#whaley answers

[whaleiumsharkspeare]

Do you have any ocs?

I do but they’re not fleshed out too much yet. I have a google doc of my current fic that I’m working on where I have the characters listed and what it is they do. They all work on a cargo ship called the Lydia Eva and so I just basically wrote down their jobs on the ship. There’s the captain, engineer, ship’s cook, helmsman, medic, and a navigator/meteorologist. Plus there are some other random assorted characters that will appear later on in the story in minor roles. But like I said, I don’t have them especially well fleshed out at the moment. I’ve only written chapter one and I’m in the process of writing chapter 2 and the story I’ve got in my head is long (takes place over the course of seven years) and I haven’t quite thought that far ahead lol

[bergoop]

Shane: Each week, we look back at our most compelling "evidence", and answer your burning questions.

Evidence of Alcatraz Evidence of St. Ignatius Evidence of The Whaley House We Investigated The Winchester House

[woah-were-halfway-there]

PLEASE can we get more of Auston in the hospital after being forced out of Carson’s room? 😩 literally anything

omg omg ok so instead of posting screenshots below is a direct copy and paste from my docs hehehe. It's also almost 2k words so not short hahaha enjoy! pls let me know what you think! (maybe I'll get some inspo to finally update AFTR)

Auston was hunched over in the waiting room chair with his hands stressfully gripping his hair as he stared at the grey tile flooring, still processing what he was told about what was happening with Carson. It’d only been 10 minutes since he’d been forced out of the hospital room and only five since Carson’s doula and a nurse got him up to speed, but it felt like a lifetime of hell.

What was he supposed to do? He’d never felt so useless in his life than he did just sitting there waiting to hear if Carson was going to make it. If the blood transfusion was successful and if they did it in time. Auston couldn’t even think about the chance they were too late.

With a deep breath, he sat up then leaned back into the rundown recliner he sat in, still staring at the floor. The room he was in was quiet, instead of a usual waiting room, this one was smaller as it was meant only for family members of patients in the hospital. He was thankful to be the only person in there as he processed everything, but also felt so incredibly alone.

“What am I going to do?” Auston whispered to himself, sighing as he let himself wallow in self-pity for another moment before his phone buzzed in his pocket. It made him jump slightly, seeing as with everything that just happened he hadn’t even thought to check his phone, but since he was stuck waiting, he figured he should.

Auston unlocked his phone to see that it was his mom who texted him saying “Niñita was missing you and Carson, but she’s pretty content watching Bluey with the next best thing.” The message itself was enough for Auston to let himself relax. He knew it was about Mia seeing as the message contained the nickname that only his mom called her and that was enough to ground him a bit. However, for the first time in what felt like forever, even though it’d only actually been just over 10 minutes, Auston smiled when his phone buzzed again as it received a picture.

In the photo, Mia was cuddled up right against Auston’s dad as they sat on the couch together. Her curls were messy where she leaned against her Pa while she had her arm wrapped against Whaley, who was of course part of their cuddle session. It was so simple. A sight Auston had seen many times before because Mia loved cuddling with her grandparents, but at that moment, seeing such a thing gave him a sense of normalcy. And Auston needed that.

The next thing Auston knew, he was reaching the top of his phone screen with his thumb, pressing his mom's contact so that the option to call her would appear. Once it did, Auston pressed the call button and took a breath. Ema answered almost instantly.

“Is he here?” Ema asked, excitement lacing her voice regarding her new grandchild being born and suddenly Auston’s chest felt heavy again.

“He’s here,” Auston spoke softly. “He’s perfect.”

“Oh, Auston, I’m so proud of you. We can’t wait to come meet him. How are you? How’s Carson?”

Auston took a shaky breath.

“Um, not good, Mom,” his voice cracked as he choked on his words. “Really bad, actually.”

“What do you mean?” Ema questioned, sounding so concerned. “Is Carson ok?”

“No, she, uh, she had a postpartum hemorrhage shortly after Carter was born. She went into shock and was losing a lot of blood so they’re currently doing an emergency blood transfusion but they have no way of knowing if they were too late or if it will be enough. I- I don’t know what to do, Mom. I feel so useless right now, she just has to be ok. I just- I need her. I can’t do this without her.”

Auston was sobbing by that point and could hear how Ema gasped on the other end of the phone. But despite that shock, Auston was sure she felt, it didn’t take long for Ema to respond.

“Hang tight, ok? Me and your dad will be there soon.”

“No, Mom, I don’t think Mia should be here,” Auston explained while sniffling and wiping away his tears. “Not right now while all this is happening. It’d be too much for her. I need her to stay with you guys.”

“Auston, we can’t just let you be alone right now,” Ema tried to reason. “I know your sisters will be fine to watch Mia if you want her to stay home. But I’m not letting you go through this kind of thing by yourself.”

Auston sighed, knowing he could use the support of his parents to lean on.

“Can I talk to her, please?”

“Mia? Of course, one second. I’ll put it on FaceTime so she can see you.”

“Ok,” Auston smiled because he wanted nothing more than to see his little girl. Quickly, he wiped away any stray tears and tried to hide the fact that he’d been crying before he was met with the beep of the phone call ending followed by the buzz of the incoming FaceTime. When he answered, the camera was right on Mia, still cuddled up next to her grandpa and focused on the TV, not realizing who was on the phone. Suddenly, everything felt lighter and less intense for Auston. “Hi, baby girl.”

Mia’s eyes lit right up at the sound of Auston’s voice and was quick to look at the phone and smile when she saw him on the screen.

“Daddy!” Mia greeted excitedly, then let out a yawn. It was nearing her bedtime after all.

“Are you watching your show with Pa?”

“Yeahhhhh.”

“What show?” Auston asked, already knowing the answer, but it didn’t matter.

“Bwuey,” Mia stated as a matter of fact. Despite struggling to pronounce L’s and R’s, Mia always tried her best to say them. It made Auston smile even more.

“Your favourite.”

Mia hummed and nodded in response then looked down and started fiddling with one of Whaley’s fins. “I see Mommy?”

Auston’s heart dropped.

“Mommy can’t come to the phone, baby,” Auston explained, earning himself a questionable glance from his daughter. “She’s, uhm, she’s with the doctor right now.”

“Mommy ‘kay? Comin’ home?”

Auston took a breath to try to keep himself level-headed and heard Ema ready to intervene if needed from where she was holding her phone off camera. But Auston didn’t want Mia upset over anything, so he wanted to handle this.

“She’s going to be okay,” he assured, mainly to convince himself that what he said was true. “Me and Mommy are going to be home real soon, mini. I promise.”

Mia blinked, unconvinced, and her expression showed concern as she furrowed her eyebrows and formed a pout on her lips. “Why sad, dada?”

It wasn’t until then Auston realized he was crying again and how it was worrying Mia. He was quick to wipe the tears away again.

“I’m just having a tough day, sweetheart,” Auston told her honestly and let out another breath. “And I miss you a whole lot. Daddy may be sad, but you make me feel better. I love you so, so much, Mia. And I know your Mommy does too. Don’t you worry about me, ok? But, Daddy has to go, baby. I’ll call you tomorrow but for now, you finish watching Bluey and then I think it’s bedtime. I love you.”

“Love yew, dada.”

After Mia and Auston both blew each other kisses goodbye, Auston could hear his mom asking Alex to sit with Mia while she and his dad talked to Auston privately. He stayed silent while, assumedly, Ema picked up the phone and made her way to the kitchen while still on FaceTime. A moment later, Auston could tell the phone was propped up against something because he was looking at both of his parents while his dad glanced between him and Ema confused.

“What am I missing? Did something happen to Carson?” Brian asked, noticeably trying to keep his voice low so that Mia wouldn’t hear. “And the baby. What is going on?”

Ema then looked at Auston, silently asking him if he wanted to tell his dad or if he wanted her to. Auston didn’t have it in him to go over it all again, he could already feel the tears welling yet again. So, he nodded and Ema knew what that meant. She then told Brian everything Auston had told her.

“Oh, my god,” Brian said once Ema was finished and shook his head in disbelief. “Auston, I’m so sorry. And you haven’t heard anything about Carson’s status?”

“No, it-it hasn’t been that long since it all happened,” Auston explained. “The nurse I was talking to before I came in here said no one will know for at least a couple of hours. It all depends on that blood transfusion if Carson’s body takes it well and if they weren’t too late doing it. Fuck what about her family? I gotta tell them what’s happening. I need to call her dad.”

“I can call Joel, Auston,” Brian replied. “Don’t put too much on yourself right now. This isn’t an easy situation to be in, no one expects you to handle it perfectly. You’re just trying to navigate it all.”

“Thanks, Dad, but, he’s my father-in-law. I think he should hear it from me and that’s ok. I know he, Nate and Mya are going to try to get here as quickly as possible once they know. And Mitch. God, how am I going to tell Mitch?”

Auston inhaled deeply as a way to keep the inevitable feeling of his chest getting heavy again at bay, but it was useless. This was one of the worst things he’d ever experienced.

“We can figure out how to approach this all together,” Ema spoke up. “But, Auston, as your dad said, don’t put too much on yourself. This is a traumatic thing and you need to take care of yourself. Either your dad or I will be there soon, ok? The other will stay here with Mia for the time being and we can rotate. But, Mijo, where’s the baby? You should be with him. Both of you need each other in a time like this.”

“Carter,” Auston responded softly. “We named him Carter. You’re right, though. I want to go find him. With everything that happened to Carson, they wanted to make sure he was ok and wasn’t affected during birth. I’ve just been such a mess since I didn’t even realize I hadn’t gotten an update on Carter or told where he is. I need to see my son.”

“Yes, go find Carter,” Ema said. It was obvious she was feeling a lot of emotions too but was keeping it together for Auston’s sake. “He needs you.”

“And one of us will be there soon,” Brian stated. “Once Mia is asleep, we both will be. We’re not letting you be alone.”

“I love you guys,” Auston told them. “Thank you, for everything. I’m going to go find Carter. Let me know when you’re here, please.”

“Of course.”

After saying goodbye, Auston hung up his phone and sat in silence for a moment just to calm himself down. Then, once he recollected himself a bit, he got out of the chair and exited the family room so he could go find Carter.

[catdotjpeg]

[Image ID: A large group of people are gathered in protest on a sidewalk. A purple banner reading “Stop Cop City” is centered in the front of the photo. End ID.] 

A broad coalition of groups in Atlanta has launched a referendum to give voters a chance to say whether they want the controversial police and fire department training center known as “Cop City” built in a forest south-east of the city.

The effort requires organizers to collect about 70,000 signatures from Atlanta registered voters in 60 days. Then the question of the city canceling its agreement with the Atlanta Police Foundation to build the $90m center can be added to municipal election ballots in November.

The push comes after an estimated thousand people who showed up at City Hall on 5 June proved insufficient to stop Atlanta’s city council from approving about $67m for Cop City. Meanwhile, machines have already begun clear-cutting trees on the project’s 171-acre footprint in South River Forest.

The referendum faces what one organizer called “an atmosphere of repression” – including two activists being charged with felonies last week while putting up fliers, bringing total arrests since December to 50.

The largest group of arrests, on 5 March in a public park in the forest near where the project is planned, was followed by local government closing the park, in effect shutting off tree-sitting protests by “forest defenders” that had gone on for more than a year.

“We’re at the stage where they’ve pushed people out of the forest, they’ve arrested people … they’ve fenced off the forest, they’ve even begun clear-cutting,” said Kamau Franklin, founder of local group Community Movement Builders. “We’re at the stage where the most direct, legal mechanism to stop this project is by referendum.” [...]

...the movement opposing the project has drawn a wide range of people locally, nationally and internationally who oppose police militarization, urban forest destruction amid climate change and environmental racism. Most residents in neighborhoods surrounding the forest are Black.

Most of the organizations driving the referendum are also Black-led, including the regional chapter of Working Families Power, Black Voters Matter and the NAACP. Officials from the Georgia governor, Brian Kemp, down to the mayor have consistently referred to opposition against the center as the work of white “outsiders”.

“That narrative is false,” said Britney Whaley, regional director of Working Families Power. “This has been national, but it’s also been community-grown for a few years now.”

Ashley Dixon, an Atlanta-area organizer, has led canvassing efforts to inform neighborhoods around South River Forest about the center for nearly a year. Her team has spoken to more than a thousand people. About 80% opposed the project once they knew about it, she said.

The only academic poll on the issue to date, from Atlanta’s Emory University, showed slightly more Black respondents opposed the project than supported it, with the opposite being true for whites. Atlanta’s population is 48% Black.

The idea for the referendum came from one that succeeded in stopping a spaceport from being built in coastal Georgia, said Will Harlan, founder of Forest Keeper, a national forest conservation organization. “To me, Cop City is the most important issue in conservation in the south-east,” Harlan said. “A referendum is the smartest, most democratic solution … [and] a way to find resolution and closure.”

Although the 2022 spaceport referendum affected a county of only 55,000 people, similarities between the two controversies point to the role voters can play when other efforts fall short.

In that case, local officials “dug their heels in” and stopped responding to press requests or providing transparent information to the public, said Megan Desrosiers, who led the referendum. In the case of Cop City, the Atlanta Police Foundation has stopped answering press requests for at least a year, and the city of Atlanta was recently discovered to be understating the project’s cost to taxpayers by about $36m.

The project is planned on land the city owns that is located in neighboring DeKalb county. Because of Atlanta’s ownership, only Atlanta voters can participate in the referendum. [...]

Organizers of the Cop City referendum pointed to the state’s heavy-handed approach to protesters as a primary concern. There have been 42 domestic terrorism charges to date. A bail and legal defense fund’s members were also arrested and the state added fundraising to its criminal description of the training center’s opposition.

In that context, it took about a dozen attempts at finding a legally required fiscal sponsor for the referendum, which may need as much as $3.5m to reach success, said spokesperson Paul Glaze.

Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter – one of two organizations that agreed to take the sponsorship role – said the recent Atlanta Solidarity Fund arrests were done “to send a message, in hopes it would have a chilling effect. We’re not naive about what the threats are – but we believe our community cares about this issue.”

-- From “Activists push for referendum to put ‘Cop City’ on ballot in Atlanta” by Timothy Pratt for The Guardian, 16 Jun 2023 

[marc--chilton]

HEY ITS WHALEY BACK (I love the name!) and oh my god no yeah I absolutely get it, even my AUs have AUs it’s kind of a problem.

In terms of the vagueness of when they started dating/really got together. I can make this More :]

Thinking that it’s at first a lighthearted point of contention between them on when it really counts, they both have different answers and will bicker about when to celebrate an anniversary. The ducklings when they found out would probably make bets about when it happened, subtly try to probe the two to get an answer, and then be shocked when House and Wilson just kinda Shrug and say they genuinely don’t know.

I think eventually Wilson (being such an insecure dumbass <3) would start to feel actually Bad about not knowing and having a date like Every Other Couple does, but House would get annoyed and say they’re not like Every Other Couple and it doesn’t matter. And Wilson would be hurt but not mention it until it blows up and they actually genuinely fight, Wilson thinking that House doesn’t care enough about their relationship because it doesn’t bother him that they don’t know when it happened, and House thinking that Wilson is just trying to substitute him in for his ex wives by treating him the same and just wants him to be a docile omega he can shower with gifts (because let’s be honest, no way that man didn’t go all out on anniversaries) and then I think they like. Don’t speak to each other for a week. Until House realizes that he’s stupid to think Wilson would ever try to treat him like a “traditional omega” and talks to him.

And he doesn’t quite apologize but he tells him he was scared of Wilson treating him like one of his ex-wives because he didn’t want their relationship to end. And he didn’t care about not having an anniversary not because he doesn’t care about Wilson, but because he knows Wilson loves him every day because Wilson shows it every day, even when they’re fighting. And Wilson is really touched but also decides it doesn’t matter and they stop fighting.

Until one day in the future House decides to bring it up again, starting the lighthearted teasing about it again, gets Wilson riled up but not quite upset because he’s over it, but not understanding why House is doing this Now, until House says he “has a solution to the anniversary problem” and pulls out a ring box and gets down on one knee even though it hurts him. Wilson starts crying immediately. House makes fun of him for being a crybaby and Wilson pulls him up to make him stop stressing his leg and then Wilson does his stupid little “are you sure?” song and dance and House replies with “have you ever known me to do anything I don’t want?” and Wilson laughs and says “you’re right, silly me” and they kiss and laugh and dance around the room and just as Wilson is paged and torn away for work House drops the bomb “I’ve been sure since the day I met you.” And Wilson is gaping like a fish as house grabs his cane and walks out but not before slapping Wilson on the ass to leave him blushing just as his next patient comes in for an appointment.

Cameron would call dibs on wedding planning but then Chase would have to pry it out of her hands when she gets a little Too crazy about it. Thirteen is House’s best person (girldad moment) and Cuddy is Wilson’s (House wranglers unite) and everything that could go wrong at the wedding Does and it’s perfect. and they’re not a traditional couple, but they never could be and they like it that way.

Sorry I got out of control it’s the worms. In me brain. I have another ask to send too gimme a bit

~🐳

[xplrvibes]

As we are now in the last month of the year, it's time to do a year roundup I think? (if you are willing) Of all their channels which is just their main one and reacts I guess.

Best Sam and Colby video of the year?

Worst Sam and Colby video of the year?

Saddest/most emotional Sam and Colby video of the year?

Happiest Sam and Colby video of the year?

Funniest Sam and Colby video of the year?

And what do we all hope for, with the upcoming year? (Like what do you want to see more or less of?)

(I sent this to a couple SnC blogs cos I'm super interested to see what peoples answers are)

I LOVE this idea, anon, and am excited to see what the other blogs who answer this come up with!

Edited to add: I just realized that I completely forgot the react channel was a thing and didn't take any of that into account here, lmao sorry about that!

Best Sam and Colby video of the year:

From a statistical analytic standpoint, the best video they did this year in terms of hype, viewership, engagement, etc. was by far episode one of their Conjuring video. That video sold out movie theaters, got mainstream interest (good and bad), trended on youtube for days, and will honestly probably be the thing that wins them a Streamy next year...maybe even a Kids/Teen/People's Choice? Who knows!

But, as far as what I, personally, resident grandma of snc tumblr thought was the best? I have to give it to Chillingham, with Hell Fire Caves following closely behind. I loved everything about Chillingham - the guests were perfect, snc's vibes were great, the place was spooky, they had fun but not the kind of fun that debunkers will cancel them for lol...it was just peak, perfect snc. Hell Fire runs a close second for the same reasons, and honestly would've gotten first except for the fact that I preferred the Chillingham tour guide over the HF Cave tour guide (no offense, if you're out there somewhere, but the Chillingham guide was awesome).

Worst Sam and Colby video of the year:

Again, purely from a statistical standpoint, the Whaley House video in January seems to have performed the worst - and honestly, for good reason. It was boring, and Lexi was clearly not into doing this type of content. She seems like a lovely person, no knock on her, but when someone just does not want to be there, it does not translate well.

Also, it's important to note that this video was filmed 4 days before Colby was diagnosed with cancer, and tbh? I think the bad physical health vibes came through in this as well. He was in pain and not really in the mood to be doing this stuff, and no matter how good you are at putting on a brave face for the camera, things like that will seep through and affect the vibe.

Now, is that my least favorite, or the one I think was the worst? No. It was close, but I honestly didn't even watch all the way through of the one with Celina and Kris in the mansion, cause I found it so annoying (yes, I find them profoundly annoying at times; do not come screaming into my ask box about it) so by default, that one wins my "worst of" for the year.

Saddest/most emotional Sam and Colby video of the year:

Statistically speaking, I feel like the Conjuring Epsiode One has this one in the bag.

But, I think we all know the cancer vid was truly, deeply emotional for a lot of reasons. What they both (primarily Colby) went through with that journey over a period of six months and the way he told his story was just...emotional. Happy emotional, sad emotional, scared emotional...all the feels. And it ends in a feel good way, so that's fantastic!

Happiest Sam and Colby video of the year:

This one was hard, because honestly, I think all of their videos have an element of happiness to them, simply because these two just love being together and filming together with their friends.

That being said, I'm going to think outside the box here and say any of the podcasts they appeared on this year. That's where their giggly, happy personalities really shine through.

Funniest Sam and Colby video of the year:

Believe it or not, I found the video with Tommy and Jack to be hilarious (for probably the wrong reasons, but hilarious nonetheless). Tommy and Jack were the irreverant, disrespectful young teen jokesters and snc were the horrified, shocked and out of touch old people trying to parent these children the entire time. That made my old ass laugh a lot.

And what do we all hope for, with the upcoming year? (Like what do you want to see more or less of?):

Above all else, all I want for both of them in 2024 is good physical and mental health. They've had a roller coaster this year (especially Colby on the health front) and even though they claim to enjoy the roller coaster ride, I think it'll do them well to have one year filled with peace and maybe just a nice, leisurely ride on the lazy river instead, or something.

Video wise? I think I've said all this last year and none of it came true lol, but a girl can dream. All I want are 3 simple things:

Less streamers

More snc solo investigations

Can Colby please start leaning a little more into his intuition and "empathic" energy? Please?

Oh and a bonus #4 that I know @golbrocklovely will back me up on: please god do a whole series in Pennsylvania. We could give them a million +1 ideas of cool places to go to in PA if they would just...show up, lol.

[paranormaljoey]

“Cut! Can we run that one through again?”

Joey stopped short, feet scuffing against the floorboards of the narrow hallway, sending up a cloud of dust in their wake. Did Jeff really just shout ‘cut’?

“Did you just shout cut?” she asked, phrasing the question out loud in the hopes that it would be answered by a mortified apology. Because surely there was no way that Jeff had actually told her to just… run it again. Turning to glance over her shoulder and swap a confused look with Micah, Joey was relieved to see that, at the very least, her best friend was just as bewildered as she was. There was no shouting ‘cut’ on the set of Paranormal Happenings.

What the hell, she mouthed at him, hoping he could provide some clarity. She was hardly able to blame him when all he could do was shrug helplessly back at her.

Suddenly, the lights flickered on around them and Joey immediately squinted against the glare, a hand flying up to her eyes to shield them.

“Can someone turn that off, please?” she asked, unable to see who the offending party was. But then Jeff was in front of her, all but elbowing the cameraman out the way and sparking another irritated nerve. Marty had been with Joey and Micah since season two when they’d discovered that not only did the shy guy with the shaggy hair who lived out of his van have his own night-vision friendly camera, but that the van everyone else in town sneered at him for had its very own editing software built into the back of it. Joey didn’t take kindly to anyone dismissing Marty so easily.

“It’s okay, sweetie, I told them to put the lights on,” Jeff said, hands raised placatingly, as if talking condescendingly to Joey would, in any way, calm her down. If anything, she felt her hackles rise as she clutched the spirit box tightly, now altogether sure that if there were any spirits in the hallway, they’d be long gone by now.

“Now, what you’re doing is fine,” Jeff told her, stressing the word ‘fine’ with his headphones slung around his neck and a pinched expression on his face. “But for this shot, I need you to really play into the fear factor of it all. Amp it up a little for your viewers.”

Joey frowned up at him, knowing she looked petulant and childish and exactly like she was five seconds away from stomping her foot just like she used to whenever her paternal grandparents forced her along to another ballet class she didn’t want to go. Distantly, she heard poorly-disguised snickers from the rest of the crew, the ones hired by the investors like Jeff had been, and knew they were laughing at her expense. Feeling heat rush into her cheeks, she knew that even if Violet Whaley’s spirit was roaming these halls like other sightings had declared, she wouldn’t blame the poor woman for refusing to make herself known. Not when these jerks were infiltrating her home after everything she’d been through.

“It’s not natural if I fake being scared,” she argued. It wasn’t as if she’d ever needed to fake fear anyway. It had never been materialistic before - take the first time she’d seen the Annabelle doll in real life and had promptly legged it out to the garden of the Conjuring House screaming her head off while Micah all but pissed himself laughing behind the camera. That was back when it had been just the two of them, complete novices when it came to ghosthunting yet Joey had been altogether a lot happier than she was these days, when it felt like everyone on the crew of her beloved brain baby was practically a stranger to her and only here for a paycheck. It was hard to feel real, true fear in these circumstances when most days she just felt annoyance and regret.

“I don’t need it to be real, I just need it to look good,” Jeff sighed. Irritation rubbed at the edge of his tone and Joey felt a flare of defiance.

“Look, I just need a minute, okay?” she snapped, shouldering by him as she headed for the staircase.

“Is she on her period or something?” she heard one of the sound guys mutter. She paused at the top of the staircase and took a moment to hope that Violet Whaley was here after all, still with her shotgun in hand. Flashing the man a withering glare, she stormed down the staircase, wooden steps thundering under her as she burst into the old county court room on the level below. She realised she was still holding the spirit box and was dismayed that she didn’t feel even a flicker of fear when she realised she was in the room alone and that the restless Yankee Jim Robinson could pounce on her at any moment. Let him, she decided as a chair creaked underneath her as she sat down heavily, tugging at her beanie. It wasn’t like San Diego was all that cold at this time of year, but she found comfort in the hat anyway. A token of something familiar in a sea of new equipment and strange faces. The beanie was miles better than the tiny shorts Jeff had wanted to shove her into. Thankfully, wardrobe had fallen further down on his list of priorities these days and he was no longer suggesting that Joey change up her fashion style. Everything else though, from the dialogue to the locations to her dynamic with Micah, he was still trying to wrestle creative control away from her.

The door opened and she flinched, head flying up. Okay, maybe she did care a little about Yankee Jim Robinson coming for her soul. Thankfully, it was just Micah, who was probably the only person she cared to see right now. Everyone else who’d be safe from her wrath was back in either New York or Salem or wherever Shattered Diamonds were touring right now.

“Sorry,” she told him, knowing she was the reason his sleep schedule was going to be fucked up for the next few days. She kept insisting on night shoots for the sole reason of them giving off a spookier vibe, no matter how terrified they made her. And now her storming off had pushed him further away from the chances of seeing his bed anytime soon. “I didn’t want to have a tantrum. I’m sure that’s what they’re all calling it up there. But… it sucks, right? I mean, I’m not the only one who thinks this sucks, am I?”

[wewanttolive]

Do you want to get involved in protesting and campaigning for what you believe in but are unsure about getting started? That’s totally okay, it can be a bit intimidating at first so I will be explaining some common roles in protests.

!!Not everyone will be able to play the same parts, that does not make yours or anyone else’s actions any less meaningful!!

Heads up - Most of these roles are from my own personal experience, particularly with peaceful protesting in groups such as Extinction Rebellion.

Casuals - A really big role in protests is just showing up in movement comfortable clothes to show your support. If you are interested in attending a protest like this, you can also help carry banners, flags and sing along to chants.

Bunnies/Arrestables - This is a more intimidating position to be in, bunnies are people whose intent is to get arrested to bring more media attention. Often bunnies will be the ones chaining themselves to things, blocking off oil refinery entrances and main roads to cause disruption and bring attention to the cause. When becoming a bunny, talk to your protest group, there will be police liaisons and organisers knowledgeable in the law to be there with you every step of the way and make sure you have a buddy through your arrest to keep you safe.

Organisers - Organisers have a really important job of keeping track of protests and bringing people together for them. Lots of organisers will also lead and direct protests, especially in marches and ensure people and are safe. Many organisers wear high visibility vests to make them stand out, so if you have any concerns or questions, they are a great place for answers.

Chanters - Chants can be amazing during protests, they might not seem super important but chants draw attention, spread awareness of the cause of the protest to passer-by’s as well as encouraging moral and raising people’s spirits. It’s a way to educate and inspire both protestors and bystanders. Megaphones can be helpful for chanters and creating and singing chants is both a fun and great way to protest!

Publicity/Photographers - Protests are meant to spread information and inspire a change, live-streaming, taking photographs, writing articles and sharing and spreading news of local protests and why they’re occurring is how more people discover the cause and join. Publicity for protests is also amazing as it can put more pressure on governments and companies to abide by putting them in the spotlight.

Media groups - If you enjoy dressing up and leaving an impression, media groups can be a great fit for you. Just inside of XR (Extinction Rebellion), there are groups such as the Red Rebels, Whaley’s, Sybil’s and Oilies, they are very noticeable due to often synchronised movements, matching symbolic attire and how many media groups can be seen leading marches and drawing interest. Media groups are made to be noticeable and this can result in more news coverage and curious bystanders. People are always welcome to join as the more numbers, the better.

For information on the different media groups, I will be making a post describing each groups cause and how to identify them.

Crafters - For anyone looking to put their creative skills to use, there are always a multitude of supplies that can benefit protests such as painting banners, making flags, collaborating on big props, even aiding the media group in creating costumes. Protest groups often do get a lot of donated supplies and materials and it can be so helpful and eye catching to include them in protests, making crafters another important protest group.

Police Liaisons - Police liaisons are there to make sure interactions with law enforcement go smoothly, particularly when going through public areas, causing disruption and when bunnies are involved. They do require a fair amount of legal knowledge but by assisting people in ensuring their rights are met and that police are following guidelines, it allows for safer, smoother protests.

Guest speaker - Protests are a show of support for different causes and there aren’t many things more inspiring than someone having the courage to speak for what they know is right and both educate and share their personal experiences. To become a guest speaker, acquire or borrow a microphone/megaphone whether one personally owned or owned by the protest group and speaking and organising things with organisers to ensure your voice can be heard best. Particularly in marches, guest speakers highlight the different stops we make and draw attention from passer-by’s.

Contacters - Not everyone is able to personally attend protests or do some of these roles and that is perfectly understandable. To protest from your own home can still make just as much of an impact. Many protest groups encourage communication to local government members such as MP’s, mainly through letters and emails and the more that are sent and encouraged, the more our message is spread. Protest groups such as Greenpeace also supply pre written emails to send with all the information you need and there are huge amounts of useful petitions to keep on top of and spread around. Using social media to share information can be useful as well, whether that is by gathering information to share or spreading the word of activities, everything helps.

Hopefully you will have found something that works for you and nothing requires you to stick to one forever either. Just remember that protesting is a right that should be utilised, we all deserve the opportunity to fight for justice, whether social or environmental, and to stay safe!

[halloweeny-autumn-aesthetic]

In my garden's care and favour From the East this tree's leaf shows Secret sense for us to savour And uplifts the one who knows.

Is it but one being single Which as same itself divides? Are there two which choose to mingle So that each as one now hides?

As the answer to such question I have found a sense that's true: Is it not my songs' suggestion That I'm one and also two?

"Gingo biloba", Goethe (trans. J. Whaley)

the gingko tree is a living fossil and unique in that its leaves contain the imprint of pine needles. this duality is what inspired Goethe's poem.

[golbrocklovely]

As we are now in the last month of the year, it's time to do a year roundup I think? (if you are willing) Of all their channels which is just their main one and reacts I guess.

Best Sam and Colby video of the year?

Worst Sam and Colby video of the year?

Saddest/most emotional Sam and Colby video of the year?

Happiest Sam and Colby video of the year?

Funniest Sam and Colby video of the year?

And what do we all hope for, with the upcoming year? (Like what do you want to see more or less of?)

well this is a fun set of questions :)

this will obviously be based on my opinion, so if yall don't agree, no worries.

best video

this is a bit of a tough one. i've kinda stated before, but a lot of the videos this year just missed the mark for me, personally. but i have two in mind that were really good. i would say either episode one of the conjuring house series or the hellfire club. both of those were really solid videos, even if the conjuring caused a lot of issues lol

worst video

honestly, a lot of the videos were mid so it's a bit hard to say if any of them were truly bad, more so that they were boring. but if i had to choose…. whaley house, or maybe the conjuring episode with larray and bella. either one of those works for me. they were both forgettable and annoying at the same time.

saddest/emotional and happiest video

i'm giving these two spots to the same video. colby's cancer video. that video was a roller coaster of emotions and was both super emotional and super happy since it ended on a great note.

funniest video

probably anything on the react channel that they uploaded this year (minus the conjuring videos). i actually don't really watch the react channel all that much, but the couple vids i did see this year were hilarious so… any of those work for me.

this coming year… oooh, that's a tough question. i genuinely think that conjuring, both the experience and reaction/backlash, has changed how snc plan to do videos in the future. and i think that will be more noticeable in the video they did with val and leslie, which will be out later this month at some point. that's the newest video they filmed this year, and is the only one filmed after the conjuring. so, i think that might be the sign of new beginnings for them.

as for what i want to see personally, they've already spoke about relying on equipment more rather than outsiders/mediums and i'm into that idea. but i hope that doesn't mean they shut off their own abilities. i would like if they keep up with new methods, even if they don't really work out as plan. i think that's one way to keep it fresh.

what i would love for them to start doing is hindsight videos, or add ons at the end of videos. basically, i would like them after the video has been filmed and edited and they have come off the high of doing the investigation, talk about what they feel for it now after so much time has passed. maybe have someone (either join their team or already on their team) look up information that they received and see if there is any validity to it. how do they feel about the experience now since they're no long currently living thru it? was it as scary as it seemed at the time? would they go back? things like that, i think, would be a nice added bonus to their content. and if they wanted, they could make it extra content. they don't have to tack it on at the end of videos. idc. i just want to know how they feel about a place once the video has been over and done with.

great questions, anon! this was so fun to answer :)

[lizziebathory42]

Should you watch the 2022 Willow series?

tldr: probably yes, at least give it to episode 3 and don’t take things too seriously

Long answer: (episode 1 mild spoiler alert, I’m being deliberately vague in places)

The Good

Willow (the series) is a fairytale. Every episode starts with a book opening, like old Disney movies, and the first episode opener is narrated by Joanne Whaley. If you love fairytales, you’ll probably enjoy yourself. 

It’s a very sincere series. Everything that someone predicts comes true in one way or another. All the symbols have meaning, dialogue is echoed from episode to episode, setups are paid off. Costumes and hairstyles are used as symbolism and you can dive as deep or as shallow into the lore as you like, it won’t affect your enjoyment if you just want to turn off your brain and watch. 

side note: I am a willow lore scuba diver, let my bias be known

The jokes are quippy (think Buffy the vampire slayer-esque) the cast is gorgeous not that beauty is necessary and is of course subjective but I like em pretty and you can’t tell me the whole cast isn’t a snack, okay and the story is an adventure full of fantastic battles, puzzles, character growth and friendship. The sets mostly seem real and the effects are mostly practical, with just the right touch of CGI for impossible things.

The Bad

The sincerity of Willow has thrown some people off from the reactions I see online. The current climate of media is one of PLOT TWIST out of nowhere. Especially where you, the viewer, find out after the fact what were the motivations and moving parts of a decision made by a character. Willow tells you what will happen before it happens, if you’re paying attention. This is not a mistake, this is by design.

I do find I have issues with the lighting when I’m watching on my phone, and I’ve heard complaints from people who watch on TV about the lighting as well. I don’t have issues with it on my computer screen. Not every episode suffers from this problem, but notably episodes 3, 4 and 6. I wish they’d made the light come from where the music was coming from.

The reactions to the music and dialogue being more modern have been mixed, but it’s never personally bothered me. It was jarring for me when the modern cover didn’t go over the credits for one episode and then went back to going over the credits.

The Best

You don’t need to watch the movie before starting the series. It will give you some additional context and a few easter eggs, but it’s not necessary viewing. Willow stands on it’s own merits.

All the relationships progress in satisfying ways and the party composition is delightful. There are character tropes but they’re subverted in frankly fun ways. 

Take the cocky, arrogant prince/hero and the frivolous princess damsel-in-distress, swap the genders and you have Kit and Airk.

Want a devoted knight? Here’s she is! She’s bad-ass, smart, devoted and quietly in love with the princess.

The “Gandalf” of the group, if you will? Reluctant to use actual magic, is a devoted father and basically mayor of his village.

The reluctant hero/chosen one is a woman who loves a domestic task and wants to marry her love. 

She becomes more powerful by embracing her emotions, ALL her emotions, jealousy, anger, fear hate, the whole dark side. She’s allowed to be a bit of an airhead, indecisive, scared and comes into her power by accepting all parts of herself. It’s really good, yall.

In conclusion, if you watched Willow and you liked it, take a minute to let Disney+ know so we get season’s 2 and 3.

[whaleiumsharkspeare]

How is Stacy handling the fact Perry is a spy?

I think pretty well. I mean, at first she’s probably a little rattled, and worried about slipping up and causing Perry to be relocated. That’s probably a constant fear. Maybe Perry helps teach her to handle those worries better, using his own experience as a teaching tool. For all his stoicism and steely personality, underneath all that we know that Perry’s number one priority is his family and he has to constantly have some worry about blowing his cover that he’s had to learn to squash down for his own safety and performance as an agent. And Stacy, being such a close friend to the Flynn-Fletchers, would never want to endanger Perry’s relationship with them. I see Stacy becoming one of Perry’s closest allies. She’s someone that Perry can rely on and someone with whom he can kinda be himself a little more. I fully buy into the headcanon that they get together for coffee or whatever sometimes.

So yeah, I think she’s taking it about as well as she can, but Perry is helping her along

[nsfwhiphop]

Part 9 - Incoming Text Margot Robbie (@margotrobbieofficial) and Rihanna (@rihanna) and Kim Kardashian (@kimkardashian) and Natalie Portman (@natalieportman) and Julianne Moore (@juliannemoore) and Gal Gadot (@gal_gadot) and John Turturro (@JohnMTurturro): “An Idea Worth 500 Million Dollars”

Question:

Could you provide all the detailed information about the film Broken Arrow (1996), including the following aspects:

Who owns the copyright for the movie?

Was the movie based on a book or an original screenplay?

Information about the director, screenwriter, and producers.

The film studio involved and its current ownership.

The budget and box office performance.

Details about the cast and their roles.

Information about the film's music, editing, and critical reception.

The release date and runtime of the film.

I'd like a comprehensive overview, covering everything about the movie.

ChatGPT Answer:

Here is a detailed, point-by-point explanation of the film Broken Arrow (1996), presented comprehensively:

1. Ownership of Copyright

The copyright for Broken Arrow is currently owned by The Walt Disney Company. Originally produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox, the rights transferred to Disney following its acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019.

2. Was It Based on a Book?

No, Broken Arrow was not based on a book. It was an original screenplay written by Graham Yost, who is also known for his work on Speed (1994). The story was specifically conceived for the screen, focusing on a high-stakes nuclear theft scenario, with the term "broken arrow" referring to a real-life U.S. military code for lost or stolen nuclear weapons.

3. Director, Screenwriter, and Producers

Director: The film was directed by John Woo, a celebrated Hong Kong filmmaker known for his innovative and stylistic approach to action sequences. Broken Arrow was one of Woo's early forays into Hollywood cinema.

Screenwriter: The screenplay was crafted by Graham Yost, a writer renowned for his ability to create gripping, fast-paced action narratives.

Producers: Key producers include Bill Badalato, Terence Chang, and Mark Gordon, all of whom played vital roles in bringing the project to life.

4. Film Studio and Current Ownership

Original Studio: The film was produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox.

Current Ownership: Following Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019, the movie's rights are now owned by The Walt Disney Company.

5. Budget and Box Office Performance

Production Budget: $55 million.

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $150.3 million. The film was a commercial success, tripling its budget and solidifying its place as a notable 1990s action thriller.

6. Cast and Roles

The film featured a stellar cast, including:

John Travolta as Major Vic "Deak" Deakins, the villainous lead.

Christian Slater as Captain Riley Hale, the heroic protagonist.

Samantha Mathis as Terry Carmichael, a resourceful park ranger and Hale’s ally.

Delroy Lindo as Colonel Max Wilkins, a supporting military character.

Bob Gunton, Frank Whaley, Howie Long, and Kurtwood Smith in notable supporting roles.

7. Music, Editing, and Critical Reception

Music: The score was composed by Hans Zimmer, whose work added dramatic tension and an epic feel to the narrative.

Editing: The film was edited by Joe Hutshing, enhancing the pace and impact of its action sequences.

Reception:

Critics: Mixed reviews with a 57% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metascore of 61/100.

Audience: Appreciated for its entertainment value, particularly the performances of Travolta and Slater and Woo’s action choreography.

8. Release Date and Runtime

Release Date: February 9, 1996, in North America.

Runtime: 108 minutes.

Summary

Broken Arrow is an original action thriller crafted for the screen, with its success rooted in John Woo's distinctive direction, Graham Yost's sharp writing, and strong performances from its cast. While owned by Disney today, the film's essence as a standalone thriller remains a testament to the creativity of 1990s Hollywood.

Here is the Trailer: Broken Arrow | Trailer | 20th Century FOX

[jacobgdavis-blog]

BACK TO SCHOOL

Josie’s 3rd grade teacher at Chisholm Elementary requested that each parent write an email to the teacher “in a million words or less” about their kid. I wrote about Josie Belle.

—————————

Mrs. Whaley,

Thanks for asking for some personal thoughts on the kiddos. I think that is a great idea and will be a good reference if you ever need it. I’m happy to write a bit about Josie.

Jacob Davis

—————————

August 22, 2024

Josephine Belle Davis (“Josie”) is a wonderful/easy child. She was the first child of my wife (Penny) and me after having been married 11 years. She has a younger sister named Juniper (“Junie”) who is 6yo and in Mrs. Brown’s 1st grade class here at Chisholm. I like to jokingly say (to adults) that they’re my “pride and joy, respectively.” Josie is brilliant with a curiosity and an appetite for knowledge that outpaces any kid I know while Junie is a social butterfly and always the “life of the party.” Of course, Josie brings us a ton of joy too. It’s just something descriptive I say about them occasionally.

Josie is not without her quirks. We’ve learned that she has a tendency to feel overstimulated by loud sounds and big crowds (example: at a loud concert). Her first time at Chisholm’s Friday Charge-Up resulted in her fainting! She handles Charge-Up better now, but she may carry some noise-cancelling headphones in her backpack that she used to wear in earlier grades and may have with her “just in case.” When she’s overstimulated, she gets quiet and may not even answer direct questions such as “what’s wrong, Josie?” Other times, she can be very good at identifying potential anxiety-inducing situations before they happen and communicating her feelings. But don’t be too surprised/alarmed if she goes quiet on you. She’s okay, but may need some quiet time away from whatever chaos is going on. We still push her, when appropriate, to brave-it-out thru these situations when they’re unavoidable (or just not that big a deal).

Academically:

Academically, she’s a whiz. She knew her multiplication tables in Kindergarten (with some help at home and thanks Netflix’s “Numberblocks” show), she can identify obscure countries on a globe and flags of countries like a savant (the Olympic Opening Ceremonies are her “national flag-identifying Super Bowl” 😂), she likes trivia, and she has an interest in some current events and history. Right now, before bed, we read a little bit about a historical American President. This week, for example, we read about JFK and Teddy Roosevelt. Don’t be surprised if she tells you something about the Cold War. 😂 She loves to read on her own too. She is halfway thru Harry Potter 4 right now. I can’t even keep up with her.

Temperamentally/socially:

Josie has a big heart and is sensitive. She keeps a tighter/closer circle of friends than her younger, social butterfly sister does. Josie is more like her introverted mom in this regard, and Junie is more like extroverted me. Surprisingly, Josie doesn’t show a ton of affection. She’s not a very touchy-feely person outwardly despite being a warm and sensitive soul inwardly. We’re working on helping her speak up because sometimes, she speaks so softly. But when she finds something she likes or is interested in, she gets very chatty. She communicates exceptionally well verbally and in writing. She’s not interested in boys/romance yet. Not sure if and when that will happen. 🤷🏻‍♂️ She’s confident in who she is despite a quiet exterior.

Interests/Extra-curricular:

Josie plays piano, does aerial gymnastics, and plays basketball. She used to play soccer. She’s in the beginning stages of being able to ride a horse by herself thanks to her Grammy. She absolutely loves animals, especially her 1.5yo weenie dog, Jasper. She doesn’t get grossed out by touching snakes and bugs (we live out in Jones). She teaches herself things. She’s extremely physically flexible and practices yoga in her room along with some kids’ yoga tutorial videos on the iPad. She is an artist and shocks us by what she can draw and create. She is in GATE and loves it. She also just joined the Girl Scouts. Her interests are endless. We have to sometime pick-and-choose what to formally get her involved in because otherwise, it would take all of our time and money. 😂 She is obsessed with Taylor Swift and knows all of her lyrics (including knowing which songs have bad words and not saying them 😉). She has watched TSwift’s 3-hour Eras Tour concert on Disney+ more times than I can count. She also likes Michael Jackson, Weird Al, and OKGO music videos. She knows music. Ask her the lead singer of Queen or Coldplay. 😉

Josie actually cried after the last day of school in 2nd grade because she loved school so much. She had a special connection with Mrs. Jungers (1st) and a strong one with Miss Foxx (Kindergarten). I suspect she’ll come to have a strong connection with you too.

Every parent thinks their kid hung the moon. We are no different, but we are not afraid to hear rough news if she’s struggling or is misbehaving. We know she’s not perfect. She’s a gem though. Thanks so much for being a teacher that is so interested in her students.

Sincerely,

Jacob and Penny Davis

P.S. Josie found out the truth about “Santa” but won’t spoil it for other kids. We haven’t had the “sex talk” yet, but I suspect that will happen this year. Pray for us. 😉🙏

[eviesessays]

5. How did you decide when to have children?

To answer the question of how I decided when to have children my first response should be that I did not give it the thought such a profound decision deserved.  I was brought up Catholic and thoroughly bought into the notion that God knew best  .Contraception was verboten.

So at the wise age of 21 I was a registered nurse and  I was married.  My husband had a secure career. A month after my wedding I was pregnant.  Heather was healthy, beautiful and a good baby.  At 6 weeks she was sleeping though most of the night.   She met all the milestones and walked soon after she was 10 months old.  Three months later we were on our way to Anchorage, Alaska to Jay’s new job.  We drove the Alcan Highway when the paved portion only extended about the first twenty miles out of Dawson Creek, British Columbia. The next 1500 miles was a constant barrage of stones pitching up at the windows and no guard rails in sight .  At times we were driving above the clouds.  It was some of the most beautiful scenery but I was very glad to be at the end of it.  Housing was scarce. We had a one bedroom apartment on the 10th floor of the 1200 L Street Apartments.  We moved to a two bedroom apartment near Elmendorf AFB which was much more practical as Jaylyn was due to be born in February.  She came a few days early on January 30,1960.  She too was beautiful and healthy.  She experienced some jaundice on day two.  She had an ABO incompatibility which was newly being explored.  Dr Helen Whaley sent all our blood samples to the Ortho Clinic in NJ.  Jaylyn’s jaundice cleared and she met all her milestones.  That Spring President John F. Kennedy kicked off his “New Frontiers” campaign and we joined the crowd to meet him at the airport.  I shook his hand.  He was very handsome.  In May of 1961 we left Anchorage for Kip and Bobbies wedding in Sioux Lookout, Ontario..  After the wedding we would go to Houston , Texas and visit Jay’smother, Kitty.  She was a lovely woman.  Jay would fly back to Anchorage to complete the last twelve weeks of his contract. .We had a small apartment near Kitty and visited almost daily.  I was now pregnant with Robin.  Jay now worked for RCA and was going to be in Moble, AL for four days orientation..  I closed the apartment, said goodbye to Kitty, hitched the trailer to our Nash Rambler and headed to Mobile with my two babies.  We met up with Jay and the next day we all left for Kiptopeke, VA.  We spent a week in a motel and then after impassioned pleas to anyone who would listen, we rented a very sweet beach house on Cheasapeake Bay in Cheraton.  It was an idyllic time.. We walked on the beach and the native Virginian nearby taught us to dig clams.. We drove past fields where black people were digging peanuts.  Our neighbor’s husband came home with a bushel of green beans for her to can.  I could not imagine snipping the ends off that many green beans.  The little girl who belonged to that family did tell Heather there was no Santa but we corrected her  and our bliss remained intact.

At this time I was in m last trimester with Robin.  My ABO titer was rising which did not concern us as Dr .Whaley in Alaska had prepared us for that eventuality and assured us it was of no concern.  However, the hospital was 25 miles up the peninsula and did not always have O neg blood which concerned the doctor.  So two weeks before Christmas we moved to Mobile, AL.  Robin was born on January 21, 1962 a perfectly healthy baby.  The hospital was staffed by Sisters of St Vincent de Paul who wore those large head coverings that Sally Field wore in the movie, “The Flying Nun”.  Heather was amazed at the sight of  them and asked if they were cowboys since she had never seen real specimens of either.  I digress.

 Six weeks later we were on our way to Jay’s new assignment.  We would be living in the suburbs of Washington, DC.  We rented a house in Camp Springs MD where we met our most wonderful and lifelong friends, Rose and Jack Beck and their daughter, Joanne.  Washington was a wonderful and exciting place to live especially with children.  There seemed no end to the galleries, historical places and museums that were available.  The children became familiar with famous paintings and awesome exhibits like the Hope diamond, the Foucault pendulum and the massive elephant in the rotunda of the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum.  Before long I was pregnant with Peter and along with my obstetrician, Dr Catherine Johnson, we decided that if my baby was healthy I would have a post partum tubal ligation immediately after delivery.  Peter was a very handsome and healthy baby. On day four we left Washington Hospital Center  and brought home a new brother for the girls.  

So, the answer to the question of how I decided when to have children, is that I didn’t.  I only decided when not to have children.

[myweddingsandevents]

Ohio's House Bill 6 bribery case is the scandal that won't go away

Opinion by Charita M. Goshay, Canton Repository��•

Some years ago, I took part in an FBI Citizens Academy, a six-week program which gives participants a close-up look at how the bureau conducts investigations.

One agent shared with the class that when it comes to public corruption, New Orleans is the heavyweight champ.

JJ's House Wedding Dress Bridal Dress Ivory Sleeveless Long V-Neck A-Line 2024

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During her unsuccessful campaign for governor in 2022, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley pointed out the FBI has identified the Ohio Legislature as one of the country's most corrupt.

No one paid her a bit of attention.

Because gerrymandered districts and bad electoral maps have created a supermajority which answers to no one, it's small wonder that two successive Ohio House speakers came under FBI investigation for corruption, with one of them landing in the hoosegow.

Charita Goshay© Provided by The Repository

Earlier this month, the feds arrested former Public Utilities Commissions of Ohio Chairman Sam Randazzo for allegedly accepting $4.2 million in bribes from FirstEnergy in exchange for bestowing favorable treatment, including helping the utility secure House Bill 6, a law which has you on the hook for a $1.3 billion bailout of its outdated nuclear power plants.

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In a "deferred prosecution" deal with the U.S. Attorney's Office, FirstEnergy threw Randazzo under the bus by admitting it paid him the bribe.

Several FirstEnergy executives were fired, but no one from the company has gone to jail. No one.

Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, former Ohio GOP Chair Matt Borges, Householder's political consultant, went to jail, but there were enough people involved to fill a cell block.

Ambivalence run amok: Larry Householder abused the public's trust...but do Ohioans really care?

Rather than handcuffs and a perp walk, Randazzo was allowed to surrender following his recent 11-count federal indictment on bribery and fraud charges.

You, on the other hand, would have been frog-hopped into a police van — live — on TikTok.

Husted, whose gubernatorial aspirations are the worst-keep secret in Ohio, claims he doesn't remember much about any discussions involving Randazzo's appointment.

How did we get here? Part of the problem is culture wars. Too many single-issue voters are willing to ignore the elephant trampling through the china shop if it means their particular cause has a chance of becoming policy.

We're also here as a result of gerrymandering, which transforms the democratic process into a shadow of itself. It enables unserious people and demagogues whose qualifications for office aren't as important as their willingness to be good soldiers, and it generates an arrogance that sees no need for restraint or compromise.

Gerrymandering makes mockery of the foundational belief that "Politics is the art of the possible."

DeWine, whose Macbethian ambitions have always been camouflaged by his homespun, mayor-of-Mayberry persona, somehow always manages to avoid direct blame, even though his decision to appoint Randazzo has resulted in the biggest political scandal in state history, and FirstEnergy customers in Ohio having to pay higher utility bills.

According to Cleveland.com, DeWine was warned to steer clear of Randazzo shortly after his 2018 election by J.B. Hadden, a longtime friend who served as his campaign treasurer.

Now, in an exercise of audacity that can't be measured, FirstEnergy just asked for a $1.4 billion rate hike through something called an Electric Security Plan. If approved, customers will start paying more next year, and every year through 2032, according to a report by the Ohio Consumers Council.

Meanwhile, a bill to repeal House Bill 6 has languished in Columbus like leftover potato salad.

It's often said that voters ultimately get the government they deserve, but the recent election and the passage of Issues 1 and 2 showed what can happen if enough Ohioans get fed up.

Yet, even as we speak, efforts are underway to undermine the will of the voters by elected officials who are choosing to ignore the very people for whom they work.

Charita M. Goshay is a Canton Repository staff writer and member of the editorial board. Reach her at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ohio's House Bill 6 bribery case is the scandal that won't go away