#minnesota-based crew

[fieriframes]

[I mean, they have their own butcher here. They process their own meat. -Torta ranchera. Some people still think knowledge is power who prepare this food because it's done very well. FIERI: So well that my Minnesota-based crew]

[usafphantom2]

About the A-12 Oxcart

CIA developed the highly secret A-12 OXCART as the U-2’s successor, intended to meet the nation’s need for a very fast, very high-flying reconnaissance aircraft that could avoid Soviet air defenses. CIA awarded the OXCART contract to Lockheed (builder of the U-2) in 1959. In meeting the A-12’s extreme speed and altitude requirements, Lockheed — led by legendary engineer Clarence “Kelly” Johnson — overcame numerous technical challenges with cutting-edge innovations in titanium fabrication, lubricants, jet engines, fuel, navigation, flight control, electronic countermeasures, radar stealthiness, and pilot life-support systems. In 1965, after hundreds of hours flown at high personal risk by the elite team of CIA and Lockheed pilots, the A-12 was declared fully operational, attaining the design specifications of a sustained speed of Mach 3.2 at 90,000 feet altitude.

CIA’s operational use of the A-12 was beset by not only many technical problems but also political sensitivity to aircraft flights over denied areas and competition from imaging satellites. After the U-2 piloted by Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union in May 1960, all Soviet overflights were halted, thus blocking the A-12’s original mission to monitor the Soviet Bloc. By the time of the CIA’s first A-12 deployment in 1967, CORONA satellites were being launched regularly to collect thousands of images worldwide each year. Although its imagery was less timely and of poorer resolution than the A-12’s, CORONA was invulnerable to anti-aircraft missiles and much less provocative than A-12 overflights. At the same time, the US Air Force was developing the SR-71, a modified version of the A-12. Seeing little value in maintaining both overt SR-71 and covert A-12 fleets with similar capabilities, President Johnson ordered the retirement of the A-12 in 1968.

The only A-12 reconnaissance operation codenamed BLACK SHIELD, took place from May 1967 to May 1968. A detachment of six pilots and three A-12s based at Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa flew 29 missions over East Asia. The panoramic stereo camera aboard each aircraft yielded considerable high-quality imagery that within hours of landing was processed. From the images, photointerpreters provided key intelligence information in support of US military operations during the Vietnam War.

The A-12 on display at CIA Headquarters — number eight in production of the 15 A-12s built — was the first of the operational fleet to be certified for Mach 3. No piloted operational jet aircraft has ever flown faster or higher.

I found this article on the CIA website. This is the Central Intelligence Agency's opinion about the Oxcart. Interestingly, the A-12 was taken from the Minnesota Air Guard to be placed in front of the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. The pictures are of that very A-12 that used to be in Minnesota.

CIA did not give up the A-12s without a fight. They wanted to keep them. They did insist that for about a year during the transition from the A-12 to the SR 71s to have civilians from the CIA fly the SR 71 on covert missions if necessary. I have a paper called “ Memorandum for the President” from my father‘s book “The Very First’’ about the CIA flying the SR 71. What was decided during that congressional committee with Senator Russell as a key person on this matter was to reduce the overall fleet size by mothballing eleven A-12 aircraft and phase out the CIA fleet capability by January 1968 with all missions assigned to the SR 71 fleet under Air Force management with the possible use of civilian crews. The date on this document is December 26, 1966 . ~Linda Sheffield

@Habubrats71 via X

[heartlandians]

Minnesota-based wish kid Evelyn saddled up and travelled all the way to Calgary to visit nearby High River, the set of her favourite TV show, Heartland!🐎

This starstruck 17-year-old, who was diagnosed with a heart condition, got the chance to rein in her excitement as she watched filming, met the cast and crew, and took in all the behind-the-scenes action of the ranching drama with her family.

The unique wish come true was made possible through Make-A-Wish Minnesota and our hardworking team in Alberta. Evelyn, we hope your experience was unforgettable! 💙

[mla0]

Another AU info moment

I have one AU that I’m reworkshopping now because I’m fond of it where it’s essentially like. General slenderverse but in a society where some people are born with birds wings, and there’s a class hierarchy between people who do and people who don’t, as well as a micro-hierarchy within winged society based on the general notions and symbolism people associate with different birds.

There’s also sometimes good need for wings to be removed. If they become too damaged, if they’re causing undue hardship to the person who has them, and some people simply choose to have them removed for their own personal reasons. This however does carry a social stigma regardless of the reasoning, but it’s especially harsh if the reasoning is deemed ‘not good enough’ by others. This is in part because it’s such a noticeable change so it’s easy for those who wish to pick it apart to do so, but it’s also because generally being born with wings is seen as a gift of some kind and to have them removed under any circumstances almost as a slight against the universe.

My original assignments of birds for the mla0 crew:

Michael/Patrick: Magpie

Shaun: None

Stormy: Canary

Now though I’d probably say:

Michael/Patrick: Sparrow

Shaun: Removed due to damage complications (Albatross)

Stormy: Canary

OUGHHHHHHH???????????? I FUCKING LOVE BIRDS IM OBSESSED

crazy into your bird choices too..... shaun as an albatross is really cool, and so is michael/patrick as a sparrow..... and you know i love the canary thing, i've talked about it before. i am exploding with my mind. shaun having her wings removed is extremely eyebrow raise-y and makes me super curious

i used to live in california, and in some areas you'd see albatross a lot. super sad that they're endangered (i think?) because they're some of the most fascinating birds i've ever seen. i'd see them flying overhead when going on trips in the car. they fly for so incredibly long across the ocean with their HUGE ass wings... i also heard they have really strong and loyal partnerships with their mates. i used to see sparrows and canaries all the time in minnesota where i was born, too.....

welcome to Andersens and Co.

[unproduciblesmackdown]

Tonight’s bill is a big one! Little Shop of Horrors at the @GuthrieTheater! Break a leg to the entire cast and crew! And a special “Welcome to Minnesota” to the wonderful @will_roland! pic.twitter.com/5Nsq3i2ykr

— Joe (@joescranium) June 29, 2024

followed by this review:

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at the Guthrie Theater Hosted by the Guthrie Theater

A strange and unusual new plant is being featured on the Guthrie Theater’s Wurtele Thrust Stage and it’s got an appetite for blood. Yes, Little Shop of Horrors is back on the Twin Cities stage in flashy, yet campy, fashion. The 1980’s classic musical based on the 1960 film of the same name, tells the story of a down-on-his-luck florist, Seymour, who spends his days in a florist shop in Skid Row, tinkering with odd plants and counting down the days until the store closes from lack of customers. Without warning (and with the help of a total eclipse of the sun), his luck changes when he stumbles across a “strange and unusual” plant that, when placed in the shop window catches the eye of passersby. Feeling like the tides are turning, Seymour’s boss, Mr. Mushnik, demands that he take care of the plant at whatever costs to keep business booming.

Sounding like an easy task for him, Seymour attempts to perk up the little plant, Audrey II as he has named it, but there is one catch: Audrey II prefers a different kind of plant food. Blood, and lots of it. Running out of fingers to prick, Seymour must turn to other methods to feed the plant and as Audrey II grows, so does the admiration of the people around him, including his co-worker Audrey. Though she is a nice girl, her dentist boyfriend is anything but. Torn between the new found fame of having such a strange plant that requires extreme measures to keep alive and the love he has for Audrey and a life he dreams they could have, Seymour must make a serious of decisions that will affect every single resident of Skid Row….and perhaps the world. While Little Shop of Horrors has been produced hundreds, if not thousands, of times throughout the decades, the Guthrie has taken a new approach to their production. Instead of basing Audrey II off of a normal Venus fly trap, they have opted to base it on the aptly named Corpse Flower. A flower that only blooms every few years and when it does, omits a startlingly grotesque smell. Seemingly the perfect flower to base a man-eating plant off of and maybe not so coincidently, the Como Park Conservatory in St. Paul, Minnesota has one on display periodically when it is set to bloom. Not only has the Guthrie changed the type of flower but they have leaned very heavily into the B-Movie vibe of the story that seems to be scrubbed away in most productions. Even though the production is flashy, loud, and a spectacle to watch, it carries a fresh campy-ness that makes the show feel fresh and new. Even for patrons who think they know what to expect will find a plethora of fun surprises waiting behind the doors of Mushnik’s florist shop. Bringing charm and nerdiness aplenty to the role of Seymour is Broadway actor, Will Roland. Known for his roles in Dear Evan Hansen and Be More Chill, Roland tackles Seymour with his iconic comedic timing but offers a large splash of humanity across his whole performance. He brings out the raw emotions that Seymour feels with every breath and note. Whether he is elated with the success he has stumbled into or horrified at the lengths he has to go to, to maintain that success. Roland takes us on that journey with ease and it is a treat to enjoy, even if he does have to get a tad murderous.

Standing side by side with Roland every step of the way is China Brickey who brings Audrey to life with incredible vigor and camp. If there is anyone in this production that throws themself fully into the B-Movie vibe of the show, it is Brickey. She is hilarious, heart warming, and heartbreaking all at once. Brickey clearly knows the precedent that actors before her have brought to Audrey but she doesn’t give a recreation of any of them. She breathes her own life into the role and her delivery is sensational. The physicality and facial expressions that she is able to deliver, especially in the final moments of the show, are beyond impressive and memorable. Playing off one another with such ease, Roland and Brickey have such chemistry together as Seymour and Audrey and that is shown to high acclaim when they deliver their truly show stopping edition of Suddenly Seymour. Suffice to say, it may be one of the best performances of the song in recent memory. The delivery that they bring to the tune is both goofy and touching but it ends on such a triumphant note that the audience was practically jumping out of their seats to laud Roland and Brickey’s dynamic performance. It is worth the price of admission just for this moment. It would be unfair to single out one other member of the company who certainly delivers some of the highlights of the show. David Darrow. Embodying the sadistic and maniacal dentist, Orin D.D.S., Darrow is an absolute star. From his mischievous laughs as he inhales copious amounts of nitrous oxide to his aggressive and abusive attitude towards anyone, and everyone, he deems his victims…um…patients. There is no shortage of devilishness in Darrow’s performance and even though the audience despises him and waits for his inevitable demise, they can’t seem to lap up enough of his performance. While his main role is portraying Orin, Darrow takes on a slew of other roles throughout the production and he nails every single one of them without missing a beat.

It seems to be a rare feat now days to have a complete smash hit show in this day and age but the Guthrie Theater’s production of Little Shop of Horrors is firing on every cylinder. There are laughs, spectacular musical numbers, and plenty of horror to go around. So grab your friends, family, neighbors, and anyone else that you wouldn’t mind sacrificing to an alien plant and check out this can’t miss show of the summer because, if the opening night crowd is any indication, the run is sure to sell out and fast. Oh and remember, whatever they offer you, don’t feed the plants (unless you want all of your dreams to come true).

[harrison-abbott]

William H Macey said that his character’s stuttering was entirely related to the script. I.e., the Coen Brothers script included the stutters in the exact text, and, according to them, he delivered the broken lines perfectly.

Macey also came up with the idea of rehearing what he’s going to say to Wade on the phone, after his wife is abducted.

For the first three weeks of shooting, the cast and crew actually believed that the film was based on a true story.

Many civilian members, after watching the movie, called local police factions in Minnesota, with tips as to similar crimes in real life, in hope of solving them.

Despite being set in Minnesota (a notoriously cold State), it was experiencing one of its warmest winters in a century. And much of the snow we see in the scenes is fake.

The Minnesotan “Ya” happens 179 times throughout the film.

Frances McDormand worked with a pregnant police officer in order to research the role.

[gangseysallhere]

WE'RE GETTING SHIVER!

EXCLUSIVE: Andy Fickman (One True Loves) is set to direct Shiver, a feature adaptation of the same-name novel by New York Times bestseller Maggie Stiefvater.

Producer Addam Bramich (Russell Crowe’s Poker Face) optioned the book, published by Scholastic in 2009, which is the first in Stiefvater’s globally bestselling series The Wolves of Mercy Falls and spent more than 40 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list. The film will follow Grace, who for years has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf — her wolf — has a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It’s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human — or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

A writer for the film has not yet been attached. But Bramich will produce alongside Fickman and Betsy Sullenger (You Again, Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse) through their Oops Doughnut Productions, with Stiefvater consulting.

“From the first page of Maggie Stiefvater’s novel, I was transported to a vivid, magical and romantic world that I immediately wanted to bring to life,��� said Fickman. “These multidimensional characters are grounded in the daily joys and terrors of high school, live in an elevated arena between fantasy and reality, and love across those boundaries and without limits. I’m thrilled to bring this stunning tale of forbidden romance to the screen along with a fresh coat of Minnesota snow.”

“We could not be more thrilled to embark on this journey with the incredibly talented director Andy Fickman, as we bring the adventurous and thrilling world within this story to the big screen,” added Bramich. “With this unique story, and the help of the brilliant author Maggie Stiefvater, it is with great enthusiasm that we begin this exciting collaboration.”

Fickman is an award-winning writer, director and producer whose romantic dramedy One True Loves hits theaters on April 7th. Simu Liu, Phillipa Soo and Luke Bracey star in that pic based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestseller. In conjunction with Village Roadshow, he also recently directed and produced the stage capture of his award-winning show Heathers the Musical, which debuted to acclaim on Roku last September. The stage show is currently selling out at The Other Palace Theatre in London, where it has received several West End noms and other accolades.

Other notable titles helmed by Fickman include Fox’s family comedy Parental Guidance starring Billy Crystal and Bette Midler, DreamWorks’ teen sports rom-com She’s the Man, Paramount’s Playing with Fire starring John Cena, Keegan-Michael Key and John Leguizamo, Disney’s hit films The Game Plan and Race to Witch Mountain, both starring Dwayne Johnson, as well as Disney/Touchstone’s comedy You Again starring Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Betty White and more.

On the television side, Fickman most recently directed and exec produced Netflix’s NASCAR comedy The Crew, starring Kevin James, Freddie Stroma and Sarah Stiles. He previously collaborated with James as director and EP of his Netflix stand-up special Kevin James: Never Don’t Give Up, also directing on Nickelodeon’s No Good Nick, starring Melissa Joan Hart and Sean Astin.

An author of books for all ages, as well as a musician and artist, Stiefvater’s book series The Wolves of Mercy Falls and The Raven Cycle were both #1 New York Times bestsellers. She also previously penned The Scorpio Races, which was named a Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book in 2012.

Fickman is repped by WME, Entertainment 360 and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Stiefvater by Angela Cheng Caplan of Cheng Caplan Company, Richard Pine of InkWell Management and VanderKloot Law.

[boaringoldguy]

Sadly, a blow against Free Speech!

ntd.com

Judge Rejects Trump’s Latest Bid to Dismiss Lawsuit Seeking to Bar Him From Colorado’s 2024 Ballot

NTD

5–6 minutes

Former President and 2024 Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump holds a campaign event at Club 47 USA in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Oct. 11, 2023. (Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to keep him off Colorado’s 2024 Republican primary ballot was dismissed by a judge on Oct. 12.

In her 22-page opinion (pdf) published Thursday, Second Judicial District Judge Sarah Wallace denied President Trump’s attempts to dismiss the lawsuit, effectively paving the way for a trial on the matter to go ahead at the end of October.

The ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by a liberal watchdog group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, on behalf of a group of Republican and unaffiliated Colorado voters.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which was filed in September, argue that President Trump is disqualified from serving as president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bars people who have “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” or have “given aid or comfort to the enemies” of the Constitution while under the oath of office from holding office.

They cite President Trump’s alleged effort to challenge the results of the 2020 election and his role in the events of Jan. 6, 2021, as reasoning for his proposed disqualification and have thus asked the court to remove him from the Colorado Republican primary.

Trump Claims Protections Under Anti-SLAPP Law

His lawyers have further argued that a Colorado law protecting individuals from being sued over exercising their free speech rights shields him from the lawsuit; pointing specifically to the state’s anti-SLAPP law, which protects individuals from Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.

The measure, enacted in 2019, safeguards the “constitutional rights of persons to petition, speak freely, associate freely, and otherwise participate in government to the maximum extent permitted by law” and protects them from lawsuits that harass them for First Amendment-protected speech.

President Trump additionally contends his statements regarding the 2020 election did not amount to insurrection.

However, in her 22-page opinion, Juge Wallace dismissed President Trump’s anti-SLAPP motion, writing instead that it is in the public’s best interest, regardless of their political affiliation, that “only constitutionally qualified candidates are placed on the ballot” and “only constitutionally qualified candidates can seek to hold the highest office in the country.”

More States Move to Get Trump Off Ballot

“The Court, again, has little trouble finding that it would. It goes without saying that, in the abstract, ensuring that only constitutionally qualified candidates can seek to hold the highest office in the country, particularly when the disqualification sought is based on allegations of insurrection against the very government over which the candidate seeks to preside, seeks to enforce an important right which confers a significant benefit to the public.

“For the above stated reasons, the Court holds that the anti-SLAPP statute does not apply to this matter and for that reason denies the motion,” Judge Wallace concluded.

President Trump is currently leading the GOP field, holding a significant lead over competitors including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, ahead of the Nov. 5, 2024 elections, according to multiple polls.

Similar lawsuits seeking to remove President Trump from the 2024 Republican ballot have also been filed in Michigan, Minnesota, and West Virginia. A separate one filed in Oklahoma by presidential candidate John Anthony Castro was dismissed on Thursday, The Oklahoman reports.

“We are pleased with the court’s well-reasoned and very detailed order, leading to a thorough decision, and look forward to presenting our case at trial,” the attorney for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Mario Nicolais, said in an emailed statement to Courthouse News Service.

The Epoch Times has contacted a spokesperson for President Trump for comment.

From The Epoch Times

[wilderhockey]

nhl teams as school clubs/student orgs

the result of a 15-minute conversation with lil @wymgreenteam this afternoon. based specifically on our experience in hs (also note that I’ve been out of hs for four years now so some of this might be misremembered but whatever it’s about the vibes).

this is not necessarily kind to all (or really any) teams but it is light-hearted and in good fun.

I put it under a readmore because 32 teams is a lot of teams

~

anaheim ducks: theater (actors specifically) - dramatic as fuck. loud as fuck. endearing in spite of it [see sharks/kings]

arizona coyotes: not a club. they’re the guys who show up to school in their tractors from october to march because the weather is fucking terrible and they’ve gotta get there somehow (thanks mn)

boston bruins: key club - self-important for no particular reason. also this is a club where you pay to do community service, which is just fundamentally wrong in the same way I feel when I see the bruins’ meth bear

buffalo sabres: swim team - wet. no I will not elaborate.

calgary flames: garden club - I didn’t even know we had a garden club until lil suggested this

carolina hurricanes: model UN - super well-run, they’ve got some nice kids involved, but I dislike them on principle

chicago I’m not writing out their team name: lacrosse - universally hated except by themselves and often take insults as compliments. also the worst punishment I can think of for a hockey team is telling them they remind me of lax bros

colorado avalanche: empowering women’s club - mostly performative but sometimes (when they can get the whole group together) they do fun things

columbus blue jackets: student section - they’re all college kids sorry it just fits

dallas stars: gender and sexuality alliance - listen. I don’t know what’s going on down there, but I can tell you it’s definitely gay

detroit red wings: cross-country - sometimes the rookies are good but everything else about them is forgettable

edmonton oilers: knowledge bowl - connor mcdavid reminds me of kb kids. leon draisaitl would be that guy who knows fuck-all answer-wise but can hit the buzzer super early and always knows what the question is asking. they just have neatly partitioned tasks for everyone and it sometimes works. yes I did kb for 7 years can you tell

florida panthers: FCA (fellowship of christian athletes) - the combination of donuts and christian rock at every meeting leveled out to a net zero

la kings: theater (tech crew specifically) - black and white outfits and idk sneaky vibes? they feel like a variety show in the same way tech does [see ducks/sharks]

minnesota wild: marching band - they’re dumb. they love each other. pranks are inevitable. some gay shit is happening. the director has very little control

montreal canadiens: magic the gathering club - just some kids hanging out. j chillin. one-sided feud with costco. vaguely hostile but in a blatantly self-defensive way

nashville predators: baseball - they were good for a while one time but now they’re just sad and middling

new jersey devils: speech - it’s fun when you’re not worried about winning, it’s a great group, but the moment you start paying attention to numbers you will cry

new york islanders: volleyball - bitchy vibes. and mat barzal’s tiny shorts

new york rangers: quiz bowl - to quote lil, they “aren’t smart enough for [knowledge bowl]” but also zero teamwork despite individual prowess

ottawa senators: robotics (FRC specifically) - they’re constantly falling apart but when it works it Works. also lots of freaks of many varieties (affectionate)

philadelphia flyers: that one political club a couple of my friends started junior year. pac or something? - it was going fine and then it changed management and now. hm.

pittsburgh penguins: student council - overachievers (affectionate). somewhat ineffective but they’re putting the effort in

san jose sharks: theater (pit specifically) - oft forgotten, but generally chill [see ducks/kings]

seattle kraken: chess club - to quote lil, “good vibes. don’t do anything, just here for fun.” I agree

st. louis blues: choir - rancid vibes. (I was a choir kid I’m allowed to say the vibes were rancid bc they were)

tampa bay lightning: honor society - overachievers (derogatory)

toronto maple leafs: lettuce club - for anyone unfamiliar, this is a club where every year, everyone interested sits at a table and simultaneously consumes an entire head of lettuce. whoever does it fastest is the Head of Lettuce for the next year. I have no fucking clue what they did at the rest of their meetings. leafs vibes

vancouver canucks: anime club - what the fuck is going on over there don’t look pretend you don’t see them and it’ll be fine (affectionate)

vegas golden knights: debate - this is for nolpats specifically I know he’s in LTIR hell but this is for him

washington capitals: that’s just the teacher’s union

winnipeg jets: football - they were never good but people go for the social aspect not the score

[sohannabarberaesque]

Postcards from Snagglepuss (Minnesota State Fair edition)

Off to a breakfast quesadilla-fuelled start

Just a slight sort of mist ensuing as we (as in Huckleberry Hound and yours truly) get up on the opening day of the 2023 Minnesota State Fair, and getting seriously refreshed on some pour-over-type filter coffee as an early sort of breakfast. And just be thankful many of the other "happy campers," including a few commercial exhibitors and at least two or three from the 4-H delegations in the 4-H Livestock Show over the opening weekend (as well as several county-based 4-H exhibitors), didn't throw eggs or direct catcalls at us stepping out into the Opening Day morning.

"So," asked I as we thumbed through the Blue Ribbon Bargain Book, the Minnesota State Fair's value-for-money guide, "what have we in mind for breakfast, Huck? Perhaps the Breakfast Quesadillas at Quesadilla Junction, past Machinery Hill even?"

"Your guess is as good as mine" was all Huckleberry Hound could fathom.

Having had experience on occasion with the breakfast burrito, this intrepid pair couldn't resist the curiosity factor inherent in Breakfast Quesadillas. And for some reason, we couldn't resist choosing the sausage such, with scrambled eggs and cheese even--even at the expense of giving the early fair goers some stunned and weird looks just by our mere presence. And yes, some were bound to ask for selfie opportunities and/or autographs, including some of the help as were working the stand.

One such, appearing to be the manager of the enterprise, was rather surprised at who we were as we were handed our coffee along with the quesadillas, asking, "Say, didn't I see you two together on TV in the past?"

Huckleberry Hound responded with typical good-natured drawl, "No doubt you have ... remember Yogi's Gang? Yogi's Treasure Hunt?" To which I added, "Or even the #2 Half-Dog, Half-Cat, Half-Track in the Fender Bender--"

"I think I recall now," interjecteth the manager to hand. "Could you maybe pose for us and for our crew outside the stand for a moment?"

"You mean for one of them thar selfies?" Huckleberry Hound asked.

The implication being "yes," we were willing to play along. But seeing where selfie sticks aren't allowed on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds for safety reasons, it took considerable effort to keep the camera phone steady and on the level to ensure that the photo came out right. Which didn't stop several other customers from also requesting our presence as a more obvious sort of mist emerged.

Not to mention a certain Ricochet Rabbit, also taking up the breakfast quesadilla.

"Snagglepuss! Huckleberry!!" was the excited and excitable response of the rather eccentric sheriff. "Glad to have stumbled upon you--!"

"So," asked I, "what be your interest here at the Fair?"

With pride beaming forth, "No less than yours truly, Sheriff--bhling! bhling! bhling!--Ricochet Rabbit has been invited to help announce the Western Horse Shows here at the Fair's Warner Coliseum!"

"Which is obviously much different than a rodeo," Huckleberry Hound remarked. "True, true, true!" Ricochet Rabbit responded. "Think of it as more of a style show than a serious rodeo, buds!" (As an aside, Ricochet Rabbit encouraged us to take in the said shows.)

"So, Snag," Huck was quick to ask, "what exactly next?"

"Plenty."

*************

@warnerbrosentertainment @a-gang-of-silly-bananas @jellystone-enjoyer @stuffaboutminnesota @archive-archives @thylordshipofbutts @screamingtoosoftly @princessgalaxy505 @themineralyoucrave @thebigdingle @warnerbros-blog1 @ultrakeencollectionbreadfan @theweekenddigest @indigo-corvus @warnerbrosent-blog

[inprogresstoday]

This September In Progress was awarded the most amazing recognition from Violence Free Minnesota and our long term partners at Transforming Generations. This award means so much because it comes from a group of artists that have called In Progress their home for many years.

These same artists - Xay, Schoua Na, Seng, .... were all involved with IP prior to forming Transforming Generations - a powerful non-profit that uses positive advocacy in real efforts to end gender based violence in all of its forms including its support of trans and lgbtq+ communities. They understand the power of community, positivity and passionate advocacy and it has been a privilege to work with them over the past few years.

On behalf of TJ Lor, Tomas Leal, Layla Whipple - our Crookston crew, and all of the other artists that have committed their time and talents to support this partnership we accept this recognition.

--Kristine Sorensen / In Progress

[ombwarrior47]

My Fair Brady by Brian Kennedy

Title: My Fair Brady Author: Brian Kennedy Series: N/A Number of Pages:  341 Genre:  Teen & Young Adult LGBT Publisher: Balzer + Bray Date of Original Publication: January 23, 2024 ISBN:  978-0063085718

In my search for a new LGBTQ novel to start reading I found this one advertised in an email from an online book store so I decided to give it a shot. I am from Minnesota and this story is based in MN and I love local books.

This story is about a prideful theater student named Wade who loses his boyfriend after being told he’s selfish. He meets an underclassman named Elijah who joins the theater crew to try and fit in. Wade believes if he helps Elijah become popular and a part of the friend group that he can show he’s not selfish and win his ex back.

I thought it was an okay storyline. It was all predictable but at least it was for the most part a happy story that was entertaining. There are not any slow parts and the characters are likeable. I do think this might’ve been a more interesting storyline if it were set more college aged then High School. Just an idea for a future spinoff.

I’d recommend this story if you’re looking for some light and easy reading. I also support as it has a positive representation of the LGBTQ community which is needed in these troubling times.

★★★★

~

Up Next:  

-Glitterland by Alexis Hall (Spires #1)

-The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

-A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair (Hades x Persophone #1)

Yearly Goal Markers:

Book Goal: 41/75  = 54.7 %

Page Goal:  14.7/15k = 97.9%

Follow me on LibraryThing, Goodreads, and Amazon. Same handle: OMBWarrior47

[wikiuntamed]

On this day in Wikipedia: Tuesday, 16th April

Welcome, ยินดีต้อนรับ (yin dee dtôn rab), välkommen, hoş geldiniz 🤗 What does @Wikipedia say about 16th April through the years 🏛️📜🗓️?

16th April 2021 🗓️ : Death - Andrew Peacock Andrew Peacock, Australian politician (b. 1939) "Andrew Sharp Peacock (13 February 1939 – 16 April 2021) was an Australian politician and diplomat. He served as a cabinet minister and went on to become leader of the Liberal Party on two occasions (1983–1985 and 1989–1990), leading the party to defeat at the 1984 and 1990 elections. Peacock was..."

Image by Australian News and Information Bureau

16th April 2018 🗓️ : Event - The New York Times The New York Times and the New Yorker win the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for breaking news of the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse scandal. "The New York Times (NYT) is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. The New York Times covers domestic, national, and international news, and comprises opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of the longest-running newspapers in the United States, it serves as one of..."

16th April 2014 🗓️ : Event - MV Sewol The ferry MV Sewol (pictured) capsized and sank off Donggeochado, South Korea, killing 306 people, mainly students from Danwon High School. "MV Sewol (Hangul: 세월호, Hanja: 世越號, Beyond the World) was a South Korean vehicle-passenger ferry, built and previously operated in Japan. She operated between Incheon and Jeju. On 16 April 2014, Sewol capsized and sank with the loss of 304 passengers and crew. ..."

Image by jinjoo2713 (Naver User)

16th April 1973 🗓️ : Death - István Kertész (conductor) István Kertész, Hungarian conductor and educator (b. 1929) "István Kertész (28 August 1929 – 16 April 1973) was a Hungarian orchestral and operatic conductor who throughout his brief career led many of the world's great orchestras, including the Cleveland, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Detroit, San Francisco and Minnesota..."

Image by Roberto Mastrosimone

16th April 1924 🗓️ : Birth - Madanjeet Singh Madanjeet Singh, Indian diplomat, author, and philanthropist (d. 2013) "Madanjeet Singh (16 April 1924 – 6 January 2013) was an Indian diplomat, painter, photographer, and writer...."

16th April 1823 🗓️ : Birth - Gotthold Eisenstein Gotthold Eisenstein, German mathematician and academic (d. 1852) "Ferdinand Gotthold Max Eisenstein (16 April 1823 – 11 October 1852) was a German mathematician. He specialized in number theory and analysis, and proved several results that eluded even Gauss. Like Galois and Abel before him, Eisenstein died before the age of 30. He was born and died in Berlin,..."

Image by Unknown authorUnknown author

16th April 🗓️ : Holiday - Christian feast day: Martyrs of Zaragoza "Engratia (Portuguese: Santa Engrácia, Spanish: Santa Engracia) is venerated as a virgin martyr and saint. Tradition states that she was martyred with eighteen companions in 303 AD. ..."

Image by Bartolomé Bermejo

[twins2994]

Nats Rally Late To Walk-Off Twins.

Twins 8 Nationals 9 W-Weems (1-0) L-Bentley (0-1)

The Minnesota Twins made a rare trip over to Weest Palm Beach to play the Nationals today. The Nats were ready early as Lane Thomas smoked a Cole Sands pitch out to left-center for a solo home run in the first inning. Washington kept adding on in the third when Victor Robles led-off with a double and CJ Abrams reached on an infield single. Lane Thomas and Joey Gallo walked to plate a run. Keibert Ruiz followed with a run-scoring single to right and a wild pitch plated another run. Eddie Rosario added a sac fly and the Nats lead grew to five after three innings of play. The Twins would find some offense in the fifth with a Mike Helman lead-off double. Chris Williams reached on an infield single and Anthony Prato was hit by a pitch. Carson McCusker plated a pair with a double to left to put the Twins on the board. Later in the inning, Alex Kirilloff knocked in two more with a base hit to center and the Twins pulled within a run midway through the game. The Nats answered in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of walks. Joey Gallo singled home a run and Keibert Ruiz did teh same. Washington pushed their lead back to three after five frames. The Twins wouldn't give up as Jake Rucker led-off the sixth with a base hit. Matt Wallner singled and Mike Helman knocked him in with an RBI groundout. Minnesota got back to work in the seventh when Alex Kirlloff and Kyle Farmer singled. Jake Rucker singled home a run and Yoyner Fajardo reached on an error by Luis Garcia. This tied the game at seven after seven innings of play. Both teams would rally in the ninth as Seth Gray led-off with a walk. He reached second on a grounder and Yoyner Fajardo singled him home. The Twins took a one-run lead into the bottom of the ninth. The Nats would rally late when James Wood smacked a out to left off Denny Bentley for a solo homer to tie the game. Alex Call then singled and stole second base. With two outs, Dylan Crews lined a single to center, which scored Call and the Nationals walked off the Twins today.

-Final Thoughts- Cole Sands got knocked around today. He allowed four runs on three hits with a strikeout over two innings of play. Matt Bowman gave up a run in the third, Josh Staumont allowed two more runs in teh fourth, and Daniel Duarte threw two shutout innings with four strikeouts. Kody Funderburk had a clean seventh and Denny Bentley gave up two runs over 1 2/3 innings to take the loss. Alex Kirilloff, Kyle Farmer, and Jake Rucker had two hits each. The Twins hit 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base. The Twins have a split-squad day tomorrow. Pablo Lopez faces Garrett Cleavinger in Port Charlotte and there aren't projected starters for when the Braves come to Fort Myers tomorrow.

-Chris Kreibich-

[thedaveandkimmershow]

After Christmas we basically launched into the next thing... which was Holland. So I forgot to do what I usually do at the end of the month: a quick what happened this month.

This year, since it's our first back at the house and we've not left any trace of Christmas decorations (mainly the tree), we started from scratch with nothing but my traditional reminiscing of childhood, teenhood, young adulthood, marriedhood, and parentalhood experiences. I also started poking around "A Christmas Carol" for thoughts and quotes to share online illustrated by a touch of generative AI.

I also wrote a bunch about hope.

And making a difference in this world.

Call it my way of entering and re-entering the season.

Aside from my inner Christmastime journeys, outdoors in the real world there was plenty of low-hanging fruit being out and about in the world at Christmastime after Thanksgiving when everyone, all the stores, has license to blow out the season with displays of all kinds.

I saw a tremendous amount of Christmastime cheer commuting through downtown Seattle. I saw it in the basics of poinsettias on tables in small businesses. There were lights everywhere whether big business, small business, or homes. I was on a mission to photograph everything that reeked of Christmas at various Value Village stores and GoodWills. Even Top Pot Donuts for the donuts of course... and also for the decorations inside.

Christmas cards were now on the table so I spent the first coupla weeks with all the Christmas card parts to assemble including our end-of-the-year one-page (front and back) Christmas letter that I also wrote in those pairs of weeks. My first time even thinking about What We Did This Year.

Top of the month we hit on a fantastic YouTube video featuring an animated living room while it snowed outside the windows at Christmas... accompanied by traditional Christmas songs simply arranged for piano or music box.

We played it every morning.

On the music front, Linzy played a songwriters showcase at the Blue Moon Tavern on the edge of the U District on the 5th. The Littles Lies, the Fleetwood Mac tribute band for which Linzy handles Christine McVie vocals, keyboards, and acoustic guitar... performed at the Alladin in Portland alongside a sold-out live podcast show.

That was the night after the Blue Moon, the 6th.

And then the weekend, Sunday evening, The Little Lies was the house band for the Minnesota Wild at Seattle Kraken game at Climate Pledge Arena, their first gig of such magnitude that was covered by three cameras transmitting coverage of the band's performance to the big screens hanging over the center of the ice.

Totally high profile.

Kimmer 'n I actually got to say "we're with the band" at the press entrance to Climate Pledge. Then we were handed passes that actually said "band". We got to hang out with the Little Lies between sets in one of the green rooms and then at a bar a half-block down the street.

The perfect night!

Okay so in the super not perfect column, our car was stolen as part of a spree aided and abetted by Tik-Tok videos. Ours was one of four cars stolen that night by the same crew and we spent the rest of the month coordinating our car's recovery from Bellevue to various lots to finally the first shop that would handle a bunch of the repairs... although not all.

December was a record-breaking month for home-baked goodies by Kimmer. She cooked waaaaaaaay more than usual in the midst of her professional work, in the midst of her doctoral work writing papers and blogs, attending classes and online discussions, in the midst of Christmas shopping.

I talked to a friend of mine a bit about our end-of-the-year traditions. Ours, of course, is the Christmas letter. Theirs is based on daily notes that are reviewed New Year's Eve one entry at a time. Variations on where we all are, how far we've come, and all the good in our lives that otherwise gets overshadowed by the bad.

Finally, in the days leading up to Christmas, we pulled our Christmas decorations from the garage to transform the rooms of our home. We even strung outdoor lights along the front of our house along the gutter, something we've not done in a loooooooong time. And then finally, Kimmer asked Linzy to decorate our tree...

Which she then did to perfection.

FYI, the tree was set up only with lights when Linzy got to it.

Okay so my birthday's on the 23rd... which makes for a packed three full days: my birthday, Christmas Eve Day/Christmas Eve, and finally...

Christmas. 🎄🎄🎄

So yeah.

We enjoyed the season to its fullest.

However.

A family circumstance was brewing in Holland and, a coupla days after Christmas we made the call to hop a flight to Amsterdam on New Year's Eve.

By the time the New Year actually dropped... we were south off the coast of Greenland thinking about how, exactly a year ago we were on a domestic flight to join family also.

At the last minute.

And that's how we exited the month. On sustained bouts of fun and joy, hope and faith, right alongside sadness and concern. It's a recipe that's certainly not new to our days, light overlaying dark and vice-versa. So it's not uber surprising that we launch from the end of the old year into the new one in this manner.

What can I say but

Onward!

😁🥲🤨🥳😕🤣✈️🤯♥️

[madr-production-582]

#1 - The Who, What, and Where

BLOG ASSIGNMENT - 1

Part A - Choose either an original feature screenplay of your own, or a feature film that you would like to ‘remake’ with relevant cast, new locations, and/or storyline that has been produced 2000 or earlier 

A Live action adaptation/remake of 1997s Anastasia with the more grounded aspects seen in 1956's adaptation

screenplay available at http://www.moviescriptsandscreenplays.com/johncusack/scripts/anastasia.txt

Genre

Romance, Drama, Period Film, Musical (maybe?)

Less fantasy more romance (similar to 1956’s Anastasia)

Synopsis

When the Romanovs are overthrown the royal family's youngest daughter, Anastasia, barely escapes but in the process loses her memory and is lost. Grown now Anastasia, who only knows herself as Anya, travels to Paris with two con men, Dimitri and Vladimir, to discover more about her past. Dimitri and Vladimir, however, plan to pass her off as the long lost Anastasia to collect the reward money offered by the Dowager Empress. As they travel they begin to realize they may have uncovered the real Anastasia. And what's worse, the undead Rasputin has realized this as well will not rest until he sees the last Romanov dead.

Logline

An amnesic princess joins two con men in order to reunite with her grandmother, while an undead wizard seeks to kill her.

Target Demographic

18-35, female

Reaching for those who saw the original as children

Also looking to connect with the demographic at has perpetuated the the rise of period tv-dramas and romance books

Part B - Research & List 3 Possible Domestic and International Locations Based on Film Tax Incentives

For the 3 possible film locations that I choose for this film, based mainly on tax incentives and the general ‘snowy’ look this film needs, I choose to stay in the United States. In my research of domestic and international locations I found that, even though there are a lot of international tax incentives that are offered in specific regions and specific countries, most of them add paperwork, costs, and complexity to your film- at all steps of the process. For a low-budget film such as this one (especially one that is already limited to the few ‘snowy’ countries around the world), I decided that it was best to keep the search limited to domestic locations only.

Going from there I narrowed my list of 50 states (and territories) down to my main 3 choices-

Minnesota

Maine

Michigan

Below are these 3 states compares and contrasted based on there main tax incentive and the requirements our production would have to meet in order to receive those credits.

Part C - Why these locations for your film?  - What does the location and/or tax incentive have to offer you as a film producer?

I think of the three states that I had looked at for filming locations. I would like to choose Maine as our main (haha) filming state. Not only does Maine have the current climate and ‘look’ we would need for this film (dense old growth forest, snowy winters, older stone buildings, etc), but it also has good tax incentive for us to film there without sacrificing our create control over our actor and crew make up and film spending.

Maine also only requires us to spend $75,000 or more instate and employ 12% above the line residents and 12% below the line residents to qualify for the states tax incentive. This is much lower than both Michigan and Montana (each with larger higher instate spending requirements and MUCH high resident employment quotas), while not sacrificing much in the way of tax breaks as we could still qualify for up to a 12% tax incentive. This is also not taking into account the other incentives Maine offers such as their wage rebate program for certified productions (10%  for nonresident and 12% for resident) or their 5% expense tax credit for non-wage production expenses.

Maine also has a very nice film commission (https://filminmaine.com/incentives/) that can help with cast and crew calls, location breakdowns, and local permitting.

Part D - Research on how much minimum fee to pay union crew 

This was very hard to do and it was much harder to find information on these unions/societies than I ever could have expected. It was very difficult to find their current standard minimum rates (if they even had any) and it was even harder to dig through the 100+ page legal document the rates sheets were attached to to make sure I was collecting the right data. I'm still sure that I missed some rate sheets that I could have found just because of how confusing some of these societies make is it too look through their websites.

My biggest help when looking for general union rates for specific roles/unions was this website here - https://blog.assemble.tv/a-comprehensive-guide-to-day-rates-for-film-crew-2021. They had a lot of the information I needed helpfully layout already, I just wish I would I have this before I went through 20+ documents🥲.

Anyway, here is a summary of the current union rates I was able to find online. The links included with each union are to the rate sheets I pulled the included data from.

SAG (Screen Actors Guild)

https://www.sagaftra.org/files/LBA%20Rate%20Sheet%201.24.pdf

Low Budget Theatrical

Performers - Day Performer - $753

Background Actors - Schedule X, Part I & Part II - $208

DGA (Directors Guild of America)

https://www.dga.org/-/media/Files/Contracts/Rate-Cards-2023-thru-2024/DGA230926Rates2023thru2024.ashx?la=en&hash=F555482ABC72551E8D5C160B4FCA6E4B9CADC7DF 

A low budget film would be considered a Level 1 or Level 2 low budget production

Weekly Rates (level 2)

UPM - $3,262

1A - $3,101

Key 2A - $2,078

All other 2A - $1,194

“On motion pictures with budgets equal to or less than $2,600,000: The Director’s initial compensation, daily rate and preparation time will be subject to negotiation between Employer and the Director.”

I found the compensation rate for a level 3 production director, just to have an idea of what a level 2 director’s pay may look like

“The Director’s initial compensation shall be no less than $75,000 for a minimum guarantee of 13 weeks. 

“The minimum compensation for a Second Unit Director is $1,500 per day.”

PGA (Producers Guild of America)

https://producersguild.org/does-pga-do-this/ 

I could only find this statement on the PGA’s website regarding the compensation rates.

“The PGA does not have an industry-wide Minimum Basic Agreement at this time, so pay rates are subject to negotiation in one’s Personal Service Contract.”

ASC (American Society of Cinematographers)

Again, I could not find minimum day rates/ or standard compensations standards from the ASC anywhere online

I could, however, find compensation rates from the International Cinematographers Guild (Local .600) to use as an estimate 

https://blog.assemble.tv/a-comprehensive-guide-to-day-rates-for-film-crew-2021 

“An established DP can earn six figures or more on a single project. For the non-union freelancer working low-budget, the director of photography day rate or cinematographer day rate ranges between $1000 to $1800 per day.”

Director of Photography - STN - subject to negotiation

WGA (Writers Guild of America)

https://www.wga.org/uploadedFiles/contracts/2023_Schedule_of_Minimums.pdf 

LOW BUDGET

Original Screenplay, Including Treatment - $ 85,281

Non-Original Screenplay, Including Treatment - $ 74,614

Original Screenplay, Excluding Treatment or Sale/Purchase of Original Screenplay - $ 57,289

“When a Company employs a writer to write the first draft of a screenplay, or purchases a screenplay from a professional writer at two hundred percent (200%) or less of the applicable minimum compensation for the screenplay as provided in Article 13.A.1.a.(1) or (2), the Company shall be required to employ the writer to write a rewrite at no less than the applicable minimum compensation as provided in Article 13.A.1.a.(3).”

MPEG (Motion Picture Editors Guild)

https://www.editorsguild.com/Wages-and-Contracts

Low Budget Theatrical Tier 1-A 

Assistant Editor 

Weekly rate - $1,533.78

Weekly Hourly Rate- $32.29

Sound Editor

Must contact a union rep. for current rate information

Teamsters

https://teamster.org/

A comprehensive list of list of day rates for driver, transporter, and other Teamster professionals

https://www.ht399.org/app/uploads/2022/02/399-Full-Basic-Rates.pdf 

I also took note of other guild, professional societies, and unions that came up alot in my research and notes them down here in case I need to reference or research into them more later.

IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees)

https://blog.assemble.tv/a-comprehensive-guide-to-day-rates-for-film-crew-2021

https://iatse.com/_content/documents/public/agreements/Current%20rates/2022-2023%20BCCFU%20Tier%201%20Rates-WDNS-1-revised.pdf 

A larger organization that had a lot of smaller/local guilds and unions underneath it

Editors Guild 

Art Directors Guild (ADG)

Costume Designers Guild (CDG)