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palestinegenocide · 1 month

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Israeli genocide is ’embarrassing’ Biden, at last

The Biden administration’s disgraceful policy on Gaza is finally becoming a crisis. Brushing a genocide under the rug only works for so long. The world is appalled, and the Democratic Party base is appalled, and Biden is taking steps– rhetorically anyway– to try to distance himself from a policy of murderous recrimination he has underwritten since the October 7 atrocities.

First at the State of the Union Speech on Thursday night Biden criticized Netanyahu during a post-speech handshake with Colorado Senator Michael Bennet.

“I told him, Bibi, and don’t repeat this, but you and I are going to have a ‘come to Jesus’ meeting,” Biden said. Then alerted that he was being recorded, Biden said, “I’m on a hot mic here… Good. That’s good.”

And outside the Capitol, demonstrators held banners saying “Biden’s Legacy Is Genocide.”

Then yesterday Biden went further. He gave an interview to a loyal Democratic Party journalist, Jonathan Capehart of MSNBC, and said Netanyahu “is hurting Israel” in the eyes of the world.

He has a right to defend Israel, a right to continue to pursue Hamas but he must, he must, he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions being taken. He’s hurting– In my view he’s hurting Israel more than helping Israel by making the rest of the world — It’s contrary to what Israel stands for, and I think it’s a big mistake. So I want to see a ceasefire. Starting with a major, major exchange of prisoners. For a six week period. We’re going into Ramadan, there should be nothing happening.

This may sound good—to those who are idealistic about Israel maybe, like Senator Bennet – but how does it sound to any one who cares about Palestinian human rights? More than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed, the overwhelming majority civilians, in actions of pure rage and collective punishment. And as Biden was quick to assure Capehart, “I’m never going to leave Israel. The defense of Israel is still critical, so there’s no red line I’m going to cut off all weapons.”

As Mitchell Plitnick wrote on our site of the increasing Israel-critical rhetoric from the Biden administration, it’s so much “theatrics.” The policy hasn’t changed at all, and it won’t even if the Good Cop Benny Gantz is at Israel’s helm, as Kamala Harris and Biden seem to prefer.

Biden could shut Israeli actions down in a minute. But he will only do lip service to the progressives because the Democratic Party elites are still committed to Israel. Several Congresspeople brought Israelis to the State of the union Speech, including Los Angeles Congressman Brad Sherman, who issued a statement of unqualified support for Israel’s slaughter of Gazans, in defiance of progressives, who are trying to “muddy our national discourse.”

As anti-Israel forces attempt to penetrate and muddy our national discourse, President Biden’s robust defense of Israel will serve as a powerful reminder to the many families of American and Israeli hostages who will be present for tonight’s Address, as well as to the world, that America’s bond with Israel stands unbroken, and our commitment to its right to exist remains unwavering.

And that guy represents Malibu and Studio City and Pacific Palisades! So screw the progressives.

Even NPR is telling us that Biden can’t walk away from the Jewish community politically, even if his base wants him to. Senior Editor Ron Elving:

Netanyahu has taken Israel in a particular direction that is not necessarily popular among American Jews, but which has alienated many people in this country in the Biden administration and elsewhere. And as a result there is a difficulty here that is really insurmountable for the Biden campaign.

While the New Yorker reminds us that Biden has not only the ability to cut off military aid to Israel, but he is required by law to do so, so long as it is preventing humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. But he won’t do it. And it’s “collective punishment,” says Isaac Chotiner, and an embarrassment.

The idea that we’re giving massive amounts in aid to a country that is refusing our request to allow humanitarian assistance through so we have to airdrop food is embarrassing.

Embarrassing. That’s what we’ve come to. The superpower is embarrassed by its client state’s ongoing massacre of Palestinian civilians that shows no signs of stopping. The President is having to explain himself and distance himself from the Israelis.

I suppose we should be grateful there’s a political crisis at last. Though we are a long way yet from an honest examination of Zionism and its roots in the Jewish community and American policy.

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pawborough · 3 months

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Hey all!

First off, I want to disclose with full transparency that I’ve had a pretty severe case of “long Covid” for the better part of a month with a co-morbid case of bronchitis and a general throat infection. This put a lot of things out of whack and I do apologize. I got hit with the "tri-power beam."

Without getting into the weeds on details, I had three scary hospital visits and a bedbound holidays, which greatly impacted my ability to work with the team and did set us back. I’ve since mostly recovered, but I still have a nasty cough, a general wheeze, and cannot use my full voice. I believe this may unfortunately end up impacting my breathing for the rest of my life, but hey I'm still kicking!

Please stay safe, sanitary, and wear protection around other people.

Full disclosure! This also impacted my ability to address this earlier, and to give updates, but after recovering I took some time to speak with people and conduct research.

After speaking with experts, we’ve decided that our best course of action is to refund all previous raffle tickets and instead conduct the contest as a free sweepstakes!

There seemed to be conflicting information on our best steps forward, and at times we had experts who gave us conflicting advice or weren't certain, so we decided it was best to not base any further action on uncertain information.

What does that mean for you? If you previously purchased a ticket, you will be refunded within 24 hours. If anyone attempts to purchase tickets, they will immediately be refunded and given a note to the sweepstakes.

Overall, we do apologize for this flip which we are at fault for. My sickness in general made it more difficult to tend to these things earlier and I realize that is quite inconvenient. Thank you so much for your patience.

Onto the re-host!

Prizes

For 1st place, the winner will get everything included in the Design an Accessory tier! Valued $600 at time of purchase

This reward comes with all of the unlimited tiers available on our Kickstarter IN ADDITION to an Early Bird key! All of which includes the following:

X1 Early Bird beta key

X1 Beta key

X2 Luna Stones

X1 Beta (fauna)

X1 Phantowl (fauna)

X1 Toshi (fauna)

X1 Featherbeau (fauna)

X1 Kitsugi (fauna)

X1 Protogear (accessory)

X1 Creeping Thicket (accessory)

X1 Necromantic Cloak (accessory)

X1 Iridescent Trail (accessory) X1 Gilded Helm (accessory)

X1 Sacred Scepter (accessory)

X1 Electra Crest (profile decoration)

X1 Orchard Crest (profile decoration)

X1 Angelic Crest (profile decoration)

X1 Demonic Crest (profile decoration)

X1 Opalescent Fountains (backdrop)

X1 Onyx Composites (backdrop)

X1 Moonstone pool (decor)

X1 Obsidian Sentry (decor)

In addition, this reward provides the opportunity to design an accessory* which will be available onsite at launch! The winner will receive x10 copies of their accessory, as well as their name credited in the flavor text.

*As explained in our campaign: this is a collaboration with our art team, meaning the final design illustration will be at the discretion of our team, and revisions from the winner will be limited.

For 2nd place, the winner will receive a Monarch Bundle! Valued 80$ at time of purchase

This reward comes with all of the unlimited tiers available on our Kickstarter which includes the following:

X2 Beta keys

X2 Luna Stones

X1 Beta (fauna)

X1 Phantowl (fauna)

X1 Toshi (fauna)

X1 Featherbeau (fauna)

X1 Kitsugi (fauna)

X1 Protogear (accessory)

X1 Creeping Thicket (accessory)

X1 Necromantic Cloak (accessory)

X1 Iridescent Trail (accessory) X1 Gilded Helm (accessory)

X1 Sacred Scepter (accessory)

X1 Electra Crest (profile decoration)

X1 Orchard Crest (profile decoration)

X1 Angelic Crest (profile decoration)

X1 Demonic Crest (profile decoration)

X1 Opalescent Fountains (backdrop)

X1 Onyx Composites (backdrop)

X1 Moonstone pool (decor)

X1 Obsidian Sentry (decor)

Lastly, all who enter will receive x1 free Romanovtsa* as consolation for entry.

*Only x1 allotted per person regardless of ticket number.

The Romanovtsa is a common fauna which is not meant to give those who enter a significant advantage over those who don’t.

How to Enter

Fill out this Google form with the necessary information.

That’s it! No purchase necessary for entry!

This time around, users may only enter once per individual. You do not need to be a backer to enter.

To be transparent: Much like most anonymous events, we cannot stop you from proxying with a second email address for yourself, but we want to ask you to upkeep an honor system in fairness to other users.

Dates

The sweepstakes start today 01/09/24 and will end next month 02/09/24 at noon EST!

After which, all remaining attempts at entry will be considered null.

Good luck!

Can I Still Financially Support the Project?

We’ve gotten this question a few times, and for now simply donating to our PayPal and telling your friends about us is the best way to support. We’ll look into support bundles in the future!

Unrelated Check In

Lastly, I want to fill in on where we are with Longhairs!

Unfortunately, I got sick basically right before the final sprint to get them to the creator. Our goal now is to have them this month as we make up for the lost time, but once again I do apologize. It is frustrating beyond belief that this happened in the middle of work!

We’re doing our best to catch up now. I got put really out of commission and it's quite regrettable for a small team. But we're bouncing back!

This next official check in, we'll be discussing dedicated alpha and our plans for the year. Lots of exciting things as we go into this new year!

Thank you!

#kickstarter update

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tashas-cauldron-of-magic-soup · 18 days

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Hello I have come here poke you

So I remember you wanted to introduce 2 character here? Or am I entirely confused (I come here to ask basically to give you an excuse to talk about them kjsdflakdj)

I have been wanting to introduce four all together 😭

So I've been working on making a D&D character of every class that I can plug and play into any campaign, rather than having to make a new one every time. And I want to make them all in BG3 eventually.

Kazimir is the ranger I made for said purpose, and also one of my favorite OCs I've ever made. Hence, he's my "main" Tav. Arcangelo is my bard for that reason, as well. I made Angel not long after Kaz, which is why he's also been introduced already.

However, I have four more who aren't quite as fleshed out, but I'm getting there! They are as follows;

Desdemona Araviir (top left) Seldarine Drow - Cleric of Light - Follower of Eilistraee Valerian Carthana (top right) Half-Drow - Warlock of the Archfey - Patronage of Queen Titania Sylleth of House Xethiri (bottom left) High Elf - Divine Soul Sorcerer - Blessed of Corellon Sir Mordred Vervaine (bottom right) Abyssal Tiefling - Oath of the Watcher Paladin - Follower of Helm

Desdemona was raised by her father, Kalanath, after he escaped Menzoberranzan with her as a toddler. He had been following Eilistraee for years in secret. As such, her birth heralded that Eilistraee would protect their passage to the surface, since she was born with the same silver hair and silver eyes of the Dark Maiden. He treasures her more than life itself, and she grew up in the Church of Eilistraee with the goal of leading her own shrine someday. Valerian is the only child of a Silver Hair Knight and Underdark escapee, Nyloth Carthana, and his human wife, Cateline Burke. He was once an apprentice wizard at Blackstaff Academy with research interests in the Feywild. Until he unwittingly slept with a fey, Liege-in-Waiting Lark of Titania's court. The Queen rewarded him with her patronage since Lark took such as liking to him. He was promptly expelled from Blackstaff after that and works as an adventurer for hire with his newfound powers. Sylleth of House Xethiri is a High Elf noble and Divine Soul sorcerer from Evereska. They are a homebrew third elven sex from the D&D campaigns I play in called a Cormiira, or a Blessed of Corellon. Sylleth is a Su-Cormiira, meaning he was born with female anatomy but underwent male puberty. They're seen as holy in elf-majority society, since Corellon originally made elves to be hermaphroditic. It was Lolth's convincing that caused elves to split into male and female. So the Cormiira are considered blessed by Corellon to embody what elves once would've been. Sylleth's sorcery comes from their connection to the god, hence Divine Soul (I know that isn't in BG3, shh) Sir Mordred Vervaine comes from a long line of Paladins of Helm, and also a long line of Abyssal tieflings (also not in BG3, rip 😭). He is a member of the Watcher's Hand, or essentially the planar FBI. He specializes in responding to extraplanar messes that need to be banished to their original realm and quit interfering with the Material Plane.

#I really tried to be as succinct as possible here but I have so many thoughts #my own OCs give me constant brain rot #I'll write up proper character profiles for them someday when I actually have time #but anytime I mention the four names above you now have an explanation of who on earth I'm talking about #I also play Valerian in a Dungeon of the Mad Mage campaign and he's so bbygirl #I haven't gotten to play the other three yet though #Kazimir I'm currently playing in a Curse of Strahd campaign and he's currently hunting vampires and hating life #oc:desdemona araviir #oc:valerian carthana #oc:sylleth xethiri #oc:mordred vervaine #bg3 #dnd #bg3 tavs

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naddpod-encounter-tourney · 1 year

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Heart of the World:

Campaign finale!!!!

The Titans of Boobs travel to the Court of Gods to fight Thiala!

Hardwon does 297 damage in one turn and a total of 1,082 damage through the entire fight, and he did miss a round or two from being knocked out. He also gets to fight Galad for a third time.

Bev takes on his Elder Champion form and at one point bonus action casts revivify on Hardwon. It’s gorgeous.

Handy Andy is used to free Erlin from the necklace on Thiala’s neck.

Balnor wrecks some angels and it’s honestly dope as all hell.

Moonshine turns berserkers into elephants and has pixies cast fly on the elephants. Emily says to Murph “If you want to leave me, I’ll understand” when she conveys this plan. Later, she uses Shapechange to turn into a gold dragon and eats Thiala.

Once the fight is over, they return the divine heart to Telaine and Melora. Alanis, the Traveler from the future, returns and takes Balnor back to his timeline.

Hardwon gets to talk to his dad and moves to the Crick, Moonshine gets to take custody of a dragon, and Bev gets to enjoy being a kid again.

They return to Moonstone for a Jamboreen, and read Balnor’s contingency letter. Our story then ends where it began, and the Hungry Trout Tavern.

Crown of Dreams:

The Duck Team races back to the Crick to track down the missing members of the Old Folks’ Circle!

Glen made his escape from the Time Out Tree with assistance from a grenade, which Callie assumed was the one she gifted to Cooter (Glen’s father).

After some investigating at Eloise’s (member of the OFC) stump, they see some suspicious tracks that lead them to Cooter’s stump at the edge of town.

In Cooter’s stump Frogson and Holmes find Glen’s old room, and his various journals. He had wanted to be a ranger captain by 50 and Peepaw of the crick by 100. [Fool.] He had books on Moonshine and Marabelle, and he idolized them. He had a note from Meemaw saying “we will not rain arrows down from our towers. we will always shine a light.” in response to him suggesting they go to war. They also discovered letters to Eloise and determined that she walked from her stump and was a co-conspirator.

The Duck Team was then met outside by Cooter, apologizing. He sent them into a trap, where Glen was waiting with the trapped Old Folks, the Evil Old Folks, and Meemaw (also trapped). After attempts that incapacitated most of the Duck Team, Glen attempted to wrench Ultrus from the helm while Calder was unconscious. Calder resisted.

Sol fell unconscious, and rolled a nat 1 on a death save (very on brand for caldwell). Callie got polymorphed into a nannerfly. Seeing this through a vision in his helm, Calder offered his body to Ultrus in exchange for the giant saving Callie and Sol. Calder just wanted to be useful. "Perhaps you have a giant's heart after all, Calder Kildé."

After slamming Glen against a wall, Ultrus caused the corrupt Old Folks to flee, and he, Callie, and Sol stood at an impasse. Calder apologized to his friends and Ultrus took him away, into the woods.

Glen then revealed that the only being that might be able to help with their problem of the trapped Old Folks was Mawmaw, but that was impossible, as he had sent his mind-controlled father to kill her.

But Cooter, ever the berry boy, used a goodberry to save Mawmaw, resisting the geas spell, causing him to go unconscious. Cooter's action confuse the hell out of Glen, who cannot believe his father would do that, knowing he would likely not survive it, proving his intense misunderstanding of the Crick and of his father once and for all. Callie and Sol helped revive him, and both he and Mawmaw were safe.

#naddpod episode tournament #naddpod #not another dnd podcast #bahumia #ba2mia

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blogsportsnews · 2 months

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Kings' Quest: Los Angeles Charges Forward in NHL Pursuit

In the fast-paced world of professional ice hockey, few teams command the respect and admiration quite like the Los Angeles Kings. With a storied history and a passionate fanbase, the Kings have long been synonymous with excellence and championship aspirations. As the 2023-2024 NHL season unfolds, the Kings find themselves navigating the highs and lows of a grueling campaign, all in pursuit of the ultimate prize: the Stanley Cup. In this comprehensive overview, we delve into the latest news and developments surrounding the Los Angeles Kings, exploring their journey towards success on the ice.

Building Blocks for Victory:

At the helm of the Kings' operations is a seasoned management team led by General Manager, John Smith. Charged with assembling a competitive roster capable of contending for hockey's most coveted trophy, Smith has meticulously crafted a blueprint for success, blending seasoned veterans with promising young talent to create a formidable lineup.

In the 2023 NHL Draft, the Kings bolstered their roster with the addition of standout prospects such as forward Alex Thompson and defenseman Emma Rodriguez. These young stars, alongside established veterans like Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty, form the backbone of a team poised for greatness.

On the coaching front, the Kings made waves with the appointment of esteemed bench boss, Sarah Johnson, as their new head coach. Johnson's strategic acumen and player development expertise have injected new life into the team, fostering a culture of accountability and teamwork that is driving the Kings towards success.

Stay tuned for further updates as the Los Angeles Kings pursue greatness on the ice

Navigating the Season:

As the 2023-2024 NHL season progresses, the Kings have faced their fair share of challenges on the ice. Injuries, scoring droughts, and tough competition have tested the team's resolve, but they have remained steadfast in their pursuit of victory.

Despite these obstacles, the Kings have shown flashes of brilliance, stringing together impressive wins and showcasing their potential as contenders. Whether it's the stellar play of goaltender Jonathan Quick, the offensive prowess of forward Adrian Peterson, or the defensive stalwartness of Drew Doughty, the Kings have proven themselves capable of competing with the best teams in the league.

Off the ice, the Kings have remained active in the community, engaging with fans and supporting charitable causes. From youth hockey programs to initiatives promoting mental health awareness, the Kings continue to make a positive impact beyond the rink.

Looking Ahead:

As the postseason approaches, the Kings are focused on fine-tuning their game and making a push for playoff success. With a talented roster, experienced coaching staff, and unwavering determination, they are primed to make noise in the postseason and contend for the Stanley Cup.

In the end, whether the Kings hoist the Stanley Cup or fall short of their ultimate goal, one thing is certain: their commitment to excellence and passion for the game will continue to inspire fans and leave a lasting legacy in the world of hockey.

Conclusion:

The Los Angeles Kings are more than just a hockey team; they are a symbol of perseverance, dedication, and the pursuit of excellence. As they continue their journey towards success in the NHL, they serve as a reminder of the power of teamwork, resilience, and unwavering determination.

#jacket #nhl #los angeles kings #hockey #ice hockey

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visionwebppc1 · 4 months

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Visionwebppc introduces a game-changing approach to Google Pay Per Click (PPC) management in Los Angeles. Our dedicated team combines innovation and expertise to craft targeted campaigns that resonate with your audience. Elevate your brand's online visibility, drive quality traffic, and achieve unparalleled success with Visionwebppc at the helm.

#visionwebppc - la based ppc company #vision web ppc #best web design agency — visionwebppc #visionweb ppc #visionwebppc review #google pay per click management los angeles #visionwebppc

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womanexile · 9 months

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With Hollywood in turmoil and many industries in upheaval with strikes- TS was bound to get drawn in…

twitter.com/jaleelshaw/status/1681250884477501441?s=20

Um, interesting thread. There are other music peers that were larger than TS who had stronger ties & influence at the time. She tries to lead by example. But at the same time, she has to balance her ties in the industry in order to be effective- play the long game.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_(service)

TIDAL is a Norwegian-American music streaming service, launched in 2014 by Swedish public company Aspiro. Tidal is now majority-owned by Block, Inc., an American payment processing company

TIDAL Artist ownership "During the press conference, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Daft Punk, Jack White, Madonna, Arcade Fire, Alicia Keys, Usher, Chris Martin, Calvin Harris, deadmau5, Jason Aldean and J. Cole were introduced to the stage as "the owners of TIDAL". Eric Harvey of Pitchfork stated of the artists who co-own the service, "These are the 1 percent of pop music in the world right now, these are artists who do not answer to record labels, do not answer to corporations." Lil Wayne joined in 2017, KW left in 2017.

"In March 2015, Aspiro was acquired by Project Panther Bidco Ltd., [Jay-Z helmed company bought streaming service for $56.2 million] which relaunched the service with a mass-marketing campaign, promoting it as the first artist-owned streaming service. In January 2017, SprintCorporation bought 33% of Tidal for a reported $200 million. In March 2021, Block*, then known as Square, agreed to pay $297 million for majority ownership of Tidal. In June, 2022, through the disclosure of the Annual Stockholder Meeting 2022, Block reported that the stake acquired in the Tidal music service was 86.8%.

Block is helmed by Jack Dorsey- former founder of Twitter. Around TIDAL transaction he also donated $10 million to Beyonce non-profit foundation. Also some other issues arose.

peopleofcolorintech.com/articles/did-jay-z-finesse-jack-dorsey-into-buying-tidal/

capitalxtra.com/features/lists/richest-hip-hop-deals/jay-z-los-angeles-mayor-eric-garcetti-and-president-and-chief-executive-officer-of-live-nation-entertainment-michael-rapino/

Jay-Z in 2008 signed a 360 partnership w/ Live Nation [Ticketmaster & Roc Nation (2008) is owned by Live Nation] Deal helped him globally. Other 360 deals- Madonna (LN) & Drake (UMG) twitter.com/RuncieDan/status/1509936617733038084?s=20

variety.com/2017/music/news/jay-z-and-live-nation-200-million-deal-1202423886/

TS Warning: Billboard Woman of the Decade 2019 youtu.be/ZVpkFb9-fts

genius. com/Taylor-swift-the-future-of-music-is-a-love-story-lyrics The Future of Music Is a Love Story [Jul. 7, 2014 Wall Street Journal]

Where will the music industry be in 20 years, 30 years, 50 years?

Before I tell you my thoughts on the matter, you should know that you're reading the opinion of an enthusiastic optimist: one of the few living souls in the music industry who still believes that the music industry is not dying…it's just coming alive

There are many (many) people who predict the downfall of music sales and the irrelevancy of the album as an economic entity. I am not one of them. In my opinion, the value of an album is, and will continue to be, based on the amount of heart and soul an artist has bled into a body of work, and the financial value that artists (and their labels) place on their music when it goes out into the marketplace. Piracy, file sharing and streaming have shrunk the numbers of paid album sales drastically, and every artist has handled this blow differently

In recent years, you've probably read the articles about major recording artists who have decided to practically give their music away, for this promotion or that exclusive deal. My hope for the future, not just in the music industry, but in every young girl I meet…is that they all realize their worth and ask for it

Music is art, and art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for. It's my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album's price point is. I hope they don't underestimate themselves or undervalue their art."

Reputation Poem taylorswiftswitzerland.ch/index.php/wiki/poems/why-she-disappeared-2/

When she looked around, her skin was spattered with ink forming the words of a thousand voices Echoes she heard even in her sleep: “Whatever you say, it is not right.” “Whatever you do, it is not enough.” “Your kindness is fake.” “Your pain is manipulative.”

Sweet Nothing Industry disruptors and soul deconstructors And smooth-talking hucksters out glad-handing each other And the voices that implore, "You should be doing more" To you, I can admit that I'm just too soft for all of it

They said the end is coming Everyone's up to something

Lots of scrutiny- but I wonder if streaming was a topic of business (Dec 2014)? She had removed her catalog from Spotify in 2014 - but came back June 9, 2017

billboard.com/music/pop/jay-z-justin-timberlake-taylor-swift-apartment-why-6406542/

JT was part of group that bought MySpace in 2011 & sold it to Time in 2016

Interestingly she started seeing CH in 2015. (Part owner of TIDAL). So probably had to be a bit careful on streaming stance.

Another factor: SB influence/agenda

businessinsider.com/why-taylor-swift-got-off-spotify-2014-11

usatoday.com/story/life/music/2014/11/07/taylor-swifts-spotify-decision-drives-debate/18634219/

I feel that’s why vinyl is making a comeback. CDs now are kinda outdated which is crazy to me cause I remember when they started. But people use their phone now for everything. But people like to collect vinyls and they cost more than a cd. It’s a shame how little artists make streaming.

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theultimatefan · 10 months

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SlamBall Reveals Team Names, Logos, Rosters and Coaches for Exciting 2023 Relaunch Season

SlamBall, the fast-paced, gravity-defying sport that combines elements of basketball, football, hockey and trampolines, today revealed its eight team names, logos, coaches and seven-man rosters for the League’s relaunch. The mix of standout athletes with basketball, football and track backgrounds will be led by veteran coaching staffs in SlamBall League: Series 6, opening on ESPN July 21 at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.

Three legacy teams – the Mob, Rumble and Slashers – will be joined by five newcomers: the Buzzsaw, Gryphons, Lava, Ozone and Wrath. Each squad is helmed by a former SlamBall player or coach, including Ken Carter, the inspiration for the acclaimed film Coach Carter, who is back with the Rumble, the team that he led to a championship in the initial 2002 SlamBall campaign.

Players were assigned to teams via a draft held earlier this month. With the first overall pick, the Lava selected former Florida A&M basketball standout Bryce Morange (Tampa, FL), who SlamBall co-founder Mason Gordon said, “might be the most complete player we’ve seen in the sport.” With the seventh pick in Round 1, Ozone head coach and SlamBall legend Trevor Anderson called the name of his son, Bryan Bell-Anderson (Sarasota, FL), who previously played defensive back at Columbia University.

“When we look at Bryce and Bryan, they represent high level basketball talent and high caliber football talent coming together in SlamBall, where basketball and football cultures collide,” said Gordon. “We were incredibly gratified to see that on draft night.”

For complete player and coach bios and team logos visit http://www.slamballleague.com.

Of the 56 players drafted, 68% have basketball backgrounds, while 16% played football, 9% were on track and field squads, and 7% participated in multiple sports . The average age of the players is 26.9 years. The tallest SlamBall player is the Ozone’s 6’9” Vincent Boumann (Newberg, OR), a former Western Oregon basketball player, while conversely the Slashers’ Tony Crosby II, a former track star at Grand Canyon University and international slam dunk champion(Inglewood, CA), stands at 5’6”.

“The players selected to compete in SlamBall are a cross-section of the best athletes in basketball, football, track and more,” added Gordon. “They possess the wide variety of abilities needed to excel in our unique mix of several sports that highlights their versatility, speed, strength and skills.”

The logos and color schemes were designed by Gameplan Creative, the Chicago-based branding team that has been instrumental in creating designs for a host of teams, leagues and organizations, including the WNBA and eight of its teams and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Gameplan also created the league logo, unveiled last week.

“The team names and logos are a nod to our history, with the Mob, Rumble and Slashers mirroring the original franchises, and also a reflection of the sport’s exciting future,” added Gordon.

SlamBall recently announced an exclusive, two-year national broadcast partnership with ESPN for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The partnership begins on Opening Night, as SlamBall relaunches on ESPN live from Las Vegas on July 21 from 7-9 p.m. EDT. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+ will combine to air more than 30 hours of live SlamBall programming across five weekends, culminating August 17-19 with the SlamBall Playoffs and SlamBall Championship Game. All games will be played at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, with ticket sales beginning in late June.

The eight teams with coach and player rosters are as follows (draft round in parentheses):

Buzzsaw, Head Coach: Hernando Plannels Malik Abdul-Haqq, Gunner, 6-7, Seattle, WA (6) Jamaal Barnes, Gunner, 6-3, Los Angeles, CA (3) Ralph Bellamy, Gunner, 6-5, St. Louis, MO (4) Michael Kolawole, Handler, 6-5, Rowlett, TX (2) DeVonte’ Pratt, Handler, 6-1, Toledo, OH (5) Tyquan Scott, Stopper, 6-7, Long Beach, NY (1) Raymond Taylor, Handler, 5-10, Wichita, KS (7)

Gryphons, Head Coach: Jelani Janisse Jordan Grant, Handler, 6-3, New London, CT (4) Justin Holmes, Gunner, 6-3, Roseville, CA (1) Connor Hollenbeck, Stopper, 6-6, Ontario, NY (2) KyShawn Jones, Gunner, 6-2, Danville, VA (3) Ermias Kassa, Gunner, 6-5, Aurora, CO (7) Darion Slade, Handler, 6-0, Winston-Salem, NC (5) Adam Stanford, Gunner, 6-4, Fontana, CA (6)

Lava, Head Coach: Josh Carlson Alex Doche, Stopper, 6-7, Rochester, NY (7) Nathanial Harris, Handler, 6-0, Hammond, IN (2) Greg Helt, Gunner, 6-5, Denton, TX (5) Paxton Henry, Handler, 5-11, Prescott, AZ (6) Bryce Morange, Gunner, 6-5, Tampa, FL (1)* Josh Shannon, Gunner/Stopper, 6-2, Louisville, KY (3) Jihad Shockley, Stopper, 6-6, Columbus, OH (4) *overall #1 draft pick

Mob, Head Coach: Brendan Kirsch Dionte Byrd, Stopper, 6-7, Gainesville, FL (7) Darius Clark, Gunner, 6-2, Blue Springs, MO (2) Cameron Hollins, Handler/Gunner, 6-1, Avon, IN (5) Justin Holloway, Handler, 6-1, Columbus, OH (6) Cameron Horton, Handler, 6-2, Jacksonville, AL (1) Brandon Simpson, Gunner, 6-4, Germantown, MD (4) Gage Smith, Stopper/Gunner, 6-6, Elizabeth, CO (3)

Ozone, Head Coach: Trevor Anderson Bryan Bell-Anderson, Gunner, 5-10, Sarasota, FL (1) Vincent Boumann, Stopper, 6-9, Newberg, OR (3) Donavin Byrd, Gunner, 6-6, Jacksonville, FL (7) LaQuavius Cotton, Gunner, 6-6, Cleveland, MS (5) Jordan Jones, Gunner/Stopper, 6-6, Clovis, NM (4) Keenan Love, Stopper, 6-3, Kankakee, IL (6) Keith McGee, Handler, 6-3, Rochester, NY (2)

Rumble, Head Coach: Ken Carter Marcus Bradley, Stopper, 6-6, Highland, CA (4) Bakari Copeland, Gunner/Stopper, 6-6, Decatur, GA (1) Victorious Dean, Gunner, 6-6, San Diego, CA (5) Tamyrik Fields, Gunner, 6-7, Augusta, GA (2) Kaylon Tippins-Hill, Gunner, 6-7, Fort Worth, TX (3) Richard Washington, Gunner, 6-6, Williamsburg, VA (6) JaeTuan Williams, Handler, 6-2, Warren, OH (7)

Slashers, Head Coach: Stanley Fletcher Jr. Tony Crosby II, Handler, 5-6, Inglewood, CA (4) Brian Gentry, Stopper, 6-2, Winston-Salem, NC (7) Naradain James, Gunner, 6-7, Kalamazoo, MI (6) Bradley Laubacher, Gunner, 6-3, Bend, OR (2) Alonzo Scott, Gunner, 6-4, Petersburg, VA (3) Amir Smith, Stopper, Missouri City, TX (1) Matthew Wilkerson, Stopper, 6-7, Citra, FL (5)

Wrath, Head Coach: James Willis Christian Gray, Stopper, 6-6, Riverside, CA (1) Ryan Johnson, Gunner, 5-10, Willowbrook, IL (6) Steven Julian, Gunner, 6-7, Louisville, KY (3) Trey Landers, Stopper, Handler, 6-5, Dayton, OH (4) Ty McGee, Gunner, 6-5, Littleton, CO (2) Nick Parks, Handler, 6-4, Lithonia, GA (7) Shawn Stith, Stopper, 6-8, East Oakland, CA (5)

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biologistblues · 1 year

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I was browsing through the Helm's Angels tag and got curious. How did you come up with Fair Heart's name? Is their full name from an actual religious text or something you made up for the campaign?

I made it up! Along with a decent portion of the Answers book in Helm's library. (For those who haven't seen my specific flavor of bullshit before, Fair Heart's "full" name is "Fair Heart; Answers VI" or "Lies gather the darkness, but a fair heart shines through to all", it sounds better in celestial, they will assure you.)

Think my first storyteller and I started messing with this convention cause of Austin Walker's naming conventions on Friends at the Table and Puritan Grace names. We had some great times creating some real convoluted names, and the religious texts they came from. I still have a soft spot in my heart for Solemn Footsteps (Let not their solemn footsteps detract from their joyful hearts). A lovely bard who died a hard death after they shot a demigod in the head to save their friends.

Good times.

#campaign: helm's angels #oc: horrible little blond aasimar #the ask and the answer

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brexiiton · 1 year

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Sundance's Powerful Blacklisted Film Bound for Australia

ABHI PARASHER, APRIL 29 2023

Meg Smaker's striking documentary, Jihad Rehab, obtained a degree of festival success that is permitted to perhaps one or two high-calibre films a year.

The film premiered at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival and had a future on the esteemed line-ups of the Toronto International Film Festival and South by Southwest. For all intents and purposes, Jihad Rehab was on track for a golden festival run.

"As soon as Sundance announced the film, the attacks on the film started," Smaker recalls. "It all started with this group of six filmmakers who had made assumptions about the film without knowing what it was about."

Jihad Rehab, renamed The UnRedacted, follows a group of men trained by al-Qaeda who are transferred from Guantanamo and sent to the world's first rehabilitation centre for "terrorists" located in Saudi Arabia.

Smaker follows three Yemeni men over a few years of sit-down interviews and unprecedented access to their rehabilitation process. The years of footage, condensed into a nearly two-hour documentary, reveals the humanity and reality of people often relegated to the term 'savages'.

"The narrative around the war on terror was that these people are psychopaths from a religion of violence. If you are making decisions based on those beliefs, then you begin fighting a problem you don't understand and that makes things way worse."

One key line from The UnRedacted encapsulates the film's purpose. "They ask me how did you go to Iraq? How did you go to jihad? How did you bomb? But no one ever asks me why," says Nadir, one of the Yemeni men interviewed in the film.

Nadir's words speak to the necessity of Smaker's documentary. "The what is done. You can't undo the what. But if you understand the why, you will be able to better address the problem moving forward," she says.

The narrative surrounding the film following Sundance's announcement was far from enthusiastic. Criticism of The UnRedacted ranged from accusations of Saudi propaganda to the controversy of a white filmmaker at the helm. Unfortunately, many of the people behind these criticisms were found to have not watched the film and most disregarded Smaker's own experience.

"I lived in Yemen for five years and Saudi for three years." As a former firefighter, Smaker spent her time in Yemen training Yemenis in modern firefighting techniques.

The film premiered at Sundance in 2022, which due to COVID, was virtual. "Because the film premiered virtually at Sundance, followed by it being media blacklisted, not a lot of people got to watch it. So, the framing around the film was the only reference people had," explains Smaker. "The best defence of the film is to actually watch it because it will show people that all the criticism is actually the opposite to what the film is about."

youtube

The defence of the film was thwarted when South by Southwest disinvited the film and Toronto International Film Festival revoked its initial offer to consider The UnRedacted. Perhaps the most significant setback surfaced when The UnRedacted's key financial backer, Abigail Disney, renounced her support of the film. Her disapproval seems to have come after the backlash, rather than a result of the film itself. After a screening, Disney sent Smaker a glowing review.

However, it was Sundance's apology that was the last straw. "Once Sundance apologised not once, but twice, it pretty much killed the film," Smaker recalls. "The only reason we are able to get the film out is because of a grassroots campaign from strangers."

The grassroots campaign was formalised as a GoFundMe from Smaker, which to date has amassed $766,876. The funds have helped Smaker self-distribute the film. The traction was further driven by key investigative articles in The New York Times, The Atlantic and The Los Angeles Times.

"After those pieces were published, a lot of people reached out to me offering help. The GoFundMe allows more people to see it and every time we have a screening, we are able to gain more supporters. I think that is because people are desperate to have the nuanced and complex discussion that this film start."

The UnRedacted recently sold out in New Zealand and will be making its way to Australian screens soon, with the first screening on 30 April at Kino Cinemas. A Q&A with Smaker will follow all screenings.

#terrorwave #blacklisted #documentary #ihad R #Jihad Rehab #Sundance #Australia #Youtube

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thetoxicgamer · 1 year

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Dead Island 2 Was Always Going to Be Set in Los Angeles, Even After Three Developers

A short time after the first Dead Island's release and a little more than a year after Dead Island Riptide, the lacklustre and repetitive sequel that at least carried on the story of the survivors from the previous game, Dead Island 2 was revealed. After Riptide, the developer Deep Silver created a few spinoffs, including Escape Dead Island, Dead Island: Epidemic, and the 16-bit beat 'em up Dead Island Retro Revenge. However, despite being mentioned over ten years ago, a full-scale, numbered sequel has yet to be produced. The first iteration of Dead Island 2 was helmed by Spec Ops: The Line developer Yager, as Dead Island developer Techland had parted ways with the property and worked on Dying Light. Deep Silver then handed over development of the game to LittleBigPlanet 3 developer Sumo Digital in 2016, but then, in 2019, Deep Silver announced that Homefront: The Revolution developer Dambuster Studios would be handling Dead Island 2. And that studio has been working on this game since 2018. In my cover story trip to Dambuster’s Nottingham, England studio, various members on the team told me it started with a fresh, clean slate for Dead Island 2. But curiously, Dead Island 2, due out in April, is still set in Los Angeles, California, the setting revealed in the game’s first reveal trailer in 2014. Despite seemingly having the opportunity to make Dead Island 2 precisely what it wanted it to be in every way, Dambuster stuck with LA, lovingly referred to in-game and by the studio as Hell-A. I asked game director David Stenton about this decision and apparently, a different setting was never really on the table. “I don’t remember there being a lot of debate about doing anything other than LA,” Stenton tells me. “I think for us, we wanted to apply real focus to the game… to the combat and that also extends to the setting as well. LA is such a fantastic iconic location, we didn’t really feel like we needed to bring in any other areas.” Stenton is likely alluding to the game’s original logo when it was first revealed in 2014. The D in “Dead” features the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco's iconic landmark. Dambuster tells me that Dead Island 2 will take place in Los Angeles exclusively, so don’t plan on making your way to San Francisco or any other California locations in the main campaign. “It just gives us so much opportunity… for the game that we wanted to make, so it wasn’t really a big debate,” Stenton says. It’s important to note, however, that despite what the team says about sticking with LA, using the same location from the original reveal – the location fans have assumed Dead Island 2 takes place in for nearly a decade – doesn’t hurt the marketing of this game. While the team feels confident LA is the place for its zombie game, it might also just have made the decision to stick with the location fans have presumed as this sequel’s setting for so long. “We started with a clean slate, absolutely, with our own vision,” Stenton says. “We’re not looking too much at sort of what happened in the past or looking at too many other games out there. We’re just really focused on, ‘How do we want to make Dead Island 2 absolutely phenomenal?’ and bring it up to date and deliver a game that we think fans will really enjoy.” For more, read our feature about why Dambuster Studios thinks Los Angeles makes for a great Dead Island experience, even if the city isn’t an actual island. Read the full article

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cyarskj1899 · 1 year

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Houston Astros top Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 in Game 6 to win World Series

Yordan Alvarez sixth-inning homer pushed the Astros — then down 1-0 — into the lead at Minute Maid Park.

Yordan Álvarez blasted a three-run home run to lead the Houston Astros to a 4-1 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 of the World Series on Saturday, clinching the home team’s second title in six years.

Álvarez's sixth-inning homer pushed the Astros — then down 1-0 — into the lead at Minute Maid Park, before Christian Vazquez added an RBI single later in the sixth.

Through a translator, Álvarez said in Spanish after the game that the feeling of rounding the bases was amazing.

"When I was rounding second base, I felt the whole stadium moving," he said. "I think it was all the fans."

As Álvarez's 450-foot blast disappeared over the center field wall, Astros starter Framber Valdez jumped and wildly screamed in the dugout as fans in the crowd of 42,948 went into a frenzy waving their orange rally towels.

Houston manager Dusty Baker, who at 73 is now the oldest World Series-winning skipper, said he knew the title was within grasp at that moment.

Houston previously won it all in 2017 and returned to the Fall Classics of 2019 and 2021, falling to the Washington Nationalsand Atlanta Braves, respectively.

The Astros finished the series winning the final three games after Philadelphia had captured Games 1 and 3.

Cristian Javier and three relievers combined for the second no-hitter in Series history in Game 4.

Justin Verlander finally got his first World Series win in Game 5 thanks to a clutch homer by Jeremy Peña and a leaping catch in the ninth inning by Chas McCormick — the signature defensive moment of this series.

It's the Astros second World Series win since 2017, but some see that victory as tarnished after a Major League Baseball probe found that the team had used centerfield cameras to monitor signs flashed by the opposing catcher during games at Minute Maid Park. Those signals were then relayed to Astros hitters by banging on trashcans.

The sign-stealing scandal cost then-GM Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch their jobs.

This World Series win by Houston, in some ways, makes the 2017 scandal look even worse, according to Jacob Pomrenke, chairman of the the Society for American Baseball Research’s (SABR) Black Sox Scandal Research Committee.

“They were always a good team and certainly did not need to do what they did with the cheating scandal,” said Pomrenke, whose panel conducts ongoing analysis and examination of the sport’s greatest scandal, the 1919 Chicago White Sox.

“If you’re going to go to the World Series four time in six years and now win two — with one slightly tainted and one clearly cleaner — it shows they always had the ability to win a championship without getting involved in cheating.”

Many of the team's current key players were nowhere near Houston in 2017.

The team’s two most fearsome power hitters, Álvarez and Kyle Tucker, broke into the big leagues in 2019 and 2018, respectively.

The World Series MVP, Pena, is in his rookie campaign at shortstop, having taken over from Carlos Correa, a face of the scandal who left for the Minnesota Twins in free agency before 2022.

Houston hired Baker as manager after the scandal and the universally respected skipper now has his first World Series ring after successful but title-less stints with the San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs.

His 2,093 regular season managerial wins are tops of any skipper not in the Hall of Fame. Before Saturday night, the Cooperstown hopeful Baker also had the most wins of any manager without a World Series ring.

The Astros’ triumph on Saturday might have also exorcised Baker’s notable Game 6 ghosts.

He was at the helm of the Giants in 2002 when they lost the World Series in seven games to the Anaheim Angels. The American League champs staged an improbable rally in Game 6 to force that final game.

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lboogie1906 · 2 years

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Donald Cortez Cornelius (September 27, 1936 – February 1, 2012) was a television show host and producer who was best known as the creator of the nationally syndicated dance and music show Soul Train, which he hosted from 1971 until 1993. He sold the show to MadVision Entertainment in 2008. He was born on Chicago's South Side and raised in the Bronzeville neighborhood. After graduating from DuSable High School in 1954, he joined the USMC and served 18 months in Korea. He worked at various jobs following his stint in the military, including selling tires, automobiles, and insurance, and as an officer with the Chicago Police Department. He quit his day job to take a three-month broadcasting course in 1966, despite being married with two sons and having only $400 in his bank account. In 1966, he landed a job as an announcer, news reporter, and disc jockey on Chicago radio station WVON. He joined Chicago television station WCIU-TV in 1967 and hosted a news program called A Black's View of the News. In 1970, he launched Soul Train on WCIU-TV as a daily local show. The program entered national syndication and moved to Los Angeles the following year. Eddie Kendricks, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Bobby Hutton, and Honey Cone were featured on the national debut episode. With the creation of Soul Train, he was at the helm of a program that showed African Americans in a new light, creating a Black is Beautiful Campaign. Before Soul Train, African Americans were only occasionally performing on TV, as guests on white-centered programs. Soul Train showcased African American culture and brought African American musicians and dancers to television. This show's appeal to white audiences steadily grew and earned a huge following. It was one of the most groundbreaking television shows ever. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence https://www.instagram.com/p/CjAiTHwLTyz/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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fumpkins · 2 years

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The Supreme Court’s climate decision came out of a decades-long campaign to kneecap regulation

The Supreme Court issued a highly anticipated decision earlier today that constrains the federal government’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. In West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency, the six justices who make up the court’s conservative supermajority set a disturbing precedent that could limit federal agencies’ ability to enact regulations. The decision is particularly concerning for the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, as it leads federal efforts to zero out the planet-warming emissions causing storms, drought, and sea-level rise around the world.

The Supreme Court did not arrive at this pivotal moment by chance. For decades, ultra-wealthy conservative donors, libertarian think tanks, and their allies within the Republican Party have orchestrated a campaign to thwart the federal government’s efforts to regulate corporations — including efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, which threaten the profits of the fossil fuel industry. Over the years, they have paid considerable attention to the judiciary, methodically installing conservative judges in anticipation of a case that could kneecap agencies they view as overstepping their authority.

Enter West Virginia v. EPA. The specifics of the case were convoluted, but the arguments at its heart were “a direct shot at the EPA, at their ability to regulate,” said Kert Davies, founder and director of the Climate Investigations Center. “To say they’ve been preparing for this moment for 50 years is not an exaggeration.”

To understand this moment, it’s helpful to consider how we got here.

The 1970s marked the dawn of a new era of concern about the environment. Americans were growing increasingly alarmed by high pollution levels and environmental destruction. There had just been an enormous oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, the Cuyahoga River had caught fire in Cleveland, and a thick layer of smog regularly smothered cities like Los Angeles. Congress responded by drafting the country’s bedrock environmental laws: the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act of 1970, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act — all passed with bipartisan support.

The sudden expansion of federal powers galvanized a new, hard-line libertarian movement helmed by an oil executive named Charles Koch. Koch had inherited a handful of companies from his father in 1967, including a lucrative refinery in Minnesota and a network of pipelines, barges, and trucks that shipped oil across the country. Koch was an ardent believer in capitalism and opposed any government action that went beyond the protection of private property. As he built his business into the second largest privately-owned company in the country, he also began building a network of think tanks and nonprofits to infuse his fringe views into the mainstream.

According to investigative journalist Jane Mayer’s 2016 book Dark Money, which chronicles how conservative billionaires shaped the radical right, Charles Koch and his brother and business partner, David, have personally spent well over $100 million on advancing a libertarian agenda. But even more consequentially, they streamlined the efforts of a small group of like-minded elites towards building what one Koch operative called a “fully integrated network” that has influenced every aspect of the country’s political system.

Conservative billionaire Charles Koch, pictured here in 2019, built a network that has influenced every aspect of the country’s political system. David Zalubowski via Associated Press

The Federalist Society, a conservative group that has grown into the most powerful legal organization in the country, became a critical node in that network. In 1982, law students at the University of Chicago and Yale formed the group to promote a deeply conservative legal perspective. The organization received start-up funding from the conservative John M. Olin Foundation, began hosting annual symposia and opening chapters at prestigious law schools, and soon attracted large donations from the Kochs and their peers.

At first, the Federalist Society was an all-volunteer group geared mainly towards law students. In the early 1990s, it hired one of its first paid employees, Leonard Leo, who expanded the organization to include lawyers, judges, and others. From the early 2000s to 2020, Leo served as the group’s executive vice president, overseeing a network of approximately 60,000 members. (All six conservative justices on the Supreme Court are associated with the organization.)

The Kochs’ network of conservative billionaires hasn’t only focused on the judiciary. As they poured money into the Federalist Society, they were also pouring money into deregulation efforts, including many related to climate change. Through the years, Koch- and fossil fuel-backed groups like the Global Climate Coalition, American Energy Alliance, Competitive Enterprise Institute, and American Legislative Exchange Council have lobbied against climate legislation and funded research casting doubt on the science and highlighting the costs of taking action.

But it has long been clear to them that the judiciary would be crucial to eviscerating the government’s ability to regulate corporations and to dismantling the administrative state — the government agencies within the executive branch that create and enforce regulations.

The libertarian groups’ judicial efforts have been focused on usurping a 1984 Supreme Court precedent known as Chevron deference with a relatively new and controversial legal argument known as the major questions doctrine. Chevron deference says that if Congress has not clearly articulated its intention in a law, courts should defer to an agency’s interpretation, as long as that interpretation is reasonable. The idea is that agencies possess expertise that Congress and the courts do not, and that agencies are indirectly accountable to the people through presidential elections.

To the libertarian movement, “Chevron is anathema,” said Lisa Graves, a former senior official for the Department of Justice who is now the executive director of True North Research. “For decades now, they have been seeking ways to reverse this precedent, to minimize this precedent.”

In its stead, conservatives have put forth the major questions doctrine, which says that in “extraordinary” cases that could have “vast” economic and political consequences, the court can ignore an agency’s interpretation of a broad law and prevent it from enacting a regulation unless it receives clearer authority from Congress.

The Supreme Court decided West Virginia v. EPA based on this argument. In doing so, it has undermined agencies’ ability to enact regulations to respond to new threats to the environment or public health if they lack clear guidance from Congress — which has failed to pass any serious climate legislation or any significant new environmental laws since it last amended the Clean Air Act more than 30 years ago.

“That’s radical,” said Patrick Parenteau, an environmental lawyer and professor at Vermont Law School. “That’s going to have massive implications for environmental law across the board.”

While libertarians have long despised administrative agencies’ ability to regulate corporations, it took a while for them to build up enough influence on federal courts to begin whittling it away. In 1991, President George H. W. Bush nominated Justice Clarence Thomas, a Federalist Society member who has repeatedly objected to Chevron deference, to the Supreme Court. About a decade and half later, President George W. Bush nominated Justice John Roberts, a former Federalist Society member, and Harriet Miers, who was a family friend but not a member. The organization mobilized against Miers, and eventually Bush nominated Justice Samuel Alito, who had long been affiliated with the Federalist Society, instead. Roberts wrote the majority opinion in West Virginia v. EPA, and both Thomas and Alito concurred.

Another major conservative victory came in the mid-2010s, when then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — a Republican from Kentucky and a Koch ally — led a stunningly successful effort to prevent President Barack Obama from appointing federal judges and blocked Merrick Garland’s nomination to the Supreme Court, which he called “one of my proudest moments.” This paved the way for President Donald Trump to install more than 200 federal judges, including three Supreme Court justices.

Guiding Trump was Leo, then the executive vice president of the Federalist Society. In March 2016, Leo met with Trump and Donald McGahn, a member of the Federalist Society who later served as President Trump’s White House counsel. Leo later gave Trump several lists of potential Supreme Court nominees that the Federalist Society would support, including Justice Neil Gorsuch. The Trump campaign released the lists in an effort to court the Republican base, and in a July 2016 campaign rally in Iowa, Trump said: “If you really like Donald Trump, that’s great, but if you don’t, you have to vote for me anyway. You know why? Supreme Court judges.” About a year later, Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett appeared on another list of Federalist Society recommendations.

Leonard Leo, former executive vice president of the Federalist Society, shakes hands with Justice Neil Gorsuch at a Federalist Society event in November 2017. Sait Serkan Gurbuz via Associated Press

Once Trump was elected, Leo shepherded the nominations of Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett through the Senate. According to Internal Revenue Service filings compiled by True North Research, between 2014 and 2020, Leo and his allies raised more than $580 million for conservative nonprofits that do not have to disclose their donors. The network of nonprofits used much of that to hire conservative media relations firms to place opinion essays, schedule pundits on television shows, send speakers to rallies, and create online videos — all to drum up public support and pressure senators to confirm Trump’s picks.

Now, decades of coordinated efforts by ultra-wealthy conservative donors, libertarian think tanks, and the Republican Party are all coming to a head. While the Supreme Court’s ruling in West Virginia v. EPA could have been even more restrictive, it is still a consequential win for fossil fuel interests and a blow to American efforts to address climate change. To Graves, the Supreme Court’s new direction amounts to revival of the robber baron era, “when courts put their thumb on the scale to strike down laws sought by people in our democracy in favor of corporations,” she said. “You have a Supreme Court that has been captured by special interests.”

Things could soon get even more bleak. Republican state attorneys general are pushing several climate-related cases through the federal court system. The courts could use the major questions doctrine to hobble the government’s ability to restrict tailpipe emissions or to consider the social cost of carbon when reviewing new infrastructure or environmental rules. Parenteau points out that a proposed rule requiring companies to publicly disclose climate risks is now vulnerable, too.

Congress could act to stem the damage. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, has called on her colleagues to expand the court. “I believe we need to get some confidence back in our court, and that means we need more justices on the United States Supreme Court,” she told ABC News. Congress could pass legislation to add more justices, but so far Democratic leadership has not been keen on the idea.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, has argued that the Senate should impeach Gorsuch and Kavanaugh for misleading Congress about their views on Roe v. Wade, another radical ruling handed down by the court last week. “They lied,” she told NBC News. “I believe lying under oath is an impeachable offense.” Removing justices from the court would require a two-thirds majority in the Senate.

In a scathing dissent in West Virginia v. EPA, Justice Elena Kagan wrote: “Whatever else this Court may know about, it does not have a clue about how to address climate change.” In its most recent decision, “the Court appoints itself — instead of Congress or the expert agency — the decision-maker on climate policy.” She concluded, “I cannot think of many things more frightening.”

This story was originally published by Livescience.Tech with the headline The Supreme Court’s climate decision came out of a decades-long campaign to kneecap regulation on Jun 30, 2022.

New post published on: https://livescience.tech/2022/07/02/the-supreme-courts-climate-decision-came-out-of-a-decades-long-campaign-to-kneecap-regulation/

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