#Jonathon haidt | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

newagesispage · 6 months

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APRIL 2024

THE RIB PAGE

Look for it May 3: Catching Fire: The story of Anita Pallenberg. Scarlett Johansson is her voice from an unpublished memoir.

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The 96th Oscars happened! Kimmel did a great job. It felt calm and relaxed. Da’vine Joy Randolph got herself an Oscar. The usual suspects won everything with Poor Things and Oppenheimer doing quite well. Emma Stone was great in Poor Things but I was so routing for Lily Gladstone. American Fiction won best adapted screenplay. I was so happy that War is Over won and it was great to see Sean Ono Lennon and he asked the audience to yell Happy Mothers Day to Yoko!! Just about the best part of the night. Zone of interest won best International pic and it came with a controversial speech. My best dressed were Zendaya and Lily Gladstone. Other bests were Rita Moreno, Jodie Foster, Billie Eilish, Ke Huy Quan, Greta Gerwig, Florence Pugh, Issa Rae, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, Kirsten Dunst and Jessie Plemons, Charlize Theron, Mary Steenburgen, Jeffrey Wright, Mark Ruffalo, Tantoo Cardinal and Lupita Nyongo. America Ferrera and Brendan Fraser’s wife were like shiny book ends and I loved it. Emily Blunt and Margot Robbie looked stressed and uncomfortable. Melissa Rivers thought there was not a lot of structure on the red carpet. I disagree, thought there were too many. She was right about the ties, though.. More ties. It is not always cool with open collars. There was a lot of fabric being pulled along behind on this carpet. ** Many changed for the Vanity fair afterparty. Waiting in line to get into the party there were some more best dressed like Lindsay Lohan, Salma Hayek and Emily Blunt. ** Toward the end of the show, Scary Clown 45 weighed in and Kimmel against advice had to comment with, “Isn’t it past your jail time?”. There are now t-shirts and mugs with the line.

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Dr. Dre and Martha Reeves got their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ** Missionary is Dr. Dre and Snoop back after 30 years with an answer to Doggy Style.

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We are really going backwards this summer with Ghostbusters and Beetlejuice. But, I guess Retro will be the word of the season cuz they will probably be big!

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Clerks III just made me bawl my eyes out. - Tyler Lappin

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There is a new kickoff rule in the NFL. The kicker’s teammates will now line up at the opponents 40- yard line.

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Suffs on Broadway looks awesome with Hillary Clinton producing.

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Jonathon Haidt is out with a book called The Anxious Generation. It is filled with alarming statistics about the smart phone age. The rewiring angle is so true. This is why I don’t have a smart phone. We must pay attention to the depression, anxiety and suicide in the world.

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The Will and Jada Pinkett Smith family charity is shutting down. Revenue has dropped drastically in the past couple of years. Journalists are looking into their donations and some are a mystery. They gave to Rebecoming and they can’t seem to be found. Smith tax info will be released soon.

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Can’t wait for Ezra with Bobby Cannavale, Robert DeNiro, Vera Farmiga, Rose Byrne and Whoopi Goldberg. Tony Goldwyn is directing.

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There is no point in giving a gift unless one also treasures it oneself. - Madam Colette

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RFK Jr. has chosen Nicole Shanahan as his VP.

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Summer Blizzard flavors are here: Picnic Peach Cobbler, Ultimate Cookie and Peanut Butter cookie dough party. ** Cherry dip is back at DQ.

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Are you creating more terrorists than you are killing? - Donald Rumsfeld

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The British board of film classification changed the Mary Poppins and Ratatouille rating from U to PG.

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Banksy has new artwork in London that seems to be a message of environmentalism.

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Tommy is back on Broadway.

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Krispy Kreme is coming to McDonald’s.

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is tightening restrictions on imports of African elephants.

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Tori Spelling filed for divorce from Dean McDermott.

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The Black Crowes have a new album with Happiness Bastards.

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Jennifer Ehles character on Law and Order: Organized Crime is so fuckin’ good that she needs to be a regular or have her own spin off. How about Law and Order: Small Town!! I have lived in enough small towns to know that they can compete with the big city on scandal and secrets.

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Look for the Power of the heart tribute to Lou Reed CD on April 19. Artists will include Keith Richards, Lucinda Williams, Rufus Wainwright, Roseanne Cash, Angel Olsen, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Rickie Lee Jones.

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Warner Brothers has sidelined Coyote Vs. Acme. The movie that Will Forte calls, “incredible”, is complete. The film with Forte and John Cena has been left on the shelf for tax purposes? Ugh!

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Why does Biden get so much shit for Afghanistan? This was Trump’s baby and Biden just carried out the time frame. I mean, they always so conveniently forget.

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So.. The Chinese are bringing their own countrymen over here and forcing them to work on U.S. pot farms?? Why is our world filled with such heartless greed? There should be no angst involved with the weed industry.

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Joseph Cuffari is under investigation for failing to notify congress of missing secret service text messages from Jan. 6, deleting text and a settlement with a former employee. He claims he isn’t being investigated and that he is a whistleblower. LIES! They deny deny, they create their own truths. WTF? ** Why does the one Trump judge not seem to really understand the Presidential Records Act?

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Spiritual Narcissist? What a label.

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Oregon decriminalized illicit drugs 3 years ago but are rethinking things. Unfortunately, fentanyl use has exploded which brought OD’s. The state decided to recriminalize possession last month. The bill encourages authority to refer people to treatment, though.

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The Feds are considering changing marijuana’s place in the controlled substance act list.

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The Eagles trial ended with a thud. Three men were charged with trying to sell stolen notes about Hotel California. Mid trial, the judge dismissed the charges after new evidence that had been withheld surfaced. Ed Sanders obtained the notes legally as he was writing a never released book about the group.

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Days alert: Greg Vaughan was hospitalized after severe altitude sickness while on vaca. ** Bring back Jen Lilley!! ** I didn’t think I would miss Nicole but I think I will. Please let the powers that be work this out. ** I miss Justin and Bonnie!** I caught a GH the other day. I hadn’t seen it in years but it seems that so many of the characters look alike. On Days, there is a lot of individuality. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me. ** Is Sammy on her way home??

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The Daytime Emmy’s are set for June 7.

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Tennessee is discussing the “Chemtrail bill”. The sponsor says that the bill only applies to geoengineering. Some environmentalists say it is conspiracy theory nonsense. Chemtrails is a conspiracy theory related to the lines of vapor coming from jet planes. The bill says that intentional injection release or dispersion by any means, of chemicals, chemical compounds, substances, or apparatus within the borders of this state into the atmosphere with the express purpose of affecting temperature, weather, or the intensity of the sunlight is prohibited.” The bill passed the Tennessee senate. ** This almost seems like a direct response to Biden’s measure of instructing the office of science and technology to work with NASA on research of climate intervention.

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The Republicans against Trump campaign have put together $50 mil to support the 30% or so of their party. ** Recent studies have shown there is a growing distance between young people in this country. There are more and more young men that identify as republican and more and more young women that call themselves democrats. Mixed political marriage may be a thing of the past. An older group of women call themselves, “the wives of the deplorables.”

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The Ruth Bader Ginsburg women of leadership Award which last year went to Streisand has suddenly changed. The organization that gives the award, the Dwight Opperman Foundation, shortened the name to the Leadership award. The recipients are Elon Musk, Rupert Murdoch, Sly Stallone, Martha Stewart and Michael Milken. Ginsburg’s family and Streisand say they do not support those choices. The Justice’s family has no affiliation with and does not endorse these awards. - Ruth’s daughter Jane.

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SCOTUS refused to hear the former New Mexico county official, Covy Griffin case. The Cowboy for Trump was ordered to step down from the Otero Co. Board of commissioners after he breached the Capital grounds and was convicted. It is the first time an elected official was removed from office for rebellion against the U.S. since the Civil War.

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Happy Gilmore 2? Yes, Please!

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A new prehistoric bird was discovered in China. Imparavis Attenboroughi or Attenborough’s strange bird existed 120 million years ago. It is one of the few in early cretaceous to have no teeth.

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Of course, the classified doc report from Robert Hur was shady. Hur reported about Biden being a sympathetic, well- meaning elderly man. What? The “confusion” he seemed to refer to was a mix up of a few dates which I think we could all be guilty of. The report tells us that Biden remembered many stories with no problem. In fact, Hur seemed impressed with how solid Biden’s recall was. He has a great memory. ** You appear to have a photographic memory with understanding and recall. - Robert Hur

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Why does Corey Reynolds not have a pile of Emmy’s?? He just gets better. He is sheer perfection on Resident Alien. Love him!!!

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The Pope told Ukraine to stop fighting. What?

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Biden has approved air drops of aid into Gaza. Air drops are the most expensive and least effective way to help. Hey Israel: Stop blocking aid to Gaza! He whispered at the SOTU that Netanyahu will have a “come to Jesus moment.” BTW, State of the Union was awesome. Weak? Confused? I don’t think so. He was wired! Let’s hear more about 3% inflation, low unemployment, the chips act and see the real faces of abortion and IVF restrictions. And so glad that he mentioned the Freedom to vote act. And why did MTG look like a Wal Mart greeter? And why is she shying away from questions about her space lasers? And why is she so rude when others are talking? No manners whatsoever, it was as if she was raised by well, wolves would have done a better job. And Mike Johnson looks so unpleasant. Why does he seem to hate some of us? We haven’t done anything to him. Let’s be proud of America and all that it is and can be. And why do some take credit for an infrastructure bill they voted against? I am so glad that Biden mentioned that. I have been saying that for months. And why won’t people applaud for the education of children? I understand the usual party in charge applauds and the other side sits on their hands but c’mon!! **Steven Nikoui was arrested for shouting at Biden. He and others say, “ Biden never honored those killed at the Abbygate in Kabul. Last year, the President put out a statement mourning the lives of the service members and civilians killed in the horrific terrorist attack. ** George Santos was there. Can’t seem to truly get rid of him. He says that he will run again as an independent. Clarence Thomas was not there. I see the big guns are really starting to speak out. Max Brooks gave us all a great list to appreciate all that Biden has done for this country. He compares the President to FDR. There are policies in place that will benefit us for many years to come. It is time to quit fucking around. I am sure we will see more and more humans with actual brains make their case. ** Some voters say the Biden administration is just nothing. What? Infrastructure? Ever improving economy? Sustainable energy? We will see the residual effects of all this administration has done for years. Nothing?

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Rebuttal: What a joke! If some had not heard of Katie Britt before, they sure have now. Republican woman in the kitchen is sort of the perfect statement on the conservatives. She told a specific, horrific sex trafficking story to make Biden look bad. The story took place in Mexico and was during the Bush administration. ** Katie Britt is so bad that she couldn’t be in one of my movies. -Tom Arnold ** Well, that Katie Britt experience was.. Experimental. - Michael Steele ** I guess Katie Britt just failed her VP audition. Godawful! -Roger Stone ** Sen. Katie Britt says that sexual assault is the worst thing that can happen to a woman while encouraging Americans to vote for a convicted sexual predator. - Shannon Watts

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Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion to oust Mike Johnson, but will she pull the trigger?

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Marjorie Taylor Greene: America’s most embarrassing cousin. - Bill Maher ** She is the true white trash of our country. ** It’s St. Patrick’s Day when Lauren Boebert jerks off a leprechaun. - Bill Maher ** Maher fired CAA after 20 years. ** Not sure what to think about Kara Swisher but she did call out Maher on his Elon crush.

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Did I see Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman for the SNL movie??

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When I saw an ad for the new horror, Immaculate, I was sure that it was an Agnes of God remake.

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We celebrated the NAACP Image Awards. My best dressed were Kerry Washington, Keke Palmer, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Andra Day, Ava Duverney and Misty Copeland. Winners included Victoria Monet, Brandee Younger, Mike Epps, Quinta Brunson and Colman Domingo. New Edition was put in the Hall of Fame and Usher was entertainer of the year.

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There is a Waltons cookbook in the works!!!!!!!

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I usually have a pretty good annoyance with tv ads but I so loved this Wal Mart/ Dino ad. So cute!

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Kamala Harris toured a Planned Parenthood clinic. Goos for you, VP.

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Tony Goldwyn had big shoes to fill when he replaced Sam Waterston on Law and Order but it is a perfect fit.

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History is full of the errors of states and Princes. -Ben Franklin

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10 years after the water crisis in Michigan, Flint residents have got $0 of the $626.25 mil fund for the lead in their water. Lawyers have gotten their $47.9 mil.

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Nikki Haley is out. She did take Vermont. Jason Palmer is out. He did beat Biden in American Samoa. Bloomberg won that territory in 2020. Dean Phillips is out.

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Rupert Murdoch is engaged to Elena Zhukova.

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Gov. Abbott in Texas and those crazies have taken over Eagle Pass and the citizens living there are not too happy about it. A local Republican rep says “wetback” for the cameras and does not think twice.

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Mark Robinson is running for N. Carolina Gov. He is proudly anti- homosexual, trans, Beyonce (satanic), Martin Luther King (communist), Parkland school shooting victims (spoiled little bastards). Yikes!

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The USPS has unveiled their new Betty Ford stamp which goes on sale April 15 for 68 cents. Looking forward to the Dungeons and Dragon stamps which have no release date yet.

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An independent investigator cleared Police in the Uvalde shooting.

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New Jersey’s Jose Uribe pled guilty to 7 charges including conspiracy to commit bribery, wire fraud, obstruction of justice and tax evasion. It is alleged that he gave Sen. Bob Menendez’s wife a car. He could face 95 years but is cooperating. The indictment says the Senator helped Uribe by trying to persuade prosecutors to go easy on associates. ** Sen Bob Menendez and his wife Nadine have been charged with obstructing justice.

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In the fake elector plot, Kenneth Chesebro pled guilty in Georgia’s RICO case. People seem to think this can’t happen here but here it is. Stop screwing over your fellow citizens!! ** Hate democracy?? Love dictators?? If ya’ll want to be in Russia so bad, GOI!!!! They have the system that the red hats seem to want. Don’t turn America into Russia, go there! Reagan must be rolling over in his grave. **

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Chuck Schumer asked for new leadership in Israel.

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Two men pled guilty to shooting and killing 3 wild donkeys with AR- style rifles in the Mojave Desert. They will be sentenced in July.

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Sexual assault news: Former Mormon Bishop, John Goodrich, was arrested on felony child sex abuse charges. ** Oh Yeong Su was convicted of sexual misconduct.

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Tik Tok ban? Is it wrong? What does Jeff Yass have to do with all this? After he visited Trump, suddenly Trump wants Tik Tok to stay.

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Archeologists in Egypt found the top half of a statue of Ramses II. The bottom was found in 1930.

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Australia grew the biggest blueberry ever at 20.4 grams.

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Pierce Brosnan pled guilty to trespassing off of a Yellowstone trail. He was fined $1,500.00.

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The RNC has elected Michael Whatley and Lara Trump as the new leaders. Some are calling it a mob like takeover. The first thing they did was to lay off most of the staff. They are told to reapply. They also ended the minority outreach program. ** They say the Trump legal bills come to about $230 thou a day. The money has to come from somewhere and Lara Trump vowed to use the RNC money for her father –in- law. The down ballet races need to fend for themselves because if they defend and save the head of the snake, they will all be alright, I guess.?

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Kari Lake did not contest her statements in a defamation lawsuit in Arizona. She seems to just want to leave it behind her.

Some say that Trump should have a VP apprentice. Tulsi Gabbard is in the mix as a VP pick. Her Father, Mike Gabbard is one of the longest serving Dem Senators in the Hawaii legislature. He established the non- profit, ‘Stop promoting Homosexuality.’ Tulsi worked for the anti-LGBTQ organization. So, of course, Trump is interested. She has played both sides, just like him.

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The laughing stock of the country does not have enough lawsuits so he sued George Stephanopoulos for defamation.

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Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin will step down in April, ahead of the end of his term in January. This will bring the house Republicans to a 1 point difference with the Dems. Gallagher introduced the bill to ban Tik Tok.

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Robert Telles, former Clark Co. Public administrator in Vegas is on trial for killing reporter Jeff German. The trial was postponed as they wait for the State Supreme Court to decide if German’s cell phone and computer were protected from disclosure.

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Princess Kate has cancer. The Press finally shut up about it.

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Rod Blagojevich tried to reverse a ban on his return to public life. Every shady character will try it now, thanks to Scary Clown. “No. Just go.”- Judge Seeger

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Sandy Hook never happened. They’re all actors. - Aaron Rodgers** This is a possibility for VP, along with Jesse Ventura for RFK Jr. I guess this all we need to know.

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CVS and Walgreens now have Federal certification to dispense mifepristone for medical abortions. It is rolling out in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, California and Illinois.

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Alaia Baldwin Aronow was arrested in Georgia for simple assault, simple battery, battery and criminal trespassing. This included throwing a used tampon at a female staff member. This happened just after Father Stephen Baldwin posted a message asking for prayers for his other daughter, Haley and her hubby Justin Bieber.

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Former WWE wrestler, Billy Jack Haynes was charged with murder in his wife’s death.

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The DOJ is giving a full investigation to Boeing.

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Dr. Phil has a new network, Merit Street Media and will host Dr. Phil Primetime.

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Reporter Steve Baker was arrested by the FBI and charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority. He was also charged with disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a capitol building and parading, demonstration or picketing in a Capitol building.

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Regular church goers have dropped to under 50%. What other ways can we get together as a community?

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Why is Alabama’s murder rate 3 times higher that NY? And why do conservatives always talk about crime in NY?

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France has made an abortion a constitutional right.

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Liberty University will pay $ 14 million in fines for ‘failure to disclose information’ about crimes on campus and treatment of sexual assault survivors under the Clery act. The facility put itself out there as one of the safest. LIES!! Many sexual assault victims were scared to report and when they did, victims were blamed. The University acknowledged incorrect statistical reports and often warnings and emergency notifications were not sent. The schools net assets are $3.5 billion. Liberty settled a lawsuit in 2022 by 12 women on the unsafe environment and mishandling cases of sexual assault. 3 years ago, Falwell Jr. And the U have filed lawsuits against each other.

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Trump hates leap year. He thinks it is a woke plot to make black history month longer. -Bill Maher ** Isn’t it strange that they always talk about Trump and the working class. We all know it is the prejudice, the racist faction that support him. ** The Republican agenda is 800 pages long. They speak about downsize and change but their 800 pages makes it clear that it is business as usual. The main difference is that they promise to fire hundreds of government employees. The Heritage Foundation is signing up loyalists at rallies to take their place. This country would become a Trump enterprise and we all know how well his businesses are run. ** Scary Clown 45 is taking credit for a 2014 Veterans bill that Obama signed. He also claimed that leaders in ISIS call him, “your highness.” ** Traitor + President= Tresident.

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Brian Butler is the 20 -year Trump employee that is giving testimony in the documents case. He claims they were moving boxes as the Feds were looking for them. ** Word is that there may be less Trump rallies as they use all the $ for lawyers. ** The hush money trial was delayed because of new evidence. Manhattan asked for this a year ago and just now got it. ** A California Judge has recommended disbarring John Eastman, a Trump lawyer that challenged the 2020 election results.

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Police in Mississippi who called themselves the Goon Squad were sentenced. In 2023 the group beat, shocked and sexually assaulted 2 black men for hours. One of the men was shot but they survived. 3 of the 6 also pled guilty to a separate incident. The Sheriff of Rankin County has a $400mil lawsuit against him for failure to properly train the officers.

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James Carville is at it again. He tells us that Trump literally stinks. Is that why they are drawn to him. Are these just a bunch of stinky minions?

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133 people were killed in a Moscow Concert Hall and ISIS took credit for it.

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Will Trent just gets better!!

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So, NBC hires the election denier, Ronna McDaniel and then fires her after the other talking heads freak out. Figures it is NBC. Why is it always NBC?

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Fani Willis will stay on the case in Georgia. Her acquaintance is off the case.

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Will the Supreme Court give Presidents complete immunity? What will Biden do with the power?

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Kyrsten Sinema won’t run for reelection.

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Trump is a snake oil salesperson. If they were having his (Biden) wake and it was him V. Trump and he was being given last rites, I would still vote for Joe Biden. - Mark Cuban

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Trump: He’s so fucking stupid. He’s a fucking moron. - Robert DeNiro

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We need a better education system in this country since people can’t seem to see what is real. RFK Jr. and Trump yell about the truth all the time and they seem to be the biggest liars I have ever seen. ** Scary Clown 45 won the golf club championship and the senior club champion. He is amazing.

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Red Bull Racing boss, Christian Horner was investigated after accusations of misconduct. He was cleared but things seem to keep escalating. Team members are threatening to leave and leaked e mails of inappropriate behavior.

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The Freaky Friday sequel is on the way.

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Oprah told the world that Steadman eats Octopus and Okra every morning.

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Elon Musk was interviewed for Don Lemon’s new show and then Musk cancelled it .** Musk seems worried about AI being too woke. ** Musk and his right -wing cohorts now seem to think there is a Haitian cannibal invasion.

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The pillow guy is begging for 100% of your money.

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R.I.P. David Culhane, Iris Apfel, Moscow concert hall victims, Janice Burgess, Amnon Weinstein, Thomas Stafford, Martin Greenfield, Rockford stabbing victims, Dorie Ladner, Peter Anthony Morgan, Kenneth Mitchell, Micheline Presle, Akira Toriyama, Ohio tornado vicims, Byron Janis, David Seidler, Dan Wakefield, David Breashears, Richard Serra, Marjorie Perloff, Francis Scott Key bridge collapse victims, Jerry Foley, Max Hardy, Steve Harley, Michael Culver, Roni Stoneman, Bud E.S. Lamareaux III, Richard Truly, Jim Beard, Malachy McCourt, Eric Carmen, Robyn Bernard, David Mixner, M. Emmet Walsh and Steve Lawrence.

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thusatlas · 4 years

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Can we talk about Barty Crouch Jnr?

This tweaked bastard has been living in my head, rent free, since I read the Goblet of Fire - in 2005.

Think how much rent that is!

You see, this malevolent set of cheekbones is not only a brilliant portrayal of a true psychopath, but he’s also somewhat responsible for Voldemort’s death. And it all comes down to one, beautiful, sweet, doe-eyed glow-up baby -

Let me lay out fifteen years of thoughts here for you.

1. Is he a psychopath?

Well first let’s define psychopath. I’ve spent much time toiling over this conundrum for my Masters (not as long as Barty Crouch Jnr but enough). Hollywood has made the image of a psychopath synonymous with Hannibal or Patrick Bateman, but let me assure you - that is a very, very small percentage of what would actually be considered a psychopath. According to the DSM - V, there is no such thing diagnostically as a “psychopath”. This is for two reasons: law and philosophy. Philosophically speaking, the MindBody Problem is still at the forefront of conversations about the conscious, and so when faced with the paradox of a psychopath, the MindBody problem freaks the fuck out. Briefly, this problem is that we as neuroscientists and psychologists can map most - if not all - the ‘hardware’ of the brain. So the mechanical actions like moving your arm or drinking some tea. The hard problem - the actual problem - is we haven’t got a fucking clue what the Mind is. It’s all a bit... ineffable (that is legitimately how we academically put it, Neil Gaiman = God). Religion says that the Mind is the soul. Science says - we haven’t got a fucking clue what it is; it’s qualia, its unquantifiable experience that effects your entire worldview and make you wholey unique from everyone else on the planet.

And we can’t fucking find it on a map - hence its a problem.

Now this ineffable, unquantifiable mind, soul, conscious whatever you want to call it, is the thing that directs your moral compass. Psychopaths seem to present behaviour that does not prescribe to the moral code that we, in our relative societies have agreed upon. There is evidence to suggest that they do not feel guilt, which is a key ingredient in Moral psychology (I direct you to the research of Jonathon Haidt). Within the law, internationally, individuals with psychopathic traits are perceived as being predicated to criminal behaviour - therefore, exempt from taking any insanity defence. Now within psychology, because of the law and philosophy, and the mindbody problem - IT’S VERY FUCKING HARD TO DIAGNOSE A PSYCHOPATH BECAUSE WE CAN’T DECIDE WHAT ONE IS, because of all of the above. It’s all very... grey.

But what we can agree on, is there is a list of qualities that you would usually find in a psychopath, these are measured on the PCL-R (Hare 2003) and the PPI-R (Lilienfield and Widows 2005):

Machiavellian Egocentricity

Rebellious Nonconformity

Blame Externalisation

Carefree Nonplanfulness

Social Influence

Fearlessness

Stress Immunity

Coldheartedness

Early behavioural problems

Lack of realistic long term goals

Juvenile Delinquency

Parasitic Lifestyle

As you can see, Voldemort was a psychopath, but I digress. Barty, not so sure, and this is earmarked with the fact that we don’t know the entirety of his character. By the time he’s outed the first time, he has a seat on the Wizengamot and Crouch Snr is all shocked - like he never saw this behaviour coming. It can be inferred that a) Crouch Jnr is a excellent liar, capable of manipulation those closest to him with machiavellian behaviour; b) probably quite a well behaved young boy. So I would disregard the idea of juvenile delinquency and early behavioural problems.

And this scene stands as evidence that Crouch Jnr is capable of Rebellious Nonconformity as well as Blame Externalisation. We know that he was a politician prior and well liked, so I will again infer that he had Social Influence. I will also infer that he had a predilection for Stress Immunity given he was outed infront of the entire court room and his reaction was this:

Not screaming and running for the high hills. I’ll raise you the fact that he was undercover as Moody for an entire year, rubbing shoulders with Dumbledore, and seemed pretty chill about the whole thing given that he was acting in, what I can imagine to be, was a very stressful situation.

So as you can see, a fair argument could be made for Crouch Jnr to be diagnosed as a genuine psychopath.

And yet we come to the reason why this has bothered me for fifteen years.

2. The Character Development of Neville Longbottom

It’s a well loved narrative that Neville goes from the bumbling bucktooth first year, to the Gryffindor God slaying Nagini in the Battle of Hogwarts.

...deceased.

Anyway, years 1,2,3 Neville is still treated as the weakling: he’s forgetting books, he’s leaving Common Room passwords lying around so that they’re stolen by nefarious Kneezles who let in escaped convicts etc etc. Come forth year, we open with Neville stepping in the trick-step that everyone knows to miss and yet bumbling Neville, still doping along. At this point, you’re like, ‘na this kid is gonna die because he trips over his own shoelaces or something.’

And then that fateful Unforgiveable Curses lesson happens.

For those who need reminding, here Neville offers up the Cruciatus curse to which Professor Moody - aka Barty Crouch Jnr, tortures a spider using it as a demonstration. Neville is stricken by the whole event because of his parents. After the lesson, Hermione hurries Ron and Harry (who haven’t really realised that Neville was that effected) to find Neville who staring at a wall in a side corridor or stairwell - I can’t remember which. Neville’s shellshocked, saying he’s fine but keeps talking about dinner. He’s in full trauma.

Then Moody Crouch comes along.

3. The paradox

Moody Crouch then takes a traumatised Neville to his office, gently reassuring him, offering him tea and calling him ‘laddy’. Here, he tells Neville that Professor Sprout was singing his praises in Herbology and gifts him the book on African plants, I think it was. This book is what Harry and Ron see him avidly reading later. This is the start of his love of herbology, which then leads to him being the one to get Harry through the second challenge, which then allows Harry to go on and touch the portkey Triwizard cup. Whilst also setting Neville on the path of having confidence in himself. By book 5, Neville’s braver, he’s no longer forgetting things, and this only improves by the time we get to the Battle of Hogwarts where he becomes a literal Hero from a Greek Myth.

So, Psychopathic Machiavellian behaviour would say, he needs to get Harry on side. You do that by showing that you care. So you go over-board punishing the known bullies and enemies:

Whilst being nice to Harry’s friends (Neville with the book). He could have deliberately orchestrated the Unforgiveable curses lesson, in the attempt to traumatise Neville so that he could then be the Hero and be seen looking after him by Harry. Then you use the friend as a means to ensure that Harry is able to get through the second challenge, by setting him on the path of plants. Ergo, you complete you mission and your year long con. You got Potter to the graveyard, to the Dark Lord - you’re the best little psychopath and nobody suspected you the entire time.

BUT. He was nice. He was caring. He was tender with Neville.

And if you remember, psychopaths also have a tendency to have a Lack of realistic long term goals, and have behaviours that display Carefree Nonplanfulness and Coldheartedness. Getting Harry to the cup had to be a sure-fire thing. The plan had to be solid. It is my belief that Moody Crouch had a plan in place for every trial, but I do not believe he was the puppeteer pulling the strings. The aforementioned plan has too many if’s and but’s. Too much causality. Too much left up to circumstance. I think if Neville hadn’t done something, then Moody Crouch would have, but it was never the intention for Neville to be his tool - just a happy accident.

While he can be ascribed to portray some true psychopathic behaviours, I don’t believe that Barty Crouch Jnr was a psychopath. I think he was just rebelling in a really hard way from his Stiff, Loveless Father. Because this moment of caring, was a product of guilt. This was where Moody Crouch’s moral compass kicked in and he began to mentor Neville throughout fourth year (like a father) thus inadvertently setting Neville on a path to defeat Voldy-bollocks.

Thus the paradox: the best teacher Neville Longbottom ever had was a Death Eater.

And that just fucks me up.

Thank you for coming to my ted talk.

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nosferdoc · 7 years

Video

youtube

Jonathon Haidt on Universities and Intellectual Freedom.

#Jonathon haidt #freedom of speech

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grad502-sachawoudenberg · 2 years

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To do:

add more research to have stronger thought provoking copywriting, research dopamine. (Jonathon Haidt scholarly articles.)

test print buy foil paper / make screen / make black images to print to make screen

organise data into infographics for zine

experiment with zine

finalise type and colours (holographic colours)

clean up assets / resolve

prepare for interim next wednesday 4x A3 ideas moodboards and concepts.

look at canvas for extra details

buy foil / metallic paper - warehouse stationary, spotlight, gordon harris. Professionally printed? (The print guys + laser foil print)

make sticker designs

update tumblr

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emilyswrd042-blog · 8 years

Text

Warning: the following content may be offensive and informative

In “The Coddling of the American Mind”, Greg Lukianoff and Jonathon Haidt discuss the results of protecting undergraduate college students from ideas and opinions that could cause discomfort. One of the quotes I felt emphasized their logic was “Don’t teach students what to think; teach them how to think”. The authors stress that closing the doors on offending phrases and hateful ideals does not make them go away. The job of a university is to give students the tools to deal with hurtful people in the real world. If we continue covering our students’ ears, they will never learn how to handle a real life situation.

The main exigence of this article is that children in America are growing up sheltered and ill prepared for a world without a filter. While it is common for students to adopt their parents’ ideals, college is a time to explore others’ beliefs and form your own. Lukianoff and Haidt argue that American universities are taking away the opportunity to be uncomfortable and challenge your own core values. The time that students spend uncomfortable at a university is crucial to them developing their own identity and preparing for the rigors of the real world. This idea is heavily discussed in “Paul Prather: No trigger warnings, safe places or drapes in this university”. Prather’s exigence is that students come to a university unchallenged and unable to defend what they believe in. As a professor at a university, he speaks in a harsh and offensive tone for a specific purpose. He wants to make his students uneasy so that they will learn to stand up for themselves and their values.

The two articles remind me of a letter I read last semester from the Dean of Students at the University of Chicago. He tells the class of 2020 that the University of Chicago does not support trigger warnings and safe spaces. I thought this was a very interesting and bold thing for this very prestigious university to do. I would not put it past the media to attack this institution and do serious harm to their reputation as a result of this letter. With this in mind, I was impressed that the university was putting itself at risk for the benefit of its students and their education. I think other universities should use this effort by the University of Chicago to see the flaws in their teachings.

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life-in-a-labrynth · 4 years

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Kinda drunk right now but I feel like spilling out my feelings that have built up, I mean why the hell not? I found myself in the nth moment of feeling disturbed and afraid and hugging my elbows just a minute ago. I don’t think I’ll go all into why I’m disturbed but let’s at least give an update, yeah?

Okay so this might be an interesting dynamic but in my last post I was worrying about whether this girl Laura was basic or not. Okay let’s be a little kinder and say, whether we’re compatible. So I finally went on a real goddamn date with her and guess what? she fat. That whole “average weight” thing on okcupid was a sham. She just set her profile up a couple days before she met me (purportedly) too, so okay, guess she’s a liar or in denial. And ya know, sorry to be a hardass about the weight/looks thing, but you know, it’s important to me to be physically attracted to someone, okay? And what does it say that she’s deceitful about that?

In any case, more I wanted to unpack. So now I went on a date and yeah, she fat, and I thought about how we had the phone call and after it was over I felt kinda meh, because it didn’t feel like she stimulated my brain. She talked about this and that and yeah that’s cool and all, but she just didn’t seem to be operating on a high octane teh brain galaxy bullshit that I wanted. And yeah, hate to say it, but Dawn. I remember having a convo with Dawn about Game of Thrones and Martin’s method as a writer and how a character of his had felt ambivalent and even resentful about having a son and it was a good fucking conversation. I didn’t have that with Laura.

Should have gone with my instincts and not second-guessed myself. I wanted to believe that I was just bullshitting myself and this could be something good, can’t I just accept a good thing? Maybe I’m being overly critical, like Dawn was with me.

But eh, nah, not really. Look Dan, you’ll *know* when you feel thunderstruck. Kayla had better convos with you about politics. Laura didn’t even talk about politics, just a bunch of halloween bullshit and serial killers and blah blah and I guess we had some good conversations but it just didn’t stimulate me and make me think like some of the others did.

Like for christ’s sake, look at... I can’t remember her name, but we went for a walk in Wissahickon and I felt like we had really good conversations about racism and maybe I was blowing a lot of fucking hot air about Jonathon Haidt and she probably thought I was an obnoxious, droning goober, but damn it, it felt fulfilling! That girl didn’t feel basic. Maybe I was an obnoxious, droning goober, but I had the opportunity to be, because the conversation organically went to interesting political topics, not some other bullshit about whatever Laura was talking to me about.

And so yeah, it felt pretty decent to talk to Laura for 4 hours on the phone, but it just didn’t fulfill me the way that talking with Lis did, who on our first date, we talked for 6 fucking hours. For the love of god, why did I fuck that up? Ugghh... it was probably the right decision, I shouldn’t let my own loneliness get in the way of things. I shouldn’t regret a decision I made when I wanted so much and tried hard in good faith to make things work with Lis. But it just wasn’t natural. It’s not that I didn’t want it, it’s that it wasn’t working.

Okay, anyway. So I had the date with Laura and the moment I dropped into her car and set eyes on her I thought “oh no, nah, sorry, this ain’t gonna work.” We had a nice date and we chatted and ate french fries and mozzarella sticks and talked about serial killers and whatever other nonsense. I brought up free will on a concept but she didn’t really engage with it, bleh.

So yeah, okay, fine. It’s mean to say, but yeah, sure. Basic. That’s what she is. Good on her for going into nursing and trying really hard at it and getting good grades, though (yeah, she hasn’t even started nursing school yet bleguk lol) but whatever, stop judging you asshole.

Sigh. Okay. Sorry. Let’s get back on track. So I said soiya to her and she was cool with it. I felt kinda bad because I could see she was disappointed when I told her that I didn’t think we had a romantic future together, but she took it fine and said she hoped I found what I’m looking for.

And but so that ended, and I did what I always do and hit up dating websites and probably try way too hard. Hey Dan, try Tawkify, The Elite (or whatever the fuck it’s called) and Hinge next, because at this point it just feels like you’ve exhausted the possibilities on the other sites.

Tinder: no one’s fucking responding, except the one girl who was just a few messages.

OKC: same, except literally no one is responding. Why did they like my profile to begin with??

Bumble: Same exact thing. Matched with 4 women, extended all 4 of them, nothing. Messaged some other girl I had chatted a bit with, nothing. Messaged some other girl who said before she wanted to meet up with things felt “safe-ish”, but truthfully it’s been like 5 months so whatever, that’s fine and makes sense, but all the same, nothing.

idk OKC has always been a pretty good source to meet women but it’s just low, low, low quality these days. Like 14 out of 15 women who like my profile aren’t attractive, let alone that 90% of the rest just sound basic. Probably higher, like 99%. When was the last time that I felt thunderstruck? With Gina. But she was kinda crappy at convo, like she wasn’t even trying.

It’s all so frustrating and disheartening. I feel like there was more I was going to say. About how I became way less forgiving towards Laura after I found out she was fat. I was glad to slip into the conversation, organically, that sometimes people don’t look the way they do in profile pictures. I hope she took that to heart. Don’t put “average” weight in your profile when you’re a good 20 pounds overweight, honey.

Sigh. I’m sorry to be a dick, it’s just annoying. I wouldn’t normally care but she insisted upon chatting for a week before meeting up. Maybe she was apprehensive simply because she was insecure about the way she looked. Hey hon, a week won’t make a fucking difference. You were nice to talk to, but if you’re a heffer, it ain’t happening.

I’m sorry, this is so mean. But god damn it... like that’s the exact reason I told her that meeting face-to-face soon was convenient. I told her that’s the best way to determine whether there’s chemistry. I feel like a dick but I hope she’s learned something from that. Oh well. At least it’s not like with Adrienne, where I was totally god damn into her and she was smart and beautiful and face-to-face was just as wonderful as text messages, and... ghosted!

At least I wasn’t just another asshole who ghosted Laura. I was straightforward. I would never ghost someone, but it’s unusual that at the end of the date, if I’m not feeling it, I’ll outright say it. But Laura told me how important it was that people be honest, so I’m happy to have been able to give that to her, and not chicken out and wait until the next day to text and say I wasn’t feeling it. Or to kid myself into saying “well i just need another day to figure it out lol” when I knew very well that with whatserface (the one where we hung out and drank beer by schyulkill river and then went and got pizza afterwards) where I said “um idk lol lemme think about it” then texted her the next day to tell her I wasn’t interested.

Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself. At least you’re keeping an open mind. Not saying No outright.

Blah, meh, whatever. I think I already said that dumbass Mary finally got back to me to say “omg i’m liek so teh sorryz!!!11 I felt overwhelmed by whatever the fuck and consequently shut down and didn’t look at my phone at all!!!11″ So fucking dumb. You knew I texted you stupid bitch, don’t lie and say “well liek i mean lieko mg i just liek didn’t check my phone and didnt know u texted!!11″

But props to her to admitting that she needs to grow up. That couldn’t have been easy to admit. So I need to have grace with her. She admitted that she didn’t have a good excuse. So I had no reason to eviscerate her. I just said “Sure. Take care.” At least she felt bad. At least she was self-aware. At least she had the strength to come back and apologize and admit that she was wrong. I give her props for that, and so probably shouldn’t be so angry, but whatever, by the time that dumbass texted I was already over it.

Okay and so what now? This is weird but okay fine I’ll admit it. What sparked me to come onto here was because I had a few drinks and I cheated and bought another pouch of tobacco, bad Dan! How are you supposed to git gud at kickboxing if I’m a huffin-and-a-puffin all over the place? But I feel good because I got praise from the guy I partnered with at muay thai and I think I did a good job with him, and my knee-throwing is getting better! Hurray for me!

Okay and but so sorry, so the reason I came here was because I was drinking and smoking and watching Jonathon Haidt and Malcolm Gladwell and the roundtable was fantastic and then I started drinking and I was talking to this cunt on tinder who decided to stop messaging back after literally two messages (I fucking hate people), then I got sad and insecure and watched a couple episodes of Cowboy Bebop (almost done with the series)

Sorry to ramble on and fucking itemize everything I did this night, it’s so trivial and tedious to the reader but whatever, I don’t care. So I did all that and was feeling tired and decided to go back up to bed and thought of my shaven testicles and maybe fondled them without realizing it or maybe I just got horny, whatever

So then I came upstair sand I was going to masturbate and a common thought came to me and it’s been stronger lately, where I get scared. I’m scared about what I masturbate to. And even though it’s never really happened... I mean, not really... I don’t think? But I became afraid that I’ll become too addicted to what I masturbate to and won’t be able to have a meaningful sexual relaitonship when I do eventulaly get into a romantic relationship.

I don’t want to get hooked on certain sexual thoughts and have to use them when I’m doing the deed. Like I don’t want to have to be sleeping with a woman and start fantasizing about something else to achieve orgasm. This is scummy, but I don’t want to have to be getting my dick sucked by some smart and interesting and sorta cute but fat girl and be fantasizing about how she’s only doing it because she wants me to like her, like we’re on a date, first date, and she’s sucking my dick and it feels amazing but to push myself over the edge I had to give a voice to her thoughts

And the voice is “okay, this guy is really hot, I want him to like me, first impressions and all, I need to suck his dick really good. I don’t particularly like it, but you gotta do what you gotta do.”

RIGHT NOW. I’M GETTING A BONER RIGHT NOW AS I THINK OF IT. Then part of me wishes I saved her pictures so I could look at them again and remember her and think about her sucking my dick and get off on how maybe.. I mean probably not but what if that’s what was really going through her mind?

She was really sex-positive and communicative and awesome, and I was giving, and it seems like I mean she obviously enjoyed it when I licked her pussy and got her off, and it was kind aweird becaus eshe said that she came and the first time I didn’t beilev eher because it seemed really low intensity, almost an afterthought, “yeah I came”, and I jsut figured “well I guess she wasn’t that into it and didn’t want to keep at it, or maybe she was insecure, or this or that, but this whole ‘i came’ thing is a lie, she just wanted to move on and spare my ego.”

But then we went at it again the second date and she supposedly came twice and this time I outright said “are you sure?” and she kinda chuckled and she said “yeah, I think I’d know”, and so I believed her, she seemed sincere. Micro-orgasm, maybe, or maybe she’s just not super reactive/performative/exaggerated about her orgasms, I mean that’s prefectly possible, it was just weird, like I just had this powerful and irrefutable notion that she was faking

Wahtever, I don’t kven know why I’m still talking aoubt it. This all started beacuse I said that I felt bad about the things I masturbat eto. I think maybe I was molested. I think maybe I nede to see a sex therapist and it’s really strange and I don’t know. So and then like maybe I need to um like I don’t know but so maybe I can hit up Collette and se eif she has any colleagus I can talk to.

idk man but I had fantasiez about me seeing Collette and her giving me “sex therapy” and tehy were super sexy at the time, kinda sad and disappointed that those powerful fantasies didn’t last, the way that the ones with Lis do, they just keep coming, she’s the second fucking sexual partner I’ve had where I’ll consturuct all these elaborate fantasies about nonconsensual sex (or barely-consensual, no pun intended) and write literally dozens of pages about all these situations they get into about being humiliated and degraded, these sexcapades where they don’t want to be slutting themselves out and sucking all this dick but they hav eno choice because they’nve being blackmalied

God I’m such a fucked up person. I know I Shouldn’t be ashamed of nfantazies, isn’t that a truism now? No kick-shaming? lol kink-smaming. DAMN IT .Kink. Shaming. So anyway, yeah, I know, that’s the montra, and I know that people will know that but not take it to heart beacuse a lot o people are ashamed of their sexual fantasies. There are even women who hav fentasies about non-consensual sex and forced gang-bangs and shit like that, thank you to kink.com for showcasing some of these porn actresses who rae getting interviewed and telling their fantasies.

Hey bruh it don’t make no difference whether the scene I see is also their fantasie, not in particular, but knowing that some women fantasize about such evil, rapey things also exist and make me feel less bad about degrading women in my own fantasies.

Things are really strange and I love porn and porn star sand they’re super sexy and I shouldn’t be masturbating so much to them lmao literally I hav eno idea what i’m even talknig about anmyroe ,my mind just keeps gkinda going to lunch, I mean I Don’t think I’m more drunk than I was when I started this entry? Just giving less a fuck, but definitely more tired, I def feel tired now, I feel strange and sad and I want s’ much to fucking meet the love of my life but I can’t do it but whatever. I’ll probably beat off about Jackie (hell Dan write a story about her!) but maybe and maybe not but I’m just really fucking tired.

Goodnight.

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