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nemossubmarine · 7 years

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DnD/OC ask meme: 9, 17, 25

Thank you! :) You didn’t specify which of the two characters I take questions on you wanted, so I’ll answer for both of them. And it looks like we’re off to a great start with a real kicker, ahaha, my characters are saaad. (mainly Cahair)

9. Who has, for better or worse, had the most impact on your character’s life?Cahair: Harralan Teravest, a member of his clan and a scouting partner, Cahair’s first love and the person responsible for the slaughtering of half of his clan (including his best friend and mother). Cahair was deeply unhappy teen, who desperately wanted to run away from his clan, but that wasn’t really a decision he could make, he had to keep his culture alive and that meant staying. Harralan was very outspoken on his pride of the elven culture and his anger towards humans. Cahair fell in love with him (partly because he had to find an excuse not to leave), and clung onto that love as something that would keep him in place.

And then the incident happened, and Cahair made it out, but Harralan died, and Cahair couldn’t find another reason to stay (not to mention the clan was pretty much in pieces after this), so he left. What remained in Cahair was Harralan’s anger and pride, tampered with feelings of betrayed love and fear of what that anger and pride might cause.

Konstantine: Ser Thomas was a templar in Konstantine’s tower. He and Konstantine became close when Konstantine started researching magic to keep himself alive, and later when such a method was found, Ser Thomas taught him swordfighting. The friendship between the two was really important for Konstantine, who didn’t make friends easily, plus Thomas’ respect for Konstantine’s bodily autonomy was life-changing, Konstantine knew he was allowed to ask for respect, even if he was technically a prisoner. Oh, and Thomas’ untimely death due to his lyrium addiction was one of the things that pushed Konstantine to become critical of the Circle institution, not only for its treatment of mages but of templars as well.

17. Soup or Salad? Cahair: Soup, because if you live out in the woods in basically carts and tents all year around, nothing is greater than some warm soup.

Konstantine: Soup as well, he’s cold and achy a lot of the time, so soup helps.

25. What does this character mean to you?Cahair: Cahair is my first roleplaying character I ever got to actually play. That’s a pretty big thing. I’ve spent so much time in his headspace that sometimes it drives me nuts, because he’s got all of these emotions and nowhere to put them and I don’t handle that very well. He’s often a pain in the ass to play, and I’ve often said that next time (if there is one) I get to make a PC, I’ll make an easier one (granted, we didn’t know when we started the first campaign that that would involve a lot of death for him). But still, I love him from the bottom of my heart and I am way invested in him getting a happy(ish?) ending. For better and worse, there will never be a character like Cahair in my life.

Konstantine: Konstantine is the first NPC I created I really fell in love with. I originally created him because one of PCs needed a mage teacher and I wanted an NPC I could talk magic theory through, bc while I am relatively well-versed in DA magic-lore, Cahair is not. He’s also a lot calmer than Cahair, a lot more peaceful, which makes him easier to play. And other players seem to like him too (don’t quote me on that, though! :D). He’s become a lot more than just magic-fact-spouting NPC than he started as.

#nemo replies #ikchen #thanks dear #this got me thinking is there other npcs i love as much as konstantine #criteria being that i'd totally play as them as pcs #there's only two #adam and lir from kons #for lir it's at least 45% his voice #and for adam a lot has to do with his relationship growth with jeff #and his tragic backstory #gotta have them tragic backstories #cahair teravest #konstantine holzer

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kolbisneat · 5 years

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MONTHLY MEDIA: June 2019

Halfway through the year! Here’s how I spent the month of June.

……….FILM……….

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) Delivers on everything I’d want out of a Godzilla movie: destruction, cool monsters, and bland humans making crazy decisions. It perhaps took itself a little seriously, but that also felt on-brand, you know? Hopefully this series keeps going so we can get to a Mechagodzilla showdown.

Booksmart (2019) So good. We caught this at the end of its run so it’s a shame I can’t tell more people to go out and see it. Great bff chemistry, nuanced cast, funny, and solid direction. It felt familiar and new. Oh but as a former teacher, the Jessica Williams bits were all sorts of problematic.

Rocketman (2019) Just wonderful! The framing device of rehab wasn’t just a break from the biopic tropes, it was a crucial element towards reinforcing the main thrust of the film. Sure it goes through the rise and fall of a star, but it uses that arc to show the growth of a human. That’s why this is great. Also Taron Egerton is just overwhelmingly great.

……….TELEVISION……….

The Bachelorette (Episode 15.04 to 15.07) I worry that Hannah isn’t going to make it to the end of the season without some sort of emotional break. The slightly unhinged antics were fun at first, but now it feels like it’s bordering on full-on meltdown. I still long for a season where we’re given simple romance and good good friendships, but until then I suppose we’re stuck with Luke P. It’s really hard to watch a genuinely problematic relationship continue but hopefully he’ll be gone soon. Also that clip episode was next level.

The Magicians (Episode 1.10 to 3.08) It’s still doing a great job of acting as a sort of remix of the books. The stuff from book 2 is carrying over to the later seasons and while it’s not moving quite as briskly as the first, it’s still doing a great job of showing a different perspective and interpretation of the core plot elements.

……….READING……….

Thisby Thestoop and the Black Mountain by Zac Gorman (Complete) I put this on hold at the library thinking it was a graphic novel. Then I saw it was categorized as “children’s so I figured, knowing it was a collab between Gorman and Sam Bosma, it was an all-ages comic. Turns out it was a children’s chapter book and I loved it! Light-hearted, touching, and full of lovely illustrations by Bosma, it delivered everything I wanted in a format I wasn’t expecting. Also it’s about the adventures of a D&D-styled dungeon’s gamekeeper, Thisby Thestoop. So if you have a kid (or you, yourself) want an RPG-adjacent read, this is a great choice.

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (Complete) Compilations like this are always a lot of fun and I find it interesting to pick up themes when reading a collection of myths. There’s an awful lot of punishment in Greek mythology and in reading these, I really picked up on a lot of tests. Tests of strength or drinking ability or speed and it’s all rather fascinating. I admit that Gaiman’s writing is what brought me to the book but it’s rather subdued. Very cool to read how interested in Norse Mythology he is and it adds another layer to his other books (particularly American Gods). I don’t know if I’d recommend it if you were only a fan of Gaiman’s work, but I’d definitely suggest it if you’re keen to learn more about Thor and Loki and the gang.

Motherlands by Simon Spurrier & Rachel Stott (Complete) I love bonkers sci-fi. There are giant fleshy bounty hunters, pixelated teleporting guns, tiny lizard people, and civilizations all on the backs of crabs, but at the end of the day this book is about the relationship between a mother and her daughter. Sure, both are bounty hunters, but it uses the fantastic to explore the personal and that’s what my favourite speculative fiction does best.

Black Hammer Vol. 1: Secret Origins by Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston (Complete) Think alternate Justice League trapped on a farm in an alternate reality (likely our own). It’s a family drama set in a small town and it’s really good! At first it felt like a “this is our version of Shazam! This is our version of Martian Manhunter!” but the characters are breaking away from the tropes and it’s in that deviation that the book really shines. Worth checking out.

The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo by Drew Weing (Complete) As far as all-ages comics go, this has a good range of appeal. It touches on topics like gentrification and xenophobia, but uses monsters to communicate them. The main characters didn’t really resonate with me (the POV character doesn’t get to take much action and the expert is perhaps a little cold for someone meant to show compassion for all). There’s a second volume and while I didn’t love this, I want to check out the next chapter to see where it’s all going.

……….AUDIO……….

Factually (Podcast) If you know Adam Ruins Everything (either the show, youtube clips, or the podcast) then this is a natural continuation. I’m still not sure why the transition from the other podcast to this as it feels essentially the same, so I can only assume it was a contractual or savvy business move. Also the podcast is a deeper dive into common misconceptions in the world and it has Andrew W. K. for the intro music. What more could you want?

……….GAMING……….

Maze of the Blue Medusa (Satyr Press) We had a bit of a lull this month from me being sick, but the party continues to hesitantly explore deeper into the maze and so is running into more dangerous encounters! It’s all very exciting.

Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer featuring The Legend of Zelda (Brace Yourself Games) Having never played the original indie game (Crypt of the Necrodancer) I found it to be a steep learning curve and I died a whoooooole bunch at the start. Now I feel like I’ve found the literal (and metaphorical) rhythm of the game. Lots of fun, a great blend of new and familiar Zelda elements, and just a generally breezy game that can be very difficult. Oh also you can play as Zelda! For the whole game! 100% recommend.

Gato Roboto (Devolver Digital) Perfect bite-sized game. Three-ish hours of a cat in a mech suit is exactly what I wanted and it didn’t fail to deliver. The bosses are challenging though I admit most of the other enemies were pretty chill. Worth the modest cost and the whole thing was a lot of fun.

And that’s it! As always, feel free to send me any recommendos as I’m always looking for something new to watch/read/hear/play!

Happy Sunday.

#Monthly Media #Rambles #Kolbisneat #Andrew Kolb

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societyjoelorenzo · 5 years

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Aviva Skall is the Vice President of Talent Management and Business Affairs at MMG, an International Model, Talent & Celebrity Management Company headquartered in New York City. Aviva was heavily involved in the creation of MMG’s Canadian division MMG Canada as well as their Los Angeles affiliate agency ITA or International Talent Agency.

MMG represents models, actors, recording artists, dancers, athletes, hosts & celebrities who have appeared on Print ads and campaigns for companies such as Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister Co., Nike, Sephora, L’Oreal, Maybelline, Hermes, Seven Jeans, Buffalo London, Levi’s, Apple Co, Bare Minerals, Clinique, Bobbie Brown, Laura Mercier, Kiss Cosmetics, Estee Lauder, JC Penney, Justice, New Balance, Cadillac, Honda, Converse, Puma, Foot Locker, Mercedes Benz, Dentyne Ice, Hanes, Budweiser, Converse, Gillette, General Electric, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Ivy Park, Jameson, Gillette, Pop Sugar, Party City, and more; Editorials for Elle, Vogue, Maxim, Women’s Health, Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, Muscle & Fitness, GQ, Vibe, Teen People, Essence, Parenting and many other nationally published magazines; Commercials for companies such as Cover Girl, McDonald’s, American Express, Google, Pantene, Colgate, Lay’s, Reebok, Lancôme, Redken, AT&T, Samsung, Domino’s, Suave, Palmer’s Cocoa Butter, Nutella, Intel, Nintendo Wii, Xbox, Miller Light, Vonage, Wrigley’s Gum, Bud Light and many more; MMG models can also be seen walking the Runways at various NYFW shows.

MMG’s talent can be seen on shows like the all new Deal or No Deal, ABC’s Blackish, Quantico, Power, Growing Up Supermodel, Glee, Gossip Girl, 90210, The Carrie Diaries, Collar, New Girl, Orange is The New Black, How I Met Your Mother, Law and Order, Shameless, Person of Interest, The Big C, Elementary, Royal Pains, The Following, Blue Bloods, Celebrity Big Brother, Days of our Lives, and One Life to Live; Movies including The Greatest Showman, Creed I and Creed II, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Hunger Games, Blue Valentine, Men in Black III, Get Him to The Greek, Pirates of The Caribbean, The Other Woman, Something Blue , Arbitrage, The Sitter, Sex and the City, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Hellraiser and Disney’s Sixteen Wishes; MMG has secured celebrity endorsement and appearance deals for major brands and products for our up-and-coming and celebrity talent.

In pursuit of the world’s most marketable talent MMG has created a partnership with several state directors for the Miss USA Organization by providing exclusive representation to the winners of the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants in 18 states.

Prior to joining the MMG team, Aviva developed a deep passion for the industry which fueled her drive to pursue a career in entertainment. She began her formal acting training at 10 years old in New York and continued training and performing throughout high school and college. Aviva attended a Talent Search competition where she was discovered by MMG. Since then she has appeared in several TV shows and movies including Law and Order: Criminal Intent; Disney’s Enchanted with Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey and Susan Sarandon; and Music and Lyrics with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. After receiving her degree nearly a decade ago, Aviva joined the MMG team as a full time Talent Manager where she has worked hands on to start and/or enhance the careers of hundreds of emerging talent ranging from beginner to celebrity in both the NY and LA markets, as well as bi-coastal and international talent.

Aviva recently sat down with Joe Lorenzo to Advice to Actors & Models, here’s what she had to say:

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(above slideshow some images of Aviva/ MMG NY clients credits)

Joe (Q) What is your current occupation? How long have you been in your current position?

Aviva (A) I am the Vice President of Talent Management and Business Relations at MMG. I manage my own personal roster of talent (actors, models, singers, dancers, athletes, influencers and celebrities) and oversee all of MMG’s Talent Managers and their respective talent. I am also responsible for cultivating and maintaining relationships and partnerships to ensure we are able to scout the best talent out there and secure as many opportunities for our talent as possible. I have been with MMG for over a decade and have been involved in the entertainment industry for over 20 years.

Joe (Q) How did you get started?

Aviva (A) I got started in the entertainment industry when I was 10 years old. After several years of training and performing in local theater productions I was accepted to a prestigious dramatic arts high school program where I spent 4 years learning everything from method acting and performance technique, to technical aspects such as set construction, lighting, and costume design, to the actual business of acting. This program broadened my understanding of the industry behind the art I loved and deepened my desire to learn more. This program, known as the Calhoun High School “On Tour Company” was directed by Sal Salerno, a graduate of Hofstra University’s Department of Drama and Dance. I decided to follow in his footsteps and pursue a theatre education at Hofstra University. During my time there I also picked up a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology – a skill I find highly applicable in my day to day dealings in this industry. Concurrently, I attended a talent search in hopes to find an agent or manager and was scouted by MMG. Upon Graduation I decided to join the MMG team as an intern. MMG was a much smaller brand at the time and I was able to quickly grow as the company grew. I was instrumental in helping to open both our Canada office as well as our LA agency and learned a tremendous amount with each of these new endeavors. I was able to grow a strong team of excellent Talent Managers who truly care about our talent and I attribute much of our success to our hardworking staff.

Joe (Q) Did you have any mentors or someone guiding you along the way?

Aviva (A) I had many great teachers along the way, especially the director of the On Tour program I mentioned earlier, Sal Salerno, who truly challenged me to dedicate myself to the craft and the business. Since joining the MMG family I have worked extremely closely with our President and CEO, Jeff Cohen, who has taught me an unimaginable amount. One of the best lessons I have learned from Jeff is to never think of yourself as an expert because the industry changes daily and what was the norm yesterday may not be the norm today. It is important to adapt and to keep your finger on the pulse. Since our world changes on a daily basis so must we. This means that each day is a new learning experience and another opportunity for growth. It is those companies who can quickly adapt to changing times that are able to flourish.

Joe (Q) How important is it to study and private coach for auditions?

Aviva (A) It is extremely important to study and prepare for every audition. Your time in the casting room is your chance and you must be prepared for that opportunity. Casting directors are very busy and don’t have time for you to read over again if you mess up the first time. So if you enter the room underprepared you just blew your shot. As an actor you should always have a monologue ready to go at all times. If you are reading for a potential representative they need to feel confident in your skill sets and also understand what areas they see fit for you to be marketed to – so choose a monologue that is age appropriate and that the character is one you can likely be cast as. When selecting a monologue, don’t just read that one excerpt. Read the whole play so you can gain some insight into the character and their background. This will help you identify with the character and deliver a more powerful performance. If reading for a role where sides are provided it is important to memorize the sides. Even though they may allow you to have the script with you, if you are constantly looking down at the pages in your hand you are not focusing on your delivery. Being memorized also shows professionalism. Fumbling lines is a sign of nervousness so if you are well prepared you will read a lot more confident than if you are unprepared. A private coach can help you understand the text better and provide suggestions on different ways to approach the scene. They can give feedback that a parent/friend simply can’t because they lack specific knowledge of our industry and experience breaking down scenes and working on character development. A good coach will not tell you how to say your lines, but will help you make choices to get you there on your own. So don’t fear that you will lose your individuality by being coached.

Joe (Q) With all the rejection this business has, what keeps you going for your clients? What advice do you give your clients as they experience rejection?

Aviva (A) “You win some, you lose some!” But in this industry it’s very common to lose a lot before winning one. A good manager must impress upon their talent how tough this industry is and that they must be able to handle rejection as well as negative feedback. In today’s entertainment industry, there are more opportunities than ever before due to an influx in programming amongst television networks, streaming services, web series, etc. But there is also more competition than ever – since modern technology allows many more people to be considered for each role than in the past. Even as industry professionals, we often do not understand why a certain client picked one actor over the other. It all comes down to personal opinion. There are a million reasons you could be overlooked for a role that really have nothing to do with you. For example, if that client decided the character should really be someone with lighter/darker hair/skin/eyes, or if someone else in that scene has too similar of a look to you. Typically casting directors will not give feedback on why you weren’t chosen so there is no use in looking back. The best advice I can give is “once you leave the audition room, forget it ever happened and move on to the next thing”. (That doesn’t meant forgetting to hold your availability of course!) But it does mean “don’t sweat it”. Either they will call you back or they won’t – but instead of focusing on that, focus on what you can be doing next.

Joe (Q) What advice were you given when you were starting out that you can remember and share?

Aviva (A) As I touched on earlier, it is extremely important to remind yourself that no matter how long you have been doing this you can always learn. We learn every day if we open our mind to it so it is important to keep your mind open! Everyone has something to offer you so let yourself learn from them. I find that I am constantly learning from my talent, our clients, my coworkers, industry friends, etc. Another great piece of advice is that anything you don’t know can be figured out. When we were opening our Canada office, one day MMG’s President Jeff Cohen came up to my desk and said “I need you to write a contract for our Canada office”. I immediately replied that I hadn’t gone to law school and was unqualified to draft up something so important. He told me “you can and you will”. Taking on that project seemed scary and overwhelming but I got it done. Not only could I do it, but I had learned so much in the process that has made me better at negotiating contracts moving forward.

Joe (Q) What piece of advice do you have for those just starting out?

Aviva (A) Congratulations – You chose to enter one of the toughest industries in the world! That takes a lot of courage. It also requires a LOT of hard work and patience. Always continue growing your craft and always continue learning! Networking is so important in this industry. Always be kind and courteous, show up on time and prepared. Personality is everything! Don’t be afraid to be over the top. Clients/Agents/Managers would rather see what you are capable of (and can tone you down if needed) than have to wonder if you will be capable. The more special skills you have the more they will set you apart – so stay well rounded and make sure you list everything on your resume – even if you don’t think it’s important! A good coach or manager can help you decide which skills are most pertinent to list.

Joe (Q) What is the biggest pet peeve you encounter from brand new talent when you meet them?

Aviva (A) Many new talent have the expectation that they will be a star immediately. Just as no professional athlete, musician or politician got to where they are overnight, neither do actors. It can take many years to build a strong resume. Many talent think once they sign with an agent or manager they can sit back and wait for their rep to get them work. I can’t stress enough how incorrect this mentality is. Your agent/manager is part of your TEAM but you are still in control of your own career. Your representative can only use the tools you are giving them so make sure to be on top of that. Lastly, understand your representative makes money when YOU make money. A lack of results doesn’t mean a lack of effort – so treat your representatives with respect and trust that they are doing their job to the best of their ability.

Joe (Q) What can you say to parents of children just starting out in this business? Things that parents do that are helpful, and things parents do that are harmful?

Aviva (A) Parents can make or break their child’s career. Until an actor is 18 the law states that a parent must be on set with them, so if a client feels that they can’t work with the parent, that means they can’t work with the actor. Behaving professionally and appropriately is extremely important. Representatives and clients ARE noticing how you treat your kids. If you are too hard on them, we notice and we likely won’t want to work with you. If it’s evident the kid doesn’t really want to do this and the parents are forcing it, we won’t work with that child.

Joe (Q) Any last word of wisdom or something you would like to leave us with that can help someone starting out or someone struggling to keep going in this business?

Aviva (A) One of the best pieces of advice I received as an actor is that THEY WANT YOU TO BE GOOD. Whether “they” is an agent or manager who may want to sign you, or a casting director who wants you to make their job easy by being so great that their job is done because they already found you! I think that bit of advice really affected my confidence level during auditions because I no longer felt like the casting director was waiting for me to mess up and instead felt that they really, genuinely wanted me to be great – which made greatness so much easier! I think this is one important mantra to remember as you embark on any audition!

MMG NY Website

Joe Lorenzo Society Entertainment

Website: https://societyent.com/

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SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheJosephLorenzo

Society Performers Academy

Website: https://societyperformers.com/

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TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SocietyPerform

Agent Advice to Actors & Models ~ Aviva Skall Ron ~ Interviewed by Joe Lorenzo/ Society Entertainment Aviva Skall is the Vice President of Talent Management and Business Affairs at MMG, an International Model, Talent & Celebrity Management Company headquartered in New York City.

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sherrygorugh · 5 years

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Geisha Coffees Continue to Shatter Sales Records — Are They Worth The Hype?

When we last wrote in depth about Geisha (also spelled Gesha) coffees in 2017, a 100-pound lot of this prized variety of Arabica, grown at Hacienda La Esmeralda by the Peterson family, had just broken the then-current record for the highest price ever paid for a green coffee: $601 per pound. Flash forward to July of this year, when that record was shattered by the Lamastus family, whose Elida Estate natural-processed green-tip Geisha sold at the annual Best of Panama auction for $1,029 a pound. Spoiler alert: The Elida coffee earned the top score in our cupping this month of Geisha coffees, an impressive 97. So, yes, it’s good. Very, very good.

But when one considers that the average price per pound of a high-grown, high-grade Arabica coffee sold through the commodity system is currently barely over one dollar per pound ($1.0035 at this moment, to be exact), what does this huge discrepancy say about the state of coffee as an industry? Is it hollowed out in the middle, increasingly divided between a tiny prestige-chasing elite and a vast, anonymous commodity machine?

Of course, from a pleasure-driven sensory perspective, even decent commodity-grade coffees like the 100% Colombias one finds on supermarket shelves (which probably fall roughly into the buck-a-pound-green price category) bear little resemblance in the cup to a fine Panama Geisha. But neither do such straightforward commodity coffees have much in common with the many fine non-Geisha specialty coffees we often rate at scores of 93 to 95, and which probably cost roasters somewhere around $4 a pound. In this context, these record-breaking auction prices for Geishas seem absurd.

Farmer Rigoberta Herrera, of Granja La Esperanza in Colombia, checking Geisha fruit as it dries. Courtesy of Bird Rock Coffee.

Barry Levine, of Willoughby’s Coffee & Tea in Connecticut, secured eight pounds of the Elida Geisha. Levine is a pioneer in the specialty coffee industry and the longest-standing juror at the Best of Panama competition. While he acknowledges the disturbing dichotomy represented by these extremes at either end of the price scale, he has also witnessed, firsthand, the evolution in quality of Panama Geisha, and he compares these small, highly allocated auction lots to what we routinely see in the wine industry. Cult Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa and first-growth Bordeaux wines — which, unlike coffee, are designed to get better with age — often sell for thousands of dollars a bottle. (In 2018, a single bottle of 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti sold for $558,000.)

And, apart from the excesses of certain auction coffees, even the finest specialty coffee remains very much underpriced, particularly from a producer perspective. See Editor Kenneth Davids’ article, “Coffee’s Economic Paradox: $40 Charged in Paris, $3 Paid in Kenya” for some reflections on today’s specialty coffee prices and their relationship to producers.

Why Is Geisha the Darling of the Specialty Coffee Industry?

Why Geisha? What is the particular appeal of this relatively rare variety of Arabica? Geisha was discovered in the Gori Gesha forest of western Ethiopia in the 1930s by British Consul Richard Whalley (in the general vicinity of where the Coffea arabica species itself is thought to have originated). From there, it was carried, relatively anonymously, to East Africa, then Costa Rica, then finally to the Peterson farm in Panama. The Petersons introduced it to the Best of Panama auction in 2004, where it blew the jurors away with its extraordinary aromatics and flawless structure. Essentially, it was unlike any other coffee on the table.

We at Coffee Review have cupped hundreds of Geisha coffees over the years and can confirm its distinctive character. While not all Geishas rise to the level of an Elida or a Hacienda La Esmeralda, the best are abundantly floral, uniquely fruit-toned, and richly cocoa-laden. They really are categorically different from the rest of the world’s coffees. True, the finest coffees produced from indigenous “landrace” Ethiopia varieties often come close to Geisha’s aromatic fireworks, but they are never quite as vast and intricate in their aromatics, nor as authoritative in their structure. And the success of Panama Geishas at auction, along with their demand in the specialty coffee market, has caused farmers in just about every coffee-producing region in the world to try their hand at producing them.

This month’s report features the top-scoring Geishas we cupped from Panama, Ethiopia, and Colombia, ranging in score from 94-97.

A Rose By Any Other Name

Before we get into the details of these nine extraordinary coffees, a brief note about the spelling of Geisha/Gesha. In short, the spelling of this word is quite controversial! Last year’s article in Sprudge, “Stop Calling It Geisha, Already,” by Jenn Chen, argues that “Gesha” is the correct spelling because the coffee was first identified in the Gesha Gori forest, and that the British expedition that found the coffee mislabeled it as “Geisha.” But the Peterson family remains steadfast in its embrace of “Geisha” as the proper name, given that all the official documents related to this coffee’s arrival in Panama spell it that way. Our solution? We go with what the producer prefers. Most Ethiopia producers spell it as “Gesha,” and understandably so, while, most producers in Central and South America spell it as “Geisha,” with the exception of Ninety Plus Coffee, which grows in both Panama and Ethiopia; founder Joseph Brodsky goes with “Gesha.” (Just this week, one of Brodsky’s experimental coffees sold for a self-reported $10,000 a kilo in Dubai.)

The Nine Top-Scoring Geishas

Of the more than 40 samples submitted from five coffee-producing origins (Panama, Colombia, Ethiopia, Costa Rica, and Guatemala), we rated one from Panama, the Elida Green-Tip Geisha Natural roasted by Willoughby’s Coffee & Tea, at 97; we rated three additional Panamas at 96, 95, and 94; two Colombias at 96, and three Ethiopias at 94.

Mind-Blowing Aromatics at the Top

The Willoughby’s Geisha was truly ethereal, a nuanced, exceptionally lush cup with notes of aprium, star jasmine, pistachio butter, cocoa, pink peppercorn and almond brittle. Levine says it was particularly nerve-wracking for his roaster, Jeff Cannon, to nail the roast profile with only 80 grams of coffee to work with. Because Willoughby’s had only eight pounds total, it was imperative that they waste as little as possible. They sent 50 grams for us to cup and cupped the remaining 30 grams themselves. The plan is to sell it as an experience, in a boxed set that includes 1/4 pound of the coffee along with commemorative items still being considered. Levine may also hold a tasting event for $100 a cup.

The Best of Panama certification for Kakalove Cafe’s lot of the Finca Kalithea Panama Geisha. Courtesy of Kakalove Cafe.

At 96, the Panama Finca Kalithea Natural Geisha roasted by Kakalove Café in Taiwan is a high-toned, delicately fruit-centered cup with notes of mulberry, coconut, sandalwood, dark chocolate and lilac. And at just 750 Taiwan dollars (approximately $24 USD) for four ounces, it’s worth ordering a bag to do a side-by-side. They’re very different coffees, and both very worthy.

Relative Bargains from Colombia

We also rated two Colombia Geishas at 96, a Valle de Cauca natural-process roasted by Bird Rock Coffee in San Diego and a Finca La Maria Geisha Natural roasted by Klatch Coffee in Los Angeles. The former is a savory-sweet cup with notes of chocolate fudge, ripe wild strawberry, honey, macadamia nut and fine Roquefort cheese, while the latter is a cleanly fruit-toned natural with notes of dried raspberry, halvah, plumeria, pink peppercorn and lemon verbena. Both are a relative bargain at $60 and $54.95 for eight ounces, respectively.

A Uniquely Composed Washed-Process Panama

Boulder, Colorado’s Dragonfly Coffee submitted a Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Super Mario 6 Geisha, the most unusual of the top-scorers in that it forgoes the more common delicately fruit-toned profile for an overtly umami-centered approach, with a throughline of white peppercorn ensconced in lush florals, deep chocolate, and crisp pear notes. It’s a coffee with a distinct personality that invites you to get on its wavelength and is perhaps the most polarizing of the Geishas reviewed this month. We love it, as it defies expectations in the best possible way. It’s available for $60 for eight ounces on the Dragonfly website.

A Panama, a Colombia, and Two Ethiopias at 94

Caffe Luxxe’s Panama Alto Jaramillo is one of two Panama Geishas reviewed here that is a washed-process coffee (and one of only three washed Geishas on this list of nine). It’s austere only in comparison to the unabashedly fruit-forward naturals; in and of itself, it’s exquisitely balanced, crisply and sweetly bright, with notes of tangerine zest, lavender, cocoa, cedar, and fresh apricot ($40 for four ounces).

Based on the two exceptional Ethiopia Geshas (one natural-processed and one washed) we review here, there is potential for a broad range of sensory pleasures from Geshas emerging from their original home. Both were produced by Adam and Rachel Overton at Gesha Village Estate in the Bench-Maji Zone of southern Ethiopia. The washed coffee, roasted by Mudhouse Roasters in Charlottesville, Virginia ($50 for eight ounces) is richly sweet-savory and deeply floral-toned, with notes of honeysuckle, bergamot, toffee, myrrh and a surprising (but pleasing) hint of fresh coriander. The natural Gesha was roasted by Taiwan-based GK Coffee (1200 Taiwan dollars, about $38.75 USD, for 100 grams), a balanced, sweetly tart cup with notes of honey, lilac, guava, frankincense and cacao nib.

Gary of GK Coffee in Taiwan, serving coffee in his shop. Courtesy of GK Coffee.

The remaining 94 is the Laderas Del Tapias Estate Natural Colombia, roasted by Cafetaster in Taiwan (1350 Taiwan dollars, $43.50 USD for 230 grams), thoroughly berry-toned with notes of baking spices and cocoa throughout and a subtle hint of sweet fruit ferment.

More Questions In Lieu of Conclusions

It’s not really possible to answer all the questions raised by the Geisha/Gesha variety’s startling success across the world. What’s clear is that we’re going to be seeing much more of it in the coming years, and from origins beyond its original home, Ethiopia, its pioneering adopted home, Panama, and rising star Colombia. Coffees we don’t have space to report on here that performed very well include a Geisha from Costa Rica at 93 and one from Guatemala at 92. One might argue that the proliferation of this variety across many origins, if quality continues to improve, will benefit farmers by commanding higher prices and elevating the perceived status of coffee production, generally. Or it may just drive a wedge between coffee for the one percent and coffee for the rest of us. It’s hard to predict, but the emphasis on quality that Geisha has brought with it — because of its relative rarity and the precise conditions it needs to be grown successfully — can only be viewed as a positive.

The post Geisha Coffees Continue to Shatter Sales Records — Are They Worth The Hype? appeared first on Coffee Review.

Geisha Coffees Continue to Shatter Sales Records — Are They Worth The Hype? published first on https://linlincoffeeequipment.tumblr.com/

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itsyourturnblog · 5 years

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Is your phone making you depressed?

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

“Smartphones are not a concept of the universal progress — there are good things to this technology and there are negatives.” Dr. Jeff Cain

Noticing the problem in my life

For the past several years I’ve been asking my students about stress in their lives. The numbers of people reporting feeling consistently overwhelmed, stressed and anxious are growing exponentially.

Earlier this year I attended a pharmacy learning conference where some of these topics where discussed. One surprising explanation for the above problems came up in a session delivered by Dr. Jeff Cain, a professor from the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. Additionally, he serves as a Director of Education Technology, so the area of smartphones and social media is near and dear to his heart.

Few weeks ago I sat down with Jeff to dig deeper. I wanted to know how he became curious about smartphones and what mental health concerns he sees in his students.

“In the past few years it has been really bothering me to see people in social interactions paying more attention to their device than to the person in front of them.” Dr. Jeff Cain

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

From resilience to mental health

Jeff shared with me that his research in this area had a surprising beginning. He was helping a student to write a paper on her area of interest of grit and resilience. But the process of exploring the information proved to be anything but quick and easy, even though their review ended up pretty comprehensive — Review of Grit and Resilience Literature within Health Professions Education.

Many of the concepts of resilience are connected to mental health, and unfortunately the situation has been changing in the past decade — Increases in Depressive Symptoms, Suicide-Related Outcomes, and Suicide Rates Among US Adolescents After 2010 and Links to Increased New Media Screen Time.

Jean Twenge shared her concerns with the public in her article Have Smartphones destroyed a generation? and her book iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy — and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood — and What That Means for the Rest of Us.

Jean’s work and another book by Adam Alter Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked became Jeff’s inspiration to evaluate the effects of this technology in his students.

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Lack of emotional nourishment

There is no question — many of us feel more connected today and have more ‘friends’ and ‘followers’ than ever before, but are these interactions healing for our health and psyche?

“Digital relationships are good to keep people connected, but they do not provide emotional nourishment the same way as physically spending your time with someone.” Dr. Jeff Cain

Just recently Jeff shared his concerns with other pharmacy educators with his latest publication - It’s Time to Confront Student Mental Health Issues Associated with Smartphones and Social Media.

Without a doubt, technology brings a lot of benefit to our lives. We can look at the information consumed, the advice offered and utilized, access to content that has never been available before.

Scientists are looking at this information carefully recognizing the positive effects, sharing it in publications such as The ‘Goldilocks Hypothesis’ and ‘just-right’ screen time and A Large-Scale Test of the Goldilocks Hypothesis: Quantifying the Relations Between Digital-Screen Use and the Mental Well-Being of Adolescents.

Do these sound familiar?

Unfortunately, the negative sides are becoming more pronounced as well — from symptoms mentioned earlier to nomophobia (fear of being without your phone) and even something as surprising as Snapchat dysmorphia. This symptom has recently been reported by plastic surgeons in the Journal of American Medical Association. Patients began requesting surgeries to make they look more like the filtered pictures they see — Selfies — Living in the Era of Filtered Photographs. Are you surprised that our fascination with social media affecting our norms and views on beauty?

What’s clear is that many of the negative symptoms start gradually, but eventually they sneak up on you. Society’s acceptance of technology, encouragement in the workplace and benefits described earlier are perhaps the main reason.

Photo by Yura Fresh on Unsplash

Start with small steps

During my conversation I appreciated Jeff’s recommendations for more prudent use of the phones. These three really stood out for me:

switch the screen to monochromatic view to use the phone as a tool, and not as an entertainment — ask yourself, how often you pull out your phone just to find something fun to see of read

don’t bring your phone to your bedroom— to prevent sleep disturbances

move social media apps from the home screen of your device

“If it isn’t something you have to interact with on the smartphone, turn off buzzing and beeping notifications. Move all your non-productivity apps off your home screen. Don’t carry your phone with you all the time.” Dr. Jeff Cain

Depending on the device you use, these are a couple of ‘how-to’ articles to get you started exploring your phone’s settings.

Better Humans — Coach Tony — How to Configure Your iPhone to Work for You, Not Against You

LifeHacker — Melissa Kirsch — Change Your Screen to Grayscale to Combat Phone Addiction

Realigning technology with our best interests

One of the most powerful reminder from Jeff’s work is that smartphones are designed for addiction. There is a lot of conversation in entrepreneurial circles on how to develop products that continue to bring your customers back to you. Creating a product that is loved is one of the main goals of today’s entrepreneurs. Designing with that in mind might seem like a smart business, unfortunately we are not always able to predict the long-term effects and beginning to pay the price for our inability to disconnect.

“The apps and the phones are designed so you keep coming back for that dopamine rush you get .” Dr. Jeff Cain

If you’ve been paying attention, this isn’t the first time you are hearing about the addiction potential of our technology. Tristan Harris, one of the early Google employees shared his views on the topic in 2016 here on Medium — How Technology is Highjacking Your Mind — From a Magician and Google Ethicist.

Last year, The New York Times was helping to spread the word in their article Early Facebook and Google Employees Form Coalition to Fight What They Built. From TED talks stage to his own blog Time Well Spent, Tristan shares the power of controlling your own mind. Today, he is one of the founders of the Center for Humane Technology, a source I highly recommend to everyone. Its main mission is to encourage humanity to realign technology with our best interests.

“There are numerous benefits to smartphones but also negative aspects affecting our mental health and lives in general. We can say this is how the life is now, or we can remove our dependence and addiction.” Dr. Jeff Cain

The entire conversation with Dr. Jeff Cain is published at https://wellnessinsidernetwork.com/58

Want to develop a simple ritual of taking better care of yourself? Drink a daily cup of a delicious herbal tea!

Click to get a list of 5 of my favorite herbal resources to get you started.

Is your phone making you more depressed? was originally published in It's Your Turn on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Lana Camiel via It's Your Turn - Medium #itsyourturn #altMBA #SethGodin #quotes #inspiration #stories #change #transformation #writers #writing #self #shipping #personaldevelopment #growth #education #marketing #entrepreneurship #leadership #personaldev #wellness #medium #blogging #quoteoftheday #inspirationoftheday

#ItsYourTurn #It's Your Turn #IYT #altMBA #Seth Godin #Inspiration #Stories #Change #Transformation #Blog #Medi

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fictionalescapeartist-blog · 6 years

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I know, I know I have been gone for a while. I took a bit of a sabbatical, because I was having a hard time coming up with content and then would go into a shame spiral etc. Blogging stopped being fun and became another thing to beat myself up about, if you haven’t picked up on it I might have a slight self esteem issues… but I am back and applying less pressure on myself because ultimately I enjoy blogging.

Anyway! I wanted to take a few to talk about some of my favorite Fictional Escapes (see what I did there?) from 2017. Some I blogged about already, some I have not. Even though I have it in a list format, it is not a ranking. THAT WOULD BE LIKE ASKING ME TO PICK A FAVORITE CHILD! Here are 10 favorite things from 2017:

s1. Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I blogged about this book, so I wont spend a ton of time on this one, my feelings on this book are well documented here, on Twitter and Facebook. BTW Taylor Jenkins Reid is a mega sweetie to her fans, I suggest following her. This book was absolutely amazing! I read it in like a day. I say read, but more devoured it. The book takes you through 2 stories of very different women and how their lives connect. It is beautifully written and so well done at times I forgot I wasn’t reading an Autobiography.

2. Reincarnation Blues

Another one that I haven’t shut up about since I read it. Milo is the oldest soul in the universe, living nearly all of his 10,000 lives. We are taken through several of his lives as he tries to reach perfection, as well as his time between lives where he is in love with a Death who goes by Suzie. This book is magical, fun, and at times heart breaking. This book is reminiscent of Douglas Adams. The many different worlds Michael Poore has built in just one book is astounding.

3. Twin Peaks the Return

What can I say about this show? Honestly I am never so happy to be confused then when watching Twin Peaks, and the Return took that up a notch or. Kyle MacLachlan playing several hard roles so perfectly, you forget its the same actor. Dougie Jones absolutely broke my heart on a weekly basis, while the bad Cooper was scary as hell. The fact they were on Showtime, they were able to get a lot darker then in the original show. Plus we so got this beautiful sigh-worthy moment:

#BigEdandNormaForever

4. The final season of the Mindy Project

Mindy, Mindy, Mindy. There is nothing that Mindy Kaling has done that I didn’t love, this show included. I was hooked from the very first episode. The characters, the story line, the jokes, everything was perfect. Season 6 was the shortest and one of the best seasons of the show. They wrapped up everyone’s story line, with out every feeling like everyone was short changed or rushed. With out spoiling the overall story arch, I was nervous about how the show would end, the direction it seemed to head and they nailed it, with out sacrificing the character’s emotional growth as I feared they could. This show goes down as one of my all time favorites with 30 Rock, Parks and Rec and Scrubs. I will miss this show so much!

5. Season 3 of Playing House

Ugh! I guess technically I should have titled this one “The final season of Playing House” but I’m not there emotionally and it is too soon. I knew the Mindy Project was ending, this one was ripped from my arms by the cruel USA. This show. THIS SHOW YOU GUYS! I have so many thoughts and feelings about it, and have blogged about it in the past. The entire show is amazing, but season 3 was something truly special. Season 3 had Emma being diagnosed with breast cancer and shows her and Maggie battle it together, in a story line “ripped from the headlines” as Law and Order likes to say. You see in reality the lead actresses Jessica and Lennon are best friends, and Jessica did have breast cancer. The way the show handled the story line was perfect. It was touching and informative. It was sad at times with out ever actually feeling too heavy. They educated us on cancer treatment options, with out ever pulling you out of the story or feeling preachy about things. Damn you USA Network for canceling it! If you have On Demand, I could not recommend watching this show enough.

6. Womp It Up! Podcast

What? Jessica and Lennon get 2 spots on your list? Yes they do, because they are amazing people who rocked my 2017. Womp It Up! has been around for a while, but I didn’t discover it until this year, and luckily for me I didn’t have to wait a year and half between episodes like other fans. Womp I Up! is a comedy podcast that was birthed from Comedy Bang Bang characters. Jessica St Clair plays Marissa Wompler, a 17(ish) year old, not very well adjusted, student at the Marina Del Rey High School, the podcast is her senior project. She is doing some alternative learning in her school’s program called STARS, ran by her teacher and lets face it best friend Charlotte Listler, played by Lennon Parahm. Every week there is a new comedian on playing a person in the Marina Del Rey community. My favorite has been Andrew Daly as Joe Bongos, the Health teacher who has some interesting ideas on what to teach the kids.

7. Oh, Hello on Broadway

Oh, Hello got it’s start on the Nick Kroll Show, where Gil Faizon and George St Geegland had a prank show on public access channel in New York. Their one prank was ordering a tuna sandwich with way too much tuna, ultimately getting the person say “That’s too much tuna”. What was the prank show called? Too Much Tuna of course. Somehow, in Nick Kroll and John Mulaney’s brilliance they were able to make a super successful Broadway play based on these two dirt bags.

Gil (a writer) and George (an actor) have been best friends and roommates since the 1970s. They decided to write an autobiographical play telling their story. The brilliance of this show is the play that is happening around the play. It gets pretty meta at times, often Gil and George stop the actual play to have their own interactions, generally it is Gil giving George notes on how he is doing in the play. The sheer detail that has gone into this show is mind boggling. I can’t even describe the layers of the play. I highly recommend checking it out.

8. Wonder Woman

Let’s not get into a DC vs MCU argument here, generally I am an MCU fan and haven’t been too excited over the last few DC movies, but this one. I will admit was a little nervous when I first saw Gal Gadot was cast as Wonder Woman, but she won me over immediately in Batman vs Superman. I was still cautiously optimistic for the Wonder Woman movie, but it came out better then I imagined. In my opinion it was just awesome (I am aware of the issues people had with it, but to me the good outweigh the bad). I enjoyed the hell out of it, it made me laugh and cry. I also enjoyed the feel of it, different then the other super hero movies, it felt more like a war movie. If you haven’t seen it, check it out!

9. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 and Thor: Ragnarok

I decided to combine these two into one, because well I didn’t want this list to be 3/4s super hero movies. I could also write a book on my feelings for these two movies and their directors. Guardians was written and directed by James Gunn and Thor was directed by Taiki Waititi, a kiwi writer and director known for his work with Flight of the Concords, What we do in the Shadows to name a couple. Also if you’re looking for a sort of weird but sweet movie, check out Eagle Vs Shark.

These two movies have a bit of a rag-tag team thing going on, and both delve into family relationships. They are both visually stunning, and laugh out loud hilarious, (yes I know that is a problem some people have with Marvel, but I love to laugh and they are right up my alley). Their similarities are one reason I decided to group them together. The first Guardians became my favorite Marvel movie about 10 minutes into it, and was thrilled that James Gunn actually made something better. I have always had a soft spot for Thor, and been sad at the state of the movies he’s had. I left Ragnarok thinking they finally gave him the movie he deserves, also Jeff Goldblum at his Goldbumiest.

My other favorite part of both of these movies, is they seemed to fix the villain problem. Hela and Ego managed to be interesting and complex. They didn’t seem to fall flat like others have in the past.

These two movies are all in all a good ass time!

10. Hamilton the Musical, paired with Hamilton the book

I know, I know. It’s based on true events, but some of it is changed for dramatic effect. I am so late to the game on Hamilton, but I just recently got Spotify Premium which let me listen to the soundtrack in order… and I am HOOKED. I decided to check out the biography the musical was based on by Ron Chernow. Combining the two adds a lot more depth to the play, certain lines in songs make sense. There is so much drama in Hamilton’s life, so much that the play never even touched on.

If you want to add to your Hamilton experience, read the book as well. Honestly, it makes the entire experience so much better.

Thanks for reading everyone!

Check out my top 10 from 2017 list of my favorite Fictional Escapes. I know, I know I have been gone for a while. I took a bit of a sabbatical, because I was having a hard time coming up with content and then would go into a shame spiral etc.

#fiction #books #favorites list #movies #musicals #reading #tv shows

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everettwilkinson · 7 years

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Menendez trial begins

With Zach Montellaro, Kevin Robillard and Elena Schneider

The following newsletter is an abridged version of Campaign Pro’s Morning Score. For an earlier morning read on exponentially more races — and for a more comprehensive aggregation of the day’s most important campaign news — sign up for Campaign Pro today. (http://www.politicopro.com/proinfo)

Story Continued Below

HAPPENING TODAY — Menendez trial begins: Sen. Robert Menendez will face corruption charges in a federal courtroom in Newark, N.J., this morning. Menendez faces eight counts of bribery, three counts of fraud and one count of conspiracy, and one count of violating the Travel Act. The New Jersey Democrat has continued to serve in the Senate as his trial crawled to its start — but if Menendez is convicted, Republicans will seize the opportunity to attempt to push him out of the Senate and allow New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to appoint a GOP successor.

POLITICO’s John Bresnahan will get you smart, fast: “Menendez’s relationship with Dr. Salomon Melgen, a close friend and donor, first came under scrutiny in early 2013 after media reports revealed that the New Jersey Democrat was flying on Melgen’s plane to the doctor’s ‘luxurious’ villa in the Dominican Republic. Menendez did not report any of the flights, a potential violation of Senate rules and federal law,” Bres writes. “Melgen and his family members donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions directly to Menendez’s reelection campaign, as well as to a Democratic super PAC that backed Menendez’s 2012 reelection effort. … Menendez has made a variety of arguments to try to rebut the government’s case, and his high-powered defense team — led by Abbe Lowell, a well-respected defense attorney who first came to prominence during former President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial in 1998 — will use any legal weapon it can.” Full story here.

— “GOP launches aggressive effort to pressure Bob Menendez to resign if convicted,” by USA Today’s Herb Jackson: “The effort by the Republican National Committee will be aimed at the New Jersey senator’s fellow Democrats, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York; senators running for reelection in states that [President Donald Trump] won last year; and those with potential aspirations for the presidency in 2020, such as Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.” Full story. Watch the ad here.

Q&A — The Club for Growth sits down with Morning Score: President David McIntosh and Vice President Andy Roth chatted with our Elena Schneider about 2018 and lessons learned from recent election cycles:

“What primaries are you excited about? McINTOSH: A couple of these Senate races will have tremendous potential. Our polling shows incumbent Democrats in Ohio, Montana, Missouri and Wisconsin are vulnerable if they toe the party line that [Sen. Chuck] Schumer’s laid out by opposing Trump on all things. The key is getting a good, articulate Republican in those races.

Does it feel different this year? So far, it seems like so far you’re on the same page with a lot of other Republican groups. … McINTOSH: It is not a coincidence in the following way — last year, we invested in expanding our operation by adding scouts. … At the beginning of the year, we identified the Trump states with a Democratic incumbent, and we directed the scouts, ‘Go figure out who would be a good candidate.’ … The other thing that’s benefited in this is that the Club isn’t perceived to Senate leadership as one of their enemies in the Republican Party. Before I got here, Andy stayed out of the Kentucky primary. That is the history and it was noted by the majority leader because he told me so.

When you’re thinking about primaries, how do you factor Trump getting involved, like he did in Alabama? McINTOSH: We want to consider it. My read on the Alabama one is that was a favor to Mitch McConnell, who had invested a lot of his political capital in reelecting Strange. … I don’t expect it happening a lot. … ROTH: In all of the polling we do, he remains very popular among primary Republican voters. But none of the current races we’re in – except maybe Wisconsin — is that a concern. …

Do you expect to have the same level of financial investment in 2018 as you did in the last cycle? ROTH: Our stated goal is always to get involved in more races than we did in the previous cycle, or at least to have a bigger impact.” Read the full Q&A here.

NEW THIS A.M. — Koch network launches seven-figure TV buy in Va., by POLITICO’s Kevin Robillard: “Americans for Prosperity is out with a seven-figure TV and digital ad blitz attacking Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam in Virginia’s gubernatorial race, part of a multimillion-dollar campaign in the state. The group, backed by the powerful Koch brothers’ network of conservative donors, is attacking Northam for missing meetings of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, which later gave $1.4 million to a fake Chinese company. Full story here.

— Northam talks economic growth in new ad: “Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam’s Virginia gubernatorial campaign is out with a new ad contrasting his plan for economic growth with Republican Ed Gillespie’s approach,” Robillard reports. Full story here.

Days until the 2017 election: 62.

Days until the 2018 election: 426.

Thanks for joining us! You can email tips to the Campaign Pro team at [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].

You can also follow us on Twitter: @politicoscott, @ec_schneider, @politicokevin, @danielstrauss4 and @maggieseverns.

FIELD OF DREAMS — CLF launches six new field offices: The Congressional Leadership Fund is opening six more field offices in House districts, bringing the total number of CLF field offices up to 17. The new offices will be in the following members’ districts: Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12), Rep. Kevin Yoder (KS-03), Rep. Ryan Costello (PA.-06), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08), Rep. Tom MacArthur (NJ-03) and Rep. Leonard Lance (NJ-07). CLF says it has made 2 million voter contacts so far this cycle.

PAC ATTACK — Nevada governor’s race heats up: Treasurer Dan Schwartz entered the GOP gubernatorial primary on Tuesday — and was greeted by a conservative super PAC that hopes to sink his bid. American Integrity Project, a group that supports a likely bid from Attorney General Adam Laxalt, is out with radio and digital ads that say Schwartz “hasn’t spent much time in Nevada, and it shows,” adding that “Schwartz made millions in finance in New York, maybe that explains why he’s so out of step with Nevada conservatives when it comes to taxes and spending.” Listen to the ad here.

— There’s polling data, too: American Integrity Project also released a polling memo from WPA Intelligence that found Laxalt, who hasn’t launched his bid yet, leading in a head-to-head contest with 64 percent of the GOP primary vote to Schwartz’s 5 percent. Nearly a third of voters are undecided. Laxalt also holds a lead in name recognition. “We plan to ensure that Schwartz’s latest campaign fails as spectacularly as his ill-conceived, publicity-seeking alternative budget gimmick failed back in 2015,” said Brian Baker, senior adviser to the group. Read the full polling memo here.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT — “Appeals court, 2-1, gives Texas OK to use new voter ID law,” by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein: “A divided federal appeals court has stayed a lower judge’s ruling barring Texas from implementing a revised version of its voter identification law. A panel of the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals voted, 2-1, to allow Texas to use the revised voter ID measure known as SB 5 for this November’s elections. ‘The state has made a strong showing that it is likely to succeed on the merits. SB 5 allows voters without qualifying photo ID to cast regular ballots by executing a declaration that they face a reasonable impediment to obtaining qualifying photo ID.” Full story here.

DAILY ROLL TIDE — Strange changes course on filibuster, by POLITICO’s Daniel Strauss: Sen. Luther Strange reversed course on the Senate filibuster, writing a new letter to McConnell and Schumer backing Trump’s position of ending the 60-vote threshold. Strange signed on to an April letter asking leaders to preserve the rule. Full story here.

— “Moore to meet with Club for Growth,” Strauss reports: “Former Alabama chief justice Roy Moore is set to meet with Club for Growth officials on Wednesday, multiple sources confirmed to POLITICO. The meeting comes as Moore faces Sen. Luther Strange in the GOP runoff in the special election for now-Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ former Senate seat.” Full story here.

TOP CONTENDER IN MAINE — “Lisbon’s Garrett Mason to announce run for governor,” by The Portland Press Herald’s Scott Thistle: “State Sen. Garrett Mason is set to announce his bid for the governor’s office on Wednesday, making him the second Republican to enter an increasingly crowded race for the Blaine House in 2018.” Full story.

UN-ENDORSEMENT CORNER — “Rep. Schneider Withdraws Endorsement of Daniel Biss,” by NBC5’s James Neveau: “Congressman Brad Schneider has withdrawn his endorsement of Illinois gubernatorial candidate Daniel Biss after concerns emerged about the candidate’s running mate’s stances on the United States’ relationship with Israel. In a Facebook post Sunday night, Schneider said that he was ‘surprised’ to learn that Biss’ running mate, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, a Chicago alderman, was a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. … During their recent convention in Chicago, the Democratic Socialists of America, which Ramirez-Rosa joined in March 2017, passed a resolution in support of the BDS movement against Israel.” Full story.

FOR YOUR RADAR — “Heitkamp to hitch a ride with Trump on Air Force One,” by POLITICO’s Burgess Everett: “President Donald Trump is giving Heidi Heitkamp far warmer treatment than he gave Claire McCaskill. The president will host Heitkamp (D-N.D.) on Air Force One on Wednesday as they travel to North Dakota for Trump’s event on tax reform, suggesting that Trump won’t attack the vulnerable Heitkamp as he did similarly imperiled McCaskill in Missouri last week. Heitkamp told reporters that she opposes some of the tax policies the Trump administration has been floating, like taxing 401(k) accounts, but that she’s been in regular contact with chief economic adviser Gary Cohn and other administration officials.” Full story here.

— “Trump campaign urges court to toss out WikiLeaks hack lawsuit,” by Darren Samuelsohn: “President Donald Trump’s attorneys on Tuesday asked a federal judge to toss out a Democratic-driven lawsuit that accuses his 2016 campaign of conspiring with Russian operatives to publish stolen Democratic National Committee information on WikiLeaks. The case, filed in July by two Democratic Party donors and a former DNC staff member, contends that both the Trump campaign and longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone invaded their privacy by working with Russia to disseminate the hacked DNC emails and other campaign files that became an embarrassing but central storyline during the closing months of the 2016 presidential race.” Full story here.

TAKE BACK THE RADIO — Wisconsin GOP attacks Evers with radio ad: The Republican Party of Wisconsin is out with a radio ad attacking Democratic State Schools Superintendent Tony Evers, who is challenging Gov. Scott Walker, for refusing to revoke the teaching license of a man who was found guilty of spreading pornography at school. Listen to the ad here.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “They just came back from a three-week vacation. I think that they should be rested and ready to take on some big challenges that America faces.” — White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders calling on Congress to pass parts of Trump’s agenda.

Original Source link

from CapitalistHQ.com https://capitalisthq.com/menendez-trial-begins/

#TrumpNews #CapitalistHQ.com

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melindarowens · 7 years

Text

Menendez trial begins

With Zach Montellaro, Kevin Robillard and Elena Schneider

Story Continued Below

Days until the 2017 election: 62.

Days until the 2018 election: 426.

Thanks for joining us! You can email tips to the Campaign Pro team at [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].

You can also follow us on Twitter: @politicoscott, @ec_schneider, @politicokevin, @danielstrauss4 and @maggieseverns.

Original Source link

source https://capitalisthq.com/menendez-trial-begins/ from CapitalistHQ http://capitalisthq.blogspot.com/2017/09/menendez-trial-begins.html

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