#puerto rico status act

[corrupcionenpr]

La Cámara Baja de EEUU aprueba referéndum vinculante sobre el futuro de la isla

Esto estaba cantado desde el primer día.  Pero, como en Puerto Rico sobra la gente a la que le encanta engañar o darse  por engañada pues… 👇

El Senado terminó sus labores esta noche por lo tanto para los que estaban preguntando por el Puerto Rico Status Act… El proyecto tendrá que comenzar desde CERO en enero con un nuevo congreso nuevamente dividido — cámara mayormente republicana y un senado demócrata.

[amelierose13]

Guys, this passed. It doesn’t look like it’s going to pass in the Senate, but this is still a really good time to practice writing to your senators. You have two of them. And seriously, it gets easier the more often you write to them! It doesn’t have to be long and eloquent, just write what you want to say and send it off!

Puerto Ricans could move a step closer to a referendum on whether the island should become a U.S. state, an independent country or have another type of government when the House of Representatives votes Thursday on a bill outlining the process.

A House committee approved the Puerto Rico Status Act on Wednesday, paving the way for the full House vote.

The legislation lays out terms of a plebiscite as well as three potential self-governing statuses - independence, full U.S. statehood or sovereignty with free association with the United States. The latter is in place in Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands.

Puerto Rico, which has about 3.3 million people and high rates of poverty, became a U.S. territory in 1898. Activists have campaigned for greater self-determination including statehood for decades.

There have been six referendums on the topic since the 1960s, but they were nonbinding. Only Congress can grant statehood.

"After 124 years of colonialism Puerto Ricans deserve a fair, transparent, and democratic process to finally solve the status question," Representative Nydia Velazquez, a Democratic cosponsor of the bill, said on Twitter.

15 Dec 22

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!

#20yrsago Kalashnikov: US gov’t is pirating my AK-47 design https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/26/world/who-s-a-pirate-russia-points-back-at-the-us.html

#20yrsago Real ships guerrilla DRM for the iPod https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/26/business/media-realnetworks-plans-to-sell-songs-to-be-played-on-ipod.html

#20yrsago 30,000 anti-Induce Act letters sent to Congress https://web.archive.org/web/20040723084653/https://action.eff.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=2918

#10yrsago Journalist believes his phone was hacked by spooks at HOPE X, will upload image for forensics https://thecryptosphere.com/2014/07/23/report-from-hope-x-surveillance-snowden-stratfor-and-surprises/

#10yrsago What’s original? Cloning games versus making games https://www.raphkoster.com/2014/07/23/when-is-a-clone/

#10yrsago Great video explainer: Vint Cerf on ICANN and NTIA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd3dH90tdhk

#5yrsago Trade war: Hasbro is shifting manufacturing to Vietnam and India, drawing down production in China https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-24/world-s-top-toymaker-joins-companies-leaving-china-s-factories

#5yrsago #Rickyrenuncia: Bowing to popular pressure, Puerto Rican governor Ricardo Rossello has resigned https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-24/puerto-rico-lawmakers-push-to-impeach-crisis-beset-governor

#5yrsago #29leaks: someone leaked 15 years�� worth of data from London’s most notorious shell-company factory https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/07/24/this-london-firm-helps-the-wealthy-hide-assets-or-steal-them-luckily-we-have-15-years-of-their-client-communications/

#5yrsago E-scooter companies are desperate for repo men to stop impounding their vehicles https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/24/20696405/dockless-scooters-share-repo-men-repossessor-lawsuit-tow-yard-lime-bird-lyft-uber-razor

#5yrsago Adblocking: How about nah? https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/07/adblocking-how-about-nah

#5yrsago Countries with higher levels of unionization have lower per-capita carbon footprints https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331445998_Is_Labor_Green

#5yrsago Analyzing 800 daily tweets that say “Today was the day that Donald Trump became president” https://twitter.com/waxpancake/status/1154098035183329280

[rauthschild]

Public. "In another sense the word does not mean all the people, nor most of the people, nor very many of the people of a place but so many of them as distinguishes them from the few". Black’s Law Dictionary, 4-6 Ed.

As a result of the substitution fraud engendered by the "election" of Abraham Lincoln as the "President" of the British Territorial Corporation doing business as "the United States of America, Incorporated" in 1860, and his subsequent usurpation of powers belonging to the Federation of States and The President of The United States of America under False Pretenses, there has been a continuing confusion about "Which Public?" is to be served by the Federal Government Subcontractors --- their own "public" consisting of their own incorporated "citizenry", or our General Public of the American States?  

The quick answer is that their organizations exist because of their respective Constitutions, but they are not parties to nor beneficiaries of the Constitutions.  They are paid employees charged with duties and limitations provided by the Constitutions.  Federal Employees denoted as Federal Citizens, or specifically as U.S. Citizens or citizens of the United States, work under the provisions of their respective Constitutions, but have no Guarantees provided by the Constitutions, for they are not Parties to the Constitutions nor Creators of the Constitutions.  

This has always been the case, ever since the implementation of the Constitutions in 1787, 1789, and 1790, respectively.  

In respect to the American Federal Subcontractor, the States of America functioning under The Constitution for the united States of America, provisions were made to enable Americans born in the States of the Union (the original Union, not anything to do with the Civil War) to retain their Constitutional Guarantees as American State Citizens on a private basis while rendering international public service as employees of the original Federal Republic government.  

This arrangement was known as "Federal Dual Citizenship" and was set up by the first Naturalization and Immigration Act --- this phrase "Federal Dual Citizenship" has since been redefined and subverted to mean that present day Federal Subcontractor Employees from anywhere on Earth are "presumed to be" both Territorial U.S. Citizens and Municipal citizens of the United States, but this is not the customary and intended meaning of the Public Law still standing among the United States Statutes at Large, Unrevised. 

The British Territorial Government made no such provisions, because their U.S. Citizens already owe allegiance to the British Monarch and have adopted British Territorial/Commonwealth political status the same as the people of Puerto Rico, which is a British Commonwealth nation. 

The Municipal Government run by the Holy Roman Empire similarly never referenced Americans; their citizens of the United States were understood to have their Federal Dual citizenship allocated already by their allegiance to the Pope/Roman Pontiff.  

Thus, among the original Federal Subcontractors, you had three different possible kinds of "Federal Dual Citizens": 

United States Citizens - American State Citizens 

U.S. Citizens - British Territorials citizens of the United States -- Holy Roman Empire citizens.

This results in three distinct populations with unique political identities and "public" bodies associated with each. 

None of these "publics" are the Public to be served under the provisions of any Federal Constitution, though enterprising public servants have usurped against the Employers and sought to substitute their "publics" for the American Public. 

When the American Federal Subcontractor ceased to function in April 1861, the other two foreign Federal Subcontractors rushed in to fill the gap and to provide the services and exercise the authority and delegated powers of the American Federal Republic in its "absence". 

This has been their story and excuse ever since.  They, both Britain and Rome, have told the world that the American Government is unaccountably "absent", "missing, presumed dead", and "in interregnum".   

All that is or ever has been "missing" is a Subcontractor of our government, not our actual government which delegated all the federal powers in the first place. 

The two remaining foreign Federal Subcontractors freely misrepresented themselves as our custodians and representatives, usurped the powers delegated to the American Federal Republic, and exercised those delegated powers without a contract to do so. 

From the perspective of the trusting American Employers, all appeared to be well.  The duties of the Federal Republic were being accomplished and the exact details of how this was being done -- via the two other Federal Subcontractors -- was conveniently not revealed. 

Thus the actual American Government was left in the dark and gradually fell into a comfortable stupor, while the remaining Federal Subcontractors were reorganized as commercial and municipal corporations, created "state of state" franchises for themselves and grew more and more corrupt.  

We began waking up in the 1960's - 1970's when a series of events began ringing alarm bells.  United States District Courts apart from the district courts of the United States (Article 5) appeared, but no effort was made to distinguish between these foreign Territorial and Legislative courts serving the Federal citizenries, and Article 3 Federal Courts and the actual State and County Courts owed to Americans. 

The Office of the Secretary of War was renamed the Secretary of Defense.  The Vietnam "War" was admitted to be a "Conflict" --- not a war.  Richard Nixon converted healthcare into a for-profit enterprise to please his cronies at Kaiser-Permanente.  Both the Internal Revenue Service and the Municipal IRS began prosecuting Americans for not "voluntarily" filing Federal Income Tax returns -- despite the fact that these Americans had no Federal Income and no legal duty to report.  

By 1980, Jimmy Carter had the brass cajones to take over and federalize public education in America, leaving no doubt that as far as he was concerned, the "public" to be served was the British Territorial U.S. Citizen version, and not the American Public.  

Carter scrubbed all mention of American History from the libraries and "public" schools, leaving only United States History to be studied by the next three generations of school children.  Local School Boards were reorganized as "School Districts", even though no Federal Constitution allows this and even though, like public health, no mention of education exists in any Federal Constitution. 

There seemed to be a concerted, organized effort to confuse Americans with their Federal Employees --- but to what end? By 1998, as we approached yet another Municipal Corporation bankruptcy (2000-2001) we raised our hand and objected to this continuing malfeasance and misrepresentation and served notice on the United States Secretary of State and the Commissioner of Internal Revenue and numerous other officials, challenging their authority and jurisdiction, dereliction of duty, and non-performance. 

Coming out of the 2000 bankruptcy in which the City of Washington, DC, was emptied for 120 days, more alarming rumors began circulating, to the effect that foreign banks, most notably, the World Bank, Global Federal Reserve, and International Monetary Fund were making claims on abandonment, seeking to act as creditors of the foreign Federal Corporations and trying to attach American land and physical assets as "abandoned collateral" belonging to "unknown persons".

That would be us, or to be exact, the purportedly "absent" American Government -- which was only an American Federal Subcontractor instead -- that disappeared in the wake of the Civil War.  

Unfortunately for them, we are still here, and still guarding our own Autochthonous people and our own country.  

Their initial scheme, to use False Claims on Abandonment to steal everything from everyone, has failed.  

Their further scheme, to misrepresent themselves and substitute a British Territorial Federal Republic for our long-lost American Federal Republic, has also failed. 

Most recently, they have hauled another fraud scheme out of the rag-bag of history, and they are attempting to pull the same public trust bait-and-switch fraud that was used by Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil War. 

What remains is for these fraudsters to Cease and Desist and admit that they have no standing in these matters of American health, education, finances, and asset management,  no authority, and no contract allowing them to interpose themselves as our custodians or representatives.  

Mr. Lincoln, his Executive Orders, his Lieber Code --- all of it, was exercised in fraud and with malice aforethought, all resulting in criminal malfeasance, unlawful conversion of American assets, and a century and a half of unlawful and illegal mercenary warfare carried out under color of law.  

We, the American People, and that means specifically, the American State Citizens and American State Nationals, are the Public to be served by the Federal Subcontractors; our erstwhile employees are not empowered to serve themselves at our expense. 

Our Autochthonous American State Citizens are the Principals enabled to enforce the Federal Constitution Contracts, and we are enforcing them in all jurisdictions, with prejudice, against the other Principals and Treaty Partners, their employees, subcontractors, and agents, not limited to the Holy See, the Holy Roman Empire, the Inner City of London, the Belgian Government, the British Government of Westminster, the British Monarchy, His Imperial Majesty King Charles III, Pope Francis, the Patriarch of the West, and all their various corporations, including their incorporated banks. 

[coffee-n-bagels-comic-universe]

Granite Hills Bios: Angel Vega (1980)

Architecture, Criminology, Music Technology & Theatrical Studies Student A. R. Vega.

Student & Member of several groups Angel Ramon Vega.

"The University, incredible, the town, ehh, not so much."

Name

Full Legal Name: Angel Ramon Vega

First Name: Angel

Meaning: From the medieval Latin masculine name 'Angelus', which was derived from the name of the heavenly creature.

Pronunciation: AYN-jel. ANG-khel

Origin: English, Bulgarian, Macedonian

Middle Name: Ramon

Meaning: Catalan form of 'Raymond', from the Germanic name 'Raginmund', composed of the elements 'Regin' 'Advice, Counsel, Decision' and 'Munt' 'Protection'.

Pronunciation: ra-MON

Origin: Catalan

Surname: Vega

Meaning: From Spanish 'Vega' meaning 'Meadow, Plain', of Basque origin.

Pronunciation: BEH-gha

Origin: Spanish

Titles: Mr, Señor

Nicknames: N/A

Goes By: Angel (Pronounced: ANG-khel)

Characteristics

Age: 24

Gender: Male. He/Him Pronouns

Nationality: American Citizen. Born in Puerto Rico

Ethnicity: Latino. Puerto Rican

Birth Date: 26th January 1956

Sexuality: Straight

Religion: Catholic

Native Language: Spanish

Known Languages: Spanish, English

Relationship Status: Single

Astrological Sign: Aquarius

Played By: Alfred Molina

Appearance

Height: 6'3" / 190 cm

Eye Colour: Brown

Hair Colour: Black

Hair Dye: None

Body Hair: Hairy

Facial Hair: Varies

Tattoos: None

Piercings: None

Scars: None

Health and Fitness

Allergies: None

Alcoholic, Smoker, Drug User: Social Drinker, Occasional Smoker

Illnesses/Disorders: None Diagnosed

Medications: None

Any Specific Diet: None

Relationships

Affiliated Groups: Alien Seekers, Granite Hills Crime-Stoppers, Historical Re-Enactment Society, Music Appreciation Society

Friends: Easton White, Douglass Bernard, Chuck Sheppard, Quentin Hollister, Holden Lynn

Shares A Dorm With: Cesar Leon, Terry Jepson

Significant Other: None

Parents: Oriol Vega (48, Father), Queralt Vega (50, Mother, Née Borja)

Siblings: None

Extras

Classes: Architecture, Criminology, Music Technology, Theatrical Studies

Occupation: Student

Employer: None

Hobbies/Interests: swimming, ice skating, rugby, dancing, calligraphy, star gazing, magic, acting, note taking & researching, music (both creating & listening to), cooking, card games

[us-laws-you-should-know]

Marijuana Legality: The Quick(er) Version

A few days ago, I started writing a very long, very detailed post about marijuana legality state by state... and it got eaten by tumblr's drafts features.

This post is going to be the Cliff Notes version of that post.

First off, Wikipedia's Legality of cannabis by U.S. jurisdiction page is an excellent resource for this. It doesn't capture everything, but it captures a lot, and you can always go to linked pages for individual states and/or check the linked sources for more information.

The short(ish) version:

Under federal law, specifically the Controlled Substances Act, marijuana is a Schedule I drug and cannot be prescribed or possessed legally aside from a very tightly-controlled quota for scientific research purposes. This scheduling includes language stating that marijuana "has no currently accepted medical use" and "[t]here is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision", which is... arguable.

There is a process for changing drugs, including marijuana, to a less restrictive schedule under the Controlled Substances Act or removing them as a controlled substance altogether. But that process hasn't happened for marijuana so far.

Technically, this supersedes state and local law on the subject; state law can be more restrictive than federal law, but not less restrictive, or else the whole idea of federal law governing the whole country is moot. Theoretically, that means that federal police could arrest anyone, anywhere, for marijuana possession under the Controlled Substances Act, regardless of what local authorities say on the matter.

Realistically, that's highly unlikely. Any case where someone gets arrested for marijuana in a state that says it's okay is practically asking for a Supreme Court case on the matter, and said Supreme Court ruling would inevitable be controversial and divisive, and right now everybody's content to just... pretend the federal law doesn't exist when the state says otherwise. Probably some years down the line such a Supreme Court case will indeed happen and cause a shift to the current murky and unstable status quo, but it's highly unlikely that said Supreme Court case will star you, random marijuana user. (And if it does, well, upside is there's bound to be a bunch of folks willing to represent you for free just to get in on the action!)

Also, the federal police are busy, and hey, if they don't have to worry about marijuana use in a large chunk of the country, that just gives them more time to go after other kinds of federal criminals.

So, if state law's what matters, what do the states say?

Again, I point you to the Wikipedia page outlining exactly this. (It's most of what I'm using for a resource here myself.)

Recreational use of marijuana is legal in 24 states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington state), three U.S. territories (Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands), and Washington D.C. Note that Ohio's measure here is newly passed and doesn't actually take effect until December 7, 2023, three days from now.

Commercial distribution is legal everywhere that recreational use is legal except Virginia and Washington D.C.

Personal cultivation for recreational use is legal everywhere that recreational use is legal except Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, and Washington state.

Recreational use is decriminalized in Hawaii, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and North Dakota.

Medicinal use of marijuana is legal in 38 states (the recreational use ones, plus Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, and West Virginia), four U.S. territories (the recreational use ones plus Puerto Rico), and Washington D.C.

Medicinal use is decriminalized in Nebraska and North Carolina.

Iowa gets a special shout-out here for allowing medicinal marijuana, but not allowing any actual distributors of said medicinal marijuana in the state; medicinal marijuana patients need to go out-of-state to get their marijuana supplies, but those supplies remain legal upon bringing them back to Iowa.

Personal cultivation for medicinal use is legal everywhere that recreational cultivation is legal plus Illinois, Washington state, Hawaii, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.

Marijuana remains illegal for both medicinal and recreational use in ten states: Georgia (though several cities/counties in Georgia have decriminalized it), Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, and also the territory of American Samoa. Everywhere but American Samoa has some exception for CBD oil, though, with limits on the percentage of THC present.

A number of Native American reservations have also legalized marijuana use, either recreational or medicinal.

Most of these laws have restrictions beyond just "it's legal". You might have to be 18 to purchase marijuana, or 19, or 21; there's generally a maximum amount you're allowed to possess, or grow, at one time; medicinal use might be restricted to specific symptoms or conditions outlined in the original law; details may vary about having it in a public place, or about the specific forms allowed.

Also, some laws specifically address potential effects of marijuana use within the state beyond simple criminality. Can marijuana use be considered in a child welfare case, and held against you as a parent? Can use of medicinal marijuana get you fired if you fail a drug test your employer gave you, or just because your employer doesn't like it? Does being fired for using marijuana count as being fired "for cause" for unemployment purposes? Can marijuana use disqualify you from accessing needed health care like organ transplants? Excellent questions! The answers will vary. Or they might not be specified in the original statute at all, which leaves it open for the courts to decide.

If you're going to purchase and/or consume marijuana, please, look up all the details of your local laws on the matter beforehand.

[freehawaii]

KE AUPUNI UPDATE - JANUARY 2024

UN Was Used to Capture Our Nation... By the end of World War II, the United States had completely fooled the entire world — including nearly every Hawaiian — into thinking that Hawaiʻi was a United States territory. But in 1946 the US was presented with a problem. At that time, about 75% of the world was under the colonial rule of nine European countries and the United States. The newly formed United Nations decided to emphasize decolonization of the world. The plan was for the colonial powers to assist the people in their territories to determine for themselves what form of governance they wished for their future — whether to remain a dependent territory, become integrated into the colonizer, or to become independent. Since then, about 80 of the original 100 or so territories on the UN list for decolonization chose independence, and became members of the United Nations. Today, there are only 17 territories remaining on that list. In 1946, the US placed “Hawaiʻi” on the UN decolonization list, along with Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, Panama Canal Zone, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. It is now apparent that the US intended to use the UN decolonization process to legitimize their 1898 fake annexation of Hawaiʻi. Sure enough, in 1959, the US conducted a “statehood” referendum rigged to manufacture consent to absorb Hawaiʻi into the United States. The voters were not told this was actually a decolonization vote. They were not informed of other possible choices (like independence) and were kept in the dark about the international ramifications of the vote. The only option presented on the ballot was: ‘yes’ to statehood. After this and other irregularities, the United States submitted a report to the United Nations claiming the “people of Hawaiʻi” had consented to become a “state” of the United States, and as a result, the US had made Hawaiʻi the 50th state of the Union. In December, 1959 the UN General Assembly, without checking on details, adopted Resolution 1469, accepting the United States’ report, and deeming the political status of the Hawaiian Islands to be settled — Hawaii was a “state” of the United States and its people were citizens of the US. Thus, the UN became an unwitting accomplice to the fraud of Hawaiʻi statehood. Even though it is an error based on fraud, UNGA Resolution 1469 stands today as the official stance of the United Nations (and the entire international community) on the question of Hawaiʻi’s sovereignty. This stance blocks and frustrates all legal challenges to previous wrongful acts such as the overthrow, the annexation, and flagrant land-taking… The key to freeing Hawaiʻi is to expose UN General Assembly Resolution 1469 as a grave error that binds our nation in captivity to the US; and to persuade the UN to rescind the offending resolution. This will open wide the legal and political paths to a Free Hawaiʻi.  

“Love of country is deep-seated in the breast of every Hawaiian, whatever his station.” — Queen Liliʻuokalani ---------- Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono. The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

------ For the latest news and developments about our progress at the United Nations in both New York and Geneva, tune in to Free Hawaii News at 6 PM the first Friday of each month on ʻŌlelo Television, Channel 53. 

------ "And remember, for the latest updates and information about the Hawaiian Kingdom check out the twice-a-month Ke Aupuni Updates published online on Facebook and other social media." PLEASE KŌKUA… Your kōkua, large or small, is vital to this effort... To contribute, go to:  

• GoFundMe – CAMPAIGN TO FREE HAWAII • PayPal – use account email: info@HawaiianKingdom.net • Other – To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, volunteer services, etc...) email us at: info@HawaiianKingdom.net  “FREE HAWAII” T-SHIRTS - etc. Check out the great FREE HAWAII products you can purchase at... http://www.robkajiwara.com/store/c8/free_hawaii_products All proceeds are used to help the cause. MAHALO! Malama Pono,

Leon Siu

Hawaiian National

[rhysdarbinizedarby]

Rhys’s Pieces: Interview with ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ Actor Rhys Darby

by: Jesse Rifkin • December 20 2017

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, one of the most anticipated films of this holiday season, stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black as players who accidentally get sucked into a dangerous videogame world of magic and attacking animals.

Rhys Darby portrays Nigel, a guide to the newcomers in the videogame world, who entrusts them with their mission: returning a sacred jewel called the Jaguar’s Eye to the distant statue where it belongs. Darby is best known to American audiences for comedic roles as Jim Carrey’s boss in Yes Man and inept band manager Murray Hewitt in the 2000s HBO show Flight of the Conchords.

Ahead of the film’s December 20 theatrical release, Darby spoke to Boxoffice about filming in Hawaii, the children’s book he started writing on the set, and how his training in the New Zealand Army helped prepare him for the role.

What was it like working with this cast?

Amazing. The Rock is so huge in every way. He has a connection to New Zealand. He actually went to a school in New Zealand when he was a kid. And he’s from Samoa. [Johnson is of Samoan heritage, though he was born and primarily raised in America.] So there was kind of a spiritual connection there. I felt like I already knew him. When we hung out a bit on set, he knew who I was from Conchords. He was very upbeat and fun to be around.

Was it disappointing working with The Rock, after you grew up in New Zealand which already has the world’s largest rock?

That’s in Australia. You’ve got to do your research!

I did my research. I am speaking to Hugh Jackman, right?

Absolutely! [Laughs.]

What was it like shooting in Hawaii? Had you ever been there before?

That’s right, Oahu. I had been a few times. I love Hawaii, it’s a very special place. So it was fantastic to be able to shoot there. I do this TV show called Wrecked [airing on TBS, about a group of people stranded on an island] and we film on a tropical island as well. We started in Puerto Rico, then we did season 2 in Fiji. So I feel like a lot of my acting work seems to be in tropical islands.

When you were a soldier in real life, where were you stationed? Were you ever on an island then?

I was on the island of New Zealand! [Laughs.] I was in the north island, then the south island. But I never left New Zealand with the army.

Did you use any of what you learned as a soldier when performing your role as Nigel? He’s a tough guy trekking in nature.

It’s really a mind fit, that kind of outdoorsman. I’ve certainly been that in the past. I enjoy adventure, it’s one of the things I do. I mean, I’ve climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in real life. I’ve wandered through Rwanda looking for mountain gorillas. So for me, those kind of experiences, wearing that kind of outfit and driving a Land Rover, is almost second nature. I used to drive Land Rovers in the New Zealand Army.

Did you see the original Jumanji when it was released in 1995? How much were you guys trying to go for an original Jumanji vibe, versus doing your own thing?

I think I probably saw it a few years later, on video. They liked to keep the spirit of the original, but definitely do a new thing. We couldn’t copy the original, that one was so good. This was rebooting the world, but modernizing it and turning it into a video game. That was the big difference, which I think is going to be great for the kids. I’d love to say that board games are coming back, and I think they might be. But I know most kids can relate to the video game concept more.

You co-host a podcast called The Cryptid Factor, about fictional or mythical animals. Were there any that you tried to get included in this film? Which mythical animal would you have most wanted to see included?

In the Jumanji world, there are pretty regular animals, except they’re a lot bigger than in real life. So they are gigantic and they seem to be a bit possessed. They’re quite dangerous. If I was to add any animal into this world, it would be something like the Mongolian death worm. [The animal, rumored but never confirmed, is an enormous worm supposedly residing in the Gobi Desert]. That would have fit in there. Obviously, it wouldn’t be Mongolian. Maybe the Jumanjian death worm.

What’s your best Jack Black story?

Nick Jonas [the superstar pop singer who plays a pilot named Jefferson “Seaplane” McDonough] contacted me and invited me out to dinner with Jack Black. We went out and had dinner one night. That’s the only context in which the three of us would ever be together!

I didn’t hang out with those guys [the stars of the cast] or anything like that. I was mostly just alone in my hotel. I only worked about seven days, but I was trapped in Hawaii for two months, because the scenes I was in were predominantly either in the Land Rover or some other backstory scene wandering through the jungle. They were waiting for it to rain to film my scenes, for some reason. It was all very weirdly determined. And it never rained! So I just sort of waited, going slowly insane. Then finally I got brought on to the set.

That must have been terrible, spending two months in paradise not working but still getting paid.

I spent that time writing a book! It hasn’t come out yet. It’s a children’s book. I’m still working on it. It’s an adventure book about a 12-year-old who goes on this crazy adventure to find his parents.

Your standup has generally been pretty alternative, Flight of the Conchords was rated TV-MA, [Darby’s previous film] What We Do in the Shadows was rated R. Now you’re doing a children’s book and a family movie. Is this a new direction you’re trying to go in your career?

I naturally go towards stuff that is more friendly, less violent. I think it’s just the jobs I’ve gotten. I also do Voltron [a Netflix original animated series in which Darby voices the royal advisor Coran]. That lets me do funny character work that all ages can enjoy. I’ll do whatever is funny. If we can keep that in the zone for younger people to laugh at as well, that actually means I have to be cleverer.

AT THE MOVIES

What is your favorite moviegoing memory or experience?

It would have to be going back to childhood, seeing Return of the Jedi in this amazing cinema in Auckland called The Civic. It’s gloriously decorated on the inside. It has gold lions on stage whose eyes light up. The whole ceiling is kind of like space, it’s all twinkling stars. You feel like you’re in another world. I got to see Return of Jedi there when I was young, on the big screen. I also saw Indiana Jones in that same theater. So those two.

And your favorite snack at the movie theater concession stand?

Oh, wow. For me, it’s a combination of ice cream and popcorn. So I get the popcorn and then I like to get a vanilla ice cream, or what they call a Choc Top in New Zealand. [The treat consists of soft serve ice cream dipped in a hard chocolate coating, served inside a waffle cone.] You can bite into it, then you just dip it into the popcorn. So you end up with popcorn sticking onto your ice cream and you can eat them both.

Source: Boxoffice

[influencermagazineuk]

Adria Arjona, The Multifaceted Talent in Hollywood

Adria Arjona is a talented Puerto Rican actress known for her captivating performances in film and television. Her journey to stardom began with diverse roles that showcased her acting prowess and versatility. Arjona's early life was shaped by a multicultural upbringing, spending her childhood in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Mexico City before settling in Miami and later New York City. Image Credit: Instagram of Adria Arjona Arjona's acting career took off with appearances in various television series, including "True Detective" and "Person of Interest." However, her breakout role came in the form of Dorothy Gale in the television adaptation of "Emerald City" and Anathema Device in the highly acclaimed mini-series "Good Omens." These performances garnered her critical acclaim and a growing fan base. Transitioning to the big screen, Arjona made her mark with supporting roles in movies like "Pacific Rim Uprising," "Life of the Party," "Triple Frontier," and "6 Underground." Her ability to embody characters with depth and nuance caught the attention of filmmakers and audiences alike, propelling her career to greater heights. Arjona's talent and charm have led to collaborations with prominent brands, such as being the face of Giorgio Armani's fragrance "My Way." Her star power continues to rise with exciting projects in the pipeline, including her role as Martine Bancroft in the Sony spinoff "Morbius." In addition to her film and television work, Arjona has ventured into executive producing. She is set to star in and executive-produce the drama film "Los Frikis" and will take on the lead role in "Pussy Island," directed by Zoë Kravitz. With a growing list of accolades, Adria Arjona's talent and dedication to her craft have earned her recognition in the industry. Her captivating performances and ability to bring characters to life have left a lasting impression on audiences worldwide. As she continues to take on challenging roles and contribute to compelling storytelling, it is evident that Adria Arjona is a rising star in the world of entertainment. Her passion for acting and her commitment to excellence serve as an inspiration to aspiring actors, and her diverse cultural background adds depth and authenticity to her portrayals. Adria Arjona's journey from her multicultural upbringing to her success in Hollywood showcases the power of talent, hard work, and determination. Her impressive range of roles, from TV series to blockbuster films, has solidified her status as a rising star in the entertainment industry. With a promising future ahead, Arjona's contributions to film and television continue to captivate audiences and leave a lasting impact on the world of entertainment. Read the full article

[gwendolynlerman]

Separatist and irredentist movements in the world

Puerto Rico

Proposed state: Puerto Rico

Region: Puerto Rico, United States

Ethnic group: Puerto Ricans

Goal: independence

Date: 1904

Political parties: Puerto Rican Independence Party

Militant organizations/advocacy groups: Boricua Popular Army, Hostosian National Independence Movement, Puerto Rican Nationalist Party, Social Front

Current status: inactive

History

7th-11th centuries - Taíno culture

1493 - arrival of Columbus

1868 - Grito de Lares

1873 - abolishment of slavery

1898 - U.S. invasion

1900 - Foraker Act

1914 - independence vote

1917 - Jones-Shafroth Act

1922 - foundation of the Nationalist Party of Puerto

1946 - creation of the Puerto Rican Independence Party

1952 - Puerto Rico becomes a free associated state

1976 - formation of the Boricua Popular Army

1990 - launch of the Socialist Front

2004 - creation of the Hostosian National Independence Movement

2012 - status referendum

2020 - statehood referendum

Rebellions and revolts in Puerto Rico were already present during the Spanish colonization. The most important one was the Grito de Lares or Lares uprising as a result of an economic crisis. It led to the adoption of the first Puerto Rican flag.

After the 1898 Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico became a U.S. possession as an unincorporated organized territory. Soon after, the Foraker Act allowed some measure of civilian popular government. The 1917 Jones-Shafroth Act granted citizenship to Puerto Ricans born after 1898.

The 2012 referendum posed three alternatives: statehood, independence, or free association. Almost two-thirds voted for statehood, a decision that was confirmed by the 2020 referendum.

Puerto Ricans

There are around 9 million Puerto Ricans, of which only 3.2 million live in Puerto Rico. 6 million additional Puerto Ricans live in the diaspora.

They speak English and Spanish, the two official languages of Puerto Rico. The main religion is Catholicism, but there are Protestant groups as well.

Vocabulary

Ejército Popular Boricua - Boricua Popular Army

Frente Socialista - Socialist Front

Movimiento Independentista Nacional Hostosiano - Hostosian National Independence Movement

Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño - Puerto Rican Independence Party

Partido Nacionalista de Puerto Rico - Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico

puertorriqueño/-a - Puerto Rican

[jeanjauthor]

OMG YESSSS!!!

...Okay, for those who don’t know what this is about, it’s a bill giving Puerto Ricans a framework, a process, to democratically pave the way toward attaining statehood.  It passed the House of Representatives, which means it can now move to the (Dem-controlled) Senate, where it has a good chance of passing...and if it does, then it’s highly likely that President Biden will sign it!

YES IT’S “JUST” A BABY STEP IN THE PROCESS.

But it IS a STEP FORWARD!!

[mariacallous]

so finally, after WAY too long (side eye at AOC and Nydia Velázquez) the Puerto Rico Status Act is going to the floor tomorrow I hope it can get through the Senate and the Island can finally finally FINALLY get a real (BINDING!) vote on it's future

though I... (side eye again) dislike the "Free Association" being it's own line, it seems designed to narrow the chances of Statehood getting a majority and designed to confuse voters into thinking they're voting for something other than independence, when Free Association and Independence are the same thing and how close an Independent Puerto Rico and the US should be should be left up to the governments of both to hammer out idk but hey don't let perfect be the enemy of good

I know that Senator Wicker had at one time not supported the House version of the bill but I'm glad that this is finally moving forward - honestly it's ridiculous it's taken this long.

And the plebiscite won't happen until November of next year (if the bills passes etc.) so there's time to refine and develop the arguments.

At some point I'd like to see DC Statehood too but I'm not holding my breath anytime soon.