#LifeTime Hosting 2018

[mostlysignssomeportents]

NLRB rules that any union busting triggers automatic union recognition

Tonight (September 6) at 7pm, I'll be hosting Naomi Klein at the LA Public Library for the launch of Doppelganger.

On September 12 at 7pm, I'll be at Toronto's Another Story Bookshop with my new book The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation.

American support for unions is at its highest level in generations, from 70% (general population) to 88% (Millenials) – and yet, American unionization rates are pathetic.

That's about to change.

The National Labor Relations Board just handed down a landmark ruling – the Cemex case – that "brought worker rights back from the dead."

https://prospect.org/labor/2023-08-28-bidens-nlrb-brings-workers-rights-back/

At issue in Cemex was what the NLRB should do about employers that violate labor law during union drives. For decades, even the most flagrantly illegal union-busting was met with a wrist-slap. For example, if a boss threatened or fired an employee for participating in a union drive, the NLRB would typically issue a small fine and order the employer to re-hire the worker and provide back-pay.

Everyone knows that "a fine is a price." The NLRB's toothless response to cheating presented an easily solved equation for corrupt, union-hating bosses: if the fine amounts to less than the total, lifetime costs of paying a fair wage and offering fair labor conditions, you should cheat – hell, it's practically a fiduciary duty:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/468061

Enter the Cemex ruling: once a majority of workers have signed a union card, any Unfair Labor Practice by their employer triggers immediate, automatic recognition of the union. In other words, the NLRB has fitted a tilt sensor in the American labor pinball machine, and if the boss tries to cheat, they automatically lose.

Cemex is a complete 180, a radical transformation of the American labor regulator from a figleaf that legitimized union busting to an actual enforcer, upholding the law that Congress passed, rather than the law that America's oligarchs wish Congress had passed. It represents a turning point in the system of lawless impunity for American plutocracy.

In the words of Frank Wilhoit, it is is a repudiation of the conservative dogma: "There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect":

https://crookedtimber.org/2018/03/21/liberals-against-progressives/#comment-729288

It's also a stunning example of what regulatory competence looks like. The Biden administration is a decidedly mixed bag. On the one hand there are empty suits masquerading as technocrats, champions of the party's centrist wing (slogan: "Everything is fine and change is impossible"):

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/10/the-courage-to-govern/#whos-in-charge

But the progressive, Sanders/Warren wing of the party installed some fantastically competent, hard-charging, principled fighters, who are chapter-and-verse on their regulatory authority and have the courage to use that authority:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/18/administrative-competence/#i-know-stuff

They embody the old joke about the photocopier technician who charges "$1 to kick the photocopier and $79 to know where to kick it." The best Biden appointees have their boots firmly laced, and they're kicking that mother:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/16/the-second-best-time-is-now/#the-point-of-a-system-is-what-it-does

One such expert kicker is NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo. Abruzzo has taken a series of muscular, bold moves to protect American workers, turning the tide in the class war that the 1% has waged on workers since the Reagan administration. For example, Abruzzo is working to turn worker misclassification – the fiction that an employee is a small business contracting with their boss, a staple of the "gig economy" – into an Unfair Labor Practice:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/01/10/see-you-in-the-funny-papers/bidens-legacy

She's also waging war on robo-scab companies: app-based employment "platforms" like Instawork that are used to recruit workers to cross picket lines, under threat of being blocked from the app and blackballed by hundreds of local employers:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/30/computer-says-scab/#instawork

With Cemex, Abruzzo is restoring a century-old labor principle that has been gathering dust for generations: the idea that workers have the right to organize workplace gemocracies without fear of retaliation, harassment, or reprisals.

But as Harold Meyerson writes for The American Prospect, the Cemex ruling has its limits. Even if the NLRB forces and employer to recognize a union, they can't force the employer to bargain in good faith for a union contract. The National Labor Relations Act prohibits the Board from imposing a contract.

That's created a loophole that corrupt bosses have driven entire fleets of trucks through. Workers who attain union recognition face years-long struggles to win a contract, as their bosses walk away from negotiations or offer farcical "bargaining positions" in the expectation that they'll be rejected, prolonging the delay.

Democrats have been trying to fix this loophole since the LBJ years, but they've been repeatedly blocked in the senate. But Abruzzo is a consummate photocopier kicker, and she's taking aim. In Thrive Pet Healthcare, Abruzzo has argued that failing to bargain in good faith for a contract is itself an Unfair Labor Practice. That means the NLRB has the authority to act to correct it – they can't order a contract, but they can order the employer to give workers "wages, benefits, hours, and such that are comparable to those provided by comparable unionized companies in their field."

Mitch McConnell is a piece of shit, but he's no slouch at kicking photocopiers himself. For a whole year, McConnell has blocked senate confirmation hearings to fill a vacant seat on the NLRB. In the short term, this meant that the three Dems on the board were able to hand down these bold rulings without worrying about their GOP colleagues.

But McConnell was playing a long game. Board member Gwynne Wilcox's term is about to expire. If her seat remains vacant, the three remaining board members won't be able to form a quorum, and the NLRB won't be able to do anything.

As Meyerson writes, centrist Dems have refused to push McConnell on this, hoping for comity and not wanting to violate decorum. But Chuck Schumer has finally bestirred himself to fight this issue, and Alaska GOP senator Lisa Murkowski has already broken with her party to move Wilcox's confirmation to a floor vote.

The work of enforcers like DoJ Antitrust Division boss Jonathan Kanter, FTC chair Lina Khan, and SEC chair Gary Gensler is at the heart of Bidenomics: the muscular, fearless deployment of existing regulatory authority to make life better for everyday Americans.

But of course, "existing regulatory authority" isn't the last word. The judges filling stolen seats on the illegitimate Supreme Court had invented the "major questions doctrine" and have used it as a club to attack Biden's photocopier-kickers. There's real danger that Cemex – and other key actions – will get fast-tracked to SCOTUS so the dotards in robes can shatter our dreams for a better America.

Meyerson is cautiously optimistic here. At 40% (!), the Court's approval rating is at a low not seen since the New Deal showdowns. The Supremes don't have an army, they don't have cops, they just have legitimacy. If Americans refuse to acknowledge their decisions, all they can do it sit and stew:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/26/mint-the-coin-etc-etc/#blitz-em

The Court knows this. That's why they fume so publicly about attacks on their legitimacy. Without legitimacy, they're nothing. With the Supremes' support at 40% and union support at 70%, any judicial attack on Cemex could trigger term-limits, court-packing, and other doomsday scenarios that will haunt the relatively young judges for decades, as the seats they stole dwindle into irrelevance. Meyerson predicts that this will weigh on them, and may stay their hands.

Meyerson might be wrong, of course. No one ever lost money betting on the self-destructive hubris of Federalist Society judges. But even if he's wrong, his point is important. If the Supremes frustrate the democratic will of the American people, we have to smash the Supremes. Term limits, court-packing, whatever it takes:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/20/judicial-equilibria/#pack-the-court

And the more we talk about this – the more we make this consequence explicit – the more it will weigh on them, and the better the chance that they'll surprise us. That's already happening! The Supremes just crushed the Sackler opioid crime-family's dream of keeping their billions in blood-money:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/11/justice-delayed/#justice-redeemed

But if it doesn't stop them? If they crush this dream, too? Pack the court. Impose term limits. Make it the issue. Don't apologize, don't shrug it off, don't succumb to learned helplessness. Make it our demand. Make it a litmus test: "If elected, will you vote to pack the court and clear the way for democratic legitimacy?"

Meanwhile, Cemex is already bearing fruit. After an NYC Trader Joe's violated the law to keep Trader Joe's United from organizing a store, the workers there have petitioned to have their union automatically recognized under the Cemex rule:

https://truthout.org/articles/trader-joes-union-files-to-force-company-to-recognize-union-under-new-nlrb-rule/

With the NLRB clearing the regulatory obstacles to union recognition, America's largest unions are awakening from their own long slumbers. For decades, unions have spent a desultory 3% of their budgets on organizing workers into new locals. But a leadership upset in the AFL-CIO has unions ready to catch a wave with the young workers and their 88% approval rating, with a massive planned organizing drive:

https://prospect.org/labor/labors-john-l-lewis-moment/

Meyerson calls on other large unions to follow suit, and the unions seem ready to do so, with new leaders and new militancy at the Teamsters and UAW, and with SEIU members at unionized Starbucks waiting for their first contracts.

Turning union-supporting workers into unionized workers is key to fighting Supreme Court sabotage. Organized labor will give fighters like Abruzzo the political cover she needs to Get Shit Done. A better America is possible. It's within our grasp. Though there is a long way to go, we are winning crucial victories all the time.

The centrist message that everything is fine and change is impossible is designed to demoralize you, to win the fight in your mind so they don't have to win it in the streets and in the jobsite. We don't have to give them that victory. It's ours for the taking.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/06/goons-ginks-and-company-finks

[mybeingthere]

Hans Christian Andersen (1805 - 1875), a writer who was great with scissors.

"Paper cutting is the prelude to writing," wrote Hans Christian Andersen in a letter in July 1867. The art of paper cutting was a popular leisure activity during his lifetime. But Andersen's cuts were different.

"They were modern," says art historian Detlef Klein. "They are less playful and made with a great sense of purpose."

For Andersen, the silhouettes were a pure hobby, to which he devoted a great deal of time and energy. "We do not know how many silhouettes there were, but we have to assume that — if there are nearly 400 today — there were many more," says Klein.

They usually served as a present, helped decorate floral bouquets or were used as puppetry figures.

"You can imagine how many of them must have got torn or creased," says Klein. "You could often bend the figures a little, blow at them and then move them across the tabletop."

Andersen himself would never have come up with the idea of exhibiting his silhouettes. Nor would he not have sold them, says Anne Buschhoff, who is co-curating the Bremen exhibition "Hans Christian Andersen: A Poet with Pen and Scissors" along with Stein.

He simply gave away most of this work as he was a "popular man, who was often invited to social gatherings, where he would tell stories and create these silhouettes."

Once his story and the paper cutting was finished, Anderson would give away his creations to the hosts, their children or to other guests."

https://all-drawings.livejournal.com/.../%D0%90%D0%BD%D0...

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Alanna Vagianos at HuffPost:

Some people may believe that the end of Roe v. Wade was simply a matter of luck: Following the then-black swan event of Donald Trump winning the 2016 election, Trump got to appoint two Supreme Court Justices in his first two years and a third after an octogenarian passed away weeks before the 2020 election.

The court then had a 6-3 conservative supermajority, and that was that. But the project to overturn the federal right to abortion was much more calculated, involving an alliance of Republican groups aiming to reshape Congress, the courts and American life. And while conservatives may have won a huge battle, it’s not the end of their unholy war. That’s the story New York Times reporters Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer tell in their new book, “The Fall of Roe,” a deeply reported accounting of the machinations of anti-abortion activists and lawmakers to reverse the 1973 ruling that reshaped both society and women’s lives. The book recounts the conservative network’s past victories, yes, but is also a window into the future, highlighting just how crucial November’s elections are for our rights and freedoms. That’s because if Trump wins a second term, this conservative coalition will bring even more litigation to strip away people’s rights — and would likely face a Supreme Court that’s even more untouchable than it is now.

The group most connected to Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the case that overturned Roe, is Alliance Defending Freedom, a far-right Christian advocacy group. But ADF certainly didn’t do it alone, per Dias and Lerer — correspondents on religion and politics, respectively. In many ways, two other organizations laid the groundwork for this victory: The Federalist Society, a judicial group that drafted a list of Trump’s Supreme Court nominees, judges Trump said were all opposed to Roe; and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, an anti-abortion political group with an affiliated PAC.

And they’re all funded with massive amounts of dark money, including from billionaires like the Koch brothers. The 30,000-foot view is that these groups worked together to draft and pass unpopular state laws and have conservative lawyers defend them in front of friendly judges who had been confirmed to lifetime appointments by Republican senators. The network could use this playbook on any number of issues in the future. ADF wrote Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban at issue in the Dobbs litigation. Dias and Lerer report that a conservative Wisconsin lawyer suggested crafting a ban at exactly 15 weeks basically as a dare for abortion rights proponents to challenge it, believing the Supreme Court would find the ban reasonable and gut Roe without fully overturning it.

The lawyer, Misha Tseytlin, allegedly floated the idea at a Trump victory party hosted by Federalist Society Chair Leonard Leo, and then someone connected to ADF heard it, and the organization had Tseytlin present his theory at a July 2017 ADF summit. (This story shows that conservatives picked 15 weeks not because of emerging medical research, but because abortion rights advocates had chosen not to sue over previous 20-week bans designed to challenge Roe.) ADF drafted a model bill, identified states that might pass it and that had anti-abortion attorneys general who would defend it, and started talking to lobbyists. Then-Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) signed the 15-week ban into law in 2018, and litigation began. By the time the Supreme Court was considering taking the case, it was early September 2020. Then Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, and Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett, giving a 5-4 court a 6-3 conservative supermajority, with three Justices appointed by Trump — a president who lost the popular vote. The court agreed to hear the case in May 2021, and the rest is history.

That playbook worked for striking down Roe, but the coalition is not done. Dias and Lerer write that ADF, in particular, will “work to restore an understanding of marriage, the family and sexuality that reflects God’s creative order.” First, abortion opponents think Dobbs is not enough; they want a nationwide ban starting at egg fertilization.

[...] ADF also has its sights set on reversing the 2015 ruling establishing marriage equality, but Waggoner also seems to resent when journalists ask her about Obergefell v. Hodges. (That ruling was 5-4, and two of the Justices in the majority are no longer on the court — you only need four votes out of nine to take a case.) “I’m worried you’re gonna just use a choice little quote, and anybody that reads the article is going to think I’m abandoning Obergefell, and I am not,” she told The New Yorker. “I think it is wrong and it should be reversed, but I don’t wake up in the morning thinking about how to do that.” The group wants to roll back transgender rights in employment (Bostock v. Clayton County, 2020) and expand parental rights (Troxel v. Granville, 2000) so that parents can override the medical needs of their children with gender dysphoria, The New Yorker reports. ADF is also behind the rash of state laws banning gender-affirming care for minors and trans kids’ participation in sports — the group wrote model legislation. We’re watching a redux of the anti-abortion battle plan in real time. “It’s not that the Court is going to say, ‘Gender ideology is bad,’” Waggoner told The New Yorker. “But I do think the Court could say, ‘Parental rights are fundamental rights.’”

The Fall of Roe book by Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer, a pair of New York Times reporters, takes a vital look at how anti-abortion activists delivered a win for their cause by overturning Roe in Dobbs and that they want more.

[hopkei]

Fantastics 100 Questions & Answers! Pt.2

Source: Monthly Exile August 2020 (Part one)

🚨Warning: may contain inaccuracies!🚨 Feel free to share elsewhere but please credit me🌻

~~

Questions 11-20

11. The surprise that made you the most happy so far? Sekai: When I became a member of Exile Taiki: My 20th birthday. Akira-san hosted the TRIBE members and Odake Masato-san and we did a countdown! (tn: Odake Masato is a lyricist, some of the songs he has written for Fantastics include Terminal, Dear Destiny, and Flying Fish, as well as songs for Exile, JSB3, Generations, and more) Sawa: 2018/1/29 when all the members wished me a happy birthday! Leiya: Birthday surprise from my peers/colleagues Hori: Two years ago when FANTASTICS got to join EXILE on their “STAR OF WISH” tour, on the day of rehearsal manager-san led me into Exile’s dressing room but it was completely dark,, then Exile and Fantastics members all celebrated my birthday. It is the memory of a lifetime!! Keito: My 20th birthday Yusei: While shooting the “Supersonic” music video for BOT, Generations senpais and Fantastics members prepared a cake and wished me happy birthday! Sota: When I turned 20, my parents sent me an album they made with a lot of old photos and messages from various people. Honestly, I looked at the messages when I was alone at home and cried a lot. (laughs)

12. What do you do when you’re soaking in the bath? Sekai: I don’t do anything Taiki: I blast music super loudly and sing! Read scripts for work! Sawa: I space out and try to fall asleep. I just barely manage to stay awake Leiya: Make songs Hori: I watch videos on my computer Keito: I watch anime, movies, and dramas on a streaming site. Yusei: I close my eyes and imagine a forest Sota: Lately, I’ve been practicing English by explaining what I did that day or things that happened! By myself. (laughs) Sometimes I’ll ask the wall questions and a chaotic time will pass in the water. As chaotic as it can be when you’re taking a bath

13. In your group, which member has the most amazing gap? Sekai: In Exile, Tetsuya-san. In Fanta, there’s no one lol Taiki: Seguchi Leiya. There is a big difference between when he is ON and when he is OFF. (laughs) Sawa: Yusei (゜∀゜) Leiya: Keito Hori: Sawanatsu-kun Keito: Horinatsu-kun Yusei: Yagi Yusei Sota: Sawamoto Natsuki-kun! Usually he is the laidback type that doesn’t come forward and talk much but in the dressing room or at a restaurant he becomes the most animated and excited! (laugh)

14. When did you decide/want to become an artist? Sekai: Through the experience I had in New York when I was a teenager Taiki: I watched an EXILE concert in 2009! Sawa: When I was dancing support for J SOUL BROTHERS / 「BLUE IMPACT」 Leiya: (I wanted to) ever since I became conscious  Hori: When I had the opportunity to be a support dancer for Sandaime J Soul Brothers LIVE TOUR 2014 "BLUE IMPACT”, and being able to accompany members on stage and see them up close, it seriously made me want to become an artist!  Keito: When I was participating in in the 2010 Exile Stadium Tour Yusei: When I was in middle school and sang in front of other people Sota: I like to sing and play instruments so jokingly my friends and I would sing lots of songs like a band, and it made me happy to see everyone from school watch my Timeline or receive messages, and I even won the singing competition alone at the school festival, then since I declared to the whole school “I will become a singer on the stage!” it became a dream that had to become true! (laugh) (tn: LINE Timeline (since changed to LINE VOOM) was a feature in the LINE app that allows users to post news and photos. it was essentially like facebook within the LINE app)

15. One song that has supported you through life? Sekai: Kageyama Hironobu - WE GOTTA POWER Taiki: Ketsumeishi - Nakama Sawa: EELMAN / 「Simple」 Leiya: Ketsumeishi - Nakama Hori: EXILE / 「Pure」 Keito: Going ON / EXILE, Tenohiranosune / EXILE, Kokoroe / Road of Major Yusei: Utada Hikaru - Hikari Sota: BEGIN ft アホナスターズ - Egao no Manma

16. The qualification do you want to get most right now? Sekai: Game programmer, Manga artist Taiki: Kanken (tn: The Japan Kanji Aptitude Test, it is to test the ability to read, write, and understand kanji) Sawa: Chef Leiya: Large motorcycle license Hori: Diving license (tn: this is not a typo. as in scuba diving.) Keito: Nutritionist Yusei: A teaching license! Sota: Mental health counselor. Because I love people! Please get more scared (laugh)

17. When you eat taiyaki, do you eat it starting from the head or the tail? Sekai: Head Taiki: Head Sawa: Head Leiya: Tail Hori: From the head! Keito: Head Yusei: I eat it from the head! Sota: The head! Did you think it’s the tail? It’s the head! #It's long #This is not something that needs a long answer

18. The strongest memory of shooting or interviewing with “Monthly EXILE”? Sekai: The first time we all came and made the page together by hand for the planned shoot (2017 February edition) Taiki: When we wore colorful shirts and shot a two-page layout. It was fun wearing glasses and colorful shirts like cicadas! (2019 November issue) Sawa: When I shot with Taiki-kun! (2019 May issue) Leiya: Taiki-kun’s individual published “Wanna Be, Wanna Do” Thanks to Taiki-kun’s consideration I was able to shoot something in a style I wanted to do for the first time (2018 December issue) Hori: The time before debut for Taiki’s issue and we did a shoot together with just the two of us. Even now when I think back on it, I think it was the most fun shoot! (2018 October issue) Keito: Fantastics first cover shoot (2019 February issue) Yusei: The shoot for the first time Fantastics was on the cover! (2019 February issue) Sota:The first time you let Fantastics shoot for the cover! (2019 February issue) With all of my might, thank you so much!

19. If you could use magic just once, what would you use it for? Sekai: I would make the number of uses unlimited Taiki: I want to restart my life from when I was 20! Sawa: I want to make a different self  (= ´ ∀ `)人(´ ∀ ` =) Leiya: Go back to a certain time and talk a lot Hori: To fly in the sky Keito: To fly Yusei: I want to fly! Sota: The magic to make a door anywhere #After that you can have a door everywhere

20. What do you want to be your last meal? Sekai: The tastiest thing in the world that I haven’t had the chance to eat yet Taiki: My mom’s homemade cooking Sawa: Grilled eel rice bowl!!! Leiya: My mom’s food Hori: Akadashi Miso soup (tn: miso soup that uses red bean paste) Keito: Yakiniku (grilled meat) Yusei: My mom’s homemade cooking! Sota: A hamburger!

[lemmilemura]

This is gonna be a kinda long rambly type post about TIT and Dan and Phil in general.

I can‘t sleep. Maybe it‘s my worsening sleep schedule these past few days (I blame Goro Majima), maybe it‘s the excitement of tomorrow. The fact that in less than 19 hours I‘ll be seeing Dan and Phil live. I‘ve never seen any content creator live and in person before, closest I got was getting a picture with Tom Felton a couple ears ago, 2018 I think. Sure I don‘t have any VIP or meet n greet tickets for tomorrow, but it‘s still going to be such a surreal evening.

I first started watching them during their gaming channel hiatus, maybe 2020 or 2021, I think my first video was their dog calendar which I found years after it was posted. I remember being so disappointed that I found them too late to get one myself. Now I‘m sitting here on my bed, my Dan and Phil and Cats calendar hanging above me.

So many times have I been too late to go to a show, a tour, a meet n greet. But now, finally, I‘m on time. I‘m so happy that I‘m going to the tour, and the first show nonetheless! I‘m hoping to maybe get one of the merch jackets they‘re selling, but I don‘t know if my mom will get it for me.

I‘m wondering how it‘ll go tomorrow, bringing my mom along. We‘re not native english speakers, and she struggles with it more than me, especially when the person speaking has a british accent, so that‘ll be interesting xD She also has no idea who Dan and Phil are, except the fact they‘re the guys on my calendar. She did once see me watching them in the livingroom, asked if they were the guys on my calendar, then said „They‘re together right?“ and I couldn‘t help but laugh. I told her no, they‘re not. They are both gay but not dating. I doubt she believed me.

They showed some fishnet tights in the new ‚trailer‘, which makes me think we‘ll be seeing Sister Daniel again. Makes me wonder how my mom will feel when she sees my reaction to Sister Daniel. I‘ve always loved her, I practically died when I saw the thumbnail of the Halloween baking video.

I don‘t know what I‘ll wear yet, but I do know I‘ll wear my two bracelets. They‘re those bracelets you‘re probably supposed to share with someone, being all one type of stone with one switched. I bought them at my favorite place in the world just about a month or so ago. It wasn‘t until like 15-20 minutes later, when I put them on, that I realized one was black/gray and one was orange. WAD colors. I didn‘t even get them for that reason, but I knew I was gonna wear them when I went to see them.

I practically begged my mom to get tickets. They were going live during my lunch period at school, and I remember texting my mom asking how it was going. She called me and bought them. I was so happy for the rest of the weekend. The fact that the first show was somewhere we could go, only about a 3 hour drive away, was almost magic to me. Like I was meant to go see that show. Like it was destiny. Crazy, I know.

A couple weeks ago, my mom got an advertisement e-mail by the venue. February 2025 they‘re hosting The Phantom of the Opera performances. They were expensive, but she got tickets anyway. I almost cried on the spot when she told me. POTO is one of my favorite musicals, and it is the musical I want to see the most. Sure, I love Beetlejuice and Heathers, but Phantom is Phantom! For most it‘s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I kinda trailed off at the end there, apologies. I‘d be shocked if anyone even read this far. If you did, thanks. If you didn‘t, that‘s okay too. I just wanted to rant for a little :)

I hope everyone has fun at TIT, and to everyone going to the Antwerp show, know I‘ll be there in the crowd somewhere :D

[davisexplainableart]

May 25, 2018 (Half-O-Ween 2018):

*a coffin is shown in front of a fake graveyard*

*the coffin's door slowly opens, and I.M. Weasel (dressed as a vampire) rises up from the casket*

I.M. Weasel (in a slightly harrowing tone): Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! I am Count Weasel, and welcome to Fridays. It is Friday, May 25th, and that means it's almost time for Half-O-Ween!

*Weasel laughs evilly as the headlights off camera flicker to resemble lightning, while lightning sound effects play in the background*

I.M. Weasel (speaks in his normal voice again): *looks back at the camera* Oh, but don't worry about Tommy and Tara, they're taking the week off. Not to worry, everyone, we'll be able to make do without them, at least for this week.

*Weasel steps out of the coffin*

I.M. Weasel: As you may already know if you saw last week's show, we're preparing a little game show for you viewers at home tonight. We have teamed up with some animators and copyright owners from Burbank, CA to give some lucky winners a chance to go trick-or-treating early this year.

*footage of this game show appears onscreen*

I.M. Weasel: Every half hour tonight, one of you lucky viewers will get a chance to go on a 40-second scavenger hunt. There will be 6 different house, but choose carefully! Some of them are filled with prizes for you to keep as your own, but others will be home to the scariest creatures you'll have ever laid your eyes upon!!!

*cuts back to Weasel as he laughs again*

I.M. Weasel: But not yet, of course. We've still got a night of Fridays to enjoy. But stay by your phones as you watch tonight's shows. Those who submitted texts and/or post cards and memorized our caller ID must be dying to get the opportunity of a lifetime. For now, however, let us commence with tonight's brand new Stick Friends, because we can't actually play the game until the episode is over...

..........

I.M. Weasel (drops character): Also because this isn't the costume I'm going to wear. I-I'm going to be wearing something else after the break...

================================================

While Fridays did do something Half-O-Ween related for May 31, 2019, I was more interested in including a segment from this night instead because of how interesting it is.

Here's what happened, as part of a collaboration between Great 5 Productions and Nickelodeon, we were given permission to utilize one of their Halloween events from the 90s for ourselves.

In this case, we were allowed to utilize the format of a call-in trick-or-treating game show, where players had 40-seconds to search for prizes (it's explained at 0:25 in this video).

Back when it was first created, the event was part of a yearly Halloween event/contest that Nickelodeon held known as "Nick or Treat".

We decided to remove every mention of Nickelodeon's name (including the "Nick or Treat" name) from the packaging for 2 reasons:

Some of the higher-ups were worried that the inclusion of the Nickelodeon name would be a bit too distracting on Cartoon Network.

Well... the original name sounds like... yeah, you know...

Now, how exactly did we do this call-in thing without the trademark... name...?

Well, what we did was give out a phone number and caller ID (I believe it was "CN Fridays" or something) on May 18, 2018 for people to write down and memorize. Viewers who texted "Half-O-Ween" to that phone number were asked to label that number with the ID that was featured on Fridays. The viewers would know that they won based on what the caller ID was.

Oh yeah, and we managed to get a hold of the original game show's music, as well as a non-music version to prevent musical confusion with sound effects during the game. That was weird because when TeenNick's "The Splat" brought back the game show thing for Halloween 2015 (a few years before this), they apparently didn't have the original track with them. Not sure what happened there.

For this Fridays show, 2 games were played every hour of the block. Each hour was hosted by different Cartoon Cartoon characters (while Tommy and Tara had the week off), each wearing costumes that were similar to (or exactly) the ones they wore during the CCF Halloween Party.

I can't quite remember all of the hosts, or what order they went in, but I believe Dexter (as Courage) and Blossom (as Eddy) were 2 of the ones who appeared (as well as Weasel of course).

As for why the Halloween CNF logo is here despite being May? Well, since we forgot to use the logo in October 2017, we decided to make up for that by using it here.

Alright, that's all I got for you guys. Happy Half-O-Ween, everybody!

[trobador-adjacent]

Remembered a thing from my childhood today, so I'm ramble posting about it just so someone hears about it.

It's known that France is a literal country of weebs. The French are the largest consumers of manga outside of Japan, which is at least partly due to the prominence of comics in the French-speaking world (bande dessinée), and the quantity of anime that was on TV in the 80s and 90s (through the show Club Dorothée notably) has led to a few generations of enthusiasts of Japanese pop culture.

One result of that was Nolife. It was a TV channel that ran from 2007 to 2018, focused on 'nolife' culture, meaning games, otaku culture, technology, etc. While it was a pay channel, we just happened to have access to it at my home because it was included in our phone/internet plan, and I watched it a lot alongside the one other channel that catered to my interests, Game One.

The thing about Nolife was that they absolutely did not care to look for marketability, though. Game One, the bigger name channel that's still around, mainly covered things like current gaming news, the latest AAA games, sometimes showing big name shonen anime and mainstream pop culture stuff. Meanwhile, Nolife covered every single aspect of its subject.

They covered gaming news and reviewed games in their weekly show, but they gave the same screen time to AAA games as they did to obscure Xbox Live Arcade releases or Japanese games not certain to have American releases, let alone European ones. They gave a ton of attention to retro games, even series with no present relevance; there was even one show focused on superplays, aka score or challenge playthroughs, of mostly arcade games which is the only reason I even know the term. And it was all done with great care, too, always treating the subject and the viewer with respect.

They occasionally had manga and anime reviews and I remember sometimes seeing very niche anime series, but that was actually rare; a lot of their otaku culture coverage was about much deeper aspects like music, from rock (I heard supercell for the first time on there) to freaking idol groups (there was a popular idol who made regular appearances and hosted a small segment for years), and parts of actual Japanese culture, somewhat. You know those shows on Japanese TV where they have a celebrity visit a prefecture and go 'wowee!' at whatever tourist attraction or food specialty they have? They had something that was either an in-house translation of such a show or that they actually produced. It wasn't exactly great considering what these shows are, but it was certainly authentic!

And then, since they were more or less indies themselves, they gave a LOT of attention to indie works of various kinds as well. They were, as far as I know, the first channel in the country to air web live-action series. It gave a lot of attention and budget to works that couldn't really be financially sound if published on YouTube or elsewhere on the 2010s Internet ; notable names include Noob and Le Visiteur which have become franchises today.

I didn't always get the chance to watch Nolife, nor did I always understand or appreciate everything they showed when I was too little. But damn, do I cherish that time. Reflecting on it now, I think Nolife deeply affected the way I engaged with my interests later in life because it wasn't afraid to be niche and specific and treat niche and specific things with respect and attention. It didn't care to aim for the lowest common denominator and didn't assume its viewers ignorant, it just gave everything the coverage it needed.

Sadly, it didn't work out commercially in the end, as Nolife went bankrupt in 2018 after struggling financially for years; but its impact remained and there are still fans singing bardic tales. One person has been uploading segments from the channel to Youtube daily; they're up to over 1600 videos now. While it's not yet close to how much quality content was shown on Nolife in its lifetime, it's a great repository.

That's all. There's no big moral to this post or anything, I really just wanted to talk about this one French TV channel. No one outside of France would hear about it otherwise; I think it deserves to be known about. Thank you for reading.

[autumnslance]

LynMars’s FFXIV Write 2022 Master Post

Writings completed for this year’s daily challenge. As usual any of my ship-related content is marked with an asterisk (*) to seek or avoid as needed.

The goal this year was to write less than I have in previous years; to allow myself shorter scenes and not push myself on free days. To actually relax, have fun, and not stress about writing “enough”. To make my prose just as long as it needed to be.

Overall, I succeeded in said goals.

Breakdowns and commentary under the cut for those interested!

1. Cross - Two travelers’ journey over time & adventuring together. 2. Bolt - Iyna doing her duty as a rebel versus the Empire. 3. Temper - Midgardsormr keeps a promise to forge a hero. 4. Free Day! 5. Cutting Corners - Dark Autumn after a company officer meeting. 6. Onerous - Thancred & the Immortal Flames, post-Ifrit. 7. Pawn - Emelia obtains passage for her family to Thavnair. 8. Tepid - Zaine realizing he doesn’t belong with the Radiant Host. 9. Yawn - Aeryn escaping the Bloody Banquet through the tunnel. 10. Channel - C’oretta’s thought processes. 11. Free Day! 12. Miss the Boat - Urianger, Moenbryda, and regrets. 13. Confluence - Venat tracing the flow of fate. 14. Attrition - Ser Ompagne has a brief theological discussion. 15. Row - Dark versus a certain baby behemoth. 16. Deiform - Dark, Aeryn, Iyna, & C’oretta in Delubrum Reginae. 17. Novel* - Aeryn, Thancred, & a borrowed book over time. 18. Free Day - Memory* - Aeryn & Thancred discuss his possession. 19. Turn a Blind Eye - Lahabrea contemplates his mistakes. 20. Anon - Ryne learning two opposing definitions of the word. 21. Solution - 2 Azems discuss the plans for the Final Days. 22. Veracity - In a possible future, Iyna ensures history’s truth. 23. Pitch* - Thancred knows how to distract Aeryn when necessary. 24. Vicissitudes - Ascian viewpoints on their stolen mortal bodies. 25. Free Day! 26. Break a Leg - Iyna & C’oretta help the dancers at a recital. 27. Hail - An Estinien PoV of the final fight in the Aitiascope. 28. Vainglory - The Warrior of Light isn’t what Jullus expected. 29. Fuse - Tanzel thinks of ways to handle his stepchild’s temper. 30. Sojourn - A family of travelers, in 1 lifetime & perspective.

Totals: 18,813 words.

A bit more than my 2018 (around 16k), less than my 2019 (21.4K), and way less than 2020 and 2021. I was realistic about my time and energy, asked myself what is the core idea or scene I really want to get across, and any spot-editing was for tightening wording and phrases. I feel like it got harder to keep writing shorter as the month went on and my focus slipped--and I really got into a writing groove!

I could have definitely gone on longer for some of these, and do have other scene ideas and notes in the drafts. But for the 24 hour challenge I tried to keep them short, though they’re each as long as they need to be.

I did mean to put out old WIPs again on free days, but that time/energy factor combined with busy weekends, so I took them off. "Memory" actually came out of "Yawn" and was plinked at over the week before it went up for the 18th.

Only a couple wolcred fics this year; got in a good mix of NPCs and OCs, with Iyna taking a bit more of a POV spotlight in the non-Aeryn-focused stories, though all the girls got at least one. More Ancients and Ascians than I generally go with, though still made sure some favorite Scions got in there. And a bit more of Aeryn's family and backstory, as getting Thavnair finally has put that forefront in my brain.

I was hoping something would spark an idea for an Avengret chapter I feel is "missing" but I may have to resign myself to the fact that chapter doesn't want to be written as I continue revising last year's unexpected longfic. Thankfully this year's prompts were all standalones.

More Breakdowns:

Longest: 17 Novel, 2073. Shortest: 15 Row, 220.

Between 1500 - 2000: 24 Vicissitudes (1522), 29 Fuse (1678) Between 1000 - 1499: 18 Memory (1034) Between 500 - 999: 3 Temper (537), 8 Tepid (500), 10 Channel (586), 12 Miss the Boat (824), 13 Confluence (702), 14 Attrition (683), 20 Anon (839), 21 Solution (532), 22 Veracity (857), 28 Vainglory (864), 30 Sojourn (989) Between 200 - 499: 1 Cross (386), 2 Bolt (299), 5 Cutting Corners (445), 6 Onerous (488), 7 Pawn (300), 9 Yawn (375), 15 Row (220), 16 Deiform (375), 19 Turn a Blind Eye (277), 23 Pitch (481), 26 Break a Leg (462), 27 Hail (485)

General WoL: 1 Cross, 3 Temper, 13 Confluence, 22 Veracity I tend to default to feminine pronouns when writing Generic Default WoL.

WoL Aeryn (as an adult): 6 Onerous, 9 Yawn, 16 Deiform, 17 Novel, 18 Memory, 23 Pitch, 27 Hail, 28 Vainglory, 30 Sojourn

Wolcred: 17 Novel, 18 Memory, 23 Pitch.

Child Aeryn: 7 Pawn, 29 Fuse

Aeryn’s Family: 7 Pawn, 8 Tepid, 29 Fuse, 30 Sojourn

Other OCs: 2 Bolt (Iyna), 5 Cutting Corners (Dark), 10 Channel (C'oretta), 15 Row (Dark & Violet), 16 Deiform (Iyna, Dark, C'oretta, Aeryn), 21 Solution (Pandora), 22 Veracity (Iyna), 26 Break a Leg (Iyna & C'oretta)

Ancients & Ascians: 13 Confluence (Venat), 19 Turn a Blind Eye (Lahabrea), 21 Solution (Venat), 24 Vicissitudes (Lahabrea & Emet-Selch)

Other NPCs: 3 Temper (Midgardsormr), 12 Miss the Boat (Urianger, Moenbryda, Louisoix), 14 Attrition (Ser Ompagne), 20 Anon (Ryne, Ran’jit, Thancred), 27 Hail (Estinien, other Scions)

[regina-pats]

Did the Regina Pats waste Connor Bedard's Talent?

A lot of people are upset after last night's game, like myself. I lot of people are blaming coaching, individual players, management decisions, and even Bedard himself. This isn't okay.

In short, the Pats absolutely didn't waste his talent.

Bedard (and likely his agent as well) made the decision not to get traded to a team that would be more likely to advance further in the playoffs and Memorial Cup. If he went to Kamloops, he would have an automatic ticket to the cup, if he went to Seattle, he'd already be playing with 8-10 already drafted players. Instead, he stayed with Regina. I am unsure of the specific details regarding his contracts with his agent, team, and the WHL.

Bedard is one player on the Pats, and they relied on him way too much, and it really showed in game seven. Other players, such as Tanner Howe have been overlooked, as all eyes have been concentrated on Bedard. All players made positive contributions, had a lot of first, and made some mistakes. I do think that management could have done a better job building around him, but they did great with the players that have.

Also, would teams want to trade for him? At the time of trade deadline, the season is halfway over, with roughly 30 regular season games remaining plus whatever playoff games the team gets. The team that would hypothetically trade for him would have to give up at least ten future picks for him. If you follow the OHL, the Peterborough Petes got a lot of picks for McTavish and the Kingston Frontenacs got even more picks for Shane Wright (look how that one went lol). What I'm trying to say is that they're risking two to three years of their future for a single player.

This happened with the Regina Pats when they hosted the cup in 2018. They put went all in, did really bad for the next few years and lucked into Bedard (the pick originally came from the Swift Current Broncos).

Bedard has easily brought in 1.5 million dollars into the WHL alone, and probably even more into the Regina community. People have been coming in from the USA and all over Canada to see him play. They don't want to see the Pats play, they want to see Bedard play. This has brought employment into the community. Where that be direct employment from the Pats or Brandt (company that owns the Pats), or indirectly (hospitality services at the rink and in Regina too).

He has also popularized the game for so many people that may not have started playing if it wasn't for him. He's brought a lot to the community, doing skates and practices with youth hockey leagues, the children will always remember that.

For that I thank him for what he has brought to Regina, and the broader hockey community.

Best of luck to Bedard and his future career. A true, once-in-a-lifetime, generational player.

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To The Captivating Australian 🇦🇺 Actress That Graced DC COMICS Character Of The Legendary Dark Knight's Cousin 🦇

She is an Australian model, actress, disc jockey and television presenter. She was a presenter on MTV Australia (2007–2011), followed by several high-profile modelling gigs, including Maybelline New York in Australia. In addition, she has co-hosted various television shows, including Australia's Next Top Model (2009) and The Project on Network Ten (2009–2011).

She pursued a career in acting from 2008 onwards. She had a small role in the drama film Around the Block (2013) and came to wider attention for her role in season three of the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black (2015–2016). She also had roles in the action films Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016), XXX: Return of Xander Cage (2017) and John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) and co-starred in the musical comedy Pitch Perfect 3 (2017) and the monster film The Meg (2018). 

& then in 2019 She Played The Role Of A Lifetime That Gained Her International Fame As The CW'S 1ST Lesbian Superheroine To Have Her Own TV Show On Primetime Television 📺

& Based In DC COMICS Cousin Of The Dark Knight Himself.

Kate Kane aka

BATWOMAN 🦇

From 2019 to 2020.  She Left For Particular Reasons But Hopefully She Will Return.

Please Wish This Kick@$$ Aussie Actress 🇦🇺 Of This New Age A Very Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

Ms. Ruby Rose  aka BATWOMAN 🦇🌹 

[tourporlaindiaseo]

Rangers

Based in Arlington, Texas, the Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team. They play Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) West Division. The Rangers have made a name for themselves in MLB thanks to their fierce fan following and competitive performance.

History and Accomplishments: Founding: The team was originally founded in 1961 as the Washington Senators, a D.C.-based expansion squad. The team changed their name to the Texas Rangers and moved to Arlington, Texas in 1972.

Ballpark: From 1994 to 2019, Globe Life Park in Arlington hosted the Rangers. They relocated to Globe Life Field, a cutting-edge ballpark featuring a retractable roof, in 2020.

Notable Seasons: The Rangers have seen a number of prosperous seasons, including a few memorable postseason trips. They missed winning the championship both times, but they made it to the World Series for the first time in 2010 and again in 2011.

Important Players: Ryan Nolan: Ryan, a Hall of Famer and renowned pitcher, was a member of the Rangers from 1989 to 1993. He later held the positions of president and CEO for the franchise. He was well-known for his strong fastball and multiple strikeout records.

Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez: One of the all-time finest catchers in baseball history, Rodriguez is a Hall of Fame catcher. He was renowned for his outstanding hitting and defense abilities and played much of his career with the Rangers.

Adrián Beltré: From 2011 to 2018, Beltré, a future Hall of Famer and fan favorite, played third base for the Rangers. He was well-known for his strong hitting, excellent defense, and endearing demeanor.

Recent Performance: Playoff Runs: The Rangers have made multiple postseason berths in the last few years as they have remained competitive in the AL West. For future success, they are committed to assembling a formidable team. Community Involvement: Texas Rangers Foundation: The team supports numerous philanthropic causes and youth activities as part of its active community involvement through the Texas Rangers Foundation. The foundation works to improve the Dallas-Fort Worth region through focusing on health, education, and community assistance. Fan Interaction: Globe Life Field: With a retractable roof that guarantees ideal playing conditions in all weather situations, the Rangers' new home, Globe Life Field, provides a contemporary and comfortable fan experience. Modern amenities, a wide variety of food options, and great game views are all characteristics of the ballpark.

Fan Interaction: The Rangers have a devoted following and communicate with them frequently via social media, events, and neighborhood initiatives. The group's dedication to offering a fun-filled, family-friendly experience has helped them develop a devoted fan base.

In conclusion, the Texas Rangers in Major League Baseball have a bright future and a rich history. They remain a formidable force in the league, combining youthful, exciting potential with the experience of seasoned veterans. They are a cherished and esteemed franchise because of their dedication to playing at the highest level and their involvement in the community off the field.

The Texas Rangers provide an entertaining and thrilling baseball experience that exemplifies the spirit of community and competitiveness, whether you're a seasoned fan or new to the game.

ALSO READ-

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With Tour Por la India Company, reserve your Sunrise Tour to the Taj Mahal today and start your voyage of exploration.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

Tomorrow (June 3) at 1:30PM, I’m in Edinburgh for the Cymera Festival on a panel with Nina Allen and Ian McDonald.

Monday (June 5) at 7:15PM, I’m in London at the British Library with my novel Red Team Blues, hosted by Baroness Martha Lane Fox.

On Tuesday (June 6), I’m on a Rightscon panel about interoperability.

On Wednesday (June 7), I’m keynoting the Re:publica conference in Berlin.

On Thursday (June 8) at 8PM, I’m at Otherland Books in Berlin.

#15yrsago John McCain vows to continue Bush’s illegal warrantless wiretapping program https://www.wired.com/2008/06/mccain-id-spy-o/

#10yrsago OccupyGezi: the People’s Bulldozer https://occupygezipics.tumblr.com/post/52008000563/peoples-bulldozer-chases-police-toma-vehicles-in

#10yrsago Meet austerity’s millionaires https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/jun/01/top-earners-millionaires-inequality-city-finance

#10yrsago Gas-mask dervish: #occupygezi https://twitter.com/joeman42/status/341492885650292738

#5yrsago Private equity bosses took $200m out of Toys R Us and crashed the company, lifetime employees got $0 in severance https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/06/01/how-can-they-walk-away-with-millions-and-leave-workers-with-zero-toys-r-us-workers-say-they-deserve-severance/

#5yrsago Bernie Sanders rallies Disneyland employees for a $15 minimum wage https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/390430-bernie-sanders-disney-needs-moral-defense-for-having-hungry-workers-while/

#5yrsago UK consumer review magazine Which?: your smart home is spying on you, from your TV to your toothbrush https://web.archive.org/web/20180603221154/https://www.which.co.uk/news/2018/06/which-investigation-reveals-staggering-level-of-smart-home-surveillance/

#5yrsago America is the world’s first poor rich country https://eand.co/why-america-is-the-worlds-first-poor-rich-country-17f5a80e444a

#5yrsago Zuckerberg blows off Facebook shareholders’ demand for transparency, says he’s committed to transparency https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/06/01/corporate-dictatorship-facebook-shareholders-get-their-turn-to-grill-mark-zuckerberg/

#5yrsago Illinois votes to eliminate inmates’ doctor visit co-pays, equivalent to one month’s wages https://www.themarshallproject.org/2018/05/30/the-580-co-pay

Catch me on tour with Red Team Blues in Edinburgh, London, and Berlin!

[mip248]

This post contains a copy of my config.gateway.json for my Ubiquiti Unifi USG 3 unit, and I'll go through it as to help explain it, as I find it helps me, and could very well help someone else. I'm not one to enjoy doing this in HTML, but Tumblr doesn't allow plaintext, and I would've just dumped it there.

I have a particular set of needs that require me to use the json file, and quite frankly, I dread doing it, because the Unifi controller is located offsite, and if the json file is in any part incorrect, the device will get thrown into a provisioning loop. It's also a bit double-sided - I'd love to get one of the new Unifi Gateways, but the Controller itself is still garbage, and doesn't allow for custom magic to happen. The new gateways do not allow for config.gateway.json files to be used to configure custom magic.

I use this because I need to:

Map DNS Hostnames to certain IP addresses (which, anyone that uses the USG's DNS resolver knows, it's garbage, and doesn't do well)

Perform Conditional Forwarding for a certain domain to an offsite location

As a direct result of this, I also need to set the upstream DNS resolvers (see note in parantheses on the first dot-point)

Have a NAT/Masquerade intact to allow me to access my Modem's (USG's WAN1) web-admin page from the LAN side of the USG (LAN1)

Provide ULA IPv6 addresses to my local networks. I haven't put my thoughts on IPv6 here (yet). In any case, I require local, static IPv6 addresses for servers, services etc., and addresses supplied by my RSP of choice at any given time doesn't cater for that.

For the section of the file that references the /24 IPv4 address, this is necessary!!!

Create the Pseudo-Ethernet interface to allow me to access my Modem (as per the third dot-point)

Sources include:

https://garan.org/2018/12/07/pihole-with-ipv6-ula-on-unifi-usg/

https://websitemigrationguides.com/guide.php?migrate=13

https://davejlong.com/dns-conditional-forwarding-on-unifi-security-gateway/

https://mirum.org/blog/2019/02/16/unifi-dns-record.html

  {     "system": {         "static-host-mapping": {             "host-name": {                 "srv-srv01.blah.blah": {                     "inet": [                         "xxx.xx.x.xx"                     ]                 },                 "prod-srv-pihole01.blah.blah": {                     "inet": [                         "xxx.xx.x.xx"                     ]                 },                 "prod-srv-ftp01.blah.blah": {                     "inet": [                         "xxx.xx.x.xx"                     ]                 }             }         }     },     "service": {         "dns": {             "forwarding": {                 "options": [                     "server=/boring.blah/xxx.xx.x.xxx",                     "server=1.0.0.2",                     "server=9.9.9.9"                 ]             }         },         "nat": {             "rule": {                 "5000": {                     "destination": {                         "address": [                             "xxx.xxx.x.x"                         ]                     },                     "outbound-interface": [                         "peth0"                     ],                     "type": "masquerade"                 }             }         }     },     "interfaces": {         "ethernet": {             "eth1": {                 "address": [                     "xxx.xx.x.x/24",                     "xxxx:xxxx:xx::1/64"                 ],                 "ipv6": {                     "router-advert": {                         "prefix": {                             "xxxx:xxxx:xx::1/64": {                                 "autonomous-flag": "true",                                 "on-link-flag": "true",                                 "preferred-lifetime": "14400",                                 "valid-lifetime": "86400"                             }                         }                     }                 }             }         },         "pseudo-ethernet": {             "peth0": {                 "address": [                     "192.168.1.2/24"                 ],                 "description": "Access to Modem",                 "link": [                     "eth0"                 ]             }         }     } }

[theultimatefan]

Linda Hamilton, Jeff Ward, Peter Weller Head Next Wave of Celebrity Guests At FAN EXPO New Orleans

Linda Hamilton (The Terminator franchise, Dante’s Peak), Jeff Ward (“One Piece,” “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), Peter Weller (RoboCop, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension) and Felicia Day (“The Guild,” “Supernatural”) headline the next wave of celebrity guests appearing at FAN EXPO New Orleans, set for January 5-7, 2024, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The four will be joined by Lana Parrilla (“Once Upon a Time,” “Spin City”), Ethan Suplee (“My Name is Earl,” Remember the Titans), Sonequa Martin-Green (“Star Trek: Discovery,” “The Walking Dead”) and Eman Esfandi (“Ahsoka,” King Richard) as new additions to the convention lineup.

Tickets for FAN EXPO New Orleans are available at fanexpohq.com/fanexponeworleans/buy-tickets, with a variety of individual single day, 3-day and Ultimate Fan Packages to choose from.

Hamilton first turned heads in 1984’s The Terminator, following up with a co-starring role as “Assistant District Attorney Catherine Chandler” opposite Ron Perlman in “Beauty and the Beast.” She reprised her “Sarah Connor” role in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Terminator: Dark Fate, and has shown versatility in her more than 80 credits with spots on “Frasier” and the lead in the Lifetime holiday film Home by Christmas.

Ward currently stars as “Buggy” in the action Netflix series “One Piece,” following up on a three-year, 45-episode spin in “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” as “Deke Shaw,” the complex character who proved popular with fans. He also co-starred in the 2021 Netflix horror/drama mini-series “Brand New Cherry Flavor” and portrayed Charles Manson in the Lifetime TV movie “Manson’s Lost Girls” in 2016.

Accomplished actor, director, voice over artist and occasional professor Weller’s amazing career has taken him from the mean streets of old Detroit to the final frontier of space. He has appeared in more than 50 films and television series, notably in the title role in 1987’s RoboCop and its sequel RoboCop 2 and as the title character in the quirky 1984 sci-fi cult film The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.

Day has more than 100 credits, from films to TV series to voice work, with many highlights including a 66-episode run on “The Guild” and recurring spots on “Supernatural” and “Eureka.” She teamed with original series host Joel Hodgson for a five-year run on the recent iteration of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” and had her first big fandom exposure in a recurring role as “Vi” on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

Parrilla appeared in 156 episodes of the ABC hit fantasy/adventure series “Once Upon a Time” between 2011-2018, for which she earned several awards, including TV Guide’s Favorite Villain, and numerous nominations. She has had recurring roles in hits “Spin City,” “Boomtown,” “24” and “Windfall,” and co-starred as “Lana Trammell” in this year’s Netflix release of the second season of “The Lincoln Lawyer.”

Suplee has had nearly 100 film and TV roles, from comedies like the Kevin Smith productions Mallrats, Dogma and Clerks III, “My Name is Earl,” and “Boy Meets World” to dramas such as Remember the Titans and The Butterfly Effect.

Martin-Green portrayed “Sasha Williams” on “The Walking Dead” from 2012-17, and has wowed fans as “Michael Burnham” in “Star Trek: Discovery” for the past six years. Some of her other major credits include Space Jam: A New Legacy and recurring roles on “Once Upon a Time” and “The Good Wife.”

Esfandi co-starred opposite Rosario Dawson, David Tennant and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in this year’s Disney+ miniseries “Ahsoka,” part of the Star Wars universe. He has also been seen in King Richard with Will Smith and The Inspection with Jeremy Pope and Gabrielle Union.

The eight newcomers join an already impressive autograph area that includes Danny Trejo (Machete, The Book of Boba Fett), the "Daredevil" tandem of Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio, Katee Sackhoff (Star Wars’ “The Mandalorian”), Jon Bernthal (“The Punisher,” “The Walking Dead”), Sean Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, “Avengers: Infinity War”), the “Charmed” duo of Holly Marie Combs and Rose McGowan, Peter Cullen (Transformers), Jason Lee (Vanilla Sky, Almost Famous) and voice acting stars of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” Barry Gordon (“Donatello”), Cam Clarke (“Leonardo”), Townsend Coleman (“Michelangelo”) and Rob Paulsen (“Raphael”).

FAN EXPO New Orleans features the biggest and best in pop culture: movies, TV, music, artists, writers, exhibitors, cosplay, with three full days of themed programming to satisfy every fandom. More guest news will be released in the following weeks, including line-up reveals for comic creator guests, voice actors, and cosplayers.

FAN EXPO New Orleans runs January 5-7 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. Show hours are Friday 4 - 9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tickets start at $28 during the advanced prices window until December 21, and begin at $38 from December 22 through the end of the show; 3-day passes and VIP packages also available at fanexpohq.com/fanexponeworleans/buy-tickets. More information and updates can be found at fanexpohq.com/fanexponeworleans.

New Orleans is the first event on the 2024 FAN EXPO HQ calendar; the full schedule is available at fanexpohq.com/home/events/.

[worldofwardcraft]

The Case of the Suspiciously Timed Trademarks.

August 21, 2023

Republicans would like the media spotlight to remain fixed on the imaginary "Biden crime family," rather than on Donald Trump's four (count 'em!) criminal indictments. But, in the meantime, little notice is being paid to the lawlessness of the nefarious Trump clan. Even Democrats, it seems, have no appetite for scrutinizing failson Donny Junior's shady business dealings or son-in-law Jared Kusher's multi-billion dollar pay-offs from Middle Eastern governments. And it's been years since anyone's so much as mentioned favorite daughter Ivanka's sketchy trademarks. But it's worth more than a mention.

Prior to her becoming an adviser to the president, Ivanka was an active participant in the Trump Organization's day-to-day corruption. She also flogged lines of jewelry, shoes and apparel, plus an array of Ivanka-branded skincare lotions, sprays and unguents. But upon her father's election, the Chinese government suddenly found it advantageous for some unexplained reason to award the presidential daughter armloads of product trademarks. The timing of this bounty was fishy to say the least.

Between March and July 2016, Ivanka applied for 36 trademarks in China. By the time of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the US in April 2017, seven had already been approved. With three of them gaining approval the same day she dined with President Xi.

In May of 2018, she was granted approval for six more trademarks. And a week later President Trump announced his intent to save the Chinese telecommunications company ZTE, which had been banned from purchasing US components. She won another trademark when her father declared he would allow ZTE to remain open. And an additional three when he agreed to lift sanctions against the company. The coincidences kept piling up.

By April of 2019, the Chinese government had granted a total of 41 trademarks to Ivanka's companies. And, according to Forbes senior editor Dan Alexander's book, White House, Inc., the trademarks she applied for after Donald Trump's 2016 election victory got approved about 40% faster than those she requested before it.

These trademarks cover (mostly Chinese-made) fashion items like handbags, shoes, wedding dresses and jewelry. But also other items, including nursing homes, sausage casing and voting machines. Observed Politico at the time,

Taken together, the trademarks could allow her brand to market a lifetime’s worth of products in China, from baby blankets to coffins, and a host of things in between, including perfume, make-up, bowls, mirrors, furniture, books, coffee, chocolate and honey.

So, did Ivanka Trump use her White House connection to obtain commercial trademarks for her company and enrich herself? It sure is a mystery.

[scollardauctions]

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