The met gala is supposed to be fun yet professional.. That photographer was not being fun nor professional.

On January 19th 2010 Bill McLaren the voice of rugby died.

The BBC commentator known fondly as the voice of rugby, McLaren was the best rugby commentator of all time and by many has been described as one of the best men the world has ever seen.

He was unbiased, clear, knowledgeable, and his voice is part of the fabric of rugby in its greatest era. Scotland is proud that a Scotsman was the best rugby commentator, but he was more than that, he fought at Monte Cassino, one of the Second World War's bloodiest battles, and at one stage found himself in a ditch when he heard German voices just feet away. He was 20-years old.

I think most of us know that he should have been capped at the game he loved but tuberculosis robbed him of the chance. McLaren was born in that Borders and grew up to be a talented flanker.

Having made the Hawick first XV before the war, he played in a Scotland trial in 1947 and was on the verge of a full international cap when he contracted the tuberculosis which nearly killed him.

He was desperately ill and fading fast when the specialist asked him to be a guinea pig for a new drug called Streptomycin along with four others, three of them died but McLaren made what amounted to a miracle recovery. His first commentary was made while convalescing from TB, describing table tennis matches for the hospital radio.

McLaren studied Physical Education in Aberdeen, and went on to teach PE right through to 1987, coaching several players who went on to play for Scotland - Jim Renwick, Colin Deans and Tony Stanger.

It was through his junior reporting with the Hawick Express that he launched himself into a career of commentary, making his national debut for BBC radio in 1953, when Scotland were beaten 12-0 by Wales. The switch to television came six years later.

Scotland and Hawick sorely miss McLaren who died aged 86, he described his home town regularly by saying that a day out of Hawick "is a day wasted".

A proud moment in Bill's life would have no doubt been in 2002, when the press gallery at Murrayfield was named the Bill McLaren Press Gallery.

A proud moment in Bill's life would have no doubt been in 2002, when the press gallery at Murrayfield was named the Bill McLaren Press Gallery.

A music documentary is usually a lot of talking heads, music clips of “greatest hits” and “deep cuts” along with maybe some concert footage, fan reactions, home movies, etc. Perhaps there are some creative editing choices, or non-linear storytelling. But for the most part, music docs are pretty same-y from one to another. And there’s nothing wrong with that, I have enjoyed probably hundreds of such documentaries. I learned stuff I never knew, heard songs I hadn’t heard in decades sometimes, and sometimes gained a greater appreciation for an artist or genre I didn’t have before.

I went into Moonage Daydream expecting a music documentary, but what I got was something totally different. A basic timeline is followed, but weaving in and out of it recursively are tangents that get at the heart of what the creative process can be for an artist. Will you learn some things about David Bowie’s career and music? Yes. But you will also learn about how he saw himself as part of his art, how music, writing, painting, really all creative pursuits were inevitable for him.

Deliberately chosen songs thematically connect each section of the story. No talking heads, no bandmate recollections, no fan remembrances. Just David Bowie’s own words from interviews conducted throughout his career. He talks about what effect his spirituality had on him and his work, how emotions were or were not (variously) important to him while creating, how he relates to his own art, and how all of these things and more have changed and evolved throughout his life. You’ll hear him as a young man saying some things that he will directly contradict when he is older, but he doesn’t dismiss his more jejune observations from his youth. We are supremely lucky that he was an introspective and thorough thinker about his career and creative process. He puts his earlier commentary into perspective multiple times and we can hear how he evolved and changed his views on many aspects of his art and how he portrayed himself.

Visually, the filmmaker made some inspired creative choices. In choosing many clips of Bowie walking and showing the back of his head, the viewer is forced into his POV during some of the most candid and emotional admissions from him. The shift in time denoted by the Moon and Milky Way, accompanied by bright recoloring of some of the video footage used made it possible to see the way time was passing for Bowie and his career, and how it is passing the same way for us.

I really appreciated the way Brett Morgen avoided framing anything in a cliched way, the way many other documentaries and books about Bowie have done (the “chameleon”, etc). Those things are acknowledged through the historical footage of interviews where people said those things to him, but at no point does the film itself indulge in these cliches. As a lifelong Bowie fan, this is the documentary I have been waiting for, the one that speaks to what he really means as an artist to many of us who connected with his art throughout his career. At no point does the filmmaker judge any of Bowie’s work, he does that himself, but it doesn’t make you feel wrong for enjoying what might be considered his less than good output (what this is varies from person to person. For me, it’s Never Let Me Down). You are invited to continue to appreciate all of his art as you always have but with a richer understanding of what he saw in it himself.

I would recommend this for people who aren’t necessarily Bowie fans, people who are just casual fans, but also for people who are curious about how artists think and work. It’s more than a music documentary, it is a document of art.

All this talk about the fate series you’ve engaged in has piqued my interest. If I were to dive into the series with no knowledge about it whatsoever, where would you recommend I start? I’m a huge mythology fan, so I’m sure I’d just eat it up. Speaking of which, I learned a bit about the legend of Cu Chulainn that makes me especially interested in him. In the original Celtic folktale, he goes to Mag Mell (the Celtic afterlife), and meets a priestess named Scathach, who gives him an indestructible spear named Gae Bolg (it’s Gaelic for “belly dart”). The spear is so heavily barbed that when it’s shoved into a creature, he only way to remove it is to use a bladed weapon of some sort to literally carve it out of them. As if that wasn’t bad enough, it’s also poisoned. Celtic folklore is wild.

Oh boy...

Gonna tag @avalonblue12 since he helped me out with Fate a bit in the beginning.

So...I'm going to offer two quick suggestions and expand on why this question has haunted this fanbase for so long.

If you want to get into Fate the purest (and best in my opinion) way possible, try this guy's Let's Play of the first route of the visual novel (THE HOLY GRAIL WAR - Fate/stay night - 1 [Prologue] - YouTube) Or this one if you don't like commentary (Fate/Stay Night Visual Novel Fate Route Day 1 Part 1 (No Commentary)(English) - YouTube) Be warned, the visual novel does not have voiced narratin and is in Japanese.

If you don't care about spoilers or such, try Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works by ufotable.

But in truth, you can start just about anywhere that isn't Hollow Atraxia, Fate/Extra: Last Encore or Fate/Extella because many entries assume you don't know the basics and these are direct sequels.

I suggested those above because they pertain to the original Fate/Stay Night, whose influence is felt throughout the whole franchise.

(More below)

So...why is this question such a hard one to answer for Fate fans?

Well, Fate is an infamously dense series that has a lot of interconnecting elements and ideas along with a deep magic system. Meaning that you can get the general idea easily...but things are so much better when you have knowledge of the series. For example, a certain character in Fate Apocrypha (a spin off) is rather compelling and engaging but with knowledge of one of the heroines in FSN, it adds another layer to her character.

So, I would recommend getting in through the Visual Novel somehow...but the visual novel is a huge time commitment and it might not be to your tastes. So you'd think there would be an anime or something to watch right?

Well, there is...with two problems.

1- Ufotable has only adapted Heaven's Feel and Unlimited Blade Works, the third and second routes. Fate, the first route which acts as the primer as well, only has an adaptation by Studio DEEN and it's kind of divisive.

and 2- The animes all have one issue- They don't have the inner monologue of Shirou, the protagonist. This is important because a lot of what is needed to understand Shirou is IN his monologues. Without them, it becomes very easy to misunderstand Shirou. To the point that the divide around him is basically between those who have and haven't read the original VN.

So while you can get in however you want and it is VERY MUCH worth the investment- getting the best introduction is hard.

"Well, how did you get into Fate?"

The doujins.

... No, really. I found some FGO doujins (ironically enough, based on Fate's Scathach) and I got interested in the series so I kind of just...flailed around until I ended up on the other end of the series. I still don't know how it happened.

If you're still reading this, even if I turned you off- I'd like to say what I think is Fate's greatest strength. And I believe that it's Nasu's writing. Or rather, the bittersweet way he writes. It really pulls on the heartstrings while making you feel satisfied by the journey.

I really do hope you try it out, as I can't recommend it enough.

PHILOSOPHY OF SIYAR AND THE PEACE TREATY OF HUDAYBIYA: Part 1

Question: It was previously stated that it is definitely necessary to compare the time of the noble Prophet with ours, and find out the points that relate to our time. In this respect, could you evaluate the Treaty of Hudaybiya, in terms of the messages it gives for today?

Answer: Muslims always need to refer to the discipline of Siyar, the biographies of the noble Prophet, as a very important source. It shows how the Qur’an should be understood and elucidates established principles in religion. The noble Messenger of God indicated by personal example—with his blessed life, words, attitudes, behaviors, and explanations—how to lead a life in compliance with the Divine revelation. His blessed Companions, each of whom was a master of language, interpreted these two holy sources correctly, conveyed their meanings correctly, and left a path for the later generations to follow. I think the deliverance of contemporary believers also depends on following their example, as stated by the noble Prophet as “My Companions are like stars; whichever of them you follow, you will find right guidance.”

A great interpreter: Time

Although the events that occurred in the time of the noble Prophet were minor events on their own, they serve as a reference for all events in the greater scale that will take place until the end of the world. Every happening of that period bears some tips for solving the situations to be faced in future periods. People who take those tips as starting points can come up with solutions for the problems in their time, by taking into consideration the conditions of their own time and the cultural level of the people who lived in those days. This holds true for finding alternative solutions to the problems in today’s rapidly globalizing world. In order to fulfill these problems in the best way it is necessary both to know the life of the noble Prophet well and to interpret and analyze the contemporary age well. It is possible to study all books of Siyar and to tell them to others. You may have gained very good insight into the events of those times, to the degree of feeling yourself like one of the actual characters of the stories, and feel due sadness or joy according to the narration at hand. However, if you simply suffice with that much and fail to grasp the open ends in them and to figure out how they can fill certain gaps in our time, then you gain nothing but a good narration of historical events. Naturally, along the course of fourteen centuries of Islamic history, certain points about the philosophy of Siyar are much referred to and some events in the time of the blessed Prophet were interpreted in terms of social history. It is a reality that there are very serious sociological differences between the conditions in those interpreters’ time and the present. Some of the earlier philosophical considerations were put aside in time, some became outdated and new ways of thinking developed instead. For this reason, even though it is possible to benefit from earlier commentaries and perspectives, it is hard to claim that they suffice to shed light on contemporary issues. Only those who successfully take time, the greatest interpreter, into consideration can come up with a sound philosophy of Siyar for our time; they are the ones who deserve to be called “children of their time” (ibnu’z-zaman). When Siyar is viewed from such a perspective, it will be seen that it is such a pure and fresh fount of wisdom. Those who know how to benefit from it will gain very much from it. When we view the Treaty of Hudaybiya mentioned in the question, we see that it conveys so many messages of wisdom for our time.

The sun of mildness that melted the ice of hatred

In the sixth year of the Hijra, the noble Prophet promised his Companions for Umrah (Minor Pilgrimage) and he set forth toward the Ka’ba in order to teach them how to fulfill Umrah in compliance with the essentials and spirit of Islam. However, the Quraysh tribe rigidly wished to prevent it. In the vicinity of Mecca, the Messenger of God sent a man to express that they only wished to make Umrah. However, some people from the Quraysh attempted to kill the envoy. After that, Uthman ibn Affan was sent, but they caught and imprisoned him. Upon this, the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, gathered Muslims for a pledge of allegiance. As a consequence of these events, the tension was high. The Companions had their hands on the hilts of their swords and were ready to react. The noble Prophet had promised for a pilgrimage and they had covered the 400 km distance under the conditions of those times, by riding camels and horses. They had come as near as Jeddah, but the polytheists prevented their advance. Had the blessed Prophet taken it as a matter of honor and gestured them forward, the Companions would not have feared the horsemen of Khalid ibn al-Walid, or the Meccan army of ten thousand armed soldiers. They would have fought their way on and reached the Ka’ba. However, such a course of action would not have been of help in terms of their noble ideals. There were so many people before them, who would hopefully, with time, believe in one God. The Messenger of God, who was an ever-sensible person, perspicaciously reckoned the likely consequences and signed a peace Treaty with the Meccan polytheists in Hudaybiya. As he had taken the pledge of allegiance from his Companions that they would fight until death if necessary, he astutely turned that loyalty into a peace treaty. People who swore allegiance under such a difficult situation would much more easily obey orders upon returning to Medina without confrontation. As this matchless perspicacity and sagacious attitude of the noble Prophet can be seen as a consequence of Divine inspiration, it can also be seen as natural outcome of his character.

THE TOXIC DANCING TROLL THAT HAUNTED AMERICA – by the Lone Antifa & the Canuck Crank – revised & updated May 22, 2023

When mob boss DON VETO TRUMPLEONE lost his lunch, the ketchup sho nuff done hit da fan. That's just one of the more entertaining bombshells from the stalwart January 6 Committee. MFF is proud to honor America's independent fighting spirit by presenting complete recordings of all their public hearings, along with a wide variety of other helpful resources.

We recommend that you bookmark this post, because we plan to update it – as the Committee's brilliant work progresses toward their final report later this year. And considering the shocking recent  developments at MAGA-LARDO, a sizable chunk of humanity is quite possibly on the verge of celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, Diwali, Al-Hijra, Pentecost, and Kwanzaa, all rolled into one. Here's hoping for a worldwide street dance by the end of this year – which we will gladly commemorate on MuseMash.

Our CAPITOL LAFF RIOT section presents the very best available comedy from the likes of Stephen Colbert, Randy Rainbow, Jon Stewart, Trevor Noah, Samantha Bee, John Oliver, Seth Meyers, Betty Bowers, Jimmy Kimmel, Bill Maher, Jimmy Fallon, Chelsea Handler, Vic Berger, the Good Liars, Sandy Riccardi, Desi Lydic, James Corden, and Liberal Redneck. CELEBRITY EXTORTIONIST focuses on the many ways BENEDICT DONALD betrayed his oath, his voters, and his country.

The TREASON TRIBUNAL playlist showcases the most extraordinary revelations, realizations, implications, and condemnations from the Jan 6 hearings. The INCITEMENTS TO INDICTMENTS section explores the newly announced Department Of Justice criminal probe; the FBI raid on The Don's Florida citadel, and the potential legal consequences now facing the ORANGE IMPOTUS.

You will find powerful commentaries on the WHITE TRASH HOUSE RESIDENT from Mary Trump, The Lincoln Project, Steve Schmidt, MeidasTouch, Anthony Scaramucci, Michael Cohen, The Republican Accountability Project, and Don Winslow. In addition, we showcase insightful news analyses from Rachel Maddow, Nicolle Wallace, Chris Hayes, Al Franken, Brianna Keilar, Ari Melber, Joy Reid, Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, Francis Maxwell, George Will, and Morning Joe.  

At the bottom of this page, you'll find links to several newly revised and expanded companion posts, featuring a lot more directly related resources. These include the hilariously snarky early version of our music video paying tribute to the FELON IN CHIEF; and our final takedown of the dangerous theocratic fascist cult that connived to keep him in power.

The ancients had a custom known as DAMNATIO MEMORIAE – which means 'condemnation of memory'. This was a punishment whereby all traces of disreputable historical figures were utterly eradicated – such as statues, paintings, sculptures, buildings, books, etc. Considering that this shameless attention whore, failed businessman, sleazy charlatan, unrepentant sexual predator, and ludicrously incompetent insurrectionist will hopefully be jailed for treason, this is exactly how the CUCK A L'ORANGE should be memorialized.

All official acknowledgement of HIS ROYAL HEINOUS, his hijacking of the OFFAL OFFICE, and his crime family's evil regime, should be obliterated. A celebrity of the MANCHURIAN CANTELOUPE's calibre deserves nothing less. Consign his sordid story to a mouldy collection of tattered back issues of the NATIONAL ENQUIRER, kept in a garbage bag in the smelly bathroom of an S&M porn store. Surely, something like the following inscription will doubtless appear on his solid gold tombstone in the basement:

"What the good Lord admired most about me was my tremendous traitorization, God told Fox News I did more for traitorianity than anyone in the history of hamberders, my base loved me for my perfect traitoritude, the best people were always saying Donald J. Trump's traitorosity record in Nambia was unparalleled, I was quite frankly the greatest traitorist, everybody's favorite smocking hot traitorite, bigly yuuuuugest epitome of traitorishness, nobody but nobody did STABLE GENIUS TRAITORIZING better than my radioactive electric orange covfefing self, everyone said so, believe me, am I right?"

CULT OF THE LOSER – by Douglas Wood

And so it goes on, the cult of the loser, The cheater, the liar, the all-purpose abuser. “Mine, mine, mine, mine,” is his favorite saying, Tiny fists in the air, mouth open and braying.

“I cannot be stopped. Everything that I see Or hear of or touch belongs to me, me, me, ME! Papers and objects and people and things, Things that have wheels and things that have wings.

And parties and countries and cities and stuff – All of it’s mine, and it’s never enough! I must have it all – it has always been so, And the more that I have, the more my needs grow!

I need and I want, and I want even more, State secrets and boxes piled all over the floor. And congressional seats and governors mansions, Well, those are mine, too, in this endless expansion.

And don’t tell me no, that there are some stupid rules, Those rules are for stiffs and losers and fools!” So said the biggest loser of all, As he bayed at the moon, as he rode for a fall.

As he shovelled more stuff into his endless black hole, Where most folks have a heart or a brain or a soul – But not the Great Muck, not the World’s Biggest Loser, Not the cheater, the liar, the all-purpose abuser.

And his very fine cult was right there with him, too, A ship full of fools, nothing better to do. But the ship’s in rough waters, as The Law closes in Like a shark with a purpose and a cold, toothy grin.

This shark is called Justice, and we’re cheering it on. May it swallow the liars until they’re all gone, Or sink to the bottom of the great deep blue sea, No place for them here – with you and with me.

At least that’s the hope, for the cult of the loser, The cheater, the liar, the all-purpose abuser. The End.

CAPITOL LAFF RIOT The Dancing Donald Machine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts57B3mekxs America's Little Boxes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUwUp-D_VV0 The Good Liars Sizzle Reel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyU53aBDKBU The Donald & Little Donald https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP0i4YAs9vA Trump Quotes Read By Cartoon Donald Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DREO6cwbGeQ InfoWars: Trump Vs The Goblins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAXTafMVWWI How To Interview President Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCKkqaKu6ww Trump Goes Full White Nationalist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDxS-ne3g9Q Donnie's Twitter Gets Roasted https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A18debjXXXw It's Okay To Change Your Mind – We Did. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k57rXjqQbp8 The Portrait of Dorian Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZKkUyrklpc Get Your Booty To The Poll https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AytDzZ2ecCc 4 Years of Trump In 3 Minutes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFUGv6pdoVQ Billions And Billions And Billions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_aLESDql1U ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Long National Nightmare Is Different https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb8BYOjzGiQ The Donald Went Down To Georgia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC45rFRwbOI Don Veto's Bigliest Lies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsQ2hX_noNw Trump Tweets Read By Villains https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_PdO2v4Zkg Clang, Clang, Clang Went Josh Hawley! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07II_EJlcYg Jon Stewart Shreds Cucker Quarrelsome https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aErmTELe10Q Filibuster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9G49X2oVyk We Can Coup It https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-iXf5zScAU The Snake https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4AonVXgBeg Hypocrite Hall Of Fame Nominees https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FElCsjJKqY King Of Corona https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q37Cfqy31Ec MyPillow Mikey’s Wacky New Lawsuit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fno7789N2uU Trumpism Still The Dark Heart Of The GOP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ndwgrc-b0g Texts Full Of B-Movie Quotes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaMy0alz8M8 Orgies, Cocaine & Burner Phones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtqgrG7oWJw ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Jonathan Pie: America's Truth! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyEtLS-9KxU Unhinged Rally Promotes Slow-Moving Coup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rasnmWrGD64 Wretched Wrudy Wruins The Masked Singer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy_R2R_tetw Easier To List Trump Aides Who Aren't In Trouble https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUCgkhanV4o The GOP's Pretend Panic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wudzWpYIGKQ Radical Left Maniacs & Testicle Tanning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyCeHBrm6sc Morning Joe Shocked & Appalled By UnMasked Rudy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbxymrhSve8 Relentlessly Stupid Cluster Of Weirdos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2AstPiquZ0 Rudy Colludy Gets Bad To Da Bone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-SuMTorGOU The Far Right’s Bogus 'War On Masculinity' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obUFIqkr-iI Donnie's Sweaty Chat With Piers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBcisRa8Lkg Heads We Win, Tails We Coup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDkjjGZ92NQ Perjury Taylor Greene Goblin Plays Dumb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxYDtW0QWoc Trump Turns Down Musk's Twitter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_62dC9DfOU ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Don Veto’s Mess of Frightening Candidates https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2qjvjcy92U Roasting The Press 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkeOtcmoaOI Trump Afraid Of Dangerous Fruits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIt_flcwKyw Texas Paul Vs The Party Of Weirdos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlGSfEawWT4 GOP Handmaid's Tale https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g2CqOrFGak Toilet-Obsessed Weirdo Held In Contempt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRG4fIAgrUc Hannity Explains His Bootlicking Texts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzhTwvRotdk Roasting The Press 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR4f-3LcGh8 Stupidest People In Congress Awards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpFqMWmj9Oo GOP Judges Exposed As Liars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jbHMHN_mfo Roasting The Press 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqfnHU9i38E Mopey Prick Brags About His Bigly Brain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIaCYI1FxAE ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Eminem Knees Rudy In Da Colludy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1a_DBZKJOQ Unkind Words For Mikey Pillow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T75ABe-kfeQ Rudy Colludy Keeps Incriminating Himself https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogCKWyYARDc A Tome of Titillating Trump Tall Tales https://claytoonz.com/2022/05/10/another-tome-of-titillating-trump-tales/ Don Veto Thought China Had A Hurricane Gun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=folR3L2FzEI Trump Planning A Video Streaming Service https://www.ajournalofmusicalthings.com/donald-trump-is-planning-a-streaming-service-no-really/ The Plot Against King Donald https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/16/former-trump-official-kash-patel-writes-childrens-book-repeating-false-claim-over-steele-dossier What's The Deal With Kellyanne? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ekatJMDC3g United States Of Dumb-Merica https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dMOfwUP0F0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Prime Time Treason Finale https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lwvWHEJQEo Ghoulish Collection Of Conmen & Weirdos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApLRKAyspLY Trump's Everything Woke Remix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7VGUAi3C_8 CrimeTime For SuperCaliFragilisticExpialiDouchebags https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZdCvKXyAI4 Faux Snooze Won't Handle The Truth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY_wvR52_tQ Fox Will Show Reruns Of Benghazi Hearings https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/fox-news-unable-to-air-january-6th-hearings-owing-to-reruns-of-benghazi-hearings January 666: Schmuckosaurus Promo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOoDOzoWVgs The Muppet CrimeTime Treason Special https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpYv5MNpg6o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ8_X3FFxRU https://www.thewrap.com/colbert-gives-the-jan-6-hearings-a-fun-the-muppet-show-intro-video/ https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/jun/10/stephen-colbert-january-6-hearing-late-night Republicans Cry Foul As Hearings Begin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-Xg5MpSvvA GOP & Fox Are Cover-Up Suspects https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w6pJYaqUVQ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- America's Got Treason 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyMzy6Q81-c Fox Deploys Weapons Of Mass Distraction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahcgaZ9j2h4 Hearing We Go Again With Exhibit A-Hole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEcKTJgJiOg Drunk Rudy Colludy & The Bigly Yuge Lie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Crdg2P-2EKY CSI Can't Believe Trump's Not In Jail Yet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUGYlDyTEp0 Fox News Host Loses It When Called Out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ1-cL8hEHA Somebody's Going To Jail For This, Right? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuEoVYqa37Q Investigating The Thing We All Saw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZznNSJNRbg Rudy Colludy Was Drunk On Diet Pepsi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjBRBcVMm88 Proud Boys Complain About Late Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncxCXzYrd0k Shocking, Disturbing, & Suuuuuper Juicy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDBu1b-pb4g They Said WHAT??!!-ergate? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CFiJ9Szug8 Do As I Say, Not As I Coup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-rHbWq7jto A Baseball Bat With Justice Written On It https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlIy5E6zF9Q ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Fat Snake Has A Dream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpHU1m_RO6c Trump's Entire Career Based On Bullshit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zSMZXfcq2M Happy Insurrection Day: Trump Dangles Pardons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1arFVvy4oQ Triumph The Insult Comic Dog Commits Insurrection https://www.thewrap.com/colbert-mocks-uproar-over-arrested-staffers-by-listing-historys-greatest-puppet-crimes-video/ Trump Vs Pence 2024 Debate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1x1pAsFiCg Scary Plotter & The Goblet Of Liars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw50MlFeB1U Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Curtain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZQfpH1vY94 Rudy Colludy Has Lotsa Theories https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m81ucemErlA How Scammy Doofus Weaponized The DOJ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbqlFlstlHQ Hip-Hop Backlash To Loser Trump's Dumpster Fire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rTy1KRD3hg Bill Maher Takes Down Trump Dissy Fit https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1222148141871033 A Week In The Life Of The GOP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrjxTG9OFyY Elmo Claps Back At Ted Cruz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFBRqqOc0pk When Fraudy Krueger Lost His Lunch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGNVG5XS4-U ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Donnie's Bitch-Fit Meltdown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpXnrKxojgE Credible Nuggets Of Sedition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ih3MlJjSyw Fox News Stunned Into Awkward Pause https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irXvjn-ehHE The Sheer Awfulness Of Trump World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgGEwldM8js Plotters Laid Out A Blueprint For Arresting Them https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKiCCHVJCqU Don Veto Takes On The Secret Service https://www.facebook.com/steve.schlafly/videos/1471270066682595 Not-Very-Good-At-This-Fellas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1a7anEuj5A Radical Seditionists & Potato Shaped Goblins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7caqTRUJno Mutineer's Island: A Three Hour Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBA7xkdhRuk Roast Chickens & Churchill Busts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ9ES2jr3CI Trump's 'Get Out Of Jail Free' Card https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k80Qkb3LFL8 Fox & Friends Expose The Secret Service https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXTz21w_DJE The Laziest & Most Dangerous President https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8uARIIyz9s Running Coach Analyzes Hawley’s Heroic Sprint https://www.outsideonline.com/health/running/culture-running/opinion-culture-running/our-running-coach-analyzes-senator-josh-hawleys-january-6-sprint/ It's The Final Hearing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad4mz8E_lUA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Laser-Focused On President J.F.K.F.C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq4630ilmf0 Being Chickenshit Hurts Hawley's Fascist Cred https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/hawley-concerned-that-being-a-coward-is-overshadowing-his-work-as-a-fascist GOP's Band Of Losers, Weirdos & Incels https://twitter.com/MeidasTouch/status/1553912487753396224 Will Trump Run For President To Avoid Prison? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZsu1OQ-hFI Seven Years – No Indictments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5UXakOKFFo America Or Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmSM9WKBP_w Donnie Loses It In Embarrassing Outtakes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=329yHXDvuYw OAN Reduced To Begging Leftists For Help https://god.dailydot.com/oan-beg-leftists/ Tantrum Outtakes & Hawley's Chicken Run https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBYsUDuA21Y Al Franken Skewers Trump’s Outtakes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz-xbM6jaRY The Sound Of Josh Hawling Ass https://www.facebook.com/1008786921/videos/424725286254749 DOJ Probes Kermit The Potential Fraud https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIy2hUrlgwo Biggest Con Game In Political History https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUnz4thNioE Desi Lydic Foxsplains The January 6 Hearings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqFMA3tE9zs ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Karm-A-Lago Time For The Former Guy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvneygfQ4iw MAGA Whiners Immune To Irony https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbJvrg2TAGQ Who Ratted You Out, Donnie? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcVSC-BgTww 'The Best Is Yet To Come!’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk94EKBWZJA Fox Demands Full Investigation Of Trump https://twitter.com/TheDailyShow/status/1557141679802548227 America's Most Tremendously Wanted https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJoUmJMqSG0 Trump's Little Boxes https://www.castanet.net/news/Letters/380344/Trump-s-little-boxes QAnon 'Imbeciles' Attempt Citizens Arrests On Cops https://www.rawstory.com/qanon-2657876787/ The Wicked Witch Speaks https://www.facebook.com/1316568518/videos/10222367946610297 America's Got Treason 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzynlyXgsWc World's Greatest Fifth-Taker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnqqIl4uFzA MAGA Candidates Spread The Big Lie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buHIY1dDaeA Trick Or Treason For Hell Toupee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YYppfdNz68 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiKIokGgF20 Don Veto Goes Nuclear https://www.facebook.com/100002815833353/videos/2330238413797596 The Boy From Mar-A-Lago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxbZ8jgqfbo

CELEBRITY EXTORTIONIST All The President's Venom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpx19Ykhbdk Voters Elected An Imbecilic Con Man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLDKdoOZsGM 'This Sad, Embarrassing Wreck Of A Man' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsgccOuZ0qg GOP Enablers Fueled Trump's Refusal To Concede https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi-NwD30ADs Georgia On His Mind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIJU3M-kKhI Trump's Call: From Mafia-Like Intimidation To Flattery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYjKmc0iGFQ Trump Wanted To Rescind 2020 Results https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIIdcCOrHvo Trump Sues Clinton Over Russia Claims https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0ZBWUqlWvo Size Does Matter At Georgia Rally https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trumps-georgia-rally-sees-smallest-crowd-in-state-since-2016-reporters/ar-AAVybod Will Trump Ever Be Indicted In New York? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWw5ZrParmM Two Rulings Against Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOvGU9zmrtk Can This Thug Become President Again? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU4JKV9Opt0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A Coup In Search Of A Legal Theory https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/a-federal-judge-just-added-rocket-fuel-to-the-case-for-prosecuting-trump/ar-AAVBrBB We Don’t Know Half Of Trump's Illegal Shit https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/03/donald-trump-missing-phone-logs-capitol-attack Were White House Records Tampered With? https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/mar/30/trump-used-white-house-phone-call-capitol-attack-jan-6-not-official-log Phone Gaps Suspiciously Tailored To Events https://news.yahoo.com/gaps-trumps-phone-logs-during-200220580.html Fake News Rally Fact-Checked https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvYjl9h5-QI Evidence Links Trump To Coup Plot https://www.msnbc.com/the-beat-with-ari/watch/-potus-participated-trump-busted-by-evidence-tying-him-to-coup-plot-136813125729 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53JakXCvQa0 Investigations Into Trump Not Going Away https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-investigations-into-donald-trump-arent-going-away/ar-AAVYTxI Fact Checking Delusional Trump Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlrRXz1yrxo Trump Deflects Blame For Riot https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/07/trump-interview-jan6/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NY Criminal investigation Of Trump Not Over https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/criminal-investigation-into-trump-and-his-company-continues-as-prosecutors-review-new-evidence-ny-da-says/ar-AAVYBv3 Clear Evidence Of Criminal Intent https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2WTObOw1b8 This Is How You Fact Check A Liar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maTdriB6lsk Historians Wrestle With Trump's Legacy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P_KaY3arAU Trump 'Groomed' Followers For Riot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJqqhJXkikI Donald Would Stop At Nothing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tuAcRz50uo Trump's Influence Crashes After Media Flops https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x34l8lpzxxU Peeling Back The Trump Onion In Georgia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVF6FZ00vqw The Party Of One Came Close To A Coup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7CHBCz9ARA Trump Is Contempt Personified https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFfH3vdc0BA Donald Is A Black Hole Of Need https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-eaW-GGjjo ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Trump's Fear Of Flying Fruit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiQt1V4QGos Coup Attempt Was ‘Dry Run’ For 2024 https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/04/luttig-warns-trump-coup-2024.html Torching Treasonous, Vengeful Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGzXwQu-ec8 The Don Wanted To Shoot Protesters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzonaaQVfec Trump Wades Into Current Culture Wars https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2022/may/news-exclusive-everything-i-said-was-right-donald-trump-wades-into-current-culture-wars Georgia Grand Jury Starts Criminal Probe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igm95taUBEY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkb78uCbFe4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlcTQU5jfhY Trump Defends His 'Perfect' Georgia Phone Call https://news.yahoo.com/trump-reacts-georgia-grand-jury-155412112.html The Donald's Enthusiasm For State Violence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAfSzVH_MfU ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Trump Wanted To ‘Quietly’ Bomb Mexico https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8dppGyTEfY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlV5x5Rjx7U Musk Would Overturn Twitter’s Trump Ban https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/elon-musk-reverse-twitter-donald-trump-ban-1235263248/ Trump Waged War On The Democratic Process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8kcavjDmS4 Trump Is The Architect Of The Coup Strategy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo_pa5W_eYg Trump On Trial: The Question Of Criminality https://www.brookings.edu/research/trump-on-trial/ Cohen Knows What Trump Is Planning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCMpj53HyXw Woodward: Trump ‘Conspired In A Criminal Way' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzTphpQqchk Trump's Frightening Compulsion To Dominate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLVzXO7aStc How Trump Bullied Mike Pence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n086YhxdjBw Only Thing That Mattered Was Loyalty To Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZRviPwF3sY ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Trump's Words Were Seen As A Call To Arms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHraRyOd3gs Kinzinger: 'Donald Trump Is Responsible' https://www.cbsnews.com/news/january-6-committee-hearing-donald-trump-responsible-adam-kinzinger/ Trump's Refusal to Act During 1/6 Attack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KuARbvmk-g Evidence Puts Trump At Heart Of Probe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_ziCKi9bvg Et Tu, Ivanka? https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/10/opinion/jan-6-hearing.html The Don Melts Down In Truth Social Rant https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-truth-social-jan-6-hearing-ivanka-pence_n_62a352f1e4b0cdccbe4f3f9d Trump: 'Our Country Is In Such Trouble!' https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-reacts-january-6-hearing-capitol-attack-truth-social-1714516 Abusing Legal Process To Promote Big Lie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKsJRr4dlas Trump’s Secret Plot Exposed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR4k6J8IXHE ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Trump Conned His Voters With Big Lie Grift https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mi15g-Lkrc Trump Brought ‘Rumor After Rumor’ To Barr https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg5-gDFsKCY MAGA  Aide Says 45 Knew He Was Lying https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCHWArgsIq8 Michael Cohen Annihilates Trump & Barr https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afULKIjdYxU Trump's Grift Bilked Donors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkRtTEMzjeI First Seditious President Of The USA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lck4tV7Xao https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW0qyGZ-Up8 Trump Demands 'Equal Time' To Refute 'Witch Hunt' https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-rages-at-slanderous-jan-6-committee-demands-equal-time-to-spell-out-the-massive-voter-fraud/ A Man & His Mob https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/p/a-man-and-a-mob-36b Mary Trump On Donald’s Criminal Intent https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVhIIJtICFY Trump’s Mob Tactics & 'Rats' Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6DULYzYRVU ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Greatest Grifter In The History Of The USA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsNhN30KZNw How Trump Exploited His Fans https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/18/donald-trump-election-defense-fundraising-defrauded-fans Trump Has No Plausible Deniability https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/18/opinion/mike-pence-trump-jan-6.html Majority Of Americans Want Trump Indicted https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2A2981b7Cs The Time To Put Trump On Trial Is Drawing Near https://www.ft.com/content/7f61bee8-89ce-4126-a71a-197725749f42 The Donald Continues To Build The Case Against Him https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2022/06/trump-continues-to-build-the-jan-6-committees-case-against-him-conservative/ Fox Host Abandons Trump On Air https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkjf5sDJ9Ag Mary Trump Not Shocked By Uncle's Violent Outbursts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqVHobcpWas Trump Linked To Armed Violence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr9le-4YZjA Why Trump Always Walks Free https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSaZnZzYgy0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Unhinged Trump's Sloppy Coup Exposed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeBtX-hOEGE Trump Sought To Wield Violence By Loyalists https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glZ6uMPs0CI The Don Melts Down Over Hutchinson Testimony https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/donald-trump-melts-down-on-truth-social-over-cassidy-hutchinsons-jan-6-testimony/ar-AAYY9CQ https://occupydemocrats.com/2022/06/28/meltdown-trump-vents-his-anger-after-jan-6-testimony-proves-extremely-damaging/ Why Uncle Donald Throws Food https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er20KSoGD-M Trump’s Had Bad Moments, But Few Worse Than This https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-e2-80-99s-had-bad-moments-but-few-worse-than-cassidy-hutchinson-e2-80-99s-testimony/ar-AAYYx4l Trump Wanted To Enter House Chamber With An Armed Mob https://www.alternet.org/2022/06/yale-historian-donald-trump-desperation/ Hutchinson Further Damages Trump’s Reputation https://www.minnpost.com/eric-black-ink/2022/06/cassidy-hutchinson-further-damages-donald-trumps-presidents-reputation-your-scribe-apologizes-to-former-president/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hutchinson’s Testimony Should Be The End Of Trump https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/cassidy-hutchinsons-testimony-should-be-the-end-of-donald-trump Trump's Coup Plot Followed A Pre-Existing Script https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pX0u1i_muU Why Was Trump Mixing With An Armed Crowd? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwA3YZ_CZWQ Most Investigated, Least Prosecuted Man In US History https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2YXD3C054w The President Lunged At The Steering Wheel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkzWxgq99Gg The Donald Has Humiliating Meltdown On Live TV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1m5j1LisLI The Don's ‘Mob Boss’ Playbook May Be Deployed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqZkLPSZP3E How To Convict Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6KgTfGkkhk Donald J. Trump, Meanest Of Mean Girls https://www.salon.com/2022/07/02/donald-j-trump-meanest-of-mean-girls-he-isoi-doesnt-want-to-be-our-friend-anymore/ The Don Is ‘Up To His Eyeballs In Criminality’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gVPwnERza4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Panicked Trump Spends Sunday Raging On Truth Social https://realpolitick.com/2022/07/not-normal-panicked-trump-spends-his-sunday-raging-on-truth-social-a-real-loser/ New Jan 6 Documentary Footage Revealed https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/05/trailer-trump-documentary-january-6-committee-holder-00043960 Trump: Jan 6 Panel 'Thugs' Ignoring 'Burning Cities' https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-jan-6-panel-criminal-charges-july-4-burning-down-cities_n_62c30d3ae4b0a21d842a1a2d Is Trump Bracing For Indictment? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NLcrJgWbpU Investigators Inch Closer To Charging Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc4cdCwk32o Trump's ‘Succession-Type Vibe' https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/unprecedented-documentary-filmmaker-alex-holder-jan-6-footage-1235173387/ Possible Trump Ties To Far-Right Militias Examined https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/07/next-jan-6-hearing-trump-far-right-militias I Was Betrayed By President Trump https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/10/opinion/capitol-police-jan-6.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Trump 'Terrified' As Walls 'Closing In' https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-is-terrified-his-white-house-counsel-is-cooperating-with-jan-6-panel-mary-trump/ar-AAZpkkl?li=BBnb7Kz Trump's Jan 6 Actions Were Deliberate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVvMj1bmRZY Witness Trump Called Was WH Support Staffer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNLpfmBmCfY Trump Totally Obsessed With Jan 6 Committee https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/donald-trump-is-totally-obsessed-with-the-january-6-committee/ar-AAZzQeS Be There, Will Be Wild! https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1239063973575572 Why Trump Is 'Desperately Worried' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVYEIjmR9mM Looking Into Trump’s 187 Minutes Of Inaction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R56KDQP6x84 Was Trump ‘Detached From Reality’ – Or Calculating? https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/was-trump-detached-from-reality-or-calculating-jan-6-committee-to-cap-case-against-ex-president/ar-AAZMyzf Shocking Moments From ‘Unprecedented’ Documentary https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/unprecedented-donald-trump-jan-6-documentary-discovery-plus-1235312905/ Strongest Evidence Of Guilt: Chart Tracks Trump’s Intent https://www.justsecurity.org/82247/strongest-evidence-of-guilt-chart-tracking-trumps-knowledge-and-intent-in-efforts-to-overturn-the-election/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Trump Will Run For Office To Run From The Law https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCUnhLVy6QY Trump Campaign Chief Bannon Guilty In Jan 6 Case https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DieR1T5AfM https://globalnews.ca/news/9009420/steve-bannon-trial-verdict/ Trump Planned To Falsely Claim Victory In 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTqbK1v3AEc Prime Time Hearing Shows Trump Playing Active Role https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsFZCXHzCN8 Mob Attack Was Intended By The President https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZass85aCfA Trump Sought To Say Most Rioters Acted 'Peacefully' https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/jan-6-hearing-trump-sought-to-say-most-rioters-acted-peacefully-in-deleted-clip/ar-AAZOSUZ Kinzinger: Trump ‘Chose Not To Act’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydQsq-P7tMw 'I Don't Want To Say The Election Is Over' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kih5hGkx5-M Trump Still Trying To Overturn 2020 Election https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mO5fOAnAUE Trump Throws Unhinged Truth Social Tantrum https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-truth-social-jan-6-hearing-1366004/ https://www.mediaite.com/trump/trump-goes-on-unhinged-rant-following-prime-time-january-6th-hearing/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Trump Ignored Call From Pentagon During Attack https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-ignored-pentagon-call-jan-6-1386637/ Modern Nero Watched Capitol Sacked From Dining Room https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jul/21/trump-modern-nero-watched-us-capitol-sacked-white-house-dining-room Trump Fired A Bullet Into The Heart Of Democracy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K6iq-67Z2I Self-Awareness In Short Supply For Trump https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/26/donald-trump-washington-dc-speech-america-first Biden Tears Into Trump Over Violence Against Police https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/biden-tears-trump-violence-police-hours-ex-president-returns-dc-campai-rcna39860 Woodward & Bernstein: Trump's Political Obituary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EySfcMPxZs Trump Proven Unfit For Power Again https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/trump-proven-unfit-for-power-again https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/this-conservative-editorial-board-just-absolutely-trashed-donald-trump/ar-AAZ2bWo What Would America Under Fascism Look Like? https://hartmannreport.com/p/what-would-an-american-fascist-government 'Incitement By Silence': Murdoch Media Blisters Trump https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/incitement-by-silence-rupert-murdoch-s-newspapers-blister-trump-after-j6-hearings/ar-AAZTVlA Stick A Fork In Trump – The Ex-President Is Done https://www.thedailybeast.com/put-a-fork-in-donald-trump-the-ex-president-is-done?ref=home Donald Trump: American Monster https://www.irishtimes.com/world/americas/2022/06/12/trump-revealed-as-a-true-us-monster/

TREASON TRIBUNAL Meet The Jan 6 Committee Members https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/08/january-6-house-committee-members-list/7552965001/ Preliminary Hearing 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnFSSyoNu_k Top Moments Of The 2022 Hearings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py2XbbB4EzQ Public Hearing #1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Lo3lNO6JE Jan 6 Hearing Structured Like A Trial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGRIpGw1luw January 6th Was Trump's Plan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aybAvfnc7KI 'It Was Carnage, It Was Chaos' https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/capitol-police-officer-says-it-was-carnage-it-was-chaos-during-jan-6-testimony/ar-AAYhZmd The Riot Was An ‘Attempted Coup’ https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/06/us-capitol-riot-on-jan-6th-an-attempted-coup-prime-time-hearing-told.html Officer Dunn Sheds Tears Watching Footage https://www.huffpost.com/entry/harry-dunn-jan-6-hearing_n_62a29a48e4b04a61734c6896 Trump Didn't Make A Single Phone Call https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=368xvHBDMeA The Don's Allies Implicate Him https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/at-first-hearing-jan-6-panel-uses-trumps-allies-to-lay-out-case-against-him/ar-AAYhk4p How Fox Tried To Spin The Hearing https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/heres-how-fox-and-newsmax-tried-to-spin-the-january-6-committees-first-prime-time-hearing/ar-AAYhWT8 Dispelling The Thick Fog Of Propaganda https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prX93HS8IbY The Truth Won Last Night https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADCXg-qrz_0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Committee Warns Democracy 'In Danger' https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/jan-hearing-key-takeaways-committee-warns-democracy-danger/story?id=85302189 'This Case Could Be Tried' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtIBe8u_phY Tears, Tissues, T-Shirts https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/tears-tissues-t-shirts-what-it-was-like-in-the-hearing-room-during-the-jan-6-committee-hearing/ar-AAYiddW The Legal Legacy Of The Civil War https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdct_1p58Ic When Have We Ever Seen A Coup Like This? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzR2rVKwrK4 DC Still Recovering From That Awful Day https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-jan-6-hearing-laid-bare-how-dc-is-still-recovering-from-that-awful-day/ar-AAYk18x This Was A Scheme, Not A Riot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e71qWO2pxBI Truth Versus Alternative Facts https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jun/10/the-guardian-view-on-the-january-6-committee-hearing-truth-v-alternative-facts The Hearings Could Change Republican Minds https://newsletters.theatlantic.com/the-third-rail/62a3496595033600218a4dbb/january-6-committee-hearings-trump-republicans/ Committee Still Has Surprises In Store https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/10/capitol-attack-hearing-analysis-trump-pence Set-Piece TV Can Still Pack A Punch https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/10/primetime-january-6-tv-hearings-us-capitol-attack ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Public Hearing #2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBjc8rTcOY8 Fox News Switches To Airing The Hearings https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/watch/why-fox-started-covering-the-jan-6-hearings/vi-AAYpG2m?category=foryou Trump's Inner Circle Tried To Reason With Him https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2022/06/13/second-Jan-6-hearing-Trump-overturn-election/3971655068074/ ‘The Big Lie Was Also A Big Rip-Off' https://www.grid.news/story/politics/2022/06/13/january-6-hearings-day-2-the-big-lie-was-also-a-big-rip-off/ Trump Took Advice From Inebriated Giuliani https://www.indy100.com/politics/trump-rudy-giuliani-drunk-election A $250 Million Trump Con https://upnorthnewswi.com/2022/06/13/a-250-million-trump-con-six-key-takeaways-from-jan-6-committee-hearing-no-2/ Drunk Rudy & 2000 Debunked Mules https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/a-drunk-rudy-giuliani-bill-barr-ridicules-2000-mules-and-other-jan-6-hearings-day-2-highlights/ar-AAYpFhl Jan 6 Panel Says Trump Fleeced His Base https://health.wusf.usf.edu/2022-06-13/jan-6-panel-says-trump-fleeced-his-base-and-5-other-takeaways-from-the-2nd-hearing ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Public Hearing #3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD3wpyVmciE A Clear & Present Danger To Mike Pence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQzhJoZi1eQ Evidence Of Trump's Pressure On Pence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnt5UfWeBH8 New Details About Pence’s Terrifying Day https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/16/jan-6-committee-reveals-new-details-about-pences-terrifying-day/ hearings have revealed a ton of new material https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/heres-everything-weve-learned-from-the-january-6-committee-hearings-so-far/ar-AAYyNDy Pure 100-Proof Fascism, Completely Lawless https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2022/06/pure-100-proof-fascism-morning-joe-panel-hammers-completely-lawless-trump-election-plot-revealed-in-new-emails/ Trump Responds Defiantly To Jan 6 Hearings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DaCahQOfRg The Don Handed 'A Death Sentence' To Pence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDu8qZV-UPk Trump Calls Hearings A 'Disgraceful Performance' https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-fires-back-jan-committee-calls-hearings-disgraceful/story?id=85463648 Committee Makes A Criminal Referral – Its Own Way https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-jan-6-select-committee-makes-a-criminal-referral-%E2%80%94-its-own-way/ar-AAYz7zZ What Took Pence So Long To Do Right? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZUTrru7b64 How To Trump-Proof The 2024 Election https://newrepublic.com/article/166843/january-6-trump-pence-luttig-electoral-count-act Jan 6 Committee Has Masterfully Trapped Trump https://www.rawstory.com/the-house-january-6th-select-committee-has-masterfully-trapped-donald-trump/ Trump Isolated As The Bad Actor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnxU5nCo_vM ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Public Hearing #4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyDxH8mb2do 'There Were No Votes To Find' https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10938891/Adam-Schiff-gets-prosecuting-Trump-latest-Jan-6th-hearing.html 'I Do Not Want To Be A Winner By Cheating' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bn_3fu8wCM Election Workers Recall Threats To Family https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23dn9VXWCsg https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/election-worker-remembers-death-threats-after-trump-s-fraud-claims-be-glad-it-s-not-1920/ar-AAYImfN#image=AAYyZzS|12 Lady Ruby: 'I Felt Homeless' https://www.11alive.com/video/news/politics/ruby-freeman-i-felt-homeless-when-fbi-told-her-she-needed-to-leave-home-for-safety/85-1a51ed87-7384-4948-944b-ece3cd7cc129 Public Hearing #5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjMNdMqxuiQ How Trump Nearly Subverted Justice Department https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/06/january-6-hearing-day-five-trump-doj-2020-election Key Takeaways From DOJ Testimonies https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/23/politics/january-6-hearing-day-5-takeaways/index.html https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/5-key-takeaways-from-fifth-january-6-capitol-riot-hearing/ar-AAYNxWX Trump's Plan To Topple The Justice Department https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/miss-day-5-of-the-jan-6-hearing-trumps-plan-to-topple-the-justice-department-and-more/ar-AAYNOZB Hearings Could Lead To Criminal Charges https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/jan-6-hearings-could-stymie-trump-s-attempt-to-delegitimize-criminal-charges/ar-AAYSAow ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Public Hearing #6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGe_C9Rbeak Top Takeaways From Surprise Witness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbaDqd76XKA An Exemplary, Courageous Witness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t56BBO8dix8 Cassidy Hutchinson Highlights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGtpFly2Q48 From Trusted Insider To Explosive Witness https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/cassidy-hutchinson-e2-80-99s-path-from-trusted-insider-to-explosive-witness/ar-AAYYxmN All The Bombshells Cassie Dropped https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/all-the-bombshells-cassidy-hutchinson-dropped-about-trump-and-jan-6/ar-AAYXXfI Trump Aides Vouch For Hutchinson https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/as-trump-rails-at-cassidy-hutchinsons-jan-6-testimony-other-aides-vouch-for-her/ar-AAYYrJC Witness Tampering & Obstructions Of Justice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6TnUwX2m9I A Data & Information Cluster Bomb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmSkZN9G3Nk Star Witness Imperils ‘Criminal’ Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa3hOkAd70w AOC: Pardon-Seekers Should Be Expelled https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6cv-XNwXBk Trump Coup Nightmare: 'Devastating' Smoking Gun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOcZRxBwZ1k Why A Surprise Hearing Was Critical https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-kPUFN5cVE Witness Tampering By Mob Boss Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocYkJ_XBKGQ 'When You Try A Coup, You Have To Pay' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBi1ygbzdiI Cheney Rebukes 'Dangerous & Irrational' Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Gv7PauPhAl ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Why Americans Are Watching The Hearings https://sports.yahoo.com/20-million-people-saw-primetime-100051287.html Cracks In The GOP Armor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUGYzUoTnh8 An Ominous Warning Of The Demise Of A Great Tradition https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/article262731102.htm Will this Finally Bring Down The Cult Of Trump? https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/28/opinion/trump-jan-6-hearing.html This Hearing Is About As Historic As It Gets https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5YcoWjkSto Case for Prosecuting Trump Just Got Much Stronger https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/the-case-for-prosecuting-donald-trump Lofgren: We Won't Allow Intimidation Of Witnesses https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jagp7cXw8kM Trump Could Use 'OJ Simpson Defence' If Charged https://www.indy100.com/politics/trump-6-january-committee-testimony Threats Of Violence From Trump Supporters https://twitter.com/AccountableGOP/status/1544331441135386624 Grand Jury Subpoenas Giuliani & Eastman https://www.ajc.com/politics/fulton-grand-jury-subpoenas-giuliani-graham-trump-confidantes/POUNSTTUXZDGDB3D5LKA7TIQQM/ How Likely Are Criminal Charges For Trump? https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/01/trump-january-6-hearing-testimony-doj-criminal-charges Mulvaney: Republicans Should Pay Attention https://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/article263174168.html Cheney: Multiple Criminal Referrals Of Trump Possible https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJzdMLccRZ4 https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/07/03/jan6-trump-criminal-referrals-cheney/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Cipollone Testimony ‘A Very Good Development’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x8PB26Cb_M Could Cipollone Be The John Dean Of Jan 6? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iKd0Lm8iG8 MAGA 'Hearsay' Defense Crumbles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-phy7hUE28 6 Questions I Hope Pat Cipollone Answered https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/6-questions-i-hope-pat-cipollone-answered/ar-AAZnbo8 Trump Lawyer Warned Of White House Felonies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyeBuDmHePM It’s Been A Bad Week For Donald Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KboZ--xCFTM How Trump Has Been Consuming Jan 6 Hearings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmTtPkRwXxc Trump's Possible Ties To Militia Groups https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyKV4yEz6v0 Bannon Cooperates Amid Growing Evidence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVQGLrNZbgw New Report On Jan 6 Mob's Weapons   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZvRD3Y-i_o Bannon Should Not Get A Public Hearing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb8LBlYti7Q Next Hearing To Focus On Far-Right Militia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrD1f58_yJs Proud Boys To Take Center Stage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20OysmNdOpo ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Public Hearing #7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK7__28iw20 Top January 6 Reveals From Day 7 https://www.businessinsider.com/tamper-trouble-for-trump-unhinged-oval-office-tuesdays-hearing-reveals-2022-7 Trump Associates Tied To Violent Extremists https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-jan-6-committee-extremists_n_62cd883fe4b094232780b0eb The Craziest Meeting In The Trump Presidency https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35R3bSsMZiA When All Else Failed, Trump Turned To Jan 6 Mob https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/when-all-else-failed-trump-turned-to-the-january-6-mob/ar-AAZvghg Trump’s Dangerous ‘Call to Arms’ https://www.thedailybeast.com/jan-6-panel-lays-out-donald-trumps-dangerous-call-to-arms https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-7th-jan-6-public-hearing-homed-in-on-how-trump-invited-extremists-to-washington/ar-AAZvA1O Trump's ‘Random Riot’ Defense Crumbles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6goWJbCYy4 'Lies, Deceit & Snake Oil [Almost] Started New Civil War' https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/lies-deceit-and-snake-oil-jan-6-hearing-witness-says-trump-claims-might-have-started-a-new-civil-war/ar-AAZuD5Z ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Trump Tried To Contact Jan 6 Witness https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-tried-to-contact-jan-6-witness-liz-cheney-reveals-at-end-of-hearing Rioter Ayres Apologizes To Capitol Police https://twitter.com/JaxAlemany/status/1546948281997340672 Former Oath Keepers Media Director Speaks Out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df9nXPMt6to ‘Unhinged’ Pivotal Meeting Led To The Riot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDZ3__-PblI Trump Aide Bannon Faces Two Years In Prison https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo0uvS3XIGE What Jan 6 Committee Needs to Ask In Big Finale https://www.yahoo.com/video/jan-6-committee-needs-ask-231909334.html January 6 Insurrection: Minute-By-Minute https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/10/politics/jan-6-us-capitol-riot-timeline/index.html Next Jan 6 Hearing Will Be In Prime Time https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/18/politics/january-6-primetime-hearing-explainer/index.html Trump White House Officials Expected To Testify https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/two-trump-white-house-officials-expected-testify-prime-time-jan-6-hear-rcna38832 Power In Chaos: Bannon Disrupting Democracy https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2022/07/politics/steve-bannon-us-democracy/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Secret Service Under Fire Over Deleted Jan 6 Texts https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/19/national-archives-deleted-jan-6-secret-service-texts-00046552 https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house/watch/jan-6-committee-deleted-secret-service-texts-may-have-violate-federal-records-act-144458309548 https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/jan-6-committee-says-secret-service-started-handing-over-records-e2-80-94but-agency-may-have-broken-law/ar-AAZNgUP Next Hearing To Focus On Threat To Democracy https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/rep-elaine-luria-prepares-to-lead-jan-6-committee-hearing-focusing-on-threat-to-democracy/ar-AAZNiSE Jan 6 Committee May Call Out Pro-MAGA Lawmakers https://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-jan-6-committee-plans-013824717.html Secret Service Text Deletion Scandal Deepens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez7LdU_pJSg Kinzinger: Trump’s SUV Outburst Corroborated https://www.thebulwark.com/jan-6th-committee-corroborates-trumps-suv-outburst/ This Is So Much Worse Than Watergate https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/29/opinions/jan-6-cassidy-hutchinson-worse-than-watergate-hemmer/index.html Trump ‘100% Committed Crimes’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwbsCmzHRMk ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Public Hearing #8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9nY48Ncdq0 Takeaways From Jan 6 Hearing Day 8 https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/21/politics/january-6-hearing-day-8-takeaways/index.html https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/two-takeaways-from-thursdays-jan-6-us-capitol-riot-hearing/ar-AAZQvmD Hawley's Sprint, Donnie's Outtakes, & Clark Kent   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOgjE7RdYZc Congressional Leaders Salvaged Democracy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHFatDHEaJg Gutless Wonder Ran From The Mob He Cheered https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-WdqFHci_Y Jan 6 Attack ‘Emboldened Our Enemies' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaqCVEioFDE Secret Service Texts Are Like Nixon's Lost Tapes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5egiGwPjIbg 'Not Just Dereliction, But Depravity' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcezgtI5pUY Commander-In-Chief Of The Insurrection https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V8cDE4SiSQ The Jan 6 Hearings Are Wounding Trump https://news.yahoo.com/accumulation-jan-6-hearings-wounding-083000217.html Jan 6 Hearings Plot A Roadmap To Autocracy https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/23/january-6-hearings-us-democracy-roadmap-autocracy Liz Cheney's Fiery Closing Statement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlRnBAiGsl0

INCITEMENTS TO INDICTMENTS John Dean Calls For Feds To Indict Trump https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2022/03/john-dean-calls-for-feds-to-take-over-manhattan-das-halted-investigation-and-indict-trump/ Garland Under Pressure To Charge Trump https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/apr/10/merrick-garland-charge-donald-trump-january-6 Biggest Failure Of A US Attorney General? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaFgau7ylHY The DOJ Must Prosecute Trump https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/07/prosecute-trump-january-6-doj/670511/ DOJ Now Investigating Trump Officials https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-significant-and-long-overdue-schiff-on-reports-of-doj-expanding-jan-6-probe-136620101630 https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/doj-reportedly-investigating-officials-in-donald-trump-s-orbit-tied-to-january-6th-136733765521 A Clear Sign The DOJ Is Investigating Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LcL65AN_Pk There's Enough For DOJ To Open Trump Case https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoG_9SM-Inw The DOJ Must Now Pursue Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzWoUAM2oS4 'We Trust The Attorney General' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOIVpDI0iwo DOJ Has Super Powers Compared To Committee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQqZgw5gxZ0 DOJ Must Fill Gap In Evidence Against Trump https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-07-20/jan-6-committee-justice-department-donald-trump-prosecution Garland's Silence On Trump Is Eroding Our Trust https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/jan-6-hearing-witnesses-prove-trump-s-criminal-intent-n1297424 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Jan 6 Committee Has Given DOJ A Trial Run https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL-wMsf3aBg Garland: All Jan 6 Criminals Will Be Held Accountable https://www.politicalflare.com/2022/07/single-best-thing-merrick-garland-has-said-as-a-g-everyone-responsible-for-j6-will-face-prosecution/ Former Trump Insiders React To Prime Time Hearing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2ZhVnzObA0 Cheney Exposes Fox News Audience To Jan 6 Truth https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/a-sunday-miracle-fox-news-audience-exposed-to-jan-6-truth-during-liz-cheney-interview/ar-AAZUXTX DOJ Investigating The Donald's Closest Allies https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/26/politics/justice-department-pence-short-jacob-trump-grand-jury/index.html Autocrats On The March From Moscow To Mar-A-Lago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE7v6bngN_k DOJ Now Investigating Trump's Role In Jan 6 Riot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrAMjl3WpDw Don't Buy The Secret Service Excuses https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCjN96uOriU DOJ Conducting Probe Into Trump’s Jan 6 Actions https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/07/26/trump-justice-investigation-january-6/ Trump Is 'Like Houdini,' But He Has Met His Match https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_TwGNoK_FE DOJ Homes In On Trump Efforts To Overturn Vote https://news.yahoo.com/justice-department-probe-homes-trump-231820090.html DOJ's Jan 6 Trump Investigation Is A Criminal Probe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46PX1S8KWq0 DOJ Probe Into 1/6 Is Making Major Strides https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxQqS65vIy0 DOJ's Criminal Probe Of Trump Is Big News https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/07/27/big-news-doj-investigating-trump-criminal-probe-jan-6-attack The Most Wide Ranging Investigation In DOJ History https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/merrick-garland-not-rule-prosecuting-trump-jan-6-rcna40092 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DOJ Has Multiple Possible Paths To Trump Indictments https://news.yahoo.com/doj-multiple-possible-paths-trump-205618454.html Trump's Living MAGA TV Nightmare https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWq9j01aEsc Breaking Down DOJ's Probe Into Trump’s Actions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMOE_XikETA Garland Doesn't Lie: DOJ Is Targeting Trump https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/column-garland-doesnt-lie-%E2%80%94-the-justice-department-is-targeting-trump/ar-AA101KiJ Leaks Of DOJ's Criminal Investigation Will Keep Coming https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShG3JIs5et8 FBI Agents Conduct Surprise Raid On Mar-a-Lago https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11093449/FBI-agents-raid-Mar-Lago-Trump-says-home-siege-agents.html FBI Action Sparks Unhinged MAGA Tweets https://gizmodo.com/9-unhinged-tweets-fbi-raid-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-1849388563 FBI Search Focused On 15 Boxes From White House https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8pIuu4mF4g Violent Comments Flood Far-Right Forums https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyyeoP4uooc Karma Boomerang For A Narcissistic Sociopath https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsG2X1Mq_qU A Litany Of Excuses For A Legacy Of Corruption https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hcyp8ufmBWE Public Hearing #9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBmE16yFQqc Pelosi On Jan 6: 'I'm Gonna Punch Him Out!' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwqFYvCQBAk Over To You, Garland https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1096004144370986 Final Public Hearing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Uz0zoG_UM Consequences For The Donald https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-hRybZy7tM

CLEAR & PRESENT DANGER: A POTUS ABSENT WITHOUT LAW https://musemash.tumblr.com/post/657180468385546240/resistance-tribute-part-1-clear-present-danger CIVIL WAR JUST AIN’T WHAT IT USED TO BE https://musemash.tumblr.com/post/652682070929326081/trumpery-swan-song-act-3-civil-war-just-aint DA GANG DAT COULDN’T COUP STRAIGHT https://musemash.tumblr.com/post/639339651499474944/photo-gallery-the-coup-before-christmas-meets ANTIFA ARTS THERAPY FOR USA’S DAY OF RECKONING https://musemash.tumblr.com/post/672616628600635392/antifa-arts-therapy-for-usas-day-of-reckoning

Credits: Image #2 painted by Mark Bryan Douglas Wood website: https://douglaswood.com/

10/7/22 DAB Chronological Transcription

Mark 2

Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible Chronological. I'm China. Today is the 7th day of October. Welcome. So great to be here with you today as we are a full week into the month of October. Welcome. Hope you have had a great first week of this month and that you are having a great day. And if not, just take a few moments to take some deep breaths and to slow down the fast pace of days. And it's so easy to get totally just side swiped by something or to be so laser focused and we just forget to take some deep breaths and forget to just shake out some tension. So let's take a couple of deep breaths. Just drop your shoulders, unclench your jaw, shake your head to the right. On the left. On your head, yes. No, on your head. No. Just take a few deep cleansing breaths and let's come around the word of the Lord today. Today we are in the book of Mark. We are in chapter 2 and we’re in the New International version.

Commentary:

We have a super short reading today, but honestly, so much goodness packed into today's reading. And if anything, I just love that Jesus is a man who is I mean it's true. We find this in every part of scripture that we read that he is fully God and he is fully man. And I'm so impressed that that could even happen, that that could even be a reality. And he handles being questioned with grace and with poise and with certainty and with identity. And honestly, I've had this conversation with my dad so many times where it's kind of like I think Jesus is a prime example of what maybe was the plan all along to go all the way back to Eden and to have him be this supernatural figure of this is what was always available to us. This is perfection, this is God with us. Like this is what was available to us. And so to read about the nature of Jesus is so oh man, I don't know if I have the right word for that. It makes my heart long before like full face to face communion with God and at the same time it makes my heart ache for man, we could have had we could have walked in the coolness of the day with the Lord in Eden and the reality is if it wasn't Eve, it would have been someone else. I just really believe that and we've all been in that situation too. I mean, heck, we just came out of a whole testament of people choosing knowledge, choosing something other than community and communion and fellowship with the Lord. And so when Jesus is questioned, when people just have legitimate questions because they're like, wait, could you actually be the Son of God? Wait, could you actually be the Messiah? The one that we have been waiting for, the one that my great great great great great great grandfather has been telling me about or has passed down for me to hear about or are you just being blasphemous? And there's always two different part motives and it's kind of like which one is it? Who's going to have the questions that are in a place of Lord, I believe I help my unbelief, or from a place that is rude and with an ulterior motive. And again, I just love how Jesus handles himself. It is with poise and with identity and with so much excellence.

Prayer:

So Father, I thank you for your son. I thank you God, that we have read the Bible and all the way up to this point we have seen that there is a great need for a savior. And I think that you saw that we were in need of a savior. You didn't continue to let us have kings of long, long ago and to keep up with that system that wasn't only going to fail us and that we were going to fail you. I think that you have sought after a way for us to be reconciled back to you. And I think you that it was your son. And as someone who is a parent, I cannot imagine sacrificing my child. And I just think what a gift and what a the greatest act of love is for us. And I pray that we would see that in your son's actions before we get to his betrayal, his beating, his crucifixion. I pray that we would see it in his responses, in his interactions with your people. And I thank you again Lord, when we seek you, when we seek you out, when we find you in your word, I just thank you that that is our reward. There is no greater reward than finding you when we seek you with our whole hearts. And so I pray that we would continue to seek you with our whole hearts. And it is in your name we pray. Amen.

Announcements:

Dailyaudiobible.com is our website. That's the place of connection. It is where you can see what is happening here in the community. So be sure to check that out. You can also go to Facebook.com dailyaudiobiblechronological. It's always a mouthful. I'm like, Can I get every word right? And that's also just another great place for you to connect and connect with other believers. So be sure to check that out. That is all for today. I'm China. I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer Line:

Hi DABC family. This is Pamela. I've been previously going by Refined by the Fire from Pennsylvania. But recently I have experienced the most incredible thing. Complete healing body, soul and spirit of every affliction that the enemy has given me and that I have agreed with and allowed to have placed in my body, soul and spirit. So I am celebrating and dancing around and putting behind me the more than 20 years of disability, pain, oppression and everything that the enemy was putting against me. I am praising our Lord and moving forward into everything he has for me. Excuse me. So my new name, my new moniker is Living Life Victoriously. Praise our Lord. And I also wanted to just pop on here and encourage China and thank you, China, for obeying the Holy Spirit and starting this chronological channel on here, because I never fully comprehended the word of God until I started doing this chronologically. It makes so much sense to me. Thank you, China, for your faithfulness to the Lord and to all of us. I love you, God bless you, and may you be healed completely. In Jesus name, amen.

Hey, DABC. It's Renee from Florida. Excuse me. I just wanted to lift up a couple of people that called today for prayer for John, who is still struggling with his family and looking for jobs. Father God, just ask right now that you help them to keep the faith and to keep going and to keep looking, and that you would intercede and help them to find the right type of job. Lord Jesus, we know that you can help, and we're asking in Your mighty name to help them to find the right resources and the right job to provide you or our provider, Father God, let them keep the faith and find something, please. I also pray for Dee, who called in about depression and sadness and that she's actually a functioning depressive person. Sometimes I feel like that you're not alone, but we want to encourage you to keep up the faith, and you do have a purpose. We all have a purpose. One of our purposes is to worship God, to thank Him, to praise Him, to show that we can keep going with Him, not with our strength, but with his strength. All things to Christ who strengthens us. So be encouraged and know that we're praying for you. Kingdom Seeker Daniel, we love when you call in. I agree with your prayer for Jill, and I'm so thankful that China is back on the air. I pray that her husband and Reagan are doing well, too, and that Jill will be completely healed of bell palsy. Lord, be in that circumstance and healing her in Jesus name. We love you all. Have a wonderful week.

Hi, DABC, it's Emmy from Illinois, just calling in with more prayers. In this roller coaster life of drama I have these days, marriage is still kind of in the same space we're still together. Whenever my husband gets mad, he likes to throw out that we shouldn't be together and we should get divorced card, but doesn't ever want to follow through on any of that. So it's just kind of sitting in limbo. But even bigger right now, my 15 year old stepson and my husband have been having major conflicts, and apparently on the way to school this morning, they decided that he was going to live with his mom permanently and not come over. I don't know if that means he won't ever visit. I know my stepson already said he didn't want that to be the case if he did stay at his. He just needed space from my husband, which, personally, I think is a good idea, just not a permanent solution good idea. So if you could just pray for us, pray that God will use this to really get a hold of my husband. I don't know. I don't want to control what God is supposed to do. I just really wish we could get in a good place where we're not constantly fighting and we're not quitting on church. That's the other thing. My husband has decided that there's no churches available that he likes. He doesn't want to go to the one that we were going to. And so now we're doing church online, which is good, but that means that if anything else comes up and we're not feeling like it, we just don't do it, which is what happened this weekend. So just prayers that we can finally find God in all of this. Thank you. Bye.

Sing,o goddess, the love of Patroclus,

The Song of Achilles published in 2012 by Madeline Miller is a YA retelling of The Illiad that focus on Achilles and Patroclus' relationship from the POV of Patroclus. The Song of Achilles chronicles Patroclus’ life with him starting with the first time they saw each other to their deaths from Achilles’ wraith that brought their downfalls. 

If you are not familiar with the Illiad it’s a Greek epic poem by Homer that embellished the real Trojan War with gods and heroes. It focuses on the demi-god warrior Achilles whose wraith destroyed everything in his path whether it was his enemies or his relationships. 

The original poem doesn’t explicitly state that Achilles and Patroclus were lovers but it was implied due to the softness that Achilles expresses towards Patroclus compared to others showing that he has the greatest bond with him and the magnitude of the grief and rage he had when Patroclus died that eventually led to his death. Even in its era people were debating if the relationship was platonic or romantic with philosophers like Aeschineas arguing that although the relationship isn’t explicitly stated it should be obvious to the educated who can read between the lines.

The Song of Achilles explores the romantic interpretation of their relationship along with exploring Patroclus’ character. This story excels at immersing the reader in the unfamiliar world of mythical Greece and at writing a tender coming-of-age romance that warms the heart. though many may dismiss it as a YA romance the book is as much of a commentary on the poem as the words of Aeschineas. Readers may already know the fate of Achilles and Patroclus from pop culture osmosis, but Miller still makes the story feel new and makes people contemplate the legacy of the two characters. The audience thinks about how Achilles is remembered for his wraith and only through his love for Patroclus is he remembered for any softer traits. How they were always be remembered as two halves of a whole rather than separate stories.

An issue with the story is how it omits certain parts of the Illiad and then includes other parts in a way that is confusing. The main example was the addition of Achilles' marriage to Deimaida. “Achilles on Skyros” where he disguises himself as a woman and marries the princess of this island and conceives a child is a part of the larger legend of Achilles but not in the Iliad. In the original tale Achilles rapes Deimaida and it doesn’t include Patroculus but In the Song of Achilles, Patroclus is trying to be with Achilles and Deimaida does rape both of them. “Achilles on Skyros” has been used to discuss rape in Greek mythos for many years so flipping it to discuss rape of males would’ve been interesting. But afterward, Patroclus and Achilles ignore it. Yes, rape victims may start out in denial about what happened. But without the characters talking about it there is no character or relationship development it just feels like a thing that could’ve been cut out. It could’ve been a chance to make their relationship stronger and give us hope that despite the troubles on Skyros their relationship will persevere in hard times. Without the development, it’s just a thing that may trigger readers who have been sexually abused with no warning and no payoff.

The Song of Achilles is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching and a thought-provoking read. I would highly recommend it to fans of Greek mythology and/or people looking for queer male representation.

“I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.”

LGBTQ Light Novel Review — I'm in Love with the Villainess

A stunningly profound, entertaining, and queer title that eclipses other isekai and Yuri series

There are few titles the general public seems to be as excited about as Inori and Hanagata's I'm in Love with the Villainess, as it has been sitting at or near the top of Amazon's LGBT Manga list for months and Twitter is consistently abuzz with the latest news on this isekai Yuri series. I was somewhat more skeptical, as I have had relatively poor experiences with isekai and fantasy Yuri. Still, my excitement went through the room, and I eagerly boarded the "hype train" upon the cover reveal for the third volume. Yuri families, where two women raise children together, are one of my greatest desires and something I rarely see portrayed in the genre. However, I still had mostly low expectations for the series going into the first volume. I looked forward to some light meandering comedy and typical boring trope-filled isekai shenanigans. However, I'm in Love with the Villainess more than exceeded my expectations. No, even this statement is far too moderate to describe how utterly stunned and blown away I was by Inori's creation. I'm in Love with the Villainess is completely shattering and easily one of the greatest light novels I have ever read. Thus, I have no choice to award a perfect 10/10 score, my first ever for a light novel.

After waking up in the world of her favorite otome game, Revolution, protagonist Rae is ecstatic to be faced to face with Claire Francois, the game's villainous rival. However, Rae never played Revolution for the thrill of romancing any of the three attractive young princes. She was always in love with Claire. She attends the academy and studies magic in the fantasy world alongside Claire, the princes, and various other supporting characters. Using her skills from the modern world and her encyclopedic knowledge of Revolution, Rae manipulates the situation to be close to Claire, becoming her maid, and garnering status and money along the way. As an inevitable conflict looms closer, Rea begins to enact plans to protect herself and Claire, many of which are not fully understood or explained until the finale fantastically reveals the reasons for her actions. There is a natural and steady pace to the narrative that awards readers’  predictions and attention to detail.

I'm in Love with the Villainess has some excellent supporting characters, all of whom have unique personalities, histories, and abilities, some of which are revealed by Rae's exposition and others naturally throughout the novel. However, the stars of the show are the central couple, Rae and Claire. Claire is an elite aristocrat and extremely bratty. She often sneers at commoners and makes her disdain of Rae very clear from early on. On paper, she sounds like the perfect villain and someone all readers would despise. However, Rae's utter devotion and infatuation with Claire is so sincere that we cannot help but be pulled in and adore Claire and all her tantrums. Rae is a delight herself, continually flirting and poking fun at Claire, which gets her verbally berated, much to her masochistic pleasure. However, she is also exceptionally cunning and intelligent, and some of the light novel's greatest joys are listening to her analyze a situation or watching one of her plans fall into place.

“Ah, I’m… Well, it doesn’t matter. I mean, it’s irrelevant to cuteness—because, Miss Claire, you are cute.” “Huh?!” She pulled away. It was perfect—such a pure reaction. “Miss Claire, you hate me, right?” “Of course!” “That’s fine. Please keep teasing me. I love it.”

The beginning of the book does not immediately clue one into its brilliance. Sure, Claire and Rea get some great one-liners as they bully each other, and the scenarios are authentic and fun, but it is nothing shattering. I was feeling pretty relaxed and having a lot of fun with the characters, their relationship, and the various slice-of-life style scenarios they encountered until one section, I remember the exact page, 81, as it stopped me dead in my tracks. I was flabbergasted and briefly frozen before shooting up out of bed, shouting expletives as I ran to my office to immediately record what I had just experienced. It all begins with the line, "Hey, Rae. Are you what they call gay?" What followed was one of the most thoughtful, condensed, informative, and nuanced discussions of gay and queer identity (both terms used in this scene) I have ever seen in Yuri. Everything from representation in media, the perceptions of and prejudices against gay people, and the role gender plays in romance for bisexual and gay people are analyzed. Its commentary is succinct yet so respectful and forthright that it could have only come from genuine experience, thus selling the book and its characters so much more.

"Queer people were still overwhelmingly closeted in this world, which was rife with prejudice and nurtured little understanding. As I noted, the queer people depicted in the story were either the sex fiends Claire imagined or the free-loving sort Lene had in mind. Diversity and acceptance were a long way off.”

Thus, Inori's writing's beauty exposed itself, and the book opened itself up to a delightful cycle. The narrative masterfully integrates isekai slice-of-life hijinks, like running a cross-dressing café or battling a giant slime with nuanced and challenging moments that dissect complicated topics. The latter mainly consists of a growing rift between the aristocracy and common people, mirroring real-world wealth gap issues, but the novel also touch on matters such as unequal prison sentencing and segregation. Every scene helped further the complexity of the characters and their relationships or else built onto the world of Revolution. Speaking of which, I'm in Love with the Villainess has some of the best worldbuilding ever seen in a light novel.

Initially, brief exposition establishes much of the world, which is adequate if not exciting. I will mark up to a casualty of the light novel's serialized nature, as it must present readers its setting immediately. However, Inori does not stop here. Through the narrative, new elements are established, such as a magic system and the kingdom's politics. Rea notes and describes how the world, while clearly based on medieval Europe, has many modern Japanese attributes, as Japanese game developers created it. Her pointing out the intersection of the two is fascinating. Furthermore, A great deal of time is spent establishing characters and organizations all have their own wants, agendas, and methods, many of which are not even directly involved with the story. Instead, they act as a background and help further contextualize others. For example, the Church publicly appears to lean towards supporting the commoners in their efforts for equality but has its own agenda of superseding the nobility. While they play little role in Rea and Claire’s adventure, they are one of numerous factors contributing to the unrest of the lower class. All these additions are interesting, and it never feels like the story or characters suffer for their inclusion, quite the opposite.

“The Bauer Kingdom had started a step behind other countries when it came to magical research. They dominated the surrounding countries in military strength, and this had made them complacent, leading them to underestimate the value of new magic technology until the best researchers had all been enticed to other countries. Even after the king came up with his magic-focused meritocratic policy, Bauer lagged behind.”

I can only make complaints by scraping the very bottom of the barrel. Hanagata's beautiful art is too infrequent to add much to the light novel, and many scenes crying for illustrations are left to the readers' imagination. However, Inori so wonderful writes the story that one hardly cares and can easily picture every moment with delight. Besides, the manga adaption will nullify this issue. Where I cannot complain at all is the spectacular translation by Jenn Yamazaki and Nibedita Sen, one of Seven Seas best (which is high praise considering the competition). Sure, I was slightly disappointed at first to see the adaptation left off honorifics, but the more I thought about the setting, the more sense it made. I am sure people much smarter than I gave the issue much more consideration, and I am happy with their decisions.

I'm in Love with the Villainess left me reeling with how pleasurable and powerful it was. The story and characters are such a joy, and I cannot wait to see Rea and Claire bully each other again in the next volume. Astounding worldbuilding and powerful, thought-provoking politics surround their antics and the high stakes plot. Every moment of their journey will enthrall readers as they squeal with glee at its hilarious set pieces or are shocked by its commentary of society's most significant challenges. Inori has created one of the most delightful, heartfelt, complex, profound, and genuinely queer light novel series ever. If you only read one thing I recommend this year, let it be I'm in Love with the Villainess.

Ratings: Story — 9 Characters — 10 Art — 5 LGBTQ — 10 Sexual Content — 2 Final — 10

Review copy provided by Seven Seas Entertainment

Purchase I’m in Love with the Villainess in digitally (9/23) and in print (11/10) today: https://amzn.to/32NEyG1

Supports creators by purchasing official releases.

Visions of Hell: Dante's Inferno

Last month, in observance of the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri's death (and as my Halloween reading for this year) I reread Dante's Inferno. I last read it along with Purgatorio and Paradisio about 30 years ago, and while I have no burning desire to slog my way through Paradisio again Inferno is a fun read.

Florence of the late 13th Century was split into warring factions - the Ghibellines allied to the Holy Roman Emperor, and the Guelfs aligned with the Church. The Guelfs were further split between the pious White Guelfs and the Black Guelfs who owed allegiance to the Papacy. Dante was a White Guelf, but was in an arranged marriage to the daughter of the leader of the Black Guelfs. After various battles, assasinations and other political intrigues Dante was exiled from Florence in 1301 and never returned. He settles many scores in Inferno, and the schadenfreude so apparent in Inferno is part of what makes it fun to read. The sinners condemned to hell are all too human, as are Dante's interactions with them and his doling out ironic punishments (contrapassos) to them.

But it would be a great mistake to see Inferno as a petty exercise in vengeance. It is one of the greatest works of poetry in existence. It has been translated over a hundred times by such giants of English literature as Chaucer, Milton, Shelley, Keats, Byron, Tennyson, Longfellow, Swinburne, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Robert Browning; Dante also inspired later poets including Beckett, Joyce, Yeats, Pound, Eliot, Auden, and many others. Inferno is one of the greatest and most enduring works in Western literature, in the same class as Shakespeare's best works and with not much else in their same class. Commentaries on the Divine Comedy began appearing not long after Dantes death (including those from two of his sons) and continue their regular appearance. A new anthology, After Dante: Poets in Purgatory was just published.

Artists have also found Inferno to be fertile ground for the imagination. My personal favorite is Gustav Dore, whose illustrations began appearing in the 1850s and continued to be a moneymaker for him for many years to come.

Charon, from Inferno Canto III

Farinata, from Inferno Canto X

Satan, from Inferno Canto XXXIV

That last image of Bertran de Born from Canto XXVIII should look familiar to Terry Gilliam fans:

In fact Dante's Divine Comedy has given us a wealth of images we continue to see in movies and television. Dore's illustration from Paradisio Canto XXXI is a case in point:

From the 1983 science fiction film Brainstorm:

From The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XII:

Or here's Faylita Hicks' beautiful Tarot rendering of Dante the Pilgrim's passage across the Styx from Inferno Canto III:

But I digress. When rereading Inferno this time around I took my time choosing a translation, eventually settling on reading two translations in parallel: the 1971 Penguin Classics version by Mark Musa and the 1867 version by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the first American translation and still popular after all these years.

Why two translations? Because Dante is difficult to translate and get it right. Part of the genius of Inferno is that Dante writes on many levels at once; his poetry is a tour de force high-wire act. He invented a rhyming scheme that carries the narrative forward like a waltz: aba-bcb-cdc-ded-efe. Here's an example from the 2013 Clive James translation:

James is one of the few English translators to attempt to recreate Dante's rhyming scheme, with mixed and sometimes forced results. Dante could pull it off because Italian rhymes more easily and often than English; as James notes, it's hard not to rhyme in Italian. Dante also plays with words, as when his guide Virgil warns Dante the Pilgrim not to confuse piety with pity. In Italian, both are expressed with the word pietà.

When choosing a translation there are key tradeoffs between clarity, beauty of language and fidelity to the original. A really outstanding English translation will only get you two out of three, and a good translation will only achieve one. That's why I chose to read both the Musa version (for clarity) and the Longfellow version (for beauty of language.) I wasn't disappointed. I doubt I'd have made it through the Longfellow version without having first read Musa, since Longfellow's poetry almost needs its own translation - it's rather like reading one of Shakespeare's plays.

For comparison, here's the Longfellow version of the famous inscription above the Gates of Hell from the opening of Canto III:

“Through me the way is to the city dolent

Through me the way is to eternal dole;

Through me the way among the people lost.

Justice incited my sublime Creator;

Created me divine Omnipotence;

The highest Wisdom and the primal Love.

Before me there were no created things.

Only eterne, and I eternal last.

All hope abandon, ye who enter in!”

These words in somber color I beheld

Written upon the summit of a gate;

Whence I: “Their sense is, Master, hard to me!”

And here’s the Musa transition of the same: (capitalization in original)

I AM THE WAY INTO THE DOLEFUL CITY,

I AM THE WAY INTO ETERNAL GRIEF,

I AM THE WAY TO A FORESAKEN RACE.

JUSTICE IT WAS THAT MOVED MY GREAT CREATOR;

DIVINE OMNIPOTENCE CREATED ME,

AND HIGHEST WISDOM JOINED WITH PRIMAL LOVE.

BEFORE ME NOTHING BUT ETERNAL THINGS

WERE MADE, AND I SHALL LAST ETERNALLY.

ABANDON EVERY HOPE, ALL YOU WHO ENTER.

I saw these words spelled out in somber colors

inscribed along the ledge above a gate;

“Master,” I said, “These words I see are cruel.”

The Musa translation was far easier to read, but it's not deathless prose. The Longfellow language is beautiful, but it requires repeated readings to absorb - and during the long Malebolgia series of cantos in Lower Hell I felt Longfellow starting to drag.

In closing, I really enjoyed rereading Inferno. Reading the two translations in parallel gave me a new appreciation for his genius, but short of learning Italian a full appreciation of Dante is always going to be just out of reach. I can easily see why he still has things to say after 700 years. If I had to do it over again I think instead of Musa I'd be tempted to read one of the other recommended translations I ran across, like the Dorothy L. Sayers or C. H. Sisson versions, but by that time I was committed. I'd still recommend the Longfellow version, but only if you are already familiar with the text or have another version to compare it to. Buona lettura!

Best Friends | Hinata, Tendo, Bokuto + Akaashi

Pairings (not really couples tho): Hinata X Reader (gender neutral), Tendo X Reader (gender neutral), and Bokuto + Akaashi X Reader (gender neutral)

Genre: best friends!! 

Author’s Note: literally not even a request but all inspired by an anonnie who said “just a thought, Hinata does this thing where he befriend quiet people and makes them talk about him. That's just how interesting he is,” so whoever you are, wherever you are anonnie, thanks 😌

Hinata: 

Being best friends with this ball of sunshine meant endless possibilities

There was never a bland day whenever it was spent with him

If you were also interested in volleyball, he would love you til the end of time. The two of you and Kageyama were a mini trio but also duos with mixed combos of you and hinata, hinata and kageyama, and kageyama and you

Tsukishima and a few others on the team couldn’t understand how you were able to stay with them for so long

You were the brains of the three of you, which amazed everyone further of how you weren’t losing your brain cells by breathing the same air/ standing by them for so long

But the antics never stopped

Hinata’s eyes were always sparkling and his mind was so open to everything

You go to taste more life and experience so many more things with Hinata’s encouragement, keeping his promise to stay by your side through it all

You went to all the games you could and cheered him on, being a beacon of recharge and happiness when things seemed the most bleak in life or during a game

One of his favorite things to go with you were go on late night meat bun runs, especially on chilly winter evenings with the sky clear, a cool breeze that nipped at your skin

Eating the hot buns went perfectly after practices

Speaking of after practices and also life outside of school, his sister loved you

She looked up to you like an older sibling and whenever you came over to his house to help him study or just hang out, she was glued to your hip which was fine to both of you

Conversations could last for hours between the two of you but he also understood the times where you just needed the world to close for a bit or if you needed a break- he would always be there for you when you were finished

Yachi and you were also super close, bonding over tutoring hinata and kageyama so they could actually be able to play in games and go to training camps and etc.

He introduced you to so many new people from all over, especially Nekoma

Kenma and You bonded really quick as well over the topic of Hinata and from there, interests and hobbies outside of volleyball and such became topics of conversation

Throughout high school til he left for South America, the two of you spent every summer together for great periods of time, it was really common for his and your family to think you two were a couple but really you two were just super close friends like siblings

Seeing him on a bigger stage, you two were still close even though you two didn’t see each other everyday but there was mutual effort being put in when it came to hanging out

You were one of his many number one supporters from practically the beginning and he was so grateful to have you in his life

Tendo: aka best boi 

You two were like partners in crime and people saw the two of you and ushijima like a trio with iconic duo mixes

At first, he held back just a bit on his sarcasm but as the two of you got closer, you two were crackheads

He loved your sense of humor and how it felt so natural for him when the two of you talked about anything- whether it be a heart to heart or a joke, anything. He felt so secure compared to his childhood

He loved how easy it was to talk to you

Meeting him around the end of middle school and the two of you going into high school together was like floating on a cloud for him

He was really able to open up and you were able to help him embrace who he was. He was no longer a monster people feared as a person, only in game as a block monster

You were one of the loudest cheerer’s for him in the crowd, always able to find you somewhere in the front row and throwing a peace sign to you with a bright smile, feeling ecstatic

Back toward the beginning, before high school, the two of you prepped for the entrance exam for Shiratorizawa at each other’s houses pretty regularly and it paid off, both doing equally well and being accepted

Lunches together were basically a must, joined in with Ushijima and sometimes other members of the team and other friends

Got somewhat distracted whenever you showed up to practices but it also gave him a little boost to show you what he could do

He was a strong player on the team and you knew it. His entire persona changed once he was on the court and seeing the opponents being blocked by Satori was like a stroke to your pride knowing that he was your best friend and he just shut the other team out

This mans a weeb too. In college, where you two also went together, alongside Ushijima, you two would frequent the bookstore pretty often, buying some mangas, getting chocolate ice cream afterward

It was like an unspoken tradition that you two go at least once a month. Though, sometimes he would go a bit more since he shared his shonen jumps with Ushi, lending it to him

Movie nights were also a thing whenever the two (three if Ushi didn’t have practice or anything too) during the weekends, but they weren’t pretty common

Horror movies didn’t feel like horror movies with the commentary Satori made as well as your add-ons that made the horror-thrillers into comedies

Although he seems like someone who teases and makes jokes often, he had one of the biggest hearts

He was always one of the first shoulders you cried on, always there and listening to you intently or just being by your side

His teases and jokes with you were always said with a light heart, meant to get just a bit under your skin

But if things ever got too far, he apologized and made sure you were okay or whoever he teased

You were one of the greatest people in his life and he didn’t want to lose you

Bokuto + Akaashi: 

Any combination of the three of you was a literal, living example of buy one get two free asjkhasdj

If Bokuto was somewhere, everyone could expect to find you and Akaashi somewhere close, If Akaashi was somewhere, bokuto and you trailed behind not to far off but he kept a close eye on you, and finally if you were somewhere, Bokuto was sure to follow with Akaashi following him

It surprised people more if one was somewhere and the other two weren’t

Since Akaashi was officially the calm, cool, collected brain of the three of you and Bokuto was the wild and crazy one with a very peculiar way of thinking and acting, you were like a perfect mix of them

To Akaashi, you were sometimes a second child like Bokuto but you were just as intellectual as he was, sometimes even more

Basically, you acted and sometimes did things like Bokuto but you had the mentality of Akaashi that was also mixed with Bokuto

You met Akaashi in your class and not too far along the way, Bokuto appeared the the three of you clicked

You were pretty impressed when you learned they were on the Fukurodani VBC together

Your praises for Bokuto and your presence during games were a blessing, especially when you saw first-hand Bokuto’s emo modes

It didn’t take you long to pick up the 37 different weaknesses after you asked Akaashi what happened during one of the sets of the recent game

You became one of the managers alongside Yukie and Kaori, quickly befriending them and it was so ideal since if no one could bring Bokuto out of his mode during the game, you were last one that could

During summers, going to the festivals and street markets were a must

Akaashi had to refrain the two of you from blowing all your money playing the vendors’ games but there was no stopping the three of you when it came to buying onigiris

Especially what was known as the golden onigiris that were only sold for a couple days while the festival was up and they are only here for a year round

As a thank you to Akaashi, you and bokuto got together to make special onigiris and going grocery shopping with bokuto, you understood what Akaashi went through

You all spent holidays together like Christmas and special events like birthdays, exchanging gifts, going out to eat, and etc.

But the three of you were all best friends, protagonists of the world and there wasn’t any force that could change that. No matter the distance, the time in between, you were all protagonists

Bonus: Akaashi once walked in on you, Bokuto, and Kuroo having a competition with who could fit the most grapes into their mouth and he didn’t even react. he just sighed asdlkajsd 

~~~~~ Thanks for reading! Masterlist for more! Please do not repost anywhere else!

Tags (let me know if you wanna be tagged for all my haikyuu posts): @yams046  @mazey-chan  @sunboikyo00  @kara-grayson04​  @fortheloveofbakugo​ @tsumtsumsemi​ @osamuonigiri @sam-ate-giorno​​​ @1-800-wholesome​ @realityisoftendisapointing@plantisnotplant @k-eijiakaashi​ @pink-panda-pancakes​ @differentballooncollection

Tender Run Through Memories: You are crazy, my child. You must go to Berlin (2018)

extracts from a Berlin travel guide i worked on during my first internship. i was spellbound by Berlin’s entrancing mix of rich culture & gritty club-scene. i fell in love with the city, bit by bit, and i spent one month reviewing its art, museums and vegan food. during my time there, David Bowie kept ringing in my ears, as it was one of his soul-cities 🌼 you got the width of my tongue name on the sun 🌷 velvet goldmine, you stroke me like the rain, snake it, take it, panther princess you must stay 🦋

Feature: Introduction to Berlin

Much has been written about Berlin’s blend of history, outstanding culture and infamous nightlife. Proclaimed the capital of cool, Berlin is where you can “go to all-night parties, attend a screening of an arthouse film and an anti-Trump demonstration within 24 hours”, as The Times noted. Some talk about Berlin’s fall from grace, wondering if the city’s growing popularity diminished its authenticity and turned the city into a growingly expensive tourist trap.

From Marlene Dietrich, who sang “I still keep a suitcase in Berlin” with a piercing longing, to the rebellious singer Iggy Pop, who called Berlin his home, many artists have voiced their love for Berlin.

“You are crazy, my child. You must go to Berlin” (Franz von Suppé)

Affordable, buzzing, wild and carefree, Berlin is a symbol for tolerance and open-mindedness. Unlike other metropolises in Europe, it’s a place where you can relax. Berliners do not rush. They take their time, basking in the sun with their low-cut T-shirts and heavily tattooed arms, flicking back their occasionally bright-coloured hair.

Nights in Berlin are freaky, intense and fiery. The club culture is exhilarating; anything goes. Berlin is a techno capital: notorious DJs, outrageous raves and 36-hour long parties. There are plenty of clubs to choose from, perhaps the most infamous being Berghain, which pays the same taxes as theatres and concert halls, as it is considered to produce work of cultural significance.

It’s magical to lose yourself in Berlin’s night scene, in the hazy beat of electronic music and in the half-clothed masses. There is a strong sense of acceptance. You are free to be yourself. You won’t be judged.

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“Berlin, the greatest cultural extravaganza that one could imagine” (David Bowie)

Berlin is a home to artists and a paradise to emerging creators, who come here to pursue their dreams. There are around 20,000 artists living and working in the city, lured by cheap rents, the city’s libertine energy and the massive studio spaces. The street art mirrors the city’s fantastic art scene.

Berlin is bursting with culture and history. It has 175 museums, even more than New York. It’s an open museum too: from the Berlin Wall to Checkpoint Charlie and to the Nazi book burning site at Babelplatz, Berlin’s unique history can be seen by foot.

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“Berlin is cheap, but sexy” (Klaus Wowereit)

Berlin is the cheapest capital city in Western Europe. While it is getting expensive, perhaps because of its touristy appeal, it is the perfect place for backpackers, artists and adventurers for now. You can get a cup of coffee for €2, a lunch for less than €10, a pint of beer for €2-4, a day travel pass for €6,50 and a decent double room in a hotel for €50 per night. What is more, some of the attractions of Berlin are free, such as East Side Gallery, Raw Tempel and Yaam Beach.

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Paris is always Paris and Berlin is never Berlin! (Jack Lang)

Nonetheless, Berlin is constantly changing, you never know what to expect. You need to experience it yourself.

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Reviews: Art, Beauty & Vegan Food

Beyond Compare: How African and European Sculptures Carve the Essence of Humanity

There are few exhibitions as fascinating as Bode Museum’s “Beyond Compare”. “Beyond Compare” brings together, compares and analyses the sculptural traditions of two continents by displaying, side by side, 70 African sculptures, along with renowned masterpieces from Byzantium, Italy and central Europe.

Despite their radical stylistic differences, it is interesting to observe how the artworks touch the same themes. They illustrate the frailty of the human experience, exploring subjects such as death, beauty, motherhood, power, spirituality and love. Cultures apart, humans seemed to be moved by the same matters; it is remarkable to see the dainty, gothic sculpture of Madonna, Virgin of Mercy, appear next to a seemingly raw sculpture which represents a power figure from Congo. The second sculpture looks quite crude next to the carefully-carved Madonna, but both were made with the intent to ask for protection, to invoke forces that are beyond the physical world.

In the exhibition’s first slide, it is noted that the works displayed were made by human beings, and not by “cultures”, “tribes”, “ethnic groups” or “nations”. It is important to keep this in mind while strolling through the museum, as this exhibition is not an objective comparison between two different cultures, but a soft reflection of human nature.

Address: Am Kupfergraben, 10117 Berlin. Closest stations: Friedrichstraße, Hackescher Markt; Bus TXL Staatsoper, Lustgarten, Friedrichstraße. Opening hours: Monday – closed; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00; Thursday: 10.00 – 20.00. Prices: 12,00 EUR, Reduced 6,00. Website: https://www.smb.museum/museen-und-einrichtungen/bode-museum/home.html Contact: Tel 030 266 42 42 42

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Enjoy the silence in Museum der Stille

Museum der Stille (“Museum of Silence”) is a unique invitation to embrace the silence in the middle of the lively district of Berlin Mitte. It’s a small, free and beautiful exhibition of paintings and architectural models that illustrate different stages of stillness. It is lovely, subtle and, above all, silent. In the middle of the museum, there is only one piercing painting of a woman who’s gazing through you, with a simple wooden bench in front it. The walls are a deep, warm red and the light is dimmed. The profound silence makes the experience sincere and intense; you are struck by a strong feeling of here and now. While at the beginning you might be put off by the awkwardness of hearing your feet clumsily shuffling through the museum, you will gently ease into the museum’s serenity, if you let yourself. For once, you do not have to rush. It’s enough just to take it all in.

Even after leaving the museum and walking back into broad daylight, the spell of silence is not broken. You might be finding yourself humming Depeche Mode and thinking that they were right, perhaps. It is enough just to enjoy the silence.

Address: Linienstraße 154A, 10115 Berlin Closest stations: Oranienburger Tor, Oranienburger Straße. Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday 14:00 - 19:00 Prices: Free Website: http://museum-der-stille.de/de/ Contact: [email protected] Tel: +49 (0) 30 278 919 90

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CWC Gallery: exploring the modern and the contemporary

If you have a soft spot for art, but find most museums to be too sombre and a little old-fashioned, CWC Gallery might just be the place for you. “CWC” stands for “Camera Work Contemporary” and, as its name suggests, it focuses on contemporary and slightly modern positions found in photography, painting and sculpture. The gallery is in the heart of the bohemian Berlin-Mitte quarter and, while stylish and elegant, it isn’t pretentious and it has an easy-going vibe. It’s also completely free!

The first floor is a homage to the 1990s that recreates the dreamy allure of the era. Wandering around, you are charmed by goddesses of the ‘90s: photos of the iconic Iman, Gisele Bündchen, Uma Thurman and Halle Berry, all captured by Micheal Comte, are plastered on walls. Their half-smile and bouncy curls will leave you longing. You can soothe your temporary nostalgia by moving onto the next floors, where you can admire a beautifully curated and impressive exhibition of modern works of art, some of which display a striking social commentary.

In the same building, you can also find quite an interesting permanent exhibition about The Kennedys, which explores the political success and the private life of John F. Kennedy. The admission fee is 5€.

Address: Auguststraße 11–13, 10117 Berlin Closest stations: Oranienburger Tor, Oranienburger Straße. Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 10:00 -18:00 Saturday 11:00 – 18:00. . Prices: Free. Website: https://camerawork.de/ Contact: [email protected] Tel 030 24048614

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Yoyo FoodWorld: the oldest vegan fast-food joint in Berlin

Yoyo FoodWorld is a hip fast-food joint on the Gärtnerstrasse 27 and the first and oldest vegan fast-food in Berlin.

For almost ten years, Yoyo hasn’t been your typical fast-food. Its atmosphere is similar to one of a quiet, cozy indie bar. Indoors, the light is slightly dimmed and there are photos of famous musicians and philosophers plastered on the restaurant’s walls, along with cult film posters that would make any film student swoon. Soft rock music plays in the background. The outdoor sitting is just as delightful, as the area surrounding the joint is lovely and inviting.

The food is cheap, fantastic and sure to satisfy your cravings, as the options are varied. They have 3,50€ burgers, 6,50€ pizza, 5€ wraps, 6€ schnitzels, 5€ seitan Currywursts, 3,80€ sea food and meatballs at the price of 8 for 3,20€. All the dishes are deliciously vegan and would work perfectly as comfort food or hangover food. It’s also the place to take your friends to convince them that vegan food is tasty.

Another highlight is the toilet, which is exceptionally cool. It’s filled with queer stickers, feminist and political statements, colourful graffiti and carefully scribbled love poems; ideal for a quirky Instagram post.

Address: Gärtnerstraße 27, 10245 Berlin Closest stations: Samariterstr., Frankfurter Tor, Warschauer Str. Opening hours: Monday- Thursday 12:00 - 23:00, Friday - Saturday 12:00 - 00:00, Sunday 12:00 - 23:00. Prices: € Website: http://www.yoyofoodworld-berlin.de/ Contact: [email protected]

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Get fettundbetrunken at the Chaostheorie

Chaostheorie is the first vegan cocktail bar in Germany. Their slogan is “fettundbetrunken”: “fat and drunk”, so expect to find a perfect mix of cheap comfort food and funky alcohol.

Onto the first part of their motto, “fat”: the food is fantastic. From a veganized traditional cuisine to more modern dishes, the highlights are juicy currywursts, enormous doner kebabs, fries with dripping dips, pulled mushroom burgers and thick cheese meatball sandwiches. To sweeten things up, the selection of house-made cakes is flavourful to say the least. The Oreo cake, smooth and crunchy at the same time, is a popular favourite. The soft drinks are also a dream: creamy milkshakes, Snickers, Manner or Oreo flavored, and rich freakshakes. You can settle for classic options, too: late macchiato, hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows, coffee with caramelized milk and hot applesauce with cinnamon and vanilla soya milk.

Now, onto the second part of their motto…”drunk”! You can sip traditional cocktails or try out the bartender’s specials: experimental and refreshing mixtures such as Julep Blue, bourbon, blue curaçao, ginger ale and limette.

The place itself is cozy: dim light, soft indie music, shelves stacked with books and a lovely photobooth perfect for making memories.

Even if you’re looking for a quiet afternoon with good food or for a tipsy evening, in Chaostheorie you can find the things you thought you’d never enjoy again once you went vegan.

Address: Schliemannstraße 15, 10437 Berlin. Closest Stations: Prenzlauer Alle, Stargarder Str., Schönhauser Allee. Opening Hours: Mon, Tue, Wed: 17:00 – 22:00; Thu: 17:00 - 23:00; Fri: 17:00 - 01:00; Sat: 15:00 - 01:00; Sun: 15:00 - 22:00. Price range: € (under €10). Website: http://www.chaostheorie.berlin/ Contact: 030/548 907 34; [email protected].

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Challenge yourself at the Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art

The Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art is a remarkable contemporary art institution located in the Berlin’s picturesque district Mitte. The building is a sight itself and it has a sophisticated allure, tall and elegant. The outdoor café has a lovely Parisian appeal and it’s where the hip tattooed artists you might have seen on Tumblr sip their coffees in the afternoon.

The works of art exhibited in the Institute are complex. You can marvel at political activist art, video art, visual art or interactive art. They’re also controversial, with people either excitedly praising them or dismissing them as meaningless. The exhibitions are divided into rooms: in some rooms you might be deafened by booming nature sounds, while in others you might be asked to take off your shoes and wander into an empty, soundproof room, where you’d be faced with a gut-wrenching documentary about the condition of the modern black artist. However, you never know what to expect, as the exhibits change constantly. Nonetheless, the works of emerging young artists are unique and do not hold the reassurance of traditional art: they challenge you and shake you. They draw out a strong response, be it positive or negative.

Finally, even if you occasionally roll your eyes at modern art, you should give the KW Institute a chance. At least one of the works of art displayed might move you.

Address: Auguststraße 69, 10117 Berlin. Closest stations: Oranienburger Tor, Oranienburger Straße.  Price: 16€ general entrance, 10€ reduced. Opening hours: Monday: 11:00 – 19:00. Tuesday: Closed. Wednesday: 11:00-19:00. Thursday: 11:00-21:00. Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 11:00 – 19:00. Website: https://www.kw-berlin.de/ Contact : +49 30 243459-0, [email protected].

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Be Here, Be Queer at the Schwules Museum

The Schwules Museum is the world’s first gay museum, originally opened in 1985. It exhibits the violent history and the injustices the LGBTQ community endured in the past, as well as Berlin’s current queer life.

Schwules is not your typical queer museum. If you expect it to be bustling with colour and rainbows, you might be taken aback. To an extent, it is exceptionally colourful, with cheeky illustrations of young gay couples kissing, soft porn photos and neon slogans about love. But a more serious tone is predominant. The permanent exhibitions also depict gay history milestones, such as the feminist revolution, the composition of the first feminist songs of the German movement or the protests of a working group of lesbian teachers. In the middle of the museum, there’s a memorial dedicated to the LGBT people who were killed in concentration camps. Their names are written in blood-red. You will also shudder upon entering the museum, where you can see a lengthy list of countries where homosexuality is currently considered a punishable crime.

It is important to go to the Schwules Museum because you will be reminded of how painful history is and how the free world we live in required sacrifices. And how, for some, the world still isn’t free.

It is not allowed to take pictures, which at first might be quite annoying, as your initial impulse might be to want to immortalize everything. However, this might help you take in all the information and carefully weigh what you’re seeing.

Finally, is important to go to the Schwules Museum because you will be reminded of how painful history is and how the free world we live in required sacrifices. And how, for some, the world still isn’t free.

Address: Lützowstraße 73, 10785 Berlin Closest Stations: U Nollendorfplatz, U Kurfürstenstraße, Lützowstraße / Potsdamer Straße, Lützowplatz. Opening hours: Monday: 14:00 – 18:00, Tuesday: Closed, Wednesday: 14:00 – 18:00, Thursday: 14:00 – 20:00, Friday: 14:00 -18:00, Saturday: 14:00 – 19:00, Sunday: 14:00 – 18:00. Price: € 7.50 regular, € 4 reduced. Website: https://www.schwulesmuseum.de/ Contact: 030 69599050

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Sun and wholesome food at The Bowl

The Bowl, self-proclaimed a “clean-eating restaurant”, is the perfect place for a cozy lunch with your friends or for a breakfast date with a book. They only use fresh, seasonal, healthy and gluten-free products. Everything is fully sustainable and vegan. They even use natural sugar! And, truthfully, the food is indeed full of flavour and it leaves you with a sense of freshness. They have a great variety of bowls: from rich breakfast bowls filled with sweet fruit, raw chocolate and creamy soy yoghurt to lavish plates with roasted vegetables, mashed avocado raw crackers, zucchini and smoked paprika.

The desserts are a treat, as well. The highlights are the lush vanilla almond cake, with coconut blossom sugar, raw chocolate and coconut strawberry and bananenbrot, with grilled banana, granola, warm strawberry sauce and raw chocolate.

While it is a bit pricey, 6,50 € for breakfast bowls and around 10 € for the lunch specials, the naturalness of the food, its filling base and vitamin-rich toppings make it all worth it.

The dishes are perfectly Instagrammable and the colourful variety of vegetables and legumes doesn’t even need a filter. While enjoying your wholesome food, you can bask in the sun in front of the large windows and observe the buzzing Warschauer Straße, with hazy, synth-pop music unfolding in the background.

What is more, on the ground floor of the same building where Bowl is, you can find Veganz, a plant-based supermarket with an impressively wide range of products, from cheese and ham slices to cashew cookies, ice cream and the finest chocolate cream.

Address: Warschauer Str. 33, 10243 Berlin Closest Stations: Warschauer Str. Opening hours: Monday: 10:30-23:00, Tuesday: 10:30–23:00, Wednesday: 10:30–23:00, Thursday: 10:30–23:00, Friday: 10:30–23:00, Saturday: 10:00–23:00, Sunday: 10:00-23:00. Price: €€ Website: http://www.the-bowl.de/ Contact: 030 29771447

The voice of rugby and all round good guy Bill McLaren was born on October 16th 1923 in Hawick.

The BBC commentator known fondly as the voice of rugby, McLaren was the best rugby commentator of all time and by many has been described as one of the best men the world has ever seen.

He was unbiased, clear, knowledgeable, and his voice is part of the fabric of rugby in its greatest era. Scotland is proud that a Scotsman was the best rugby commentator, but he was more than that, he fought at Monte Cassino, one of the Second World War’s bloodiest battles, and at one stage found himself in a ditch when he heard German voices just feet away. He was 20-years old.

Everyone knows that he should have been capped at the game he loved but tuberculosis robbed him of the chance. McLaren was born in that Borders and grew up to be a talented flanker.

Having made the Hawick first XV before the war, he played in a Scotland trial in 1947 and was on the verge of a full international cap when he contracted the tuberculosis which nearly killed him.

He was desperately ill and fading fast when the specialist asked him to be a guinea pig for a new drug called Streptomycin along with four others, three of them died but McLaren made what amounted to a miracle recovery. His first commentary was made while convalescing from TB, describing table tennis matches for the hospital radio.

McLaren studied Physical Education in Aberdeen, and went on to teach PE right through to 1987, coaching several players who went on to play for Scotland - Jim Renwick, Colin Deans and Tony Stanger.

It was through his junior reporting with the Hawick Express that he launched himself into a career of commentary, making his national debut for BBC radio in 1953, when Scotland were beaten 12-0 by Wales. The switch to television came six years later.

Scotland and Hawick sorely miss McLaren who died in 2010 aged 86, he described his home town regularly by saying that a day out of Hawick “is a day wasted”.

A proud moment in Bill’s life would have no doubt been in 2002, when the press gallery at Murrayfield was named the Bill McLaren Press Gallery.

Since his passing The Bill McLaren Foundation was set up,  a charity which exists to develop and promote rugby union and sporting opportunities, to encourage and provide sporting opportunities for young people and to create an educative centre which will include the Bill McLaren Archive, I checked for their web page but it is currently under maintenance. 

Steering Clear (Loki Oneshot)

Loki couldn’t understand why he was pressured into this trivial, useless and utter waste of time lesson. It was all beneath him, these midgardian contraptions, when he could just as easily get the same results his own magical, mischievous way without needing to lift a finger or get a license for it. Really the only reason why he eventually agreed to the very idea of it was because he wasn’t the only one that was reluctant to go along, the one giving the lesson definitely didn’t sign up for this either and was even less pleased by this whole situation than Loki was. Loki of course found that more than amusing and therefore worth the small amount of time he would actually waste doing this. There was an ongoing joke among his assigned teacher’s friends that said teacher already had a resting murder face but seeing that there was even a darker than murderous look on his face in agreeing to this lesson put a smile on Loki’s instantly. 

“What’s got your feathers ruffled now, Barton?” Loki asked none too innocently.

Clint jerked his head sharply in Loki’s direction then with an expression that promised a lifetime of slow, painful deaths. “Shut up and get in the fucking car. You’re lucky we’re stationed in America or this would suck so much harder for both of us.”

Loki arched an eyebrow at the second part as he had come to understand America wasn’t as a great a country as it probably could be, it wasn’t even the second greatest country on this planet, probably not the third either. Nonetheless he graciously did as he was told and slid into the car smoothly, opposite side as Clint. “How do I adjust my seat exactly?” he begrudgingly asked.

“There should be a lever next to your seat to adjust the back, another one to move it forward or backward for leg room.”

Loki reached below his left side seeing as there was absolutely no way to reach down the right and found both levers, fixing his spot accordingly till he was completely comfortable. He glanced at all things needed to control the contraption, how much different could this be than the ships in Asgard? Besides the fact these ones weren’t made to be airborne, a shame that was as he actually enjoyed flying when it wasn’t by his oaf of a brother’s doing. He glanced over at Clint expectantly then and held out a hand. “I believe you have something I need.”

“What’s the magic word?” sneered Clint right back.

“You really don’t want me to say any magic words in your presence as a great many of them wouldn’t give you any peace of mind, something I’m sure you’ve already experienced,” growled Loki right back.

Clint considered chucking the keys he was harboring out the window but as this wasn’t even his car and he was the assigned supervisor for it, he would be the one in trouble for losing them in the end. He also considered a few scenarios where he would get out of the car right before a freak accident occurred with Loki still inside but he reminded himself as the car was still his responsibility in the end and Loki was after all superhuman, he would still be the only one hurting from it. Not worth the pain on his end. What would Natasha do? Probably blind him in one eye that would hinder his ability to drive without depth perception and make it look entirely like he did it on purpose.

“What exactly do you need from me? Ask me nicely,” Clint retorted before realizing how sexual that sounded and inwardly cringed, it sounded a lot better in his head.

“If you would give me the keys to this death trap, Barton, that would be ever so kind of you,” Loki in turn purred, not at all bothered.

Clint reluctantly handed it over, already done with the verbal sparring and just wanting this whole thing to be over already. He suddenly had a desperate need to take a long shower and scrub himself raw. 

Loki took no time at all figuring out which key actually worked for the car and turned it till the engine came to life for him.

“Check your mirrors first,” grumbled Clint, earning him an eyeroll from his student driver. “How can someone so much older act so childish?”

“You’d be better asking that question to my older brother who has yet to reach maturity himself despite being the crown prince.”

“I would but I’m stuck here with you instead. Gently press your right foot on the brake pedal on the left then firmly pull the stick shift from P to D.” Clint decided to blame Tony for his mind instantly thinking that too sounded dirty, he couldn’t have been any more uncomfortable doing this if he was wearing a thong and Natasha’s super suit.

Loki did as he was told and was tempted to read Clint’s mind seeing how even giving the god instructions seemed to grind his gears the wrong way but decided against it as he too wanted this over with. 

“Take your foot off the brake pedal and gently press it on the accelerator pedal on the right, slowly please. Keep both hands on the wheel as often as possible on either side of the top center or ten and two if this was a clock.”

Loki threw a glance around him before he got bored of simply following instructions to the T and pretended to slowly drive forward before applying more pressure on the pedal and bolting forward, peeling out into the driving course parking lot and weaving his way through the orange traffic cones, tires screeching the entire way with every sharp unorthodox turn. He stole a glance at Clint whilst driving like a Fire Giant out of Muspelheim who was sheet white and pressed back against the passenger seat, knuckles just as white while one hand gripped the seat and the other hand grasped the latch over the window. He then stopped short in front of a stop sign temporarily stationed ahead before lurching forward and quickly figuring out how much to turn the wheel and brake at just the right time and pressure to miraculously park between two other SUV’s to check off parallel parking on the list of driving achievements. He put the car back in park and turned off the car before turning to Clint fully for his reaction.

“How’d I do?” Loki asked once again not too innocently or as innocently as the god of mischief could sound.

“What the actual fuck was that? No, don’t answer that! I’m gonna need a moment to hold down my lunch and a clean pair of pants after that stunt.” He looked over the list he was given to decide if Loki passed the test or not and was dismayed to find there was no spot for comments or complaints. He was even more dismayed to find that Loki despite his antics and speeding had somehow managed to check everything off the list, well almost everything, he didn’t use his signal lights though to be fair, that seemed to be a dying art among drivers depending on where you were driving. “How the hell did you pass, this is some bullshit.”

“What is it you Midgardians would say? Ye of little faith?”

Clint snorted at Loki’s smug commentary. “This is why I’m atheist.” He snatched the keys from Loki once more and the two got out of the car, Clint glaring at Loki the entire time. “If there really were such things as gods then one of them would show some mercy and put me out of my misery by now.”

“Why Barton, all you had to do was ask and I’d be more than happy to oblige,” Loki cooed.

Before Clint could lunge at the cocky god like he so desperately wanted to do since shooting him wouldn’t do anything, Fury interrupted their verbal battle himself and directed his unforgiving gaze at Clint in warning. “How’d he do?”

“He fucking passed! I’m done with this fuckery! I’m going home and having a shower and a drink, maybe at the same time and I’m never doing any more favors for you ever! Peace!” He tossed the paper in the air dramatically and stormed off without another word or a glance back.

Fury caught the paper before Loki could and read down the list curiously before glancing up at Loki who was smirking proudly back at him. He then took out a cigarette and a lighter and promptly set the paper on fire. “You didn’t think I’d notice the format had been changed and the list shortened, did you?”

Loki scoffed. “Consider me surprised you notice anything with only one working eye.”

“Consider yourself a pedestrian until I decide otherwise and if there is an otherwise it will be either myself or Romanoff as your tester and you can bet we won’t take any of your bullshit tricks. Until then, you better start walking now if you want to get back to the compound by the evening.” Fury then unlocked the car behind the one Loki had parked and smoothly backed out and sped off.

Loki watched Fury drive off and rolled his eyes before disappearing in a flash of green then reappearing right where he last stood and looked around. He sighed, shook his head, and repeated disappearing and reappearing two more times. “What sorcery is this?”

“Mine actually,” another familiar voice spoke up before a sparkling gold ring appeared behind him and out stepped another sorcerer in a red cape and blue robes. “When you can drive, you can teleport again, no shortcuts or cheating.”

“I thought you didn’t want to deal with the Avengers.”

“Oh I don’t, but putting you in your place again made their lesser annoyance worth it. Start walking, no taxi, lyft or Uber will pick you up either, I made sure of it.” He stepped back through his gold ring before Loki hurled a dagger he had summoned at him and disappeared from the parking lot, leaving Loki alone and stranded.

Loki tried once more to teleport only to remain back where he stood before again and cursed in his native tongue before eying the remaining car left. He couldn’t teleport clearly but if he could summon daggers, his magic wasn’t completely cut off. He snapped his fingers and the car unlocked for him, the mortals were fools for teaching him how to drive. He slid into the car and started it up with magic, smirking in satisfaction as it came to life at his command. Rob Zombie’s Red, Red Kroovy came blasting on the stereo and his smirk widened. The sky might be Thor’s but the roads were now his. He glanced up at the rear view mirror before peeling out of the parking lot, the black SUV shimmering into a forest green sports car as it sped off into the city. As if he needed anything but himself to get what he wanted or where he wanted. 

An Art of Balance #21

Orion Amari x MC

Warning: use of alcohol, underage drinking

A/N: Fabulous Judith belongs to @judediangelo75, KC is the creation of my favourite @kc-needs-coffee and Ira belongs to the queen of OCs @slytherindisaster

Word Count: ~ 3.000

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Chapter 21: Seizing the Chance

Even behind the closed flaps of the changing room tent, the roar of the crowd was deafening as McNully fired the students gathered on the stands up for the match. Orion had seen the masses of making their way down to the pitch from high up above as the teams had warmed themselves up for what was to come.

It was almost time for the game to begin and Orion gathered his team around the blackboard with their key manoeuvres for their moment of vivification.

“My friends, the time to prove to ourselves of what we are capable of in the face of adversities has almost come. But before I will enlighten you with the wisdom I want you take with you into the air, one of ours has something to unburden her mind from.” He stepped aside and Skye, who had been tugging at the hem of her Quidditch robe while he had been speaking, stood up and took his place.

She took a deep breath before she tried to bury her hands in her pockets as she would often do with her signature jacket; when she realised her robe had none, she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“I’ll make this short,” she said brusquely. “I know I didn’t act the way a teammate is supposed to and I want to apologise. I’m not the only one with stuff on my mind, I see that now. It was wrong to let it out on you guys. Said some things that were not my place to say,” she glanced at Lizzie, who would have had every right to be mad at her, but she just smiled encouragingly, “and I hope that you accept my apology.”

She turned to Orion and rubbed her neck with her gloved hand. “Orion, you are a smashing captain and you’ll know what to do to make us win today. And if anyone is as stupid as I and disrespects you again,” her eyes flickered to Everett and her nostrils flared with indignation, “I’m going to shove a Beater’s bat right up their- “,

“Thank you for your heartfelt words, Skye, I think you made your point,” Orion cut her off hurriedly. Skye glared at Everett one last time before she sat down next to Judith, who muttered “As long as you don’t take mine, go ahead,” under her breath, making Skye grin.

Orion took his place in front of the semicircle of his teammates once again.

“There is little time left before we have to depart, so I, too, will make this shorter than usual. Every one of us knows what is at stake today. I don’t need to set your minds because I can see the fire burning in every single one of you. But beware, my friends, a single flame is not enough to build a fire; I ask you to join our flames together and make our fire blaze brighter than ever before. Let us show Slytherin that our House is not to be messed with.” He gripped the handle of his broomstick tighter as he looked at every single one of his teammates. “Let our fires burn as one, for we are one team!”

“One team!”

*

The team had taken Orion’s vivification speech to heart. Despite all of the problems they had had to deal with beforehand, the Hufflepuff team finally managed what had always been their greatest strength; they moved as one conscient being, every position complementing the others perfectly.

It hadn’t taken them long to carve out a comfortable lead; the tactic Orion had chosen was working splendidly. He had decided to take Skye’s concern into consideration and had assigned each Beater a specific task. Everett was perfectly suited to bang the Bludgers into the Slytherin Chasers with his brutish strength. As soon as they formed anything resembling a formation, he was determined to scatter them.

Judith, on the other hand, had an eye for the flight paths of the Bludgers and was a lot more experienced, so she was set to clear the path for their own Chasers to score.

And score they did; the Slytherin Keeper was known to be the strongest asset of their team. But fortunately for them, he didn’t seem to be in the best of forms today. More than one shot, that he usually would have deflected, found its way past him, the enchanted rings lighting up along with the roar of the crowd.

“And Amari scores with a spectacular off-hand throw!” Murphy shouted from the commentary box, “The score now stands at 100 to 40 for Hufflepuff! If the Slytherin defence doesn’t get these Chasers under control very soon, our chances at a new record score for this season lie at an impressive 68.9 %.”

McNully was right; the rut of their best player had unsettled the Slytherin performance gravely and Orion and his teammates were ruthlessly using their opponents’ disorder to their advantage.

Orion himself had scored quite a few times already. But Lizzie and Skye were a force to be reckoned with today; they were tearing around the pitch on their Comets and every Bludger sent after them was immediately deflected by Judith, who seemed to have her eyes everywhere.

It was unbelievable how well she and Everett were working together despite their differences. Everett had just beaten an attacking Bludger in Judith’s direction, who diverted its flight path into the forming formation of the Slytherin Chasers.

McNully completely lost it as he commented on the events unfolding in front of him. “What an incredible display of teamwork! The Hufflepuff Beaters show off their newest attack: Everett sends his Bludger over to Harris with force; Harris deflects with a well measured swing of her bat! The Bludger changes direction and oooh- “ he winced audibly as the crowd erupted in cheers, “that must have hurt! The Bludger’s change of direction was 82.5 % unpredictable and hits home as it scatters the wavering arrowhead formation of the Slytherin team! A tactical masterpiece if I might say so!”

Orion suppressed a laugh; as if McNully hadn’t made sure Judith and Everett had his new manoeuvre understood to a tee before letting them test it out in a real match situation.

One of the attacked Chaser had dropped the Quaffle and Orion raced towards it, snatching it out of the air only moments before the Slytherin Chaser reached for it again. They nearly collided mid-air, but Orion managed to lean sideways at the last moment; half hanging sideways of his broom, the other player zoomed over him without contact.

He swung himself back into an upright position and gripped the Quaffle tighter as he whipped his broom around on his way to Slytherin goalposts once more. But this time, the Keeper had guessed the ring Orion was going for and managed to block the Quaffle. He sent it back into the game with a well-practised kick of his foot.

It was too far away for him to reach in time, but he saw Lizzie react immediately. As the Quaffle flew over her head just inches out of her reach, she pushed herself off her broomstick and hopped onto the handle without giving it a second thought. Standing up, she was able to interject the pass and claim the Quaffle for herself.

Still balancing on her broom, she ducked under the Bludgers sent in her direction and started surfing back towards the goalposts at ridiculous speed. The Keeper looked surprised at her attack, but steadied himself as she approached.

Lizzie knew exactly what she was doing, though; crouching down low, she shifted her weight just enough for her Comet to change direction at the last moment. She held her stance as she performed a barrel roll, using the momentum to shoot the Quaffle through one of the rings.

With complete trust in her footing, he heard her cheer as she surfed past the screaming Hufflepuff stands. With a grin, Orion remembered how many times she’d fallen when he had taught her his favourite move all those years ago; unbelievable how far the tenacious girl with no idea about Quidditch had come.

“Jameson scores for Hufflepuff, raising the score to 110 to 40! And what a show she’s giving us!” Murphy jubilated as Lizzie zoomed past the commentary box.

“According to my facts, we haven’t seen Jameson score that way for seven House matches in a row. This marvellous feat of flying even sends the master of this technique into daydreams it seems,” McNully’s voice was vibrating with badly contained laughter before it grew serious again, “but they could quickly turn into a nightmare as a Bludger is headed on its way to see whether Amari can hold onto his broomstick quite as well as Jameson.”

Orion snapped out of his musings and had just enough time to dodge the Bludger that zoomed past his head. Judith followed it immediately to get hold of it; however, the Slytherin Chaser she directed it against still had the time to pass his Quaffle onto his teammate.

Before he could set after it, Lizzie shot past him, her hair trailing behind her in the wind. She turned around for a split second, her eyes meeting his.

“Focus, Captain!” he heard her snap at him before she concentrated on bumping into her opponent to relieve him of his charge.

Right she was; Orion cleared his mind as he set after her, catching the Quaffle she passed him with one hand. They had a game to win.

*

It only got worse for Slytherin as the match progressed. Although they did manage to score a few goals against Hufflepuff eventually, with every goal they received in turn, the confusion grew between them. They had been off track before, but trailing so far behind a team they had deemed an easy win had their own players turn against themselves.

Their youngest Chaser, a brutish boy named Marcus Flint, was on the verge of picking a fight with his Beater for allowing a Bludger to hit him, when all eyes on the pitch suddenly turned on Lucy and the Slytherin Seeker, who were in a head to head race for a tiny golden spec glittering in the sunlight below the Gryffindor stands.

“This match could find a preliminary end as the Seekers of both teams appear to have spotted the Golden Snitch!” Murphy exclaimed. The Slytherin Seeker was slightly in advance and if she were to reach the Snitch first, all their scoring would have been for nothing; Hufflepuff had a comfortable lead, but it wasn’t enough to cushion a boost of 150 points.

The stadium had fallen completely silent as everyone’s eyes were glued to the two girls racing for the Snitch. The Seeker in the emerald robes already had her hand outstretched, when all of a sudden a Bludger from Everett hit the handle of her broomstick, knocking her clean off. Luckily, they weren’t high enough to do her much damage as she fell to the soft lawn underneath her.

Lucy didn’t miss a beat as her opponent fell; she was lying almost flat on her broom to get all the speed out of it that she could. When her fingers were only inches away from the Snitch, she pushed herself against the footrests of her broom to give herself the reach she needed.

Orion couldn’t see properly what she was doing but was spared further guessing when Lucy’s scream of triumph carried through the air and the whole stadium went into a frenzy as she presented the gleaming Snitch in her raised fist.

“O’Connell gives it her all and succeeds! The match is over!” Murphy’s voice almost cracked as he shouted over the noise of the crowd. “Hufflepuff gains 150 points and wins with a crushing score of 310 to 70. Dear spectators, if you allow me a calculation on the top of my head, I’d say we have a new contender for the Quidditch Cup!”

*

To nobody’s surprise, Murphy’s calculation had been completely right. They had been able to score so many points against Slytherin that Hufflepuff was back in the game for the Cup. As Gryffindor had been able to rack up a spectacular victory against Ravenclaw in one of the shortest matches Lizzie had ever seen, their last game of the season would simultaneously be the final showdown for the priced trophy.

When the team had entered their Common Room after properly celebrating among themselves first, they had been greeted by thundering applause and chants. Contrary to the last post-match party, everyone was pumped and the atmosphere exhilarated. Tulip and a few other Ravenclaws had decided to join their celebration as well; it wasn’t particularly difficult to gain entrance to the Hufflepuff Common Room after all. She and Tonks had wasted no time and had poured some Firewhiskey into the gigantic, self-refilling bowl of punch in the middle of the room.

Lizzie had already drunk more than her fair share of it. They had celebrated with a round of butterbeers in the Changing Room directly after returning from the pitch and by now, her head felt fuzzy and her cheeks were flushed from both the heated air in the room and the Firewhiskey warming her from the inside. She was glad the alcohol numbed the countless bruises and cuts littering her body; it was no secret Slytherin knew how to play rough and the frustration at the course of the match hadn’t improved their physical gameplay.

Ira, one of the other Hufflepuff girls in Lizzie’s year, had lectured Lizzie, about her carelessness when she had patched her up, like she always did. She had a natural gift for Herbology and healing and often took care of the minor injuries all of them brought back from the pitch. Her abilities and Penny’s secretly brewed Wiggenweld Potions had more than once spared Lizzie a trip to the Hospital Wing.

Lizzie and Penny were standing near the refreshment table with Skye and a few other Hufflepuffs. All the attention was fixed on Skye, who was recounting the highlights of the match under full usage of her body; just like Lizzie, the combination of adrenaline and alcohol had gone straight to her head.

She was just now replaying the way Lizzie had scored her goal whilst broom surfing, mimicking McNully’s commenting style as she re-enacted the scene. Feeling embarrassed at the praise, Lizzie dropped her eyes.

“You’re exaggerating, Parkin,” she mumbled.

“Only a little,” Skye shrugged, before resuming the show for her onlookers.

“She’s right,” Penny agreed, “you were amazing today, Liz. Rowan and I were screaming our heads off when you scored that goal.”

Lizzie blushed. “Where is Rowan anyway?” She hadn’t seen her friend since lunch.

“She’s got prefect duty tonight,” Penny answered. “She left before you guys came back.”

To say she wasn’t a little bit glad that Rowan wasn’t here would have been a lie. For whatever reason, Rowan had been in a particularly good mood ever since yesterday evening. And while it was good to see her so happy, Lizzie wasn’t in the mood for her ramblings right now; especially if they revolved around Orion, like they so often did these days.

She hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast and was really starting to feel the effects of the alcohol; she felt lightheaded and wondered if it was a good idea to get as wasted as she already was. Lizzie knew she was prone to rambling about things better left unsaid when she was drunk and she had amassed quite a collection of things that had better stay a secret. It took a lot of concentration from her side to not lose track of what version of the truth she had told to whom and her hazy mind didn’t make things easier.

But Rowan not being in the Common Room tonight meant she could relax just a little bit more and Penny was right; she had performed really well today and earned herself a bit of laid-back fun with her friends.

Her eyes scanned the crowd for Orion without really thinking about it. The last time she’d seen him, he had been with Murphy and KC, who had been amongst the Ravenclaws that had arrived with Tulip. A smile tugged at Lizzie’s lips as she saw the red haired Beater sitting on Murphy’s lap, engaged in a little bit more than a heated discussion.

As the door leading out of the Common Room opened, the movement caught Lizzie’s eye. She could just make out the familiar figure of Orion before he vanished in the darkness of the tunnel that connected Hufflepuff House to the rest of the castle.

Penny had seen him leaving as well. “Seems like Orion needs a break from the adoring masses.”

Lizzie only hummed in response, her eyes still fixed to the now closed door.

“Maybe he’d like some company,” Penny suggested with a smirk.

Lizzie tore her eyes from the exit and turned to her. “What do you mean?”

Penny only raised her eyebrows in response.

Lizzie gripped her cup tighter. “I’m not sure that’d be a good idea.”

Gently prying her cup out of her hands, Penny nudged her in the direction of the door. “Just go.”

She stared at the encouraging expression on Penny’s face. It was a bad idea; she should really stay here where she couldn’t do anything stupid.

With an inward curse, she grabbed her drink back from Penny’s hands and downed the remains of it in one go. She shuddered from the strong taste as she put the empty cup down on the table.

Such a bad idea.

Before she could change her mind, Lizzie pushed herself away from the table and through the crowd, slipping quietly through the round door.

an AMERICAN NATIVity [First Nations woodcut + prayer]

My favorite living woodcut artist is Kreg Yingst who lives in Florida. He is creative, talented, and prolific, portraying many diverse subjects.

Here is his recent woodcut with First Nations-influenced art, scripture and prayer. Riffing on "Native American," he titled it "an AMERICAN NATIVity."

Two versions of Kreg's woodcut are below, and he compiled all the text below.

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an AMERICAN NATIVity

All over the sky a sacred voice is calling your name. – Black Elk

“…do not be afraid to take Bitter Tears (Mary) to be your wife, because the Holy Spirit has given her this child. She will give birth to a son. You will name him Creator Sets Free (Jesus), because he will set his people free from their bad hearts and broken ways.” - First Nations New Testament

The incarnation of Christ was birthed into human form for all humanity. The love of the Cosmic Christ was extended to all peoples, tribes and nations throughout all generations. The beauty of God’s creation is - it’s worth making. The beauty of God’s incarnation is - it’s worth loving. It is good, and it is loved!

In the Nativity setting we tend to associate such animals as the ox, donkey and lamb, a picture which has been filled in by the artist’s imagination. So likewise, I’ve chosen to use animals that were important to the Native Americans:

The Bison, which represents the Great Mother, gives of herself so that others might live. The Bison meant food, clothing and much more for the Indians, and the termination of its life was not taken lightly.

One can see the Christ in the symbol of the Bison, laying down his own life, while desiring to gather his children as a mother hen gathers and protects her chicks. The eagle, bear, and wolf symbolize other various attributes of Christ - courage, strength, wisdom, and loyalty.

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The following Native American prayer (Sioux) reveals a heart of gratitude and awareness, perhaps the perfect prayer to begin the New Year.

Oh, Great Spirit,

whose voice I hear in the wind, whose breath gives life to all the world.

Hear me; I need your strength and wisdom.

Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.

Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.

Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people.

Help me to remain calm and strong in the face of all that comes towards me.

Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.

Help me seek pure thoughts and act with the intention of helping others.

Help me find compassion without empathy overwhelming me.

I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy, Myself.

Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.

So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.

— translated by Chief Yellow Lark, 1887 https://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/poetry-prayers-visual-arts/chief-yellow-lark-i-come-before-you/

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Buy an original block print of this image, pressed from the carved block onto handmade paper from Nepal, at https://www.etsy.com/listing/1139708227/an-american-nativity

Follow Kreg's art at https://www.facebook.com/psalmblockprints/ and https://www.facebook.com/kreg.yingstart

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Here is an earlier drawing, a variant of the final image before it was carved on the woodblock, along with commentary that Kreg posted in November 2021:

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Kreg wrote in conjunction with that photo of his drawing:

Over the past couple of years I’ve looked forward to creating a new nativity block print for the season. In the past four years I’ve completed a traditional modern version, a contemporary American version, a St Francis Italian crèche, and a Spanish/New Mexico version. This small pen and ink sketch reveals my rendition for a Native American nativity that I’ll slowly carve into a a woodcut to keep me focused throughout the advent season.

The incarnation of Christ was birthed into human form for all humanity. That love was extended to all peoples, tribes and nations throughout all generations. The Creator’s hand was at work in many of these tribes long before they ever came to know the English word Jesus.

Unfortunately the news of a Prince of Peace and God of Love was also accompanied by a people wielding a God of dominance, death, and destruction. Many of the native Americans struggled to see a creator’s love amidst a messenger’s hate, or at least a national agenda cloaked in religious jargon. The damage was done to such a large degree that most First Nation peoples want nothing to do with “the white man’s religion.”

We can look and learn from various cultures such as the ative Americans and their harmony with nature: 1. Thanksgiving vs Entitlement: There was an understanding of the goodness of a Creator willing to give good gifts. This birthed in them a deep abiding gratitude for all that the earth provided - water, soil, fruits, nuts, vegetables, etc. 2. Use vs Abuse: There was a deep gratitude for the animal kingdom, the bison that gave of his life to provide meat and skin-hide to carry families through the long winters. Nothing was left to waste, and nothing was done for sport in the taking of an animal life.

Happy Thanksgiving!