#OPER AWARD 2023

[mycstilleblog]

Fachmagazin OPER! hat dem Opernhaus Dortmund den OPER! AWARD 2023 für das beste Opernhaus des Jahres 2022 verliehen

Das Fachmagazin OPER! hat der Oper Dortmund den OPER! AWARD 2023 als das beste Opernhaus des zurückliegenden Jahres 2022 verliehen. […] Die Auszeichnung wurde am Montag, 27. Februar 2023, im Rahmen einer Preisverleihung im Opernhaus Dortmund vergeben. Ebenso werden an dem Abend die Preisträger der übrigen 19 Kategorien der OPER! AWARDS bekanntgegeben und persönlich geehrt. Wie die Jury mitteilt,…

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The CFPB is genuinely making America better, and they're going HARD

On June 20, I'm keynoting the LOCUS AWARDS in OAKLAND.

Let's take a sec here and notice something genuinely great happening in the US government: the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau's stunning, unbroken streak of major, muscular victories over the forces of corporate corruption, with the backing of the Supreme Court (yes, that Supreme Court), and which is only speeding up!

A little background. The CFPB was created in 2010. It was Elizabeth Warren's brainchild, an institution that was supposed to regulate finance from the perspective of the American public, not the American finance sector. Rather than fighting to "stabilize" the financial sector (the mission that led to Obama taking his advisor Timothy Geithner's advice to permit the foreclosure crisis to continue in order to "foam the runways" for the banks), the Bureau would fight to defend us from bankers.

The CFPB got off to a rocky start, with challenges to the unique system of long-term leadership appointments meant to depoliticize the office, as well as the sudden resignation of its inaugural boss, who broke his promise to see his term through in order to launch an unsuccessful bid for political office.

But after the 2020 election, the Bureau came into its own, when Biden poached Rohit Chopra from the FTC and put him in charge. Chopra went on a tear, taking on landlords who violated the covid eviction moratorium:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/20/euthanize-rentier-enablers/#cfpb

Then banning payday lenders' scummiest tactics:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/01/29/planned-obsolescence/#academic-fraud

Then striking at one of fintech's most predatory grifts, the "earned wage access" hustle:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/01/usury/#tech-exceptionalism

Then closing the loophole that let credit reporting bureaus (like Equifax, who doxed every single American in a spectacular 2019 breach) avoid regulation by creating data brokerage divisions and claiming they weren't part of the regulated activity of credit reporting:

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

Chopra went on to promise to ban data-brokers altogether:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/13/goulash/#material-misstatement

Then he banned comparison shopping sites where you go to find the best bank accounts and credit cards from accepting bribes and putting more expensive options at the top of the list. Instead, he's requiring banks to send the CFPB regular, accurate lists of all their charges, and standing up a federal operated comparison shopping site that gives only accurate and honest rankings. Finally, he's made an interoperability rule requiring banks to let you transfer to another institution with one click, just like you change phone carriers. That means you can search an honest site to find the best deal on your banking, and then, with a single click, transfer your accounts, your account history, your payees, and all your other banking data to that new bank:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/21/let-my-dollars-go/#personal-financial-data-rights

Somewhere in there, big business got scared. They cooked up a legal theory declaring the CFPB's funding mechanism to be unconstitutional and got the case fast-tracked to the Supreme Court, in a bid to put Chopra and the CFPB permanently out of business. Instead, the Supremes – these Supremes! – upheld the CFPB's funding mechanism in a 7-2 ruling:

https://www.scotusblog.com/2024/05/supreme-court-lets-cfpb-funding-stand/

That ruling was a starter pistol for Chopra and the Bureau. Maybe it seemed like they were taking big swings before, but it turns out all that was just a warmup. Last week on The American Prospect, Robert Kuttner rounded up all the stuff the Bureau is kicking off:

https://prospect.org/blogs-and-newsletters/tap/2024-06-07-window-on-corporate-deceptions/

First: regulating Buy Now, Pay Later companies (think: Klarna) as credit-card companies, with all the requirements for disclosure and interest rate caps dictated by the Truth In Lending Act:

https://www.skadden.com/insights/publications/2024/06/cfpb-applies-credit-card-rules

Next: creating a registry of habitual corporate criminals. This rogues gallery will make it harder for other agencies – like the DOJ – and state Attorneys General to offer bullshit "delayed prosecution agreements" to companies that compulsively rip us off:

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-creates-registry-to-detect-corporate-repeat-offenders/

Then there's the rule against "fine print deception" – which is when the fine print in a contract lies to you about your rights, like when a mortgage lender forces you waive a right you can't actually waive, or car lenders that make you waive your bankruptcy rights, which, again, you can't waive:

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-warns-against-deception-in-contract-fine-print/

As Kuttner writes, the common thread running through all these orders is that they ban deceptive practices – they make it illegal for companies to steal from us by lying to us. Especially in these dying days of class action suits – rapidly becoming obsolete thanks to "mandatory arbitration waivers" that make you sign away your right to join a class action – agencies like the CFPB are our only hope of punishing companies that lie to us to steal from us.

There's a lot of bad stuff going on in the world right now, and much of it – including an active genocide – is coming from the Biden White House.

But there are people in the Biden Administration who care about the American people and who are effective and committed fighters who have our back. What's more, they're winning. That doesn't make all the bad news go away, but sometimes it feels good to take a moment and take the W.

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

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/10/getting-things-done/#deliverism

[batboyblog]

Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #28

July 19-26 2024

The EPA announced the award of $4.3 billion in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants. The grants support community-driven solutions to fight climate change, and accelerate America’s clean energy transition. The grants will go to 25 projects across 30 states, and one tribal community. When combined the projects will reduce greenhouse gas pollution by as much as 971 million metric tons of CO2, roughly the output of 5 million American homes over 25 years. Major projects include $396 million for Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection as it tries to curb greenhouse gas emissions from industrial production, and $500 million for transportation and freight decarbonization at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The Biden-Harris Administration announced a plan to phase out the federal government's use of single use plastics. The plan calls for the federal government to stop using single use plastics in food service operations, events, and packaging by 2027, and from all federal operations by 2035. The US government is the single largest employer in the country and the world’s largest purchaser of goods and services. Its move away from plastics will redefine the global market.

The White House hosted a summit on super pollutants with the goals of better measuring them and dramatically reducing them. Roughly half of today's climate change is caused by so called super pollutants, methane, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Public-private partnerships between NOAA and United Airlines, The State Department and NASA, and the non-profit Carbon Mapper Coalition will all help collect important data on these pollutants. While private firms announced with the White House plans that by early next year will reduce overall U.S. industrial emissions of nitrous oxide by over 50% from 2020 numbers. The summit also highlighted the EPA's new rule to reduce methane from oil and gas by 80%.

The EPA announced $325 million in grants for climate justice. The Community Change Grants Program, powered by President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act will ultimately bring $2 billion dollars to disadvantaged communities and help them combat climate change. Some of the projects funded in this first round of grant were: $20 million for Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association, which will help weatherize and energy efficiency upgrade homes for 35 tribes in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, $14 million to install onsite wastewater treatment systems throughout 17 Black Belt counties in Alabama, and $14 million to urban forestry, expanding tree canopy in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

The Department of Interior approved 3 new solar projects on public land. The 3 projects, two in Nevada and one in Arizona, once finished could generate enough to power 2 million homes. This comes on top of DoI already having beaten its goal of 25 gigawatts of clean energy projects by the end of 2025, in April 2024. This is all part of President Biden’s goal of creating a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035.��

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen pledged $667 million to global Pandemic Fund. The fund set up in 2022 seeks to support Pandemic prevention, and readiness in low income nations who can't do it on their own. At the G20 meeting Yellen pushed other nations of the 20 largest economies to double their pledges to the $2 billion dollar fund. Yellen highlighted the importance of the fund by saying "President Biden and I believe that a fully-resourced Pandemic Fund will enable us to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics – protecting Americans and people around the world from the devastating human and economic costs of infectious disease threats,"

The Departments of the Interior and Commerce today announced a $240 million investment in tribal fisheries in the Pacific Northwest. This is in line with an Executive Order President Biden signed in 2023 during the White House Tribal Nations Summit to mpower Tribal sovereignty and self-determination. An initial $54 million for hatchery maintenance and modernization will be made available for 27 tribes in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The rest will be invested in longer term fishery projects in the coming years.

The IRS announced that thanks to funding from President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, it'll be able to digitize much of its operations. This means tax payers will be able to retrieve all their tax related information from one source, including Wage & Income, Account, Record of Account, and Return transcripts, using on-line Individual Online Account.

The IRS also announced that New Jersey will be joining the direct file program in 2025. The direct file program ran as a pilot in 12 states in 2024, allowing tax-payers in those states to file simple tax returns using a free online filing tool directly with the IRS. In 2024 140,000 Americans were able to file this way, they collectively saved $5.6 million in tax preparation fees, claiming $90 million in returns. The average American spends $270 and 13 hours filing their taxes. More than a million people in New Jersey alone will qualify for direct file next year. Oregon opted to join last month. Republicans in Congress lead by Congressmen Adrian Smith of Nebraska and Chuck Edwards of North Carolina have put forward legislation to do away with direct file.

Bonus: American law enforcement arrested co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. El Mayo co-founded the cartel in the 1980s along side Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. Since El Chapo's incarceration in the United States in 2019, El Mayo has been sole head of the Sinaloa Cartel. Authorities also arrested El Chapo's son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez. The Sinaloa Cartel has been a major player in the cross border drug trade, and has often used extreme violence to further their aims.

[thatfeelinwhenyou]

KINDRED — yang jungwon

It’s your final year of highschool, and your only goal is to graduate top of your cohort, as usual. Except as student council president, your advisor can’t seem to leave you alone. What happens when you take Decelis Academy’s top student, their star taekwondo athlete and put them in front of a camera?

“Kindred” a student documentary. Pilot episode airing tonight on TVN 7PM KST.

PAIRING: athlete!jungwon x stucopres!fem!reader

FEATURING: enhypen, yunjin from lesserafim, ryujin and chaeryeong from itzy, chanelle from runext, beomgyu and taehyun from txt, wonyoung from ive, gunwook and gyuvin from zb1 etc.

GENRE: high school au, enemies to lovers, nerd x athlete, forced proximity, slice of life, coming of age, he fell first and harder, fluff, ANGST, teen drama, slow burn ish?

STATUS: completed! (01/09/2023 – 18/03/2024)

WARNINGS: contains profanities, horrible attempt at humour, urban lingo, probably cringy, kys/kms jokes, depression jokes, sexual innuendos (nothing too inappropriate), depiction of violence, family drama, incorrect timestamps/information, no fixed faceclaims, not proofread etc.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: story concept is heavily inspired by the kdrama ‘our beloved summer’ other than that the storyline is completely original (or so i assume since i manifested this out from the crevices of my pea brain). chapters with ‘(hw)’ next to them indicates that they are half-written, in case y’all skip over it! as always, the content and depiction of the characters in this smau do not in anyway represent them in real life. lastly, if you do end up enjoying, please do like, comment (love reading your comments btw), and reblog so this can reach!

TAGS: #tfwy kindred #tfwy smau

TEASER

profile. one | two | three

episode 1 - ratatouille and the underdogs

episode 2 - one way ticket to university

episode 3 - do you take constructive criticism?

episode 4 - unsolicited but appreciated

episode 5 - the art of benevolence

episode 6 - taekwondo-anti

episode 7 - beating the mentally ill allegations

episode 8 - can’t help it, i’m a libra

episode 9 - operation we-don’t-really-hate-each-other (hw)

episode 10 - she’s an oscar award winning actress

episode 11 - someone like me (hw)

episode 12 - ‘female-lead-realising-the-bad-boy-isnt-actually-that-bad’ arc

episode 13 - 5 foot 9 garfield meets avatar

episode 14 - yn the heterosexual

episode 15 - the ynwon getting closer montage :p

episode 16 - to the moon and back

episode 17 - eat 2 left toes

episode 18 - you are approved! (hw)

episode 19 - asking for a friend

episode 20 - rediscovering won’s ability to love

episode 21 - beomgyu’s 99999 eq

episode 22 - ynwon get together or else >:(

episode 23 - “hate”

episode 24 - not all problems can be solved with a formula

episode 25 - H.O.M.E.W.R.E.C.K.E.R

episode 26 - collecting facebook milfs like pokémons

episode 27 - you were brighter than the moon (hw)

episode 28 - she's studious not stupid

episode 29 - the garden is full of surprises (hw)

episode 30 - weapon of mass destruction

episode 31 - the name above me (hw)

episode 32 - no offense but she’s a cockblocker

episode 33 - the bane of my existence (hw)

episode 34 - risky risky wiggy wigi this is an emergency

episode 35 - live my life on my terms (hw)

episode 36 - separation anxiety goes crazy

episode 37 - paparizzki

episode 38 - is it too late now to say Sorry?

episode 39 - everything will work out just the way you want it to (hw)

episode 40 (finale) - her entire being is loveable (written)

epilogue - kindred, signing off part 1 | part 2

bonus chapters!

yunjin x heeseung

i can fight

Copyright© 2023 thatfeelinwhenyou All Rights Reserved

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - October 8-14

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles on Patreon!

1. All 160 dogs at Florida shelter found homes ahead of Hurricane Milton

“[The shelter] offered crates, food and anything else the dogs would need in exchange for the animals to spend just five days with the foster parents if the human didn't want to keep them for longer. […A]fter about a day of receiving around 100 messages every 30 minutes, Bada said, all 160 were gone from the shelter and in safe and warm homes.”

2. Restoring Ecosystems and Rejuvenating Native Hawaiian Traditions in Maui

“[Volunteers] are restoring water flow to the refuge, removing invasive species, and restoring a loko iʻa kalo using ʻike kūpuna, ancestral knowledge. […] This human-made ecosystem will provide food for community members and habitat for wildlife while protecting coral reefs offshore.”

3. Solar-powered desalination system requires no extra batteries

“In contrast to other solar-driven desalination designs, the MIT system requires no extra batteries for energy storage, nor a supplemental power supply, such as from the grid. […] The system harnessed on average over 94 percent of the electrical energy generated from the system’s solar panels to produce up to 5,000 liters of water per day[….]”

4. Threatened pink sea fan coral breeds in UK aquarium for first time

“The spawning is part of University of Exeter Ph.D. student Kaila Wheatley Kornblum's research into the reproduction, larval dispersal and population connectivity of Eunicella verrucosa. […] Pink sea fans are believed to have been successfully bred by only one other institution, Lisbon Oceanarium, in 2023.”

5. Tiny 'backpacks' are being strapped to baby turtles[….]

““We analysed the data and found that hatchlings show amazingly consistent head-up orientation – despite being in the complete dark, surrounded by sand [… and] they move as if they were swimming rather than digging[…. This new observation method is] answering questions about best conservation practices,” says Dor.”

6. New California Law Protects Wildlife Connectivity

“A new state law in California will instruct counties and municipalities to conserve wildlife corridors when planning new development. […] This could entail everything from creating wildlife crossings at roads or highways, employing wildlife-safe fencing, or not developing on certain land.”

7. ‘I think, boy, I’m a part of all this’: how local heroes reforested Rio’s green heart

“By 2019, [the program] had transformed the city’s landscape, having trained 15,000 local workers like Leleco, who have planted 10m seedlings across […] roughly 10 times the area of New York’s Central Park. Reforested sites include mangroves and vegetation-covered sandbars called restinga, as well as wooded mountainsides around favelas.”

8. Alabama Town Plans to Drop Criminal Charges Over Unpaid Garbage Bills

““Suspending garbage pickup, imposing harsh late penalties and prosecuting people who through no fault of their own are unable to pay their garbage and sewage bills does not make payment suddenly forthcoming,” West said. [… The city] has agreed to drop pending criminal charges against its residents over unpaid garbage bills.”

9. New Hampshire’s low-income community solar program finally moves forward

“The state energy department is reviewing seven proposals for community solar arrays that will allocate a portion of their bill credits to low-income households. […] New Hampshire’s strategy of working with utilities to automatically enroll households that have already been identified streamlines the process.”

10. The Future Looks Bright for Electric School Buses

“EPA has awarded about $3 billion in grants from the infrastructure law, which paid to replace about 8,700 buses. Of those, about 95 percent are electric. [… Electric buses are] cheaper to operate and require less maintenance than diesel buses and will soon be at cost parity when looking at the lifetime cost of ownership[….]”

October 1-7 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[matan4il]

in a community i'm in, someone sent a message about getting asks from gazan fundraisers and not being sure how to vet them. in reply, someone said "you can just say you vetted it"

Nonnie, thank you for sharing this.

I think this could be a good rule for everyone: if someone says they vetted a Gaza cause and it's legit, ask them how did they vet it.

Because TBH, I'm suspicious of anyone claiming they even can. Under Hamas' rule, Gaza was a dictatorship since 2006. ANY foreign organization, no matter how seemingly respectable, that wants to openly operate in a dictatorship HAS to collaborate with the dictator to some degree.

So anyone who openly operated in Gaza up until Oct 7, 2023? Likely collaborated. Their word is suspect. Maybe they only collaborated to a small degree. But none of us can know that, not until Gaza is truly freed from Hamas.

Currently, it still isn't. What exists there now is chaos, with pockets of control of various players, where Hamas still is a major one, to no small degree through the violence and even murder that it's still willing to exact on its own people. The ability to know anything for sure in Gaza right now is very small, to say the least.

And where there is chaos, where there is uncertainty, there will always be people willing to take advantage of that. There will always be scammers trying to make money off of this. But worse, the scams can come from members of Hamas or people affiliated with this terrorist organization, no matter how "legit" they seem. After all, a Peabody award winner turned out to have ties to Gazan terrorism and she ended up stealing lots of money from trusting foreigners, who just wanted to help, and we may never know what that money ended up funding... Where terrorism is involved, it very well could be the murder of even more people.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[wolfnanaki]

Can you sum up the Goodbye Volcano High vs Snoot Game controversy? I don't know shit and you seem like the most knowledgeable person on it.

Okay. Summary time.

Developed by Canadian indie worker cooperative studio KO_OP, Goodbye Volcano High is a cinematic narrative/rhythm indie game about a group of dinosaur teenagers dealing with the impending end of the world from an asteroid. It features predominantly queer characters; the main character is an AFAB nonbinary pterodactyl named Fang.

GVH was revealed as part of the PS5 reveal lineup back in June 2020. From there, it experienced a few delays due to COVID, rewriting the story after the original writer was let go, and dealing with anti-LGBT harassment. It finally came out in late August 2023 to positive reception and some awards. It didn't sell a billion copies but it's been gradually growing its fanbase for over a year now.

A few days after GVH was first revealed, a group of 4channers, under the developer name "Cavemanon", decided they'd do their own visual novel using GVH's characters to spite GVH before it even came out. This VN, Snoot Game, came out in June 2021. It's a story where a featureless human male named "Anon" becomes Fang's friend and eventually boyfriend. It has an extremely anti-trans narrative, along with racist humor, promotes eugenics, has a school shooting ending if Fang doesn't detransition, and more.

Snoot ended up becoming very popular and spread around the internet, developing its own fanbase across social media. The worst parts of its fandom downplay Snoot's harmful rhetoric while harassing GVH's fans and developers. When GVH came out, they shared a pirated copy, called it the worst game ever, and encouraged people to support Snoot instead. I spoke out about all this and got doxed.

Snoot's success lead to Cavemanon hijacking a fan project from its original developers and making it into a spiritual sequel sold on Steam, called I Wani Hug That Gator!, released in February 2024. A few weeks after it came out, a former developer released a dossier speaking out about Cavemanon's working conditions, lack of compensation, and extreme right-wing views, to which Cavemanon responded with a hitpiece attacking everyone involved in the doc and linking my dox on Kiwifarms while mocking me for being trans.

To this day, mainstream gaming press outlets have refused to cover this story in any meaningful way, and Cavemanon has not faced any consequences for anything they've done. Wani has sold very well on Steam, and Cavemanon has opened their own web store and patron-supported developer blog, where they give terrible game dev advice and rant about "grooming operations" and the like.

So... that's it, really.

[reasonsforhope]

According to the World Resources Institute, the number of electric school buses operating or delivered in the United States more than doubled—from 598 in 2022 to 1,285 through June 2023—all driven to serve school children while providing cleaner air in 40 states.

Looking into the near future, the number of electric school buses that were already funded or on-order nearly tripled, and were spread across districts located in 49 states.

The emissions-free buses are found in 914 U.S. school districts and private fleet operators, according to the evidence-based nonprofit’s report published in September, 2023: State of Electric School Bus Adoption in the US.

California leads all states, with over 2,000 committed electric buses across the sprawling territory. This is more than five times as many EV buses as the next leading state, Maryland, with 391 commitments.

New Jersey has the second largest increase with 107 new buses, while West Virginia has the third largest increase with 42 new commitments. The updated data shows electric school bus commitments are now more evenly distributed across all regions of the country.

The Top 5 School Districts by Number of Electric School Buses are:

Montgomery County Public Schools (Maryland)

Los Angeles Unified School District

New York City Public Schools

Twin Rivers Unified School District (California)

Troy Community Consolidated School District (Illinois)

“We estimate approximately 69,000 students across the country are currently served by electric school buses that are delivered or in operation,” said the report authors, Lydia Freehafer, Leah Lazer, and Brian Zepka.

Zero pollution from tailpipes while buses are idling or driving means the students, staff, and community will be exposed to significantly less harmful air particulates that contribute to asthma and lung disease. The environment also benefits from reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

The federal government’s Clean School Bus Program, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, is one of the biggest funders of these vehicles, having awarded 2,339 electric school buses—with more on the way.

-via Good News Network, December 30, 2023

[world-of-wales]

NEWS -

ABOUT EARTHSHOT 2024 IN SOUTH AFRICA -

Africa was chosen as the fourth continent to host the star-studded event in acknowledgement of its enormous contribution to enhancing climate action and tackling the biggest environmental challenges our planet faces. Despite contributing the least to global warming and having the lowest emissions, Africa is the most vulnerable continent to the impacts of a changing climate.

The number of African-based nominations has doubled between 2023 and 2024, with over 400 nominations from African-led solutions and another 350 with operations and impact in Africa.

Throughout Earthshot Week – which will run between Monday 4th and Thursday 7th November – these African innovators and all those contributing to efforts to protect our planet will be celebrated.

Some things to expect from this year's awards -

The show will open with an exclusive performance by Lebo M. of Circle of Life from The Lion King, pre-recorded at the top of Table Mountain.

For the first time, over 1000 members of the public have been invited to the Awards Ceremony in Cape Town. Attendees have been invited in recognition of their long-serving commitment to their local communities.

The Earthshot Prize will host its first ever Green Carpet Event, which will be broadcast live globally via the Earthshot Prize’s YouTube channel, with hosts Ebuka Obi-Uchendu and Moozlie. Guests have been asked to ‘rewear’ their wardrobe or spotlight African designers in order to highlight the importance of sustainable fashion and local creatives.

The City of Cape Town is supplying Renewable Energy Certificates from Darling Wind Farm, meaning that for every kWh of electricity used during the event, a kWh of locally produced renewable energy is allocated.

To celebrate Earthshot Week taking place in South Africa, Table Mountain and other Cape Town landmarks will be lit green from 4th-7th November.

Those visiting Cape Town over the coming days will also see The Earthshot Prize at several of the city’s famous yellow frames which encourage visitors and locals to enjoy the beauty of Table Mountain. Visitors can explore a public exhibition at the Sea Point celebrating African climate heroes who are using their creativity, time and talent to fix the world’s problems, one ingenious solution at a time.

[thelesbiandeli]

Every Operation Mincemeat recording I could find :D

This started as a list for myself, but I thought I'd share to save other people the hours of scrounging youtube for clips XD

Born To Lead:

Olivier Awards 2024 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJRhdPsVqsA (Original Cast)

West End Live 2024 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJJOVoIvsKU

The Queens Reading Room Literary Festival 2024 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1lkcPxgbOs (Two songs, Unofficial recording)

God That's Brilliant:

West End Live 2023 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70Q5ljDokFA (Original cast, Small introductory scene)

West End Live 2023 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoegZ3EeHHc (Original cast, Small introductory scene, Unofficial recording)

Musical Con 2023 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyzR7__elbE (Original cast, Unofficial recording)

Musical Con 2023 - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FaXa4YL-2Hg (Original Cast, Short Clip)

The Queens Reading Room Literary Festival 2024 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1lkcPxgbOs (Two songs, Unofficial recording)

Dear Bill:

D-Day 80 at the Albert Hall - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar3w0yEsOv4 (Christian Andrews)

Fortune Theatre - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1j9cyCEPxQ (Jak Malone, Unofficial recording)

Spilsbury Reprise:

Fortune Theatre - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pY3b-PaDms (Original Cast, Small scene in the middle, Unofficial recording)

Useful:

Musical Con 2023 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnT8FnOv4Qg (Original cast, Unofficial recording)

Bonus Stuff:

Big Night of Musicals 2024 Featurette - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ7hUMwmTxA (Cast interview, Jak Malone talking about his quickchanges, and clips from various songs)

Bows - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buE2yJ-Q9qQ

Ending bows jump - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NZALj25D4Hg (Original cast, Short clip)

Operation Mincemeat wins Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards 2024 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jY5gj9VVyo

Jak Malone wins Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical at the Olivier Awards 2024 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDpwLeIN8WA

Hester Plaque Unveiling - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsVS4J1Yj0I (Speeches from the cast)

Hester Plaque Unveiling - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8oiRnZaRWg (Sky News Coverage)

[sgiandubh]

When clueless, silence is golden

I was just browsing around while looking for something completely different and stumbled upon this quintessential Mordorian POV:

Disclosing a username is crass and I usually never do this, unless really necessary and relevant. So spare me the ad hominem argument you usually fumble around with, Disgruntled Tumblrettes. Yet, for all its intellectual paucity, this is interesting dissection material, since clearly this person hasn't got the slightest idea of what she is so confidently talking about.

First scenario at play: The Tasting Alliance, 'a company no one has ever heard of', booked and paid for the suite.

Not necessarily booked, nor necessarily paid, madam. In the real business world you are so clueless about, these arrangements are seldom - if ever - monetized. It's rather all about barter.

That company no one ever heard about - except, perhaps, #silly and totally irrelevant Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2023/04/13/the-tasting-alliance-and-reserve-bar-are-set-to-launch-top-shelf/?sh=b45f7085f6f1) - is the parent company of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), largely acknowledged as at least one of, if not the world's leading spirits award contest. Google is your friend, you should try it some time:

The operative info here is that this evaluation comes from the Beverage Trade Network, a professional portal for spirit dealers. Having determined this, Tasting Alliance's IG number of followers is completely irrelevant, since we are talking about two very different targets, here. Its real leverage and weight on the global market does not really need the boost of an aggressive social media presence and the kind of events it hosts are not your favorite junior hockey league or elementary school cake and bake sale.

Let's look a bit further. It takes one click to get on the Tasting Alliance's website (https://thetastingalliance.com/). Granted, not all the information you need to understand its business model is right there and I had to go dig a bit (not without some help - merci encore!) to even get a grip on how these wheels are really turning.

The way they sell themselves is sober and confident. And completely disinterested in social media impact, to be honest:

So, in lieu of glitz and sequined bras, we have a success story in its own right, which started in Frisco in 1980, then continued in 2000, with the addition of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Further expansion followed in 2018, with the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition and 2019, when Dias Blue set a firm foot on the emerging Asian market, with the Singapore World Spirits Competition.

I doubt an explanatory drawing is needed as to the why of this expansion choice: it's all about baijiu, the old/new Chinese sorghum spirit and the everlasting love of the Far East for anything fermented. Lao-lao, the unspeakable Laotian homemade rice whisky, comes immediately to the mind of this blogger: the last bottle I saw, somewhere along the unexploded ordnance ridden Route 13, had a plump snake inside, as a naïve Viagra of sorts. Took a mouthful and thought I was going to die - but when spending the night in a longhouse with the Tai Lü people, you can't afford a faux-pas, can you? /end of travel memories intermezzo

By all my estimations, The Tasting Alliance is very profitable business. Let's unpack ( for current fees, see source: https://callingallcontestants.com/contest/2023-san-francisco-world-spirits-competition/):

Considering the 500 USD fee /entry (550, in 2023) in the competition and the fact that in 2022 there were approximately 5000 entries in the Frisco spirits' competition, we have a very rough turnover estimation of 500x5000= 2.5 million USD. That figure is just for one of the spirits competitions, mind you, and does not take into account what the winners probably pay for the right to mention their medals on their bottles (I am yet to see them on the SS gin bottles, btw), nor the multiple sidekick profit (e-shop sales, consulting and/or other distribution deals, etc). So, at the end of the day, I would comfortably multiply that base by 4, assuming a similar scale for all the other events they organize, which takes the yearly turnover at around 10 million USD and keeping in mind this is very probably a conservative estimation. I also assume costs are negligible, taking into account the discretion with which major players traditionally operate on that particular niche. Real expenses are probably limited to the activity of a handful of offices, sparingly and intelligently staffed. Advertisement is probably bartered and social media, well... you just saw the effort, haven't you?

But then there's the brand's real power on that market and this is the right time to talk about influence and impact. Perhaps this recent (2021) Men's Journal article will help us see better: https://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/inside-the-san-francisco-world-spirits-competition

With a bit of luck, this could happen:

Sounds familiar? Of course and I bet that was S's strategy. If you imagined him doing the same exhausting booze tour every year (groping on top and seriously cringe on the sides), I think you might want to reconsider. I told you Sassenach Summer was a sandbox for more serious things to come and until now I have no reasons to change my mind. He did it for a reason and, mind you, that reason is not that the booze did or does not sell. It does. Restaurants start to feature it. Podcasts are being produced. The press starts to mention it (that recent New York Times article is evidence enough). This is not Lucky Luciano dealing in bootleg alcohol during the Prohibition and making obscene money over a fortnight. This is a serious business project that was delayed by COVID. That's all. And it takes time and patience and consistence. We know he has all those aplenty.

We also have the totally inane take on production costs for that podcast. It suddenly made me remember again my media expert past. It is with complete and educated confidence that I tell you: a potential 5K USD extra cost for renting that damn suite for the day is peanuts, even for a two-minute clip (let alone, in reality, a podcast interview, and I stand corrected if wrong), if such costs are covered by The Tasting Alliance. But my money is on a barter with The Shutters on the Beach, which would be, again, common business practice.

Second scenario: 'Shutters comped the room for free promo (...) for an actor most people haven't heard of.' You can throw timelines down my throat as many times as you wish and tell me he already stayed there several times and yell and screech, but here is what I think. Shutters didn't comp that suite for S, an actor most people haven't heard of, a decent, hard working start-up entrepreneur. If so (I doubt it), it would be logical to think Shutters comped that suite for The Tasting Alliance, which has a long documented history of partnerships with hotels that host their competitions:

So Shutters might have comped that room for a major player of the alcohol lobby world, happy that S, a returning client, picked them out of several possible options, because it was convenient. I don't believe for a second he stayed there.

This guy knows what he's doing and C's gin success completely depends and I bet will rely on that relentless networking effort. If anything, the Keepers of the Quaich recent development is only confirmation of all the above. But that's another story - very soon on this page.

IYKYK. The rest is uneducated cackle. But Mordor people were never the brightest bulbs in the fandom's chandelier, were they?

[zvaigzdelasas]

While most Ukrainians battled against Germany during the war, it’s well known that the western region of the country collaborated with the Third Reich — and that thousands of those involved were allowed to resettle in Canada. [...]

When Anthony Rota, [...] introduced Hunka during Zelenskyy’s Sept. 22 visit, he called him a “veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians and continues to support the troops today.”

And Hunka made the argument himself after Russia invaded his homeland last year. “In the last war, I joined the Ukrainian underground to fight Russia, so I was fighting the same people they’re fighting now,” he told a reporter covering a peace vigil in North Bay, Ontario, in March 2022. “Nothing has changed there. The same enemy. First Stalin was there and now this idiot,” he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. [...]

In a post for the SS Galichina veterans’ blog Combatant News, Hunka wrote that 1941 to 1943 — after Germany invaded Ukraine and before Hunka enlisted — were the happiest years of his life. He also recalled eagerly awaiting “the legendary German knights” to come and attack “the hated Poles,” using a slur for Polish people, in 1939.

Captioned photos from the blog show Hunka during SS artillery training in Munich in December 1943 and in Poland around the time of a visit by Nazi mastermind Heinrich Himmler. “I know that if I ordered you to liquidate the Poles … I would be giving you permission to do what you are eager to do anyway,” Himmler said during that visit, according to several historical accounts. Now, the Polish minister of education is looking into whether Hunka can be extradited and prosecuted for what happened during the war.[...]

[After the war,] Hunka made his living in the aircraft industry, working his way up to inspector at DeHavilland Aircraft in Toronto. After retirement, he visited Ukraine nearly every year, according to a profile of him in a University of Alberta newsletter announcing the donation made in his honor by his sons. The profile said he also served as president of the parish council of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Catholic Church in Thornhill, Ontario.[...]

In his mea culpa, Rota made it sound like Hunka was a constituent from his district [...] whom he did not know much about. “This initiative was entirely my own,“ Rota said[...]

But Rejean Venne, an independent Canadian journalist, wrote in his Substack newsletter this week that Rota and Hunka family members have had numerous chances to cross paths over the years. Among Venne’s examples:

- One of Hunka’s sons, Martin, was chief financial officer of Redpath Mining, a multinational corporation headquartered in Rota’s district. Redpath has contributed to Rota’s campaigns and Rota has provided government funding for recreational facilities operated by Redpath. (The company did not respond to inquiries from the Forward made Thursday.)

- Martin Hunka has also served as chair of the board of trustees for North Bay Hospital, which is located in Rota’s district and which Rota has supported. Hunka’s name can no longer be found on the hospital’s website and social media posts. (The hospital did not respond to a request for comment emailed Thursday.)

- North Bay Pride, an LGBTQ+ organization, gave an award to Rota nine months after Yaroslav’s granddaughter Leshya Lecappelain joined its board of directors. In 2022 and 2023, North Bay Pride received more than $100,000 in funding from Rota. (Asked about this, a spokesperson for North Bay Pride said Lecappelain had not been on its board for several years.)

“Rota’s response that this was a last-minute request doesn’t add up,” Venne said in an email interview. “The Hunka family appears well connected in Rota’s district.”

The Forward could not determine whether Hunka and Rota met before he was honored at Parliament. Rota and others at the House of Commons did not respond to several requests for comment sent Wednesday and Thursday. Efforts to reach Yaroslav, Martin and Peter Hunka, Lecappelain and other members of the family for comment were also unsuccessful.[...]

On Wednesday, the University of Alberta said it would return the CA$30,000 endowment that Hunka’s sons donated in 2019 in their father’s honor. The money was intended to fund research at the school’s Canadian Institute for Ukrainian Studies. But Per Anders Rudling, a university alumnus and expert on Ukrainian nationalism who teaches at Sweden’s Lund University, said the Hunka fund is just “the top of an iceberg.” In an email to the Forward, Rudling said the University of Alberta has “much larger endowments” honoring other figures connected to the Waffen SS unit. The “most problematic,” he said, is the Volodymyr and Daria Kubijovych Memorial Endowment Fund [Editors note: archive link - also "matched two-to-one by the Government of Alberta"] At CA$450,000 — about $334,000 — it’s 15 times larger than the Hunka fund the university is returning.[...] In a Facebook post Thursday, Rudling also questioned university endowments named for other Galichina Division veterans, including Roman Kolisnyk, Levko Babij and Edward Brodacky. Pointing to research he published in The Journal of Slavic Military Studies [Editors note: 1, 2], Rudling said, “I have tried to raise this issue in the past, to no avail.”

Asked about Rudling’s concerns, Michael Brown, a spokesperson for the University of Alberta, reiterated a statement in which interim provost Verna Yiu said the school is “reviewing its general naming policies and procedures, including those for endowments, to ensure alignment with our values.” Yiu also expressed the school’s “commitment to address anti-Semitism in any of its manifestations, including the ways in which the Holocaust continues to resonate in the present.” The honors given to SS Galichina fighters extend beyond academia. One of the University of Alberta’s endowments is for its former chancellor Peter Savaryn, another SS Galichina member. In 1987, Savaryn was awarded the Order of Canada, among the nation’s highest honors, bestowed by Canada’s governor general, the representative of the British Crown. Mary Simon, the current governor general, has condemned the Hunka scandal as “a shock and an embarrassment.”[...]

When the Hunka endowment was announced in 2020, the university said it would fund research on two “leaders of the underground Ukrainian Catholic Church,” Cardinal Josyf Slipyj and Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky. (A metropolitan is akin to a bishop.) Slipyi was a deputy in Ukraine’s 1941 self-proclaimed government, which pledged to work closely with Germany under Hitler’s leadership. Slipyi also assigned chaplains to SS Galichina and celebrated the unit’s inaugural Mass. After the war, the Soviets sent him to gulag prison camps. But Sheptytsky’s legacy is layered [sic]. He helped “dozens of Jews find refuge in his monasteries and even in his own home,” according to Yad Vashem, while also supporting “the German army as the savior of the Ukrainians from the Soviets.”

Harvard University also houses a Ukrainian Research Institute. Asked, after Alberta’s announcement, whether that institute’s funding would be scrutinized for Nazi ties, the university said in a statement that the institute had never received money from the Hunkas, nor had it received donations designated for research related to SS Galichina. Harvard did, however, in 1974 establish a fellowship and faculty position in European studies with money from a foundation named for Alfred Krupp, who was convicted of war crimes for using slave laborers from Auschwitz to build and work in a factory.[...]

In Canada, questions about the Ukrainian immigrants’ past dogged them for decades, and in 1985, the country launched a Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals, known as the Deschênes Commission. Investigators were mostly limited to considering evidence gathered in Canada, and ultimately they came to the controversial conclusion that the Galichina Division “should not be indicted as a group” and that “mere membership” in the division was insufficient to justify prosecution or revoke citizenship.

This week, as Trudeau apologized for the Hunka salute, B’nai Brith Canada called for the full release of the commission’s report, which had been heavily redacted, along with other Holocaust-era records, in order to “restore public trust in our institutions.” “Canadians deserve to know the full extent to which Nazi war criminals were permitted to settle in this country after the war,” the group said Tuesday[...]

Why would Hunka’s family risk his humiliation, at age 98, by putting him under a spotlight? Did they not realize how his military record would be perceived and portrayed? “It’s arrogance. It’s not naiveté,” said Jack Porter, a research associate at Harvard’s Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies and himself a Jewish child survivor of the Holocaust, born in Ukraine. “They know what their father did,” he said. “It’s hubris, it’s chutzpah. They rationalize that these men were fighting communism. If a few Jews were killed, they also were communists.”[...]

More than 2.5 million Ukrainians died fighting against Germany. “There were many good Ukrainians; they should not all be stigmatized,” he said.

But he said veterans who fought under the Nazis like Hunka and his compatriots have been emboldened by the whitewashing of their history, especially since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year. “They’ve been hiding in plain sight,” he said. “They’ve been there for 60 years and nobody has touched them, so of course they feel OK.”

29 Sep 23

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Joseph Cox’s “Dark Wire”

NEXT WEEKEND (June 7–9), I'm in AMHERST, NEW YORK to keynote the 25th Annual Media Ecology Association Convention and accept the Neil Postman Award for Career Achievement in Public Intellectual Activity.

No one was better positioned to tell the tale of the largest sting operation in world history than veteran tech reporter Joseph Cox, and tell it he did, in Dark Wire, released today:

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/joseph-cox/dark-wire/9781541702691/

Cox – who was one of Motherboard's star cybersecurity reporters before leaving to co-found 404 Media – has spent years on the crimephone beat, tracking vendors who sold modded phones (first Blackberries, then Android phones) to criminal syndicates with the promise that they couldn't be wiretapped by law-enforcement.

It's possible that some of these phones were secure over long timescales, but all the ones we know about are ones that law enforcement eventually caught up with, usually by capturing the company's top founders explicitly stating that the phones were sold to assist in the commission of crimes, and admitting to remote-wiping phones to obstruct law-enforcement options. It's hard to prove intent but it gets a lot easier when the criminal puts that intent into writing (that's true of tech executives, too!):

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/03/big-tech-cant-stop-telling-on-itself/

But after a particularly spectacular bust landed one of the top crimephone sales reps in the FBI's power, they got a genuinely weird idea: why not start their own crimephone company?

The plan was to build an incredibly secure, best-of-breed crimephone, one with every feature that a criminal would want to truly insulate themselves from law enforcement while still offering everything a criminal could need to plan and execute crimes.

They would tap into the network of crimephone distributors around the world, not telling them who they were truly selling for – nor that every one of these phones had a back-door that allowed law-enforcement to access every single message, photo and file.

This is the beginning of an incredible tale that is really two incredible tales. The first is the story of the FBI and its partners as they scaled up Anom, their best-of-breed crimephone business. This is a (nearly) classic startup tale, full of all-nighters, heroic battles against the odds, and the terror and exhilaration of "hockey-stick" growth.

The difference between this startup and the others we're already familiar with is obvious: the FBI and its global partners are acting under a totally different set of constraints to normal startup founders. For one thing, their true mission and identity must be kept totally secret. For another, they have to navigate the bureaucratic barriers of not one, but many governments and their courts, constitutions and procedures.

Finally, there are the stakes: while the bulk of the crimes that the FBI targets with Anom are just the usual futile war-on-drugs nonsense (albeit at a never-before seen scale), they also routinely encounter murders, kidnappings, tortures, firebombings, and other serious crimes, either in the planning phase, or after they have been committed. They have to make moment-to-moment calls about when and whether to do something about these, as each action taken based on intercepts from Anom threatens to tip the FBI's hand.

That's one of the startup stories in Cox's book. The other one is the crime startup, the one that the hapless criminal syndicates that sign up to distribute Anom devices find themselves in the middle of. They, too, are experiencing hockey-stick growth. They, too, have a fantastically lucrative tiger by the tail. And they, too, have a unique set of challenges that make this startup different from any other.

The obvious difference is that they are involved in global criminal conspiracies. They have to both grow and remain hidden. The tradecraft and skullduggery are fascinating, in the manner of any great crime procedural tale. But there's another constraint: these criminals are competing with one another to corner the market on these incredibly lucrative phones. Being part of violent, global criminal conspiracies, they don't confine themselves to the normal Silicon Valley crimes of violating antitrust law – they are engaged in all-out warfare.

These two startups are, of course, the same startup, but only one side knows it. As Cox weaves these two tales together – along with glimpses into the lives of the hapless gig-work developers in Asia who are developing and maintaining the Anom platform – we get front seat in a series of high-speed, high-stakes near-collisions between these two groups.

And it's not always the cops who have the advantage. When an ambitious mobster figures out how to clone the "black boxes" that initialize new Anom phones, the FBI are caught flatfooted as the number of Anom devices in the hands of criminals balloons, producing a volume of intercepts that vastly exceeds their processing capacity.

Cox has been on this story for a decade, and it shows. He has impeccable sourcing and encyclopedic access to the court records and other public details that allow him to reproduce many of the most dramatic scenes in the Anom caper verbatim. This really shines in the final section of the book, when the FBI and its partners decide to roll up the company with a series of global arrests that culminate in a triumphant press-conference in which the true masters of Anom are revealed.

As a privacy and encryption advocate, there were moments in this story that made me a little uncomfortable. There are places where the FBI is chafing at the constitutional limits on its surveillance powers where we can't help buy sympathize with these "good guys" going after "bad guys." But this the the FBI, a lawless, unaccountable secret police who routinely bypass those limits by secretly buying data from sleazy data-brokers, or illegally sharing data with the NSA.

The conclusion really hammers home the point that the FBI's problem isn't constitutional niceties. Despite seizing hundreds of tons of illegal drugs and arresting thousands of high-ranking criminal syndicate bosses, Anom made no difference in the drug trade. Prohibition, after all, just makes criminals more wealthy and powerful. The Anom raids were, at worst, the cost of doing business – and at best, they were a global reset that cleared the board of established actors so that other criminals could seize their turf.

But even though Anom didn't triumph over crime, Dark Wire is a triumph. The book's out today, and there will shortly be a Netflix adaptation based on it, directed by Jason Bateman:

https://deadline.com/2022/09/jason-bateman-netflix-21-laps-dark-wire-surveillance-gangs-movie-1235130444/

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

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/04/anom-nom-nom/the-call-is-coming-from-inside-the-ndrangheta

[asgoodeasgold]

Matthew Goode "has that fire behind the eyes"

Incredible praise for the performances in Freud's Last Session, particularly Matthew Goode, in this interesting podcast about the film (link below). I must listen to their podcast about The Offer because they loved Matthew as Bob.

I have extracted the most interesting bits from the transcript (that is, the MG bits 😆).

I do agree with them Matthew is at par with the great and the good and that he was snubbed by awards more than once (but I think it's more than twice!).

I love that they have picked up on his non-verbal communication. I love that quote "fire behind the eyes"!

Interesting they think his lack of visibility despite the brilliant acting is because he is in a crowded field (many good actors in his generation). I think it's a bit more complicated than that, a confluence of circumstances and choice perhaps 🤔

📷 Freud's Last session (2023) stills from Sharmill Films

Freud's Last Session, A Discussion | Cinema: A to B (August 2023)

I felt like the acting was operating at a higher level than the source material.

2.46 Amazing neither of these guys got any sort of other nominations for acting and I'm not talking about necessarily Academy Awards but I'm talking like maybe baftas or something else. I think is kind of a shame frankly this is like the second thing I've seen mat Matthew Gooden that he was completely like ignored via nomination

3:35 … the acting's tremendous.

5:11 Watching two masters work and I'm going to use that with Matthew good I've seen him now on enough stuff and how he can change and how he and he holds his own with Anthony Hopkins I did not feel it was like Anthony Hopkins was at this level and Matthew good was at this level or what like you know low that was a little bit lower or whatever like they're equal like they are it's a nice repertoire or you know reper of the two of them going back and forth and I'm just super impressed

5:40 I mean obviously we talked about the offer already I think he was amazing as Bob Evans like really just changed his entire personality to really mimic Bob Evans and here he's nothing like it he's very reserved very intelligent very academic like he really pulls that off I mean Matthew good I really feel like is one of those like that unknown I want to say like the poor man's Benedict Cumberbatch but only in the sense of the Poor Man's because he's not as well known as Benedict Cumberbatch like he's got that acting chops of Cumberbatch he should be playing roles that Cumberbatch isn't heck he's been in movies that Cumberbatch is in imitation game …he held his own there I mean so Matthew good is amazing and it as so fun to watch him

14:13 Freud just wears his emotions on his sleeve and then good is really great at having that restrained but that fire burning behind the eyes which is something that he did so well in um The Watchmen yeah so really spot-on casting

14:31 I mean yeah and he he was able good was able to like internalize a whole lot of that but yet still like you said kind of show it Through The Eyes through the facial features of Lewis's has great respect for Freud

16:44 Matthew's like holding his own and countering properly and yeah they're they're good they're good together

16:52 I'm excited to see what Matthew does what what he goes on to do to see if he starts getting some bigger roles and more important stuff I mean he does have a small body not I don't know small is the the right word for it I know he does have a body of work already but it's not as robust as Hopkins you know and it definitely hasn't the same trajectory as Hopkins did yeah and he I think he lost out roles that went to Christian Bale yeah I can see that or like Bale's a little older but I just looked up Matthew was born in 78 so I think it's kind of just a circumstance you know luck of the draw kind of thing yeah cuz he reminds me quite a bit of Bale the way he kind of moves and Carries himself and the British actor that that category is kind of crowded with like really good actors I mean if you look guys like born in the 70s like mid to late like that's just a ton of them it's super crowded so I think he's run into some of that yeah and there's I mean obviously there's only so many roles and people.

[ofmdrecaps]

07/16/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Rhys Darby: The Cryptid Factor / Gold Derby Nomination!; David Jenkins; Taika Waititi; Rita Ora; Samson Kayo; Nathan Foad; Kristian Nairn; Erroll Shand; Darby Family Foster Kittens; Galaxy Con Raleigh; Articles; WBD News; Love Notes; Daily Darby / Today's Taika;

Hey lovelies-- just a quick note, thank you for all of your lovely notes in the tags and comments, and twitter <3 I don't get to respond to the tags especially, but I want you to know I do read them and they mean the world <3 Thank you so much!

== Rhys Darby ==

New Episode of The Cryptid Factor is released on Spotify-- 097 The Name Song Episode!

Source: Rhys Darby's Instagram Stories

Some very excellent news-- Rhys and OFMD have been officially nominated for the Gold Derbys! You can vote on them on the Gold Derby website! Thank you to @adoptourcrew for spreading the word!

Source: Adopt Our Crew Twitter/ Gold Derby Twitter

== David Jenkins ==

Chaos Dad is sending our beloved Captain some good vibes for his Gold Derby Nomination! Get it slut!

Source: David Jenkins' Twitter

== Taika Waititi ==

Taika and Rita worked on a short film with & Carlo Van Der Roer that's truly mesmerizing, check it out below: "Toru, 2024 is a collaboration between New Zealand artists / filmmakers Taika Waititi and Carlo Van de Roer. A three channel video installation, inspired by the significance of Tokotoru, or Trinity, in Maori culture, the work weaves together themes of unity -- earth, sea, sky -- and references to mythology, including the Maori myth of Tane retrieving three baskets of knowledge -- the basket of light, the basket of darkness and the basket of pursuit. Each film operates as a different recollection or interpretation of the same performance and space. A filmmaking approach called PlateLight enables the same moment to be captured with different lighting conditions. This results in three versions of the same film, presenting a record of the past as photographically accurate, yet fluid and authorable like myth. Made with the love and magic of @stuetr@satellite_lab@mikeberlucchi@wearecasey@olivierwicki_la" - carlovanderor's Instagram

Source: carlovanderor's Instagram

More Taika and Rita being adorable together in Rome and making charms with each other.

Source: Paoline_Roma's Instagram

== Samson Kayo ==

Samson's been real busy lately-- Have you been watching House of the Dragon? You may catch him if you do! He was also kind enough to send a very kind Love Note everyone's way.

Source: Samson Kayo's Instagram

== Eroll Shand ==

More clips of Erroll in the new season of The Twelve!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by BINGE (@binge)

Source: Binge Instagram

== Nathan Foad ==

Nathan's excited for Galaxy Con Raleigh, hopefully the sunburn will calm down by then, poor guy.

Source: Nathan Foad's Instagram

== Kristian Nairn ==

Hey European Crew! Kristian will be joining the Proud Nerd: The Weekend of Fire & Ice on 28 & 29 September this year! They'll be at Castle Satzvey! For tickets, you can visit Weekend of Fire & Ice

Source: Proud Nerd Conventions

== Darby Family Foster Kittens ==

Rosie giving us more and more kitten content, have I mentioned she's my hero lately?

Source: Rosie Carnahan Darby's Instagram Stories

== Raleigh Galaxy Con ==

Reminder! July 25-28 is Raleigh Galaxy Con! Join Con, Nathan, Vico, and Kristian on Saturday and Sunday!

Source: Galaxy Con Raleigh Website

In addition -- some of your crewmates are hosting Calypso's Birthday, an OFMD Fan Meet-Up on Saturday July 27 from 7PM - 9PM at Ruby Deluxe! You can check out the venue at www.queerraleigh.com!

Source: @ leahbelle_'s Twitter

== Articles ==

Several articles today-- one with more info on the Gold Derby TV Award nominations, and the others related to WBD and the situation going on there. Thank you to @adoptourcrew for sharing so many helpful articles!

Source: Adopt Our Crew Twitter

== WBD News ==

On top of the articles mentioned above, our fabulous crewmate Ashley, aka Seven_Sugars on Twitter give us a bit more context on what's going on.

Source: @ Seven_Sugars on Twitter

It also looks like there's more fuckerys planned for August 7th! Keep an eye out on @adoptourcrew's socials for more info!

Source: Adopt Our Crew's Twitter

== Love Notes ==

Hey there lovelies! It's already Tuesday, and I sure hope you are staying cool as best you can (if you're in the hot part of the world-- and viceversa if you're not!) I wanted to bring up Samson's love note again,

"You deserve someone who is good for your mental health". It really is so true. When it comes to your partner, or your friends, your family, any people that you interact with on the daily-- you deserve people that are good for your mental health.

You don't have to be perfect to deserve it-- you don't even have to be in a good place mentally or physically, you just have to be you-- and you have always deserved it, since the day you were born. I hope if you already have those people, they stay in your life, and if you don't right now, you find those people that make you feel safe and healthy.

Rest well lovelies, drink some water and get some sleep <3 Some more love notes from TheLatestKate:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @thelatestkate

Source: TheLatestKate's Instagram

== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==

Tonight's theme is hot men wearing pink (or coral? They both seem pink to me.) Tonights gifs courtesy of the marvellous @fandomsmeantheworldtome and @mulder-isms!

[thesagedahlia]

HOLLYWEIRD READINGS PRESENTS: SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS CHART ANALYSIS * PART 1*

*TW: mentions of ab*se, violence, r*pe, and s*xual assault*

INTRODUCTION

Sean Combs has been well known as the hip hop mogul of Bad Boy Records since the 90’s, as well as his affiliations with the likes of Notorious B.I.G. and Lil Kim to name a couple of the many artists to come out of that era of hip hop, but if you were alive and aware of the 90’s you wouldn’t be shocked to know that the name ‘Diddy’ was oftentimes entangled into controversial situations and conspiracies. It would even be safe to say that there’s a conspiracy that Diddy, as a gatekeeper of the hip hop community, was in fact a very controlling, domineering & aggressive kind of person. In true Scorpio fashion, a lot of his dealings have been kept under the radar and were never pressed upon, even suppressed from the media as much as possible. UNTIL RECENTLY, not only has Diddy been paying out his former signees from the label (after not paying them properly in the first place), but Cassie Ventura also brought up a civil lawsuit against Diddy which was settled within 24 hours. Cassie was another signee to Diddy’s label, as well as his long-time ‘girlfriend’ of 10 years. They separated around 2019 which was coincidently when her contract under him finally dissolved. Since then, she’s been happily married with two children, but if you are familiar with the reading I did on Cassie some time ago, Diddy was coming up a lot as trying to get in contact with her or keeping tabs on her through different means. Though I never directly focused on any abuse of any kind, there felt to be a very dark presence around their connection, and a lot of it was operated under Diddy’s control. Which is why Diddy still to this day has such a profound effect on Cassie, which has helped her develop an addiction problem among other psychological trauma. Before I even pick apart their synastry, I’m going to pick apart Diddy’s natal chart to the best of my abilities, for the ones in the back-left that don’t believe he is capable if the things outlined in the lawsuit. What tipped me off was Diddy’s acceptance speech for his BET Lifetime Achievement Award received around June of 2023, with the way he mentioned Cassie and the words he chose. Considering what I picked up in my reading before, I wouldn’t be surprised if Cassie felt highly triggered and threatened by his speech once she caught wind of what was said. So honestly the lawsuit came as a shock, not because I wasn’t privy to such or I didn’t see it coming, but only because I didn’t expect her to stand up to him so soon after separating (it’s been roughly 3-4 years). To mention briefly, Cassie is experiencing a Lunar Nodal return (the North/South node lining back up in the position they were in at the time of her birth) which is ironically the Aries North/Libra South axis, clearly spelling out how it was in this lifetime that she was to break the mode of ‘people-pleasing’ and dependency and being inclined to stick up for oneself, especially in romantic relationships (South Node in Libra crossing her Venus placement). Cassie is an extremely strong person for asserting her boundaries in this way and now that she has exposed him and finally can work toward her healing, she was also able to open the floodgate of something far beyond her, which I’m assuming that’s also what she wanted. The past month in me conducting this report, more lawsuits of the sexual nature are starting to surface, which only confirms that this is the beginning of an unraveling within Diddy’s proverbial closet, in which his skeletons pile up.

There’s no question of Sean’s impact & influence within the industry and that impact is reflected in his chart, however this specific report will be focusing in on relevant patterns and configurations within the chart that reflect certain conspiracies and allegations:

* DISCLAIMER: FOR EDUCATIONAL/ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY; THIS IS AN ASTROLOGICAL CASE STUDY THROUGH NATAL/SYNASTRY CHARTS, ANY ASTORLOGICAL CONFIGURATIONS THAT I MEANTION IN THIS READING THAT ARE RELATIVE TO THE READER ARE NOT PRONE TO THE ANALYSIS THAT I CONCLUDE WITHIN THIS READING, THEY ARE MANIFESTATIONS OF THE ENERGY PRESENT WITHIN A SPECIFIC CHART COMPARED TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION REGARDING THE INDIVIDUAL*

*This will be citing the subject’s most relevant traits regarding recent news through their energy signatures*

MARS IN CAPRICORN

As a lot of people may be aware of, Sean is a person who demands respect for his reputation in the industry. Being a Capricorn Mars native, I can see this being one of the main culprits that contribute to his control issues. Mars in Capricorn natives are driven by their ambition and determination to achieve a certain status. These natives, from a shadow perspective, can be very materialistic people and can produce someone who uses their money, power and respect (see what I did there? See the irony?) to assert authority onto those who he would consider ‘weaker’ or less established. This can even create someone who ‘bullies’ people because of the status they have. Capricorn is a calculated sign as well as entrepreneurial, so he has an affinity to throw his money around to assert himself and get what he wants. Mars is also making a square to his Mercury in Scorpio, which can detail more of a defined obsession for power and control (more on this below). Mars also squaring Jupiter can expand his quest for greed and can amount to an abundance of energy that needs a proper outlet or can succumb to his impulses and aggression. His Jupiter in Libra is already making a tightly wound conjunction to Venus that can reflect how his abundance can be defined by the business he makes and those around him, which will need a further explanation considering the surrounding and angling planets involved, but this can all tie into his tactics to control the business that he does and for him to be the one to mostly benefit from it. Lastly, and more importantly, the square Mars is making to Venus can be particularly subject his personal and intimate relationship to aggression, violence and other disruptive impulses (more on this below).

MARS IN CAPRICORN SQUARE SATURN IN TAURUS

On a surface level, the energy of this aspect can make for someone who is a hard and consistent worker and can work on things to exhaustion. From a psychological standpoint this specific square can be more violent, domineering energy within this native. Sean’s assertiveness can be in conflict with authority figures in his (early) life, which can in turn create an inflated & ego-driven sense of authority within himself when achieving the power that he has been accustomed to for so long. This can also point to his tendencies to use violence and force to solve his problems or to keep people ‘in line’. There is a lot of knowing behind the scenes of exactly what Sean is capable of in the industry, so there is a running joke that he can make people do what he wants or else they will ‘disappear’, which other parts of his chart can point to that theory as well (refer to ‘significant patterns, cradle 1’). This is also a great point of Sean’s inclination to rebel at any given opportunity, and a lot of his motive has to do with power and control, which is a running theme in his chart. This square is connected in a T-square (1) with Mercury, which can be an indication of having a tight-knit network of people who have a lot of power and prestige. Sean has a lot of wealthy ‘friends’ that he does business with, and these are people who were regulars at his hosted gatherings, both public and private. This square is a very selfish energy, not willing to go out of his way for people unless there is something in it for him, especially with Saturn having power over Mars (Mars in Capricorn). This can make Sean a very callous, unforgiving person who has more interest in dominating others, and he doesn’t stop to put other people into consideration. He can also be prone to frustrations, so it’s likely he’s not the most easy-going person. Punishments are very likely with this square, as he is inclined to make people work beyond their means to be rewarded as he sees fit, or he may look to restrict those who aren’t as cooperative. I also wouldn’t be surprised if Sean was into a lot of binding (BDSM) and violent kind of kinks (like rape or torture), especially with Pluto making a trine to Mars. Moreover, Capricorn Mars natives can have an insatiable appetite for sex, and in simpler terms can make for someone with prominent anger issues.

MOON-SOUTH NODE CONJUNCTION IN VIRGO

This conjunction between the Moon and South Node is significant because it represents how comfortable he is in his karmic and negative emotional patterns, and how easy it is for him to project that onto other people. Besides ones’ habitual nature and raw emotion, the Moon placement can also be the direct link to one’s mother as well as other feminine/maternal figures in a person’s chart. In the case of the mother, I discovered upon research that Sean’s mother was a model/escort (allegedly being supported by the Virgo Moon, Virgo ruling service, while modeling is ruled by Virgo’s opposite sign, Pisces (North Node)) who exuded the party-girl aesthetic, which can directly point to this Moon to South Node influence by his mother making that kind of lifestyle the ‘norm’ for him growing up, as the South Node represents our past lives or karmic lessons that we come into this lifetime needing to learn/move away from in one sense, it can also come up in a person’s chart as generational patterns that one has inherited into this life, or have been conditioned to upon entrance into this consciousness. There is also an allegation of his mother being predatory, and this is supported with the Virgo Moon representing ‘grooming’ from a feminine figure (the Moon), or the mother. More to this theory, there is a specific video where Sean professed to going to (strip) clubs with his mother and they are also seen kissing each other on the lips, which could be normal for some parent-child relationships (when the child is STILL a child), but another takes puts fuel to allegations that Sean was also preyed upon or groomed in his adolescence. Additionally, Virgo is the sign of service, work, daily routine, health/diet and anything of the like, it also represents ‘training’. As you know, Sean is known for the way he likes to be in control and how critical he is, so this is very on brand for a Virgo Moon native. When we talk about how he treated his signees on a public scale, Sean tended to be a critical, micromanaging force who controlled their image, the way they sounded, and how he wanted them to work for him. In a lot of cases this would entail how they ate as well, especially women since the Moon governs women. He also liked certain things within his order, which he could almost be obsessive about it. This doesn’t only apply to the ones who sign to his label or work with him generally, but also the employees that work for Sean on a routine basis, such as security, fitness trainers (another Virgo trait), cooks, maids etc. What I can deduce with this placement, Sean is particular about things being of a certain order when it comes to his employees and women in his life, and this can come from a specific karmic pattern that he was conditioned to in his past (The Moon can also represent one’s upbringing), namely reflecting a specific insecurity that he grew up dealing with. He may have lived in some kind of instability within himself, to which he found (albeit unhealthy) coping mechanisms for. He likely holds onto negative emotions until they build up within him to explode, which can likely be a person who is known to lose his patience. This is a wide orb so the severity of its effects may be weakened, but it is still prominent in the native so long as he clings to the comfort zone. Lastly, as a controversial opinion, the sign of Virgo is the ‘virgin’, or the maiden. Being that this sign represents something of purity and youth, as well as young women, this could pinpoint a tendency to attraction to ‘younger’ women. The lower frequencies of Virgo can take ‘training’ to a darker connotation, into the scope of ‘grooming’ as previously mentioned.

LILITH IN CANCER

The Lilith placement, in a man’s chart, represents the kind of woman he desires, yet fears. This is the same kind of woman that can truly overpower (or destroy) him. Lilith also represents defiance, sovereignty, darker emotions, the shadow side, and the wounded feminine energy or when we know we’re being manipulated, abused, or disrespected. In Sean’s case, not only does this denote a disconnect with his mother or females in his family in the traditional sense, but his Lilith placed in Cancer also says a lot about how he regards nurturing, soft and naturally empathic women. In his mind, this type of woman is ‘weak’, which can be traced back to the women he was generally able to overpower and manipulate (i.e. Cassie). This placement is another major indicator of the mother being somewhat of a temptress or taking on the ‘dark feminine’ archetype. The energy of Lilith in Cancer completely rejects traditional feminine energy and deems it to be something to dominate within oneself and others. With the afflictions to this placement, there is even more of an indication that he carries this psychology into his relationships and interaction with other women. With this placement I could go as far as saying that Sean has a complete disdain or hatred for women on a subconscious level and can manifest as a desire to have control on women that appear weaker to him. The sextile made to Pluto can tell me of just how explosive and violent he can be toward women in attempt to control/dominate, even deadly consequences are noted here. Lilith forming an opposition to Mars in extreme cases can even add forced violence toward women, even rape considering both Mars and Lilith govern over raw sexuality (Lilith being the feminine depiction of this). There is also a square Lilith is forming to Venus, which is also forming its own square to Mars (more on this Mars-Venus Square/T-square below). Venus’ contribution to Lilith in this instance can represent a more prominent force within his connections, not only referring to his intimate and personal relationships, but his business and industry relationships are subjected to this power-hungry dynamic where he is more strategic of how he gets over and manipulates others into his favor, Venus being good at making things look a particular way. This placement is an instinct within Sean to sense out those who are more capable of being manipulated, whether they are naïve and unassuming or not. Manipulations through things such as contracts, NDAs, PR, etc. as this is reinforced his Venus is placed in Libra (Libra represents written contracts and public image).

CHIRON IN ARIES

Chiron as Sean’s hidden psychological wounding (fears and insecurities) can revolve around his own, or the energy of, masculinity. As previously mentioned with his Lilith in Cancer placement, Sean has a borderline disrespect towards those he considers weaker, or ‘feminine’, so it would only make sense if that were to stem from toxic/wounded masculinity that he may have been conditioned to growing up. This can make for a person who overcompensates for his own assertiveness, pushing the barrier to being overtly violent, abusive, and domineering. This can also point to a specific ‘wound’ surrounding his masculinity that can have everything to do with sexuality with Mars making a sextile to this placement. This aspect can also give support to someone with a ruthless ambition, as Mars’ energy is doubled and can be malefic and disruptive in nature (such as Chiron). Sean could have been exposed to a violent or hyper-masculine world growing up and can be conditioned to the principles of ‘survival mindset’ and war mentality. The history with Sean’s father can put this theory into perspective, if we factor in that he was alleged to be a drug-dealer who died by gun violence (also a Mars/Aries signature). This can lead to his affinity toward solving problems with violence, especially with Pluto making an opposition these can have fatal outcomes. This is a particularly deadly energy that can bring about hostile situations.

NEPTUNE IN SCORPIO

Neptune is a generational planet that can represent a pattern in our chart that can be heavily veiled and hidden from others and even ourselves, and can be referred to as the collective consciousness. It can also refer to our psychic inclinations and our spiritual understandings. The era for Neptune transiting the sign of Scorpio was between the years 1956 to 1970, and this would cite Sean’s birth year to be 1969, making Neptune 27 degrees through the sign. This was the period infamously known for drugs, sex, rock n’ roll, and even mysticism, which were all things that gave way to sexual liberation, experimenting with substances, and the emergence of religious cults. People born in this specific time where Neptune was traveling through Scorpio can have more of a soul recognition to these influences which can serve as a subconscious relevance to the native. Sean Combs is no exception, as I would consider him to be hiding a sexual liberation that may seem unusual or shocking to others. This is also an indication of what other intuitives/astrologers have been picking up about him forever now; that he is well aware of manifestation and alchemy (Moon/Pluto in Virgo supports this as well). Sean is likely aware of and have personal interests in cults and ritualism, so this can give merit to idea that Sean hosts sex parties/rituals. This is an intense, mysterious and possessive nature that is hidden beneath Sean’s surface, and he has likely had an upbringing that has desensitized him to all kinds of destruction, danger, and chaos. This Neptune is ruled by Pluto (and Mars traditionally) and is also making a sextile between the two planets (can be found in Cradle 1 and 2). This can bring opportunities for manifestation and manipulating energy for one’s own desires. With Chiron trine to his Neptune as well, he can be someone to suppress whatever insecurities he may have through escapism tactics, such as substance abuse, giving way to the theory of Sean’s own self-destructive tendencies.

SUN IN SCORPIO CONJOINED TO MERCURY IN SCORPIO, BOTH OPPOSITE SATURN IN TAURUS:

Here is a configuration that plays a part closely with one expression conjoining to one’s mental compatibility. Scorpio can represent cruelty when operating on lower frequencies, which in this case can also take on a controlling & possessive connotation. This can also create a person that can prioritize enforcing their will onto people for the sake of gaining powerful status. Add that with a double opposition that Saturn is making to his Sun-Mercury conjunction, and you have a person who may have a restrictive and dictatorial quality to the way that they manage contractual business with others. There is an energy of a dictator or an authoritarian to other people, even a cult leader (Taurus Saturn), and being able to punish those who go against them (Taurus/Scorpio axis governs loyalty/betrayal). Another take with the Taurus Saturn, this can be someone who expected loyalty from his people in the same capacity as a cult, especially those who worked under him for extended periods of time. Saturn is ‘the punisher’, so that would suggest the claims of aggressive intimidation against certain people, even sexual abuse with Scorpio involved (citing ‘violent’ kinks). On the spectrum of sexual assault, this is a point where I believe that the nature of this configuration would impulse a native to sexually ‘punish’ their victims, which can also include a forceful connotation when the victim refuses to accommodate the native in question. Scorpio placements operating at low octaves can be vampiric to those they encounter, and that opposition to Saturn can indicate selfish tendencies that he may be more willing to use the people around him to benefit him and his status. There is also a presence here of legal situations involving the finances of other people & the contracts that they sign with Sean. A take-over spirit that sucks everyone dry is also what I would describe it as. This configuration also supports someone who is capable of limiting fame and notoriety from his own artists if they felt it necessary, placing that same spotlight onto himself. This configuration ALONE backs up a lot of claims regarding anyone feeling cheated by Diddy financially, having an entire catalog restricted from the artist, and the overall control of said artist through contractual obligations. As mentioned previously, some information in regard to Sean’s late father and the lifestyle he led, which can also be a manifestation of this configuration in his chart.

VENUS-JUPITER CONJUNCTION IN LIBRA

Getting to a contradiction within his chart, this aspect can speak to the kind and benevolent nature that he may have been trying to channel, as noted by his most recent name change to “Diddy ‘Love’ Combs”, especially from a spiritual/religious standpoint involving Jupiter. Sean has been cited lately as changing his image in the way of creating what attempts to be a ‘peace-loving’, family-oriented aura from the native. But this placement does a lot more harm than good even involving the two aforementioned benefic planets. This conjunction expresses his generous nature, especially to the women he was publicly and privately in a relationship with. Not to mention that Jupiter also governs publishing, so Sean being in control of the publishing and producing credits at the label can be seen with this aspect. This is a major indicator of being able to benefit from his own generosity, in the sense that he expects to be compensated for what he has given his artists or his relationships. Libra is about balance, symmetry, and justice and when it comes to this conjunction, Sean’s extravagance came with the expectation to continually do right by him to some degree, as there is a reciprocity that comes with the energy of Libra, this configuration in a person’s chart, on the flip side, can make the native inclined toward greed and can even make one prone to addictions. Mars squaring Venus within this conjunction creates a motivating factor to merge his money and power, to essentially have a certain type of control in the industry. He also uses this control to steam-roll his relationships into being loyal to a fault. He may also indulge the most into his addictions/greed on a social level, which can be a direct link to parties he would throw since the 90’s, the same parties that are now being implicated as possible ‘sex rituals’ or sex trafficking social events (depending on what you believe personally). The Venus to Mars square can very well include the raw, sexual nature of the parties Sean would host or be a part of himself. Sean’s extravagant nature is not something that is unheard of to people who are aware of him generally, but behind industry walls this can actually point to the inflation of his ego. Sean is also someone who likely has very good lawyers and legal professionals working for him with this aspect, and he is not one to shy away from legally binding agreements in his business, i.e. NDAs.

MERCURY IN SCORPIO SQUARE MARS IN CAPRICRON

When you have the planet of communication squaring the planet of will, this can make for a verbally forceful and disregarding native. Sean is not really a stranger to being an aggressive communicator with a sharp tongue, but this is another indication of him operating on a short fuse. This can be due to the overstimulation that’s interpreted with this aspect, and the increase in impulsivity. Sean is likely a very intimidating communicator, and he doesn’t have any impulse control. A lot of his motives are once again linked with the obsession for power and control over others through his powerful connections and status. Sean also has a violent nature that he may be more inclined to keep hidden, but with Mars squaring Venus this would make these themes show up more in his social or romantic relationships (as a Libra Venus is skilled in making public perception of the native appear polished and balanced, with Libra ruling PR). There can even be sexual kinks that are deemed deviant and would likely be shunned upon with this square happening between the signs of Scorpio and Capricorn (‘violent’ kinks are cited here). This can also make Sean a determined individual with an insatiable need to fulfill his desires, and those desires can only be met with unwavering hostility and force. This can pertain to professional, personal, and even sexual desires when it comes to Sean. There is an inclination toward arrogance and power trips toward those he employs, and verbal abuse is the main weapon he uses unto others. This also reinforces him being accustomed to innate control over others and his mode of operation relying heavily on his connections to the industry (Mars in Capricorn).

MARS IN CAPRICORN SQUARE VENUS IN LIBRA

Here we have a native that is likely to be a forceful person within his interpersonal or romantic relationships and can attract those who are easily shaped and molded (Venus in Libra) or the native can project this motive onto those he is involved with. This aspect is associated with anger issues, a lack of self-control, and intense love-hate dynamics within intimate relationships. As this can be a reflex in establishing control, it is likely Sean is as domineering as everyone may portray him to be, especially those who have seen the different side of the coin. It is also likely that Sean can have a PR team behind him that can paint a less egregious picture in regard to his personal life, though behind the scenes it’s worse than what anyone could have imagined. This can also attract abusive dynamics, especially with any other malefic influences touching this, which can be cited by Mars’ opposition to Lilith in Cancer also squaring Venus (see T-square 2). Sean is inclined to dominate those who he is intimately, personally or professionally involved with. I could even go as far as to say that he has a domination kink (if I haven’t mentioned this speculation already) or a punishment kink (involving Saturn ruling the Mars placement). This can also cite difficulties in court proceedings against Sean as his Libra Venus would suggest a functioning legal team and producing iron-clad NDAs and contractual bindings in his business dealings. Also making note that Cassie is a native to this same Venus to Mars square, which the significance of this is likely to show up in the pair’s synastry.

SIGNIFICANT PATTERNS

T-SQUARE 1

Taurus Saturn opposite Scorpio Mercury, Square Capricorn Mars: This is the more general source of his anger and temper towards other people, and it involves previously mentioned aspects. For this T-Square, he has his apex planet (or the focal planet where we see the problem) as Mars, which has been the running theme, if not the dominant energy in the native’s chart. The point of tension with this T-square can point back to his aggression surrounding the way he dominates and manipulates control. Saturn opposite Mercury can suggest frustration from an inability to relate to others personally due to a lack in communication skills, which could have been a theme for him from a young age. Sean could have also been subjected to seeing different ways of being overpowered by authority in his upbringing or early career, which can create initial opposition with authority that he’d aspire to overcome, and a desire to achieve the same ‘untouchable’ status that he had been privy to, even through aggressive and violent means. Sean may have grown up to inspire control over those weaker than him, in comparison to what he may have been subjected to growing up. The ruler of the sign Mars is in (Saturn) being in the sign of Taurus can bring a direct importance and drive to achieve power through his material/financial status. He is a very technical person, and very strict, especially if it comes to criticizing or training people (which has come up before in other sections). As an employer, this can make Sean a very harsh person who may place extreme demands on the people under him, even if they were simply apprentices. Sean has a significant pattern of having a dominating presence over the people in his life, whether they work for him, are friends with him, or within romantic and intimate relationships. This is the perfect configuration for “aggressive manipulation”, which Sean seems to always be tied to. He is also capable of bringing sorts of ‘punishment’ onto those who don’t abide by his expectations. This can also be in lesser extremes, such as being harsh with his training/teaching and aggressive dictation. In recent history, there have been classic shows that essentially depict this and what immediately comes to mind is ‘Making the Band’. Incidents such as the ‘Cheesecake’ incident (and things such as hazing) are great manipulation tactics where Sean can construct the belief of one’s own authority and how he was projecting that onto his signees. This was how he was able to achieve the authoritative status that he did as a mogul/gatekeeper in the industry, reinforced with his Capricorn Mars at the 29th (Leo) degree. This is also a T-square that can pinpoint his ability to network through the industry and being in rooms with different ‘important’ people and allowing himself a roster of artists/fellow associates to catapult himself ahead as a music executive. In a more technical context, this is a T-square that also points to his ‘shady’ business (one off, not only). Mercury being in the sign of Scorpio (and adversely having Pluto in the sign of Virgo) opposite Saturn in the sign of Taurus can signify Diddy’s affinity toward his iron-clad contracts, NDAs, and underhanded payouts (as mentioned in previous sections). Adding that the sign ruled by Saturn is also his Mars placement, Saturn’s energy is prominent within this T-square (Saturn/Capricorn = binding contracts, corporate business). In a sense, with Mercury in Scorpio (Scorpio = joint investments, joint accounts, ‘other people’s money’), Sean was able to manipulate those who he’s signed into going into contractual business with him, and the Mercury-Saturn opposition can translate into bad contract dealings.

T-SQUARE 2

Capricorn Mars opposite Cancer Lilith, Square Libra Venus: This specific T-square can suggest his dynamic that he has towards women. As previously mentioned, Lilith in Cancer in a man’s chart can suggest a distain or blatant lack of respect for the feminine quality and finding women to be a weaker species. Add in the opposite angle happening with Mars and you have someone who likes to overpower the women in his life. The apex planet of this T-square is Venus in Libra, which is squaring his Cancer Lilith and his Capricorn Mars. The focus here is the essential ‘domination’ over his sexual/intimate and even business relationships, and the aggression that he naturally has towards women, and this can go especially for the women he has signed in the past. The ruling planet of the Lilith placement is the Moon, which is placed in the sign of Virgo, which governs routine, work, and health/diet. A lot of Sean’s criticism towards women can have a lot to do with how they look, their diet, and how they take care of themselves. This can absolutely correlate to the women he dates as well as for the women he decides to sign and work with. As previously mentioned, Virgo is the sign of the teacher/trainer, and this can represent why the Lilith in Cancer placement is so obsessive with overpowering women in a way of dictating and critiquing them. The women in his life have to abide by a certain standard, and in a lot of ways can make him prejudice to certain types of women and want to ‘fix’ or ‘change’ them to what he finds appealing. If they don’t fall in line the way he wants to (Venus in Libra), there is a violent streak that can come out in him (Mars opposite Lilith).

CRADLE 1

Pluto Chiron Opposition (Pluto in Virgo, Chiron in Aries), Virgo Pluto sextile Scorpio Neptune, Virgo Pluto trine Capricorn Mars, Aries Chiron sextile Capricorn Mars, Aries Chiron trine Scorpio Neptune, and Capricorn Mars sextile Scorpio Neptune: This can pinpoint to a lot of rage that is inspired by insecurities and deep seeded psychological wounds (Pluto opposite Chiron) that don’t have a healthy exit point. On one hand you have a Chiron in Aries, which can indicate someone who has insecurities surrounding the expression of their masculinity, or may have some tendencies toward toxic masculinity, narcissism, and misogyny. On the other hand, his Pluto in Virgo can point to obsessive compulsive behaviors that can reach extremes about perfecting a specific standard, which may lean more toward internalized powerlessness and insecurity. This opposition can result in him overcompensating for these wounds/insecurities, projecting them onto others, and can manifest in him seeking to dominate others with that Pluto influence. The supporting aspects that create this cradle (Mars, Neptune) speak to the talent/opportunities that are connected to his goal-oriented determination and business-like ambition (Capricorn Mars) and his artistic abilities with musical vibrations (Scorpio Neptune). This cradle can suggest someone who is able to use their power and influence in the music industry to hide from their psychological wounds and using it as a crutch or suit of armor that is meant to keep him from being accountable for the way he may strong-arm other people to get to his desired status. I can also see this being a main source of his believing he was invincible from receiving any certain consequences. This can also be a source of him using his power to engage in sexual encounters of his dominating desires, and having a forceful and aggressive undertone that can easily become threatening. Another interesting thing about the Mars sextile Neptune included in this cradle, which may indicate that he would have desires to film/take pictures of these encounters, which has been alleged of him being in possession of photographic evidence of some encounters from his own partners or of different women in different states. Leverage that to him, can be interpreted as a way for him to brag or assert domination with these women by sending these intimate pictures/videos out to his mutuals (rapper 50 Cent was cited as receiving such intimate photos of Cassie from Sean back in 2010). It’s likely that Sean may be someone who wants to be able to act out and film his sexual fantasies (Scorpio Neptune) and most of them may be where he’s dominating his partner, possibly in violent ways with Mars in a trine to Pluto. A lot of his reputation, both known and unknown, are tied up with this specific astrological pattern, but the Pluto Chiron opposition alone can be the indicator of a rapist/rape victim, which the trine/sextiles to Mars and Neptune can support this. It is also alleged that he had enough power to make people ‘disappear’ and this cradle supports the manifestation of that, especially with Mars’ trine to Pluto and its sextile to Neptune. This specific configuration supports any kind of claims or allegations linked to his violent nature being supported or even helped through the power or status that he has maintained in the industry, and him using violence to stay feared (because to Sean, Fear=Power; Mars trine Pluto).

CRADLE 2

Mars Lilith Opposition (Capricorn Mars, Cancer Lilith), Capricorn Mars sextile Scorpio Neptune, Capricorn Mars trine Virgo Pluto, Cancer Lilith sextile Virgo Pluto, Cancer Lilith trine Scorpio Neptune, and Scorpio Neptune sextile Virgo Pluto: This cradle has the same Mars Pluto trine, which encompasses that ability to acquire power and protection within the industry (involving Neptune) previously mentioned, but the focus of the tension is shifted to the complete rejection of feminine energy. Mars in Capricorn opposite Lilith in Cancer can create a self-preserving, venomous individual whose passions/ambitions are being channeled into episodes of rebellion, domination and control. This is a person who is vengeful, sneaky and domineering when it comes to his sexual and intimate relationships and can find himself projecting that back on to the women he engages with. Lilith in Cancer can directly relate to a desire to dominate women (if afflicted) especially to empower oneself, but with it opposite to Mars in Capricorn this can stem from some kind of hatred or coldness toward women that can also come off as complete disrespect. The Lilith trine Neptune in Scorpio can note an inclination to sex rituals, or spiritual (occult) explorations through sexual means in a way to manifest and manipulate energy, and a lot of women in his past have been participants and may even been scouted out for such (Mars sextile Neptune). This is also supportive of engaging in sex trafficking and being able to fly under the radar (Neptune trine Chiron, Lilith, sextile Mars). A lot of Sean’s sexual lifestyle and nature were always something people illuded to being of a dark nature, or at the very least, unconventional. It is possible Sean can have a sexual kink of dominating women in violent ways (as mentioned as being a running theme), with Mars and Pluto in a trine. Lilith being in Cancer can indicate his overall shadow side, or hidden nature, being projected onto women. This can especially be dangerous with Lilith opposite a violent planet, such as Mars, and in a sign like Capricorn he could also be a person who is punishing, domineering or restrictive of them. This could be a man who is not only sexually violent toward women, but also physically aggressive and violent with them as well. I can even say he doesn’t like women as far as respecting them as people. There were a lot of people that were around that were aware of Sean’s behavior with women in private, and so many of them turned a blind eye to their well-being, and even their safety. His Capricorn Mars indicates someone who prioritizes the power that comes with what he’s achieved, and being able to do what he wants because of it. So, with this Mars Lilith opposition, it is likely that he is the type of person to use his power and influence to attract the women that can act out his sexual desires (Scorpio Neptune) and there is an overwhelming tone of domination that can edge on the border of violence. A final note worth addressing was Sean’s Mars sextile Neptune. With Neptune governing photography, videography and even porn, he may have an interest in the documentation of his encounters with a camera, as well as using this as leverage against these women to have continued control over them (Neptune sextile Pluto), which can be further cited by the allegation of being sent Cassie’s ‘intimate photos’ in the past.

CONCLUSION

The further I go (down the rabbit hole), the more I can find evidence that Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs is capable of most of everything that he has been accused of thus far, and he is still being hit with lawsuits of a violent sexual nature as I’ve been conducting my case on this. I have to say that I learned a lot more about this figure than what I honestly had an interest to, so much so that I’m deciding to take a break from this topic that I’ve now split into two parts (Diddy X Cassie synastry report will serve as the revisited/part 2). But a lot of what has been coming out against Sean can be explained by quite a few configurations in his chart and can be evenly deduced that he may be capable of more than a fraction of it. There were two main points that I wanted to highlight and bring home each time in regard to Sean’s psychological make-up; his controlling/domineering nature, and his sexual deviancy, and what exactly motivates the two and where it stems from. A lot of Mars (Scorpio) and Capricorn influences can be part of the contributing factors to the emphasis on power and control. His Lilith in Cancer opposing Mars in Capricorn is a major indicator of his sexual violence towards women, among other things, and it is the Aries Chiron that can give insight into his psychological wounds around masculinity. Another point one can make with his chart alignments is that he is a product of his environment, especially when you consider the facts of his life. His parents were both living alternative lifestyles, and Sean being a witness/participant in these lifestyles only fueled his familiarity to it. Speculatively, his mother being an escort opened the door for different sexual fetishes that he has till this day (Moon-South Node conj., Lilith in Cancer opposition to Mars in Capricorn) as it was alleged that this was how he was introduced to the concept of ‘orgies’. Recent findings can speculate that him and his mother engage in deviant behavior together, as a video cites Sean exclaiming his mother ‘likes to have a good time’ and how she can ‘touch the floor with her palms…flat’, which in itself is some ‘disturbing’ inuendo. This can very well play a role in his disrespect towards women as a species, as well as viewing them as sexual objects rather than people. It was also alleged by rapper Mase that Sean’s mother gatekeeps all of Sean’s ‘dirty’ business and is the main proprietor of his estate (Virgo Moon trine Saturn (Taurus) and sextile Sun-Mercury conj. in Scorpio). On the other side of the coin, Sean’s father is an alleged gang member/drug dealer that would have Sean present on certain ‘violent’ occasions, which can contribute to Sean’s belief in fear and barbarity being the most effective means to gain power and control, and this can be expressed with his Sun-Mercury conj. opposite Saturn (and instilled with afflicted Chiron in Aries). Allegedly Sean was even present when his father was gunned down in what is being described as either ‘gang activity’ or ‘a drug deal gone bad’ (Saturn in Taurus square Mars in Capricorn). These configurations can also speak to being mentored by men in the industry, who have a lot of power and prestige themselves. These where the examples that were set for him at a young age, and the way he turned out can be seen as the materialization of these influences.

When I revisit this topic, it will be from the angle of the ‘enslavement’, ‘sexual abuse’ and ‘trafficking’ that was the 10 year relationship between Sean Combs and Cassandra Ventura.

THANKS FOR READING