>During my attacks, I typically vomit quite a bit and often have to go to the ER just to get IV fluids.
>Nov 2 2017 BO was wrapping his summit in chicago - then headed to China a few weeks later to meet with Xi
>Why are the SAS in Ukraine
>The U.S. has carried out a helicopter raid in Syria, killing at least three ISIS fighters, one of whom is believed to be a senior leader
The advertisement, which was released on social media Friday, features one of Budweiser’s famous Clydesdale horses traversing the country from New York City to the Grand Canyon, passing by scenes in the American heartland as a narrator delivers a patriotic message.
“This is a story bigger than beer,” the ad’s narrator says in the ad. “This is the story of the American spirit.”
As the ad plays, the Clydesdale horse passes by some of the most famous American landmarks, showcasing the New York City skyline, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, small towns, and farmland.
At one point, the ad showcases two people raising an American flag as one places her hand over her heart.
“Brewed for those who found opportunity in challenge and hope in tomorrow,” the ad’s narrator says as the horse passes by the flag raising duo and the Lincoln Memorial.
“I’ve been hung up by my genitals for far too long and I’m starting to feel like a frickin’ Republican lawmaker.”
“What’s happening kids is wrong and you don’t need to be scared. Our job is to protect you and your job is to focus on being a kid. It’s kind of like me flying in the SNL sky,” she said. “There’s a bunch of dudes asking you about your crotch and where you’re allowed to pee. But if you just hang on, you’ll look up and realize you’re flying kid.”
SNL has long ditched comedy and moved into full-blown left-wing activism.
Fugees Obama
A-list actor Leonardo DiCaprio took the stand in the federal trial against recording artist Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, a founding member of the Fugees, who stands accused of funneling money into former president Barack Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012.
DiCaprio, 48, used to associate with the fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low, who allegedly gave the money to Michel to donate to the campaign through shell accounts. Michel is accused of conspiring to make illegal campaign contributions using foreign money, witness tampering, and failure to register as a foreign agent of the Chinese government.
>A-list actor Leonardo DiCaprio took the stand in the federal trial against recording artist Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, a founding member of the Fugees, who stands accused of funneling money into former president Barack Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012.
>DiCaprio, 48, used to associate with the fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low, who allegedly gave the money to Michel to donate to the campaign through shell accounts. Michel is accused of conspiring to make illegal campaign contributions using foreign money, witness tampering, and failure to register as a foreign agent of the Chinese government.
Ready or not: Fugees rapper involved in funneling millions to Obama campaign on trial
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/movies/how-a-former-fugee-helped-elect-the-president-of-haiti.html
How a Former Fugee Helped Elect the President of Haiti
When Kanye West announced his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election at the MTV Video Music Awards in August, it was his drop-the-mike moment. His remarks were met with cheers and howls of laughter that night and were captured in endless memes for weeks afterward.
But if Mr. West decides he’s serious about making the transition from entertainer to White House contender, he’ll do well to enlist the help of the rapper Prakazrel Michel, known as Pras, a former member of the disbanded hip-hop group the Fugees. Mr. Michel’s new documentary, “Sweet Micky for President,” shows how he helped nudge a provocative musician into Haiti’s presidential palace. In doing so, Mr. Michel accomplished abroad what none of his rap counterparts have been able to achieve domestically — he played an important role in a successful presidential election, albeit one that led to a less than successful administration.
“I’m pretty good at getting people into positions of power,” Mr. Michel said. “But getting them to listen after they get there, that’s the hard part.”
Mr. Michel laughed, but he speaks from experience.
In the 1990s, Mr. Michel was recognized — if he was recognized — as the “other” member of the Grammy-winning Fugees. As the crew’s architect, he introduced the members Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, both of whom went on to international fame after an acrimonious split. For a time, Mr. Michel stood in the long shadows of his bandmates, quietly pulling the strings.
As producer — and one of the subjects — of “Sweet Micky for President” (which opened this month), Mr. Michel again showcases his ability to pick winners with an unseen hand. The New Jersey-bred child of Haitian immigrants, he originally set out to make a film about the catastrophic 2010 earthquake that displaced millions of Haitians and killed many thousands. In a move that was equal parts keen insight and extreme idealism, Mr. Michel turned his attention to Haiti’s presidential contest.
As the director Ben Patterson follows along, Mr. Michel hatches a plan to influence the election’s outcome by tapping Michel Martelly, a.k.a. Sweet Micky, an irreverent and popular Kompa musician, known for his potty mouth and ostentatious displays. Sweet Micky sang protest songs that struck a populist tone by challenging the ineffective Haitian government. But he had a proclivity for prancing about stages wearing only a man-size diaper.
Mr. Michel saw something more in the showman: a charismatic figure who could rally Haiti’s youth and set a new direction. “I basically said, ‘Michel, you should just run for president, man,’” Mr. Michel recalled of their initial telephone conversation. “I think he thought it was a joke. But I flew to his Miami home. And right there, we started to devise a plan.”
They had their work cut out for them.
“One of his strengths was his ability as a popular figure to create energy with young people,” Laurent Dubois, author of “Haiti: The Aftershocks of History,” said about Mr. Martelly. “But he was also known to have ties with former members of the dictatorial regime of Jean-Claude Duvalier and was interested in reinstating Haiti’s military. And in Haiti, there’s always this lurking fear of another autocratic leader.”
By brushing aside Mr. Martelly’s associations and campaign platform, “Sweet Micky for President” contains all the elements of a traditional feel-good Hollywood tale: Two impassioned musicians set out on a journey to change the world. The documentary provides access to the back rooms of power and freewheeling political events. When Mr. Jean, the former Fugees frontman, makes a surprise run for president, he threatens to smother Mr. Martelly’s chances. (Mr. Jean was later disqualified after his residency was disputed.) After further dramatic developments, including Mr. Martelly’s elimination from the contest, his reinstatement and civil unrest that shakes Port-au-Prince, Mr. Martelly triumphs.
Despite the obvious victory for Mr. Martelly, it is Mr. Michel who has charted a new path to power. To be sure, musicians have made notable efforts to tip the scales in American presidential contests. For prominent hip-hop artists, the 2008 and 2012 candidacies of Barack Obama were seen as open invitations to leverage their influence for a political cause.
Jay Z and Beyoncé hosted well-reported fund-raisers for Mr. Obama’s re-election bid (collecting $4 million at one). Others have made bold political statements in support of the first black president. (Young Jeezy’s song “My President” comes to mind.)
Mr. Michel, however, has found success by sidestepping the United States’ political machine to become something of a kingmaker in a fledgling democracy. Soon after Mr. Michel pushed Mr. Martelly into the ring, the campaign imported a political operative from Madrid — Antonio Sola — to guide Mr. Martelly to victory in 2011.
Four years removed from that jubilant win, and Haiti is in the midst of choosing his successor. The first round of elections took place in October, with Mr. Martelly’s fellow Tet Kale Party member, Jovenel Moise, and Jude Célestin (who is backed by Mr. Jean) advancing to the runoff in December. Term limits prevent Mr. Martelly from running for re-election. Throughout his presidency, he has battled growing dissent and calls for his ouster. He has overseen the dissolution of Haiti’s Parliament, a move critics say was a power grab. And like prior administrations, his has been troubled by accusations of cronyism and corruption.
Mr. Michel’s involvement ceased after Mr. Martelly took office. Today, Mr. Michel confesses his disappointment with his handpicked candidate’s term.
“I may not agree with 90 percent of the things he’s done,” said Mr. Michel, who argued that Mr. Martelly did not make reasonable gains in education and failed to engage the diaspora. “But I’m not his adviser. I’m just a great friend of Sweet Micky, the artist. Michel Martelly, the president? I don’t really rock with that guy.”
For all of its access to the candidate and insight into the process, the film does not include policy positions like those on Mr. Martelly’s divisive platform. It’s a point that Mr. Michel pushed aside in favor of the hope Mr. Martelly’s victory represented.
“The film is not about his politics,” Mr. Michel said. “It’s about a group of people who feel like we are going to be heard. We don’t care if he’s a clown. As a matter of fact, we know he’s a clown, and we are going to vote for him anyway. And you’re going to respect our vote.”
Sweet Micky for President
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2265567/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Martelly
>We don’t care if he’s a clown. As a matter of fact, we know he’s a clown, and we are going to vote for him anyway. And you’re going to respect our vote.