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dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 1 year

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First to leave was Louisiana, followed by Alabama.

Then, in one fell swoop, Florida, Missouri and West Virginia announced on Monday that they would drop out of a bipartisan network of about 30 states that helps maintain accurate voter rolls, one that has faced intensifying attacks from election deniers and right-wing media.

Ohio may not be far behind, according to a letter sent to the group Monday from the state’s chief election official, Frank LaRose. Mr. LaRose and his counterparts in the five states that left the group are all Republicans.

For more than a year, the Electronic Registration Information Center, a nonprofit organization known as ERIC, has been hit with false claims from allies of former President Donald J. Trump who say it is a voter registration vehicle for Democrats that received money from George Soros, the liberal billionaire and philanthropist, when it was created in 2012.

Mr. Trump even chimed in on Monday, urging all Republican governors to sever ties with the group, brlessly claiming in a Truth Social media post that it “pumps the rolls” for Democrats.

The Republicans who announced their states were leaving the group cited complaints about governance issues, chiefly that it mails newly eligible voters who have not registered ahead of federal elections. They also accused the group of opening itself up to a partisan influence.

In an interview on Tuesday, Jay Ashcroft, a Republican who is Missouri’s secretary of state, said that the group had balked at his state’s calls for reforms, some of which were expected to be weighed by the group’s board of directors at a meeting on March 17. He denied that the decision to pull out was fueled by what the organization and its defenders have described as a right-wing smear campaign.

“It’s not like I was antagonistic toward cleaning our voter rolls,” Mr. Ashcroft said.

Shane Hamlin, the group’s executive director, did not comment about particular complaints of the states in an email on Tuesday, but referred to an open letter that he wrote on March 2 saying that the organization had been the subject of substantial misinformation regarding the nature of its work and who has access to voter lists.

Defenders of the group lamented the departures, saying they would weaken the group’s information-sharing efforts and undermine it financially because of lost dues. And, they said, the defections conflict with the election integrity mantra that has motivated Republicans since Mr. Trump’s defeat in 2020.

Republicans haven’t always been so sour about the work of the coalition, which Louisiana left in 2022.

It was just last year that Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida mentioned the group’s benefit to his state, which he described as useful for checking voter rolls during a news conference announcing the highly contentious arrests of about 20 people on voter fraud charges. He was joined then by Cord Byrd, Florida’s secretary of state, a fellow Republican who, on Monday, was expressing a much different opinion. In an announcement that Florida was leaving the group, Mr. Byrd said that the state’s concerns about data security and “partisan tendencies” had not been addressed.

“Therefore, we have lost confidence in ERIC,” Mr. Byrd said.

Representatives for Mr. DeSantis, who is considering a Republican run for President, did not respond to a request for comment.

Mr. LaRose, in Ohio, also had a stark shift in tone: After recently describing the group to reporters as imperfect but still “one of the best fraud-fighting tools that we have,” by Monday he was also calling for reforms and put the group on notice.

“Anything short of the reforms mentioned above will result in action up to and including our withdrawal from membership,” Mr. LaRose wrote. “I implore you to do the right thing.”

The complaints about partisanship seem centered on David Becker, a former Justice Department lawyer who helped develop the group and is a nonvoting board member. Mr. Ashcroft said he didn’t think that Mr. Becker, a former director of the elections program at the Pew Charitable Trusts who has vocally debunked election fraud claims, including disputing Mr. Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, should be on the board.

Mr. Becker is the founder and director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, another nonpartisan group that has been attacked by election deniers.

“There’s truth and there’s lies,” Mr. Becker said on a video call with reporters on Tuesday. “I will continue to stand for the truth.”

Mr. Hamlin vowed that the organization would “continue our work on behalf of our remaining member states in improving the accuracy of America’s voter rolls and increasing access to voter registration for all eligible citizens.”

While some Republican states are ending their relationship with the group, California, the nation’s most populous state, could potentially join its ranks under a bill proposed by a Democratic state lawmaker. But in Texas, a Republican lawmaker has introduced a bill with the opposite intention.

Still, Sam Taylor, a spokesman for Texas’s Republican secretary of state, said in an email on Tuesday that “We are not currently aware of any system comparable to ERIC, but are open to learning about other potentially viable, cost-effective alternatives.”

New York, another heavily populated state, is also not a member of the group.

Seven states started the organization more than a decade ago. It charges new members a one-time fee of $25,000 and annual dues that are partly set by the citizen voting age population in each state. The Pew Charitable Trusts provided seed funding to the group, but that money was separate from donations that it had received from Mr. Soros, according to the website PolitiFact.

Shenna Bellows, a Democrat who is Maine’s secretary of state, said in an interview on Tuesday that the group had been particularly helpful in identifying voters who have died or may no longer live in the state, which became a member in 2021.

“We have a lot of Mainers who retire to Florida for example,” Ms. Bellows said.

Ms. Bellows called the recent defections “tragic” and said that her office had received several inquiries from residents who had read criticism of the group online.

“Unfortunately, this move by our colleagues in Florida and elsewhere to leave ERIC in part because of misinformation being spread by election deniers deprives all of us of the ability to effectively clean our voter rolls and fight voter fraud,” she said.

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noandneuron · 2 months

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Some of Noel's fans always claim that he doesn't care about Liam or isn't jealous, so either they're blind and really think that or they just want to convince themselves that this is the case cos these are also the kind of people who always try to discredit Liam and try to claim he's not important, because they're bitter and jealous that Liam is more popular and successful. But anyone who has been following Oasis for years and doesn't suffer from short term memory, should know that Noel's attitude changed a lot when Liam launched his solo career. It's clear that it affected Noel a lot, at this point he suddenly was always wearing sunglasses in interviews, so that people wouldn't see his true feelings/his eyes when asked about Liam etc. He became really bitter and vicious and for example he slagged off Richard Ashcroft cos he was chummy with Liam and doing a collab with him etc

And that’s very true.

The Richard Ashcroft thing is a good reminder and although there’s no e.g. interviews for us to know about Noel’s opinion on LGJS yet, that podcast (last December) could be an early sign:

- Presumably if he (Squire) makes an album with rkid they’ll go on the road and obviously they’ll be doing lots of oasis songs so he’ll have to simplify his playing somewhat.

- Or just do new solos.

- Well I wouldn’t be too pleased about that… I might have something to say about that… ‘You’re playing your moody blues over my britpop rock who the hell you think you are.’

It’s already interesting to see how he’s mocking Squire as he’s actually one of his early idols. And it makes it even funnier as Liam and John turned out to include no oasis or stone roses songs right from the beginning. The fact the Noel was automatically assuming Liam to play oasis songs tells something.

Unfortunately I haven’t been in the fandom long enough so still trying to catch up with everything. But I’m a firm oasis fan and happened to get along with and talk to people on both sides (Liam’s and Noel’s fans). Interestingly they share a lot of similarities in what they say and think. I’m not so sure about that jealous part since I believe they tend to see the Gallagher they’re supporting as more successful. But they definitely love to discredit their opposite side (Liam/Noel and their fans). To us it might be unreasonable to ignore that bond between them even during the worst times. But I reckon they rather prefer seeing them as independent.

#ask

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hobbitfalls135 · 10 months

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The Case Files of Jeweler Richard Light Novel Volume Five Review

So...this is going to be a little different than usual. I am going to go through my opinions on this novel by chapter. Spoilers ahead!!

Case 1: Citrine Undaunted:

I'm really glad that they went more into depth with Shimomura and Seigi's friendship. It was interesting to see Shimomura point out the fact that Seigi didn't call him by his first name (Haruyoshi). Of course, it was when Shimomura was leaving for Spain for flamenco guitar studying. He just sprung that on Seigi out of nowhere, it reminded me of when Seigi just up and left to search for Richard in England. I thought that that actually made sense for him since he was always carrying that guitar around.

Shimomura also knows what's going on with Seigi and Richard and he even tried hinting that to Seigi. And, like the lovable, oblivious idiot Seigi is, he has no idea what his friend is talking about.

I had spoiled myself a bit with TVTropes.com, but now I can finally say I know who the heck Maya is. Great character and I really hope I get to see more of her.

It's good to see Richard and Seigi practicing Seigi's English. Maybe he will actually be able to understand the others when he goes to England again. Probably.

Pretty short case, but was enjoyable and I finally know who Maya is.

Case 2: A Visage in Sardonyx:

Mr. Homura is finally getting married! Three times the charm I guess. Poor Seigi wants to stay far, far away from him so he doesn't accidentally get in the way. Again.

Sweet Home Alabama with Mr. Otomura. I quickly read this case once he mentioned that his unrequited love was his stepmother.

Richard telling Seigi that he could invite Tanimoto to the store was actually pretty sweet and we all know that she's only going to care about the gemstones cause she's an aro/ace queen.

Mr. Otomura is onto something as well cause he just straight up asked Seigi if he and Richard are dating. We all know that they will be, but first Seigi has to stop being oblivious.

Another shortish case, but I hope that we eventually get the scene where Tanimoto ends up visiting the shop.

Case 3: The Majesty of Zircon:

Yay! More Saul scenes! Plus the backstory of Saul and Richard meeting! It was really great to see what Richard was like before meeting Seigi and after his fallout with his family.

Monica is another great character and I'm really glad that she was able to get out of the arranged marriage she was a part of. What kind of horrible family would try to kill someone with acid? It makes me glad that I never had to live in a country where marriage practices are like that. Anyways, I'm glad that Saul took her in and that she's going to be able to have surgery to help her face.

Richard trying to get back the tiara that Monica had gotten from her father was really sweet, and thank God Saul managed to find Richard before that creepy director guy took him back to his hotel room.

Jeffery definitely deserved that punch from Richard when he basically told Richard that he gaslighted Deborah's entire family and Deborah herself to break off the marriage. Start of villain Jeffrey~

At the end of the case, Saul also knows what's going on with Richard and Seigi. And, once again, Seigi is oblivious.

I really loved this case cause I love a good backstory.

Case 4: The Grace of Peridot:

Chieko is finally brought into the story and surprise, surprise! Her daughter is Mr. Homura's soon-to-be wife! The backstory with Chieko and Catherine plotting to make sure Catherine and Ashcroft do not get back together and Chieko is able to return to Japan is basically the same in the anime, it just goes a little bit more into detail in the novel.

I love how Mr. Homura invites both Richard and Seigi to the wedding and the two of them arrive together. Even the owner of the sushi shop next door to the shop thinks that Richard and Seigi are together. And, again, oblivious Seigi.

This case was really good as well, right up there with the fourth case.

Case Extra: Andalusite on Christmas Eve:

Henry wished Richard a Merry Christmas! I'm glad that everything that happened in England is slowly getting resolved.

Loved the ending where it was just Richard and Seigi bantering back and forth. They're just so adorable.

Really short case, but enjoyable!

Case Extra: Tiger's Eye Look Back:

This one was only seven pages long, but it still has oblivious Seigi, Seigi still thinking Richard is beautiful, and more training in English.

Extremely short, but still good!

All in all, really good light novel, and now I have to wait until November for the sixth one! And that means three more months until Seigi's biological father comes into the scene. I will not be putting the book down once it arrives.

#case files of jeweler richard #nakata seigi #richard ranasinghe de vulpian #light novel five spoilers #light novel five

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mariacallous · 2 months

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Texas can enforce a law requiring age-verification systems on porn websites, the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled Thursday. The appeals court vacated an injunction against the law's age-verification requirement but said that Texas cannot enforce a provision requiring porn websites to "display health warnings about the effects of the consumption of pornography."

In a 2-1 decision, judges ruled that "the age-verification requirement is rationally related to the government's legitimate interest in preventing minors' access to pornography. Therefore, the age-verification requirement does not violate the First Amendment."

The Texas law was challenged by the owners of Pornhub and other adult websites and an adult-industry lobby group called the Free Speech Coalition. "We disagree strenuously with the analysis of the Court majority," the Free Speech Coalition said. "As the dissenting opinion by Judge [Patrick] Higginbotham makes clear, this ruling violates decades of precedent from the Supreme Court."

A US District Court judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the law in August 2023, finding that "Plaintiffs have shown that their First Amendment rights will likely be violated if the statute takes effect, and that they will suffer irreparable harm absent an injunction."

But a few weeks later, the 5th Circuit issued a temporary stay that allowed the law to take effect in September 2023. The new ruling issued last week was on the merits of the preliminary injunction.

Court Cites Magazine Precedent

The 5th Circuit, generally regarded as one of the most conservative appeals courts, found that the Texas porn-site law should be reviewed on the "rational-basis" standard and not under strict scrutiny. The court panel majority pointed to Ginsberg v. New York, a 1968 Supreme Court ruling about the sale of "girlie" magazines to a 16-year-old at a lunch counter. The Supreme Court in that case upheld a New York criminal obscenity statute that prohibited the knowing sale of obscene materials to minors.

The same principle applies to the internet, the 5th Circuit majority found. "Because it is never obvious whether an Internet user is an adult or a child, any attempt to identify the user will implicate adults in some way... To suggest protecting children would be so difficult is inconsistent with Ginsberg, where rational basis review was sufficient even though adults would presumably have to identify themselves to buy girlie magazines," the ruling said.

As Santa Clara University law professor Eric Goldman wrote, the 5th Circuit "panel majority claims the 56-year-old Ginsberg opinion, which dealt with offline retailers, governs the Conlaw [constitutional law] analysis of the Texas law instead of the squarely on-point 1997 Reno v. ACLU and 2004 Ashcroft v. ACLU opinions, both of which dealt with the Internet."

In his dissent, Judge Higginbotham said the majority's attempts to distinguish Ginsberg from later rulings "are unconvincing." Although "Ginsberg remains good law and indubitably recognizes the government's power to protect children from age-inappropriate materials," the Supreme Court "has unswervingly applied strict scrutiny to content-based regulations that limit adults' access to protected speech," he wrote.

The Texas law "limits access to materials that may be denied to minors but remain constitutionally protected speech for adults," Higginbotham wrote. "It follows that the law must face strict scrutiny review because it limits adults' access to protected speech using a content-based distinction—whether that speech is harmful to minors."

Section 230 Analysis Flawed, Professor Says

The 5th Circuit panel majority found that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act does not preempt the Texas law. Goldman called the decision "another entry in the Fifth Circuit's increasingly unstable Section 230 jurisprudence."

Goldman said that judges seem to be saying "that the age authentication mandate only regulates the services' conduct, and thus it doesn't impose liability for third-party content... However, fundamentally, the statute imposes liability for services for publishing third-party content to underage viewers, and Section 230 clearly should apply to that aspect."

Goldman expects this case or similar ones to reach the Supreme Court:

This opinion will be appealed to the Supreme Court, alongside other cases over statutes imposing mandatory age authentication. The pro-censorship forces have been angling for an opportunity to challenge Reno v. ACLU and the COPA [Child Online Protection Act] caselaw, hoping that the Supreme Court will forget or overturn that precedent. This highlights the stakes of this and the other cases on their way to SCOTUS: do the foundational Constitutional law principles that have fostered the Internet's success over the past 25+ years still apply, or have the rules since changed and opened the door to rampant government censorship? The Internet's fate–and perhaps the fate of free speech in our country–hangs in the balance.

The Texas law also creates privacy problems, Higginbotham wrote in his dissent. It "prohibits commercial entities and third parties performing age verification from retaining identifying information, but the bill imposes no burden on governmental entities nor 'any intermediary between the commercial websites and the third-party verifiers' to do the same. Simply claiming that the 'age verification preserves online anonymity' does not make it so," he wrote.

Platforms Could Be Sued by Texas AG

In the meantime, the Free Speech Coalition said that "platforms that do not implement age verification measures will be at risk of prosecution by the Attorney General, as has been the case since the Fifth Circuit stayed the preliminary injunction last September."

The law applies to websites in which more than one-third of the content "is sexual material harmful to minors." Those websites must "use reasonable age verification methods" to limit their material to adults.

The one bit of good news for websites that challenged the law is the 5th Circuit's finding that the requirement to display health warnings about pornography "unconstitutionally compel[s] speech" and cannot be enforced.

"The warnings declare the potential harm of minors' engaging with pornography, and they do so in a noticeable fashion—in a way likely to discourage minors from using and adults from allowing their children to use the websites," the court wrote.

Government bodies seeking to restrict commercial speech must show that the restrictions will alleviate a harm to a material degree. Texas failed that test, the court said: “Because Texas has not made such a showing, we adopt the approach recently taken by the Ninth Circuit: '[C]ompelling sellers to warn consumers of a potential 'risk' never confirmed by any regulatory body—or of a hazard not 'known' to more than a small subset of the scientific community—does not directly advance' the government's interest.”

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vespersposts · 2 years

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heyyy!! hope you’re doing well. for the ask game, how about aomine??

-parisa 🪐

Baby Parisa hi!!! 🍬

I am so happy to have you on my blog. It has been quite a hectic time and now I have a new exam session coming up, but…. One step at a time I will get through it! How are you doing? I hope you had a great break!

🍸Now watch me losing dignity !!! 🍸

Breathe in/out, let's go!

👍 Favorite thing about him:

Everything. If I'm honest, the thing I like most is the arc of his character development, so dramatic but also so powerful. I like that he is seemingly a self-centered menialist and then turns out to be a heart of gold, I like that he is protective and so absolute in his feelings, that he has half a problem admitting his limitations and defeats. Linearity and clarity: what you see is what you get. [ What you see is also very pleasant to see, let's face it].

👎 My least favorite thing about him:

A character trait that I also hate about myself and that is that when we get to the edge, we tend to shut everything out and store up discomfort. Come here Daiki, let's take a nap.

🗣 Favorite line:

Nobody says 'Tetsu' like him.

🤝 brOTP: I like very much the dynamic with Kise and Taiga, i think he gives is best when provoked. And obvs Kuroko, but to me it's more a crush than a bromance.

🫶 OTP: me. In order: Taiga, Kise ad Kuroko.

🤌 nOTP: Contrary to the issue of replace plus, and Akashi's remark (sorry Sei!) I don't think he and Momoi could have a flirt, first of all because he doesn't decide. Satsuki is certainly not a stupid that gets dragged around. I believe, from personal experience, that when you spend so much time taking care of someone you see them as asexual, even if it's Aomine. He knows her well and cherishes her for sure, but again, he has some difficulties in proper love language and even if he realizes he has feelings i don't think he'd ever put himself between Momoi and Kuroko.

🫣 Random headcanon:

This big boy wants so much attention and so many compliments to get he is your one and only! He enjoys annoy you by telling you how many beautiful girls have been eyeing him. Not only on the basketball court, but he is so sly that he has to show you social media notifications, too. Do you go out? Surely he will downplay it, waiting for you to point it out just to remind you your luck.

What a tease!

👩🔧 Unpopular opinion: He's not a martyr. He's a young man that grows facing his demons, becoming my demon ( here an article that really says everything I think)

👨🎤 A song for him:

I have a full playlist! Thinking about what i said before I'd go with this one "A song for the lovers" by Richard Ashcroft, that talks about mistakes and moving forward to compromises even if you are in doubt. [Can't you see/ oh/I'm moving like a train/ into some foreign land/That you got on/A ticket for this ride/ but I will].

🤳 Fav. photo:

My favorite ones are fanart by friend artists, but if i have to choose a more 'classical' one i'd say this one, it makes me laugh.

#vreplies #tellvesper #get to know me #tumblr games #vesperwrites #knb #kuroko no basket #the basketball which kuroko plays #knb scenarios #knb kuroko #knb games #aomine daiki #aomine #aomine daiki headcanon #knb aomine #aomine imagines

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thebandcampdiaries · 7 months

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A Brandon presents: ”Everywhere In Between”

A collection of ten songs, which swiftly combine various eras and genres into a catchy, yet emotional formula.

Indie songwriter A Brandon, has recently released his debut full-length album, "Everywhere In Between."

This remarkable studio effort marks the artist’s foray into the scene, combining modern indie rock aesthetics with a nostalgic touch of the 1960s and 1970s, creating a sound that's organic and warm, highlighting the natural dynamics of each instrument and performer. Still, the production retains a crisp, contemporary edge to it, making it very immersive and aurally intricate. In addition, this is a very personal album to the artist, as it explores the artist's journey dealing with degenerative behavior resulting from a lifelong AVM (Arteriovenous Malformation) diagnosis, leading to non-convulsive auditory seizures. While he was able to control the seizures via medication, sadly the behavioral pattern led to negative habits and substance abuse, ultimately causing the breakdown of an engagement.

With ten original tracks, this album takes listeners on an emotive journey through a range of themes and musical styles, in relation to A Brandon's direct experience. Let’s dive deeper into this release, song by song!

youtube

The album opens with the captivating track "Everybody's Working To Better Their Lives." It begins with an immersive piano intro that draws you in and sets the tone for what's to come. Right off the bat, A Brandon's voice is a standout feature, offering a unique blend reminiscent of artists like Five For Fighting, Richard Ashcroft, and The Fray. Having said that, his personal touch makes direct comparisons futile, as he managed to carve his own identity with his singing style and lyricism. The marching drum groove in the verse adds depth, and the song later breaks out into a full-band arrangement with an indie rock vibe, creating an exciting and dynamic start to the album.

The second track, "Don't Think Twice," shares a title with Bob Dylan's iconic song but takes a much different musical direction. It's a refreshing blend of indie-rock with a spicy synth part and a hefty distorted bass that adds a driving force to the mix. This is one of the album’s best tracks, and while the track is very direct, there are many complex layers bringing so much to the sound.

"Prime Time" follows as a mid-tempo indie ballad with prominent drums and a beautiful organ-like keyboard sound that tips its hat to bands like Arcade Fire and Kasabian. The song's contemplative nature and melodic arrangement make it a standout on the album.

"Salty" brings new sounds to the album’s flow. The song introduces a soothing and understated acoustic guitar, making for a more organic vibe. The arrangement, however, doesn’t stay solely acoustic as the song gradually builds up. Overall, this track is an excellent example of "less is more," as the addition of drums, bass, and brass instruments transforms the track into an unexpected sonic palette, bringing interesting creative choices to the table without necessarily going over the top.

"Somehow You Get Me" maintains a mellow yet dynamic atmosphere with acoustic guitars and a minimalistic array of percussion and ambient synth tones. It's the perfect song to enjoy on a sunny day with the car windows rolled down, embracing the open road, and it stands out as one of the album’s brightest, most upbeat tracks!

"Everyone's A Critic" is another stand-out moment on this release. The song offers an ironic commentary on our social media-driven society, where likes and followers have become a form of social currency. As the lyrics go, sometimes you just “Have to Shout,” as it is becoming increasingly difficult to actually be heard in a world where everyone feels like their opinion matters most. The syncopated drum beat and the way the song smoothly transitions into the chorus create an engaging ambiance. The acidic and gritty guitar solo in the bridge has a Beatles-like flavor to it. It provides a striking contrast to the otherwise mellow track.

"Mr. In Between" takes a surprising turn with a reggae/dub rhythm, adding an indie twist to the genre. This unexpected shift demonstrates A Brandon's versatility as an artist. The track is somewhat reminiscent of artists such as Jason Mraz or Jack Johnson but more on the indie side of things rather than embracing an outright commercial tone.

"Imagine You're Lost" is a track that feels like one of the most introspective and heartfelt songs on the album. The tune’s immediate focus on the main vocal hook, paired with a vibrant arrangement featuring a bouncy bass line and locked-in acoustic guitar, makes it an emotionally resonant track. The song’s initial fade-in makes for a really emotional introduction, which bleeds into the rest of the track.

"Death's Deciding Fist" combines sparse drums and percussion with hypnotic acoustic guitars and a driving bass line. It's a very personal song that reminds us of our human vulnerability and the importance of making the most of the time we have.

Last but not least, the album's title track, "Everywhere In Between," serves as a perfect curtain closer. This sparse piano-driven ballad with a mesmerizing flavor brings Coldplay and Keane to mind, delivering a final emotional punch to wrap up the album.

To conclude, A Brandon’s ambition was amply rewarded in” Everywhere In Between.” In this day and age, when most artists are focused on pushing singles and shorter EPs, it can be a massive undertaking to release a 10-track album, let alone make sure it’s such a high-quality piece of music!

Follow A Brandon: @afullglassofbrandy

#indie rock #indie pop #alt-pop #melodic #Spotify #Youtube

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kitewithfish · 11 months

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Wednesday Reading Meme June 28, 2023

What I’ve Read The Witch King - Martha Wells – I think I had some user error with this one – I read the first third one day and got sidetracked and ended up reading the rest in a fugue stress state while waiting anxiously for something – not a good approach. I like Kai and the world build here is actually very interesting – the central mystery is engaging. The structure and some components of the stories definitely show Wells’s appreciation for Mo Dao Zu Shi (Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation) but it has some divergences that make it a stand alone story. Some thematic elements that crossed over are the dual timelines of the novels, the main character’s general cheerful demeanor, the element of breaking a social taboo being crucial to their social acceptance, and some body switching!

Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites – Evan Dorkin – I think I liked this volume better than the first one I read, and this is actually the first in the series. Shorter sections, a big more goody, slightly different cast, an artist I preferred for the animals – overall, a really pleasant read.

Nimona - ND Stevenson – A good book! I was a victim of overhype here, I had heard about it so much that I had formed some opinions before going in, but that was a mistake. I generally think that this was a pretty fun story with a really honest core about the emotional cost of being deliberately hurt by people. I’ll read more by Stevenson.

Podcasts – I am FINALLY getting to the good stuff in the fourth and final season of Wolf 359. It’s rare for me to go into something really totally unspoiled but here I am!

What I’m Reading: The last unicorn by Peter S. Beagle -19% - I really thought that there would be filler in this book or things I didn’t recall, but nope, I have a very solid (if unordered) memory of all the elements of this book. I am deeply enjoying the re-read. The Count of Monte Cristo – 45% Getting into the swing of the revenge plot! Our vengeful lead is in Paris causing marital strife for the Danglars family by means of horse sales. Kristeva Powers of Horror – 24% This book makes sense for no more than three sentences at a time, then I am just thrown back into the confusion of a person who Does Not Believe in Freud. The King in Yellow 25% -static – The next story up for me would be In the Court of the Dragon

What I’ll Read Next Book Club – This is how you lose the time war

Library Books The way home : Peter Beagle. Fun home : a family tragicomic Alison Bechdel. Beasts of burden : occupied territory Evan Dorkin Neighborhood watch Evan Dorkin The spear cuts through water Simon Jimenez. Horror : a very short introduction Darryl Jones. The artist's reality : philosophies of art Mark Rothko Helpmeet Naben Ruthnum. Nimona Noelle Stevenson. Into the riverlands Nghi Vo. Unnatural magic C.M. Waggoner.

Libby Books Neon Gods A Substitute Wife for the Prizefighter The Bromance Book Club

Owned and need to read: California Bones, Raven Song by IA Ashcroft, Kraken's Sacrifice by Katee Robert, Even Though I Know the End by CL Polk, At The Feet of the Sun by Victoria Goddard, Tamryn Eradani's Enchanting Encounters Books 2 and 3, Like Real People Do by EL Massey, Tom Stoppard, Invention of love, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty, "You Just Need to Lose Weight" and Other Myths about Fatness by Aubrey Gordon, Alisha Rai Partners in Crime, the Right Swipe

#wednesday reading meme

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queerinthestacks · 1 year

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Email [email protected] to oppose library censorship by 12/15

The Missouri Secretary of State, Jay Ashcroft, son of George Bush’s John Ashcroft, has proposed a rule to promote book bans and denying funding to libraries. Missouri is organized such that the State Librarian is within the Secretary of State’s purview, so state funding of libraries is ultimately within the SOS’s control. Ashcroft has proposed a new rule, 15 CSR 30-200.15, that does a number of things include forbidding libraries from acquiring any books that “appeal to the prurient interest of any minor” and empowers parents to use the library to deny access to resources minors. It’s pretty clear that this is all just another far-right attempt to ban books about minoritized people, whether they’re black and/or queer. Please, if you can, submit your feedback in opposition to the proposed rule to [email protected] by December 15th when the comment period closes. Here are some links, and I’ve included my email message (I don’t think its that great, but in case it might be helpful...) links:

Feedback wanted for proposed rule to challenge library books in Missouri as ‘age inappropriate’

Missouri Secretary of State Ashcroft proposes rules for library books

OPINION: Missouri wants to control libraries’ contents: What’s your opinion?

New Proposed Rule Impacting Missouri Libraries

The rule itself

My example:

Hello: I am writing to express opposition to the proposed rule 15 CSR 30-200.15. My first concern is the poorly defined scope. What does it mean for a material to "appeal to the prurient interest of any minor". Does Romeo and Juliet appeal to the prurient interest of a child? What about the Song of Solomon in the Bible? Is romance in Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White verboten? What about books on biology? 1.B is so vague it would either be unenforceable or be absurdly broad. The context of this proposed rule is important to consider. It is coming during a time when there are increasing attempts to limit people's access to information and silence people. This is largely the work of radical groups such as the Proud Boys which have targeted libraries, schools, and even hospitals. There has been a dramatic increase in book challenges not because books have suddenly become worse, but because of a Christian Nationalist, far-right movement that seeks to outlaw anyone who isn't like them and any fact or belief in opposition to their ideology. The book challenges are exclusively targeting books featuring characters that are either not white or are not straight. Regardless of the rules intention, the reality is that its outcome will be empowering people seeking to discriminate against minorities and protected classes of people. Why enable discrimination? Finally, this proposed rule is, quite simply, a violation of Americans' fundamental right of privacy. Ultimately this rule proposes increasing state surveillance of Americans. For all these reasons I am opposed to the adoption of 15 CSR 30-200.15. Thank you for your attention

#books #book ban #book banning #censorship #libraries #public libraries #missouri #15 CSR 30-200.15 #Jay Ashcroft #LGBTQ #anti-censorship #anti-lgbtq #call to action #book challenge #librarianlife #librarian

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ashcroft-writes · 1 year

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Some Traditional Duros Music

Ok, so like, every now and again while I'm writing, I'll conjure a headcanon that I love TO DEATH which greatly affects everything I do, yet find absolutely ZERO ways to indulge in it in the story.

So come with me down this path, plz. PLZ. I will otherwise surely perish.

Picture: long ago, you belong to the ancient Duros people, who have aspired to travel the stars since they first looked up and beheld the majesty of the galaxy. Mere generations past, the ships that could traverse your system gave way to hyperspace-capable craft, your people finally unlocking how to access the vast, glittering void beyond your star. These are incredible, dangerous voyages of exploration, to chart the great unknown and find resources, phenomena, and most thrilling of all, other people out there, ones your legends of old said would exist, though you could never be sure. You could only dare to dream. Being bold, resourceful, hardy, and adventurous became the signs of the highest character, so you might lift your kingdoms to greatness in this incredible new era and flourish in a new Republic you will eventually go on to help build.

Massive vessels launch, needing enough cargo space and technology to sustain journeys to places you barely understand, a people hoping their bravest might return with large holds of riches and knowledge. Some of these ships will never come home. They're still so new in the grand scheme of things. They're complex beasts, genius inventions, requiring great timing and skill from their crew.

Music is an incredible way to keep time. To keep the crew engaged. To pass the hours, to tell your stories, to keep spirits high.

So what I'm saying is:

Duros space shanties.

Duros Space Shanties!!!

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

#star wars #duros #headcanon #gunslinger's paean #ashcroft has opinions

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filmmakerdreamst · 4 years

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‘Boy Meets World’ Re-watch (as an Adult)

‘Girl Meets World’ doesn’t count as a sequel. Not because of the writing/tonal choices but because in the original show - despite continuity issues - the characters felt like real people e.g. the way they spoke/acted/dressed was the way people behaved in the 90s where as in the spin off, they were Disney characters e.g. hyper versions of themselves especially Cory and Eric. And the transition between both shows didn’t come naturally. It’s not an objectivity badly written show but it was pretty much a re-do of the old show with the same storylines/tropes without continuing the story. (I say the same thing about ‘The Incredibles’. vs ‘Incredibles 2’.) Also there were too many cooks in the kitchen pushing one way or another. You could see Micheal Jacobs style, all the aspects were there, but he was also creating a ‘DISNEY’ show at the same time. I don’t know about you but the one message I took from the original show was ‘finding out that life cannot be packenged into a lovely little present ’ which kind of contradicts everything that the new show is. If anything GMW is an AU universe (and it really felt like that, rewatching it right after BMW e.g. it felt flipped) almost like Disney’s version of ‘what happened next?’ The primal difference between both shows is BMW is portraying what is real and GMW is based on what is real.

Going off my point, I will however be always thankful that it exists because I probably wouldn’t of found out about ‘Boy Meets World’ otherwise. Although saying that, I never thought that the original show needed a continuation of any kind (a lot of things make sense about the spin off if you acknowledge that Disney requested it - I think it would of been much better off on its original platform) ‘Boy Meets World’ was very much a product of its time i.e. when tv shows were still relevetivley new and had no rules - like there is stuff in there that not even adult shows today have. Plus there was something about it that felt very personal (such as the characters and setting) as if the creator based it on his own childhood growing up and I think that was part of its charm and why it had such a big effect on pop culture - I’m not so sure you can repeat that.

BMW is big on meta I’ll tell you that. I love how it’s so aware of itself. The amount of depth that it has never ceases to amaze me. It’s whole universe is so dense and huge. Every quote/storyline is so unique it sticks in your brain forever. (I swear the humour got more and more deranged every season). The show was also incredibly queer and progressive. It didn’t give a crap about sexuality. Much more than I remember. Proof to never use ‘but it was made in the 90s’ excuse.

I loved how the show kept reinventing itself every season as Cory grew up so you really felt you were growing up with him and all the characters. The Character Development on this show was so natural/authentic. Every single character got a chance to shine. No one changed their look in one episode and no one had an intervention every time someone had an identity crisis (GMW) My favourite development was Shawn Hunter. He went from a cool kid to a ladies man to a poetic soul. It was so satisfying to watch.

I realised that Cory Matthews is actually my favourite character (before it was Eric or Shawn) I already have a special soft spot for ‘annoying’ characters because they tend to be the most memorable/real. For example, Karma Ashcroft from ‘Faking it’ was my babe while everyone was hating on her. I really related to his anxiety/self hatred about being average and I loved that he constantly made mistakes. It was very refreshing. He’s also incredibly queer-coded. I found that alot of his mannerisms make sense if you see him with extreme compulsory heterosexuality (because identity’s such as bisexual or gay couldn’t exist normally in the 90s) There are moments in the show where he literally mimics his best friend’s behaviour around girls e.g. when the class pretty much gets brainwashed by the sex ed video in ‘Boy Meets Girl’ Shawn gets asked out by a girl, making Cory jealous - which pushes him to ask out Topanga.

It’s funny how a few years of life experience can change perspectives completely because when I was sixteen (aka the same age as Cory and Topanga) watching BMW for the first time, I was mad at Amy for ‘not understanding that they were in love’ (in ‘A Walk to Pittsburg’) but now that I’m older I’m actually agreeing with her. Yeah, what do they know about love? Because all season long they were acting quite superficially.

Cory and Topanga became somewhat of a toxic couple in seasons 5 -7. Reminded me of my parents relationship because my mum gave up her chosen university to be closer to my dad and they aren’t together any more. Topanga’s love for Cory was very conditional and Cory cheated on her multiple times/openly begged for sex (Again like my parents) And you should never be in a relationship with someone who makes you say “You make me think not so very much of myself” There are arguably much more signs of emotional abuse than love in their relationship especially from Topanga’s side. Plus their story was altered so many times to give it more basis (they retconned Shawn and Cory’s friendship to do this) I could write an essay on how Kevin and Winnie’s love story on ‘The Wonder Years’ is much more believable because it actually addresses how toxic it was and they grow apart in the end. If GMW was a realistic continuation, they would be divorced with a little girl - leave them in the 90s where they belong.

Alan and Amy were couple goals! Cory and Topanga wish that they could have what they have. Literally the definition of ‘a healthy relationship on tv that keeps thriving and over coming obstacles without big drama’. Best TV parents ever.

I loved the Matthews family; how they all had individual arcs and developments of their own. One of my favourite arcs was in season 5, when Eric and Cory were both jealous of what they ‘didn’t have’ with their dad, so Alan made an effort to give them both that they needed. Honestly, I had never seen so much healthy communication on TV before. Alan is the best father around. His whole personal arc of giving up managing a supermarket because he wasn’t passsionate about it anymore and buying a mountain store was so inspired. I found it funny that the family had more of a relationship with Shawn than Topanga.

Shawn Hunter never caught a break. It got a bit tiring. He was never allowed to be happy for five minutes. Every time he laughed or smiled, 5 years were added onto my lifespan. Why didn’t Johnathan Turner adopt him? I loved their dynamic. Why did he let him go back to his abusive father who just dumped him anyway?

Jack and Shawn’s complicated dynamic was possibly the most unique/interesting arc of the entire show and no one talks about it. I don’t care what y’all say - despite them being very different, Jack was the only one who fully took care of Shawn without second thoughts (Turner and the Matthews family had doubts)

I liked Shawn and Angela. I thought they were much better suited than Cory and Topanga. I honestly wouldn’t of minded if they ended up together even though I always had a feeling they wouldn’t. (Like I’m glad she went with her dad in the end) And considering how important they were as a interracial couple in the 90s, GMW handled that very poorly.

Shawn and Cory should of ended up together. And before you come at me with ‘it’s important to have m/m friendships without toxic masculinity’ (which is an important arguement to have) - yeah no shit there’s an entire Industry based around that/pitting women against each other. While it is important to have those friendships between men that are close and even intimate (take Chandler and Joey, Schmidt and Nick, Isak and Jonas and Jake and Charles for example) there was also another layer to their relationship which the narrative played off sometimes as them “going out” or “in love”. I actually recently found out that a writer - who came into the show in season 3 - confirmed that she wrote gay undertones into their relationship on purpose ‘In my opinion as a writer, they thought they were “straight”, they both didn’t realise or understand their feelings for eachother’ but couldn’t deliever because the producers wanted to keep the show “kid friendly”. Kind of like Xena and Gabby. I know people prefer Jack & Eric (I love them as well) but everything got ruined for me as soon as they introduced the ‘love triangle’ and I always tend to prefer emotional tension over sexual. They were just so unconditional with each other/ their friendship was so good and healthy and now I’m so bitter that it never happened.

I never understood why Shawn and Cory had to stop being best friends after he got married. He’s not Topanga’s property. I always hated how Topanga tried to interrupt/interfere with their dynamic — although now I realise it was because the two of them purposely left her out. Looking back at it, If it really was just a intimate friendship then why would she get so easily jealous if she didn’t sense there was something else deeper going on? You should never marry someone who puts you second.

I didn’t like Topanga when she was with Cory (or vice versa) Especially after they got married. She was a great character on her own. Feminist before her time. Hermione Granger before her time. I always felt she deserved a lot better than him in a way e.g. if someone I considered a friend speard a rumour around high school that we slept together - I would never speak to that person again. SHE SHOULD OF GONE TO YALE GOD DAMN IT. And as someone pointed out the other day, if the roles were reversed some of the stuff she does or says to Cory would be considered domestic violence. ‘She’s always blaming Cory on shit that isn't even his fault or makes him feel bad or shuts down his emotions and turns it around so he's comforting her instead.’ There was even a moment in GMW (not that I consider that show a continuation) where she locks him out the house for a few days after he insulted her chicken, and his son Auggie had to bring him spaghetti. If Cory was a woman, that would not be played off as a joke - that would be considered abuse. They were however a better couple in GMW ironically.

Angela Moore is now one of my favourite characters on BMW. She was beautiful. Her friendship with Rachel (and Topanga) was the best. And I frickin’ loved her and Cory’s friendship development - when they could of easily not played into that. I hate that she got villiaized in GMW.

My favourite seasons are 4, 5 & 1. My least favourites are 3 & 2 & 7. And even then the show was still pretty darn good.

The back and fourth clash between Turner and Mr Feeny in season 2 was very entertaining.

Mr Feeny and Eric are my favourite relationship on ‘Boy Meets World’. I love how Eric was the only person that Feeny directly told that he loved him. Also, why didn’t Eric become the new Mr Feeny? He showed more traits of becoming a teacher in the show than Cory did.

Eric and Tommy was probably the most heartbreaking plot line in season 6. (That season was an emotional train wreck) I cried for a fourth time. The world doesn’t deserve him.

I loved the development of Shawn and Topanga’s friendship. Even though there was a silent competition over Cory, they eventually became good friends. I found out that the song ‘She will be loved’ was inspired by them which is awesome but it’s also proof that people ship for less if it’s an m/f dynamic - just sayin’. I however see a more convincing potiental romance with the two of them than Cory and Topanga sometimes.

On Cory and Topanga again - they weren’t a bad couple overall. I liked them in s1 - 3. They had some great moments. But upon my rewatch (getting out of that 90s idealised headspace) I found them to be too similar at times - chafing as another person put it - to the point where they cancel each other out. A lot of people pointed out that Riley and Maya paralleled them and I was thinking “That’s not nesserily a good thing.”

‘Dream. Try. Do good.’ is on my mantelpiece.

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zsweber-studios · 3 years

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Since coming out to my parents, they’ve been amazingly kind and understanding about me and the person I am. Our relationship has grown, at least in my opinion, and I’ve felt that I can speak to them far more as a fellow adult, and less as their son.

However, there are times when they ask me how I found out I was Aro/Ace, and I falter a bit. I waver and waffle, talking about this and that, and they seem to understand, but it’s never the true answer. It’s never the true explanation for how I realized that maybe I wasn’t what I thought I was, and I don’t know that if I could explain it to them that they would understand.

I found out I was Aro/Ace because of Nick Ashcroft, my ‘self-insert’.

Nick has been designed--either consciously or not--to be a reflection of my views of myself onto a character. He’s generally a kind person, but not very nice, struggles with depression and self-loathing, and can trace a lot of his trauma back to a quest he took seven years ago when he was eighteen (if you’re a Mormon, you likely know exactly what I’m referring to). But one of the things I wasn’t expecting was for Nick, and the creation of Nick, to teach me things about myself I never knew.

The first part was in imagining his story arc. I do this with all of my characters, imagining what their total life story would be like, and how to weave that progress into a narrative. For a while, this also included a rival that would turn into a love interest down the line...but it never felt right, it never felt like it fit. Some part of me argued that we needed to make it fit, because he was the protagonist, and the protagonist needs a love interest--until one day I woke up and asked myself, does he?

It started making me question a bit more about how I viewed protagonists, and romance in stories, and whether those subplots are important or not. And that started making me reflect on myself. But the real kicker and what opened my eyes wide on myself and my identity was in selecting Nick’s playlist.

A lot of the songs for Nick are punk-rock anthems from when I was going through middle school--songs about depression and the struggles of life that are written in a way to try and pull you out of the darkness you’re in--but a lot of the other songs for him are intimately connected with his relationship with his brother. Out of all the relationships in the story, his relationship with his brother is the most important, as it is tied with that quest, and the grief and heartache it brought on.

A while ago, I shared this playlist with a friend, and they came back to me saying how much they’d enjoyed it. I told them about the character it was for, and they started asking about who his lover had been that he lost. I was a bit...confused? It was only later that I realized that half the songs on the playlist are songs about break-ups, or romance in general.

The concept as a whole had totally flown over my head. Where everyone else was hearing a song about two lovers and the messiness of their separation, I was hearing in my head the anguish of brotherly love that had been betrayed and broken, and the grief of feeling like you don’t belong in the place you once grew up.

And I started thinking about all the other ‘romance’ songs I’d loved when I was younger, and how the concept of love, or sex, or anything the intention of the song as written never clicked for me--I enjoyed the idea, of course, but the emotion of the songs for me were far more the desperation, the grief, the joy, the warmth, than any feeling of love or romance.

And that, finally, made me question what romance was to me, and if I even wanted it in my life.

I see my sister, with her boyfriend, so happy and in love and loving each other, and I’m happy for her. I’m not jealous. I don’t wish for a relationship like hers--or a relationship at all. I’ve found what makes me happy, and it’s all thanks to these characters that I’ve been making for so very long.

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sdhqsecrets · 3 years

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opinions on current aurors and aurors in training?

oh wow, you really know how to narrow it down, don’t you ??

Chase Sayre has mostly stayed under the radar so far but we can’t wait until you’re in the spotlight. Maybe we’ll have some fun with you next, what do you say ??

What a secret you kept from everyone, Miss Arquette, and from your own husband too. We’d happily have drinks with you deary, just as long as you’re not pregnant again !!

Teddy’s all mopey and angry now. We’re sorry about the news we had to break to you but Vic was never gonna tell. We just wish we could put a smile on that handsome face.

Carrow seems almost too focused on bringing her parents down. What are you gonna do when daddy-dearest is back in prison ??

I wish I could say more about Felix Hopkirk but he’s yet another to stay under the radar but, dear, we know something you don’t know !!

How is it that half of our aurors are either under the radar or mopey ?? We know you kept a secret Frankie but we thought you had more backbone than just letting your sister walk away.

I do love me some Fred Weasley especially when he spent half of NYE trying to start a party of his own. Can we get an invite next time ??

James is finally staying out of the center of the drama but we don’t know if we like that very much. You wanna throw yourself back in the ring, sweetheart ??

How could ever say no to a face like Manon Flamel’s ?? We do know that she likes to say no. Certainly never said ‘I do’ anyway and we do love a woman with a scandalous past.

How’s the wife Marcus ?? We’ve just been dying to meet her, is she ever gonna join you in the UK ?? That might make life more interesting ...

We do no your secret, Nicholas, but we’d love for you to be a bit more interesting without our help.

Our newest trainee, Scorpius Malfoy. I must say the badge suits you and you have had the most ... dramatic change in recent months and we do love drama.

Oh dear, dear Tobias. Or do you prefer Xavier now ?? You are a little mopey too but I guess you always have been. Have we jogged your memory at all yet ?? We only want to help.

One sibling a healer and the other an auror, you Notts are really trying to make up for some bad bad deeds, aren’t you Verity ?? We must say though, we do love a woman in uniform. We do hope you don’t have any problems working with your boyfriend in future. We’d hate for there to be drama.

The most interesting thing about William Ashcroft is that he came back from the dead. After that ?? Nothing. Will you get your butt in gear please ??

#sdhqsecrets #answered #Anonymous #scorpius malfoy #manon flamel #marcus carson #nicholas vexmoor #william ashcroft #james ashcroft #verity nott #fred weasley ii #frank longbottom #evelyn carrow #chase sayre #edward lupin #clara arquette #felix hopkirk

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quarantinemusiccalendar · 3 years

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Day 251: The Verve - Forth

The Verve may very likely be the band that holds the record for breaking up the the most. As of writing this in late 2020, they have split 3 times now.

And The Bittersweet Symphony may be their biggest hit and also their biggest pain, given the royalties issue that took over 20 years to settle (Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have eventually given up their share of the song and gave it to Ashcroft in May 2019), but in my opinion the best record of The Verve is not the one with The Bittersweet Symphony on it. Urban Hymns (1997) is a very good album. But I would argue that Forth (2008) is even better.

Forth, as well as many of Ashcroft’s solo albums, is also a window into a creative mind dealing with issues. Having nearly ended on anti-depressants in my early thirties and getting away with a doing “therapy only“ for few months myself I did have a taste of the sort of dark place Ashcroft’s songwriting is coming from. I know the swings between ecstatic creative and dark paralyzing episodes. In this scenario, creativity can come from an euphoric place full of joy and energy or even from a dark melancholic place where you shut the world off, but your senses are so sharp and focused that you can come up with something dark yet brilliant. On this album, the best illustration of the state of mind first mentioned is Love Is Noise. Sit and wonder or Numbness on the other hand have a kind of energy about it, that makes me think it’s coming from the latter one. Both beautiful songs, but very very different. And then there are the truly paralyzing periods of dark deep sadness where, in the best case scenario, one only wants to melt into the background and not be anymore. And to be honest, without these mental conditions a lot of great art work and music would never even exist. I don’t want to glorify it in any way. It truly sucks when you’re dealing with it and it depends a on what specific condition it is. But whereas some disorders are only crippling and destructive, other ones, a bipolar disorder for example, can come with a period of heightened creativity or sharpened senses as side effects. My point is, that many great works of art would probably never even came into existence without the mentally altered minds of their creators. So at least something good comes out of it. Sometimes. Valium Skies and Appalachian Springs may be also reflections of experiences of mental health issues, but these are coming from a good place of calmness and confidence.

Musically, the record sounds totally like The Verve we know from the 90s, yet at the same time it’s more confident, consistant, streamlined and elegant. And the fact that it’s also less raw and a bit more polished my be a bit detrimental, but it is to be expected. It would be quite weird and even suspicious if musicians didn’t get better at their craft with age.

Love Is Noise is an addictive dance - rock epic. It’s full of hooks and over spilling with energy, yet it’s a comment on the destructiveness of human encroachment and a warning that once we lose something, it's gone forever.

Although they are individually very distinct and very different, Rather Be, Columbo and Valium Skies could have come from the Urban Hymns (1997) record. They would fit right in. Ashcroft’s anthemic instincts melt beautifully with guitarist McCabe’s experimental streak to be greater than the sum of their parts. In that, they are typical Verve songs. (1)

Valium Skies is a love ballad and it’s about living with depression as well. In an interview with BBC Steve Lamacq, Richard Ashcroft explained this song: "The term Valium Skies has been in my mind for 10, 15 years. You get them all over the country but back home, up North, sometimes that grey, grey, grey cloud seems so low you can almost touch it and, but it was also a metaphor for depression and it's about being with someone who recognizes almost where you can go, how dark you can go but still is with you. He's in a band and he knew every time when you're breaking down, you know. 'When it comes to my Valium skies, she don't mind if I cry,' and I think that's a test of any relationship, I think, and really I was trying to get that across, I think. It's one of them songs that you first hear and then after a couple of listens it, the chorus had me for about a month after we recorded that. I was just, I couldn't get it out of my mind and it, yet it doesn't seem like an obvious single song or anything and again good playing by everyone, great guitars and good work." (2)

Rather Be is a statement against the constant information overload we’re living in and the human need to live “in the moment”. The song was apparently way more experimental and psychedelic at an earlier stage of the process, but at the end it was decided to put the more song-like version on the record. But I am really curious, how did it sound like. It may not be a constant hit, but have a feeling I would like it better.

The musical highlights of the whole album are easily Colombo and Appalachian Springs. Colombo is a shoegazing epic with a shamanic guitar line and a hypnotizing beat. Appalachian Springs is an atmospheric giant with wonderful guitar swells. And it’s one of the best songs The Verve has ever recorded.

Someone has summed the record up in one of the user reviews saying “It’s a great album, but it won’t be anyones favourite.“ And I do agree. But I would also add “who cares“. It may not be my favourite album of the decade, but it’s a good one and it’s totally worth listening.

youtube

Happy Monday, relax and enjoy.

Album highlights: - Love Is Noise - Rather Be - Columbo - Valium Skies - Appalachian Springs

Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3bB5lH7

Links and references: - The Verve - Wikipedia (1) P. Stokes (14 August 2008) The Verve – ‘Forth’ review. NME. (2) Valium Skies by The Verve. Songfacts.com

#the verve #richard ashcroft #lockdown #quarantine

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winifrvd · 4 years

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— 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐉𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒

pinterest. statistics. references.

basics.

full name: winifred anneliese james nicknames: freda, win, anything you want really age: 20 birthday: march 18, 2000 astrology: pisces sun, virgo moon, pisces rising major: computer science positive: kind, forgiving, loyal negative: naive, insecure, guarded

about.

click here for winifred’s full bio. tw: domestic abuse, death, suicide attempt

winifred’s father comes from old money, and her mother was a housemaid working for his family. he fell in love with her and his family cut him off when they found out. they were young and in love so they eloped and moved to a small village by the seaside. i put brighton for the sake of putting a town down, this is subject to change if i find a town that better suits the vibe i’m going for.

her father was pretty impulsive n fiery. he was the youngest son and prone to making decisions he didn’t really think through, and his marriage was one of them. he grew up with a silver spoon his whole life and he didn’t realize how hard it was and how much he would miss it when he got cut off. he becomes alcoholic and abusive toward freda’s mother

when she’s twelve, she finds out that her father dies driving drunk. her mother still loved him and really spirals after this. she gets really depressed, and even though she can make it to work most days, winifred and her younger sister, francesca or chessy for short, basically raise themselves after that.

freda has photographic memory and is tagged as gifted at a pretty early age. she does well academically and is granted a lot of opportunities that she wouldn’t otherwise have had because of teachers who recognize her potential. they encourage her to do extracurriculars, to enter competitions, etc

she gets into ashcroft on scholarship and decides to study computer science even though what she really wants to do is study art history. if she was allowed to pursue what she wanted without thinking about the consequences it may have on her family, she would wanna be an art museum curator who lives by the seaside and paints on her days off tbh

she’s incredibly gifted and well-read, but she has crazy imposter syndrome. she doesn’t feel like she belongs in the imperium society at all like she thinks the only reason she does well is because she knows how to memorize, but that’s just not true. she’s articulate and critical, she always has something interesting to contribute, even if it’s just her opinion.

she’s a very talented computer scientist, and she participates in hack-a-thons and won first place at the fall hacks ashcroft has. also, the summer after she graduated she interned at a company and helped develop an app to promote women’s safety and prevent rape or assault. the company got really big after this app, so i imagine her involvement is how she got in the society. or at least how she thinks she got in the society

winifred’s pretty torn up about octavia’s death. she and octavia weren’t super close or anything since i would imagine that they only really got to know each other during the second semester and while lysander was with octavia, but winifred really did admire her. i’d imagine that she never saw octavia’s “bad” side per se; i’m under the impression that she can be slightly manipulative and volatile and i feel like winifred was never close enough to see that.

to her, octavia was always just someone who was full of life and bright and stuff. it doesn’t feel real to her that she died. she also never believed that lysander was guilty. she just doesn’t look at him and see a murderer.

when octavia started showing up, she was honestly pretty invigorated by the implications. lysander’s not guilty, and she’s always known that. she’s not righteous about it, but it does change things because before she couldn’t really justify doing anything about it when everyone so clearly thought it was lysander. now she actually could help look into other possibilities without feeling like she was being disrespectful to anyone.

of course that doesn’t change the fact that people will still think it’s disrespectful, but winifred thinks she’s justified and she doesn’t think any of this is a coincidence or a prank. she loved octavia, and she loves lysander, so she can’t just sit by and do nothing when the signs are this clear

fun facts.

always smells of lavender. she has sprigs of it tucked everywhere, in her pocket, in her purse, on her desk, between notebooks.

she has a rubik’s cube on her desk that she is perpetually solving then scrambling. she’s probably done this hundreds of times, and it’s like her own fidget cube. she doesn’t mind people messing it up or trying to solve it on their own, but it’s just something she does if she’s sitting around or trying to take a mini break. she’s also painted her rubik’s cube so it has prettier colors

she sketches a lot. she sketches in the margin of her notes, but she also has a sketchbook. she sketches her mother, her sister, hamlet, othello… romeo. so many of romeo. if you’re sitting across from her and she thinks there’s something interesting about you, she’ll start sketching you, even if she’s supposed to be studying.

would’ve wanted to become an artist if she could absolutely do anything she wanted, but doesn’t believe she has the right creativity for it. she would’ve wanted to work at an art museum where she could literally just spout facts about different art movements or different artists, but is pressured by her desire to provide more for her family to pursue cs instead

she really enjoys arts and crafts because she likes the idea of self-expression through art: she likes embroidering things, she’s done pottery once and did a little thing to keep her pens, she likes calligraphy/bullet journaling, she paints a lot of things (her phone case, laptop case, the aforementioned rubik’s cube)

she’s fluent in french, spanish, and russian. she took a couple of language classes for fun because it comes a little bit easier to her

a big believer in stretching and meditating in the mornings. she usually takes this time to just clear her head and think about what she needs to do for the day

her favorite thing to do when she’s near any body of water is skip rocks. once she got it to skip eight times. yes it’s her proudest accomplishment. yes she jokes it’s why she got in the imperium society.

winifred’s got a thing about wishing on coins and throwing them into fountains. there’s a small fountain on ashcroft (is this allowed? i made up this fountain) that she can often be found at with her eyes closed, hands clasped around a silver coin, a whisper of a wish on her lips.

a pineapple pizza WARRIOR

she loves an underdog. her favorite male character of all time might be cameron in ferris bueller. he is her KING. she loves sidekicks. she thinks they’re sweet and needed and overlooked too often.

always sings mindlessly when she’s baking or doing chores or whatever, it’s only nice because her voice is quite sweet

her style is conserved and comfortable, simple pieces that are feminine, mostly muted colors. an absolute slut for turtlenecks. wears a pair of white sneakers that are worn to death but in a cute and charming way where you know she knows how to love things long term. is always wearing a necklace her sister got for her as a graduation gift, a delicate gold chain with a snowdrop engraved in a circular pendant, on the back are chessy’s initials (f.j) so she is always with freda

winifred doesn’t wear that much makeup but she usually doesn’t leave her room until she’s put at least a touch of concealer (to cover those dark circles babey), some brow gel, and a pretty pink lip stain that she’s probably been using since high school. classic no makeup makeup kind of gal

really enjoys 70s and 80s music. her parents used to play it when she was younger before everything turned to shit and they’d dance in the kitchen and sing while making dinner. her mother had the prettiest voice.

some favorites:

flower: snowdrops

movie: about time

book: a tree grows in brooklyn

season: spring

fruit: nectarines

#my love. my girl!#spectreintro #is that an actual tag? idk anyway #also the way i spent all of yesterday evening and this morning preparing myself for rejection..... JSAKDJA

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