#Midweek Nation

[entertainingthewhatifs]

Am I a....(Insert F word)

“I think my friend’s a feminist. She’s gonna start marching in protests for Planned Parenthood or N.O.W. I think she might even burn her bras….” Good! I’ve never done any of those things, yet I seethe when anyone says, “Feminism is the cause of the breakdown of the family unit.” Really? You’re implying that if a woman’s husband dies and she must solely support her children, she should basically…

[rjzimmerman]

Do the recent or right-now-ongoing crazy global weather scare you? Bother you? Interest you?

I'm pulling this from various media sources, because there is so much crazy weather happening now, or that has happened within the last couple of weeks, it seems like no single media source is picking it up.

From Heatmap AM:

Houston’s floods – More than 400 people in and around Houston, Texas, evacuated their homes over the weekend due to flooding. At least one person, a child, was killed. In one nearby county, more than 21 inches of rain fell over five days last week. The rain has tapered off but the cleanup has just begun.

Brazil’s rain – In Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, days of intense rain caused the Guaiba River to overflow and flood more than 340 cities, including the region’s capital of Porto Alegre. At least 78 people are dead and more than 115,000 have been forced to evacuate. One climatologist calledthe catastrophe “a disastrous cocktail” of climate change and the El Niño effect. “It looks like a scene out of a war,” said Rio Grande do Sul governor Eduardo Leite. 

Chile’s fires – Fires in Chile’s Valparaiso region, fueled by an intense heat wave and enduring drought, have killed at least 51 people and burned more than 64,000 acres.

Kenya’s deluge – Flooding and landslides in Kenya from unrelenting rainfall have killed more than 200 people. It is still raining and the weather is forecast to worsen throughout the month of May.

Southeast Asia’s heat wave – A lengthy heat wave has shattered temperature records across Southeast Asia, forcing many schools to close. One weather historian called the heat wave “the most extreme event in world climatic history.” 

From the Associated Press (AP):

A weekend spring storm that drenched the San Francisco Bay area and closed Northern California mountain highways also set a single-day snowfall record for the season on Sunday (May 5) in the Sierra Nevada. The wet weather system had mostly moved out of the state by Sunday morning, but officials warned that roads would remain slick after around two feet (60 centimeters) of snow fell in some areas of the Sierra. “Did anyone have the snowiest day of the 2023/2024 season being in May on their winter bingo card?” the University of California, Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab asked on the social platform X. The 26.4 inches (67 centimeters) of snowfall on Sunday beat the second snowiest day of the season — March 3rd — by 2.6 inches (6.6 centimeters), according to the lab.

From Yale Climate Connections:

For the first time since the 2010s, a high-risk outlook for severe weather (level 5 of 5) has been issued for parts of the Great Plains. The outlook was put in place at 8 a.m. EDT Monday, May 6, and updated at 12:30 p.m. EDT Monday by the NOAA/National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, as a busy few days of severe weather moved into high gear. Dozens of tornadoes could erupt by midweek, including in and near Oklahoma on Monday and across a broad swath of the mid-Mississippi and lower Ohio River valleys on Wednesday. Many of the worst tornado U.S. outbreaks of recent years have played out across the Mississippi Valley and Southeast, but multiple rounds of twisters have hammered the Plains since late April, taking at least seven lives and wreaking what will no doubt be hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.

From Wikipedia:

On 16 April 2024, heavy rains caused floods in the United Arab Emirates, affected cities of mainly Dubai and Sharjah, the northern Emirates, and different areas of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. According to the National Center for Meteorology (United Arab Emirates) , this was the country's heaviest rainfall recorded in 75 years. The floods in the Emirates were a part of the greater Persian Gulf floods.

[pedripics]

hi! may i ask you something about this Super League? im confused because im new here. and what about that 1 billion euros for? thank you

Hi, of course 🫶🏻

The Super League is a rather complex topic, so I'm gonna give you a short summary and a longer version with the history and stuff under the cut.

In short, the Super League is a proposed football competition for football clubs in Europe that is aimed to rival the UEFA competitions, such as the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.

Format (this is the new version they just released):

It would include 64 men’s (spread across three leagues) and 32 women’s teams (spread across two leagues) playing midweek games in a league system across Europe. All clubs would play in groups of 8 – home and away – resulting in a guaranteed minimum of 14 matches per year. At the end of the season, a knockout stage of 8 clubs will be played in each league to determine the league champions. There would also be annual promotion and relegation between the three/ two leagues. The idea is that it would not interfere with domestic leagues.

History:

Proposals of Super Leagues in European football have been around for decades with the earliest ideas dating back to 1968. There were attempts to create a 'Super League' in 1987 and 1990 but they were abandoned after UEFA and FIFA threatened to sanction all involved clubs. In 2009, Florentino Pérez (president of Real Madrid) began planning a 'Super League' because the Champions League, in his words, was too "obsolete and problematic for the quality of the sport and an obstacle preventing clubs from growing their businesses and developing infrastructure." That idea resurfaced in 2020 when big clubs started suffering financially from the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing debts. That got American investors interested who pledged US $5 billion towards its formation. In January 2021, FIFA and all six football's continental confederations (AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC, and UEFA) issued a statement that rejected the formation of any breakaway European Super League and that they would ban any club or player involved from any competitions organised by FIFA and its six confederations.

Current 'European Super League':

In April 2021, Pérez announced the formation of the 'European Super League' (ESL) via a press release signed by twelve clubs that signed up to be involved (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspurs, Inter Milan, Juventus, AC Milan, Atlético Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Real Madrid). The aim was a new competition that "provides higher-quality matches and additional financial resources for the overall football pyramid, provides significantly greater economic growth and support for European football via a long-term commitment to uncapped solidarity payments, which will grow in line with league revenues, would appeal to a new younger generation of football fans, and also would improve VAR and refereeing." Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Juventus were the three leading clubs. There is much more to the financial aspect of it (like solidarity payments, welcome bonuses, participation payments, commercial revenue, etc.), but that's rather complicated and depends on what newspaper you wanna believe.

Reception:

The announcement led to a joint statement from the governing bodies of the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A condemning the formation, with all governing bodies declaring to prevent the ESL from proceeding any further. Football governing bodies from Germany, France and Russia released similar statements. UEFA reiterated their statements made in January 2021, warning that any clubs involved in the Super League would be banned from all other domestic, European and world football competitions and that players from the clubs involved would also be banned from representing their national teams in international matches. (The Premier League and their governing body FA ruled out barring the six clubs from domestic competitions and preferred to not take legal action.) Numerous politicians expressed their opposition to the proposal of the ESL. Amongst commentators, footballers and managers, the ESL sparked contrasting opinions. Media companies were mostly opposed to the idea (which does not come as a surprise as ESL promises free viewing of all live matches). Many football fans, including the fans of the involved clubs, were not in support of the idea of the ESL. The backlash led to nine clubs (all clubs, except FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus) announcing their intention to withdraw from the project in April 2023. However, eight of these nine clubs remained involved as stakeholders. In June 2023, Juventus announced their decision to leave the Super League project after facing a rumoured 5-year ban from all European competitions if they went through with the project. (That only leaves FC Barcelona and Real Madrid)

Legal issues:

In May 2021, the Super League filed a complaint to the Court of Justice of the European Union against UEFA and FIFA for their proposals to stop the competition. UEFA had opened disciplinary proceedings against FC Barcelona, Juventus, and Real Madrid, which were threatened to be excluded from all UEFA competitions, in order to sanction them but these measures were stayed until further notice as a result of the rulings from the Spanish commercial court and Swiss authorities. In June 2021, the Swiss Department of Justice and Police and the Spanish Commercial Court referred the issue to the Court of Justice of the European Union to question whether UEFA and FIFA have violated two articles of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union. Article 101 prohibits cartels and other agreements that could disrupt free competition in the EEA and Article 102 aims to prevent businesses in an industry from abusing their position or taking action to prevent new businesses from gaining a foothold in the industry. On 21 December 2023, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that FIFA and UEFA's rules, which banned clubs from joining rival competitions, such as the Super League, are contrary to EU law. UEFA's and FIFA's rules making new football projects subject to their prior approval are also unlawful.

What does the ECJ's ruling mean:

The ECJ's ruling is binding and not subject to appeal. The ECJ's decision on UEFA's rules does however not rule on whether the Super League should (or is allowed) to exist. UEFA needs to change and clarify its rules now to comply with EU law. Once the regulations are updated, the Super League will still need to acquire authorisation to set the competition up. The ruling basically gives companies like A22 the right to pitch a new football competition and for their application to be judged on criteria which are "transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate".

Revival of the project:

In December 2023, A22 announced a new, updated proposal (which I already explained under format). However, many clubs have issued statements opposing the idea (including clubs, who were once involved in the ESL). As of right now, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and SSC Napoli have issued statements in support of the ESL. There are reports about various clubs from Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and other European leagues who are keen on joining (but no official statements from the clubs).

Why could Barça and Real Madrid receive €1 billion?

I believe this has not been confirmed by A22, but it has been reported by various newspapers. They would receive €1 billion as a reward for their loyalty, as they are the only two clubs who remained firm on their decision to take part in the Super League. That would obviously only happen if they find enough teams to set up the ESL.

[linuxgamenews]

Discover the Massive Content Update for Slay the Princess

Slay the Princess content update releases free for the horror visual novel game on Linux, Steam Deck, Mac, and Windows PC. Thanks to the incredible skill of Black Tabby Games, this experience is truly unforgettable. Available on Steam, GOG, and Humble Store with 97% Overwhelmingly Positive reviews. Slay the Princess just rolled out a massive content update, it's something you don't want to miss! Developed by Black Tabby, the same folks who brought us "Scarlet Hollow," this title has really turned heads with its unique blend of surreal horror visual novel and engaging storytelling. Now, it's back with even more to offer. First off, let's talk about the free content update for Slay the Princess. It's a substantial expansion of the endgame content. Imagine more animations that bring the eerie world to life and over 3,000 words of additional dialogue. That means more choices, more depth to your interactions, and a richer experience overall on Linux and Steam Deck. And the icing on the cake? Some epic orchestral tracks recorded by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Trust me, they add a whole new level of intensity to those climactic moments.

Slay the Princess NOW offers a free content update

While the content update release – you can also buy Slay the Princess at a 20% discount during the Steam Midweek Madness sale. If that's not a deal, I don't know what is. And it gets better. The game is also part of the "Cabins in the Woods" bundle on Steam, alongside "Inscryption" and "What Remains of Edith Finch" Proton. All three titles have their unique twist on cabin-themed settings, and you can get them at an additional 10% off. That's a deal that's hard to pass up. Slay the Princess isn't just another typical title with a free content update. It challenges you in unexpected ways. Voiced by Jonathan Sims (yep, the guy from The Magnus Archives) and Nichole Goodnight, the story sucks you right in. The premise seems simple – enter a cabin, pick up a dagger, and confront the Princess. But trust me, it's anything but simple. Each choice you make leads you down new, often startling paths. The Princess isn't just a static character; she evolves with every encounter, making each playthrough unique. The love and support from the community have been Overwhelmingly Positive. Tony Howard-Arias, the lead writer, expressed heartfelt thanks to everyone who's played, shared, and created content around this title. Your enthusiasm is what fuels these updates and expansions. So, if you're looking for something that's a bit off the beaten path, with its content update, offering a blend of horror, mystery, and immersive storytelling, Slay the Princess is a must-try. And there's no better time than now, with the new content and these killer deals. The free content update is live on Steam for Linux, Steam Deck (playable), Mac, and Windows PC, priced at $17.99 USD / £15.29 / 17,99€ (with the 20% discount) until April 8th. Regular price on GOG and Humble Store.

[shannendoherty-fans]

People June 14th 1993

Shannen Doherty's Wild Ways May Be Hazardous to Her—and Her Career

I was weary of the verbal assaults and locked myself in our bathroom. At this point she threatened to shoot me and said, "I'm going to drop you!" I knew she had a loaded 9-mm automatic…. I heard the chamber pulled back; at that point, I hastily exited the house through a back door connected to the bathroom and escaped. —From a May 25 petition by Dean Jay Factor in the Superior Court of California for a domestic-violence restraining order against Shannen Doherty

The scenario sounds like something from Top Cops, not Beverly Hills, 90210, but then actress Shannen Doherty, 22—who in America's favorite zip code plays prototypical teen Brenda Walsh—has always marched to a dangerous drummer. Partying late into the night at trendy L.A. clubs such as Roxbury and the Gate and piloting her $30,000 black BMW at high speeds through nearby streets, she has defiantly winked at her bad-girl reputation. "Don't believe everything you read," she coyly told fans during a May 26 TV interview. "To paraphrase Mark Twain, half the things you read about me are untrue, and the others are lies.

Now, however, attitude alone may prove a flimsy defense. Last week Doherty was facing not a hyperbolic tabloid headline but the sworn testimony of former fiancé Factor, 28, heir to the Max Factor cosmetics fortune. And his charges made the tantrum-prone 5'2", 100-lb. Doherty sound violent if not downright homicidal. By midweek, according to Factor's attorney, Edwin Lasman, an understanding had been reached with Doherty in which his client's differences with her were resolved, eliminating the need for further court proceedings. An announcement of the agreement was expected by the week's end.

Still, the allegations in Factor's 15-page declaration remain deeply disturbing. Once, Doherty tried to run him down with a car, Factor claimed. Another time, he said, she threw a log through a window to get into his house. During one argument, he maintained, she "threatened to hire a few guys to beat me up and to sodomize me 'on the front lawn.' " He ended his petition by saying that even though he was taking steps to prevent harassment, "I will live in fear."

Others say they are afraid for Doherty. They believe she is a young woman on the verge of spinning out of control—and that she may be a harmful influence on Tori Spelling, 20, who plays 90210's Donna Martin (and whose father, Hollywood megamogul Aaron Spelling, is the show's executive producer). Tori lately has been engaging in the kind of hard partying and public pugnacity that has given Doherty her bad-girl reputation.

For a time, her rep looked like a stellar career play for Doherty. It meant publicity (even in the form of a nationally circulated I Hate Brenda newsletter, a thinly disguised jab at the actress herself). And Doherty willingly parried the insinuations about her behavior. She denied in interviews that she had an alcohol problem and told one reporter, "I don't hit people. I wasn't hit as a child, and I don't believe in it." Not denying her aggressiveness, she offered in her own defense a favorite line from her preteen days as Jenny Wilder on Little House: A New Beginning. "Michael Landon," she said, "told me you have to stick up for yourself in this business."

What would Landon think now? Since debuting on 90210 in 1990, Doherty has left a trail of bad debts, trashed homes, exhausted friendships and wasted relationships. When challenged, say several people who know her, she is likely to respond with a menacing, "You don't know who you're f—ing with!"

Apparently, Dean Factor learned who and wishes he hadn't. Neither Doherty nor her attorney, Joseph D'Onofrio, responded to PEOPLE's repeated requests for an interview. Speaking in his daughter's defense, Shannen's father, Tom Doherty, 49, an L.A. mortgage adviser, offers a different spin. "He's been doing [the abusing]," says Doherty. "He initialed the charge, but she's the victim."

Indeed, in a confrontation between the 5'10", 175-lb. Factor and Doherty, it is hard to imagine Shannen as anything but a victim. And yet Factor swears that lie was usually on the receiving end. At times, he admits in his petition, he slapped her. Once he threw her into his swimming pool. He says he was acting in self-defense—a claim many who know Doherty are inclined to believe.

"I could have predicted this before it happened," says Doherty's previous ex-fiancé, Chris Foufas, 25, a Chicago-based health-club owner who was engaged to the star in 1991. "Things move along smoothly for a while, and then something snaps and she goes into another drive: rage."

Until March 19, when Doherty moved into Factor's $5,200-a-month rented Tudor-style house in the Hollywood Hills, all seemed relatively smooth. "We did not have more than the occasional loud argument," Factor says. On April 19, with 90210 on hiatus, Doherty began work on the set of a movie, the suspense thriller Blindfold. A senior crew member on the movie calls her behavior "cantankerous, snotty and threatening" and says Doherty told everyone on the set how she and Factor "were constantly fighting, saying how she punched him and he hit her." And then, he adds, "the thing with Nelson began."

In Blindfold, Doherty, who does her first onscreen nude scenes, plays a patient who becomes sexually involved with her psychiatrist—portrayed by Brat Pack graduate Judd Nelson, 33. Shortly after shooting began, Doherty began an offscreen romance with Nelson, even though she was still living with Factor. Right after a read-through of the Blindfold script in early April, Factor and Doherty began a vacation together in Hawaii on April 12. They were accompanied by Spelling and Nick Savalas, 20, son of actor Telly Savalas, Tori's boyfriend of several months. During the trip, said Factor in his petition, "we took full advantage of the romantic setting." He proposed marriage—and Doherty accepted. But within hours, they were fighting. "Shannen came back with a black eye and said she'd been hit by a surfboard," says her dad. "In reality he'd hit her." Factor's version in his declaration: "After having been kicked and beaten, I pushed her off me. Unfortunately she tripped, fell and cut her eye on the doorstep." What were they arguing about? "Judd Nelson," speculated the senior Doherty. "Dean felt she was fooling around with him."

Over the next few weeks, Factor said he pleaded with Doherty to continue their engagement. But on May 13, some days after Doherty moved out, said Factor, she returned and yet another fight ensued. The next day he filed a complaint with the LAPD. He said in his deposition, "I decided the nonsense had to end."

For Doherty, though, it was just beginning. That same night she checked into Dallas's exclusive Mansion on Turtle Creek—with Judd Nelson. The couple went out for some midnight club-hopping. Gus Hudson, manager of the Greenville Bar & Grill in Dallas, noticed on that evening that Doherty "was drinking heavily" and that "she puked at her table." The next night, back at the Greenville, Nelson was taunted by several young people about his recent lack of good movie parts. When he tried to climb over a railing to argue, he kicked 21-year-old Kim Evans in the nose—unintentionally, he says. Evans left the bar with minor injuries, and Nelson was eventually charged with assault. The case is pending.

As Chris Foufas sees it, his ex-fiancée's bar-and mate-hopping follows a familiar pattern. "Shannen can be a great, wonderful, loving person," he says. "But she wants to be a dictator. Shannen gets people to commit to her and then says, 'See ya!' She is like a kid who wants a toy, gets it and then gets tired of it."

Over the past year she has amassed a lot of toys—at heavy cost. After she broke up with Foufas, for example, she went on a $45,000 shopping spree. Previously the California United Bank, which often tolerates celebrity overdrafts up to $100,000, had filed suit in May last year because Doherty had not repaid $31,628.16 in bad checks written in 1991. The Superior Court of California awarded the bank a 25 percent levy against her $17,500-a-week 90210 paycheck—which will be raised to $22,500 when shooting resumes July 7. Says bank attorney Andy Alper: "We were lucky we were first in line."

Apparently. Still waiting for payment are Doherty's former publicist, Susan Culley, ex-manager Mike Gursey and former landlord Mark Nishimura, who claims Doherty owes $14,000 in unpaid lease fees. Reportedly two of Shannen's leased Mercedeses have been repossessed.

Why the seeming inability to control her spending? "It's a power thing, to prove her worth," says a former friend. But Shannen, who started acting in Pepsi commercials at age 10, has helped the Doherty clan (including her mother, Rosa, who works at an L.A. beauty salon, and her older brother, Sean, 26, a political volunteer). "She's too generous," thinks her dad. "Your cash flow just dries up."

Ultimately, of course, Aaron Spelling governs that spigot, and an insider says he is looking to dump Doherty from 90210. Though she has 28 episodes left in her contract, Doherty's onscreen time next season may be minimized if Brenda leaves for college in Minnesota. But Spelling is concerned more for his daughter than his series. Tori has moved out of her family's 100-plus-room Holmby Hills mansion. Over the last month she and Savalas have been spotted engaged in loud arguments in several L.A. hot spots. Says Roxbury doorman Todd Spenla of their relationship: "Tori is always unhappy for some reason." Notes the insider: "With Tori getting caught up in [Shannen's lifestyle] now, Aaron is beside himself as a father."

Given Doherty's long-standing reputation—not likely to be enhanced by Factor's allegations—losing 90210 could cripple her career. Shannen, her father hopes, may be getting the message. "It's disheartening for her," says Tom of the adverse publicity. "A little of the life, a little of the spirit is out of her. She's just gelling over the shell shock." Then he adds meaningfully, "She's beginning to understand things too."

[noloveforned]

welcome to 2024! no love for ned is still here and still on wlur every friday night from 8pm until midnight! i was hoping to have a new theme set to go this week but we're going to stick with our fall 'food songs' for another week.

our last show of the year was the annual look back twenty years ago for our best of 2003 show (now streaming on mixcloud). if you enjoyed the show, you can also check out the previous nine retrospective shows spotlighting 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995 and 1993 (1994 will be produced later this year as a special a 30th anniversary show).

no love for ned on wlur – december 29th, 2023 from 8pm-midnight

artist // track // album // label the aislers set // languor in the balcony // how i learned to write backwards // slumberland shout out louds // the comeback // howl howl gaff gaff // bud fox matt suggs // calm down // amigo row // merge belle and sebastian // i'm a cuckoo // dear catastrophe waitress // rough trade the rosebuds // kicks in the schoolyard // make out // merge the lucksmiths // midweek midmorning // naturaliste // drive-in sprites // do it yourself // starling, spiders, tiger and sprites // march camera obscura // suspended from class // underachievers please try harder // elefant st. thomas // a long long time // hey harmony // racing junior bishop allen // little black ache // charm school // champagne school herman düne // why would that hurt? (if you never loved me) // mash concrete metal mushroom // shrimper bearsuit // itsuko got married // itsuko got married 7" // bearslut dressy bessy // baby six string // dressy bessy // kindercore the new pornographers // testament to youth in verse // electric version // matador all girl summer fun band // dear mr. and mrs. troublemaker // 2 // k david and the citizens // graycoated morning // until the sadness is gone // adrian saturday looks good to me // alcohol // all your summer songs // polyvinyl the essex green // the late great cassiopia // the long goodbye // merge beulah // landslide baby // yoko // velocette reclinerland // give up your film career (lenny's theme) // the ideal home music library // hush blanket music // hyper-ballad // read: interpreting bjork tribute // hush tobin sprout // doctor #8 // lost planets and phantom voices // mr. whiggs plastic mastery // i fell in love on the way to a funeral // sverige ep // 555 the thermals // no culture icons // more parts per million // sub pop rainer maria // mystery and misery // long knives drawn // polyvinyl joel plaskett emergency // extraordinary // truthfully truthfully // maple music sloan // false alarm // action pact // vik guided by voices // useless inventions // earthquake glue // matador deerhoof // dummy discards a heart // apple o' // kill rock stars lil' hospital // there could be girlfriend // i wanna be well // best friends the national splits // she's my baby and she's alright // fontana // mr. whiggs murder beach // eight great ways // first string teenage high- songs of tullycraft played by people who aren't tribute // bumblebear casiotone for the painfully alone // jeane, if you're ever in portland // twinkle echo // tomlab bobby birdman // i will come again // heart caves ep // states rights

erykah badu // back in the day // worldwide underground // motown the books // take time // the lemon of pink // tomlab nanang tatang // bunny hop hop // muki // tiger style so // a // so // thrill jockey piana // hide and seek // snow bird // happy broken social scene // anthems for a seventeen-year-old girl // you forgot it in people // arts and crafts califone // michigan girls // quicksand/cradlesnakes // thrill jockey the strugglers // the new room // the new room // tract magnolia electric co. // just be simple // the magnolia electric co. // secretly canadian crooked fingers // big darkness // red devil dawn // merge the trouble with sweeney // the break up // i know you destroy // burnt toast vinyl barzin // past all concerns // barzin // where are my azure ray // hold on love // hold on love // saddle creek seekonk // move // for barbara lee // kimchee sun kill moon // carry me ohio // ghosts of the great highway // jetset the american analog set // come home baby julie, come home // promise of love // tiger style the twilight singers // teenage wristband // blackberry belle // birdman spiritualized // she kissed me (it felt like a hit) // amazing grace // sanctuary the postal service // the district sleeps alone tonight // give up // sub pop her space holiday // my girlfriend's boyfriend // the young machines // mush styrofoam // a heart without a mind // i'm what's there to show that something's missing // morr music howard hello // my friend / the parasite // don't drink his blood // temporary residence pernice brothers // one foot in the grave // yours, mine and ours // ashmont the salteens // damn you // let go of your bad days // drive-in the unicorns // i was born (a unicorn) // who will cut our hair when we're gone? // alien8 the hidden cameras // ban marriage // the smell of our own // rough trade yo la tengo // today is the day // today is the day ep // matador

[atlantichurricanes]

Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook issued by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, FL, USA

2024-07-28, 08:00 EDT

Near the Leeward Islands and Greater Antilles: An area of disturbed weather over the central tropical Atlantic Ocean is expected to interact with an approaching tropical wave during the next several days. Environmental conditions are forecast to become conducive for some development in a day or two, and a tropical depression could form around midweek while the system is near or over the northern Leeward Islands, Greater Antilles, or southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

* Formation chance through 48 hours...low...near 0 percent.

* Formation chance through 7 days...medium...40 percent.

$$ Forecaster Berg

[alatmosphericcenter]

ZCZC MIATWOAT ALL

TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM

Tropical Weather Outlook

NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL

800 PM EDT Sat Jul 27 2024

For the North Atlantic...Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:

1. Near the Lesser and Greater Antilles:

An area of disturbed weather over the central tropical Atlantic

Ocean is expected to interact with an approaching tropical wave

during the next several days. Environmental conditions are forecast

to become conducive for some development in a day or two, and a

tropical depression could form around midweek while the system is

near or over the northern Leeward Islands, Greater Antilles or

southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

* Formation chance through 48 hours...low...near 0 percent.

* Formation chance through 7 days...medium...40 percent.

Forecaster Blake

[justinssportscorner]

Paul MacInnes at The Guardian:

Uefa has been found to be “abusing a dominant position” in the way it applies its rules, leaving the potential for a revival of the European Super League project. In a long-awaited ruling by the European court of justice, Uefa and football’s international governing body, Fifa, were found to have rules relating to the establishment of new competitions that were not “transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate”. These rules have been declared “unlawful” by the court. The judgment also found, however, that its decision “does not mean that a competition such as the Super League project must necessarily be approved”. The ruling has been awaited by football’s stakeholders as potentially offering sign as to the future of the European game and whether a project such a Super League could happen again.

Bernd Reichart, the chief executive of A22, a consultancy hired by the Super League Company, said on X: “We have won the right to compete. The Uefa monopoly is over. Football is free. Clubs are now free from the threat of sanction and free to determine their own futures.” A22 swiftly revealed its plan for men’s and women’s Super Leagues, with 64 teams in the men’s competition, 32 in the women’s and promotion and relegation across the divisions in each. It said the initial selection of clubs would be based on merit, there would be no permanent members and clubs would continue to play in their domestic leagues, with Super League matches scheduled midweek. Ejection from either competition, however, would happen only for clubs that finish at the bottom of the last tier. Clubs would be placed in groups of eight, guaranteeing them 14 matches a season. Reichart said of the project’s plans, which would in effect replace Uefa’s Champions League. “For fans: We propose free viewing of all Super League matches. For clubs: Revenues and solidarity spending will be guaranteed.”

Javier Tebas, the president of La Liga and a staunch critic of the Super League, which continues to be backed by Real Madrid and Barcelona, accused Reichart of behaving as if he had been drinking “until 5 in the morning”. He said the ruling had not stated that Uefa and Fifa must admit the Super League. “On the contrary,” he said, “it points out that the criteria for admission to competitions must be transparent, objective and non-discriminatory. Principles precisely incompatible with the Super League.” Uefa said the ruling did not “signify an endorsement or validation of the so-called ‘super league’” but addressed a “pre-existing shortfall” in Uefa’s framework which it said it had subsequently corrected in June 2022. It outlined its continued opposition to the Super League project. “Uefa is confident in the robustness of its new rules, and specifically that they comply with all relevant European laws and regulations,” it said. “Uefa remains resolute in its commitment to uphold the European football pyramid … We trust that the solidarity-based European football pyramid that the fans and all stakeholders have declared as their irreplaceable model will be safeguarded against the threat of breakaways by European and national laws.”

In 2021, immediately after the announcement of the breakaway tournament, Uefa took disciplinary action against the 12 Super League clubs, with each sanctioned and banned from European qualification for joining a competition unauthorised by the governing body. The Super League company brought legal action in response, its arguments focusing on whether Uefa should have the power to decide what is authorised. Uefa’s disciplinary processes were suspended as part of these proceedings, with nine of the 12 clubs also walking away from the Super League. An opinion published last year by an advocate general at the ECJ found Uefa had not acted against European competition law by sanctioning its clubs. Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Pérez, said after the ruling: “Today will mark a before and after; it is a great day for the history of football and the history of sport.” Pérez said clubs could now be “the masters of their destiny” and the Super League would give football “the new impetus it so badly needs”.

The European Court of Justice rules that neither FIFA nor UEFA can legally block the formation of the Super League.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

Millions of Americans from Texas to Maine will face sweltering conditions this week as a heat wave takes hold in the eastern half of the United States, according to forecasters. Beginning Sunday, rising temperatures will hit the South, then stretch over the Midwest before spreading to the East Coast by midweek.

It’s not officially summer yet, so the real baking season is still to come. But this earlier stretch of stifling weather, and the fact that it is expected to linger for days, may be jarring for many regions.

Here are five numbers to help put this coming heat wave — and our warming climate — in context.

99

The expected high temperature in Fahrenheit on Wednesday in Pittsburgh. It would be the highest ever recorded there during the month of June, said Josh Weiss, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. (In Pittsburgh, he added, there are temperature records dating back to 1875.)

22.6 million

The number of people across the country who were under extreme heat advisories, watches or warnings on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. That is roughly the population of the state of Florida.

12

The number of consecutive months in which the average global temperature of earth has been the highest on record for that month. Last month was the hottest May ever. June could bring that number to 13.

1,220

The estimated number of deaths per year caused by extreme heat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That makes heat the deadliest kind of extreme weather. (Flooding, by contrast, causes about 98 deaths per year.) But that number may be an undercount, as heat deaths are hard to track, because heat can exacerbate underlying conditions. And it tends to be most dangerous for people who are already vulnerable, like older Americans who don’t have air conditioning.

4

The highest number on a new scale created by the National Weather Service and the C.D.C. that gauges the health risks associated with extreme heat in a specific location on any given day. Because — as anyone who has spent summer days in Houston or Phoenix could tell you — not all heat feels the same. Experts say that even slightly lower temperatures coupled with high levels of humidity can be more dangerous.

[papirouge]

I never was told to leave a church group before but I had left one, the last one I went to, because they were.. ew

It seemed well in the beginning. No issues until the church let go of the old pastor and this new young guy came in. Single and would sometimes sprinkle in weird incel talk about how single women were the worst parts of Gods kingdom for disobeying his commandment to be fruitful and multiple. Like? What?

Then the sermons got very political. Old people that never had issues before and were pretty nice had become a lot more mean and racist. I saw less women in general? Trump this. Trump that. Democrats are working with the jewish elites and muslims to destroy our Godly nation (I’m living in the US), it was so BIZARRE to hear this being said with no irony or anything and people legitimately believe it.

I left when I attended a midweek meeting that talked about church issues. And it started by discussing how the Catholic Church is a horrible institution for defending pedophiles while others called out how the victims were mostly boys and “priests should have been women the whole time then those boys would be called men, not whatever beta victimhood they want to be” -cue snickers from mostly males- Then the subject was to abortion where some believe it’s a crime against *the state* ie the government because abortion takes away 1 solider from the military and others chimed in with “we’re already below replacement levels, we need more babies!”

And I, being not white, and not caring about white people panicking over being a minority was just really bored of it all. But I did look at a few others didn’t really react who looked at me and we just knew this is just stupid.

And I also, being someone who couldn’t care any less about the american military industrial complex, was bored of the panic people feel about abortion needing to be banned ONLY because the military requires bodies is honestly dystopian to say the least.

Yeah the rest of that meeting went by terribly. I know these people are not representative of anything, but I cant stand how a lot of churches now are becoming mini political centers.

Also, one of the higher up guys in the church quietly left before I did when he was outed as a gay man for sleeping with married husbands. But some people blamed the wives? God was a trash fire that place was.

There were so many good times and a lot of good people though too, like I got to know this old lady who knitted sweaters and scarves for people for free if you asked and all she would ask in return is for you to hang with her 🥹 she used to work as a nurse in the 50s, she couldn’t have her own babies so, she told me, “I ended up for a time as a volunteer to cuddle babies in the hospital!” she was such a beautiful person. She also donated a lot of money to domestic abuse shelters for women.

I'll NEVER understand why Christians fundies act like not having children is a sin/"multiplying" is a commandment for ALL of us. Jesus was a celibate - yet he never sinned. Why can't they make the logical conclusion off of it?

When God told Eve and Adam to multiply it was while they were still in the garden of Eden, and yet, they started conceiving/multiplying only after they got kicked out of the garden. Were they sinning for not multiplying humankind while still in the garden? eating the forbidden fruit is the only and first sin they committed out there - not their lack of offsprings. Breeding kink christians should get their facts straight.

I'm absolutely not surprised by this new generation of young pastor matrixed by red pill content. It was bound to happen. I think it's yet another sign we have to stop relying on "regular" church assemblies and build our own communities.

I really don't get whenever a male get exposed for being a pedophile people go like "oh but if roles were reversed!!" Like- do those people see men reaction whenever boys get abused? They are the one acting like the victims were grownups and how "lucky" they were from discovering sex that turned them into men. Women are the ones consistently frowning upon sexual abuse.

US Evangelicals should really pipe down with their mocking of catholic Priest pedophile when they have no problem handing over their 13 y.o girls to middle age polygamous scrotes. There's a documentary floating around on TikTok of a man who married & impregnated girls as young as 13, their sisters, mom, cousins, etc.

Bless that old lady. Wherever they are, women are the only hope to elevate the bar somehow. I'm glad you're out though. How much time did you stay in that cesspool of a church ? I think documenting crazy church drama from an actual/authentic Christian perspective (instead of a whiny uwu church trauma uwu one) could be the subject of such a cool documentary. Made by Christians FOR Christians, and to warb them off the lunacy of modern churches.

I thought about it but I'm in France and most church are catholic so very geriatric but chill/unproblematic. The evangelicals ones are those were the mess is. They're mostly African too 👀 (I'm from Congo and Congolese pretty much 'own' the network of evangelical churches in France and Belgium lmao) A few months ago a Christian teen rapper got exposed having several gf (in the same time)/having sex with them - they all exposed him on TikTok 💀. They said he was adamant having sex with them with Christian music in the background 😭

If i was around your church I would do an interview of that homewrecking gay dude and expose their husbands. JUSTICE FOR THEIR WIVES. I can't imagine the horror of discovering your husband is cheating with a gay man... Double betrayal. And let's not forget the STDs.... They all should be put to jail IDC

[choti12]

The Best Time to Visit Hong Kong: A Comprehensive Guide

Hong Kong, with its towering skyscrapers, bustling streets, and vibrant culture, is a city that captivates travelers year-round. However, choosing the optimal time to visit can greatly enhance your experience and ensure you make the most of what this dynamic destination has to offer. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you decide the best time to visit Hong Kong:

1. Weather Considerations:

Spring (March to May): Spring brings mild temperatures and blooming flora to Hong Kong. It's an ideal time for outdoor activities such as hiking, exploring parks, and enjoying the city's scenic views.

Summer (June to August): Hong Kong summers are hot and humid, with temperatures often soaring above 30°C (86°F). While it's not the most comfortable time to visit, summer is perfect for beach lovers and water sports enthusiasts.

Autumn (September to November): With clear skies and pleasant temperatures, autumn is arguably the best time to visit Hong Kong. It's perfect for sightseeing, attending festivals, and sampling seasonal delicacies.

Winter (December to February): Hong Kong's winters are mild and relatively dry, making it an attractive option for travelers looking to escape colder climates. The city is adorned with festive decorations during the holiday season, adding to its charm.

2. Festivals and Events:

Chinese New Year: Celebrated in January or February, Chinese New Year is one of Hong Kong's most significant festivals. The city comes alive with colorful parades, traditional performances, and dazzling fireworks displays.

Spring Lantern Festival: Held in conjunction with the Chinese New Year, the Spring Lantern Festival takes place on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Visitors can admire beautifully crafted lanterns and participate in various cultural activities.

Hong Kong Arts Festival: Taking place from February to March, the Hong Kong Arts Festival showcases a diverse range of performances, including music, dance, theater, and visual arts.

Dragon Boat Festival: Celebrated in June, the Dragon Boat Festival features exhilarating dragon boat races, traditional ceremonies, and delicious rice dumplings known as zongzi.

3. Peak Tourist Seasons:

Golden Week: The first week of October sees an influx of tourists from mainland China due to the National Day holiday. Accommodation prices tend to surge during this period, so it's advisable to book well in advance.

Christmas and New Year: Hong Kong is a popular destination for holidaymakers during the festive season. Hotels and attractions may be crowded, but the city's festive atmosphere is truly magical.

4. Considerations for Budget Travelers:

Off-Peak Travel: Visiting Hong Kong during the shoulder seasons (spring and autumn) can offer significant savings on accommodation and flights while still enjoying favorable weather and fewer crowds.

Midweek Stays: Opting for midweek travel instead of weekends can also result in lower hotel rates and dining expenses.

In conclusion, the best time to visit Hong Kong ultimately depends on your preferences, budget, and the experiences you wish to have. Whether you're drawn to the city's cultural festivities, outdoor adventures, or culinary delights, Hong Kong promises an unforgettable journey regardless of the season. So, pack your bags and get ready to immerse yourself in the enchanting tapestry of sights, sounds, and flavors that define this cosmopolitan metropolis.

[spacemilkbag]

national holidays midweek always mess me up

[whitepolaris]

Beware the Banditos

If San Diego’s Whaley House is too far out of the way, the next best place for ghosts-on-demand in southern California may be Ventura’s Olivas Adobe. Local ghost-hunting legend Richard Senate has recently completed a documentary about the site, and the spirits apparently obliged him, making a few fleeting appearances on camera and before witnesses. A midweek afternoon visit, when the place is relatively deserted, is perhaps the best time to look for the disturbed ghost of Senora Teodora Olivas. 

Senora Olivas has good reason to keep watch over her home, which was completed in 1851. Her husband Don Raimundo Olivas, was deeded 2,200 acres of land bordering the Ventura shore in appreciation of his service in the Mexican army under General Santa Barbara.  He named his property Rancho San Miguel. By shrewd political maneuvering and hard work, Olivas became one of the wealthiest ranchers in Alta California. Fiestas held at the adobe lasted for days. All of this of course made him a target for bandits, who staged a vicious riad on his home in 1855. 

The robbers rounded up the family and servants and then searched the grounds for valuables. Here, the story gets fuzzy. One version maintains that a trusted Indian servant was secretly given Don Raimundo’s treasure box, reportedly containing anywhere from $3,000 to $75,000 in gold coins (depending on which story you choose believe), to bury on the grounds while Raimundo stalled the outlaws. When the servant successfully completed his mission, returned to the adobe and was shot before the desperadoes realized that he was the only person who knew where the stash was hidden. 

The banditos fare slightly better if you go with the second version of events: After one of them struck Senora Olivas to the ground and ripped off her earrings, the group managed to carry off the treasure and make for the hills. They soon realized that a sizable posse had been rounded up to track them down, so the box was buried in the mountains somewhere between Ventura and Santa Barbara. No one has yet found the lost gold. According to Senate, at least one of the criminals got away-but not forever: “A follow named Encarnacion Berryessa was in a bar in L.A. boasting of his many evil deeds-one of which was the robbery of Olivas adobe,” Senate reports. “The good patrons of the car took him out and hung him.”

Visitors have seen Senora Olivas nervously pacing the high porch along the rear of the house. She is dressed in black and usually disappears in mid stride. She is dressed at the adobe often hear footsteps going up the creaky stairs or pacing on boards above, but see no one when the area is checked. Rocking chairs in the restored rooms tilt back and forth when no one is near, and objects move from their usual locations overnight in the deserted house. Figures have appeared in the upper windows, looking sternly down on startled witnesses. One night in 2004 Senate managed to capture on a digital camera the image of a bearded male face peering into one of the upstairs windows. The window is eighteen feet above the ground, with no balcony or ledge. A bit of research determined that the face resembles Nicolas Olivas, eldest son of Don Raimundo and his wife. Perhaps he was looking for his fingers, which was shot off in the robbery. 

The Olivas Adobe is a State and National Historic Monument, and is located at 4200 Olivas Park Drive, south of the town of Ventura, near Highway 101. Although the grounds are open daily, tours are offered only on weekends from ten a.m. to four p.m. 

[jrpneblog]

Back to business and a couple of quick wins needed

North End return to action on Saturday, after the final international break of the year, with a home game against new promoted Derby County. As is usually the case after a fortnights break we also have a midweek game away at Stoke City next Tuesday evening. Looking at the fixtures you might be forgiven for thinking that this is an opportunity for North End to collect a few points and climb up the table but after Plymouth, Portsmouth and Bristol City I am not so sure. Clearly we need to get back to some sort of form quickly as we currently stand clear of the drop zone only on goal difference, which is not quite the place we were expecting to be at this point in the season after fifteen games.

Derby County visit Deepdale on Saturday for a 3pm kick off and Paul Warne will be quite happy with the start his club have made back in the Championship. The Rams currently sit twelfth in the table with nineteen points from the fifteen games they have played. Fourteen of those points have been collected at home but away from Pride Park Derby have collected just five points from their eight games having won one, drawn two and lost five. They have scored eight goals on their travels and conceded fourteen and based on those stats I think this is a game that North End can win if they can score more than one goal in the game. Osmajic will, of course, be available and it will be interesting to see if Paul Heckingbottom throws him back in from the start or leaves him to play a role later on in the game. I suspect it will be the latter.

On Tuesday evening we travel to the Potteries to face Stoke City who are now managed by Narcis Pelach, formerly of Norwich City. The Catalan replaced Steven Schumacher who was sacked in September by the board. Stoke are just one place below Derby in the Championship table in thirteenth position with the same nineteen points as the Rams but with a slightly inferior goal difference. At the bet365 Stadium they have won three, drawn three and lost two of their eight home games scoring fifteen goals and conceding eleven. Stoke hasn`t been a particularly bad place to go for North End in recent seasons and there is no reason to suggest that we cannot come away with something on Tuesday evening. I fancy North End for a draw in Staffordshire but having said that we must start winning a few away from Deepdale if we are to make a serious climb up that Championship table.

And finally this week:- after the horror show at Wembley back in October, England put things right in Athens last Thursday evening and then ensured promotion back to league A in the Nations league for next season with a big win over Ireland on Sunday afternoon at Wembley. How many of the players involved over the weekend will be in Thomas Tuchel`s first squad remains to be seen but the German certainly has his own ideas about the game so we could well be in for an interesting period on the International scene. The draw for the World Cup qualifiers takes place on December 13th and England are placed in Pot 1. I think we will get a five team group with the first qualifiers in March of 2025

.

MATCH PREDICTION

DERBY COUNTY (H) League - Home win

STOKE CITY (A) League - Score draw

.

JR`s HIGH FIVES

Sheffield United to beat Coventry City 7/4

A £5 Stake double returns £13.75 on bet365

SEASONS STATS

Returns £52.02 Stake £75.00

Percentage profit+/-loss - % 30.64

Predictions 15 won 4 lost 11

[atlantichurricanes]

Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook issued by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, FL, USA

2024-06-16, 14:00 EDT

Southwestern Gulf of Mexico: A large area of disturbed weather is located over Central America, the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, and the adjacent waters of the northwestern Caribbean Sea. A broad area of low pressure is forecast to form from this system over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico on Monday or Tuesday. Environmental conditions appear conducive for subsequent gradual development of the low, and a tropical depression or tropical storm could form by midweek while it moves slowly westward or west-northwestward.

Regardless of development, several days of heavy rainfall are expected across portions of southern Mexico and Central America, and these rains are likely to cause life-threatening flooding and flash flooding. Locally heavy rainfall is also expected to spread over portions of the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Mexico by the middle of the week. In addition, gale warnings have been issued for portions of the Gulf of Mexico, and more information on these is available in High Seas Forecasts issued by the National Weather Service.

* Formation chance through 48 hours...low...30 percent.

* Formation chance through 7 days...high...70 percent.

Southwestern Atlantic Ocean: A trough or an area of low pressure is forecast to form by midweek a few hundred miles northeast of the central Bahamas. Environmental conditions could be conducive for some development of this system thereafter while it moves westward or west-northwestward.

* Formation chance through 48 hours...low...near 0 percent.

* Formation chance through 7 days...low...30 percent.

&& High Seas Forecasts issued by the National Weather Service can be found under AWIPS header NFDHSFAT1, WMO header FZNT01 KWBC, and online at ocean.weather.gov/shtml/NFDHSFAT1.php

$$ Forecaster Beven