As Reddit doesn't allow posts to exceed 40,000 characters, Eastwood's edition had to be split into two parts because his whole career cannot be ignored. The second part will be posted tomorrow.

Here's a new edition of "Directors at the Box Office", which seeks to explore the directors' trajectory at the box office and analyze their hits and bombs. I already talked about a few, and as I promised, it's Clint Eastwood's turn.
Eastwood was a troublemaker at school, and he had a bunch of odd jobs such as lifeguard, paper carrier, grocery clerk, forest firefighter, and golf caddy. In 1951, he was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War and was discharged two years later. Through this, he got into contact with a Hollywood representative, who got him into acting classes and started his acting career. He got his start by starring in the hit show Rawhide, but he said he was exhausted by the experience. This caught the attention of some film producers and he decided to act in films directed by the then-unknown Sergio Leone. His career was on the rise, and then he got the chance to make his directorial debut.
From a box office perspective, how reliable was he to deliver a box office hit?
That's the point of this post. To analyze his career.

It should be noted that as he started his career in the 1970s, some of the domestic grosses here will be adjusted by inflation. The table with his highest grossing films, however, will be left in its unadjusted form, as the worldwide grosses are more difficult to adjust.

Play Misty for Me (1971)

"The scream you hear may be your own!"
His directorial debut. It stars Eastwood, Jessica Walter and Donna Mills, and follows a radio disc jockey being stalked by an obsessed female fan.
Before his colleague Irving Leonard died, he and Eastwood had discussed the idea of producing a film that was to give Eastwood the artistic control he desired, and his debut as a director. Eastwood said he was ready, "I stored away all the mistakes I made and saved up all the good things I learned, and now I know enough to control my own projects and get what I want out of actors."
The film was a huge success for Eastwood, and it also received positive reviews. So far, his directorial career was off to a great start.

• Budget: $950,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $10,600,000. ($81.7 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $10,600,000.
  

High Plains Drifter (1973)

"They'd never forget the day he drifted into town."
His second film. The film stars Eastwood, Verna Bloom and Mariana Hill, and follows a mysterious stranger who metes out justice in a corrupt frontier mining town.
Eastwood reportedly liked the offbeat quality of the film's original nine-page proposal and approached Universal with the idea of directing it, which would make it his first directed Western. The screenplay was inspired by the real-life murder of Kitty Genovese in Queens in 1964, which eyewitnesses reportedly stood by and watched. Holes in the plot were filled in with black humor and allegory, influenced by Sergio Leone.
It was well received, and the film even surpassed Play Misty for Me at the box office. Eastwood was just going up.

• Budget: $5,500,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $15,700,000. ($110.4 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $15,700,000.
  

Breezy (1973)

"Her name is Breezy."
His third film. It stars William Holden and Kay Lenz, and follows the relationship between a middle-aged real estate agent and a young hitchhiker.
This was his first directed film without starring on it. And his lack of presence certainly hurt the film; it received mixed reviews and flopped at the box office.

• Budget: $750,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $200,000. ($1.4 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $217,753.
  

The Eiger Sanction (1975)

"His lifeline, held by the assassin he hunted."
His fourth film. Based on the novel by Trevanian, the film stars Eastwood, George Kennedy, Vonetta McGee, and Jack Cassidy. It follows Jonathan Hemlock, an art history professor, mountain climber, and former assassin once employed by a secret government agency, who is blackmailed into returning to his deadly profession for one last mission.
The film received mixed reactions for its writing, and it wasn't a box office success either.

• Budget: $9,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $14,200,000. ($82.4 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $14,200,000.
  

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

"An army of one."
His fifth film. Based on the novel Gone to Texas by Forrest Carter, it stars Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney and John Vernon. The film tells the story of Josey Wales, a Missouri farmer whose family is murdered by Union militia during the Civil War. Driven to revenge, Wales joins a Confederate guerrilla band and makes a name for himself as a feared gunfighter. After the war, all the fighters in Wales' group except for him surrender to Union soldiers, but the Confederates end up being massacred. Wales becomes an outlaw and is pursued by bounty hunters and Union soldiers as he tries to make a new life for himself.
Eastwood was fascinated by the novel and he bought the film rights, hoping to star on the film. He got Philip Kaufman involved as screenwriter and possible director, but left after disagreeing with Eastwood in the material adapted to the screen. Kaufman insisted on filming with a meticulous attention to detail, which caused disagreements with Eastwood, not to mention the attraction the two shared towards Locke and apparent jealousy on Kaufman's part in regard to their emerging relationship. This caused Eastwood to take over as the director. Kaufman's firing angered the DGA, as he did most of the pre-production, and sanctioning a $60,000 fine. This resulted in the Director's Guild passing a new rule, known as "the Eastwood Rule", which prohibits an actor or producer from firing the director and then personally taking on the director's role.
The film received critical acclaim, and in subsequent years, is ranked among Eastwood's greatest films. It was also a huge success at the box office, doubling his previous highest grossing film. It was also one of the few Western films to receive critical and commercial success in the 1970s at a time when the Western was thought to be dying as a major genre in Hollywood.

• Budget: $3,700,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $31,800,000. ($174.5 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $31,800,000.
  

The Gauntlet (1977)

"The man in the middle of..."
His sixth film. It stars Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney, and Mara Corday. It follows a down-and-out cop who falls in love with a prostitute, to whom he is assigned to escort from Las Vegas to Phoenix for her to testify against the mob.
While it received mixed reviews, it became another box office success for Eastwood, becoming his now highest grossing film.

• Budget: $5,500,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $35,400,000. ($182.4 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $35,400,000.
  

Bronco Billy (1980)

"The most outrageous of 'em all."
His seventh film. The film stars Eastwood and Sondra Locke, and focuses on the financially-struggling owner of a traditional Wild West show and his new assistant.
It became another critical and commercial success for Eastwood, who referred to the film as one of his most affable shoots of his career.

• Budget: $6,500,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $24,265,659. ($91.9 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $24,265,659.
  

Firefox (1982)

"The most devastating killing machine ever built... his job... steal it!"
His eighth film. Based on the novel by Craig Thomas, it stars Eastwood, Freddie Jones and David Huffman. The Soviets have developed a revolutionary new jet fighter, called "Firefox". Naturally, the British are worried that the jet will be used as a first-strike weapon, as rumors say that the jet is undetectable on radar. They send ex-Vietnam War pilot Mitchell Gant on a covert mission into the Soviet Union to steal the Firefox.
The film received mixed reviews, but it earned almost $47 million, becoming Eastwood's highest grossing title as director.

• Budget: $21,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $46,708,276. ($151.1 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $46,708,276.
  

Honkytonk Man (1982)

"The boy is on his way to becoming a man. The man is on his way to becoming a legend."
His ninth film. It's based on the novel by Clancy Carlile, and it stars Eastwood and his son Kyle. It follows Red Stovall, a country music singer and composer. With his nephew Whit by his side, he travels to Nashville to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in the backdrop of the Great Depression.
While the film received acclaim, it earned just $4.4 million, becoming his second worst performer.

• Budget: $2,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $4,484,991. ($14.5 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $4,484,991.
  

Sudden Impact (1983)

"Dirty Harry is at it again."
His tenth film. The fourth installment in the Dirty Harry series, directed, it stars Eastwood and Sondra Locke. The film tells the story of a gang rape victim who decides to seek revenge on her rapists 10 years after the attack by killing them one by one. Inspector Harry Callahan, famous for his unconventional and often brutal crime-fighting tactics, is tasked with tracking down the serial killer.
The film received mixed reviews from critics, but it earned over $150 million worldwide, Eastwood's first film to pass that milestone. It's also very popular for including the iconic catchphrase, "Go ahead, make my day."

• Budget: $22,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $67,642,693. ($212.1 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $150,642,693.
  

Tightrope (1984)

"A cop on the edge..."
His 11th film. It stars Eastwood, Geneviève Bujold, Dan Hedaya, Alison Eastwood and Jennifer Beck, and follows a detective determined to hunt down a sadomasochistic serial killer of prostitutes.
The film became another critical and commercial success for Eastwood.

• Budget: N/A.
  
• Domestic gross: $48,143,579. ($144.7 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $48,143,579.
  

Pale Rider (1985)

"...And Hell followed with him."
His 12th film. It stars Eastwood, Michael Moriarty and Carrie Snodgress. A couple and their daughter, along with a few others, are driven out of Lahood, California, by goons working for a mining baron. However, a stranger enters their life to assist them in their fight.
There was no stopping Eastwood: another critical and commercial success.

• Budget: $6,900,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $41,410,568. ($120.2 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $41,410,568.
  

Heartbreak Ridge (1986)

"The scars run deep."
His 13th film. It stars Eastwood, Marsha Mason, Everett McGill, and Mario Van Peebles. The story centers on a U.S. Marine nearing retirement who gets a platoon of undisciplined Marines into shape and leads them during the American invasion of Grenada in 1983.
The film was inspired by an account of American paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division using a pay telephone and a credit card to call in fire support during the invasion of Grenada, and fashioned a script of a Korean War veteran career Army non-commissioned officer passing on his values to a new generation of soldiers. Eastwood was interested in the script and asked his producer, Fritz Manes, to contact the US Army with a view of filming the movie at Fort Bragg. However, the Army read the script and refused to participate, due to Highway being portrayed as a hard drinker, divorced from his wife, and using unapproved motivational methods to his troops, an image the Army did not want.
It received mixed reviews, with some deeming the film as "imperialist propaganda". But it was still another box office success.

• Budget: $15,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $42,724,017. ($121.7 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $121,700,000.
  

Bird (1988)

"There are no second acts in American lives."
His 14th film. The film stars Forest Whitaker and Diane Venora. It is constructed as a montage of scenes from saxophonist Charlie Parker's life, from his childhood in Kansas City, through his early death at the age of 34.
Eastwood, a lifelong fan of jazz, had been fascinated by Parker ever since seeing him perform live in Oakland in 1946. He approached Chan Parker, Bird's common-law wife on whose memoirs the script was based, for input, and she lent Eastwood and arranger Lennie Niehaus a collection of recordings from her private collection Before Eastwood was involved, Richard Pryor was originally cast as Parker.
Despitive positive reviews, it performed poorly, earning just $2.2 million in North America.

• Budget: $14,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $2,181,286. ($5.7 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $2,181,286.
  

White Hunter Black Heart (1990)

"An adventure in obsession."
His 15th film. Based on the novel by Peter Viertel, it stars Eastwood, Jeff Fahey, George Dzundza, Alun Armstrong and Marisa Berenson. It follows a famous movie director, John Wilson, who goes to Africa to make his next movie. He is an obstinate, contrary director who'd rather hunt elephants than take care of his crew or movie. He has become obsessed with one particular elephant and cares for nothing else.
Despite positive reviews, it made just $2.3 million domestically, not even 10% of the budget.

• Budget: $24,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $2,319,124. ($5.5 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $2,319,124.
  

The Rookie (1990)

His 16th film. The film stars Eastwood, Charlie Sheen, Raul Julia, Sônia Braga, Lara Flynn Boyle, and Tom Skerritt. It follows a veteran police officer teamed up with a younger detective, whose intent is to take down a German crime lord in downtown Los Angeles, following months of investigation into an exotic car theft ring.
It received negative reviews for its acting and story, and it became another flop for Eastwood. That's three bombs in a row. Ouch.

• Budget: $30,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $21,633,874. ($51.6 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $21,633,874.
  

Unforgiven (1992)

"Some legends will never be forgotten. Some wrongs can never be forgiven."
His 17th film. It stars Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Richard Harris and Morgan Freeman. It follows William Munny, a widower with two young kids, who was once a very vicious gunfighter who gave up everything after marriage. Now, a man named Schofield Kid brings him an offer that he cannot refuse, forcing him to come out of retirement for one last job.
David Webb Peoples wrote the script all the way back to 1976, and it was optioned by Francis Ford Coppola, but he lacked the funds needed to helm it. By Eastwood's own recollection, he was given the script in the "early 80s" although he did not immediately pursue it, because, according to him, "I thought I should do some other things first". Eastwood has long asserted that the film would be his last traditional Western, concerned that any future projects would simply rehash previous plotlines or imitate someone else's work. He dedicated the film to his close friends and mentors Sergio Leone and Don Siegel. Hackman initially refused to participate as his daughters were upset that he was starring in too many violent films, but he became fascinated by the script that he agreed.
It opened with $15 million and it legged all the way to $100 million after playing for almost one year, closing with $159 million worldwide, his now highest grossing film. The film received Eastwood's best reviews of his career, with many considering the film as his magnum opus as director. It received 9 Oscar nominations, and won four: Best Picture and Best Director for Eastwood, Best Supporting Actor for Hackman, and Best Film Editing. So Eastwood, on top of being a reliable box office draw, was now a 2-time Oscar winner.

• Budget: $14,400,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $101,167,799. ($225.2 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $159,167,799.
  

A Perfect World (1993)

His 18th film. Kevin Costner, Eastwood and Laura Dern, and follows an escaped convict who takes a young boy hostage and attempts to escape on the road with the child, while being pursued by a Texas Ranger.
The film received critical acclaim, and has appeared as one of Eastwood's best films. The film disappointed in North America, but it earned up to $100 million overseas (Eastwood's first film to gross that much) and ended with $135 million worldwide.

• Budget: $30,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $31,130,999. ($67.2 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $135,130,999.
  

The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

"The human heart has a way of making itself large again even after it's been broken into a million pieces."
His 19th film. Based on the novel by Robert James Waller, it stars Eastwood and Meryl Streep. The film is set in 1965, following a war bride, Francesca Johnson, who lives with her husband and two children on their Iowa farm. That year she meets National Geographic photojournalist, Robert Kincaid, who comes to Madison County, Iowa to photograph its historic covered bridges. With Francesca's family away for a short trip, the couple have an intense, four-day love affair.
It received more critical acclaim, and made over $180 million worldwide, becoming his highest grossing film. For her performance, Streep was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress.

• Budget: $22,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $71,516,617. ($146.5 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $182,016,617.
  

Absolute Power (1997)

His 20th film. Based on the novel by David Baldacci, it stars Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Ed Harris, Laura Linney, Judy Davis, Scott Glenn, Dennis Haysbert, and Richard Jenkins. It follows a master jewel thief who witnesses the killing of a woman by Secret Service agents.
It received mixed reviews, and disappointed at the box office.

• Budget: $50,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $50,068,310. ($97.4 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $92,768,310.
  

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997)

"Welcome to Savannah, Georgia. A Ccty of hot nights and cold blooded murder."
His 21st film. Based on the book by John Berendt, it stars John Cusack and Kevin Spacey. It follows the story of antiques dealer Jim Williams, on trial for the killing of a male prostitute who was his lover. The multiple trials depicted in Berendt's book are combined into one trial for the film.
It received mediocre reviews, and flopped at the box office.

• Budget: $30,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $25,105,255. ($48.8 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $25,105,255.
  

True Crime (1999)

His 22nd film. Based on the novel by Andrew Klavan, it stars Eastwood, Isaiah Washington, Denis Leary, LisaGay Hamilton and James Woods. It follows a journalist covering the execution of a death row inmate, only to discover that the convict may actually be innocent.
This was another project that received mediocre reviews and flopped at the box office.

• Budget: $55,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $16,649,768. ($31.2 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $16,649,768.
  

Space Cowboys (2000)

"Boys will be boys."
His 23rd film. It stars Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and James Garner as four aging former test pilots who are sent into space to repair an old Soviet satellite.
It received very positive reviews, and earned over $128 million worldwide.

• Budget: $60,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $90,464,773. ($164 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $128,884,132.
  

Blood Work (2002)

"He's a heartbeat away from catching the killer."
His 24th film. Based on the novel by Michael Connelly, it stars Eastwood, Jeff Daniels, Wanda De Jesús, and Anjelica Huston. It follows a retired FBI agent who recently had a heart transplant but still takes up the job to nab a killer.
It was another film with mediocre reviews and flop status.

• Budget: $50,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $26,235,081. ($45.5 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $31,794,718.
  

Mystic River (2003)

"We bury our sins, we wash them clean."
His 25th film. Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane, it stars Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden, and Laura Linney. It follows three childhood friends who are reunited 25 years later when one of them suffers a family tragedy.
Michael Keaton was originally cast in the role of Det. Sean Devine, and did several script readings with the cast, as well as his own research into the practices of the Massachusetts Police Department. However, creative differences between Keaton and Eastwood led to Keaton leaving the production. He was replaced by Kevin Bacon. This was the first film in which Eastwood would be credited as composer.
The film had a slow roll-out, but it was aided by strong word of mouth, closing with a wonderful $156 million worldwide. It also received acclaim, and was named as one of Eastwood's greatest films. Sean Penn received universal acclaim for his performance, with some naming it among the best acting of the century, particularly for one scene (if you watched it, you definitely know which scene). It received 6 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Eastwood. It won two: Best Actor for Penn and Best Supporting Actor for Robbins.

• Budget: $25,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $90,135,191. ($153 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $156,595,191.
  

Come back tomorrow for Part 2

MOVIES (FROM HIGHEST GROSSING TO LEAST GROSSING)

No.	Movie	Year	Studio	Domestic Total	Overseas Total	Worldwide Total	Budget
x	The Bridges of Madison County	1995	Warner Bros.	$71,516,617	$110,500,000	$182,016,617	$22M
x	Unforgiven	1992	Warner Bros.	$101,167,799	$58,000,000	$159,167,799	$14.4M
x	Mystic River	2003	Warner Bros.	$90,135,191	$66,460,000	$156,595,191	$25M
x	Sudden Impact	1983	Warner Bros.	$67,642,693	$83,000,000	$150,642,693	$22M
x	A Perfect World	1993	Warner Bros.	$31,130,999	$104,000,000	$135,130,999	$30M
x	Space Cowboys	2000	Warner Bros.	$90,464,773	$38,419,359	$128,884,132	$60M
x	Heartbreak Ridge	1986	Warner Bros.	$42,724,017	$78,975,983	$121,700,000	$15M
x	Absolute Power	1997	Sony	$50,068,310	$42,700,000	$92,768,310	$50M
x	Tightrope	1984	Warner Bros.	$48,143,579	$0	$48,143,579	N/A
x	Firefox	1982	Warner Bros.	$46,708,276	$0	$46,708,276	$21M
x	Pale Rider	1985	Warner Bros.	$41,410,568	$0	$41,410,568	$6.9M
x	The Gauntlet	1977	Warner Bros.	$35,400,000	$0	$35,400,000	$5.5M
x	The Outlaw Josey Wales	1976	Warner Bros.	$31,800,000	$0	$31,800,000	$3.7M
x	Blood Work	2002	Warner Bros.	$26,235,081	$5,559,637	$31,794,718	$50M
x	Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil	1997	Warner Bros.	$25,105,255	$0	$25,105,255	$30M
x	Bronco Billy	1980	Warner Bros.	$24,265,659	$0	$24,265,659	$6.5M
x	The Rookie	1990	Warner Bros.	$21,633,874	$0	$21,633,874	$30M
x	True Crime	1999	Warner Bros.	$16,649,768	$0	$16,649,768	$55M
x	High Plains Drifter	1973	Universal	$15,700,000	$0	$15,700,000	$5.5M
x	The Eiger Sanction	1975	Universal	$14,200,000	$0	$14,200,000	$9M
x	Play Misty for Me	1971	Universal	$10,600,000	$0	$10,600,000	$950K
x	Honkytonk Man	1982	Warner Bros.	$4,484,991	$0	$4,484,991	$2M
x	White Hunter Black Heart	1990	Warner Bros.	$2,319,124	$0	$2,319,124	$24M
x	Bird	1988	Warner Bros.	$2,181,286	$0	$2,181,286	$14M
x	Breezy	1973	Universal	$200,000	$17,753	$217,753	$750K

The Verdict

Hope you liked this edition. You can find this and more in the wiki for this section.
The next director will be Robert Zemeckis. One of the biggest falls from grace.
I asked you to choose who else should be in the run and the comment with the most upvotes would be chosen. It had to be a controversial filmmaker. Well, we'll later talk about... Zack Snyder. Oh, BoxOffice chose fuego 🔥
This is the schedule for the following four:

Week	Director	Reasoning
May 20-26	Robert Zemeckis	Can we get old Zemeckis back?
May 27-June 2	Richard Donner	An influential figure of the 70s and 80s.
June 3-9	Ang Lee	What happened to Lee?
June 10-16	Zack Snyder	RIP Inbox.

Who should be next after Snyder? That's up to you.

1x cactus friend
1x Princess Capuchin
1x Phoenix
1x golden dragon
1x hawk
2x desert egg
1x ocean egg
1x zodiac chick
1x White Halloween Skeleton Dog
1x Platypus
1x Inmate Capuchin
1x Pomeranian
1xBadger
1x albatross
1x bee
1x death stalker scorpion
1x fanghorn tortious
1x ginger cat
2x lunar ox
1x Persian cat
1x roadrunner
1x starfish
1x sword fish
1x abyssinian cat
1x trap-door snail
1x vulture
1x australian kelpie
5x beaver
1x dilophosaurus
3x dotted eggy
3x emu
1x merhorse
1x musk ox
2x narwhale
1x ocelot
1x ox
2x rabbit
1x sasquatch
1x scarecrow horse
1x shetland pony dark brown
1x Yellow butterfly
1x wooly mammoth
1x zebra
4x artic hares
1x dingo
2x donkey
1x fennec fox
1x frog spawn
1x gila monster
1x kirin
2x puma
1x triceratops
3x ant
1x armadillo
1x buffalo
2x cat
2x coyote
1x dugong
2x mouse
1x sado mole
1x sandish
4x wolpertinger

This is the most recent Maricopa County Inmate information showing an added Agg Robbery charge, upping his bond to $125,000.00. Maricopa County Superior Court does not have it docketed as of yet.
So, in Maricopa County: 2 Agg Assaults and 1 Agg Robbery. It will be interesting to read the specifics on the new charge when it is available.
Pinal County: Agg Assault and Disorderly Conduct

Inmate Information

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General Information

Name: Jacob PenningtonDate of Birth:Booking Number: G075704Booking Date: 1/31/2024Arresting Agency: AZ0071100Arrest Date/Time: 1/31/2024Facility: LBJFFloor: 2House: 22Pod: ACell: 24Bed: 002

Charge Information

Whether the inmate has been sentenced for the following charge or not

• Case: CR2024105174002
• Bond: $125,000.00
• Disposition: BOUND OVER TO SUPERIOR COURT
• Next Court Appearance: 4/4/2024
• For: AZ0071100
• Court:
  • Criminal Master Calendar Comm
  • 201 W Jefferson, Rm 10C/1003
  • Phoenix Arizona 85003
• Charge: 3 Counts of [AGG ASLT-VICTIM BOUND/RESTR, AGGRAVATED ROBBERY]

Holds Information

No Holds Information Available

Sentence Information

No Sentence Information Available

Summary Information

• Next Court Appearance: 2/28/2024
• Court:
  • SP CRT EARLY DISPOSITION CRT 1
  • 175 W Madison Room 2C
  • Phoenix Arizona 85003
• For:
• Total Bonds and Fines: $125,000.00
• Projected Release Date:

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The relentless rain hammered down mercilessly, each drop echoing through the desolate yard of the Steelhaven Penitentiary. The imposing prison walls loomed overhead, casting an eerie shadow over the inmates who shuffled, chains clinking, within the confined space. Among the sea of incarcerated souls, one figure stood out like a blackened beacon of brooding determination.
Matt now wore a cloak of darkness that mirrored the depths of his soul. No longer the cheerful Mii that millions of players across the globe had known and loved, he was a man transformed, hardened by tragedy and consumed by an insatiable thirst for revenge.
Inside the caged walls of Steelhaven, Matt found himself sharing a cell with his worst enemy, Ryan Thompson. Ryan, an imposing brute with a towering frame and a sinister sneer, had once been his closest companion during his days in the Great War and his days as an athlete. But a harrowing event, shrouded in betrayal, had sealed their tragic fate.
Matt could still remember the day it had all unraveled. As the reigning Wii Sports champion, he had become complacent, basking in the glory of his victories. But his triumph was short-lived when he discovered a malicious plot against him, orchestrated by none other than Ryan. The betrayal had caught Matt off guard, leaving him broken and defeated. He had felt so betrayed, as Ryan had been his closest friend during the Great War. They were like brothers. Ryan helped him get through the war after his father had died, and saved him from certain death when a deadly nuclear bomb went off.
In the corner of their cramped cell, Matt and Ryan locked eyes, a storm of rage and resentment brewing between them. They had been thrown together, prisoners in a twisted game of fate, each trapped within the clutches of their own despair. The electrifying tension crackled in the air as they silently plotted their own twisted forms of retribution.
Matt's time in Steelhaven had only fueled his transformation. Each passing day had sharpened his mind, honed his body, and steeled his heart against the irreparable damage that had been inflicted upon him. He vowed that the pain he had endured would be repaid in kind, and Max would be the conduit through which he would unleash his wrath.
Within the prison walls, a clandestine network flourished—an underworld of men who embraced the darkness, promising salvation to those who dared venture into its haunting embrace. Among these inmates lay the key to Matt's redemption, a man known only as "The Shadow." It was said that The Shadow possessed an uncanny knowledge of the prison's secrets, a talent for manipulation, and a thirst for power.
Matt, his once-boyish features now etched with lines of anguish and determination, had already acquired a reputation as a force to be reckoned with within Steelhaven. He channeled his fury into honing his physical prowess, earning the respect of his fellow inmates and drawing the attention of The Shadow.
Locked in the same cell, Matt and Ryan would soon embark on a treacherous journey—their dark destiny intertwined and inescapable. To survive, they would have to face demons that lurked within themselves and the twisted world of Steelhaven, where allegiances shifted as swiftly as the shadows danced on cell walls.
And so, as the rain continued to pour, echoing their torment, Matt Walters vowed to emerge from the darkness stronger, relentless, and prepared to reclaim his lost glory. The prison walls would tremble in fear, for within the bruised and battered soul of the once-beloved video game character, a phoenix would rise, destined to wreak havoc upon all who stood in his way.
​
​

NP hit with another charge! It has not yet hit docket nor is it described yet, but its coming! Could be interesting! (CR2024006211001)...see info below under Holds Information (this seems to be resulting from a search warrant at his residence in Gilbert on 1/24/2024)

General Information

Name: Noah PenningtonDate of Birth:Booking Number: G068165Booking Date: 12/28/2023Arresting Agency: AZ0071700Arrest Date/Time: 12/28/2023Facility: LBJFFloor: 2House: 21Pod: ACell: 22Bed: 002

Charge Information

Whether the inmate has been sentenced for the following charge or not

• Case: CR2023008687001
• Bond: $65,000.00
• Disposition: BOUND OVER TO SUPERIOR COURT
• Next Court Appearance: 2/8/2024
• For: AZ0071700
• Court:
  • Special Assignment Judge 04
  • 175 W Madison St Rm 5C
  • Phoenix, Arizona 85003
• Charge: 9 Counts of [NARCOTIC DRUG-POSSESS/USE, CARRY DEADLY WPN < 21 YOA, CARRY DEADLY WPN-FAIL TO ADMIT, AGG ASLT-DEADLY WPN/DANG INST, DISORD CONDUCT-WEAPON/INSTR]

Holds Information

Disposition: 2058

Agency: AZ0070000

Bond Amount: $0.00

Date: 1/24/2024

Warrant #: CR2024006211001

Sentence Information

No Sentence Information Available

Summary Information

• Next Court Appearance:
• Court:
• For:
• Total Bonds and Fines: $65,000.00
• Projected Release Date:

​

Monday, January 15 - Sunday, January 21

Questions

score	comments	title & link
178	44 comments	Chinese friend gave this as a gift. Can someone teach me how to use it? I don't really drink tea.
101	61 comments	Am I crazy? Every time partner makes a cuppa, it tastes soapy?
39	47 comments	Why does tea make me nauseous

 

Recommendations

score	comments	title & link
249	82 comments	After 20+ years of refining the art of tea making I can definitely say that this is the best method
124	7 comments	Matcha ice cream!
77	9 comments	If you are visiting Uji in Kyoto

 

Photos

score	comments	title & link
1,165	147 comments	Ito-en green tea (from Costco) is strikingly high-quality
767	87 comments	Steepologie, thanks to USPS, just sent me a blend of Japanese Green and Irish Breakfast black.
301	42 comments	Today’s Tea: White Tea with its flowers. Grown in Southern Appalachia USA.

 

Identification

score	comments	title & link
214	36 comments	I found this teapot for $3 while thrifting. It says Kinto on the bottom. Is this a quality brand?
22	16 comments	100 YEAR OLD CHINESE SEALED BRONZE TEA CANNISTER: It is thought to be filled with puer tea. The cannister has never been opened, with two unbroken paper seals. Can anyone help with a better identification? What is inside?
19	4 comments	This extremely weird teapot

 

Reviews

score	comments	title & link
46	12 comments	Jasmine-scented Black Tea
46	18 comments	2024-01-18 CC Fine Tea Phoenix Mountain Oolong (Dancong) first tasting notes
40	12 comments	2024-01-16 White2Tea 2024 Millstone Raw Puer (sheng) tea first tasting notes

 

Blogs

score	comments	title & link
125	12 comments	Rebuilding a Tea Plantation 2: Pre-planting Organic Fertilizer Application.

 

Discussions

score	comments	title & link
48	10 comments	Hello, fellow addicts! Forcing myself to drink through months worth of my tea stash before buying anything new was the best decision ever, try it:)
43	40 comments	Why is tea so miraculous? I don't understand
42	65 comments	Are there any teas (or types at least) that are inherently not meant to be gong fu brewed?

 

Articles

score	comments	title & link
11	21 comments	Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea, will get you the scientifically best cup of tea
7	5 comments	Inmates choose Tetley tea as official prison brew
7	0 comments	The Qinling Mountain Tea Series - Part 3: Tea Cultivation History in China

 

Other Posts

score	comments	title & link
375	42 comments	[Meta] After all the discussion about snobbery, we should take some time to enjoy tea the way it's meant to be brewed.
359	14 comments	Tea Related Translations
293	34 comments	[Photo] Snowy mornings call for tea
218	24 comments	[Photo] Can someone enlighten me on if I was just given tea gold???
187	23 comments	[Photo] Feeling cozy on a cold, rainy day.

 

Daily Discussion Comments

score	comment
10	oldhippy1947 said After a rough few days here in Oregon, the morning is above freezing and I have both power and internet, and celebrating with a 2-cup pot of Robert Fortune Blend 41 from Upton Tea. Maybe some puerh af...
9	edith-bunker said I’m having a cup of earl grey (stash) tea 💕
9	Psychological_Steak3 said I'm driving home in a couple of hours, can't wait to get home and poor myself a good cup of genmaicha. I've been really enjoying genmaicha lately.
9	oldhippy1947 said Another tea from a recent The Steeping Room tea club box. This morning, a Japanese Black Tea. Kujihara's Izumi Black Tea. Kujihara is the tea farmer and Izumi is the tea varietal. Floral, sweet and so...
9	iwasjusttwittering said Green honeybush. I'm taking a short break from caffeine. Meanwhile, kombucha from the suspicious Temple of Heaven gunpowder has turned out well; the odd salty, mildly bitter taste has completely disa...

 

The most important province in the 2024 election is KwaZulu-Natal. While many international observers are more familiar with the Western Cape, KZN is more populous and economically important as a province. KZN's history provides a level of nuance which is going to be increasingly important as South Africa's political scene changes. This post is an explainer on the key history, trends and people in the KZN Election.
(Most of the sources are from Wikipedia, with a few videos or from South African history online, because this is only meant to be a high level explainer and a reference for election watchers - not a deep-dive analysis.)

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is the eastern most, coastal province of South Africa. It includes the land that was conquered by the Zulu nation under King Shaka. Shaka was a military innovator, and introduced new technologies, techniques and a martial culture to what used to be disparate clans. His conquest was violent. The era following the consolidation of the Zulu nation is known as the Mfecane, the scattering, because of the way it displaced so many people. That's part of how the Sothos ended up high up in the mountainous area we now call Lesotho, and why there are Zulu descended people as far north as Zimbabwe and Tanzania. Shaka was born a century after the arrival of Europeans at the Cape, and by the time the Zulu empire was getting started, Boer 'Voertrekkers' and British colonists were already interested in the East Coast. The would-be Zulu Empire was cut down before it grew too big.
Shaka and the Zulu called the area KwaZulu - land of the Zulus. Zulu means 'sky', so the Zulu people are the sky people. But the colonists called the area Natal, which is the name Portuguese explorers gave to it when they first landed there on Christmas day. The British conquered Natal, and the Boers retreated inland to form two republics. These two inland republics would end up going to war with the coastal British colonies. The British won, and South Africa was formed when the four nations united in a post war settlement. As part of that post-war settlement they drew up, black South Africans were exiled from the towns, cities and fertile farmland of 'white' South Africa (most of South Africa) to reservations the Apartheid government called 'homelands'. These homelands were based on tribal identity, including kwaZulu - land of the Zulus.
As part of their scheme for governing the homelands, the Apartheid government played up the role of traditional authorities, including the Zulu monarch. In each of the homelands, governments were also set up, with Parliaments and Prime Ministers. In KwaZulu, the role of Prime Minister to the Zulu King fell to a man by the name of Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Buthelezi's family had long played a role as advisers to the King.

The Inkatha Freedom Party

Buthelezi was a member of the ANC in secret. When the ANC was banned, he formed an organisation by the name of Inkatha to act as a front for the ANC amongst the Zulu people, and to resist Apartheid. But Buthelezi came to differ with the ANC. The history here is complex, and I would have to study for at least a year before I could faithfully explain what happened. But it ended very, very badly.
In the late 80s, ANC and IFP members began to clash in increasingly bloody and violent ways. By the early 90s, there was a low-grade civil war ongoing concurrently with negotiations for democracy. There were horrific atrocities (NSFW) on both sides. It was not a black-white war. It was not an inter-tribal war. Armed Zulu men supporting the ANC and IFP clashed with each other. They raided villages and townships identified as belonging to the opposite camp, and slaughtered innocent women and children. Many South Africans alive today have a living memory of this - hiding under schools desks and in bushes when the butchers would come, losing grandparents, and being brutalised themselves. At the height of the conflict, Buthelezi even made a deal with the right-wing, neo-Nazi Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB; Afrikaner Resistance Movement) that Boer and Zulu would fight to the last drop of blood if South Africa descended into full scale civil war to resist the tyrannical, communist ANC.
There is, of course, the IFP side to the story. Buthelezi argued that after forming Inkatha, he realised the futility of the armed struggle and the sanctions campaign. He wanted a peaceful transition to democracy, with the cultural values of ordinary people allowed to flourish instead of being wiped out by the tyrannical, Soviet-communists of the ANC. This is a very painful and sensitive time in South African history. I encourage you not to take any of my words for granted, but to research for yourself.
But in any case, when Desmond Tutu led the Truth and Reconciliation project, it wasn't just about forgiving white supremacists, but also about those who were caught up in this violence and other atrocities as part of the resistance to Apartheid.
Even as the violence reduced, the IFP initially intended to boycott the elections. They ran on a Zulu nationalist, anti-Communist platform and they wanted much more autonomy for KwaZulu-Natal and a more important role for the Zulu King. But they joined the election at the last minute. In the 1994 election they achieved 10% of the vote nationally, and 50% in KZN.

Ethnicity vs Race

This is the first way in which KZN can add nuance to the story of South African politics. This story is usually seen through the lens of white vs. black. An equally sensible way to look at it is through the lens of ethnicity or tribe. White people don't disappear from the story - instead they are part of two large and militaristic tribes whose conflicts defined South Africa. They are joined by the third, lesser would-be empire, the Zulu. In distant fourth would be the Xhosa, who never quite formed a single empire (today, Xhosa is as much an umbrella word for many groups who share the same language as it is a single identity).
In 1994, there was the ANC. The ANC was diverse - both racially and tribally. The opposition to the ANC was made up of those independently minded tribes who were large and confident enough that they could form ethnic parties. FW de Klerk's National Party) united conservative Coloured and White speakers to win the Western Cape. Buthelezi's IFP did the same with Zulus in KZN. And Tony Leon's Democratic Party came in a distant 3rd with the smaller of the 3 large tribes - English speakers, especially Jewish whites and including other minorities. There were similar attempts from the leaders of the other former homelands, like Lucas Mangope's Tswana homeland, Bophututswana. (Mangope, like Buthelezi, had initially refused to participate in the new South Africa project and wanted his homeland to be independent. He was also an anti-Communist ethnonationalist and the neo-Nazi AWB was also famously involved in fighting against the anti-Mangope mutiny that arose in Bophututswana in 1994.)
Most of these ethnic mobilizations failed to even get off the ground. Lucas Mangope's UCDP didn't even get off the ground like Inkatha did. Only Boers, Brits and Zulus formed large ethnic parties. Tswanas didn't form a successful Tswana party to push to reunite with Botswana. Sothos didn't form a Sotho party to annex Lesotho. And neither did Swatis. These smaller tribes, together with the Xhosa, as well as many members of the Zulu, Afrikaans and English speaking community, joined the ANC.
In the first few years of democracy, part of what made the ANC continue to win despite losing many votes was the fact that there was no real 'neutral' alternative. Who was a disillusioned but still ANC-friendly person from the minority Venda tribe in the north supposed to vote for? Even if there were a "Venda party", it's not clear that's what he would have wanted.
Even amongst the big tribes, the ethnic right wing faltered and failed. The National Party collapsed, its voters only being absorbed by the DA over several election cycles. The IFP lost a huge chunk of its voters, and had a breakaway movement. The ANC lost votes in 1999, and gained only a few in 2004. But the right wing collapsed so thoroughly that the ANC grew to capture a two-thirds supermarjority in Parliament.
But surprisingly, even with the faltering of the IFP, the actual count of votes for the ANC in KZN barely budged. Until 2007.

Jacob Zuma

Jacob Zuma was the first Zulu speaking President of the ANC in many decades. Zuma was deputy president to the neoliberal technocrat, Thabo Mbeki, who fired him for corruption. Zuma's faction won the fight and Zuma became ANC President and President of South Africa, with Mbeki nearing the end of his term anyway.
Zuma delivered a million new voters for the ANC in KZN. When you draw graphs of vote count over the years, you can see the Zuma effect. But, ironically, the ANC lost vote share under Zuma. Mbeki had lost voters but gained vote share, as the right wing parties collapsed. Zuma brought in voters but radicalised the opposition and lost the two-thirds majority.
Zuma is well known internationally for his corruption. Zuma was also credibly accused of rape before his election. When asked whether he used a condom, at the height of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, he laughed it off and said that he didn't have to because he took a shower afterwards. South African cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro took to drawing Zuma with a showerhead (NSFW) attached to his head, and the meme stuck. Along with 'Zapiro', other artists like Brett Murray) (NSFW) and Ayanda Mabulu (NSFW) would also depict Zuma satirically, often as a r*pist. The Zuma era was a real test of the limits of free speech in South Africa, amongst many other constitutional rights.
At least before the era of Trump, one might wonder how anybody could possibly have voted for Zuma. What you need to know is that Zuma is a very important politician in KZN history. Jacob Zuma played a very important role in the peacemaking between the ANC and IFP in KwaZulu-Natal. When Reuters reported on his candidacy, the title of the article was Zulus want peacemaker Jacob Zuma for president. Voting ANC means something very different in KZN. In many cases, people identify with the ANC deeply as a part of their identity: "Our family is ANC, and your grandfather was killed because of it." And Zuma is a part of that story.
But Zuma is also a great politician. He's charismatic and funny and charming. He would dance and sing, and he had a decent voice too. He had a gift for mocking his political enemies, and making them seem absolutely ridiculous. His laughter was infectious, and imitating and mocking Zuma was part of how Trevor Noah got his start. (Old South African Trevor Noah was much funnier than Daily Show Trevor Noah)
Zuma was ultimately brought down after South Africa's Public Protector (Ombudsman), which is an independent Constitutional office, made significant findings against him in terms of grand corruption or 'State Capture'. In the ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa's faction was finally able to unseat Zuma and he resigned from office. Decades of corruption began to catch up to him, and he entered a world of enormous legal trouble as commission hearings and court dates were set.

Political Violence

KZN has been the home of South African political violence since the horrors of the late 80s and early 90s. If you search for KZN municipal by-elections, you will see that many of them are due to assassinations. The industry of hitmen and assassinations is entrenched, and even in 1996 in a historic speech at the adoption of the Constitution, Thabo Mbeki made a reference to:

... the worst among these, who are my people, are those who have learnt to kill for a wage. To these the extent of death is directly proportional to their personal welfare. And so, like pawns in the service of demented souls, they kill in furtherance of the political violence in KwaZulu-Natal. They murder the innocent in the taxi wars. They kill slowly or quickly in order to make profits from the illegal trade in narcotics. They are available for hire when husband wants to murder wife and wife, husband.

The violence is not just IFP vs. ANC but has generalised into an industry of hitmen and assassins.
The violent potential of KZN exploded in July 2021. The Commission into State Capture had summoned Jacob Zuma to testify, and he had refused. He was sentenced to one year in prison for contempt of court. People didn't think it would happen, but the South African Police Service arrived at his house to arrest him, and he was taken to the nearest prison and enrolled as an inmate.
Shortly after, acts of sabotage were reported in KZN. Trucks were burned on the N3. This is an absolutely critical logistics corridor because the Port of Durban in KZN is the largest Port on the African continent, and an enormous amount of critical minerals and goods from as far inland as Congo pass via the N3. Small acts of violence, protests and riots were reported, but they quickly spiraled out into a province-wide spree of rioting and looting. Under the pressure cooker of the COVID lockdowns, looting begot more looting as people scrambled to take what they could. Some were desperate and poor, others were cynical and greedy. It looked apocalyptic.
The violence was mostly localised to KZN, but it was frightening for everyone. I called friends in KZN to ask if they were able to find food and they told me that every single grocery store in their community had been looted. Massive warehouses had been set alight. Chemical facilities were sabotaged polluting bodies of water. Important logistical work ground to a halt.
The violence would adopt a much darker and racial angle in the community of Phoenix, which is a KZN township where the Apartheid government put Indian people. All across KZN, many people took up arms and set up community patrols in the name of protecting local grocery stores and communities. These people were mainly middle-class whites and Indians. They set up checkpoints into and out of their communities. There was, reportedly, a lot of racial profiling going on. It was post-apocalyptic to watch from the outside, and it set off racial tensions online. In Phoenix, there were reports that these vigilantes/defenders of the community were racially profiling black people, and had shot unarmed black people who were merely walking through their community who they claim to have suspected of being violent looters. There were other claims of harassment and abuse of black people, with many Indian people claiming the reverse, or claiming that people were being political correct in an unthinkable and apocalyptic moment.
Politicians jumped into the fray. Shortly after the Phoenix massacres, the Democratic Alliance put up a poster praising the vigilantes/community defenders saying "The ANC called you racists. The DA calls you heroes" even before all the facts were out. When the EFF proposed a probe into the event, the DA dismissed it. Julius Malema would go on to strike a conciliatory tone, but in the heat of the moment he and his EFF absolutely fueled racial tensions, describing Indians as racists and saying things like:

“I just want to address one point of Phoenix where the Indians were killing our people there. The police will have to find those people because we may be left with no option, but to go find them ourselves. So, the sooner they do that, the better.“What those Indians did there in Phoenix is unforgettable, we will never forgive them for what they did to our people.“And those are Indian criminals, they must be called exactly that. We are not going to make any apology about that.“Instead of people going door to door to look for goods which they are going to destroy, let them go and find those Indian thugs and criminals who killed our people,” he said.

Indians

Indian South Africans were brought to South Africa during British rule of Natal in the late 1800s, to work as indentured labourers, and some as free migrants. The majority are Hindu, with a minority of Muslims and Christians. They were discriminated against under Apartheid. Coloureds and Indians were considered second class citizens of South Africa, while black people were considered non-citizens and banished to reservations/homelands. Indian South Africans were confined to live in particular areas, and faced discrimination in favour of whites in all areas of life. It was in South Africa that Mohandas Gandhi first became politically active, fighting the discrimination against Indians in Natal.
Gandhi helped form the Natal Indian Congress, an entity that, together with the Transvaal Indian Congress (Transvaal was one of the Boer Republics) would advocate for the rights of Indians in South Africa. The leaders of the Indian Congresses, Dr. Dadoo and Dr. Naicker, would sign an agreement with the leader of the African National Congress, Dr. A.B. Xuma. The cooperation amongst these groups, together with groups from the Cape Coloured community and white communities would unite in the 50s in the Defiance Campaign of non-violent civil disobedience. The Indian Congresses no longer exist, and were informally absorbed into the ANC in the 90s. The ANC has had many prominent leaders from the Indian community and celebrates Indian freedom fighters in the same way it celebrates black freedom fighters.
Despite the warmth between the ANC and the various Indian organisations, this did not mean there was always peace between ordinary people in the streets. There has been tension and suspicion between Indian and Black communities in KwaZulu-Natal going back many decades. The Durban Riots were anti-Indian riots in which dozens of mostly Indian people were killed in 1949. When I was visiting KZN a few years back, a black, Zulu-speaking person told me he definitely feels that Indians are racist, that they mistreat black people.
Whatever healing had begun to come post-1994 was dealt a serious blow by the July 2021 riots. Many Black people dug their heels in and demonstrated that this was proof that Indians were racists who were longing to kill and abuse them. A black friend of mine, who I spoke to long after this, told me that everyone in KZN knows Indians are racist and he grew up surrounded by Indians who were racist to him - especially those from Phoenix. Indians claimed they were only defending their communities, or pointed to assaults and harm done to Indians, and on the darker corners of the internet espoused the same kind of anti-black racist rhetoric you would hear from white supremacists because the 'monkeys' had finally proved their barbarism.
On the positive side, Indians have contributed to a lot of South African culture. When you go to the East Coast, you eat bunny chow (chicken curry in a loaf of bread) and smell incense and celebrate Diwali, just as much as you might learn about King Shaka and see people wearing traditional Zulu clothes. Durban is a major world city for the Indian diaspora. Indian politicians have reached high up into cabinet, and Indians have done very well economically - although I'm not sure how well this trend looks if you would separate recent immigrants from the people who were disenfranchised under Apartheid.
Remarkably, despite the success and the problems, there has not been a significant and successful attempt to organise Indian people into a single, ethnic political party. This speaks back to the theme of tribe - it is interesting that only Zulu, Boer and Brit have ever really managed to organise in this way. Indians are distributed between the ANC, the IFP and the DA. All the polling I've seen shows them absolutely despising the EFF.

The Democratic Alliance and the Multi-Party Charter

The IFP has been slowly regaining votes in KZN, but not quickly enough. It is nowhere near its 1994 performance. The Democratic Alliance has only just equalled the 1994 performance of the National Party. These two parties, joined by the Freedom Front Plus, have realised the need to form a stable coalition to contest the election and possibly govern the country afterwards. They are not keen to have coalitions of chaos, which is what has happened in Gauteng, where the ANC was ousted, and then returned after the coalition fell apart.
The Democratic Alliance campaign in KZN is built around a politician by the name of Chris Pappas (YouTube Documentary). Chris is a short, white, gay man of Greek descent, who speaks Zulu well and is a charismatic campaigner - white Obama vibes (short video). It is not usual for white South Africans to speak African languages, much less to understand subtle inflections or how to do African dances (short video). In the minds of the DA, Pappas victory showed that colourblind was the best option, not woke colour-consciousness.
But when you study this election, you find that Pappas didn't win because of a surge of votes to the DA. Instead, almost half of ANC voters in that municipality stayed home or voted for someone else. They mostly stayed home, some voted for the EFF, but a much larger number voted for various independent candidates - an option that was previously unavailable at national level but available in local elections. The DA probably know this, and are hoping his experience and platform will lead to real traction and his charisma will help the coalition. That's why they have selected him as their candidate for Premier.
The DA is more associated with the Cape. KZN is the mirror of the Cape - warm waters instead of cold; lush, flooded and rolling hills instead of towering mountains and droughts; Indians rather than Coloureds. But what is common is highlighted by the ethnic lens: these were the only two provinces the ANC lost, even with Mandela on the ballot. This was driven in part by ethnocentrism. But what the DA and modern IFP hope is that ethnic passions can compromise with liberalism to yield, at the very least, federalism.
What the DA and IFP wish you knew was that, despite its prominent and distinct provinces, South Africa is not governed in a federal manner. The provincial government of the Western Cape doesn't control the railway lines which the ANC has mismanaged, blocking economic growth. There is no KZN police force to deal with political assassinations and drug trafficking inland from the port. If the DA-IFP coalition could get that, they wager they and their allies could make such a difference in people's lives that the ANC would be history.
So even if you are a DA supporter, what you should know is that the DA does not want to spend the election talking about Cape Independence or the Western Cape at all. They want you to look at Chris Pappas and, ideally, buy into the dream of a post-post-racial South Africa. Or, at the very least, to dream of a federalised South Africa with a handful of successful, safe, urban provinces.

Jacob Zuma (Again)

After July 2021, Zuma was released on medical parole. He briefly visited Russia. Zuma is always scheming with nefarious forces - before the unrest Julius Malema famously had a cup of 'piping hot tea' with Zuma, refusing to disclose what was discussed. Zuma's medical parole was found to be unlawful, but Ramaphosa pardoned him to avoid sending him back to prison (and repeating 2021).
Zuma is currently free, but his legal troubles still loom over him. He was arrested and pardoned for contempt of court. He has not had his day in court on the actual litany of corruption charges, dating back to the late 90s. He has been very effective, over decades, at dodging these challenges and slowing the process down in the courts on technical grounds. But this is expensive and only works for so long.
At the end of 2023, Zuma announced he would no longer support the ANC in the next election. Instead he would vote for a party called uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) - 'Spear of the Nation' - which was the name of the ANC's armed wing during Apartheid. He did not denounce the ANC, but denounced Ramaphosa as having 'captured the ANC'. He said he would run to save the ANC. This was brilliant on his part - ANC voters value stability, loyalty and continuity.
In his list of complaints he exposed the fact that Ramaphosa is finally beginning to turn the screws on him in terms of corruption - he accused Ramaphosa, both as leader of the ANC and as President of the country, of frustrating his efforts to get funding for his legal battles.
Before the MK announcement, it looked as if the DA-IFP coalition might just beat out the ANC if Zuma's supporters stayed home. But with Zuma back in the mix, nobody knows what will happen. Opinion polling and election polling hasn't yet been done to assess his impact. Too many people simply assume the ANC would work with its former breakaways, when that would be politically harmful for them and they are already wary of the EFF after a disastrous alliance. There are rumours of a grand, ANC-DA coalition as a kind of backup plan for 2024. But the honest truth is that right now, nobody knows what will happen.

The Future of South Africa

In 2024, South Africa will face the greatest test of its democracy since 1994. The ANC is very unlikely to get 50% of the vote, and we will finally become a true proportional representation, Parliamentary coalition system. So much of this will be decided in KZN. Buthelezi passed away at the end of last year, it remains to be seen how his death will affect the IFP, which he always led and which only got its first leader just a few years ago. Zuma is in his 80s, but is still a force to be reckoned with. His son, Duduzane, clearly has political ambitions as well.
In the worst case scenario, KZN could erupt into a flash of violence, as various players exploit the trained killers, the saboteurs of July 2021, the pain of African-Indian racial hatred and the passion of Zuma loyalists or Zulu nationalists. If this elections goes south, it will most likely happen in KZN.
In the medium case scenario, the ANC will finally reject and punish the people who have stolen the most from South Africans and incited the most hatred - not for altruistic reasons but for party-political reasons, and everyone - DA, IFP and ANC - will finally be forced to grow up and work together for the sake of stability.
But in the best case scenario, the ANC collapses entirely, consumed by its battle with Zuma, and a stable, center-right, DA-led coalition takes full power and immediately begins to stop the worst of the bleeding, perhaps with the small, good remnant of the ANC's constituency. That scenario was unthinkable a few years ago, but is becoming more realistic with each passing month.
For better or for worse, it will be quite a show.

There’s been plenty of posts, both here and in various other Batman related subreddits, discussing how Joker has been overused and shouldn’t be featured as a major villain in Reeves’ Batman Trilogy.
I humbly disagree. Firstly Joker, in film, has not been overused. We’ve had three live action Joker’s appear in film: Nicholson, Ledger, and Leto. Let’s go ahead and compare this to how many different Batmen we’ve had in film: Keaton, Kilmer, Clooney, Bale, Affleck, and Pattinson. We’ve only had three Jokers meanwhile we’ve had six Batmen. I don’t think he’s been overused in film. While an argument can be made for wider media (ie Gotham featuring two different Jokers, the Arkham Trilogy focusing on Joker and Batman exclusively, etc), as far as film goes he hasn’t been overused. In fact his screen time is usually far less than Batman, with Ledger himself only appearing in 11 minutes of the total 152 minute runtime.
Secondly, and most importantly, Joker is, whether people like it or not, Batman’s ultimate archnemesis. He is the antithesis to Batman. Everything he stands for and does is to counteract everything Batman stands for and does. He’s the reason Barbra is confined to a wheelchair, the reason Jason becomes Red Hood, he’s responsible for countless acts of terror and destruction. He is Batman’s opposite: the chaos to Batman’s justice.
Joker doesn’t need to be the main villain of Batman Part II, and I actually would prefer him to stay a side character similar to how he was in the first film. However I don’t think it would be terrible if he came back around in Part III as the main villain. I don’t think he’s overused and if he’s utilized properly in Part II his presence in Part III would be both earned and satisfying.
I don’t know. I just think the argument that’s he’s overused is incorrect. Again, if we are talking about the wider Batman media, yes that argument can be made. But if we are talking about film and only film, he really hasn’t been overused.
Edit: I totally forgot that Phoenix also portrayed the character in the recent standalone film and will be playing him again in its upcoming sequel. However those films are NOT Batman films, they are instead, for all intents and purposes, a character study of Joker himself. If we consider the appearances of Joker AND Batman, my original points still stand. Side note, I do love this version of the character, and I do hope the next film is a character study of Joker and Harley.
Edit2: Upon rewatching the ending scene of Joker and Riddler in Part I, I wouldn’t be surprised if Joker becomes “friends” with various other inmates so that in Part III he breaks them all out to cause the ultimate chaos in Gotham. That may be a reach but it would be amazing to see all the villains from Part I and II working with Joker in III.

Some standalones and new series coming in 2022! Last year's post here!

Epic Fantasy

• To Cage a God, Elizabeth May, Jan. 23
  • Two sisters have grown up to become living weapons, raised to overthrow an empire―no matter the cost.
• Dragon Rider, Taran Matharu, Apr. 23
  • Can an orphan captive learn the secrets of the Dragon Riders to avenge his people?
• I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons, Peter S. Beagle, May 14
  • Gaius has inherited his dad’s job as a dragon catcher, a career he detests. Needless to say, fate has something rather different in mind…
• The Sky on Fire, Jenn Lyons, Jul. 9
  • When an adventuring party saves Anahrod from capture by a warlord, the misfits intend to spirit her away to the cloud cities, where they need her help to steal from a dragon’s hoard.
• The Fireborne Blade, Charlotte Bond, May 28
  • To redeem her honor, Maddileh must retrieve the fabled Fireborne Blade from its keeper, a legendary dragon, or die trying.
• The West Passage, Jared Pechacek, Jul. 16
  • A tale of a palace the size of a city, ruled by giant Ladies of unknowable, eldritch origin, and a land left to slow decay, drowning in the debris of generations.
• The Spice Gate, Prashanth Srivatsa, Jun. 25
  • Amir is a Spice Carrier that dreams of escaping his fate of being a mule for the rich. But while Amir makes his plans for freedom, fate has designs of its own for Amir.
• Asunder, Kerstin Hall, Aug. 20
  • Karys is locked into a compact with an eldritch entity. Ferain is willing to pay a ludicrous sum for her help. Together, they journey to the heart of a faded empire, haunted by arcane horrors and the ghosts of their pasts.
• The Failures, Benjamin Liar, Sep. 1
  • The vast machine-like expanse of the Wanderlands is teetering on the brink of eternal darkness. A diverse group of heroes, driven by prophetic dreams, embark on a perilous journey to mend their crumbling world—or witness its irrevocable end.
• The Gods Below, Andrea Stewart, Sep. 5
  • In a world where gemstones bestow magical abilities, a young woman will do anything to find her sister, even lead a rebellion against the gods themselves.
• The Scarlet Throne, Amy Leow, Sep. 10
  • Binsa was chosen by the gods to rule. But her reign hides a deadly secret. Rather than channeling the wisdom of a god, she harbors a demon.

Low Fantasy

• The Tainted Cup, Robert Jackson Bennett, Feb. 6
  • An Imperial officer lies dead—killed when a tree erupted from his body. Called in to investigate is Ana Dolabra, whose brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.
• The Siege of Burning Grass, Premee Mohamed, Mar. 12
  • A stunning meditation on war, nationalism, violence and courage.
• Play of Shadows, Sebastien de Castell, Apr. 2
  • Damelas must find the courage to dig up long-buried truths before a ruthless band of bravos come for his head.
• The Dead Cat Tail Assassins, P. Djeli Clark, Apr. 23
  • Eveen the Eviscerator is skilled, discreet, and professional. But her newest mission brings her face-to-face with a past she isn’t supposed to remember and a vow she can’t forget.
• The Silverblood Promise, James Logan, May 7
  • Lukan is a cardsharp, academy dropout, and disgraced heir. When he discovers his estranged father has been murdered, he vows to unravel the mystery behind his death.
• Snowblooded, Emma Sterner Radley, May 9
  • Valour and Petrichor are members of an assassin’s guild. When they’re given their biggest job yet—to kill the leader of the city's illegal magic trade—it’s a recipe for disaster.
• Mistress of Lies, KM Enright, Jun. 20
  • The daughter of a disgraced Blood Worker, Shan has spent her life perfecting her magic. Assassinating her father and taking her place at the head of the family is only the start of her revenge.
• Navola, Paolo Bacigalupi, Jul. 9
  • Davico is expected to take the reins of power from his father. But in Navola, strange undercurrents lurk behind the gilt and grandeur, and as tensions rise, Davico will be tested to his limits.
• The Price of Redemption, Shawn Carpenter, Jul. 9
  • In the wake of revolution, Enid d’Tancreville must flee her homeland and is thrust into a strange maritime world.
• Blackheart Man, Nalo Hopkinson, Aug. 20
  • Fifteen galleons arrive in the harbor to force a trade agreement on Cynchin. Veycosi, a folklorist, is put in charge of the situation, but quickly finds himself in way over his head.

Historical Fantasy

• The Road from Belhaven, Margot Livesey, Feb. 6
  • Lizzie discovers as a child that she can see into the future. But she begins to realize that though she may glimpse the future, she can seldom change it.
• The Warm Hands of Ghosts, Katherine Arden, Feb. 14
  • During the Great War, a combat nurse searches for her brother, believed dead in the trenches despite eerie signs that suggest otherwise.
• The Emperor and the Endless Palace, Justinian Huang, Mar. 26
  • Two men are reborn, lifetime after lifetime, from the treacherous walls of an ancient palace and the boundless forests of the Asian wilderness to the heart-pounding cement floors of underground rave scenes.
• The Familiar, Leigh Bardugo, Apr. 9
  • Luzia uses scraps of magic to get through days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her mistress discovers her talent, Luzia garners the notice of the disgraced secretary to Spain's king.
• Daughter of Calamity, Rosalie M. Lin, Jun. 18
  • When a series of dancers are attacked, Jingwen fears she could be next. And as the faces of the dancers start appearing on wealthy foreign socialites, she realizes Shanghai's glittering mirage of luxury comes at a terrible price.
• Daughter of the Merciful Deep, Leslye Penelope, Jun. 4
  • To save her community, Jane must journey into a sunken world of capricious gods. But to gain the miracle she desires, Jane will have to face the trauma of the past.
• Masquerade, OO Sangoyomi, Jul. 2
  • Òdòdó must defy the cruel king she has been forced to wed by re-forging the loyalties of the court in her favor, or risk losing everything.
• The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands, Sarah Brooks, Jul. 9
  • The Wastelands: a terrain of terrible miracles that lies between Beijing and Moscow, touched only by the Trans-Siberian Express. But there are whispers that the train isn't safe...
• The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois, Ryan Graudin, Aug. 27
  • In 1900s Paris, Céleste is a con artist who will make a deal with the devil in exchange for her life...and change the fate of the world.
• A Dark and Subtle Light, Mark Hodder, Oct. 8
  • Touched by a malevolent alien intelligence, Earth stands at a crossroads. When a rival species sends a warning to Earth, Machiavelli is transformed into a protector of mankind.

Fairytales & Folklore

• The Fox Wife, Yangsze Choo, Feb. 13
  • Manchuria, 1908. A woman is found frozen in the snow, her death clouded by rumors of foxes involved...
• The Butcher of the Forest, Premee Mohamed, Feb. 27
  • At the edge of a land ruled by a tyrant lies the forest. The villagers know better than to let their children go near—once someone goes in, they never come out.
• Fathomfolk, Eliza Chan, Feb. 27
  • Welcome to Tiankawi: a flooded city where humans peer down from skyscrapers on the fathomfolk—sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas—in the polluted waters below.
• Song of the Huntress, Lucy Holland, Mar. 21
  • Britain, 60AD. Hoping to save her lover, land, and people from the Romans, Herla makes a pact with the king of the Otherworld. But years pass unheeded in his realm, and she escapes to find everyone she loved long dead.
• A Sweet Sting of Salt, Rose Sutherland, Apr. 9
  • When a young woman uncovers a dark secret about her neighbor and his mysterious new wife, she’ll have to fight to keep herself—and the woman she loves—safe.
• When Among Crows, Veronica Roth, May 14
  • Dymitr comes to Ala with a bargain: her help in finding the legendary witch Baba Jaga in exchange for an enchanted flower that just might cure her.
• Dreadful, Caitlin Rozakis, Jun. 4
  • It’s bad enough waking up in a half-destroyed evil wizard’s workshop with no idea how long you have before the Dread Lord Whomever shows up to murder you. It’s worse when you realize that Dread Lord Whomever is… you.
• Foul Days, Genoveva Dimova, Jun. 25
  • As a witch, Kosara has plenty of practice with rusalkas, kikimoras, and lycanthropes. There’s only one monster she can’t defeat: her ex. She’s defied him one too many times, and now he’s hunting her.
• A Sorceress Comes to Call, T. Kingfisher, Aug. 20
  • More than simple eccentricity sets Cordelia's mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be motionless for days on end. Other mothers aren’t sorcerers.
• The Thirteenth Child, Erin A. Craig, Sep. 24
  • Hazel Trépas' godfather blesses her with a gift. But all gifts come with a price…

Myths & Retellings

• Medea, Eilish Quin, Feb. 13
  • Among the women of Greek mythology, Medea may be the most despised. But what if that isn’t the full story?
• Off with their Heads, Zoe Hana Mikuta, Apr. 23
  • A Korean-inspired Alice in Wonderland retelling about two wicked girls bonded by blood and betrayal...
• Not for the Faint of Heart, Lex Croucher, May 9
  • Mariel, captain of the Merry Men, is desperate to live up to the legacy of Robin Hood. Clem, a backwoods assistant healer, just wants to help people.
• The Night Ends with Fire, KX Song, Jul. 2
  • The Three Kingdoms are at war, but Meilin’s father refuses to answer the imperial draft. But when Meilin discovers her husband-to-be is a violent man, she disguises herself as a boy and enlists in her father’s place.
• These Deathless Shores, PH Low, Jul. 9
  • On an Island where boys fly and fight pirates, but girls can only be mothers, Jordan's shaved head and swagger are the only things keeping her adopted crew of Lost Boys from forcing her into a role she despises.
• Daughters of Olympus, Hannah Lynn, Jul. 9
  • Forced into a role she never wanted, Persephone learns that power suits her. In the land of the living, though, Demeter is willing to destroy the humans she once held dear to protect her family.
• The Bright Sword, Lev Grossman, Jul. 16
  • A young knight arrives at Camelot to compete for a spot on the Round Table, only to find that the king is dead.
• Hera, Jennifer Saint, Jul. 23
  • Hera helped her brother overthrow their father so that they could rule the world. Will she lose herself, or can she find a way to forge a better world?
• Lady MacBeth, Ava Reid, Aug. 6
  • The Lady knows her husband's hostile court will be a game of strategy, requiring all of her wiles and witchcraft to survive.
• Goddess of the River, Vaishnavi Patel, May 23
  • Ganga, goddess of the river, serves as caretaker to the godlings who roam her banks. But when their antics incur the wrath of a sage, Ganga is cursed to become mortal.

Contemporary

• The Canopy Keepers, Veronica Henry, Mar. 1
  • What happens when nature will no longer stand by and accept its destruction?
• Three Kinds of Lucky, Kim Harrison, Mar. 5
  • After an unthinkable accident, Petra is forced to go on the run to seek out the one person who might be able to help her.
• Bless Your Heart, Lindy Ryan, Apr. 9
  • When town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that vampires are back.
• Catchpenny, Charlie Huston, Apr. 9
  • A thief who can travel through mirrors, a video game that threatens to spill out of the virtual world, a doomsday cult on a collision course with destiny, and a missing teenager at the center of it all.
• Immortal Pleasures, V. Castro, Apr. 16
  • Hundreds of years ago, she was known as La Malinche: a Nahua woman who translated for Cortés. In the ashes of the empire, she was reborn as Malinalli, an immortal vampire.
• In the Hour of Crows, Dana Elmendorf, Jun. 4
  • In a town in Appalachia, people paint their doorways blue to keep spirits away. Black ferns grow where death will follow. And Weatherly is a Death Talker.
• The Afterlife of Mal Caldera, Nadi Reed Perez, Jun. 11
  • Mal Caldera—former rockstar, retired wild-child and excommunicated black sheep of her Catholic family—is dead. Not that she cares.
• The Lost Story, Meg Shaffer, Jul. 16
  • As boys, Jeremy and Rafe vanished, only to reappear six months later. While the rest of the world was searching for them, they were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger.
• Afterlife, Olivia Blacke, Sep. 1
  • A humorous supernatural mystery about a ghost who teams up with her living roommate to solve a series of apparently unconnected murders.
• River Mumma, Zalika Reid-Benta, Aug. 22
  • Alicia has no career prospects and lives with her mom. Then a Jamaican water deity appears to Alicia, telling her that she has 24 hours to find her missing comb.

YA

• Into the Sunken City, Dinesh Thiru, Jan. 23
  • When a drifter offers Jin the score of a lifetime—a massive stash of gold hidden in the sunken ruins of Las Vegas—a high-stakes heist ensues that’s beyond even Jin’s wildest fears.
• Infinity Alchemist, Kacen Callender, Feb. 6
  • Only an elite few are permitted to study magic―so when Ash is rejected by the Mage’s College, he takes a job as the school’s groundskeeper instead to learn alchemy in secret.
• A Tempest of Tea, Hafsah Faizal, Feb. 20
  • When Arthie's illegal bloodhouse is threatened, she's forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.
• Otherworldly, FT Lukens, Apr. 2
  • A skeptic and a supernatural being make a crossroads deal to achieve their own ends only to get more than they bargained for.
• Blood at the Root, LaDarrion Williams, May 7
  • A teen on the run from his past finds the family he never knew existed and the community he never knew he needed at an HBCU for the young, Black, and magical.
• Moonstorm, Yoon Ha Lee, Jun. 4
  • In a society where conformity is valued above all else, a girl training to become an Imperial pilot is forced to return to her rebel roots to save her world.
• The Lost Souls of Benzaiten, Kelly Murashige, Jul. 24
  • "I wish to become one of those round vacuum cleaner robots," Machi writes while praying at the altar of Japanese goddess Benzaiten.
• At the End of the River Styx, Michelle Kulwicki, Jul. 30
  • Before he can be reborn, Zan has spent 499 years bound in a 500-year curse to process souls for the monstrous Ferryman―and if he fails he dies.
• The Girl with No Reflection, Keshe Chow, Aug. 6
  • A young woman chosen as the prince’s bride must travel to the palace to meet her new husband—but her world is shaken when she discovers the dark truth the royal family has been hiding for centuries.
• Where Shadows Reign, Patrice Caldwell, Sep. 1
  • A vampire princess who teams up with a seer, who only has visions of death, to journey to the island of the dead.

Cyberpunk & Dystopia

• The Bezzle, Cory Doctorow, Jan. 1
  • A high stakes thriller where the lives of the hundreds of thousands of inmates in California’s prisons are traded like stock shares.
• Womb City, Tlotlo Tsamaase, Jan. 23
  • Nelah seems to have it all. But in a body her husband controls via microchip and the tailspin of a loveless marriage, her hopes and dreams come to a devastating halt.
• 2054, Elliot Ackerman & James Stavrides, Mar. 12
  • As the world’s great powers struggle to outmaneuver one another in a new Great Game of scientific discovery, the outcome becomes entangled with the fate of American democracy.
• Annie Bot, Sierra Greer, Mar. 19
  • Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend. But as Annie learns, she starts to wonder: what does Annie owe herself?
• Mal Goes to War, Edward Ashton, Apr. 9
  • When Mal, a free AI, finds himself trapped in the body of a cyborg mercenary, he becomes responsible for the safety of the modded girl she died protecting.
• Archangels of Funk, Andrea Hairston, May 7
  • As she confronts threats from the Darknet Lords and the nostalgia militia, Cinnamon must determine how best to honor her elders and her history, while building a future for herself and her charges.
• Lost Ark Dreaming, Suyi Davies Okungbowa, May 21
  • Off the coast of West Africa, the region’s survivors live in partially submerged, kilometers-high towers and face a reckoning from those who were left for dead in the Atlantic.
• Darkome, Hannu Rajaniemi, May 30
  • Before the bio-terror attack, Darkome was a place where DIY genetics enthusiasts could communicate in peace. After the attack, they were pushed deep underground. Unfortunately, that community is the very thing David needs.
• Service Model, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Jun. 4
  • When a robot gets a nasty idea downloaded into its programming, they murder their owner and discover they can also do something else they never did before: run away.
• Toward Eternity, Anton Hur, Jul. 9
  • Literary researcher Yonghun teaches an AI how to understand poetry and creates a living, thinking machine.
• This Great Hemisphere, Matteo Askaripour, Jul. 9
  • A woman sets off on a mission to find her brother, whom she had presumed dead but who is now the prime suspect in a high-profile political murder.

General Scifi

• The Tusks of Extinction, Ray Nayler, Jan. 16
  • Moscow has resurrected the mammoth, but someone must teach them how to be mammoths, or they are doomed to die out, again.
• Lunar Logic, Adeena Mignogna, Jan. 16
  • When Ai-dan and a cohort of moon-dwelling androids stumbles upon a mysterious box and a soft-bodied android, the harmony of their world is tossed into disarray.
• Exordia, Seth Dickinson, Jan. 23
  • While humanity reels from disaster, Anna must join a small team of civilians, soldiers, and scientists to investigate a mysterious broadcast and unknowable horror.
• Floating Hotel, Grace Curtis, Mar. 19
  • Welcome to the Grand Abeona: it moves from planet to planet, system to system, pampering guests across the milky way.
• The Mars House, Natasha Pulley, Mar. 19
  • When January becomes a refugee from Earth to terraformed Mars, a xenophobic politician proposes a five-year made-for-the-press marriage.
• The Last Murder at the End of the World, Stuart Turton, Mar. 28
  • Outside the island is a world destroyed by deadly fog. When a scientist is murdered, the islanders have 92 hours to solve the murder, or the fog will smother the island and everyone on it.
• Rakesfall, Vajra Chandrasekera, Jun. 18
  • As Annelid and Leveret reincarnate ever deeper into the future, they will chase the edge of human possibility.
• Glass Houses, Madeline Ashby, Aug. 13
  • A stranded start-up team led by a charismatic billionaire are marooned on an island with a mysterious AI-driven mansion, and begin to disappear one by one.
• Out of the Drowning Deep, AC Wise, Sep. 3
  • In a future where mortals mingle with gods in deep space, an out-of-date automaton, a recovering addict, and an angel try to solve the pope’s murder.
• Still the Sun, Charlie Holmberg, Sep. 3
  • An ancient machine holds the secrets of a distant world’s past for two intimate strangers.

Space Opera

• Redsight, Meredith Mooring, Feb. 27
  • As she takes her place on an Imperium ship, Korinna learns she is meant to become a weapon. But when the ship is attacked by a notorious pirate, her world is ripped apart.
• Cascade Failure, LM Sagas, Mar. 19
  • Branded a Guild deserter, Jal "accidentally" lands a ride on a Guild ship. The crew is a little different. They're also in over their heads.
• Alien Clay, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Mar. 28
  • The planet of Kiln is a prison colony. Soon after prisoner Arton's arrival he discovers that Kiln has a secret. Humanity is not the first to set foot there.
• The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain, Sofia Samatar, Apr. 16
  • A boy condemned to toil in the bowels of a mining ship is gifted an opportunity to be educated at the ship’s university alongside the elite.
• Lord of the Empty Isles, Jules Arbeaux, Jun. 6
  • Five years ago, Idrian ordered a death curse cast on Remy's brother. Now Remy finally has the materials he needs to return the favor, but when he casts it, it rebounds onto him.
• The Stardust Grail, Yume Kitasei, Jun. 11
  • Maya just wants a quiet life, but she’s haunted by persistent and disturbing visions of the future. Then an old friend comes to her with a job she can’t refuse...
• The Knife and the Serpent, Tim Pratt, Jun. 11
  • Tamsin returns to her hometown to settle her grandmother's estate to find her grandmother was not an earth native, but an exile from an adjacent reality.
• Navigational Entanglements, Aliette de Bodard, Jul. 30
  • Navigators guide ships across an unreality populated by dangerous creatures. When one escapes, the empire calls on the jockeying clans to take responsibility and deal with the problem.
• The Mercy of Gods, James SA Corey, Aug. 6
  • The Carryx have waged wars of conquest for centuries. Now, they face a great and deathless enemy. The key to their survival may rest with the humans of Anjiin.
• Polostan, Neal Stephenson, Sep. 10
  • Five thousand years from now, humanity's progeny embark on an audacious journey into the unknown.

Time/Dimension Hopping

• A Quantum Love Story, Mike Chen, Jan. 30
  • In a flash of energy, it’s Monday morning. Again.
• The Book of Doors, Gareth Brown, Feb. 15
  • Bookseller Cassie is living an unassuming life when she is given an unusual book, full of strange writing and mysterious drawings.
• How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Django Wexler, Apr. 25
  • A young woman, tired of defending humanity from the Dark Lord, decides to become the Dark Lord herself.
• The Ministry of Time, Kaliane Bradley, May 7
  • A time travel romance, a speculative spy thriller, a workplace comedy, and an exploration of the nature of truth and power and the potential for love to change it.
• In Our Stars, Jack Campbell, May 21
  • When Earth’s death hurls her forty years into the past, Genji is given a chance to try to change the future.
• The Building that Wasn't, Abigail Miles, Jul. 16
  • Everly is impossibly certain she’s already lived through these moments, already been introduced to these people, and already visited all of these rooms.
• Long Live Evil, Sarah Rees Brennan, Jul. 30
  • Rae's life takes a strange turn when she's trapped inside her favorite fantasy series and finds herself pitted against her crush.
• Time's Agent, Brenda Peynado, Aug. 13
  • Raquel is in disgrace, her wife lives in a pocket universe, what’s left of their daughter’s consciousness is in a robotic dog, and time is a commodity controlled by corporations.
• I Think We've Been Here Before, Suzy Krause, Aug. 24
  • Marlen and Hilda's family receives two pieces of news: one, Marlen has a terminal illness. Two, a cosmic blast will render humanity extinct within a matter of months.
• The Last Hour Between Worlds, Melissa Caruso, Nov. 19
  • A star investigator and her rival journey through layers of reality to save the world as they know it.

Romantic SFF

• Faebound, Saara El-Arifi, Jan. 18
  • The fae haven’t been seen for a millennium. But now two sisters are thrust into their seductive world―torn between their loyalty to each other, their homeland, and their hearts...
• Someone You Can Build A Nest In, John Wiswell, Apr. 2
  • Shesheshen has made a mistake fatal to all monsters: she's fallen in love.
• A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping, Sangu Mandanna, Apr. 2
  • Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and trying not to fall in love is a lot for anyone, but Sera is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone.
• A Letter to the Luminous Deep, Sylvie Cathrall, Apr. 25
  • A whimsical epistolary fantasy set in a mystical underwater world with mystery and heart-warming romance.
• Running Close to the Wind, Alexandra Rowland, Jun. 11
  • Avra has accidentally stolen the most expensive secret in the world―and the only place to flee is the open sea.
• The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love, India Holton, Jul. 1
  • Rival ornithologists hunt through England for a rare magical bird.
• The Spellshop, Sarah Beth Durst, Jul. 9
  • A cottagecore cosy fantasy following a woman's unexpected journey through the low-stakes market of illegal spell-selling and the high-risk business of starting over.
• The Phoenix Keeper, SA MacLean, Aug. 15
  • As head phoenix keeper at a zoo for magical creatures, Aila's childhood dream of conserving critically endangered firebirds seems closer than ever.
• Confounding Oaths, Alexis Hall, Aug. 27
  • A nobleman must work with a dashing soldier to save his sister from a mystical bargain gone wrong, diving into a world of malicious fey, enigmatic cults, and treacherous magic.
• Swordcrossed, Freya Marske, Oct. 1
  • All Luca wants to do is make some easy money. He didn’t plan on being blackmailed into giving sword lessons to an responsible—and inconveniently handsome—wool merchant.

Gothic

• The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years, Shubnum Khan, Jan. 9
  • A tale of a ruined mansion by the sea, the djinn that haunts it, and a curious girl who unearths the tragedy that happened there a hundred years before.
• The Briar Book of the Dead, AG Slatter, Feb. 13
  • A dark and addictive tale of witches, ancient mysteries and sins that refuse to be buried...
• Projections, SE Porter, Feb. 13
  • A young woman seeks vengeance on the obsessed sorcerer who murdered her because he could not have her.
• An Education in Malice, ST Gibson, Feb. 15
  • A dark academia tale of blood, secrets and insatiable hungers...
• Island Witch, Amanda Jayatissa, Feb. 20
  • In 19th century Sri Lanka, the daughter of a traditional demon-priest tries to solve the mysterious attacks that have been terrorizing her coastal village.
• Evocation, ST Gibson, May 28
  • As a teen, David was a psychic prodigy. But with power comes a price, and the Devil has come to collect.
• The Pecan Children, Quinn Connor, Jun. 4
  • Two sisters, deeply tied to their Southern town, fight to break free of the darkness swallowing the land whole.
• The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish, Paula Brackston, Jul. 23
  • Hecate heads for her new life as Assistant Librarian. But this is no ordinary collection of books.
• In the Lonely Hours, Shannon Morgan, Jul. 23
  • The new inhabitants of a centuries-old castle must confront its tragic and terrifying history.
• A Dark and Drowning Tide, Allison Saft, Sep. 17
  • A sharp-tongued folklorist must pair up with her academic rival to solve their mentor's murder.

Horror

• Your Shadow Half Remains, Sunny Moraine, Feb. 6
  • Riley has not seen a human face in longer than she can reckon. No faces, no eyes. Not if you want to survive.
• The Woods All Black, Lee Mandelo, Mar. 19
  • Equal parts historical horror, trans romance, and blood-soaked revenge, set in 1920s Appalachia.
• Ghost Station, SA Barnes, Apr. 9
  • A crew must try to survive on an ancient, abandoned planet.
• Indian Burial Ground, Nick Medina, Apr. 16
  • A man lunges in front of a car. An elderly woman drowns herself. A corpse sits up in its coffin and speaks. On this reservation, not all is what it seems.
• Cuckoo, Gretchen Felker Martin, Jun. 11
  • A motley crew of kidnapped kids try to stay true to themselves while serving time in a conversion camp from hell.
• How To Make a Horror Movie and Survive, Craig DiLouie, Jun. 18
  • A famous 80s slasher director sets out to shoot the most terrifying horror movie ever made using a camera that might be demonic.
• Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, Grady Hendrix, Jul. 4
  • Set in a 1970 home for unwed mothers in Florida, five teens wait out the last three months of their pregnancy in seclusion.
• Bury Your Gays, Chuck Tingle, Jul. 9
  • Misha is a jaded scriptwriter. But when he's pressured by his producers to kill off a gay character, he discovers that it's not that simple.
• The Crypt of the Moon Spider, Nathan Ballingrud, Aug. 27
  • Dr. Cull’s invasive treatments have been lauded by many. All it takes is a little spider silk in the amygdala.
• The Night Guest, Hildr Knutsdottir, Sep. 3
  • Iðunn falls asleep with her smartwatch on, and wakes to find she’s walked over 40,000 steps in her sleep.
• The Bog Wife, Kay Chronister, Oct. 1
  • A claustrophobic rural horror novel about an isolated family who worship the bog that surrounds them.

Literary & Mainstream

• Wild and Distant Seas, Tara Karr Roberts, Jan. 2
  • A sailor appears on Evangeline’s doorstep asking her to call him Ishmael, and her careful illusions begins to fracture.
• The Magic All Around, Jennifer Moorman, Jan. 16
  • An enchanting and whimsical tale of mothers and daughters, home, and love.
• The Book of Love, Kelly Link, Feb. 13
  • Laura, Daniel, and Mo reappear almost a year after disappearing, having long been presumed dead. Which, in fact, they are.
• The Other Valley, Scott Alexander Howard, Feb. 27
  • A literary speculative novel about an isolated town neighbored by its own past and future.
• The Moorings of Mackerel Sky, MZ Emily Zack, Feb. 27
  • In a Maine lobstering town, local myths come to life.
• Parasol Against the Axe, Helen Oyeyemi, Mar. 5
  • Competitive friendship, the elastic boundaries of storytelling, and the meddling influence of Prague.
• The Morningside, Tea Obreht, Mar. 19
  • Mothers and daughters, displacement and belonging, and myths both old and new.
• A Short Walk Through a Wide World, Douglas Westerbeke, Apr. 9
  • A girl journeys the globe trying to outrun a curse that will destroy her if she stops moving.
• Private Rites, Julia Armfield, Jun. 6
  • Three sisters navigate queer love and faith at the end of the world.
• Strange Folk, Alli Dyer, Aug. 6
  • A woman returns to her estranged, magical family in Appalachia but when a man is found dead in the woods nearby, it seems the family has conjured something sinister.

Collections

• A View from the Stars, Cixin Liu, Jan. 1
  • A range of short works from the past three decades of New York Times bestselling author Cixin Liu's career.
• Convergence Problems, Wole Talabi, Feb. 13
  • 16 short stories and one previously unseen novella, all set in, or relate to, Africa.
• Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart, GennaRose Nethercott, Feb. 26
  • A collection of dark fairytales and fractured folklore exploring all the ways love can save us—or go monstrously wrong.
• The Inhumans and Other Stories: A Selection of Bengali Science Fiction, Various, Mar. 12
  • The first English translation of a cult science fiction favorite by Hemendra Kumar Roy, one of the giants of early Bangla literature, and other sf stories from the colonial period in India.
• You Like it Darker, Stephen King, Mar. 21
  • 12 stories that delve into the darker part of life.
• Lake of Souls: The Collected Short Fiction, Ann Leckie, Apr. 2
  • The complete collection of Leckie's short fiction, including a brand new novelette.
• Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil, Ananda Lima, Jun. 18
  • At a Halloween party in 1999, a writer slept with the devil. She sees him again and again throughout her life and writes stories for him about things that are both impossible and true.
• Mystery Lights, Lena Valencia, Aug. 6
  • Set in deserts of the American Southwest, a debut collection about women and girls at the crossroads of mundane life and existential dread.
• The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror, Various, Sep. 3
  • Shadowed, liminal spaces where the curses and monsters lurk, refusing to be forgotten.
• Buried Deep and Other Stories, Naomi Novik, Sep. 17
  • 13 stories, including a sneak peak at the setting of her next novel.

TL;DR - Recovery and grace gave back everything drinking/using took from me and even more.
I was awakened by the sound of someone screaming.
I couldn’t make out the words, but I didn’t need to. The sound was unnerving enough without knowing what was being said. As I opened my eyes and adjusted to my surroundings, I was reminded once again where I was: jail. Suddenly, the sights, sounds, and yes, smells, came flooding back into my head. With them came the cold reality of where I was, who I had become, and where my life had ended up.
If being regularly jolted awake by the tormented screams of inmates in neighboring cells wasn’t bad enough, there was the fact that I was sharing a cell designed for a single inmate with three other people. We were crowded four deep in a tiny cell, and there was no escaping the smell. To call it unpleasant would be putting it lightly. It was overpowering.
As my eyes adjusted to the light, I looked at the bottom of the bunk above me. On it was a hurricane of words… angry, unstable words, scratched into the metal bed frame by those who had been there before me. The words sounded a lot like the things that many of the people around me uttered every day. This was an insane place, and for the time being, it was home.
In that moment, my mind jumped back once again to the decisions that had brought me here, and the people who had been hurt because of my choices. I said to myself, “You had so many loving people in your life, but this time you’ve lost them. You had every good thing that anyone could ask for, and you threw it all away because of your actions.” I thought about the person I had become and the downward spiral I had traveled for so long. I thought to myself, “How did I get here?”
I got started down the road to substance use in middle school for a few reasons. I was a scared, awkward kid who desperately wanted to be liked, but didn’t quite fit the mold that everyone else was in. I was definitely different, and not always in a way that was seen as good. I wasn’t even remotely comfortable in my own skin. So I thought I’d win my peers’ approval and acceptance by drinking. In addition to that, I was curious to see what it was like. Finally, there were some people I looked up to who had substance use issues of their own, and they seemed completely happy and successful. So, while I had been told about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, what I had seen conveyed a very different message.
The first time I drank, one of the worst things that could have possibly happened did happen: nothing. I don’t mean that the alcohol didn’t affect me. I mean that there weren’t any immediate consequences, at least that I could notice. After having been told what drugs and alcohol would do to me, I was anticipating some kind of instant lightning bolt of consequence. When nothing seemed to go wrong, I thought, “There’s no price to pay for this. I just did it and I’m fine. The world didn’t end. They lied to me about this.” I’ve since learned something very important about consequences. There is a consequence for every negative or unhealthy decision we make, but they don’t always happen immediately and we don’t always notice them right away. Sometimes they don’t become apparent until much later, and sometimes they chase you down the road years later.
I noticed that when I drank, everything seemed to get better. My pain seemed to go away. I was dealing with bullying and feeling very out of place in junior high, and when I drank, I quit feeling the sadness from that. It seemed to allow me to finally be comfortable in my own skin. I didn’t realize that the feeling was a lie. When I got into high school, alcohol was a lot easier to get, and I started using it as a way to deal with my problems. My alcohol use became much more frequent and I started drinking larger quantities. I didn’t realize how much worse I was making things for myself. None of it seemed like a big deal at the time. Alcohol then gave way to marijuana, nitrous oxide (Whip-Its), and some initial experimentation with prescription drugs.
By the time I was a freshman in college, I was using marijuana daily and drinking frequently. Later in college I got caught in the web of opiate painkillers after a friend with a prescription gave me some oxycodone. After I started on painkillers, the floodgates opened. The feeling from opiates was a step beyond alcohol in my quest to escape my pain, disintegrating relationship, and my growing dislike for myself. Somehow I miraculously made it through college with a decent GPA and managed to get my degree. I’m still not completely sure how I managed that.
Shortly after college, I got into ecstasy and cocaine. I developed a huge cocaine habit that eventually led me to getting into meth, once the cocaine ceased being effective. Right around the same time, my painkiller addiction led to heroin after it became impossible to get legitimate prescriptions and expensive to buy illicit opiate pharmaceuticals. Alcohol was there all along, in ridiculously excessive quantities. Eventually, I became willing to use just about any substance that happened to cross my path. When someone asked what my drug of choice was, I laughingly quoted the Alice in Chains song “Junkhead.” “What’s my drug of choice? Well, what have you got?”
My life was a mess. I lost jobs due to absenteeism, quit other jobs due to an inability to focus, and eventually stopped trying to get jobs. I drained a $10,000 bank account on my addiction. I had nothing to show for it but increasing health problems. There was alcohol poisoning. There were overdoses. There was one particular overdose involving a combination of cocaine, meth, alcohol, and fentanyl (a powerful synthetic opioid) that was absolutely hellish and insane. To this day, it surprises me that I made it through that one. My behavior was erratic and I became angry and unpredictable. At one point, coke and meth made me a 130lb skeleton. At a later point, alcohol made me a 215lb slug.
This went on for years. I lost my 20’s and the better part of my 30’s. I wanted to stop but was so caught up in it all. I was making all kinds of bad decisions. I’m responsible for my own choices, but addiction and the damaged thinking that comes with it makes it a whole lot easier to make bad choices. Eventually I was no longer using to feel good, but to not feel horrible. I was drinking and using purely out of addiction and the need to avoid withdrawal. Guilt and shame kept me running back to drugs and alcohol, which led to behavior that caused me guilt and shame. It was an endless cycle.
I ended up jobless for a long time, and thousands of dollars in debt. My thinking and brain chemistry were so overwhelmed by the substances to which I was a slave. I came to a point where I hated myself and said, “I’m never coming back from this. I’ve done too much damage. I’m going to ride this train until it crashes.” The last night I drank and used, I went on a rampage. I hurt people who didn’t deserve it, smashed up my own house, and eventually attempted to end my own life. I was arrested and charged with multiple felonies. If I had been convicted of everything I was charged with, I was looking at the possibility of a doing few years in the Arizona Department of Corrections.
That’s what led to me serving time in Durango Jail, part of Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s notorious Maricopa County Jail system. While in jail, I went through hellish withdrawals. The extent of the jail’s acknowledgement of my withdrawal consisted of giving me a bottom bunk, so I would be less likely to get a concussion if my withdrawals led to a seizure that ended up with me falling out of bed. I suffered horrible insomnia and only managed to occasionally sleep for about 15 minutes at a time. It was less like sleeping and more like passing out. I genuinely felt like I was going insane. I went through a combination of the worst physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual pain I’ve ever felt. I genuinely believed that I had lost everyone and everything I loved and cared about. I found myself at a nearly unbearable low point.
I became willing to do anything to repair the damage I had done, but wasn’t sure that such repair would even be possible. While in the midst of this, I somehow found a tiny bit of sanity, which allowed me to make myself a promise to make my faith, my family, and my sobriety my priorities. A fellow inmate named Troy gave me a Bible, which I started reading. It was a welcome escape and was the only thing that gave me any kind of hope in those moments. I latched on to that Higher Power and never let go.
I eventually bailed out while my case was pending, and I moved into a place called the Phoenix Dream Center. It’s a live-in facility where people who have had substance use issues, people who have been in jail and prison, people who have been homeless, former gang members, and survivors of human trafficking can move in and get their lives back together. A lot of good growth and healing started for me there, but it wasn’t easy.
In a lot of ways, the Dream Center is harder than jail. Our days started at 4 a.m. and ended at 11 p.m. Every moment was scheduled for us and included intense morning workouts (run by a former pro rugby star), classes, janitorial work, maintenance work, labor, homeless outreach, church, etc. We were run ragged, but the discipline, structure, and purpose were what I (and the others there) needed as part of a successful recovery.
While in the Dream Center, I poured myself back into my faith, which remains a key component of my recovery today. I started communicating again, instead of trying to run from my problems. I made exercise and nutrition a big part of my life. I started creating art and writing again. I started to laugh again. I gained back my self-respect and others’ trust. As a result of the changes that began there, I was able to restore my marriage; something I hoped would happen but didn’t know was possible.
In court, the prosecutor was seeking 90 days of jail time for me, and the Probation Presentence Writer wanted me to do six months. I didn’t want either to happen, as they could delay the good work that had begun in my marriage, and in my growth as a person. I accepted a plea deal. Based on what I said and others said at my sentencing, the judge said that he didn’t see any benefit to me serving additional time. To this day, I am grateful he listened to me and to the others who spoke. I was sentenced to two years supervised probation. I was assigned 46 weeks of one type of counseling and 15 weeks of another. I was given a permanent (“designated”) felony and lost my rights as an American citizen. I paid thousands of dollars in court fines and fees. I was given a 10 p.m. curfew. I was randomly drug tested.
Under really interesting circumstances, I ran into a guy who overheard part of my story and told me I should apply to be a substance use Peer Educator at a local prevention nonprofit called notMYkid. I did. In January of 2013, I started there as a part-time youth Peer Educator and worked as hard as I could. I spoke in schools across Arizona, sharing the experience and knowledge I learned during my journey with students in 6th through 12th grade. I decided to be as open and honest as I could about my past in order to help prevent others from taking the same path. I did everything I was asked to do and took on additional duties. I was relentless and determined in my efforts. Within the first three months, they made me full time. Four months later, I was given a staff position, and became the organization’s first Communications Coordinator.
I was then promoted to Manager of Parent and Faculty Education for the organization and eventually became a Prevention Specialist. I researched several behavioral health topics and created presentations for parents, school faculty members, after school program mentors, and camp counselors. I have also recruited, hired, trained, and managed several Parent and Faculty Educators, who are primarily behavioral health professionals and current or former law enforcement officers. I’ve done numerous student/youth presentations on substance use, bullying, and a combination topic of depression, self-injury, and suicide. I also did several parent and faculty presentations on substance use, bullying, depression/self-injury/suicide, prescription drug misuse, and Internet safety. I also did TV, radio, web, and print interviews as the organization’s representative. I’ve done approximately 100 interviews in the last few years, including live TV appearances in New York, Boston, Dallas, Denver, and Kansas City. Those interviews have included the “Today” show, “Good Day New York,” “Kansas City Live,” NECN Boston, and WFAA Dallas.
I traveled around Arizona doing speaking engagements, sharing my personal story intertwined with teachable keys to behavioral health. I’ve had the opportunity to share my story with students and government officials in Boston, students and parents in California, and parents in Kansas City. I’ve spoken to groups as small as five people and as large as 1,000. I’ve done as many as seven one-hour presentations back-to-back. I’ve had the chance to address the Pinal County Drug Court, sharing my story and thoughts on the way government and the courts view addiction. I’ve presented at Grand Canyon University, Arizona State University, Paradise Valley Community College, and a number of corporations, Including American Express, Cox, Intel, and Insight. As of June 2022, I’ve done over 600 presentations to an audience of over 100,000 people at more than 200 different venues. Approximately half of my presentations have been given to youth, and the other half to adults.
I also had the opportunity to do interviews for a historic documentary called “Hooked: Tracking Heroin’s Hold on Arizona,” which was simulcast on every TV station (and most radio stations) in Arizona on January 13th, 2015. Additionally, I was appointed to the Recovery and Response Subcommittee responsible for developing, staffing, and overseeing the crisis line phone bank taking calls during and after the airing of the documentary. I also served on the Recovery and Response Subcommittee tasked with overseeing the crisis line response for the sequel documentary called “Hooked Rx,” which aired in early 2017.
In October of 2015, I had the chance to become an ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) trainer. As a registered trainer, I have since had the honor of facilitating two-day suicide intervention workshops, and teaching genuinely lifesaving intervention skills to people around the state of Arizona. It has allowed me to combine my personal experience with the topic, and my passion for helping others, with the well-designed material that has become the industry standard (crisis lines, military, fire departments, police departments) for suicide intervention. I have since used my experience and training to help multiple different people who were struggling with thoughts of suicide. The opportunity has been nothing short of a blessing.
In 2016, I was made co-facilitator on an early intervention program for preteens and teens dealing with mild to moderate substance use issues. About a year into my time with the program, I was made lead facilitator. I then went on to manage the program and facilitate multiple monthly groups in Scottsdale and Tempe. It’s an incredibly positive, non-shaming, non-punitive, educational and inspirational program that has helped hundreds of local families not only get their teens back on a healthy path, but learn to communicate with one another in an intentional, proactive, and respectful way. I got to see families, who sometimes aren’t even speaking to one another at the beginning of the first session, reconnect with one another and rise above the issues that have been challenging them.
In September of 2019, I had the opportunity to begin hosting and producing a weekly podcast called “Win This Year.” The show is focused on prevention, mental health, behavioral health, parenting, and other related topics, and the target audience is primarily parents, grandparents, guardians, and those who work with youth. My goal for the show was to be interesting, informative, and inspiring. Look for the show on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Alexa/TuneIn, Stitcher, IHeartRadio, and most mainstream podcast outlets.
Most importantly, recovery has allowed me the opportunity to become the type of husband, son, and friend I should have been all along and has given me the chance to be a very good dad to an amazing daughter who was born shortly after my one-year sober date. I give thanks every day for the fact that I got clean and sober before having a child. I owe it to her and my wife to have my act together. Every moment with my daughter is a gift that I never thought I would get. If you had told me when I was in jail that my life would be like this right now, I wouldn’t have believed you though I would have desperately wanted to.
I’m thankful for every chance I get to help other people, to let individuals who are struggling know that they’re not alone, and to destroy the stigma and stereotypes surrounding addiction and recovery. I take every opportunity I get to help people understand that addiction is not a failure of morality, but a behavioral health issue.
If you are struggling, please speak up. Find a trusted, caring, non-judgmental, willing, and ready person and let them know what’s going on. Things can get better, but not until you make the choice to change and move forward. Get connected with local professional resources that can assist you in your recovery. If the situation calls for it, detox correctly and go through residential treatment. If not, consider an intensive outpatient program, or at least 12-step meetings.
Find what works for you, and do it. Surround yourself with positive and caring people who are mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy. Create a support network. Fill your phone with the phone numbers of those on whom you can call when you’re struggling– even if it’s two in the morning. Practice intentional and consistent self-care that includes healthy coping skills and positive outlets. It’s not enough to just NOT use drugs and alcohol, but it’s important to figure out what to replace them with. For me, that includes things like music, writing, art, exercise, hiking, serving others, laughter, meeting new people, and experiencing new things. Find your recipe for success and then make a point to put those pieces in place every single day.
November 29th, 2023 marked 12 years of personal recovery for me. I’m grateful to even be alive and amazed at the wonderful opportunities I’ve been given. Every morning when I wake up, I give thanks for the tremendous amount of grace I’ve been shown. I’m astounded at how much my life has managed to change for the better in that short amount of time.
In June of 2022, I resigned from notMYkid. I will forever be grateful for the opportunities the organization gave me, the wonderful people I had the chance to work with, the memories I made along the way, and the fact I got to see so many lives saved and changed for the better. However, I know my work in the field is not done.
I am currently in the process of putting the pieces in place to form my own LLC with a focus on mental and behavioral health education for adults, peer support for those in recovery or wanting to be in recovery, and family support for those looking to help addicted loved ones. This will include presentations, a whole new website, a blog, videos, articles, inspirational and educational content, and perhaps even a book. Meanwhile, I am still speaking publicly when I’m able to, sharing my story of addiction and recovery to help others. I am also doing peer support for those in recovery, as well as family support for families with addicted loved ones or with loved ones newly in recovery.
A big part of the reason I left nMk was to spend as much time as I had remaining with my parents. Not long after I resigned, my dad was diagnosed with stage four cancer. I made him and my mom a priority and a focal point in my life, helping with his care. That included driving him to and from the hospital, doctor’s appointments, the store, etc. When cancer limited what he was able to do physically, I became his hands and feet to help him complete projects he wanted done, yard work, repairs, renovations, etc. I wanted to return as much autonomy, free will, and control, to someone whose life undoubtedly felt very out of control.
My dad passed away on May 19th, 2023. I am grateful I was able to be present, available, and reliable for him in his final days. One of the many gifts of recovery is that my dad got to see me not only get sober, but become a loving, involved father myself, create a body of work, launch a career, find joy and peace, and thrive as a human being. Recovery allowed me to practice acceptance of my dad’s situation, make the most of the time we had together, and not waste one moment in denial or regret. For that, I will always be grateful.
Thank you for taking the time to allow me to share my story with you. I hope it benefits you in some way.
-Shane

So Oda pulled it again, he gave title of Yonko to one particular person that didn't DESERVE it. Yeah, it is Bugger The Clown. It was fine when Buffon become Shichibukai because it was unpredictable move and fresh. But now it became annoying. I can understand brainless Impel Down inmates being morons. But newspapers? Seriously Morgan must fire that idiot that thought that Buffy The Most Pathetic Joker is behind the Cross Guild.
But I could see Chadcodile or Wihawk saving situation by making Red Nosed Loser puppet king with them being puppet masters. But in 1082 absurdity reached whole new level. By pulling this speech Joaquin Phoenix wannabe sign himself a death sentence. When I read it I thought either Blueggy will be sucked dry by Croc, or slashed by Mihawk. But what did they do? NOTHING!!! They just stared with angry and shocked faces? Seriously Luggy ruined their plans and they just stand there and do nothing? This is OOC for both Crocodile and Mihawk. Croc didn't magically turn good during Impel Down. Only thing that changed in him is that he developed certain amount of respect for Luffy. That's all. I believe he hated WG and Marines before Alabasta Arc. Hell he even save both Luffy and Ace to spite WG and Marines. He still want to have military influence. Even after Impel Down he wouldn't tolerate failure and defying his orders. If Mr 3 failed him in Cross Guild he would still kill him. So there is zero reason for him to leave Red Nosed Bug alive. While Mihawk only respect power (Shanks, which Buggy lacks), bravery and sticking to their dreams (Zoro and Luffy, ceratinly not Buggy).
And I dont't Believe that Buggy is inspiring and charismatic. People say that Blackbeard is Luffy's opposite. They aren't wrong,but Buggy also Luffy's opposite! Luffy is less talk more action. He doesn't need words to prove something. He prove his point by action. Buggy is all talk and no action. Hell even Buggy's own crew abandoned him. Mihawk and Croc could kill Buggy and update that damn poster. Buggy's only support would be inmates and even Croc hilmself without Mihaw's help could bring them to submission.
Some would say that killing Buggy would anger Shanks. I don't believe it. Shanks and Buggy parted their ways long time ago. Piracy is about adventure and FREEDOM. Fredom of creating your own adventure. Shanks isn't Buggy's nanny to save him from all sort of dangers. And it would be insulting to Buggy. Hell when Buggy was sent off to Impel Down what did Shanks do? Partied with his crew. So I don't think Shanks would sow vengeance to Mihawk and Crocodile. Ha has braincells(which Impel Down inmates lack). He would understand that Buggy brought this trouble himself.
Honestly it would be awesome if Buggy would out of this equation leaving both Crocodile and Mihawk as Yonkos. There could be one poster for two of them making both of them them leaders. Croc is brain, Mihawk is power.
Honestly, I am neither fan of Croc or Mihawk, but it is painful to watch them degrade from notorious pirates to Saggy's gag commanders.

My friend is getting married in the Netherlands in June and I need to get that ticket. Blowing out a few hundred records, everything here is clean and has been played by me over the years.
I try to grade conservatively and nitpick a git, though a note on that: "G++/VG-" are records that are clean and glossy and sound great but have enough marks or light scratches to prevent a full VG but noticeably better than a straight G+. I am happy to answer any questions regarding condition or specific pressing info.
Please send DMs and I'll respond in order as quickly as I can. Thanks!
​
Shipping:
• $6 combined shipping for up to 5 LPs
• People in Los Angeles area can come pick in-person and pick up in Mid-City
Discounts:
• Buy four $1 or $2 records and get the fifth record free
• Buy three $3-$5 records of the same price and get fourth of the *same price* free (eg: 4 x $3, 4 x $4, or 4 x $5)
• Choose a $1 record free with every transaction
Soul/R&B/Funk/Disco $1-$2
Celi Bee & the Buzzy Bunch – Alternating Currents –VG/VG+ -- $1
Calypso Vibrations – Universal Sounds – VG+/VG (autographed) -- $2
James Cleveland – Give Me a Clean Heart – VG/VG+ -- $1
James Cleveland – In the Ghetto – G+/VG+ -- $1
The Four Tops – Catfish – VG/VG+ -- $2
Aretha Franklin – Love All the Hurt Away – VG-/VG+ -- $2
Gladys Knight and the Pips – Early Hits – G+/VG+ -- $1
Glady Knight & the Pips – I Feel a Song – VG/VG+ -- $1
Buddy Miles – More Miles Per Gallon – VG-/VG+ -- $1
Esther Phillips – For All We Know – G++/VG -- $1
Lou Rawls – Carryin’ On! – VG+/VG+ -- $2
Smokey Robinson – Yes It’s You Lady -- $1
Diana Ross – Ross – VG+/VG+ -- $2
Diana Ross – Swept Away 12”single – VG+/VG+ -- $1
Various – From Slavery til Now (Gospel comp, very good but disc is rough) G/G+ -- $1
Albertina Walker w/ James Cleveland – Recorded Live in Chicago – VG+/VG+ -- $2
Barry White – I’ve Got So Much to Give – G++/VG+ (Disc plays perfectly) -- $2
Barry White – Barry & Glodean – VG+/VG+ -- $2
Michael Wynn – God Has Blessed Our Hands – VG+/VG+ -- $2
Soul/R&B/Funk/Disco $3-$5
Sam Cooke – The Picks of Sam Cooke – VG/VG+ (two scratches on side 2, otherwise nice) -- $3
Aretha Franklin – With Everything I Feel in Me – VG-VG+ish/VG+ -- $4
Ghoulfive – Plastic Sex Dance – VG+/VG+ -- $5
Hott City – Ain’t Love Grand b/w If All We’re Gonna Do Is Dance 12” – VG+/VG+ -- $3
Millie Jackson – Lovingly Your’s – VG+/VG+ -- $3
Eddie Kendricks – The Hit Man – VG+/VG+ (in shrink, small 2” split in bottom seam) -- $5
Gladys Knight and the Pips – Greatest Hits (1970) – VG+/VG+ -- $3
Patrick Moraz – Out in the Sun – VG+/VG+ (hole punch in jacket) -- $5
Most Request Rhythm Band – Got to Give It Up – VG/VG+ -- $3
People’s Choice – Boogie Down U.S.A. – VG+/VG+ -- $5
The Phoenix Singers – S/T – VG++/VG – White label promo -- $5
The Staple Singers – Pray On (this is serious Gospel music, its very good) – VG+/VG+ -- $4
The Staple Singers – The Staple Swingers (Stax Records) – strong VG/VG+ -- $4
The Staple Singers – Be Altitude: Respect Yourself (Stax) – strong VG/VG+ -- $5
Sun – Sunburn – G+/VG -- $3
Ike & Tina Turner – Outta Season – G+/VG (3” top seam split) -- $5
Soul/R&B/Funk/Disco $6-$10
Ramsey Lewis – Sun Goddess – VG (disc glossy but one scratch on side 1 and two scratches on side 2)/VG+ -- $7
Carl McKnight – The Devil’s Out Tonight (steel drum funk from LA) – VG+/VG+ -- $10
The O’Jays – Back Stabbers – VG+/VG+ -- $10
The O’Jays – Ship Ahoy – VG/VG+ -- $8
Soul/R&B/Funk/Disco $10+
The Nite-Liters – Morning, Noon & the Nite-Liters – VG+/VG+ -- $12
Jazz/Blues $1-$2
Mike Bloomfield/Al KoopeStephen Stills – Super Session – VG/VG -- $2
Mike Bloomfield/Al KoopeStephen Stills – Super Session – VG/VG -- $2
Mel Davis Sextet – “Shoot” the Trumpet Player – VG/G+ -- $1
Sammy Davis Jr. – Sings the Big Ones for Young Lovers – G+/VG+ -- $1
Fletcher Henderson – First Impressions (1924-1931) – G+/VG+ -- $2
John Klemmer – Barefoot Ballet – VG/VG+ -- $1
Kustbandet – The New Call of the Freaks – VG+/VG+ -- $1
Frank Sinatra – My Cole Porter – G+/VG+ -- $1
Frank Sinatra – September of My Years – G+/VG -- $1
Frank Sinatra – S/T (Columbia comp of 50s recordings) – VG/VG+
Shadowfax – S/T – VG+/VG+ -- $1
Jazz/Blues $3-$5
Sabicas w/ Joe Beck – Rock Encounter – G+/VG+ -- $3
Keith Jarrett/Gary Burton – G++/VG -- $5
Henny Johnson – You’re the One – VG+/VG (small tear in cover, otherwise VG+) -- $4
Lonnie Johnson – Tomorrow Night – VG/VG -- $3
Eddie Kirkland – Have Mercy – VG+/VG+ -- $5
Dave Mackay & Hamilton – Rainbow – VG+/VG -- $3
Les McCann – Change Change Change: Live at the Roxy – VG/VG+ -- $3
Gary McFarland – America the Beautiful: An Account of Its Disappearance – VG+/VG+ --4
Carmen McRae – The Great American Songbook – VG+/VG++ -- $4
Gerry Mulligan – ’63 The Concert Jazz Band – VG+/VG+ -- $5
Shirley Scott Trio – For Members Only – VG-/VG+ -- $5
Various – The Jazz Story (3xLP box set from early 60s) – VG++/VG+ -- $4
Various – Jingle Bell Jazz (60s Columbia comp, 1980 reissue) – M/M (Sealed) -- $5
Bennie Wallace – Twilight Time – VG+/VG+ -- $4
Sippie Wallace – Sippie – VG++/VG+ -- $4
Johnny Winter – S/T (1970, Columbia 2-eye stereo, sounds great) – G+/VG+ -- $3
Jazz/Blues $6-$10
The Butterfield Blues Band – East-West (butterfly label) – VG+/VG+ -- $10
Keith Jarrett – Byablue – VG+/VG+ -- $7
Keith Jarrett – Shades – VG/VG+ -- $6
Charles Lloyd – Discovery – VG/VG+ -- $10
John McLaughlin – Extrapolation – VG+/VG -- $10
Jimmy Reed – The Best of Jimmy Reed – VG+/VG+ -- $10
Sonny Rollins – Sonny Rollins (Blue Note 2xLP comp of 50s recordings) – VG/VG+ -- $8
Shirley Scott – Roll ‘Em: Shirley Scott Plays the Big Bands – VG+/VG+ -- $10
Rock/Pop $1-$2
Atlanta Rhythm Section – Quinella – VG/VG+ -- $2
Sonny Bono – Inner Views – G+/VG+ -- $1
Brewer & Shipley – Tarkio – VG-/VG+ -- $2
Cold Blood – Thriller! – G+/VG -- $1
Cold Blood – First Taste of Sin – G+/VG -- $1
Dan Fogelberg – Souvenirs – VG/VG+ -- $1
Dan Fogelberg – The Innocent Age – VG-/VG+ -- $1
Dry Jack – Whale City – VG+/VG+ --$2
Jo Jo Gunne – S/T – G+/VG+ -- $2
Jo Jo Gunne – Bite Down Hard – G+/VG+ -- $1
The Illinois Speed Press – S/T – G+/VG -- $2
Hunters & Collectors – S/T – VG+/VG+ -- $2
Don McLean – Tapestry – G+/VG+ -- $2
Pinned in Place – Ghostwritten By – VG/VG -- $2
Prairie Madness – S/T – G+/VG- -- $2
Elvis Presley – Almost in Love – VG/VG -- $1
Elvis Presley – Let’s Be Friends
Elvis Presley – Mahalo From Elvis – VG/VG+ -- $1
Procol Harum – The Best of Procol Harum – G+/VG+ -- $1
The Righteous Brothers – Go Ahead and Cry – VG/VG+ -- $2
The Righteous Brothers – Greatest Hits – G+/VG -- $1
Leon Rusell – Leon Russell and the Shelter People – VG/VG+ -- $2
Shango – S/T – G+/VG -- $2
Rock/Pop $3-$5
Aleister X – Half-Speed Mastered – VG++/VG+ -- $5
Amazing Rhythm Aces – Stacked Deck – VG+/VG+ -- $4
Charles Aznavour – Autobiographie – VG++/VG+ -- $5
Charles Aznavour – Desormais – VG+/VG+ -- $5
Bachman-Turner Overdrive – II – VG/VG+ -- $3
The Baker Gurvitz Army – VG/VG+ -- $5
Jacques Brel – Amsterdam 3 – VG++/VG+ -- $5
Jim Capaldi – Whale Meat Again – VG+/VG+ -- $3
Cold Blood – Sisyphus – VG/VG- -- $3
Cowboys International – The Original Sin – VG+/VG -- $3
Curtiss Maldoon – VG/VG -- $3
Deep Purple – Fireball – G+/VG -- $4
Bob Dylan – Slow Train Coming – VG/VG+ -- $3
The Electric Prunes – S/T – G+/Generic – MONO --$5
Elijah – S/T – VG/VG+ --$3
The End of the Century Party – Isn’t It Perfectly Fucking Delightful…– VG+/VG+ -- $4
The Everly Brothers – The Golden Hits of the Everly Brothers – VG+/VG+ -- $5
The Guess Who – Share the Land – VG+/VG+ -- $4
The Inmates – First Offence – VG+/VG+ -- $5
Jinx – S/T – VG+/VG+ -- $3
Elton John – Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy – VG-/VG+ --Inserts but no poster -- $5
Little Feat – Time Loves a Hero – VG-/VG+ -- $3
The Long Ryders – Two Fisted Tales – VG+/VG+ -- $5
Lonnie Mack – For Collectors Only-The Wham of the Memphis Man – VG/VG -- $5
John Randolph Marr – S/T – VG+/VG – White label promo -- $5
Montrose – Jump On It – VG/VG+ -- $3
Rick Nelson – Garden Party – VG+/VG -- $4
James Ollivier – Le Fine Fleur – VG/VG+ -- $3
Outlaws – S/T – VG/VG+ -- $3
Anthony Phillips – Wise After the Event – VG++/VG+ -- $5
Anthony Phillips – Private Parts & Pieces II – VG+/VG+ -- $5
Pinned in Place – Ghostwritten By – VG+/VG -- $3
Poco – S/T (1970 1st album) – VG/VG+ -- $3
Python Lee Jackson – In a Broken Dream – VG+/VG+ -- $6
Boz Scaggs – Moments – VG/VG+ -- $3
Skylark – S/T – VG+/VG+ -- $3
Dick Schory’s New Percussion Ensemble – Music to Break Any Mood – VG/VG+ -- $5
Steppenwolf – Early Steppenwolf: Recorded Live at the Matrix 1967 – VG/VG+ -- $5
Stephen Stills/Manassas – Further Down the Road – VG-/VG+ -- $3
The Sunshine Company – Happy Is – VG+/VG+ -- $4
Traffic – When the Eagle Flies – VG+/VG+ -- $3
Buck Wilkin – S/T – VG+/VG -- $3
Rock/Pop $6-$10
The Allman Brothers Band – The Best Of – VG++/VG+ -- $10
The Box Tops – Non Stop – VG-/VG+ -- WHITE LABEL Mono -- $7
The Byrds – Fifth Dimension – VG/VG+ -- $7
Derek & the Dominoes – In Concert – VG/VG+ -- $10
Bob Dylan – Desire – VG+/VG+ -- $10
The Everly Brothers – 24 Original Classics – VG+/VG+ -- $6
Fleetwood Mac – Greatest Hits – VG/VG+ -- $10
Lowell George – Thanks I’ll Eat it Here – VG+/VG+ -- $7
Lowell George – Thanks I’ll Eat it Here – VG+/VG+ -- $7
A Hawk and a Hacksaw – Darkness at Noon – VG/VG+ -- $8
Elton John – Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirty Cowboy – VG/VG+ - Includes inserts and poster -- $8
Little Feat – S/T – VG+/VG+ -- $10
Little Feat – Time Loves a Hero – VG+/VG+ -- $6
Little Feat – Time Loves a Hero – VG+/VG+ -- $6
The Men – Tomorrow’s Hits – M/NM – SEALED NEW -- $10
Mod Sun – Look Up – NM-/NM- -- Colored discs -- $10
Rick Nelson – In Concert, the Troubadour, 1969 – VG+/VG+ -- $7
Anthony Phillips – The Geese & the Ghost – EX/EX -- $8
Anthony Phillips – Private Parts & Pieces – EX/VG+ -- $7
Sky Hawk – S/T (semi-private press country rock) – VG/VG -- $6
Joe Walsh – Recorded Live – VG++/VG+ -- $6
Whitney Sunday – S/T – VG+/VG+ -- $10
Yachts – S.O.S. – VG+/VG+ -- $8
Yes – Close to the Edge – VG/VG+ -- $6
The Zippers – A Six Song Mini Album – VG/G+ -- $6
Rock/Pop $10+
Delaney & Bonnie – Accept No Substitute – VG+/VG+ -- $12
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough) – VG+/VG+ -- $20
Lou Reed – Coney Island Baby – VG+/VG+ -- $15

I recently came across an interesting/disturbingly fascinating article posted on prisonwriters.com and I would like to share it with the community. It is titled My friend, A serial killer, is ready to confess
The article in question was authored by an inmate in a Wisconsin prison. He claims that his friend, William Floyd Zamastil, has confided in him the details of many many cold case murders.
From the article- ( https://prisonwriters.com/my-friend-a-serial-killer-is-ready-to-confess/ )
"I know Bill very well now and I even know about many of the murders he did but was never convicted of..."
"We talk about the cold cases and even murders he has never been convicted of..."
"And that’s only a few they think he has committed. They have no idea just how this man was out there on some real killing shit..."
"You can also forward this story to the Feds. But who knows, maybe the government don’t care any more about all them cold cases..."
The man in question, Zamastil, was originally convicted of murder in Wisconsin in the late 70s. In 2004, the state of California landed a double homicide conviction on Zamastil for the killing of two teenage hitchhikers way back in 1978. In 2011, investigators sucessfully charged him with a 1973 murder that took place in Arizona.
https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/phoenix/press-releases/2011/guilty-verdict-reached-in-1973-murder-of-tucson-woman
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-mar-23-me-zamastil23-story.html
This article has been on my mind ever since I stumbled across it yesterday. It's the (almost) confession of a serial killer, kind of hiding in plain sight. This man could be the missing link to one or many unsolved cases in California, Arizona, and Wisconsin in the 1970s. Is this man on LEO's radar?
Who were the victims? Which crimes fit his MO and match that time range?