#STAND UP FOR YOUR NATIONAL ANTHEM SOUTH KOREA!

[theboytatu]

i'm sorry this is literally the boyband of all time. like those are literally the singers of the nation

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Welcome to Too Much Information Tuesday!

To help sex workers get more business during the 16th century, officials in Venice designated a bridge where women could stand and display their breasts. The bridge still stands to this day and is called 'Ponte delle Tette' or 'the bridge of tits'.

Clinomania is the excessive desire to lay in bed all day.

The word ‘friends’ is said in every episode of ‘Friends’.

Women burn more calories during sex if they reach orgasm. If.

The expiration date on water bottles is for the bottle, not the water.

‘Suckabob’ was a 19th-century variant of ‘lollipop’.

One billion people speak English. That's one in every seven on Earth.

According to her last wishes, Elizabeth Taylor arrived late for her own funeral.

There are more phone calls placed on Mother's Day than any other day of the year.

Ford has a robot called Robutt that simulates a large man sitting on its car seats.

Great news! Just got a job as senior director at Old MacDonald's Farm. I'm the CIEIO.

People who enjoy helping others and/or spending money on others tend to be less stressed and happier.

A waterside restaurant in Perth, Australia, hands out water pistols so that diners can repel the seagulls.

A study from the University of Warwick has determined that Britons are genetically predisposed to be grumpy.

4,000 children under the age of two are listed as owners of British companies.

Senior citizens in New Zealand can join ‘coffin clubs’, where they meet up once a week to make and decorate their own coffins.

In Japan, there is a hotel where you can stay for just $1 a night. The catch is you must agree to live stream your entire stay on YouTube.

There’s a caterpillar that eats coca leaves and vomits cocaine onto its predators.

In 2013, a man bought a house next to his ex-wife just to install a giant middle finger statue for her to see every day.

If you keep smelling something that is not really there, you may be experiencing the earliest symptoms of schizophrenia.

Mosquito repellents don't repel, they hide you. The spray blocks the mosquito's sensors so they don't know you are there.

The birth rate in Japan is so low that adult nappy sales are rapidly overtaking those of babies’ nappies.

37% of Britons think their jobs are meaningless and don’t contribute to the world.

The human anus can expand up to eight inches. A raccoon can fit through a four-inch hole.

If you commit a crime in North Korea, it's not just you that goes to prison, your children and your grandchildren get sent to prison too.

02.10.22: Boy George signs up for ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’ after landing the show’s biggest-ever pay check (rumoured to be a million dollars!)

A Californian couple named Helen & Les Brown were both born on December 31st, 1918. They married for 75 years and both lived to the age of 94 until they both died in 2013, one day apart.

Over thinking is a special form of fear. This fear becomes worse when adding anticipation, memory, imagination, and emotion together.

The first recorded use of the word ‘woke’ to mean well informed, was in a New York Times glossary of ‘words you might hear in Harlem’ from 1962.

Aretha Franklin was tracked for 40 years by the FBI, which used false phone calls, surveillance, infiltration and highly placed sources in an attempt to tie her to ‘extremists’.

At the 1967 South African Grand Prix, the Mexican national anthem couldn’t be found, so the organisers played the ‘Mexican Hat Dance’ instead.

“Stupidity is knowing the truth, seeing the truth but still believing the lies. And that is more infectious than any other disease.” (Professor Richard Feynman)

The rate of unexpected winter deaths in the UK is twice that of Finland, yet London’s January temperature is 10C higher than Helsinki. At least one death every 52 minutes caused by living in a cold house.

The script for award-winning series ‘Squid Game’ was originally completed by creator Hwang Dong-hyuk back in 2009, but was rejected by studios for 10 years for being "too violent" and "too unrealistic". Now, in 2022, it sits at No. 1 as the most-watched show in Netflix history.

In 1915, a woman arrived late at her sister's funeral. When she arrived, she demanded that her sister's coffin be raised so she could see her one last time. Upon opening the coffin, her sister, Essie Dunbar, sat up and smiled at her. She went on to live another 47 years.

Okay, that’s enough information for one day. Have a tremendous and tumultuous Tuesday! I love you all.

[letterboxd]

A Leaf in a Stream.

The matriarchs of Minari—Youn Yuh-jung and Han Ye-ri—talk to Aaron Yap about chestnuts, ear-cleaning, dancing, Doctor Zhivago and their unexpected paths into acting.

A delicate cinematic braid that captures the sense of adventure, sacrifice and uncertainty of uprooting, Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari might be the closest approximation of my immigrant experience on the big screen yet. Sure, Arkansas is a world of difference from New Zealand. But those dynamics and emotional textures of a family in the process of assimilation—authentically realized by Chung—remain the same.

The film is a wonder of humane storytelling, with the American-born Chung encasing deeply personal memories in a brittle, bittersweet calibration that recalls the meditative, modest glow and touching whimsy of an Ozu or Kore-eda. As Jen writes, “To describe Minari? Being embraced in a long, warm hug.” Or perhaps, it’s like Darren says, “floating along peacefully like a leaf in a stream”.

Neither is alone in their effusive praise. Minari rapidly rose to the top of Letterboxd’s Official Top 50 of 2020, and by year’s end our community had crowned it their highest-rated film. Despite its cultural specificity—a Korean family shifting to the Ozarks in the 1980s—the film has transcended barriers and stolen hearts. Run director Aneesh Chaganty says, “I saw my dad. I saw my mom. I saw my grandma. I saw my brother. I saw me.” Iana writes, “Its portrayal of assimilation rang so true and for that, I feel personally attacked.” The versatile herb of the title, Kevin observes, is “a marker of home, of South Korea, but it can grow and propagate as long as there is water.”

Though a large portion of Minari was vividly drawn from Chung’s childhood, a few of the film’s most quietly memorable moments were contributions from its Korean-born cast.

Youn Yuh-jung as Soonja in ‘Minari’.

Veteran actress Youn Yuh-jung, who’s extraordinary as the visiting, wily grandmother Soonja, traces the origins of the scene where she cracks open a chestnut in her mouth and hands it to seven-year-old grandson David (Alan Kim), to her time living in America. “I’ve seen one grandmother visiting at the time—we don’t have chestnuts in Florida—she brought them all the way from Korea. Actually it was worse than the scene. My friend’s mother brought [the] chestnut. She chewed it and spit it out into a spoon and shared it with her grandson. Her husband was an Irishman. He was almost shocked. We didn’t do that, but I shared that kind of thing with Isaac.”

Most viewers watching this scene will likely recoil in horror, as David does, but co-star Han Ye-ri, playing Soonja’s daughter Monica, notes the practicality of the gesture: “If you give a big chunk to children they could choke on that, so it’s natural for them to do that for their children.”

In another brief, beautifully serene scene—one that is so rarely depicted in American cinema that it’s almost stunning—Monica is seen gently cleaning David’s ears. Han came up with the idea. “Originally it was cutting the nails for David,” she says. “Cleaning your wife and husband’s ears is such a common thing in Korea. Initially the producer or somebody from the production opposed the idea because they regarded it as dangerous, but because it is something that is so common in our daily lives I thought we should go with the idea.”

Neither actress comes from a traditional movie-oriented background. With no acting ambitions, Youn began her fifty-year career with a part-time job hunt that led her to distributing gifts to an audience at a TV station. “It was freshman year from college and they gave me pretty good money. So I thought, ‘Wow, that’s good!’.”

“I’m kind of ashamed about that, as nowadays all the kids plan their future,” she says. “When I talk to the younger generation, they start having dreams about being an actor in the sixth grade. In the sixth grade, I was just playing—nothing. I didn’t plan anything. [Laughs.]”

Han Ye-ri and Noel Kate Cho in ‘Minari’.

Before acting, Ye-ri trained as a professional dancer, and while she wasn’t specifically inspired by movies to cross over into acting, she was an avid film watcher in her formative years. “Working as an actress made me realize how many films I’ve seen growing up.”

“My first memory of a non-Korean-language film left such a strong impression on me, especially the ending,” she says. “The film is called Doctor Zhivago. I saw it on TV and not in theaters. The first film I saw in theaters was Beauty and the Beast. But even growing up I remember because Koreans love films so much they would have films on TV all the time. I watched a lot of TV growing up because both my parents were busy, and in retrospect that really helped become the basis of my career. [Laughs.]”

She also grew up “taking reference from Miss Youn’s body of work to study from, as did many other actresses”. Grateful for the opportunity to work with her on Minari, Ye-ri says, “On set working with her, it made me realize how wonderful it is that this person still carries her own distinct color and scent. And seeing her taking part in this production in a foreign country—she’s over 70—it just really encouraged me that I should be more fearless like her.” She adds: “One of the things that I really want to learn from her is her sense of humor but I think I’m going to have that for my next life. [Laughs.]”

As for Youn’s adventures in early movie-going, she recalls the first Korean film she saw with her father was the 1956 historical drama Ma-ui taeja, based on a popular Korean fairy tale. “I was so scared. I cried so my father had to take me out of the theater.”

“At [the] time, we always had to watch the news on the screen before the movie. It started with a national anthem and every audience from the theater would need to stand up and pledge to the Korean flag. It’s a very stupid thing for you guys but it was like that 60 years ago.”

Han Ye-ri as Monica in ‘Minari’.

For Minari fans who want to discover more of Youn’s work, she recommends starting with the first movie she made with the late, great director Kim Ki-young, Woman of Fire—a remake of his own 1962 Korean classic The Housemaid. “A long time ago I couldn’t see it. Of course I first saw it when it was shown at the theater back when I was twenty. But later on we had a retrospective, so I saw that movie 50 years later. Wow, he was very genius. I was very impressed. That time we had censorship and everything but with that crisis he made that film. That was a memorable movie to [me].”

Youn admits finding it difficult to be emotionally invested watching a film starring herself, including Minari. “It’s terrible, it’s killing me,” she says. “I always think about why I did this and that scene like that. I’m just criticizing every scene so I’m not enjoying it at all.”

Asked which films she enjoys, she offers: “Some other people’s movies like Mike Leigh and Kore-eda Hirokazu. Your Chinese movies I fell in love with. Zhang Yimou when he started. Then later on when he became a big shot, I don’t enjoy [them]. [Laughs.]”

During the shoot, members of the cast and crew caught Lulu Wang’s The Farewell, 2019’s powerful, heartfelt Chinese-American immigrant story. While Youn missed it (“I was just staying home trying to memorize the lines and resting”), Ye-ri watched with interest: “That film also had a grandmother character, so did ours, and these two are completely different. But at the same time from both films you can feel the warmth and thoughtfulness of grandmothers in different ways. To me they are both very lovely films.”

Of her recent viewings, Ye-ri reveals she found Soul made her as emotional as Minari did. “It made me look back at how I live and my day. It’s not necessarily for children but I think it’s a film for adults. [Pauses.] I’m Thinking of Ending Things. I love that film also.”

‘Minari’ is out now in select theaters across the US and other territories, with virtual screenings available to US audiences in the A24 screening room.

[vodkctonic-blog]

jung hoseok, cismale, he/him, 25. — [ BOYEON “BO” NAM ], better known as the [ BENEFACTOR ], has been in crestwood for [ ONE YEAR ]. i think he is a [ CEO ]. rumor has it, he can be [ ADVENTUROUS ] & [ CHARISMATIC ] but also [ HEDONISTIC ] & [ MANIPULATIVE ] which is why i’ve heard their anthem is [ BIG SPENDER ] BY [ AS$AP ROCKY ft. THEOPHILUS LONDON ].

hey demons, it’s me, ya girl, cait, back at it again with this ABSOLUTE garbage can of a character... there’s not a ton of backstory on him under the cut bc i’m still trying to work all that out but basically he’s just... a fucking mess.

                                        BASIC INFORMATION.

full name: nam boyeon. nickname(s): bo. age: twenty-five. date of birth: october 31st. birthplace: daegu, south korea current location: crestwood, south carolina, usa. ethnicity: korean. nationality: korean. gender: cismale. pronouns: he/him/his. orientation: bisexual. occupation: ceo of multiple multi-million dollar corporations. language(s) spoken: english, korean, chinese, japanese, spanish, greek, thai & french.

                                PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.

face claim: jung hoseok ( jhope ) of bts. hair color: changes occasionally, currently crimson red. eye color: brown. height: 5'9". weight: 169. build: athletic. tattoos: n/a. piercings: n/a.

                                             HEALTH.

physical ailments: seasonal allergies. neurological conditions: n/a. allergies: pollen, mold. sleeping habits: 4-5 hours a night, usually restless. eating habits: varies depending on his mood, loves going to small diners to pig out on greasy food but also loves going to very high end restaurants. exercise habits: boxes as a form of exercise, cardio is usually a once a week thing. other than that he figures he moves around enough thanks to his job that he doesn't need extensive workouts. body temperature: normal. addictions: alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sex, gambling. drug use: frequent. alcohol use: frequent.

                                       PERSONALITY. ( PT 1. )

label: the benefactor. positive traits: adventurous, charasmatic. negative traits: hedonistic, blunt. fears: large bodies of water. hobbies: boxing, card games, video games, reading, cooking. habits / quirks: tba.

                                               FAVORITES.

season: fall. color(s): gold, sliver, red, matte black. music: not picky. movies: action, horror, suspense. sport(s): basketball, baseball, hockey. beverage(s): whiskey, dr pepper, iced tea, arnold palmers. food: steak, lobster, burgers, pizza, fries, kimchi. animal: dogs.

                                                  FAMILY.

father: tba. mother: tba. sibling(s): younger sibling, nineteen. children: n/a. pet(s): australian sheppard puppy named orion. family’s financial status: upper class.

                                                      EXTRAS.

zodiac sign: scorpio. mbti: entp-a. ( the debater ) enneagram: type eight. ( the challenger ) temperament: choleric. hogwarts house: slytherin. moral alignment: chaotic neutral. primary vice: lust. primary virtue: pride. element: fire.

                                                BIOGRAPHY.

i don't have like a full bio for him worked out yet but...

all you need to know is he's a cocky, blunt, impulsive & hedonistic af rich bitch who will flirt with anyone and everyone.

owns like..... 5 or 6 different multi-million dollar corporations and is constantly looking to become the ceo of more.

possibly got himself involved in some gang shit but no one knows he's involved in like the drugs part of that so sh

loves money & power.

also highkey loves blowing his money on other people ??

can be a dickhead sometimes but not always

spent 19m dollars on a one of a kind bugatti just to flex that he was the owner

is a hot ass mess

if u wanna know more pls hmu this is garbage im sorry

                                     PERSONALITY. ( PT 2. )

hides behind a wall of sarcasm, cockiness, and lust.

doesn’t really care to get to know people and had a tendency to push people away before they get too close to him.

but will also tease and mess with literally everyone.

wears glasses to read and mess w computers, but hates them a lot and probably won’t wear them if people are around.

is ….stubborn as hell and refuses to ask for help with anything.

his cars are literally his babies ??? like he ?? has a problem ??

a hotmess

fluent in a lot of languages, picked them up so that he didn’t need translators for business meetings, loves flaunting that skill.

lowkey worried that people will figure out that he’s actually v soft on the inside because that’ll cause him to start having to deal with his feelings, and he doesn’t wanna do that.

is the biggest flirt you will ever meet??

will try to get everyone to go to bars n parties with him ??

plays piano / violin & all that jazz.

drinks..heavily..  like every night?? it’s a problem tbh.

he cares… god he cares so much about people and the world but he pretends to hate everything because it’s easier than letting people in.

owns a book that is full of nothing but blank pages and keeps it on his coffee table because he ‘relates’ to it.

is a highkey hoe

super into fitness

loves boxing so much and can be seen at the gym quite a bit.. also has bruised knuckles 24/7 because of it as it’s a way to take out his aggression and feelings out on a punching bag?

speaking of… anger issues af. well… he's short tempered as hELL

actually super kind and caring once you’re able to see get past his wall?? which is really hard to do due to his job but if u do it he’ll cherish u.

has a bad habit of smoking whenever he’s stressed out, which is usually all of the time so he smokes…. more than he should. not just cigarettes either

he's a muffin. no, not a cute cupcake. a muffin.

                                                PLOT IDEAS.

bad influence. ( on your muse. )

best friends.

childhood friend.

competition.

confidant.

cousin.

current hook up(s).

drinking buddies.

drunken hook up.

enemies that used to be friends.

enemies.

exes who ended on bad terms.

flirtationship.

frenemies.

friendly competition.

friends that used to be enemies.

friends with benefits.

good influence. ( on boyeon. )

hate sex.

one night stand(s). ( past & present. )

partner in crime.

party buddies.

past hook up(s).

ride or die.

social media friends.

trouble makers.

[yessoupy]

an olympics au ficlet

“We are here at the Gangneung Ice Arena where just hours ago the men’s figure skating competition wrapped up with Japan atop the podium in the gold and silver positions and Spain -- with the country’s first figure skating Olympic medal! -- taking bronze. But that’s not what we’re watching now, is it? No, welcome to short track speedskating, where the boards are heavily padded and anything can happen.

“I’m Nick Grimshaw and I’ve got with me here Olympic bronze medalist Louis Tomlinson.”

“Good evening, Nick Grimshaw.”

“Tonight we’ve got the women’s fifteen hundred meter race and the men’s one thousand meter race. How different are these races, Louis?”

“Well, the fifteen hundred starts quite slow, compared to the five hundred that we watched earlier this week that is certainly a straight sprint. The one thousand is somewhere in between. Starts out faster than the fifteen hundred, but is just as strategic as that distance. All in all, it’s my absolute favorite distance.”

“That does not surprise me, Mr. Tomlinson, as that is the discipline in which you earned your own medal eight years ago at the Vancouver Olympics. And as luck would have it, one of our countrymen is entered into the one thousand and after already snagging himself a silver in the fifteen hundred, what would you say his chances are for this distance? Possible medal favorite?”

Louis clears his throat and Nick grins at him. He loves winding up the athlete. “Like I explained before the heats of the five hundred, Harry Styles, while a talented athlete, is not ranked in the top twenty at any distance. In fact, in the one thousand, he’s ranked forty-fourth in the world.”

“And when you won your medal, Louis, what were you ranked?”

“I don’t think that’s either here nor there, Grimshaw --”

“And on the ice we’ve got the first heat of the ladies’ fifteen hundred. In first position is .....”

What happened in the 1500 meter race could not have been predicted. The spills and thrills of short track speedskating are well-documented, but never has an athlete captivated Nick like Harry Styles has. And he’s not alone. In the heats he advanced due to a penalty on an American skater, and being the lone athlete able to stay on his feet during his quarterfinal pushed him to the semi-final. When the gold-medal favorite impeded on Harry while he held the lead halfway through the semi-final, he was advanced to the crowded -- nine skaters!! -- final. 

And every step of the way, Nick’s broadcast partner had down-played Harry’s chances. “Let’s not get our hopes up,” he’d said after the heats, “That’s not likely to happen again,” after the quarters, “He’s more likely to cause a crash here than benefit from one,” after the semis, and “I don’t think I’ve ever been this wrong about anything in my entire life,” after the final, Harry Styles circling the rink with the Union Jack around his neck like a cape, tears pouring down his face.

The truth is -- and Nick learned this when he got to interview him after his silver medal race -- Harry Styles has trained as hard as any other athlete out there on the oval and prior to these Games has had all the sort of bad luck that seemed to be visited on all of his competitors here. 

“It’s only,” Harry says slowly, standing up from where he’s slid the covers on his skate blades, wobbling a bit, “it’s only that I’m a bit clumsy.”

“Seems a bit dangerous, that. Being clumsy on razor blades?”

“We’ve got Kevlar in our suits,” he says, like that explains everything.

“That didn’t prevent J.R. Celski from --” and Nick breaks off, Harry making a ‘cut it out’ motion at his throat.

“Don’t like to think about that.”

They chat about the Olympic Village -- Nick’s been trying for days to figure out a way to sneak his way in -- and Harry shakes his hand when they part. In a few hours he’ll get his silver at the Medal Plaza and Nick is sure that he’ll cry again while the national anthem for South Korea plays. He’s right, and it’s like he can feel the whole of the country falling in love with this improbably short track speedskater.

“We find ourselves in this unexpected situation yet again, Louis Tomlinson. What should we look forward to in this one thousand meter final in men’s short track speedskating?”

“I have no idea.”

Nick looks over at Louis, surprised. This isn’t good television, Louis should at the every least make something up, but Louis looks genuinely at a loss for words. “They’re introducing the athletes now, Harry Styles is in the third position there, what kind of a difference does that make, as opposed to, say, first position?”

“It makes the most difference in the five hundred but with how Styles’ Olympics are turning out, I don’t think it matters at all what his starting position is."

and that’s where i ran out of steam lol

[onisionquotes]

WAKE UP CALL (Disrespectful NFL Players vs America)

Hi. Pardon if I struggle making this video because I still have a lot of back pain but I wanted to address this NFL issue that is going on right now where the democrats are saying you know, 'He should be able to take a knee. Freedom of expression'. And the republicans are saying 'How dare you disgrace our armed soldiers, our forces etc'. First off I'm a US Air Force veteran. I volunteered to be deployed to Iraq, I think three times. I went to pre-deployment training and I also volunteered for South Korea. Wound up going to South Korea instead. I think this whole issue is a joke. The fact that we are such a weak group of people that we get upset over a few people taking a knee. Why does everyone have to agree with you? That's my question. Why does everyone in this country have to be respectful? Why do we have to like try and kick people out of their job or this country just because they don't have their beliefs align with yours? Doesn't that seem like on of the most un-American things? You possibility do. To be so intolerant of other peoples views. Like, if you don't respect us - 'Urgh, We'll be totalitarian iron fist on you'. It doesn't really make sense but the more important point is that the democrats are making this - like you know, uh… the real issue. Which is the mistreatment of many Americans in this country and the conservatives are saying, you know, we're attacking the people that fought and died for this country. Listen, here is the thing. That flag represents all of us. Not just the group you agree with. Not just the soldiers or anything like that. It represents all of us. All citizens, maybe even immigrants that didn't come here legally. Who knows. It basically represents all the people in this country as far as I'm concerned. So when you look at the fifty stars, it represents the fifty states, which implies that it probably represents the people in those states. And when you look at the colors, the many colors of the flag. And when you look at just everything that just encompasses this country. We're talking drug lords. We're talking cops. We're talking school teachers, everybody. When you take a knee when the national anthem plays that represents this country. When you take a knee with the flag is waving and the majority of people have their hand on their heart or saluting etc. except for the majority, probably, of conservatives who sit on their couch, just not doing anything. Which is probably hypocritical if you think about it. If a football player takes a knee and your not even standing up with your hand on your heart but sitting on your couch watching the T.V.- a little bit contradictory. You should be upset at yourself if that is your standard. But when you take a knee, you're disrespecting probably what you intend to disrespect but to the person that's watching your disrespecting everyone. Or you're disrespecting the concept of the country itself. Which isn't a direct attack on anyone, except for everyone. Just from that ignorant prospective. So, what I'm saying in saying this is that is ridiculous to assume it's a direct attack on soldiers. If that flag only represented soldiers, maybe. But essentially when they take that knee from an ignorant prospective- you're disrespecting yourself as an American. You're disrespecting everyone else in the country. But, because there is this thing called context, and we're thinking humans. We can conclude that maybe it's actually about a specific issue in a very small fraction of that flag. Which is how they feel, many black people or otherwise minorities feel they are treated by authorities. Authorities that are government employees. Government employees is a big part of that flag. Government employees. Soldiers are government employees believe it or not. So I wanted to make this video to clear all this nonsense up because we as a country… When we have political parties, we like jumping to extremes to make it seam like one side is un-American and the other side is super American. We fight side by side when crap hits the fan guys. Like seriously. If North Korea invades us or whatever; doesn't even matter what you're political party is anymore. We're all side by side. It doesn't matter if your an illegal immigrant or not. We're all fighting side by side. Give them a gun. Defend our boarders. Defend our way of life etc. This is all petty first world nonsense. And the people that are posting to Facebook 'Democrats are un-American. I support Trump'. All that garbage. Stop. Okay. You're an American, I'm an American, Democrats are American, Liberals are freakin' not the enemy. Okay? They're not. They have most all the same values as you do. In fact a lot of liberals support gun ownership. Surprise. I know you've been brainwashed to think they don't. It's like watching a bunch of adults think and believe honestly they they're acting like adults but they're really just a bunch of children. They're making up extremes to demonize the opposition when that's just not honest, is it? We're all Americans and we need to stop acting like the end of the world comes because someone took a knee. That guy could be a dick or he could have a point, get over it. You don't have to boycott the entire billion dollar industry because a few people took a freakin' knee. Grow up and freakin' find a way to look at all of this with a more reasonable more unbiased perspective. You know, the only honest perspective. And so you can actually evolve as a human being and have a decent argument rather than consistently looking like an idiot who is completely and utterly warped by his own ego and his own training from birth by his likely idiot parents who are also extremest like him. Share this video with everyone. Do it because this is nonsense. Even if you download this and upload it to your own account, still share it. I don't care. Just make sure people hear this because I think most of people are sick of this crap.

[bignaz8]

Why I Stand

I stand proudly, and put my hand over my heart when I hear the National Anthem and see the flag. It is my personal expression. I feel my heart beating and remember those that have served and the many that have paid the ultimate sacrifice. I know that their dedication and sense of duty overcame their fear of the unknown. To me, the flag and anthem represent the trials and struggles we have endured to become a nation of United States. United. E Pluribus Unum; from many, one.

When Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner, my country was facing a very real threat and invasion of a foreign country on our lands. America was politically divided between the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republican Party. The idea of America was only 36 years old, the Constitution 23 years old, and the Bill of Rights 21 years old. We were young and politically conflicted between those that wanted a strong central government, closely mirroring a Monarchy (Federalist), and those that desired a states rights and a decentralized Federal government (Democratic-Republicans). In fact, the Federalists opposed the Bill of Rights, which today we consider sacred. We were weak from within.

Britain did not honor or respect our sovereignty as a nation, and was seizing sailors from American vessels. Britain declared they had the right to detain and press any American into service that had been born in England even though they had emigrated and were naturalized Americans. Declarations of War were exchanged. By August 24, 1814, the British burned Washington DC and by September 13, 1814 were laying siege to Baltimore and Fort McHenry. Francis Scott Key was being held on one of these British ships under a white-flag truce to secure an exchange of prisoners. During the night, the cannons from the British warships were relentless and at one point the flagstaff flying the 15-star flag of young America over the fort was splintered and disappeared from sight. He feared all was lost. In the early morning, Key was struck in awe when he saw the flag flying high above the fort, and by the true grit and fortitude of these brave Americans standing their ground in defense of their country. The next day the battle turned, and the Americans forced the British to withdraw from Baltimore.

I think of these defenders of America and their sacrifice as I watch Old Glory fly on the winds of freedom. Part of the 1000-man garrison of Fort McHenry consisted of the Maryland Militia, volunteers who were bakers, tailors, shipbuilders, merchants, bankers and lawyers; both black and white fighting side by side for a common cause. United as one. Oddly enough, the Federalist party that had opposed the Bill of Rights did not support the war politically or financially since they supported authoritarian rule, that was closely aligned with Great Britain. The Federalist party was disbanded from lack of support soon after 1815.

Thankfully, the Federalists failed to stop the Bill of Rights or we would not have the 1st Amendment - Free Speech. Without that, those today would not have the ability to trample on, burn or disrespect the flag and the National Anthem. I defend their right to do that, but vehemently disagree with them choosing these symbols to lay their grievances upon. This is what Free Speech is all about, but speak and debate your position; don't sensationalize it with misrepresentations of the memory of these men and women.

RAGGED OLD FLAG (Johnny Cash)

I walked through a county courthouse square

On a park bench an old man was sitting there

I said, "Your old courthouse is kinda run down"

He said, "No, it'll do for our little town"

I said, "Your old flagpole has leaned a little bit

And that's a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it"

He said, "Have a seat, " and I sat down

"Is this the first time you've been to our little town?"

I said, "I think it is" He said, "I don't like to brag

But we're kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag

You see, we got a little hole in that flag there when

Washington took it across the Delaware

And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key

Sat watching it, writing 'Say Can You See'

And it got a bad rip in New Orleans

With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams

And it almost fell at the Alamo

Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on though

She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville

And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill

There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg

And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag

On Flanders Field in World War I

She got a big hole from a Bertha gun

She turned blood red in World War II

She hung limp and low by the time it was through

She was in Korea and Vietnam

She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam

She waved from our ships upon the briny foam

And now they've about quit waving her back here at home

In her own good land here she's been abused

She's been burned, dishonored, denied, and refused

And the government for which she stands

Is scandalized throughout the land

And she's getting threadbare and she's wearing thin

But she's in good shape for the shape she's in

'Cause she's been through the fire before

And I believe she can take a whole lot more

So we raise her up every morning, we take her down every night

We don't let her touch the ground and we fold her up right

On second thought, I do like to brag'

Cause I'm mighty proud of the Ragged Old Flag

MY DAD'S RAGGED OLD FLAG

This is truly the flag of my father, as he carried this 48-star flag throughout the European Theater in World War II. Yes, it's a little ragged, but I am so proud of it. Always remember. Never forget. Honor those that honorably serve and protect this great land. Debate those dishonorably serving America. That's how we move forward...

Let's unite this country. Please. The continued divisiveness exhausts me.

[tumblingxelian]

petitions

URGENT: STOP THE REMOVAL OF LAZIA NABBANJA (A LESBIAN WOMAN) TO UGANDA THIS SATURDAY #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43172928

Fight For Suicide Awareness Week At MWC #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43173091

Qld government Australian government : Passanger train from toowoomba to Brisbane, the governments... https://www.change.org/p/qld-government-australian-government-passanger-train-from-toowoomba-to-brisbane-the-governments-have-neglected-the-needs?recruiter=30135381&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=149994 via @ChangeAUS

Help your MP see the big picture. Add your name to this book today: http://saveourmarinelife.org.au/big-picture

Non à l'euthanasie des animaux de Kraljevo ! #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/42890847

Denver City Council: Repeal the Urban Camping Ban and stop the sweeps of the homeless #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43172896

Australian Restaurant Hangs Cow From Ceiling #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43172905

No Private Travel for Cabinet Members! #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43172961

Demand Louisiana High School Reverse Policy Banning Athletes Who Don’t Stand for National Anthem #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43172971

Stand up for children dismissed from school because parents have an open marriage! #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43172989

Take a Stand for Women’s Reproductive Rights — DEADLINE: October 3, 2017 #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43173008

Stop the Donkey Slaughter #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43173021

Demand Open Visitations for Owners with Hank at Shelter #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43173052

Let the Boyd's Keep their domestic ducks! #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43173063

Stop the Egyptian Government from exporting 10.000 Donkeys to China and Stray Dogs to South Korea #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43173104

KEEP THE PEACE AND KEEP TANNYS POLE #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43173113

Moms Need Places to Pump Milk in Airports #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43173129

Stop the New Jersey Black Bear Hunt #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43173141

Pittsburgh: Please Replace Columbus Day with Indigenous People's Day #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43087093

For the love of Ruby #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43173171

Atlanta – Cancel Columbus Day #care2 https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/43087060

Let's paint Sydney's skies with a giant message of love & equality. Chip in today! #marriageequality #voteyes: https://go.allout.org/en/a/australia-fundraiser/

[kindergarchy]

Human Acts by Han Kang There are a few things that I really like about Human Acts: 1) The title, 2) The addressed subject + how it is based on real life horrors (1980’s Gwangju Uprising in South Korea), 3) Han Kang’s writing and her masterful use of various narrative devices, 4) Deborah Smith’s translation* I read Han’s earlier work, The Vegetarian, a few months ago and thought that I really admired Han Kang’s writing style, very “efficient” without being stingy/cold/economical--razor-sharp with a quiet burst of vigor. But by no means is The Vegetarian a likeable book… Sure, the appeal works very well on some people, it won the Man Booker in 2016, and I finished it in one sitting, but I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. I’m not even sure if I personally like the book. Besides the strange discomfort trailing behind the ineffable weirdness explored in the book, I find the pace of the book (which is more like a “triptych” according to some readers) uneven - despite the highly probable intentionality behind this fact. I liked the pace of the first chapter and inevitably projected a similar expectation on the following two....maybe that’s why I didn’t enjoy it that much Human Acts, on the other hand, is more accessible, without compromising on Han Kang’s style of writing. The first chapter opens with a second-person pov, which is always a huge hit-or-miss for me. Strange because I know how much I like Han Kang’s writing but find this particular use amiss and unnecessary at first. But the first sentence of the second chapter drills in the implied reason very effortlessly and it does make me go...wow. From then on there is this constant shift in points of view and tonality, but unlike in The Vegetarian, this feels more like a welcome variation for me, rather than an intended flaw of inconsistency All the characters employ different, yet occasionally overlapping sets of coping mechanism upon dealing with the aftermath of the 518 tragedy -- withdrawal, denial, mania, a wobble between blame and guilt… Then comes the specific common thread: Distaste for food, disgust at human interactions to varying degrees. And more often than not, death is seen as a welcome sight. I find that books on uprisings sometimes read rather scornful/morally patronizing, by painting those who commit past atrocities as inhuman and convincing their readers that there is no way that any of us--as long as we are (made into believing that we are) decent human beings who can be reasoned with, equally well under any circumstances, at any given time--would do the same. Sometimes, this is often followed by a hasty reflex to lay down steps to “fix things”, and a self-righteous march toward either patriotism or rebellion. Han Kang always likes to ask questions. “Is it true that human beings are fundamentally cruel? Is the experience of cruelty the only thing we share as a species? Is the dignity that we cling to nothing but self-delusion?” Why are human beings like this? The crowd tendencies upon dissolution of individual identity to sway one way or the other--between the side of extreme evil and that of extreme nobility--is not a newly discussed phenomenon, but the uncertainty of which side it eventually bids for is something that Han highlights in this book… this time via a dissertation paper sent to one of the survivors of the Uprising The decisive factor dominating the morality of the crowd has not yet been clearly identified. One point of interest is the emergence in situ of a particular ethical fluctuation separate from the moral standard of the individuals who constitute the crowd. Certain crowds do not blench at the prospect of looting, murder and rape, while on the other hand, others display a level of courage and altruism which those making up that same crowd would have had difficulty in achieving as individuals. the author argues that, rather than this latter type of crowd being made up of especially noble individuals, that nobility which is a fundamental human attribute is able to manifest itself through borrowing strength from the crowd; also, similarly, that the former case is one in which humanity's essential barbarism is exacerbated not by the especially barbaric nature of any of the individuals involved, but through that magnification which occurs naturally in crowds. At some point you stop to treat these questions as if they were directed at the perpetrators, you realize that Han directs this at humanity in general, which you are undeniably a part of. It is inevitable to feel called out... not so that you can repent the sins of those people, because you can’t (not even the perpetrators can do that), but so that you can try to prevent these from happening again. The first step is using the awareness that often it is not the morality of the individuals that determines the moral direction of the crowd. So if it’s not that, then what? One thing is it is for us to try to find out, second thing is to realize that none of us can claim that we are 100% immune to committing these wrongdoings, if we were in the perpetrators’ shoes. I don’t find the overall tone of the book bleak though. I really like the part about conscience: It wasn’t as though we didn’t know how overwhelmingly the army outnumbered us. But the strange thing was, it didn’t matter. Ever since the uprising began, I’d felt something coursing through me, as overwhelming as any army. Conscience. Conscience, the most terrifying thing in the world. The day I stood shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of thousands of my fellow civilians, staring down the barrels of the soldiers’ guns, the day the bodies of those first two slaughtered were placed in a handcart and pushed at the head of the column, I was startled to discover an absence inside myself: the absence of fear. I remember feeling that it was all right to die; I felt the blood of a hundred thousand hearts surging together into one enormous artery, fresh and clean…the sublime enormity of a single heart, pulsing blood through that vessel and into my own. I dared to feel a part of it. At one o’clock in the afternoon, while the speaker in front of the Provincial Office was playing the national anthem, the soldiers opened fire. I’d been standing in the middle of the column of the demonstrators, but when the bullets came flying, I turned and ran. That sublime feeling that I’d been tapping into, that enormous heart I’d felt briefly a part of, was smashed to pieces, strewn over the ground as so much rubbish. (...) In the meantime, I had no way of knowing how many had fallen in the street fighting. All I remember is the entrance to the hospital the following morning, the seemingly never-ending line of people queuing up to give blood; the doctors and nurses striding through the blasted streets, white gowns bloodstained, hands gripping stretchers; the women who handed up stale rice balls, water, and strawberries to the truck I was riding in; the strains of the national anthem, and “Arirang,” which everyone was singing at the top of their voice. Those snapshot moments, when it seemed we’d all performed the miracle of stepping outside the shell of our own selves, one person’s tender skin coming into grazed contact with another, felt as though they were rethreading the sinews of that world heart, patching up the fissures from which blood had flowed, making it beat again. That was what captured me, what has stayed with me ever since. Have you even known it, professor—that terrifying intensity, that feeling as if you yourself have undergone some kind of alchemy, been purified, made wholly virtuous? The brilliance of that moment, the dazzling purity of conscience. and You are aware that, as an individual, you have the capacity for neither bravery nor strength. (...) But at the same time you know that if a time like that spring were to come around again, and even knowing what you know now, you might well end up making a similar choice to the one you’d made then. Like those times during a primary school dodgeball game when, having nimbly avoided danger thus far, there was no one but you left standing on your team and you had to face up to the challenge of catching the ball. Like the time your feet led you to the square, drawn there by the resonant song of the young women on the bus, even though you knew that armed soldiers were stationed there. Like that final night when they asked who was willing to stay until the end and you quietly raised your hand. We mustn’t let ourselves become victims, Seong-hee had said. We mustn’t let them dismiss us like that. I don’t know, we often view conscience or the spirit to fight as something noble, something that only a handful of people possess, the sacred fuel that propels movements forward… I like how Han Kang shows conscience in a different light of net neutrality, inching toward the idea that while brimming with hope, selflessness, and extraordinarily good feelings, it could be a shaky basis for irrational decisions (maybe good for the mass, not for your self-interest) The glimmering shafts of hope, while occasional, are beautiful and often so...truthfully simple, and it is precisely how Han puts an end to the book (before the epilogue): You disliked the shadowed places where the trees blocked out the sun. When I wanted to walk there to escape the heat, you tugged me by the wrist as hard as you could, back to where it was bright. Even though your fine hair sparkled with sweat, and you were panting so hard you sounded as if you were in pain. Let’s walk over there, Mum, where it’s sunny, we might as well, right? Pretending that you were too strong for me, I let you pull me along. It’s sunny over there, Mum, and there’s lots of flowers, too. Why are we walking in the dark, let’s go over there, where the flowers are blooming. v v good, would reread * really enjoyed Smith’s essay on the process of translating Human Acts here: http://www.asymptotejournal.com/criticism/han-kang-human-acts/

[sheilasministry]

Jesus says it will be a wet time in North Korea when God says it will be  flooded in the ground to the point of it being like coming up from the ground & no one can stop it but God Himself. The same for South Korea & Japan & Russia & China & Iran & India & any place where God says they have plans to say we the American people do not deserve to live anymore as a free Country. They have more weapons then us. I have said this before. No one will believe what I say but God is saying it through The Holy Spirit & I’m saying it for Him here for God to have Glory all of the time from me to Him as He says it will be. No one can say anything to me about God not wanting me to say what I say here. I say it for God Jesus & God Jehovah. They say it & I write it. It’s called Prophecy from God Jesus & God Jehovah & through The Holy Spirit it will be given to me. No one will have this but  some will have it. No one will be able to say it the right way but God so I say this to all now. Don’t even say God can’t have one person on this world to say it for Him Alone in deep broad Prophecy like me from Him to me  through The Holy Spirit. Many say I’m making this up. I know that God is saving us from a nuclear weapon attack in time but not many will say I have a gift. I don’t have anything but what God says to me. I know God as Jesus. I know that all of these Countries will not have God with them but in time maybe they will but they will all be in so much water from rain & beneath the ground where water will continue to come up that all use of poisoness weapons on missiles & in the water, our water, will not be used to be against us in time. These people in all of these Countries are NOT  our friends like we think. They want war & God says it will be in time if I get into some awesome time with Him & I will that it will be even more  time with God Jesus & God Jehovah for the most Miraculous of all to come here in this Country ever. I don’t know what that is but I have a feeling I will be right when I see images from God Jesus to me from Him through the Holy Spirit. No one will be able to see me for a while but God will see me through me in my heart to be as I’am but not. If you don’t get this I do & that is the important part of me that God wants to be with many but not now because many say this site is a falsehood of God’s liveliness in me. No one will be with me for a bit but I’m not with anyone anyway but I have the best time in my life. My family who knows me say I have a gift but it’s all God Jesus & God Jehovah. They say they never see me with anyone  around me but I have to be with God so much that I don’t sleep more then two or three hours a day. I will be fine but I feel like I have had a nap already & I had not much sleep in the last two days. When I sleep I sleep about one hour & then I wake up to say Praise God Jesus. I say it so much to my delight that I say I’m Saved even if God says no to anything I have already been said yes to for in my  life & Prayers which have not stopped for about ten years now. Nonstop Praying for me is what God says. It’s different when we say things in the Holy Spirit. I say it because I say it is the best way to say it. Some say I don’t Pray for them but I have Prayed for many in my time & many in one on one with people. People don’t want to hear me say a word but I say this to God when I’m saying it to anyone with me there to say God’s Name. I say God Jesus when they  say just God. They don’t respond but my heart leaps with joy to say it to God out loud for Him to be Glorified as God Alone Jesus & God with  Jehovah & God with The Holy Spirit. I have to say I’m not perfect. I say so much wrong during my time here but it’s not me who says it here it is God Jesus with God Jehovah saying it from them to me to be absolutely sure that I’m here with God Jesus for His Glory Alone. I have no idea what it will be like with God in Heaven on earth but I’m not slowing down for you or anyone who says God can’t be with just one person in this setting of writing but He can. He says I do this for free & I have not asked to have money in this site or on the other sites but I have some books that God wrote I want out for His Glory. You will buy them if you want but you buy stuff from a Church & other places here online about stuff that  don’t give how to be with God more in their life. I give how to be with God more in your life but people say I don’t say it well. God says it here & He says it Perfect all the time here & on twitter & in two books that will be out later in my time here online. Okay I’m done for now. I can see that North Korea is a stubborn Country & South Korea & Japan & China & Russia is the worst of them all. They want to control America & God won’t let them because of us being here as His children. Give God ALL GLORY for that & say thank you God Jesus for ALL Praying to Him tonight for us to remain safe & that the floods in all of these places named twice will be of God’s Heart being with us in our Nation as One Nation Under God with Liberty & Justice for us to be here. That’s why I get angered about the NFL who sit down on our National Anthem for God to say my daughter is not there to say; Stand for this Flag or this game will NOT move forward for God’s Heart to enjoy all here to say He Is Jesus as God Alone. I’m done with this time in my life but God says I have a lot to see & look forward to even if I said take me home now I would miss my family so God says to keep me around for a while longer. I have a few more tournament’s to play in for God to see me smiling & Glorifying Him for letting me have a great day today & many to come & better with winning all but one for me in time. I will have to say I will not be disappointed but maybe I will smile when I say; Okay I did say to not be so much fun out here to make me laugh to the point I can’t even get to the ball & you slowed it down so much for me to say; Is it still moving or do I have to wait & hit it after lunch? They will say; I hit it back & you were gone eating your lunch so I said go for it & I hit it back. Okay but where is the ball? It’s over there in the like I’m not sure what that is but it’s over there in that stuff. Okay & then I will walk  over there to see that I can’t even reach the ball. They will say; Well then I win right? Okay fine but tomorrow we play more times then the last day we played. That was today. Okay well then we start again tomorrow so I can hit it way up there. How did you hit it up there that high anyway? OH I don’t know. I just swung really hard & it bounced of that right there into over there & went up in that place. Well that is out of bounds for you to say you won. Oh you just want to win a gain. Okay fine you win & I’m done for now. Bye & don’t get that up so high but if you do it will be over your head to play again tomorrow. Bye.

[theconservativebrief]

Vox Sentences is your daily digest for what’s happening in the world. Sign up for the Vox Sentences newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox Monday through Friday, or view the Vox Sentences archive for past editions.

It’s all about Beto and barbecue in the Texas Senate race; Pakistan’s Nawaz Sharif is a free man … for the time being.

Laura Buckman/AFP/Getty Images

The Senate race in Texas between Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke and incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz has become one of the most watched and contentious in the United States. O’Rourke has given the highly disliked incumbent a run for his money in the typically red state. [Vox / Tara Golshan]

Cruz is running a predictably conservative campaign. Meanwhile, O’Rourke is making very progressive promises, including raising the minimum wage, expunging marijuana offenses, and introducing stricter gun control — all of which are surprising “deep in the heart of Trump country.” [NYT / Matt Flegenheimer]

It’s currently unclear which way the election will go. Some polls on the race report that O’Rourke is 2 points ahead of Cruz, while others say he is 9 points behind. [The Hill / Justin Wise]

Still, Cruz “feel[s] very good about where we are” in the race. He is confident that “We’re going to win.” [Vice / Josh Hersh]

O’Rourke’s likability (and Cruz’s lack thereof) has scared many Republicans, who are putting the pressure on big-time donors to contribute to the Republican campaign and give Cruz a boost in the race. [Vox / Emily Stewart]

Cruz has relied on arguments that O’Rourke is for crossing the border illegally, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and supporting NFL players’ right to kneel during the national anthem — all highly contentious topics that might galvanize Republicans to show up on Election Day. [Dallas News / Matthew Adams and Todd J. Gillman]

Cruz is also using absurdist arguments to try to discredit O’Rourke, relate more to his Texan constituents, and appear a bit more likable. He claimed today (partly as a joke) that “if Beto wins, BBQ will be illegal!” [CNN / Devan Cole]

Cruz and O’Rourke will participate in three debates on domestic and foreign policy leading up to the elections. [CBS / AP]

The news, but shorter, delivered straight to your inbox.

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Pakistani officials released ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from prison after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended his 10-year corruption sentence on Wednesday. Sharif, his daughter, and his son-in-law were released on bail in order to appeal their convictions after serving two months in prison. [Reuters / Asif Shahzad and Saad Sayeed]

Sharif and his family were convicted in July on charges of purchasing luxury properties in London. The IHC says the anti-corruption court was unable to substantially prove a financial link between Sharif and the property. [Al Jazeera / Asad Hashim]

The case at hand is linked to information from the Panama Papers, a controversial leak from 2016 that linked high-profile leaders and individuals across the world to money laundering and other forms of corruption. [The News]

Sharif has come in and out of power three times now. In 1993 and 2013, he was ousted on suspicions of corruption. [The Nation]

The IHC’s order could signify that his conviction will be overturned. Observers believe that the IHC sees the evidence as “too weak to stand,” though nothing will be clear until Sharif returns to court in the coming weeks. [NYT / Salman Masood and Maria Abi-Habib]

Longtime Sesame Street writer Mark Saltzman said in a recent interview that Bert and Ernie’s relationship was one of “a loving couple,” reigniting a long-running debate. Sesame Street then quickly came out with a statement that the two were “good friends” and “do not have a sexual orientation.” [The Verge / Elizabeth Simins]

Some people took issue with Marvel Studios’ new trailer for its upcoming film, Captain Marvel, which showed the superhero in question (played by Brie Larson) punching an old lady. Fear not: Grandma is simply a Skrull. [Polygon / Susana Polo]

Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet 16 light-years away that orbits the star known as 40 Eridani, which on Star Trek was home to Spock’s planet Vulcan. Whether pointy-eared people inhabit the exoplanet has yet to be determined. [NBC / David Freeman]

Roseanne Barr claims she knows how her Roseanne character will be written off in the planned spinoff The Connors: The character will die of an opioid overdose. ABC, which canceled Roseanne after Barr posted racist tweets, has declined to comment on the claim. [CBS / Andrea Park]

“We find ourselves today connected to vast repositories of knowledge and yet we have not learned to think. In fact, the opposite is true: that which was intended to enlighten the world in practice darkens it.” [Jaron Lanier on the harmful side effects of an overexposure to social media in his new book, Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now / New Yorker]

When does sound become music? Why are humans so uniquely able to master musicality? Researchers talk rhythm, octaves, and the magic of song and dance in this week’s episode of Explained, now streaming on Netflix.

Sign up for The Weeds pop-up newsletter! Matt Yglesias dissects what’s really at stake in the 2018 midterms between now and Election Day.

How the Canadian cannabis company Tilray became worth more than American Airlines

North and South Korea just signed a major agreement. It may be bad news for Trump.

The fight over Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie as a gay couple, explained

Is there a humane way to boil lobsters alive? One woman thinks it’s by getting them high.

How cauliflower took over your pizza, your kitchen, and the world

Original Source -> Vox Sentences: Will Texans bet on Beto?

via The Conservative Brief

[itsasif007-blog]

Trump has sought to repurpose the trappings of nationalism for his own “America first” agenda

New Post has been published on http://liststories.com/trump-has-sought-to-repurpose-the-trappings-of-nationalism-for-his-own-america-first-agenda/

Trump has sought to repurpose the trappings of nationalism for his own “America first” agenda

It is so omnipresent, you longer notice it. On sticks outside the historic courthouse and a nearby office building. At a window screen at a kitchenware shop and on a heart-shaped table in an antique store. Above neatly mown lawns and porches of Victorian mansions along North Delaware Street. Beside the tomb of a US president emblazoned on the chest of a salesman as his car pulls out of the square.

The American flag, the stars, and stripes are flying high in Independence, Missouri, an unshowy city in what is literally middle America, preparing to celebrate Independence Day. The public holiday on 4 July celebrates the declaration of independence from the British in 1776 with barbecues, bunting, fireworks, parades, picnics and patriotic songs – reassuring rituals of Americana designed to guard against an identity crisis. However, this is 2018, Donald Trump is president and patriotism is much more complicated than usual.

“I’ve always been ra-ra when it comes to America but it’s difficult to believe this year,” explained Craig Whitney, a former teacher who hung the flag outside his home. In quiet, measured tones, the 70-year-old added:”I am very fearful. I believe we have already lost what my father fought for in world war two. Global democracy is on its way out. I’m increasingly pessimistic, I have to admit. I am convinced the [Republican party] and Trump has wrought damage which will last decades.”

I somehow believe there’s hope Regardless of Trump Craig Whitney

He has a habit of hugging the stripes and stars. He has repeatedly berated American football players for kneeling throughout the national anthem, in protest in racial injustice.

This 4 July, against a background of division and tribalism, some will embrace Trump’s eyesight of flag and nation. Others, in tens of thousands of different towns and cities north, south, east, and west, will try to preserve their own interpretation of Old Glory. Whitney, who resides in an 1893 house on North Delaware Street, said:”My sister is the world’s last remaining unreconstructed hippy. She asked me scornfully 1 time why I put out all the flags. I still somehow think there’s hope in spite of Trump.”

Asked what the flag means to him Whitney responded:”Partly my father, who had been a really flag waving sort of guy. Additionally, it symbolizes for me personally America can be, should be, should be, not necessarily is.”

I state with knowledge of this man that Harry Truman would be horrified by this. This Isn’t the world he battled for Debbie Twyman

His wife, Debbie Twyman, grew up in Independence, a Midwestern town of 121,200 individuals, 10 fire stations, 1 police station and one hospital which in the 19th century has been the primary”jumping-off” point for three leader trails west. Only a decade ago, the town was branded as that the methamphetamine capital of America (a dishonour it’s worked to shake ). “Neighbours tend to care for each other here,” Twyman said. “It’s a little town town. I can provide you the name of everyone on the street and on July 4 they will all be in backyard having hot dogs and hamburgers. They shoot off fireworks down the street and we’ll be able to see them”

“He was a really kind man and stopped and spoke to little kids like me. He was able to tell me that I should run for office and likely in my life we could have a woman president.

“I’d like to believe I’m a patriot and I see the great things my country has done and hopefully will. I’m deeply distressed when I see children ripped from their mothers [beneath Trump’s family separation policy at the border]. I say with knowledge of the guy that Harry Truman would be horrified by this. This is not the planet he fought for.” Craig Whitney and Debbie Twyman relax in their porch.

Across the street, American and Italian flags fly side by side outside the home of Linda Robinson. She explained:”Exchange students say they would like to stay in LA or San Francisco but Gaia stated,’That is the real America. This is the way it is. This is the way in which the vast majority of Americans live.’ She is right: we’re not flying setters. They estimate America by what they see on TV: a lot of Hollywood wealthy and famous. They think everyone has a giant car and a big house.”

“I do not care what anybody says, I think America is the best country in the world. Patriotism to me is standing from the country. It is like standing by anyone; you don’t always agree with them but you’ll always love them. The core values are there. I believe we’re a strong country and nobody has been on precisely the exact same page but we have managed to exist together.

As soon as he is out of office, if we could find someone with manners and diplomacy, we’ll calm down a little bit Linda Robinson

“I think somehow America will endure. The moment he is out of office, if we can find someone with manners and diplomacy, then we’ll calm down a bit. Following the election, I had to calm my daughter down and told her: just take it one day at a time, he’s not going to be there forever, someone else will come in a reverse everything he did. Sometimes in your life, there is a dip. We are at a dip right now but I think we will rise again.”

Along North Delaware Street, at the home of Stephanie Dean and household, the stars and stripes had been from flying a rod at the front garden, while two more flags rose out of plant ships either side of the doorway. She explained:”To me, it symbolizes hope that, when we are not divided, we can still come together to grow and learn and manage everyone the very same rights.”

Dean, 32, a warrior, included:”Patriotism means taking pride in your country. I am an American but that’s only part of who I am. That is not a basket I am going to throw my eggs into because that shuts the door to other men and women. It’s great to be conscious of where you are from but it’s not the be all and end all.” ‘A silent American’

Independence Square is dominated by a 1933 redbrick courthouse with classical pediment and columns beneath a clock tower and weather vane, surrounded by impeccably cut grass. Outside the west entrance is a statue of former president Andrew Jackson on horseback; outside the east entrance is a statue of Truman with spectacles, tie and suit and cane, standing on a plinth over a flower bed. Jim Allin, proprietor Window Cleaning, squeegees a storefront window across from the Truman Courthouse on Independence Square. Photograph: Julie Denesha for the Observer

The surrounding shops include an art gallery, law office, a vendor of audio gear, a”pet resort” and a physical therapist. But they’re punctuated by some empty lots marked “for rent” or using”lease this space”, one nonetheless advertising long has gone raincoats and underwear. At one corner are Clinton’s Soda Fountain, an ice cream and milkshake parlor that was once a drugstore in which the young Truman worked, rather similar to young George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life. The Neighborhood is Wild About Harry, a men’s gift, and accessories shop, and also the art deco Pharaoh cinema. At another corner is Up Dog, a timeless diner with an impending hot dog eating contest.

If you’ve got a good system you need to reside, not thump your chest and yell,’We’re number one!’

In many ways this is every town; others it is atypical. The dancer Ginger Rogers was born here. Truman moved to Independence when he was six and returned to humble retirement here after his presidency, which included the still bitterly debated decision to drop two atomic bombs on Japan to hasten the conclusion of the second world war. The Harry S Truman Library and Museum, which obviously includes the US flag flying at the entrance, provides a study in contrast with the present incumbent of the White House.

Truman was the son of a farmer, worked many jobs, accrued debts, failed to attend university, laboured to a farm, fought in the first world war (joining up as a bespectacled 33-year-old), opened a clothing store that went out of business and rose to the US Senate and then the presidency — an embodiment of the American dream. Following his stunning 1948 election triumph, he also sent a telegram to the Washington Post that read:”Despite your editorial opposition to the Democratic ticket, your news coverage of my effort was fair and comprehensive.” In a glass case the museum displays the signal, “The buck stops here”, that sat on his desk at the Oval Office. Near the graves of both Truman and his wife, Bess, a quotation is inscribed in stone:”The truth is I need for history.”

Most significantly, the museum argues that Truman “reversed the long American tradition of isolationism” and chronicles his role from the Marshall Plan, the formation of Nato, recognition of Israel and military intervention in Korea — that the stewardship of a postwar liberal democratic arrangement that Trump now threatens to unravel.

Clifton Truman Daniel, who had been six before he discovered that his grandfather was president, recalls parading around Independence atop a fire engine one 4 July, in sweltering heat. He expects this year’s commemorations throughout the country will not be contaminated by the political climate. “If anything, I expect it would be a time to get less disunity and, regardless of their political differences, people celebrate their shared background,” the 61-year-old said by phone. Park guide Alex Joeckel carefully folds a flag. Photograph: Julie Denesha for your Observer

What does the flag mean? “It is a sense of pride but I’d consider myself a silent American. I’m glad I live here as Winston Churchill explained,’Democracy is the worst type of government except for all those other forms which have been tried.’ I’ve a quiet pride: if you’ve got a good system you should live it, not tell folks about it. My grandfather was proud of those values we hold dear but he was also a modest man and did not feel needed to beat anyone over the head with it.” ‘A fine line’

Josh Olah, 23, an ironworker, said:”He is fine. There are always issues with everybody. He does his job.”

Sitting under the Truman statue as well as an American flag, Olah summed the latter up in 1 word:”Freedom.”

Nationalism, fascism, and patriotism: that’s a fine line there Michael Thomas

Eileen Weir, that the mayor of Freedom, said:”I’d say that the people in my communities encouraged to a large amount the Republican president and who causes me to really change my thinking on some issues and understand what my community wants. I think the president has an opportunity to really make some fantastic policy choices.

“I’m concerned, as a lot of people are, in regards to the immigration problems but I think he has made some good decisions on tax policy. Every president has losses and wins and I am rooting for President Trump that he has more wins than losses.”

Weir, 50, who expects to expand the town’s 4 July parties, added: “Freedom is obviously the house of Harry Truman, historically a very Democratic city, and we observe that that is shifting. I feel it’s my responsibility to respond to what the Republicans want and supply them what with what they want.”

However, Trump’s brand of flag-waving is a turn off to many here. The Nazis were quite nationalistic and patriotic. Trump’s opinion is: if you don’t agree with what he says and wrap yourself in the flag, then you are unpatriotic. I strongly disagree with this.”

The stars and stripes have played many pieces. It has additionally been commodified in hats, socks, ties, towels, and underpants.

At sunset in Independence Square on Thursday,” Thomas Reddell, 23, a insulation, was wearing a vest patterned entirely out of the flag, with the celebrities on his upper right chest. He said:”Many of my family is in the army and I am grateful for what they do to let us be free without having to think about other countries bullying us.”

His perspectives on the current flag-hugging president were blended. “Donald Trump is arrogant. There are a number of things I agree with and others where I believe he is a complete fool. He spoke his mind and that is what America is all about so I’m proud in that respect, but he makes us sort of look like assholes. He is trying to split us but I also understand that Americans aren’t going to let that happen.

” We’ll have another president shortly and he’s not that important. A president is for four or eight years but America has been excellent for 200 years, so 1 man can’t change this.”

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina  | Argentinean Soccer Fans Write Stadium Anthems

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina  | Argentinean Soccer Fans Write Stadium Anthems

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina  — The San Lorenzo soccer team has just scored the decisive goal to qualify for the Libertadores Cup. But in the stands behind one of the goals, the fans barely notice.

In those seats, reserved for the most passionate followers, nobody is paying much attention to the match. Under a sea of the team’s blue and red banners, so many that they make it almost impossible to see the pitch, the fans dance, jump and sing. They play trumpets and crash cymbals and chant pop songs with the lyrics changed, turning them into odes to their team.

Carolina Rutkoweski waves her arms and shakes her hips as she sings: “San Lorenzo, what I feel I can’t explain / I’ll be with you always / Because the blue and red runs in my soul,” to the music of Luis Fonsi’s hit “Despacito.”

“You feel the football  match in your body, through your veins. No need to watch it,” says the 44-year old woman with her young son at her side, both dressed in blue and red San Lorenzo shirts, at halftime of the game against another Argentine team, Chacarita.

San Lorenzo is not a powerhouse like Boca Juniors or River Plate, but its fan base is known for its talent in rewriting local hit songs, turning them into stadium anthems. Despite intense rivalries that sometimes turn violent, other teams acknowledge San Lorenzo’s creativity and often adapt the chants for their own cheers.

Only weeks before the start of the World Cup, San Lorenzo fans have written a new song for the Argentinean national team, hoping it will become as popular with players and audience as the one sung in stadiums during the last World Cup, a put-down to host country Brazil based on a melody by Credence Clearwater Revival that went “Oh Brazil, tell me how it feels.”

“San Lorenzo’s songs tell a story, it’s not just throwing together some lines that rhyme,” said Sergio Peljhan, one of the chant’s writers.

“In soccer culture there are battle songs, they’re like a call to arms. But our songs don’t have many insults or references to drugs. Our intention is to celebrate, not to inspire violence.”

San Lorenzo achieved some renown in 2013 when one of its fans, an Argentine cardinal called Jorge Mario Bergoglio, became Pope. Then it shot to fame again when soccer fans chanted its soccer-themed version of “Despacito,” composed by a small group of devotees called “Escuela de Tablones” (“School of Wooden Planks”), in honor of the wooden seats in many stadiums. The chant went viral on social media and then was taken up by stadium crowds in Spain, Portugal, Italy, South Korea, Brazil, Uruguay and Ecuador.

Surprised by the phenomenon, Fonsi thanked San Lorenzo: “You were the first to take ‘Despacito’s melody and turn it into an anthem to cheer on your team.”

The new song was recorded by the Wooden Planks in a house outside Buenos Aires and was released last month. The song is based on “Échame la culpa,” another track by Fonsi. Wooden Planks said they contacted the Puerto Rican singer’s recording label and it agreed to let them record the soccer-themed version.

San Lorenzo, one of Argentina’s top five soccer clubs, was formed in 1908 in a middle-class suburb of Buenos Aires. Initially the team played in a stadium dubbed “El Gasómetro” because it resembled an industrial gas field, until in 1979 the country’s then military rulers seized the land that would later be sold to a French supermarket chain.

During the 14 years that San Lorenzo lacked a home base, it played in borrowed stadiums and was often the butt of jokes and object of disdain by its rivals. It was then that the fans became inspired to answer with homemade chants.

A group of fans, their arms covered with tattoos, raise the cymbals. Others put trumpets or trombones to their lips. Their leader, imitating an orchestra conductor, gives the signal. In minutes the crowd joins them, including women and children, chanting the lyrics they already know by heart, soccer-themed versions of hits by Credence Clearwater Revival, Oasis, Enrique Iglesias, Maluma and others.

Just as the players in their changing rooms stretch their muscles before the game, the musical fans prepare their vocal chords and practice the lyrics that have been bouncing around social media and WhatsApp messaging groups the past few days.

“It’s just like multiplication tables, you work hard to memorize them,” says Andrea Epifanio, a nurse who is a fan of San Lorenzo. I play the songs on my phone and sing along with them, and I don’t give a damn what other people think.”

As they rehearse under the stands, “we try to figure out if people are going to like the song,” says Diego Jerkovic, a member of the Wooden Planks. Less than ten percent of the anthems they write make it to the stadium, he says.

Violence has cast a shadow over Argentine soccer in the past few decades, with at least 323 killed in clashes, according to the advocacy group Salvemos al Fútbol (“Let’s Save Soccer”).

In 2013, officials banned fans from the visiting team from entering the stadium, but instead of eradicating the violence, the decision provoked rivalries between the fans over the multimillion dollar businesses related to the sport.

“Some people think soccer fans are full of passion for the game, but I think they are no more than merchants of that passion,” says Gustavo Grabia, a journalist who covers violence in soccer. “They are people that make money out other people’s supposed passion for a team, and they have no qualms about harming others, even forcing a game to be cancelled if they don’t get what they want.”

The most radical fans usually handle illegal businesses such as ticket scalping, extra parking spaces, and reserving spots for advertising and food stands, Grabia says.

The Wooden Planks say they have nothing to do with all that, insisting that “we may be rivals, but we are not enemies.”

“I wouldn’t be doing this if we were just writing songs about how we will defeat or destroy the other team. That’s something else entirely, that doesn’t make sense,” Peljhan.

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By Associated Press – published on STL.News by St. Louis Media, LLC (A.S)

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Jackson, Macron, Golden State Killer: Your Wednesday Evening Briefing

Challengers to the ban say Mr. Trump’s campaign speeches and tweets about Muslims were a clear indication that the ban was aimed at a religious group and not justified by security concerns. But the five-member conservative majority seemed ready to defer to Mr. Trump’s national security judgments.

Our reporter annotated excerpts of the arguments. A decision is expected by late June.

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Photo

Credit Eric Thayer for The New York Times

3. What a difference a day makes. President Emmanuel Macron was sharply critical of President Trump’s policies in a speech before Congress, just a day after the two leaders showered each other with praise.

Mr. Macron received a three-minute standing ovation for the speech, an implicit rebuke of Mr. Trump’s “America First” approach. He called on the U.S. not to abandon the Iran nuclear deal, to resolve trade disputes through the World Trade Organization and to rejoin the Paris climate agreement.

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Photo

Credit Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters

4. The leaders of North and South Korea will meet on Friday in a rare moment of face-to-face diplomacy after 70 years of bitter rivalry. Above, schoolchildren released butterflies near the Demilitarized Zone.

They’re set to discuss issues that have bedeviled the Korean Peninsula for much of the 20th century — including an official end to the Korean War — and others that are shaping the 21st, namely the North’s nuclear weapons. Here’s a quick rundown of what they’ll cover, and what comes next.

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Photo

Credit Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

5. We obtained an audio recording of a confidential meeting at N.F.L. headquarters in October, as owners panicked about President Trump’s attacks on players for protesting during the national anthem.

There were 30 people around the table: owners, players and executives. The players wanted to talk about why Colin Kaepernick, above, the quarterback who started the protests to highlight injustice and police brutality, was out of a job. They believed he was being blackballed by the owners.

Continue reading the main story

The owners, confronting a level of public hostility that the N.F.L. had never experienced, wanted to focus on damage control. Here are some of the owners’ most biting comments about Mr. Trump.

The league released an anodyne public statement after the meeting. Kaepernick, who remains unsigned, is pursuing a labor grievance.

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Photo

Credit Audra Melton for The New York Times

6. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice opens Thursday on a six-acre site in Montgomery, Alabama.

It’s dedicated to the victims of American white supremacy, and it demands a reckoning with one of the nation’s least recognized atrocities: the lynching of thousands of black people in a decades-long campaign of racist terror.

Our reporter notes that there’s nothing like it in the country. That’s the point.

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Photo

Credit Dita Alangkara/Associated Press

7. The world governing body of track and field will publish new regulations on Thursday that would leave some female athletes with naturally elevated testosterone levels three choices.

They could lower the hormone with medication, compete against men in certain Olympic events or in effect give up their international careers.

The rules are certain to cause further controversy, and perhaps bring another legal challenge. Track and field has gone through contortions on this issue for years, most visibly regarding Caster Semenya, above, a two-time Olympic champion from South Africa.

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Photo

Credit Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, via Reuters

8. California police believe they have finally caught the Golden State Killer, the serial murderer and rapist who terrorized the state in the 1970s and 1980s.

Continue reading the main story

Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was arrested on a warrant from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and booked on two counts of murder. The Golden State Killer is thought to be responsible for 12 deaths, 45 rapes and 120 robberies.

An exhaustive investigation into the killer’s identity was documented in a book called “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark,” by Michelle McNamara, who died in 2016. The book was completed after her death by a journalist and researcher recruited by her husband, the comedian Patton Oswalt, and published in February.

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Photo

Credit Jada Yuan/The New York Times

9. Our travel columnist, Jada Yuan, is visiting each destination on our 52 Places to Go in 2018 list. For her latest dispatch, she explored the East Cape of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, which grabbed the No. 11 spot.

She likened the trip to a choose-your-own adventure novel set in a friendly beach town. One highlight: snorkeling with sea lions in Gulf of California waters containing the oldest of three coral reefs on the west coast of North America.

Jada’s next stop is Chile. Stay tuned.

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Photo

Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times

10. Finally, the French president’s visit to Washington left the late-night hosts with plenty of fodder. They zeroed in on the Trump-Macron “bromance,” symbolized by the moment when Mr. Trump brushed what he said was dandruff from Mr. Macron’s shoulder.

“Mr. President, Macron is still standing next to you, smiling, after hanging out with you for two days. That’s not dandruff — that’s cocaine,” Stephen Colbert joked.

Have a great night.

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Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern.

And don’t miss Your Morning Briefing. Sign up here to get it by email in the Australian, Asian, European or American morning.

Want to catch up on past briefings? You can browse them here.

What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com.

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