#national gazette

[mousemannation]

gather up for the mouse man daily gazette (adms instagram presence today)

main grid instagram post about USO + caption and comments

and my faves from his impromptu instastory q&a

[thenationaltreasuregazette]

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R), who has repeatedly pledged to “protect kids” with anti-LGBTQ+ laws, appointed a man to a top state prison post even though he had previously been fired from a local police force for receiving oral sex from a teen girl in a post office parking lot.

Jamol Jones, who Sanders appointed as chairman to the Arkansas Post-Prison Transfer Board in January, resigned last Friday after news agencies reported that the Benton Police Department fired him after he admitted to an internal affairs investigator that he had sexual relations as an adult with a 17-year-old girl, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.

The age of consent in Arkansas is 16. A ban on gender-affirming care for trans minors that Sanders signed last year includes everyone younger than 18.

A November 1, 2018 letter from Benton Police Chief Scotty L. Hodges revealed that he placed Jones on administrative leave with pay “until further notice” for lying to an internal affairs investigator about his sexual relationship with the teen. Jones said he lied because he was embarrassed and scared. An investigation found that Jones’s initial job application to join the police force “did not provide or submit certain key information” about the relationship with the minor.

Jones said he and the girl “had talked at the gym” and that “she had identified herself as an 18-year-old” before performing oral sex on him in the Benton Post Office parking lot. Though he denied knowing her actual age, the Benton Police internal affairs investigator wrote in his official report, “There was indication he knew her age and continued the relationship, even telling her that the relationship could not be found out.”

Jones admitted to wanting to keep the relationship secret. He also admitted to never asking to see the girl’s ID, even though he had been formerly trained as a police officer to confirm people’s ages by doing so. The girl’s mother said she suspected that her daughter might have lied about her age to attract male attention, and the mother added that she didn’t want Jones to go to jail over the sexual relationship with her daughter.

Nevertheless, the lie and relationship violated the department’s ethics policy and state law. Though the Saline County prosecuting attorney’s office didn’t file charges against Jones, Hodges fired Jones three weeks later.

When Sanders appointed Jones in January, she said in a statement, “His prior law enforcement experience makes him a clear choice to take on this important role, and I look forward to working together as we empower Arkansans with a safer, stronger state.”

He was meant to serve for seven years as the board’s “chief executive, administrative, budgetary, and fiscal officer” while earning an annual salary of over $95,380. The board he resigned from oversees parole, alternative sentencing programs, and expunging criminal records for eligible offenders.

State Sen. Kim Hammer (R) said that he and other senators “had no knowledge of [Jones’s] actions” before the Senate voted to confirm his appointment to the position, noting, “I was given no indication from the Governor’s office, who vets the application, that there was an issue.”

Sanders’s office didn’t respond to a media request asking if she knew of Jones’ firing from the police force before she appointed him or how her office vets potential political appointees. Her appointment of him seems at odds with her pledge to “protect kids” by passing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

In March, Sanders also signed a “Don’t Say Gay” law, banning classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation before fifth grade, as well as another bill allowing anyone who received gender-affirming care as a minor to sue their doctor up to 15 years after they turn 18 — though a court blocked it. In February, she signed a bill reclassifying drag performances as adult-oriented entertainment.

“The Governor has said she will sign laws that focus on protecting and educating our kids, not indoctrinating them and believes our schools are no place for the radical left’s woke agenda,” a Sanders spokesperson said in a statement when she signed the gender-affirming care ban.

Last November, Sanders appointed an anti-LGBTQ+ Christian nationalist to oversee state libraries. In October, Sanders issued an executive order banning “woke,” gender-inclusive language in government communications.

[designedandplated]

Women's home lounge dresses, 1920.

Robes de chez soi | Home Dresses

"Jamais Prêtes!" ou Le Premier Acte Sacrifie

"Never Ready!" or, The First Act Sacrifices

[kaitropoli]

"The Genius of Advertising Could No Further Go"

National Police Gazette (Vol. 36, Iss. 147).

Magazine illustration, 17 July 1880.

Archive Link.

Fair warning: yapping ahead. Things I explore: the National Police Gazette, the illustration, and a teeny history of 19th-century women brothel owners... and also an apology because I didn't mean to write all of this.

THE NATIONAL POLICE GAZETTE

"THE Genius of Advertising Could No Further Go—An Enterprising Proprietress of a Bagnio Places a Photo-Lithograph in Her Window Setting Forth The Charms of the Inmates; New York City" (full caption) is from the National Police Gazette, a magazine founded in 1845 by Enoch E. Camp and George Wilkes that covered murders, outlaws, and sports—as any man-interested tabloid would (I'm not a man, but yippee-ki-yay, would I tune in). And, of course, the gazette would include scandalous (on the cusp of obscene and illegal (Victorian era, keep that in mind)) images of female sex workers and performers (think of it as the time's Playboy... silly enough, they also had Marilyn Monroe for their cover, this being 1956 instead of PB's 1953).

TRAGICALLY, the National Police Gazette would see its largest spike in popularity during the Great Depression before suspending publication from 1933-1935 due to selling ownership twice, being sold again in the late sixties, and then killing the magazine's production in 1977. A whole 132-year reign, including being the prime news for Boxing in the 20s (the editor and proprietor, Richard Fox, handed studded belts to champion fighters) and being barred by USPS, declares this magazine not only a historical relic but also a forgotten yet still-living America—one for the men (and, of course, us girls. After all, this was peak American).

ILLUSTRATION

BACK to the picture. The caption mentions the word 'bagnio,' which, upon scanning, accidentally read the N as an X, so I searched up the word to make sure I was reading it entirely correctly—I was. It's an archaic term for 'brothel' (a place where patrons visit prostitutes). The illustration depicts men staring at images of prostitutes that are pinned on the window by the owner (can't blame men for using women to make money as, in this situation, it's a female owner).

WOMEN & BROTHELS

SURPRISINGLY enough, women dominated Western America, building communities and providing for the economy. The fact I call it surprising is because I just learned this (Feminism should fight against history erasure because this should've been a widely talked about chapter in HS American History)! As much as I believe women shouldn't sell their bodies and that we need to better take care of women (forced prostitution—sex slavery—runs the prostitution industry), I can't deny the history women have with Bordellos, not as employees but also as owners. Madams are the title of these female brothel owners, and they were common back in the 19th century. Most of the time, Madams were entry-level (showgirls) who made almost as much as factory workers and worked their way up to the top or used their money to create inns and parlors, expanding their wealth. These women, though taking advantage of their own and other girls' (usually aged from their mid-teens to middle-aged) bodies, capitalized and found their place in labored society... something that can be considered early feminism. They planted themselves in the economy and made it known that they could own property, make money, and (yes, even in 1800s United States) vote. That, you can applaud.

APOLOGY

I didn't actually expect to yap on this post; I was writing my book, scrolling for images, and found this one, and wanted to include the full caption... which ended down a rabbit hole😭

[theblueridgerepublic]

An Excerpt from the Blue Ridge Gazetteer and Factbook, 2024

The Blue Ridge Republic is a micronation located in the western region of North Carolina, United States. Founded in 2012 as the Kingdom of Carolana, it has undergone significant political and territorial transformations over the years. The nation's history is marked by periods of strife, governance changes, and cultural evolution.

Origins and Early History:

The Kingdom of Carolana was established in 2012, with King Edward I of Saxe as its first sovereign. Initially, the kingdom faced challenges related to governance and activity. However, following the abdication of King Edward and the enactment of the Federalization Act of 2014, the nation was restructured as the Federal Republic of Carolina.

Civil War and Royalist Victory:

Internal conflicts within the Federal Republic of Carolina eventually escalated into a civil war between the Republican government and the Royalist army. This conflict, characterized by guerrilla tactics and prolonged strife, culminated in victory for the Royalists. In 2016, the Kingdom of Carolina was established, with King Alexander ascending to the throne.

Relocation and National Renaming:

In a significant move in 2018, the entire nation relocated to the western homeland in central western North Carolina. This relocation coincided with the passage of the National Renaming Authority Act of 2018, allowing the populace to choose a new name for the nation. Following a public referendum, the name "the Blue Ridge Republic" was overwhelmingly selected, garnering 87% of the vote.

Government and Monarchy:

The Blue Ridge Republic operates under a system of popularly elected legislative assembly known as the Volkskammer or People’s Hall. Despite its republican framework, the royal house of Saxen retains symbolic and ceremonial significance within the republic, with King Alexander serving as sovereign since the establishment of the Kingdom of Carolina.

Cultural Heritage and Preservation:

The Blue Ridge Republic places significant emphasis on preserving its cultural heritage, including traditional art, music, and cuisine. Efforts to protect and commemorate historical sites, particularly those related to the Civil War, are enshrined in legislation such as the Preservation of Civil War Heritage Sites Act, 2024

Future Prospects:

As the Blue Ridge Republic continues to navigate its path forward, it draws strength from its resilient history and the enduring spirit of its people. The nation remains committed to fostering a sense of national identity while embracing cultural diversity and progress.

[aloneandforsakenbyfateandbyman]

Malcolm X on Palestine:

“The number one weapon of 20th century imperialism is Zionist dollarism, and one of the main bases for this weapon is Zionist Israel. The ever-scheming European imperialists wisely placed Israel where she could geographically divide the Arab world, infiltrate and sow the seed of dissension among African leaders and also divide the Africans against the Asians.

Zionist Israel's occupation of Arab Palestine has forced the Arab world to waste billions of precious dollars on armaments, making it impossible for these newly independent Arab nations to concentrate on strengthening the economies of their countries and elevate the living standard of their people.

And the continued low standard of living in the Arab world has been skillfully used by the Zionist propagandists to make it appear to the Africans that the Arab leaders are not intellectually or technically qualified to lift the living standard of their people...thus, indirectly inducing Africans to turn away from the Arabs and towards the Israelis for teachers and technical assistance.

‘They cripple the bird's wing, and then condemn it for not flying as fast as they.’

The imperialists always make themselves look good, but it is only because they are competing against economically crippled newly independent countries whose economies are actually crippled by the Zionist-capitalist conspiracy. They can't stand against fair competition, thus they dread Gamal Abdul Nasser's call for African-Arab Unity under Socialism.”

Malcolm X: Zionist 'Logic', published in “The Egyptian Gazette,” Sept. 17, 1964.

[mossadegh]

• Mossadegh media: newspaper & magazine articles, editorials

[reasonsforhope]

"In short: Thailand's Senate has approved a bill legalising same sex marriage in the South-East Asian country.

It will afford same-sex couples practical benefits such as being able to have children through IVF and make emergency medical decisions for their spouse.

What's next? The first weddings may take place later this year, 120 days after the law is announced in the Royal Gazette.

Thailand has become the first nation in South-East Asia to legalise same sex marriage, with the country's Senate approving the landmark bill this afternoon.

The legislation was expected to pass after it cleared the country's House of Representatives in a near-unanimous vote in March.

Despite Thailand's bustling gay bars and prominent transgender community making it a mecca for LGBTQ+ tourists, until now local same-sex couples there have been unable to marry.

The law will take effect 120 days after its announcement in the Royal Gazette, so the first same sex weddings may take place later this year.

Couples who have been waiting years have hailed the move as a historic moment that will afford them rights only reserved for spouses.

A Lifechanging Law

Photos of Anticha and Worawan [including the article picture], dressed in floor-length white gowns and trailed by rainbow flags, getting married at Bangkok's first Pride Festival two years ago went viral, but they are still not legally married.

Now they will be able to change that, and Anticha Sangchai is elated.

"This will change my life and change many Thai people's lives, especially in the LGBT community," she said.

"It is a historical moment and I really want to join with my community to celebrate this moment.

"I want to send a message to the world that Thailand has changed. Even though there are still many issues, this is a big step for us." ...

There were an estimated 3.7 million LGBT people in Thailand in 2022, according to LGBT Capital, a private company which models economic data pertaining to the community around the world.

For the young couple from Bangkok, being able to marry also has very real practical implications.

If they want to have children through IVF, Ms Sangchai says they will need a marriage certificate first.

"I am quite concerned about the time because we are getting older every day, and the older you get the more difficult it is to have a healthy pregnancy," she said.

"So we've been really wanting this law to pass as soon as possible."

Cabaret performer Jena is excited Thailand's laws are finally catching up with the nation's image...

She too had worried about the practical implications of being unable to marry.

"For example, if myself or my partner had to go to hospital or there was an accident that needs consent for an emergency operation, without a marriage certificate we couldn't sign it," she said.

She now wants the government to move forward with a law to allow transgender people to amend their gender on official documents." ...

An Economic Boost?

Thailand has long been famous for LGBTQ tourism and there are now hopes this new law could allow the country to cash in on the aging members of the community.

Chaiwat Songsiriphan, who runs a health clinic for people in the LGBTQ community, said laws preventing same sex marriage were the last barrier holding the country back from becoming a gay retirement hub.

[Note: They do not just mean for rich westerners; Thailand as a gay retirement hub would probably appeal most to and definitely benefit LGBTQ people from throughout Asia.]

"Thailand has an LGBTQ-friendly environment since Thai culture is quite flexible," he said.

"One of my foreigner friends, a gay friend, told me that when he's in his country he has to pretend to be straight … but when he comes to Bangkok he said you can be as gay as you want.

"When we talk about retirement or a long-term stay for the rest of their lives, what people need is … food, good healthcare services, transportation, homes.

"I think Thailand has it all at a very affordable price."

He said it could help give the country a desperately needed economic boost.

"This will have a lot of benefits for Thailand's economy because when we talk about retirement it's people literally bringing all the money they have earned for the rest of their working lives to spend and invest here," he said.

He said he, like the rest of the community, was thrilled by the news.

"It's not about a privilege, it's just equality," he said.

"We are we also humans, so we should be able to marry the one we love.""

-via ABC Australia, June 18, 2024

[pharawee]

The main milestone has already passed earlier this year but here's another small update on the way to marriage equality in Thailand:

The Marriage Equality Bill has received royal endorsement and will soon be published in the Royal Gazette, according to a government source speaking to Thai Enquirer. This development signifies that Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia to officially recognize same-sex marriage, representing a monumental milestone for equality and love—not only within the nation but also throughout the region! (Source: Thai Enquirer)

[mousemannation]

SIGN OF LIFE!!!! adm's latest instagram post + comments + story about said post

[thenationaltreasuregazette]

What do you think of “violence” as a lens for examining the movie? I see someone mentioned it in the notes of a recent post contrasting Ben and Ian’s approaches to getting fingerprints, and I remember observing to one of my friends that it struck me as an action movie where the heroes are being shot *at* but never shoot anyone, they outwit, hide, and flee. Even at the end, under Trinity Church when they outnumber Ian’s team, the heroes don’t attempt to rush the surviving henchman and get his gun, their response is still to *outwit* Ian again.

Hey @kaiyves-backup,

Great question!

I believe the commentary in question is by @tentacledwizard.

Parallel Action

I adore the heist sequence so much. It's conveying a lot of information about both teams visually while ratcheting up the tension the whole time. This technique of cutting back and forth between two sequences of related activities is called 'parallel action', and it is used to fantastic effect in this part of the movie.

I mean, pretty much every part of National Treasure is one of my favorite parts of National Treasure, but the heist sequence just sings, and this crosscutting is a big reason why.

Good vs Evil

The trope of the heroes winning through wits instead of violence is a longstanding one. You could probably trace it back to The Odyssey if you were so inclined? It plays on some base cultural assumptions we have about good = clever, intelligent, peaceful while bad = violent, brutish, dumb. Obviously the particulars of those associations change over time, but broadly they stand.

And National Treasure is very clear about situating each side with the "good vs evil" narrative. While Ben is prepping UV light powder, Ian and co are amassing grenades and blocks of C4.

Ian's crew tases a guard to gain fingerprint access, while Ben artfully steals Abigail's fingerprints with no harm done other than some awkward flirting and potentially weird implication for their relationship later but that's not what we're dealing with atm.

The film takes every opportunity to show us the difference between these two approaches, and I think there are a few reasons why, both in general and to serve this story in particular.

First of all, both teams are doing a "bad" thing. They are both trying to steal something that we, the American public consciousness, hold sacred. To differentiate them and make sure we know who is doing it for the right reasons and for the wrong reasons, the film gives them two very different approaches. It's clear at every step who to root for.

The parallel action is also creating dramatic irony. We know that Ian is coming, and that he's heavily armed, but Ben doesn't until it's nearly too late. That creates some delicious tension, because the editing keeps reminding us what Ben and Riley don't know: this sequence is actually a race not just against the clock, but against armed mercenaries Yikes!

It also sets up Ian as a formidable antagonist. He's just as capable as Ben, but much more dangerous. He's able to match Ben and Riley's heist literally beat for beat on screen, while causing much more harm to people and property. This underscores that he will not hesitate to harm Ben, the Declaration, or anyone else who crosses his path on the treasure hunt (as an unfortunate Dr. Chase is about to learn).

Clever Heroes

One thing I want to focus on especially is the way this movie actually subverts this trope a teeny bit. Usually, the trope is that the good guys are just as capable of violence as the bad guys, but choose not to use it. They elect to outwit because it's more 'gentlemanly.' Off the top of my head I'm thinking of:

The Princess Bride. Both sides feature skilled fighters and Wesley and Inigo can and have killed a man like slicing butter, but they elect to use their wits and civility whenever possible. By contrast, Prince Humperdink and the Six-Fingered Man will use any violent means necessary to get what they want.

White Collar. Slightly random, I know, but I'm watching this right now, and the show makes it clear from the outset that Neal Caffrey is an expert marksman and highly competent with guns but he chooses not to use them because he's a classier (and therefore more likable) kind of criminal.

James Bond?? Honestly I haven't see one of these in a while but I feel like 007 isn't just mowing people down all the time. He's playing them. Outsmarting them. Only getting his hands dirty when he has to. Because he's, again, smarter/suaver/more 'civilized' and likable than his antagonistic counterparts.

The key here is that these guys all have the same violence as their opponents as an option in their toolbelts and make a moral choice not to use it.

Ben doesn't have that option.

Weak heroes

He could not, on his best day, go toe-to-toe with Ian or any one of the henchmen, let alone a group of them together. His only choice is to outwit them.

Throughout the course of the movie Ben throws one (1) punch and it hurts enough that he has to stop and shake his hand out.

And he only gets that punch off in the first place because Powell isn't expecting it.

He's a researcher. Yes he's fit enough to run around and scuba dive but if he had any kind of hand to hand combat training it would have been ~20 years ago when he was in the ROTC program.

This puts him in a sub-category/related trope: the scrawny nerd who outwits the much more physically powerful enemy. Think Mulan using the weights to help her climb the pole or a pre-serum Steve Rogers pulling the pin out of the flag poll.

And Ben is the most athletic of the bunch by far. Abigail seems like a person who takes good care of herself, but probably in a lowfat-yogurt-and-pilates way not in a can-fuck-you-up-with-martial-arts kind of way. And Riley? ...Riley does not strike me as someone who is especially strong or fit. Screen time, junk food, late nights online. Patrick is in his 60s and eats pizza alone on Friday/Saturday nights.

So while they maybe could have overpowered Ian all together, it would be a big risk, and probably none of their first instincts. Team Treasure is entirely composed of neurodivergent nerds--one imagines they all learned pretty early in their childhoods that they couldn't overpower their bullies, but they could outsmart them.

And so when their lives are on the line, they turn to the self-preservation strategy that's gotten them this far: their wits.

Conclusion

Wow, I did not expect this answer to get so deep!

This turned into an interesting look at both the creative choices in the movie and the characters.

Thanks so much for your question! Feel free to send another any time.

[macleod]

Thailand will become the first nation in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage after the kingdom’s Senate approved a marriage equality bill on Tuesday, with supporters calling it a “monumental step forward for LGBTQ+ rights." The Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of passing the bill following a final reading, with 130 senators voting in favor. Only four members opposed the bill. The bill still requires endorsement from the king before marriage equality can become reality in Thailand, but this process is considered a formality. The law will then come into effect 120 days after it is published in the royal gazette.

Source: CNN (June 18, 2024)

[designedandplated]

Worth's Evening Dress, June 1920

[sayruq]

Brazil recalls its ambassador to Israel

The nearly eight-month-old conflict has soured Israel's diplomatic ties with several nations, including Brazil, whose President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in February accused the country's government of genocide. Israel reacted furiously, declaring the Brazilian leader persona non grata. Israel had previously summoned the South American country's ambassador Frederico Meyer to a meeting at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial center in Jerusalem, where he was publically reprimanded in Hebrew without a translator present, said the Brazilian source. This "humiliation" to which Meyer was subjected contributed to his permanent recall, the source said. The source said conditions had not been met for Meyer to return to Israel and there are no immediate plans to replace him. Lula has appointed Meyer as Brazil's representative to the Conference on Disarmament at the United Nations in Geneva, according to Wednesday's official gazette. Brazil will now be represented in Israel by diplomat Fabio Farias. Israel's foreign ministry said in a statement it had not yet received "an official notification about the matter."