#Matt Lockett

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Kiera Butler at Mother Jones (06.11.2024):

During the contentious confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, a self-appointed Christian apostle named Dutch Sheets issued an urgent call for prayer on his website. Sheets is a leader in an enigmatic charismatic movement known as the New Apostolic Reformation, which calls the faithful to fight a spiritual war for Christian control of the United States government. He urged his readers to ask God to grant them “a majority of Justices who are Constitutionalists, literalists (meaning they believe the Constitution is to be taken literally, exactly as it is written) and who are pro-life.” He added, “Let’s also boldly ask Him for another vacancy on the Court soon—I feel strongly in my spirit another is coming quickly. We should be offensive in our prayers, not just defensive and reactionary.”

Apostles, prayer offensives, spiritual messages—by most standards, Sheets’ approach to politics would be considered highly eccentric, to put it mildly. Yet among adherents of the New Apostolic Reformation, the idea that God was involved in anointing justices had already gained traction. Another influential apostle, a Texas-based, self-described “strategist, futurist, and compelling communicator” named Lance Wallnau, declared in a 2018 broadcast that the accusations of rape against Kavanaugh were a “spiritual attack.” The previous year in a YouTube video, apostle and Trump campaign adviser Frank Amedia recounted how, “at 3:30 in the morning, the Lord showed me a broom going up and down the pillars of the Supreme Court building.” The message was clear: God wanted to sweep out the old justices—especially the liberal ones—to make room for new Christian ones. In the midst of the chaos surrounding Justice Kavanaugh’s nomination, the apostles’ visions of a Christian Supreme Court didn’t get much mainstream attention—until they did. Over the last few years, the Christian nationalist movement has gained political prominence, as its influential members have sought to make the case for an explicitly Christian society in public schools, social policy, and even in Congress, led by the ultraconservative and devout House speaker Mike Johnson.

Against this cultural backdrop, calls for a godly Supreme Court have moved beyond the echo chamber of the far-right fringe. Last month, the New York Times broke a series of stories about flags displayed at the homes of US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. Outside of Alito’s main residence was an upside-down American flag, a symbol associated with the effort to overturn the 2020 US presidential election. At his vacation home in New Jersey, the Times’ Jodi Kantor later reported, was an “Appeal to Heaven” flag showing a lone pine tree, an old icon that had been revived by none other than Dutch Sheets. (As it turned out, the flag belonged to Alito’s wife, Martha Ann.) Leonard Leo, the deep-pocketed conservative kingmaker who has extended his largesse to several Supreme Court justices and their families, has also flown the “Appeal to Heaven” flag outside his home in Maine, Rolling Stone recently reported. Perhaps more troubling than the flags, though, is that the idea of promoting a Christian nation seems to be seeping into some of the justices’ legal arguments. Elliot Mincberg, an attorney and Supreme Court researcher at the progressive advocacy group People for the American Way, has documented ways in which some members of the Court espouse the popular evangelical belief that Christians are being persecuted and therefore must be defended. “The far-right majority of Court is very much in the same view as the New Apostolic Reformation folks about religion, about government,” he says. “And, frankly, about the hostility of government to religion.”

[...] One common misconception about the New Apostolic Reformation is that it is a Protestant denomination, like Baptists or Presbyterians. When I first started researching this movement, I googled “New Apostolic Reformation church near me,” naively thinking that I could pop into a service and perhaps ask a pastor to explain the sect. What I quickly discovered, though, is that there is no single leader of the New Apostolic Reformation, no annual conference, nor any website with its statements of belief. Rather, the movement is vast and amorphous, a network of various individual prophets and apostles overseeing their own ministries and issuing prophetic declarations as they go along. It’s safe to say that many people who attend a church whose leaders dabble in the theology promoted by the New Apostolic Reformation have never heard of it. The movement came out of the older and more well-known tradition of Pentecostalism, whose adherents believe that God grants some believers the ability to perform miracles and speak in tongues. The term “New Apostolic Reformation” was coined in the 1990s by an influential evangelical writer named C. Peter Wagner, though the term didn’t get much national attention until a few decades later.

In 2011, National Public Radio’s Terry Gross interviewed a scholar of religion about the movement and referred to Wagner as its “leading architect.” In a rebuttal piece for the Christian publisher Charismatic News, Wagner emphasized that he was not the movement’s leader—because it had none. Rather, he said, it was a coming together of several sects that shared a belief that God appointed apostles and prophets. He noted that it was the duty of Christians to engage in spiritual warfare to establish “kingdom-minded people in every one of the Seven Mountains: Religion, Family, Education, Government, Media, Arts & Entertainment, and Business so that they can use their influence to create an environment in which the blessings and prosperity of the Kingdom of God can permeate all areas of society.”  This doctrine—sometimes known as the Seven-Mountain Mandate—is a central tenet in the New Apostolic Reformation. Many of the most prominent apostles today—Texas business consultant Lance Wallnau, for instance, as well as Korean-American Pastor Ché Ahn of Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, California—regularly preach about its importance. Today, estimates of the number of people whose churches are influenced by the New Apostolic Reformation vary widely, from 3 million to 33 million. Because of the movement’s laser focus on starting a spiritual war to Christianize America, the Southern Poverty Law Center recently called the New Apostolic Reformation “the greatest threat to US democracy that you have never heard of.”

One other distinguishing feature of the New Apostolic Reformation is the belief that God is still communicating directly with people through modern-day prophets, who preach about the messages directly from God that they receive, often in dreams. Since 2016, many of the most publicized prophesies have concerned former president Trump, whom they see as chosen by God. The “Appeal to Heaven” flag that Dutch Sheets popularized was flown by many attendees at the “Stop the Steal” rally that preceded the Capitol insurrection of January 6, 2021; a few months before, Sheets told his followers that the results of the presidential election were “going to be overturned and President Trump is going to be put back in office for four years.” In 2022, Sheets said that Trump had told him in a dream that he would be a “political martyr” because, he had said, loosely quoting the Bible, “‘God has put the tools in me to tear down, root up, and confront the system.’”

[...] In March, Jauregui instructed his followers to “[p]ray that the Lord would be glorified through the remainder of the Supreme Court session and accompanying decisions.” Some Christian groups are doing more than praying; they’re filing amicus briefs— documents submitted by people outside of a given case who believe their expertise may help the justices in their deliberations. The briefs can be influential. In a landmark ruling last year on affirmative action in higher education, for example, legal scholars noted that a brief from the US military strongly influenced the justices to exempt military academies from the new rules. Previously, those who wanted to file an amicus brief with the Supreme Court had to obtain permission from lawyers on either side of the case in question. That requirement was dropped in early 2023; now anyone can file, as long as their lawyer is a member of the US Supreme Court bar. The amicus floodgates then opened, and included in the onslaught of briefs for the current roster of cases were some whose authors had explicitly Christian Nationalist ties. Condemned USA submitted a brief in support of President Trump in the immunity case. Describing its mission as “preserving your rights and freedoms by defending against a weaponized system of justice for all American citizens and future generations,” it is led by January 6th insurrectionist Treniss Evans, who has appeared at live and virtual events with New Apostolic Reformation prophets. Another brief in support of Trump came from the Christian Family Coalition, a Florida nonprofit that says it is “intensely involved in the political process to secure its goals in the public interest.” Among its current projects is advocating for chaplains in Florida’s public schools.

The Mother Jones piece on SCOTUS and Christian Nationalism’s harmful influence on the court is a must-read.

[loveallthegays]

[blackhholes]

Agency and Autonomy in Teen Wolf

Agency and Imagination in the Films of David Lynch by James D. Reid & Candace R. Craig /  Redefining Biological Horror: The Aesthetic Evolution of an Infected Body in HBO’s The Last of Us by Flavius Floare / Superfluous Bodies and Loneliness in Under the Skin by Donald Prentice / ‘We are not who we are’: Lovecraftian Conspiracy and Magical Humanism in The Cabin in the Woods by Christopher Lockett

Agency and autonomy are brought up repeatedly throughout the show. The catalyst of the narrative is when Scott is bitten by Peter against his will and turned into something he doesn’t even recognise anymore. This idea is repeated throughout the show when characters repeatedly have their agency stripped from them by other characters. In just the first season we see peter repeatedly forcing Scott to turn, inducing homicidal urges and triggering amnesia. Both of these actions are then later in the show repeated by Scott on other characters, though the reasoning is different in such a capacity we as the audience are made aware that the loss of autonomy does not stem from bad faith. When Scott forces Malia to turn and when he bites Liam, it is done because it is the only way for him to save their lives. This is an important distinction as when Peter did this he only ever did it as a way to make himself more powerful, he needed a pack and for Scott to be part of that pack so he’d be strong enough to take on the hunters and Kate. It is also important to note that Liam and Malia are allowed within the narrative framework of the show to be angry about this. Liam directly at Scott when he is initially turned and Malia at Stiles as a sort of proxy-Scott within Eichen House. Because they are allowed to show their grief and anger at losing part of themselves, they are then later able to reconcile this anger they’ve felt with the reasons Scott acted as he did and they both become important members of the pack. 

Body horror usually follows instances when a character is stripped of agency, their body physically turns on them and they’re no longer able to control the things it does. This further visualises the invasiveness of what happened to the character for the audience, we now have a visually gruesome component to the incidents taking place, making it much more horrific for us to witness. This is particularly highlighted in season five with the chimeras. Chimeras within the show are repeatedly stripped of their agency and autonomy in an effort for the dread doctors to perform experiments on them. They don’t have any recollection of this happening to them, without their knowledge their bodies are changed and begin acting without their conscious decisions. When the pack brings Tracy to Deaton it’s a particularly repulsive image that greets the viewer, her back cracks open, all her bone and muscles are on show for us and a tail grows out of nowhere. When a character consents to something like the bite we don’t actually see the changes happening to their bodies. Isaac, Boyd and Erica are never given the same initial scenes as Scott of bodily changes, they simple weren’t werewolves then they are. The closest we get to this is the scene in the train car during the full moon, but during that scene it is not their bodies turning on themselves, it’s them turning on Derek. The violence is not turned inwards it’s turned outwards.

Then how come a character like Jackson who wanted the bite has multiple body horror scenes throughout season two? Jackson wanted to become a werewolf, the bite was merely the means to an end. Assuming Derek never told him it’s clear he had no idea there was a possibility he might turn into something like the kanima. He is not only turning into something he never wanted he is also in a sense being possessed. He is no longer the only occupant in his body, the kanima is someone he initially has no knowledge of, a creature that is basically using his body to commit murders at the will of Matt. Matt too becomes one of the theoretical entities possessing Jackson’s body as the show makes it clear to the viewer in Raving that the kanima and Matt have a sort of telepathic connection. 

Stiles’ possession by the nogitsune in three b is interesting because it is a clear instance of a character within the show having both agency and autonomy stripped from them but there are hardly any distinct body horror scenes to visually showcase this. The effect of the nogitsune’s possession has a more hidden and somewhat downplayed effect on his body than that of other creatures seen in the show. Stiles begins to look sickly as the season progresses, the bags under his eyes grow more pronounced, he becomes paler. The only true body horror scene the audience sees is when the nogitsune splits the two and starts ripping bandages from its throat in a sort of gruesome circus act. After this Stiles’ body continues deteriorating until he is no longer able to stand on his own and he looks like he’s on the brink of death. 

Lastly it would be impossible to write a post about agency and autonomy in Teen Wolf without discussing Lydia. It could be argued that the instances where Lydia is stripped of autonomy are less grand in comparison to other events in the show but it happens repeatedly to her and to such a degree that leaving her out would be a major disservice. The two major ones in my opinion are the season one finale where Peter bites her, and then uses her to resurrect him; and when she is in Eichen House in season five and Valack performs trepanation on her to make her more powerful. Peter’s action was done for the same reason he bit Scott, it was a way for him to gain power, to keep the upper hand. The following resurrection plot then becomes an event which even further strips Lydia’s autonomy, she now acts only according to what Peter wants, poisoning her friends to keep them distracted on the full moon for her to perform the resurrection. When Valack performs trepanation on her in Eichen House it’s despite Lydia’s many vocal no’s. He does not care if Lydia dies because of it, he even believes that doing something that will likely kill her is worth it and the good thing to do if she can find out who the beast is. It’s also interesting to note in regards to the trepanation that within psychiatry trepanning was the precursor to the lobotomy. Something which wound be a very interesting thing to look at from the perspective of a character analysis of Lydia. 

[Also this is me barely scratching the surface of this topic,,, both in the webweave above but also in the essay i wrote. like i could write an entire thesis about this topic i'm not even kidding and i had to hold myself back from using even more quotes than this even tho this is def the longest post i've ever made.]

[1000waystofallinlove]

In the Wreckage - Arc 1: Playlist

As promised, here is a Spotify playlist for the first arc of In the Wreckage! I'll keep adding to it on Spotify when I hear a song that fits, so follow along if you want :)

Some of the songs on here make me think of Jordan, a few of Cam, and others just fit the general essence of the story. If you don't have Spotify, here's the tracklist:

Work Out - Rainbow Kitten Surprise

Coming Back Again - Kings of Leon

Mystery of Love - Sufjan Stevens

Reflections - Misterwives

Train Wreck - James Arthur

The Scientist - Coldplay

GRAVITY - Matt Hansen

I Could Use a Friend - Billy Lockett

Fine - Kyle Hume

Cold Love - Rainbow Kitten Surprise

this is me trying - Taylor Swift

You Need Me Now? - girl in red, feat. Sabrina Carpenter

Vortex - Lizzy McAlpine

Sleep Deprivation - Chance Peña

Only Love Can Hurt Like This - Paloma Faith, feat. Teddy Swims

[snap-blogz]

15 ways to Cow Print Nails to Nail the Trend

Cow print nails are the talk of the town, and we can't help but be obsessed with the quirky trend. From traditional black and white to vibrant neon hues, here are adorable cow print nail designs that are stealing the spotlight.

BLACK, WHITE, GOLD, AND NUDE

 "We're totally loving this uneven split between nude and cow print, and that gold add-on is the icing on the cake." For a touch of glamour, try the Black, White, Gold, and Nude cow print nails. The uneven split between nude and cow print, with a touch of gold, adds a chic flair to your nails. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Katie lockett (@_nails.by.katie.l_)

WHITE ON WHITE COW PRINT NAILS

 "Who knew white on white cow print could look so cute? We're definitely fans." Embrace simplicity with White on White Cow Print Nails. Surprisingly cute, this minimalistic design proves that sometimes less is more. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝐙𝐨𝐞̈ 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐬 (@nails.by.zo_)

PINK COWS

 "We're obsessed with pink nail designs, and this look is definitely one of our favorites." Add a playful twist with Pink Cow Print Nails. The combination of dark pink, pure white, and a matte top coat creates a sweet and whimsical design. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐒𝐄𝐀 𝐎’𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐑 (@chelseaoconnor_89)

FADED PASTEL COW PRINT NAILS

 "This look is pure art — something we never thought we'd say about cow print." Transform your nails into a masterpiece with Faded Pastel Cow Print Nails. Unleash your artistic side with this unique and creative nail art. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Natalie Hewitt (@smooch_nailsandtraining)

HALF COW

 "From the horizontal ombre to the gold split to the nude to the multi-colored cow print, these cow nails are 100% goals." Achieve nail goals with the Half Cow design. A perfect blend of horizontal ombre, gold accents, nude tones, and multi-colored cow print makes these nails a stunning statement. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eleanor Szejner 🤍 (@beautybyelee)

COW PRINT TIPS

 "Don't want something over the top but still want cow nails? Then these nails are it." Keep it subtle yet stylish with Cow Print Tips. Ideal for those who prefer a more understated look, this design offers a perfect balance of simplicity and trendiness. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Terry Nguyen (@nailedbyterry)

TOXIC COW NAILS

 "Neon green doesn't look good with everything, but it definitely looks good with black cow print." Inject a dose of edginess with Toxic Cow Nails. The combination of neon green and black cow print creates a bold and eye-catching look. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Natalie Hewitt (@smooch_nailsandtraining)

TRADITIONAL COW PRINT

 "As far as traditional cow print nails go, black and white is where it's at." Go classic with Traditional Cow Print Nails. The timeless combination of black and white adds sophistication to your nails without going overboard. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Terry Nguyen (@nailedbyterry)

THE ENTIRE ZOO

 "Why stop at cows when you can have the entire zoo on your nails?" Get wild with The Entire Zoo Nails. Elevate your nail game by incorporating various animal prints, including cow, for a playful and adventurous look. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Natalie Hewitt (@smooch_nailsandtraining)

SHINY COW PRINT

"We're big fans of these borderline abstract cow nails. You can get this effect by using our mermaid or holographic nail powder." Add a touch of glamour with Shiny Cow Print Nails. Achieve a borderline abstract look using mermaid or holographic nail powder for a dazzling finish. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eleanor Szejner 🤍 (@beautybyelee)

MULTI-COLORED COW

 "Does anything about these cow nails make sense? Absolutely not. Do we still love everything about them? Absolutely yes." Embrace the unconventional with Multi-Colored Cow Nails. This design defies logic but captures hearts with its vibrant and eclectic mix of colors. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ✨Jade | 💅🏽Nail Artist & Educator |📍Wolverhampton✨ (@ooh.beautybyj)

VALENTINES COW NAILS

 "How perfect is that red heart in the middle of all that cow print? It flows so well that you can't help but love it." Celebrate love with Valentines Cow Nails. The red heart amidst the cow print adds a romantic touch to your manicure, creating a harmonious and lovable design. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝐙𝐨𝐞̈ 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐬 (@nails.by.zo_)

PINK COW FRENCH

 "If you have a traditional French, there's no reason you shouldn't not add pink cow print to it. Right?" Elevate a traditional French manicure with Pink Cow French Tips. A playful addition of pink cow print brings a modern twist to a classic look. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝐙𝐨𝐞̈ 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐬 (@nails.by.zo_)

NEON COWS

 "We saw the green neon cow nails. Now it's time for multi-colored neon cow nails." Turn heads with Neon Cow Nails. Expand the neon trend with multi-colored cow print for a bold and electrifying nail design. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kiara Sky Nails Official (@kiaraskynails)

PINK COWS + PINK FRENCH

 "If you can't decide between pink cow print and pink French tips, just get them both. It'll still look cute." Indulge in cuteness overload with Pink Cows + Pink French. Combine the best of both worlds for an adorable and stylish nail design. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ✨Jade | 💅🏽Nail Artist & Educator |📍Wolverhampton✨ (@ooh.beautybyj) Explore the world of cow print nails and let your nails moo-ve with these delightful designs! Which one will you try first? Read the full article

[complacentend]

I made a quick page about myself, primarily so my age is listed somewhere but here it is for anyone on mobile.

— basics

name) matt age) 29 going on 30 birthday) nov 22 gender) transmasc pronouns) he/him/his orientation) gay location) maple syrup land

— three facts

I am engaged to my partner of 6 years and we’re writing a series together :) 

I have 3 cats; Dooder(like snickerdoodle), Bean and Coconut (if you want i will absolutely show pictures of them)

I am a procrastiwriter and use rp to avoid editing chapters

— experience

I have been rping since i was 12 years old, so about 18 years now. Started on facebook, then moved to skype, aim, discord and tumblr. I’ve done fandom characters and OCs, though for the past several years i’ve been focusing on just my original characters and working on my novel. 

— favorite genres

I am a big sucker for enemies to lovers, heavy angst of any kind, star crossed lovers, and reincarnation aus. Lately i’ve been getting into dnd verses for characters because i’m getting back into dnd itself and those are fun.

— plots vs memes

Both! Some of my favorite interactions have been memes and some top threads started as memes! Plus i get we’re all busy people and sometimes it’s fun to just throw muses into dumb scenarios via memes.

— long or short replies

Both. i don’t always have the energy for lengthy replies or there’s just not a lot my characters could or would do in situations so i can’t do long ones. 

— best time to write

I find i write my best either very early in the day or late at night. When it’s quiet, just myself or very few people. 

— one thing i will never write

A straight character lmao. No but honestly there’s nothing i won’t really write.. Maybe a hyper religious obnoxious character because i’d find no fun in it.

— one thing i will always write

Angst. I love to suffer :’) 

— other muses i write that aren’t on here

I have around 100 muses, not counting retired ones i don’t use at all anymore. But there are a select few that i write most frequently; Yori, Synner, Rhys, Skye, Parker and Lockette and Six (these two are part of the series my partner and I are writing), but my mood for my characters changes all the time and sometimes i don’t write the main group for a while.

— other places i write

Discord! I write all the time on discord, and I play any of my other muses on there. Pleeeease if you want to check out my other muses i’d be thrilled to rp over there as well. I prefer using a server to rp in for organization purposes but i’m happy to make and maintain them. 

Honestly even if it’s not to rp but just talk, i’m always on discord so feel free to add me. Princekin #2286

[leagueofleaguesff]

(ESPN) N.erdy F.ootball L.eague 1st Round Playoff Recap 🏉💍🏈

As far as the standings going into the playoffs are concerned, Carla earned the top spot as the sole double digit win team in ESPN. Nobody else in the playoffs had less than 8 wins except Taurean who is the only playoff team with a sub.500 record (6-8). He beat out Oliver in a tie break for the final playoff spot.

Matt of course earned a bye along with Carla. Laura hasn't made the playoffs since she won it all in her inaugural year (except last year's controversial in). She has something to prove along with Peter. Peter must win to reclaim his dominance he once had PRIOR to Matt's arrival. Taurean is looking to have as much success in this league as his co commish has in his (friendly rivalry). Johnny although winning plenty of times before, doesn't not have a ring in his league yet because of lost records. Will he right this wrong?

The playoffs set it as Commissioners face each other (Taurean vs Laura) as Johnny faces his old coworker Peter who is on a mission.

Taurean 💍 Laura "Commish Battle"

Taurean stayed tried and true with his guy the G.O.A.T. Brady who thankfully had the best game of late with a 3 TD performance. Earlier in the Sunday slate, his OP flex of Fields gave him an edge as Justin ran for his life in the Bears vs Eagles game. CMC got over 100 yards (pro bowl snub) and Lamb went ha. In the cowboys upset loss. A pretty good outing between the Sunday games overall. A few surprises on the bench saw Gage and Pat's D with 20 plus points each. They definitely could have been better than the Garrett Wilson and Cowboys Def slots as the bench outproduced both.

For Laura, things were looking rough for Burrow in the 1st half of the Bucs game. The 2nd half was a complete opposite flurry of offense that set Cool Joe on a 40 plus performance. Diggs got less than double digits in a snowy wild game against the fins but almost all of her starting roster put out great points. Kittle went off...on the bench. Lucky Laura had played Purdy in a desperation move that turned out well in that exchange. Lockett was solid but Elliot and Jacobs added stability to her point total. A big risk playing Taysum paid off as Schultz on Taureans play only garnered 2 points to Hills 24.

Laura basically has a sizeable lead by the end of Sunday. Taurean had AJ Dillon left. 2 TDs later on MNF brought it close nearing the end. It was sadly not enough to overcome Laura's consistent point stacking from her starting roster.

Taurean lost and was eliminated from the playoffs. Meanwhile, Laura advances in what mist have felt a statement victory.

Congratulations in order for Laura as she clings for the ring. Kudos to Taurean for making it this far 👏

Peter 💍 Johnny

Johnny made the most trades in any Core 4 league to make it as a wildcard in ESPN at 8-6. Some trades put him at a deficit early in the season especially at the QB position. Relying on Danny Dimes and Jimmy G most of the way. When Jimmy went down for injury, desperation seeped in. Trades and waiver adds ensued. By making sacrifices with RBs, Johnny acquired Davante, Chase, and Jefferson all in trades to play 3 top tier WRs since there was a low supply of quality/dependable QBs. Trades for QBs failed on each attempt. Can he win without utilizing the QB premium of a superfluous by substituting a WR?

Peter had inconsistent results even with stellar players. Injuries, matchups, and last minute game scripts made his journey to the playoffs a bumpy one. Nonetheless, his steadfast insistence on sticking with his drafted players netted him enough wins to make it to the postseason.

Peter couldn't use Deebo which put him at a disadvantage. He sat Kamara as he has been lackluster this season. Of course, Kamara goes off to have a better game for the season on his bench. Amari was cold rather than hot. Andrews, yet again, has regressed due to factors with the Ravens (lack of WR playmaker, insistence on the run, Lamar injury, etc). Despite this, a hail Mary play in Trevor and Cousins (both in stunning wins) had the game of the season each on his roster.

Regardless of the awesome WR trio Johnny had and decent game from Broncos Defense...it simply wasn't enough. He played Peter on the wrong week. It happens.

Congratulations inorder to Peter for going onto the next round and kudos to Johnny for making the playoffs with trades galore.

While Commish buddies Johnny and Taurean face off for 5th, the final four for round 2 of the playoffs is cemented.

The final 4 sees Laura against Matt. Carla off her bye, will take on Peter.

Could we have another all female superbowl? Will the 2 most dominant players in league history face off in an epic matchup (Peter & Matt)? Each player has extra motivation.

Laura - Redemption

Carla - Quest for 1st 💍

Peter - Reclaim his throne

Matt - Make claim this is his league now.

Let's see what the 2nd round brings 4 da 💍

[soyboyjames]

The Dream King Will Ford and Matt Lockett

10 Favorite Lines:

…in Christ, my stories are your stories, and your stories are mine.

America has been down a similar road before with efforts and language designed to dehumanize, marginalize, and disenfranchise a people group—namely Africans and their descendants in America. If we look back in history, we can trace the roots of the ideology of abortion.

Will ending abortion fix all of our social ills? No, but can we honestly solve any problem in our communities while abortion still exists? When we dehumanize unborn people we cannot see and consider their lives optional, inevitably, it is easier to devalue some of the people we can see until their lives become marginal.

Transformed hearts produce transformed laws…

These things are not to be ignored, as some would have it when they flippantly say, “It’s time just to move on.” Nor are they things to be used to perpetually shame others into an unending pattern of penance, as some would equally have it.

King once said, “It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that’s pretty important.” If the previous generation only succeeded in regulating behavior, it is up to this generation to complete the work—the greater work—of changing the heart.

[Reverend Francis] Asbury understood that… a failure to rightly address the issue of slavery would hinder the advance of the Gospel.

…only a united church can heal a divided nation.

The Bible teaches that where there is oppression, the unjust treatment of people groups, or the senseless loss of human life, there is a cry that God hears, and it has His undivided attention. Can we hear that same cry?

Hebrews 12:24 says that the blood of Jesus speaks a better word than the blood of those who have been mistreated and murdered.

[alfiejl]

What the Ravens really need to focus on

What the Ravens really need to focus on

What the Ravens really need to focus on All I hear is drama lately when it comes to the Baltimore Ravens. Mostly a bunch of slightly salty former Ravens’ receivers who are now more concerned about individual accomplishments than returning to the team for another shot at a ring. And my guy you hit it right on the nail…. https://t.co/ye3TcVkTmk — Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) February 23, 2021 Fans out…

[chibi-tsukiko]

Congratulations, you adorable, talented and fantastic bean!! 😘💜💙 / 🤟🏻 + Billy Lockett's Wide Eyed / ⚖️ + Which hurt more? Book!Malec breakup or Show!Malec breakup? / ✏️ + Could you draw baby/kid Magnus? 🥺 (Also, sorry for the lack of space... I can't use enter here when I'm on desktop 😭)

🙈🙈🙈🙈akdksksksk annie you are making me bluuuussshhh stop that! 💕💕

🤟🏻— ASL Cover

⚖️— Which hurt more Book!Malec break up or Show!Malec break up?

Definitely Show!Malec breakup for sheer performance alone. Harry and Matt killed that scene. (As they did every scene tbh). The way Magnus hands are shaking. The way Alec can’t even look at him like he looks like hes gunna physically combust. The little headshake/nose rub when Magnus goes to kiss Alec again. THE DESPERATION IN KISS ALONE! 😭😭😭😭 IT HURTSSSSS MEEEEEEEEE

The Book!Malec break up sucked, but honestly it was valid. Both of them needed the eye opener. Alec needed to see that his choices hurt Magnus as well as his behavior. And I am SO PROUD of Magnus for standing up for himself! 🙌🏻 But in the same breath Magnus needed the break up, not only for to validate himself, but to also realize that this can’t be a one sided relationship. Trust and communication is a two way street. So he needs to try and be more open with Alec.

Both hurt, but I can’t watch or see a gif of the Show!Malec break up without tearing up 😆

✏️— a sketch of a character of your choice

Ok, first of all, HOW HAVE I NOT DRAWN BABY MAGNUS YET?! WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE????? Annie. Thank you for this. Cuz. Wow.

LOOOK AT HIMMMMMMMM?????? I’m obsessed. I hope you like it! 🙈🙈🙈(Also I hope you can tell he’s holding magic lol didnt realize how hard that was gunna be without color 😅)

I hope you like everything!! Thank you so much!! 😘😘♥️♥️♥️

Emmy’s 1k Celebration 🪴

[96thdayofrage]

CRT is not what you think it is: Why we must prevent banning diversity topics in education |Opinion

Like many state legislatures that have been swept up into the wave of anti-Critical Race Theory rhetoric that has come to define the post-Trump presidency, House Bill 18, otherwise known as the Anti-CRT bill, has come to exemplify the mass hysteria that arises when politicians weaponize educational reform for political gain.

What is being said by republican representatives in Frankfort regarding CRT closely resembles what is being expressed amongst republicans on the local, state and national levels across this nation.

Framing CRT as a theoretical framework rooted in making "non-Black" students feel guilty because of their race has created a firestorm fueled by lies, half-truths, overt racism and willful ignorance regarding what exactly Critical Race Theory is.

To understand the very nature of the dialog being shared in Frankfort regarding CRT, I point to the words of Republican representatives currently serving in Frankfort.

Rep. Matt Lockett, R-Nicholasville, who falsely claims that "Critical Race Theory is identity-based Marxism," or that it teaches that the political and social system in the U.S. is based on race and labels those who are white as the oppressors and those who are Black as the oppressed."

Rep. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, another state representative who has signaled support for HB18, claims that CRT doesn't teach history, but "the interpretation of history." The words of these representatives are reflective of an assault on curriculum examining diversity in this nation that has long been at the forefront of Republican politics since the passage of Brown vs. Board 1954.

In the article, "Who's afraid of critical race theory," legal scholar and one of the intellectual minds who developed Critical Race Theory Derek Bell, explained that CRT was and is a body of legal scholarship that is committed to the struggle against institutionalized racism within American society, by highlighting that racism has and is empowered through and by the legal system in this nation.

Emerging during the late 1970s and early 1980s, CRT became a tool by which legal scholars began to investigate and examine society and the judicial system through a racial lens. Legal scholars such as Derek Bell, Richard Delgado, Jean Stefancic and Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw began to question the true nature of progress for Black Americans in this nation since the end of the civil rights movement in the late 60s.

Although Black Americans had gained a quasi-level of equality before the judicial system, these legal scholars pointed to the fact that whites continued to wield and maintain a disproportionate degree of power in this nation, and it was the legal system that cloaked and reinforced the deep structural inequalities that have existed within this nation for centuries.

Kentucky is not the first state to propose a bill that would ban the use of Critical Race Theory in public colleges and universities. However, these laws would effectively undermine students' ability to engage in meaningful conversations about race, gender, sexuality and social justice leading to further division in the state.

This is the opposite of what I assume lawmakers, including Mr. Lockett, intended when proposing HB 18.

This attack on CRT is not the first time lawmakers have sought to ban the teaching of theories that they disagreed with. However, these attempts to ban the teaching of various theories and history has usually been found to infringe on academic freedom at the college and university level. Public schools, specifically higher education, have often been viewed as institutions that indoctrinate students with specific ways of thinking.

State legislators should not force universities and colleges to serve as their puppets and promote the preferred viewpoints of the state legislators. Higher education is a tool to help open students' minds and expand their horizons and students deserve to develop their own independent ideas. The proposal of HB 18 would essentially undercut students' ability to do so.

Students and teachers alike deserve the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about ideas and topics that are controversial. The HB 18 proposal seeks to ban what it calls “Critical Race Theory” in all public K-12 institutions and the state’s public colleges and universities.

However, as already noted, lawmakers have misunderstood the goals and definition of CRT. Instead, they are working to silence specific content they have decided to call CRT. In the state’s K-12 institutions, Critical Race Theory is not taught to students. Rather, Critical Race Theory is typically only taught to college students who are enrolled in certain graduate and professional level programs.

Therefore, allowing the HB18 bill to pass would silence specific topics in public schools, colleges and universities, ultimately harming students, teachers and all state citizens. Rather than trying to prohibit an often-misunderstood academic topic, the Kentucky state legislators should work to propose policies and laws that seek to unite Kentuckians and value our differences.

By allowing students to engage in discussions about diversity, students will be able to have open and honest conversations with their teachers and peers. Maybe then we can learn how to work towards developing true equality, rather than banning topics that we don’t understand and that scare us.

John Broadus is a second-year doctoral student in sociology at the University of Louisville.

Trisha Douin is a third-year doctoral student in sociology at the University of Louisville. Their studies focus on the sociology of race, class, and gender. They both reside in Lexington.

[onelatenight-longago]

It's not about what it is, It's about what it can become

Immediately after the Battle of Hogwarts Harry still tries to fight for what is right. With exhaustion growing from within and magic trying to push it's way out, it seems as though Harry will still have to face a few more challenges. He wants to end the fighting and help rebuild Hogwarts, but maybe, along the way he'll need someone to help him rebuild himself.

"Harry could still feel the sorrow settle into the edges of the room but there was something stronger, something more powerful that linger not just in all of them but in the castle as well, and that was hope"

Playlist on Spotify (Listen Here)

-Far From Home (The Raven) by Sam Tinnesz

-Mr. Rattlebone by Matt Maeson

-Moment's Silence (Common Tongue) by Hozier

-I Found by Amber Run

-NFWMB by Hozier

-Unconditional by Matt Maeson

-Sunlight by Hozier

-Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea (Stripped) by MISSIO

-Young & Free by Dermot Kennedy

-Make it Rain by Ed Sheeran

-Stone by Jaymes Young

-Run Baby Run by The Rigs

-Cliffy by Matt Maeson

-Half Light by BANNERS

-Adore by Dean Lewis

-Bloodstain by Wrabel

-Let Go by Dean Lewis

-Unknown (To You) by Jacob Banks

-Empty House by Billy Lockett

[leagueofleaguesff]

Part 3 Finale Snake VS Lucina

Snake falls to the ground below and hides under a box (his patented stealth move)

Snake then uses his patented box slide move to ram Lucina

Snake takes advantage and does some cool take down maneuvers on Lucina

Lucina recalls the power of the Fire Emblem 🔥 to recover

Snakes gets scared and tried to slither away

Lucina: I can clearly see you

Snake: Well you won't be able to find me in my hidden box!

As snake walks around in a box Lucina unveils him

Lucina uses her special to end the match...

But Snake powers back with his Launcher attack

Slick gets the upset win 186 to 134 over the top ranked Laura

Matchup 📝 Notes:

Both teams had the highest TE starter head to head matchup (39 pts total)

On the bench, Lockett nearly outscored Laura's starting WRs and Flex (17 to 18.5) single handedly

On Slick team Kelce is the 2nd highest scoring TE of week 9 (Goedert had 1st)

Ricky is stashing Ehlinger on the bench

Aaron Jones scored only 6.5 pts because he got injured during the game.

Ricky is in the wildcard albeit a sub .500 record

Laura is still in first at 7-2 with a two game margin over the rest of the league

Ricky is the top of a 4way tie of 4-5 teams which places him in 6th due to his PF (points for)

There are no 6-3 teams in the ILL FL as of week 9. Its only Laura at 7-2 & next rank is 5-4.

As bad as B.Robinson did as far as starting RB, Henderson scored .20 less on the bench

Duvernay scored only 1.5 for Laura...his worst performance of the year thus far which could have hurt her chances of winning

Slicks Defense on the bench (Seahawks) outscored his starting D (Eagles)

Laura has not clinched yet even with her record and PF. She can clinch in 2 weeks barring any setbacks

Ricky (stealthily) jumped from 9th place to 6th place playoff contention in just one week!

The league is a tight race as of now and each week could see massive jumps or falls in standings

Laura didn't score over her projected total this week. Only her and Matt accomplished that

See below for the next Recap Battle 👇🔽👇⤵️