'All San Jose State University student-athletes are eligible'

So the Left's wishful thinking is just that

'created a toxic atmosphere'

'What in the Texas is happening right now?'

Books book review  A Slow Burn Fae Romantasy: The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson A review of Mary K. Pearson’s new fantasy novel By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on November 26, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Fae and romance go hand-in-hand, especially if you’ve even thought about flirting with reading any romantasy. Mary E. Pearson’s The Courting of Bristol Keats is the latest entry into this subgenre, though the book takes more of a slow burn approach and is moderately less spicy than other similarly advertised fare out there. Within its pages, we primarily follow the titular character, a 20-something woman who lives in the small town of Bowskeep with her two sisters. The three are on their own: Her mother left them a year ago and is reported to have drowned, and their heartbroken father, months later, apparently gets gruesomely killed in a car accident. As Bristol struggles to make money to keep her surviving family afloat, she receives an invitation from an aunt of her father’s to collect a piece of artwork—a Da Vinci original!—that would be a financial godsend. Skeptical at first, she eventually meets with the aunt and her colleagues, only to discover that the “aunt” and those with her are fae. Her father, while mortal, was raised in the faerie realm of Elphame and they need her, they say, to come with them to stop a tyrant.  One of those fae is the foreboding and age-appropriate Tyghan (he is also a 20-something, only a few years older than Bristol), who is a king in Elphame and, for reasons the reader soon finds out, has a grudge against Ms. Keats. Bristol eventually agrees to help the fae when she discovers her father might be alive somewhere in the fae realm (and, of course, the money from the artwork). And so she heads to Tyghan’s castle… and pretty much stays there for the rest of the book. To call the pace of The Courting of Bristol Keats slow is generous; events happen at a speed even a snail would call sluggish. If a fast-paced plot and epic adventure are what you’re looking for, this book should not be on your dance card. Yes, there are a handful of scenes that involve running and fighting, but those are brief interludes. That’s not a bad thing, of course, depending on what you’re looking for in a book. And Bristol Keats has solid prose and spends most of its time acquainting us with the people and land of Elphame, from the fae to Bristol’s fellow recruits, people with some fae in their blood working to develop their magical abilities.  Buy the Book The Courting of Bristol Keats Mary E. Pearson Buy Book The Courting of Bristol Keats Mary E. Pearson Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget And then, of course, there’s Tyghan. The Courting of Bristol Keats is Pearson’s first foray into adult fiction, and it has the sexy scenes to back that up… if you’re willing to wait a few hundred pages. Waiting for things to get spicy, of course, can be far from a bad thing. Here, the romance initially unfolds in an almost Victorian style, à la Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as they attend various balls and other social events (or training sessions, in the case of this book). But unlike Pride and Prejudice, we see their relationship unfold from both Bristol and Tyghan’s points of view, which takes away some of the pent-up anticipation, and arguably does little to bolster the two’s chemistry. (Here might be a good place to mention that the book flits between multiple characters’ points of view—not just Bristol and Tyghan’s—sometimes even within the same page, which can make for some confusing passages.) In the back-half, the two become an item and the book earns its romantasy description, something that will please fans of the subgenre if you buy into the intense and deep connection the two 20-somethings find after some sexy dancing. Through it all we also see Bristol uncover some secrets about her parents that the reader is explicitly clued into early on, and we also get a juicy reveal about a certain nefarious character that truly delighted me.  And while we get glimpses of Elphame through the social gatherings and training exercises where Bristol spends most of her time, I wish there was more space dedicated to describing the fae world and its magic system. The latter particularly feels half-baked—magic impacts time, for example, in a way that’s crucial to the plot. But the whole premise crumbles when, after a few seconds of consideration, you realize that there’s no way time could work that way across everyone’s lived experience in Elphame.  If the dynamic between Bristol and Tyghan works for you, however, The Courting of Bristol Keats can be a pleasant read. Bristol in particular is well-developed; you understand why she’s the way she is via the way she was raised, and the bonds she has with her sisters are the most genuine and believable in the book. For me, those relationships as well as the complexity found in her understanding and love for her parents, are what shines the most in the novel’s 560 pages. Speaking of pages, the intrigues that are ladled out as the book progresses are far from resolved when you close the back cover. This includes the larger danger facing Elphame, as well as the changes happening within Bristol. The last page, in fact, is an ending insofar as the book ends, but nothing is resolved other than the completion of a trope that’s required for a romance story.   We leave The Courting of Bristol Keats with the tyrant still at large, Bristol’s dad still on the run, and the magical mystery around Bristol shrouded with ominous questions. On top of that, there are several elements—both characters and plot points (one of which involves a ferret!)—that appear to serve no purpose in this book. These factors will undoubtedly come into play in the potential sequel, which you’ll have to read to get an explanation to pretty much everything brought up in this one. Your mileage may vary on whether you’re up to that commitment—it’s a fine read depending on your expectations, and the book design is beautiful! Bristol Keats will find a readership, and the world will not be worse for it. [end-mark]  The Courting of Bristol Keats is published by Flatiron Books. The post  A Slow Burn Fae Romantasy: <i>The Courting of Bristol Keats</i> by Mary E. Pearson appeared first on Reactor.

Detroit Using Eminent Domain to Plop Panels Instead of People on Vacant Lots

NBC’s Today smeared Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Monday, after he advised state municipal governments to stop adding fluoride to their drinking water. The segment painted Ladapo as a conspiracy kook for raising concerns about water fluoridation, while spending practically no time at all actually explaining what scientific basis he had for the move. Background: Fluoride In Water Fluoride offers proven benefits for dental health. This is basically undisputed. Countless studies have shown it prevents cavities, helps reduce the risk of gum disease, and generally strengthens teeth. However, people don’t need to ingest fluoride in order to receive its dental benefits, and in fact multiple studies published on the National Institute of Health’s website (NIH.gov) indicate that fluoride ingestion poses developmental risks for children. A 2019 study shared by the NIH found that “elevated fluoride intake during early development can result in IQ deficits that may be considerable.” A meta-study of papers published through October 2023, also found on the NIH’s website, “concluded there is moderate confidence in the scientific evidence that showed an association between higher levels of fluoride and lower IQ in children.” Furthermore, the 2019 paper indicated that the currently-recommended fluoride content of water was likely well above the safe threshold for children: “Neurotoxicity appears to be dose dependent, and tentative benchmark dose calculations suggest that safe exposures are likely to be below currently accepted or recommended fluoride concentrations in drinking water.” Everything above is research done in the course of a couple of hours, by somebody with no medical or scientific expertise. The purpose of providing that information is not to make some definitive case against water fluoridation in America, but rather to demonstrate that the people raising concerns about it are serious people. They’re not conspiracy theorists who were swayed by some anonymous blogger’s unhinged rantings, they’re scientists whose research is found on the NIH’s own website. NBC Gets Political Here’s the opening line of NBC News Daily anchor Kate Snow’s report: “Florida’s Surgeon General is going against mainstream public health agencies, echoing sentiments expressed by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., citing research is preliminary and far from definitive.” Snow continued: “Dr. Joseph Ladapo, citing controversial studies that claim that fluoride is linked to neuropsychiatric risk, particularly in pregnant women and children.” It’s unclear what about these studies is “controversial,” other than that Snow appears to personally dislike them. That one sentence was the sum total of Ladapo’s evidence that Snow provided throughout the entire three-minute piece. The rest of the report was a series of arguments about fluoride’s proven benefits for dental hygiene — which, again, Ladapo has not disputed.     Then came the politics: The American Dental Association saying that it unreservedly endorsed the fluoridation of community water supplies as safe, effective, and necessary in preventing tooth decay. But Robert F. Kennedy Jr., tapped by President-elect Trump to lead the Health and Human Services department, wrote on X: “The Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water.” You see, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. opposes water fluoridation, but Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. endorsed Donald Trump for president. According to the transitive property of media idiocy, this means that opposition to fluoride in water is a right-wing conspiracy theory. It would no doubt be beneficial if some network aired a segment about the pros and cons of water fluoridation, including sound bites and data from experts on both sides of the argument. But this was not that segment. Rather, this was a bunch of uninformed news people turning a public health issue political, in order to score cheap points against a Trump cabinet appointee whom they dislike.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired American-made long-range missiles to attack Russia — which Vladimir Putin had previously said would be a red line. “Whoever is president of the United States, let’s just use air quotes and say ‘Joe Biden,’ told Ukraine that they could use those long-range missiles,” Glenn Beck of “The Glenn Beck Program” tells Rep. Cory Mills, disturbed. Putin has declared that an action like this will be “treated as a joint assault on Russia.” “For four years, Ukraine had been asking for long-range capabilities, have been asking to be able to hit within the outlying areas inside of Russia in an effort to try and prevent continual assaults, and it was denied, denied, denied,” Mills comments, noting that as Trump’s presidency nears, they’re “continuing to try and spiral things further out of control.” However, while he’s admittedly concerned, he also believes that Trump is the right man to get America through this unscathed. “The benefit we have, however, is that we have an exceptionally strong president coming in, and every one of the world leaders knows that President Trump does not suffer fools and that he does not have the weakness, which invites aggression,” he says. “I think that both Putin and Zelenskyy understand that President Trump coming in is not going to necessarily say, ‘It’s OK for you guys to continue this back and forth, it’s OK to continue the atrocious events that are occurring.’ He’s going to come with an actual solution and say, ‘What kind of sanctioning, what kind of imposement,’ because remember, it was President Trump who actually removed America from the INF Treaty, which had been violated by Russia time and time again,” he continues. “So people know this. They’re taking notice. But it’s disturbing to me that President Biden is doing everything he can to leave president Trump with the biggest mess possible, to stop him from actually getting onto the America First agenda,” he says, adding, “It also strikes me as the deep state going into survival mode.” Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Ryan Wesley Routh, the 48-year-old Floridian charged with attempting to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump, revealed his political discontent in a letter addressed to a Politico reporter. Routh was apprehended on September 16 after a Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of a rifle poking out of the bushes on golf course at the Trump International Golf Club at West Palm Beach, Florida. Routh was subsequently charged with attempting to kill the then-presidential candidate on September 26.'I am unclear how we allowed ourselves to fall into just a two-party system, but it infuriates me.'In the letter, which was written before the election, Routh called Trump a "dictator" and said we "must limit all Presidential power before Trump seizes our country" as well as "remove the power of our military by the President and place it with Congress before January." Routh also ranted about the two-party system, claiming it is "designed to exclude most everyone" and forces voters to choose between "such flawed candidates." “I am unclear how we allowed ourselves to fall into just a two-party system, but it infuriates me," Routh said in the letter. “My entire life has been plagued by D’s and R’s," Routh continued. "It seems not long ago there was a push for the libertarian party and now a green party and maybe Truth party. But for some reason our leaders have not allowed any other party [to] be recognized in any race."Routh's alleged assassination attempt came just two months after 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired shots at Trump in July during a rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania. In the letter, Routh likened himself to Crooks, saying they were both “ready to die for freedom and democracy.”Routh rounded out his rantings with a closing message demanding peace.“My fellowmen,” the alleged would-be assassin wrote, “please demand peace.”Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Former U.S. men's national soccer goalie Tim Howard said professional athletes dancing like Donald Trump is "stupid" and supports a racist person.The New Jersey native called Trump "racist" and accused athletes of glorifying racism by celebrating with the dance.At the same time, Howard recalled a "Rainbow Laces" campaign when he played in England said he chose to wear laces while others didn't. However, for his decision to represent gay pride, Howard said it was not an "on the field" statement nor a "polarizing moment."Howard has also worn a rainbow armband on multiple occasions throughout his career.The 45-year-old played 13 years in England's top professional league while also representing the United States in the World Cup twice. The goalkeeper criticized the U.S. team's current star Christian Pulisic, who did the popular Trump dance after a goal in a recent game against Jamaica.Howard accused Pulisic of weaseling out of his responsibility when he said he just thought the dance "was funny" and only did it "for fun."The goalie said, "Don't go quiet and don't plead innocence.""I don’t buy that. Any show of support for Donald Trump is political," Howard declared.He also criticized other athletes like NFL star Nick Bosa, claiming in his op-ed for the Daily Mail that Bosa "tried to dodge questions" about wearing a "Make America Great Again Hat."Howard also accused UFC heavyweight Jon Jones of jumping on the Trump bandwagon when he handed the president his championship belt and did the dance at Madison Square Garden. Tim Howard wears a gay pride armband while playing for the Colorado Rapids in 2016.Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images'[Trump] has repeatedly been slow to condemn white supremacist groups.'Howard went on to say that sports organizations "need to educate players" to remind them that their words and actions matter, further expressing that, in his opinion, Trump's actions have made it "clear" that he is racist.While Howard clarified that Trump has openly stated he isn't racist and gained more black voters in 2024 than ever before, the goalie listed some reasons for believing Trump is racist.Howard claimed Trump called for a "shutdown of Muslims entering the country in 2015," has "repeatedly been slow to condemn white supremacist groups," and also "taunted Barack Obama" over his birth certificate.Further cementing that his politics are undoubtedly approved, Howard noted that the U.S. women's national soccer team has been fighting for "equal pay, and inclusion, and LGBTQ+ rights." This "war" with Trump — as Howard called it — is apparently at odds with Pulisic, the team's "biggest star," because he did the Trump dance.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!