#no amount of hoping and wishing is going to make those counties less red. you can't exhaust all your energy into VOTING VOTING VOTING

[erin-gilberts]

I get the weirdest liberal version of thoughts and prayers over being from Indiana sometimes but there is something to be said about the devil you know vs. the devil you don't.

#erin is talking #the thing is - I've lived here my entire life and been doing queer liberation activism here since I was 13 #it sucks here but it's also always been PREDICTABLE here #this is the devil I know which really does wonders in knowing how to fight it. and knowing in what ways you'll never succeed in fighting it #surrounding areas are the devil I don't know - some of them just as bad as IN AND unfamiliar which makes me less capable of fighting them #it's not even that people stay in southern states out of some ethical obligation to fight back but #no one is more knowledgeable and equipped to handle Indiana's particular brand of crap than the people who've spent lifetimes dealing w/ it #our activist movements have always had to be creative here bc outside of Indy and Bloomington public office is going to go red. it's a fact #no amount of hoping and wishing is going to make those counties less red. you can't exhaust all your energy into VOTING VOTING VOTING #because it straight-up doesn't work like that here and you'll be defeated all the time if you do that. #we know how to get way more creative about throwing sand in the gears of oppression because we have to #and we're USED to it #the people from crapsack red states are in fact uniquely qualified to handle their state's particular crapsack brand of fascism #and that's literally why I haven't exited stage right yet is because I've spent a lifetime training for THIS fight in THIS place

[robininthelabyrinth]

Targets - ao3

- Chapter 3 -

Meng Yao wasn’t supposed to be for sale.

His mother had worked hard her whole life to make sure of it, refusing every offer for him no matter how tempting or how desperate their situation. He was a cultivator’s son, she told him, a sect leader’s; one day, he would return to his father’s side, and if he was going to do that, he couldn’t have his past be marred with scandal. He couldn’t have a slave contract, and he couldn’t have done any work as a whore – it was one thing to do odd jobs in a brothel, but another thing entirely to actually work on your back, and somehow, somehow, someone would find out, and he’d be ruined. They would know.

The only way for him to really make it is if he never did anything like that at all.

So when the cultivator – a real cultivator, from the looks of him, not one of the fakers they often got – walked into their brothel and asked for Meng Yao, his mother said no.

The man frowned, then turned to the owner of the brothel who shrugged, indicating that he was helpless. “The boy doesn’t belong to this establishment,” he said apologetically. “But if the venerated Immortal would prefer something more boyish, I can direct you to some of our more masculine girls, or to a neighboring establishment…”

His voice trailed off when the cultivator pulled out a large chunk of gold, about half the size of Meng Yao’s thumb.

“You can keep it all – if I get the boy, a room, and your word to tell no one else that either of us are here,” the man said.

“No!” Meng Shi exclaimed, but Meng Yao knew from the look on the brothel owner’s eyes that it was too late. This wasn’t a good brothel like the one they’d been in before – the one that had kicked them out when they decided his mother was too old and her health too poor – but a lower tier one, less rich and more desperate. A piece of gold like that was more money than all the girls put together would make in a year.

If they continued to refuse, the owner of the brothel would use force. There were the bully boys at the door – they would grab his mother and drag her away, grab him and throw him into the room, maybe tie him down, rob him of any ability to defend himself…

So Meng Yao put his hand on his mother’s arm. “It’s fine, Mother,” he said to her, hoping to offer comfort where there was none to be had, and then forced himself to smile at the cultivator. “How can this humble one best please the venerated Immortal?”

The man’s eyes flickered between them, and his frown deepened.

“The woman comes with us, same deal,” he told the owner, who nodded, eyes fixed on the gold, and never mind that both Meng Yao and his mother had now frozen in horror. There were women in the brothel who sometimes pretended to be sisters and might even be, it was a popular request by clients, but – his mother… “All right, where’s the room?”

“I’ll give you the best one in the house,” the owner said, tone fawning, and showed them the way.

By the time they were upstairs, Meng Yao was shaking like a leaf and his mother looked on the verge of weeping.

The moment the cultivator closed the door behind them, shooing the owner away, she threw herself onto the floor in front of him. “Venerated Immortal,” she said, begging, and Meng Yao averted his eyes, feeling rage build in the pit of his stomach. “Spare my son, please. I will do anything you wish –”

“You misunderstand,” the cultivator said stiffly. “Your son is safe – as are you. I’m not here for that sort of thing…boy, get her off the floor and seated somewhere, get her something to drink to calm her.”

Meng Yao got his mother into a chair, pressing some wine usually reserved for clients into her hand. By the time he was done with that, he was more puzzled than anything else, even the rage at his mother’s mistreatment fading away into confusion. “What does the venerated Immortal want?” he asked delicately, and the cultivator shrugged.

“I actually have no idea what I’m doing here,” he said frankly. “I received a message from my sect leader that told me to find and secure a ‘Meng Yao, son of Meng Shi’ from Yunping City, and when I asked around it led me to you. I was hoping you could tell me the reason.”

“Your sect leader asked for me?” Meng Yao asked blankly. “By name?”

Could it be – his mother had always said –

“You’re not from Lanling,” his mother said, wiping her eyes, expression back to fierce and calculating. “My boy is the son of the sect leader of Lanling Jin, not…”

She trailed off deliberately.

“Qinghe Nie,” the cultivator said automatically, and even folded his hands in front of him to salute – perfunctorily, but still more than most would bother with for a whore. “The message said only that you were in danger, and that I was to hide you until the sect leader could come pick you up himself.”

So it wasn’t his father, Meng Yao thought, disappointed, but still – a sect leader of a cultivation sect, knowing him by name? Sending a message from far away?

He had no idea what to think of it.

And so they waited, each one sitting awkwardly in their own place, as several shichen passed. It was already evening when there was a knock – at the window.

The window on the third floor.

The cultivator got up and opened it, and a large fierce-looking man carrying three children – one on each hip with an arm around them, and another seated on his shoulders, clutching to his hair like reins – wiggled his way through, shaking all the children off as if his arms were hurting the second his feet were on the ground.

“Is that him?” he asked, nodding at Meng Yao, and the cultivator nodded. “He’s young.”

“Thirteen,” Meng Yao said, and noted that it was probably older than any of the three children who were looking at him in fascination.

“One of Sect Leader Jin’s bastards, Sect Leader,” the cultivator reported, and Meng Yao felt something fall in the pit of his belly at the term one of. There were many like him, then – perhaps his mother’s optimism regarding his reception in Lanling City was as misplaced as her optimism in buying all those pointless cultivation manuals that he slaved over and which accomplished nothing.

“Well, that can’t be the reason, then, or the list would be thrice as long,” the sect leader said, frowning. “I’d even started wondering…no, it still makes no sense. Regardless, no point in waiting around here any longer – I saw two Wen patrols making their way through the city as I flew in, and I have no doubt they’ll find this place soon. We should be gone before they do.”

“If this humble one can ask, what is the honorable Sect Leader’s plans for my son?” Meng Shi asked, ducking her head demurely and looking up at him flirtatiously through her eyelashes, even as she leaned forward a little in a way that set off her shape to its best advantage.

“Oh no,” the sect leader said, and took two full steps backwards. Without the fierce expression on his face, he looked much younger – in fact, Meng Yao thought with wonder and maybe even a little disbelieving amusement, it seemed like this sect leader was most certainly still a teenager, and awkward with it, too. “No, I – I don’t – Gao Jianguo, do something!”

“She’s a whore, Sect Leader,” the cultivator said, rolling his eyes. “They flirt. It happens.”

The sect leader was bright red. The children were all giggling.

“Madame,” he said, bowing to her – an actual bow, respectful, not even the perfunctory dip the cultivator had given earlier, and he didn’t have to call her Madame, either. “Forgive me, I’m not…I don’t have much experience with women. My name is Nie Mingjue, sect leader of Qinghe Nie. I have reason to believe your son is in terrible danger if he remains here, and I intend to take him with me to a safe location.”

“What assurances do I have of his safety?” Meng Shi asked, and Meng Yao knew then that she intended to send him whether he wanted to go or not.

Not that he didn’t intend to go. Such an earnest sect leader, this ‘Nie Mingjue’…even if it was all a mistake or misunderstanding, which had to be what had happened, there were benefits that could be gotten here. If Meng Yao could become a servant there, learn cultivation, he could maybe save up enough to later go to his father’s side – no matter what they asked of him, it would be better than a brothel, especially one where the owner had already seen an indication of Meng Yao’s worth as chattel.

And yet…

“You have my word,” Nie Mingjue assured her.

“I won’t leave without her,” Meng Yao suddenly spoke up, and ignored his mother’s glare. He didn’t want to leave her here. He wouldn’t, not unless he was forced, which seemed likely, but he had to try his best. “If I’m in danger, then so is she. They might want to use her to lure me in.”

“That’s a good point,” Nie Mingjue said, which Meng Yao wasn’t expecting. He even nodded in approval at Meng Yao. “Very well, we’ll take you both with us. Gao Jianguo –”

“The amount I’ve already paid would be sufficient to cover any slave bond,” the cultivator said. His frown suggested he wasn’t happy about his sect leader’s actions. “There will be paperwork –”

“Only for me,” Meng Shi said quickly. “My son is free, and always has been.”

Nie Mingjue looked out the window, clearly calculating – two patrols, Meng Yao thought, this sect leader thought someone was hunting him down for some unknown reason – and then glanced at the two of them. He sighed a little, almost imperceptibly, before firming up his expression once more.

“Take Meng Shi and buy her bond,” he instructed the cultivator. “Collect anything she wants to take with her and take her back to Qinghe through safe routes. I’ll take Meng Yao with me and we’ll meet there.”

“What should I do with the ownership papers? There’s a tax for taking slaves out of the county, and people might notice –”

“Burn them,” Nie Mingjue said, and Meng Yao’s heart gave a sudden thrill of delight. “She can travel as a free woman. Make sure she sees a doctor, if she thinks she would benefit from seeing one, and cover the cost – I want her to arrive at the Unclean Realm alive and well.”

Alive and well, Meng Yao thought, even more delighted. That was a warning, no doubt about it – telling the cultivator not to take advantage of Meng Shi during his trip. And a doctor! With his sect leader ordering it, the cultivator would have to take her to a good one, not some phony sawbones, and she could finally get that cough of hers looked at…

Meng Yao would do whatever this sect leader wanted. Just for that.

(It was more than his father had ever done for them.)

“Can you handle flying with four boys?” the cultivator asked, frowning, and – flying? “Especially if you already came all the way from Qinghe, and through Yunmeng, you must be exhausted –”

“I’ll be fine,” Nie Mingjue said shortly. “He’s thirteen; he can stand on his own and hold onto me, arms around my waist, while I hold on to the others…hey, are you afraid of heights?”

That question was directed at Meng Yao.

“I don’t think so,” he replied, aiming for honest. It seemed to be what this sect leader appreciated, and Meng Yao was good at figuring out and catering to people’s likes. He’d have to exert himself especially this time. “But I’ve never gone higher than the fourth floor.”

“Well, you’re about to,” Nie Mingjue said, and his saber unsheathed itself and floated on the floor. “All right, everyone back on – you can introduce yourself in the air. We still have to make the ride back to the Lotus Pier, and I’m sure your parents are worried sick already, Jiang-gongzi.”

#mdzs #meng yao #jin guangyao #nie mingjue #meng shi #my fic #my fics #targets

[mercuryonparklane]

I just found this one-shot I wrote based on ‘betty’ that has been sitting in my notes since September. I thought I’d share, if anyone is interested in that. The characters belong to Taylor and her co-writers, of course. I just borrowed them for this fic.

‘Please, come over’

Jamie Mann stares at the text for far too long, watching those three little dots appear and, then, disappear once again. Betty hates sending more than one text in a row. Even more than that, she can't stand it when a message goes unanswered.

Still, Jamie can't quite think of what to say. Her mind flashes back to prom two weeks earlier and the boy who swayed Betty around the dance floor while she laughed at his stupid jokes. Betty told her that she isn't interested in boys, but damnit if she isn't very good at hiding that fact.

Jamie throws her phone down next to her on the bed and pulls the hood of her sweatshirt over her head. She fiddles with the strings of the sweatshirt until she hears the ding of a new message.

'I'm in front of your house. Get your ass out here and hop in.'

Jamie fights the smile on her face, but she can't help feeling a little less hurt in the moment. August was the kind of friend who could convince you to do things you would never even think to do. Like the time they hopped the fence at school on a Friday night to smoke in the softball dugout. Or the time August managed to sneak them into some gay club in the city. Or the time they almost ditched the cop trying to pull her over for running a red light. Okay, so maybe they weren't actually going to try to escape and maybe August's uncle happened to be the cop in question. But still...

Jamie grabs her backpack and puts it on as she heads down stairs.

"Where do you think you're going, young lady?"

"Mom, I literally just graduated high school last night and I turn 18 next month. I'm basically an adult."

Her mom pulls her into a hug. Jamie lets it happen for a few seconds before escaping her grasp. Mrs. Mann runs her fingers through her daughter's hair trying to fix it best she can.

"Hmm... that will have to do. Now, truthfully, where are you going? Yeah, yeah, I know you're all grown up now, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop worrying about you."

Jamie rolls her eyes, but smiles nonetheless. "I'm staying over at August's. She's outside waiting for me, so can I go now?"

"Of course, dear. Have fun."

"Sure thing. Night, mom."

Jamie heads out the door and jogs to the midnight blue '67 Mustang idling in front of the driveway. She throws her backpack in the backseat before taking her spot in the passenger seat.

"So, what's the plan?"

"I was thinking we could go to that party Betty Davis is throwing."

A lump forms in Jamie's throat as she tries to come up with some excuse as to why they shouldn't go. August knows that Jamie is a lesbian, but she doesn't know anything about Betty. It was not something Betty wanted anyone to know about.

As far as anyone at school knew, Betty and Jamie were acquaintances at best. Betty was head cheerleader and Jamie was basically a skater burnout. Betty was class president and Jamie wasn't even on most of her teacher's radars. Betty was going to Yale next year. Jamie was going to a state school. Betty came from money. Jamie's mom worked two jobs to send her to private school. They weren’t exactly the likeliest of friends and no one would ever guess they were more than that.

"Come on, please? Don't you want to know what the popular kids get up to on the weekends?"

"Nah, it sounds pretty lame. I'd rather hang out just the two of us before you take your little road trip around the county, which I still can't believe your parents agreed to."

"You should come with me."

"What?"

"We would have so much fun. Besides I'm a little scared about driving around by myself."

Jamie scoffs, "You? Why, August Adams you are the bravest person I have ever known. What could possibly scare you?"

"I don't know... a car accident, rapists, serial killers, muggers, creatures..."

"Okay, I get it. I just mean... you've been planning this trip for two years. Wasn't it supposed to be some great big adventure of self-discovery?"

August shrugs. "I already know who I am. I'm a bisexual goddess, who is going to be the CEO of a major corporation someday, and no one can stop me. But also I'm just a girl sitting in front a girl, asking her to join me on the trip of a lifetime."

Jamie's heart skips a beat. She loves Betty so deeply, but being with her was torture. It would have been four more years of hiding. 'Just until we graduate college,’ Betty's words echo in her head. Four years is a long time and Jamie is sick of hiding. August came out Sophomore year and didn't care about what anyone thought of her.

"You know what, that sounds amazing."

August squeals and leans across the center console to wrap her arms around Jamie. "We're going to have so much fun, James!"

They never went to Betty’s party. Instead they drove to 7-Eleven, bought snacks and slurpees, and spent the rest of the night at the one skate park in town.

It took a bit of convincing before her mom felt comfortable letting her go on the five week trip. The fact that August had family sprinkled along their route, with whom they would be staying most of the time, helped to reassure her. August created an itinerary for Jamie's mom, so she would have an idea of where they would be and with whom.

A week into the trip, Jamie gets an unexpected text.

'I heard you left town with August Adams. Thanks for the heads up. Hope you have fun.'

The three dots show up and disappear, then reappear once again.

And finally, after almost a minute, 'I hear she's a great lay.'

Jamie doesn't even reply. Her blood boils just a bit. They'd never officially broken things off, but seeing Betty kiss that boy on the dance floor was the last straw. Jamie didn't want to hide anymore. She wanted a girlfriend who's hand she could hold while walking down the street.

So, she got one. Sort of. The text kind of sent her into overdrive and she may have decided to see if all the rumors about August were true. They were. She definitely knew what she was doing and it was nice, but it wasn't the same as it had been with Betty. It was lust. There was no romance in it. At least not on Jamie's part.

Unfortunately, she had no idea the other girl had wanted this since they were Freshmen. It killed Jamie to tell her the truth. August was beautiful and fun and clever, but Jamie's heart belonged to someone else. She confessed everything about her relationship with Betty and how she wished she had gone to that party the night after graduation.

August won't tell anyone. She might be hurt, but she wasn't heartless. She'd never out someone nor would she ever try to get back at Jamie. They did decide to give each other some space. In fact, they only met up once more that summer. It was the day before August was set to leave for school. They hugged awkwardly and promised to keep in touch and to hang out over Thanksgiving break. They didn't keep those promises.

Betty doesn't message her again. Jamie rides past the girl's house on her skateboard almost every day for a month before she finally gets the nerve to text her.

'Hey, I'm near your house. Can we talk?'

She sits on the curb across the street from Betty's house for an embarrassingly long amount of time before she finally gives up. She stops riding by her house.

It's not until her mom drags her to the mall insisting she needs a new wardrobe for college that she finally sees Betty again. She catches sights of the girl from the store across the way and she tells her mom she'll be right back. She's about to step into the store, but someone grabs her by the wrist and drags her towards an empty service hallway. Jamie's heart stutters until she realizes who exactly has a hold on her.

"What the hell, Inez?"

Inez roughly releases her grasps once they are out of the earshot of passersby.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Me?! What do you think you're doing."

Inez rolls her eyes. "Stay away from her, you freak!"

"What gives you the right to tell me what to do?"

"I don't know. Maybe the fact that Betty told me all about how you're desperately in love with her and tried to put the moves on her and that's why she had to switch homerooms. Which I said was weird because as far as I knew you were off playing Thelma and Louise with August Adams. So just, like, leave her alone. She's not... like you."

Jamie bites her tongue. There is so much she wants to say, but it would only make things worse. "Whatever. Maybe you should tell your friend not to flatter herself."

Occasionally, over the next few years, Jamie checks Betty's social media accounts, looking for any hint that one of the girls in her pictures were more than just a friend. Jamie thinks about the night after high school graduation often. She fantasizes about what would have happened if she had gone to Betty's party. Would the girl have finally kissed her in front of their classmates? Was she already drunk when she sent that message? Had she finally been ready to say 'fuck it all' and let everyone know she wasn't who they thought she was?

Jamie will probably never know. But she spends her college years chasing the feeling she had when she was with Betty. There were a couple of women who she thought she had been in love with. Maybe she had been, but there was always this one piece of her heart that hung on to past love.

She dates quite a bit the first couple of years after college, until she eventually gets into a committed relationship. It's great for a while. It lasts four and a half years. She's devastated when it ends. But also, a part of her is relieved. It doesn't really make sense until that next Thanksgiving weekend when her high school class is having its ten year reunion.

She contemplates not going, but she's already R.S.V.P.'d and she's already going to be in town to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family. So, she musters up the courage to go.

The first person she recognizes is August Adams. The other woman greets her with a tight hug.

"James! How are you? God, it's been too long."

"It has."

It really has. Jamie missed her friend. She screwed it all up so much back when they were kids. But the woman still had this brightness that radiated from her and Jamie let herself bask in it.

"Oh, you have to meet my wife," August wraps her arm around the waist of a gorgeous brunette, "This is Autumn. I know, I know. Don't even start."

Jamie chuckles, but keeps quiet. After catching up and seeing way too many pictures of August's kid (she was a proud mom and it was kind of cute, to be honest), Jamie was left alone when the other woman found another old friend to talk to. She didn't mind. It gave her a chance to finally get to the bar and get a drink.

Jamie orders a whiskey on the rocks.

"I'll take one of those too, please," a voice speaks from beside her.

Jamie turns her head and takes in the sight before her. Betty hasn't changed much. If anything, she's even more attractive than she was all those years ago.

"Hi."

"Uhh..." Jamie clears her throat, "Hey."

Betty bites her lower lip, a smirk forming on her face anyway. "You look..." Her eyes scan Jamie's body and Jamie shifts a bit under her gaze, "good."

"That's all." Jamie elbows her playfully. The bartender sets their drinks in front of them. Jamie lifts the glass to her mouth.

"Let me try that again. You look incredible in that suit, but all I can think about is what you'd look like out of it."

Jamie chokes on her drink, pounding her chest with her fist as she coughs. Betty quirks her eyebrows and smirks smugly, while Jamie tries to gain some sense of control over her own body again.

"Umm... wow, that... I wouldn't mind..."

"Are you here with anyone?"

"No. I'm actually single at the moment. You?"

Betty doesn't even bother to answer. Instead she kisses Jamie. It takes a moment for Jamie to register what is happening, but eventually she gets a hold of herself and reciprocates the kiss, matching the passion of the woman in front of her.

There are a couple of 'whoops' from former classmates and a 'Get it, Davis' before Betty pulls away.

"Do you want to get out of here?"

How could Jamie say no to that? After that kiss? After ten years of dreaming about this moment? She couldn't.

"Definitely."

'Out of here' isn't very far. It's actually a room at the hotel where the reunion was being hosted, but really it was better than Jamie could have ever dreamed.

As they lay together in the afterglow, Betty runs her fingers through Jamie's curly, golden locks. Jamie rests her head on Betty's chest, her fingers tracing random patterns across Betty's toned abs.

"You're still as fit as you were back then."

Betty buries her face in Jamie's hair. Jamie feels the laughter rumble through the other woman's chest at the comment. "Really? Those are your first words after everything?"

"I can't help it, when you look like this."

"You're not so bad yourself."

Jamie looks up at Betty incredulously, "I'm sexy as hell."

"Hmm... I mean, you're attractive, sure. 'Sexy as hell', may be a touch too far."

"Oh, yeah?" Jamie smiles up at her as she moves her hand down Betty's abdomen. "Let me show you a touch too far."

Being with Betty makes Jamie feel like she's 17 again. All the years away from the girl did nothing to quell her desire to be as close to her as humanly possible. Somehow it was like a part of Jamie's heart had finally found its place again. It was a part that she thought had long been lost and she had resigned herself to the fact that the puzzle would sit there in her chest missing that one piece forever.

Maybe she didn't know much back when they were kids, but she knew one thing that would always ring true: Betty Davis is, has always been, and will always be her person.

[nickgerlich]

Never Going Back

We’re only two months into the US version of the coronavirus era, but it is only in the last week that things started to get serious. For those who understand simple math and exponents, it was obvious long ago that the growth rate for new cases would stumble along for weeks, until one day the exponents kicked in and growth took off. With that growth and the passage of time came deaths.

As of Tuesday morning 24th March, there have been 46,158 cases and 583 deaths in the US alone, a drop in the bucket compared to 395,744 cases and 17,234 deaths worldwide. But since the graph of US cases is still pointed straight up, it’s only going to get worse before it gets better. Our mortality rate is 1.26%, which is still 12.6X the mortality rate for the common flu. Globally, the mortality rate is 4.35%, no doubt bolstered by nations like Italy and Spain, where death has become a disproportionate reality.

Those who believed the dire predictions are saying “I told you so.” The disbelievers have become noticeably silent, aside from a few who still cling to their conspiracy theories and wishful religious thinking. Thankfully, those people are shrinking in number.

And just one week into what I will call peak pandemic, it is already safe to make this one general assessment: We are never going back. So much has changed in so little time, and all because of an enemy we cannot see, much less even begin to understand. We are isolated in place, frozen aside from the need to go to market or druggist. Travel is restricted in a growing number of states. Sixteen have complete statewide shelter-in-place mandates, while four others have similar such rules but only at the level of specific cities and counties.

Panic buying and shortages are so last week. Now we are stuck at home. Were it not for the internet and Netflix, we might just go crazy. Even my dogs are wondering why the humans are hanging out at home so much. We had all grown a little lax, a little too casual, a little too let’s-take-everything-for-granted. After all, it felt good, and we are social animals. Damn the bacteria and viruses, full steam ahead. Except now it is all painfully apparent that maybe this wasn’t such a great idea after all. So now we sit in quiet repose, watching the clock tick and the sun arc across the sky in slow motion.

It’s the end of the world as we knew it.

Presently Rethinking The Future

Once this is all over, whenever that is, I’m sure that many people will be more than happy to hop back on the Same Old, Same Old train. But then again, my hope is that everyone will at least give pause to consider that our response to the current crisis may in fact be the new world order—not that insidious plot some people think of, but a better, safer way of doing old things.

And I know that we cannot all become germophobes, trying to live inside bubbles of our own manufacture, because that would only decrease our immune systems’ abilities in the future to ward off infections. We still need to get out and soak up some bacteria and viruses, if only to increase our chances of living a bit longer. We don’t want our civilization to be wiped out like when Europeans came to the new world.

But there’s no reason we can’t add some order at the same time.

I find myself doing things very differently, starting first about two weeks ago, but ramping up in the last few days. It’s not that I am paranoid. It’s just that I have realized how careless I had become. For example, I now keep gloves in my vehicle so that I can pump my gas and make my payment without any viral or bacterial contact. Of course, I am hoping that the very air I breathe while doing so is not infested with nasty little buggers waiting to take up residence in my airways. I’m doing the best I can, and I cannot find any N95 respirators these days.

The gas pump nozzle is one of the dirtiest things we touch, and we do it at least once a week without thinking. Adding germs to injury is the fact we push all the buttons on the little keyboard as if an attendant had just been by with disinfectant, when we know in fact those things haven’t seen moisture since the last time it rained.

No more! I’m keeping my gloves handy from now on.

Now let’s carry this a little farther. Most of us pay with debit or credit at the store. Once again, buttons to push. Or the ATM. Or the Ziosk tabletop payment system at Chili’s or Red Robin. Heck, what about the menus at those place? All teeming with germs. If…and I mean if…I return to restaurants, I’m using their online menu. At least I keep my phone clean. As for the rest, I can see a lot of gloves in my future.

Which brings me to another thing: self-check at the grocery, DIY store, or wherever. Sure, I know a lot of people have complained in recent months about these things taking jobs away from people, but all of a sudden they are looking pretty good. If you wear gloves, you can do your entire shopping trip without human interaction, assuming you can safely navigate between other shoppers and hold your breath for 30 minutes.

Sure, it’s still quaint to engage in a little chit chat with the cashier from time to time, and self-check does require a human to push a button if you are buying alcohol, but I’m thinking there’s a lot more self-check in my future.

And what about cash? For many years I have hardly used any cash at all, but I can honestly say I have not touched a dollar bill now in at least 10 days. I don’t want the germs that come along for the ride on a fiver or sawbuck, and the same goes for coins, all token carriers of the deadly things hanging out inside of us. I will use plastic wherever I can, and even if I act like a teen, I will use it to pay for a measly $2 cup of coffee. Take that, you creepy little killers! Stay in your cash drawer.

I have started toting a spray container of Spic-and-Span with me, along with those durable blue shop paper towels. I’m spraying and scrubbing everything along my way. I am the father in next year’s My Big Fat Chinese-American Wedding when daughter Becca and Corey get married, making sure everything is safe. When it’s OK to travel again, you can bet I will be disinfecting my hotel room before I ever sit down.

Remember when family vacations included picnics at roadside rest areas? If you are old like me, you have faint memories, but if you are young, you probably have no idea what a picnic is or the ants who came running as soon as you set out everything. Recently on a day in which I had occasion to be behind the wheel, I had to come to grips with the new reality. I did what is now practically unheard of: I packed a cooler with beverages, snacks, and sandwich makings. Not only does this save me money, it’s also a lot healthier. I can control portion sizes, and once again, make no human contact.

This thinking translates into our broader lives. I for one have long loved going out to eat. It’s something my parents instilled in me when I was a child. While we were not rich by any means, Mom set down her foot and declared the kitchen closed on weekends. So we ate out. Many times we would drive up to 80 miles just to go to a favorite of my Mom and Dad’s. Skip forward to the present, and I was easily spending $125 per week on dining, usually at Asian and Progressive American restaurants with spendy and trendy items on their menus. Do the math. If I do not resume those ways, I have effectively given myself a $6000 a year raise.

By buying groceries and eating at home, I have given myself the opportunity to add to my modest cooking repertoire, eat exactly what I want and in which amounts, and save money. 

I call that a win. The economy might not think so, as would restaurant owners and waitstaff. But this is a new world, and we have to find a new way to order things. Meanwhile, I have enough non-perishables to get us through a month, if necessary, and as per guidelines for someone in the—ahem—over-60 category.

Speaking of ordering, now that most non-essential shops are closed, how else are we to buy things? Easy. E-commerce is the solution. I am ready to buy an indoor bicycle trainer so I can maintain fitness at home; it will be delivered to my door. I’ve been shopping online for more than 20 years, and I am pretty sure that coronavirus is only going to reinforce those habits. I’m betting you’re in the same boat as me.

Just don’t get too close, you know.

To know me is to know I am a concert junkie. I love music regardless, but live performances are sonic ecstasy to me. I quit counting at 100 how many concerts I have been to. Of course, today there are no concerts to look forward to, at least not on the horizon. I had hoped to go see Bob Dylan in Amarillo this summer, along with Styx in September, but I have my doubts the former will happen, and who knows if we’ll be out of this mess come autumn.

Think about all the humanity at concerts. Even if we are all seated, like so many concerts aimed squarely at Baby Boomers like me, we’re still in proximal relation to dozens of people, if not hundreds and thousands if the air is circulating. Now factor in concerts with no seating, like some Blackberry Smoke shows I have seen in honky tonks, or the Stryper show I took in at the now-defunct Midnight Rodeo in Amarillo. Good grief, I was three feet from the stage, packed in like so many human sardines wasting away the last vestiges of our hearing. Yeah, those were good times, but I wonder how many hitchhiking germs I brought home, and how many I shared.

The same goes for movie theaters and sports arenas. I may never go to a theatre again, although I absolutely love visiting restored vintage venues like the Mulkey in Clarendon Texas. I am certain that no theatre in America takes the time to do more than just sweep up the popcorn and trash. Disinfect the seats? Are you kidding me? Just shut up, sit down, and try to enjoy the show while knowing you are living dangerously. Suddenly everything from concerts to films and sports are sounding a lot better on my 65” TV.

Let’s go a bit farther. While the lure of Las Vegas long ago wore off for me, I still have occasion now and then to be in Sin City only to find myself racing through the casino to reach clean outside air. I don’t gamble, so that’s not a problem, but what about the people who—gasp—touch those machines, deal those cards, and roll those dice? Knock yourselves out, folks. If I find myself in a casino again, I will also be doing my best sprint to get to the other side.

There’s one other thing that won’t change for me, and that’s the likelihood of my going on a cruise. More than 30 years ago, the ex and I had occasion to do a one-day mini cruise in the Gulf of Mexico with my parents, my brother, and his wife. I hate not being in control of my destiny, and knowing that someone else was steering that thing bothered me. Even more, I could see that the purpose of a cruise was really just to stand in line at decadent feeding troughs, then recline on the deck like beached whales. No thanks. Ain’t got time for that.

But in the coronavirus era, we now must consider the plight of a couple of cruise ships recently stuck at sea because suddenly people have realized them for what they really are: giant floating Petri dishes on which thousands of people mingle in tight quarters. Hey, what a great idea. Concerts and sporting events are one thing since they last only a few hours; now imagine spending a week or more with the same sneezing, coughing, dirty-handed fools.

Nope, nope, nope. You can keep your big boats.

And what about the religious and civil ceremonies we all attend at one time or another? Although there are still a small number of churches defying the Rule of 10 for public gatherings, a growing number has decided to perform their masses and services to empty pews, instead relying on technology to make them available to everyone. What an excellent idea! I realize this goes against the grain of many world religions. “Communion” is something to be celebrated together, hence the prefix. But the dirty chalice and shared loaves of bread are throwing caution to the wind. We can commune even if we are not commingling.

A friend I know who is a pastor recently conducted a wedding in the Phoenix area, and the only people in the church were the bride, groom, him, and a couple of witnesses. I even heard of a live-streamed funeral. Yeah. We can do this, and maybe going forward, churches and other places of worship should consider just doing everything online for those who no longer wish to take their chances in public, yet still allow people to congregate as per their choice when the pandemic is over.

I could certainly go on, especially with regard to online courses, but I would be beating the same drum I have for the last 23 years. Suffice it to say that today I feel very justified in all that I have done and promoted in this area, and will double down on my efforts going forward. While there is still a future for courses held in classrooms, we all need to prepare each and every class so that it could be online if we had to. It’s a lot like the emergency preparedness those in hurricane-affected areas already know: police can reverse the flow of traffic on freeways at a moment’s notice to handle people trying to evacuate. We educators need to be able to turn on a dime as well.

There’s more to rethink, of course, and for the vast majority of us who have turned on a dime in the last week, we may very well never return to other things we once did. Think about how suddenly major companies have turned into thousands of people who are working remotely, who connect via Zoom Video and Microsoft Teams when meetings are needed. Do we really need elaborate corporate campuses anymore, paeans to the profits they have enjoyed through the years? And do we really need more meetings, and meetings to schedule more meetings? I think not.

Other professions are finally figuring out that we can leverage technology not just for convenience, but for public safety. Telemedicine is suddenly OK and in fact desirable, but it hasn’t always been this way. Counseling can and should be done electronically as needed or desired, and not face-to-face because that’s how we’ve always done it.

To The Future And Beyond

Where it all goes from here is anybody’s guess. There are many voices in the woods, from Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick suggesting that grandparents should take one for the team and be willing to die for the sake of the economy, to Governor Cuomo of New York saying this could go on for another nine months. President Trump is hinting he would like to see us get back up on our feet and be rarin’ to go by Easter, while medical experts say not so fast.

As for me, I know I am never going back. I’m never going back to the way things were. Too much water has gone under this bridge, and even though it has only been a week or so since we all got serious, I have had a lot of time to think.

Maybe Michael Jackson was right all along. Being the gloved one was rather prescient, don’t you think?

Dr “But No Sequins For Me“ Gerlich

Audio Blog

#marketing #COVID-19 #coronavirus

[rather-impertinent]

Hey darling! If you're still taking prompts, could I perchance inconvenience you with no' 9 ?:)

A/N: Hi friend! This is very long, I hope you don’t mind!! 💓 Also I’m v tired so please excuse any mistakes haha! Enjoy! xo~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Perhaps she could smother him and no one would ever know. Dwight was, after all, the best doctor in the county (and Caroline wagered even in all of England) and perhaps it was only he who could distinguish between accidental and deliberate death. And how could he do so if he, himself, were dead. But then he turns over, and she sees the features of his face and his sunny hair in the dim candlelight, and all such thoughts vanish. That is, until moments later when that godawful sound escapes from his mouth again.

She takes a cushion and hits him forcefully on the chest. “Dwight Enys! Wake up this instant!”

He jolts up with a start and blindly looks around the room, tired confusion etched on his features. He rubs his eyes aggressively. “Caroline? What is the matter?” he asks sleepily.

“You were snoring!” she complains, an illogical amount of anger surges through her body - which can be attributed to the growing human inside of her who has taken a particular dislike to her lower ribs.

“Oh? I’m sorry, my love. I am very tired,” he explains somewhat sheepishly, before turning around and settling back into bed.

She hits him with the cushion again. “As am I!” she huffs, her eyes alive with fury, “how can I hope to get a moments rest between this brat hammering away at my ribcage and with that racket coming from your mouth!” Dwight is completely lost at this point; what on earth is going on? Why is she so angry? “You are henceforth banished from the room until you can control that godawful sound!”

“You can’t banish me! This is my bed too!“ he argues, amusement and slight indignation colouring his voice. His wife raises her eyebrows and glowers pointedly at him, making him gulp slightly. He sighs. "But where shall I sleep?” he whines.

She considers this momentarily. “One of the guest bedrooms should do, I find that the rooms in the east wing are warmest,” she says seriously.

Dwight stares at her, unable to believe he is seriously being banished from his own bed- his own, comfortable, warm, wife-containing bed. He pulls the covers back, genuine annoyance creeping up on him. He could understand that she was not her usual self at the moment and perhaps even slightly uncomfortable but he felt she was being entirely unreasonable; though he would not dream of saying so lest she banish him from their bed for good.

He lights a candle and stumbles from the room, making an effort to slam the door behind him. Normally he would never consider such childishness but at one o'clock in the morning on a cold winter’s night, Dwight could not imagine anything worse than being roused from a pleasant sleep to be told to go sleep in a cold bedroom at the opposite end of his house, alone. He reaches the end of the long corridor and decides that he is too tired to walk all the way to the east wing and so settles on the Pink Room at the very end of the hall. He can see his breath as he enters but is pleased to see an extra, thick blanket folded on top of the covers. He sighs and grudgingly lights a fire in the hearth and warms his hands in the glow before retreating into the icy cold bed.

He has not been asleep long when the creaking of the door rouses him from his dreams. “Dwight?” a voice mumbles from just inside the doorway. He cranes his neck and sees Caroline standing, in merely a shift, with a lone candle lit. Once his eyes adjust to the light he notes that her eyes are red and that her cheeks cast a glow against the light of the fireplace. He very nearly leaps out of bed at the sight of his distressed wife. “Caroline, my love, what is the matter?” he asks, placing his hands on her shoulders.

“I couldn’t find you!” she wails, almost childlike in manner. “I searched the entirety of the east wing and you were nowhere to be found! I thought you had left! Had left Killewarren, had left me - your stubborn, cruel wife - and had ridden in the cold to Nampara or some other familiar place! The images I had in mind of you frozen to death on the moors!” She continues to sob inconsolably and Dwight cannot help but laugh.

She glances up at him with hurt in her eyes. What could possibly be funny? “Forgive me, my love,” he begins, stifling his laughter, “you have been reading far too many novels of late! Of course I had not left. Do you suppose for one moment that I would leave you - the very reason I draw breath - behind? Not to mention our impending arrival,” he says, caressing her large swell, “I rather think she has caused you to go rather delirious, my dear.”

Caroline sniffs but says nothing. She shivers in the draught of the cold room and hopes that Dwight did not notice. He does, though, of course. “Caroline, what are you doing walking around the house in nothing but a shift?” he chides crossly. “It is freezing, you’ll catch your death!”

She shrinks into herself slightly. “I’m sorry, I wanted to find you as quick as possible and apologise. I find I cannot sleep without you anymore,” she mumbles shyly.

A warm smiles forms on his face and he moves to whip the large blanket from the bed and wraps it around her. “There.”

She smiles lovingly at her kind husband’s gesture before a grin appears on her face. “I feel like princess Charlotte!” she giggles, twirling around in the large blanket which has created a very long trail at her heels.

Dwight rolls his slightly at his wife’s childishness but cannot help but smile at the sight before him. “Make haste, princess Caroline, we must return you to bed.” He takes the candle from her and leads them out of the room and into the corridor.

They have only walked a few paces when Caroline inhales sharply.

He stops them both in their tracks. “What is it?”

“It’s nothing,” she lies quickly before doubling over in pain.

Dwight holds her firmly. “Caroline, you must tell me what is wrong! Where does it hurt?”

“My ribs,” she gasps, tears spilling from her eyes.

Dwight’s stomach knots in sympathy, he wishes he could alleviate her pain and wracks his tired brain to think how he could possibly help. He supports her as they slowly trudge towards their bedroom, the cure coming to him as soon as they step over the threshold. “I shall fetch you some special tea and perhaps a small massage will help. We must also find you more pillows.”

“Alright,” she says weakly as Dwight props her up over a mountain of pillows.

“I shall return directly,” he reassures, hurrying out of the room before Caroline has a chance to protest.

She crosses her arms and taps her somewhat swollen feet together as she impatiently waits for him to return. He does so soon, with almost inhuman-like haste, and places a cup of tea beside him on the floor by the bed. “We must wait for it to cool first. Would you like me to give you a massage?”

She nods and pulls her shift up until it sits underneath her breasts. Her face colours as she self-consciously tries to partially conceal the large bump, not wishing for her husband to see just how unattractive she has become. Dwight notices this - of course he does, she thinks, the man notices everything - and gently lifts her hand away and places a loving kiss where her palm had been placed. He begins rubbing her ribcage which initially causes her to wince in pain but soon the pain dulls and almost entirely disappears. His sure fingers continue to work at the area and Caroline jealously wonders if he has had to perform such an intimate task on another woman.

“No,” he answers softly, reading her thoughts after noticing her body becoming more rigid. “But I saw a great deal of it while I was a student in London. A mentor of mine, Dr. Gregory, was a very caring man and insisted that women - especially those of whom were with child - should be treated with the utmost care and respect.” This was said with such a conviction which only men who are in strong agreement can possess. “How is the pain, my love?” he dotes, brushing some hair from her face.

“Much better.” She smiles coyly at him. “You truly are a miracle worker, Dr. Enys. How is such a thing possible?” she flirts.

“‘Without you, nothing is possible,’” he quotes quietly into her ear.

She can feel his smile against her and her heart skips several beats as the memories of that day come flooding back to her. “I do love you so terribly much,” she admits, to her own surprise; she had intended to tease him about his sentimentality. The child is making her foolish.

Dwight does not mind, though, and places a less than chaste kiss on her lips. “And I you.”

#carolight #poldark fanfic

[disndatradio]

Stereogum’s 40 Best New Bands Of 2018

This fall, an artist found her voice. In A Star Is Born, Ally Campana goes from unknown to sensation in under a year. The movie is unrealistic wish fulfillment, but her upward trajectory embodies our hope for all artists, at least on a smaller scale: to become popular enough to follow their muse without sacrificing their integrity, to provide us with music that has a lasting impact. The narrative of the film is, of course, messy and more tragic, but perhaps in some alternate timeline ALLY would have made our list of the Best New Bands Of 2018. (Or not, if her debut was more “Why Did You Do That?” and less “Always Remember Us This Way.”)

Stereogum has been putting this list together since 2010, and we pride ourselves on doing a pretty good job of sussing out talented artists as they reach their crest. Of course, there are a few caveats: “New” is a relative term — a lot of these acts have been cutting their teeth for years. The viral, immediate fame that ALLY comes by in A Star Is Born is a rarity; instead, it’s usually a slow and steady climb. And, stubbornly, we still call it Best New Bands, even though a lot of the inclusions on this list aren’t bands at all, because why change a good thing when it’s working?

This list, which we purposefully run a bit removed from the year-end list onslaught, is meant as recognition for artists that have had a great year and as an investment in them for the future. Many of these names will be familiar to regular Stereogum readers, present in our daily music posts and Band To Watch column. If you revisit our lists from 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010, you’ll find that we’ve been pretty on-point. So get familiar with Stereogum’s 40 Best New Bands Of 2018, presented in alphabetic order, below. You can also listen to a playlist of our picks on Spotify. Enjoy! –James Rettig

03 Greedo

LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA

An American original. His voice is an expressive wonder, a tangle of yips and cackles and sudden, overwhelming bursts of energy. Plenty of rappers have taken the weird early days of Young Thug as blueprints, but Greedo is the only one who has pushed Thug’s style further out into the ether. And yet he remains grounded to his own dark realities; he calls his music “emo for gangbangers.” Throughout the first half of 2018, Greedo pumped out an insane amount of music, and we’re going to need all of it. In July, Greedo turned himself in to start serving a 20-year prison sentence for drug and weapon possession. We won’t hear anyone like him anytime soon. –Tom Breihan

Anna Burch

LOCATION: Detroit, MI

Anna Burch isn’t exactly new. She’s been around for a while, singing in Frontier Ruckus and Failed Flowers and playing with people like Fred Thomas and Minihorse. But the Detroit rocker’s debut solo album Quit The Curse still feels like a real coming-out party. It’s easily the best thing she’s ever done, spinning wryly relatable tales of love and heartbreak over indie-rock that marries old school starry-eyed girl-group harmonies with scruffily melodic ’90s alt-pop. It sounds warm and comfortable, confident yet understated. In other words: It sounds like Anna Burch. –Peter Helman

Ashley McBryde

LOCATION: Nashville, TN

An Arkansas native, Ashley McBryde had spent a full decade in Nashville, trying to get a country music career going, before her tough and elegant song “A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega” finally got the ball rolling. “A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega” is a hard-luck ballad about ending the worst day of your life amidst a bunch of other sad sacks in a place where the drinks are cheap. And that song, it turns out, wasn’t a fluke. Girl Going Nowhere, McBryde’s debut album, is a gorgeously lived-in, righteously sad, painstakingly crafted piece of work. McBryde namechecks Townes Van Zandt on the very first song and then spends the rest of the album living up to his example. It shouldn’t have taken this long for us to hear her. –Tom

Bat Fangs

LOCATION: Carrboro, NC

Early this year, Ex Hex bassist Betsy Wright and Flesh Wounds drummer Laura King released their debut album as Bat Fangs. It fucking rocks, full stop. Their songs are simply constructed by design but pack a huge punch. They put a fresh spin on old rock ‘n’ roll clichés, turning them on their head and reminding you why those clichés endured in the first place. Bat Fangs relishes in excess, with slick riffs and a charismatically goofy sense of fun that still manages to get to the heart of some pretty deep issues. –James

Black Belt Eagle Scout

LOCATION: Portland, OR

Black Belt Eagle Scout is the moniker of Katherine Paul, a queer indigenous artist who grew up on a reservation near the Puget Sound. Her music is a direct reflection of her upbringing, and she describes the songwriting process as a kind of therapy. There’s a universality to Paul’s soul-searching, a yearning that transcends the boundaries between people and speaks to the human condition in general. Single “Just Lie Down” starts with distorted feedback that could soundtrack a migraine or the worst day of your life. It eventually quells as Paul beckons in a revelation. “It’s all in your head/ It’s all in your head,” she sings. –Gabriela Tully Claymore

Black Dresses

LOCATION: Toronto, ON

Black Dresses is the collaborative effort of the artists known as Dei Genetrix (formerly Girls Rituals) and Rook, and we named their debut album WASTEISOLATION one of the best albums of 2018 so far. Not long after that, Black Dresses put out the HELL IS REAL EP. The duo’s noisy dark-pop is as ferocious as it is fun, even when they’re singing about traumatic experiences. Catharsis is this band’s driving force; if you don’t have anything to scream about, they’ll give you something to scream about. –Gabriela

BlocBoy JB

CREDIT: Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images

LOCATION: Memphis, TN

2018 has been a big year for viral dance crazes, and leading the charge was BlocBoy JB. With a practiced kick-and-pump motion, the Memphis rapper set off a chain reaction that would eventually lead to children and video game characters performing his signature move. BlocBoy debuted the “Shoot” dance last year, but the move, and the man behind it, gained wider recognition when they came attached to a Drake feature. “Look Alive” underscored and amplified BlocBoy’s effortless flow, his words hitting with the same ease and intensity as his jerky gyrations. That unique charisma runs through his Simi mixtape. Energetic production mimics his lighthearted wit, each punchline matched with its sonic equivalent. In the same way that Drake labors to keep up with BlocBoy’s moves in the “Look Alive” video, the rest of Simi’s featured artists can’t help but adhere to BlocBoy’s style and pace. –Julia Gray

Booji Boys

LOCATION: Halifax, NS

Think of how hard it must be to work up a sweat in a place as cold and remote as Halifax, Nova Scotia. And then listen to the way the music of Halifax punks Booji Boys positively drips with sweat. Booji Boys are named for a Devo reference, but they offer messy catharsis instead of twitchy and precise theory. The band has been releasing music since 2016, but they really picked up steam with Weekend Rocker, a beery rush of an album full of muddy guitar tones and adrenalized hooks. In a place like Halifax, you have to make your own fun. Booji Boys have clearly made plenty of it. –Tom

Bristletongue

LOCATION: Lake County, IL

It takes a lot to make a big impression with just four tracks, but Bristletongue do just that on their debut EP. Femme Florale is a towering quartet, each song epic in its own right. The band locks into a painterly blend of post-rock and emo that’s elevated by L Morgan’s capacious voice. Their narratives deal with a lack of self-worth, told through repeated imagery of flowers dying and blooming once again. “Must I be wanted to be worth anything?” they ask on standout “Daisy Chain.” Bristletongue’s music sounds like the cycle of life playing out in your ears, capturing the intense sadness and unimaginable beauty contained within. –James

Camila Cabello

LOCATION: Miami, FL

Camila Cabello put out one of the catchiest and most memorable Top 40 pop songs in recent memory. All you have to do is sing, “Havana, ooh na-na,” and whoever’s in your vicinity will respond, “Half of my heart is is Havana ooh na-na.” That song is inescapable, the single that made Cabello’s departure from Fifth Harmony suddenly seem like an excellent career move, and her debut solo album Camila is chock-full of hooks. Opener “Never Be The Same,” with its chorus delivered like a bird song, rolls out the red carpet for Cabello to sashay her way down. –Gabriela

Caroline Says

LOCATION: Austin, TX

Caroline Sallee’s whisper takes many forms across No Fool Like An Old Fool, her sophomore album as Caroline Says. Layered atop a smoky bossa nova beat, it conjures the alluring hum of a lounge singer. It sways with a jangly guitar, breathing new perspective into familiar indie rock. Submerged in padded synth, it sounds weathered and knowing. The LP finds Sallee reflecting on her Alabama hometown, where she recorded her first album. Her whisper, now deliberate and adventurous, is guided by an acknowledgment of decay. She likens the arid setting to her aging body: “I used to love this town…I was born and will be buried.” Time passes and she remains an “Old Fool,” but wise in understanding her naiveté. –Julia

Closer

LOCATION: New York, NY

Two-thirds of Closer play in the indie-rock supergroup Real Life Buildings. Now forget that. Closer don’t sound anything like Real Life Buildings, and they don’t sound like indie-rockers dabblers trying their hand at post-hardcore either. They sound like the genuine article — raw, passionate, and urgent, building from twinklingly pretty atmospheric post-rock valleys to headrush screamo-assault peaks. And at the center of all of it is singer-artist-poet Ryann Slauson and their drum kit and throat-shredding roar, bashing feelings straight into your skull. –Peter

Control Top

LOCATION: Philadelphia, PA

Philly punks Control Top released an EP of purposeful, tough garage-pop in 2016. But it wasn’t until the 2018 single “Type A” that they really found their voice. The Control Top of “Type A” have a new lineup and a new sound, and the result is two and a half minutes of the most feverish and cathartic music we’ve heard all year. It’s a motorik grind, the bass and drums locking into a fast and tense lockstep while jittery and molten riffage erupts from the guitar and frontwoman Ali Carter talks her shit: “Your false authority is dreadfully boring to me.” The band’s debut album can’t come soon enough. –Tom

Ella Mai

LOCATION: London, England

“Boo’d Up” was everything you could want in a hit single, a plush, sleek ’90s throwback swooning with the intoxicating power of new love. Thanks to “Boo’d Up,” Ella Mai became a star almost overnight, and with her self-titled debut album, she’s surrounded it with a whole constellation of sexy, retro R&B executive produced with a steady hand by Mustard. If nothing quite matches the sheer wattage of “Boo’d Up” or its winning follow-up single “Trip,” it’s still a pleasure to sink into the sumptuous atmosphere and the fluid power of her voice. –Peter

Empath

LOCATION: Philadelphia, PA

The very foundation of Empath is enough to guarantee some buzz. Formed by members of All Dogs and Perfect Pussy, the band of schooled DIY punks quietly released their two-song debut CRYSTAL REALITY way back in 2016, but it wasn’t until this year that they were able to commit to the project more seriously. Their breakthrough tape, Liberating Guilt And Fear, channels the pop punk and hardcore that fueled their previous projects, but there’s a candy-colored sheen to these songs that glimmers beneath scuzzy production. It’s a promising start for a band predestined to turn heads. –Gabriela

Gia Margaret

LOCATION: Chicago, IL

Gia Margaret’s debut album is called There’s Always Glimmer, and that’s as apt a description of her music as any. Her whispered lullabies waft in like a cool mist through an open window, swirls of synth, piano, and guitar twinkling as they catch the moonlight and receding back into the night. Even when she sings of aching sadness, she does it with the kind of hushed, intimate beauty that sounds like a soft glow in the darkness. There’s always glimmer. –Peter

Haley Heynderickx

CREDIT: Alessandra Leimer

LOCATION: Portland, OR

An album is like a garden in a way: all these little creations grown from seed, carefully tended until they bloom together into a collective whole more beautiful than the sum of its parts. I Need To Start A Garden, Haley Heynderickx’s debut LP, is the sound of such cultivation paying off. Her folk-rock songs sneak up on you with sudden bursts of beauty or intensity, never more so than when she finds herself wailing the album title in a frantic fit of catharsis on “Oom Sha La La.” It’s a rare moment of lost composure from one of this year’s most assured new singer-songwriters. –Chris DeVille

Haru Nemuri

LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan

Haru Nemuri doesn’t make pop music, but she’s doesn’t not make pop music either. The Japanese artist mixes elements from J-pop, rap, post-hardcore, noise, and electronica and sets the genre concoction on fire. Its flames just happen to be extremely catchy. Her full-length debut, which came out earlier this year, is packed with sonic ideas that each evolve in three minutes or less. Maybe it’s this brevity — the immediate payoff — that makes her music so rewarding. Blazing guitars and crisp drums race to the finish line, tense arrangements linger just long enough. Nemuri is carving something completely new out of recycled pieces. She’s also making a very strong case for short songs. –Julia

Hatchie

LOCATION: Brisbane, Australia

Dream-pop can be such a slippery slope. Over the years, how many bands have come and gone who could create enveloping atmospheres but didn’t have the songwriting to guarantee the kind of dream you remember when you wake up? Sugar & Spice — Harriette Pillbeam’s debut EP as Hatchie — avoids that fate because it has songs. Occasionally leaning harder on the pop half of the dream-pop equation, Hatchie arrived armed with hook after hook. In “Sure,” the verse and chorus and refrain are in open war for which part can be the catchiest, while “Sleep” boasts a synth riff that is incredibly, giddily addictive. Sugar & Spice is essentially a perfect EP. It’s exhilarating to imagine what Pillbeam will be able to pull off next. –Ryan Leas

House Of Feelings

LOCATION: New York, NY

Before House Of Feelings was the name of a musical project, it was the name of a party. It sounds like one, too. Matty Fasano would invite his friends to come DJ, dance, and escape their workaday lives for a few hours, and he, Joe Fassler, and Dale Eisinger apply the same liberating everyone-is-welcome ethos to their music, bringing in guests from the indie scene to bare their hearts over an infectious disco-house thump. But even as they tackle the anxieties and insecurities of modern life, they invite you to lose yourself to the beat — because in this house of feelings, the biggest room is euphoria. –Peter

Illuminati Hotties

LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA

Sarah Tudzin is the full package: a gifted producer, songwriter, singer, lyricist, melodicist, and instrumentalist whose album Kiss Yr Frenemies is one of the best debuts in recent memory. Under the name Illuminati Hotties, the LA musician cranks out charming indie-rock tracks that represent the full scope of her personality. Some, like “For Cheez (My Friend, Not The Food),” are touching. Others, like “Pressed 2 Death” and “Shape Of My Hands,” are hilariously scathing. The lot of them are clever, winsome, and richly conceived. Tudzin’s fan base is small and fervent at the moment — a secret society, you might call it — but if there’s any justice in the music industry, she’ll be a star someday. –Chris

JPEGMAFIA

LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA / Baltimore, MD

Veteran is hardly JPEGMAFIA’s first release, but it is his first one that sounds fully-formed. After a couple years kicking around the Baltimore rap scene, Barrington Hendricks moved out to Los Angeles around the time Veteran was released, but the project spends its whole runtime looking backward, synthesizing everything he’s worked on up ’til this point. It’s an intoxicating, glitchy, often abrasive mix of textural ingenuity. The album’s title has a double meaning, both in that Hendricks got his start in music while serving abroad in Japan and that, in 2018, he’s fucking tired and over all this shit. Veteran paints a portrait of someone that’s above it, told through hazy sporadic beats and samples and a scatter-brained energy that only adds to its appeal. –James

Lala Lala

LOCATION: Chicago, IL

Lillie West picked the perfect band name. There’s a sing-song quality to the music she makes as Lala Lala, an intentional silliness that belies the distress beneath. On her new album, The Lamb, Lala Lala processes a fear of losing control, inspired in part by newfound sobriety and a home invasion that left her deeply paranoid. Some of West’s fears manifested in songs about the apocalypse (“When You Die”) while others nestled into lyrics about inner balances gone awry (“Destroyer”). Lala Lala’s strength lies in West’s voice and the glitchy melodies she writes make what could just be another indie rock project sound fresh and exciting. –Gabriela

Long Neck

LOCATION: Jersey City, NJ

When Lily Mastrodimos put out her first music as Long Neck back in 2014, she was coming from a place of interior solitude, a respite from the louder music she made with her then-band Jawbreaker Reunion. But on Will This Do?, the project’s full-length full-band debut, she’s looking outward for answers — from the cosmos, from her ancestry and hometown, from her friends and potential partners. On the explosive “Mine/Yours,” she explores the dichotomy of the title with her remarkable voice and a rollicking forward momentum. Will This Do? is an album about learning to make space for yourself, unmatchable in both its earnestness and ferocity. –James

Many Rooms

LOCATION: Houston, TX

Many Rooms’ debut album is called There Is A Presence Here, and it sure sounds that way. It’s a spectral and skeletal singer-songwriter record, Julien Baker’s barebones post-rock balladry haunted by Grouper’s eerie ambience. Brianna Hunt’s songs seem to materialize out of nothing and hover gracefully over barren wastelands, like God leading the Israelites as a pillar of fire. Sometimes they sound like demos captured in a closet, weighed down by heavy burdens. But mostly they feel like supernatural events — mirages where spiritual turmoil plays out in the space between this world and one unseen. –Chris

Retirement Party

LOCATION: Chicago, IL

Retirement Party are just getting started. The Chicago trio play bright, energetic, relentlessly hooky pop-punk, but their debut album Somewhat Literate is as much a product of frontwoman Avery Springer’s restless mind as anything. Her hyper-analytical gaze focuses inwards, on her own anxiety and depression and self-doubt, but even at its darkest, her navel-gazing never sounds anything but fun. “Sometimes I think that I can do anything,” Springer sings at one point. “But then I sit down and I qualitatively analyze my acute sense of awareness for my environmental surroundings.” And sometimes, she does it over some breathless shredding. –Peter

Rico Nasty

LOCATION: Prince George’s County, MD

When Rico Nasty is playing, there are no bystanders: You are her, you fear her, or you worship her. Depending on your mood and general disposition, you could very well be “the bitch with the long hair and her top off” like Rico. On a bad day, you might be the “bitch bleedin’ out” while Rico “still got the speakers loud.” The SoundCloud-bred rapper doesn’t deal in subtlety. Rico recently released her major-label debut, Nasty, after years of sharing mixtapes with her growing audience. The new one is one giant flex — a wicked storm of lo-fi beats, goth and emo flavor, and immutable personality. Whether Rico’s sing-rapping or snarling into the void, her power is awe-inspiring. –Julia

Shannen Moser

LOCATION: Philadelphia, PA

If you’re from Pennsylvania, the state’s landscape can seem nondescript. While Shannen Moser might be based in Philadelphia now, she hails from nearby Berks County, more of a small-town rural area. And on her excellent sophomore effort I’ll Sing, she has fleshed out her folk-indebted songwriting in a way that perfectly conjures the feeling of long, rambling drives through her home state. I’ll Sing is plenty aware of the traditions from which it draws, and Moser’s songwriting is so sharp that all the dusty guitars and winsome melodies make a convincing argument that she should soon be inducted into a long lineage of American songwriters born from endless wandering through this nation’s highways and countrysides. –Ryan

Sidney Gish

LOCATION: Boston, MA

Sidney Gish’s second proper album, No Dogs Allowed, is a collection of everyday objects, simple melodies, musings, and memories. The Boston singer-songwriter imbues items and ideas with confession and insight. She keeps a food diary to retain some modicum of control over her life, draws a line from sine triangles and biblical sin to “two-faced bitches,” mispronounces words as a power move, and tunes her guitar to echo each sentiment. The bittersweet confusion of early adulthood plays out in the harmonious tension between her sarcastic realism and tender twee. “Upon realizing I don’t know anything, there’s a lazy sense of glee,” Gish sighs, adopting the perspective of a city rat. Elsewhere, she sings alongside a campy keyboard, “We’re gonna go to a show and then come home and probably die.” Throughout the album, Gish acknowledges that lingering fear of death and foolishness with spirit and wit. –Julia

Sir Babygirl

LOCATION: Brooklyn, NY / Hanover, NH

A couple months ago, Sir Babygirl seemed to appear out of nowhere with the single “Heels.” As an introduction to Kelsie Hogue the songwriter, you couldn’t ask for a more effective or attention-grabbing track. “Heels” was a roiling, cathartic pop song that defied easy categorization, and much of her forthcoming debut Crush On Me follows suit. Sir Babygirl, as a project, is overflowing with ideas and influences, colliding into an idiosyncratic, colorful, and often overwhelming sound. You never quite know where Hogue is going to go next, and that’s part of what makes her great: This is the sound of someone emerging, shaking loose old hang-ups and anchors, to seize life and make art that reflects it in all its messiness. –Ryan

SOB x RBE

LOCATION: Vallejo, CA

This time next year, Vallejo quartet SOB x RBE might not still be rapping together. Signs of internal turmoil are spilling over into the public, and solo careers beckon. If so, the dynamic runs directly contrary to the celebratory spirit that courses through their music. At a time when zonked-out, robotic trap music has gone from an innovation to a cliché, the group’s pair of Gangin albums represent some of the most vibrant and inviting hip-hop on the market. In the grand Bay Area tradition, they’ve got bounce, they’ve got swagger, and they’re a hell of a lot of fun. –Chris

Sorry

LOCATION: London, England

The breadth of influences Sorry displays is impressive, especially for such a young group. Normally a band emerges with a signature sound and branches out from there, but the UK four-piece have made it a point not to be pigeonholed. So far, their discography consists of a string of increasingly sturdy singles and two rock mixtapes that are an intoxicating blend of breathy vocals and hazy thoughts, rendered in sharp pop hooks. The band’s two dynamic poles are childhood friends Asha Lorenz and Louis O’Bryen, and the project leaves enough space for them to shine as songwriters in their own right. Whenever the band manages to cook up a proper debut album, it’s sure to be a knockout, and until then they’ve left a beguiling collection of songs in the meantime. –James

The Beths

LOCATION: Auckland, New Zealand

Wheels don’t always need to be reinvented. The Beths, from Auckland, aren’t doing anything new. Instead, they’re operating within grand continuums — of New Zealand indie romantics, of ‘90s-besotted power-poppers, of hook-happy slackers with fuzz pedals and big hearts. The members of the Beths all studied jazz in college, and yet they play with all the giddy gusto of a group of teenagers who just heard the Blue Album for the first time. The songs on Future Me Hates Me, their instantly lovable debut album, all shoot straight for the pleasure centers of anyone who has ever enjoyed, say, a Lemonheads record. It’s an old sound, and yet it’s a sound that never gets old. –Tom

Thyla

LOCATION: Brighton, England

There have been other bands like Thyla, groups looking to decades past and mining the impressionistic soundscapes of shoegaze. But it’s hard to remember another band that’s attained the peculiar, almost-paradoxical balance Thyla has: the anxious forward momentum of post-punk and the brooding and heaviness of grunge underpinning the melancholic-then-transcendent parabolas of prime dream-pop. And perhaps more importantly: Those other bands didn’t have Millie Duthie. As far back as Thyla’s early, powerhouse singles like “Pristine Dream” and “Tell Each Other Lies,” Duthie immediately proved herself a force to be reckoned with, a singer capable of sounding like a hurricane even amidst all the layers and intensity of Thyla’s music. With their debut EP on the way, Thyla are still changing and exploring. But with Duthie’s voice guiding the way, chances are whatever they discover will be fruitful. –Ryan

Tomberlin

LOCATION: Louisville, KY

Despite Sarah Beth Tomberlin’s devout Christian upbringing, the Louisville-based singer-songwriter never liked going to church. She no longer identifies as Christian, and instead practices a sort of self-communion, writing and recording music as Tomberlin. Her debut album, At Weddings, is made up of 10 personal ceremonies, quiet hymns of introspection. Gentle fingerpicking and reverb-laden electric keys conjure a holy presence as Tomberlin meditates on relationship patterns, self-worth, loneliness, faith, and growth. Each concern carries the same weight and godliness in her “church.” –Julia

Ultra Beauty

LOCATION: Washington, DC

There’s not much good in the highest reaches of our nation’s capital these days, but it’s never faltered as a hotbed of great music. Ultra Beauty count themselves among the same scene that, in recent years, has birthed Priests and Flasher and many more acts that espouse radical politics in songs that go down smooth. The trio’s self-titled debut EP is an airtight collection of wiry and shimmering tracks that manages a string of delightful surprises, melodies and little touches that sneak up on you but make perfect sense once they’ve settled in. –James

Valee

LOCATION: Chicago, IL

GOOD Job, You Found Me, Valee’s debut EP for Kanye’s West’s record label, goes a long way toward explaining the Chicago rapper’s appeal: that delicate, meticulous “old-timey tiptoeing burglar” delivery that makes even boilerplate rhymes sound good and renders him a genius when setting an evocative scene like so: “Walked in Shell, flamed up a L/ Bumpy Margiels, feel like braille/ Dirty ass ginger ale, came through the mail/ I fucked your girl, in the hotel.” But summer smash “Womp Womp,” on which R&B stud Jeremih imitates Valee’s flow, most clearly encapsulated his glory. Lots of rappers claim to be God, but few approach the beat with such a still, small voice. –Chris

Vein

LOCATION: Boston, MA

There’s no easy way to say this: Vein are a nu-metal band. What’s more, they’re a supremely dope nu-metal band making the genre sound vital in the year of our lord 2018. There are traces of early Deftones and Incubus in the Boston band’s recent Errorzone, but also far less critically rehabilitated sludge monsters like Mudvayne and Static-X. It’s brutal, ballistic, hellishly discordant cyborg rock in which even the dreamy reprieves are rapidly swallowed up by nightmares. If every trend must recirculate two decades later, Vein represent close to a best-case scenario for reliving this much-maligned moment in rock history. They might remind you why some long-discarded version of yourself used to love this stuff. –Chris

Westerman

LOCATION: London, England

Westerman didn’t know if he was going to keep releasing music. After two EPs and a split with management, he was a bit defeated. Then “Confirmation” arrived, a revelation for him and us alike. Songs like “Confirmation” don’t come along too often — instantly alluring, infectious yet still enigmatic even after dozens of listens. It felt as if Westerman had suddenly located some kind of alchemy, fusing his plaintive folk roots with slick urbane textures and giving us a song that unveiled new subtleties listen after listen. That’s a hard thing to follow up, but recent singles like “Edison” and “Albatross” further fleshed out Westerman’s new world and, well, confirmed that we may be watching the birth of one of this generation’s most unique and captivating songwriters. –Ryan

YBN Crew

LOCATION: Birmingham, AL / Galveston, TX / Suitland, MD

In the past, rap crews have all been geographically focused: All the best rappers within a certain neighborhood, or within a certain circle of friends, all getting together to do their own local sound better than anyone else can do it. But the three core rappers in the YBN Crew come from Alabama, Texas, and Maryland. They didn’t grow up together. Instead, they met up while playing Grand Theft Auto online and freestyling into their headsets. And yet they still give off that conquer-the-world vibe — young guys doing their best to impress each other and somehow catching a zeitgeist-wave. Their debut full-length YBN: The Mixtape is all unrealized potential, weighed down with repetitive beats and unfortunate guest spots. But all three rappers, especially YBN Cordae, are almost frighteningly talented. And when they truly find their voices, look out. –Tom

Source link

source https://disndatradio.com/stereogums-40-best-new-bands-of-2018/

[democratsunited-blog]

Lewiston Democrats rode a social media firestorm to the bank, netting $181,000 in donations

https://uniteddemocrats.net/?p=7586

Lewiston Democrats rode a social media firestorm to the bank, netting $181,000 in donations

When Kiernan Majerus-Collins launched an online fundraising campaign last spring, the Lewiston political activist was hoping to hit a nerve with people angered about comments made by a local legislative candidate.

Republican Leslie Gibson’s attack on survivors of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., proved to be worth tens of thousands of dollars to the Lewiston Democratic City Committee. Screen image from Twitter

Instead, Majerus-Collins tapped a vein – an artery, even – of progressives nationwide who are outraged over pushback against Florida teenagers demanding stronger gun laws in the aftermath of a mass shooting at their high school in February.

The windfall of donations – more than $170,000 in less than a week – was 34 times more than the Lewiston Democratic City Committee had raised in the previous six-month period and roughly 100 times the amount raised by the Greater Bangor Democratic Committee. It was a historic, social media-fueled fundraising haul for a small, local political committee headed by a group of progressive activists in their 20s.

“I was shocked,” Majerus-Collins, who graduated from Bates College this year, said on Tuesday. “When I first put up the fundraising appeal, I thought maybe we would raise a couple of hundred dollars that would help us do some of the programming we have been doing and struggling to do. We were all surprised by the response.”

The Lewiston Democratic City Committee entered the homestretch of the 2018 election season flush with $181,000 in donations through June 30. In contrast, its rival organization, the Androscoggin County Republican Committee, received $10,339 in donations during that period. But the Lewiston Democrats face questions about how that money will be used.

The target of that initial fundraising appeal, Republican legislative candidate Les Gibson, dropped out of the race amid national headlines inspired by his calling one Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student activist a “skinhead lesbian” and another a “bald-faced liar.”

And the Democrat recruited to challenge Gibson, Eryn Gilchrist, not only can’t use any of the money for her campaign but remains deeply disturbed by the fundraising tactics ostensibly used on her behalf – including the creation of a Twitter account in her name.

“I found it to be really frustrating and emblematic of what I don’t like about politics, which is someone capitalizing on something divisive,” said Gilchrist, who as a publicly funded Clean Election candidate can only accept a limited number of small donations. “It drives a wedge between people.”

PLANS FOR HOW FUNDS WILL BE SPENT

The Lewiston Democratic Party’s enormous fundraising success in such a short period illustrates not only the political power of social media but also how little control donors have over how their money is used once they write that paper or virtual check.

The Lewiston Democratic City Committee must abide by Maine’s campaign finance and transparency laws, which include disclosing how money is spent. As of June 30, the last campaign finance reporting deadline, the committee had spent $11,473 with more than half of that paid as “processing fees” to the Democratic fundraising website Act Blue.

Majerus-Collins, who is one of four 20-somethings leading the Lewiston Democratic Party, is pledging to put the money to use consistent with the original intent of electing Democrats, while working on longer-term initiatives to boost Democratic turnout and voter enrollment.

“When we asked the world to give to us, we told donors that money would be used to defeat Les Gibson and it only took us four days to do that,” Majerus-Collins said. Gibson, he noted, is still treasurer of the Androscoggin Republican Party and retained the support of many local and state Republican Party leaders. The only exceptions Majerus-Collins points to are state Sen. Amy Volk of Scarborough and Rep. Bruce Bickford of Auburn, both of whom publicly criticized Gibson’s comments.

“So as far as I’m concerned, the people who aided and abetted Les Gibson … are fair game,” he said.

One of those local party officials, Androscoggin County Republican Committee Chairwoman Patti Gagne, said she isn’t sweating how local Democrats will deploy their massive war chest.

Maine Political Report

Maine Political Report

Get local, state and national political news delivered to your inbox every Friday.

Email

“It doesn’t concern me really because I think we have a strong backing from people who want to see things continue in the direction that (Gov. Paul) LePage has taken us in and the direction that (President) Trump is taking us,” Gagne said. “We are working hard on our end as well.”

Gagne also said that as a conservative Roman Catholic, she often feels unfairly maligned by liberals who claim to support free expression but only when it comports with their own views.

“I just think it was really unfair,” Gagne said of the reaction to Gibson’s comments. “At the time, Mr. Gibson felt it was the right thing to step down. But I wish he would have stayed in the race and stood up for his right for free speech.”

CLEAN ELECTION CANDIDATE

At the time of his controversial comments, Gibson was the only candidate running for the House District 57 seat that includes the conservative-leaning towns of Greene and Sabattus. Gilchrist announced her candidacy just days before the deadline as the social media storm against Gibson grew.

As a Clean Election candidate, Gilchrist cannot tap into any of the $181,019 that the Lewiston Democratic City Committee raised through June 30. The Lewiston Democrats can spend money to support her or oppose her Republican opponent, Thomas Martin Jr., who stepped into the House District 57 race after Gibson’s comments became public. But the committee is prohibited by law from coordinating with Gilchrist on those expenditures.

Lewiston Democratic City Committee leaders – particularly Majerus-Collins – repeatedly referred to Gilchrist’s candidacy in their fundraising appeal.

“Great news: we’ve recruited a local Democrat to run against him! Folks can contribute here,” Majerus-Collins said several dozen times on March 13 in response to comments on Twitter.

“I promise that 100 percent of every dollar we receive will go directly to beating Les Gibson and his allies here in Maine,” he said in a March 14 post on Twitter. “We are determined to make sure that Gibson never sets foot in the Capitol as a state legislator.”

Gilchrist said the committee even created a Twitter account in her name, although she was subsequently able to gain control over it.

In an April 20 post on Facebook announcing that she had qualified to run as a Clean Election candidate, Gilchrist wrote that “a group unaffiliated with me, the 57th district, or my campaign raised tens of thousands of dollars using my name and practices that I don’t condone.” She then said she hoped the Lewiston Democratic City Committee “reforms their fundraising practices and honors the wishes of donors who may feel they were misled.”

‘TURN PEOPLE INTO LIFELONG VOTERS’

Months later, the fundraising activity still bothers Gilchrist.

“I would question how many people who donated understood that is what they were donating to,” Gilchrist said. “I think the money is inappropriate, period, and the usage is inappropriate.”

Asked about that criticism, Majerus-Collins said he certainly understands Gilchrist’s concerns and agrees that “we have to honor the wishes of the donors.” To him, that means working to defeat Gibson’s allies while also working to strengthen the Democratic base in the Lewiston area.

Majerus-Collins said the committee has no plans to blanket the region or Maine’s 2nd Congressional District with campaign mailers or to spend large sums on radio or television ads in support or opposition to any one candidate.

“I think that’s a mistake that the Democratic Party makes,” he said.

Instead, the committee plans to use that money to boost voter registration and turnout among college students and recent immigrants – two groups that often lean Democratic in Maine – and to “build a better electorate over time.”

“If you can turn people into lifelong voters, that is so much more powerful and long-lasting than a TV ad or a mailer that people look at for three seconds and then toss in the recycling bin,” he said.

Kevin Miller can be contacted at 791-6312 or at:

[email protected]

Twitter: KevinMillerPPH

< Previous

How Maine’s members of Congress voted

Next >

Related Stories

Latest Articles

Local & State

Sports

Sports

Politics

Boston Red Sox

This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms.

(function(d, s, id) var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=178078215650057"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); (document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); Read full story here

#Democrats

[lind40lundqvist-blog]

Who's Who In SL Pornography

Today we pushed out the next step of eliminating adult content from HubPages. Thus the secret of a thigh tattoo implies there is a particular amount of affection before a person discloses their upper leg tattoo as well as naturally being allowed in on a secret like that is sexy by itself. In terms of the local heat, most popular cities where Virtual Reality porn film is had a look at: Helsinki, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Singapore and Seoul. Take us with how you started with this sort of non-traditional path to doing hardcore pornography right out iof the gate. Rear of Neck - The nape of the neck or back of the neck is believed to be a really sexy area of the females's body as well as in numerous societies an extremely sensual place. http://labottesexy.com We're not all stick figures so we should all embrace our girly numbers." One of the most notorious names in porn shares a slightly various perspective in # 2. Remember that lots of people who join the grown-up pornography business chances begin with investing greatly on website and also web content. If you are seeing pornography or addicted to porn, you are attempting to fill a gap inside of you that just God could fill. The young woman thought she was going to just engage in a little soft porn-- which in her mind included glrl-on-girl action-- as well as do some naked modeling on the side, but her passions went way further than she anticipated. Christian Salcedo, a junior, said that the seminar made him recognize how much pornography is a trouble in our community. Nicknamed Papa Bear", he is being born in mind as a pioneer in the San Fernando Valley's pornography industry. And porn is not just enjoyable and rewarding, yet it also enables Selena to proceed discovering her substantial sexually relevant dreams. The Hollywood-based HELP Healthcare Foundation today is pointing to an evident admission by an industry leader that porn is opposing the area prophylactic legislation, which calls for producers to obtain licenses via Movie L.A. that come connected to a prophylactic required. As a matter of fact, a lot of various other pornography web sites are rated on this very same list, such as XVideos (51) or YouPorn (57º) outing perform more conventional firms such as The Wall surface Street Journal or Ebay. Likewise, my spouse takes pleasure in porn just as much as the next person along with a lot of her women close friends. A lot of market experts have sufficient connections and also suggests to hold a fund raiser on behalf of Mahlia so that she can begin a brand-new life, so I hope that someone steps up to the plate and also does the right point. Porn represents via the back entrance, (if you excuse the pun), via open screens of tasks that are still thought about exclusive in the real world. Unlike some addictions, such as alcohol, pornography addiction is not currently listed as a mental illness in the DSM-IV, the listing of psychological health problems by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). You might have problem coming close to Eastern girls if you show up untidy as well as unpleasant. With just how unstable the sector could be, long hiatuses from it can entirely screw up your career. FTND Note: Andi left the pornography sector in 2010 and also joined the Pink Cross Foundation, a group of ex-porn stars that speak out on the injuries of pornography. The FPPC opened the examination less compared to a year after the sector agreed to pay a $61,500 penalty for illegally accepting contributions from international entities in its initiative to oppose a similar 2012 L.a County ballot procedure to require adult film stars to put on condoms. Several current studies have actually located that teens from all over the globe usage pornography to learn more about the real world sex. The author is affiliated with, as well as composes normal porn and also sex plaything write-ups for his blog site page. The porn market have actually developed the art of shooting swiftly and also at inexpensive, however still looking excellent as well as giving the consumer just what they desire. Porn occurs to be a viable option but it'll never pay enough to earn for the lifelong stigma a performer should endure after that. You go into the sector not caring about yourself, and also the longer you remain in, the much less you respect on your own. Angel Kelly discloses exactly how she may have been removed (eliminated) if she 'd attempted to unionize the women in the pornography market. Yet the notion that Snapcash will be a substantial income chauffeur for the pornography industry is its very own type of sex-related fantasy. If ones partner has actually settled to seeing porn it is soley since they are not getting what they need from their spouse or partner. I assume the pornography centers need to be just under pornography centers and closed for innocent or innocent eyes to clik on under HubPages ... many thanks ... oops. all I needed to do was flag it I think ... and that I did. In journalism meeting, Cameron's partner, additionally a porn entertainer and among the four that examined positive, blew up the industry for continuouslying shoot scenes without condoms simply one week after an entertainer examined favorable. The suggested Safer Sex in the Grownup Film Sector Act doesn't alter much of anything, Cohen claims. However, the experts are waiting how the development of VR porn film, in addition to the number of user accept the VR tool. Now there are some women that are so seductive, that they could just utilize their want to make customers alter the beer they are consuming while she is in their vicinity. Since the web is a much far better place where you could connect with others, attractive cams have actually expanded a great deal in appeal over the current years. All of their girls have attractive evaluates and also large tits as well as these incorporated, you will totally forget going out with friends every evening. And also facial cumshots, aka the cash shot" for many porn scenes, would either be removed or would certainly call for the recipient to use goggles and a doctor's mask. So if you don't truly feel you are attractive simply placed on latex clothing and also you would certainly feel you are a queen able to win a heart of any male. In fact it is still attractive to some extent but sadly it is a little over done now. Plus, the San Fernando Valley pornography industry supplies its more glamorous next-door neighbor with a consistent supply of labor. The list of porn stars that have actually died young over the last twenty years is mortifying. Everybody and their sibling in the adult industry understands that the new 2257 statute guidelines that just began are a joke. I concur porn is part of net scene just as I concur that sex is a feature of one's life. When I was a teenager they were and into my early 20's, however after that as you obtain a little older, you start to realize just what attractive is to you directly. Tease him throughout the day by sending adorable, flirty text, as well as surprise him at house with some red warm attractive underwear that he hasn't seen prior to. He still likes to look at scantily-clad women, although he generally does it in art galleries as well as on TELEVISION rather than porn mags or strip programs. A component of me would not mind limiting doing in pornography to people over 21, however the other part of me just presumes that that would result in owning more of it right into the shadows which might be even worse. I hadn't truly identified what exactly I would certainly do. She recommend pornography as well as said it was actually versatile and the ladies sort of make their routine. Couples are constantly excited to try new methods of having sex, and also cam women are the appropriate ideas. Associate curator Kim Stanton said she was rather unfamiliar concerning the porn market before watching the movie.

So she has done makeup on a few pornography sets and she learnt more about a few of the girls this way. Yet this write-up isn't concerning the extensive accessibility of on-line pornography and also exactly how it's swelling the savings account of several worldwide while pumping the enthusiasm glands of punters. Obenberger stated that despite the appeal, many individuals still are not comfortable with checking out pornography as a reputable occupation option. If you're not protect in your heterosexuality however, repeatedly enjoying porn might not be a great idea. Stuart Waldman is head of state of the Valley Market & Commerce Organization, which stands for service in the San Fernando Valley. I think that a lot of have actually been blinded by the taboo of actual pornography that they could not consider except erotica literature wherefore it is. There is affection that is in erotica that simply isn't really in pornography. As well as this early exposure can bring about a lasting choice for porn over love, intimacy, as well as relationships with actual individuals-- and also to an addiction that could weaken a marriage. Dines, that created the book of the very same name, stated the average guy wases initially introduced to porn at 11 years of ages. Porn celebrity Jessica Drake claims an action would trigger economic pain for everyone involved. But because all you anonymous people available wish to endanger her, it's all over the news to the point that your doing is making a porn star, who was initially meant to have fifteen mins worth of fame, to suddenly end up being a celebrity. With over 80 movies on her resume, she's lent a hand her reasonable share towards building this billion-dollar industry. I absolutely believe that's where God wants me, returning right into that nightmare in order to help conserve people from it. When I see some of those women, I see me at 18. When I did porn, there was no such thing as The Pink Cross. While that in itself may not be a problem, it's a reality that some individuals can not stop taking a look at pornography once they have been revealed. You can choose to get something small on both hips or just one tattoo on one side either way you end up with a hot tattoo layout. If you are a carnal love-monger as well as seek sexual satisfaction, talking to webcam ladies online is an excellent concept. If he is taking out from tasks that he utilized to appreciate or spending much less and also less time with friends and family, if he prefers to see his porn rather than participating in real life intimacy with you,- then it needs to be a major issue for you. Stalking apart, the Weinstein act does offer an explicit economic reward for those that might wish to file a claim against a pornography manufacturer. Working as a SEO and also e-Marketing professional for among the pioneers amongst Online Adult DVD and also Sex Plaything Stores makes me review numerous aspects of the industry. The Hot Anarkali Lahore service providers can prepare Pakistani infants and also Lahore girls mujra, that fit your taste and your various other company needs. Visit this site to see the sexy 40 year old guys, sexy HALF A CENTURY old men, attractive 60 years of age males and, yes, even sexy 70 years of age men! When Banxxx (that is black) shoots a sex scene with a white man, evidently, it isn't considered interracial by pornography requirements. A massage parlour or health and wellness enhancement facility is a sex sector service that operates as a retail or certified organisation facility on an in-call" or on-site basis. Look, i think if hubpages located a way to install a safety and security page for porn associated topics like asking a youngster for a his age or asking for viewers to pay for it on-line using credit card or examining account, then I would recommend it. especially considering that part of the credit score card/checking account payment can go towards the hubber or a minimum of component of it. that would be a clever solution. And the concept of showing kids porn to prove a factor that it is not inherently abusive to the stars is embellishment at finest. I will certainly provide you the benefit of the uncertainty that you are not referring only to female porn stars (as well as Randy up there can be a guy). A beret is a level round hat which is utilized by girls to match a clothing, making it look girly and also very. TtfnJohn - Each time I see blurbs from modeling fact programs, it's obvious that the garments market favors the rake slim versions you were discussing. The Cumshot or money" shot shown as the last scene in a porn film to confirm it as an actual sex act for the customer is actually recorded FIRST. It is approximated that there are 4.2 million porn Web sites-- 12% of the total amount of websites-- allowing access to 72 million globally site visitors monthly. And also if bothering with just what Mia performs in her porn video clips is the greatest trouble that you have in your life, then you have earned my pity. However, porn in the 40's and also 50's left a lot to be wanted by today's amazing requirements of the art.) Men probably have a better passion in useless sex, which I believe is characteristic of pornography.