#central states wrestling

[spdk1]

An Interview with Professional Wrestler Wrex Amadeus

Watching professional wrestlers rise from their humble beginnings to eventually winning championships is incredibly rewarding, especially when you’ve been following their journey for months or even years. One such wrestler I’ve seen take that upward trajectory is none other than… well, I guess he’ll make me say it… “Sexy” Wrex Amadeus. I remember when he was on the receiving end of a brutal…

[ringthedamnbell]

The Other Bash: Remembering The International Bash 1989

The Other Bash: Remembering The International Bash 1989

Brian Damage Many times in the past on this blog we have talked ad nauseam about how Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation expanded nationally killing territorial wrestling in its path. The territories that were fortunate enough to survive, would usually join forces in some capacity to stave off being swallowed up by the WWF. In doing so, these territories would put on ‘Super Cards’…

[racefortheironthrone]

What differs a Bronze Age Monarchy from a Feudal or Modern State Monarchy? For whatever reson I have always been given the impression that Bronze Age Monarchy is the ancient version of either the former or the later, but that does not sound right.

Yeah, that would be a major misconception.

Bronze Age monarchies:

were far more centralized than medieval monarchies, with large, year-round palace complexes that functioned not just as fortresses but also as judicial centers, religious centers, storehouses, state planning apparati, and so on. To operate all these various functions, they employed a large bureaucracy that had, if not a monopoly, something of an oligopoly, on literacy, numeracy, and higher learning.

were highly involved in planning the economy, from organizing irrigation and other labor-intensive farming practices to keeping detailed records on production and taxation to coordinating the complex network of international trade that regulated the flow of both key commodities like tin but also luxury goods.

had more of a monopoly on military force, especially when it came to elite units like chariots. Training an archer and a driver to work in unison with a team of horses specifically bred to the task and custom chariots was a long and expensive process that only a monarch could provide the necessary surplus food and other resources for.

were not Christian. I can't stress enough how important this was as a structural force - Bronze Age monarchs did not have to deal with a large, European-wide, literate bureaucracy, with immense cultural power, that owned more land than they did. This isn't to say that there was no interaction between the temples and the state - I've talked recently about the tendency of Bronze Age monarchs to either be god-kings or priest-kings - but that the terms of interaction between the two much more heavily favored the state.

By contrast, medieval monarchies - and I'm aware that the term is something of a moving target, because what it meant to be a king in CE 600 is very different from what it means in CE 1100 or CE 1600 - were:

decentralized. They had small, peripatetic courts, and initially almost no bureaucracy. Governing power was much more broadly distributed down to the regional and local level through feudal contracts, and it was a long and very fraught process for the monarchs to gradually wrestle that power back.

much less engaged in the economy. Aside from tariffs and monetary policy, which is important, you don't really see medieval monarchs telling peasants when to plow and which fields (outside of the monarch's own personal fiefs), because that was an interference with the decentralized manorial system. You see fewer and smaller building projects, in no small part because the monarch usually couldn't afford to do them.

had less of a monopoly on violence. While the feudal exchange was supposed to give kings military service in exchange for land, in practice feudal levies could be slow to form, quick to disperse, and very fractious about their terms of service. This meant in practice that the nobility could exercise more hard power than their nominal overlords, which is why noble revolts were a common feature. Similarly, it took a long time for the monarchs to establish the necessary fiscal architecture for assembling professional armies and then eventually turning those professional armies into standing armies and then eventually turning those armies against the nobility - and by that point, we're not really talking about the Medieval period any more.

were Christian. And while there could certainly be exceptions of Emperors who picked Popes (instead of the other way around) or kings who could weirdly judo-flip their piety into Galician-style control of their national church, over time the pendulum definitely swung in favor of the Church having more power than any one monarch. They were wealthy, their wealth tended to grow over time because they were a corporate institution that invested their profits back into the company, they had huge amounts of cultural power, they had huge amounts of political power, and so on.

[kaibutsushidousha]

Thoughts on SHIKI Tohno?

The central arrangement of Far Side is that the Toono family is always at risk of losing their human heart and involuntarily committing uncontrolled acts of violence, and the only way to prevent that is by casting away their human heart and voluntarily committing controlled acts of violence. Its tragedy is derived from how no one benefits from this arrangement and no one has the key to escape it. The biggest acting hands are also the biggest victims. The graph for that is a perfect diagonal upward.

And SHIKI is the perfect victim. Loss of agency is the thing everyone fears the most in Far Side Tsukihime. His oni blood inverted, he was invaded by Roa, and he was drugged by Kohaku. Three layers of loss of agency that he needs to fight off. Narrator Protag Shiki also has his struggles with multiple layers but never at the same time like him. It's thematic overkill, with a risk of Red Garden adding a fourth or fifth thing also wrestling for control of his mind.

All we see of SHIKI as himself is him as an 8-year-old telling his childhood friend to immediately kill him if he ever falls into a third of the state we see him at in the present day. The real human SHIKI was quiet, somber, mature, and self-aware, just like the ghost we see in Drinking Dreaming Moon. In contrast, the main personality trait he demonstrates in Tsukihime's main story is his inability to shut up. All he has is mad ramblings about Shiki's identity theft, Akiha's affections, and the morality of murder. It all feels like he's trying too hard to rationalize his irrational actions because he can't live with himself otherwise, and to say everything he feels he has to say because he doesn't know when or if he'll ever get a next opportunity to talk.

His plot part is essential and he executes it masterfully. Nasu could easily have made him cool, but he went for the wiser route of making SHIKI exactly as sad and pathetic as he needed to be. A delightfully pitiful monster almost veering on comic relief. Incoherent in a way that hurts because you need to empathize with him. Everything that can go wrong in Tsukihime went wrong for him.

[toweroftickles]

Batman Beyond Tickle Headcanons

Gotham Case File #489B-KRL

Maxine “Max” Gibson

Ticklishness Rating: 7.5/10

Most Ticklish Spots: Soles, Hips

Despite her lack of superpowers, a skilled fighter who won't hold still. She kicks and punches.

Will agree to anything he wants if Terry playfully tickles her. This doesn't happen often but she enjoys it when it does. Far more tolerant of this from Terry than from others.

Sometimes pokes Terry in the ribs when he's being too serious.

Hates her tickle laugh…she thinks her throaty cackles make her sound like an old lady. This bothers her more than tickling itself.

Always fights back skillfully during tickle wars. Her intelligence, strategic mind, and competitive streak serve her well and bring out her playful edge.

Her go-to move in a tickle fight is to pinch the sides.

Displays plenty of snark and sass regardless of her position.

Inque

Ticklishness Rating: 9/10

Most Ticklish Spots: Feet, Ribs, Thighs

Liquid morph makes tickling of any kind impossible. Matter phase distortion field is necessary to keep her in a human state.

Unused to most physical sensations, owing to near-constant viscous form. Very low tolerance for pain…and, as it turns out, for tickling.

Begs and pleads for mercy almost immediately. She’s completely crippled by tickle torture. Will surrender any information without much resistance...easy target for interrogation.

A seductress with very physical inclinations and a penchant for younger men, she occasionally enjoys playfully tickling them in her efforts. Sharp fingers would make effective tools.

Shows expert skills in teasing, taunting, and toying with her foes. A skillful tickler, if given the opportunity.

Melanie Walker/10

Ticklishness Rating: 7/10 (unfortunate lack of numerical synergy)

Most Ticklish Spots: Sides, Toes

Timid reactions: pouty, moaning giggles and submissive squirms.

Covers her face a lot.

Obviously uncomfortable with being tickled - the activity distresses her somewhat.

Lack of childhood friends & normal familial bonds may have created emotional distance from tickling. Shows no propensity toward it...the thought simply doesn't amuse her or occur to her naturally (and she certainly doesn't want to provoke any revenge).

Consequently not very fun to tickle.

Dee Dee Twins

Ticklishness Rating: 10/10

Most Ticklish Spots: Arches of Feet, Belly Buttons, Armpits

Ruthless tickle fanatics. Love to hold down (or tie up) and tickle their victims without pity.

Giggle and laugh wickedly at the mere mention of tickling.

Sadistically tickled/wrestled one another growing up, and still do.

Active online “community” members. Each has a secret stash of tickling videos & fanfics that they think the other is oblivious to.

Switches through and through, but unable to handle doses of their own medicine for long. Low resistance. Violently kick and struggle.

Claim to have "gotten it from (their) Nana Harley."

Hobby: Spouting off dad jokes and terrible puns whilst forcing their captives to laugh. This usually involves either nitrous oxide or tickle torture.

Favorite tickle tools: their fingers, backscratchers, Wartenberg wheels

Add. Notes: Contact information exchanged with the twins. They showed more enthusiasm to join my research assignment than any other subjects encountered so far. Request funds to hire interns.

Terry McGinnis/Batman

Ticklishness Rating: 6/10

Most Ticklish Spots: Abs, Ribs

More ticklish than one would expect; less ticklish than one would hope.

Not overly physically affectionate; more rough-and-tumble from growing up as a gang punk. Doesn’t really tickle anyone except Max.

More mildly-irritated by tickling than anything else. Not sensitive enough for it to be a major deterrent.

Once bound and tickle-tortured by Dee Dee in the hopes of getting information about the Batcave. (Their methods proved ineffective.)

Add. Notes: Highly-advanced WayneTech exosuit taps into the user's central nervous system, inhibiting pain and increasing reflex speed. Practical applications obvious. Reverse-engineer at earliest opportunity.

[nameinconcept-blog]

Nadom - The National Holiday

"Nadom is the Mongolian's best-loved, happiest holiday. Nadom is a nationwide popular annual event, which coincides with celebrations of the anniversary of the Mongolian People's Revolution. In Ulan Bator, the capital, Nadom starts on the central square in the morning with a military march- past and massive popular demonstration, the high point of which is a colourful gymnastics parade. In the afternoon and evening, sports grounds and stadiums, parks and gardens, open-air stages and playhouses furnish the venues."

"Yumzhagiin Tsedenbal, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party and President of the Presidium of the Great People's Khural"

"Sukhe-Bator Square in Ulan Bator on People's Revolution Day, the national holiday of the Mongolian People's Republic"

"On high, scarlet banners wave And gay strains of music fill the air. Inscribed on every face. A loving pride in our country fair." D. Natsagdorzh

"With intent good and peaceful our own way we wend, The power of the people uphold and defend. But should brazen enemy dare us to attack, We have the strength in sinews to beat his hordes back." D. Natsagdorzh

"The champion and his successors"

"National-style wrestling is a top favourite that excites both young and old"

Photos and Text from the photo book "Mongolia" published by Planeta Publishers and the State Publishing House of the Mongolian People's Republic. 1983

[fateandloveentwined]

Characterising Valjean: masks and struggles

Okay, so jvj's sudden intense self-deprecation towards the end of part five has always eluded me. Like, where did that come from? Hadn’t he already turned over a new leaf with the bishop and with Cosette?

Les mis has many themes, but if we cast aside all the themes focusing on french insurgencies and her people, abstract grace and love and Progress, at the heart of the brick we find her characters, and to look at Valjean, perhaps there are two things that explain his abject self-deprecation and wretchedness/misery which were so pivotal to his last chapters in the book and central to his overarching character.

below has absolutely no regard for spoilers proceed with caution lol thanks

I. Masks and veneers.

It is my sorry fate that, only ever able to command respect that is fraudulently obtained, that respect humiliates me and inwardly oppresses me, and if I’m to have any self-respect others must despise me.

cough erik poto

As stated patently in his final ruminations, JVJ never considered himself successful. Everything he did which he was respected and lauded for, it was attributed to disguised versions of himself, Monsieur Madeleine and Fauchelevent. As valjean he never achieved anything of worth, he was terrified in his first days in paris hiding from javert's pursuit and finding the convent, he never felt anything of worth as valjean but a criminal and convict pursued for the entirety of his life.

Throughout the book, he lived a struggle between accepting valjean and donning another disguise that would be some other benevolent man: the extensive deliberations on his way to Arras (who am I?), his timidity after Cosette's marriage in which he deemed his work done — either he is to don a new identity or resume the one he hid away for the many past years; towards the end, as Cosette and Marius were increasingly besotted with each other, he withdrew, letting Javert arrest him again under conditions — he resigned to the resumption of his fugitive identity.

In all these years, his convicted past self loomed over him unfailingly, especially considering his canonical rearrest after Fantine’s death — in spite of all the good he did in the world he was never, in essence, a free man of his mind.

Which brings us to our second point.

II. Jacob's wrestle

The terrible struggle of old, of which we have already seen several phases, began once more. Jacob wrestled with the angel for only one night. Alas! how many times have we seen Jean Valjean forced to grapple with his conscience in the dark, and struggling frantically against it!

The bring him home reprise in the finale is SO poignant, even more so than the original number because of what it truly meant to Valjean in the book. The musical "redeemed" many characters by painting them in a better light: Javert, with his misguided understanding of religion vs. reading the law as bible; Eponine, with her scream saving jvj's household at Rue Plumet. As for jvj, his many wrestles with faith were downplayed for the sake of simplification, going as far as to him praying earnestly for Marius’ life at the barricades in the musical when in the book, let’s face it, he was physically saving Marius but in his mind he probably didn't understand why he was doing something so foolish.

Predestined fates do not all follow a direct route. They do not run straight before the one who is predestined. They have dead ends, blind alleys, obscure turnings, daunting crossroads offering several alternative routes.

And so with the musical where all these mental struggles were downplayed, in the book he wrestled with the faith he has chosen, first during his torturously slow tread to Arras (who am I?), his ruminations on Marius (akin to heart full of love reprise), and his final confession to Marius — so many times had he struggled; there's the idea that God redeemed him through the bishop, and he did good as a man — yet still why had his life been so tortured and full of agony? At first I questioned the use of the title “the miserables/the wretched” — for les amis de l’ABC, the destitute people of the republic, I could see their wretchedness, but for Valjean — as the main character, why was the title so unfitting of the main character? But no. Internally he was wretched, he was pitiable and miserable, and in the aura of his bring him home we forget about his moments of wrath flung out about his faith and life philosophy, blunt anger at the injustice not of the world but of how his life had been — unredeemed, in spite of; the arrant, incomprehensible fear of being pursued and hunted, the resignation to his fate at the very end: moments at the sewers, before javert and before the loving newlyweds.

As such so profound it is, towards his final moments in the musical he reprises “God on high” and prays to bring himself home, he yields to the things in life he doesn’t like and defers to God’s judgement, the faith he has followed on and the bargain he has made so many long years ago — it was not at Arras that his soul truly belonged to God, it was at these final moments where he prays that he has lived his faith through — and that was when I felt jvj’s character fully unravelled.

It was a starless night and extremely dark. No doubt, in the shadows, some immense angel stood with wings outspread, awaiting his soul.

---

oops this has gone on for way too long but i was itching to dissect jvj and have put it off for so long since reading the book i just had to do it for myself anyway.

Also living for all the nonexistent COMC Edmond Dantes and JVJ crossovers because discounting the timeline they share too many similarities in knowledge acquisition imprisonment and faith and pretences to not have met and had many an interesting tete-a-tete.

*quotes taken from christine donougher's translation. explains my tendency to use wretched over miserable lol.

[survivalist-anon]

Log 15: Heresy City

Rolling into town was a more complicated matter for the Imperial Fists and the boys. For it was not just a matter of parking space for a bus that could accommodate a whole football team, but a matter of size in general. The world was not built for Astartes their size.

It was a challenge alone for Wick to stay hidden, this was a Herculean task for the group. Parking their car roughly 5 mi away from a road down Blue Diamond Road, the walk to the nearest Casino was... strange to say the least.

Dressed in civilian clothing, the men accidentally looked more intimidating as a group. Following a signal tracking Wick, by a tracking device placed by Aldercon for security, Bilhard follows it intensively. Well Moors had stayed behind to guard the bus, Cahrilo, Sten and Toke follow close behind.

"How much further is that blasted Wick?!", Toke had been complaining about the heat, not for any good reason either, although he's not fully affected by the weather, it is still uncomfortable for him to deal with the heat without his power armor cooling him off.

Sten, more accustomed to the weather from his time traveling to warmer States throughout his time here on Earth, it's not really share Toke's adversion with the weather. "Yield your temper battle brother, tis small yet more populated city, I am certain we will be able to find him.".

Bilhard suddenly found that Wick's signal was on the move, not as fast as he anticipated but fast enough to see that he was mobile. "He's further down the metropolitan area. Hopefully he makes a stop long enough that we can pinpoint his location.".

Cahrilo was enjoying the stroll down the hot road. He looked towards some of the buildings within as line of sight, large thematic casinos, the sound of bustling cars and what he can clearly tell was plenty of activity. "Hopefully we well not attract too much attention.". He glances over one of the electrical billboards and notices that there was an advertisement for the South Point casino's most anticipated event of the year, the 'World Wrestle-ton'. "Perhaps maybe we will blend in better if the populace believes we are performers?".

The others looked over at the billboard, "well what a shame, Moor's probably would have enjoyed this mission if it weren't for him prioritizing the bus.", Bilhard knew that Moors along with a few others back at Fort Dorn had become accustomed with life on Earth to the point of enjoying what the planet has to offer in terms of entertainment and leisure. Along with modifying automotive and military vehicles, Moor's also enjoyed watching programs such as wrestling and sports.

It was not a surprise to anyone, but it takes a considerable amount of time for an Astartes to discover what entertains them. Some can go for decades without actively pursuing anything close to a hobby. Some immediately discover upon even witnessing the interest. It is fairly easy for an angel of the emperor to forget the notion of being 'human', a constant state of war in battle will facilitate such an issue.

Toke and Sten had become alert due to the incoming influx of auditory pollution and the potpourri of smells coming from the city.

Although Sten was a more experienced veteran, he was on high alert. "Something about this place....feels foreboding.", as he warns the others, an electric advertisement and quickly shifted to promoting a new upcoming masked wrestler from Central Mexico, 'El Nino'.

It may have not been obvious to a mortal human, but to any self-respecting Astartes, 'El Nino' had unfortunately familiar proportions.

Toke was more excited about the potential experience to come. "Aye, it's probably just a really ugly mortal. I mean we've seen a few before, Sten."

"I am certain we may not have much to fear, we just need to retrieve Wick, leave, and prepare ourselves for Wick's dressdown.", Cahrilo shrugged.

"Dress down?", Toke questioned.

Bilhard, "Lock it up, we're heading into the main street.", the four men stood out from the crowd just enough to be spotted as a group.

The looks and gawking of passerbys had a very different feel from those who were marveled at the sight of armored Astartes. Out of their armor, they were as bizarre and no more extraordinary as side show performers. In Las Vegas, this will work to their advantage.

"I don't get it, why are these mortals just staring at us.", he flashes his fangs at a ticket peddler for a split second before he could even begin to bother them.

"Mortals on this planet are not use to our presence. Aldercon after a few decades discovered the hard way. Here, we must stay hidden as much as we can. In the heavily wooded state of Oregon, we can move about rather freely...here...well...", Bilhard polited refused another peddler attempted to push advertisements for strip clubs, discounted promotional tickets. "This is were we come in. In highly populated areas, we retrieve loyalists and and dispose of any traitors to the Imperium. However in recent years....we have had to bend what defines chaos here....all of this," as he he shows the slowly lighting glows of the neon lights of Las Vegas in the late afternoon, "Is heresy to us...but it is.... leisure, business and...", all four become a bit distracted with a few dancers promoting the burlesque shows around the front of the Palazzo, "pleasure".

Toke and Sten look at each other, starting to piece together that there was a distinct reason why mortals were attracted to this place.

Cahrilo on the other hand, still rather young for his rank, was a little more distracted, "well....it's all in innocent fun from what we can see....but this place does attract the more...sorted crowd."

"What kind of sorted crowd? Cultists? Chaos traitors? Xenos?", Toke inquired.

"So far we haven't found any Xenos nor have we found...well...what we define as cultists or any cultists activities. Our sources outside of the state have theorized due to our exposure to the warp. We are the only ones that come to this place....well....at least it is confirmable.", Bilhard had been having trouble locating Wick through his tracking device, until it had become redundant to do so.

Another electric billboard appeared promoting Sleen's Greek mythology themed acrobatics show, "The Pantheon", as the imagines of the show had flashed on the wide screen. A quick clip of Selene gracefully defying gravity on top of a large representation of earth itself....with a familiar frame.

Sten was intrigued but wasn't surprised, "....so....I see he is .... artistically inclined."

"why is wearing a fracking towel? Also what is that on his head? Is...he dressed up like Primarch Gilliman?", Toke squinting to understand what he was looking at.

Cahrilo was a bit worried, he knew Wick was a little bit more adventurous when it came to his personal intrigues. However, to actively do something of this level was unheard of even within the ranks of the Raven Guard themselves. If Wick was of the Blood Angels or Emperor's Children chapters this would more understandable.

Bilhard was the only one of the group that have had a inclination on why Wick had gone to to lengths of exposing himself this way. ".... something is happening here....at least we know where we can find him now. There.", him pointing to the Paris Casino couldn't have been more unnecessarily dramatic, but dramatic actions call for dramatic antics.

At the door of the entrance, again onlookers stealing side eyes and glances at the group of overly tall, muscular men. The noses of Toke and Sten had begun to crinkle. The smell of cigarettes was just as part of the air as the oxygen around.

"ESCK! What is that foul stench?", Toke was surprisingly taken back by the smoke.

Sten as well could barley handle the overbearing oder himself. "This place is adhorrant, how can anyone even remain here?".

The two imperial fists were not too surprised of the smokey smell either, they were use to smelling strong, chemical odors. Cigarette smoke was nothing in comparison to what the both had inhaled on accident.

"I shall get us rooms here. We shall complete our mission in morning with the likely hood of running into Wick now astronomically higher.", Bilhard initiated.

Cahrilo walked ahead of Bilhard to beat him to the front desk. "Pardon me, would you happen to have four rooms available?". He gave a friendly smile that almost sent the front-desk clerk swooning.

"Ah l-let me check.", he quickly tries to find some rooms, that unfortunately weren't available. "Ohhh I'm so sorry sir, but we only have one available at the moment for last second check-in.", his friendly smile was more apologetic to the inconvenience.

Cahrilo awkwardly looked back at Bilhard and the boys. "Ugh....", turning back to the clerk, "How...big....is the room?".

The look on the clerk's face was understandably blank. "Hm...you know something I've never thought about that let me check."

After a few minutes, a room had been arranged so to speak.

"....I feel like Groxen in a shipping cart.", Toke, managing to sit on the bed, woefully.

Cahrilo, his back pressed on to Toke's bad, actively proving how small the room was with the four of them in. "Well, it's just for us to stay in for a night or two.".

"Well, now we must go and find Wick. If he is an active performer here in this establishment than I'm certain we can locate him.", Bilhard was attempting to message one of the battle brothers back home in order to find an internal map of the casino.

Sten had been meditating, being a Rune priest, he was sure to find Wick without having to notify anyone. "Hold on one second Bilhard, let me locate him.".

Bilhard had forgotten about that fact, "oh...have you found him?"

Sten hesitated to answer, "I believe so.....I keep seeing rather lude and lascivious visions of....well...I can say that he has been rather busy."

Toke and Cahrilo look at Sten.

Sten, now actively distracted by the both of them staring at him, "...."

"....c'mon, what are the details.", Toke frankly spoke.

"yes.... please do not hold back", Cahrilo more curious than actively being cheeky.

"LET HIM CONCENTRATE.", boomed Bilhard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My plan worked beautifully, everyone had successfully done their part.

Selene had been preparing for the show, I had been putting my...I do not want to call it a costume. Everyone was preparing for the show as scheduled....until the door nearly flew off it's hinges.

"WHERE THE HELL IS THAT LUMBERING, OVER GROWN WEASEL?!?!", Sleen....has returned.

"AND WHERE THE FUCK IS ANGELINA?!?", he growled by this point. A bumbling barbarian.

I pretended to look occupied, but very much ready to defend my fellow costars.

"Oh Good evening Mr.Sleen.", acting innocent as always, Angelina and her twin had been my best centerfolds for this plan. I owe them a great deal of gratitude.

"DON'T YOU "Good evening Mr.Sleen" ME YOU LITTLE -", the second I saw his hands, I decided to merely stand up from my seat. ".....there you are.....you sleezy.... greasy.....Adam Driver knockoff......you.... DISCOUNTED KEANU REEVES.....I know youre behind all of this....when I find out how...I will reserve a pleasant little plot of MANURE smackdab in the middle OF ARIZONA FOR YOU." brave of him to be poking me with that blushed baby carrot of an appendage he had the misfortune to associate as a finger on to my bare abdominals.

"....I was here in the hotel...doing nothing.", not my most convincing tone...but it was not like as if I could just reduce him to a partially liquefied mess on the floor this very second.

Sleen has the bravery to grab.... whatever he could of my tunic around my belt. I actually felt afraid of him tearing it off. It was a great overbearing deal of embarrassment to wear such a gaudy toga. It was worse to experience Sleen just ripping it off out of sheer anger.

"Do you have any idea the ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT I HAD TO DEAL WITH FOR THREE HOURS BEFORE GETTING BACK TO YOU BOZOS?!?!?", oh fantastic he was going to waste our precious oxygen to relive what I can only imagine was a mild inconvenience to a rational person.

"You! You told me to find this FUCKING BLOCK OF WET CONCRETE-", the battle brothers back home will be entertained for weeks once I have the time make the extended list of wonderful insults I have collected from Sleen alone, "-was at the Gold&Silver pawnshop to sell something and I spent my expensive time there because NONE OF THOSE FAT CLOWNS COULD ANSWER my questions. "Oh the best I can do is $170 for information" PHOOEY. lousy con artists, the LOT OF THEM.", I personally was enjoying Sleen's excessive tantrum.

He then turns to Selene, already use to his terrible outbursts, has not even once acknowledged him.

"oh...my little birdie, Selene....and where... prey tell is Hans?", the second I saw him about to lay his filthy hand on her I was ready to take to him up to the rafters and devour his head.

Yet, Selene's awe inspiring resolve and quick grace had avaided him by standing up from her vanity to complete putting her costume. "Oh...bonjour Mr.Sleen....Hans was with me for some time...and followed another girl. I had met with the others at the shopping plaza and came right back to my room for a nap.".

Sleen had not expecting such a quick reaction. "Hmm..a nap...figures ....".

I felt a quick tap on my arm, "Hey, pst, homes....what are you doing with the costume rack?", I had noticed I had accidentally crushed the metal pipe that the rack had been constructed by.

I was slipping. I need to concentrate on the show for tonight, so I can commence the next part of my plan. "...oops."

Tulio knew of my extraordinary nature, but to trust him with too much information was a risk I sadly can not take.

"Anyway.....GET BACK TO WORK! I don't want any more funny business do you all understand m-", Dylan, the show director comes in to purposely interpret Sleen. I always enjoy their banter. Considering Sleen would ruin his vision every step of the way. I had planned something different Sleen....courtesy of the years of abuse he would give to Dylan.

"Sir, I just want to tell you of some...well plot changes. Since our previous 'Artemis' quit and Hans is no where to be found...may I make one tiny...little incy wincy change in casting?", he gave a false smile.

Sleen could already smell something was wrong. "What...is it....also this better be a blockbuster hit the show starts in 2 hours.", he snorted.

"well... people are sooooo into reimaginings of mythology, there like a super awesome play with some Epic emotional beats and I was wondering if you know...have Orion...dance with Artemis during the last act? Instead of, like ew yikes, implying she was raped by him? I eck, so third century B.C.E.", Dylan was an essential and eccentric part of my plan. It was easy to convince him, it is understandable since he has been emotionally and physically lonely for a while.

My offerings of gentle kindness was all it had taken. He is another soul I owe, for he was not only risking his job, he was risking his reputation.

"...why? Didn't he fuck Artemis in the stories?", Sleen's vision of mythology was a depravity worthy of being considered heresy. Even Slenessh's more cruel deviants wouldn't find any sensibility in his show.

Dylan, visibly frustrated, "listen, it's bad enough I had to designs these brightly color preschool productions outfits that I SWEAR the cease and desist letters won't stop because of it. We're having WAY too many young audience members today and I think we should keep the production at the very least "PG 13", if you wanted a snuff film you could have driven to the shady part of town and boom you have your high production porno there." Oddly enough, he was the only soul who could talk to Sleen the way he did without any harm be felling on to him.

Sleen was many terrible things, but a fool in respects to the prospect of losing money was not one of them, " ok I'll bite...who did you have in mind to play Orion?".

Oh how I could sing my inner joy of watching Sleen fall to his knees in protest when he heard my name from Dylan's lips.

"Boss, Sleen bean, listen, you already have him wearing like.... seriously is that a table cloth, oh I don't care, you might as well have him wear the leotard besides it is just for tonight and people pay good money to watch big sexy men so big sexy shows, ok stop wiping your tears in my CELINE faux leather pants your leaving some weird residue.", he looked down on Sleen, who had just started crying.

"You... EVIL.... little Twink.", he uttered bitterly with tears.

"Mr. Sleen that's 'Mr. Evil Little Twink' to you, I'm a professional.", I was not certain what a 'twink' was...but I could only imagine how much bravery and valor they have when facing their foes to fell them in battle.

End of log 15

@kit-williams @barn-anon @egrets-not-regrets

@gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan @walking-natural-disaster @starfrost740

@squishyowl @sleepyfan-blog @lawnchair86

[nerdygaymormon]

This Tumblr Ask is mostly an excuse to interact with another human. I hope you don’t mind.

Would you say Mormonism has a better history of changing entrenched stances than other religions?

Of the religions which don’t currently perform same sex marriages, which do you think will start in the next 100 years?

Who would you guess is going to be the central orbit in your afterlife: you or your husband?

Over the past 20 years, Salt Lake City Utah has had some of the best numbers regarding changes in racial diversity and home prices in the nation. A generation ago this relationship (then known as “White Flight”) was a major and very sad problem many municipalities faced. Is Mormonism in Florida making lives better for Black people?

These are interesting questions.

—————————

Would you say Mormonism has a better history of changing entrenched stances than other religions?

Mormonism believes in on-going revelation, and its top leader is considered to be a prophet and we also have apostles. In other words, the structure is one which suggests change is an ongoing feature of this church. Compared to where the LDS Church was in 1830 or even 1960, much has changed.

Despite this, it seems to me to be slower than others when it comes to reconsidering "entrenched stances." It didn't allow full participation by Black members until 1978. Every few years it seems to take another small step or two towards equality for women, but the slow pace of change makes it feel like it's falling further behind much of Christendom.

I think the reason for this church being slow to progress forward is that it raises questions about the role of the prophet and apostles. If the past leaders were wrong about race or the inclusion of women, what might the current leaders be wrong about? Undermining the authority & teachings of past leaders calls into question the authority & teachings of the current leaders. Can I disregard what they're saying on LGBTQ+ topics because I believe there'll be further revelation and change, even if the current leaders say that the current teachings won't change, just like the past leaders said there wouldn't be change?

The current workaround is that doctrine doesn't change, but policies do. While I know many consider the LDS Church's teachings on gender and marriage to be doctrine, they have changed many times and therefore I think of them as policies.

—————————

Of the religions which don’t currently perform same sex marriages, which do you think will start in the next 100 years?

One of the ways churches create an identity for themselves is by what they stand for. They also can define themselves by what they are against. Unfortunately, for hundreds of years Christianity has adopted being anti-gay/anti-queer as part of the definition of what it means to be Christian. Changing this identity is difficult.

There are Christian denominations wrestling with accepting same-sex marriages. Changing their stance has roiled their denominations. While many are thrilled, some traditionalists are alarmed & dismayed and whole congregations vote to leave that particular denomination.

I think this study showing the changing acceptance of gay marriage by religions in the United States is fascinating. I think it predicts most religions in the United States will ultimately accept queer people and same-sex marriages.

This chart shows that the Latter-day Saints moved the most in the past 8 years, from 27% to 50%. This is very much related to LGBTQ+ members coming out, especially teenagers and those in their 20's. Also, we have had a wave of adults who came out & left their mixed-orientation marriages. It's been a big, messy process, but now it seems most everyone knows or is related to a Mormon/ex-Mormon who is out as LGBTQ+. Which underlines that when people actually know queer folks and hear our stories, it changes hearts.

—————————

Who would you guess is going to be the central orbit in your afterlife: you or your husband?

Gosh, I don't know how to answer this. I'm not sure what this means to be the "central orbit" of my afterlife.

Considering I'm single and don't have a husband, I will have to say that it won't be my husband. Although, if I'm lucky, maybe one day my marriage status will change

—————————

Over the past 20 years, Salt Lake City Utah has had some of the best numbers regarding changes in racial diversity and home prices in the nation. A generation ago this relationship (then known as “White Flight”) was a major and very sad problem many municipalities faced. Is Mormonism in Florida making lives better for Black people?

It's interesting you speak of Salt Lake City as racially diverse. When I visit, I notice the lack of such diversity. I suppose compared to where it was, it is becoming more diverse, but so is the United States.

Utah is the 34th most racially and ethnically diverse state in the nation, putting it in the bottom half of states. Forty percent of the state’s growth since 2010 has come from racial and ethnic minority populations, who are expected to account for one in three Utahns by 2060. In contrast, it is projected by 2040 that the United States is expected to have no race or ethnic demographic which is more than 50% of the population, making us a majority minority nation.

So yes, Salt Lake City and Utah are becoming more diverse, but still lags far behind the United States as a whole.

As for your question whether Mormonism in Florida is making lives better for Black people, I don't think so. I also wouldn't say we're making life worse.

I know we have talked about being more welcoming of Black people and have had some committees in my local area to discuss what changes we can make in our congregations or what contribution we can make to the Black community in the area. I'm not aware of any sustained efforts to make changes or to partner with local organizations.

Our congregations in Florida may look more diverse than the average congregation in Utah, but typically they're not as diverse as the neighborhoods where we are located. We have much room for improvement in making a space where all feel welcome and that this is their spiritual home.

[spdk1]

REVIEW: Central States Wrestling - We're Not in Kansas Anymore (2024)

A Live professional Wrestling event from CSW About a month ago, I had the pleasure of attending Central States Wrestling – We’re not in Kansas Anymore, a fittingly named event as the company was compelled to relocate across the state line due to issues with armory rentals in Kansas. This is a recurring issue I’ve discussed in previous reviews, plaguing numerous wrestling shows in this area – the…

[tjkl895]

(https://www.sjanickiphoto.com/2023-2024-College-Wrestling/2024-02-23-Michigan-State-Vs-Central-Michigan/125-157lbs-Michigan-State-Vs-Central-Michigan-22324/i-Pxjhw2J)

[happyllamaglama]

Llamas are members of the camelid family meaning they're pretty closely related to vicuñas and camels.

Camelids first appeared on the Central Plains of North America about 40 million years ago. About 3 million years ago, llamas' ancestors migrated to South America.

During the last ice age (10,000-12,000 years ago) camelids went extinct in North America. Now there are around 160,000 llamas and 100,000 alpacas in the United States and Canada.

Llamas were first domesticated and used as pack animals 4,000 to 5,000 years ago in the Peruvian highlands.

Llamas can grow as much as 6 feet tall though the average llama between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 9 inches tall.

Llamas weigh between 280 and 450 pounds and can carry 25 to 30 percent of their body weight, so a 400-pound male llama can carry about 100 to 120 pounds on a trek of 10 to 12 miles with no problem.

Llamas know their own limits. If you try to overload a llama with too much weight, the llama is likely to lie down or simply refuse to move.

In the Andes Mountains of Peru, llama fleece has been shorn and used in textiles for about 6,000 years. Llama wool is light, warm, water-repellent, and free of lanolin.

Llamas are hardy and well suited to harsh environments. They are quite sure-footed, easily navigating rocky terrain at high altitudes.

Llamas are smart and easy to train.

Llamas have been used as guard animals for livestock like sheep or even alpacas in North America since the '80s. They require almost no training to be an effective guard.

Llamas don't bite. They spit when they're agitated, but that's mostly at each other. Llamas also kick and neck wrestle each other when agitated.

Llamas are vegetarians and have very efficient digestive systems.

A llama's stomach has three compartments. They are called the rumen, omasum, and abomasum. A cow's stomach has four compartments. Like cows, llamas must regurgitate and re-chew their food to digest it completely.

Llama poop has almost no odor. Llama farmers refer to llama manure as "llama beans." It makes for a great, eco-friendly fertilizer. Historically, the Incas in Peru burned dried llama poop for fuel.

Llamas live to be about 20 years old. Though some only live for 15 years and others live to be 30 years old.

A baby llama is called a "cria" which is Spanish for baby. It's pronounced KREE-uh. Baby alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos are also called crias. Mama llamas usually only have one baby at a time and llama twins are incredibly rare. Pregnancy lasts for about 350 days, nearly a full year. Crias weigh 20 to 35 pounds at birth.

Llamas come in a range of solid and spotted colors including black, gray, beige, brown, red, and white.

Llamas are social animals and prefer to live with other llamas or herd animals. The social structure of llamas changes frequently and a male llama can move up the social ladder by picking, and winning, small fights with the leader of the group.

A group of llamas is called a herd.

Llamas have two wild "cousins" that have never been domesticated: the vicuña and the guanaco. The Guanaco is closely related to the llama. Vicuñas are thought to be the ancestors of alpacas.

The current population of llamas and alpacas in South America is estimated to be more than 7 million.

Yarn made from llama fiber is soft and lightweight, yet remarkably warm. The soft, undercoat is used for garments and handicrafts while the coarse, outer coat is frequently used for rugs and ropes.

Trying to tell the difference between a llama and an alpaca? Two obvious things to look for: Llamas are generally about twice the size of alpacas, and alpacas have short, pointy ears, whereas llamas have much longer ears that stand straight up and give them an alert look.

thoughtco.com/fun-facts-about-llamas-3880940.

[radiofreederry]

The reason I think Tallahassee is such a great album opener really comes down to the last line,

"What did I come down here for?/You."

And like, simultaneously that's read as

"Oh well, of course it's you. You, always dragging me into the shit, this thing that I hate, I came to this shitty town in this shitty state, this sweltering heat and unbearable humidity because of you, and only because there was nowhere left for us to run away from each other."

and

"It's you, of course, how could it be anyone else? Who else would I do these things for? I cannot stop chasing after you, after this ghost of love I felt for you once, the last time anything felt real. I loved you, I love you, I will love you, of course I would come here for you."

And the rest of the album is just wrestling with that central dialectic

[wrestlinghistorywithkay]

Mr. No. 01 : All About George South And My Personal Experience With Him

Hey Everyone! I wanted to write this special article for a legend whom I’ve met multiple times! The legend is , ‘ Mr. No. 1 ’ , George South . I wanted to write this because today is his birthday!

George South has been wrestling since 1984. He made his in ring debut the day after Christmas, which was December 26, 1984 at Championship Wrestling from Florida ( CWF). He was in a tag team with his partner being Mike Allen. They took on the team of Pretty Young Things , which consisted of WWE Hall Of Famer Koko B. Ware and Norvell Austin. However , South and Allen lost the match. South’s next wrestling appearance was in Bill Watts’ Mid- South Wrestling. Mid-South Wrestling was rebranded into the Universal Wrestling Federation ( UWF ) in 1986. South was in a tag team with Rocky King in a match against Kamala in a Two-On-One match in 1985. The same year , South found his way to Jim Crockett Promotions and made his debut on the Inaugural episode of World Championship Wrestling ( later to be known as WCW Saturday Night ) on April 6,1985.

On the episode of WCW, George South would team with Greg Stone to face the team of Ivan Koloff and Krusher Khruschev. A week after making his debut, he would face Magnum TA , the most popular wrestler in JCP. This was his first singles match, Magnum would defeat him. Thus , he would have his very first match against the NWA World Heavyweight Champion, ‘ The Nature Boy ’ Ric Flair , on June 1,1985. This match would be a non-title match , which meant that Flair wouldn’t have to defend his championship. Flair would go on to say that South was his favorite Enhancement Talent to work with and praised him for being a Great Worker. On September 14,1985 , South would earn his first victory against Mack Jeffers. He would also work for Georgia Championship Wrestling and would also become the NWA Junior Georgia Heavyweight Champion in 1986 as he continued to work for JCP. He would also appear in Central States Wrestling out of the Midwest. Central States Wrestling was an affiliate of the NWA in the Heart of America/ Central States Territory. His appearances there would be in the Fall of 1986. He would have matches against talents such as Colt Steel and Mark Fleming. South would form a tag team with Gary Royal upon his return to Mid Atlantic Wrestling. They would be known as the Gladiators , Cruel Connection, and the Mexican Twin Devils. They would be masked and would be an Enhancement Tag Team. South would continue to wrestle for JCP.

In August of 1988, George South would debut for the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF). He did so as he continued working for JCP. He was used as an Enhancement Talent in a match for the Honky Tonk Man for ‘ WWF Wrestling Challenge’. He would also wrestle against The Blue Blazer on the same show on August 24, 1988. This match would mark Owen Hart’s first TV match for the WWF. He would have matched against talent such as The Ultimate Warrior, The Rockers ( Marty Janetty and Shawn Michaels) , Jake ‘ The Snake ’ Roberts, Sam Houston, and many other popular WWF wrestlers . His final appearance for the company would be in 1990. Thus , he would also appear in WCW once more. He would have matched against The Great Muta and other talent such as Johnny B. Badd ( Marc Mero). George South would find his way back to the WWF in 1993 at a taping against Tatanka. Thus ,a year later, he would face Tatanka on the January 17,1994 episode of Monday Night RAW. In February, he would face Doink The Clown. In April , he would go against Lex Luger. He made his final WWF appearance in 1996 , being in a match against Jake Roberts on ‘ Superstars ’.

George South would join the PWF ( Pro Wrestling Federation) in 1991 as he was continuing to work in WCW. He would become the PWF Junior Heavyweight Champion in the Summer of the same year. He also reconnected with Gary Royal and Cruel Connection was reformed. South was crowned the PWF World Heavyweight Champion in 1995 after defeating Star Ryder. He also made an appearance in Jim Cornette’s Smoky Mountain Wrestling. In 1999, South would open his own wrestling promotion, Exodus Wrestling Alliance. He is a born again Christian and says one of his greatest accomplishments is giving Hulk Hogan a tract to help him with his faith. He often gives these out to fans at any show he is booked at. South also works with legends such as Nikita Koloff at Christian based wrestling shows. As a Heel , South says that he doesn’t use profanity, or become vulgar in order for fans to boo him. He also uses his style of wrestling to salute the wrestlers of the past such as Blackjack Mulligan.

George South is also affiliated with AML Wrestling. He made his NWA return in 2019 in a dark match against Colby Corino. This was before the taping of the December 15,2019 episode of ‘ NWA Powerrr ’. He also trains new wrestlers at Rings Wrestling Training Facility. South has trained wrestlers such as Tessa Blanchard , the daughter of Tully Blanchard and the stepdaughter of Magnum TA.

My Personal Experience With George:

George South is one of the nicest people I have ever met. I first met him back in 2022. I’ve also learned a few things about the business from him, and I’m not even an in ring talent. I got to work his merch stand at a show one night and it was an honor to do so. I even got to watch him perform in the ring and it was excellent! I have to say , he’s a great Heel and an even better person. He’s also pretty fun to watch in a deathmatch. So, happy birthday, George! Love ya! - Kay

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Even with our current climate of fake news, misinformation, disinformation, and election lies, we shouldn’t use  government power to try enforcing the truth.

By: Angel Eduardo

Published: Jun 29, 2023

Lies are a problem. 

In fact, one can persuasively argue that lies are the problem. 

Few behaviors are as corrosive to our social fabric or as foundational to our societal divisions. Lies severely hobble our ability to communicate effectively, our capacity to understand reality, and our attempts at securing social and moral progress. As a result, it’s understandable to conclude that using government power to prohibit and eliminate lies is justified.

The thing is, that’s a terrible idea.

While some exceptions exist, there are good reasons why our Constitution protects most forms of dishonesty, deception, and artful deviations from the truth. In this explainer I’ll go over these reasons and outline why, for all the difficulty and damage they certainly cause, most lies are and should remain protected speech.

What exactly is a lie, anyway?

Most of us can agree that lies are the opposite of truth, but opinions vary from that point forward. 

Must lies require a conscious attempt to deceive? If the speaker believes the falsehood, are they lying regardless? Can statements once thought to be true retroactively become lies once they’re discovered to be false?

Things get weirder when you start factoring in things like fiction, satire, or parody. Are those technically “lies”? What if something is mostly true, or mostly false? At what point does a statement cross the threshold into being an official lie?

Hopefully these questions illustrate the difficulty of knowing how and where to draw these lines. Now imagine trying to legislate all this. How can you legally tell the difference between lies and honest mistakes? How much does intention play into your definition, and how can you reasonably gauge it? Perhaps most importantly: How can you ensure that whatever laws you create to stamp out lies don’t get abused or stamp out important truths along with them? 

This last question has been central to why discussions about regulating lies with laws have been so difficult, and why they’ve almost always ended by erring on the side of letting false speech stay free.

But what about lies we know are lies? Shouldn’t the government legislate against those? The Supreme Court would wrestle with this very question in a landmark 2012 case, United States v. Alvarez.

The case of stolen valor

During a meeting of the Three Valley Water District Board in Claremont, California in 2007, Xavier Alvarez stepped up to introduce himself. “I’m a retired marine of 25 years,” he said. “Back in 1987, I was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.”

These were lies, and Alvarez was in the habit of telling them. In the past he had claimed he played hockey for the Detroit Red Wings and that he had once been married to a Mexican starlet. But by purporting to have received a military medal, Alvarez had taken his dishonesty into new and more serious territory: He had violated the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, which criminalized lying about having or receiving a military honor.

Alvarez was indicted and pleaded guilty to the charge, but appealed on the basis that the law itself was an unconstitutional, content-based restriction of his right to free speech. In other words, the statute restricted speech specifically based on what it is saying, in violation of the First Amendment. 

The Supreme Court agreed. “Absent from those few categories where the law allows content-based regulation of speech,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the majority, “is any general exception to the First Amendment for false statements.” Moreover, Justice Kennedy noted that “some false statements are inevitable if there is to be an open and vigorous expression of views in public and private conversation, expression the First Amendment seeks to guarantee.”

The Court’s analysis recognized two critical points: First, that bans on specific lies are content-based restrictions on speech. Second, that in order to preserve the freedom of expression the First Amendment defends, lies must be protected the same way as any other speech.

Lies and the First Amendment

The short answer to why lies are constitutionally protected is that, outside of a few narrow and formally recognized categories of unprotected speech, the First Amendment is neutral regarding the content of the speech it defends. This principle was expressed beautifully by Justice Thurgood Marshall in the 1972 Supreme Court case Police Department of Chicago v. Mosley, which questioned the constitutionality of a city ordinance banning non-union picketing outside of a school building. In the majority opinion, Marshall wrote, “the First Amendment means that government has no power to restrict expression because of its message, its ideas, its subject matter, or its content.”

This means that the First Amendment almost universally prohibits content-based regulation of speech. Because they target the substance of speech and are easily used to suppress disfavored ideas, content-based laws or regulations are presumed unconstitutional, and the government must meet a very heavy burden to justify them. That burden is strict scrutiny — the highest standard in First Amendment law, which requires the government to prove the regulation “furthers a compelling interest and is narrowly tailored to achieve that interest,” as outlined in Reed v. Town of Gilbert, Arizona, et al. Interests are “compelling,” the First Amendment Encyclopedia explains, when they are regarding “regulation vital to the protection of public health and safety, including the regulation of violent crime, the requirements of national security and military necessity, and respect for fundamental rights.”

The key here is that any regulations must not only advance a “compelling” interest, but must also not restrict our ability to speak freely (and dishonestly) beyond what is necessary to further that interest.

As noted above, not all expression is protected by the First Amendment: The Supreme Court has identified “historic and traditional” limitations on a few “well-defined and narrowly limited classes of speech.” These include incitement (Brandenburg v. Ohio), true threats (Virginia v. Black), and obscenity (Miller v. California).

In cases such as the United States v. Robert J. Stevens, however, the Court emphatically rejected as “startling and dangerous” the idea of a “free-floating test for First Amendment coverage” that requires speech to survive an ad hoc balancing of its costs and benefits. Rather, the “First Amendment itself reflects a judgment by the American people that the benefits of its restrictions on the Government outweigh the costs.”

Lies the First Amendment doesn’t protect — and why

When it comes to lies or dishonesty in particular, there are a few forms of it that fall under constitutionally unprotected speech, such as fraud, perjury, and defamation. Even in these cases, though, it’s not so much the lies themselves being acted against, but rather their specific and measurable consequences.

With respect to perjury, for example, false testimony in a criminal trial can lead to a wrongful conviction, affecting the life and liberty of an innocent defendant. Likewise, fraud in the form of false advertising, or other deliberate misrepresentations made for economic or personal gain, can be criminalized due to the clear material costs imposed upon those who fall prey to it.

Defamation, defined as “a false statement that harms the reputation of another,” is perhaps the most well-known of unprotected lies. It’s also very easy to understand the reasoning for it. A lot rides on reputations, and having ours smeared or destroyed can lead to real harm.

However, “harm” can also be incredibly subjective, and defamation can easily be used as a cudgel rather than a legitimate defense of one’s own honor. That’s why judges tread very carefully in defamation cases, and it’s why defamatory statements must meet a specific set of criteria to hold up in court. As Ronald K.L. Collins, David L. Hudson Jr., and FIRE Legal Director Will Creeley outline in “First Things First: A Modern Coursebook on Free Speech Fundamentals”:

A defamation plaintiff must establish all of the following six elements: 1. Identification: The publication was “of and concerning” the plaintiff. 2. Publication: The defamatory statements were disseminated to a third party. 3. Defamatory meaning: The statements in question were defamatory. 4. Falsity: The statements must be false. Truth is an absolute defense to a defamation claim. Generally, the plaintiff bears the burden of proof of establishing falsity. 5. Statement of fact: The statements in question must be objectively verifiable as false statements of fact. This means the statements were presented as true facts, but are demonstrably false. 6. Damage: The false and defamatory statements must cause actual injury or special damages.

Proving defamation can be really tough, and it gets even tougher if you’re a public figure, like a celebrity or a politician. As we covered in our explainer on the New York Times Co. v. Sullivan Supreme Court case, the limits on defamation law are meant to prevent the chilling effect caused by the use of legal action to silence criticism, satire, parody, or dissent. The bar is very high because courts are rightly afraid that general restrictions on speech, however false or unsavory, will violate not just the First Amendment but the principles of free expression that undergird it.

Other forms of unprotected lies include making false statements to government officials concerning official matters, falsely speaking on behalf of the government, and impersonating a government officer. But as with perjury, fraud, and defamation, the lies themselves aren’t the only reason for that being unprotected speech. All of these infractions focus on falsehoods that prevent or disrupt official government action — especially if it would end up infringing upon the rights of others.

Like any deviation from the presumption that speech is protected, these exceptions to the rule are limited, narrowly defined, and place the burden on the government to justify. First Amendment law recognizes that any attempt to suppress freedom of speech, no matter how well-intentioned, is a perilous endeavor. Carelessly allowing the government to regulate what can and cannot be said will cost us more than we bargained for. That is why each category of unprotected speech has been approached with a careful eye toward preserving free expression and avoiding government overreach — and the bar is set high for good reason.

Why lies should remain protected speech

The First Amendment generally protects speech from government punishment or censorship even if that speech is dishonest or false. But is that really the right thing to do? Given our current climate of fake news, misinformation, disinformation, and election lies, shouldn’t we use government power to set the record straight and establish the truth?

Not unless you think you or someone else can square all the lingering concerns about the risk of overbroad, overextended, or overapplied laws. As we covered in our explainer on misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation, allowing the government to define what constitutes these forms of speech is basically begging for it to abuse its power.

Just imagine the authority to determine and regulate lies in the hands of your worst enemies. Do you trust them to use it honorably? Why should they, then, trust you? The problem also goes beyond intentions. Even the most honest and well-meaning political actors can unwittingly succumb to bias, and the incentives to suppress inconvenient truths or ignore expedient lies are far too great to dismiss.

And as with most arguments relating to the restriction or regulation of free expression, the questions remain: Who decides? How do they decide? And who watches the watchmen?

In the majority opinion explaining why the Stolen Valor Act infringes upon free speech rights, Justice Kennedy stated the following:

The remedy for speech that is false is speech that is true. This is the ordinary course in a free society. The response to the unreasoned is the rational; to the uninformed, the enlightened; to the straight-out lie, the simple truth… The First Amendment itself ensures the right to respond to speech we do not like, and for good reason. Freedom of speech and thought flows not from the beneficence of the state but from the inalienable rights of the person. And suppression of speech by the government can make exposure of falsity more difficult, not less so. Society has the right and civic duty to engage in open, dynamic, rational discourse. These ends are not well served when the government seeks to orchestrate public discussion through content-based mandates.

While striking down the law, Justice Kennedy also reaffirmed the principles of free expression and open discourse that the First Amendment has always protected and represented. Yes, lies may be divisive, dangerous, and destructive to our relationships, our social order, and our polity — but the truth can’t be enforced through the authority of the state. It is the government’s job to keep our speech free. It’s our job to find and uphold the truth through the use of that speech. That’s a lot of work and responsibility, and it can often be messy, but the alternatives have far greater and graver costs.

Some argue that times have changed — that modern technology has fundamentally shifted our discourse to the point where drastic, even draconian interventions on lies and misinformation are required. But the critical questions of who to grant that power to and how to check it linger on, and it is unlikely that they can ever be truly or satisfactorily answered.

In the meantime, lies are the price we pay for the freedom to discover the truth for ourselves.

==

Among the best arguments against controlling perceived "misinformation" and lies are:

The need to be able to tell, with certainty, the difference between a lie and a mistake. Some percentage of people who believe in Flat Earth are undoubtedly lying, but many genuinely believe what they're saying. You can't punish people for simply being wrong.

Processes like science are never done. They must always consider the possibility: what if you're wrong? Or even just, what if you missed something, or what if you don't have the whole picture? The Church knew the "truth" and punished Galileo for "misinformation."

Perhaps more self-interested compellingly, never establish a policy or precedent that your enemies can use against you when they're in power. (And if your immediate instinct is, well, we'll just make sure they don't/can't get into power, you might want to consider the position in history of those who said the same thing.)

[news-venue]

Who Is Harish Salve, The Lawyer Fighting To Get Vinesh Phogat Olympic Medal

Hopes of billion Indians now rests on the shoulders to lawyer Harish Salve who will today represent wrestler Vinesh Phogat in her Paris Olympics disqualification case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Ms Phogat, a top contender in the 50-kg wrestling category, was disqualified from the Paris Olympics due to a weight issue just hours before the final. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has appealed for the Phogat to be given a joint silver medal for her stellar show at the marquee event.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport or CAS is an international body established in 1984 to settle disputes in sport through arbitration.

Harish Salve, former Solicitor General of India and King's Counsel, has confirmed that he has been engaged by the IOA to represent Phogat in the case.

Salve was the Solicitor General of India from 1999 to 2002. He is considered one of India's top lawyers, known for his exceptional expertise in constitutional, commercial, and arbitration law.

Kulbhushan Jadhav Case (2017): He represented India at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national sentenced to death in Pakistan. Salve successfully argued for a stay on Jadhav's execution. Ratan Tata vs Cyrus Mistry (2016): Mr Salve represented Ratan Tata in a legal battle against Cyrus Mistry. Vodafone Tax Dispute (2012): Mr Salve represented Vodafone in a high-profile tax dispute, securing a landmark victory for the company. 2G Spectrum Scam (2012): Mr Salve appeared for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the 2G spectrum allocation case. Sahara Group vs SEBI (2012): The lawyer represented the Sahara Group in a dispute with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Following her disqualification from the Paris Olympics final, Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling on Thursday.

In an emotional post on X, Ms Phogat expressed her sense of defeat and gratitude, stating, "Maa kushti (wrestling) won against me, I lost. Forgive me, your dream and my courage have been broken. I don't have any more strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all for forgiveness."