#written on: nov 26 2022

[sammy-writes-sometimes]

Word Count: 420

Reblogs > Likes

---------

It wasn't known by the Hermits, at least not very well known, but everytime someone joined the server a copy would be made.

It was some odd quirk of code, an old addition that didn't know what to do then broke down. It formed its own home, mistyped and rushed code that resulted in a merge of the three dimensions.

Splintered islands that went on forever. Nether wrapping around itself like uncomfortable tunnels. The Overworld's trees were gnarled and starved.

Grian's Hels copy didn't have a name, he didn't even have an identity, he was simply blank.

Which was a mix of funny, odd, and even sad. He'd been there for years, started the same process all creatures of Hels went through, then suddenly stopped.

He guessed it was almost fitting, his hermit was so many things so it simply made sense for him to be so few things. Grian was what he wanted to be, a true person. A true being.

He'd heard it wasn't normal to want to be someone else, the usual sentiment was to be a trickster and trade places, but he wasn't normal. Or maybe they were lying, he could never tell.

Blank eyes looked out of the world, being a copy of Grian meant that he'd been a Watcher. Able to look upon the world in ways others couldn't. Able to see into his copy's eyes and see them return his stare.

Grian knew of Hels before others did, his copy had a tendency to stare through into him. See from his own eyes. It was more than just a little uncomfortable.

But unlike his Hels, he knew why the creature remained unfinished. The Watchers didn't want their special little boy to be copy and pasted.

No, a few of them were obsessive and aggressive. If another existed then the whole universe might as well end. Grian didn't blame them, he'd already made a copy of himself that wasn't good.

Which led him to wonder who NPG was, why had he been created if a Hels already existed? Sure there was EX and Waspsuma, one a creation and another a Hels copy, but Waspsuma was fully formed while he still has no name.

He could name himself, but nothing for. He wasn't a full being, he had no limbs. He had no code. He simply existed.

Grian had grown tired of the endless silent thoughts and how fuzzy half-developed eyes looked at him, sometimes he felt like gouging out his own might just work.

[welcometoqueer]

U.S. Recount Updates/News:

Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race will officially go to a recount. GOP candidate David McCormick is leading incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey by less than 0.5% in the vote total, triggering an automatic recount under state law.

Furthermore,

Election and cybersecurity experts sent a formal letter to Vice President Kamala Harris urging a recount in key states, citing potential breaches in voting machines and the fact that voting systems were breached by Trump allies in 2021 and 2022.

https://freespeechforpeople.org/computer-scientists-breaches-of-voting-system-software-warrant-recounts-to-ensure-election-verification/

Cited evidence within the footnotes include:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/08/15/sidney-powell-coffee-county-sullivan-strickler/

Additionally,

The Nevada Secretary of State issued a violation notice regarding election security. A police report has been filed after evidence emerged indicating that Nevada officials may have removed 26,902 ballots from their reported mail-in ballot totals.

[ID:

Three images.

The first is a statement regarding a recount being triggered in the Pennsylvania Senate race. It reads:

“Unofficial Results in U.S. Senate Race Trigger Legally Required Automatic State Recount

Harrisburg, PA — Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt announced today that unofficial results in the Nov. 5 general election race for U.S.

Senate have triggered a legally required statewide recount.

Senator Bob Casey and Dave McCormick have vote totals within the one-half of 1 percent margin that triggers a mandatory recount under state law.

As of today, the unofficial returns for the U.S. Senate race submitted by all 67 counties show the following results for the top two candidates:

Robert P. Casey Jr. - 3,350,972 (48.50%)

David H. McCormick - 3,380,310 (48.93%)

Once counties finish counting their ballots, they must begin the recount no later than Wednesday, Nov. 20. They must complete the recount by noon on Nov. 26 and must report results to the Secretary by noon on Nov. 27. Results of the recount will not be published until Nov. 27.

The Department estimates that the recount cost will exceed $1 million of taxpayer funds.

This is the eighth time the automatic recount provision has been triggered since the passage of Act 97 of 2004. In the four cases in which the recount was carried out, the initial results of the election were affirmed. Those recounts and the costs for each were as follows:

2022 primary: Oz vs. McCormick, Republican race for U.S. Senate, $1,052,609.

2021 general: Dumas vs. Crompton, Commonwealth Court, $1,117,180.

2011 primary: Boockvar vs. Ernsberger, Democratic race for Commonwealth Court, $525,006.70.

2009 general: Lazarus vs. Colville vs. Smith, Superior Court race, $541,698.56.

For more information about the legally mandated automatic recount procedures, see the Department's directive on this topic (link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com).

Update on outstanding ballot totals

As of this afternoon, county election officials reported there are 60,366 uncounted provisional ballots and 20,155 uncounted mail-in and absentee ballots. That 80,521 total includes all ballots for which county boards of elections have not yet made a final resolution regarding their validity or eligibility to be counted.

As of the issuance of this release, the Department's election returns page [link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com] reflects the unofficial totals that counties have reported. These numbers will change beginning Thursday morning, Nov. 14, as counties continue to canvass provisional ballots and otherwise count ballots. These changes are unrelated to the recount.”

The second image depicts the first page of a formal letter addressed to Vice President Kamala Harris from election security experts urging an election recount in key states. It reads:

“November 13, 2024

The Honorable Kamala Harris

The White House

Office of the Vice President

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W.

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Vice President Harris,

We write to alert you to serious election security breaches that have threatened the security and integrity of the 2024 elections, and to identify ways to ensure that the will of the voters is reflected and that voters should have confidence in the result. The most effective manner of doing so is through targeted recounts requested by the candidate. In the light of the breaches we ask that you formally request hand recounts in at least the states of Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. We have no evidence that the outcomes of the elections in those states were actually compromised as a result of the security breaches, and we are not suggesting that they were. But binding risk-limiting audits (RLAs) or hand recounts should be routine for all elections, especially when the stakes are high and the results are close. We believe that, under the current circumstances when massive software breaches are known and documented, recounts are necessary and appropriate to remove all potential doubt and to set an example for security best practices in all elections.

In 2022, records, video camera footage, and deposition testimony produced in a civil case in Georgia' disclosed that its voting system, used statewide, had been breached over multiple days by operatives hired by attorneys for Donald Trump. The evidence showed that the operatives made copies of the software”

(The page cuts off here).

Below there are footnotes with cited evidence for grounds to request a recount.

“No. 17-cv-02989-AT (N.D. Ga. filed Aug. 8, 2017).

1. Emma Brown, Jon Swaine, Aaron C. Davis, Amy Gardner, "Trump-allied lawyers pursued voting machine data in multiple states, records reveal," The Washington Post, (August 15, 2022). Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/08/15/sidney-powell-coffee-county-sullivan-strickler/

3 Kate Brumback, "Video fills in details on alleged Ga. election system breach," The Associated Press, (September 6, 2022). Available at: https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-technology-donald-trump-voting-92c0ace71d7bee6151dd33938688371e

The third image is an excerpt of the Election Security Violation Notice issued by the Nevada Secretary of State. It reads:

“ELECTION INTEGRITY VIOLATION REPORT

The information you report on this form may be used to help us investigate violations of Nevada election laws. When completed, mail, email, or fax your form and supporting documents to the office listed above. Upon receipt, your complaint will be reviewed by a member of our staff. The length of this process can vary depending on the circumstances and information you provide with your complaint. The Office of the Secretary of State may contact you if additional information is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS: Please TYPE/PRINT your complaint in dark ink. You must write LEGIBLY. All fields MUST be completed.

SECTION 3.

COMPLAINT IS AGAINST

Please detail the nature of your complaint. Include the name and contact information (if known) of the individual, candidate, campaign, or group that is the subject of your complaint. Your complaint must also include a clear and concise statement of facts sufficient to establish that the alleged violation occurred. Any relevant documents or other evidence that support your complaint should be listed and attached. You may attach additional sheets if necessary.

On 11-8-24, the mail ballot accepted list deleted 28,320 ballots from Clark County. At this same time, Sam Brown lost his lead. These ballots were accepted on 11-7-24 and then on 11-8-24 for the first time since 10-16-24 and reporting began, ballots were deleted from 2 counties. Washoe and Clark.

See ATTACHED.”

/end ID]

[aealzx]

Better Genes pg 1-5 / 38

A short ROTTMNT comic based off of 2003 TMNT Good Genes

(Read right to left)

Note, this comic will contain in either imagery or text: illness, fever, injury, bruises, blood, IV, needles, syringes, drugs, sedatives, body aches, sprained ankle, mild mutation, cracked ribs, injured eye, tranquilizer gun, pharmacy, TV Medicine, TV Science

as well as

familial fluff, hurt/comfort, very minor drama/angst, personal adjustments to canon designs

Featured characters: Donnie, Mikey, Leo, Raph, April, Splinter, Casey

. . . .     Pg 6-10    Pg 11-14     Pg 15-18     Pg 19-22      Pg 23-25

Pg 26-29

Written Add on Part 1

Pg 30-33     Pg 34-35     Pg 36-38

___________

Hey 8′D So the backstory for this is pretty much over in this post (contains spoilers). This’ll be a short comic, only 38 pages, ‘cause it was actually supposed to be shorter but my brain ran off on too many details |D

One thing I will mention though is that I almost completely skip the fight scene in this, so if you’re looking forward to that, my bad. I don’t want to draw a fight scene in a comic just yet, I’m still a noob at comics.

Also there’ll be no set update schedule. I’m a busy woman and also too much of a perfectionist XDD I also have a bad habit of working on the pages that are more interesting to me at the moment, even if they aren’t the next ones in order. But I’ll try to upload multiple pages at a time. I started this on Nov 1, 2022, and only have 14/38 pages “finished”, I am very slow, so be patient X’DDD

[dribs-and-drabbles]

This shirt (photos below) has now been worn ✨seven✨ times in Thai bls...but who wore it best? Propaganda for your favourite is always welcome. Thanks to @troubled-mind for the suggestion!

Edit: @telomeke is absolutely correct that it's Boss as Payu in LITA (and not Fort as I have erroneously written ����🏽‍♀️). So ignore my mistake.

And don't worry, if you really want to buy it I'm sure @hughungrybear will find it for you 😏

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

If the rumored Met Gala drop did indeed happen in 2018, right before the wedding, then the (rumored) Givenchy dressing room incident could have also been why. No way Anna wouldn’t have heard about that quickly.

I hadn't even thought of that!

Yes, absolutely, 100%. Anna Wintour knows everyone and she absolutely would've heard about what went down at Givenchy. Edward Enninful too. And now that you mention it, I wonder if others in British fashion also heard about it and that may have affected who sent clothes to Meghan. I imagine so - fashion is a small world too. But how many of them believed Meghan when she said it was just wedding stress and she's not really like that. We know Enninful got somehow duped, since he looked pretty chummy with her in all the behind-the-scenes stuff for the September edition she did.

Anyway. For all the new-to-royal watching anons (and a refresher for everyone else!), this is is the the lowdown on the "Givenchy incident."

In November 2018, Camilla Tominey/The Telegraph published a story that Meghan made Kate cry during the bridesmaid fittings. (This is the original article, behind a paywall; I'll post excerpts below the cut. This is the Daily Mail's version of it.)

In March 2021, Oprah asked about this incident in the interview and Meghan revealed that "the reverse happened"; that Kate had made Meghan cry. Later on social media, Camilla doubled down on her sources that it was Meghan who made Kate cry.

About two weeks after oprah, Empress received the original Givenchy tea about Meghan's beyond-bridezilla behavior for the wedding. (Also, this is the post we're referring to by "Givenchy Anon" or "Givenchy tea".)

In July 2022, Tom Bower confirmed the bridezilla behavior and the bridesmaid dress fitting incidents in Revenge. Here is the Daily Mail's report.

In January 2023, Harry wrote about the bridesmaid dress fitting in Spare. This the Daily Mail's article about Harry's version of events. Camilla Tominey again doubled down on her sources via social media. (Also around this time, there was a rumor that Camilla had seen the actual text messages of Meghan gloating that she had made Kate cry and when Kate came to apologize, Meghan had slammed the door in her face after taking the flowers.)

Then the Daily Mail tracked down the tailor who's at the center of the bridesmaid dress fitting r2ow. That story is here. (Here is the exclusive behind-the-paywall version, which was the first story written about the tailor.)

Then in December, Sassy got some follow-up tea about Meghan's behavior around the wedding. The wedding tea is about 2/3s of the way down.

Kate and Meghan: Is the royal sisterhood really at breaking point? by Camilla Tominey, 26 Nov 2018

It was only a matter of time before all eyes would be on Kate and Meghan and how well they did – or didn’t – get on. The royal sisterhood has not been under this much scrutiny since a young Princess Diana and an excitable Fergie joined the household in the Eighties.

But the talk of a growing froideur between Kate and Meghan really ramped up following rumours of an apparent falling out between the pair in the run up to the Sussexes’ wedding in May. The Telegraph has spoken to two separate sources who claim Kate was left in tears following a bridesmaids dress fitting for Princess Charlotte. “Kate had only just given birth to Prince Louis and was feeling quite emotional,” said one insider. The incident happened around the time Meghan was reported to have also “upset” the Queen by asking to wear an emerald tiara instead of the one offered by the 92-year-old monarch. It came after a book by veteran royal journalist Robert Jobson described Harry as “petulant and short-tempered” in the build up to the Windsor Castle wedding. He allegedly told staff with a raised voice: “What Meghan wants, Meghan gets” and when reports reached the Queen, she asked to see her grandson privately and “put him firmly in his place”, Mr Jobson wrote. Rumours of any lingering ill feeling between the Queen and Meghan appear wide of the mark, however. The two women, who share a love of dogs, enjoyed each other’s company at their first solo engagement together in Cheshire in June - even if Meghan did inadvertently break protocol by not wearing a hat. And earlier this month the Queen entrusted Meghan to “look after” Elke Budenbender, wife of the German president during the Remembrance commemorations in a move which saw her separated from the Duchess of Cambridge who was on an adjacent balcony with the Queen and the Duchess of Cornwall. Despite being welcomed into the family fold, the attitude “below stairs” has apparently not been universally positive, with some giving the relationship “five years”. 

[srbachchan]

DAY 5400

Jalsa, Mumbai                 Nov 26,  2022               Sat 11 : 33 PM

💛🪔 , A candle of respect and admiration is lit on the day birth of Babuji .. November 27th .. may his love and blessings are ever guiding our steps .. 🙏🏻 .. 🕯️ .. 💜💜💜✨ .. and on this blessed day .. EF Kala Yadav .. the poetess saheba .. is blessed to be sharing the same date birth with Babuji .. and to be gifted herself , with the gift of writing and verse .. ✒️ Blessed may her kalam be .. and blessed is her Spirit .. Nov 27th .. is also the birthday of Vinita S (VinniDePooh) from UK .. Ef Gaganpreet Singh from Chandigarh .. and Ef Babita Gupta .. and to you we extend our wishes and love .. from your Extended Family of this Blog around the globe .. ❤️❤️❤️ November 26 .. birthday happiness to Ef Pankaj Kanodia from Bangalore .. and Ef Shamika .. .. and .. to Ef Yogesh Sharma .. for the 26th .. Happy 26th Wedding Anniversary .. love and togetherness .. 💍💕💐 November 25 .. birthday greetings to Ef Ekaterina Shchukina from Russia 🪆 .. all happiness and wishes .. 🌸❤️❤️❤️

.. and so it be the moment of prayer and thought .. to be in the air and breathe the environ that delivered 115 yrs back the creator that created me .. my Father .. Babuji .. for long called Dad .. till the responsibility and the need to address the right address - Babuji .. !

much is remembered , much is lost in remembrance , but some remains alive and in the light of the night the early morning to follow .. the early rise to hear the sound of the birds and the like, but also to hear the voice of Babuji , matching his tone to the whir of the table fan that brought in the cool of the summer heat .. his bed ever in the veranda .. in the open ever .. to imbibe nature .. in the summer and in the winter .. the same ..

his folk song written verses .. ever often .. फुल  माला ले लो , लाई है मालन बीकानेर की .. phul maala le lo , lai hai maalan bikaner ki  ..

and the times of discourse , un accounted for .. never in any planning .. to be given deliberate advice or moderation on it .. staid, meaning ful only after it has been sunk by experienced happen .. an example to set , long after the means of its presence has been lost ..

the supremacy of supreme wish .. never fulfilled .. were it to be ? DEVASTATION ..

In life be not expectant .. it shall not be ..

Be ever ignorant of the expectant ..

Do .. and be not in remembrance ..

Love .. 

And remember .. 

perform and provide .. in no expectancy  ..

That be idyllic ..

And be accepted ....

.. the best and most lasting performances come in the deepest of pain .. to hide , to resist , to cover , to be unknown in its company , to be in normalcy despite ..

the be all and end all of the GREATEST PERFORMANCES OF LIFE  !!

love and the night be good .. shubh raatri  !  

🙏🙏

Amitabh Bachchan

[endawn]

》 ENDAWN . 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲, i 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗻'𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻.

an independent portrayal of pax falco, player character/protagonist from the elder scrolls oblivion. canon divergent HERO OF KVATCH and CHAMPION OF CYRODIIL. written by percy. 26. he/they. established 2019. remade nov. 4th, 2022. reREmade dec. 14, 2023.

blog roll: @emeratu , @endbite , @icewept , @oioend

𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲… 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱.

affiliated with: skysaved

low activity / slow replies

[bibliophileiz]

Ranking the Books I read in 2022

I feel really good about my bottom two and top four, but some of the middle ones may be more smushed. Also if my Goodreads stars don't always seem to line up with my rankings, it's because I reserve the right to change my mind at any time.

26. The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay. Date reviewed: Jan. 25, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 3 (apparently i averaged it bc i thought the writing was good, though now i can't remember why) 1-sentence review: Every time I read a thriller, I'm like Jason Bateman pulling the bag labelled dead dove out the freezer, looking at it, and going, "I don't know what I expected."

25. Royal Diaries: Isabel: Jewel of Castilla by Carolyn Meyer Date reviewed: Jan. 11, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 3, but 2.5 were for Beatriz de Bombadilla 1-sentence reivew: Isabel is insufferable and I want a biography about Beatriz de Bombadilla.

24. Love, Hate, and Clickbait by Liz Bowery Date reviewed: Nov. 9, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 3 1-sentence review: The characters are terrible but it's still a good way to pass election night.

23. A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske Date reviewed: June 2, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 3 1-sentence review: Main couple great, sex scnes are steamy, plot reasonably creative, but overall moves slowly and most of the side characters are terrible.

22. Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard by Tom Felton Date reviewed: Nov. 8, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 3 1-sentence review: Hollywood is TOXIC and I hope Tom's living his best life in England with his brothers and his dog.

21: The Woman Who Would Be King by Kara Cooney Date reviewed: March 1, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 3 1-sentence review: Hatshepsut was a boss, but Cooney's writing style could be livelier.

20. Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero by Michael Hingson Date reviewed: Sept. 27, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 4 (was probably generous) 1-sentence review: Super interesting memoir that taught me way more about blindness and guide dogs than about 9/11 (which is fine).

19. Husband Material by Alexis Hall Date reviewed: Aug. 16, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 3 1-sentence review: Same hilarity, more emotional maturity, but Luc and Oliver didn't seem happy with each other's friends and somewhat traitorously (because I know this is the exact OPPOSITE of the point of the book) I kind of wish they'd gotten married.

18. Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey Date reviewed: April 20, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 3 1-sentence review: We stan one leading lady. (Dude was ... fine I guess.)

17. Graphic Classics Romeo and Julie by Gareth Hinds Date reviewed: Oct. 25, 2022 Goodread stars I gave it: 4 1-sentence review: Turns out graphic novels are a good way to read Shakespeare plays.

16: Four Queens: The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe by Nancy Goldstone Date reviewed: March 15, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 3 1-sentence review: Goldstone's historical writing is great as always, but she should have written about French queen Blanche of Castile instead.

15. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall Date reviewed: April 25, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 4 1-sentence review: Here's to the book that made me silent-laugh so hard in a restaurant that I had to put my mask back on to keep the other customers from staring at me.

14. If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy Date reviewed: April 22, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 4 1-sentence review: Adored everything except the love interest, who seemed to have misplaced his personality.

13. To Marry and to Meddle by Martha Waters (audio book) Date reviewed: May 5, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 4 1-sentence review: My favorite so far of the Regency Vows series and I didn't even get embarassed listening to an actor read the sex scenes aloud. (admittedly i was alone in my car, but still)

12. Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake Date reviewed: June 21, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 4 1-sentence review: A lovely little w/w romance with great supporting characters and a fantastic sister-subplot that was arguably as engaging as the love story.

11. Lore Olympus Volume 1 by Rachel Smythe Date reviewed: Jan. 24, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 3 1-sentence review: Greek mythology and breathtaking artwork -- what's not to love?

10. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden Date reviewed: Aug. 10, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 4 1-sentence reivew: If you're like me and you love dark, eerie fairy tales, then this is the book for you.

9. The Bodyguard by Katherine Center Date reviewed: July 27, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 3 1-sentence reivew: I liked Wilbur and corgi-breeding stalker better than I liked Robby, which I think is what God and Katherine Center intended.

8. I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston Date reviewed: Sept. 16, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 4 1-sentence review: What starts out as a seeming scathing take-down of certain John Green novels with shades of gay Mean Girls thrown in turns into something completely unexpected and wonderful and warm and welcoming.

7. Royal Diaries: Cleopatra: Daughter of the Nile by Kristiana Gregory Date reviewed: Jan. 19, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 4 1-sentence review: Yes, I am being indulgent ranking this so high, but she has a pet leopard and insults Roman officials in their own language.

6. Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell Date reviewed: Sept. 23, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 4 1-sentence review: A thoughtful and engaging take on how language shapes cultures within communities, with sometimes insidious intent.

5. Book Lovers by Emily Henry Date reviewed: July 23, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 4 1-sentence review: Hallmark villains in love with NYC to the point of delusion make the best protagonists.

4. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna Date reviewed: Sept. 23, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 4 1-sentence review: Reading this is like walking into a sunlit room on a Sunday morning. (Note: I actually switched this to rank above Book Lovers, which is a VERY big deal for me because I love Emily Henry.)

3. Signal Moon by Kate Quinn Date reviewed: Aug. 20, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 4 1-sentence review: Combining World War II AND time travel (sort of) is like hitting all my tragic romance buttons at once.

2. The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn Date reviewed: June 16, 2022 (I don't think GR has this right -- I got an advanced copy and reviewed it not long after reading it. I posted a review on Facebook on Feb. 28, 2022) Goodreads stars I gave it: 5 1-sentence review: Amazing writing, a bombshell of a heroine, and a story that makes me see, smell and hear the Eastern front -- I'm not kidding when I say this is Quinn's best book so far. (Note: I wrote that line when I hadn't read No. 1 on the list yet.)

and finally....

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn Date reviewed: July 4, 2022 Goodreads stars I gave it: 5 Entire review because I have no self-control:

Earlier this year, I said I thought The Diamond Eye may be Kate Quinn's best book. I am revising my opinion. THIS may be Kate Quinn's best book. I read it in one day, basically didn't put it down except to do work. I think the last time I did something like that, I was reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince the day it came out. And I was 13.

The Rose Code has all the usual Kate Quinn Hallmarks -- great heroines, wartime stakes, swoonworthy love interests, engaging side characters, and cameos from real life historical figures (in this case folks like Alan Turing and Winston Churchill, plus a snide reference about Ian Fleming's womanizing) -- while also having a tighter story (unlike in, say, The Huntress, Quinn isn't having to juggle multiple flashbacks in this book) and what I felt was a slightly less over-the-top climax though ... it was still pretty over-the-top. I think by the time I got to it I was just in a jubilant state.

Anyway, just read this book.

Also, for a spoiler that will make you happy (but is a spoiler nonetheless) ... yes, Beth reunites with the dog.

[littlemissinkdrinker]

Animal Farm

This book is impossible to "like" or "love" - but recognizing it's story, it's reflection of history (and modern day), and it's commentary on the dangers of illiteracy, propaganda, history alteration(, and a bunch of other themes from the book) as important is easy. I found myself getting frustrated and annoyed, not with the story, but with how this reflects so much today's politics. Well written but not well received, Orwell did us a service in fighting to get this book published. Glad I finally read it.

Read : Nov 24 - Nov 26, 2022

Rating : 4 stars

[washwashgalaxy]

Alone To Bleed By Taylor Newman

~Adult Content~~~💧 Alone To Bleed 💧~~~       Written Nov. 27th 2022 #3,012 File# 27-A Cat# 26-1          Artwork and Lyrics;              Taylor Newman  All Rights Reserved (C) 2022~~~💧 Alone To Bleed 💧~~~High upon a cliff, w/waves belowshe sits alone, and softly cries,Within loneliness and heartbreakas countless tears fill her eyes,She’s lived her life so full of tearshiding the truth so deep…

[abcnewspr]

‘GOOD MORNING AMERICA’ RANKS AS THE NO. 1 MORNING NEWSCAST FOR 12 STRAIGHT YEARS SEASON TO DATE 

‘GMA’ Increases Viewership Over Previous Week in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, 2nd Highest of the Season 

ABC News/Paula Lobo* 

“Good Morning America” averaged 3.097 million Total Viewers, 642,000 Adults 25-54 and 422,000 Adults 18-49 for the week of Nov. 20, 2023, based on Live + Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research.  

“GMA” saw gains over the previous week in Adults 25-54 (+6% - 642,000 vs. 605,000) and Adults 18-49 (+6% - 422,000 vs. 399,000).  In fact, “GMA” delivered 7-week highs (since w/o 10/9/23) with its 2nd -best numbers of the season. 

Season to date, “GMA” (3.054 million) is ranking as the No. 1 morning newscast in Total Viewers for the 12th straight year — since the 2012-2013 season. “GMA” is leading NBC’s “Today” (2.829 million) by 225,000. 

During the week, “GMA” (3.097 million, 642,000 and 422,000, respectively) beat “CBS Mornings” (2.358 million, 447,000 and 273,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+739,000), Adults 25-54 (+195,000) and Adults 18-49 (+49,000). 

NOTE: Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, “Good Morning America” was retitled to “GMA-ABC” on Wednesday and was coded as a special on Thursday and Friday.  In addition, CBS Mornings” was coded as specials from Wednesday through Friday, and NBC’s “Today”  was coded as specials on   Wednesday and Friday.  All retitled and specialed telecasts are excluded from the weekly and season averages. ABC’s and CBS’ weekly averages are based on two days (Monday-Tuesday), while NBC’s weekly averages are based on three days (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday). 

Emmy Award-winning “GMA,” featuring the anchor team of Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, Michael Strahan and chief meteorologist Ginger Zee, airs live Monday-Friday (7:00-9:00 a.m. EST) on ABC. Simone Swink is the executive producer. 

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 Live + SD Current Week (w/o 11/20/23), Previous Week (w/o 11/13/23) and Year-Ago Week (w/o 11/14/22). Most Current Data Stream: 2022-2023 Season (9/25 – 11/26/22) and 2022-2023 Season (9/19 – 11/20/22). Beginning 8/31/20, national ratings also include Out of Home (OOH) viewing. Averages based on regular telecasts. 

*COPYRIGHT ©2023 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All photography is copyrighted material and is for editorial use only. Images are not to be archived, altered, duplicated, resold, retransmitted or used for any other purposes without written permission of ABC News. Images are distributed to the press to publicize current programming. Any other usage must be licensed. 

ABC News Media Relations 

Brooks Lancaster 

brooks.lancaster@abc.com 

Jordan Littlejohn 

jordan.littlejohn@abc.com 

Pons Rongavilla 

ponciano.rongavilla@disney.com 

-- ABC -- 

[hardynwa]

Imo Poll: Groups Demand REC, Others’ Sack

Some civil society groups in the Southeast have written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), pointing out conditions for inclusive, free and credible governorship election in Imo State, scheduled for November 11, 2023. In separate petitions to the national chairman of the commission, Mahmoud Yakubu, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) and the South-East Zone of the Civil Liberties Organisation (South-East CLO) specifically demanded the removal of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Silvia Agu and 17 other top electoral officers and the demilitarisation of the polling units and result collation centres. The groups disclosed that several investigations into state of affairs in Imo State indicated that the enthronement of popular and credible democratic government in the state remained key to ending myriad of problems bedevilling the state since January, 2020. While Intersociety’s letter was dated Monday, August 21, 2023 and signed by the board chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chidinma Udegbunam Esquire (head of publicity) and Ositadinma Agu (head of contacts and mobilisation), that of the South-East CLO was dated Tuesday, August 22, 2023 and signed by the chairman of the South-East CLO, Comrade Aloysius Emeka Attah. In the petitions, the groups urged the headquarters of the commission to comprehensively overhaul the Imo INEC and its principal departments, including EOs, Administration, Operations, ICT, Voter Education, among others and address the anomalies arising from the 2023 presidential/national/state assembly polls in the state. “Several INEC officers were strongly accused of playing different indictable roles to undermine the credibility of the polls; to the extent that the state assembly poll in the state was the worst of it all and a ‘walkover’ for candidates of the state ruling APC by “winning” 26 of the State’s 27 House of Assembly seats. “Vicariously or otherwise, the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof Sylvia Agu, did not stand tall to be counted and respected owing to her poor handling of the earlier 2023 polls and therefore could not be trusted to organise and deliver a free, participatory and credible governorship poll in the state scheduled for November 11, 2023″, read one of the petitions. It also added that having comprehensively checked and monitored the goings on in Imo State ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship poll, it has found that REC Sylvia Agu and 17 other top electoral officers, including 11 EOs and six departmental heads drawn from the State INEC Secretariat are grossly incapable of ensuring free, participatory and credible Governorship Poll in the State. The petition urged the INEC national headquarters to address all the wrongs arising from the 2023 general election and clean up and reposition the state’s INEC ahead of the Nov 11, 2023 governorship poll. They further called on the INEC that several of the electoral officers in the 27 Local Government Areas in the state had long overstayed far above periods allowed by the INEC Establishment Act of 2004 or the Electoral Act of 2022 as amended which has also made them vulnerable to electoral corruption and related sharp practices. They therefore maintained that they were certainly not sure that the Imo REC, Prof Sylvia Agu is capable of conducting free, participatory and credible Governorship Poll in the State on Nov 11, 2023; with a clear case in point being her recent invitation of 2,300 soldiers for the Poll which was not only widely condemned and rejected but also seen by many as “militarization of the Poll with intent to rig the election.” Read the full article

[indi-abts2030-uq]

Annotated Bibliography

Huggins, J. (2022). Sister girl: Reflections on tiddaism, identity, and reconciliation. University of Queensland Press.

This source provides a comprehensive reflection on Aboriginal identity and the mechanisms of oppression in Australia, particularly those relating to First Nations women. This is significant to Ah Kee’s work as it provides the background to the important of his art, and the portrayals of conflicting identity. It is written by the esteemed author and advocate, Dr Jackie Huggins, a Bidjara and Birri Gubba Juru woman. Through my citations, I recognise that it is critical to prioritise centring the perspectives of Aboriginal women and gender diverse folk, as their experiences are commonly excluded from main discourse.

Evans, M., & Sinclair, A. (2016). Containing, contesting, creating spaces: leadership and cultural identity work among Australian Indigenous arts leaders. Leadership, 12(3), 270-292.  https://doi.org/ 10.1177/1742715015620463

This article examines the broad relationships between art expression, leadership, and Aboriginal identity. It demonstrates how leaders in Indigenous art embody Aboriginality through their art form and contradict stereotypes to find self-determination. This further explores the division between mainstream views of Aboriginality, and demonstrates the leadership and strength in Aboriginal identity.

Heiss, A. (2022). Am I black enough for you?: Ten years on. Random House Australia.

This book, written by acclaimed author and Wiradjuri woman, Dr Anita Heiss, explores ideas of Aboriginal identity in contemporary Australian society. It challenges colonial stereotypes and represents the heterogeneity in Aboriginal peoples. It demonstrates parallels with Ah Kee’s work by opposing the false perceptions of white Australia.

Watego, C. (2021). Another day in the colony. University of Queensland Press.

In this novel, Professor Chelsea Watego, a Munanjahli and South Sea Islander woman, provides an insightful reflection on Aboriginal oppression and stereotyping in the colony. Whilst not explicitly about art forms, it analyses important themes such as sovereignty and activism, relevant to the topic of identity expressed through art. It will be useful in analysing the dynamics of Aboriginal identity, relevant to Ah Kee’s work.

Joss, S. M. (2004). Beyond the Dreamings: Identity and representation in Australian Aboriginal urban art. [Doctoral Dissertation, American University]. ProQuest. https://dra.american.edu/islandora/object/thesesdissertations%3A3101/datastream/PDF/view

This source collates perspectives from various Aboriginal artists, as well as non-Indigenous consumers of art, to digest the link between identity and contemporary Aboriginal art forms. It compares racially motivated depictions of Indigeneity, with the activism and reclamation present in Aboriginal modern art. It is an extensive document, and as such, provides a comprehensive insight into themes topical to Ah Kee’s work, such as finding identity in art, representation, and racism.

Ah Kee, V., & McIntrye, S. (2022). nothing important happened today: An Interview with Vernon Ah Kee. The Journal of the Pacific Arts Association, 22(2), 11-26. https://doi.org/10.5070/PC222259587

Whilst explicitly about Ah Kee’s 2021 exhibition, nothing important happened today, this transcript also enables unique insight into Ah Kee’s intention when creating art. This is particularly important when discussing the role of his art in the political landscape, and relating his work to ideas of sovereignty and identity. It is important to understand the perspective of the artist to discern the messages in their work, especially when the art has a cultural significance.  

Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. [MCA Australia]. (2015, Nov 19). Vernon Ah Kee interviewed in 2006 for MCA Artist Voice [Video}. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU-YYflHDXo

This specific video is about Ah Kee’s 2006 collection, fantasies of the good. It allows for an in-depth appreciation of Ah Kee’s background and the meaning behind these powerful portraits in relation to Aboriginal identity. As they are portraits of his family and ancestors, it is imperative that Ah Kee’s perspective is appreciated when viewing the artwork.

Moreton-Robinson, A. (Ed). (2004). Whitening race: Essays in social and cultural criticism. Aboriginal Studies Press.

This source provides the necessary background to contextualise Ah Kee’s work through the discussion of Australia’s ongoing racism and dispossession of Aboriginal peoples. It was collated by Goenpul woman, Professor Aileen Moreton-Robinson, who is a credible and discerning scholar. Furthermore, chapters in the book are dedicated to the white perception of Aboriginality, and the racist representations of our peoples that have poisoned mainstream discourse. This is useful for dissecting the dichotomy between colonial perceptions, and reality.

Stuurman, R. (2003, June 19). Aboriginal identity in contemporary society [Paper presentation]. Access to Indigenous Records National Forum.

This is a powerful source that discusses the dynamics of existing as an Aboriginal person in white Australia, and findings ones’ identity. It theorises how identity is defined and constructed in contemporary society, and where Aboriginality fits into this mould. Relevant to Ah Kee’s work, it also recognises ties to art as an expression of identity and opposition to colonial views.

Fredericks, B., & Bradfield, A. (2021). Affirming Aboriginal identities: Art production in central Queensland. Journal of Visual Art Practice, 20(1-2), 31-47. https://doi.org/10.1080/14702029.2021.1917906

This study investigates the nuanced connection between Aboriginal art expression, identity, and social action. It considers how art forms can serve as a tool in dismantling colonial concepts of Aboriginality.

[eleven-pm]

november

26 Nov 2022

Like a broken record, I hear it all around me.

“Good job! It paid off.”

“You did really well.”

“You’re great at doing these things.”

“Be proud of yourself. Aren’t you?”

Am I?

Maybe it’s a beautiful melody written for me. But it’s a broken record. And a broke record loses its tune after a while.

I see what people tell me. I hear the results of what I do exceed my own expectations. I feel the way people look at me, like they expect something from me, but are too far away to truly care.

I hear what they say. I hear them repeat it to me. Mouth to mouth, face to face, it doesn’t matter what language it’s in—nothing comes through. The compliments and encouragement stick to barbed wire fences, tearing into meaningless shreds and drifting away in the wind.

But the misplaced glance, the silent comment, the words I pretend I think I see behind their eyes—those slip through all the defenses. Past battalions and garrisons fortified with steel and iron; past the moats of lava and volleys of arrows. A papercut feels like the stroke of a broadsword.

These are the words I take in. These are the gestures I attach meaning to. These are the scenes I replay over and over and over in my head, with each rendition getting more and more preposterous than the last. And I know, I know it’s all just in my head. And yet it won’t stop repeating. Over. And Over. Like a broken record.

“Good job. That really paid off.”

“You did really well, huh?”

“It’s a great thing for you to try.”

“Are you proud of yourself?”

Should I be? Are birds proud of themselves for flying? Does the sun congratulate itself for shining each day? Does the flame smile in the mirror after a long day and say, “You did something special today”?

I do what I do because it’s the only thing I know how to do. I am what I am because it’s the only thing I know how to be. Is that something to be proud of? Broken record. Even the brightest melody becomes monotonous.

[opedguy]

George Santos Imposter Syndrome

LOS ANGELES (OnlineColumnist.com), Jan. 2, 2023.--Newly elected Rep. 34-year-old, Brazilian-born George Santos (R-N.Y.) shocked voters and the press when they found out he misrepresented large parts of his resume en route to one on the most unlikely feats seen recently in U.S. politics.  Republicans were desperate to run anyone in New York’s Third Congressional district in Queens, finding an energetic 34-year-old gay man, the perfect woke candidate to run against Robert Zimmerman, a longstanding Democratic National Committee [DNC] member and political commentator on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News.  When Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) decided to run for governor, it opened up his seat, something the Republican National Committee [RNC] jumped on. Who could be a more woke candidate than flamboyant George Santos?  Few could figure out that Santos was a fraud, a person suffering from a clinical condition called “the imposter syndrome.”

Former President Donald Trump, 76, epitomized through his long real estate and reality TV career that everyone has to “fake it, till you make,” part of the America’s history of highly competitive entrepreneurial capitalistic society.  No one in recent American history personified the entrepreneurial class more than Trump, who built his brand over 50 years based on his embellished best-selling autobiography co-written with Tony Schawartz the Nov. 1, 1987 “Trump: The Art of the Deal.”  Unlike Santos, Trump really did graduate from Penn’s Wharton School, working closely with his millionaire father Fred Trump in Queens before breaking into Manhattan real estate, building skyscrapers.  Parallels to Santos break down because Trump was actually the real deal when it came to building a real estate empire.  Santos, from descriptions of him from different sources, was a fraud.

 Trump’s rise from real estate tycoon to TV reality star to President of the United State was a remarkable path to the White House.  Trump ran in 2016, against all odds, taking on Democrat political dynasty career politician, 75-year-old Hillary Rodham Clinton.  Trump’s Electoral College victory Nov. 3, 2016 was a remarkable feat considering the institutional advantage Hillary enjoyed in a long political career backed by nearly every newspaper and broadcast outlet in the country.  Trump pulled off a nearly impossible feat because the public, Democrats, Republicans and independents, all admire American success stories.  So on that basis, on a more modest scale, lowly George Santos, without a normal high school degree, pulled off another stunning feat, winning a seat in U.S. Congress, defeating Democrat Robert Zimmerman Nov. 8, 2022 with the help of the RNC.

Santos grew up after immigrating in a basement apartment in Queens with his mother, Fatima Devolder, who died in 2016.  Santos described her as an American Dream who worked her way up from the bottom to become “the first female executive at a major financial institution,” the kind of embellishment typical of individuals suffering from an imposter syndrome.  Santos said his mother was in the World Trade Tower on Sept. 11, 2001, dying a few years later.  More accurate reports had Santos mother working as a domestic worker, speaking speaking in her native tongue, Portuguese.  No mention was made in Santo’s biography his father, most likely out of wedlock.  Court records shows Santos, age 20, and his mother living in a slum area outside Rio de Janiero in 2008, contradicting his biography saying he attended Horace Mann School in the Bronx in 2006, before dropping out.

All the discrepancies in Santos background, including his openly gay relationship with Pedro Vilarva, 18, when he was 26.  Vilarva said they dated for about two months before he broke it off because Santos didn’t pay his bills.  “He used to say he would get money from Citigroup, he was an investor,” Vilarva said.  “One day it’s one thing, one it’s another thing.  He never actually went to work,” knowing that Santos said he worked on Wall Street.  Whatever embellishments in work history, Samtps readily told Queens voters in his campaign that he had Jewish background, when there was no evidence for his claims.  All in all, when Santos gets sworn into Congress Jan. 3, House leadership will have to evaluate what to do.  Santos rival, Zimmerman, said he wants Santos to resign do to all the obvious lies.  Incoming House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y) said Santos was “unfit to serve.”

When Santos is worn in tomorrow as a member of Congress, Democrats will no doubt ask for an ethics investigation over his misstatememts.  Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) said she warned her colleagues about Santos, saying that things didn’t add up in  his background.  With Santos meager background, House leaders will have to decide whether he crossed a line misrepresenting himself to voters.  Many politicians misrepresent their backgrounds and experience, including 80-year-old President Joe Biden.  So, before House leaders decide what to do with Santos, they need to look at their own embellishments.  Santos, due to his sketchy background, made up stories about himself to preserve his self-esteem and dignity.  Imposter syndromes are not criminal acts but attempts to compete in a brutal system demanding that every rival has something special to talk about.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

[speculativevampires]

Reflections and compiled sources

The works of Octavia Butler and Bill Gunn create opportunities for daringly original interpretations of the vampire figure, especially as it is relevant to the erotic in the speculative imagination. In analysing and researching these materials, I was first struck by the worldbuilding and figure-creating aspects of these narratives and how easily and smoothly their vampires come into being as powerful, subversive, distinctly erotic subjects. By creating such original versions of the vampire trope, Butler and Gunn avoid reductive uses of the blood drinker and create characters that are able to effectively subvert expectations.

I chose these works because I am in love with vampires that are not monsters but instead exist to prove, again and again, that it is not the drinking of blood that is monstrous, but rather the existence of a societal norm that makes it monstrous is the true violence in these stories. Both Butler and Gunn do this, along with beautifully crafted aesthetics that make their works impossible to put away.

I hope readers find something interesting in these posts. I have aimed to combine some more thorough analysis with clips and quotes of interest in order to create a scene that can be explored through and beyond what I have written. There is a "submit post" and an "ask" button that I would love for people to utilize and expand the scope and depth of this blog.

Below are the complied sources used for the research on the topic of speculative vampires (in order of appearance):

Butler, Octavia E. Fledgling: A novel. Seven Stories Press, 2011.

Brox, Ali. “‘Every Age Has the Vampire It Needs’: Octavia Butler’s Vampiric Vision in Fledgling.” Utopian Studies, vol. 19, no. 3, 2008, pp. 391–409. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20719918. Accessed 7 Nov. 2022.

Anatol, Giselle Liza. The Things That Fly in the Night: Female Vampires in Literature of the Circum-Caribbean and African Diaspora. Rutgers University Press, 2015

Ganja & Hess. Directed by Bill Gunn, performances by Duane Jones, Marlene Clark, John Hoffmeister, Enrico Fales, Mabel King. All Day Entertainment, 1973, restored 2006. 

David, Marlo D. “‘“Let It Go Black”’: Desire and the Erotic Subject in the Films of Bill Gunn.” Black Camera, vol. 2, no. 2, 2011, pp. 26–46. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2979/blackcamera.2.2.26. Accessed 2 Nov. 2022.