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umlewis · 4 months ago

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European GP 2007 - Thursday press conference

Interviewer: "Lewis, how are you? I hear you've had some flu." Lewis: "Yeah, I'm okay. I've just not had a great week. I was a bit ill at the beginning of the week but I'm feeling a lot better now." Interviewer: "And a busy day today. Tell us about what you've been doing so far?" Lewis: "It's normal. We have plenty of appearances to do and some working with Mercedes Benz. The weather's not been great. People say it's typical English weather, but if you look at Silverstone I think we had a good weekend." Interviewer: "And also some karting today as well." Lewis: "Yeah, we did the Vodafone karting event and it's really nerve-wracking going back in a go-kart because I'm a bit rusty. I know Nico's been in a kart since me." NR: "You're lucky I wasn't at the event." Lewis: "But I was on form. I was actually quite impressed. It's good to see the youngsters. It's incredible to see how quick these young kids are, how committed they are." Interviewer: "More committed than you remember being at that age?" Lewis: "I wouldn't say more than me, but I'm just remembering how committed you are at such a young age. It's good to still see that people are like that." Interviewer: "What is your approach now to the coming races? Halfway through the season, you are leading the championship. People have been talking, even McLaren have been talking, about adopting a relatively conservative approach." Lewis: "Of course we have to bear in mind that we have to try and finish every race and maintain the level if we can, but that doesn't mean that we slack. We're going to keep on pushing hard to beat everyone. That's how we have been all season. The whole team is pushing extremely hard back at the factory to improve the car. I'm working hard at my training to improve my game. Yes, we go into the race thinking 'Okay, we need the points.' But we want to win, so it's a balance." Interviewer: "A difficult balance?" Lewis: "I don't think it's difficult. Maybe it would be for some people."

[QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR:]

(Andrea Cremonesi – La Gazzetta dello Sport) A question for Lewis. Of course next week will be very important for the situation of McLaren in this championship. What is your feeling, knowing that everything you have worked for could be cancelled? LH: I'm not really bothered about it to be honest. I don't think that is going to happen, so I'm not worried, I'm very confident. I'm confident in what the team has done over the years and I have every confidence in the team now. I don't believe anything like that would happen. On my part that is all I'm going to say. Otherwise you should speak to Fernando.

(Carole Capitaine – L'Equipe) Question for Lewis. At Silverstone you said you had a problem with the set-up on your car. What do you expect from this race? LH: I expect it to be better. We went down a certain route…. You only have P1, P2, P3 and it's not a lot of time to find the perfect set-up. Sometimes you go down one route and its too late to go back to another one, you don't have enough time so you continue with that and hope it is good enough. We didn't have the right set-up for once at Silverstone. Going into this weekend we understand where we went wrong, we think we come here a bit stronger.

(MC) How good was the Spa test for you? LH: The Spa test went well for me, I had a nice clear day with no rain. I think everyone else had some rain over the next couple of days. It was a real boost of confidence for me. We got there and the car felt better than it has felt all season so I was very, very happy. We did the team briefing and I was just comfortable with my set-up. When you drive a car that you are comfortable with it is just a pleasure. So for once I enjoyed testing.

(MC) So would that have actually been a step forward in terms of set-up for future races? LH: Maybe for that track. But in terms of just making sure we have the right direction I think we have gone back to where we were before and we have to continue to make sure we improve in that area.

#european gp 2007 #flashback fic ref #flashback fic ref 2007 #germany #germany 2007 #germany 2007 thursday #european #european 2007 #european 2007 thursday #tw nico

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dimensionsunited · 4 years ago

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MARCH 2021 DIMENSIONS ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULES & REVIEW

Members may earn 3 points each (up to 6 points) for writing, by the end of April 7 KST:

A solo para of 400+ words based on their monthly schedule (does not count toward your monthly total).

A thread of six posts (three per participant, including the starter) based on their monthly schedule.

Threads do not have to take place directly during an important date listed on the schedule, but must be related to what the muse is mentioned to be doing in the paragraph explaining their schedule/the company’s schedule for the month and/or their thoughts on the mentioned activities or lack thereof.

These schedules may be updated throughout the month if new information needs to be added.

Reminder: February schedule posts are due by the end of March 7 KST. Please do not post schedule posts in the fmdschedule tag.

OVERALL COMPANY

Delays in construction have the opening date of the base Culture Complex delayed by a few months more than anticipated, but the idols are still on schedule to participate in preparing materials. This month, all idols will go into a studio to film short videos that will be used for a AR photobooth where fans can “take pictures” with their favorite idols. The videos they need to film will be pretty simple: sitting on benches and standing in a few different poses in front of a green screen (examples: 1, 2).

Important dates:

March 1-March 31: base Culture Complex museum AR photobooth filming (admin note: muses may encounter idols from other companies while there).

DIMENSIONS SOLOIST 1

After five months since her last comeback, another comeback for her has finally been internally confirmed within Dimensions Entertainment. Preparations in the studio and the practice studio don’t kick in quite yet this month, but she’ll be in for a few concept meetings to be told what Dimensions is looking at give her own feedback as a veteran of the company. Before she enters a new era, Dimensions is sending her in to do some wrap-up promotions for “Pporappippam”, including a “Look Me Up” video with 1theK.

Important dates:

March 5: 1theK Look Me Up video filming.

DIMENSIONS SOLOIST 2

Most of the month is spent going between the practice room and meetings as he prepares to make his comeback. His new mini-album will be released on the final day of the month, meaning he won’t get the chance to see the results just yet, but, in their meetings, Dimensions makes it clear to him that they’d like this comeback to see more success in at least a few areas compared to his prior comebacks to show his capability for long-term growth as a soloist in their company, putting the pressure on him.

Important dates:

March 31: Release of “When It Rains” & Day mini-album + press showcase, music show promotions continue through April 30.

DIMENSIONS SOLOIST 3

She finishes a successful round of single promotions on the third of the month, but she doesn’t get a break just because she’s finished promoting one comeback. Instead, she’s almost immediately ushered into preparing for her next one by having scheduled studio time to record the track list of her next mini-album, which Dimensions has slated for a summer release fitting of its more bright and pop-y sound compared to her debut mini-album.

Important dates:

March 3: End of music show promotions.

GAL.ACTIC

The next step of the comeback preparation process is to learn and rehearse the choreography for the title track. Their sound might be a little different this comeback, but their choreography isn’t too far off from what they’re used to. They’ll also attend fittings, as usual, and the denim brand GetUsed that they’re the face of has them scheduled for a fan sign at a mall mid-month. They’ve also been chosen as the newest faces of cosmetics and skincare brand MISSHA and will have a commercial filming for the brand’s Lipsticks this month. All members will appear in all CF versions, but there will be three focus versions focusing on different feelings the lipstick shades give off, where two members will be assigned to each.

Modern: Main rapper/main dancer/vocal & Leader/main vocal

Lovely: Vocal & maknae/vocal

Elegant: Lead vocal & lead rapper/lead dancer/vocal

Important dates:

March 10: MISSHA CF filming.

March 14: GetUsed fan sign.

March 15: M/V and stage outfit fittings.

ALIEN

Fantasia X releases in the second week of March and then Alien is set for promotions for the rest of the month. In addition to the regular music shows, they’ve been scheduled to make appearances on several YouTube channel popular with idols fans, particularly the international audience. The videos will focus on showing different sides of their live performances, which Dimensions considers to be one of the strongest points of their idols.

Important dates:

March 6: Dingo Jackpot Live video filming.

March 9: Release of “Fantasia” & Fantasia X mini-album + press showcase, music show promotions continue through April 9.

March 11: Relay Dance video filming.

March 13: Studio Choom Be Original video filming.

March 30: Try-lingual Live video filming.

MARS

MARS will be in Japan from March 10-19 and March 26-29 to attend Hi Touch events with their Japanese fans spanning across the country. If they haven’t already, they should brush up on their Japanese in the days leading up to their trip in order to make the best impression on their Japanese fans that don’t get to see them as often as their Korean ones. Both while they’re in Seoul and in booked conference rooms in the hotels they stay in in Japan, MARS will learn and practice the choreography for their next title track and b-sides "Zigzag”, “Red Thread”, “Eye Contact”, and “Hero”.

Important dates:

March 10: MARS Mini Live & High Touch at Sapporo Factory Atrium in Sapporo, Japan.

March 13: MARS Mini Live & High Touch at Tokyo Dome City La Coeur Garden Stage in Tokyo, Japan.

March 14: MARS Mini Live & High Touch at Kobe Harborland Space Theater in Kobe, Japan.

March 16: MARS Mini Live & High Touch at Zepp DiverCity in Tokyo, Japan.

March 19: MARS Mini Live & High Touch at Tower Records Shibuya Store in Tokyo, Japan.

March 27: MARS Mini Live & High Touch at My Dome Osaka E Hall in Osaka, Japan.

March 28: MARS Mini Live & High Touch at Electric Building Mirai Hall in Fukuoka, Japan.

7ROPHY

The lead up to their comeback on the fifteenth includes a fan sign in their role as ambassadors for Kaja Beauty, as well as the pre-filming of two dance videos that will be released in the days following their comeback. They’ll film another performance video for Studio Choom a few days after making their comeback. The rest of promotions are music show performances and radio show guestings for this month. “Oh My God” sees a reception similar to what Dimensions had wanted, finding a success more similar to “Lion” than the other songs they released last year.

Important dates:

March 7: Kaja Beauty fan sign.

March 13: Special Dance Practice video filming.

March 14: 1theK Suit Dance video filming.

March 15: Release of “Oh My God” & I Trust mini-album + press showcase, music show promotions continue through April 15.

March 21: Studio Choom Be Original video filming.

March 22: Guesting on KBS Cool FM Kiss The Radio radio show.

March 30: Guesting on SBS Power FM Cultwo Show radio show.

UNITY

Their album is recorded, so March is dedicated to mastering the choreography for their comeback title track. Mid-month, they’ll have fittings for their wardrobe for the next comeback. The planned style for this comeback doesn’t step too far outside of what Unity is known for, but it’s important for the style team to know that the members’ performance won’t be compromised by ill-fitting pieces. At the end of the month, Unity will go in for a long day of shooting photos for the album.

Important dates:

March 15: M/V and stage outfit fittings.

March 30: Photo book and teaser photo shoot.

↳ CHAMPION

CHAMPION will be performing a concert at Tokyo Dome next month, so they’ll be coming together when all members are available this month to rehearse their stages to make sure they haven’t forgotten the concert set list.

Important dates:

N/A

LUCID

Most of the month is spent continuing to promote their comeback. The reception has been mixed. While the song received a detail performance more similar to their lighter concepts that have been more popular with the public, diehard fans of one concept over the other don’t seem to be satisfied with the conceptual meeting of the two, each claiming Dimensions should have gone all the way on one concept or the other. After they finish their mostly successful round of promotions, Lucid will fly out to Los Angeles to perform at KCON as Dimensions’ solo representative at the event.

Important dates:

March 3: Guesting on MBC FM4U Dreaming Radio radio show.

March 5: Yoo Heeyeol’s Sketchbook filming (to be aired: March 13).

March 9: Guesting on MBC FM4U Noon Song of Hope radio show.

March 22: End of music show promotions.

March 27: Performance at KCON LA at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, USA (also performing: Decipher, BEE, & Chroma Crystal).

March 28: Performance at KCON LA at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, USA (also performing: Decipher, BEE, & Chroma Crystal).

#fmdschedule #queued post

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playchoices · 7 years ago

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Inside Choices | Endless Summer Finale

Now that choices have been made, tears have been shed, and the dust has settled, it's time for a look back at the end of the Endless Summer trilogy. Read on for the final writer interview...

It's been almost a week since the finale, and I've cried out all my feelings. How do YOU feel now that it's over?

Taage: To be honest, it hasn't completely sunk in yet. Having lived and breathed Endless Summer for almost a year now, I'm starting to feel just as marooned on La Huerta as the characters! There's certainly a deep sense of relief. Endings can be nerve-wracking to write, especially on a tight deadline, so I'm very happy that it's done and players are enjoying the conclusion of our journey together through time, space, and the self.

Jen: This was the first Choices book I got to write on and I immediately fell in love with the characters from books 1 and 2. It feels bittersweet to not be writing them anymore, but I'm proud of the send-off we gave them.

Luke: This was always a story about letting go and moving on, so it’s time to do just that. These characters meant a lot to us, and we’ll always carry them with us.

There were three choices in the final chapter. Which would you have chosen?

Taage: I love all three endings for very different reasons... but I'm closest to the option that involves Vaanu.

Andrew: This is a weird answer, but I actually think the Rourke ending. On the surface, it seems bad (and it was a lot of fun writing the Darkest Timeline) but on playing it, I think there's actually a weird hopeful undercurrent, the promise of a new adventure. I really love those 'the battered heroes reunite against impossible odds, fighting together even if it means death' endings, and I think the Rourke ending actually kind of promises that.

Let's rewind. Brainstorms for Endless Summer kicked off during the summer of 2016. I remember the story changed a lot in the process. Diego was called Ben, the title was different, and the trees were sentient... Can you talk about how Endless Summer took shape?

Luke: Whew, this series had a crazier backstory than its characters did. The premise went through a ton of iterations, we almost pulled the plug on it early in the process, and the wedding bride was originally going to be Book 1’s big bad. But after dozens of hours of me and Andrew whiteboarding in a tiny conference room, we came up with the Book 1 we have now.

Andrew: Yeah, Endless Summer went through a LOT of interesting iterations before we hit on the version that worked. There was a version where everyone on the island was your ex, and one where the island was actually the top of the sunken continent of Atlantis. Even the first full outline was pretty different, a lot darker: the island was full of plant-zombies, there was a professor who got eaten, and Aleister ended up being a serial killer! Luckily, we figured out that we wanted something lighter, more heartfelt and adventurous, and I think we were all thrilled with the result.

What was your favorite part of making Endless Summer a reality? What was the most challenging?

Andrew: From the start, Endless was conceived as an experimental series where we got to try new things, and the most fun I had was getting to go wild with new ideas. The relationship system, the collectibles, the cutscenes, that one chapter in book 1 where I got to design an escape room... it was a total blast, and a huge thanks to QA for testing all our super-complicated new stuff!

The hardest was definitely the overall plot, and finding a way to connect all our ideas and pieces into a frame that both made sense and was emotionally satisfying. I'm honestly kind of amazed we pulled it off: we had a long list of 'mysteries to solve' and we got through almost every single one of them.

Taage: Writing the handfasting chapter may have been my most challenging and transformative experience. It was essentially five weddings in one, which was quite an undertaking. By the end, I'd gone from being a low-key cynic who didn't care for flashy weddings to a full blown romantic with dreams of my own big day. I'm also proud to have worked on some of the puzzles, and Varyyn and Diego's evolving relationship, among other things.

Jen: I got to write a lot of deeply emotional scenes for book three, which I loved doing. What I'm proudest of was getting to write Quinn's Ember scene. As someone who also has an auto-immune disease, it meant the world to me to imbue a character like Quinn with all of the words I needed to hear at the beginning of my diagnosis. Seeing fans with chronic illnesses react to that scene is the current highlight of my writing career.

Some story threads took multiple books to pay off, like who the missing wedding party ended up being. Were there any Easter eggs, details, or callbacks that you think readers may have missed?

Taage: Choices readers have sleuthed out many of the mysteries, and it's been a privilege to write for such an engaged audience. One clue I haven't seen mentioned occurs in Book 2 when Iris sings part of a traditional lullaby about giving her love "a baby with no crying."

Luke: Players may have caught this already, but the three endings were meant to represent reliving the past, holding on to the present, and moving forward into the future. Also, for any old-school Cause of Death fans, Raj got his name from an idea we considered to have him travel back in time and become Raj Mansingh, Natara’s dad. This is absolutely non-canon!

Andrew: Honestly, our fans are so sharp I think they caught almost everything. At heart, Endless Summer is a story about growing up -- about the summer where you graduate college and become an adult, and about the deep yearning to stay in the safety of sustained adolescence versus taking the plunge into the scary world of adulthood. We didn't intend it initially, but Endless Summer wound up with the underlying theme of "Every summer has to end."

What will you be working on post-Endless Summer?

Luke: That's under wraps right now.

Taage: I'm also sworn to secrecy, but look for an announcement later this year...

Jen: I'm working on a really fun new project that I think Endless Summer fans will really enjoy!

Andrew: I'm very busy on Bloodbound (and loving it!), and I'll be doing some work soon on Veil of Secrets. I've also got a couple new projects being outlined that I think players are going to like a lot...

Any final messages for Endless Summer readers before we wrap this up?

Jen: Thank you so much for playing. This story wouldn't exist without the fans who adored it. Thank you for your conspiracy theories and your fanart and your heartwarming messages about how much this story and these characters mean to you. I can't wait to show you all the new projects we're working on!

Luke: Endless Summer was able to reach this point because of dedicated fans tuning in every week. Thanks to each of you for supporting this crazy adventure from day one.

Taage: Here's to adventure! Jake is 5'9'' in boots, pass it on.

Team Endless Summer! As with all Choices books, it takes a village to raise a series. That means writers, QA testers, artists, and everyone in between.

*Wipes away a tear* Endless Summer has ended, but we hope that your stay at La Huerta has been memorable. Keep an eye out for updates on what these writers and the rest of the Choices team has planned next!

-Jessica

#playchoices #inside choices #endless summer #spoilers #long post

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polarwandersea · 8 years ago

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Proof of a right wing conspiracy. Gennifer Flowers.

This is going to be the first of a series of text posts that will offer information on several Clinton scandals. All of the quotes and information cited are coming from the sole source of the book: The Hunting of the President. The Ten-Year Campaign to Destroy Bill and Hillary Clinton by Joe Conason & Gene Lyons. I’m doing these text posts because this book offers a lot of insight on the scandals that I did not know at first and a lot of facts that are not put out there for people to know. This may be lengthy but it’s worth the read. That being said this first post is going to be on the Gennifer Flowers scandal.

Larry Nichols In order to Understand the Gennifer Flowers scandal it is important to introduce the man who was at the heart of this scandal and helped construct it. That man is Larry Nichols. Nichols had a grudge against Bill Clinton. This is due to the fact that in 1988, Nichols (who was from Conway Arkansas) had landed a new job as a marketing consultant for the Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA), the state’s centralized public bonding agency. Now this is important, the ADFA was created by Clinton Legislation over the strong opposition of Stephens Inc (this will come into play for another scandal.) Nichols’s brief career at ADFA was ill-fated from the start. Several things happened: 1. When Betsey Wright, heard that Nichols had been hired by the agency’s director, and that he had invoked her name to get the job, she was furious. She had instructed personnel directors at other agencies who had asked about Nichols over the years that he was a dangerous con artist and political opportunist. 2. Nichols was preoccupied with issues more global than the marketing of Arkansas bonds. He started telling other ADFA employees that he was a CIA operative working on behalf of Nicaraguan contras. The CIA part was false but the claim wasn’t altogether false because he had gotten involved with the Collation of Peace Through Strength, an organization headed by the retired general John Singlaub-one of marine lieutenant’s colonel Oliver North’s secret money conduits in the Iran-Contra affair. What ended up happening was that “for five months, Nichols devoted himself to the contra cause while drawing a state salary, until the Associated Press discovered he had taken his politics to work. In September 1988 the AP reported that since coming to ADFA, Nichols had placed 642 long-distance telephone calls, at state expense, to Contra leaders and politicians who supported them. “ 3. Due to all this, Bill had to fire Nichols. “Although Clinton was traveling abroad on a trade mission when the phone-call story broke, Betsey Wright made sure he learned about it immediately: “I woke him up in Asia in the middle of the night and told him to fire Nichols.” The next day state officials forced Nichols to resign. This part is important: he left protesting his innocence and complaining about the “knee-jerk liberal reaction from Governor Clinton.”

Gennifer Flowers So what does Nichols have to do with the Flowers scandal? It seems as though everything. He had the motive and revenge seeking after being fired and humiliated. Fast facts: 1. Larry Nichols called a press conference at the Arkansas state capitol on October 1990. He handed out copies go a $3million libel lawsuit against Bill Clinton. He complained that he had been wrongly fired from his state job as a “scapegoat” in order to conceal the “the largest scandal ever perpetrated on the taxpayers of Arkansas.” Nichols accused Governor Clinton of having misused ADFA funds for “improper purposes.” Nichols also presented a list of 5 alleged Clinton mistresses upon whom those funds had supposedly been spent. 2. Among the women listed was Gennifer Flowers. This is important as well: Flowers turned out to be the only one of the five women who Nichols knew personally. The two had recorded advertising jingles together and still used the same booking agent. And there was one more interesting coincidence: In early October, about two weeks before Nichols’s press conference, Gennifer Flowers had called the governor’s office seeking help in finding a state job.

Now a bit more of a profile on Gennifer Flowers herself: Musicians and club owners who had worked with Flowrs described her as manipulative and dishonest. Her resume falsely proclaimed her to be graduate of a fashionable Dallas Prep school she’d never attended. It also listed a University of Arkansas nursing degree she’d never earned and membership in a sorority that had never heard of her. Her agent told the Democrat-Gazette that contrary to her claims, Flowers had never opened for comedian Rich Little. A brief gig on the Hee Haw television program had come to a bad end, the agent would later confirm, when Flowers simply vanished for a couple of weeks with a man she’s met in a Las Vegas casino-and then concocted a tale of having been kidnapped. She had never been Miss Teenage America. Even her “twin sister Genevieve” turned out to be purely a figment of Flower’s imagination.

Given all this so far it is easy to conclude that the Gennifer Flowers scandal was one incited by revenge for Nichols and fame for Flowers. But what about the tapes you may ask? There are holes in that “evidence” as well.

The Tapes: It is important to note that each of the four taped conversations between Bill Clinton and Flowers revolved around the same topics: Larry Nichol’s accusation’s and Flower’s supposed fear and loathing of the tabloid press.

Now here are some quotes between Bill and Flowers that poke more holes in her claims of having a twelve year affair:

“Gennifer,” he said, “It’s Bill Clinton.” His voice was muffled and for a longtime lover, oddly formal. Flowers remarked that he didn’t sound like himself. Did he have a cold? “Oh it’s just my….every year about this time I.. My sinuses go bananas.” Bill’s allergies affect him every spring and fall. His voice gets hoarse and his nose swells and reddens. Anyone intimate with him for more than a decade, as Flowers insisted she had been, might be expected to know that.

Once again she launched into a tale of woe. Parties unknown, she said, had broken into her apartment and rifled the place. “There wasn’t any sign of a break-in,” she explained,” but the drawers and things. There wasn’t anything missing that I can tell, but somebody had…” “Somebody had gone through your stuff?’ Bill asked. “But they didn’t steal anything. “ “No..I had jewelry here, and everything was still here.” This is possibly why Flowers never reported the any break-in to the Little Rock Police Department. Years later, she would pin the rap for this alleged burglary on Bill Clinton himself. It is also important to note that at no point on any of Flower’s tapes did Bill Clinton say anything that indicated a long-term sexual relationship with her. During one of their earlier talks, Clinton had told her about his joking response to Bill Simmons, a Little Rock AP reporter who had read him the bimbo list over the phone.” I said, ‘God Bill, I kinda hate to deny it. They’re all beautiful women.’ I told you a couple of years ago when I came to see you that I’d retired. Now I’m glad I have, because they (his Republican enemies) have scoured the waterfront. And they couldn’t find anything.” This quote you just read is the full quote. Often times on Youtube channels, they will cut the audio at the end of the ‘they’re all beautiful women part.’

Most probable relationship of Bill and Flowers affair: 1. The account that probably came closest to the truth was a column by the Democrat-Gazette’s John Brummet, a respected political analyst and frequent Clinton critic. His sources said Flowers had mentioned to friends fifteen years earlier that she was “having a fling with Clinton,” but “they say they heard nothing from her after 1979 about a relationship with Clinton and were surprised and skeptical upon reading her assertion in Star magazine of a twelve year affair that only ended in 1989. “They are also dubious about her assertion that she was in love with Clinton all those years, dreaming of marriage. They say that she had other relationships in Dallas and Little Rock during that time.. They speculate that she doesn’t like men generally and probably enjoys using them. Their instinctive reaction to the Star article is that her vivid, detailed account probably contains truth, exaggeration and fabrication, not necessarily in equal parts.”

2. Her ex-room mate Lauren Kirk told CNN corespondent Art Harris, that she believed Flowers had lied for revenge and money. “She just can’t accept the fact that he (Clinton) came, wiped himself off, zipped up and left.”

Concluding: If Bill and Flowers did have an affair it was the typical affair of a few sexual encounters but not a twelve year or loving relationship.

Aftermath: On the morning of the Clinton’s 60 minutes appearance, a very curious item appeared on the front page of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Larry Nichols announced that he was dropping the liberal suit trumpeted in the Star only a week earlier. “The feud is over,” he said. “I want to tell everybody what I did to try to destroy Governor Clinton.” In a one-page statement distributed to the Little Rock press, Nichols claimed that his only motive had been to avenge his wrongful firing four years earlier. “The media has made a circus out of this thing and now it’s gone way too far,” he wrote. “When the Star article first came out, several women called asking if I was willing to pay them to say they had an affair with Bill Clinton.”

Honorable mentions: 1.Gennifer Flowers once boasted about the many married men she’d seduce for fun and profit: “I usually throw them back. I don’t want to keep then. Let the wives have them back.” 2. The agreement between Flowers and the Star stipulated that no one would ever be allowed to examine her original tapes. 3. Flowers never produced a single photograph, valentine, or birthday card as evidence of her twelve-year affair with Clinton; no witness ever came forward who had seen them together. 4. Flowers had claimed that between 1978 and 1980, she and Bill had enjoyed many trysts in Little Rock’s Excelsior Hotel. The Excelsior Hotel wasn’t built until 1983.

If you read this all the way through thank you and I hoped it shed more light on the Flowers scandal as it did for me. This and my future posts for this text post series will be found under the hashtag:proofofarightwingconspiracy.

#proofofarightwingconspiracy #Bill Clinton #billary #hillary clinton #the clintons #politics

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spiralatlas · 8 years ago

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GCAP 2017 Day 2

Consisting of:

More Wheelchair Hell

student games

Tony Albrecht from RIOT games

Jennifer Schuerle: Why ladders are awesome: A game design lesson in spatial design

Kate Edwards: Striking the hammer: the advocate’s journey

So the day started with me banging my newly hired mobility scooter INTO THE WALL of our apartment building and leaving a HUGE HOLE. Which was not great. But the security guard was nice about it after we showed ourselves happy to leave our details, and organised an easier way in and out via the garage. I spent the rest of the day VERY AWARE of this thing's massive turning circle. My husband Cam was an absolute life-saver, cheering me up and getting me stuff.

Also I managed to GET A SMOOTHIE IN THE END. I noodled south to the South Mebourne Markets, a hub of fancy food places which are only open a few days a week, and had a very nice if expensive vegan salted caramel smoothie and also a nice apple and raspberry sorbet from Fritz Gelato.

Anyway, on to the actual conference :)

The student games:

Unbond: a cute platform puzzler I actually managed to enjoy??

Harvest Hands a 3D farming sim, like Stardew Valley in the style of Slime Rancher.

Just Bearly an interesting series of metaphorical vignettes about awkwardness and anxiety.

Carta A very clever puzzle platformer where you rearrange the platforms, won the Student Showcase award.

Lacuna A point and click murder mystery using time travel and a really interesting connect the clues mechanic.

Komorebi (I couldn't find a link): a cute turn-based rpg using cards.

Misc Convention Stuff: I didn't mention this before but they had gender neutral toilets! I felt too self conscious to use the 'men's but it was nice to have the option. Also the volunteers were super concerned and helpful when my wheelchair broke. They didn't end up being able to fix it but tried really hard.

One of the speakers actually remembered non binary people exist one time when talking about gender bias in the industry!

I didn't go to the awards ceremony because it was at night and also I find awards super boring but seeing everyone talk about it on social media later it sounds like it would have been cool to go.

Opening Keynote: Tony Albrecht from RIOT games

He showed the path his career has taken, and where he and his early colleagues have ended up, updating a world map labeled with a network of connections.

He started out in Adelaide in 1999, he realised he was utterly miserable at his (mining?) job and wanted to get into games. His friends and family thought this was a terrible idea.

He went to AGDC and met other people like himself, forming Ratbag games in Adelaide.

Then they got bought out by a huge company and put in charge of a huge IP, based on a movie, with lots of potential... and the project and his company got scrapped.

And then he joined anew little company and exactly the same thing happened again. And then again.

During one of these shakeups he managed to jump sideways to the US branch of the company via some guys he met at a party.

Is this kind of thing nepotism? Photo of Donald Trump and family. No, because it's not just about who you know and trust, it's also about competence. And when you meet someone in person it makes it easier to judge cultural fit. (He did not talk about how this kind of "cultural fit" tends to benefit white dudes such as himself. Also, I’ll pedantically point out it it would be 'cronyism' since it's not about family. Anyway, he’s right that for good or ill this is how things work)

The GFC caused a lot of people to lose their jobs, which was a horrible experience, but also brought down the dinosaurs of the industry, leaving space for the little mammal indies to feast on the dinosaur's bones.

In his final diagram, 22 people (I didn't follow who. People from Ratbag?) ended up covering 57 studios. All of those studios are now in a position to judge if he is any good, both competent and good to work with.

You can't just be good, you have to be known to be good, and good to work with. Market yourself.

Be both humble and ambitious.

Go to parties and meet people, but don't get so drunk you make an asshole of yourself.

Speak at conferences. He showed a photo of GDC and one of a games conference in Tehran, I found it interesting that the latter had way more people who I read as women (and of course was less universally white)

Surround yourself with people you want to be like, and be like the people you want to surround yourself with.

He's now at RIOT, a huge American company, and there are four people from Ratbag there.

Why ladders are Awesome: A game design lesson in spatial design Jennifer Schuerle Opaque Space @Gaohmee Training Astronauts with VR.

Visual stimuli guidance, tell players what to do and where to go. Lights: Points of interest. Colour theory. Positive vs negative feelings, mood. Logical pathways. Repetitive visuals guide players towards a goal.

Firewatch given as an example as being good at guiding the player (which shows that this stuff can be subjective because I got lost so much I had to give up haha) Uncharted, too.

More than just "good architecture". Oni used real architects as level designers and it was bad. The layout was boring and samey.

UX behavioural science.

Player expectations: a rusted barrel with a “flammable” symbol on it is read as "Shoot me and I will explode", which would weird people out in a pacifist game.

Health pack: Illegal to use a red cross against a white background for health. Instead people use a red H, blue cross etc.

Lock down parameters. How long should it take? Mission metrics. Visual themes. What need is this space supposed to fulfill?

Context: what does the player already know? eg in LA Noire you learn early that golden handles means an openable door.

Pacing: tension and mood is created by going from a confined space to large space, from dark to light. Make the player look away before a jump scare.

Explicit: Instructions telling the player exactly what to do. Implicit: in the environment Emergent: What the player makes up in conjunction with what is given by the game.

Some bad corridors:

Minecraft portal: doesn't look like it leads anywhere, looks like a dead end.

Portal corridor has extrusions in the wall hiding an upcoming intersection.

A good corridor: light highlights door, small flight of stairs hints to progression, hint of a curving corridor beyond the door, shows edge of the next room. Raised viewpoint makes it easier to see.

Ladders, interactive objects: must be clearly designed, grab attention, can lead to a surprise because you know where the player is facing and have a reason for things to change.

Buttons control exactly where the player is facing. It controls expectation.

Super Mario is a masterclass of level design. Include objects which illustrate the rules of the world.

Cognitive priming: Foreshadowing. If you show them before they have to do it they will do better.

(Alice?) shows you what you're going to do next with flythroughs, view from a hill etc. Gets players to follow the intended path.

Gone Home is one of the most important walking sims. You explore the world and character.

Players more on board if invested. Give them time to connect to characters and environments.

Give time, show they can trust your design.

Earthlight Arcade: 15 minute virtual space walk on the outside of international space station.

New technology means new challenges, for both devs and players.

Collaboration with NASA requires a commitment to a certain level of realism.

Astronaut suits are fucking annoying. Obstructs view, takes up lots of space.

Airlock: people have expectations that don't match actual airlocks. No up! Corridors tend to be round. Exit is on the side of the airlock, how do you point people towards it?

Cannot move without applying force, pulling on handlebars etc. People lean and it doesn't work. Can rotate in any direction when holding handlebars. (I asked if people get motion sickness and she said no, because they are in control, even if things work in unexpected ways)

The goal is to get the player to: learn how to move. Find the airlock hatch. Climb out feet first.

First attempt: "Ladder" of handlebars leading to airlock. Logos with text on to suggest an up. Didn't work.

Second Attempt: Narrow airlock so you have nowhere else to go but the door out. GIANT EXIT SIGN. Worked, but for the wrong reasons: players didn't notice the sign, there was just nowhere else to go.

People. Never. Read. People. Never. Listen.

Whenever people are overwhelmed, new information is hard to retain. It doesn't matter how clear your solution seems to be if the player doesn't get it. It's your responsibility to make it work.

Earthlight Arcade is at PAX in the freeplay area!

Summary: Make mechanics come first, use spatial design as a support tool.

Design for the human perception. How do humans navigate environments?

Believable carefully crafted environments mean people will follow your lead.

[email protected]

Question: How do you keep track of the player's centre of gravity? You can't with the current model. Don't model below the stomach.

Question: How did NASA feel about this highly innaccurate airlock? There are multiple builds. An easier and less precise one for the public, a more exact one for NASA they add their own models. They have to worry about tethers etc.

Closing Keynote: Striking the hammer: the Advocate’s journey Kate Edwards CEO & Principal Consultant, Geogrify Director of Outreach & Board Member, Take This Former Executive Director, IGDA [email protected] Twitter: @geogrify

Scholarship to GDC.

Pushed against various things (crunch, sexism etc) During Gamergate was a primary target, as was the organisation. Once you have 100 arrows in your back you don't feel any more.

Now works with Take This which focuses on mental health.

Her influences: Watched the moon landing. Tolkein's map helped her on path to becoming a cartographer. Star Wars. Pong.

Writer (wanted to be astronaut, star wars conceptual artist) -> cartographer -> VR researcher -> Geopolitical Strategist at MSFT -> Cultural consultant on games -> IGDA Executive Director -> Raging Advocate

Who am I? Created a unique Geopolitical career at Microsoft and Google. Worked on every Microsoft game 1994-2005 Worked on [redacted] for [redacted] Magazine columnist (other stuff I missed)

But then she was overwhelmed with self doubt and imposter syndrome. Watching the Matrix: "Don't think you are, know you are", she burst into tears.

She realised: Disbelief in your own skills doesn't make them disappear, or be invisible to those around you.

Know the reality of what others perceive in you, even if you struggle to think you have skills or not.

Imposter syndrome: What I know is a tiny subset of what everyone else knows. Reality: they are two overlapping sets of about the same size. The associated image

Comparison is the death of joy- Mark Twain.

Embrace your adversity. Treat it as your crucible, your forge. The Supreme Ordeal of the Heroes Journey.

Embrace your superpowers.

Even if it's self delusion it works. A bruise is a lesson and every lesson makes us better.

Be like Wonder Woman, stepping up out of the trench to stand up and do what's necessary. Only by emerging through the crucible can you do it.

Who am I? Someone who decided to give a shit. Evil triumphs when good people do nothing.

Cultural Change Catalyst

Change culture within: Games: Helped people stop making games that would be problematic in other cultures. Companies The Games Industry

Why do I care? Love. Respect. Admiration. Passion.

Humans have told narratives since the dawn of time and we in the games industry are changing how that works in new ways.

It's not about rage.

It's about righteous rage: A reactive emotion of anger in response to mistreatment, insult ...injustice.

Injustice: Crunch. Lack of diversity. Screwing over indie devs is wrong.

Inaction. Complacency.

righteous rage=advocacy

She became fierce.

Does a lot of cosplay, daughter is a costume designer. Wear it for a day first. First day she wore the Thor costume she felt kickass. I'm not pretending to be Thor I am Thor. An external representation of how she feels about herself.

The fierce formula (drawn for Inktober) authenticity/adversity, maintain conviction over rejection, willpower + (Fear times zero).

"Industry" thought of as a machine where people are cogs. The "industry" is us. If you don't like it, change it.

Video games seen as a waste, causes violence, played by children and boys, cause obesity, motivated by money. Who controls this narrative? Noone in particular. But we need to work together to try to fix it.

Perceptions of sexism going up, concern about diversity also up.

Most people think crunch unnecessary. Read Crunch hurts on takethis.org about the mental health effects.

People say can't change can't happen quickly. Photo of Harvey Weinstein, Bill O'Reilly, Google manifesto dude. People say it takes time, but what it takes is willpower and people banding together. Change is punctuated.

FX network CEO decided to fix things. 2014 12% directors women or POC. 2016 51% directors women or POC.

Why can't games CEOs take a stand against crunch?

Focus on The Cause over the fear.

She would speak up against Gamergate again, despite knowing how she would be harassed later.

If everyone felt this way there'd be a wall of resistance, not just ripples but a tsunami.

Be willing to be relentless. Fervently support each other. Mentor each other. Reach out to people who need help. Act with common will.

Common question: will there be a union? Interest continuously increases. She was vague about whether she thought it was a good idea.

There were suggestions to join with hollywood unions but game creators would never be respected by them.

Everyone in history who made a change was "just one person". If you can't feed a hundred people just feed one.

She isn't trying to change the world, just her corner, that's the part she has chosen.

gameadvocacy.org (not up yet) Reporting on specific issues whistleblowing public collective action on specific targets

Wonder woman from comics: when asked how strong she was, she said "I don't know. It's difficult to find an upper limit against which to test myself"

fiat justitia ruat caelum: Let justice be done though the heavens fall

She's turning 53, doesn't want to have to wait decades for games to be accepted as a medium.

She got a standing ovation.

Closing speech: Reminder that there is a strict code of conduct. If you see something and feel comfortable standing up we will be your shields. If you are not comfortable enough come and find the team.

Lots of thank yous. LOTS.

#gcap 2017 #gcap #migw 2017 #conventions #conferences #game dev

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snsmissionaries · 6 years ago

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6/13/19 -- Elder Braden Cowden, Argentina, Cordoba Mission

Elder Cowden - week 53

“The strong man who has known power all his life, may lose respect for that power…….but a weak man, knows the value of strength"

Hola a todos! Esta vez sera muy corto tal vez, pero muy bueno a la vez :)

So this week has just gone by so fast! I literally have seen so many miracles and amazing things take place. Shall we begin?

We started off the week with district meeting where we practiced 5 HOURS singing the himno "Se que vive mi Señor" that we will be singing tomorrow when Elder Clayton comes and visits our misión! It was really worth it though! We then have had many great experiences with the Children of God we are teaching. (hashtag Norma)

On Saturday, We also had our last interviews with President Correa until he leaves with Hermana Correa. I was able to just talk to him and he gave such great advice and we joked around and it was a special sacred moment that i wont ever forget :) I will miss them so much!

Oh yeah by the way, during the interviews...... we practiced for another 4 hours!!!!

Then last night, we had another practice for 4 hours where President turned into Simon Cowell and was taking us each in with our parts and practicing. Like the primary song says (some words changed) "and the missionariees sang as they practiced, and practiced, and practiced, aaaaannnnnddddd ppprrraaaccctttiiicccceeedddd...........) All i'm saying is two things: I better come out a professional singer with this and two, the Choir at temple square has got NOTHING on us!!

I was able to have small chat with Hermana Correa and President Correa and express to them my love and appreciation for them.

Tomorrow we have a Special Mission Conference with Elder Clayton. It'll be so awesome i cant wait!!!!

Anyways thats really it, I love you all and transfers are next week but im pretty sure ill stay here and finish my sons training with him!

Love you all

Elder Cowden

Oh yeah by the way, We have more choir practice tonight jaja=

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newstechreviews · 5 years ago

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(LOS ANGELES) — The death of a Black man found hanging from a tree in a Southern California city park last month was ruled a suicide Thursday following a police investigation prompted by outrage from the family who said authorities initially were too quick to rule out the possibility he was lynched.

The manner of 24-year-old Robert Fuller’s death on June 10 in Palmdale intensified the racial angst that already was at a boiling point following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Family members said they couldn’t imagine Fuller taking his own life and community activities noted the Antelope Valley area north of Los Angeles where the death occurred has a history of racist incidents.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva promised a thorough investigation and at a news conference to announce the findings it was revealed that Fuller had a history of mental illness and suicidal tendencies.

Sheriff’s Commander Chris Marks outlined three hospitalizations since 2017 where Fuller told doctors he was considering taking his life. The last was in November, when he was being treated for depression at a hospital in Nevada and “disclosed that he did have a plan to kill himself,” Marks said.

Marks also said the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated an incident in February in which Fuller “allegedly tried to light himself on fire.”

Last month, after Fuller’s body was reported by a passerby in the Palmdale park, deputies reported finding no evidence of a crime at the scene. An autopsy conducted the next day resulted in an initial finding of suicide.

That determination outraged Fuller’s family, who said authorities were too quick to dismiss the possibility of a crime. They hired an attorney who said an independent autopsy would be conducted, and the FBI and state attorney general’s office pledged to monitor the investigation.

The Fuller case came in the midst of intense protests over police brutality following the police killing of death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Following Fuller’s death, more than 1,000 people attended a peaceful protest and memorial around the tree where his body was found.

His family and friends described him as a peacemaker who loved music and video games, and mostly stayed to himself. He had gone to a Black Lives Matter protest days before he died, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Racism has plagued the desert city of Palmdale for years. Community members have described seeing Confederate flags in the city and wider Antelope Valley, and residents of color have been blamed for crime and gang problems.

The Sheriff’s Department has also contributed to the racial tension: Five years ago, the county reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding accusations that deputies had harassed and discriminated against Black people and Latinos in Palmdale and nearby Lancaster.

As recently as September, a photo circulated on social media of four elementary school teachers smiling and holding a noose. While an investigator concluded the teachers apparently were not motivated by racism, they were “ignorant, lacked judgment, and exhibited a gross disregard for professional decorum in a school setting.”

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents Palmdale and had asked the attorney general to look into Fuller’s death, said she is now waiting for the state’s “completed assessment.”

The city of Palmdale and Rev. V. Jesse Smith, a co-founder of the Community Action League, also said they want to see Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s report.

Villanueva said the findings of the investigation and the final determination of suicide were shared with Fuller’s family and they were invited to attend the news conference but were out of town.

The sheriff acknowledged the outcry that transpired after Fuller’s death and called for county officials to fund more mental health initiatives and housing.

“In the timing of it and in the wake of the civil unrest that’s transpired across the nation, it brought a lot of attention,” Villanueva said.

He also blamed elected officials on the Board of Supervisors — whom he has been feuding with for weeks over the department’s funding and power — and some people in the community for casting doubt on the initial investigation and promoting what he called a “conspiracy” theory in Fuller’s death that forced additional detectives to be detailed to the case.

The family’s attorney, Jamon Hicks, plans to hold a news conference Friday to respond to the determination.

A week after Fuller’s death, his half-brother, Terron J. Boone, was fatally shot by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies. Police say Boone opened fire on deputies as they were about to arrest him on charges that he beat his girlfriend and held her captive for nearly a week. He died at the scene, where a handgun was found. Authorities said Thursday that detectives do not believe Boone’s case is related to Fuller’s death.

Fuller was the second Black man recently found hanged in Southern California. Malcolm Harsch, a 38-year-old homeless man, was found in a tree on May 31 in Victorville, a desert city in San Bernardino County east of Palmdale. Publicity surrounding Fuller’s case prompted Harsch’s family to seek further investigation of his death.

Police were able to obtain surveillance footage from a vacant building near where Harsch’s body was found that “confirmed the absence of foul play,” according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. The family was shown the video and said they accepted the finding of suicide.

If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. In emergencies, call 911, or seek care from a local hospital or mental health provider.

#Blogger

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adambstingus · 6 years ago

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I’m Living With HIV/ AIDS After The Election And I’m Afraid

Every December 1 for World AIDS Day, we pause to take stock of how far we have come and how far we need to go. But this year is different. Now there is fear and savvy, especially in the U.S. South, where we are disproportionately impacted by HIV/ AIDS in terms of those affected and likewise shortage financial resources the rest of the country enjoys. After the results from the present working referendum and all that came along with a racist, xenophobic, misogynistic candidate who ranged the most unfriendly and divisive, safarus in American political biography, the results of which have left beings with HIV afraid.

If Obamacare is depleted which is something we those with HIV/ AIDS do? Will we have the capacity to get the doses we need? What about research and funding? Prevention attempts? Will the President-Elect remain devoted to official duties to protecting us? What we do know is that when the 2016 Presidential HIV/ AIDS Questionnaire was transmitted around Secretary Clinton replied in eight pages of policy and ideas, Donald Trump did not answer questionnaire at all.

As a proud African American woman who is living with AIDS, on this World AIDS day I want to tell my fib. Perhaps this is the way our President elect can see the real life impact of his future actions.

I am 55 years old and appreciative to be alive and I want to share with you all a little about “peoples lives”. At the age of twelve, I lost the one person who intended a great deal to me: my Dad. He committed suicide and that was one of the most horrible parts in “peoples lives”. My oldest brother, eleven years old at the time, felt the same suffering. Statements cannot explain how affected “wed been”, but that was the opening up of a life of commotion. At fourteen, I felt as if I was alone. I had no one to comfort me as a lament child and no one to talk to about how I was feeling. My mom was there, but the link wasnt. Having a stranger living in our home, who was my mothers ex-boyfriend, didnt promotion either. He was the man who would come out of the shower and listen at my opening each night. He would try to embarrass me in front of my friends. But, as a child, I didnt is a well known fact life. I didnt know about the street, because I grew up in the suburbs but I learned soon to avoid of going back home. Years gone by and I coped with the consequences of the my painful teenaged times. I wanted to build a family, something I could be proud of and hold on to. As I sought ties-in, I soon procured a person who are able to give me what I recollected I needed. Regrettably, after a number of years I left my husband and tragically he and members of their families preserved my children away from me. They tried to keep me from having any contact and had considered that as a young baby, I wouldnt fight. But I did. It was a battle, but the evaluate finally “ve been given” permanent detention of my daughters.

Years eventually, I was abused in my own home, which devastated me for years. I soon turned to boozing beer and smoking cigarettes, and ten years later, I was date raped. After a hysterectomy my life changed drastically. I cried because of the ache and wailed out to God for an answer. I felt his words whispering to me, You are going to be okay, you are going to be alright. I instantly began writing songs and during this time, I started feeling ill. I went to physicians – appointments after appointment – and finally one doctor exposed what I didnt think was possible considering I had been celibate for 10 years. The physician have said that I have symptoms like HIV. I immediately said No I dont. Theres no way. I am celibate and have been for TEN years.

The following week came and my physician confirmed that I was HIV positive. I was devastated and knew a minister I was involved with gave it to me. I wasnt sexually active with anyone else, but the minister. This was 17 years ago, and at that time, I repudiated medical notice and was gradually dying. In 2013, I was diagnosed with full blown AIDS, dementia and serious depression.

To all affected with HIV/ AIDS out there: Keep your head high and not low-grade. We cannot stall or lose soil, especially in the South.

To live through these experiences was a miracle. Medical doctors told my daughters to prepare for my funeral. But I didnt die. I am health, alive and glad. I am consecrated! I had the courage to write a volume and I am now have a ministry. Dont Die Stay Alive Ministries ( Where suffer centers are mended through the arts ) The mission is to get these playing in religions and Conferences. The designation of one of my play-acts is STIGMATIZED I likewise started writing screenplays and situated third in the LA International Screenwriting contest. I have written a childrens notebook that speaks and teach about social issues. This will be a series of books. The first one is, Dont Burst My Bubble( Meet the Kastle Hill Gang) The Kastle Hill Gang are six multicultural teens who school positive social issues. I write poetry and after my illness begin to write Gospel carols. My poem is mending verse that I wrote before I found out that I was HIV positive and a book, three movies that I wrote that was on Netflix and I was still pathetic. I fantasized I was going to die, but today I am greater and I write more. I am a motivational orator. I speak in religions and conferences. The most recent blessing was being included in the POZ 100( www.pozmagazine.com/ poz1 00 ). That is such an honor and has inspired me to imagine great things are in store for me. I am praying to one day start my own publishing companionship. My viral loading is zero from half a million and CD4 led from 20 to 320. I am a survivor! And I am fantastically thankful. I would like to show people that one can live a productive life with this illness. I am living proof.

After severe feeling and tons of regiman the depression faded. Likewise, my two oldest daughters took great care of me. My house was my support system through all of this. Since my diagnosis in 2010 I am now undetectable. I miss girls just knowing that we fall sometimes, but we can get right back up. Living with HIV was not in my a blueprint for myself, but from this experience, I want to inform girls all over the world that we can live “peoples lives” as best as we are going to be able. Too, it is important to protect ourselves and our partners. Beings are afraid because of the absence of acquaintance. So, to all affected with HIVAIDS out there: Stop your leader high and not low-grade. I came to a better place because of the support of my family and friends. I began to volunteer for a couple of HIV/ AIDS administration. Plus, my writing was and is very therapeutic. The regiman that I received for the severe depression facilitated me mentally. These things facilitated me to come to a better place and a different way of thinking when it comes to this disease. One lies in the fact that I speculated I was going to die. Not genuine at all. Every era I take care myself and those around me. And I will wait and watch to view what comes next, but know that I will face it all with community and fortitude. It is all we can do in the third largest decade of this epidemic and we cannot stop or lose floor, especially in the South.

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/im-living-with-hiv-aids-after-the-election-and-im-afraid/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/183114810987

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samanthasroberts · 6 years ago

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I’m Living With HIV/ AIDS After The Election And I’m Afraid

To all affected with HIV/ AIDS out there: Keep your head high and not low-grade. We cannot stall or lose soil, especially in the South.

Source: http://allofbeer.com/im-living-with-hiv-aids-after-the-election-and-im-afraid/

from All of Beer https://allofbeer.wordpress.com/2019/02/28/im-living-with-hiv-aids-after-the-election-and-im-afraid/

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allofbeercom · 6 years ago

Text

I’m Living With HIV/ AIDS After The Election And I’m Afraid

To all affected with HIV/ AIDS out there: Keep your head high and not low-grade. We cannot stall or lose soil, especially in the South.

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/im-living-with-hiv-aids-after-the-election-and-im-afraid/

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dwtspd · 8 years ago

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SYTYCD s14 Academy pt 3

I didn’t forget about this show, I just had other stuff to work on yesterday. Anyway, we are getting closer to our top ten!

Seeing Fik-shun reminds me of how WOD did him soooo dirty.

Sonya Tayeh is back for the jazz round. I don’t remember her being on last season. She gives good critique during the teaching.

Gaby’s team goes first. We already know Lex - he’s great. Apparently, he has an emotional disconnect. The other two members are Evan, a tapper, and Natalie, a flamenco dancer. That’s a pretty interesting combination. Natalie was cut but she did decently well. Evan actually looked pretty good. He’s probably at least gone for some random contemp/jazz classes here and there even if it’s not his main style.

Afterwards it’s Paul’s team. We finally learn Sydney’s last name - Tormey. She has a pretty marble-texture top. Ramita, the indian-contemp dancer, is cut. She was looking a bit jerky, so I’m not surprised.

We also lose Abby Griffin. If I remember correctly she auditioned with ballet and was on Allison’s team.

Robert is having a really interesting story this season. During rehearsals two of his team members accidentally collided and Jennifer was left with a scar on her forehead. She opts to bow out and get stitches, not wanting to risk the injury opening up again. So Robert doesn’t have to make any hard decisions (yet) and is left with Taylor and some guy I don’t recognise.

Team Jenna - Kiki, Kevin Davis and a guy named Riley go up. Kiki and Kevin are passable but Jenna is disappointed that Kevin broke down in rehearsal and she expects more from Kiki. Riley looked good, but we didn’t really see him until now so no surprises that he is cut.

Now the all-stars will choreograph and perform a routine with each of their final two. Then they will confer a little with the other all-stars.

Marko - Sophia Ghavami and Koine. Marko seems so nice and approchable. Sophia is a ballroom dancer who auditioned in LA. She thought she didn’t do that well in the jazz round, but she showed good technique in this dance. At the front she and Marko were out of sync. Koine was expectedly good.

Gaby - I wouldn’t expect this song to a tap dance, but okay. Evan shines in his style, and Lex, despite not being primarily a tap dancer, also did decently well. It sounds like he has learnt basic tap. He has to be told to smile more and not be so serious, which I can relate to as a dancer and performer.

Cyrus - I wish we saw each performance in full. This routine was such fun to watch. I like how Cyrus had parts where each dancer (Impavido and Havoc) could sort of ‘personalise’ the dance.

Jenna - she has to choreo two different routines because her remaining team members are too different. She chooses that river song I’m already sick of. Kiki does a paso wearing an ill-fitting tank top. A paso in a TANK TOP. What even. Then Kevin gets to do a contemporary-ish routine with a random krump section in the middle because Jenna doesn’t actually know krump. Honestly I’m not sure why Jenna is left with these two guys because they’ve both shown big weaknesses throughout academy week.

Oh, so we’re not going to find out the top ten until the first live show next week. Although I’m sure some people already know from trawling through social media.

#sytycd #sytycd 14 #So You Think You Can Dance

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indirasinnerbeauty · 8 years ago

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When You Attend A University That Isn’t Your Dream School

It’s no surprise that I have always wanted to live in the big city. I would dream of going to college in New York City, Chicago, Boston, or LA. I was absolutely positive that I would thrive in that environment and I wouldn’t be happy anywhere where there weren’t skyscrapers and honking taxis.

I now attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Champaign is located in central Illinois, surrounded by nothing but corn fields. In fact, the oldest experimental agricultural field is located right smack next to the undergraduate library.

Believe it or not, I am the happiest that I have been in my entire life since I started attending UIUC. I’m home for the summer right now, and I can’t wait to go back to school in the fall. Surprised? Yeah, me too.

My junior year of high school, when I made the list of schools I’d want to apply to my senior year, I included one non-city school, Michigan State University, because that’s where my mom went and where I grew up. I was thinking New York University (my life-long dream school), Boston University, American University, DePaul University, Loyola University Chicago, University of Southern California, and University of California at Los Angeles. I ended up actually applying to two schools on this list, Michigan State and DePaul.

My senior year, after endless talks with my parents, I decided that I would apply to one city school in the Midwest, DePaul, and the rest of the schools that I would apply to would be Big Ten schools in the midwest. Private schools were extremely expensive, and living in a big city would be expensive too. Not to mention, living far away from home would be both difficult and costly for all of us. I applied to all state schools (other than DePaul), Michigan State, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Northern Illinois, and Illinois. I got into 7 of the 8 schools that I applied to, and ended up with scholarships to 5 of those. My short list became DePaul and Illinois.

Before I found out that I got into Illinois (and got a scholarship), I decided on DePaul. It was perfect. It was in the big city of Chicago, and less than an hour from home. I got a very hefty scholarship, and I got into my preferred major, and the honors program. I liked the curriculum, and I found an awesome roommate who I was dying to live with (shoutout to Sam, if you’re reading this, because I am still super sad that we couldn’t be besties). It was all set and done. Then, a few months later, I found out within the same week that I had gotten into both Illinois and Indiana. Indiana had a top 15 journalism program, and Illinois gave me a scholarship on top of the in-state tuition.

I went to visit Illinois with my parents. I thought “I’m doing this for them. I’m sure I’ll hate it and then they can’t nag me anymore to consider all of my options.” I set foot on that campus and was practically swept off of my feet. My program was absolutely everything that I wanted and needed. The college of media was absolutely impeccable. My parents’ wallets would be sincerely happy, and the caliber of the university as a whole was very impressive. I fell in love.

It broke my heart to say goodbye to my decision to attend DePaul in the fall, but I committed to Illinois and bid adieu to my dream of being a city girl. It all felt so close, my dreams coming true. I’d be an honor student in college, and I would be living that big city, adventurous life that I dreamed of. I was hesitant to attend Illinois (UIUC) with a third of my graduating class, in the middle of sorority and fraternity-ville.

I got to UIUC, with a randomly assigned roommate, in a randomly assigned dorm. I experienced so much loneliness that first month. It felt like all anybody wanted to do was study, and then party. I saw so many drunk people puking, sorority girls happily holding their bid cards up, and extremely studious engineering students working on their honors projects. I felt like I didn’t fit in anywhere.

I was obviously studying a lot, college ain’t easy people, but I had a lot of free time. I felt as though I could be doing so many awesome things with that time if I was at DePaul in Chicago. I felt like the sore thumb at UIUC. I wanted to transfer.

As the year progressed, I joined extracurricular organizations that filled my time with awesome things. I made friends and became best friends with my roommate. There were definitely difficulties, but that happens anywhere and everywhere. The positives outweighed the negatives, though.

I was exposed to some cool classes that made me realize I wanted to change my major. Because of the extracurricular activities that I joined, I have gained a mentor for life who happens to be a professor with a PhD whose film premiere I got to attend, and whose house I’ve gotten to eat at. I’ve gotten to perform an original spoken-word poem in front of more than 100 people. I’ve spoken on a panel for a conference alongside people with doctorates. I have gotten nearly 50 pieces of work published, some through nationally renowned publications. I’ve gotten to go on a retreat to a lake to learn about diversity. I’ve gotten to show prospective students why it’s always a great day to be an Illini.

Socially, it’s been pretty good too. I gained some friends, and then lost some of those, and then gained more. I grew so close to my roommate that we decided to live together next year again. I went on a spring break trip to Florida with a group of 8 other friends. I went to a concert on campus with an amazing friend, and we caught the teddy bear that the singer threw out into the audience. I attended concerts, film festivals, and talks. I took a spontaneous road trip with friends. I’ve gone on some awesome photo shoots. I explored downtown Champaign and Urbana to find a lot of really cool things. I spent so much time at a certain coffee shop that it started to feel like home. I learned how to work the trains, and I took them to visit my best friend from home, and to visit Chicago. I spent a surprising amount of time doing cool things in Chicago. I’ve been able to have fun without drinking or being a part of Greek life, although it was hard at first. I’ve experienced disappointment, but I’ve made a few really great friends that I am endlessly thankful for.

UIUC is a great place. I’m challenged academically, and my passions are encouraged. I am extremely supported by the staff and faculty. I feel safe if I need to walk home from the library at night. I have found a few awesome friends, and I have experienced some awesome things. While I still dream of moving to the big city after undergrad, I know I made the right choice in terms of where to spend my first four college years. This place is already helping to shape me into who I want to be, and continues to surprise me with the amazing things that it holds.

To the kids who are upset because they aren’t going to their “dream school” this fall, give wherever you are going a chance. Try to make the best of your circumstance, and give it time. You never know what you might find, and there’s always a reason for a school having a big name and prestige attached to it.

The moral of this story is that I didn’t go to my dream school, and I’m more than fine.

I am endlessly grateful that I chose to be a part of UIUC’s class of 2020; my life is a million times better than it was before this place.

With love,

“ILL-”

(y’all are supposed to scream “-INI” now. ok, bye)

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