A Tampa‚ Florida area woman recalls a cryptid canine‚ or‚ what she believes was a 'werewolf‚' that had stalked her neighborhood in the late 1980s. What did they encounter?I received the following account:"All I know is that the encounter I experienced frightened me so much that even after all these years it still shakes me up to think about it. Until that evening‚ I have always thought of werewolves as being nothing more than just fairy tales‚ but that first encounter has left a huge question mark inside of me. I come from a family of skeptics‚ so I decided not to tell anyone about what happened to me. Then one night my brother came home trembling and pale. He told me about his experience and I felt relieved that I wasn’t the only one that seen something.It was after 10 pm on New Year’s Eve in the late 1980s. We were living in a suburb of Tampa‚ Florida. It was either 1987 or 88. I was sitting out front of my parent’s home and instead of going out with my friends‚ I decided to stay home and celebrate the New Year with my family. My father’s car was parked in front of the house by the road‚ so I decided to sit on the hood‚ smoke a cigarette‚ and wait until midnight. The rest of my family was in the house celebrating.After about an hour I heard a strange sound coming from the neighbor’s yard across the street. It sounded as though a man was moaning in pain. The street and the property were dark‚ so I couldn’t see much except for a small light that shined off in the distance on the back part of the property along a cinder block wall. The wall where the light was sitting wasn't finished yet. The whole property itself was wooded with trees and tall bushes. The bushes on the property stood around 5 ft. high and over and around 5 ft. in width. I kept looking in the direction of the sound to try and see what was causing it. My first thought was that maybe someone was hurt‚ but then the sound changed. It went from a moaning to a low-pitched gurgling‚ then growling.The next thing I heard was a loud thud as though something huge jumped and landed behind one of the bushes in the back part of the property. The sounds that followed were the sounds of something seriously heavy‚ on all four legs darting behind large bushes moving towards me in a zig-zag pattern. I started questioning myself as to what the heck this thing was. Was it a horse or a dog it sounded so heavy and I could hear its breath when its feet hit the ground as it came closer.I heard the growling again and it was like no dog I had ever heard.It was at this point that reality hit me and I realized that this thing was coming towards me. I suddenly felt the rush of fear go right through me. It stopped behind a huge berry bush that was across the street from me which was about 15 to 20 feet away. It suddenly became quiet and I couldn’t hear the breathing or the growling anymore. I eased myself down off of the hood of the car because I didn’t want to make any sudden movements especially since it was so close. The front door was about 30 ft away from where I was and I didn’t know if I would make it. I didn’t know what this thing was and I didn’t want to find out. I was so scared I could hardly breathe. My parents had a lot of bushes and trees in their front yard as well‚ so I noticed a gap in between a couple of them and I started running.As soon as I started running‚ that thing started coming after me. I could hear it behind me as it came across the street. I heard its nails scraping the asphalt once or twice as it crossed onto our property. I was not about to look back and as soon as I reached the front steps I jumped to the top step and quickly ran into the house and locked the door.I was shaking so bad that I felt like I was going to pass out. Even with the music playing inside the house‚ I heard the thing outside the front door growling and then it went quiet. I heard another thud as though it jumped off the step onto the grass and I couldn’t hear it anymore. Suddenly‚ I heard my brother-in-law speak over my shoulder asking me what I was looking at. I jumped and thought I was going to choke on my own words. All I said to him was that whatever he did‚ do not go outside.He started smiling and said ok. I guess he thought I was joking but then he realized I wasn’t. As soon as I took a couple steps away from the door‚ he opened the door and went outside to check‚ but didn’t go down the steps. He quickly came back in and didn’t say anything. I asked him if he saw anything and he said there was nothing there. I didn’t tell anyone about it. Not even my brother-in-law.Later that night around 12:30am‚ after everything quieted down. I was in the kitchen drying dishes when I heard the most terrible snarling growl right outside the window where I was standing. I suddenly dropped the plate I was holding and it shattered on the floor. The fear crept back and I started trembling again realizing that the thing was still outside‚ but it was along the side of the house towards the back and not the front. I backed away staring at the window‚ but it was pitch black outside and I couldn’t see anything. My mother came into the kitchen and complained about me dropping her plate. I still didn’t say anything because I didn’t think my family would believe me. I did tell my father that I thought I saw someone outside looking into the window. He grabbed his gun and went outside with my brother-in-law and yelled trying to scare them away. It must have left after that because they didn’t see anything. Until now‚ my sister was the only one who knew only part of my story." MReal Wolfmen: True Encounters in Modern AmericaThe Werewolf's Guide to Life: A Manual for the Newly BittenThe Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting BeingsThe Werewolf Handbook: An Essential Guide to Werewolves and‚ More Importantly‚ How to Avoid ThemThe Black Diary: M.I.B‚ Women in Black‚ Black-Eyed Children‚ and Dangerous BooksBlack Eyed Children: Revised 2nd EditionALIEN DISCLOSURE: EXPERIENCERS EXPOSE REALITY - AudiobookRegister a SNAP EBT CardTHE MEME HUMANOIDS: MODERN MYTHS OR REAL MONSTERS - AudiobookTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTHAVE A COMMENT? GO TO OUR SUBREDDIT AND POST YOUR THOUGHTSFeel Free to Post PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS DIRECT LINKS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA &; WEBSITE. Thanks For Your Support!Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Post Updates on TELEGRAMSubscribe and join the Chat GroupAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'JOIN US ON TikTok-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Team Riker: Division A-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSThe Vatican broadens public access to an ancient Roman necropolisDenver Airport Installed Talking Gargoyle Robot That Said‚ 'Welcome to the Illuminati Headquarters'?BIGFOOT: REMARKABLE ENCOUNTERS &; STRANGE EVENTS! - LIVE Chat - Q &; A - JOIN US! Lon Strickler (Host)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHAREMeet Oklo‚ the Earth’s Two-billion-year-old only Known Natural Nuclear Reactor10 UFO Incidents Over Air Force Bases In The United StatesPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on SpotifyFeel Free to Post PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS DIRECT LINKS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA &; WEBSITE. Thanks For Your Support!**********Your financial support of Phantoms &; Monsters and our other pursuits is much appreciated. Please click the banner above. Thanks.Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs‚CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.The Dark Arts of MISTER SAM SHEARON - Original Prints &; MerchandiseThis blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2023 Phantoms &; Monsters - All Rights Reserved

A teen and her family moved into an old 19th-century house in Anderson‚ Indiana. Years later‚ the teen found a vintage amulet in the old furnace. Later‚ the amulet disappeared. Then the story gets creepy.I received the following account:"Hi‚ Lon. When I was 13 years old‚ my mother and her husband bought a huge house near Anderson‚ Indiana. It was built in the 1870s on an area said to be sacred to the Native Americans who had formerly lived there. It had a pool‚ tennis court‚ and a small grove of trees‚ but it had been vacant for several years and was in need of repair.Through research‚ I discovered that the house had been owned by a very old women and her husband. Previous to them‚ it was owned by the woman's family who had been wealthy. The woman had died in the house in the large master bedroom and her husband had died in an unknown accident. There were old servant quarters which was now an apartment and had been occupied by a man by the name of Sam. He informed us that the couple was buried in the grove because they loved it there while they were alive.After we moved in‚ my mom and I would sit in the sun room. At times‚ we would smell the strong scent of sickening perfume. We looked all around but couldn't tell where it was coming from. A few weeks later‚ I began to notice more strange activity.My room was on the end of a long hallway in which you had to cross through another room to get to. The rooms were separated by large French doors. My bed was facing towards the door so I could look into the other room. At night‚ I would hear heavy footsteps walking up and down the stairs and through the hallway. One night‚ I heard the footsteps coming in my direction from the other room and suddenly stopped. I could hear a faint and steady breathing noise. I just hide under my covers and cried myself to sleep. I told my mother but she simply told me I was imaging it‚ even though she later admitted that she had heard footsteps.A year or so later‚ I was on summer vacation. My mother would leave me home alone sometimes so she could go and run errands. Occasionally‚ I witnessed black shadows out of the corner of my eye when I was watching TV in the living room‚ but when I would turn to look it would be gone. Once‚ when I was completely alone in the house‚ I heard something moving around upstairs. I muted the TV and heard a loud heavy thumping and then footsteps moving quickly back and forth through the hallway and the master bedroom.Later‚ just before my mother and her husband divorced and we moved out‚ I had a few friends over. We went into the basement which had an old coal furnace and several other large rooms. My friends and I were pretty curious about the coal furnace‚ so we opened it up and found a bunch of old newspapers‚ chicken bones and a vintage amulet. It was obvious that it was made of sterling silver and had a large amethyst mounted on it. I removed it from the furnace‚ cleaned it up‚ took it to my room and laid it on my nightstand. Later‚ I told my mother what I had found and she said that I could keep it.That night‚ I again heard footsteps coming into my room. But this time‚ there was distinct crying and sobbing sounds. I was terrified and covered my head with the quilt. After a few minutes‚ the crying stopped and I pull back the covers. Then I noticed that the amulet was gone. I looked all over‚ but never found it.Several years later‚ I was working on a school project that involved local history. My mother and I still lived in the same area though we now lived in a new smaller house. I was in the library looking through old photographs when I stumbled onto several old postmortem images. Immediately‚ I recognized the name of the woman who had lived in the old house previous to us who was buried in the grove. The photo was of her during the wake and around her neck was the exact amulet I had found in the furnace.I never have understood how the amulet got into the furnace‚ but‚ I'm willing to bet it's around her neck." MReal Wolfmen: True Encounters in Modern AmericaThe Werewolf's Guide to Life: A Manual for the Newly BittenThe Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting BeingsThe Werewolf Handbook: An Essential Guide to Werewolves and‚ More Importantly‚ How to Avoid ThemThe Black Diary: M.I.B‚ Women in Black‚ Black-Eyed Children‚ and Dangerous BooksBlack Eyed Children: Revised 2nd EditionALIEN DISCLOSURE: EXPERIENCERS EXPOSE REALITY - AudiobookRegister a SNAP EBT CardTHE MEME HUMANOIDS: MODERN MYTHS OR REAL MONSTERS - AudiobookTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTHAVE A COMMENT? GO TO OUR SUBREDDIT AND POST YOUR THOUGHTSFeel Free to Post PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS DIRECT LINKS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA &; WEBSITE. Thanks For Your Support!Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Post Updates on TELEGRAMSubscribe and join the Chat GroupAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'JOIN US ON TikTok-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Team Riker: Division A-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSThe Vatican broadens public access to an ancient Roman necropolisDenver Airport Installed Talking Gargoyle Robot That Said‚ 'Welcome to the Illuminati Headquarters'?BIGFOOT: REMARKABLE ENCOUNTERS &; STRANGE EVENTS! - LIVE Chat - Q &; A - JOIN US! Lon Strickler (Host)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHAREMeet Oklo‚ the Earth’s Two-billion-year-old only Known Natural Nuclear Reactor10 UFO Incidents Over Air Force Bases In The United StatesPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on SpotifyFeel Free to Post PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS DIRECT LINKS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA &; WEBSITE. Thanks For Your Support!**********Your financial support of Phantoms &; Monsters and our other pursuits is much appreciated. Please click the banner above. Thanks.Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs‚CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.The Dark Arts of MISTER SAM SHEARON - Original Prints &; MerchandiseThis blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2023 Phantoms &; Monsters - All Rights Reserved

If you were alive and into punk rock in the late ’90s and early 2000s‚ there’s a good chance that you dug on The Donnas‚ aka a band of teenage sensations‚ who took on the world in the modern era akin to The Runaways in the late ‘70s. Of course‚ it didn’t hurt that the band had numerous songs featured in movie and video game soundtracks‚ the most notable of which was “Take it Off‚” which came off The Donnas’ iconic 2002 record‚ Spend the Night‚ which was featured in Guitar Hero. What’s more‚ “Take it Off” peaked at No. The post Maya Ford Of The Donnas: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

In Hong Kong SAR‚ air-conditioning to drive away the muggy sub-tropical heat accounts for almost a third (31%) of total electricity consumption. In this megalopolis of 7.4 million‚ two young engineers looked for a greener solution to cooling buildings‚ and won the admiration of legendary inventor Sir James Dyson. Hoi Fung Ronaldo Chan and Can […] The post 470‚000 Glass Bottles Turned into Coating for Slashing Heat–It Wins a 2023 James Dyson Award appeared first on Good News Network.

The week that Scott Pilgrim Takes Off was set to come out‚ I went to the bookstore to fill in my scattered Scott Pilgrim collection‚ thinking I’d at least page through the books after watching the new anime adaptation. After a single episode of the series‚ I tossed that idea out the window. There will be spoilers‚ but until the spoiler warning‚ only the first episode will be spoiled. Got that? Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O’Mally and his co-showrunner BenDavid Grabinski have been notably tight-lipped about their anime adaptation (brought to glorious life by the studio Science SARU). “If you think you know what you’re going to see‚ you don’t‚” Grabinski told the LA Times. This contrasted oddly with the trailers‚ which made it look like we’d be on familiar ground: Scott (Michael Cera) meets the literal girl of his dreams‚ Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead)‚ and then discovers he has to fight her seven evil exes before he can date her. That is not what happens in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. What happens here is new‚ and fresh‚ and deeply resonant for those of us who have been following this story for nearly two decades. It’s also a brilliant example of what adaptations do at their best: find new depths and new meanings in a story we think we know. In that first episode‚ we re-meet the whole cast of the 2010 Edgar Wright movie adaptation‚ now providing voices to the animated version: Cera‚ Winstead‚ Kieran Culkin (as Scott’s cool gay roommate‚ Wallace Wells); Brie Larson (as Scott’s rock star ex‚ Envy Adams); Chris Evans (as bro-tastic actor Lucas Lee); Brandon Routh (as powerful vegan Todd Ingram); Aubrey Plaza (as foul-mouthed Julie Powers); Satya Bhabha (as evil ex Matthew Patel); and everyone else from the film. Scott dreams of Ramona‚ meets her at a party‚ and contrives a patently absurd but effective way to see her again (by ordering a Netflix DVD; Ramona’s job has been updated). They go on a date that goes well enough that Ramona agrees to come see Scott’s band‚ Sex Bob-Omb. The whole gang is there‚ including Scott’s not-girlfriend‚ the 17-year-old Knives Chau (Ellen Wong). One of the first big signs that something is different here is that we never get to see the band Crash and the Boys (“I’m soooooooo SAD!”)‚ who bail on their opening slot. The next is that Scott loses his first evil ex fight with Matthew Patel. Image: Netflix For a long minute‚ I thought this was some kind of… animated prank. Scott loses? How can Scott Pilgrim be defeated—vanquished‚ vanished—in a story with his name in the title? But then‚ said title does kind of tell us what happens: Scott takes off. Not as in rocketship. As in gone. This is‚ as O’Malley and Grabinski promised‚ not the Scott Pilgrim story you expect‚ if you expect the books or the movie. If you expect‚ or hope‚ that an adaptation will transform its material into something new‚ well‚ this is a pitch-perfect example of that. So much is new‚ from the music (from Anamanaguchi and composer Joseph Trapanese) to the way we meet most of Ramona’s exes to the way their pasts are explored. But it also honors what came before: Iconic lines get remixed into new scenarios‚ video game references abound‚ and even the original source of the name Scott Pilgrim—a song by the Canadian indie band Plumtree—has a perfect moment in the sun. I could never have guessed this was the Scott Pilgrim we were getting‚ and yet now that it’s happened‚ nothing could make more sense. The best clue as to what O’Malley and Grabinski do here is in that LA Times interview: “We’re trying to get into people’s heads more‚” said O’Malley. “Because when I was 25 years old‚ I didn’t know what these people were feeling necessarily. But I’ve seen a lot more life and I have more context for those characters now.” This is an adaptation that is all about adding context‚ and about understanding the characters that were once peripheral to Scott Pilgrim’s precious little life. Twenty years ago‚ Scott’s narrative was fresh and unusual: Who was telling stories about indie-rock dudes in Toronto‚ let alone through a video-game‚ anime-tinged lens‚ through O’Malley’s specific combination of experiences and perspectives? But we’ve been there. We’ve read and watched that. For the new Scott Pilgrim‚ O’Malley and Grabinski (and director Abel Góngora and everyone at Science SARU) have found a way to apply twenty years of growing up to this story‚ while still letting these characters be who they are. The result is a delightfully energetic‚ deeply felt new version—not a remix‚ not a cover‚ not a reboot. If anything‚ it feels like a different timeline‚ one that complements and reflects the story as we knew it. Here’s where the spoilers start. Image: Netflix Not everyone gets a thorough revisiting. The other members of Sex Bob-Omb are‚ largely‚ themselves‚ though my favorite episode is the third one‚ where Ramona goes to talk to Kim Pine (Alison Pill) at her video store job. Evil ex Roxie Richter (Mae Whitman) turns up‚ and the fight she has with Ramona bounces through an impressively animated series of movie-referencing scenes‚ winding up where it had to all along: in recognition that no matter how many epic battles you might have‚ there is no winning at feelings. There is only facing them‚ processing them‚ getting through them‚ and finding yourself (hopefully) on your feet afterwards. (Roxie is nothing if not resilient.) But even in the smallest of strokes‚ the show gives characters new layers. Knives gets her own arc‚ part of which is becoming a member of Sex Bob-Omb‚ because it turns out she’s really good at music. The way this realization is animated—pulsing stars‚ a blissful glow‚ shooting colors—made me absolutely swoon. Even perpetually grumpy Kim looks happy when she’s playing drums with Knives. This show‚ though‚ belongs to Ramona. After Scott’s funeral (which Envy Adams crashes for a spectacular performance)‚ Ramona dreams about Scott‚ on account of how she’s quite familiar with the subspace highway that runs through his head. (Just roll with it.) Is he really dead? Or did something else happen in the final moments in his fight with Matthew? Figuring out what’s going on entails talking to her exes‚ all of whom are suspects in Scott’s disappearance. It’s an almost High Fidelity-ish concept‚ except for one major difference: Ramona’s trips down memory lane aren’t about her. They’re about Scott‚ and they’re about how we play more than one role in each relationship in our lives. Who walks away from whom? Who internalizes the pain and who lets it go? Who wants to fight it out and who wants to forgive? How often are these opposites embodied in the same person? Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is a story about growth. It’s about emotional maturity‚ and how there’s no shortcut to earning said maturity. You just have to come to terms with things‚ step by step‚ one moment at a time. And yet it’s an absolutely hilarious‚ clever‚ imaginative‚ twisty‚ loving tale‚ too. Also‚ there’s an episode called “2 Scott 2 Pilgrim‚” and that’s just gold by itself. I cannot say enough about how perfectly this show walks a very difficult line: Honoring what came before while also telling a new‚ more modern‚ more egalitarian story. O’Malley and Grabinski aren’t here to lecture‚ or to send up Scott‚ or to try to be clever at the expense of any of the characters O’Malley created in his 20s. They never condescend to these characters‚ even when Scott’s older self appears. Old Scott is a cautionary tale‚ a look at what might happen to someone who refuses to accept the complexities and pain of growing up. (If there is one question I still have‚ it’s how Old Scott‚ having spent 13 years with Ramona‚ could still be so emotionally stunted. But I can let that one quibble slide.) On the other hand‚ there’s Ramona‚ who accepts it all: who she was‚ who she is‚ who she will eventually be. There’s so much to take in: There’s the elevation of would-be theater star Matthew (who gets a great Into the Woods reference); there’s the much broader range of queer relationships; there’s the aforementioned justice for Knives‚ who retains her teenage enthusiasm but gets respect‚ too. And every time Ramona’s hair changes color‚ we watch her change it‚ step by step. Bleach‚ rinse‚ color‚ rinse. Nothing comes without effort‚ least of all change. Image: Netflix When Bryan Lee O’Malley published the first Scott Pilgrim book in 2004‚ he‚ like his protagonist‚ was in his 20s. I was in my 20s‚ too‚ when I read the books‚ recognizing so many types‚ so many things about the people I knew—so much I once simply accepted or took for granted. Getting to watch this story transform the way so many of us have ourselves transformed is unexpected—and unexpectedly powerful. The oldest version of Scott that we meet is a nightmare‚ a man absolutely stuck on his past self—still trying to fight‚ to win‚ in a situation that calls for a wildly different approach. The climactic battle is absurd‚ silly‚ almost awkward‚ and I see it as a commentary on how just doing the same story over again might have felt in the year 2023. Haven’t we learned anything? Can we accept the people we once were‚ the stories we once told or loved‚ and incorporate those things into a greater whole? Haven’t we learned enough to try it a different way? Within Scott Pilgrim Takes Off‚ Scott’s story appears over and over again‚ adapted within this adaptation: a movie (directed by Edgar Wrong)‚ a documentary about the movie‚ a musical‚ a memoir. One or two of these stories may or may not have been written by the ditzy Young Neil (Johnny Simmons‚ just killing the voice role‚ wispy and spaced out). And while all of it is clever and hilarious and full of cameos and jokes‚ it’s also a reminder that we tell ourselves stories that are‚ essentially‚ versions of ourselves. If two people have an encounter‚ the stories they tell about it afterward won’t be the same. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is just full of everyone else’s stories‚ and their flaws‚ and their unexpected loves (even the evil exes!). Like Scott in the original stories‚ Ramona has her own failings to come to terms with. She may be a hot rollerblading literal dream girl‚ but she’s far from perfect. What she finds‚ while looking for Scott‚ is something it often takes us years to figure out: the repeated mistakes she made in her past. She looks at them‚ and takes them in‚ and moves forward‚ while Old Scott just… doesn’t. His entire existence is the opposite of what the show is doing. The enemy is stagnation. I don’t know if this show‚ thematically‚ will speak to anyone as clearly as it’s going to speak to those of us who are roughly the same age as O’Malley‚ who met Scott in our 20s and are in our 40s now. We know how we got here‚ how much time we spent getting hurt‚ or losing our way‚ or having things not turn out like we wanted them to or hoped they would. We know what the series doesn’t have time to show: the stages between the blissful‚ lighting-up-the-world beginning of a relationship and the time when it gets tough. And many of us are probably all too familiar with the difference between acceptance and refusal. Anyone could be Even Older Scott‚ if they’re not careful. What I am saying‚ then‚ is that while Scott Pilgrim was‚ and is‚ fundamentally a story about growing up‚ Scott Pilgrim Takes Off just extends itself. Growing up is not a one-time process. You’ve just got to keep doing it. All this‚ and there’s more: There are countless video game references (more than one of them about Sonic the Hedgehog)‚ movie and TV references (Kill Bill! David Cronenberg’s Crash! Columbo!)‚ anime in-jokes‚ and a kinetic brilliance that only animation could provide. (Also‚ the robot!) It’s the way things shift focus‚ the blocky ends of characters’ hands‚ the dramatic expressions and inventive fights. Science SARU created a new visual language for Scott Pilgrim‚ one drawn from the books but with nods to the movie. Layers of collaboration built this project‚ which feels fitting: What was a story about and created by one young man has grown into an ensemble cast‚ created by multiple ensembles of creatives. This is what animated takes on beloved stories are capable of‚ at their best; this is what is possible when you revisit old stories with a generous heart and an open mind. Scott Pilgrim has always been good. Scott Pilgrim has also never been better. Molly Templeton lives and writes in Oregon‚ and spends as much time as possible in the woods. Sometimes she talks about books on Twitter.

“Divergence” Written by Judith &; Garfield Reeves-Stevens Directed by David Barrett Season 4‚ Episode 16 Production episode 092 Original air date: February 25‚ 2005 Date: unknown Captain’s star log. After getting the highlights from “Affliction‚” we learn that Columbia is going to rendezvous with going-zoom-fast Enterprise because Tucker needs to be on board to fix the engines. (Why Tucker can’t just relay instructions over comm lines is left as an exercise for the viewer.) Archer springs Reed from the brig to supervise the physical transfer of Tucker from Columbia to Enterprise on a tether while both are at warp five-plus. They manage it‚ though the tether is lost‚ and Tucker is rather shocked when MACOs escort Reed to the brig when it’s done. Tucker does a hard reboot of the engines‚ which will only work if Columbia wraps its warp field around Enterprise so they can stay at ludicrous speed. Tucker pulls it off‚ because he’s just that awesome. Archer asks Columbia to stick around. On Qu’vat‚ Antaak visits Phlox in his cell‚ where he’s been beaten. Antaak has discovered a weakness in the virus that may enable them to cure it. Phlox points out that K’Vagh won’t let them work on a cure‚ he just wants Klingon Augments. Antaak replies that they don’t have to tell him what they’re doing… Columbia joins Enterprise on the search for Phlox. Archer—who has gone through Reed’s correspondences—asks about this Harris guy he’s been talking to. He was with Starfleet Security up until a few years ago‚ but now he’s off the grid. Reed is unable to speak further on the subject beyond the fact that he worked for Harris once. Screenshot: CBS Tucker agrees to help Kelby with repairs. He and T’Pol lie to each other when they ask if the other is sleeping okay. On Qu’vat‚ Antaak and Phlox discuss family‚ with the former revealing that he was disowned when he chose to become a physician. The Bird-of-Prey returns‚ with Laneth reporting that Enterprise was destroyed and that K’Vagh’s son Marab was captured by the humans and therefore died without honor. (This‚ boys and girls‚ is why you always stick around to make sure there’s a body. Or blown-up ship.) Phlox claims to K’Vagh that he’s found the “off switch” that will deactivate the virus and make Augments. K’Vagh then reports that to General Krell‚ who says that the project has been shut down. Krell’s fleet will arrive in three days‚ and K’Vagh has until then to prove that he has valuable research that’s worth sparing the plague-ridden colony. K’Vagh reveals that his son‚ Laneth‚ and the others who sabotaged Enterprise were volunteers on whom the Augment treatments were tried after they ran out of prisoners to experiment on. Those volunteers are now getting sicker‚ and Laneth complains of how she felt fear when she was on Enterprise. She worries that even with the enhanced strength and intelligence‚ if they survive‚ they’ll be outcasts because of how they look and act. Phlox is able to narrow it down to four possible treatments. In the lab‚ he’d need a week to determine which was the cure. Since they don’t have that kind of time‚ they have to test them on Antaak‚ K’Vagh‚ and two of K’Vagh’s warriors. Harris contacts Archer‚ insisting that Phlox is on an important mission‚ which Archer calls bullshit on‚ as you don’t assault and kidnap someone to send them on a mission. Harris refers to “the Charter‚ Article 14‚ Section 31‚” ahem ahem‚ and that what Phlox is doing is necessary for the stability of the quadrant. Archer continues to call bullshit. Archer then goes to Reed‚ showing him the medical scans that show that Marab has been experimented on. Reed admits that he was ordered to delay Enterprise from finding Phlox because he was needed to find a cure. He doesn’t know where they might be taken‚ but Reed does know that Starfleet Intelligence has reports of a medical research facility on Qu’vat. Archer restores Reed to duty‚ and they head to Qu’vat‚ Columbia hanging back in reserve. Screenshot: CBS Harris then contacts Krell‚ with a report that the Klingon saboteurs failed to stop Enterprise. Krell tells Harris to just order them home‚ but he doesn’t have that authority‚ so Krell intends to destroy them. Harris poutily says that wasn’t the arrangement and Krell laughs in his face for being so naïve. On Qu’vat‚ K’Vagh is the one who has the cure. Antaak is philosophical about dying from a plague that’s pretty much his fault‚ but Phlox thinks he’ll be able to synthesize a cure in time to save him (and‚ presumably‚ the two guards). Enterprise arrives at Qu’vat‚ with Archer and Marab beaming down. K’Vagh is surprised first that Enterprise is intact and his son is alive‚ and also that Phlox was working on a cure‚ not perfecting the Augment genome. Archer wants to take Phlox back‚ but the doctor is very close to perfecting the cure‚ and he just needs more time. That time is in short supply‚ as Krell’s fleet has arrived. Enterprise and Columbia engage the fleet‚ and while the firefight is going on in orbit‚ Phlox uses Archer to speed up the process‚ as he needs human antibodies to finish the cure‚ and it would go faster by injecting Archer with it. Archer makes all kinds of silly faces (and also gets some minor cranial ridges) and then Phlox has a cure. He then beams a canister with the virus onto Krell’s flagship‚ and tells the general that‚ if he destroys the colony‚ he and his entire crew will die of the virus. Krell reluctantly stands down. The cure for the virus has one rather major side effect: loss of cranial ridges. Antaak grumps that his own targ won’t recognize him now‚ and now millions of Klingons who contracted the Augment-enhanced Levodian flu will be human-looking. And it will be inherited‚ so they’ll pass it on to their children. Screenshot: CBS Tucker says he’ll remain on board for a bit to help Kelby with repairs. Archer thanks Hernandez for the help‚ with the latter wondering how Archer survived without her all these years. Archer also still has vestigial cranial ridges‚ and a craving for gagh‚ which Phlox insists will pass. Harris contacts Reed to say that everything came out more or less okay. Reed says he quits and never to contact him again. Harris all but laughs in his face. Can’t we just reverse the polarity? Tucker does a good old-fashioned hard reboot and reset to factory settings to get rid of the virus. Why he needs to come over to the ship himself and do this simple thing that tech support always tells you to do is (once again) left as an exercise for the viewer. The gazelle speech. Archer gets to squirm in a chair and make funny face and get minor cranial ridges. I’ve been trained to tolerate offensive situations. T’Pol is in charge during the firefight in orbit‚ and is a nice calm presence‚ teaming up with Hernandez to kick all the butt. Florida Man. Florida Man Does Crazy-Ass Space Walk. Optimism‚ Captain! Phlox absolutely owns this episode‚ taking charge of the entire situation once he’s on the road to a cure‚ manipulating K’Vagh and Krell both with verve and aplomb. Screenshot: CBS Good boy‚ Porthos! Porthos is down in the dumps because Phlox is missing‚ though Archer suspect that he more misses the fact that Phlox sometimes sneaks him cheese from a stash in sickbay. Qapla’! General Krell collaborated with Harris and Section 31 for his own reasons. Harris was stupid enough to let him. No sex‚ please‚ we’re Starfleet. Neither Tucker nor T’Pol are willing to admit that they’re getting into each other’s dreams. It’s really kind of silly. More on this later… We officially have an explanation for why the Klingons we saw on the original and animated series looked so different from the Klingons after that. And the seeds for an explanation of why we’ve seen none since then (and why the three we’ve seen in both modes‚ Kor‚ Kang‚ and Koloth‚ are like that) are sown as well‚ though that has not been explicated on screen. (See Trivial Matters below.) I’ve got faith… “I need a little more time to cure this plague!” “Cure? You were supposed to perfect the Augment genome!” “I lied.” –Phlox saying “Bazinga!” to K’Vagh.  Welcome aboard. Back from “Affliction” are Ada Maris as Hernandez‚ James Avery as K’Vagh‚ John Schuck as Antaak‚ Terrell Tilford as Marab‚ and Eric Pierpoint as Harris. Pierpoint will return in the “Demons”/“Terra Prime” two-parter. Also appearing are prior Trek guests Kristin Bauer as Laneth‚ having previously played one of Quark’s fantasy women in DS9’s “If Wishes Were Horses”; and Wayne Grace as Krell‚ having previously played a different Klingon‚ Torak‚ in TNG’s “Aquiel” and a horny Cardassian legate in DS9’s “Wrongs Darker than Death or Night.” Trivial matters: This is the second of two parts‚ continuing from “Affliction.” Following this episode‚ the Klingon Language Institute provided terms for the two types of Klingons: QuchHa’ (“the unhappy ones”) for those without cranial ridges and HemQuch (“the proud forehead”) for those with. This episode establishes that millions of Klingons are QuchHa’ following this‚ and that they’re considered inferior to some degree or other. This is by way‚ not only of explaining the Klingons we saw in the original series‚ but why we never saw mixed crews‚ as it makes sense that all QuchHa’ in the Klingon Defense Force would be segregated. It also retcons the less-than-honorable behavior of some of those Klingons in the original series‚ if they weren’t considered “proper” Klingons. Prior to this two-parter‚ various works of tie-in fiction proposed all manner of explanations for the discrepancy between types of Klingon‚ all of which were superseded by new onscreen evidence. John M. Ford’s The Final Reflection posited that Klingons created “fusions” of Klingons with other species‚ humans among them. The My Brother’s Keeper trilogy by Michael Jan Friedman posited that the Klingons with cranial ridges were a new species created via genetic engineering. Several works that came out pre-Enterprise‚ notably the graphic novel Debt of Honor by Chris Claremont &; Adam Hughes‚ posited that there were two different species of Klingons‚ with the smooth-headed ones being ascendant during the original series‚ but became outcasts by the movie era. This is the first Trek episode directed by David Barrett. He’ll return to the franchise to direct two episodes of Discovery‚ “Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad” and “Saints of Imperfection.” Barrett’s father‚ Stan‚ played a small role in the original series’ “All Our Yesterdays.” While Kelby is mentioned several times‚ Derek Magyar doesn’t appear. Reed’s determination to not do anything for Harris anymore will last all of four episodes‚ as our heroes will once again deal with him in “Demons.” The other half of this story‚ to wit‚ how the Klingons got their grooves back‚ as it were‚ was told in the Star Trek: Excelsior novel Forged in Fire by Andy Mangels &; Michael A. Martin‚ which also served as a prequel to DS9’s “Blood Oath.” The novel focused on Hikaru Sulu‚ Kor‚ Kang‚ Koloth‚ and Curzon Dax‚ establishing the relationship the latter four of them would develop‚ and part of the plot explains how the QuchHa’ were eliminated (as evidenced by those three Klingons having cranial ridges in the twenty-fourth century). The novel also connects in an interesting way to the original series’ “The Omega Glory.” The Columbia is not seen again onscreen‚ but is featured in the Romulan War novel Beneath the Raptor’s Wing by Martin‚ the Destiny trilogy by David Mack‚ and Federation: The First 150 Years by David A. Goodman. Screenshot: CBS It’s been a long road… “My own targ won’t recognize me!” Parts of this episode are excellent‚ especially the climax where Phlox basically owns everyone. It starts with Archer and K’Vagh arguing over who gets Phlox and the doctor barging in and saying that he can speak for himself‚ thank you‚ and from that moment forward‚ he’s totally in charge‚ and it’s fabulous. Some of John Billingsley’s best work is in the back half of this episode. So much of the rest of the episode is pointless filler‚ though. The lengthy sequence where Tucker gets on a tether between two ships travelling way way way faster than light and shimmies between them is visually pretty nifty‚ but at no point does anyone explain why Tucker can’t just explain what he’s doing and walk Kelby and/or T’Pol through it over video chat. Especially given how long the transfer takes. The entire subplot with Harris and Reed and Section 31 is just so much sound and fury signifying nothing‚ especially since Harris is so unbelievably stupid in this. I mean‚ his original notion of having Reed sabotage Enterprise was idiotic‚ because all it was going to do was call attention to the conspiracy. If Harris had just told Reed to hide the fact that the sensor grid was down when Phlox was kidnapped‚ maybe I could see it‚ but all of this extra sabotage just shone a light on the conspiracy. And then Krell turned out not to be trustworthy‚ which any idiot could’ve seen coming‚ but Harris is obviously not just any idiot. In the comments section of my “Affliction” rewatch‚ the reader “mr_d” pointed out that‚ for all of Section 31’s protestations that they’re necessary‚ protestations that are echoed by people who are fans of the use of 31 in Trek (a number that will never‚ under any circumstances‚ include me)‚ they’re actually not very good at what they do. This two-parter is a classic example‚ as they don’t do anything particularly useful here. In fact‚ the first question that comes to mind when you realize that there was conversation between Earth and Kronos on the subject should’ve been the same thing Phlox said when he was kidnapped: why not just ask for help? Ultimately‚ it’s more filler for a two-parter that doesn’t have enough story for two parts‚ and really is only in service of explaining something that didn’t really require an explanation. It certainly didn’t require taking two episodes out of a season to explain it. While the end result is still eminently watchable‚ thanks to the continued wonderfulness of putting Billingsley‚ John Schuck‚ and James Avery in a room together‚ it still feels like paperwork masquerading as a story. Warp factor rating: 6 Keith R.A. DeCandido’s most recent work includes several short stories: “Prezzo” in Weird Tales: 100 Years of Weird‚ a story about Italian immigrants in 1930s New York City and monsters; “Know Thyself Deathless” in Double Trouble: An Anthology of Two-Fisted Team-Ups (which he co-edited with Jonathan Maberry)‚ teaming H. Rider Haggard’s She with the Yoruba goddess Egungun-oya; “Another Dead Body on the Corner” in Joe Ledger: Unbreakable‚ featuring Ledger in his days as a Baltimore homicide cop; “What Do You Want From Me‚ I’m Old” in The Four ???? of the Apocalypse (which he co-edited with Wrenn Simms)‚ about the four septuagenarians of the apocalypse; “The Legend of Long-Ears” in The Good‚ the Bad‚ and the Uncanny‚ a Weird Western tale of Bass Reeves and Calamity Jane; and “The Kellidian Kidnapping” and “Work Worth Doing” in the two most recent issues of Star Trek Explorer‚ the former a Voyager story featuring Tuvok‚ the latter the backstory for Discovery’s President Rillak.

Exit polls in Ohio clearly showed that most voters oppose unlimited abortion on demand‚ yet that’s what 57% of the Ohioans voted for with the passage of Issue 1 on Nov. 7. Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights and their allies persuaded a lot of people who believe in limits on induced abortion to vote in favor of abortions of preborn children who could survive outside the womb using a barbaric dilation-and-evacuation procedure‚ in which babies are dismembered. While the procedures permitted by Issue 1 are extreme‚ the messaging to persuade people to vote for it was not. The messaging appealed to all voters with a message that resonated with the shared values of conservatives in this red state‚ as well as that of moderates and liberals. As a physician who has practiced OB-GYN care that embraces both patients‚ the mother and her child‚ I’m alarmed that some of my fellow doctors colluded with abortion extremists and messaging specialists to promote the narrative that abortion limits restrict the care we are able to give our patients. That narrative is harmful to women‚ their babies and the practice of medicine. So many of my patients and patients of other doctors who practice life-affirming care come to us with the same story: “My child has a life-limiting condition‚ and the only option given to me was to abort.” One time‚ I delivered two babies by cesarean section. One passed away eight hours later; the other is thriving to this day. The mother treasures the time she was able to spend with the twin who only lived 8 hours after he was born. Both pre- and post-Roe v. Wade‚ most obstetricians and gynecologists—76% to 93% of us—have been providing exceptional health care for both our maternal and fetal patients without doing induced abortions. We know how to do our jobs. We are trained and desire to partner with our maternal patients during low-risk and high-risk pregnancies alike to protect both of our patients from harm‚ and there is no law in our country that prevents us from doing so. Yes‚ there are times when we must prematurely separate our maternal and fetal patient‚ and the unintended consequence is the death of our fetal patient. That’s completely different‚ however‚ from an induced abortion‚ because our intention of the intervention is to separate and save them both‚ if possible‚ not to intentionally end the life of one of them. Women deserve health care in which doctors can be trusted to try to save both the woman and her preborn child. It is unfair to women to end the life of their preborn children without presenting them with all of their options. Too many times‚ I have spoken with women who were told they needed to have an induced abortion when there were other options‚ including expectant management (waiting with careful monitoring) or perinatal palliative care (hospice) for a baby with a life-limiting condition. Women are harmed when they cannot trust their doctors to tell them about all of their options. Doing that includes connecting them with tangible resources that address any socioeconomic barriers they face that often lead to a decision to have an induced abortion. Americans do not have to say “yes” to state ballot initiatives to constitutionalize induced abortion to protect themselves or their daughters‚ girlfriends‚ or wives. Doctors don’t have to harm our fetal patients to take care of our maternal patients. What doctors do have to do‚ however‚ is allow their voices to be heard. While there were some doctors in Ohio against Issue 1 who were willing to speak up‚ many remained quiet. Yes‚ it’s scary to put yourself out there when we live in a society that would rather resort to name-calling than making a persuasive argument. Yes‚ it’s scary to work for employers who threaten your right to free speech. Yes‚ it feels like you are alone‚ but please know you are not. Most of my colleagues do not practice induced abortion and do not believe abortion is essential health care. My colleagues across all different kinds of practices and states leave abortion to a small group of providers and shouldn’t let this small group drown out our voices.  Courage is contagious. It’s time to be courageous. The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post On Ohio’s Issue 1‚ OB-GYN Debunks Deceptive Abortion Narrative appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Bari Weiss‚ the former New York Times editorial writer‚ delivered a tour de force speech explaining the West’s current war of ideas and laying out what we must do to save our civilization. Speaking at the Federalist Society’s annual National Lawyer’s Convention‚ Weiss spoke after receiving a prize named after Barbara K. Olsen‚ a victim of the Sept. 11‚ 2001‚ terrorist attacks. She perfectly encapsulated the “civilizational war” the West faces‚ a war that “too many had foolishly thought was over.” She eloquently used the dual catastrophes of 9/11 and the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel to underscore the current war of ideas‚ conviction‚ and will.Throughout her 38-minute speech‚ Weiss proved eloquent‚ poignant and self-deprecating. She used humor to disarm and challenge the primarily conservative audience to look past the reality of her same-sex marriage and support for abortion to the stark truth that she‚ and millions like her‚ are allies with them in the more profound and deeper fight to save Western civilization as we know it.  She opened by noting that the attacks of Oct. 7 were not like “previous wars or battles Israel has fought in its 75-year history.” It was a “genocidal pogrom‚” akin to the Nazi Holocaust‚ the European pogroms‚ or the Farhud‚ the 1941 massacre of Jews in Baghdad.     Comparisons between the 9/11 and Oct. 7 attacks are apt because‚ as she noted‚ “the spectacle and savagery were the point.” Yet while the West responded with due horror to 9/11‚ Weiss lamented the West’s response to 10/7 as a “moral and spiritual catastrophe‚ revealing the rot permeating our civilization. At the Sydney Opera House‚ protesters shouted “Gas the Jews.” People celebrated “on the streets of Berlin‚ London‚ Toronto and New York.”  Black Lives Matter of Chicago created an image of the Hamas paragliders as a “symbol of freedom.” Posters materialized on college campuses calling for “Israel to burn.”  Ironically‚ the same crowd had quickly condemned George Floyd’s death and Putin’s Ukraine invasion‚ Weiss noted. “In lockstep‚ the social justice crowd–the crowd who has tried to convince us that words are violence–insisted that actual violence was actually a necessity. That the rape was resistance. That it was liberation.”     She rightly excoriated university presidents who‚ in her words‚ “leapt to issue morally lucid condemnations of George Floyd’s killing or Putin’s war on Ukraine‚” but who‚ after the 10/7 attacks‚ “offered silence or mealy-mouthed pablum about how the situation is tragic and ‘complex’ and how we need to think of ‘both sides.’”  She pointed to George Washington University‚ where students projected “Glory to Our Martyrs” on campus buildings; to Cooper Union‚ where Jewish students hid in the library from a rabid mob; to Columbia‚ Weiss’s alma mater (and of one of us – Malcolm)‚ where a professor called the slaughter “awesome;” and to Harvard‚ which discriminated against Jewish students decades ago in admissions‚ where 30 student groups signed a petition to “hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all the unfolding violence.” And what is the explanation for their reactions? Weiss posited that the superficial answer would appear to be antisemitism‚ which she labeled the “world’s oldest hatred.” But to Weiss‚ it’s more profound and disturbing than just that. To Weiss‚ the proliferation of antisemitism is a symptom of a much deeper crisis.  When antisemitism moves from the shameful fringe into the public square‚ it is not about Jews. It is never about Jews. It is about everyone else. It is about the surrounding society or the culture or the country.  It is an early warning system – a sign that society itself is breaking down. That it is dying. In the 20 years since 9/11‚ “educated people now respond to an act of savagery not with a defense of civilization‚ but with a defense of barbarism.” Academic theories like postmodernism‚ postcolonialism‚ and post nationalism morphed over the two decades into “nothing less than the deconstruction of our civilization from within.”  The entire concept of right and wrong has been turned upside down. These radicals’ new solution is to “decolonize” the West. Tear it down from the inside out.  Basic commonly understood concepts like good and evil have been replaced with a new rubric: “the powerless” or “oppressed” who are considered good‚ and the “powerful” or “oppressors” who are now considered bad.  This new paradigm and perverted worldview explain‚ for example‚ the rush to replace “color blindness with race obsession‚ ideas with identity‚ debate with denunciation‚ persuasion with public shaming‚ [and] the rule of law with the fury of the mob.” Weiss’s incisive comments perfectly depicted the Through-the-Looking-Glass-like place we find ourselves in as a society where up is down and down is up. Today‚ people are given authority in “inverse proportion to the disadvantages their group had suffered.” Forget about the quaint notions of merit‚ hard work‚ or other outward signs of accomplishment. Merit and excellence are now “dirty words.”  Like a kudzu vine that swallows entire ecosystems‚ this “inverted worldview” has contaminated every institution in American life‚ according to Weiss. Paraphrasing Weiss‚ it started in universities and has devoured the media‚ museums‚ philanthropy‚ high schools and elementary schools‚ and even the law.  The takeover of this pernicious worldview is so pervasive and comprehensive that Weiss conceded it’s now “almost hard for people to notice it because it is everywhere.” The reaction to the Oct. 7 attacks has “been a mark to market moment” as they show the world how deeply this cancerous viewpoint has spread and how‚ in Weiss’s opinion‚ these incendiary reactions serve as a “predicate to violence.”  To her‚ this explains why the editor of the Harvard Law Review was intimidating a Jewish student and why a Manhattan public defender was videotaped tearing down posters of kidnapped Jewish children. “That baby? He is a colonizer first and a baby second. That woman gang raped by terrorists? Shame it had to come to that‚ but she is a white oppressor.” Weiss argued that we must do four things to defeat this nihilistic ideology. First‚ we need to open our eyes to “look and discern accordingly.”  She urged us to get past the superficial and look at “the barbarism that Hamas carried out” and the reaction to it. She said we should ask‚ Why is it that the “most educated…have become the most morally confused?” She urged us to “see the world as it is” and be clear-eyed about distinctions between “good and bad‚ better and worse‚ pain and not pain‚ safety and danger‚ just and unjust‚ friends and enemies.” We don’t need a “history lesson” or “context” to know that “tying children to their parents and burning them alive is pure evil.” She noted that her allies are not people who look at the external “markers of my identity‚” but people who “believe that America is good‚” the “West is good‚” that “human beings are created equal‚” and that “America and our values‚ those are things worth fighting for.”  Second‚ we “must enforce the law.” Weiss rightly decried the election of “so-called ‘progressive prosecutors‚’” noting that it has “proven to be an immensely terrible thing for law and order.” As we have warned for years‚ choosing not to enforce the law doesn’t reduce crime‚ it actually promotes it. One of us (Stimson) even wrote a book about these rogue prosecutors. Weiss noted the cruel irony that the “same activists who pushed to ‘defund the police’ are also non-publicly harassing Jews.”    We must not allow or tolerate the “selective enforcement” of the law. Third‚ we must push back against “double standards on speech.”  Weiss noted‚ “the universities are playing favorites based on the speech they prefer‚ and the racial group hierarchies that they have established.” Public universities have been imposing “content-based restrictions on free speech” for years‚ which is unconstitutional. Conservative speakers are slapped with “security fees” or have the venues for their speeches moved off campus. Private universities‚ which can legally restrict speech‚ have enforced the rules in a “discriminatory manner.”    Fourth‚ we must “accept that [we] are the last line of defense and fight‚ fight‚ fight.” In a clarion call for a robust application of the First Amendment‚ Weiss urged us to‚ above all else‚ tell the truth. In a battle cry reminiscent of Shakespeare’s Henry the Fifth’s St. Crispin’s Day speech‚ Weiss‚ building to a crescendo‚ implored: Do not bite your tongue. Do not tremble. Do not go along with little lies. Be the skunk at the garden party. Speak up. Break the wall of lies. Let nothing go unchallenged. Our enemies’ failure is not assured and there is no cavalry coming. We are the calvary‚ and our civilization depends on us. She wound down her speech by sharing a passage from the Torah that would be shared in synagogues the day after her speech. It comes from the story of Abraham when his wife‚ Sarah‚ dies in a foreign land. Instead of wallowing in misery‚ Abraham buys a plot of land to bury her and then finds a wife for his childless son. She quotes Rabbi Jonathan Sacks‚ saying Abraham “heard the still‚ small voice saying: The next step depends on you.” She concluded by saying‚ “There is no place like this country‚ and there is no second America to run to if this one fails.”  Like a general leading troops into battle‚ Weiss urged us to “get up and fight for our future” because it is the “fight of—and for—our lives.”  Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post A Speech for the Ages: Bari Weiss’s Battle Cry to Save the West appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Yonatan Lulu-Shamriz’s daughter was celebrating her 2nd birthday on Oct. 7 in Israel. Inside the safe room of their home one mile from the border of Gaza‚ Lulu-Shamriz’s little girl was delighted that she was allowed to eat her birthday cake with her fingers as her parents had not had time to grab forks as they fled into the safe room. The child was unaware of the Hamas terrorists outside‚ and her parents did everything they could to ensure it stayed that way.   “I told her that we were going to play a game‚” Lulu-Shamriz said‚ “the whisper game‚ that if we whisper‚ we get the balloons after.”   For the 22 hours he‚ his 7-month pregnant wife‚ his daughter‚ and their two dogs were in the safe room‚ they tried to remain as silent as possible‚ and if his daughter started to sing or talk loudly‚ he reminded her of the game and the prize of balloons if she remained quiet.   After being in the safe room for a few hours‚ Lulu-Shamriz‚ who is 33 and the oldest among three boys‚ received a text from his 26-year-old brother Alon Lulu-Shamriz telling the family he heard Hamas terrorists in his house.   “I wrote him that I love him‚ and he’s strong‚ and this is the last time we spoke‚” Lulu-Shamriz told The Daily Signal during a recent interview.   Lulu-Shamriz’s youngest brother was taken hostage by Hamas during the attack in October. At first‚ the family thought he was among the 1‚200 Israelis killed in the terrorist attack‚ but later‚ the Israel Defense Force confirmed that he was taken hostage.    Lulu-Shamriz and his brother Ido Lulu-Shamriz‚ 32‚ recently traveled from Israel to Washington‚ D.C.‚ to share their story and advocate for their little brother and the release of about 240 hostages being held in Gaza.   The oldest Lulu-Shamriz said he and his family have not found any peace since his little brother was kidnapped‚ but instead said he feels “blame all the time.”   “You wear these clothes‚ you eat food‚ you go to bed‚ you brush your teeth in the morning‚ and you always ask yourself if Alon get the same conditions‚” the oldest brother said. “When you put your blanket at night‚ you ask yourself‚ is Alon cold now?”  Alon Lulu-Shamriz was taken hostage by Hamas Oct. 7. Photo compliments of JDA Worldwide. Ido Lulu-Shamriz‚ the middle brother‚ had a different experience on Oct. 7. The middle brother is part of the civilian emergency squad in his kibbutz near the Gaza border in Israel. Every kibbutz near the Gaza Strip has a civilian squad that can respond to threats until the Israel Defense Force arrives‚ Ido Lulu-Shamriz explained.   Around 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 7‚ Ido Lulu-Shamriz received a message from a squad member that someone had parachuted into his kibbutz with a gun. He then started to hear missiles go off and alarms sound and realized that “this is not just the missile attack.” “This is something unique‚ something that never happened to us‚” he said. Ido Lulu-Shamriz and the members of his civilian emergency squad were instructed via a group WhatsApp message to go to the shelter in the kibbutz where their guns are stored. He reached the shelter and got his gun and he and the other squad members began to fight “dozens of terrorists around the shelter‚” he recalled. “Seven of my friends were killed‚” Ido Lulu-Shamriz added. “Seven of them fought shoulder to shoulder with me‚ and the other seven guys survived.”   “At the beginning‚ we thought about attack‚” he said‚ but “then you realize you need to defend because there are so many‚ they were everywhere. And then you realize it’s self-defense‚ you know‚ everyone needs to rescue himself before you’re going to be dead like your friends.”   Ido Lulu-Shamriz and his good friend retreated back to his house‚ but before they made it to safety‚ Ido Lulu-Shamriz saw that his neighbor’s door was open. His neighbors‚ a husband and wife‚ had two 10-month-old twins.   “When I saw the door open‚ I realized that they are not with us anymore‚” he said‚ bluntly. Ido Lulu-Shamriz entered the safe room in his home with his friend and initially believed that Hamas terrorists had killed the parents and their twin babies. Later‚ however‚ through the walls of the safe room‚ they heard the babies crying. “They didn’t stop for 12 hours‚” the middle brother said.   He sent a message to Israel Defense Force soldiers alerting them to the twin babies‚ but “they didn’t reach them for 12 hours‚ 12 hours that I’m hearing those twins crying nonstop while their parents are dead between their beds.” Reflecting on the events of Oct. 7‚ Ido Lulu-Shamriz added‚ “Nothing can prepare you for those moments‚ you know‚ for such a battle‚ such a sight to fight with your best friends that are now alive and a couple of minutes later‚ they are dead. It’s terrible. You can’t prepare for those moments in your life.”   When asked what message they have for President Joe Biden and America’s leaders‚ Yonatan Lulu-Shamriz‚ the eldest brother‚ said America needs to put “pressure on Qatar” because the nation has a “direct channel to Hamas” and Qatar could play a role in negotiating the release of the hostages.   Victoria Coates‚ vice president of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy at The Heritage Foundation‚ told The Daily Signal that “Qatar does have leverage with Hamas.” But Coates noted that the hostage negotiations are complex and that there is no simple answer to moving negotiations forward. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of Heritage.)  Yonatan Lulu-Shamriz said he hopes U.S. citizens understand that what “happened in Israel on the seventh of October‚ it’s not aimed only for Jews‚ for Israelis‚ and Zionists.” “They killed everyone‚” he said‚ referring to Hamas. “They kill Thai people‚ they kill Americans‚ they killed Russian‚ and Europe is next. America is next.”   Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.  The post ‘America Is Next’: Brothers of Hamas Hostage Issue Dire Warning‚ Plead for Help appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Thanks to a resounding wave of recent public support‚ the Texas Civil War Museum’s board of directors has decided to keep the museum in Fort Worth‚ Texas‚ open‚ reversing a decision made earlier this year to permanently close the facility to the public on December 30‚ 2023. Museum artifacts currently in possession of The Horse Soldier Antiques in Gettysburg‚ Pa.‚ and Heritage Auctions in Dallas‚ will continue to be sold and auctioned off to endow the museum. The museum’s current hours of operation will remain the same: Thursday through Saturday‚ 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Marcus Richey‚ son of retired museum president Ray Richey‚ will continue in his present role as museum director.  historynet magazines Our 9 best-selling history titles feature in-depth storytelling and iconic imagery to engage and inform on the people‚ the wars‚ and the events that shaped America and the world. subscribe today