#Upstream Theater

[monsterfloofs]

🦑🪐🎻

Albiorix (Alien) x Anonymous Reader (sfw)

(Squid bby, squid bby, squid bby!!)

You looked down from high above the starlite stadium, rows upon rows of seats filled with chattering beings from all corners of the galaxy. It was an amphitheater, massive in design, made to hold concerts with vast swimming crowds of beings.

It was your first time attending an event in something so gigantic, you surmised that there had to be a maintenance crew that lived here, when the amphitheater wasn’t in use. It could have easily been its own space station, charting courses to each new solar system, to sit spinning in the orbit with electric signs and screens that showcased collective talent from across the stars.

You bump into a tall android like being, that glanced over its shoulder at you.

“Sorry!” You squeaked before ducking away.

“Humans. . .” They muttered, and your heart sank, holding your tablet to your chest. You hadn’t synced your glasses to the data show that the others were participating in yet. Sticking to your tried and true methods of information until you found your seat. It must have been spectacular though, so many captive faces held in wonder, looking at a fixed point in the theater. It was eerie without the glasses on, folks just staring hypnotized into space.

You checked your tablet again, releasing a breath of relief as you sat down, and switched on your glasses. Suddenly the quiet space was bustling with dancing lights and commotion, a bright electronic pink heart pulsing above the theater, sending jagged zaps of electricity over the crowd.

No wonder everyone was staring, you watched the lightning shower into pixels that were swept into different images and sayings. Welcome in a stellar wide reach of languages.

Then a sound of strings purr to life as the light show fades, and a hush goes over the crowd. A soft glow illuminating the stage below, it was too far away to see the musician from this height, but screens blinked on to display the figure.

A multitude of string instruments help aloft with tendrils, as four arms played them, with elegant bows. Albiorix, nicknamed the symphony of one. You stared at the screen in fascination, how did they have the mind to do that many things at once? Being able to read all those different lines of music and notes. Yet their expression was as serene as the sunrise.

It was a captivating hour of song, ending with a spectacular and rigorous performance of a particularly complexe and fast melody. They bowed with all four arms behind their back as the crowd exploded into applause.

You took off your data-specs, letting yourself get bustled back to the shuttle by the waves of beings. Many were talking excitedly to each other. You put a hand in your pocket to fish out your pass back home, coming out empty handed. You felt your stomach plummet.

“Oh no. . .” You breathe, before turning like a fish trying to swim back upstream.

“Sorry! Excuse me! Oops— my bad!” You squeeze back through the crowd to check your seat. Patting down the chair and looking underneath it, in hopes of finding one stray card that had slipped through your fingers.

“Is there a lost and found near-by?” You asked a couple, who blinked multiple eyes before pointing.

“Thank you!”

You hurried down the stairs, tapping away at your tablet, in an attempt to send a notice up that there was a missing pass.

By the time you had talked to multiple beings, and searched high and low, most of the large crowd had cleared out.

“You can order a new pass,” A friendly face suggested,

“Won’t it take days to register a new one? Especially in the busy season?”

They looked sympathetic, “You can message your family, the station does serve food and has guest lodging.”

You try to smile, but it comes out frail and strained.

“. . . Thanks for your help anyway.”

You sigh, rubbing your cheek, so much for a short jaunt away from homeworld. At least it was going to be 10 days before the amphitheater was going to start its next leg of the journey. You try to cheer yourself up, putting your specs back over your eyes and looking around at all the signs that sprung up into your vision. Taking the path towards the room services to buy a room for the night while you waited for your new pass to come in.

“I didn’t know someone else was in this sector!” A cheery voice sounded at your back, causing you to turn around. Surprised as you saw Albiorix, four arms full of teetering musical equipment. Your eyes wide as you jumped to assist them.

“Oh! Thank you, thank you!” They bubbled, as the two of you fumbled around until you could stand back with some of their things held safetly in your arms.

“No one came to help you?”

“Oh-“ they made a sound like a cork being shot out of a pipe organ, waving a tendril dismissively.

“I told them to take the night off, I’ve lugged this stuff the galaxy over, and they besides deserve a break.”

You blinked, at the rather rude sound, an incredulous smile cracking across your face.

“Tosh,” They trumpeted cheerily, “Besides, I wouldn’t have run into such a kind soul if not! I was raised in a very different environment you know,” They rambled, “Not as social as these ecosystems, and I must say, I am a fan!”

You trailed beside them, a smile growing across your face with each step.

“I’m Albiorix, by the way,”

You laugh, “I think I know who you are,”

Another pop sound, “You know my music! Not me, I mean, true, that is a part of me! But did you know that I am quite the talker?” They blustered cheerfully. “Musicians can be very different then their tastes, when I was a young little shrimp, why there was this one very talented musician, with the personality of a—“

You never knew what they were, because it just so happened that the word must have not had a proper translation in your communicator. And you laughed out loud at the noise they made. While a language barrier existed, the tone came through loud and clear.

“They were really that bad?”

“Deplorable! From then on, I wanted to be a musician that could make friends wherever I go.”

You grin up at them, “Well. . . I think you accomplished that very well.”

[cocoon2010]

During a performance in Kawamoto in Iwami province on the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1764, a giant salmon over six feet long was presented to the Wakashima-Za [the theater troupe] with the explanation that at the moment many such fish were swimming upstream in a river nearbye. For a full two days the entire entourage of twenty-five members feasted on this catch, after which everyone seems to have had enough.

[wanderingwolpertinger]

Webcomics I think you should read in 2023

The Silver Eye by Laura Hollingsworth (@ thesilvereye on tumblr)

“The Silver Eye began in 2009. It is an action-adventure webcomic of the Fantasy persuasion, written from a Christian worldview. Two rival royal families are always at odds. The conflict reaches a point where one child king, Apen, sacrifices himself and his country to prevent another war. This leads to some disastrous consequences. The story follows his journey to try to set things right, and if he’s going to do so, he has to work alongside members of his rival family.” (Description from the website)

TSE is my personal favorite, as anyone who’s stuck around my blog has probably already figured out lol. It updates on Fridays. (PG to occasional PG-13)

The Legend of Ruach by Paige Coffer (@ paigecofferillustration on tumblr)

It’s a fantasy/adventure story that’s been running since 2020, updates weekly. I think it’s PG so far, may be soft PG-13 in the future.

Stand Still, Stay Silent by Minna Sundberg (Completed, 2013-2022) (tumblr @ hummingfluff)

"Stand Still. Stay Silent" is a post apocalyptic webcomic with elements from Nordic mythology, set 90 years in the future. It's a story about friendship and exploring a forgotten world, with some horror, monsters and magic on the side. 

It’s a really neat comic to read as an American because of all the Nordic languages and cultural elements present throughout. Warnings for horror elements/violence, maybe some language (I can’t remember for sure, it’s been awhile since I read it, could be blurred out or something) The author also has talked about her return to her faith/and her next comic is going to be overtly Christian (Journey Upstream) It started recently (Jan 2023)

(More comics under the cut)

Lost in the Vale by Crystal Curtis (tumblr @ lostinthevale)

The Outrunners are traveling peacekeepers tasked with assisting the citizens of the Vale. Their top priority: find the missing Prince of Andalusia. For Delica, it's not just her mission - it's her obsession. As she and her teammates travel the kingdom, they will discover more dangers (and mysteries) than they ever imagined.

I started reading this one really recently and quite like it so far, the art style is excellent. Updates Tuesdays, PG-13

Jade Torch by Anne Marie Wells

It’s a book turned webcomic turned soon to be released illustrated novel (if I have that right lol)

“Lunerata “Lune” Bridth, heir to the Havanellan throne, is sent to the court of a rival kingdom, the homeland of her deceased mother, to help negotiate a long-awaited peace treaty. But once there, she finds that things are not as simple as she’d been lead to believe. In this foreign land, there are enemies, allies, traitors, secrets, and a plot that could destroy Lune’s world as she knows it and plunge both kingdoms into war. Join Lune and her friends as they set out on an adventure filled with dragons, assassins, mysteries, magic, and the strange ties of family.“ The Dreamer by Lora Innes

Beatrice “Bea” Whaley seems to have it all; the seventeen year old high school senior is beautiful, wealthy and the star performer of the drama club. And with her uncle’s connections to Broadway theater, the future looks bright ahead of her. Little does she know that her future might actually be brighter behind her.

Bea begins having vivid dreams about a brave and handsome soldier named Alan Warren–a member of an elite group known as Knowlton’s Rangers that served during the Revolutionary War. Prone to keeping her head in the clouds, Bea welcomes her nightly adventures in 1776; filled with danger and romance they give her much to muse about the next day. But it is not long before Beatrice questions whether her dreams are simply dreams or something more. Each night they pick up exactly where the last one ended. And the senses–the smell of musket shots and cannons, the screams of soldiers in agony, and that kiss–are all far more real than any dream she can remember.

Completed, PG-13

Haven’t had a chance to finish this one yet, but it was great as far as I read.

[wolgerrswraith]

Five lines tag

Thanks for the tag @aintgonnatakethis

Rules: find five lines based on the prompts you are given, then change ONE of the prompts at the end!

1. A line about a building

It had been a week since the last village, a bustling near metropolis dominated by a kabuki theater and thriving red lantern house. Music echoed in the air, beautiful women in white face powder and thin kimono's calling cheap come-on's from the balconies looming over the pavement.

2. A sad line

The rain pattered directly into his eyes, making his vision blur as he stared. But he couldn't look away from the dragons slithering through the air, jaws unhinged to send devastating blasts of flame at desperate civilians making a run for it. The water forced him to blink, sparring him having to witness this in full, only able to make out vague shapes.

3. A line about a drink

Wine, women and song - anything to make sense of their now aimless lives, the old teachings of virtue and honor further fading away from their minds with every passing day.

4. A line about the weather

It was late in the evening when Toshi crossed the bridge leading into the heart of the latest small village, the river higher than usual from the night's rains, rushing powerfully over the stones below. Fishing boats dotted the more placid waters upstream, the fishermen tossing their nets to catch the schools of trout and catfish the rains had dredged up from their sleep in the riverbed.

5. A line about a monster

The night came alive with the sparks of dragon fire, as the attack began in full. Houses caught almost instantly, screams echoing into the night like music from the depths of hell, a dozen families wiped out in a single blow. It was easy for the dragons, and for the riders controlling their movements, steel spurs digging into the rough scales hard enough to bring thin blood, reins of cold iron pulled taunt. The riders directed the beasts towards various buildings, aiming them like a crossbow.

Tagging @fortunatetragedy

To find

1. A line about a building

2. A sad line

3. A line about a drink

4. A line about plants

5. A line about a lover

[jechristine]

"To not address that relevant context when reviewing his post-Marvel projects would be film critic malpractice"

I'm trying be fair rn,tom and z in very different positions now. I agree z have very hard path to the top but she is there and name working on her now, everyone wants work will with her. On Tom side hatred on comics movies and actors have shade on him,it's like swimming upstream. He gain fame fast without proof anything and now it's looks like people try shoot bird that flying high nothing less and it's fair. Some people will never accept him and just want nitpick. I'm still not sure if he even good actor bc wait too see him in good project with good script lol if it's never gonna happen I wouldn't be sad for him,he would be too rich after spiderman. He will probably retire or move to theater. As for z she in very good position she will continue be very selective about projects for next 5 years probably and and after very likely jump to directing.

Okay!

Not addressed at you specifically, anon, but is the expectation among Tom stans that 100% of the global population celebrate his every endeavor? I mean, you realize there are always going to be *some* people who dont like him, simply because there are billions of people. You’re not going to get that 100% ever. We couldn’t get 100% of people to say that clean, fresh water is pleasant. That sunshine is nice. That it feels good to breath air.

You have to exist in a world where people have a range of opinions, and sometimes even about stuff that truly matters! And they might say some of those opinions, sometimes, that you disagree with. You know that, right????

[papirouge]

I love seeing actual pro life accounts call out and go after americans because they can such hypocrites. Saying to us how much they believe in protecting unborn babies and the sanctity of life but will yell scream and protest against gun control when they have their regular school shootings. Like your babies aren’t safe once out the womb, they’re getting killed in their schools, grocery stores, movie theaters and malls. But they’d rather protect gunmen over their innocent babies.

Give it a few years and we will read something like how Americans are shooting nursery wards and delivery rooms. But the American pro lifers will turn their blind eye again because muh guns

I think our voice as non American needs to be heard🩵🩵 Tumblr is a mostly USAmerican platform so our iconoclast outlook is more than relevant than ever

It's so funny when I interact with pro gun Christian USAmerican who are so used to use their amendments, "castle law" or "natural right" charade to back up their stance, they completely lose touch when they face someone like me (not American) who's absolutely unfamiliar with those concepts.

I'm french and you won't see me trying to explain how actually abortion is compatible to Christianism through the lense of the Declaration of the Human Rights (a french creation, which is btw infinitely more relevant internationally than American amendements no one cares or knows about). ...That's how demented USAmerican sound like when they try to defend the idea that gun violence is compatible with Christianism through the lense of their law/amendments

God doesn't make special treatment; He wouldn't allow USAmerican Christians to kill while every other can't.

The mental gymnastics of pro gun anti abortion Christian is also pretty funny to witness. They'll cope saying "hMuMmmm b-but we don't want to kill people uwu" yeaah so tell me why you guys are advocating to make the most lethal weapons (firearms) available for all? If the point wasn't to kill, yall would be campaigning for teaser or pepper spray. Get real.

And you're absolutely with their hypocrisy children. Look at Sandy Hook. Look how hard conservatives tried to silence us saying it was "too early" to talk about the gun problem and that we were weaponizing this tragedy (when they had no problem doing the same when a trans person attacked a Christian school 🤡); it got so bad they had to make up an entire tinfoil theory arguing that aKtcHualLy no children was dead.... Liberals are absolutely right to drag them for caring about life only when it comes to fetus and not living breathing school-attending children....

Their logic is precisely the same as abortionists : the system is flawed and hurt people....? we have to throw it away altogether instead of....you know, finding solutions to fix it.

ABORTIONISTS : "abortion is the only solution to deal with pregnancy issues!! there's no point in trying to improve the social system & healthcare so no woman feels compelled to resort to abortion"

PRO GUN: "MORE guns are the only solution against mass shooting There's no point in investing in decent system of police officer training & social prevention so that we reduce at a minimum gun violence"

Both statements are as equally deranged. Why couldn't we find solutions upstream who wouldn't involve death or physical harm?

And it doesn't help they have this obsession with acting like the government is the enemy™️ and that nothing remotely positive should be expected from it...

The fact that they think the average Joe will do better than the average policeman is painfully naive. There's a reason protecting people is a whole job. They act like once every citizen is carrying a gun, there will suddenly be the pax Americana and all the psycho who are most likely going to snap will be stopped by a good samaritan crossing over the way.... When statistically speaking, more guns around will expose more mentally unwell people to using them. Isn't there a whole epidemic of mental illness in the USA? oh my bad, it's only a problem when trans people do a mass shooting and that conservatives suddenly care about actually not putting guns into anyone's hand 🙃

[moorheadthanyoucanhandle]

EIGHT MEN IN

Merry Christmas everyone! Now in theaters:

The Boys in the Boat--The 1936 Berlin Olympics was a highly satisfying episode for the good guys. Most famously, when Der Fuehrer said his was the Master Race, Jesse Owens heiled (phfft!) heiled (phfft!) right in Der Fuehrer's face. It wasn't enough to prevent the war that was coming, but it was a great foreshadowing of who would win.

Yet alongside that glorious debunking of supposed Aryan racial superiority, right under the noses of its promulgators, was another splendid underdog story. Briefly played by Jyuddah Jaymes, Owens is a minor figure in this period spectacle about the improbable rise of the University of Washington's eight-man crew to compete for the U.S. in those same games. It's directed by George Clooney from a script by Mark L. Smith, based on Daniel James Brown's 2013 book.

The story was remarkable before the crew got to Berlin. The UW boys were already upstarts in the sport, long associated with elite, affluent Eastern schools. This crew included working class, Depression-era grunts; the focus is on Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), who when we first meet him is literally homeless. He lives in a junked car in a Seattle hobo jungle, patching the holes in the soles of his shoes while trying to eke out an engineering degree. He joins the crew for the stipend and the roof over his head.   

"Eight-man crew is the most difficult of all team sports," the coach here pronounces to the aspirants. "The average human body is just not meant for such things." I once had occasion to learn first-hand that my below-average human body wasn't meant for such things. Two of my nieces rowed crew, and back in the '80s I myself had the opportunity to take a one-man shell out onto the Potomac River; my near-helplessness in managing to get the thing to go anywhere gave me a small taste of how much delicate skill the sport requires, even setting aside its physical demands.

The Boys in the Boat gets across hints of this subtle precision; Clooney shows us, for instance, the hiccup-y little wrist-flip that precedes the return stroke. There's a great deal to like about the film, really, starting with what a wonderful, heartening story it tells. It's handsomely produced, with lustrous cinematography by Martin Ruhe, crisp editing by Tanya M. Swerling and another lovely score by Alexander Desplat. And it has rich, sometimes fascinating period detail, like the swanky spectator trains that run along the river banks at the fancier courses.

But as with several of Clooney's earlier directorial efforts, this movie is well-made, well-intentioned, good-hearted and generally enjoyable without being entirely satisfying. And unlike, say, The Monuments Men or The Tender Bar, it doesn't even have vivid star character actors to liven things up.

Joel Edgerton as Coach Al Ulbrickson and Peter Guinness as master boat-maker George Pocock are authoritative presences, but not complex characters. The guys playing the crew aren't, as in the standard sports movie template, a ragtag band of misfits with distinctive oddball personalities; they're just pleasant, good-looking young men. Rantz's coed love interest (Hadley Robinson) tries to generate some playful, mischievous heat, but she's rowing upstream opposite her bland leading man.

Overall, this film has the flavor of a feature length Super Bowl commercial. Like the best of those commercials, it can raise an inspirational tingle. But I don't know that it does much more in two hours than a good Super Bowl commercial can do in sixty seconds.

[reedmurdock]

Losing Game

TW: Me needing friends 😭

A/N: This little blurb type thingy is based off an experience I’ve been having. The names in this are not their real names.

=====

   I just need to stop making friends and introducing them to each other. It’s always a losing game. See, I had this one friend, Grace, and another one, Radley, and now they're basically best friends. Instead of me making them laugh, they make each other laugh. The thing is Grace made fun of him. All my “friends” made fun of him just because he looked different than the other boys who played basketball and football. He did theater. Grace didn’t like him, and when I invited him to sit at our lunch table, she told me he was creeped out by him. Grace, and my other friends, called him weird, gay, said he looked like a drug dealer, a rapist, and many more things that they wouldn’t be brave enough to say to someone’s face. But now, they laugh and talk all the time. I try to hang on to our friendships, but it’s like trying to swim upstream of a raging ocean. So far I’m losing, but I’ll find more friends that I keep…right? That’s how that works, a ‘Happily Ever After’ once everything is over? No. No, I've figured out the hard way that’s not how it happens. And while they say they want to be friends with me still, I know that if they did, they would try.

[tenaciouspostfun]



Nimbus Blog

WHAT'S HAPPENIN' NEW YORK

a look inside the great white way by Broadway Bob

All American Sex Addict/Woke AF

4/3/2024

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​"All American Sex Addict/Woke AF" at The Sargent Theatre of Actors is unique play. The real positive about this play is the even level of actors in this show; no one stands above the other in any noticeable way. In many off off Broadway shows one or two actors are leaps and bounds above the rest of the cast, but not here:the blend and workmanship is pretty consistent throughout the 80 minutes due to nice direction by Phoebe Leonard- Dettmann. While the female actors put forth a better performance than the male actors, the plot of the story keeps the audience locked in and we never really see any weak links.

Reminiscent of the 80's, 90's and well into the 2000's, off off Broadway had many shows like this one... raw, edgy and in your face; after Covid, however, many of the off of went the way of climate change, political and LGBTQ. It left a vacuum of what was off off Broadway and what it should be. Oddly enough, "All American" focused on the woke but in a fun way, a comical way. It poked fun at the up tightness of the politically correct, it drove a spike in a way at the heart of the easily offended. We get a debate about whether there is a such thing as a sex addict. According to Jack (Peter Buck Dettmann) there is, he has written a screen play that says so. Unfortunately, the people involved in the story are offended by the many things that Jack has to say. Jack will defend his writing by stating that there is no one more woke than himself.

As Jack is a real character, he firmly believes what he is doing and who he is doing it too is correct and justifiable. His ex girlfriend, Ashley (Shelby Allison Brown) has had it with him, she feels that Jack has not captured her in the movie. Andie (Danielle Aziza) who is pragmatic and the voice of reason tries to reel in the movie with her thoughts and comments. More insults fly when Riley (Alex Mayer) enters the play. She too is insulted at her being portrayed in a negative light. In Matt Morillo's play, we get a smattering of the absurd, and what it is like to live today in America.

Under greens, blues and cool white lighting, Maile Binion keeps the lighting basic. As in the staging, the basic lighting is unassuming and yet effective. The costumes range from creative to erotic. Where the policewoman's uniform was a comical touch, Riley's costume near the end of the performance was oozing sexuality, her dance was the creative highlight of the show.

Even though the show about an hour in gets slow for about 5 minutes, it is a worthwhile show to see. It has a bohemian edge to it as well as comedy and the PC bantering has the audience taking sides. In this small theater the audience feels like part of the action which adds to the plays allure.

......................................................................................................................

Next up is The Sign of The Times at The New World Stages. Based on a tale set in the 1960's and amid social change it features songs from that era.

Songs like Downtown", Rescue Me", and "Give me some lovin are just a few in this anticipated show. Jukebox musicals are dependent on the staging, acting and the songs that are chosen. It always helps too when the lighting hits the mark and that the costumes are believable as well.

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Author

ROBERT M. MASSIMI

is a resident drama critic for Metropolitan Magazine and other sources.  He has produced a dozen plays on Broadway, has worked as a film editor, and is also a member of the Dramatists Guild.  He is the acting director of  the SWM-NY division.

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[uinterview]

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is performing its annual show at Manhattan’s City Center with exciting new pieces – including Alonzo King‘s 2001 Following the Subtle Current Upstream in the works.

Full Story Here: https://uinterview.com/news/alvin-ailey-dancers-wow-again-with-new-works-at-city-center/

[blogger360ncislarules]

Two entertainment professionals have raised over $75 million to launch a production studio to create high-quality inspirational TV series and motion pictures for faith-based and values-oriented audiences.

Variety reports Director-Producer Jon Erwin, ('Jesus Revolution,' 'Woodlawn') and former YouTube and Netflix executive Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten have teamed up to create the WONDER Project – a new production company based in Los Angeles, California, and Austin, Texas.

The two Hollywood alums see an enormous opportunity to establish a premium brand for faith-based and faith-infused content rooted in Christian traditions, according to the outlet.

"I know there's opportunity here because I'm part of this audience," Erwin told Variety. "My wife and I have four kids. There's an audience that I serve with the content that we make. I need more of this in my home."

Hoogstraten will lead the new company as CEO. Erwin will serve as the independent studio's chief creative officer.

High-profile Hollywood funding partners in the WONDER Project include Lionsgate, producer Jason Blum, United Talent Agency, Sovereign's Capital, and Powerhouse Capital.

Dallas Jenkins, the creator of "The Chosen," the popular and widely-acclaimed television series on the life of Jesus Christ, is a large shareholder in the new company. He will serve as a special advisor, and will also executive produce some of its content, Deadline reported.

Other partnerships will also be announced in the future, according to the outlet.

Besides developing its own distribution and streaming opportunities, the WONDER Project will also step up the scale and scope of its original content, aiming to sell television series and movies to mainstream media networks, streaming platforms, and film distribution companies, according to Variety.

"What if we could dream a little bigger? What if we could build a studio of our own that empowers creatives in this space with a level of freedom and resources they haven't had before," Erwin said. "We want to be partners with studios and streamers and anybody who wants to reach this audience in profound new ways. But we want to do it while building something that is independent and can last."

As CBN News has reported, Erwin directed Jesus Revolution. The breakout hit about the national spiritual awakening in the late 1960s and early 1970s found wide success since its premiere last February. The film was released by Lionsgate and earned more than $54 million in theaters. It opened at the box office at the number 3 spot and remained in the top 10 for several weeks, becoming Lionsgate's "biggest release in over four years."

Jesus Revolution also landed among the top 10 movies streaming on Netflix, reaching number 4 last August.

Hoogstraten told Deadline their goal is to spread "hope" around the world.

"I believe entertainment sits upstream from culture. And today, the world needs a way to find common ground again," Hoogstraten said. "Here at The WONDER Project, our goal is to flood the world with hope. I am convinced we can make a difference by telling stories that restore hope in things worth believing in – family, community, God, and America. We will do this at scale for a global audience that seeks faith and values-driven entertainment. And we will give the audience a brand they can call their own."

The new company already has around a dozen writers who are working on scripts, according to Variety.

Erwin told the outlet Hollywood's largest studios are realizing the {faith} audience is enormous and underserved.

"They're also realizing there's an inherent gap between their knowledge of content and their knowledge of this audience," he explained. "They don't know how to seize that opportunity. We're going to build a bridge between those two worlds."

[fredcasden]

Notes 12/24/22

Good afternoon everyone,

Well my 40th Birthday yesterday was a real mixed bag in so many ways. For one my mom's first radiation treatment was cancelled due to the inclement weather. So that's been pushed back to Tuesday. If you would like to donate to help with some of the medical expenses, you can do so at https://gofund.me/6adf8354. In fact we had one donation during yesterday's stream that pushed the total raised so far past the $1,000 mark. Thank you very much!

As for the stream, we started at 1:30 PM, and it's a good thing we did, We started with DKO Divine Knockout, getting several wins as Athena over the course of the first two hours, then after a break to check up on my mom, we played Ghostbusters Spirits Unleashed, and was getting into a good groove until 4:55 PM when the weather started causing havoc, as I experienced a noticeable inability to keep a steady upstream connection. .

We switch the stream over to Just Chatting, doing a couple of games of APBA Baseball, made a Mass Effect squad member tier list, but at 7 PM I ran out of things to do under a Just Chatting format, and with the constant stream resets. Bandwidth tests using TwitchTest showed no 0 quality, which only occurs when there was an major issue. I called Xfinity, and was was told that numerous people were starting to call in reporting the same issue.

So needless to say my Birthday ended up being a real downer. At the very least, the Twitch VOD version of the first 3+ hours is in the archives.

I do want to thank those who kicked in 600 bits during the stream and to scotchboxvr for the raid, following their stream of Evil West over at twitch.tv/scotchboxvr

Getting back what we managed to do in terms of games, we did get a couple of achievements.

Divine Knockout Achievements

Traveler’s Tall Tale: Achieved 'Traveler’s Tall Tale'

KO Collection Gold: Achieved 'KO Collection Gold'

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Achievements

Right back at ya: Break a tether and down the buster who tethered you within 10 seconds

Stream Clip Links

Triple Knockout... 3 for 1!

Just being a Teddy Bear

The Eagle Has Landed?

For the raid, we dropped in over on the official twitch channel for Mystery Science Theater 3000 over at https://www.twitch.tv/mst3k

Because my birthday stream was cut short i went and did some writing on the sixth chapter of the Mass Effect series of short story commission requests.

Also made some more progress on the Overwatch season 2 battle pass, though my latency was all over the pace until things settled down around 12:30 AM.  

Today's Fitness Boxing 2 daily workout featured Defensive Combo #2, Triple Combo #2 and Intermediate Combo #1 for 31 minutes

How can you make seven an even number? Just take away the "s"!

Song of the Day: Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms  

For tonight's stream, the plan is to start the story mode of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. Here's hoping Xfinity gets things sorted so we can have a full stream.

[treeservicesarizona]

The Best Things to Do in Phoenix AZ

Located in the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix is a large and diverse metropolitan area. It is the state's capital, and is known for warm temperatures and year-round sunshine. It also offers beautiful high-end spa resorts, vibrant nightclubs, and Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses.

Historical background

Historically, Phoenix is a town in Arizona. The area was first settled by Hohokam people around a thousand years ago. They farmed corn, beans, and squash. They traded extensively with other civilizations in nearby Mesoamerica. They also built a number of villages along the Gila River.

After the American Civil War, many settlers from the north and east began to encroach on the Valley of the Sun. They found that the climate was ideal for farming. A fort camp was founded on the south side of the Salt River in 1866.

After the Civil War, Phoenix became an embryonic industrial city. The Southern Pacific Railroad arrived in 1887. It changed the economy. It brought a wave of industry to the Phoenix area. A few smaller plants were started by private citizens.

Attractions

Whether you are looking for a place to stay or things to do, Phoenix has some incredible attractions for you to experience. The city is known for its sunny weather, Jack Nicklaus designed golf courses, and high-end spa resorts.

Located in the heart of Phoenix, the Arizona Science Center offers hands-on exhibits to educate and entertain visitors. The center also hosts thematic events and offers summer science camp for kids. There are four levels of hands-on exhibits for kids to explore and learn. There are also permanent exhibitions, a planetarium, and a five-story "giant screen" theater.

Another great attraction to visit in Phoenix is the Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art. This museum is home to over 35,000 cultural items and offers live demonstrations. Guests can also check out the eleven galleries of native artwork.

Cost of living

Whether you're looking for a city that's growing fast or looking for a place to settle down, Phoenix has a lot to offer. While it's a growing metropolis, it still remains relatively affordable.

A lot of Phoenix residents rely on their own vehicles for transportation. However, the city's public transportation system is lacking. Instead, most residents rely on ride sharing services like Uber or Lyft to get around town.

There are plenty of jobs available in Phoenix. However, many of them are low-paying customer service positions. Thankfully, the job market has improved in the past two years.

Phoenix's cost of living is 2% lower than the national average. This is mainly thanks to its low tax rates and housing prices. Phoenix is a great city to live in if you're looking for an urban setting, with plenty of job opportunities.

Day trips from Phoenix

Located in the southwestern United States, Phoenix is one of the best places to start a scenic day trip. This is a great destination for families and business travelers. Whether you want to explore the Grand Canyon or visit one of Arizona's many unique and historical cities, Phoenix can be your gateway to a day of fun.

If you're looking for an easy day trip from Phoenix, you'll want to check out Tortilla Flat. This unspoiled, historic town is the last remaining stagecoach stop on the Apache Trail. The scenic trail passes through a deep blue lake, surrounded by igneous rocks and cacti forests.

If you're more into history, you'll want to visit Jerome. This quirky town is only a half-hour drive from Phoenix. The town is built into a mountain and is filled with antique stores and restaurants. There are ghost tours available as well.

Weather

Located in the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix experiences a warm desert climate. Phoenix temperatures are very hot in the summer, but cool in the winter. Phoenix is one of the most sunny cities in the world. The Salt River, which runs from east to west through the valley, is usually dry due to impounding dams upstream.

Phoenix experiences three distinct seasons: summer, autumn, and winter. The summer months can be very hot, with temperatures up to 110 degrees. However, extreme heat can be dangerous. In fact, heatstroke is a possible outcome of prolonged outdoor activity.

The monsoon season runs from June to September, and this can bring dust storms and flash floods. Phoenix is dry most of the year, but during this time, humidity levels are higher than normal.

Using a tree tree service phoenix is an effective way to enhance the beauty of your property. Many services are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. They are experts in the field and can ensure that your trees and shrubs grow in the right direction.

Stump grinding is a process used to remove tree stumps. It is performed by grinding the stump 6 to 8 inches below ground level. This prevents the tree from sprouting back and prevents insects from making their homes in the stump.

The process is often done by professionals. They have the equipment to make the job faster. The stump grinders are typically equipped with a rotating disc with sharp teeth. The operator wears protective gear to prevent injury. The equipment is small and can fit in the back of a truck.

Tree grinding phoenix services are available to homeowners. These companies will assess your stump and determine the best way to remove it. They will also provide materials for the completion of the job.

USA Tree Removal and Stump Grinding 2513 N 29th St, Phoenix, AZ 85008, United States 623-469-7674 https://phoenixtreecare.org/

[indiandefencenewz99]

Russian says it's withdrawing from key city in Ukraine

KYIV: Russia's military announced Wednesday that it's withdrawing from Ukraine's southern city of Kherson and nearby areas, in what would be another in a series of humiliating setbacks for Moscow's forces in the 8-month-old war. Ukrainian authorities did not immediately confirm the move - and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested in recent days that the Russians were feigning a pullout from Kherson in order to lure the Ukrainian army into an entrenched battle. Zelenskyy called attempts to convince civilians to move deeper into Russian-controlled territory "theater." The top Russian military commander in Ukraine, Gen Sergei Surovikin, reported to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday that it was impossible to deliver supplies to the city of Kherson and other areas on the western bank of the Dnieper River that it lies on. Shoigu agreed with his proposal to retreat and set up defenses on the eastern bank. The withdrawal from Kherson - which sits in a region of the same name that Moscow illegally annexed - would be another significant setback. The city, with a prewar population of 280,000, is the only regional capital to be captured by Russian forces since the Feb. 24 invasion began. Ukrainian forces had zeroed in on the strategic industrial city, which sits on the Dnieper River that divides the region and the country itself. During the summer, Ukrainian troops launched relentless attacks to reclaim parts of the larger province. More than 70,000 residents were evacuated in late October, along with members of the Kremlin-installed regional government, according to the Moscow-appointed officials, although Ukrainian officials questioned the claim. The remains of Grigory Potemkin, the Russian general who founded Kherson in the 18th century, also were reportedly moved from the city's St. Catherine's Church. The city and parts of the surrounding region were seized in the opening days of the conflict as Russian troops pushed their attack north from Crimea - the area illegally annexed by the Kremlin in 2014. In recent months, Ukraine used U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket launchers to repeatedly hit a key bridge on the Dnieper in Kherson and a large dam upstream that is also used as a crossing point. The strikes forced Russia to rely on pontoons and ferries that also were targeted by Ukraine. The Russian announcement came as villages and towns in Ukraine saw more heavy fighting and shelling Wednesday. At least nine civilians were killed and 24 others were wounded in 24 hours, the Ukrainian president's office said. It accused Russia of using explosive drones, rockets, heavy artillery and aircraft to attack eight regions in the country's southeast. Ukrainian and Russian forces also clashed overnight over Snihurivka, a town about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the southern city of Kherson. The president's office said widespread Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy system continued. Two cities not far from Europe's largest nuclear power plant were shelled overnight, it said. More than 20 residential buildings, an industrial plant, a gas pipeline and a power line were reportedly damaged in Nikopol, which lies across the Dnieper River from the the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Further west, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, the Ukrainian governor reported "massive" overnight strikes with exploding Iranian-made drones that wounded four energy company workers in the city of Dnipro. "Attacks on civilian infrastructure are war crimes in themselves. The Kremlin is at war with Ukrainian civilians, trying to leave millions of people without water and light (for them) to freeze in the winter," Gov Valentyn Reznichenko said on Ukrainian TV. Source link Read the full article

[stllimelight]

'A Tree, Falling' is a Play to Remember

‘A Tree, Falling’ is a Play to Remember

By Bradley Rohlf Contributing Writer

“A Tree, Falling” puts on display the tragedy of memory loss, alongside the joy and sorrow of life. It is an impressive production all around, and leaves the audience with plenty to ponder.

The Upstream Theater play follows a series of visits between Lola, a volunteer “friendly visitor,” and Lenny, an octogenarian suffering from dementia. Lenny, played by…

[tanadrin]

I’ve waffled about this philosophically for years, but I’ve finally come to a conclusion on the issue of gun control in the united states. It is this: I don’t care about gun control. Just don’t give a shit either way. The freedom to own a gun seems so much less important than any other political freedom (including the ones protected by the third amendment) that it’s hard for me to take seriously, and all the problems that would be putatively addressed by gun control seem either to actually be unrelated, or better addressed upstream of that particular issue.

Further opinions worded to piss off the maximum number of people, but that I think are more or less sincere:

random acts of mass violence are statistical outliers so rare as to make it a terrible idea to base major changes to the law that would affect millions on them.

the second amendment clearly does not protect private gun ownership, and can’t be meaningfully incorporated against the states like other amendments.

guns are fun and objectively cool as a hobby.

the pursuit of objectively cool hobbies is not a civil rights issue.

private gun ownership is irrelevant to the issue of “tyranny,” especially in the vague and nonsensical form it takes in american political discourse.

lgbt people and racial minorities should open carry like the black panthers.

the right to self-defense is construed far too broadly in american law.

american culture has a dysfunctional attitude toward guns related both to its history of racial politics and individualist “frontier” culture (itself predicated on the implicit legitimacy of genocide).

all gun control laws I have ever heard of seem 100% pointless to me, and since bad legislation is usually worse than no legislation, i’m broadly in favor of their repeal.

police do not need to carry guns during the normal course of their duties, and their jobs would probably be safer if they didn’t

(not that they’re very dangerous in the first place)

even highly restrictive gun control regimes like the UKs or  germany’s appear to be mostly security theater.

although they increase the bureaucracy involved in gun ownership, they also don’t significantly infringe on a substantive “right to bear arms”

(compare freedom of movement vs regulations on cars, highways, and air travel)

it would be pragmatic and sensible for the democratic party to abandon gun control as an issue and focus their attention on other issues.

beto o’rourke’s remarks on gun control were so stupid and so colossal a display of bad political judgement that on that basis alone he should be disqualified as a plausible candidate for state or national office.

the NRA is a scam to separate credulous and paranoid conservatives from their money.

school shootings and similar acts of spectacular violence may not be meaningfully preventable, and the US is not in fact the only country where that sort of thing happens.

if there is a general right to bear arms, people with a history of mental illness are included, and whether they should be denied that right is fact-specific; a blanket ban would be highly unreasonable

both pro- and anti-gun arguments are in fact just about identity politics, and much like abortion, it is almost purely random that conservatives just happen to be anti gun control and progressives just happen to be for it. a small tweak in the history of the 60s or 70s, and these positions would be totally reversed.