#Hill District Media

[marcovaleyeah]

01.11.2023

#Mira-Marathon

Ok, I'm back after 3 months to share again what I watched.

Film Name: Bullet Train (2022); Production Studios: SPE, Hill District Media, 87North, CTB Inc.; Director by: David Leitch; Screenwriter: Zak Olkewicz; Starring: Brad Pitt, Brian Tyree Henry, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Joey King, Andrew Koji; Genres: Action, Comedy, Thriller; Running Time: 2 hours 6 minutes;

"Bullet Train" is a 2022 action-comedy where five killers team up on a high-speed train in Japan, forced to work together to survive. The film offers an engaging plot, stylish cinematography and a talented cast, although some of the characters' actions may be predictable. For lovers of dynamic actions and interesting stories, this is a great choice.

My rating: 7/10

[thebutcher-5]

Bullet Train

Benvenuti o bentornati sul nostro blog. Nello scorso articolo siamo passati nuovamente nel mondo dei fumetti, dove ho deciso di portare avanti un altro piccolo progetto, recensendo i fumetti legati a una nuova serie italiana e per questo abbiamo discusso di Kalya volume 2. Nella storia Kalya e il suo gruppo continua la ricerca dell’Alkest, dopo lo scontro nel primo volume, attraversando un tempio…

[texasobserver]

From “‘Drag is so Healing’: Austin’s Queens Won’t Back Down” by Digital Editor Kit O'Connell, originally published in the September/October issue of Texas Observer magazine. Photography by Cindy Elizabeth:

In an orange prison jumpsuit and chains, a tall, lean drag queen writhed to a cover of “War Pigs” by Brass Against, which sounds like someone swapped Black Sabbath’s lead singer for a woman and added a highly caffeinated marching band. As she lip-synced, Hermajestie the Hung completed a dramatic strip tease down to an army fatigue jacket and fishnets, all to riotous cheers and a rain of dollar bills. 

It’s April at the Swan Dive on Red River in Austin’s club district, where “Tuesgayz” night LGBTQ+ gatherings—which include “Queereoke” sing-along sessions—are a tradition. For over a year, the Black-led drag troupe Vanguard, with an informal membership of about a dozen performers that includes both drag kings and queens, has opened each show with the same invocation:

“On our stage we proudly proclaim that Black lives matter, trans rights are human rights, no human is illegal, all bodies are beautiful, and my body, my choice.” 

Hermajestie—who described herself as a “postbinary, polyamorous, pansexual pot-smoking parent” and goes by “any pronouns but he/him”—explained later that she started each night the same way because she “realized that once I mention these things, the trash usually takes itself out.” 

(We are using performers’ stage names in this article to protect their privacy.)

Vanguard, she explained, serves as a “declaration and celebration of queer freedom, queer love, queer existence and queer solidarity.” The space she has created is often politically charged. Each night, she recounts the latest legislative attacks on queer rights, urging her audience to get involved. Tuesday’s routine culminated in her holding aloft the severed head of former President Donald Trump and hurling it into the audience (a similar stunt that earned comedian Kathy Griffin public censure shortly after Trump’s election). 

The members of Vanguard represent an evolution in drag. While elder performers were often cisgender, gay men, many of today’s queens are transgender or nonbinary and explore their identity through the art form.

Austin’s drag scene is thriving: From the heart of downtown to the Hill Country, patrons can attend events every day of the week, including late-night revues and brunches on weekends. One monthly show highlights new, amateur queens, another the elders of the community. Drag has made inroads in non-LGBTQ+ spaces as well—queens frequently perform at birthday parties, fundraisers, and, last year, at a new student orientation at the University of Texas at Austin. 

At the same time, drag is under attack. Senate Bill 12, scheduled to go into effect September 1, will levy fines against venues that host performances appealing to an ill-defined “prurient interest in sex” where minors are present; performers could also face up to a year in jail. The legislative affront goes hand-in-hand with protests and harassment from right-wing activists outside of nightclubs and on social media, where drag performers are frequently doxxed. While most performers remain defiant in the face of oppression, the growing pressure leaves them concerned for their future. 

(Editor’s Note: As of September 18, 2023, SB 12 is under a temporary restraining order while a judge rules on a lawsuit led by the ACLU of Texas.)

Read more at the Texas Observer.

[beardedmrbean]

France has reached a “tipping point” on drug-related violence, the country’s hardline interior minister warned on Friday, after hundreds of people took part in a massive shoot-out.

The gunfight, which left a teenager fighting for his life and four others seriously wounded, erupted overnight in the western city of Poitiers.

Police intervened at around 10.45pm after shots were fired outside a restaurant in the Couronneries district of the city and found the first casualty on the ground.

Treated for a bullet wound to the head, the 15-year-old was hospitalised in a state of absolute emergency, with a life-threatening prognosis, said a police source. A local witness said the teenager was a customer caught in the crossfire.

According to the same source, two other teenagers were shot, one in the shoulder and the other in the ankle, and were treated by the emergency services. Around ten 22-calibre shells were found on the ground by the investigators.

Bruno Retailleau, the French interior minister said: “What started as a shooting at a restaurant ended up in a fight between rival gangs that involved several hundred people. I’m told by the local (state) prefect that four to six hundred people were involved.”

Other police sources, cited by French media, claimed the number involved was far lower, at 50 to 60 people.

‘General mobilisation or Mexicanisation of France’

Mr Retailleau was due to travel later on Friday to the northwestern city of Rennes, where a five-year-old child was also between life and death after being shot in the head in another shootout on Saturday related to drug trafficking.

He said: “These shootings are not happening in South America, they’re happening in Rennes and Poitiers.

“We are at a tipping point and the choice is between a general mobilisation or the Mexicanisation of the country.”

The violence follows a recent hard-hitting French senatorial report, which warned that the country was “submerged” by drug dealing and that President Emmanuel Macron’s response was “meagre” and “not up to the task”.

It states: “Contrary to the cliché that drug trafficking is the preserve of ‘no-go zones’ stretching from the northern suburbs of Marseille to ‘crack hill’ in Paris, and perhaps a few festivals, drug dealing has spread to medium-sized and even small towns and rural areas.”

Bigger slice of drugs business

With cocaine flooding France from South America, consumption on the rise and historic bastions like Marseille saturated, organised crime is fanning out to the provinces in search of a bigger slice of an annual drugs business of between €3 billion (£2.5 bn) to €6 billion (£5 bn).

Ofast, the French anti-drugs agency, warned: “From Verdun to Valence, a number of sensitive neighbourhoods in medium-sized towns have been the scene of armed clashes.”

They’ve also added that “smaller urban areas” are no longer spared “kidnappings, violence and even murder”.

Drug-trafficking a ‘national cause’

Mr Retailleau has called for the fight against drug trafficking to become “a national cause” similar to that against terrorism.

He wants the government to take up some of the senatorial report proposals such as the creation of a status for repentant drug traffickers and a dedicated national drugs prosecutor’s office.

“We are going to set up a ‘task force’ to break up the ecosystem’ of drug trafficking,” he said on Friday, stressing the importance of a “global strategy” to try to curb the phenomenon.

Increasing youth violence

There is rising public concern over the issue of youth violence, often drug-related.

In Marseille, where a record 49 murders were committed last year, prosecutors warn that teenagers are increasingly involved in drug battles involving assault rifles and handguns, and even hit “low-cost” jobs.

Two rival gangs – DZ Mafia and Yoda – are together blamed for most of the killings that have rocked the French port city of 860,000 people.

Last month, a 15-year-old boy, apparently on his way to carry out a hit on behalf of DZ, was cornered by rivals, stabbed at least 50 times and then set on fire while he was still alive.

Two days later, another 14-year-old hired to avenge his killing, instead shot dead Nessim Ramdane, a part-time driver for the taxi app Bolt.

Mr Retailleau is due to travel to Marseille next Friday with Didier Migaud, the justice minister, to announce new measures.

[blueiscoool]

A Lion Mosaic Discovered in Turkey

Archaeologists found a lion mosaic during excavations carried out in the Ancient City of Prusias ad Hypium.

Excavations have been ongoing in the ancient city of Prusias ad Hypium, which is located in the Konuralp district of Düzce and is called the Ephesus of the western Black Sea.

The excavation team working in the area above the theater of the ancient city found the lion mosaic in a structure connected to the portico.

Experts believe that the newly discovered mosaic-tiled room represents a late Roman cult site (a space signifying the overall lifestyle of a society or group, encompassing specific values, beliefs, traditions, arts, and other cultural elements).

It was determined that the interior walls of the new find, whose wall dimensions are approximately 4.51×6.42 meters, were covered with marble plates on a thick layer of mortar and that the room had a rectangular plan in the north-south direction.

A platform foundation was also observed towards the north of the room. It was determined that the entire room was covered with a mosaic floor of finely crafted white, blue, yellow, green, and brown tesserae (small mosaic stones of various colors).

The mosaic, adorned with geometric patterns, features a border made of larger and more colorful tesserae arranged in a frame-like structure. In the center, within a smaller square frame made of smaller tesserae, a scene is depicted.

Experts state that the artifacts found in this room, with depictions of drums and flutes, indicate that it is a “Dionysus Cult Place”.

Düzce Governor Selçuk Aslan stated on his social media account, “During the ongoing excavations at Düzce Konuralp (Prusias ad Hypium) Ancient City, a well-preserved, rare mosaic depicting two lions looking at a pine tree with drums and a pan flute depicted on the tree branches,” he said.

Prusias ad Hypium, an ancient city located in the Konuralp District of Düzce was established on a hill that ran from east to west and ended in a plain.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Miranda Nazzaro at The Hill, via NewsNation:

(The Hill) — More than a dozen states and the District of Columbia sued TikTok on Tuesday, alleging the platform exploits and harms young users while “deceiving” the public about these dangers. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James led the coalition of 14 attorneys general, who each filed suits in state court over violations of state consumer protection laws. Bonta said a national investigation into TikTok found that the platform “cultivates social media addiction to boost corporate profits.” The investigation was launched in March 2022 by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from various states including New Jersey, California, North Carolina and Kentucky.

“TikTok intentionally targets children because they know kids do not yet have the defenses or capacity to create healthy boundaries around addictive content,” Bonta wrote. “When we look at the youth mental health crisis and the revenue machine TikTok has created, fueled by the time and attention of our young people, it’s devastatingly obvious: Our children and teens never stood a chance against these social media behemoths,” he continued. TikTok’s business platform allegedly prioritizes maximizing young users’ time through its algorithm, which determines what users see on the app’s “For You” page. This helps boost the platform’s revenue through targeted advertising, the suits alleged. The social media platform is further accused of deploying “manipulative features” to keep young users hooked, including its beauty filters, push notifications, temporary stories and livestreams.

13 states and DC sue TikTok for exploiting children and teens and deceiving the public.

[discluded]

OTW Candidates and the Threat of Censorship in Power

Per my policy with this blog, I am creating this post as a centralized information point for the last two cycles of pro-censorship candidates running for @transformativeworks board positions. This is for us, voting members of OTW to have an centralized factual archive of these candidates, which allows us to hold OTW responsible for better screening candidates for views antithetical to the central mission of the organization.

As we know, censorship is on the rise across parts of the internet. These places include geographical territories that OTW's servers sit on. With the resignation of three sitting OTW board members, including one with a history of racist comments, the current election cycle for OTW board became an uncontested cycle that would have been dangerously close to allow an uncontested slot-in for a pro-censorship candidate. With this, I am hoping to increase the amount of transparency and responsibility OTW owes to its voting (and contributing) members.

We as voting members of OTW have the right to choose candidates that will advance the mission of the organization -- we should not, multiple years in a row -- be forced to organize around preventing a pro-censorship candidate from advancing to the Board or accept that such a candidate was could have possibility of being promoted in an uncontested election to the Board.

2022 Election - Tiffany G

Tiffany G's interview statement from her candidacy response. It appears that this text is no longer part of the transcript, but a screencap was preserved by twitter user muzhiyou on August 11 2022. Please click the link to their tweet thread for more context about AO3's banned status in China.

[ID in alt text]

Given that the text transcripts' comments reference in various parts "adult content" but this section is now removed from the chat archive and only contain references to "pedophilic content and other illegal content" the transparency of candidates' views and the the permanency of their archival by OTW are also now in question.

For further nuance and discussion about Tiffany G's candidacy, please review this [non-neutral] thread/discussion about Tiffany's position on censorship with regard to AO3 and the Chinese government.

2023 Election - Audrey R

Upon reviewing candidates for the 2023 election cycle, twitter user mozaikmage noticed that candidate Audrey R was Audrey Richards, an registered Republican who ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Missouri's 7th Congressional District in 2022. (source: Ballotpedia / archive.today version ) Her affiliation for OTW was listed on her Ballotpedia biography.

For additional [non-neutral] discussion of Audrey R's candidacy, please review twitter user fairestcat's breakdown of Audrey's responses and their contention. Fairestcat's views are not representative of my own, the creator of this post. I am merely trying to offer voter perspectives to Audrey's lack of qualification.

Upon further research, twitter user Taenith_Rain was able to unveil more about Audrey R's work with Children and Screens, an organization that advances moral panic around minors' media consumption which has an ultimate goal of censorship. Twitter user Taenith_Rain gave me express permission to archive their research and also asked not to be further engaged on this topic.

(archive.today link)

Note in her own webpage, her qualification listed as follows:

POLICY LEAD, Institute of Digital Media and Child Development - Create and lead the policy department at a nonprofit research institute dedicated to understanding the impact of digital media use on child development. Create a nonpartisan reputation on Capitol Hill as a scientific resource.

(archive.today link)

(archive.today link)

(archive.today link) Please note that the twitter user's comments do not reflect my own opinions about the Republican voters, Republican women, or Audrey R as a person.

(archive.today link)

Youtube webinar:

I do want to highlight again the dog-whistle pro-censorship description used for this webinar.

"media w/romanticized abuse and sexual content lacking partner communication may be impacting teens' attitudes and behaviors".

Final Thoughts

I am glad that twice in a row OTW has avoided having a pro-censorship candidate elected to its Board, and that the Stop OTW Racism campaign has led to the successful removal of a sitting board member who has made racist comments.

However, it is unconscionable that two years in a row OTW voting members were forced to reconcile with the fact that there was a pro-censorship candidate running, and had to do extensive research and advocacy to make sure that voters were aware of this risk.

With this archived in one place, I am hoping to hold OTW accountable to better screen candidates to advance the organization's goal of fighting censorship.

Reblogs for knowledge sharing and transparency appreciated.

[simply-ivanka]

As The Hill reports, allegations of wrongdoing surfaced when one of Trump’s co-defendants, Mike Roman, accused Willis and Nathan Wade — a married man whom she appointed to prosecute the RICO case against Donald Trump despite his having exactly zero experience in prosecuting such cases — of engaging in an “improper” romantic relationship.

Somehow, though, “improper romantic relationship” doesn’t begin to do it justice. For example, Willis paid Wade nearly $654,000 in legal fees in 2022 and 2023, and she benefited from the relationship in the form of lavish vacations they took together on the taxpayer dime. Willis also said she paid Wade and the two other special prosecutors she appointed “the same hourly rate.” Turns out that was a lie. In fact, Willis paid one of the state’s top racketeering experts, John Floyd, $150 an hour, but she paid the inexperienced Wade $250 an hour.

Caught red-handed, Willis eventually went public to defend herself, but not at a press conference where she might be questioned by the media. Instead, she went to church on Sunday — specifically, Atlanta’s historic black Big Bethel AME Church — where she gave the congregants a 35-minute woe-is-me sermon. It wasn’t a good look.

The New York Post editorial board agrees. “So where’s the Willis investigation?” it asks. “Last spring, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a new law establishing an eight-member commission to investigate and remove district attorneys for sufficient cause. Willis’ blatant breaches of ethics plainly require the new State Prosecuting Attorneys Statewide Qualifications Commission to act ASAP.”

All this makes one wonder not only whether Willis will be forced to step down but also whether Georgia’s attorney general, Christopher Carr, has the guts to pursue criminal charges against her.

Finally, a word of advice for the people of Fulton County: This is what you get when your DA is a clown. Do better.

[eretzyisrael]

The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) filed a lawsuit in federal court yesterday against Cherry Hill Public Schools (CHPS), which serves over 10,000 students in New Jersey.  Filed on behalf of high school student L.B. and his parents, the suit alleges that after the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, L.B. was repeatedly assaulted, threatened and harassed after he documented the Hamas-supporting conduct of other students.  Instead of protecting L.B. and effectively addressing the antisemitic hostility he was enduring, CHPS officials contributed to the hostility, painting L.B. as a troublemaker, undeservingly punishing him, and retaliating against him for exercising his right to free expression.  The ZOA is proud to partner with the law firm of Meister Seelig & Fein PLLC to secure justice for L.B. and his family.

The complaint alleges that immediately after the Hamas attack, several students showed up at the high school wearing keffiyehs, waving Palestinian Arab flags, and shouting “Free Palestine,” signaling their support for Hamas and its genocidal goal to kill Jews and eliminate Israel.  L.B. documented their conduct by posting videos of them on social media, which was his right and which did not violate district policies, as CHPS officials acknowledged to L.B. and his parents. 

District officials knew that a group of students threatened to jump L.B. because of his social media posts but took no steps to protect him.  Instead, they ignored the threat and blamed L.B. for instigating it.  When students acted on their threat, assaulting L.B. in the school cafeteria as he was eating lunch with friends, CHPS punished L.B. without cause and without due process and ignored the continuing threats he endured.   

L.B. and his parents implored CHPS to take corrective measures, but they refused to do so.  They now seek declaratory and injunctive relief in court to ensure that CHPS finally lives up to its legal obligation to eliminate the hostile environment that L.B. has been subjected to, which must include rescinding all the baseless and wrongly punitive actions taken against L.B.; and compensatory damages for the harm that L.B. and his family have endured.

“With antisemitism surging, including in New Jersey, CHPS’s indifference to the fear, pain and suffering of L.B. and other Jewish students is unconscionable, particularly after Hamas committed the worst mass slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust,” ZOA National President Morton A. Klein and Director of ZOA’s Center for Law and Justice, Susan B. Tuchman, Esq. said.  “Instead of making it clear to the community that there would be zero tolerance for actions that seemingly celebrated Hamas’ massacre and made Jewish students feel unsafe, the district not only tolerated the conduct but also indulged it.  Worse, they outrageously painted L.B. as a wrongdoer who was asking for it.  No one asks to be assaulted, threatened or harassed at their school based on their Jewish identity or for any other reason.  It was up to CHPS to put a stop to that conduct and hold L.B.’s assailants accountable. 

 “The ZOA is honored to be working with Meister Seelig & Fein PLLC to ensure that the many wrongs against L.B. and his family are finally righted and that CHPS is finally required to provide a safe and welcoming learning environment for L.B. and other Jewish students.”

Jeffrey Schreiber, Esq. and Stephen Meister, Esq. of Meister Seelig & Fein PLLC added:  “It is outrageous that the Cherry Hill school district not only failed to protect L.B., it also coddled antisemitic terrorist-supporting thugs while punishing L.B., suspending him for the ‘crimes’ of being Jewish in public, and having the temerity to expect that the district would follow its policies and protect its Jewish students.  Meister Seelig & Fein PLLC is proud to stand with ZOA in seeking justice for L.B. and his family.”  

[lboogie1906]

Antoine Fuqua (born May 30, 1965) is a film director, producer, and actor. He was known for directing music videos for Toni Braxton, Coolio, Stevie Wonder, and Prince including the music video for “Gangsta’s Paradise”. He earned a name in Hollywood after directing Training Day.

He has made action, crime, thriller, and drama films as well as documentaries, including Shooter, Brooklyn’s Finest, the Equalizer films, Southpaw, the remake of The Magnificent Seven, Olympus Has Fallen, as well as What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali.

His first feature films were The Replacement Killers and Bait. His next films were Tears of the Sun, King Arthur, Shooter, Brooklyn’s Finest, Olympus Has Fallen, and The Equalizer. He directed Exit Strategy.

He co-created the comic book miniseries After Dark. He worked as one of the executive producers on The Resident. His thriller sequel The Equalizer 2 was released as well as Infinite.

On December 3, 2021, he inked a first-look deal with Netflix. He renamed his production company Fuqua Films to Hill District Media. He signed an overall television deal with Paramount Television Studios and MTV Entertainment Studios. He is married to actress Lela Rochon. They have two sons and he has a son from a previous relationship. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[zvaigzdelasas]

[Nikkei is Japanese Private Media]

the civil war continues in peripheral areas between the Imphal Valley and the hills, despite recent assurances from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the "sun of peace" would soon rise in Manipur. From Aug. 29 through this past weekend, buffer zones separating the communities saw heavy shooting and shelling, killing at least eight and injuring more. On Wednesday, a Meitei crowd clashed with the state police, after a Meitei civil society organization called for a public march to remove barricades put up by central forces at the border of a Kuki-Zo district in Churachandpur. Thirty were reportedly injured.

The conflict first erupted in early May after a rally by the Kuki-Zo and Naga tribal groups, protesting a court order to grant the Meiteis Scheduled Tribe status. This would allow the Meiteis, who make up about half the state's population, to purchase land in the hills reserved for Scheduled Tribe communities under India's constitution and receive other affirmative action benefits.[...]

Critics accuse the state police of enabling Meitei militias. [...]

"I won't leave this place until this war ends. I don't feel safe anywhere else," Inaoton Singh said, noting that police had so far taken no action against those who killed his wife. Far from bringing armed Meitei groups under control, the Manipur state government has registered "first information reports" with the police against Kuki-Zo academics speaking out against the violence. The most recent was against the Editors Guild of India, an independent body that held the state and the regional media responsible for perpetuating the fighting in Manipur.

7 Sep 23

[ireadyabooks]

Dystopian Reads to Die For 🔥 ☠️

Dystopian fiction has long been a staple on most bookshelves for quite some time (I’m looking at you, 1984), but it isn’t until the past decade or so that we’ve seen such great dystopian stories being told for young adults. I’m sure we all had our dystopian phase when a certain Mockingjay was making her blockbuster debut, so it makes it even more exciting to see the genre coming back into the limelight! We have compiled some of our favorite thrilling and electrifying YA dystopian novels for you to add to your TBR this month!

The Kill Factor by Ben Oliver

Fifty contestants. Five mental and physical challenges. One winner.

In a near-future where a virtual currency of digital content fuels a fame-hungry society, a brand-new experiment that combines social media and reality TV has been greenlit.

Voted on, and contestants are sent to a maximum-security reform camp on an island where they can have no contact with the outside world. To lose means prison. But to win is to be free. The most popular young offender with the most upvotes by the end is given both a second chance in society and a cash prize.

This kind of money could mean everything to Emerson and her family who live in the Burrows, one of the subterranean villages where the government have buried affordable housing. It's more than freedom. It could mean the chance to change her family’s circumstance and finally find a place in the society they’ve never been allowed into.

But what Emerson doesn’t know, what the viewers don’t know, is that the prison on the island is empty. Those who lose, those who are voted off aren’t incarcerated. Each challenge will leave more and more contestants to die. And the only choice they have is to win over viewers before it’s too late.

Start reading The Kill Factor now!

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Ambition will fuel him.

Competition will drive him.

But power has its price.

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined -- every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.

Start reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes now!

Sirens by Braden Cawthon

A thrilling, apocalyptic horror debut from Braden Cawthon, perfect for fans of KR Alexander and Joe Hill!

Joel Walker wakes up to a world suddenly and frighteningly changed. In the wake of a massive power outage, an otherworldly siren begins to blare, changing all that listen to it for too long in frightening ways. Desperate to find his mother and little sister, Joel will have to survive in a world that is coming apart at its seams.

An edge-of-your seat thriller that will have readers guessing until the end, this debut novel is sure to make a huge splash with YA readers.

Start reading Sirens now!

The Library of Broken Worlds by Alaya Dawn Johnson

A girl and a god, alone in communion . . . 

In the winding underground tunnels of the Library, the great peacekeeper of the three systems, a heinous secret lies buried -- and Freida is the only one who can uncover it. As the daughter of a Library god, Freida has spent her whole life exploring the Library's ever-changing tunnels and communing with the gods. Her unparalleled access makes her unique -- and dangerous.

When Freida meets Joshua, a Tierran boy desperate to save his people, and Nergüi, a disciple from a persecuted religious minority, Freida is compelled to help them. But in order to do so, she will have to venture deeper into the Library than she has ever known. There she will discover the atrocities of the past, the truth of her origins, and the impossibility of her future.

With the world at the brink of war, Freida embarks on a journey to fulfill her destiny, one that pits her against an ancient war god. Her mission is straightforward: Destroy the god before he can rain hellfire upon thousands of innocent lives -- if he doesn't destroy her first.

Start reading The Library of Broken Worlds now!

Monarch Rising by Harper Glenn

In a chilling near-future New United States of America, Jo Monarch has grown up in the impoverished borderlands of New Georgia. She’s given one chance to change her fate… if she can survive a boy trained to break hearts.

Today is the day Jo Monarch has been wishing on the moon about her entire life. It's the day of the Lineup, when she could be selected to leave her life in the Ashes behind. The day she could move across the mountains to a glittering, rich future.

Once Jo is plucked from the Lineup, the real test begins. She still needs to impress the New Georgia Reps at tonight's Gala, and her path forward leads straight to Cove Wells. The damaged stepson of one of the Reps, Cove has been groomed as an emotional weapon, taught that love is a tool -- and he's set on breaking Jo's heart next.

When a riot breaks out back in the Ashes the night of the Gala, Jo's dreams might all go up in smoke. Can she really have everything she's ever wished for… when it means leaving all her loved ones behind in the fire?

Harper Glenn's debut is as gripping as it is prescient, an unflinching meditation on whether love can save us from ourselves, and what it takes to be born anew.

Start reading Monarch Rising now!

The Getaway by Lamar Giles

Jay is living his best life at Karloff Country, one of the world's most famous resorts. He's got his family, his crew, and an incredible after-school job at the property's main theme park. Life isn't so great for the rest of the world, but when people come here to vacation, it's to get away from all that.

As things outside get worse, trouble starts seeping into Karloff. First, Jay's friend Connie and her family disappear in the middle of the night and no one will talk about it. Then the richest and most powerful families start arriving, only... they aren't leaving. Unknown to the employees, the resort has been selling shares in an end-of-the-world oasis. The best of the best at the end of days. And in order to deliver the top-notch customer service the wealthy clientele paid for, the employees will be at their total beck and call.

Whether they like it or not.

Yet Karloff Country didn't count on Jay and his crew--and just how far they'll go to find out the truth and save themselves. But what's more dangerous: the monster you know in your home or the unknown nightmare outside the walls?

Start reading The Getaway -- now in paperback!

[mightyflamethrower]

There will never be another one like him 

PITTSBURGH — If you wanted to have a keen, dispassionate understanding of how much the Republican Party has changed over the past eight years, all you had to do was stand outside the PPG Paints Arena in the city’s Hill District neighborhood and see the line of people stretched 10 blocks in either direction up Fifth Avenue.

The attendees were young, male and female, and diverse. There were black, white, Hispanic, and Asian people all having a great time, getting to know each other, singing songs in line, swapping stories of where they were from, and almost always finding out they shared a mutual friend.

Inside the arena, one could witness the emergence of a new coalition of Republican voters: union workers, nurses, janitors, businessmen and women, doctors, lawyers, police officers, and college students of every race and generation. They were there because of their support for former President Donald Trump. However, they were there more for their support of each other.

There will never be another candidate for president of the United States like Trump.

For his detractors, that is a relief. However, they should understand that whether Trump wins or loses, these voters are here to stay. They have seen what the power of the cultural curators in our country, in academia, media, Hollywood, institutions, and corporations, and in the bureaucracies has done to their lives, and they have rejected it.

It took someone as brash, unconventional, strong, and cheeky as Trump to be the bull in the china shop they wanted to see upended.

The elites mocked them for too long. The elites tried to change their values and their children’s values. The elite movies insulted them. The elite reporting was biased against them. The universities have lost all credibility, and the corporations have decided to dump their decades of loyalty to satisfy a narrow consumer base.

When Trump came down that escalator nine years ago, the focus of my profession was on something he said about Mexicans. What journalists missed and every working-class person heard was a speech he gave on the dignity of work. A speech, by the way, that was no different than the speech Bill Clinton gave in 1992 when he announced he was running. But in a pattern that people would see for the next eight years, the speech was delivered unconventionally. 

The emotion was palpable in the arena in Pittsburgh Monday night. People knew they had been part of something they may never see again. They saw the son of arguably the greatest American baseball player of all time, Roberto Clemente, sitting there in the crowd, both men the proud sons of Puerto Rico, giving his support to Trump. They saw Megyn Kelly, once a critic of Trump, give an impassioned speech in support of him. So did former congresswoman and Democrat Tulsi Gabbard.

When it was announced during his speech that podcaster Joe Rogan endorsed him, the place went wild.

Political affiliations often defy logic. Since the 1930s, the Democrats acted like they owned the working-class voter. Trump’s style upended all of that. Sometimes to his detriment, sometimes to his advantage, this coalition that Brad Todd and I detailed and laid out for everyone to understand in our book, The Great Revolt: Inside the Populist Coalition Reshaping American Politics, has only expanded.

And this coalition will go on. The old Republican Party is not getting back together for the foreseeable future. Coalitions move like tectonic plates — they change ever so slightly. This one has been in the works since 2006.

[kadoo-experience-rwanda]

EXPLORING THE JOY OF HIKING IN RWANDA: A JOURNEY TO MOUNT KIGALI AND BEYOND

Hiking in Rwanda has rapidly gained popularity as a sustainable tourism activity, offering adventurers a chance to experience the country's natural beauty firsthand. At Kadoo Travels and Tours, we specialize in providing unforgettable hiking experiences in Rwanda, and our recent hike on Mount Kigali is just the start.

The Joy of Hiking on Mount Kigali

Have you ever thought about hiking in Rwanda? It’s not only a fantastic way to stay active but also a way to connect with nature and experience the beauty of the country. Last week, Kadoo Travels and Tours organized a thrilling hike on Mount Kigali, located in Nyarugenge District, Kigali City. The hike, which started at 8 am and concluded around 1 pm, offered a perfect balance between adventure and tranquility.

The trails leading up Mount Kigali are surrounded by lush greenery and panoramic views of Kigali City. Our group of hikers, including some of our company leaders, enjoyed every step, with the views becoming more spectacular the higher we climbed. At the summit, we were rewarded with sweeping vistas of the city's skyline and Rwanda's rolling hills, known as the Land of a Thousand Hills.

After the hike, we shared a well-deserved lunch, discussing the joy and satisfaction that comes with hiking. It was an experience that bonded us as a team and connected us with the natural beauty of our surroundings.

Hiking as a Sustainable Tourism Activity in Rwanda

Why is hiking in Rwanda becoming so popular? At Kadoo Travels and Tours, we believe it’s because hiking is one of the most sustainable tourism activities available. It allows visitors to explore Rwanda’s breathtaking landscapes with minimal environmental impact. Mount Kigali is just one example of the many stunning hiking locations Rwanda has to offer. It’s an accessible activity that promotes eco-tourism, allowing both seasoned hikers and beginners to immerse themselves in Rwanda’s diverse ecosystems.

What’s Next? Hiking on Mount Jali and the Virunga Volcanoes

Following the success of our Mount Kigali hike, we’re excited to announce that our next adventure will be on Mount Jali. Another gem within Kigali City, Mount Jali offers picturesque trails that are perfect for anyone looking to experience hiking in Rwanda. In the near future, we also plan to organize hikes in Volcanoes National Park, home to the magnificent Virunga Volcanoes—some of East Africa’s most stunning landscapes.

Why Choose Kadoo Travels and Tours for Your Hiking Adventure?

At Kadoo Travels and Tours, we pride ourselves on being experts in tour guiding and tourism. Our guided hikes are designed for all levels, ensuring a safe, enjoyable, and informative experience for everyone. Whether you’re hiking in Kigali or exploring Rwanda’s national parks, our team of experienced guides ensures you get the most out of your adventure.

Join Us for Our Next Adventure!

Are you ready to explore the natural beauty of Rwanda through hiking? Our upcoming hike on Mount Jali promises another unforgettable experience. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a beginner, our guided hikes are perfect for everyone.

Be part of the solution! Don’t miss out on your chance to experience the best of Rwanda’s outdoors. Sign up for our Mount Jali hike today and join Kadoo Travels and Tours for an adventure you won’t forget. Contact us at kadootravels@gmail.com or at (+250)791275850 and follow us on social media platforms (@kadoo_travels) for updates on our exciting hiking trips.

[sarangbe]

KAMIKAZE 염사랑 → 백성한

sarang knows nothing about superheroes, but as he didn't have a lot of time to come up with any elaborate costumes this year, tonight, he settled for his own particularly sultry take on batman's sidekick, robin—the boy wonder himself. not only is this character recognizable enough to the masses, but he's one of the only male heroes that wears hot-pants without tights underneath; fully showcasing his legs. considering his own pair of stems as one of his greatest assets, it was genuinely a no-brainer for sarang to throw this together. it's public friendly enough that he shouldn't get in trouble with axis labels either, but even if he does, he'll take the consequences.

who knows? maybe they'll add some excitement into his life.

that's why he's doing this ghost tour anyway. he yearns for cheap thrills; for something to get his heart rate up to a velocity that reminds him that he's alive. lately, he's felt so dreary and numb. his life is a revolving door of training, then returning home to an empty bed, and he wonders when it'll change, but tries not to get his hopes up that it'll be anytime soon. for some reason, he feels like he's doomed to remain in this state for awhile, much to his chagrin.

he's glad to be back in jongno though. before he joined sr media, he spent a lot of time here. it was always the pre-game spot before heading to homo hill, and though the tour is taking him on a journey through some of the city's darkest locales, he's also reminded of his wild nights-out. the memories are bittersweet, especially now, but he holds them near and dear to his heart.

focusing back on the guide, he listens as they discuss the former red light district of jongno 3-ga and snickers to himself. that area of the city is one that's still rather salacious, absolutely perfect for debauchery, so its history isn't hard to believe. though, it's in this moment when a man stands directly beside him. sarang doesn't recognize him through his costume, but he's tall, and he's warm, and as lonely as he's been, he decides to strike up a conversation.

"you ever spend your downtime here?" he asks, the question covertly loaded. if this person says yes, the likelihood of him being queer increases. "i definitely have. it's one i know well. literally some of the best bars in the city, all hidden in plain sight."

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Ellen Ioanes at Vox:

Come Tuesday night, millions of Americans will be glued to their TV screens or refreshing their browser windows to see the latest election returns, all in anticipation of a final race call. (Though we might not know the next president until days later.)

Counting ballots can take a while, but news organizations don’t necessarily need to wait for every cast ballot to be counted before announcing a winner. They’re often able to declare who won without the full returns, thanks to the work of teams colloquially known as “decision desks” — groups of political scientists, statisticians, pollsters, and reporters who use mountains of data, statistical models, and on-the-ground reporting to understand which candidate is up where, and how likely a candidate is to win a given precinct, county, or state. Given the doubt that former President Donald Trump has sown over the past eight years, both about the election process and the media, it’s worth understanding in detail how the processes of projecting and calling election results work, and why consumers of news should trust those results. “Remember that we don’t elect anybody,” Anthony Salvanto, who as CBS News’s executive director of elections and surveys, oversees the network’s decision desk, told Vox. “The voters do that. Elections officials are reporting the vote, and what you’re getting from us and the networks is our analysis of what they’ve reported, as well as our first-hand reports from talking to voters.”

How exactly do news organizations figure out who’s winning?

To figure out who won an election, news organizations like Fox News, CNN, the Associated Press (AP), and others use a combination of data from election officials, statistical modeling, and polling and surveys of voters. Raw vote counts come in at the precinct, county, and state levels, and these help decision desks both ensure voting is in line with their expectations and to make decisions on tight contests. Those expectations are shaped by statistical models based on history and other voter information, like geographical location, gender, age, and more.

This year, there are two main systems that news media will rely on for their projections. The AP and Fox News use a system called AP VoteCast, which debuted in 2018 and has been used in every national election since. In a shift from past practice, VoteCast doesn’t rely on exit polling, and instead uses large-scale online surveys of registered voters who are chosen randomly from a probability-based sample, in an attempt to get the most accurate information from the most representative sample.

A different method is used by the National Election Pool (NEP), which provides data to ABC News, CBS News, CNN, and NBC News. The NEP relies on Edison Research to conduct three types of surveys: Election Day exit polls, in-person early voting exit polls, and polls of likely voters to capture data from those likely to vote by mail, Rob Farbman, executive vice president at Edison Research, told Vox. (AP and Fox News used to be part of this group, but left after the 2016 election.) (Decision Desk HQ, a private company that contracts with news organizations including the Economist and The Hill — and Vox.com in 2020 — doesn’t use voter surveys, and instead it relies on a proprietary statistical methodology to project winners.) Each outlet and agency creates their own criteria for interpreting these results.

News organizations have their own decision desk teams that determine when a state or a district can be called to determine that the leading candidate is 100% assured of winning.

In 2020, the Presidential election winner was called on Saturday after the election at just before 10:30AM CST.

How long do we have to wait for a winner to be officially declared this time? Who knows, but hopefully within a couple of days.