katy Perry and Norah Weinstein, Kobe Bryant and wife Vanessa, Camilla Belle and Molly Sims and Monique Lhullier and Jordana Brewster, Nikki Reed and Gina Rodriguez, Frozen 2 -- Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell, Bob Iger and Sterling K. Brown and wife Ryan Michelle Bathe, Jeremy Sisto and Jason Ritter, Jonathan Groff and Evan Rachel Wood and Josh Gad, Jennifer Lee and boyfriend Alfred Molina 

Page 36: Rambling Reporter -- Chuck Lorre’s ‘stupid’ Scientology phase, agent Nick LoPiccolo survives ‘horror film’ car crash by inches, Twinning with Christian Bale and Matt Damon, Power Dining -- David O. Russell, Indya Moore, Jeremy Zimmer and Rich Paul, Mariah Carey, Goldie Hawn, Tom Ford, Pete Davidson, Henry Winkler, John Lasseter, Bob Iger, Frank Marshall, Barry Josephson, Marvin Levy 

Page 38: Hitched, Hatched, Hired 

Page 40: The Business -- Howard Lee 

Page 42: Guest Column -- A ‘Disgrace’?! Netflix Should Avoid Wasting Money in Theaters 

Page 44: Digital -- Stars in Games: It’s More Than a Paycheck -- Keanu Reeves, Norman Reedus, Jeremy Davies, Angela Sarafyan 

Page 50: Behind the Screen -- Crafting a Scene-Stealing Cat in Captain Marvel 

Page 51: The Race -- Oscar Contenders Reckon with Fact Versus Fiction 

Page 56: Style -- Watches ‘to Impress and Express’ -- Niles Fitch, Aldis Hodge, Henry Golding, Chris Pratt 

Page 56: Marlon Brando’s Rolex Hits the Auction Block 

Page 58: Peak TV as Pop-Up Eateries: ‘It’s a Whole New Business Model’ 

Page 62: Cover Story -- The Actresses Roundtable 

Page 73: The Secret Past of a Hollywood Futurist -- Yves Bergquist, Alexis Debat 

Page 76: Awards Season -- Animated Feature -- Toothless, Elsa and Woody’s Three-Way Fight -- It’s a perfect storm with three giant franchises -- from Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks -- all competing against one another for the first time, and a slew of other films (including Netflix’s first original animated movie) aiming to earn a nomination slot 

Page 77: Animated Short 

Page 78: Makeup & Hairstyling -- crafting a ‘handmade’ joker, Production Design, Costume Design 

Page 80: Song & Score 

Page 82: The Making of Ford v Ferrari 

Page 87: Reviews -- Tina: The Tina Turner Musical 

Page 88: Dollface 

Page 90: Social Climbers -- Actors -- Kevin Hart, Marlon Wayans, Scripted TV -- Game of Thrones, TV Personalities -- Maria Celeste Arraras 

Page 92: Backlot -- ‘We’re Kicking Down the Doors’ -- Queen & Slim helmer Melina Matsoukas on pushing culture forward 

Page 96: 90 Years of THR -- High School Musical was an instant smash in 2006

[vagabondretired]

*While right-wingers thought he was off hiring professional anti-Kavanaugh protesters, George Soros was actually planting this toilet paper on Trump’s shoe. Ha ha, you got OWNED, Ratpublicans!* Late Night Snark: Republicans Are Boofing America Edition: "If you took a shot for every time Kavanaugh lied about his yearbook, you'd be as drunk as Brett Kavanaugh was in the summer of '82." ---Colin Jost, SNL Clip of Lindsey Graham sniveling at the Kavanaugh hearing: You're lookin' fer a fair process? You came to the wrong town at the wrong time, my friend! Seth Meyers: He sounds like an outlaw gunslinger threatening to kill the Lone Ranger. But let's face it---if it came down to an old west gunfight, Graham would be the guy hiding behind the pickle barrel with his fingers in his ears. "Why does it have to be him? you can’t just pick another dude from your Illuminati lizard meetings? Are Republicans so pro-life that you don’t even have a Plan B for this?" ---Michael Che, SNL "He just couldn’t resist. Y'know, I'm starting to think a bipolar sociopath with no moral compass might not have been our best choice for president of the United States." ---Jimmy Kimmel, after showing a clip of Trump mocking Dr. Christine Blasey Ford "According to tax records obtained by The New York Times, Trump and his siblings set up a sham corporation to disguise millions of dollars in gifts from his parents. In order to hide the money from the IRS---which is a crime---Fred Trump had been funneling money to his children for years. In fact, by the time he was three, Donald Trump was earning $200,000 a year from his father's real estate empire. So let me get this straight: at one point Donald Trump was an extraordinarily wealthy toddler. And today he’s still that." ---Stephen Colbert And one year ago this week: “Trump had a nice visit to Puerto Rico. He said it gave all the First Responders a chance to meet with the Last Responder.” ---Jimmy Fallon

[rue-by-another-name]

10 Reasons to read Marlie B’s ‘Novelty’

Okay, so I’m sure you’ve all already seen me posting about my good, cute, adorable, passionate, smart, sassy friend Marlie ( @hey-marlie ) and her novel - ‘Novelty.’ But I figured I’d just clue you in to some of the things you’re missing and why it’s such an important piece of literature that you should definitely at least sneak a peek at. Marlie is a really talented writer, whether she believes it or not, and I’d love to share this story with the entire world. 

So, that being said, let me just Buzzfeed this bitch and tell you the Top 10 Reasons why YOU should be reading ‘Novelty’ :

1. Fallon Ford - The main character is an aspiring writer working on her senior capstone project. She’s spunky, short, affectionately called a ‘Tiny Demon’ by her ex-best friend (and total hottie). Fallon Ford is a strong and confident woman, and she may be a hot mess in her brain about her writing, but she’s got some serious power moves out there with the way she handles her work life, academic course load, friendships, and free time. Her fashion is kind of basically the cutest mix of vintage boss-ass bitch, and she’s a literal fucking ray of sunshine. We need more more strong female protagonists in our lives, and Fallon’s main goal in this novel isn’t to find a man and be happy - I mean, sure, she’s Out There and Getting It with some total hotties that I will mention later, but her main goal and aspiration is to become the best writer she can be and do her best. And that, my friends, I think is super awesome. 

2. Diversity - The cast of ‘Novelty’ is super diverse and it’s not the kind of diverse that is trying to make a statement, but the kind of subtle diversity that is a part of all our lives and should be talked about more. When asked about her diverse cast of lovely characters, Marlie responded by saying: “initially i don’t really think i noticed that my ‘cast’ per say was quite diverse. my college campus is 50% international students - on a campus of less than 1,000 students - and so having extremely diverse classes, or diverse ‘friend groups’ and all that is super normal. we have a really active lgbtq community, and so that’s a huge norm in my life and so i really wasn’t questioning it until i was pinteresting and realizing that i’ve got a really good group of kiddos that i’m molding to perfection and helping them be the best versions of themselves. so i think it’s obviously important to have representation, and i think it should be second nature that we don’t have to think ‘oh i have to have a character to fill out ____ quota’ because then what’s the real reason you’re doing it, ya feel ? so yeah … definitely a diverse squad, but that’s how it should be. and i’m really happy with the characters i have so far and i’m looking forward to what’s to come ! thanks for the shout out ! it means a lot and it’s good to reflect on these things.” Her characters represent multiple members of the LGBTQ+ community, multiple POC - African American, mixed-race, Vietnamese, Bangladeshi, and Puerto Rican. Marlie also tackles body image and represents all her characters in all shapes and sizes. 

3. Friendship - The friendships in ‘Novelty’ are the kind of healthy relationships with a bit of banter and tough-love that I think we can all learn lessons from. The relationship between best friends and roomies Fallon Ford and February Vale is one for the books. They are supportive of one another, basically co-habitating grannies, who help each other dress, motivate the other in their fields of study, and also find the time to hold each other accountable for their actions and emotions. There’s no judgment, no secrets, and while their friendship is a central part of the novel, it’s not something that Marlie overdoes or feels the need to include in every chapter. It’s authentic and organic, and it’s a great lesson in how a friend can be supportive in multiple situations. Honestly, they’re just super cute, and it’s nice to see how they interact with one another both in private, in public, and respect the other with utmost love and adoration. 

4. The Enemy - The main plot and conflict of the novel comes in the form of a tall drink of water known as Dane Jacobs. He’s a year older than Fallon, a post-graduate teaching assistant at their university, and he and Fallon share quite the history. They’re the best friends to enemies trope wrapped up in an angst blanket that makes your heart throb whenever they’re alone together. But what sets Dane “The Enemy” Jacobs apart from other enemies to potential-lovers trope is that he’s not diminished to an abusive or degrading male who sees the female as inferior to himself. Yeah, the fall out he and Fallon had was not quite the separation many of us would ever want to feel in our lives. But Dane doesn’t put Fallon down in any way when he’s assigned to be her advisor for her project. If anything, their banter and quippy remarks to one another show the deep rooted friendship they once shared, and how their separation from one another since the breaking off of their friendship has impacted them in a more emotional way then they’d care to admit. He still supports her writing and is honest with her - sometimes a bit too honest - and only wants her to do best. He masks it by saying he wants her to do well so he can be graded fairly on his work ethic as a teaching assistant, but I think we can all agree he’s doing it because deep down, he still loves Fallon and wants to see her succeed. Plus, he has an adorable puppy named Watson who makes an appearance whenever we need him most. 

5. Breaking Masculine Norms - Where the obvious pairing a lot of us are hoping for is the reunion of Fallon and Dane, there is one character that has waltzed into Fallon’s life in a big way - Lawyer Tom, the ultimate hottie. Marlie writes Tom in a very specific way - he’s not buff, or strong. He’s a freckly, unruly red-haired, tall and lanky man with bony shoulders and a nose that wrinkles when he laughs. He’s not your typical heartthrob, but he’s mouthwateringly perfect in every single way. He comes into Fallon’s life at a time where her love life is in a bit of disarray, and in the past couple chapters we’ve come to learn that Tom is the gentlemen-status all men should aspire to be. He lets Fallon stay overnight after a night out clubbing and doesn’t expect anything from her but her company over dumplings. He visits her at work when she tells him she’s nervous about getting back to her normal shift. He even finds time to make morning runs with Fallon fun by going out for breakfast quiches at a little cafe every morning. He’s quarting her platonically and it’s so goddamn adorable and quirky. Yeah, they kissed once and it was hot hot hot, but he hasn’t kissed her since and he’s letting her take the relationship at the pace she wants. She’s the one who has to ask him on dates, and he’s the one who’s always justifying her emotions and actions whenever she’s feeling down or insecure. He’s a great support system and is open about his emotions and the fact that his home life hasn’t been the absolute best in the past. He’s confident in his work, is constantly calm and at peace with his surroundings, and enters every situation with grace and poise. Not to mention he has the most amazing relationship with his younger brother Cody, and honestly, is my new ultimate hero. He’s the role model all men should be aspiring to be, and the fact that he’s being so patient and kind and wonderful with Fallon is a huge turn on. 

6. Success in Art - The legendary roommate February Vale is a goddess not only casually in life, but also in the art department. I know this is only a little tiny thing, but February is also in her senior year of university and she’s already had great success in her art career. It’s not often we see characters studying art portrayed as successful, or as having a grip on their education. The concept of the “struggling artist” is romanticized and oftentimes degraded to nothing more than just a hobby. But February expresses everything that’s wonderful about art - immersing yourself in your project, applying to galleries and exhibits, and being raw with your art in a way you sometimes can’t express yourself in words. When February came out as bisexual to her parents, it wasn’t received well and she took those feelings to the canvas, winning her awards and slots in galleries all through London (the characters’ home base). Marlie also never explicitly mentions what kind of art February is most interested in or establishes as her signature, and so I think that is truly important for us as readers to depict what we consider to be successful art and know that it can not only come from a student, but a woman, and a damn wonderful and courageous one at that. 

7. The Banter - One of Marlie’s greatest triumphs in writing is her dialogue. She’s taught me so much about how to find multiple voices in your characters and to embody those personalities within their conversations. The banter between all the characters - primarily the snippy and sometimes crass comments rapidly fired back and forth between Fallon and Dane - is exceptional. The characters come to life through their words and expressions, and it’s a great way to not only connect to the characters yourself, but to really feel as if you’re standing there watching these characters interact. The office scenes between Dane and Fallon are truly amazing, and the flat scenes Fallon and February bring to life are hilarious. You can tell that these characters are can portray different versions of themselves depending on whether they’re in public or in private, and I believe that’s a great attribute to the great writer behind the words. 

8. Pinterest - Per a request from an anon, Marlie has constructed an entire Pinterest account dedicated to storyboarding the personas of her characters. Every outfit mentioned, every studio described, and every action played out by each individual can be found within the boards of the Novelty Pinterest, and is a great outside resource to gaining a better understanding of who these characters are and how Marlie is envisioning them. They’re super fun to scroll through, and I oftentimes find myself going back to the characters mentioned in each chapter and attempting to find the outfits they were wearing, or the coffee shop they were sitting in. Seriously, it’s the absolute most unique thing I’ve ever seen a writer do and I’m fascinated by it. 

9. Updates - Marlie is extremely good at making sure the updates are on time every single week. She updates every Saturday mid-morning and provides her own thoughts on the chapter as well as some insights to her writing mind. If Marlie has received any donations to her ko-fi page that week, she works hard to make sure the updates go up faster. She’s even posted on a Wednesday before. So really, you’re always getting new content and always learning more about the characters and the story, which is really truly wonderful. 

10. Marlie - Obviously I’m going to talk about my girl. Marlie has been writing for ages, but has never really shared anything with anyone in public like this before. She’s taken what little concepts I had about these characters and this world and she’s run with it. I get the most random texts from her at 3am saying she has this great idea for how to develop a specific relationship, or introduce a certain character. She thinks everything through and edits the shit out of whatever she’s written so that it’s pristine by the time it’s published. She works so hard, and she lives with these characters in her mind 24/7. The thought and care that goes into her writing after each chapter and how she interacts with her readers is so important, because she will write paragraphs depicting specific, seemingly minute moments from the previous chapter, only for your mind to be blown as you learn something that you may have missed. She’s a lovely human and cares so deeply for her writing. She’s been helping me for years, YEARS, with my own writing and the fact that she’s out here creating this whole world and community of her own now is fascinating to me. There is nothing this girl can’t do, and I am constantly in awe of each chapter and the emotions I feel even if it’s what she considers a ‘filler’ chapter. She’s a keeper, that’s for sure.

-----

SO, those are the top ten reasons why you should be out there reading ‘Novelty’ and supporting our girl Marlie B. There are so many other reasons why the novel is as amazing as it is, but I think what it all comes down to is having a writer who cares about her readers, cares about her writing, and cares enough to want everything to just make sense. I’ll put all her links below so you can explore it all you want, but let’s support some new writers on here and make sure you’re reblogging what you like. Circulating what you’re reading is so important! And this girl deserves our love for sure. 

Thanks for everyone who is already out here representing our girl and for all the questions and donations you’ve provided for her! She loves it! And she’s going to kill me for posting this! But I love her so freaking much! If anyone ever wants to freak out about each chapter with me, I’m always here to fangirl. No doubt about it. Thanks for your support, everyone! Have a great weekend. 

Read ‘Novelty’ HERE Support Marlie B HERE Find the Pinterest Boards HERE Ask Marlie B a Question HERE

[gadgetgirl71]

Top Ten Tuesday 23 February 2021

Welcome to this weeks Top Ten Tuesday. Originally created by The Broke & The Bookish, which is now hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week it features a book or literary themed category. This weeks prompt is:

Books That Made Me Laugh Out Loud

(Claire @ Book Lovers Pizza)

Rachel’s Holiday 

Synopsis: Here’s Rachel Walsh, twenty-seven and the miserable owner of size 8 feet. She has regular congress with Luke Costello, a man who wears his leather trousers tight. And she’s fond – some might say too fond – of recreational drugs. Until she finds herself being frogmarched to the Cloisters – Dublin’s answer to the Betty Ford Clinic. She’s outraged. Surely she’s not thin enough to be an addict? Heartsick and Luke-sick, she seeks redemption in the shape of Chris, a Man with a Past. A man who might be more trouble than he’s worth.

Can You Keep a Secret?

Synopsis: Emma is like every girl in the world. She has a few little secrets.

Secrets from her mother: 1. I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom to Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben Hur.

…From her boyfriend: 2. I’m a size twelve. Not a size eight, like Connor thinks. 3. I’ve always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken.

…From her colleagues: 4. When Artemis really annoys me, I feed her plant orange juice. (Which is pretty much every day) 5. It was me who jammed the copier that time. In fact, all the times.

…Secrets she wouldn’t share with anyone in the world: 6. My G string is hurting me. 7. I faked my Maths GCSE grade on my CV. 8. I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is…

…until she spills them all to a stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger…

Get You Kit Off

Synopsis: Formerly Sex, Lies & Llamas From the author of the Number 1 bestseller – No Bra Required & Guess Who I Pulled Last Night? I’ve read Nikki’s previous books and loved them so I was expecting great things from her again. Guess what? She’s delivered!! The combination of humour, thrills and classic girl might- or might not-get her man is a real winner. If chick-lit is your thing Nikki is the author you need to read. Just brilliant!! – Amazon Reviewer WOW!! I loved this book. I have to be honest and say I put off reading it after I’d bought it, I loved the other 2 books by this author but football is not my thing and I thought the football theme running through it may have spoilt it for me … how wrong was I !! I can’t recommend this book or this author highly enough, I couldn’t put my Kindle down – can’t wait for more stuff from Nikki Ashton!!! – Amazon Reviewer Molly Pearson doesn’t have children, but as the Player Liaison Manager for a premiership football club, she does have twenty-two professional footballers and one jealous fiance to take care of – which as far as she can see is quite similar. With having to deal with problems from players buying zoo animals as pets, to losing their false teeth and a whole lot more, Molly can’t wait for the season to end. But, her life becomes even more complicated, when the man who broke her heart six years earlier, comes back into her life. Hail the returning hero, Joe Bennett, now one of the best footballers in the world and the club’s most expensive signing. Every woman wants him, every man wants to be him, and he’s returned for one reason only – he wants Molly back. With engaging characters, Sex, Lies & Llamas, is a humorous, yet sometimes sad romance depicting the difficulty in always doing the right thing, especially when love is involved.

Someone Else’s Fairytale

Synopsis: Jason Vanderholt, Hollywood’s hottest actor, falls head over heels for every girl, Chloe Winters, who hasn’t gotten around to watching most of his movies. It’s the ideal fairytale… for most people. The last thing Chloe needs is public attention. It brings back dangers from the past that she’s worked her whole life to escape.

The Single Girl’s To-Do List

Synopsis: Rachel Summers loves a to-do list: • Boyfriend • Flat • Great job

NOT on the list: • Being dumped

Best friends Emelie and Matthew ride to her rescue with an entirely new kind of list – The Single Girl’s To-Do List. Rachel doesn’t know it, but it will take her on all kinds of wild adventures – and get her in some romantic pickles too. And then it won’t be a case of what but who she decides to tick off…

• Mr. bendy yoga instructor • Mr. teenage sweetheart • Mr. persistent ex • Mr. deeply unsuitable

The Single Girl’s To-Do List gives Rachel the perfect heartbreak cure – and proves love is out there if you’re willing to take a chance.

Wedding Tiers

Synopsis: The path of true love never runs smooth. But for some, it’s one seriously bumpy ride! A heartwarming new romantic comedy from the bestselling author of A WINTER’S TALE. Growing up in the beautiful Lancashire village of Neatslake, Josie Gray and her childhood sweetheart, Ben Richards, always dreamt of living a life of rural bliss. And when Josie inherits her beloved Grandmother’s cottage, it seems they might just have got what they wished for. Josie throws herself into her wedding cake business, whilst Ben gains increasing acclaim as an artist. But the tranquil village turns into a hive of activity when Josie’s childhood friend, Libby Martin – now a wealthy widow – returns to the village, planning a lavish wedding to rival any celeb bash. The day goes with a bang, and soon Libby and Josie are hard at work at their fledgling wedding business, hiring out Libby’s beautiful Elizabethan home for ceremonies, with Josie creating all manner of wonderful cakes. But amidst all this romance, Josie’s fairytale relationship with Ben turns into a nightmare, and she quickly becomes Love’s number one cynic – until charming wedding photographer Noah Sephton arrives in Neatslake with a very different outlook on love! Can this hopeless romantic persuade pessimistic Josie to give romance another try? Or will it be a case of always the cake maker, never the bride!? A charming, witty and feelgood novel, ideal for fans of Katie Fforde and Harriet Evans.

The Bette Davis Club

Synopsis: The morning of her niece’s wedding, Margo Just drinks a double martini and contemplates the many mistakes she’s made in her fifty-odd years of life. Spending three decades in love with a wonderful but unattainable man is pretty high up on her list of missteps, as is a long line of unsuccessful love affairs accompanied by a seemingly endless supply of delicious cocktails.

When the young bride flees—taking with her a family heirloom and leaving behind six hundred bewildered guests—her mother offers Margo fifty grand to retrieve her spoiled brat of a daughter and the invaluable property she stole. So, together with the bride’s jilted and justifiably crabby fiancé, Margo sets out in a borrowed 1955 red MG on a cross-country chase. Along the way, none of what she discovers will be quite what she expected. But it might be exactly what she’s been seeking all along.

From acclaimed humor writer Jane Lotter comes this madcap, laugh-out-loud adventure, The Bette Davis Club.

Revised edition: This edition of The Bette Davis Club includes editorial revisions.

13 Dates

Synopsis: When Noah Wilson first encounters the quirky, opinionated and very beautiful Angel Fallon, his world is turned upside down. It’s clear she’s not his normal type, but Noah can’t stop thinking about her—which doesn’t bode well for the blind date he’s already late for.

Convinced by his friend (and self-professed dating expert) Marlon that thirteen dates is all you need to fall in love, Noah decides to give it a try with Angel. They should be incompatible: she’s impulsive and he’s a planner; he wants to settle down and she doesn’t ‘do’ relationships—or anything, for that matter—the way Noah is used to. But there’s something about Angel, and Noah can’t shake the idea that all they need is twelve more dates.

Despite some near-disasters involving rock climbing, saddle sores and jellied eels, it seems his plan may actually work. But even if they do reach the magic number, can that really mean they’ll just fall into their happily-ever-after?

The Shelf

Synopsis: Everyone in Amy’s life seems to be getting married (or so Instagram tells her), and she feels like she’s falling behind.

So, when her boyfriend surprises her with a dream holiday to a mystery destination, she thinks this is it – he’s going to finally pop the Big Question. But the dream turns into a nightmare when she finds herself on the set of a Big Brother-style reality television show, The Shelf.

Along with five other women, Amy is dumped live on TV and must compete in a series of humiliating and obnoxious tasks in the hope of being crowned ‘The Keeper’. Will Amy’s time on the show make her realise there are worse things in life than being left on the shelf?

A funny, feminist and all-too-relatable novel about our obsession with coupling up, settling down and the battle we all have with accepting ourselves, The Shelf introduces the freshest new voice in women’s fiction.

The Wish List

Synopsis: Be careful what you wish for… Florence Fairfax isn’t lonely. She loves her job at the little bookshop in Chelsea and her cat, Marmalade, keeps her company at night. But everything changes when her stepsister, Mia, announces that she’s engaged to her boring golf-playing boyfriend. That’s when Florence meets Irish love coach, Gwendolyn. …because you just might get it! When Gwendolyn makes Florence write a wish list describing her perfect man, Florence refuses to take it seriously. Finding someone who likes cats, doesn’t wear pointy shoes and can overlook her ‘counting habit’? Impossible! Until, later that week, a handsome blond man asks for help in the bookshop… But is Rory the one, or is he simply too good to be true? Florence is about to find out that her criteria for finding Mr Right aren’t as important as she thought – and that perhaps her perfect man has been right there all along…

Until next week.

#JustForFun, #Top Ten Tuesday, #TopTenTuesday, #TTT

[fallonbackwards]

THE FORD FAMILY ➟ TASK 2: FAMILY

Beckham Ford (JDM),  57 / Taurus / Bar Owner ➟ 

Father Beckham, the coolest man Fallon has ever met. No that is not up for debate ever. He is in fact the best, protective papa bear with a heart of gold. The prison tattoos make him look incredibly threatening (and he is), but one look at how he interacts with Fallon will tell you there is so much more to this man than meets the eye. 

Julia Bennet (Kate Beckinsale) , 56 / Virgo / Teacher ➟

Mother Julia, a patient and resilient woman with a smile like warm candy floss. She met Beckham when she became a regular at his bar. And what she thought would be a wild streak. stuck in a way she hadn’t planned. She’s been through the ringer when it comes to her romantic partners and managed to rebuild not once but twice in the aftermath of them. Despite this however she wouldn’t trade her kids for the world. 

Bowie Shore (Chace Crawford), 31 / Sagittarius / Owner of Ready Player One ➟ 

Older half-brother by blood and full bestie by choice, you know him you love him. Fallon met Bowie when she moved back to Silver Lake. Fallon followed Bowie around like a lost puppy a lot in the beginning, very eager to hang out with this new side of her family. Now they’re thick as thieves, and she likes to jokingly say she grew on him like moss. @bowieshore

Fallon Ford (Jodie Comer), 25 / Scorpio / Games Operator ➟

The youngest, the neon loving, screwdriver wielding Fallon Ford. She loves all the people above, and is grateful for every single one of them.  

**BONUS**

What would your family’s Latin motto or House words be? Fallon would totally steal the Martell’s words if she could for her family. However if she can’t: Igne natura renovatur integra.(Through fire, nature is reborn whole.)

Where is your family originally from?  Mom’s side is from Silverlake, Dad’s from Chicago. Fallon’s been a bit of both. 

What fictional family is your family’s counterpart? There isn’t a fictional family that comes to mind that can perfectly encapsulate their brand of endless love and a little dysfunction. But if she had to try to define her relationships with her family members as TV versions that’s easy: her and dad are Veronica & Keith Mars. Her and Mom: Lux & Cate Cassidy from life unexpected. Her and Bowie are: well no one comes up to their awesomeness but River & Simon Tam come close. 

Your character’s favorite family member, and why. You can’t pick a favorite in a family full of favorites. Of course they each excel in different areas, but she loves being around them. Bowie is the person she definitely hangs out with most, Beck is the person she listens to the most and Julia is the person she jokes with most. But all of them are good at everything in takes to be there for someone. It’s just which approach is going to fit the situation best. 

Is there a black sheep in the family? No because they are literally: a collection of black sheeps so none of their oddness stands out it just blends in with each other. 

Most memorable family vacation? They haven’t been on a big family vacay yet: tragic. 

Describe your family in one word: Charismatic. 

If your family were on a desert island and survival was of the essence, who would be the most helpful? Who is getting sacrificed? Most helpful? Beckham, he’s full of MacGyver style hacks from his stints behind bars. Second would be Mom because it’s her literal job to know things. Fallon is probably getting sacrificed because she was quoting too many tiktoks. 

[techcoffee]

Episode 48 | Techcoffee

https://venturebeat.com/2019/08/11/summer-slump-continues-for-game-industry-tv-spend/

https://venturebeat.com/2019/08/14/magic-the-gathering-esports-expands-with-players-tour-and-rivals-league-in-2020/

https://esportsobserver.com/oceania-recap-aug26-2019/

https://www.ruok.org.au/

https://esportsinsider.com/2019/08/this-week-in-esports-mastercard-ford-call-of-duty-franchising/

https://esportsinsider.com/2019/08/weplay-forge-of-masters-season-2/

https://betakit.com/11-canadian-companies-participating-in-y-combinators-summer-2019-cohort/

https://betakit.com/following-three-year-rebuild-joist-acquired-by-colorado-based-evercommerce/

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tube hit periscope and Twitter so looking for that LinkedIn connection will get there all right as he said the links there we go there we are good morning all right tech coffee order to talk tech news business startups and anything related to tech coffee maybe in the morning we'll will spend about a half an hour chatting over the news and then we'll document all the all the sites and news we went through on tech coffee org so if you want to follow along follow along on Twitter tech coffee and if you want to find out after the fact all of the video content and news that we go over and share will be out tech coffee org let's see our first first story here from ventureBeat summer slump continues for game industry TV spend post that over on Twitter let's see Super Mario 2 in action sweet picture I let's see game brands just for just Bend for the third month in a row okay so it's the gaming brands 6.2 from June's eight point seven Nintendo Domini with 60% rockstar game 36 so it's their TV spend anyway so that's great I mean they see the trends where less people are watching TV more people are actually watching twitch of their games or talking about their games on social media platforms so this spend is specifically on TV level of your dreams is partner with I spot TV there was on TV ad measures in an attribution platform monthly report okay leaks leads thanks to its estimated 3.7 million on nine ads that ran nearly 2,200 times generating 386 million impressions the Super Mario 2 ad about $900,000 level of your dreams okay so their priorities were Nick team Nick and Nick Tunes during shows like spongebob the loud house and iCarly rockstar spent 2.2 on the Grand Theft Auto game of course that aired 88 times resulting in 48 million impressions CBS NBC and FX top programs The Late Show Tonight Show and The Late Show hmm James Corden Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon so I guess the audience would make sense there for GTA let's see THQ games third place with 117 thousand for two ads aired 60 times generate 4.2 million impressions that was on TV channels like NBC MAV TV NBC Sports India round IndyCar racing motorcycle racing and motocross okay that makes sense Madden let's see if they had oh yeah okay Madden EA Sports spent 53,000 I'm placing one commercial bring it in for Madden NFL two want me arrange 66 times around 13 million impressions it ran on ESPN NFL Network and espn2 facepunch SportsCenter first take and get up Xbox closes out only spending four thousand 4400 placing a single add four years five six times generate 1.3 million impressions as it aired on TBS during eleague well that makes a lot of sense so it's interesting I guess as TV becomes more irrelevant this is the TV and all the different networks are the different apps that we use on it makes sense so it should seem less ads it's just interesting you have to build your own network in so you're buying your network on TV and that network is dwindling and then social is growing but it's less social this platform like NBC this plant Twitter or CBS Facebook it's more the brand itself has to be on anything that people are paying attention to so it's really your number of impressions or views are really gonna be on you as a brand across all the different platforms in here so that's what probably people are struggling with what these brands are struggling with is it's now on us to build up our brand recognition we can't just buy into it all right that was from ventureBeat this next one's from Venture Beat Magic the Gathering eSports expands with players tour and rivals League in 2020 thank you yeah that's what we like to see there's that tech coffee you want to follow along just follow the hashtag tech coffee and I'll be posting the the article as I read them on Twitter so you can click into the article and follow along with me as well good morning so this was August 14th which was about two weeks ago night's gathering on several changes to its eSports and Pro tabletops late today new addition to its Pro League was another cosets magic will feature its top broadcast events just aren't digital magic okay so it's not just broadcasting the players to her o regional tournament system expand a global play chance to qualify for 2020 mythic invitationals magic pro league is coming back adding rivals League World Championship brings together top players feels a bit confusing don't be surprised I had a hard time following all as well okay so here's the explanation of how it differs from Elaine chase VP of eSports quote magic is growing in both tabletop and MTG arena and we need a competitive structure that can grow with it okay what the table top players tour and MTG arena mythic Invitational offer twice once a qualification slot see players around the world vastly increasing play opportunities no matter which platform you prefer alright so you can do it either way and still qualify for example the nine regional players - or events wall for 3600 invites double the approximate 1,800 invites of a meal tour mythic championship system so she continues each MTG arena mythic Invitational will be fed by two mythic qualifier tournaments the top 1200 ranked players and monthly MTG play and constructed or limited at the end of each qualifying month eligible to compete OTG Arena players will get a new way to increase their mythic points with mythic point challenge tournaments alright these are new events on the MTG arena that allow those that allow those who don't want to compete at the highest levels to increase their mythic point count to rank up to rivals and get their shot at the MPL already seen and then the the challenge tournaments we've already seen that this year all right players tour is all about paper magic because it's the three regions Americas Europe and ancient Asia Pacific no brawls for you it's a format which you brew a deck just one copy of a card plus commander so I wonder if they were didn't choose we're always looking at innovate on formats it'll make the best competitive and broadcast experience great so if you're an MTG player I'm curious what you think about the new format and if you're going to be a part of the regional play or even care to make it to make it as a rival I guess as yeah let's check Oh priorities right okay let's see enter meet Magic the Gathering mmm all right next up no born eSports lineup expands click eSports launching fortnight tournament series alright alright know born Melbourne Melbourne eSports open Ubisoft experience a new click eSports fortnight series for all big lineup events of Australian eSports community over the coming months Melbourne the first leg expands so August 31st through September 2nd tournament announcements additional events so there's an event is to feature mix of open and pro events so over 40 East war including fortnight minecraft overwatch League of Legends rocket Lee Pokemon both card and game formats Forza Motorsport Forza horizon halo 3 Rainbow six siege Starcraft 2 csgo call of duty black ops for Street Fighter 5 Dragon Ball Z Tekken 7 Super Smash bro ultimate and melee that's quite the that's quite the gaming tournament right like that's quite the expansive games let's see so they're just making an announcement here will host League of Legends finals range both these players the finals australia high school youth sports champion featured finals for o so also the high school esports championship will be hosted there that is produced by tag live ESL Fairfax events and entertainment supported by the city Melbourne taking a mission I'm becoming Australia's home of eSports there you go get a focus on it weekend's upcoming are you ok mental health clarity are you ok oh that's great supporting on Thursday September 12th ahead of the event to highlight you know soft experience support from the charity great since romantic emotion growth curve Twitter all right some numbers the lace report which surveyed 1,200 households watch 41% had watch eSports without one quarter participants actually following eSports teams than 8 percent said they would enjoy culture around watching eSports they participate social connections and one third said it was from the challenge at a participation level one quarter said they had participated in eSports with half saying that it played for social connection and one third saying it was for the challenge it's real alright there's that now three more from eSports insider and then to beta kits and we'll wrap it up Oceana recap let's look at that just a shout-out to the are you ok group they have are you ok day September 12 I support an initiative like that conversation would change a life ask are you okay listen encourage action and check in are you ok day is for 2019 Thursday 12 September Thursday 12 September is are you ok day thanks for all the work you guys are doing out there are you ok I'm gonna put a link to that also yeah we need more honest conversations around suicide prevention all right eSports insider this week in eSports MasterCard Ford call of duty franchising its footprint in league of legends so big brands advertising in these communities where there's lots of people doing the activity right playing the games there's also this tiered system of average players advanced players pro players and then the consumption of the content around that gameplay right it's not just that all these people are playing now there's this giant breath that's growing of people who are also consuming that content of that gameplay so Ford and MasterCard are jumping on the bandwagon here and when I stay jumping on the this is about their expansion so they've already been there spans Riot Games partnership to cover League of Legends Championship Series global partnership with MasterCard League of Legends champions and deal with the summer split finals in Detroit they're sponsoring the opening ceremonies Ford launches fordzilla to house national eSports teams ok they have a neat logo they've made here check it out here it's over on Twitter timcanpy Ford Forza Motorsport seven other racing titles be recruiting national teams France Germany Italy Spain and UK mitzvah'd gaming ecology franchise spots it's it had acquired the Florida slot in the upcoming call of duty franchise League miami-based eSports organization owns supported mayhem a franchise in act Activision Blizzard's overwatch League okay so these different companies are buying out the league's and running the league's crink Crowe in sports Kroenke sports and entertainment also acquired the spot a spot in the franchise Call of Duty League securing a la franchise this isn't the first la franchise spot in the league to be sold by Activision Blizzard however with immortals gaming club ready already owning the spot in the exact same city ok.well leagues are expanding I guess more franchises are coming up and then bigger brands are wanting a part of the action so it's just gonna get more competitive on the business side let's see speaking of that here's the here's the next piece of news for from esports insider yes girl we play announce the second season of forge of masters league has reveals details surrounding second season of Counter Strike global Offensive or forged masters taking place in autumn there's a total price purse $100,000 or any 1000 euros Jesus can't just scratch the hell out of my leg and a land final in Kiev Ukraine so different formatting it'll include European teams having previously only been accommodating people from the CIS region 12 European teams and 12 CIS rosters will qualify for the upcoming season Dmitry visits Development Director and we play told these sports insider the goal quote the goal of this league is to find train and temper new masters of csgo professional scene for teams we create conditional identical conditions identical to the game in Tier one Peschel on and for viewers a spectacular show and format that reveals the abilities of players nurturing grassroots and bringing young blood to this stage this is where the excitement drama and great show comes in creating opportunities for native brand integrations alright open qualifiers will kick off September 14th the first phase spanning over October 1st to the 13th the offline way and forge match we'll be hosted in we plays eSports Arena on November 15th through the 17th the two regions so he continues though this is Eugene community manager at csgo unlike season 1 yep so that two regions again but he continues that sir he just won't clash yet in the first stage of online phase by the end of the first stage three teams from each region will qualify to then come together in the two final chances that teams have to go on to the main event there are two remaining EU and CIS teams battle about sweet that's gonna be fun to watch I want to watch that unfold so I shared that on the Twitter tech coffee org and then use the hashtag tech coffee all one word you can find all this later on tech coffee org over to beta kit our first article 11 Canadian companies participating in y combinator summer 2019 cohort so I'm interested in who's those companies are summer program Y Combinator's 197 overall chuubo was founded co-founder according to me the two turned Kubo into the subscription platform services today 360,000 ARR alright is a platform that integrates delivery services like grub hub skip the dishes and door - okay a bigger umbrella right so now you get grub hub that's over everything door - that has all their customers Kubo wants to put a big umbrella over all those so no matter what customer wherever you want to go you can get your food delivered from wherever from whatever service right door - now it becomes just a commodity service like grub hub and then you use this platform to go to any of those platforms for any of the food you actually want just bigger umbrellas hacker new Juno Juno College technology formal hacker you participate in the most recent YC cohort then the following months after increase use brace coding schools some us-based coding schools offer similar payment options including lambda schools profitable under three reasons okay so it's either gonna offer 100% in-person courses compared to lambdas 100% online Juno's 87% student placement rate compared with lambdas 86% so then we program verses nine months Juneau Technical University for the future you interested to see what they come out with scholar me college focused startup offers app to help students apply for college university financing all through one application at a startup weekend in Chicago I just facilitated someone wanted to do a college focus startup around the college visit experience and being able to get multiple college visits in in a single trip and then focusing what your experience is at each college the things you want to see or the people you want to talk to all in one app so you don't have the back-and-forth of scheduling and communication all through email collab software based in st. John's Combinator cloud-based tracking and design management platform designed specifically for mechanical systems and product design teams to reduce the amount of time wasted on poor communication during the design lifestyle did you see what collab software is and how it functions day to day to reduce that friction itself is first of any face to student joined by a sequence secrets bio improve how we treat disease and develop medicines researching the one-of-a-kind genetic makeup better safer medicines o medicine would be great if it was individualized maybe the sequence by I was trying to sequence our DNA and then apply medicine appropriately more appropriately than current it's just very expensive to apply for individual if you can that's great together toronto-based together software platform helps create manage and measure employee mentoring programs all right mentor program called together santech labs Waterloo started a first-ever breathalyzer for cannabis ok santech lab says a breathalyzer for cannabis Mota gora nat agora with the goal of innovating detail industry with tech solution integrates shop sharing with showrooming store online brains every pop-up and showcase spaces the beam just that's a tough space if you can innovate the that's great it's a tough space pop-up shops and show shop shit airing with showrooming integrating the two interesting thought a lot of execution there a lot of opportunity there hatchways Tirana Bass new grads career shifters looking to find software engineering jobs startup qualifies the match candidates with paid work placements that are meant to help them discover those jobs in tech always placement issue being the data on the backend how do you know who XYZ person is and how do you know how have you mapped over XYZ job to make the match what's the data behind the matching demand curve the lambda school for growth for a growth marketing okay company teaches growth marketing to companies and individuals typically working with SAS companies e-commerce startups mobile and local services local service businesses all right so demand curve is a school teaching you about growth marketing so those are the 11 companies Canadian companies and YC this summer and our last one from beta kit following three year rebuild joist acquired by Colorado based ecommerce let's check this out and we can get back to our day okay there's a cool picture with some cool cats in sweatshirts and a big mural behind them on a nice brick wall must be super cool in hipster just kidding all right joist today's contractor management app okay then acquired by ever commerce terms the deal will not disclosed oh there were some layoffs when a pegboard company 2011 contractors managed things like estimates and invoices it's a big deal things there's a lot of moving parts around 2016 just begun experimenting with new market product that could connect contractors directly with homeowners Angie's List right if you're going to seem that there's sort of survives pivot these guys the whole team really were able to do that and up going a big way to manufacture an outcome that was great for them and investors we they say we genuinely thought and considered moving to San Francisco while the market product had more users in Toronto 90% of Joyce revenue and customers will come from the US after taking a step back onix's success in Toronto ultimately decided to stay great decision led us to our current outcome long story but we never left just looking to grow in coming weeks they're gonna have a pro version they've already converted 20,000 if it's 115,000 users during testing we want to make contractors heroes it's great Congrats that's awesome I definitely hope there's a evaluation method for after the fact once the contractor is done letting others know how things went and probably a vice-versa thing and make a lot of sense kind of like the Airbnb z-- of the world all right that's the tech news for today as always follow along hashtag tech coffee and find all the latest tech news that we read here on tech coffee and Tech Coffee org thanks for tuning in and we'll see you next week have a great week

[andrewromanoyahoo]

Arizona is asking: Where does Jeff Flake stand on healthcare?

Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake takes a question from the audience during a town hall in April in Mesa, Ariz. (Photo: Ross D. Franklin/AP)

As the GOP continues to struggle to pass some sort of Obamacare repeal bill, there is no Republican senator in a tougher bind than Jeff Flake — and there has been no clearer illustration of how tough that bind has become than what’s been happening back in his home state of Arizona during Congress’s July 4th recess.

Ever since the House GOP unveiled its American Health Care Act earlier this year, Flake — one of only two swing-state Republican senators up for reelection in 2018 — has remained noncommittal, repeatedly declining to say whether he would vote for any of the various proposals on the table.

Now Arizonans on both sides of the aisle are demanding an answer.

On Wednesday, roughly 20 progressive activists, many with physical disabilities, flooded into Flake’s Phoenix office as part of a nationwide protest organized by the disability-rights group ADAPT. They installed a cardboard coffin in the lobby, with a headstone reading “Cuts to Medicaid = Death.” They waved signs that said “Don’t Kill 22 million + Americans.” They chanted about “free[ing] our people” and “find[ing] Jeff Flake.” They stayed for 14 straight hours. Five were cited by police for trespassing.

“I just want to know — a simple yes or no would suffice for me — his position,” said Demeris Herrera of Tucson.

Meanwhile, Flake’s far-right, pro-Donald-Trump GOP primary opponent, Kelli Ward, made the same point in an interview with Yahoo News, insisting that after “years of campaigning and raising money on fully repealing Obamacare,” Flake is instead “giving sanctuary to Obamacare because he is unwilling to speak up and take a stand.”

“He’s too weak to lead right now,” Ward charged.

As for Flake himself? According to his spokesman, the senator spent most of the week in Utah mourning his father, who died on June 26. Flake’s only response to the ongoing health care debate was a statement (released to both Yahoo News and the protestors in his office) that consisted mainly of recycled talking points.

Kelli Ward, a former Senator from Arizona, speaks during a campaign stop in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., on August 11, 2016. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“While I have not yet seen a revised version of the bill I can say my decision will be based on how it balances two principles,” it said. (Flake declined to be interviewed for this story.) “The first is that the legislation needs to ensure that those who currently have coverage do not have the rug pulled out from under them. The second is that the Senate must agree on a solution that is fiscally sustainable.”

The fact that Flake is staying silent on the Senate repeal bill — and catching flak from both the left and the right as a result — neatly encapsulates the unique political challenge he’s facing in the run-up to the 2018 midterms.

At first, the GOP’s other vulnerable swing-state senator, Dean Heller of Nevada, tried to avoid the subject as well. But soon after Senate Republicans released their version of the House repeal bill late last month, Heller came out against it, announcing that he “cannot support a piece of legislation that takes insurance away from tens of millions of Americans.”

Heller’s break with GOP brass reflected basic electoral math: given recent trends in Nevada, the greatest threat to his reelection effort is more likely to come from a Democrat than a Republican. To wit: Nevada freshman Rep. Jacky Rosen announced Thursday that she would be running against Heller in 2018, and Rep. Dina Titus, a long-serving Democrat, has also signaled her interest in the race. So far, Heller has yet to draw a GOP primary opponent.

Flake, on the other hand, is being squeezed from both sides. Already Ward is attacking him from the right, while Deedra Abboud, a Phoenix attorney and community activist, is angling for the Democratic nod. They probably won’t have the field all to themselves. Arizona State Treasurer Jeff DeWit, a Republican who is close to President Trump, is said to be eying a bid, as are two top Democrats, Rep. Krysten Sinema and Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton speaks during a press conference outside the Arizona Capitol on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016, in Phoenix. (Photo: Ryan VanVelzer/AP)

“I don’t predict the future,” Sinema told Yahoo News when asked whether she might challenge Flake. “I’m currently running for reelection [to the House]. That’s my current status.”

Hence Flake’s hemming and hawing: his strategists have likely concluded that there’s little benefit to weighing in on the Senate repeal bill — and angering one side or the other — until it actually comes up for a vote (which may never happen).

And that calculation has, in turn, raised an even bigger question about politics in the Age of Trump.

With the GOP in ideological disarray and polarization at an all-time high, can a conservative Republican who prides himself on his independence — from both the president and party orthodoxy — still cobble together a winning coalition in a swing state like Arizona? Or is he just going to make everybody angrier?

Two years ago, I spent a day with Flake in the back of an aide’s rented Ford Explorer, driving across Arizona from event to event. It seemed then, as it seems now, that Flake’s betwixt-and-betweenness — his reluctance to conform to political expectations — is just the way he is. As a young congressman, Flake tried to tame his own party’s extravagant Bush-era spending, regularly shaming earmark sponsors on the floor of the House. In 2013, now a senator, he joined the bipartisan Gang of Eight to craft a comprehensive immigration reform bill that included a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants. In 2015, he was the only Republican who accompanied then-Secretary of State John Kerry to Cuba to preside over the reopening of the U.S. embassy after a 54-year diplomatic freeze. He advised his fellow Republicans to back down on same-sex marriage, regardless of their personal views, and voted to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell.” During the 2016 campaign, he famously refused to endorse or vote for Trump, and he has continued to criticize the president for the last six months.

“Jeff is as straight a shooter as there exists in this place,” Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy once said of Flake. “I don’t know where Jeff will end up, but I know it will be because he’s made a decision on the merits, not the politics.”

Refusing to follow the partisan script has never made Flake especially popular at home. He barely edged out his Democratic Senate opponent Richard Carmona in 2012, and after revoking his support for a gun background-check bill the following year, Flake briefly held the lowest approval rating of any senator in the country. Even today, Flake ranks as one of America’s six or seven least popular senators (among their constituents).

From left, Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Minority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., conduct a news conference in the Capitol’s Senate studio on legislation that would end the U.S. travel ban on Cuba, January 29, 2015. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Back in 2015, Flake insisted that his flagging poll numbers would not affect his politics. “That’s the beauty of being the Senate,” he joked in Tucson. “Six years between elections.”

But pretty soon, those six years will be up — and more than any other issue, health care may determine whether Flake gets to spend another six years in Washington.

The irony is that in Arizona, there isn’t as much partisan disagreement about Obamacare as there is nationally (or even in most other states). There are two reasons for this. The first is that last year most insurers fled Arizona’s Obamacare exchanges, leaving virtually all enrollees with only a single choice of carrier; at the same time, premiums for some plans increased by 116 percent, the highest rate hike in the country. As Tom Snook, a Phoenix-based actuary for consultants Milliman Inc., told the Wall Street Journal in October, “the Arizona market is the poster child for the problems the exchanges are experiencing nationally.”

The second reason is that Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion has helped more than 400,000 high-need Arizonans get health insurance — and it has been Republicans who have implemented and perpetuated that expansion. During the Great Recession, former Gov. Jan Brewer, a staunch conservative and early Trump supporter, cut the state’s Medicaid funding and froze enrollment; between 2011 and 2013, 150,000 adult Arizonans on Medicaid— nearly two-thirds of the childless adults in the program — lost their coverage.

But eventually Brewer had a change of heart, and she fought tooth-and-nail to push Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion through the legislature, telling her fellow Republicans, “You have to look at the reality. You have to do the math. [And] it’s not only a mathematical issue… it’s a moral issue.” Brewer’s Republican successor, Gov. Doug Ducey. has since come out against the Senate repeal bill in part because, by slashing federal funding for the Medicaid expansion, it will prevent Arizona from “pay[ing] for the real-world costs of providing care.”

As a result, Arizona politicians in less precarious positions than Flake actually sound somewhat alike when it comes to Obamacare — regardless of which party they belong to.

“It’s no secret that Arizonans have been frustrated with Obamacare over the last seven years, because the law has real problems,” Rep. Sinema, the Democratic congresswoman from Maricopa County, tells Yahoo News. “But parts of the law — like the Medicaid expansion — are still very, very popular. So the message I’m getting in Arizona is, ‘We didn’t love Obamacare, but the GOP plan is bad.’”

“A lot of us — both Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate — want to find a bipartisan solution,” Sinema adds. “The problem is that none of us are in the leadership.”

Audience members stand up to shout down Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake during a town hall Thursday, April 13, 2017, in Mesa, Ariz. (Photo: Ross D. Franklin/AP)

At a contentious two-and-a-half-hour Mesa town hall in April — his only such event of the year — Flake could have said something similar. Again and again, his constituents asked about Obamacare.

“Will you commit to vote against any plan that does not cover essential benefits, women’s health, preexisting conditions, hospitalization and medication?” asked a woman suffering from autoimmune kidney failure.

“How are we going to work together across the aisle to insure these children and adults have coverage?” asked the mother of a girl with autism. “We cannot afford to let Obamacare implode, because without Obamacare my daughter would not be able to speak.”

“I do not understand how you can allow 24 million Americans go through life without affordable health care,” said a military veteran.

But again and again, Flake dodged the question.

“Obamacare is not sustainable in its current form,” he said in several different ways. “It needs to be changed. It needs to reformed. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

Someday soon, Flake may have to get more specific. If and when that day comes, perhaps he can explain his long-held concerns about the growth of entitlement programs. Perhaps he can propose a fiscally conservative way to address those concerns without “pulling the rug out from under” the nearly two millions Arizonans who get their health-care coverage through Medicaid. Perhaps he can even push for the sort of bipartisan fixes he has championed on immigration.

Right now, however, the politics of the moment seem hostile to that kind of clarity. The question for Flake is whether he can survive the current storm with his reputation as a straight shooter intact — or whether, by waiting to weigh in, he’ll wind up looking like the very thing he has always insisted he isn’t: another typical politician.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:

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Photos: Trump visits Europe for G-20 summit on 2nd overseas trip

[morganbelarus]

The effort to unseat Susan Collins in 2020 is already underway

(CNN)Sen. Susan Collins was already one of the Democrats' biggest Senate targets in 2020 when she took to the Senate floor Friday to announce she would vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

By the time she finished her speech, Democrats in Maine had begun speculating who might challenge the moderate Republican. And progressive activists are pouring in money to fund the eventual challenger, raising millions of dollars online to unseat Collins.

A half dozen Democratic operatives and lawmakers in Maine raised several names of potential candidates who are openly considering the job, including Chellie Pingree, the Democrat representing Southern Maine in the US House; Sara Gideon, the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives; Seth Berry, a former member of the Maine House of Representatives; and Hannah Pingree, a former speaker of the Maine House and Chellie Pingree's daughter. Some Maine Democrats also mentioned Jared Golden, the veteran running in Maine's 2nd Congressional District this year, as a possible challenger whether he wins or loses the race, as well as Emily Cain, a top operative at the Democratic group EMILY's List and two-time congressional candidate from Maine.

Maine's Democratic bench is not very deep, said two operatives, so the seat could also be a chance for the party to draw in a national figure or political outsider.

Susan Rice, the former national security adviser for President Barack Obama, caused a stir Friday afternoon when she tweeted "Me" when another former Obama official asked who could challenge Collins in 2020.

Rice does have a home in Maine, a source said, and her family has ties to the state.

In a follow-up tweet, Rice said: "Many thanks for the encourgement (sic). I'm not making any announcements. Like so many Americans, I am deeply disappointed in Senator Collins' vote for Kavanaugh. Maine and America deserve better."

Brian Fallon, a former aide to Hillary Clinton who's the head of a group that aimed to sink Kavanaugh's nomination, suggested former Planned Parenthood head Cecile Richards for the job.

"Doesnt @CecileRichards have a home in Maine?" Fallon asked. Richards does in fact own a home in the state.

Collins' speech, where she decried the process to get Kavanaugh's nomination through the Senate and slammed outside Democratic groups for their actions throughout it, so animated Democrats in Maine that many wasted no time to tout that they were openly considering a run.

"I would certainly not rule it out," Berry, who spent a decade representing rural Maine, told CNN. "There are others who are equally qualified and I would want to look at the whole field before I make a decision, but clearly Sen. Collins made a choice that did not reflect the people of Maine and our values."

Gideon also leaned into a possible run minutes after Collins' speech wrapped up, posting to her Facebook page that she will consider challenging the Republican. In an interview with CNN afterward, she called Collins' plan to back Kavanaugh "a final straw" but not the only reason.

"I am considering it," she said. "I have a very important responsibility from now until November 6 to re-elect a Democratic majority (in the Maine House), so I am laser-focused on that in the next four and a half weeks. However, this is something I am seriously considering and once we get past November 6 then I will be really laying out everything and making a decision."

Gideon added: "As a woman, it is absolutely fundamentally tied to my belief about what he will do as a justice on women's reproductive rights, but further than that, when the testimony of Dr. Ford came out, it really did become something different."

The Maine Republican Party stood firmly behind Collins after her speech, calling the remarks the "gold standard of speeches in explaining her vote and showing how a nominee should be evaluated."

But it seemed shortly after the remarks that Collins' defense of Kavanaugh invigorated Democrats in the state and nationwide.

"This will galvanize Democrats to come together and look for a strong challenger to Sen. Collins," Joe Baldacci, a former mayor of Bangor, said in an interview. "I think these votes really go to the heart of important progressive issues and how they affect Maine families, and I think this vote will galvanize Democrats in Maine."

One thing was clear after Collins' speech: Whoever runs will be well funded.

As the senator spoke, grass-roots progressive donors poured money -- more than $1 million, according to organizers -- into an online effort led by the Be A Hero PAC designed to raise money for a potential Democratic challenger. When its Crowdpac site crashed, the group set up an account on Act Blue, another fundraising website, and said it likely crossed the $3 million threshold by the time Collins finished her remarks.

Back in 2014, the last time she ran for re-election, Collins spent more than $5.5 million. Her opponent, Democrat Shenna Bellows, raised only $2.4 million.

If Collins decided to oppose Kavanaugh, the pledges would have been canceled. But the group's president, Liz Jaff, said that with Collins' announcement, "Everybody's going to get charged tomorrow."

The "Be A Hero" effort had picked up steam, and appeared in headlines, earlier in the confirmation process when Collins derided it as "bribery."

The money, which has been raised legally, is likely to change the early contours of the primary to replace her.

"Nobody ever goes in that early, nobody is even thinking about, and what we've just done is set it up for a candidate to legitimately have a chance," Jaff said. "Starting capital for any person running for Senate in Maine hasn't even been close to what we just raised. So I think what happens is suddenly you will have a bunch of people who say, 'I could never have raised that money. It's just going to be too tough,' are suddenly looking at a pool of capital they could have access to."

Original Article : HERE ; This post was curated & posted using : RealSpecific

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