#god i love that show. in houston it was on at prime time every night right after the simpsons and from what i hear that is NOT universal | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

suspiriu-m · 4 years ago

Text

About Me

Hello! My name is Sal and welcome to my blog, Suspirium! Suspirium is a word that originates from one of my favorite movies, Luca Guadagnino’s 2019 remake of Dario Argento’s classic italian horror movie Suspiria. According to World of Dictionary, Suspirium is a Latin word meaning “Deep breath, sigh”. It’s also the title of one of my favorite songs from the soundtrack to the movie produced by Thom Yorke of Radiohead. I’m a huge horror movie buff so expect to see a lot of that sort of content on my blog if I can incorporate it into any of my work. I chose this as the title of my blog because of how well the word fits into the movie, and I just love the way it sounds. Anybody who’s watched the movie will understand, but I won’t go into detail as to not spoil it for anybody who hasn’t yet seen it.

Throughout my highschool years I technically went to two schools. My main and home school was Middletown High School, and my secondary school was Orange Ulster Boces in Florida New York. In high school I was always in media production and art classes. For example, photography, video editing, drawing & painting classes and my favorite was an Elements of Horror class I took my senior year. Horror being my favorite genre, I absolutely had to take a class that’s dove into the origins of classic horror novels, films and short stories. Leading to me finding my favorite classic horror story Dracula by Bram Stoker, and a multitude of stories by H.P. Lovecraft. Continuing on now to college i’m now majoring in Media Production while also still taking some classes in Marketing and Design! I really enjoy both a lot so it’s hard to kind of pick exactly which I want to do, but it’s nice knowing that no matter what path I finally choose I'll still have some experience in the other!

Aside from my education, I love to watch horror movies and read stories in my own free time. Movies in general are a huge hobby of mine and I watch at least 3-4 a week given I have the time. Some of my favaroties of all time concerning classics have got to be the Halloween series, The Evil Dead series and all four of the Scream movies. Other hobbies of mine that take up a huge part of my life and time are video games and music. I have a pretty big record collection that’s continuously growing with at least 80-90 albums and counting. I just recently purchased a few more to add being Sade’s Diamond Life, Whitney Houston’s Whitney and Whitney Houston albums, Lazaretto by Jack White, Texas Sun by Khruangbin & Leon Bridges and Petals for Armor by Hayley Williams. Hopefully my next additions will be What’s Your Pleasure? by Jessie Ware and The Baby by Samia. I’ve been collecting them for years, but especially now since even CD’s are starting to go out of style. I’m the kind of person who still likes to have physical copies of all my music and movies and games so having such big collection is super special to me.

In terms of video games, I try and play as wide of a variety that I can because I believe I can find something I like in any genre. Strategy, shooters, brawlers, online competitive games etc, but I think my favorite style of game is single-player, narrative driven experiences. Most recently I played The Last of Us Part II and was absolutely enthralled with it. I loved the first game so much so getting a sequel was something I was extremely grateful for. I don’t think video games get enough credit for what they do for storytelling. TLOU 1 and 2 are some of my favorite stories that I have experienced in any form of media. The heartbreak, pain, love, fear and excitement those games have succeeded in giving me while just sitting in front of my TV is something no other form of entertainment has brought me. Some of the most touching moments, but also the most excruciating. They also had a queer women front and center throughout the games which is something that isn’t very common in video games so seeing that was really nice to me. Other than The Last of Us, some other solid narrative driven games I’ve played are God of War, Uncharted 1-4, Marvel’s Spider-Man, The Tomb Raider Reboots, Ghost of Tsushima, the Batman Arkham series and Control.

Although story based games are my favorites that doesn’t mean I don’t have a place in my heart for some good old fashioned fun as well! I also really enjoy a lot of the Super Mario and Legend of Zelda games as well. My biggest pet peeve that I have with the gaming industry right now though is Fortnite. I think it’s literally the most annoying game ever created. People spend hundreds and thousands of dollars just to buy skins and weapon packs and I think it’s absolutely ridiculous. The fact that I work at a major video game retailer and constantly have kids running through my store screaming about the damn game at least once a day could also contribute to my hatred. Either way, I want no part and absolutely nothing to do with it.

Going back to queer representation though. I recently watched Pose over the summer. Not only was the show heavily based during the AIDS epidemic in New York City, almost the entirety of the main cast was comprised of Transgender Black women. On prime time television! This is the first show to ever achieve such a feat. Not only was the cast extremely talented, I thought the writing and production of the show as a whole was brilliant. It definitely has its flaws and I could point out a few of them, but I believe all of the good of the show far outweighs the bad. It’s not afraid to tackle extremely real and difficult subjects the Transgender and Black communities have faced in this country and all over the world. It’s so important to see content like this on television as well because EVERYBODY deserves representation. Not only was the cast Trans, but one of the lead writers of the series Janet Mock is also a Black Trans woman! Pose was filled with heartfelt moments that truly had me sobbing in my bed as I watched. I think I actually cried at pretty much every single episode for both seasons. The cast is brilliant, the realism and talent and star power they bring to the show is like nothing that I’ve ever seen before and I’m so glad to be able to see them up on my television. I so badly one day hope that I can be behind the scenes of producing a show of this caliber some day.

While I have yet to help in the production of a show like this, I have had my fair share of of making short films, music videos and even assisting on a friend of mine’s first full length movie that he submitted to festivals. Last year, I had the opportunity to shoot a short horror film with my classmates for our final project. The film was based around a young woman getting trapped at her school in the middle of a blizzard, and slowly beginning to realize that she may not be alone. In a fight for her life, she has to survive till morning while going up against a mysterious killer who lurks the halls of her small town college. Sadly, we didn’t have enough time to produce a full and finalized cut of the film but coming together and working with a few other classmates was still a really fun experience. Not only was I able to play the role of the killer, I aided in audio, music selection, location scouting, props department, shot planning and writing the movie and it was a great time. I also had the pleasure of helping out my friend Matt Vincini in shooting his short film The Cattle Farmer. A horror/thriller film about a boy who is adopted into a family, only to realize that his life might have been planned from the start. It featured a mysterious woodland family who may or may not have had cannibalistic tendencies that included their adopted children. It was a super cool experience to be on a set with a bunch of actors and seeing my friend in action in the role of director. Collaborating on projects like this with friends is always a fun time, even it does get stressful at some points. At one point in the film, one of the characters realizes that the dinner he is currently eating could quite possible be his last meal ever. Which kinda let me to thinking what my last meal would be. After some thinking, I think i’d definitely have to choose my families homemade pasta and meatballs. I know, pretty stereotypical for an Italian family but it’s just so good. We make our own sauce every september and it’s a huge family event. Everybody comes together and one of our houses and it’s literally a whole days worth of work. The best part? At the end of the night, we all have a huge feast and make pasta and meatballs with all of the sauce we just made. It’s one of my favorite things to do with my family and always one of my favorite meals. Not only is it delicious, but also sentimental.

This is all for now! Thanks for stopping by my blog and reading a little bit about me. I could probably keep rambling on for hours but I don’t think that’s the smartest idea. I can’t wait to fill this blog with more content this year and hope to hear from you guys as well! Until then, i’ll be watching more movies and DEFINITELY playing some more games. At this point i’ve been playing the new Marvel’s Avengers video game so, let me get back to kicking some AIM ass!

6 notes · View notes

blognime444 · 3 years ago

Text

Autobiography

Hi my name is Lhiane Ramos and I was born in Imus City, December 4 2002. I am the eldest and my brother is 1 year old. The two towns where I have resided most of my life are Imus City and Taguig City. Different events in my life have directed this path depending on the circumstances I found myself in.

I grew up in a filipino family where the provider, my mother, was susceptible to layoffs every year. I quickly learned about the powers of an employer and a union’s visions. Unemployment insurance, as it was called back then, was a subject of discussion over many dinners. This way of life caused a great deal of stress for the family.

Fast Forward to now, I'm 18 years of age and I'm doing great. As a matter of fact, i'm graduating senior high school this coming week and i'm very grateful and happy because i've come this far.

Biography

Ariana Grande Biography (1993–)

Ariana Grande is a sitcom-star-turned-pop music sensation, known for such hit songs as "Problem," "Bang Bang," "Dangerous Woman" and "Thank U, Next."

Who Is Ariana Grande?

Ariana Grande began performing onstage when she was a child. Her involvement in a Broadway play at age 15, followed by some small TV parts, helped her land the role of Cat on TV's Victorious. She followed that with the spinoff Sam & Cat and then dove headfirst into a chart-topping musical career, releasing five albums: Yours Truly (2013), My Everything (2014), Dangerous Woman (2016), Sweetener (2018) and Thank U, Next (2019).

Early Years

Grande was born on June 26, 1993, in Boca Raton, Florida, to Edward Butera, a graphic designer, and Joan Grande, a businesswoman. She took to singing and acting at a young age and made her way onto the local theater scene before she was a teenager. Her first big break came in 2008 when the 15-year-old landed the role of Charlotte in the Broadway production of 13, a play focusing on life growing up in New York City. The early role led to accolades, and Grande won a National Youth Theatre Association Award.

Two years later, she appeared in the musical Cuba Libre and had a small role on a TV show called The Battery’s Down.

Television Roles

Grande landed her breakout role in the Nickelodeon series Victorious. Victorious was set at a performing arts high school, and Grande was cast as a goofy aspiring singer-actress named Cat Valentine. While busy with the show, Grande nevertheless pursued a musical career, making her first appearance on a record with the Victorious soundtrack. And in 2011, Grande released the single "Put Your Hearts Up," a pop song aimed at the hearts of her young Victorious audience. The show's devoted fan base voted Victorious Favorite TV Show at the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

When Victorious went off the air in 2012, Grande's character Cat Valentine survived. She went to star in the Nick spin-off Sam & Cat, co-starring iCarly’s Jennette McCurdy. Sam &

Cat wasn’t on long when rumors began to swirl that Grande wasn’t particularly enjoying the experience, and the show came to an abrupt end after 35 episodes (2013-14).

Albums and Songs

'Yours Truly' & 'My Everything'

“The Way” was the first single from Grande’s debut album, Yours Truly, a record that also featured the hits "Baby I" and "Right There." The album, produced by super-producer Babyface, showed a maturing Grande, and 1990s soul influences from pop diva Mariah Carey. The 2014 release My Everything sold 169,000 copies in its first week, debuting at No. 1. The single “Problem,” featuring Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, preceded the album release and debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100, selling more than 400,000 copies upon its release. “Break Free” with Zedd and “Love Me Harder” with The Weeknd followed, each climbing toward the top of the charts.

"Bang Bang," "One Last Time"

During the summer of 2014, Grande teamed up with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj on the single “Bang Bang,” a track that debuted at No. 6 and peaked at No. 3 in the United States. The album spawned another hit single “One Last Time,” which reached number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Grande had three hit singles from My Everything on the Billboard chart at the same time.

Dangerous Woman'

In 2015 Grande released Christmas & Chill, a holiday album, and the single "Focus," which debuted at number seven on the Billboard's Hot 100. In February 2016, she released her third album Dangerous Woman, and the title track debuted at number 10 on the Hot 100 that March. She made music history with the track's success, becoming the first artist to have the lead singles from her first three albums debut in the Top 10. Dangerous Woman, which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, also features collaborations with Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Macy Gray and Future.

'Sweetener'

Grande returned to the charts in April 2018 with "No Tears Left to Cry," the catchy, upbeat response to the previous year's Manchester concert bombing. She followed in June with the dance track "The Light Is Coming," featuring Minaj; dropped the sultry "God Is a Woman" in mid-July; and delivered "Breathin" in September. The four releases were included in her highly anticipated album Sweetener, which debuted in mid-August, as was a track about her whirlwind romance with Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson. The overall success of Sweetener led to her first Grammy win, for Best Pop Vocal Album, in February 2019.

'Thank U, Next'

Grande quickly returned to the studio to produce her fifth album, Thank U, Next. The title track hit airwaves in early November 2018, and another chart-topper, "7 Rings," arrived in

January 2019. The album debuted in February to strong praise, alongside a new single, "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored."

In April 2019 the 25-year-old songstress demonstrated her drawing power by becoming the youngest performer ever to headline Coachella, as well as just the fourth woman to earn the honor. Her collaborations from around this time include "Rule the World," with 2 Chainz, "Monopoly," with Victoria Monét, and "Boyfriend," with Social House. Later that year Grande joined Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey for the single "Don't Call Me Angel," from the Charlie's Angels soundtrack.

Grande continued with the collaborations into 2020, her joint effort with Justin Bieber on "Stuck With U" hitting the Billboard top spot in May before she joined Lady Gaga for "Rain on Me" later in the month.

'Positions'

Her third album in just two years, Grande released positions in October 2020 to generally positive reviews.

Bombing at Dangerous Woman Tour

In 2017 Grande performed the title track for the soundtrack of the live action movie Beauty and the Beast. In February of that year, she began her Dangerous Woman tour across North America and then Europe. On May 22, 2017, tragedy struck after Grande finished a concert in Manchester, England and a suicide bomber detonated a bomb at the exit of the concert hall, killing 22 people and wounding 116, including many young adults and children. "All acts of terrorism are cowardly... but this attack stands out for its appalling sickening cowardice, deliberately targeting innocent, defenseless children and young people who should have been enjoying one of the most memorable nights of their lives," British Prime Minister Theresa May

said after the attack.

The pop star responded to the horrific act on Twitter.

Less than a day after the attack, Grande suspended her Dangerous Woman tour. She returned to Manchester 13 days after the attack to perform a benefit concert on June 4 for the bombing victims, enlisting friends and fellow superstars to perform including Bieber, Cyrus, Katy Perry, Liam Gallagher, Chris Martin, and Pharrell Williams. Before the concert, Grande visited fans who had been injured in the attack, and she also offered 14,000 free tickets to people who had been at the May 22 concert.

Grande resumed her tour on June 7th in Paris, posting in Instagram: "First show back tonight. Thinking of our angels every step of the way. I love you with all my heart. Grateful for and incredibly proud of my band, dancers and entire crew. I love you. I love you."

The following year, the singer revealed that she was still feeling the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder from the event. "It's hard to talk about because so many people have

suffered such severe, tremendous loss," she told British Vogue. "I don't think I'll ever know how to talk about it and not cry."

Awards

Among her many accolades, Grande has won six iHeartRadio Music Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards and three American Music Awards. She has also earned 12 Grammy nominations and one win.

Acting

The pop diva returned to television with a guest appearance on Scream Queens in 2015, and she hit the big screen in a cameo appearance in Zoolander 2 in 2016. She also starred as Penny Pingleton, Tracy Turnblad's best friend, in NBC's Hairspray Live! in December 2016.

Grande has also become a popular host of Saturday Night Live, bringing her musical and acting talents to the show, including uncanny impersonations of fellow pop divas Britney Spears, Shakira, Rihanna, Celine Dion and Whitney Houston in a skit spoofing the streaming service Tidal.

In February 2020 Grande made a guest appearance on season 2 of Jim Carrey's Showtime series Kidding.

Fragrances, Charities and Social Media

In addition to her musical and acting projects, Grande has launched two fragrances "Ari by Ariana Grande" and "Frankie by Ariana Grande" with her brother Frankie Grande.

When she is not performing, the pop superstar supports various charitable causes including Kids Who Care, a group she co-founded that raises money for charities in the South Florida region. She also has cultivated a massive social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, and landed on Time magazine's list of "The 100 Most Influential People" in 2016.

Personal Life

Grande went public with her romance with her "The Way" collaborator Mac Miller in August 2016. The pair split in May 2018 after almost two years of dating. "I respect and adore him endlessly and am grateful to have him in my life in any form, at all times regardless of how our relationship changes or what the universe holds for each of us!" Grande posted on Instagram.

On June 11, 2018, People magazine confirmed that the singer was engaged to SNL's Davidson, her boyfriend of several weeks. Subsequent attention focused on their affectionate social media posts directed at one another, though the couple found themselves in an awkward position when footage surfaced of Davidson making a joke about the Manchester concert bombing months earlier.

Grande was devastated by Miller's death from an accidental drug overdose in September 2018, a development that seemingly impacted her relationship with Davidson. By October 2018, the singer and comedian had split.

Grande went on to date Social House's Mikey Foster, before sparking a relationship with real estate agent Dalton Gomez. The pair got engaged in December 2020 and wed in May 2021.

Reflection Essay

As I lay down to reflect, I can say that my life's getting better, unlike the past few months that I'm suffering from depression. I thought I couldn't make it to graduation but here I am realizing and writing down here my reflection in life. I may not be the best student, but I'm trying my best to do my work and to be alive. I could say that all of our suffering right now has an end. Whether it's big or small.

Memoir

One gloomy day, my friends and I decided to go to a cafe to unwind. We got our own wheels and drove to the nearest cafe. Once we got there, we ordered a lot of ice coffees and some food. After that, we decided to go for a road trip. Those were some of my unforgettable moments in my life because my mom usually didn't allow me to go to far places and had a curfew. After our road trip, we went to the nearest McDonalds and got some snacks.

Facial Recognition

In a world of chaos, pain and suffering. As I look forward to seeing you again, It makes my trials and tribulations less hectic knowing that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. At the end of the day I’ll see you again. You make me happy. Tall boy with dark hair and shy smiles and who smells good. I was in love. He was my type, manly and he had a smile that could save humanity. He’s supportive and encouraging. He always pushes me to do better . He has a unique voice and I realized, his voice is my favorite sound. He is wonderful in everything he does. He never really spends much time caring about he dresses. He keeps it simple all the time with his simple white round neck shirt and black sweat short. I love how he’s open minded and just vibe whatever I talk about. He have great strength and he always have a goal in his mind. His arm is

well-shaped. His eye are everything. Thick eyebrows are my favorite and also his long eyelashes he doesn’t deserve. He looks so perfect for me. His body was fit. He mean everything to me that’s why I like him so much. He wears strength and darkness equally well.

The man has always been half goddess, half hell. He is benevolent and easy to be with. Not only of his physical appearance, that made me fall in love, but the loving personality he has. He has one of those charismatic personalities that are hard to find as of now. He is a kind man, a gentleman one.

Travelogue

Hidden Beauty of Siniloan

October 30 year 2016, our family decided to go to a place where we can unwind. My mom is working at the Schools Division Office and guess what? They will be having a hiking at October 30 also, so we decided to come with them. Hiking with the higher officials of DepEd, it’s kinda awkward but it’s okay. I thought that I will be having a hard time socialize with them but I was wrong, they are amazing and very friendly that made our adventure more memorable.

The experience we’ve had before during and after our hiking was irreplaceable. I remember when were on our way to Siniloan, I vomited because the roadgoing to Siniloan was very curved and I feel so dizzy that time. That was an epic experience for me. When we finally reached our destination, we’ve had our orientation about the do’s and don’ts during hiking. The tour guide told us that the hiking will last for hours. I was so shocked that time, “Will I survive this?” I said to my cousins and we started ranting about it. During our hiking, I and my cousins kept on asking our tour guide, “Kuya we’ve been walking for almost five hours, when we will reach our destination? We are so damn tired”. Our tour guide was a liar, because he kept on saying that were near but the truth is were not yet near. After walking for almost six hours, finally we’ve reached our real destination, I thought it would be a normal hiking experience but I was wrong, the perfect flow of the water from the peak of the mountain turned my poker face into a very amazed one like a kid. A very beautiful twin waterfalls. I was so amazed and overwhelmed. We didn’t care how tired we were because the crystal clear water of the falls encouraged us to swim.

After that very tiring day, I realized that it’s okay to be tired because it’ll be worth it, and I realized that God’s creation is really a blast.

Self-Obituary

“If I could just turn back the time, I will correct all of my mistakes and wrong decisions in life.” As a teenager, we are known to be vulnerable, we are soft and weak that’s why we tend to do things that were not good for us and others.

I overthink, and overthinking kills my happiness. I usually think negative thoughts, which hinders my productivity because all that I think was everything that I do is a failure. I distanced myself to others and even to my parents and friends. I always feel that I’m such a disappointment to everyone. I always sleep late, staring at the ceiling and thinking of some random thoughts.

Everything’s a mess. Everything in me was a mess. I let other people come and go, I let them hurt me and leave me hanging on air. I made some quick decisions in life that brings a huge impact on what I am as of now. I am slowly dying.

Everything we do has an equivalent consequence. I nearly died not physically but emotionally. “If I could just turn back the time, I will correct all of my mistakes and wrong decisions in life.” We can’t deny the fact that the past are still ghosting us. Some will say that if they will be given a chance to change everything from the past, they will change some decisions they did; but I do believe that I will not be here today if I changed some events from the past.

Every little thing that I did before has been a great part as who I am today. Life is short and we should not be regretting about everything we did before. We make mistakes and I think it

is the stepping stone for us to achieve our goals. We grow from different aspects and I think it’s normal.

We can no longer go back to what we once were, but we can make the best of a bad situation and appreciate everything instead of regretting from the past and everything

1 note · View note

flauntpage · 6 years ago

Text

The 5 Worst Contracts in the NBA

The below has been excerpted from this week's Outlet Pass, to get caught up on everything else you need to know in the NBA this week read the rest of the column here.

Remember the amnesty provision? That hilariously cruel mulligan each NBA franchise was awarded by collective bargaining negotiations just after the turn of the decade? Back then, long before the salary cap spiked, the length of a contract had enough power to prevent an entire fanbase from knowing how “hope” or “joy” truly felt. But now “bad contract” is almost an oxymoron. They still have the power to restrict flexibility but none are definitively untradable. Not every team needs to shed someone from their books, though there are a few deals that already/will inevitably keep general managers up at night. Here are the five worst.

1. Andrew Wiggins - $146.6 million through 2023

Wiggins may still become a quality NBA player, but nobody should argue against him being first on this list. He turns 24 in February, is already in his fifth season, has never come close to making an All-Star team and doesn’t project to ever do so. If someone asked “what’s your favorite Andrew Wiggins moment?” could you even name one? He’s barely making 40 percent of his two-point shots and is ten percent less accurate at the rim than he was a year ago.

There has been no progress as a rebounder, defender, or playmaker, and aside from the uptick in threes and changing hairstyle, he’s the exact same person today that he was when Cleveland drafted him first overall. That player possesses unteachable athletic gifts and is not astonishingly terrible, but how many first-round picks would the Timberwolves need to attach if they wanted to get off it? Two? Good luck to whichever team is paying Wiggins the $33.3 million he's due in 2023.

Until then, the Timberwolves are an independent record label that bet the farm on an incoherent Soundcloud rapper who isn’t gregarious, seductive, or talented enough to infiltrate the mainstream. It’s a sunk cost, and an embarrassing one at that.

2. John Wall - $188.5 million through 2023—including a player option

While there’s a small chance Wiggins actually improves through the life of his current contract, the same can’t be said about Wall, who, while not close to bad, isn’t young or consistently healthy enough to transform his game for the better. Wall is 28 years old but turns 32 right before the $46.8 million player option on this contract transforms whichever city he’s living in to Pompeii circa 79 A.D.

While his numbers remain All-Star caliber and his speed off a high screen is too blurry to comprehend, Wall's outside shooting has regressed, and for the first time since his rookie year the Wizards are better on offense when he's not on the floor. To justify this contract, Wall either needs to be the best player on his team, or the side-kick to someone good enough to make the Wizards a title contender. Right now neither is true. That’s a pretty big problem that doesn’t even speak to Wall's penchant for taking plays off on the other end, impersonating a statue whenever a shot goes up as his man rushes by to tip in the miss or grab the rebound. (He averages a comical 0.3 box outs per game, while averaging just over 34 minutes a night. Yikes.)

There’s a reason trading this version of Wall is so difficult, and, to be frank, wouldn't be easy even if his contract weren't a grand piano dangling overhead by a strand of dental floss. He's a point guard in decline, with weaknesses that don't mesh with the league's most irreversible trends. I personally enjoy watching him play, but that's because I'm not a 12-year-old Wizards fan.

3. Dion Waiters - $36.3 million through 2021

So, like, is Dion Waiters ever going to play again? His most recent game was December 22, 2017, and there’s no timetable for his return from [checks notes] instability in the left ankle. The dollar amount on this one isn’t a cap crippler, but $36.3 million is a lot of money to pay someone not to play, and couldn't strike the fear of God into anyone when he was 100 percent healthy. I wonder if/when the Miami Heat stretch Waiters and move on.

4. Nicolas Batum - $76.6 million through 2022—including a player option

While Kemba Walker demolishes defenses with a late-career leap that’s comparable to those made recently by Steph Curry and Isaiah Thomas, the Charlotte Hornets are quietly good enough to ignore those all-too-frequent nights when Nicolas Batum doesn't show up. Last night he scored two points in 30 minutes and it didn't even feel like an outlier. His usage has plummeted and he's averaging nearly five fewer minutes than he has throughout the previous six seasons. Batum isn’t finishing at the rim or hitting above-the-break threes, either. This is a problem.

"That's my job, to help him take his offense to another level, become more of a playmaker, more usage. That will take our offense to another level," Hornets head coach James Borrego said when I asked him about Batum's dwindling production. "We've been pretty good offensively so far. Kemba's usage has been pretty high all season. We're trying to balance out the roster right now and how we're playing offensively."

It's not like Batum has been bad, but he just clearly isn't what the Hornets prayed he'd be when they signed him to this contract. His PER is a career low 11.9 and, despite being more efficient than previous years, is not even averaging nine points a night. He turns 30 tomorrow. There are so many red flags; nothing about Batum's season is particularly uplifting for a Charlotte organization that's smashing piggy banks to prepare for Walker's looming payday.

Instead of peaking, Batum turning into dust.

5. Chris Paul - $159.7 million through 2022

This take might accelerate global warming, but Paul's contract is already an anvil. He's a six-foot point guard who turns 34 in May. There's no historical precedent for this type of player being an All-Star, and there are still three more guaranteed years left the on deal. He's currently averaging the fewest points per shot in his entire career, and Houston's offense is just so-so when he's on the court. Bleh.

Paul can still skate to his signature spots and create enough space for himself from the mid-post. Every so often he'll drill a step-back three or dribble a defender out of their Nikes, but that's few and far between relative to how impressive Paul looked last year. He's banged up, and that's a reasonable excuse. But at this price point there are no asterisks; Paul needs to play at a superstar level, and his struggle equals doom for a Rockets organization that desperately needs him to shine.

It's unclear how Houston's new ownership would feel if Daryl Morey traded Paul, but that's one of two short-term options for a team that entered the season with championship expectations. How much longer can Paul’s post-prime last? What could they get for him if it became clear they wanted to move on? This is a little silly. Paul deserves the benefit of the doubt because he's an all-time legend. But if they regain health, don't turn things around, and either miss the playoffs or get bounced in the first round, major changes feel like they'll be right around the corner.

Honorable mentions: Chandler Parsons, Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love

The 5 Worst Contracts in the NBA published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

0 notes

thetrumpdebacle · 7 years ago

Link

Transcript for Son becomes prime suspect in mom, brother’s murders: Part 3

Reporter: Sugar Land, one of the safest cities in America has just been the scene of a horrific crime. Apparently the whole family has been shot. Reporter: Two dead, two wounded. It looks like the scene of a horrific burglary gone bad or is it? There were some things that stuck out in our minds as being odd, but nothing that we could really hang our hat on to say, this is not what it appears. Reporter: To sergeant Marshall slot the signs of burglary didn’t seem quite right. The drawers being pulled out like they were and not rifled through was not typical of a burglary scene. Reporter: Nor was the fact that the only thing missing from the house was Bart’s cell phone. And the burglar leaves the gun, leaves all the electronics, but takes a cell phone that we couldn’t find in the scene. That was a real oddity that stuck out in everybody’s mind. Reporter: It’s the little details that can be the undoing of one who would devise the perfect crime. The first clues for police arise out of the whitakers’ last supper. It was a celebration of Bart’s announcement that he had just graduated from Sam Houston state university, but — Bart Whitaker had not aduated from Sam Houston state. Reporter: A tiny imperfection in Bart’s plot — that became a big crack. He had not even been attending the university. He was listed in their records as a freshman on academic probation. Reporter: In sergeant slot’s mind, now Bart is a person of interest. At the time you were celebrating this are you enrolled in college? I don’t even remember. I don’t think so. You weren’t graduating from college? Certainly not. No. Reporter: Bart lying to his parents about attending school when in fact he was hanging out in a townhouse they had given him as a present. We took that information immediately and went to Kent Whitaker first with it. Reporter: Kent is blindsided by his son’s lie. I realized — how could he be so stupid? I was so mad at him. I got in a wheelchair and wheeled down to his room and I just read him the riot act about how if he had been telling the truth he would not be a suspect. Reporter: He may be a proven liar, but there’s still no proof that Bart is a scheming killer. But then a police officer raises a big red flag when he remembers a call to this house two years earlier. Trish and I were awakened by a phone call from the Sugar Land police department telling us that Waco police had contacted them that Bart was on his way down here to kill us. It was something that a friend overheard Bart talking to his roommate about and they concluded that it was a misunderstanding. Reporter: Misunderstanding or not in light of the murders it is significant to sergeant slot. We’ve got the burglary scene that just doesn’t look right. We now know that the son is not graduating from Sam Houston. Reporter: And now a prior instance of an alleged plot by Bart Whitaker to kill his family. All those little pieces set off bells and whistles in our heads — just thinking, “We need to start looking at the son.” Reporter: They warn Bart’s father who refuses to believe that his son might be involved. I didn’t believe it for a minute. No. 57:00 — 7:54 P.M. Reporter: Indeed, sergeant slot was has a little more than a hunch about Bart and a lot of questions. How might he have orchestrated this? Who might he have talked to to get this done? Was this something where he was planning for a big jackpot, a payout, somehow? Officer Dubose is going to be playing the part of the suspect. Reporter: So sergeant slot returns to the whitakers’ home for a vote reenactment of the murders with the two survivors, in identical arm slings. I hear “Bang!” And the next thing I realize is that I’m lying down like this. Reporter: First with Kent — and then Bart. I got shot and I fell back into the couch and onto the floor. There were no other witnesses. So my only two sources of information, one of them is the father of the primary suspect. One of them is the primary suspect. So that was a juggling act. Reporter: Then a huge break from an mystery man who walks into the police station one night. Adam Hipp, a bank teller who went to high school with Bart. And then he dropped some bombs on me as far as, hey, Bart has contacted me before and asked me about making plans to kill his family. His father, his mother and his brother. Reporter: Adam Hipp claims Bart tried to recruit him as a shooter in an earlier murder plot. One of the plans that he laid out to me that he and Bart had discussed was the exact mirror image of the actual crime scene. Reporter: Sergeant slot decides to hatch a plot of his own. He eists Adam Hipp to trick his friend, Bart, on a trapped phone line. He told me how your mom and brother were killed and how your dad and you were shot. All that was very similar to what one of our plans was. Adam, stop saying “Our plan.” Okay. Stop saying tt. All right. I was very, very, very afraid of what he had to say. Reporter: On the phone tap Bart agrees to pay Adam $20,000 in hush money. You’ll pay at least $20,000? Yeah. All right, we’ll work out the details. Reporter: Using a courier service he sends Hipp a $250 down payment, but then he does something brazen, signing the waybill with the name of a murderer borrowed from a Hollywood movie. Anyone could have worked for size that was his power. Reporter: Kaiser soze, played by Kevin spacey, is the criminal mastermind in the hit film the “Usual suspects.” Latent fingerprints, that’s what all those markers are. Every one of them on the package that was identified came back to Bart Whitaker. Reporter: Now, the police know they must warn Kent Whitaker about his son. We feel wholeheartedly that he is responsible for this and that you are living with a murderer. Reporter: But, to protect the investigation sergeant slot gives no details to Kent Whitaker. I knew they couldn’t show their whole deck of cards, but they could at least tell me something if they wanted me to believe them. Kent’s response to me was, “You guys are either way wrong, or my son’s a monster.” Reporter: Despite the warning, Kent lets Bart move back home and for the next several months Bart spends every free moment with his father, playing the perfect son, studying the bible. He appeared as if he was really listening. And I told him, “Bart, I can’t read your heart. You’re either zero percent responsible or a hundred percent responsible. The point is that I love you. God has allowed me to forgive everyone involved.” He truly forgave the person that did this. I mean, he was the first real Christian that I’d ever met that really did what Jesus Christ told him to do. Reporter: He asked you point blank, “Did you do it, Bart?” Yeah. Reporter: And you said, “No, dad.” Yeah, I did. Reporter: Even though he was going to forgive you. Yeah, but it’s not that simple. I didn’t want to cause that pain on me primarily and on anyone else, secondarily. So, I just was weak. I was a coward. He was lying to everybody, he was fooling everybody. He did not move out of the home. And, it was very soon after that — Bart went missing. Reporter: Seven months after the murders, Bart’s abandoned SUV is found engine running outside a Houston apartment complex. And it was crushing because up until then, there was at least one member of my family that was still here. And now he’s gone. Reporter: But then a mystery man appears with evidence that would crack the case. Stay with us. And you look amazingly comfortable.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

via The Trump Debacle

#IFTTT #The Trump Debacle

0 notes

houstonlocalus-blog · 8 years ago

Text

Everyone Is Getting It: An Interview with Pixies

Pixies. Photo: Travis Shinn

In a time when bands seem to pass their prime almost as quickly as the band formed, it’s mind-boggling to really grasp the idea that there are certain groups that can tour for as long as they want and a consistent fan base will always be there to greet them with open arms. Thirty-one years ago, four kids from Boston started a band, probably unaware that they would go on to be one of the most influential bands around, obsessing the minds of bands like Nirvana up to on-tour band the Orwells. Prior to their show at White Oak Music Hall on Sunday, FPH spoke to Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago about the band’s latest release, their reunion, and crossword puzzles.

Free Press Houston: The band is set for a global tour, and it’s quite massive. Are those still as fun for you personally, or has it started to evolve into a bit more of a task?

Joey Santiago: It’s a little bit of both. It depends what’s going on. I mean, it depends on my mood, you know? Sometimes it’s a vacation, sometimes it’s work.

FPH: It’s been a little over a month on this tour and you’ve already played Japan, Australia, and even a stop in Africa. Where is it that the Pixies get the most love from fans? As in, are you guys Cheap Trick to anywhere?

Santiago: Well, basically Europe is a lot more acceptable to us. And obviously places that we haven’t been to. For example, South Africa was wonderful. We have never been there before that latest show. We got to play in front of 18,000 people. And, you know, obviously England — we call it our second home, especially London. They embrace us well there, the English. But everywhere is starting to catch on! Everyone is getting it. We’re part of this history, you know?

FPH: I’ve read that you have brought along a new stage setup with the help of production manager Simon Foster and lighting designer Myles Mangino. Why did the band feel it was necessary to change something like that up and what are the biggest differences between the old and new layout?

Santiago: God, I guess we just delegate that shit to people, you know? We trust them. As long as it’s moody and all of that stuff it’s fine, you know? We’ll only make a comment when there is something obviously wrong and we haven’t done it yet. As far as changing it, it has to change. Things need to revolve all the time, we feel that. It makes the lighting director’s job more enjoyable.

FPH: I also understand that the band isn’t using a setlist right now. When doing that, or perhaps not doing it, rather, does it honestly change the vibe of the show?

Santiago: Nah, but at the same time, you have a bunch of people in the same room. There’s one common thing shared: the vibe the crowd provides. It will go according to the size of the room — if it’s big, we’ll start off with something more eerie, that way the soundman can pile in the room. Some rooms really don’t work out, because the sound doesn’t absorb fast enough. It just depends on mind-reading what people want. And it also keeps us on our toes and entertains us. It’s a win-win situation. We, the audience and band, both get entertained by the change every night.

FPH: How important is this particular record to you? What was your personal goal for the release?

Santiago: It was to be raw and embrace it, not running away from what I really am. There’s a fine line between growing and having that sound. The sound is really simple. To me, it’s innate. I just have to tap into that rather than just do something that I’m not ready for.

FPH: Did you feel as if the latest album, Head Carrier, had to prove something with the departure of a founding member and the arrival of a new one?

Santiago: The only goal in the studio is to entertain ourselves and make good music. Everything else is really secondary.

FPH: Let’s talk about Paz. How did you guys meet her? Was it a matter of seeing her at an A Perfect Circle gig and deciding she’d make a great fit?

Santiago: No, it was just a recommendation from an agency I used to be signed to. I called them up and they were like, “Oh, there’s this new sheriff in town, and her name is Paz.” I was like, “Oh, who is this person? Let’s give her a shot.” So we gave her a shot. I have not actually seen A Perfect Circle live. When the Martini’s were together I don’t think A Perfect Circle was even around. So I’ve never really seen her live, but her reputation preceded her.

FPH: Being that there was quite a hiatus for the band, you came back strong, while most reunions are usually flops. Did it go as smooth as you thought? Were the fans just as excited to see the Pixies this time around?

Santiago: We went in a room, the three of us, Kim, David, and I, and we had an agreement that, if we sounded like shit, we would just shake hands and go on our merry way. But, you know, we were shocked that we have the same feedback. We were still the Pixies, we still had the sound. I mean, we have the same guitars and amps. It was pretty funny, actually. We really can’t help sounding like this, can we?

FPH: I recently interviewed a band and your band was brought up; they even have a video inspired by Black Francis. Being that you guys are a big inspiration to so many, who are some bands, perhaps even recently formed, that keeps the Pixies motivated about the future of the music you enjoy?

Santiago: Well, there’s so much music out there — I was never the guy to listen to current music. I pride myself to having this filter of old music, listening to old stuff and making it modern. The new music out there, I just don’t — it’s not a purpose. Also, we’re lucky enough that the Pixies has its own language, and we like it. We like the new stuff we’ve made it. It’s fun, it’s a puzzle we’re playing around with. We’re lucky with all of that. But as far as listening to music for enjoyment, it depends on my mood. Sometimes it’s silly, sometimes it’s serious. I go from jazz to Billy Preston, you know?

FPH: What is it that gives you entertainment on the road then? Is there a podcast we should know about? A book? Even a show on Netflix?

Santiago: Oh, crossword puzzles! That’s about it. I love puzzles. I try to keep up – geez, I don’t know! I wake up and I don’t know what I’ll be like. I think that’s enough of a challenge.

Pixies perform at White Oak Music Hall (2915 N. Main) with Public Access TV on April 30 at 6 pm.

Everyone Is Getting It: An Interview with Pixies this is a repost

0 notes

junerecords · 8 years ago

Text

THIS WEEK’S USED ARRIVALS

This Week’s Noteworthy Used LP Arrivals

AC/DC - Back In Black Albert Ayler, et al. - New York Eye & Ear Control John Coltrane - Ascension Stanley Cowell - Musa: Ancestral Streams (Original Pressing) Miles Davis - Miles In Tokyo (Japanese Import) Miles Davis - On The Corner (Original Pressing) Fairport Convention - Angel Delight (White Label Promo) Jef Gilson - The Best Of… 2LP Hayden - Us Alone Indigo Girls - Indigo Girls PE Hewitt Jazz Ensemble - Winter Winds: The Complete Works 3LP Linton Kwesi Johnson - In Concert 2LP Paul Kelly - Stealing In The Name Of The Lord Thelonious Monk - Newport 1959 Thelonious Monk - Two Hours With… 2LP Van Morrison - Moondance Idris Muhammad - You Ain’t No Friend Of Mine! (US Promo) Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me 3LP Public Image Ltd - 2nd Edition 2LP Lou Reed - Berlin (Original Pressing) Reign Ghost - Reign Ghost Sly & The Family Stone - Life (Original Pressing) Phil Upchurch - Phil Upchurch (Original Pressing) Tom Zé - Tom Zé *plus many more…

This Week’s Noteworthy Used 7” Arrivals

Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express - Inner City Blues Neasha Benjamin - Benji Darlin’ Jackie Bernard - Roots Music Charles Beverly - Stop & Think A Minute Black Ivory - What Goes Around (Comes Around) Boo & The Trutones - You Sexy Thing David Bowie - John, I’m Only Dancing David Bowie - Life On Mars/ Man Who Sold The World David Bowie - The Jean Genie/ Ziggy Stardust David Bowie - Young Americans Dennis Brown & Dhaima - A True Bobby Charles - Small Town Talk Lyn Collins - Rock Me Again & Again & Again… Crypton - All My Lifetime The Cure - Boys Don’t Cry Don Downing - Dream World Errol Dunkley - A Letter The Dramatics - Tune Up Patrick Duvet & His Sweet Perversions - Wake Up & Make Love With Me Earth, Wind & Fire - Let’s Groove Jackie Edwards - A Little Smile The Ex - Maybe I Was The Pilot Shelley Fabares - Football Seasons Over Aretha Franklin - Rock Steady Free Movement - I Can’t Move No Mountains René Halkett & David Jay - Nothing/ Armour Hammerhead - Moby Dick Beres Hammond - Freedom Beres Hammond & Marcia Griffiths - Live On Herbie Hancock - Palm Grease Thurston Harris - Little Bitty Pretty One George Harrison - My Sweet Lord Eddie Hazel - California Dreamin’ The Headhunters - God Make Me Funky Hell & Fire - Show Us The Way John Holt - Shame On You John Holt - You’ll Never Find Thelma Houston - Don’t Leave Me This Way Jimmy Hughes - Try Me The Independents - Leaving Me I-Roy - Musical Drifter I-Roy - Prime Minister Gregory Isaacs - Dancing Times Gregory Isaacs - Rumors Chuck Jackson - I Only Get This Feeling Garland Jeffreys - Wild In The Streets John Lennon - Whatever Gets You Thru The Night John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band - Power To The People Barrington Levy - Under The Sensi Hopeton Lewis - Life In The Ghetto The Love Foundation - Let One Hurt Do Pat Lundy - Let’s Get Down To Business Mebeus - Party Crazy Jacob Miller - Baby I Love You So Sugar Minott & Lady G. - Whole Hepa Man Modulations - Worth Your Weight In Gold Nitzer-Ebb - Hearts & Minds Johnny Osbourne - Chain Robbery Johnny Osbourne - Look Through The Window The Players’ Association - Love Hangover Dorothy Prince - I Lost A Love Prince Buster & The All Stars - Never Never Prince Jazzbo - Pepper Rock Procol Harum - Conquistador/Whiter Shade Of Pale Phophecy - What Ever’s Your Sign Quench Aid - Time After Time Red Red Meat - Hot Nickety Trunk Monkey Margaret Reynolds- Telephone Lover Side Effect - SOS Nathan Skyers - Give Me The Love Unlimited Touch - Searching To Find The One T-Rex - Telegram Sam T.U.M.E. - Love Shortage Anthony Watson - Solid Love Affair Fred Wesley & The New JB’s - It’s The JB’s Monaurail Joe White & Chuck/ Baba Brooks - Every Night/ First Session Betty Wright - Secretary Betty Wright - Slip & Do It Lloyd Young - Station To Station Zapp - Dance Floor *plus many more…

0 notes

flauntpage · 6 years ago

Text

The 5 Worst Contracts in the NBA

The below has been excerpted from this week's Outlet Pass, to get caught up on everything else you need to know in the NBA this week read the rest of the column here.

1. Andrew Wiggins - $146.6 million through 2023

2. John Wall - $188.5 million through 2023—including a player option

3. Dion Waiters - $36.3 million through 2021

4. Nicolas Batum - $76.6 million through 2022—including a player option

Instead of peaking, Batum turning into dust.

5. Chris Paul - $159.7 million through 2022

Honorable mentions: Chandler Parsons, Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love

The 5 Worst Contracts in the NBA published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

0 notes

flauntpage · 6 years ago

Text

The 5 Worst Contracts in the NBA

The below has been excerpted from this week's Outlet Pass, to get caught up on everything else you need to know in the NBA this week read the rest of the column here.

1. Andrew Wiggins - $146.6 million through 2023

2. John Wall - $188.5 million through 2023—including a player option

3. Dion Waiters - $36.3 million through 2021

4. Nicolas Batum - $76.6 million through 2022—including a player option

Instead of peaking, Batum turning into dust.

5. Chris Paul - $159.7 million through 2022

Honorable mention: Chandler Parsons, Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love

The 5 Worst Contracts in the NBA published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

0 notes