#bill broussard

[hitchell-mope]

Decent movie. I’m still 90% sure it’s mostly codswallop. But still. Decent movie

[workingclasshistory]

On this day, 24 June 1973, an arsonist ignited a fire that engulfed the LGBT+ bar called the Up Stairs Lounge in New Orleans, killing 32 people and injuring 15. The fire was the deadliest attack on a gay bar in American history prior to the 2016 Pulse Nightclub Massacre. In a city where LGBT+ culture was largely hidden, the Up Stairs Lounge was one of the few establishments catering to the gay community and one of the only gay bars that welcomed Black men and lesbians. On the fourth anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, patrons assembled at the bar for the weekly beer bust. Sixty-five people remained when Bartender Buddy Rasmussen heard the doorbell ring and asked friend Luther Boggs to answer it. As Luther opened the door, flames rushed into the lounge. Buddy led 20 survivors onto the roof of a nearby building while others unsuccessfully attempted to escape through barred windows. The fire department arrived at 7:58 and extinguished the fire quickly, but the powerful flames had already overpowered many patrons. Among the victims were 12 members of Metropolitan Community Church, the first church serving LGBT+ individuals. They included Rev. William "Bill" Larson, associate pastor Duane "Mitch" Mitchell, and Mitch's boyfriend Horace Broussard. Unlike other tragedies, the Up Stairs fire did not amass community support. Although newspapers reported the fire, journalists enflamed anti-gay sentiment by perpetuating vulgar rhetoric and harmful stereotypes. Articles painted the victims as "thieves, burglars, and queers," while other reports named the tragedy a "fruit fry." Eyewitnesses told author Johnny Townsend that they overheard either police or firefighters saying: "Let the f*****s burn". No formal memorials were planned, and churches refused to provide services. This reaction galvanised the New Orleans' LGBT+ community to organise for gay rights as they mourned those who died in the tragic fire. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=649971757176043&set=a.602588028581083&type=3

[aanoia]

Crazy

Kaz Brekker x reader

Summary; the enemy of your enemy is your friend... unless they are also your enemy

Warnings; blood?, knives, uhhhh violence lmfao, enemies to lovers

Words; 2,000+

This didn't end the way I wanted it to but that's okay

The inspo was from the song Trouble by Valerie Broussard

I'm prolly gonna make a pt. 2 bc im cool

Btw,, when introducing the Night Scarlets, each member will have their code name like this, name (code name)

We wear red so they don’t see us bleed

Kaz Brekker hated many, many people. However, there was one group, in particular their leader, that he hated most. The Night Scarlets. Or the Cardinal, their leader. She has been after Kaz since he joined the business. She and her girls have stolen countless of missions right from under his nose, always having his Crows do the work then swooping in and taking over. She infuriated her.

Hundred dollar bills under our sleeve

We intend not to sleep ‘til we’re dead

The thing Kaz never understood was how. How did she know everything he had planned? He had thought it was spies at first, possibly he had a rat in his nest. But no. Even when he went on solo missions. The Cardinal would always know. 

Drink our problems right out of our heads

Singing oh, oh-oh-oh, oh

Trouble

(Trouble)

Singing oh, oh-oh-oh, oh

Here comes trouble

(Trouble)

“Now, not a word to a single soul about this mission. Hear me?” Kaz asked lowly to his Crows. “If the Night Scarlets find out about this and ambush us I will take each of your hands and shove them down your throats. Am I understood?” The Crows nodded nervously.

“Kaz.” Inej started. “You do know we’ve never said anything before, right? I don’t know how but they always find out, whether we talk or not. She always knows.”

Kaz sighed, “I know.” He answered shortly, turning to look out the window.

Dangerously havin’ the time of our lives

These boys are just poisonous thorns in our sides

“So what do we do about them? I mean, I love the ladies, don’t get me wrong. But these ones gotta go.” Jesper said, toying with his new gun he had just stolen.

“I don’t know if there’s anything we can do, Jesper. They’re practically non existent when they aren’t in action.” Nina responded.

“I mean, there has to be a way to catch them. No one can be completely invisible forever.” Wylan said, his brain running through thousands of possibilities. “Maybe we can set a trap for them?”

Matthias snorted, “They’ll turn that into a trap against us. Bad idea.”

“Well, we need to do something. I need money!” Jesper argued.

“You don’t need it, you’re just going to gamble it all!” Wylan said, raising his voice slightly.

Starting fires wherever we go

Watching ‘em gamble everything they own

The group stopped arguing as the sound of glass breaking filled the room. KAz swung his cane one more time and a strangled bird cry came out. He stuck his hand out the broken window and grabbed the bird. Throwing it onto the table in anger.

“A cardinal.” Inej whispered.

Kaz slammed his hand down on the table, “She knows! She knows! How does she always know!” He yelled, picking up a glass and throwing it all the wall, causing Nina to flinch and Jesper instinctively step closer to Wylan. Kaz looked up with death in his eyes. “Change of plans. We’re killing the Cardinal. No matter the cost.

Singing oh, oh-oh-oh, oh

Trouble

(Trouble)

“Ready girls?” Y/n whispered into the small, barely workable communication device that her Fabrikator, Aisha (Raven), had been working on for months. 

“Yeah.” Luna (Eagle) whispered back.

“Ready, C.” Patty (Hawk) responded.

“Steph?” Y/n asked as she pulled her dark red hood over her head.

A few grunts were heard before Stephanie's ( voice filled their ears, “Yep, ready boss.”

Y/n smiled as she began to climb down the walls of the building to the top window, careful to stay out of the Wraiths' sight. “Great. Let’s commit some crimes. Shall we?”

Stephanie giggles, the clicking of her guns being prominent. “Oh, we shall. Ooo, my fellow sharpshooter, my favorite.” 

The line went quiet as Y/n carefully crawled through the opened window, landing silently in the office. She walked briskly to the desk, quietly rummaging through the drawers. She let out a gasp as her arm was pulled back and a familiar cane wrapped around her neck, causing her back to be flush against someone's chest.

Trouble coming in the dead of night

Trouble making everything alright

“Looking for something?” Kaz said quietly into her ear, proud as to finally catch the Cardinal. 

Y/n sighed with a smirk, “Yes. I am.” She said before kicking out his leg, being sure to not hit his bad one. He grunted and took a step back, keeping the cane around her throat. She took the chance to duck out of the way and push him back against the wall, raising her dagger in between the two.

“Y’know, I was very offended to find out you killed my bird.” Y/n said, her hood shielding her eyes.

“Should’ve told it to stay away. The Crow is stronger than the Cardinal after all.”

Y/n laughed, “Oh, Kaz. You should know by now strength is not the most valuable trait of this lifestyle. It’s intelligence-” Kaz’s eyes widened.

“In which I’d have the upperhand on both of you.” A new voice said as two arms knocked the dagger from Y/n’s hands, bringing them behind her back and ripping the hood from her head. Kaz stared at her as people grabbed him as well. He had never truly seen the Cardinal without her hood, and he hated to admit how her face made his heart stutter,

It’s in your blood

It’s in your bones

You cannot sleep for

You cannot sleep for

The two hostages were dragged down the stairs to see their fellow partners bound in ropes. They pushed the two down on their knees next to each other, causing Kaz to let out a grunt as his leg bent weird. Y/n sighed, disappointed in her lack to see the real trap behind Kaz’s. 

“Well, well, well. Look what I have found.” Pekka said with a disgusting smile, looking at each of the criminals tied up. “A bunch of little thieves who think they are so smart.” Pekka continued on his speech as Y/n struggled with her binds. If only she could reach her ear.

“Kaz.” She whispered quietly, careful to not let the boasting man hear.

“What?” He hissed angrily.

She sighed again, “I need you to kiss my ear.”

Kaz almost looked like he was going to hurl, causing the girl to roll her eyes. 

“What the fuck? No way.” He whispered back.

Whoa, oh

Whoa, oh

Tro-tro-trouble, trouble

“Do you want to get out of this?”

“How will kissing your ear help?”

“Just do it, for Saint’s sake!”

“Hey! Quiet, little bird.” Pekka said, walking over and caressing the girl's face with her own blade. She looked at him in disgust and spit in his face, causing everyone's eyes to widen. Pekka calmly wiped the spit from his face before angrily sliding the dagger against her cheek, slicing her skin.

Y/n smiled at him, “Red is my favorite color, you know?”

Pekka glared at her in anger, “Useless slut.” He said before walking back to his men, pulling them into a circle and talking quietly.

“Now!” She whispered to Kaz who reluctantly brought his lips to her ear, ignoring the water pooling around his knees. His lips met a piece of cold metal and he pulled back, actually looking into her ear to see a weird device.

“What is that?” He questioned, eyebrows raised.

Y/n ignored him, “Raven, are you there?” She whispered to nothing, before a relieved smile came across her face. “Emergency. Help. Now.”

Woah, oh

Woah, oh

Here comes trouble, trouble

After a few moments the door of the house burst open, letting in birds of all different kinds, all flocking around and clawing at anything they could get their claws on, Pekka and his men included and targeted.

“Hey, Cardinal.” A voice whispered from behind the girl as she cut her restraints.

“Raven, good timing.” Y/n responded with a smile, taking the dagger Aisha handed her. “Free the other Scarlets. Leave the Crows for now.”

“No, you let us go. I helped you.” Kaz protested as a few of Pekkas men ran out of the house.

“No can do, Brekker.” Y/n said before pulling her hood back up and going to fight off the men that weren’t scared by the birds.

After a few moments a disgruntled, furious yell broke out, “I will get you and kill you all!” Pekka screamed as he ran from the house, scratches littering his skin.

Y/n whistled to the birds, causing them all to stop and fly out the door, their duty finally fulfilled. Her Scarlets stood beside her as she studied the Crows, still tied up and on the floor, a few adorning bird scratches.

“Free them.” She demanded her girls, who broke out in protest. She raised her hand and they silenced. “They will not kill us. They need us, as we need them.” She addressed their concerns and they reluctantly cut the ropes binding their hands. Immediately Inej stood and got into a fighting stance. Her fellow Crows followed after, other than Kaz, who simply lifted his hand to tell them to be calm.

“We need you, do we?” He asked, taking a step towards the Cardinal.

“Yes, as do we, you. Pekka Rollins is, obviously, after us both. We are small groups. Six in yours, five in mine. Rollins has dozens of Dime Lions. It is simply impossible for one of us alone to take him down. You know that, hence why you didn’t let your Crows attack. Isn’t that correct?”

“Unfortunately it is. We shall work together.” Every bird in the room protested. “Until Pekka is down.”

Y/n smiled and held out her hand, “And then you can go back to getting bested by the Night Scarlets. 

“I’m not planning on it.” He said, not raising his hand, and Y/n, ever so observant, had noticed his touch aversion ages ago.

“Air shake.” 

“No.”

“Come on.”

“No.”

“It’s not a deal unless we shake on it.”

“No.”

“I’ll kill you.”

“No.”

“You don’t have weapons.”

“No.”

“I’m smarter than you.”

“No.”

“I’m cooler than you.” Everyone laughed, even Kaz had let a small, smug smirk fall upon his lips.

“You aren’t.” He said, pretending to shake the girl's hand without touching it.

There are dogs on the loose, there are snakes in the desert (in the desert)

I’m that knife in your boot, girl, I got ya (Girl, I got ya)

I’m your number two man in a fight (In a fight)

“And then, we win. Easy peasy.” Y/n said, finishing explaining the plan to the now group of nine.

“Easy peasy my ass.” Jesper mumbled.

“Language, Jes. A kruge.” Y/n smiled triumphantly as Jesper rolled his eyes and handed the girl a kruge. In the three months the two groups had been working together they had become quite close.

“Oh, yeah. I’m so ready for this. We’re so gonna win.” Patty said with a large smile, her arm linked with Nina’s who nodded along.

Y/n laughed slightly, “We will. Now go. Get rest. You’ll need it. We have a big day tomorrow.”

We are revolutionaries tonight

Singing oh, oh-oh-oh, oh

Trouble

(Trouble)

The office emptied, leaving the Crow and Cardinal. Kaz stared at the map, thinking hard.

“Kaz, what’s on your mind?” Y/n asked, placing her hand next to his to provide comfort without actually touching him.

“We can’t do it. We aren’t strong enough.” He muttered and Y/n laughed. Kaz looked at her in annoyance.

“Kaz. We are just about the strongest lot Kerch has seen. We’ve got this. We’re the coolest bunch in Ketterdam.”

Kaz shook his head with a smile he only let out around her. A genuine, happy smile. “Yes, we’re so cool. Do cool people always talk about how cool they are, though?”

Y/n nodded, “Obviously. Have you met me?” She asked with a teasing smile.

“Unfortunately, I have.” 

Trouble coming in the dead of night

Trouble making everythin’ alright

Y/n put her hand over her heart with a gasp. “I’m hurt. You, Kaz R. Brekker, have wounded me right in the heart.” He smiled at the use of his real last names initial, something she had always done once she learned his last name was truly Rietveld. 

It’s in your blood

It’s in your bones

You cannot sleep for

You cannot sleep for

“Oh no, Kaz, I'm Feeling light headed.” Y/n said, stumbling back towards the bed. She fell once the back of her calves hit the bed frame. “I see the light!” She said, reaching her arm up towards the sky. “Oh, it’s getting brighter! Kaz! It’s getting brighter!” She portrayed blood spurting from her chest, before spasming and falling limp, her tongue hanging from her mouth.

She failed to hide her smile as Kaz’s oh so beautiful laugh filled the air. It was like music to her ears. Compared to most people, Y/n got through Kaz’s walls rather quickly, which surprised everyone, including Kaz himself. She had provided him a safe space, free from the water and cold skin and lifeless eyes.

Y/n continued to play dead even after the laughter stopped, not failing to hear the footsteps nearing the bed, causing her heart to speed up. In just a moment, a soft hand gripped hers and pulled her body up as Kaz pulled her into a hug.

“Thank you.” He whispered, before quickly pulling away before the water rose above his head.

Heat creeped up Y/n’s neck, “For?”

“Making me look cooler by your loserness.” He simply said before walking out, pretending nothing happened.

Y/n smiled to herself, falling back onto the bed, a dreamy sigh falling from her lips. She kicked the air while giggling in excitement. Oh, how whipped the Cardinal was for the Crow.

Crazy.

Woah, oh

Woah, oh

Here comes trouble, trouble

[roxnpens]

Firefly

Chapter Four: Happy now!?

TW: [Gore], [violence]

Chapter summery

You go with Silco on a mission for the Rebels and things… don’t turn as you want them to…

Taglist:

Taglist: @juniper-sunny @deny-the-issue @fantadym @mmartos @astudyincontrasts @averagecrastinator @ace-of-zaun @artwithvivien @zaunitekiwi @x-amount-verbs @chaoticlicense @silcosentropy @silcoitus @sirenofzaun @spoczkot @writingmysanity

______________________________________________________________

We wear red so they don't see us bleed

Hundred dollar bills under our sleeve

We intend not to sleep 'til we're dead

Drink our problems right out of our heads

Singing oh, oh-oh-oh, oh

Trouble

(Trouble)

Singing oh, oh-oh-oh, oh

Here comes trouble

(Trouble)

Valerie Broussard - Trouble

——————————————————————————————————

It’s been a few weeks since your “lovely” encounter with Silco. Meanwhile you took it upon yourself to reorganize the bar. Meaning: getting it clean, organizing the cupboards for the different glasses, getting a decent tub system for a small coin, making an ACTUAL card for the drinks and beverages the Drop has to offer.

It was nothing short of a miracle that you managed to get the Drop into a decent shape, since the “tools” you were given were either broken or not present. Of course every now and then you had to weld things - which you did… every time the people were gone or not paying attention to where you went. Then you sneaked out and used your fire powers to do the welding.

But you also made some new friends. A young man named Benzo - who’s very resourceful when it comes to mechanics. He helped you get the tub system up and running. Then there was Zachariah, Alfie, Nokkad, Zer and Ive. Just a handful of the men that stare you down at the first encounter at the Drop. Some of them still believe Vander is turning the rebellion into an orphanage for all the cast outs of the Undercity. But you managed to prove a lot of them wrong by improving the Drop with the knowledge of bartending and bar-management.

Silco still manages to stay out of your way. Not like you really need him anywhere near you, while working the bar. But every now and then he comes to the side of the bar and asks:

“Can you still get a normal drink around here? Or are these cupboards just filled with fancy Topside stuff?”

He won't go out of his way anytime soon, and you don't expect him to. So you silently give him a beer - the best Undercity drink you currently have. He takes it and gets into his personal corner in the drop, where he relaxes alone or with one talkbuddy.

One morning Vander called all of the “rebels” together. You were about fifteen rounded around a table with a map in its midst.

“Alright…”, Vander starts. “…we need to start to get into the Enforcers' thinking, their routes, their mechanics. And for that: I'll pair you up to cover a larger area at once and not draw much attention to yourself.”

Everybody gets paired up… except Silco and you. Silco gives off a growl of displeasure and starts arguing with him.

“Vander… you can't be serious. You pair me with the new girl? The little girl? Pair me up with Benzo - it’ll work better than me working with… with this.. TODDLER.."

Vander sighs and turns his attention to Silco: “She’s not a toddler - she is pretty good and has a good eye. You’re both smart and have very good awareness of your surroundings. THAT’S why I paired you two and now go out there and find something out. Take the River-Side-Area… heard the Enforcers are gathering there more often these days - might be worth a visit.”

Then Vander turns around and walks off to tend the bar.

Silco sighs big time and turns to you. “Let's go - I want this to be over soon…”

“For a change: I couldn't but agree…”, you admit.

Together with Silco you walk towards the “River-Side” area. It’s a less populated area, based next to a river whose waters were polluted by the chemicals they pumped into it from the weapon factory that was just a stones throw away from the river. It smells bad. Really bad. Like you stick your head into the chemicals themselves. But it's not as bad as it once was.

Silco walks two steps in front of you, scanning his surroundings with an eagle eye, with these beautiful cerulean gems.

You shake your head.

No, no, no, no - not the time, not the place for thoughts like that!

Suddenly he holds you by your arms and pulls you behind a corner. “SHHH!” Together you watch a couple Enforcers rounding the block. Over Silcos shoulder you watch them walking around cautiously, always trying to keep an eye on the people around them and passing them. It was more than suspicious.

“They’re way too cautious for a normal patrol…”, you mindlessly say aloud.

Silco rolls his eyes. “Did you just deduce that yourself, Professor? What would I ever do without your great mind…”

“Fuck you Silco…”, you storm off in the direction of the Enforcers.

His eyes grow big in confusion and glance with a touch of anger. “What in the world is your problem woman?? Don’t go right at them or you'll get yourself killed!”

“Yeah… like you?”, annoyance drips from your voice. You are far too pissed off by him to calm your voice down.

“Listen girly, if you wanna help - help. If not: STAND. OUT. OF. MY. WAY. GIRLY”, Silcos eyes narrows you down and the both of you stand face to face again.

You make an angry - mouth closed outcry and step around him - just away from him… but definitely in the wrong direction. You walk head first into a brought shouldered enforcer. You slowly look up to the man but the only thing you can see is his eyes.

“Hey rat - Watch where you’re going.”, the enforcer sounds pissed and pushes you back so you fall against Silco.

"HEY!! Get away.” Silco pushes you away from him.

“Stop it!”, you retort and the both of you almost start a fistfight, when suddenly the enforcers surround you. Silco and you now stand back to back, facing the enforcers.

“Ey boys… time the rats learn how to be quiet and how to have respect.” the enforcer you bumped into said and even though you can’t see his face - you know he’s smiling in anticipation.

„Happy now!?“ you ask Silco. Your anger and annoyance about the situation is audible. With that your little fight begins. You take on the enforcer right in front of you by blocking his incoming fist and catching his other as he tries again. With his one fist in your grasp, you first punch him to the gut and then his face. The force of your punch knocks him off his feet and on the ground. You dodge a punch from an enforcer to your side and get a glimpse of Silco fighting back the enforcers on his side. His stance is like that of an amateur boxer - not the best technique but definitely not the worst either. He manages to get the enforcers of his neck, even though he cashes some punches.

Suddenly a strong punch hits your shoulder blade - it’s a sharp pain that goes right through every nerve of your chest and into your arms. The pain triggers your arcane magic right underneath your skin - the magic begins bubbling up from your bones and searching its way up through the fibers of your body.

No, no, no, no, no - not now!!

You panic in your head. It’s not the right time to set this place ablaze anytime soon!!

With great mental pain and effort you manage to keep your magic in check. But now you're angry - you’ve been through pain again… the thing you never wanted anymore. You turned your face - looking the enforcer that hurt you dead in the eye. The enforcer stumbled backwards - rigid with fear. Your pupil changed color to a blazing orange - the color of your fire. Unfortunately when your magic activates, your eyes change color. You attacked the enforcer right away - planting a heel roundhouse kick in his face which instantly knocked him out. Lucky for you, your eye color changes back to normal and you attack the next enforcer.

Once you knocked the third one out, you looked around for Silco. You see him struggling with two enforcers. He managed to knock two of them out, but the last two really gave him a hard time. You rushed to him and guarded his right side. He gave you a short look of appreciation and focused on the enforcers ahead. Now both of them were no problem anymore and you quickly knocked them out.

“Not bad…” Silco smiled slightly and it was a beautiful smile.

“Thanks.. not bad yours…”

“I wasn’t finished!”, Silco said in a sharp tone. “Not bad… for a little girl.”

You roll your eyes and now Silco laughs aloud.

From the cornor of your eye you noticed a movement - one of the enforcers Silco knocked out wasn’t as knocked out as he pretended to be. Be rose, this breathing mask was torn off and his nose bled. The enforcer pulled a knife from his boot - a 7cm blade, nothing bad, standard enforcer equipment. But he charged from his spot, aiming at Silco!

“Move!!” you yell. You shove him aside and place yourself in his stead. The knife hit your left shoulder from the front, piercing your flash and got stuck at with its hilt.

Silcos eyes widen in surprise and when the blade hits in… how could you name it? Fear? Surprise? As if you just did the most selfless thing pushing him to the side.

He regained his composure when the hilt of the knife got to your shoulder. Silco tackles the enforcer to the next wall and punches him twice in the face. The enforcer faints and slides down the wall - now really knocked out.

Silco sprints to you, “Girl!! Are you crazy for taking such a blow?? You could have been killed!! Janna…”

“Relax… it’s a flesh wound… nothing that won’t heal… in time.” you groan and little by little your adrenaline wears off. You begin to feel the pain and it costs you a lot of strength to keep your eyes from changing. It costs you so much that moving proves difficult for you. You begin to shiver like you’re freezing and Silco unfortunately picks up on it.

“Girl… let’s get you home or at least to the drop then I can get you fixed.”

He grabs you by the waist and lays your healthy arms around his shoulder.

“First of all: my name is not ‘Girl’ and second…” to your own surprise you mildly smile at him “…thanks Silco.”

He smiles back and the both of you leave the River-Side-Area.

[bestfrozentreats2]

Black Cat Lounge

Has there been a more magical pairing of act and venue on Sixth Street than the “Two Hoots and a Hot Dog” residency at the new, larger Black Cat Lounge from 1988- 1991? Photographs by Bill Leissner (b&w) and Robert Smith (color) take us back, as does the great Rick Broussard guitar instrumental of “Sukiyaki.” The Black Cat Lounge burned down in 2002, never to be rebuilt or relocated. Or recreated. Look for a chapter on the Black Cat in 'Austin Music is a Scene Not a Sound' (TCU Press) in late spring. Broussard redemption story will be included in 'Overserved' in early 2025 on A&M Press. Read it now at michaelcorcoran.substack.com. .

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

The Federal Election Commission recently let a US company that was quietly bankrolled by Russian oligarchs off with a slap on the wrist despite discovering that it had illegally funneled Russian funds to US political candidates in the 2018 midterm elections, two Democratic FEC commissioners said in a scathing statement issued Friday.

“Half the Commission chose to reject the recommendation of the agency’s nonpartisan Office of General Counsel and turned a blind eye to the documented use of Russian money for contributions to various federal and state committees in the 2018 elections,” wrote the two commissioners, Ellen Weintraub and Shana Broussard.

Anyone who follows campaign finance knows that the FEC has been toothless for years due to GOP commissioners’ opposition to any enforcement of laws designed to oversee money in politics. But Weintraub and Broussard suggest the agency hit a new low by letting the US firm, American Ethane, off with a deal in which it agreed to pay only a small civil fine.

Though based in Houston, Texas, and run by American CEO John Houghtaling, 88% of American Ethane was owned by three Russian nationals—Konstantin Nikolaev, Mikhail Yuriev, and Andrey Kunatbaev. The FEC report said that Nikolaev, an oligarch and Russian billionaire with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is the controlling shareholder. Separately, Nikolaev also underwrote efforts by Maria Butina, a Russian gun rights activist, to cultivate ties with the National Rifle Association officials and with associates of Donald Trump around the time of the 2016 election. In 2018, Butina acknowledged acting as an unregistered Kremlin agent and pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy against the United States. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison but was deported six months later.

According to lobbying disclosures, the company was seeking help from US officials in its efforts to sell US ethane to China and, in 2018, had hired a US lobbying firm, Turnberry Solutions, with close ties to former Trump campaign chief Corey Lewandowski. A year later, Lewandowki officially joined Turnberry, after previously disputing his connections to the firm. Turnberry, which traded on ties to Trump, shut down in 2021, months after he left office.

The FEC investigation began after it received a complaint citing press reports on American Ethane’s ties to Nikolaev and its donations to lawmakers. Weintraub and Broussard noted that the FEC found that American Ethane “made contributions using funds derived from loans from foreign entities ultimately owned by Russian nationals.” Federal law bans foreign funds in US elections, as well as direct corporate donations to candidates. American Ethane seems to have done both. The FEC found that the company made more than $66,000 in donations using money it got from offshore firms in the form of loans. According to an FEC general counsel’s report released last year, the owners of the offshore firms included Alexander Voloshin, a Russian politician and former state power company official, and Roman Abramovich, an infamous Russian oligarch and former owner of the British football powerhouse Chelsea. The money the company used to dole out donations ultimately came from the oligarchs, the FEC said.

During its four-year investigation, the FEC found that the funds initially put up by Abromovich and other Russian nationals were then funneled to Republicans in Louisiana: Sens. John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy, a political action committee run by Kennedy, a leadership fund run by House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, a PAC backing Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, and the campaigns of Reps. Mike Johnson and Garrett Graves. Other contributions went to state lawmakers. The report didn’t explain why the company focused on Louisiana but the state is home to many natural gas firms, and its lawmakers advocate for the industry.

The lawmakers who received funds have not been accused of knowingly taking Russian money, though the final report from the initial investigation noted, “American Ethane attempted to make more political contributions, but those recipient committees never deposited American Ethane’s checks.”

American Ethane argued that the funds the company first received appeared as loan to the American corporation. Therefore, they claimed the donations it made were not foreign. The FEC rejected that argument. But it still recommended the firm only pay $9,500 as a civil penalty.

“The foreign-influence problem has not gone away in the meantime, to put it mildly,” Weintraub and Broussard wrote. “In this case, it is beyond unfortunate that for three of our colleagues, it was a bridge too far to penalize the use of Russian oligarchs’ money to influence U.S. elections.”

[evermorehqs]

CATCHING MY BREATH, STARING OUT AN OPEN WINDOW

Tiana Broussard is based on Tiana from The Princess and The Frog. She is a 29 year old cursed human, restaurant owner, and uses she/her pronouns. She has the power of spontaneous shifting. Tiana is portrayed by Simona Brown and she is open.

CATCHING MY DEATH, AND I COULDN’T BE SURE

Tiana knew from a very young age exactly what she wanted to be when she grew up, her dream carried so much passion and determination it almost leaped off of the page to life whenever she spoke about it. Opening her own restaurant with her father, cooking side by side, bringing people together. When Tiana lost her father to ill health, that dream was momentarily shattered, because how else could she go on without her daddy? He was everything to her. But Tiana’s Place was more than a porch dream, it was a lifetime goal for both of them, and Tiana was damn sure she would succeed in it, not just for herself but for her father. Through setbacks, and heartbreaks, hard work and tears, praying and a lot of late nights Tiana finally reached the summit; now it was time to make it work. Nothing was ever handed to Tiana, and no amount of wishing or hoping could get her where she needed to be. She had sacrificed so much of her life, worked countless crappy jobs, saved every single penny and broke glass ceilings to get Tiana’s Place up and running, only to find... here was where the real work started. Staffing, insurance, bills, vendors coming at her from every angle, and just barely making enough to keep the restaurant afloat, much less have any excess spending money. Working twice as hard and doing almost everything herself to cut back on costs, she was too proud to admit she needed help, too afraid to lose her dream. She just wanted to succeed for herself, for her daddy, for the both of them. Maybe it’s time to put faith into the cosmos and like every other chump in Evermore, make a wish.

I HAD A FEELING SO PECULIAR

❀ Kida Nedakh: Old souls, the two of them, Tiana finds comfort in Kida's company. Sometimes she is sure there is more than meets the eye with the other woman, but whatever it is, she knows Kida is a true friend. ❀ Adam Janssen: There’s a guy to put a sour taste in your mouth and his restaurant isn't even that good! And one day Tiana will give him a peace of her mind, and a lesson or two in cooking. ❀ Johnny Loughran: Its not that Tiana is bugged out by Johnny’s constant chatting about adventures, its just that maybe she’s too much of a homebird to let her guard down and be as spontaneous.

THIS PAIN WOULD BE FOR EVERMORE

[hypolimnions]

/ˌhīpəˈlimnēän / noun : the lower layer of water in a stratified lake, typically cooler than the water above and relatively stagnant.

open starters. memes. wanted plots. wanted opps. inspo.

guidelines & about :

no minors or personal blogs, please.

this blog is low activity.

i ship based on chemistry. additionally, many of my muses are on the ace spectrum — please respect that.

speaking of… my portrayals of canon characters are typically canon-divergent to some degree. i’m always happy to discuss hcs, & my interpretations are always evolving.

i use small text & photo line-breaks. many of my muses are gifless. i truly don't care how you format. this extends to xkit — i cut my posts, but it's not a big deal if you don't. i'm more concerned with writing than aesthetics.

banned fcs : anyone who has passed away, is under 18 in the source, or has explicitly said they don't want to be used.

mun :

i'm cat. 22, they, cst.

i treat rp as a way to flex my creative muscles. i try to stay pretty relaxed about it & appreciate writing partners with a similar attitude!

feel free to ask for my discord, i don't usually write over there but it's the best way to reach me ooc.

muses :

canons :

brian lackey. mysterious skin. 19. cis male, he/him, sex-repulsed asexual. community college student, mama's boy, blossoming small-town kansas rebel seeking an identity outside of his freshly-remembered trauma. easily plied with liquor &/or chocolate cake. sweet as pie, usually. fc: brady corbet.

barry berkman. barry. 37. cis male, he/him, demisexual. BIO UNDER CONSTRUCTION. fc: bill hader.

sally bowles. cabaret. BIO UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

norman bates. psycho. 29. cis male, he/him, straight. BIO UNDER CONSTRUCTION. fc: andrew garfield.

roman roy. succession. BIO UNDER CONSTRUCTION. fc: kieran culkin.

benson broussard. the passenger. 33. cis male, he/him, gay. quiet but gruff. constantly vigilant. works at a burger joint in his rural louisiana hometown, where he lives with & takes care of his ailing mother. volatile & full of simmering rage & shame, stuck moving in circles. fc: kyle gallner.

randy bradley. the passenger. 21. cis male, he/him, questioning. convinced he shouldn’t make decisions or voice his opinions, he lets life happen to him. works at the same burger joint as benson, where their other coworkers use him as a punching bag. anxious in a prey-animal way, still & wide-eyed. fc: johnny berchtold.

tommy gnosis. hedwig and the angry inch. 21. cis male, he/him, deeply closeted gay. up-&-coming pop-rock superstar, alleged plagiarist & perpetual tabloid headline, formerly devout christian going through a very public crisis of faith. fc: michael pitt.

dexter morgan. dexter. 34. cis male, he/him, demisexual. blood spatter analyst with the miami metro PD, hobby bowler & sport fisherman, friendly neighborhood serial killer with a moral-superiority slant. adopted as a toddler — doesn't know what happened to his birth parents. owns his own boat, the slice of life. fc: michael c hall. gifs by firetfly.

amalthea. the last unicorn. ageless. cis female, she/it, asexual. traveling in search of her long-lost family, finding her footing as a newly transfigured human woman along the way. aloof, naive, otherworldly. full of childlike wonder & particularly sensitive to harsh realities. fc: devon aoki.

patty. dinner in america. BIO UNDER CONSTRUCTION. fc: emily skeggs.

alan zaveri. russian doll. 32. cis male, he/him, bisexual. ball of anxiety white-knuckling it through life. well-meaning & sweet but tightly wound & fundamentally unsatisfied, prone to existential crises & depression spirals. reconsidering everything. fc: charlie barnett. gifs by hannahcommissions.

fandomless ocs :

elliot (ell) winslow. 28. nonbinary, he/they/she, demisexual. begrudging grocery store assistant manager, acoustic singer-songwriter playing wherever she can. avid hiker. dual US & UK citizenship — was born in england & grew up there until their parents' divorce when he was 12. has a (spoiled) rescue dog, louise. fc: caleb landry jones.

andrea (andy) edfeld. werewolf. 24. nonbinary, she/it, lesbian. comes from old money owing to a successful family distillery. wanders the country on its parents' dime despite not being on speaking terms with them. loves westerns, high fashion, & picking fights. hates full moons, old men, & anything minty. fc: mia goth. gifs by jofridapettersen.

arthur cox. vampire/flesheater. appears mid 30s, actually 1000+. cis male, he/him, unlabelled. ancient malevolent entity. given to wild debauchery, positively brimming with joie de vivre for someone without a heartbeat. originates from ancient roman italia. can turn into an eagle-owl at will. fc: jude law. gifs by stannyramirez.

dr. nicholas winslow. 47. cis male, he/him, heteroflexible. tenured art history professor. friendly, easy-going, & often more free-spirited than is good for him. twice divorced, both amicable. diagnosed with bipolar, managed (mostly) with medication & talk therapy. film buff & sculpture enthusiast. ell’s father. fc: mark duplass.

megan tilki.

dax tilki.

frances (frankie) grace.

doe moore.

claire van blair.

[defensefilms]

NFL WildCard Round Reaction

1. Jared Goff Lives!!!

Detroit Lions 24-23 Los Angeles Rams

I may have picked the Rams to win 27-24 in this one, but I'm actually glad to have been wrong here, and the Lions get to keep thier cinderella season going for another week of playoff ball.

First I gotta give props to the job that the Lions did to stop the run.

Among my predictions, was that the Rams would rely heavily on Kyren Williams, and instead he had a measley 13 carries for 61 yards.

Instead this was a duel to see who could throw the ball and both teams gave a healthy amount of opportunities to multiple pass catchers, and really relied on thier passing game, and as I said in my prediction, that if it came down to which roster has more talent at a given position, the Lions would win out.

Congratulations to the city of Detroit, for thier years of dedication, they fully deserve to bask in this for a little.

2. A Sobering End To A Somber Season

Philadelphia Eagles 9- 32 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

You know, I really thought that just for one game, the Eagles defensive co-ordinators and thier db's alike, would get it together for long enough to win just one playoff game, against an opponent they should be better than.

Alas, I really did not understand/account for just how much better Tampa's recievers are than the Eagles db's. My prediction of a low scoring 21-17 victory for the Birds, was but mere fodder to the NFL gods.

Tampa scored a touchdown via rookie reciever Trey Palmer to take a 25-9 lead, the game was over.

Sad how this season unfolded for the Eagles.

Jalen Hurts was valiant but playing from behind from s early in the game meant he was never going to get a chance to play his game and allow the Eagles to establish the run, instead he threw the ball 35 times for 250 yards.

It wasn't what many would have hoped for but the Eagles are back to the drawing board and in desparate need of someone who can fix that defense.

3. Frozen Tuna

Kansas City Chiefs 26-7 Miami Dolphins

Outside of how big of a lead the Chiefs were able to build, this game went pretty much the way I expected and Miami have to wear the hat of being the warm weather team that can't go on the road in the cold come January.

I expect Chris Broussard to bring out the break dancers come Monday night.

My score predictions was the Chiefs winning 21-17, so I am not to unhappy about my accuracy there.

What I will say, is that in the next round, unless the Steelers pull off the mother of all upsets, the Chiefs are actually going to have to play a team with healthy recievers, a real quarterback and in all likelihood have to go on the road.

Well done Kansas, but a tougher test awaits next weekend.

4. The Bills And The Balance

Buffalo Bills 31-17 Pittsburgh Steelers

This went pretty much how I expected, and I had the score almost exactly.

Originially, this game was meant to be played on Saturday, but due to weather conditions that literally looked like Sylvester Stallone's "Detox".

The Steelers offense was never going to give them a shot at competing against a Buffalo Bills team that seem to have perfected the art of balance at just the right time, and while James Cook's 78 yards on 18 carries doesn't jump out as a stat, it's a very necessary part of this Bills offense.

Josh Allen was great today, and he spread the ball around, threw to 7 different teammates, and even when the Steelers looked like they were mounting a comeback, the Bills offense killed that off with Khalil Shakir's touchdown.

All well and good, but next weekend, the Bills will be at home to Kansas City, and that will be the real litmus test for thier season.

5. Above The Clouds, CJ Stroud

Cleveland Browns 14-45 Houston Texans

This to me, is the biggest upset of the weekend and as good as the Browns were in the regular season, this will feel lie a big time let down because of how they lost, and my prediction of a 27-20 win for the Brown couldn't have been more off.

First off, I think a healthy chunk of blame should go to defenseive co-ordinator Jim Schwartz, he did not read the scouting report on CJ Stroud, gave the Texans wide recievers single high safety and man-coverage on key downs.

Then there was the absolutely aenimic performance by Browns qb Joe Flacco, and to be fair, long time NFL fans would have seen that coming, and that his rejuvination could not hold up forever.

But the biggest reason the Browns lost is because CJ Stroud is a legitimate NFL quarterback, point blank, end of story. This guy is showing a lot of signs of being next in that Mahomes/Rodgers tier, as far as his throwing ability.

CJ Stroud has arrived.

6. Aaron Who?

Dallas Cowboys 32-48 Green Bay Packers

While I am more upset about the Browns, this result is the one that would have lead the sports talk shows on Monday and what I first predicted would be a 34-27 win for the Cowboys, has turned out to be the most facrica and shambolic of all the weekend's results.

The Dallas Cowboys are a ship with no paddle. A rudderless vagabond wondering through the sands of time.

As far as the Packers are concerned, my only question is "Aaron who?".

Aaron Jones, that is. 3 touchdowns, 118 yards on 21 carries and the Packers rusher had himself a momentous day, at times making the Dallas Cowboys defense look undersized, as was pointed out by Richard Sherman on Undisputed.

However this will be remembered as Jordan Love's announcement on the national stage and 3 touchdowns, 272 yards on just 21 pass attempts, is the type of thing that represents a building block for the Packers future.

The Packers will go on to face the 9ers next week, but Dallas will provide the offseason's annual comedy.

[bargainsleuthbooks]

Eleanor Powell: Born to Dance (Screen Classics) by Paula Broussard & Lisa Royere #ARCReview #BookReview #NetGalley #UniversityPressofKentucky #Biography #Musicals #Hollywood #Broadway

I love musicals, and one of my favorite dancers who seems lost to history is #EleanorPowell. A new #Biography finally gives her her due. #BorntoDance #universitypress #ARC Review #NetGalley #BookReview #MGMMusicals #FredAstaire #BargainSleuth

When considering the best dancers in Hollywood’s history, some obvious names come to mind—Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and Bill Robinson. Yet often overlooked is one of the most gifted and creative dancers of all time, Eleanor Powell. Powell’s effervescent style, unmatched technical prowess in tap, and free-flowing musicality led MGM to build top-rate musicals around her unique talents, including…

[hitchell-mope]

Damn you William

[wikiuntamed]

On this day in Wikipedia: Monday, 4th September

Welcome, Benvenuto, Benvenuta, Velkommen 🤗 What does @Wikipedia say about 4th September through the years 🏛️📜🗓️?

4th September 2022 🗓️ : Event - 2022 Saskatchewan stabbings Ten people are killed and 15 are injured in a stabbing spree in 13 locations on the James Smith Cree Nation and in Weldon, Saskatchewan. "On September 4, 2022, Myles Sanderson killed 11 and injured 18 people in mass stabbing at 13 locations on the James Smith Cree Nation and in Weldon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Some of the victims are believed to have been targeted, while others were randomly attacked. It is one of the deadliest massacres..."

4th September 2018 🗓️ : Death - Bill Daily Bill Daily, American actor, comedian (b. 1927) "William Edward Daily (August 30, 1927 – September 4, 2018) was an American actor and comedian known for his sitcom work as Major Roger Healey on I Dream of Jeannie, and Howard Borden on The Bob Newhart Show...."

Image licensed under CC0? by NBC Television

4th September 2013 🗓️ : Death - Casey Viator Casey Viator, American bodybuilder and journalist (b. 1951) "Casey Viator/Casius Viatoro (September 4, 1951 – September 4, 2013) was an American professional bodybuilder. He is noted as the youngest ever AAU Mr. America – gaining the title at the age of 19 in 1971. Viator grew up in New Iberia, Louisiana and began training with Kenwood Broussard. In 1968,..."

4th September 1973 🗓️ : Birth - Lazlow Jones Lazlow Jones, American radio presenter, producer and screenwriter "Jeffrey Crawford "Lazlow" Jones (born September 4, 1973) is an American writer, producer, director, voice actor, and radio personality. He is best known for his work with Rockstar Games, for which he worked on the Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, and Red Dead Redemption series, and for his radio shows..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0? by Porkrind (talk)

4th September 1923 🗓️ : Event - Airship Maiden flight of the first U.S. airship, the USS Shenandoah. "An airship or dirigible balloon is a type of aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft that can navigate through the air under its own power. Aerostats gain their lift from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air. In early dirigibles, the lifting gas used was hydrogen, due to its high..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0? by AngMoKio

4th September 1821 🗓️ : Death - José Miguel Carrera José Miguel Carrera, Chilean general and politician (b. 1785) "José Miguel Carrera Verdugo (American Spanish: [xoˈse miˈɣel kaˈreɾa]; October 15, 1785 – September 4, 1821) was a Chilean general, formerly Spanish military, member of the prominent Carrera family, and considered one of the founders of independent Chile. Carrera was the most important leader of the..."

Image by

Miguel Venegas Cifuentes (1907-1979)

4th September 🗓️ : Holiday - Christian feast day: Ultan of Ardbraccan "St. Ultan of Ardbraccan, also known as Ultan the scribe was an Irish saint and Abbot-Bishop of Ardbraccan during the 7th century. He died c. 657 and his feast day is celebrated on 4 September. ..."

[suchananewsblog]

Jack Nicholson's estranged daughter Tessa Gourin opens up about their relationship

Although Jack Nicholson is renowned for keeping his personal affairs secret, it is known that he and his daughter Tessa Gourin do not get along well. Actress Rebecca Broussard, Nicholson’s ex-girlfriend, gave birth daughter Tessa Gourin in 1990. Nicholson reportedly visited Gourin in the hospital and covered her medical bills despite not being present at the delivery. Gourin’s relationship with…

[snewshub]

snewshub

[viralnews-1]

Chiefs host Josh Allen, Bills in AFC Divisional Round rematch in Week 6 | FIRST THINGS FIRST

Chiefs host Josh Allen, Bills in AFC Divisional Round rematch in Week 6 | FIRST THINGS FIRST

Nick Wright, Greg Jennings, Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes pick the winner of the Patrick Mahomes led Kansas City Chiefs vs. Josh Allen led Buffalo Bills matchup in Week 6. Source link

[onlinery]

Soul brothers six some kind of wonderful

My parents are wonderful, human beings who encouraged us to do everything we can for people that need the help. More recently, he established his SOS Foundation as a conduit to help raise money for other worthy causes, such as the United Way and Habitat for Humanity.Īccording to Broussard, “A lot of it has to do with the people who raised me. He’s also taken part in a USO tour to entertain troops in the Middle East. So, I wrote the book and Rebekah did the illustrations.”Ī portion of the proceeds from sales of both the album and the book will be donated to Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.īroussard’s charitable efforts extend well over a decade, beginning with his self-released album “Bootleg to Benefit the Victims of Hurricane Katrina” in 2005 and his efforts to organize the Momentary Setback Fund to provide financial assistance to those displaced by both Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. “I wanted to do something for kids – especially the children’s hospital in Baton Rouge. “His wife Rebekah Phillips is an illustrator - and my illustrator. “I have a friend I’ve done some work with named Kurt Zendzian,” said Broussard, during a phone interview Wednesday morning from his home in Caren Cru, Louisiana. It has always been about tying music to a mission, one reason that his latest studio album, “A Lullaby Collection SOS III,” and book, “I Love You For You,” were created to educate and inspire younger audiences.įor Broussard, who has released more than a dozen albums, entering the book world was a new experience. 2: Save Our Soul: Soul on a Mission,” which was released in September 2016.īroussard’s commitment to making the world a better place is a mantra that he has been bound to since the beginning of his career. Just as it would have been 17 months ago, Broussard’s show is a tour following the release of his latest album, “A Lullaby Collection SOS III.” The album features his interpretation of a series of classics including “What a Wonderful World,” “Moon River” and “Sweet Baby James” plus two original compositions – “Gavin’s Song” and “Bedtime.”īroussard’s first “SOS” album was “S.O.S.: Save Our Soul.” Released in 2007, it featured covers of songs by R&B greats such as Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Sam Cooke, Bill Withers and Bobby Womack. The venue has taken COVID precautions, and all systems are go. Now, Broussard is set to return to the venue in University City on November 4. It turned out to be an example of “April Fools.” There was no concert on April 1, 2020.

He secured a deal with a small label in Rochester, and scored a Carolinas beach hit that did some business in Europe as well.Įllison has cut two solo albums to date, appeared in the A&E movie Rev, and marketed a Some Kinda Wonderful spice via the Allen Beef Company.Last year, Marc Broussard was scheduled to headline a show at the World Café Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 21, on April 1. A substantial royalty check from Grand Funk Railroad's rendition of "Some Kinda Wonderful" revitalized Ellison's songwriting juices. This new lineup waxed three singles on Phil La of Soul from 1972 to 1974: "Funky, Funky Way of Making Love," "You're My World," and "Let Me Do What We Ain't Doin'." None hit nationally but they worked steadily throughout the country anyway.

Soul Brothers Six cut two records on two tiny labels before inking with Atlantic on the strength of Ellison's "Some Kinda Wonderful." But sales of follow-ups - "You Better Check Yourself," "Your Love Is Such a Wonderful Love," "Thank You Baby for Loving Me," and "Drive" - were embarrassing and Atlantic dropped the group before the end of the decade.Īround this time, Joe Johnson, James Johnson, Charles Pevy, and Eddie Reno replaced the Armstrong Brothers, who left disgusted and soured by the Atlantic ordeal. He learned to play guitar and wrote his first songs when he was 13, later moving to New York City and then Rochester. John Ellison, a coalminer's son, grew up in West Virginia. The Fantastic Johnny C took it four slots higher the following year and Grand Funk Railroad outdid 'em all by rocking it to number three pop in 1974. A Philly DJ introduced them to Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records, and they had a small hit with "Some Kinda Wonderful" (written by Ellison) in 1967 it was their most successful record, making it into the Top 100 at number 91. (That's seven, but one of the Armstrong brothers' bounced early.) They debuted with "Stop Hurting Me" on Fine Records (1965) and another on Lyndell Records (1966) typo-credited to the Sold Brothers Six.

This hard-hitting soul group formed in Rochester, NY, consisting of the multi-talented Willie John Ellison, along with Lester Freeman, Vonell Benjamin, and Charles, Moses, Sam, and Harry Armstrong.