#2019 victory tour

[tobinsonny]

always thinking about this

[nettlestingsoup]

it's 00:30 and i need to sleep but let me say. kim fucking seungmin.

[meazalykov]

on top of the world

alex morgan x actress!reader

summary: 2019 was the biggest moment in your career, and hers.

2019 is a busy year. endgame, the film you've poured your heart into for the last couple of years, is about to hit theaters, and it’s set to be one of the biggest movies in history. 

the buzz around it is insane—press tours, interviews, red carpets. you’ve barely had time to breathe, but there’s something, or rather, someone, constantly on your mind. alex morgan.

your relationship with alex has always been something special. it's been private, quiet—at least as much as it could be, considering you’re both public figures. her, one of the biggest stars in women’s soccer, and you, one of the biggest actresses in hollywood. 

the rumors about you two have been swirling for months, ever since that time the media caught you at one of her orlando pride games, but you’ve both kept things under wraps. still, it’s getting harder to hide how deeply you care for each other.

alex is about to head to france for the world cup, and you’ve promised yourself you’re not going to miss a single one of her matches, no matter how crazy your schedule gets. she’s been laser-focused on the tournament, and you’ve been equally invested in your work, but that doesn’t stop the late-night texts, the phone calls after her training sessions, the video chats where she shows you around their team hotel.

“are you nervous?” you ask her during one of those late-night video calls, your phone propped up on your pillow as you lay in bed.

“a little,” she admits with a small smile. “but mostly excited. it’s the world cup. we won last time and i have confidence that we will win again.”

“yes! and you’re going to crush it,” you say confidently, leaning in closer to the screen as if that could somehow bring you closer to her. “i know you will.”

“i wish you could be here,” she says, her voice soft, a little wistful.

you feel the same ache in your chest. “me too.”

the group stages kick off, and despite your packed schedule, you make time to watch every game. sometimes, you’re in a hotel room in new york after a bunch of press interviews; other times, you’re sitting on the couch at home, gripping a cup of coffee as the u.s. takes the field. 

your heart races every time alex touches the ball. she’s brilliant—strong, fast, lethal in front of goal. you scream when she scores her first goal of the tournament, jumping off the couch like a little kid, and immediately text her afterward.

“did you see it?” she asks later, when she had a few minutes back in the hotel room before she went to sleep.

“i saw everything,” you reply. “you are incredible. i’m so proud of you.”

you’re glued to the screen through each stage of the tournament. when the u.s. faces france in the quarter-finals, you find yourself on the edge of your seat, heart in your throat. 

it’s a tough game, and alex looks exhausted, but when the final whistle blows and they’ve won, you exhale a breath you didn’t even know you were holding.

then comes the semi-final against england. by now, you’ve memorized every corner of your living room, pacing nervously back and forth. 

it’s a tense match, but when alex scores that iconic goal, raising her hand in that cheeky tea-sipping celebration, you burst out laughing, pride swelling in your chest.

“i can’t believe you did that!” you text her after the game, still grinning.

“had to,” she later replies with a wink emoji. “for the drama.”

the u.s. wins, and with that victory, they’re headed to the final. and that’s when you make your decision. 

no matter how packed your schedule is with the upcoming premiere of endgame, you have to be there for alex. you clear a few days, book a flight to france, and don’t tell her a word about it.

when you land in lyon, your heart is racing. you can hardly believe you’re here, sitting in the stands with alex’s family, her sisters beside you, chatting excitedly about how well she’s been playing. 

the fans around you are buzzing, and a few of them notice you, pointing and whispering. the rumors about you and alex have never stopped, and your presence here only fuels the fire.

“you think she knows you’re here?” her sister, jeni, asks, a smirk playing on her lips.

“nope,” you reply, feeling a thrill run down your spine. “it’s a surprise.”

the stadium is electric. the u.s. faces off against the netherlands, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. you sit on the edge of your seat, fingers crossed, your eyes never leaving alex. 

she’s a warrior on the field, pushing through exhaustion, chasing every ball, and leading her team with that fire you fell in love with. when megan rapinoe scores the first goal from the penalty spot, you leap to your feet, screaming with the crowd. then rose lavelle seals it with a second goal, and that’s it. 

the u.s. are world champions again.

tears prick your eyes as the final whistle blows. you watch alex drop to her knees, overwhelmed, before being swarmed by her teammates. 

the celebration is wild, but you’re still holding your breath, waiting for the moment you’ll finally see her.

and then, there she is, searching the stands, her eyes scanning the crowd. when she spots you, her face lights up like the fourth of july. without hesitation, she runs over, her smile wide and tears of joy glistening in her eyes.

“you’re here,” she breathes, pulling you into a tight embrace, her hands gripping the back of your neck.

you laugh, your heart racing in your chest as you cling to her. “of course i’m here. i wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

she pulls back slightly, her forehead resting against yours, her breath shaky. “you’re supposed to be in l.a. for the premiere.”

“i’ve got a few days,” you say, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “you were worth the trip.”

her eyes fill with emotion as she cups your face with both hands, her thumb gently stroking your cheek. “i can’t believe you did this.”

“you’ve done so much for me,” you whisper, your voice thick with emotion. “this was the least i could do. you’re my world, alex.”

“i love you,” she says, her voice barely audible over the roaring crowd.

“i love you too,” you reply, and the kiss you share feels like the perfect ending to the perfect day.

four days later, you’re back in los angeles, decked out in a designer dress for the endgame premiere. the energy is electric, the press is everywhere, and fans are lining the streets, eager for a glimpse of the stars. 

you’ve done the red carpet, given interviews, posed for countless photos with your co-stars. but now, as you wait in the hallway for the theater to open, you’re chatting with scarlett, trying to keep your nerves at bay.

“you nervous?” she asks, grinning as she adjusts the hem of her dress.

“always,” you admit, laughing softly. “no matter how many of these i do, it never gets easier.”

then, you feel it—those familiar hands resting on your shoulders. your heart skips a beat, and you turn around, a huge smile already forming on your face. 

there, standing in front of you, dressed in a sleek black suit, is alex.

“alex?” you gasp, eyes wide with disbelief. “what are you doing here?”

she grins, her eyes sparkling with that familiar mischievous glint. “i couldn’t let you have one of the biggest nights of your life without me. you came to france for me, so i had to be here for you.”

you throw your arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug, the world around you fading away. “you didn’t have to do this.”

“yes, i did,” she says softly, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “you’re my world too, you know.”

you pull back just enough to look into her eyes, your heart swelling with so much love it feels like it might burst. 

“we’re really doing this, huh? the whole “on top of the world” thing.”

alex laughs, nodding. “yeah, we really are.”

and as the theater doors open, the lights flashing and the crowd cheering, you know in your heart that nothing will ever break what you have.

masterlist

[gratisdiamanten]

NO SHORTCUTS TO HEAVEN:

Or, Lance Armstrong buys himself a gun.

No Shortcuts to Heaven, Billy Graham, Decision Magazine (2005). // Lance Armstrong is treated for testicular cancer, Linda Armstrong Kelly (1996). // Psalm 138:6 ESV. // Stalker, Andrei Tarkovsky (1979). // Lance Armstrong crashes out of Stage 5 of the Amgen Tour of California, Associated Press (2010). // Recycling Religion: Lance Armstrong’s Postmodern Spirituality of Suffering and Survivorship, William J. F. Keenan (2014). // Lance Armstrong is treated for testicular cancer, Linda Armstrong Kelley (1996). // Lance Armstrong during the 91st edition of the Tour de France, Tim de Waele (2004). // Recycling Religion: Lance Armstrong’s Postmodern Spirituality of Suffering and Survivorship, William J. F. Keenan (2014). // For Stacy (photo and excerpt), Lance Armstrong, Recovox News (2010). // It's Not About the Bike, Lance Armstrong (1999). // Lance Armstrong in a youth BMX race ca. 1982, Linda Armstrong Kelly, Sports Illustrated (2013). // Lance Armstrong: It Wasn’t Legal but I Wouldn’t Change a Thing, Reuters (2019). // Lance Armstrong getting a medical check up before the Tour de France, Franck Fife (2003). // Effects of erythropoietin on cycling performance of well trained cyclists: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial, Jules A. A. C. Heuberger et al., The Lancet (2017). // Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky (1866). // Luke 9:25 ESV. // Lance Armstrong at a victory procession for the Tour de France, Peter de Jong (2005). // Lance Armstrong climbing Alpe d'Huez, John Allen (2000). // It's Not About the Bike, Lance Armstrong (1999).

[boxboxblog]

Driver Profiles: Lando Norris

Hello, this is part of a series where I focus on one driver on the current (as of Oct 2024) grid and give an overview over their career and driving styles. I will be going in championship points order. Enjoy!

Name: Lando Norris

Age: 24

Nationality: British

Years in F1: 6 (Mclaren 2019-Present)

Number: 4

WDCs: N/A

Driving Style: Norris is known for his smooth drives and string control over his car. He rarely overdrives the car, and this allows his lap time to remain consistent throughout the race. This smoothness is particularly noticeable around corners, where he rarely compromises his speed while keeping the car steady. While not as aggressive as some other drivers can be, he is rather a thoughtful racer, overtaking strategically. He is also known for his patience as he races, and rarely gets in crashes. He remains relatively level headed throughout races and has great communication with his race engineer. There have only been a few times Norris had had friction with the pit wall, and seems to be a strong team player. The only negative I have about his driving style is that this reserved style can lead to him getting overtaken often. As he grows as a driver, his confidence and aggression has grown, however.

History:

Scion of the wealthy British Norris family, he started karting at age 7, competing in national events. In 2013 he competed in the KF-Junior class, winning the CIK-FIA European Championship and the CIK-FIA International Super Cup, as well as the WSK Euro Series. The following year he won the CIK-FIA World Championship in KF.

(Lando Norris, age 11)

In 2014 Norris debuted with his first car in a support series to the British Touring Car Championship. He finished third in the championship and won the rookie cup. he then appeared in a variety of F4 events, regularly getting podiums and pole positions. For 2015, Norris signed with Carlin Motorsport to drive in the newly established MSA Formula Championship (now the F4 British Championship). Norris took eight wins, ten pole positions, and fourteen total podiums to win the championship

(Norris in 2015)

Norris raced full-time in the 2017 European Formula 3 Championship, and finished on the podium in twenty of the thirty races, including nine wins, and recorded eight pole positions. He clinched the title with two races remaining, marking his fifth racing championship title in four years.

 In 2017 Norris made his FIA Formula 2 debut with Campos Racing, racing in the final round. Norris competed full-time in the 2018 FIA Formula 2 Championship and won the opening race at the Bahrain  from pole position, however, this would prove to be his only race victory of the season. He scored consistent points and podium finishes to hold the lead of the championship until the sixth round, and ultimately ended up in second.

(Norris in 2017)

In 2017 Lando Norris had been signed as Mclaren Junior Driver, was reserve driver in 2018, and it was in 2019 that he made his F1 debut. As part of a lineup with Carlos Sainz, Norris and Mclaren had a mixed year, with some good results but many bad (not untypical for Mclaren at the time). That year, Norris reupped his contract with Mclaren to extend to 2022.

(Norris in 2019)

In 2020 he achieved his maiden podium, and for the next three years results for both driver and team would get constantly better (getting his first pole in 2021). Every year he would achieve more and more podium finishes, a very steady increase as the years went on. His teammate was switched multiple times, until landing on the current lineup with Oscar Piastri in 2023. In 2023 he resigned again with Mclaren, extending to at least 2025.

The 2024 season is where the magic really starts to happen for Norris. Ahead of the season he signed yet another contract negotiation with Mclaren (i'm not sure till when) and the 2024 seasons saw Mclaren finally having a top car. After a series of good results (regularly on the podium), Norris won his first GP in Miami, a day long awaited by driver and team. He then went on to win in Zandervoort and Singapore, putting 3 wins under his belt, This also put him at second in the championship battle with Max Verstappen, his first real title fight in F1. As of right now, Norris has the fastest car on the grid. We will see as the season progresses how the battle continues.

(Norris at 2024 Miami GP)

Major Races:

2019 Belgian GP - While he didn't get the result he wanted due to an engine failure in the last lap, Norris had a strong race, holding on to fifth position for a majority of it. This was in his rookie year.

2020 Austrian GP - His first podium, after a late penalty to Lewis Hamilton, Norris was able to take 3rd place. It was a strong drive, his first real battle with the top teams.

2020 Styrian GP - In the last lap of this race, Norris executed a series of overtakes, taking him from 8th to 5th. A gutsy move for the usually reserved driver, he showed he can pull out the moves when needs be.

2021 Imola GP - His best result of 2nd place, Norris showed good race craft in wet conditions. He showed great adaptation skills.

2024 Miami GP - His maiden win on a relatively new track, Norris showed the new pace Mclaren had and was the first win for his team that year.

2024 Zandervoort GP - Norris' second win, it was a dominant display, winning with a 22 second gap to 2nd place. This was his first win where he was inarguably the fastest, and although he lost his place in the first turn, he eventually overtook Max Verstappen and was race lead for the rest.

2024 Singapore GP - Possibly the smoothest F1 win for Norris, he started on pole and held it the entire race, winning with a healthy margin.

Alright, that is it for Norris. Next up is Charles Leclerc!

Cheers!

-B

[fortheloveofaussiegrit]

@fortheloveofaussiegrit 's deep dive into Mark and his love of twinks...

Sebastian Vettel 

Where does one even start when trying to explain this... that's his twink of the past, present, and future— his forever. [first: debatable but the beginning of martian at the Fuji GP 2007 when Seb crashed into the back of Mark ruining both of their races, they were running 2nd and third. second: the day i lost my sanity, Abu Dhabi 2022]

Oscar Piastri

His twink of the present [i don't think i need to say anything... but photos above are from Mark's website from his blog post about Oscar winning the F2 championship and how Mark stayed in Abu Dhabi with Oscar after the GP for the young driver f1 test...]

Mitch Evans

Without Mitch we wouldn’t have got Oscar/Mark... (this is what oscarmark could’ve been but not sure i would’ve been able to handle oscar posting mark the way mitch did) Started in 2010, Mark then went on to manage him and Mitch even moved into Mark’s home in England, down the drive but point still stands [first: Mark Webber takes protege on birthday tour, 2010 (speedcafe.com) second: Mark embracing Mitch after he took maiden victory in Formula E, 2019 (📷Sam Bloxham) bottom two: from Mitch’s IG circa 2014] 

Daniel Ricciardo

i like that belt buckle mate [first/second: F1 Paddock 2013 (📷skysports.com) third: Mark & Daniel’s BBQ on the beach ahead of the Aus GP 2011 (📷flickr) fourth/fifth: Dutch GP 2022.]

 

Fernando Alonso

again do i need to say anything? i think this sums it up (thank you to @seafoampearlygirl for the screen shot and your help too, much appreciated!!

and this... [Jenson Button, Giancarlo Fisichella, Fernando Alonso & Mark Webber for Benetton Renault 2001 F1 launch]

Lewis Hamilton

If there's one thing about Mark that you need to know its his love of twinks with world championships... @mwebber​ has a post here on these two! Mark always loves talking about Lewis and the way they look at each other.. [first: Mark and Lewis during the post-qualy presser at the Spanish GP, 2010 (📷Sutton Images) second: during the pre-race presser at the Aus GP, 2013 (📷Hoch Zwei) third: Abu Dhabi GP, 2017 (📷James Moy)]

Nico Rosberg

from teammates at Williams to Mark snapping pics of the back of Nico in 2023… [first: Mark talking to test driver Nico Rosberg during the German GP, 2005 (📷Pakusch) second: Monaco ePrix 2023]

Max Verstappen

like i said... twinks with championships [first: ‘bumped into these two over easter and managed a few k on the trails’ Apr, 2018 (Mark’s FB) second: Hangar-7, 2019]

Felipe Massa 

yeah... [first: Brazil 2012, i think (📷sky-sports.com) second: Brazil 2013 (📷xpb images)]

Brendon Hartley 

he’s already featured a few times, but from rbr junior driver to teammate... yeah.. is there a pattern? [first: Spanish GP 2009 (📷DPPI Images) second: Brendon, Mark & Timo after winning the 6 hours of Bahrain and the WEC Drivers Championship 2015 (📷fiawec.com)]

Jenson Button

and finally we get to Jenson Button, who, yes, is younger than Mark so makes it onto the list... the ultimate twink on twink... you cannot tell me this wasnt a couples holidays covered up as ‘training’. you cannot tell me they were not fumbling around in their bedsheets at night. you cannot tell me— [redacted redacted redacted] — [pre-season training session in Lanzarote, Spain. 4 Jan 2001 📷Mark Thompson]

[vicaliciouz]

RIPTIDE - vance joy feels like..

B99, murder most unladylike, percy jackson, harry potter, the hunger games, the maze runner, 10 things i hate about you, clueless ,1D, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina carpenter, sally face, ariana grande, billie eilish, little misfortune, the owl house, korn, limp bizkit, noah kahan, gracie abrams, the walten files, fnaf, conan gray, life is strange, grown ups, heathers, hamilton, newsies, beabadoobee, legally blonde, friends, gilmore girls, gossip girl, the whisper of the heart, studio ghibli, nirvana, my neighbour totoro, spirited away, little mix, hooky, marionnetta, titanic, costa concordia, IT, stranger things, the black phone, marauders, home alone, home alone: lost in new york, laufey, mitski, true crime, rotten mango, adele, kanye west, simgproductions, mlpstopmotion, a good girls guide to murder, binding 13, yellowjackets, bojack horseman, metallica, tate mcrae, chappel roan, megan thee stallion, doja cat, nicki minaj, caraval, one of us is lying, five survive, reappearance of rachel price, larry stylinson, omori, tattletale, kindergarden, laurenzside, yammy, gloom, azzyland, kubscouts,pewdiepie, jacksepticye, weebynewz, blaze ,high school musical, pitch perfect, the perks of being a wallflower, SZA, rihanna, the big bang theory, young sheldon, 💜 , clairo, super danganronpa another 2, danganronpa another despair academy, danganronpa, danganronpa despair time, heartless deceit, project edens garden, danganronpa lapse, to all the boys ive loved before, the summer i turned pretty, outer banks, the mandela catalogue, coraline, dead poets society, white chicks, the outsiders, fear street, be more chill, waitress, phantom of the opera, cinderella, beauty and the beast, princess and the frog, shut up and dance, peraltiago, the office, kesha, wicked, the eras tour, chicago, royale high, roblox, bloxburg, fashion famous, adopt me, green day, lady gaga, payno, nialler, derry girls, heart break high, lps popular, gogglebox, bad education, victorious, meepcity, kim possible, the princess diaries, pretty little liars, modern family, little Einsteins, jake and the neverland pirates, die hard, why dont we, girl in red, dodie, greys anatomy, mean girls, tmz, marina, 2010-2019, maisie peters, molly grace, holly jackson, rick riordan, robin stevens, anthony horowitz, james dashner, dylan obrien, the promised neverland, teen titans, lana del rey, alessi rose, grishaverse, doki doki literature club, niall horan, frat boy harry, thomas brodie sangster, bridgerton, cookieswirlc, ldshadowlady, krew, among us, kreekcraft, piggy, lps, gacha life, mlp, yandere simulator, vine, ifunny, ___ characters as vines, baldis basics, glmv, glmm, bendy and the ink machine, fnaf trilogy, game theory, matpat, slenderman, shopkins, bohemian rhapsody, project sekai, vocaloid, flamingo, leah ashes, denis daily, pals squad, fran bow, talking angela, pink, halsey, katy perry, miraculous, SIX, the lightening thief musical, dear evan hansen, little shop of horrors, the loud house, annoying orange, larva, monster high, ever after high, life in the dreamhouse, a fairy secret, elsia and annia, equestria girls, pj masks, total drama island, horrid henry, henry the viii, bubble guppies, sofia the first, disney junior, pop, cbeebies, x factor, Britains got talent, jaquenline wilson, dork diaries, diary of a wimpy kid, alex rider, tom gates, jojo siwa, vacations,

It never leaves you

[eretzyisrael]

The ongoing war in Gaza, Pipes wrote, could provide Israel with a golden opportunity to transform the coastal enclave into a “decent” place, thanks in part to the fact that 17 years of Hamas’s “torment” of the local population turned it against the terror group and consequently “eroded their anti-Israel vehemence.”

Palestinian demonstrators chant slogans against Hamas in the Gaza Strip during a protest against the territory’s chronic power outages and difficult living conditions along the streets of Khan Younis, Sunday, July 30, 2023. (AP Photo)

“Israel now controls nearly all of Gaza,” Pipes explained over the phone. “It needs to take advantage of this to work with Gazans who are ready to cooperate to build an administration, a police force and everything else that goes with civilized life, education, hospitals.”

Pipes believes that a new regime in Gaza should follow the same path to stability as Israel’s larger Arab neighbors Egypt and Jordan, “countries where one can lead a normal life so long as one stays out of trouble and never, ever criticizes the ruler.”

“I would see [the new regime in Gaza] as a tough police state, not as a gentle inducement,” he said.

Illustrative: A picture taken during a guided tour organized by the Egyptian State Information Service on November 20, 2019, shows policemen standing guard at Borg el-Arab prison near the Egyptian city of Alexandria. (Mohamed el-Shahed / AFP)

Israelis should have “learned the lesson of 1993,” the year the Oslo accords were signed, he argued. In that framework, Israel made concessions, including agreeing to the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, intended as a precursor to the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. The peace process, however, was derailed and Israel soon found itself confronted with a massive bloody uprising, the Second Intifada, and hundreds of civilian casualties in terror attacks.

“It’s time to approach this [Israeli-Palestinian conflict] in a different way, and to attempt to convince Gazans and West Bankers that is over. They’ve lost and it’s time to move on, in the time-honored way that wars end,” Pipes said. “They don’t end with peace conferences while the war is still taking place.”

[mariacallous]

Gold Star Ratfucker Democratic Representative Jared Golden said not only does he want Biden to drop out, but he said, "Trump is going to win, and I'm okay with that."

Y'all know what to do:

(202) 225-6306 (DC office)

(207) 241-6767 (Lewiston office)

(207) 249-7400 (Bangor office)

(207) 492-6009 (Caribou office)

Moderate House Dem: ‘Donald Trump is going to win. And I’m OK with that’

Rep. Jared Golden (Maine), a moderate Democrat, published an op-ed Tuesday arguing former President Trump is going to win the election and he’s “OK with that.”

Golden, who has held his seat in the House since 2019, wrote a piece published in the Bangor Daily News, headlined, “Donald Trump is going to win the election and democracy will be just fine,” in response to the outcry of concern from his party following President Biden’s lackluster debate performance.

The Maine congressman argued that Biden’s on-stage presence didn’t rattle him like it did others because the outcome of the 2024 presidential election has been clear to him for months.

“While I don’t plan to vote for him, Donald Trump is going to win. And I’m OK with that,” Golden wrote.

The House Democrat argued that others in his party are concerned that if Trump wins the election this fall, it will be a threat to democracy. The proclamations from Golden’s party were only exacerbated after the Supreme Court on Monday granted broad immunity to Trump in his Jan. 6 case.

Golden said he rejects the idea that Trump will overturn American democracy. He said sounding the alarm about a Trump victory ignores the strength of a nearly 250-year-old nation.

“Unlike Biden and many others, I refuse to participate in a campaign to scare voters with the idea that Trump will end our democratic system,” he said.

Golden, who served combat tours as a Marine in Iraq and Afghanistan, noted that Jan. 6, 2021, was a “dark day.” Still, he said, police officers, judges, state election officials, members of Congress joined to defend democracy like members of the U.S. military.

“This election is about the economy, not democracy. And when it comes to our economy, our Congress matters far more than who occupies the White House,” Golden wrote.

By January, Golden believes Trump will once again occupy the White House and Maine’s lawmakers must be willing to not only hold him accountable, but to work with him.

“I urge everyone — voters, elected officials, the media, and all citizens — to ignore the chattering class’s scare tactics and political pipedreams,” Golden wrote. “We don’t need party insiders in smoke-filled back rooms to save us. We can defend our democracy without them.”

Golden, like all other House lawmakers, is up for reelection this year. He will take on Maine state Rep. Austin Theriault, a Republican, in the general election this fall.

Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan index, ranks Golden’s district as a toss-up. Trump carried the district by 6 points in 2020.

His op-ed is a stark contrast to comments from Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), who on Tuesday became the first House Democrat to publicly call on Biden to remove himself from the race.

In a post on social media platform X, Theriault said Golden’s piece was “a very phony attempt to avoid accountability.” He asked Golden if he supports Biden or not and whether he believes the president is mentally competent.

“He won’t say, because he puts politics ahead of Mainers,” Theriault said.

[gracefullou]

What an amazing ride! From the late nights watching lives even though exams and work were a few hours away; to new friends made even though we didn’t speak the same languages; to sharing victories and challenges when sometimes the entire world would hold us at arms length and ridicule for simply loving his music; for letting the young, the old, the rich with heart and the poor with money be part of all one community; to Louis/Louies bringing each other up when real life is harder than it looks. To Louis and my fellow Louies, it’s been a privilege to grow up with you, sharing the experiences, the memories and all the love. Thank you for all this time.

Aww thank you, anon. That's so sweet and ending it with all this time is just so lovely. I still remmember vividly the first fitfwt show, how nervous Louis was, how we were all so excited and curious to see the setlist, the stage design, the performances, the outfits, just everything. And boy did Louis deliver. He killed it. Night after night after night. I used to stay up till 5am watching the US shows and i'll never regret it i don't think there's anything or anyone else i woud do that for . It's been a pleasure to witness Louis evolve as an artist and a performer and honestly just freaking blossom and glow. He was born to make the most beautiful songs and then perform them for audiences. As a 2019 Louis fan, i don't take that for granted. He was held back for years, with no album and therefore no tour. But look at him now 🥹❤️‍🩹. He is thriving. And thanks to him, we also have our little lovely community of louies 🫶. And now after a huge successful tour and a round of festivals all over the globe, here we are at what looks like the end of the fitf era 🤧. Fitf is not only my all time favorite album, but it's also the album that confirmed to me with no doubt what an exceptional talent Louis is, and that basically i will be a fan of him till the very end (it's you and me until the end- silver tongues 😁). So it is so special and dear to me. Still, i can't wait for LT3. The expectations are soooo high but if anyone can deliver something that measures up to that it is Louis Tomlinson. How am i to survive the lack of content while he lets live in and write his album? idk 😭 but we'll figure it out. Hey, we survived the 2020 drought we can survive this too 😭💔💔

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

#20yrsago Massive victory at WIPO! https://web.archive.org/web/20041011200804/http://lists.essential.org/pipermail/ip-health/2004-October/006997.html

#20yrsago Ballmer: iPod users are thieves https://web.archive.org/web/20050113051129/http://management.silicon.com/itpro/0,39024675,39124642,00.htm

#20yrsago Chinese Communist Youth host Disney promo tour http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3683894.stm

#20yrsago Canada IP “protection” protects nothing https://web.archive.org/web/20041012032024/https://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue9_10/murray/index.html

#20yrsago BBC News proxy makes the service more Web-like https://web.archive.org/web/20041009182027/http://www.whitelabel.org/archives/002248.html

#15yrsago US gov’t drops price of journals from $17k to $0, adds XML to Federal Register! https://public.resource.org/gpo.gov/

#10yrsago Sourcecode for ���unpatchable” USB exploit now on Github https://www.wired.com/2014/10/code-published-for-unfixable-usb-attack/

#10yrsago Walmart heirs’ net worth exceeds that of population of a city the size of Phoenix https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/10/walmart-walton-heirs-net-worth-cities/

#10yrsago HK police arrest “triad gangsters” who attacked Umbrella Revolution camps https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-29488002

#10yrsago NSA conducts massive surveillance without ANY Congressional oversight https://www.aclu.org/news/national-security/new-documents-shed-light-one-nsas-most-powerful-tools

#5yrsago Brian K Vaughan and Cliff Chiang bring Paper Girls in for a perfect landing https://memex.craphound.com/2019/10/04/brian-k-vaughan-and-cliff-chiang-bring-paper-girls-in-for-a-perfect-landing/

#5yrsago North Carolina’s new botanical “First in Fly-Eat” license plates https://ncbg.unc.edu/support/venus-flytrap-license-plate/

#5yrsago Even if you pay off your student loan, be prepared to spend decades trying to get bottom-feeding debt-buyers to acknowledge it https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/10/01/a-minneapolis-womans-bizarre-and-surreal-decadeslong-loan-dispute

#5yrsago Google will now allow you to set your data history to self-destruct https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/technology/personaltech/google-data-self-destruct-privacy.html

#5yrsago Nobody knows how to quit vaping https://www.wired.com/story/so-you-want-to-quit-vaping-no-one-actually-knows-how/

#5yrsago The Hippocratic License: A new software license that prohibits uses that contravene the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights https://memex.craphound.com/2019/10/04/the-hippocratic-license-a-new-software-license-that-prohibits-uses-that-contravene-the-un-universal-declaration-of-human-rights/

#5yrsago Next-level parenting: crocheting a freehand, glow-in-the-dark Alien Xenomorph kids’ costume https://twitter.com/crochetverse/status/1179852380243972096

#5yrsago Consumer Reports documents the deceptive cable industry practices used to hike real prices 24% over advertised ones https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CR_WhatTheFeeReport_6F_sm-1.pdf

#5yrsago “Martian Chronicles”: Escape Pod releases a reading of my YA story about rich sociopaths colonizing Mars https://escapepod.org/2019/10/03/escape-pod-700-martian-chronicles-part-1/

#5yrsago Europe’s highest court Facebook verdict hits a new low for technomagical thinking https://memex.craphound.com/2019/10/04/europes-highest-court-facebook-verdict-hits-a-new-low-for-technomagical-thinking/

#1yrago For 40 years, Big Meat has openly colluded to rig prices https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/04/dont-let-your-meat-loaf/#meaty-beaty-big-and-bouncy

Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

[biscuits-of-bagend]

Andy Murray - The Flowers We'll Remember

I made this playlist halfway through the week, in between victories one and two. It tells me the story of Andy Murray's career as I experienced it, through songs that mean a lot to me, which is to say it might not make much sense to anyone else! So I've included some explanations below.

The title is related to a passage from the Ali Smith novel 'Summer'. It's about a summer day that told the gods it wanted to last forever, which the gods found hilarious.

Halfway Right by Linkin Park - 'I scream at myself when there's nobody left to fight', representing my earliest memories of Andy Murray, which involved a lot of him screaming at himself.

Hard Times by Paramore - Losing to Federer and Nadal and later Djokovic, but jauntily. A young man's losses.

The Heart Never Lies by McFly - 2012 Wimbledon final on-court interview 🥺

Love Forty Down by Frank Turner - I know he was 40-0 up at the end of the Wimbledon final, but functionally going from 40-0 to 40-Adv is basically the same thing 😂

Hold On by Twin Atlantic - back injuries :/ still sort of felt like it would all work out okay though, at least that was my understanding of it I think.

Don't Stop Me Now by Queen - Davis Cup at the end of 2015 through to World Tour Finals at the end of 2016. A euphoric period (ignore any losses to Djokovic in grand slam finals, we don't need to talk about those), but hard to look back on without thinking about what was coming.

Airfield by Enter Shikari - The Hip. Queens 2017 & 2017 Wimbledon QF to Australian Open 2019 'retirement'.

Wetsuit by The Vaccines - so get a hip operation, come on, come on

Get Better by Frank Turner - Bursting back to life/resurfacing in Cincinnati 2019. Also makes me think of 2019 'Resurfacing' documentary even though that didn't come out until later in the year.

Walk by the Foo Fighters - omg I've just realised I was thinking of the US Open 2020 not 2019... welp, timey wimey I guess, insert your preferred moment of watching Andy figure out how to play with his new hip

Mountains by Biffy Clyro - Antwerp 2019

Getting Old Sucks (But Everybody's Doing It) by Bowling For Soup - Pandemic through to 2023, including the post 4am fightback from two sets to love down against Thanasi Kokkinakis (see pics below). Getting old does suck, but Andy was really good at it.

Forever's Not Enough by McFly - "I want to play forever" (Wimbledon 2024)

26 by Paramore - a sad quiet song about hope, ie the only thing I was holding onto during the first half of that match against Nishikori and Daniel, which, lest we forget, was horrible

The Last Song by McFly - from 5 match points down through to breaking back in the second set against the Americans. Just pure fucking magic ✨ (thank you Dan!) ~~Epilogue section~~

Growing Up Beside You by Paolo Nutini - Andy Murray may be 11 years older than me, but so many of my memories of watching him play are tied to memories of times in my life. For example, I watched the 2016 World Tour Finals semi-final against Raonic in my student union, and vaguely remember trying not to show how stressed I was. I'm currently the age he was when he won Wimbledon the first time, so that's not terrifying at all...

The Way I Loved You (Taylor's Version) by Taylor Swift - I do really like Jannik Sinner but this could sort of be read as an indirect towards him? Although tbf watching post-puke Sinner power through tournaments has been its own kind of awesome. Honestly though, I don't think anyone will ever make me feel as much of a "rollercoaster kind of rush" on a tennis court as Andy Murray did anyway, not even the stress of watching Grigor Dimitrov try to hold a lead ❤️

Wouldn't Change a Thing - I really really wouldn't, and I hope Andy feels the same. Well, I mean, he'd probably choose not to have a hip injury, but you know what I mean 😆

[favouritecyclistpoll]

Round Two, Match Seven: Jonas Vingegaard v. Marc Soler

Jonas Vingegaard Propaganda

No propaganda submitted.

Marc Soler Propaganda

He may be ranked #130 in the UCI rankings but he is #1 in my heart ❤️

More propaganda under the cut.

As you may know, Marc Soler moved to UAE Team Emirates in 2022 and has since been one of Tadej Pogačar's most valuable mountain domestiques – pulling the peloton for kilometres on end, being there in the final group before Tadej and Jonas start attacking each other. Then there's stage 17 this year; his infamous ‘scary eyes’ and comforting hand, pulling his leader up the Col de la Loze and helping maintain his podium place.

However! There is much more to Marc Soler than that! Before 2022, his entire professional career was spent with Movistar – that blue-clad stalwart of Spanish cycling hopes. With them, he was again an invaluable domestique to the likes of Enric Mas, Alejandro Valverde, Nairo Quintana, and Richard Carapaz. In the intra-team ~drama~ that plagued Movistar’s 2019/2020 seasons, he remained if not neutral, but relatively uninvolved. This is well-documented in their documentary ‘Movistar: The Least Expected Day’, the series that first endeared him to me.

In 2018, he had his day as a GC challenger – a week, really, swooping to victory at Paris-Nice to take the overall win with a fantastic attack on the final stage to make up more than a minute on Simon Yates

Now let me discuss stage 5 of the Vuelta 2022: Marc’s second stage win at this race – the first being in 2020. There was a battle for the breakaway, and Marc missed out! Never fear – the intrepid Spaniard did what he does best; launch a seemingly futile attempt to bridge, riding solo or in a small group for 50km+ that never really gets anywhere. Not today, though! He joined them, when Stewart attacked he countered brilliantly and rode solo for the final 15km. Brilliant stuff. This won him the stage, the combativity award, and later actions brought him the overall super-combative award, all while supporting Juan Ayuso to the podium.

Oh yeah, did I mention the mullet?? And the earring??

Outside of racing, he comes across as a genuinely nice guy – though I have yet to come across an interview in English, translations of Spanish-language seem cheerful and respectful, having fun in UAE’s social media videos!

He recovered brilliantly from having to abandon in both the Giro and the Tour in 2021 – breaking both of his arms in a crash in the latter, yet soldiering on and completing the stage.

Soler in his natural habitats; pulling the peloton up some steep, steep slopes, or breaking away for a hail-Mary attack that’s seemingly done only for the sheer joy of doing so. He’s a valuable domestique, brilliant rider, and most certainly embodies the spirit of ciclismo!

Thus concludes my Soler propaganda.

Vamos, Marc!

[allthecanadianpolitics]

For all anyone knows, this might be as good as it gets for Jagmeet Singh's NDP. But would that be so bad?

The NDP is certainly in a celebratory mood. On Wednesday, the day after the federal budget, the party's MPs staged a mini-pep rally for the television cameras to celebrate their influence on the document. Singh announced an eight-city "post-budget tour" to "talk to Canadians about how the NDP delivered results that put money back in their pockets."

Some of the victories New Democrats are claiming for themselves are at least open to debate. Left to its own devices, the Liberal government might have ended up boosting the GST credit last fall anyway — and might have done so again in this year's budget. (Still, the decision to now promote the extra payment as a "grocery rebate" feels like a nod to the complaints New Democrats have focused on major grocers).

The Liberals also might not have needed the NDP's help to decide to apply labour standards to the new round of investment tax credits for clean tech.

But a new dental care program for low-income Canadians is an indisputable NDP win. While it's a Liberal government that will actually implement the program — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in New Brunswick on Friday to tout "affordable dental care" — dental care was not a feature of the Liberal platform in either the 2019 or 2021 federal elections. [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[topperscumslut]

i’m a reality shifter (minishifted but haven’t fully shifted yet) so let’s do a lil DR (desired reality) tour!!! (i’m 20 in my CR for reference)

OBX DR:

year: 2023

my age: 20

s/o: topper thornton

s/o’s age: 20

90s DR:

year: 1996/7 (havent decided yet)

my age: 19/20

s/o: Sal Vulcano

s/o’s age: 19/20

TUA DR:

year: 2023

my age: 20

s/o: Five Hargreeves

s/o’s age: 20 (both physically and mentally) (i scripted he was only in the future for a day and got stuck when he was 16, not 13 and then traveled back to 2019 like in the show) (i also scripted out the apocalypse so it’s 4 years since five reunited with his family and we just vibe lol)

Hunger Games DR

year: whenever THG is set 🤷‍♀️

my age: 18

s/o: Marvel Sanford

s/o’s age: 18

Scream DR

year: 1996

my age: 18

s/o: Randy Meeks

s/o’s age: 18

NRDD DR

year: 2023

my age: 20

s/o: Nicky Harper

s/o’s age: 19 (the quads were canonically born in 2004, HES NOT THE SAME AGE IN MY DR AS HE IS ON THE SHOW!!!!!!!)

y2k SNL/Fame DR

year: 2005

my age: 20

s/o: Bill Hader

s/o’s age: 27

Victorious DR

year: 2023

my age: 20 (i scripted Hollywood Arts is a college)

s/o: Cat Valentine

s/o’s age: 19/20

T90S DR

year: 1999

my age: 19

s/o: Jay Kelso

s/o’s age: 19

TVDU/Legacies DR

year: 2032

my age: 20 (scripted Salvatore School is a college)

s/o: Penelope Park

s/o’s age: 20

YouTuber DR

year: 2013

my age: 20

s/o: Jon Cozart aka Paint

s/o’s age: 21

TBOSAS DR

year: whenever tbosas is set

my age: 20

s/o: Sejanus Plinth

s/o’s age: 20

yes ik my taste is immaculate u don’t gotta tell me 🥰 /hj. also most of my DRs i scripted out the plot (well at least the main plot/dangerous parts) lmao like in my Scream DR (obviously lol), TUA DR, Legacies DR, and OBX DR, and in my Hunger Games DR i scripted im still in the games but that it’s a very realistic simulation and no one actually dies

[shefanispeculator]

The Voice sure does know how to go out with a bang! As the reality competition show draws to the close of its 24th season, the Emmy-winning program has announced its star-studded lineup for its finale episode, which is set to air on NBC's Dec. 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

2024 Grammy nominees Jelly Roll and Tyla are set to take The Voice stage to commemorate the season 24 finale, alongside performances from Earth, Wind & Fire, AJR, Keith Urban and season 25 coaches Dan + Shay. The intergenerational genre-spanning lineup will play a collection of songs that combine major moments in their respective careers, the dominant songs and styles of 2023 and their latest releases.

Jelly Roll, a four-time 2023 Billboard Music Awards finalist, will perform his Grammy-nominated Lainey Wilson-assisted "Save Me," the second single from his chart-topping album Whitsitt Chapel. Amapiano/Afropop star Tyla will perform "Water," her breakout single, which recently hit the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 ahead of the release of her forthcoming debut studio album.

Music legends Earth, Wind & Fire will perform a career-spanning medley that previews the band's upcoming Heart & Soul 2024 Tour, which they are co-headlining with Chicago. Another genre-fusing band, AJR, will perform a medley of its hit single "Bang!" and "Yes I'm a Mess," which hit No. 28 on Rock Airplay this year.

Keith Urban, a four-time Grammy winner who previously served as a judge on American Idol and a coach on the Australian version of The Voice, will perform "Blue Ain't Your Color," his 2016 hit single which ranked at No. 9 on Billboard's Decade-End U.S. Hot Country Songs (2010-2019). Another superstar country act, Dan + Shay, will grace the stage with a performance of "Bigger Houses," the title track from their most recent LP.

In addition to these eye-popping guests, The Voice has even more performances in store for the season 24 finale. Season 22 winner Bryce Leatherwood will return to perform "The Finger," a single from his forthcoming project. Furthermore, this season's top 12 artists will band together for a special joint performance. In that spirit, this year's coaching panel - Niall Horan, John Legend, Reba McEntire and Gwen Stefani - will join forces for a bubbly rendition of "Let It Snow."

This season marks the first in which none of the show's original coaches - Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine and CeeLo Green - from the series' inaugural season appear on the coaching panel. Shelton departed after last season, which saw One Direction alum Niall Horan emerge victorious.

Jelly Roll, Tyla & Dan + Shay Lead Star-Studded ‘The Voice' Season 24 Finale Lineup (msn.com)