#coinciding with my Free Tom campaign

[kaleidoscope-vol2]

[starkeaton]

the adventure zone: graduation character list

Well, i accidentally deleted the original graduation character list post, so here i am making another one. Oops. And as always, if anyone has important details i should add then feel free to suggest them!

Here are all the characters introduced in episodes 1-25. Named characters only!

Also i can’t hide spoilers! So, um..... I can’t put spoilers on this one. If you need the version with spoilers try this version of the post that i made on the adventure zone subreddit but youre not missing out on much.

# -EPISODE 1- (19 characters)

Hieronymous Wiggenstaff (he/him): Head of the Hero/Villain school. at least 400 years old. wears shining blue armor with gold accents. also an elf. according to Tomas, he led the charge at the "battle of blood valley", brought the Kingdoms of Rickart and Dawnbreak to a peace treaty, and founded the school. a little boastful, a little prideful, [SPOILERS OMITTED], and overall a pretty good dude.

Higglemas Wiggenstaff (he/him): Head of the Sidekick/Henchperson annex, cranky old elf. has a dog named hero who shows no signs of anything strange at all, ever. 

Gary (he/him): friendly room gargoyle. pseudo-hivemind.

Groundsy (he/him): the groundskeeper. a pretty nice fellow. don't go in his shed.

Hernandez (he/him): beautiful centaur professor of animal handling.

Jimson (he/him): human battlegrounds trainer for sidekicks/henchpeople, world famous featherweight champion, wields a staff. married to crushman.

Crushman (he/him): silver dragonborn with a sickle, and self-described beefy boy! heavyweight blood champion married to jimson. never lost a match for 8 years. full name Frostus Crushman.

Rolandus Fontaine (he/him): former prince, son of deposed king, kind of an asshole, maybe. wears a cape (important detail)

Zana (she/her): "terrifying" tiefling villain sorcerer, friend of rolandus. barkept the test tavern in ep2

Rhodes (she/her): hero ranger, friend of rolandus.

Buckminster Eden (he/him): hero guy. son of "The Iron Lord". their dad is stronger than rolandus's dad. his wiki page says rogue so i think hes a rogue? i never caught that and ive listened more times than i wish i did

Leon (he/him): softspoken buff, bald "fighter" (although i dont remember any clarification on how exactly he fights), sidekick of buckminster, around 28. anyone else keep forgetting he's bald? i keep forgetting it. >!gets sorta-drafted into becoming a falcon for higglemas and so far hasn't done much else.!<

Rainer Michelle (she/her): cheerful villainous necromancer with a floating chair. also, her name is pronounced "rainier" despite not being confirmed as such? travis ships her with fitzroy.

Tomas (he/him): human man with "kind eyes" and a good (psychic???) memory. guidance counselor.

Stewart LeBoeuf (he/him): brawny human man. serves food. there is no joke here, i promise

Mulligan (he/him): teaches potions. mentioned but doesn't appear yet. and we're like 25 episodes in. maybe we'll see him someday

Germaine, Victoria, Rattles (he/him,she/her,???/???): Skeleton crew. They live in the training room i guess, and as a result can never die, because "no one dies in the training room!" (note: someone now HAS to die in the training room). also their races are never explicitly stated but i guess they're probably human? in episode 3 travis brings up something about how many bones are in "the human body" and at this point i think i'm looking too deep into this so i'll just forget about it and you probably should too.

# -EPISODE 2- (9 characters)

Riveau (he/him): halfling, blame-taking teacher.

Mimi (they/them): gnome sidekick who builds cool robot prosthetics

Bartholemus (he/him): owl aarakocra accountant teacher, known for being the best accountant in the land and having a face some might describe as "smoochable". very pro capitalist :’( hope he gets better

Ramos (she/her): goliath teacher of shieldwork. *

Dip (she/her): sidekick, half-orc twin of pip

Pip (she/her): hero, half-orc twin of dip

Festo (they/them): fairy with "beautiful gossamer wings", independent study teacher of magic, loves to party

Snippers (he/him?): Let me tell you my story about Snippers the magic crab. When Travis gave the list of animals that Griffin could choose as Fitzroy's familiar's current form, he listed crab near the start, and this gave me excitement. Now i knew that crab was pretty unlikely but god i hoped that he would choose it. When the list went on- Bat, Cat, Crab, Frog, Hawk, Lizard, Owl, Poisonous Snake, Fish, Rat, Raven, Seahorse, Spider or Weasel- I nearly lost hope. I was hoping so hard that Griffin would choose the crab, but i was ready to accept a non-crab familiar. It was just buried in that list. It wasn't the most useful animal and it was an obscure pick. And as Travis informed him that it didn't have to keep the form for the whole campaign, Griffin said those five words i wanted to hear so, so badly. "Well then it's a crab." Folks, I do not often react physically when something happens in media. But in that moment, i remember very clearly, i fist-pumped and yelled, "YES!!!!!!"

so anyway, Fitzroy has a crab.

Jackle (he/him): kenku teacher of sneakery. creepy dude. apparently knows something about argo? also his name is not spelled "jackal" for some reason. Also in later episodes theyve started calling him "The Jackle" for some reason??? *

# -EPISODE 3- (1 character)

Dakota (they/them): tavern instructor, clad in black/red leather. no race stated? probably human. *

# -EPISODE 4- (6 characters)

Gerry & Tom (she/her, he/him): shopkeepers at barns and nobles who seem to have very bad names. also constantly competing for customers? these guys got dropped faster than the heathcliff quests, which is honestly just sad.

Barb (she/her): the bartender. runs Springs Eternal in Last Hope. has a sweet seeing-eye hawk familiar. 

Jaryd Reginald (he/him): owner of Reginald Ore. Wants the workers to be held responsible for the damage caused by the xorn. (fun fact: originally i wrote down "Jerrod" because i wanted it to sound like a fantasy name, then realized it was probably "Jared" because theyre named after listeners, but i was pleased to find it confirmed that it's actually "Jaryd")

Candice (she/her): A Miner. thought those werent allowed in bars but, i guess not. Wants the mine owner to be held responsible for the xorn's damage.

Jade Johnson Esq. (she/her): lawyer.

# -EPISODE 5- (1 character)

Xorn: a big hungry gem eating guy from the plane of earth Low-Down Deep with 3 arms and 3 legs. why did travis just say "multi-armed" instead of specifying it was 3? who knows! Anyway it leaves

# -EPISODE 6- (3 characters)

Osric (he/him): the man, the myth, the bursar. finally shows up after being mentioned in episodes 2 and 4. he's an elf. 

breeze through the willows (she/her): Pegasus attacked by demons, lost her parents. introduced in ep1 but gets a name here so fuck it. also in ep>!16!< we find out shes a "white arabian pegasus" and i dont think thats a spoiler bc we shouldve really known it from the beginning

Sabor (he/him): Librarian/research teacher. also a TORTLE. Really good at recalling stuff, i guess. kinda reminds me of Tomas's memory thing but i'm sure that's just a coincidence... *

# -EPISODE 7- (1 character)

Mosh (he/him): The goliath blacksmith who welcomes argo into the unbroken chain. Also, and this is specific to the tumblr version of this post, all the characters with an * at the end of their descriptions are also members of the unbroken chain. if someone knows how to do spoilers on tumblr please tell me

# -EPISODE 8-

:)

# -EPISODE 9- (2 characters)

Eeiïäá#æ&éñn (pronounced like "Ian") (he/him?): an imp but without a shitty voice. also happens to not be violent. what a coincidence?

Terence (he/him): a chain devil with a real demonic name. minor boss of the imps. very convincing and very threatening. has the frightening ability to make you zone out during his fight

# -EPISODE 10- (2 characters)

Althea Song (she/her): elf with autumn-orange hair. representative from heroic oversight guild. i'd like to personally thank travis for spelling her name out.

Crabtree (she/her): Artificing teacher. Long gray hair with a long grey beard. no mentioned race, one might guess dwarf but that would be an assumption i suppose. also unbroken chain member, presumably the dwarf argo didn't recognize in episode 7.

# -EPISODE 11- (3 characters)

Marie (she/her): Grey-haired elf woman. She's the school's physician, i guess. Member of the unbroken chain.

Dendra Maplecourt (she/her): Fitzroy's mom. Has hot mint gum, i guess. She was mentioned earlier but i wasn't convinced she was a real person until this episode

Cool Gary (he/him): AYY ITS ME GARYR

# -EPISODE 12-

no new characters again!

# -EPISODE 13- (7 characters hhhyyyuu)

Kale (???/???): Head of the Placement Department, in charge of real world assignments. First mentioned in Ep4 but i missed that the last few times bc it is so brief. Gives exposition about missions i guess????? is that the only reason this chara cter exists

satyr thief (unnamed) (he/him): tries to rob thundermen, dies instantly

Ogre (he/him): teamed up with the satyr. his name is ogre.

Moon (he/him): A Sidekick. small pale sullen guy. no mentioned race. Why is there another FUCKING sidekick WE HAD ENOUGH hhhyuuuuuu

Deanna (she/her): A bigoted centaur with an obnoxious voice. Malwin the Strong's second in command.

Malwin the Strong (she/her): Leader of the centaurs of the scarlet woods. Wants to appease the spirit of the scarlet woods so that thecentaurs of the scarlet woods will be protected in the scarlet woods. Had a relationship with Arturas in the past but their clashes are currently known to get pretty heated.

Arturas (he/him): Leader of the Centaurs of the Valley, i guess. Had a relationship with Malwin. Centaur. Did i mention centaur? i cant think of anything else about this character

# -EPISODE 14- (2 characters)

Calhain (he/him): Human wizard, Malwin's magical advisor. Kind of an amateur wizard in a job high above his skill level. Graduated Wigginstaff's as a hero.

Spirit of the Scarlet Woods: A spirit who requires sacrifice in order to keep Malwin's herd safe and prosperous. Not keen on dubiously canonical combos, i guess. i wouldnt be either. also apparently the sacrifice depends on personal value, not how much value it has to the spirit.

# -EPISODE 15- (2 characters)

Sylvia Nite (she/her): Fitzroy's magic theory teacher at knight night school, who he turned into a catfish by accident. oops!

Chaos (they/them, maybe more): Presumably a deity, gave Fitz his powers and wants him to give in to his chaotic desires. (physical desc: 9 foot tall, iridescent 'mother of pearl' skin, pure white eyes, fine burgundy cloak with gold/onyx lining. their physical form beyond that seems to change every time they show up.)

# -EPISODE 16-

none -w-

# -EPISODE 17-

some demins happened. the big dudes are called "Pit Fiends" and the armored demon ladies are called "Erinyes", by the way. that was incredibly hard for me to figure out the first time, especially without headphones, i thought travis was saying "pig feet" and i just could not discern what the other things were

# -EPISODE 18- (6 characters)

snow on the mountain: shire horse pegasus

storm at sea: peruvian paso pegasus, vehement defender of The Guardian. doesn't have a goofy voice.. but he could have....

thaw of the spring: a winged horse

night of no clouds: a winged hhorse

The Guardian: "An ancient and powerful being that guards the unknown forest." Has protected the flock from demons for many many years. apparently is the voice that was talking to our firbolg in episode 1?

Grey, the Demon Prince (he/him): wants to cause a war, originally wanted to kill hiero and higgs, forces the heroes to build an army to fight his. As "Fauxronimous", he has skin the *color and pattern of* (but not necessarily made of) slate splashed with liquid, pointed ears, sharp teeth, shining eyes, horns of unspecified shape. 12 fucking feet tall. wonder if the slate-looking skin is related to garys. plot twist detected? Also i recently looked at the episode descriptions and found out his name is spelled "Gray", but really does it truly matter?

# -EPISODE 19- (2 characters)

Shabree Keene (she/her): Argo's mom, killed on the Mariah, possibly by the Commodore. Long auburn hair, green eyes. Mentioned earlier but described here, so fuck it.

**Thomas** (he/him): Argo's first mate on the Mariah, as the Kraken, in his chaos-dream. may or may not actually exist.

# -EPISODE 20- (1 character)

The Commodore (he/him): Reknowned hero of the seas, military regalia, great naval hero, presumably responsible for the death of Shabree Keene. No mentioned race. Seriously, they never mention this guy's race. The only thing described about him is how he's dressed and his evil smile. Does that mean he's human? Elf? Dwarf??? Who knows! maybe it just doesnt matter. 

# -EPISODE 21-

none

# -EPISODE 22-

not any of them. not any.

# -EPISODE 23- (1 character)

Ozymondelius (sp???) (it/its): A warforged teacher who just so happens to like war or something? i guess its in the name. only mentioned in this episode, doesnt show up yet.

# -EPISODE 24-

they have a fight in the training room but nobody dies :\\ maybe next time. also no new characters. pog

# -EPISODE 25- (4 characters)

Gherkin (he/him): Tall lankier skeleton, has a scimitar and a merkin, which is a pubic wig... and he wears a jerkin? which i guess is a kind of coat? also i think hes mute 

Tibia (she/her?) : Shorter skeleton with gold teeth, and long canines. i think both of the skeletons are mute actually.

The Lich King aka Gordy (he/him): Rainer's dad. Commands armies of the undead. lives in The Crypt. described as a hooded, skull-faced man with intricate black lines on his face, but changes to a shaved-head man with dark skin and vetiligo. Abandoned as a babby, raised by traveling parents, had necromancy powers, took Rainier in. Not actually very scary at all i don't know why he did the creepy laugh. Kind of a warm fatherly figure actually. hm. also people are speculating Gordy might be short for Gordita and his parents are maybe supposed to be lup and barry but THAT S JUST A THEORY.

our firbolg's father (he/him): A firbolg who lived by the code and was there when our firbolg was banished. Came to respect our firbolg's interest in a new way of life, in his final moments.

TOTAL: 72 NPCS! (well, including 2 extra PCs, i guess.)

Average: 2.88 NPCs per episode.

i was gonna not include the bone-PCs and have it be 69 but our firbolg's dad was just too important to not respect with a spot on the list.

anyway as always make sure to smack me with a blunt object if i forgot any characters!!!!!

[newstfionline]

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Rash of mass shootings stirs US fears heading into summer (AP) Two people were killed and at least 30 others wounded in mass shootings overnight in three states, authorities said Saturday, stoking concerns that a spike in U.S. gun violence could continue into summer as coronavirus restrictions ease and more people are free to socialize. The attacks took place late Friday or early Saturday in the Texas capital of Austin, Chicago and Savannah, Georgia. In Austin, authorities said they arrested one of two male suspects and were searching for the other after a shooting early Saturday on a crowded pedestrian-only street packed with bars and restaurants. Fourteen people were wounded, including two critically, in the gunfire, which the city’s interim police chief said is believed to have started as a dispute between two parties. In Chicago, a woman was killed and nine other people were wounded when two men opened fire on a group standing on a sidewalk in the Chatham neighborhood on the city’s South Side. In the south Georgia city of Savannah, police said one man was killed and seven other people were wounded in a mass shooting Friday evening.

Summer camps return but with fewer campers and counselors (AP) Overnight summer camps will be allowed in all 50 states this season, but COVID-19 rules and a pandemic labor crunch mean that many fewer young campers will attend, and those who do will have to observe coronavirus precautions for the second consecutive year. “Camp might look a little different, but camp is going to look a lot better in 2021 than it did in 2020, when it didn’t happen,” said Matt Norman of Atlanta, who is getting ready to send his 12-year-old daughter to camp. Even though most camps will be open, reduced capacity necessitated by COVID-19 restrictions and the labor shortage will keep numbers well below a normal threshold of about 26 million summer campers, said Tom Rosenberg of the American Camp Association.

Mexico says COVID-19 has affected a fourth of its population (Reuters) About a quarter of Mexico’s 126 million people are estimated to have been infected with the coronavirus, the health ministry said on Friday, far more than the country’s confirmed infections. The 2020 National Health and Nutrition Survey (Ensanut) showed that about 31.1 million people have had the virus, the ministry said in a statement, citing Tonatiuh Barrientos, an official at the National Institute of Public Health. According to Barrientos, not all of the people in the survey’s estimate necessarily showed symptoms. The survey was based on interviews with people at 13,910 households between Aug. 17 and Nov. 14 last year, and confirmed preliminary results released in December.

Peru on edge as electoral board reviews result of disputed presidential election (Guardian) Peru was on a knife-edge on Friday as its electoral board reviewed ballots cast in the presidential election, after a challenge to the tally by the losing candidate Keiko Fujimori. The final tally gave the leftist teacher Pedro Castillo a razor-thin 50.17% to 49.83% advantage over his rightwing rival Fujimori, which amounts to about 60,000 votes. However, the country’s electoral authority has yet to confirm the win, and Fujimori, the scion of a controversial political dynasty, has refused to concede. She alleges fraud, even though national and international observers said the vote was clean, and has called for up to 500,000 votes to be nullified or reexamined, forcing the electoral board to conduct a review of ballots.

For Cornwall, G7 summit brings disruption (AP) Towering steel fences, masses of police, protests on the beach: The Cornish seaside’s turquoise waters and white sandy beaches are looking decidedly less idyllic this week as leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies descend for a summit. U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan are arriving for three days of talks starting Friday at the tiny village of Carbis Bay, near St. Ives in Cornwall. The region is a popular holiday destination in the southwestern tip of England. Locals may be used to crowds and traffic jams during the peak summer tourist season, but the disruptions caused by the summit are on another level. A naval frigate dominates the coastline, armed soldiers guard the main sites and some 5,000 extra police officers have been deployed to the area. Authorities have even hired a cruise ship with a capacity of 3,000, moored offshore, to accommodate some of the extra officers. A main road is closed for the whole week, and local train lines and bus services have been shut down. A 3-meter (10-foot) tall metal fence nicknamed the “ring of steel” has been erected around Treganna Castle in Carbis Bay, where world leaders will stay. Security is also tight in the nearby town of Falmouth, the main base for international media covering the summit.

World leaders are in England, but beautiful British beaches have stolen the show (Washington Post) When President Biden shared a photo to Twitter on Thursday of him standing alongside British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and gazing out onto an unspoiled, sandy white beach from the Group of Seven summit in Cornwall, England, the post was supposed to be a tribute to the “special relationship” between the United Kingdom and the United States. But to many, it was the image of the picturesque coast that stood out. It looked somewhat suspicious. Too good to be true. Others questioned the authenticity of the scene, wondering whether it was photoshopped. Although it is true that some of Britain’s beaches have a reputation for pebbles, angry seagulls that steal food from unsuspecting tourists and diapers that float in murky waters, the county of Cornwall boasts some of the country’s best seaside destinations—complete with calm, clear waters that are perfect for swimming in and long stretches of soft sand that attract families from around the world. Carbis Bay is one of several beaches that make up St. Ives Bay, which, according to the Cornwall tourist board, is considered by the “Most Beautiful Bays in the World” organization to be one of the world’s best. The bay is described as being “surrounded by sub-tropical plants and lapped by turquoise waters.”

Ransomware’s suspected Russian roots point to a long detente between the Kremlin and hackers (Washington Post) The ransomware hackers suspected of targeting Colonial Pipeline and other businesses around the world have a strict set of rules. First and foremost: Don’t target Russia or friendly states. It’s even hard-wired into the malware, including coding to prevent hacks on Moscow’s ally Syria, according to cybersecurity experts who have analyzed the malware’s digital fingerprints. They say the reasons appear clear. “In the West you say, ‘Don’t . . . where you eat,’ ” said Dmitry Smilyanets, a former Russia-based hacker who is now an intelligence analyst at Recorded Future, a cybersecurity company with offices in Washington and other cities around the world. “It’s a red line.” Targeting Russia could mean a knock on the door from state security agents, he said. But attacking Western enterprises is unlikely to trigger a crackdown. The relationship between the Russian government and ransomware criminals allegedly operating from within the country is expected to be a point of tension between President Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin at their planned summit in Geneva on Wednesday. The United States has accused Russia of acting as a haven for hackers by tolerating their activities—as long as they are directed outside the country.

Pandemic relapse spells trouble for India’s middle class (AP) India’s economy was on the cusp of recovery from the first pandemic shock when a new wave of infections swept the country, infecting millions, killing hundreds of thousands and forcing many people to stay home. Cases are now tapering off, but prospects for many Indians are drastically worse as salaried jobs vanish, incomes shrink and inequality is rising. Decades of progress in alleviating poverty are imperiled, experts say, and getting growth back on track hinges on the fate of the country’s sprawling middle class. It’s a powerful and diverse group ranging from salaried employees to small business owners: many millions of people struggling to hold onto their hard-earned gains. The outbreak of the pandemic triggered the worst downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s and as it gradually ebbs, many economies are bouncing back. India’s economy contracted 7.3% in the fiscal year that ended in March, worsening from a slump that slashed growth to 4% from 8% in the two years before the pandemic hit. Economists fear there will be no rebound similar to the ones seen in the U.S. and other major economies.

‘Xi Jinping is my spiritual leader’: China’s education drive in Tibet (Reuters) Under clear blue skies, rugged peaks and the spectacular Potala Palace, one image is ubiquitous in Tibet’s capital city Lhasa: portraits of Chinese President Xi Jinping and fellow leaders. China is broadening a political education campaign as it celebrates the 70th anniversary of its control over Tibet. Civilians and religious figures who the government arranged to be interviewed on the five-day trip pledged loyalty to the Communist Party and Xi. Asked who his spiritual leader was, a monk at Lhasa’s historic Jokhang temple named Xi. “I’m not drunk ... I speak freely to you,” said the monk named Lhakpa, speaking from a courtyard overlooked by security cameras and government observers. “The posters [of Xi] coincide with a massive political education programme which is called ‘feeling gratitude to the party’ education,” said Robert Barnett, a Tibetan studies veteran scholar at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.

Long overlooked, Israel’s Arab citizens are increasingly asserting their Palestinian identity (Washington Post) Growing up in an Arab village in northern Israel in the 1990s, Mahmoud Abo Arisheh was sure of at least two things: He was Israeli, and he was not allowed to talk politics. “Be careful, or the Shin Bet will get you,” his parents told him, referring to Israel’s domestic security service. Decades later, much has changed: Abo Arisheh is a lawyer, a poet and a theater director in Jaffa. He attends protests and talks politics freely—in Arabic, Hebrew and English. And while his citizenship may remain Israeli, the identity most dear to him is that of a Palestinian. “I didn’t know anything about being Palestinian,” said the 32-year-old, “but then I opened my eyes.” And now, it seems, so are many others. In just the past month, Palestinian citizens of Israel—also known as Israeli Arabs—have risen up in mass, nationwide demonstrations to protest Israeli evictions and police raids. They have been arrested by the hundreds following some of the worst communal violence between Arabs and Jews in Israel’s post-independence history. For a community that is often overlooked despite numbering nearly 2 million people—or about 20 percent of the Israeli population—these are momentous days indeed.

Nigerian police fire tear gas to break up protests over rising insecurity (Reuters) Police fired tear gas and detained several demonstrators in the Nigerian cities of Lagos and Abuja on Saturday during protests over the country’s worsening security situation, Reuters witnesses said. Anger over mass kidnappings-for-ransom, a decade-long Islamist insurgency and a crackdown on protesters in Lagos last October has fueled demands for the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to do more to tackle violence and insecurity. Reuters witnesses in Lagos and Abuja saw police shooting their guns into the air and firing tear gas into the crowds to disperse the demonstrators, who held placards and chanted “Buhari must go”. Officers were also seen smashing mobile phones confiscated from protesters, who also denounced the country’s 33.3% unemployment rate.

[howtousepublictransport]

Manspreading: Modern Day Civil Rights Issue or A Mountain Out Of A Mole Hill?

Manspreading has been the subject of much debate on news sites and social media, with widely divergent views on its prevalence and whether it is actually a problem. This post aims to explain what manspreading is, whether it exists, why it exists, and whether it is appropriate to approach this as a gendered issue.

Hoo boy. Manspreading. If there is one public transport etiquette issue of the modern day, then this is it. If you are aware of the term manspreading, then it is likely that you already have a strong opinion about it: either that it is an example men denying public spaces to women and making them feel unwelcome, or that it is an over-exaggerated issue in the age of social media and of feminist critics looking for issues where they don’t exist. There can be no middle ground or compromise in this debate. If there were or could be, then it would not be the important and serious topic of discussion that I am making it seem.

For those not familiar with the term however, let us begin with a brief explanation. Manspreading was a word that came into popular use in late-2014 and early-2015, though it had been used in some circles online earlier than this. It was hotly debated in the media during this time, and then it disappeared like most topical news trends. Yet in its wake we were left with a new word to describe a phenomenon that, it was argued, had existed for a long time. The Oxford Dictionary, officially including the word in 2015, defines manspreading as “the practice whereby a man, especially one travelling on public transport, adopts a sitting position with his legs wide apart, in such a way as to encroach on an adjacent seat or seats.” An example of this is provided below.

It is an offshoot of other words such as mansplain that have been added to the English language by modern feminists to describe certain behaviours. The gendering of these behaviours is deliberate and is used to identify behaviours that men engage in and women are subjected to. More specifically, feminist critics discussing these behaviours argue that they result from the privilege that men are granted over women in society and it is often used, whether consciously or unconsciously, by men to assert dominance over women in public and social settings. It is important to note that feminist critics do not argue that these behaviours have any basis in the biological differences between men and women, but rather that they are the result of social learning which teaches boys and men to assert dominance in public and social settings, and for women not to do so.

Men learn that society is permissive of etiquette breaches committed in the name of asserting dominance, to the point that even when these breaches violate the basic respect and dignity owed to a woman as a human being, then this must be acceptable as consequences rarely follow from such actions. Feminist critics argue that as this behaviour is socially learned, then it can be changed through education and improving the lot of women in society generally.

It is also fair to point out that most people use the term in playful jest, as a gentle though not insincere mocking of male bravado. This post however approaches the topic only with the utmost solemnity and serious contemplation. No playfulness is permitted when considering proper etiquette.

The rise in discussion about this topic in late-2014 coincided with an article by Sheila Anne Feeney published in amNewYork, a free publication for commuters in New York. The article discussed manspreading as an issue of etiquette, with part of the point made in the article being that men would often take up two or even three seats when engaging in this behaviour and would be oblivious to the social cues from other commuters to make room available. Not only was this behaviour rude, but it was also an inefficient use of public space. Shortly following this article, the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority ran a campaign called “Courtesy Counts” providing etiquette guidelines for common scenarios on public transport, with accompanying posters. One of these was a poster of a man sitting with legs splayed wide and the caption “Dude… Stop The Spread, Please.” This campaign is what brought broader attention and media coverage to the issue of manspreading. Yet with this attention came the inevitable backlash, like a very opinionated rainbow after a thunderstorm.

As with most discussions of feminism on the Internet, critics expressed a firm, but respectful, rebuttal on the topic of manspreading, presenting well-reasoned counterpoints and arguments supported by evidence and peer-reviewed references. Haha. But jokes aside, not all debate on the topic was vitriolic and there were some fair points made. Few argued that it was not something that occurred, as in an age where everyone has a camera in their pocket at all times, there existed ample photographic evidence to show that manspreading did occur. But those critical of the concept, who acknowledged that it did occur, took issue more with the gendering of this behaviour and the argument by feminists that patriarchy was the root cause of the problem.

Writer Cathy Young viewed discussion of manspreading as a “life-imitates-satire” of modern feminism that is obsessed with “petty grievances, gleeful male-bashing, [and] egregious double standards” and is “preoccupied with male misbehaviour, no matter how trivial.” The first point made by Young is that proper etiquette is not a gendered issue, women are just as capable as men of engaging in rude and selfish behaviour on public transport. A common, comparable example given by critics is that of women placing their bags on available seats instead of on their laps, between their legs, or in overhead storage where available. The second point made by Young is, essentially, what’s the big deal? To the extent that it does exist and is a gendered problem, why focus on manspreading, a minor social inconvenience, and make it the battlefield for modern feminism instead of more pertinent issues, such as equal pay or domestic violence? More on this point later.

(Even beloved Hollywood actor Tom Hanks is not above manspreading from time to time)

Biological explanations for manspreading were also provided by critics. The first argument trotted out was that manspreading was necessary in order to properly and comfortably accommodate for testicles. This however is not seriously taken up as an argument as there is no science backing this up and the argument appears mostly to be put forward as a half-mocking, half-machoism way of saying, “my testicles are tremendously large and you should be impressed by this.” Indeed, one explanation for why men engage in manspreading is that it is some kind of primitive genital display ritual, indicating to women that yes, in fact they do have reproductive organs. This is, of course, an important message to communicate to the general female population of the peak hour train, in case it is something that may not have occurred to them.

An article published by Vice in July 2017 partially defended the practice of manspreading by reference to gender differences in pelvic bone structure. Lou Schuler, the author of this article, interviewed Stu McGill, professor emeritus of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, about the author’s own back pain. Schuler described the science of when he would sit with his knees together as follows:

“The round ball at the top of the femur will pinch against the outside edge of the acetabulum (the hip socket), straining the labrum that lines the socket. To get into that position, I have to activate the adductor muscles on my inner thighs. That automatically triggers resistance from the abductor muscles on my outer thighs, creating tension that can reach all the way up into the lower back. The second I release the contraction, my thighs spring apart, leaving a gap of about 15 inches from the center of each kneecap, more than three-quarters of the distance to a proper manspread.”

He contrasts this with the biology of a woman as follows:

“Women, on the other hand, have a wider pelvis and thighbones that more naturally angle in toward the body's midline, rather than away from it. Sitting with the knees close together is a stress-free position most of the time, although that changes during pregnancy, when the weight of the belly pushes the knees out.”

It would be an unfair representation of the author’s argument to say that he presented this as a justification for manspreading, as he states clearly later that none of this “justifies guys being assholes on public transportation, where we all have to put up with a little discomfort to coexist.” Rather the point that Schuler makes is that there is likely a biological, rather than a social, explanation for manspreading.

But the science on this is not robust. Caroline VanSickle, in a response article to Schuler published by Medium, makes the point that “biology is not quite so simple as ‘have this skeleton = do this behaviour” and that research has consistently shown that “repeated behaviours… train muscles and remodel bone to accommodate those behaviours.” In other words, VanSickle argues that biological determinism is a poor explanation for behaviour in humans, as behaviours are learned and the body is capable of adapting to accommodate these behaviours. The most obvious example in humans of this is walking upright, a behaviour that is completely unnatural in primates and that we are not born knowing, but rather learn from teaching and in imitation of others. VanSickle also makes the excellent point that hey, you can actually sit with your legs together, it’s not physically impossible, dude.

Studies on the social signalling and psychological effect of expansive poses, such as manspreading, do support the idea that they convey assertiveness and dominance to other people, but only for men. A study by Tanya Vacharklksemsuk, for example, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in March 2016, showed that photos of men in expansive, “spread” poses were considered more attractive than photos where they were in a closed posture, such as with their arms crossed. While this was also true for women, the effect was far less significant for them, suggesting that for the most part only men receive any significant social benefit by expressing dominant body language. As suggested above, this supports a theory that manspreading is a way of expressing to others that you are a virile male who is capable of fathering many strong children.

David Givens, an anthropologist at the Center for Nonverbal studies interviewed by Feeney, argues that humans are uncomfortable being in close proximity with strangers, which may prompt them to engage in “guarding behaviour”, such as spreading their legs wide, to both claim more space for themselves but also to communicate to others not to violate their territory. While the findings from studies such as these are always open to interpretation and the methodology is at times questionable, nevertheless it is safe to say that humans do communicate messages capable of being understood by others through body language, even if it is not always a deliberate choice to do so.

(Comic from The New Yorker, 9 January 2015)

What is to be made of all of this? Is this a thing? While it is hard to get concrete data on the prevalence of manspreading, in one poll which asked female respondents if they had been affected by manspreading, 37% of respondents said they had, 38% said they had not, and 20% did not answer. Perhaps surprisingly, in that same poll 67% of male respondents said that they had caught themselves manspreading. The comments given suggest that, rather than something they felt shameful about, it was actually a point of pride for these men to have engaged in this behaviour and that it had everything to do with their genitals and expressing their masculinity. To quote one poet-philosopher who responded, “That shit gotta breathe.” Nevertheless, while establishing that it exists and the behaviour is recognisable by a large proportion of the population, this poll does not necessarily support a view that manspreading is the most pressing civil rights issue of our modern time.

But that said, the biological explanations for manspreading are not particularly convincing either. Setting aside the science, as a general rule of thumb, if someone says that behaviour you are engaging in is rude and your defense begins by talking about how, actually, scientists have shown that in fact women have wider pelvises and thigh bones than men, you are probably on the wrong side of the debate. This is not to dismiss entirely however the position that it is more comfortable to sit with your legs splayed apart, whether you are a man or a woman. But it is to say that this is learned behaviour that you can consciously choose not to engage in, and to also acknowledge that by choosing to engage in this behaviour you are sending a message to other people with your body language, whether that message is the one you intend to send or not.

There remains unanswered the question of whether it is appropriate to make this an issue about gender, and if any of the above sounds like a capitulation or concession to the manspreaders of this world, let me clearly state here that, in this writer’s view, it is entirely appropriate to view manspreading through a feminist lens. For some, the use of the word ‘manspreading’ is an attack on the very concept of being a man and male identity, and that it attempts to present all women as victims and all men as perpetrators. It is true that women can and do engage in rude and selfish behaviour on public transport, including taking up more space than it is fair for one person to do, whether this is in equal proportion to men or not. Yet when it comes to proper etiquette, it is never a defence for one’s poor behaviour to state that other people are engaging in similar or worse behaviour. That road leads only to one place: pure and absolute anarchy.

More than this however, it is fair to point out that public spaces such as trains and buses are gendered spaces, because the experience that women and men have with these spaces is different. For women, riding on public transport can bring them into uncomfortably close contact with strange men who may be much physically larger, stronger, and more intimidating than they are. And the concerns that women may have in entering these spaces with such men are not unfounded. Public transport is sadly too often the scene where a woman has been harassed, groped, assaulted, or worse, by an unknown person who was able to get away with their crime due to the confusion of having so many people packed into a small space or because he has made the person feel too embarrassed and ashamed to draw public attention to the offence. While this is a topic I would like to explore more thoroughly in a future post, suffice it to say for now that women around the world feel a lack of personal security on public transport because of these problems, and it can even effect whether they choose to use public transport or not.

So while when a man sees another man sitting down on the train with his legs spread wide, making it difficult for others to sit near him, he may tut to himself and shake his head, or may confidently sit himself down and force the manspreader to accommodate him, for a woman this scenario may play out differently in her head. She may worry about what the reaction of this man might be if she tries to sit down or if she politely asks him to make room. Is this man only committing the faux pas of being a little oblivious, or is he sending a deliberate message? Will he be apologetic, or will he hurl abuse at me? And if he does, will anyone in the carriage help me, or will they ignore my plight and blame me for causing a scene? And maybe I am to blame for this man’s reaction, do I have any right to impose myself in such a way?

(St Petersburg law student, Anna Dovgalyuk, pouring diluted bleach into the lap of a manspreader on the Metro)

It may seem a stretch to make the connection between manspreading and sexual assault, and indeed I do not say that they are in any way comparable actions. I would agree that most instances where manspreading occurs, it is likely because the man in question is a bit tired, is not paying attention to the social cues of fellow commuters, and may not even be aware that he is engaging in this behaviour. Just because someone is manspreading does not mean that they are therefore a bad person, it might just be that they are having a bad day. Yet the point has hopefully been demonstrated that men and women experience public transport in different ways to each other, and for that reason it is important to consider gender dynamics as part of any discussion on etiquette when using public transport.

And finally, should you engage in manspreading if you are a man? No. Come on, did you really need to read this whole post to find out the answer to that question? I mean, I understand that you want to be comfortable, we all do, but a little common sense should tell you that while this may be socially acceptable:

This is not:

Know the difference, and always be mindful of the needs of your fellow commuters.

Bibliography:

Oxford Dictionaries, Manspreading: how new York City’s MTA popularised a word without actually saying it, (4 September 2015) https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2015/09/04/manspreading-term-popularized-by-mta/

Sheila Anne Feeney, amNewYork, “Man spread” a widening blight on public transport, say riders, (6 October 2014) https://www.amny.com/transit/man-spread-a-widening-blight-on-public-transportation-say-riders-1.9473786

Metropolitan Transit Authority (New York), Courtesy Counts, http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/CourtesyCounts.htm

Jenny Yuen, Toronto Sun, Anti-‘manspreading’ campaign called sexist, (29 December 2014), https://torontosun.com/2014/12/29/anti-manspreading-campaign-called-sexist/wcm/b30005af-ecde-4210-9f89-5fabdd1ca5c1

Cathy Young, Newsday, ‘Manspreading’? But women hog subway space, too, (5 January 2015), https://www.newsday.com/opinion/columnists/cathy-young/manspreading-but-women-hog-subway-space-too-cathy-young-1.9776186

Lou Schuler, VICE, There’s a reason some men take up so much space when they sit: In defense of manspreading, (25 July 2017), https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/gybejb/theres-a-reason-some-men-take-up-so-much-space-when-they-sit

Caroline VanSickle, Medium, The false biology of manspreading [Updated], (10 August 2017), https://medium.com/@cvans/the-false-biology-of-manspreading-f789abd709f5

Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, PNAS study finds expansive postures are more attractive, (29 Mar 2016), https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/03/is-manspreading-sexy/475728/

Logan Bailey, The Black Sheep Online, Manspreading: Fact or Fiction?, (4 February 2015), https://theblacksheeponline.com/campus-life/manspreading-fact-or-fiction

Laura Paddison, Huffington Post, Women around the world are harassed and abused on public transportation, (20 October 2017), https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/women-public-transportation-harassment_us_59e88cfee4b0d0e4fe6d8202?ec_carp=423793409249566034

Marco Silva, BBC, Anna Dovgalyuk: Why do people think her ‘manspreading’ video is a Kremlin hoax?, (20 October 2018), https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-45828060

[marymosley]

From Book Burning To Statue Toppling: History Shows Free Speech Is The Loser In Mob Rule

Below is my column in The Hill on the ongoing destruction of memorials and statues. After this column ran, I learned that one of the iconic busts of George Washington University had been toppled on my own campus. I did not learn that from our university, which was conspicuously silent about this destructive act at the very center of our campus.  There is something eerily familiar in the scenes of bonfires with police watching passively as public art is destroyed.  Such acts are akin to book burning as mobs unilaterally destroyed images that they do not want others to see.  There are valid issues to address on the removal of some public art but there is no room or time for debate in the midst of this spreading destruction.  The media has largely downplayed this violence, including little comparative coverage of an attack on the Democratic state senator who simply tried to videotape the destruction of a statue to a man who actually gave his life fighting against slavery in the Civil War.  As discussed earlier, history has shown that yielding to such mob rule will do little to satiate the demand for unilateral and at times violent action. People of good faith must step forward to demand a return to the rule of law and civility in our ongoing discourse over racism and reform.

Here is the column:

The scenes have played out nightly on our television screens. In Portland, a flag was wrapped around the head of a statue of George Washington and burned. As the statue was pulled down, a mob cheered. Across the country, statues of Christopher Columbus, Francis Scott Key, Thomas Jefferson, and Ulysses Grant have been toppled down as the police and the public watch from the edges. We have seen scenes like this through history, including the form of mob expression through book burning.

Alarmingly, this destruction of public art coincides with a crackdown on academics and writers who criticize any aspects of the protests today. We are experiencing one of the greatest threats to free speech in our history and it is coming, not from the government, but from the public. For free speech advocates, there is an eerie candescence in these scenes, flames illuminating faces of utter rage and even ecstasy in destroying public art. Protesters are tearing down history that is no longer acceptable to them. Some of this anger is understandable, even if the destruction is not. There are statues still standing to figures best known for their racist legacies.

Two decades ago, I wrote a column calling for the Georgia legislature to take down its statue of Tom Watson, a white supremacist publisher and politician who fueled racist and antisemitic movements. Watson was best known for his hateful writings, including his opposition to save Leo Frank, a Jewish factory manager accused of raping and murdering a girl. Frank was taken from a jail and lynched by a mob enraged by such writings, including the declaration of Watson that “Frank belongs to the Jewish aristocracy, and it was determined by the rich Jews that no aristocrat of their race should die for the death of a working class Gentile.”

Yet today there is no room or time for such reasoned discourse, just destruction that often transcends any rationalization of history. Rioters defaced the Lincoln Memorial in Washington and a statue of Abraham Lincoln in London. Besides attacking those monuments to the man who ended slavery, rioters attacked statues of military figures who defeated the Confederacy, like Grant and David Farragut, who refused to follow Tennessee and stayed loyal to the Union. In Boston, rioters defaced the monument to the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, the all black volunteer regiment of the Union Army. In Philadelphia, the statute of abolitionist Matthias Baldwin was attacked, despite his fight for black voting rights and his financial support for the education of black children.

This systematic destruction of public art is now often rationalized as the natural release of anger by those who have been silenced or marginalized. Even rioting and looting has been defended by some as an expression of power. However, a far more extensive movement is unfolding across the country, as people are fired for writing in opposition to these protests. In Vermont, Windsor School principal Tiffany Riley was placed on leave for questioning protest rhetoric on Facebook, where she posted, “While I understand the urgency to feel compelled to advocate for black lives, what about our fellow law enforcement?” She was denounced on social media as “insanely tone deaf” and is being forced to retire.

At the University of Chicago, there is an effort to fire Harald Uhlig, who is a professor and senior editor of the prestigious Journal of Political Economy. His offense was questioning the logic of defunding the police and other messaging from the protests. Writers like Paul Krugman of the New York Times denounced him, and he was accused of the unpardonable sin of “trivializing” the Black Lives Matter movement. Professors across the country are being targeted because they object to aspects of these protests or specific factual claims. Students also face punishment.

Syracuse University student journalists at the Daily Orange have fired a columnist for writing a piece in another publication that questioned the statistical basis for claims of “institutional racism” in police departments. Adrianna San Marco discussed a study published last year by the National Academy of Sciences that had found “no evidence” of disparities against Blacks or Hispanics in police shootings. Such a view could be challenged on many levels. Indeed, this once was the type of debate that colleges welcomed. Yet San Marco was accused of “reinforcing stereotypes.”

The merging of journalism and advocacy is evident in academia, where intellectual pursuit is now viewed as reactionary or dangerous. Many opposed a recent recognition given by the American Association of University Professors to an academic viewed by many as antisemitic. I disagreed with the campaign against the professor as a matter of free speech. However, I was struck by the statement that she “transcends the division between scholarship and activism that encumbers traditional university life.” That “encumbrance” was once the distinction between intellectual and political expression. As academics, we once celebrated intellectual pluralism and fiercely defended free speech everywhere.

However, we now increasingly join the mob in demanding the termination or “retraining” of academics who utter opposing views. In my 30 years of teaching, I never imagined I would see such intolerance and orthodoxy on campuses. Indeed, I have spoken with many professors who are simply appalled by what they are seeing but too scared to speak up. They have seen other academics put on leave or condemned by their fellow faculty members. Two professors are not only under investigation for criticizing the protests but received police protection at home due to death threats. The chilling effect on speech is as intentional as it is successful.

Such cases are mounting across the country as academics and students enforce this new orthodoxy on college campuses. What will be left when objectionable public art and academics are scrubbed from view? The silence that follows may be comforting to those who want to remove images or ideas that cause unease. History has shown, however, that orthodoxy is never satisfied with silence. It demands speech.

Once all the offending statues are down, and all the offending professors are culled, the appetite for collective suppression will become a demand for collective expression. It is a future that is foreshadowed not in loud cries around the bonfires we see every night on the news. It is a future guaranteed by the silence of those watching from the edges.

Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. You can find his updates online @JonathanTurley.

From Book Burning To Statue Toppling: History Shows Free Speech Is The Loser In Mob Rule published first on https://immigrationlawyerto.tumblr.com/

[thetrumpdebacle]

REUTERS

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

Belgium’s so-called golden generation begin their World Cup campaign against finals debutants Panama in Sochi.

Chelsea forward Eden Hazard, Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku are among the attacking options in Roberto Martinez’s squad.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and defenders Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld provide strength at the other end of the pitch.

Opponents Panama are the fifth lowest ranked team in the competition and playing in a World Cup for the first time.

BELGIUM 0-0 PANAMA

Belgium XI: Courtois, Alderweireld, Boyata, Vertonghen, Meunier, Witsel, De Bruyne, Carrasco, Mertens, E. Hazard, R. Lukaku.

Panama XI: Penedo, Murillo, Escobar, Torres, Davis, Gomez, Godoy, Cooper, Rodriguez, Barcenas, Perez.

REUTERS

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

BELGIUM 0-0 PANAMA

15: Referee Janny Sikazwe makes a fairly poor decision to book Thomas Meunier. And I’m not just saying that because he’s in my World Cup fantasy football team.

14: Close! That would have been painful for Panama’s Roman Torres. His terrible backpass is intercepted by Eden Hazard, who sliced it into the side-netting. Should be 1-0.

11: It’s all looking a bit ominous I’m afraid. Panama are being suffocated by Belgium, who haven’t shifted into second gear yet. Perhaps a bit of stage fright?

REUTERS

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

8: Eden Hazard weaves his way forward and spots the overlap from Carrasco, who tamely strikes at Penedo. The goalkeeper is drawn into action a few seconds later by tipping Mertens’ effort over.

5: Huge roar as Panama win themselves a free-kick. Boyata was the culprit. The box is loaded, Davis to deliver… easily cleared and Courtois plucks the rebound out of the sky.

3: Oh, hello Mark Lawrenson. Good to have you in the commentary box this afternoon…

It didn’t take long for Belgium to carve out their opening chance. 59 seconds to be precise. KDB crosses over for Romelu Lukaku, who shanks it miles wide.

1: I’m afraid that I wasn’t totally impressed with the national anthems from these two, but the award goes to Panama for a higher decibel level inside the stadium. We’re underway…

REUTERS

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

THE PLAYERS ARE OUT

15:55: And here they come! Belgium and Panama emerge from the tunnel to a reasonably full Fisht Olympic Stadium.

I’m not going to complain about the attendance given Saint Petersburg is located 2,355.8km from Sochi.

Time for the national anthems. I haven’t got a clue what the Panama one sounds like.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN…

15:50: There’s roughly three hours until England get their World Cup campaign underway folks, and my anxiety level are through the roofe!

I’ve had Three Lions on repeat for the last 12 hours and fully convinced myself that we’re going to win the tournament.

I’ll be here to guide you through all the thrills, spills and bellyaches a little bit later.

GETTY

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

PANAMA

15:45: Here’s a small fact file on Panama’s national side. I’ve added a few facts about the country that might surprise you too. I’m nice like that.

Coach: Hernan Dario Gomez, Star player: Blas Perez, World Cup best: Debut

What are their chances? Panama have been edging closer to reaching the World Cup finals for the first time in recent tournaments and crossed the line this time thanks to a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Costa Rica in their final qualifier. Little is expected of them and it would be a huge shock to either Belgium or England if they beat them to the second round.

*Panama has more than 976 bird species, which is more than the United States and Canada combined.

*Panama has the second-largest duty-free zone in the world, the Colon Free Zone, second in size only to Hong Kong.

Probably my favourite ever facts.

NO THANKS…

15:40: I believe Gary Lineker has just volunteered Phil Neville, Danny Murphy, Cesc Fabregas and himself to strip naked if Panama win the World Cup.

You would have thought that resenting Match of the Day in his underwear would have taught him a lesson…

Panama’s president (whose name escapes me…) declared a national holiday after Panama sealed qualification in October.

Can we have one of those please?

GETTY

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

COURTOIS EXPECTS…

15:35: Eden Hazard is in the best form of his life but that doesn’t matter to his Chelsea colleague Thibaut Courtois, who still wants more.

You just can’t please some people, right?

The Belgians are considered a good outside bet to lift the World Cup for the first time and start the tournament against rank outsiders Panama in Group G.

Courtois said his Chelsea team mate Hazard, who scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final last month, was highly motivated.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him train or play as amazing as in the last three games,” Courtois told reporters. “I think he has reached another level of his game.”

“I don’t think it is only Eden we need at his best,” the Chelsea keeper added. “I think we need Romelu (Lukaku) to score goals, for Kevin (De Bruyne) to play like at (Manchester) City. I think if you want to go far you need your players to be at their best.”

REUTERS

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Chris: This afternoon’s game between Panama and Belgium is the first time we’ll have seen a proper mis-match of playing ability in this World Cup. Big scoreline inbound…

Tom: Still waiting for one of the World Cup “contenders” to play an impressive opening match. Wonder if Belgium might be the first to do so as they are far better than Panama.

Sean: Time too watch Belgium! Should hammer Panama on paper but not expecting anything after this week. 2-0 maybe 3-0 I’m saying though.

The people have spoken, and they all agree that Panama are going to take a beating.

BIG MONEY…

15:25: I’ve just heard that the 2018 FIFA World Cup is set to become the most wagered event of all time, with as much as £1.5 billion being staked on the tournament.

£1.5billion?! The boffins down at BonusCodeBets.co.uk found that the total amount wagered equates to £4,000 per second.

I don’t know about these punters, but I haven’t won a sausage from my series of mahussive £1 stakes.

REUTERS

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

TEAM NEWS – PANAMA

15:20: Now I’ll admit my knowledge of the Panama squad isn’t as strong as my love of the trademark hat would suggest.

Panama, who are playing their first ever World Cup match, start with a 4-1-4-1 formation with 37-year old striker Blas Perez, who scored the goal that secured their qualification, leading the line up front.

TEAM NEWS – BELGIUM

15:15: OK, let’s see what Roberto Martinez has done with this starting XI.

There aren’t too many surprises with Dries Mertens, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard forming the three-pronged attack.

The injured Vincent Kompany is replaced by Celtic’s Dedryck Boyata, while Tottenham duo Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen are also included.

REUTERS

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

PRIVILEGED…

15:05: Roberto Martinez knows he’s a lucky boy to have this star-studded squad at his disposal.

Makes a change from the Wigan days I suppose. Although Gary Caldwell shouldn’t be underestimated…

Anyway, the glittering array of talent has seen Belgium installed as one of the tournament favourites and Spaniard Martinez hopes he can mould his individual stars into an effective team unit.

“We’ve said it for a long time now, we’re privileged to have this sort of group of players, not just with their skills – their skills are essential – but I think it’s more their attitude and the way they are ambassadors for Belgian football,” said Martinez.

“In Belgium we’ve got a population of 11 million and to produce these sort of players is not by accident or coincidence, it’s a lot of work. Now we have got players that are very important at club level and what we want to do is bring them together in the national team.

REUTERS

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

THE TEAM ARRIVES…

15:00: And here ate your line-ups , folks. Roberto Martinez makes the big decision to start Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata ahead of Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany.

Belgium XI: Courtois, Alderweireld, Boyata, Vertonghen, Meunier, Witsel, De Bruyne, Carrasco, Mertens, E. Hazard, R. Lukaku.

Subs: Mignolet, Casteels, Kompany, Dendoncker, Hazard, Tielemans, Dembele, Fellaini, Chadli, Januzaj, Batshuayi.

Panama XI: Penedo, Murillo, Escobar, Torres, Davis, Gomez, Godoy, Cooper, Rodriguez, Barcenas, Perez.

Subs: Claderon, A Rodriguez, Cummings, G Torres, Diaz, Machado, Pimentel, Arroyo, Ovalle, Tejada, Avila, Baloy.

REUTERS

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

REUTERS

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

REUTERS

Belgium vs Panama: Live World Cup score, goals and updates

HAVE YOUR SAY

14:45: If you want to vent your frustrations, or discuss any issues in the world of football (within reason), then get in touch!

You can either comment at the bottom of the page or contact me via Twitter using the hashtag #ExpressSport.

WELCOME

14:40: Hello everyone, welcome to our LIVE coverage of the World Cup.

How’s everyone feeling today? Don’t worry if you’ve been working and missed today’s opener between Sweden and South Korea, because the main events are still to come.

England opener their World Cup campaign a little later this evening, but first their Group G rivals Belgium take on the mighty Panama…

Panama are the fifth lowest ranked team in the competition and playing in a World Cup for the first time.

Could we see a few goals? I think it’s a certainty. Standby for team news and line-ups.

via The Trump Debacle

[elizabethleslie7654]

Democrat Attacks Backfire

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by Tom Shackleford

Watching the narratives advanced by the establishment backfire on them is probably the most amusing aspect of Trump’s presidency. It’s certainly more entertaining than television, which I can’t bear to watch anymore. True, the hysteria itself is rather tiresome. Yet, it’s all worth it when a net cast out for Trump ends up snaring all sorts of vile creatures that it was never intended to catch.

The delightful irony is that this self-defeating strategy could have been avoided if they had only learned from the hard lessons meted out to them during the 2016 campaign fiasco. Clearly they’re capable of gleaning very little from failure. That shouldn’t disappoint us in the least. Let’s take a look at two cases.

Sex

Donald Trump is obviously a man with a virile libido. We’ve all chuckled at the stories of him going on a tear between marriages. Yeah, he’s made full use of his fame and fortune to bang really hot women. That’s not a shock, and it had nothing to do with the issues that propelled him to the presidency. Thus, he can’t be sunk by accusations that are not a revelation to anyone. Recall the “gotcha!” story released by the Clinton Campaign about Venezuelan beauty queen, Alicia Machado? OMG, Trump called her “Miss Piggy”! Um, he got lots of laughs and applause for calling Rosy O’Donnell a “fat pig” and “disgusting animal,” so how could more of that hurt? Soon after, a tape surfaced of Machado getting plowed on a reality TV show along with reports of her driving a getaway car in a bank robbery and threatening to kill a judge. Whew! What a disaster, let’s move on? Nope.

The Clinton Machine failed to take into account that Bill is perhaps the most famous sexual-assaulter in history. Lots of middle-aged White women voted for Trump. To them, Bill’s scandals in the 1990’s were fresh in the mind. Hillary’s feminist angle didn’t really line up with the reality that had disgusted them nearly 20 years prior. Women knew that she was nothing without her philandering husband. Bringing up these issues did much more to hurt Clinton than Trump. Why not just leave the matter alone, seeing as it’s a Pyrrhic line of attack?

Well, these people simply cannot help themselves. They’ve never stopped, and now the hysteria has destroyed some of the Clinton’s most ardent backers in Hollywood and the MSM. Harvey Weinstein has been exposed as the fiend that everyone knew he was all along. It’s even emerged that he hired Black Cube, a firm comprised of former Mossad agents, to intimidate his victims. There’s now talk of imminent criminal charges.

Fast forward through a long list of other newly-exposed perverts to “America’s Dad,” Matt Lauer. He fits the Weinstein mold. His office was fitted with an electronic door lock that he could trigger from his desk. Nothing rapey about that set-up. Why does the MSM persist with this madness knowing full well that their ranks, along with the population of the DC Beltway, are chocked full of creepy miscreants? We can probably expect much more amusement to come from this self-immolation.

Russia

The “Russia stole the election” narrative was started by the Clinton campaign the morning after they got devastated. Trying to make an excuse for why she lost is fine, but did they ever consider the consequences of that particular accusation? Once again, definitely not. They started it, and then the idiots in Congress ran with it. The Combating Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act was crafted and signed into law by Obama back in December of 2016. Included in the legislation was a $160 million appropriation for propaganda. Some of this went to the Alliance for Securing Democracy. It employs many despicable Jewish architects of the Iraq war, such as Bill Kristol. Their aim is to push Russia out of the Middle East in order to enable a strike on Iran. The excuse put out by Clinton has now been seized by them as a pretext for war. There’s plenty of money to ensure that this won’t ever go away.

Mueller’s unlimited investigation into this ludicrous allegation has now entangled a preeminent swamp creature. Tony Podesta, the brother of Clinton’s campaign manager, John Podesta, was until recently the head of a lobbying group that worked on behalf of the Uranium One deal approved when Clinton was Secretary of State. Her “charities” received around $140 million in donations from the stakeholders in this company, and Bill was flown to Moscow to give a speech for $500,000 and meet with Putin. It’s an embarrassing story that could have been laid to rest in 2016, but they refused to let that happen.

Transactions like these don’t happen by coincidence. They’re damning to the Clintons and their key associates to the point of criminal prosecution. Deals with Russia are a subject that they shouldn’t have touched with a ten foot pole. These people are playing Russian Roulette with these sink-Trump gambits. The blowback is sure to continue.

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HAPPPPPPY SATURDAY, CENTIPEDES!Welcome to your Presidentially dank Afternoon Recap thread! This is your girl u/IvaginaryFriend back at it again with a weeks worth of spice for you lovely Deplorables! (◠‿◠✿)Let's get on with the show!Sunday, December 3rd:TODAY'S ACTION:Statement from President Donald J. Trump on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!(Retweeting Sarah Sanders) The Trump effect: “The U.S. economy is running at its full potential for the first time in a decade” -WSJ(Retweeting Chris Christie) @POTUS has done more to combat the addiction crisis than any other President.(Retweeting Paul Sperry) BREAKING: top FBI investigator for Mueller--PETER STRZOK--busted sending political text messages bashing Trump & praising Hillary during the 2016 campaign. STRZOK actually LED the Hillary email probe & recommended clearing her; then was tapped to SUPERVISE the Trump Russia probe!(Retweeting Paul Sperry) Wray needs to clean house. Now we know the politicization even worse than McCabe's ties to McAuliffe/Clinton. It also infected his top investigator PETER STRZOK, who sent texts bashing Trump & praising Hillary during campaign. Strzok led Hillary probe & supervised Trump probe!Such a total miscarriage of Justice in San Francisco!Tainted (no, very dishonest?) FBI “agent’s role in Clinton probe under review.” Led Clinton Email probe. @foxandfriends Clinton money going to wife of another FBI agent in charge.After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness.People who lost money when the Stock Market went down 350 points based on the False and Dishonest reporting of Brian Ross of @ABC News (he has been suspended), should consider hiring a lawyer and suing ABC for the damages this bad reporting has caused - many millions of dollars!Report: “ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE” Now it all starts to make sense!SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:The “Producer” behind the Fake-Flynn report is Susan Rice’s husband...I’m sure that’s just a coincidence. Just like these other Obama/Fake News Pundit relationships are coincidences as well... nothing to see here.GOWDY: If Obama saw his son in Trayvon, We see our Daughters in Kate SteinleHOLY SHIT. Trump Retweets Tom Fitton Tweet on McCabe / Clinton / DOJ / FBI Corruption! THE STORM IS COMING!Kate Steinle memorial dubbed ‘Hate Shrine’ by anti-white media, city of San Fransisco removed the memorial🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:Commies in line at StarbucksComey's bungling of email probe, McCabe's ties to Clinton, biased investigators, "lost" tarmac documents, & NOT A SINGLE VIDEO of the Vegas "shooter". Perhaps the FBI needs a new logo.Hey r/The_Donald, What's Not Nice About the Freedom of Speech?The earth is 4.5 billion years old...Monday, December 4th:TODAY'S ACTION:Washington Examiner: "Democrats' straw man fights tax cuts"Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One DepartureSecond Lady Karen Pence Unveils the Christmas Decorations at the Vice President's ResidenceSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: "Tax Reform: What's in It for You"Readout of President Donald J. Trump's Call with President Emmanuel Macron of FranceRemarks by President Trump and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Leaders After MeetingPresident Donald J. Trump Stands with Local Communities against Government Overreach on Land ManagementRemarks by President Trump on Antiquities Act DesignationsPresidential Proclamation Modifying the Grand Staircase-Escalante National MonumentPresidential Proclamation Modifying the Bears Ears National MonumentLas Vegas Review-Journal: "Economy showing major progress under President Donald Trump"🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama. We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more. No to Jones, a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet!Putting Pelosi/Schumer Liberal Puppet Jones into office in Alabama would hurt our great Republican Agenda of low on taxes, tough on crime, strong on military and borders...& so much more. Look at your 401-k’s since Election. Highest Stock Market EVER! Jobs are roaring back!With the great vote on Cutting Taxes, this could be a big day for the Stock Market - and YOU!A must watch: Legal Scholar Alan Dershowitz was just on @foxandfriends talking of what is going on with respect to the greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. political history. Enjoy!SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:West Wing ReadsBOOM! Supreme Court permits full enforcement of Trump travel banBOMBSHELL! The DOJ has been investigating the FBI for 11 months! STEALTHY JEFF!Ex-Florida Democratic Rep. Corrine Brown sentenced to five years in prison for mail, wire and tax fraud involving sham charityBreitbart : Soros Army in Alabama to Register Convicted Felons to Vote Against Roy MooreFired Trump-Hating FBI Agent Reviewed Clinton Emails on Pedo-Weiner's Computer in RECORD TIME Before ElectionPRESS BRIEFINGS, INTERVIEWS, RALLIES:Press Gaggle by Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley en route Washington, D.C., 12/4/2017🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:Pic unrelatedMerry medieval ChristmasFake News can’t hold back this train!!! Full Speed Ahead!!! MAGA!!!Trump is playing 16D chess at this point.With the travel ban win, redacted's morale is hitting new lows.Tuesday, December 5th:TODAY'S ACTION:Ethan Lane: "Trump really will shrink government, starting with national monuments"Summer 2018 White House Internship ProgramPresidential Memorandum for the Secretary of StateRemarks by President Trump at Lunch with Republican Members of the SenateStatement from CEA Chairman Kevin Hassett on the Joint Committee on Taxation ScoreReadout of President Donald J. Trump's Calls with Leaders in the Middle EastFirst Lady Melania Trump and Second Lady Karen Pence to Visit Texas for Continued Hurricane ReliefRemarks by President Trump at Taxpayer Family EventPresident Donald J. Trump Announces Key Additions to his Administration🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:Yesterday, I was thrilled to be with so many WONDERFUL friends, in Utah’s MAGNIFICENT Capitol. It was my honor to sign two Presidential Proclamations that will modify the national monuments designations of both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante...Join me this Friday in Pensacola, Florida at the Pensacola Bay Center!(Retweeting Dan Scavino Jr.) Time lapse video of the border wall prototypes, when they were being built in San Diego. Next phase underway: testing and evaluation period. #BuildTheWall #MAGA🇺🇸SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:West Wing ReadsWasn't it Obama who said we'll never see 3% growth again, that low growth was the new normal?ICE ICE BABY: 92% of all aliens arrested by ICE this year had criminal convictions, pending charges, fugitives, or illegal reentrantIt’s not on CNN so it doesn’t matter to the liberals.Voters Reject by 2:1 Democrats' Amnesty-or-Shutdown Threat - BreitbartPRESS BRIEFINGS, INTERVIEWS, RALLIES:Press Beating🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:Don't be a Soy Boy..always check your food to make sure it is soy free!Holy Kek!!!If you dont bake a cake they try to shut you down. If you steal billions of dollars from one of the poorest countries on earth they try to make you PresidentThat Eminem mural contains a hidden Pepe over his shoulder! He has summoned the curse! Praise KEK!Wednesday, December 6th:TODAY'S ACTION:President Donald J. Trump's Proclamation on Jerusalem as the Capital of the State of IsraelRemarks by President Trump at Cabinet MeetingStatement by President Trump on JerusalemStatement by President Donald J. Trump on YemenPresidential Proclamation Recognizing Jerusalem as the Capital of the State of Israel and Relocating the United States Embassy to Israel to JerusalemPresidential Memorandum for the Secretary of StatePresident Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Appoint Personnel to Key Administration PostsRemarks by Vice President Mike Pence at the Kemp Leadership Award Dinner🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in the path of California’s wildfires. I encourage everyone to heed the advice and orders of local and state officials. THANK YOU to all First Responders for your incredible work!Join me live from the @WhiteHouse via #PeriscopeI have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. I am also directing the State Department to begin preparation to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem...(Retweeting Chuck Grassley) Jerusalem Embassy Act of ‘95 (Senate vote 93-5 & I voted for it) states embassy should be in Jerusalem by 5/31/99. For 18 yrs, Rep + Dem presidents waived. Congrats Pres Trump for making this move. Amen!!!SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:West Wing ReadsTucker Carlson: "Out Of Control" FBI Considers Itself Above The Law, Threat To Every American'Over 10,000 texts' between ex-Mueller officials found, after discovery of anti-Trump messagesLOLOL REDDIT CRASHED UPON NEWS PRESIDENT TRUMP WON'T BE IMPEACHED ----House rejects Trump impeachment resolution after Dem Rep. Al Green forces vote --------- GET FUCKED REDACTED 🤣🤣🤣MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.............Linda Sarsour is triggered🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:BREAKING! Multiple sources confirm that Donald J. Trump plans to step down from his office as President of the United States effective at noon on Monday January 20, 2025.See Reddit... you did not need the FCC to fuck you up. You can do that all on your own.Every single snowflake the past few days.Old but relevant: Steven Crowder gets turned away from Muslim bakeries that REFUSE to make a gay wedding cake.. hypocritical left is silentHello, Islamic Bakery?Thursday, December 7th:TODAY'S ACTION:President Donald J. Trump Proclaims December 7, 2017, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance DayRemarks by President Trump at Signing of Proclamation for National Pearl Harbor Remembrance DayRemarks by President Trump and Vice President Pence in Meeting with Congressional LeadershipReadout of First Lady Melania Trump's Visit to Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.Adam Michel: "Families Across America Can Expect a Tax Cut"Remarks by the President at a Hanukkah Celebration🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:(Retweeting Eric Trump) #MakeAmericaGreatAgainGo get the new book on Andrew Jackson by Brian Kilmeade...Really good. @foxandfriendsNational Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day - “A day that will live in infamy!” December 7, 1941Today, our entire nation pauses to REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR—and the brave warriors who on that day stood tall and fought for America. God Bless our HEROES who wear the uniform, and God Bless the United States of America. #PearlHarborRemembranceDay🇺🇸Today, the U.S. flag flies at half-staff at the @WhiteHouse, in honor of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.Today, as we Remember Pearl Harbor, it was an incredible honor to be joined with surviving Veterans of the attack on 12/7/1941. They are HEROES, and they are living witnesses to American History. All American hearts are filled with gratitude for their service and their sacrifice.Across the battlefields, oceans, and harrowing skies of Europe and the Pacific throughout the war, one great battle cry could be heard by America’s friends and foes alike: “REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR.”Tonight, @FLOTUS Melania and I were thrilled to welcome so many wonderful friends to the @WhiteHouse – and wish them all a very #HappyHanukkahI fulfilled my campaign promise - others didn’t!SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:West Wing ReadsRemembering Pearl Harbor [December 7, 1941]Trump curse is real. Al Franken resigning from Senate. Join discussion at r/The_CongressIT'S HAPPENING!!! The Senate Intelligence Committee is investigating who gave WikiLeaks the hacked Democratic National Committee data that WikiLeaks published in July 2016, which included more than 44,000 emails and 17,000 attachments, the sources said. HIS NAME WAS SETH RICH"Twitter will suspend you for calling someone fat but won't do shit about the SJWs who bullied August Ames to suicide."PRESS BRIEFINGS, INTERVIEWS, RALLIES:Press Beating🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:Woops.Yesterday, Navajo code talker George B. Willie Sr. passed away at the age of 92. We salute you for your service, sir! You will not be forgotten!wholesome Trump tweet is wholesome:The Silenced - Time magazine's "Person of the Year" are the members of the Clinton body count.Trump at ArlingtonFriday, December 8th:TODAY'S ACTION:President Donald J. Trump Approves California Emergency DeclarationPresident Donald J. Trump Signs H.J. Res. 123 into LawContinued good news on jobsRemarks by President Trump at Swearing-In Ceremony of Kirstjen Nielsen as Secretary of the Department of Homeland SecurityPresidential Memorandum for the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business AdministrationStatement by the Press Secretary Regarding the Violence and Humanitarian Conditions in YemenPresident Donald J. Trump's First Year of Restoring Law and OrderJeffrey Kupfer: "Modernizing the tax code will provide a long-term boost to the American economy and to middle-class workers"Presidential Executive Order on Revising the Seal for the National Credit Union Administration🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:Big crowd expected today in Pensacola, Florida, for a Make America Great Again speech. We have done so much in so short a period of time...and yet are planning to do so much more! See you there!LAST thing the Make America Great Again Agenda needs is a Liberal Democrat in Senate where we have so little margin for victory already. The Pelosi/Schumer Puppet Jones would vote against us 100% of the time. He’s bad on Crime, Life, Border, Vets, Guns & Military. VOTE ROY MOORE!Fines and penalties against Wells Fargo Bank for their bad acts against their customers and others will not be dropped, as has incorrectly been reported, but will be pursued and, if anything, substantially increased. I will cut Regs but make penalties severe when caught cheating!MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!“The unemployment rate remains at a 17-year low of 4.1%. The unemployment rate in manufacturing dropped to 2.6%, the lowest ever recorded. The unemployment rate among Hispanics dropped to 4.7%, the lowest ever recorded...”On my way to Pensacola, Florida. See everyone soon! #MAGAJust arrived at the Pensacola Bay Center. Join me LIVE on @FoxNews in 10 minutes! #MAGAThis is your land, this is your home, and it's your voice that matters the most. So speak up, be heard, and fight, fight, fight for the change you've been waiting for your entire life! MERRY CHRISTMAS and THANK YOU Pensacola, FloridaWe believe that every American should stand for the National Anthem, and we proudly pledge allegiance to one NATION UNDER GOD!SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:West Wing ReadsBeverly Nelson now admits she forged yearbook that Gloria Allred presented on CNN as "evidence" against Roy MoorePlanned Parenthood under investigation by Justice Department over sale of fetal tissueOMG!!!!! Tucker just reported that Aaron Zebley, the lawyer who represented Justin Cooper, Hillary’s IT guy, is serving as Mueller’s right hand man investigating Trump collusion! This shit is getting ridiculous.Federal FISA Judge Recuses Himself From Michael Flynn Case… | The Last RefugePRESS BRIEFINGS, INTERVIEWS, RALLIES:RAAALLLYYYY🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:LITERALLY HITLER!!!!"My name's Lindsey Vonn. I just launched a clothing line with Under Armour and thought I'd get great publicity by disrespecting our GEOTUSNo Title NecessaryWE NEED TERM LIMITS!WE'RE SAYING MERRY CHRISTMAS AGAIN!!!Saturday, December 9th:WEEKLY ADDRESS!🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:GREAT EVENING last night in Pensacola, Florida. Arena was packed to the rafters, the crowd was loud, loving and really smart. They definitely get what’s going on. Thank you Pensacola!A big contingent of very enthusiastic Roy Moore fans at the rally last night. We can’t have a Pelosi/Schumer Liberal Democrat, Jones, in that important Alabama Senate seat. Need your vote to Make America Great Again! Jones will always vote against what we must do for our Country.Fake News CNN made a vicious and purposeful mistake yesterday. They were caught red handed, just like lonely Brian Ross at ABC News (who should be immediately fired for his “mistake”). Watch to see if @CNN fires those responsible, or was it just gross incompetence?CNN’S slogan is CNN, THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS. Everyone knows this is not true, that this could, in fact, be a fraud on the American Public. There are many outlets that are far more trusted than Fake News CNN. Their slogan should be CNN, THE LEAST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS!Heading to the great state of Mississippi at the invitation of their popular and respected Governor, @PhilBryantMS. Look forward to seeing the new Civil Rights Museum!SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:Based Black Alabamian trolls MSNBC on Live TV! "Roy Moore is gonna win....Roy Moore is gonna win..."More Clinton ties on Mueller team: One deputy attended Clinton party, another rep'd top aide (DeepState is Being Exposed!)Lindsey receives the brunt of the Trump curse.Dem. Rep. who won’t run for re-election paid wife $430,000 out of campaign funds: Report🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:[Mike Drop Moment: Trump Thanks Hillary For Not Campaigning in Wisconsin: ‘The Russians Advised Her Not To Go’ ]Video]](https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Donald/comments/7imhey/mike_drop_moment_trump_thanks_hillary_for_not/)Yes! Take care of those that protect our Country! 🇺🇸Excellent point Ben CarsonSince When did..So Much WINNING! Still not tired of it!!!!Some tunes to get this Late night (ladies style) - MAGAParty started:Girls, Girls, GirlsMust Of Got LostPour Some Sugar On MeYou Shook Me All Night LongLittle WillyCome On Feel The NoizeMAGA ON PATRIOTS! via /r/The_Donald