#Lyman Run State Park

[kozmophotos]

PA Wilds

The PA Wilds is made up of over 2 million acres of public land in Potter, Taiga, Lycoming, Warren, McKean, northern Centre, Elk, Cameron, Clearfield, Clarion, Forest, Clinton, and Jefferson Counties.  It is said to be the largest green area between New York City and Chicago. It is also home to some of the darkest skies on the East Coast. There is something about being out in the great outdoors…

[southofeerie]

modern west wing social media hcs

i feel like charlie would have the most normal social media acct and following, like maybe an instagram where he posts pictures of himself (mostly for family), and like a twitter where he occasionally retweets his friends or bartlet. he likes making fun of other people (especially senior staff) for being too stuck to their devices, and a large online presence would take away that ability

CJ’s twitter is less incendiary than she’d like, since she’s the face of the bartlet administration, and so a lot of it is discussing policy or clarifying briefings. she does retweet a lot of good edu sites or interesting articles she finds. she herself trends a lot, she’s pretty famous online as a political icon ala AOC or bernie sanders, and she gets a lot of edits made online from press conferences (which she enjoys bragging abt to the other staff, while making fun of them for being out-of-touch). CJ also has a private instagram that hogan had her make, but she only posts extremely blurry pictures of coffee and her goldfish with captions like “hogan said to post to remind people that im alive”. toby always replies with “sending the pictures to MOMA. breathtaking” and danny replies with “breaking news. press secretary reveals she is still alive. more at 7”.

leo does not have social media because he still has a flip phone and a brick laptop. he says he prefers hearing bad news out loud or reading it on physical paper, but really, he just can’t figure out how to work it. im talking types “google” into google, then types “hello find me a map of the united states of america” in the search bar. margaret tried to help but seeing him type google into google physically pained her

josh is banned from twitter (after he pissed off three midwestern states, basket weavers, and most hollywood producers in the first week in office). cj regularly checks to make sure he hasn’t made a new account. he has a public instagram, but cj looks over captions before he posts (he once tried to ask the president for permission to get a new account but the president sided with cj). most of his posts are about encouraging people to vote or be more politically active. he is also not allowed to reply to comments on the instagram, so he reads them out loud in a mocking voice to donna. unbeknownst to him, there is a white house deputy chief of staff twitter page run by donna (with cj’s permission) that discusses white house initiatives and shares fun anecdotes abt day to day work. anytime someone tells josh they love his twitter account he assumes they mean instagram, and nobody tells him until bartlet is two years out of office

donna, like charlie, has an instagram mostly for her family back home, but also has a twitter where she talks about tv shows she likes and her hobbies, that has a decent following. she might have a tumblr but again it would be abt tv shows and hobbies she has

toby is on goodreads and instagram (but only to leave sarcastic comments on his friends’ posts). he hates twitter’s word count limit and how it’s owned by elon musk, and rants abt it often. he leaves lengthy reviews on any political commentary article in the comments section. this has been brought up in the briefing room, to the point where cj has a recording of herself saying “toby ziegler’s online rants are not indicative of president bartlet’s views. if you have any questions please direct them to ziegler himself”

president bartlet has facebook </3. there’s a white house twitter page run by an intern, but he’s not involved with that. he posts fun facts about national parks or ancient latin novels, but each fact starts with something like “joshua lyman, 🧍‍♂️deputy chief of staff, 🇺🇸doesn’t understand the true beauty of yellowstone national park 🙄🏞🏜🤦‍♂️”. most people think it’s a parody account and cj doesn’t want to correct them

abbey does not have facebook, despite her husbands insistence that it’s better than twitter. on the rare occasions she uses her account it’s mostly to discuss important medical breakthroughs and her daughter’s work

sam has a really popular instagram, where he posts selfies and pretty pictures of the white house and captions like “having a great day at work today!” or “white house at sunset.. gorgeous”. he posts on his story a lot, and comes off as very relatable to the public. he’s cj’s dream social media user

will bailey runs campaign social medias pretty well but his own twitter account is mostly for promoting the campaigns. occasionally he retweets stuff his friends post, or tweets out funny jokes he hears.

margaret is tumblr famous, but never posts abt her job. her posts regularly wind up on other sites. she hasn’t told anybody and doesn’t plan to

[twwpress]

Weekly Press Briefing #49: May 28th - June 3rd

Welcome back to the Weekly Press Briefing, where we bring you highlights from The West Wing fandom each week, including new fics, ongoing challenges, and more! This briefing covers all things posted from May 28 - June 3, 2023! Did we miss something? Let us know; you can find our contact info at the bottom of this briefing!

Challenges/Prompts:

The following is a roundup of open challenges/prompts. Do you have a challenge or event you’d like us to promote? Be sure to get in touch with us! Contact info is at the bottom of this briefing.

The Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda Josh/Donna prompt fest (hosted by @jessbakescakes and @thefinestmuffin) is open for claiming; fics reveal on June 24th. Details here. 

Photos/Videos:

Here’s what was posted from May 28 - June 3.

Amy Landecker posted photos of her and Brad’s trip to Harvard for Brad’s son George’s graduation from Harvard.

Amy Landecker posted a photo of Brad doing the Leg Thing in Boston.

Dule Hill posted a photo of his son saluting Retired United States Air Force Colonel Norman A. McDaniel in honor of Memorial Day. 

Marlee Matlin posted a photo and a birthday wish for her friend.

Marlee Matlin posted a video for Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.

Mary McCormack posted a TikTok of her daughter Rose singing and playing guitar. 

Melissa Fitzgerald posted a picture of her dog Evie for her 15th birthday. 

Rob Lowe posted behind-the-scenes footage with his son Johnny from their show Unstable.

Donna Moss Daily: May 28 | May 29 | May 30 | May 31 | June 1 | June 2 | June 3

Daily Josh Lyman: May 28 | May 29 | May 30 | May 31 | June 1 | June 2 | June 3

No Context BWhit: May 28 | May 29 | May 30 | May 31 | June 1 | June 2 | June 3

Allison Janney Updates: May 30

Editors’ Choice:

It’s summer in D.C., so today we’re recommending some of our favorite fics with the best of summer vibes for you to read beachside!

it's just a water view (and what a view) by mikaylawrites for JessBakesCakes | Rated M | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | Now he thinks of the kids they’ve seen on this trip, chubby babies in unbelievably tiny hats and toddlers running through the tide on unsteady legs. They were cute, sure, but didn’t inspire any real paternal instinct in him. But then he conjures up images of babies with blonde hair and dimples, with his complexion and Donna’s eyes, and something catches in his chest. If he’s being honest, he’s imagined those babies for years.

Josh and Donna and their babies at the beach.

 Shenandoah by hufflepuffhermione | Rated G | Gen Fic/No Pairings Listed | Complete | The President makes good on his threat of a staff field trip to Shenandoah National Park, Josh tries to prove he's an outdoorsman, Sam fights a bush, and Donna just tries to keep them all on schedule.

august, honey (you were mine) by sam_writes_fics | Rated M | Josh Lyman/Sam Seaborn | Complete | “Just Sam,” he answers, dropping his duffle bag off his shoulder and holding out his hand to shake. “Sam Seaborn.”

“Josh Lyman,” the other man says as he grasps Sam’s hand. “Looks like we’re bunk mates for the summer.”

// summer camp counselors au

[originally titled nothin' like you, renamed on sep 7 after much debate]

 if i had a wish (i'd wish for sunshine all the while) by JessBakesCakes for mikaylawrites  | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | “The parent who volunteered to coach Leah’s team ended up getting a job transfer. I know it’s short notice, but do you know of anyone who could possibly take that spot?”

// basically an excuse to write tee ball coach dad Josh Lyman.

 heat of the moment by rearviewmirror | Rated M | Abbey Bartlet/Leo McGarry | Complete | "There’s another reason her innocent teasing hits home so acutely: he’s planning- and has been, for weeks now- what needs to be the greatest, most romantic gesture of his entire life."

 all i ever wanted (was a life in your shape) by thefinestmuffins | Rated M | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | Donna sighs and slumps further into her Adirondack chair, pretending to read her magazine, but keeps stealing glances at Josh. He sticks out like a sore thumb amidst her throng of brothers, who are, to a number, tall and broad and blond, with a wholesome, open-faced Midwestern quality. Even at 5’11”, Josh still looks slight amongst them, dark-headed and wiry, palpably radiating his particular brand of beltway cynicism. He’s been fully integrated into the Moss brood, though, with a train of children trailing in his wake all morning: she’s witnessed him happily tossing her nephews around, hoisting her niece up onto his back, sparring good-naturedly with her brothers about whether a pitch was a strike or a ball. And it’s a good thing, it really is — she’d worried he wouldn’t get along with her family and after a couple of hours they’re all thick as thieves — so why exactly does it feel like she’s been struck in the chest with a pickaxe?

Josh is dating Amy. And yet, here he is, in Wisconsin, winning over Donna's entire family and making her acutely aware of everything she doesn't have.

*songfic to Strawberry Blond by Mitski, for October 2021 Big Block of Cheese Day*

 i’ll love you with all the madness in my soul by crossingdelancey | Rated T | C. J. Cregg/Toby Ziegler, Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet | Complete | Through the open window, he hears children giggling, and he figures they’ve taken breakfast outside for the second day in a row. They’ve been blessed with good weather this summer, with temperatures climbing daily. Toby isn’t pleased about that, and he insists he’ll burn, but CJ tells him to lighten up.

When he reaches to undo her towel, she slaps his wrist.

“We’ll be late.”

“We don’t have anywhere to be.” — in which the zieglers spend summer at the farm

Fics:

Presenting your weekly roundup of fics posted in the tag for The West Wing on Archive of Our Own.

Josh/Donna

Errors and Omissions by Chinesepapercut | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

don’t talk (put your head on my shoulder) by flowersinapril | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

Wonderful in a Loathsome sort of Way by JayeReid1 | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

Domestic Days by spooky_spacegirl | Rated G | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

it ain't nothing but a family thing by hell_to_breakfast | Not Rated | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

 C.J./Danny

Writer’s Block by krazykitkat | Rated T | Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg | Complete

your love is a secret I’m hoping, dreaming, dying to keep  by Luppiters | Rated G | Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg | In Progress

Ten Weeks by Jxjxjx | Rated T | Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg | Complete

Off the Record by  onekisstotakewithme for daylight_angel, miabicicletta, Luppiters, hondagirll | Rated T | Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg | In Progress

 Other Pairings/Gen Fic

it started off with a kiss... now it ended up like this by imawkwardlysoc | Rated G | Sam Seaborn/Original Female Character | In Progress

even i don’t know myself tonight by belledamn | Rated M | Ainsley Hayes/Donna Moss | Complete

Multiple Pairings

Paradise City by casliyn | Rated E | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Josh Lyman & Donna Moss, Amy Gardner/Josh Lyman | In Progress

Operation in the Desert by mlea7675 | Rated T | Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet, Helen Santos/Matt Santos, Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Ainsley Hayes/Sam Seaborn, Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg, C. J. Cregg/Toby Ziegler, Will Bailey/Kate Harper, Zoey Bartlet/Charlie Young, Leo McGarry/Annabeth Schott | In Progress

Golden State by miabicicletta for Luppiters, onekisstotakewithme, hondagirll, ballroompink, stars_inthe_sky | Rated M | Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg, Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

The Best of Wives and The Best of Women by DeborahSampson1776 | Rated T | Ainsley Hayes/Sam Seaborn, Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg, Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet, Zoey Bartlet/Charlie Young, Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Cliff Calley/Donna Moss, Andrea Wyatt/Toby Ziegler, Amy Gardner/Josh Lyman | In Progress

THE WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING TEAM CAN BE REACHED VIA THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

Twitter: @TWWPress

Email: weeklypressbriefing@gmail.com

Feel free to let us know if we missed something, if you have an event you’d like us to promote, or if you have an item that you’d like included in the next briefing!

xx, What’s next?

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

A visit to Coral Beach

What a fun time at the beach! Coral Beach is such a lovely place - from the clear blue waters and colorful mosaics scattered throughout the boardwalk, it's one of those places ideal for vacationing based on appearance alone. No photoshopping necessary when it comes to taking pictures here!

I'm surprised that I haven't visited the beach sooner since it's about an hour away from the camp. In fact, there's still so many places nearby that I haven't been to yet. The trip was kinda a spur of the moment kind of thing Pancetti, Audie, Snooty, Lyman, and I planned at the last minute. By chance I ran into an old friend who's vacationing there too and now she's coming back with us.

So we spent a couple days at Coral Beach exploring the sights and enjoying the resort and then tomorrow we're heading back to the camp. Of course, I also spent the time catching up with Desi, who's been enjoying the seaside scenery.

Desi Rivera's an aspiring singer-songwriter who hopes to make it big one day. Right now though, she's jumping off the ladder and starting from scratch. It's a risky move, but I think it's a necessary one. Given her talent and ambition, I know that Desi will come out stronger than ever.

I met Desi at summer camp years ago. Even though we only spent one summer together, we kept in touch for a while after that. The summer camp thing was something our parents made us do and to be honest it wasn't really our thing so they didn't push us when we told them that there wasn't going to be a next summer. The experience wasn't terrible - I did make a friend after all - but summer camp and I just didn't click at all. Now that I think about it, it's kinda interesting that as an adult I'm running a camp right now - though this and summer camp are totally different.

Since Desi lived in the town nearby we often ran into each other. As we got older contact became sporadic but we occasionally said hi to each other when our paths crossed. Then as adults we regained contact on social media and have been keeping up with each other since then. Desi often posts covers and original songs, which is how she got her online following. She could've easily made it big if it weren't for certain people.

Desi's journey as a singer-songwriter is sure to become an interesting one. Ever since she could talk, Desi knew she wanted to be a singer. She always had a nice voice, one that became more refined as she got older. Talented songwriter too, with an honest and poetic way with words. And it's a damn shame that her talent has been consistently overshadowed and sidelined for white mediocrity.

Yup, I said it - mediocrity. No disrespect to Meghan Tyler and Too Cool - I mean I can see their commercial appeal, but for the most part, their music is bland and forgettable. Music tastes aside, it is pretty impressive that Desi was in the same circles as people like Meghan and Joe of the Shayne Brothers.

Desi first met the two at a camp for aspiring musicians, the well known Camp Music. She was one of many talented nobodies who wanted a glimpse at stardom. Meghan Tyler is the daughter of pop star Ann Tyler, and it was her who ran the camp, the typical queen bee. I happened to cross paths with Meghan and her friends online (unrelated reasons) and they always gave me a vibe of a high school clique. I interacted with her indirectly a couple times but then actively avoided her when her friends stirred up drama. It's one thing to vagueblog about an ex-friend who screwed you over, it's another to ruin someone's reputation by claiming that they faked their trauma just because you had a petty falling out with them.

Then there's Joe Shayne, best known as the lead singer for the Shayne Brothers. He was amazed by Desi's voice and took an interest in her. The two started off kinda rough with Joe pushing his boundaries and Desi rightfully calling him out on his entitled behavior. The whole thing was kinda like a Cinderella story with Joe trying to figure out who was the singer he overheard while passing by while Desi tried too hard to impress him after realizing who he was. By the end of the summer, they began dating, becoming regulars at Camp Music for the next several years.

Despite what the others were saying, Desi and Joe were going strong for eight years. Desi was associated with the Shayne Brothers, which was a blessing and a curse. As much as she liked Joe and his brothers, she didn't want to be known solely because of her connection to them. They were going to get engaged until last year when Desi broke things off. According to her, things had been kinda rough for a while but they tried - probably a bit too hard, in her words - to stay together. They're still friends but Desi thinks in a year or two they'll drift away, which I think is what she wants.

On one hand it's kinda sad since they've been together for so long. And from what I've heard about Joe, being with Desi helped him a lot as before he met her he was on his way to becoming a short tempered almost has-been. Basically, she made him shape up and consider his future seriously. But aside from their love of music, Desi and Joe were from completely different worlds. In the years since they got together, they've grown into two different people. The two have spoken openly about their breakup and it seems like it's for the best. Sometimes things just don't work out in the end and that's okay.

As for Meghan, Desi always had a complicated relationship with her. Being the fish out of water, Desi tried to impress Meghan, even if it meant dumbing down herself to please Meghan's ego. There was always some sort of competition between them with Desi constantly feeling like she has to prove herself. While Meghan did help Desi out with her connections and fame, Desi never felt she earned her recognition, another reason why she wanted to start from the ground up.

For years Desi was part of Meghan's band, Too Cool. While Desi occasionally had some solos that charted, she and the other members were always overshadowed by Meghan. She considers the whole experience a mixed bag, one that started out exciting but in the end the bad outweighed the good.

A few months ago, not too long after leaving Too Cool, Desi did an insightful interview for a magazine where she spoke honestly about her ups and downs with the band as well as her breakup with Joe. I always felt that she deserved better than Too Cool, especially after reading the interview. From being constantly referred to as "the Mexican one" even though she stated multiple times she's Cuban, to being told to sing slightly off key in order to make Meghan sound better - no wonder she wanted out. It's an eye opening read on the ugly side of the music industry, particularly on how WOC artists are treated.

Following her departure, another member and longtime friend of Meghan, Maria Silva, also left the band for similar reasons. She too had also spoken out about the racism she experienced, having been constantly referred to as "the Chinese one" despite being Filipino. I don't know Maria too well but she comes across as genuine and I wish her well on her solo endeavors.

Right now Desi's taking a break on music, though not entirely. She's been writing songs and making demos but it'll be a while before she releases something. For now Desi wants to celebrate her freedom, starting with a long, well deserved vacation. Then once she's had enough rest and relaxation, she plans to jump back into the music scene with a bang, this time on her own terms with her calling all the shots.

Desi's been teasing me and the campers with what she has in store. In light of the racism she experienced with Too Cool, Desi wants to embrace her Cuban culture more than ever, starting with the music. Mainstream pop radio hits aren't her thing anymore, so she's going for a new sound inspired by her Cuban roots along with her usual pop rock style she's got going on since she began writing songs. She's also considering the idea of doing an album in Spanish, though that'll depend on a lot of factors.

It's nice to see her so excited and passionate about her music - that's one of the things I love about her! Like I said, Desi's got talent and ambition, and I know that she'll successfully make a name for herself without Meghan or Joe's shadows. I mean, the demos I've heard already sound a million times better than pretty much everything Too Cool has done - imagine how the final product will be! Once the album comes out, I'll be one of the first in line to buy and download a copy.

We met up with Desi by chance at the hotel, her room being upstairs. She's been traveling around, crossing off places where she always wanted to visit. So far she's crossed off four places from her list. After Coral Beach she was debating on Hero's Tunnel and Swan Park since they're right next to each other. Since the camp's along the way, I invited her over and hopefully during her time there, she can make up her mind on where to visit first. I know she'll enjoy the camp, especially Saltwater Shores since she's a beach gal.

Coral Beach is such a beautiful place. One of the first things we did when we got there was to pose in front of the fountain and toss a bell in for a wish. Then we checked into the Coral Beach Hotel, where we got a lovely view of the ocean and fountain.

The architecture of the hotel is so pretty, it reminds me of an old village on a tropical island. Along the boardwalk are charming little shops and cafes where we got to enjoy shaved ice and fine handmade souvenirs. I got a set of cute floral teacups, a dot grid notebook with a pretty mosaic cover, a gorgeous seashell necklace, and a painted ukulele.

We went swimming and snorkeling in the ocean, where we got to see the pretty coral the place is known for. Nature can be so fascinating sometimes - the coral really does look like fancy lace! I also collected a bunch of pretty seashells like pearl oysters, which are pretty rare, as well as pink oyster shells and obsidian shells, something I've never seen before. Desi suggested that we go parasailing - her new favorite activity as of recently - so that's what we did and it was a lot of fun! We also went surfing, watched a performance at the theater, shared cocktails during happy hour, and explored the gardens.

Today we went to a mosaic workshop and made some cool decor. Then we went to a ceramics shop where we watched how bowls were made, which was pretty cool. After that we had a late lunch at Sash, where we had poke and butter mochi. Next door was a bookstore where we browsed for a while and then we spent a couple hours at the beach before heading to the hotel for dinner.

Since we aren't leaving until tomorrow afternoon, we had some time to kill so we spent it at the pool, lounging around. Desi says she's looking forward to seeing the camp and meeting up with Daisy Jane. It's so good seeing Desi relaxed and having a great time, especially after what she had to put up with during her time with Too Cool.

It's getting late now and I still have a little bit of packing left to do. The ocean's so pretty at this time of night, the way the light of the stars reflect on the water like sparkles. I can't wait to come back in the near future.

[fandom-imagines-stories]

Clouds

Josh Lyman x Reader

Words: 2373

Part 1 of 2

Summary: Head spinning from funeral preparations, the reader barely has time to grieve her father’s death. Her husband, Josh, remembers losing his dad and tries to help her through the dark days of loss.

Notes: I really wanted to write a sad Josh imagine after the sappy Christmas one, so here we go. Also, I want to write some more suspenseful and intense West Wing imagines, so hopefully I will be able to get those going as well! (This started to get long, so I’ll be splitting it into two parts. Let me know what you think!)

-

You turned the corner, saw your husband, and immediately turned back. You weren’t fast enough. 

“Y/N!” Josh shouted, pushing through a couple assistants to catch up to you. You turned around and put on an innocent smile. 

“Hi honey.” His eyebrows were furrowed and his lips turned into a deep frown. “You’re cute when you’re angry.” 

“Why did the President’s speech get moved back?” He asked with a frustrated sigh. 

“We thought it would be better for him to speak after-”

“After the Majority Leader announces that the Democrats just got screwed!” He shouted, receiving looks from the people squeezing past you. 

“Maybe we should talk about this in my office, Josh.” You said through gritted teeth. You grabbed Josh’s arm and shoved him into your office. “We decided that the speech would be too contradictory to try and make policy changes right before our other changes are shot down.”

“As opposed to sounding like a bunch of kids trying to start a fight on the playground?” He snapped. “Y/N-” You held up a finger and gave him a silencing look. 

“Need I remind you that this is my job?” You were one of the Media Specialists for the President. Josh stepped closer to you, his voice almost a growl. 

“Need I remind you that I’m technically your boss!” If you weren’t standing in the White House, you might have slapped him. The muscles in your jaw clenched as you bit your tongue to keep from saying something you’d regret. You turned away from him and sat down behind your desk. 

“You probably have something more important to do… boss.” You kept your eyes on your desk as he stormed out. Fuming, you grabbed a pencil and snapped it in half, throwing the pieces across the room. 

“Is this a bad time?” Your assistant, Lisa, asked cautiously from the doorway. 

“He pulled the authority card, Lisa.” You exclaimed. “He told me that he’s my boss!” She raised an eyebrow. 

“Isn’t he your boss?” 

“He’s also my husband.” You retorted. She shrugged. 

“Hey, you’re the one who married the Deputy Chief of Staff.” Lisa handed you a note with missed call information. “You got a call while you were arguing. She said that she’s your sister.” 

-

Josh was cleaning up a stack of papers that he’d thrown across his office in anger when Donna walked in. 

“What tornado came through here?” She joked, leaning against the door frame and her arms crossed.  

“Don’t start with me this morning, Donna.” He barked. He gathered up the papers and put them back on his desk. 

“You talked about the speech thing, didn’t you?” He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. 

“I told her I was her boss.” 

“You didn’t.” Her arms dropped to her side and she stepped into the office, closing the door behind her. 

“Yeah.” Josh grimaced. “But she’s wrong!” 

“It doesn’t matter who's right or wrong, you’re sleeping on the couch tonight.” She pointed out. He narrowed his eyes with annoyance. 

“Get out.” 

“I don’t want to hear about your back being sore tomorrow.” She shrugged. 

“Go!” She went back to her desk and he fell back into his chair. Donna was right, of course, which irritated him even more. He’d barely even started to look over his work when Donna came back into the office. “Didn’t I tell you to leave me alone?” 

“Lisa just called me-” He was too fired up to process the shocked, saddened expression on her face. 

“Donna, I can handle-”

“You need to go talk to Y/N-”

“Donna, really-”

“Josh.” Her serious tone caught him off guard. When he finally started to take in the grieving look in her eyes, he knew something was wrong. 

“What is it?” 

“Y/N’s dad just died.”

And the fight was forgotten. Josh walked quickly, rushing through the West Wing and making his way towards your office. Donna’s words echoed in his mind, mixing with his memories of the Illinois primary. When he lost his dad. 

“Where is she?” He asked Lisa. She pointed to your office. 

“She’s getting ready for a meeting with a committee from-”

“Cancel it.” He ordered and Lisa nodded in agreement. It was an easily reschedulable meeting, and you weren’t in the state of mind to discuss national park advertisement. He slowly opened the door to your office, finding you loading your briefcase with documents, the papers shaking in your hands. “Y/N?” 

“I really can’t talk right now. I have to get to a meeting.” You tried to move around him but he placed a hand on your arm. 

“I had Lisa cancel it.” You couldn’t bear to see the sympathetic look in his eyes. You shook your head. 

“I can’t. I have to-”

“Y/N.” He put a hand on your cheek and you finally looked into his eyes. Your lip started to tremble and your composure crumbled. Josh’s heart sank. “Come here.” He wrapped his arms around you and it almost felt like he was holding you up, your knees buckling underneath you. He kept one arm around your waist and held the back of your head with his other hand. “I’m sorry.” He muttered into your hair. “I'm so sorry.” 

“He’s just… He’s-” You sucked in a painful breath. “He’s gone.” It didn’t make any sense. Your dad wasn’t sick. He hadn’t been battling an illness for the past several years. You didn’t have time to prepare. Car accidents didn’t allow that. 

Josh didn’t say anything. He knew there wasn’t anything he could say that would make any of it easier. He knew better than most. That growing empty feeling that you just can’t shake no matter how many hands you shake or sympathy cards you read. 

Word spread quickly through the office, reaching the President in a matter of minutes. 

“You’re sure?” He said somberly and Leo nodded. 

“He was in a collision on the way home this morning,” Leo explained, his heart heavy with the news. He knew Bill well. It was actually how he had met Y/N. She was all fire and spunk and he had recommended her to the President for a media specialist. 

“He was a good man.” President Bartlet sighed. “Remind me to send something to Marissa. And tell Y/N and Josh to take all the time they need.” 

“Will do, Mr. President.” 

-

You usually loved driving home. The Virginia fields reminded you of the land that you grew up on.  Now, all you could think about were the memories. Your father teaching you how to ride a horse. Bringing you ice cream after a long day of homework. He was the one who taught you how to write. And now he was just… gone. Josh tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the music on the radio. 

“You know you’re going to have to get along with her.” You said suddenly, images of previous arguments flashing through your head. 

“Who?” He asked innocently, eyebrows raised behind his sunglasses. You gave him a look. 

“My sister.” He shuttered and you rolled your eyes. “I’m serious, Josh. I know you don’t like each other, but this is really not the occasion to get into one of your screaming matches. Everyone is going to be on edge enough and-”

“Hey, it’s okay.” Josh took a hand off the wheel and placed it on top of yours. “I won’t fight with Celia.” 

“Promise?” He gave your hand a gentle squeeze. 

“I promise,” Easier said than done. Josh had never gotten along with your older sister. Even at your wedding, they managed to have an argument in the kitchen while you threw the bouquet.  You never understood what their ongoing feud was about. They had the same political stance, your sister adored President Bartlet, and Josh had always gotten along with your parents. Your mother couldn’t get enough of him. If you were honest, sometimes you thought she liked him more than you! But not Celia. There was something about the two of them that always led to legendary arguments that could be heard from the capitol. 

After a few more hours of driving, the hills and trees opened to a long, winding driveway that led up to the house. You drove up a few days early so that you could help your mother prepare for the funeral, but even now, cars lined the driveway belonging to people coming to express their sympathies. Being a Representative for the State of Virginia made your mother a well-beloved and publicized woman. So word spread quickly around town and many families came to share their grief. 

After Josh was able to find a parking spot, the two of you carried your suitcases to the back door. Dozens of people in black dress clothes passed by you with sympathetic smiles. 

“Here, let me get those.” Someone offered. You turned to see Thomas, your brother-in-law. 

“Hey,” You greeted, pulling him into a hug. “How is everybody?” He shrugged. 

“We’re holding up.” He turned to Josh and shook his hand. Thomas, compared to his wife, took no issue with your husband. “Fair warning, Josh, a lot of Bill’s journalist friends are here and they’re going to love seeing the White House Deputy Chief of Staff.” 

Your father had run the local newspaper for years. He was an incredible journalist, with many offers from bigger news outlets like the Washington Post, but he only ever wanted to do local news. 

“Local news is where the good stories are.” You remembered him saying. “Writing about real people and not always talking about how dark and gloomy the world is… that’s all I want.” 

He’s the reason you got into media work in the first place. When you got the job at the White House, he got you the most beautiful fountain pen, with gold embellishments and the words “Make the world a little less dark and gloomy. Beyond proud of you- Love Dad” engraved on the box. With all of the messes going on at the White House, you started to wonder if you ever really made him proud. 

“Hey,” Josh grabbed your hand before you stepped into the crowded living room. He must have seen your nervous expression because he gave you a reassuring smile. “Do you want to just go for a walk? Get some of that fresh Virginia air before you talk to anyone?” You let out a breath of relief and nodded. 

Josh knew how it felt to look around your childhood home and not recognize a single person. To see a bunch of strangers sharing grief for someone that they hardly knew. It was suffocating. He convinced you to walk him through the orchards. They were beautiful this time of year. You took off your heels and walked down the path with bare feet. The dirt and the grass were cool against your skin while your intertwined hands swung back and forth as you walked in the spring sun. 

“He loved days like this.” You mused, looking up at the sky. It was freckled with large, puffy white clouds. “He used to say that clouds were the shadows of distant worlds passing by. Island kingdoms home to all sorts of creatures.” 

“Sounds like he should have written fantasy novels instead of news articles.” Josh chuckled. You smiled. 

“He did.” You picked up a flowery branch and twirled it around in your hand. “They were just filled with little stories for me and Celia. He got them bound and everything, but he never published them. They’re up in his study somewhere.” Josh smiled with awe, fondly remembering the way his father-in-law told everyone stories at dinner. Some of them were true, some definitely weren’t, but it didn’t matter. They always made him think differently about himself. 

You made your way back to the house, seeing Celia standing on the back porch with her arms crossed over her chest. 

“Uh oh.” Josh groaned. You slapped his side. 

“Thomas said you guys got here an hour ago.” She snapped accusingly. “Did you just want to leave me and mom to do all the hosting?” 

“CeeCee, hush, it’s alright.” Your mom came through the screen door with a tray of wine glasses. “I wouldn’t have wanted to be in with the crowd either if I didn’t have to be.” 

“Representative Y/L/N, it’s good to see you.” Josh gave your mother a hug. “I’m really sorry for your loss.” 

“And I’m sorry that even after three years of being my son-in-law you still haven’t called me Marissa.” She scolded. 

“My apologies, Marissa.” He grinned. 

“So where have the two of you been?” Celia asked her tone still accusatory. 

“We just went for a walk.” You shrugged. She clenched her jaw and sat in one of the chairs while you and Josh shared the porch swing. 

The sun started to set and the five of you enjoyed a few glasses of wine and Josh bit his tongue whenever Celia tried to provoke him. This lasted for a few hours before everyone decided that they’d had a long day and it was time to turn in for the night. 

You slept in your old room, only now it had classy wallpaper instead of band posters. Josh had all but fallen asleep when he noticed you standing at the window. 

“What’re you doing?” He muttered groggily. His senses, however, switched to high alert when he heard the sniffle of crying. “Honey?” 

“I’m fine.” You waved your hand at him. “Go to sleep, I’ll just be a second.” He stood up, taking the comforter with him to wrap around you while his arms fell around your neck.  You held back a sob. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“I know it hurts.” He whispered, his lips grazing your ear. “And I can’t tell you when it gets better because it’ll come back. Not all the time, but every once and a while, it’ll hurt. But I’m gonna be there for you when it does.” You turned around so you were facing each other and he pressed a sweet kiss to your forehead. 

The next few days would be rough, but he knew what they were like. And he would get you through them.

[mshumlas]

Day 28-29, June 19th & 20th

We departed Coos Bay, Oregon on June 19 and made our way east to Burns RV Park in Burns, Oregon. I tried for the Burns family discount but they weren’t buying it! The route we took had very little highway for the 371 miles this day. We went up towards Eugene, Oregon and then jumped on State Route 58 through the Umpqua National Forest cutting east. We almost decided to take the highway the whole way this day but that didn’t seem very adventurous. As we started out on State Route 58 we were searching for places to grab lunch. Choices weren’t many but we settled on Rattlesnake Barbecue in Dexter, Oregon. Trust me, the choices weren’t numerous! It seemed like everything on the menu was “sorry, we’re out of that”. It turned into ‘tell me what you do have’ and then we’ll make our selections. They couldn’t have been nicer about it. The staff said the pandemic has delayed normal operations and normal delivery of certain items. The daughters owner came out at the end of lunch and gave us free desert and it was the same desert as what she had at her wedding! We know this because she told us....it was actually really good. So with lunch behind us we bounded up and down SR 58 towards Bend, Oregon. We called ahead to Burn RV Park and were warned to get gas before you leave Bend. I have to say, Bend was the first “normal” town we saw in Oregon. In all honesty, we didn’t love Oregon. Towns are very weird, I’ll leave it at that in case I ever run for political office.

We get to Bend, ahhhhh, normal people! Hello normal people! We fill up with gas and then jump on State Highway 20 towards the Idaho line. Early on in the trip I said Needles Highway in the Badlands was my favorite drive. A close second was Highway 20. There were miles and miles of nothing, no houses, no cars, no people. Just cattle and wild animals. It was astonishing. I think Shanna and I said a dozen times to each other “can you believe this?” Literally, not a sole out there. The amount of land and miles of highway with no one...I have never seen anything like it. Even in the Midwest, you drive a country road for 20 minutes through corn fields eventually you run into a town. This was different, you felt really insignificant out there. I could drive that over and over, loved it! We make Burns, Oregon and before we go to the RV Park, I ordered the kids blizzard from Dairy Queen drive through. Only difference compared to home was I didn’t have a car and I was ate alive by mosquitos while I stood in line.

Nothing exciting overnight at Burn RV Park other than we killed 1,000 mosquitos in the RV. Wow, those suckers are bad there. We woke up on June 20th and made our way for Idaho. Stopped for breakfast in Juntura, OR at a roadside diner called the Oasis. It was excellent. They had a sign on their door welcoming visitors and how they appreciated your business. That was nice to see and such a change from coastal Oregon. We took our sweet time and delayed our trip quite a bit. The stop was worth it, we ate like kings. So now on toward Boise. This leg was pretty much all highway. Nothing excited until we get just outside of Boise, Idaho. We’re in a construction zone and three lanes, go down to two, with a traffic patter shift right before a bridge. About five or six cars in front me there is a pick’em up truck (Brooks and Dunn shout out there) towing a travel trailer. I see the travel trailer bounce and then start to sway, apparently I said “uh oh” out loud because Shanna peered up just in time to witness this rig crash. I was watching the trailer whip back and forth as the driver tried to counter steer the swinging trailer. Eventually the momentum of the swinging trailer was now yanking the rear end of the truck back and forth. It became too severe of a sway and the travel trailer dumped onto it’s side jackknifing against the truck and sending the truck down into the right side ditch. Everyone braked, I had already started slowing down watching this unfold right in front of me. We pulled over, put in park with our flashers on, Shanna called 911 and I ran up there. This man in his 70’s got out of truck and I asked him if he was okay. Classic response “I’m fine, she just lost control of it.” Clearly he’s alright, he’s pissed at his wife. So I go around the front as she steps out and I ask her if she’s okay, “I’m fine, I’m just angry that I ruined a week’s vacation”. What are these people talking about!?!? Other people are now around them so I head back as it looks like it’s under control. We boogie on to Ogden, Utah for dinner with a gorgeous Wasatch Mountain Range backdrop and settle in Lyman, Wyoming for the night....at a rest area. Shanna likes this rest area slightly more than my driving through the mountains at night. We get setup, lock and load and enjoy a beverage before we go to bed. Long day, 600 miles but back in Wyoming!

[ustribunenews-blog]

Flood Warning Issued By The National Weather Service Affecting Tioga, PA; Potter, PA

Flood Warning Issued By The National Weather Service Affecting Tioga, PA; Potter, PA

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flood warning for Tioga, PA; Potter, PA starting on 9/17/2018 11:02:00 PM. NWS estimates this event is ‘likely’ to happen and the event is categorized as ‘severe.’ (more…)

[stevenmichael]

new london ct

Best Things to Do in New London, CT

Limiting New London, CT to ten top things to do is rather hard in this town known for its history, arts, and scenery. New London is one of the earliest English settlements in Connecticut, being established in 1649. New London was long considered to have the best deep water port on Long Island Sound, therefore, having Naval and Coast Guard bases up to the present day. New London was the home of famed playwright Eugene O’Neill and has sizeable art offerings including the Eugene O’Neill Theater, the Garde Arts Center, the Hygienic Museum, and more. New London is also the home of one of the top colleges in the United States, Connecticut College. Keeping all this in mind, let’s look at some of the best offerings for things to visit and do in New London. 

The Lyman Allyn Art Museum

The Lyman Allyn Art Museum is housed in an impressive building that was commissioned by Harriet Upson Allyn in memory of her father Lyman who was a prominent shipping merchant in the area. The museum houses many paintings from the Hudson River School who were a group of American landscape painters in the early 19th century. Their scenic canvases depicting certain vistas of the  Hudson River Valley are incredibly awe-inspiring and fantastic. This truly American aspect of art is housed at Lyman Allyn as well as other paintings and art including an impressive collection of American 18th-century silver and furniture. Winslow Ames was the famed curator of the museum for many years and he amassed an impressive collection of paintings and other works whose focus was largely the 16th through 19th centuries in European and American art. Included in your visit, one should stop by the Deshon-Allyn House, a historical home located on the museum’s site built in Federal style and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Connecticut College Arboretum

Located next to the Lyman Allyn Museum on Route 32 is Connecticut College which houses the Connecticut College Arboretum. Founded in 1931, the Arboretum hosts several different horticultural collections including the Native Plant Collection, the oldest collection that displays plants, trees, and shrubs native to Northeastern North America and the Connecticut Shoreline; the Caroline Black Garden which contains a collection of plants, trees, shrubs and other flora from around the globe;  the Lincoln and Lillian Dauby Gries Conifer Collection which displays local trees and shrubs;  the Nancy Moss Fine Native Azalea Garden which contains several species of natural and hybrid flowers, and more.  The Arboretum runs guided tours of several of the collections. Additionally, the Arboretum holds an Arbo-Fest twice a year in the spring and fall which includes music. 

Ocean Beach Park

Ocean Beach Park is an excursion-for-all founded in 1940 after the hurricane of 1938 devastated New London’s beaches and buildings along the shore. The Park has a half-mile beach with a host of attractions for people of all ages. There is a nature trail to hike, an enclave of old-time amusement rides, an arcade where you can win prizes, an Olympic-sized pool, a mini-golf course, a snack area, a  gift shop, and more. Ocean Beach is a fabulous venue for weddings and has seasonal evening time entertainment.

[96thdayofrage]

Health Freedom Is the Hottest Political Issue on the Entire Globe, and Our World Will Never be the Same after this

We are witnessing an epic global struggle for freedom, and the outcome of that struggle is going to greatly shape what our world is going to look like in the years ahead.  Ultimately, one of the most fundamental rights that we have is the right to make our own health decisions.  If someone else has the authority to make those decisions for you, then you aren’t really free.  This pandemic has transformed the debate over health freedom into the most hotly contested political issue on the entire planet, and the intensity seems to have been turned up a few more notches in recent days.  As governments around the world have begun instituting new lockdowns, new mandates and new “health passports”, we have seen huge eruptions of anger all over the world.

For example, over the weekend there was an enormous health freedom protest in London…

Thousands have gathered today Saturday, July 24, in London’s Trafalgar Square to protest against the lockdown rules and COVID-19 vaccinations. A wide range of speakers is attending the event, including well-known British conspiracy theorist, Kate Shemirani, who spoke to the crowd. Demonstrators are angry about the recent move which will see vaccine passports becoming compulsory in England to access nightclubs and other packed venues.

At the same time, there were also massive protests in the heart of Paris…

French anti-riot police fired tear gas Saturday as clashes erupted during protests in central Paris against COVID-19 restrictions and a vaccination campaign, television reported.

Police sought to push back demonstrators near the capital’s Gare Saint-Lazare railway station after protesters had knocked over a police motorbike ridden by two officers, television pictures showed.

Images showed a heavy police presence on the capital’s streets. Scuffles between police and demonstrators also broke out on the Champs-Elysees thoroughfare, where tear gas was fired and traffic was halted, the pictures showed.

On the other side of the globe, we continue to see violent protests in Sydney and other major Australian cities…

Thousands of people took to the streets of Sydney and other Australian cities on Saturday to protest lockdown restrictions amid another surge in cases, and police made several arrests after crowds broke through barriers and threw plastic bottles and plants.

The unmasked participants marched from Sydney’s Victoria Park to Town Hall in the central business district, carrying signs calling for “freedom” and “the truth.”

Millions upon millions of people are fed up and are refusing to accept any more violations of their fundamental rights.

But of course there are millions of others that are eagerly embracing the tyrannical measures that have been implemented by national governments around the globe.

In the end, the scale is going to tip one way or the other, and the outcome is going to greatly shape the direction of humanity’s future.

So let us hope that freedom wins.

Right now, the corporate media continues to work very hard to generate as much panic as possible.  Earlier today, I found it quite comical when one news outlet ran a story about how authorities are now warning us that COVID can be spread by flatulence…

The official advice is to open a window to increase ventilation and slow the spread of Covid, but now there could be an added incentive – the virus may also be spread by flatulence.

Ministers have privately pointed to evidence that Covid could be spread by people breaking wind in confined spaces such as lavatories. One said they had read “credible-looking stuff on it” from other countries, although government scientists are yet to produce a paper on the matter.

The source said there had been evidence of a “genomical-linked tracing connection between two individuals from a [lavatory] cubicle in Australia.”

You better run out and do as they say, because someone sitting in the next bathroom stall may have gas.

Here in the United States, we are now being told that more mandates and more lockdowns are coming because “this pandemic is spiraling out of control yet again”…

“More mitigation is coming. Whether it’s masking, or whether it’s closures or whether it’s your kids having to return to virtual learning, that is coming,” the Trump administration surgeon general told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.

“And it’s coming because this pandemic is spiraling out of control yet again. And it’s spiraling out of control because we don’t have enough people vaccinated.”

In fact, we are already starting to see some local governments put new mandates into place.

For instance, a new mask mandate has just been announced in St. Louis and St. Louis County…

Faced with a rising tide of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, St. Louis and St. Louis County leaders announced Friday that they will reinstate a mask requirement, for vaccinated and unvaccinated residents alike.

As more mandates are instituted by local governments around the country, it is inevitable that we will see widespread protests break out just like we are seeing in other countries.

Meanwhile, other “pestilences” continue to make headlines as well.  A drug-resistant “superbug” that is “resistant to all existing treatments” is causing quite a bit of alarm for U.S. health officials at this moment…

Cases of a deadly fungal infection resistant to all existing treatments have been spreading through nursing homes and hospitals in the United States for the first time, health officials said.

In the past we have seen isolated cases, but now we are being told that it looks like this “superbug” is spreading pretty easily from person to person…

“This is really the first time we’ve started seeing clustering of resistance” in which patients seemed to be getting the infections from each other, said Dr Meghan Lyman, a medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

If that wasn’t bad enough, scientists have recently confirmed cases of the Bubonic Plague “in animals and fleas” in six different Colorado counties…

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says there have been laboratory-confirmed reports of plague in animals and fleas from six counties.

One of the six counties with confirmed plague is LaPlata County, where a 10-year-old resident died from causes associated with the plague. Laboratory testing has since confirmed the presence of plague in a sample of fleas collected in the county, according to CDPHE.

For even more examples like this, please see my previous article entitled “4 ‘Pestilences’ That Everyone Should Be Keeping An Eye On Right Now”.

As I have stated before, I believe that we have entered a new era of great pestilences.  Scientists all over the globe are constantly playing around with deadly diseases, and in many instances they are actually attempting to make them even deadlier.

With that in mind, it chilled me to the core to read that 33 ancient viruses were recently discovered “trapped in the ice of the Tibetan Plateau”…

Glaciers can preserve all sorts of relics from the distant past. So could they also be home to a pandemic from prehistoric times as well? It’s possible. A team from The Ohio State University has discovered a collection of viruses that have never been seen before in the ice of a glacier in China.

Scientists say the viral samples date back nearly 15,000 years and may reveal how pathogens evolve over the centuries. Of the 33 viruses found trapped in the ice of the Tibetan Plateau, the team considers 28 to be completely novel. About half of them also seem to have survived specifically because of the freezing conditions.

Now these ancient viruses will be “brought back to life”, and it is inevitable that scientists around the world will start playing around with them.

So what happens when there is an “accident” and one of those ancient viruses gets released?

We live at a time of incredible stupidity, and our stupidity is going to end up getting a whole lot of people killed.

[freehawaii]

HAS THE ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF HAWAI`I WORKED?

How Land Schemes Turned Lava Fields Into Subdivisions

Honolulu Civil Beat - May 14, 2018

In 1958, when Hawaii statehood was still a year away, two Colorado businessmen came up with a brilliant money-making scheme: Buy 12,000 acres of undeveloped, dirt-cheap land on the rocky, rainy slopes of the world’s most active volcano, divide it into 4,000 3-acre lots, and sell them for $500 to $1,000 apiece, paid off at $150 down and $8 a month.

Glen Payton and David F. O’Keefe called their subdivision “Hawaiian Acres.” It would forever change the face of the Big Island — not always for the better.

“The lots sold spectacularly well,” wrote George Cooper and Gavan Daws in Land and Power in Hawaii. “The effect of this success was electrifying.”

A Big Island land boom was on.

Only two years after Hawaiian Acres lots went on sale, a Honolulu Star-Bulletin article could report that at least 11 major subdivisions were underway — including a cluster of 2,231 one-acre lots titled “Leilani Estates,” sited directly on top of Kilauea’s East Rift Zone. The article was headlined, “Here’s Up-to-Date Report on Big Island Subdivisions,” but above the headline were five words in smaller type: “There’s Little Danger from Volcanoes.”

In the article, Leilani developer Kenneth W. Ing claimed that “volcanic risk” to his development was essentially less than one in a thousand.

He based his claim on calculations by a University of Hawaii geology professor, Dr. Gordan MacDonald, who had said that since 1750, lava had covered only 20 square miles out of an east Puna area of 125 square miles: “On this basis, the likelihood of lava covering any given plot of land in any single given year is less than .1 percent.”

Since 1960, lava flows from the flanks of Kilauea have wiped out the town of Kapoho and at least four other communities. But the article also quotes MacDonald as saying, “It is impossible to say how soon volcanic activity might affect any given area, and data are insufficient to assign any significant mathematical probability for such an event.”

What MacDonald, Ing and the article failed to mention was that in January and February of 1960, a lava flow had wiped out the entire town of Kapoho, destroying the village’s businesses, a hot springs resort and nearly 1,000 homes on land adjacent to Ing’s new subdivision—or that in 1955, another eruption had taken out much of nearby Pohoiki.

Since then, lava has obliterated at least four more nearby communities and subdivisions: Royal Gardens, Kapa’ahu, Kaimu and Kalapana.

Now, it’s the turn of Leilani Estates itself, which so far has lost 36 structures, including at least 26 homes, to the latest East Rift lava event.

As of Sunday more than 2,000 people have been evacuated from Leilani Estates, Lanipuna Gardens and other nearby locations. Underground magma is believed to be moving further down the rift, threatening other communities such as Kapoho, parts of which have been redeveloped since the 1960 eruption into three coastal subdivisions, Kapoho Beach Lots, Kapoho Farm Lots and Kapoho Vacationland.

Those who live in the subdivisions aren’t the only ones who’ve had to leave. County officials have directed the closure of the Lower Puna’s numerous vacation rentals, in order to save water and “reduce the area population so emergency operations can focus on residents.”

Affordable Homes — At A Price

Cooper and Daws note that by the time the Big Island land boom wound down in the 1970s, 80,000 new lots had been created on an island that, at that time, held only 80,000 people.

Then-Gov. John Burns spearheaded the drive to transform North Kona and North and South Kohala into what Burns called a “gold coast.” It remains a region of rich resorts and upscale homes. Other developers pumped money into resort hotels along Hilo’s Banyan Drive.

But Puna and Kau became a playground for the wannabe-rich. Those three districts, located on the slopes of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, lacked the Gold Coast’s white sand beaches and relentlessly sunny weather. And those pesky eruptions kept making new land — but it was lava and volcanic ash, too hard and raw to be paradise.

Mainland investors and mainland buyers didn’t necessarily know that, however. The developments that grew up there are still sometimes known, locally, as “land scam subdivisions.”

Pam Frierson, in The Burning Island, compares those developments to similar ones that were sprouting up elsewhere in America’s sunbelt, from Florida to the Southwest: “Large scale speculative subdivisions were being carved out of marginal lands — desert, tidal flats, lava lands — and sold as cheap ‘retirement’ or ‘investment’ properties.”

Most of these subdivisions were “substandard,” having a  grid of private roads that didn’t meet county building codes — perhaps paved, perhaps not — and lacking basic services such as running water and sewer lines.

Many eventually joined the island’s power grid, but most still rely on rainwater catchment tanks, and on cesspools or septic tanks to dispose of waste. They also lacked visible means of financial support. Most were located far from jobs. Though usually zoned agricultural, they were carved into parcels too small for conventional farms, even if they actually had tillable soil. Some subdivisions had a general store, but there was no traditional town center, no hub of commerce.

County officials had a huge incentive to go along with the land schemers: a windfall in property taxes from those thousands of new lots. In 1987, Frierson asked then-Hawaii County Planning Director Albert Lono Lyman why the county had acquiesced to all those substandard subdivisions.

“Greed and short-sightedness,” he summarized, noting that “the majority of those lots were sold, sight unseen, to mainland buyers.”

Some subdivisions were the work of mainland investors. California oil company magnate Jack Crawford, for instance, built Ocean View Estates on old lava flows in Kau.

But there were plenty of local players, including state officials. Hawaii County police inspector William Kamau headed the hui that tried to build a failed subdivision called Crescent Acres. State Sen. Kazahisu Abe headed the Hilo Development Inc., which developed Orchid Isle Estates in Puna. U. S. Sen. Hiram Fong was president of the company responsible for a development called Fern Estates.

Nor was the greed limited to local bigwigs. Cooper and Daws estimated that one in four Big Island families invested in lots. Big Island money in the lots was dwarfed, though, by outside investments: 12 percent of the lots bought by 1975 were by Big Islanders, 35 percent by Oahu residents, and most of the rest by mainlanders.

With almost no provisions for basic infrastructure, the original investors didn’t appear to actually believe people would live on those lots. But thousands of people proved them wrong.

By the time the subdivision boom finally petered out in the 1970s — partly as a result of stronger zoning and planning ordinances, but also, perhaps, because of the sheer glut of undeveloped lots — East Hawaii held at least 15 major substandard subdivisions and several smaller ones — all of them located in Lava Risk Zones 1, 2 or 3, the three highest-risk categories given by the U.S. Geological Survey.

One cluster of subdivisions, including Hawaiian Ocean View Estates and Hawaiian Ranchos, clung to the lava field on the steep southern end of Mauna Loa. But most were in Puna, forming an almost continuous line from Volcano down Highway 11 to Keaau, then from Keaau down Highway 130 to the sea at the eastern end of the island.

Some built in the subdivisions because they’d been suckered in and had to roll with the punches. Frierson interviewed Jack and Patty Thompson, who were among the last holdouts in volcano-ravaged Royal Gardens. They’d invested their life savings in their home, after seeing a promotional movie about a “fertile area directly adjacent to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.”

“They didn’t tell you the place sat right below an active rift zone,” Jack Thompson told Frierson.

With the possible exception of Royal Gardens, which was wiped out by a series of lava flows between 1983 and 2012, every one of those subdivisions is inhabited — and many, especially those in lower Puna, are burgeoning, despite the lava risk and the lack of amenities.

They’re the main reason why Puna is the fastest-growing district on the island. According to the Hawaii County General Plan, the district held about 31,300 people in the year 2000.

By 2015, its population had soared to nearly 50,000. By 2020, it’s expected to reach 58,000, surpassing Hilo to become the island’s most populous district. It’s achieved that remarkable growth despite the loss of four communities to molten rock.

Many more came because land speculation had driven prices sky-high in more desirable locations, and companies building those Kona mega-resorts hadn’t made provisions for housing their workers.

The island ended up with much of its jobs on one side of the island and its affordable housing on the other side, generating another local term: the “5 o’clock derby,” for the early morning commute between Puna or Kau and the North Kona/Kohala resorts.

“Poor people have to live somewhere,” noted one Puna Facebook user.

Many of these later buyers know about the lava, but they have to live with the risk, gambling that Madame Pele won’t come to their homes during their particular lifetimes.

But the odds may be considerably worse than Dr. MacDonald predicted back in 1960. According to the USGS, in the 20 years between 1983 and 2003 alone, another 40 square miles were buried in fresh layers of lava.

[kozmophotos]

Cherry Springs and Lyman Run State Parks

Cherry Springs and Lyman Run State Parks

Pennsylvania is home to 111 State Parks, each of which has something interesting and unique to offer. Cherry Springs State Park and Lyman Run State Parks in Potter County are no different. At both of these state parks you will find some of the darkest skies on the east coast. It is so dark that on a very clear night you can see the Milky Way Galaxy with the naked eye. If you want to be truly…

[hopefulfestivaltastemaker]

May 9, 2021

My weekly roundup of things I am up to. Topics including electric vehicle incentives, recent birth rate reports, and an address to Congress.

Electric Vehicle Incentives

Regarding incentives for EV adoption, we can ask two major questions.

1) What (if any) incentives are justified, and on what basis?

2) How effective are incentives in spurring EV adoption?

Norway is famed for being far ahead of the rest of the world in this category, with nearly 70% of all new cars in 2020 sold being EVs. I’m wondering how they did it, and if this is something that other countries should replicate.

It doesn’t look to me like there was any magic formula. Norway set as a goal of selling lots of EVs, with internal combustion engine vehicles to be phased out entirely by 2025 (it’s a goal, not a legislative mandate). They’ve offered a variety of supports since the 1990s.

While EVs have a lot of advantages from a consumer’s standpoint, the biggest drawback is that they tend to be more expensive up-front. It seems like the most effective incentives have been around efforts to reduce the upfront costs, such as through tax breaks. A survey in Norway finds a similar result.

It doesn’t look like public investment in charging stations is as important as I would have thought. Free parking, ferry access, and toll exemptions might be modestly successful in spurring on EV adoption, but they work against other forms of transportation and are not things I would support.

The sum total value of Norway’s incentives has been estimated at $14,000 to $24,000, depending on how we value things that can’t easily be put into monetary terms. The main incentive in the US is the Aces tax credit, which has a value of $2500-7500, depending on characteristics of the vehicle manufactured, though at the margins new Tesla vehicles exceed the cap for the incentive and don’t receive it. There are a few other federal incentives and also some offered by states, so I don’t have a figure for what Americans typically get. It doesn’t seem to be a whole lot less than in Norway, and certainly not enough to convincingly explain to me why there is such a difference in EV adoption.

Estimates vary, but some figures suggest that EVs will save consumers about $8000 over the lifetime, despite a higher up-front cost. When we try to estimate justified subsidies based on time preference of money, such as above, I get squeamish because the author purports to know better than the consumer about discount rates, management decisions, or other factors. This is a major issue with energy efficiency incentives as well.

If we’re talking about greenhouse gas reduction, we’re on somewhat firmer ground because that is a more clearly externalized cost to consider. If EVs are fueled with the average electricity generated in the US, lifetime GHG savings should be about 15 tons of CO2 (lots of studies have been done and most suggest similar results). If we value emissions at $50/ton, that’s about $750 total, which is a lot less than either Norway or the US offers. We could probably make those figures higher (or maybe not) by accounting for other kinds of pollutants, but it’s hard to see how we get anywhere near the generous package offered by Norway.

There’s also the question of what EVs are displacing if incentivized. Research suggests that EV growth comes at the expense disproportionately of hybrids and fuel-efficient cars, so maybe we should compare EVs to these rather than general ICE cars. There’s also the question of how much EV incentives increase car usage overall, or come at the expense of non-car transportation. There’s the question of whether and how to value vehicle size and torque.

One of the arguments often given for EV incentives is that this helps advance a fledgling technology that will be superior to ICE in the long run, but now would benefit from a push. Such an argument might have made sense in the 1990s, but now EVs are a mainstream (albeit a minority) technology, and not just in Norway. I’d like to see some effort to push a dollar value on this effect. Otherwise, I think it’s time to phase out EV subsidies, except in a general carbon pricing scheme.

US Birth Rates

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was some speculation as to what the effect would be on birth rates. Hard economic times tend to depress fertility. But with many couples forced to spend more quality time together at home, maybe there would be baby boomlet. We now have some data, and it looks like fertility has been depressed. Some credit to Lyman Stone for expecting this early on.

Data from the 2020 Census is also becoming public, showing that California’s population declined in the last census period for the first time. This appears to be due more to out-migration than falling birth rates.

Despite some hand-wringing, it doesn’t look like fertility is going to become a major political issue any time soon in the US. It may be just as well. It’s not clear to me what policies should be undertaken to reverse this trend, and for some recent major issues, such as a basic income, high housing costs, and police misconduct, activist attention has probably done more harm than good. But we’ll be hearing more about it in coming years. In some other countries that have seen subreplacement birth rates, such as Japan, South Korea, Russia, Hungary, and Singapore, to name a few, there seems to be close to a consensus on a pronatalist stance. Americans who take an antinatalist stance now I think are greatly misreading the situation and are working to insure their future irrelevance.

Address to Congress

A couple weeks ago, Joe Biden have a State of the Union-like address to Congress, though it wasn’t technically an SOTU because this is the year he took office. Tim Scott gave the Republican response. I thought both speeches were fairly good and enjoyed listening to them.

Because the speech was a general purpose report that was meant to cover pretty much everything under the sun, I’ll restrict my comments to a handful of subjects.

Biden made his case for a climate change response that focuses on job creation, which is a fairly standard underpinning of Green New Deal approaches. I think John Cochrane has it right on why this isn’t likely to be a very fruitful approach. I’m particularly unhappy with the efforts to expand Buy America provisions, which I regard as a form of unwarranted protectionism that hinders our ability to build infrastructure at a reasonable cost.

Scott’s response was heavily focused on racial matters, where he has made a sincere but unsuccessful attempt to make progress. That was all good for what it was, but I am disappointed that he didn’t really address climate change or infrastructure issues. These are areas where the discourse would benefit greatly from a market-oriented perspective.

In the following week, the House GOP looks poised to boot Liz Cheney from her leadership position for not indulging voter fraud conspiracies. It’s ironic that she has a more ideologically conservative voting record than her likely replacement, Elise Stefanik, and she voted for Trump’s position more consistently than Stefanik. It goes to show how the GOP is valuing culture war stuff over principle and illustrates very clearly why I don’t join that party. There are few times more than now where the United States would benefit from having an effective opposition party.

[aion-rsa]

I Care a Lot: Peter Dinklage is the Scariest Gangster We’ve Seen in Years

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This article contains I Care a Lot spoilers.

J Blakeson’s I Care a Lot is one of very few films where everyone in it is a villain. In the lead role, Rosamund Pike ushers in a new amoral high mark as conservator con artist Marla Grayson. Peter Dinklage meanwhile mines the standard Hollywood heavy role for an unexpected haul of gangster gravitas. And with his turn as Roman Lunyov, the former black sheep of the Lannister family in Game of Thrones joins the likes of Robert De Niro, Marlon Brando, Wesley Snipes, and Humphrey Bogart as memorable cinema crime bosses.

However, this isn’t Dinklage’s first turn in a mob movie. He got his button in Find Me Guilty (2006). The film was based on the true story of Lucchese crime family soldier Jackie DiNorscio, played by Vin Diesel, and the longest mafia trial in American history. The movie was co-written and directed by Sidney Lumet, who not only helmed such crime classics as Dog Day Afternoon and Q&A, but was one of the original Dead End kids when the proto-gangster social drama was still on Broadway. Dinklage didn’t play a mobster in Find Me Guilty. He played a lawyer.  

Dinklage’s Lunyov Family isn’t strictly going up against law enforcement in I Care a Lot. Rather Pike’s Marla Grayson and her partner in crime (and life), Fran (Eiza González), are court-appointed guardians from hell, and they represent a rival outfit. They are also operating a lucrative racket.

This guardianship gang war could be seen as similar to the scenarios which happened when Italian, Jewish, and Irish mobs moved in on the Harlem and Chicago numbers games in the 1920s and ’30s. Or how Michael Corleone’s first order of business as head of family in The Godfather was to take over the casinos in Las Vegas. Like Don Vito Corleone before her, Marla’s also got judges, such as the sympathetic Judge Lomax (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), in her pocket. Eldercare racketeering dominance is also comparable to the prohibition fights of The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, and the body count is just as high. The take is just as sweet.

Edward G. Robinson set the standard for cinematic mob rule as “Rico” Bandello in Little Caesar (1931). Dinklage’s Roman Lunyov, by contrast, is more of a Czar. He heads a family in the Russian mafia and purports himself like a descendant of the Romanov dynasty. But he’s got Cossack in him. It’s in his DNA and cascading down his chin like the tail of a cavalry horse.

On Game of Thrones, Dinklage’s Tyrion Lannister was part of an insidious dynasty whose roots intertwined with every twig of the ruling class. The modern Russian mob, on screen and off, can boast even more branches.

Netflix’s World’s Most Wanted dedicated an episode to Semion Mogilevich, the reputed head of the Russian mob (aka Bratva). While Moglievich is allegedly tied to arms dealing, international trading scams, and countless murders, the cops in the documentary series compare him to the Keyser Söze character from The Usual Suspects. He’s a respected, low-key businessman who likes to smoke. He lives in a mansion next to the head of the Communist Party in Russia. His activities aren’t merely state-sanctioned, they are apparently encouraged.

Dinklage’s Roman is all these things, even as his identity is actually more elaborately guarded than Söze’s, and his tastes run toward elitist’s treats.

But then Russian mobsters are always ruthless on screen. These are the guys who killed Denzel Washington’s seemingly indestructible narco cop Alonzo Harris in Training Day (2001). You never prepare for that. When the “Three Wise Men” who always have your back tell you to skip town, you know you’re dealing with folks in a rough trade. On Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, Galina “Red” Reznikova (Kate Mulgrew) would rather go to jail for keeping bodies on ice than say she was keeping them fresh for the Russian mafia in Queens.

Dinklage’s big bad leans into this mythic image of Russian mobsters, with Roman appearing cut from the same cloth as the New Jersey-based operators who could make even Tony Soprano take pause in The Sopranos. Albeit if Dinklage’s character ever actually visited the tough guys in the Garden State, he would probably need to rethink his man-bun. After all, Tony Soprano couldn’t even get away with shorts.

When James Cagney had fist fights in his early films, he was always matched with a bruiser twice his size because the studios thought no one in the audience would accept him being remotely challenged otherwise. Dinklage also doesn’t display a traditionally imposing physical presence. But he is no lightweight. His own thugs cower at the very thought of a cross word. In the Lunyov family, it’s best to bring a gun to a food fight.

Roman’s personal attorney almost wets his briefs when he screws up. That’s because Roman is as unpredictable as Cagney’s Cody Jarrett, the gang leader in White Heat, Cagney’s most psychopathic role. Dinklage’s introduction as Roman shows him asking how many mules died on the last drug run. He calculates them coldly, as part of business, with the sociopathology of a Chief Executive Officer. But his biggest similarity can be found in oedipal complexities. Like Cody Jarrett, Roman Lunyov loves his mother.

We don’t know much about Jennifer Peterson, the nice old lady played by Dianne Wiest. She’s got money, a nice house, no living relatives, and a doctor who will exaggerate dementia symptoms in court for a stock payoff.  On the surface Peterson seems to be a competent business woman who retired after a successful career. Now under the less than sensitive care at the Berkshire Oaks Senior Living facility, we realize her chosen field was career criminal. After all, any of these sweet old ladies could have had criminally scandalous youths.

When Marla finally asks her ward who she is, all Jennifer has to say is “I’m the worst mistake you’ll ever make.” We learn she has more than one son in the Russian mob. She could be a post-Glasnostic Ma Barker from the Prohibition era. Barker’s fictional approximation in White Heat, Ma Jarrett (Margaret De Wolfe Wycherly) tells her son she can take care of herself. And while Jennifer may have been declared legally unable to do just that in I Care a Lot, she is quite adept at a choke hold, eschewing the standard garrote assassination for her own elbow.

Marla doesn’t romanticize her mother, calling her a psychopath and offering her up as the collateral damage of closing costs. Her single-minded opportunism is more sociopathic than Pike’s Amy Dunne in David Fincher’s adaptation of Gone Girl. She employs a cutthroat logic that’s in the same territories as bad-mannered comedies, but with the ruthlessness of the shark in Jaws.

Roman’s black-on-black dress code ensembles, by contrast, broadcast a desire for stylish power games. Marla is not interested in gangster chic; she prefers classy monochromatic suits so brightly focused they attract moths like flames. Her crew is all business as usual. Dr. Amos (Alicia Witt) is the fixer. She picks the “cherries,” elderly cash cows who can be milked in the retirement home. Sam Rice (Damian Young) is the monster at the center of the center. Everyone’s got a soulless nature except Eiza González’s Fran, who is also the only one to see the wisdom of getting the fuck out of there.

Dinklage is fearsome in one of the scariest screen gangsters in recent years. This guy can dispatch troublesome community angels easier than a creamy éclair pastry–and he loves those treats. He even takes a last loving bite of a chocolate-covered, custard-filled house specialty before he tosses it onto the cold concrete of an underground parking garage.

When he ends negotiations with Marla, his only caveat is to make it look “organic.” Georgia Lyman, who is only credited as “the Assassin,” is I Care a Lot’s Luca Brasi, sharing duties with a few “heavies.” The film’s Fredo is Alexi Ignatyev, played by Nicholas Logan as if he’s always waiting for another shoe to drop. Even Ms. Peterson laughs and calls him an idiot. She laughs a lot, and it’s not just the steady drugs she’s being forcibly and legally dosed with, it’s the glee of power.

Roman’s power lies in his legal team, and the Lunyov family’s Tom Hagen is Dean Ericson (Chris Messina). One thing you have to admit with the Russian mob is they do appreciate innovation and sophistication. Ericson can’t help but be impressed by Marla’s scam. His lowball offer of $150,000 is an insult, but an understandable one. His veiled threats are as subtle as his suits are ostentatious.

Marla doesn’t seem to appreciate the power the Lunyov family wields, but she does appreciate the irony.

“If you can’t convince a woman to do what you want,” she says, appraising the fine print under the mouthpiece’s exploratory offer, “then you call her a bitch and threaten to kill her.” Marla pays it forward by calling the Lunyov matriarch far worse and threatening extreme discomfort, which she promises will last until the day she dies. As restrained as her venom may be, Marla is a proud femme fatale. Though also a stereotypical “ice queen” villainess, and heartless materialist. We’re almost sorry to feel bad for Marla when she is tied to a chair during last minute negotiations.

Director Blakeson, who made the science fiction action movie The 5th Wave and the noir thriller The Disappearance of Alice Creed, sets up I Care a Lot like a horror movie.

“There’s no such thing as good people,” Marla Grayson says at the start of the film. The opening is exquisitely unsettling as Jennifer is guided through a process of enforced institutionalization, followed by her house being emptied, painted, placed on the market, and sold. The plot thickens as keys are traced to a safety deposit box containing millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds, which officially don’t exist. Most gangster films aren’t driven by this kind of mystery, but Roman is a new kind of gangster. Though cheap, dead drug-mules are an unnecessary expense, the Lunyov family want to make a difference in the world.

Blakeson wanted to highlight all-too true stories of elder abuse and the perils of court-appointed conservators which could even bring The #FreeBritney movement calling. But he captures the allure of the anti-hero and the all-American dream of a corner on the market. Roman Lunyov has one final thing in common with Michael Corleone, and many of the traditional gangsters: He wants to earn money legitimately. This is not to be confused with wanting to go legit.

Those of us who root for the “bad guys” will find a wealth of insidious characters, and a very original caper, at the heart of I Care a Lot. Peter Dinklage’s Roman Lunyev may go against type, with his eastern bloc nobility stunted by the limits of black comedy. But as a movie mob boss, he is Street Regal.

I Care a Lot can be streamed on Netflix.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

The post I Care a Lot: Peter Dinklage is the Scariest Gangster We’ve Seen in Years appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3sdUjQs

[concerthopperblog]

Vans Warped Tour is one of the most iconic traveling rock shows that has returned every single summer in the United States since 1995. This year the Vans Warped Tour is going on its final full cross country run. Vans Warped tour was created by Kevin Lyman, who focused mostly on alternative rock music in the beginning until it eventually transformed into what it is today.  The only downfall to this festival is it’s only in town for a single day, which makes it extremely hard to see some of the artists you have been waiting to see for ages.

Each year that I have attended the Vans Warped Tour, they have never ceased to amaze me with the artists that they choose to bring on tour with them. Since this year is the last year of Warped Tour the feeling is very bittersweet. I remember the first time I attended the Tour, I was full of emotions and very excited to take in the experience of being at the Warped Tour. I have met many artists since I started going back in 2014, such as Falling In Reverse, Motionless In White, Attila, Jeffrey Star, Miss May I, and many more of my favorite artists.

Beartooth

Hands Like Houses

Memphis May Fire

IPrevail

The tour brings a few traveling stages with them to each venue to incorporate with stages that are already established inside the respected venue.  Each year at the Darien Center the stages are set up almost the same. The stages are scattered throughout the extra parking lot from the doors all the way back to the main stages in the back of the venue.

This year the stages include Journey’s Left foot, Journey’s right foot, Mutant Red Dawn, Mutant White Lightning, owly.fm and The Full Sail Stage. This year’s lineup is very exciting for me because there are a lot of artists I really enjoy watching perform such as The Amity Affliction, Movements, Mayday Parade, Real Friends, and many more!

There are a ton of can’t miss bands on this lineup espceially if you are going to the Darien Center venue. Every Time I Die is a Buffalo native, If you haven’t seen them before, get out there and check them out! Tonight Alive is a must see band as well, they are big supporters of the I AM movement to help people prove that their worth is more than what others say. Ice Nine Kills always puts on a great show, every time I have seen them they have exceeded my expectations. If you are looking to throw down in the pit and mosh your heart out Wage War is a great option for you. If you are looking for something that’s not heavy and is acoustic, check out This Wild Life. Kublai Khan, The Amity Affliction, Movements, Dayseeker and We The Kings are also all great bands to check out!

At the Darien Center, Vans Warped Tour can be a little hectic because it is only in the area for the day. The gates open around 11 AM, so get there early and try to avoid the line! As an avid Warped Tour attendee, skipping this line is essential in starting your whole day out with a bang. By bringing just 3 canned good items (the cans cannot be dented or expired), a $5 dollar donation or a used cellphone you can skip the longest line of your life (as it seems to be). And you are also able to get into the venue 10-15 minutes earlier,  making it easier to find all your favorite artist’s tents and the stages you plan on being at all day, but you sometimes you have to wait a little bit longer to get to the main stages in the extra parking lot due to them not finished being set up.

By bringing one of the three options listed above and skipping the line, you are also helping Feed Our Children NOW! to improve lives of children located in the United States. The food drive helps immediate needs for a better future for low income families & Children. So don’t forget to donate!

There are many other great causes that support Warped Tour such as Can You Hear Me?, They work with musicians to raise awareness, take action and provide a supportive, empowering community for teens struggling with issues such as mental health, bullying, and peer pressure. Stapaw raises awareness about discrimination of piercings and tattoos in the workplace. To Write Love On Her Arms is a nonprofit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. Don’t Forget to check out one of the many great causes Warped Tour has to offer! Although, this isn’t the only line you are going to find yourself standing in. There are many other lines such as merchandise, bathroom, water refill, food, and etc. So be prepared!

Hundredth

After The Burial

Blessthefall

Andy Black

Warped Tour 101 – Here are some tips to stay your best during your day at the festival.

 Tip #1 – Get plenty of sleep the night before. I know it’s hard when you are really excited to get up and go see that band that you have been wanting to see for ages. But you don’t want to get tuckered out too early, especially if you want to rage to your favorite band(s) in the mosh pits.

 Tip #2  – When packing your backpack the night before, make sure you have everything you could possibly need. If you know its going to rain, bring some baggies for your electronics and a poncho just in case. You don’t want to get wet and stay stuck in those wet clothes all day. Bring some permanent markers, I can’t even remember the last time I went to a concert without one. A marker is very essential. You could catch your favorite artist walking by and then you could grab a quick autograph! Sun screen is also an important Warped Tour item to have as it tends to be one of the sunniest days out of the year it seems like. Or at least up here in New York.

 Tip #3 – When you get up in the morning try to eat something even if it’s just a granola bar… trust me. At the venue you will spend an arm and a leg on food and won’t have enough money to buy that tee shirt or any other merchandise from your favorite band. You can bring in a bottle of water as long as it is sealed and just keep refilling it at the water refill stations supplied around the venue.

 Tip #4 – Keep your eyes open and watch your surroundings especially if you don’t want to find yourself falling into a mosh pit or even have crowd surfers falling on top of you. Sometimes you find yourself getting lost in the music. I’m guilty of this… regardless you don’t want to end up getting hurt because you aren’t paying attention. Nobody wants to get accidentally punched in the face by someone moshing, kicked in the head by a crowd surfer, or even having a crowd surfer dropped on top you. Be aware of your surroundings, you don’t want to take a trip to the hospital or lose something of value.

 Tip #5 – Don’t get upset when both your favorite bands are playing at the same time. Figure out which one you want to see more because eventually they will go on another tour at a later date. I have sacrificed seeing my favorite artist’s full set just to go watch another band I just started listening to and also really enjoy. It happens!

 Tip #6 – If you are lucky enough to be a photographer for the day at your Warped Tour date, do not forget to pack extra batteries, SD cards (that actually work)! I’m guilty, when I was taking photos last summer, I had borrowed an SD card from a family member and I lost a lot of photos because they got corrupted. If you know it’s going to rain make sure you have lots of plastic bags! You definitely don’t want to ruin your camera for one small thing.

Tip #7 – If you plan on going by yourself, try to meet up with some friends that might end up going! You will have more fun jamming out to your favorite artists as a group than just by yourself. If you have friends that have never been to Warped Tour also bring them along, even if there is only one artist that they like, they will still have fun!

Hawthorne Heights

New Years Day

The Vans Warped Tour is a tour everyone should experience at least once in their life time no matter how old or young you are. Get out there this summer! It’s going to be the final full cross country run. If you haven’t attended before make sure this is the time to do it! This tour really brings people together no matter what artist you are there to see. The tour starts on June 21st and runs through August 5th. I can’t wait to see what the Vans Warped Tour has in store for us this summer especially since its going to be the final full cross country run. Good luck out there! Make plenty of friends this summer!

Vans Warped Tour 2018: Final Full Cross Country Tour! Vans Warped Tour is one of the most iconic traveling rock shows that has returned every single summer in the United States since 1995.

[pietropinto]

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks” -John Muir (at Lyman Run State Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFa-zwaM52i6ZhWdheBSfzuFceoUK-eevtDIDc0/?igshid=zt8uqauc0n5s

[princessweddingstationery-blog]

Princess Wedding Studio Flushing

San Diego Wedding Reception Venues

Table of ContentsCalifornia Wedding Venue - Disney's Fairy Tale WeddingsTop 10 Best Free Wedding Venues In San Diego, Ca - Last ...Paradise Falls Weddings - Outdoor Wedding Venue In ...Wedding Locations - Callaway Vineyard & WineryBest Wedding Venues In San Diego, Ca - Junebug WeddingsThis Site Will Help You Find An Affordable Wedding Venue

A tent on the residential property can hold 225. And the rental fee goes towards preservation efforts. The cost arrays from $1,200 to $5,800, depending upon the day of the week as well as season. 185 Lyman Road, Waltham, 617-994-6672, historicnewengland.orgClockwise from leading left: The 1620 Winery in Plymouth; the Natural Herb Lyceum at Gilson's; the African Satisfying Residence/ Museum of African American Background; and also the Lyman Estate in Waltham.

The area, which was Boston's heart of African-American life as well as society in the 19th century, is flooded in history: The New England Anti-Slavery Culture was founded inside it by William Lloyd Garrison; Frederick Douglass spoke up against slavery there. In 2011, the African Satisfying House resumed after an estimated $9.5 million repair that returned it to its 1855 appearance.

( The place does not host large functions.) 8 Smith Court, Boston, 617-725-0022 ext. 216, maah.orgWhen the sis hotel of New york city City's The Plaza debuted in Boston in 1912, Mayor John F. "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald helmed a reception for even more than 1,000 guests in the Grand Ballroom, a palatial area with a 30-foot ceiling, opulent arcs, and mirror-covered walls.

" As soon as we open up the big mirror doors from the mixed drink hour right into the ballroom, people always gasp," claims senior food catering manager Alice Fay. Wedding events normally cost from $180 to $400 each before charges and tax obligations, plus $3,000 for the ceremony. 138 St. James Opportunity, Boston, 617-867-8562, fairmontcopleyplazaweddings.comLots of wedding events feature trademark mixed drinks, however when Boston Harbor Distillery makes them for guests, they include their own craft spirits.

San Diego Wedding Venues - Price 698 Venues - Wedding Spot

Now charmingly rustic weddings for as numerous as 140 individuals can incorporate the distillery's whiskey barrels into the design. The price is $6,050 for just the location. 12R Ericsson Road, Boston, 617-533-7492, bostonharbordistillery.comLeading, from left: Boston Harbor Distillery in Dorchester as well as The Mount in Lexox. Bottom: The Fairmont Copley Plaza.

Couples can host the event in either the Italian Yard or the French Blossom Garden. Wharton herself took a great bargain of satisfaction in the premises. (" Extremely, I'm a far better landscape garden enthusiast than author, and also this area, every line of which is my very own work, far surpasses Your house of Mirth," she wrote in a letter.) Then visitors can mingle in the mansion throughout mixed drink hr before supper as well as dancing for as much as 250 in a tent.

Durst Winery & Estate's picturesque as well as extraordinary property is the ideal location to declare your vows and begin a brand-new life with each other. Whether you are trying to find a tiny yard event surrounded by close Supplying a place for "classic elegant" romantic weddings, Grace Vineyards is your premier wedding celebration place in the higher Lodi location.

A charming tasting space lies amongst the appealing surroundings, recommending an event that is extravagant and also inviting. As your day unfolds, The Hill Home is Queen Anne Victorian house held in a charitable trust fund to depraved the Hillside family members residence and also Maurice Hill's creative works. Readily available to rent out indoor or exterior for all occasions.

Top 10 Best Free Wedding Venues In San Diego, Ca - Last ...

Throughout the years, the ranch and ranch have made it through the Our sampling area and occasion center on 7 perfectly landscaped acres can be the start of your happily ever before after! The spectacular setting can be the background to your attractive wedding or special occasion. Checking Out Oak Farm Vineyards (OF), you will experience our passion for wine and also friendliness at our Lodi Destination Winery.

It is a family run service combining 3 enthusiasms; Beer, Wine, & Bread. The red wines are made Viaggio Estate & Vineyard is located in the heart of Lodi's famous Red wine Nation, nestled among rich estate vineyards, dubious walnut orchards as well as along with the serene Mokelumne River. Our goal is to suit A glass of wine & Roses is a prize-winning, North The golden state wedding celebration location.

Our residential or commercial property attributes a number of distinct wedding celebration The Lady's Club of Lodi is a historical building that was created in 1923 to house Lodi's Woman's Club. This area has actually historically been utilized to host efficiencies as well as gatherings in Lodi. As the biggest.

Telephone Call (970) 728-7440 to speak with among our wedding event specialists. Function place for approximately 130 guests Set down high atop the gondola at 10,551 feet, Allred's flaunts amazing sights of the surrounding optimals as well as the historic town of Telluride 1,800 feet below. Telephone Call (970) 728-7440 to talk to one of our wedding experts.

Paradise Falls Weddings - Outdoor Wedding Venue In ...

This is a perfect place for ceremonies, receptions, or any type of special celebration. Telephone Call (970) 728-7440 to speak with one of our wedding celebration specialists. Event & alcoholic drink reception place only, for up to 250 guests Boasting one of one of the most stunning panoramas in the Rocky Hills, the San Sophia Overlook has 360 degree sights of the Sneffels Mountain Range to the north, as well as the renowned San Juan Hill Array to the south.

Function place for up to 120 visitors. Gamine Pub is the perfect location to host a summer occasion. With a big slope-side patio and just recently remodeled indoor, Tomboy Tavern is an absolutely authentic hill venue. Telephone Call (970) 728-7440 to talk to one of our wedding celebration specialists. Ceremony and reception guest restrictions differ in between locations The Peaks Resort & Health spa offers the opportunity to host everything under one roof covering, with its 160 visitor rooms, 30 deluxe cabins and condominiums, 42,000-square-foot health spa, as well as several events rooms that all brag jaw-dropping sights of the Wilson Peaks.

Event and reception place for as much as 28 guests. Available only during the winter season ski season. With a refined hill environment, Alpino Vino is situated on top of Telluride Ski Resort at 12,200 ft. Supplying an eating experience like no various other, Alpino Vino is one of the highest elevation fine-dining restaurants in the world.

Phone Call (970) 728-7440 to talk with one of our wedding celebration professionals. Ski in/ski out ceremony location only. Readily available just throughout the winter ski period. Telephone Call (970) 728-7440 to speak to one of our wedding event professionals. Charming wedding evening lodgings. Ski-in/Ski-out lunch and apres events, exclusive suppers, tiny wedding celebrations, in addition to intimate overnight holiday accommodation for two.

Best Wedding Venues In San Diego, Ca - Junebug Weddings

Phone Call (970) 728-7440 to speak to among our wedding celebration experts. Preferably matched for a light cocktail reception approximately 100 visitors. This is the excellent location for an intimate alcoholic drink reception. The inside is do with custom-made timber work, stone floors, luxurious over-sized leather furnishings and a grand piano.

Phone Call (970) 728-7440 to talk with one of our wedding celebration experts. Ceremony and also reception place for 50 to 350 visitors. Found in the heart of Telluride's Hill Village is our extremely own Mountain Village Ballroom. A very functional space, the MV Ballroom has the ability to fit Wedding events, Rehearsal Dinners & Events of any type of kind.

Event as well as reception venue for up to 75 visitors. Situated at the top of the Polar Queen Express delight in an experience special to North America at our latest on-mountain dining establishment, Bon bryllup Vivant. Bon Vivant sits in the basin of Palmyra Peak and has views of the Gold Hill 1-10 chutes.

Dream Beach Wedding - Wedding Venues - San Diego

Wedding Locations In The Pocono Mountains

If you're a human as well as see this, please ignore it. If you're a scrape, please click the link listed below:--RRB- Note that clicking the link below will certainly obstruct accessibility to this website for 1 day.

11 Cheap Wedding Venues - Nerdwallet

Appointments: (858) 565-3600, (877) 565-3600 Whether your party is official or informal, an intimate event or sophisticated gala event, there's an Area Park in San Diego that can play host to your special event. Tour our unique occasion areas to locate the excellent location. No issue the season, we're happy to assist you in scheduling the wedding celebration of your dreams! Locate motivation and view photos on our web page.

The wedding event tree, as well as marvelous oak groves are faves of this East Region spots. A practical recreation center (with kitchen!) and an attractive shaded grass area for a function or ceremony. Private locations amongst the oaks provide fantastic chances for a remarkable outdoor wedding event. A picturesque wood gazebo and a big reception area are the star tourist attractions at this East County park.

2 indoor spaces with sights of the lake are readily available for wedding celebrations as well as functions in this preferred park. (A cooking area is offered.) An exterior plaza with processional aisle ignores the lake. An attractive imaginative amphitheater tucked amongst a stand of Coastline Live Oaks gives a perfect setting for your outdoor ceremony.