#for the record I love Insurrection

[overseer-picard]

You might assume my biggest gripe with "Star Trek: Insurrection" is the mediocre writing that led to the downfall of the 90's Trek empire (poor script led to bad audience reception which led to Paramount forcing outside writers/directors to take the reins on the next film which resulted in Nemesis)

but no

it's this shirt.

It's something about the thick, heavily starched, car upholstery fabric mixed with the inhumanly strange neckline and gaping sleeves that get to me.

It almost looks okay at some angles, like when it's pulled back by a gun strap or a heavy leather jacket, thus making the neckline look slightly more normal.

See? Not so bad here. Just some suspicious corners.

For whatever reason, Patrick Stewart decided to go from his regular level of buffness to wildly bulky buff at the prime athletic age of 58.

On the left is a still from "Safe House", which was released the same year as "Insurrection". On the right, a BTS shot from the actual movie. As you can see, he has deltoids the size of ripe cantaloupes and bulging barbarian biceps.

Now, you'd THINK you'd want to accentuate these features, right? You'd have a slim fit shirt of thin material with tailored, tight sleeves. You'd want the quinquagenarian to look his most action-y in the big expensive action movie, right? But does this shirt do that??

NO.

In fact, this hunk of old couch actually makes PStew's arms, neck, and shoulders look smaller and out of proportion due to the baggy sleeves and bizarre neckline.

With the high rear collar that curves down over the shoulders combined with the horizontal front, it looks downright chelonian. In a world where they could've made anything, they made my guy look like a turtle.

Gives a whole new definition to "turtle neck"

Look at that gaping maw of a sleeve and the dark abyss under the collar. They took this man's measurements, hand picked this fabric, and then hand sewed and tailored this. Everything here was a deliberate choice. What happened? Advanced macular degeneration? Drugs? Someone lied on their resume about being a tailor? Spite? All the above?

Even here, with biceps fully deployed, the collar at the back of his neck is a safety hazard. It could snag on the warp core or an ODN conduit. Prisons make better fitting clothes.

Are there worse costuming atrocities committed in the franchise? Of course. But this was a big budget movie with lots of time and money to plan and the costume in question was for the lead actor.

Even these modesty rags from "Chain of Command" fit better than that shirt.

Okay, now I'm done.

[loola-a]

@fe-oc-week day 1 - introductions !

this is my best friend forever, florence von giselle !

Gender: Female

Race: Human

Birthday: 13th December

Fódlan birthday: 13th of the Ethereal Moon; Imperial Year 1161

Age: 18-19

Relatives: Mylan Von Giselle (Father)

Celeste Von Giselle (Mother)

Nationality: Adrestian Empire (Exiled)

Hometown: Dukedom of Giselle, which has since been merged with Hrym territory.

Residence: Garreg Mach Monastery

Factions: Ivory Swans

Occupations: Heir of House Giselle

Personal Ability: Ghostly Seance - Once per game + if unit is at max HP, able to revive any 1 fallen ally. [This only works if the revived unit fell during that specific battle, and the unit will also go back to being dead once the battle ends!]

Early Life:

Florence is the only child and heir to House Giselle. She’s childhood friends with Lindhardt, Bernadetta and Lysithea.

In 1167 during the Insurrection of the Seven, House Giselle along with House Hrym tried to secede from the Empire and join the Leicester Alliance. Working with the neighbouring House Ordelia, Hrym and Giselle raised an insurrection, but the Empire swiftly suppressed it. In retaliation for the uprising, Hrym’s main genetic line was eradicated. Four years later, House Giselle was found to have also colluded with Ordeila and Hyrm and were exiled from the Adrestrian Empire. Her family secretly relocated to Ordelia territory.

House Giselle is not noted as one of the seven involved in the Insurrection of the Seven as, after their exiling, all records of the House were destroyed.

Two years later, she developed an illness that took the life of her mother and left Florence bedridden for several years. While she eventually regained mobility, her legs remain very weak.

Personality:

Hating battles and loving peace and quiet, Florence does her best to avoid the harsh realities of the world, often idling about in escapist activities such as reading, composing or looking for ghosts. Her interest in seances and the occult stemming from the loss of her mother at a young age, and her desire to talk to her once more.

Despite being the heir to House Giselle, Florence has little love for her House, as it has lost all political and social standing due to their role in the Insurrection of the Seven. She often expresses guilt and remorse for her fathers actions, believing that the exiling of her House was the catalyst for all of her grievances in life. Due to her house being banished from the Empire and forced into hiding, not only was she separated from her home and her friends, but they were also unable to treat the sickness that took her mother’s life and left her bedridden for many years. In fact, in a majority of her endings, she abandons her claim to House Giselle altogether. Good for her!!

Lost Items:

A Planchette: A pointer made for a board used to contact ghosts. It probably belongs to someone who enjoys the occult.

Late Return Notice: A request letter from the library asking for a late book to be returned. It probably,y belongs to someone who frequents the library.

A Piece of Unfinished Music: An unfinished sheet of music. It probably belongs to someone who enjoys composing.

Quotes:

Choir Practice: “Hmm… I wonder if I could incorporate this melody into- Oh. My apologies, Professor.”

Cooking: “I’m quite useless at cooking, my mother always used to say I could burn an empty pan,”

Counsellor:

“Whenever I try to talk to someone about ghosts, they get scared and run away. I don’t mean to scare anyone, I just want to talk about my interests.”

“There’s a restricted section of the library that has all the interesting books locked away. How would I gain access to them without being expelled?”

“It’s my fathers fault that our House fell into ruin. I have no desire to inherit a House so wrought with disappointment and betrayal.” (war phase)

Dining Hall:

Favourite dish: “I haven’t eaten this since I was a child, how lovely.”

Neutral dish: “I usually just bring my food back to the library with me…”

Disliked dish: “I think I left something… somewhere. I should go.”

With Edelgard:

(Before C Support)

Edelgard: How are you liking your food, Florence?

Florence: It’s… fine. I’m sorry, I think I hear someone calling for me.

(After C Support)

Edelgard: Florence, I hear that you like to compose music! You must show me your work some time

Florence: I suppose I could…

With Jeritza:

Jeritza: …

Florence: …

Recruitment:

Requirements not met: “Sorry Professor, I have some books that I have to return to the library urgently. If I’m late again they might ban me.”

Requirements met: “Professor, I have a request…”

Accept: “Wonderful. I have heard your classroom is haunted. Is that true?”

Decline: “Oh. alright then…”

Gift:

Favourite: “For me? Are you sure?”

Neutral: “This is nice”

Disliked: “Oh… alright.”

Lost Item:

Not theirs: “That’s not mine. I’m afraid you’ll have to keep looking.”

Theirs: “Oh, you found it! I wondered where it had gotten to.”

Tea Party:

General: “Next time you should come to one of my seances. You can still bring the tea if you like.”

Favourite Tea: “Ah, this smell reminds me of being a child,”

Favourite Teas: Angelica Tea, Crescent-Moon Tea, Lavender Blend, Mint Leaves

Introducing own topic:

“I once spoke with a ghost who sounded a lot like you, Professor.”

“While I enjoy composing, I’m not a fan of singing or dancing myself. I’ll leave all that to the professionals.”

“You don’t get scared when I talk about ghosts, that’s what makes you different from the others around here.”

“Staying in the library past curfew wouldn’t get me in trouble, would it?”

“The things you might have heard about my House, I would prefer if you forgot all of it. People like to exaggerate…”

“Have you ever seen a ghost, Professor?”

Observe:

*humming* “Hm? Oh, it’s just… a song I’m working on.”

“Please don’t stare at me,”

End: “I had fun, thank you very much. I hope you invite me again soon.”

this ended up ridiculously long so if u made it this far tysm i love you

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

DNC convention

* * * *

“Kamala Harris, for the people.”

August 23, 2024

Robert B. Hubbell

Another night of remarkable moments that promise a shift in American politics and society! Framed by the theme of freedom, Democrats showcased an America free of gun violence, free of discrimination, free of government control of reproductive rights, free of voter suppression, and free from want, insecurity, and fear. It was a beautiful, poignant, painful, and uplifting night.

As before, I will comment only on highlights and rely on readers of this newsletter to add commentary. (The Comment section will be open to all on Friday, August 23. Please be respectful.) Again, my notes are real time transcriptions; please refer to an official transcript if you want to quote the speech.

Kamala rose to the occasion.

On a remarkable night, the only place to begin is with the incredible acceptance speech by Kamala Harris.

Kamala Harris rose to the moment—a moment freighted with significance like few others in our nation's history. She delivered an oration worthy of the moment. Many doubted that Kamala Harris could deliver a “major” speech in which she appeared “presidential” and worthy of the title “Commander in Chief.” She quelled those doubts and more. She was presidential. She was commanding. She was fierce. She was charismatic. She was hopeful. She was human.

The place to begin is with Kamala’s closing charge to the American people:

We must be worthy of this moment. It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done, to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth—the privilege and pride of being an American.

Kamala won the night when she walked up to the lectern with a confident step and broad smile. That entrance spoke volumes. It was telling that she had to cut short the prolonged ovation by saying, “We have to get down to business.”

Introducing herself to the American people.

An important function of every acceptance speech is to introduce and humanize the nominee. Kamala did that with her first words, which were to her husband: “Doug, I love you so very much.” How human, relatable, and normal.

She had the grace to thank Joe and Jill Biden at the outset, saying that she valued “the path we have traveled together. Your record is extraordinary as history will show. We love you and Jill.”

Kamala described her family story—in all its complications. She mentioned her rarely mentioned father and addressed the family trauma of divorce. She quickly pivoted to the positive aspects of being raised by a strong, single mother. The one anecdote she told involving her father ended with her father saying, “Run, Kamala, run! Don’t be afraid.”

She explained her decision to become a lawyer and prosecutor by relating the story of a classmate who was being sexually abused by her father (step-father?). She invited the classmate into her home to protect her from further abuse. She capped this portion of her speech with several memorable phrases:

Everyone has a right to safety and to dignity, and to justice. A harm any one of us is a harm against all of us.

Finally, she told the American people that she had only one client throughout her career: The people.

She then delivered the line that is the title to this newsletter. She recounted that whenever she appeared in court as a prosecutor, she introduced herself as follows:

 “Kamala Harris, for the people.”

That phrase needs to be on a bumper sticker and tee-shirts.

Pivoting to Trump.

Having established her biography and bona fides as a representative of the people, Kamala pivoted to Trump. She cut to the chase:

Donald Trump is an unserious man, but the consequences of putting Trump back in the White House are extremely serious. He caused calamity while in office, but the gravity of what happened since the last election was even worse.

He incited an insurrection on J6. He was found guilty of fraud by jury. He was found liable for sexual abuse

Kamala then listed the ominous threats of reelecting Trump:

Consider his explicit intent to set free violent extremists. His explicit intent to jail journalists or anyone he sees as his enemy. Consider his explicit intent to deploy the military against own citizens Consider how the Supreme Court’s immunity decision will unleash Trump. Imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails. He would use power not to improve your life, but to serve the only client he has ever had—himself.

Policy positions.

In a short but effective section of the speech, Kamala characterized Trump's policies by reference to Project 2025.

Kamala framed her policies through the lens of the middle class, saying,

I came from the middle class. We lived within our means, but we did not want. My goal is to build the middle class.

In an effective summary of her policies, she described them as “creating an opportunity economy where everyone has the chance to compete and succeed.”

Kamala highlighted the need to provide small business owners, creators, and founders with access to capital.

She promised to protect Social Security and Medicare “while Trump fights for his billionaire friends with a tax cut that will add $5 trillion the deficit.”

On taxes, she noted that Trump will impose a national sales tax (through tariffs) that will impose $4,000 on every family in America. In contrast, Kamala promised to provide tax cuts that will benefit 100 million Americans.

Reproductive liberty, abortion, and pregnancy healthcare

Kamala tied reproductive liberty to prosperity, saying

Americans cannot be prosperous unless they are able to make decisions about their lives, especially about matters of heart and home. Trump picked members of the Supreme court to take away reproductive freedom and is proud of it. He said, “I did and I am proud to have done it.”

In a surprise to the media and delegates, Kamala said that Republicans would appoint a national coordinator of anti-abortion measures (those aren’t the right words, but you get it), and said,

They are out of their minds!  Why don’t they trust women? We trust women. When Congress passes a bill to protect reproductive freedom, as president, I will proudly sign it into law.

Border security and foreign policy

On the border, she laid the blame for the border crisis at Trump's feet, saying,

There was bipartisan border bill endorsed by Border Patrol. Trump ordered allies to kill the deal. I refuse to play politics with our security; I will bring back the bipartisan bill and will sign it into law.

On international security, she said,

I will always ensure that America always has the strongest most lethal fighting force in the world and will care for their troops and will always honor their sacrifice. Trump on the other hand, threatened to abandon NATO. Trump said Russia could “do whatever the hell they want.” I met with Zelensky and warned him that Russia was going to attack. I helped mobilize a global response to stand against Putin. I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies.

Kamala punctuated the international relations portion of the speech by saying that Kim Jong un and Vladimir Putin “are rooting for Trump” because he “is one of them.”

The war in Gaza

On Gaza, Kamala Harris said:

President Biden and I are working around the clock. Now is the time to get deals done. I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself and ensure that it has the ability to defend itself. [Condemnation of Hamas by name.] At same time what has happened in Gaza is devastating. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking. President Biden and I are working to end this war so that the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom and self-determination.

Closing remarks

In a powerful closing, Kamala left the American people with these thoughts:

We have so much more in common than what separates us. None of us has to fail for all of us to succeed. We must be worthy of this moment. It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done, to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth—the privilege and pride of being an American.

Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter

[starsscarmyceiling]

Cal/Merrin fic recs? 🥺🥺🥺🌹🌹🌹

ARE YOU KIDDING ME ANON YOU JUST MADE MY WHOLE LIFE! I would love love love LOVE to give you some recs over here!!!

Okayyy, first of all, @merricalfic is always a great place to start! I feel like here in the Merrical fandom, there are so many authors writing passionate and amazing fics for our fav space ginger and space goth lovers duo. There are plenty to die for, so here are some for ya!

Alriiiight, prepare yourself because it’s about to get looong!

Authors that I would just suggest you go and read all of their works:

believe_in_alderaan (@believe-in-alderaan) Yess, Bex has a series of oneshots called JFO Ficlets and Drabbles which is a series of just the cutest collection of our idiots falling in love!

Missuniverse5000bc and lightlark (@misfitz-7) Let me tell you…these two (who write a lot of amazing fics both together and separately) are like the real MVPs of this fandom. They have written SO many fics for us and I could not be more thankful for them!

myfaenwy (@myfaenwy) This author has a series of oneshots called But when I hold you I hold everything that is which is a very well written series that is just friends to lovers FLUFFY CUTENESS!

Oneshots:

you part the waters by januarys (G, 3k) Okay, I literally just read this, and it is so good! It is so well written it is almost astounding. The way this author has with words. It’s a first kiss story for the ages because I feel like this author captures Cal and Merrin’s dynamic so well (i.e., all of the unspoken understanding—that right there, is like the most Merrical shit ever imo)

Marriage; (noun) by Missuniverse5000bc (T, 15k) Okay, I know I already gave this author a shoutout, but I also literally just read this and it is fresh in my mind and I am dying. Our two fav oblivious idiots not realizing they are together but everyone else does at its best! And a few other delicious tropes to boot!

heart undenying by sunsorbit (@sunsorbit) (T, 10k) This is very well written and the tension dear freaking lord sweet baby virge Cal is like WHAT IS THIS WHAT AM I FEELING because the Jedi are a bunch of repressed weenies…so yeah he discovers what it means to feel attraction and it’s great.

you’ve broken new ground by sunsorbit (M, 6k) Okay, same author as above, same story, but from Merrin’s POV. Basically her being like omfg when is Cal going to notice that we are super attracted to one another WHEN??

A Failed Insurrection by aslanbrooke (T, 4k) Although this is based off a very heavy topic, this modern AU with both Cal and Merrin as police officers, is very well done. There is definitely some domestic bliss for our married babies with their own babies!

Funny Feeling by believe_in_alderaan (NR, 1k) Again, I know I already gave Bex a shoutout, but I put this one in here specifically because it is based off of a prompt suggested by yours truly AHHHH it’s so fluffy and cute oblivious Cal realizing in battle that he is in love with Merrin we love to see it.

Oneshots (Rated M & E):

I separated these out if smut is not your thing, but HEY if it is…😏😏😏

Let go of what you fear by Namesonboats (E, 3k) Okay so this is written by my giiiirl @namesonboats (also another author I am going to shoutout a lot sorry not sorry) and I mean, I am a sucker for one of the only other couple of modern AUs out there. It is very spicy and I love it like Merrin goes over to Cal’s apartment and tells him some great news, but then is just like…um yeah why haven’t we boned like yesterday??!!?!??

a different world by freedomatsea (@freedomatsea) (E, 2k) I mean, we love some awkward virgins doing it in the back of a space craft.

The Bad Girl and the Bounty Hunters by MaraLan (@darkowl-records) (E, 4k) Cal is kidnapped and guess who comes to the rescue??? OH YEAH. Ooooomg there is a line in this one and I am like…wow…that was good. That was very good for all of us.

Synchronous Orbits by FlyingMachine (M, 5k) Set after JFO, and it explores how Merrin and Cal grow close with one another (and yes there is some spicy stuff in there too) but it is amazingly well written and there are also a ton of fluffy and cute moments.

The Cave by ParaCord (M, 3k) Cal and Merrin get stuck in a storm, and they take refuge in a cave…so what do you think is going to happen hmmmmm? (they do it)

Multichaps:

What We Fight For by YamadaJisho (M, 61k) Okay, this one. This one and I cannot emphasize this enough, THIS ONE. OMFG. THIS ONE. SO. FUCKING. GOOD. First multichap Merrical fic I read and WOW. Set after JFO, Mantis crew sets up with the Partisons and they slowly fall in love as they do their part to save the galaxy.

A Path Forward by Namesonboats (M, 36k) Okay, another one by my girl, so good. Binged it in one day. Slow burn set after JFO. Oblivious idiots falling in love. Deals in serious issues of loss and what it means to carry on a legacy that is no longer around. SO GOOD.

Paths Aligned by Namesonboats (M, 77k) *DJ Khalid voice* ANOTHA ONE! Well HEY, look here QUEEN WROTE A SEQUEL!!! Set after A Path Forward and WOWIE I could literally talk about this fic alllll day (also binged this one in the same day lol). Cal takes on a purpose that I feel is so realistic; this should literally be canon. Lots of fun cameos by other SW universe characters. Sexy spy mission. Falling deeper in love. You know, just Merrical things.

Above Dathomir by RepeatOdyssey (M, WIP, 159k) Pretty sure this is the most popular fic in the fandom, and for good reason! An AU where Cal landed on Dathomir after Order 66 instead of Bracca. Very angsty slow burn, but hey, you know I am a fan of those. So good, really gets into their characters, and by the time they finally meet, you’ve already been taken on this amazing journey. Cute, awkward space cupcakes falling in love with a galaxy wide war and rancor attacks to just add to the angst.

Cultural Differences by MaraLan (E, 5k) (This is smut, obviously with the E rating) Lots of fun teasing between these two. They wanna bone and they know it. Author implements the game mechanics into the boning and I could not be happier about it (akaaaa Cal uses force slow and let’s just say he’s QUITE proficient).

Now, I am 100% sure that this is not even beginning to touch on all the many more amazing fics out there in our fandom, so Merricals, please I implore of you, if you love a fic and it is not on this list, please let me know on this post or send me a DM. There are a few fics out there on my “to read list” that I can think of already, so I will definitely update this list accordingly to spread the word of beautiful fics that need recognition!

Thank you so much for asking me anon! I loved compiling this list together! Hopefully this was helpful! 🥰😘🤩

Edit: there are some peeps I missed tagging, so if your fic is on here and you aren't tagged, just lmk!

[thecursivej]

SOTU - 2024

Well, I'm forcing myself to watch the State of the Union while I grade speeches, so I figured I'd record my reactions and thoughts here.

Do I hope for the words "Immediate Ceasefire"? Absolutely. Will we get them? Looking at the track record, probably not. But I remain optimistic because otherwise I'd be six feet under by now; ANYWHO here is a list of my reactions/thoughts/general feelings of the evening's watch.

I do want to give a point of clarity: I technically am identified as a democrat; truly, I'm a socialist, but seeing as how the U.S. is stuck in this godforsaken two-party-system, that is where I am. Though both sides have me feeling very french-revolutionary-esque.

Of course the first thing I see if MTG rifling through her purse on screen. I quite literally despise her.

AP is discussing Ukraine's need for weapons and funding; I would truly rather us align with Ukraine than Isr@el. I will stand unapologetically firm for Palestine and Ukraine.

Who is actually in the cabinet? I know Blinken, Garland, and Buttiegeg. Damn, wish he was running again. Would rather have him than Biden.

How insane is it that the Sec. of Defense didn't even let the White House know that he had to go in for surgery because of cancer. Like, that's just bonkers to me.

Republicans truly look like fucking robots right now. No warm greetings, no hellos, simple nods.

Republicans out here wasting fucking time with that impeachment of Mayorkas. Like how about we house the homeless populations with the money they wasted on this circus.

Oh funky fresh look at the Ultra-Mormon(TM) Mitt Romney.

MTG with that stupid fucking MAGA hat on is just... disgusting. Like this bitch is crazy.

Okay Joe, speed it up down the fucking aisle please. I got papers to grade.

Lowkey Joe looks like he might have had a five-hour energy drink with that big-ole look in his eyes.

I do appreciate that Joe still smiles and is kind to MTG. She truly doesn't deserve it.

Okay this is getting just a wee bit too monarchy for me.

MTG holds up a button saying "Laken Riley..." (couldn't read the rest). Riley was a 14 year old girl murdered by a man who was an illegal immigrant of venezuela, and instead of handling this situation with grace, empathy, and love; MTG and others seem to be capitalizing on her death to push their anti-immigration rhetoric.

Okay, cool selfie skills Joe, but let's get on with it.

ALSO HOW IS JOE BIDEN GONNA BE SO IN DEPTH WITH TECH AND "Savvy" WITH IT WHEN MOTHERFUCKER WANTS TO BAN TIKTOK!? Hello?!

BERNIE AND RAPHAEL! I feel like I haven't seen these guys in 10 million years.

Oh thank god we're starting.

Aww the little hand shake thingy he does with Kamala makes my heart happy.

Did Joe just yell "tony"?!

Wow, even got some republicans clapping for him (probs not a good thing but here we are)

Okay, good bit of humor at the top; and a throwback to the 40s. Funky fresh.

Yeah we ain't living in ordinary times for damn sure.

Interesting point of democracy being attacked here in the U.S. AND Internationally. (Mentions Ukraine and Putin; no word on Gaza yet).

Someone busted out a Ukrainian flag and shook it; rock on.

OH SHIT HE GOT MIKE JOHNSON TO CLAP!

Appreciate the insistance that the U.S. won't send troops to UKR.

Good use of Reagan to connect with the Repubs; and compare to the predecessor (aka Tr*mp).

Mike Johnson nodding instead of clapping about the predecessor comment, trying to save his ass in Orange Man's eyes.

Welcome to NATO, Sweden!

If there is one thing that should connect Democrats and Republicans; it's hatred for Putin. Yet there's a mix of Repubs standing in agreement and sitting to back up the predecessor's comment on Putin doing "whatever the hell he wants"

Talking about Jan 6. What breaks my heart? My parents still believe it wasn't an insurrection. Yikes on Bikes for me.

The line "You can't love your country only when you win" hits hard and even got Mike Johnson to applaud in agreement.

Foreign AND Domestic. Need a hefty focus on that with the right-wing republican group (@ MTG, Gaetz, Cruz, etc.)

Discussing IVF in Alabama; good connection to the overturning of Rowe v. Wade. It sucks that Republicans HAVE THE POWER to protect IVF nationally but shot the damn bill down not even a week ago.

ABORTION IS A HUMAN RIGHT. BODILY AUTONOMY IS A HUMAN. FUCKING. RIGHT. (@ The Missouri Senators who support taking away bodily autonomy).

WOMEN AREN'T WITHOUT ELECTORAL AND POLITICAL POWER; WE ABOUT TO TURN UP IN FORCE MOTHERFUCKERS!!! Bring back the strats from the 1900s; time to use our power and go bonkers.

Someone get Joe a glass of water please. Motherfucker looks a bit parched and keeps coughing. I get that when my throat goes dryyy

Can Biden not restore RvW? Can he not by an executive order make RvW the law of the land already?

Revisiting COVID's start from 2020 (Next week is the four year anniversary since the global pandemic).

PFFT idk who just yelled "LIES" but that was comical AF.

Well, the pandemic still controls a big part of our lives... so...don't agree with that shit.

Man, everyone sitting-and-standing must be getting a HELLA calf work out.

Sure, unemployment is down and new jobs are built; but corporate greed is quite literally killing us. Can Congress or Biden do something, damn it?!

Are we beginning to feel it, though? Are we feeling good economics? I doubt we are.

Good job pointing out how both parties have failed to buy american products, but how this admin has established that.

There's a good two rows of Republicans who stand in applause; but the rest just... sit there. Like robots. It's freaky as fuck.

Joe is actually doing pretty great with the flow of this speech. Only a couple of stumbles, but overall pretty gucci. (He'd get a 9/10 on delivery in my public speaking class).

God these fuckers are really gonna make me run for office at this damn point.

Removing poisonous lead pipes... but there's still a water crisis in Flint, Biden. Like, what the fuckeroni do you mean?

Yes, let's invest in family farms; lets stop selling our farmland (especially in Missouri) to foreign countries (@ China buying up TONS of Missouri Farmland).

I love that the UAW president is here, because he straight up is my kind of people. Dude wears eat-the-rich shirts and calls out the unethical-ness of billionaires.

UAW President pointing to Biden saying "It's you!"; nah dawg, it's you Sean.

MIDDLE CLASS DID BUILD THE COUNTRY AND UNIONS BUILT THE MIDDLE CLASS MOTHER FUCKERS!!!

Yes we get back up but right now...we might be getting more french revolutionary-esque if y'all don't stop PLAYING WITH OUR LIVES.

Oh jesus not the 4-more-years chants.

Oh now we talking about the future

YES PLEASE END TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMIES.

Says he's not anti-corp; but points out how trickle down economics has only helped the wealthy.

Yeah, how the fuck does it hurt the wealthy to pay just a weeee bit more in taxes? Like dawg, what are you gonna do with another million? What's the point?

Ooooh is Biden about to rope the repubs into some bipartisan shit? Please do.

What is Republicans huge issue with capping insulin? Truly? Who does it harm? Billionaires still get billions.

[dolphin1812]

Riot and insurrection are defined by minority vs majority, with insurrection being a just movement by the majority to maintain its democratic power and rioting being a minority using violence against the people (the exception being colonialism because Hugo believed in “civilizing” missions, as illustrated by his remarks on Columbus). Through this link, they’re also defined by their tie to progress: insurrection is part of progress and is good, and rioting looks to the past and is therefore bad. 

Hugo’s comments on writing under tyranny are fascinating in the context of Napoleon III. Hugo was exiled, but he was still conscious of how censorship could affect his work in France. The dense prose mentioned, then, could be this novel! Its themes are concealed, to an extent, by its length and its digressions. Hugo outright tells us his opinions (like he’s doing now), but after reading so much, it can be difficult to keep track of without a very close reading (which is made difficult by length, too – even though the goal of these posts has been to close-read each chapter, there will always be chapters that I understand better and others that are incomprehensible. A censor needing to read this quickly would be very lost!). Hugo’s prose doesn’t seem concise at all, but perhaps he felt that it was appropriate for the breadth of what he covered, and that he felt he learned to better articulate himself with this consciousness.

(Or maybe Hugo wants a republic so he can digress freely. Maybe digressions are democracy)

Despotism being the same under a “genius” feels like a jab at Napoleon I, too, making it an even harsher critique of the less respected (by Hugo) Napoleon III! And it’s also a return to Louis Philippe, who – while a good person – still suffers from the flaw of being a king in a France that doesn’t want one.

And he has a point that suffrage is wonderful because it offers an alternative to both insurrection and rioting! If the people have a non-violent and legitimate way of expressing their opinions, then they become less necessary. Hugo’s dream of them disappearing is a lot – protest is seen as another right alongside suffrage – but it’s a nice ideal in that it imagines a democracy that functions perfectly and thus only needs the vote to decide well.

And unfortunately, Hugo’s right about the reluctance to distinguish between the two by those in power. We’re back to animal symbolism, but this time, it’s between an animal and a person. The “dog” expected to serve the person is beaten for disobedience, leaving no alternative but to transform into a ferocious lion capable of resisting. 

I love that Hugo basically says “June 1832 was insurrection, but there’s a good chance I’ll forget and say riot in the future; just know I don’t mean that politically.” It’s almost a form of self-awareness over how many words he uses to describe most things!

He’s making a claim to historical accuracy, too, and one grounded in the perspective of the protesters. The judicial records he mentions would have been from their trials and, therefore, from the point of view of a state threatened by them. Hugo’s fictionalized account continues to give a voice to those neglected by those narratives. 

[rainydawgradioblog]

Rainy Dawg Radio's Favorite Albums of 2014

The Blawg Team got together and compiled their top five albums of 2014, ten years later.

Emi

Chuuwee, Trizz - Amerikka’s Most Blunted 

One of my favorite rap albums ever, Chuuwee never got his limelight. Fun vocal interludes in between brilliant sampling and blunt, catchy verses.

Twin Peaks - Wild Onion 

Good indie music from my middle school days. 

Ariel Pink - Pom pom 

I don’t care that he stormed the capitol. 

(Editors note: Rainy Dawg Radio does not endorse the January 6th insurrection.)

Nicki Minaj - Pinkprint 

Iconic, formative album. My sister had it on CD and put the foldout poster from the case on our wall. 

Mac Demarco - Salad Days 

Nobody can’t not like this one.

Sean

Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence 

Lana Del Rey embodies “the woman on the side” on her gothic Ultraviolence. Sex, money, and infidelity circulate the project as Lana channels a “mistress” persona on swirling Americana instrumentals. 

FKA Twigs - LP1

On her debut LP1, FKA Twigs’ voice effortlessly glides across delicate, porcelain beats that sound like they could shatter at any given moment. Exploring themes of sexuality and devotion, Twig’s invites the listener to step into her world.

Aphex Twin - Syro

Richard D. James’ most intimate digital experiments come to life on Syro. Skittering breaks layered with acidic bass lines ricochet across the tracklist, creating a delightfully unpredictable listening experience. The project is peacefully brought to an end with the astounding closing track aisatsana [102].

Arca - Xen

Arca’s iconic debut Xen combines hazy synths and drum samples with dissonant acoustics. Through the harshness, Xen’s haunting beauty never ceases to shine through.

Tinariwen - Emmaar

The nomadic Taureg rock group made their triumphant return in 2014 with Emmaar after being displaced from Mali. Despite being recorded outside their homeland, Tinariwen makes no compromises on Emmaar; their smoldering lead guitars and resilient lyrics are as strong as ever.

k-murph

mitski - bury me at makeout creek 

although the competition is steep, i believe bury me at makeout creek is mitski’s best. although i adore every mistki album, only this one has “last words of a shooting star”. and “francis forever”. and “i will”. and every song on the album. i rest my case. 

hozier -hozier

hozier’s debut album will forever stand to me as one of the most enchanting projects of all time. his lyrical genius, beautiful vocals, and sheer force of mystical magical forest man-ness propel this album to the status of a forever classic. i love you hozier. i’m sorry i passed out in the pit of your seattle show four times. 

TV girl- french exit 

french exit has some of the most enjoyable production out of any album i’ve ever heard. every time i play “lovers rock” at the function, the crowd goes wild. guaranteed! also, apparently, this album was released on my 10th birthday! cool!

adrienne lenker, buck meek - a-sides

i love adrienne lenker more than maybe any other person on earth. the haunting beauty of this album is incredible. also b-sides. this kind of includes both, because i’m famously indecisive. i’ve always said i think adrienne lenker is the perfect artist for some good old-fashioned washington clouds and rain. 

taylor swift - 1989 

sue me. i simply cannot resist a little bit of sparkle and glitter and corny pop—plus, 1989 undoubtedly marked a cosmic shift in our universe. the impact of “blank space”, let alone this album, is undeniable. 

Ben

Mitski  - Bury Me At Makeout Creek 

Had “Texas Reznikoff” not opened this album, it would still be my favorite album of 2014, but it does, so Bury Me At Makeout Creek is also one of my favorite albums of all time. 

Pinata - Madlib/Freddie Gibbs  

At fourteen or fifteen years old, you (I) discover an album that not only contains strictly songs you enjoy, but also makes you want to discover more music that sounds just like it. That was Pinata for me… also the production on “Knicks” is ridiculous. And “Shame.” “Robes” too. I’m constantly asking myself “how did he do that” in regards to Madlib’s work on this, but he’s not really reinventing the wheel or anything, it’s just like he woke up and decided to make the best beat you’ve ever heard seventeen times.  

Black Kray - 700 Dagreez  

I was very late to the Black Kray party but I’ve come to understand 700 Degreez as one of the best cloud rap projects ever released. No album released since has mingled lyrics about crying your eyes out and putting 28-inch rims on a NASCAR Chevy so seamlessly. 

Black Messiah - D’Angelo

“Really Love” alone justifies this album at #4 to me…

How To Leave Town - Car Seat Headrest 

Confession: I listened to How To Leave Town for the first time two weeks ago. However I’ve listened to “I Want You To Know That I'm Awake / I Hope That You're Asleep" enough since then to last me a lifetime, so I feel entitled to putting it on my list. 

Parks

Ten years ago, American/UK album releases were a mess. Two albums stood out to me as being worthwhile… see below 

Spoon- They Want My Soul

They Want My Soul is exactly what is to be expected from Spoon. It’s a solid record. “Rainy Taxi" and title track, "They Want My Soul" are standouts.

Les Claypool - Primus and The Chocolate Factory With the Fungi Ensemble

In a dark year for music, Les Claypool blessed us with his presence, if only for a moment. Primus and the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble has exceptional instrumentation and is delightfully creepy. 

Honorable Mentions: 

The War on Drugs- Lost in the Dream: Great album, just not too familiar with it. 

Tom Petty- Hypnotic Dream: Its a 2014 Tom Petty album. 

Dishonorable Mention:

Pitbull- Globalization : Thank you dear Pitbull for defining my middle school experience. 

Zola

Taylor Swift - 1989

Pop perfection. Perfectly emulates the vibes of the mid 2010’s. One of the first times I remember an album being everywhere. Had 6 singles, all of which achieved massive success, proving that Taylor swift was a crossover mastermind. Unfortunately she desecrated “Style” when rerecording it. Thank you mom for buying this on cd. 

Lana Del Ray - Ultraviolence 

A perfect follow up to 2012’s Born to die. Helped her usher in a new sound while still staying familiar to her roots. Almost featured Lou Reed. 

Lorde - Pure heroine

While technically not released in 2014, nothing encapsulates the 2014 tumblr vibes than Pure Heroine. Lorde ran tumblr, she ran south park, and she ran the radio. It gets a spot on my 2014 list because I was genuinely obsessed with this album in 2014. 

TV girl - French Exit. 

TV girl’s debut album, which unfortunately did not catch on until tik tok got a hold of it. Featuring the ultra classic “lover’s rock”.  The impact this album had on teenage girls in 2021 cannot be understated. 

Tove lo - Queen of the clouds. 

Stunning debut from Tove Lo. The album is a concept album split into three parts, “The Sex”, “The Love”, and “The Pain''. Overall a 2014 sleeper hit with some memorable bangers. One time “talking body” came on my sixth grade social studies pandora during class time, and I remember some random kid in my class singing along. On the plus side he's now a kicker on the Oregon State football team so maybe he was onto something. (#31)

tide2004

Flowers Taped to Pens - s/t 

San Diego screamo. Very unique and influential sound. This album is one of the first screamo releases that I really got into a couple of years ago.

Machine Girl - WLFGRL

Electronic/digital hardcore from Long Island. My best friend Maddie and I listened to this album constantly the summer before I went to college (favorite tracks: “Krystle”, “Ghost”, and “Mg1”). 

Alex G - DSU 

My favorite Alex G album. I bought the CD last year and I have the lyric booklet up on my wall. When I saw him live he only played one song off it :/

OFF! - Wasted Years 

Los Angeles hardcore punk. Ex Black Flag/Circle Jerks

Cuckoo - Magpie e.p. 

Math rock from Hakodate, Japan. I love the guitar on this album so much. Really good staring out the window music, reminds me of taking the train down through California for the first time. 

Pal

This took some research, because the music that I was listening to in 2014 consisted of “Fireflies” by Owl City, 1989 by Taylor Swift, the Weezer Christmas album, and that one U2 album that got downloaded onto everyone’s iPod. but looking back, there were some really great albums that year.

First and foremost, we have to talk about Mitski’s Bury Me at Makeout Creek. That album dosen’t have a bad song on it, and I can’t count how many times I’ve played it all the way through. “I Don’t Smok”e actually shatters my ribcage every time and so does “I Wil”l, and “Drunk Walk Home”, and “Townie”, and like every other song also. It’s incredible.

You’re Gonna Miss it All by Modern Baseball was a staple of my sophomore year of high school. It was written when the band was in college and realizing that they were going to be graduating soon and moving on with their lives. Coping with that feeling is a lot, and “Fine, Great” as well as “Your Graduation” will probably resonate with most people who feel like they’re losers in a small town.

Syro by Aphex Twin isn’t my favorite Aphex Twin album, but sometimes I put it on just to feel like I’m hanging out in one of those star nurseries the James Webb telescope keeps taking pictures of. 

Alvvay’s self titled is the perfect thing to throw on to get some good old fashioned pining in. It’s indie/dream pop sound is light enough to not make you too sad, but also not peppy enough to get your hopes up too high. Also, it just sounds amazing. I’d eat it and it would taste like caramel and strawberries maybe.

How to Leave Town by Carseat Headrest is one of CSH’s best albums in my opinion. It’s more electronic and the themes of teenage romance in their earlier stuff fade more into adult uncertainty. 

Too Bright by Perfume Genius is what I think of when I think 2014. I remember my dad playing Queen in the car on the way back from summer camp. Looking back on it, the album's emotional explosion of empowerment, queerness, drag, and radical self-acceptance is incredibly powerful, and I will definitely be playing it more.

Steven Neff

 La Dispute - Rooms of the House

One of my favorite albums ever. I revisit this album so regularly so I can practice my cold hard scowl while walking home from class in pouring rain. Woman (In mirror) is genuinely a perfect song. 

Adrianne Lenker + Buck Meek - B-Sides

The pinnacle of absolutely crushing acoustic singer-songwriter projects. It is incredible to think that this project is now ten years old considering Big Thief’s increase in cultural relevance. This was before Big Thief was formed as a band and a year before the two got married as well which you can just feel that emotion in this project. I weirdly like the B-Sides far more than I like A-Sides.

Car Seat Headrest - How To Leave Town

Will Toledo. Man. I believe that he claims that How to Leave Town is just a compilation album of stuff that he was working on around the time but you would never tell. “The Ending of Dramamine” and “Hey, Space Cadet” are in the running for my favorite opener and closer to an album genuinely ever. 

Modern Baseball - You’re Going To Miss It All 

Nostalgia packed up into thirty mins of angst. The quintessential midwest emo album. Timeless. I can sing the entire album from front to back without missing a single word.

Freddie Gibbs, Madlib -Pinata

Not a single skip all the way through. Madlib masterclass as always making it real easy for Freddie Gibbs to do what he does best. “Deeper” is such a good song and easily my favorite Gibbs song ever. 

Sofia

Dean Blunt - Black Metal 

Mix of alternative/indie and Americana, among other things, that really works when you’re trying to pass time. I first got into this album over the summer when I heard “100” for the first time on vacation – big fan of “HUSH” because of the jazz kind of thing it’s got going on. I also like the way Dean Blunt uses samples in this album; he samples “Over Your Shoulder” by the Pastels in “100” and “For You” by Big Star in “LUSH”, both of which work really well. 

Whirr, Nothing - Whirr & Nothing (Split Version)

Noisy and heavy shoegaze/rock split EP. Listened to this EP a lot over the summer lying in bed and counting down the days until I could leave town and come back to school… My favorite song is “Chloroform” by Nothing because it does a quiet-loud-quiet thing that I love. 

Brian Jonestown Massacre - Revelation 

Dense, long shoegazey psychedelic rock album. The title track (“Vad Hände Med Dem?”) is sung in Swedish. I listened to this album on the ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island on a stormy day, which is exactly what it calls for, I think. When I put this album on I skip “Duck and Cover” because it scares the fuck out of me.

Alex G - DSU  

Another album that’s great for summer listening. Alex G’s high-pitched voice works really well with the twangy guitar and piano. The lyrics to the tracks on this album are enigmatic as ever, with a bunch of sentimental/emotional lines (“I love you, Harvey, I don’t care” in “Harvey”, for example). Seeing “Sorry" live during his acoustic Seattle show changed my life fall quarter freshman year.

Mac DeMarco - Salad Days

This album is mostly on my list for nostalgia – I did a decent amount of listening to this sophomore year of high school, and I feel like this is the type of music, that lazy-day mix between melancholia and indie guitar. Even though “Chamber of Reflection” got beat to death a few years ago, I still think it holds up, although I’d say my favorites are the first three tracks (so “Salad Days,” “Blue Boy,” and “Brother”). Recorded in Mac DeMarco’s Brooklyn apartment!

Dawson

Aphex Twin - Syro 

Slightly less game changing compared to 30 years ago, Aphex Twin’s Syro shows the continuation of his sound. While hits like “180db” grow popular on social media, ambient songs like “aisaitsana”appeal even to audiences not interested in electronic music as a whole.

Machine Girl - Wlfgrl

While in my opinion Wlfgrl is significantly overrated by fans compared to the rest of Machine Girl’s discography, it still shines through as a beautiful album. Their debut on streaming services, this album continues to draw in new fans more than recent works, and esoteric sampling introduces fans to various other niche works such as “The Machine Girl” and “Ginger Claps.”

Joy Again - Forever  

No longer named Forever Lesbians, the debut album by Joy Again remains an homage to their former name. A mix of intriguing instrumental tracks and melancholy hits, Forever’s 30 song, 1 hour 17 minute runtime makes current Joy Again fans jealous with its length. The combined length of Joy Agains entire discography since 2014 is less than the length of Forever.

PUP - Self Titled

PUP’s self titled album still hits hard today, despite its 10 year age. Hits like “Reservoir” and “Factories” are a clear demonstration of the talent the band has - vocalist Stefan Babcock’s grandmother’s comment about a “pathetic use of potential” (resulting in the name of the band) are easily proven wrong on this record.

Death’s Dynamic Shroud - NEON GENESIS EVANGELIS 

A precursor to their 2015 hit I’ll Try Living Like This, NEON GENESIS EVANGELIS is a must listen for fans of the band. The song “CD Player” is an earlier version of the much more popular song “CD Player, Pt. III”, my personal favorite, “Strange Scenery” creates beautiful soundscapes that almost evoke imagery of the aforementioned strange scenery. 

Skyler

(In no particular order)

Kagayaki - Masakatsu Takagi One of my favorite albums of all time. Pure joy for the entire runtime, Masakatsu Takagi’s ear for contemporary classical composing on top of sonically effervescent soundscapes is genuinely so beautiful. I’ve cried to this album –I wanna say, like– 10 times over. His ongoing Marginalia series continues the grounded, blissful tones that Kagayaki started and I couldn’t be happier.

N****s On The Moon: The Powers That B Disc 1 - Death Grips

Conversely, the first half of what would be a completed The Powers That B is composed in what’s nearly an opposite direction to Kagayaki. Compared to their other works, it’s easily overlooked (and while I can absolutely understand why), N****s On The Moon’s dynamic, Björk-fuelled brutalist production and harsh lyricism is such a good time.

You’re Dead! - Flying Lotus

Really incredible hip-hop/jazz-fusion record by Flying Lotus. I remember being given a hand-me-down of this record on vinyl (along top of a fresh copy of his 2010 LP Cosmogramma around 2016, thank you Nolan) and just gawking at the interior artwork while listening to “Tesla.” Really incredible stuff.

Three Love Songs - Ricky Eat Acid

BANGER AFTER BANGER AFTER BANGER. Ricky Eat Acid’s Three Love Songs is in a similar breadth to that of Takagi’s Kagayaki in its minimalist, earthy tones with tracks like “Big Man’s Last Trip Outside” to the grand orchestral airy vocalizations on “I Can Hear Breaking As One,” all accompanied by rounding Moog synths. Sounds like the word “honeycrisp.” 

Gray Data - Five Star Hotel

Bombastic harsh noise with gripping discordant beats, Gray Data’s expansion on hardcore EDM means so, so much to me. Incredibly funny and inventive use of sampling (thinking of the siren on “Outside Solaris”). Hypnotic and migraine inducing in the best way possible. 

Honorable Mentions: Swans - To Be Kind; Sun Kill Moon - Mom, Benji 

Willow Goetting

BLAWG 2014 top albums

Machine Girl - WOLFGRL (2014) (Electronic/breakcore)

Machine Girl is one of the most iconic alternative electronic artists to come out of the 2010s, and has had a large influence on the rise of ‘hyperpop’ and similar genres. WOLFGRL is a favorite of mine not only because of its impeccable tracklist, but also because it heavily features samples from Ginger Snaps (2000). Top tracks: “Frenesi (Machine Girl GabberTrap Mix)”, “Mg1”, and “Out by 16, Dead on the Scene”.

Waveless - Waveless EP (originally released 2014 on BandCamp–says 2017 on Spotify but IDC) (Shoegaze)

The first song on this album is one of my favorite shoegaze songs of all time, and the whole EP is an incredible release. I am pretty sure the band is long gone and broken up now, but it's been a favorite of mine this winter. Top tracks: “Nausea (song for Proski)”, “UPCLOSE/UNCLEAR.”

Alex G - DSU (2014) (Indie rock)

DSU still goes down as one of Alex G’s best albums to date–a perfect follow up to the 2012 release TRICK. It also features a re-recording of the demo “After Ur Gone”, which definitely still recirculates on Spotify as a favorite pick of the rampant ‘alex g archive’ accounts. Top Tracks: “Serpent is Lord”, “Axesteel” and “Harvey”.

Mac Demarco - Salad Days(2014) (Indie/synthpop)

Salad Days planted the seed for the explosion of indie artists from 2014 onwards, with his style still inspiring so many acts coming out today. I still hear “Chamber of Reflection” playing in coffee shops to this very day. Top track: “Treat Her Better.”

 Jessica Lea Mayfield - Make My Head Sing…(2014) (Singer-songwriter)

Very sweet and lovely springtime music for when I need some easy listening. I listened to it a lot when I was about to roadtrip to Montana last May, so it holds a very special place in my heart. Top tracks: “Seein* Starz” and “Standing in the Sun.”

Thanks for reading! Be on the lookout for the next joint Blawg Team post, which will see our writers put together some of their favorite lines in music history...

[vikugnavikugna]

Me, trying to think of the most niche wormblr post ever: Boston's Favorite Son as an underground radio show in the twigverse

"Jonathan was in the Primordial Outbreak 1903. Since then he has appeared in precisely zero medal-awarding conquests, black coat experiments or small-scale acts of insurrection. We are here to fix that. We are here to make Jonathan of Primordial Outbreak a star. Radham’s most favored progeny will ride again."

Jonathan (white coat; has his own lab where he works in the Most Boring Experiments Ever; had 0 modifications done to his body despite balding; frequently mentions that if his bosses found out he was doing this show they would kill him) is the closest to his irl counterpart. Mostly gets on the show to get bullied by 2 of his friends, who tell him to get gruesome modifications done to his body, whilst he complains about how unsexy he is (and YET he REFUSES to get any modifications - the GALL of this MAN!). Has a son who does a worrying amount of experiments at home ("My son has recently started spiking my drinks with skeleton growth pills he made so I am currently in the process of growint a second skeleton" he mentions calmly, as his cohost burst into a maniacal laughing fit). Gets a ton of weird fan messages that range from clones of him in the fetal stage to vat grown parts to make him into a Noble slaying living weapon. Also cum tributes. There is an episode where Jonathan records during the Sub Rosa incident. He's hidden in his lab mid quarantine talking through the radio. At one point we can hear Sy enter the room and break all of his fingers. Steph and Conrad laugh and tell him to replace his fingers with sausages. Oftentimes recalls stories from his time in the Primordial Outbreak. He didn't even stop it, but he was there when other people did. No one remembers him.

Steph (actual revolutionary leader that, for some reason, still does this show; has more modifications you could imagine and half of them are strictly sexual) often tells Jonathan to break into a random lab and inject himself with whatever he finds there for publicity. Once Duke takes over the Academy, most of her ideas turn to courting him ("Why aren't you a noble yet, Jonathan? Marrying into nobility would be great for your image") or overthrowing him ("Here's how I'd do it. You ready? Yeah? Wings. You need to get yourself a pair of wings, Jonathan. The fucker could never get you if you had a pair of wings let me tell ya"). Has a ton of followers Cynthia/Mauer style and all of them are utterly perplexed why she records this show. Loves mentioning Loyd, an illegal doctor who lives by the river and gives people surgeries for free.

Conrad (escaped experiment; has a cult) mostly just facilliates Steph's ideas. He gets underground doctors and prepares them to make surgeries on Jonathan, which the man always rejects. "What are we supposed to do with the 10 killograms of chicken feathers I ordered to push into your skin one by one?"; "What am I supposed to tell to the doctor I outsorced getting a horse's vagina to?!"; "Jonathan, this is horrible news for the 10 children I kidnapped to use their bilogical material to grow your clone". Member of his cult make up 99% of the shows audience, with the remaining 1% being Sylvester Lambsbridge. Misses a couple episodes early in the radio show's run, because he's busy betraying the academy in Brechwell.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Jennifer Bendery at HuffPost:

Actor Robert De Niro and two former Capitol Police officers on Tuesday spoke outside of Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York City, condemning the former president and warning of the grave danger he poses to the country if he wins election in November. “I love this city,” De Niro said during a press conference organized by Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. “Donald Trump wants to destroy not only this city but the country, and eventually he could destroy the world.” Americans “bought into his bullshit” in 2016, he fumed, and “Trump bought their votes with outrageous lies and empty promises.” Worse, continued the actor, Trump got self-styled patriots “to support a man who called for terminating the Constitution, and on Jan. 6, rallied an angry mob to threaten democracy, leaving death and destruction in his wake.”

“This is why I needed to be involved, and wanted to be involved, in the new Biden-Harris ad,” said De Niro, referring to a new Biden campaign ad he narrated. “Because it shows the violence of Trump, and reminds that us he’ll use violence against anyone who stands in the way of his megalomania and greed.” He said the two former Capitol Police officers standing behind him, Harry Dunn and Michael Fanone, are “true heroes” who fought to defend the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, after Trump incited an insurrection by a mob of his supporters. In brief remarks, Fanone describe being assaulted by four separate Trump supporters on Jan. 6 who have since been arrested and admitted to violently assaulting him and other police officers that day.

Actor Robert De Niro and former Capitol Police officers Michael Fanone and Harry Dunn spoke outside the courtroom in New York City in which Donald Trump is on trial for business records falsification.

All three spoke out against the authoritarian threat to democracy that Trump poses and that people need to vote against him at the ballot box.

[daniigrimm-blog]

Yeah Boy & Doll Face, this is Bulletproof Love so Throw a Match into Water cos Today I Saw The Whole World and it's The Jaws of Life

Pierce the Veil did the walk of shame out of a tour with All Time Low in 2017 and that same year announced that drummer Mike Fuentes would be leaving the band; they cited that they wanted a safe feeling environment for their younger fanbase and honestly in the six or so years that the two girls that came forward with receipts and allegations really nothing has been done and that is a shame. A couple to a few years ago (not sure on exact date) they did a quarantine video featuring the drummer however and they have yet to remove his image from their Epic Win playlist but I do digress, it does seem the band has been trying to turn over a new leaf and move on sans Mike Fuentes.

That being said, let's do a deep delve into what exactly has been up with Pierce the Veil--active members are now Victor Fuentes (guitar), Tony Perry (Lead Guitar), and Jaime Preciado (Bass).

So what have these guys been up to the last decade?! Well it seems they were busy growing and having families. That's right ladies, sorry to say--these three starling studs are currently off the market. Sad, I know, but that's not why we're fucking here. We are here for the music. I did think that it was very sweet that Vic, Jaime, AND Tony settled down with seemingly the loves of their lives and that Danielle, Vic's wife, recently gave birth to their first baby Violet Valentine Fuentes! I'm excited for them and their newest adventure together as new parents. As a parent myself I wish nothing but the very best for them and as someone who can no longer make these cute little babies, I am certainly excited for whatever pics they have to share.

Now let's talk music.

Where were you on February 10th, 2023 when The Jaws of Life dropped? i was in my room, I know rather anticlimactic but, I am always in my room. Introversion aside, I remember putting on my headphones and gearing up to rock out to PTV's newest jams and my god was I not disappointed.

In an interview for Blabbermouth.net Fuentes says: "This album has truly brought us closer than we've ever been. It was extremely difficult for us to be off the road and apart for so long. We've never missed anything more than playing music together and never had such an strong appreciation for recording, touring, and simply being in the same room together than we do now. 'The Jaws Of Life' is about how life can sink its teeth into you and try to devour you. The negativity in the world and within your mind can be a vicious thing. We're extremely grateful for this record, our fans, and the opportunity to play live music again."

The first single release from the new album, was Pass the Nirvana--let's start here. Clowncore visuals aside (I am deathly afraid of clowns!) I'd say the music video takes me right back to a 90s grunge era when I was a stinky teenager watching TRL on my couch. Flash warning, for the sensitive.

“‘Pass the Nirvana’ is about the many horrible traumas that the youth of America have endured over the past few years. COVID, no proms, no graduations, an insurrection, school shootings. The list goes on. Their lives have been tossed around like clothes in a dryer, as the tensions within our country have infiltrated our own homes, friends, and families. To me, the song represents a euphoric detachment from all of that anxiety and stress and about finding some form of peace or nirvana.”

That tracks. The grungy guitar riffs and metaphorical lyrics really tie this track together in a pretty plaid bow. There were a lot of things this year that made me question what year it was, but I'd relive the 90s again as adult this time--why not? could be fun, some of the trends were neat.

The second single on the album is throwing the same vibes; albeit the song is different in many ways as the first single. For instance, both are desperate situations with meaningful lyrics. Both have underlying 90s grunge rock vibes. But Emergency Contact is essentially about a pair of lovers; one is ready to move their relationship further and is frustrated with the other who is still unsure if they should. Vic Fuentes tells you the meaning in his own words here. It's a lovely melody that I think is comparable to their collide with the sky style. Which was also very nice to hear again.

Now that brings me to their third single off their Fifth album (Fearless Records) , The Jaws of Life, Even When I'm Not With You. This is my FAVORITE out of the three singles so far, but I am as HUGE sucker for a good rock ballad.

“This song was inspired by a text my manager sent me while I was going through a rough time. I thanked her for being there for me, and she said, ‘Even when I’m not with you, I’m still with you.’ That phrase touched my heart and inspired me to write a love song dedicated to my wife about no matter how far away I am on tour, I’m still devoted to her, and we will always be connected through our love.”

The lyrics are sweet, the looping riff is melodic and wonderful and I 100% love this track. Favorite track on the album? No, sorry--but definitely my favorite listed of the three singles. If you hate Gold Medal Ribbon or the vibes thrown on Misadventures then I don't want to hear anything you have to say. Your opinion is sadly invalid here on my blog, move along.

How many tracks are on The Jaws of Life? 12.

So we've already been over tracks 2-4, no need to readdress those. Let's go back to the Death Of An Executioner.

“The visual of this song, to me, is a car that’s following you—like the video for ‘Karma Police’ by Radiohead. It’s got its headlights on your back, and it’s just kind of slowly creeping on you. To me, it represents social media and people expecting perfection out of you and always waiting for you to make a mistake so they can run you down and destroy you. I like the title ‘Death of an Executioner’ because it describes killing the person who’s trying to kill you.”

Hello Alt Rock/Rock Electronica Radiohead influences! YES, I am HERE for it 100%. The harmonizing laid over vocals just work. And the filter effect over Fuentes' voice is mesmerizing. Kinda partial to the repeating of "blood red moonlight" as a good scene setter too--just GREAT imagery here. Plus, have you listened to it yet? You should--the song goes really hard.

Flawless Execution. It's the fifth track. on the fifth album.

“This one’s kind of hard to describe. I feel like it’s about people blurring the lines between love and sex and vice versa. It’s almost about when you’re OK with being used because you want to be close to the person so badly. You want love so badly that you’re actually OK with being used or abused, kind of like the Bill Withers song ‘Use Me.’ So, it’s about those extremes that we go to just to be validated. If you’re always desiring someone’s approval, it can go to some toxic places.”

"I'll scar you with my flawless execution every time." This. is actually one song that really caught my ear the first time I heard it. Man what a smooth earworm it really is! And that chorus really hooks you. Not sure what that says about me, now knowing the meaning of the song (fuck it I already kinda knew what it implied), nah--it really doesn't change my mind. This song slaps. It's definitely one to put on and really enjoy.

So far, I really think that consistently this band has grown with each album release and that really says something. Personally, their Dance Gavin Dance/Myspace screamcore on A Flair for the Dramatic wasn't my favorite (I know Ill get hate for that) but they were still growing as people and as a band. After doing infinite amount of touring and getting to know other musicians/bands they did some dabbling and grew into Selfish Machines--Besitos really hooked me. And it just got better from there my dudes! Hold the freaking phone! When Collide With The Sky and new doors and opportunities were opening for them--that was it for me. I was a fan. Misadventures , which won album of the year in 2017 circulated so many times on my playlist that I lost count. And then--radio silence. Man, when the allegations dropped I was heartbroken.

For a long time I did not support a band that I loved because of one person doing a misdeed and that was not fair. Not fair to the people who weren't involved, and not fair to me personally because of what their art does for me. When they finally addressed things and booted that rootie tootie from the band, I almost threw confetti into the air! They did the right thing, for those girls, for the fandom, and for the band. Now, they could begin to grow--and GROW THEY DID.

It took just short of a decade but we finally got NEW Pierce the Veil, and man am I just so happy with what they have given us. That finally brings me to the title track, The Jaws of Life.

“It’s about trying to get released from life’s grip and finding your way. There’s a line in it where I say I’m having the time of my life rotting in the sun, inside the jaws of life. It’s trying to be OK with where you are and starting to feel happy again—I’m making my way, and I know that I can see some light. There’s a lot of ’90s influence in this song musically, which I’m super stoked on. The verse feels like Tripping Daisy or Superdrag—I was thinking about their song ‘Sucked Out’ a lot when I was writing this one.”

That is super befitting because so far I can hear all the 90s undertones and influences from track 1 to the title track. Superdrag, Tripping Daisy, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Bush, Soundgarden, and a little Nirvana. These are great fucking influences to have and man, I love that they are just spinning them into their own modern grunge pop and I am here for it. As a fan of many different types of rock and pop I have to say this is taken and done--and it is done well. Kudos to production and underlying bts workers/musicians that put their time and effort into this. This album is fully flushed out, very well produced, and thematic from track one to track twelve. Just pure perfection.

This is what went into the Production of PTV's fifth studio album.

The seventh track on the album is quite possibly my favorite. It's consistently stuck in my head no matter what I do to get it out but I'm not even really trying at this point--it's too good. It can take up rent free space in my head for as long as it possibly desires to--because jesus fuck it is glorious! It's called Damn The Man, Save The Empire.

“I’ve been trying to use this title for years, but it’s never felt right until now. It’s a quote from one of my favorite movies, Empire Records. Lyrically, it’s about how no one can really know who you are until they’ve really spent some time with you. I feel that way sometimes when people follow our band on social media and think they have me pegged, but you’re seeing what I want you to see, not who I fully am. So, it’s just reminding people about that superficial experience.”

Instrumentally this combines grungey hard guitars with dreamy vocals that portray that same kind of dreamy vibe that social media gives you with a filter on it. "No one like us anyway..." is another relatable vibe but im starting to get that not everyone is built to be an extrovert and you only live one life--so why spend it trying to please people that don't like you when they don't matter? Great song. Even better message.

Track 8 is called Resilience.

“With this song, I had this vision of that classic scene in the movies when the hand pops out of the dirt after they’ve been buried alive, and the person starts pulling their body up to the surface. It’s like when you’re digging your way out of this hole, and your eyes finally see the sun and they adjust. Also, one of my most proud moments on this record is that we got to use a quote from Dazed and Confused to start the song. We actually had to have the actors approve that. It was such a win for the album.”

It starts off with a familiar scene from a movie most of us grew up with. I don't know about the children today, but I don't really care. It's a cult classic and Idgaf what the kids younger than me have to say about it really. The acoustic guitar is melodic and almost waltz like, and vic's crooning swoony voice wraps this song up nicely. "It's odd that I-keep runnin into spiderwebs, runnin into spiderwebs at night." was a really neat lyric I picked up on in that song. Very neat visuals.

Track 9 is called Irrational Fears . It's a 20 second interlude of an air flight assistant talking over an intercom. I don't really have much to say about this.

Vic said this:

“This is an interlude that sets up the next song. It was inspired by that first scene in the movie Garden State, with Zach Braff, where he’s on a plane that’s going down and everyone is freaking out around him, but he’s perfectly calm. We wanted to set the scene with this British flight attendant being all chipper but saying really dark things. Jaime made the music, and then my friend who’s a voice actor recorded the voiceover in London. It was a fun challenge, and I’m really proud of how it came out.”

Track 10 is called Shared Trauma and it's vapidly becoming one of my favorite PTV tracks. I guess personally, it touches very close to home. My family hasn't had the easiest life up until now, we have a lot of shared trauma but it's made us closer because of it--and it's certainly helped us grow knowing that.

“The title kind of speaks for itself. I’ve always felt that shared trauma and going through a traumatic experience with somebody can be one of the strongest bonds in human existence. Knowing that you’ve both been through something together will always connect you in such a powerful way. I think that’s beautiful—it’s the good that can come out of the bad. Musically, it was very much a collaborative band effort that came out of this loopy analog beat that Jaime sent me. It was really fun to write.”

So Far, So Fake starts off with couple of slow arpeggios that set the mood for the song which is cut into like a knife by Vic's sharp vocals to form a smooth even climb through the rest of the melody. The chorus is catchy, man, and does it stick if you let it. It's a hit. 100%. If they were to make another music video off this album, I would get in line to watch this one (but who are we kidding? I would get in line to watch any videos they decided to make as long as Mike isn't in them.)

“This song was written in 2017, so we’ve had it for a long time. It was one of the only ones that made it from some of the first writing sessions we did before the pandemic. It’s about if you’ve ever been betrayed by somebody you felt was a friend, and the wound never really mended—where even an apology doesn’t feel like it’s enough. It feels like it can never really be resolved. So, it’s a bit angry, a bit sour, a bit difficult to think about. But I always want to write about things that are affecting my life.”

I do recall a time where Vic had mentioned he was cheated on by someone who wasn't exactly exclusive with him? I don't remember the interview exactly but I do remember hearing it. Maybe that applies here. Maybe and I'm not saying this to start anything--it hits even closer to home and it's about Mike and what he did. They are family, and the band did lose out on a member. I imagine that would affect everyone very deeply and there would be wound that needed healing. I'm glad though, whatever the case, that Vic was able to get this out--it seemed he needed to. Music can be very therapeutic. Not just to us but to the artists who create it especially.

The final track on the album is called 12 Fractures and it is a lovely duet between Victor and an artist named Chloe Moriondo. She/They have never come up on my radar before but some how are an active member on the emo scene. She's/They've hung out with everyone from the likes of All Time Low, and Simple Plan, and now to Pierce the Veil and I love her/them for it. And can I just say that Her/Their voice is just wonderful. It's safe to say, I love this song.

Shout out to all the legal smokers of medicinal 420. I cannot wait til they federally legalize. We just need to move forward as a society but I digress, "Oh thank god for THC" is one lyric grab I loved from this song but it's just one. And it makes it all that more relatable.

“The song was called ‘12 Fractures’ before it became the 12th song on the album. We didn’t plan it like that. I’m glad it worked out that way, but it also makes things confusing. I’m actually looking at our vinyl right now to make sure it doesn’t just say ‘Fractures.’ But this one came from a deeply personal story about a friend of mine who went through a divorce. I watched two of my favorite people in the world just fall apart. When friends break apart like that, it’s like losing a family member. It’s super difficult, even as a bystander. It was cool to get Chloe on the song to bring the story to life. I’m a big fan of hers, and I think she did an amazing job.”

Now that I heard her/them on this song I will certainly be looking into her music because to be quite frank I just hadn't heard of her. I do love getting new music on my radar all the time though and this is usually how I find it. Artist collabs are SO so good for expanding the playlist repertoire-just trust me.

Did this convince you to go get The Jaws of Life and give it a listen? I sure hope so. It's fucking amazing on many levels. They did grow, they did change, and what they created is something I'll be blasting on my playlists for the next few years--but hey, let's maybe not make us wait another decade for new tunes next time guys? Pretty please?

Thanks.

D. Grimm

Sources:

here

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here

here

here

here

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here

here

Some may not be linked because of space in the post my apologies, they can be found with a simple google search.

[tpquill]

I’m not politically motivated when it comes to life (I came from Northern Ireland…enough said!) but when it comes to a man, who has been a corrupt property developer, corrupt tax fraud cheat, corrupt casino owner, corrupt hotel owner, corrupt golf course developer, paid hush money payments to make his “corruption disappear” and a corrupt politician (if you even want to call him that?) he deserves the book of law thrown at his very large egotistical, orange tanned and bad weaved head. I have no time whatsoever for this carnival barking clown, he reaps what he sows. He has always, throughout his failed businesses and play boy thuggish image been “protected” by mob styled lawyers (all good friends of his late father) to hush away - catch and kill bad information regarding his gaudy, glaringly obtuse lifestyle and multitude of affairs and cover ups. This man was solely responsible for hard shouldering leaders of countries, quid pro quo other authoritarian dictators to scratch his back for favours. Bully and threaten those who did not kneel to his grasp of delirium when it came to running a country (practically into the ground) he plays the victim card like a sullen, spoilt child throwing a temper tantrum when he can’t get his own way or if you disagree with his delusional rhetoric. Supported and goaded an insurrection on the Capitol a government building that was always seen as a place of importance - sending a mob of thugs to destroy and discredit and demean the very rule of law. Oh and he ignored a dangerous deadly virus that gripped the entire world by suggesting it was fake, let’s not forget how many died because of his ignorance in science and fact.

The delusional ringmaster will play this out, grifting as he always has, pleading to the meek minded out there who believe in his lies and conspiracies (he hasn’t charged his racist or fear driven point of view that he’s made of Teflon - nothing sticks) since he was in his early 30’s - he’s the victim, he’s good and the deep state government is bad. There’s just one thing, to those willing to die on the proverbial cross for him…prove the mountainous amount of evidence wrong. Prove the audio and video evidence wrong. Prove the receipts and records of bank transfers signed by his very hand (handwriting experts conform) wrong. Prove the telephone calls demanding that the election counts be changed - wrong. Prove the amount of court documents filed for him by not exactly whiter than snow lawyers to try and delay and dismiss and reject all that has been uncovered about his “criminal” behaviour wrong. This corrupt man has had 5 decades of getting away with things because he paid enough money (that would feed the not so wealthy in the US a hundred times over) to keep their mouths shut. He hired lawyers to do his dirty work while his brand was a shinning example of a shit, no matter how many times you try to polish it - is still a shit.

The fear on his face was real, it doesn’t matter the countless press conferences he holds, that droning whiny voice complaining because he has been caught, but he didn’t do it, and if he did so what? Will be played over and over on any media site that believes, the sun shines out of his depend covered pasty ass. A jury will decide hopefully without outside interference from the lunacy that is his family of equally corrupt children and the anger of little people claiming he is the next messiah - Waco anyone? Cult behaviour is a break down of mental and social health. The people who believe him or worse believe he is some kind of second coming are mentally and cognitively not well. He strokes their hate, their racism, their misogyny, their darkness and he revels in it because they keep the attention on him and his sociopathic behaviour loves it.

Can I also add, I have never seen a more delinquent, socially deprived, mentally unstable person who refuses point blank to accept anything they have done as wrong in my entire life. Regardless of how people view this man today - his nepotism, his continuous corrupt way he has always oversaw businesses conducted, not to mention his lack of any morals regarding the line of women he slept with while married then paid them off to keep quiet - all part of his playboy charm, he destroyed a lot of lives to keep his Trump brand where it is. He lies as easily as he breathes because he has always believed he was untouchable. He will put lives in danger to keep his bloated ego out of prison and that includes throwing members of his own family under the bus. His sociopathic, narcissistic behaviour willingly displays this - he thinks himself a modern day Al Capone except this time Trump will be determined not to get caught because he needs another 4 years to finish what he started Make America Mine Again.

[myrmica]

loose thoughts on song lyrics that may or may not make sense to anyone besides me recorded here for posterity:

the dying: do you or don't you need a stage to match the scale you claim to command, sacrifice in exchange for salvation but this is implied to be false or over-exaggerated by the surrounding lyrics, giving up on or weaseling your way out of fulfilling the claims you've made.

insurrection: the "i" speaker here is ostensibly different from the "he" in the previous verse but i'm still not sure if pronouns refer consistently to the same figures throughout paul's tomb or not. leaning not. generally speaking, there seem to be two central figures in this album: the narrator ("I") and the preacher, (usually "you") maybe the 'paul' in question if we had to name him. he's the one who's died in a flower in a glove, the narrator is the one eulogizing him: "sun, a dash of white light," "always unnoticed," "always a flame that dies," "a saint," with a "messianic complex" and moreover, the one who has to "put (his) trust in (the narrator's) fate," his ability to "row away from that grief stricken man (the king, who you have to cross the river to meet)" as in, traverse death. So a river styx type thing. but a flower in a glove ends on a downer note, like a reality check, the same way paul's tomb does: we are richer in love, but you know you just can't have it (note that love and light are related: i kissed a girl, she was the only one who seemed to own the shards of light, and i will know you by the light on your face), and then, but: you're never going to break on through—which stands in contradiction to violent pslams' proclamation to open the fort, because paul is alive!… but violent psalms is all about false grandeur, it opens on the contrast between the bleak condition of the world and the imagined relief from it: i am dreaming of a painting from the spring of my mind….

anyway… insurrection against our one monarch, see holy kings and richard: you can read this as a statement in defense of the "him/you" from the previous lines, which does make a fair amount of sense because of the implication of richard I and the crusades (i'm reminded of the speech at the council of clairmont where the pope promises absolution from sin to any and all criminals who go on crusade because they needed more hands; overwhelmingly economic motives given a religious coat of paint, and so on. for the record, economy and ownership come up once or twice in odetta's war and styled by dr. roberts).

or, you can read death as the king, as is previously established. so, condemning an insurrection against the natural order of things. "you're covered in the red red gore of your own devising," you've brought this on yourself for defying that order of things. but rather than just making this incisive statement on the grim finality of death, paul's tomb as a whole is interested in the foolhardy struggle against it despite the awareness of this reality. "THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE!" is the climax of the album's final song, despite the reminder of futility that follows it. the title is paul's tomb: a triumph even though paul does not actually seem to conquer death. so, the triumph must be found elsewhere.

...this verse also makes me think of the fisher king thing tales of the valedictorian has going on: "reform your countryside! (…) move thy earth in ways that your father did decide!" etc. see also: "you don't eulogize dirt planes, though there's colony in song," from bushels, another contrast between a trying reality and song, art, the imaginary as a bulwark against it.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

The "Golden Escalator" moment in Waco. ::  March 27, 2023

Robert B. Hubbell

         Trump began his 2016 campaign by descending on a golden escalator into a gaggle of reporters penned in the basement of Trump Tower. That tawdry entrance—and the alarming speech that followed—were portents of the chaos and havoc that followed in the ensuing sixteen months. Trump's advisers have since admitted that he began his 2016 campaign to boost his failing brand and eroding finances. He had no intention of winning and every intention of fleecing the American public—intentions that were widely understood by the media and the public. To our everlasting regret, we underestimated Trump until it was too late.

         Of course, two impeachments and a failed insurrection later, we will not make that mistake again. But neither should we succumb to the mythology about Trump that developed later in his campaign and during the early portion of his tenure—that he is invincible, untouchable, or somehow above the laws of politics and physics. He is not, and we do ourselves a disservice if we fall victim to that carnival-barker mythology. Trump's core base makes him a perennial threat, but he is a terrible candidate. He is, in fact, the worst candidate who will ever seek the office of the presidency—and that is saying a lot.

         Note well: I am not saying we should dismiss the threat posed by Trump. I am saying we should be smart and realistic about what that threat is so that we are better prepared to defeat his 2024 presidential bid.

         Trump held the 2024 equivalent of his "golden escalator ride" over the weekend in Waco, Texas. As widely noted, he did so during the 30th anniversary of the months-long confrontation in Waco between the Branch Davidians and federal law enforcement that resulted in the deaths of 86 people, including 28 children. Trump had no reason to hold the first major rally of his presidential campaign in Waco except to invoke memories of armed resistance against the FBI, ATF, and Texas National Guard.

         For those who doubt that Trump is willing to attempt a second coup and insurrection, the selection of Waco for his first major rally could not be clearer. And if you missed the clue in the location, Trump reinforced the point by playing his "song"—"Justice for All"—recorded with convicted January 6th defendants currently serving prison time. Per the Los Angeles Times,

With a hand over his heart, Trump stood at attention when his rally opened with a song called "Justice for All," performed by a choir of people imprisoned for their roles in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

         Widely available video shows that a substantial crowd of several thousand supporters attended the rally—but others noted that supporters started leaving early as Trump droned on about personal grievances not relevant to many of his supporters.

         And that is the major takeaway from the 2023 "golden escalator" speech compared to the 2016 version. In his 2016 campaign kick-off, Trump spoke about the grievance culture of disaffected Republicans. In 2023, he spoke about his grievances—the perceived political prosecutions, the 2020 election, and Joe Biden's accomplishments that overshadow the miserable failures of Trump's presidency.

         When Trump veered away from whining about personal grievances, every utterance was a lie. The media is now forewarned and forearmed, and "fact-checking" articles abound. I recommend you keep a few near at hand to forward to your (least) favorite Trump-loving uncle / brother / cousin / bowling buddy. See, e.g., CNN, Fact check: Trump repeats false claims during rally in Waco, Texas.

         Per CNN, Trump lied about:

The 2020 election;

The trade deficit with China under Biden vs Trump;

The existence, amount, and source of trade tariff payments under Trump vs prior presidents;

Construction of the border wall;

Inflation under Biden compared to prior presidents;

The amount of military equipment left in Afghanistan;

The amount of aid to Ukraine during the Obama administration;

His opposition to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline;

Michael Bloomberg's 2020 campaign;

Blah, blah, blah.

         You get the point. Trump is incapable of stating facts. Never accept any (allegedly) factual statement from Trump without doing independent research.

         But apart from the lies, Trump also repeated alarming statements about what he would do if reelected. He called for the arrest and imprisonment of journalists and editors who published portions of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health draft opinion. Trump repeated claims that he won the 2020 election. He said 2024 would be the "final battle," saying, "Either the deep state destroys America, or we destroy the deep state."

         All of this is cause for worry—to a point. Trump is the clear frontrunner for the 2024 GOP nomination. Indeed, stumbles by DeSantis in his first exposure beyond the borders of Florida highlighted his flaws as a candidate—elevating Trump in the process, at least in the GOP. See Intelligencer, GOP Insiders Say Everything's Coming Up Trump. Indeed, Trump is feeling so confident that he will drive DeSantis out of the race that he is telling consultants and vendors that if they work for DeSantis now, they will be banned from working for Trump in the future.

         But, before you surrender to despair, we must recognize that Trump is weak and vulnerable—and about to become even more so. Rupert Murdoch has apparently turned against Trump— if the most recent front-page headline in the New York Post is any indication. On a front page adorned with Trump holding a baseball bat, the headline reads, "BAT HIT CRAZY / Deranged Trump Threatens Violence Against Bragg."  

         The NYPost editorial board addressed Trump's supporters directly, telling them to ignore Trump's call to "Take back our nation," as follows:

If you actually "rose up" and were arrested, Trump would abandon you, just as he has every ally who wasn't useful to him anymore. What did he do for those locked up for months over Jan. 6?

Do you want a leader who will fight for you? Then you have to pick someone who can actually get elected. Republicans can't throw away their shot in 2024.

         While the NYPost is not widely read among Trump supporters outside of New York, it shares an owner (Rupert Murdoch) with Fox News. That common ownership does not bode well for Trump, given that Fox was the media outlet singularly responsible for Trump's election in 2016.

         And, of course, Trump has yet to be indicted. When that happens (and it will), the GOP will have a gravely wounded frontrunner, a has-been flash in the pan (DeSantis), and a bunch of candidates currently registering at 1% in polling.

         The above is a long way of saying that if Trump's 2024 golden escalator equivalent in Waco is any indication, we have reason to be hopeful. We understand the threat we face, and Joe Biden has a list of solid accomplishments under his belt. He has outmaneuvered the GOP on Medicare and Social Security cuts and is drawing a line in the sand over the debt ceiling. Six months ago, gasoline prices were touted as the single factor that would end Biden's presidency. Today, it is inflation (allegedly). Next month, it will be something else. The point is that although Biden has problems, none end with a ten-year prison term.

         So, what do I think after Trump's "golden escalator" moment in Waco? I think we have every reason to be hopeful and no reason to be complacent.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[thisaintascenereviews]

Fall Out Boy - So Much (For) Stardust Fall Out Boy released their seventh studio album, M A N I A, in 2018, but a lot has changed within five years. We’ve gone through a presidential election, a pandemic, an insurrection, the war in Ukraine, inflation, and many other horrible things that have been plaguing the world since, but also music has changed a lot, too. Pop-punk has gone from being the step-child of popular music to being front and center with artists like MGK, Willow, and Olivia Rodrigo making it a household name again. History certainly repeats itself, and the genre of music that so many folks my age (in their late 20s and early 30s) grew up with is popular again. It was only a matter of time before the scene veterans came back with a new record, and it’s certainly overdue at this point. Five years is a long gap to go without releasing albums, but it’s around the same gap from 2008′s Folie A Deux to 2013′s “comeback” album Save Rock & Roll. The only difference is Fall Out Boy never went on a hiatus, but it almost felt like it. Guitarist Joe Trohman left the group, at least temporarily, earlier this year, citing mental health reasons, and the other members of the group, vocalist / songwriter / multiinstrumentalist Patrick Stump, bassist / lyricist Pete Wentz, and drummer Andy Hurley, focused on other projects. They were almost on a hiatus without formally announcing it, but it seems as though their hiatus-without-calling-it-as-such did them some good, because their last few records have been very polarizing and contentious among fans. Some of it is for good reason, especially in retrospect, but there was a lot of very unfair hatred and criticism towards their post-hiatus material that they could never shake. Part of talking about their latest LP, So Much (For) Stardust, requires talking about their last few records, because to understand where the band is coming from on this record, you need to put their last few albums in context. Stardust is almost a soft reboot for this band, so to speak, especially for the better. A lot of their younger fans might not know about their infamous hiatus from 2009, where the band were imploding, so they took some time off for other projects to mixed success and results. The band came back in the beginning of 2013, and everyone was super excited, but the resulting album, 2013′s Save Rock & Roll, was underwhelming to a lot of people, considering it went more into pop and pop-rock that sounded like others bands at the time, namely Imagine Dragons. I loved it at the time, and I still enjoy it a lot, but my feelings towards their post-hiatus material is complicated. 2015 brought us American Beauty / American Psycho, and it doubled down on the Imagine Dragons-like pop-rock with more mixed results. People didn’t like these last couple of albums because of how “mainstream” they sounded, and I somewhat agree with that now, because I was looking at the albums through rose-colored glasses. Fall Out Boy are my favorite band, and they have been for years, but it’s okay to admit a band you love makes bad music, or music that’s subpar. I wouldn’t call either of these records “subpar,” because they still have great qualities, but they’re easily my least favorites of their work, especially almost a decade later. They haven’t aged as well as other albums from them, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Where people really lost their minds, and where most diehard fans jumped ship, was on 2018′s M A N I A, their last album. While I’m not as crazy about Save Rock & Roll and American Beauty / American Psycho nowadays, I absolutely love M A N I A, even though I should really hate it, because it goes too far into the pop / pop-rock sound that the last two albums, but that’s why I enjoy it. Save Rock & Roll and American Beauty / American Psycho are catchy, fun, and energetic records with great performances across the board, but their sounds are interchangeable, both within themselves, and within the landscape of rock music at the time. They don’t sound too different from other bands at the same time in their lane, whereas their earlier work, and M A N I A, are much more unique. M A N I A fully embraces pop music of all kinds, but they also experiment a lot more with other styles, such as Afrobeat, Latin music, electronic music, 1960s gospel-tinged soul, and some more straightforward pop-rock bangers. It’s also a lean 35 minutes, so it never spends more time than it needs to. M A N I A scratched the itch that their last couple of albums didn’t, and I think it’s aged fairly well, but by that point, the band was rather burnt out again. Trohman has said that he didn’t really participate in the writing of M A N I A because of pop-focused it was, and the band wanted to move elsewhere in their sound, which is the genesis of where Stardust was born. Most albums don’t require this much context, but Fall Out Boy is a band that needs it, especially because they’re my all time favorite band. This band means a lot to me, and I’ve gone on record many times saying that before, but this band is the first band I ever got into growing up. I have a vivid memory of picking up 2007′s Infinity On High at Target the weekend of its release, and falling head over heels for it. I was into music before that, but that was the first album I really loved, and it set the stage for falling down the rabbit hole of becoming a music fan. I’ve been looking forward to another Fall Out Boy album for years, and I almost didn’t think we’d get it, but they were slowly teasing this record, ultimately releasing “Love From The Other Side” a couple of months ago, and getting people very excited, because it was a “return” to guitar-based music. This song was a rock song, through and through, instead of leaning more on pop flavors and sounds. Make no mistake, it’s not a return to form in terms of 2003-ish pop-punk, but if anything, it builds on what they did with Infinity On High and Folie A Deux, incorporating other styles of music, such as funk, soul, R&B, and pop, among others. The song also marked a return to Pete Wentz’s brand of lyrical wit that we hadn’t really gotten in years, minus a few moments on M A N I A. We got one more single from the album before the whole thing was released, “Heartbreak Feels So Good,” and it, too, was a return to something more familiar, yet also rather new. It wasn’t completely trying to sound like it was from 2008, but it took elements of their classic material and threw in some new sounds and ideas, too, all the while sounding refreshed. Lo and behold, So Much (For) Stardust is upon us, so how is it? I’ve listened to the album maybe ten times in the last few days of its release, and I have to say... It’s fantastic in every single way, shape, and form. So Much (For) Stardust is the album that I’ve wanted from them for years, because it both blends the old and the new. This is easily their best record since Folie in 2008, but Patrick Stump has said that they wrote this album with the mindset of moving away from the technology and production that they used on their last few albums, and writing a record that hypothetically would have came out after Folie if they never went on hiatus. That’s what this sounds like, because it takes everything that they had done up to that point, and puts it in a blender, so to speak. Folie was a record that took rock, pop, soul, funk, R&B, pop-punk, and a lot of other styles, and made it their own. Stardust does that, too, but in its own way, especially when you remember that Stump put out a solo album in 2011 entitled Soul Punk that owed a lot to Michael Jackson and Prince, which Stump brings to this album, at least with his vocal performance. There’s an obvious return to “organic” instrumentation, but that’s not what this album great. It’s their ability to straddle the line between paying homage to their past and looking to the future at the same time. A lot of the songs on this album sound like songs I’ve been listening to for years, especially in the classic Fall Out Boy canon, but I’ve also never heard them. The best instance of a song like that, at least for me, is “Hold Me Like A Grudge.” This song has everything that makes for a classic and perfect Fall Out Boy song -- Stump’s impeccable vocal, Wentz’s clever lyricism, a great hook, and instrumentation rides the line between multiple styles, but it’s still clearly a Fall Out Boy song. There are many other songs on this record that make me feel the same way, whether it’s the opening one-two punch of “Love On The Other Side” and “Heartbreak Feels So Good,” “Fake Out,” “I Am My Own Muse,” “So Good Right Now,” “The Kinsugi Kid (Ten Years),” and the title track, among others. This whole album is great, and it has the ability to have each song follow a somewhat similar sound, but each song is very different from each other. The hooks all stand up on their own, and these songs don’t feel interchangeable, whether with themselves or other bands, these songs feel distinctly Fall Out Boy in the best way. Stump’s vocals return to that sound that he was always known for, and they don’t sound as processed as they have been, and Wentz’s lyrics are a more interesting this time around, including on every song I mentioned. If I wanted to talk about my favorite moments in terms of his lyrics, this review would be a lot longer than it already is, because there are too many little lyrical nuggets to count. The instrumentation is strong on all fronts, especially Trohman’s riffs this time around, since he’s able to let loose, but Hurley is killing it behind the kit as always, too. It’s nice that we have a more organic dynamic this time, because they feel more like a band, which is kind of insulting to say, but their last few albums dabbled so much in technology and in pop music sounds and ideas, it didn’t feel as though they were a cohesive unit. It’s nice to hear them all together now, and it makes for a rewarding experience. Every song is just chock full of things to love about them, and I’ve found myself going back to this album again and again. There are a couple of very slight issues I have with this LP, but they don’t matter in the slightest, because they’re just tiny little nitpicks that don’t bother me that much, but there are a couple of unnecessary interludes, “The Pink Seashell,” and “Baby Annihilation,” the former featuring dialogue by Ethan Hawke from 1994′s Reality Bites, and the latter being a monologue from Pete Wentz, and they’re fine. They don’t add much to the album, but they’re not bad. Wentz’s monologue reminds me of moments from their earlier albums where he would have a spoken interlude that served as poetry, and I could take or leave those moments, but it’s fine. Really, though, the album is pretty damn strong from start to finish, and even though it’s around 44 minutes, it doesn’t feel like it. I’ll be listening to the album, and I’ll notice that I’m already on the last song, when I feel as though I just started it. It’s one of those albums that you can listen to and never get bored of. This is the best possible outcome from a new Fall Out Boy album, where they went back to making more guitar-based music, but (and that’s big “but”), they didn’t sacrifice what makes them good. They could have easily made another 2003-ish pop-punk album and called it a day, but they didn’t. They made a catchy, well-written, and fully realizing pop-rock album with elements of soul, R&B, and funk that sound great. I’ll be damned if this album is not my album of the year. I really will be. Fall Out Boy means a lot to me, and this record brings me so much joy. It makes me feel like I’m 13 / 14 listening to them again in 2007 / 2008, but I’m also 29 / 30. I’m getting that nostalgia, but I’m also hearing something new that I’ve never heard. Fall Out Boy did it, folks, and if you’re a fan of their classic material, you should listen to this. I will say, though, that if you’re one of those cornballs that only listens to their first two albums, and nothing else (imagine thinking Take This To Your Grave is their best album, yikes), you won’t like this. This is more of the pop-rock sound that they went with on Infinity On High and Folie, but that’s my favorite of Fall Out Boy. I love the first two albums, too, but like with their post-hiatus material, they haven’t aged well in certain ways. In other ways, they have, but I don’t listen to those albums as much. I can imagine So Much (For) Stardust being in top three Fall Out Boy albums, because it sounds like the era that I love so much, but it also does something new and exciting. This is such an exciting album, and I can’t get enough of it. I’ve been looking forward to this album for months, and it was worth it. They delivered one of the best albums of their career, but without sacrificing anything that they made them great to begin with. They just added onto their classic sound. That doesn’t erase the last few albums, but I wouldn’t even say their first couple of post-hiatus albums are bad. They’re not. They’re catchy, fun, and they’ve got a few solid lyrical nuggets here and there, but they’re not as great as Infinity On High and Folie A Deux. This album doesn’t necessarily erase those albums, but it builds on what originally made Fall Out Boy great. I feel as though I’ve been listening to this album for years, but I’ve also never heard it, and those are the best types of albums to listen to, because they immediately feel familiar and welcoming, like you just listen to it as though you’ve already been listening to it for years. It’ll be hard to top this record, but Fall Out Boy came back with something I truly did not expect, and I mean that in the best way.

[mariacallous]

LAS VEGAS (JTA) — Mike Pence chose a Jewish gathering to announce his exit from the presidential race, with a veiled warning that his onetime boss, Donald Trump, posed a threat to a robust American foreign policy that he said was vital to Israel’s interests.

Pence, the former vice president, elicited gasps and cries of “We love you!” when he addressed a presidential forum at the annual Republican Jewish Coalition conference in Las Vegas.

“I came here to say it’s become clear to me this is not my time,” Pence said.

Pence could not bring himself to mention the name of Trump, who was scheduled to speak later Saturday and who is far and away the favorite to win the nomination. Pence even avoided namechecking the former president while reviewing the record of what he called the most “pro-Israel administration” in American history.

But after delivering the expected exhortation to remove President Joe Biden, Pence made clear that he did not want Trump to retake the office, framing his concerns in the context of Israel’s war with Hamas.

“Will Republicans continue to be the party of the traditional conservatives that has defined our movement of the past 40 years, or will our party follow the siren song of populism unmoored to conservative principles?” Pence said.

“A new populist movement in the Republican Party says that America should retreat from her leadership position, turn inward and focus solely on domestic concerns,” he said. “Let me say from my heart, anyone who says that America cannot solve our problems at home and be the leader of the free world, there’s a pretty small view of the greatest nation that we have. We must and we will do both for the sake of America, Israel and the world.”

Trump has not said yet how his calls to reduce the American footprint overseas would affect assistance to Israel. He has distanced himself from some of the most robust pro-Israel figures from his term, including Nikki Haley, the former U.N. ambassador; Mike Pompeo, the former Secretary of State; and Pence.

Trump’s most profound falling-out with Pence was on Jan. 6, 2021, when Pence rebuffed Trump’s exhortations to throw the election to Trump during the congressional review of electoral votes, something Pence was not empowered to do. Trump’s urgings spurred a violent insurrection, with some rioters seeking Pence’s assassination.

Another candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, has explicitly called for cutting funding to Israel.

Trump’s slogan since 2016, when he and Pence won the election, has been “America First,” a phrase that has echoes in an antisemitic movement of the 1930s and 1940s led by Charles Lindbergh.

In his current campaign, Trump has favored retreat from the international scene and has mocked Israel’s leadership for how it handled Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 invasion. He has called the Hezbollah terrorist movement, which is engaging with Israel from the north, “smart.”

[semi-imaginary-place]

What happened to Patricia?

There's hints of lore for throughout the game including DLC content and in Three Hopes about her story. She met the Emperor while at the Officer's academy and they did genuinely seem to love each other at least at first, and she became one of his many consorts. Anselma was exiled from imperial court and somhow came to Fhirdiad. There Thales and Cornelia (or fake Cornelia who is another Agarthan plant) insinuated Patricia into the royal court where King Lambert fell in love with her and married her and where Cornelia continued to keep her under close observation. Given the donation records found in White Clouds of the Blue Lions, by the time of the Insurrection of the Seven original Arundel had been killed and replaced by Thales impersonating Arundel. During the turmoil Tales relocated Edelgard to Fhirdiad. Arundel/Thales then moved Edelgard back to Enbarr after he had consolidated power and stabilized the capital and then tortured her and her siblings in magical experiments for an unknown amount of time during which Edelgard loses much of her childhood memories. It's implied Anselma/Patricia never forgot Edelgard and wished to be reunited with her daughter as Dimitiri sensed a longing in her despite her kindness towards him. It is unknown exactly what happened to Patricia but we do know that:

The Agarthans orchestrated the Tragedy of Duscar to destabilize the region and then pinned it on Duscar as a convenient scapegoat.

Patricia was somehow involved as her carriage was unharmed meaning she was likely not attacked and left the scene willingly.

From Hapi's supports we learn that Cornelia led Anselma into thinking that Lambert withheld Edelgard from her.

She did not return to Fhirdiad.

My best guess is that Patricia struck a deal with the Agarthans of some sort to reunite with Edelgard and then they betrayed her so that they could have another skinsuit to use just in case, but they never got around to using her appearance. Anselma/Patricia's story is that of a pawn being shuffled from one place to another, I find her mystery to be rather intriguing. As for whether she loved Dimitri, we don't know for sure. The only real evidence we have is Dimitri's account and he is the least objective character in the game, but even given that scant and terrible quality evidence I think it is more likely than not that Patricia was fond of Dimitri.