janea4old

Aurora photos (Northern Lights and Southern Lights) https://spaceweathergallery2.com/index.php?title=aurora

Michaela Mabinty DePrince's speech at the War Child event in the Netherlands

Michaela DePrince youtube channel, with videos she personally made as a vlog, with a series made from 2017-2019, telling about several things, including her injury and her recovery from that. Some dance, choreography. Some fun stuff, photoshoots. She talks about reaching out to war children in the Middle East, and in Uganda. She talks about getting therapy for PTSD from her childhood trauma. https://www.youtube.com/@michaeladeprince9270/videos

The Guardian has been referring to yesterday's incident where Trump was golfing as an ‘assassination attempt’ -- in quotes. It seems deliberate as if they are implying that it's "so-called" or "unproven".

I don't know what JG did on OLTL. I will say this: Josh Griffith had expressed an interest in books -- novels -- that had serial killer stories and spy stories. I remember this because, years ago, on his defunct Facebook page, he reviewed novels from other authors that had such themes. From reading that FB page, it seemed (to me) that JG was into the macabre and spies with secret plotting. So when Ken Corday wanted something for the DAYS 50th anniversary, Griffith pitched his idea, and we got serial killer Ben killing Will Horton. Griffith also wrote the Yo Ling/ Winterthorne spy stuff for DAYS. Edit to add: Josh Griffith website with novels he wrote: https://darkstreetpress.com/josh-griffith/ He did co-author something with Michael Malone.

from the IG of "mistyonpointe" (Misty Copeland, Black prima ballerina) https://www.instagram.com/p/C_3zI3sxA32/ Misty posted a video of Michaela and a statement (if you don't see the video, click on the image to play) mistyonpointe Rest in power, @michaeladeprince. I am devastated by this news. 💔 I want to share a shortened excerpt about Michaela from my book, Black Ballerinas: Michaela was a one-of-a-kind dancer with the most remarkable journey. She was born during Sierra Leone’s civil war, and after losing both of her parents, she was placed in an orphanage before being adopted by a family in the US. Her love of ballet was inspired when she saw a ballerina on a magazine cover she found as a child. Despite being told the “world wasn’t ready for Black ballerinas” or that “Black ballerinas weren’t worth investing money in,” she remained determined, focused, and began making big strides. At 15 years old, she starred in the documentary First Position, which followed her as she prepared for a prestigious ballet competition. Her win earned her a spot in ABT’s JKO School on scholarship, where I immediately took her under my wing. She was a prodigious talent and the first darker-skinned dancer I witnessed come through the program. Colorism is without a doubt an issue in the professional ballet world, and her vitiligo differentiated her aesthetic even further. As audition season ended, I was shocked that she didn’t receive a company contract, as she was the brightest star to come out of the school. So I asked Dance Theatre of Harlem to take a look at her talent. They agreed, and she made history as the youngest dancer in DTH history. After her year at DTH and a tour abroad, her trajectory outside the ballet world began to skyrocket: she wrote a memoir, was featured in Beyoncé’s Lemonade visual album, starred in the film Coppélia, and served as a brand spokesperson for several major brands. Michaela had so much more to give, not just to ballet, but to the world. Her legacy will continue to inspire generations of dancers, but her absence leaves a void that will be felt deeply. The ballet world, and all those whose lives she touched, will miss her profoundly. She was a bright light, and her impact will never be forgotten. 💜 -------------------

Biography of Elaine DePrince, the adoptive mother of Michaela Mabinty DePrince. She passed away the day after her daughter, without knowing her daughter had passed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_DePrince more here: https://dailyvoice.com/pa/drexel-hill-upper-darby/late-pa-ballerina-michaela-deprince-lost-mom-2-days-before-she-died/ "the lengths Black dancers had to go to match their tights, shoes, and mesh of costumes to their skin tones was unknown — Elaine explained she made and altered all of Michaela's performance outfits to customize her daughter's looks to match her perfectly." On the IG post on Michaela's account, someone commented about Elaine hand-dyeing Michaela's shoes.

Statement on the michaeladeprince instagram account (This is the original statement from her team, a bio, and then an edit to include an update from the family) https://www.instagram.com/p/C_3WuKCxYQM/ Rest in Power: Ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince With pain in our hearts, we share the loss of star ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince, whose artistry touched countless hearts and whose spirit inspired many, leaving an indelible mark on the world of ballet, and beyond. Her life was one defined by grace, purpose, and strength. Her unwavering commitment to her art, her humanitarian efforts, and her courage in overcoming unimaginable challenges will forever inspire us. She stood as a beacon of hope for many, showing that no matter the obstacles, beauty and greatness can rise from the darkest of places. Though her time with us was far too brief, her brilliance and legacy will continue to shine in the hearts of all who were touched by her story, for generations to come. Love and prayers go to her chosen family, friends, and those who loved her. Sincerely, Team MDP — Michaela Mabinty DePrince made history as the youngest principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, before moving to the Netherlands to dance with the Dutch National Ballet. Her career progressed at Boston Ballet upon her return to the United States, where she continued captivating audiences with her performances. Through her memoir, Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina, DePrince shared her inspiring journey of resilience and triumph, which has been translated into multiple languages and published in twelve countries. Her follow-up book, Ballet Dreams, further solidified her impact, extending her influence far beyond the stage. DePrince was also a dedicated humanitarian, advocating for children affected by conflict and violence. She served as an Ambassador for War Child Holland and hosted her gala, Dare to Dream, dedicated to promoting the well-being and mental health of children living in war zones. Portrait by Wikkie Hermkens OFFICIAL FAMILY STATEMENT UPDATE 9/14/24 Thank you to everyone for your outpouring of support in response to Michaela’s passing, as well as those in the press who have reached out directly to the family for statements. The entire family is so grateful and comforted by your support. There has been a great deal of speculation online so the family would like to officially set the record straight about a few things. The last few days have been even more difficult than most people realize because the family has also been dealing with the death of Michaela’s adoptive mother Elaine DePrince. Michaela passed away on September 10th, not the 13th as some places have reported. Her mother Elaine died during a routine procedure in preparation for a surgery on September 11th. Michaela died before Elaine and Elaine did not know of Michaela’s passing at the time of her procedure. As unbelievable as it may seem, the two deaths were completely unrelated. The only way we can make sense of the senseless is that Elaine, who had already lost three children many years ago, was by the grace of God spared the pain of experiencing the loss of a fourth child. What the family is going through right now is truly unimaginably painful. Grieving two family members who died within a 24 hour period is tragic and devastating. We continue to ask for privacy and appreciate you directing anyone sharing incorrect information and speculation to this post. Please continue to direct all press inquires and words of support for the family to Jess Volinski, the family spokesperson, via email at [email protected] Thank you _______________________________

Yes. They arrived years ago. Just saying the paper towel thing is unrelated.

Yes that "SOD fall preview" was faked. @Errol posted here: https://boards.soapoperanetwork.com/topic/67458-article-fake-soap-opera-digest-fall-preview-guides-circulate-online-causes-stir-on-social-media/

I thought Trump throwing paper towels was the hurricane in Puerto Rico, not the earthquake in Haiti.

That being said, if anyone is/are just news readers with no personal connection to these attacks.... then personal discomfit doesn't matter. There is very real violence and terror being directed at human beings, and this must be fought.

Oh wow, today is the anniversary of Billy Miller passing away.

I don't think it's helpful to post any links to videos in this thread. This thread, by its nature, would attract the AI bots that Sony uses to find these things. To clarify, Sony employs an outside company that has algorithms that find the videos.

All of this is horrific. Important to take care of ourselves, so that we can fight for Kamala -- and for Democrat wins in House, Senate, governor elections, state legislatures, and local elections. Trump and Vance are employing the politics of fear and hate. That is why Kamala's focus on joy and love is so vital and necessary. The creeps want to wear us down with directing focus onto fear and hate. That is destructive to our mental health -- and their strategists instinctively know this. I remember a few elections ago, when Daniel Dale, the CNN fact-checker, used to go to every Trump rally and live-tweet the lies with fact-checks. I respected him but I felt empathically exhausted for him. I felt relieved for him when he finally took some time off. That was years ago. Now Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) and Acyn are doing similar work. I am amazed at how they function. On August 17th, Rupar tweeted: "I have to tap out of live coverage of Trump's PA rally to go see Green Day, Rancid, & the Pumpkins." I was happy for him, because how would anyone remain sane without a break? That's the only break he has mentioned and even then, he covered most of that rally. There have been articles in the past several decades -- about how people working in war zones cope with trauma. It's a balance between the urgency and compassion for others, and keeping oneself sane in order to be able to help others. But on the other hand, as Tim Walz said, we have to work every day to get this done, no breaks - "We'll sleep when we're dead". That is also true! After spending time reading news, I cried and cried this morning. Then I sat outside under the trees for five minutes to regroup. Came back to center. Just that five minutes helped. I was able to remember in my mind Kamala talking about love and joy. And I stopped feeling the fear that the creepy guys want me to be overwhelmed by. This is a marathon. Eat right, watch a comedy occasionally, keep fighting. We can stay strong and spirited, and support those who feel overwhelmed by the fearmongering. /soapbox

Thank you for posting the Michaela dePrince dance videos. Truly talented and inspiring!

Here is the original tiktok from which the tweet was taken, in case it's easier for anyone to watch or share via tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jamellebouie/video/7414108128113052974 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - And here is a column by the maker of the TikTok, Jamelle Bouie: Jamelle Bouie's opinion column for the New York Times: JD Vance’s Blood-and-Soil Nationalism Finds Its Target https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/14/opinion/jd-vance-haiti-ohio-immigrants.html Same NYTimes column with no paywall: https://archive.is/9FxyW

I think you were trying to embed that tweet, but it was only partially visible on my device. Reposting because it's great. Thanks!

full text of very long Zelenskyy twitter thread: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1834576723251245306.html Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa Today, I addressed the Yalta European Strategy meeting, stressing that it is we who need this war to end, not Putin. He has no interest in ending it, content to send people to their deaths, ruling his people through the TV, while enjoying life in his palaces. So far, Putin and his inner circle haven't faced the real consequences of this war – but they must. It is important to have the understanding of what it means to be with Ukraine. It’s not just about presence, an emotional connection to Ukraine, Ukrainians, or our battle for independence. Yesterday, Russia carried out yet another attack. An artillery strike hit the village of Viroliubivka in Donetsk region. The Russians saw exactly where they were aiming – trucks of the International Committee of the Red Cross were burned, two people were wounded, and three people were killed. The victims were humanitarian workers, whose lives taken by Russian artillery. It is disheartening to see that the Red Cross, in its communication, is even afraid to state that this was a Russian strike. But it's simply the truth – it was a Russian strike, Russian terror. Yesterday, a Russian missile hit a civilian vessel in the Black Sea carrying wheat bound for Egypt. Fortunately, no one on board was killed. There was no reaction from Egypt – even though this concerns their food security. But this is exactly how Russia treats Egypt, food security, and free navigation – like a typical terrorist. As long as there are double standards in the realm of morality, Putin will continue seeking something other than peace. We are now in the third year of a full-scale war. After so much death, destruction, and countless Russian war crimes, Putin can still afford to destroy life in Ukraine as he pleases, buy and produce missiles, bombs and artillery, and issue ultimatums to the world. He expects the world to fall for his madness. These days, there have been important meetings with our partners and visits of representatives of the US and the UK. While the content of these talks remains confidential, I want to share my thoughts. In Ukraine, as in many countries, the school year has begun. In Ukraine, we want as many children as possible to attend school in person, not just online, together with other children, in a normal school atmosphere, where they acquire not only knowledge but also social and communication skills. For this to happen, we need air defense systems like Patriots, which are sufficient in the world and which we have long expected from our partners. Yet, when we ask for these systems, we repeatedly hear, “We are working on it.” Time passes, but Russian missiles and Iranian drones continue to terrorize our skies and our people. Everyone knows how tough it is on the front lines in Donetsk, especially near Pokrovsk. Our soldiers are showing incredible heroism, but they need reinforcements. These reinforcements mean equipped, ready-to-fight units in sufficient numbers to not only hold ground but regain it. We have been asking for this from our partners for months. I am grateful to those who made the commitments and are fulfilling them, but we are still far from fully implementing what has been agreed. It’s difficult to repeatedly hear, “We are working on this,” while Putin continues to burn down our cities and villages. He doesn’t need anyone’s approval. Putin interprets delays in helping us and in making strong decisions for Ukraine as permission to do whatever he wants. It’s the same with long-range capabilities. Anyone who sees at a map where Russia launches its strikes from, trains its forces, keeps its reserves, locates its military facilities, and what logistics uses clearly understands why Ukraine needs long-range capabilities. We discussed this with Secretary Blinken and Foreign Secretary Lammy during their visits. After our conversation, I believe there should be no unanswered questions about why Ukraine needs sufficient long-range capabilities. I want to emphasize the word “sufficient”—not just enough to say that there is a decision, but enough to truly change the course of the war and compel Russia to seek peace. The war must become more difficult for Russia – that is the only way to make them realize it must end, and end fairly, based on international law. This requires strong decisions from the world. You all know what these decisions are. When we hear that missiles have arrived in Russia from Iran, it is the same evil that the allies had to shoot-down in the skies of the Middle East. Now, the markings on the missiles may be different, but the terrorist motive of Iran behind the proliferation and use of these weapons remains unchanged. If the allies are jointly shooting down missiles and drones over the Middle East, why has there been no similar decision to jointly shoot down Russian missiles and drones over Ukraine? This is especially critical when those missiles and drones threaten our neighbors’ territories. So far, the only country that has managed to shoot down Russian drones is Belarus. This is humiliating for the democratic world. We know where Russian air defense is located, where Russian missile launchers are being deployed, and what logistics routes are critical for the Russian occupation forces. All of this can be destroyed in a matter of months. Let me remind you, the full-scale war has been ongoing for three years now. So, what is missing to end it? Strength? Decisions? Or the will? Why can Putin continue producing weapons at full capacity? He is receiving critical components from America, Europe, and Taiwan. Supply chains to Russia still exist. As a result, it is cheaper for Putin to continue his terror than for us to defend ourselves against it. Russian logistics and military sites are safe from our strikes because we cannot reach them. We have effective drones, but they cannot achieve what missiles are capable of. Meanwhile, Putin can easily acquire artillery from North Korea at low cost. When for Ukraine, every defense package is an achievement. Why am I speaking in such detail about weapons now? Because these details highlight the pressure we must apply to force Russia to seek peace. Putin only understands strength. Only the things that strengthen Ukraine’s position. Only what makes the situation worse for Russia. Only the fact that the partners are actually taking the necessary steps, and not promising to consider what steps are needed from meeting to meeting, as if it is not clear. I will soon meet President Biden, where I will present him the Victory Package – a system of interconnected decisions that will provide Ukraine with the necessary strength to set the course toward peace. Wars of aggression such as Russia’s war against Ukraine end in one of two ways: either the occupying forces are driven out, or diplomacy secures true independence. In both cases, Ukraine needs a strong position. The US can help achieve this. The Victory Package can pave the way for lasting peace and full implementation of the Peace Formula. Unfortunately, there are illusions in the world that it’s possible to talk to Moscow or draw some red lines that will eventually make Moscow softer. If we want to hear the words “peace has finally come,” we must first hear “Ukraine has become powerful enough to win.” That is the only guarantee of peace. It doesn’t just depend on us; it depends on the world as well. I thank all Ukrainians for their courage, and I thank every partner who is truly doing everything to ensure Ukraine’s victory. I look forward to the day I can thank the world’s leaders for the kind of help that makes Ukraine’s victory inevitable. Only then will the desire for peace reach Putin’s palaces.

Whoops sorry, it was faked apparently.

This is great, thanks for posting this

New Kamala ad using Taylor Swift song.