So, there you have it: a renewed focus on due process and speech and school choice and female athletes and parent/local control.

'Eight other agencies dispatched rescue teams to save the employee'

Missed the other parts? Find them here: Check out Part 1 Part 2 is here. Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Dear Diary, It’s me, Jessica. Jack kept militia training short today.  It was more like an outdoor classroom instruction. He explained maneuver warfare using several historical examples from the Civil War, World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam.  He used a long stick to draw in the dirt as he described each battle, the ebb and flow, the maneuvers and highlighted significant points.   Diary, I surprised myself by finding it interesting.   Militia training day had become something of . . . not quite a party.  More like a community social event with dinner.  People would talk, joke, play card games, or corn hole.  Sometimes we would sing and dance.  This time, someone rolled up a portable basketball hoop and ball, and a pickup game quickly formed.  Rae was surprisingly good and aggressive!  She held her own even against some of the bigger guys.  She told me later they would have pick-up games in the trailer park, and she was the starting forward for the varsity girls’ team in high school.  She was offered a basketball scholarship but had to stay home to help her momma take care of her grandfather. Several people wheeled out their charcoal grills, including Mom and Dad, to heat them up to cook whatever people had brought.   It was still too early to harvest the corn, but it was growing well despite the hot weather and lack of rain.  Dad was even concerned about the possibility of our well going dry.   We needed rain. Other crops people had planted early were coming in:  cabbage, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, carrots, peppers, and more.  Mom’s herb garden had absolutely exploded. It never dawned on me how much better food tastes when seasoned with fresh herbs until now.  People have been bringing herb mixes, dressings, and rubs that make the food so much better.  I never really considered the quality of freshly made food prior to the power going out.    Mr. Miller and Billy rode up on their horses, rifles slug across the saddles before them.  I took Mr. Miller’s horse while he went to talk to Jack.  Billy and I led the horses to un-saddle them, gave them water, and staked them to a line to graze on the lawn of the abandoned house next to ours.  There was plenty for them to eat.  They made for good lawnmowers.   We are not sure who determines when dinner is “ready!” and for everyone to grab a plate and whatever utensils they brought with them, but someone would just shout,  “Dinners ready!” And all would gather for the feast, picking what they liked.   As everyone sat down on camp chairs or rocking chairs, a few just sat on the ground to eat. Jack stood up on a ladder that leaned against our house, a few rungs up for all to see and hear him.   He talked about government, the types he saw in Afghanistan. He offered his opinion but then asked for others’ opinions. Mr. Miller was the first to stand up from the picnic table Dad and Jack carried out from our backyard. The farmers on the outskirts agreed that Mr. Miller would be their representative. He felt a council of people would be best.   Surprisingly, HAM Guy stood up and said, “I second that!” He then began to explain what he had been hearing on the radio nets of other communities forming their own governments and then a long but intense diatribe of the founding fathers, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and a republic.  While somewhat rambling, he made enough sense that even I could follow, despite some of the Constitution talk.   Maybe more so. Once HAM Guy sat down, with a degree of applause from all those gathered, Jack then stood up again and said, “Seems we are mostly agreed to a council.  But I think we should put it to a vote.  All those in favor, raise your hands.” There were a lot of hands up.   “Who votes otherwise?” A few hands went up. Shockingly to me, Joanne was one of them.  Jack asked her what she thought. “I feel a council would bring in a degree of unneeded bureaucracy.  A single, strong leader could make decisions better and faster then a group of bickering over a single decision.” “She has a point.”   That was my own mother who stood up and said that.   But then she said, “On the obverse, we are then dependent on a single strong leader.  History has shown us both examples of strong and weak leaders.  We need a degree of checks and balances.  HAM Guy pointed out the framers of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and a republic.  I think we need to take that into consideration.” Mom then sat down, to the applause of many.   Joanne stood up again, “I agree. We would be dependent on a strong leader. The same could be said of strong council members. However, I acknowledge that Mr. Miller, as a representative of the other farmers, needs to be taken into consideration. A council may be better in this case.” From the rungs on the ladder, Jack asked, “Who do we vote for, for council?” A number of people shouted out names, to include Jack. Jack immediately held up a hand and said, “No.  I am the militia leader.  Being on the council could present problems.  Conflicts of interest.  We should write up our own Constitution, based on the original, to address these issues.” Everyone applauded.   HAM Guy again stood up. “Jack is right.  The militia should not be involved.  A distinct separation of powers.  But also a degree of the right of the people and those who make up the militia who, when they feel the council is not acting in their best interest, to replace them.” He then began to pace back and forth. “We need to take the Constitution and make a few refinements to strengthen it.  Like term limits.” Everyone applauded.   After several intense discussions, an intermission for dessert, and several rounds of votes, the community voted for a council of seven: Mr. Miller, Rae, Joeanne, HAM guy, my own Dad, and two others.   Their priority was to write our own Constitution.  What would that look like I have no idea.   Diary, after listening to HAM Guy, I could be wrong, but I think it might be better than what we had before the power went out.   Entry two After the meeting had concluded, Rae asked those with children and those who volunteered to teach for the school to stay while others gathered leftovers, said their goodbyes, packed up, and made for home. Rae thanked everyone.  She then outlined what she had in mind for the school.   The focus for the very young would be on reading, writing, and math.  Older students would have refresher classes, as they had not been in school since the power went out.   English reading material would be based on what could be found for everyone to read.  Dad suggested they could make another trip to the East to town in search of a library and a school.  Rae thanked him and said she would speak to Jack about it later.   “I have been asking people what books they had on their shelves in search of books numerous enough for all the students of a class to have a copy.”  Rae gave out a small laugh and said, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1, by Julia Child, was the most common.”  Everyone laughed. “The next most common,” Rae checked her notes, “The Harry Potter series, followed by The Chronicles of Narnia, Dune, A Wrinkle in Time, the Bible, a few copies of 1984, Brave New World, Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm.  One copy of The Collective Works of William Shakespeare.” Some laughed. Others approved of some titles, others not so much. Several groaned at the mention of William Shakespeare. Rae said she was still undecided about teaching the classics. Mom suggested that maybe Animal Farm could be made into a play. Rae noted it on her pad. Sciences would lean mostly towards weather, growing things, and raising animals.  Later a class on the human body, how the body functions with a emphasis on first aid.  Students who appeared to have a “knack” and interest would be identified as possible candidates for a medical profession or veterinary.  Rae had an astronomy class in mind and then asked my Dad if he would be willing to teach it along with his basic engineering class.  He smiled and said he would love to. History, Rae seemed a little unsure of herself and said so, “I think we should teach American history, starting with America’s discovery, but I am not so sure how much we should delve into world history.” Some did not think world history should be taught unless it was directly related to American involvement. Others noted that students need to understand there is a bigger world out there than just our little community. One said students need to understand geography. Rae jotted down notes on a pad of paper. She said she would have to think a bit more and revisit the ideas. Then someone mentioned the theory of evolution, and before things could get heated, Rae said, “Evolution is going to be taught to a degree AND Creationism to a degree.  There is only so much time that can be devoted to the topic.  There is more than one Creationism belief out there.  I leave it to you to teach your own children what you believe in based on your own religion.  Not everyone here is of a religious faith.” Everyone seemed to consider what Rae said, and many agreed or nodded their heads.  It seemed to be an acceptable compromise. Rae then pushed on to the next topic of sports, extracurricular activities, and other interests.   “Honestly, they will be determined by interest.  As we saw this afternoon, I think we have enough interest for basketball.  Cards seems to be very popular, Jack is taking lead on that one.  Jack and Jessica will be teaching basic marksmanship and hunter safety.  Jack thinks if or when you want your children to learn marksmanship, it is up to you.  You know your child best.  Joan can teach music and maybe even choir.  She also said she would head up a drama class.  We have people willing to coach baseball, soccer, and volleyball, but finding equipment is an issue.  We will add that to the list when we make the trip to town along with books.”  She looked at the picnic table where Mr. Miller, Billy, Mom, Dad, and I were sitting.  “Might need to borrow your flat bed and team of Percherons again.”  Mr. Miller tipped his cowboy hat to her.  “Okay.  That is all I have.  If anyone has anything to add or suggest I will wait around for a bit.” Most people left, but a few stayed around to talk with Rae and others.   Diary, there were still some issues, but things seemed to be going well.   Entry three Diary, it rained! And it was wonderful! The day after militia training, we had just finished dinner at HAM Guy’s house, heading home when in the fading evening light, we could see lighting flashes followed by low rumbles in the distance.  At first, I was worried of another tornado, but Dad said the air did not have that “feel” to it.  I nodded, but was still a little worried. We had just gotten home when the rain started.  There was no wind, so the rain came straight down.  Mom suggested we enjoy nature’s light show from the covered front porch and she popped open her camp chair and took her seat.  Dad and I sat down in our chairs on either side of Mom.  The rain became a downpour, washing away the heat and humidity.  Dad got about a seven-second count between flashes of lightning to thunder, the bulk of the storm staying to the South.  The Miller’s would be getting that part of the storm.  The downpour only lasted about fifteen minutes, lessening into a steady rain.  Dad said with that much rain, it could have been easily a quarter of an inch. Dad was looking at the gutters above the us, along the roof overhang.  He said he would look into getting some kind of barrels or containers to collect the rain for storage to water the gardens if we get another dry spell.  Also, we would not have to haul water buckets up from the well pump in the basement.   That would be nice! We watched the storm, listening to the rain for about another hour.  Mom said it was a good “soaking” rain.   Dad went into the dark house and fumbled around to find his rechargeable flashlight. He came back out to say the house had cooled and was comfortable enough that we could sleep in our own beds tonight rather than in the basement.  Diary, as we folded up our camp chairs and headed into the house for bed, today was a good day. About 1stMarineJarHead 1stMarineJarHead is not only a former Marine, but also a former EMT-B, Wilderness EMT (courtesy of NOLS), and volunteer firefighter. He currently resides in the great white (i.e. snowy) Northeast with his wife and dogs. He raises chickens, rabbits, goats, occasionally hogs, cows and sometimes ducks. He grows various veggies and has a weird fondness for rutabagas. He enjoys reading, writing, cooking from scratch, making charcuterie, target shooting, and is currently expanding his woodworking skills. The post Dear Diary, It’s Me, Jessica: Part 15 appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

Just days after Ronald Rowe, acting director of the Secret Service, denied playing a direct role in rejecting repeated requests for added security measures and assets to protect former President Donald Trump, whistleblowers came forward to refute those claims. The whistleblowers also blamed Rowe for some security failures that led to the July 13 assassination attempt that nearly killed Trump and left rallygoer Corey Comperatore dead and two other attendees wounded. Other Secret Service whistleblowers are coming forward, citing more systemic problems with the vaunted agency whose primary job is to protect presidents, vice presidents, former presidents, and their families. Those deep-seated, long-term problems include nepotism and other non-merit-based favoritism, lowering standards and cutting corners in hiring (including accepting failed polygraph tests and past hard-drug use), and retaliation for voicing security and other concerns, as well as uneven disciplinary action. Sen. Josh Hawley sent a letter to Rowe on Thursday, citing “disturbing information” from at least one whistleblower who cited Secret Service planning failures for Trump’s July 13 campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, “and your own involvement.” [Rowe, the Secret Service’s deputy director, became the agency’s acting director upon Director Kimberly Cheatle’s July 23 resignation following a bruising House hearing.] Hawley wrote that he had received detailed information saying Rowe personally directed “significant cuts” to the Secret Service’s Countersurveillance Division, which performs threat assessment evaluations of event sites beforehand but didn’t perform its typical evaluation of the Butler site and wasn’t present that day. “This is significant because CSD’s duties include evaluating potential security threats outside the security perimeter,” Hawley wrote, adding that a Countersurveillance Division threat assessment likely would have provided more measures to protect the rooftop of the American Glass Research building, where shooter Thomas Crooks, 20, perched and opened fire on Trump and the crowd. “The whistleblower claims that if personnel from the CSD had been present at the rally, the gunman would have been handcuffed in the parking lot after being spotted with a rangefinder,” Hawley wrote. “You acknowledged in your Senate testimony that the American Glass Research complex should have been included in the security perimeter for the Butler event.” The unnamed whistleblower further alleged that Rowe personally directed significant cuts to the Countersurveillance Division, including reducing its manpower by 20%, Hawley asserted. “You did not mention this in your Senate testimony when asked directly to explain manpower reductions,” the Missouri Republican wrote. Rowe specifically denied being involved in any decisions to reject requests for added security for Trump over two years. He disputed accusations that he was involved in decisions that limited the assignment of countersniper teams to any event not within driving distance of Washington, D.C. RealClearPolitics reported on those two accusations earlier this week, citing sources within the Secret Service community. Whistleblowers also accused Secret Service leaders and managers of retaliating against individuals who expressed concerns about the security of Trump’s campaign events. The flurry of anonymous accusations includes an assertion that after an event with a Trump golf tournament last August, Secret Service personnel present expressed “serious concern” that the agency’s reliance on local law enforcement wasn’t adequate to meet security needs because local officers weren’t properly trained and “otherwise prepared” to carry out tasks delegated to them. “Further, Secret Service personnel expressed alarm that individuals were admitted to the event without vetting,” Hawley wrote. “The whistleblower alleges that those who raised such concerns were retaliated against.” The Missouri Republican, who sits on the Judiciary and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committees, asked Rowe to produce a series of documents from his time as deputy director of the Secret Service. During Rowe’s first appearance before a joint hearing of both panels Tuesday, Hawley was one of the acting director’s harshest critics. He and Rowe got into a shouting match over the agency’s failure to fire anyone in the wake of the assassination attempt against Trump, the biggest Secret Service security failure since then-President Ronald Reagan was shot in Washington, D.C., in 1981. Hawley pressed Rowe on the failure to surveil the rooftop where Crooks opened fire. “You’re asking me, Senator, to completely make a rush to judgment about somebody failing. I acknowledge this was a failure—,” Rowe retorted during the questioning. “Is it not prima facie that somebody has failed? The former president was shot!” Hawley responded. Rowe said he has “lost sleep” since the incident occurred and assured Hawley that he would hold people accountable “with integrity” and not “rush to judgment.” “Then fire somebody to hold them accountable!” Hawley shouted. But Rowe insisted that he needed to allow the FBI investigation to continue to gather all the facts and determine culpability. “And I will do so with integrity and not rush to judgment and put people unfairly persecuted,” Rowe countered, raising his voice. The senator then moved on to grilling Rowe on reports that the agency denied repeated requests for additional security from agents charged with protecting Trump and others. Some of those requests were made in writing, several sources in the Secret Service community tell RealClearPolitics. The repeated rejections for more security assets for Trump included requests for additional magnetometers; more agents to screen attendees at large rallies and outdoor events; and countersnipers, countersurveillance, and other specialty teams. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on July 15 called those reports “unequivocally false.” [The Secret Service is part of the Department of Homeland Security.] But Secret Service officials have since acknowledged that some denials may have occurred in certain circumstances over the past two years, although not for the July 13 rally in Pennsylvania. After categorically denying that the denials had occurred, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi four days later told The Washington Post that some denials may have occurred and he was “reviewing documentation to understand the specific interactions better.” Under Hawley’s harsh grilling, Rowe also denied RealClearPolitics’ reports that he was directly involved in the rejections of extra security for Trump. Hawley last week cited whistleblowers’ disclosures to his office in asserting that local law enforcement officers were assigned to the rooftop where Crooks fired eight bullets, but failed to remain on the metal roof because of the hot temperatures in Butler that day. Rowe testified that he didn’t know whether the Secret Service had assigned anyone to the roof that day and was still trying to determine that, but that local police officers had “posted up inside” the building. Other whistleblowers have taken legal action against the agency for what they describe as a culture of fear, favoritism, and unfair retribution. Several whistleblowers and sources within the Secret Service community have come forward to RealClearPolitics in the wake of the assassination attempt to share complaints that they were unfairly retaliated against for raising complaints about managers’ not following Secret Service protocols or making security decisions that could harm those the agency is tasked to protect.  In one case, a Secret Service whistleblower disclosed to his chain of command that a Secret Service manager whose son, a so-called legacy applicant, had failed a polygraph examination as part of the hiring process discussed with the whistleblower’s supervisor his desire that the polygraph test be redone without cause, a violation of agency protocol. The special agent, who requested anonymity out of fear for his safety, has complained that he was retaliated against for those internal polygraph disclosures—that agency managers reprimanded him for asking polygraph questions to demonstrate whether a candidate had provided false information about drug use on the application for a security clearance (known as a Standard Form 86 or “SF-86”). At one point, that disciplinary action included a suspension of the special agent’s polygraph examiner duties “pending additional counseling,” according to a complaint the agent filed with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. That office is an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency that operates as a secure channel for employee whistleblowing. The special agent has also accused Secret Service leaders of failing to consider him for certain assignments, with at least one supervisor citing his history of outspoken complaints about favoritism and managers’ failure to follow polygraph protocols. That case is pending before the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, an independent quasi-judicial agency created to protect promotions and discipline against partisan political activity and other prohibited personnel practices. The board recently agreed that the case has enough merit to proceed to a hearing. That whistleblower’s case helps shed light on the Secret Service’s lowering of hiring standards for applicants as the agency struggled with a manpower shortage over the past decade as well as low employee morale. In recent years, the Secret Service has ranked either dead last or near the bottom of a government employee survey of job satisfaction conducted annually by the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service. The agency’s most recent ranking for 2023 is near the bottom at No. 375 out of 432 agencies. To meet staffing goals, the agency has repeatedly changed its standards for past drug use that disqualified applicants over the past seven years. LSD and crack cocaine use no longer carry a lifetime ban, and candidates could have habitually used marijuana and still be eligible for hire if they haven’t used the substance within a year. Still, a “knowing and willful” false statement on a SF-86 form about drug use or other claims can disqualify a potential hire. An independent panel appointed by the Department of Homeland Security in 2014 found that “more than half of applicants fail the polygraph and are unable to receive the necessary security clearances” to become special agents and Uniform Division officers. The director of the Secret Service’s Security Clearance Division told House investigators at the time that in response to the high rate of polygraph failures, agency leaders had pushed to “cut corners” and “hire, hire, hire,” which ultimately hurt the elite agency’s ability to minimize national security risks. A separate source within the Secret Service community complained that under the leadership of Cheatle, who resigned amid bipartisan criticism after her July 21 congressional testimony, management’s cost-cutting efforts included halting the required monthly shooting practice. “It’s absolutely insane that we stopped shooting every month,” the source told RealClearPolitics. “I was consistently receiving emails from training [managers] that my new [special agents] needed remedial instruction because they couldn’t qualify.” Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research, a nonprofit legal organization that assists whistleblowers in documenting and reporting government corruption, represents the retired special agent who complained about improper polygraph retesting in his retaliation case against the agency. Empower Oversight President Tristan Leavitt is an attorney who previously worked at the Merit Systems Protection Board and for the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, as well as Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, a longtime champion for whistleblowers. Leavitt played a key role in the House Oversight panel’s 2014 efforts to reform the agency after a prostitution scandal involving several Secret Service agents in Colombia erupted into public view and a series of fence-jumping and other security lapses made headlines for more than a year. A congressional report co-authored by Leavitt in 2015 found that many Secret Service employees believed legacy employees were given special treatment. “Whistleblowers keep coming out of the woodwork because Secret Service management won’t just be forthcoming and admit all the ways their agency screwed up,” Leavitt said in a post Thursday night on X in response to Hawley’s latest whistleblower assertion. “Why? It’s not in their DNA. And that means we are going to continue to hear from courageous rank and file Secret Service whistleblowers, day by day, disclosure by disclosure.” “God bless ’em for bringing the truth to the American people,” he added. Originally published by RealClearPolitics and distributed by RealClearWire The post Secret Service Whistleblowers Say Acting Chief Cut Security Assets appeared first on The Daily Signal.

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Dear Diary, It’s Me, Jessica: Part 15

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K-type stars are the overlooked siblings of the stellar world, but they could offer the best chances to find life, so here's a little about them.How Are Stars Categorized?Ancient astronomers noticed that not all stars are the same color. It even influenced what they called some – Antares' name is a reference to its red color resembling that of Mars, which the Greeks called Aries. Intriguingly some classical astronomers described possibly the most famous red star as being yellow, but to the naked eye most stars look white, so there wasn't a lot of categorization to do.With telescopes we could identify more subtle colors, and spectroscopes gave us more information about stellar differences than the eye alone could manage. A star's color indicates the temperature of its outer layers, and astronomers use this to categorize them.Most of the stars we see are part of what is known as the “Main Sequence” and these were put into seven types, with the hottest having temperatures over 30,000° C (54,000° F), while the coolest are between 2,100 and 3,400° C (3,812-6,152° F). You might expect these types to start at A, and therefore never even get to K, but the lettering is much more confusing, being O, B, A, F, G, K, M, for historical reasons.Some stars are off the main sequence, such as white dwarfs and red giants, and don’t fit into this classification system, but these are a topic for another day.Characteristics Of K-type StarsK-type stars have temperatures between 3,400° and 4,900° (6,152-8852° F). By comparison, the Sun’s temperature is 5,500° C, placing it in the middle of the G-type stars. K-type stars have radii 10-30 percent smaller than the Sun and are about 60-90 percent as massive.Even though K-type stars are mostly made of hydrogen, the distinctive hydrogen spectral lines, which are dominant in A-type stars are very weak, and can be hard to see compared to the spectral lines of rarer elements. Based on spectral lines alone, you have to look closely to spot the difference between a K and G-type star. However, in a telescope powerful enough to show the brightness reasonably well, the orange color is often reasonably noticeable compared to the familiar yellow. Why Are K-type Stars Important For The Search For Life?We know that G-type stars can support life around them, and even intelligent life, but the prospects don’t look so good for most other categories. The hotter and more massive a star is, the shorter its lifespan. It’s almost certain that O and B-type stars don’t live long enough for life to develop in their vicinity. Any planets would still be bombarded with enough force to turn their surfaces to magma when the star dies, which stars this massive do in spectacular fashion. A and F stars live longer, and life might develop on the planets they warm, but it’s unlikely conditions would stay stable long enough for complex multi-cellular life to form, let alone anything we could have a conversation with.At the other end of the spectrum, M-type stars (better known as red dwarfs) live very long lives, so that certainly life will not lack for time. However, debate continues whether their planets can be habitable (at least at the surface) because they are so cool any planet warm enough to have liquid water must orbit very close to the star. M-dwarfs produce very strong flares, and there are fears these would strip nearby planets’ atmospheres and make life impossible. Whether this is universal, or if some red dwarfs could have warm planets that escape such fates, remains debated, but many astronomers fear that we won’t find advanced life around M-type stars, if we find life at all. In that case, the field would be reduced to G and K-type stars, and K-type stars are more common. If so, unless there is some obstacle to advanced life around K-type stars we have not noticed, the majority of stars in the galaxy that could host complex life belong to this category. Then again, K-type stars do emit a lot of X-rays and UV light early in their evolution, which probably means that they take a long time to be suited to having life nearby.Why Have K-type Stars Been Overlooked?If this is the case, you might wonder, why do we almost never hear about K-type stars?For one thing, being small and cool, they are also faint. A and B type stars are so luminous they make up most of those we can see with the naked eye. O-type stars are exceptionally rare, but their influence on everything around them is so great it would be hard not to notice the few the galaxy has. And of course, humans are biased in favor of G-type stars since we have such a great opportunity to study the one we orbit.Meanwhile, M-type stars are very common, making up 70 percent of the stars in the galaxy. If you leave out non-main sequence stars like Sirius B almost forty of the nearest 50 stars are M-type, including Proxima Centauri, so they get plenty of attention as well.That’s not to say K-types never draw attention. In June, the star HD 48948 was found to have a planet that may have the best prospects for an Earth-like climate we’ve yet found. You can guess it’s type. Probably the most famous K-type star, is Epsilon Eridani. At 10.5 light years away, this was once considered the nearest star that might have Earth-like planets, until we realized it is less than a billion years old, and any life there would be very basic. There’s a closer K-type star, however. Alpha Centauri B, the equal second closest star beyond the Sun is K-type, but locked in an orbit with a brighter G-type star, and needing a telescope to separate them, this is a star that truly knows what it means to be overlooked.