Ben Silverman

Agriculture & Commerce

[Ben Silverman @_bensilverman]

Are my lips chapped? YES. Did I use chapstick? YES. Did the chapstick work? NO. Have I even gone outside today? NO. But my lips chapped anyway? YES. So, am I gonna keep using chapstick, even though it doesn’t work? YES, and that’s FINE

[Bill Lee @BillLeeTN]

Charlie Hatcher & I have been friends for 25 years.

I was a cattleman — he was our veterinarian. For 7 years, he served as my Commissioner of Agriculture.

Now he’s running to serve TN’s 5th District & secure President Trump’s agenda.

Join me in voting @HatcherforTN on Aug 6.

[Jeremy Faison @RepFaison]

On the Tennessee Governor’s Race
For the most part, I’ve been open about supporting @MarshaBlackburn and have intentionally avoided criticizing the other candidates. But after this week, I can’t stay silent any longer.
Let’s be clear about who Monty Fritts is.
I’ve seen many of my friends post that they’re planning to vote for Monty. Before you do, I want to offer a word of caution.
I’ve known Monty for about four years, and I genuinely like him. I believe he’s a good and decent man. But there are some things you should know before casting your vote.
Monty is an ideologue. During his time in the General Assembly, he has never demonstrated the ability to build consensus or effectively bring about substantial legislative change. More than anyone else in our Republican caucus, Monty has consistently voted with Tennessee Democrats. I’m not talking about the occasional disagreement with fellow Republicans that happens from time to time. I’m talking about a consistent pattern, in committee and on the House floor, where he has voted with Democrats against the Republican caucus hundreds of times.
On numerous occasions, he has sided with Justin Jones, Justin Pearson, and Gloria Johnson, (Socialist Three) even when other Democrats did not. Time and again, I watched Monty align himself with that bloc rather than with his own party.
Even putting all of that aside, his comments this week crossed a line that I won’t ignore.
Monty said he would “ban pagan religions.”
That statement reflects a view of government that is fundamentally at odds with our constitutional system. It suggests a belief that government should be guided by a particular religious doctrine rather than by the Constitution. While that idea may appeal to some Christians at first glance, history shows that mixing civil government with religious authority is beyond dangerous.
The Founders understood this well. Many came from places where government and religion were intertwined, and they deliberately established a constitutional republic that protects both religious liberty and individual conscience. The First Amendment guarantees every American the freedom to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience; or not to worship at all. Government has no authority to compel religious belief, nor does it have the authority to prohibit peaceful religious practice.
Think about the precedent that would be set if government were allowed to ban one religion because those in power disapproved of it. What happens when someone with very different beliefs holds office? What if an atheist becomes governor? A Muslim? A Mormon? Or a Christian whose interpretation of Scripture differs from yours? The principle cuts both ways. Once government claims the power to decide which religions are acceptable, everyone’s liberty is at risk.
I’m supporting Marsha, and I understand why some people may choose to support John. But I hope you’ll carefully consider the implications of supporting a candidate who appears willing to ignore constitutional protections to his own religious convictions.
We may strongly disagree on matters of faith, theology, or philosophy. That’s part of living in a free society. But I will always fight to protect your right to self governance, to follow your own conscience, and to enjoy the religious liberty guaranteed by the Constitution.

https://t.co/PKNpr19cHB

[bookdepth @bookdepth]

Given my autistic interest in IMAX theater tech, some of you might find it odd that I havent tweeted about the biggest Imax release ever. No longer.

I built https://t.co/xKfvW0Lf68 so that everyone going to see the Odyssey will know exactly where to go and where to avoid

[Vashi Nedomansky, ACE @vashikoo]

UPDATED for accuracy. The top 3 remain the same, plus new additions to the bottom 7. The people have spoken! Appreciate the help!

[NOBUNAGA🇯🇵🏯_夏樹蒼依 @japan_nobunaga]

In Georgia I entered a Chick-fil-A drive-thru line of forty cars.

I turned off my engine. I prepared to wait the way my ancestors waited out a siege.

Six minutes later I was holding chicken.

I do not know what happened to the other thirty-nine cars. The line moved like water that had somewhere to be.

A young woman walked between the cars taking orders on a small tablet, on foot, in the sun, smiling like the sun was her idea.

I said thank you.

She said, "My pleasure."

I did not think about it then. I should have.

At the window I thanked the young man for the food.

"My pleasure."

I thanked him for the sauce.

"My pleasure."

I thanked him for thanking me—

"My pleasure."

I want to be clear about what was happening.

This was a duel.

In Japan I trained in courtesy for forty years. Bowing angles. Seasonal greetings. The correct depth of apology for seventeen distinct situations.

I was a white belt in that drive-thru.

I escalated. I used my most formal English. I thanked him on behalf of my entire family line.

He said, "My pleasure," and gave me extra sauce.

Extra sauce. Unprovoked. A counterattack.

I returned the next day to reclaim my honor.

It was Sunday. The restaurant was closed.

All of them were closed. In the entire country. They close every Sunday, and they have closed every Sunday since the beginning, because the founder made a promise, and the promise did not expire when he did.

I stood in the empty parking lot and understood I had lost twice.

Once to a teenager with sauce.

Once to a man I will never meet, who kept his word so long it became a building.

In my country we say a samurai's word is his life.

I had never seen a restaurant say it back.

I returned Monday. I ordered. And this time I said it first, before she could.

"My pleasure."

She smiled and said, "It sure is."

America, I surrender.

It was my pleasure.

[NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman @NASAAdmin]

@ShuttleAlmanac Because NASA’s job is to put astronauts in space as often as possible

[isaac @ik2onmovies]

The last minute of the final race in Speed Racer was the most religious experience a movie has given me in years

[Seth Vargas @ohsethy]

Yes, officer, I WAS speeding but it was for a very good reason. You see, I just left the movie theater and in the movie I watched people were driving very fast

[Emile Hirsch @EmileHirsch]

HAVE a VISION

[Jonathan @jonathanmb32]

The early presale success of the Speed Racer IMAX re-release really is remarkable; there have been successful recent re-releases of movies that were commercial non-events upon release (Oldboy), but a movie that was as big a flop as Speed Racer was selling out screening is wild.

[DiscussingFilm @DiscussingFilm]

Warner Bros has just announced that IMAX 70mm tickets for ‘DUNE: PART 3’ go on sale in 30 MINUTES.

[NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman @NASAAdmin]

.@JesseBWatters for the record, had I heard the question, my answer would be ABSOLUTELY.

We’re in the second space race. We are back in the business of sending astronauts to the Moon. We already won, but we are doing everything we can to win again. America will never give up the Moon again.

[Stefanos Tsitsipas @stefanos]

Uber driver in LA asked me if tennis was “the one with the horses.”

I said no.

He said, “Oh yeah, that's croissant.”

He meant croquet.

We both nodded and kept it moving.

[Gov. Bill Lee @GovBillLee]

As TN’s most legendary frontiersman, David Crockett embodied an unwavering frontier spirit that helped shape our state & nation.

As we recognize TN’s place in America’s story as ‘The Original Frontier,’ we’re honoring his legacy by proclaiming it David Crockett Week in TN.

[Christopher Miller @chrizmillr]

Exciting news to share about the various formats you can see Project Hail Mary in cinemas. We shot everything that happens in space (3/4 of the movie) in native 1.43:1 aspect ratio, and everything on earth (1/4) at a 2.39:1 aspect ratio.
There are three ways to see the film in IMAX. There will be gorgeous 15-perf 70mm IMAX film prints in the 1.43 aspect ratio at select theaters, and beautifully colorful digital versions at 1.43 or 1.85 depending on the theater. They all look amazing.
There also are select theaters showing traditional 5-perf 70mm film prints in a 2.0 aspect ratio which look rich, warm and incredible.
The digital versions of the movie were also filmed onto celluloid (using two different film stocks) and rescanned using a “film out” process that our cinematographer Greig Fraser also used on Dune and The Batman, which give a beautiful warmth and natural grain to the visuals.
There are other premium large formats in the 2.0 ratio like Dolby Cinema (where the richness of space and the sound are especially amazing), XD with its very large screens and booming audio,
4DX and D-BOX where the seats move along with the visuals and make for an interactive experience, ScreenX, which has side screens with extended footage that give yau an immersive 270 degree view, and more. Or you can go see it at your local independent cinema - the way I saw many of my favorite movies of all time. A lot of great options - but whichever you choose, we highly recommend seeing it on the largest screen with the best sound in your area that you can afford. You will be glad you did.
Tickets on sale tomorrow!

[Project Hail Mary @projecthailmary]

The mission launches early in select 70mm & IMAX 70mm locations.

Grab tickets now — they’re moving at light speed. 🚀 https://t.co/f7baxZoIfl

[Gov. Bill Lee @GovBillLee]

There are very few things in life that matter & we have to be about those things.

Honored to attend the National Prayer Breakfast & share God’s powerful work in my life - how tragic days became my most transformative & how God became a Healer, Redeemer & dispenser of hope.

[Gov. Bill Lee @GovBillLee]

Tonight at 6 pm CT, I will deliver the State of the State address, celebrating TN’s place as “The Original Frontier” throughout America’s 250 years.

Just like the continuous building of a more perfect union, the work of a frontiersman never stops—ours should not stop either.

[Kambit 🃏 @UncannyKam]

notice we can actually get a sense of how fast he's moving without a fisheye lens

[Elijah Wood @elijahwood]

A move completely antithetical to the ethos of the Alamo and to those who love the theatrical experience they provide. This is a profound and upsetting mistake @alamodrafthouse