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gumnut-logic · 3 years ago

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This is the end, technically, but I need to write an epilogue to tie it all up, so one more bit :D

As always, thanks to @tsarinatorment and @janetm74 for the read through. I was a bit nervous about this one. I’ve had to jam it into so many tiny snippets of time, that it felt patchy and wonky. I’ve been assured it is okay, so hopefully you enjoy it anyway.

-o-o-o-

It took some time and some exhausting work on Virgil’s part, but eventually he could sit up and Scott arranged a press conference. Apparently, it was against his better judgment and he wanted Virgil to wait longer, but it had already been over a week and the presents kept rolling in.

So with a handmade Thunderbird Two themed beanie on his head to hide the mess of bandages and mangled hair - it had been Scott who flew in their barber to tidy it up, but the result was definitely still beanie worthy - he prepared to face the media.

Gordon respected his hair, but the beanie was definitely up for grabs on the joke front.

Virgil claimed he was just jealous he didn’t have a Thunderbird Four version. It turned out even more hilarious when Virgil discovered that the beanie did have a Thunderbird Four partner...that was tiny and barely fit his handmade doll.

Gordon was very put out.

Virgil made a point of wearing the fan made hat along with a blanket to hide his belly - who had time to make him an entire blanket? Again, green with red tassels, thin yellow stripes and a white number Two in its centre.

He might have gotten a little over-emotional over this one.

He was blaming the painkillers he was on.

Stupid drugs.

Scott, with Gordon and Alan on one side and John on the other, pushed Virgil’s hoverchair down the hall. Gordon had declared he wasn’t missing this for the world and Alan agreed. John, Virgil suspected, just wanted to keep an eye on him. His space brother had been hovering a little and it was odd John would voluntarily attend such a public gathering.

Virgil could count John’s attendances to this kind of thing on one hand.

But it was good to have all of his brothers with him. After all, they worked as a team.

As for himself, he wanted to do this, but it wasn’t easy. His health was something to be reckoned with. Scott wasn’t far wrong. His brain wanted, but his body didn’t have the resources to deliver and a simple thing like getting into the hoverchair in the first place was frustrating and exhausting as all hell.

The moment the doors opened to the pandemonium outside the front of the hospital, he realised just how much he was asking of himself.

But he was going to do this, goddamnit.

The lights from holorecorders and flashes from cameras were blinding. A sharp word from Scott dulled it all down a bit, but the noise of so many people and the brightness of the day along with those still determined to photograph him was overwhelming.

“You don’t have to do this.” Scott quiet voice in his ear was ever so protective.

“Yes, I do.” And Virgil forced himself to face the people.

Fortunately, by the time they made it to the podium and his brothers sat down beside him, the majority of the crowd had quietened down, eyes pinned on Virgil, waiting for him to speak.

But it was Scott who spoke first, dressed in his suit, impeccable as always. Virgil had a suit jacket and loose shirt on, but that was all he had been able to manage. He looked like an idiot, but hopefully a dedicated one at least.

“Good morning. As promised, my brother Virgil is here to speak with you. As you can see, he is on the mend and we are ever so happy to have him back with us. He would like to make a statement.”

And Scott turned to him.

Virgil fingered the torn-out page of his sketchbook with his notes on it and looked out at the crowd. The media hovered expectantly at the foot of the podium staring up at him, but beyond that were the group of people that he had come here to speak to. Most were average, likely interested townsfolk, but in the centre there was a swath of green clothing. Several held signs and placards that said things like ‘Get Well Soon, TB2’ and ‘Thunderbirds 4ever’. There was even one sign that declared ‘We love you, Virgil!’.

These were the people responsible.

The mic stared at him.

He pulled on the speech training they had all had and straightened his shoulders the best he could.

“My sole purpose of speaking to you today is to thank all of you for all your support and for all the gifts that have been sent to me. I wanted you to know that every gesture is valued and...” He placed a hand on his heart. “...I am ever so grateful.” Said heart was doing a royal dance behind his breastbone. He pushed a smile onto his face. “I would particularly like to thank Gavii for the hat. I needed it.” The smile became a grin. “Kat’s playlist was a beauty, and JB’s TB2 was an utter delight.” He looked down, his mind rifling through all the gifts he had been given. Looking up, he stared across the crowd to the bunch of green people in the centre. “If I named all of you, I would be here all day, but I wanted you to know how much I appreciate and value all your contributions. I will be passing the majority onto those who need them much more than I do, but I will keep your well wishes in my heart for all time.” He drew in a shaky breath. “Thank you.”

Scott’s eyes were an intensity off to his left. Gordon had already placed a hand on his arm from his right.

Now what he had wanted to say had been said, exhaustion was having a good go at winning the war. He knew this would happen, but screw it.

His eldest brother shifted in his seat. “I would like to express my thanks alongside my brother. We are very grateful for all the support shown to Virgil and our family during this difficult time. International Rescue will be returning to operation as soon as possible.”

“Who will be flying Thunderbird Two?”

Scott eyed the reporter at the front of the crowd. “Plans are in place. IR operational procedure is not what this conference is about.” The commander’s protective nature regarding the secrecy of their organisation automatically coming to the fore.

“It won’t be the same without you, Virgil!” A woman in the midst of the green patch yelled across the crowd. The people around her murmured agreement.

Virgil twisted his lips, the need to defend his brothers foremost in his mind. “My brothers are quite capable of providing our services without me. You can be assured of that.”

“I have to agree with them on this one, Virg.” Gordon’s fond smile shone at Virgil and then across the audience. “It won’t be the same and we are all looking forward to having you back.” That hand on his arm squeezed tight.

Virgil’s lips had to curl into a smile.

“Three cheers for International Rescue!” It was yelled at the top of someone’s lungs and suddenly the crowd was cheering like crazy. Virgil’s name prominent, but also the other brothers, all topped off with a ‘Tracy, Tracy, Tracy!”

Beside Virgil, Gordon jumped up and joined in, Alan not far behind him. John smirked and Scott tried to stay serious, but his eyes were sparkling.

Cameras started flashing again, holo-recorders buzzing around, but despite the overwhelming noise, Virgil’s smile just got bigger.

-o-o-o-

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #Virgil Tracy #Scott Tracy #Gordon Tracy #nuttyfic

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bamxcvii · 5 years ago

Photo

DYE: RELEASED CONTENT/APPEARANCES **excluding music shows & performances

EVERYDATE GOT7

200413 🐰Mark🐰

200414 🌼Yugyeom🌼

200415 🌴JB🌴

200416 🌙Youngjae🌙

200417 🍑Jinyoung🍑

200418 🐍BamBam🐍

200419 👑Jackson👑

VLIVE LIVES

200419 <DYE> Live Premiere Eve 🌕 (All)

200420 <DYE> Live Premiere (All)

200423 MCD 1st Broadcast, We miss IGOT7 (Yugyeom)

200424 If You Don't Come In, You're Not IGOT7 💚 (Jinyoung)

200425 Good (Jaebeom)

200426 Bambam Sunday Morning ☀️ (Bambam)

200429 🌕NOT BY THE MOON🌕 (All)

200430 JacksonJacksonJackson (Jackson)

200430 JacksonJacksonJackson ❤️ (Jackson)

200430 GOT7💚AHGASES YAPYAPYAPYAP 🐥💝 Thank you💚 (All)

200501 MarkMarkMarkMarkMarkMarkMarkMark (Mark)

200502 Good morning IGOT7💚 (Youngjae)

200503 GOT7 End of Activities 🌕💚🐥 (All) **all eng subbed

VLIVE RELEASED MATERIAL

200421 Dispatch "A 116-line epic poem of beauty" (Eng Subs)

200422 Dispatch “I GOT U! GOT7 A to Z”┃Mini Interview GOT7 (Eng Subs)

200425 Dispatch "So easy, right?! GOT cover competition ① JB, Youngjae" (Eng Subs)

200426 Dispatch - Easy?! Album Cover Drawing Contest ② Mark, Yugyeom (Eng Subs)

200427 Dispatch - Easy?! Album Cover Drawing Contest ③ Jackson, Jinyoung, BamBam (Eng Subs)

200508 Idol Radio Ep. 574 Behind

GOT7 OFFICIAL RELEASED MATERIAL (YOUTUBE/VLIVE)

200420 Monograph “DYE” EP. 01 - [ENG SUBS]

200423 ‘Not By The Moon’ Cheer Guide (Eng Subs)

200429 Monograph “DYE” EP. 02 - [ENG SUBS]

200505 DYEARY EP. 01 - [ENG SUBS]

200507 Monograph “DYE” EP. 03 - [ENG SUBS]

200512 GOT7 DYEARY EP. 02 (Eng Subs)

200514 Monograph “DYE” EP. 04 (Eng Subs)

200519 DYEARY EP. 03 - [ENG SUBS]

200526 DYEARY EP. 04 - [ENG SUBS]

RADIO

200421 MBC Kim Shinyoung Noon's Song of Hope - [ENG SUBS]

200424 KBS Kang Hanna's Volume Up - [ENG SUBS]

200425 Idol Radio Ep. 571. Idol Radio Hot Chart (Eng Subs)

200426 Idol Radio Ep. 572. Idol Playlist

200428 SBS Choi Hwajung Power Time - [ENG SUBS]

200428 Idol Radio Ep. 574 (Eng Subs)

200429 KBS Jung Eunji Music Plaza - [ENG SUBS]

200430 SBS Cultwo Show - [ENG SUBS]

YOUTUBE

200421 1thek: GOT7 Kkinness Challenge Ep. 1 (Eng Subs)

200428 1thek: GOT7 Kkinness Challenge Ep. 2 (Eng Subs)

200501 Piki Pictures: After Boss Falls Asleep (Eng Subs)

200502 Studio K: GOT7 BOATTA (Eng Subs)

200506 Dingo: Move Rec: AURA Behind The Scenes (Eng Subs)

200507 Studio K: GOT7 BOATTA Behind (Eng Subs)

200508 Studio Choom: ‘Not By The Moon’ & ‘Poison’ Behind (Eng Subs)

WHEN MY LOVE BLOOMS PROMO (Jinyoung)

200424 tvN-terview When My Love Blooms Chemistry Test - [ENG SUBS]

200427 WMLB EP. 1 & 2 Making - [ENG SUBS]

200429 WMLB - Press Conference Making - [ENG SUBS]

200430 WMLB - Special Making - [ENG SUBS]

200504 WMLB Ep. 4 Making

200506 WMLB Ep. 5 Making

200511 WMLB Ep. 5 & 6 Making

200511 WMLB EP. 7 Making

200513 WMLB - Jinyoung waiting room talk (Ep. 7) - [ENG SUBS pt. 1, pt. 2]

200517 WMLB - Jinyoung & Jeon Somi ASMR

200517 WMLB - Heartstealer Jinyoung

200519 WMLB Ep. 7 & 8 Making - [ENG SUBS pt. 1, pt. 2]

200520 WMLB Ep. 7 & 8 Making - [ENG SUBS pt. 1]

200522 WMLB Ep. 9 Making

200525 WMLB Ep. 9 & 10 Making

IDOL RADIO w/ SPECIAL DJ YOUNGJAE

200506 Idol Radio Ep. 582

200508 Idol Radio Ep. 585

200511 Idol Radio Ep. 586

200519 Idol Radio Ep. 595

200520 Idol Radio Ep. 596

200521 Idol Radio Ep. 597

200523 Idol Radio Ep. 598

200524 Idol Radio Ep. 599

200525 Idol Radio Ep. 600

200525 Idol Radio Ep. 601

200526 Idol Radio Ep. 602

200527 Idol Radio Ep. 603

200528 Idol Radio Ep. 604

200529 Idol Radio Ep. 605

200526 Idol Radio Ep. 602

VLIVE LIVES AFTER PROMOTION ENDED

200514 Good Night☕️ (JB)

200519 Good Night☕️ (JB)

200525 🌼🌼🌼 (Yugyeom)

200526 🤟🌼🤟 (Yugyeom)

200527 🎶🎶🎶 (Yugyeom)

200528 🌼🌼🌼 (Yugyeom)

200528 Good Night☕️ (JB)

OTHER

200422 Weekly Idol (Eng Subs)

200426 Make A Wish Foundation Greeting Video (Eng Subs)

200427 1thek: Kkinness Challenge TikTok

200427 KBS Kang Hanna's Volume Up - Main dancer's fav dance move - [ENG SUBS] (Yugyeom)

200428 W Korea - #StayHappy_W Challenge (Yugyeom)

200428 Idol Radio - 2PM My House cover (Jackson, JB & Youngjae)

200429 SBS New Late Night E News/E-news Exclusive/Access Showbiz

200430 Jackson’s call with Joe Russo (Jackson)

200504 Mubeat: Message from GOT7

200506 Withfans’s Weibo Update (Eng Subs)

200507 Shopee: Message from GOT7 (Eng Subs)

200508 MNET: GOT7′s Message For MNET’s 25th Anniversary

200508 JYP Actors IG Video - [ENG SUBS] (Jinyoung)

200517 JYP Actors IG Video - [ENG SUBS] (Jinyoung)

**will be updated continuously** last updated: 20.05.30

#got7 #bambam #era: dye #video #resources

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lovedinapastlife · 5 years ago

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Riverdale Reaction 3x19 “Fear the Reaper”

Sadly these people are not running after Betty to apologize. She doesn’t have the shoes, patience, nor time for this. Keep reading for my exasperation if it pleases you.

Archie killed someone?! Oh just add it to the body count of this show. I’m so sick of the blackmail and giant drama and emotional/physical torture porn. I miss milkshakes and the occasional murder mystery.

Oh this game is so stupid. Like, couldn’t they at least send out a deputy or two to look for JB during this long-ass game? Also, shouldn’t the whole core four be involved in this plot line? No? We want to arrest Archie again for murder? Alrighty then.

Hiram gave me a lovely toast to playfulness on this show. When he’s a breath of fresh air, it’s a dark day in Riverdale.

Kurtz loves the fighting and I kind of love it? Where’s the Kurtz fanfiction? Send it to me plz

Josie I know you wanna get outta this town and they need you for your new show, but haven’t you seen enough drug addicts to want to stay away from your absent asshat dad?

Does any of this Farm storyline make sense?! Why would he adopt Juniper and Dagwood? Why would Polly let him? I think it’d be hilarious if he tried to adopt Betty bc she’s under 18

Betty looks so sad and alone and I want to hug her and give her vitamins

*sigh* how long have the Jones’s been playing this game? Long enough for Archie to give a press conference, Betty to get a shot DURING school and break in after, et cetera. These time jumps make no sense. Riverdale.

Wow those are a lot of rings, Jughead. Ugh his faaaace. His moody little face.

I laughed out loud about Archie running in the rain

OOOOH damn Evelyn’s older (or illiterate) and Betty Snooper STRIKES AGAIN!

WHAT?! WHAT?! Are they robbing Pop’s?! BOY. After everything Archie went through there? After it being Jughead’s safe place? Fuck this.

HELL YES POP WITH A SHOTGUN! I ship it. Fuck the Jones family and their stupid Cobra/Serpent masks. “Do you see now why I need to get out of this town?!” And show. Damn.

I’m surprised Penelope would even take the boy twin. This fucking show. How do they say these lines without dying a little on the inside?

So did no one call Betty about spotting her bf shooting up the local haunt? Like, Veronica would hear about it at the very least considering she’s downstairs in the Speakeasy and owns the joint. But again. NO concept of time. Or fun. For my specific tastes. How rude.

Omg an eye for an eye…HAAAA. This show.

What is the point of having a battle where you can’t see anything?

I can’t decide what they’re going for more: Kill Bill or The Mummy. Kill Bill probably, right? The eyepatch? Someone five-finger-heart-punch or throw a live snake in, please.

EVELYN IS EDGAR’S WIFE?! Oh my GOD. No thank you. Sister wives is ick.

OH who is surprised that the furnace room is deadly? And everyone is a fucking character development nightmare, especially Toni Topaz? I mean, why give her a gang if she’s gonna abandon it for another one?

Stupid.

Run Betty Run!

Oh is he also married to Polly? Is this a dream sequence? I hope so.

Oh. Not a dream sequence. Oh.

Well. Everyone is terrible at running, and Betty is clearly not in shoes that encourage it. Big sigh.

Ok Jughead, trust the guy who’s lied about everything else to shove you in a fridge. Cool. Cool cool. Kurtz’s death and yet the King not trying to kill Jughead just…fine. FINE

Oh Jughead and his hopeful eyes saying “stay.” Let’s be honest, without Bughead, I probably wouldn’t be here.

#riverdale #riverdale reaction #riverdale 3x19 #riverdale 3.19 #jawbreaker

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shirlleycoyle · 4 years ago

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Health Conspiracy Theorists Hate Living In the World They Helped Create

“Anyone who refuses to be injected with experimental poisons will be prohibited from travel, education, and work,” Larry Cook declared recently on a fringe social media site. “No, this is not a synopsis for a new horror movie. This is our current reality.”

Cook is an anti-vaccine activist and a QAnon fan; he was one of the single biggest sources of anti-vaccine misinformation on Facebook before his banning in November. As usual, he was, on a broad level, wrong: People who refuse COVID-19 vaccines are not necessarily going to be prohibited from “travel, education and work,” nor are those vaccines “experimental poisons.” But Cook was correct in one way: He and other conspiracy theorist “health freedom” advocates are closer than they were before to living in a world they would find to be a nightmarish dystopia. What none of them have acknowledged, though, is that their relentless flood of misinformation helped us get here. By fighting the most common-sense public health measures at every turn, the health conspiracy theorists helped create a climate where more restrictive ones are looking more and more necessary.

For years, Cook and a host of other people who make a living selling vaccine skepticism, snake oil, and a heaping dose of anti-government suspicion have traded on the idea that someday vaccines will be mandatory and the government will track citizens or control our entry into public spaces. (Cook’s Facebook group, before it was deleted, was called “Stop Mandatory Vaccination.”) Today, as the country and the world continue to try to get control of the coronavirus pandemic, some of those ideas are being discussed—albeit not quite in the nightmarish ways the health conspiracy theorists envisioned.

Vaccine passports will not be introduced on a federal level. New York is so far the only state to introduce a standardized proof of vaccination, the Excelsior Pass, which will be used to gain entry to places like Madison Square Garden, though more states may follow suit. While they haven’t yet, businesses like airlines and schools could very much decide to require proof of vaccination. The Supreme Court ruled in Jacobson v. Massachusetts in 1905 that states can enforce mandatory vaccination laws. And many countries are only reopening to American travelers if they’re fully vaccinated. Some of the same dynamics are playing out outside of the United States: in the United Kingdom, the BBC reported, organizers of large-scale trial events are being harassed and threatened by anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown protesters for requiring attendees to show a negative COVID test. The demonstrators believe, without evidence, that the events are a trial balloon for an eventual vaccine passport.

The fact that these discussions and restrictions are happening at all is also proof of how far and fast anti-vaccine, anti-mask, and anti-science ideas spread during the pandemic. Public health experts said last week that community or “herd” immunity against COVID-19 will likely never be achieved in the United States, due to a virulent combination of more transmissible variants and persistent vaccine hesitancy across broad swaths of the country. The best we can do, instead, is live with COVID-19 as a hopefully manageable but ongoing threat. Meanwhile, an article in the medical publication PLOS-One found that several major strands of COVID denalism have gained a foothold worldwide, including the idea that COVID was “planned,” that it was deliberately engineered “bioweapon,” and that wearing a mask to protect against it can cause “hypoxia” or other health problems. (There is no proof of any of those things.) I have a Google Alert set up for the names of a few prominent anti-vaccine advocates, and nearly every day, I see the ideas of one of them, the disgraced scientist Judy Mikovits, being cited in letters to the editor in small newspapers across the country as a reason not to trust COVID vaccines or as a justification for not wearing a mask, which she frequently and falsely claims will make you sick.

There was little chance that any of the most virulent anti-vaccine COVID denialists would ever buy into basic public health measures, of course. Most of them had decided from the beginning that the virus spelled the end of humanity, and pivoted their messaging and business models accordingly. In January 2020, when COVID had killed just under 100 people worldwide, Mike Adams was already making a dark prediction. “It’s over for humanity,” he declared, speaking to Alex Jones and the InfoWars audience. “There will only be lone survivors. The strategy must now shift. You can be a survivor. We can help you survive.”

Having given up pretty quickly on humanity, Adams, who runs a conspiracy site called Natural News and has dubbed himself The Health Ranger, re-dedicated himself to making sure his audience are “lone survivors” by providing the worst possible information about both COVID-19 and potential treatments for it. He’s decried what he calls “worthless Communist masks,” for example, while relentlessly promoting debunked treatments like hydroxychloroquine. Larry Cook, too, fought against masks: In June 2020 he wrote that he had filed complaints with the FBI and the Department of Justice and sent a letter to then-President Trump over Los Angeles’ requirement to wear a mask in public places: “If you do not want to be forcibly masked and treated like a slave under the color of law, I highly recommend you file a complaint as well,” he wrote.

Now that vaccines are being broadly administered, the health conspiracy theorists are, naturally, fighting those too, using a broad mix of fear-mongering tactics. One of the more recent is falsely claiming that people who have been vaccinated are “shedding” either COVID or something more exotic and dangerous, in a move that author and Conspirituality host Matthew Remski dubbed “Reverse Contagion Anxiety.” (Most infamously, this led to a Miami school declaring that it will refuse to hire vaccinated teachers; most amusingly, some anti-maskers are now declaring themselves ready to mask up to protect themselves from the vaccinated.)

While it’s extreme, in a way, none of this is new: Anti-mask protests took place during the 1918 flu pandemic, of course. More broadly, the United States has a long history of groups who insist that any community-level action against public health problems is an infringement on human liberty. That attitude creates disastrous—or at least extremely stupid—results.

Take, for instance, the water fluoridation debate. The anti-Communist John Birch Society in the 1950s, was either, depending on who you talk to, morbidly afraid that Communists would contaminate the drinking water supply of the United States through fluoride, or merely opposed any fluoride being added to the water because it believed it was an impingement on the rights of Americans to choose what medication they took. As a result of its efforts, and those of other anti-fluoride groups, what would have been a basic public health measure turned into a pitched 75-year battle that’s still being fought one municipal water district at time. (For what it’s worth, the John Birch Society denies today that it ever opposed fluoridation on Communist mind control grounds, writing on its website, “While the JBS doesn’t agree with water fluoridation because it is a form of government mass medication of citizens in violation of their individual right to choose which medicines they ingest, it was never opposed as a mind-control plot.”)

And even before COVID, we’ve seen this same pattern before much more recently: The suspicion and refusal of basic public health measures leading an increasingly strict government response, thus heightening the original underlying suspicion. In 2018 and 2019, two severe measles outbreaks among New York’s Orthodox Jewish communities, one in Brooklyn and one in Rockland County in upstate New York, led to a series of increasingly heightened government actions. But public health officials were battling against a disinformation campaign by Orthodox anti-vaccine activists, and when measles continued to spread, unvaccinated children were briefly banned from being in public in Rockland County March 2019. The ban was overturned by the New York State Supreme Court, but by then, bigger anti-vaccine activists had alighted on the state’s Orthodox community. (Anti-vaccine celebrity Del Bigtree, for instance, pinned a yellow Star of David on himself in a speech, and then sent out a press release to make sure no one had missed it.) While the measles outbreak subsided, anti-vaccine suspicions—fueled, in part, by the memory of the government restrictions—have continued, and remain a factor in how Orthodox communities have responded to COVID vaccines.

Today, the audiences of “health freedom” and anti-vaccine advocates are constantly told that they only need to do what will ensure the survival of themselves and their families. In a neat trick, that attitude also allows virtually all of these people to make money: Cook has started a new social network for COVID vaccine “refusers,” as he calls them, and is marketing numerous supplements there. (One of them claims to provide “Better sleep, less stuttering, better eye tracking, better bowels, anger dissipated, better mood and better speech,” which is certainly a collection of things.) Mikovits has appeared at numerous anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown conferences across the country this year, as has anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who’s also made headlines internationally, appearing at an enormous anti-lockdown protest in Berlin; later in the day, some 300 of the demonstrators were arrested after attempting to storm the Reichstag.

The conferences themselves have become a burgeoning industry in the U.S., with names like “Truth Over Fear,” held this past weekend by a fringe media personality and meant as a response to a Vatican-led health conference at which Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared, or the “Health and Freedom Conference” in Oklahoma, which drew thousands of people into a cramped indoor space to hear COVID conspiracy theories and declamations on liberty from pro-Trump figures like Lin Wood. The author and conspiracy theorist Naomi Wolf, meanwhile, appeared this past week at a conference in Michigan dubbed “United We Stand for Freedom,” and has become a much-lauded figure in the anti-vaccine world over the past few months. (Her anti-vaccine beliefs have managed to paper over the last time she was in the news, for making a series of staggering errors in a 2019 book that led to its release being canceled.)

The "Health Ranger" Mike Adams promotes pine needle tea as a cure for the fake phenomenon of "vaccine shedding." Screenshot via Brighteon

The claims of vaccine “shedding,” too, have predictably led to new products being marketed, new bids for a little more market share. In a recent article, Mike Adams claimed that pine needle tea could help protect against the so-called shedding, while another popular health conspiracy theorist, Sayer Ji of the site Green Med Info, at the end of an apocalyptic video about vaccine shedding, urged people not to “freak out,” but simply to subscribe to all his content to stay informed. “Tell 100 of your friends,” he urged, to create “a grassroots army of health-loving, freedom-loving individuals.” Another popular anti-vaccine influencer named Ashley Everly, who claims to be a “freelance toxicologist” and who has more than 80,000 followers on Instagram, has been disseminating unconfirmed reports of “shedding” injuries for weeks, while urging her followers to download an anti-vaccine guide she’s written and subscribe to her Patreon.

Dr. Lee Merritt presents her view that the COVID-19 pandemic is "stealth warfare" at the Truth Over Fear conference. Screenshot via Truth Over Fear.

There’s evidence that some of the people promoting the shedding theories are ultimately trying to funnel their audiences towards even more bizarre and toxic ideas. America’s Frontline Doctors has promoted the “shedding” theory; it's an extremely questionable group of physicians and backers who had an alarming hold on both the Trump White House and have more recently been influencing state-level politics. At a small fringe health conference this weekend, Dr. Lee Merritt, a member of the group, claimed that the pandemic is a form of “uncharacteristic, unrestricted stealth warfare” and approvingly quoted infamous British conspiracy theorist David Icke in claiming that everyone who controls the world could fit in one room with “room left over.” (Icke is frequently and credibly accused of anti-Semitism, often implying that the people in that room are “Rothschild” Jews, as he puts it. He also believes that most world leaders belong to a race of evil and omnipotent 12-foot lizard beings.) “This isn’t just about a virus,” she told her audience, in a taped lecture. “There’s no set battlefield … your warfare extends to your own brain, and that’s what a lot of this right now is a psychological operation.”

It’s tempting to think that these fringe figures are only talking to themselves and their pre-existing audiences. But an article published in Nature in May 2020 found that anti-vaccination clusters of Facebook users were more likely to “become highly entangled with undecided clusters in the main online network,” as the authors put it, while pro-vaccine viewpoints were more peripheral. There’s good evidence, in other words, that for people who were already dubious about vaccines—or perhaps, things like the efficacy of masks or social distancing—exposure to bad information proved to be a kind of tipping point.

But the frenzied level of fear and paranoia that the health conspiracy theorists are stoking is affecting some of them, too. Recently, Everly, the "toxicologist,” began claiming that she, too, is suffering symptoms that she believes are the result of being around vaccinated people and might need to post less content on social media.

“Hopefully with a bit of time ‘away,’ (not completely) I can jump back into this,” she wrote. “Every now and then I get a bit overwhelmed and start to burn out.”

Most of the health conspiracy theorists, though, seem energized by the new hellish dystopia that they believe they’re living in. By exhorting their audiences not to get vaccinated, social distance, adhere to contact tracing or take even the most minor of public health steps, they helped get us to this hellish place, but they won’t necessarily be the ones who suffer. Instead, as Adams exhorted back in January 2020, they’ll be focused on being the “lone survivors”—and leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves.

Health Conspiracy Theorists Hate Living In the World They Helped Create syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

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rockrevoltmagazine · 6 years ago

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ARCH ENEMY ANNOUNCES TOUR DATES SUPPORTING AMON AMARTH

Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy announce North American tour today supporting Amon Amarth. The massive tour starts on September 26th in Seattle, WA and wraps on October 26th in Los Angeles. Fans can purchase pre-sale tickets on Tuesday, April 16th via Amon Amarth and Citi pre-sale starting at 10AM. Ticketmaster, Live Nation, venue, radio, and Blabbermouth (password BLABBER) pre-sales will be available on Wednesday, April 17th starting at 10AM. Finally, tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, April 19th at 10AM.

“Berserkers! We will lead a Swedish metal invasion of North America this September and October along with our friends Arch Enemy, At The Gates and Grand Magus,” Amon Amarth say. “Come fight and feast with us and earn your seat in the great golden hall. This raid is pure heavy fucking metal and not to be missed!”

Arch Enemy guitarist Michael Amott adds, “Arch Enemy is very much looking forward to invading North America together with Swedish Viking kings Amon Amarth and our Metal brothers in At The Gates and Grand Magus! Miss this Swedish Heavy Metal apocalypse at your own peril!”

Grand Magus’ JB concludes, “I would say that epic is the most fitting word to describe this happening. It’s an honour to be part of this gathering of metal giants and we will do our damnedest to make it a memory for life for all who will bang their heads with us during this adventure!”

Arch Enemy continues to tour in support of their 2017 chart-topping tenth full-length album Will To Power released by Century Media Records. Will To Power is available for purchase HERE. A new re-press of Will To Power as a limited edition “Tour Exclusive” yellow with red swirls vinyl will be available for sale at the merch booth doing the tour. The band is currently working on their new album. More details to will be announced shortly.

Released in 2017, Arch Enemy’s tenth album was the ultimate statement of heavy metal supremacy from a band that are still growing in stature year over year. The critically acclaimed album is the first the band recorded with their current line-up: Alissa White-Gluz (vocals,) Michael Amott (guitars,) Jeff Loomis (guitars,) Sharlee D’Angelo (bass,) Daniel Erlandsson (drums). Achieving longevity is the toughest challenge that faces any band, but Arch Enemy have long since established themselves as a permanent fixture on the global metal scene and continue to uphold and celebrate the heavy metal code.

Arch Enemy is Alissa White-Gluz (vocals), Michael Amott (guitar, keyboard), Daniel Erlandsson (drums), Sharlee D’Angelo (bass), and Jeff Loomis (guitar).

ARCH ENEMY TOUR DATES

w/Amon Amarth

September 26 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo

September 27 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater

September 28 – Vancouver, BC – PNE Forum

September 30 – Edmonton, AB – Shaw Conference Centre

October 1 – Calgary, AB – Grey Eagle Event Centre

October 3 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex

October 4 – Denver, CO – The Fillmore

October 6 – Minneapolis, MN – Skyway Theatre

October 7 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre

October 9 – Toronto, ON – REBEL

October 10 – Montreal, QC – MTelus

October 11 – Montreal, QC – Mtelus

October 12 – New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom

October 13 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore

October 15 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore

October 16 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle

October 18 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore

October 19 – Houston, TX – House of Blues

October 20 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theater

October 22 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren

October 23 – Las Vegas, AZ – House of Blues

October 25 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield

October 26 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium

Watch “The Eagle Flies Alone”:

YouTube

Watch “Reason To Believe”:

YouTube

Watch “The Race”:

YouTube

Connect with Arch Enemy (click icons):

ARCH ENEMY ANNOUNCES TOUR DATES SUPPORTING AMON AMARTH was originally published on RockRevolt Mag

#2019 #alissa white-gluz #amon amarth #Arch Enemy #At the Gates #Berserker World Tour #Daniel erlandsson #metal #Michael Amott #music #Music News #Rock Revolt Magazine #RockRevolt #RockRevolt Magazine #Sharlee D'Angelo #tour dates

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shiawasekoi · 8 years ago

Text

It’s a Bet

Chapter 2

JB X Mark Series

Series Genre: AU Smut Angst

Chapter 1

Warning: Suggestive; Will contain smut in other chapters.

The elevator door opens and your nerves start to sink in. Looking around it was just as you imagined. Everyone who worked here looked sophisticated and successful. “Are you Miss Y/N?” You snapped out of your daze to see a cute petite girl holding a clipboard with some files on it. “Yes that’s me I’m here for—““Yes, you can follow me.” She says with a smile, following her suddenly all eyes were on you, which was not helping with your nerves.

Walking down the long hallway passing the cubicles you come across a large room with an upgraded cubicle right beside it. “Mr. Im will see you now.” She said while opening the door. Once in, you noticed there were tall windows that overshadowed the skyline of Seoul and Jaebum standing with his hands behind his back taking in the view.

“This view never gets old” Jaebum said while turning around. Once our eyes made contact I quickly looked away not realizing why. Jaebum smirked and walked towards me. “I want to thank you for taking this position, I knew from looking at your application that you would fit better for this job than becoming a regular employee here.” His voice trailed off.

“I think you will be a great asset to this company Y/N” He whispered softly in your ear, sending shivers up your spine. Noticing the change in your breathing pattern Jaebum slowly put his hand on your leg slowly tracing up your exposed leg. You shift positions finding your body leaning on his broad chest.

Snapping back to reality to stand up straight and back away quickly straightening up your skirt. You bow and jet towards the door. What the hell were you thinking?? What was that?! You bit your lip in contemplation. This wasn’t supposed to be how your first day of work went.

“Y/N??” You looked to your right and saw the same girl that met you outside of the elevator. “Are you alright you look a little flushed. “Yeah, I’m fine.” You said lying through your teeth, you just had a near death experience. “Ah... alright” she said suspecting something but brushed it off. “Your desk is this one right outside his office.” “Your job is to take care of all of Mr. Im’s Schedules that means answering his professional calls as well as personal ones.” “This means you attend to all of his events and press conferences and sometimes they request you to come to their house if they need you for something.” “This job is a big commitment but the pay is very nice.” She said while adjusting her black rimmed glasses.

“Wait, did you say I will be making house calls?” “That is correct is there a problem?” she tilts her head. “No…not at all just this is new to me.” Nodding she pats your shoulder. “I understand but you will get used to it in no time. My name is Somi by the way and here is my contact if you need anything.”

“How did it go?” Yugyeom said while wiping off the tables in the café. You dropped your purse and collapsed in the nearby chair. Yugyeom let out a little chuckle. “That bad huh?” “No not at all just interesting.” You said looking at your high heels and slipping them off. Yugyeom shook his head and headed to the back of the store coming back with his black Nike black and white slippers. “Here I know your feet must be tired.” Placing them on the floor in front of me. “Thank you! They were seriously killing me.”

“I wonder if I am going to be fit for this job you know? Like for a while, the café is all I’ve known since I’ve moved here.” He walked behind the counter and turned on the Keurig. “Sometimes change is good…but it can be a challenge, but just think this is the job you have always talked about having.” He changed positions to lean on the wall waiting for the coffee to finish. “ mmm.. that’s true.”

“Just do what you think is best you know I support you.” He said while bringing you the warm coffee. “But that being said I meant what I told you earlier. Yugyeom said in a stern voice catching you off guard. That got you thinking about the night Yugyeom left before you. If he found out he would flip. I know, I know I have everything under control.”

Your alarm went off almost like clockwork. Getting up you remembered your conversation with Yugyeom and how you both talked for a couple more hours before he walked you home to your apartment. It was really nice seeing that he was worried about you and your new job but it was also new to see him like that considering he is usually a giant softy. That’s when you felt your phone buzz in your dress jacket.

Hey!

I am sending you Mr. Im’s schedule for this week after then you will be responsible for setting it up. Also, I know this is soon but I am going to need you to give some paperwork to Mr. Tuan’s office before you start work I laid them on your desk, I have to meet with a client to fix an issue that has come up! Thank you!

- Somi

You casually rolled your eyes walking into the building. Already this was happening? Once at your desk, you went online to see you have received an email from Mark Tuan making you immediately looking around your desk for the paperwork that Somi sent but they were nowhere in sight. Looking everywhere you decide to look under your desk when you heard a knock on your desk. Slowly getting up from under the table you looked up to see Mark looking down at you.

“I think you have something that belongs to me?”

Once again I am so sorry I took a min to post I will def be better, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter!!

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blazinbeautywrites · 8 years ago

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Band Wars

Note: Due to recent events and the rampant uprising of plagiarism on this site and others I am stating once and once only that this is my ORIGINAL work. If I find out that you have stolen/taken any part of my work I will handle you and the situation the way I see fit.

Any gif or pic I use is credited to the original owner

Length: 2,279 Words

Genre: Comedy and Angst

When Big Hit first announced that they’d finally be debuting a girl group everyone was excited. Bang Si Hyuk held multiple press conferences to discuss his secret girl group that he’d been training for 7 years. Not much was given away as he wanted to surprise the world. One by one teaser images were released and people began recognizing the girls from a few Big Hit trainee projects. Big Hit were applauded for the diversity of their group, leading the girls to have one of the most talked about debuts ever. LOTUS was here and they were taking the kpop industry by storm.

*6 months after debut*

“Again!” Sienna commanded. The rest of LOTUS obeyed as the girls ran through their choreography for what felt like the 100th time that day.

“Aish! We’re exhausted. Let’s just go back to the dorms get some rest and we can come back later,” Yeona said before taking a long sip from her water bottle.

“She’s right. We keep messing up the simplest moves because we’re running on little to no sleep. We need rest,” Areum said.

“We have to practice until we get it right. Our showcase is in one week. I’ll be damned if we go on stage looking a hot fucking mess,” Sienna argued.

“I know but look at us, we’re a mess. We need a break and I know you’re the leader but I’m older and I say we are going home. So let’s call it a day cuz I’m starving,” Areum said already packed and ready to go.

“Fine but I’m going to the gym upstairs. I’m too annoyed to do anything else,” Sienna said. She grabbed her bags to leave giving her group members a faint smile before disappearing into the hallway.

“Is she okay? She seems more on edge than normal lately,” Yeona asked, packing up her things.

“Well I heard from Yoongi that Namjoon broke off that little fling he and Sienna had and she is bitter as fuck,” Ximena said.

“Jesus what is with you and Yoongi? Yall fucking or some shit?” Tasia asked.

“Hell no! He and I just love to talk shit so he always gives me the rundown on things. Okay and maybe he let me sit on his face once but it was just that one time. Plus if I was gonna fuck anyone it’d be Jimin. That’s my baby right there,” Ximena said.

“Bitch you nasty but shid if Min Yoongi told me to sit on his face I’d do it to,” Tasia said, laughing with her bandmates.

“Alright can we go now? I really need some food and a shower,” Yeona whined.

“Okay okay let’s go before she falls out,” Areum said, leading the girls to the dorm elevators.

*Upstairs gym 1 hour later*

“Oh my god why did I come here?” Sienna mumbled as she finished her intense workout. As she blindly reached out for a towel to wipe her sweat she felt hands run up her sides. She jumped and nearly fell over. Areum was laughing her ass off at the fact that she succeeded in scaring her.

“What the hell Areum?” Sienna yelled.

“Oh stop being a baby. You done working out?” Areum asked.

“Yeah. I’m fucking starving though. What did you guys order?” Sienna asked.

“We got pizza and some junk food. Might as well pig out tonight after all the work we put in today,” Areum said.

“That’s shitty logic and makes zero sense but I don’t give a fuck so let’s go,” Sienna said. The girls left the gym and on their way back they were stopped by Bang PD.

“Sienna can I speak with you for a moment?” Bang PD said.

“Yes sir,” Sienna replied. Areum looked on as Sienna walked into his office and closed the door behind her.

“Sienna, I assume you’re familiar with the show After School Club?” Bang PD asked.

“Yes I am. If you don’t mind me asking, but are you finally gonna let us go on the show? Sienna said excitedly. Bang PG laughed at her eagerness and nodded his head.

“Yaaaaay! I’m sorry sir I’m just really happy! We’ve always wanted to go on ASC,” Sienna said. She was jumping up and down so much that he had to steady her shoulders to keep her grounded.

“I can see that but I must warn you that the episode you’re gonna be featured on will also include GOT7. Now I know you’ve had issues with Jaebum since your debut but I need you to be on your best behavior. Don’t let him get to you,” Bang PD said.

“Okay with all do respect sir, I don’t have any issues with Jaebum at all. If anything he’s the one witht the issue…but I promise I’ll do my best,” Sienna said.

“On the up chance that he does insult you, just please don’t cause a national crisis. Now please go and relay the news to the other girls,” Bang PD said.

“Okay. Thank you for the opportunity,” Sienna bowed and exited his office. She stormed to the elevators trying to calm her nerves but to no avail. Once she’d gotten to her group’s dorm she smelled the pizza and almost threw up.

“Wooooah you look like shit. What’s wrong?” Ximena asked. Sienna struggled to gather her thoughts.

“Umm we finally got our wish I guess,” She stated taking a seat next to Yeona on the couch.

“What do you mean?” Areum asked taking a seat on the floor grabbing another slice of pizza.

“I mean we’re going on ASC. Bang PD just told me,” Sienna said. The other girls began screaming and celebrating but quickly stopped when they saw that Sienna was still seated with an annoyed expression on her face.

“Okay why the hell do you look like you were punched in the gut?” Tasia asked.

“Our episode also includes GOT7,” Sienna said. She sat back against the couch and groaned.

“Wow. Uhh okay. It won’t be that bad. I mean the rest of the boys are fine,” Areum said.

“Yeah it’s just JB. We got your back so don’t stress over this,” Yeona said.

“It’s not okay though. I don’t appreciate that wack ass shit he said about me. The sad part is that I admired him and in all our interviews after we debuted I spoke highly of him and he just shitted on me,” Sienna said holding back tears. Tasia sat next to her and held her, attempting to soothe her. Ximena, Yeona, and Areum joined them and hugged both girls. Though they were all women of color, the others girls knew that it was hard for Sienna and Tasia to live in a country where the white skin, skinny, porcelain doll beauty standard was ideal. Areum thought back to the time she saw Sienna purging herself in order to fit more with the other, slimmer trainees. It broke her heart sometimes when she saw the hate her bandmates received. Ximena is Latina but she knew damn well that she and her complexion were more eagerly embraced than that of her black bandmates. The girls don’t know how long they were sat like that but they were startled by the ringing of their doorbell. Yeona ran to get it and was annoyed immediately. Mark, Yugyeom, Jackson and a visibly irritated JB stood at their door, shivering from the cold.

“Hey Mark, Yugyeom, Jackson……..JB,” Yeona greeted. It was no secret that the ladies of LOTUS couldn’t stand JB but they were at least cordial with him seeing as BTS and GOT7 collab a lot and are really good friends.

“That’s JB oppa to you sweetie,” JB said, giving her a smirk.

“You fucking wish asshole. Why are yall here anyway?” Yeona asked.

“Well we going to a gaming cafe to play some games and you guys’ dorm is on the way so we decided to come stop by and say hello but you have a shitty attitude,” Jackson said. Yeona narrowed her eyes and looked away from him.

“Whatever, come on in,” Yeona said opening the door wide enough for them to walk through. She soon walked away and vanished into her room.

“Hey ladies!” Jackson yelled. One by one the girls greeted Jackson then waved at the others. However, JB lingered near the door and when he looked up his eyes locked with Sienna’s bloodshot ones. Jackson saw Sienna and immediately knew why she was upset having texted her a few days prior.

“Hey Jackson,” Sienna said. Jackson hugged her back, hands skimming her ass a bit.

“Well I see you been eating right. Your ass is getting fatter,” Jackson said.

“Jesus Jackson!” Sienna whacked him hard on the arm causing them both to burst out laughing. He was happy to see her smiling.

“Boy could you be anymore thirsty?” Tasia said.

“Why? You jealous? You know you fine too,” Jackson teased. Tasia smirked at him then went over to talk to Jinyoung, who was a little to happy to see her.

“So how have yall been? I feel like we haven’t seen you ladies in a minute,” Mark said.

“We’re working on a few projects and some new music. We’ve also got a showcase next week and Little Miss Drill Sergeant has been running us into the ground with practices and shit,” a disgruntled Ximena said.

“She’s a perfectionist. What do you expect?” Mark says glancing over at Sienna talking with Jackson. His jaw clenched a bit but averted his eyes quickly hoping no one noticed. Ximena left to talk to Yugyeom, leaving Areum with Mark.

“So are you ever going to tell Sienna that you want her to have your babies?” Areum asked. Mark looked at her with wide eyes and almost choked.

“What….how….,” Mark stumbled.

“Look we all know you like her. Even she knows and she lowkey likes you too. After that shit with Namjoon she really just wants to focus on the music and not deal with a man. My advice to you is to continue to be her friend and maybe one day when yall are drunk off your asses she’ll fuck the shit out of you,” Areum said. She got up and left a stunned Mark sitting on the couch. Nearby sitting on a stool JB heard the entire conversation. He became a bit more agitated. If only everyone knew the truth.

“Well this has been fun but we have to go. I only reserved a private room for an hour,” JB said. As he walked to the door he looks at Sienna who was hugging Mark goodbye.

“Call me tonight okay? You too Jackson!” Sienna said.

“Of course. We’ll make it a three way,” Jackson said.

“Omg get out!!” Sienna laughed, pushing Jackson and Mark out the door. Once they were gone she grabbed a slice of pizza and plopped back down on the couch.

“I swear I need to know you’re secret. You got all these guys falling all over you and shit. First Namjoon, now Jackson and Mark. Oh and let’s not forget that one year during our trainee days when you and JB dated,” Ximena stated.

“XIMENA! THEY DON’T KNOW ABOUT JB!” Sienna yelled.

“Ohhhh….oops,” Ximena said.

“You dated JB for a whole year? How did yall not get caught? I mean I know we don’t have a dating ban but he did at the time,” Tasia said.

“I know. That’s why I broke it off. I just got tired of sneaking around. I was a trainee and I wanted to debut so bad so I focused on myself and the group. He didn’t like that so I stopped talking to him. I was harsh of me at the time but I thought I was doing what was best for me,” Sienna said.

“Okaaaay but how the hell did Namjoon come into the mix?” Areum asked.

“He and Jackson knew about JB and I and when they found out we broke up they invited me out and we got super drunk. Long story short Jackson passed out and Namjoon slept together that night,” Sienna replied.

“Wow, quite the triangle you have there,” Ximena said.

“Yeah and it got even more complicated once Namjoon and I started sleeping together more often. Feelings got involved but then Bang PD found out and told us to break up. He didn’t want the relationship to affect our debut and BTS’s comeback. I agreed to end it and he fought for us to stay together. I still feel bad that I just walked away from him but what can I do? It’s too late now anyway,” Sienna said.

“…..And Mark?” Tasia asked.

“Mark and I will have to remain friends. I can’t be known in the industry as a homie hopper. That shit ain’t cute besides, I much rather flirt with him cuz it’s funny as hell. Now can we drop this? I’m hungry and the new season of How to Get Away with Murder is on netflix and I’m in the mood for a binge,” Sienna whined.

“Fine, I’ll get the wine and some more snacks and we can binge watch your show,” Areum said, disappearing into the kitchen.

“I really love you guys,” Sienna said. Areum returned quickly with 4 glasses and a bottle of red wine. She poured the wine then gave each girl a glass.

“We love you too even though you’re a little whore,” Ximena said. Sienna nearly choked on her wine as she laughed. The others soon joined in and their girls night was officially underway. They had no idea shit was about to hit the fan and hit it hard.

Chapter 2

#text posts #mine #got7 #got7 scenarios #kpop scenarios

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newagesispage · 5 years ago

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MAY 2020

PAGE RIB

Check out the We are One Global film fest on youtube from May 29-June 7. We will be able to experience movies from Cannes, Sundance, Tribeca and Venice for free!! Yahoo!!

*****

May 10 will bring us The Feeding America comedy Fest. So far the stars on board are Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, Tiffany Haddish, Chris Rock, Louie Anderson, JB Smoove, Brad Garrett, Jon Lovitz, Tim Meadows, Keegan-Michael Key, George Lopez and Sarah Silverman, just to mention a few.

*****

Jim Carrey will release his Memoirs and Misinformation on May 5.

*****

If you need honest medical info, take a look at Quackwatch: A guide to quackery, health fraud and intelligent decisions.

*****

Current times are a magnification of a problem that has been brewing for quite some time. The kiss ass, the indifferent, the greedy who don’t miss a trick are todays fortunate sons.** If half of this country didn’t want the other half to have a fighting chance we wouldn’t be in this situation right now. The Federal government should have all of our best interests at heart. I will never understand why so many of the’ have not’ voters love supporting the’ haves ‘that love to fuck over the little guy.

*****

SAVE THE USPS!!

*****

I guess we know how this country would be prepared to react to bioterrorism.

*****

SNL is working from home like so many but with Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, Fred Armisen, Paul Rudd, Miley and Sandler.

*****

George Gray, announcer for the Price is Right is recovering after a week of 3 heart attacks.

*****

Marijuana use is at an all -time high. Alcohol use is up 40%.

*****

What is up with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp who seemed so surprised at the virus months after everybody else seemed to know the facts? This is what happens if we only listen to Trump and Fox news.** He is so ready to open up the state early. ** A Georgia citizen said it best: Kemp mandates restaurants open, whether I reopen dining rooms or not. I file for business interruption insurance, it does not go through since I am “allowed” to operate full capacity. My landlord can demand all their money since I am allowed to fully operate. Furloughed staff that is collecting unemployment insurance have to come back to work or I have to let them go. Their unemployment insurance then goes on my tab. If things blow up again they are still on my tab, not on the state since they are no longer employed. This is about screwing the working class.** A dog has now been diagnosed with the virus as well as some cats.

*****

UFO footage has been declassified by the pentagon. Wow, anything to distract! ** This whole Scary Clown 45 mess often seems like a big government experiment. Just how much will we put up with? How stupid or complacent are we??

*****

The President’s council on reopening America has a message for our country: Die you fucking slaves. Die Die Die. We’re rich and you’re not and we’ll be even richer after the mass burials are over. Sucks to be you.

*****

The Federal government does not have absolute power. Why do “big government” haters suddenly want the Feds to run their lives??** Some checks were delayed because Trump wanted his name on them?** The Huffington Post has reported that $180,000 a year of Trump campaign money is given to his son’s significant others.

*****

The Carter’s have asked donors to the Carter Center to instead give those donations to local organizations in need.** A great charity is RIP medical debt which puts $100 to every dollar you donate to wipe out medical debt.

*****

Need some nature sounds in your life? Visit NPS.gov/sounds

*****

It looks like Macgruber may become an 8 episode series according to Will Forte.

*****

It is sort of reassuring to see that the late night hosts who mostly hover around my age, are no better at technology than I am.** BTW, Billy Eichner is such a great guest from home.. more please!** I see that one of the 8G band on Late Night has a big pic of Mick’s face behind him at home. I also see that same pic everyday above my desk. A kindred spirit.

*****

Linda McMahon, wife of WWE chair, announced the18.5 million Trump super PAC in Florida. Governor DeSantis now calls WWE essential. Many of the wrestlers were fired so the bottom line looks good.

*****

Being willfully stupid is not part of the Christian tradition.- John Meecham

*****

Some fast food workers went on strike. This is a good time to do it. Risking your lives for minimum wage is hardly worth it.

*****

Threadgill’s, the Austin bar that helped launch Janis Joplin is closing down.

*****

Is this true? 150 members of the Saudi royal family tested positive for covid-19.** Did Trump play down the virus because he owes millions to China’s state owned banks or was it to try to get dirt on Biden?

*****

I am not sure what has happened to the American workplace. So many strides were made in the mid 20th century but a lot of that seems to have fallen away. I see so many employers leaving it to employees to provide supplies before they even get the job. Teachers sometimes buy things for the classrooms. Some employees must buy their own cell phones for video conferences or even punching in and out. Some nursing home employees bring in their own cough drops or snacks for residents. How much $ do the people at the top need?? No sick pay? Work or starve!

*****

Everyone staying at home proves how badly we need a better high speed internet system in the U.S.

*****

Porn hub has been giving free porn.** The My Pillow guy is praising Trump as he donates 50,000 masks.

*****

All these Trump worshipping MAGA shills, they’re willing to die for the dumbest, flounciest fancy lad in history. –Patton Oswalt.

*****

So we don’t want to give Government help to immigrants who pay taxes, we do want to help cruise lines who avoid taxes by registering as foreign companies. Got it! ???

*****

The Neo confederate hate group, ‘league of the south’ is moving ahead with its annual conference in June.** Trump is getting ready to open the country with a coalition of his republican Governors and companies (some of whom seemed surprised). ** How did we get here? If our Pres is incapable of reading simple memos, he is incompetent. ** Scary Clown is trying to speed up the Wall as we are dropping like flies.

*****

This can’t be true. Federal agents are confiscating masks and supplies in hospitals, presumably for ICE agents??** Was Scary Clown 45 trying to force congress out of session so that he could skate some recess appointments by?** Rules have been weakened as to the release of mercury and various toxins from oil and coal power plants.** Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil do not seem to concerned about the virus.** Trump circled back around to the heat and light thing as a cure because he could not get over the shit he got for telling us that spring’s warm weather would take care of everything, right?

*****

Chicago businessman Gene Staples has purchased Indiana Beach amusement park and will open in July if he is able.

*****

Nascar will be back this month with new races but without the live audience.

*****

Catch Ashes to Ash: The disappearance of Robert Bee on Youtube.

*****

As everyone is sick with respiratory problems and the pollution has ebbed a bit, scary clown 45 has to roll back some of our rules that protect clean air. Auto emissions are rolled back to 1.5%. He has to be loving the fact that we can’t all gather and protest. Hmmm?? Perhaps it is a conspiracy.. but his.** Oh but the disbelievers did gather in Michigan with dolls in nooses and confederate flags. Why do they think that the medical experts are telling them this for partisan reasons or just for their own kicks? They have our safety in mind. Use your fucking heads. How can this country get stupider as time goes on? ** Why can’t they just cover Covid treatment? Medical debt is gonna skyrocket.** I don’t like big government either but in times of crises and health care, we need it to work properly. ** But when the powers that be tell us that animals can’t get it and then a tiger gets it or that masks don’t protect you and then they suddenly do, it makes us all skeptical. Way to confuse us fuckers!! Even with the ignorant and the panicked, just tell us the truth and the average person will be with ya!!** It was snowing in April? Where was this warmer weather that was going to kill the virus?

*****

You just knew that Trump and his cronies had money on the line when it came to hydroxychloroquine. ** Scary Clown 45 has removed the very man who was set to oversee the $ 2 trillion stimulus. The good ol boys can’t wait to get their hands on that money while people are dying. ** Trump delayed checks that are not direct deposit because he wants his name on them.** People had trouble getting thru when applying for unemployment. Canada gave out the benefits and then checked the details.** States and companies are very confused. Jared claims he is in charge, Pence is supposed to be in charge and FEMA claims they are the final word. Trump seems to thrive on chaos. The states bidding, stocks up and down and Doctors disagreeing are right up his alley. He probably does hate being stuck at the WH.

*****

People will forgive you for not being the leader you should be, they will never forgive you for not being the leader you claim to be.

*****

Why should it be surprising that poor communities are being hit so hard? The poor, the minorities do so much of the cleaning, the cooking and delivering that still has to be done. When people are not sheltering in place because they are needed or they need that paycheck, of course they are getting infected since they are still out there. Add to that, little or no health care and poor diets from food deserts etc. and there you go.

*****

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham is out after 9 months. Kayleigh Mcenany is in.** Vaccine chief Rick Bright is reassigned. He recently wanted to put hydroxychloroquine to some rigorous tests. He has been vocal about the administration.

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Lights Out is leaving Comedy Central and looking for another place to air.

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Can’t wait to see Mrs. America about the women who shaped our past.

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I rarely pay attention to advertising but I love that Chantix turkey. I hate the fact that he had a smoking problem, though.

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Every prisoner in every prison, especially the non -violent and the elderly should be reviewed. There needs to be more room made for white collar crimes that hurt so many more of us.

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Word is that Kim Jung un is brain dead.

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Rumble media has released Planet of the Humans from Jeff Gibbs on Youtube . The film will run free for 30 days and sort of explodes the myth of our ‘green’ heroes.

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Common, Woody Harrelson and Shinola watch co. have created a cannabis leak motif watch and the proceeds will go to criminal justice reform.

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Navy Captain Crozier was fired for telling the truth and looking after his crew. ** The U.S.S. Comfort isn’t taking Covid patients??

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Good bye Schitt’s Creek. We sure will miss ya!!

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Franklin Graham was asking volunteers for his field hospital in NY to sign a ‘statement of faith.’ It stated that they, “believe in God’s plan for human sexuality within the context of marriage between a man and a woman and that those that stray from those beliefs face eternal damnation and eternal judgement in Hell.”**

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Jon Cryer has a new book out: So that happened.

We can see now what would happen if all the humans were dead. The mountain goats have come down the hill and taken over a town in Wales. The Pandas are finally mating in Hong Kong now that they have some privacy.

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Bernie is out after 4 long conversations with Obama and tells us that he will concentrate on the pandemic. Looks like we are stuck with Biden. At least Biden is talking about lowering Medicare to 60. It’s not enough but at least it’s a start.** Who will the female VP pick be, Klobuchar, Witmer, Abrams??

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Netflix along with Steve Carell and Greg Daniel will bring us Space Force on May 29 with Lisa Kudrow and John Malkovich.

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In Sweden, all land is for public use. Imagine!!

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ICP cancelled their Juggalo fest.

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Perhaps home schooling will become more popular. Perhaps with the pollution dropping, humans will get the message that we have really fucked ourselves in this world. Less cars people!!** The Twitter CEO donated a billion. That made the other top $ people look like schmucks.

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Kleenex Cottonelle is donating a million rolls and a million bucks. Share A Square!!

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Fight Island??

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Tiger King.. who cares.. Crip Camp is the one to watch. A Secret Love is also great. This is the world that we should build from the ashes of Covid-19.** Stop trying to get me to watch Tiger King. –Bill Maher

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We are in a recession.** I don’t understand when I see so many “devout” people show no respect for religions other than their own.

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Tom Pelphrey on Ozark this season just blew me away!! He has to be the one to watch at the Emmy’s.

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On a personal note: Hey Aunt Ritski, I will never forget that you saved a couple of people from drowning when you were a lifeguard. I will never forget one of your favorite tales, that you wanted to be Miss Kitty when you were 5 years old and got a little drunk trying. I will never forget the times that you drove thru the ditches, your Cooter Brown stories or the way that you often left all the change on the bar when we were out. How could anyone forget the weddings, the bullet you had to live with the rest of your life and the love you had for your siblings. We will miss you forever because all of the lives you touched would have been a whole lot different without you in it. What the fuck would we have talked about if not for the saga of you? I can think of nobody who would disagree with that. Your family loves you baby. Go in Peace and serenity.

R.I.P. Adam Schlesinger, Ellis Marsalis Jr., Mort Drucker, Lorena Boreja, Janet Alexander, Patricia Bosworth, Bucky Pizzarelli, Logan Wiliams, Maeve Williams, Wallace Roney, Joe Diffie, Andrew Jack, Alan Merrill, John Prine, Thomas L. Miller, tornado victims, Charlotte Figi, David Driscoll, Hal Willner, Patricia Bosworth, Ann Sullivan, Brooke Taylor, the Canadian shooting victims, Matt Seligman, Barney Ales, Bootsy Barnes, Bruce Meyers,Roger Beatty, the tornado victims, Tim Brooke- Taylor, Jorge Camara, Andrew J. Fenady, Brian Dennehy, Don Reed Herring, Henry Graff, Allen Daviou, Tom Lester, Bill Withers and Rita Hale.

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markjsousa · 7 years ago

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Welcome HomePod: Apple Joins Smart Speaker Space

Amazon and Google beat Apple to the smart home speaker space. Now they can make room for HomePod, featuring the voice of Siri and the musical chops of Apple Music.

Announced at Apple’s worldwide developers conference last June, HomePod features bigger speakers for optimal music playback and integrates with Siri, the company’s digital assistant and other services, such as Apple Music. Starting Friday, it’s avaialable to order in select markets, with U.S. sales

While on a brief visit to Toronto this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook commented to Canada’s Financial Post newspaper about the long-awaited launch of the HomePod, “Competition makes all of us better and I welcome it.”

“We think one thing that was missing from this market was a quality audio experience, a very immersive audio experience,” he added. “Music deserves that kind of quality as opposed to some kind of squeaky sound.”

See more details in Apple’s press release below.

HomePod, the innovative wireless speaker from Apple, arrives in stores beginning Friday, February 9 and is available to order online this Friday, January 26 in the US, UK and Australia. HomePod will arrive in France and Germany this spring.

HomePod delivers stunning audio quality wherever it’s placed — in any room in the house, playing any style of music.

Using just your voice, it’s easy and fun to use, and works together with an Apple Music subscription for a breakthrough music experience, providing access to one of the world’s largest cloud music libraries. Siri, now actively used on over half a billion devices, has developed a deep knowledge of music and understands your preferences and tastes. And with Siri, HomePod can send a message, set a timer, play a podcast, check the news, sports, traffic and weather, and even control a wide range of HomeKit smart home accessories.

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“HomePod is a magical new music experience from Apple. It brings advanced audio technologies like beam-forming tweeters, a high-excursion woofer and automatic spatial awareness, together with the entire Apple Music catalog and the latest Siri intelligence, in a simple, beautiful design that is so much fun to use,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

“We’re so excited for people to get HomePod into their homes, apartments and businesses to hear it for themselves. We think they will be blown away by the audio quality. The team has worked to give Siri a deeper knowledge of music so that you can ask to play virtually anything from your personal favorites to the latest chart-topping releases, simply by saying ‘Hey Siri.’”

Audio Innovations and Advanced Technologies

Apple Music

HomePod is designed to work with an Apple Music subscription for access to hundreds of genres, moods and activities. It also learns preferences and tastes that are shared across devices. Using Siri to deliver deep knowledge of artists, songs, albums and more, HomePod can handle advanced searches within Apple Music’s catalog, so users can ask questions like, “Hey Siri, when was this song released?” or “Hey Siri, can you play something totally different?” to change the mood. Apple Music subscribers can enjoy a catalog of more than 45 million songs, combined with their entire iTunes library, for online or offline listening — completely ad-free.

Home Assistant

HomePod is a convenient way to send messages, set timers and reminders, check the weather and listen to shows on Apple Podcasts. The latest business news, headlines and sports updates stream directly to HomePod from NPR, CNN, ESPN and others. HomePod can also be used as a speakerphone with iPhone for crisp and clear audio quality.

With support for HomeKit, HomePod can control hundreds of home accessories or set scenes like, “Hey Siri, I’m home,” to control a number of different accessories at the same time. HomePod can turn on the lights, raise the shades, set the desired temperature or make other adjustments and serves as the perfect home hub, enabling remote access and automations.

SiriKit for HomePod

Through SiriKit, HomePod supports third-party messaging apps, so users can ask Siri to send a message to a friend or colleague using apps like WhatsApp. Reminders, note-taking and to-do list apps like Things and Evernote will automatically work with HomePod, so Siri can set reminders, create a new list, mark items as complete, or create and modify notes. For developers interested in adding SiriKit support, more information is available at developer.apple.com/sirikit. Multi-Room Audio and Stereo

Coming this year in a free software update, users will be able to play music throughout the house with multi-room audio. If HomePod is in the kitchen, users can ask Siri to play jazz in the dining room, or play the same song in each room — perfectly in sync. If there’s more than one HomePod set up in the same room, the speakers can be set up as a stereo pair for an even more immersive sound experience.

Security and Privacy

Security and privacy are fundamental to the design of Apple hardware, software and services. With HomePod, only after “Hey Siri” is recognized locally on the device will any information be sent to Apple servers, encrypted and sent using an anonymous Siri identifier.

Pricing and Availability

HomePod is available at an Apple retail price of $349 (US) in white and space gray in the US, UK and Australia and available to order beginning Friday, January 26, from apple.com and the Apple Store app. HomePod will be available in Apple Stores and at select Apple Authorized Resellers, including Best Buy in the US; Argos, Dixons Carphone (Currys PC World), John Lewis, Shop Direct (Very and Littlewoods), EE and Apple Premium Resellers in the UK; and The Good Guys, Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, Myer and Telstra in Australia, beginning Friday, February 9. HomePod will be available in France and Germany this spring.

HomePod is compatible with iPhone 5s or later, iPad Pro, iPad Air or later, iPad mini 2 or later, or iPod touch (6th generation) with iOS 11.2.5 or later.

The post Welcome HomePod: Apple Joins Smart Speaker Space appeared first on brandchannel:.

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joejstrickl · 7 years ago

Text

Welcome HomePod: Apple Joins Smart Speaker Space

Amazon and Google beat Apple to the smart home speaker space. Now they can make room for HomePod, featuring the voice of Siri and the musical chops of Apple Music.

See more details in Apple’s press release below.

HomePod delivers stunning audio quality wherever it’s placed — in any room in the house, playing any style of music.

youtube

Audio Innovations and Advanced Technologies

Apple Music

Home Assistant

SiriKit for HomePod

Security and Privacy

Pricing and Availability

HomePod is compatible with iPhone 5s or later, iPad Pro, iPad Air or later, iPad mini 2 or later, or iPod touch (6th generation) with iOS 11.2.5 or later.

The post Welcome HomePod: Apple Joins Smart Speaker Space appeared first on brandchannel:.

0 notes