#Byrd at the Gate

[jazzdailyblog]

Charlie Byrd: The American Guitarist Who Brought Brazilian Bossa Nova to Jazz

Introduction: Charlie Byrd is a name that holds a unique place in the history of jazz, one that intertwines the sounds of American swing with the rich, sultry rhythms of Brazilian bossa nova. His contributions to the world of jazz guitar stand out not only for his technical mastery but for the way he bridged the gap between North and South America, helping to introduce a broader audience to the…

[truncatedgrip]

some... *ahem* strategically necessary screenies of the start of my Astarion origin playthru

outfit from the Basket Full of Equipment, which is a godsend

[byrdsfly]

So I finally met the hot demon mommy Karlach...

[paintedscales]

FFXIV Write 2024 :: Day Five

Prompt: Stamp Characters: Nomin tal Kheeriin, Manaka Shimizu (unnamed), Jaydin Byrd (unnamed) Word Count: 606

Master List

As soon as the doors to the establishment known as the ‘Starry Garden’ were pushed open, Nomin felt that rush of warmth envelop her. The crackle of fire beckoned as a comfort that warmed the entire lounge of the venue, the smell of cooking food and baked goods beckoned her in further. As she walked further in, the knob of the door slipped from her fingers, the door slowly clicking shut behind her.

Ishgard was no more now that Nomin was fully within the venue. The floors were tidy, the rugs only holding the barest tinge of dirt from the outside. A gentle bubbling of chatter filled the air -- patrons who were seated to partake of a warm meal or dessert, or those who took refuge from the cold sitting on sofa cushions, sometimes nursing a warm cup.

What drew Nomin in further was the fact that there was another like her, standing behind the counter. Though not marked with scales dark as pitch, she was no less a cousin from that of the Raen. Her skin was as fair as her scales, making them seem like they almost blended right into one another…save for those little hints of opalescent glints when the lights caught her scales and horns just right.

“Well don’t just stand there. You here for a meal, a drink, some refuge?” The Raen’s tone was sharp -- almost as sharp as her piercing gaze.

“S-Sorry…” Nomin started, her surprise slowly wearing off. “I’ve…never been to this part of Ishgard before. I-I mean…I know the, um…the rebuilding stuff…happened. I, uh…”

It was just so…startling in a way to see an au ra such as herself working a job here in Ishgard. Had Nomin been here just a handful of summers ago, the very idea would have had the employer branded as a heretic and most likely slandered.

“Don’t mind her,” came a gentle voice from the other side of Nomin. Another one of the workers was walking by, donning the green apron and holding an empty serving tray. A hyuran woman with her brown hair tied back into a ponytail, and who had the cadence of someone from Ul’dah. “She’s bad at smalltalk.”

“Surely she’s just doing her job…” Nomin replied as the hyuran woman walked past the gate that separated the back of the counter from the rest of the venue and placed the empty tray into a rack with other similar trays. “B-But, um…sorry, I’ve not been back to Ishgard in some time. I was taken aback by…”

Nomin’s gaze went back to the Raen for but a moment, and she then cleared her throat.

“Apologies. It appears there are some things I’m simply glad for,” Nomin concluded.

“I hope one of those things happens to be something we can provide you with?” the hyuran woman pressed, a pleasant smile on her face. A look of remembrance flickered on her face, and she then leaned down. Nomin could hear a drawer being opened and then shut before the hyuran woman slid a card over top and then took a woodblock stamp. Ink was applied from one of the inkwells next to a guestbook, and the stamp was then pressed onto the card before being handed over to Nomin.

“What’s this?” Nomin asked, reaching for the stamped card and looking down at it.

“Something we’re trying out. It doesn’t expire, so hang onto it. Once you have eight stamps on there, you’ll get a drink and dessert on the house,” the hyuran woman cheerfully said, hands going onto her hips. “Essentially, it’s our thanks for being a continued patron of the Starry Garden!”

[mandowifey]

Character Masterlist.

Note: This list will be updated regularly when I get a new blorbo.

● ● ●

Ethan Hawke:

James Sandin (The Purge)

Russel Millings (Adopt a Highway)

Arthur Harrow (Moon Knight)

Edward Dalton (Daybreakers)

Ellison Oswalt (Sinister)

Albert Shaw/The Grabber (The Black Phone)

Ray Harris (Raymond and Ray)

Ernst Toller (First Reformed)

Lars Nystrom (Stockholm)

● ● ●

The Boys Universe:

Homelander

William/Billy Butcher

Ben/Soldier Boy

● ● ●

Stephen Lang:

Norman Nordstrom/Blindman (Don't Breathe)

Commander Nathaniel Taylor (Tera Nova)

Colonel Miles Quaritch- Human & Na'vi (Avatar)

John Korver (Gridlocked)

● ● ●

Hamish Linklater:

Father Paul Hill/John Pruitt (Midnight Mass)

John Tyler (Tell Me Your Secrets)

● ● ●

Oscar Isaac:

Santiago "Pope" Garcia (Triple Frontier)

Marc/Steven/Jake (Moon Knight)

Kane Double (Annihilation 2018)

● ● ●

Pedro Pascal:

Din Djarin/Mando (The Mandalorian)

Joel Miller (The Last of Us)

Frankie 'Catfish' Morales (Triple Frontier)

Deiter Bravo (The Bubble)

Javi G (Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent)

Max Phillips (Blood Sucking Bastards)

Maxwell Lord (Wonder Woman 88)

● ● ●

John Krasinski:

Lee Abbott (A Quiet Place)

● ● ●

Patrick Wilson:

Ed Warren (The Conjuring)

Orm Marius (Aquaman)

Josh Lambert (Insidious)

Daniel Dreiberg/Nite Owl (Watchmen)

● ● ●

Jensen Ackles:

Tom Hanniger (My Bloody Valentine)

Soldier Boy (The Boys)

● ● ●

Tony Dalton:

Lalo Salamanca (Better Call Saul)

Jack Duquesne (Hawkeye)

● ● ●

Michael Fassbender:

Erik Lehnsherr (X-Men)

David / Walter (Alien Covenant/Prometheus)

● ● ●

Karl Urban:

Commander Vaako (Riddick)

Billy Butcher (The Boys)

● ● ●

Jon Bernthal:

Frank Castle (The Punisher)

Shane Walsh (The Walking Dead)

● ● ●

Jason Bateman:

Marty Byrd (Ozark)

Michael Bluth (Arrested Development)

● ● ●

Patrick Fabian

Howard Hamlin (Better Call Saul)

Cotton Marcus (The Last Exorcism)

● ● ●

Spider-Verse

Peter B Parker

Miguel O'Hara

Venom

● ● ●

Jake Gyllenhaal

Detective Loki (Prisoners)

Quentin Beck/Mysterio (Spiderman: FFH)

Danny Sharp (Ambulance)

● ● ●

Overwatch

Cassidy

Soldier 76/Jack

Reaper/Gabriel

Hanzo Shimada

Genji Shimada

● ● ●

Critical Role (S1)

Grog

Vax

● ● ●

Baldur's Gate 3

Astarion

Enver Gortash

Gale Dekarios

Halsin

Zevlor

Cazador Szarr

● ● ●

Other Chars (Unsorted)

Negan Smith (Walking Dead)

Rick Grimes (Walking Dead)

Daryl Dixon (Walking Dead)

Jamie Lannister (Game of Thrones)

Captain Rex (Star Wars)

Boba Fett (Star Wars)

Kylo Ren (Star Wars)

Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill (BCS/BB)

Barry Berkman (Barry HBO)

James "Logan" Howlett (Wolverine, Xmen)

Wade Wilson (Deadpool)

[esoterium]

top 100 characters statistical "which character" is similar to yours personality quiz

**picking five characters i know to add to the list while i take a couple!!*

Nomi Marks (Sense8): 83%

Marianne (Portrait of a Lady): 83%

Inej Ghafa (Shadow and Bone): 83%

Salvatore Romano (Mad Men): 82%

F o x M u l d e r  (T h e X - F i l e s): 82%

Torvi (Vikings): 82%

Baby (Baby Driver): 82%

Ally Maine (A Star Is Born): 82%

Marie Kreutz (The Bourne Identity): 81%

Riley Blue (Sense8): 81%

Elisa Esposito (The Shape of Water): 81%

Buck Vu (The OA): 81%

Alice Cullen (Twilight): 80%

Abby Sciuto (NCIS): 80%

Ben Hargreeves (TUA): 80%

Andy Dufresne (The Shawshank Redemption): 80%

Floki (Vikings): 80%

Rogue (X-Men): 80%

Amanita Caplan (Sense8): 80%

Juliana Crain (The Man in the HC): 80%

Ola Nyman (Sex Ed): 80%

Willow Rosenberg (Buffy): 79%

Neo (The Matrix): 79%

Ariadne (Inception): 79%

Guinan (Star Trek: TNG): 79%

W i l l G r a h a m  (H a n n i b a l): 79%

Bonnie Bennett (TVD): 79%

Monica Dutton (Yellowstone): 79%

Sam Button (The Perks): 79%

Frenchie (The Boys): 79%

Robin Buckley (ST): 79%

Marianne Sheridan (Normal People): 79%

W a n d a M a x i m o f f  (WandaVision): 79%

Violet Parr (The Incredibles): 79%

Luna Lovegood (HP): 78%

Nymphadora Tonks (HP): 78%

Trinity (The Matrix): 78%

Jasper Hale (Twilight): 78%

Toni Topaz (Riverdale): 78%

Kalinda Sharma (The Good Wife): 78%

Han Lue (Fast & Furious): 78%

Amélie Poulain (Amélie): 78%

Maeve Wiley (Sex Education): 78%

Cassie Thomas (Promising Young Woman): 78%

River Tam (Firefly): 77%

Omar Little (The Wire): 77%

Morpheus (The Matrix): 77%

William H. 'Shakespeare' Hill (This Is Us): 77%

Jonah Byrde (Ozark): 77%

Chris Washington (Get Out): 77%

Lane Kim (Gilmore Girls): 77%

Céline (Before Sunrise): 77%

Ada Shelby (Peaky Blinders): 77%

Jonathan Byers (ST): 77%

Benjamin Button (TCCBB): 77%

Heloise (Portrait of a Lady): 77%

Lily Iglehart (Sex Ed): 77%

Naomi Nagata (The Expanse): 77%

Hester Prynne (The Scarlet Letter): 77%

Remus Lupin (HP): 76%

Maeve Millay (Westworld): 76%

Daniel Jackson (Stargate SG-1): 76%

Rosalind Walker (CAOS): 76%

Storm (X-Men): 76%

Hernando Fuentes (Sense8): 76%

Dr. Sean Maguire (Good Will Hunting): 76%

Mozzie (White Collar): 76%

Kinsey Locke (Locke & Key): 76%

J o h n W i c k  (John Wick): 76%

Ekko (Arcane): 76%

Albus Dumbledore (HP): 75%

Inara Serra (Firefly): 75%

D'Angelo Barksdale (The Wire): 75%

Janis Ian (Mean Girls): 75%

Damian Leigh (Mean Girls): 75%

Dom Cobb (Inception): 75%

Michael Scofield (Prison Break): 75%

Jughead Jones (Riverdale): 75%

Darlene (Mr. Robot): 75%

Wyldstyle (The Lego Movie): 75%

Nairobi (Money Heist): 75%

Penelope (The Odyssey): 75%

Aunt Polly (Peaky Blinders): 75%

Penelope Garcia (Criminal Minds): 75%

Joyce Byers (ST): 75%

Will Byers (ST): 75%

Angela Montenegro (Bones): 75%

Maleficent (Maleficent): 75%

Kang Sae-byeok (Squid Game): 75%

Jules Vaughn (Euphoria): 75%

Viktor (Arcane): 75%

Suzuha Amane (Steins;Gate): 75%

Natalie (Yellowjackets): 75%

Jyn Erso (Rogue One): 75%

S i r i u s B l a c k  (HP): 74%

Elizabeth Bennet (Pride & Prejudice): 74%

Black Widow (MCU): 74%

Paul Smecker (Boondock Saints): 74%

Ciri (The Witcher): 74%

Kurt Hummel (Glee): 73%

[krispyweiss]

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Day No. 1, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, Sept. 29, 2023

- Rickie Lee Jones, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, John Cragie, Peter Rowan and others highlight first day

Rickie Lee Jones opened the 2023 edition of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass - and christened the festival’s new, Horseshoe Hill stage - by reading from her 2021 memoir.

And Peter Rowan played country - not bluegrass - music during his late-afternoon set on the Banjo stage.

These were just two highlights from Day One at the long-running festival, which also included Christone “Kingfish” Ingram redefining the blues and John Craigie finding his quirky spot alongside Todd Snider in folk-Americana.

Seated on the small stage set up to resemble a living room and flanked with clothes drying on the line, an animated Jones embellished her reading from “Last Chance Texaco” with playful asides and wise cracks. She talked about how Laura Nyro made her feel connected and how Neil Young made her realize odd voices can be successful voices.

“I like it up here,” Jones said of being on stage. “I think artists sometime mistake the excitement for fear.”

Jones read about hitchhiking through California as a 14-year-old in 1969 as a foggy drizzle enveloped Golden Gate Park. She had soundchecked with a snippet of “The Horses,” but ended her well-received spoken-word gig by playing her father’s composition “The Moon is Made of Gold” solo and acoustic and earning a standing ovation from the small crowd seated in grass surrounded by tall trees.

Afterward, Mr. and Mrs. Sound Bites took in a couple of numbers from Vetiver - think the Byrds with a slide guitarist - on the Swan stage as the blog couple headed for Ingram, who played before an audience of thousands on the Towers of Gold stage.

Borrowing Stevie Ray Vaughan’s tone and adding equal measures of funk and R&B, Ingram and his band were super-charged during 50 minutes of electrifying blues as they continually tore the music down before building it right back up. The guitarist sang of lost love on “Fresh Out;” walked off stage, but kept playing out of sight, to showcase his band on “Not Gonna Lie;” and engaged powerful call-and-response with his keyboardist during the set, which ended as Craigie took to the adjacent Swan stage.

Backed by electric bass and guitar and playing acoustic axe and harmonica, Craigie mixed humorous stage banter with tunes both playful (“I Wrote Mr. Tambourine Man”) and serious (“I am California”). Stage presence and song craft made fans of the Sound Biteses, who got their second dose of Craigie in as many days following the previous evening’s benefit for Camp Winnarainbow.

Bluegrass legend Rowan was the biggest surprise of the day, turning in a country and blues set that found him alternating between electric guitar and mandolin, supported by guitar, bass, drums and fiddle. This was exhilarating, though low volume at the Banjo stage lessened the impact of the instrumental guitar duel of “T Bone Shuffle” and made “Panama Red” -> “Freight Train” -> “Panama Red” sound like they were coming in on the winds from Ocean Beach.

Small price to pay for the opportunity to hear Rowan perform such warhorses as “Lonesome L.A. Cowboy,” “Land of the Najavo” and “Midnight Moonlight” in novel musical settings in the bucolic landscape of Golden Gate Park.

9/30/23

[jazzplusplus]

1959 - Jazz Today - Village Gate - New York

Billy Taylor (p), Donald Byrd (tp), Kenny Burrell (g), Jerome Richardson (sax, fl), Curtis Fuller (tb), Earl May (b), Kenny Dennis (dr), Donna Hightower (voc)

[jplupine]

✧OC Directory✧

I got a fuck ton of OCs so here's a faster way to look through them! These are only the OCs I have for published fanfics [the rest are just on my art blog ✌]

OC Name | Fandom | Partner/Love Interest

#Alex Watson | Bumblebee | Bumblebee

#Ash Hoffman | Fate: The Winx Saga | Riven

#Aud Giles | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Spike

#Aya Neoguri | Lookism | Zack

#Dai Satou [Candy] | Kuroko no Baske | Atsushi

#Dakota Lycaon | Teen Wolf | Derek

#Deana Blake | Black Sails | Charles

#Devin | Cursed | Lancelot

#Dylan Thornwood | Lost Girl | Vex

#Gin Sakura | Shokugeki no Soma | Ryo

#Harper Jensen | The Almighty Johnsons | Ty

#Hel Flokisdottir | Vikings | Ivar

#Hikari Tachibana | Dance with Devils | Mage

#Ina | Dorohedoro | Kaiman + Risu

#Koga | Mushishi | Ginko

#Leila | Predator Franchise | Several Yautja

#Lila Drango | Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul | Azazel

#Logan Maverick | Legends of Tomorrow | Mick

#Lutra Castor | Agents of SHIELD | Fitz

#Max | One Piece | Buggy

#Mia Agma | Lookism | Vasco

#Miki Kiyiya | The Gates | Brett

#Misha Sobieski | Lucifer | Lucifer

#Naya Byrd | Being Human | Tom

#Pakstoka [Viper/Dia Jorel] | The 100 | Roan

#Sayuri Saboten | Naruto | Gaara

#Shadow | Dark Angel | Alec

#Shori Yamiko | Haikyuu | Kyotani

#Sin Nashi | Ouran High School Host Club | Takashi

#Taiyo Nibui | Devilman Crybaby | Akira

#Takachi Ukai | Haikyuu | Bokuto

#Toge Satsujin | Kuroko no Baske | Aomine

#Tsuki Hoshifuyu | Haikyuu | Kyotani

#Uriel | True Blood | Eric

#Wynter Hughes | Bleach | Grimmjow

#Yeou Gangaji | Lookism | Jay

#Yumiko Tohsaka | Fate/Stay Night | Archer

#Yuuno Hachiken | Silver Spoon | Komaba

[skyderman]

9 people you want to get to know better

thanks for tagging me @hd-literature! go read theirs here!

Favourite colour: Dark cool blues, teal, that sort of thing

Currently reading: lots of textbooks haven't read a lot lately, but finishing Return of the King is next on my list. also still working through the Earthsea Cycle

Last song: fuckinnn The Gates of Finis cause of the Kipengel finale 😭

Last movie: Spirited Away ♥

Sweet, savoury or spicy: savoryyyyy all the way

Currently working on: honestly, been spending the most time on my D&D campaign 'Legends of the Lost World' lately. school has sucked away a lot of my free time :') Story of Magus is still in second place

tagging @floof-byrd @junypr-camus @violentferalcat @vollzz @tlvq @prince-hyacinthus

[hunterisnearme]

Silly Warframe x TTCC crossover stuffs I have brewing in my mind since I now have accidentally opened the gates of both my interests and seeing that people actually unironically enjoy the rambles, here is the list of all managers that I associate them with Waframes and what Zariman Focus they'd major in. (Spoiler free! Just saying which warframe they'd use as operators/drifters)

LET'S GO!

Derrick Man | William Boar

William in my honest opinion would be a Lavos. Lavos in itself is a mish-mash of defense and support, given that William gives off the vibe of someone who would use his body as protection while using potions (or oil in this case) to boost his team mates. William's focus, however, is Naramon. Tactic and whimsical, despite how stern he is as a person.

L.A.A | Alton S. Crow

Alton aka Mr. BIG STEPPY is going to HAVE to be Rhino. While he's a twig, 100% would go for the build of a Rhino JUST BECAUSE of how strong and powerful his steps are. I'm sure if you bonk his Rhino enough his true body will flop out and you can just kick the guy around like a nerd. (I say this with affection.)

An Unairu by heart. He'll assume the best of himself and believe you have what it takes to take down his economy build.

P.R.R | Winston Byrd

Nyx by the automatic. Mind games? Absolutely. There is no way you wouldn't put him in the position as the psychological warfare. Unpredictable, cunning, and uncertain, Winston would definitely use his mind game at the max. (Maybe he's gotten thrown out of existence due to the void overtaking his sanity from the get-go too, honestly. Maybe that's why he's a little looney.) Madurai is what he would be, though with a twist. While most Madurai are known to be brawns over brains, he actually uses that exact brain to demolish his enemies from inside-out.

Duck Shuffler | Buck Ruffler

Zephyr! Mostly because Zephyr is a bird-related Warframe. He'd be the kind of person to swoop from the heavens and raise the stakes of piercing down his enemies with either the beak or talon. He's all about being unpredictable, and of course risking a lot to gain far too little. Another Madurai, simply because he's going in head on!

Deep Diver | Mary Anna

Hydroid, of course! Just like the Warframe itself, she's all about being in the deep-levels of things. Of course, this was a match made in heaven, especially given that they both would enjoy the aquatic life in things such as Neptune's water ecosystem! A vazarin as well, given Mary's need to learn her opponents and as well understand the weak points of an enemy.

Gatekeeper | Holly Grayelle

Styanax, the embodiment of protection and being the knight of everyone's story. Although a different time frame, I'm certain she'd still pick this Warframe simply because of the fact that it represents a true warrior. In her eyes, she believes she is no different. An Unairu for the fact she doesn't step down her place.

Mouthpiece | Belle Dama

Trinity! A supporter, but also a hefty fighter. She can help aid her allies while absolutely DEMOLISHING her enemies. She is wise, given her more in-depth experience in combat than most of the others. And Vazarin, for sure!

Firestarter | Flint Bonpyre

Ember, specifically. He, of course, is far more passive in this team comparing to most. Though at the same time, if it comes to the safety of those he care for, then he will absolutely smite his enemies in the burning hell fires to make sure no one gets killed. (Even if it means he himself gets into the crossfire.)

Naramon, mostly because he's anxious at times but still very much studies what he can against his enemies.

Treekiller | Spruce Campbell

Closest I can say is a Vauban. I would've said Loki, or Oberon, but he is NOT a nature fella. And plus, he can come up with useful tools all while using up materials when necessary. Perhaps he may be on good terms with the Grineer for his hatred of nature? Steel Meridian is definitely buddy-buddy with Spruce. Another Madurai!

Bellringer | Benjamin Biggs

I'd like to think maaaybe a Banshee? It's a mish-mash, honestly between either a Banshee for him always being a loud speaker on gossip, or Ash to "go rogue" and eavesdropping on people. I can confirm though that he is Zenurik!

Featherbedder | Tawney C. Esta

Surprisingly, I see Tawney as a stone-hard Atlas. I'm not sure about them yet, honestly! But I'm sitting on the fence of Atlas, mostly because of the leer that Atlas possesses. A petrifying gaze of Tawney is possible enough, and they have the guts of an Unairu!

Prethinker | Brian [REDACTED]

Xaku! Xaku is the possession of multiple Warframes alike, thinking in one mind much like how Brian does with his jockeys. With the abilities of a mind hive, Brian is a Zenurik!

Rainmaker | Misty Monsoon

You would think I'd pick Yareli for Misty because of the water abilities, but I see her as a Wisp! Yareli is more of an attack-goer, but Wisp suits best in Misty's supportive and skittish behavior. Vazarin by the automatic!

Witch Hunter | Prester Virgil

Harrow! Even if he is meant to sacrifice his own defense for the sake of others, Prester would do it for the sake of defeating the greater evil in which he seeks as filth. Another violent and hostile Madurai, if you ask me.

Multislacker | Cathal

Grendel is what I see as best-choice for someone like Cathal. I'm certain Cathal also happens to be the type of Operator that prefers to work best at his own pod, hidden away while his Grendel is out and about consuming his enemies. He is an Unairu.

Major Player | Dave BruBot

OCTAVIA! It's obvious that as a Warframe of music, of COURSE Dave would aim for one as such. Just even hearing smooth jazz in the dark hallways has never felt so much more dangerous when it comes to the skill of Dave's combat. Dave gives me a more Zenurik vibe.

Plutocrat | Cosmo Kuiper + The Satellites

A man as cold Cosmo, you're destined to see him with a Frost at hand! His strong wield of ice within his hands is what brings him the best strength. And not all, but he has a Railjack that has The Satellites as his crewmen that manage around the ship. While they do not possess their own Warframes, they are useful in defense and attack as Corpus crewmates. Cosmo is a Vazarin!

Chainsaw Consultant | Chip Revvington

Chroma is as versatile and hostile as Chip himself can be. A Warframe difficult to adjust to, but Chip tries his best in order for him to maintain his own inner rage as a Tenno. An Unairu, if you squint real hard despite the Madurai elements.

Pacesetter | Graham Ness Payser

WE ALL know this because of the fact I have been drawing him nonstop in this AU, but he's a GAUSS CERTIFIED USER! A Madurai as well! And of course, because he's also got them Sellbot elements, he half-works with the Corpus.

[bearkunin]

Just a bit of a microhistory on Obama's supposed squandered supermajority. I think this is important to clear up, because it still gets referenced to this day to cast the Democrats as no-good do-nothings.

Obama was inaugurated to work with the freshly minted 111th Congress. It was well known that Republicans had already decided that they would be the party of ‘No’ and wouldn’t give an inch, no matter the issue or the policy ramifications for the country.

But it did not matter, right? Because Obama had 60 votes! A supermajority! Well, no.

In the November 2008 elections which elected Obama, Democrats gained 8 seats, taking their total from 49 seats to 57 seats.

There was also two independents elected who would caucus with the Dems: Joe "too rightwing to be a Democrat" Lieberman and Bernie "too left-wing to be a Democrat" Sanders.

That’s 59 votes in the caucus, not 60, (assuming you could get independent Joe Lieberman (and the likes of anti-abortionist Ben Nelson!) and independent Bernie Sanders on the same page, which is no easy feat).

Also, that 59 includes Al Franken, who was not seated at the start of the 111th because of the recount and subsequent appeals in Minnesota.

So, really, on the afternoon Obama was inaugurated, Dems had, at most, 58 votes - again, counting McCain-endorsing Lieberman and socialist Sanders.

And that only lasted a few hours. Sadly, during the celebration, already-ill Ted Kennedy had seizures and, during the following months, would only be available to vote sporadically. He went months without casting a single vote.

On April 28, 2009, Arlen Specter became a Democrat. He openly admitted that he was doing this to avoid “the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate” and would “continue [his] independent voting”. Apparently, Joe Biden also played a part in him crossing the aisle, so good job there.

Still, Specter was certainly no liberal all of a sudden. For instance, even after the switch he openly opined that "There's still time for the Minnesota courts to do justice and declare Norm Coleman the winner [over Al Franken]." So now we are counting Republican supporting Specter and Lieberman in our "supermajority."

But Kennedy was not the only Democratic Senator with health issues. Robert Byrd was in hospital from May 15 through to the end of June.

So now, Dems have at best 59, if you can get Specter, Lieberman, Nelson, Sanders, and everyone else on the same page and Kennedy and Byrd could be somehow healthy enough to cast a vote, which they mostly were not.

On July 7, 2009, Al Franken was finally seated. His election was close and recount was entirely called for, but the delay in seating him was entirely political.

And that is 60, on paper. But in practice, Byrd and Kennedy were not voting.

Although no longer in hospital, Byrd did not return to the floor of the Senate until July 21, 2009.

The Senate was also busy with the pressing business of confirming Sotomayor, the first Dem SCOTUS nominee in 15 years, opposed by many on the right (Wise-Latina-Gate!) to the Senate. A vote that Kennedy missed altogether and Byrd attended in a wheelchair.

On August 25, 2009, Ted Kennedy passed away. Of a potential 270 votes in the first three-quarters of 2009, he was able to participate in just 9 of them.

Even on an interim basis, Kennedy wasn’t replaced for a month, and not without a fight. Legislation was passed restoring the governor's power to make interim appointments to serve until the special election stipulated. On September 25, 2009, Paul Kirk was appointed to the seat, only after a Republican lawsuit seeking to block the appointment was thrown out.

So now you are back at 60. This includes Byrd, who missed more than half the votes during this window. And, again to stress, too-rightwing-to-be-a-Democrat Lieberman and too-leftwing-to-be-a-Democrat Sanders.

January 20, 2010 - Scott Brown (R) was elected. Ending even any discussion of supermajority.

Between September 25, 2009 and January 20, 2010, you have 117 days. Not senate in-session days. Total days. That was really the only time they had 60. And that 60 was contingent on getting every single vote: Dems, Independents (both left and right!), interim, infirm, Byrd, Bernie, Spectre and Nelson and every Senator who knew voting with Obama meant sealing their electoral fate.

There are two lessons that should be taken from this:

1. What matters is how left the 60th most-rightwing Democratic vote is. Replacing Bernie Sanders or, say, Chuck Schumer, with Joseph Stalin himself doesn't matter. What matters is getting, and keeping, the Arlens and Spectres and Liebermans of the world as left as possible.

2. Where safe blue seats do matter and can make a real difference is in regards to gerontocracy. It matters less that Byrd or Kennedy were super progressive or super moderate but if they could turn up to vote at all. The fact the US is going through this again with Feinstein is embarrassing. Young blood is important beyond just fresh ideas.

[theam-cjsw]

The AM: February 6 and 20, 2023

Looks like I was so excited about taking Feb. 13 off that I completely neglected to post the Feb. 6 episode. Here’s streaming links for today and the 6th — double your listening for a holiday Monday.

Feb. 6: An 8:30 Throwback to a transitionary period for Sly Stone, in an episode that spans from Sly's subdued grooves to New Order ar the poppiest, classic shoegaze, dreamy omnichords from Lael Neale, Twilight Zone and Night of the Living Dead-sampling electronics, and other offbeat easy listening for the first Monday of February.

Listen on Soundcloud

Stream on CJSW

Feb. 20: A mid-episode throwback to Tony Allen inspires an extended jazz and afrobeat interlude in the show's second hour—consider it a warm-blooded antidote to the frozen landscape on this Family Day morning. Beyond that, it's your usual AM mix of ambient sounds, off-kilter pop, and occasionally explosive shoegaze, all calibrated to wake you up properly on a holiday Monday.

Listen on Soundcloud

Stream on CJSW

Other streaming links

Ongoing Spotify playlist

Playlists:

Feb 6:

Chrysalis Golden Brown • Weird Choices

Slowly Coming Together Jilk • Welcome Lies

Vibration Consensus Reality (for Spectral Multiband Resonator) Eluvium • (Whirring Marvels In) Consensus Reality

Space Jam Eve Parker Finley • Chrysalia

Polaris Yutaka Hirasaka • Single

Free and Easy Wandering FOONYAP • Single

Slavar Fågelle • Den svenska vreden

A New Season Atari Umma • DiverseCity

Learn to Be Cool Conic Rose • Heller Tag

ghul wihtikow • ᒌ​ᐸ​+

I Remember Julee Cruise • Floating into the Night

I Am The River Lael Neale • Star Eaters Delight

You Do It Marlene Ribeiro • Toquei no Sol

Poke the Bear Stelar Door • Masquerade

Just Like a Baby Sly Stone • I’m Just Like You: Sly’s Stone Flower 1969-70

Stanga Little Sister • I’m Just Like You: Sly’s Stone Flower 1969-70

The Greatest Smile SAULT • Today & Tomorrow

The Sound Where My Head Was Badge Époque Ensemble • Self Help

Showking Mong Tong • Indies 印

Cloud Boat Masahiro Takahashi • Humid Sun

Katamaran Les Big Byrd • Eternal Light Brigade

Sooner Than You Think New Order • Low-Life

Hard Eyes Uncanny Valley • Fevering Stare

Hunted Pale Saints • In Ribbons

When It Comes Dana Gavanski • Single

Stopp, Seisku Aeg! Velly Joonas • Single

Failing Pozi • Smiling Pools

High Tide, Storm Rising Skinshape • Nostalgia

to you kkidss • apple sauce

Sapanta Blue Shirley & The Pyramids • Maid of Time

Feb 20:

Softly Brushed by Wind Early Fern, featuring Joseph Shabason • Perpetual Care

Butterfly Sneezes Aagtive • Butterfly Sneezes EP

Bicycle Ballet Gilroy Mere • Gilden Gate

Computer Break (Late Mix) Khotin • Release Spirit

Root Howiewonder • Movements

Before We Don’t Have Time Afternoon Bike Ride • Glossover

Walking in the Rain Romare • Fantasy

Loving on the Moon R McCarthy • Dick Arkive: Issue 1

Her Purse Falls and Everything Scatters Applesauce Tears • Artifacts

Fall Apart Ashi Shonen • Divergence

Remind U Flying Lotus • Flamagra

Heimatort L CON • The Isolator

Way We Are Ben Marc • Glass Effect

Seventh String Makaya McCraven • In These Times

Ursa Major Phil Ranelin, Wendell Harrison, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge • Phil Ranelin and Wendell Harrison JID016

Starry Nights Adrian Quesada • Jaguar Sound

To the Moon King Canyon • King Canyon

Elastic Band Lightman Jarvis Ecstatic Band • Banned

Secret Agent Tony Allen • Secret Agent

Alutere Tony Allen • Secret Agent

Spoons Afel Bocoum, Damon Albarn, Toumani Diabaté • Mali Music

Staggered Minotaurs • Higher Power

Oh Me, Oh My Lonnie Holley, featuring Michael Stipe • Oh Me Oh My

Koto (Glimpse) Laraaji • Segue to Infinity

Diamond Violence Marker Starling • Diamond Violence

Sound and Vision Helado Negro • Modern Love

Dor Fodida Sessa • Estrela Acesa

Sylvia Arthur Verocai • Arthur Verocai

Vancouver 3 Mac DeMarco • Five Easy Hot Dogs

Warmest One Beach Towels • Single

good - Water From Your Eyes Remix Winter, featuring SASAMI • Single

For What Sunglaciers • Foreign Bodies

Distance Dealer Fly Pan Am • C'est ça

Thieves Flywheel • You've Seen a Lot

Rice Young Fathers • Heavy Heavy

[irlguppy]

Spyro Reignited Trilogy Guide (Part 3)

Spyro is a really long game considering there's 3 games in one! I will try my best to organize the games in order step by step! This will be a multi-post guide to Spyro, I will post other games as well!

Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon Achievements(40/40)

Many of these achievements are gained by just playing the game but I'll start color coding anyways! All story achievements will be listed first. Story, Flight Level, Worlds, Sparx.

Sunrise Spring

The Money's in the Bag

Freeing Sheila is a required quest, use 300 gems to free her.

Moving Up In The World

Going to the next world gets you this achievement.

The Villa Bully

Defeat all of the cowering Rhynocs, pretty self explanatory.

Head in the Clouds

Once you finish the level there is a higher ledge that has fire spitting from the walls that you can get to, if you go to that and glide to spawn you should get the achievement for gliding 5+ seconds.

A Key Move

The chest is at the start of the level, after beating the level the gate should open up for you to go through after you get the key. The key is on a ledge under the wooden bridge next to a Rhynoc.

Bye Bye Bluto

This achievement is easy, just defeat Bluto's shark sub. To find the area just look up in one of the water areas.

Stomping Target Practice

In Sheilas home destroy all of the chests with a target on top

Star Power

Fly through four speed boosts in one lap (the blue stars) in Mushroom Speedway.

Who's your Crawdaddy?

After beating Buzz you can come back to the Sunrise Spring hub world there's a sign with a photo of Sparx that will take you into the Crawdad farm upon interacting with it.

Buzz Off!

Defeat Buzz to go to the next world

Midday Gardens

A Byrd in the Hand

Same as Sheila, you need to free Sgt. Byrd with 600 gems

One Small Step for Dragon...

Use the Whirligig to go to the next world

Cannon Fodder

Destroy 6 ice crystals / walls to get the achievement, use the cannons to blast them

Balloon Buster

Destroy all of the flying red balloons in Enchanted Towers, to get this achievement it's recommended to use Sgt. Byrd as there is a portal at the end of the level that lets you play as him. (2 balloons are in the skate park).

Tucked in For a Long Slumber

Defeat Sleepyhead, if you light all four of the lamps in Spooky Swamp the entrance to this boss fight will open. (simple fight just launch the bombs back at him after they stop bouncing).

Bottled Curiosity

When you get to the end of Bamboo Terrace there is a yellow bottle with a red question mark on it. Upon hitting the bottle it will teleport somewhere else (it will show you where don't worry and it just goes back to the start of the level).

Byrd Bombs

After unlocking Sgt. Byrd you can enter his home level, all you need to do here is blow up all the treasure chests which can only be destroyed by the glowing rockets on the ground.

Rocket Racer

Pretty self explanatory just fly through the red stars to pick up a rocket and shoot at least five of them in one race

Web-Be-Gone

After defeating spike you can come back to Midday Gardens to find another sign with Sparx, interact to go to his level and fight the Spider King for the achievement.

No Dragon for Lunch Today!

Defeat Spike on your way to the next world.

Evening Lake

A Small Cost to Bear

Free Bentley for 1,000 gems.

...One Giant Leap for Dragonkind

Use the Rocket to go to the next world.

Man the Cannons, Man

Use the cannons in the level to shoot down the vultures, finish the level at least once so you can easily travel to the other cannons and exit the level.

A Dozen Cold Ones

Use ice breath to freeze 12 enemies, this one is really easy and you should be able to get this just by going through the level.

Twin Dragon Destruction

Defeat the Twin Dragons in Fireworks Factory, at the end of the level there is a mini boss that has a superflight and flame powerup use this to defeat the dragons (the dragons will heal and they get faster as they lose hp so try going from the side).

The Harder They Fall

Flame any of the larger Rhynocs to get this achievement.

It's Totem Destruction

Destroy all the totem poles in Bentley's Outpost, you can use Sparx to lead you to the poles.

Real Star Power

Use 12 blue star boosts in one race, you'll get them as you go since you need them to beat the level.

Manta Erayser

After defeating Scorch you unlock yet another Sparx level to complete.

Scorched!

Defeat Scorch , like every other boss achievement

Midnight Lake

That Monkey's Gonna (Make Them) Pay...

Use 1300 gems to free Agent 9 from Moneybags.

Vanishing Act

This one is easy as you run into each Crystal Bear on the way to the end of Crystal Islands.

Butterfly Hunter

Find both butterfly jars in the Desert Ruins, first one is near the start of the temple dont go into it yet just take a left and climb the ladder up. The second jar is in the temple just find the next set of ladders and you should be able to get to it easily.

A Sarcopha-Kinda Guy

In the Haunted Tomb there are yellow coffins that mummies come out of infinitely, you can only destroy these coffins with the orange rocks the larger mummies throw at you. Destroy all of the coffins for this achievement.

Nice Shootin' Tex

As Agent 9 you have to kill an enemy with a ricochet shot, this one I got by accident so that should tell you how easy it is. Just shoot walls near enemies to bounce into one.

Someone Set Us Up the Bomb

Shoot all of the red balloons in Agent 9's Lab, after you clear the level go back and just look up until you find all of the balloons, you can use Sparx to find the general area of the balloons.

Hunt for Hunter

Find Hunter in the Harbor Speedway, he is inside of the lighthouse in the speedway talk to him to get the achievement (do his challenge for an egg)

Sorceress Down!

Beat the the Sorceress , collect 100 eggs to enter the Sorceress lair to fight her, it's a regular three phase fight and is pretty easy.

Debugging

After defeating the Sorceress you can go back to Midnight Mountain to find another Sparx portrait to enter. Defeat the Metapede to complete this level.

8000 Reasons to Kick Butt

This is the last achievement you should earn and it can be done after beating the Sorceress. Just chase Moneybags around and headbutt or flame him to get your gems back and an egg.

The next Spyro guide after this one will be the last in the Trilogy, I will be completing the Skill Point guide tomorrow! Thank you for reading and congrats on beating Spyro 2!

[bea-lele-carmen]

Clouds so swift, rain won't lift

Gate won't close, railing's froze

Get your mind off wintertime

You ain't goin' nowhere

Ooh-wee, ride me high

Tomorrow's the day my bride's gonna come

Oh-ho, are we gonna fly

Down in the easy chair?

I don't care how many letters they sent

The morning came, the morning went

Pack up your money, pick up your tent

You ain't goin' nowhere

Ooh-wee, ride me high

Tomorrow's the day my bride's gonna come

Oh-ho, are we gonna fly

Down in the easy chair?

Buy me a flute and a gun that shoots

Tailgates and substitutes

Strap yourself to a tree with roots

You ain't goin' nowhere

Ooh-wee, ride me high

Tomorrow's the day my bride's gonna come

Oh-ho, are we gonna fly

Down in the easy chair?

Now Genghis Khan, he could not keep

All his kings supplied with sleep

We'll climb that hill, no matter how steep

When we get up to it

Ooh-wee, ride me high

Tomorrow's the day my bride's gonna come

Oh-ho, are we gonna fly

Down in the easy chair?

Ooh-wee, ride me high

Tomorrow's the day my bride's gonna come

Oh-ho, are we gonna fly

Down in the easy chair?

[kynky]

I was thinking about those Ipod shuffle posts we all did back in the day..

It was easy enough to do when you had everything on iTunes or just one massive library but nowadays with streaming and physical it's not quite the same.

But using Spotifysy to scan my last.fm history (from physical listens and digital scrobbles) I've been able to get a decent enough fairly complete yearly record of my listening habits in one playlist.

I've made a playlist for 2008 through to 2014, given how many songs are on each it made sense to split them per year. I'll only be allowing 1 entry per artist, so duplicates will be skipped.

Shuffling 2008, the first 10 songs are:

Basement Jaxx - Do Your Thing

Lacuna Coil - Fragments Of Faith

Ladytron - Deep Blue

The Jam - Boy About Town

The Mock Turtles - Can You Dig It?

Nelly Furtado - Promiscuous

Finger Eleven - Change The World

Girl Talk - Warm It Up

Rage Against The Machine - People Of The Sun

Alphabeat - Touch Me Touching You

2008 was the final year I relied on iTunes as I signed up to Spotify the following year, I still used iTunes for bootlegs and tracks not licensed to Spotify, which was a lot back then.

For 2009:

Bizzy B - Jah Works

The Bloody Beetroots - Theolonius

Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip - Angles

Telepopmusik - Ghost Girl

Fun Lovin Criminals - Loco

Krust - Follow Da Vision

Atari Teenage Riot - Too Dead For Me

Rihanna - SOS

D.I.M. - Sysiphos

Nine Inch Nails - Right Where It Belongs

For 2010:

Jakwob - Scare The Snare

DJ Complex - Delicate State

Korpiklaani - Juodaan Viinaa

Calvin Harris - Neon Rocks

Michael Giacchino - End Credits Can Suck It!

God Is An Astronaut - Golden Sky

Nymfo - Proton Pack

The Cure - Lovecats

New Order - True Faith '94

Mampi Swift - Mr Elastic

For 2011:

Terrorvison - Tequila (Mint Royale Shot)

Rob Zombie - What? (Naughty Cheerleader Mix)

Joker - Tron

DLX - Operation Room

Pinch - One Blood, One Source (Distance Remix)

Toro y Moi - Intro/Chi Chi

Java - Yard Manz

Stratovarius - The Game Never Ends

Disonata - Bazooko's Circus

Badly Drawn Boy - Something To Talk About

For 2012:

Scuba - Cognitive Dissonance

Mansun - Wide Open Space (Perfecto Mix)

Clark - The Pining pt2

The Dresden Dolls - First Orgasm

Wonkap - Total Destruction

Super Power Club - Paparazzi

Rustie - Flash Back

Kissy Sell Out - Turn It On (Instrumental)

GRiZ - Wax City

Hulk - Watch Em Burn

For 2013:

Danny Byrd - Grit

Machinedrum - Jelly Jelly

Sub Focus - Out The Blue

Jagwar Ma - Come Save Me (Andrew Weatherall Remix)

Grim - Playground

Maduk - Feel Good

Celldweller - Hemlock Drone Attack

Mutated Forms - Wastegash (The Upbeats Remix)

Drop Goblin - The Gate

Tin Tin Out - All I Wanna Do

For 2014:

Maztek - Interlude

Bowsar - External Memory

The Algorithm - synthesiz3r

Trolley Snatcha - End Of The Earth

Michal Menert - So Alone

Felix Cartal - Who Even Am I

Ballkansky - Tomorrow

Jacob Plant - Radar

DJ Hype - Dreams

Hugo - 99 Problems

Only 1 artist was a duplicate (Girl Talk) and was skipped and only 1 appears in my Last.fm top 20 (Sub Focus).

I haven't made any other lists as of yet as I'm enjoying going back through these, a lot of the songs I've not heard in years, whilst some are dated and I'd probably not listen to now, there are a few I'd totally forgotten about.

Now I don't expect anyone to care about this at all, it was just something to kill an hour and now I've got a 70 track playlist to check out to keep me busy today