#2021 releae

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

reading update: January 2024

as long as I'm talking about The Gargoyle's Captive, let's discuss what else I've been reading this month.

Maeve Fly (CJ Leede, 2023) - I really liked this slender debut novel, which follows the titular Maeve Fly as she prowls LA like a homicidal alien, playing an unnamed ice princess in a certain theme park by day and indulging her murderous tendencies by night. Maeve is in a downward spiral; she's 27 years old and is preparing to lose her grandmother to illness and her only friend to a blossoming acting career. she sees no future for herself beyond losing the only two people she cares about and has no further goals, contenting herself with alcohol and porn while she rereads the same books, rewatches the same videos, and listens over and over to her playlist of Halloween music. Maeve is, it must be said, an abysmal loser, and I like her terrible melodrama a lot. I do think some of the hype is perhaps overstating the feminist credentials of this book; it sort of reminds me of when a college friend told me their favorite feminist movie was Suicide Squad (2016) because Harley Quinn was in it. Maeve talks a lot of big game about how women are always expected to have some tragedy to be deranged serial killers, while men are allowed to just do it, but it hit me as a little tryhard. there are a lot of books trying to be "the female American Psycho" right now - Eliza Clark's 2020 novel Boy Parts is frequently described as such - but it feels a bit too on the nose when Maeve's ultimate climactic rampage is directly inspired by a glimpse of the American Psycho novel. it's not that deep, but it is a gross, captivating read told from a fascinatingly cracked POV. check out Maeve Fly.

Laziness Does Not Exist (Devon Price, 2021) - yeah Devon Price is still following me (though my days are numbered, I'm sure) so it's a massive relief to say that I did like this book. Price has sort of become my self-help ride or die, mainly because a.) he's so much more self-aware than the average self-help writer that it feels kind of insulting to call him one and b.) he's actually dealing with topics that are relevant or interesting and providing actionable advice. while LDNE didn't engross me quite as hard as Unmasking Autism (while I am, famously, not autistic, I do believe in their beliefs, by which I mean I'm the token allistic among my close friends and I vastly prefer autistic company) it hit me hard in several unexpected pressure points. I'll happily admit that I can't relate to Price's interviewees who willingly work 50+ hours a week for jobs that hate them and are destroying their minds and bodies, but I still struggle to escape the perpetual sensation that a moment at rest is a moment wasted. It probably didn't help that I was reading this book while on vacation at my mother's, where I visited the beach almost daily and was so work-averse that we didn't even bother going grocery shopping because I didn't want to cook. and yet, despite getting dummy chill in some aspects of my life, I am still constantly possessed by a malevolent ghost insisting that I'm wasting my time and have never actually done Enough. maybe Price's next book, Unlearning Shame, will finally fix me; it's out in four days and god knows I'll be getting my hands on it as soon as humanly possible.

Patternmaster (Octavia E. Butler, 1976) - y'all know I love a messy political fantasy, and this is just... god, the absolute messiest. I thought Mind of My Mind was bad, but it turns out Mary's descendants are going to full-on reinvent feudalism with psychic powers, treating non-psychics as chattel and causing technological advancement to regress since they refuse to handle their problems with anything but psychic powers. and it's even got two brothers duking it out for the throne that will give them power over every bitchy psychic on earth! you love to see it. if I can be 100% honest I do think it's straight up bananagrams that this was the first book released in the series even though it's chronologically last; I genuinely cannot imagine caring enough to figure out what the fuck these people were talking about if I didn't have the previous four books for context. and even "context" may be generous; Octavia still has absolutely 0 interest in explaining what's up with the fucking outer space werewolves who are the psychics' #1 enemy. if I could have brunch with any person living or dead I would summon Butler up in a heartbeat to explain what the fuck her thought process was in plotting out this series over some mimosas, and I would take extensive notes on every word she said. an absolute genius and the uncontested queen of freak shit forever.

Thirsty Mermaids (Kat Leyh, 2021) - I purchased this graphic novel in November 2023 at a conference where I bumped into Queer Comics Peddler, my very favorite queer midwestern pop-up. running into them is always a delight, and this time I came with a question: could they give me a recommendation? the very nice people working offered up Thirsty Mermaids, which was the PERFECT companion for a long airplane ride. it's cute without being overly sappy, and avoids the trap of sacrificing a plot for the sake of checking off as many representation boxes as possible. the story is simple: three mermaids use a spell to turn into humans and go ashore in search of booze, only to realize in the morning that they don't know how to turn back. taken in by a generous bartender, they're faced with the reality of having to make money for the first time in their lives. hijinks ensue, but also a very sweet and warmhearted story about the friends looking out for one another as they try to figure out exactly where they belong and what home even means. also the artwork is GORGEOUS, with the mermaids' extremely memorable character designs being a real standout. if you're a graphic novel enthusiast, definitely check this out 🧜‍♀️

Sugar, Baby (Celine Saintclare, 2023) - Sugar, Baby came to me in a very similar way as Thirsty Mermaids: while visiting a witchy little bookstore that I was immediately charmed by, I asked the cashier what they would recommend. they offered up Maeve Fly (fab) and this novel, a stack of which was on the counter advertising an upcoming event with the author. neither have disappointed, so shout out to that one employee with the great taste! Sugar, Baby sees a young cleaner named Agnes, one of the only biracial women in her unnamed English town, befriending the daughter of a wealthy client and getting whisked away to her new friend's London lifestyle: crashing in an apartment with fellow models, staying out all night to party, and making money by going on dates with extravagantly wealthy older men. Agnes starts out having a swell time, but the cracks pretty swiftly start to form as she realizes how much more dependent she is on these men than her wealthy new friends and she begins to wonder exactly how much she's willing to diminish herself to get the bag. it's not a perfect first novel but it is a compelling one, a perfect airplane page-turner that crashes from glitzy to ghoulish and back with breakneck speed.

The Gargoyle's Captive (Katee Robert, 2023) - my full review is over on patreon for my darling supporters who want me dead (and picked this book in the first place, damn them to hell), but suffice to say this is a fun book to read if you like the sensation of your brain melting out of your nose, if you're really turned on by baby's first bdsm, you are not particularly concerned with trifling matters like "plot coherence" or "character motivation" or "writing that is complex and artful," and/or you've ever wanted to have sex with a dude whose penis is so big that you feel genuinely fear. also, hey, I forgot to include this in my patreon write-up so fuck it: Robert REFUSES to tell us what kind of food the protagonists are eating, ever. whenever they have a meal it's just "the food was placed on the table" "I took a bite" etc. drop me a HINT, man, come on! is it a protein? grain? starches? the only thing I know for sure that they're consuming is wine and a single marshmallow, and god does it show. it's just a very weird and distracting omission and it's absolutely not the worst thing about this book but it is a hill I'm willing to die complaining on.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Foreign meddling attempts didn't change who won the last two federal elections in Canada, but may have changed the result in one B.C. riding in 2021, according to a public inquiry that concluded Friday.

The inquiry was launched in January after being triggered by media reports last which, citing unnamed security sources and classified documents, accused China of interfering in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

A preliminary report by commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue releaed Friday said the extent of the impact of foreign interference is unknown, though the number of races involved is small.

"The ultimate effects of foreign interference remain uncertain," she said in her interim report. [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @newsfromstolenland

[black-arcana]

JINJER Releases New Single 'Rogue'

Ukrainian metal juggernauts JINJER have unleashed their brand new single "Rogue", showing once more their refusal to conform to the musical genre rule book. The song's accompanying music video can be seen below.

"Rogue", featuring the ferocity of vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk combined with a sonic rollercoaster of chugging riffs, pulverizing bass lines and intricate drums, is another raging reminder that JINJER never minces words when it comes to their music and always keeps the pressure on with each new release.

JINJER comments on "Rogue": "Our new single 'Rogue' is a reaction to many things … it's brutally honest, it's in your face and one of the most intense tracks JINJER has ever released. We are so excited about this new track, about the new album and everything that's on the way."

JINJER recently completed recording the follow-up to the 2021 album "Wallflowers".

When JINJER's previous single "Someone's Daughter" was released in August, Shmayluk said in a statement: "'Someone's Daughter' is an artistic attempt to cast the light on the inner world of women, who in various scenarios and circumstances have had to choose a path that was historically made by men.

"In a world where women are often underestimated and overlooked, they are still powerful heroes who navigate hardship with strength and resilience, unapologetically becoming themselves and breaking barriers in the face of the challenges that face them.

"'Someone's Daughter' celebrates transition from naivety into wisdom, weakness into force, unwavering determination and fearlessness as our mothers, sisters, daughters and wives walk through adversity and fight for better change. These women are often forgotten but they have earned respect. They've earned mine, that's for sure!"

During an appearance on a recent episode of Knotfest's "She's With The Band", Shmailyuk spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for JINJER's new LP. Tatiana said: "My purpose is just to write lyrics and sing them. I'm so behind right now with the writing lyrics. And I warned my guys. We were at least to get a really rough draft, rough sketch or a demo of one song, like maybe first single from the new album, at least get this, but nope. [Stress and creativity don't] work with me. Well, but when the deadline's coming, and everybody knows that — I've been talking, like, every single time we release a new album, I say that, I say this — deadlines push me. So I just have to write, so I get this stream of consciousness, basically. I write down whatever the bullshit is in my head. And then you build it. At least you have to have bricks to build a poem or whatever it is, just lyrics."

Regarding the musical direction of the new JINJER material, Tatiana said: "It's gonna be different, first of all, because I feel that the music differs a lot. And to my mind, the whole — I won't say how many songs are there; I guess 12 or even 15; let's say 13; I don't remember — but they all have… not all of them, but half of them, at least, they have a similarity in them. They're similar to each other or they remind me. They have this concept within — without any lyrics, they still sound like they belong to one box. They are a set of songs. And I already think about all the… I'm not even thinking about like the lyrics — I think about the topics and stuff, but I think about the booklet or the cover or even the music videos and what I'm gonna wear there. And it has a certain flavor to me that… I feel like it has this flavor of 19th century. It's very romanticism from the 19th century. If you listen to it, you will think, 'Oh.' You know, when you listen to MUSE, you feel he was inspired by a lot of classical composers — obviously. So our new music has this flavor. And I'm so excited."

JINJER will embark on a North American tour in the fall. Support on the trek will come from fast-rising Japanese metalcore unit HANABIE and progressive metalcore mainstays BORN OF OSIRIS.JINJER released its first official live DVD/Blu-ray, "Live In Los Angeles", on May 17 via Napalm Records. Recorded and filmed on December 22, 2022 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, this offering is intended to celebrate not only getting through the last few years in one piece, but also the band's 15-year career.

"Live In Los Angeles" was a spontaneous decision by the band, recorded as raw as possible, to emphasize the passion that can come from a live show. This release is an explosive mixture of JINJER's discography — featuring fan favorites like "Sit Stay Roll Over", "Home Back" and the game-changing "Pisces". The live album contains 16 songs in various audio formats, with some strictly limited: the deluxe digipack features not only a DVD, but also two more songs, "Wallflower" and "Disclosure!", recorded in Paris in 2023.

[oswincoleman]

Jenna Coleman's 2022 Year in Review, part 1: Acting

In short, 2022 was almost the opposite of 2021 in this regard. From January to June, Jenna didn't do any acting (that we know of), but after that, she was very busy most of the time working on Wilderness, Jackdaw, and rehearsing for Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons.

Bad news first: in 2022, Jenna had less screen time than in any other year of her acting career since 2011. There are numerous reasons for this, including her break from April 2021 to June 2022, and various delays. She appeared prominently in one episode of The Sandman, and had a small and tiny appearance in two others. She also voiced Melia Antiqua in Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

Good news: 2023 is going to be a very good year for Jenna Coleman fans, with Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, Klokkenluider, Wilderness, and possibly also Jackdaw being released. Jenna was arguably involved in more projects this year than ever before. She promoted the release of the film Klokkenluider, and started filming Jackdaw. She promoted the TV show The Sandman, and filmed Wilderness. She started rehearsing for the play Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons. And the game Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was released.

The Sandman

10 episodes of The Sandman season 1 were released on Netflix on the 5th of August 2022. As was announced in 2021, Jenna played Johanna Constantine, a sort-of, but not quite genderbent John Constantine. Johanna goes through similar events as John in the comics, but reacts differently to them, being her own unique character. Episode 3 of The Sandman, "Dream a Little, Dream of Me", predominantly revolves around her.

Several additional scenes were added to that episode, to establish her character, such as the ones shown in the two gifs above, in which she is tasked with exorcising a demon from a princess, and dresses up as a priest for the occasion.

Jenna also played the ancestor of Johanna Constantine; Lady Johanna Constantine, in episode 6 of The Sandman, "The Sound of her Wings". She appears in the scene set in 1789, during the sequence of meetings between Morpheus and Hob Gadling every 100 years. Although this appearance was brief, it marks the introduction of her character, who will appear again in future episode(s) of The Sandman.

Jenna was phenomenal in both roles, and received tons of praise for her portrayal of both Constantines. Since the release of the show, a lot of people have requested for her to get her own spinoff show! Unfortunately, I think it is unlikely to happen, given how reluctant Netflix was to even renew The Sandman, but you never know!

Both Constantines are very unique roles for Jenna, these are parts the likes of which she has never played before. And just as she always does, she really made them stand out, and be unique. Just as she does for all of her roles, she gave them their own unique way of speaking, a unique pronunciation. She talked a lot about how she approached playing the characters, and how she portrayed their rough, cynical, sweary outside, to hide their true feelings.

Jenna also did a lot of promotional work for The Sandman in the months leading up to the release. The above gif is from a video of the cast of The Sandman associating a word or phrase relating to the show, to every letter of the alphabet, for Entertainment Weekly.

We don't yet know for sure if Jenna will reprise her role(s) for season 2 of The Sandman, but she did share this behind-the-scenes picture of herself as Johanna Constantine meeting Morpheus (played by Tom Sturridge) on Instagram after the announcement of the renewal of the show.

Hopefully, Jenna will receive the awards and nominations she deserves for her amazing acting in the show next year!

Xenoblade Chronicles

Jenna also reprised her role as Melia Antiqua in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, which was released on the 29th of July 2022. Above is a picture of her doing the voice acting for the game. You can watch the cutscenes from the game here:

Klokkenluider

After a long period of uncertainty about its release, Klokkenluider, the film Jenna Coleman filmed in February to March 2021, had its world premiere on the 8th of October at the London Film Festival. It was subsequently also shown at the Cambridge Film Festival, and the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. It was announced to be more widely released at some point next year.

Jenna's character, Flo, was reported to only appear in the final act of the film. She is a very sweary character, apparently even more so than Johanna Constantine. One review of the film said that "Coleman must hold some kind of record of how many times a character can say any version or abbreviation of the word “cunt” in under a minute, but her role is the most fun I’ve seen the actress ever have on screen."

The reviews of the film and Jenna's acting in it have been almost universally very positive. So I can't wait to see it!

Wilderness

On the 17th of June, 2022, Jenna Coleman was announced to lead the Amazon Prime show "Wilderness", in which she plays Liv Taylor. It is based on the novel of the same name by B.E. Jones. Filming took place in Canada and the USA from the 17th of June to the 1st of October. The show will mainly revolve around her and Will Taylor, played by Oliver Jackson-Cohen.

It was announced that it would be released next year, but we are still waiting for a date to be announced for it. The behind the scenes pictures show that they filmed in lots of beautiful scenery.

Jackdaw

This is a "secret" new film that Jenna started working on in the week of the 5th of December. It is apparently directed by Jamie Childs, and also stars Oliver Jackson-Cohen. Everyone involved has tried to keep talk about it to a minimum, and there have not been any public announcements about it yet, besides casting calls for various roles.

At the moment, we only know very little about it. Given the deliberate secrecy, it is likely that "Jackdaw" will not be the final name of the film. But what we do know, is that Jenna dyed her hair a light shade of blonde, much lighter than her hair colour in The Cry.

We know that Jenna wears a black outfit, and is involved in several action sequences. She even has a stunt double for these scenes!

At the moment, it is impossible to say when it will be released. Jenna has only worked on it for a brief period so far, as rehearsals for Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons started soon after the start of filming. Other actors involved in the film have, however, been working almost right until Christmas on it. It is quite possible that Jenna will continue filming it, after the play is done, in April 2023.

Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons

On the 8th of November, it was announced that Jenna Coleman and Aidan Turner would star as Bernadette and Oliver in the play Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons. It will be shown at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London from the 18th of January to the 18th of March, then in Manchester from the 21st to the 25th of March, and finally in Brighton from the 28th of March to the 1st of April.

The promotion for the play has been absolutely amazing. The play immediately had an official Instagram and Twitter account, and its own website. Additionally, there was a photoshoot for the play, a TV interview at the BBC's today show, and a radio interview during the Zoe Ball Breakfast show. And all of that weeks before rehearsals even began!

For fans living outside the UK, it remains unclear if it will be possible to see the play. But hopefully, it will be recorded for NTLive, just like All My Sons was.

The War Rooms

This is a show, that Jenna was announced to be the lead actress in, and the executive producer for, on the 27th of April 2021. However, since the initial announcement, there has not been any news about it whatsoever. Although this could be interpreted as the show having been scrapped, Jenna Coleman recently said during a Comic Con, that it was still in development, that it was just taking a long time.

Perhaps filming for it will start in 2023?

[shpnx]

No Limits(FONT BY LYAJKA) -Version 1.00 April 14, 2021, initial releas

https://online-fonts.com/fonts/no-limits

[sebbyisland]

I can’t be unhinged anywhere else so all my bnha exodus mutuals get to read my final thoughts on Dabi, Endeavor, and character redemption. I also stopped closely following the manga since about the end of 2021, so I only have limited info about the recent Todoroki family showdown.

Dabi was made self destructive from the start. His body is not compatible with his quirk, but he continues to use his quirk because he is so focused on the singular goal to drag his father through the mud. As a child, he wanted his father's attention. Now, as an adult who never had a real childhood, he still wants his father's attention. He wants to be burned in his father's mind as the failure he can never hide away from, the monster-from-the-dead to Endeavor's Dr.Frankenstein. He is Dabi, and he will become hero society’s greatest mistake.

But Dabi will never get the revenge he so ardently desires because the world will never shun Heroes like the way he was shunned by his own father--this is the fruitless tragedy of Touya Todoroki. However, I predict he will get revenge in perhaps the way that matters the most, because a truly redeemed Endeavor can never forgive himself for Dabi’s fate— especially if confronted with the permanence of his (probable) death. Dabi wants vengeance, and he is willing to take everyone, including himself, down with him.

Since Dabi's motivations are centered around Endeavor, I wanna talk a bit more about him. The narrative is clear in showing that because Endeavor wants to be a better person (read: moved out of the family home, rei leaves the hospital, apologized, openly confessed his actions in a press release, and he has Soft Eyes now), he will not face any accountability from the public or any structural institution for his actions. Society has forgiven him long before his victims were able to process their own feelings.

We can understand the way "redemption" is handled for villainous male characters in the story (and specifically male because Magne, Lady Nagant, and Curious all just explode, whereas Lady Brava gets arrested and we never see her again) through a parallel to Endeavor, Bakugo. Bakugo is “redeemed” by spending much of the first half of the story constantly taking L’s. He wastes his time in his first internship and learns almost nothing. His classmates are better than him, the kid he used to bully is getting a hero license before him, he gets kidnapped, he gets ignored and made into an embarrassing spectacle in the Sports Festival, he has to acknowledge that the symbol of all his insecurities is basically the son of his idol. Bakugo never experiences consequences explicitly for his bullying, but the narrative still makes him repent.

My Hero Academia is set up so that accountability happens indirectly--plot karma, basically. This is very common in shonen manga. It makes sense for, say, high school boys who are still growing up, since that's usually what happens to teenagers anyways. They grow up. But for large institutional figureheads like Endeavor, the number 1 pro-hero, it can be a bit off putting to see him essentially untouchable by the law despite being hired to uphold the law. This is really the main problem people have with the Todoroki family story arc.

But let’s pretend, for a second, that Endeavor and some 15yr old brat have committed the same sins. Endeavor takes his first L when his son Shouto realizes he doesn’t have to live his life just trying to spite his father, he can live for himself—this throws Endeavor off his game. Then, Endeavor's life purpose gets turned around his head when All Might retires before he gets the "chance" to beat him in the rankings. This is similar to when Bakugo receives de-facto first place because Todoroki won't fight with his fire in the Sports Festival. However, unlike winning a high school competition, Endeavor’s lofty ideals gets sobered by the weight of taking on the mantle of number one. In his first major debut, he gets his face mauled by a Nomu released by Dabi. He realizes that the public might love him, but his family wants nothing to do with him. Finally, because he abused his family, he helped produce one of the worst villains Japan has ever seen.

The last thing shocks him to his core--when faced with the truth, he freezes. Both during the Touya Todoroki reveal, and during the later showdown teamed up with Shouto, Endeavor hesitates to do the one thing he has spent most of his life gunning towards: winning the fight. He can't fight his son because (for once) there is nothing to win by beating his son to submission. No lofty dream of defeating All Might or being the best hero, that’s all lost meaning now. In all but name, Endeavor has failed to become the #1 hero. When his wife mockingly asks him, "You call yourself a hero?" she exposes him as a fraud, and in all the ways that matter, she is right. What kind of hero can't even help his son?

At this point, there is no "saving" Dabi, just the question of whether his final moments will be painful, gratifying, or both. He failed to make the world hate his father, but he can make his father hate himself. Perhaps he does not realize it, but Dabi has already won.

(I know I didn't mention Shouto much in this. That is because I am tired.)

As a reader, I'd be really unsatisfied if Dabi just dies, since it essentially reduces him to character development for his abuser, and I'm so tired of seeing emphasis on ENDEAVOR'S problems and ENDEAVOR'S need for support while everyone in his family besides Shouto gets practically no support in healing from Endeavor's abuse. Sure, we can make headcanons all we want, but the fact of the matter is Endeavor's character growth has gotten way more screentime than the rest of the non-hero part of the Todoroki family, which really only seems to drive the point home that heroes are untouchable and everyone else is....everyone else. This directly conflicts with themes in the story like "everyone can be a heroic" and more directly conflicts with moments of public action in the series, such as people posting about heroes on social media, protesting the war with the League of Villains, and trying to stop Izuku--> later helping him in taking shelter in UA. It is not like the public is not involved with the hero institution, but that they cannot check the heroes themselves or correct them. With the way the Hero Pubilc Safety Comission is depicted as a secondary antagonist in the series, it is possible that by the end of the series there will be large structural changes to hero society. I severely doubt it, though, cause their role in covering up Endeavor's actions were not even acknowledged during his press interview addressing public concerns. Either way, this does not address the fact that Endeavor has yet to face a single real institutional consequence for abusing his real institutional power. His only real consequence is Dabi, and a distant but not spiteful family, which is not exactly the kind of consequence I was looking for from the narrative.

[bazpitch]

ok no more album discourse

[reasoningdaily]

WASHINGTON — US military assistance to Egypt is facing increased scrutiny following allegations that Sen. Bob Menendez used his influence in Congress to secretly aid the government of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. 

Human rights groups say the charges against Menendez, if true, have tainted aid dollars approved by the administration earlier this month. Speaking on condition of anonymity, two congressional sources told Al-Monitor that Democratic offices are discussing options, including placing a hold on a recently greenlit tranche of military aid to Egypt. 

The longstanding US partner in the Middle East has been among the biggest recipients of American security assistance since the 1978 Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt. That provision of aid — to the tune of roughly $1.3 billion per year — has continued despite the country’s poor record on human rights.  

On Friday, federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged Menendez and his wife, Nadine, with accepting bribes including cash, gold bars and a Mercedes-Benz convertible in exchange for using the 69-year-old senator's office “in ways that benefited the government of Egypt.” 

Menendez has pledged to fight the bribery charges and has rebuffed calls from a growing number of Democrats to resign. On Monday, the senator rejected the Justice Department's allegations and defended his “clear and consistent” record on holding Egypt accountable. 

“Those who now are attempting to malign my actions as it relates to Egypt simply don't know the facts,” Menendez said in public remarks in Union City, NJ. 

The 39-page indictment contains an explosive list of allegations involving Menendez and Wael Hana, an Egyptian-American businessman who prosecutors said had close ties to Egyptian military and intelligence officials.   

According to the three-count indictment, Nadine Menendez and Hana arranged a series of meetings between the senator and Egyptian officials that included discussions of US foreign military financing to Egypt. 

Federal prosecutors say Menendez disclosed  “nonpublic information” to Hana during a May 2018 dinner about the US supply of military aid to Egypt. Shortly after their dinner, Hana texted an unidentified Egyptian official claiming that “the ban on small arms and ammunition to Egypt has been lifted.”

Later that month, Menendez allegedly ghost-wrote a letter to other US senators on behalf of Egypt asking that they release a hold on $300 million in assistance, the indictment said. 

As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee since 2021, Menendez’s buy-in was needed to move forward with major arms sales to foreign governments. Under the arms sales process, the State Department informally notifies the chairs and ranking members on the House and Senate foreign affairs panels, who can then provide input and place holds on the proposed transfers. 

Menendez has used this authority to obstruct transfers to Turkey and Saudi Arabia over human rights concerns, but did not publicly announce holds on Egypt's military sales. On Monday, he indicated he did so privately. 

Menendez has stepped down from the committee chairmanship, as required by Senate Democrats’ internal rules. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), an outspoken critic of the Sisi government who has pushed for restrictions on Egypt’s aid, is expected to temporarily assume the role.  

Since coming to power in a 2013 overthrow of Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Sisi has waged what monitoring groups say is a sweeping crackdown on dissent that has seen tens of thousands of Egyptians arrested or jailed on political grounds. 

During the time prosecutors say Menendez accepted bribes to assist the government of Egypt, American citizens and lawful permanent residents were detained in the North African country's jails. They include Mustafa Kassem, an Egyptian-born auto parts dealer from New York, who died in January 2020 after launching a hunger strike to protest his imprisonment. 

In response to Cairo's repression, Congress since 2014 has placed human rights-related conditions on a fraction of its military assistance. Successive US administrations have bypassed such restrictions, citing Egypt's role in supporting counterterrorism and regional stability, including as a mediator between Israel and Palestinian militants. 

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Cardin and eight other senators wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken in August urging the Biden administration to slash $320 million from Egypt’s annual assistance package — the full amount that Congress in its annual appropriations legislation had tied to human rights progress. A source with knowledge of the letter said Menendez passed on signing it. 

The unsealing of the Menendez indictment came just over a week after the administration said it would withhold just $85 million in assistance from Egypt this year. It used a national security waiver to override the rights-related requirements that lawmakers had attached to the remaining $235 million in restricted funds. 

“The secretary made a very carefully thought-through evaluation of certain national security priorities ... contributions Egypt was making and will continue to make,” the State Department’s top-ranking Middle East diplomat, Barbara Leaf, said at Al-Monitor and Semafor’s inaugural Middle East Global Summit on Sept. 20. 

Human rights advocates say that military aid should be re-examined in light of the Menendez accusations. The Freedom Initiative, a Washington-based group that advocates for Middle East political prisoners, said President Joe Biden should announce a review of the bilateral relationship with Egypt, and Congress should place an immediate hold on the $235 million approved earlier this month. 

Murphy told reporters Tuesday evening that Menendez should resign, and the aid should be paused pending an investigation.  

Blinken on Friday declined to comment on such calls, citing an “ongoing legal matter.” 

Holding up military aid to Egypt is not without precedent. Last year, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), then-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, blocked the release of $75 million to Egypt over its treatment of political prisoners. The funds were returned to the Treasury Department after his office and the State Department failed to agree on a new set of rights conditions for Egypt. 

Seth Binder, director of advocacy at the Project on Middle East Democracy, said the allegations in the Menendez indictment put to rest the idea that Egypt’s government doesn’t care about US military aid. 

“It’s clear that their involvement and effort in trying to push to get military aid cleared and released is an indication that this is absolutely something they care strongly about, and they're willing to do whatever they can to get the assistance that they think belongs to them,” Binder said. 

A representative for the Egyptian Embassy in Washington did not immediately return a request for comment. 

[a-big-apple]

I posted 1,022 times in 2022

That's 91 more posts than 2021!

65 posts created (6%)

957 posts reblogged (94%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@jeejyboard

@questbedhead

@anonbea

@slamfalconry-clone

@theknightofroses

I tagged 1,015 of my posts in 2022

Only 1% of my posts had no tags

#awesome fanart - 440 posts

#the locked tomb - 333 posts

#ntn spoilers - 112 posts

#steven universe - 76 posts

#encanto - 68 posts

#art - 60 posts

#videos - 51 posts

#luisa madrigal - 27 posts

#animals - 25 posts

#my fanfiction - 25 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#omg that one commenter is right harrow would perfectly roast a marshmallow for gideon who would then complain that it's not burnt to a crisp

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Thoughts on Surface Pressure 2/2

Let’s jump right back in! First part is here.

I was talking about anxiety, and here it is:

We’re back to the verse. “Under the surface, I hide my nerves and it worsens, I worry something is gonna hurt us.” That dissonance between what she’s showing and what she’s saying is back. She worries, it worsens, but she’s posing, ready to stop an avalanche. Mirabel is a beat behind, still putting together what Luisa’s telling her even while Luisa’s once again putting her body between Mirabel and danger.

NOW WE ARRIVE AT ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS!

See the full post

55 notes - Posted February 26, 2022

#4

It’s almost time for the 2022 @fandomtrumpshate auction!!! 

Support progressive causes by creating and receiving amazing fanwork! Whether you want to offer your talents or bid on others’ offers, there are plenty of options for every level of time, energy, and money.

Want to know more? This year’s details are all here!

100 notes - Posted January 13, 2022

#3

See the full post

109 notes - Posted June 23, 2022

#2

Ok I have to go off about Luisa’s look for a minute because I’ve been watching Encanto daily (sometimes twice a day) in that honeymoon phase of wanting to see every detail and I’m quietly taking notes on her outfit so I can make it for myself and I have a lot to say about it

So it’s clear her whole look is about practicality, right, she’s sweet, she’s femme, but she has a lot of manual labor to do on the daily and her whole self-worth is riding on doing it well. So everything she’s got going on is supporting that goal! 

Her hair: gorgeous, I would pay so much money to see it down, but she can’t afford to have it in her face or in the way. So she’s got it braided on the side, which is pretty and decorative but also a braid can sometimes hold onto your little short tendrils that would pop out of a regular ponytail, and we know she has some little tendrils! 

Also, the bun! It bounces like it’s not super tight, so probably she’s not taking a ton of time in the morning to get it precise--again, it’s a practical choice, she’s working out before the coffee’s even ready. A quick bun is up off her neck, out of her face, nothing dangling that’s gonna get caught on the bottom of a church or whatever. She has a nice thick ribbon for it too, because all that hair is probably pretty heavy.

See the full post

135 notes - Posted February 14, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

HEY BONERS...i really lost my grip for like, several weeks, and put together this truly heinous, flagrantly too long, not entirely navigable or sensible google document in which i have extensively quoted and annotated Gideon the Ninth, Harrow the Ninth, As Yet Unsent, and the Mysterious Study of Doctor Sex.

it was meant entirely for me, to prepare my brain for Nona, but i thought it would be silly to do all this work and not share it with anyone. so if it sounds like a thing you’d be into, check it out, and maybe leave comments in the doc while you’re there if you want!

136 notes - Posted September 7, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[adventusminingcorporation]

Corporate Update from Adventus Mining: New Nobis Board Representative

Toronto, September 2022 - Subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, Adventus Mining Corporation ("Adventus Mining") (TSXV: ADZN) (OTCQX: ADVZF) is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. David Darquea Schettini to the Board of Directors of Adventus Mining as the nominee of Nobis Holding de Inversiones ("Nobis"). Ms. Melissa Romero Noboa, who resigned as a director of Adventus Mining on September 6, 2022, is replaced by Mr. David Darquea Schettini.

The chief financial officer of Nobis and an international businessman with a base in Guayaquil, Ecuador, is Mr. David Darquea Schettini. At several Nobis businesses, with a focus on Ecuador, Colombia, and the United States in particular, he has held key commercial and strategic roles. Mr. Darquea has prior experience working in the investment banking, energy, and building sectors. He has completed Finance & Administration studies at Tec de Monterrey in Mexico, a Portfolio Specialization at the Instituto de Estudios Bursátiles in Spain, and Executive Programs at the Wharton School and the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Adventus Mining's chairman, Mark Wellings, said: "I would like to thank Ms. Melissa Romero Noboa for her thoughtful work and support of Adventus since June 2021 on behalf of the Board of Directors and management of Adventus. We'd like to extend a warm welcome to Mr. David Darquea Schettini, a member of the Board who brings a depth of Latin American and local expertise in business strategy, financial management, and project execution. As Adventus continues to evolve into a leading copper-gold development and exploration company, we are certain that Mr. Darquea's considerable talent and expertise will be a benefit to the firm."

Concerning Adventus Mining An exploration and development business for copper and gold with a concentration on Ecuador is Adventus Mining Corporation. The 215 sq. km. Curipamba copper-gold project is majority owned by Adventus Mining, and a feasibility study on the shallow, high-grade El Domo deposit has been completed. Additionally, Adventus Mining is a part of a national exploration partnership in Ecuador that currently includes the copper-gold porphyry projects Pijili and Santiago. Adventus Mining has a portfolio of exploration projects outside of Ecuador in Ireland, with South32 Limited serving as the funding participant. Altius Minerals Corporation, Greenstone Resources LP, Wheaton Precious Metals Corp., and the Nobis Group of Ecuador are some of its key investors. The Toronto-based company Adventus Mining trades on the OTCQX under the ticker sign ADVZF and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol ADZN.

On Nobis One of Ecuador's biggest private companies, Nobis Holding de Inversiones, has operations in the agricultural, real estate, commercial, industrial, construction, and tourism industries. Executive President Isabel Noboa Pontón established the organisation in 1997, and it has since grown into one of the most well-known and reputable private businesses in the nation. The company's commercial activities in Ecuador are highlighted by:

Join forces with DP World at the deep-water port of Posorja one of the biggest conglomerates in agriculture One of the biggest owners and operators of private and commercial real estate, including malls, hotels, resorts, and apartments largest producer of ethanol and renewable energy from sugarcane waste Through the Nobis Foundation (Fundación Nobis), which works to educate and empower women, youth, and low-income communities in Ecuador, Nobis is a pioneer in community development and charity projects in addition to its wide commercial portfolio. To learn more, go to https://nobisholdings.com/.

The sufficiency or correctness of this press release are not guaranteed by the TSX Venture Exchange or its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the TSX Venture Exchange's rules).

According to the applicable Canadian securities regulations, this press release contains "forward-looking information." Any statements (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "is expected," "scheduled," "estimates," "pending," "intends," "plans," "forecasts," "targets," or "hopes," or variations of such words and phrases) that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, or future events or performance.

The comments that Adventus Mining expects, anticipates, or believes may take place in the future are included in this forward-looking information, but they are not the only ones. Although Adventus Mining has made an effort to identify critical factors that could significantly alter the course of events from what is projected in the forward-looking information, there may still be additional factors that affect actual actions, events, or results differently from what was anticipated, projected, or intended. There can be no guarantee that such information is true, and actual outcomes and future occurrences can be very different from what was predicted in such information. As a result, readers shouldn't rely too much on information that is forward-looking. Any forward-looking information will be updated by Adventus Mining, unless otherwise required by relevant securities laws.

Beaver Creek's "Precious Metals Summit" - On September 13–15, 2022, Adventus Mining will be present at the Precious Metals Summit Beaver Creek and is accessible to speak with potential investors. Please get in touch with Mr. Christian Kargl-Simard personally to arrange a face-to-face appointment.

Adventus Mining Corporation is the source https://www.adventusmining.com/news/122596

[spookshowninjakitty]

From Fame to Ruin by Jina S. Bazzar

From Fame to Ruin by Jina S. Bazzar

From Fame to Ruin: A Romantic Thriller Standalone Novel by Jina S. Bazzar Romantic Thriller 321 Pages Published 21st December 2021 Purchase from | Amazon AU | Amazon US | Amazon UK | My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Actual rating of 3.5 Carol has been through a lot. She’s suffered through and survived heartbreak, the loss of the…

[hallmark-movie-fanatics]

NEW INSTALLMENTS OF THE POPULAR ‘AURORA TEAGARDEN MYSTERIES’ AND ‘MYSTERY 101’ FRANCHISES TO PREMIERE IN MARCH ON HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES

STUDIO CITY, CA – February 11, 2011 – March becomes a bit more mysterious when all- new installments of the popular Signature Mystery franchises, “Aurora Teagarden Mysteries” starring Candace Cameron Bure (“Fuller House,” “The View”), and “Mystery 101” starring Jill Wagner (“Hearts of Winter,” “Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses”) and Kristoffer Polaha (Wonder Woman 1984, “Double Holiday”) premiere on the network in March.

“We’re thrilled to offer viewers all-new mysteries featuring some of their favorite crime- solving characters in smart and exciting adventures,” said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming, Crown Media Family Networks. “Sleuthers can expect the thrilling cases they’ve come to love and there may also be a dash of romance along the way.”

SIGNATURE MYSTERY ORIGINAL PREMIERES ON HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES IN MARCH:

“Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: How to Con a Con” Premieres Sunday, March 14 (8 p.m. ET/PT) Starring: Candace Cameron Bure, Niall Matter, Marilu Henner

When Aida Teagarden’s (Henner) real estate client is found murdered, her sleuthing daughter Aurora (Cameron Bure) sets out with her fiancé Nick (Matter) and the Real Murders Club to solve the murder.

“Mystery 101: Killer Timing” Premieres Sunday, March 21, (8 p.m. ET/PT) Starring: Jill Wagner, Kristoffer Polaha, Erin Cahill

An escaped serial killer and an attempt on Travis’ (Polaha) life makes this their most dangerous case yet as Amy (Wagner) and Travis team up with his FBI agent ex-wife (Cahill) to find the connection before it's too late.

LINK

[metalheadsforblacklivesmatter]

Excuse me.

Any reason why they're hiding the body camera footage?

We already know that they drive in in the same fashion as lynch mobs in the 60s and that the gunshot wound in the back of the head (based on the autopsy) doesn't match the description of a man driving away.

The police have complained that the facility calling the murder of Andrew Brown Jr an "execution" and said that the family was exaggerating it.

You'd think that the police would want to retired body cam footage to prove it's not an execution.

Unless...?

I'm just saying, a shot to the base of the skull doesn't match the description of a man driving away.

-fae

[putschki1969]

Release postponement for H-el-ical//’s single 「JUST DO IT」

It has just been announced that the release of H-el-ical//’s single "JUST DO IT" will be postponed as a result of the broadcast postponement of the TV anime “World’s End Harem”. "JUST DO IT" was scheduled to be released on October 27, 2021, please be patient a while longer until a new release date can be announced. The information will be listed on the official website as soon as it is available.

● Target products H-el-ical// "JUST DO IT" -  Releae date: October 27, 2021 First Press Limited Edition (2CD) GNCA-0641 / ¥ 2,420 (tax included) Regular Edition (CD) GNCA-0642 / ¥ 1,320 (tax included)

The TV anime was set to start broadcasting today on October 8 but it seems some further inspection is required regarding the adult content of the series. Therefore, the official broadcast has been postponed to January 2022 (further details TBA). The first episode will be aired today as scheduled but all subsequent episodes will be moved to the following season. (Source)

───※ ·❆· ※─── 

Oh no, so THAT explains the "3rd"/"4th" single confusion from the other day. I thought it was weird that we hadn’t gotten any news on “JUST DO IT” yet even though it was supposed to be released earlier than “The Sacred Torch”. Now we know why. How weird is that??! Why are they waiting until the very last moment to make this announcement? Is this the first time an ecchi anime like this gets broadcast on TV? I wouldn’t think so but what the hell do I know... Do those shows not get inspected in adance? Apparently not...Did someone make a complaint? Maybe the creators were pushing the envelope a bit too much or bit off more than they coud chew and thought they would get away with it? Such a shame...I was actually really looking forward to hearing a full version of “JUST DO IT”. From the snippets we got, it’s better than “The Sacred Torch”, at least in my opinion. Hopefully we will still get to hear it at today’s event. I mean, it is an anisong event after all and so far, she only has two released anime tie-ins so she literally HAS to sing her upcoming songs as well in order to even have a proper setlist. ReoNa sang a total of 10 songs, I guess Hikaru will have to resort to singing Kalafina covers or covers of other anisongs