#PLUS it's for a fundraiser for the station

[krenenbaker]

I'm doing a live radio show today, and babes...

I'm really nervous (´。＿。｀)

[stusbunker]

Spotless: Cambiare

Chapter Thirty Five

Featuring: Dean Winchester/Reader

Other characters: Both bands and crew, Madison, Alice and Max Miller, Cas' brother Jimmy mentioned, Alastair

Word Count: 3241

Warnings, etc: Mutual pining, still unbeta'd, drinking and mild drug use, smoking cigarettes , Kevin is still a shit and we love him for it, fundraiser fluff, first show in Vegas then somebody shows up to ruin Dean's winning streak. SAFE House is a real organization, but all information about them in this fic is fictional, including locations, organizers and fundraiser protocols.

Series Masterlist

The desert sun shined down, even in mid-March, you were grateful for sunglasses as you walked across the parking lot of the furniture store that was hosting the fundraiser. Part of the core principles of SAFE House and organizations like it was its discretion, so nothing that night was taking place near the actual houses where families escaping domestic violence resided. The main office was tucked into a back corner of a row of single story businesses and also a good distance away.

Behind you was the band in ball caps and sunglasses, Bobby and Annie, while Benny, Cesar, Jesse and Chief followed behind. Charlie and the rest of the crew were setting up at the venue for the following nights’ performances. Victor and SPS had other plans for the night before their Vegas debut, but that was understandable. Plus, they sent their support both in person and via social media.

Alice Miller, the Director of Outreach, met you at the registration booth and gave you a bundle of volunteer badges and tickets for the food stands as well as a map of the grounds. 

“We are so grateful for you being here and helping spread the word. We’ve barely been able to get away from the phones since you mentioned the event on the radio this morning. We’re expecting a record breaking year for the carnival.”

Careful to not seem too unsurprised, you downplayed what you expected to be a very busy night. “It’s the least we could do. Now— where did you want the band?”

“Max?” Alice called a younger man over. “Max is my stepson, and he’s in charge of volunteer assignments. While I’ll be around, Max will be able to answer any questions better than I would.”

The guy seemed a little awkward, but he also seemed to at least recognize who he was talking to. “Alright, guys, glad to have you. I have the band assigned two two hour long stints at the Dunk Tank, the Photo Booth, and the Face Painting stand. Your call on if you stick to one station or switch it up. I’ll leave the list with your publicist. Breaks are expected, but please let somebody know when you need one so we can make the swap as seamless as possible. Your team members are welcome to participate, or just stand guard, but please remember we are as low contact as possible with crowd control.”

You had clocked a good chunk of guys you suspected to be plain clothed police officers donning security vests at the next table. You kept your thoughts to yourself on that matter, as long as the families and participants were safe, you were happy.

“Thanks, Max. I gave them the spiel on the ride over. Can we get some group shots with you and the other employees before we get into our stations?”

“Of course, give me ten minutes and we can get everyone together. I’ll give you a walkie, too, just in case. Though we don’t have enough for everyone.”

“Understood.”

You gave him a firm nod and clipped the communicator to your back pocket. He ducked out of the small tent, while you stepped back towards the group you came with, so the line of other volunteers behind you could get signed in. You glanced down the clipboard with the empty blocks of scheduled time at each of the stations. 

Kevin and Dean were on you in an instant.

“Please put me anywhere but the face painting. I can’t draw for shit,” Kevin begged.

“Sam either, don’t do it, Trouble. It will be a mess,” Dean warned.

“Okay, well, Dunk Tank is going to have to be an all or last stint because nobody is going to be able to pose for pictures or do face-painting when they’re soaked to the bone,” you reasoned out loud.

You turned and spoke louder. “Alright, Pam and Annie, let’s have you do the face painting. If nothing else you can just do exaggerated makeup looks.”

“Sounds good to me,” Annie said. While Pam sort of cocked her head and considered if this was the best course of action.

“Lee and Sam are getting the Photobooth first, if you get bored or overwhelmed we’ll swap you guys for the Dunk Tank. But what we really need are hecklers, and I think these two assholes would be best for the job.” You gestured to Dean and Kevin, the two devils over your shoulders.

“You know there are easier ways to see me with my shirt off,” Dean murmured, but didn’t argue with his assignment.

You turned and looked up at him, your reflection shining back at you in his sunglasses, which only made you more defensive. “If I wanted to sell skin, I’d send Sam over there first. But just for that, you’re booked all night. Happy chafing, Dean-o.”

Kevin cackled. “She just pwned you so bad!”

“Shut up, Kevin,” you and Dean said at the same time.

You tried to see if Dean had just been teasing, but your annoyance and curiosity were short lived when Bobby walked up and took the envelope of lanyards out of your grip, and started handing them out.

Somewhere beyond the entrance and registration booths a megaphone sounded, gathering everyone together for the pictures you requested and a quick information session.

The carnival was scheduled from four to nine, hitting the afterschool and afterwork crowds, but still reasonable for a weekday. Even in Vegas, locals had normal schedules most of the time. You took turns with the SAFE House’s media director taking pictures and gesturing people into position. Carefully you had them frame the band, Annie, Alice and the rest of the board in varying shots of size and distance. You should have brought a real camera, but your phone would have to make due for this event. There were over fifty people volunteering in addition to the security team. And every one of them was smiling at you, it was infectious.

It was going to be a good night.

You patrolled the grounds, gathering pictures of the band at their different booths in various poses and levels of embarrassment. Dean was the first one in the water and once he sunk, the crowd went nuts. His line snaked around the Fun House and back towards the Port-o-Potties. 

Kevin had more success heckling Dean than those throwing at his target, but he, too, was drenched before long. It only added to the care-free atmosphere. Even though you knew Dean would have paid a pretty penny to be the one tossing balls in Kevin’s direction himself.

Sam and Lee started off pretty stiff with the Photo Booth, but once a group of preschoolers busted out the feather boas and other accessories, they caved like a house of cards. Neither man could deny kids, especially ones that might have been hurt at some point in their young lives, so they turned up the charm and silliness and had everyone in stitches before they took their dinner break.

Pamela and Annie had the quietest station. It was rather amusing, and a little surreal, that round after round of kids waited in line, picked out their designs, and sat still for the whole process before their parents, guardians, or grandparents recognized Annie Hawkins as the artist behind the butterflies or dragons now at their sides.

Pamela’s entire being screamed rockstar or badass. But as the drummer of the band, she was the least known by name, which never seemed to bother her. No, her confidence was unique in that it was a genuine, god-given, lack of shame. Something you had envied for a long time. So when only a handful of people asked for her picture along with her creations, she didn’t bat an eye. She just winked at the kids as they went about their nights and waved.

By nightfall, the crowd had reached capacity. The sounds of the various rides and games were constant and the bright lights kept the area surveyable. However, the temperature started to drop and the Dunk Tanks themselves weren’t well lit, which equated to Kevin and Dean’s station beginning to lose some of its luster. 

“Okay! Let’s see what you got! Come on folks— this is for a great cause!” Kevin spouted.

“Freezing my nuts off of here! Hey big guy, think you could dunk me?”

You stage whispered, “this is a family event— keep your flirting to your own time!”

“Har-har!” Dean mock laughed.

You took another picture, but your flash really wasn’t the best with the Fun House lights offsetting it. Dean was dunked again and you asked Max over the walkie if you could end the line. It was a little after eight at night and between the cooler night air and the remaining people waiting, they deserved to see the finish line. 

After a few seconds, you got permission to send Benny and Jesse to curtail new customers, “yeah, okay. We’ll start closing up those stations first, ease out of the night.”

You texted Bobby to start warming up the bus before making your way through the crowd to let the rest of the team know to wrap it up. Sam and Lee actually were already closed up, their tent had been packed up and they just sat sipping on flat beer from the one kiosk with a liquor license. Annie and Pamela had turned into more of a selfie and autograph booth then a face painting stand, but no one seemed to mind. 

“We’ve got the all clear, meet at the bus in ten,” you let them know. Casually, you headed back to the Dunk Tanks to ensure the soggy bottom boys weren’t mobbed once they were back on solid ground.

Cesar, brilliant man that he was, showed up with a pair of fleece blankets from the bus just as the final set of balls were handed to Benny and Jesse. You grinned at him in gratitude, but had to film the final dunks for prosperity’s sake. 

“Come on Benny! Let ‘im have it!” you bellowed as the head roadie wound up.

Jesse immediately sent Kevin into the depths, forfeiting the remaining two throws, and letting his husband help the smaller man off the platform and into a blanket.

Benny missed the first two balls, which Dean was not going to let him live it down. “Oh, he’s on the ropes! Look he’s not gonna make it, I should just climb down. That blanket is a-calling to me!”

“Just shut your trap, will ya?” Benny muttered.

“Make me, big boy!”

“Does he always flirt when he’s nervous?” you asked, knowing full well it was being recorded.

“Nah, darlin’. He’s showboating. He only flirts like this to make up for something.”

“Oh yeah? What am I making up for Benny? Cuz your aim is the only thing lacking here!”

With movie magic precision, Benny sank Dean on his last throw. The remaining crowd erupted and you scanned the area before sneaking closer to get Dean’s grumpy face as he crawled out of the tank and down the ladder.

“About time!” He called over his shoulder before Cesar could wrap him up too. Crouched over and shivering, Dean grinned for the camera before you hit the stop button on the video. Everyone laughed and joked while Dean and Kevin tried to dry off. After gathering their hats, phones, wallets, and socks and shoes, everyone left for the parking lot and the bus back to the Strip and the hotel.

You stopped at the entrance, dropped off the walkie talkie and your lanyards with Max’s crew. You made your way across the parking lot to the corner that Bobby had claimed for the bus, turning on your notifications for the first time all night. It was going to be a long night of scrolling and posting, but it was a good kind of busy to be.

The bass pulsed through the amps and across the floor, like an omniscient earthquake. You felt the heat from the stage effects across your skin. Pamela was taking the end of A Reaper’s Offering and taking over for her solo. The lights dimmed along the edge of the stage and everything focused on her. You felt the buzz of an incoming message on your hip from the walkie, but you couldn’t hear a single word.

“There she goes!” Dean rumbled somewhere amongst the shadows. The crowd responded then hushed itself just as quickly, awe-inspired.

Charlie has so much more at her disposal in this set up and she used everything she could to empathize the epicness of Pamela’s prowess, each drum was focused by its own color light. Pamela kept Charlie on her toes as she hopped from one to another, sometimes hitting three or four at a time. It was mesmerizing.

Your voice was hoarse already and still you screamed as she ramped it up to the big finale. Even in the wing off stage, you couldn’t hear yourself over the racing beat.

Lee whistled with two fingers in his mouth, shrill and celebratory. And still Pamela rocked on.

Sam slid down his E string, pulsing beneath her. You noticed how the others drifted back into position, four more measures and Kevin joined in. As the notes blended together Pamela pulled back, like a band of horses behind well-worn reins. 

“Lead the way, Pammy!” Dean broke the spell and Pamela thumped into a familiar opening.

They weren’t stopping and slowing down for Vegas. ‘Abandon All Hope’ was left out of the first night’s setlist and the suggestive ‘Twigs and Twine’ swapped in instead. If you had to bet, ‘Brother’s Keeper’ wasn’t going to be featured either. And you were right, instead they played ‘Give Me My Ax’ for Lee to completely annihilate.

Charlie dropped the lights on them as Dean finished ‘Not Mine’ and the crowd did not stop for a full five minutes. You felt like you were tethered to a comet, soaring and burning alongside those brighter than you could ever hope to be.

The encores flew by and SPS joined them on stage, bowing and waving and blowing kisses to the insatiable masses. You knew the venue had photographers in the pit and along the box seats, but you couldn’t wait to get your hands on some fan shots. This was a show banners and websites were made of, raw and glistening.

Everyone descended the stage and flooded the wing you were occupying. The moment Dean’s eyes caught yours, his entire face changed and you both went to each other. Unthinking, two magnets across the mess of stagehands and band members just as he bent down to grab you into a hug, you hesitated, feeling unseen eyes in the upper levels.

You grabbed his elbow and drew him in further into the belly of backstage.

“What’s up?” Dean’s face was worried now.

“Nothing, just didn’t want somebody to see us.”

Dean’s brow pinched and he sighed, but stayed at your side. “How was it? Have fun?!”

You rolled your eyes. “I think I’m as sweaty as you are!”

“Well, I’m gonna hit the dressing room. If you need a shirt, I’ve got extra. Because there’s no way we’re stopping soon. Those high rollers ain’t seen nothing like the Winchesters in a hot minute.”

“Fine! But I’m capping you at 50k for the night, young man. Somebody has got to rein you in, especially since Jimmy isn’t on retainer anymore.”

“Ugh! Well, we’ll see about that.” Dean winked and threw his arm over your shoulder and walked you both to the pandemonium that was the dressing room.

You were very careful while out with the band to stay on the vertical side of inebriation. It was equal parts fear of embarrassing yourself and fear of losing control of one or more of the band. After Dean and Cas’ explosion in Chicago last spring, you rarely mixed substances, especially while somewhere as heavily monitored as Vegas.

A little No Doz and a side of vodka and tonic would carry you most of the night. If nothing got too crazy. Eventually, you’d snag a cigarette, but casino-hopping would have to wait. Dean was on a roll, literally.

Dice in theory was an easy game. The tables with all the Pass and Don’t Pass bet bullshit made Craps hard for you to follow, especially when you were too busy keeping an eye on everyone. Madison and Sam were getting handsy at a Blackjack Table. Pam had found her machine for the night and was racking up a nice total with just penny slots. While taking shots of whiskey in stunning regularity.

Lee and Dean were both rolling dice, but the tables faced the opposite direction and you were almost certain one or both of them were trying to hustle somebody. The house always won, but sometimes people got cocky and they thought these cornfed boys from Nebraska were easy prey. It was fun to watch.

If nerve wracking.

Dean’s eyes danced over his dice, everyone gathered held their breath as the dealer called out the victory. Dean jumped up, punched the air, and crowed with abandon. He was untouchable in his brilliance. It made something inside you shiver. Sometimes you forgot he was real.

“Alright, time to head out!” Dean decided, gathering his chips and heading to the teller line to cash out. You nodded to the rest of the band, with an annoyed eye roll from Pamela, but everyone followed suit. Benny and the Chief had drawn straws for that night’s detail, which meant Jesse and Cesar would have your backs the following night. It still felt weird to be Tiny and Bela-less, but it was also one less thing for you to keep track of.

The crowds outside of Cesar’s Palace were full of tourists as you stepped back out onto the strip. A rush of waiting photographers gravitated to your group the second Sam’s head cleared the exit. Fucking Sasquatch was too easy to spot.

“Guys! Fantastic show tonight!”

“Dean! Dean! Where’s Bela? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, huh?”

“Pamela! Lee! Are you guys back together? Will we see another Vegas wedding from you two?”

“Sam! Who’s the lucky lady?”

Everyone ignored them the best you could, keeping your heads down and letting Benny hold them off.

“There he is! The coward has returned!” A nasally voice made its way through the chaos and Dean stopped in his tracks. You dropped back and tried to drag him forward, while ignoring the jeers from the other paps. 

“That’s a good girl, follow your mommy. Don’t want to get left behind,” the voice said senselessly.

“Dean?” you said, nerves dialed up to eleven.

Dean shook his head and scanned the crowd until he spotted a cameraless, beady-eyed face. “Benny! Keep that fucker away from us,” Dean yelled as he about-faced and took the group in a different direction. Benny fell back and stepped up to the taller creep, clearly making a point of starting a conversation as the other paps scrambled to keep up with you.

Dean dragged you and Pam by the wrists, keeping you at his sides until he decided you were in the clear outside the next stop. You had no idea who that guy was. After twenty minutes, Benny finally caught up with you guys and something in his eyes told you it wasn’t over.

Tagging:

@deans-spinster-witch

@mrswhozeewhatsis

@cosicas-cuquis

@fics-pics-andotherthings-i-like

@suckitands33

@ladysparkles78

@deans-baby-momma

@stoneyggirl2

@sassy-pelican

@leigh70

@globetrotter28

@winharry

@lastactiontricia

@rockhoochie

@brightlilith

@coldhearted93

@djs8891

@beautiful-places-blog

@n-o-p-e-never

@spxideyver

Chapter 36: Acciaccato

[theillusionofpants]

my muppet casting of the US Cabinet

President- Kermit the frog

The wrangler of this fucked up gang. Though he has no hair, he's a compromising leader and the obvious choice.

Vice President- Fozzy Bear

Largely a ceremonial position, Fozzy is popular with the voters and always diffuses tough situations with slapstick comedy. Plus he does wonders and fundraising galas

First Lady- Miss Piggy

Originally I had her a secretary of defense (still a good choice tbh) but I think she'd be down for the glam of the position. She'd take up causes like a Hollywood celeb and her outfits would be Smithsonian worthy

Chief of Staff- Skeeter

Comfortable being behind the scenes and getting shit done, Skeeter would be perfect for the role.

Secretary of State- Gonzo

A bold choice and one that flabbergasted most serious politicians, Gonzo got the job by being so completely weird that he is disarming. For the chief diplomat of the country, he actually accidentally gets more done than people give him credit for

Secretary of Defense- Sam the Eagle

Level headed and without humor. He takes his position seriously and does not jump to conflict without provocation.

Secretary of the Treasury- Rizzo the Rat

Though he is definitely involved in some insider trading, Rizzo was the only muppet with any kind of sense for currency and market trends. He's got corporations in an uproar.

(notable runner up- The Count)

Attorneys General- Waldorf and Statler

They've never lost a case due to their scathing quips and criticism of the defendant.

Secretary of the Interior- Animal

Though press conferences have been suspended indefinitely (there was rumor of thousands of dollars of damage in equipment and bite marks on some members of the press), Animal is a passionate advocate of the parks. He has established 13 new national parks including the MORE PARKS MORE PARKS National Park which he named himself

Secretary of Energy- Crazy Harry

Got his position due to family connections. The energy grid is in shambles after a serious of mysterious explosions in power stations across the country. Investigations are in progress

Secretary of Education- Dr. Bundsen Honeydew

The only muppet with a PhD, Kermit wanted a science background in the position. Science fairs have become mandatory testing in schools. Students have caught on that the biggest mess usually wins first prize

Secretary of Transportation- Sweetums

Usually relegated to positions of service, Sweetums was called upon to run the trains. He has quietly approved high speed rail across the nation. He usually operates the line from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Secretary of Agriculture- Swedish Chef

He showed up one day in the office with three chickens, a moose and some talking produce and refuses to leave. The last press conference he had he was asked about his plans for subsidizing corn. His answer was "oooh de sküshy düshi corn corn flüœr un da grundi ground bork bork" There were no further questions

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development- Oscar the Grouch

No stranger to homelessness, Secretary the Grouch nationalized empty office buildings as low cost public housing. When asked, he said he did it so people would be off the streets and he could be left alone. Major corporations condemned the plan but Oscar remained unperturbed and told them to scram

Secretary of Homeland Security - Grover

Constantly exasperated, he has come to rely heavily upon a masked crusader named Super Grover

US ambassador to the UN- Big Bird

No stranger to travel and with family in many different nations, Big Bird has become an international icon for diffusing tension and having nations become friends.

[awesomerextyphoon]

Chaotic Good Trio

Pepper: Do you know why you're here, today?

Ife: We're good people?

Pietro: This country's bullshit?

Loki: I'm just here for the chaos.

Ife: Loki!

Pepper: At least one of you is being honest.

Ife: Fine! What we did was 'wrong'.

Pietro: Really?!

Pepper: Ife, you can at least *try* being sincere.

Ife: Never.

Pietro: I mean, what did wasn't even that bad.

Pepper: Let's review, shall we?

Loki: She brought out the binder.

Pepper: Ife. You stole $15B from the Waltons, set fire to Blackstone's New York HQ, bought and destroyed 15 private equity groups-

Pietro. Nice!

Pepper: Why me? Plastered "Jeff's a Big, Whiny Loser" on Bezos' DC mansion, caused no less than 18 derailments political fundraisers in DC.

Ife: Is that really the worse thing in the world?

Pepper: You have 464 more entries.

Pietro: Hah!

Pepper: Maximoff, don't act like you're innocent! 12 cases of arson against police stations including the NYPD. Multiple Financial Sectors reporting of 'impossible gusts of wind' followed by their mortgage records being wiped out.

Pietro: What? Those places are evil!

Pepper: Hmm Okay. So Loki, care to explain why several museums are missing their entire collection of Norse artifacts?

Ife: He's not wrong.

Loki: Plus their lobbies are atrocious.

Loki: Those belong to my people and our followers.

Ife: Oh! So only the Norse get to take their shit back?!

Loki: You're just mad you didn't do it first!

Pepper: Several yachts have been 'ceremoniously sunk'. Sixty billionaires including the Kardashians have complained about the electricity in their homes being turned off.

Loki: It was rerouted. Also, Kim is insufferable.

Pepper: Enough! You three have enough potential charges to ruin the team!

Loki: Technically, ye-

Pepper: There's no 'technically' to it!

Ife: What Loki means is that while these things look bad now, it was in service of a lot of good.

Loki: The money that we 'stole' was given back to those who were wronged.

Pietro: You know full well that the police are thugs of the state.

Pepper: And it vexes you to no end that people call y'all cops, right?

Pietro: ...Yes.

Ife: Blackstone and other private equity firms have millions of houses in 'holding'! Houses that could be peoples' homes!

Loki: Also, why are you acting like we're the only ones doing this?

Pepper: You three are the most egregious.

Chaos Trio: Fair.

Pepper: We can salvage this-

Ife: No need! I listed out all the things we and sent it out to Ashtoreth for PR.

Pepper: Okay. F.R.I.D.A.Y?

F.R.I.D.A.Y: Yes?

Pepper: Block out my schedule for the next three weeks. I'm taking a sabbatical.

[kumquatqueenb]

Buddie fic idea: Post-Lawsuit. The team treat Buck coldly, especially Eddie, but instead of letting it destroy him, Buck decides to move on in the emotional sense. He stops reaching out to the team, makes friends with others at the station and even with captains and crews at other stations. When Buck is finally let out on a call, he impresses and some of the captains from the other crews involved make digs at Bobby for wasting a firefighter of Buck's caliber. Bobby and company are embarrassed and finally realize they've been losing Buck. They all start trying to regain Buck's affections, leading to some hilarious but heartfelt moments, and maybe true love when it comes to how Eddie tries to regain Buck's heart.

Ok, so I’m not going to lie, lawsuit stuff isn’t really my cup of tea, which Ik is totally hypocritical since I just posted a whole fic that had the lawsuit in it. The team being really mean just doesn’t really spark joy for me, but I appreciate the ask so take this ficlet and some recs that are sort of similar as a peace offering :)

Listen, Bobby knew that he was being a dick. It’s just that what Buck had done, the lawsuit? It hurt. He had just been so immature. He knew that Buck had been upset, but he’d at least expected the younger man to make it through the dinner he’d been invited to to hear Bobby out. He sure as hell hadn’t expected a fucking lawsuit. He’d hurt the rest of the team too, and it hadn’t seemed like he’d noticed until the arbitration.

Plus, somehow Buck had managed to convince the Chief that he should be let back over Bobby’s head, which was embarrassing. Although he didn’t particularly care too much about that, no, he was far more upset with the man for everything else. A part of him was also fucking scared. He was pissed sure, but the reason he hadn’t wanted to let Buck back to work was still very much relevant. He didn’t want to lose him. So when the Chief had asked if he wanted Buck switched to another station he’d said no. He would much rather keep Buck under his supervision as safe as he could be.

As happy as Buck had been to be allowed back, he hadn’t been very happy about Bobby’s measures to keep him safe. Although considering it was Buck, Bobby doubted he saw it as what it was.

So he didn’t let Buck out on calls. Not until one day when he had to for a major scene that they’d shared with the newly refurbished 136, and he had done amazingly. Bobby chose not to think about Buck’s great performance though, sticking him as man behind as soon as he had the option again. Being man behind also meant that Buck got the most chores, although Bobby would maintain that that was a coincidence and not a punishment like he knew Buck thought it was.

The rest of the team wasn’t particularly happy with him either, which had Buck walking around like a kicked puppy half the time. He didn’t complain though, seeming to have finally grasped the fact that he’d really upset them all.

Things had gone on like that for a month, which was honestly longer than Bobby had initially intended for it to. He couldn’t stop though, as upset as Buck was about all of it, he was still alive and hospital visit free for the whole month.

It wasn’t sustainable though, something was bound to break eventually, and it did. Just not how Bobby had expected it to.

It all came to a head at the fundraiser the 118 had been taken offline for the day to run. It was all fun and games with a craft table, a couple little games of bowling or fishing for magnetic rubber ducks, a safety seminar for the parents, and a dunk tank. None of them had wanted to be the one who was getting dunked, so the job had been shunted to Buck.

In hindsight, Bobby could see just how fucking terrible of an idea that had been.

Buck had made an attempt to talk his way out of it, but he’d been shut down quickly with a glare from Bobby and a ‘It’s not like he’s asking you to run a marathon, suck it up.’ from Eddie.

To Buck’s credit, he’d made it almost to the end of the day. Eventually though, after being dunked enough times, it’d been too much for his frazzled mind. Bobby really wished he’d considered the fact that Buck had been through a whole fucking tsunami before he’d signed the kid up to be repeatedly dunked in cold water for two hours.

Buck had ended up sucking in a lungful of water, choking hard and scrabbling to get out of the tank. He’d rushed off into the showers after that, before the rest of them really had time to react.

Eddie and Chim had been the first to follow while Hen corralled the worried parents and very apologetic kid. She’d had one of the probies take over quickly and they’d gone into the showers too.

Buck had been sitting with his back to the tile wall and his knees hugged close to his chest, dodging Chim’s concerned medic hands as he kept coughing.

He kept saying he was fine, that he’d be out again in a minute. Then when Bobby had entered he started apologizing, which had felt just as incredibly shitty as when some crazy kid had been threatening him with a bomb meant for Bobby. This was his fuckup, not Buck’s. Not this time.

Buck hadn’t wanted to hear that though, and had instead gone right back to the dunk tank with big smiles for the kids a minute later.

So suffice it to say that Bobby was already feeling pretty shitty that night when he had to go to the Captain’s banquet.

He’d ended up striking up a conversation with the semi-recently recovered Captain Cooper of the 136.

“You know, the lawsuit is a real downer, but by god is Buckley an asset in the field if what I saw at the scene the other day is anything to go by.” The man said, and Bobby really hadn’t wanted to talk about Buck or the lawsuit tonight, but it seemed pretty unavoidable at this point.

“Yeah well, he hasn’t been in the field much since the lawsuit.” Bobby shrugged, and Cooper’s gaze snapped to him.

“You know, one of mine spent a good chunk of time at the 118 while our house was rebuilt.” The man pointed out, and Bobby wasn’t entirely sure where this was going.

“Yeah, firefighter Bosko was a great temp for our team.” Bobby nodded, shooting the other man a curious look.

“Yeah she’s great.” Cooper agreed, “But my point is, that I now have been getting quite the earful of all of the 118 drama, especially surrounding Buckley.”

Bobby sighed, “And I assume you have opinions you’d like to share?” He asked, figuring he might as well get it over with.

“Just this, firehouses are families.” He shrugged, “And even when someone in your family messes up, and even when it hurts you, you don’t kick them to the curb, you forgive them.”

“I haven’t kicked anyone to the curb, Buck is still at the 118.” Bobby pointed out.

“True, but you haven’t forgiven him either.” Cooper pointed out, “Look, you’re their Captain, right? Which in this world means you’re almost like a parent or at least a guiding force. If you don’t let one of your little birdies leave the nest, then you aren’t doing your job as a parent or as a Captain.”

Bobby scoffed, about ready to end this conversation right here.

“No, listen.” Cooper stops him when he opens his mouth to do just that, “You’ve met my little trouble birdy. As much as I’d love to lock Lena and her penchant for getting into street fighting in a bubble, I can’t. She’s like my kid, and from what I’ve heard, Buckley is like yours too. He hurt you, yeah, but that’s what kids do, the push back and they get themselves into stupid and dangerous situations and they hurt you, but that doesn’t mean you get to stop doing your job. Just consider that, okay. I think you’ll all be a lot happier if you can forgive him.”

With that, the man walked away smoothly before Bobby could even respond. Not that he was sure what he’d say. He hated it, but between what’d happened earlier and Cooper’s words, Bobby knew he had a lot to consider.

Some fics you might enjoy:

The first one is mine, which isn’t too similar to your request but it does have the lawsuit.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/49021915/chapters/123676909

This one is where the 118 and Buck are on the outs after the lawsuit and so Buck leaves and they have to go get him back.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/24734989

This one is about Buck leaving the 118 to go work with the 126 after the lawsuit.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23608636

[centraleventrentals]

Elevate Your Event with Bar Table and Chair Rentals

How Bar Table and Chair Rentals Can Elevate Your Event Setup: A Guide to Choosing the Right Tables for Any Occasion

When planning an event, one of the most important but often overlooked details is the furniture setup. The choice of bar table and chair rentals can have a significant impact on the overall atmosphere and functionality of your event. These rentals not only serve a practical purpose but also enhance the visual appeal of the space. Whether it’s a wedding, corporate event, or a private gathering, choosing the right tables rentals can elevate your event, making it memorable for your guests by creating a perfect balance between comfort and style.

Bar tables, in particular, provide a versatile and social seating option, encouraging guests to interact and move freely around the venue.

The Importance of Bar Table and Chair Rentals

Why do bar table and chair rentals matter so much? Simple. They can shape the flow and tone of your event. Picture this: you walk into a beautifully decorated room, but the seating is mismatched or impractical. Suddenly, that elegance fades. Bar tables and chairs are ideal for standing and mingling events, where guests want the freedom to move around while still having a place to rest their drinks or plates. Not only do they offer practicality, but they also add a contemporary flair to any event space.

Setting the Right Vibe with Tables Rentals

Your choice of tables rentals can set the tone for your event. Low, formal seating encourages sit-down conversations, while bar tables encourage guests to mingle freely. This flexibility is perfect for events like cocktail parties, fundraisers, or corporate events. With the right rentals, your event can go from average to unforgettable.

The Versatility of Bar Tables

One of the great things about bar table rentals is their versatility. These tables work in almost any setting – whether indoors or outdoors, formal or casual. They’re the perfect solution for maximizing space, allowing guests to gather without needing a large, fixed dining area. Plus, their height makes them ideal for creating multiple zones within a larger event. For example, you can place bar tables in the cocktail reception area to keep guests moving before the main event.

Creating a Cohesive Look

Have you ever been to an event that looked disjointed because the furniture didn’t match? Choosing your tables rentals carefully ensures that your event space feels cohesive. You can pick bar table and chair sets that match your color scheme or theme, tying the entire event together in a unified look.

Matching Tables and Chairs to Your Theme

Themed events are a huge hit, and one way to tie everything together is through your furniture. If you’re hosting a rustic event, wooden bar tables paired with natural-colored chairs can create a warm, welcoming atmosphere. For a modern, sleek event, metallic bar tables with white or black leather chairs are a perfect match. The key is to match your tables rentals with the aesthetic you’re aiming for.

Bar Table and Chair Placement Strategy

Once you’ve chosen the perfect bar table and chair rentals, the next step is placing them strategically throughout the venue. The last thing you want is for your space to feel cramped or, conversely, too sparse. A good rule of thumb is to place high-top bar tables near food stations or bars, as guests will naturally gravitate toward these areas. Having these tables around encourages guests to linger and interact, turning every corner of your event into a social hub.

Tables Rentals for Every Event Type

Whether you’re hosting a small family gathering, a corporate event, or a grand wedding, tables rentals are essential. For more intimate affairs, bar tables provide a casual but elegant space for guests to chat and enjoy drinks. For larger events, they help maximize space, ensuring guests aren’t confined to one area. Consider your guest list, the nature of your event, and your venue’s size when selecting your tables.

Bar Tables as Focal Points

Did you know that bar tables can serve as more than just functional pieces? They can become focal points at your event. Decorate them with flowers, candles, or other decor items to enhance the look. They can even be used to display important items like event programs or appetizers. This way, your bar tables aren't just places to sit—they become part of the event’s overall design.

Customizing Your Bar Table and Chair Rentals

One of the biggest advantages of renting is customization. Many rental companies offer a range of bar tables and chairs that can be customized to suit your event. Need cocktail tables with a splash of color? No problem. Want elegant, high-back stools for a more upscale vibe? You’ve got options. Rental companies provide the flexibility to choose exactly what fits your event’s style and atmosphere.

The Cost-Effectiveness of Renting

Buying furniture for a single event can be expensive and impractical. That’s why renting is such a great option. With tables rentals, you don’t have to worry about storage, maintenance, or the cost of buying furniture that you might not use again. Renting is a cost-effective solution that allows you to invest your budget in other areas of your event, like catering or entertainment.

Choosing the Right Rental Company

Of course, all of this depends on choosing the right rental company. Look for a company that offers a wide selection of bar tables and chairs, with options to suit different styles, event types, and budgets. Check out reviews, ask for recommendations, and always ensure you visit their showroom if possible to see the furniture in person before committing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, selecting the right bar table and chair rentals can significantly elevate your event, from the overall ambiance to how your guests interact. Whether you're hosting a stylish cocktail party, a corporate event, or a wedding, the perfect tables rentals will enhance the flow, add aesthetic appeal, and ensure your guests are comfortable throughout the occasion.  Ready to take your event setup to the next level? Visit Central Event Rentals to explore a wide range of rental options that will transform your event into an unforgettable experience!

[newmusicweekly]

Samsara Headlines Special Benefit Show at Nostalgia

On Saturday July 27th at 5pm, join SAMSARA, The Kindergarten, Set Theory, Ryan Walsfich and more for a very special benefit concert fundraiser to support Ronald McDonald House at Nostalgia Bar in Bethpage, NY. 100% of all proceeds go to the cause! The grunge revivalists are primed to take over the northeast US and beyond, with planned music and video releases, plus huge performances already played or scheduled for venues throughout the NY, NJ, and MA areas.   Comprised of local New Yorkers from Queens and Long Island who base their time partly out of Boston, MA : Dylan Trif, (Lead Vocals), Charlie LoMonaco, (Guitar/ Background Vocals), John Devito, (Bass), Ben Bustamante, (Drums/ Background Vocals), and Brendan Sandhovel, (Guitar) - SAMSARA draws their influence from several styles including grunge, funk, metal, and alternative.    Their new single "how do you say my name?," dropped on July 11th. You should also check out the music video for their song “In Too Deep”.   The band has already garnered praise from music professionals, securing 2nd place at the Tarrytown Music Hall’s "Rock The Hall" in September 2021. Their music has been featured on SiriusXM's Channel 21, college radio broadcasts, and local radio stations.   SAMSARA has played at some of the most notorious rock venues in the tri-state area, regional music festivals, and street fairs, and has collaborated with seasoned professionals in the music industry. Read the full article

[singingrainbows]

Fun Event In Surrey

Hi, if you're in England, Surrey, in August there's a fun event happening. 😊 The nonprofit wildlife rescue organization, Wildlife Aid is having their annual Open Weekend, part fundraiser, part fun festival, it sounds like great fun. Plus it's for a good cause. Win win. :)

"We want to make this Open Weekend our biggest and best yet; an opportunity to come together to celebrate the memory of our beloved founder and honour all of his incredible achievements.  Please, do come along and share this special time with us. Wildlife Aid Open Weekend 2024 The two-day family event will take place on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th August. It provides a unique opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the UK’s leading wildlife hospitals. You will also get to meet some of our volunteers and talk to them about their experiences of looking after sick and injured wildlife. Our Open Weekend promises to be great fun for all, with stalls and activities for young and not-so-young (!), alike; you can enjoy local arts & crafts, photography and much more. From learning how to make birdfeeders to buying beautiful artwork, with archery, a bungee run and ‘test your strength’ thrown in for good measure – there are plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained. There will be plenty to eat and drink, too!  This year, the Southern Bus Preservation Group are very kindly providing a free bus service to and from the centre. The timetable will be released, shortly. What’s more, as part of our commitment to the community, we will be providing information on how you can help mitigate risk to wildlife, as well as key tips on ‘what to do’ if you find a wild animal in need. This is our biggest fundraising event of the year, with all proceeds going towards the care and rehabilitation of the thousands of animal emergencies we respond to. Entrance tickets for Open Weekend can only be purchased on the day, however, Hospital Tour Tickets need to be purchased in advance (you can do so by following the link, below). Hospital Tour tickets are based on a first come first served basis, so book soon to avoid disappointment! Buy Hospital Tour Tickets Admission is £5 per person, per day (under 5s go free). Parking is available in the field on Springfield Drive, next to the hospital, kindly donated for the day by KBR Leatherhead. For those on foot, we are just a short walk from Leatherhead Town centre and train station. The cost of a hospital tour is £3 per person and under 5s go free.

Helping us help wildlife

We could really benefit from some additional support for the Open Weekend. Tombola Prizes: If you have any unwanted or unused items that you’re happy to part ways with, we will gladly make use of them in our tombola. We need items for adults and children that are in like-new condition and unopened, e.g. toiletries, bottles of wine, toys, etc., (note: no bric-a-brac or books, please). We need these to be dropped to the hospital by Wednesday 31st July, please. Plants: For WAF to sell, anything potted (and labelled, please) would be great, but, please, don’t bring anything in yet, as they are unlikely to survive! Cakes/Pastries:Those of you who are happy bakers, we need lots of supplies for the cake stall. Homemade or store bought, everything is very much appreciated! We will need A LOT, as this is one of the most popular stalls. We are looking for both sweet and savoury items, this year. But, please, don’t bring these in until Wednesday 31st July at the earliest, as we cannot guarantee they will last until the weekend. 😊

If you can help with any of the above, please contact alice@wildlifeaid.org.uk 

N.B. We can use staple-free newspapers (not magazines/shredded paper, etc.) and greens, please. Our patients can eat cabbage, cauliflower/broccoli leaves, spinach, all types of lettuce, kale, sliced greens, dandelion leaves, etc. Drop-off can be any time between 9am and 8.30pm, 7 days a week at the address, below: Wildlife Aid Foundation Randalls Road Leatherhead KT22 0AL We do not currently need any towels and have no space to store a surplus! Thank you!"

[ear-worthy]

iHeart Radio Celebrates Pride Month

The article below is written by iHeart, and normally I don't publish P.R. releases, but in this case, iHeart has a positive story to tell. Kudos to the organization. Pride Month, after all, is not a stunt or a festival or a parade. Pride Month honors the 1969 Stonewall riots, and works to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) Americans. It's not just a celebration by the LGBTQ+ community. It is also, and should be, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.

Take it away, iHeart:

It’s officially Pride Month, and iHeart has no shortage of ways to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community this month and beyond. 

 Find the perfect soundtrack to your festivities with iHeart’s Pride-themed programming all month long: from Can’t Cancel Pride 2024 and the best in music on PRIDE Radio to iHeartPodcasts from your favorite LGBTQ+ creators and Pride parties hosted by local radio stations across the country. 

 Don’t miss our fifth annual “Can’t Cancel Pride'' event tomorrow, June 12 with performances from some of the most influential voices in the community and its allies, including Elton John Impact Award Recipient and host Billy Porter, Allison Russell, Ben Platt, David Archuleta, Meghan Trainor, Melissa Etheridge, Orville Peck, RAYE, Victoria Monét and more. The event provides much-needed visibility and funding for six LGBTQ+ organizations – CenterLink, GLAAD, National Black Justice Coalition, Outright International, The Trevor Project and SAGE –  to continue the transformative work they are accomplishing in support of the LGBTQ+ community.  Fans can tune in to the one-hour benefit special, produced by iHeartMedia and P&G, on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook pages, Hulu and Revry tomorrow, June 12 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT and the special will also be available to stream throughout Pride Month.

 Plus, celebrate anywhere you are with iHeart’s Outspoken Podcast Network, featuring a lineup of shows that aim to amplify, elevate and reflect the diversity, richness and humanity of the voices throughout the LGBTQ+ community. 

 Go deep on the issues with intimate, truth-only conversations from “The Laverne Cox Show”; learn more about the untold stories of queer history on “But We Loved” through elders of the community; find out why “Because the Boss Belongs to Us” makes the case for Bruce Springsteen being recognized as a queer icon; and explore the world of queer sex, cruising, relationships, culture and more on “Sniffies' Cruising Confessions.” Plus so much more, find a full list of Outspoken shows here. 

 There also is fun happening in your community! iHeart’s hit radio stations across the country are participating in local Pride celebrations with on-air contests, fundraising efforts, street festivals, parades and much more. 

 Find a full list of iHeart’s Pride Month events here, and keep reading for some highlights and upcoming events from around the country:

May 31 to June 2: PRIDE Radio Houston kicked off Pride Month by broadcasting live from Walt Disney World’s “One Magical Weekend” in Orlando, Florida. This multi-day event has been happening since the first Red Shirt Pride Day in 1991, with thousands of LGBTQ+ travelers making this weekend the start of their festivities every year. 

May 31-June 2: iHeartMedia Washington, DC’s HOT 99.5 and PRIDE Radio presented the free Capital Pride Concert with Ava Max, Billy Porter and special guest Keke Palmer.

June 8: PRIDE Radio supported the 5th annual FLoatarama Flotilla in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The Pride-On-Water event featuring over 30 private and commercial boats raises funds for the FLoatarama LGBTQ Youth Fund.

June 8-9: Ricky Martin headlined L.A. Pride in the Park where iHeartMedia served as the official radio and media partner. PRIDE Radio and iHeart Los Angeles stations were also part of the L.A. Pride Parade.

June 29-June 30: Billy Porter will serve as Celebrity Grand Marshall in the San Francisco Pride Parade and will perform at the City Hall Party supported by iHeartMedia San Francisco stations 106.1 KMEL, Wild 94.9, Star 101.3 and 103.7 80s+.

June 30: iHeart is a presenting media sponsor of NYC Pride, the Pride March stepping off from 25th Street and 5th Avenue and PrideFest, the annual NYC LGBTQIA+ street fair with exhibitors, food and activities.

June 30: iHeartRadio Seattle stations HITS 106.1 and 95.7 JET serve as media partners of Seattle Pride as they celebrate their 50th Pride Celebration this year. 

 Stay tuned to iHeartRadio all of June for even more Pride-themed content still to come. Happy Pride!

[cllnsllvn]

Recovering from jetlag - Auckland Week 1

Tuesday, November 28

This photo was the only photo I took all day (with the exception of a screenshot of an audio book that was automatically returned so that I could remember where I left off). Nothing real was accomplished this day. I did plenty of administrative things in the AirBnb and drank lots of tea. I applied for an IRD number (tax identification number), a bank account, and a bunch of jobs. I was so exhausted - the jet lag really took me out! I took an ill-advised nap at 4 PM and woke up in time to find dinner. For a while, I was just eating take aways, because I was very much still in vacation mode. Plus, I think its hard to buy groceries and cook for yourself when you don't know where your next stop is and how you plan to get there. I got takeaway from this place called Bowl'd, and I got a buy one get one free Mexican Fiesta Bowl. I figured this was a harmless purchase, but for some reason, all of the rice was brown rice. Let me tell you, brown rice does not belong in a Mexican rice bowl!

Wednesday, November 29

Before arriving in NZ, I had posted on a Facebook group for Working Holiday Visa holders that I would be arriving at the end of November. Through that post, I met Meg, an Ohioan who was arriving the week before me! We chatted on and off, and Meg gave me tips about getting through the airport, overcoming jet lag, getting the IRD number and bank account, and more.

We decided to go to the Auckland Art Gallery, which has free admission. We saw a couple of very cool exhibits, including a sneak peek of a fashion exhibit that will be on display soon. The last picture above is a series of political caricatures, and the top right is the view of the Sky Tower on the walk there!

Thursday, November 30

Today, I explored Mt Eden Village, which is essentially the main business street in Mt Eden. It was a nice walk from the AirBnb, just up the road. The thing that has been most interesting to me while walking around Auckland is the way the storefronts look. I’m sure it’s unremarkable to many, but it is notable to me!

Every business has a sort of covered flat awning/bump out that has their business name on the outside and hanging down perpendicularly. You can sort of see it in the top picture above? I don't know if it'll make sense to anyone else. Anyway, at the end of my walk, I stumbled upon a Dunkin' in the Auckland wild! The best part was that it shared a lot with a Mobil gas station. A classic MA sighting! Then, I stopped by an independent bookshop and snagged a picture of the staircase leading up to the staff area, as well as a few book recommendations!

Friday, December 1

Mom sent me to NZ with a portable version of the advent chain, which started today! Day 1 was to hang the garland that she also sent with me. She made it from old Christmas cards (I can only assume, I didn't actually ask)!

Today, I went to a virtual training for a job I did not end up accepting. It was a street fundraising job that allowed for traveling all around the North Island. The issue was that it was too much work for what I'm looking for. Yes, you get to travel around the North Island, but how much can you really see when you are working Monday through Friday 10-6 and every other Saturday 10-6, plus (unpaid) travel days on Sunday. But I did treat myself to a nice croissant and a flat white, so it makes up for it. I move out of the AirBnb tomorrow, on to the YMCA hostel in central Auckland!

[celtfather]

40 Minute Celtic Workout #646

Start stretching for a 40 minute Celtic Workout with Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #646.

Gordon McLeod, Tim Cummings, Pete Sutherland, Brad Kolodner, Firinn, The Out of Kilters, We Banjo 3, Corey Purcell, Logical Fleadh, Poitín, Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening,The Langer's Ball, Cantrip, TJ Hull and Amanda Caretta - Hull

GET CELTIC MUSIC NEWS IN YOUR INBOX

The Celtic Music Magazine is a quick and easy way to plug yourself into more great Celtic culture. Enjoy seven weekly news items for Celtic music and culture online. Subscribe now and get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free.

VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2024

This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create next year's Best Celtic music of 2024 episode. You have just three weeks to vote this year. Vote Now!

You can follow our playlist on Spotify to listen to those top voted tracks as they are added every 2 - 3 weeks. It also makes it easier for you to add these artists to your own playlists. You can also check out our Irish & Celtic Music Videos

THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC

1:20 - Gordon McLeod "The Boys of Ballysodare" from Still Fiddlin'

3:31 - Tim Cummings, Pete Sutherland, Brad Kolodner "Sheep in the Clouds • Helluva Fish" from The Birds' Flight

7:10 - Firinn "Old Mate's, The Rip Off Reel" from The Long Lunch

9:58 - The Out of Kilters "The Congress / The Red - Haired Boy" from Hot Potatoes

13:36 - We Banjo 3 "The First Second Gentleman" from Open The Road

18:04 - Corey Purcell "Polkas (Gas Station Sushi/Whiskey and a Fiddle)" from Undaunted

21:14 - Logical Fleadh "Merry Blacksmith/Swinging on the Gate (acoustic)" from Acoustic Mixes (10 - Track Acoustic Re - Mix)

24:34 - Poitín "One For The Road" from One For The Road

27:59 - Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening “Quilley Reel" from Cloud Horizons

31:04 - The Langer's Ball "Hornpipes: Delahunty's/Off to California/Rights of Man" from Appetite for Tradition

34:22 - Cantrip "Duncan Johnstone" from Undark

40:34 - TJ Hull and Amanda Caretta - Hull "The Mamm" from Tippy Taps

42:28 - CREDITS

If you enjoyed this bonus show, please consider making a pledge to support our 2024 Kickstarter with our “Celtic on the Inside” shirt and album. Only 100 copies of each will be printed. Be one of the first! The Kickstarter ends Friday, Feb 2, 204.

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather and our Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. Visit our website to follow the show. You’ll find links to all of the artists played in this episode.

Todd Wiley is the editor of the Celtic Music Magazine. Subscribe to get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. Plus, you’ll get 7 weekly news items about what’s happening with Celtic music and culture online. Best of all, you will connect with your Celtic heritage.

Please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor.

Finally, remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/.

WELCOME THE IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST

* Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. I am Marc Gunn.

This podcast comes out four times per month. But every three months, there’s technically an off week. That’s what this week’s show is all about.

But it is also part of a fundraising campaign for our 2024 Kickstarter.  We’re funding 100 Celtic Pins, 100 Celtic CDs, and 100 Celtic Shirts for the new year. The campaign closes on Friday. I wanted to send you one bonus episode to remind you to make a pledge to the Kickstarter to support it. This is how you can promote the podcast without filling your Facebook feed full of “Listen to this Podcast” messages.

In addition to the regular campaign rewards, I added a couple Add Ons that are only available with any other physical pledge. The one I’m excited about is the “Kiss Me I’m Sci F’Irish” album pin. If you're a geek like me, then I hope that appeals to you.

Alright on to the show.

Today’s show is an all - instrumental, upbeat exercise show. It lasts just over 40 minutes. And it is just the music.

You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes, along with show times, when you visit our website at celticmusicpodcast.com.

THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST!

You are amazing. It is because of your generosity that you get to hear so much great Celtic music each and every week.

Your kindness pays for our engineer, graphic designer, Celtic Music Magazine editor, promotion of the podcast, and allows me to buy the music I play here. It also pays for my time creating the show each and every week.

As a patron, you get music - only episodes before regular listeners, vote in the Celtic Top 20, stand - alone stories, and you get a private feed to listen to the show.  All that for as little as $1 per episode.

HERE IS YOUR THREE STEP PLAN TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Go to our Patreon page.

Decide how much you want to pledge every week, $1, $5, $25. Make sure to cap how much you want to spend per month.

Keep listening to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast to celebrate Celtic culture through music.

You can become a generous Patron of the Podcast on Patreon at SongHenge.com.

TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. Learn more about the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/

#celticmusic #irishmusic #celticmusicpodcast

I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? Please email me. I’d love to see a  picture of what you're doing while listening or of a band that you saw recently.

Email me at follow@bestcelticmusic

  Check out this episode!

[jeremynevins]

Executive Manager and long-time business owner with entrepreneurial focus in the Wine and Spirits and Food and Beverage Industries. Owner and operator of retail shops in highly visible and trafficked locations. Run and guide courses and events for industry education, corporate affairs, and social gatherings large and small. Demonstrate expertise in the hospitality industry, leading to mutually beneficial partnerships with corporate clients, restaurants, resorts, wine bars and spirit shops throughout the US. ACHIEVEMENTS Doubled sales from 2020-2021 for Together Apart Events Grew catering sales from startup mode to $1,000,000 annual revenue for Siegel Foods and Beverages Drove wine and spirit sales to $1,000,000 plus annual revenue for Siegel Foods and Beverages Increased business from $750,000 to $5,000,000 plus annual revenue at well above industry standard margins in one of the country's most foot trafficked retail locations, Grand Central Station, for Grande Harvest Wines Accredited with the American Sommelier Achievement in 2004, one of only ten in the greater New York region Inducted into the Wine and Spirit Guild of New York in 2008

[masterofd1saster]

CJ current events early aug23

One man crime tsunami

DENVER (KDVR) — A man who escaped from a federal prison in Littleton, Colorado, in 2018 has been apprehended in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Authorities say they found him living a “flashy” assumed identity. Allen Todd May, 58, had been on the run since Dec. 21, 2018, when he escaped from the Englewood Federal Correctional Institution. May originally stole a Bureau of Prisons work truck and drove off the prison grounds without anyone noticing. *** a U.S. Marshals Service spokesman told NewsNation affiliate KDVR-TV the trail for May turned cold for years until an anonymous tipster surfaced a few months ago. He was seen in a photo taken at a high society fundraiser that was published in the Palm Beach Daily News in mid-May. The caption listed him as Jacob Turner. May was arrested Monday night at a Fort Lauderdale home less than 2 miles from the ocean. Investigators said the home is valued at nearly $1.5 million. When U.S. Marshals arrested him, they say May was wearing a Rolex watch and driving a Mercedes car that agents believe was worth about $125,000.*** When he escaped, May had nine years left on a 20-year prison sentence for securities fraud. He was convicted of stealing $6.8 million through a Ponzi scheme. But even when he was behind bars, investigators think he managed to steal another $700,000 through fraud. A scheme worth $700K — all from behind bars May was indicted in June 2022 on 17 counts of wire and mail fraud, plus one count of escape. From 2016-2018, when May was still behind bars, he allegedly set up fake energy companies, according to the indictment. Just about every state has an account for unclaimed property. Investigators say May set up sham companies in Texas through the secretary of state’s website and then found unclaimed oil and gas royalties that had never been paid out in Kansas, Louisiana, and North Dakota. May contacted those states and portrayed himself as a representative of those companies, according to the indictment. He claimed that “entities controlled by him were entitled to oil and gas royalties that had not yet been claimed by the true owners.”***

***

 Chad Stall is the proprietor of Arbor Pros Tree Service in the Tampa, Florida area. He drives a white Ford truck with the company logo on it. He crashed into a motorcycle on US Highway 301 on June 9 killing David Adams, 59, and badly injuring his girlfriend Tiffany Fletcher, 38. Police had no leads other than a video that appeared to show the Arbor P

Ismael Gonzalez saw the crash and chased the truck. He told Stall to return to the accident scene. Stall promised to do so, but never returned. Gonzalez then left Arbor Pros a 1-star google review, noting the crash and the broken promise. That led the Hillsborough County sheriff to Stall.

***

Not the T-Swizzle experience you want

A man was fatally stabbed on a Metro Green Line train in Hawthorne Wednesday evening, but not before shooting his alleged assailant in the chest. The unidentified victim, a man believed to be in his early to mid 20s, died at a local hospital after deputies found him “suffering from apparent stab wounds to the upper torso” on a train at the Crenshaw Station at about 7:20 p.m., the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release. The station at 11902 S. Crenshaw Blvd. is on one of Los Angeles Metro’s suggested public transit routes to Taylor Swift’s upcoming shows at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The victim’s assailant, a man in his mid to late 30s, was taken into custody and “transported to a local hospital for apparent gunshot wounds to the upper torso,” the release said.*** https://ktla.com/news/local-news/man-shoots-his-killer-during-stabbing-on-metro-train-in-hawthorne-lasd-says/

The 30 y/o man died too according to the NY Post.

***

Look at his mug and guess his favorite drug & prison

On 8/2/2023 around 7:30 p.m., Officers were called out to the Sonic at Tulsa Hills on 81st St in reference to a stabbing. When Officers arrived, they found the male victim with a flagpole through his head. The pole entered the victim's head beneath his jaw and exited the other side of his head near his right temple area. The American Flag was still attached the pole at the time. Multiple witnesses said they saw the suspect, identified as Clinton Collins, charge at the victim and stab him with the flagpole through his head. The witnesses said they also heard Collins say, "That's what he gets. He deserved it."*** Firefighters with the Tulsa Fire Department had to cut part of the flagpole in order to fit the victim into the ambulance. Miraculously, we're told the victim will survive his injuries, but will likely lose an eye. Clinton Collins was arrested for Maiming AFCF (After Former Conviction of a Felony).*** https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=661890179307277&set=a.215522740610692

***

Marinara sauce as a lethal weapon

*** The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office released its report for 78-year-old Sheila Wobbeking’s death on Tuesday. Wobbeking died at her Plymouth home on July 5 after a medical emergency. However, the medical examiner determined that the medical emergency that ended her life stemmed from injuries she suffered a week earlier. According to Maple Grove Police Commander Jon Wetternach, Wobbeking called police on the afternoon of June 27, saying her daughter, Nicole Wobbeking, had assaulted her. It allegedly happened at a home in the 11900 block of 71st Avenue in Maple Grove, where Nicole Wobbeking lived, although court documents state the home was owned by her mother and she was just the tenant. Sheila Wobbeking told police that she’d gone to the home to talk about some issues that neighbors had brought to her attention as well as unpaid rent. When she got to the home, her daughter didn’t answer so she went inside and continued calling for her daughter. That’s when Nicole allegedly came out of a room, started yelling obscenities at her mother and slapped her in the face, then pushed her down several stairs, according to court documents. She also allegedly hit her mother in the ribs and hips with a can of unopened pasta sauce. Sheila was able to get outside and wait for the police with her granddaughter. She was taken to a hospital and diagnosed with a broken ankle before being released.*** https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/police-plymouth-woman-died-week-after-being-assaulted-by-daughter-death-ruled-homicide/

Hennepin County Attorney’s Office is considering homicide charges against Nicole.

***

***

You don't see enough nekkid people?

Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office investigators have arrested a doctor who is accused of hiding a camera at Ochsner Medical Center to record staffers as they used the restroom at the hospital in Old Jefferson.  Andrew Matthews, 31, of Jefferson, was booked with 10 counts of video voyeurism after he was detained Wednesday morning at the hospital in the 1500 block of Jefferson Highway, said Capt. Jason Rivarde, a Sheriff's Office spokesperson. Detectives have identified at least 10 individual victims in the "dozens of videos" recorded inside the bathrooms, Rivarde said.*** An unnamed employee discovered the camera Wednesday morning while using the restroom and reported the device, according to Rivarde. *** The hospital contacted the Sheriff's Office about 11:30 a.m., Rivarde said. Security identified Matthews as a possible suspect and turned the camera over to detectives.  The single device appears to have been placed in "staff only" restrooms, which are unisex, according to authorities. The Sheriff's Office did not say how long they believe Matthews had been recording co-workers. *** https://www.nola.com/news/jefferson_parish/andrews-matthews-ochsner-bathroom-spy-camera-jpso/article_29252db0-3216-11ee-9eac-9f02126d0ca5.html

***

How loud?

CV NEWS FEED // A video of a young man who was arrested for reading the Bible at a pride event in Wisconsin went viral last weekend. In the video, Marcus Schroeder, 19, is arrested without warning or explanation. He had been reading a passage from the Bible into a microphone next to a “Pride in the Park” event in Watertown, Wisconsin. According to Schroeder, the event lasted from 10 am to 6 pm and was attended by 100-200 Christian protesters. Schroeder attended the event with a ministry group called “Warriors for Christ.” “We went out there and were preaching the Gospel, passing out tracts, holding some signs, and just kind of being a public witness against what was going on, talking to people at the event,” Schroeder said.  At around 3 pm, Schroeder said he began to use the group’s microphone and speaker to read Galatians 5, a passage about love, from the sidewalk outside the barrier that had been set up for the event.  “And as soon as I start reading from that passage, a bunch of officers come and surround me,” he said, noting that the officers gave him no warning and were hostile towards him.  “The officer in the video grabs my hand, grabs my arm and kind of twists it down, tries to pull the mic away from me, and then all of a sudden, an officer behind me grabs my other arm, and they handcuffed me, arrested me,” Schroeder said.  He was detained for about an hour and was given two citations—one for “unauthorized sound amplification,” and one for resisting arrest.  “When I asked the officer how I resisted the arrest, he essentially said it was because my muscles tensed up,” Schroeder recalled. *** https://catholicvote.org/young-man-arrested-for-reading-bible-outside-pride-event/

I suspect that the part of Galatians 5 he read was

13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

***

Expose yourself to nature doesn't mean indecently

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office says a high-profile sexual predator was arrested Tuesday night. He is identified as Glenn Braden, 20, of Evergreen.   The arrest happened after the sheriff's office said the suspect exposed himself to two separate and solo female hikers at Stapleton Park near the Beaver Brook Trail just after 6 p.m. Tuesday. *** Investigators believe Braden is the same suspect wanted in a series of similar encounters targeting lone female hikers beginning on April 3 at Flying J Ranch Park in Conifer. Over the next few weeks, the suspect struck again on June 13 at Three Sisters/Alderfer Park, and on July 11, three times on July 18 and July 24 at Flying J Ranch Park. https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/glen-braden-arrested-colorado-hiking-trails-indecent-exposure-sexual-contact-cases/

+++

The suspect, later identified as William Tidwell, 50, of Northglenn, was arrested Monday, and investigators believe he may have assaulted for victims.

On July 25, a woman was hiking near Caribou Road and Forest Service Road 505 outside Nederland when an unknown man driving what she described as a “search and rescue vehicle” wearing a green shirt styled to look like a search and rescue uniform contacted her, according to the Sheriff’s Office. https://www.denverpost.com/2023/08/10/boulder-county-sexual-assault-impersonating-official

***

Oakland  — After 60-year-old retiree David Schneider was shot and killed here while trimming a tree in his yard, his neighbor, Toni Bird, said she retreated indoors. “People aren’t feeling safe out of their house,” she said. “It makes sense that you would want to protect your house then, right? You would barricade it.” Amid a surge in crime in Oakland, police have advised residents to use air horns to alert neighbors to intruders and add security bars to their doors and windows.*** https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/08/08/air-horns-and-moving-trucks-how-oakland-residents-are-facing-a-surge-in-crime/ BB captured the moment-

***

The award for ugliest headline goes to

Former San Luis Valley DA sues his disbarred successor for $5 million over bogus felony charge

Then-DA Alonzo Payne filed unfounded embezzlement charge against predecessor Robert Willett last year

Former 12th Judicial District Attorney Robert Willett filed a $5 million federal lawsuit Tuesday against his successor and the district attorney’s office after he was wrongly prosecuted for embezzlement. Willett’s successor, the now-disbarred former district attorney Alonzo Payne, brought the felony charge against Willett in March 2022, days after Willett publicly called for Payne’s resignation. Willett claims in the lawsuit that the baseless charge was filed “as an act of sheer retaliation” for his public criticism of Payne. Payne resigned as district attorney for the 12th Judicial District in the San Luis Valley in July 2022 after an investigation by the Colorado Attorney General’s Office found he repeatedly violated crime victims’ rights. He also was facing a recall effort led by the city of Alamosa. Payne was disbarred in September in part because of his investigation into and prosecution of Willett, state records show. “…During a political campaign to recall Payne from office, Payne began an investigation and filed criminal charges against the previous district attorney, a political rival and critic of Payne,” a stipulation to discipline reads. “Despite this antagonistic relationship, Payne did not seek an outside law enforcement agency or special prosecutor to oversee the investigation or make charging decisions.” The embezzlement charge against Willett was dropped in September at the request of an independent prosecutor who was eventually appointed to the case. The judge at the time concluded the case lacked “any type of prosecutorial merit.”*** https://www.denverpost.com/2023/08/09/bob-willett-lawsuit-alonzo-payne-san-luis-valley-district-attorney/

***

Sort of an old video, but definitely worth a look for the lesson

***

Best response to a jury summons ever

Torrey Scow is the mother of triplets. When she rec'd a jury summons, she brought the curtain climbers to court.

The family's video is at https://youtu.be/abXQdNWmzjg. CNN video at

***

Fraud, Bureaucracy, & Illegality

*** Enter the plea deal granted to Charles McGonigal, the rogue senior agent whose last assignment before retiring in 2018 was serving as the counterintelligence boss of the bureau's powerful New York Field Office. In a Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, the disgraced McGonigal pleaded guilty to charges that he conspired to violate international sanctions on a notorious Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, and committed money laundering. Although these are serious charges and McGonigal faces up to five years in prison, nobody expects his sentence, which will be handed down towards the end of this year, to be that severe since he reached a plea deal with the Department of Justice, admitting his guilt. Nevertheless, the bureau’s image is severely tarnished here. Part of McGonigal’s job as a counterspy boss with the FBI was investigating Kremlin-connected Russian oligarchs, including Oleg Deripaska! The fact that McGonigal was also involved, at least to a degree, with the FBI’s infamous investigation of the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia in 2016, Operation CROSSFIRE HURRICANE, has led many Republicans to smell a rat. It looks like President Joe Biden’s Justice Department is giving McGonigal a pass to avoid unpleasant revelations about FBI dirty dealings which might emerge in any trial. The full story is even worse.*** The Balkan angle here is unpleasant and raises disturbing questions. As the New York Times put it gently this week, the accused "befriended the prime minister of Albania, Edi Rama, and used his position to drum up foreign business for his associates, according to the indictment filed against him in Washington. On one occasion, McGonigal opened an FBI investigation into a lobbyist for the Albanian prime minister’s main political rival." The truth, as The Examiner reported on multiple occasions , is considerably more troubling than that. In exchange for cash, McGonigal became the "heavy" for Rama and his Socialist government, threatening their political rivals and shaking down Albanian oligarchs for cash in exchange for protection from U.S. sanctions. This was a secret, mafia-like extortion ring run by a top FBI official, which netted tens of millions of dollars, according to multiple sources. Such underworld tactics are hardly unexpected since, during the decadelong rule of Rama and his Socialists, little Albania has become Europe’s epicenter for the global illegal narcotics trade, with the tacit support of the Biden State Department.*** https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/patriotism-unity/bidens-justice-department-is-burying-its-big-fbi-corruption-scandal

***

In the nation's capital....

A pair of physical altercations in and around the campus of Howard University has prompted the Washington, D.C., school to issue new security protocols to protect students. The ramped-up security comes after a recent incident in which a group of Howard University students were assaulted by a roving group of teenagers who had been seen around different regions of the city engaging in illegal behavior. According to 7 News, at least one student was stabbed near the university dorms on Monday morning. The incident took place after another altercation near the campus that did not involve any students. During a town hall Tuesday, university president Wayne Frederick announced that the university would be implementing a strict ID check for residence halls and other buildings that are only open to students, faculty, and staff. The school also announced there would be an increased security presence on campus.*** https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/crime/dc-crime-howard-university-tightens-security-mob-attack

Howard is in NW Washington. It's one of the more safe areas of DC.

***

BB crushing it

Funny meme, but it's based on a mob robbing a Nordstrom in Canoga Park on Saturday, 12aug23. This particular store had also been robbed by a mob in 2021. https://ktla.com/news/local-news/video-captures-mob-of-robbers-swarming-nordstrom-in-topanga-mall/

With crime now legal in California, a man robbed a 75-year-old woman in Hacienda Heights "around 11 a.m. Monday at a Bank of America." The man dragged the woman across asphalt for about 10 feet and escaped with her purse. https://www.kktv.com/2023/08/17/video-purse-snatcher-drags-75-year-old-victim-across-parking-lot/

Let's not forget SFran

*** a walking tour aims to bring attention to the “squalor” on San Francisco streets. Set to take place on Aug. 26, the tour plans to lead participants from City Hall to SoMa, the organizer, SF Anonymous Insider, said on Eventbrite. There is a charge of $30 for general admission to the tour. “The tour will start at City Hall, and continue through Mid-Market, the Tenderloin, and Union Square,” the webpage for the event says. “We will view the open-air drug markets, the abandoned tech offices, the outposts of the non-profit industrial complex, and the deserted department stores.”*** According to the Eventbrite page, the total walking distance expected on the tour is 1.5 miles, and sneakers are advised. https://sfstandard.com/2023/08/08/san-francisco-doom-loop-tour-set-for-later-this-month/

If you go, plan on throwing away your poo caked sneakers.

***

In Robert H. Biden news....

Hunter Biden’s leading attorney has asked to withdraw from the case because he could be called in as a witness in future litigation involving the collapsed plea deal he brokered with prosecutors. Lawyer Christopher Clark filed a motion with the Delaware judge who has presided over the case since the plea deal was announced. “Based on recent developments, it appears that the negotiation and drafting of the plea agreement and diversion agreement will be contested, and Mr. Clark is a percipient witness to those issues,” Hunter Biden’s lawyers said in the filing, obtained by CBS News. “Under the ‘witness-advocate’ rule, it is inadvisable for Mr. Clark to continue as counsel in this case.”*** https://www.nationalreview.com/news/hunter-bidens-top-attorney-asks-to-withdraw-from-case

***

Surprised he got away with it so long

The Kansas City Chiefs superfan known as “ChiefsAholic” was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday for allegedly robbing a string of banks in the Midwest and allegedly laundering the stolen cash through casinos, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office for the Western District of Missouri. Xaviar Babudar, the man behind the popular social media handle, was arrested last month for an alleged robbery in Iowa last year. FBI investigators used bank records, casino transaction records and other "sensitive" financial information before discovering his cell phone was placed in cities where previously unsolved robberies took place, according to the statement.*** He was allegedly responsible for six robberies and two attempted robberies during a nine-month stretch between March and Dec. 2022. Authorities allege he stole more than $800,000 in total. He also allegedly purchased and redeemed more than $1 million in chips from various casinos in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois between April and December 2022. Babudar gained fame by attending most Chiefs games dressed in a gray, masked wolf suit. Authorities allege he was able to finance his travel and attendance for these games through crime. In addition to the robberies, he allegedly gambled on the results of Chiefs games without reporting his winnings in Missouri or Kansas. He was initially arrested in Dec. 2022 in Bixby, Oklahoma, but later cut his ankle monitor and fled the state while out on bond after winning $100,000 on bets from an Illinois sportsbook, according to the statement.*** https://sports.yahoo.com/chiefs-superfan-chiefsaholic-indicted-on-19-charges-including-bank-robbery-money-laundering-162235146.html

***

Great way to promote misery & homelessness

Seattle is struggling with rampant drug use and deaths, but as of this week the City Council has effectively decriminalized the possession and public use of drugs. You can guess where this will lead.*** In June the City Council voted 5-4 against a bill that would list known possession and public drug use as a gross misdemeanor, and a stopgap measure for handling the drug crimes expired on Aug. 15 as the new law took effect. The City Council’s failure to act now makes Seattle “the only municipality in the State of Washington where it is legal to use hard drugs in public,” Ms. Davison said.*** This is progressive fantasy land. Last year there were 589 overdose deaths in Seattle, a 72% increase over 2021. Most involved fentanyl or meth. King County emergency medical services had responded to some 4,918 opioid overdoses by Aug. 13 this year, compared to fewer than 3,700 in all of 2021.*** https://www.wsj.com/articles/seattle-city-council-decriminalizes-drugs-ann-davison-kshama-sawant-4086777a

***

Good essay about Sackler family, Purdue Pharma, and Oxy deaths.

*** The area serviced by Purdue’s leading [sales rep] was Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and when I got back to the Times, I did some research. It turned out that the DEA had just shut down one pill mill there operating as a pain clinic. When I went to Purdue’s headquarters, its three top executives all claimed to me in an interview they didn’t know anything unusual was happening in Myrtle Beach. But thanks to my source, I knew that wasn’t true. I spent several months doing more reporting and traveled to Myrtle Beach. There, shop owners in the same strip mall as the pain clinic described how hundreds of cars regularly waited in the parking lot for its doors to open. I interviewed patients at the clinic, including some now cut off from medication, and found that five people prescribed OxyContin there had died by overdose. Local pharmacists also told me how they repeatedly warned Purdue officials about what was happening and how those complaints were ignored. In late 2001, after that trip, I confronted Purdue executives with what I had found and asked them why they hadn’t responded to the situation in Myrtle Beach when their own sales data was flashing red. The company downplayed the chaos and a Purdue spokesman claimed, providing no evidence, that the huge demand for OxyContin in Myrtle Beach was coming from local retirees dealing with arthritis pain. ***

***

If you come to San Fran cisco,

be sure to wear

syringes in your hair

[Sorry - old 60s song.]

It’s getting so lawless in San Francisco that government agencies are telling their employees to work from home. The Bay Area’s reputation for and encouragement of open-air drug use has turned this once pristine region of the Golden State into a distinct shade of brown. Literally. We are certainly witnessing the rapid disintegration of San Francisco, a city with enormous advantages in wealth and geography, but a serious disadvantage in the realm of common sense. Officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services told employees working at—and you just can’t make this up—the Nancy Pelosi Federal Building on 7th Street and Mission to steer clear of the building for “the foreseeable future” because street conditions were so deplorable. *** https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/08/18/san-francisco-swirls-drain-federal-agency-tells-employees-to-stay-safe-at-home/

Quality video of people shooting up in front of Pelosi building at https://twitter.com/abc7newsbayarea/status/169158561791704284.

Doesn't anybody comment on this destruction of health and denial of human services at H&HS?

***

Good - use democracy

When the Colorado Supreme Court ruled the Child Sexual Abuse Accountability Act unconstitutional in June, lawmakers decided it was time to change the constitution. In the court’s June unanimous opinion, the justices ruled the act violated the Colorado Constitution’s prohibition on retrospective legislation. If the in-progress amendment passes both the state House and Senate with a two-thirds majority, the question would be put to voters on the November 2024 ballot. Exactly where Ray Desser wants it. Desser said he was molested as a 13-year-old in Colorado in the 1970s. By the time he decided to come forward, at 50 years old, the statute of limitations on his case had expired. When the Child Sexual Abuse Accountability Act was introduced in 2021, Desser said he was in the Capitol building every day https://www.denverpost.com/2023/08/20/colorados-recently-struck-child-sex-abuse-law-to-receive-second-chance-through-proposed-constitutional-amendment

***

Need more evidence than a skull fracture?

On Tuesday, after a seven-day trial, the jury in Andy Ngo v. Rose City Antifa, et al. found two defendants not liable for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress for their alleged attack on independent journalist Andy Ngo. The verdict sends a dangerous message to violent extremist groups: no one will stop you from your violent and wrongful activities. While this verdict is disappointing, Ngo won a settlement with one of the other defendants in the case and obtained default of three defendants who failed to show up for court. This is not the end of Ngo’s battle for justice after years of suffering at the hands of Antifa members, and it’s certainly not the end of Ngo’s brave reporting on the activities of this violent, extremist movement. This trial was riddled with intimidation by individuals believed to be associated with Antifa. Court proceedings were delayed and halted on multiple days due to threats of violence, and the jurors’ identities had to be sealed over serious concerns about external efforts to identify them. In fact, the defense’s attorney even declared she would “remember each one of their faces” shortly after declaring she was Antifa—in our opinion, an unambiguous threat to the jurors.**** https://libertycenter.org/andy-ngo-trial-update/

ANDY NGO: Well, it's actually before it was in her closing statements, she mentioned that resistance is not peaceful and that she was going to be getting a shirt that declares "I am Antifa" and that she is retiring and will remember all of the faces of the jurors. It was a very tense week with a near media blackout because of security incidents that kept happening. The jurors expressed to the court, who then expressed to the parties that they were really afraid for their safety because of repeated incidents that were happening both in and outside of the courtroom, courthouse. Before the deliberations, the court ordered that the identities of the jurors would be sealed because of apparent attempts to identify the identity of the jurors. So this was the context of the trial for the sudden days.*** ERIC SELL:*** the court did inform both parties of the day of deliberations that the jury was concerned that they were being threatened or potentially doxxed or there was going to be some kind of repercussions if the verdict did not come out the right way here. And we all know what that means. The right way is finding that both of these defendants were not liable, despite the extensive evidence here that they were involved in this attack against Andy, the jury still found that they weren't liable. So we can really see what's going on here with the interruptions of the trial, with all of the concerns that the jurors expressed to the court that this is not how our legal system is supposed to work. And there are some serious concerns about what happened in this particular proceeding.

ANDY NGO: Throughout the whole trial, my colleague was harassed and intimidated, both inside and outside of the courthouse. And I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what happened yesterday when the verdict was delivered. Reasons that are still unclear to me about really critical evidence regarding either the defendants destroying, hiding or at least not preserving communications with one another with other third parties during and around the time of the attacks, which the defendants admitted to during their depositions. But we couldn't present this to the jurors. And, you know, I always knew this would be a really uphill battle. These attacks happened in Portland through the criminal justice system. I didn't receive justice. And I really hoped it was through this that Portland jurors clearly could see. https://www.foxnews.com/media/andy-ngo-speaks-out-losing-civil-suit-against-rose-city-antifa-didnt-receive-justice

***

One way to get a great plea deal - threaten POTUS

It was Halloween of 2022, and Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Chris Clark, didn’t sound happy. Just three weeks earlier, news had leaked that federal agents believed they had enough evidence to charge his client with illegally buying a gun as a drug user. The leak was “illegal,” the lawyer wrote to the U.S. attorney overseeing the probe. The prosecution, he argued, would be seen as purely political, and it might even violate the Second Amendment. Then he issued a warning: If the Justice Department charged the president’s son, his lawyers would put the president on the witness stand. “President Biden now unquestionably would be a fact witness for the defense in any criminal trial,” Clark wrote in a 32-page letter reviewed by POLITICO. That letter, along with more than 300 pages of previously unreported emails and documents exchanged between Hunter Biden’s legal team and prosecutors, sheds new light on the fraught negotiations that nearly produced a broad plea deal. That deal would have resolved Biden’s most pressing legal issues — the gun purchase and his failure to pay taxes for several years — and it also could have helped insulate Biden from future prosecution by a Republican-led Justice Department.*** https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/19/hunter-biden-plea-deal-collapse-00111974

***

Tax you out of your rights

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) proposed a 1,000% excise tax on firearms earlier this month. If passed, the tax would affect the whole nation, but especially his district, which covers the cities of Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church, as well as parts of Fairfax County.*** Under Byer’s legislation, America’s most popular pistol — a Glock 19 with a 15-round magazine — would go up in cost from around $500 to over $5,000 dollars, just for the firearm itself. The bill also classifies anything with a magazine over 10 rounds as a high-capacity magazine, despite 15 rounds being the most common. Byer introduced a version of this bill last year*** https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/faith-freedom-self-reliance/don-beyers-gun-tax-would-disarm-his-constituents-in-dangerous-times

***

Good!

CASS COUNTY, Mich. (WNDU) - The customer who shot the suspect in an attempted armed robbery at a gas station in Cassopolis last month will not be charged, according to prosecutors.*** The incident happened back on the night of July 27 at the Stone Lake Marathon Gas Station in the 200 block of S. Broadway Street. When officers arrived, they found a male who had been shot several times and another male holding him at gun point. According to police, the man who had been shot tried to rob the store’s clerk but was shot by a customer who had a valid Michigan Concealed Pistol License and had previous experience working as a security guard. The suspect was taken to the hospital to be treated for his injuries and was charged the following day (details below). An investigation into the armed robbery and shooting was then launched by prosecutors and police, which officials say is protocol whenever someone is shot. After reviewing witness/victim statements, as well as in-store video, officer body cameras, photographs, and other physical evidence, the Cass County Prosecutor’s Office determined that the customer’s actions were lawful and justified in terms of self-defense and the defense of others. Therefore, no charges will be filed against him.*** https://www.wndu.com/2023/08/22/prosecutors-customer-who-shot-suspect-during-attempted-robbery-cassopolis-was-justified/

***

Hope that WalMart crap was worth someone's life

PARKER, Colo. — A man fleeing from a shoplifting incident Monday night in Parker ran a red light, fatally struck a pedestrian and then continued driving, according to the Parker Police Department.*** According to Parker Police, an officer attempted to pull over the suspect, who was in a 2005 white Chevrolet Monte Carlo, on Parker Road near Plaza Drive. The driver did not stop. At that time, the officer turned off their lights and sirens and made a U-turn at the next intersection, Parker Police said. Shortly after that attempted traffic stop, dispatch was notified of a crash at South Parker Road and Lincoln Avenue. Investigators determined that the shoplifting suspect had run the red light and hit the pedestrian who was in a designated crosswalk. The pedestrian died as a result of the crash, according to Parker Police. The driver continued north on South Parker Road and was last seen by a witness near Orchard Road. According to police, a man was driving the car and a woman was in the passenger seat. The car has Colorado license plate AWRS39. According to witnesses, the Monte Carlo has a cracked windshield as a result of the crash. The driver's side airbag may have deployed. Anyone with information about the car or those in it should contact Parker Police at 303-841-9800.*** https://www.9news.com/article/news/crime/parker-hit-run-crash/73-c3dbc554-063e-4ef5-a7e4-cd545d4fe3ad

***

They want to give little kids a book that's too pr0n for adults?

A taxpayer was forcibly removed by security from a @FortWorthISD meeting [22aug23] after he read from the pornographic book “Flamer” which was available in the school library. Too graphic for a meeting of adults but cool for minor students! https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1694190913474396440

***

Next time you choose the face of your organization, check the registry first.

Charlotte Pride had announced:

CHAD TURNER 2023 Harvey Milk Award Recipient Given annually to an individual to honor exceptional leadership, service to the community, and those who champion LGBTQ causes that impact the Charlotte community and beyond.*** https://web.archive.org/web/20230805194403/https://charlottepride.org/champions/

Mr Turner was convicted in 2000 of molesting a 15 y/o old boy. Three boys had accused him. The victims were "members of New Harvest Church of God in Gaffney, where Sevearance was the music minister." https://web.archive.org/web/20160313221333/http://www.goupstate.com/article/20000720/NEWS/7200320?p=2&tc=pg&tc=ar

One should note that the Harvey Milk award was fitting - Milk himself had molested boys of about the same age as Turner. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/harvey-milk-stamp-matt-barber_n_4117311 & Randy Shilts's biography The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk tell the ugly truth. They're not even remotely conservative.

Fornicate tumblr - it won't let me make the last two URLs links. You can figure it out.

***

The depressing thing is the number of results when you google "pistol whipped Oakland"

The sad and scary thing is trying to find reporting on this specific incident.

***

I thought it stood for Female Body Inspectors?

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia returned an indictment today charging a former FBI contractor with sexual exploitation of children. According to court documents, Brett Janes, 26, of Arlington, Virginia, allegedly contacted roughly a dozen minor boys over Discord and Snapchat. He allegedly groomed the minors by telling them he worked for a U.S. intelligence agency before repeatedly threatening suicide if the minors did not continue to communicate with him. Janes allegedly enticed one victim, a 13-year-old boy whom he met through the first-person shooter game Valorant, to strip and masturbate over a live video Discord call by threatening to kill himself and by paying him money over CashApp. He allegedly enticed a 12-year-old boy to create and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) over Discord through flattery and repeated begging. Janes allegedly received child sexual abuse material from these two minors, as well as two separate minor victims, and attempted to meet up with a minor. He also allegedly purchased hundreds of videos and images of child sexual abuse material from Telegram.*** An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Updated August 23, 2023

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-fbi-contractor-charged-child-exploitation-offenses why does tumblr hate links????

***

Also known as lynching

There have been more than 800 alleged human rights violations, including an excess of 200 extrajudicial killings, in Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power roughly two years ago, according to the United Nations. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) found that at least 218 extrajudicial killings took place from the time they assumed power through the end of June 2023, among more than 800 alleged offenses, including arbitrary arrests and detention, torture and ill-treatment and enforced disappearances against former government officials and Afghan military members. The U.N.'s report was released on Tuesday.*** https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/taliban-afghanistan-extrajudicial-killings-united-nations

***

Can AI be a threat if it can't remember a defendant's release date?

A lawsuit with claims of unlawful arrests and detainments blamed on flaws in a new $100 million electronic court filing system is moving ahead as officials prepare to expand the program. Defendants in a class action lawsuit targeting the software company Tyler Technologies were served this week and now have 30 days to respond to allegations a pilot transition to the eCourts system in four counties is violating people’s constitutional rights. The latest development in the eCourts rollout comes as court officials prepare to add Mecklenburg County to the system in October. The North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts launched the eCourts transition from paper to digital records in February in Harnett, Johnston, Lee and Wake counties. It immediately faced complaints of glitches in the system, outages, delays and limited access to court records. The issues, which have persisted for months, led to longer than necessary court appearances for routine requests, delayed protection orders and allegations of wrongful arrests, and delayed jail releases stemming from the complications, attorneys have told The Center Square.***

https://www.thecentersquare.com/north_carolina/article_0257cfbc-e077-11ed-b324-f3180a936668.htmlhttps://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/rollout-of-100m-ecourts-system-has-litigation-of-its-own

Again, why won't tumblr allow links?

***

Non Sequitur is funny

***

[lifeafterthelayoff]

Day 77

How Atari led me to podcasting and then content strategy.

It was GAME OVER after connecting the family video game console to the television – THAT's where it all started. My interest in technology has evolved over the years, but it's been there since the Atari 2600 era.

When mom went to the nearest Walmart, I'd always ask to go to the electronics section. I'd stare at all of the things in awe: the 75Ω to 300Ω antenna adapters, the speaker wire, the blank tapes. I later graduated to going to the Radio Shack store that was in the strip mall a few doors down from the Walmart. That place blew my mind.

At age 14, I had subscriptions to Stereo Review and Audiophile magazine. When my great aunt passed away, my mom used a portion of the inheritance to buy me a Sherwood receiver and CD player from J&R Music World. Soon I was big into car audio, and built a 500-watt stereo system for my 1986 Mustang that cost more than the car itself. (I still miss that stereo, and that car.)

It was on that car stereo that I heard a public radio station for the first time. In a year I would be working there. A few years later, I was at PRI, Public Radio International.

There's a parallel interest in computers throughout all of this. We didn't have one at home, but I was well versed in the school's Apple computers. First it was the Apple IIe computers with the green screens, then a Macintosh Plus. I went to college and bought my first PC with a dial-up modem. Internet!

While at PRI on the client relations team, we sold public radio programs and content management systems to stations all across the country. I got deeper into the technology side as a result, and starting conducting regular lunch-and-learn sessions about the things I learned. I started my content-ment.com blog around this time, focusing on technology and public broadcasting.

This didn't go unnoticed; I became a go-to person for new media/social media. Some of the blog posts gained some traction, and I was featured in the book "Curation Nation" by Steven Rosenbaum.

PRI created a new position, Senior Manager of Interactive Marketing, and they put me in it. This job (number 17) was a dream come true. I set up their social channels, ran the network's very first online fundraising campaign, and curated an Arts and Entertainment podcast back in 2008 way before it was cool. We launched a brand-new PRI website from wireframes to CMS, and had our stories featured in cool places like Yahoo News. I presented at a conference about it all, even.

Content strategy was just starting to emerge as a discipline towards the end of my tenure at PRI. I had a realization, like so many other people working on online content: "Oh, the thing that I do has a name? It's called content strategy? OK, COOL."

And another change was on the horizon...

[krusaderman]

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The British Hotel post-1942, corner of Gladstone and Oxford streets, Ōhinehou Lyttelton.

Te Ūaka The Lyttelton Museum ref. 13951.1

The British Hotel pre-1942, corner of Gladstone and Oxford streets, Ōhinehou Lyttelton.

Te Ūaka The Lyttelton Museum ref. 7886.1

The British Hotel post-1942, corner of Gladstone and Oxford streets, Ōhinehou Lyttelton.

Te Ūaka The Lyttelton Museum ref. 13951.1

The British Hotel pre-1942, corner of Gladstone and Oxford streets, Ōhinehou Lyttelton.

Te Ūaka The Lyttelton Museum ref. 7886.1

→

The British Hotel

30 April 2023

From its earliest beginnings in 1849 the bustling port town of Ōhinehou Lyttelton welcomed both travellers and a growing population of sailors, waterfront labourers, and from 1867, railway workers. As a result, there was always a high demand for hotel accommodations and social venues. By the late 1800s at least eight traditional hotels dotted Norwich Quay and London Street – the Empire, Albion, Mitre, Royal, Saxon, Lyttelton, Canterbury, and British – each catering to a distinct clientele. The story of the British traces the shifting fortunes of this early hotelier trade.

In 1849, the Canterbury Association allocated land for immigration barracks to house their Canterbury Pilgrims arriving from December 1850. The land and barracks were handed over to the Canterbury Provincial Council, later the Lyttelton Borough Council, in 1855 and were cleared in 1863 for leasing. In 1866, merchant David Davis built a large warehouse at the Norwich Quay and Oxford Street intersection where Reverend Dudley’s pioneer church had been. Davis was bankrupt by 1869 but his warehouse was among the few structures in that part of town to survive the Great Fire of 1870 and the Borough Council subsequently leased it to William Savage. He applied for a hotel licence that was approved in May 1874.

‘Savage’s British Hotel’ was initially a rather rough affair and tenders for the full conversion of the original corrugated-iron clad timber warehouse were sought in November of that year. William Hammond completed the refit, including a modern asphalt footpath on both street frontages, and the hotel reopened in early 1875. Hammond unfortunately died that February, at the British, aged just 33 years, leaving behind apparently no family but a number of creditors. While the Lyttelton Borough Council retained ownership, Savage retained the lease on the property but transferred the licence to John Pierce in June 1875. Pierce developed the hospitality business and then promptly went bankrupt in February 1877. Despite numerous licensee and lessee changes in the following years, the British Hotel built a reputation for hospitality, catering to families, commercial travellers, as well as the Lyttelton Yachting Club, brethren of the local Masonic Lodge, and even a Christchurch dental surgeon offering weekly ‘pain-free extractions’ on Thursdays.

Situated at the busy intersection of the post office, railway station, and wharves, the British Hotel became a cornerstone of Lyttelton hospitality with its basement dive bar, in particular, favoured by ‘Home’ (or British) sailors. By 1901, due to popular demand the hotel began focusing on ladies’ accommodations, as advertised in Wise’s Post Office Directory. So popular was the British with the harbour's ladies it's said they would line up around the block to rent an apartment. In 1907 lessee and proprietor David Kelleher extended the hotel into the adjacent Lyttelton Times building, thereby providing 30 extra beds plus a gentlemen’s billiards room. Around this time, the British also played a role in accommodating seamen from various of the early Antarctic expeditions. While officers such as Scott and Shackleton lodged and socialised at the Mitre, the seamen preferred the British. This special hospitality connection with ‘Home’ sailors continued well into the mid-twentieth century.

The British Hotel, being owned by the Lyttelton Borough Council, played an important part in the prohibition debates of the early twentieth century. In the unsuccessful 1905 drive for a ‘no licence’ vote it was noted that the Council’s vocal resistance to licensing change was perhaps due to the monies it made from Lyttelton’s £14,690 per year alcohol trade. In the famous prohibition vote of 1919 the Council was likewise on the side of ‘strong drink’ versus ‘moral cleanliness’. The loss to the Council should the British Hotel be delicensed – through reduced rates, rent, licensing fees, and the provision of gas and electricity – was estimated at £978 per annum. While the national vote was tight, the Council’s budget was saved by the delayed postal votes of 40,000 overseas troops.

By 1940, the 73-year-old corrugated-iron clad timber building required significant repairs. The Lyttelton Borough Council sought a lessee to rebuild it in brick for at least £5,000. Ballins Breweries secured a 21-year lease in 1941 and completed the new Moderne Art Deco-style building in 1942. Built using a concrete frame with brick spandrels, Bob Malden’s ‘New British Hotel’ featured tapestry brick, horizontal alignment, steel casement windows, and rounded corners. Porthole windows in the basement's corner elevation complement the hotel's harbour location, and the Oxford Street entrance featured a hanging canopy with fluted relief work. The architect of this popular Lyttelton icon is unknown.

Through the 1960s and 70s, a combination of factors contributed to the gradual decline of the British Hotel and other establishments in the area. The opening of the Lyttelton Road Tunnel in 1964, the termination of the 'six o'clock swill’ in 1967, the cessation of inter-island ferry services in 1976, and the containerisation of cargo, all led to smaller workforces and a decrease in travellers, and thus a fall in hospitality trade. The British hosted a number of notable brawls around this time including a pitched battle on 4 June 1970 that spilled onto the street, fought between approximately 20 patrons who then turned on the four constables who had attempted to intervene. Reinforcements, including two dogs, from the Christchurch station eventually restored order. A year later, on 25 March 1971, another all-in brawl broke out between 20 Japanese and Yugoslav seamen with several Japanese fellows taken to hospital. By the early 1980s, the British Hotel was perceived as catering to the 'rougher members of society’, at least according to a 1983 Rating Valuation – a perception perhaps helped along by the patronage of a certain recreational motorcycle club on Friday evenings through the late 80s.

The hotel continued to function sporadically throughout the 1990s, but eventually closed its doors in the mid-2000s. After 153 years, the Banks Peninsula District Council, which succeeded the Lyttelton Borough Council, finally sold the land and building to private owners in 2002. The former basement dive bar reopened as the El Santo bar in the late 2000s, but the catastrophic Canterbury Earthquakes of 2011 forced its closure due to extensive damage to the structure. After initial earthquake proofing repairs, the dive bar reopened as the Hellfire Club in 2016, and today remains open for business as the Commoners. Of the eight historic Lyttelton hotels that operated from the late 1800s through much of the previous century before the earthquakes, only two are left standing. The Mitre remains closed for repairs or demolition, and in May 2024 the British will mark its 150th anniversary.

[all7bridges]

Overview of This Project

In January 2023, I’ll be visiting all seven Millennium Bridges in mainland Great Britain. These were all opened between 2000 and 2002 in celebration of the new century. The visits will be made by rail over a period of two days. As far as I’m aware, nobody else has attempted this.

Impetus

The idea evolved from a challenge completed by one of my favourite YouTube creators: Geoff Marshall. On a single day in 2019, he teamed up with friends to visit the eight railway stations around GB with a Platform 0. They achieved the goal with minutes to spare.

For this project, a few of the bridges are quite far from a convenient railway station, so it’ll take place over two days rather than one.

And unlike Geoff, I won’t be using YouTube. I took an early decision to use Tumblr. It supports a range of formats including long text posts, still images and audio updates, without the inflexibility of only having video available.

The plan

Starting from Dundee, where I live, the journey is expected to go as follows:

Wednesday 11 January 2023

Travel to Edinburgh by electric bus, then train to Newcastle

Newcastle for Gateshead Millennium Bridge

Thornaby for Teesquay Millennium Footbridge between Thornaby and Stockton-on-Tees

York for its Millennium Bridge

Blackfriars for London Millennium Bridge

Stay overnight in London

Thursday 12 January 2023

Manchester Piccadilly for its Millennium Bridge (via Salford Quays tram stop)

Lancaster for Lune Millennium Bridge

Glasgow Central for Clyde Millennium Bridge

Head back to Dundee by electric bus

At the suggestion of a pal, here’s a short playlist for the journey. Suggestions for further appropriate tracks are welcome.

Carbon offset and fundraising

With the exception of the buses noted above, much of the journey will be made by diesel train. Rail is one of the lowest-polluting ways to travel in most cases, but the journey will still produce an estimated 50.73 kilograms of carbon dioxide.

As such, I’m raising funds for the Woodland Trust. This is calculated at £1 per kilo, plus a margin of 10% for delays, totalling a minimum target of £55.81 after rounding.

You can donate here until February 2023: https://www.justgiving.com/all7bridges.