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bllsbailey · 9 months ago

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Here's Where FBI Officials Realized What Could Be the DOJ's Goal in Raiding Mar-a-Lago

What would the government do about the classified materials still stored at Mar-a-Lago? It’s a meeting that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice didn’t want to have, but they were mulling options over how to obtain the rest of the files. NBC News penned a lengthy article about this heated meeting, where the FBI was concerned about the optics of raiding a former president’s home while top DOJ officials couldn’t care less. The bureau was also concerned about the political donations made by Jay Bratt, a top DOJ prosecutor, who supposedly was apolitical to his core, a consummate professional who harbored no anti-Trump bias: He just donated to the political rival party. Bratt wasn’t giving money like the late Sheldon Adelson, but it’s the principle of the matter—the officials in this room, at this rank, shouldn’t be making such contributions.

Steven D’Antuono, now retired, was then chief of the Washington bureau office for the FBI, and he wanted a conciliatory and less-than-hostile approach to repossessing the files at Mar-a-Lago. The funny part about this meeting was that the main narrative used by the DOJ to storm Trump’s Florida residence was over national security concerns. The house was guarded by the Secret Service. The files were in a secure location.

In D’Antuono’s mind, there was no need to execute a storm-the-Bastille-like operation. Everyone at this meeting knew their careers were on the line, along with the severe political ramifications if things went sideways. It’s also where the FBI stumbled upon the DOJ’s main aim against the former president regarding the files, the raid, and how to catalog the legal documentation for a judge to sign off on the search. Trump would need to be accused of committing a crime, one that could bar him from political office [emphasis mine]:

On Aug. 1, 2022, senior Justice Department and FBI officials gathered on the seventh floor of the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., for a historic meeting. They exchanged pleasantries, shook hands, and took seats in Room 7427, the FBI general counsel’s conference room, a nondescript gathering place with a long rectangular table surrounded by no-frills office chairs. Each official wore a suit, mandatory attire on the storied floor that houses the office of the FBI director and his top advisers. The senior DOJ officials had left their headquarters, an elegant mix of Classical and Art Deco architecture, and met their bureau colleagues across Pennsylvania Avenue in the FBI headquarters, a Brutalist structure considered one of the ugliest buildings in Washington. Their goal was to have what one participant later called a “come to Jesus” meeting. […] The DOJ and FBI officials shared the same feeling about the case: dread. After the National Archives repeatedly requested that Trump return the documents, some officials assumed Trump would simply hand over the materials. When he didn’t, all of them saw no good options. “You know what the reaction was in the department?” recalled a former FBI official involved in the case who asked not to be named. “We were like, ‘Oh shit, we don’t want any part of this. The real enemies are Russia and China.’” […] D’Antuono, though, was concerned about the approach of the DOJ team investigating Trump, which [Jay] Bratt led. “Jay was being a little overly aggressive,” D’Antuono recalled. “The aggressiveness that was there, from day one.” D’Antuono said that Bratt’s behavior may have been fueled by the extraordinarily high-profile nature of the case. “This is a huge case. It’s the former president,” D’Antuono said. “Was some of it due to ambition? Jay has been an attorney for a long time. This is the case of the century.” In a less divisive era in American politics, personal political donations might have drawn less attention. It was generally accepted that career DOJ and FBI officials could put their personal politics aside and investigate any elected official, Republican or Democrat, in a fair and fact-based manner. […] As the meeting dragged on, the discussion grew increasingly heated. Bratt raised his voice several times. When D’Antuono asked if prosecutors now considered Trump the subject of the investigation, Bratt shot back, “What does that matter?” but didn’t answer the question. FBI officials from the Washington field office were in open conflict with Bratt and other DOJ prosecutors. D’Antuono, convinced that a consensual search could end the standoff, stood his ground. He believed that they could negotiate with Trump’s lawyer, Evan Corcoran, a former federal prosecutor, and reach an agreement for a voluntary search. DOJ officials and senior FBI officials rejected the idea. They said that Trump and Corcoran had already received a subpoena and been repeatedly asked to return the documents. D’Antuono dug in and said he would only have his agents search Mar-a-Lago if ordered to do so by his FBI superiors. […] After the DOJ officials left, the FBI officials spoke alone. D’Antuono and others from the Washington field office expressed a new concern. They noted that the draft search warrant included a potential criminal charge against Trump that they did not recall seeing before: Section 2071 of Title 18. The law made it illegal for an individual who possesses government documents to “willfully and unlawfully” conceal, remove, mutilate, obliterate, falsify, or destroy them. If a person is convicted of the charge, they shall “be disqualified from holding” any federal office. “The barring from office charge,” D’Antuono recalled. “People saw that charge as ‘Aha, is that DOJ’s effort to get Trump?’” Other FBI officials did not consider Bratt to be politically biased. Instead, they feared that Trump’s years of attacks were now impacting the decision-making of current FBI agents.

The irony of this piece is the lengthy passages about bias, conspiracy theories, and hyper-partisanship that these institutions were not meant to soak up in executing their function as law enforcement and investigative bodies. And yet, there’s no bias within the halls of the DOJ, and everyone is level-headed when we know that’s a lie. DOJ officials doctored or outright withheld exculpatory evidence when securing illegal FISA spy warrants against Trump campaign officials like Carter Page. The FBI spied on Trump’s campaign—literally—via Crossfire Hurricane. The FBI/DOJ is not meant to navigate partisan political waters; they’re stirring the pot. The aversion to calling out the hacks in these departments is also painful to read.

The attorney general is trying to sell the line that the DOJ/FBI is home to ‘the most patriotic, apolitical officials in government’ who also donate to Democrats, secure illegal spy warrants on the Democrats’ political rivals, and want to storm into Trump’s home to reclaim documents you’d think would be of such a national security interest that it could make for film material for a feature similar to Sneakers.

There’s another theory: The DOJ felt that the comprehensive binder on the Russian collusion investigation, all the dirty laundry about this probe that House investigators compiled in 2019-2020 was at Mar-a-Lago. This binder reportedly went missing before the COVID pandemic, and the usual Deep State subjects were fearful that Trump had a copy of the original file on the property.

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yourreddancer · 3 years ago

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HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

August 11, 2022 (Thursday)

Since Monday’s search of former president Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property by the FBI, Trump, Trump supporters, and right-wing media have all been accusing the government of executing a political vendetta and speculating that FBI agents might have planted evidence on the property.

This afternoon, Attorney General Merrick Garland gave a brief press conference in which he announced that the unjustified attacks on the Department of Justice (DOJ) have led it to file a motion to unseal the search warrant the FBI used and a redacted version of the receipt for the things removed from the premises. He also confirmed that copies of the warrant and the property receipt were left with Trump, as regulations require. Had Trump wanted to release them, he could have…and he still can, at any time.

Contrary to right-wing reports, Trump’s lawyer was at Mar-a-Lago during the search, which a federal court authorized after finding probable cause. Garland said that he personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant, and he also pointed out that the Department of Justice did not publicize the search; the former president did. Because of the public interest in the matter—and to clear up confusion over it—the department is asking a judge to unseal the documents.

Garland also defended FBI agents against attacks on them, saying, “The men and women of the FBI and the Justice Department are dedicated, patriotic public servants. Every day they protect the American people from violent crime, terrorism, and other threats to their safety while safeguarding our civil rights. They do so at great personal sacrifice and risk to themselves.”

Garland explained the principle at stake. “Faithful adherence to the rule of law is the bedrock principle of the Justice Department and of our democracy. Upholding the rule of law means applying the law evenly, without fear or favor. Under my watch that is precisely what the Justice Department is doing. All Americans are entitled to the evenhanded application of the law, to due process of the law, and to the presumption of innocence.”

He also reminded people that “the Department of Justice will speak through its court filings and its work.”

The DOJ motion to unseal the search warrant tells us a bit more. It was signed by U.S. Attorney Juan Gonzalez and by Jay Bratt, the chief of the department’s counterintelligence section. The motion also throws the ball into Trump’s court, saying “the former President should have an opportunity to respond to this Motion and lodge objections….” This boxes Trump in. He and his supporters have been demanding the documents be released, although the DOJ cannot release them and Trump can. This motion means that the DOJ has made a strong case to get permission to release them…unless Trump objects. Essentially, the DOJ just called his bluff.

At the New York Times, Katie Benner reported that already “Trump allies are discussing the possibility of challenging the Justice Department’s motion to unseal the Mar-a-Lago search warrant. They have contacted outside lawyers about helping them.” This should play out quickly: a judge this afternoon told the DOJ to discuss with Trump’s lawyer whether Trump objects to unsealing the documents and to let the judge know by 3:00 tomorrow afternoon. Tonight, Trump said he would not oppose the document’s release, but he didn’t release them himself, so we’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Another right-wing talking point about the search fell apart today as well. Fox News Channel personalities have argued that the Justice Department should simply have issued a subpoena for the material. “Get a subpoena, he will give it back,” Jesse Watters said. “It’s not like Trump won’t cooperate.” But in fact it turns out the DOJ did deliver a subpoena two months ago, and the former president did not comply.

For all the loud protests of Trump supporters over the search, other Republicans—even ones who were previously Team Trump—seem to be backing away. Today, Fox News Channel contributor and former White House press secretary for President George W. Bush Ari Fleischer tweeted: “One thing I can’t wrap my arms around: If Trump had classified documents, why didn’t he give them back? Maybe he thought they were declassified. Maybe he thought it was government overreach. But if, for whatever reason, you have a classified document at home, you give it back.”

For his part, Trump tried to suggest his own retention of documents was not nearly as bad as that of former president Barack Obama, who, Trump alleged, took “33 Million pages of documents…to Chicago.” He is referring to the materials for the Obama presidential library, which have been moved from the National Archives and Records Administration with its permission and cooperation.

Tonight, Devlin Barrett, Josh Dawsey, Perry Stein, and Shane Harris at the Washington Post broke the story that the FBI agents at Mar-a-Lago were looking for documents relating to nuclear weapons, underscoring that the search was imperative. We don’t know any more than that, and heaven knows that’s bad enough.

But what springs to mind for me is the plan pushed by Trump’s first national security advisor, Michael Flynn, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and fundraiser and campaign advisor Tom Barrack, to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. In 2019, whistleblowers from the National Security Council worried that their efforts might have broken the law and that the effort to make the transfer was ongoing. The plan was to enable Saudi leaders to build nuclear power plants, a plan that would have yielded billions of dollars to the investors but would have allowed Saudi Arabia to build nuclear weapons

.Meanwhile, Zachary Cohen, Jamie Gangel, Sara Murray, and Pamela Brown of CNN report that the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol has interviewed the former secretary of transportation in the Trump administration, Elaine Chao, and is in discussions with former education secretary Betsy DeVos and former national security advisor Robert O’Brien. Former secretary of state Mike Pompeo met with the committee on Tuesday. At least nine Cabinet-level officials either have talked to the committee or are negotiating the terms of interviews. One of the topics has been the attempt to remove Trump through the 25th Amendment after the events of January 6.

The lies about the FBI and the January 6th attack on the Capitol came together today and took a life. Ricky Walter Shiffer, who appears to have been at the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, shot into the FBI field office in Cincinnati with a nail gun this morning while brandishing an AR-15-style weapon. After the attack, he took refuge in a cornfield, where law enforcement officers killed him this afternoon.

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blackssuunn-mandoandyodito · 5 years ago

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Tabaco y Brea part 4

Pairing:Javier Peña x f! reader

Rating:T? IDK WHAT THE RATINGS ARE

Words: 2.0k

A/N:enjoy this because everything gets intende after

Warnings: eating? swearing, banter, use of the word gringo, fluff. If you think I'm missing something let me know.

Summary: soft moment between the boys and reader.

Part one part two part three

Connie must be a saint if she has put up with this idiot for years.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?"

This is probably the tenth time you ask Steve this, but judging by how he fidgets with his hands and rolls his marriage ring every single time, he's not sure about his answer, even though it's always the same. You can see his nervousness as he sits in front of your desk again.

"I've told you I am! Could you quit it already?"

To say your relationship with him developed a lot in the last few weeks is an understatement. You started to like him the second he helped you with paperwork but now that you know him more you realize he's a perfect balance that you and Javier needed. He's as crazy as you are, maybe even more, but at least he doesn't get to screaming match with either of you two.

Not yet, at least.

Your partner doesn't seem to have accepted him completely still. Every time you're working on your desk with Murphy, Javier huffs and rolls his eyes. Each time you try and include him in your new dynamic, he waves it off and says he has "better things to do". He narrows his eyes and presses his lips together when the two of you laugh about some idiot joke Steve said and a voice at the back of your head tells you it has something to do with the things Helena said to you, but you shrug it off. Diving too deep into those thoughts will only make things worse.

Despite this, you and Javier haven't fought so much the last couple of days, Steve interfering when things start to get heated. He stands between the two desks holding his arms up towards each of you as if either of you were about to jump the other. It's a funny visual, needless to say. He's the tallest of the three, so he towers above your heads and tries to calm you down.

Despite this, you can't help being a little protective over him.

"Steve, we're going undercover, not shooting our way in"

He's a little hotheaded himself, that much you've realized from the stories he has told you about his job in Miami. And you may be quick to go into fight mode, but only when you see there's no other option. Javier, surprisingly, is the calmest. Who would've thought?

Steve groans, exasperated. He lets his head fall back and grabs at his hair, pulling slightly. Javier snickers at his reaction.

"Relax gringo, she's just pushing your buttons"

Well, he's not entirely wrong. Steve lifts his head to look at you with a raised eyebrow. You give him a sheepish smile and shrug.

"I might be, but your Spanish is shit and we need to speak a lot in it for this mission"

At that, Javi loses it, throws his head back laughing and grabs his belly with both hands, stamping his feet at the floor. You snort, trying not to laugh at the offended look Steve is giving you, his cheeks red with embarrassment and his arms crossed over his chest.

A glint of mischief appears in his eyes accompanied by a half sided grin.

"I will be staying at the hotel, remember? You and Javi are going to the dance club"

Javi doesn't seem to give a shit about his comment and keeps laughing his ass off.

You're not sure if Steve had realized about your feelings, he hadn't said anything directly to you yet. He made comments insinuating it, teased you about the "lust-filled" eyes you'd give Javi in the middle of an argument, but he had never asked you or mentioned it straight up. If he had, you couldn't help but think how ironic it was that everyone that got semi-close to your relationship could figure it out so quickly and Javi hadn't in the nearly two years you've been partners.

You feign annoyance by letting out a groan and hitting your head with your desk, but the truth is a knot makes its way in your stomach at the mere thought of going to a dance club with Javi.

"He doesn't even know how to dance!"

"Hey! I do know how to dance!"

He does, you just like teasing him about it. He demonstrated his skills pretty well at your first year's Christmas party, with one of the good-looking girls that the soldiers from the academy invited. It was an initiation of sorts for both of you, at one of the officers' houses close to the base. After dancing with almost all of the girls there, the soldiers dared Javi to take shots of Aguardiente and he was too happy to accept. Hours later, he was sick as fuck and spent the night throwing up at the communal bathroom. He woke you up as he started dry heaving, and you stayed with him until the sickness passed and took him to his room, all sweaty and green. You don't think he remembers a single moment of it.

Steve shakes his head, smiling. You smile too.

"Yeah, two-step, you good Texan boy. That doesn't come in handy this time though"

Javi gives him the finger by way of answer. You break down in laugher, covering your mouth to lower the noise. Javi may be skeptical about Murphy, but they banter like an old married couple already. At least their dynamic isn't as explosive as yours, theirs is easier going.

"You're gonna enjoy yourself one way or another Bera, don't play dumb" Javi says, amusement dripping from his voice. You shrug with a barely concealed grin in your face. Steve frowns at you.

"What do you mean?"

Javi turns to look at him, shaking his hands in front of his face.

"She goes there every weekend she can!" he raises his arms over his head and you have to bite your lip to not start laughing again "She takes the bus on Friday night, which is a 7 fucking hours long trip and stays there until Sunday night and leaves for another 7 hours long trip. And she goes to the salsa clubs, so she's familiar with the zone"

Steve looks at you with disbelief plaguing his eyes. You smile cheekily and extend your hand towards him. He grabs it and you pull him forward, making him bend over the desk and get closer to your space.

"If you saw the way they move Miami" you whisper, "you'd understand why I flee from here every chance I get"

Salsa in Cali is different from any other place you've been in. They move more the half down part of the body, they dance faster than others, sexier. Not for nothing they have the Cali Fair in December, where many salsa artists start their career.

Javi clears his throat and you let go of Steve immediately, blushing. He frowns at Steve and he just sits back down in front of you, adjusting his shirt. Thank God he didn't use suit every day, you hated when every agent wore one. The three of you stuck with jeans and t-shirts. Steve was apparently the polo shirt kind of guy, which was fine by you. Bogotá was mostly a mild weather city, but this time of the year was the worst.

"So what's the plan again?" Javi asks. He had been distracted since you came back, and you understand why. The whole issue with Helena was not something he would forget easily, though after you helped him everything went smoother and she acquired the visa request pretty quickly.

You extend your hands in your desk and do a show of being done with his attitude, but he knows it's just to bother him.

"We're supposed to arrive and book rooms for one night." Steve frowns, seemingly not liking that idea "the club is close, so we will have to set up the base there and communicate with you through walkie talkies. If anything goes sideways," you point at Murphy, "you have to act the fuck up and run to save us" He chuckles.

"You make it sound so easy" Javier sighs. You wish Murphy could go with you, but unfortunately, the new Siboney Club doesn't let any man or woman that goes alone inside, and you can't go with him instead of Javi, he would stand out like a sore thumb. The club is not so far from the Comuna 3, and you're guessing that has something to do with why they're meeting there. Murphy will be 6 minutes away, so everything must be okay with him and the other soldiers as back up if anything goes wrong.

You hope it doesn't.

"You want some?" Javi asks as he extends you a wrapped bundle of meat empanadas. He had left to go to Salomé earlier, returning with a sour look and bags of food hanging from his arms.You figured he had stumbled upon Alexander, Cata's grandson, whom he doesn't like one bit. He didn't say anything but came into the room mumbling under his breath about a"stupid pretty spoiled bratt".

"Give them to me!" You shout as you jump to grab them. Both men laugh as you move all the papers and unwrap them in your desk. You probably shouldn't be eating there, the smell will spread all over the office and you'll have to deal with it all day.

You stop caring as you take the first bite. Steve gives you a funny look, his eyebrow raised. Then you realize he most likely has never had one and shove the bundle towards him.

"Pick one," you say, grinning at him. "And I assure you life will be different from now on"

He looks at you, doubtful, but grabs one nothingless. Javi stares at everything with amusement glinting in his eyes. His chest fills with warmth every time you get enthusiastic for something as simple as food. Every day he hopes you will stay that way, untainted by all the shit you have to go through in this job, and tries to take the hits himself.

As Steve takes the first bite, you can practically see sparks fly from his body, licking his lips as he represses a groan.

"This is fucking great" he says once he swallows. You pump your fist in the air.

"Of course it fucking does. It's Colombia, Murphy, live a little and try new things."

He bows to listen to you. Javi can already picture how you're gonna get him to try the craziest things just as you got him too. Mild jealousy invades him, but he shrugs it off.

You start eating, letting out obscene sounds at every bite you take. Heat rises from his chest and he turns around to read the reports you last wrote and check everything's fine. He can't concentrate though, his mind wandering to places he shouldn't allow at every groan you make.

Steve stands up from his chair, leaning over your food and extending his hand to take another one. You bat his hand away and pull the bundle closer to you.

"Give me more!" He demands, pushing your arms away. With quick reflexes, you wrap them up again and throw them to Javi, and he catches it mid air with an amused smile playing at his lips.

"Leave my food alone!"

"You have to share!"

"Go buy your own!"

You wrap yourselves in an easy banter about food, Javi chuckling from his desk as he looks at the two of you. The way you act so loose around Steve sets him on his nerves, but he's willing to try and accept this if it means you'll have an easier time around here.

"Leave her alone Murphy" he finally says, command evident in his voice. Both of you turn to look at him, and you smile as he gets uncomfortable from the power of both your stares. Despite this, he doesn't yield.

Steve falls back into his chair without looking away. Now, Javi grabs the bag again and hands him a different bundle of empanadas.

"I figured she would want you to taste them," he says, nonchalant. Stunned, you take your own food as he hands them back to you and returns to read the reports.

You turn to look at Murphy with your mouth open. He only smiles and winks at you.

Now he's sure he understands what the thing between you two is about.

----

Taglist:

@fioccodineveautunnale @storiesofthefandomloversreblogs @thisisthe-way @marydjarin @synystersilenceinblacknwhite

#javier peña #javier peña x reader #pedro pascal #pedro pascal x reader #javier peña x you #pedro pascal x you #narcos #narcos fanfic #reader insert #pedro pascal fanfiction #my writing

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ousamma · 5 years ago

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"Redemption"is key motive- Big Brother All-stars Candidates Released

CBS has announced and posted all 20 potential Big Brother Candidates. The names have been floating around chat forums, blogs, myspace, and fan sites all over the web since the announcement of the show earlier this year. The key for the most of the houseguests? Redemption! Most of the chosen ones made big mistakes somewhere in the game, were stabbed in the back by another player, or just simply played the game wrong.

George This guy seems to be the type who always tried to fit in by standing out- His nickname, Chicken, came from his duty to guard the household chicken.

Bunky Bunky is the housguest who is known for his crying. He played the "nice guy" card, and we all know nice guys finish last! Bunky spent most of his time in the house crying, while the people around him tried to manipulate him. His best friend in the house, Kent,who first judged him, still remains a close friend to him outside the house. Bunky wants to come back and play the game completely different- and as he says he won't cry too!

Will "You think its easy being good-looking?" Many fans love this guy- why? Because he knows that bad boys are sexy! He called his game playing ruthless and that he planned to lie from day one. He also claims he pioneered the strategy of being evil. He believes people should vote for him because he has a big ego and he would like to try to mix things up a bit.

Mike "I am the type of guy you want to hang with instead of buying insurance from." Mike boogie was part of the chill town alliance and he states he liked hanging with the 'Bratt pack.' He said his biggest mistake was falling in love with Christa whom he asked to marry on the show, got engaged, and then broke up after the show. He thinks that being 'in love' clouded his judgment and wants to show America how strategic he can be. Good friends with Evil Dr. Will, he is wanting to step from beyond his friends shadow and take the lead.

Monica "It's on" this girl is strong and a true force of female power. She claims she wants to continue to keep it real and for anyone who tries to get in her way to watch out. She even scares me! A true competitor!

Marcellas Marcellas was always seen looking at himself in admiration and was quoted saying " I love looking at myself." Marcellas is a fan favorite, as since he was evicted he has worked on "House Calls" making comments on all Big Brother houses since his time. Him and Amy were two outcasts that were used to being popular until they entered the big brother house, only to be shunned by all. Marcellas made the mistake of giving up his veto to keep his only friend in the house, in what he refers to as, "a crazy greek tragedy". Marcellas wants to come back into the house to correct his big mistakes.

Lisa Lisa- known for her infamous peanut butter bikini- and her quote " I keep my eyes shut and my mouth open," was one loud mouth in Big Brother. She is one of the few winners that will attempt to get back into the Big Brother House. This time she wants to come back and play the game although she won the last won she was in. She is ready to dodge bullets, as a past winner, she has nothing to loose.

Danielle People either love to hate me, or hate to love me" a controversial player that will try to return to the show. In tonight's show she reflected in what she called " real and raw" dairy room sessions where she counted down to her victory. She also created a secret alliance with Jason that never uncovered landing them both in the top three. She was so close to winning that the only thing on her mind is "redemption".

Erika Erika was really pumped to enter the house in BB4 until she saw her X boyfriend in the shows ex-factor twist. She would like to enter the house and try to win as one of the "good" guys. In BB4 she created a strong alliance with jack, but that alliance was not good enough. She is ready for anything this time and especially ready to redeem herself.

Dana "I'm soooo pissed off" Dana was known for calling it like it is. She claims her personality is "spicy." She made her biggest mistake early when she switched sides and voted against her alliance only to get voted out in the next round.

Alison "A Girls got to do what a girls got to do"- Alison, the houseguest everybody hated. She started off the show seducing all the boys, and in know time she was hated. She said that manipulating men was a part of her strategy as well as telling people exactly what they wanted to hear. She managed to squeak by and win second place, only to be brutally defeated with a 1: 6 vote loss. She believes that the first looser crap is not good enough for her and is coming back strong with vengeance.

Jase "That was not from Jesus" Full of antics he labeled his BB5 crew, the "Four idiot horseman." Jase was thrown off guard when he was caught calling out other housguests. He was a rat on a sinking ship pretty fast! Jase believes all-stars would not be the same without him. He wants to be back, wearing head-gear... a Born again houseguest.

Michael Michael "cowboy" - The only cowboy on big brother wants to return. He began his reign in the house acting wild but that was suddenly halted when he found out he had a sister and a father, and his sister was in the house with him! His sob story drove him to the end where he just missed the money. He thinks that when you get that close to the money its the hardest to loose it. People stated he rode the coattails to the finals, and he is ready to prove he deserves to be the winner.

Nakomis Nakomis--Jennifer found out that Michael was her brother on the show. She had her own crafty personality, with new hair styles and poetry. Her passionate tirade against the producers, the series and reality shows in general, made her a memorable player in big brother. She states that her relationship with Michael is on and off again today, and that the most painful memory of her eviction was having the single vote that casted her out come from her brother. She wants to be the snake in the grass in the all stars competition

Diane "When I want something, I get it." Diane is another one who fell in love on Big brother. She became winner Drew's girlfriend where later Drew chose to take cowboy Michael over her to the voting round. She stated that being with him costed her the game, and that nobody will break her down. She is also wants to come back in the name of "redemption!"

Howie Howie made himself known quickly as BUSTO- a man who loves boobies. He was also always trying to be a JEDI and could be seen with his light sabers on several episodes. He had a secret partner Janelle. Howie has made the biggest online appearance creating his own games, starting online chats and promoting his own products. Howie believes "Big brother without Howie is like a day without sunshine." He also believes he was the best looking guy on the show.

Kaysar Kaysar was the first Muslim on Big Brother, and although an extremely nice guy he was also an outcast. According to him, people thought they could take advantage of him, and that he was evicted way too early. Kasyar, although unpopular on the show has become extremely popular in reality. He appeared on the soap opera "the young and the restless" as well as an appearance in the new show "half and half." He is know for his quote " No, I sealed your partners fate." Kaysar is a hot pick in several big brother fan forums.

Ivette "Im going to get Cuban on your ass" She believes that her biggest mistake on the show was choosing the wrong friends and alliances. Often seen on the show as loud and part of the "nerd herd" she wants to ditch those stereotypes and play a different game.

James "Veto King" James was not well liked on the show. He claims no one was as feared and as hated as him. He survived because of his ability to capture the most veto's in big brother history. James promises that he will return with the same tenacity as before. James is also a favorite in forums all over the web.

Janelle "Bye Bye Bitches!"The most highly quoted, fun loving, big brother candidate. Most houseguests would also love to see her return. Although a Tall foxy blonde, Janelle is know dummy and a strong competitor. She states she will do anything to win...ANYTHING!...

Well what are you waiting for? Vote for your favorites now! Join us at http;//www.morebigbrother.com

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lilyjcollins-news · 6 years ago

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Lily Collins :“I want to dig deep, tell the truth and be more brave” by Jane Mulkerrins.

(click here to see the photoshoot and here to go to the website.)

The day before we meet, Lily Collins had what felt like a breakthrough encounter. At the end of a short, on-camera interview, the journalist had asked where she lived. Los Angeles, she told him, where her mother was born and raised, and where she has lived since the age of five, when her parents divorced. He then asked where her father lived. England, and partly in the US now, too, she answered. And what did her father do for a living? After some stifled giggling from the crew, Collins, who has just turned 30, gently explained her parentage. “And the guy just looked at me with the biggest eyes,” she laughs. “He’s like, ‘I’m sorry, what did you just say? Oh God, now I feel silly.’”

She insists that she was very grateful for his ignorance. “I’m so proud of my family, but I have also worked really hard to carve my own path and to not have that define me.’”

The daughter of superstar musician Phil Collins and his second wife, Jill Tavelman, she admits that her famous surname has inevitably opened doors, but insists that nobody has ever “made a phone call” for her. “I did get told that I could have other ways in,” she shrugs, when we meet on a rainy New York afternoon. “but I never wanted to give anyone the opportunity to say: ‘Well, she only got X or Y because of that.’ I knew it would take longer to do it on my own, but it would be so much more worth it.”

Collins’s insistence on carving her own path is now paying off, with two high-profile films – Tolkien, and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, and the US launch of the BBC miniseries Les Miserables, for which her performance as the tragic Fantine is already creating some early awards buzz.

Tolkien, a biopic of the author’s early life, stars Nicholas Hoult as JRR Tolkien, the philologist and author of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Ringsseries, while Collins plays Edith Bratt, his childhood sweetheart and, later, his wife, who was the inspiration for Lúthien Tinúviel, the elvish princess in Tolkien’s Middle-earth. “I had auditioned to play an elven character in one of Peter Jackson’s movies, and I didn’t get it… but I’ve ended up playing the woman who inspired the elven princess,” grins Collins. It is her most mainstream, highly anticipated film to date, and a world away from the romcom roles she was getting five years ago. While there’s a heavy focus on Tolkien’s male friendships – the inspirations for his “fellowship” in his books, Bratt is fully fleshed-out and three-dimensional, too, not some flimsy, token love interest. “She was very creative and very passionate and driven, and he was intellectually stimulated by her,” says Collins. Bratt and Tolkien were both orphans. “At that time women of her status and in her position weren’t really afforded the opportunity to seek higher,” says Collins. “But she encouraged him to continue on his path. It’s very selfless, and, at times, heartbreaking.”

She sees a similar selflessness in Fantine, her once-vivacious character in Les Miserables, who becomes a prostitute and sells her hair and teeth in order to feed her child. “I died on day two of filming,” says Collins, with a laugh. She sent a picture of herself in character to her mother, who replied, “No one should have to see their daughter like this.”

“My choices have tended to go quite dark,” admits Collins of her recent roles. Just three days ago, she finished filming Inheritance, a forthcoming thriller in which she stars alongside Simon Pegg. “That’s incredibly dark, too. I really enjoy playing these characters that, under the surface, have so much more going on than they are saying, or who seem like they are barely keeping it together.

“I’ve always believed that asking for help is not a weakness, it’s a strength,” she continues. “I have a tattoo that says: ‘True delicacy is not a fragile thing.’ You can look delicate, but it doesn’t mean that you’re fragile.” I surmise, from her having it made permanent in ink, that people have, perhaps, underestimated her in the past.

Undoubtedly the darkest of her recent projects is Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, about the serial killer Ted Bundy, who murdered more than 30 girls and women in seven US states in the 1970s. The title comes from the judge’s summation of Bundy’s acts when sentencing him to death. Collins plays Elizabeth Kloepfer, the killer’s long-term girlfriend who is convinced of his innocence, with Zac Efron playing a charismatic and persuasive Bundy.

While preparing for the role, over the Christmas holidays, Collins recounts how she would wake every night at 3.05am. “I would go downstairs and have a cup of tea, trying to figure out why I had woken up again.” Then, she says, “I started being woken up by flashes of images, like the aftermath of a struggle.” She went to the internet to investigate. “I discovered that 3am is the time when the veil between the realms is the thinnest and one can be visited.” She began to believe women who were murdered by Bundy were, perhaps, trying to contact her. “I didn’t feel scared – I felt supported. I felt like people were saying: “We’re here listening. We’re here to support. Thank you for telling the story.”

Collins tells me all of this in a completely matter-of-fact manner, as if receiving messages from long-dead murder victims were a perfectly normal part of preparing for a film. It’s pretty much the only moment in our time together when she seems more Californian than British. Even her looks – porcelain skin, dark hair and dramatic eyebrows – are eminently more London than LA. And, while in person her accent is pure California, on screen in Tolkien, her clipped, turn-of-the-century English consonants and vowels are flawless, as are her more working-class ones for Fantine. She looks deeply relieved when I tell her so. “I did worry that people were going to be like, ‘Well, she is actually British, her accent should really be better,’” she laughs. “There’s an extra level of pressure. I worked with a dialect coach as I needed it to be absolutely spot-on.”

Collins was born in Guildford, Surrey, at the height of her father’s success – six months later he would release Another Day in Paradise. Is it true, I ask, that Elton John used to babysit her? “I’ve really got to sit my parents down and ask them questions about that. I’ve been hearing it for so long, but I really have no idea,” she says.

After relocating with her mother to LA at the age of five, following her parents’ divorce, she attended the prestigious Harvard-Westlake school, where former pupils include Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal, and began auditioning for film and TV roles. “I was getting told ‘no’ all the time,” she says, which she puts down simply to a lack of experience. “I’d done musicals and plays at school, but I hadn’t studied acting or anything, and auditioning for film and TV is very different.”

At the same time, journalism held an appeal, too. “I wanted to be the youngest-ever talk show host,” she says. After pitching ideas to magazine editors, she began writing for Teen Vogue and Elle Girl, and scored a job as a reporter for the children’s channel Nickelodeon, covering the 2008 presidential election and Obama’s inauguration. “I was 18 and I could just vote, so I was like, ‘Oh great, I get to ask all the questions that I don’t know the answers to.’” What she liked less, however, were the questions she had to ask as a roving reporter on the red carpet. “I would think, oh, that’s not what I really want to ask this person, I would hate to be asked that,” she recalls. On the other side of the microphone now, there are questions she simply doesn’t answer, about her personal life, or about politics, on which she refuses to be drawn.

She studied broadcast journalism at the University of Southern California, but dropped out in her second year when, in 2009, after several years of auditioning, she won her first film role, as Sandra Bullock’s daughter in The Blind Side. Soon after, she was perfectly cast as Snow White in Mirror Mirror, followed by Rosie Dunne in Love, Rosie, the adaptation of Cecelia Ahern’s novel Where Rainbows End.

Though acting has clearly won out over journalism and talk show ambitions are on hold for now, Collins is still a keen writer. In 2017, she published Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me, a collection of personal essays in which she opened up about her struggles and self-doubts, her relationship with her father, with partners, and with her own body, writing about the eating disorders she battled for some years. “A lot of young women write to me on social media [she has more than 14m followers on Instagram], saying, ‘I just wanted to let you know that this is my situation and my insecurity, not that you would ever be able to relate to it…’ and I’ll always be like, ‘No, I really can relate,’” she insists.

Collins describes in Unfiltered how, as a child, she had only positive associations with food, but that changed when she turned 16. Her father was separating from her stepmother, his third wife, while Lily was juggling school, a budding modelling career, a social life and trying to break into acting, too. “My life felt out of control,” she writes. “I couldn’t handle the pain and confusion surrounding my dad’s divorce, and I was having a hard time balancing being a teenager with pursuing two different grown-up careers – both of which I’d chosen myself, but which also focused heavily on how I looked.” She began starving herself, exercising obsessively and became addicted to diet pills and laxatives, habits which continued well into her early 20s.

She pitched the book proposal during a dry spell in acting. “I hadn’t booked anything film-wise for a while, and I was itching to do something. The idea for the book had been at the back of my mind for a while, and I thought, well, maybe now’s the time.” Soon after, she was also sent the script for To The Bone, a film about a young woman with chronic anorexia. “It was too big a message to ignore,” recalls Collins. She attended group therapy sessions with recovering anorexics. “I didn’t want them thinking that I was just coming in to be nosy. I wanted them to know that I actually could relate. It encouraged me to really dig deep and tell the truth, to be more brave. And it was freeing,” she says. Collins sent a copy of the book to Michelle Obama “on a whim. I wanted to reach out to certain people and just thank them for being an inspirational woman, someone who I look up to,” she says. “I certainly never expected to receive a letter back thanking me and saying the same thing. I need to get that letter framed.”

This summer, she’s heading to France to film Emily in Paris, the new comedy-drama from Sex and the City creator Darren Star. “I knew I had so much baggage that I needed to get rid of in order to take on the baggage of all my characters,” she says. “And the second I did that, my career and my personal life opened up in a whole new way.” Collins, it seems, having been drawn to the darkness, professionally and personally, is now heading towards the light.

vía The Observer Magazine.

#lily collins #interview #magazine #the observer #to the bone #Extremely Wicked Shockingly Evil and Vile #tolkien #unfiltered

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garudabluffs · 3 years ago

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Judge Cannon did everyone a favor. September 7, 2022

"My point is not to trash Judge Cannon’s integrity, intelligence, or fairness. She has already done so beyond my meager ability to add to the opprobrium already heaped upon her. Rather, the point is that Judge Cannon now understands she is universally regarded as the most incompetent, biased, and clueless federal district judge in the nation—and that is saying something!"

"The dam is beginning to crack. Many Trump administration officials are having serious conversations with lawyers about conduct that seemed (at the time) designed to “stick it to the libs.” Now that conduct appears to be espionage, treason, obstruction of justice, lying to the FBI, theft of government property, and violations of the Presidential Records Act. The more Trump draws attention to the Mar-a-Lago search, the more nervous his co-conspirators will become. Eventually, one of them will flip. And then the dam will burst. Until then, we have elections to win in November, so stay focused on what we can control as we wait for the domino effect to begin."

READ MORE https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/judge-cannon-did-everyone-a-favor

137 Comments "...when a classified document is taken from storage, safe and SCIF, it must be signed out. A custodian manages this process. You must provide appropriate ID and signature. It is then secured in a folder, or secure envelope and you leave. That document is now your responsibility to properly handle, protect AND return. The custodians have records of the transactions and sign the document back in when returned.

They know exactly when it left and when it should be returned. My experience is you would get a call, or visit, if the document was not returned when expected.

Obviously, something went terribly wrong in the tangerine tinted Loser’s administration. It will, I am sure, be investigated as to who, what and where the system failed. Heads will roll and prison time should be expected."

Robert B. Hubbell9 hr ago

Author

"You raise valid concerns. But the DOJ has enough to indict Trump without the documents seized in the search. Recall that Trump voluntarily returned 15 boxes, including classified material before the search. But he did not return all classified documents at that time. He then turned over more classified documents to Jay Bratt (of DOJ Counterintelligence). That is enough to support an indictment. And I believe the DOJ will proceed with the special master process and have it completed before it is ready to issue an indictment. That said, it is important for the DOJ to appeal the injunction portion of the ruling (on principle). But that need not delay the special master review."

+ “Here is a link to an excellent article in The Atlantic about the MAGA folks. He makes some great observations and points”

https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2022/09/the-nihilism-of-maga-world/671355/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=atlantic-daily-newsletter&utm_content=20220906&utm_term=The%20Atlantic%20Daily

+ https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/31/politics/aileen-cannon-trump-special-master/index.html

#Judge Aileen Cannon special master

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dancecompreview · 8 years ago

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Advice for Pros Doing Pro-Am at Competitions - Dance Comp Review

New Post has been published on http://dancecompreview.com/advice-for-pros-doing-pro-am-at-competitions/

Advice for Pros Doing Pro-Am at Competitions

Sometimes, the path to being (and looking like) a professional ballroom dancer is a little unclear. Maybe there isn’t a great mentor, coach, or example available. Maybe what worked 10 years ago doesn’t work anymore. Or maybe you’re not paying attention. No matter what, teaching ballroom dancing is an awesome job, but since it’s a Job, it’s easy to forget that it’s Awesome.

But at a competition, everyone wants to look (and be) awesome. I’VE MADE ALL THE MISTAKES, but as a Professional, I’m always looking to improve my game and BE BETTER. Here’s some advice for how to look like a professional at a Pro-Am competition:

Watch Your Face

Yes, sometimes your student has forgotten all their technique and how to use their muscles to hold up their frame and you’re dancing in front of your coach, but don’t show it on your face. Unless it’s Tango, a pissed-off countenance is rather unprofessional.

Yes, you’re dancing Beginner Bronze and it’s soooooo below your proficiency level [please read with extreme sarcasm], but stop looking disinterested. The fun part of being the Am in a Pro-Am partnership (back in the day, I did this too) is that you’re dancing with a professional and they make your closed syllabus stuff look like THE BOMB, not The Bore. So, BE THE BOMB! You’re the Pro, aren’t ya?

Do Your Preparation

Possess the correct footwear, undergarments, and costumes. Plan what your hair and makeup (and tan) is going to look like and how and when it’s going to get done. Know your Pro-Am closed routines/material. Get all of this double-checked by someone who knows more than you. I.e., find the most knowledgable person you can and ask them to look these things over; you might have to take a lesson from that person (*gasp*), but it will be worth it.

Note: you don’t need to spend $6k to look good, but you do need to look good. And so you know, that usually means knowing what looks good FOR YOU (because it’s not the same for everyone) more than a week ahead of your event.

Know Your Schedule

(Otherwise Known As, Listen to the MC and Make Friends with the On-Deck Captains and Don’t Miss Your Student’s Heats). The soothing sounds of the amazing MCs aren’t just there to calm your nerves before you dance. Their dulcet tones contain IMPORTANT INFORMATION that you need. While your heat sheet lists approximate times for your dances, ballrooms are like Vegas: time doesn’t mean anything. Heat numbers are where it’s at. Get to the ballroom AT LEAST 30 minutes before your scheduled heat time and listen to that guy on the podium because every 1:20 or so, he’ll tell you what’s going on! Also, that 30 minute rule? Don’t rely on it. Competitions have been pretty ruthless about being ahead of schedule and unless you’re a Ballroom VIP, no one is going to hold the ballroom for you. I feel good about checking in an hour before my first event (unless it’s the first one of the day). And waiting is half the fun anyway, right?

If you’re completely lost, or just want to be helpful, go introduce yourself to the deck captain and ask what heat they are on and how that relates to your next heat. Then they’ll know your face and you’ll be up to date! #WinWin

Need to scratch an event? Tell that blessed deck captain as soon as you know. Awards are also a circus and exercise in active listening. Don’t get distracted by standing next to your buddies and your dance crushes. Listen to that sexy MC and read your heat sheet and stay focused. Your students want to get their awards, yo. Go get ’em!

You. Are. Working.

So is everyone else! Obviously, you should have fun, and you should be making it fun for other people because that’s what we do. But like, professional fun. Give deference to students first (they ARE paying you to be there), don’t talk shit unless you want everyone to hear it, don’t be distracting, and know your place.

The dance hierarchy is real and there’s a lot of people doing a lot more than you are. From the scrutineer and the DJ, to that guy who’s doing 300 entries and the judges who started at 7am and end at 1am. The ballroom industry is full of hardworking individuals. Take a minute to evaluate where you fall in the big picture and give some space to people who are grinding it out.

Got the big picture all figured out? Maybe you should sweat the small stuff. Stay tuned for Part Two…

Author: Kate Bratt Photography: Egorich.ca DanceSport Exclusively for Dance Comp Review

#Advice #competition #pro-am

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kayeblackwolf-blog · 6 years ago

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The Hokage’s Failure or why i used to love Naruto and then not...

First of all, i have to mention that i followed Naruto, the anime and manga, since High school, i was one of the first fans who likes the pairing of Naruto and Sakura even when the most of the fans doesn’t believe in this ship, obviusly, i learned in the hard way that they have the reason all along.

Today, while i was talking with a former co worker , i was telling him that i used to love Naruto and then just to maximize my dramatic exclamation i use a emoticon of a crying face there. He write a short but efective response that remember me why i loved Naruto so deeply. He the just wrote: “Hey, i´m Naruto!” and then send me a foto of his, smiling, proving that, in fact, they have exactly same smile, of course he makes this obvius adding another coment,

The fact was, that i used to love Naruto ‘cause was full of good things. Naruto was a main character lazy, messy and sometimes even pitiful, but persistent as hell and loyal till death, victim of bullying for be something he doesn’t even ask for, rejected and humilliated for the people that he knew as his home, but never revengful, sometimes being a bratt but not harmful. Naruto was just a kid who needed love and comprehension, someone who have decided protect the same place that mistreated him so bad.

Myself identifies with this kid, rejected but loving, clumsy but persistent. A good man trying to achieve his destiny, make his dreams come true and smiling against adversity.

Naruto would had a couple of things very clear, one of them was that He’d be the Hokage, other was that he’d brougt back Sasuke at any cost and third thah he loved Sakura ,deeply and trudly. And was there when everything (at least to me), begins to break.

Sakura was a bratty girl with no self criteria, a girl just being a girl at the pre pubescent age afraid to be more rejected than she already was. In this point i believed that in was one of the things that marked this ship so powerfully. They identifies the other in themselfs more or less but the identification is there.

Even when the smilarities between Sakura and Naruto we can also say that they’re extremely unalike.

Many of their development happened since the first chapter in the manga. Sakura, a girl who is egocentrical, fearly , with a world of insecurities beneath her skin; Naruto a boy rejected trying to step out from the others but that keeps being a bratty and childish guy.

All the develpment between them is exhaustively analized in Narusaku manifesto a well descrived article that was published so many years ago in a forum called Heaven and Earth. I don’t know exactly if that place exist yet, but if it does, please, read that article ‘cause there will be, at least partially, the answers and explanations about this couple that many can be looking for.

Maybe my major anger with the pairing “Naruhina” is the lack of development in that relationship. There were not a single intimate moment between Hinata and Naruto in the entire manga, ¡Not a single one!

Lets stop here before you get mad and tell me about how Hinata almost sacrifices her life in exchange for Naruto’s in that battle with Pain, a heroic act that summarizes absolutely the love she feels for him, let me tell you that there is not intimacy in it, it was a public declaration that, even tough, takes Naruto and Pain by surprise and then was put aside in the continuity of the storyline. The movie is something apart that i’ll discuss later.

In the real story, in the manga and even in the anime, the original development of the characters there is not intimacy between Naruto and Hinata. There were not recognition, not bonding moment, not sharing about who were really who. The brief moment before the fight with Kiba, the oath in the fight with Neji in revenge for whats has been done to Hinata, even the public declaration from her were the perfect examples of lost chances. When Naruto and Hinata could have connect, Kishimoto decides cut off the line and keep going in another completely different direction, even then, there were moments after that moments where the bnding between Naruto and Sakura seems to shine more. All the oportunities that the manga had to make the Naruhina the main ship with the adecuate support were lost in moments so little and irrelevant that caugh my attention once all was over.

Why’d you let that your main couple have such lame construction process? Why give the searchlight to another couple that were meant to be just friends?

The intimacy between Naruto and Sakura were so many that analize them would be possible only trough their manifesto and all the manga that was not over when it was written. My only objetive is express my opinion, unintended to offend no one.

At this point i know that expressing my opinion won’t change anything and, for the most, probably , i’ll get angry responses for the fans that saw how Naruhina triumphed in this ships wars. But this feeling, that i’ve guarded inside of me has been fighting to get aout and i simply can’t repress any longer, so here i’m.

Many would say that Sakura was selfish and had the worts of the attitudes with Naruto at the first part of the manga, but we need to see under what kind of concept we are judging her. She was, in the beginning of the manga, a twelve-years old girl who was trying to go with the flow. How can we think that her attitud and her treat to him will be different to the others if she herself is being rejected by her physic. At the age of twelve, i doubt, sincerely that someone would had their own critteria formed totally about people, things or facts. At thah age we are more a combination between what we see in othersand what we learned in home and school and we’re beginning our own exploration of the world, a vision of racionalization and we are not mature enough to go against what is proclaimed as a law. In Naruto’s universe everybody surrounding him rejects him, they are scared of him and try to avoid his existence. Why Sakura would act differentely? Hinata does not reject Naruto but nor comforts him or supports him in any way- And no, repeat his name behind a tree while having daydreams in silence is not support- Sakura, even in this stage of theri relationship that is at some point kind of uncomfortable, supports Naruto in many more ways fighting against her will and her own interest to help him or at least try.

Her confession of love was not fake even when many could think otherwise. NaruSaku fans believed it too, and some of them pointed this moment like the worst NaruSaku moment in the history of this manga, but to me it was all unlike.

The “I love you” pronounced by Sakura was one of the most sincere i’ve ever read/heard. She put him first, his dreams, his heart, his hopes, her fail neglect his decision, she was hopeless and act by instinct . She was determined to finish that Sasuke and her was inflicting in Naruto all along. The last person seh was thinking was about her, she just didn’t care about what Naurto and other could think about her, she act, she wanted to save her best friend and in her try she was selflessly selfish but she did try hard give her all to Naruto and if that is not love i don’t know how to call it. Even the she was severely judged. And yes Hinata risk her life for Naruto but that was a way more selfish than Sakura in her action, she not risk just her security if not also Naruto’s and Village. She could perfectly Know that gets in the way of Pain was useless, dangerous and uncautious but even then she did it. Why? Maybe moved by an impulse but maybe also thinking in the way her heroic act would impact in the way Naruto saw her. If that wasn’t real, why she confesses in that moment? She could say anything, anything aside her feelings but she choses that preciselly moment to confess her love, and suffer the consequences and Kishimoto wasted another bonding moment.

On the other hand, Naruto is a boy that always have loved Sakura, i didn’t understand at first why, ‘cause, to be sincere, Sakura, in the beginning made me feel a little off, i didn´t like her, and to me she was so unfriendly that i only saw her as a horrible character but then, she changed, she grew and made herself better and for the first time i saw a really good character development from this childish girl into a strong woman, her treat to Naruto was changing to better, her obsession for Sasuke was lessening and everything seemed just perfectly fine. Naruto makes very clear in the first chapter that he already knows why he likes Sakura so much realizing it maybe even before many of us.

Naruto never hesitates in his feelings for her, he didn’t doubt. He promised her happiness even when that would mean sacifice his own heart, he encouraged her, he admired her, he loved her passionately, truthly, maddly and deeply, and suddenly in a twist all that dissapeared just like that!

Years and years of love and devotion gone just...because. Sakura throw Naruto to Hinata´s arms in a movie that pretends justify Naruhina but only makes more clear that Naruto look at Hinata just ‘cause she was there and thats all and Sakura at least at it was portrayed, felt like she saw feeling so undeserving of Naruto’s love that she decided simply let him go. The lack of a real confrontation with their deep feelings between them left me unsatisfied. One of the things that upsets me the most is the kind of example that this kind of shippings gives to everyone who sees this.

From Hinata it was: live for a man, as if twilight wasn’t enough, now Naruto comes and shows us this. You like a man? Hide yourself behind a tree hoping like a stalker and never, never make the effort to talk with him and know him really ‘cause he’ll come to you when he is donde with his true love and make him your totally life sense. Forgett who you are, and change your personality cause he wanted and needed something entirely different of what you are.

A man mistreated you, is unrespectful with you and doesn’t give a damn what happen to you? Love him! Love him undying and fiercely, let him treat you as he pleases and years later when your life makes no sense and your kids doubt about your maternity and ask why their father is never near, destroys your house victim of your own frustration of a lifetime.

You’re a good man who give it all for everyone? well you gonna need the help from a traitor moron that says is your friend and let the love of your life go from you and let her get married with a idiot that just treated her like she have any value. Get married whit whoever gets in the way and to get over your frustration be a workaholic and neglect your own family.

If you’re a revengful murderer with God complex, a traitor to all the people, a idiotic and malevolous being, a man without any type of ethic nor moral, dont worry, you’ll get married with someone who just adores you without reason, your best friend let you keep his tru love for you, and forgave every single shitty thing you’ve done to him and will make you a hero just like him.

Many of you maybe would tell me that things ar far different as how i portrayed in this post , but like i said before this is just an opinion and its mine only, i have nothing against no one aand nothing here es personal.

To me, Naruto and Sakura were meant to be , but he gives up and she never forgives self and their story get lost in a great development that failed in give us clausure of them. Their story ends and it was for me the real end for Naruto saga, the Naruto that i used to love and then just gets me dissapointed.

If someone out there is interested in read NaruSaku Manifesto i leave the link here to check out:

https://ship-manifesto.livejournal.com/156175.html

#Naruto NaruSaku Anime Manga #WhywouldyoudothatKishimoto?#Realbadlovestories #i was disappointed

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cinephiled-com · 8 years ago

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New Post has been published on Cinephiled

New Post has been published on http://www.cinephiled.com/interview-powerful-new-doc-shows-labor-activist-dolores-huerta-still-fighting-good-fight/

Interview: Powerful New Doc Shows Labor Activist Dolores Huerta Still Fighting the Good Fight

Many people know the story of how civil rights activist Cesar Chavez transformed the U.S. labor movement by founding the first farm workers’ union. But less people know abut his equally influential co-founder, Dolores Huerta, who tirelessly led the fight for racial and labor justice alongside Chavez, becoming one of the most powerful and defiant feminists of the 20th century. Like so many powerful female advocates, Dolores’s enormous accomplished have been largely overlooked. Even as she empowered a generation of immigrants to stand up for their rights, her own relentless work ethic was constantly criticized, including by people who judged her harshly as a woman who married three times and raised 11 children. But nothing dampened her passion or deterred her from her personal and lifelong mission. Even today, at the age of 87, Dolores Huerta remains as steadfast and as active as ever in her fight for the rights of others, especially the less privileged and those under attack in today’s climate.

Peter Bratt’s provocative new documentary, Dolores, reveals the raw, personal stakes involved in committing one’s life to the fight for justice. Interweaving fascinating archival footage with interviews from Dolores and her contemporaries, the film sets the record straight on one of the most effective and undervalued civil and labor rights leaders in modern U.S. history. It was a thrill for me to sit down with Dolores Huerta, a personal hero of mine, and director Peter Bratt to discuss this must-see film.

Danny Miller: What an honor it is to meet you, Dolores Huerta! You were in icon in my house when I was growing up and I still remember the “no grapes” mantra during the boycott. Peter, despite the fact that Dolores often gets overlooked in the history books, my first thought after seeing this film was, “What took so long?” Were you surprised that no one had made a film about her accomplishments and life’s work?

Peter Bratt: Yes — blown away, actually! Like you, I grew up keenly aware of Dolores and her work, but I’m continually astounded by how many people are not familiar with her activism. I even remember mentioning to her college professors who would say, “Dolores who?”

No! Dolores, every aspect of your work is so inspiring but I love that the film also delves into the effects of such work on your family. Knowing how committed you are to the work, did you have any reservations about letting Peter bring your personal life into the film?

Dolores Huerta: Oh, many reservations! (Laughs.) I wanted the movie to be just about the work, that was the big battle that Peter and I had throughout the process.

Peter Bratt: And I’ve got several bruises to prove it!

Dolores Huerta: But Peter kept telling me that you have to have a story, you have to do something that not only informs people but also entertains them and holds their interest. You have to tell a story that people can relate to.

It does make it all the more powerful, in my opinion. Just the honesty of having your kids in the film talking quite frankly about the challenges of having a mother who was such a well-known activist — that was really moving to hear.

And, you know, that’s a worry that ALL working parents have, especially single moms. “Who’s going to take care of my kids today while I have to go to work?”

Peter Bratt: My experience with activists is that they’re often very uncomfortable having the lens turned on them — they’re so used to being out there inspiring others. The turning point with this film happened when several of Dolores’s children came to her and said, “Okay, mom, you don’t want the story to be about you, but what you have to realize is that your story is going to inspire and empower other young women.” I think when they finally convinced her of that, that was when she really came on board!

Dolores Huerta: It’s true that I don’t like being the center of attention. I think of all the people we’ve lost in the movement. There are so many people you’ve never heard of: Nan Freeman, an 18-year-old Jewish girl from Boston who was killed on the picket lines in Florida during a strike of sugar cane workers. She was run down by a truck. Nagi Daifullah, an Arab woman, was our second martyr, killed by one of the deputy sheriffs you see in the film. We had Juan De La Cruz, an older Mexican gentleman in his 50s who had been one of our first charter members in the United Farm Workers, shot in the heart by a labor contractor, and then we had Rufino Contreras, who went into a field to talk to strikers and was met with a hail of 80 bullets — and those guns and bullets had been bought by the owner. So many people who were killed, or beaten up, or went to jail, and nobody knows their names, they get no recognition. So then I think, why should I be recognized?

Your personal story will inspire so many others, as your daughters have said. Thinking of that time that’s covered in the film when you were in your fifties and brutally attacked by the authorities during a protest and terribly injured, was it in your head from the beginning that you could be attacked or killed at any time?

Yeah, it was. During the strike, we were frequently assaulted. They tried to run us down with their cars, I had to jump out of the way on more than one occasion. We were often met with rifles pointed directly at us, and during our fight with the teamsters, a group came at us with two-by-fours and with iron dollies. You saw a lot of harassment. That’s why I feel so strongly about the whole issue of nonviolence. It’s that philosophy that makes you feel strong in those moments.

Peter Bratt: What’s so great now is to see all the young activists reaching out to Dolores, particularly in these times with the rise of the alt-right and violence erupting in so many places. It’s great to hear her talking to activists and making such a clear case as to why they really have to stay away from using violence. Otherwise, as she says in the film, we become like the oppressors.

These seem like such regressive times right now. Dolores, how would you assess the position of farm workers in this country today? Do you feel the gains you worked so hard for are still in place?

Dolores Huerta: Well, I think in terms of the California farm workers, we do have certain laws but the union is still struggling. They still can’t get contracts, in some cases, because the growers take them to court and are willing to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on fees for their anti-union attorneys rather than use that money to give workers better wages. So yes, the unions still have a very hard time but the law is there. The farm workers have toilets now by law, they have drinking water by law, they have rest periods by law, and they’re covered by minimum wages and safety standards whether they’re documented or not.

I know you’re involved with many young people who are part of the DACA program. I’m sure you were horrified by the recent decision of the Trump administration to rescind that program.

Yes, of course, but I’m very happy that Sid Schneiderman, the attorney general of New York, and others are taking the Trump administration to court. There is a feeling that because of Trump’s enunciations about Mexicans in particular, and the fact that over 70% of Dreamers are Mexican, that this is a class of people that is being attacked because of their racial identity. I think they have a legitimate civil rights case that they can file to try to prevent DACA from terminating. The only thing that worries me a lot is that I’m afraid the Republicans might be using this as a ploy. They are such expert strategists, and Trump saying he was turning it over to Congress, that might be part of a plan to get money for the wall or other programs that are designed to further divide our community. Of course we don’t know what’s going to happen but I feel that the majority of the American public supports these young people and that it would such a huge loss to the country to sacrifice all of that great mind power and purchasing power and all the great contributions these kids are making and will continue to make.

Were you as flabbergasted by the results of the election last year as many of us were? Did you kind of see it coming?

I was saddened, but I wasn’t devastated because I lived through the 60s when we were fighting Nixon and the Vietnam War. So many of the organizations that were just coming into their own during that time — the Green movement the LGBT movement , the immigrant rights movement, the environmental movement — those groups are now organized, they are institutionalized, so I think in many ways, we’re much better prepared than we were to fight and resist. And now we have cell phones and Facebook and Instagram and all these other tools that we never had before. My biggest concern is that all the people who are protesting also need to vote. They need to march to the ballot box because otherwise you can’t really change policy.

And also run for office!

Exactly. My grass-roots organizing that I do these days with the Dolores Huerta Foundation is not only about registering people to vote but also getting them to run. We have a lot of our farm workers and construction workers and maids in hotels who are now sitting on school boards, water boards, recreation boards, and city councils. This is so important.

Speaking of the campaign, I don’t know if you want to comment on what happened at the Nevada Caucus last year but I was so angry when I saw that video of Susan Sarandon browbeating you about your support for Hillary Clinton. I wanted to shout at the TV, “Do you know who you’re talking to?!” Have you spoken to her since?

No, I haven’t, but Rosario Dawson, who was also part of the Sanders group that day, along with a lot of other Bernie people who were disappointed in my support of Hillary, they have come to me and apologized. Look, we know that we’re ultimately on the same side. And I hope that we all come together and stay together because I believe that we have an big opportunity in the 2018 elections if we get ourselves organized. I keep saying, we are the ones who are going to build a wall — a wall of resistance. If we can get more progressive candidates elected, which is totally in our hands, then we can resist Trump and his divisive politics.

Peter Bratt: As you can see, she hasn’t changed at all! (Laughs.)

Were there points when you considered running for office yourself?

Dolores Huerta: No, I never have, I’d rather help people get elected. We’ve been working for progressive candidates for many years. We did a campaign in 1982 that had the largest number of women ever elected to the California legislature, and the largest number of women of color. And we did it all by grass-roots organizing and networking. When people ask me to run for office myself, I always turn them down and say, “I like to put ‘em in and take ‘em out!” (Laughs.)

What’s it like for you to watch this film? Are there moments that you find especially uncomfortable?

The first time I saw it, it was so emotional for me that I couldn’t really concentrate. I had to see the film two or three times to be able to take it all in. The content is very heavy. I get very emotional seeing Robert Kennedy and Cesar and seeing farm workers getting beaten up and killed. It was only after seeing the film a few times that I could hear Robert Kennedy’s amazing words — the very last words he spoke before he was killed which were “We have a responsibility to our fellow citizens.” And it’s true — we do have a great responsibility to our country, to our world, to our fellow citizens, we must get involved.

In all your work over the years, did you ever meet Donald Trump?

No, but I did see him last year. Thanks to Hillary, I had a front row seat at one of the debates and he and his family passed right in front of me. I remember thinking, oh my God, these are strange people. It was like seeing robots — they were not making eye contact with anybody. It was just so unusual, they didn’t seem human.

Have you thought of what you might say to him if you had the chance to have a conversation?

Not really, to be honest. In a way, I feel sorry for him. He was obviously raised in a family that was not very compassionate and was infused with these ideas of racism and looking down on poor people. Like Woody Guthrie wrote in that song, “I Ain’t Got No Home” about Trump’s father who he calls “Old Man Trump,” they wouldn’t rent to Jews or people of color. That’s pretty typical of people whose minds are poisoned with that kind of thinking.

That’s why I’m so hell-bent on getting the stories of our people of color out there, people who have made so many contributions to this country, who literally built our infrastructure. That education needs to begin very early. One of our staff had a young son who came home from school the other day and told his mom that a little girl in his first grade class said to him, “I’m better than you because I’m white.” I think that kind of awareness has to be a mandate not only in our educational system but in all of our organizations, public and private, to work to end this cancer of racism and misogyny and homophobia and bigotry against working people.

Which reminds me of that horrible law in Arizona that’s covered in the film that literally erased you from the curriculum there.

Peter Bratt: And that legislation still stands, if you can believe it. Dolores is still officially not allowed to be mentioned in the social studies curriculum in Arizona.

That’s insane. Your story should be told to all schoolchildren everywhere.

Dolores Huerta: Well, I know that in California I’m in the second grade textbooks!

Oh good, my son is in second grade here!

And there are a lot of teachers who bring that information to their students , especially Latino teachers and teachers of color. And part of our work is organizing parents to go to school districts and try to change things.

My son is a great Spanish-immersion school here in Los Angeles and last year they had a day when kids dressed up as one of their heroes from their culture and there were several Dolores Huertas!

Awww, that’s so sweet!

Of course, there were about 17 Frida Kahlos, but also several Dolores Huertas!

(Laughs.) Well, that’s great, too! We love Frida!

youtube

Dolores is currently playing in New York and Los Angeles and will be opening in many other cities this fall. Click here for a list of theaters.

#Cesar Chavez #Documentary #Dolores #Dolores Huerta #Peter Bratt #United Farm Workers #Interviews #What's Hot

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vileart · 8 years ago

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Dramaturgy Stopper: Adam Megiddo @ Edfringe 2017

The Showstoppers present:

Showstopper!

The Improvised Musical

The 2016 Olivier Award Winners for

Best Entertainment & Family Show

Return To Edinburgh For Their 10th Anniversary Season

2nd – 27th August at The Pleasance Grand

Critically acclaimed improvised musical comedy Showstopper! The Improvised Musical returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for a spectacular 10th year. Following their 2016 Olivier Award Winning West End debut at the Apollo Theatre and a celebrated UK tour, The Showstoppers are making 2017 their best year yet, one brand new musical at a time.

The Showstoppers will create a new production, live on stage each night, at the Pleasance Grand from 2nd – 27th August. Tickets on sale Thursday 2nd February.

What was the inspiration for this performance?

The late, great Ken Campbell. When I met him in 2005 he had recently returned from Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, where he had seen the Die Nasty improvised soap opera. Ken thought their work was 'better than a lot of scripted stuff’ so he rallied a bunch of us together and we started making-things-up-on-the-spot.

One of the challenges Ken liked to throw at us was ‘do this scene like it’s from a musical’ and off we went, improvising singing everywhere from The Royal Court Theatre to Shakespeare’s Globe. After a while, we formed our own company and decided to put the hours in, researching musicals, practicing how to improvise them and training together as an ensemble.

Is performance still a good space for the public discussion of ideas?

Sure. Especially in improvisation where the audience can directly affect the action, even choosing theme and subject matter for the evening.

How did you go about gathering the team for it?

It started with a few people who had been working with Ken Campbell. Then Dylan Emery (Showstopper! co-creator) added some comedians and improvisers that he knew. We were very lucky that the initial alchemy was so strong and the core of the group is still together, many years later.

Now we audition people every year or so for a new intake. it takes about three years to learn the skills necessary to perform the show.

How did you become interested in making performance?

Theatre is in my blood. My parents were dancers and choreographers. Music was my first great love but theatre took hold of me in my teens. I love seeing the spark of an idea develop over months and years until it is finally realised with an audience.

Is there any particular approach to the making of the show?

We try to work together as much as we possibly can. Teamwork, trust and familiarity is essential. And we invest a lot of time in studying musicals.

Does the show fit with your usual productions?

No it’s nothing like anything I have ever worked on before! There is no blueprint for it. The development of the show (artistically and commercially) is as improvised as the show itself! In traditional script-based theatre you begin with a script, make a plan, and then work for weeks towards a final product.

In Showstopper! we begin with the finished product being made-up-on-the-spot and then work backwards to the end of the show to discover what it is we have just created. It is the inverse of many artistic processes and endlessly fascinating to work on.

What do you hope that the audience will experience?

It’s a great night out. Lots of fun. Wild, dangerous, unpredictable and constantly engaging. We are told that people who like musicals love Showstopper! because they get to see a brand new musical forged fresh in the moment every night. And people who don’t like musicals also say they enjoy it because the get to see one deconstructed in front of their eyes. So everyone wins! And it’s funny. Very, very funny.

What strategies did you consider towards shaping this audience experience?

Improvisation has a reputation for being a bit knockabout, a little low-rent sometimes. We aim to make Showstopper! look slick and polished, like a fully-rehearsed finished product. This is why many people don’t believe it’s improvised. But I can assure you it is. It’s a show that belongs to its audiences because it is created out of their ideas.

No two nights are ever the same as The Showstoppers take audience suggestions and then spin a comedy musical out of thin air - stories, characters, tunes, lyrics, dances, harmonies and all - with unpredictable and hilarious results. If you’ve thought improv looked difficult before, try doing it in time (and tune) to music! The Showstoppers truly are the masters of musical theatre high-wire.

The Showstoppers have grown since 2008 to become the UK’s most acclaimed and in-demand musical improvisers, becoming a must-see global phenomenon. They now celebrate their 10th Edinburgh Festival Fringe anniversary by returning to their spiritual home at one of the world’s most famous fringe festivals! With a critically acclaimed West End run at the Apollo Theatre and now a residency at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue and an acclaimed BBC Radio 4 series to their name, The Showstoppers have taken their ingenious blend of comedy, musical theatre and spontaneity around the globe, receiving accolades and awards including the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment & Family Show 2016, Chortle Best Character, Improv or Sketch Act 2016, The Times Best of the Fringe, Mervyn Stutter’s Spirit Of The Fringe Award and nominations for MTM Best Production Award and MTM Judges’ Discretionary Award.

The Showstoppers also hosted the recent London Jam at Wilton’s Music Hall, an impressive week-long festival featuring the best in UK and international improv acts, culminating in a thrilling London 50-hour Improvathon.

The Cast:

The rotating cast features some of the brightest minds at the forefront of the UK improv scene and in the world of comedy and musical theatre. The company includes:

Co-founder Adam Meggido, an award-winning writer/composer who has improvised at the National, The Royal Court Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and currently holds the world record for the directing the longest impro show - 55 hours without a break. He recently directed Olivier Award Nominated Peter Pan Goes Wrong at the Apollo Theatre (for Mischief Theatre), which was also televised on BBC One

Dylan Emery, the other co-founder, has been improvising for more than 15 years – including at the National/Royal Court/Shakespeare’s Globe. He created veteran comedy improv group Grand Theft Impro, and the UK’s premier website devoted to the form thecrunchyfrogcollective.com.

Pippa Evans is an Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominee who has had great success on TV, Radio and stage – she is a regular on BBC Radio 4’s The Now Show and BBC2’s Fast and Loose, performs regularly with the Comedy Store Players and has had many years of success with her hit character act Loretta Maine. She won the Chortle Award for Music & Variety last year and made her debut on BBC Radio 4’s Just A Minute recently, as well as appearing on BBC Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue.

Ruth Bratt is a writer/performer and Fringe regular for the last 12 years. Radio appearances include Trodd en Bratt Say Well Done You, Sarah Millican’s Support Group, and Best Laid Plans; television appearances includes People Just Do Nothing, Vic Reeves’ The Ministry of Curious Stuff, Fast & Loose, and Ricky Gervais’ Derek; film includes Wyrdoes.

Sarah-Louise Young is an internationally renowned cabaret performer, actress and writer. Named one of Time Out’s Top 10 Cabaret Acts and voted Best Musical Variety Act in the London Cabaret Awards, Sarah-Louise won The Stage award for her work across three shows at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe. She is one half of writing and performing duo Roulston & Young and has guested with Fascinating Aïda.

Dates: 2nd – 27th August Show: Showstopper! The Improvised Musical

Venue: Pleasance Courtyard - Grand

Address: 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh, Midlothian EH8 9TJ

Time: 6pm (70 mins)

Price: Previews £10, Early Week £13 (£11) Midweek £15 (£13), Weekend £17 (£14.50)

Box office: www.pleasance.co.uk / www.edfringe.com

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atomic-r0x · 8 years ago

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Nebraska Jones | An Introduction

It’s the same thing every day, five days a week, if you don’t count the times Nebraska finds herself riding the elevator up to the eleventh floor on a perfectly peaceful Saturday morning, wearing off a soaring headache from the last night’s too many drinks and heading straight to her desk with words phrasing and rephrasing in her mind. She can see the New Yorker red light sign from where she’s seated, she’s the only one facing it in the whole office, everybody else just fucking dreads being reminded about all the greater places where they might have ended up working.

Sure, Cosmopolitan is cool, and judging by the distance between her window and the red letters, it’s based where every other big magazine has its headquarters. The same road, and yet, once you climb down the stairs and step out into the streets, you can see how much closer to mediocrity their building is, compared to all those enterprises she used to dream of working with as a student. The fine line between high street and a crossroad that heads into the average no-big-deal neighbourhoods, not hip enough to be considered edgy, not bad enough to be looked down upon.

It’s Monday now and the streets are packed and Nebraska is inevitably running late, but according to her own timetable, which is religiously set ten minutes before everybody else’s clocks, although she keeps reminding herself she should just drop it, it’s New York City and nobody shows up on time on a morning like this. She pushes her way out of the subway station and she’s the only person among hundreds who looks like she woke up in 1974 that morning, with oversized round brown sunglasses shading her eyes from the blinding light of the May sun. She’s frowning, like she always does when walking, and she’s shotgun towards the Cosmo building, her backpack carrying quite possibly the most important article she’d ever written since her time spent in university.

They’re supposed to be meeting at half past nine but Emilia, the mastermind behind the Cosmo world, is late and the whole editorial staff knows all too well this means she’s just too busy fucking her ridiculously young lover, but then again, who are they to judge. Max makes it on time, but he’s the only one, and he’s confused and German and too polite to ever disregard the calendar notifications on his high-tech-not-iPhone phone. They attempt polite conversation but give up immediately because he’s the layout guy and she doesn’t want to break it to him first before everybody comes in. Everybody meaning Emilia and Thomas, the second most important person in the whole building.

This is huge and she’s been working on this article for so long, she’s attached to it like a mother to her first new-born. Three months of walking the streets of New York and using map apps more than she’d ever done her whole entire life and talking to people she’d grown fond of, or at least whom she started to understand while writing the actual piece. A total of twenty-four women, all artists, all marginalized for different reasons, all of them absolutely brilliant, leaving their mark on the city and changing it for the better with their boldness, with their life stories, with their powerful souls. It was so important for their voices to be hear and to be sent further into the world through the media, even if that meant a four-page article in Cosmopolitan magazine. Nebraska is finally proud, for the first time in forever.

When she storms in, Emilia’s hair is still slightly messy, but not the chic way, makeup chastely applied in the back seat of some VIP Uber. She is doing her best to look composed and in charge, but Nebraska can see the trail of women behind her holding back their judgemental smirks – they all know, just as well as she does, that sex reeks on her like bad, nose-numbing perfume. Closing the door behind her, Thomas doesn’t even look in Emilia’s direction.

“Good, I’m glad everybody managed to make it on time” Emilia starts, making herself look busy in the seat forever assigned to her, shifting through files on her brand new Macbook like she is trying to tame the amount of workload waiting on her. Her hair is greying, something that must be exasperating her, judging by how every three to four weeks she’d make a business appointment to re-dye her roots. The complexion is still spotless and fresh, although not as tight as it might have been ten or fifteen years ago. Emilia loves clothes that show off as much skin as it is ethically allowed, and for this reason alone, she has grown to be one of the most loyal customers of Mr. Bratt, whom Nebraska only knows of because she’d been asked a couple times to make the appointments for Emilia, who was presumably too busy to get it sorted herself. Mr. Bratt’s phone robot has this stupidly cheerful jingle that has absolutely nothing to do with the actual motto, something along the lines of “we’ll get you fixed like a Michelangelo”, but apparently, he’s the best plastic surgeon in town, and he’s back from a five-year experience in Korea, which sells better than anything else.

“Right, Nebraska, dear, I believe you sent me the article yesterday, didn’t you?” Emilia continues with her characteristic I-learnt-this-from-career-coaches voice. “Has everybody read it?” Thomas is the first to nod, and then Max follows up quickly, eyes moving up from his sketchbook. “Good, that’s very good” she says, and Nebraska could have bet ten thousand dollars she’d immediately excuse herself for not reading the article, like everybody else was supposed to. “Unfortunately, yesterday was an unexpectedly busy day for me, you all know I went to meet with a couple possible new partners and the mailbox simply exploded, so to say, while I was away” she speaks with faux-regret, making eye contact with each of her three spectators, before checking her laptop screen again. “But I suppose you wouldn’t mind if we looked at it right now, am I right?”

Nebraska nods to hide the dread in her eyes and shrugs a modest ‘sure’. It feels strange, but it’s finally an article she doesn’t want to hide away from while someone else read it. She’s confident about it, and Thomas even sent her a one-line reply early that morning that he liked it, and thought it was a good piece. Coming from Thomas, ‘good’ is good enough.

Judging by the way Emilia’s hand is working on the keyboard, she isn’t actually reading the article – she is merely going through it with a quick glance. Nonetheless, she clears her throat and looks up from the laptop, eyes going to Thomas first, then to Nebraska. “I must confess it’s…” she stops as if looking for the right word, and Nebraska allows herself for a tiny moment to believe Emilia was deeply touched by it. “I must tell you I am a little bit surprised. Mind you, when I got the email, the urgency with which you spoke about this piece… I suppose I was expecting for something” she sighs, looks at Thomas, and then finds Nebraska’s gaze and holds it. “I was waiting to read something that would blow my mind completely.”

The New Yorker building is exploding in the distance, the thud so loud it manages to cover the violent beating of Nebraska’s heart. She must have gone completely white, because Max is looking at her with a somewhat worried but reserved look, and Thomas doesn’t look at her at all, writing down something on his agenda, the paper squeaking underneath the pressure of his pen. “Okay…” she manages to say, after taking a masked deep breath, and rests her right hand on the table, mimicking relaxation, just because her left hand is clawing at her knee. “What do you think it lacks? Maybe it’s something I can work on.”

Emilia bursts into a quick laughter, the type you’d hear from an adult being baffled at something funny a kid said, and looks Nebraska dead in the eye, but when she realizes she means it, the woman just shifts her head to the side, trying to find Thomas’s eyes and exchange a did-you-just-hear-that type of glance, but there’s not change he’s looking at her. “Well, I don’t know…” she says, almost exasperated and exhausted. Emilia pauses for a second, eyes once more falling on the screen of her now sleeping laptop. “I seriously think there isn’t much you can work on, with this article, Nebraska. Believe me, I read it thoroughly and just couldn’t take it, it’s not…” she pauses again, because she’s now ready to play the part where she has to face her dearest child with the cold hard truths of real life, “it’s not good enough for what Cosmopolitan stands for.”

Nebraska is trying her best to hold back a bitter laugh and cross her arms against her chest, but instead she just stares Emilia dead in the eye. “And what is that? Am I missing something?”

“Honey, nobody wants to read about…” she stops in her tracks because she needs to reopen the Word document and find an example, “… about women who’ve been living their whole lives in shelters taking photographs of the other inmates –” she wants to continue, but Thomas cuts her off with a simple ‘inmates are in prisons’, and she’s visibly annoyed by this contribution, but carries on. “Do you think Cosmopolitan became this successful and renowned for promoting women who make a big deal of their body hair? Or stick it in everybody’s face that they’ve been on drugs even before being born?”

Thomas wants to say something, but Emilia raises her hand, dismissing even the mere intention to state his own opinion on the matter, probably because she knows it too that he is completely opposed to every single word she has said. Nebraska looks over to Max, who catches her gaze and immediately shrinks in his chair, pulling his sketchbook even closer to his chest. This may be the worst fever of her life, or maybe it’s just a very bad dream made up by her overly intoxicated mind in anticipation for the alarm clock to go off and for her to have the real meeting with Emilia, Thomas and Max, the actual humans, not the products of her imagination. But the riot inside her chest was too real for it to be a dream.

“I’m sorry, Emilia, I don’t think I am following you” she finally speaks, calm as could be, playing the role in which she is genuinely interested in the woman’s opinion. “What is it expected of me to write, that is according to the Cosmopolitan standards?”

She thinks Emilia is guessing she’s being taken for a fool and really, this is exactly what Nebraska is up to. Nonetheless, she crosses her arms on the table, finally happy to have even more things to blame Nebraska for. “It has come to my attention, for example, that you turned down Margery when she asked you to write something on, hold on” she stops yet again, because she clearly cares so much she has absolutely no idea what her staff is writing about. “Right, she was interested in getting an article from you on the correspondence between astrological signs and sex positions, and to my understanding, you just dismissed it.”

“I hope you’re joking right now” Nebraska snaps without meaning to, but she can’t help it, and it send Emilia off the roof.

“Well, I am most definitely not and as far as I know, Thomas and I are the only two people in charge of making decisions of whether or not something is good enough to be written and I am telling you, if you don’t take a moment to re-evaluate your behaviour and how you carry yourself as if you’re so superior, I might be faced with the unpleasant situation of firing you” she speaks and her anger increases with every word, because her neck is turning bright red, and she acts as if she’s caught Nebraska sleeping with that stupid lover of hers.

Emilia wants to start speaking again but Nebraska’s mouth opens before she knows it, and a bitter, poisonous “Fine. I quit” escape her lips. It’s too late to take it back, because Emilia’s neck is ruby red and Thomas’s eyes are glued to Nebraska’s face, and Max has stopped drawing, he’s just staring at the paper.

“Good. Then, I guess this meeting is over” Emilia speaks through her teeth almost, gets up and storms out of the room, leaving the three of them in complete silence. Max gets up from his seat and politely says goodbye before retreating to his desk in the far left corner of the floor, where he’s built up a safe space for him to create and be left alone.

“Nebraska, you really shouldn’t have done that” Thomas starts and takes his round glasses off, rubbing the marks on the bridge of his nose. “You know how Emilia is, she won’t forget it for the whole world.”

“But I meant it” she replies, finally crossing her arms in defeat, looking him in the eyes because unlike Emilia, he’s human, and she appreciates him. “I really am quitting” she adds, but this time it doesn’t sound half as angry and bitter as the first time, and more like a sorrowful conclusion. And truth be told, her heart is aching – all that hard work, all that emotional involvement, all of it for absolutely nothing.

They sit in silence for what seems like a horribly long time, until she gets up from her seat, testing if her knees still work. “I think it’s a very good piece” Thomas speaks up again, placing his round glasses back on, “if that makes any difference at all…” he adds, getting up from his seat as well, hands sliding down to the pocket of his perfectly ironed trousers. Nebraska gives him a small smile and nods, gathering her things and heading for the window, but she is stopped in his tracks by his following words. “Would you mind it if I showed you to the door? It’s the least I can do…”

“Sure” she allows herself to display the most modest of smiles, “thanks.”

Back into the constant hustle of the streets below the Cosmo headquarters, the New Yorker sign can barely be seen, and Nebraska’s heart is aching, pounding, screaming, rolling on a floor carpeted with shreds of glass. She wants to cry but is too proud do allow herself that, and sitting down is not an option, because the pavement is still as packed as it used to be when she headed inside the building that morning. In broad daylight, the street couldn’t care if you’re heartbroken.

Her feet start moving and before she knows it she’s taking the long road to Conrad’s home, because the streets around his apartment are always pretty and it’s May so the cherry trees are in blossom and those are one of the few places in New York where she can cool down and stop thinking about and for fuck sake, she just needs a long kiss and some wine. It takes approximatively forty five minutes for her to reach his place, and it doesn’t even surprise her anymore how she can walk all the way there without even thinking about it, just instinctively crossing the right roads and going the right direction towards that stupid face of his which makes her want to constantly kiss him or punch him or anything that is punchable, for that matter.

She knows the entry code so she doesn’t need to call him up, plus they sort of share this apartment anyway, so it’s her home too, technically speaking. The keys are patiently waiting where she last left them, underneath the obnoxiously door mat they bought after Conrad had a five-minute long monologue on the brutal injustice that bathroom rugs are overlooked, and how most of the people just settle for extremely ugly normcore entrance ones. Nebraska opens the door and tries her hardest to keep Baby, their tar black cat, from escaping into the big bad world, and as soon as she steps inside, she can hear Conrad’s in the shower, singing bits of the bridge he’s been trying to write for the past few days.

It takes a hot minute for him to finally get out of the bathroom and by this time she’s already poured herself a glass of wine, finishing up a bottle they bought just days before, while shopping for food, and truthfully, she did spend a few minutes looking at herself in the mirror wondering if they were both functional alcoholics, but before jumping to any conclusion, her glass was empty Conrad’s wet face was nuzzled up in the crook of her neck.

They have quick couch sex, like there is a plane to catch or an appointment to be on time for, and dress back up in record speed, gym-class-is-over style. It takes just a quick exchange of glances for them to silently head over to the generous balcony overlooking the pretty streets below them, glasses they’ve left in the freezer to frost overnight in hands, bottle of gin freshly opened, pressed orange juice just to trick the tastebuds into thinking it’s not really alcohol.

Nebraska contemplates telling him about the resignation, but his hand resting on the inside of her thigh helps her make up her mind: it’s better if she keeps it for some other time. Instead, the sit on the floor in comfortable silence, sipping at the gin, although it’s barely half past one in the afternoon and this is clearly something anybody else would be worried about. Are they functional alcoholics? She doesn’t know but probably not because this is a term she’d made up herself and is most definitely not legitimate. Right?

“Do you have plans for tonight?” Conrad asks and it may be one of the few times when he actually suggests a date, which surprises Nebraska, there’s a small smile peeking through nonetheless.

“No, not really” she says, resting her head against the wall, afternoon light making her feel stupid for sunbathing fully clothed, already feeling the hot, almost crusty feeling of sun-kissed skin.

“But do you wanna go out?” he continues, and he’s definitely asking her out on a date, which makes him look goofy a little, teenage-y in her eyes.

“Are you suggesting we go on a date?” Nebraska asks playfully and nudges him with her elbow a little, because they’re not the romantic type of couple. Well, they’re not a couple in the first place, but whatever it is that makes them have a cat together does not identify with cheesiness. It was clearly stated in the terms and conditions when they first started fooling around exclusively with one another, and they both agreed on it without thinking twice.

“I mean, you can take it as a date if you want, but I was actually thinking more of like, going out, watching some friends play a private gig, have some drinks, that kind of stuff” Conrad tries his best to make it sound romantic and she bursts into a small laugh, not because she’s amused, but surprised at the huge difference between reality and expectations. Going and having some drinks is something they do on an almost daily basis and her liver is fucking raging because of this affection they carry for one another. Her insides have seen better days, but then again, those were probably in high school.

“Who’s playing?” she asks casually, half-interested, knowing they will most probably end up there because they both hate regular clubs where people know them from Facebook and act like they should be considered acquaintances.

Conrad takes a moment to reply, but masks it with the apparent desire to down his glass, putting it down to the side after swallowing the very last drop of their almost-healthy juice that really wasn’t juice. “It’s Mira’s band. I think it’s her birthday or something and they’re doing this small gig at Hutton’s.”

Two years ago was the last time either of them had sex with anyone besides each other, which brings back cringe worthy flashbacks of careless one-night stands from her side, and a very painfully clear memory of wanting to go to the bathroom at a house party, only to find it was locked, Conrad and Mira doing their thing like it was nobody’s business. Which it wasn’t, yet Nebraska still vomited in the kitchen sink, and immediately left with bloodshot eyes, only to scream and cry her frustration before the loving eyes of Jean.

And besides this two-year long exclusive treatment, they after, after all, in a self-proclaimed open relationship, if by self-proclaimed one understands Nebraska making Conrad swear on his pinky they wouldn’t turn into the type of couples movies are made about, clingy and sloppy and dependable on one another. They promised to stay true, while not getting jealous at the other having occasional adventures with someone else. In theory, that sounds great, but right now, they almost share an apartment and are the proud parents of a black cat, so maybe their openness is somewhat biased.

But still, the mere sound of him saying her name, Mira, triggers something in Nebraska that she can’t explain, not even to herself, although there’s a chance she might as well simply be jealous, but she’s too proud to even take it into consideration. A groan escapes her lips as she rolls her eyes, downing her own glass before getting up, pretending washing the dishes was something of great importance right now.

Of course he follows her inside, and without facing one another Nebraska can tell he is furrowing his brows. “What?”

“Nothing.” There’s never enough soap on the sponge, and the water is too hot, and the dishes aren’t actually dishes, but just glasses of all sorts, because in an apartment such as this one, there’s no time for cooking. The whole takeaway food industry is grateful for the existence of a pair such as Nebraska and Conrad.

“Right, nothing” he mimics her voice and she stops washing the dishes, hands gripping at the sides of the sink for a few moments. “Is it Mira? That’s what it is?”

“I told you, it’s nothing.”

“Well then how about letting me know if you find out you’re fucking bipolar? It might come in handy to know if you’re into that sort of thing” he groans and wants to head back onto the balcony where his guitar is waiting, although it’s bad for the wood to stay too much in the sun, but he doesn’t get to take more than a step in that direction because Nebraska is busy hitting the fan and he needs to be the witness to that.

“Don’t act like you wouldn’t be feeling exactly the same about me seeing people I’ve fucked over the year, okay, Mr. Balanced?”

He turns around on his bare heels and his brows are raised in surprise, although there’s a certain type of perverse satisfaction in his eyes. “So it is about Mira, then” and it’s a big mistake to say that because Nebraska drops a wine glass on the floor and she’s barefoot and it goes to shit, pieces of glass all around her red polished toes, and yet none of then flinches at that.

“You know what, fine, I don’t care, do whatever you want” she speaks through her teeth, throwing the towel to the side, before tiptoeing out of the kitchen and towards the living room, where her bag and shoes were waiting.

“Don’t you dare leave like you’ve made a point, Nebraska” he quickly follows her into the living room and tries to grab her hand, but she gives him a death stare, and it’s safer to just keep the distance now. “Isn’t this what you wanted, though? Isn’t this what you swore you would be up for, that both of us would be up for?” he was defeated now, or tired of solving the puzzle that was her mind, or just simply confused at what was going on with her, and truth be told, so was she, because Nebraska was not the jealous type. And still, a little voice behind her head kept whispering ‘anyone, just not Mira’.

“I’m tired, Conrad, it’s been a long day. Send her my best birthday wishes, will you?” she says, hurrying to tie the shoelaces before picking up her bag from the floor and making her way to the door, then out into the hallway, down the stairs and into the streets again. She doesn’t dare look up right away, but when she does, Conrad is standing in the balcony, hands in the pockets of his sweatpants, watching her walk further into the city.

It isn’t until eleven o’clock when Jean makes her way back home, and Nebraska couldn’t be happier, because spending the whole day indoor on her own only made her mind go back and forth between the shitty day she had at work and the completely unnecessary fight she had with Conrad, which was ridiculous of her to start, but ego stopped her from apologizing yet. She needed to pour her heart out to someone, and Jean was always the perfect person for that sort of stuff.

“You won’t believe the day I’ve had” they say in unison, the purest of coincidences, the most perfect synchronisation, and it’s now or never for Nebraska, because her heart might burst, and she needs to prevent that from happening. So she starts talking until her mouth runs dry, until there’s nothing more to say, until she finally notices the absent minded look on her best friend’s face. “What happened with you?” she finally asks, brows raised in curiosity.

Jean hesitates for a moment, but then states simply. “Keith proposed”, which in their own coded language only meant trouble.

“And?”

“And I ran.”

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