#georgia's not so critical analysis

[dungeons-are-too-cold]

listen, I- I cant help but think every time i see will and eddie interact in fics, that will would not have liked eddie like

at all

Eddie? is a dick.

and like maybe this is me just being insane, but i think will's love of Dnd comes from an actual love and appreciation for character and story and a love of his friends and his community he found playing dnd. It gave him an outlet, it let him express himself, it let him be brave and when you see him trying so hard to come back to that in season 3, you see he uses it as a way to express what he's going through. But most importantly, Will plays dnd because he loves his friends.

eddie is so rigid with his dnd obsession. He uses it as a way to control things, to (honesty) control people. He uses it to build himself a throne. A LITERAL THRONE SITS AT THE HEAD OF THE HELLFIRE TABLE. The party always played at a square table, they all looked at each other, all equal, all on the same playing field. But eddie, he's different. Even at lunch you see him sit at the head of the table. He gets up and walks across them, he shouts, he draws attention to them, invites the tormenting almost, and i don't think will would have liked the way Eddie was constantly bringing attention to himself and, in turn, hellfire as a whole. Eddie uses dnd to antagonize, to start shit, as a marker of his "fuck it" attitude

Will would not have felt safe in hellfire. Eddie's "forced conformity is killing the kids" monologue is such bullshit. Hellfire would have suffocated will. Not because i think will couldn't stand up for himself or hold his own against Eddie, but Dustin and Mike are so enamored with Eddie, they fall in line and worship the guy, so much so that they are willing to ditch Lucas and his game! Will never would have stood for that. Will would have been at Lucas's game. No DnD party is worth it to him if its not with his party

"But, what if you wanna join another party?"

"Not possible"

Are we all just, collectively forgetting this? Like are we just blacking out here? Now yes, this is very byler, but its not just about Mike. Its about Lucas and Dustin too. Its about El, and now Max. Its about his people.

Eddie actively tore apart the party under the guise of being "dedicated to dnd" but the only thing eddie is dedicated to is himself and serving his best interest. At least he was in hellfire.

and yeah, idk, i feel like this is an unpopular opinion, but these are just my thoughts. feel free to share yours.

[dungeons-are-too-cold]

i feel like its maybe an unconcious (or concious who knows) acknowledgement that the women do not 'own' their last names because surnames are passed down paternally its the name that belongs to their fathers until its the name that belonged to their husbands.

also there's also the idea that referring to someone by their last name is a sign of formality and respect, especially for someone in a position of power, and society does not respect women or their power.

also also its most likely linked to the familiarity and comfort people have with women in the public eye, demanding more from them, acting as if they are their friend, their mom, etc. where men are generally seen less so to that extent and are seen as professionals in the public eye instead of influencers/taste-makers/friendly faces/ etc.

just a spitballing here feel free to add/correct

Here's a fun one

It hasn't been "Joe" versus "Donald"

But in 2016 it was "Hillary" versus "Trump"

Now in 2024 why are we letting people call her "Kamala" instead of "Harris"?

Are women not addressed by their last names in formal settings? If so why is that?

[matan4il]

Thank you for your daily updates.

I've been seeing people discussing why/not the ICJ case is valid, but nothing on how the judges are likely to rule, a discussion that happens often when there is a big SCOTUS case.

What of their temperaments? Sure there's a Lebanese judge, that doesn't inherently make him antisemitic. Do you know if the judges are more "left" or "right?" My hopes are not high, considering they refuse to see evidence of the actual Oct 7 massacres (shame, since Hamas really wanted that broadcasted).

Hi Nonnie,

I usually try to reply to asks at the same order I got them, but I'll make an exception, because of how relevant this is to the current proceedings at the ICJ right now.

I don't think that being Muslim makes anyone inherently biased, nor do I think being Jewish means a person is free of the antisemitism of their environment, so I generally believe it's impossible for judges to be completely disconnected from what their country's position is. I believe the ICJ recognizes this as well, and that's why, a country that is suing or sued at the ICJ without having a representation among the permanent judges, has the right to appoint one. Specifically when it comes to Lebanon, I have to admit that IDK how possible it is for the Lebanese judge to ignore the fact that his country has for decades implemented an actual apartheid, a legally imposed policy of discrimination against Palestinians who live there.

Well, for this trial, we have an Israeli judge, a SA judge, and the 15 permanent judges. Here's one analysis about the 15 that I read:

American judge: had worked as a legal advisor to the administrations of Clinton and Obama, believes the scope of international law is limited (so she's less likely to grant SA a provisional measure that's a legal precedent).

Russian judge: advises Russia on two legal matters (regarding Georgia, and Kosovo), believes the scope of international law should be wider, has voted against demanding of Russia to stop the military operation in Ukraine, and has published independently his opinion that the ICJ has no right to judge the Russia-Ukraine conflict, because Russia didn't recognize its authority on this. Has visited Israel in 2015 for an international space conference, and together with 2 other ICJ judges, has conducted a "trial" regarding space law.

Slovak judge: sees the scope of international law as narrower, in the past he indicated that he thinks the crime of committing a genocide can't be decided in this court (that it should be in a criminal one), he has also said that quotes uttered in "the heat of battle" (the kind at the basis of SA's lawsuit) are not indicative of policy intent, they're just war propaganda. Has visited Israel in 2015 for an international space conference, and together with 2 other ICJ judges, has conducted a "trial" regarding space law.

French judge: Jewish, considered critical of Israel. In the past, while arguing against Israel, he has also said that the conflict here is political by nature and that the involvement of the ICJ in it is unhelpful to dialogue between the parties.

Moroccan judge: in the past, his decisions included non-legal considerations (for example, he said he's not sure Ukraine's move against Russia fits the convention on the prevention of genocide, but he still was in favor of granting Ukraine the provisional measures it was asking for). He was also a minority vote in the matter of whether the Serbs committed a genocide against the Bosnian Muslims, where the majority determined that the conditions to define it as such were not met.

Somali judge: there are no past indications of how he might rule from an international law perspective. He's Muslim, but in the past he has joined an Iftar dinner at the home of the Israeli ambassador at the Hague, and has also once opened a Holocaust Day lecture for the ICJ.

Chinese judge: has worked for her government in the past. She has voted against the provisional measures Ukraine has asked for against Russia, saying that it seems like an attempt to use the convention in order to get the ICJ to decide in broader political matters than the convention allows for. She has also argued against provisional measures that only demand one side would stop the fighting.

Ugandan judge: has worked for her government in the past. There are no past indications of how she might rule from an international law perspective.

Indian judge: tends towards an expanded view of what is discrimination. Has visited Israel in 2015 for an international space conference, and together with 2 other ICJ judges, has conducted a "trial" regarding space law.

Jamaican judge: has worked for his government in the past. Has voted against Russia when it came to the provisional measures demanding it stops its fighting against Ukraine.

Lebanese judge: has expressed anti-Israel views in the past, and has also repeatedly shown that he takes his country's position into account in his decisions. Has argued in the past that in situations of military occupation, the burden of proof is very low, or that the burden of proof should be on the occupier.

German judge: in the past, he has published his opposition to an Israeli law professor's article, arguing that a wider view is required when it comes to the right to self defense.

Japanese judge: in the past, he has published an article that sees the right of third party countries to appear before the ICJ (as is SA in this case) as limited.

Australian judge: very active in the field of women and gender rights. In the past, she has criticized ICJ rulings that allowed the coalition forces a lot of freedom in Iraq.

Brazilian judge: in the past, he has referred to the PLO as a terrorist organization (at the time about which he was writing), but he did the same regarding the Jewish underground movement, the Hagana (which worked to protect Jews, and to smuggle them "illegally" into the Land of Israel to save them from the Nazis during WWII).

According to one legal correspondent that I listened to, SA has asked for so many provisional measures, that the ICJ is unlikely to turn them all down. This reporter believes that the ICJ will likely not grant the provisional measure calling on Israel to stop the fighting, but it will probably grant at least two other provisional measures. She had a bet which two, the provisional measure calling on more humanitarian aid to be brought into Gaza (if true, this would be so redundant. One of the points made at the ICJ proceedings, was that Israel has agreed to allow in as much humanitarian aid as could be taken in on the Gazan side, and was willing to expand its operations on the Israeli side for this to happen. In other words, what's currently limiting the amount of aid going in is the capacity to handle it on the Gazan, not Israeli, side), and to collect evidence regarding the fighting in Gaza (which Israel is already doing).

I hope this helped! xoxox

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this press release by the Center for Biological Diversity:

In response to more than a decade of advocacy by the Center for Biological Diversity and allies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed to protect eastern hellbenders as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. In a separate action, the Service also proposed thousands of river miles of critical habitat in 17 states for endangered mussels.

Today’s proposal would extend protection to hellbenders from New York to Georgia, filling in the gaps in previous listings and meaning that all hellbenders are now slated for protection.

“I literally burst into happy tears when I heard that hellbenders were finally going to get the Endangered Species Act protection they need to recover. Hellbenders may be cold and slimy, but they’re so fascinating that they evoke warm and fuzzy feelings,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center. “Protecting these giant salamanders will give umbrella safeguards to thousands of other species that rely on clean rivers.”

In 2010 the Center and allies petitioned the Service seeking protection for eastern hellbenders. In 2021 hellbenders from the Missouri River gained protection, but range-wide protections were denied. The Center and allies challenged the denial and a court ordered the Service to redo its analysis, leading to today’s proposal.

Hellbenders face tremendous threats from activities that degrade water quality. Throughout their 15-state range only 12% of populations are stable and successfully reproducing. The range of eastern hellbenders includes Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Hurricane Helene devastated populations in the healthiest part of their range in North Carolina and Tennessee. Clean-up volunteers found dried out hellbenders that were carried out of the rivers during the torrential floods. Forest damage and contamination from the storm will continue to pollute these areas.

[kemetic-dreams]

Political motivations

Two years after the Civil War ended, Congress overrode a veto from President Andrew Johnson to pass the Reconstruction Act of 1867. The law required former Confederate states to provide universal voting rights for all men. African men in the South voted for the first time, and African politicians soon held large shares of legislative seats in South Carolina, Louisiana and Florida.

The Ku Klux Klan responded with systematic, violent intimidation of African Americans, including lynchings specifically meant to deter voting, Williams finds. The klan killed more than 2,000 African people in 1868 in Louisiana alone, according to the paper.

“It’s hard to get rid of that trauma, and it does span generation to generation,” Williams says.

Few, if any, of the thousands of lynchings carried out from 1882 to 1930 were criminally prosecuted, and past research has demonstrated lynchings suppressed African voter turnout in the months leading to an election.

“We think of racial domination as social practices, like segregation and racial violence, being about intimidation in the social sphere,” says Ohio State University economics professor Trevon Logan, who was not involved in Williams’ analysis but provided feedback as she developed her research. “But there always has been a very pertinent political end to the story of racialized violence.”

Some states are restricting voting, others are expanding it

Williams’ paper reveals how violence from decades past affects current voting patterns at the same time states have passed or are considering laws to restrict voting.

In March, the Georgia legislature attracted news coverage when it passed a law making it harder to vote absentee. Georgia counties can now limit early voting on Sundays ahead of an election — a move critics contend targets “souls to the polls” get-out-the-vote efforts at African churches. The law does require that counties hold two Saturday advance voting sessions for general elections.

Republican lawmakers in Ohio have proposed legislation that would restrict mail ballots for most voters there and ban drop box voting. At least 18 states have passed laws restricting voting this year, while 25 states have expanded voting access through mail ballots and other measures, according to a tally by the nonprofit Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.

At the federal level, the House of Representatives last week passed voting rights legislation that would restore provisions the Supreme Court stripped in recent years from the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Most notably, the court in 2013 ruled that states could change their voting laws without federal approval. At the time of the ruling, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and select counties in other states were subject to federal oversight because of historical evidence of racial discrimination in voting access.

The lingering effects of violence from decades ago are “a huge factor, and why African people in particular are not voting,” Williams says. “So now, when we add legislation to make it more difficult to vote, to me that is why it’s really important. Do we want to have a healthy electorate or not? When we have a healthy electorate, we have policies that represent everyone.”

Historical events ripple through time: A growing body of research

To conduct her analysis, Williams used data from the Historical American Lynching Data Collection Project from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, which covers 1882 to 1930. She also used voter registration rolls from 2000 to 2012, and other academic and government data.

Williams focused on the historical lynching rate per 10,000 African Americans during that roughly half century across 267 counties in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. She analyzed those states because they ask voters to identify their race when registering.

“In a place like Lafayette County, Florida, there were eight lynchings during those years,” Williams explains in a 2020 video for the Economic Policy Institute, where she was an economist before joining RAND. “This means for every 1,000 African people, one of them was lynched. Today, the African voter registration rate is about 15% in that county. If those people hadn’t been killed, you would expect to see a African voter registration rate of 55%.”

The relationship between historical lynchings and voter registration today that holds for African voters doesn’t show for white voters.

“Further analyses suggest that this result is unlikely to be driven by education, earnings, incarceration rates of Africans, institutions that remained after slavery, geographic sorting, or contemporary barriers to voting,” Williams writes. Her forthcoming paper adds to a growing body of research investigating how violence and legislation from decades ago reverberates today.

Michigan State University economics and international relations professor Lisa Cook has found that violence in the decades after Reconstruction suppressed the patent output of African inventors, writing that a “lynching signaled that personal security — and with it the freedom to work and innovate — was not guaranteed.”

Princeton University economics professor Ellora Derenoncourt, along with University of California, Berkeley economics professor Claire Montialoux, have shown how a minimum wage expansion in 1966 narrowed the earnings gap between African and European workers throughout the 1970s.

Logan, the Ohio State professor, has linked higher taxes during Reconstruction — when the American South was decimated and needed funding to rebuild — with more violence against African officeholders. Referring to Williams’ current work, Logan says: “This is not something I think a traditional economic historian would address. It speaks to the need to have diverse voices in the profession.”

[reogan]

Clean Slate

(Jenny Timeline Project Song-by-Song Analysis #1) (The Jenny Timeline Project is my attempt to figure out more about this album by doing casual literary criticism at it. It started with a post about the viewpoints of songs. The tag to follow or block if you care is Jenny Timeline. I welcome feedback if you see any of the holes in my interpretation.) This is a LONG post, fair warning.

The People: Obviously to those who know the earlier album, this song very directly overlaps with Color In Your Cheeks (All Hail West Texas). In that song, we specifically get a Woman from Taipei, a Man from Mexicali, and (less detailed) Folks from Zimbabwe, Soviet Georgia, East St. Louis, Paris, and Across the Street.

In Clean Slate, we see a Man from East St. Louis; a Breakaway Republic Dude; someone from Copiah, Mississippi; "You" from "home" with a plane change in Taipei. There may also be an additional person encapsulated in "This will be the last time that I do this, I'm pretty sure."

Overlap is clear in East St. Louis. The Woman from Taipei is likely "You" who changes planes in Taipei, though this fascinatingly opens up her/your origin point to be elsewhere ("skin the color of a walnut shell" (Color, AHWT) can narrow it down a little, but that's so hugely wide still that I wouldn't begin to try). Interestingly, the Breakaway Republic Dude is marked on the map in the official lyric video somewhere in Latvia or Lithuania (hard to tell with the size of the dot and the spinning globe), which broke away from the USSR in 91/90, but not Georgia, as referenced in Color.

The Place: In Color, "She" comes in on the red eye to Dallas-Ft. Worth (which is in East Texas, not West Texas as the album title would suggest). How far between that airport and "here" is completely untouched. "He" drives in from Mexicali, which means he first reaches Texas in the west.

In Clean Slate, the lyrics allow the house to be anywhere, but the bandcamp description does say it's Jenny's house in West Texas*. It's worth noting that a later song is Going to Dallas, which suggests that the singer does not begin in Dallas, despite the Woman from Taipei flying into that airport.

Color doesn't mention what "here" is. Personally, I used to hear it as a tavern-inn-heck-even-cafe place. Clean Slate is somehow more opaque. But liner notes and bandcamp make clear that it's Jenny's southwestern ranch style house.

The Time: Describing a Baltic state as a "breakaway republic" suggests that the USSR is still relevant, if failing or gone. This would be a Weird description in 2020. It would be Weird in 1960. Later evidence will place things somewhere after '85, and I like that. Give it a decade's wiggle room here, 1985-1995 where "breakaway republic" would still be apt. It helps that, though Georgia was next, Baltic states were the first to declare independence from the Soviet Union, making them stand out as breakaways.

Since Color mentions Soviet Georgia, that'll place it pre '91. The Song(s): Unusually, I think this analysis needs to include a second song beyond Clean Slate (Color, of course) given it's mighty parallels. We have no proof they're telling different facets of the same story, but I think it's not egregious if I suppose they are.

More than Color does, Clean Slate very explicitly makes it clear that these people are leaving behind everything. There's the leaving under the cover of night ("It's never light outside yet when they climb into the van"), the itinerant, brief stay ("rest until you're rested / climb back onto the caravan).

I would like to raise a reading to which I don't subscribe and which doesn't mesh perfectly with comments John has made, but which I find interesting. I think there's room to suspect that the Woman from Taipei is the Lodger. The use of the second-person pronoun in Clean Slate ("The house was almost full that day / We made a space for you"), which is the final person introduced before "this will be the last time that I do this I'm pretty sure" could suggest that the Lodger is this woman. This will also be a fun toy for the Lesbian Jenny squad. I don't buy it, chiefmost of all because John refers to the Lodger as "he" multiple times, though Death of The Author etc. etc.

In various interviews and in this album, we learn this place is a place for people to rest, hide, and catch their breath. The little epigraphs on the vinyl call it a "safehouse" which is such a beautiful thing. That adds a dimension of mutual don't-ask-don't-tell to the line "We let the silence that's our trademark / make its presence felt" (Color). A nice 'hey man, we don't know what you've been through, we don't know what you're going to do, but while you're here, you're cool.'

Later on, in From the Nebraska Plant, the narrator (Lodger?) says that "it wasn't in [Jenny's(?)] nature / taking in the strays" which I think is entirely wrong. He's very much mythologized her because that is her role. But in this song, I think it's Jenny's conviction which says "This world is sad and broken / gotta fix a crack or two." She is compelled to give aid. Given the references in this work to Seven Against Thebes, I'm interested in seeing whether we can apply the concept of hamartia to Jenny, and this compulsion is already a candidate for her tragic flaw. Let us name it Justice and deify Jenny as Nemesis in our further analyses.

The final refrain of Clean Slate says "Every endpoint fixed forever on the day its arc began." This is in line with oracular proclamation in Greek tragedy. We know what will happen. Oedipus was fated to marry his mother and kill his father, and we can be sure of that result. When Tiresias tells Creon his actions will doom his son, we can already plan Haemon's funeral. We are now entering the Tragic Zone, and it's going to be as the Oracle proclaims. *In the interest of being transparent to those who choose not to click the link, technically, it says it's Jenny's house and that a West Texas town is uncomfortable in it, but I don't consider it a grave liberty to then assume that her house is in that West Texas town rather than, say, Bergen County, New Jersey or something.

[lapsed-bookworm]

Country music is at a crossroads. Two of its most viral songs show why

Analysis by AJ Willingham, CNN

Sat, July 29, 2023 at 2:27 PM EDT·7 min read

People — non-country lovers specifically — like to joke that modern country music is a repetitive incantation of beer, trucks, girls and American flags, with the occasional sprinkling of Copenhagen or MultiCam thrown in. (And, for the women, there’s an extra dash of marital homicide.)

That’s all part of it, for certain. But a longer pause on the radio dial, or a deeper dive into the genre’s roots, reveals far more variation — different traditions and cultures calling to each other, answering and reinventing themselves as they go.

The struggle for the soul of country music is on full display now as two very different songs have been making headlines. Jason Aldean, one of country music’s biggest stars, has been embroiled in controversy over his single “Try That in a Small Town.” The song contains what critics say are racially charged lyrics, and scenes from the music video were shot in front of a courthouse that was the site of an infamous lynching in the 1920s. The backlash was so complete, CMT removed Aldean’s video from its rotation and the original YouTube version was edited to remove several seconds of protest footage.

Meanwhile, fellow country star Luke Combs has been going viral on social media with his platinum cover of “Fast Car” by famed singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman. Some of the attention has been positive, praising his rendition of the famous ballad and discussing the impact of his homage to Chapman who, as a Black woman and queer icon, is a triple whammy of underrepresentation in country music.

In an interview with Billboard, Combs called “Fast Car” the “perfect song” and Chapman a “supernatural songwriter.”

“The success of my cover is unreal and I think it’s so cool that Tracy is getting recognized and has reached new milestones. I love that she is out there feeling all the love and that she gave me a shout-out! Thank you, Tracy!”

Chapman herself, who is notoriously private with both her personal life and her music rights, also commented to Billboard about the song’s success.

“I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I’m honored to be there. I’m happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced ‘Fast Car.’”

The crossover also made history, cementing Chapman as the first Black woman to have a sole writing credit on a No. 1 country radio song.

Dividing the divisions

Both “Try That in a Small Town” and “Fast Car” have topped country charts in recent weeks. While they represent something of a divide among the genre, they’ve also led to an exploration of finer fissures within. Aldean has millions of supporters who see his ode to small town solidarity as a continuation of what made country music so resonant in the first place: The telling of stories forgotten by the mainstream.

(Small town pride is also a favorite theme of Aldean’s, whose hits include 2010’s “Flyover States” and “Dirt Road Anthem,” and the early hit “Amarillo Sky,” which details the noble struggles of a proud farmer.)

Aside from the controversy of lyrics slamming gun control and threatening people who disrespect police, Aldean’s song set off interesting conversations as people discussed what being from a small town really means, and indeed, what a small town even is. (Aldean himself is from Macon, Georgia, which may seem like the sticks to some people but is, in fact, a mid-sized city that also helped form rock greats like Little Richard and Otis Redding.)

“Try That In A Small Town, for me, refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief. Because they were our neighbors, and that was above any differences,” Aldean wrote in a statement defending the song.

As for Combs, the same reasons that attracted praise for “Fast Car” have also attracted criticism. The song, like Chapman herself, has been a lighthouse for people on the margins since its release in 1988, dealing as it does with poverty and loneliness and the universal appeal of getting the heck out of town with your baby by your side. (And, in the process, became a lesbian anthem.) While it’s a very country message, some fans were uncomfortable that a straight, White male singer would add his voice to Chapman’s genius.

“On one hand, Luke Combs is an amazing artist, and it’s great to see that someone in country music is influenced by a Black queer woman — that’s really exciting,” Holly G, founder of the Black Opry, told The Washington Post. “But at the same time, it’s hard to really lean into that excitement knowing that Tracy Chapman would not be celebrated in the industry without that kind of middleman being a White man.”

Defining the soul of country

These two songs, so differently received yet recorded under the same big country umbrella, are an embodiment of the crossroads where country music currently stands. Like all musical traditions that fuse, evolve and splinter, country music and its legions of fans are engaged in a negotiation for the genre’s main identity.

Do they embrace the class-conscious, anti-capitalist forefathers and foremothers who played in prisons and supported laborers and held staunchly leftist views by today’s standards? (They still live today: Willie Nelson is a proud Texas Democrat and Dolly Parton an LGBTQ ally.) Do they turn up the party-happy “Bro Country” of the early 2000s, or champion the red-white-and-blue anthems that still represent, for so many, a platonic ideal of patriotism?

Do they welcome the fresh influx of non-White country artists, or ignore the inheritance secured by the voices of Black and Latin American artists who helped build the genre? Do they sing with these voices, or sing over them?

Moreover, what can be accepted? Queer country acts are on the rise, but will they ever join country’s highest ranks of outcasts, rebels and beaten-down lovers? Or will songs with even a hint of pro-LGBTQ themes, like Kacey Musgraves’ “Follow Your Arrow” or Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” continue to be met with friction?

What can be forgiven? When the Dixie Chicks spoke out against the Iraq War in the early 2000s, their popularity in country music circles never fully recovered.. When current superstar Morgan Wallen was caught saying racist slurs, his supporters kept his album “Dangerous: The Double Album” at the top of the charts for weeks after the backlash. In the year that followed, he launched a new tour and an appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. Combs has sought forgiveness, too: In 2021, he apologized for past performances that featured the Confederate flag.

“I know that I’m a very highly visible member of the country-music community right now,” Combs said. “And I want to use that position for good, and to say that people can change and people do want to change, and I’m one of those people trying.”

These decisions beg a larger question: Can the myriad interpretations of country music exist side by side? If something must change, what of the genre’s essential character would disappear along with it?

As the reactions to Combs and Aldean’s songs prove, it’s not an easy negotiation. Small towns, fast cars and American values are as essential to country music as three chords and the truth. Who gets to define American values, and whose truths get told; that’s where the crossroads lie.

How fortunate, then, that crossroads are as country a symbol as you can get.

[dans-den]

The Machine Movie Review

Hey what's going on everyone?! Dan here and today I'll be reviewing The Machine Movie, The movie based on the incredible story...notice how it doesn't say true story.

Now I've been a fan of Bert Kreischer these last few years. I remember first seeing him on the travel channel on his trip show, then I saw his machine story on YouTube, watched most of his Netflix specials and his Cabin show, and even saw him in person during the Super Bowl here in AZ with Guy Fieri. I honestly had no idea he was making an actual film this summer until over a month ago when I was watching an analysis video about Bert and how he's starting to become out of touch and egotistical, I'll leave a link to that video from Ghost Gum you guys should check it out.

(Ghost Gum video on Bert)

Now I've been watching several videos on YouTube about Bert and a lot of the issues are coming from his let's just say "exaggerated" stories and the authenticity of them as well as him being in denial about having an alcohol problem and overall health issues. His status has made him delusional about being better or above everyone else which is another factor of him losing respect from his fans. I feel this movie perfectly reflects all of these traits as well as justifying his behaviors and trying to poke fun at the criticism he sees. I was going into this movie thinking it would be so bad it's funny and I was partially right. Half the movie is so bad its funny while the other half is...just bad, it's boring and made to make Bert look cool or like he's the center of the world. I'll break down why I feel this way and what this movie could potentially do to Bert's reputation/fanbase.

Now let's start with a positive first, Mark Hamill. I love Mark Hamill not just as Luke Skywalker or the Joker, I love his work and I feel he was truly carrying this movie. I was weirded out that they chose Mark to portray Bert's dad in this film. I've seen what Bert's dad looks like and Mark looks nothing like him (at least not currently) so I wonder if it's for a cool factor or Bert is a huge fan of Mark Hamill or both. Either way Mark as Bert's dad carried the movie to where it was enjoyable at times and genuinely funny. He was the best character in this movie, yes, better than Bert, better than the Russian Mafia characters, he was just the best one because he actually made me laugh the most. When he laughs you can hear that Joker laugh slip through and I loved it.

Now with that positive out of the way, let's get to the negatives. The plot barely makes any sense, Bert's past with the Mafia comes back to haunt him and he has to go to Russia and find an Heirloom he stole from a crime family or else his eldest daughter (I think it's suppose to be Georgia) will be killed. Without getting into major spoilers, this plotline is so inconsistent in terms of characters, flow, and accuracy. So the Machine story setting was from Berts time at Florida State when he was 22. So Bert was born in 1972 and i'm guessing this was before his 23rd birthday, so that means the setting of the story should take place in 1995. Now the movie did not establish what year it currently was, but I have to assume it was 2023 or sometime in the 2020's. He said it was 23 years ago meaning the story happened in either the late 90's or the year 2000 since young Bert (played by Jimmy Tatro) is making Austin Powers and Beavis and Butthead references. That basically goes against the actually setting of the story which I understand movies aren't 100% accurate but normally the time period correlates with one another so this is either Bert forgetting or trying to appeal to the younger crowd like people my age or younger. The plot is this wild goose chase meant to make Bert look cool or go through this hero's journey which honestly just falls flat.

The characters were alright I guess. Like I said Mark Hamill as Berts dad is my favorite character, The Russian Mafia characters while a bit stereotypical were also funny at times, Bert had some moments I'll admit but those were few and far in between. I just didn't like the portrayal of him and his family or family friends they all seemed like they hated each others guts. Felt bad for the therapist character in all honesty, sad part is there are people like that in this world that try to act like nothings wrong and try to force their loved ones to see thigs their way even though that is certainly not the case. The family really didn't go through any major developments to warrant that ending, especially the daughter she just suddenly had a change of heart without really being in the story which is ironic considering the plot was also about Bert needing to know it's not always about him. That should tell you the mindset of Bert in real life. Once again, this was all meant to make Bert look cool, like he's life of the party, like everything he's doing is fine and how he is bigger than life.

Now let's get to the important part, the comedy. Wow...it is near nonexistent. The type of comedy in here is literally lowbrow, meant to look "Progressive", having Russian stereotypes, some physical humor, and overall just meh. Don't get me wrong I still laugh at these types of comedy but it depends how it's done. Some people do it tastefully and genuinely funny like a actual Comedian then there are others who do it without any set up or punchline like a middle schooler...can you guess which way The Machine movie does it? That's right, the humor is stuff I would have said or done when I was like 14 and I'm not gonna say I dislike immature humor, there are times where I still get a good laugh out of it and I laughed a couple times in this movie but again those moments are far and few in between. The issue I have with it is Bert's style of comedy doesn't work well, great storyteller, but horrible at setting up jokes or delivering punchlines. I'm just glad he didn't do that fake Hyena laugh too much in this movie.

Overall, this movie was meant to just inflate Bert's ego, I was genuinely hoping this movie would be hilarious but honestly I'm starting to see why people are slowly losing interest in Bert I mean he is a 50 year old man with a wife and two kids who actively gets drunk as a "career" because he can't do actual standup. It is a real fall from grace because the reason everyone liked him was because he was just being himself. But now he's become a complete try hard for laughs and clout and I don't find him as funny as he use to be. Bert if you by some chance see this, you need to get some actual help. Stop drinking and spend more time with your family because you're on a slippery slope to alcoholism and a short life span.

Rating this movie I'm giving it:

4/10

I do not recommend this movie, maybe I'll watch it again when it comes out on redbox and get drunk or high, maybe then I'll find it funnier but as it stands it's a bit underwhelming for a comedy film.

That's all I have to say.

See ya!

[firefox-enthusiast]

There is also this stigma of children's culture being so unworthy of critical analysis because "it's just for kids". I agree with the sanitized TV available to kids, I lack the words to describe it but it is almost always some very clear moral that is meant to be understood and learned from and not something that is a dilemma and the main character never does anything wrong lest the whole thing be about them showcasing how to make amends.

Whereas in so many books there are protagonist

With questionable motives, Roald Dahl and Fantastic mr fox (actually stealing is good sometimes).

Who deal with complex emotions, Astrid Lindgren I want a brother or a sister and The runaway sleigh ride (you want your sibling hurt and the inner turmoil that follows)

Who slay the dragon which is an adult because you are clever, Dave Pilkey and Captain Underpants, or because you are strong and resilient, Philip Pullman and His dark materials.

Who slay a monster, Neil Gaiman and Coraline.

Who are despicable and through their eyes you see the motive and could emphasize, Suzanne Collins and Ballad of songbirds and snakes.

Who have sex and go through a lot dealing with society, Andri Snær Magnason and LoveStar (the future is scary and quite possibly distopic).

Who's actions get someone they love killed, Friðrik Erlingsson and Benjamín dúfa (Benji the dove is a movie based on it but I haven't seen it, there is also movie of the same title in the original language).

Who turns into the kind of person they hated when becoming powerful, Georgia Byng and Molly Moon.

Who get into a cult without realizing they are becoming fascists, Todd Strasser and The wave.

Kids who abuse power, who hurt others, who deal with hate and anger and get revenge.

Power fantasies for kids.

Literature for children is not some lower form of artistry because it's 'just for kids'.

I’m not sure exactly how to articulate it but—there is this bizarre base assumption i see from people discoursing about children’s media, and that’s the assumption that children are somehow unfamiliar with negative emotions. Like, maybe you’ve managed to completely forget your entire life before you turned eighteen, but kids spend a lot of time being hurt, and scared, and angry. A lot of people had terrible fucking childhoods, and a lot of kids are having terrible fucking childhoods right now. When i was a child, and i read books where bad things happened to kids, that was in no way shocking to me, i already knew bad things happened to children. It made me feel more connected to those stories, not less, and it made it more impactful when those child characters overcame it all in the end. That’s important for children. A lot of them are in desperate need of a little hope, and they aren’t going to get it from nothing stories with no conflict. They put conflict in children’s media for a reason

Also i see some of you handwringing over child protagonists going through, like, the most basic hero’s journey. Please, for the love of god, realize that you as an adult are going to understand children’s media differently than the actual kids it’s intended for. Because you’re all grown up now, you aren’t going to be able to relate to a child protagonist. You’re going to see a child in danger. The children the story is meant for are going to see a kid like them who is able to face hardship and triumph

[sa7abnews]

'Base' candidates on left and right, is there room for the middle in this election?

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/12/base-candidates-on-left-and-right-is-there-room-for-the-middle-in-this-election/

'Base' candidates on left and right, is there room for the middle in this election?

So it turns out that an aw shucks Midwesterner – who grew up in small town Nebraska and went on to be a governor, can team up with the vice president who had run a fairly abysmal campaign for president in 2020 – and generate enormous enthusiasm among a base Democratic crowd who had gotten bored – and was clearly not relishing the idea of supporting the 80-something president who had initially sought reelection, even if he was running against their collective nightmare – the restoration of the administration of Donald Trump. Was it enthusiasm – or relief – that we saw during Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’ maiden tour of the key battleground states of the country? For the base of the Democratic Party, probably a little of both.HARRIS TAKES 3-POINT LEAD OVER TRUMP AS SHE GAINS ON KEY ISSUES: POLLThe Democrats are going to need that relief-catalyzed-enthusiasm in order to overcome the electoral support that polls suggest former President Donald Trump continues to represent.In 2016, he (narrowly) carried the Electoral College and won the presidency, while getting 46.1% of the vote nationally. In 2020, he almost carried the Electoral College while getting 46.9% of the national vote. This year, the polling averages have consistently had him in the high forties. And three of the most respected national polls taken since Biden dropped out and Harris has emerged all show Trump retaining the support he had against Biden – an average of 48% of voters. In other words, he’s still in a solid position to win in November.FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: WITH VP PICKS, HARRIS AND TRUMP MISS OPPORTUNITIES TO BROADEN THEIR APPEALMoreover, while Trump has come under criticism for attacking Kamala Harris for supposedly claiming she had tried to hide her Black heritage  – and attacking fellow Republican, and governor of an essential swing state, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, there’s little evidence that the enthusiasm of his voters has subsided in any way.But if Trump is well positioned – in the high forties in national polls – that means that Harris needs to take some of his support if she is to feel confident about November.This year, there was some evidence that Trump could not count on a unified party heading into the general election. During the primaries, the Fox News Voter Analysis found that many Republicans who were voting for South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said they would not vote for Trump even if he won the nomination. But since the primaries concluded – there’s been very little evidence in the polling that any of those voters – the Republicans and independent voters who do not consider themselves a part of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement – have moved away from Trump – and Trump remains at 48%.During the rapid campaign to pick her VP running mate, Harris had a choice of several moderate Democrats – who might have had clear appeal to the moderate voters who preferred Nikki Haley as a candidate. Both Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro – with his support of fracking and school choice – and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelley – who has been leading the Democrats to take the border and immigration issue more seriously  would have clearly defined Harris as more of a moderate – and even to the right of Biden.Instead, Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. While he did represent a historically Republican district, as a six-year governor he has supported fairly progressive policies – on gun safety, legalized marijuana, drivers’ licenses for undocumented aliens, and even transgender care. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONNow, Walz does not call himself a progressive – as he says “”One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness,” and his quarter-century in the National Guard may make it harder to portray him as “Bernie Sanders” or an “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.” – but he certainly has provided the GOP with ammunition to portray him as one.Which leaves the Democrats with two choices:1. Double down on Walz’s progressive record – and try to ensure base turnout in the swing states – and yes, even if Trump gets his current 48% nationally in November – it’s still a toss-up election.2. Figure out a way, by leveraging that small town persona the Minnesota governor is famous for, to try to cut into and attract some of the more moderate Republican and independent voters – who currently make up a [albeit small] part of Trump’s 48% — even if they show some signs of skepticism. Otherwise, the country is faced with yet another “base election” – where each party offers their strongest supporters their fiercest wishes – but which leaves a large chunk of the electorate – the middle – wondering if either party is interested in appealing to them.The Trump campaign is clearly – because of his record as president – focused on ensuring that their base gets out to vote. The Democrats may think that it’ll be sufficient to bring their base voters out – but I would caution them. The crescendo of rally cheers may be ringing in your ears and giving you hopes right now for a huge Democratic base turnout in November… …but, the Trump juggernaut – even after eight years – still seems fairly powerful.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM ARNON MISHKIN

[doux-amer]

Still not over how nuts Georgia–Portugal and Czechia–Türkiye were. The first major tournament appearance for Georgia, and they not only make it to the round of 16 but also beat Portugal 2–0! And lmao the DRAMAAAA of Czechia–Türkiye. With so much at stake, it was already a situation bound to be high with tension, but uh, WHAT was that ref on? I wish I had been able to watch both matches with my full attention instead of watching them while attempting to work because that's probably the worst ref I've ever seen in my life and I've seen a lot of bad refs. The number of cards? Everyone was carded. Then a second red card after the match was over to a player belonging to a team that was knocked out which was so useless! The commentators, Mark Clattenburg, and analysis all uniting to criticize him and going so far as to say that the ref was seeing things that weren't there! The controversial penalty?! Just...wow. So many things going on lfsalkdfjsafaj. MESS!

Oh, forgot to say congrats to Romania and Slovakia. I don't remember the last time I've seen a "both teams win" situation, but it was cute to see both NTs and fans be super happy. An entire stadium of happy people celebrating. Good feelings all around especially as they're two teams that aren't big football nations!

[dungeons-are-too-cold]

imagine the whiplash of season 4 for the older teens

like, ive just been thinking about how the spent however long the events of season 4 are, a week maybe? with someone they barely knew, and when i say they barely knew eddie i mean it. They knew of him, they had ideas about him, they didn't know him though.

they went through the most traumatic, life altering shit with him, they traveled to the upside down, most of them for the first time, nancy for the second. They were running from the law, they were scared out of their, minds.

and then just as they are bonded to eddie for life in the most insane way possible, through this life or death situation, they lose him.

there must be such weird guilt.

There are people I have lost that I have known my whole life and i still feel like i have no right to grieve them because I didn't really know them. Family even that i never allow myself to grieve because we werent close.

Yeah, the teens probably couldn't name eddie's childhood pets, or know what his favorite color was, but that doesnt mean they werent close. And going through a life or death situation doesnt mean they were. Im sure steve is trying to shoulder the responsibility, it was his fault for splitting up the party. Im sure nancy blames herself for losing yet another person to the upside down, not being able to save barb. Robin couldn't figure any way out of this, she couldn't solve anything, there was no puzzle or trick or clue. His death probably weighs on them a lot like that, like as the veterans of this shit and as the oldest ones there, the grown ups, they feel like its their fault. .

But they arent dustin, or mike, or lucas. They didnt know him like that. They probably think that they have no right to mourn and grieve and even just miss eddie like the hellfire club does. They might have some sick twisted idea that it would be disrespectful to Wayne to grieve him openly when they weren't anything to him in school. It just... its crazy to think about what might be going through their heads.

[blogger360ncislarules]

Unforgotten, the critically acclaimed crime drama created and written by Chris Lang, has started filming on a sixth season. Sinéad Keenan and Sanjeev Bhaskar reprise their roles as DCI Jess James and DI Sunil ‘Sunny’ Khan as their dynamic on-screen partnership returns to investigate emotionally charged cold cases from the past, unravelling secrets and unearthing buried truths along the way.

The new season will be directed by Andy Wilson (Ripper Street, Spooks, The Forsyte Saga) who has been the sole director responsible for directing each of the previous 30 episodes across five seasons of the successful drama.

“I am absolutely delighted to be stepping into the world of Unforgotten once more,” Keenan said. “To be involved with the incredible team…on yet another set of stellar scripts from Chris Lang, with the brilliant Andy Wilson at the helm is a real treat. And to get to work again with Sanjeev, Carolina, Jordan, Pippa, and Georgia is an absolute joy. To call it *work* is a total misnomer. I can’t wait to get started!”

“I’m humbled and excited to be back as Sunny Khan, bearing the backpack for series 6 of Unforgotten,” said  Bhaskar. “Chris’s scripts, as ever, are intriguing, detailed and empathetic.  Andy’s direction and the skill of Sinéad and the cast make this a warm and creative experience that is so much more than a job.  Once again I feel lucky to be a part of it.”

“I’m incredibly excited to be about to start filming the sixth series of Unforgotten, with a story that has been gestating for nearly eight years, since the 23rd June 2016, when our country seemed to fracture in two,” Lang said. “The UK, and indeed the world, has today never seemed more divided, and series six attempts to try and understand how we got to where we are now, and perhaps more importantly, where we can go from here.”

Joining Sinéad and Sanjeev for this series are Victoria Hamilton (Cobra, His Dark Materials), MyAnna Buring (The Responder, The Witcher, The Salisbury Poisonings), acting newcomers Max Fairley and Elham Elas, and legendary British actors Jan Francis and Damien Maloney with returning performances from Andrew Lancel (Bolan’s Shoes, Unforgotten, The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe) as Jess’s husband Steve and Kate Robbins (Unforgotten, The Couple Next Door, Death in Paradise) as her mother Kate.

Jess and Sunny’s loyal and hard-working police team are also back including Jordan Long as DS Murray Boulting, Carolina Main as DC Fran Lingley and Pippa Nixon as DC Kaz Willets. Georgia Mackenzie who plays pathologist Dr. Leanne Balcombe is also returning to the show.

In Season 6, when suspected human remains are discovered on Whitney Marsh, Jess and Sunny are called to the scene. With Dr Balcombe’s expert analysis of the human spine, it’s evident the remains are relatively recent and her guess is the body was put there already dismembered. With this knowledge Jess and Sunny begin to search the area believing other body parts may not be too far away.

In the meantime, we’re introduced to outspoken television commentator Melinda Ricci (MyAnna Buring) who is based in Ireland and renowned for her forthright views, Martin ‘Marty’ Baines (Max Fairley) an autistic man who lives with his mother, Dot, in Deal, Kent, Asif Syed (Elham Elas), an Afghan who speaks fluent English and is training for his UK citizenship test, and Juliet Cooper (Victoria Hamilton) who is a history lecturer and faculty head at a central London University.

Each of these characters live separate lives, yet they are intrinsically linked by their past and it’s for Jess, Sunny and their team to unravel these connections in search of the truth, and ultimately, who perpetrated the cold case murder.

[arpov-blog-blog]

I listened to an interview with Simon Rosen on the 'Meidas Touch Network' about a month before the 2022 midterm elections. Almost every issue he discussed was on point. He explained the data he was seeing that indicated no 'Red Wave'. He pinpointed where the votes would come from and where Democrats had their best chances, including Senate races in Nevada, Arizona, and Georgia. Let's put aside the current mainstream media's constant horse race reporting on polling numbers and look at what he has to say now.

...."There are three story lines I’m focused on as we close out the year:

The Strong Democratic Performance Since Dobbs - It’s The Most Important Electoral Data Out There Now

The Remarkably Robust American Economy Gives Biden A Strong Foundation For His Re-Election

Trump’s Historic Baggage Is Being Overly Discounted in Current Analysis About 2024

But Remember, Presidents are not selected by the popular vote alone. They are elected based on the Electoral College vote count. Turnout for Democrats in states like Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Nevada are now the pivotal 'Swing States. Let’s begin with my basic take on where we are now:

Joe Biden is a good President. The country is better off and we will have a strong case for re-election. The Democratic Party is strong and winning elections across the county. And they have Trump.

Let’s drill down a bit more:

The Strong Democratic Performance Since Dobbs - It’s The Most Important Electoral Data Out There Now - We clearly have not learned the central lesson from the red wave failure of 2022, and continue to center our understanding of American politics around polling. If we centered our understanding around actual election results, rather than noisy and increasingly unreliable polling, here is what we would see:

We Keep Winning Elections - Democrats won in 2018 and 2020, outperformed all expectations in 2022, and did so again in 2023. As it did in 2022, very noisy polling is having a hard time capturing what is really happening in American politics. This recent wave of polling feels a bit red wavy to me as even though Biden was down a bit we had what was in essence a blue wave election on November 7th, which was proceeded by strong Dem electoral performances across the US throughout 2023. In 2022 Republicans could point to a few places they did well, despite our overall success. There was no place they could point to in 2023, anywhere in the country, on any day, in any election, where they did well. To me our continued strong performance in elections across the US the most important electoral data out there, and is the central reason I am optimistic about 2024. When people vote, we just keep outperforming expectations, and they keep struggling.

A Reminder of How Strong Our Post-Dobbs Performance Has Been - In 2022, a “red wave” year, post-Dobbs Democrats outperformed 2020 in 5 US House special elections in AK, MN, NE NY by an average of 7 points; we got to 59% in the Kansas statewide abortion referendum; we outperformed 2018 and 2020 in the 2022 early vote all across the country; we gained a US Senate seat, won 4 state legislative chamber, gained 2 governorships net and won enough seats in the House to deny Republicans ideological control. We gained ground over 2020 in AZ, CO, GA, MI, MN, NH and PA, and got to 59% in CO, 57% in PA, 55% in MI, 54% in NH. In 2023 we flipped the WI Supreme Court Seat, getting to 56% in this critical battleground. We flipped Colorado Springs and Jacksonville, two of the largest Republican held cities in America. We got to 57% in Ohio twice, and took away its six week abortion ban. We flipped the state house in Virginia, and proved that even the 15 week abortion ban, backed by a popular governor and lots of money, cannot provide a safe haven for Republicans on abortion. We gained state legislative seats in New Jersey, Gov Beshear grew his margin in KY, and we won cities and school board seats all across the country. According to the Daily Kos special election tracker, Democrats have outperformed 2020, an election we won by 4.5 points, by an average of 6 points in 37 special state house elections across the US. For the party in power to keep doing this well, in race after race, in elections of all kinds, in every region of the country, over two election years, augers very well for the Democrats in 2024.

Democrats Are In A Remarkable Period of Popular Vote Dominance - A new theory out there is that even though Dems keep performing well in these special elections, off year elections, mid-term elections, school board elections, run-off elections, mayoral elections, ballot initiatives in red states, and every type of election one can imagine, somehow when the electorate gets bigger next year we will struggle. But what has actually happened as the electorate has gotten bigger in recent years? Dems are in a period of unprecedented dominance in the popular vote. We’ve won more votes in 7 of the past 8 general elections, something no other political party has done in American history. In the last 4 Presidential elections we’ve averaged 51% of the vote, the GOP 46% (51%-46%, +5). The last time we did that well was during FDR’s 4 elections all the way back in the 1930s and 1940s. For Trump to win the popular vote next year he will have to do something only a single Republican has done since 1992 and I just don’t believe this disgraced, despicable, insurrectionist is going to be the one to pull that off. We are a center-left country today, and the extremism of MAGA has made it even more so in recent years. The Democratic Party is very strong right now."

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Canary Media:

When prominent entrepreneur Jigar Shah took over as head of the Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office in 2021, he had one primary mission: To get ​“dollars out the door.”

Now the office, which offers financing to clean energy technologies that struggle to borrow from banks and received a huge boost of money from the Inflation Reduction Act, is rushing to do just that before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. The incoming president, flanked by Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress, is expected to target unspent funds under the IRA, including LPO programs — putting at risk billions of loan dollars yet to be granted or finalized.

With Inauguration Day looming, the office has increased its activity in recent weeks. Since last Monday alone, the LPO announced four new conditional commitments for loans and loan guarantees and finalized a pending offer.

On Tuesday [December 3, 2024], long-duration energy storage company Eos closed a $303.5 million DOE loan guarantee to help it scale production. The day before [December 2, 2024], the DOE stated it planned to lend up to $7.5 billion to finance two electric vehicle battery manufacturing plants in Kokomo, Indiana. And one week earlier, the agency announced a conditional loan guarantee of nearly $5 billion to finance Grain Belt Express Phase 1, an interregional transmission line that will run between Ford County, Kansas, and Callaway County, Missouri.

Last Monday [November 30, 2024], the agency also announced conditional commitments for a direct loan of $6.6 billion to Rivian to build an EV manufacturing plant in Stanton Springs North, Georgia, and a loan guarantee of $290 million to Sunwealth to deploy up to a thousand solar PV systems and battery energy storage systems across 27 states.

Under the Biden administration, LPO has so far doled out just under $55 billion in funding across 32 deals for battery and EV manufacturing, nuclear reactors, ​“clean” hydrogen facilities, virtual power plants, and critical minerals projects. The majority of the LPO’s investments have gone to Republican districts, according to a Politico analysis.

Most of the financing deals LPO has announced — about $41 billion worth — remain conditional, meaning the loans or loan guarantees are not yet finalized and depend on the companies meeting certain benchmarks.

Legal experts say that while the LPO’s 14 closed loans, which total more than $13 billion in investments, should remain safe from Republican backlash, delaying or undoing conditional funds could be much easier. ​“Immediately following inauguration of the new president, there is likely to be a period of inaction on financial assistance awards that are in negotiation and on announced funding opportunities,” wrote Hogan Lovells attorney Mary Anne Sullivan.

[georgiaturfspecialists]

Expert Guide to Residential Turf Installation and Management in Georgia

Homeowners contemplating residential turf installation georgia must be aware of the region's distinct climatic and soil conditions. Georgia's climate varies from humid subtropical in the south to more temperate zones in the north, affecting the choice of turf and installation techniques. A comprehensive evaluation of the land, including soil analysis to ascertain pH levels and nutrient content, precedes the installation procedure. This is crucial as it guides the selection of the most suitable turf variety. Homeowners should also consider the amount of sunlight and shade their yard receives, as different turf types have varying light requirements. Professional turf installers can provide invaluable guidance in this initial stage, ensuring the chosen turf thrives in Georgia's diverse environmental conditions.

Choosing the Right Turf:

Selecting the correct type of turf is a critical decision in the residential turf installation process in Georgia. Popular choices include Bermuda, Zoysia, and Fescue, each offering distinct advantages depending on the specific needs of the area. Because of its resistance to high temperatures and substantial foot traffic, Bermuda grass is an excellent choice for active family yards. Zoysia offers a dense, soft carpet-like feel, suitable for both sun and shade and is known for its aesthetic appeal. Fescue, on the other hand, thrives in more excellent areas and provides a lush green appearance. Consulting with a turf specialist is recommended to determine the best type for your specific location, taking into account factors like maintenance requirements, drought resistance, and overall appearance.

Installation Process and Techniques:

The installation of residential turf in Georgia is a process that requires precision and expertise. Preparation of the site is critical, involving clearing the area of weeds, rocks, and debris, followed by leveling and grading to ensure proper drainage. The next step involves laying the turf, which must be done carefully to avoid gaps or overlaps that can lead to uneven growth or disease. Professionals often use specialized equipment to ensure the turf is laid evenly and securely. Post-installation, the turf requires regular watering to establish roots, a critical phase for the turf's long-term health and appearance. This phase demands attention to detail and consistency to ensure the turf is well-established and ready for regular use.

Essential Care and Management Practices:

After the successful installation of residential turf in Georgia, ongoing management, often referred to as residential turf management georgia, is essential to maintain its health and appearance. Regular mowing is crucial, and it should be done at the height recommended for the specific type of turf installed. Over or under-watering can be detrimental, so understanding the watering needs of your turf type is essential. Fertilization plays a vital role in providing necessary nutrients, and it should be done at recommended intervals. Seasonal aeration and dethatching are also essential to maintain soil health and allow for better water and nutrient absorption. Homeowners should be aware of common pests and diseases that can affect turf in Georgia and take preventive measures or seek professional help when needed.

Conclusion:

Residential turf installation and management in Georgia require a careful approach tailored to the specific conditions of the region. Homeowners seeking these services should consider consulting professionals who have the expertise and knowledge of local conditions. Companies like GeorgiaTurfSpecialists.com offer comprehensive solutions, ensuring that your lawn not only looks beautiful but is also healthy and sustainable in the long term. With the proper professional guidance, your residential turf in Georgia can be a source of pride and joy for many years.

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