#Notable Deaths in July 2024

[gone2soon-rip]

BOB NEWHART (1929-Died July 18th 2024,at 94) American comedian and actor. He was known for his deadpan and stammering delivery style. Beginning as a stand-up comedian, he transitioned his career to acting in television. He received numerous accolades, including three Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2002.

Newhart came to prominence in 1960 when his record album of comedic monologues, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, became a bestseller and reached number one on the Billboard pop album chart; it remains the 20th-best-selling comedy album in history.The follow-up album, The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!, was also a success, and the two albums held the Billboard number one and number two spots simultaneously.

Newhart hosted a short lived NBC variety show entitled The Bob Newhart Show (1961) before starring as Chicago psychologist Robert Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show from 1972 to 1978 and then as Vermont innkeeper Dick Loudon on series Newhart from 1982 to 1990. He also had two short-lived sitcoms in the 1990s, Bob and George and Leo. Newhart acted in films such as Catch-22 (1970), Cold Turkey (1971), In & Out (1997), and Elf (2003). He also voiced Bernard in the Disney animated films The Rescuers (1977) and The Rescuers Down Under (1990). Newhart played Professor Proton on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory from 2013 to 2018, for which he received his first Primetime Emmy Award. Bob Newhart - Wikipedia

[covid-safer-hotties]

Nasal COVID-19 vaccine halts transmission - Published July 31, 2024

Study in hamsters indicates vaccines targeting nose, mouth may be key to controlling spread of respiratory infections

A nasal COVID-19 vaccine blocks transmission of the virus, according to an animal study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The findings suggest that vaccines delivered directly to the nose or mouth could play a critical role in containing the spread of respiratory infections.

The lightning-fast development of COVID-19 vaccines just months after the virus appeared was a triumph of modern science and saved millions of lives. But for all the good they did in reducing illnesses and deaths, the shots were unable to end the pandemic because of one notable weakness: They couldn’t stop the spread of the virus.

A new study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates that next-generation vaccines that target the virus’s points of entry — the nose and mouth — may be able to do what traditional shots cannot: contain the spread of respiratory infections and prevent transmission. Using a nasal COVID-19 vaccine based on Washington University technology, approved for use in India and licensed to Ocugen for further development in the U.S., the researchers showed that vaccinated hamsters that developed infections did not pass the virus on to others, breaking the cycle of transmission. In contrast, an approved COVID-19 vaccine that is injected failed to prevent the spread of the virus.

The findings, published July 31 in Science Advances, provide further evidence that so-called mucosal vaccines sprayed into the nose or dropped into the mouth may be the key to controlling respiratory infections such as influenza and COVID-19 that continue to circulate and cause significant illness and death.

“To prevent transmission, you need to keep the amount of virus in the upper airways low,” said senior author Jacco Boon, PhD, a professor of medicine, of molecular microbiology and of pathology & immunology. “The less virus that is there to begin with, the less likely you are to infect someone else if you cough or sneeze or even just breathe on them. This study shows that mucosal vaccines are superior to injected vaccines in terms of limiting viral replication in the upper airways and preventing spread to the next individual. In an epidemic or pandemic situation, this is the kind of vaccine you’re going to want.”

Developing vaccines that can control virus levels in the nose has proven challenging. Viruses such as influenza virus, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) multiply rapidly in the nose and spread from person to person within a few days of initial exposure. Traditional injectable vaccines generate immune responses that can take a week to build to full strength and are much less potent in the nose than in the bloodstream, leaving the nose relatively unprotected against a fast-multiplying, fast-spreading virus.

In principle, a vaccine sprayed or dropped directly into the nose or mouth could limit viral reproduction and thereby reduce transmission by eliciting an immune response right where it’s needed most. But gathering evidence that mucosal vaccines actually do reduce transmission has proven tricky. Animal models of transmission are not well-established, and tracking person-to-person transmission is fiendishly complicated, given the number and variety of encounters a typical person has on any given day.

For this study, Boon and colleagues developed and validated a model for community transmission using hamsters and then used it to assess the effect of mucosal vaccination on the spread of SARS-CoV-2. (Unlike mice, hamsters are naturally susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2, making them the ideal laboratory animals for a transmission study.)

The researchers immunized groups of hamsters with laboratory versions of approved COVID-19 vaccines: the nasal iNCOVACC used in India or the injected Pfizer vaccine. For comparison, some hamsters were not immunized. After giving the vaccinated hamsters a few weeks for their immune responses to fully mature, the researchers infected other hamsters with SARS-CoV-2 and then placed the immunized hamsters with the infected hamsters for eight hours. This first step of the experiment mimics the experience of vaccinated people who are exposed to a person with COVID-19.

After spending eight hours rubbing shoulders with infected hamsters, most of the vaccinated animals became infected. Virus was found in the noses and lungs of 12 of 14 (86%) hamsters that had received the nasal vaccine, and 15 of 16 (94%) hamsters that had received the injected vaccine. Importantly, while most animals in both groups were infected, they weren’t infected to the same degree. Hamsters that had been nasally immunized had virus levels in the airways 100 to 100,000 times lower than those that had received the shot or had not been vaccinated. The study did not assess the animals’ health, but previous studies have shown that both vaccines reduce the likelihood of severe illness and death from COVID-19.

The second step of the experiment yielded even more striking results. The researchers took vaccinated hamsters that subsequently developed infections and placed them with healthy vaccinated and unvaccinated hamsters for eight hours to model transmission of virus from a vaccinated person to others.

None of the hamsters that were exposed to nasally vaccinated hamsters became infected, regardless of whether the recipient hamster had been vaccinated or not. In contrast, roughly half of the hamsters that were exposed to hamsters vaccinated by injection became infected — again, regardless of the recipient’s immunization status. In other words, vaccination through the nose — but not by injection — broke the cycle of transmission.

These data, Boon said, could be important as the world prepares for the possibility that avian influenza, currently causing an outbreak in dairy cows, might adapt to humans and trigger a flu epidemic. An injectable vaccine for avian influenza already exists, and a team of researchers at Washington University is working toward a nasal vaccine for avian influenza. That team includes Boon and co-author Michael S. Diamond, MD, PhD, the Herbert S. Gasser Professor of Medicine and one of the inventors of the nasal vaccine technology used in this paper.

“Mucosal vaccines are the future of vaccines for respiratory infections,” Boon said. “Historically, developing such vaccines has been challenging. There’s still so much we don’t know about the kind of immune response we need and how to elicit it. I think we’re going to see a lot of very exciting research in the next few years that could lead to big improvements in vaccines for respiratory infections.”

Study linked in the first link!

[mythaura-blog]

Development Update - June 2024

Hello everyone! Our June development wraps up the first half of 2024, and we're cruising along with work on some pretty substantial gameplay features. We're excited to discuss one of them today: Elite Enemies, who will pose a greater challenge to your Beasts--and those who defeat them will find themselves with greater rewards because of it, too.

We also discuss some other strategic gameplay elements, reveal the Summer 2024 quarterly Ko-fi rewards, show off some beautiful new sponsored content, and more!

Elite Enemies

During your adventure in wild areas, you may encounter Elite Enemies. These foes resemble their regular counterparts but boast more health, are 20% larger, and possess special modifying keywords like "Shielded," "Quick," or "Armored." For example, a Quick Armored Breezetail would have increased speed and have armor when encountered. The keywords are assigned randomly, and as the difficulty of the wild area scales, the number of keywords an Elite Enemy can have increases. Notably, when an Elite Enemy is tamed into a companion, it retains its increased size. Elite enemies also have an increased chance of spawning as its Radiant coloration.

Temporary Health

Certain moves in battle can grant temporary health. This temporary health is consumed first before any damage impacts the battler's actual health, offering an additional layer of protection during combat.

Shield & Armor

Some moves can grant a Shield in battle, which absorbs Projection type damage and must be depleted before health is affected. However, Combat damage bypasses the Shield and impacts health directly. Conversely, Armor absorbs Combat damage, while Projection damage bypasses the Armor and impacts health directly. This distinction between Shield and Armor introduces strategic depth, allowing players to tailor their defenses based on the type of incoming damage.

Summer Quarter (2024) Concepts

It’s the first day of Summer Quarter 2024, which means we’ve got new Quarterly Rewards for Sponsors to vote on on our Ko-fi page!

Which concepts would you like to see made into official site items? Sponsors of Bronze level or higher have a vote in deciding. Please check out the Companion post and the Glamour post on Ko-fi to cast your vote for the winning concepts!

Votes must be posted by July 27, 2024 at 11:59pm PST in order to be considered.

All Spring 2024 Rewards are now listed in our Ko-fi Shop for individual purchase for all Sponsor levels at $5 USD flat rate per unit. As a reminder, please remember that no more than 3 units of any given item can be purchased. If you purchase more than 3 units of any given item, your entire purchase will be refunded and you will need to place your order again, this time with no more than 3 units of any given item.

Spring 2024 Glamour: Chinoiserie

Spring 2024 Companion: Gossamer Campanula

Spring 2024 Solid Gold Glamour: Unicorn (Young)

Ko-fi Sponsored Items

More Inkminks!

Sponsored by: Potats

Wild Inkmink

Albino Inkmink

Prismatic Inkmink

Celestial Inkmink

Baneful Somnowl

Sponsored by: Kettle

Mythauran Astrology: July

The month of July is referred to as Frostcrown's Flame in Dragon culture, representing the first month where the sunlight begins to wane--calling upon the legend that when the first Dragons almost froze to death in the Spine of Ere, a massive Frostcrown Phoenix led them to a volcanic cave, thereby saving their lives. This month is associated with the constellation of the Magistrate and the pyrite stone.

Those born under the sign of the Magistrate are known for their unwavering commitment (to themselves, their jobs, their cause, their loved ones) and a tireless work ethic. Like a dedicated ruler presiding over their kingdom, individuals influenced by the Magistrate take on responsibilities with a sense of duty and precision.

At their best, Magistrates are diligent, organized, and dutiful. At their worst, they can be defensive, uncooperative, and prone to indignation.

Custom Color Contest Reminder

In honor of the new color change that we made to a Beast's tongue/mouth, we're opening another Custom Color Contest. We want to offer the opportunity for you to make a permanent impact on Mythaura's color wheel!

This contest is free to enter, and only has the following parameters:

Only one entry allowed

Fill out Google Form by Friday, August 23, 2024 at 11:59pm PST

The dev team will reach out to the winner on September 1 to begin the color design process. Winner will have until September 23, 2024 to complete their color design. Please feel free to use our PSD file, if you'd like!

Winner will also receive 3x copies of the Empemeral Ink that matches their color's base hue (Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, Green, or Violet).

We're so excited to see what you come up with!

Feel free to re-enter colors you submitted for the previous Custom Color Contest!

Mythaura V0.29.1

Refactoring and restructuring was done allowing for the removal of redundant code.

Adds critical endpoint to allow users to spend stat points when creating their first beast.

Creates a service to handle skill's effects on abilities while in battle and adds the ability to handle 10 varieties of skill.

Adds support for Element Mastery in skill trees.

Adds support for both abilities and skills to add Temporary Health, Shield, and Armor.

Fixed a live-and-broken issue with the shadow assets on adult Dragons, Unicorns, Griffins, and Perytons, making it so they can be used as party leaders without breaking Wild Areas.

Thank You!

Thanks for sticking through to the end of the post, we always look forward to sharing our month's work with all of you--thank you for taking the time to read. We'll see you around the Discord!

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Tuesday, August 6, 2024

july 14_august 6

THE HOLY MARTYRS NOBLEBORN PRINCES BORIS AND GLEB, IN HOLY BAPTISM – ROMAN AND DAVID (+ 1015)

Via St Elizabeth Convent

On 15 May, we commemorate at our churches the venerable princes Boris and Gleb, slain in 1015. They were the first saints of the Russian saints. An ancient chronicler thus describes the nature of their exploit: "They allowed themselves to be murdered by their older brother Svyatopolk vying for the princely throne. They suffered, but did not lay their hand on their brother, earning themselves the crown of eternal glory." They died but did not take upon themselves an act of fratricide. They acted with remarkable humility and obedience to their father, Great Prince Vladimir, from whom their older brother Svyatopolk inherited the throne.

Indirectly, they obeyed the commandment of our Lord: “Honour your father and your mother” (Exodus 20, 12). Shortly before his martyrdom, Boris said: "I will not raise my hand to my older brother: my father is dead, so I will honour him as my father." He continues: "If he, my brother Svyatopolk sheds my blood and dares to slay me, so I will be a martyr before my Lord. I will not resist, for the Lord says: “God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5). Boris and his brother Gleb did not shed the blood of their older brother for the sake of worldly glory, power or other finite gains. They both likened themselves to Christ, emulating His meekness and humility, and earned glory in heaven. They chose not to hold on to their life on this earth at any cost, but to live in eternity, and become an example for Christians of all generations.

Passion-bearers are righteous Christians who faced their death in a Christ-like manner. Saint Andrey Bogolubsky, Prince Mikhail of Tver and Tsarevich Dmitry of Uglich are some other notable examples of Russian passion-bearers. The last Russian Tsar Nicholas II was also glorified by the Russian Church as a passion bearer. Their virtue was not in dying without guilt, but in facing their killers with dignity, serenity and calm, and submitting themselves unreservedly to God's Holy and Righteous will. They died as Christ did on the Cross. He had all the means to stop his execution, but He took death from His killers.

God's truth and His eternal justice do not rule out the use of force on earth. When Yaroslav - later named the wise and glorified by the Church - went to war with the murderous Svyatopolk to bring him his rightful retribution, he was also obeying the will of God. He received glory in heaven for doing so. God wills some to become passion-bearers, but it is not His will that evil would reign in our world. Evil-doers must know that they may begin to pay for their deeds in this life, even before they are condemned to eternal torment in hell.

Hieromonk Silouan (Mezhinsky) of Optina Pustyn

Astrakhan (1667) VENERABLE BOGOLEP CHILD SCHEMAMONK OF BLACK RAVINE NEAR ASTRAKHAN (1667)

The Child Schemamonk Bogolep was the son of a Moscow nobleman Iakov Lukich Ushakov and his wife Katherine. He was born in 1660 at Moscow. At Baptism they gave him the name Boris, in honor of the holy Passion-Bearer Boris (July 24).

Ushakov was appointed voevoda (military-commander) in the city of Chernyi Yar (Black Ravine), situated 250 versts from Astrakhan. He was known for his integrity. From infancy Boris displayed unusual traits. On Wednesdays and Fridays he would not drink milk from his mother’s breasts. When the bells pealed at the church, he began to cry, and became quiet only when they brought him into the church. When they did not take the infant to church, he cried all day and ate nothing.

In 1662 a deadly pestilence spread about in Russia. The child fell ill, and the pestilence afflicted him in the legs. He became lame, but continued to walk to church. The parents prayed for the health of their son and they tried everything in their power to heal him. But no sooner had the one illness gone, than upon his face there appeared another, called scales.

Once during his illness the child saw a wandering monk who visited at their home. The angelic garb so impressed the child, that he began to implore his parents to sew him such clothing and permit him to receive monastic tonsure. The holy child proclaimed: “You will see for yourselves, when you tonsure and grant me the angelic garb, I shall be well.” The parents consented. The child was invested in the schema with the name Bogolep (the Russian version of the Greek name Theoleptos, meaning “similar to God”).

On the next day the child schemamonk was completely healthy, his face was clear and there remained no trace of the illness. But on the third day there was a new illness, he developed a fever, and it struck down the child. He died on August 1, 1667 and was buried at the left wall of the wooden Black Ravine church in honor of the Resurrection of Christ. (This church was built after a great fire in Black Ravine, on July 24, 1652 the Feast of Saint Boris). A chapel was built over the grave of the child.

The Life of the holy Schemamonk Bogolep was compiled under a vow by the Black Ravine merchant Savva Tatarinov during the years 1731-1732.

Icons of the saint, with the Troparion and Kontakion to him, were widely dispersed throughout the Astrakhan region.

In 1750 on the place of the wooden church a stone church was built with a side-altar in honor of the holy Martyr John the Warrior. The grave of the holy schemamonk was enclosed in this side altar.

The bank of the river, where the church of the Resurrection of Christ stood, was constantly eroding. By the mid-nineteenth century the structure of the church was threatened, and they removed all the holy things from it. For a long time the people of Black Ravine did not remove the chief holy object: the grave of the holy schemamonk. Finally, in 1851 when the water had already approached 4 ft. 8 inches, the people petitioned the Most Holy Synod with a request to transfer the holy relics of the Schemamonk Bogolep, and they received permission for this. The small child’s coffin was laid bare, but just when the city head took it into his hands, it slid out of his hands and disappeared into the waters of the Volga.

This disappearance of the relics just at the opening of the grave was accepted as the Will of God, since the holy child had repeatedly appeared to many either in sleep, or awake while walking along the river bank, or coming down the hill. He consoled them, promising that he would be present spiritually with believers.

The simple life of the holy Schemamonk Bogolep, full of the mysteries of God, illustrates the words of the Savior concerning children: “Let the children come unto Me and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter therein. And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them” (Mark 10: 14-16).

We pray to Saint Bogolep for children, and also for protection against lightning.

Source: Orthodox Church in America_OCA

1 CORINTHIANS 6:20-7:12

20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

1 Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment. 7 For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. 8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; 9 but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 10 Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. 11 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife. 12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.

MATTHEW 14:1-13

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus 2 and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him." 3 For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. 4 Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." 5 And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 6 But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. 7 Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter." 9 And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. 10 So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. 11 And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus. 13 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Sam Levine at The Guardian:

The Gateway Pundit, the far-right news website that played a critical role in spreading false information about the 2020 election, has settled a defamation lawsuit with Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, two Georgia election workers it falsely accused of wrongdoing. Notice of the settlement was filed in circuit court in Missouri, where Freeman and Moss had sued the site for defamation. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed in the filing. Nearly 20 articles that Freeman and Moss said had falsely accused them of wrongdoing were no longer available on The Gateway Pundit’s website as of Thursday afternoon, according to a Guardian review.

“The dispute between the parties has been resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the parties through a fair and reasonable settlement,” the legal team for Moss and Freeman said in a statement. Attorneys for the Gateway Pundit did not immediately return a request for comment. After the 2020 election, the Gateway Pundit published a series of stories amplifying a misleading video that showed Freeman and Moss counting ballots. The site pushed the false claim that the two women were committing fraud and counting illegal ballots after counting had ended for the night. The Gateway Pundit was the first news outlet to identify Freeman and later identified Moss, who have been cleared of all wrongdoing.

Even after Georgia election officials debunked the video, the site continued to publish numerous articles falsely accusing Moss and Freeman of fraud. Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s lawyer, also attacked the two women publicly. A Washington DC jury ordered Giuliani to pay nearly $150m to the two women last year for libel, a decision the former New York mayor is appealing. At the trial, Giuliani’s lawyer at one point accused the Gateway Pundit of being the basis of the false claims about the two women. The two women faced vicious harassment, including death threats, and fled their homes and went into hiding after people showed up unannounced at Freeman’s home. Moss’s son received death threats on his phone and fell behind in school. Freeman testified last year that she had nowhere to live. Moss testified to the committee investigating the January 6 attack in 2022, but has otherwise not spoken much publicly.

“I was terrorized,” Freeman said during a trial in Washington DC last year. “I’d rather stay in my car and be homeless rather than put that on someone else.” The site’s founder, Jim Hoft, had refused to concede that the site said anything false about the women, even though the state quickly debunked accusations of wrongdoing and a longer investigation formally cleared them. Hoft and his twin brother, Joe, also a contributor, held a press conference in Milwaukee during the Republican national convention in July and repeated many of the false claims about Freeman and Moss. The settlement with the Gateway Pundit is notable because of the influential role the site plays in spreading misinformation. One recent analysis by the group Advance Democracy found that the site is continuing to spread false information about voting and seed the idea that the 2024 election could be stolen.

Right-wing disinformation blog The Gateway Pundit reaches a settlement with Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Moss, two Georgia election workers that it defamed in service of the Big Lie in the aftermath of the 2020 elections.

[uncontrolledfission]

The Perseus Constellation

Post #17 in Physics and Astronomy, 03/02/2024

Welcome back,

In spirit of the Percy Jackson series’ first season coming to an end, I figured it was time to share some knowledge about a very famous constellation that you may or may not have heard of, named the Perseus constellation. 

First, it may be appropriate to explain the story of Perseus, the mythical hero. I say this because a lot of the foundations of mathematics and metaphysics come from the work of Greek mathematicians and philosophers, so to explain some of his story is the least I can do to give it some justice.

Perseus, the Greek hero

The King Acrisius of Argos, disappointed in the fact that he didn’t have a son, consulted the Oracle at Delphi. He was warned that he’d be killed by his own grandson, and in fear of his own life, he imprisoned his only daughter, Danaë, in the courtyard of his palace. Despite this, she found herself with child eventually, as a result of Zeus himself falling in love with her. Deciding to visit her in the form of golden rain, she fell pregnant, eventually birthing a baby boy whom she named Perseus.

His most famous story, perhaps, may be the fact he was the one to slay Medusa. Polydectes, the ruler of the island of Seriphos, came to fall in love with Danaë. Perseus deemed him unfit for his mother, and, angry, Polydectes schemed to have Perseus sent away. In short, Perseus didn’t bring the correct gift to a large banquet held by Polydectes, so the former asked him to name any gift, and he’d bring it. The gift named was no other than the head of Medusa.

With the help of Zeus, Hermes, and Athena following a prayer to the gods (or the Hesperides in other versions), he was gifted with various items to help in his quest, like a pair of winged sandals, Hades’ helm of darkness, and Athena’s polished shield. With Athena’s guidance, Perseus was able to slay Medusa and take her head with him in a knapsack.

The final detail in Perseus’ story I find worthy of mention is his marriage. 

Queen Cassiopeia of Aethiopia had once boasted that her daughter, Andromeda, was more beautiful than the Nereids (sea nymphs). This drew the vengeance of Poseidon, who set a upon the land a sea serpent.

Andromeda was tied to a rock on the shore, but Perseus was quick to come along and slay Cetus, the serpent, using the harp given to him by Hermes. Perseus and Andromeda were married soon after, and following her death, Athena hung her among the Perseus and Cassiopeia constellations in the sky.

How romantic.

Perseus’ location, surroundings, and features

Of all the constellations in the sky, Perseus is the 24th largest, occupying an area of approximately 615 square degrees. It’s within the first quadrant of the northern hemisphere, and its neighbouring constellations are Andromeda, as aforementioned, Aries, Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Triangulum. 

There are also two meteor showers associated with Perseus, the Perseids (which should be visible in July-August of this year), and the September Perseids. 

The International Astronomical Union approved of eight names for eight stars within the constellation. They are: Algol, Atik, Berehinya, Menkib, Miram, Mirfak, Misam, and Muspelheim. 

Finding Perseus

Here’s the image from earlier again. Though you may only be seeing a cluster of stars at first, you’ll quickly realise there are some distinct shapes within this, shapes you’ll recognise across all images of the constellation. This image is a ground image found on the Hubble website.

Most notably within the constellation is the shape of a tilted stickman poised to strike, at least that’s how I’m seeing it. 

You can find the full-size image here—it’s beautiful, I couldn’t show it here, since the file size is too large. 

[houseofbrat]

12 JULY 2024: William plays polo at a charity match. Kate and the children do not attend.

William confirms he will attend the Euro final on Sunday, 14 July 2024.

13 JULY 2024: Kate confirms she will attend the men's final at Wimbledon.

14 JULY 2024: Kate attends the Wimbledon men's final with Charlotte and Pippa.

William attends the Euro final with George to watch England lose to Spain.

15 JULY 2024: Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair, "Kate Middleton Is Now “On Summer Break” After Wimbledon Appearance" [archive link]

Kate Middleton’s appearance at Wimbledon on Sunday delighted tennis and royal fans, but it may be some time before we see Kate in public again. According to royal sources, Prince William and Princess Kate are planning to spend most of the summer “below the radar” at their Norfolk bolthole now that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are out of school and Kate continues her course of preventative chemotherapy. While Kensington Palace would not give details on the family’s plans for the summer, a royal source confirmed that the Wales family are now “on summer break.” Sources close to the family say that although they will not be traveling abroad this summer while Kate undergoes treatment, they are excited to visit King Charles and Queen Camilla in Scotland next month. Sunday’s appearance at Wimbledon is likely to be Kate’s last official engagement until later this year.

16 JULY 2024: Will & Kate are looking to hire a new Assistant Private Secretary that can speak "conversational Welsh." [archive link]

Although the new hire would be responsible for Prince William and Catherine's public engagements in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the future King and Queen want their new Assistant Private Secretary to specifically focus on Wales and believe it is "essential" that they speak conversational Welsh. [...] Almost two years after taking on their Wales titles, and after a testing year so far with The Princess' major abdominal surgery and cancer diagnosis, it appears Prince William and Catherine are driving forward with their plans, seeking "specific expertise on Welsh communities, affairs, government, and business". Handled by the largest executive search firm in the United Kingdom, Odgers Berndtson has posted a job advert for an Assistant Private Secretary ("APS"), Wales & UK on behalf of Kensington Palace.

18 JULY 2024: The attempted Donald Trump assassin had searched for images of Kate according to investigation.

23 JULY 2024: William announces more patronages. Kate does not announce any new patronages.

24 JULY 2024: Victoria Ward, The Telegraph, "Prince William refuses to reveal how much tax he pays." [archive link]

The Prince of Wales has chosen not to reveal how much tax he pays on the private income he receives from his vast property portfolio, marking a notable change in approach from when his father was heir to the throne. Prince William’s Duchy of Cornwall estate, the billion-pound business empire he inherited on the death of his grandmother, Elizabeth II, generated profits of £23.6 million in the last financial year. He is understood to pay income tax on the full amount, less household costs, which have also not been disclosed.

26 JULY 2024: Robert Jobson's book excerpt in The Daily Mail, "How the Queen and Charles clashed with William after he refused to stop flying his young family around Britain in his helicopter." [archive link]

One courtier explained: 'The King's relationship with both his sons has been difficult over the years. Even now he is King, with the Prince of Wales, there can be differences of opinion and tensions. Of course, they love each other, but they clash, and sometimes William needs handling with kid gloves.' Another courtier confirmed: 'You have to check first which way the wind is blowing with the prince. They don't see eye to eye on several issues, but why should they? [Prince William's] moment in the top job will come — perhaps he would do well to remember it is not yet. This is His Majesty's time.' When he loses his temper, William is a bit of a shouter — and his father tends to give as good as he gets. The difference these days is that their arguments usually blow over quite quickly. One recent source of disagreement is William's stubborn refusal to take his father's advice on safeguarding the succession. Earlier this year, the King had raised concerns with his son about the wisdom of William using his helicopter to fly his entire family around the country.

27 JULY 2024: People magazine (US), "Prince William and King Charles Clashed Over Use of Helicopter for Kate Middleton and Their Children, New Book Claims". [archive link]

According to Robert Jobson's soon-to-be-released biography, Catherine, The Princess of Wales, the King, 75, “raised concerns” with William, 42, over his helicopter use with Kate Middleton and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, that sparked a tense disagreement between the pair.  In an excerpt from Jobson’s book, per The Daily Mail, King Charles brought up his worries on the matter after coming to terms with his mortality following his cancer diagnosis, which was announced in February. The King even presented experienced pilot William with “a formal document acknowledging the risks involved and taking full responsibility for his actions” amid their dispute, the new book claims.   Charles’ concerns echoed that of his late mother Queen Elizabeth, who previously requested William not fly with his family on a helicopter from Kensington Palace to his former residence of Anmer Hall in Norfolk, which is a 115-mile journey, according to Robson.  [...] It is also understood that the palace has fully evaluated the risk of the family flying together, compared with implementing a policy where separate travel assets are provided for one or more members of The Prince and Princess of Wales’ family.

30 JULY 2024: The Prince's Trust announces the date for its annual Christmas Carol concert, 09 December 2024.

Hilary Rose, The Times, posts an article about William van Cutsem, friend of Prince William and recently appointed as an adviser to the Duchy of Cornwall. [archive link]

The Earthshot Prize tweets about their third annual Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit, which mentions no commitment by William to attend.

03 AUGUST 2024: Daily Mail's Natasha Livingstone

07 AUGUST 2024: Tom Sykes, The Daily Beast, "Princess Kate Will Focus on Her Kids After ‘Brush With Mortality’: Sources" [archive link]

It is thought the smaller Wales family are unlikely to travel this year to Tresco, a small island off the coast of Cornwall, where they have often spent summer holidays. However, The Daily Beast has been told that the couple are aiming to be in Balmoral either for the opening of the grouse-shooting season on Aug. 12 or shortly thereafter. William and Kate both shoot. One friend of the couple told The Daily Beast: “Kate has been exceptionally open and honest about her health. Making two appearances before the summer break, at Wimbledon and Trooping the Colour, was a clear signal that she is doing well. That is what we are hearing privately as well—it’s not over but there is lots of optimism, lots of positivity.” [...] Another source, a Buckingham Palace insider, said they understood there was no sense that Kate was expected to be back on duty for the traditionally busy period of royal engagements that kicks off in the first week of September and runs through to Christmas.

11 AUGUST 2024: William & Kate appear for less than ten seconds in a video message for Team GB with multiple celebrity appearances, after the end of the Olympics.

13 AUGUST 2024: Lucie Heath writes about the Duchy of Cornwall.

The Duchy of Cornwall’s largest single landholding is 27,300 hectares on Dartmoor, which accounts for approximately one third of the National Park. Last year the Government published an independent review of Dartmoor, which concluded the landscape was “not in a good state”. Dr Alexander Lees, a biodiversity expert at Manchester Metropolitan University, said the Duchy of Cornwall has a big part to play in turning things around at Dartmoor and other sites it owns. “As one of Britain’s biggest landowners, the Duchy of Cornwall is in a position of strength to combat the entwined biodiversity and climate crises. However, massive additional investment in conservation is needed across these landholdings,” he said. Dr Lee said: “clearly there is a need to generate income to leverage restoration and rewilding across the estate”, but added it is “questionable” that some of this income comes from a car dealership when the Duchy has promoted reduced car use through its flagship Poundbury housing estate in Dorset.

14 AUGUST 2024: Rebecca English, Daily Mail, "Why Kate's year has been tougher than anyone realises - and why she's starting to glow again." [archive link]

What most will not appreciate is that Catherine had actually been unwell for some time in the run up to her initial abdominal surgery in January (further details of which have not been made public yet by Kensington Palace). It was only after that ‘planned’ operation, of course, which left her in hospital for two weeks, that her cancer was discovered.

The Daily Beast rehashes the "exclusives" from the Daily Mail.

16 AUGUST 2024: Dan Wootton reiterates that Kate may "NEVER" return to full-time royal duties.

Tusk Trust CEO says William wants to introduce his children to Africa.

"He is very knowledgeable and passionate about conservation and the environment,” Mayhew said. “He has a particular love for Africa. He has been incredibly supportive as our patron and proactive in supporting us. We find ourselves incredibly lucky.” Mayhew plans to meet up with Prince William in Cape Town, South Africa, when the Prince of Wales hosts the fourth annual Earthshot Prize Awards there in November. Soon enough, the Prince of Wales will want to introduce his three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — to the continent, Mayhew said. “I think it won’t be long before, you know, he will want to introduce them to Africa,” he said.

17 AUGUST 2024: Natasha Anderson, Daily Mail, reports on how Will, Kate, George, Charlotte, and Louis, spent the day at a large Nerf battle. [archive link]

The Royal family had a bit of a rumble last weekend as the Prince and Princess of Wales faced off against their children in a Nerf battle. Prince George, 11, Princes Charlotte, nine, and six-year-old Prince Louis joined in the festivities at the Gone Wild Festival at Holkham Hall, Norfolk for a high-intensity Nerf war with toy guns and smoke bombs. Excitable and 'unforgettable' Louis ran around yelling 'Nerf or nothing, let's do this!', according to Norfolk Nerf Parties boss Georgina Barron. The Princess of Wales, who has been battling cancer, even 'grabbed a Nerf gun, ran around, and played stuck in the mud with her kids', Ms Barron added, noting that hosting the family was the 'biggest honour' and 'unforgettable'. Ms Barron said the royals, who were not photographed at the event, had wanted to enjoy a 'wholesome family day like any other normal family'. Kensington Palace has been approached for comment. 

19 AUGUST 2024: People magazine (US), story about who's who in the Middleton family.

The Mirror, "Kate Middleton's 'tough' side and unlikely inspiration for 'ambitious' plans" [archive link]

The Princess of Wales has rapidly ascended the Royal ranks, becoming a favourite among the Royal Family due to her sense of humour and evident respect for her role. Even during her cancer treatment, she has displayed nothing but strength and determination. Kate, once shy and reserved, has transformed into a confident, playful, and occasionally assertive figure, commanding as much public respect as King Charles or Prince William could ever wish for. This trust that the King places in his "darling daughter-in-law" reportedly leads to her frequently being asked for her opinion due to her relatability.

20 AUGUST 2024: "Princess Charlotte, Lady Louise and the Duchess of Edinburgh go on special trip" [archive link]

Princess Charlotte, Lady Louise and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh went on a special shopping trip in London, according to a source. Charlotte has a good relationship with her great-aunt and the two royals were joined by Sophie's daughter Louise during a trip to Chelsea. The royals headed to the Peter Jones store on King's Road which is said to be one of Charlotte's favourite stores. A source told The Sun: "There is a really warm connection between Sophie and her great-niece, which is very touching."

21 AUGUST 2024: Tom Sykes, The Daily Beast, "Princes William and Harry May Only Reunite at King Charles’ Funeral: Source" [archive link]

Asked about the reports that Harry would not be invited to William’s coronation, the source said: “I believe it 100 percent. Why would William and Kate want all the distraction and circus that his presence would bring? I suspect that William will see Harry one more time in his life in the flesh—at their father’s funeral.” A former Buckingham Palace staffer told The Daily Beast: “Planning for William’s coronation is well underway, and as I understand it there are no plans to invite Harry. It’s hardly surprising when you look at how poisoned the well has become.”

US Weekly (USA) has cover story on William & Camilla, with sourcing from Christopher Andersen's book.

23 AUGUST 2024: People magazine (US), "Prince William's Return to Work Plans Revealed After Summer Break with Kate Middleton and Their Kids" [archive link]

On Aug. 22, Kensington Palace announced that the Prince of Wales, 42, will visit the Homelessness: Reframed exhibit at the Saatchi Gallery in London on Sept. 5. The display highlights the complexities of homelessness across the U.K. and offers the public an opportunity to better understand the stories of individuals who have been affected. Homelessness: Reframed is a collaboration between Prince William's Homewards program, which he launched with the Royal Foundation in June 2023 to help end homelessness for good, the Saatchi Gallery and the Eleven Eleven Foundation. The presentation opened on Aug. 7, and Prince William will visit before it closes on Sept. 20.

25 AUGUST 2024: Kate seen in a car on the way to church 'at Crathie Kirk, Balmoral, Scotland.

Daily Mail, "Inside Kate's slow and steady return to public life: How the Princess of Wales has won over the nation's hearts with appearances at Trooping the Colour, Wimbledon and Crathie Kirk following cancer diagnosis" [archive link]

Her appearance had been in doubt after she missed the final Trooping rehearsal the weekend prior to the celebration, with confirmation that she would attend only given at 6pm the evening before.  [...] And now, Kate has been seen in public for the third time since revealing that she has cancer - just two weeks after her video message praising Team GB.  The royal appeared in high spirits as she was pictured arriving for Sunday service with her husband William at Crathie Kirk today.  William drove the car, smiling as he chatted with his wife and opting for a navy blue suit for the occasion.  The Princess sported the same hat she donned last year for a Sunday church service, when she donned a beige tartan Marlborough trench coat from Holland Cooper with  dark brown wool felt fedora with feathers.

28 AUGUST 2024: The Daily Mail's royal editor, Rebecca English, confirms that William "never planned to" attend the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit in September 2024.

29 AUGUST 2024: Matt Wilkinson, The Sun, reports that both William and Harry attended their uncle's funeral in Norfolk, "Warring Prince William and Harry REUNITE at their uncle’s funeral after Duke of Sussex makes secret dash to UK" [archive link]

The Duke of Sussex, 39, flew from his US home to join his brother, 42, at the service for Lord Robert Fellowes. A local in Snettisham, Norfolk, said: “We never saw them speak to each other and they kept their distance.” The princes both “discreetly” attended the funeral for Lord Fellowes — who was their mother Diana’s brother-in-law. They were said to have kept their distance from each other and sat at the back of the church. Sources close to US-based Harry had previously claimed he would not attend. But a close family friend said they were “very happy to confirm both princes were there”. Another source told how they only saw them at the end of the service at St Mary’s Church. They said: “I didn’t know they were there. They arrived very discreetly.” One local said: “William and Harry were both there but we never saw them speak to each other and they were keeping their distance.”

TIMELINE:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

[bettyshoweduptotheparty]

what's your wildest clown theory right now? ;)

What qualifies as 'wild'? 😉

If you mean, what theory keeps my brain twisting in knots the most, then it's the current possibility of 1989tv being some sort of double album drop. With the constant colour alternation of blue and black recently, I know most people assume it's reputation. And that would be the most obvious conclusion, but I have so many more questions, it literally keeps me up at night.

Like, why the heck is 1989 on this wall twice, once in white and once in black??

The only other thing that's on there twice is obviously Karma, and notably also in two different colours. One of them being orange, the very same colour that Taylor randomly changed her lover nail on tour to:

March to June: pink ⬇ July-August: orange ⬇

You can't tell me she just ran out of pink nail polish, everything is for a reason with this woman, especially when she's meticulously painted her nails the eras colours for EVERY single show, except 7/7 when they were all purple for Speak Now tv release. WHY TAYLOR??

Reputation on the wall also has the number 2024 in it, so if it was coming as a double drop before the end of the year, was that just a red herring? It would also break the 112 day pattern... so while I see all the rep hints and snakes, I think something is off with it just being reputation sooner than we think.

But if we think back to when this Karma album theory started, it was right in between 1989 and reputation era. The big supposed hint was the TS6 plane in the LWYMMD mv that gets grounded and then spray painted to be reputation instead. So, if anything, Karma was going to be some form of TS6, so why the hell did she change her 7th finger to orange and not the 6th one?? I really have no idea, but it brings me to my other big rumination of this year, which is the visuals from the Eras tour, and there is one other overlap of that karma origin era of 2016 with the lover era and that is when she burns the lover house during the 1989 set. I did a whole theory post on it, but basically, the lover house gets a bit charred during the lover set, and then she brings it back hours later during the final song of the 1989 set to be completely obliterated by blue flames. BUT, while the house burns with blue flames first, it then suddenly changes to red/orange fire before it collapses:

So the most iconic thing to come out of the Lover era gets destroyed by 1989...The blue flames were definitely a choice. But then why not just let it burn down in blue flames? The colour change is also a choice. The final death of the lover house is orange...whatever that means. But it does somewhat support the double drop theory: 1989 (blue) unexpectedly changes to orange. So could the double album be 1989 and karma? Tbh, I don't think karma was ever a full 'lost' album. We got reputation only a year later, that wouldn't have been enough time to write a whole new album, so I think some of these songs are actually on reputation, in one form or another. I've often joked with a friend that karma is just reputation but with all female pronouns to make our Karlie stan album what it deserves to be 😆😁 (for the record, I don't think that's it either but it wouldn't surprise me if Taylor tried to put some of these songs out with female pronouns and was told no. There's a reason that the last ever song she recorded with Big Machine was getaway car...And fun fact: the first ever song released under her new label was what? ME! out now, on...you guessed it, Lesbian Visibility Day 😉).

I know we now have a song called karma and believe me, that little giggle when she announced that song title in MMWM will haunt me forever, that woman is enjoying playing with us! So do I think the karma album theory is dead? Not sure, but maybe we will get some more of those songs as vault tracks on 1989 and rep tv, that was, after all, the time they originated from. Or, if I'm totally wrong with all of this, we may get a 1989/rep tv double drop after all and karma will be TS11, just like karma is track 11 on midnights. Who knows...? What I am excited about is that we're now crossing over to the left side of the Man wall and that's certainly looking juicy. Can't wait for rep tv, whenever it's coming. The reality of a new cover makes me nervous though and I think given the lore around the rep cover, it would make sense if she just dropped it without announcing it two months in advance. It would mirror the OG rep release and also avoid giving us two months to dissect the new cover to find which one of Karlie's body parts she has 'borrowed' this time, because she must be aware that that's what people will be looking for as soon as the cover art drops. So 1989, rep, karma, I think all is on the table, and luckily we won't have to wait that much longer to find out. 🤞

[cleolinda]

Weekend links, April 28, 2024

My posts

I spent the first half of the week struggling through (well-medicated) mania and the second half currently with a sinus infection! I’m not enjoying it! Not either one! 

Reblogs of interest

Pro-Gaza protests at universities in the U.S.: a solidarity Passover seder and an accidental Pulitzer photo

Canada Agrees 200 Islands Belong to the Indigenous Haida Nation

--

The Hot Vintage Lady Polls continue to go for the throat. I felt so bad about Dorothy Dandridge that I started posting and reblogging propaganda for her, but Ava Gardner, my beloved, went through anyway. Backing her felt like a wish on a monkey’s paw ("Not like this!!"). (See all poll results here.) I tremble to think what round 5 will look like. Like, there’s a point when your girl is gonna come up against a Hepburn, you know?

Notably gone this week: Judy Garland, Julie Andrews, Lupe Vélez, Irene Papas (who took out Vivien Leigh in the previous round), Gene Tierney, Barbara Stanwyck, Lena Horne, Jean Seberg, Anita Ekberg, Angela Lansbury, and Cyd Charisse. Like I keep saying, everybody loses. Everybody but one. Round 5 will start May 1st. 

--

Hozier Watch 2024: His first U.S. #1, which he’s now playing at shows! The first U.S. #1 for an Irish artist in 34 years! What?? you cry. Did “Take Me to Church” not do that ten years ago? Well, I went and looked it up: No. That was the “Blank Space” era. Say no more. 

Speaking of Taylor Swift—Paste Magazine went IN on the new album and got threats as a result. Meanwhile, Taylor’s fans are harassing the ex-boyfriend who did nothing wrong (as opposed to the racist one) because her PR is egging them on. I’ll admit: even though I’m not a fan, I found the Paste review to be overlong and not focused enough on the actual songs, proportionally. But that post about the PR saga is everything I miss about Fandom Wank. 

(“My rival dresses to display her legs, and her shoes are of an alluring fashion”)

Meanwhile, the Watcher guys issued the best apology possible, although it was still excruciating to watch. (Background.) They will remain on YouTube while introducing the streaming service. As a Patreon member, I haven’t asked for my free subscription code yet, but I’m going to. Some fans forgave them pretty easily; others have walked away. I’m curious to see if this affects the mood of anything new they film, since a segment of the fandom got really, really ugly about it. Mostly it just felt sad all around. 

Meanwhile, in Alabama: nobody wants to measure the feral hog.

Turns out Death Note had a good reason to concoct “American” names like “Bobson Dugnutt.” Also, I somehow had two posts tagged “death note” this week and I don’t even go here.

The worst brownies ever created and what Tumblr has to say about them

“You roll up to the Wizard Battle and your opponent takes out his spellbook but it’s just one of these”

I know that Loki is not Odin’s son in actual Norse mythology, but the bredlik is amazing.

TIL that Florence and Ravenna are still feuding over Dante’s remains

Maybe haunted dolls cost extra

Chorses

Video

Branch manager

Senior branch manager

“Free serotonin from Honey the Italian greyhound”

Sola learned to show love from her humans

I have seen many of jauncydev’s videos about dog personalities, but I have never seen him commit quite this hard before

I like tie-dye videos anyway, but this one is sick as hell

The sacred videos: you are not prepared for this police sketch, and neither is this news anchor

The sacred texts

Kick his ass, baby. I got yo flower.

Gold Star, You Tried: A compilation

A personal favorite: “mayhaps I TWIMST aroumd”

The origin of “By Talos this can’t be happening”

Personal tags of the week

Seasonally: cherry blossom. Also, art: an old standby, but it was really good, and also, I’m sick.

[xtruss]

The Bombshell Political Report So Shocking A U.S. President Tried To Pretend It Didn't Exist! LBJ Tried To Torpedo The Official Kerner Commission Record. Instead It Became A Bestseller

— May 10, 2024 | Jelani Cobb

President Lyndon Baines Johnson listens during a meeting in the White House Cabinet Room, March 26, 1968. LBJ Presidential Library.

When President Lyndon Baines Johnson created the [Kerner] commission in July 1967 it was tasked with understanding what had happened up to that moment. Nearly two dozen uprisings or, in the antiseptic language of the report, “civil disorders,” had occurred between 1964 and 1967, with the largest and most destructive taking place in the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles over the course of five days in August 1965.

Kerner has endured not simply for its prescience but also for the breadth of its analysis of the moment when it was conceived. The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, which became more commonly known as the Kerner Commission—a reference to then-governor of Illinois Otto Kerner, who served as its chairman—was created by President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Executive Order 11365 on July 28, 1967. The order was issued as entire stretches of the city of Detroit lay smoldering.

On July 23, 1967, a police raid on an after-hours bar in Detroit sparked an explosion in which residents hurled rocks and bottles at police and culminated in a nearly week-long uprising marked by arson, looting, and forty-three deaths. Just eleven days earlier, the city of Newark had detonated following the assault on John Smith, a Black cab driver, by white police officers. The reactions in the community were immediate and incendiary. In the chaos of social retribution that ensued, twenty-six people were killed and hundreds more injured, while the city sustained an estimated ten million dollars in damage.

Newark and Detroit were just the most notable of more than two dozen American cities that ignited in revolts in that summer of 1967. It appeared as though a valve of the city reservoir had been opened. An apocalyptic fury, the response to decades of discriminatory policy and centuries of racial exploitation, suddenly spewed out in American cities.

Johnson charged the eleven-member Kerner panel with answering three questions: “What happened? Why did it happen? What can be done to prevent it from happening again and again?” These were Johnson’s precise words. Addressing these questions, however, would mean answering dozens of subsidiary questions the roots of which lay deeply tangled in American history and public policy.

The members themselves represented a cross section, albeit not a representative one, of domestic interests. Chaired by Kerner, the second-term Democratic governor of Illinois, the commission included two of his fellow Democratic elected officials, Congressman James Corman, the fourth-term representative of California’s twenty-second district, and freshman senator Fred R. Harris of Oklahoma. They were joined by three Republicans, New York City mayor John V. Lindsay, Rep. William M. McCulloch of Ohio’s fourth district, and Edward Brooke, the freshman Massachusetts lawmaker and the sole African American serving in the United States Senate at the time.

By current standards the commission was overwhelmingly white (nine of the eleven members) and male (ten of eleven). Katherine Peden, the commerce secretary of Kentucky, was the sole female commission member. Roy Wilkins, the political moderate and executive director of the NAACP, joined Brooke as the only Black people at the table. In addition, I. W. Abel, president of the United Steelworkers of America, represented labor in the proceedings, and Herbert Jenkins, the police chief of Atlanta, Georgia, represented law enforcement. Charles Thornton, the CEO of Litton Industries, spoke for the manufacturing sector.

President Lyndon Johnson (seated, center) shakes hands with members of the Kerner Commission. July 29, 1967. White House Photo Office Collection, LBJ Presidential Library.

What differentiated the Kerner Commission from the outset was the historical scope of the investigations: the members were not seeking to understand a singular incident of disorder, but the phenomenon of rioting itself. Despite the heterogeneity of interests, if not the bipartisan backgrounds, of the members, the concluding report spoke with a strikingly unified voice about the problems that the various committee participants sought to understand. And that voice was an unabashedly integrationist one. Their most immediate and salient observation was that, even though the police had been involved in these most volatile incidents, American cities were not simply facing a crisis of policing. Rather, police were simply the spear’s tip of much broader systemic and institutional failures.

[T]he Kerner Report noted that the “problem” had been, first and foremost, inaccurately diagnosed. The so-called Negro problem was, in fact, a white problem. Or, as the report noted in one of the oft-quoted sections of the summary, “What white Americans have never fully understood—but what the Negro can never forget—is that white society is deeply implicated in the ghetto. White institutions created it, white institutions maintain it, and white society condones it.”

In a best-case scenario, Kerner would have become a kind of guidebook for the War on Poverty policies then being enacted by the Johnson administration. In more practical terms, the commission recommended new community-based guidelines covering how police needed to interact with citizens of “the ghetto,” as Black communities were dubiously classified in the report. It devoted an entire chapter to the ways in which justice should be administered in the course of riots; it suggested a national network of neighborhood task forces, local institutions that could bypass the bureaucracy and red tape of city administration and head off problems before they erupted into crises. It suggested “neighborhood service centers” to connect residents of these communities with job placement and other forms of assistance and proposed expanded municipal employment as a means of diminishing chronically high unemployment in these areas.

Perceptively, its members suggested that the monochromatically white news media that reported on these uprisings was also a symptom of the bigger problem. That social upheaval that had been created by overwhelmingly white institutions and maintained by said white institutions was then investigated and reported upon by yet another overwhelmingly white institution constituted, in their assessment, a racial conflict of interest. They closed with a raft of specific recommendations for housing, employment, welfare, and education. Kerner was possibly a victim of its own meticulousness. The report brims with suggestions. One reason why its proposals were not realized might be that it simply made too many of them.

The commission could not have known when it released its findings in March 1968 that it was issuing a preface, not a postscript. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated the following month, and more than one hundred American cities exploded into just the type of violence that the Kerner Commission had sought to understand if not prevent. [T]he Report was fated, from the moment it reached shelves, to operate more crucially as a forecast than a review. “Our Nation,” it warned in 1968, “is moving toward two societies, one black, one white—separate and unequal.”

— Excerpted From "Introduction" By Jelani Cobb, From The Essential Kerner Commission Report, Edited By Jelani Cobb, With Matthew Guariglia.

[gone2soon-rip]

RAY REARDON (1932-Died July 19th 2024,at 91).Welsh professional snooker player. After working as a coal miner and a police officer, he turned professional in 1967 and dominated the sport in the 1970s, winning the World Snooker Championship six times and more than a dozen other tournaments. Reardon was World Champion in 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, and 1978, and runner-up in 1982. He won the inaugural Pot Black tournament in 1969, the 1976 Masters, and the 1982 Professional Players Tournament. His dark widow's peak and prominent eye teeth earned him the nickname "Dracula".Ray Reardon - Wikipedia

[covid-safer-hotties]

The US is experiencing its largest summer Covid wave in at least two years - Published Aug 16, 2024

It may be time to dust off the face masks and air purifiers.

The US is in the midst of a significant Covid-19 wave, with viral activity levels in wastewater the highest they’ve been for a summer surge since July 2022, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s wastewater dashboard.

The CDC’s measure of national Covid viral activity in wastewater rose to 8.82 on August 10 – falling shy of a peak of 9.56 in July 2022. The CDC says the most recent data is incomplete and may change. Before it started rising again in May, it was at 1.36.

“Currently, the COVID-19 wastewater viral activity level is very high nationally, with the highest levels in the Western US region,” Dr. Jonathan Yoder, deputy director of the CDC’s Wastewater Surveillance Program, said in an email. “This year’s COVID-19 wave is coming earlier than last year, which occurred in late August/early September.”

Emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths are also ticking up, although not to the same extent as infections, according to the CDC’s Covid dashboard. As of the end of July, the CDC’s dashboard shows about 4 are being hospitalized for Covid for every 100,000 people in a given area, up from a low in May of about one Covid hospitalization for every 100,000 people – the lowest level since the pandemic began.

The CDC’s wastewater data closely aligns with what they’re seeing at the nationwide WastewaterSCAN network, too.

“This is a very significant surge. The levels are very high. They’re the highest we’ve ever seen during a summer wave,” said Dr. Marlene Wolfe, an assistant professor of environmental health and public health at Emory University and a program director for WastewaterSCAN. “We’re detecting SARS-CoV-2 in 100 percent of our samples across the country right now.”

WastewaterSCAN also began monitoring in early 2022 and the number of sites that it monitors has changed over time.

“Despite these changes, it’s notable that levels right now for WastewaterSCAN are much higher than previous summer peaks and yet still below the average concentrations at the height of the winter peaks in 2023, 2022, and 2021,” said Dr. Alexandria Boehm, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University and program director for WastewaterSCAN.

Health officials no longer track the coronavirus as closely as they did during the public health emergency, and there are no longer reliable estimates of daily or weekly new infections in the US. Instead, the nation is largely relying on wastewater levels to follow numbers of new cases.

Wolfe says the amount of virus in wastewater doesn’t precisely correlate to numbers of infections. That’s because there are a host of things that can influence how much virus is in wastewater – including how much water is flowing through the sewage system when sampling takes place, as well as how much virus people may be shedding with a given variant. Despite these variables, she says sampling over time has shown there is a strong relationship between the number of people infected in a given area and the amount of virus in local wastewater.

“We can’t say exactly how many more cases that may be compared to previous years, because some of those changes might have happened in the virus in the areas that we’re measuring,” she said.

The rise in cases is being driven by waning immunity in the population and a trio of new variants that have drifted enough from their parent virus, JN.1, to escape the ability of our antibodies to quickly neutralize them.

Cases are also climbing just as children head back to classrooms in many parts of the US, giving the infection plenty of opportunity to spread.

It’s not clear when this surge will peak and start to taper off.

“Here in Houston, Texas, wastewater numbers are still high and not declining. They have reached a plateau at a high level for several weeks,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious disease expert who is director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital.

The surge of cases has also come ahead of the availability of an updated Covid-19 vaccine designed to better protect against the new variants, which could help slow the spread of the virus.

“It’s a bit disappointing that these are not available now, as Covid is surging,” Hotez said.

The US Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved the latest tweaks to the Covid-19 vaccines, but experts say they’ve heard that updated shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax should be ready in the coming weeks.

In June, the FDA, following its normal process of reevaluating the need for changes to the Covid vaccines, directed manufacturers to update their shots for the fall to better match the variants that were making people sick.

“We keep hearing rumors that it will be here by the end of September, so we shouldn’t have to wait too long,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University.

The best thing people can do as far as their own personal risk is to get that vaccine when it does become available, Hotez said.

“Next, of course, is a good N95 or KN95 mask when you are in crowded indoor areas,” Hotez said, and seek out the antiviral medication Paxlovid if you test positive. For that reason, it’s also a good idea to stock up on Covid-19 tests to identify whether any coughs or runny noses are being caused by the coronavirus.

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 20/07/2024 (Eminem's The Death of Slim Shady, Ice Spice/Central Cee)

For a seventh week, Sabrina Carpenter tops the UK Singles Chart with “Espresso”, right above her other track, “Please Please Please” at #2. Other than that, it’s Eminem, football and a whole lot of nothing. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

content warning: language, discussion of sexual predators and misogyny

Rundown

As always, we start this week with our notable dropouts, which are songs exiting the UK Top 75 - the region I cover - after five weeks there or a peak in the top 40. This week, we bid farewell to: “Tobey” by Eminem featuring Big Sean and BabyTron thanks to self-cannibalism from his own album, “Mind Still” by Sonny Fodera featuring blythe, “Pick Up the Phone” by PAWSA featuring the late Nate Dogg - not that it matters since there’s a near-identical song still charting, “Close to You” by Gracie Abrams, “She’s Gone, Dance On” by Disclosure (unfortunately), “one of wun” by Gunna and finally, “Viva la Vida” by Coldplay because of course it was here in the first place.

So, naturally, the Euros happened recently and like much of what the UK’s been doing, the England team got close to saving face but ended up embarrassing itself at the final hurdle to the international community. Naturally, we don’t have that massive of an impact on the charts since we lost, and we lost on a Sunday, which means for most of the tracking week, they’ve been falling but some still notched impressive landings on the chart. I’ve discussed the vast majority of these - though not in the same way I do legacy hits now - in the episodes from July 2021, where I even go into some detail towards the making of the songs and why they’re football anthems. There’s even a full review in one of those because a “new” song considered a football anthem had debuted. As for this week though, I’ll briefly mention “World in Motion” by New Order at #53, “Vindaloo” by Fat Les at #46, “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond at #44, “3 Lions” by Baddiel, Skinner and the Lightning Seeds at #8, as well as one I haven’t touched upon, the classic “Dancing in the Dark” by Bruce Springsteen. England fans have adopted the Boss’ 1984 hit to sing the praises of a specific player, leading it to scrape the top 40 at #36 this week. It peaked at #4 in 1985, with “I Know Him So Well” by Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson sitting at the top spot, and a smoother cover by Big Daddy - yes, really - would serve as the title track for an EP that peaked at #21 on the singles chart the month after. The original was at #27 that week though we all know which version has stood the test of time.

As for, well, everything else, there’s not too much to discuss, but we do see solid, notable boosts for “Lies Lies Lies” by Morgan Wallen at #58 - great - as well as “Apple” by Charli xcx at #42 and “Move” by Adam Port, Stryv and Malachiii at #39, which are otherwise completely fine songs.

As for our top five, we have many a familiar face: “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish at #5, “Houdini” by Eminem at #4 (more on him later), “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey at #3, and of course, the two aforementioned Sabrinas. Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty of the episode: my exhausted ramblings on whatever new entries happen to appear in the top 75. Let’s go.

New Entries

#74 - “Alibi” - Sevdaliza, Pabllo Vittar and Yseult

Produced by Sevdaliza, Matthias Janmaat and Mucky

I’m vaguely familiar with Pabllo Vittar through her collaborations with artists such as Rina Sawayama and Charli xcx, though I’m surprised to see her chart at all, let alone with two people I’m even less familiar with, so I was wondering what the deal was here. Vittar is a Brazilian drag queen who seems very successful in her home country, and means a lot to the LGBTQ+ community there, but I had to look more into Sevdaliza and Yseult. The former is a Dutch singer born in Iran who has been active and relatively successful since the 2010s, working with some experimental Latin artists as of recent. The latter is a French singer who won a reality TV competition and eventually they all banded together for a trio single, the first of two consecutive female trios (kind of, Vittar goes by male pronouns in his private life but not in her public persona). This track makes use of a classic Cuban song “Rosa, qué linda eres” and brings a Brazilian funk rhythm for what, if translated correctly, seems to be a about a ride-or-die girl who she loves and acts in some way as her alibi once she murders this guy, basically saying that this… ahem, close female friend, will be the reason she is able to kill him because of her loyalty, or at least that’s what I got out of the translation that could very well be wrong. The multilingual song brings the intensity of baile funk and its mechanical-sounding synths and drums to a pop format that is pretty refreshing, and Sevdaliza’s vocals, though they don’t always hit as intimately, feel fittingly breathless and sensual, before a sample of the chant from the classic Cuban “Rosa” acts as the anthemic hook. I might prefer how playful, albeit repetitive, Yseult is with the instrumental, it feels like she’s right in each pocket it’ll force her into, and that’s really compelling when the instrumental is this unconventional. If I have a problem with anything, it’s probably Pabllo Vittar not feeling necessary to the track or the weird groove that it has to settle on in the chorus to fit all of the elements, that hits a weird note even if that warped, looming bass is there to steer it. Overall, I’m surprised this charted but I completely understand why even if it’s unlikely to stick around. It’s a good song with some very obviously viral elements and I hope that some of these gals at least land some kind of presence elsewhere on the chart.

#63 - “My Oh My” - Kylie Minogue, Bebe Rexha and Tove Lo

Produced by Steve Mac

Okay, so I have mixed feelings on all of these artists but they generally range towards the positive. I’m just confused to how you can successfully land all of these artists on one song, with a typically quite generic producer at the helm, without overwhelming the mix, and the answer seems to be by writing a pretty bare-bones song with an annoying hook, Auto-Tuning the Hell out of it so that Kylie becomes a robot again - though not nearly as effectively as on, say, “Padam Padam” where that was part of the appeal - and delivering a pretty bog-standard house drop that doesn’t even feel like it belongs in a specific genre. It’s kind of tropical, mostly a future house sounding bass, kind of has a slap house feel to it, probably can be considered a deep house song, but it all coalesces into a whole lot of nothing by just not having that strong of a hook or even performance from Kylie, who phones it in and is so awkwardly crushed in the mix that when the more organic vocal production and subtler delivery from Tove Lo comes in, it feels really out of place. It should go without saying that my Queen Tove Lo kind of just steals this song entirely and there’s a reason why they kept her for last. Bebe’s lyrics are quite cute, I love how they all play off their star signs and use a similar pre-chorus structure, but she doesn’t stick out in the mix as much and ends up kind of vanishing, but Tove seeps her backing vocals into the post-chorus before she appears and just through having a lot more natural charisma than these two decided to approach the song with, as well as a clearer multi-tracking effect that actually distinguishes the takes really nicely, runs away with the whole song as the only presence that actually matters or has a lasting impact. The song’s fine, if teetering towards over-produced schlock, but at least I can find some elements of it that I enjoy and could see working, which is honestly not what I expected. I was fully guessing it’d be a “too many cooks” situation where everyone collides into a mess, but it keeps itself together decently well overall.

#47 - “WOMAN’S WORLD” - Katy Perry

Produced by Dr. Luke, Vaughn Oliver, Aaron Joseph and Rocco Did it Again!

We did not need to do this. That’s the one thing that keeps pestering me about this song, its rollout, its credited writers. We just didn’t need to have this happen. It seemed like Katy’s Vegas residency was doing well, that she was back doing some more EDM features that were okay but at least drew a bigger name than say, Bebe Rexha. She hadn’t worked with Dr. Luke for the better half of a decade, she hadn’t really needed to put out more pop music for the past few years, but after Witness, now a certified pop music history book staple for curating the modern idea of a “flop era”, she did continue to release music that really didn’t need to do well, it just needed to show that she wasn’t done. I am not sure if that has worked, the general opinion of the public on Katy Perry isn’t one that has once mattered because her personality, whilst quite evident in those songs, wasn’t the driving factor behind their success. It was that they were great pop songs. Even the ones I didn’t like had such painfully obvious reasons to why they were successful. Not only could Katy Perry live off her catalogue, so could Dr. Luke.

So why have he and his cronies - who I’m convinced do all the work anyway - found their way into Katy Perry’s credits again? I hear a lot of gossip about paperwork, contracts, and some kind of legalese that’s preventing her from NOT working with Dr. Luke but from what the public knows from trusted sources, and really from the song itself, this is a conscious effort to perform, release and promote a feminist anthem written and produced by someone who, and I say this with the lightest quote marks known to man, “allegedly” raped and abused Kesha, whose single did not crack the top 75 this week, probably because she’s gone independent and no longer has the support of the spineless but pocketed industry behind her. Katy Perry, however, has that support. She has a promotional EP featuring remixes of this song, labelled after different “types” of woman - “doing the most woman”, “transcendental woman”, “naked woman”, etc.  She released the single on Capitol with not just a music video but a behind-the-scenes video on X which she seems to have had cocked and ready to go for when people see through the thin attempt at faux feminism. If this is satire, Katy, it doesn’t explain the choices you made on who to work with for it - in fact, it makes it a whole lot worse that you are so flagrantly allowing for a group of men, let alone including Dr. Luke, to belittle the idea of female empowerment in order to fill their pockets and yours. Is there no shame in that?

You could very much make the argument that it doesn’t matter who worked on it or what happened behind the scenes as long as it’s a good song, but I’ll make the same argument I used for Ye: even if it’s not explicitly in the text, the creation of a text and its authors inform its content. Sure, it’s more obvious when Ye says that he keeps a few Jews on the staff now, but the video for “WOMAN’S WORLD” contains very little in the way of empowerment or diversity in what women it represents, and especially less in what roles they’re being displayed in, particularly because none of it is new or even progressive for this kind of cause. Masquerading as a Suffraggette on a construction site is heavy-handed and awkward when you spend a great deal of the video in robot legs (for some reason) just… looking at women, living in a world where women can do anything they please. That’s great and all, but Katy barely participates - at some point she flies over this new world on a helicopter - because why should she? If anything, by creating and promoting this song with such a video, she’s participating in Dr. Luke’s predatory scouting for young women to capture them in villainous record deals, she’s not participating in feminism. An activist, or really, any person, does not need to be perfect and some of the greatest fighters for justice have been messy, messy people, but it’s worth spotting that when it appears because those nuances, those small mistakes, are more telling of the person behind them than whatever performance they put on.

Speaking of performance, the song is garbage. Katy sounds okay though she’s never truly been the powerhouse vocalist she wants to be, and it’s not like this staccato song is giving her much to work with. The verses work in list format, repeating themselves and calling strictly to both male gaze and the male gays (“mother” is weaponised in a Trainoresque way here), when they’re not coughing up generic platitudes that ring meaningless on an ear who has read, seen, heard or watched anything else. Even “Roar” at least has a cohesive conceit and doesn’t insult your intelligence. The chorus is stiff and does the bare minimum to count as a chorus whilst producing possibly the least catchy lead single Katy has ever put out, and there’s not even an extended version to complete whatever that pointless bridge tease is at the end. The song just peters out after some vocal riffing on what I assume counts as a post-chorus, like it’s ashamed of its own existence. I’ve communicated with people who don’t actively know or keep up with pop music, and they expressed their distaste for this. Thanks to her sticking by a predator, and thanks to an industry lifting up that predator’s failed clinging attempts for relevance that have unfortunately been successful and Grammy-nominated, she has released a single that disestablished whatever goodwill she had. For whatever you can say about her music or her fanbase, she absolutely had the general public, who don’t listen to the albums, don’t care about the credits and will just bop along to a catchy tune in their car. Now, Katy stands on a hill built on the dregs of her fanbase and people that just don’t care. Men may have produced and written this song, but this woman made the world that she lives in now, and not only is it not pretty, it won’t be kind to her either.

#15 - “Did it First” - Ice Spice and Central Cee

Produced by RIOTUSA, Lily Kaplan and Nico Baran

Part of me feels bad for Ice Spice. She was making songs with her fun personality and her slightly above mediocre producer RIOT, and that virality really propelled her to a stardom I don’t think anyone would want so quickly, especially since Ice Spice really isn’t a great vocal talent or presence. She can rap, but she’s clearly still somewhat of a beginner who can’t find the pocket perfectly on much of her production, which is often minimal or at least interesting, which harms the end result so much more when she’s not really prepared for it. She was really attempting for her equivalent of rapping rapping on “Phat Butt”, or at least showing some improvement in her skill, but I still worry for this upcoming album, as she hasn’t had the time to really improve technically or even as a vocal presence, as she can still be whispery or unconfident in a way that doesn’t always feel purposeful, and all this time in the limelight, which she’s smartly extended not by improving but by out-memeing her last single, can’t go too well for her when it’s based purely on virality and character that she’s yet to confidently prove on record.

This song with her boyfriend Central Cee - who really should probably spend some time alone for a bit considering his relationship songs - demonstrates much of the same. It’s partly a revenge song that involves him cheating and Ice Spice cheating in response but also celebrating the toxic relationship and all the sex in a way that is just mindless and not very interesting from Ice Spice, who is so locked into one boring flow and sounds like she’s having no fun with it, saying the same things she’s always been saying despite the existing narrative of the song. As stiff as he is, in many ways, Cench’s verse is self-aware and has a cute line about the time he takes to finish his verse, it’s probably a highlight, but overall, this is definitely a half-baked product that sounds rushed to capitalise on the relationship going viral for… a lot of the wrong reasons. “Doja” was actually about his bisexual girlfriend, it was a semi-autobiographical piece if you will, so anything about Central Cee claiming himself as selective and smart about who he’s messing with just hits a weird note, since so much of that relationship drama ends up in the music. What saves this from being completely worthless is the beat, which takes Lily Kaplan’s vocal and stutters it below a Jersey club beat with a lot of filtering and gunshots that appeals to me just on a basic sonic and aesthetic level. I like how the beat sounds, but not much about the rest of this is giving me much to enjoy. Very much not excited for that album coming soon.

#13 - “Renaissance” - Eminem

Produced by Luis Resto and Eminem

As I said last week, I wrote in detail some of my first-listen thoughts on Eminem’s new album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace), on my RateYourMusic listening log (account name: exclusivelytopostown). I have revisited and come away with even more thoughts on this, but the songs that debuted didn’t really give me much to chew on. I expected “Brand New Dance” to show up, which would be great because that might be top 10 favourite Eminem songs for me… and it’s also recorded way back in 2004. It does a lot better of a job than the songs we see here in demonstrating the appeal of this record, probably best exemplified in “Guilty Conscience 2” - the first half and a bit is a massive joke, wherein an aging Slim Shady, who is no longer nearly as interesting or biting as he once was, is trying to take one last bout of energy and nuisance within the new, “mature” Eminem, who of course is indistinguishable so the two are conflated, realise they’re kind of the same person, just the parts that Em regrets are still part of him, and this leads to Em killing Slim and spending the rest of the record trying to prove himself… posthumously, maybe, the timeline’s a bit unclear, to both his family and the rap game. That sounds fascinating and also a mess, and it is quite frankly, so much more of both than I was prepared for, but it’s also a fun, surprisingly short listen for an hour-long comedy bit in rap form. Em’s always been known for his commitment to bits, and this is the most he’s committed to anything, but you can also hear some more classic Eminem beats on here, some great features, and the uncanny way he sports his earlier voice against his newer tone, with them overlapping and rubbing against each other the whole time. It’s an album with a lot to discuss, and I’d love to get into “Evil”, “Lucifer”, “Antichrist”, “Road Rage”, “Temporary”, even “Bad One” (and half of these songs I’m not even too crazy about - Hell, I don’t like “Road Rage” or “Bad One” at all), but no, as most fans will listen to the record in its intended order as both is normal and good, as well as what Em instructed on his Twitter, we get some of the more straightforward tracks as they’re the first two.

Our first track is the not-even-two-minutes-long introduction, “Renaissance”, which doesn’t signal a return to Slim Shady as much as it does a focused and clear-sounding Eminem, one that’s more on point than we’ve heard since 2013. Part of it seems like it was written and/or recorded earlier in his career, but with the smoother delivery and cinematic production, Em’s moaning about the rap game and his own fans comes off much less like whining and bitching than it does a more triumphant walk away from Slim Shady’s gravestones with bars as intricately placed as ever. I love when he rattles off of complaints people make about other rap albums instead of listening to them and evaluating them based on valid reasons, comparing it to people refusing to understand the art of Picasso and hence picking them apart based on their own ignorance rather than an understanding of the work. I hated J. Cole’s last record, I’m harsher to Kendrick than most and VULTURES 1 just made me sad, but my criticism comes much more from empathy and wanting to enjoy the music and hear where it’s coming from than it does a complete dismissal, which I hope shows in the fact I’m giving a passage most would write off as an old man waving his fist at clouds a fair shake and optimistic interpretation. I don’t need to tell you how slick the rhyme schemes are, it’s Eminem, and every bar is loaded with content, references and double-meanings, in such a constant flow that it reminds me of his Encore and The Eminem Show verses where he would just go on and on even if he lost track. Thankfully, this song cuts out before it can do so and seamlessly transitions into…

#11 - “Habits” - Eminem featuring White Gold

Produced by White Gold, Eminem and Narza

It’s fine. It’s not a single, for sure, considering it’s five minutes and starts with a skit before going straight into semi-offensive Slim Shady rants that basically explain the entire conceit of the album, including its dumber ideas like “PC court”. White Gold, a new staple to the typical Eminem feature list, sings the chorus and has a kind of confusing role but ultimately gets off the idea that both Eminem and the fans both miss and need the Slim Shady persona, with this song supposed to lead into that idea until it becomes painfully obvious through his repeated jokes and lame punchlines wearing you down - in a pretty funny way - that he’s full of shit. I love the bridge adding some needed depth to the song so it actually makes sense outside of the record, and the flows on the third verse are crazy, both the slower, pretty hilarious sing-songy way it starts and the most on-point “fast-rap” passage he’s ever had. He talks about pronouns, Caitlyn Jenner, misogyny, and little people, his main focuses on the album within this persona, and it almost grates on you before this track is finished even. I even don’t think the South Park sample is too on-the-nose, and if it weren’t so attached to the album’s concept or it had a better chorus, or Hell, even if it had the “Trouble” interlude properly latched on to add some more depth, it would probably get into good territory. For now, I’ll stick to my preferred tracks, which, apart from “Fuel” with JID, have all been mentioned across these two reviews and the top five. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a more accessible track from Em debut next week.

Conclusion

This wasn’t exactly a week full of surprises and it should be clear that Worst of the Week goes to Katy Perry for “WOMAN’S WORLD” and whilst I see less purpose in that Ice Spice track, on a pure sonic level I think “My Oh My” by Kylie Minogue, Bebe Rexha and Tove Lo is less appealling to me so it gets the Dishonourable Mention. Both are ultimately serviceable disappointments anyway, and Best of the Week should also be plainly obvious: Eminem grabs it with “Renaissance” whilst a surprisingly close Honourable Mention is granted to “Alibi” by Sevdaliza, Pabllo Vittar and Yseult. As for what’s on the horizon, Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall is the last to go solo, that should make moves. For now, though, thank you for reading, long live Cola Boyy, and I’ll see you next week!

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Joe Heller

* * * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

July 17, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JUL 18, 2023

A story in the New York Times today by Jonathan Swan, Charlie Savage, and Maggie Haberman outlined how former president Donald Trump and his allies are planning to create a dictatorship if voters return him to power in 2024. The article talks about how Trump and his loyalists plan to “centralize more power in the Oval Office” by “increasing the president’s authority over every part of the federal government that now operates, by either law or tradition, with any measure of independence from political interference by the White House.” 

They plan to take control over independent government agencies and get rid of the nonpartisan civil service, purging all but Trump loyalists from the U.S. intelligence agencies, the State Department, and the Defense Department. They plan to start “impounding funds,” that is, ignoring programs Congress has funded if those programs aren’t in line with Trump’s policies.

“What we’re trying to do is identify the pockets of independence and seize them,” said Russell T. Vought, who ran Trump’s Office of Management and Budget and who now advises the right-wing House Freedom Caucus. They envision a “president” who cannot be checked by the Congress or the courts.

Trump’s desire to grab the mechanics of our government and become a dictator is not new; both scholars and journalists have called it out since the early years of his administration. What is new here is the willingness of so-called establishment Republicans to support this authoritarian power grab. 

Behind this initiative is “Project 2025,” a coalition of more than 65 right-wing organizations putting in place personnel and policies to recommend not just to Trump, but to any Republican who may win in 2024. Project 2025 is led by the Heritage Foundation, once considered a conservative think tank, that helped to lead the Reagan revolution.

A piece by Alexander Bolton in The Hill today said that Republican senators are “worried” by the MAGAs, but they have been notably silent in public at a time when every elected leader should be speaking out against this plot. Their silence suggests they are on board with it, as Trump apparently hoped to establish. 

The party appears to have fully embraced the antidemocratic ideology advanced by authoritarian leaders like Russia’s president Vladimir Putin and Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán, who argue that the post–World War II era, in which democracy seemed to triumph, is over. They claim that the tenets of democracy—equality before the law, free speech, academic freedom, a market-based economy, immigration, and so on—weaken a nation by destroying a “traditional” society based in patriarchy and Christianity.

Instead of democracy, they have called for “illiberal” or “Christian” democracy, which uses the government to enforce their beliefs in a Christian, patriarchal order. What that looks like has a clear blueprint in the actions of Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who has gathered extraordinary power into his own hands in the state and used that power to mirror Orbán’s destruction of democracy.

DeSantis has pushed through laws that ban abortion after six weeks, before most people know they’re pregnant; banned classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity (the “Don’t Say Gay” law); prevented recognition of transgender individuals; made it easier to sentence someone to death; allowed people to carry guns without training or permits; banned colleges and businesses from conversations about race; exerted control over state universities; made it harder for his opponents to vote, and tried to punish Disney World for speaking out against the Don’t Say Gay law. After rounding up migrants and sending them to other states, DeSantis recently has called for using “deadly force” on migrants crossing unlawfully.

Because all the institutions of our democracy are designed to support the tenets of democracy, right-wingers claim those institutions are weaponized against them. House Republicans are running hearings designed to prove that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice are both “weaponized” against Republicans. It doesn’t matter that they don’t seem to have any evidence of bias: the very fact that those institutions support democracy mean they support a system that right-wing Republicans see as hostile. 

“Our current executive branch,” Trump loyalist John McEntee, who is in charge of planning to pack the government with Trump loyalists, told the New York Times reporters, “was conceived of by liberals for the purpose of promulgating liberal policies. There is no way to make the existing structure function in a conservative manner. It’s not enough to get the personnel right. What’s necessary is a complete system overhaul.”

It has taken decades for the modern-day Republican Party to get to a place where it rejects democracy. The roots of that rejection lie all the way back in the 1930s, when Democrats under Franklin Delano Roosevelt embraced a government that regulated business, provided a basic social safety net, and promoted infrastructure. That system ushered in a period from 1933 to 1981 that economists call the “Great Compression,” when disparities of income and wealth were significantly reduced, especially after the government also began to protect civil rights. 

Members of both parties embraced this modern government in this period, and Americans still like what it accomplished. But businessmen who hated regulation joined with racists who hated federal protection of civil rights and traditionalists who opposed women’s rights and set out to destroy that government. 

In West Palm Beach, Florida, last weekend, at the Turning Points Action Conference, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) compared President Biden’s Build Back Better plan to President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s Great Society programs, which invested in “education, medical care, urban problems, rural poverty, transportation, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, and welfare, the Office of Economic Opportunity, and big labor and labor unions.” She noted that under Biden, the U.S. has made “the largest public investment in social infrastructure and environmental programs, that is actually finishing what FDR started, that LBJ expanded on, and Joe Biden is attempting to complete.” 

Well, yeah.

Greene incorrectly called this program “socialism,” which in fact means government ownership of production, as opposed to the government’s provision of benefits people cannot provide individually, a concept first put into practice in the United States by Abraham Lincoln and later expanded by leadership in both parties. The administration has stood firmly behind the idea—shared by LBJ and FDR, and also by Republicans Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower, among others—that investing in programs that enable working people to prosper is the best way to strengthen the economy. 

Certainly, Greene’s speech didn’t seem to be the “gotcha” that she apparently hoped. A March 2023 poll by independent health policy pollster KFF, for example, found that 80% of Americans like Social Security, 81% like Medicare, and 76% like Medicaid, a large majority of members of all political parties.  

The White House Twitter account retweeted a clip of Greene’s speech, writing: “Caught us. President Biden is working to make life easier for hardworking families.”

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[llewelynpritch]

JOHNSON'S 'COVER-UP' JUSTICE FOR DAWN STURGESS Mother-of-three Dawn Sturgess died after coming into contact with the Russian nerve agent Novichok original image BBC

Johnson’s Cover-Up Legal implications: Misconduct in Public Office; Obstruction of Justice; Breach of Duty; Contempt of Parliament #AI #Perplexity #DeepAI #ChatGPT4o Llewelyn Pritchard 19 October 2024

Perplexity: To address the various allegations against Boris Johnson, here are some detailed explanations and the potential legal implications:

Indirect Responsibility for the Death of Dawn Sturgess

- While Boris Johnson is not directly responsible for the death of Dawn Sturgess, who was killed by Novichok nerve agent, his handling of Russian relations and security issues can be scrutinised. The Skripal poisoning incident, which involved the same nerve agent, highlighted lapses in security and the presence of Russian agents in the UK. However, there is no direct link established between Johnson's actions and Sturgess's death [1][4].

Enabling of Brexit 2016 in Putin's Favour

- There is substantial evidence to suggest that Russia supported the Brexit campaign, and Boris Johnson's actions and associations contributed to this narrative. Johnson's backing of the Leave campaign and his connections with figures like Evgeny Lebedev, whose father has ties to Vladimir Putin, are significant. The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) report indicated that Russian interference in UK politics is common, and while it did not specifically prove Russian interference in the Brexit referendum, it suggested that such influence could have been a factor [1][3][5].

Ignoring Intelligence Advice

- Johnson has been accused of ignoring intelligence advice on multiple occasions. Notably, he overruled security concerns regarding the nomination of Evgeny Lebedev to the House of Lords, despite warnings from the security services. This action was described as "unheard of in modern times" and demonstrated a "dangerous disregard for the constitution"[4].

Delaying and Suppressing the Russia Report

- Johnson's government was criticised for delaying the publication of the ISC's "Russia Report," which detailed Russian interference in UK politics. The report was finally published in July 2020, after a nine-month delay, and it highlighted the government's failure to investigate Russian influence on the Brexit referendum thoroughly [1][5].

Secretive Meetings with Alexander Lebedev

- Johnson's secretive meetings with Alexander Lebedev in Italy, particularly after a NATO summit where EU leaders agreed that Russia was likely responsible for the Salisbury nerve agent attacks, raised significant national security concerns. These meetings were not disclosed to relevant officials, and Italian intelligence monitored the gathering due to suspicions of spying activities [4].

Misleading Parliament and Cover-Ups

- Johnson has been accused of misleading Parliament on several occasions, including his handling of the Russia report and his statements on Russian interference. The ISC report criticised the government for not taking adequate action to address Russian meddling, which could be seen as a form of cover-up [2][5].

Awarding of 'Crony COVID Contracts' and Ill-Advised Peerage

- The awarding of COVID contracts to associates and the peerage for Evgeny Lebedev can be seen as examples of cronyism. These actions, while not necessarily criminal, contribute to the narrative of unethical behaviour and potential breaches of public trust [4].

Tory Sleaze and Unethical Behaviour

- Johnson's tenure has been marred by allegations of 'Tory Sleaze,' including unethical behaviour such as accepting donations from Russian oligarchs and engaging in cronyism. These actions, while not necessarily criminal, erode public trust and could be challenged on grounds of misconduct in public office [1][4].

Failure to Attend Emergency COBRA Meetings

- Johnson's absence from emergency COBRA meetings, particularly during critical times such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can be seen as a dereliction of duty. However, this …may… be more of an administrative or procedural issue rather than a criminal one [1].

Media Complicity and Russian Interference

- The involvement of media figures like Evgeny Lebedev, who has ties to Putin, in Johnson's circle raises concerns about media complicity and Russian influence. The ISC report highlighted the role of Russian state-funded media and disinformation campaigns in influencing UK politics [1][3][5].

Accepting Russian Oligarch Donations

- The Conservative Party's acceptance of donations from Russian oligarchs, some of whom have ties to Putin, is a contentious issue. This could be seen as a form of corruption or undue influence, potentially challenging the legitimacy of the government's actions [1][3].

Constitutional Corrosion and London Laundromat

- The term 'Constitutional Corrosion' refers to the broader issue of corruption and influence within the UK system. The 'London Laundromat' refers to the use of the UK financial system to launder illicit funds, often from Russian sources. While these are systemic issues, Johnson's actions and inactions have contributed to this environment [1].

Interfering in the Dawn Sturgess Public Inquiry

- There are no direct allegations that Johnson interfered with the terms of reference for the Dawn Sturgess Public Inquiry. However, the failure to supply WhatsApp messages for the inquest could be seen as an obstruction of justice, although this would need concrete evidence to support such a claim.

Failing to Supply WhatsApp Messages

- The failure to provide WhatsApp messages for the Dawn Sturgess inquest could be seen as an attempt to conceal information. This could potentially be challenged as an obstruction of justice if it is proven that these messages were deliberately withheld.

Interfering in a Russian-Ukraine Peace Deal

- There are no specific allegations that Johnson interfered in a potential Russian-Ukraine peace deal. However, his stance on Ukraine has been inconsistent, with earlier comments blaming the EU for provoking Russian actions and later supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression [2].

Supporting Ukraine While Saving His Own Skin

- Johnson's support for Ukraine has been criticised as being motivated by self-preservation rather than genuine concern. This is more a matter of political judgement than a criminal offence.

Legal Implications

In a UK court of law, several of these actions could be challenged on the following grounds:

- Misconduct in Public Office: Ignoring intelligence advice, delaying and suppressing the Russia report, and overruling security concerns for the nomination of Evgeny Lebedev to the House of Lords could be argued as misconduct in public office.

- Obstruction of Justice: Failing to supply WhatsApp messages for the Dawn Sturgess inquest could be seen as an obstruction of justice.

- Breach of Duty: Johnson's failure to attend emergency COBRA meetings and his handling of national security issues could be seen as a breach of his duty to protect national security and public interests.

- Contempt of Parliament: Misleading Parliament or failing to provide full disclosure on critical issues like Russian interference could be seen as contempt of Parliament.

However, whether these actions constitute criminal behaviour would depend on the specific evidence presented and the legal framework under which they are challenged. Many of these allegations, while serious, would need to be substantiated with concrete evidence to support any legal action.

Citations:

[1] https://www.labourmovementforeurope.uk/how_putin_helped_johnson_win_brexit_and_no_10 

[2] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-ukraine-russia-brexit-b2024817.html 

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_interference_in_the_2016_Brexit_referendum 

[4] https://www.occrp.org/en/news/channel-4-ex-pm-overruled-security-concerns-over-nominee-to-house-of-lords 

[5] https://www.csis.org/blogs/brexit-bits-bobs-and-blogs/did-russia-influence-brexit 

[6] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-brexit-news-russia-report-intelligence-agency-grieve-a9187616.html 

[7] https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/07/21/britain-report-russian-interference-brexit/ 

[8] https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/russia-report-national-security-brexit-referendum-johnson-may-a9630191.html 

Query: Give a valid and reliable explanation of how and why Boris Johnson's (Foreign Secretary and/or Prime Minister) 1. indirect responsibility for the death of Dawn Sturgess and/or 2. his enabling of Brexit 2016 in Putin's favour and/or 3. ignoring his own agencies’ intelligence advice and/or 4. delaying, suppressing their Russia Report and/or 5. his secretive meeting(s) breaching National Security with Alexander Lebedev, Perugia, Italy and/or 6. Johnson’s ‘Cover-Ups’ of established facts and their potential criminal implications 7. his misleading of Parliament and/or 8. his awarding of 'Crony COVID Contracts and /or 9. the ill-advised peerage for his son Evgeny Lebedev 10. his ‘Tory Sleaze’ unethical behaviour in office and/or 11. failure to attend 5 emergency COBRA meetings and/or 12. media complicity for his own ends with Evgeny Lebedev and others and/or 13. Russian Interference EU Referendum 2016 and/or 14. accepting Russian oligarch Conservative Party donations and/or 15. ‘Constitutional Corrosion’ epitomised by ‘LondonGrad Laundromat’ and/or 16. Attempting to nefariously influence with Priti Patel, Home Secretary the terms of reference, Dawn Sturgess Public Inquiry and/or 17. failing to supply, along with Rishi Sunak all ’Whatsapp’ messages for the Dawn Sturgess inquest and/or 18. interfering in an early, possible Russian-Ukraine peace deal and/or 19. purportedly supporting the welfare of Ukraine whilst very likely more concerned about ‘saving his own skin’ and/or 20. his Crony COVID Contracts and/or 21. Missing five COBRA meetings whilst otherwise distracted by his and/or 22. ‘Russian Partygate’ and/or 23. ‘Kremxit Horror Show’ may be justifiably challenged in a UK court of law as criminal behaviour not in the best public interest State of UK.’ 

Source: https://www.perplexity.ai/search/give-a-valid-and-reliable-expl-oShpYj_4T2aSCe3i5Jcqqg#1 

—---

‘To address the various allegations against Boris Johnson, here are some key points and explanations based on the provided sources:

Russian Interference in the Brexit Referendum

- The UK government, under both Theresa May and Boris Johnson, failed to investigate or assess Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum. This lack of action was criticised by the Intelligence and Security Committee, which noted that no assessment was conducted, and this issue was avoided due to its sensitive nature [1][2][6].

Ignoring Intelligence Advice

- Johnson, as Prime Minister, was accused of ignoring intelligence advice on several occasions. For example, he overruled security concerns regarding the nomination of Evgeny Lebedev to the House of Lords, despite warnings from the security services [3][7].

Delaying and Suppressing the Russia Report

- Boris Johnson was accused of personally preventing the publication of the parliamentary report on Russian interference in British politics, which was seen as a significant delay and suppression of critical information [6][4].

Secretive Meetings with Alexander Lebedev

- Johnson faced criticism for his secretive meetings with Alexander Lebedev, a Russian-born media mogul, in Italy. These meetings raised concerns about national security, especially given Alexander Lebedev's connections to Vladimir Putin[3].

Misleading Parliament

- Johnson's actions, such as delaying the Russia report and ignoring intelligence advice, have been seen as attempts to mislead or avoid full disclosure to Parliament [6][4].

Awarding Peerage to Evgeny Lebedev

- The appointment of Evgeny Lebedev to the House of Lords, despite security concerns, has been criticised as an example of cronyism and a potential breach of national security protocols [3][7].

Other Allegations

- While the sources do not directly link Johnson to the death of Dawn Sturgess (who died from Novichok poisoning), they do highlight his broader failure to address Russian interference and security threats.

- The allegations of 'Tory Sleaze,' crony COVID contracts, and media complicity are part of a broader narrative of unethical behaviour but are not directly linked to the specific issues of Russian interference and national security.

- The 'London Laundromat' and 'Constitutional Corrosion' are terms used to describe broader issues of corruption and influence, but they are not specifically tied to Johnson's actions in the context provided.

Legal Challenges

In a UK court of law, several of these actions could be challenged on the grounds of:

- Breach of Duty: Johnson's failure to investigate Russian interference in the Brexit referendum and his ignoring of intelligence advice could be seen as a breach of his duty to protect national security and democratic processes [1][2][6].

- Misconduct in Public Office: Delaying and suppressing the Russia report, as well as overruling security advice, could be argued as misconduct in public office, as these actions may have compromised national security and public trust [6][4][3].

- Contempt of Parliament: Misleading Parliament or failing to provide full disclosure on critical issues like Russian interference could be seen as contempt of Parliament[6].

However, whether these actions constitute criminal behaviour would depend on the specific legal framework and evidence presented in court. The allegations, while serious, would need to be substantiated with concrete evidence to support any legal action.’

Citations:

[1] https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/07/21/britain-report-russian-interference-brexit/ 

[2] https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/russia-report-national-security-brexit-referendum-johnson-may-a9630191.html 

[3] https://www.occrp.org/en/news/channel-4-ex-pm-overruled-security-concerns-over-nominee-to-house-of-lords 

[4] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/31/boris-johnson-accused-report-russia-dominic-grieve 

[5] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/22/boris-johnson-theres-may-ignored-claims-russia-had-likely-hold-over-donald-trump-ex-spy-christopher-steele-claims 

[6] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-brexit-news-russia-report-intelligence-agency-grieve-a9187616.html 

[7] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-61427468 

NOTE ‘While Perplexity AI strives to provide accurate and reliable information, it is essential for users to critically evaluate the information obtained and verify it through additional sources when necessary.’ ‘It is always advisable to independently verify and cross-reference the information obtained from any AI system.’

Query: Give a valid and reliable explanation how and why Boris Johnson's as Foreign Secretary and/or Prime Minister 1. indirect responsibility for the death of Dawn Sturgess and/or 2. his enabling of Brexit 2016 in Putin's favour and/or 3. ignoring his own agencies’ intelligence advice and/or 4. delaying, suppressing their Russia Report and/or 5. his secretive meeting(s) breaching National Security with Alexander Lebedev, Perugia, Italy and/or 6. Johnson’s ‘Cover-Ups’ of established facts and their potential criminal implications 7. his misleading of Parliament and/or 8. his awarding of 'Crony COVID Contracts and /or 9. the ill-advised peerage for his son Evgeny Lebedev 10. his ‘Tory Sleaze’ unethical behaviour in office and/or 11. failure to attend 5 emergency COBRA meetings and/or 12. media complicity for his own ends with Evgeny Lebedev and others and/or 13. Russian Interference EU Referendum 2016 and/or 14. accepting Russian oligarch Conservative Party donations and/or 15. ‘Constitutional Corrosion’ epitomised by ‘LondonGrad Laundromat’ and/or 16. Nefariously influencing with Priti Patel, Home Secretary the terms of reference, Dawn Sturgess Public Inquiry and/or 17. failing to supply, along with Rishi Sunak all ’Whatsapp’ messages for the Dawn Sturgess inquest and/or 18. interfering in an early, possible Russian-Ukraine peace deal and/or 19. purportedly supporting the welfare of Ukraine whilst very likely more concerned about ‘saving his own skin’ and/or 20. his Crony COVID Contracts and/or 21. Missing five COBRA meetings whilst otherwise distracted by his and/or 22. ‘Russian Partygate’ and/or 23. ‘Kremxit Horror Show’ may be justifiably challenged in a UK court of law as criminal behaviour not in the best public interest State of UK.’ 

Source: https://www.perplexity.ai/search/give-a-valid-and-reliable-expl-oShpYj_4T2aSCe3i5Jcqqg#0 

—---------

DeepAI:

‘Overview of Allegations Against Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has faced various allegations related to his handling of national security, Russian relations, and ethical conduct during his tenure as Prime Minister. Below are detailed explanations of these allegations and their potential legal implications.

Indirect Responsibility for the Death of Dawn Sturgess

While Johnson is not directly responsible for the death of Dawn Sturgess, who died from exposure to the Novichok nerve agent, his management of Russian relations and security issues is under scrutiny. The Skripal poisoning incident, which involved the same nerve agent, raised concerns about lapses in security and the presence of Russian agents in the UK. However, no direct link has been established between Johnson's actions and Sturgess's death 

[1]https://dsiweb-prod.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/Transcript-14-October-2024.pdf

Enabling of Brexit 2016 in Putin's Favour

Evidence suggests that Russia supported the Brexit campaign, and Johnson's actions contributed to this narrative. His backing of the Leave campaign and connections with figures like Evgeny Lebedev, whose father has ties to Vladimir Putin, are significant. The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) report indicated that while it did not conclusively prove Russian interference in the Brexit referendum, such influence could have been a factor.

Ignoring Intelligence Advice

Johnson has been accused of ignoring intelligence advice, notably overruling security concerns regarding Evgeny Lebedev's nomination to the House of Lords. This decision was described as "unheard of in modern times" and demonstrated a "dangerous disregard for the constitution".

Delaying and Suppressing the Russia Report

Johnson's government faced criticism for delaying the publication of the ISC's "Russia Report," which detailed Russian interference in UK politics. The report was published in July 2020 after a nine-month delay and highlighted the government's failure to thoroughly investigate Russian influence on the Brexit referendum [2] https://academic.oup.com/book/33660/chapter/288202292 

Secretive Meetings with Alexander Lebedev

Johnson's undisclosed meetings with Alexander Lebedev in Italy, particularly after a NATO summit where EU leaders agreed that Russia was likely responsible for the Salisbury nerve agent attacks, raised national security concerns. These meetings were monitored by Italian intelligence due to suspicions of espionage.

Misleading Parliament and Cover-Ups

Johnson has been accused of misleading Parliament regarding the Russia report and Russian interference. The ISC report criticised the government for inadequate action to address Russian meddling, which could be interpreted as a form of cover-up.

Awarding of 'Crony COVID Contracts' and Ill-Advised Peerage

The awarding of COVID contracts to associates and the peerage for Evgeny Lebedev exemplify cronyism. While these actions may not be criminal, they contribute to a narrative of unethical behaviour and potential breaches of public trust.

Tory Sleaze and Unethical Behaviour

Johnson's tenure has been marred by allegations of 'Tory Sleaze,' including accepting donations from Russian oligarchs and engaging in cronyism. These actions, while not necessarily criminal, erode public trust and could be challenged on grounds of misconduct in public office.

Failure to Attend Emergency COBRA Meetings

Johnson's absence from emergency COBRA meetings during critical times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, may be viewed as a dereliction of duty. However, this could be more of an administrative issue rather than a criminal one.

Media Complicity and Russian Interference

The involvement of media figures like Evgeny Lebedev in Johnson's circle raises concerns about media complicity and Russian influence. The ISC report highlighted the role of Russian state-funded media and disinformation campaigns in influencing UK politics. 

2 https://academic.oup.com/book/33660/chapter/288202292 

Accepting Russian Oligarch Donations

The Conservative Party's acceptance of donations from Russian oligarchs is contentious and could be seen as a form of corruption or undue influence, potentially challenging the legitimacy of the government's actions.

Constitutional Corrosion and London Laundromat

'Constitutional Corrosion' refers to broader issues of corruption within the UK system, while the 'London Laundromat' describes the use of the UK financial system to launder illicit funds, often from Russian sources. Johnson's actions have contributed to this environment.

Interfering in the Dawn Sturgess Public Inquiry

There are no direct allegations that Johnson interfered with the Dawn Sturgess Public Inquiry. However, the failure to supply WhatsApp messages for the inquest could be perceived as obstruction of justice, pending concrete evidence.

Failing to Supply WhatsApp Messages

The failure to provide WhatsApp messages for the Dawn Sturgess inquest could be seen as an attempt to conceal information, potentially challenging the legality of such actions as obstruction of justice.

Interfering in a Russian-Ukraine Peace Deal

No specific allegations exist regarding Johnson's interference in a potential Russian-Ukraine peace deal. However, his inconsistent stance on Ukraine has raised questions about his motivations.

Supporting Ukraine While Saving His Own Skin

Johnson's support for Ukraine has been criticised as politically motivated rather than stemming from genuine concern, which is more a matter of political judgement than a criminal offence.

Legal Implications

In a UK court, several of these actions could be challenged on the following grounds:

- Misconduct in Public Office: Ignoring intelligence advice, delaying the Russia report, and overruling security concerns could be argued as misconduct.

- Obstruction of Justice: Failing to supply WhatsApp messages for the Dawn Sturgess inquest could be seen as obstruction.

- Breach of Duty: Johnson's failure to attend emergency meetings and his handling of national security issues could be viewed as a breach of duty.

- Contempt of Parliament: Misleading Parliament or failing to disclose critical information could be seen as contempt.

Ultimately, whether these actions constitute criminal behaviour would depend on the specific evidence presented and the legal framework under which they are challenged. Many allegations, while serious, require substantiation with concrete evidence for any legal action to proceed.’

—----

ChatGPT4o:

‘The allegations against Boris Johnson encompass a wide range of political and ethical concerns, many tied to his handling of national security, Brexit, Russian relations, and political appointments. Here’s a more detailed look at the key points and potential legal implications:

Indirect Responsibility for Dawn Sturgess's Death:

Context: Dawn Sturgess died after being exposed to the Novichok nerve agent, the same substance used in the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal by Russian agents.

Johnson’s Role: While Johnson’s government did handle the diplomatic fallout from the Skripal case, there is no direct evidence linking him to Sturgess's death. Any legal implications would be remote unless his specific actions on security failures were proven negligent.

Enabling Brexit to Putin’s Advantage:

Context: Russian support for Brexit has been widely reported, and Johnson’s ties to figures with Russian connections, such as Evgeny Lebedev, raise concerns about potential foreign influence.

Johnson’s Role: His strong support for Brexit coincided with reports of Russian interest in destabilising European unity. However, while Russia’s influence on Brexit is plausible, no direct legal action could likely arise unless there is clear evidence of illegal activity or knowing complicity.

Ignoring Intelligence Advice:

Context: Johnson is alleged to have ignored advice about the security risks associated with nominating Evgeny Lebedev to the House of Lords.

Potential Legal Issues: This could be framed as "misconduct in public office" if it were proven that he acted recklessly, ignoring credible warnings and endangering national security.

Delaying and Suppressing the Russia Report:

Context: The Intelligence and Security Committee’s "Russia Report" highlighted failures to address Russian interference in British politics. Johnson’s government was accused of delaying its release.

Potential Legal Issues: Suppressing a government report for political reasons, while unethical, would be difficult to prove as criminal unless it can be demonstrated that there was intent to conceal wrongdoing for personal or party gain.

Secretive Meetings with Alexander Lebedev:

Context: Johnson’s undisclosed meetings with Alexander Lebedev raised national security concerns, especially given Lebedev’s ties to the Kremlin.

Potential Legal Issues: Non-disclosure of such meetings violates basic security protocols, and could be seen as misconduct. However, proving criminality would require evidence that Johnson acted in a way that compromised national security.

Misleading Parliament and Cover-Ups:

Context: Johnson has been accused of misleading Parliament, including his responses regarding Russian interference and the handling of the Russia Report.

Potential Legal Issues: Misleading Parliament could be considered "contempt of Parliament," though it is more likely to result in political censure than criminal prosecution.

Awarding of Crony COVID Contracts:

Context: Johnson faced allegations of favouritism in the awarding of COVID contracts, as well as peerage appointments, including Evgeny Lebedev’s.

Potential Legal Issues: While unethical, awarding contracts to political allies does not necessarily violate the law unless there is evidence of fraud or corrupt practices.

Tory Sleaze Allegations:

Context: Johnson's government faced accusations of sleaze, including accepting donations from Russian oligarchs and engaging in cronyism.

Potential Legal Issues: Although these actions undermine public trust, they would not be considered illegal unless proven to involve bribery or corruption.

Failure to Attend COBRA Meetings:

Context: Johnson’s failure to attend critical emergency meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic sparked accusations of neglect.

Potential Legal Issues: This would likely be seen as poor leadership rather than a criminal offence unless it could be demonstrated that his absence directly led to loss of life or avoidable harm.

Accepting Russian Oligarch Donations:

Context: The Conservative Party, under Johnson, accepted donations from figures connected to Russian oligarchs, raising concerns about undue influence.

Potential Legal Issues: If any link between these donations and policy decisions can be proven, this could raise serious legal concerns over undue influence or corruption.

Failure to Supply WhatsApp Messages:

Context: Johnson’s failure to provide WhatsApp messages relevant to the Dawn Sturgess inquiry could be seen as obstructing the investigation.

Potential Legal Issues: If deliberate obstruction of justice is proven, this could lead to significant legal consequences.

Legal Implications:

Misconduct in Public Office: Ignoring intelligence advice, political appointments contrary to security warnings, or deliberately suppressing critical information (such as the Russia Report) could be argued under this offence.

Obstruction of Justice: Johnson’s failure to supply evidence or cooperate with inquiries (such as withholding WhatsApp messages) might be considered obstruction if there is proof of intent to withhold crucial information.

Contempt of Parliament: Misleading Parliament, particularly around issues of national security and interference, could lead to political sanctions or potential charges of contempt.

Breach of Duty: Johnson’s absence from emergency meetings or failures in handling national security could potentially result in legal challenges for failing to fulfil his duty as a public official, although this would likely be more of a political issue.

While many of these actions raise significant ethical and political concerns, concrete legal actions would depend on the strength of the evidence, the specific legal framework applied, and how these actions are interpreted in court. For now, many of these allegations remain politically damaging but would require robust proof of legal violations to result in prosecution.’

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vT-rVOBh9uvcIkvXRH37yO_xP_TFueZahtMQ8cS-AnrKgQXFXlpt6vEa1F46h5_cP3pliZvsa2x-SAJ/pub https://unitedforclimate.blogspot.com/2024/10/boris-johnsons-responsibilities-as.html https://landprotectorshumanrightsmovement.blogspot.com/2024/10/boris-johnsons-responsibilities-as.html https://muskratfallscivilrightsmovement.blogspot.com/2024/10/boris-johnsons-responsibilities-as.html https://labradorleadstheworld.blogspot.com/2024/10/boris-johnsons-responsibilities-as.html Boris Johnson's Responsibilities as Foreign Secretary ‘As Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson had several key responsibilities that included National Security, Intelligence, Protection of UK Citizens and International Relations: #AI #Perplexity Llewelyn Pritchard 14 October 2024 #JohnsonsCoverUp #ProtectionUKCitizens #IgnoredIntelligenceAdvice #RussianInterference #Corruption #Sleaze #Fraud #Crime #JohnsonLies #PeopleDie #JailTime 

[cntarella]

Title: State of Paradise Author: Laura van den Berg Published: July 2024 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Review: A blend of literary and science fiction (in this case: heavy on the literary, light on the sci-fi) that is set in a post-pandemic Florida filled with sweltering and unpredictable weather, rampant groups of cults and militias, and a strange new invention that allows people to access virtual worlds. The narrator, a ghostwriter for a famous thriller author, has recently moved back to Florida with her husband because of her dying father, only to get caught up in the pandemic (you know which one) lockdown. Whether it is due to the social isolation or the collective trauma of witnessing a mass death via illness, everyone around the narrator seems to be slightly off-kilter: her mother has developed an interest in utopias, her neighbors display moments of intense emotion and violence, her niece has acquired a pet ghost, and her sister has become obsessed with Mind's Eye - a virtual reality device that was handed out to help people cope with the pandemic. This is interspersed with the narrator's recollections of her childhood living with dysfunctional parents, and her 10-month stay at a psychiatric institution for drug and alcohol abuse.

That being said, all of that seems incidental to what this book is actually about: An exploration of storytelling and creation, the ways in which trauma can alter us and our memories in unexpected and inexplicable ways (her sister's eyes change color, her bellybutton disappears, etc.), and a love letter to the communities that will save us in the face the impending climate disasters that our world is headed toward. Throughout the novel, the narrator struggles to find a story that will finally allow her to step away from her role as a ghostwriter and into the role of an "author" - a task she is finding more difficult than she expected. This process of creating something "new" and "hers," rather than reproducing the ideas and voice of someone else, leads her back into the recesses of memories she must resolve if she is to move forward. But that too is more difficult than expected. The narrator keeps being drawn back to the places she sought to escape: her childhood home, the psychiatric ward, and ultimately Florida itself - places that cannot be outrun, no matter what world she steps into.

I liked it for the most part. The pacing feels quite intentionally choppy, moving between different anecdotes of her life with a hazy distinction between past/present. It reads very much like a Murakami, with its fixation on certain body parts, the ebb and flow of memory, and characters who are more archetypes than they are people (notably, the lack of names throughout the novel except for the tech company that is causing people to disappear and Florida itself). The biggest issue I had with this book was the last 25% where the sci-fi elements become a lot more important. In an otherwise rather slow novel, which took a lot of care in diving into the narrator's history of institutionalization and familial relationships, it almost feels like van den Berg couldn't bother to come up with an actual climax to this book as it careened toward a rather dissatisfying end.

This is part of a slew of post-pandemic books where things Just Happen™ to characters, whose own apathy sets them adrift from their communities and worlds. Is it interesting? Sometimes. Is it fun? If that's what you're into. For myself, I am drifting away from these kinds of narratives in general as they all (ironically, given the narrator's desire to tell her own story) kind of end up saying the same thing.