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Celerity

Celerity's Journal
Celerity's Journal
April 3, 2026

State Dept. 'reforms' foreign service training to include white supremacist teachings


The Trump administration is planning to train new foreign service employees with the help of overtly racist works.

https://www.ms.now/opinion/state-dept-foreign-service-reforms-huntington-codevilla

The State Department announced “reforms” to its foreign service training program, including requiring or recommending the writings of far-right figures who have pushed white supremacist theories. A fact sheet about the U.S. Foreign Service “modernization efforts,” published Wednesday, lists numerous changes the department is making under the banner of “Preparing the U.S. Foreign Service for the 21st Century.”

More than 13,000 people work for the U.S. Foreign Service, which carries out the country’s diplomatic efforts abroad. Among the newly announced changes is a plan to implement a “comprehensive basic training program” featuring “required and recommended” readings from “George Washington, John Quincy Adams, and James Monroe, selections from the Federalist Papers, and works from George Kennan, Angelo Codevilla, and Samuel Huntington.”

Those last three in particular are popular among white nationalists due to their unabashedly racist and illiberal rhetoric. Kennan was a former influential diplomat at the State Department who served as an ambassador twice. He also once supported authoritarian rule in the United States, and his racist worldview has been touted by white supremacists.

Huntington was a political scientist who served in the White House, but later turned from scholarship to fueling hysteria toward Mexican immigrants. His 1993 “Clash of Civilizations” essay has helped fuel MAGA world’s anti-immigrant ethos. The New Republic reported on Huntington’s last book before his death, titled “Who Are We?”:



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April 3, 2026

The Messy Politics of M.I.A.



M.I.A. - Paper Planes (2007)







April 3, 2026

Action Bronson Eats with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani: FTD


In this most historic episode of FTD, Action Bronson is joined by NYC Mayor Zorhan Mamdani for Iftar. The site for this special meal was Jannat Aden, a Yemeni restaurant in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. After the Mayor breaks his fast with some chai and dates, the gracious staff of this restaurant crushed the table with various grilled fish, lamb Haneeth, Salta, chicken Agda, and many more classic Yemeni dishes. But this episode is more than just Yemeni cuisine with the mayor; it also has a visit to what might be the best Uzbeki restaurant in Brooklyn, Samarkand Nights. Action and his friend entered looking for kebabs and Plov, but left with a newfound love for Uzbek soup and their take on fried potatoes with mushrooms. This episode is jam-packed with flavor. Enjoy!
April 3, 2026

The World's 7 Most Right Wing Football Clubs


From Chemnitzer FC in Germany to Lazio in Italy, HITC Sevens takes a look at some of the world's football clubs - and fanbases - who are most closely associated with right-wing political ideas and thought.
April 3, 2026

Who Is Lee Zeldin? Possibly Trump's Next Attorney General



Lee Zeldin, currently the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, is understood to be the leading candidate for Attorney General after President Donald Trump fired Pam Bondi.

https://time.com/article/2026/04/02/lee-zeldin-attorney-general-pam-bondi-trump-fire/



Trump dismissed Bondi on Thursday after she faced significant backlash over her department’s handling of the Epstein files, documents related to the investigation into convicted sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Bondi is scheduled to face a deposition before the congressional House Oversight Committee later this month related to the Epstein investigation and transparency of the files.

“Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year,” Trump said in a Truth Social post, praising her record on reducing murders and other crimes. “We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future.”

Trump has also reportedly expressed private dissatisfaction that Bondi did not pursue investigations into his critics aggressively enough. At Trump’s behest, the DOJ under Bondi has pursued criminal investigations into several of Trump’s perceived political adversaries, most of whom are Democrats. These include probes into New York Attorney General Letitia James, California Sen. Adam Schiff, Fed Governor Lisa Cook, and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The DOJ has so far failed to secure indictments in any of the cases, although some are ongoing.

Bondi was confirmed as Attorney General with a 54-46 vote last February, after Trump’s initial pick, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R, Fla.), withdrew from consideration amid scrutiny of allegations of sexual misconduct. Bondi told lawmakers at her confirmation hearing that she would not target people based on their politics, citing criminal cases against Trump. Last month, Trump replaced Kristi Noem with Markwayne Mullin as Homeland Secretary, making Noem the first Cabinet member to be removed during Trump’s second term.

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April 3, 2026

Why 2026 is the year of Zendaya


With the return of Euphoria and four blockbuster movies hitting cinemas, how the actress became one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars

https://www.thetimes.com/us/news-today/article/zendaya-movies-the-drama-dune-36vtgztbt

https://archive.ph/KJKNv


Zendaya stars opposite Robert Pattinson in The Drama as a bride-to-be whose wedding week is rocked by a disturbing revelation
Alamy


‘I just hope people don’t get sick of me,' Zendaya said with a giggle as she answered questions before the release of the provocative indie film, The Drama. The actress referred to her mind-boggling schedule this year, which sees her star in four movies as well as HBO’s popular teen drama Euphoria. By any standard, it’s an ambitious undertaking. In politics it would be called flooding the zone. But in Hollywood, Zendaya’s heavy slate signifies what a sure bet the 29-year-old has become — particularly with Gen Z — who now make up the largest share of cinemagoers in America.

As audiences fragment and true Hollywood stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio or Tom Cruise feel vanishingly rare, how has Zendaya managed to pull this off? She caught the acting bug aged eight when her mother took on a second job at the California Shakespeare Theater and brought her daughter along to watch the shows backstage. She later enrolled in a local specialist public school, Oakland School for the Arts. Zendaya then convinced her parents — school teachers Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman — to move to Los Angeles so she could pursue her Hollywood dreams.


Zendaya with her parents in 2013
BILL MCCAY/GETTY IMAGES


Many of her fans grew up alongside her after she started her career as a child star on the Disney Channel. Her big break came when she was 14-years-old and cast as a co-lead in the sitcom Shake It Up. Although she soared to fame in numerous TV shows and movies, the turning point in her career was her starring performance in 2024’s surprise hit Challengers. The movie grossed almost $100 million worldwide, far in excess of its $55 million budget, and well beyond expectations for an R-rated film about a toxic love triangle on the professional tennis circuit. Challengers proved she could carry a movie and made Zendaya one of the most sought after actresses of her generation.


Zendaya as Rocky Blue on Shake It Up
CRAIG SJODIN/DISNEY CHANNEL/GETTY IMAGES


She returns to the big screen with The Drama, which is released in cinemas on Friday, and sees her star opposite Robert Pattinson as a bride-to-be whose wedding week is rocked by a disturbing revelation. Zendaya follows that with season three of Euphoria where, according to Puck, she’s being paid close to $1 million per episode. After, she will feature in Chrisopher Nolan’s star-packed $250 million blockbuster, The Odyssey, as the goddess, Athena. His adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic is slated for release in July, the same month she’ll reprise her role as MJ in a new Spider-Man film alongside her fiancé, or perhaps husband if the rumours are to be believed, Tom Holland. The last Spider-Man movie starring the couple was the highest grossing movie of 2021.


Zendaya with Robert Pattinson at The Drama premiere in LA last month
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images


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The Drama | Official Trailer HD | A24


From writer/director Kristoffer Borgli and starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. THE DRAMA – Save the date April 3.

RELEASE DATE: April 3
DIRECTOR: Kristoffer Borgli
CAST: Zendaya, Robert Pattinson

------

ABOUT A24:
The studio behind EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, UNCUT GEMS, MIDSOMMAR, MOONLIGHT, BEEF on Netflix, EUPHORIA on Max & more.

Coming Soon: The Moment, Pillion, How to Make a Killing, The Drama, Mother Mary & more
April 3, 2026

Tradwife movement 'attracts men who are hostile to women'


The strongest predictor of support for women staying at home and deferring to their husband is not, as researchers expected, chivalry but ‘hostile sexism’

https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/sex-relationships/article/tradwife-lifestyle-hostility-women-txmdxkjn6

https://archive.ph/vG17p



A growing online trend encourages women to quit their jobs, run the home and defer to their husbands. This “tradwife” movement urges a return to traditional roles and, when researchers in the US recently set out to examine what kind of men support it, they expected to find a cohort fond of old-fashioned chivalry. The reality, they say, was rather different. Among young American men, the strongest predictor of support for the tradwife lifestyle was not gallantry but hostility towards women.



“We were taken aback,” said Dr Rachael Robnett, a psychologist at the University of Nevada, in Las Vegas, and lead author of the study. Her team had thought that men drawn to the tradwife idea would display what academics call “benevolent sexism” — a belief that men should protect and provide for women. This seemed to them to fit with an ethos where he earns and she cooks and cares for the children.

Instead, statistical tests found that the strongest predictor of male support for tradwife lifestyles was “hostile sexism”. This involves overtly negative beliefs about women, including that they manipulate men, exaggerate discrimination and should not expect equal power. People who are high in hostile sexism may believe women try to manipulate and control men, often through sex.

The study, which was published in Psychology of Women Quarterly, also found that men drawn to tradwife ideals often believed that women were essential to their emotional fulfilment, and that intimacy was something only women can provide. “It suggests that men [who support tradwife lifestyles] rely on women for intimacy and resent that this is the case,” Robnett said.


Hannah Neeleman with her family. Tradwives are often depicted online, surrounded by their children

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April 2, 2026

Konstantin Baum - I Tasted the Most Hated Wines in the World... Are They Actually Good?



I have tasted the following wines in this Video:

Pommery POP, Champagne, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/pommery+pop+champagne+brut+france

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Yellow Label Brut, Champagne, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/veuve+clicquot+ponsardin+yellow+brut+champagne+france

2024 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/cloudy+bay+sauv+blanc+marlborough+new+zealand/2024

2024 Rombauer Vineyards Chardonnay, Carneros, USA
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/rombauer+chard+carneros+napa+valley+county+north+coast+california+usa/2024

Barefoot White Zinfandel, California, USA
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/bare+foot+white+zinfandel+california+usa

Patritti 'Lavoro' Sparkling Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/patritti+lavoro+sparkling+sra+mc+laren+vale+south+australia

2022 Kanonkop Estate Pinotage, Stellenbosch, South Africa
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/kanonkop+estate+pinotage+stellenbosch+coastal+western+cape+south+africa/2022

2023 Apothic Wines Red Winemaker's Blend, California, USA
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/apothic+red+winemakers+blend+california+usa/2023


The 100 Point Scoring System (from https://www.robertparker.com/):

96-100: An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase and consume.
90 - 95: An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines.
80 - 89: A barely above average to very good wine displaying various degrees of finesse and flavor as well as character with no noticeable flaws.
70 - 79: An average wine with little distinction except that it is soundly made. In essence, a straightforward, innocuous wine.
60 - 69: A below-average wine containing noticeable deficiencies, such as excessive acidity and/or tannin, an absence of flavor or possibly dirty aromas or flavors.
50 - 59: A wine deemed to be unacceptable.
April 2, 2026

World's oldest known tortoise still very much alive despite rumor to the contrary

https://apnews.com/article/oldest-tortoise-death-hoax-jonathan-22e2960833b112c3b873e1ce4b089c20



LONDON (AP) — Reports on April Fools’ Day of the death of the world’s oldest living land animal — a 193-year-old tortoise called Jonathan — were greatly exaggerated. Jonathan is still kicking — albeit slowly — on the island of St. Helena.

“It was a hoax,” Anne Dillon, head of communications on the island, told The Associated Press on Thursday. “I can just assure you that he is very much alive.” News of the Seychelles giant tortoise’s demise spread rapidly on social media on Wednesday.

An account on X, falsely claiming to be by Joe Hollins, a veterinarian who had worked with the reptile on the island in the south Atlantic Ocean between Africa and Brazil, said he was heartbroken to announce the death of the “gentle giant” that “outlived empires, wars, and generations of humans.”

The post quickly accumulated nearly 2 million views through Thursday, mostly an outpouring of condolences. But Hollins later said on Facebook that he didn’t even have an X account and something more sinister was afoot. “There is a hoax — not even an April Fool — going around,” Hollins wrote. “The hoaxer is asking for crypto donations. It’s a con.”

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Gender: Female
Hometown: London
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Current location: Stockholm, Sweden
Member since: Sun Jul 1, 2018, 07:25 PM
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