#berni the news van

[andr0nap]

ROAD TRIP 🚍❄️

[its-jackiemcsoup]

Transporterfest is my fav day🥰

[criticalfai1ure]

hugo van houten, son of hephaestus -> was only at camp for a short time. not a particularly competent demigod. was claimed when he accidentally set fire to the forges and instead of putting it out, caused the fire to grow tenfold. can’t create fire, but can herald some semblance of control over it if he’s concentrating really really hard. currently lives in the bronx, working in manhattan. has befriended a few cast off half-bloods on their way in the world.

bérénice du bouclier, daughter of athena -> dangerous with a sword, otherworldly with a shield in her hand. has been gifted a piece of the aegis by athena.

[technofeudalism]

reposting because i completely fucked the numbers up the first time and adding the list of reps below.

The Trump administration’s abrupt street arrests of legal immigrants, who subsequently disappear into government detention, should be a huge scandal met with swift action by Democrats in Congress. But for some reason, just 34 Democrats in the Senate and the House have signed on to a letter demanding answers about the arrest of Tufts University doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk in Massachusetts and other international students who have had their legal immigration status swiftly revoked without due process and now face deportation.

House Members:

Representative Yassamin Ansari—Arizona

Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton—District of Columbia (nonvoting delegate)

Representative Hank Johnson—Georgia

Representative Delia Ramirez—Illinois

​​Representative André Carson—Indiana

Representative Jill Tokuda—Hawaii

Representative Ayanna Pressley—Massachusetts

Representative Lori Trahan—Massachusetts

Representative Katherine Clark—Massachusetts

Representative Stephen Lynch—Massachusetts

Representative Seth Moulton—Massachusetts

Representative James McGovern—Massachusetts

Representative Jake Auchincloss—Massachusetts

Representative Rashida Tlaib—Michigan

Representative Ilhan Omar—Minnesota

Representative LaMonica McIver—New Jersey

Representative Bonne Watson Coleman—New Jersey

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—New York

Representative Summer Lee—Pennsylvania

Representative Greg Casar—Texas

Representative Lloyd Doggett—Texas

Representative Donald S. Beyer Jr.—Virginia

Representative Mark Pocan—Wisconsin

23/213 - 10.79%

Senators:

Senator Jeff Merkley—Oregon

Senator Tina Smith—Minnesota

Senator Andy Kim—New Jersey

Senator Chris Van Hollen—Maryland

Senator Elizabeth Warren—Massachusetts

Senator Edward Markey—Massachusetts

Senator Brian Schatz—Hawaii

Senator Adam Schiff—California

Senator Bernie Sanders—Vermont

Senator Peter Welch—Vermont

Senator Tim Kaine—Virgina

11/45 - 24.44%

TOTAL: 34/258 (13.17%)

[cazzyf1]

pls tell me everything you know about the 1982 drivers strike i think about it often

Right I about to go into as much detail as possible about the driver's strike while hopefully keeping it comprehensible.

*cracks knuckles*

Let's go.

So to give some overall context to the situation, Bernie Ecclestone was doing some meddling. He had control over the Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA) which meant he could negotiate contracts between teams, track owners, television rights, etc. Realising the sort of power Bernie Ecclestone was getting, the Federation Internationale de I'Automobile (FIA) put Jean-Marie Balestre in charge. There was a big power struggle between these two however both Ecclestone and Balestre united against the drivers in 1982.

At the start of the 1982 season, a new license called a 'super license' was put forward for the drivers to sign. This license was based on other sports, like football's transfer systems, meaning the drivers had fewer rights - their team owners essentially owned them. For example, the super licence meant a team could keep drivers to one team for up to three years, even if the drivers wanted to leave. This happened after, in 1981, Alain Prost was racing for McLaren, and he became convinced that the car wasn't safe. He refused to drive for the team, though he had a contract. He said if necessary, he would walk away from the sport altogether. Then Renault approached Alain Prost, and he joined them. A new license was created to prevent this situation from happening again.

1982 was also the season that (at the time) 2x World Champion Niki Lauda decided to come out of retirement. In 1979 he had been racing for Bernie Ecclestone's team 'Brabham', but halfway through the season, he walked away, finding no more interest in the sport. Eventually Ron Dennis, who ran the team 'Mclaren' tempted Niki back into the sport.

Niki was sent the super license a few days before the start of the season to sign, and being a stickler for detail he made sure to read through all of it. In reading it, Niki realised the control the team owners would have over the drivers and did not approve of it. Quickly, he rang up Didier Pironi who was head of the drivers association, to talk him through what he had found. Didier agreed that these licenses were bad and then called all the other drivers, telling them not to sign the licence. They had been late though, as 24 had technically already signed as they hadn't properly read the licence. The only ones that hadn't were Lauda, Pironi, Villeneuve who had seen something similar in ice hockey and didn't like it, Arnoux, Giacomelli and de Cesaris.

In South Africa, Kyalami the track was prepared for the drivers to start practising, and the drivers were arriving in their normal cars. But before they could get out on track, a bus pulled up with Niki Lauda and Pironi in it. Without their knowledge, Niki and Didier had managed to borrow a bus from Trevor Rowe and were ready to take the drivers back to their hotel at the Kyalami Ranch. They rounded up all the drivers and told them of their plans, and while they were hesitant, eventually, most of them were convinced to get onto the bus. Only two didn't. Jochen Mass, who was late (He's always late, someone said) and Jacky Ickx.

The team owner of March, John McDonald, caught wind of what was happening and tried to prevent the bus from leaving by parking a van in front of the bus. Jacques Laffite got out of the bus to move the van, accidentally stalled it, but eventually got it out of the way. The bus then set off, taking the scenic route back to the Sunnyside Park Hotel while every news van and car chased after the bus, getting clips of Niki Lauda looking out the back of the bus and waving at them.

Eventually, they arrived, and all of them strutted past the journalists and went into the hotel. Thus ensued a fun time for the drivers relaxing around by the pool for the day. However, things back at the track were not shaping up well.

Bernie Ecclestone and Jean-Marie Balestre were pissed. The race organisers threatened to impound the cars, Bernie Ecclestone threatened to sue the drivers, and Balestre announced if the drivers didn't come back, then they would all be fired. Bernie Ecclestone had already fired the drivers from his team, Nelson Piquet and Riccardo Patrese. The mechanics put signs out joking advertising for new drivers. Didier Pironi was doing the main negotiations for the drivers at the track and reporting back to Niki Lauda at the hotel on how it was progressing. During the evening, when dinner was being served, the driver's wives and girlfriends, who were still at the track, started throwing bread rolls at Balestre.

Didier Pironi arrived at the hotel and explained that if they didn't return and drive immediately, they risked life bans. Niki Lauda realised that this strike would last the night, and he knew that if all the drivers returned to their own rooms, the team principles would easily be able to convince them to abandon the strike. They needed to stay united, which meant literally sticking together. He arranged to take over the conference room in the hotel and have all the spare mattresses brought into the room.

All the drivers moved into this one big room, and soon, the entertainment started. Many of the younger drivers felt quite panicked about the whole situation, worried that they would be fired for going on strike, which would have ended any career in motorsports, so they went to the older drivers like Niki for reassurance. Niki tried to lighten up the atmosphere by telling dirty jokes. Bruno Giacomelli, who was quite passionate about machine guns, got his hands on a chart and gave a presentation on how to take a gun to bits. There was also a piano in the room, and driver Elio de Angelis, trained to play the piano, performed for all the drivers. Everyone there said it was the most beautiful playing they had ever heard. Gilles Villeneuve also had a go playing a few joyful pieces.

The team owners and journalists had by now discovered that all the drivers were hiding out in this one big room, and they were trying to get in. At first, Niki gave an interview by the door, but he ensured no one would leave the room. One of the team principles, Mo Nunn of Ensign, had brought the driver, Guerrero's girlfriend, along as a bargaining trip. Niki made sure to accompany Guerrero to see his girlfriend. He said that the situation could have brought a tear to your eye. Eventually, they got the girlfriend away from the team principal and into the room. Team principal Jean Sage of Renault tried to get to Prost and Arnoux but was beaten off.

At this point, the team principals grew frustrated and decided to break into the room, so the drivers had to use the piano to barricade the door.

Then night came, and it was time for the drivers to get even closer. There were not enough mattresses for one each, meaning all the drivers had to bunk up. Many funny photographs have come from this event. Alain Prost and Giles Villeneuve shared a mattress, which led to Patrick Tambay saying if a child came from this, all the others might as well give up.

There was a problem with the toilet as there was only one and it wasn't in the room. There was a key to the toilet and so the drivers agreed to leave it in the middle of the room so they would know if someone left to the toilet and didn't come back. One driver, Fabi, ended up going to the toilet but did not come back.

During the night, Carlos Reuntemann or Keke Rosberg snored so loudly that Gilles Villeneuve threw a blanket over them to cover the sound.

In the morning, all the drivers got up, trying hard not to sniff the odour of the room and got ready to head to the track as Didier Pironi had been able to successfully negotiate a licence they were happy with. No drivers were fired, Nelson Piquet and Riccardo Paterese were rehired, and the race was successful. There were fears that the drivers could be arrested at the airport, but thankfully, that didn't happen. Instead, they were fined for taking part in the strike, which, while it didn't affect some drivers who already had plenty of money, it wasn't ideal for the drivers who were just getting started.

This is as much as I am able to remember; if you know anything more or if there is something wrong in this let me know in the comments below! Hope you enjoyed the read :)

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Phillip Jackson at HuffPost:

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduced a bill Wednesday that would give federal and state officials more power to hold police departments accused of bad behavior to account. The Enhancing Oversight to End Discrimination in Policing Act, led by Warren and in the House by Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), would strengthen the power of state attorneys general to launch investigations into police departments involved in civil rights violations if the Justice Department fails to act on them. The bill would also task the Justice Department with looking beyond “traditional law enforcement mechanisms” when providing reforms to selective police departments such as mental health support, civilian oversight bodies, and community-based restorative justice programs, according to Warren’s office.

Warren had introduced a version of the bill in 2020. This newest version of the measure would also revitalize the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, granting an increase in funding to pursue civil rights investigations into police departments and other government offices accused of discriminatory practices. It would increase funding for the civil rights division to $445 million per year over a 10-year period. (For scale, the 2023 budget for the division was $189.9 million.)

Warren first introduced her bill following the death of George Floyd in 2020. That earlier draft also called for Attorney General Merrick Garland to rescind a 2017 memorandum from his predecessor, Trump-era Attorney General Jeff Sessions, that limited the DOJ’s ability to initiate consent decrees on police departments — a key way of stopping bad behavior. (Garland rescinded that memorandum in April of 2021.)

Nine senators co-sponsored the bill: Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii). Several civil rights organizations are backing Warren’s new bill, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Urban League and others.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 9 other co-sponsors in the Senate are supporting the Enhancing Oversight to End Discrimination in Policing Act to strengthen police accountability. Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) is pushing this in the House.

[sawbuckplus]

FBI Director Kash Patel announced this week that he had handed over to Congress long-sought bureau records related to the 2017 congressional baseball game shooting following years of House Republicans arguing the bureau was stonewalling on why it had labeled the attack "suicide by cop" instead of domestic terrorism. James Hodgkinson, an extreme left-wing activist living out of a van in northern Virginia opened fire on Republicans at an Alexandria baseball field on June 14, 2017 after asking GOP congressmen who had left the practice early if the players were Republicans or Democrats. GOP Congressman Steve Scalise nearly died as a result of the attack. Before opening fire, Hodgkinson reportedly asked if the players on the field were Republicans, and then proceeded with his armed assault. Republican congressmen have for years harshly criticized the 2017 decision by the FBI, led in an acting capacity at the time by Andrew McCabe, not to label the shooting by Hodgkinson as domestic terrorism despite his targeting of elected Republican leaders as they practiced for the annual Congressional Baseball Game. The FBI had instead dubbed the attack "suicide by cop" -- a position the bureau refused to reverse until 2021, and a position the FBI has never fully explained. ... As he sprayed bullets at the GOP members practicing for a baseball game, Hodgkinson's gunfire struck Scalise in the hip, hit lobbyist Matt Mika in the chest, and injured two Capitol Police officers, Crystal Griner and David Bailey. Scalise nearly bled to death and required multiple surgeries before returning to Congress. The shooter, who was killed by police, had written down the names of GOP congressmen. McCabe, who was deeply involved in the FBI's roundly criticized Crossfire Hurricane investigation, took over the FBI after the May 2017 firing of former FBI Director James Comey, who himself had played a key role in the false Trump-Russia collusion saga. It was during McCabe's tenure that the bureau rejected calling the shooting "domestic terrorism." McCabe did not respond to a request for comment from Just the News through his LinkedIn page. ... Hodgkinson supporter of Democratic presidential primary candidate and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, was killed by law enforcement after the attack. Infuriated by Trump winning the 2016 election, he had posted on Facebook that "Trump is a Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. It's Time to Destroy Trump & Co." and had joined other groups such as "Terminate The Republican Party" and "Join The Resistance Worldwide!!" The FBI declared just a week after the shooting in June 2017 that it did not consider the baseball shooting a terrorist attack, saying, "The FBI is investigating this shooting as an assault on a member of Congress and an assault on a federal officer. At this point in the investigation, the FBI does not believe there is a nexus to terrorism." The FBI held onto this position for years. ... "Much to our shock that day, the FBI concluded that this was a case of the attacker seeking suicide by cop," Wenstrup said. "Director, you want suicide by cop, you just pull a gun on a cop. It doesn't take 136 rounds. It takes one bullet. Both [Department of Homeland Security] and the [Office of the Director of National Intelligence] published products labeling this attack as a domestic violent extremism event, specifically targeting Republican members of Congress. The FBI did not. The FBI still has not."

Hat tip to AoSHQ

[toopimpabutterfly]

making my INTRO!!!!! or this is my intro. ykykyk. (meet my shitty way of designing intros and stuff too,)

HIHI call me Jésus I'm 16 Apache Mexican American. With some other stuff cause yeah. just mentioning that cause. I will say a lot of stuff yk. I'm autistic and scitzohenic but PLEASEEEE I NEED FRIENDS and PEOPLE TO talk to about my current interests!!!

MOVIES

Oh to go. on ABOUT THIS.. here's my letterboxd I fucking love movies.

DOGMA, MOONLIGHT, CLERKS, NATURAL BORN KILLERS, GOOD WILL HUNTING, FIGHT CLUB, NAKED LUNCH, FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, CONSTANTINE, HELLBBOY, GUMMO, MAD MAX + FURIOSA, GODZILLA, I SAW THE TV GLOW, AVATAR, JACKASS, MID 90S, STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, I LOVE YOU PHILIP MORRIS, WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S, FRIDAY, THE MATRIX, JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, THIRTEEN, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, TRAINSPOTTING, THE PEOPLE VS LARRY FLYNT, DUCK TILL DAWN, THE WATERMELON WOMAN, DONT BE A MENACE TO SOUTH CENTRAL, BOYZ IN THE HOOD, 12 MONKEYS, X-MEN, MENACE II SOCIETY, WATCHMEN,MALL RATS, KIDS and a lot more.. coughs.

TV SHOWS

PREACHER, THE BOYS, THE MAXX, ÆON FLUX, THE BOONDOCKS, LOITER SQUAD, CLERKS ANIMATED, X-Men 92/97 AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE, BOJACK HORSEMAN, BEVIS AND BUTTHEAD, JACKASS THE SERIES, SMILING FRIENDS, THE ERIC ANDRE SHOW, FUTURAMA, KING OF THE HILL, MORAL OREL, BLACK DYNAMITE, HOME MOVIES, SPACE GHOST COAST TO COAST, THE OBLONGS, and more stuff again. Assume that a lot tbh.

MUSIC

THE BUTTHOLE SURFERS, KENDRICK LAMAR, ICE CUBE, N.W.A, BLACK FLAG, DEAD KENNEDY'S, LEONARD COHEN, NINE INCH NAILS, OUTKAST, TYLER, THE CREATOR, NAS, DR DRE, BONE THUGZ, QUASIMOTO, EAZY-E, KMFDM, ALEX G, WEEN, CHEMLAB, JANE'S ADDICTION, GERMS, ANGRY SAMOANS, NEW ORDER, JOY DIVISION, COWBOY JUNKIES, JESUS LOVES JUNKIES, PIXIES, DINOSAUR JR, HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH, THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, THE DEAD MILKMEN, NECROS, CIRCLE JERKS, HOLE, and a lot more. I love hardcore punk, crust, hip-hop, rap, and basically everything tbh.

MISC + FIXATIONS

I love comics like the Punisher, The Maxx, Preacher, Bratpack, the clerk's comic, X-MEN!!!!!, Watchmen, Hellboy, little things. I like reading, TOO . I LOVE HUNTER S THOMPSON!!! Mostly Fear and Loathing in las Vegas, Hell's Angels, and the Campaign Trail 72, and other books like Revolt of the Cockroach People, Get in The Van. Little books like that sorta. GAMES TOO I like Faith the unholy Trinity, DOOM, POSTAL, GTA, DUSK, and a few others!

I collect DVDS, games, VHS tapes, books, CDs, records, laser discs, literally any piece of physical media . All of it. I like conspiracy theories, civil rights activists, some art history, Malcolm X. I'm a punk I go to local shows and stuff and might sometimes post that when I can. I have a HUGEEE fixation rn on Dogma(1999), X-MEN!!!! and Kendrick Lamar. I do powerlifting as a hobby and like to go on walks around my town and say nonsense please interact. I will post whatever I want here really tbh.. BYE.

TAGS!!!

#toopimpabutterfly <- tag for everything I post

#TPAB lyric posts <- me lyric postin, nuff said.

#TPAB rants <- mostly vent or ranting about my horrible life. how fun

I got socials too, discords are irlwillhunting MAIN and h0peeradicated as alt. My Instagram is topimpthebutterfly . Spotify is here .

[hubernies]

I saw that “raising their little witch” was a poll option for your hubernie fanbook’s bonus content—do you think you will write it? I’m really curious to see your take on them as parents 👀 especially Hubert since I don’t know how he’d be at it

First, thank you for asking and for your interest! I'm very sorry it took me so long to get around to answering this.

I do want to put this in the compendium, but I am coming up against two problems. The first is the file size; the uncompressed version of the compendium is nearly 700,000 MB and I've just managed to compress it down to 25 without too much quality sacrifice. But if I add a new story it will probably get too big. I need it 25 MB or less, or else I can't email it to people.

The second one is--the hubernie subsection of the fandom is small and the sub-subsection of the hubernie fandom who enjoys fankids is even smaller, and while this normally doesn't bother me, I hesitate to put off my readers too much. This is for charity and I want to be able to help people with it, and I’d hate for someone to decide not to donate because of that.

BUT. I absolutely love the idea of character analysis in the format of “how are they as parents?” So I will do my best to answer!

I’ve gone into lots of detail about how hubernie are as parents below the cut, but, TLDR: Their daughter’s name is Lorelei. She is a gifted young mage. Appearance wise—if you can picture Lucy van Pelt from Peanuts you’re almost there. Fluffy black hair that comes to her chin with a floral clip in the back. Big gray eyes. Her ambition is to make the Vestra Academy of Magical Engineering a lasting institution that guides Adrestia to a new age of magitech. Personality wise—the best and the worst of her comes from her parents…

Hubert hates his own father, as well as Bernadetta’s. This, plus his naturally protective nature, manifested in him trying very hard not to repeat the sins of his and Bernadetta’s fathers. He teaches Lorelei to value loyalty, and to stick to her principles. Lorelei showed a gift for magic at a young age, just as Hubert did, and this frightened him. It made him fear turning into his own father. Trying hard to avoid this, he did his best to tutor and train her one on one. Hubert is proud of the brilliant girl she became—a little too proud.

Hubert really values people who succeed on merit. This, combined again with his desire to Not Be His Father, meant that he praised Lorelei for her talents quite frequently. He took great interest in her schooling and in her training, and praised her results. This was good for their relationship, and Lorelei loves her father very much. They cherish their memories of training together. Hubert raising her to carry on the Vestra family times and praising her when she made a breakthrough.

However, in trying not to be his father, Hubert created a new problem. Lorelei has Former Gifted Child Syndrome. One day, she goes to Morfis to study abroad. In Fodlan, Lorelei is a prodigy. But in Morfis? Nothing special at all, often struggling to keep up. As a result Lorelei worries she “lost her gift,” or worse, that her father might not praise her anymore. Hubert is happy to hear his daughter’s feelings, but often struggles to know just what to say.

Lorelei is studious, speaks politely, and values hard work, like her father. She is highly observant and loves to have a friendly debate. However, the combination of Hubert and Bernadetta has made her rather…socially inept, despite their best efforts.

As a mom, Bernadetta tried her best to not be HER father too. She loved reading with Lorelei and telling her stories, but writing new ones for her was Bernie’s favorite. Lorelei loves ghost stories—reading, writing, and telling them. However, old habits die hard for Bernadetta. She’s overprotective as a mom, and that sometimes left Lorelei with a sense that certain things were a bigger threat than they actually were. Bernie’s father was very cruel to her, so Bernadetta tries to heal her inner child by praising her little one. This sadly ends up making Lorelei’s Former Gifted Child Syndrome worse when she’s older, although Bernadetta is more likely than Hubert to praise the Process, not the result.

Like her mother, Lorelei enjoys unusual plants and insects. She has a morbid sense of humor and loves writing scary stories. Lorelei has Bernadetta’s eyes and smile, and many of her toys were hand made by her mom as a baby.

Are they perfect parents? Not at all. But they love her very much and try their hardest.

Thanks so much again!

[phoenixyfriend]

Big news, imo:

I first heard this on Democracy Now broadcast (as presented on Spotify), but today's episode is not up on the site as a transcript yet, so here's Al Jazeera instead:

US senators call on Biden to condition Israel aid on humanitarian access

Eight United States senators have sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling on him to offer Israel an ultimatum: expand aid to Gaza or lose US military assistance.

The letter, released on Tuesday, is the latest effort by US legislators to question ongoing US support for Israel amid its war in Gaza. It also comes as Biden himself has shown more willingness to openly criticise Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, both former presidential candidates, were among the senators who signed the letter. Other signatories include Hawaii’s Mazie Hirono, Maryland’s Chris Van Hollen and Oregon’s Jeff Merkley.

Call your reps. If they are already on this letter, encourage them and let them now you support the action. If they are not, encourage them to back/join the action.

[eretzyisrael]

by Joel Margolis

Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip comply with international humanitarian law in part by guiding civilians away from the urban battlefields that arise ad hoc during the war. Yet astonishingly, some observers have mischaracterized these public safety protocols as violations of law.

Human Rights Watch has called Israel’s relocations of civilians in Gaza “displacements” that amount to the odious crime of “ethnic cleansing,” a displacement to make a community ethnically homogeneous.

Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) have echoed the false ethnic-cleansing charge, as have certain other self-described congressional progressives. But under international humanitarian law, the removals are valid “evacuations,” not displacements, a difference with enormous legal and moral significance.

The international humanitarian law’s rule of evacuation requires—to the extent feasible for civilian safety—that an army evacuate civilians temporarily from the vicinity of a military operation before attacking area combatants. For example, an evacuation order may relocate civilians from a neighborhood targeted for a bombing raid on an enemy rocket-firing position. By contrast, the rule of displacement prohibits the permanent removal of civilians from an entire occupied territory or country unless required for the security of the civilians involved or for imperative military reasons.

Evacuation orders issued by the Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza have consistently followed the rule of evacuation. Virtually every order has repositioned civilians from a military sector to a safer area before an IDF military mission; no order has moved civilians permanently or pushed them outside of Gaza. Moreover, the IDF has enhanced civilian safety by preparing evacuation routes, establishing humanitarian zones for the evacuees, communicating escape routes through multiple modes of communication and providing reasonable prior notice of the plans. These actions have mitigated the unfortunate, but inevitable difficulties faced by families that must temporarily leave their homes.

The success of IDF evacuations is especially impressive considering the machinations of Hamas to frustrate these protective measures. Hamas embeds military personnel and ordinance in homes, schools, hospitals and mosques, and then blocks the residents of those neighborhoods from obeying evacuation orders. The militants attack IDF soldiers who prepare humanitarian zones for temporary habitation. And the terrorists steal truckloads of humanitarian aid meant for evacuees. Those cruel acts are egregious abuses of the human shield rule as outlined under international humanitarian law.

Evacuations of Gazans from combat areas happen even when the practice hampers the IDF’s military progress by sacrificing the element of surprise. Hamas terrorists who flee the site of an imminent IDF strike can and do blend into the evacuating population and launch attacks from the designated humanitarian zone. That terror tactic illegally creates a new batch of human shields and often compels additional evacuations. It has forced many of Gaza’s residents to uproot themselves multiple times.

Top military experts have lauded Israel for the professionalism of its evacuations. One such assessment was delivered by the renowned authority, John Spencer, chair of Urban Warfare Studies at Modern Warfare Institute at the U.S. Military Academy a West Point. Similar praise was extended by other military experts as well.

Different military commanders may disagree about the best way to evacuate civilians during the chaos and peril of war. An evacuation can be extremely arduous, especially when the action must be repeated due to enemy interference. But even a burdensome or repeated evacuation is evidence of proper compliance with international humanitarian law, not a sign of displacement or any other wrongdoing.

[threephantomrey]

Scooby Recommendations

for people that want to watch more Scooby Doo that isn’t just the mook films or the 1st live action movie or SDMI or SDWAY or What’s New, here’s a list of what i, a Scooby fan since i was 3, recommend to watch:

• Loch Ness Monster: i’ve been very clear online that is my #1 favorite Scooby movie. IT’S SO GOOD!!! Brothers Forever goes so hard, there’s some genuinely creepy shots of the monster, interesting ending, focuses on Daphne and where she comes from (saying this especially for the people who’s favorite member of the gang is Daphne), it has the GOAT Del Chillman, Fred saying “da bomb diggity,” Daphne saying “nothing’s impossible when you’ve got Scooby Doo around.” a very lovely film.

• The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo: everyone who follows me knows that this is my favorite Scooby series. this is a GREAT show, so unique. it has real ghosts, Vincent Price who voices Vincent Van Ghoul, Daphne and Shaggy in different outfits. the found family dynamic of the gang is awesome. one of the ghosts that follows the gang around looks like the cheese string mascot. some great villains like Marcella, Zomba, Rankor, and Professor Phantazmo. a genderfluid villain (Zimbulu). Platypus Duck. Bernie Gumpsher. some great Shaggy and Daphne friendship moments. the ghosts from the chest are just so unique like there’s literally a comic book demon. there’s an episode where the gang get stuck in a tv and act out the whole story of Frankenstein, and the gang are in color while the world around them is in black and white. awesome opening. GOATED show. if you plan on watching the Curse of the 13th Ghost movie too, i really really think you should watch the 13 Ghosts series first and then the movie.

• Happy Halloween Scooby Doo: the funniest Scooby movie imo. it’s just such a good time and wacky and silly. it’s got Elvira and Bill Nye and the Scarecrow/Jonathan Crane. Jonathan Crane has a really interesting and good dynamic with Velma. Daphne’s character in this is also really fun. Velma centric (for all you Velma fans)

• Music of the Vampire: if you like musicals, watch this. it’s a Scooby Doo musical. it’s got banger songs, Velma driving off a cliff, christian fundamentalists targeting people who are different from them, vampires.

• Legend of the Phantosaur: Daphne says she learned how to drive a motorcycle when she was 5. brave Shaggy. some of the 2019 Shaggy memes come from this movie (the scene where he beats up the motorcycle gang is one of the scenes that became a meme). good Daphne and Shaggy friendship moments. Shakey Joe. the question of if balloons are filled with ghosts or not. Shaggy centric (for all you Shaggy fans)

• Shaggy’s Showdown: another Shaggy centric movie. has really interesting and good backstory on his ancestor who was a cowboy (ilysm Dapper Jack). bisexual mountains on the cover. Daphne looks great in her cowgirl outfit. Scooby steps up to save Daphne & Velma at one point when they’re in danger which is so important to Scooby’s character. THE VILLAIN HAS A GUN!!! Velma complaining about a font everyone’s using.

• Sword and The Scoob: great Fraphne moments. knight Daphne. Daphne’s dancing. Daphne saying reality is a simulation. the words “gaslight” and “sus” are in this movie. Morgan Le Fay. medieval setting. dragons. Merlin. such a fun and silly movie.

• Trick or Treat Scooby Doo: it’s got LGBT Velma. she’s in love with Coco Diablo in this one who is a great character. Trevor is a sweetheart. Ballroom Blitz. the song “Change”. the ghost designs. really cute movie.

• Where’s My Mummy: VILLAIN VELMA!!! good Daphne and Scooby friendship moments. good Velma and Scooby friendship moments. honestly some really good friendship moments for the gang in general in this one. good songs. moral of the story is to return stolen artifacts to their respective cultures and people, which is always a good lesson.

• The New Scooby Doo and Scrappy Doo Show + The New Scooby Mysteries: really good Shaggy and Daphne friendship moments. interesting dynamics between the gang now that Daphne is back but Fred and Velma are still gone. also, LEADER DAPHNE!!! also some really good episodes like The Nutcracker Scoob and Happy Birthday Scooby Doo and Scoobygeist.

• Camp Scare: Friday the 13th references. good classic camp horror setting.

• Be Cool Scooby Doo: i’ve been told this is a really funny show and that Daphne’s characterization is really good in here. also the episode where Shaggy and Daphne pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend is super fun. i haven’t watched the whole show yet but i really like that episode!!!

• Scooby Goes Hollywood: really fun movie that’s also meta. good songs.

• Ghoul School: really cute film. Revolta is a great villain. the Ghoul School girls are amazing. Matches is adorable and has a nice friendship with Scrappy. also the instrumental to the Scrappy rap goes so hard.

[tieflingkisser]

Only 15 Senators Back Sanders Bid to Block Arms to Israel as Gaza Deaths Top 50k

The resolutions failed by a larger margin than in similar votes in November, with several Democrats flipping to “no.”

On Thursday, the Senate rejected Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vermont) resolutions to block the sale of $8.8 billion in weapons to Israel by an even wider margin than in similar votes last year — despite Israel having since violated the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The Senate’s opposition to the resolutions comes as Israel has maintained a total humanitarian aid blockade on Gaza for over a month. Sanders forced votes on two resolutions on Thursday, the first to block the sale of 35,000 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, worth $2 billion, and the second on the sale of tens of thousands of other bombs and JDAMs, worth $6.75 billion. Both resolutions failed with overwhelming bipartisan opposition, by a vote of 15 in favor and 82 against for the first vote and 83 against for the second. Similar votes on Joint Resolutions of Disapproval brought by Sanders in November, to block $1 billion of tank rounds, mortar rounds, and JDAMs, failed but with smaller margins; several Democrats flipped their votes, despite the sales being pushed by the Trump administration this time around. Those who backed Sanders’s resolutions were: Senators Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), Andy Kim (D-New Jersey), Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico), Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minnesota), Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Peter Welch (D-Vermont). All Republicans voted against the resolutions. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) voted “present” on both resolutions.

[...]

“As bad as the last year and a half has been, at least Israel let some — some, not enough, but some aid through. But what is happening right now is unthinkable,” Sanders said. “Today, it is 31 days and counting with absolutely no humanitarian aid getting into Gaza. Nothing. No food, no water, no medicine, no fuel, for over a month. That is a clear violation of the Geneva Conventions, the Foreign Assistance Act, and basic human decency. It is a war crime. You don’t starve children.” “All of this is unconscionable. We are talking about a mass atrocity. And what makes it even worse … is that we, as Americans, are deeply complicit in all that is happening in Gaza,” he said, adding that all of the weapons the resolutions would block “have been linked to illegal airstrikes, including on designated humanitarian sites, resulting in thousands of civilian casualties.”

[fezzian]

i was digging through archival news footage from the 1989-1990 pittston coal strike to cheer up my papaw, who has been going through a rough patch medically. he is a lifelong UMWA member and was part of the pittston strike.

i found some clips of the woman who is practically my godmother, sister bernie kenny, being interviewed. she was arrested in july 1989 for "impeding traffic," aka driving slowly on mountains in a winnebago that was outfitted as a mobile health care van, logically. just so happens some *non pittston* coal trucks were behind her, and she was wearing a camouflage scarf; camouflage being the uniform of the striking miners. the police saw this as an opportunity to punish the community and the striking workers. all charges against her were dropped.

solidarity forever.

[diceriadelluntore]

Storia Di Musica #348 - Jimmy Raney, A, 1957

La Storia della Prestige Records è anche la storia di una intera generazione di musicisti che ebbe la possibilità di incidere, sebbene in modo anticonvenzionale, con la creatura di Bob Weinstock. Weinstock è famoso per altri motivi, su cui ritornerò nelle prossime storie, prima fra tutte la sua estrema "parsimonia" economica, eppure fu un grandissimo talent scout, con un fiuto davvero notevole, tanto che fu fenomenale nel far registrare più cose possibili ad artisti che sapeva sarebbero poi andati verso concorrenti più grandi ed economicamente attrezzati. Oltre a ciò, viveva un eclettismo di produzione che pochissime case editrici avevano: registrò dischi di arpa jazz, duo e trio con strumenti inusuali, persino di musica d' avanguardia (i tre album che Louis Thomas Hardin, conosciuto come Moondog, incise per la Prestige tra il 1956 e il 1957). Il disco di oggi segue un'altra delle passioni di Weinstock, la chitarra jazz. E mise sotto contratto uno dei più fenomenali chitarristi del bop jazz, Jimmy Raney.

Originario del Kentucky, Raney giovanissimo sostituì alla chitarra Tal Farlow, altra leggenda dello strumento e soprannominato Octopus per le sue grandi mani, nel Trio di Red Norvio, altro gigante, vibrafonista, soprannominato Mr. Swing. Parallelamente all'impegno con il trio, è scelto da Stan Getz per una collaborazione che fece scuola, e che regalò a Raney una fortissima fama: nel 1956 vinse il prestigioso concorso della rivista Downbeat come miglior chitarrista del jazz. Eclettico, capace di spaziare tra i vari generi, Raney fu prolifico nonostante due limiti: le sue dipendenze, soprattutto dall'alcool, che lo terranno spesso lontano dalle scene nella seconda parte della sua carriera, e un impedimento fisico, cioè la Sindrome di Menière, una patologia dell'orecchio che gli provocava vertigini, nausee e drammatici momenti dove muoveva in maniera incontrollata gli occhi verticalmente.

Per la Prestige, oltre che come sessionista, incise due dischi, uno in coppia con Kenny Burrell, altro grandissimo chitarrista, (2 Guitars, del 1957), e il disco di oggi, dove come poche volte la chitarra è protagonista in un quartetto jazz. A è composto da diverse sessioni di registrazione, tenute nel mitico Van Gelder Studio di Hackensack, New Jersey, tra il Maggio del 1954 e due giorni, a Febbraio e Marzo del 1955. Insieme a Raney ci sono John Wilson alla tromba, Hall Overton al pianoforte, Teddy Kotick al contrabbasso e due batteristi Art Mardigan (nella registrazione del 1954) e Nick Stabulas (in quelle del 1955). Nei brani si sviluppa tutto l'ecclettismo e la maestria del chitarrista e il suo valore come band leader. Si sperimenta persino l'overdubbing nella spettacolare Minor, brano autografo di Raney, (che si basa sui cambi di accordi di Bernie's Tune); bellissima è anche Double Image (ispirata a There Will Never Be Another You), più un contrappunto selvaggio improvvisato tra Raney e il pianista Hall Overton in On the Square e un'intricata interpretazione della ballata Some Other Spring. John Wilson viene aggiunto alla tromba per la seconda e la terza data in studio, che consistono principalmente di standard. La vivacemente swingante Spring Is Here, una dolce What's New? di Bob Haggart e una delicatissima You Don't Know What Love Is, che dopo il successo come canzone di film anni '40 era diventata in breve tempo uno standard dopo la registrazione che Miles Davis ne fece nel 1954. Gli originali di Raney includono One More For The Mode, una piacevole rielaborazione di un'invenzione in due parti di Johan Sebastian Bach, e Tomorrow, Fairly Cloudy, un bop fiammeggiante. Completano la scaletta due riletture sentite a due classici: A Foggy Day e Someone To Watch Over Me dei superbi George Gershwin e Ira Gershwin.

Raney ebbe una seconda, ma minore, fama all'inizio degli anni '70, quando firmò un contratto per un'altra casa discografica del jazz indipendente, la Xanadu, con cui incise un bellissimo album, Influence, del 1975. Con lui in quegli anni suonava suo figlio Doug, chitarrista anch'egli, e un altro figlio musicista, Jon, cura un sito memoriale, The Raney Legacy, che raccoglie materiale sul padre e figlio chitarristi. Quando morirà, nel maggio del 1995 a soli 67 anni, il New York Times gli dedicherà un lungo articolo omaggio, descrivendolo come "one of the most gifted and influential postwar jazz guitarists in the world".

[marta-bee]

News of the Day 4/7/25: Gaza

This is a dark one, I'm afraid. Basically, Israeli forces killed 15 medics and other humanitarian workers, first claiming they thought they were Hamas until video surfaced showing the vehicle was correctly identified as a Red Crescent vehicle. The details are grisly. I'm struggling to come up with a way to describe them that doesn't rhyme with far-climbs.

I also wish I had a clearer-cut suggestion on how to get involved. I hate just dropping a bomb of despair on you all. The sad fact is America was always a lost cause and under Trump it's much worse. But do call your congressmen anyway and tell them you support an arms embargo to Israel. Just educate yourself, be aware. Maybe thank Bernie Sanders or any of the fourteen other senators who voted to block the recent arms package, full list behind the cut. And if you're not-American with a government that's more responsive, please keep the pressure up on our behalf too.

Senators who voted to block the latest arms sale to Israel: Senators Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), Andy Kim (D-New Jersey), Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico), Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minnesota), Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and of course Bernie Sanders himself. How to contact your Senator.

Killing of Red Crescent Medics

Israeli troops killed 15 Palestinian medics and buried them in a mass grave, UN says

Some Aid Workers Killed in Gaza Were Shot Multiple Times, Officials Say. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that nearly all of the 15 bodies recovered had gunshot wounds. (X)

Palestinian aid workers likely shot ‘execution style’, forensic expert says (X)

The Gaza paramedic killings: a visual timeline

Middle East: Video contradicts IDF on aid workers' deaths (X)

Israel changes account of Gaza medic killings after video showed deadly attack

From the Red Crescent's parent group: Our aid workers were brutally killed and thrown into a mass grave in Gaza. This must never happen again

Stalling of Israel-Gaza Ceasefire, and Israel’s resumed war against Gaza

‘We are cutting up the strip’: Israel deploys troops to new corridor across southern Gaza

Israel announces expansion of military operation in Gaza to seize ‘large areas’ of land, ordering residents to leave (X)

After ceasefire talks stalled, Israel moved ground troops into Gaza. (X)

Israel also cut off humanitarian aid access into Gaza. Gaza medics issue malnutrition alert as total Israeli blockade enters fourth week.

Bread Lines and Salty Drinking Water: Israeli Aid Block Sets Gaza Back Again (X)

Children in Gaza ‘deeply traumatized’ as Israel expands military operations again

Anti-Hamas protesters march in Gaza, in rare and risky show of dissent (X)

UN staff member killed in central Gaza blast, five others injured. (X) Six senior Hamas officials, including key political and military figures, were also killed in Israeli airstrikes. (X)

100 Gazans set to move to Indonesia as part of pilot work program — report. If the trial is successful, Israel said to hope thousands will follow and possibly permanently resettle in south Asian country (X)

Israel issues forced evacuation orders for central Gaza (X)

UN says 100 children killed or injured in Gaza every day since war resumed (X)

The push to recognize Israel’s actions as war crimes

Winston Churchill's grandson urges UK to recognize Palestinian state based on 1967 borders. (X)

UK initially claims Israel broke international law with aid blockade, later rolled back to say only there is a “clear risk” of Israel breaching international law. (X)

On the medic killings: Yet another Israeli war crime is buried in the sand as the world looks away (X)

Israel is committing collective punishment, war crimes in Gaza: Algeria (X)

Le Monde: After breaking the ceasefire in Gaza on March 18, the Israeli prime minister is now pursuing a strategy of ethnic cleansing there, disguised as 'voluntary migration.' (X)

US involvement in Israel and Gaza

US Department of Justice announces taskforce to prosecute Oct. 7 terrorists. (X)

Israel launches 'extensive' strikes against Hamas as hostage, ceasefire talks stall. (X) Trump gave Netanyahu “green light” to resume attacks. (X)

Netanyahu left Budapest on Sunday to head to the US to talk tariffs and Iran with President Donald Trump after wrapping up a multi-day-visit to Hungary. (X)

Netanyahu visits Trump amid brutal campaign in Gaza (X)

15 Senate Dems vote to cancel billions in Israeli military aid (X)

US sending Israel 20,000 assault rifles that Biden had delayed, say sources (X)

One of these days hope to have news with at least a silver lining to share. I do promise I'm looking for it every day!