#ASIAN LOIS REP

[katanasonata]

I NEVER KNEW I HOW MUCH I NEEDED THIS SHOW IN MY LIFE

[jesncin]

I really wish they went into lois being korean in maws :( i really wish the season was longer than 10 episodes, all of the emotional development felt rushed to me. they could have done more with her if they had more time

While I agree that MAWS is super rushed, I don't think that more episodes would fix their issues. MAWS inherently has an "I don't see color" approach to their characters of color.

Why did they have a joke about Black Jimmy Olsen not comprehending oppression? Why is his only basis to anything remotely similar to facing bigotry be "being stood up" by his friends? Why does Lois as a Korean American not understand why an alien immigrant would hide his heritage from an unaccepting world after she herself said "nobody normal believes in aliens"? Why is her Asian American dad xenophobic to Clark without any insightful discussion as to how assimilation can make minorities turn against each other? Why is it, in the narrative of MAWS, that the only characters who go through bigotry are white people (and a gorilla)? Why is it in Lois' hope speech to support Superman does she mention that humans are cruel to "people who don't look like us" when Clark passes for a white man?

These aren't things that can be fixed with "more time". It's a fundamental problem with how MAWS depicts characters of color. They view them as a commodified aesthetic acknowledgement of diversity and not people who navigate the world differently. Changing historically white characters into people of color comes with understanding how those different experiences would affect their characterization. It's not skin deep.

[vishapsking]

mhy recognizing loy krathong in thailand is so cool!! sumeru was the closest i was going to get to anything remotely southeast asian rep in genshin tbh, so this was so amazing to see official art for this.

happy loy krathong, everyone! may the rivers carry away the ill-tidings and wash in new prosperity and health!

note: it makes sense that sumeru is chosen since loy krathong festival's origins can be traced back to india. it is related to the bharatiya festival of kartik purnima! the festival is in worship to the river goddess khongkha (ganges) and buddha!

[senoritaimperfecta]

The new Lois and Clark show literally looks so cute 🥺💕 I love Lois’s design it’s so good the only thing is I can’t tell if she’s supposed to be Latina ( a lot of people say she looks like Luz from the owl house-which tbh I don’t see outside of like they both have short hair and brown eyes but whatever) or Asian (I think her va is??) I’ve seen multiple debates in it and as you’re the #1 Lois stan I was wondering if you knew the answer because there does not seem to be a consensus 😔

GOD EITHER WAY WOULD BE REALLY GOD FOR ME also considering that Asian Latina Lois would be really amazing I think there should be more Asian Latino rep out there

But as far as I know from all the articles I’ve seen there hasn’t been much release abt the show beside a brief summary of what it’s about

Although if her voice actor is an Asian woman then I would lean more towards that option just because it seems more plausible that way if that makes sense ??

[kotoole21ahsgov]

California Proposition Assessment

1. “English Proficiency. Multilingual Education. Initiative Statute” or proposition 58 from 2016

2. Prop 58 aimed to “[preserve the] requirement that public schools ensure students become proficient in English”. Because prop 58 passed, students with limited English proficiency have the ability to learn English through their school district which is beneficial for their future and all in the community. 

3. There is no notable fiscal effect on school districts nor state government.

4. The election results of Prop 58, of 2016, did surprise me as 73.52%  of persons voted yes on prop 58

5. 

Proposition 58 Sponsors: 

-Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-33)

-Sen. Loni Hancock (D-9)

-Sen. Bill Monning (D-17)

-Sen. Martin Block (D-39)

-Asm. Nancy Skinner (D-15)

-Asm. Lorena Gonzalez (D-80)

-Gov. Jerry Brown (D)[6]

-Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D)

-State Superintendent Tom Torlakson

-Secretary of State Alex Padilla (D)

-State Controller Betty Yee (D)

-Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones (D)

-U.S. Rep. Judy Chu (D-27)

U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-39)

U.S. Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-47)

U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-28)

Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-24)

Sen. Ben Allen (D-26)

Sen. Jim Beall (D-15)

Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-19)

Sen. Isadore Hall (D-35)

Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-22)

Sen. Jerry Hill (D-13)

Sen. Mark Leno (D-11)

Sen. Connie Leyva (D-20)

Sen. Carol Liu (D-25)

Sen. Mike McGuire (D-2)

Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-32)

Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-30)

Sen. Richard Pan (D-6)

Sen. Fran Pavley (D-27)

Sen. Richard Roth (D-31)

Sen. Bob Wieckowski (D-10)

Sen. Lois Wolk (D-3)

Asm. Anthony Rendon (D-63)

Asm. Luis Alejo (D-30)

Asm. Rob Bonta (D-18)

Asm. Ian Calderon (D-57)

Asm. Nora Campos (D-27)

Asm. David Chiu (D-17)

Asm. Kansen Chu (D-25)

Asm. Cristina Garcia (D-58)

Asm. Eduardo Garcia (D-56)

Asm. Jimmy Gomez (D-51)

Asm. Reginald Jones-Sawyer (D-59)

Asm. Kevin McCarty (D-7)

Asm. Miguel Santiago (D-53)

Asm. Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-13)

Asm. Tony Thurmond (D-15)

Asm. Das Williams (D-37)

Mayor Ed Lee, San Francisco

Mayor Bao Nguyen, Garden Grove

Mayor Robert Garcia, Long Beach

[Parties]

-California Democratic Party[7]

-Green Party of California[8]

-California Peace and Freedom Party[9]

-Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club[10]

-Santa Monica Democratic Club[11]

Interest group endorsements:

N/A

-Financial Backers: 

-California Teachers Association PAC~$1,722,048.00

-SEIU Local 2015 Issues PAC~$104,833.18

-California Federation of Teachers COPE Prop/ Ballot Committee~$100,000.00

-Association of California School Administrators Issues PAC~$100,000.00

-SEIU California State Council~$100,000.00

I was unfortunately unable to find/locate the endorsements although the financial backets are quite understandable as they consist of teachers' organizations/committees or are mostly education related. By understanding the financial backers it is clear what this props aimed demographic is.

6. 

Arguments for Prop 58

“PROPOSITION 58 ENSURES ALL STUDENTS CAN ACHIEVE ENGLISH PROFICIENCY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.”

“Too many California students are being left behind and not given the opportunity to learn English with the most effective teaching methods possible. This is because of an outdated nearly 20-year-old law, Proposition 227, which restricts the instructional methods school districts can use to teach English.Proposition 58 revises Proposition 227 to remove these restrictions so schools are able to use the most up-to-date teaching methods possible to help our students learn.”

Requires local school districts to identify in their annual K-12 Local Control and Accountability Plans the instructional methods they will offer to help ensure all students become proficient in English as rapidly as possible.

Requires schools to offer a structured English immersion program to English learners. But schools also can adopt other language instruction methods based on research and stakeholder input.

School districts must seek input from educators, parents and the community.

“PROPOSITION 58 ALSO EXPANDS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS TO LEARN A SECOND LANGUAGE.”

Proposition 58 removes barriers hurting students by discouraging schools from expanding multilingual education. Proposition 58 encourages school districts to provide instruction programs so native English speakers can become proficient in a second language:

School districts must include in their annual K-12 Local Control and Accountability Plans programs giving English-speaking students the opportunity to achieve proficiency in a second language.

District choices of non-English languages must reflect input from parents, the community and the linguistic and financial resources of schools.

Research shows that students participating in programs taught in more than one language attain higher levels of academic achievement.

PROPOSITION 58 RESTORES LOCAL CONTROL TO OUR SCHOOLS.

Proposition 58 allows local school districts to choose the most up-to-date language instruction methods to improve student outcomes free from legal restrictions imposed on them by a decades-old law.

PROPOSITION 58 PROVIDES A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR STATE.

The world economy is changing rapidly. Today, technology allows even the smallest businesses to have a global reach. Students proficient in English and a second language will be more employable, start out earning higher wages, and make California's workforce better prepared to compete for jobs in the global economy.

PROPOSITION 58 HAS BROAD-BASED SUPPORT FROM LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, EDUCATORS, PARENTS AND EMPLOYERS.

Giving local schools the tools they need to improve outcomes for students is not a partisan or political issue. Proposition 58 was placed on the ballot by a bipartisan vote of the legislature. Support for Proposition 58's common sense reforms to improve language instruction in our schools is broad-based and includes: Local school boards (the California School Boards Association), Teachers (the California Language Teachers' Association, the California Teachers Association, the California Federation of Teachers), Parents (California State PTA), and Employers (including the San Jose I Silicon Valley and Los Angeles Chambers of Commerce).

Proposition 58's reforms allow schools to adopt the most up-to-date methods of language instruction to improve student outcomes and make better use of taxpayer dollars

Arguments against Prop 58

“THIS BALLOT MEASURE IS A DISHONEST TRICK BY THE SACRAMENTO POLITICIANS”

The official title of Proposition 58 is "English Language Education," But it actually REPEALS the requirement the children be taught English in California public schools. It's all a trick by the Sacramento politicians to fool the voters, who overwhelmingly passed Proposition 227, the "English for the Children" initiative in 1998.

The worst part of Proposition 58 is hidden away in Section 8, which REPEALS all restrictions on the California Legislature to make future changes. This would allow the Legislature to reestablish SPANISH-ALMOST-ONLY instruction in the public schools by a simple majority vote, once again forcing Latino children into those classes against their parents' wishes.

Teaching English in our public schools is overwhelmingly supported by California parents, whether immigrants or non-immigrants, Latinos or Anglos, Asians or Blacks. That's why the politicians are trying to TRICK the voters by using a DECEPTIVE TITLE.

“VOTE NO AND KEEP "ENGLISH FOR THE CHILDREN"---IT WORKS!”

For decades, millions of Latino children were FORCED INTO SPANISH-ALMOST-ONLY CLASSES dishonestly called "bilingual education." It was an educational disaster and never worked. Many Latinos never learned how to read, write, or even speak English properly.

But in 1998, California voters overwhelmingly passed Prop. 227—the "English for the Children" initiative---providing sheltered English immersion to immigrant students and requiring that they be taught English as soon as they started school.

Jaime Escalante of Stand and Deliver fame, one of America's most successful teachers led the Prop. 227 campaign as Honorary Chairman, rescuing California Latinos from the Spanish-only educational ghetto.

It worked! Within four years the test scores of over a million immigrant students in California increased by 30%, 50%, or even 100%.

All the major newspapers, even the national New York Times, declared the new English immersion system a huge educational success.

The founding president of the California Association of Bilingual Educators announced that he'd been wrong about bilingual education for thirty years and became a leading national advocate for English immersion.

Since "English for the Children" passed, there has been a huge increase in the number of Latinos scoring high enough to gain admission to the prestigious University of California system.

Prop. 227 worked so well in California schools that the whole issue was forgotten by almost everyone except the bilingual education activists. Now they're trying to trick the voters into allowing the RESTORATION OF MANDATORY SPANISH-ALMOST-ONLY CLASSES.

7. I would’ve voted YES on prop 58 as I believe a foundational understanding of English is important and necessary young Americans.

8. I found it interesting that the Libertarian Party of California were opponents of Prop 58.

[ciphertext-x]

LGBTQIA+ books!

Pride month is coming up, and my eyes are peeled for more LGBTQIA+ books! In the meantime, here’s my current list. I haven’t read all of these, in fact I’ve only read a small portion of them, but all of them are either queer-centric, or have side characters representing. For the ones I’ve not read myself, my info comes only from what I’ve heard other people say! Also, I’m not necessarily saying that all of these books are good, but they have that representation we so crave!

If you know of any more, feel free to add them!

Long post, so rest is below the cut. Links go to Goodreads so you can read more info, but I’ll put some keywords along with them along with any trigger warnings I know of.

Adrift by Isabelle Adler The main character is gay OR bisexual, OR it may be that someone is gay and someone is bi. I haven’t read this one. Sci-fi, action, adventure, aliens, pirates

And I Darken by Kiersten White One of the main siblings is gay. YA, historical fantasy, romance, royalty, war, diverse

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (most of Sáenz’s stuff is queer) Both main characters are gay. YA, romance, 80′s, Mexican-American, homophobia, hate crime, injury

Ash by Malinda Lo Main character is bisexual. YA, romance, fantasy, Cinderella retelling, fairy, hunter, royalty

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon A side character and the temporary object of the main character’s affections is gay. YA, urban fantasy, sci-fi, dystopia, London, clairvoyants, gangs, supernatural race, enslavement, violence, abuse

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan Main character is gay. A side character is a transgender female. YA, contemporary, romance, high school

Boy Meets Hamster by Birdie Milano Main character is gay. His best friend is a bisexual mixed race chubby girl. One of his love interests is black. Teen fiction/middle-grade, contemporary, romance, summer, disaster gay, homophobia, ableism, holiday park

Breaking His Spell by Foster Bridget Cassidy The main character and the prince are both gay. Fantasy, romance, Sleeping Beauty retelling, immortality, royalty, fake relationship, dragons

Captive Prince by C S Pacat The main character is a pleasure slave to another man. Historical fantasy, dark romance, adult, slavery, sexual assault and non-con, royalty, war

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell Main character is bisexual. His male love interest is gay. YA, humour, fantasy, romance, Harry Potter, vampire, wizard, enemies-to-lovers

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Main character’s sister is bisexual. YA, fantasy, royalty, politics, fairies, murder

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer Main character’s brother is gay and in a relationship with a black boy. YA, contemporary & fantasy, Beauty & the Beast retelling, royalty, politics, disabled main character

A Darker Shade of Magic by V E Schwab One of the side characters is genderfluid. The prince is bisexual. Fantasy, parallel worlds, war, smuggler

The Deadly Nightshade by Justine Ashford One of the main characters is asexual. Sci-fi, futuristic, dystopia, war, gangs, humanity, violence, friendship

Dragonoak by Sam Farren Main character is a lesbian. Fantasy, adventure, knights, dark magic, secrets

Draw the Line by Laurent Linn Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, illustrated, homophobia, hate crime, Texas

Enemies Like These by P K Gardner Not sure about this one, there’s not a lot of information out there about it, but it’s tagged LGBT everywhere. Sci-fi, superheroes

Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire One of the main characters is asexual. One of the main character’s is transgender. YA, fantasy, mystery, murder, boarding school

Fourth World by Lyssa Chiavari Both main characters are asexual. One is demisexual. YA, sci-fi, dystopia, space, planet is dying, aliens

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee Main character is bisexual. YA, historical, romance, Europe, roguish passions, responsibilities

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan Main character is a lesbian and gets into a romance with another girl. YA, historical fantasy, romance, politics, rebellion, demons, concubines, sexual assault, abuse, Asian-inspired

The Gloaming by Kirsty Logan Main character develops romantic feelings towards another girl. Fantasy, magical realism, mermaids, romance, Scotland

Good Angel by A M Blaushild Main character is AroAce (and there’s a host of other queer rep). YA, fantasy, university, heaven and hell, angels and demons

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky Main character is a very young transgender girl. Middle-grade/teen fiction, contemporary, identity, school

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert A lesbian couple appear in the second half of the book to assist the main characters. YA, urban fantasy, horror, fairytale, mystery

Heels Over Head by Elyse Springer Main character is closeted gay. His love interest is gay. Contemporary, new adult, sports, diving, water, opposites attract

Hello World by Tiffany Rose & Alexandra Tauber Main character is asexual. Sci-fi, thriller, hacker, human data chips, human trafficking, corrupt corporation

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, mental illness, sad, death, grief, romance

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson One of the main characters is gay. YA, contemporary, romance, siblings, drifting apart

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz One of the main characters lives with his adoptive gay father. YA, contemporary, Mexican-American main characters, loss, grief, identity

Just Juliet by Charlotte Reagan Main character is bisexual. Her love interest is a lesbian. YA, contemporary, romance, high school

The Last Chronomancer by Reilyn J Hardy Main character is AroAce. One of the side characters is genderfluid. Fantasy, adventure, curses, supernatural creatures

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann Main character is asexual and biromantic (and black). YA, contemporary, romance, college, Japanese love interest

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers One of the main characters winds up in a lesbian relationship with an alien who is pansexual. One character uses they/them pronouns, but is not explicitly non-binary. YA, sci-fi, space opera, adventure, running from the past, aliens, war, racism, found family, Dwarfism, Artificial Intelligence, romance

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M Danforth Main character is a lesbian. YA, contemporary, conservative character, religion, conversion therapy?

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera Main character is either bisexual or gay. YA, contemporary, romance, sad, suicide, homophobia, depression

More Than This by Patrick Ness Main character is gay. YA, sci-fi, death, afterlife, mystery, dystopia

Noah Can’t Even by Simon James Green The main character and his best friend kiss and end up together in the end only after a lot of soul-searching. Teen fiction/middle-grade, contemporary, romance, comedy, high school

Nocturna by Maya Motayne At least one queer side character (this book is very new, so I can’t find details) YA, fantasy, dark magic, Latinx-inspired, loss, abuse

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst Main character is either a lesbian or is bisexual. YA, fantasy, royalty, arranged marriage, assassination

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy Main character is pansexual, she has two mothers. One side character is genderfluid. One side character is gay.  YA, fantasy, sci-fi, King Arthur retelling, racially diverse, disabled side character, space, interdimensional travel, war, politics

Our Bloody Pearl by D N Bryn The siren character is non-binary (they/them) however it’s noted that humans can be non-binary too. One character is asexual. One character is a lesbian. Fantasy, pirates, romance, mermaids, steampunk, sci-fi, New Adult, found family

The Pardoner’s Tale by Morgan Ferdinand Main character is asexual. Urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires, werewolves, exorcist, monster-slayer

Peter Darling by Austin Chant Main character is a transgender male and gay. His love interest is gay. Fantasy, romance, historical, Peter Pan retelling, pirates, NeverLand, fairies, merpeople

Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert Main character is gay.  YA, contemporary, adoption, anxiety, mental illness, grief, suicide, Asian-American characters

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman Bisexual (and biracial) main character. Her best friend is gay and demisexual. I’m told that MOST characters in this book are LGBTQIA+ and that includes asexual! YA, contemporary, identity, diversity, friendship, mental illness

Release by Patrick Ness Main character is gay. YA, paranormal, thriller, mystery, contemporary, sexual assault, drugs, murder

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness Honestly don’t know about this one, but I hear it does have something. YA, fantasy/sci-fi, superheroes, Chosen One

Showers Flowers and Fangs by Aidan Wayne Main character is a gay transgender male. His love interest is gay. YA, urban fantasy, romance, mythical/supernatural creatures (mainly fairy, vampire, and witch), menstruation, abuse

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, romance, high school, Love Simon, blackmail, Tumblr, secret identity

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Main character is in a relationship with another man. Historical, Iliad retelling, Greek mythology, war, Gods and Goddesses

Stake Sauce by RoAnna Sylver Main character is grey-aro-ace, transgender, and gay. One of the side characters is AroAce. A few are in a polyamorous relationship. Literally all side characters are queer. YA, urban fantasy, vampires, mental health, disabled main character, PTSD, chubby vampire, chronic pain

The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson Main character’s female best friend spends the book crushing heavily on another girl. One of the minor side villains is gay and has a boyfriend. The main character’s mother (a queen) reportedly courted another girl in her youth. YA, fantasy, romance, royalty/politics, arranged marriage, depression, PTSD

Teeth by Zaya Feli There is an MLM romance. Someone is asexual. YA, historical, fantasy, Vikings

These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch One of the three main characters is gay and in a relationship. YA, fantasy, politics, religion, royalty, botanical magic, pirates, steampunk, PTSD, secrets and lies, trust, racism, ignorance

They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera One of the main characters is described as queer. The other is bisexual, and Cuban-American. YA, contemporary, romance, sad, death, speculative fiction

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli Main character’s sister is a lesbian. YA, contemporary, romance, chubby protagonist, high school, crushes

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson The main character is gay. YA, sci-fi, aliens and abductions, the world is ending, suicide

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia The main character is in a lesbian relationship. YA, politics, spies, school, Latina, dystopia

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera Both main characters are gay (one of them is Puerto Rican). A side character is bioromantic asexual (her exact words). YA, romance, contemporary, humour, summer, disaster gay, first time

Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popovic One of the sisters is in a lesbian relationship. YA, fantasy, forbidden love, secrets

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan One of the Wills is gay. YA, contemporary, humour, coming of age, friendship

[figuring-it-all-out]

On Cis-Washing

Thoughts On Hiring Cis Actors To Play Non-Cis Characters

Whitewashing in movies is when a caucasian actor is hired to play a character who is depicted (either in the script or source material of a project) as a person of color.

One of the most recent examples of this is Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in the Shell, but there is a long and painful history of whitewashing which I am not informed enough to get into right now. Sometimes people who don’t think whitewashing is an issue will point to films where a white character is played by a person of color (Jamie Foxx in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Michael B. Jordan in Fan4stic), but the main problem with whitewashing is that it is already difficult for actors of color to get prominent on screen roles so to take roles that are originally written as a person of color and to give it to a white person only makes the problem worse.

But something else that’s frustrating is cis-washing: hiring cisgender actors to plan non-cis parts.

I don’t know if cis-washing is the official term but it’s the best one I could think of. The idea for this diary entry was the recent controversy surrounding Scarlett Johansson’s casting as Dante “Tex” Gill in the upcoming movie Rub & Tug. The real-life Gill was born as Lois Jean Gill but identified as a man, which is what is causing the backlash. This is the second time in recent memory that Johansson has faced such a reaction from audiences, as in the previously mentioned Ghost in the Shell she played a character originally depicted as being of Asian heritage (Rub & Tug also has the same director as Ghost in the Shell). Johansson’s response to the criticisms doesn’t really help anything: “Tell them that they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman’s reps for comment.” This is in reference to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman (all cis actors) playing transgender women on film. Except, they’re part of the problem too.

The gender identity of non-cis people is often treated as a costume to be worn by cis actors & instead of dismissing the practice we give out awards for it.

Leto won an Oscar for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, the now controversial Jeffrey Tambor has won both a Golden Globe and two Emmy-s playing a trans woman on “Transparent” (although I understand the show itself is meant to be very good), while Felicity Huffman was nominated for playing a transgender woman in Transamerica. No trans, gender fluid, gender queer, or non binary performer has ever been nominated for an Oscar. The only non-cis actor I can think of nominated for a major award in film or television (and if I’m forgetting someone PLEASE let me know) is Laverne Cox for “Orange is the New Black”.

It is so rare for non-cis actor to get major roles in film/TV, it’s even rarer than seeing non-cis representation in the medium.

Many actors LOSE jobs because of their gender identity. For every Laverne Cox and Asia Kate Dillon there are countless people who are just turned away from auditions because they’re not cis. So when a part comes around that is written for someone trans, non binary, gender queer, or gender fluid, those SHOULD be the moments when those actors get their chance to shine. But more often than not they’re given to cisgender movie stars and a common excuse is, “Well, there are no non-cis movie stars.” That’s because you’re not hiring non-cis actors to BE movie stars! It’s 2018: hire people of color to play people of color, hire disabled people to play disabled people, hire non-cis actors to play non-cis parts, and so on and so forth. If their transition to their assigned gender to their actual gender is a part of the story (and they don’t have a twin brother like Laverne Cox), deal with it. If you’re dressing up cis-woman Scarlett Johansson as a man for some of the movie then you can have a trans-man do the reverse for part of the movie. And also we live in a world where you can CGI the ripped Chris Evans on a tiny little body in Captain America. There are options, no matter what the budget.

It is frustrating to me as someone who is not cis because it is so hard to find a character who represents me in film or television. And it’s even harder to find an actor who represents me playing that character.

[megalium]

As covid-19 death toll nears 500,000

As covid-19 death toll nears 500,000 ‘fight this together’

A spate of high-profile assaults on Asian Americans has renewed long-standing criticism from Democrats and civil rights groups that the U.S. government is vastly undercounting hate crimes, a problem that they say has grown more acute amid rising white nationalism and deepening racial strife.

The attacks — including several in Northern California over the past month that attracted national attention — followed months of warnings from advocates that anti­-China rhetoric from former president Donald Trump over the coronavirus pandemic was contributing to a surge in anti-Asian slurs and violence.

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Although President Biden last month signed an executive action banning the federal government from employing the sort of “inflammatory and xenophobic” language Trump used to describe the virus — such as “China plague” and “kung flu” — Asian American leaders said the recent attacks demonstrate a need for greater urgency in dealing with such threats.

Among other incidents, Vicha Ratanapakdee, an 84-year-old San Francisco resident who had emigrated from Thailand, was killed in late January, in a brazen attack captured on a video that went viral on social media. Antoine Watson, a 19-year-old African American man, was charged in connection with Ratanapakdee’s death and has pleaded not guilty.

Biden administration officials said they are working to address the problem, pointing to a section in the executive memo that instructed the Justice Department to expand its reporting, tracking and prosecutions of “hate incidents.” Officials said those efforts could go beyond hate crimes to include episodes of harassment and discrimination.

During his Senate confirmation hearing Monday, Merrick Garland, Biden’s nominee for attorney general, pledged to support such efforts.

“Hate crimes tear at the fabric of our society. They make our citizens worried about walking the streets and exercising even the most normal rights,” Garland said. “The role of the [Justice Department’s] Civil Rights Division is to prosecute those cases vigorously, and I can ensure you that it will if I am confirmed.”

A 1990 federal law mandates that the FBI collect data specifically on hate crimes each year, but the effort has long been plagued by incomplete and inconsistent data provided by the nation’s estimated 18,000 state, municipal and tribal law enforcement agencies.

The administration is in the early stages of identifying strategies to compel broader participation. Among the ideas advocates have pushed for is tying federal funding from the Justice Department’s extensive grant programs to increased training and reporting on hate crimes.

In 2019, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights issued a report recommending Congress adopt legislation to provide funding for incentives and calling on local police to establish dedicated hate-crime units. Catherine E. Lhamon, who chaired that commission, now serves as deputy director for racial justice and equity on the White House domestic policy council.

At a news conference last week, Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), chair of the Asian Pacific American Caucus, said she is requesting a meeting with Justice Department leaders to discuss what she called a “crisis point” for the Asian American community in dealing with “an alarming surge of anti-Asian bigotry across the nation.”

Chu added that the 1990 law on reporting of hate crime data “doesn’t have any teeth” because it does not compel localities to comply or to do so in a consistent and thorough manner.

Last fall, the FBI reported 7,314 hate crimes nationwide in 2019, the most in a decade — but experts said the statistics were woefully inadequate because too few local law enforcement agencies fully participate in federal data collection efforts.

The FBI said that 15,588 law enforcement organizations participated in the 2019 hate crimes study, but just 2,172 agencies reported the total number of incidents contained in the report. Civil rights advocates called that scenario implausible, pointing out that the entire state of Alabama reported no hate crimes to the FBI in both 2018 and 2019.

“The FBI reports help us identify trends, but their data is so woefully inadequate that it can’t be relied on for much,” said civil rights lawyer Arjun Singh Sethi, author of “American Hate: Survivors Speak Out.”

Some big-city law enforcement agencies have publicly reported an increase in bias attacks against Asian Americans. For example, New York City’s hate crimes task force investigated 27 incidents in 2020, including 24 tied to the coronavirus, a ninefold increase from the previous year.

[newyorktheater]

This month there are no Broadway openings, but ample glamour Off-Broadway. Freestyle Love Supreme, the improvisational hip-hop group that Lin-Manuel Miranda and Thomas Kail conceived  in collaboration with Anthony Veneziale while they were working on “In The Heights,” had its debut at Ars Nova in midtown in 2004. Fifteen years later, the group inaugurates Ars Nova’s new Greenwich House home in the Village..

Meanwhile, MCC launches its newly constructed theater on West 52nd Street this month with two new shows, including a musical by the creative team behind Spring Awakening.

Another new musical, at Second Stage, comes from the Next to Normal composer, starring Kate Baldwin.

Also this month, a much-defended Sondheim musical is being revived. (See a video of Sondheim below.)

Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Sturridge appear on the same bill in a pair of new plays, by Nick Payne and Simon Stephen respectively.

A new play at the Public Theter by Suzan-Lori Parks that features Daveed Diggs doesn’t start until March, so Diggs has time to appear as one of the “special and spontaneous guests” at Freestyle Love Supreme –  and he’s not the only Hamilton alum who’s promised. (See February 21st)

Below is a selective list of (no Broadway), Off-Broadway, Off-Off Broadway and festival offerings in February, organized chronologically by opening date, with each title linked to a relevant website. Color key of theaters: Broadway: Red. Off Broadway: Black, Blue, or Purple... Off Off Broadway: Green. Theater festival: Orange To look at the Spring season as a whole, check out my Off Broadway Spring 2019 preview guide and my Broadway 2018-2019 season guide

February 2

Queen (APAC) 

In this play by Madhuri Shekar, Sanam and Ariel are about to publish a career-defining paper about bees, after seven years of research, when Sanam stumbles upon an error that could cause catastrophic damage to their reputations, careers, and friendship. Now, both women are confronted with an impossible choice: look the other way and save the bees – or tell the truth and face the consequences?

The Glen (Theatre 54 at Shetler Studios)

Peter Hodges writes about the life of one Dale Olsen, from a private falsely accused of insubordination by an underhanded army major, through his affair with a possible spy in 1950s Berlin and back to his ultimate confrontation with his unforgiving mother and the secret she has hidden from him all his life. ”

February 6

The Trial of the Catonsville Nine (Transport at Abrons) 

Created from the actual court transcripts of the 1968 trial of nine Catholic activists who burned draft files to protest the Vietnam War, this “radically re-imagined” production presented in partnership with the National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO) features an Asian-American cast.

February 8

Chinese Fringe Festival (La MaMa) 

Three plays presented in Chinese with English subtitles: The Dictionary of Soul by the Physical Guerillas; Two Dogs  by Meng Theatre Studio; and The Story of Xiaoyi Shanghai Huidiji Public Psychological Care Center

February 10

  Mies Julie and The Dance of Death (Classic Stage Company)

Two Strindberg plays are presented in repertory. Mies Julie adapted by Yael Farber resets Strindberg’s “Miss Julie,” to a farmhouse in the Karoo of South Africa on the evening of the annual Freedom Day celebration. The Dance of Death, offered in a new version by Conor McPherson, is Strindberg’s bleak examination of marriage and the social institutions governing it.

The Light (MCC Theater) 

A two-character play by Loy A. Webb about Rashad and Genesis on what should be one of the happiest days of their lives, but their joy quickly unravels when ground-shifting accusations from the past resurface

February 12

Neurology of the Soul (A.R.T./New York) 

Untitled Theater Company No. 61 (UTC61) presents a new play by Edward Einhorn examining the nexus between neuroscience, marketing, art, and love. Set at a neuromarketing firm, it follows a neuroscientist who is trying to scientifically define love for advertising purposes and his wife, an artist who is using her brain scans as the basis of video self-portraits.

The Shadow of a Gunman (Irish Rep) 

A new staging of Irish playwright Sean O’Casey’s 1923 drama about a young poet who gets pulled into the chaos of Irish War of Independence after a rumor spreads that he is an IRA assassin.

February 13

City of No Illusions (La MaMa) 

A dark comedy set inside a funeral home that has become a refuge for two asylum seekers. The newest work from seminal theater company Talking Band. written and directed by Obie winner Paul Zimet,

February 14

Sea Wall/A Life (Public Theater)

Tom Sturridge and Jake Gyllenhaal appear separately in a pair of plays, Sturridge in Simon Stephen’s “Sea Wall,” a monologue about love and the human need to know the unknowable, and Gyllenhaal in “A Life,” and Gyllenhaal in Nick Payne’s A Life, a meditation on how we say goodbye to those we love most.

Spaceman (Loading Dock at Wild Project)

A woman’s solo journey to Mars explores the depths of mankind’s last true frontiers: outer space and a grieving heart.

February 19

Merrily We Roll Along (Roundabout’s Laura Pels) 

Fiasco Theater reimagines Stephen Sondheim’s musical about a trio of showbiz friends who fall apart and come together over 20 years, going backwards in time.

By The Way Meet Vera Stark (Signature)

A revival of Lynn Nottage’s 2011 comedy about an African-American maid to an aging Hollywood who becomes a star herself – followed decades later by a panel discussing the impact that race had on her controversial career.

February 20

The Play That Goes Wrong (New World Stages)

The slapstick comedy that stars the set moves from Broadway to Off-Broadway

The Price of Thomas Scott (Mint on Theatre Row)

Elizabeth Baker’s 1913 comic drama about a businessman who is reluctant to sell his shop for conversion into a dance hall because of his objection to dancing.

February 21

Freestyle Love Supreme (Ars Nova at Greenwich House) 

Conceived by Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Anthony Veneziale, this high-energy show is a blend of hip-hop, improvisational theater, music, and vocal stylings, all backed by live music from keyboards and beats. There will be “special and spontaneous guests” – including Lin-Manuel Miranda, James Monroe Iglehart, Christopher Jackson,  Daveed Diggs.

Steven Skybell as Tevya and Ensemble sing “Tradition” (“Traditsye” טראַדיציע)

Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish (Folksbiene at Stage 42)

This luscious production directed by Joel Grey moves Off-Broadway.

February 24

Hurricane Diane (New York Theatre Workshop)

In this play by Madeleine George directed by Leigh Silverman, Diane is a gardener who is actually the Greek god Dionysus, returning to the modern world to gather mortal followers and restore the Earth to its natural state.

February 25

Good Friday (The Flea) 

In this play by Kristiana Rae Colón, a ricochet of bullets disrupts a fierce and funny feminist debate. Assaulted at every turn, a group of millennial women must decide whether they are ready to put their bodies on the line for each other.

Boesman and Lena (Signature) 

In this revival of Athol Fugard’s 1969 play, the human need for kindness, hope and compassion is on display in the struggles of abusive Boesman and his long-suffering wife Lena, who encounter a stranger while wandering the South African wastelands. Stars Zainab Jah and Sahr Ngaujah

February 26

Alice By Heart (MCC Theater)

The creative team Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater (Spring Awakening) co-written and directed by Jessie Nelson (Waitress) presents a new take on Alice in Wonderland: In the rubble of the London Blitz of World War II, Alice Spencer’s budding teen life is turned upside down, and she and her dear friend Alfred are forced to take shelter in an underground tube station. When the ailing Alfred is quarantined, Alice encourages him to escape with her into their cherished book and journey down the rabbit hole to Wonderland.

February 28

Superhero (Second Stage) 

A musical, with music and lyrics by Tom Kitt (Next to Normal) and a book by John Logan (Red), about “a fractured family, the mysterious stranger in apartment 4-B, and an unexpected hero… Starring Kate Baldwin and Bryce Pinkham

February 2019 New York Theater Openings This month there are no Broadway openings, but ample glamour Off-Broadway. Freestyle Love Supreme, the improvisational hip-hop group that Lin-Manuel Miranda and Thomas Kail conceived  in collaboration with Anthony Veneziale while they were working on "In The Heights," had its debut at Ars Nova in midtown in 2004.

[magiccaughtoncamera]

It’s been a while since I posted on here, and that’s because of a lot of reasons, and I felt it wasn’t really nice to leave you all in the dark. As you might know from my twitter, I have just started my Master’s degree and it hasn’t been easy. This is the third week of lectures and I feel like I’m already way over my head with homework. And on top of that I want to keep working at my part-time job one day in the week, so I barely have free time. And if I have free time, I’m just too mentally exhausted to do anything else than watch Netflix. But as much as I’d like for it to be the only reason I haven’t been blogging, it’s not all.

When I returned from my vacation almost two months ago, I hadn’t posted in weeks (because I was away), and completely fell out of love with blogging. I worked a lot, because I wanted to make some extra hours before going back to uni, and I wanted to spend my free time drawing or reading, and didn’t at all feel like blogging. I just didn’t know what to blog about anymore. And then on top of that, I kind of fell out of love with YA (or at least a little) as I started reading more non-fiction, I found it hard to get excited about new books. Even books I’ve been anticipating for months, I feel ‘meh’ about.

I’ve been following bloggers who read almost exclusively YA, all my friends and mutuals read mostly YA, and I’m guessing there are some people with different tastes, but still overall, it’s mostly YA. You all probably read YA, because you started following me for a reason, I guess, and the thing is that I have been reading YA for the past two years almost exclusively and that’s what my blog has been about. So I know I shouldn’t let that influence what I post about, but what’s the point in posting about books you probably aren’t interested in? It just feels pointless? Or maybe that’s just all in my head.

I want to get back into reading YA and that’s why I wanted to write this post (also because I felt you deserved an explanation for my disappearance). I’m going to go through my goodreads shelves and find those books (mostly YA) that I was anticipating in the hopes it’ll somehow help me get more excited about them.

Picture Us in The Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert is a beautiful book about an Asian gay boy who lives in the US and it’s about family and love and relationships and it seems to be very emotional but a bit slow (according to reviews) but it sounds so good?? And that cover?? *dies*

Sadie by Courtney Summers is about (you guessed it) Sadie. Her friend gets killed and the story gets picked up by a radio dj who gets obsessed with finding out what happened. I am just trash for the entire concept of murder/mystery podcasts in book form (it’s the only reason I still want to read Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski).

Vengeful by V.E. Schwab is the second book in her duology and honestly, it doesn’t matter what she writes, I’ll always be excited to read it! I read Vicious earlier this year and absolutely loved it.

Summer Bird Blue is by the amazing Akemi Dawn Bowman and Starfish was one of the best books I’ve read, so I know this will be so good as well! AND it has an aro/ace-spec questioning main character and that makes me want to cry happy tears. It’s also about a mixed-race (Japanese/Hawaiian/white) girl who loves music!

Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor is the sequel to Strange the Dreamer and that was just so well-written! Laini Taylor has such an amazing writing-style, and I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen with my favourite godspawn.

The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried by Shaun David Hutchinson, because if you haven’t been paying attention, I LOVE SDH’s books. They’re emotional, original, quirky and weird and ALWAYS very queer and I’m so down for this new book.

A Girl Called Shameless by Laura Steven is the sequel to The Exact Opposite of Okay aka one of my favourite books of this year and that’s enough reason for me to get really excited! The first book was so powerful and feminist and I just adore Izzy and the unique voice she has, I need more of that!

One Giant Leap by Heather Kaczynski is the sequel to Dare Mighty Things which is about a competition for young adults to go into space with an aro/ace/questioning main character (Indian-American) and it honestly feels like this was written for me. Though it had some flaws, I can’t wait to see where the story will take us.

The Disasters by M. K. England just sounds so good! It’s about a bunch of queer outcasts who try to do a heist in space?? Like can it get any better?? So basically what I gather it’s Six of Crows but set in space.

And lastly, but without cover, Not Your Backup by C.B. Lee. This is the third book in the Sidekick Squad series and if I owned this book right now, I would have read it right this second because it’s exactly what could get me out of this slump. It’s about kids with superpowers and everyone is queer and there’s a lot of POC rep and Not Your Backup is about one of the characters that is aro/ace/questioning and I’M HYPED.

Have you seen all these covers?? They’re so gorgeous!! This has definitely helped me remember why I love YA and I just wish I could have all these books right now so they can help me fall back in love but since the majority isn’t even out yet, that’ll be a bit hard… For now, if you have recommendations for what I should try to read next, let me know. I’m looking for something that is quite short and not too slow or lengthy, that’ll drag me in!

I have no idea if I’ll have the time to write more blog posts in the soon future, so I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep. If you want to keep in touch in another way, follow me on twitter (see sidebar) because I will be on twitter quite a bit (mostly to complain about homework).

Do you want to read any of these books? What book helped you out of a slump or made you fall (back) in love with a genre? Give me all your recommendations!

Why I disappeared + Books I’m excited about It's been a while since I posted on here, and that's because of a lot of reasons, and I felt it wasn't really nice to leave you all in the dark.

[marilynngmesalo]

Scarlett Johansson pulls out of trans drama ‘Rub & Tug’ after backlash

Scarlett Johansson pulls out of trans drama ‘Rub & Tug’ after backlash https://ift.tt/eA8V8J Scarlett Johansson pulls out of trans drama ‘Rub & Tug’ after backlash

NEW YORK — Scarlett Johansson has pulled out of the film “Rub & Tug” after her plans to portray a transgender man prompted a backlash.

In a statement to Out.com on Friday, Johansson says she’s withdrawing from the project “in light of recent ethical questions raised surrounding my casting.” Last week, Johansson said she would star as Pittsburgh 1970s and ’80s prostitution ring leader Dante “Tex” Gill, who was born Lois Jean Gill but identified as a man.

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When transgender actors and advocates questioned the casting, Johansson initially responded with a statement that criticism “can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto and Felicity Huffman’s reps.” All are actors who won acclaim for playing transgender characters.

“Our cultural understanding of transgender people continues to advance, and I’ve learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realize it was insensitive,” said Johansson, who added that she had “great admiration and love for the trans community.”

“While I would have loved the opportunity to bring Dante’s story and transition to life, I understand why many feel he should be portrayed by a transgender person, and I am thankful that this casting debate, albeit controversial, has sparked a larger conversation about diversity and representation in film,” the actress added.

Johansson previously came under fire for playing an originally Asian character in the 2017 film “Ghost in the Shell.” That film’s director, Rupert Sanders, was set to also helm “Rub & Tug.” It’s not clear if the film, which Johansson was also producing, will go forward. A representative for Johansson didn’t immediately respond to an email Friday.

New Regency, which was set to produce, also didn’t immediately respond to queries.

Jen Richards, trans activist and creator of the web series “Her Story,” praised Johansson for stepping down.

“If you’re tired of hearing about it, you can’t imagine how tired trans actors are of talking about it,” Richards said on Twitter. “We just want to work. And with more trans and nonbinary people, of all kinds, participating, the work will be a better and richer representation of our world. This is a win.”

//<![CDATA[ ( function() { pnLoadVideo( "videos", "F5iIwhngOFM", "pn_video_971772", "", "", [] ); } )(); //]]> Canoe Click for update news world news https://ift.tt/2ukrKW6 world news

[kingmindint]

How an OTC Bitcoin Scammer Almost Stole $600 Million

How an OTC Bitcoin Scammer Almost Stole $600 Million

OCT trading involves high value deals that can run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Whales want privacy and zero slippage, which isn’t possible on a cryptocurrency exchange, while buyers want large quantities of bitcoins at below market rates. It’s an arrangement that suits both parties, but for it to work, trust is essential as the cautionary tale of a $600 million OTC scam shows.

Also read: India Bitcoin Caper: 10 Cops Busted Over Kidnapping and Extortion

The 99,848 Bitcoin Deal That Almost Went Through

On April 2, Miles, an OTC bitcoin broker, left Europe for Singapore. During the 12-hour flight, he had plenty of time to reflect on the 99,848 BTC sale he would be closing, in return for which he would pocket a 1,000 BTC commission. News.Bitcoin.com has spoken to multiple sources involved with the deal on the condition of anonymity, and has viewed the letter of intent (LOI) and other supporting documentation. Prior to Miles (not his real name) flying to Singapore, several weeks of due diligence and negotiations on behalf of buyer and seller had been conducted, as is customary.

The buyer had $700 million they were looking to invest in bitcoin, while the seller possessed 99,848 BTC valued at around $617 million. The LOI specified that these would be sold at market rate minus 12% discount. Upon arrival in Singapore, Miles would be met by Daniel (not his real name), a local broker who had set up the deal. By the time the two brokers met face-to-face, however, they had developed concerns about the shadowy Asian seller. Miles explains:

I had brought several buyers to this seller. The seller requested to be fully anonymous and we were told he would only appear during the actual transaction itself. They had a strict procedure that must be adhered to at all costs and they refused to send satoshis.

It is common practise for a seller to send a small amount of BTC to establish ownership of the wallet. In this case, the seller had provided proof of ownership by sharing a video showing them logging into the wallet via Blockchain.info.

Miles later acknowledged: “Daniel was a referral for me when I was looking for a local third party blockchain individual that could help me validate coins and perform the transfer. He was surprised I got it to a point where they were about to wire funds next. He was suspicious from the beginning but never uncovered as much info as I did.”

Red Flags Are Raised

Daniel explains how the buyer mandated that the brokers were only entitled to liaise with his representatives. Miles recounts: “I had questioned the authenticity of the deal and took it all the way to the end until the deal date. Then we pulled out [at the] last min when we realized the seller was [attempting to sell coins they did not have ownership of]. The seller was 100% distanced from the transaction and the funds were deposited and laundered through the China Railway account, forcing the buyer to sign ‘investment into China Railway’ documentation.”

As Miles explains, there were red flags from the very outset, though these were tempered by the fact that the seller had shown video proof (presumably faked) of them accessing the wallet. The warning signs included:

Seller’s refusal to send a satoshi

Seller wanting the money fully cleared into their account before handing the info over

Seller wanting no escrow

Seller wanting no KYC/AML

Seller’s name not appearing on any documents or on the actual mandate (instead they were signed by his intermediary)

Seller wanting the entire wallet sent in one transaction instead of breaking it up

The seller purported to be a Malaysian miner with over 93,000 BTC in their wallet, a figure that was growing by the day and that they were now looking to offload. Upon meeting up in Singapore, the seller would use their laptop and login to show their balance and then change the email address on Blockchain.info to the buyer’s preferred email address. Once the buyer received an email from Blockchain.info, Daniel explains, “the HK side will make payment. Once funds are received, the envelope will be passed to the buyer side in Singapore.”

We will unseal the envelope and log in using the information provided in the envelope. We will then check the balance, proceed to sweeping of the wallet, install Electrum on Ledger Blue, encrypt the wallet with multi-sig function, use Electrum to sweep the Blockchain.info wallet and slowly transfer the coins over to the buyer…Proof of funds is via tearsheet or bank statement to show the balance of money within is enough for the BTC based on Blockchain.info price…If there is a need to sign an NDA it will only be between the reps as the seller only wants to sign the contract and deal.

A Bitstamp Address Was the Final Straw

The brokers involved in the deal had been suspicious from the outset, but given its value to all parties, they were willing to keep it on the table while they awaited further verification. Their suspicions were confirmed, however, when they discovered that viewing the wallet address on Bitinfo’s block explorer showed it to be labeled as the Bitstamp cold wallet, which the seller clearly had no access to. They also learned that the seller had tried to broker the same deal with a number of other OTC buyers, all of whom also backed out after investigating further.

The Bitstamp wallet the seller claimed to own

Chad, an OTC broker for Counter Party Media, had no involvement in this deal, but knows of others who have been offered an exchange wallet “for sale” including one belonging to Bitfinex. He told news.Bitcoin.com: “The amount of procedures I see like this from some sellers is frightening. It’s an immediate red flag for me. The safest way to transact is to have either buyer or seller onboard themselves with an escrow platform or tier 1 solicitor. Get them to pass KYC/AML first and have coins and funds attested to. This way you know your buyer or seller is ready to engage in a legitimate transaction and it eliminates any risk.”

With only a handful of OTC whales in possession of high value wallets, deals of this magnitude are rare. But with hundreds of millions of dollars at stake, the incentive for bad actors is high. As for Miles, he caught a plane home to Europe the next day, disappointed to have lost out on his 1,000 BTC commission, but grateful not to have gotten embroiled in one of the largest scams in bitcoin history.

Do you think OTC selling is riskier than cashing out large amount of BTC through an exchange? Let us know in the comments section below.

Images courtesy of Shutterstock and various sources who contributed to this story.

Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section.

The post How an OTC Bitcoin Scammer Almost Stole $600 Million appeared first on Bitcoin News.

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The post How an OTC Bitcoin Scammer Almost Stole $600 Million appeared first on Bitcoin Geek.

via Kingmind How an OTC Bitcoin Scammer Almost Stole $600 Million

[ara-la]

Pregnancy-Related Deaths in TX

Why Won't Texas Protect the Lives of Black Mothers and Their Babies?!

By Keith 'Malik' Washington, Deputy Chairman, New Afrikan Black Panther Party (Prison Chapter) Texas region

To My Daughter Kakuya by Assata Shakur

i have shabby dreams for you

of some vague freedom

i have never known

Baby,

i don't want you hungry or thirsty

were out in the cold.

And I don't want the frost

to kill your fruit

before it ripens.

I can see a sunny place –

like exploding green.

I can see your bright, bronze skin

at ease with all the flowers

and the centipedes.

I can hear laughter,

not grown from ridicule.

And words, not prompted

by ego or greed or jealousy.

I see a world where hatred

has been replaced by love,

and ME replaced by WE.

And I can see a world

where you,

building and exploring

strong and fulfilled,

will understand.

And go beyond

my little shabby dreams. (1)

Revolutionary Greetings Comrades!

If there is anyone in the world who can fully understand the vicious hatred 'The State' has against black wimmin and their babies, it is Comrade Assata Shakur. As I sit here in my solitary cell with Assata's autobiography on my lap, I've come to the conclusion that Kakuya (Assata's daughter who was born in prison) was a miracle baby! Considering the conditions that Assata was housed in and the horrible treatment she was subjected to, there is no plausible answer as to how Kakuya survived. Moreover it is amazing that both mother and daughter made it. This essay is about the ones who didn't make it – I hope you are listening.

 2.) The state of Texas has the highest rate of maternal mortality in the United States. These pregnancy -related deaths disproportionately affect black wimmin.

This and other shocking statistics were revealed in a report provided by the state's Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force.

 3.) In 2010, Texas had 18.6 deaths per 100,000 live births but that figure increased dramatically by 2014 to 35.8 deaths per every 100,000 live births (almost doubling).

Recently there has been a lot of information published on this topic but there still is a huge question mark as to why black wimmin are more at risk than other races of wimmin in regards to maternal mortality.

I firmly believe that there are a diverse array of factors which place our sisters at higher risk. One taboo issue that we don't discuss enough in the black community is mental health.

 4.) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) counts maternal deaths that occur up to a year after pregnancy. This is significant.

It is time we had a serious discussion and dialogue concerning postpartum depression and suicides among black wimmin. These maladies can strike many months after a mother delivers her baby.

Before I came to prison, I worked in various medical jobs. I have a desire to become a Physician's Assistant (PA). I worked as a medical technician and phlebotomist alongside  a black Physician's Assistant named John Howard. I was impressed by his intelligence and his down to earth personality. PA Howard made me believe I could be a PA and when I attended the Morgan State University in Baltimore Maryland, I chose an academic track that was geared exclusively toward the medical profession. By the time I arrived at Morgan State, I have my eyes on becoming an RN – specifically a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). I am mentioning this in order to explain my sincere interest in finding out what is driving the high rate of pregnancy -related deaths among black wimmin.

Considering the outrageous statistics, one would think that protecting the lives of black mothers and their babies would have been a top priority for Texas legislators during the special session which began July 18, 2017 and ended around August 18, 2017.

In reality, black lives don't matter in Texas; but they do matter to Texas State Representative Shawn Thierry. 5.) Rep. Thierry is a Democrat from Houston, Texas who happens to be a black womyn and in 2012 she experienced her own complications with an epidural during the birth of her daughter.

Rep. Thierry felt that the issue of black wimmin dying deserved more attention, so she decided to write a letter To Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Republican State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst and Texas Representative Cindy Barkett, another Republican, crafted a measure that asks the Mortality and Morbidity Task Force to conduct further studies of the "most at risk population", but doesn't specify the focus should be on Black wimmin.

Sen. Kolkhorst's measure passed, but the Texas Legislature was reluctant to make any changes that would save black lives right now!

However, this issue is not entirely a black issue; there are definitely Asian, Arab, Latina, and white wimmin who have succumbed to pregnancy related deaths. Once again, postpartum depression is the culprit in many of these fatalities. 7.) Sen. José Rodriguez, a Democrat from El Paso, Texas tried to increase coverage via Medicaid insurance which currently stops providing benefits 60 days after the birth of a child. Republicans would not do it.

This is problematic because according to this study which I referenced at the beginning of this essay, most fatalities happened after the 42 day mark after the birth of the baby.

In Texas, a key problem is Access! Access to proper medical care.  Access to adequate education and job opportunities. Access to the legislators who make life and death decisions! 7.) Time and time again the groups that lack access even extends to the ballot box in Texas!

We have seen the federal courts ruled that politicians in Texas have purposely blocked our access to the political process by crafting redistricting maps in such a way that benefits Republicans and actually marginalizes and robs communities of color who usually vote Democratic!

I am a socialist/communist; I belong to a communist organization and as I perform my concrete analysis of these conditions, I clearly see the system as it stands is corrupt.

The only way for us to fully realize our self-determination is to replace the current system with a system that has a vested interest in The People – ALL the people – and not just a select group!

8.) For us to actually make a strong and viable socialist party, there must be multi--racial unity. However, there must also be truth and understanding about our unique class contradictions in relation to the underpinnings of white supremacy and white privilege, which do exist, although we don't like to discuss it.

Let's look a little deeper at the plight of black wimmin and let's ask ourselves: "if white wimmin in Texas have the highest rate of pregnancy-related deaths, would the Bathroom Bill have been a top priority? (During the Special Session, the Bathroom Bill was a top priority item for Texas legislators.)

I want to briefly focus on the disparity between black and white wimmin in Amerikan society. Allow me to quote black scholar Linda Larue. 8.) "Blacks are oppressed, and that means unreasonably, cruelly, and harshly fettered by white authority. White women… Are only suppressed and that means, checked, restrained, excluded from conscious and overt activity."

Have you ever considered the psychological pressure on a black mother as she comes to grips with the reality of the conditions that she is bringing her newborn child into? Suppose her newborn baby is a black male? In her lifetime, she has watched as Oscar Grant, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Jordan Davis, Philando Castile, and most recently in Texas, Jordan Edwards were murdered in cold blood by a police officer or a wannabe cop.

Can any of us who aren't mothers ever understand or imagine the impact this has on black wimmin? And what about substance abuse? Another issue plaguing our sisters! Don't get mad at the for broaching these sensitive topics let's set these issues the open, so we can come up with some solutions.

Once again I refer back to the report by the Mortality and Morbidity Task Force; this time I want to provide a direct quote from journalist Madlin Meckelburg in her article on this topic entitled "Tackling Rate of Maternal Deaths." 9.) "The group identified 189 pregnancy related deaths in 2011 and 2012 in Texas, most caused by cardiac events, drug overdose and hypertensive disorders. It also found that mental health and substance abuse disorders "played a significant" role in a number of deaths reviewed by the task force and highlighted "repeated missed opportunities to screen women" and "refer them to treatment."

In my opinion this issue hits at the core as to whether Black Lives Matter. There are those who have argued that Alicia Garza and Patrice Cullors missed the mark by trumpeting #BlackLivesMatter! However I am 100% in agreement with the need for amplifying this battle cry.

My question is: "does #Black Lives Matter believe the current ruling system is capable of granting us self-determination? Capitalism has failed us at every turn. Do $50 million dollar donations push #BLM closer to us or further away?

This definitely is not an attack on Ms. Garza or Ms. Cullors, for I admire their activism. I just want them to articulate clearly on which side of the aisle they stand, in regards to capitalism or socialism? Without a doubt, solidarity is needed and dialogue is needed between intellectual black wimmin and men.

As I close, I must remind you that Texas is the home of some of the most advanced and respected medical institutions. We are talking about world-renowned facilities such as Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, and MD Anderson, which is highly regarded in the battle against cancer.

I remember when the Affordable Care Act was first proposed by then US president Barack Obama. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz opposed the plan aggressively to the point of attempting to shut down the US government, but he had no viable plan to provide insurance or medical care for those lacking coverage, and at the time, Texas led the nation in uninsured people

The current president of the United States and all his cabinet members do not have any interest in creating an equal playing field. It's all about consolidating their power and securing their stranglehold on the US and world economy.

Please consider this quote from Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, (New York) Anchor, 1969 PP. 178-179.

"It sometimes happens in a nation where opinions are divided that the balance between parties breaks down and one of them acquires an irresistible preponderance. It breaks all obstacles, crushes its adversary, and exploits the whole of society for its own benefit but beneath this apparent unanimity, deep divisions and real opposition still lie hidden. That is what has happened in America… It is easy to see that the rich have a great distaste for their countries Democratic institutions. The people are a power whom they fear and scorn."

There will be a paradigm shift when we finally eradicate Imperialism and replace it with Socialism.

Dare to struggle, Dare to win! All Power to the People!

Footnotes:

1) Assata- An Autobiography, by Assata Shakur (Lawrence Hill Books) p. 259

2) USA Today Austin Bureau, July 30, 2017; Tackling Rate of Maternal Death by Madlin Meckelburg (published in Corpus Christi Caller Times)

3) ibid.

4) The Economist, Aug. 5. 2017, p. 21 “Maternal Deaths - a Painful Puzzle”

5) Meckelburg, op. cit.

6) ibid

7) ibid

8) Linda Larue, “The Black Movement and Women’s Liberation,” Black Scholar, Vol. 1, May 1970.

9) Meckelburg, op. cit.

10) Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America NY, Anchor Books, 1969, pp. 178-179

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Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/because-comics-are-weird/

Because Comics Are Weird

Iron Fist is white, Captain America became a Nazi, and Magneto, a Holocaust survivor, became a Nazi as well. The Ancient One in Doctor Strange is a white Celtic female instead of a Tibetan old man. Young Ice Man is gay. Wolverine is now a girl. It doesn’t help that half of America doesn’t want Trump as President. Many are offended on both sides due to concerns of diversity and social justice, but should they be? A while back, people outside of comics hardly knew Iron Man. Captain America is either that guy from that 70s TV show on a motorcycle, or a synonym for a very patriotic American and Thor wasn’t popular outside of Norway. Now, thanks to films, the public are now more familiar with various comic book heroes and villains. The general public knows only as much as films, TV and social media can give them while comic book fans have a wealth of knowledge on their side and are more familiar with superheroes than their high school subjects. This presents a problem when radical changes are made to characters in comics that go counter to what the new fans know and don’t know. The world was set on fire when news came out that Captain America joined HYDRA in the comics. The Avengers and Captain America: Winter Soldier made films him a household name. Everyone knew that Captain America, Steve Rogers was HYDRA’s worst enemy and embodied the ideals of justice and freedom, but then everyone was up in arms when that comic book frame with him saying ‘HAIL HYDRA’ spread around the Internet. What the heck was Marvel doing to their new beloved character? The non-comic book reading populace was offended with Marvel’s ongoing story that began with Wayward Pines rip-off Avengers Standoff mini-series and set to end with Marvel’s Secret Empire event. In a nutshell, Steve Rogers past was re-written by a cosmic entity so that he believes that HYDRA’s ideals are what’s right. He fights for what he believes in, and his still heroic but covert nature made him qualified for the US Super Soldier Program. Despite all his battles with the Nazis, HYDRA and The Red Skull, everything was still part of some grand plan. Whatever happens, things are sure to return to normal. In short, understanding comes with reading the comics. Another thing that has many up in arms very recently is news that Magneto is joining Captain America’s HYDRA Secret Empire. But isn’t HYDRA equivalent to Nazism? Didn’t the movies and comics make it clear that Magneto’s motivations come from his being a Holocaust survivor? Even some comics fans are shocked with this development but even if you know him only from the movies, looking back carefully to Captain America: The First Avenger and Winter Soldier, HYDRA isn’t necessarily equal to Nazism. The Red Skull would have disintegrated Hitler if his plan succeeded. In both comics and the Agents of SHIELD TV series, HYDRA has been around far longer than the Nazis, and their ideals are not necessarily the same. Magneto himself is a genocidal fascist whose aim is mutant supremacy over homo sapiens. So if joining HYDRA is a means to an end, he would do so. Now the Iron Fist mini-series on Netflix is getting a very bad rep because the character, who’s mainly a martial artist is white, in a series steeped in orientalism and martial arts. If you recall this author saying that the best comic book films would do well by sticking to the source material, the Iron Fist series isn’t doing well by doing so. By sticking to the source material, Iron Fist has become the worst rated Netflix Marvel series based on early reviews. Like many Marvel-based Netflix shows, Iron Fist is a slow-burner. That along with the series being ‘white-washed’ made for the bad reviews. The star Finn Jones was forced to quit Twitter because of it, and just maybe, if he couldn’t defend himself on social media, he didn’t understand much about his character either. Comic book stories are often a reflection of the times. Second-wave feminism gave us Ms. Marvel. The psychedelic 60s gave us Doctor Strange, and the horror-inspired 70s gave us Blade and Morbius. The 70s were also about Blaxploitation, and that’s where Luke Cage came in. Luka Cage and Iron Fist are partners in the comics known as Heroes for Hire. Not ‘that’ sort of partners, though. The 70s also gave us the Martial Arts boom. Now, Iron Fist is apparently Marvel’s answer to David Carradine’s Kung Fu TV series, about a white savior who happens to know Martial Arts. Now it’s not really bad to derive from an idea. It seemed a good idea at the time and given Iron Fist’s origin story, it’s not necessarily a bad idea now. Even before production, the series has gotten the same amount of flak. Many think that it’s about time for Marvel to ‘fix’ the character by re-introducing Iron Fist as an Asian. But Marvel chose to stick to the source apparently noting that Danny Rand’s origin was very plausible. White family goes on a trip to a hidden Asian city. Trip goes wrong, parents die and child is left alone in the cold icy wilderness and is found by the city’s mystical inhabitants. Child is raised and trained because he is apparently the city’s prophesied white savior. The story is plausible enough, why change it, especially when Marvel has two Asian martial arts heroes in its stable. Colleen Wing is in the Netflix series and it would probably have been good for the series if they also included Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. Perhaps he’s in there as I haven’t yet watched the series but this author will, and will soon provide a perspective. Comics are weird. Characters we know and love can easily be rendered differently if their pasts and present circumstances are tinkered just right. That Cyclops you knew from the X-Men cartoon who believes in Xavier’s dream of human/mutant harmony is now a mutant terrorist. Wonder Woman and Aquaman can become murderous tyrants given the right circumstances. It happened when the Flash messed with the past. If Superman is tricked into killing his wife Lois Lane and unborn child, he becomes a murderous tyrant as well as depicted in the Injustice video game series and comics. Perhaps if an image of Wonder Woman impaling young Billy Batson (Captain Marvel/Shazam) with her sword spread on the internet at the right moment as the Wonder Woman film becomes popular, chaos would probably ensue. Perhaps, in keeping with the times, comic books are reflecting how many view the Trump Administration’s fascist tendencies thus giving us HYDRA Magneto, HYDRA Captain America and his Secret Empire. This whole thing, explaining the richness or lack thereof of comic book stories is quite important in explaining comic book films and characters. People shouldn’t be up in arms should Wonder Woman do an onscreen kiss with another woman in the upcoming film. Her creator was a very, very liberal person and don’t even think that relationships don’t occur in an all-girls’ school much less an all-girl island. Strange developments in mainstream comic books shouldn’t incur much angry reaction unless they cross some lines that aren’t supposed to be crossed. They’re fictional stories with underlying reasons and setups that often reflect present-day conditions, and if anomalies such as those above occur, they correct themselves over time.

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