//here's an AJAX request and a chain of promises
    m.request({method: "GET", url: "/api/projects"})
        .then(console.log) // log all projects
        .then(pastItems) // filter past projects
        .then(console.log) // log past projects only

The calls to console.log will not work.

You need to do this:

    .then(function() { console.log(arguments); })

Or this:

    .then(console.log.bind(console))