#austin vs the rest of the state

[hustlemeanokay]

Okay so, I couldn't help it but I feel the need to put this out there.

So, first - let me say this and don't immediately freak out and rawwr and run off. I was born and raised in Texas. Okay, breathe. Just breathe. It's okay. Really. It is. I grew up in Austin. That's the capitol for those who don't care to know other states capitals, it's okay - I really don't blame anyone for not knowing. But the point of it is, that - that's where the laws are made in TX. And here's the thing.

Austin is liberal as fuck. I'm not even kidding. Like... Gay pride, Live Music, Keep Austin Weird (this is where this shit started - not lying), all of it. Like, hippies and Eeyore's birthday party shit. And yet... that's where these fucked up laws are made and these fucked up lawmakers seem to work. They don't live there... don't for a single fucking second think they fucking live in Austin. They don't. That Ted Cruz fucker lives in Houston. Likewise, a lot of those asshats live way outside Austin. Because again, Austin is liberal as fuck.

And so it's so fucking strange to me (and anyone else who grew up in Austin) to witness the political climate there. Because like... it's not that in Austin. I just isn't. People in Austin like kick-ass cheese dip, pride parades, sweet tea, cross-dressing street-walkers, live music, swimming in cold fucking water, good beer, and bbq - probably in that order. So when the political shit hits the fan, we're all just stunned. Because... it's not like that there. Now... you go outside Austin and holy shit. Different story.

But Texas isn't alone in this. I live in Washington now and it's the same fucking thing here. I shit you not. Except here, it's like Seattle and Olympia are both liberal as fuck. But the state itself? Could not be more fucking conservative. It's fucking wild. In these insanely conservative states, you've got these little islands of liberals that just so happen to be the god damned capitals of those states and it's like WTF.

[saturniandevil]

2024 Important Dates

AKA my notes on The Astrology Forecast's 2024 Year Ahead Forecast, hosted by Chris Brennan and Austin Coppock. After the overview and January forecast, I'll put the rest of the year under a readmore. Overall, this year heralds technological innovations, and is a stepping stone into bigger developments in 2025 and 2026.

Overview

This year would be dramatic on its own, but with bigger shifts ahead in this decade, serves as a preview for even more dramatic changes in 2025 and 2026.

Pluto in Aquarius We only got about 6 weeks of Pluto in Aquarius in 2023, but this is will it where be for most of 2024 and the next 20 years. We're also getting the last of Uranus in Taurus (7-year transit) and Neptune in Pisces (14-year stay). These outer planets are wrapping up while Pluto starts something new.

Austin predicts Pluto in Aquarius will be a relief to those of us who've been suffering from Pluto in Capricorn. Historically, Chris traces the development of gunpowder, its refinement and transmission from China to Europe with Pluto in Aquarius. Warfare changed with these developments, particularly the strategies of siege. We should expect to see new technologies & applications in warfare now, particularly anti-drone weapons and uses of AI. Near-future science fiction stories from 20 years ago will look incredibly familiar, especially the "cyberpunk dystopia" and man-machine interfaces changing significantly. The first paper shop was set up in Baghdad in 793 under Pluto in Aquarius, and this technology spread around the world under different Pluto in Aquarius periods, with wide-ranging effects on mass communication. Technological espionage is also a theme of this placement--think AI uses, and the US trying to compete with Chinese microchips. This will also form an opposition to natal Pluto for baby boomers (1940s-60s), a transit that rarely occurs within a human lifetime. We'll see the culmination of this generation's power in the world, where figures like Biden or Trump or their contemporaries may have one last bid for power before they have to hand it to someone younger.

Chris actually used AI to help summarize his notes on this transit. With Pluto representing transformation and control, and Aquarius indicating the innovator and the rebel, some general themes are:

Major shifts in how technology shapes society, both empowering people and destructively.

Information warfare and control, especially among governments. Monopolies and censorship attempts will increase.*

Technological leaps. Breakthroughs from both internal research and external sources like cultural exchange or encounters with "that which is foreign/alien."

Science vs ethics: moral dilemmas, tension between curiosity & caution

Globalization on edge: the interconnected world may face challenges, but the exchange of information is crucial to progress. World trade and supply chains spanning the globe will change as countries shift certain sectors to more local production.

*history note: Pluto was in Aquarius during the Renaissance & Scientific Revolution, and the Church tried to censor this new information because it posed a threat to Papal power. Monarchs took state power from the church under Pluto in Aquarius, and the French Revolution under this placement showed the bourgeoisie really challenging the nobility under this placement. Most of the US constitution was written under Pluto in Aquarius--in fact the last Pluto in Aquarius period was during the late 18th century, so prepare for those paradigm shifts & revolutions to shift and revolt once again. New developments in physics and cosmology around dark matter and string theory, increased uses of AI, and new space probes may all prove to shake our ideas of where we stand with the rest of the universe.

Saturn conjunct Neptune Saturn prefers structure & the real world, while Neptune is a realm of imagination and illusions. In 2016 these planets squared each other and the political sound byte "fake news" was important. We no longer trust sound and video in addition to images, especially with advances in AI. Previous Saturn-Neptune contacts include the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the HUAC/McCarthy era in the USA. We'll be asking ourselves, "is this real?" We'll need to balance skepticism with imagination.

Another Saturn-Neptune in Pisces theme is pervasive feelings of despair and collective sorrow over water-related disasters, such as tsunamis or the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The first Saturn-Neptune conjunction of the 20th century was 1916-1919: disillusionment, skepticism, muddy trench warfare and chemical weapons. More positively, empathy, compassion, and service can come from those who fight for a better world despite hardships. However, Neptune will conjoin Saturn in Aries as well, which will have a much less compassionate flavor. This upcoming Pisces conjunction occurs right as Neptune is leaving the sign--which Piscean developments will get the Saturn stamp of approval and last beyond this decade? Neptune in Pisces has brought us an increased interest in the occult matters and psychedelics, ranging from tarot and astrology to modern cults to therapeutic uses of hallucinogens. Some of the skepticism we see will be the result of having been burned by Pisces Neptune events. Another related topic is augmented reality displays--Austin predicts that since it's been around for so long, if it doesn't take during Neptune & Saturn in Pisces, it probably won't take at all.

Jupiter conjunct Uranus in Taurus This conjunction goes exact in April. In the material sign of Taurus, what sudden developments (Uranus) is Jupiter enabling? In one such application, AI technologies can help advance the field of materials science by designing new compounds & predicting their uses. There are a lot of technological developments bottlenecked by a single limitation, such as limited battery capacity, which if resolved would prompt an explosion of impressive new technologies. Quantum developments, Heisenberg's additions, different political revolutions, the sexual revolution & the Moon landing were under Jupiter-Uranus alignments, as were some of the earliest biology works in the Renaissance era. April will breakthroughs getting supported and confirmed. These come about every 13 years: in 2010 in Aries, 1990s in Aquarius. In 1941 we saw scientific breakthroughs as well, though Saturn's presence fittingly brought a much darker tone. Which house is Taurus in your chart? This transit can bring sudden insight & broaden your horizons in this area (A/N: timing techniques like progressions, Hellenistic profections, and zodiacal release can help you determine if Taurus will be especially "activated" for you around this time).

On the flipside, take care not to indulge in excessive naivete, uncritical embrace of rule-breaking in the name of progress, or getting caught up in fleeting euphoria. Once Uranus leaves, what will stay? What gets truly confirmed by Jupiter? Austin predicts major developments in cryptocurrency, which was not invented under Uranus in Taurus but did rise to prominence under this transit. Taurus also tells us to appreciate the material comforts, and this conjunction may show us a new approach to appreciating these things (like an AI snuggy that helps you sleep!). The potato chip and chocolate-chip cookie were also invented during Uranus in Taurus. More niche items have become more widely available (lab-grown meat, perhaps?), though food and energies has also become disproportionately more expensive/volatile during this transit. Taurus also signifies nature, botany, and ecology--we may see major developments in response to climate change. This is the last year of Uranus in Taurus--perhaps the cottagecore trend will have its last blows. Uranus in Gemini (A/N: 2025) will have us going back into the mainframe...(organic computers?)

Jupiter in Gemini This transit will be about a year long. Immediately upon entry to this sign Jupiter will trine Pluto, and later in the year he'll square Saturn. This will be a big shift, not just by sign, but because Jupiter goes from cooperating with Saturn to fighting him. Light-footed, fast, clever Gemini Jupiter clashes with deep, slow, heavy Pisces Saturn. Their sextile in January/February indicates the economy will likely seem to move in a good direction as the year begins, but the leviathan in the deep will stop us short.

Notable figures born under Jupiter in Gemini & Saturn in Pisces include Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison, bringing us new communications systems. Bell developed the telephone partially as part of efforts to help his mother and other deaf people, while Edison himself had major hearing issues and focused on visual phenomena. However, we have ethics questions too: Bell had issues patenting the telephone as the same day as another inventor--who got there first? (A/N: many of Edison's patents were invented by others with property rights surrendered to him.) Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails also has these placements, and he's gone from applying electronic music in rock to films in recent decades. Also born under Pisces Saturn & Gemini Jupiter: Moby, Björk, Alfred Pulitzer (known for pioneering both human interest stories and sensationalism).

Other Jupiter in Gemini keywords: speaking many languages, verbosity, versatility & adptability, self-education, many short experiments, and having a knack for or good luck in new machines. However, Jupiter is considered in exile/detriment in Gemini: this light sign may interfere with Jupiter's desire for deeper understanding. The first decan of Gemini is ruled by Jupiter, and the bound of Jupiter is early in the sign as well, (and Jupiter is a triplicity ruler for Gemini!) so we can actually have quite a strong Jupiter in the beginning of this transit. Pluto in Aquarius trines Jupiter at the start of this transit, and Jupiter will gladly go to work for Pluto's agenda. Expect major technology & information related developments in April-May. This also foreshadows Uranus's entry into Gemini, where he'll trine Pluto thrice.

During this time, all the planets in Gemini are also combust (so close to the Sun we can't see them, figuratively getting burned), so beware of burnout. Another Jupiter in Gemini native is Lana Wachowski (one of the creators of The Matrix). Her coming out story also inspired many, and Jupiter in Gemini is a good place for variety in gender expression. Unfortunately, concepts from her movie were also coopted by right-wingers ("redpilled"). Also under this placement is JK Rowling, initially known for writing increasingly verbose fantasy books, though in recent years has focused her resources on stopping the advancement of trans rights. Jupiter in Gemini is fast, but not always ethical.

Eclipses

In April we'll have an eclipse that's visible over much of the United States from Texas to Maine, occurring on an election year. In the Indian dasha system, the US entered a Rahu (North Node)-ruled time period 8 years ago, making it especially sensitive to eclipses. There won't be another total eclipse visible in the US until 2045, marking momentous changes. This is also a continuation of the Libra/Aries eclipse story, most recently from the Libra eclipse in October. In both our personal lives and world events we'll see a turning point in the spring. The eclipses this year are in March-April, and September-October (remember, eclipses always come in twos--one lunar, one solar!). The March/April eclipses will be especially chaotic with Mars-Saturn and Jupiter-Uranus conjunctions affecting the equinox. The fall eclipses will begin shifting towards the Pisces/Virgo axis, and the major renewals will shift focus from one area of our lives to another (check which house(s) contain these signs for you).

Comets 2024 will have two comets that may be visible to the naked eye--both during eclipses! The Pons-Brooks comet will be visible in April around the time of the Aries eclipse (and Jupiter-Uranus & Mars-Saturn conjunctions). This indicates a very important time in world history. The comet, which may become visible as the sky darkens, will pass right by the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. Chris's ancient sources say whether a comet is a good or bad omen depends on its color, brightness, and visibility once it gets here, but he's hopeful its contact with Jupiter-Uranus will be helpful to us. Austin points out it'll be difficult to distinguish the comet's specific effects from everything else going on at that time. The second comet visits us in October, right before eclipses and the US presidential election. "Hopefully we won't get the Game of Thrones Season 2/War of Five Kings comet," says Austin. Chris is going to publish an episode soon analyzing both ancient sources & doing his own historical research on comets, which have connections to wars, regime changes, and religious or political leaders being born.

Mars Austin points out that there will be consistent stelliums in the first half of the year (visible around the eclipses) before returning to more regular dispersal. Mars is also going to make volatile contacts to outer planets as well, really bringing military connotations, mostly earlier in the year and then picking up again at the end of the year with an opposition to Pluto & a retrograde. In fact, Mars enters Leo, the sign of his upcoming retrograde, 2 days before the US presidential election.

US history & election: Mars goes retrograde in the same sign every 79 years, shifting by about 4 degrees every time. Mars did this same retrograde back in the late 1700s when US states were ratifying the Constitution (Pluto was in Aquarius then like it will be in '24, and some other transits are the same as well). The next recurrence was during the passing of the 14th amendment after the Civil War, an amendment forbidding anyone who led an insurrection from entering office. Most recently Mars retrograded in this cycle in 1945-6, during the end of WW2 and stationing just before the birth of a certain controversial recent president. This upcoming Mars retrograde will occur in the same part of the zodiac as these other events.

Chris usually shies away from predicting election results outright because he considers himself too invested to be objective, but he gives us a rundown. Like 2016 this election occurs under a Saturn-Neptune conjunction, foreshadowing the us of AI in political propaganda. If it does end up being Biden vs Trump, Chris says as of now there are indicators for either side winning. For the past 30 years, every presidential election winner has had an eclipse in one of his angular houses (1/4/7/10) shortly before winning. The Aries/Libra eclipses don't fall in angular houses for either, but the Pisces eclipse in September occurs in Biden's 4th house, and the 10th of his running mate Kamala. In Trump's favor is zodiacal releasing: he's starting a 19-year peak period releasing from spirit (career/aspirations) in 2025 just after the election. (This is one of the things that threw Chris off in the 2016 election, since a president elected for 2 consecutive terms then wouldn't be in office anymore in 2025.) This peak period activates the sign of Leo for him, the first house, and contains his natal Mars, bringing fighting and difficulty to the foreground. (A/N: Mars is also entering Leo around the time of the election, so whether he wins or not, we'll be seeing a lot of him.) That's a basic overview, and Chris will discuss other factors as the year progresses. Austin points out we have a perfect Mars-Pluto opposition the day before the election, and Mars stations in Leo right as the electors meet to officially vote. This election is heavily tied to the Mars retrograde, which continues until a few months into 2025. Pluto will take Mars's significations to bigger extremes as well as hidden power plays. Taking place January 20th at noon, Inauguration Day always takes place at the beginning of Aquarius season with the Sun in the 10th house, but Pluto's going to conjoin the Sun as well this year, which Chris predicts will start a new era of American history. Two of the debates fall on eclipse days, and Chris predicts these will have a dramatic effect on the election. Regardless of specific candidates, we know the US is entering a crucial phase of its history with Uranus entering Gemini (same placement as the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and entering WW2). Austin wonders if the Saturn-Neptune conjunction will delay the rise of historic leadership, as his research so far proved inconclusive.

Month-by-month

January

Mercury stations direct immediately, helping us start things off definitively. Mars in Capricorn colors most of the month. He's very strong & effective in this sign, further supported by a trine from Jupiter in Taurus. With Venus and Mercury copresent Mars in Capricorn, we have an opportunity to practice living how we'd like to before things get crazy. The clichés of "starting your the year off right" are worth following this time around. A Jupiter-Saturn sextile in the first six weeks of the year further supports our efforts to get organized. Take advantage of Jupiter in Taurus to make the growth and expansion you seek permanent. We'll need a set pattern to weather the upcoming storms.

Chris and Leisa's auspicious election for the month is on January 12th, 2023 at 8AM local time with Aquarius rising. This means the Ascendant ruler Saturn receives a helpful sextile from Jupiter (orb of 5 degrees).

After a conjunction with the Sun and the light's ingress into Aquarius, Pluto re-enters that same sign on the 20th, anchoring what's most interesting about February. Chris points out it's exactly one year from the US presidential inauguration and will be an interesting omen.

February

February has a pileup of planets in Aquarius. From the 5th to the 16th, Mercury, Mars, and Venus all conjoin Pluto. This rapid succession of initial conjunctions will start to show us what this new Pluto era will look like for each of the faster planets. We go from having 4-5 planets in Capricorn to having 4-5 in Aquarius through this first half of the year. What does overwhelming weight in these signs look like for you? The Mars-Pluto conjunction on the 14th will be pretty dramatic. This connotes the use of excessive force, and generally will likely show us what kinds of dangers to expect from Pluto in Aquarius. The Venus-Mars conjunction at nearby degrees will connote future relationship patterns.

March

This month marks the beginning of eclipse season as well as a pileup of planets in Pisces. After the equinox, we have an eclipse, making the spring very dramatic. Mars sneaks up to a conjunction with Saturn, who rules the April Libra eclipse, and all the while Mercury is retrograde. We have multiple indicators of major world events here, which Chris compares to early 2020. And if that wasn't enough, we've got a comet! The lunar eclipse in Libra heralds back to its sister eclipse in early October.

April

The Mars-Saturn conjunction will punctuate difficulties of Saturn's transit--the last Mars-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius aligned with the intensifying lockdowns in March-April of 2020. This time the conjunction is in a water sign, so think naval warfare or threats from aquatic creatures. January was a good time to plan; this is not. We'll be adapting to rapid changes and doing what needs to be done. The Aries eclipse will be visible over much of the US, bringing major developments to the nation. Once we get out of eclipse season, we'll have to deal with the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction going exact on the 19th. Chris hopes that this will divide the month in half, from chaotic early on to more hopeful in the second half, especially as Mercury stations direct. Austin is less optimistic, as we'll have Jupiter, Uranus, and Venus all in Taurus. At the end of the month, Mars enters Aries and joins Rahu there, igniting the very point that was just activated by a total eclipse. Regardless, the pace of technology and communications will explode during this month and May.

May

Once Jupiter enters Gemini, lots of other planets follow him to that sign. This has strong implications for the advancements for communications. Austin says the Taurus developments in the early month indicate financial developments before the technological ones. All the planets in Taurus are looking to its ruler Venus for support, but she's combust (close to the Sun & invisible), so we'll feel something missing from our material comforts.

June

The Jupiter-Pluto trine is twofold: Jupiter expands Pluto's Aquarian pursuits, while Pluto exponentially magnifies Jupiter's expansion of communications in Gemini. We get a Sun-Venus cazimi in Gemini, resetting her cycle, with Mercury a few weeks after. Some of the Jupiter-Uranus discoveries and inventions may not be visible until later, as the Gemini planets themselves are invisible & passing through the Sun during these few months. There's a spaceship with recreational implications set to be launched next spring, fitting with the expansion of leisure that Jupiter in Taurus connotes. Mars entering Taurus on the 9th will mellow out for awhile after such intense movements. Saturn's retrograde station in Pisces brings him as close to Neptune as he's gonna get this year.

July

Saturn & Neptune stationing in Pisces blur the lines between what's real and what's not, what's true and what's false... An exlposive, unexpected Mars-Uranus conjunction occurs on the 15th. Furthermore, it's on top of the star Algol, a very ugly configuration that has historically coincided with devastating warfare and weapons. This isn't the tone for all of Mars in Taurus, but it's something to try and steer around if possible. Mars in Gemini brings us to August.

August

Mercury stations retrograde on the 5th, backtracking through both Virgo and Leo. This year Mercury retrogrades occur mainly in fire signs:

Mars in Gemini puts him in contact with Jupiter right as the benefic is squaring Saturn in Pisces; the smaller planet will likely exacerbate these issues. Excessive heat and speed clash against excessive cold and slowness. This is a real slowdown for Jupiter's fun and social trip through Gemini. Mercury stations direct by the end of the month, taking us into September.

September

By this point the planets have stopped moving in a giant pack, spacing out the energies a little. Pluto retrogrades back into Capricorn for the very last time this month; when he enters Aquarius at the end of this year he'll stay there for the next 20 years. Uranus gets as late into Taurus as he's gonna get this year before stationing retrograde as well, trining Pluto within 2 degrees of exactness. Chris charts these planetary contacts over the past few decades:

Uranus conjunct Pluto in the late 1960s saw major social changes as well as the first computer mouse. A sextile in the mid-1990s heralded the emergence of the Internet as we know it. In the early 2010s, smartphones became more and more ubiquitous, and now we're entering the next phase of new widely used technologies. The 2010s also saw revolutionary movements like the Arab Spring, and similar political developments will be foreshadowed around this time.

Mars enters Cancer, the sign where he'll retrograde. It's not very comfortable, but we'll have to get used to it all the same. Notable degrees are the retrograde beginning at 6Leo10 and ending at 17Cancer01:

We also get the first hit of the Pisces eclipse series this month. Though its companion eclipse is back in Libra, the September eclipse is foreshadowing for 2025-6.

October

The height of election season in the US coincides with the height of eclipse season celestially. We'll likely see prominent figures suddenly sink to the bottom or rise to the top around this time--jumping way ahead or falling way behind. Mars enters the shadow of his upcoming retrograde days after the eclipse. It's already hard to see clearly, and the eclipse supercharges all this. The Libra eclipse on the 2nd is the final of its series, wrapping up whatever was initiated in October 2023 (i.e. a new chapter in certain Middle Eastern conflicts). The first lunation free of an eclipse provides no relief, with the Full Moon tightly squaring Mars (♋) and Pluto (♑). This forms a difficult cardinal grand cross with the Sun, Moon, Mars and Pluto. Power plays, manipulation and intrigue abound.

November

Mars enters Leo, the sign of its retrograde, on the 3rd. Although he's in his pre-retrograde shadow period earlier, this ingress will bring it dramatically forward. He opposes Pluto, who's been stationing since mid-October, bringing paranoia, power struggles/plays, obsession & confrontation, and hidden motives or manipulation from behind the scenes. In opposite signs we'll see tension in opposite approaches to things, such as direct power versus hidden agendas, excessive force and even extermination. Mars only needs to win the battle, but Pluto blows things out of proportion. His station on December 6th is notable. The last Mars retrograde in Cancer was in 2007-2008, so look to this time in your life for an idea of what will happen. We can also look to the Mars retrograde in Leo 15 years ago (12/20/2009-3/10/2010). (This retrograde is mostly in Cancer, but stations in Leo). 2 days after Mars enters Leo is election day in the US (Nov. 5th), shining a light on all the controversies.

Venus is way ahead of everyone in Capricorn, while Pluto reenters Aquarius for good (the next 20 years). Mercury also stations retrograde at the end of the month, bringing us to December.

December

Mars stations retrograde right after Mercury's own halfway point through the retrograde, bringing miscommunications into Martial clashes, conflicts, and severing/separation. It's during the height of his retrograde that Mars is at his closest to Earth and is at his brightest for the longest (basically all night every night).

Mars retrograde shows us that no battle plan survives first contact. Excessive heat or conflict will linger for much longer than you expect. Mercury stations direct under a Full Moon on the 15th, and Jupiter squares Saturn exactly on the 24th. Our questions about growth versus boundaries will come back into focus. Meanwhile the rest of Mars retrograde awaits us in 2025, continuing a smoldering conflict into the next year.

[sleepy-achilles]

@theundertakeriscoming

The Family of Destruction- Papa Kicks ass!

I'm canonically losing my mind. I haven't pulled all nighters, twice in two days, since I was in highschool. My body ain't built for this anymore. Anyways, this is in a completely different universe, probably the one in which the kids don't become wrestlers because Leon story in the wwe started when he was born so yk he'd know.

------------------------------------------------------------------

----Leon----

Leon never understood why his parents always left for long periods of time. Or how he had such a big family.

But he was only four, so he didn't think he was supposed to understand.

Leon looks down at his cereal and frowns as his parents talk about leaving again. He didn't mind staying with his uncles or aunts. He just missed his dad's when they left.

Taker approaches the small boy, he chuckles at the deep frown on the boys face as he stares into his cereals. "Whats wrong buddy? Did papa make the wrong ones?" Taker asks sitting next to him. Leon lifts his head and shakes it. Taker tilts his head. "Then what's wrong?" Taker questions. Leon points at the bags in the hall. "Oh..right. yeah, no reason to be upset though" Taker tells him. It's Leon's turn to tilt his head. "Your coming with me and papa. We are going on a nice trip." Taker smiles. Leon's eyed widen with excitement. "You like that idea buddy?" Taker asks. Leon nods. "Alright buddy, eat up than" Taker tells him. He watches as the kid digs back in. He glances at shawn who's still on the phone with their boss.

------

Leon holds onto Shawn tightly as his papa carries him into the big building. Shawn gives his leg a squeeze as they walk. "This is one of the places me and daddy work" Shawn tells the boy softly. Leon rests his head on shawns shoulder and examines the hallways. He takes in the different men and women and how they are all dressed. He purses his lips, they are all dressed funny. A man in all gold approaches them. "Hello baby boy" he smiles. Leon's head perks up. Uncle goldust? "Oh right, you've never seen me like this. Shoulda started with my name." Goldust chuckles holding his hand out. Leon squeezes the other man's hand. "Your really going to enjoy tonight lee" goldust promises as he called away.

Goldust mutters his goodbyes before rushing off. Shawn looks at Leon who's face is full of confusion. Shawn smiles but he can't help but think this will be a bad idea, maybe wrestlemania isn't the best idea for your son finding out your job.

----

Taker and shawn are tag teaming tonight. Kevin promised to take care of Leon. What they didn't know is this would have Leon sat at ring side. It was hbtaker vs Austin and hunter. Kevin's purpose was hunter and shawn. But also introducing Leon to the world.

Kevin carries Leon on his shoulders as he walks out onto the stage. The fans cheer, aw and make confused noises. Leon stares confusion. Who are all these people? Why are they cheering and chanting uncle Kevin name? Leon hunches over slightly, hugging kevins head. "Its okay buddy, this will all make sense soon" Kevin promises as he walks to the announcement table. "Well hello" King huffs as Kevin sits down, lifting Leon and sitting him into his lap. "Hello" Kevin smiles accepting a headset. "And who's this little guy?" Jr asks. "This is my nephew, Leon Michaels" Kevin states. Leon looks around. "Michaels? As in shawns kid?" King asks. Kevin nods. "Say hi" Kevin hums. Leon waves at King and Jr getting some aws. "Not a talking one" Kevin tells them.

"Its alright, King does enough talking for us all" Jr jokes. Leon smiles and leans back against his uncle. He watches as hunter and Austin make their way into the ring. Hunter leans on the rope and waves at Leon. Leon waves back causing hunter to smile. Leon looks at kevin confused. "Papa and daddy are badasses and your about to see it" Kevin whispers. Leon brings his hands up to his ears as the fans start to scream. Kevin places his bigger hands over Leon's ears aswell before continuing his conversation with Jr and King.

Taker stops the bike at the top of the stage. "I didnt see kev or Lee in the gorilla" Shawn whispers, tightening his grip on taker. "They might be in the nwo lockeroom" Taker mutters before driving down to the ring. Taker is quick to break infront of the announcement table.

Leon's eyes widen as his dad's stare at him. Leon smiles causing both men to smile. Shawn blows a kiss at Leon before taker continues to drive around. Leon moves kevins hands and leans forward to watch his father's. Kevin smiles at the sudden excitement in the small boy. Leon claps as his parents fight. It doesn't take him long to realise how cool his parents jobs are. Especially when Shawn hits hunter with sweetchin music and then taker catches him and tombstones him. Shawn sits on the top rope and claps as taker pins hunter with a boot to the chest.

Taker chuckles as the bell rings, moving towards his husband. Shawn shares a kiss with the man before jumping too the outside. Taker leans against the ropes and watches as shawn moves to Kevin and Leon. Kevin passes the boy over and they climb into the ring. Leon claps with a massive smile. "You have fun baby?" Shawn asks handing Leon to taker. Leon nods as taker lifts him onto his shoulders. Shawn skips to the middle, hard cam, and does his pose as taker stands behind him and raises one hand into the air. Leon doesn't hesitate to copy his father.

"Badass" Leon speaks.

Both Shawn and takers eyes widen at their sons first words.

------------------------------------------------------------------

---Cassidy---

"What do dad and papa do?" Cassie asks as she watches Leon do his homework. "Wrestle" Leon shrugs. "So they just punch people? Lame" cassie huffs. Leon looks at the girl. "Your first wrestlemania tonight. You'll soon change your tune" Leon chuckles shaking his head. "Bet on it." Cassie smirks. Leon raises an eyebrow. "How much?" He asks. "20" "deal"

Kevin leans heavily against the doorframe, listening too the two trouble makers.

---

Leon kicks his feet up onto the barrier as cassie yawns. "The divas are cool. But it still sucks" cassie states. Leon shakes his head. "Wrestlemania 25 is full of surprises little sis" Leon states. "Also wasn't one of them-" "yeah we don't talk about him. Trust me" Leon cuts in. Cassie falls quiet as holy music starts playing. Leon watches as cassie moves to the edge of her seat as their papa comes down from the sky. Leon smirks. He can smell the 20 already. She's holding the barrier when their father comes out.

"Lame?" Leon asks as their parents square up. "So? Their entrances were cool. Means nothing" cassie huffs leaning back.

It doesn't last long. Cassie is soon standing up and cheering and screaming for her fathers. She loses all cool when Shawn kicks out of the tombstone. "Papa actually kicks ass!" Cassie yells. Leon can't stop himself from laughing at his baby sister.

Leon then gets invested aswell. Seeing his sister so invested and enjoying it so much unlocks his memories. His first few years of watching his parents.

"NO!" Both kids stand up and yell as Taker gets the three count. Taker rests on his knees and stares at his kids in disbelief. His own kids, against him? Shawn hides a smile by rolling away. "Our parents are badasses!" Cassie gasps. Leon smirks and holds his hand out. Cassie groans and pulls the 20 out of her pocket and slaps it into Leon's hand. Leon pockets it as their papa stumbles over. "You enjoy your first live show?" Shawn asks leaning against the barrier. "It was so awesome! Wish you won though" cassie frowns. Shawn chuckles and kisses her temple. "Ill see yall backstage" he tells them before leaving. Taker shakes his head at his kids. "Cmon" Leon chuckles leading cassie out of the seating area.

--

The kids walk with their parents down the hall. "I don't believe dad won." Cassie states. Leon chuckles and pulls her into a side hug. Shawn turns to see taker stood still holding his hands out. "What do you mean?" Taker asks. "Papa kicks ass." Cassie shrugs. Shawn laughs and takes takers hand. "Cmon baby, ill buy you dinner to make up for it" Shawn teases. "Betrayed by my own kind" Taker frowns as he begins walking again. "I think we just betrayed hunter" Shawn jokes. "Oh for sure. They'll wish you were the main event because they ain't following that" Leon huffs. "Preachhhh" cassie yawns.

---

John and hunter share a look. "Im gonna kill them" hunter whispers. "Ill help. How the fuc-"

[stubobnumbers]

Saturday, September 7th - Part Three.

Saturday, September 7th - Part Three. (Rest of the G5, FCS, D2, and D3).

G5 vs FCS: Idaho at Wyoming - 2:30 PM TruTV. First meeting.

Northern Colorado at Colorado State. Colorado State leads the series, 20-0-1.

UT Chattanooga at Georgia State - 6 PM ESPN+. UT Chattanooga leads the series, 1-0.

Eastern Kentucky at Western Kentucky - 6 PM ESPN+. Western Kentucky leads the series, 49-34-3.

Gardner Webb at James Madison - 5 PM ESPN+. First meeting.

Merrimack at Connecticut. First meeting.

Missouri State at Ball State - 1 PM ESPN+. First meeting.

Sacramento State at Fresno State. Fresno State leads the series, 2-0.

Southern Utah at UTEP - 8 PM ESPN+. First meeting.

Saint Francis (PA.) at Kent State - 1:30 PM ESPN+. First meeting.

Stephen F. Austin at North Texas - 6:30 PM ESPN+. North Texas leads the series, 22-4-3.

Texas Southern at Rice - 6 PM ESPN+. Rice leads the series, 2-0.

Utah Tech at UNLV. First meeting.

William & Mary at Coastal Carolina - 6 PM ESPN+. First meeting.

Southeastern Louisiana at Southern Mississippi - 6 PM ESPN+. Southern Miss leads the series, 19-3.

FCS Games: Montana at North Dakota - 6 PM ESPN+. Incarnate Word at South Dakota State - 6 PM ESPN+. Tennessee State at North Dakota State - 2:30 PM ESPN+. Northern Iowa at St. Thomas (MN.). Maine at Montana State - 7 PM ESPN+. Portland State at Weber State (Big Sky) - 7 PM ESPN+. Villanova at Colgate - 5 PM ESPN+. Drake at Eastern Washington - 6 PM ESPN+. Southern Illinois at Austin Peay - 6 PM ESPN+. Valparaiso at Youngstown State - 1 PM ESPN+. Wofford at Richmond - 2:30 PM Flo Video. Texas A&M Commerce at UC Davis - 9 PM ESPN+. Illinois State at North Alabama - 6 PM ESPN+. Indiana State at Eastern Illinois - 6 PM ESPN+. New Hampshire at Holy Cross - 1 PM ESPN+. Campbell at Western Carolina - 12 PM ESPN+. Charleston Southern at Furman - 6 PM ESPN+. UT Martin at Southeast Missouri State - 6 PM ESPN+. Tarleton State at Houston Christian - 6 PM ESPN+. Mercer at Bethune Cookman - 2 PM Youtube Video. Lafayette at Monmouth (NJ.) - Flo Video. Morgan State at Towson - 5 PM Flo Video. Fordham at Central Connecticut State. Wagner at Lehigh - 11 AM ESPN+. Bucknell at VMI - 12:30 PM ESPN+. Butler at Murray State - 6 PM ESPN+. Central Arkansas at Lindenwood - ESPN+. Elon at North Carolina Central - 5 PM ESPN+. Georgetown at Marist - 11 AM ESPN+. Mississippi Valley State at Lamar - 6 PM ESPN+. Prairie View A&M at Northwestern State - 6 PM ESPN+. South Carolina State at The Citadel - 11 AM ESPN+. Stonehill at Stony Brook - 2:30 PM Flo Video. West Georgia at Abilene Christian - 7 PM ESPN+.

FCS vs Non-FCS: Edinboro at Robert Morris 5:00 pm ATTPI / NEC Front Row Video Savannah State at Southern 6:00 pm GrioTV Arkansas Baptist at UAPB 7:00 pm TBA Catawba at Davidson 6:00 pm $espn+ Video Central Washington at San Diego 3:00 pm $espn+ Video Franklin Pierce at Bryant 3:00 pm $Flo Video Kentucky Christian at Morehead State 5:00 pm $espn+ Video Kentucky State at Alabama A&M 5:00 pm Youtube Video Lane at Jackson State 6:00 pm Youtube Video Miles at Alabama State 5:00 pm $espn+ Video Presbyterian at Erskine 6:00 pm $Flo Video Tuskegee at Grambling 6:00 pm HBCU Go UVA Wise at ETSU 4:30 pm $espn+ Video Virginia State at Norfolk State 1:00 pm $espn+ Video Virginia Union at Hampton 5:00 pm $Flo Video Warner at Stetson 5:00 pm $espn+ Video Western Oregon at Idaho State 5:00 pm $espn+ Video Winston Salem at North Carolina A&T 6:00 pm $Flo Video

D2 ranked game: Bemidji State (20th) at Minnesota State (8th).

Three D3 ranked games: John Carroll (19th) at UW-Whitewater (3rd). UW-River Falls (17th) at Alma (7th). John Hopkins (8th) at Ithaca (20th).

[wrestlingfaves]

Royal Rumble Marathon: 1998

The Rumble has made it to 1997.

Warning for past Rumbles.

The undercard:

Goldust (accompanied by Marlena) vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley (accompanied by Curtis Hughes) for the Intercontinental title. Hunter wins via the Pedigree. Hughes is no Chyna.

Rumble hype vignettes form Bret Hart and Mankind.

Farooq (Ron Simmons, accompanied by the Nation of Domination and other individuals) vs Ahmed Johnson. Ahmed wins via DQ and brawls with the Nation afterwards. This was an early version of the Nation of Domination that featured PG-13 and Crush.

Vader vs the Undertaker. Paul Bearer shows up mid-match and gets pushed around by Taker. Taker wins.

Rumble hype vignettes from Steve Austin (no longer the Ringmaster, he is now “Stone Cold”) and Davey Boy Smith who states he’s going to win the Rumble as he is “bizarre”.

A six-man tag team match features the following wrestlers from AAA: Hector Garza, Perro Aguayo, and El Canek vs Jerry Estrada, Heavy Metal, and Fuerza Guerrera. An attempt to counter the luchadors of WCW or an addition due to the pay per view taking place in Texas? The team of Aguayo, Garza, and Canek won. Unsurprisingly, this is the most athletic and fastest-paced match of the undercard.

Once again the Rumble is not the final bout of the pay-per-view. While I would normally agree that the World title match should end the ppv, the Rumble is the exception. The Rumble should always go last.

The entrants in order of appearance:

Crush (accompanied by Clarence Mason)

Ahmed Johnson

Fake Razor Ramon

Phineas Godwinn (accompanied by Hillbilly Jim)

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin

Bart Gunn

Jake Roberts

Davey Boy Smith

Pierroth

The Sultan (Rikishi) (accompanied by the Iron Shiek)

Mil Mascaras

Hunter Hearst Helmsley

Owen Hart (accompanied by his Slammy trophy)

Goldust (accompanied by Marlena)

Cybernetico

Marc Mero (accompanied by Sable)

Latin Lover

Farooq

Savio Vega

Jesse James (aka Road Dog)

Bret Hart (Steve Austin’s “Oh Crap” face when Bret’s music was fantastic

Jerry Lawler

Fake Diesel (aka Kane)

Terry Funk (3 months from now Funk will be headlining ECW’s first ppv – Barely Legal)

Rocky Maivia (pre-the Rock but not yet drowned out by “Rocky Sucks” chants)

Mankind

Flash Funk

Vader

Henry Godwinn (accompanied by Hillbilly Jim)

Undertaker

First-time Rumblers: Ahmed Johnson, Phineas Godwinn

Surprise Entrants: Pierroth, Mil Mascaras, Cybernetico, Latin Lover, Terry Funk

“Oops! I ‘accidentally’ eliminated my friend” spot: Owen eliminates Davey Boy

Commentator joins the Rumble: Jerry Lawler, first time this spot is used in the Rumble

Winner: Steve Austin (though Austin had been eliminated by Bret but the refs didn’t see it). Bret has a hissy and asks Vince when he’s going to do something about it – one of the few references to Vince’s actual role in the company before he adopted the “Mr. McMahon” character.

Most Eliminations: Steve Austin with a total of 10, tying the previous record held by Hulk Hogan.

Quickest Eliminations: Jerry Lawler, Fake Razor Ramon

Highlight of the Rumble: Bret vs Steve (the pair has around 4 minutes to themselves in the ring and then focus on each other for the rest of the Rumble)

Feuds in the Rumble: Bret vs Steve, Mankind vs Terry Funk, Hunter vs Goldust, Ahmed vs the Nation), Vader vs Taker

The Road To Wrestlemania: Bret vs Steve

The WWE’s roster was thin at this point as 5 of the 30 participants were not members of the roster and another 6 participants pulled double-duty on the card.

Shawn Michaels (accompanied by Jose Lothario) vs Psycho Sid for the World championship. Shawn defeats Sid to regain the championship but will forfeit the title soon afterwards due to “losing his smile”.

Wrestlers and others who have passed on: Jacques Rougeau Sr., Crush, Vader, Paul Bearer, Hector Garza, Perro Aguayo, Fake Razor Ramon (Rick Bognar), Davey Boy Smith, Iron Shiek, Owen Hart, Terry Funk, Jose Lothario, Pat Patterson

Total number of deceased individuals: 13 (up 3 from the previous Rumble)

[militaryveteransworldwide]

Military Veterans Worldwide: Russia vs Ukraine, and Civil War Medals of Honor

This is the preview issue of my free newsletter, "Military Veterans Worldwide. You can subscribe here: https://militaryveteransworldwide.com.

As a former print military journalist, it's hard to decide what stories to share. There are so many great stories out there, and I want to share as many of them as I can. in this premier issue of the newsletter, I wanted to share news about the war in Ukraine. It appears to have fallen off the front page of the news.

Since I read stories from both sides of the aisle, you'll find stories from mainstream press on Google News as well as news from the Russian press. I believe this is necessary to getting to the truth, as well as trying to gain a better understanding of what is happening in the military and veterans community. I hope you find these stories helpful. Enjoy!

Not every veteran has PTSD. For the ones that do, there is healing and hope. Don't go it alone. This free guide contains 10 different resources to help you heal and deal with your PTSD for good. Click here to get started: https://milvetswrldwde.gumroad.com/l/ptsd-resources-for-veterans.

Articles US to announce new $2.3 billion military aid package for Ukraine “This package under presidential drawdown authority will provide new air defense interceptors, anti-tank weapons, and other critical munitions from US inventories,” Austin said in a meeting with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. “It will also enable the United States to procure more Patriot and NASAMs air defense interceptors, which will be provided on an accelerated timeline by the resequencing of deliveries for some foreign military sales.”

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/02/politics/us-ukraine-military-assistance-package/index.html

Starting a t-shirt business can help you start a business you can run in just a few hours a week. It is an easy-to-scale business, and once you set it up, the only thing you have to do is market and handle customer service. You can get started for free with this free report and course. Download today to get started:

https://milvetswrldwde.gumroad.com/l/tshirt-profits-made-easy.

US military heightens the security alert at European bases due to a combination of threats USAREUR, the European Command for the U.S. Army, raised the threat level to Charlie. This is the second highest threat level after Delta and usually means there are multiple threats including threats of terrorism. The Pentagon didn't say if there were similar threats to U.S. military personnel in places like the Middle East, Africa, or the Pacific.

https://apnews.com/article/military-europe-threat-level-attack-f67ba8e6ff3030a58c48fcda151c364d

Civil War soldiers to get Medal of Honor for Confederate train raid Pvt. Philip Shadrach and Pvt. George Wilson, members of the 2nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment, are finally set to receive recognition as participants in what is known as the "Great Locomotive Chase."

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2024/07/03/civil-war-soldiers-to-get-medal-of-honor-for-confederate-train-raid/

(Screenshots via CNN, AP News, and Army Times.)

Amazon allows you to sell your t-shirt designs on the site for free. Set up your designs and Amazon will do the rest. Here's how to get started. You can download the free course and ebook today and start your Amazon Merch business for free. Click here now:

https://milvetswrldwde.gumroad.com/l/merch-mastery-made-easy.

Video News Ukraine vs Russia Military Power Comparison 2024 | Russia vs Ukraine Military Power 2024 Wondering how these two armies stack up against one another? Here's how to find out in this video comparing these two armies.

Wrap Up Orban reveals Zelensky’s reaction to ceasefire proposal https://www.rt.com/news/600384-orban-zelensky-ceasefire-response/

‘Hamas has never been stronger’: Israel is stuck in a war it can’t win https://www.rt.com/news/600393-israel-claims-defeat-hamas/

Russian warships blow up Ukrainian naval drone (VIDEO) https://www.rt.com/russia/600376-novorossiysk-base-naval-drones/

If you have a news story you would like to share, please let me know. Covering events my readers consider important is important to me. For those who want to advertise their veteran-owned businesses, please let me know. I'll be happy to share your business and even do an interview with you to give you free publicity. I'll also be happy to include your business in one of the three ad positions in the newsletter. You can use the convenient contact form below to contact me.

In future issues I'll cover the following topics: Benefits, Books, Business, Education, Health, History, Movies, Music, News, PTSD and Suicide Prevention, Weapons, Gear, and Vehicles, and Everyday Survival Skills. I hope you will find these stories to be helpful. There are also plenty of free courses out there to help you with your health, as well as learn new skills to help you start businesses.

What do you think about the war in Ukraine? I am neutral in the conflict because I see fault on both sides. However, everyone has a different opinion about it, and I would love to hear yours.

What about what is happening in Israel? What do you think will happen. Send me your comments. Until next week, have a great week!

This newsletter is published on Thursdays.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. The information in this newsletter and on my site is for informational purposes only. I aim to provide you with the best possible information to help you make informed decisions. I would recommend that before beginning any program you have a checkup to determine the status of your health and that you discuss any concerns you may have with a medical professional. If you have any questions or need support, please contact me through my site: https://militaryveteransworldwide.com/contact-us/.

This newsletter may also contain affiliate links. The sale of the programs provided is designed to help support my work. You are under no obligation to purchase anything.

[thef1nalb0ss]

Faction Rankings: May 8, 2023- May 14, 2023

10. The Schism

After Gacy got The Dyad a tag title match, Ava told him he should do something for himself. That thing was apparently pursuing a match for the North American Championship. However, The Dyad lost their title match, due to them getting distracted after Ivy tackled Ava at ringside.

9. Diamond Mine

Ivy has a problem with The Schism, especially Ava. She interrupted The Dyad's tag title match by attacking Ava at ringside, which caused The Dyad to become distracted which led to the pin. While Gacy is going after the North American title, it seems like the rest of The Schism will be dealing with Diamond Mine.

8. Imperium

Gunther wasn't there this week, but Kaiser and Vinci were and they had a match with the tag champions, which they lost. Gunther returns next week for his first appearance on Raw since The Draft.

7. Chase U

Andre hasn't been seen since losing to Bron at Spring Breakin'. Lucky for the university, though, Duke has stepped up in the meantime, and he got a win over Javi last week.

Somebody should tell Duke that Duke University is already taken, though.

6. Briggs, Jensen, and Henley

Getting back on track after Kiana, Josh and Brooks got a win against Tank and Hank. Fallon faces Cora this week in a first round match in the tournament for the NXT Women's Championship.

5. The Bloodline

Roman returned this week for the first time since Wrestlemania, and he had some things to say. After yelling at The Usos for losing both their Wrestlemania match and the rematch and also dedicating the rematch to him (both because they lost and also because they dedicated a tag match to him, who's a singles wrestler, when there's many legendary tag teams in their family), he had Paul reveal that at Night of Champions, The Bloodline would get a tag title match...but that match would be Roman and Solo vs. Sami and Kevin.

4. The Way

3. The Judgement Day

With Indi getting called-up to Raw, The Way, sans United States Champion Austin Theory, reunited. And with that reunion came Johnny assuring the rest of them that somebody is coming back soon...even if Candice and Indi are a bit skeptical of that.

Both Damian and Finn took part in the tournament for the World Heavyweight Championship. While Damian was eliminated in the first round, Finn made it to the semifinals, but he was unable to defeat Seth. Rhea got a quick victory against Dana last week, and afterwards, Natalya arrived for a stare-off.

2. Gallus

They defeated The Dyad after capitalizing on a distraction by Diamond Mine to retain the tag titles. Tony and Stacks made it clear during and after the match that they want the next title match.

1. The O.C.

AJ won a triple threat on Smackdown against Edge and Rey to advance in the World Heavyweight Championship tournament, and later in the night defeated Bobby in the semifinals. He'll face Seth in the finals at Night of Champions in the finals.

[news4usonline]

It’s LeBron vs. Curry again

(News4usonline) - Here we go again. The NBA got the matchup it wanted with the Los Angeles Lakers going head-to-head with the Golden State Warriors. So, it’ll be Steph Curry, the same guy who just dropped 50 points on the Sacramento Kings in a Game 7 in the first round of the NBA playoffs, going up against LeBron James. We can’t wait.  The NBA semifinals between the Lakers and the Warriors promises to be epic. It’ll be James, who just took over the all-time regular season scoring record matching wits with the greatest 3-point shooter the league has ever seen. Both James and Curry have each won four NBA titles. 

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. Photo credit: Mark Hammond/News4usonline Three of the four championships Curry and the Warriors have won have been against James, when he starred for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Curry and the Warriors are the reigning NBA champs, having dispatched the Boston Celtics in six games last season.  This is the first time that the Lakers and the Warriors have played one another in the playoffs, so this series should be electric. For sure, this best-of-seven series is loaded with a lot of storylines and subplots to it. Will Curry and the Warriors dominate the games with their 3-point shooting?  Will the inside wall of James and Anthony Davis be the difference for the Lakers? How much will role players like Jordan Poole or Austin Reaves step up and ball out? That could be the difference in this series. We know the superstars are going to show up, but how about those other guys?  One thing we definitely will see is more classy postgame opportunities from both teams, unlike the disrespectful noise coming out of the Memphis Grizzlies’ locker room in their first-round series against the Lakers. 

LeBron James (23) leads the Los Angeles Lakers against the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the NBA playoffs. File photo/Mark Hammond/News4usonline When Dillion Brooks made the ultimate sportsmanship insult by calling James “old,” after Game 2 of the Lakers’ first series of the postseason, he energized the future Hall of Famer and the Lakers. The Lakers defeated Memphis 4-2 to win the series, including dropping a series-clinching 125-85 win in Game 6.  Being “old” is apparently a good look for James now that Brooks, Ja Morant, and the rest of the No. 2 Grizzlies are at home watching the rest of the playoffs. The next challenge for James and the Lakers is trying to upend the Warriors’ march to another title run. That’s going to be an uphill challenge.  Aside from Curry, there’s another guy named Klay Thompson the Lakers are going to have to deal with. Curry and Thompson form the greatest backcourt in the history of the league. The Lakers counter with the all-around play of James, the inside presence of Davis, and the streaky D’Angelo Russell hitting big shots from behind the arc.  Both teams are peaking at the moment. Both are beginning to play their best ball. The Warriors got the best of the Lakers during the regular season, taking three of the four games the teams played. Does it mean anything in the postseason? Absolutely not. It only means that the Warriors were just the better team during the regular season. 

Stephen Curry gets pumped after making a basket against the Los Angeles Clippers in this file photo. Photo by Mark Hammond/News4usonline The Lakers, the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, have gotten significantly better as a ballclub after the trade deadline. The Lakers have added size and more than adequate two-way players to their roster. Ironically, Golden State got some of their big bodies back just in time for the playoffs, and what a difference that made in the Warriors’ series against the Sacramento Kings.          With the Warriors putting the Kings to bed with a 120-100 win in Game 7, Golden State forward Kevon Looney snagged 21 rebounds for the winners. James. Curry. Lakers. Warriors. You are a franchise with a historical winning tradition. Then you have another organization looking to build a modern NBA dynasty. Only one team can win. We’ll see who it is.      Read the full article

[90s00wcwwwf]

No Way Out of Texas: In Your House

February 15, 1998

Compaq Center

Houston, Texas

News & Notes: After hyping his appearance all night, Vince McMahon invited Mike Tyson to the ring. They were going to announce his role for WrestleMania. But Steve Austin interrupted them. Stone Cold said he respected what Tyson did in the ring. However, he was in Austin’s world now. Then Austin said Tyson wasn’t the baddest man. He couldn’t whip the ass of the toughest S.O.B. In the WWF. But Austin could kick his ass. And if Tyson didn’t hear what he said, Austin had some sign language for him. Stone Cold flipped Mike off and the two shoved each other. The WWF officials separated them before it escalated. Vince McMahon screamed at Austin. He told him he ruined everything. The following week, Shawn Michaels offered to forego his WWF title defense at Mania. He’d step aside so Austin could wrestle Tyson. Shawn even offered to be the ref. This couldn’t happen because the athletic commission wouldn’t allow Tyson to fight. So the WWF made Tyson the special enforcer for Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin at Mania. This led to a confrontation between Austin and Michaels. Austin vowed to take Michaels’ belt, no matter when they fought. DX retaliated. They attacked Steve during his bout with Road Dogg. Shawn tied Austin in the ropes and shoved the WWF championship in his face. But Austin got revenge. He stole HBK’s belt. Chyna recruited Los Boricuas to help look for Austin. Stone Cold locked them in a room. (I’ll explain the rest in the main event’s match notes.)

I should discuss DX’s other antics. The night after Royal Rumble, Shawn feigned regret about The Undertaker’s fate. He vowed to find him. (The WWF officials opened the casket after the PPV ended. It was empty. Taker disappeared.) DX looked everywhere. They found a hearse. It was filled with women. Then Taker’s music played in the arena. What appeared to be Taker lowered from the ceiling. But his music changed to DX’s theme. It was Michaels in disguise. DX then mocked Taker with a barbecue in the ring. This included many penis jokes using hot dogs and sausages. During the festivities, Hunter promised Owen a European title match. The next week, an injured Helmsley said Owen would face a Triple H he’d never seen before! He was right. Owen faced The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust in a Triple H costume. Hart won with the Sharpshooter and Helmsley laughed at the ruse. However, Sgt. Slaughter said it was quite convincing. In fact, he considered it a proper title defense. That means Owen Hart is the new European Champion! Meanwhile, DX also held a state of the union address. They addressed the USA Network’s concerns about content. DX promised to only use minor curse words in RAW’s first hour. Then they listed the words they wouldn’t say. They bleeped each one. Next, Shawn addressed rumors about him and an intern. He didn’t sleep with her. Shawn was up all night! (The USA Network loved this segment. They were skeptical about the DX content until they saw this. It turned their opinion on the matter.)

Before I begin, I’ll address one more matter. They built the main event as if Shawn were in it. The WWF didn’t announce he would miss the show until the day of the PPV. Shawn was still getting tests on his back. They knew he was injured. But they didn’t know the extent.

[braindead-virtually-tv]

WrestleMania 38 Week Masterpost

"The Most Stupendous Two-Night Event In WrestleMania History"

WrestleMaina Night Two Match Card

Up to Date as of 03/04/2022 18:34 GMT

Edge vs. AJ Styles

Singles Match

Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory

Singles Match

Bobby Lashley vs. Omos

Singles Match

The New Day (King Woods and Kofi Kingston) vs. Sheamus and Ridge Holland (with Butch)

Tag-Team Match

Johnny Knoxville vs. Sami Zayn

Anything Goes Singles Match

RK-Bro (Randy Orton and Riddle) (c) vs. The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) vs. Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis)

Triple threat tag team match for the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships

The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs

Tag-Team match for the WWE SmackDown Championships

Queen Zelina and Carmella (c) vs. Sasha Banks and Naomi vs. Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan vs. Natalya and Shayna Baszler

Fatal four-way tag team match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship

Brock Lesnar (WWE Champion) vs. Roman Reigns (Universal Champion) (with Paul Heyman)

Winner Takes All match to unify the WWE Championship and WWE Universal Championship

Where to watch:

United States: Peacock

Rest of the World: WWE Network

UK & IRE Only: BT Sport Box Office

[thedroidsyouarelookingfor]

2021 Reading Challenge:

Star Wars the High Republic: The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott

★★★★☆

My thoughts under the cut...

The Nihil attack the planet Valo, where the Republic Fair is being held.

Here’s the non-spoiler thoughts:

My feelings on the first wave of the new High Republic multimedia project started off very positive. I was excited to explore a new era and see the Jedi at their height. Light of the Jedi didn’t disappoint. Unfortunately, the young adult and middle grade books weren’t as good, and the later even introduced some really mind-boggling story choices that made me uninterested in any further reading that featured two specific characters prominently. Because of that, and some apprehension concerning the state of Star Wars in other mediums, I just became very wary about starting this book. I finally bit the bullet when my husband purchased the audiobook on Audible, and with no excuse not to at least give it a try, I started reading it just two days ago.

Now, I cannot help but directly compare The Rising Storm to the first major book in the series. TRS unfortunately suffers from the same problem that LOTJ had: too many characters! It is so difficult to keep track of all the characters, and even harder to care about even half of them. The audiobook narrator did help this to an extent, but some of the accent choices were very bizarre. Some aliens were so heavily edited with sound effects that I couldn’t understand what they were saying. I had to stop what i was doing and crack the book open to read along. Other characters sounded too comical for me to take seriously, with notable examples being a vague female Shrek impression, Dr. Evil from Austin Powers, and even a senator who sounds just a bit too much like Droopy the cartoon dog.

I would also say that the book rarely felt tense, with prolonged action sequences bogging down the flow. I definitely feel like some fat could have been trimmed here and there for a better reading experience. As for plot progression, too be honest, in the grand scheme of things it appears as if only the last few pages have any baring on the future of the series. Something is coming, and we’ve only just got a glimpse at it. I will go into details below, but if you don’t want to read any spoilers, just know that I love Bell Zettifar with every fiber of my being and he, along with good girl Ember the Charhound, deserves a vacation.

Spoiler talk now...

Concerning Elzar Mann...

When we see Elzar and Avar together at the end of Light of the Jedi, I became immediately apprehensive that they would focus too much on the “forbidden love” angle which is, as some of you may know, my least favorite recurring theme in Star Wars. This wouldn’t be a problem if the world building of the prequel era was different, but since it is what it is, I feel we are doomed for the rest of eternity to have the Jedi have silly rules that make no sense, and characters constantly can’t make up their minds on what’s okay and what’s not. I hate it. I hated the love vs. sex stuff in Master and Apprentice and how crudely it was presented. It seems the High Republic writers are not willing to leave it alone any time soon. So here’s my complaint with TRS. What do the writers want us to think about Elzar Mann? Cause I’ll tell ya my journey with him. At first, he’s a cool guy. Does things differently. Oh, look at that, he’s in love with Avar. But they can’t be together. Do I feel a little sorry for him? Yeah, maybe. He’s on a new planet now. Away from Avar. The author writes his inner thoughts a lot. He’s met a new woman. We hear him sexualizing her body in his mind. We read him flirting with her. We read as the author writes (in my opinion too explicitly for Star Wars) Elzar spending the night with this woman. Later on, he meets with another woman. They’re about to connect through the force, meaning she will see his thoughts and memories. He thinks about his connection with other friends, with his former master, with Stellan, and with Avar. When he thinks of Avar it’s memories of them having sex as padawans. Not their emotional bond, but their physical relationship. Is Elzar really just a middle aged white man who is obsessed with sex ...because that’s literally what he seems like to me. Thanks, I hate it. I have no idea what the High Republic writers are going for with Elzar, but he comes off as a lech! And out of all the things in the world a main character for Star Wars in the year 2021 could be... that’s not very high on my wish list. If I thought for one moment before this book that Elzar was in love with Avar, that feeling is gone now. Dude has issues and should just leave the Order. Go live your life somewhere else, bro. Be free. Now, he does have an interesting connection to the Force and he gives off generic Action Movie Hero™ vibes sometimes. But after all the weird stuff about how he thinks about women, i just don’t personally vibe with him. I have a feeling he might be our “fall to the dark side” character, but who knows.

Stellan Gios, besides being best buds with Elzar (who I now low key think is a bit gross), was a much cooler character. I still think it’s lame that the main two characters of the book are two white men, but at least this one felt better to me. I liked him. I hope we see him a bit more in the future though because I don’t really feel like I got a good grasp on his character...the problem with too many different focuses in the book.

We meet a Tholothian named Ty Yorrick. We don’t get her full story here, but it’s clear that she was once trained by the Jedi. She’s now a mercenary, but is currently helping Elzar and Stellan with the crisis on Valo. I was slow to like her, since she is shown manipulating a woman who has a crush on her, but that woman ended up being a bad apple and Ty proved herself to be a caring and compassionate woman. So I ended up liking Ty a lot. And from what I can tell, she’s doing the right thing. She’s out in the galaxy helping people. She can have as many lovers as she wants and she’s not breaking any silly code. She left the Order. But she’s still a force for good (at least most of the time). So I don’t want Elzar to “guide her back to the right path” as he so pompously states. Being a part of the Order should not be the only path for force sensitives. And thank the Stars she’s a lesbian, or Elzar would probably be obsessing over her next lol. One last note on Ty. She is briefly in jail during the events of this book, and escapes with the help of a padawan named Ram. Now this is a minor complaint, but that was so obviously a plug for the middle grade book that it was almost annoying. That’s not going to make any sense or get any closure unless I go read that other book. 

Bell Zettifar is by far still my favorite character. Precious, brave Bell. So pure. So troubled. If anything bad happens to Bell or Ember I will be honestly livid. Bell is the most interesting character in this whole initiative. He’s already been through a lot and Ember is basically a support dog. DO NOT KILL HER OFF. LET US HAVE THIS. I adored his dynamic with Loden in the first book, and I almost feel it was too cruel to reunite them so briefly at the end of TRS, just to have them meet such a horrible end. Bell really went through it in this book. I hope we continue to see his journey, with Ember always by his side. And I hope it’s a happy ending.

Speaking of the faithful charhound, there were several great animal moments in the book. I was happy to see the Jedi riding dragons into battle and trying to save the escaped fair animals. Chancellor Lina Soh’s two funky space lions were also featured prominently and I love them. They are fierce and loyal and I want one. Then, of course, we are left on a cliffhanger to find out what beast Marchion Ro unleashed on poor Bell and Loden.

Andddd speaking of Marchion Ro, he’s still super terrifying. My only real problem with the Nihil is just how unbelievable they are. They seem too chaotic, there’s too much infighting. I feel like they would have destroyed themselves by now. Prediction: if that mummy lady doesn’t somehow kill Marchion, I have to imagine Lorna Dee and Marchion may take each other out in the end. The book put a lot of focus on the Tempest Runners. Sometimes I found the petty squabbling of the villains to be uninteresting. But Marchion always had me a little tense. You never know what he’s going to do.

So overall, the story was fine. Nothing great, but nothing bad. A stepping stone of a book, really. Besides my complicated feelings about Elzar, there are still a lot of really interesting ideas and characters presented here. But I feel they really need to tighten up the storytelling a bit. Focus on fewer characters. And hopefully those characters aren’t always middle aged white men going through a midlife crisis.

Don’t be cowards. 

Give us an alien protagonist. 

Burryaga is ready for his time in the spotlight. 

[whatbigotspost]

as an european, with like really bad democracy, but its still democracy kinda, im so confused how is USA democratic. H o w? Can you even call it that?????

People have written hundreds of pages on this topic, so I def can’t do it full justice...but here are a few thoughts in reply. The shortest answer is that the US is best described a republic, from the perspective of technical definitions according to political science. It is a democracy to the extent that it is a “representative democracy,” not a direct democracy. But the structures that were created way back when were inherently created to maintain power in the hands of a few and out of distrust of the common citizen (and, of course, a racist, misogynistic, classist, colonialist framework of only seeing “citizen” as a white male landowner/land stealer.) I feel like the US got a reputation for a mentality of being a democracy in the late 1700s or whatever because of the Revolution against English monarchy......and then lots of folks glommed onto that w/o paying any attention to the rest of that non democratic stuff I just mentioned.

Also, it is also probably worth noting that a lot of the power that “the people” most have in the US are at the state and local levels, where our votes really can impact local policy and representation. National elections happen every 4 years, and they pull the most attention globally. But (as an example) in Texas, I actually vote multiple times most years...and I’m privileged in that I can operate in that manner because I’m able to keep showing up that much and paying attention, and researching micro local candidates and issues, and taking the time in “off cycle” elections, meaning the ones that don't coincide w/ the Presidential election every 4 years. The Presidential election has such a strong news cycle that it mobilizes people REALLY effectively. (And when the average American is effectively mobilized, they more often vote for democrats or left leaning people, btw, everyone knows this, it’s why Republicans are most likely to engage in voter suppression). 

One of the most insidious types of buried and not nearly talked about enough voter suppression in the US is the simple act of placing certain elections on “off cycle” years. For example, in Texas, we don’t vote on our scumbucket governor again until 2022. So the election that will have HISTORIC BLUE turnout (right now) will not have Greg Abbott on it...he’ll show up in 2 years, when it is very, very UNlikely that there will be the right people mobilized to boot his ass out of office. (But we’ll all still be trying to mobilize folks here, nevertheless.)

In fact, the US has more elected roles and much more frequent elections than most countries. But, again, this itself erodes “democracy” because we have WAY TOO MANY elections when you account for all the levels of government, it’s legitimately overwhelming. Here’s a example of all of the entities with political power governing my community/life that I have voted on in my 18 years of voting across living in 2 states (Indiana, then Texas): city, township, town, county, school district, state, nation, and special districts. When I name these levels of entities, it’s important to specify: that’s just off the top of my head, and each level has multiple ELECTIONS under them. This doesn’t even touch the layer of complexity that the 2 party system adds....and primary vs. general election format that is also present. And sometimes, those elections don’t have clear winners in the first rounds...this happens a lot in Austin because it is a VERY democrat heavy area so we will often have a few different run offs that will come AFTER main elections. Is your head spinning after all of this? It should be. The whole system is a mess, and it really, really works against the average person in the US and really, really works to the advantage of the existing power. As I’ve recently speculated...there’s a reason that our K-12 public education systems don’t teach us all of this. There are people who benefit from how much this complexity and nonsensicalness is overwhelming to us. I only know the vast majority of this information I am rattling off SPECIFICALLY because I *happened* to pick a poli sci undergrad degree when I thought I was going to go to law school someday.  And honestly, the only reason that I’m able to keep up on it as much as I am in real time is because I am child free. If I had a different life path and made different choices and was working multiple jobs to keep food on the table for my family like so many people I know, there is SIMPLY NO WAY I could keep showing up on all the off cycle elections that I do and keep updated about state/local level elections, issues, and politicians. And even with the luxury of time I DO have to dedicate to this, it’s nowhere NEAR what is needed to really understand it all. Like I’m actually still a MAJOR NOVICE on these topics compared to someone who works in or studies political systems.  The last thing I’ll say on this topic because I def rambled on a lot more than I originally intended, but obviously, you’ve stumbled into something I feel passionate about....there could be an argument made that the number of elections and elected roles we have in the US means that we are TOTALLY SUPER DEMOCRATIC, but I’d like to underscore again that something which is accessible in theory only and completely inaccessible in practice for the average person DOES NOT COUNT AS ‘DEMOCRACY.’

[jasonskysys]

Week 7 - Public Health Campaigns and Communities

We humans nowadays living a much better life as compared to the communities way back in the 60s and 70s but with all of the technologies invented and also how convenient our lives have become, health problems are getting "younger" due to the high standard of living. For the past years, health issues had increased significantly among teenagers and young adults. It normal now to just pour some hot water and get yourself a cup noodle for lunch or when you're thirsty, just pop open a can of soft drink. But are all of these good for our health? Not to mention that junk foods are also getting more and more popular nowadays where mostly are either too sweet, too salty and with lots of preservatives. Smoking, alcohols, unhealthy diets are all causes of health problems in this era.

It's also funny that eat healthy cost more than unhealthy food like KFC and McDonald's. Do public health campaigns really have an impact on the communities? Let's find out!

Public Health Campaigns in Malaysia

There are many types of "killer" in Malaysia - "Heart attack, Cancer, Obesity, Diabetes", especially with COVID-19 all around the world now, if you're having health issues you will be in high risk. Several NGOs and also the government did organize some public health campaigns such as "1 Health 1 Malaysia", "Prevent Obesity" and "Tak Nak". Speaking of "Tak Nak" anti-smoking campaign, it had been so popular way back in around 15 years ago when it started in 2004. There are posters all around Malaysia and students are often given talks about how bad is smoking and how will it harm our health. These are all of the effort in introducing the disadvantages of smoking to the students at a young age so that they will know not to touch those in the future. Tobacco also accounts for a large portion of the disease burden in developing countries, and currently ranked fourth in the world in its contribution to years of life (Ministry of Health Malaysia, 2021). “According to Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL), it was reported that there were 25,688 dialysis patients and 1,884 registered kidney receivers at the end of 2011. As such, health campaigns like this help foster greater awareness on kidney disease, and the importance of healthcare and preventive methods.

Role social media can play in public health

Newberry (2020) stated that social media and healthcare are a powerful combination and social networks have become an important health resource, and not just for millennials. She also mentioned that nearly 90% of older adults have used social media to seek and share health information. Social media is a key way to raise public awareness about new, emerging, and annual health concerns in this modern era. There are now many online fitness classes in different platforms such as YouTube and Facebook trying to reach out to as many people as they could to spread the awareness of being healthy. Even the Malaysian government utilizes Facebook to share on the news about COVID-19 everyday so that it can reach everyone who are using social media which is fairly common now. People can then share the post in their new feeds and reach out even more crowd. The biggest benefit of social media in healthcare is information dissemination where it allows health institutions and organizations to share discoveries, research, health tips and recommendations, and relevant news to the people (Patient Empowerment Network, 2019).

Social Media vs Mental Illness

Social media has become a prominent fixture in the lives of many individuals facing the challenges of mental illness (Naslud et al., 2020). Those who are suffering from mental illness are unlikely to just say it out to people around them but prefer to just express their feelings on the social media, keeping themselves anonymous. This is to protect themselves from others judging them. Other the other hand, most of the time, an act of commit suicide are shown through social media which then alarms everyone around the person that is about to commit suicide and hopefully prevent that horrible tragedy from happening. In the eras where social media don't exist, people suffering from mental illness have no where to "go", they might "locked" themselves down without anyone knowing it and it's really dangerous that way. If they can express through social media and their friends are aware of it, there might still be a chance in helping them get out from that box. Among individuals with serious mental illness receiving community-based mental health services, a recent study found equivalent rates of social media use as the general population, even exceeding 70% of participants (Naslund et al. 2016).

The connection of social media and health

In fact, social media never left us when we talk about health, even through a small act. From YouTubers demonstrating how to eat clean, workout, stay fit to healthcare professionals sharing their thoughts on health and diseases that we are facing in 21st century. Checking COVID-19 reports provided by Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia had became a daily task for everyone to keep themselves updated about the cases around Malaysia and how to avoid them. It had turned into a way for the community to remind themselves to stay safe at all times, protecting themselves and also others. Hashtags like #kitajagakita is also use to remind everyone to keep it hands sanitized, follow the SOPs to prevent the spread of COVID-19. There are also many examples of people successfully cut down their weight after hitting the gym and eating healthy to overcome their obesity problems. The before and after effect will surely impact some ratio of the community to be motivated in also follow their path to get healthy.

With that, we can really see that how important social media is towards the health and how we can promote public health campaigns through it to reach to the maximum people that we can. Hopefully, the overall average health of the community will be getting better with the help of social media and people motivating each other to stay health for what's really called a "better life" in the future. Would you rather enjoy high standard living when you're young and ignoring your health but end up in hospitals for the rest of your life when you body collapse due to health issues? That's up to your choice but the truth is - Health is the most precious treasure anyone can own; Health is everything.

List of References

A.Naslund, J., Bondre, A., Torous, J. and A.Aschbrenner, K., 2020. Social Media and Mental Health: Benefits, Risks, and Opportunities for Research and Practice. [online] Springer Link. Available at: <https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41347-020-00134-x> [Accessed 23 April 2021].

Austin, M., 2019. Health Care and Social Media: Importance of Facing Their Challenges - Patient Empowerment Network. [online] Patient Empowerment Network. Available at: <https://powerfulpatients.org/2019/12/18/health-care-and-social-media-importance-of-facing-their-challenges/> [Accessed 23 April 2021].

Newberry, C., 2020. How to Use Social Media in Healthcare: A Guide for Health Professionals. [online] Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. Available at: <https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-health-care/> [Accessed 21 April 2021].

TAK NAK MEROKOK. n.d. Cigarette Tax Strategy - TAK NAK MEROKOK. [online] Available at: <http://taknak.myhealth.gov.my/en/cigarette-tax-strategy/> [Accessed 23 April 2021].

UCSI University. 2013. 12th Public Health Campaign draws large crowd. [online] Available at: <https://www.ucsiuniversity.edu.my/12th-public-health-campaign-draws-large-crowd> [Accessed 22 April 2021].

[tabloidtoc]

TV Guide, April 12-25

Cover: Secrets of WWE Legends

Page 1: Contents, Your Feedback

Page 2: Ask Matt -- Grey's Anatomy and COVID, thirtysomething, Saturday Night at the Movies

* Coming Next Issue -- in TV Guide's April 26 issue, check in with The CW's original big-hearted Kryptonian hero, Kara Danvers, aka Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) to learn more about what's in store for the action-packed series' sixth and final season

Page 4: TV Insider -- 25 top shows

Page 5: First Look -- for season 25, Antiques Roadshow brings its fact-spouting appraisers to anxious owners of vintage pieces who just happen to be celebrities, like Carla Hall with expert Katy Kane

* The Show We're Talking About in the Office -- The Nevers

* The Big Number -- 1,187 total captures resulting from America's Most Wanted tipsters and the debut of Fox's AMW reboot helped with the latest, a violent carjacker nabbed after a viewer called Colorado police

Page 8: Family Room -- shows both adults and kids will love

Page 10: The Roush Review -- Mare of Easttown

Page 11: The Serpent, Back, Chad

Page 12: Cover Story -- Lords of the Ring -- A&E's Biography profiles 8 of professional wrestling's most revered and in some cases reviled Hall of Famers -- preview the WWE Legends' jaw-dropping reveals, notorious rivalries and most fun facts -- "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper

Page 13: "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Booker T, Best of the Rest -- Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, Ultimate Warrior, Bret "Hitman" Hart

Page 14: Jumping Through Hoops -- John Stamos plays a former college basketball coach getting a second chance leading a team of high school girls on Big Shot

Page 16: What's Worth Watching -- Week 1 -- Alan Cumming on Prodigal Son

Page 17: Monday, April 12 -- Barry Shabaka Henley on Bob Hearts Abishola, Jeopardy! with guest host Aaron Rodgers, Small Sacrifices, Breeders, Miz & Mrs

Page 18: Tuesday, April 13 -- Big Sky, The Resident, Finding Your Roots with John Lithgow, Star Trek, Our Towns

Page 19: Wednesday, April 14 -- The Last Picture Show, The Big Interview With Dan Rather -- Lady A's Hillary Scott and her husband Chris Tyrrell, Tough as Nails, Game of Talents, The Conners, Bargain Block, Forged in Fire, Call Your Mother, I Survived a Crime

Page 20: Thursday, April 15 -- John Cena on Wipeout, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Mom, Taxi

Page 22: Friday, April 16 -- Tricia Helfer on Van Helsing, Days of Our Lives, MacGyver, Blue Bloods

* Saturday, April 17 -- The Beverly Hillbillies, Pit Bulls & Parolees, Right in Front of Me

Page 23: Sunday, April 18 -- Sunday Today With Willie Geist, 56th Academy of Country Music Awards, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, Confronting a Serial Killer, WWE's Most Wanted Treasures, Couples Therapy

Page 24-37: TV listings

Page 38: Stream It! Your guide to the very best streaming available -- Netflix -- Five Can't Miss Movies -- Concrete Cowboy, Sky High, The Stand In, Thunder Force, A Week Away

Page 39: Shadow and Bone, Stream the Oscar Nominees --- Mank, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Pieces of a Woman, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Hillbilly Elegy, The White Tiger

Page 40: Prime Video -- Frank of Ireland, Stream the Oscar Nominees -- Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, One Night in Miami, Sound of Metal, Time, Oxygen -- stream serial killer week -- Rifkin on Rifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial Killer, Living With a Serial Killer, Murders at the Boarding House

Page 41: Hulu -- Sasquatch, Stream the Oscar Nominees -- Another Round, The Mole Agent, Nomadland, The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Page 42: New Movie Releases

Page 43: Series, Specials & Documentaries

Page 44: What's Worth Watching -- Week 2 -- Jessie Buckley and Josh O'Connor on Great Performances: Romeo & Juliet

Page 45: Monday, April 19 -- 9-1-1, Quantum Leap, 9-1-1: Lone Star, American Oz, All Rise, American Dad!, The Secrets She Keeps

Page 46: Tuesday, April 20 -- NCIS, Queen Sugar, Cruel Summer, Philly D.A., Hustle & Tow, The Walking Dead: World Beyond

Page 47: Wednesday, April 21 -- S.W.A.T., Chicago P.D., Married at First Sight: Unmatchables

Page 48: Thursday, April 22 -- Kingdom of the Polar Bears, Earth Day Takeover, Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World, Last Man Standing, 2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards, Big Trick Energy

Page 49: Friday, April 23 -- The Young and the Restless, Doing the Most With Phoebe Robinson

* Saturday, April 24 -- Yannick Bisson on Murdoch Mysteries, House Hunters, Iyanla: Fix My Life

Page 50: Sunday, April 25 -- Air Disasters, The 93rd Oscars, Autopsy: The Last Hours of Anthony Bourdain, 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After?, Top Gear

Page 52-73: TV listings

Page 76: Cheers & Jeers -- cheers to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Breeders, Netflix for giving weekly drops another shot, Debris, jeers to American Idol, Hallmark for leaving Home & Family behind, Lifetime for capitalizing on a royal mess

[thef1nalb0ss]

Predicting the first winner of the World Heavyweight Championship: an analysis of the top contenders

With the introduction of the World Heavyweight Championship, and the announcement that both Raw and Smackdown talent will be allowed to enter the tournament to crown the first, I'm going to go down the list of some of the most popular predictions and make my own personal prediction.

Seth Rollins

Probably the most popular pick I have seen throughout the IWC, and definitely a deserving one. Seth is the only person Roman has faced for the championship he has not been able to beat. Seth won the championship match they had back at Royal Rumble 2022, but it was won by DQ after Roman hit him with a chair (the same way Seth did to betray Roman all the way back in The Shield days), so champion's advantage applied and Roman kept the title. He's been dominating Raw since then, even having an United States Championship reign before Austin Theory won it back in a triple threat at Survivor Series: Wargames (we'll get to Theory later). His current crowd reactions are unmatched, only rivaled by the resounding boos Dominik gets whenever he picks up a mic. Seth is the most popular pick for a reason. He would elevate that title so it wouldn't be seen as less than to the Undisputed Title, and if we go back to the champion vs. champion model at Survivor Series, he and Roman could put on a hell of a match if they both have the titles then.

Drew McIntyre

Newly on Raw, and maybe newly heel? Drew's match with Wrestlemania match with Gunther and Sheamus is just the most recent example that he has everything a champion needs, and he'd no doubt be a fighting champion. He also deserves to win a world championship in front of a live crowd, something he hasn't yet accomplished. The seeds were planted for a heel turn before his Wrestlemania match, and now that he's been gone for a month, they may have him return as a heel. That is, if he's healthy- Drew's been reportedly working matches with illnesses for a while now, namely working matches with the flu. He may have been given a break after Wrestlemania to rest and heal from lingering illnesses and/or injuries, and it's unknown whether or not he'll be back in time for the tournament.

Finn Balor

Despite a bit of a losing streak with his recent solo matches, being in The Judgement Day has no doubt reinvigorated The Prince. He was the first Universal Champion before having to relinquish it immediately after winning it. The finals of the tournament to crown the first Universal Champion was Finn vs. Seth Rollins, so it's possible they may run that back for the finals of the Heavyweight tournament, and history could repeat itself- just hopefully he doesn't get injured this time.

Cody Rhodes

While this is a possibility with Cody being drafted to Raw, it would be an odd detour. In order for Cody to finish the story now, he has to beat Roman for the titles- anything less is ripping out the ending pages and having it end abruptly. That being said, there's only a few ways the story can end with him beating Roman, since they're on different brands currently, and that's by winning Money in the Bank or the Royal Rumble. They could bend their own draft rules and have Cody challenge Roman despite the brand split, but if they don't, those are the two ways they can go. Now, the Heavyweight is already being called the consolidation prize to Roman's titles, and if Cody wins it, that's only going to be solidified, especially so soon after his loss. Cody winning the Heavyweight is a possibility, but not one I'm particularly fond of.

Austin Theory

The first (and only) star drafted to Smackdown I'm going to talk about is Austin Theory. Since Smackdown talent can compete in the tournament, if he losses the United States Championship at Backlash (and maybe even if he doesn't) it's likely he'll be a part of it. Former Mr. Money in the Bank, 2x United States Champion, and winner against John Cena at Wrestlemania, he's gotten quite a few accomplishments in the short time he's been on the main roster. With his estranged family all drafted over to Raw while he's on Smackdown, he won't have to deal with them either (unless he faces either Johnny or Dexter in the tournament. Then he'll have to deal with them) His accomplishments and the fact that he's a current champion makes him a possibility for being the first Heavyweight champion.

And speaking of current champions...

Gunther

Gunther has been on the main roster for over a year, and in that time, he has never been pinned. As the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of the past decade, he could be a part of the tournament. However, that would either result in him getting pinned or him winning the Heavyweight, and I don't think they want him to lose his streak yet nor are they looking to make any more double champions in the near future. Nevertheless, he's greatly elevated the Intercontinental Championship, and even if it's not the Heavyweight, I don't think there's any doubt that he'll be a world champion within the next few years.

Dominik Mysterio

Listen, I know what you're thinking, but hear me out. Maybe you saw this coming since I did say the only rival to Seth's crowd reaction was Dominik. But I have my reasons for considering that he could even be a possibility. He gets boos that are so loud he can't even be heard with a mic, and he has the benefit of having The Judgement Day by his side to help him. I agree that he's not ready to hold a world title, but I think he's almost definitely going to be in the tournament.

So, with all this said, who do I think is going to win it?

My top pick is Seth Rollins, and my runner-up picks are Finn Balor and Drew McIntyre. In my opinion, however, I think Seth is the perfect first Heavyweight Champion. There's just no debate for me.

[go-redgirl]

Trump’s New Supreme Court List Includes Diverse Array of Conservative All-stars

President Donald Trump released a list of 20 potential Supreme Court nominees on Wednesday as a supplement to his original list, which he produced during the 2016 presidential campaign.

At the time, Trump said that he would be adding names to the list — a promise he renewed earlier this year. Wednesday’s list marks the fulfillment of that promise.

Here is the new list, with a brief summary of the nominees’ qualifications.

Bridget Bade: Bade, 55, was confirmed to the Ninth Circuit last year. She earned her law degree from the University of Arizona and has worked as a federal prosecutor, an attorney in private practice, and a U.S. magistrate judge. She has a background in environmental law. The White House summarized her qualifications for the Ninth Circuit in 2018:

Prior to her appointment to the bench in 2012, she served for six years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, handling both civil and appellate matters. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Judge Bade spent a year as special counsel in the Phoenix office of Steptoe & Johnson, LLP. Before joining Steptoe, she was a shareholder at Beshears Wallwork Bellamy, where her practice focused on complex civil litigation, including the representation of parties in environmental, intellectual property, commercial, and class action litigation. 

Before entering private practice, Judge Bade served for four years in the Attorney General’s Honors Program as a trial attorney in the Environmental Torts Section within the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice. Upon graduation from law school, Judge Bade served as a law clerk to Judge Edith H. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. 

Judge Bade earned her B.A., summa cum laude, from Arizona State University, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and her J.D., cum laude, from Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, where she served as an articles editor of the Arizona State Law Journal.

Daniel Cameron: Cameron, 34, became the first African American ever elected to the office of Kentucky Attorney General in 2019, and was also the first Republican elected to that post in 70 years. He is a supporter of Black Voices for Trump, and delivered a well-received speech at the Republican National Convention last month. He said:

I think often about my ancestors who struggled for freedom. And as I think of those giants and their broad shoulders, I also think about Joe Biden, who says, if you aren’t voting for me, “you ain’t black.” Who argued that Republicans would put us “back in chains.” Who says there is no “diversity” of thought in the Black community.

Mr. Vice President look at me, I am Black. We are not all the same, sir. I am not in chains. My mind is my own. And you can’t tell me how to vote because of the color of my skin.

Cameron is currently investigating the death of Breonna Taylor, one of the iconic victims of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Tom Cotton: Cotton, 43, is currently serving his second term as a U.S. Senator from Arkansas. A conservative Republican, he has frequently been considered for senior, Cabinet-level positions, including Secretary of Defense. He graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, and worked in private legal practice before joining the U.S. Army infantry. He served one combat tour each in Afghanistan and Iraq, and also served in the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. He is considered one of the leading intellectual and political lights driving the contemporary Republican Party.

Paul Clement: Clement, 54, served as Solicitor General of the United States and is currently in private practice. His bio at the Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where he is a partner, reports:

He has argued over 100 cases before the United States Supreme Court, including McConnell v. FEC, Tennessee v. Lane, United States v. Booker, MGM v. Grokster, ABC v. Aereo, Hobby Lobby v. Burwell, Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis, and Rucho v. Common Cause. Paul has argued more Supreme Court cases since 2000 than any lawyer in or out of government. He has also argued many important cases in the lower courts, including Walker v. Cheney, United States v. Moussaoui, and NFL v. Brady.

Clement clerked for the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. He also teaches at Georgetown University Law School.

Ted Cruz: Cruz, 49, is currently serving his second term as a U.S. Senator from Texas. He was Trump’s main rival for the Republican Party nomination in 2016 and is widely recognized as a leading conservative voice in national politics. 

He graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, and worked for the U.S. Department of Justice. As the Solicitor General of Texas, he argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. He also taught law at the University of Texas-Austin. He has previously been discussed as a potential Supreme Court nominee. As a Cuban-American, he would also potentially bring additional ethnic diversity to the Court.

Stuart Kyle Duncan: Duncan, 48, was confirmed to the Fifth Circuit in 2018. He is known as a conservative legal “champion.” According to his biography at the Federalist Society:

Judge Duncan received his B.A. from Louisiana State University in 1994, his J.D. from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in 1997, and his LL.M. from Columbia Law School in 2004.

After graduating from law school, he clerked for Louisiana-based Circuit Judge John Malcolm Duhé Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

From 2008–2012, Duncan served as Appellate Chief for Louisiana’s Attorney General’s office. From 2012–2014, he served as general counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. From 2004-2008, he was an assistant professor of law at the University of Mississippi School of Law.

Before becoming a judge, Duncan practiced at the Washington, D.C. firm of Schaerr Duncan LLP, where he was a founding partner. 

He was appointed by President Trump to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on May 1, 2018.

Duncan recently ruled against Planned Parenthood clinics being open during coronavirus lockdowns in Texas.

Steven Engel: Engel, 46, is the current United States Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel. According to a profile at AllGov.com:

Engel is from Port Washington, New York, and graduated from Paul Schreiber High School in 1992. 

His mother, JoAnn, taught at Yeshiva Har Torah, a middle school in Bayside, New York. His father, Mark, was the president of Langsam Property Services Corporation in the Bronx. 

He went on to Harvard, where he wrote a regular column for the Harvard Crimson, and earned an A.B. in 1996. 

He then went to Cambridge, earning an M.Phil. in 1997. Engel then moved on to Yale Law School and earned his J.D. in 2000. While there, he was the essays editor of the Yale Law Journal.

 He subsequently clerked for a year each with two distinguished jurists: Alex Kozinski of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal, then Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Engel left government with the rest of the Bush administration and became a partner at the Dechart law firm in Washington. He represented Republican governors in U.S. vs. Texas, in which those governors fought the implementation of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans, an Obama program to delay some deportations of undocumented immigrants. He also represented those challenging the individual mandate provision of the Affordable Care Act and a financial services company in a suit brought by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Engel clerked for Justice Anthony Kennedy — an important consideration, as both of Trump’s previous appointees have been former Kennedy clerks. He was briefly embroiled in the impeachment controversy when he wrote a “secret memo” arguing that the White House did not need to turn over the “whistleblower” complaint to the House Intelligence Committee because the president was not formally a member of the intelligence community.

Noel Francisco: Francisco, 51, is the first Asian American to serve as U.S. Solicitor General. The White House provided his biography in 2017:

Prior to joining the Justice Department, he was a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Jones Day, where he was the chair of the Firm’s Government Regulation Practice. 

While at Jones Day, he appeared several times before the Supreme Court, including in McDonnell v. United States, which involved the meaning of “official act” under federal bribery statutes; Zubik v. Burwell, which involved the application of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to regulations addressing insurance coverage for contraception; and NLRB v. Noel Canning, which involved the Constitution’s recess appointment power. 

He has also argued numerous cases in lower federal and State courts on a wide range of constitutional, civil, and criminal matters.

From 2001 to 2003, Mr. Francisco served as Associate Counsel to the President, and from 2003 to 2005 he served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Counsel.

Mr. Francisco was raised in Oswego, NY. He received his B.A. with honors in 1991 from the University of Chicago. He received his J.D. with high honors in 1996 from the University of Chicago Law School. After law school, Mr. Francisco served as a law clerk for Judge J. Michael Luttig of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and then for Associate Justice Antonin Scalia of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Francisco recently stepped down as Solicitor General earlier this summer.

Josh Hawley: Hawley, 40, is currently serving his first term as a U.S. Senator from Missouri. He graduated from Stanford University and Yale Law School. He clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts. He has worked in private legal practice and for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. He has also taught law at the University of Missouri. A conservative stalwart, he recently opposed Congress’s attempt to force the renaming of U.S. Army bases named for Confederate military leaders. His U.S. Senate bio adds more:

As Attorney General, he fought the Washington overreach threatening farms and family businesses, including the Waters of the United States Rule and the Clean Power Plan. 

Senator Hawley has also taken on big opioid manufacturers, challenging their unethical marketing practices that helped create an epidemic of opioid abuse. 

He cracked down on human trafficking in Missouri, leading the largest anti-trafficking bust in Missouri history. 

And he stood up to big tech, launching investigations of the most powerful companies in the world—Google and Facebook—to protect Missourians, their data, and the First Amendment.

He has reportedly suggested he would decline nomination, to continue serving as a U.S. Senator.

James Ho: Ho, 47, was confirmed to the Fifth Circuit in 2017. His White House biography at the time read:

Jim Ho is currently a partner in the Dallas office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, where he serves as co-chair of the firm’s appellate and constitutional law practice group. 

Before joining the firm, Mr. Ho served as Solicitor General of Texas in the Office of the Attorney General of Texas.

Before relocating to Texas, Mr. Ho served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and as Chief Counsel to U.S. Senator John Cornyn on the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

Mr. Ho also served in the U.S. Department of Justice, first as a special assistant to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, and then as an attorney-advisor in the Office of Legal Counsel. 

Upon graduation from law school, Mr. Ho served as a law clerk to Judge Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He earned a B.A. in Public Policy, with honors, from Stanford University and a J.D., with high honors, from the University of Chicago Law School.

Ho recently won praise from left-leaning legal pundits for admonishing a lawyer, in the footnote of an opinion, for making what he considered a homophobic argument.

Gregory Katsas: Katsas, 56, was confirmed to the D.C. Circuit in 2017. 

He worked for the Trump White House from the outset, as the Associated Press noted at the time: “Katsas has worked on some of the president’s most contentious decisions, including his executive orders restricting travel for citizens of predominantly Muslim countries and his decision to end a program protecting some young immigrants from deportation.”

The White House provided a biography when he was nominated:

Prior to joining the White House Counsel’s Office, Mr. Katsas was a partner at Jones Day, where he specialized in civil and appellate litigation. 

He has argued more than 75 appeals, including cases in the U.S. Supreme Court and every Federal appellate court. 

From 2001 to 2009, Mr. Katsas served in many senior positions in the U.S. Department of Justice, including Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division and Acting Associate Attorney General. 

In 2009, he was awarded the Edmund Randolph award for outstanding service, the highest award bestowed by the Department. 

Earlier in his career, Mr. Katsas served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas, both at the District of Columbia Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court, and to Judge Edward Becker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. 

Mr. Katsas earned his A.B. from Princeton University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was an executive editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Katsas was a dissenting judge in the Mazars case over the House of Representatives’ effort to obtain President Trump’s tax records; his view was vindicated by the final Supreme Court decision.

Barbara Lagoa: Lagoa, 52, was confirmed to the Eleventh Circuit in 2019. Earlier that year, Gov. Ron DeSantis had appointed her to the Florida Supreme Court, the first Latina to hold that position. Her Florida Supreme Court biography noted:

Justice Barbara Lagoa was born in Miami, Florida. 

She received her Bachelor of Arts cum laude in 1989 from Florida International University where she majored in English and was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. 

Justice Lagoa received her Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law in 1992, where she served as an Associate Editor of the Columbia Law Review. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

On January 9, 2019, she became the first Hispanic woman and the first Cuban American woman appointed to serve on the Florida Supreme Court. Prior to her appointment by Governor Ron DeSantis to the Florida Supreme Court, Governor Jeb Bush appointed her in June of 2006 to serve on the Third District Court of Appeal. At that court, she became the first Hispanic woman and the first Cuban American woman appointed to serve on the Third District Court of Appeal.

On January 1, 2019, she became the first Hispanic female Chief Judge of the Third District Court of Appeal.

Prior to joining the bench, Justice Lagoa practiced in both the civil and criminal arenas. 

Her civil practice at Greenberg Traurig focused on general and complex commercial litigation, particularly the areas of employment discrimination, business torts, securities litigation, construction litigation, and insurance coverage disputes. 

In 2003, she joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida as an Assistant United States Attorney, where she worked in the Civil, Major Crimes and Appellate Sections.

As an Assistant United States Attorney, she tried numerous criminal jury trials, including drug conspiracies and Hobbs Act violations. She also handled a significant number of appeals.

Peter Phipps: Phipps, 47, was confirmed to the Third Circuit in 2018. He has risen quickly through the judicial ranks under President Trump, having first been appointed to the federal bench for the Western District of Pennsylvania that same year. According to his White House biography in 2018:

Before taking the bench, Judge Phipps served as Senior Trial Counsel in the Federal Programs Branch of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division.  

During his 14-year tenure at the Justice Department, Judge Phipps litigated some of the most significant cases implicating the interests of the United States and received numerous awards and commendations, including the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award.  

Earlier in his career, Judge Phipps spent three years as an associate at Jones Day, where his practice focused on civil litigation.  

He also served as a law clerk to Judge R. Guy Cole, Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  

Mr. Phipps earned both a B.S. and a B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Dayton and earned his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he served as the Managing Editor of the Stanford Law & Policy Review.

Gay rights activists opposed Phipps’s appointment to the Third Circuit because he refused to say that he would automatically honor a transgender litigant’s choice of pronoun, preferring instead to consult the judicial record first.

Sarah Pitlyk: 

Pitlyk, 43, was confirmed in 2019 as a federal district judge for the Eastern District of Missouri. Her White House biography at the time stated:

Sarah Pitlyk is a Special Counsel at the Thomas More Society, where her practice focuses on constitutional and civil rights litigation. 

Before joining the Thomas More Society, Ms. Pitlyk worked at Clark & Sauer LLC, a civil litigation firm in St. Louis, Missouri, and was an associate at Covington & Burling LLP in Washington, D.C. Upon graduation from law school, Ms. Pitlyk served as a law clerk to then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. 

Ms. Pitlyk earned her B.A., summa cum laude, from Boston College, M.A.’s from Georgetown University and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium), where she studied as a Fulbright Scholar, and her J.D. from Yale Law School.

Allison Jones Rushing: 

Rushing, 38, was confirmed to the Fourth Circuit in 2019. Her White House biography at the time read:

A native North Carolinian, Allison Rushing is a partner with Williams and Connolly LLP.  There, her practice focuses on appellate matters, constitutional issues, and regulatory challenges.  

Ms. Rushing is widely viewed as one of the best young appellate lawyers in the country: Legal 500 has praised Ms. Rushing for her “excellent writing advocacy skills,” 

The National Law Journal has recognized her stellar oral advocacy in the Federal courts of appeals, and Super Lawyers has recognized her as one of its “Rising Stars.”  

Ms. Rushing has argued before Federal courts of appeals and state appellate courts, in addition to briefing cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.  Upon graduation from law school, Ms. Rushing clerked for then-Judge Neil Gorsuch on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, then-Chief Judge David Sentelle on the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Justice Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court of the United States.  

Ms. Rushing earned her B.A., summa cum laude, from Wake Forest University, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Duke University School of Law, where she served as executive editor of the Duke Law Journal.

Rushing was opposed by the left because of her work for Christian legal non-profit organizations on cases such as Masterpiece Cakeshop.

Kate Todd: Todd is currently the Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President. Her biography at the Federalist Society reads:

Prior to her service in the White House, Todd was a partner in the appellate, litigation, and communications practices of the firm Wiley, Rein & Fielding, in Washington, D.C. She represented businesses in federal and state litigation and regulatory matters and helped them develop and execute national, multiforum legal strategies. 

Todd serves as a public member of the Administrative Conference of the United States. She also teaches the law of federal courts at The George Washington University Law School, and taught constitutional law at Cornell University’s Washington program.

Todd clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas.

Lawrence VanDyke: VanDyke, 47, was confirmed to the Ninth Circuit in 2019. 

His biography, as provided by the White House at the time, read:

Lawrence VanDyke currently serves as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division at the Department of Justice. 

From 2015 to 2019, Mr. VanDyke served as the Nevada Solicitor General, where he served as the State’s top appellate attorney and litigated numerous cases on behalf of the State of Nevada in the United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Nevada Supreme Court, and State and Federal district courts. 

Before his service in Nevada, Mr. VanDyke served as the Solicitor General of Montana, where he litigated many of that State’s most consequential cases. 

Mr. VanDyke also worked in private practice with Gibson Dunn and Crutcher LLP. Upon graduation from law school, Mr. VanDyke served as a law clerk to Judge Janice Rogers Brown of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. 

Mr. VanDyke earned his B.S., with highest honors, from Montana State University and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he served as an Editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is Trump’s Democratic opponent in 2020, has not yet released a list of his choices.