#CJS Appropriations Bill

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Donald Trump has lashed out at several Republican congressmen after an amendment to defund criminal prosecutions of the former president failed by "only one vote."

In a post on Truth Social he attacked Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson after he "stupidly" voted "no" on the amendment that would have prohibited the use of federal and state funding for the prosecution of any presidential candidate prior to November's election.

The amendments to the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Bill, introduced by Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde, failed to pass by a vote of 25-26.

Trump also blamed House Republicans on the Appropriations Committee who did not show up to vote on the amendment.

The presumptive 2024 GOP nominee is facing federal trials over allegations he illegally hoarded classified documents after he left office, and attempted to criminally overturn the 2020 election results. Trump and several other defendants are also facing trial in Georgia under a sprawling 2020 election interference case. Trump has already been convicted of 34 felony charges as part of his falsifying business record case in New York.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump said: "Just heard from Great Congressman Andrew Clyde of Georgia that the Amendment to Defund the Prosecution of a Presidential Candidate prior to November's Election did not pass, 26-25."

"It lost by only one vote, because one Republican, Mike Simpson of Idaho, stupidly voted NO, and two 'Republicans,' David Valadao of California and Dan Newhouse of Washington, the only two remaining Impeachers in the House of President Donald J. Trump, didn't show up to vote," Trump added.

"They must have had more important things to do. Also, Mike Garcia of California, David Joyce of Ohio, and Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, didn't show up to vote. Thanks very much, fellas, for your great support!"

Speaking to The Daily Caller, Simpson explained why he voted against the amendment to defund prosecutions of presidential candidates despite believing the cases against Trump are "politically motivated and utter nonsense."

"I am grateful the Supreme Court has acted as a balancing force against the Democrats' weaponization of the judicial system," Simpson said. "However, prohibiting the use of funds for investigations sets a dangerous precedent—potentially limiting Republicans' ability to investigate President Biden's wrongdoings. For that reason, I could not support this amendment."

Simpson's office has been contacted for further comment via email.

Clyde said he intends to reintroduce his amendment in the coming weeks.

"My measure fell short of receiving enough support because several of my Republican colleagues conveniently 'missed' the vote. I'm deeply disappointed—but I'm not giving up," he told The Daily Caller.

The House Appropriations Committee is expected to markup the CJS bill when members return to Washington, D.C., in September.

[cjwelford-archive]

→ the green dragon apartment. closed for @sebvora

It wasn’t often that the roommates got mail that wasn’t some form of bills or fines or vaguely threatening warnings from businesses or government officials, so half the time CJ ignored it. In fact, he ignored it most of the time, completely entrusting Jeanie and Seb to open anything with his name on it and handle it appropriately (i.e. flush it down the toilet, or send it to Wren). However, there was an unusually large envelope amongst the usual pile of junk and bills that caught his interest immediately when he came in from his early shift at the pool, tugging at it from where it was buried near the bottom of the pile, uncaring that the other letters slipped right off and onto the hallway floor. 

Mr. S. Vora & Mr C. Welford

With their address, and a Nevada post stamp and return address. 

An unfamiliar feeling of panic began to set in his bones and just how official it all seemed. They got into some shenanigans in Vegas, sure, but this seemed, well, beyond the usual norm of even their most chaotic nights. What if they had done something bad? What if they were fugitives? And not the fun kind like that movie, but proper ones people got rewards for capturing? 

“Yo, Seb!” He called, trying to sound calm, all but breaking into a run in the direction of his bedroom, standing in the doorway with a frown. “Um…are we like..” He sighed, unable to think of a chill way to pose the question. “Is there a warrant out for our arrest? We got this, like,  mad official looking letter from Vegas, and…uh…we blacked out that night, right?” Truthfully, whilst CJ had been in trouble with the law, it had always been mild scrapes, not…well, big trouble. Not life changing trouble. “We didn’t do anything super fucked, right?” 

[onekisstotakewithme]

18 and (since I always struggle with this 🤣): 15, from the fic writing asks please ☺️

15. How do you come up with titles for your fics/chapters?

I get my inspo in the most random places... sometimes books I'm reading, songs I'm listening to... that kind of thing! Or things that feel thematically appropriate lol.

Best example: "An Idea, Whose Time has Come" aka CJ Cregg runs for president. The title is from the book "An Idea Whose Time Has Come: Two Presidents, Two Parties, and the Battle for the Civil Rights Act of 1964" by Todd S. Purdum, which I started reading over the summer, and BONUS, Todd S. Purdum and his wife Dee Dee Myers, former press secretary to Bill Clinton, were likely somewhat inspirational for CJ and Danny.

18. What’s one of your favorite lines you’ve written in a fic?

I'm a little fond of this one 🥰

CJ doesn’t like the way he’s looking at her, the blue eyes fixed on her face, a look like he can see right through her, and she thinks, a little uncomfortably, that Superman played a journalist during the day too.

[xprojectrpg]

This Day in X-Project - September 15

2015: Adrienne and Maya meet in the kitchen and have a somewhat productive conversation. Paradise Lost: Sebastian Shaw informs Emma that his Black Rook was arrested and died in custody, despite his position with the Hellfire Club; Emma and Adrienne team up to infiltrate an evidence locker, with Adrienne using her powers to gain information on the suspects; Julian meets with Shaw’s lawyer and presents them with the evidence. Maya emails Clint again, wanting to know how to fix things with them.

2016: Sharon F.approaches the medbay staff asking them to consider running an advanced first aid course for a interested parties at the mansion. Warren sends Bobbi a text to remind her that their trip to Japan is tomorrow and she needs to double check all the dinner reservations. Reed sends Sue a text letting her know his phone works again after just paying his bill, he is met with exasperation. The Dulcet Sound of My Voice: Hope A.’s friend, CJ Ward, contacts her with some important news about an upcoming law, and some old acquaintances who are driving it; Hope A. goes to talk to Doug about her news to come up with a plan; Doug kicks the news up the chain to Emma, who decides that this might be a good opportunity to test Hope A.; Hope A. and Doug recruit Darcy to help them with their trip.

2017: Bobby makes a journal entry being excited that the Islanders’ training camp is beginning. Warren emails Felicia complaining that Bobbi hid his leather pants, but doesn’t mock his penis.

2018:

2019: Xavin announces they are taking a job and moving to Austin, Texas.

2020: Operation: Crazy X-Girlfriend: Marie-Ange posts about the murder of a former contact of Kevin's; another contact is found dead later.

2021: Laurie shares a link to a Lera Lynn song she finds appropriate. Miles announces he will be moving out of the mansion as he has a job on campus.

2022: Hope A. talks about not working for exposure instead of being paid.

2023: Julio announces he has the new Mortal Kombat game.

[masterofd1saster]

CJ court watch - Colorado Trump case

SCt decided Trump v. Anderson, 601 U. S. __ (2024) on Mon, 4mar24. Court held 9 - 0 that states can't enforce Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.

The upshot is that all the state cases attempting to disqualify Trump for insurrection are dead.

*** The Constitution empowers Congress to prescribe how [candidates are disqualified by Section 3]. The relevant provision is Section 5, which enables Congress, subject of course to judicial review, to pass “appropriate legislation” to “enforce” the Fourteenth Amendment. See City of Boerne v. Flores, 521 U. S. 507, 536 (1997). Or as Senator Howard put it at the time the Amendment was framed, Section 5 “casts upon Congress the responsibility of seeing to it, for the future, that all the sections of the amendment are carried out in good faith.” Cong. Globe, 39th Cong., 1st Sess., at 2768. *** during a debate on enforcement legislation less than a year after ratification, Sen. Trumbull noted that “notwithstanding [Section 3] . . . hundreds of men [were] holding office” in violation of its terms. Cong. Globe, 41st Cong., 1st Sess., at 626. The Constitution, Trumbull noted, “provide[d] no means for enforcing” the disqualification, necessitating a “bill to give effect to the fundamental law embraced in the Constitution.” Ibid. The enforcement mechanism Trumbull championed was later enacted as part of the Enforcement Act of 1870, “pursuant to the power conferred by §5 of the [Fourteenth] Amendment.”

There were some concurrences that objected to the majority explaining why "States have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the Presidency."

Babylon Bee's comments:

and

+++

Who's walking funny after the 9-0 ruling?

[cavenewstimes]

House and Senate appropriators cut NASA’s budget

WASHINGTON — House and Senate appropriators have drafted bills that would give NASA slightly less money in 2024 than it received in 2023, rather than the significant increase the administration requested. The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a commerce, justice and science (CJS) spending bill for fiscal year 2024 on a 28–1 vote during a July 13 markup. That bill funds NASA as well as the…

[itsmyregularcat]

Influenced by @white-cat-of-doom, and his Cats dream cast (please check it out), I have made my own.

This is going to be a tough one to figure out, but here is my Cats dream team, as of today.

I wish to see more productions to be better informed in my choices, so I need to get on some bootlegs I guess! (Some choices are actually going to be based off of assumptions of how the actors portray them).

I already know a bunch of my choices are going to be from the Broadway Revival (because I really like that production), and almost all are going to be from newer productions because I am way more familiar with them.

In alphabetical order:

Admetus / Macavity: Thomas Inge (Asia Tour 2017/2020 and UK International Tour 2018/9)

I quite like the Macavity redesign for Vienna 2019 and Asia 2020, so he gets the nod just for this. Otherwise, he is an established Admetus and seems to have fun with it.

Alonzo / Rumpus Cat: Fletcher Dobinson (Asia Tour 2020)

I have never seen him perform as Alonzo, but he has this energy about him I cannot really describe. From short videos I have seen, he seems to have a 'snarky' side, and just has a hell of a time flirting about with everyone during curtain calls. He has the moves.

Bill Bailey / Tumblebrutus: Kolton Krouse (Broadway Revival 2016 / Cats 2019)

They can fly with the best of them. Their flip in with the ball during the end of the Old Gumbie Cat is a cool addition. No strong feelings for this character though.

Bombalurina: Rosemarie Ford (Cats 1998)

If anyone exemplifies what it means to be Bombalurina, I think Rosemarie wins. The duality of caring attitude and scornful nature, combined with her moves and her voice all make her a top pick. Also, slightly older Bombas I feel are better?

Honourable mentions: Christine Cornish Smith (Broadway Revival 2016) for sure, Suzie Melloy (Asia 2017/2020), and Tanya Valenzuela (Mexico 2018).

Carbucketty / Pouncival: Joel Morris (South Africa 2008 / UK Tour 2013 / Palladium 2014 / International Tour 2016)

He does a relatively good job being juvenile, but not annoying in his role. Him screwing around during Tugger's song, Moments Of Happiness, and Skimbleshanks is actually endearing to a point. No strong feelings for this character though.

Cassandra: Mariah Reives (US Tour 6)

Another pick I have never seen during performances, but she looks like a good Cassandra. She is really pretty and appropriately tall, so ¯\_( ツ)_/¯. Bonus points for her lighting up during Misto's song.

Honourable mentions: Jessica Buckby (2013 UK Tour), Danielle Cato (International Tour 2019), and Emily Pynenberg (2016 Broadway Revival)

Coricopat: Corey John Snide (2016 Broadway Revival)

He pairs up very well with my top Tantomile pick, and cannot realistically be separated. This legend was also a dance captain, involved with Cats 2019, and did a split track cover of Coricopat and Jennyanydots during his run.

Demeter: Zizi Strallen (London Revival / Palladium 2014)

Real talk, I love her as Tantomile in Cats 2019, and her singing voice is beautiful and distinct. Her as Demeter is a good bet, and she gives off a happy vibe during less serious points of the show. That happiness she puts in 2019 Tanto is what she did with 2014 Demeter.

Honourable mention: Lisette Pagler (Gothenburg 2006 / Stockholm 2009). The OG grey Demeter. She is absolutely beautiful, and her non-rep portrayal design is neat. She is also an actual singer in Sweden, so her voice is top notch. I really like her as Demeter. Also, Ella Nonini (International Tour / Asia 2020).

Electra: Leah Sue Morland (Cats 1998) or Lili Froehlich (2016 Broadway Revival)

I cannot reasonably pick one over the other, I have disproportionately strong feelings for both. Lili made me fall in love with Electra as a character (and I mean, look who my icon is!), and Leah cemented it before and after me seeing the Broadway Revival. They both make a modest ensemble cat seem so much more important. One of my favourite Cats across any production.

Etcetera: Jo Bingham (Cats 1998)

Boundless energy and happiness rolled into one bouncy cat. No one had a better time during Cats 1998, and for a cat that does not appear in many production afterwards, Jo just said f*ck it and did whatever seemingly came to mind to forge a legacy. Biting Coricopat’s ass remains a landmark moment in cinema. One of my favourite cats in the film without a doubt.

George: Frank Thompson (Cats 1998)

He is sort of always there, enjoying himself. If I would cut a cast member, George would be it. Sorry George.

Gus / Bustopher Jones / Growltiger: Rory Campbell (UK Tour / Zurich / London)

Dignified Busto. A good Gus that does not play off too much about being old and decrepit. If done properly, Growltiger (for the sake of Griddlebone) should make a return to more productions. Remove the total racism and the open misogyny inherent to many portrayals of Growltiger, and make it strictly about the lovers.

Grizabella: Jennifer Hudson (for real) (Cats 2019)

I know this one will ruffle feathers, but her sad sap performance is quite unrivaled in Cats. She brought the gloom and the dejection of being casted out to life. Her singing Memory is powerful as all hell, and filled with emotion. She wins the screaming match.

Jellylorum / Griddlebone: Freya Rowley (Cats 2019)

At this point you are probably thinking, ‘my lord, what the hell is this person on about?’. Freya does not sing in the movie, and is just a background cat, but my god is she the best cat there! During her time with actual stage productions, she was a principle Tantomile, and covered Demeter, Jelly, Jenny, and Cassandra as swing. I know she can sing (even though I have never heard it), and I want to hear / see her as the most novel Griddlebone around. Big orange energy - get with it.

Honourable mention: Sarah Jean Ford (2016 Broadway Revival)

Jemima: Veerle Casteleyn (Cats 1998 / London / Dutch Tour)

The most vanilla choice, but she was the face of Jemima / Sillabub and the Cats ‘franchise’ when the 98 film first came out, and rocketed her character to great importance and notoriety. They used her for promo shots after the movie came out realizing how popular her character had become. Veerle is the innocence of youth personified. By the way, I am taking her without the overdub.

Honourable mention: Arianna Rosario (2016 Broadway Revival / US Tour 6) and Dawn Williams (UK Tour 2013)

Jennyanydots: Eloise Kropp (2016 Broadway Revival)

A younger Jenny still as wild as any other. Her greater involvement during the show is also cool to see. The changes they made to the Broadway Revival may irk some, but the Gumbie Cat scene with the choreography change is my favourite I have seen so far. Eloise does a really good job, and has a chaotic energy that draws me to her.

Mistoffelees: Laurie Davidson (Cats 2019)

On my pursuit of pissing off the purists, here is another controversial choice. He provides a character development that I think would work out well on stage. Imagine it for a second, with Tugger or Munk hyping him up. No Mistoria though.

Honourable mention: Joseph Poulton (UK Tour 2013 / Palladium 2014)

Munkustrap: Jack Rebaldi (London / Madrid / Paris / Dusseldorf / German Tours)

The man is a serious Munk, who is versatile with his portrayals. He gets so into playing the character, and seems to be having a great time doing it. Plus, how the hell can someone do Munk in English, Spanish, French, and German in the course of three years? Madness.

Honourable mentions: Robbie Fairchild (Cats 2019) and friend-shaped Michael Gruber (Broadway / Cats 1998)

Mungojerrie: Drew Varley (Australia 1993 / London / Cats 1998)

One half of the chaotic duo present in Cats 1998, with an oustanding level of dumbassery and foolishness that encompasses Jerrie. He encapsulates that attitude very well, and pairs perfectly with my top Rumpleteazer.

Honourable mention: Dante Hernandez (Mexico 2013 / 2018)

Old Deuteronomy: Nicholas Pound (London / UK Tours / Palladium 2014 / International Tour)

A bit of a different choice, considering most people would likely pick Ken Page (and for good reason). Mr. Pound has a great voice, and welcoming vibe. Behind the scenes, he is a chaotic Old D. Plus, his name is Dick Pound.

Rum Tum Tugger: John Partridge (UK Tour / London / Cats 1998 / Berlin / Dusseldorf)

Velvety smooth voice, swagger coming out the hip thrust, and a playfulness suitable for the rockstar cat. No contest with this choice. He also does not play of RTT as being childish or over the top (*cough 2016 Broadway Revival / US Tour 6*), which is appreciated. Sorry Tyler Hanes, your vlogs were delightful, but your Tugger was a bit too much.

Rumpleteazer: Jo Gibb (London / Cats 1998)

Jo Gibb is the reason I became super obsessed with Cats, and probably why my favourite character is Rumple. Having initially seen the 2019 movie before the 1998 film, seeing her smiling face and adorable portrayal made me sort of fall in love with her. She is a perfectly mischievous Rumple, and I feel is the benchmark for most others. Her engagements with other characters is awesome, and she is just the ideal actor. Also, Cockney accent Rumple is best Rumple I do not make the rules.

Honourable mentions: Every other Teazer. All of them. There is no bad one. They all have my heart.

Skimbleshanks: Steven McCrae (Cats 2019)

Big daddy Skimble, with the red pants and the moustache. Tap dancing and ballet powerhouse. WOO WOO. Enough said.

Tantomile: Emily Tate (2016 Broadway Revival)

Given all Tantos do not really have an opportunity to set themselves apart because they are more of an ensemble Cat, I liked Emily from the beginning I saw her, and I think she is really cute. Her, paired with CJS, make a pretty ideal Cori and Tanto. Maybe I am swayed by the amount of lifts and spins they do together during the show? They have a beautiful synchronization and grace with their movements. 

Weaponize your Tantomiles, helicopter her above your Coricopats and take over. Kill Macavity. Become the Everlasting Cat.

Honourable mention: Kaye Brown (London / UK Tour / Cats 1998), Melody Rose (US Tour 6), Helen Gulston (RCCL Cruise). Realistically, all Tantos are good. I like Tantomile.

Victoria: Georgina Pazcogiun (2016 Broadway Revival)

A prominent soloist with the New York ballet, renowned for her distinctive style, and you can appreciate that if you watched a 2016 bootleg show. She has also pushed out against ballet norms by being "The Rogue Ballerina" as a means of embracing the qualities that make her unique as a dancer, such as her 'bigger' (in terms of ballet) body type. Her unique style as Victoria makes her my choice. Plus, she be sneaky.

Honourable mentions: Hannah Kenna Thomas (UK Tour 2013 / Palladium 2014 / International Tour / Vienna Revival), Tyler Lotzof (Asia Tour 2020), Alicia Beck (UK Tour 2013), Phyllida Crowley Smith (London / Cats 1998). Realistically, all Vics are good.

Any way, there is my shitshow of a production.

[jobethdalloway]

Howdy, y’all. So, I’ve been listening pretty much exclusively to Doris Day since her passing earlier this week. Accomplishing this has been easy because not only is so much of her music available online, but I have hours’ worth in my own collection. While I love a great many styles and great many singers, I believe hers is my favorite voice of the previous century. I have a lot of happy memories tied up in that voice. 

It seemed appropriate to post this here because I think a lot of you started following this blog in the first place because of a fic I wrote way back when, called Calamity Jane Meets Dr. Isles, Medicine Woman. All I really took from the real Calamity was her badass nickname, and tbh I think Doris Day’s biopic is probably in the same boat. But she plays a snarly, subversive, cool chick in her own way. I absolutely loved this movie when I was a kid - brought on, I think, because the Annie Get Your Gun revival soundtrack was a staple in my family’s home (Bernadette Peters! Still love it!!), and my mom found this movie at the library and thought I might like it, too. 

My own CJ has a lot of Doris’ Calamity in her. Also, for any of you who read Are You Lonesome Tonight?, this is the song Jane and Maura listened to in bed together. It’s a ballad that Calamity ostensibly sings about Wild Bill Hickok, but the film makes it veeeery easy to interpret queerly as a love song for the movie’s other leading lady. That’s why I knew I had to include it in that fic. I know that as much as any queer woman who watched R&I (or other subtextual shows in the ‘90s onwards), those who saw Calamity Jane in the ‘50s also saw themselves.

[zzapzzaptasers-a]

Important Headcanons

or things about my Darcy that probably maybe aren’t super important but which may come up and don’t really have another appropriate place under the “about”. I’ll probably end up linking this in the about for easy access in the future and probably update it as things go along.

- Darcy was present at Culver for a campus tour during the Hulk’s second world appearance.  This lead to a deep fear of the Hulk (of which she’s over to varying degrees depending on the verse and exposure) and was also the precursor to Darcy’s dad, Ben (I named him before I took it on as my name when I came out ok I know its weird), being diagnosed with cancer and ultimately dying I figure this simply because Darcy is a year younger than me, I graduated in 07 and therefore Darcy would have been in her junior year in 07 and her senior year in 08 (when the Incredible Hulk movie was released), so, timeline wise, it’s feasible.

- This isn’t a headcanon but it IS important to note -- Culver is the MCU Ivy League school. It’s not easy to get into. It’s the school Jane, Erik Selvig, Bruce Banner, and Betty Ross went to/worked with/through/for. Therefore, Darcy is intelligent, and yes that includes “book smart”. She might not always be observant and, yes, she’s not an astrophysicist nor a PhD, but she is capable. Any stupidity shown here is either purposeful, absent-minded, or my own fault as a mun because I am not smart or educated and I end up doing a lot of research but sometimes man I just don’t know a thing

- Darcy is sort of a magnet and a battery for otherworldly energy and magic. It collects on her, as a friend said, like a bunch of velcro straps or like burrs stick to clothing. She is largely unaware of it and is unable to manipulate or utilize it, but others might be able to????

- Darcy’s Jewish. I’m p sure that’s on her about but I just wanna make it super clear.

- Alignment-wise, Darcy is mostly good, but her inherent goodness is overpowered by her loyalty. I’ve explained it this way before, but if Jane had popped out of the aether pocket with the aether and was like “okay we’re bad guys now” Darcy would have been like “sweet, cool. great.” This can make her easy to manipulate, provided you can get her attached to you in the first place. Darcy is constantly in need of having a “person”. For most canon, that’s Jane. In the Post IW AU with facemypast, where Darcy was gone with the snap and appeared in the stone with Bucky, Bucky is that person. She needs an anchor, romantic or not, whenever she’s in a new or uncomfortable situation.

- Darcy is pretty handy with technology. We know from Thor 1 that she’d made the fake ID Selvig had presented to SHIELD for Thor and while it didn’t pass muster there, it would have with any regular cop or bartender or whatever. Also, she broke through the firewall SHIELD had put up in Tromso during Avengers 1. I write her as being interested in coding and repairing/refurbishing old radios, and while she isn’t as talented in this area as Tony Stark or other comparable heroes/villains, she is passionate about it and quick to pick up on instruction 

- pacifist. I don’t have any real background reasoning for this, but I figure, like, why would she carry a taser instead of a gun? And ran with it.  Darcy isn’t capable, emotionally or physically, of killing anyone and refuses handgun training, making her ineligible for real SHIELD field work. She has, however, been training physically with @anyilherron for fitness and CJ’s no-longer-around Bill @harkthestormbreaker (who’s been teaching her how to punch) Recently in my canon, she accidentally killed a man who was mugging her. He had a heart issue and the taser did not help. It was a traumatic experience for her and she’s working through some PTSD.

- Darcy is CHUBBY. Sorry, not sorry. 

- Darcy’s future aspirations (MCU wise) are either political or public relations based. 

- While enjoying a mild popularity on youtube, Darcy was wildly popular on the short lived Vine app and is currently running Thor’s Instagram account (boasting 100m followers) and Jane’s twitter (which does not have as big a fanbase as Thor’s IG but which is being touted as one of the meme-ist, funniest accounts currently active)

- Darcy’s first crush as a pre-teen was on Tony. As an anti-capitalist adult, her feelings on him are complicated and a little *handwavey*

- She is the reincarnation of @intolerablexsacrifice‘s Flint. It doesn’t come up super often outside of asks and threads with Malakh, but those aren’t super infrequent so it’s good to know about.  It’s why she dislikes the ocean.

[gussolomonsjrtest]

MERCE CUNNINGHAM CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

The Merce Cunningham centennial celebration reached a peak during this week of his birthday, April 16th, with two of the major events of the celebration – “Night of 100 Solos,” happening live at London’s Barbican Theatre, New York’s BAM Opera House, and UCLA’s Royce Hall; In addition, a program of Cunningham dances done by three different companies at the Joyce Theater, April 17-21 – a feast of Cunningham dancing, done entirely by dancers who never danced in his company.

NIGHT OF 100 SOLOS. (l-r): Reid Bartelme, David Norsworthy, Sara Mearns 

On Tuesday night the Howard Gilman Opera House at BAM came alive with a 90-minute “event” comprising solos extracted from Cunningham’s six-decade-long dance repertory. Twenty-five dancers ranging in age from a college student to nearly seventy-years old, present and former members of companies like Martha Graham, Mark Morris, Trisha Brown, Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Companies, Kyle Abraham’s A.I.M., New York City Ballet, and Charlotte Ballet, among others, took part. Each dancer was taught a number of solos – four it seems – by nearly two-dozen former Cunningham dancers, many of whom are now official stagers of his work.

NIGHT OF 100 SOLOS. Kyle Abraham 

What emerged from this panoply of movement was recognition of the astonishing inventiveness of Cunningham’s movement and the clarity of performance it mandates. The dancers, one and all, evinced their respect and admiration for the work and its creator with near flawless embrace of his uniquely exposed style, technical execution, and kinetic spirit. Here in New York, the passages were arranged in space and time by Trish Lent, director of licensing for the Cunningham Trust, and assistant stager Jean Freebury, with simultaneous and overlapping soloists, weaving their individual pathways around each other on the large BAM stage. Sometimes spatial proximity suggested contact between them – a hand on a shoulder, a mutual focus, a conjunction of leaps or turns or balances that became accidental duets, trios, and quartets.  

NIGHT OF 100 SOLOS. (l-r): Lindsey Jones, Christian Allen

Another refreshing aspect of the presentation was the diversity of bodies, training backgrounds, and, especially, races of the dancers onstage, many of whom are audience favorites in their home companies. It has been a concern that Cunningham had only four African-American men and no women in the six-decade history of his company. In my opinion (as the first of those four men) it was because Merce loved jumping for himself and his men, and his vision of the ideal female dancer was Carolyn Brown, whose perfect lines and articulation were ballet-worthy. Certainly, had he lived further into his nineties African-American women would have been invited into the troupe.

NIGHT OF 100 SOLOS. (l-r): Jaquelin Harris, Claude “CJ” Johnson.

Tuesday night, Shayla-Vie Jenkins, Tamisha Guy, Jaquelin Harris, sterling dancers and women of color proved their mastery of the style, and Kyle Abraham, Claude “CJ” Johnson, Christian Allen, and Chalvar Monteiro, evinced all the balance, articulation, and power of any of Cunningham’s alumni. Vicky Shick, one of Trisha Brown’s original company, and Keith Sabado, long-time Mark Morris dancer – both in their sixties – extended the age range we’ve come to associate with Merce’s dancers, except for himself.

NIGHT OF 100 SOLOS. The company in John Cage’s 4′33″

There was a full-company teaser ending, in which the dancers filled the stage for Cage’s “4’33”,” a silent work for piano in three movements. Light changes indicated the ends of sections, when the dancers shifted poses. There was humor –  Jason Collins jumping with tin cans strapped to his loins and Sabado’s circling the stage on a bicycle, which Merce did in “Variations V.” For Cunningham aficionados it was fun to try to recall the sources of the excerpts and remember the dancers who had done them originally and succeeded them in various generations.

NIGHT OF 100 SOLOS. (l-r): Cecily Campbell, Jason Collins

The décor was a digital art work created by Pat Steir, which kept the cyclorama morphing slowly in white and gray images that looked like ghostly stone columns or precipitation – rain, snow, sleet – or cascading waterfalls. Lighting designer Christine Shallenberg provided an appropriately celebratory atmosphere. Reid Bartelme, who also performed, and his costume design partner dressed the dancers in wonderful pastels and richly-hued leotards, unitards, bike-tards, and jumpsuits with various necklines and sleeve lengths. Bartelme and Sarah Mearns, both in pale lavender, shared the stage at one point, doing solos at the same time.

NIGHT OF 100 SOLOS. Keith Sabado

A thunderous standing ovation greeted the dancers at the end, from an audience who felt reassured that Cunningham’s works are in good hands. Although the technical skill and precision Cunningham’s work required were ahead of their time in the last century, they are by now within the grasp of most present-day elite dancers, hence the Cunningham legacy of dance excellence seems assured for generations to come.

photos by Stephanie Berger

                                        ***************************

The following evening, April 17, the centennial celebration continues with a program at the Joyce of three Cunningham dances done by three companies – Centre National de Danse Contemporaine in Angers, directed by Cunningham’s associate director Robert Swinston; Ballet West from Salt Lake City, directed by Joffrey Ballet alumnus Adam Sklute; and Washington Ballet from D.C., directed by long-time ABT principal Julie Kent – doing, respectively “Suite for Five” (1956), “Summerspace” (1958), and “Duets” (1980).

CENTRE DE DANSE CONTEMPORAINE ANGERS.(l-r): Claire Seigle-Goujon, Anna Chirescu, and Carlo Schiavo in SUITE FOR FIVE. photo by Arnaud Hie

“Suite for Five” doles itself out sparingly to a minimal piano score by John Cage, “Music for Piano,” played live by Adam Tendler. It starts with a solo, danced by Carlo Schiavo in blue tights and matching polo-neck shirt has unmistakable Cunningham signature moves like backwards walks in parallel, big jumps with open, bent legs, and low-slung crouches. Next, Catarina Pernão in bright yellow epitomizes Cunningham’s ideal female, linear and erect with balletic articulation of legs and feet, and calm balances on a foot while the other leg sweeps in long extensions that arc slowly around the body.

CENTRE DE DANSE CONTEMPORAINE ANGERS.(l-r): Gianni Joseph, Carlo Schiavo, Claire Siegle-Goujin, Catarina Pernão, and Anna Chirescu in SUITE FOR FIVE. photo Arnaud Hie

Then follows a trio by the other two women, Anna Chirescu, and Claire Seigle-Goujon, in orange and purple and Gianni Joseph in lime green. Brief blackouts separate the sections, so each is a kinetic haiku. The dance contains Cunningham signatures – long, slow balances, bursts of leaping that switch direction midair, deep lunges, male-female duets, straight from the ballet lexicon but designed with unusual shapes and leverages. This was the company’s premiere performance of the dance, and because Cunningham movement is so exposed with nowhere to hide, the dancers’ nervousness showed.

CENTRE DE DANSE CONTEMPORAINE ANGERS. (l-r): Gianni Joseph, Claire Seigle-Goujon, and Anna Chirescu in SUITE FOR FIVE.  photo by Arnaud Hie

BALLET WEST. Joshua Whitehead in SUMMERSPACE. photo by Beau Pearson

“Summerspace” (1958) lends itself to performance by ballet dancers. In it, Cunningham was exploring ways of conquering various kinds of turning modern dancers weren’t used to. In 1966, it may have been the first of his dances set on the New York City Ballet. Salt Lake City’s Ballet West definitely has the technical skill to pull it off, and it’s nice to see dancers of color in some of the roles. Katlyn Addison does fine with the brutally difficult crossing, originally done by Viola Farber, in which she slides one foot forward while bending the other until she is balanced sitting on the heel of the supporting leg with the leading leg stretched ahead of her, while unfolding her arms to the sides.

BALLET WEST. Gabrielle Salvatto in SUMMERSPACE. photo by Beau Pearson

Kyle Davis another African-American dancer hangs suspended in midair in his high-flying leaps. And Joshua Shutkind has piercing focus and dynamic sharpness in the role Cunningham created for himself. The stager, Banu Ogan, managed to communicate the evanescence of the piece, which is accompanied by Morton Feldman’s sparse “IXION” and dressed in white unitards, stippled with pastel dots by Robert Rauschenberg, that match  his beautiful, pastel pointillist backdrop that camouflages the dancers, when they pose motionless in front it.

Artists of BALLET WEST in SUMMERSPACE. photo by Beau Pearson

WASHINGTON BALLET in DUETS. (l-r): Tamako Miyazaki and Alexandros Pappajohn. photo by Dean Alexander

The Washington Ballet takes on “Duets” (1980), staged sensitively by Melissa Toogood, another of the Cunningham’s dances that is well suited for the skills of a classical company. Made for six couples in Mark Lancaster’s costumes and lighting, the clothes are an amazing mixture of colors – pastel and bright – and shapes – tights, leotards, skirts, and dresses – that seem random but blend wonderfully.

The piece has moments of dry humor, when a man keeps switching the hand that holds up his partner’s raised arm in a balance, while she holds a tilted passé. And another woman alternates hands on her partner’s outstretched support arm. The dancers can also exit the stage by suddenly disappearing behind a curtain upstage that cuts off the right third of the upstage.

WASHINGTON BALLET in DUETS. (l-r): Javier Morera, Nicole Graniero, Alexandros Pappajohn, and Tamako Miyazaki. photo by Dean Alexander

The dancers overlap each other’s duets, entering or crossing the stage, as if they are continuing their duet offstage. Cunningham is showing us the portion of action that appears in the space we can see, and encourages us to imagine the parts that might be happening out of our view. Here, Cunningham’s movement does not depart radically from ballet vocabulary; it just expands it, working in parallel as well as turned out and adding some un-balletic torso action that the dancers have seemingly embraced under Toogood’s expert coaching,

(Note: some photos of companies at The Joyce may be of alternate cast members)

Gus Solomons jr, © 2019

[kleiner2296-blog]

**Long read! But hang in there for me! I am okay. Cj is doing fine, everyone and everything is fine! Don’t worry.** 😘

Okay. Here’s what happened yesterday for those of you who want to know. I have kept an open book the last few months about my mental illness and my journey with my whole self love thing and just trying to lead a “normal” life. I have been keeping my life open to try and help others who go through what I go through, but yesterday I realized something even more important. Being open is also something that helped me. I was coping with my mental illness almost pretty well until yesterday.

Before you read all that I am about to say, I want to make a quick statement that is important in knowing why I am choosing to share my story and why I decided to post things yesterday- I’ve gotten a message already saying that I was seeking attention. That’s fine if that’s the way you want to see it, BUT! Here is why I did it. Yesterday, I had messages checking in on me all day long- and some messages came when I really needed it. I had a good friend of mine literally stop everything and come over and sit with me until I felt okay. IF I had NOT said anything- there would have been no messages, no friends- just me trying to deal with it alone. Because too often, we don’t reach out when there isn’t something “wrong”. Check on your friends even if you don’t see the struggle.

***BEFORE YOU READ THIS NEXT PART KNOW THAT I AM NOT SUICIDAL. I DO NOT HAVE THESE FEELINGS*** However, take a good look at your friends on facebook. I can guarantee 1 in 5 are battling mental illness. That’s the statistic. Look it up. If they felt suicidal or were struggling but people like you shame them from sharing that struggle and reaching out, chances are things could go wrong. And we wonder why suicide rates are so high right now. If we can’t even count on our friends to understand, how could we count on doctors or therapists? This isn’t something we choose. We need to end that stigma and allow for more open conversations regarding anxiety/depression/other mental illnesses (because those are not the only 2 but they are part of my life). So yes, I guess if you view it that way, I was asking for attention but it was because my anxiety got so bad yesterday that I couldn’t do it alone. I’m a mom. I cannot sit there and not be able to function. If I need help, i’m going to ask. Thank you to anyone who reached out. Please continue to check on your friends.

Okay. Now. What everyone wants to know.

Anxiety is irrational. It doesn’t have to make sense. Please keep that in mind. Because most of the time it doesn’t make sense. It’s the smallest, dumbest things that can put your body in the “Flight or fight mode”. Stupid things trigger anxiety and even through in a rational world we know they are stupid and silly, in our brains at that moment of panic, it is the most rational fear.

Yesterday I woke up, after a super vivid dream about me talking to Cj about his job. The dream didn’t go so well, and so that was the first thing. That triggered some anxiety. But I was fine. I go get Carter out of his crib, and then I checked my phone. There was a text about my sister in law going into labor. That did it for me. My body went into a full panic attack. I had this overwhelming rush of many many emotions all at once that my brain decided it couldn’t process it all- and it was just too much. At first I felt so joyful! I was so excited to meet the new baby in the family- but then I felt this incredible wave of sadness because my husband wasn’t here to enjoy this moment with me. I realized that this is the life style we chose but it doesn’t mean I can’t be sad. The sadness quickly turned into this huge guilt. I felt SO guilty and undeserving of being happy at the moment. I felt so sick to my stomach that I was able to be in that moment and feel happy, and that threw me overboard. One of my biggest triggers for anxiety is imperfection. My whole life I always felt like I had to be a perfect child, with perfect grades and perfect everything- and though I have worked through a lot of that, there are feeling that’s still come up and trigger the anxiety. In that moment I felt like an imperfect, unfair, wife. I know writing this down probably seems so small, but in my brain all these emotions were overwhelming. I called my mom to help me “walk me off the ledge” is what we call it. She helped me work through the panic attack and calm down enough so I could feed my kid who was nagging me for breakfast (Man. Toddlers lol).

Then I calmed down enough to where I wasn’t panicking but was just still full of anxiety. Carter and I took a nap and then the cycle started again for me. I also found out yesterday that we didn’t get paid from cjs job- we are prepared for this- but my brain went into this panic of “imperfection” and I wasn’t sure how to curb the COMPLETELY irrational thought of not having a home or getting the lights cut out or something stupid and silly. (All those bills are paid... so this is an example of how silly and weird anxiety is).

Then I get to the hospital and I meet beautiful baby jensen, and I felt again that overwhelming guilt; and the sadness. So I held it together until I couldn’t hold it together any longer, I left the room and I lost it. I just broke down full force in the middle of the hospital, parking lot, and a million times more in the car. My sister in law was with me in the car and understands exactly what I go through so she was so wonderful and non judge mental and let me spill all the wonderful things that happened yesterday that contributed to my state of mind. (There’s more than what I’m telling you because I can only air my own dirty laundry you know? lol)

So. Amongst other things that happened, this was the main trigger for me yesterday and I really was having a hard time coping. I couldn’t get my brain out of that “fight or flight” mode. I just couldn’t walk myself off the ledge and it took 3 panic attacks, a million messages from friends and to have someone sit with me until I was able to get my head out of that state- wine helped a lot haha! but that’s not an appropriate way of handling it).

What I learned during all this: Because there will be many times I’m alone, and will move to areas I don’t have friends or that support system like I had yesterday, I have decided that I need medical intervention and am going to finally get on medication for my anxiety. (Yes mom, I know you’ve been telling me this forever. I am stubborn)

So again if you’ve read this far, thank you. And if you were there for support, thank you. I feel great today and am relaxed and clear headed. Yesterday was a hard day, but today is a new day. 💕

[plutojinda]

Kirkland plumber - An Overview

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[xprojectrpg]

Previous Days in X-Project - September 15

PHASE 2

2015: Adrienne and Maya meet in the kitchen and have a somewhat productive conversation. Paradise Lost: Sebastian Shaw informs Emma that his Black Rook was arrested and died in custody, despite his position with the Hellfire Club; Emma and Adrienne team up to infiltrate an evidence locker, with Adrienne using her powers to gain information on the suspects; Julian meets with Shaw’s lawyer and presents them with the evidence. Maya emails Clint again, wanting to know how to fix things with them.

2016: Sharon approaches the medbay staff asking them to consider running an advanced first aid course for a interested parties at the mansion. Warren sends Bobbi a text to remind her that their trip to Japan is tomorrow and she needs to double check all the dinner reservations. Reed sends Sue a text letting her know his phone works again after just paying his bill, he is met with exasperation. The Dulcet Sound of My Voice: Hope’s friend, CJ Ward, contacts her with some important news about an upcoming law, and some old acquaintances who are driving it; Hope goes to talk to Doug about her news to come up with a plan; Doug kicks the news up the chain to Emma, who decides that this might be a good opportunity to test Hope; Hope and Doug recruit Darcy to help them with their trip.

2017: Bobby makes a journal entry being excited that the Islanders’ training camp is beginning. Warren emails Felicia complaining that Bobbi hid his leather pants, but doesn’t mock his penis.

2018:

2019: Xavin announces they are taking a job and moving to Austin, Texas.

2020: Operation: Crazy X-Girlfriend: Marie-Ange posts about the murder of a former contact of Kevin's; another contact is found dead later.

2021: Laurie shares a link to a Lera Lynn song she finds appropriate. Miles announces he will be moving out of the mansion as he has a job on campus.

2022: Hope talks about not working for exposure instead of being paid.

[masterofd1saster]

CJ current events 28apr22

***

1984's Ministry of Truth is here

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security is creating a "Disinformation Governance Board" to combat misinformation ahead of the 2022 midterms. 

Mayorkas appeared before the House Appropriations Subcommittee to discuss the fiscal 2023 budget for the Department of Homeland Security. *** https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mayorkas-dhs-disinformation-governance-board

+++

The Biden administration's new czar to combat disinformation has a history of sharing misleading claims about British ex-spy Christopher Steele’s discredited dossier and downplaying controversy embroiling President Joe Biden's son.

Nina Jankowicz, who was a disinformation fellow at the Wilson Center and adviser to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry as part of the Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship, confirmed a report Wednesday that she has been named executive director of the Department of Homeland Security’s new “Disinformation Governance Board."*** https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/bidens-disinformation-chief-is-trump-dossier-author-fan-and-hunter-laptop-doubter

***

Can't honestly say I was ever this good. https://twitter.com/abigailmarone/status/1519123066126843906

***

how do you accidentally make & throw a fire bomb?

A fundraiser for a Connecticut child recovering from second- and third-degree burns has raised over $230,000 as of Wednesday night.

The money will be used to help the family of 6-year-old Dominick Krankall find a new place to live. Krankall was hospitalized Sunday after another child covered a ball in gasoline, set it on fire, and threw it at him, according to the family's GoFundMe page.

"This kid downstairs has gotten away with too much and has a history of bullying," Kayla Deegan, Krankall's sister, said. "The mother thinks he is innocent. The family thinks it’s a joke. Even though Dominick can’t talk because he’s in a lot of pain and all swollen, he said to my mom, 'Please don’t take me back there.'"

Krankall is able to eat "a few bites of food past his extremely swollen lips" as of Tuesday, and the family is "beyond grateful" for the support they have received from donors, Deegan said Wednesday.

Krankall is expected to recover, hospital officials said, according to NBC New York.

Police are investigating preliminary reports of four unattended children who were seen playing with gasoline and lighting objects on fire. Bridgeport Police Capt. Brian Fitzgerald said there is video that could assist with the inquiry.

“We don’t know if it’s an accident or intentional,” he said, according to the Hartford Courant. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/fundraiser-for-6-year-old-burned-in-alleged-bully-attack-raises-over-240k

***

Malice supplies the age - Blackstone

A 14-year-old boy is being held on $1 million cash bond after being arrested in connection to the death of a 10-year-old Wisconsin girl whose body was found earlier this week, according to a county prosecutor.

Iliana “Lily” Peters was allegedly strangled and sexually assaulted by the juvenile suspect, whom officials with the Chippewa Falls Police Department say knew the girl, before the attack. The suspect had punched the girl in the stomach before knocking her to the ground, bringing her to “the point of death” before sexually assaulting her, Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell said.

"Given the statements the defendant made to law enforcement, that his intention was to rape and kill the victim from the get-go when he left the house with the victim going down the trail, the state believes there is a need to protect the community,” Newell said in a court hearing Wednesday.*** https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/crime/wisconsin-girl-strangled-and-sexually-assaulted-before-being-killed-police

***

What's racist today? Spins the wheel....

Washington has enacted House Bill 1210 (2022) to remove the word "marijuana" and replace it with "cannabis" throughout the state's statutes. Care to guess why?

The term "marijuana" is pejorative and racist. It is theorized that the drug narcotics agents from the 1930s choose the term "marijuana," rather than the known scientific term "cannabis," when crafting drug laws to negatively associate the use of the drug with Mexican immigrants. Over time, the use of the term "marijuana" was attributed to black African Americans, jazz musicians, prostitutes, and lower-class whites. Economic conditions during the Great Depression furthered resentment and fear towards immigrants and black African Americans. Anti-marijuana propaganda fueled the hysteria around the dangers of the use of cannabis, and this narrative intentionally tied cannabis use, and fictitious side effects, to communities of color. The word "marijuana" is a reminder of the history of racism in communities of color. Even today, studies have shown cannabis use between whites and nonwhites are similar, yet black African Americans are arrested at the rate of four to one. Since Initiative 502 legalized the recreational use of marijuana in Washington, the data shows that black and brown people have not been able to fairly and equitably participate in the lucrative cannabis business. The Legislature voted to create a social equity task force to bring parity to the industry. This bill would help support existing cannabis social equity work.***

House Bill Report HB 1210 (2022). https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/House/1210%20HBR%20COG%2021.pdf?q=20220428052248

is the full report on HB 1210.

***

NBER researchers Acquisti & Tucker ran

a natural experiment the effect of the online publication of the names and addresses of holders of handgun carry permits on criminals' propensity to commit burglaries. In December 2008, a Memphis, TN newspaper published a searchable online database of names, zip codes, and ages of Tennessee handgun carry permit holders. We use detailed crime and handgun carry permit data for the city of Memphis to estimate the impact of publicity about the database on burglaries. We find that burglaries increased in zip codes with fewer gun permits, and decreased in those with more gun permits, after the database was publicized. https://www.nber.org/papers/w29940

How much can you draw from that? Correlation is NOT causation, but it is interesting.

***

Your best move?

(KTLA) – Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer has filed a defamation lawsuit against the San Diego woman who accused him of sexual assault. Bauer also named one of the woman’s attorneys, Fred Thiagarajah, in the lawsuit, alleging he made “knowingly false statements” about the player in the media.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Bauer said on Twitter.

Bauer currently has a pending defamation lawsuit against The Athletic and former reporter Molly Knight.

Earlier this year, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office decided not to pursue criminal charges against Bauer, citing insufficient evidence.

The fate of the Cy Young-winning pitcher remains unknown, as Major League Baseball has extended his leave through April 29. He last pitched on June 29, 2021, just months after the Dodgers acquired him from the Cincinnati Reds.*** https://fox8.com/news/trevor-bauer-sues-woman-who-accused-him-of-sexual-assault/

They agreed to "guidelines" in advance?

***

'splain how the "gun Alec Baldwin was holding discharged"....

The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office is attempting to be "transparent" when it comes to the investigation into the fatal "Rust" set shooting that occurred on Oct. 21.

The department released all bodycam footage, crime scene photos, witness interviews and text messages obtained so far throughout the investigation on Monday. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died on the set of "Rust" after a gun Alec Baldwin was holding discharged.***

"We're still waiting on the forensics from the FBI crime lab, along with the final report from the office of the medical investigator, and there's a few things that we need to sure up with the investigation."***

***

Shocking - man in Chicago murdered, not in a drive by

Gregory Stamps, 31, has been charged in the Saturday murder of a 42-year-old man last weekend, no thanks to Chicago's top prosecutor, Kimberly Foxx.

Stamps is accused of fatally hitting David Castile's head with a hammer "multiple times" at his residence in the 7100 block of S. Lowe Ave, according to the Chicago Police Department and local reports.

He was taken into custody on Sunday and charged on Tuesday morning with first-degree murder, according to court documents. But the charges were only approved after CPD Detective-Commander Charles Brown decided to override Foxx's decision not to immediately approve murder charges, as CWBChicago first reported.***

when Stamps ran into police in the hallway of his building minutes after the incident, covered in blood, he apparently told authorities that he had fallen down the stairs into a pool of blood. Investigators determined that following the murder, the 31-year-old suspect dragged the victim's body down three flights of stairs and dumped it in an alley. He also threw the victim's blood-stained clothes into a dumpster, according to FOX 32 Chicago.***

Stamps had been on parole since May 2018 after serving five years of a six-year sentence for attempted stabbing murder, as well as a three-year sentence for domestic battery. Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said Tuesday that Stamps pleaded guilty to that crime after initially claiming self-defense, CWB Chicago reported.*** https://www.foxnews.com/us/chicago-police-hammer-murder-charges-kim-foxx

***

11 years old? That's darn near old enough to vote!

The president of a local school board in Ohio resigned after he was caught attempting to meet with whom he thought was an 11-year-old girl after allegedly exchanging inappropriate messages with her.

John Gray, who was serving his fifth term as president of the Goshen Local School board in Goshen, Ohio, admitted to traveling about two hours from Cincinnati to Indiana to meet with the girl, according to the video uploaded to YouTube and Facebook on Saturday by the groups PCI: Predator Catchers Indianapolis and PCM: Predator Catchers Muncie.

The groups are comprised of volunteers who work to expose sexual predators, according to their websites.

The video, which is titled "60 Year old President of Goshen OH school board, meeting an 11 y/o," depicts Gray trying to explain himself for more than 30 minutes as three volunteers grill him regarding text messages in which he allegedly talked to the girl about undressing, kissing and receiving a massage.

Gray remained adamant that he had no intentions of having sexual intercourse with the girl, which he said was impossible because of his impotence.*** https://www.foxnews.com/us/ohio-school-board-president-forced-to-resign-over-deeply-disturbing-video

***

You'd shoot someone for a bag of chips?

A Florida teen is wanted for shooting a store clerk Saturday afternoon after a dispute over the price of a bag of chips, authorities said.

The shooting happened around 1 p.m. at the Friendly Way Convenience Store on Florida Avenue in DeLand, police said.

The suspect, identified as 17-year-old Tyrique L. Matthews, shot the store employee in the leg during the altercation, police said.*** https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-teen-shooting-store-clerk-bag-of-chips-police-say

***

Bama?

A former University of Alabama student was sentenced Wednesday to seven and a half years in prison for concealing financing to the Islamic terrorist group, al Qaeda. 

Alaa Mohd Abusaad, 26, was also ordered to spend 10 years on supervised release following the prison term, prosecutors said in a statement.*** https://www.foxnews.com/us/former-alabama-student-sentenced-prison-hiding-terrorism-funds-al-qaeda

***

A U.S. Marshals led operation in Mississippi has resulted in the arrests of over 700 individuals.

The operation, focused on northern Mississippi, led to the arrests, which included aggravated assault, homicide, aggravated domestic assault, child abuse, child sexual assault, unlawful gun crime, and more, according to Fox 13 Memphis.

The operation is called Operation MPACT, Mississippi Partnering Agencies Coming Together, and was led by the U.S. Marshals in partnership with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies across several counties in north Mississippi.

350 of the total number of arrests were for felony offenses and 56 were gang-related, according to the report.*** https://www.foxnews.com/us/us-marshals-arrest-mississippi-gang-related?intcmp=fn_article_rr_ob_more_from

***

Stay calm, the police will be there in a minute....

Abrazen thief carried out an armed robbery right under the FBI's nose, with an audacious hold-up not far from the agency's headquarters.

Two victims, who had been held-up at gunpoint in a terrifying street robbery, fled to the FBI's HQ seeking help after the gunman made off with their possessions, cash and a bank card. The man and the woman had stopped to help the suspect after he asked to borrow a cell phone; they even waited as he made and finished a phone call.

An FBI spokesman told Newsweek: "The victims came to the FBI seeking help and an FBI Police officer provided assistance in calling the Washington Metropolitan Police."

Police were called to the scene in Washington D.C. near the imposing building at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, after receiving reports of a suspect with a gun at around 6:48 p.m on Tuesday.*** https://www.newsweek.com/thief-armed-robbery-fbi-hq-1701293

***

[mahmoud-sgaier]

How to Find Right Affiliate Offers to Promote for your Audience

With relative ease, affiliate programs can be found on almost every corner of the Internet. But not every affiliate program has been created equally. As an ethical and responsible marketer, you need to be able to source out affiliate offers that are beneficial to both you and your audience. In this post, we’re going to cover some ways to find and evaluate affiliate offers that not only match your audience but create a win-win scenario for both you and your visitors. The Importance of Picking a Good Affiliate Offer Finding good affiliate programs that serve both your readers and your business can present a few challenges. There are a lot of different options to pick from and no affiliate program is ever guaranteed. However, there are a few things you can watch out for and steps you can take to be sure you're making the right choice. Affiliate marketing – at least the good kind – is built upon your ability to establish a trusting relationship with your visitors. If you pick an affiliate program that is profitable for you, while short-changing your audience, then the trust you worked so hard to develop will be quickly destroyed. Balancing your needs with those of your audience makes the process of sourcing high-quality affiliate offers more important than ever. So how exactly can you go about finding the best affiliate programs, and what separates the good from the bad? How to Pick an Affiliate Offer While there are many sources of potential affiliate offers, one of the best things you can do to avoid running into problems is to stick with the larger, well-established affiliate programs. Some of these may be run in-house by the companies themselves (like Amazon), while some may be offered through a third-party affiliate network (like CJ Affiliate). When assessing affiliate offers take the following into consideration: Does the company or affiliate network appear to be stable? Does the company or affiliate network have a history of affiliate payouts? Will you be able to comply with their terms and conditions? If all the items on this list appear to fit the bill, you're set. Just remember that you should never place all your eggs in one basket. No affiliate offer is guaranteed to last forever and sometimes finding more than one affiliate program for the same type of product or service is a good idea (although not always possible). Affiliate Networks vs Flying Solo Neverblue Most (if not all) of the major brands typically use a large affiliate network. This includes retailers like Zulily and manufacturers like Adidas. A few of the more popular affiliate networks include: ShareASale CJ Affiliate eBay Enterprise Neverblue Typically, getting set up with an affiliate network involves an application process and sometimes a phone call with an account rep. As affiliate networks act as third parties, they provide advantages to both affiliates and advertisers alike. These advantages include: Access to a large number of affiliate offers. For example, at the time of writing this article, ShareASale showed 3995 affiliate programs in their database. An easy way to consolidate payouts and track a large number of affiliate programs. A way for advertisers to maintain brand integrity. If you break the rules, you can find yourself banned from the entire affiliate network. Affiliate networks can also make it easier to find appropriate offers for your audience. You’ll discover that with the larger networks, you can search for offers based on categories, keywords, seasons, and more. Even with the advantages of using an affiliate network, some companies decide to run their own affiliate program. While it’s certainly not common, you should always perform some extra due-diligence when dealing with small or independent affiliate programs. After all, your welfare and reputation are depending on it. Here are the basic considerations when it comes to picking an ideal affiliate program: Rate the overall quality of each advertiser that you promote. Would you personally buy from them? Have you? How would you rate your experience with either the retailer or the product they are selling? If their product or service is something you’d like to recommend, will they compensate you enough to do so? Don’t just look at the commission rate. You need to look at the big picture including earnings per click (EPC), average order value, average commission, and the tracking gap (the longer your cookie lasts, the better). Consider their order reversal rate. How often do customers cancel their orders? This can also be a great indicator of customer satisfaction. Are there banner ads or display ads (these are also called creatives) available that match the overall look and feel of your website? How to Know What You Visitors Want to Buy Actually discovering what your visitors want to buy should, in theory, be an easy process. I'm going to make the assumption that you are actively involved with your website. Before we jump into finding the actual affiliate offers, let's think about how to decide which products or services you should be promoting. Start With Your Home Base Since you’re actively involved with your site, it usually means that you also have a personal interest in the topic you are promoting. Use that personal interest to your advantage by promoting the products and services you rely on every day. Also, if you've developed an active community either through blog commenting, Facebook, or a forum, listen to what your community is talking about. By discovering the common problems and challenges people are facing, you’ll have an opportunity to create solutions. Instead of just finding a solution to promote, do some research. Talk to people, gather opinions, test products or services, and try out the competition. That’s how you can provide real value to your audience and earn their trust. Performing Product Research Sometimes, finding products and affiliate offers worth promoting comes down to research. That means you’ll need to roll-up your sleeves and do some good old-fashioned hard work. Amazon Terapeak For physical products, one of the best places you can start your search is Amazon.com. With just under $90 billion in 2014 sales, Amazon represents as good a source as any when it comes to researching consumer trends. As if you weren’t already aware, Amazon also runs what is probably the biggest independent affiliate network. With relative ease, you can visit Amazon and within seconds begin searching for products that are appropriate to your audience. If you see Amazon as one of your better choices in terms of affiliate programs, you might also consider third-party software called Terapeak. Terapeak provides a more user-friendly interface and better insight into trends within your target market. It also makes the process of scouring through Amazon much easier. Google You can also turn to Google in your search for appropriate affiliate offers. A quick search for “affiliate programs pet insurance” turned up an entire page of results. Same scenario with “affiliate programs BBQ supplies”. With just a little effort, you’ll be able to source a variety of offers for almost any niche. Company Websites If your audience relies on your expertise, you probably have several standby products or services that you rely on day in and day out. These companies are a great place to start when you begin your search. Most of the time, you’ll find a simple link in the footer that says something like “affiliates,” “promote XYZ,” or “join us”. Conclusion Uncovering the ideal affiliate offers for your target audience will require a little bit of detective work. Most of the time it’s easier to start with the company websites you are familiar with and slowly progress up the food chain until you are searching through the databases of large affiliate networks. Any time you find an affiliate offer that you think is appropriate, try to find 1-3 others that you can use as a comparison. Line the offers up against one another and figure out which one will work the best for you and your audience. Remember, the most important thing you can do is to remain true and loyal to your audience. Without them, you’ve got nothing to sell.

[sciencespies]

House appropriators approve NASA spending bill with revised lunar lander and nuclear propulsion language

https://sciencespies.com/space/house-appropriators-approve-nasa-spending-bill-with-revised-lunar-lander-and-nuclear-propulsion-language/

House appropriators approve NASA spending bill with revised lunar lander and nuclear propulsion language

WASHINGTON — The House Appropriations Committee passed a spending bill July 15 that leaves intact overall funding for NASA but tweaks language regarding the Human Landing System and nuclear thermal propulsion.

The committee voted 33–26 to advance the commerce, justice and science (CJS) appropriations bill to the full House. The bill allocated $81.3 billion in funding for fiscal year 2022, including $25.04 billion for NASA.

The vote came after several hours of debate on amendments, most of which did not involve NASA. Members did swiftly approve on a voice vote one amendment, offered by Rep. Ben Cline (R-Va.), that requires $80 million of the $110 million included in the bill for nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) research at NASA go toward work on a light demonstration.

At the CJS subcommittee markup July 12, Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) had criticized the bill for not including that NTP flight demonstration language, which had appeared in past versions of the bill in recent years. “The omission imperils the progress of, and our previous investments in, nuclear thermal propulsion capabilities,” he said then.

The markup came a day after the committee released the report accompanying the bill, which provided more information on funding levels within NASA. The report originally specified $1.345 billion for the Human Landing System (HLS) program but expressed concern about NASA’s decision to select only one company, SpaceX, for an award in April. The committee “believes that continued agency investment beyond the HLS Option A Contract Award is vital to ensure continued competition among potential HLS providers,” the report stated, endorsing the latest effort as part of the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) program “to continue robust competition among potential providers for a future sustained HLS services capability.”

A manager’s amendment to the bill and report, passed by the committee on a voice vote, altered that language. While retaining the $1.345 billion for HLS, it stated the committee “elected not to further fence of condition funds for the Human Landing System at this time” because of the ongoing protests of the award being considered by the Government Accountability Office. The committee instead “urges NASA to bolster competition in lander development and production and improve the United States’ prospects for landing astronauts on the Moon in 2024.”

Aderholt had drafted an amendment that would have gone further on HLS. It would have directed NASA to select a second HLS company “as soon as practicable” with a minimum of $250 million in fiscal year 2022, and allowing that company to use a Space Launch System Block 1B rocket for its lander’s demonstration mission. The same amendment also backed development of a cargo version of SLS, at least one of which would launch no later than 2032.

Aderholt withdrew the amendment before the markup, but in brief comments about the manager’s amendment during the markup mentioned working with committee leadership on the revised HLS language.

Another provision of the report restores funding for NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), an airborne observatory that the agency proposed shutting down in its budget request for the second consecutive year. The report provides $85.2 million, full funding, for SOFIA in 2022. “SOFIA can undertake astronomical observations not possible with other ground-based or space-based telescopes available today,” the report argued.

The report, while increasing funding for the SLS by nearly $150 million versus the administration’s request, does call on NASA to find ways to reduce the vehicle’s cost. It asks NASA to “engage an independent reviewer with aerospace production management experience to conduct a review of SLS completion costs” and “to determine how the cost of future flights of the SLS can be reduced.”

Although the bill cuts funding for NASA’s low Earth orbit commercialization efforts, citing a lack of “clear goals and metrics” for transitioning from the International Space Station, it does support a separate agency initiative to fly people on commercial suborbital vehicles. NASA’s Suborbital Crew program would get $10 million as part of the overall commercial crew effort, funding flights of non-NASA personnel on suborbital vehicles and directing NASA to “assess whether it should establish a relevant program office to qualify commercial U.S. suborbital vehicles and procure flights for NASA personnel.”

#Space