#Kate McKean

[lgbtqreads]

August 2024 Deal Announcements

Adult Fiction Mary E. Roach‘s WE ARE THE MATCH, pitched as a sapphic reimagining of the Helen of Troy myth set in modern-day mobster Greece, in which Helen is the daughter of a powerful crime lord and Paris is the woman hell-bent on destroying her—if they don’t fall for each other first, to Lauren Plude at Montlake, for publication in summer 2025, by Claire Friedman at Inkwell Management…

[ilomilodailystuff]

Okay. I see the fandom panicking and even starting to destroy itself...

For the ones who still love GO and would continue to love it as they always did but is judged because of ONE☝️ person's actions that might or might not be true, know you're safe here and I wouldn't judge you for loving GO despite Neil's accusations.

Because you gotta keep in mind that this show AND book are also Terry's. And you have to keep in mind that Neil wasn't alone in that project. Think about all the people that worked on the show, whether it's the crew or the actors. They're absolutely innocent, so why would you spit on their work as if they were guilty too ? Of course none of them would support Neil's actions if it's true, that doesn't mean we have to throw every poster or book or drawing or delete every fanfic or even stop writing fanfic because of this as if everyone were in the same boat.

These accusations are about Neil and Neil only and I would find it kinda sad that this story would be thrown away despite Terry had worked on it too, despite it also was in his memory. Ofc, if it's true, it's obvious Terry wouldn't be okay with it either but does that mean a story fully achieved and their characters have to be condemned with Gaiman ? Mostly when now, a lot of illustrators, writers and animators made it their own ? Mostly when it somehow saved many people's lives ? Mostly when this book or show had made people laugh and cry ?

This fandom is stronger than that.

Let's not mix everything.

Would you find it appropriate to talk about GO to the victims ? Obviously, no. For the sole reason that it's not. the same. thing. We have to put things back in their places. GO is GO, harassment and s*xual aggression are what they are. And it would be incredibly disrespectful to mix both.

So, my point is. Don't be ashamed to love GO despite what's happening. Don't feel guilty for supporting a show while you don't support the author. Don't let the fandom die because of one person's actions when there's so many people who worked on it almost just as much. I understand you're upset, I understand you'd think it might be hypocritical to love a show with the creator being accused of horrible things. But make the difference.

And I can assure you, if Neil is not guilty (and if he is, I hope the victims will get justice and Neil will have what he deserves) I'm pretty sure that he's not thinking about Good Omens at all right now, but just thinking about sorting this out and clearing his name as every innocent person would need to do so.

So, whether the truth is hurtful or a relief, let's keep the GO fandom going. For if it's hurtful, we will make Terry's story alive for his and many people's sake, and if it's a relief, we would have been doing things right by not jumping into conclusions.

Either way, you're welcome here and you're safe with me. Keep loving. Spread some joy. Don't let Neil's possible actions stain a wonderful story that is not only his own ❤️

[tuttle-did-it]

Michael McKean was a lot of fun as The Clown. I love him in anything, I really do. I have watched shows I wouldn't normally just because I love McKean. He's just a delight to watch. He's always good at balancing the silliness and absurdity along with the serious, and that's always fun to see.

He was a lot of fun in the episode, especially against Kate.

[blackramhall]

The guys practically live on a Clue board.

The suspects in Cluedo, but with the Glass Onion (Knives Out sequel) actors/characters.

Madelyn Cline/Whiskey as Miss Scarlett

Dave Bautista/Duke Cody as Colonel Mustard

Kathryn Hahn/Claire Debella as Mrs. White

Edward Norton/Miles Bron as Mr. Green

Kate Hudson/Birdie Jay as Mrs. Peacock

Leslie Odom Jr/Lionel Toussaint as Professor Plum

It's a terrible, terrible game.

CLUEDO card art by Lacey Van Nortwick

Blackram Hall: whodunit, murder mystery, hardboiled, pulp, crime, thriller, italian giallo, noir and neo-noir, detectives and serial killers, spy stories, vintage, manor houses, art, life and death.

Avatar pic by Mitchell Turek

[meret118]

Please Watch The Diplomat!

Netflix decides if they are going to renew a show based on how many people watch all episodes the first month it's on. If you liked The West Wing, you will like this too! In fact, I think it's better than TWW, because it's set more in the real world, and doesn't contain sorkin's misogyny. Plus, a woman is the main character! The creator worked on TWW and Homeland, and this show combines the best elements of each.

Kate is a career diplomat who was working on getting people who helped the US out of Afghanistan, particularly women. She's ordered by the Biden stand in president, played by Micheal McKean, to take the appointment of ambassador to the UK, a post normally given as a reward to powerful donors, and one requiring speeches and shaking hands more often than actual work. She's determined to make a difference while there however.

Her marriage to Hal, a former ambassador and high profile diplomat in his own right, is ending(?), but he's going with her for the first few weeks while she gets up to speed for PR purposes and support. They're both having trouble in this switch of roles as they try to define new boundaries.

Their relationship is entertainingly codependent and complex. They have terrific chemistry, and are totally believable as a long time couple who love each other, but don't know if that's enough anymore.

Speaking of chemistry, Austin Dennison is the Foreign Secretary who's far more qualified to be PM than the blowhard BoJo stand in he serves. He wants to trust Kate and work with her toward common goals, but the Iraq war and more has damaged US/UK relations.

Stuart Hayford is Kate's Deputy Chief of Mission, a job Kate's more used to doing herself, and is having trouble relinquishing. He's also receiving orders about Kate from the WH Chief of Staff.

Stuart is in a secret relationship with CIA Station Chief Eidra Park. She's used to dealing with secrets, but some of the ones he's keeping may be more than their bond can tolerate. She expects Kate to be the typical political appointee, and has to rapidly adjust her opinion.

The center of the show, and where it shines, is its focus on the politics of the world we live in as the characters deal with terrorism, intrigue, corruption, and political text and subtext. The few times the show stumbles is when it forgets that, and focuses on the relationships too much. That's rare though, and the show normally does a good job of integrating both into an engrossing whole.

No country is presented as perfect, and if there are heroes they're more likely to be the unsung career foreign service employees more often solving problems in spite of elected officials and political appointees rather than because of them. I highly recommend it!

ETA: The final episode ends in a cliffhanger. It didn't bother me, especially since the outcome seemed obvious to me, but I wanted to mention it.

ETA 2 - It's been renewed for a 2nd season! Yay! :)

ETA 3 : I'm so glad people watched it. I'm excited to see season 2. :)

[autistpride]

How many of these famous autists do you recognize? And this isn't even a complete list!

So many amazing wonderful people are autistic. I will never understand why people hate us so much.

Actors/actresses/entertainment:

Chloe Hayden

Talia Grant

Rachel Barcellona

Sir Anthony Hopkins

Dan Akroyd

David Byrne

Darryl Hannah

Courtney Love

Jerry Seinfeld

Roseanne Barr

Jennifer Cook

Chuggaaconroy

Stephanie Davis

Rick Glassman

Paula Hamilton

Dan Harmon

Paige Layle

Matthew Labyorteaux

Wentworth Miller

Desi Napoles

Freddie Odom Jr

Kim Peek

Sue Ann Pien

Henry Rodriguez

Scott Steindorff

Ian Terry

Tara Palmer -Tomkinson

Albert Rutecki

Billy West

Alexis Wineman- Miss America contestant

Athletes:

Jessica- Jane Applegate

Michael Brannigan

David Campion

Brenna Clark

Ulysse Delsaux

Tommy Dis Brisay

Jim Eisenreich

Todd Hodgetts

John Howard

Anthony Ianni

Lisa Llorens

Clay Matzo

Frankie Macdonald

Jason McElwain

Chris Morgan

Max Park

Cody Ware

Amani Williams

Samuel Von Einem

Musicians:

Susan Boyle

Elizabeth Ibby Grace

David Byrne

Johnny Dean

Tony DeBlois

Christopher Dufley

Jody Dipiazza

Pertti Kurikka

James Jagow

Ladyhawke

Kodi Lee

Left at London

Red Lewis Clark

Abz Love

Thristan Mendoza

Heidi Mortenson

Hikari Oe

Matt Savage

Graham Sierota

SpaceGhostPurp

Mark Tinley

Donald Triplett

Aleksander Vinter

Comedians:

Hannah Gatsby

Robert White

Bethany Black

Scientists/inventors/mathematians/Researchers:

Damian Milton

Bram Cohen

Michelle Dawson

Carl Sagan

Writers:

Neil Gaimen

Mel Bags

Kage Baker

Amy Swequenza

M. Remi Yergeau

Sean Barron

Lydia X Z Brown

Matt Burning

Dani Bowman

Nicole Cliffe

Laura Kate Dale

Aoife Dooley

Corrine Duyvus

Marianne Eloise

Jory Flemming

Temple Grandin

John R Hall

Naomi Higashida

Helan Hoang

Liane Holliday Willey

Luke Jackson

Rosie King

Thomas A McKean

Johnathan Mitchell

Jack Monroe

Caiseal Mor

Morenike Giwa- Onaiwu

Jasmine O'Neill

Brant Page Hanson

Dawn Prince-Hughs

Sue Robin

Stephen Shore

Andreas Souvitos

Sarah Stup

Susanna Tamaro

Chuck Tingle

Donna Williams

Leaders:

Julia Bascom

Ari Ne'eman

Sarah Marie Acevedo

Sharon Davenport

Joshua Collins

Conner Cummings

Kevin Healy

Poom Jenson

Amy Knight

Jared O'Mara

David Nelson

Shaun Neumeier

Master Sgt. Shale Norwitz

Jim Sinclair

Judy Singer

Dr. Vernon Smith

Artists:

Miina Akkijjyrkka

Danny Beath

Deborah Berger

Larry John Bissonnette

Patrick Francis

Goby

Jorge Gutierrez

Lina Long

Johnathan Lerman

Julian Martin

Haley Moss

Morgan Harper Nichols

Tim Sharp

Gilles Tehin

Willem Van Genk

Richard Wawro

Poets:

David Eastham

Christopher Knowles

David Miedzianik

Henriette Seth F

[gagfadget]

top 5 artists

Idk if you mean music artists or artist artists 💀💀 so I’ll just do both.

Music:

1. Kate Bush

2. Cocteau Twins

3. Clarence Clarity

4. Yves Tumor

5. FKA twigs

Honorable mentions are Bjork, Drab Majesty, Sevdaliza, Daniela Lalita

Art:

Literally too many to list but here are just some:

Bernie Wrightson

Dragon Bibin

arkadiusz szymanek

aleksandra waliszewska

Fransico goya

Dave mckean

Joanna Quinn

Rebecca Sugar

George Pratt

Yuko Tatsushima

Ralph Bakshi

Frank franzetta

Walter molino

Malene Reynolds

Fred L Packet

Peter Bentley

Tim Jacobs

Rodney greenblatt

[bardicbramley]

Bramley's Book Of The Week - Master Thread

I've been adding to a thread over on my twitter (bardicbramley) every week-ish with a new Children's or YA book that I have read recently and would recommend! With everything happening on twitter, I'm going to make a master list of all my recommendation so far here, and then continue adding them to a tag on this blog as well, just in case!

So, without further ado... #bramleysbotw so far!

31/10/22 - Home by Tonya Lippert and Andrea Stegmaier

A gentle story of homelessness giving so much space for understaning & discussion. A great tool for deeper talking ab houseless people, different types of homes and unstable living situations with gorgeous, simple yet detailed art.

7/11/22 - How To Be More Hedgehog by Anne-Maire Conway

So much deep and true emotion, a relatable MC and great messages of self advocacy, confidence and activism. As someone with selective mutism and tics, I enjoyed every second of Lily's proudly stammer-filled journey.

14/11/22 - Lifesize by Sophy Henn

Over to my library kids for this #bramleybotw A new addition that they've not stopped talking about...Even my most energetic readers are sitting on the floor, reading the animal facts to their friends and comparing their hands to that of a polar bear!

21/11/22 - Me and My Dysphoria Monster by Laura Kate Dale and Ang Hui Qing

In honour of #transawarenessweek2022 and as a personal thank you from a trans educator. An amazing addition to trans children's literature (& kidlit in general) that I would highly recommend to other educators!

28/11/22 - Love Your Body by Jessica Sanders and Carol Rossetti

A beautiful and uplifting non fiction to support girls in loving and appreciating their body for all the amazing things it can do, and all the incredible ways it can look.

I needed more words to also talk about the incredible art in this week's choice. The colour pallet just so comforting and the style is a new favourite of mine!

5/12/22 - Paws by Kate Foster

My younger self would have loved this book and even now I adore it. It has authentic #actuallyautistic representation (without negativity!) and is all round a lovely story.

6/1/23 - When I See Blue by Lily Bailey

An emotional and gritty real world adventure with Ben, as he navigates making friends, protecting his alcoholic mother, and battling the bully in his head, his OCD. A tough but beautiful read.

30/1/23 - Star Knights by Kay Davault

A Graphic Novel filled with self acceptance, incredible worldbuilding and animals that turn into magical adventurers?! I mean come on, how could I not rec this one 💖 bonus points for queer rep too.

9/2/23 - All To Play For by Eve Ainsworth

It's recommended by Empathy Lab UK this year and I couldn't agree more. It has Barrington Stoke's signature dyslexia friendly pages and font - but so much more than that. A story of family, class and determination.

20/2/23 - Birdsong by Katya Balen

I'm a bit late to the party with this one. I've seen so many people sing it's praises! A gorgeously honest, emotional and raw story that any child will love, but will strike a chord with certain ones especially.

27/2/23 - Speak Up! by Rebecca Burgess

A graphic novel about a secret teen pop star with a wonderful autistic main and genderqueer side character representation? Of course it was amazing!

6/3/23 - Tyger by SF Said

Much like Phoenix, the dedication to world building, the layered, lovable characters, and the beautifully descriptive language had me gripped from the very start. Dave McKean's incredibly detailed and emotive illustrations surely helped!

13/3/23 - Needle by Patrice Lawrence

An incredible heartfelt read for UKS2/MG/KS3 - exploring often avoided topics of fostering, UK police and court systems, racial profiling, when to be honest (or fake it), whose voices matter most and questionable justice.

20/3/23 - Twelfth Grade Night by Molly Horton Booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm and Jamie Green

Sometimes you really just need a queer, unapologetically corny modern Shakespeare smash retelling of Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night's Dream, and that's 100% okay! I got you covered!

In all seriousness, with all the hatred filling queer spaces atm, it was great to just float in a fun, sweet, dramatic world full of lovable ✨fairies✨The illustrations caught me instantly - the pining faces, the dramatic lighting! A teen romcom Will'd be proud of.

28/3/23 - Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

A beautiful UKS2+ novel in verse following Jude's journey across oceans, growing up, making friends and finding her voice. Rich and realistic, not shying away from subjects often avoided, and with poetic Arabic intertwined.

3/4/23 - Frizzy by Claribel A. Oretga and Rose Bousamra

Whilst not my own cultural story, it resonated deeply still 💖 an incredibly honest, beautiful and joyous graphic novel with gorgeous colours and rebellious questioning of generational trauma!

12/4/23 - Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes Smith

I put it off for so long bc I was a little scared it might not live up to my hopes, but it was so much more than I imagined. The love I have for these kiddos (and Callie's dads 😭) is intense. Kidlits often shy away from big, scary or rebellious topics. Neither Callie nor Esme are afraid to speak up ab what trans kids (and so many others) need/deserve to hear, and I am so proud of them for that. This is the book I needed as a kid - I am so glad it exists now 💖⚔️

24/4/23 - Jamie by LD Lapinski

A powerful story of never backing down and demanding your full self to be acknowledged. I'm so excited to see a story encouraging children to stand up for themselves and recognise that adults can be (& often are) wrong.

5/5/23 - Dungeon Club: Roll Call by Molly Knox Ostertag and Xanthe Bouma

Great for those who haven't played and incredible for those who have - the use of D&D stat blocks and dual narrative (irl and in game) 🙌🏻 simply amazing! Can't wait for the next!

15/5/23 - Call Me Lion by Camilla Chester

Being autistic, sometimes partially or non-speaking, and having struggled with confidence all my life - I just loved this little joyful tale. Realistic but hopeful, with easily likeable, well rounded mcs!

22/5/23 - My Brother is Away by Sara Greenwood and Luisa Uribe

A /beautifully/ illustrated and gently poignant picturebook of a child whose brother is incarcerated. I've seen this kind of book before, but this is it done right, well, and to a v. high quality.

19/6/23 - Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Been meaning to read this for so long, finally have, and of course its been added to my all time favourites list! What an incredible, reflective and honest piece of art for children. I don't do mandatory reading, but if I did: top of the list.

26/6/23 - The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

A gorgeous graphic novel, upper KS2-3 cusp/YA. It takes a beautifully artistic and honest look into managing childhood PTSD from gun violence, with help from an eye for photography, a cute calf, and a first queer crush 💖

3/7/23 - My Aunt is a Monster by Reimena Yee

A sweet and exciting story of adventurers, curses and mysteries with a healthy dash of queer and disabled representation, all whilst learning to see past first impressions.

[brookstonalmanac]

Birthdays 4.19

Beer Birthdays

Henry Becker (1851)

Five Favorite Birthdays

Fernando Botero; artist (1932)

Tim Curry; actor (1946)

Dick Sargent; actor (1930)

Glenn Seaborg; chemist, discovered Plutonium (1912)

Larry Walters; lawn chair pilot (1949)

Famous Birthdays

Don Barbour; pop singer (1927)

Czeslaw Bartkowski; jazz composer, drummer (1943)

Hayden Christensen; actor (1981)

Elinor Donahue; actor (1937)

Ole Evinrude; outboard motor inventor (1877)

Kate Hudson; actor (1979)

Richard Hughes; English writer (1900)

Ashley Judd; actor (1968)

Jayne Mansfield; actor (1933)

Thomas McKean; signer of the Declaration of Independence (1721)

Dudley Moore; actor (1935)

Eliot Ness; federal prohibition agent (1903)

Hugh O'Brian; actor (1923)

Murray Perahia; pianist (1947)

Valerie Plame; former CIA agent, maliciously outed by Republican administration (1963)

Troy Polamalu; Pittsburgh Steelers SS (1981)

David Ricardo; economist (1772)

Roger Sherman; signer of the Declaration of Independence (1721)

Al Unser Jr.; automobile race driver (1962)

Alan Wheatley; actor (1907)

Dar Williams; blues musician (1967)

[movienized-com]

The Diplomat

The Diplomat (Serie 2023) #KeriRussell #RufusSewell #DavidGyasi #AtoEssandoh #AliAhn #RoryKinnear Mehr auf:

Serie / Diplomatische BeziehungenJahr: 2023- (April) Genre: Drama / Thriller Hauptrollen: Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi, Ato Essandoh, Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear, Celia Imrie, Nana Mensah, Miguel Sandoval, Michael McKean … Serienbeschreibung: Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) trägt als hochrangige US-Botschafterin und Diplomatin große Verantwortung. Ihr Ehemann Hal (Rufus Sewell), selbst…

[holly-childs]

"ex-situ" text in a do ocean curated by Christopher L G Hill at Kings, 20 October 2022–12 November 2022

With Cameron Allan McKean, Ricarda Bigolin, Hugo Blomley, Nicola Blumenthal, Holly Childs, Stacey Collee, Renee Cosgrave, Gabriella D’Costa, George Egerton-Warburton, Debris Facility, Endless Lonely Planet 11, Sam George, Luke Gerrard, Aurellia Guo, Chloe Hagger, Christopher L G Hill, Christopher Theofanous, Jesse Hogan, Lou Hubbard, Helen Hughes, Raafat Ishak, Eleanor Laver, Alice McIntosh, Sean McMorrow, Gian Manik, Kate Meakin, Virginia Overell, Ashley Perry, Lisa Radford, Yuval Rosinger, Nick Selenitsch, Amy May Stuart, Savanna Szelski, Yundi Wang, and more.

[boomgers]

Ten cerca a tus amigos, pero más cerca a tus enemigos… “La Diplomática”

Kate Wyler es la nueva embajadora de Estados Unidos en el Reino Unido. Originalmente, iba a trabajar en Afganistán, porque es excelente manejando situaciones complicadas en zonas de riesgo.

Mientras el fantasma de la guerra comienza a materializarse en un continente y se asoma en otro, Kate deberá mediar en una crisis de talla internacional, forjar alianzas estratégicas en Londres y ajustarse a su nuevo puesto de alto perfil con la presión adicional de ser la esposa de Hal Wyler, gran diplomático y figura política.

Estreno: 20 de abril de 2023 en Netflix.

La serie cuenta con las actuaciones de Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi, Ato Essandoh, Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear, Celia Imrie, Nana Mensah, Miguel Sandoval, Michael McKean, entre otros.

[julieduffy]

Lurk Your Way To Success in Publishing

Are you looking to find success in the publishing world?

Join me on The StoryADay Podcast as I discuss the importance of engagement in writing and publishing.

In this episode titled "Lurk Your Way to Success in Publishing", I share strategies and insights that can help you achieve your goals as a writer.

Here are 3 key takeaways from the episode:

1️⃣ Don't rush into building an author platform: While it's tempting to focus on social media presence and building a following, it's crucial to prioritize the writing itself. Spend time honing your craft and creating compelling content before diving into the world of author branding.

2️⃣ Engage with the publishing world: Stay updated by following authors on social media, reading industry publications, and educating yourself about the realities of being a writer. Become part of the conversation, learn from experienced authors, and stay informed about industry trends.

3️⃣ Define your own success: Don't let societal expectations or external pressure define your writing journey. Take the time to reflect on what success means to you personally and set realistic goals that align with your values. Remember, writing is a journey of personal growth and creativity, and your definition of success should reflect that.

🎧 Listen now!

Timestamps

[00:02:03] Engaging With The Publishing World

[00:03:42] Should You Even Pay Attention?

[00:06:54] Have a Strong Definition of Success For Yourself

[00:09:18] If You Want To Publish

[00:10:25] First Steps In Pursuing Publication - Lurk (aka 'research')

[00:11:53] Agents

[00:14:44] Queries and Book Proposals

[00:15:45] Why Submission Guidelines Matter

[00:18:33] Ways to Lurk

[00:19:35] Publishing Shorter Pieces

[00:21:56] Get Off My Lawn

[00:23:22] Be Human, Make Friends, Be Successful

[00:25:37] Where To Find Writers and Publishing Folks, Online in 2023

[00:29:04] Wrap Up

Links:

Kameron Hurley Interview

Kate McKean's Agents & Books Substack Newsletter

The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing

  Want to go deeper? Take the 3-Day Challenge

Want to go for longer? Let me send you a** StoryAWeek writing lesson & prompt**

The StoryADay Podcast

[newagesispage]

                                                                          JUNE2023

THE RIB PAGE

*****

The next class of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers is here. Willie Nelson, Kate Bush, Rage against the Machine, Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow, George Michael, The Spinners, Chaka Khan, Al Kooper and Bernie Taupin are in. Don Cornelius is named for the annual Ahmet Ertegan award. I am stunned that Warren Zevon, Iron Maiden and Cyndi Lauper did not make it.  No Zevon? What?

*****

Russia State Media has offered Tucker Carlson a gig.

*****

Jake Bon Jovi is engaged to Millie Bobby Brown.

*****

The Met Gala wowed but had its controversy since the theme was to honor Karl Lagerfeld.  Protestors reminded us that he was not a pleasant person. He was called out for cruelty to fat people, women immigrants and sexual assault survivors. The good part was the black and white. Best dressed to me were Bryan Tyree Henry, Emily Blunt, Kerry Washington, Margot Robbie, Keke Palmer, Janelle Monae, Alton Mason, Lil Nas X, Yung Miami, Eryka Badu, Vera Wang, Lily Collins, Rachael Brosnahan, Salma Hayek, Viola Davis and Stella McCartney. And WOW! Glenn Close looked amazing. Jared Leto and Doja Cat were cats.

*****

The HGTV Brady Bunch house is for sale for 5.5 mil.

*****

Aerosmith and Kiss are on farewell tours.

*****

The Diplomat will be back for a second season.

*****

George Santos has 13 criminal charges against him. And, he can vote in the house? With criminal charges?

*****

It is amazing the maze one goes thru as a senior. I have been thru it for about 10 years or so but it does not get easier. Why are there parts to Medicare? Humans need all the parts. There has to be a better way than filling out the same paperwork over and over.

*****

So, Woody Allen saved Andrew Stein’s life with the Heimlick maneuver?  

*****

Michael Flynn and Clay Clark created and are traveling with this absurd right wing Reawaken America tour. A few highlights are baptizing people into the ‘Army of God’, claiming that Democrats are “Baby butchering mongrels” and that immigrants will take your place. The shows are often held in churches where they claim vaccines are genocide and homosexuals and pedophiles do not honor God.  They often declare that Jesus is King and Donald J. Trump is our President. Besides the $250- $500 to get in, the speakers often ask for donations to their legal funds. ** It’s a pep rally on spiritual steroids. ** A Maryland poll found that 61% of Republicans think the U.S. be declared a Christian nation.  

*****

You can’t use reason to convince anyone out of an argument that they didn’t use reason to get into. -Neil deGrasse Tyson.

*****

Oathkeeper Stewart Rhodes got 18 years in prison! ** Ron Desantis says he would consider pardoning some of the Jan. 6 convicts.

*****

The writers are on strike. Michael Mckean and Annette O’Toole were handing out cookies to the picketers.

*****

Looking forward to the new show, Class of ‘09 with Bryan Tyree Henry.

*****

Unemployment is at its lowest numbers since 1969.

*****

Queen Charlotte was the third in the Bridgerton saga. I think it was the best!

*****

Did ya see Menedez and Menudo?? Mind blown! It does put a different vibe on the whole Ricky Martin mess.

*****

Ice Cube has the right to ask what the Dems have done for the black community. Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Obamacare, economic empowerment legislation, creating community banking to combat red lining. -Wendall Pierce

*****

Mage won the Kentucky Derby.

*****

A slaughterhouse cleaning company, PSSI, owned by Blackstone, denied they were employing third shift 13-17 year olds. They were caught with at least 102 kids at 13 plants in 8 states. They have settled their case with the government. They paid 1.5 mil and didn’t dispute, didn’t explain.

*****

Beetlejuice 2 is coming.

*****

Robert DeNiro and Tiffany Chen welcomed a baby to the world.

*****

Extremist Chris Licht let Trump run roughshod over Kaitlin Collina and the U.S. I suppose we better get used to that sort of thing over at CNN. ** E. Jean Carrol won her defamation and sexual abuse lawsuit against Scary Clown 45.

*****

Charlie Sheen and Chuck Lorre made up. The actor will appear in Lorre’s new program with Sebastian Maniscalco.

*****

Two staffers were attacked at the Fairfax office of Rep. Gerry Connolly.

*****

The Durham report’s 300 pages found nothing really. We already knew the FBI didn’t exactly follow procedures but after 4 years, new steps are in place.

*****

Days alert: Diedre Hall hit her 5000th episode. Woo Hoo! **How many Peacock references are the writers supposed to make on Days of Our Lives?? ** The heart to heart between Anna and Nicole about Nic’s pregnancy was so well written, thank you!! ** More Wendy and Li please. Loved Megan’s reference to Kris when she was talking to Roman!!

*****

The Bay is pure soap heaven.

*****

Clint Eastwood is bringing us Juror number 2 with Toni Collette, Zoey Deutch, Nicholas Hault and Kiefer Sutherland in Jonathon Abrams 15- year old script.

*****

It looks like Tim Scott, Chris Christie and Ron DeSantis are running for Pres.** The DeSantis roll out was a bit of a mess.

*****

Kamal Harris and hubby went to Brittney Grimes first WNBA game since her return.

*****

Killers of the Flower Moon runs about 3 and a half hours.

*****

AAAHHHH look at all the feral people.

*****

So Bill Gates had an affair with a young woman he met playing bridge. Then Jeffrey Epstein found out, paid for her classes and tried using that as leverage against Gates. -Dave Benolt

*****

R.I.P. Gordon Lightfoot, Gail Christian, victims of shootings, Richard Carver, Alicia Alain, Grace Bumbry, Jacklyn Zeman, Helmut Berger, Jim Brown and Tina Turner.

[lgbtqreads]

April 2021 Deal Announcements

April 2021 Deal Announcements

Adult Fiction 2021 Tin House Scholar Luke Dani Blue’s PRETEND IT’S MY BODY, a collection of stories exploring dysphorias of gender and reality, trans teen psychics and tornado survivors, con artists and runaways, mothers who are daughters and daughters who are sons, ultimately asking if there’s a real self, and if so, what does it look like, to Lauren Rosemary Hook at Feminist Press, by Adam…

[downthetubes]

In Pictures, Video and Review: The Lakes International Comic Art Festival 2021

In Pictures, Video and Review: The Lakes International Comic Art Festival 2021

Richard Sheaf reflects on the return of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival as a physical event, to Kendal, Cumbria, earlier this month… Never having been to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival before it’s impossible to draw comparisons to what the event was like in pre-Covid times, so instead I’ll be focussing on what was on as part of the 2021 festival. Rain, that’s what I was…