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dailyaudiobible · 1 year

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01/25/2023 DAB Transcript

Genesis 50:1-Ex 2:10, Matthew 16:13-17:9, Psalms 21:1-13, Proverbs 5:1-6

Today is the 25th day of January welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian it is fantastic to be here with you today as we take the next step forward together on the adventure that we have embarked on 25 days ago. We’re 25…well…once we read today, we’ll be 25 days into our year. This is a day of a bit of transition. We will finish our first full book of the Bible today and then move forward. So, we will be doing that right now. We’ll finish the book of Genesis and then we'll get into the second book of the Bible, the book of Exodus and we’ll talk about Exodus when we get there but we’ve got one chapter of Genesis to finish up the book. And one last thing before we get going, we will be going to the land of the Bible here in less…well…in about a week and a half and a bunch of us will be there actually in person and the rest of us will be traveling virtually. But hang out until the end today because we'll be talking about Israel 2024 next year. But let's dive into the Scriptures now. And if we will recall, we said goodbye to Jacob and we remember his name was changed to Israel, which is where we get this name, Israel. And Israel's children are the children of Israel. We said goodbye to Jacob yesterday as he passed from the story and into history. Today we finish the book of Genesis with chapter 50.

Introduction to the book of Exodus:

Okay. So, that concludes the book of Genesis, Jacob has passed, they took him back to the land. They took his body back to the land of Canaan, back to the cave at Machpelah in the Valley of Eshkol and buried him in the ancestral family plot, the only piece of land that's owned by any children of Israel. And, so, they go back to this place and then they returned to Egypt, and Joseph passes away at 110 years of age, telling his family that there's a promise and there’s a land and when God leads you into this land take my bones with you. And, so, now we are about to open up the second book in the Bible, the book of Exodus. And, so, as we open up the book of Exodus, when we flip that page, we’re flipping the page by several hundred years. And, so, all of these original children of Israel that we've met along the way and all of the family dynamics that we've been able to observe, all of these people have passed away. All of these original people that we been, walking alongside, they're all gone now but their families, the generations have flourished and the people have become numerous, numerous as the stars in the heavens, numerous like sand on the seashore like God had promised to Abraham. It's just that they're not in the land that they were promised, they’re in the land of Egypt and they’re growing more and more numerous and more and more powerful, and the Egyptians are starting to become afraid of them and starting to marginalize them. And now that we’re several centuries into the future Egypt has forgotten about Joseph and the way that they were saved from the devastation so long ago. And, so, the Egyptians enslaved the children of Israel in Egypt. And Pharaoh, seeking to stop them from growing more and more numerous and more and more powerful, instituted some population control that's horrible. Like if the baby is a boy, throw him into the Nile River. This is the command of the King. And, so, baby boys were being drowned in the Nile River. But there was a promise. There was a hope for a future for this people. And it's interesting because we flip into…into Exodus and we’re hundreds of years in the future and when we think about God's promises in our day and age normally, we are thinking about things that…that need to materialize in a hurry, right? And we don't really think that will give a promise that we won't get to see, like this Longview, like that…that…that we’re a part of a story that is centuries and centuries, even millennia old. We want the instant gratification of it all. But there's a story going on as we read through the Bible. There was a person, Abraham. And we followed his family and there was a promise. And it's still out there and it’s still unfulfilled and it's still going on and it's still a part of the…of the people. God finds Abraham and sends him to a land that he doesn't know. God promises a son of promise and Isaac is born and God appears to Isaac and Isaac passes the promise to his son Jacob. Then God reveals himself to Jacob who passes this onto his 12 sons, the children of Israel who are now marginalized and enslaved in Egypt. But the promise is still there. And they begin to cry out to God. And a baby boy is born, and this baby boy is put into the Nile as commended, but he was put into the Nile in a wicker basket and he was floating and this wicker basket was discovered, as we will see, by Pharaoh's daughter and she names the baby boy Moses. And we will be traveling a good distance with Moses. And, so, we begin. Exodus chapter 1.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for the next step forward. And for the first time we get to experience transitioning from one book to another, and we thank You for bringing us through the book of Genesis, and that sense of accomplishment that we are under way. We are on our way. And even as we look back to the book of Genesis, how much You brought up and out into our lives for us to consider and for us to be transformed by. And, so, we are grateful for that, for that journey through the book of Genesis. And now as we move into the book of Exodus, we’ve met this baby boy who's going to be the mighty Moses. And as we engage with this story, we invite Your Holy Spirit to lead, guide and direct us. May we see what we need to see and hear what we need to hear as we continue this journey forward. We ask this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

Okay. So, like I said at the beginning we will be going to the land of the Bible here in about a week and a half. And we’ll be spending the better part of a couple weeks in the land, moving throughout the land from the Mediterranean coast, the border of Jordan, from the Red Sea all the way to the borders of Lebanon and Syria in the north, north, south, east, west and the interior of the land. We have over the years created the most comprehensive biblical immersion into the land of the Bible that that we know how to do while making it a pilgrimage for our hearts. And, so, we’re certainly looking forward to that. And, so, the first thing is to ask the community here to begin to pray over all of the things that are involved in a trip like that - international travel, jet lag, time zone changes, culture changes, all kinds of logistics, all kinds of things that are set up to fire in a certain order and work in a certain way, and of course technology, the technology that binds us together each and every day continues to go forward no matter where we may be in the world. And, so, technology, safety, wisdom, all that we will need to take this journey, covering it with prayer. And this community is a community of prayer, and I have witnessed that over all of these years. And, so, just asking for everyone to begin to pray over all of these things is my…is…is my request, is my ask, that the Holy Spirit might hover over us as we take the journey and do the work in us that…that we need as we open ourselves to the experience. This will be our first journey back since the pandemic era that we went through. It was 2020 was the last time we were in the land and really truly rode the wave ahead of Covid, like literally got back in 2020, two weeks before the world locked down. And…and we had such an interesting strange year in 2020. In 2021, things were still on lock down as far as that kind of international travel goes. 22 went by. And in 2022 we decided as things were opening back up, as restrictions were going down, as things were…at least for international travel returning to something that looks a little more regular...we decided to go. And that's what we’re about to do. We decided in 2022 to go in 2023. And, so, we’re about to do that. But we've also looked at this surge coming into Israel, as things do return to normal. And, so, we weren't really able to go back and kind of then reevaluate and see how things were. It was like man unless you want to go in 2025 or 2026 you gotta…you gotta kind of make a commitment for 2024. And we have done that. And we have to do those kinds of things because we have a whole…an entire team, both on the Israeli side and on the American siding. And, so, keeping that all together and keeping everybody booked in advance kind of to know what's gonna happen, we’ve had to do that. And, so, we are going to go back in 2024 on a pilgrimage to the land of the Bible. This will take place between February 12th and 25th of 2024. So, just a bit over a year from now. Registration is now open. You can find out all about Israel 2024 and experiencing the land of the Bible on pilgrimage with Daily Audio Bible at dailyaudiobible.com or if you are using the app, you can press the little Drawer icon in the upper left-hand corner and that will open up a drawer. Either place. Look for the Initiatives section and in the initiatives you will find Israel 2024 and all of the kinds of details that you would want to know as you consider taking this pilgrimage, but registration for 2024, February 2024 is open now. Just a little bit of a heads up. When we announced the pilgrimage that we’re about to go on, the one for 2023, the one that we announced back last year, I wasn't really sure. I just knew that if we didn't take a step and return then years and years and years would go by. And this has been part of the rhythm of our year, but with all that had gone on in the world with all the sickness, all the pandemic, all of the restrictions, all of the cares of it, all of the uncertainty of it, we just didn't know. Does anybody want to go back to Israel? What ended up happening was very surprising and that was that the pilgrimage for 2023 had sold out within 24 hours. And even if there had been something that…that we could have or wanted to do about that, there was nothing that we could do. Like literally all of the rooms in Israel and all of the places that we were going were all full. So, there has been an extreme demand for…for the holy land. But even had we been able to expand, that's not really what we’re doing here. We’re not trying to take a dozen buses or even half a dozen buses or anything like that. That…that really really becomes limiting to the kind of schedule that we’re trying to keep and the amount of places that we’re trying to allow ourselves to be immersed in and just the entire breadth and depth and width of the country that we’re trying to see. And, so, we take two buses, just enough people that everybody can get to know everybody and we can be family together and a community together as we take the journey together. And, so, that is what we are planning for 2024 as well. And, so, if going to the land of the Bible is something that has been a dream or something on the bucket list, something that you feel compelled toward in your heart, something that you need to feel, like you need to see with your own eyes that you need to smell with your own nose that you need to hear with your own ears then registration is open for the 2024 Daily Audio Bible pilgrimage to the land of the Bible, than registration is available now for that trip. And I’ve told you where to find it. I will let you know again that…that that trip did sell out in a day and then we had a couple hundred people on a waiting list. And, so, if you are compelled to take the journey I wouldn't delay. So, check it out.

That is the announcement and that is it for today. I am Brian I love you and I will be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi this is Dan from AZ and I'm calling to ask for a prayer request for my wife who's been suffering from migraine headaches for over a year every day. And I just…I've been praying for her. She's been praying but it just doesn't seem to help. She's been seeing doctors and stuff and I just would like to get a prayer request out there for all the DABbers. This is my first time calling. This is my first time listening to the daily Bible and it's been a blessing and I just want to reach out and ask for…for help in Jesus’ name. Thank you.

Hello Daily Audio Bible family I am reaching out for prayer. I am dealing with many issues in my life. My marriage needs prayer. My husband needs a lot of prayer. He's dealing with very difficult job depression, anxiety, anger issues, temper tantrums. He's quite abusive as of late and there is potential that he's having an affair. And if he's not having an affair, he's definitely hiding pornography. Anyway, I am also trying to declutter everything that I own for preparation for moving because it looks like this marriage is going to end. Not by my choice but by his and I just need help. I need willpower. I need the ability to let go of stuff that I do not need and to fight this hoarding pack ratting mentality. I don't have a ton of stuff, but I have so much more than is necessary and it's embarrassing, and I'm just appalled by myself as I pull things out of closets and just see how horrible it really is. On the surface the house looked great but underneath it's terrible. So anyway, please pray for me. Pray for my daughter in the midst of all of this. Pray for God to provide. Pray for my husband to come back to the Lord. And if it's God's will, to save this marriage but in such a way that my husband is no longer abusive on so many levels. And pray that I would have patience and be more like Christ through it all. Thank you so much family.

Hi Daily Audio Bible family my name is Evelyn and I'm calling from Germany. I would like to ask for prayers for my mother. Right now, she's at stage four cancer and it has spread to…according to the doctors the brain, the liver, the bones. And yeah, she has done some sessions of chemotherapy and she also did radiotherapy, and she was asked to do so more radiotherapy for the bones. I just could not look at __ yesterday because she broke down crying. And yeah, the doctors gave her news that we just…had broken. And for me it's also breaking my heart and I'm also trying to manage my emotional __ here. So, please ask that you join me in prayers for her. There is nothing impossible for our God to do. Our God will step __. Nothing is impossible for God to do. __ the Lord emotionally, financially. And even looking at her is…is…is…is really breaking my heart. But I trust God and we all trust God. Nothing is impossible for God to do. Thank you so much for sending in your prayers. I would really appreciate it. I've been blessed by following the Daily Audio Bible every day and it has really blessed my life and lifted my spirit and built my faith up. Thank you so much. Bye.

This is Nobody Gets Left Behind from Colorado calling in a praise report and a couple prayer requests. My mom, she is at a homeless shelter now. Praise God for that. Her tent went up in fire. Somebody rescued her saved her life. I just asked that my DAB family can just join me in prayer to put it in her heart to go to and assisted living. She's a bit stubborn but I thank God that she's still here. And I'm about to go pick her up for church today. I want to ask if you could pray for my brother. I had mentioned that he had been released from prison. He was there for 20 years, and I just ask that you join me in prayer that his life can worship Jesus and just be a light to people and that his repentance and his remorse for what he did wrong will always give him the contrite heart and that his music and his talents and all the things that he does that that can just clarify you Jesus. I just also wanted to say that I loved hearing Annette Allison’s story today. I love you sister. You always bring a big, big smile on my face. Praise God for you…you sister and for Blind Tony. I just always love your wisdom that flows from your heart Tony. I praise God for you and Lisa with stage four cancer you've been heavy on my heart, heavy on all of our hearts sister. And, you know, let God's will be done in our lives no matter what we go through. We have eternal mindset. Love you guys.

Good morning everyone __. My name is Gloria __. I'm just calling in to get some help with some things. I just need help with, you know, worrying about myself and staying happy, you know, because I don't want to be depressed anymore. I just want to be happy. When I come to work, I'm very depressed. Just thinking about work I'm very depressing for me. Like, you know, I'm happy to have a job. I was homeless before I even got this job. So, you know, I'm blessed for it. But, you know, it's not even the job. It's the people, you know. This new generation…I'm even in the new generation…I'm only 26 years old. So, you know, this new generation just wants to come to work, stay on their phone, not help others, not, you know, help out and it's kind of hard to endure. It's kind of hard to grasp, you know. I go home every day depressed. And, you know, even talking to someone. you know, here doesn't help. Supervisors doesn't help with it. The management doesn't help. I did therapy. Therapy doesn't work for me. I don't know what else to do, you know, because I go home and I’m so depressed that I don't even have time for my babies. And that's not an excuse. I know it. I'm trying. I just need your prayers you guys. So, please pray for me. Thank you Brian, thank you Jill, thank you China, thank you Ezekiel, thank you everyone, and most importantly thank you God. I am trying my hardest, you know, stay on the right path. Just pray for me please. I love you guys. Bye.

This is Sabina calling asking for prayers for myself and my family. I have been…in the last 15 years I've struggled with really deep tiredness, and I've been sick a lot and…and I have an education, I've been working and sometimes I can work for some months and then suddenly I just get so deeply tired that…that I can't work anymore. It's not possible. I get sick and sometimes depressed and a little stressed and I have a lot of pain and ache in my body. And it's been like this for on and off for 15 years. I've had good times as well but it's really hard sometimes, hard for me and for the family and financially very hard. So, I would just ask if somebody would pray for me and…and our situation and that somehow things will change and, yeah, that I may follow God's will whatever it is. I really want to work. I really want to do things and just…not only just stay at home and not have anything to do. I really want to do something for God and for my family for people around me and for myself as well. So, I pray that, yeah, somehow there will come a change and…and I will know what to do, what is in God's will.

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xtruss · 3 months

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Humpback Whales are known for their magical songs, which likely serve to communicate with others and attract potential mates. Photograph By Karim Iliya

Whales Can Sing Underwater Without Drowning—Now We Know How

Scientists Have Discovered New Insights into Baleen Whales’ Anatomy That May Also Make Them Vulnerable to Human Noise Pollution.

— By Melissa Hobson | February 21, 2024

Scientists have long wondered how baleen whales can sing while holding their breath. That’s because a whale’s larynx both makes sound and closes off their airway so they don’t drown. Try closing your mouth, holding your nose, and trying to hum—it won’t work.

“If you can't let the air flow, the system is pressurized. When it's pressurized, and flow stops, sound stops,” says Joy Reidenberg, a professor at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City who studies whale anatomy.

An Illustration of a Humpback Whale Shows Its Pink, U-shaped Larynx. Painting By Patricia Jaqueline Matic

Experts already knew that whales have a special larynx with a bagpipe-like sac that enables them to sing, but they didn’t know exactly how they produced sound.

“You can't just take an endoscope down a baleen whale and see what they're doing when they're singing,” says Reidenberg who was not involved with the new study. But three strandings close to his lab enabled lead author Coen Elemans, professor of bioacoustics at the University of Southern Denmark, to collect fresh vocal tracts from a recently deceased humpback, minke, and sei whale.

For the first time, Elemans could use these three larynxes to replicate what happens when the animals produce sound. That led to a surprising discovery: The animals’ vocal cords vibrate in an unexpected way to produce noise.

Party Balloons—For Science

Each of the three species create very different noises: humpbacks sing complex songs, minkes quack like ducks, and sei whales create low frequency booms. But how?

After conducting CT scans, the team situated the three larynxes in a laboratory air space and slowly blew air through the system to see if they could mimic a whale’s gigantic lungs.

“We ended up using party balloons to power the setup,” Elemans says.

They’d assumed that the inner edges of the whales’ vocal cords rub together to make sound, but the experiment revealed the vocal cords instead rub together against a fat pad at the back of the larynx.

“No other animal does vocalizations in that way,” says Reidenberg.

Reidenberg wonders if the two vocal cords can vibrate at different frequencies against the fat cushion, or whether they can also vibrate against each other. This could explain how a whale can make more than one sound at once.

Elemans thinks these adaptations arose when whales' land ancestors returned to the ocean around 50 million years ago. Because baleen whales needed to communicate with other whales while using their larynx for food and airway separation, they evolved this unique system.

“These animals physiologically made up a totally new evolutionary novelty to make sound underwater with this weird larynx,” he says.

A Mother Humpback Whale swims with her calf off the coast of Rarotonga, the largest of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. Humpbacks are among the species of whale known to partake in "kelping"—or playing with seaweed they find floating in the ocean. Photograph By Brian Skerry National Geographic Image Collection

More Investigation Needed

Reidenberg cautions the sample size of the study—just three animals—is too small for such a generalization, and that scientists need to examine more specimens first.

Heidi Pearson, professor of marine biology at University of Alaska Southeast, who was also not involved in the study, agrees. She’d like to see a different family of whales examined for comparison, as the three individuals studied were all juvenile rorqual whales. Elemans says he wants to study an adult male, which are known for their singing.

But the experts acknowledge the inherent challenge in doing so. “Just getting those samples is a triumph in its own right,” says Pearson.

Controlling Noise Pollution

The researchers also used 3-D computer simulations to mimic what happens when the whales’ larynx muscles are activated. They discovered these structures cannot produce sound at higher frequencies than 300 hertz (Hz), or below depths of about 330 feet.

Unfortunately, that “depth and frequency range overlap almost perfectly with what humans make,” says Elemans, meaning they may struggle to compete with noise generated by shipping vessels, which emit sounds between 30 and 300 Hz.

“It's what you and I might call a cocktail party effect,” says Reidenberg. When your vocal range overlaps with everyone else’s, it becomes harder to hear each other without raising your voice.

That’s why the study highlights an urgent need to decrease noise pollution by limiting vessel traffic, implementing slow zones, protecting areas with lots of vocalizing whales, and making ships quieter, says Pearson, and using real-time data in conservation plans.

Reidenberg has a good example of how to do that: If an offshore wind farm in New York conducted a seismic survey during winter, it wouldn’t interfere with whale vocalizations, she says, because “the singers are all down having spring break in the tropics.”

#Whales 🐋#Humpback Whales 🐋#Singing 🎵 🎶#Underwater #Baleen Whales’ Anatomy #Vulnerable #Human Noise Pollution #Melissa Hobson

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cyarskj1899 · 1 year

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2022 midterm elections live updates: Trump teases announcement after Election Day

The 2022 midterm elections are shaping up to be some of the most consequential in the nation's history, with control of Congress at stake.

All 435 seats in the House and 35 of 100 seats in the Senate are on the ballot, as well as several influential gubernatorial elections in battleground states like Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Democrats are defending their narrow majorities in both chambers. Republican control of either the House or Senate would be enough to curtail most of President Joe Biden's agenda, and would likely result in investigations against his administration and even his family.

Latest Developments

Nov 7, 11:02 pm

Trump teases ‘very big’ announcement for next week

On the eve of Election Day, former President Donald Trump teased Monday night that he will make a “very big” announcement on Nov. 15 at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump was speaking at a final rally in Dayton, Ohio, for Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance.

While the former president did not specify the nature of the upcoming announcement, sources told ABC News last week that he could announce a 2024 presidential run as early as next week -- though the sources cautioned that discussions about the specifics, including a date, were still fluid.

Nov 7, 8:14 pm

Biden makes closing midterms pitch: 'We'll meet this moment'

Biden made one last campaign pitch to voters Monday night from a rally at Bowie State University in Maryland. This cycle, he warned, will shape "what the next couple of decades look like."

"Let's be clear, this election isn't a referendum, it's a choice," he said at the event in support of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore. "It's a choice between two very different visions of America.”

Biden listed legislative accomplishments from Democrats during his first two years -- including low unemployment, job creation, infrastructure investments and more -- before turning to criticism of "MAGA Republicans."

"The hypocrisy is unbelievable," he said, slamming GOP lawmakers who oppose student loan relief despite receiving business loans and debt cancellation during the coronavirus pandemic, or who touted aspects of the American Rescue Plan despite not voting in favor of the bill.

Biden also called out election deniers within the Republican Party, saying they only see two outcomes: “Either they win, or they were cheated.”

"Today, we face an inflection point," Biden said as he closed his remarks. "One of those moments that comes around every three or four generations. We know in our bones that our democracy is at risk, and we know that this is your moment to defend it, preserve and protect it, choose it. We'll meet this moment."

Nov 7, 6:32 pm

Georgia officials overnighting absentee ballots to 1,000 voters who never received them

Voters who were never mailed their absentee ballot in Cobb County, Georgia, will still be able to vote, according to a new court ruling.

Approximately 1,036 voters in the county had requested a ballot but never received them. Ballots are supposed to be mailed within three days after election officials receive ballot requests. However, election workers in the county failed to upload absentee voting information to a ballot mailing system on Oct. 13 and Oct. 22.

Now, the Cobb County Board of Elections will send ballots to those voters Monday by overnight delivery, according to the court ruling. Those voters can mail their ballots provided they are postmarked by 7 p.m. on Nov. 8 and returned by Nov. 14. Email and text updates will be provided to those affected voters so they are able to track their ballot.

Voters affected by the error will also be able to vote in person Tuesday or by a federal write-in absentee ballot.

One of the main criticisms from Democrats regarding SB 202 -- the sweeping elections bill signed by Gov. Brian Kemp last year -- has been focused on mail-in ballots. Previously, voters were able to request absentee ballots 180 days before an election and the county could start mailing them out 49 days before Election Day. Now, voters can only request ballots within 78 days of an election and they can't be mailed until 29 days before.

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa

Nov 7, 5:10 pm

Biden says Dems will ‘surprise the living devil out of a lot of people’

President Joe Biden said Monday he thinks Democrats will “surprise the living devil out of a lot of people" in the midterm elections.

“Imagine what we can do in a second term if we maintain control,” Biden said during a virtual Democratic reception.

“I know that sounds like a very high expectation,” Biden said, adding, “I’m optimistic.”

At a second Democratic reception Monday, the president said, “We’re going up against some of the darkest forces we’ve ever seen in our history. These MAGA Republicans are a different breed … this is not your father’s Republican Party. It’s a different deal."

Biden added, “We have a shot at keeping the Senate, increase in it, and I am optimistic about the House, as well.”

-ABC News’ Jordyn Phelps

Nov 7, 4:51 pm

Unofficial Pennsylvania results not expected for ‘at least a few days,’ official said last month

Unofficial results for the midterm elections in Pennsylvania are not expected for “at least a few days,” Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Leigh Chapman told reporters on Oct. 24.

"We need to set realistic expectations," Chapman said, stressing that the public and media should "not expect complete results on election night."

Pennsylvania is one of nine states that by law cannot begin processing mail-in and absentee ballots until 7 a.m. on Election Day.

Voters with mistakes on their mail ballots have until Nov. 14 to cure them and military and overseas residents have until 5 p.m. on Nov. 15 to get their ballots in.

Chapman said fully certified results won't come until the Nov. 28 deadline under law.

"We prioritize accuracy over speed," Chapman said. "The delay doesn't mean anything bad is happening.”

-ABC News’ Devin Dwyer

Nov 7, 3:08 pm

White House says Trump is not 'our focus' amid reports of 2024 bid

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday pushed back on questions about former President Donald Trump's expected 2024 bid.

"I was asked this question the other day, and that's not our focus," she said.

Trump is leaning toward announcing a third run for the White House, possibly as early as the week of Nov. 14, sources with direct knowledge of the matter previously told ABC News.

At Monday's briefing, Jean-Pierre also wouldn't give any insight into whether Trump's pending announcement will force Biden's hand on making his own reelection decision. Biden has said he intends to run for a second term, though hasn't made a formal decision.

"Again, I'm going to say what he has said many times and what I have said from here many times is that the president intends to run and I will just leave those words there," Jean-Pierre told reporters.

-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett

Nov 7, 3:02 pm

WH urges patience with results, says Biden will address midterms on Wednesday

President Joe Biden will address the midterms on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing on Monday, but she did not give specifics of how he will do so -- at least in part because she said the full results of the elections will likely not be known by then.

Urging patience, Jean-Pierre said it’s important for people to understand that a days-long counting process is a sign that that the system is working as it should.

Jean-Piere also declined to offer any specifics on how the president will spend his Election Day but said he “will have a full schedule here at the White House.”

-ABC News’ Jordyn Phelps

Nov 7, 3:01 pm

White House says it's 'safe' to go to the polls, doesn't foresee threats

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday there were no "specific credible threats" about a possible uprising this election cycle. "The president has been briefed on the threat environment and directed that all appropriate steps be taken to ensure safe and secure voting occurs right in this process," Jean-Pierre said.

She cited a speech President Joe Biden gave last week against "political violence and voter intimidation."

"You heard him say this last week, in his speech, and many times before: You can't love your country only when you win," Jean-Pierre said.

"But I want to be clear: Americans should feel safe going to the polls," she said.

"It is important for Americans to do so. The administration has taken the issue of threats to the safety of voters and election officials seriously from day one," she said.

Late last month, Attorney General Merrick Garland was asked about reports of possible voter intimidation in Arizona and said, "The Justice Department has an obligation to guarantee a free and fair vote by everyone whose qualified to vote and will not permit voters to be intimidated."

-- ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett

Nov 7, 2:51 pm

Warnock says Walker ‘neither ready nor fit’ for Senate

One day before Election Day, Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock slammed his opponent, Herschel Walker, who he said "is neither ready nor fit to represent the people of Georgia in the United States Senate."

"He's pretty good at making up things. And now he wants to get the rest of us to imagine with him that he is of the timber to be a United States senator,” Warnock said.

Warnock said Walker's decision to campaign with divisive figures like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, another Georgia Republican, should show Georgians the former football player will not be a unifier.

“Herschel Walker is demonstrating to you what kind of Senator he would be based on the company he's keeping,” Warnock said.

Split ticket voters will be key for Warnock's pathway to victory and he made a point to talk about reaching across the aisle.

"Let's bring this thing over the finish line. And let us not demonize those who do not share our political point of view,” he said. "We've got to find a way to pull this country together, to pull the state together, because the problems are too big and the stakes are too high.”

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa

Nov 7, 12:23 pm

Tom Cotton will not run for president in 2024

Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton said Monday he will not seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.

Cotton said a potential run would take him away from his two sons. The news was first reported by Politico and confirmed to ABC News by a source.

Over the past year, Cotton has traveled to several battleground states, campaigning for candidates. He's been to Iowa and New Hampshire, which host the party's first two presidential nominating contests.

Cotton's announcement was made days afterABC News reported that former President Donald Trump could announce a presidential bid as early as the week of Nov. 14.

Nov 7, 11:24 am

**Katie Hobbs said she’ll remain Arizona’s secretary of state despite GOP calls for her to step down

Arizona’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Katie Hobbs, said she would not recuse herself from her current position as secretary of state despite assertions from Republican candidates that her role as the state’s top election official is a conflict of interest as she runs for higher office.

“I took an oath of office to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the state of Arizona. I have upheld that oath and I will continue to do so until I leave office on Jan. 2,” she told the Arizona Republic.

There is no legal requirement for Hobbs to step aside. A number of incumbent secretaries of state in Arizona have certified their own reelections.

"I don't see a problem with her being secretary of state and running for governor and recording the votes," former Republican Gov. Jan Brewer told the Arizona Republic about Hobbs. Brewer certified her own reelection as secretary of state in 2006. She became governor in 2009 when Democrat Janet Napolitano resigned to work in the Obama administration.

Hobbs’ race remains tight against her Republican opponent Kari Lake, a staunch proprietor of debunked allegations that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent. Lake told ABC News’ chief Washington correspondentJon Karl that she would accept the results of the election if they were “fair, honest and transparent.”

Nov 7, 11:16 am

Trump says DeSantis should be reelected as governor

Former President Donald Trump said Sunday that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis should be reelected amid a mushrooming intraparty rivalry.

"The people of Florida are going to reelect the wonderful, the great friend of mine, Marco Rubio, to the United States Senate, and you’re going to reelect Ron DeSantis as your governor," Trump said at a rally in Florida Sunday to boost Rubio's reelection bid. DeSantis was notably absent from the event.

Trump's remark about DeSantis came a day after he branded the Florida governor with a less-than-flattering nickname while rattling off results from a poll of possible 2024 GOP presidential contenders.

"We’re winning big, big, big in the Republican Party for the nomination like nobody’s ever seen before," Trump said on Saturday. "Let’s see, there it is: Trump at 71. Ron 'DeSanctimonious' at 10%. Mike Pence at 7 — oh, Mike’s doing better than I thought."

Rumors about tension between the two GOP leaders had swirled for months as both eye possible White House campaigns.

Trump remains the GOP's de facto leader, keeping a stranglehold on the party's base even after leaving the White House. DeSantis has shot to conservative stardom during the coronavirus pandemic by rebuffing pleas for broader restrictions and leaning into a spate of culture wars embraced by Republican voters.

Neither has formally declared their 2024 ambitions and DeSantis still has to win his reelection bid on Tuesday. Sources have told ABC News that Trump could launch a presidential campaign later this month.

Nov 7, 11:02 am

Where Biden, Harris and Trump are spending election eve

Political heavyweights are hitting the trail for one final day of campaigning before voters head to the polls Tuesday.

President Joe Biden will join a virtual reception Monday afternoon for the Democratic National Committee before heading to Maryland with first lady Jill Biden to stump for gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore and the Democratic Party. The rally at Bowie State University will kick off at 7 p.m. ET.

Jill Biden’s also headlining a rally for Democratic Rep. Jennifer Wexton in Virginia at 11:45 a.m. ET.

Vice President Kamala Harris will spend the day in her home state of California. She and second gentleman Doug Emhoff are delivering remarks at a political event at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Former President Donald Trump is going to Dayton, Ohio, to rally GOP voters. Senate candidate J.D. Vance, who faces Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan in tomorrow’s race, will speak ahead of Trump. Trump will take the stage at 8 p.m. ET.

Nov 7, 10:34 am

NASED urges patience

The National Association of State Election Directors is urging patience ahead of the midterms, saying officials have been working nonstop to ensure the election is secure.

"State and local election officials have contingency plans in place so voters can have confidence in our elections and that the results will be tabulated accurately," the National Association of State Election Directors said in a statement Monday. "As with any election, it is important to note that operational challenges may arise."

The group says it’s normal for ballots to be counted in the days following the election.

"While the focus on election night is on who won and who lost, election night results are always unofficial. In the days and weeks to come, election officials will count every eligible ballot within the bounds of state laws, including provisional ballots, mail ballots, and ballots cast by military and overseas voters,” the statement said. “This critical process is normal, as it takes time to accurately tabulate millions of ballots. Some races will be close and may require a recount or a recanvass, depending on the state, but every eligible ballot will be counted as cast.”

-ABC News’ Luke Barr

Nov 7, 7:31 am

When we will know the results

Americans may not know the results of each race on Election Day, or even the following day.

"It takes time to count all legitimate ballots in a legal and orderly manner," President Joe Biden advised last week.

Elections in the U.S. are decentralized, and each state has different systems for regulating races. Some, such as Arizona and Colorado, allow officials to start processing mail-in ballots before Election Day. Others, like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, can’t begin counting these ballots until Election Day.

FiveThirtyEight has created a sliding scale estimating how long it may take each state to count ballots based on when each state reported results in its primary elections earlier this year.

More information can be found here.

Nov 5, 5:15 pm

Election denialism is on the ballot

Nearly 200 candidates running on Tuesday have rejected President Joe Biden as the legitimate winner of the 2020 election. These candidates have either stated the election was stolen or took action themselves to try to usurp the results.

According to FiveThirtyEight, 60% of Americans will have an election denier on their ballot.

Not all Republicans on the ballot, however, are embracing former President Donald Trump’s lies about the race. A total of 77 have fully accepted the results while another 93 have accepted the outcome, with some reservations.

Read more here about election denialism on the ballot.

Nov 5, 5:08 pm

What the midterms mean for U.S. foreign policy

Domestic issues like abortion rights and the economy have taken center stage this cycle, but the elections could also have a big impact on foreign policy.

Experts told ABC News that the outcome of the races will drive the U.S. response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as Republicans in Congress have hinted at curbing the steady stream of financial assistance to Ukraine. They also said the elections could also impact efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal, as Republicans have generally opposed a return to the agreement all along.

"If there is a change in control of Congress, because of how partisan unfortunately a lot of Iran policy has become, there would be more pressure--given that the current administration and many Democrats in general campaigned on resurrecting a deal and engaging with Iran," Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told ABC News. "There certainly will be desire for more scrutiny and oversight."

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ABC News Political Director Rick Klein looks at the Senate races to watch in the 2022 midterm election.

Catch up on the developing stories making headlines.

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

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scaredofthebasement-blog · 5 years

Text

When Love Walks In - Chpt 1

Chapter One - The Accident

(Hi there. This is my first fanfiction and writing of any kind really. I’ve been inspired by those writers who have gone before me. Thank you for your incredible efforts, talent and bravery. This will be a multi-chapter love story and work of pure fiction using Auston Matthews as the inspiration for the main character of the same name and Dr Quinn Tolpa as a character I created myself. I’ve purposely refrained from describing the appearance of the female lead character, Dr Quinn, as I want you to imagine her as you see her in your mind. Also, please keep in mind that I am in no way knowledgable about the medical profession and have based any medical references on my own minor research. So please forgive any inaccuracies. Potential triggers: Life-threatening hockey accident involving the throat. Coma. Surgery. Ventilator. Some swear words. I will mark when Sex/Smut Scenes are coming up. I hope you enjoy the ride. It’s going to be a good one and worth getting past the setup chapters.) 3389 words

Chapter One - The Accident

It is late in the third period of a tied Game 7 of the 2024/25 Stanley Cup finals between the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the New Jersey Devils when 27-year-old Auston Matthews of the Leafs, takes a puck, from the Devils’ defence, squarely to his throat.

The Toronto home crowd falls eerily silent and holds a collective, horrified breath. You can tell that the Leaf players on the ice are not aware that the puck hit Auston directly in the throat. As the whistle blows, the Leafs’ trainers and medical staff rush to help Auston, who is thrashing in pain on the ice. Everyone now has a chance to look up at the replay on the JumboTron. The mouths of Auston’s teammates and coaches drop in unison along with the crowd, followed by audible gasps of, “My God!”

As soon as the trainers can get to Auston, he manages to stand up but then immediately collapses into unconsciousness. The capacity crowd’s screams echo throughout the arena at the drama of it all. As everyone watches, four of Auston’s teammates rush to pick up their friend and get him to the Leafs’ medical room as quickly as possible.

What is sure at this point, is that Auston’s airway has been cut off from the impact of the shot to his Larynx. He is unconscious and not breathing as he lays on the treatment table in the dressing room. An emergency Tracheotomy is performed on-site by the team’s medical doctor, to get Auston breathing again.

Auston is still unconscious, but breathing with the help of the Thrach, oxygen supply and EMS, as he is rushed by ambulance to Mount Sinai Hospital for life-saving surgery.

Auston’s parents, Brian and Ema and his two sisters, Alexandria (older) and Breyana (younger), manage to get down to the Leafs’ dressing room within minutes of the accident and are ushered straightaway to a police car which escorts them to join up with Auston at the hospital. Upon their arrival, Auston’s parents are signing releases and authorizations on behalf of their son, for the hospital medical staff.

A still unconscious Auston arrives at the Emergency Department of Mount Sinai Hospital, with Leafs’ medical staff in tow, to a team of surgeons and medical staff awaiting his arrival. They immediately usher Auston, via stretcher, into an exam room where what remains of his hockey equipment is cut off. They first ensure that Auston’s airway is maintained. The staff take Auston’s vitals along with scans and a full body assessment. Since it is immediately clear that Auston is suffering from a crushed Larynx and likely vocal cord damage, the doctors on duty, without hesitation, summon Dr Quinn Tolpa.

Dr Quinn, as she prefers to be called, lives in a high rise condo located within 10 minutes of the hospital. It’s around 10 pm, and she has just returned home from a late Pilate’s class and subsequent shower. As she thinks to go turn on the TV to see if the City is going to erupt any time soon by the Leafs winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in over 50 years, her pager goes off. The message reads, Paging Dr Quinn Tolpa, Medical Emergency, Laryngeal Trauma, etc., Theatre 3, M.S.H, time 10:03. She replies, texting her ETA and hurries to change her clothes, feeling relieved that she already showered at the gym. She rushes to her car in the parking garage and begins to wonder about road conditions. If the Leafs have already won the Cup, then she will be in trouble as the traffic will be insane. As she drives out of the garage, she sees it is quiet on the streets, almost eerily quiet.

In little time, Dr Quinn arrives on-site and starts getting into her scrubs in the room attached to Theatre 3. The other doctors and medical staff greet her and thank her for coming so quickly.

“We have ourselves a VIP of sorts in there, Dr Quinn, so no pressure”, an attending doctor jokes nervously to ease the tension.

“I’m sorry, Doctor, what?” Quinn replies, confused as she starts to prep.

Realizing there is no time to get into who the patient is, the attending physician replies, “Not important, Dr Quinn. NHL hockey player is all.” He begins briefing her on what transpired and his assessment.

Dr Quinn has just finished scrubbing up when the doctor completes his briefing. She has a few questions for the doctor and medical staff about Auston’s vitals and how he is responding to treatments already given, which they answer to her satisfaction.

She takes a look at Auston’s scan results as well as the results from his standard tests and then moves over to where he lays on the operating table. She quickly runs her own physical evaluation. All indications are that Auston’s Larynx has been severely crushed and will need intricate repair before the bleeding stops. She will address his airway, breathing and collapsed lung to get him stabilized.

The attending doctor notes, “We understand he was about 4 feet from the player who fired the puck.”

Dr Quinn is shocked by the image that races across her mind. “Four feet away! Dear Lord!” She draws in a deep breath and exhales.

All the medical support staff have eyes on Dr Quinn as they assume their positions. Taking command of the room, she rallies, “Okay, everyone, let’s save this young man’s life.”

After 2 hours of her expert, delicate and intricate surgery, Auston is in stable condition. It is time for her to speak with his family. But before Dr Quinn can find them, the other doctor pulls her aside to explain who, precisely, this patient is that she just finished operating on.

“Auston Matthews?” She repeats as a question. She has heard the name before but had never paid much attention as she had been focused intensely on her career over the last number of years. But, having been born and raised in the City of Toronto, she, of course, knows who the Leafs are and how important they are to the City. She also knows that the Leafs were playing in the final game of the Stanley Cup playoffs because, unless you live under a rock, no one in the City could be unaware of that fact.

Dr Quinn is a bit embarrassed to be a Torontonian at this moment; not knowing much about the City’s esteemed hockey superstar who she has just helped. She has to remind herself that during the past nine years of her life, she did not have the luxury of dividing her time and energy to much outside of her education and career. Becoming a Medical Doctor, surgeon and then rising through the ranks at breakneck speed to become Canada’s youngest specialist in the field of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as well as an internationally recognised leader in the field of vocal cord reconstruction had been her focus and a huge one at that.

Dr Quinn walks towards the ‘family quiet room’ where she’s told Auston’s family are waiting. She taps on the door, and it is opened by a tall, broad-shouldered man who Dr Quinn assumes to be Auston’s father. There are three women in the room whom she believes to be Auston’s mother and sisters, as well as a few men wearing Leafs’ jackets whom she guesses are from the Leafs’ organization. There is no escaping that they are all torn apart by Auston’s accident. Their wet, swollen eyes and red faces reflect their intense pain and fear. Dr Quinn’s heart sinks to see them all in such distress. She wants desperately to reassure them.

“Hello, my name is Dr Quinn Tolpa, please call me Dr Quinn. I just performed surgery on Auston”, she announces as she reaches her hand out to shake hands with and learn the names of the loved ones of her newest patient.

“He’s in stable condition right now, and staff are currently transferring him to the Intensive Care Unit on the 4th floor. The 2-hour surgery included completing a Tracheostomy and hooking him up to a Ventilator. A cuffed tube was inserted and inflated to make sure that the only air in his throat is coming from the Ventilator, which will allow Auston’s throat and Larynx to heal without interference. I repaired Auston’s Larynx. I also drained blood from his lungs as it had caused one of his lungs to collapse.”

There is a burst of relief, followed by a lot of ‘thanks to God’. They hug each other and sob in relief.

Dr Quinn continues, “I understand how scary this all must be for you. Please know that Auston is in the best possible place given his type of injury and that we will do everything within our power to help Auston make as full a recovery as possible. I can tell you that the surgery was successful in repairing his damaged Larynx and in doing so, we removed the obstruction from his airway and stopped the bleeding. While Auston is in a stable state right now, that is not of his own doing. We have him on a Ventilator and have placed him in a medically induced Coma, which is giving him a chance to heal his Larynx and vocal cords as well as to stave off any brain damage. We can’t rule out brain damage or a concussion since he stopped receiving oxygen for a time at the arena and he hit his head on the ice after he passed out. He is going to stay in the induced Coma for at least five days, and at such time we will be able to assess his progress and alleviate any further issues he may present.”

“I know I’m overloading you with information right now but want you to know where things stand at the moment and what to expect in the next little while where Auston’s concerned. Since I will be Auston’s attending medical specialist, please know that you can consult with me on his condition at any time. I am perfectly happy to repeat any of this information back to you, so don’t hesitate to ask me any questions you may have. Here is my card with my contact information. Day or night, please know that I am here for you all.” Dr Quinn reassures them as she hands each of them her card.

Dr Quinn continues, “Okay, so specifically, we diagnosed Auston with Laryngeal Trauma, which means a crushed Larynx, which I understand was caused by a puck hitting his throat at high speed and close range. The priority was to secure his airway, which was done by the Leafs’ medical staff at the arena by performing a crude Tracheotomy. By accounts, it appears that this procedure was done within the time limits to avoid brain damage, but we will not know for certain until Auston regains consciousness. When Auston arrived here, we ran scans, X-rays, tests and assessments to determine the extent of the damage to his Larynx. His Larynx was so badly crushed it was by far the most challenging surgical repair of fractured and internal lacerations I have ever had to make, but I’m pleased with how well it went.”

“Also, in 5 days, I expect to perform what is called a Microlaryngoscopy and Bronchoscopy, in order to re-assess the healing process and attend to any issues that may present themselves by that time. If all goes well then, Auston should be cleared to be woken from his Coma. At that time, we will have him on complete voice rest until he can breathe on his own and his airway heals. Also, we should be able to evaluate any brain damage, concussion symptoms, how well or not his vocal cords are mending and whether he has any diminished breathing abilities or difficulties swallowing”, she explains.

Now she has to tell them what they need to know but will scare the hell out of them. “Since vocal cords are next to the Larynx and Auston’s are severely crushed, there is a chance that they will not be able to join together as they heal, which will cause Auston to have trouble speaking. But, I want you to know that I have been heading a team that has been pioneering research in the area of vocal cord rejuvenation and there is a new technique that we have developed that is providing a chance where there was none previously. If it comes down to that, I want you to know there is some hope. Results of applying this new technique have proven to be highly successful in trials. It is ground-breaking, and I want you to know about it as it has been my primary objective to find a way to bring hope to patients who previously had none in such cases. Oh, and last thing, Auston’s collapsed lung should recover in a couple of days and is common when there is bleeding from trauma to the Larynx. We will, of course, monitor Auston for everything”, Dr Quinn draws in a deep breath and waits a moment for a response.

“Can we see him now?” They plead in unison.

Relieved that they seem to have accepted what she just told them, she answers, “Yes, I’ll take you up in a moment. You can stay in the room with Auston, day and night. You can sleep in the reclining chairs in the room. Unfortunately, there are only two reclining chairs that will fit in the space, but they are more comfy and supportive than you might expect. I believe it is of great importance that family be able to stay with their loved ones overnight and get as good a sleep as possible. Families provide love and support, which is essential in speeding up the healing process. Being close to the patient also gives families some measure of control in an often uncontrollable situation. We have pillows and blankets, so please ask the nurse.”

“Doctor? When my son is in Coma, can he hear me?” Auston’s mother asks hopefully in her broken English.

“Mrs Matthews, I am sorry that he will not be able to understand what you say since a medically induced coma is a deep state of unconsciousness, leaving the sounds with no consciousness to reach. However, please do not let that deter you from talking, singing or reading to Auston. There have been claims that other senses are at work that pick up on vibrations, energy etc. and may subconsciously bring peace and comfort to your boy. It can also be comforting to you as well”, Dr Quinn explains with compassion that the family can feel.

“If you would like to follow me, I can take you upstairs to Intensive Care now.” Dr Quinn leads the group to the elevator and up to the 4th floor. Everyone is silent as they all try to process the information they have just received.

“Please stay in the waiting room for one moment while I confirm that things are ready”, She asks the group as she heads into the Intensive Care Unit.

Auston’s family is too worked up to sit down, so they stand there while the team staff members take a seat as they plan to give the family privacy to visit Auston and make their update calls to Leafs’ management.

“Hi, Angels? How’s it going with our patient, Mr Matthews?” Dr Quinn asks the two attending nurses, Nicole and Kelly.

“He’s all set up Dr Quinn,” Nicole informs.

“Doctor, are you aware that this is Auston Matthews? You know, the superstar hockey player that plays for the Leafs?” Kelly asks.

“Yeah, that’s what they tell me. Auston was playing in the Stanley Cup final game and got a puck to the throat”, Dr Quinn shivers as she reacts to her own words. “Poor guy, eh? Hey, do you know if the Leafs ended up winning?” She asks.

“No, we haven’t heard anything. It’s been pretty busy in here tonight”, both nurses chime in.

Dr Quinn adds, “Well, I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough. I don’t know what to hope for because if the team won, then Auston missed out and if the team lost, then he’ll be devastated and so will the City. What a no-win situation. In any event, I’m going to get Auston’s family now. They are lovely people. Afterwards, I will get the attending doctor up to speed and fill out some paperwork. Any questions before I go?”

“No, we read the file and know what to do. Should be fine Dr Quinn”, the nurses confirm with confidence.

“Okay, good. I’ll go get the family”, Dr Quinn announces.

“Thanks, Doctor”, the nurses replied.

“Thank you, Angels!” Quinn adds, as she always does, to show her appreciation for all they do. “Ha, so I guess you’re Auston’s Angels now ladies”, she jokes to lighten the mood, and they chuckle.

Dr Quinn returns to Auston’s waiting family and announces that the room and Auston are ready for them.

“I just want to give you a heads up that Auston is hooked up to some large machines to help him breathe, monitor his vitals, give him his fluids and administer his medications. Please don’t be alarmed as this is all normal procedure in such cases”, Dr Quinn informs them.

“Thank you, Dr Quinn, from the bottom of our hearts for everything you have done and will do for our boy”, Auston’s father says as his voice drips with emotion. The rest of the family mumble the same, sniffling as they each take turns hugging Quinn tight, trying to convey their appreciation.

“Please call us by our first names, Dr Quinn. We are family now”, Ema insists.

“Sure. I’m happy to be able to help. Please follow me”, Dr Quinn instructs as she leads them towards Auston’s room.

The family pass in front of Dr Quinn to get to Auston’s bed. Quiet gasps and sobs from the group mingle with the pulse and hiss of the breathing machine keeping Auston alive. Ema hugs and kisses her son, crying she tells him in Spanish that she doesn’t know what she’ll do if he doesn’t pull through. Brian, standing behind Ema with his hand on her back has tears pouring down his devastated, hand covered face. Alex and Bre approach Auston from the other side of the bed, youngest wrapped in the arm of the oldest. Standing next to their brother, they take hold of his hand and wipe tears from their red cheeks. As they gasp for air, they tell Auston they love him, know he will triumph over this like he does everything and that he is the best brother ever.

Dr Quinn tries to remain stoic. After making sure everyone is okay and settled, she excuses herself from the room and heads over to the Intensive Care station to speak to the attending doctor, finish up some paperwork and make some calls. Then she hears it.

“They lost!” one of the nurses announces loudly.

Dr Quinn rushes over to the nurse standing about 5 feet from her, to explain the situation and ask her to please keep the news to herself.

Although the news crushes Dr Quinn, she also has a strong feeling wash over her that it will all be okay in the end. She has no idea why she feels this way, but it calms her entire being.

Dr Quinn informs Auston’s family that she is going home to get some sleep as she has worked 13 hours in the last 24 hour period. She introduces them to the attending Doctor, Dr Higgins and reassures them that she is merely a phone call away if they need to speak to her before her 9 am return.

Dr Quinn returns to her condo. She knows this upcoming week will be a trying one for her, Auston’s family and the City of Toronto. Tired, Dr Quinn rests in the knowledge that her hard work and studies might be able to turn this tragic situation into a positive outcome. She resolves that she is determined to do that for Auston, his family and the City of Toronto. She will be the Superstar that everyone needs right now. This is her chance to do what she has been training for her whole life. This is her Cup moment, so to speak.

#Auston Matthews #Auston Matthews Fanfiction #Auston Matthews Imagine #NHL fanfiction #NHL imagine #Love Story

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whimsically-ominously-auspice · 4 years

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Yeah shit man who better to trust with Hercules than Gus-Gus and Gus?

They are amazing in Cinderella.

Its not the first time Christina Hendricks has used the Gus-Gus and Gus analogy on Declan and Annabelle.

It is always so dam cute y'all know Gus-Gus and Gus is always one of your favorites, you can't help but love their characteristics!

This one is hilariously greatly excellent!

And extremely visual!!

And you know i believed they could save him because her adorable hilarity is true but their actual size made them just tall enough to save him

Declan had a plan to jump in the tub to pick up his head from the front and send Annabelle to fetch me. The only thing Declan was unsure of and this is beautiful if the tub plug should be pulled first and him get cold while they waited or if Declan had enough strength "to hold this giant man up to save his life"

So Declan thought if they were fast enough to get very little water in his lungs and I took too long, Declan could stop holding the "giant man" long enough to pull the plug and then return to,his face to assess the damage then again. But Declan hoped the speed was in him "to save the giant man that Declan loved"

Because in your last video short it ended in Declan eavesdropping and opening the door to say "you can apologize to my face!"

And he did. Brian picked up Declan and said "I am sorry yoh are just too cute and I was too scared to realize every thing would be alright and when I saw your face in horror I actually felt bad but I didn't know how to show it tonight at dinner"

"Oh it's alright. You can put me down now"

Which resulted in Annabelle Tears because she, too, needed an apology but he hadn't realized it.

Then when things calmed down I felt a deep seriousness in the air which was very tactical and not dark nor light, tense but not relaxed but calm.

And so I asked "well what were your plans to save him then?"

And Declan went into the spill as I said above with great creative energy and it was mind blowing.

Declan and Annabelle were both So so small. I wouldn't had ever thought that they would climbed in the tub to save him and risk their own life if he woke up and thought they were terrorists in the middle east but Declan did consider that and Declan said "that was a risk I was willing to take -- he knew he was in the bath and you were there and stuff so I figured I would be safe if I just talked and said "this is Declan and I'm here to save you so you don't drown" I figured I ought to be generouslu safe then and I'm strong and I could say "open your eyes and he could see if it was me" but if I was behind, I would certainly be killed, my head in the toilet or something""

Declan had so Much care and compassion built into these plans to save him from drowning when I had had none.

And so we actually let them practice with him in the tub and all in bathing suits to help us all including Dan from drowning in the tub and we all learned how to lay to prevent our own drowning in the event of sleep.

Which Tree will produce that safety video for us. He said.

So it is also something you families can do at home in Quarentine.

Because hot baths are excellent for bone and muscle pain (healthcare and restaurants and store workers) and for the lungs to breathe and I have fallen asleep in December - March from just being exhausted from work and the stress of reducing human trafficking to zero. And apparently y'all even seen video of it.

Which was funny I am sure. But it felt so so so so good to fall asleep and it sucked having to wake up to wash my hair. Because the sleep was so good.

Declan now today says on 4-25-2020 "God i could had a heart attack but all i did was laugh but now I know why. I prepared you to sleep and not slip and slide and drown. Now i feel relieved and a deep safe darkness around my pride to protect me"

Blessed Child "i could had a heart attack but all i did was laugh" i love that so much and i love that we took the time to take all that worry and consideration to help erarse that super fear. It gives me joy. And fills my lungs and heart with oxygen rich cells.

Happiness can falter and fade away but Joy it always stays deep inside yoh to propel you into the future. Joy has a sunny presence while Happiness can exist in any conditions, joy can only exist in educated and true pure form of love and existence.

Rock the Vote gives me joy. Never wanting to be in politics but giving that ability to vote and reassure the African American and other immigrants that there is a group standing tall and strong behind them that sre as rich as politicians but want all races and ethnicities to vote as it is their Right. That gives me joy.

RockTheVote.org don't forget to register and vote. All immigrants and nationalities, African American and Latino, Caucasian. We stand behind you to give you the ability to vote and will defend you to our own death if anything happens to you like it did prior to 1970 and a few exclusions since. And if anything should happen we have some of the richest people in the world to stop what they are doing and help you survive a beating while in line to vote or suddenly thereafter. That is why i programmed it the way i did. Rock the Vote with rich musicians to say they have their life and they will share it to protect you if something bad should happen. And it did in the last 30 years very rarely but tree always told us of each and every event. And we stood behind that paying hospital bills and hiring private security to take people to vote and then installing security of our own at those polling stations for the future. And as i said, to our own death, our private security would beat and fight any one attacking any voter, especially one of any color. So Caucasians didn't have to witness it and be afraid to catch their own death.

So Rock the Vote gives me immense joy. Because we willingly and unselfishly destroy the fear and attacks against voters as it is our job.

Hopefully soon we can stop the illegal and false Voting. Registering to vote and then Voting can help. We have 2 Trillion U.S. residents with social security numbers ready to vote This year!!

Yall are all seeing what is on the news regarding Trump. I will be honest, Biden is who we need but if we could pick a different party other than the Republican (we will drop a vote later today)

So if half of the United States votes for Biden then the other half votes for a mixture of the minority parties then we can rise them up where they can be seen at more than 1% of the votes.

So maybe 3 good people running for president and they share 1/3 of half the votes. Thats 16% each with Biden at 50% That's kinda low.

But that would be fucking amazing and has never Been done in the history of America.

We can change the entire political system coming this November!

Isn't that exciting?!? That is what Ms Chen was talking about taking that power and harnessing it so the world would be safe for others. Including us...

That makes determination. That is our energy to create and show the power we possess with 2 Trillion American voters. 2/3 being full flesh human. 1/8 being honorary humans. A full 3/4 are guaranteed to live to see November 2020 to change the whole political system and destroy what it sets on.

So what tree will do is he says there are 5 candidates that are worthy due to their souls and hard work and humanitarian based minds. (Including Biden)

And so in DNA4U and in your testing and education area he will educate you of all 5 candidates

Then he will recommend who is best for you to vote for due to your heart and how and who you want to see in that beautiful oval office.

So he will make personal recommendations for each individual with DNA4U and has the ability to vote.

(We will keep Trump alive till then for the ultimate torture) and so tree tells me 99% of registered voters that should die of COVID will still be alive to vote. Some are evil and watched carefully. Others are not.

So us tiny Gus-Gus and Gus that we are as voters can pull a Declan (love that name today) and do a Ms Chen and hold our chins up high and destroy the national government's Democrat and Republican only system.

We can take those donkey and elephants and ride them out of town! Of course Biden is Democratic. But in 2024 he may change to his own small political party that suits him best.

So tree is gonna help us fulfill the ultimate American dream and Rock the Vote so hard the cradle falls from the tree.

Rock a bye baby? I always always sang that to Annabelle for hours if she couldn't sleep.

Rock a bye baby in the tree top, when the wind blows the cradle will rock. And when the Bough breaks the cradle will fall, and down will come baby, cradle and all.

A New America.

Personally and for Rock the Vote, I always explained to Tree, Day One is the FREEDOM to vote and to NOT INFLUENCE on their decision to vote. But to encourage and protect.

However i told Tree of my Ultimate Dream which I have so declared. And he told me "when the time is right. Hindsight. Let's listen to Megadeth and you relax and get some sleep, when the time is right we will be ready. Its too far away now to explain. But sleep now my child"

He would also say "this is the 10th time you've told me this! I told you it's fine but not today!! Now go to sleep!"

You know we say our prayers before sleep. Think about what we did and what we need to do. While some of us don't see them as prayers, they are. I would not rest until the political system of the United States of America would and could change

And now it is the time, November 2020. This is the first time America has had So many voters. All with social security numbers because we've stopped human trafficking.

(For the most part) if they were found in the United States of America, they were issued social security numbers immediately. They were here working having their freedom taken away. So many are duel citizens. They earned the right to have a social security number. They lived and worked here against their will. And it is a law they are allowed to obtain a social security number for being kidnapped and put into human trafficking in the United States of America.

The law was put into effect by Obama and Biden during their administration. Biden complained they could do more but he didn't know what and Obama did. Social Security numbers and Citizenship. No testing required. The law was passed through Congress both the House in the Senate and Representatives. Should have been happening since 1882 because that was the law back then. Obama had it found and they reenacted it with a few minor updates and privileges. (1902 the law had been overturned by the then President and their political party which is now actually the Republican party).

This law will not be overturned because I will have tanks stationed at each fucking member of Congress to follow them around and let them know shit is gonna hit the fucking fan. I have more tanks than there are hospitals in the world. And I will kill each and every one that votes to overthrow the law. I shit you not. I have killed more people than Hitler. And with my bare hands in a mere two years killed 8,291 kidnappers. Kidnappers. So I'm very serious about protecting this law, I may look like a crazy psychopath but that is my right to do so.

In conclusion we can as small little mice, together, destroy an entire government. And we will with Tree's help.

As I said it is not the RIGHT of Rock the Vote to suggest who to vote for. But realize that Biden is a Vice President of 8 years and is against human trafficking and bull shit.

And so Tree will take care of that (suggestions on voting) because we have a total of 4.9 Trillion people who have the right to vote in the November 2020 election. And that is amazing. Never before in History has this been available.

And since most are first time voters Tree will guide you step by step and show you each candidate from birth. Including Trump and show you who they really are and not what they want you to see.

So only half our available voters are registered!!

If you left the country, tree will explain how you can still register as a duel citizen (rock the Vote isn't updated enough yet, hopefully they get onto that) in the DNA4U app.

He will do your personal suggestions first. Teach you all of them then have you review your suggestions. Then you can see and feel the difference heavily as to why those were ranked in that special way just for you.

He will do 2 ranking systems. 1 best for the world and 1 best fit of President of the qualifying 5 for your personality. Then he will suggest the vote for you to make to change the US government's political system.

So while Biden may be your heart. He may suggest a minor political party because Biden has too many votes already. Or vice versa.

So the suggestion MIGHT alter from your ranking system but he thinks it shouldn't have that effect as the world is more balanced and great minded than it seems to be.

So y'all are doing better than expected from 30 years ago's predictions.

So wrap that left arm around you if you're a guy and that right arm around you if you're a girl or whichever you pick, or do both and give yourself a right tight squeeze and a pat on the back. You all deserve it.

0 notes

go-redgirl · 5 years

Video

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AMERICAN WORKERS FIRST: President Trump URGENT Speech on Energy and Manu...

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INDIVIDUALS/COMMENTS/POSTS:

Elie Abi-lamah God Bless our President- Trump 2020 🗽

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REPLY Gladys Ucles 4 more years MR PRESIDENT TRUMP!

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REPLY zory robles DONALD TRUMP THE GREATEST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY!🇺🇸❤❤❤4 MORE YEARS🎉🎉🎉🎉

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REPLY Steven Marks DONALD TRUMP IS THE BEST PRESIDENT EVER

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REPLY Christina Ho It's refreshing to see an American president that truly loves and cares about the American people.

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REPLY zory robles Not only our president he's so smart!❤ but he's so funny also😂

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REPLY Elie Abi-lamah Made in the USA 🇺🇸- TRUMP 2020 🗽

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James Wilson Plumbers, carpenters, iron workers ect. Real diversity that makes America great.

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REPLY Ben John The only thing I can say thank you Mr President Trump for your promise made promise kept

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REPLY Manuel G Chapa Jr BEST PRESIDENT EVER!!!! TEJANOS FOR TRUMP 2020!!!

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REPLY Just4Fun This man is keeping all of his presidential ideas... except we are still waiting for Hillary to go to jail.

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REPLY Luke Hubbard Vote democrap if you wanna lose your job and live of food stamps 🤣

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REPLY Bess Burkhardt Hi everyone! Check out the convention of states, Article 5 of the United States Constitution, We the People can take our power back!

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REPLY V N Trump 2020!!!

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James B Best president ever. Saving our country.

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REPLY Bess Burkhardt 💕💕💕🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸PRESIDENT DONALD J TRUMP🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💕💕💕 greatest man alive!

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REPLY Fredroks God chose well when he chose Trump as his instrument of righteousness to save the Republic!

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REPLY Bess Burkhardt 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💕💕💕Let's Help the GREATEST MAN alive! Convention of States! We can help drain the swamp! He can't do everything alone. But he definitely has us all revved up to help!

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REPLY Elizabeth Fulkerson I love our President!!!! Thank you, Lord for him and First Lady!

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REPLY Sassy Gil Watch #DemocratsInPanicMode

They'll say anything to make people listen to them. LoL

#WalkAway -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPLY Donald Klun JR. Great rally bossman...trump 2020

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REPLY Candace Weatherlow Make America proud again sounds multitudes better than KAG Mapa Mapa Mapa!

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REPLY Lala Lyons President is so charming down to earth Loves people. 💋💋💋💋

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REPLY Reel Venom God Bless President Trump from lake grove New York

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REPLY Rich How could anybody not believe that he truly loves this country and wants the best for every citizen.Id vote for him for him the rest of my life.Nobody will ever top President Trump KAG 2020

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REPLY Ted Gehly Q WWG1WGA American Patriot Here

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Steph Watson I'm loving it! Specially Ivanka. 2024! You go girl

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dlhvac1 No more second amendment infringement

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Candace Weatherlow 3rd term trump dynasty! Mapa!

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REPLY Jimmaculate Such genius. Personable. Can build. Gets things done. Cares about everyone.

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brian deleon I hope Fredo is watching this speech and is taking it all in. Thin Skin CNN!!! very sensitive, delicate and sensitive. Trump 2020!!!!

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REPLY Just4Fun WE LOVE OUR PRESIDENT!!!

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REPLY William Morris Americas great Patriots are coming out in the open with a great President like Donald J. Trump.

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REPLY Michael Whaley Union worker and Trump supporter here! 🇺🇸💪

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REPLY Joe GOD’s Son Trump isn’t for 4 more years this man is for more at least for ever. Another person in the office will destroy all. Trump build demonrats destroy

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REPLY Lori Delia Wow! Pennsylvania is rocking! Thank you PA go red again in 2020 Trump all the way!❤️🇺🇸❤️

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REPLY Maurice Hodgdon Mr. President. We support you but southern WV still needs your help. We are continually left behind.

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REPLY Toxic Grunt I wonder if CNN & Fredo Cuomo will comment on this speach...

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REPLY Christopher Patitsas President Trump is amusing, playful, optimistic and interesting to listen to. He is having fun being President. And he is the biggest promoter of America that has ever held the office of the President.

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REPLY Lala Lyons LOVE LOVE LOVE President Trump Gods Speed Sir🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 May God you safe and your family and the ppl that love and Respect him. 😇😇😇

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REPLY Robert balibrera This Is How We Do It. !!!!

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REPLY Christopher Headley The greatest one to date. Trump 20/20 And Beyond

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REPLY Candace Weatherlow Truth! All truth!

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REPLY Vigen Ghazarian god bless our President Trump..... President Trump 2020... must close the loopholes in our immigration laws and start mass deportation of ALL illegal aliens..... only then, we would ensure proper voting and take full control of the Congress (and our destiny).....

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REPLY Roseanna Martin President Trump the master business man !! Trump 2020 MAGA KAG ... God Bless and protect President Trump and his family !!

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REPLY William Brammer My man 20/20 yea

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REPLY Bess Burkhardt 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💕KAG💕🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

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REPLY CarolSue Me Hi Tom Fitton..I see you!

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REPLY Mark blankenship he's a funny guy

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REPLY Sandy Seas What's with the three folks to the right of POTUS? 2 men, one woman. Even when POTUS faced them, they didn't move. Look like they don't belong there! Plants?

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REPLY Dona Herndon God bless our President, Mr. Donald John Trump, the greatest President in the world.

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REPLY Adrian Larkins i thought POTUS was on holiday. Some holiday!!

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REPLY KAREN G GRAY TRUMP, 2020!

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REPLY joey perez I just came back on to work in the Texas oil fields. Thank you president Trump for bringing it back!

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REPLY Katie Mynette I saw the President speak in Pennsylvania, and it was great? Katie Mynette.

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Richard Benitez In San Francisco once a huge project was started I’d watch in amazement how coordinated these gigantic cranes and machinery were operating . Trucks bearing pieces iron would be lined up for arrival... day after day... very complex... I’m totally stunned each time how quickly this buildings were put up.

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REPLY The Tinker Wait I thought that he went for a 10 days vacation?

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REPLY Miguel Tiempos The Greatest American President in History!!!

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REPLY Goat Goats second baaa!!!

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REPLY rolysantos Thank God for President Trump - He Gets things DONE! Thank God for the American Worker - They Get things DONE! God Save us from Hot Winded Politicians - They Do Nothing which is the same as destroying!

"A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things. " Proverbs 18:9 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPLY Thor Valhalla Is it just me, or do the two "people" (man and woman) to the rear of Trump's left shoulder, look pissed off? They must be DemoMarxists.

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REPLY Ed Thomsen Are those stoned face people in the background never trumpers or secret service??🤣😂😂😅😅😅🤣DAMN THEYRE KILLING THE MOOD 🤣😂😂😂😅😅😂

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REPLY Brenda Byerly Two people behind Pres. Trump on his right, wandering why they are there. Does not look like supporters but likes the job. Feel sorry for them. It could be worse. No jobs

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REPLY James Waite

Why is the unhappy lady on the left side and guy behind her there?

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Robert Ballard Trump is going to screw himself pushing unconstitutional gun laws,,, the exact opposite of what he promised

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REPLY Dana May I did not know all that.

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REPLY 123kkambiz President Trump the Great

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REPLY Candace Weatherlow Move shell!

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REPLY Louis John Best president ever maga

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REPLY Sandra Panarella You go pa president Trump your awesome trump2020usa USA USA 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸♥️♥️♥️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸♥️♥️♥️👊👊👊🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👊👊👊♥️♥️♥️👊👊United we stand👊👊👊♥️♥️♥️

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REPLY Louis John Trump 2020

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REPLY Kevin Falcao FACTS CHECKED?. Lets hear IF these are ACTUAL facts. FIRST.

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REPLY Henk de Vries The woman on the left, is she ever gonna smile? What is she doing there?

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REPLY Sun shine God bless our President. But some of those people that are standing behind them especially that one broad to the left how miserable she is you got to know she's a Democrat. Not thankful not grateful one miserable bride. Look at him some of them clap and they're happy they have a job but look at the others they're downright miserable that's what being a Democrat does to you it feel tease your mind and you're just nothing but negative. But our president is positive. Thank God we have him because none of those people would be standing there and we wouldn't be watching this today if that old Wicked which Hillary was in office.

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REPLY emya098 BPE! Now that we are energy independent & are getting many manufacturing back, can we please start manufacturing our own clothing? We need to bring the cotton mills back & with then we can start manufacturing our own clothing. Of course this means increasing the growth of cotton in our country. Are we all tired of "made in China" or "made in the Philippines or Indonesia" clothing & textiles & paying premium prices for inferior products? I'm tired of it. I know that this may not be a priority today, but can we make it a priority in the next 4 years? And as a by product, regaining the manufacturing of the large equipment needed to run these industries, right down to the sewing machines used in our homes. Why are we not manufacturing these things? I love the big stuff, but what about the small stuff too? Trump 2020! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPLY Peetzah_Playz ❤️❤️❤️❤️💕💕🤩🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

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REPLY TheInfinitequest TheInfi

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0 notes

bmclassahan · 5 years

Text

Of Vice and Men

WASHINGTON, DC- Rising political star and low-key 2024 Vice Presidential candidate Brian Callahan is in critical condition after suffering a Grinchian heart expansion yesterday whilst delivering a presentation on the merits of artificially frosted flakes to the United Cereal Association. “This glazed look just came over his eyes,” cited an unnamed source, “and he started clutching his chest. It was as if this big ol’ ruby was just flashing beneath his skin.”

According to phone records and those close to Callahan himself, the agriculture wonk had just returned from his family retreat somewhere in the foothills of eastern Massachusetts. Callahan had recently seen Adam McKay’s new film, Vice, which depicts former vice president Dick Cheney and stars Christian Bale as the titular figure, alongside such actors as Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, and Tyler Perry. To determine whether there was any link between this viewing and the episode that occurred less than a day later, we viewed the film on our own and assessed it against Callahan’s situation, to see if there were any possible correlations.

The opening of Vice intersperses scenes of Dick Cheney drunkenly stumbling out of a car and orchestrating the presidential war room in the immediate wake of the 9-11 attacks. It’s a remarkable juxtaposition and what follows shows how Cheney made that journey, from a “zero” in his wife Lynne’s (played by Adams) terms, to arguably becoming one of the most powerful leaders in United States history. As he gains power and influence in Washington, starting out as a congressional intern and lackey to Donald Rumsfeld (Carell, in a deliciously black comedic performance a la something out of Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb) to increasingly significant positions in the Nixon and Ford White Houses (“any Republican untouched by Watergate is golden” he gleefully confides to Rumsfeld after the Nixon resignation), and tenure as Wyoming’s lone congressman during the Reagan years, you see how he achieves a drawn-out, coldly calculated grand strategy. After a stint as Halliburton CEO, Cheney becomes George W. Bush’s (Rockwell in a uncanny turn) running mate (“He wants to impress his father” he thinks to himself during their first face-to-face meeting) and ultimately the de facto leader of America, with seemingly unchecked power as wielded through what is noted as the unitary executive theory (basically to Vice what subprime loans were to The Big Short). In doing so, he ushers in a new era marked by an interminable war on terror, culture of fear, concentration of wealth and power in the elite, and fact-based reality distortion.

The performances here are stunning. Bale, of course, is a tour de force in the title role, depicting Cheney over forty-plus years with an exacting, razor’s edge verisimilitude to the various forms the character takes in his ladder to power, all the while retaining that constant darkness at the core of his subject’s soul—those empty eyes and the seemingly permanent horizontal line of his lips, never smiling nor frowning. Some may liken the complete physical disappearance to that of Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in last year’s Darkest Hour, but Bale here really goes a level deeper, probing the emotional depths (or lack thereof) in a way that makes his portrayal feel frighteningly real, as if we are somehow not just watching a real person on screen, but the truth of that person, or at the least, an important truth worth considering.

McKay’s achievement in depicting all this, doneso with what feels like a smoother application of his fourth-wall breaking style (as previously deployed in The Big Short), makes him a sort of muckraking Shakespeare for our times. In the views of some, like James Mann, the author of Rise of the Vulcans: The History of Bush’s War Cabinet, McKay’s interpretation of Cheney may be off: “Vice’ suggests that Cheney’s legacy is a soulless quest for power, rather than the advancement of fallacious beliefs that seriously damaged our nation” (“The Dick Cheney of ‘Vice’ just craves power. The reality was worse,”). Much like the Bard, however, who seems to be quoted at one point in what is actually dialogue written by the director himself, McKay seems less interested in capturing history exactly as it was, rather in telling a story and getting at universal truths that may be applied to our time (for more on Shakespeare and McKay, check out “VICE And Adam McKay’s Shakespearean Tendencies” by Abby Olcese). Namely, how ego-fueled quests for power erode the soul and irreparably damage the world.

Perhaps Callahan made a similar realization. Or perhaps he saw the image of Cheney’s black, pockmarked, withered husk of a heart, let in all the goodness he had been blocking out, and in so doing was overwhelmed with a rush of positive energy that changed the path of his life, at least from a medical standpoint. Only time will tell.

#vice

0 notes

amtushinfosolutionspage · 6 years

Text

DGB Grab Bag: Kessel’s Hot Dog Hockey Card, Shootouts, and a Puck to the Dome

Three stars of comedy

The third star: Joe Thornton and Brent Burns – When they’re not challenging WWE tag teams, they’re mastering the weirdly specific sub-genre of commercials that involved them just randomly yelling at people.

The second star: Jonathan Ericsson – Just be a nice guy and toss a puck to a fan, what’s the worst that could happen?

(Via r/hockey.)

The first star: Phil Kessel’s hockey card – It was tempting to give this week’s obligatory Phil Kessel spot to this or maybe this, but instead we’ll go with his new hockey card featuring his day with the Cup. Yes, that one:

At some point, we’re going to have to disqualify Kessel from future appearances in the three stars. That moment is currently scheduled for one day after I write my last column. Besides, he had to be first star because everyone in his family is winning stuff this week. Hey, speaking of which…

Debating the Issues

This week’s debate: Wednesday’s women’s gold medal game between Team Canada and Team USA was an all-time classic. But should Olympic gold medal games end with shootouts?

In favor: No, of course not.

Opposed: No, of course not.

The final verdict: No, of course not.

The NHL Actually Got Something Right

The NHL does not award the Stanley Cup based on the results of a shootout.

Trivial Annoyance of the Week

The women’s gold medal game ended in a freaking shootout.

OK, I think the point has been made. But we all agree on this, right?

Actually, it seems like we do. In the moments before and after Wednesday’s shootout, the reaction was pretty close to unanimous. Just about everyone was dreading the way that game ended. American media. Canadian media. Analytics guys. Legendary American players. Canadian Olympians from entirely different sports. Me. You, assuming you’re a decent person.

So why did the game have to end in a shootout?

That’s not a rhetorical question; I’d really love to know why you’d ever use a shootout in a gold medal game. In the round robin or earlier playoff rounds, sure—maybe you don’t want one team to get trapped in a six-period marathon that hurts them for the rest of the tournament. But the gold medal game? Why?

It’s not about keeping the rules consistent, since they already make overtime longer in the final game. It’s not about needing the ice for the next game, since there isn’t one. It’s not about fatigue, you’d think, since it’s the last game. Or is it? That’s the only option that makes sense. But not much.

Sure, players are going to get tired in long games. We saw that on Wednesday, when Team Canada looked absolutely gassed as overtime went on. But that’s hockey. Conditioning is part of the sport. So is bench management. The shootout probably didn’t change the result of the game, since a Team USA win was looking inevitable the longer it went.

But that’s the problem—they deserved that win, a real win, not a gimmicked one that gives Canadians an out. Wednesday’s shootout was just about as good as a shootout can possibly be, with some dramatic stops and truly great goals. Jocelyne Lamoureux’s winner will become an iconic goal in international hockey history. But it was still a shootout. Shootouts suck. Sometimes they’re a necessary evil, maybe. But gold medal games are never one of those times.

The Canadian men will play for gold this weekend, and while there’s no chance they can match the drama and intensity of the women’s final, here’s hoping they at least get to settle the biggest hockey game of their lives by playing hockey.

And if at some point in the future, somebody tries to invoke Wednesday’s classic as a reason to consider using the shootout in the NHL playoffs, load them into a bobsled and slide them into a lake.

Obscure Former Player of the Week

It’s been an interesting week for Montreal Canadiens fans. Their current captain, Max Pacioretty, is expected to be traded before Monday’s deadline. And the guy who held the job before him, Brian Gionta, was the captain of Team USA at the Winter Olympics.

Not many players can say they’ve worn the “C” for the Canadiens; it’s a list that includes legends like Rocket Richard, Doug Harvey, Jean Beliveau and Newsy Lalonde. In recent times, the honor hasn’t been quite as prestigious, with names like Mike Keane, Vincent Damphousse and Pierre Turgeon taking their turns. But the Canadiens are so enamored with their own history that just holding the job confers a certain type of fame on a player. You wouldn’t think it would be possible for there to be any obscure former Habs captains.

But then you’d be forgetting this week’s player: Walter Buswell.

Buswell was a solid defensive defenseman who started his NHL career with the Red Wings in 1932. He spent three seasons in Detroit, racking up 13 points in 140 games, before being traded to the Bruins as part of a deal for future Hall-of-Famer Marty Barry. Boston flipped him to the Canadiens two days later for Roger Jenkins, and Buswell spent the next five seasons in Montreal.

Those seasons weren’t very good. The Habs missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade in Buswell’s first year, then lost in the opening round in each of the next three. It was a tumultuous time, with Montreal burning through five coaches and three GMs. By the 1939-40 season, Buswell was one of the oldest players left on the team, and was given the captaincy after Babe Siebert retired to become the team’s latest coach.

It ended up being a forgettable year; Siebert never coached a game because he drowned in Lake Huroan during the offseason, the team had a stretch where they won one game out of 20, and the Canadiens finished dead last, a feat they haven’t repeated in the almost eight decades since. It was also Buswell’s last as captain, and as an NHL player. Toe Blake took over the honor and held it for most of the next decade, while Buswell headed to the QPHL and was out of hockey entirely by 1941.

Be It Resolved

The trade deadline is now just three days away, and while the market is picking up, it’s still been fairly slow. That’s a bit of a surprise, given that there are a decent number of sellers this year. And you’d think there would be more draft picks in play, since this year’s crop is considered to be a relatively weak one. But so far, GMs don’t seem to want to move their 2018 picks.

But maybe there’s a way around that. And the key may be hidden in this week’s least interesting deal: The one that sent Eric Fehr from the Maple Leafs to the Sharks for a seventh-round pick.

Most Leafs fans’ reaction to the trade was something along the lines of “Wait, we still have Eric Fehr?” And they only kind of did—he’d been loaned to Anaheim’s AHL team, so he wasn’t even playing for the organization. But the Leafs wanted to free up a roster spot and a bit of cap space. The Sharks needed some fourth-line veteran depth, so they coughed up a late pick.

And it really was a late pick, because the Leafs don’t get the choice until 2020.

It’s relatively rare in the NHL these days to see a draft pick traded more than two years in advance. But maybe it shouldn’t be. Maybe that’s the way to loosen up the market a little bit. If NHL GMs are going to be tightwads with their next bushel of draft picks, then let’s start trading ones for future drafts.

Like, way in the future. Forget 2020. Who wants a 2024 first rounder?

There’s actually plenty of precedent for hockey trades involving far-off future picks. It happens in junior hockey all the time. Check out this year’s biggest CHL deadline trades; they’re full of future picks. Here’s a team trading nine draft picks that stretch all the way to 2023. Here’s a team giving up three picks, none earlier than 2021. Here’s a team trading their second-round pick in 2026. That’s eight years in the future. That’s so long that the Sabres might even be good by then.

How much fun would it be to see NHL teams trading picks from 2026? Do you know how to properly value a draft pick that far down the line? I don’t! I bet NHL GMs don’t either, which would lead to all sorts of unpredictable results when they sat down to work deals. Plus imagine tracking the ups and downs of a rival team, knowing your team owned their first rounder a half-decade from now. It would be great.

Granted, junior hockey isn’t the NHL. Draft picks aren’t as valuable, and teams go through cyclical and relatively predictable stages of contending that make trading away future picks a little easier. But it’s not like an NHL GM has never thought of acquiring future picks. In fact, it was pretty much the trademark of the best GM ever, Montreal Canadiens’ legend Sam Pollock. He built a dynasty out of ripping off dumb teams, stockpiling their future picks and then turning them into guys like Guy Lafleur and Larry Robinson.

If Pollock could do it, couldn’t the GM of your favorite team? Well, no, because they’re not as smart as Sam Pollock. But you think they’d be willing to try. And even a dumbed-down version of the Pollock strategy could probably break a few logjams.

So be it resolved, let’s stretch out the event horizon for NHL trades. You can’t give up your precious third-round pick this year? Fine, give us your second from 2021. You probably won’t even be the GM by then, so let’s get this done and hit the bar.

Classic YouTube Clip Breakdown

With the trade deadline looming, GMs all across the league are sitting in conference rooms with their front office staff, plotting out the moves that will impact their teams for years to come.

But what do those highly private conversations sound like? As it turns out, we have at least some idea, thanks to one team that figured it would be a good idea to film a crucial decision and put it on the internet. Spoiler alert: It would not be the only bad decision they made that week.

It’s June 29, 2013, with the draft and free agency just days away. These fine folks you see here are the assembled brain trust of the Boston Bruins, who’ve just finished up their second Stanley Cup final appearance in three years. Everything is going well. Let’s see if we can pinpoint the moment that changes.

The star of our clip is, of course, then Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli. He also looks really miserable throughout this entire clip, which makes me wonder what he must look like today with the Oilers. Has anyone seen him lately? Are we completely sure he hasn’t gone goth on us?

Things start off with what seems like a reasonably straightforward problem: The team wants to re-sign Nathan Horton, but as Chiarelli puts it, “we’re having difficulty.” That was true; Horton was basically stringing the Bruins along, waiting out the clock to get to free agency. We eventually found out he wasn’t happy with the Bruins waiting to negotiate, but at the time, the whole thing was a bit of a mystery.

Still, it’s Nathan Horton. Good player, but he’s not going to make or break your team. No need to panic, right?

Yeah, not so much. As Chiarelli explains, signing either Horton or a reasonable replacement will mean they’ll have to move a player, and the guy he’s focused on is Tyler Seguin. At this time, Seguin is 21 years old, three years removed from being the second overall pick, and has already led the Bruins in scoring. But he’s coming off a disappointing playoff run, and now he might be on the block. Chiarelli opens the floor to feedback.

First up is Keith Gretzky, making his second ever YouTube section appearance. He apparently isn’t much a Seguin fan, accusing him of not wanting to pay the price. He’s followed by director of player personnel Scott Bradley, who suggests Seguin isn’t physical enough and relies on his skill.

“Sound familiar?” Chiarelli asks, in a pretty transparent reference to Phil Kessel. “Yeah, it does,” Bradley replies, and then there’s a weird jump cut where something is clearly edited out. I’m assuming it was somebody else going “It sounds like Keith’s older brother, somebody remind me if he turned out to be any good?” and then being dragged out of the room and thrown down an elevator shaft.

We see a shot of Chiarelli talking to Don Sweeney, which ends up being a bit of ironic foreshadowing given how this all plays out. Meanwhile, we get a voiceover by Denis Leary, which is weird, because I don’t even remember Bill Hicks doing this bit.

Chiarelli calls “Paul,” which is Horton’s agent Paul Krepelka. We only hear one side of the conversation, but we can tell from Chiarelli’s reaction that he’s not hearing good news. “Done,” he tells the group. We then cut to a shot of Jim Benning making the exact same face that every Canucks fan made last week when they found out about Jim Benning’s extension.

We skip ahead a day, and now Chiarelli wants everyone to weigh in one a potential Seguin trade. Bradley’s up first, and this time he’s done being subtle; he just buries Seguin. So does Bruins legend and team president Cam Neely. If there’s a dissenting voice in the room, we don’t get to hear it—these guys clearly don’t like Seguin, and they want him gone.

I mean, can we just take a moment to appreciate how insane it is that this was all filmed and released? As a fan I love behind-the-scenes stuff and as media I want as much information as possible, but it’s crazy that the Bruins would let this see the light of day in a league that obsesses over bulletin board material. The only saving grace is that surely everyone involved learned their lesson and never let themselves be filmed talking trade ever again.

All that said, now I kind of want to know what the Kessel trade conversation was like in 2009. I’m guessing it was just Chiarelli taking off his jacket Ric Flair-style and elbow-dropping a photo of Kessel over and over.

Chiarelli goes to work the phone, talking to an unnamed GM about first round picks and prospects. That’s where our clip ends, although you can watch the rest of the episode here. That clip doesn’t give us any additional insight into the eventual trade, which saw the Bruins send Seguin to Dallas as part of a seven-player deal for Loui Eriksson and prospects. We just skip ahead to Eriksson meeting Cam Neely, touring the rink, and waving a watch in front of Benning while repeating “You will sign me to a terrible free agency contract in three years.”

The epilogue: Seguin immediately blossomed into a point-a-game star, and is the sixth-leading scorer in the league since the trade went down. Eriksson, who’s never been anyone’s idea of a physical player, lasted three years in Boston. All in all, not good.

So what happened to the brain trust in the meritocracy-based NHL? Well, three (Chiarelli, Benning and Sweeney) are currently running teams, and two more (Gretzky and Bradley) have since been promoted to assistant GM. But at least they all learned a valuable lesson about the dangers of trading a top pick from the 2010 draft.

Have a question, suggestion, old YouTube clip, or anything else you’d like to see included in this column? Email Sean at [email protected].

DGB Grab Bag: Kessel’s Hot Dog Hockey Card, Shootouts, and a Puck to the Dome syndicated from https://australiahoverboards.wordpress.com

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