#i do firmly believe donnie has bombs

[asummersday]

no context, just the disaster twins living up to their name <3

[cursedcatchild]

I'm so excited about the new series!

I saw someone who wrote down what they would like to see in it and I was all like: I wanna do that too!🤩

So here it is, feel free to comment your own ideas if you want to! 😇

Finally having decent canon ships: Like TMNT 2012 tried and failed so hard. I swear Ramona was the only non disastrous one. Honestly I loved Leorai until someone decided to blow up the sweet home Alabama bomb right in the fans face. 🤯The rest of the ships were scandalous. And  ROTTMNT didn’t even dare to try and give us ships.😑 Like if I really want, then I might pressure my imagination to see some Kendratello or April+Raph, but nothing is canon. I think this time we deserve some shipper food people! ( So far it goes well, I kinda like the awkward crush Leo has on April. It feels real. Also I am looking forward to some Rasey.😏)

Canon LGBTQ+ turtles (or at least one):  Come on people, this is the 21th century it’s good d*mn time for some queer turtles.🏳️‍🌈 I mean ROTTMNT kinda gave us some gay Leo hints ( I swear if that guy is not gay then gay people are not even real😂), but nothing confirmed. Also what do you think which turtle should be queer? I personally vote for Raph or Donnie.😏

Cynthia Ultron being really evil: Like please let her be an actual threat!😈

Serious villains: Please, no more goofy villains like in Rise! 🥺There can be some, but I firmly believe that the mainly unserious bad guys caused ROTTMNT’s downfall. 😭No way it wouldn’t get a season 3, if the series would start off with something like the Shredder fight or the movie. (And truth to be told, I nearly dropped the show at the beginning, because it felt like it was aimed for a way younger audience with all that goofiness.)

Mutant Racism: This is the first time the turtles are out in public, they go to school and stuff. But even though they are accepted everything can’t be peachy, right? I want the tasty conflict of not all humans accepting them. Like, it would be illogical that there not a single rick b*tch in school that is disgusted by reptiles, or a bully that just found a too good reason now, to bully . Or are some kids straight up afraid of them? There must be people that are still unsure if this is not the ““ alien’s” master plan to take over the world.” ( Although that won’t go peachy, cause you try and pick a fight with ninja turtles.) 

Donnie being the biggest weeb of cartoon history: That’s self explanatory, also I wanna see him on a BTS concert. ( Boy deserves it!😇)

Purple Dragons are a High School Tech club: I just fell in love with the concept in ROTTMNT and because it would fit nicely into the new series in my opinion. ( since I guess we're gonna be in school a lot.)

Loads and loads of  fighting in school:  The boys deserve an audience.😂 Also I wanna see how the principal is gonna react to turtles destroying the school.😱

New human friends: They are bound to have some since they are going to school, right?

[dailytomlinson]

Back in December, a month before Louis Tomlinson’s debut album Walls was released, I had the honor to attend one of his album release parties in Atlanta, Georgia.

I expected my year to go differently: to travel across the country to attend several Louis shows. Little did I know sitting in the local bar in Atlanta it would be the last time I would see the musician who changed my life for the foreseeable future.

Even though nine months have passed, I can still say it was one of the greatest days of my life.

The three-hour drive to Georgia felt like five, but once the Atlanta skyline appeared over the Interstate, my mind filled with anticipation and excitement knowing I would hug Louis in near hours and hear Walls for the first time. Being in a bar with Louis just hanging out with only a few selected fans seemed unfathomable. We checked into our downtown hotel, which was paid for by Sony, and got ready with only a few hours to spare.

Once the Uber dropped us off at the bar, reality hit me. I would be in close proximity inside with the artist who shaped and saved my life — and I just wanted to remember it forever. I wanted to stay frozen in this moment. As we waited outside, the radio host, Adam Bomb, handed us papers to write our questions on. He reminded us to keep the questions respectful and music-centered if we wanted them to be considered. My question was, “I know songwriting is the major part of the album process for you. Can you talk a little bit about your songwriting process?” It wasn’t asked, but one of Bomb’s questions was about his writing process.

Fifteen long minutes waiting outside in the cold, and we were inside. The radio station confiscated our phones at the door to protect Louis’s unreleased music. A couple of tables surrounded a high chair, where Louis would sit for the interview.

My friends and I sat at a table straight across from the chair with a clear view of Louis. Adam Bomb sat in the chair next to Louis’s, and he flipped through the cue cards for preparation of the exclusive event.

“Please welcome to the room, Louis Tomlinson!”

Louis, dressed in a black sweater, jeans, and the usual sneaker, walked out from a curtain in the corner of the room. Smiley and waving, he admired the small room of fans who cheered and shouted for his entrance.

He sat in his chair, inches from where my friends and I sat, smiling occasionally at our table. Adam asked Louis a couple questions about the album (I can’t even recall what because I sat there in silent awe admiring him). It was the happiest I ever felt. It was an out-of-body experience where I wanted to pinch myself to wake up. I just couldn’t believe this was real.

As Louis exited the room, Adam talked to the crowd about how special and exclusive it is for us to hear songs from an unreleased album. He reminded us to be respectful and to enjoy Louis’s hard work.

The first track played. “Too Young.”

The audio was extremely quiet, and Louis shouted from behind the curtain, “Oi! Turn it up!” We all laughed, and Bomb turned up the volume letting the poetic words be heard. The room was silent with everyone intensely listening to the love song. I sat with my jaw open, and tears immediately filled my eyes. I couldn’t believe Louis wrote something so poetic and purposeful. Immediately, I knew this album would be better than anyone expected.

Louis’s photographer, along with the radio station’s, captured fans’ reactions and even recorded and photographed my friends and me from across the room. I felt so humiliated that my tears and freak-out with my friends were being documented, but one of the workers later told us our reactions made the room fun and she could tell how much he meant to us.

Later, a photo of me and my friends was plastered on Louis’s and the radio’s social media.

We listened to “Perfect Now” and “Walls” and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Louis peaking around the curtain wanting to see our reactions to his years of hard work. He signaled to his security guard to give us tissues and he came to our table and handed us napkins for our tears.

After we listened to the songs, Louis sat back down for the interview. He said it was a beautiful thing to see a reaction like that from fans after working so hard as a solo artist. It was evident he loved being in a room with fans, we mean so much to him and we make him extremely comfortable.

He talked about the tour and how he wanted to keep it authentic and intimate for the fans. Bomb asked about his Live Life Love show in Nashville days prior, which I attended, and when we clapped he laughed and said, “Yeah, yeah, you were there.” I couldn’t believe he remembered us from the meet-and-greet just days ago.

Bomb followed up with his joke and asked if he sees fans freak out on the front row, and then he pointed at us and said, “You’ve been front row, I know you have,” smiling and laughing at our shocked faces.

https://twitter.com/Q997Atlanta/status/1202402335168901123

Bomb asked a couple of fan questions. Louis talked about his writing process, tour, and Walls. The interview was kept professional and exciting, which I appreciated.

After the interview, Bomb invited everyone to the front for a group selfie. Things became extremely intense when Louis was almost mobbed by fans who shoved chairs down to run up to him. Rylee, a fan Louis donated money to make her home accessible, was blocked by fans from coming to the front to be seen. At this exact moment, I knew I spent ten years of my life supporting the right person. He firmly asked the girls to move so Rylee could come to the front, and when they didn’t, he walked to the back and moved a chair out of her way so she was able to be seen in the photo. I wanted to sob when I saw him go out of his way for someone who has spent most of her life looked over. He truly has a heart of gold.

After the selfie, we lined up for the meet and greet with him. His smile was so contagious and he greeted every fan with a warm hug. He signed Donny jerseys and drew tattoos for fans, and as the line inched closer, my eyes filled with tears and my heart raced. Before I knew it, my friend was hugging Louis and he looked me up and down, arms wide open for a hug greeted with a huge smile. We talked briefly, I hugged him again, and I walked off. It’s hard to put into words, but his positive energy is contagious and hugging him feels like home. He’s such a special soul.

After I met him, they made us leave the bar, and my friends and I waited to wave him bye as he left. I wanted to have a tattoo drawn by him, but my anxious mind forgot. Maybe one day, though. My friends and I hung outside for a while and the radio team interviewed us for their social media.

https://twitter.com/Q997Atlanta/status/1202437699317174273

To be in the room for such a special moment to share with an artist you’ve looked up to is truly the greatest feeling ever. I never want to forget how happy and excited I was during those thirty minutes. Leaving the party, I wanted to be able to listen to the songs over and over — but I couldn’t for another month. Being one of only a handful of people who heard Walls before its release was so special yet so tough at the same time. It was hard to keep everything to myself and not leak spoilers, but I knew I had to do it for Louis. I wrote down lyrics and everything I could remember from the album to cherish until Walls was released.

My closest friends were able to join me on this once in a lifetime journey, and here’s what they had to say about the experience.

What was your favorite moment from the party?

Caitlin: My favorite moment was telling him that I would see him four times on tour. His response was, “Thank you, love,” and he looked so happy when I told him that.

Bri: My favorite moment from the listening party is whenever we took the group picture with Louis! He realized this little girl named Rylee wasn’t anywhere near and went out of his way to go help her get into the picture. He ended up putting her in the front with him and that just warmed my heart to the max.

Makayley: My favorite moment from the party was definitely hugging him and watching him interact with Rylee, but I also loved listening to the songs with everyone and the excitement of it all.

How did you react when you found out you won?

Caitlin: It was super last minute when I found out I was able to go. I was super excited because I have always wanted to attend a listening party.

Bri: When I found out I won passes to the listening party, my mind went everywhere! I was crying, shaking, screaming, and panicking. I was the last winner, the last hour. It was CRAZY!

Makayley: I had a panic attack in math class and um thirty minutes later (oops)

What was your favorite song from the three we heard?

Caitlin: My favorite song was “Perfect Now.” Something about it put me in the feels.

Bri: My favorite song out of the three we listened to has to be “Perfect Now.” The lyrics spoke to my soul. Especially the lyric that said, “Keep your head up, love.” Just due to the fact, I’ve gone through some difficult times in life and just hearing that sent me into orbit. I was crying a lot at first but then went into a place of peace and happiness.

Makayley: “Walls” definitely.

What was your initial reaction from the songs?

Caitlin: I was really impressed with the lyrics. Being able to listen to those songs for the first time was super special. I thought the sound was definitely in his lane.

Bri: I could not just have one reaction to the songs we heard. I was happy, sad, surprised, a random emotion you can’t even describe.

Makayley: I was just really proud knowing how hard he had worked on it and how far he’s come.

Did Louis answer your question? What was his response

Caitlin: Louis did answer my question about which song off the album are you most excited to play on tour to which he responded, “Probably ‘Kill My Mind.’”

Bri: No, Louis did NOT answer my question but I was happy with the ones that did get answered.

Makayley: No.

Do you wish they did anything differently about the party?

Caitlin: I wish they would have allowed us more time to talk and spend with him. the meet and greet was rushed I think. but overall it was a fun experience.

Bri: Absolutely not. It was fine as it was. So close together, we all understood each other, etc.. It was amazing!

Makayley: No, I liked the way it was very chilled out and in the setting, it was (my only problem was with the accessibility of it).

What was meeting Louis like for you?

Caitlin: Super special. it was so nice to get to say hi to him and just tell him how much I love him and couldn’t wait to see his tour.

Bri: Meeting Louis was anxiety-filled. It was my first time ever meeting one of the people I look up to. Overall, it was an amazing experience. Louis was the sweetest and most genuine person ever!

Makayley: Meeting Louis was definitely a monumental moment as for all he had helped Rylee and myself with. But, hugging him definitely got me through a rough patch, and the feeling that the hug gave me still helps me to this day.

[avanneman]

For the Right, All Roads Lead Through Russia. Unfortunately.

For the “Respectable Right,” I mean—the Wall Street Journal Right, the National Review Right—the “Thoughtful Right”—I guess you could call them, Big Donnie’s recent speech in Poland, which I, uh, didn’t like, made their little hearts beat faster than Max Roach’s Night in Tunisia drum solo from the Jazz at Massey Hall album (which you should totally hear). Enthused—or, rather, sighed—the Journal

“Six months into his first term of office, Mr. Trump finally offered the core of what could become a governing philosophy. It is a determined and affirmative defense of the Western tradition.”

That’s right, a “determined and affirmative defense of the Western tradition” from Mr. Studio 54, a man who has probably participated in more orgies than Nero, and that is not an exaggeration.

But wait, there’s more!

“To be sure, Mr. Trump’s speech also contained several pointed and welcome foreign-policy statements. He assured Poland it would not be held hostage to a single supplier of energy, meaning Russia. He exhorted Russia to stop destabilizing Ukraine “and elsewhere,” to stop supporting Syria and Iran and “instead join the community of responsible nations.” He explicitly committed to NATO’s Article 5 on mutual defense.

“But—and this shocked Washington—the speech aimed higher. Like the best presidential speeches, it contained affirmations of ideas and principles and related them to the current political moment. “Americans, Poles and the nations of Europe value individual freedom and sovereignty,” he said. This was more than a speech, though. It was an argument. One might even call it an apologia for the West.”

An apologia, motherfucker! Yeah, baby!

But then Donnie went to Moscow, and it all went to shit. It would be an interesting psychological study, probably, as to why obsessive/compulsive alpha male Donaldo turns himself into fanboy/butt boy Donnie in the presence of Vladimir. He’s so masculine! He rides horses! He told me he’s going to let me help clean out the stables! He likes me! He really likes me!

The kickback on Donnie’s most hilarious proposal, the “joint cybersecurity1 taskforce” was so furious that even Donnie had to drop it, which, as everyone has noted, is something that Trump almost never does.

Now, of course, Little Donnie’s multiple disasters—with its hilarious cast of pop stars, pushers, promoters, sleazy Russian “oligarchs”, and various other assorted hustlers, a gaggle that can only be described as “Trumpian”2—have eclipsed all thoughts of apologias. The Russian Connection, oft dismissed though never quite dead, bids fair to become the nothingburger that devoured Donald.

Yes, for the “Respectable Right” Little Donnie’s doings are a monstrous headache. For the Breitbart Boys, of course, it’s just another Democrat plot. Same old, same old! But I think that the Respectable Right, to get back to them, are still worried about Donnie and Vlad’s excellent meeting.

Back in the day—when the West was the West!—there was a bipartisan understanding that both Eastern Europe and the Middle East were of vital importance to the U.S. We had to stand tall in both! And there was a good deal of one hand washes the other thing going on between the Eastern Europe folks and the Middle East folks: “I’ll bewail your existential crisis of the West if you’ll bewail mine!”3

The True Believers endured eight years of flaccidity from “Mr. Flaccid” Barack Obama. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump’s frequent way off the reservation talk—George Bush lied us into Iraq? That’s so crazy!—terrified many of the RR, TR boys. But then Donnie won, he appointed lots of generals, he fired Tomahawks at Assad, he dropped that big bomb thing in Afghanistan, and he delivered an apologia! And then he went to Moscow and fell on his knees. But not to pray.

What the RR fears more than anything is that Donnie will make a deal with Russia on Syria. Yeah, it will be a “joint project” but everyone knows that Donnie has the attention span of a three-year-old. “You say we’re kicking ass, Mr. President! That’s fantastic! Yeah, if you’re happy, I’m happy, Mr. President! I can call you Vlad? Did you hear that? Did you hear it? I can call him Vlad!”

Yes, that’s what the RR is hearing in their nightmares. I recently beat up on Charles Krauthammer for bemoaning the fact that all people wanted to talk about was the Russia thing, about how, you know, Trump fired FBI Director James Comey for always hassling him about all this Russia stuff—like Comey wasn’t being a total pain in the ass and totally asking for it—when what we needed to be talking about was the Islamic Civil War between noble Saudi Arabia (the Sunni guys) and evil Iran (the evil Shiites), and the key to everything was Syria: “For Iran, Syria is the key, the central theater of a Shiite-Sunni war for regional hegemony.” And now it’s dollars to doughnuts that Donnie is going to give Syria to Vladimir and his Shiite buddies for free! And that was before Little Donnie set the whole house on fire!

Have a drink on me, Charlie. Cause I think you’re going to need it.

Afterwords Over at the National Review, Rich Lowry indulges in some epic eye rolling at the news that Little Donnie's media "strategy" was crafted, not by him, but by the "grown-ups" at the White House: "that the response was the handiwork of the very top of the White House foodchain is disturbing, and reminiscent of the initial, wholly misleading account of the Comey firing"—"misleading" being Lowryese for "total fucking lie".

“Cybersecurity” is a word in Word. I’m surprised. (And, presumably, out of it.) ↩︎

Both Donnies can only thank their lucky stars—to the extent that they have them—that Miss Universe herself never showed up in any of this. No doubt she had better things to do. ↩︎

My go-to whipping girl for this sort of thing was Anne Applebaum, though some of my old criticism of Anne is now out of date, because she’s been firmly anti-Trump from the get-go, and wisely so. ↩︎